《Magi Craft Meister》 Chapter 1 - EPILOGUE OF TWO WORLDS

Chapter 1 C EPILOGUE OF TWO WORLDS

Nidoh Jin was an orphan. As a child, Nidoh was abandoned in front of an orphanage and from then on raised in the orphanage. His hobby is handicrafts. His specialty is also handicrafts. However the orphanage did not provide the satisfactory environment he wanted, so he decided his own path. Jin-nii, make an airne~! Okay~ From the top, for the young boys he started with a bamboo-copter, then stilts, a boomerang, a kite, and then finally the model ne. After graduating from middle school, he worked part-time while attending high school part-time. Onii-chaan, I want a doll~ I got it, I got it, just wait a little bit And for the girls, he made origami and stuffed dolls. Thanks to learning how to make detailed dresses, he was also able to sew normal clothes. Youre so skilful Jin. Youve been a great help. Jins foster parent, the director praised him for every little thing. Jin, it might be troublesome but could you repair the roof leak? Leave it to me He handled the carpentry jobs in general, from the repairs of the house to making the chairs and tables. After graduating, he found employment at a certainpany. He entered thepanys dormitory and left the orphanage. All the children cried, reluctantly parting from him, Everyone, this wont be thest time we see each other. On my days off Ille visit with a gift and y with all of you, okay? And ording to his word, when Sunday came, he visited the orphanage with a gift he bought with his pay. Another space, another time, another world that was not Earth. There, one witch a magic users life was ending. listen thisboratory everything of mine entrust it to someone that someone somehow find them Im counting on you Yes ? Mother She was a Magi Craft Meister. She entrusted her sessor to the Automata she poured her everything into to construct and died silently. Thepany Jin joined was not a so-called ckpany, but it was still a considerably harsh ce. The upation was not particrly written, the only day off is Sunday, there was no unpaid overtime though, but people at the dormitory were often abruptly called in. ? Being a high school graduate, Jin was worked especially hard, resulting in his fatigue umting. Jin-nii, you dont seem well The children at the orphanage were also worried. Work must be demanding right? Dont push yourself, you should at least take a rest on Sundays But even though the director had said that to him, he considered ying with the children his rest and ignored her advice. The Automata continued to search for its new master, the Sessor. Its only lead was the Wavelength and Waveform. Able to identify a humans individuality by their Wavelength and Waveform, the Automata continued to search for a human with a Wavelength and Waveformthat closely resembled its master. This world ? probably ? not it The probability of finding someone the same or very simr was extremely small, the Automata could not find the Sessor even after 100 years had past. Nidoh, sorry, but can you take care of this Okay Jin was passed various jobs to settle. Sorting documents, contract confirmation and so on were the good ones, and then there was dealing with customer ims as well as defective product servicing and withdrawal. This time, Jin is repairing the internal LAN that ran into some trouble. All of this was because Jin had knowledge in a wide variety of fields. Insufficient ? Mana ? Avable ? To ? ess ? Other World The Automata was given an enormous amount of knowledge, and knowing it had insufficient magic power to ess the other dimension, it developed a way topensate for that. Aah, I guess Im a little tired Jin walked around with dark circles under his eyes. It was understandable. This was the 3rd day that he hadnt slept. Todays job was a system check for a certain iron manufacturer. World 2367 ? Failure. Continuing ? World 2368 ? Scan ? Starting With the perseverance only an inorganic being could have, the Automatic continued to search for the Sessor. Umm temperature control, error This must be it, the wire must have been cut somewhere. Jin followed the sensor wire that led to the electric furnace. World 3601 ?????? LOCATED! The search thatsted for 1000 years had ended, finally the Automata had found the Sessor. Summoning ? Ritual ? Activation Commencing It sure is hot. Even though the furnace is stopped, the melted iron below is still hot. Although the electric furnace doesnt operate during the asional check, therge amount of melted iron wouldnt cool down so easily. Aah, here it is! The iron scraps must have collided with it The electric furnace melts the iron using arc discharge, producing a number of raw materials and iron scraps. A section of the sensor wire seems to have been damaged from this. Summoning Magic Circle ? Constructing. Bestow ? Special Characteristics ? Knowledge of Language The means tomunicate is simr for any world. Activate! Before the Automata, something emerged from the magic circleposed ofplex magguage. With this Im done! Jin finished recing the parts. At that moment, slipping out of his hand, his tool dropped. Oh crap! Reflexively he extended his hand out towards thedle inside the electric furnace. In other words, the ce where the melted iron umted. Uwa! Leaving behind a short scream, Jins body fell down towards thedle. At that time, My life insurance, I hope it goes to the orphanage was Jinsst thought in this world. Chapter 2 - SUCCESSOR’S BIRTH

Chapter 2 C SUCCESSORS BIRTH

A ceiling I dont recognise ? Jin woke up in this world. There are words of a promise. Are you ? awake ? Master? Hearing that voice Jin got up in surprise and saw a beautiful girl. ck hair, ck eyes, and pale skin. A height of about 120cm, an elementary student? The clothes she wore were simr to a maids. Ummm who are you? I am ? an automata. A name ? I do not possess Her answer left Jin unable to reply and he began to gather his thoughts, Automata I think Europe produced marites but there werent any this borate were there? Then Jin noticed, what he had heard was not Japanese. Furthermore it wasnt English, French, German or any othernguage he knew. Umm so, were you the one that saved me? For now, he decided to ask questions one by one to confirm the situation. To say ? saved ? is slightly ?incorrect. I had ? simply ? called ? Master ? here Then, where am I? Mothers ? Laboratory Mother, that would be the person who created you, is that right? That is correct Where is that person? Passed away ? 1024 years ? 8 months ? 27 days ? ago Passed away he didnt know the word the Automata said, however the word was simr to a formal old fashioned Japanese word and Jin used that to understand the meaning of what she said. ? I I see 1024 years, 8 months and 27 days. That is to say this Automata has been operating for that unthinkable amount of time. So, why have you called me here? For you ? to seed ?Mothers ? everything To seed her everything? un, could you be a bit more specific? Understood. Everything would be ? thisboratory ? and also ? Mothers ?magic techniques. Is this exnation sufficient? Although it was brief and he wanted to ask for more, he understood the main points. To put it simply, Im to seed your Mother who is a magic user, thats what you mean right? Yes ? that is correct Anguage he has never heard of, there was an unimaginable Automata in existence, and a ce that was not Earth, it did not take long for Jin to understand this. To begin with, he should have fallen into thedle of the electric furnace. The intense heat, he could still remember the feeling of it burning his body. So, did you heal me? If that was true, magic is amazing, was what he though while he asked to confirm, No ? I did not ?do such ? a thing she said stopping that thought. Though, In order to ? transfer over ? the outer world ? magic power ?is used ? in proportion ? topensate ? for a ? new self ? is the exnation Then when transferring to another world, magic power willpensate for the damages to the body? Jin looked to examine the changes to his body. Left hand. The scar from when he identally cut his thumb with a knife in elementary school was gone. Right leg. There was no trace of a dog bite. Feeling with his hands, even his back with a scald from hot water being spilt on it was now clean and smooth. And when Jin finished confirming, he finally noticed he was naked. UWAAAAAAAA! Although the other party was an Automata, because no matter how he looked at it, the only thing he could see was a beautiful girl, so this kind of reaction was natural Master? What ? is the ? matter? An Automata is an Automata, however being stared at with a face without worry was all the more embarrassing for Jin. For now Jin wrapped a bed sheet around his body and calmed down, reconsidering the situation. Anyways, I was on the verge of being burnt to death or rather I was saved by this child calling my body that was mostly burnt to death I probably cant return back to my former world, its inevitable that the other side will probably think Im dead The director and children at the orphanage will definitely be sad sorry everyone After careful consideration, Jin had resolved himself. So, what exactly am I supposed to do? He asked the Automata standing silently before him. Then, Could you ? please ? follow me ? this way? With that said, the Automata led him out of the room. Jin followed after her with his body wrapped in a bed sheet. Although having no shoes bothered him, there was carpet spread along the floor, so there was no need to worry about his feet getting hurt. After leaving the room into the corridor, Jin had been observing the structure of the building. He had some general knowledge in architecture . The wall and ceiling were made from a milky white coloured substance. The texture was simr to quartz and also because it gave off a dim light, there was no inconvenience to walking. Different from EL, it was a mysterious glow. This light, is it magic? When he asked, the Automata walking in front of him, Yes ? it is. An eternal light ? caused by ? ether Another word that he didnt understand came out, for now Jin decided to refrain from asking about it. Judging from the guide around so far, this Laboratorys was about the size of a citys elementary school, although that was a considerably vague estimate Jin made. The Automata then stopped before a single door. Here we ? are On the door, there were very detailed carvings. I ? am not ? permitted ? to open it, only the ? new ? master ? possesses ? the privilege ? to open it I understand Although he didnt know what might happen, Jin resolutely touched the door stayposed Master, please ? pull it Instead of pulling, he had been pushing the door. He was extremely nervous as expected. I I know! With a face flushed red, this time Jin opened the door and stepped inside. Thereupon, the dim room suddenly lit up. Uwaa For a moment he was bewildered by the dazzling light, but when he noticed it was just lights being lit, he was able to regain hisposure and Jin began to look around the room. The room was like a study, it simply had a sturdy desk and chair and on the desk was arge watermelon sized crystal ball. There was also a single volume of a book on it. Speaking of which, besides that was a bookshelf fully packed with books. As expected it was a study, was what Jin thought. The room had a refreshing feeling and not even a speck of dust, as if someone had been using the room until just now. For some reason or another, Jin sat down on the chair. Then suddenly, the crystal ball started to shine. W-What is it? Wee, my Sessor At the same time as the voice spoke, the face of an old woman appeared on the crystal ball. My name is Adrianna Balbora Ceci. A user of magic, a magician. And I am also the only Magi Craft Meister in the world. My Mother The Automata standing behind Jin added on to her words. It seems she was able to enter after the door was opened. I have continued researching the connection between devices and the phenomenon called magic. The result of that research is thisboratory. It is a shame though that my fellow magicians would not ept my research Somehow there was a tinge of sorrow in that voice. Nevertheless, I believe there is a meaning to my research. However, it is regrettable that I was unable to prove it while I am still alive. Her words paused for a moment, and then resumed. I I wish to hand over everything I havepiled to the person to seed my will. How you use it Sessor, it is up to you. The details I hope for you to see will be in the records. The voice ended, and the face on the crystal ball faded away. Records perhaps its this book? He reached out to the book next to the crystal ball. And then, this time the book lit up as soon as his hand touched the cover Uwawawa!? The content inside literally surged into Jins head. This had happened in an instant. The light settled down, the book was no longer there, and in its ce was the Magi Craft Meister Jin, the legitimate Sessor to Adrianna Balbora Ceci. So this is magic Due to the inherited knowledge, he could feel the magic power within his body and understood how to use it. As well as the risks. Adrianna Balbora Ceci, thank you. This power, I will definitely put it to good use. When Jin said that towards the crystal ball, its light disappeared With this ? I have ? fulfilled? my duty Leaving those words, the Automata broke down and fell apart. Chapter 3 - DEPARTURE

Chapter 3 C DEPARTURE

so hungry From the technology and knowledge Jin had inherited from the Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci, there was no magic to create food from nothing. Just barely, he was able to create water using water magic so he wouldnt die from dehydration, however being without food was fatal. He made clothes for himself. The sewing skills he had refined wasnt just for show. He had used a suitable fabric he found on a shelf. For now, Jin took a brief tour around the research facility. The knowledge he had gained was, how to say, like reading a reference book or a dictionary, it was somewhat different to recalling a memory. In regards to magic, he was able to get the knack of using magic after using it once, but it takes some time to look up magic he hasnt used before. So, back to what was being said. There was no food stored in this research facility. Rather, he definitely wouldnt eat even if there was food from 1000 years ago. No he probably wouldnt eat. Nnn, this goes here If one was to say what Jin was doing, it would be repairing the Automata, or more precisely he was restoring it. Breaking into pieces after fulfilling its duty, the state it was in was pitiful. Originally, Jin had created dolls for the orphanage children, and it was in his nature to see if he could repair broken devices and machines. My predecessor sure was amazing. The frame is almost identical to a human The inside of this Automata had a frame just like a human, with Magic Fibre used for the muscles, and synthetic Magic Skin used for the skin. In ce of the organs there is an Ether Converterand a Mana Drive, and in charge of thought processes is an borate Control Core. The frame is in pieces and doesnt seem like it can be repaired it would probably be quicker to make a new one With that said, using a light metal found in the underground storage room, he rebuilt the frame. Although rather than build, it was quite easy as it was simply processing it with magic to the same dimensions as the original. After that, he used the rare Light Silver, although he did not understand its worth because he had plenty. Usually 1kg of Light Silver could build a mansion, but he used it without care only because it had a high affinity with magic. Putting the Ether Converter like this will increase the efficiency also doing this will downsize the Mana Drive He made models to get the gist of what to improve while rebuilding it. The magic power of words, or in other words the soul ofnguage, Magi Language was inscribed, and then he noticed that for some reason Japanese, as well as kanji greatly increase the performance, so he decided to rewrite it all in Japanese. Should I make new Magic Fibre and Magic Skin or should I keep them as they are? No, Magic Fibre seems to have room for improvement as for Magic Skin, if it were to change then the appearance would be altered. Ah, but Ill need to apply asting Reinforce Gradually Jin became engrossed, and because of that, he did not notice the specs that the predecessor made abnormal were bing even more abnormal. Finally the Control Core, huh? It looks like it could break at any moment and there wasnt any in the storage room was there In a tunnel underneath the research facility, there was a countless amount of magic dolls ssified as golems that, slowly, but without resting, continually dug out useful resources. For 1000 years in fact. That amount was unimaginable to think of, and to Jin it was inconceivable. The golems had a simple structure so as long as their magic power does not deteriorate they would continue to operate. Here they are, there sure is a lot isnt there? Well then, lets use this lovely guy The Magic Crystal used for the original Control Core was red, however the one Jin took out was iridescent like an opal. Transfer the information of the old Control Core great, it worked. This one isrge so there is probably still some room. Should I try to copy my knowledge? Forgetting hunger, it seems like it was in his nature to be engrossed in creating things. Transfer Infourgh, my brain endured considerably well. As I thought, all my knowledge was impossible, well I guess this is fine Transcribing all of Jins knowledge would take time as expected, so he mainly transcribed knowledge regardingnguage. Specifically it was Japanese, kanji, kana, the alphabet, etc. For the whole day, Jin had spent it all on assembling the Automata. All thats left would be clothes Trying to put on the clothes, its magic power had shaken off and scattered the dust on its body, and now the Automata was naked. It was extremely tempting in various ways. Ive alreadye this far, Ill see this till the end Because he made clothes for himself, none of the fabric he found remained. It couldnt be helped he thought, and as he expected, he found what he was looking for in the store room. Using therge amount of string from Ground Spiders as fabric, he used it to create clothes. Making use of his predecessors loom. He used fine threads to weave underwear and thick string to weave the outer-garments. It was even able to weavece, as one would expect of his predecessor. Theposition of it is the same as the original clothing, but how should I dye the colour? Searching for dyes, he quickly found them. He chose a translucent blue. In fact, this was a magic dye which had the effect of warding off demons. The shoes from the store room were simr to a dark brown colour. In fact, Jin didnt mind that the leather was that of a dragon. Rather than maid clothes, he finished clothes that were more suitable for an Alice. As a matter of course it was natural, the design was the same as the clothes he made for the dolls for the girls of the orphanage. Hmm well, it has the figure of a child so it should be fine Jin was satisfied with what he had finished. Well then, thest thing to finish this is the Activation To activate it, he poured his magic power into the Mana Drive but the Automataying before his eyes did not move. Huh? Did I make a mistake somewhere? He checked it, but there was no defect in the performance of the magic circuit. Yeah I have no idea At that moment, as though to remind him, his stomach rumbled. And so, we return to the opening line. Aaaa so hungry Jin sank down onto the floor. At this rate Im going to starve to death in this research facility Thus, he decided to go outside for the time being. Hmm if I remember correctly, theres a Warp Gate I can use to easily travel around. The knowledge he inherited had told him there was such technology. Also, the Warp Gateto go outside should be on the 1st floor His memory, or rather he searched his knowledge for the Warp Gate that was the gate to the outside world. Just how many Warp Gates were lined up? Oh well, any of them will do, lets just take the 5th one then ording to his knowledge, the Warp Gate exits are close torge towns. He takes 5 gems from the store room to exchange for money. They were small rubies. He judged that it would be difficult to convert into money if it was too big. Looks alright. Well then, time to go He gets on the magic circle of the Warp Gate, and pours in his magic power. The magic circle immediately operates something feels odd Jin had forgotten. The Warp Gates were setup more than 1000 years ago. In a 1000 years, towns can perish and the geography ofnd can change. The corresponding Warp Gate of the Warp Gate Jin was using no longer existed. Su-re-ly-it-wo-nt-go-out-of-co-nt-ro-l? The magic circle was flickering intensely. The amount of magic power needed to transfer was great. Now that its destination was lost, it began to malfunction. This is bad He was unable to get off, and just as the magic circle malfunctioned, Jins figure disappeared from the research facility. father? The Automata opened its eyes. Being in the room under the malfunctioning magic circle, it was able to sense that Jin was in danger. The reason why the activation was so slow was because for its body that had a tremendous magic power capacity, it took time to convert the Ether in the air to the quantity of Mana the Mana Drive needed to activate. Father is gone Having its creator gone, it was the most serious matter for the Automata. I have to find father The Automata faced its search for its own Raison Dtre, Jin. Readying a new Warp Gate to return with, it was now prepared, Im going And now another disappeared from the research facility. All that remained were the golems that dug out resources single-mindedly. Chapter 4 - KAINA VILLAGE

Chapter 4 C KAINA VILLAGE

a ceiling I dont recognise ? The second promise. Jin opened his eyes, noticing that he wasying on a bed. He was wearing his underwear, however his outer-garments were ced atop a table next to him. He slowly sat up and examined his body. There didnt seem to be anything wrong. If there was, it was that he was extremely hungry. ? Sensing someones gaze, he turned to where he could feel the gaze from and saw someone peeking from the doorway, hiding away when their eyes met. After that he heard the sound of footsteps patapata which faded away. Was that one of the people living here? After muttering that to himself, he examined the room. There were simple wood and y walls, a in table, and the bed he was on. It was a very ordinary rural house if he were to guess what it was. Oh my, have youe to? An elderly woman entered the room. She was definitely a countryside missus. Hidden behind the hem of her skirt, a small child gazed at him. That gaze from before seems to have been this child. You copsed at the entrance of the forest. This child here found you. Saying that, she gently pushed out the child hiding behind her skirt. It was a girl with dark blonde hair and reddish brown eyes. 8 years old, or perhaps 9 years old? Im Jin. Nidoh Jin Nidoh is my name. Thank you very much for helping me. Um, could you tell me where this ce is? Jin is it? This ce is Kaina Vige. A small vige in the backcountry Even though he was told that, Jin couldnt guess where this ce was. At that moment, Jins stomach magnificently roared. Oh dear, you must be hungry just wait a little bit Having said that, the missus left the room. Only Jin and the little girl remained. Jin then said to the little girl, So you were the one that found me, thank you. Could you tell me your name? Having said that with a tender voice, the shy little girl, Hanna was what she answered. Hanna-chan is it? Nice to meet you When he said that, he held out his hand and Hanna timidly held out her hand, tightly grasping Jins hand. Its done, sorry for the wait The missus returned with a pot ced on a tray. You must be hungry, eat as much as you want Saying that she poured in some gruel-like substance. It gave off a pleasant smell, and Jin frantically ate it. How many days had it been since he had something to eat? It wont suddenly disappear so you dont need to hurry so much The missus was amazed by Jins vigour in consuming the gruel. Thank you for the meal ? What was that? Ah, gochisousama is something like my way of parting with the meal. Its a word of thanks to the people who produced the ingredients and meal I guess. By the way, before you eat you say itadakimasu although I had forgotten to say that. Hmmm, is that so? Its the first time I heard of that. You, Jin, you must havee from considerably far away Yeah probably Probably? What do you mean by that? Jin then gave an obscure exnation. That he hade from another world was kept hidden, he simply said that a malfunctioned Warp Gate sent him here. However. Warp Gate? What is that? She didntprehend. Umm. A Warp Gate is a magic tool that allows you to transfer between 2 ces instantly you see Magic Tool? You couldnt mean to say an Artifact could you? Artifact ? What, you dont know about it? An Artifact is a magic tool created before the Great Magic War Great Magic War? Another word he didnt know appeared. Really, I wonder where you even came from The Great Magic War happened 300 years ago, it was a war between humans and demons. He did not know that information. Could you tell me about it in more detail? Im astonished. Oh well, Ill leave it be. Until 300 years ago, demons from another continent suddenly attacked. And because of that, until then, the skirmishes caused the destruction of countries. With this, therge country what was it called again ah, thats right, Dinaru Kingdom, the Dinaru Kingdom was the only country to remain that opposed the demons. Haa I see 300 years ago, that is to say when the Automata was trying to find Jin, searching for him in other worlds. No wonder he didnt know about it. Struggling to survive, it is said that the poption of the continent decreased to just one third. At that time, magicians took an active role in the battle, however the demons struggled to the end with Ether Stampede, and more than half the people with magic power were said to have died So that was what happened, huh? The war had caused the poption to decrease, and the fires of war had burned down civilisation and culture. And the culture of those who were a magician = a noble sharply decreased. So this world hasnt changed from 1000 years ago, rather if things didnt go well he would have been 1000 years toote. I understand, thank you for the exnation. So missus, I havent heard your name yet have I? Oh, thats right. Im Martha, nice to meet you Martha-san is it? Nice to meet you He had heard various other things from Martha. This Kaina Vige belongs to the Cline Kingdom and the number of households here is 29. And right now it was Spring. In this world, 357 days is 1 year, 51 weeks is 1 year, and 1 week is 7 days, this is the same as 1000 years ago, giving Jin a little relief. Although there was the possibility that the malfunctioned Warp Gate had sent him to a different world, there was a high probability that this was Adrianna Balbora Cecis world. Oh well Jin thought. Anyhow, his life was picked up. His stomach was bulging and he had be quite attached, so Jin got out of bed and put on his outer-garments. In his pocket was a knife and rubies. Taking out 1 ruby, Um, as thanks for helping me, please have this What is it? This is! Martha was surprised upon seeing the ruby. This is a gem right? I couldnt ept such a thing! But, this is all I have to give you as gratitude I didnt help you because I wanted your gratitude. Listen, please take it back Martha scowled at him, so Jin retracted the ruby back. But, how can I Then how about staying at this house for a while and bing a person that girl can talk to. After losing her parents she has been lonely, that girl As an adult, Martha had asked him and Jin thought about it, and he was persuaded from what he heard. I understand, though that much is not enough, please let me help you too. Fufu, if thats the case I can agree. Well then, you may use this room for a while. To repay the kindness for helping him when he was starving to death, Jin decided to stay in this vige for a while. Chapter 5 - PUMP

Chapter 5 C PUMP

Good morning Onii-chan Good morning Hanna-chan It was the day after Jin decided to stay at Marthas house to repay his debt. Morning. Jin got up and went out to wash his face. Hanna also got up. Hanna-chan, I want to wash my face saying that, Okay, the water well is this way she says, walking with a bucket and towel in hand. Jin followed after Hanna. Naturally, Jin held the bucket. Here it is The water well was ced about 20 metres from Marthas house. The frame was round and made of stone with a roof attached so that rubbish couldnt fall in. And a well bucket hung by a pulley was there to draw the water with. Wait just a moment yoisho, yoisho ? Hanna said that, and her small body began to eagerly pull up the well bucket. Jin became flustered, W-Wait Hanna-chan! Do you perhaps do this kind of thing everyday? Jin asked her, and Hannas expression told him that it was natural, Yep, thats right she answered. Hearing that, Jin began to ponder. Meanwhile Hanna finished drawing the water and poured it into the bucket. Onii-chan, you can wash your face first Jin became flustered once again, so for now he washed his face. And so, Thank you. Then this time Ill draw the water for Hanna-chan to wash your face. hearing that, Hanna smiled cheerfully, Okay! Along the way back to the house. Hanna-chan, isnt drawing the water difficult? Yes, but, I do it because everyone does it too Hearing that Jin came up with an idea. There isnt enough material right now so creating a magic device is impossible, but a normal device may be possible. After breakfast he tried asking Martha. Martha-san, is there a cksmith in this vige? thereupon Martha face showed a hint of loneliness for a moment, My husband was one, however he has long passed away. Thats why there isnt any cksmiths right now. Why do you ask? Well I just need a little bit of things like iron and copper and then, Ahh, if thats the case I think there should be some left in my husbands workshop. Its likely covered in dust though. If you want to use it, use it however you like. Thank you very much Jin thanked her for guiding him to the workshop. It was behind Marthas house, a 6 tatami sized room. ced inside was a furnace on the verge of breaking, an anvil covered in dust, a hammer, things like that and rolled in the corner was a considerablyrge lump of iron and copper. If there is only this much I wont be able to make a lot Seeing a lump of copper, Jin felt relieved. He then promptly began to work. Well then, Analyse copper, as well as tin. Bronze huh? Just about right. By processing this, Jin transmuted the lump of bronze using the magic he had learnt. Making a pipe, lever, pin, cylinder, and piston. In other words, Jin was making a pump for the water well. Anyway, magic sure is convenient. In the other world, this amount for processing would be impossible without athe, milling machine, and casting. When he finished making the parts, Hanna came over after clearing away her breakfast. Onii-chan, what are you doing? Ah, its Hanna-chan. Well you see, this pump here is a device that will make it easier to draw the water Make it easier to draw the water? Thats right,e take a look Jin assembled the main body of the pump, then headed to the water well with the parts such as the main body and pipes. There, Martha and the neighbourhood wives gathered, it was literally a gathering for gossip. It was natural as one would wash their tableware besides the well and you would meet others there at simr times. Oh? What is it Jin? What is it that youre holding in your hands? So this is the child Jin that Martha picked up. Hanna-chan is together with him too. Hanna-chan seems to have be surprisingly attached to him. Hey, how old are you? The curious group of wives asked many questions, so for the time being Jin suitably answered what he was doing, This is a pump, a device so to say So he exined. Fuun so, what does this thing do? By installing this here, you can use it to draw the water. Its much more easier to use than the water bucket. When Jin had said that, one of the wives, You couldnt mean a magic tool? Could you be a magic user? is what he heard. Jin smiled, It isnt something like a magic tool. Its amon device from where I came from. Well, I can use simple magic though so he said, surprising Martha and the others who nced at him while Jin connected the pipe and the main body of the pump and then fixed the main body to a board which was then ced on the well. Before drawing the water he poured water into the pump to prime it, and now that the water filled the pipe, the preparation were done for now. Well then, lets try it out Jin began to slowly row the lever. This time he had made a water drawing hand pump, the typical pump for water wells. When it started ttering and shaking, water came out from the pump. Oooohh! This is amazing isnt it! Hey hey, let me use it first! However Jin, Hold on please. I want Hanna-chan to be the first one to use it go on now Hanna-chan saying that he let Hanna take his ce. Okay. Umm, I just need to move this stick right? After confirming that, Hanna moved the lever up and down. By doing that, water came out. The bucket ced down below caused Jin to panic. The bucket had immediately filled at once. How is it Hanna-chan? Yeah, its a lot easier! Onii-chan, thank you! Hannas face lit up with a smile, causing Jin to feel warm and fluffy inside. After seeing that, the impatient wives began to scramble to use the pump. Uwaa, this is so much easier! Yeah, this will really help us in the future Jin-kun is an amazing magic user The wives took turns using the pump, bringing a bucket to draw the water. Everyone was surprised at how simple it waspared to using the water bucket. Jin, so this was why you wanted the copper. Thank you, this will help a lot Martha seemed to be d. Perhaps because the materials that were covered in dust were reborn into a useful device. After this Jin checked to confirm that there were no abnormalities with the pump. He then returned home together with Martha and Hanna. After that, the vigers who heard the rumours about the pump came to see it and the story about how the viges water was installed with a pump became well known. Hence, Jin received the gratitude of the vigers and remembered their faces. Chapter 6 - HOT SPRING

Chapter 6 C HOT SPRING

Onii-chan, over here! Hanna-chan, wait up Today, Jin and Hanna are hiking together or rather, they came to the mountains to harvest medical herbs. Haa haa Hanna-chan sure is lively Yep! As expected from someone who grew up here, the foundation of her physique seemed to be different to Jin. Although, Jin had the handicap of carrying the basket. Furthermore, when he was transferred, his physical strength, stamina, and all that for the supplemented parts of his body that was burnt to tatters were reset to their initial values. In other words, those parts were reverted to the state before his training and the person in question did not notice that. Haa finally reached the top A slightly elevated mountain to the north of the vige. The elevation is probably about 200 metres. After an hour of climbing, the scenery came into view. Look, theres the vige! The wind blew Hannas hair while she pointed into the distance, there he could see a small Kaina Vige. Ohh, this is a good view Of course! The area around the summit is a prairie and looking down, one could get a clear view of the vige. Looking back towards the north is a range of tall snow mountains. Ahhh, so theres an abundance of water because of this snow Although it seemed like and with little rain, because of the snow on the tall mountains there is plenty of underground water, is what Jin assessed. And to the west. a bare mountain, huh? There was one mountain where neither grass nor trees grew. Looking closely, the mountain surface was yellow in some ces and something like steam rose form there. Could that be a volcano? was what he thought when Hanna, Onii-chan, here, take this returned with a lot of medical herbs. This is a medical herb? Yep. You grind it up and apply it to wounds. Drying this one here will make medicine It seems to be called a salve and decoction. Jin used what Hanna had brought as a sample to search for medical herbs. The two were able to harvest the target amount immediately. Although they were prohibited from being greedy and taking too much. Well then, shall we have lunch? Yeah! Bread and a fruit like an apple. He shared it with her and ate. Its delicious Yes it is. As expected, eating it in this ce makes no difference Jin observed the volcano and its topography while eating. Hanna noticed where he was looked. Onii-chan, are you looking at the Mountain of Death Mountain of Death? Yep. The birds that approach the mountain fall down. Sometimes theres also a strange smell. The adults said it was Miasma Miasma? Volcano gas. Hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide is poisonous to living things that inhale it. It isnt funny even with that kind of name. I see, its alright as long as we dont get close to it. Well then, lets go home Yeah! The objective to harvest the medical herb was finished and having just eaten lunch, they slowly descended. Dangerous beasts dont appear in this region so it is an important harvesting ground for the vige. Also demons wont appear Because from the story he heard from Martha, at the time of the Magic War, it seems that most of the demons and beasts that lived on this continent were destroyed. The remaining demons retreated to the north. Were home grandma Wee back Hanna, Jin Martha weed us home. Ah, youre covered in sweat Go fetch some water over there and wipe your body. Yesss Hanna quickly took off her clothes and began wiping her body. She was only 8 years old and Jin was able to watch her calmly. Jin had bathed the children at the orphanage and he was not fazed. There wasnt any feeling of them growing up. After all, I want to take a bath Although drawing water is now easier with the instation of the pump, fuel is valuable. It is a luxury to be able to bathe in hot water. Could it perhaps be a hot spring? Jin finished wiping his body and looked towards the mountain. Based on the topography of the volcano, there must be a hot spring underground with a hot spring vein. I guess theres no other choice but to check it with magic, huh? Even if he has the knowledge, Jin was still not ustomed to the thought of using magic. Hmm I think there was something in the earth attribute magic He searched for the necessary magic as if turning the pages of a dictionary in his brain and he found the magic he needed. alright. Grand Search. Modifying Target Hot Spring Originally this magic is for finding ore veins, but it was rearranged a little to find hot spring veins. The title of Magi Craft Meister is not just for show. There. One two alright, lets go with this one Of the hot spring veins flowing underground, he selected those that flowed near the vige with an abundance of hot spring water. Next was to decide a location. Onii-chan, where are you going? Finding Jin who was about to head out, Hanna drew close. Yeah, Im going to make a hot spring. Want toe? Yup! Although she didnt know what a hot spring was, Hanna was happy she got to go out together with Jin. Well, I cant just make a hot spring without permission With that said, Jin first headed to the vige chiefs house. Ah! Its Jin-niichan! Jin-niichan, where are you heading to? In regards to the pump, the vige was grateful for it and is already familiar with him. The children are especially attached to Jin. One after another, the children followed Jin who knocked on the vige chiefs door. What is it? Oh? Its Jin! Do you need something? A middle-aged man appeared. He is the Chief of Kaina Vige, Gibekku. Yes, Id like to ask you a little something What do you want to ask? Jin exined about digging up a hot spring and building a cabin there as well as the materials he needed. I see, so what youre saying is that you want to dig up a well of hot water and build a cabin there, right? There is no reason for me to object. Rather, by all means I want you to build it. Is there anything in particr you need? Because the vige chief understood the usefulness of a bathhouse, the discussion ended quickly. Hmm, Ill need wood to build the cabin A simple request. Go ahead and take some from the lumber yard! Thank you for your help Having received permission, Jin immediately headed to the site he chose. In the middle of the vige was a ce that was slightly hollow. Alright. This is definitely it! After confirming the hot spring vein with Grand Search he first made a bathtub with earth magic. Second is to cool it down from hot to lukewarm. Extending it out, he made it shallow, enough to cover the body. Ohhhhhh! Amazing!!! Jin is amazing! The children that followed him looked with interest and were not afraid of Jin using magic. Because theyve never seen a race of magicians before, they did not hold any prejudice. Alright, with this the bathtub is OK Next is the cabin. Although its really just four standing pirs with a roof ced on. The children that came, helped carry the logs together. One, two! One, two Be careful not to let it fall! Its fine~ Well then, please hold it down for a moment The children helped a little with various things toplete the cabin. For now a wooden board was set on top for a roof Its about time I dig up the hot spring. Ill continue Digging then Hardening He dug a hole to the hot spring vein while hardening the exterior as a substitute for a pipe. Hot water seethed out right away. Yep, the temperature is hot enough. Or rather, its too hot! Owowowow! The hot water started rushing up and quickly umted. Meanwhile, he dug a hole to a water vein, mixing the hot water with cold water. Using the pipe he poured a reasonable ratio of hot water and cold water into the bathtub. Okay, the hot spring is nowplete! Ohhh! Nii-chan, can you swim here? To the children that didnt know, No no. This is a ce where you clean your body and wash away fatigue. Thus by helping me, you have the privilege to be the first to bathe in it Oooh~ Hooray! The children immediately take off their clothes and rush stark naked towards the bathtub. Both boys and girls. Well they are children, is the strange understanding Jin came to. Before you enter, pour some hot water on your body While paying attention, Jin also took off his clothes. Uwaaaaa, it feels so good! Hey hey, dont frolic around too much The children were delighted with their first hot spring, swimming, running and frolicking about in the bathtub. Onii-chan Hanna came over to Jin. Obaa-chan will definitely be pleased! Yeah, I hope so The vige dly epted the hot spring Jin made and furthermore, a decision was made to increase the number of bathtubs. The properties of the hot spring that made the skin smooth became very popr with the women, and the cabin was simple yet sturdy. Men and women were separated as well as the dressing rooms, it had bepletely like an actual hot spring. Chapter 7 - PEDLAR

Chapter 7 C PEDLAR

The season has changed to an early summer from spring. its been nearly two months, huh? It has nearly been two months since Jin came to Kaina Vige. During that time he has installed a pump, dug a hot spring, and maintained the drainage. He has also built a bicycle trailer and a wheelbarrow. He created the bicycle trailer because it looked like it was difficult for Hanna to carry the water. As for when he made the wheelbarrow, it was surprisingly convenient and gained poprity so one was deployed to each family. Right now, Jin was ying a game of tag with the children. Up till now, this world, or at least this vige did not have the concept of ying. They are able to y because there is no distinction of women, and now ying has be popr. This time Jin-niichan is the oni ? Alright its my turn. Ill count to 10 now. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 All the children run away. 9 10! Okay, here Ie! Waaaah! Martha gazed at the heartwarming scene. After Jin came, that girl Hanna has be extremely lively even though she was grieving after her parents died Alright, Ive caught the first one Because of the increasing oni rule, the oni gradually increased. It ended once everyone has be an oni. Got you Hanna-chan~ Caught you Kurt! Wait up Mario! Ill catch you Jessie They continued until it became dark. After that they washed their sweaty body in the hot spring,ing home with a refreshed look on their face. Recently, it felt like Hannas hair had been getting more lustrous. From a dull gold to a shiny gold. Could it be an effect of the hot spring? Arriving home, Jin followed after Hanna who trotted in. Im home~ Were back Wee home Hanna, Jin Martha who was preparing dinner, greeted them home. You must be hungry, Ill have something ready soon Sorry for having you make my share all the time Its fine, my life has been much morefortable than it was before thanks to you In fact, the need to carry the water was drastically reduced to the point that the hot water from the hot spring could be used for washing. It was considerably convenient. Okay, its done! Wow, this is delicious! Tonights menu is fried eggs and stir-fried vegetables. There isnt much salt left so youll have to put up with it being lightly seasoned Martha sounded apologetic. Hearing that, Jin asks her. Oh, I see. But isnt it a problem if theres no salt? Its fine, I can just buy some from Rnd who will probably being tomorrow or the day after. Rnd? Not being familiar with the name, Jin asked again. Rnd is a per. About once every two months, hees to sell fabric, clothes, salt or sugar, a variety of dried fish, and all kinds of food. I see As expected, it seems impossible to be self-sufficient. Then Ill need money Before he could say that the rubies he brought was his living expenses, Martha interrupted him. Theres no need for money, youll need to barter. Because this is a remote vige, theres no means to earn any money. Rnd also has information, although Martha wryly smiled when she said that. As Martha said, the next day at noon, a single wagon appeared. Arge wagon drawn by two horses. Riding it were two people. The vige chief, Gibekku weed them. Oh! Rnd-san, wee. Eric-san hasnt seemed to change either. Rnd looked like a sturdy 40 year old man, Eric was a tender-looking man not yet 20. You can tell they are parent and child from their hair and looks. The two carried a short sword on their waist. Probably for self defence. Greetings. The vige chief also seems to be in good health. Thank you. My niece has been looking forward to Erics return. Hearing that, Erics face lit up red. He seemed to have feelings for the vige chiefs niece. Ignoring Eric, Rnd continued. We were ahead of our schedule by about one or two days. This time weve brought a lot of salt. Oohhh, is that so? That is great Before summer, the demand for salt increased. Rnd immediately parked the horse-drawn carriage at the central square of the vige and put out a simple table, lining up the goods on it. First of all, for food there is salt, sugar, and themon dried fish. There is also this dark seed. It is resistant to the heat so you can sow it now Can you give me some salt? Yes, its 1 bag of wheat for 200 grams. How about sugar? Yes, it will be 20 sheets of fur for 2 kilograms Can you distribute a little of the dark seeds for this? Oh, this looks like a good ore. Ill give you a little bonus Everyone seems to be exchanging wheat and fur, and asionally the ore of a jewel. Eric eagerly watched. When the food waspletely bought, Eric helped Rnd rece the goods. Now there were fabrics, clothing and tools. Jin was watching from a little distance away, looking at what kind of tools were being sold. Hmm, aside from fabrics and clothes, is that antern? Also is that a pen and ink? By the way, the vige chief had bought a pen and ink. Id like to talk to youter if thats alright A talk about outside of the vige, and if possible, he wanted to hear about this world was what Jin thought. The next day, they came to give him what they talked about. After finishing his business, Rnd put his goods and table away into the horse-drawn carriage. Well then, let me show you to a nice ce The vige chief said to the two people. A nice ce? Yes, here it is The vige chief guided them to the hot spring. What is this ce? It wasnt here when west came was it? Yes, it was onlypleted a few days ago. It is called a Hot Spring Hot spring is it? Well anyway, please enter The feeling of entering the hot spring was not just that of hot water, needless to say, Rnd and Eric were surprised. Chapter 8 - CONTRACT

Chapter 8 C CONTRACT

The next morning. Jin, are you there? After breakfast, the vige chief came to Marthas house. Yes? Oh, Jin, do you have a moment? Yes, what do you need? The vige chief wryly smiled. Haha, its nothing much. Rnd, the per staying here wanted to have a little talk with you Oh, so thats it. Its fine with me I see, then is alright if we go immediately? Thus Jin headed to the vige chiefs house. Nice to meet you, Im the per Rnd. Thank you for epting my invitation Im his son Eric, it is an honour to meet you Rnd and Eric who were waiting at the vige chiefs house politely greeted Jin when he came. They were definitely merchants. Yes, nice to meet you. Im called Jin Nidoh The three men then sat around the table. The vige chief was also there. Right after that, a young girl came along carrying tea. Here you go Oh, thank you Barbara Jin remembered in the corner of his mind that she was the vige chiefs niece, but then immediately shifted his attention back to the others. So, what was it you wanted to talk about? Jin was the first to talk. Then Rnd answered him. Well its nothing much the things that werent here two months ago when Ist visited have me curious Ahhh, the hot spring you mean Yes. Theres also the pump, that water drawing tool. Are you really the one who made those? Thats right, is there something about it? With a face that held some suspicion, he asked Jin. Uhh no, umm, Jin-san was it? Youre quite a youngd. Where did such a young Magic Craftsman learn from? Magic Craftsman? It was the first time he heard of that term. He knew of the title Magi Craft Meister that he seeded, but he had not heard of the title Magic Craftsman. Oh? Have you not heard of it? That is unexpected. Magic Craftsman is the general term for people who make tools using magic I see Indifferent to his reply, Rnd changes the topic. Come to think of it, where did youe from? Jin used this opportunity to confirm his thoughts. Umm, well you see I found a Warp Gate by chance, and as a result I was transferred here. Because of that, I do not know where I was sent and neither do I know where my home is exactly Warp Gate? I feel like I may have heard of it before Eric, do you know about it? If I remember correctly, I think that was a name of an Artifact I learnt about. It allows you to transfer between two points That was the first time Eric opened his mouth since his greeting. This guy attended Cecilio Magic School until justst year so he knows a little bit about magic. The father, Rnd seem to be proud of it. Well, putting aside the Artifact, it malfunctioned and before I knew it, I lost consciousness near the vige. Since then, Ive been indebted to Martha-san who picked me up, and this vige for taking care of me One part was a lie but it was notpletely a lie. Eric then spoke, That is unfortunate. There are many things that we dont know about Artifacts so such a situation is possible Rnd then took over speaking, So is what youre saying that you dont know where your hometown is? Thats right. You probably dont know Japan do you? Japan is it? It is certainly not a name of a ce I have heard of before. Is that your Yes, it is my hometown Rnd began to ponder. In the meantime, Eric wanted to listen to more. Im guessing that the magic Jin-san uses to make tools is from Jin-sans town, am I right? That is right When Jin nods in assent, Eric excitedly, Magnificent! By all means, please teach me how to make that pump! To that, Rnd reproved. Hey hey, dont get too excited. Jin-san, Id like to pay for the information, please also teach me how to make a Pump Jin thought about what to do. There was no problem in teaching them, but he would like for the vige to profit from this if possible. Lets see how much would you pay for the information? Oh, and I dont know about the currency around here so please teach me about it. I see. I guess thatd be the case. How about 100,000 torr for the information? That is themon currency in this kingdom. 1 copper coin is 1 torr, 1 silver coin is 100 torr, and 1 gold coin is 10000 torr. You can get 10 kilos of wheat for about 300 torr, that is 3 silver coins. Jin began to calcte. Although it may fluctuate, based on the wheat, 1 torr is probably about 10 yen. That is to say, the pay for the information is a million yen. I have one more question before I answer. In this country is there something called a Patent, have you heard of it before? Patent? What is that? From that reply, there probably wasnt. A patent is the first thing thates to mind to protect the rights of a person. The patent is valid for a fixed period and the person who uses the patent must pay a royalty, that is the kind of system it is Hearing that, Rnd thinks for a little bit. I see, that is a good system. It is designed to protect the profit of the person who invents something new while allowing it to be widely avable. Because of that, the opportunity to make the new thing will not rise As expected from a merchant, he understood quickly. But, However, unfortunately there is no such system Is that so thats is regrettable Well then Although Rnd had a disappointed face on, Hmm, lets sell that information with a certain condition. However, there will only be one condition. Th- that is!? Rnd was eager to gain the information for selling the pump. Id like for the pump and other things like it be in your name. If possible, please make it hard to imitate Indeed, differentiate from simr products Rnd quickly understood. Thats right. Sooner orter counterfeits and imitations will appear on the market, it will be good if people understood the original is from Rnds ce Hehehe, but the true original is by you Jin-san If that was said, people will know that the original is from my country With that kind of understanding, a contract was made. In charge of it is Eric. Jin immediately made a pump for them to see, he then handed it over as a sample. That afternoon, Jin made a demonstration using the little remaining bronze. During that afternoon, while Jin was working, Wh-what kind of method is that?! Erics shout sounded. Chapter 9 - HARVEST OF WHEAT

Chapter 9 C HARVEST OF WHEAT

Well then, well be back again in two months Take care Youll definitelye back again wont you Eric? Yeah, and Ill bring back another souvenir for you Two dayster, Rnd & Eric were leaving Kaina Vige. Eric and Barbara were dejected from having to part. Jin began thinking while absentmindedly watching the carriage fade away into the distance. It takes 2 days to travel to the next vige by wagon, another 2 days to get to a town, and a further 3 days to get to the Cline Kingdoms capital. The speed of a wagon seems to be from about 4km to 6km per hour. Assuming I travel 8 hours a day and the capital is about 200km to 300km away, it would be quite a considerable distance. But if I go to the capital, Ill be able to obtain a map of this continent. That way I might be able to figure out the location of theboratory While thinking about that, something grasped his cuff. What he saw was Hanna. What is it Hanna? Recently he has stopped using honorifics. Jin-oniichan are you leaving the vige? Tears started falling from her eyes. Small girls sure do have a sharp insight, Jin strangely admired while saying, Hmm, I wonder. At the very least, I wont be leaving before the end of the year Hearing that Hanna, I Ill be Onii-chans bride so dont leave me! says that. Jin, Ahh thank you. Well once Hanna bes an adult, if you still have that thought, then at that time Ill ept answers. Actually, this isnt the first time hes been told those kind of words. The first time was when Jin was in his 3rd year of junior high school. He was suddenly told those words when he was taking care of a girl that just came to the orphanage. At that time she was 6 years old. But around the time she was 9 years old, she told one of the boys from the same orphanage that she would be his future bride. The next time was when Jin was in his 1st year of high school doing part-time. A girl 4 years his junior confessed. But he worked at his part-time job during the day and did part-time school at night and before Jin noticed it, the girl was dating another guy. With those experiences, they went back on their confession which happened twice, well they were after all only temporary words. Jin could no longer trust in those words from a small girl. Now lets return to the main story While recalling about the orphanage he was picked up and raised at, Jin decided that he would repay the favour to Martha and the vige for picking him up and stay in this vige for one year. It was getting close to summer, the viges wheat fields were ripe. The harvesting of the viges wheat fields was a joint effort which continued day after day. Jin also helped out, but he soon got a sore back and dropped out. Damn, I have no physical strength do I This was because most of Jins body was supplemented with magic power, so no matter how much training he had done, he did not gain any muscles. Conversely, if he strengthened himself with magic power he would have an unthinkable amount of strength, but it would still be a long time before Jin noticed that. There must be something I can help with The wheelbarrow Jin made was useful with transporting the harvested wheat, but Jin thought there was still something else he could help with. Come to think of it, there were times I used the wheat at the orphanage at that time how did I mill it? Trying to dig up his memories, Thats right! It was a sieve! The flour being eaten in this vige was wheat flour, but not the whole wheat flour, a wheat that waspleted milled. It was not themon modern household pure white flour, but a brown powder of mixed flour and bran. Ill immediately start making a sieve then Jin excused himself from Martha and went home to quickly make a sieve. He made the frame, then the andbined them together toplete it. There were two kinds ofs, a detailed one and a little coarse one With this Im done! But a hand sieve will be tiring to use Therefore, he hanged the sieve from a height, making a frame so there wasnt a need to use both hands. He recalled seeing a drain-board hung from the ceiling in the paper before. ? This looks pretty good The frame hanged the sieve which is shaken using your hand, and it would umte in the tub below. All that was left was the wheat bran to feed into it. Alright, itsplete! Right on time, Martha and Hanna returned carrying the wheat and saw the sieve. What is this!? Youve made another peculiar thing Onii-chan, what is this? They were surprised as expected. Jin then exined. Fuu-n, this can sort out the flour right? Thats right. It will sort out the higher quality flour, even Rnd-san would evaluate it highly. Will it be delicious? I see. A portion for eating, a portion for selling, it is worth trying it in various ways. Then without dy, he milled thest years harvest of wheat, resulting in flour, and ces it in the sieve. Because the wheat that was just harvested was not dried yet, it could not be milled Funfun, this is how you do it, put it in, then shake This looks interesting! I want to try it too! Seeing that, Hanna reached her hand out to it so Hanna did the sieving, Martha milled the wheat, and Jin took care of splitting the sieved flour. Waaa, it looks pretty! The light brownish wheat flour had turned into pretty white flour. With this amount now done, Jin was satisfied. Its turned out really pretty. Okay then Ill use this flour to bake some bread today That night. This is delicious, Oba-chan! Hanna was delighted. It really is delicious After all, white bread is definitely delicious He was raised to not be picky about what he likes and dislikes, and he was fine with eating bad food, however the breads up until now werepletely different in taste to the one he was eating now. I need to tell everyone The next day the vigers were delighted to know how delicious sieved flour was, and once again, it was decided that Jin would make a sieve for every house. It would be great if we could make this flour into Kaina Viges specialty After the sieves were given out, the vige chief made that proposal, and he agreed with the vige chief. That will be good. With this well be able to acquire a little bit of foreign money. Was what Jin was pleased about. Rnd came after February and was pleasantly surprised when he saw the flour. This white flour, even in the capital there is very little! The pure white flour aristocrats eat are made by their servants who peel the exterior and mill it with their hands. Such a thing amoner wouldnt even eat without a reason. And so close, theres tons of it! Although it was not pure white, the colour was pretty close to white, furthermore the price for it was reasonable. The merchant jumped at the chance. And though he did not have money prepared this time, he had promised that he would purchase it at a high price on his next visit. Still, each and every time Jin-san sure does surprises me Rnd muttered while eating white bread. Id also like to be able to see Jin-sans home town. When youe to the capital and need a helping hand, by all means Ill dly cooperate At that time, please do so Although his home was Japan, he would never again return home. For now he decided to politely ept. Chapter 10 - STOVE

Chapter 10 C STOVE

Lately Jin has been thinking about something. That is a stove. In Kaina Vige no, in this world, firewood is typically used for cooking. However for firewood, you need to cut a tree down, clear away the branches, cut it short, dry it, and then after that you can use the wood. Cutting down a tree and carrying it is hardbour, it also takes about half a year to dry it. A tree thats not dried is hard to burn and it creates a lot of smoke. The concept of using charcoal did not exist in this world and to the general popce, firewood was a source of heat. A Magic Crystal as I thought no, its a Magic Stone I need There was a lot of it underneath theboratory which Jin regretted. Well, a lot of the goods stored in theboratory were all over the ce though. It cant be helped, whats done is done. Hmm, from my hypothesis, the substance of magic power is a particle made up of neutrons and protons that form a nucleus. It should have a simr position to a Radioisotope Even if its the same element, the nucleus needs the substance of magic power to take on magic power, which is the hypothesis Jin made up. Deducing it with the knowledge and magic of the Magi Craft Meister and the knowledge of a high school level graduate. No one has ever thought of such a thing in this world. That is to say, it has a simr concentration to uranium, however there is no materials or equipment for it If it was theboratory, Jin could make a magic element concentration device, but this was Kaina Vige so it couldnt be helped. Onii-chan, can we go y? Jin was invited by Hanna. Ah, yeah, thats right. Where should we go? Its hot so lets go swim! To the south of the vige is the Erume River, a big river that supposedly runs to the capital. However, there are several waterfalls along the way so it wasnt used for transportation by water, was what he heard from Rnd. Alright, lets go So the two changed into their swimwear and headed to the river. Well the swimwear wasnt much different from underwear though. Incidentally, Hanna didnt have a problem with only wearing the bottom so Jin didnt worry about it either. In the river were other children that came to swim, mixed among them was the vige chiefs niece, Barbara. As one would expect, Barbara had wrapped cloth around her chest. Ah! Its Jin-niichan! Hanna too! Kurt let out his voice when he saw the two. Mario and Jessie also waved at the two. It isnt good to suddenly enter the river. You should ssh a little water on your body and slowly enter. Okay He warned Hanna and Jin slowly entered the river. The ce to swim was a deep area with gentle flow. Well its not really that deep, the width is 20 metres and the deep areas are only about 3 metre in depth. Kyahaaa, it feels good Yeah it really does Leisurely floating on the water, Jin rested his head, and then water was poured on his face. Pua! Hehe, Jin-niichan, what are you doingzing around? Lets y! The mischievous Kurt came and squirted some water. You sure did it! You cant catch me~ Oh, a game of tag? Ill also y! Me too! Me too! Before he noticed it, the children had gathered and it became a game of underwater tag. Barbara looked at the scene with a smile from a shallow area. Caught you Hanna-chan! Caught you Jessie! The only one left is Kurt? Ah, there he is! He dove underwater! Alright! Kurt dived deeper to escape, Jin and Mario chased after him. Kurt was caught near the bottom by Mario who was skilled at swimming. At that time, Kurt was iling about, and the sand at the bottom rolled up. Seeing that, an idea shed in Jins head. Ahhh, that was really fun~ The children who finished ying got out of the water. Because it was nearly time for lunch, everyone returned home. You guys, quickly take a hot bath at the onsen and then go back home Okay~ Worrying that they may get sick if they remained with a cold body, Jin called out to them. Well, the children of this vige arent so weak though. Fuu While bathing in hot water, Jin verified the idea he had a while ago. An atom with a lot of neutrons must be heavy, so an atom with a surplus of the substance of magic power should be heavy too. If thats the case then sifting it should be possible like the gold dust underwater Onii-chan, havent you gotten out yet? Hearing Hanna call out, Jin snapped out of his thoughts. Because he pondered too long in the hot water, he returned to Marthas house while sweating. Hanna had a refreshed face. Whats wrong? You look unusually hot after going for a swim Martha told him. Well I was thinking about a little something Jin said in the same usual tone, bitterly smiling. Now the afternoon, Jin came alone to the Erume River once again. As for Hanna, she was taking a nap. Now then lets trying putting it into practice Muttering that, he entered the water. In his hand was arge bowl. First of all he scooped the riverbed of sand with the bowl, and swung it into the water. Doing that, the light sand flew into the water while the heavy sand remained in ce. This technique of picking gold dust is called Panning. Of course Jin didnt have the experience in doing this, but he has seen it being done on the television. ? After doing it several times, there was a little bit of red sand left on the bowl. He checked if the water was gone. Of course using magic. Analyse yep, a fire attribute Magic Stone. It has a higher grade than I thought it would He did it several times, but all that he found were red Magic Stone. Hmm, maybe theres some rtion with whates out of the hot spring. But, well, this was unexpectedly fortunate Making a stove requires a fire attribute Magic Stone, so this is convenient. For that day, Jin continued to collect the Magic Stone until dusk when Hanna came to find him. The next day, Jin secluded himself in the workshop. This time he was using iron-based materials. Handling fire is dangerous so although he felt bad about it, he had Hanna go out to y alone. Well then, the basic form of that ?? Recalling the form of the general cassette stove, Jin transformed the iron into an iron te. Once again, he thought magic was convenient. Being able to precisely do it to this point was because he was the Magi Craft Meister, however he did not realise that. This time he bent the resulting iron te to make the form of the stove. The burner section used the Magic Stone for the heater process, and substituting for the cassette gas cylinder was a Magic Stone. Although the prototype is in the form of a cassette stove, he hoped the final form would be a gas range. Alright Im done! The first thing he noticed when making it was the adjustment of the heating. The magic power supplied to the Magic Stone could be adjusted with a knob he implemented. I should try it out immediately Bringing the finished stove, Jin went to where Martha was. Just in time, Martha was beginning to prepare for lunch. She had fetched some firewood to boil the pot. Um, Martha-san do you have a moment? He asked Martha who stopped her hand holding firewood, What is that? Youve brought another interesting thing havent you? Well yes this is a stove, it can boil and stew food without firewood Ohhhh, is it a Magic Tool as I thought? Thats right. Could you try and use it? Ill gratefully ept your offer and use it. How am I suppose to use it? cing the stove on top of the kitchen table, he put the pot filled with water on the trivet. Using it is simple. First, you raise this lever. Then you turn this knob and when the heater bes hot, it will boil the water. You can adjust the amount of heating by turning the knob. Martha then opened her eyes wide, What a Magic Tool! You called it a stove right? being able to produce such heat! Jin! This is really amazing! she said in great joy, and Jin was d. Adjusting the heat of firewood is extremely difficult. The amount and type of firewood can change it. In spite of that, Martha who could make a delicious meal was amazing, but Jins cooking skills were at a beginner level so he couldnt understand how. But to Martha, this magic tool, the stove is revolutionary. After several days of testing the prototype, there were no problems, so he made stoves to go around the vige. Jin taught them the method to collect the magic stones for recing them, and all the homes in the vige were very thankful for it. Chapter 11 - NATURAL RUBBER

Chapter 11 C NATURAL RUBBER

I guess a refrigerator is impossible after all Jin gave up on it. To preserve the food he wanted to make a variety of refrigerators, but there was not enough materials by far. It would be nice if there was at least a water type Magic Stone. I was able to find a fire type Magic Stone probably because theres a volcano. Which means conversely, a water type Magic Stone is impossible To begin with, its seems that natural water type Magic Stone are few in number. I might be able to make it if I go to the capital Thus, for now he gave up on making a refrigerator and worked on something else rted to Transportation. Jin decided that he would sell the manufacturing method for the stove to Rnd. By doing that, the fire type Magic Stones you can gather at Erume River would be this viges speciality, and it would give the vige a source of ie was what he thought. Then the problem of transportation would be given to Rnd to bear with his wagon. If it turns out costly, then he would have to have the fire type Magic Stone be purchased. In conclusion, improvement with something rted to transport is essential. The capital and this ce have a difference in elevation Based of the stories hes heard, he guessed that the elevation of Kaina Vige is approximately 1000 metres. Because of that, the vige in the south is able to have a calm summer. Returning is simple but going out would be difficult The cargo would pile up on the way back down, so the journey would be difficult and because of that, they only visit once every two months. Ahhh I want to develop a motor or engine It would be possible at theboratory, but it would be impossible here. And because of that, Ill probably need to improve the wagon, huh? Having reached that conclusion, Jin began investigating for improvements. To make itfortable for the horse to pull, bearing equipment will be essential. Was the extent of what he could think of right now. Ill want rubber for the tyre. For that Ill need to find a tree that I can harvest natural rubber from. When he took a part-time job at a camera shop, he heard a story about resin. A famous German cameraman showed him his camera, that he couldnt collect rubber from the rubber tree, and instead he got some resin from the tree instead. The bark of the tree in China could turn into healthy tea. This vige drinks tea that tree had white saping out of it. So he decided to examine it. For that, Hanna would know the details. Hanna, lets go pick some tea leaves Jin called out to her, Okay! and an answer was immediately returned. So they went to the forest with a small basket. There it is, its this tree~ The viger called this tree, Tea Tree. Alright, lets select and pick the fresh leaves Yeah! There were a lot of trees growing in a part of the forest. When he picked a leaf, a thread of something sticky was left behind. This raw material would turn into rubber. Jin tried to remember the features of the tree, so that after taking tea leaves and going back, he could return to the forest again by himself. I dont want to take too much So as to avoid environmental destruction, he made a cut around the tree, tying a bowl to it and piercing it so the sap would leak. Alright, if I wait until tomorrow a good amount should gather up. He tried to imitate the collection of sap from rubber trees he saw on the TV. While the sap is gathering up, he would go back to developing the bearings. Onii-chan, what are you going to do this time? Recently Hannah has been enjoying herself by watching Jin make various things with magic. Well look at this Forming! Wow! It looks interesting! The lump of iron quickly transformed into a ball. There were 10 of them the size of a micron. Only the Magi Craft Meister could do it so precisely. Carburising! Magic to carbonise iron, it was Jins original. As a result, the regr iron transformed into tough steel. Simrly he made an outer ring, an inner ring, a ball cage, and assembling it together with the ball bearings wouldplete it. By using Hardening, the durability was guaranteed. What is that? Having finished, Hanna didnt know what it was, so with a bored face, she left to help with the preparations for dinner. Jin wryly smiled and readied an axle of suitable thickness for the bearings to prepare a wheel. After that, he finished the day by remodelling Hannas bicycle trailer she used to transport water, using the bearings. The next morning, Hanna came back from drawing the water, Onii-chan, did you do something to my bicycle trailer? It was the thing I made yesterday. I attached that to it. was what Jin said, It became so easy to move I thought could I have gotten stronger? Then I thought of Onii-chan was said, with a disappointed but happy face directed at Jin. Well then, the natural rubber After breakfast, Jin went to the forest to see the amount of sap gathered up. Oh, a lot sure has gathered up! The bowl Jin had tied was nearly full, so he moved it into the bucket he prepared, and the sap continued to gather up again. Now then, next is vulcanising, huh? Natural rubber is soft, so he heated it and melted it, then mixed some percentage of sulphur to make it hard. Although he called it vulcanising, Ive only heard of it but Ive never done it before He used the sulphur he had mined in his spare time from the Mountain of Death which had a plentiful amount. Guess Ill have to go with trial and error So first he tried 5% of sulphur. The result? Too soft. Next he tried 10%. Still soft. 15%. It has a good feel. 20%. Hard. 30%. Its no longer rubber. This was something called Ebonite, Jin assessed. Now then, what should I do with this prototype rubber? Usually, vulcanised rubber that is melted and made into a mould can no longer be processed. To shape it before vulcanisation is the theory, but this did not apply to Jin. Alright, Forming! He made the prototype rubber into a ball. Of course its hollow. One big enough for dodge ball, one reasonable enough for hand ball, and one small enough for baseball. At the same time, he made several swim rings. The children would be delighted if I give it to them So he went in search of Hanna. Recently her shyness waspletely gone and she yed with the other children of the vige. Jin went to the za, but saw no one there as it was hot. As I thought, its the river When he went to the Erume River, there were children swimming in the river as expected. Hanna was there too. That Hanna with a sharp sight found Jin, getting out of the river and approached him, Onii-chan, what are those? was asked when she saw the swim rings and ball. This is a ball. This one is a swim ring. What did he make? What is this? Jin-nii, did you make something again? Jin-san, what is it, that thing? Not only the children, but also Barbara who was collecting fire type Magic Stone came over. For this ball, you throw it like this and catch it to y with it. First he threw the dodge ball at Kurt. The mischievous Kurt panicked but splendidly received it. Nicely done. Try throwing it someone else now Alright, Mario, can you catch this? Eh? Wait a minute what is this? Its really light. It was lighter than it looked because it was hollow. The boys immediately began tossing and ying with the ball. He then passed the handball to the remaining girls. This is a handball. You throw it, but do it like this with a thrust and y with it Finding a t surface, Jin showed them how to y handball. Ah! Let me y! Let me y! The tomboy Jessie immediately jumped in, and although there were a few mistakes with the power for it to be sent flying, improvement was made quickly Last is baseball which wasnt popr and was left alone. It was time for the turn of the swim rings he carried on both arms. This is called a swim ring, You enter through the centre and hold it with your arms. Then you can try entering the water. The children who yed in the shallow area and couldnt swim yet, Jim and Patty were given it, and when they tried entering the water, Wow~! Im floating! they were very excited. Seeing that, Barbara had an envious look. Which he then recalled to mind thatst time as well, she was only in the shallow areas. Barbara-san could it be that you cant swim? Hearing that she became bright red, so Jin thought hed make another one afterwards. Chapter 12 - HANNA IS STRONG?

Chapter 12 C HANNA IS STRONG?

Now September with a lingering summer heat, Rnd arrived.When Rnd and Eric saw the stove, I cant even be surprised anymore Id believe it if Jin-san said he was the Head Magic Engineer of the capital such mutters leaked from their mouth. Jin had them do an underwriting agreement for the manufacturing method of the stove as well as the magic stones. This way Kaina Vige had a way to acquire foreign currency not just from flour. Is this all? In addition, Jin still had something more to say, and focusing his tired eyes, No, your horse-drawn wagon or in particr, your wagon, could I perhaps see it? saying that, Rnd gave a puzzled look. My wagon? What is it this time? And of course he would questioned it. I was thinking about how to have your wagon move more quickly and when Jin expressed his thoughts, Well if I reduced the load it would be able to move quickly, but by reducing the goods I transport, I wont make a profit so Rnd said. But that wasnt what Jin had meant to do. No, no, not that kind of thing, I meant remodeling the wheel so it could turn faster was what he exined. The two knew intuitively that there was something to discuss, and Jin took the two to Marthas house. Eh? Onii-chan and the Oji-chan from the shop, what is it? Martha wasnt home and Hanna was watching the house, Jin thought it was a good time, Yeah, Id like to show your bicycle trailer for a bit he told Hanna. My bicycle trailer? Okay, thats fine. Ill bring it out now! saying that, Hanna headed to the shed and immediately returned with the bicycle trailer. Pulling it with one hand while running. Seeing that kind of thing, Rnd and Eric were surprised. Th-this scene is somehow amazing Yeah that little girl is strong The face of the two had stiffened a little while Jin began tough, Now now, pull yourself together for a bit and observe saying that, he passed them Hannas bicycle trailer. Hn? What is this, this lightness!? The difference was immediately noticed. He exined what effects the bearings had. Also, he raised and spun the wheel, and seeing that it continued to turn for a long time, I see I now understood what Jin-san meant. So did you want to equip our wagon with this? Yes. How about it? By all means please do so So he immediately moves things to the wagon and switched the wheels, axles, and bearings. He also attached a rubber tyre. Umm, Jin-san, what is that you attached to the wheel? Oh, this is a rubber tyre Rubber tyre? Well, try testing it out So Rnd and Eric got on the wagon and Jin pulled it to show them. The effects of the ball bearings were wonderful, Jin could pull itfortably without much strength. Once again, they were amazed with the improvement of riding with rubber tyres. Onii-chan, let me do it she said, seeing that it looked fun, so he swapped with Hanna, I am STRONG!!! saying those words, the two riding the wagon were engrossed. A, ahahahahahaha The two, Rnd and Eric werepletely engrossed. Well the bearings were definitely effective. With the disy of the improved ride from the bearing and rubber tyre, they were able to understand. Jeez, Jin-san, your remodeling is amazing. Do you really not want money for it? Yes, but in exchange, I would like you to increase the frequency of your visits to this vige Hearing that, Rnd took on the face of a merchant, I see, so this is for an early investment He was able to correctly understand Jins intent. Yes, well If the performance is convincing, the stove will sell, and the magic stones would need to be purchased. I understand, suddenlying once a month would be impossible, but if I put in the effort I cane twice every three months. So it was decided and having fulfilled his original objective, Jin was relieved. However this time from Rnd, By the way Jin-san, that round thing the kids are ying with, by chance is that? Jin looked to where he pointed. There he saw children throwing a dodge ball. Yes, thats right. Its called a ball, its made from the same material as the tyre Hmm, could you also sell that? Oh, yes, I dont mind Because of the Tea Tree in the forest, he now knew where to look for a lot of resin to collect. Thats why the rubber ball will also be sold. The manufacturing method is difficult this time so its only the finished product, the rubber ball. For now he made 50 each of baseballs, handballs, and dodge balls. Upon finishing the negotiations, Eric began to grow restless. Jin could somehow guess the reason, Going to Erume River is refreshing, lets go together He invited Eric. Unable to turn it down, Eric and Jin headed to the river, and upon reaching the river, a joyful look coloured his face. That was because in Erume River, the swimsuit figure of Barbara was floating with a swim ring. J-Jin-san, what is that thing shes holding onto? Oh, thats a swim ring, it allows people who cant swim to be able to float Whether she heard the conversation of the two or not, Barbara found Eric and waved her hand. Eric had a face that wanted to immediately enter the water, but he didnt have a swimsuit. So Jin, Eric, if you want to swim, theres a shed over there, are you going to get changed? saying that, Jin passed over a new swimsuit he secretly brought. He had prepared it because he thought it would be like this. Th- thank you very much! So Eric snatched it and dashed to the shed to change. Eric and Barbara swam for the rest of the day like that. Eric did not help with arranging the goods and Barbara ignored her chores and instead they yed. The two that got along well were scolded. Summer was now ending with the day. Chapter 13 - TAX COLLECTOR ARRIVES

Chapter 13 C TAX COLLECTOR ARRIVES

It is now October, and the wheat sowed in Autumn has begun to sprout. Its about time theye Martha muttered. Jin was able to hear it. Come? What is? The tax collector Tax collector? Aa, so there is tax in this world, Jin thought. And by the sound of tax collector, he imagined a greasy, fat middle-aged man. Otherwise, a slim middle-aged man whos obsessed with money. Only once, while Jin was at the orphanage a person from the tax office came. Well, its not like they were evading taxes so the person immediately went back after checking the premise. How much do they take? While Martha tilted her head, Un, I believe the amount of wheatst year was From Marthas story, Jin understood it was about 5 tonnes. The consumption of this vige was from about 10 to 15 tonnes per year, thats 2:1 to 3:1, so the tax may perhaps be minor. How do they determine the tax? hearing that, Aa, it seems to be determined by the number of households This happened because it would take too much time and effort to examine the tax for each crop. The conductednd survey was from the Edo Period, using the Teimen Method from after the Kyoho Reform. It would be difficult for the country to change the tax from examining and estimating the harvest, which would be fine. ? However, if they arent able to pay due to a poor harvest, then for that time, they will need the tax to be reduced. Theye to examine what we can pay and what we cant, deciding the tax for next year I see, so who transports it though? It is the tax collector whoes to take it from the vige. Or rather a government official has yet toe take it Indeed, they wouldnte to this remote region to collect tax. I see Here, Jin decided to ask a question he has been meaning to hear about. By the way, Ive been thinking about it for a while, but it taking 2 or 3 days, isnt there any danger along the way? Things such as beasts and thieves Thieves huh? Ive never heard of that kind of thing in my life. Could you even make an earning from such a remote ce? Well, I guess so And as for beasts, well, they do appear. However the wolves around here are small, unless its a pack, it isnt dangerous being attacked. Also, everyone puts up a beast warding bell So theres such a thing, huh? I should check if it is a magic toolter, Jin thought. In any case, he wanted to know if there was a Demon Warding bell, not a Beast Warding one. Well, you could say that a Beast Warding bell is a degraded version of a Demon Warding bell. It was now two days after the talk. Aa, Ive finally arrived A single traveler hade to Kaina Vige. It looked to be a women. Her petite body wore a breastte, and a rather short sword was attached to her waist, that appearance atop a horse would identify their social status. Thats right, she was the tax collector responsible for Kaina Vige. pokupoku the horse walked, while there she asked a viger. Umm, I have something Id like to ask this is Kaina Vige right? Yes, it is but The one to answer was Jin. He was just on his way back after collecting the natural rubber sap. Aa, thats good. I thought I might havee to another vige by mistake U-umm, excuse me, but who are you? I am called Jin in this vige The woman on horseback Jin asked was deeply moved as if she were to shed a tear. Ah, pl-please excuse me. My name is Lithia, I have been chosen as the tax collector responsible for Kaina Vige this year In Jins mind, he experienced the sound of his image of the tax collector copsing, keeping in his thoughts, Ah, I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This year did you say? Then you must be unfamiliar with the area. Shall I guide you to the vige chiefs house? Th-that would be helpful. Please do! She asked Jin with all her power. With augh he stood ahead, guiding her to the vige chiefs home Along the way, Lithia asked. U-umm, for wheat, how was the harvest this year? Ah, for that youll have to ask the vige chief wholl know more about it Right thats true Once again, Jin examined the woman on horseback. She had a petite body with a baby face. Her hair was a colourful light brown, her eyes were also the same colour. No matter how you look at it, she had yet to turn into an adult. Umm, Lithia-san, excuse me but what is your age? Eh? Umm, Im 15 years old! I-Is it funny? Jin wryly smiled, What is funny? I dont know what youre asking, its just that it is an unusual sight Ah, ha, hai~! This is my first job for serving the kingdom Oh, your first job serving the kingdom. You must be very nervous. Though you should try and rx a bit Ye-Yes, thank you very muth she stuttered. Jin remembered a child from the orphanage preparing for a high school exam that was simrly nervous. M-my house is a house of new nobles, Im not used to things like this New nobility? Is it? Jin unintentionally repeated the unfamiliar word to remember it. Do you know about it? For the future, the King got rid of the defective nobility, and the prosperousmoners, or soldiers who had done a meritorious service were given the vacant positions of Bar and Ritter Its the first time Ive heard of this I guess thats right, this was a story that was spread within the castle It was a story people didnt know and some chatterbox just talked about it he thought, well even if it were just a rumor Jin would keep quiet and listen. Thanks to that, Lithias nervousness and the strain in her speech was gone. My father, he made a meritorious service at the conflict with bordering southern countries and was promoted to Ritter. His daughter that is me, was also raised to Ritter and because of that I was given this job Haa you must have a lot of troubles Having authority means various troubles, Jin recognised this once again. Ah, this is the vige chiefs house Talking while going through the small vige, they arrived at the vige chiefs home. Ah, thanking you for helping me out, Jin-san Its nothing much, with this Im done he told her, and returned back to Marthas home carrying the bucket of natural rubber. Im back Wee baaack, Jin-oniichan. Did you collect more rubber? Hanna weed him home. Jin looked forward to making a variety of things with the rubber. By the way, he inserted rubber into his pants making them morefortable to wear. Oya, wee home, Jin Martha also weed him home. To that Martha, Jin, I just met the tax collector, and guided them to the vige chiefs house saying that, Martha tilted her head, Eh? That person should know this vige well though she said. He thought shed say that so Jin, That is, a new person has taken over this year. The person this time is a 15 year old girl. A new noble she told me Oya, I see now. I guess it isnt impossible then tsun~ looking to see what pulled on the hem of his jacket, he saw Hanna with a puffed out face, Was that person beautiful? Eh? Was she beautiful, the person you guided? This had Jin at a loss for an answer but, Th-thats not it. Sure she was pretty but!! Hanna pinched him. If theres a person in trouble, you cant ignore it can you? Thats how it is Thats right, if Hanna is in trouble Ill lend you a hand too Martha then gave him some timely help, to coax it over, Both me and Martha are here for you if youre in need of help with that, Hanna was just barely convinced and released him from her hands. Chapter 14 - LITHIA FAHLHEIT

Chapter 14 C LITHIA FAHLHEIT

Lithia Fahlheit is the eldest daughter of the Fahlheit House. Her father, Nichs Fahlheit has worked as a soldier of Cline Kingdom for many years. A few years ago, when there was conflict with the bordering Seruroa Kingdom, he solved it without casualty and with such meritorious service, he was bestowed with the title of Ritter. Originally, the prestigious title of Ritter was meant for a single generation, however the Cline Kingdom had an insufficient number of nobles, and so it was decided as a special case that the same title would be given to their children. Haa, being a noble is really tiring A sigh escaped Lithias mouth. In any case, the perception of amoner would have already taken root to those given the education of a noble past the age of 10. And then the vige chief appeared, opening the door, Well well, what do we have here? You are the new tax collector right? I am the vige chief, Gibbeku. I look forward to working with you from now on The greetings were done. Lithia dismounted the horse and answered. I am Lithia Fahlheit, I am responsible for the Kaina Vige area this year. I look forward to working with you too Come on in, please make yourself at home The vige chief prompted Lithia. Tying the horse to the stable, she entered the vige chiefs home. She was guided to the table and sat down, his niece Barbara brought over tea. Being thirsty, Lithia drank it in one go. Barbara immediately ced down a second cup. This time Lithia drank it a little bit at a time. Having then taken a breather, W-Well then vige chief, how has the harvest been this year? she began her work. The vige chief is a serious person, she thought while, Thats right its been about average I think? Then youll be able pay the tax decidedst year, right? Yes, that is alright Its been about the payment of tax until this year. Well then, can you show me the vige situation and field now? Eh? Right now? Hearing that, Lithia knitted her eyebrows, I-Is there anything inconvenient with thet? She tried to show her utmost dignity, but after stuttering, it was in vain. No, I thought Fahlheit-sama might have been tired. Up till now, those that came did not do anything on the day they arrived and instead did their inspection the next day. Is that so? However, I am me. Please guide me around I understand Thus, the vige chief guided her around the vige and fields. This here is the wheat field. They sprout in Autumn It seems to be going well And then the other crop fields. The vegetables have already been harvested Finally the storehouse. Fun-fun, if theres this much wheat, youll be able tost the winter even if you pay the tax Ee, I think we will be alright Im relieved. Can I transport it tomorrow? T-Tomorrow is it? That can be done, but Fahlheit-sama, arent you tired? The vige chief somehow noticed that Lithia was fatigued, but, I am fine. Because this is my duty She said and gave a forced smile, then a ball rolled towards her feet. Ara? This is? Lithia picked up the ball, Aah! Onee-chan, thank you~! That is my ball! saying that Kurt ran up to her, Okay, here you go Saying that she handed over the ball, but her line of sight was not directed to Kurt, but rather glued to the ball. Fahlheit-sama? Wondering what it is, Lithia asked the vige chief, vige chief, what is that round thing that child just then was ying with? Aa, that is a ball Ball? Ee, it is a thing to y with which Jin made Jin would be that person from before? Ee, it was the person who had guided Fahlheit-sama here That person made this ball? Yes, that person was originally not from this vige, he lost his way and came here in Spring. It seems hes a Magic Craftsman from a far away country and has served this vige well in various ways He is? A Magic Craftsman? Yes Is that so? Lithia had be a little interested in Jin. The merchant Rnd should be handling that item but Rnd is it? I think Ive heard of him. Recently theres been some big talk about the merchant of that name from the Ran Firm. It is likely that person Is that so? Then Ill verify it after returning to the capital with the matter of the ball settled, the two left the field and went back to the vige. Vige chief, that thing there is a pump right? Along the way, Lithia noticed the water well pump. Ee, thats right. That is also something Jin made. !! Lithia was surprised once again. Right now, not only in the capital, but in the surrounding viges as well, the pump was growing popr at a phenomenal rate. This was the driving force behind the rapid growth of the Ran Firm, but for it to havee from this furthermore, to say it was Jin, a Magic Craftsman from a foreign country who made it. Her interest in Jin was growing more and more. Well, with the work out of the way for today, please rx Saying that, the vige chief had taken the Lithia to the hot spring. His niece, Barbara was already waiting there. Vige chief, what is this ce? It is a hot spring Hot spring? Well, try entering. Barbara, I leave the rest to you Yes, oji-san The vige chief entrusted the other party to Barbara and returned back to his house. Now then, Fahlheit-sama, please enter Saying that she invited her into the dressing room, prompting her to take off her clothes, W-Why are you taking off your clothes!? Lithia looking at it like it was iprehensible was a natural reaction. Barbaraughed, Im sorry for not clearly exining it. This is referred to as a hot spring, its a ce where warm water wells up. And because of that, anyone in the vige cane and soak in the hot water, recovering from fatigue Is it different from a normal bath? Ee, this uses hot water that wells up from underground. ording to Jin, a lot of heat has gathered under the Mountain of Death, and the underground water thates into contact with it heats up into hot water, was what he told me, but honestly I dont really understand it well. So this is also Jin-sans? Ee, he is the benefactor of this vige After the talk, they soaked in the hot water. Aa, this feels really good With the tension finally gone, Lithia and Barbara both stretched within the hot spring. Right? The tax collector was now bathing, that is, it was quiet because the vigers were shut out with the exception of Barbara. The two sprawled themselves in the hot spring, and ced their heads on the edge of the hot spring. For a moment the presence of an old man appeared. Fahlheit-sama? Lithia stared enviously at the two bulges attached to the chest of Barbara stretching next to her, but then pulled herself together and now had something else on her mind, Where in the world did Jin-sane from? she tried to ask, Saa I was told he was dragged by an Artifact that malfunctioned and thrown here. If I remember, his home country was called Japan. Do you know of it? Japan, no, never heard of it. Although, Im not familiar with the geography of this continent Lithia was a new noble and being a tax collector was her first job which she told Barbara. 16 years old and 15 years old, the two were only different by 1 year, and they became good friends through their naked socialising. Chapter 15 - TRANSPORTATION

Chapter 15 C TRANSPORTATION

The next morning, the men of the vige had gathered in front of the vige chiefs house. This was to transport the wheat for the vige tax. Well then, Im counting on you When the vige chief said that, the men began to tie them into a bundle, Ou, leave it to me! This time is easier because we only need to go once Right, the n was to use the bicycle trailers Jin made so that they would only have to transport it once. Because it had been transported on the back of the person and horse up till now, they had to make several round trips to Kaina Vige as well as to other viges, and thatbour was hard. This time 12 bicycle trailers were to be used, with approximately 5 tonnes of wheat transported at once. Furthermore, because there is a gentle slope from Kaina Vige, transportation should be extremelyfortable, and returning up the slope should also befortable with it being empty. Did you bring food and water with you? Ou! Did you leave anything behind? Dear, be careful Tou-chan, take care Ou! The wives and children waved their hands, seeing them off for their departure. Yosh tax collector-sama, let us depart Rock called out to Lithia, then Lithia, Then were departing The party began to move pulling the bicycle trailers, gorogoro. Jin-oniichan, take care! Jin had also joined the party. He wanted to use this opportunity to take a look outside of Kaina Vige. Lithia was leading on the horse. Sometimes turning back, checking if they were following her. Behind Lithia was Rock, and then after that was Jin. Because the road is narrow, they advanced in a line. After crossing the Erume River and then a small mountain pass, the rest of the way was a gentle slope. Descending will befortable~ was Jins real intention. He had equipped the ball bearings to all the bicycle trailers, so of course he was tired. As for Lithia that she wanted to talk to Jin about what was in the transportation, she kept to herself. 3 hours after advancing forward, they took a break at a ce where water welled up. Aah, Im so tired Hahaha, you sure are weak Jin Im not like Rock-san and the others Rocks height is beyond 180cm, his weight is also 80kg. Jins height is 160cm, and his weight is 52kg. They were obviously physically different. Well I guess so, but Jin,you can do things we cant do. Me and the others are envious of that do you have a moment? Lithia entered into Jin and the others conversation. What is the matter tax collector-sama? Rock asked, N-Nothing, just while taking a break, please dont forget our work said Lithia. Then she continued, Jin-san, was it? Ive heard that youvee from far away, is that true? Ee, it is true Is that so This Bicycle Trailer you also made it right? Thats right Tax collector-sama, this Jin here is amazing! Hes made one thing after another that has made our lives a he lot morefortable. This punk has made me really happy When Rock said that, the other men resting around also unanimously, Thats right! After soaking in that hot spring, mine and my wifes skin has be smooth Your wife, only her skin is pretty, only her skin Huh? What do you mean by that? You even repeated it twice! the men were lively. But Lithia was only interested in Jin, Uhh Jin-san is a Magic Craftsman right? Ee, well, something like that A-Ano, so after this, are you going to keep living in Kaina Vige? For that question, Jin did not answer right away. But, Well, for such a talented guy, he cant stay shut up in the vige forever can he? Rock said. Also, Im sure Jin wants to go back to his hometown And when Lithia heard that, A-Ano, Jin-sans hometown is the country of Japan right? So you knew aa, you must have heard from Barbara E-Ee. I heard it from Barbara at the hot spring. That hot spring is really great! My skin is now smooth from it! Haha, thats good so, tax collector-sama, have you heard of this Japan before? Lithia Eh? Didnt I tell you my name yesterday? I am Lithia But, right now youre on duty That doesnt matter! Everyone too, dont call me tax collector, please call me Lithia! Because the person wanted it herself, it was decided that everyone would call her Lithia-san. So Lithia-san, do you know about Japan? No, sorry but I do not know about it Is that so Well, it is from a different world, it would be strange to know of it, so Jin wasnt disappointed much. But, Lithia thinking she saw Jin with a forced expression, Ano~, Jin-san, although I dont know of it, there may be someone in the capital that does! Once I return, Ill ask an acquaintance to check, so please dont give up hope she braced herself and said. Jin, Aa, t-thank you very much was all he could answer. And once again the party began to walk. Crossing a small mountain pass, then descending a long way down, the day grew dark and they arrived at an encampment. There was a simple lodging cabin there, any person travelling from another vige or Kaina Vige could use it. Yareyare, we were able to somehow make it before it became dark Rock breathed a sigh of relief. It would be really dangerous if it became dark. With the short Autumn days, there was worth in having left early in the morning. Dinner was hurriedly prepared. They had brought along a stove and pot with the bicycle trailer and wheat. Some porridge, roasted dried meat, and boiled water was made. Each share was prepared quickly. Lithia seeing the stove, No way, even this stove Aa, Jin took the trouble to make it hearing that, Haa, as I thought. No matter whates out, I wont even be surprised anymore she breathed out a sigh. After having finished eating, a nket was handed out to make a bed. The order of the night watch shift was then decided. Well need two people to stay awake. First Ill do it Lithia said. Eh? But Lithia-san we need you to Rock tried to say but Lithia shook her head, No, while I was riding my horse everyone was pulling their cart, so this much is fine Is that so? Hn, then, lets see how about you, Jin? OK OK? Ah, no, I understand Hn, Im counting on you. After 2 hours will be Jonas and Linus, after that is Bill and Jeff. Then its Dave and Howard, Rick and Tom, andst is me and Yang, is that fine? Understood! Hn, then hurry up and get to sleep saying that, Jin and Lithia were left behind, and everyone went to sleep wrapped in their nket. Jin and Lithia rolled their body in their nket, sitting on the bench at the entrance of the cabin. The sky was now pitch ck, and the moon was rising from the hill to the east. The moon in this world is smaller than Earths moon. So he didnt expect much moonlight. However, because time is measured by the movement of the moon, it was an important celestial body for that reason. Jin and Lithia sat down in silence for a while, soon Lithia began to slowly talk. Youve heard the story about my house being new nobility E-Ee Thats why, I was brought up as amoner till the age of 10. But then my father was promoted to Ritter and my life suddenly changed, honestly, I still cant believe it Jin could only stay silent and listen. But, the current Prime Minister is a splendid person, he rules for the sake of themoners. As you already know, I also, if possible, if it were for themoners, for the sake of the citizens I thought, I would be a Ritter Lithia continued to talk. But, what is for the sake of the citizens? If its to be helpful to people, then Jin-san is even more amazing. A pump, hot spring, bicycle trailer, and a stove. This is the kind of work that I believe to be for the sake of people Jin-san, I am I fine the way I am right now? Chapter 16 - ATTACK

Chapter 16 C ATTACK

To Lithias sudden question, of course Jin was speechless. But then he remembered, what the orphanage director had said before, People are beings that cannot live on their own. Therefore everyone borrows someone elses power to live Ee, thats true Lithia meekly nodded to those words. People have things they are and arent suited for. Therefore therell be things you can and cant do Ee, I know So, isnt it fine to live for the things you can do? When Jin said those words, Lithia hanged her head down, the things I can do she murmured. Jin, Im not a noble, and I have no interests in government. But, isnt Lithia-san different? Eh? A person that stands above others and does not question what they do is unpleasant, and is what someone like me thinks. Lithia fell silent from that and seemed to be thinking about what was said.Jin said nothing more and gazed at the stars and moon. After checking 2 hours had roughly passed by the movement of the moon, the two went inside the cabin to switch shifts. The men had arge room while Lithia was in a separate room. In therge room, Jin woke up the sleeping and snoring Jonas and Linus Hn? aa, its time to switch? Yes, please do so Hn I got it Having switched, Jin lied down. Being worn out from the day, he easily fell asleep. On the other hand, Litha couldnt fall asleep. She was thinking about what Jin had said. Something I can do huh? I need to find that something, and for now itd probably be my current task The next morning it was unusually cloudy. Dim inside, they finished their breakfast and quickly departed. Coming out the forest, they crossed a bridge over a creek and arrived at a prairie. At this rate it looks like well make it to a vige before it bes night That will be good The bicycle trailers advanced, gotogoto. ording to schedule, lunch was finished and there was about 15km left. It will take around 4 hours. The surroundings had be rocky. The vige will be in sight after exiting this rocky area Saying that, Rock encouraged the party. Theres only a little left to go, hang in there At that moment. Uwaaah! Yang at the rear of the line screamed. Whats wrong!? U-Uwaah, what is that thing! Turning around, something with a strange appearance approached them from behind. Thats a golem? Lithia murmured. Golem? That thing is? Its height was 2 metres and its entire body was made of iron armour in a human form. It looked really solid. Uwah, theres one here too! it was Rocks voice. The identical golem moved forward and approached. Is it aiming for the wheat? Sheet, damn you, this is unreasonable! The wheat was important, but there was no way to beat an armoured golem, and Rock cried out in sorrow. I wont let you! Lithia, its impossible! Rithia only had a sword and pulling out her short sword, she dismounted the frightened horse, rushing forward towards the golem. Its alright, Ive learnt swordsmanship even if it doesnt look that way! Taaa! Lithia lowered her stance and shed at golem, aiming for its leg. But, No way The short sword did not cut the leg, and had instead been bent. Thats why I said you couldnt! Stand back! Jin shouted and rushed towards her but, I dont want to! Im a Ritter everyone looks up to! As a Ritter Ill protect everyone! Watch out! Eh? Aiming at Lithia, the golems fist swung down. Jin is a Magi Craft Meister. In fact, a Magi Craft Meister cannot use attack magic. For recovery type magic, the extent to which he could heal were cuts and grazes at best. Because of that, his aptitude leans closer to production type magic. Furthermore, as a bonus he could not exert an effect on something without touching it. However, it does not mean cannot use attack magic=cannot attack. A chainsaw is a tool to cut a tree, however it didnt need to be used to cut a tree. Well, it was that kind of thing. Jin took the pouch of water hanging from his from waist, Sheet! Make it in time! Water Jet! Kyaa! Thud, a dull impact hit Lithias head. It was useless she thought and she resigned herself to her fate. But, the sound of metal and the golems arm tumbled before her, Ouuch? Fearfully opening her eyes, there she saw the golems lower body. The upper-body had fallen to the other side. The arm also seemed to be cut up, with the right arm up to the elbow gone. The right arm was lying in front of him, and he understood that the dull impact was it colliding with her. T-Thats right, there was another one! Remembering the golem attacking in the rear, he went to take care of it. And with that, Jin used Water Jet to cut up the golem there. No way Such a magic she had never seen before. Although it was a magic that used water, it wasnt a magic from the water type attack magic, with water that sweeps awayWater Stream and the water that is thrown Water Ball. Even so, they were magic that couldnt be used without abundant water nearby. Lithia-san, are you alright? After confirming that another golem wouldnt appear, Jin rushed over to her. Y-Yes. I just have a little bump on my head He gently caressed her head that collided with the golems arm. Aa, sorry I was a little too slow. Jin-san, what in the world was that magic? Hn? Do you mean Water Jet? That was just a Craft Magic to process stone and iron, what about it? Eeehh? Even though it has such terrifying attack power? ncing backwards, to the surprised Lithia, Lets leave this talk forter. Lithia-san, can you use recovery magic? Yang who was at the rear had been hit by the Golem, and his arm was fractured. Ah, yes I can Heal that person with light, there.Cure! Lithia rushed over to Yang, holding her palm over his fractured arm and used magic. Then, a pale light illuminated the affected area, and the swelling of the arm could be seen quickly fading away. Ooohh! Amazing! The men were impressed upon seeing it. Thank you very much, Lithia-sama Yang, and also Rock thanked her. Its nothing, because this is my duty Saying that, Lithia wryly smiled, and treated the bump on her head right after. Chapter 17 - THE GOLEM GON

Chapter 17 C THE GOLEM GON

This is a golem, huh Why were there golems in a ce like this? Jin examined the golem that he brought down himself. Feeling that the threat of golems was gone, the vige men dropped down to the ground and took a break. As for Lithia and Jin, they examined a golem together nearby. Someone may have sent them here I think Lithia made a conjecture. For what reason? Saa that is Originally golems have autonomy to the extent that they can follow simplemands. Because of that, the maniptor didnt have to be nearby, so locating the culprit that sent it would be difficult Well, figuring out the culprit would be impossible What is it? If these are still usable, then Ill use them At this time, Jin investigated the structure of the golem. Although, this sure was built roughly He cut it into two with a single stroke. And when Lithia heard that, Eh? Eeehh!? A golem is an advanced magic doll isnt it? Even if you say that, the body is just stone and the armour is just iron. The core seems like a small Magic Crystal, and because theres no Ether Converter it uses a Mana Tank instead. Throwing away this golem would be unthinkable Eeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh!? Lithia was a quasi-noble who attended a decent school, so she had a considerablyrge amount of knowledge in this world, but everything Jin was saying was much further ahead than what she knew. I wonder if its still in a good enough condition to be used. For now Ill trybining the parts While murmuring that, he tried lining up the bodies of the two golems giving up because they were too heavy, and instead Jin went around collecting the necessary parts. At that time, the men gave what Jin was doing a look of interest. Although this Magic Crystal is slightly big it can be used for the core, and this Mana Drive I can use Somehow, it seems like hes doing somethingplex. Oi Jin, how long will it take? We should be departing soon To the Jin who looked like he would be forever happy if we was left alone like that, Rock called out. J-Just a little longer While saying that, Jins hands did not stop moving. I should connect the arms this way. Fusion! The golem returned to its original form. And Master ve! Awaken, golem! The golem rose up in response to the voice. U-Uoooo!? Rock who was surprised took a step back. Lithia involuntarily grasped her bent sword. Seeing that, Jin smiled, Its okay. Because this fellow only listens to what I say The golem obeys the owner of the magic power loaded in the core. However, Jin Rock and the others were still anxious with that said, I said its safe. Look With those words, Jin showed them by striking the golems back, bashibashi. It really is safe You sure worry a lot. Golem, I name you,Gon It was a namepletelycking in naming sense. But Jin himself did not in the least bit mind it, Gon, pull this bicycle trailer When ordered to do so, the golem gave a nodding gesture, walking over to the bicycle trailer and pulled it. Come on lets go Upon Jin saying so, Jin advanced forward and took the lead. The men that were taken aback followed after him. Lithia mounted her horse and hurried after Jin. They arrived at Toka Vige after about two hours. They were able to make it before sunset. O-Owawawaaa? What the, what is that? And of course, when they saw the Golem Gon, the vigers were horrified. Because it was dim, it was even more ominous. Unu, the vige is being attacked! The soldiers stationed at Toka Vige appeared with their swords. The one to stop them was Lithia. Please wait. This golem is an ally As an apprentice knight, it was one rank higher than a soldier. The surprised soldier stopped, Ah, ha is that so? yes, I understand They obediently listened. Since Gon didnt act violently, the vigers soon grew ustomed with its appearance. Please carry the wheat over here They carried the wheat to the Toka Vige storehouse. Gon yed an active role for it. Ohhh, this is amazing The golem had the power to carry three times that of a person, and Jin and the other carried the wheat to the storehouse as one person(?). Good work Gon. Take a rest and recover your magic power. If someone tries to steal the wheat, remove them Upon Jins instructions, Gon stood upright in front of the storehouse and stopped moving. With this we dont need a lookout Jinughed while saying that, the people of Toka Vige stared at him with an indescribable face, What with that guy? Was there such a guy from Kaina Vige? such whispers and murmurs were said. On the other hand, the men from Kaina Vige, Wow, Jin, ya really are such a great guy! That golem, it listens to anything you say right? This looks like itlle in handy if we take it back to the vige! In addition, the soldiers spoke to Lithia, A-ano, tax collector-sama, what in the world is that golem Who is that young man? were the three different kinds of responses given. That day, it was decided that Lithia would stay in the Kingdoms quarters, while Jin and the others stayed in an inn at Toka Vige. After dinner, while Jin was walking and taking a look around Toka Vige, he noticed Lithia and called out to her. Lithia-san Ah, Jin-san Are you still dressed like that? Lithia was wearing a breastte with a sword in her hand. Ee, because Im still on duty I see, it must be difficult. So, what are you doing here? Jin had asked while looking at the sword she held, My sword had been bent so I went to the cksmith, but I was told it couldnt be repaired Really? Could you show it to me? Lithia obediently handed over the bent sword to Jin. Jin then gazed at sword, Analyse ah, this is dull. Because its iron and not steel Eh? But I bought it from a weapon shop that said it was a reasonably good sword Werent you deceived? As a woman you probably didnt know about the quality, and thought a sword that was decorated would be good and bought it. Such a thing Lithia was crestfallen and drooped her head. Seeing that appearance, Jin held the sword, It cant be helped. Forming!Carburising! Heat Treat! Hardening! Repairing it, the bent sword was straightened, carburised into steel, and it was hardened. Here, is this fine? Eh, eh, eh? What Jin had done, Lithia couldnt keep up and understand. I repaired your sword. I dont think it will break so easily now, so please take care of it Ah, thank you very much so a Magic Craftsman can do this When Lithia dly received the sword, Jin-san, what can I do to thank you? But, Jin, I do not need anything as thanks I cannot ept that. I mustpensate you on the work you have done. I know, would you like to be a Magic Craftsman exclusive to the kingdom? I will provide a rmendation However Jin, I will have to decline Why? To Jins immediate response, Lithia gave a puzzled look. I do not want to serve under someone. I want to live freely, and I want to return home. In this case, home was theboratory. Is that so but its such a waste Im fine with it. So, for a while could you not report about me? Eh? What do you mean by that? Youll probably report about that golem attacking us right? Ee, because that is my job At that time, I want you to stay silent about me. And that it was Lithia-san that somehow repelled it But, then Jin then bowed his head, Please. Just like now, I want to quietly live in Kaina Vige Lithia gave up after seeing Jin like that, I understand. However, if you happen toe to the capital, pleasee and visit my familys house Chapter 18 - THE GOLEM GEN

Chapter 18 C THE GOLEM GEN

On the way back from Toka Vige, the golem Gon could pull the bicycle trailers so it was made to pull them, and everyone else could just walk, Jeez, Gon sure is a great thing. You sure did surprise me Jin Everyone, including Rock had such thoughts. Digressing a little, on the way back, Jin had ced the other broken (by Jin) golem on the bicycle trailer to bring back, needless to say. Today, Jin had brought Gon to the Mountain of Death to look around the mountain pass. He was here to look for a Magi Crystal even if its small. Of course, it was the material he needed to repair the other golem. There should be some around here Jin-oniichan, there should be some pretty gems behind the mountain over there Hanna said while on Gons shoulder. At first, Hanna was afraid of the golem, but she grew ustomed to it after seeing that Gon properly listened to Jin, and now she rode on its shoulder while it moved. Is that so? Okay, lets go and see it ording to Hannas remark, he descended down to the valley behind the Mountain of Death. Of course the volcanic gas did not emerge in this ce. After descending down towards the valley, the amount of coloured stones had definitely increased. The quality of the stones was like granite. This kind of ce yielded various minerals. But because it was dangerous, he didnt descend too far. Okay, lets try looking around here. Grand Search! Using search magic to look around, he luckily found a small amount of Magic Crystals. Gon, try digging over here a little Lowering Hanna off its shoulder, the golem Gon began digging up the ground. Speaking of its force, zugagaga, would be the onomatopoeia that suited it to a great extent, and a 5 metre in diameter hole was made in a few minutes. Wa, amazing Hanna stared at it in amazement. And then noticed something glittering, Onii-chan, something glittered! Okay, Gon, stop for a moment hmm? Aa, isnt this muscovite? Thereid a huge crystal of muscovite. Its size wasrger than 1 meter. Well this sure is something aa, I know! Gon, dig out that thing other there Gon promptly dug out the muscovite. It was a considerably transparent and beautiful crystal. This is good, once it turns Winter with this Jin mumbled when he saw the muscovite. Hanna, Onii-chan, will this be useful? Aa, it will definitely be useful alright, this is all of it. Gon, try digging for more After digging out all the muscovite there, Gon resumed digging the hole. Then, with less than 50 centimetres dug, there was a yellow crystal mixed with stone. Oh? Alright! An earth type Magic Crystals! Its pretty isnt it, Onii-chan Hanna said when she saw the magic crystal. The transparency of the magic crystal was high, enough to be like a gem. This was a good indication of its quality. After digging out 5 of the magic crystals, Jin had Gon stop and prepared to go back. Hanna, well be walking back, will you be okay? Un! Im really fit! Though he could return with the magic crystals in his pocket, the muscovite was toorge to carry, so Gon did not have room for Hanna to ride on. Onii-chan, faster~! haafuu But after all, Jincked the physical strength Hanna had. What is that? Youve brought another unusual thing again Returning home with the muscovite, Martha let out her thoughts on it. This is Muscovite The name muscovite seems to have been derived from Muscovy-ss. He recalled it was written in a book about minerals he read that it could be used instead of ss, and that it was difficult to crack. Instead, the amount of transparency for it was lower than ss. Put it in the window frame this way, to! Fitting the muscovite into the window frame made of wood, he then fitted the window. How is it? For now, he decided to only fit the kitchen window to hear Marthas impression of it. Hee, I can see outside, and the wind doesnt enter. This looks pretty nice! It will be really helpful when Winteres around! with that said, Jin fitted muscovite into all the windows in the house the next day. Of course they could open and close. Its bright and doesnt let the warmth escape. It really helps with saving up firewood. Thank you, Jin Youre wee Its waaarm~ When the sunlight enters, the room warms up. With thatfortable feeling, Hanna took a nap in her own bed. Now then next is this The muscovite was nearly all gone, fitting all the windows in the vige with muscovite wouldnt be for a while longer. So Jin decided to restore the other golem first. So I have three yellow Magic Crystals I can use One Ether Converter, one Mana Drive, and one Control Core. He wrote a so-called program using Magic Language dedicated for each of them. At this point it was far from ordinary, the specifications had already exceeded the highest grade of golems, however it was simr to the Automata he had repaired before, and Jin was not conscious and did not show prudence to this. Alright, its done. I cant forget the condition to give intelligence to the Control Core. Now then, Gon,e here Because Gon did not have an Ether Converter, he used one of the remaining two Magic Crystals for it. Thest one was used for the Control Core. He took out the original Control Core of poor quality and thought to use it for something else. With the tune-up, he gave the two dolls the same abilities. The two golems had an outrageous body. Now then, shall I start on it at once? Transfer Info! this time I wont do a partial transfer Onii-chaaan, whaat are you doing? There, Hanna who had woken up from her nap came over. Hmm? There are two Gons? Seeing the golems lying side by side, Hanna said that. Hanna, this here is Gon, however this one over here is not Gon Fuun? So Jin decided to change the colour of the golems exterior. The two dolls wore light armour forbat, so Gon was made bluish. Made in the image of a bronze knight (though the armour is iron). The other one was coloured silver. Waa, pretty Hanna, this blue one here is Gon. Gon, activate Gon rose up and spoke words of obedience towards Jin. Yes, Master Wah, Gon spoke! Hannah was surprised. But, Gon, this child is Hanna. This childs instructions take priority after me Acknowledged Alright Hanna, Gon will now listen to what you tell it Really? Thats amazing! Hanna was honestly delighted. Jin then continued to activate another one. I name you, Gen you are Gen Yes, Master Gon and Gen, so Gongen. It seems he intended for it to be Gongen. There was no one to insert a tsukkomi for Jins naming sense. Hanna, this is Gen. Gen, this child is Hanna. This childs instructions take priority after me Acknowledged With that, in Kaina Vige on this day, the two Guardians were born. And with the help of the two, Jin installed windows made of muscovite for the houses in the vige over three days. Chapter 19 - GOING OUT COLLECTING

Chapter 19 C GOING OUT COLLECTING

Then, Ill be going Take care Onii-chan Jin had decided to do a full-scale collection on the remote mountains of Kaina Vige where you could collect Magic Crystals. Because it may be dangerous, Hanna was left to watch the house. He was going together with Rock. Tou-chan, see youter Dear, you better not let Jin get hurt! What if I got hurt Rock had a child who was good at swimming, he was the father of Mario. Because it was the off-season, he asked to be guided. Leaving Gon in the vige, and bringing Gen along to go collecting. Rock brought along his favourite bow and arrow. Although, Jin a Magic Craftsman, huh? Ya pretty incredible Seeing therge amount of luggage Gen was carrying, Rock murmured. A long time ago, I wanted to be a knight, and I did go to the capital. In less than 2 years, I woke up from that dream and returned to the vige Is that so? Aa. Thats why I know the lifestyle in the capital reasonable well, however Ive never seen magic tools like the ones Jin made, and there werent any talking golems like Gon and Gen A-Ahaha Well, youll probably be leaving the vige some day. Thats probably what ya want to do. However, Ill be happy if you showed your face at the vige once in a while Unusually, Rock told this earnestly, and Jin seeing such an unusual thing, he made a face as if about to say something. Why why are you making such a face? Eh, no, that is, I was surprised that Rock-san was a person to be concerned Thatpliment doesnt sound like apliment while saying that, Rocks eyes looked like they wereughing. The people of Kaina Vige are all good people, therefore of course, Rock-san is too. Somehow that sounds forced but oh well So, well be descending that valley? A valley that could be seen from the mountain pass. It was the valley he came to along with Hanna the other day. Ee. Last time I only went down a little bit, this time I want to go much further down He had nned to stay for night, so he had prepared the camp. Gen was carrying it. Okay, lets try going down So 2 people and 1 golem carefully descended the valley. They would take a detour if there was a waterfall, but continued if it was a thicket by having Gen deal with it. And when a considerable amount of the day had passed, they arrived at an open area. Lets make camp here Rock had made such a judgement. As he was told, he prepared the camp. First well remove things like the stone to tten it. Gen, help me out Yes With the help of Gen, the ground soon became t. There he set up poles, using string so they wouldnt fall. Furthermore heid beams horizontally across it and then covered it from above with arge cloth. He firstid some cloth down for the ground, and thenid out furs for beds to finish it. Really, the various things that Gen has brought along has really helped us The two did not desire more for their camp. Okay, Ill do the preparation for dinner now, you can go find the things youre looking for Jin Sure, now then So Jin left the preparation for dinner to Rock, and began searching for minerals. Grand Search! For a while, he used the magic Grand Search to look around, arge response appeared. Found it! Jin involuntarily shouted, and Rock came to look. Oh, let me see what youve found Yeah. Now then Gen, dig here Acknowledged Jin instructed Gen to dig the ground. Gen vigourously dug a hole. Oooohh, this is pretty incredible The hole became deeper before their eyes. Gen stopped after digging about 3 metres. It then carried out arge ck rock. What? It doesnt look like a good stone does it? Its iron ore Because the iron and copper used in the vige was running out, this was indispensable. Continue mining more, Gen Hai Last time was when he came with Gon, that was before he had improved them, so the golem could not make a distinction to a rock by itself. But this time it is different, with the limited knowledge Jin gave them, the materials Jin needs, excluding special ones, could be found autonomously to some extent. A mountain of maite piled up. Sometimes, chalcopyrite came out mixed with it. Rock, Is that gold!? was excited about it, but became dejected when Jin exined. Doing it until dusk, he was able to mine a considerable amount of minerals. The minerals were piled up distinctly. He nned toe back with Gon and Gen in the future. So, you werent able to find the number one thing you were looking for? Rock asked while eating dinner. Ee, Ill leave that for tomorrow The night for the valley came quickly. Without anything to do after dinner, he had Gen stand on guard and decided to go to sleep. Being tired from the walk, the two soon fell asleep. The next morning, after breakfast, Jin once again used Grand Search to search for veins of Magic Crystals. Further down from the camp, a response finally came back. Okay, well then Gen, Im counting on you Affirmative The same as yesterday, Gen began to dig the ground. The first thing to appear was a yellow earth type Magic Crystal. The thing Jin had wanted. Alright, keep on going. Steadily dig some more Yes After that, a further two yellow Magic Crystals were dug out, and for a while nothing appeared (other than the usual rock), but then suddenly Gens body gave out a sound and stopped moving, Master, my hand has broken Gen showed its broken hand whileing up from the hole. What!? For your hand I used Hardening on to break could it be Adamantite!? Adamantite was the hardest mineral in this world. Jin entered the hole and examined the rock, Its definitely Adamantite. For it to be in such a shallow ce murmuring that, he took out a sk from his waist, Water Jet! And cut the Adamantite vein. And with that the mineral was barely cut. Well, Im pretty lucky to have found it in such a shallow ce. Theres also a bonus The bonus was about the small amount of Mithril silver he found. Mithril silver or simply called Mithril is the best material to conduct magic. Its true identity is an isotope of silver. 47 protons, 60 neutrons or otherwise 62, would be regr silver, but for Mithril, neutrons are mostly reced with the substance of magic power. Enough of that, having found the materials he wanted, he made preparations to return home. Needless to say, he promptly repaired Gens hand with engineering magic. Are you all good? Yes, thanks to you I was able to find something good Alright, the day is short, so lets return home At that time, Rocks eyes began to shine. Rock-san? S-Shhh, be quiet Stopping Jin, Rock nocked an arrow to his bow. And then shot it towards the valley. Pii, with that sound he heard a scream, Alright I did it! A mountain deer! Rock ran over towards the valley and after a while, returned dragging arge deer. Look! This is an incredible spoil. Once we get back Ill make some dried meat A mountain deer was a valuable source of protein. They decided toe pick up a majority of the luggageter and it was decided they would bring back the mountain dear, camp tools and some of the minerals. However, I dont usually like such ces like this during this season Rock said while looking at the mountain deer on Gens shoulder. Eh? Is that so? Aa. Usually Id have to go to a mountain further north to catch something, and that requires luck Apparently you need to prepared to stay on the mountains for a few days to catch something usually. Though Jin was worried, he began to think about how to use the minerals he found and his worries disappeared to somewhere. Chapter 20 - HORSE GOLEM

Chapter 20 C HORSE GOLEM

From going out collecting this time, Jin had found a yellow earth type Magic Crystal, as well as 15 small pieces. It was a considerable amount. Additionally, Mithril Silver and Adamantite too. He could bring back all the Magic Crystals but all the minerals was impossible. So after Jin and Rock returned to the vige, together with not just Gen but Gon too, he went to collect the minerals that was dug out. The next day, with the two Golems that did not tire, they piled up all the minerals on the yard. When Jin looked at it, the amount he could use spread out before him, and he chuckled to himself. Onii-chan, what are you grinning about? When Hanna said that, Jin came to and tried to hide his smile in embarrassment, I-Its nothing Is that so? By the way, Rock-san is calling for you Rock-san? When he left the yard wondering what it was, he saw Rock standing with something in his hand. Yo, Jin. This is the dried meat of the mountain deer. Its only a little, but I wanted to share this fellow with ya He was holding the dried meat of the mountain deer they caught on the way back from collecting. Since raw meat goes bad if left alone, by turning the meat that is a precious source of protein into dried meat, it can be preserved. Aa, thanks for going out of your way for this When Jin epted it, Rock continued, The thing is, I have a little request for you today What is it? This time me and a few other were thinking to go hunting for mountain deer, but for carrying our luggage, could you lend Gon or Gen? With a Golem carrying the luggage, it would certainly be easier to enter the mountain. So Jin, Sure. Then please take along Gen Ou, alright. Well then, Ille by tomorrow morning Rock said and then returned home. Jin then looked at Gon and Gen, Un, right then, I should hurry up and get done with strengthening them Onii-chan, what are you doing? Hanna who was still nearby heard Jin murmur and asked him. Hn? Ill be making Gon and Gen a little bit more stronger Theyll be stronger? Can I be stronger? Haha, thats probably impossible. Shouldnt a girl be more graceful? Irresponsibly and nonchntly Jin said that. Hanna hearing that, Is that how it is? So Onii-chan likes graceful girls more she mumbled, but it did not enter Jins ear who was focusing on his work. For now, Ill change the old hand and breastte with Adamantite Last time, while digging for minerals, Gens hand broke from digging Adamantite ore. And the breastte is to protect the Mana Drive, Ether Converter, and Control Core made from Magic Crystal ced inside the chest. He decided to make the two from Adamantite. Smelting! He smelted the minerals into metal using magic. Among the impurities was tin, chromium, nickel and other metals mixed in which he stored away and nned to smeltter. Though Jin did the process alone, he was not aware about how it was far from the norm. Well, there wasnt anyone in Kaina Vige to point this out, therefore things continued on peacefully. Alright, with this the bodies of these two are now robust And he was still not aware that Gon and Gen were gradually bing more of an outrageous Golem. Well then, Rock-san, Jeff-san, Yang-san, take care Ou, well be going Dear, take care Gen, I leave Rock-san and the others to you Acknowledged, Master The next morning, Rock and two others went out to hunt mountain deer. Some of the children would go along partway to have fun. Mario went of course and Hanna too. And speaking of Jin, he had begun working on making something new. That is, a Horse Golem. Golems have a humanoid form, the reason why they can control their movement is because stored in the Control Core is the movement information of a human. In other words, its only because the person who made it has an understanding of human movement However, that did not apply to Jin who is a Magi Craft Meister. He had the analysed data for walking on the four legs inherited from his predecessor. In this respect, this period is behind that of the past. Truly, war was an unpleasant thing. Back to the story, Jin had begun making a Pony. To start with, he thought to make a mean of transport exclusively for Hanna. Unlike an Automata, the structure of a Golem was simple (but thats based on Jins standards). Well, its capabilities should be good for an adult The exterior is bronze hardened by magic, at first nce a person would understand it was artificial. For that he thought it would be good if it was somehow of a normal category. Using the Adamantite for the frame, its durability raised but it was no longer a horse. I should consider speed more than power and endurance So he used two Magic Crystals each for the Mana Drive and Ether Converter. It had already be a monster-ss. One should be fine for the Control Core Because aplex autonomous behaviour wasnt needed, a smallMagic Crystal was used. Okay, creating Control System un, Ive gotten used to it Jin simted the movement of a horse in his brain, then converted it into a movement control method. This series of processes could be done because he was the Magi Craft Meister, for a normal Magic Craftsman it would be impossible, and Jin was not aware of that. Then, so its easy to get on Ill attach this saddle and itsplete! With the Ponypleted, with the same structure, he made another Horse Golem for himself. Its size was slightlyrger, though it was still a bit smaller than a normal horse. Because it would be hard to get on and off if it was big. Onii-chan, what are you making Horse? Just when the second one waspleted, Hanna came back. Yo Hanna, youre right on time. Listen here. This small horse here I made just for you Hearing that, Hannas reddish brown eyes widened up. Eh? My horse? Because it was only the vige chief that had a horse in Kaina Vige, it was a natural question. Jin gently smiled, Aa, thats right. Hold on for a moment saying that he turned towards the Horse Golem, Activate The two Golems rose up. And then Jin, towards his own horse, Lets see Ill name you, Koma. Your name is Koma ? Koma. Did he mean horse? There was nothing left to say. And next he turned towards Hanna, Hanna, go ahead and name this horse here I get to? Un, then Mint! This herb was also in this world. Its colour was that of verdigris so it might match. At least it was better than Jins naming sense. OK, I name you Mint. Your master is this child Mint looked at Hanna and bowed. It seems to have understood. Alright, Hanna, try riding it Eh? I havent ridden a horse before though? Its okay. Because this will be simpler than a horse Saying that, Jin put Hanna onto Mint. It was a Pony so once Hanna got used to it she could get on it alone. Oh yeah. You put your foot up on thatStirrup. Un, now hold onto this handle Eh? What is this? Something was protruding from the base of the Horse Golems neck. No matter how you looked at it, it was a bike handle. Right, Jin used the control method of a bike for the Horse Golem. To the Hanna who was nervously sitting over Mint, Jin taught her the basics. The right hand is the elerator, if you twist it, itll start moving. To stop, you twist back the elerator, then sp the break lever. And for when you want to turn, you turn the handle and the horse will turn in proportion to how much you turn it. After teaching that, he got on his own Koma, Well then, try walking. Itll be fine, Ill move together with you To begin with, so the horse didnt run wild, he added a Limiter, so Mint could never run wild. U-Un Hanna softly twisted the elerator. ordingly, Mint slowly began walking. Waa, it moved! Pakapaka, was the peculiar movement Mint made when walking. Jin followed along with Koma. Good, good. Try twisting the elerator a bit more. Un! Then, the walking pace of Mint raised in speed, bing a trot. This was the maximum speed for the current setting. Waa, this is fun! Having adjusted to the stability of the saddle and stirrup, Hanna managed to safely ride Mint. Jin was relieved. Chapter 21 - THREATENING SIGNS

Chapter 21 C THREATENING SIGNS

After two days, Hanna had bepletely ustomed to Mint, and was now able to gallop with the limiter released. Speaking of Jin, because it would be too hard to make one Golem for each house, he created 5munal Horse Golems. At that time, there wasnt enough materials from mining, but thanks to Jins exclusive Horse Golem Koma, he finished it all in a day needless to say. Jin, this horse is great Its good that we dont have to feed them Wow, more than that, their strength is really powerful. Also rather than a normal horse, there are 5 of these In any case, the reputation of the Horse Golems was good. By the way, their names are EinZweiDreiQuatreCinq. 1, 2 and 3 in German. And 4 and 5 in French. Jins naming sense seemed to be particr about 3 characters lets not say anymore about it. ? Rock and the others came back. In a week of mountain hunting, they literally brought back a mountain of game. Of course, Gen was carrying it. Wee back, Dear. Wee back Tou-chan You guys, wee back. Did you get hurt? Ou, Im back. Mario, did you grow a little taller? Youre a fool Dear, he wouldnt change in just a week For the first time in a week, the families happily weed them back. And they then left the luggage, immediately going to the hot springs to wash away sweat and dirt. That night they had arge feast of meat. People gathered to Rocks house and he told them his stories. Of course Jin was also invited. Jeez, we sure caught a lot. After going down to the bottom of the valley and waiting, a herd of mountain deer came. It was pretty simple to shoot them. The difficult part was skinning the leather and removing the organs Didnt any dangerous beastse out? Aa. Only once, a forest bear hade, but it went back after filling itself from eating some mackerel Although grilled meat with a bit of salt was a simple thing, the meat was still exceptional after one week had passed. If theres this much dried meat, its plenty enough tost one winter Wouldnt smoking it be good too? When Jin suggested that, Smoking? What is that? he was asked back. Smoking is where you burn wood chips, and then use the smoke from it to dry the meat Hou, is that also a method from Jins hometown? You could say that Isnt it fine? We have plenty of meat, so lets try that smoking So they immediately tried it out the next day. Using the Kueri Tree they cut down from the forest of trees. He had heard that when Springes, this tree turns into a white flower blooming tree, Is this tree like a sakura tree? Jin had thought and decided to test it with this tree. The result. It turned out well. Originally the method of smoking wasnt to difficult in itself. Because the concept was just burning wood for smoke rather than a me, then using the heat and smoke to dry the meat. Having rubbed the smoked meat in salt, they ate the meat right there. This is delicious. It makes me want to drink some alcohol You drank plenty yesterday, so no you dont! Such an argument was exchanged and most of the meat was smoked. In the crowd, Rock was only one with a glum look. Having noticed it, Jin approached Rock and called out to him. Rock-san, what are you brooding about? Jin huh? I had a bad feeling for how much mountain deer we caught, I was thinking about that So, did you think of anything? Aa. I thought of several things Thereupon Jin gave him some advice. At these times, if you let someone hear it, then therell be more ideas to settle it I see. Then, can I have you listen? Whats wrong? There Yang who went together mountain hunting came over, Rock began speaking to the two. I was thinking about the reason for why those guys were on the verge of moving, first, a problem with food Thats true, if theres nothing left to eat then theyll move to search for some Yang nodded. Second, when theyre being pursued by an enemy. That would be a pack of Rock Wolf Certainly, they would run away from their natural enemy Jin also agreed with the reason. Third. For a herd of mountain deer, in the case the herd grows too big, a young deer would make another herd, and they would separate to live However, from all of this times game, there was no young deer Yang presented a problem with this idea. Aa, thats right. That may happen sometimes by chance, however the most likely one would probably be being pursued by an enemy Is the possibility for food low? Jin asked Rock who nodded, Aa. From the feeling of what we saw, snow hasnt appeared in the remote mountains where the mountain deer are yet, and the greenery has yet to change from the usual. I wouldnt think its a shortage of food Which would mean It would mean that something, some beast were pursuing them. Then, Rock leaned forward, We can somehow manage mountain deer, but a Rock Wolf is troublesome. Theyre nocturnal and their attacks in packs are difficult Jin, Have any Rock Wolves attacked the vige before? tried to ask. And Rock shook his head, No, I havent heard of it since I was born. However, it happened once in my grandfathers time I see Folding his arms, Jin pondered. Rock, Therefore, because I cant decide what to do, I was thinking about talking to everyone toe up with something Aniki, then shouldnt we send out a scout to see? Yang said. Scouting huh? That would be right. This time we will need to go much farther back and see. Yang, you say some good things once a year Chie, that doesnt sound like apliment Well then, we should tell the vige chief about this Jin said, and Rock nodded, Well lets do that That night, a discussion was held at the vige chiefs home, they were deciding who to send from the vige for reconnaissance. For preparing a countermeasure of the dangers, Jin ced his opinion in. Of course, the n included the Horse Golems Jin made. It was decided both Rock and Yang would use the Horse Golem for scouting. Departure was in 2 days. In that time, the two would get used to maneuvering the Horse Golem. And the next day, the two practised. O-Owaaa! Using the elerator too much, the Horse Golem reared up and shook him off. Gyaaa He was thrown forward after suddenly stopping from a gallop. But though they were covered in wounds, they were both able to master maneuvering a Horse Golem in a day. Well then, Ill be going Dear, a-a-absolutely dont act recklessly! Tou-chan, be careful The atmosphere was more tense than thest mountain hunt, the two Scouts rode the Horse Golems Ein and Zwei, and headed off to the mountain. Chapter 22 - WEAPON DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 22 C WEAPON DEVELOPMENT

The vige had sent out scouts, and discussing if there was anything else he could do, it was decided he would make a fence for the field. With it, the crops would be protected from harmful creatures, so making it would not be pointless. Cutting down trees, producing logs, he covered the perimeter of the field. The work progressed quickly with the help of the vigers in addition to Gon and Gen, as well as the Horse Golems Drei, Quatre, and Cinq. It was a speed that one would call abnormal if they were to see it all. Day 3 after the departure of the scouts. Haa, I somehow made the shape Jin helped out with the work by cutting the trees into logs (with Engineering Magic), but the number of necessary logs to make was done, and he now had some time for himself. Just in case I want a weapon Jin thought. Right now the materials are scarce, so making a special weapon is unlikely. At best would be an edged tool made out of Adamantite. Well, I dont want it to go to waste, shall I make an axe and nata? He decided to make an edged tool to use for his usual livelihood. Although there wasnt much left because to make the Horse Golems, iron was used for the body, and Admantatite for the exterior, so he could not make much. But he was still able to make 10 axes and 20 natas. All thats left is a weapon for myself, huh? Jin could not boast as his physical strength and athletic ability were low. Compared to the men of the vige he would be the lowest level. Therefore closebat is unreasonable. Although, he was also unskilled with the bow. After all it will have to be ?? So Jin muttered and began making a Water Gun. It was a pistol model with arge tank attached type. Onii-chan, what are you making? Day after day, Hanna came to Jins workshop (though its really Hannas grandfathers workshop). Yaa, Hanna. Im making a Water Gun Water Gun? To begin with, in this world theres no such thing as a Gun, so saying Water Gun would not get through to her. Well, just take a look Since the structure in itself was not tooplicated, he immediatelypleted one. It was a water tank attachment model. ? For Hanna who didnt understand it well, This here, you put water into it, then you hold it like this, then pull this trigger Chuu~ the water flew out. Waa! It looks fun! To people with the exception of Jin it was merely a toy, so he decided to give the Water Gun to Hanna. Though this is really something to y with in the hot summer But still, thank you! Its really fun! Hanna delightfully received the Water Gun and went out to y with it. with this Ill have to make some for the other children Jin realised, so he made 10 more Water Guns of the same type. With a thing of this degree, after making it once he could easily mass-produce it. Incidentally, because there isnt any stic, all of it was made of Muscovite so it was light and hard to break. After that, for his own weapon, he increased the capacity of the water tank, and with 2 pistons it raised the uracy. He then made two of the type where the main part of the Water Gun without the water tank could fire water. If this is used together with Jins Engineering Magic Water Jet, it would be a fearsome weapon. But I still cant protect the whole vige Feeling at peace is forbidden, was what Jin warned himself. After that, Kurt and Mario who found Hanna ying with a Water Gun came over, needless to say they were all provided Water Guns. Then a peaceful two days followed. And on the third day, the scouts came back. Oh~! Rock and Yang, youre safe! Aa, thanks to this horse After the two had a short break, they began the report of the scouting in the vige chiefs house. At first there werent any problems The point that there was no problem with the mountain deer was made. From there we advanced further back for a day, but not much had changed. Then, we went around to the west a little They had been going straight north, so they changed course 90 degrees to the left. Around there nothing had changed. We felt relieved, and once again headed north. And then What is it? we stumbled upon a ce with the bones of mountain deer rolling around What!? Feeling that it was dangerous, we mounted our horses and then, a big Wood Bear appeared. Looking at it, it was dragging a mountain deer still dripping in blood A Wood Bear!? Aa. So, listen, and dont be too surprised ? What? For that big Wood Bear, there are 10 in total that appeared there No way?! Whose cry could that have been? That cry spoke the feelings of all that gathered there. A Wood Bear was a dangerous beast that could be barely hunted with three or four skilled hunters. And to say theres 10. Why, in such a ce Normally arge herd of mountain deer would note south, so then why would the mountain deere south? The mountain deer and Wood Bear live in a remote mountains, while Kaina Vige is in the back of the mountains, and the mostly vegetation-less valley is in between, therefore there was almost no threat of a beast for Kaina Vige. But now that the mountain deer had crossed over to this side of the valley, it would be likely that the Wood Bear would alsoe in pursuit. That was the conclusion made today. So Jin, Just in case, I made a some sturdy axes and natas. Pleasee and take itter saying that, the vige chief, Aa, I see. Jin, you being here really help. Well then, Jeff and Tom, go and get it with Jin. For now Ill take care of it Understood So with Jeff and Tom, Jin returned to Marthas house, and piled up in the workshop, Jeff carried the axes while Tom carried natas. Jin reported to Martha in the house about the contents of the meeting. I see, so the mountain deer and Wood Bear may havee to such a ce. Ill need to tell Hanna to be careful Thats right. For the time being the mountain to the north is dangerous so dont go there He warned Hanna, Un. But is the river fine? There was little danger for the Erume River to the south. The children would act unreasonably if he were to say no for everything. Jin knew such things from seeing the small children from the orphanage. Saying that the river was fine, Hanna went to y in the river with her Water Gun. After that, it was decided to monitor the north mountain everyday in turns. But after 2 days, then 3 days, nothing abnormal happened. When the vigers began to think that they were worried too much, it happened. After breakfast, Jeff who was on lookout duty found a cloud of dusting from the north mountain. Looking closely, there was arge herd of mountain deering down from the mountain. Oiii! Mountain deer areing down from the mountain! He hurriedly informed the vige. The vige chief and Rock, as well as Jin came out to see it. This is their movement looks like theyre being pursued by something Rock said while stroking his chin. If its the Wood Bear, then theyll show up a in a little bit The vige chief agreed. If thats the case, first we need to lead the mountain deer in another direction so they donte to the vige Everyone agreed with Jins opinion. So Jin, Rock, Jeff and Rick mounted a Horse Golem and decided to lead the mountain deer towards the forest to the west. Were going! With Rock leading, and after that is Jeff then Rick. Jin was the rear guard. Be careful With voices of worries to their backs, the four Horse Golems quickly grew smaller and smaller. Itll be fine, the other party this time are mountain deer. Now, go inside your houses The vige chief tried to relieve the worried women. Onii-chan Hanna stared in the direction where Jin and the others faded away till the end. Chapter 23 - HERDING

Chapter 23 C HERDING

Okay, around here should be good Rock was travelling as the lead, seeing the terrain he made the decision. If its here, we should be able to divert the herd of mountain deer Its impossible to divert the herd perpendicrly. Therefore, they would have to have them turn in a slow curve. And the optimal terrain for that was before them. It was about a two metre ramp. Though you could say it was a cliff that did not rise steeply, still it could not be called a slope. If guiding them here goes well, their course would change to the west, after that they would just run straight ahead. Listen, us four people will need to maintain a distance, well sessfully guide the deer by keeping in a line. Lets go with some fighting spirit! Ou! Jin and the others headed towards the cloud of dust in the distance with the Horse Golems. Their distance quickly shortened. Okay, turn around! Then well slowly run once those guyse. Well need to match their speed to keep up with the deer. And then well shift them west little by little. Because he had wanted to be a knight, Rocks instructions were precise. The herd of mountain deer came. The four men smoothly maneuvered their Horse Golems, matching the speed of the herd. Alright, thats it! Lets keep this up! They could cooperate because the Horse Golems could change their speed with an elerator. If it was a real horse, the cooperation so far would require a considerable amount of training. As expected of Rock-san Jin maneuvering Komast in line was impressed. Although there wasnt anyone close to him in crafting, such strategy would likely not be possible for Jin. Well push a little more to the right here! To Rocks instructions, the Horse Golems shifted their course to the right. The herd of mountain deer ordingly shifted their course to the right. Keep going and well reach the ce from before The group moved forward to the 45 degree ramp from before. The leading deer did not like the ramp and diverted further to the right. Thats it! If it goes on like this theyll be diverted Diverting the herd parallel to the ramp, they moved away from the vige. Having distanced enough away from the vige, Alright, itll be good now. Lets go back! So as to not stimte the mountain deer, the four men returned to Kaina Vige by drawing arge arc. They were no longer worried about the mountain deer heading towards the vige. As expected of Rock-san When Jin said that to Rock in line, As expected of Aniki! Who would have thought it would go so well! Indeed The other members also unanimously praised Rock. Stop it with all that ttering. More importantly, we need to decide about the other dangerous beast entering the vige. Lets hurry back! Seeming uncharacteristically embarrassed, Rock pushed on the Horse Golem elerator, speeding up towards the vige. Jin and the others followed after a little behind. In the end no further unusual events urred, once again a lookout was ced and the day grew dark. Since the guiding during the daytime would make one tired, Jin quickly fell asleep. However, around midnight, a big rumble woke him up. W-What!? Going outside curious of what it is, the other side of the north mountain shined red. The light grew paler while looking at it, soon disappearing. Jin somehow had an idea of what it was and he felt a cold sweat flowing down his back. I wonder what that was? What in the world was that light? It couldnt be the mountain copsing could it? The rumbling had awakened everyone, and seeing the same red light, they anxiously murmured. Magic Explosion Though a person who cant use magic could not feel it, Jin had clearly felt it. Some ? or some ?, something possessing powerful magic was brought down. Or perhaps a Core was destroyed. A Core is something a demon possesses, it is the root of their magic. Because it controls all their magic, when that magic is destroyed and the magic power rampages, it causes an explosion. However if its on that scale, how frightening of a demon could it be From what Jin had judged, though it wouldnt be a Dragon, it would be a demon possessing an extremely close amount of magic power. The opponent to defeat such a demon The current Jin would stand no chance against. Is there something I can do with Water Jet? Even if Water Jet is strong, only Jin could use it. For example if there were multiple enemies, it is unthinkable for him to be able to protect the entire vige. This is really bad huh But there was no option of escape for Jin. He did not want to throw away the vige that was like a second home and escape. A shelter huh? The conclusion Jin came to was a shelter. For an emergency, all the vigers could take refuge in the shelter he made. I need to start immediately Jin began making the shelter without saying anything to anyone because he did not want them to worry. The location was a rock face in the vige outskirts. Calling the Golems Gon and Gen, he issued them instructions. Gon, Gen, dig out a big hole here. Enough to fit all the vigers in Acknowledged The two began digging immediately. Making the hands of Adamantite paid off, and they easily dug through the hard rock. Thats it, dig it more deeply He wanted it at least 10 metres deep. The dug out rock ispressed and hardened and used to reinforce the interior of the hole. With that, the rock around did not pile and the digging was done efficiently. Though it would take some time being dug diagonally, it would surely be easier to use. Alright, thats it. Slowly dig out the living space. The height of the ceiling should be about 3 metres While reinforcing the walls, Jin continued issuing instructions. With such harsh work, even the Golems became damaged, and so as to not slow down the work, Jin immediately repaired them. It was soon dawn. Jin decided to return to Marthas house for the moment. Gon and Gen continued to work. Good morning Good morning, Onii-cha? Seeing Jin, Hannas eyes rounded. Whats wrong Onii-chan? Your face looks terrible He was told and Jin looked at the reflection of his face in the water, with bloodshot eyes, and dark circles under his eyes. Of course Hanna would be surprised. A-Aa, I didnt get much sleepst night Then Martha came and the same as Hanna, she was surprised seeing Jins face. Jin! Whats wrong!? If something happens to you now, what will the vige do? Eh? With that frighteningly angry shout, Jin looked at Martha in surprise. You, do you not understand it yourself? The scouting, the fences, and defending against the mountain deer yesterday, without you, would we have been able to do it? It is because you are here that everyone can feel at ease Do you mean me? Aa thats right. You are already a splendid member of this vige. It looks like youre trying to do something yourself, am I right? In this vige, we all share our hardships and joy With Martha saying that, involuntarily the corner of Jins eye grew hot. Thank you very much. I Martha pushed Jins shoulder, You look like yourecking sleep. Sa, hurry up and sleep. Youll feel better with a little sleep With that said, Jin once again, Thank you very much said his thanks, and dropped on his bed. Onii-chan To the worried Hanna, Martha, Shh, let him get some sleep now. When he wakes up well give him warm porridge to eat said, and Martha led Hanna out of the room. 5 hours, Jin soundly slept, he ate breakfast and lunch at the same time, then rushed back to the digging of the shelter. Half of this was to hide his embarrassment. Quite a bit has been done The operation of Gon and Gen somewhat worsened with Jin gone. Jin immediately repaired them, then checked the inside. About 8% of the n seems to be done. Alright, at this rate Ill make it in time However, the time for this hard work to be in vain came. Jin! So this is where you were! Trouuble! Rock came flying over out of breath. Rock-san? What is it? T-That is, from the north mountain From the north mountain? something unbelievable ising Eh? No way? Was it a strange looking monster? Or was it a huge demon beast? Anyway, have a look with your own eyes So he stopped with the shelter for a moment, taking along Gon and Gen, Jin came to the protection fence at the north side of the vige. Ou, Jin. That, what do you see? There in the direction where the lookout Tom pointed eh? A girl wearing a blue one piece and a white apron dress. Her silk ck hair fluttered. That is The girl finds Jin in the far distant, then in an instant the figure blurs and, Father! The next moment Jin was embraced. And then. Father!? The voices of everyone faded away into the sky. Chapter 24 - CHAT 1: THE WANDERING AUTOMATA

Chapter 24 C CHAT 1: THE WANDERING AUTOMATA

After Jin was sent away by the Warp Gate and lost somewhere, the Automata also used the same Warp Gate to search for Jin. A moment of malfunctioning, and the Automata was sent above the sea. Ssh, and then the Automata sunk. Having a body rtively the same as a human body in weight, she should be able to easily swim, however the materials for the return Warp Gate were heavy. The weight was about 20kg, and the Automata dragged it under water for nearly 30km. However, she was not an ordinary Automata. Jin constructed her without restraint, so to speak, she was a Super Automata. Her physical strength was tens of times that of a human, and her stamina almost infinite. If she moved her delicate limbs, she would be able to effortlessly get out of the sea. This ce is Looking over into the far distance, the silhouette of an ind could be seen beyond the horizon. The Automata began swimming towards there for now. Wearing clothes and also carrying 20kg of luggage, the speed exceeded 60 knots (111+km/h). There were probably no aquatic creatures faster than her. In an hour, the Automata arrived on the ind. Though its an ind, it was fairly big. This is the ind where theboratory is? No, it cant be If where shended was where she departed, the ind where theboratory is, it would be quite surprising. Because the ind she knew was a much more smaller ind. The ind from her memory is a volcanic ind, with a mountain towering at the centre of the ind that always puffed out smoke. That is, now without smoke, its height was taller than 1000 metres. Its height above sea level exceeds 3000 metres. She could see snow on the surface of the summit. It might have raised after 1000 years She murmured with an expressionless voice and headed towards the direction in where theboratory would be. Walking through the open forest and meadows on the ind was simple. Because it was not the tropics, there was no dense forest. There doesnt seem to be anyrge animals She saw insects, birds, and also small mammals and reptiles, as well as amphibians. The organisms had not changed much from the original ind. Theboratory was all over in the teau of the ind, it was underground. From the time required so far, the Automata roughly understood the size of the current ind. Its increased by more than 100 times well, I dont think its an inconvenience Originally it was around the area of Miyakejima of the Shichito Izu, but the area is now about that of Shikoku. That is over 300 times more. However, the Automata advanced without particrly caring about it. Then she arrived at the entrance to theboratory. Though it was covered in ivy, the original resident, the Automata was able to immediately find it. Before her strength, the tangled ivy was no more than a weed on the road side, and opening the door quickly, the Automata entered inside. Right, once again Not knowing fatigue, she got on the Warp Gate once again, causing it to malfunction again. This time, the Automata arrived in a desert. So its a desert. Now, the direction where people are is that way She moved proceeded to move towards where she could sense a little magic power. Not knowing fatigue, she faced the scorching day and freezing night, finally arriving at a town in 4 days. Father does not seem to be here Not mistaking the magic Jin used to make her, she determined that Jin was not here. There should be a Warp Gate to return to theboratory set up somewhere around here Inside a cave half way up a rocky mountain far away from the town, there was a Warp Gate set up there. A boulder sealed the entrance, so strangers could not enter. Furthermore there was a protection barrier. Well, using a function that distinguished magic power, it could not be used except by Jin and other authorised people (including the Automata). Well then transfer And so the Automata had returned to theboratory. The third transfer. This time arriving in the middle of a wastnd. 7 days to a human settlement. Returning back to theboratory with a Warp Gate set up nearby. The fourth time was and inhabited by demons. Most of the demons ignored the Automata, some came to attack, and were helplessly repelled. Among them were the Sham Dragon species. The hide and wings, fangs and bones seemed to be good materials, so they were collected and with the set up Warp Gate she returned to theboratory. After returning, the materials were ssified and stored to be used at any time. And like that, theAutomata without thinking that Jin was dead, went out to search for him over and over again. And now, not counting every time, she no longer knew the amount of transfers. This time was a ce with snow. With the weight the Automata carried, she buried into the snow. The dry snow, powder snow gave no resistance, and she wasnt likely to get out no matter how much she tried to move her limbs. It cant be helped, Heat! The body of the Automata grew hot. Controlling it so it was at a level to not affect the luggage she was carrying while she melted the snow. Although it took time because the parts of the Warp Gate are weak to heat, she was somehow able to sessfully get out of the snow after a whole day. Now then, where is this? She climbed on top of a rock and looked around. It looked quite like a high mountain. The snow should decrease if I descend. Though, which way should I go Perhaps because of the range, she could not sense the presence of human magic power. This time I should ask to strengthen this area function The function to search for Jin needs to be strengthened, but it cant be done without Jin, so first she needs to search for Jin, and therefore its a situation that goes around in a circle. Going South should be safe The season is Winter, so she determined that it was better to head towards the South than to the North, and descended down along the ridge to the mountain with little snow. Sometimes the wind silently blows down, and it takes time for Heat for when it is undone, so it took 3 days to arrive to a point with little snow. Now, before her eyes was a 3000 metre ss mountain. Looking back, the mountain she descended, was a cier 6000 metre ss mountain. This will likely take some more time. A ce where the Warp Gate can be set up should be a little bit beyond here. The Automata headed towards the 3000 metre ss mountain. Though, it wasnt necessary to honestly cross over the summit, in any case she headed towards the saddle between the mountains. ? Still in the vicinity of the ridge where the fallen snow reached over 1 metre, it took 2 day toplete the second mountain. There shouldnt be any problems after this Finished with the 3000 metre ridge, all that remained was a rocky mountain of less than 2000 metres. The Automata intended to set up the Warp Gate up around the summit. Without any snow, she climbed up after half a day. The day had already turned dark after reaching the summit, but it did not matter to her as she could see in the dark. The summit she climbed up on was wide, and there seemed to be a cave that looked good to set up the Warp Gate. That ce looks good The Automata approached it. Then, she flew far back and fell. Looking over to the ce she had stood, somethingrge gouged out. Hekatonkheires is it? It was a giant with a height of 20 metres and 100 arms. Climbing up the slope from the opposite side of her, it suddenly threw a boulder it held. Is it a demon type magic power that it has stored inside? That must be why I couldnt sense it Even now the Automata calmly analysed her opponent. A giant type demon, the amount of magic it cant use isrge. Instead it used itsrge body, and the magic inside is consumed to maintain it. Therefore the magic power that leaked out was very small, and she determined that she could not perceive it right now. If not for the luggage on my back, it would be an opponent I could face up front it cant be helped The Automata murmured her resignation, and raised the operation of what had been 5 percent of the Ether Converter up to 20 percent. At the same time she raised the operations of the Mana Drive, her magic power was immediately refined. And then. Mana Explosion! She threw her strongest attack magic. The output is 20 percent. It crashed into and engulfed the Hekatonkheires own Core, causing a huge explosion, and thatrge body was extinguished in an instant. The advantage of this magic is that it is possible to extinguish only the opponents magic power. There is no effect on the terrain in the vicinity of the summit. The cave is also fine. suppressionplete. Although I think its a little bit wasteful, it couldnt be helped. Besides that The materials left behind could be useful, so she felt it was a little wasteful topletely extinguish it, but there was something more important to her. this magic power, without a doubt its Father Finallying here, she was able to sense Jins magic power. I need to hurry up and set up the Warp Gate In the cave of the Hekatonkheires she just suppressed, the Automata went to set up a Warp Gate. In the surroundings were the bones of the prey of Hekatonkheires, the Wood Bear that were scattered and thrown to the the bottom of the valley. Carefully constructing the Warp Gate, she confirmed its operation. Whenplete, she used it once to return to theboratory, then immediately came back again to get a feel of it. All of it was for the sake of Jin. In the event that something goes wrong when Jin uses it to return to theboratory, the Automata itself would destroy itself. It was dawn when everything waspleted. The Automata hurriedly descended the mountain. Crossing over and beyond another low mountain. While crossing the low mountain, a small vige could be seen. Near the fence that stood on the outskirts, it was the figure of the person the Automata wanted to see, she had found the figure of Jin, and she let out an output of 100 percent. It gave her a speed close to the speed of sound, and she moved a distance of more than 100 metres in an instant. And then before the Automata. Father! Searching for around 6 months, there stood the Creator with a face of astonishment. ? Chapter 25 - FATHER AND DAUGHTER?

Chapter 25 C FATHER AND DAUGHTER?

you must have been through a lot Jin was now hugging the Automata and patting her head. Aah, it seems youre in the middle of something, but could you exin it to us so that we can understand? Finally irritated, Rock called out. To that voice, the Automata separated a little bit from Jin. My apologies. I have been searching for my missing Father for a long time Furthermore for those words, Jin momentarily interrupted, No, not here, hmm, how about we talk about it at the vige chiefs house. Would that be fine, Rock-san? A-Aa, thats fine so, were there any dangers in the mountain? If you mean the mountain from which I came from, there were no dangers. Although Hekatonkheires was being a hindrance, so I exterminated it Aa, I see. Then thats goo Hekatonkheires!!?? To Rocks knowledge, Hekatonkheires is a Monster that usually takes a squadron of people to subjugate. Besides Rock, the vige residents did not know that so he was simply d that the danger was gone. Not Jin but that girl(?) is unbelievable Rock muttered and followed after everyone after falling behind a little. Jin nced at the Automata, You right, I didnt give you a name Yes, Father Hey, that Father thing Because it was a male who created me, it is appropriate I call them Father Aa, so thats it Jin could somehow understand that, that is to say he waspletely convinced. Then my predecessor would be Mother Yes, Adrianna Balbora Ceci is my Mother Jin felt that the Automata was considerably like a human. It was because of the transfer of Jins knowledge. Jin could vaguely feel it. If thats how it is, it will have to be a name After Jin thought for a little, Okay, from now on your name is Reiko For Jin it was quite a decent name. This is because he heard from the director of the orphanage that his name, Jin was a character take from Jingireichishin>, and like that he chose a character for a girl among the 5 characters, it was nothing else but that. ? Yes. Thank you very much. From now on I am Reiko While having that talk, they arrived at the vige chiefs house. Jin told Reiko to keep in mind one thing. Listen Reiko, leave the things about the Warp Gate a secret he turned around and whispered that instruction to her so other people could not hear. At that time, the vige chief Gibekku came out from doing something at the table. What are you all here for? Rock who was behind walked out to the front, and so the story about Reiko was summarised, finishing that he wanted the full story to be heard. I see, if you say theres no more danger than thats good. Come on, step inside Thank you very much So there was Jin, Reiko, the vige chief, Rock, Tom, and the other men. And furthermore, the people in the vige that had their hands free came in session. Thanks to the wide living room of the vige chiefs house, it was now filled with people. Well then, lets hear your story The vige chief started. Then Ill speak first The first to begin talking was Jin. This child is Reiko that my predecessor made, and an Automata I repaired. It seems she has continued searching for me after the Warp Gate malfunctioned and sent me here Yes. Because the destination of Father was gone, I After that in response to Jin, the Automata briefly exined what had happened till now. Of course leaving out the details of the Warp Gate. Though it still caught the interest of those who listened. is what has happened After the end of Reikos long story, no one spoke for a while. Everyone admired the loyalty of Reiko, sympathising with her hardship, and were amazed of her strength. I see, so its that Hekatonkheires fault that the mountain deer came here fleeing from their habitat When Jin said that, the people around came to, T-Then there wont be anymore dangers? Yes, all the Wood Bear were eaten by the Hekatonkheires Aa, thats good. In the end, we profited from therge quantity of meat from the mountain deer we caught Still, Reiko was it? You dont seem different to a human. But defeating the Hekatonkeires with your form is amazing Toe all this way to look for Jin who made you, makes me want to cry With those unanimous exchanges, now with things put in order, Okay everyone, now that you know, disperse. It will be good if you all return home and give peace of mind to your family the vige chief concluded, and everyone scattered. Jin and of course along with Reiko, returned to Marthas house. Im back Wee back Jin what, who is this child? Wee back Onii-chan!? Martha and Hanna were both suprised when they saw Reiko. To those two Jin, Let me introduce you. This is my Automata named Reiko. She came searching for me when I went missing So he introduced. Nice to meet you, I am the Automata Reiko. Father has been indebted to you, I give you my gratitude Father!? As expected the two were surprised at first, but after hearing about Reikos hardship with searching for Jin, Martha admired her. On the other hand, Hannas eyes looked towards Reiko with unease. At that time, Jins stomach rumbled, Well, its already afternoon so lets hurry and have lunch. That Reiko-chan over there, is there any food you dislike? Martha asked while heading towards the kitchen, No, I am an Automata so I do not eat Reiko answered. Martha once again made a surprised face, I-I see. Then I guess 3 servings will be fine She said heading towards the kitchen. Jin, Reiko, and Hanna remained. That Hanna timidly asked Jin. Onii-chan are you leaving here? Eh? Because, Reiko-san came to take you home right? Hanna said with her eyes welling with tears. To that Jin, Nope, at the very least, Ill be here until Spring Really? Besides, even if I leave its not like I wonte here again. Ille by now and then to visit Really? Honest? When Hanna heard that she looked visibly energetic. Honest, I promise Im so d Hanna was really delighted and smiled. Right then, Martha came back with bread and soup for lunch. Now now, its time for lunch. Reiko-chan, are you really fine with not eating? Im fine. Thank you for your concern So the three people Jin, Hanna, and Martha had their lunch with a little dy. While eating, Jin talked about how there would no longer be danger from the mountain. I see. I can feel at peace with the danger gone Martha seemed relieved. After lunch, Jin took Reiko to the workshop while Hanna took a nap after the meal. Well then Reiko, could you immediately go and get the materials for the Warp Gate. I want to confirm the matter of the danger finally being gone for everyone Yes, I understand. Ill immediately do so Reiko says with her ck hair fluttering, and she begins to run like the wind. Well then, Ill make preparations to set the Warp Gate here He called for Gon and Gen who where on standby at the back and had them dig a hole in the corner of the workshop. This time he was not making a shelter but a small room. Jin felt it was about an 8 tatami room. It was soonpleted. He made a wall, floor, passage, stairs, hardening all of them with magic, reinforcing them, and the entrance was a door he didnt really know of. Eventually he would put up a magic barrier, but first he would go back to theboratory once. If he can go back and forth from theboratory it would be easier to make thingspared to now. I have just returned Reiko came back with the materials in about an hour. Hanna was still taking a nap, it was indeed quite fast. Alright, lets immediately set it up He nned to set up the Warp Gate before Hanna woke up and came to the workshop. Jin hurried focusing onpleting the basement. Connect this to that, assemble this, andbine these Reiko who had already done it many times had the main Warp Gate set up. Because this is a self-sufficient magic power type, it will be ready to use. With this simple barrier, if the wavelength of magic power is not the same as Father it cannot be used Will you be able to use it Reiko? Yes. Because Father poured his magic power to activate me, my wavelength is the same as yours Father Is it able to take along other people? He may have heard things like that. For this kind of thing, Jin should have the knowledge for it, but having to look it up in his mind would take some time. It is fine if they are in physical contact with Father or me So itll be fine by holding hands Yes Alright. Lets go back once tonight. There are materials I want Jin says and Reiko, With that I have a request for Father. Could you please improve my magic power detection function? Hn? Aa, because it was hard for you to search for me. Okay, Ill do it immediately when we return With this, Reiko became even more of an absurd Automata. Chapter 26 - RETURN TO THE LABORATORY

Chapter 26 C RETURN TO THE LABORATORY

Aa, it feels kind of nostalgic Night, with Hanna and Martha asleep, Jin and the Automata Reiko returned to the Magi Craft Meister base, the research facility. Its bright even though its night there are magicmps, huh The important areas inside the research facility are furnished with magicmps, and because the Automata had been doing the maintenance all this time, the research facilitys equipment were adequately functional. Because of that, the Automata had passed its life of service, and had once copsed in front of Jin. Jin then repaired it, or rather remodeled it with magic into the current Reiko. Well then to start with, shall I upgrade Reiko? Is that fine? Aa, Ill be in your care in the future after this Lie down over there Okay, thank you very much In the room Reiko was remodeled, Reikoid on the same bench. Ill cut your magic power temporarily Understood When the Magic Drive stopped, Reikos operation smoothly stopped. Since Jin had alreadye up with an upgrade n for Reiko in his head, he immediately collected materials. Okay, this looks good In the storehouse there was arge quantity of Mana Material stored, from them there were two beautiful Magic Obsidian he picked out. Next he took out Magic Quartz, two of them together for the eyes. To connect them, he wrote down a Magic Form he devised. Alright, magic detection, and life detection. Also long distance, magnification, night vision, see through Once again by adding absurd features the upgrade was finished. Then again. Somehow, it feels like some parts have slightly deteriorated. I might as well Reinforce it Jin felt that the joints of the arms and legs were slightly worn out. The Light Silver cant keep up with Reikos power after all, Ill have to change it to Light Mithril The shape of the frame could be left as, changing it to a stronger material, further coating it with a thin film of Adamantite on the exterior. With this, the durability increased by many times. There was too much muscles because I was in a hurry that time. But I might as well take the opportunity to thin the strands of Magic Fibre to increase the number of them. With this the flexibility should increase and the durability should improve It was same as a wire rope made by twisting together thin steel wire. I feel like this material wasnt here before aa, its the wing of the Sham Dragon Reiko had defeated. The Magic Skin is just perfect for skin Jin finished all of the upgrades he wanted to do in about 4 hours. Though the external appearance had not changed at all, the insides could be said to be powered up. Alright, Reiko, Wake Up! ? The Magic Drive restarted. She immediately woke up as there was enough magic power used this time. Father Reiko, hows your condition? Reiko got up andnded on the floor. For a little while, she moved little by little to check the condition of her body, Its very good. Thank you very much She says with a bow. I see, thats good. Then, well return to the vige today When Jin said that, Reiko, Eh? Werent you going toe stay here? No, theres my promise with Hanna, and most importantly, theres no food or water here From Jins words, Reiko received some shock, T-Thats right Father needs to eat and she felt down. While Jin was surprised that the Automata grew such feelings, Aa, because of that, well go back and forth between the vige and here, youll need to adjust to living in this environment okay, Ill do my best So using the Warp Gate, Jin and Reiko returned to Kaina Vige. Jin quietly slipped into his own bed, with Reiko standing beside it. To that Reiko, Jin, Hey, Ill feel restless if you stand there But Reiko, However, this is because if something terrible were to happen to Father. Also, it is unnecessary to concern yourself with me as I do not tire Then are the very least, please sit on the chair But Listen to what I say understood After such an exchange, Jin finally got a short sleep. The next morning. Hanna came to wake up Jin who overslept due to going to theboratoryst night. But. Father is still sleeping She was obstructed by Reiko. Hanna, Move. Because breakfast is ready I need to wake up Onii-chan Please let him sleep for a little longer The food is done! Lack of sleep is not good for his health If he doesnt eat, his stomach will be empty! so noisy Of course he would have no choice but to wake up with all the noise being made at the bedside. Aa, its morning, huh. Hanna, did youe to wake me up? Un! For some reason Hanna looked at Reiko with a face of triumph. Reiko hanged her head. Jin got dressed and washed his face, then went to eat. Good morning Jin. Its rare that you would oversleep It was rare that the Jin who was always an early riser to oversleep, Martha said. Ee, there were various things I did till it was a littlete Are you making something agaain? You really like to do that Because Martha knew Jin liked manufacturing things, with those few words it ended. After breakfast. Hanna left to the yard after helping with the dishwashing. And, there awaited Reiko. Hanna avoided Reiko and went towards the workshop Jin would be in but then, Hanna-chan, please wait Reiko called out. What? Im going to the ce where my Onii-chan is Could I talk to you a little? I have nothing to say to someone like you Reiko held onto the cold Hanna, It goes without saying. I want to hear a story about Father Onii-chan? For matters regarding Jin, the Hanna who was about to leave stopped her feet. Yes. Father immediately disappeared after he rebuilt me because he disappeared, yesterday was the first time I talked with Father So thats it Because of that confession, Hanna though Reiko was a little pitiful. Hanna-chan, because youve lived together with Father for half a year, I think you know more about Father than me. Therefore please let me hear a story With that said, Hannas will to refuse was broken, and decided to start with the somewhat boastful story. the first thing is that I was the one to find Jin-oniichan! When I went to the forest to pick up the leaves of the tea trees, Onii-chan had copsed When Onii-chan saw me drawing the water, because it was difficult for me, he made a pump for me! Because he made a bicycle trailer for me, carrying the water became easier! He made me a tool to sieve the wheat so that I could eat delicious bread! For the stove, it has be easier to make meals. There is no need for firewood He made me a ball and handball, and also yed a game of tag with me. Onii-chan is really kind He made the Golems Gon and Gen, and also made my Mr Horse, Mint, for me. Its really fast! The chronological order was disconnected, but from the fervent speech disyed by Hanna, she could hear that Jin cherished Hanna. Is that so? Father seems to take good care of Hanna-chan So, those words spontaneously spilled from the mouth of Reiko. I guess so Yes. That is so. Yesterday I was finally able to see Father, and had him finally repair my body that was in bad condition Really? Hanna, who had been almost hogging Jin to herself, started feeling a little guilty once she knew that Reiko had been alone for a long time. Right Reiko-oneechan would be lonely if she couldnt meet Onii-chan I would be too Hanna recalled that she was lonely after losing her parents, up until she met Jin. Im sorry. Somehow, it felt like Reiko-oneechan was going to take Jin-oniichan away Then Reiko gently caressed Hannas head, Its okay. Last night, Father had said it. Theres my promise with Hanna-chan Promise He would stay in the vige until Spring, Jin told her that. I see, so Onii-chan said that! Hannas face brightened, to her Reiko, Hanna-chan, would you be friends with me? said holding out her hand. Hanna stared at that hand for a little bit, and eventually returned a firm grasp with both hands, Un! Reiko-oneechan is my friend! My best regards, Onee-chan Yes, Hanna-chan Jin smiled while quietly watching the situation between the two in the shadows of the workshop. Chapter 27 - MAID

Chapter 27 C MAID

The night of the next day, once again he transport to the research facility. Jin looked around the room, With this vast research facility, itll be inefficient with just Reiko When Jin said that, Reiko, There were Maid Golems when Mother was alive, but she suspended them because there was no use for them after dying Ah, is it fine if I rebooted them? Thats fine. Do you wish to check on them? Saying that, Reiko led Jin to a room underground. Here they are Uwaa Thereid the body of about 20 female type Golems. But, the majority of them were decayed and damaged on some part of their bodies. These have been damaged quite a bit Different from the Automata, if a Golem did not have magic power circting inside its body to run, it would quickly deteriorate. Making new ones would be faster That is right, I apologise for my negligence Its fine. Could you carry one of the bodies that isnt damaged to use as a reference? Yes, leave it to me Reiko has the 5 times the strength of a normal adult. Therefore she was easily able to lift the Golem and carry it to the workshop. Youve really helped. For some reason I dont even gain a single bit of muscle by training Jin casually uttered and Reiko, Father, have you not noticed it yet? Reiko asked him with a puzzled look on her face. Eh? Because Fathers body was mostly supplemented with magic power, the current basic condition is maintained So youre saying that no matter how much I train, I wont gain any muscles? Yes What a thing Certainly, Jin was convinced byparing it with his knowledge. Simply put, Jins body consists of chunks of magic elements. Hm? They why do I feel thirstiness? Because the bodys functions remain intact, so water and nourishment are needed Aa, I see Hm? Then what about body enhancement type magic? In Engineering Magic, there is the body enhancement type. He might need it in the case he required strength for making something big. In the case for Father, theres not much meaning to it Thats true Certainly, he had tried using body enhancement magic before in Kaina Vige, but there was no effect because it was not Jins original body, so Jin believed he could not use it on himself. Rather than enhancing the body with magic, I think that activating the magic power in the body would be far more efficient For such an idea, it was something difficult for Jin as he was still not familiar with the thing called magic. I see, activating the magic inside the body. Was there such a magic? Yes. However, because Mother could create several new Engineering Magic, Father should also be able to I see. Ill try it bit by bit. First of all though is this Golem In order to clear up what was before him, Jin returned his focus to the Golem. The material is it perhaps brass? Yes. Mother had already prepared a good amount to work with It was rusted and ck, he could see that there was copper rust on some parts of the Golem, and so he decided without using Analyse. Un, its brass. It would be better if it were cupronickel if I were to choose Cupronickel? What kind of thing is that? Reiko asked about Jins words. When Jin transferred his knowledge to Reiko, he did not transfer everything so it was a natural question. Cupronickel is an alloy of of copper and nickel. It has a better corrosion resistance than brass and its movement is natural because it is soft The 50 yen coin and 100 yen coin are made of cupronickel. (The new 500 yen coin is made of nickel brass) Nickel? What kind of thing is that? Another thing that Reiko didnt know. In other words, the predecessor did not know it either. Hm? There was a lot piled up in the storehouse the other day Jin said, taking Reiko along to the underground storehouse. It should be here Thereid a mountain of silver-grey ingots. So that is nickel. It certainly remained an unidentified metal after the Arsenic was separated Arsenic scary Arsenic aside, he had the piled nickel moved. Of course together with the copper. Mix 75 copper to 25 nickel He made an alloy with Fusion. The red copper changed to a silver colour. So this is cupronickel. Certainly, its a white copper Brass is 60 or 70 copper to 40 or 30 zinc. So the red copper turns into a yellow brass, but with about 10% of nickel it bes whitish. Using these materials, Ill make a Golem Golems and Automata have one thing that is different which is their structure. While Automata are notpletely like a human, they have a frame and skin, and on the other hand, a basic Golem is made of materials and a core. However the predecessor Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci did not make such a simple Golem. Even the eyes use Magic Crystal Yes, Mother liked to change the colours The magic attribute the Magic Crystal has changes with colour. Though Jin did not know that before he rebuilt Reiko. Alright, well then, is red, blue green, yellow, and purple about right? I think its excellent. I will immediately go collect them Red has a strong fire attribute, blue has a water attribute. Green has a wind attribute and yellow an earth attribute. As for purple, it has a lightning attribute. Jin used the original Golem as a reference, making the five bodies using cupronickel. The inside is hollow, so ribs are used to reinforce it. Jin was devestatingly bad at designing a face, so he had them look like the original Golem. He nned to distinguish them with their eye colour and clothes. Sorry for the wait, Father. It took some time to find ones that were a good size to use as eyes I was just about done with the bodies here too He put the eyes into the five Golems made of cupronickel. Of course after he carved a Magic Form on them. Okay, all thats left is the Golems core Along with carving a Magic Form in the Golems core, he poured in his magic power into those cores for them to operate, he further put in the Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Cecis, Ether Converter and Magic Drive, developing a semi-permanent operating Golem (Gon, Gen and the 2 other Horse Golems also had this). The core was a milky white Magic Crystal. It had all attributes. The rainbow-coloured ones that Reiko used were a higher grade crystal with all attributes, and the milky white one was a lower grade. Although it still had enough value to build a mansion. Other small details were improved. Becausepleting it in 3 hours that night was impossible, he worked and yed in Kaina Vige during the day,ing back to the research facility at night to work on it for about 3 hour. And like that, several days passed and the Maid Golems were made. Evening of the 5th day. Its nowplete When Reiko said that, Jin, No, not yet Eh? After all Ill feel restless if I look at them without clothes When Jin said that, Reiko knit her eyebrows, Father, have you perhaps grown tired of me? Perhaps due to the influence of Hanna, Jin vaguely felt she was full of emotions. Why did ite to that its simply a problem of appearance Is that so? Im relieved Saying that, Reiko ran off to get the materials for clothes, and looking at her from behind, Jin muttered a few words, Please dont be a yandere Simple underwear, ck one piece, and a white apron dress. And also said to be the symbol of a maid, the white brim (headdress). Jin made one first, then Reiko immediately finished making the same thing enough for 5 people. Fuu, were finally finished Thanks for the good work, Father Okay, well then, Activate The 5 Maid Golems got up. Nice to meet you, Master The 5 all bowed together. Alright, then your names will be lets see, Ruby, Aqua, Topaz, Peridot, Amezu He named them to match the colour of each of their eyes. For Jin, this was quite decent. Reiko, Ill be going back to sleep, but you should remain here for a little more and teach and appoint them their share of work Yes, Father Please treat us well, Ojou-sama The Golems must unconditionally abide to those with the magic power of Jin, and they recognised that Reiko with the same magic wave was a superior existence. Anyway, with this thebour shortage in the research facility was slightly resolved, and it was decided to proceed to the indoor maintenance. Chapter 28 - THE BROKEN PROMISE

Chapter 28 C THE BROKEN PROMISE

The season was nowpletely winter, and snow could be seen falling on the mountain from Kaina Vige. It is a teau, but the precipitation from the taller mountains that surrounded the vige was little, he understood that the rain and snow that fell from the surrounding mountain was damp. The snow wont fall if it piles up like that Because Jin more or less grew up in the city, he especially yearned to make a snow hut, but it was impossible in this vige. Come to think of it, Rnd-san hasnt showtely Though the merchant Rnd promised toe once every month and a half, the time toe had long passed, but he did not show up. Its hard to believe that an honest in nature merchant would break a promise. One day, a person that was not Rnd visited Kaina Vige. Jin-oniichan, Obaa-chan is calling for you! Jin who was making a stove using Magic Stone in the workshop stopped his hands, and went to the house. Jin-san, its been a while There stood the Tax Collector, it was Lithia Fahlheit. Lithia-san, its been a while. You seem to be well When Jin greeted her, Lithia, S-Sorry! she said bowing her head. Not understanding what was going on, Jin, Wa, Lithia-san, please raise your head for now. I dont understand what youre talking about Then Lithia raised her head with a remorseful look on her face, For the matter regarding the Golems, I was unable to keep it hushed Eh? One of the soldiers who was stationed at Toka Vige seems to have talked about it upon returning to the capital This was bad for Jin. At the time he was transporting the wheat, the Golem that Jin reconstructed was seen by the vigers and soldiers of Toka Vige. Lithia could not stop one mouth, and that persons mouth was not closed. The rumours quickly circted to the capital. ording to Lithias story, The rumour was that a Golem appeared near Toka Vige, and the rumours that the person who used that Golem was there reached the king. The king decided to order the prime minister to verify the authenticity of it. The prime minister careful investigated the rumour, determining that the person who used the Golem was Jin who lived in Kaina Vige. And also that Jin was the developer of the pump that was spreading around the capital in addition to creating the stove that is popr with themoners. The king seemed to feel that Jin was a threat when he heard that, ordering the lord that governed the area that included Kaina Vige and Toka Vige, Earl Walter to bring Jin to him. Now aiming for this vige, 50 troops of the Earl are heading here, so please quickly run away! Lithia concluded. Jin To Martha who had a worried look, Its okay. It doesnt mean its a particrly bad thing Jin-san, saying such a thing in this situation Wouldnt running away seem rather suspicious? Jin said to reassure them, but he was secretly a little anxious. Lithia gave up on convincing him, Jin-san, being a Magic Craftsman who can control and create a Golem is precious, but it is regarded as a danger if they are not affiliated with the country. So please be careful Thank you Lithia-san. Ill be careful Although with that said, he did not know what to be careful of. For now, he decided to go back to the workshop to consult with Reiko. In the worst case, we may need to run away If thats the case, its probably better if we do not use the Warp Gate. We better make the one here unusable Un, regrettably Immediately, they covered the basement where the Warp Gate is, to the extent they could not return even if they know the entrance. You are Jin right? An oppressive voice sounded from the entrance of the workshop. He could see a troop of soldiers covered in armour standing. It was faster than he thought. Ee, I am Jin, so? When Jin answered, the man who seemed to be themander, Fu-n, were here to take you bastard. I will show no mercy if you resist He said thrusting out a spear. Jin gently held it down, What are you talking about so suddenly? Saying that, the man who seemed to be themander, Bastard, do you intend to defy the lord that governs this area, me Earl Walter? No, therefore, why exactly am I being taken? To this point, Jin finally understood why Lithia said it was toote to escape. Fu-n, the kings orders. Obediently obey This country seemed to be different from what he thought from what he determined when he talked to Lithia about the tax rates. The man in front of him was the type of man to misuse the authority he is given. Im not a person particrly from this country. So I dont have the obligation to obey do I? Gradually Jins anger rose. Jin wasnt particr a noble character, rather he could be said to be short tempered. He may be sweet to rtives and friends, but he would not forgive those who harm those rtives and friends. Onii-chan! Hanna tries to run over, but her small body is intercepted by a soldier. No, she was pushed away, falling onto her back. Kyaa! Hanna! A spear was thrust out before Jin to obstruct him, however. Out of my way Jin grabbed the spear and used Forming. The spear quickly deformed into a U. Na! The spear! Bastard! You dare disobey!? A further 3 spears were thrust out. The one to stop them was the Golem Gon. It came rushing back from its patrol of the vige when it felt its Master Jin in danger. Na! This golem! You bastard, so you were the culprit after all! Culprit? Holding Hanna in his arms, Jin asked back with a puzzled face. Dont pretend you dont know! Golems have been making attacks all over the kingdom right now, youre the cause of it you bastard! Haa? It was a bad thing, as the appearance of Gon and Gen had not changed much from the time they attacked Jin and the others. Although the colour was changed, the design was mostly the same. You still n on pretending? Ive seen it once before, there should be those among the soldiers who have too. Though the colour is different, its the same form of Golem that has been attacking people and materials all over the ce What? Jin recognised that the situation here had be the worst possible. Someone, or something, was using Golems to attack all over Cline Kingdom. The Golem before Gon also seem to be one of them. Ground, I should have investigated it a little more that time Although it may be toote, if he examined the core of the Golem, he might have an idea of who the culprit is. Its no use making anymore excuses! The soldiers surrounded Jin. Towards Hanna who was held in Jins arms, Hanna, I have not done anything bad. However, it seems I cant stay here anymore now Onii-chan Until Spring, was the promise, Im sorry I couldnt keep it. Someday, Ille back to see you. Until then, take care Once he finished saying that, he secretly slipped a ruby(?) into the pocket of Hannas skirt. And then a single word, Reiko! Yes, Father Hearing Jins voice, the loyal and unmatched Automata Reiko blew away the 10 soldiers that surrounded Jin in the blink of an eye. Na! Bastard, so youre disobeying!? Towards the flustered Earl Walter, Jin, Listen, I have not done things like attacking with my Golems. However, I will take my leave here as I do not intend to be charged with a crime I did notmit Saying that he handed Hanna over to Martha calling over the Golem Horse Koma, and mounted it. Reiko had got on ahead of Jin. Also another word of warning. Dare to even touch a single finger of the people of Kaina Vige. Ill crush Cline Kingdom And then twisting the handle, Martha-san, Im indebted to you, take care! After saying that, Earl Walter and the soldiers were taken aback and nced back, when he then began to run towards the mountain to the north. Gon and Gen also followed after. W-What are you bastards doing! Chase! Chase him! However the feet of the Golem was quick and they grew smaller into the distance. Even so, the soldiers chased after them. Earl Walter also chased with an ordinary horse. Onii-chan Jin Jin-san Hanna, Martha, and Lithia remained, each praying for Jins safety. Chapter 29 - AFTER THAT

Chapter 29 C AFTER THAT

Jin fled to the mountains, guided by Reiko, they headed towards the cave that hid the Warp Gate. This is the ce It was a good location with an overlook of the base of the mountain. Jin looked out over Kaina Vige, Even though it was afortable ce to live, it is regrettable After saying that, Gon and Gen were the first to be transported. They were somehow able to cram the Golem Horse Koma into the cave and it was also transported. Remaining were Jin and Reiko. Now then, because they saw us run away this way, it would be bad if we dont make this unusable That is right Chii, when would we be able to go to Kaina Vige after that I will help Reiko followed up. Un, right. Then, have it break 1 minute after we use it So the Warp Gate is not misused, they added those functions as default. After it was set, Jin, Then, lets go Yes And then the 2 figures disappeared. Damn it, so they escaped Zee, zee, zee A plenty 1 hour after Jins group disappeared, Earl Walters group finally reached the summit. Already without a trail, with the weather of snow fluttering down, Earl, there isnt much to do here. We should withdraw before it gets dark so the adjutant advised, It cant be helped, lets go back Muttering his bitterness, Earl Walter and his troops descended the mountain, giving a nce to Kaina Vige, and headed directly towards the capital. So thisboratory is on an ind Jin returned to theboratory, and was guided outside by Reiko. The climate was warmer than Kaina Vige. It was not enough to call it a jungle, but there is decent rain. It would be self-sufficient if I cultivated it To cultivate the field was what Jin thought. But that is still far ahead. There was something more important. Look for something I can eat from things like trees Understood, Goshujin-sama Reiko, and the 5 Golem Maids split up their work. For now he would secure some food. About over 2 hours, 4 kinds of fruits and 2 kinds of nuts were found. Also, there also seemed to be what looked like a rubber tree. After confirming it was not poisonous with Analyse, he immediately tasted them. Un, this is sweet and delicious. This one is bittersweet. As for this, its sweet but a little dry. This is sour Each fruit had a taste close to peach, orange, apple, and lemon. The nuts were simr to a walnut and a Japanese chestnut. It looks like Ill be able to somehow eat. Well then, collect 20 of each fruit and about 10kg of each nut Ordering the Golem Maids, Jin went back to the reseach facility. YOU FOOL!! In the capital of Cline Kingdom, Earl Walter received a reprimanding from King Alois III after returning to report. I was going to have that person Jin to serve the Kingdom when he was brought here. And to treat him like a criminal! Finally getting angered, he escaped! What if he goes and serves another country! M-My deepest apologies h-however, that person could control a Golem, so he may have been a harm to our country Ive already received reports for that. Jin captured that Golem with a never before seen magic, and rebuilt it to obey him No way! With this, Jins innocence was proven as Lithia had quickly returned to capital to fix the incident with her report. In doing so, she was to be reprimanded for hiding the truth, but as Jin had asked her and reporting Jins true strength that was seen personally by Lithia, it was written off. And so the king and prime minister wanted Jin who was a talented individual. It is fine now, go back. From now on it is prohibited to meddle around with Kaina Vige. Understand? Ha, hahaa If they were to provoke Jin who ran away any further, there was a possibility he might be their enemy. Thinking about the true strength he heard from Lithia, he thought to avoid that. It seems it didnt turn out well Cline Kingdoms King, Alois III gazed up to the sky and heaved a sigh when he was alone. Onii-chan Every morning, and every time she drew the water from the pump, Hanna remembered Jin. Since then, Earl Walter returned by passing through the vige and did not retaliate at all. Martha and the entire vige were worried about Jin who fled to the mountain. Heey, besides him theres Reiko-chan and theyre riding the horse, so theyll be fine Rock made that statement. Because the viger did not know about the Warp Gate, they thought Jin was hiding in the mountains. And sometimes, they went searching for Jin in the mountain with the remaining Golem Horses, but of course there was no result. Then one day, Lithia visited the vige. Oya, Lithia-sama, what is it? The vige chief who met her asked Lithia who had a cheerful face. Be delighted, the suspicions on Jin-san have been cleared Ee! And directly from the king, as an apology for this misunderstanding, he invited Jin to the capital and wanted Jin to serve him. In that case, it was guaranteed that the lowest position he would be given would be Royal Magic Craftsman Hou! Thats amazing! The vige chief was impressed. The Royal in Royal Magic Craftsman to begin with, correspond with the treatment of nobility. So, where is Jin-san? That is, theres been no news from him since then Is that so Although they were honestly d that Jin was recognised, the vigers of Kaina Vige could only be half d as the main person Jin remained missing. Chapter 30 - GLIDER GOLEM

Chapter 30 C GLIDER GOLEM

Before you know it, a new year begins in this world, and Jin was unaware of it. Ive had enough Day after day, all Jin ate were fruits and nuts. Aah I want to eat cooked rice. Bread would be fine too Of course he would have enough of eating, he missed his former diet. Is there somewhere I can buy wheat? If thats the case, we can cultivate a field on this ind, Father For Jins mutter, Reiko proposed. Well theres that. We can buy the seeds, but the fields need to be prepared Yes. For that, what if we left it to the Golem Maids Topaz and Aqua? Topaz has an earth attribute and Aqua has a water attribute. That sounds like a good idea Jin nodded in agreement. Reiko, Well then, they will need Golems to work for them Aa, right. I guess Ill make them So it was decided that he would make 5 subordinate Golems for the Golem Maids, Aqua and Topaz. Jin decided the specs together with Reiko. Without Magic Skin, they wont need clothes Un, thats right. Instead, well te the surface with Light Silver to change their colours Ha? Jin then exined to Reiko. Light Silver is an isotope of titanium, and by adjusting the thickness of the oxide film on the surface of titanium, the colour can vary.[1] This is knowledge Jin obtained from working in a factory (metal rted) on modern Earth. Okay, I understand now. As expected of Father He immediately started making the Golems. The basic form is the same as the Golem Maids. Though the structure was fairly simplified. The control system was particr. For now they had an autonomous intelligence and were adjusted to listen to not just each maid who were their superior, but Jin and Reiko on top of that. Ill make the body, so Father, please take care of the Ether Converter, Mana Drive, and core Alright, Im on it They proceeded with sharing their work, Reiko doing the simple work while Jin did the keyplex work. 2 dayster, 5 Golems for each, with 10 of them in total werepleted. I think we should assign each Golem Maid with a role Agreeing with Reikos suggestion, Jin, Alright then. Topaz fornd development. Aqua for water control. Peridot for housework. Ruby and Amezu for the inds defense, how is that? I think that is fine Okay then, Topaz, Aqua, Peridot, Ruby, Amezu. Ive made subordinates for you. Please continue to work hard in the future. As for the subordinate Golems, I leave them to you Very well, Goshujin-sama We look forward to working with you The 5 Golem Maids bowed to Jin, and the subordinate Golems first bowed to Jin, then bowed to the maid bosses. Topaz and Aqua went outside of the Laboratory, and Peridot looked around each room. Ruby and Amezu also went outside, together with the subordinates. Then Reiko, Father, there are still two left, what are they? asked, seeing the body of two Golems that had yet to activate. Aa, these are subordinates for Reiko. From now on, Reiko will be busy with various things, so I made you subordinates My subordinates? Aa. They should have the same performance as the Golem Maids. But their appearance is different Right, the bodies of the two Golems still lying down were petite, being about the same size as Reiko. I want to link them to Reiko before we activate them. How about it? They are something Father kindly made while thinking about me, therefore I have no objections She says that with a somewhat happy look. Seeing that, Jin felt relieved. He had wondered Did I do something unnecessary? and how to persuade her if something was said about it. I see, thene over here Mana Linkage okay its done, Activate! The bodies of the two Golems got up. 1 body was gold, the other was silver. Nice to meet you, Father, Onee-sama The Golems made their greetings. Of course the Onee-sama thing is about Reiko. Yes, nice to meet you Father, what are their names? Unn lets see since they are Reikos subordinates, how about Reiko names them? Reiko thought for a while when told that, I guess so the gold one, you are Soleil, the silver one, you are Luna It was much more decent than Jin. Yes, I am Soleil Yes, I am Luna With this, thebour shortage is considerably resolved, and Jin decided to continue working on solving the problems. Reiko, even if its effective to use this ind, I cant do much without knowing the topography. Do we not have a map? Reiko had a slightly troubled face when asked that, That is things have changed considerably from the time Mother was here, therefore youll need to remake a new one Reiko said that it seems to have risen during the past 1000 years. I see then understanding the whole birds eye view of the ind is urgent Folding his arms, Jin pondered. The survey can be done muchter, but I want to know the topography and size Taking an aerial photo would solve it in one go, however there is still no means to fly in this world. Jin continued to ponder, I know! Reiko, please help me for a little bit Coming up with some kind of idea, Jin headed to the workshop. What are you doing Father? To the puzzled Reiko, Jin, I want to roughly understand the topography of the ind by surveying it from the sky. For that purpose, Im creating a Golem to fly in the sky T-The sky? Even Reiko was surprised about it. The predecessor didnt think about such a thing. Un, well, although I say fly in the sky, its just gliding afterunching with magic Simply put, a glider. He made a model glider, a Golem which would survey the ground while gliding and would produce a map after it returns, that was the process. For now, he decided to reduce it to a roughly decent scale. I understand what you said, but will it really fly in the sky? Since only a partial amount of Jins knowledge was transferred, Reiko was dubious about it. Un, well, seeing it for yourself is better than hearing about it, lets try it out With that said, he created one Glider with Light Silver, equipped with a core of a Golem, and a Magic Crystalwas equipped to ensure vision. Though the core is small, the movements are operated using the Elevator, Rudder, and Aileron[2]. It was shortlypleted. So this will fly? Aa, just look Jin also left theboratory to perform a flight test of the Glider Golem on the open front yard that Topaz and Aqua had already prepared. Okay, Im throwing it It lightly pushed forward first. The glider glided straight ahead,nding after flying about 50 metres. It really flew Reiko seemed to be deeply moved. Though it didnt really show on her face. By repeating this several times, he memorised how to control the Glider Golem. And finally, it was time for the real thing. Reiko Yes, Father Throw this up with all the power youve got With all of Reikos power, it would easily reach 3 kilometres in the sky. Understood Reiko got into a throwing stance. Glider Golem, go survey the appearance of the ind and memorise it. Thene back here At the same time Jin gave his instructions, Here I go! Reiko threw the Glider Golem with full power. In the blink of an eye, it soared to a high altitude and was no longer visible to the naked eye. How is it? Jin asked Reiko who could still see it. Yes, it is still rising. Still ah, its begun gliding. It is slowly descending The Glider Golemnded in front of the Laboratory two hours after that. The map of the image of the ind stored in the core of the Golem waspleted the next day. Chapter 31 - NAMING, 『HOURAI』

Chapter 31 C NAMING, HOURAI

Now, a map of the ind theboratory is on was spread before Jin. This is the result of the Glider Golem. I see, so this ind is almost circr. And in the southeast is arge pried area which has be a bay Father, we should give this ind a name The Automata Reiko who was looking at the map along with Jin said. Yeah, we should Jin pondered. Yamato Akitsushima Yashima ? He lined up names he heard from elsewhere. Well, it is Jin. I know, lets go with Hourai Ind Hourai in Ancient China is a legendary ind floating on the eastern sea where immortals lived. For Jin, it was a decent name. ? So, for this bay to the southeast because tatsumi is southeast, it will be Tatsumi Bay ? After all, Jin is Jin. So, in the centre of Hourai Ind is Mt. Hourai, about 3000 metres. If we use it well, we can cultivate coldnd vegetation Theboratory is part way up the side of Mt. Hourai, the area about 1000 metres up in altitude, a wide in is there. It is the remnants of the ind 1000 years ago Un, theres also the wend and pond. Well call it the centre teau Jins naming style was in full power. For the time being, lets cultivate an orchard field around here to be self-sufficient Understood. I will go give Peridot and Topaz the instructions To Jins decision, Reiko agreed. Promptly giving out the instructions. So, to the north is a primeval forest. Is it for forestry? There are shrubs and grasnd that spread out to the east. A farm would be nice. And to the south is a wend and grasnd, as well as a river. I could make a paddy field Father, what is a paddy field? Reiko asks with a puzzled feeling. This was because the knowledge received from Jin was iplete. Aa. A paddy field is for rice, its a field dedicated to producing rice nts. In my former world, this rice was a staple food Reiko seeing Jin with distance eyes, Understood. So you would like to eat the crop called rice Thats how it is. I dont know if its in this world, but I want to look. Well, well probably leave it forter Jin says while continuing to examine the map. West is wastnd. The earth and stone from when Mt. Hourai crumbled and traces of the flowingva. There may be mineral resources That may be right. It will be a necessary investigation though low in priority So, about Tatsumi Bay Reiko changed the topic of the conversation. When I transported in search of Father, I talked about how I appeared at the sea,nding back here again at that time. The seabed around here is rich in coral Coral We can only gather a little. Wait, if theres a coral reef, shouldnt there be plenty of fish? In a nature documentary program that he saw long ago, he recalled that there were many fish in coral reefs. Yes, there certainly is If thats the case, then it wouldnt be too hard to make a fish tank to raise fish in Then we shall entrust it to a dedicated Golem There isnt enough hands to spread out for work. However, Jin had the means to solve it. Yeah. At the same time as creating a port at Tatsumi Bay, I want to float out a ship. A ship is it? Aa. I eventually want to make one that is about 200 metres big 200 metres ispletely just Jins preference. And taking a voyage out to sea would be pleasant well, well need to develop motive power first though Its still a long way ahead, but it is also something to look forward to. Well then, these are the things for now Understanding the general topography, Jin took a breather from deciding future objectives, taking a bite of the fruit like an orange and Jin murmured as such. Seeing it like this, it was an item of high priority but low value After all, the top priority was securing food. The Peach, Orange, Apple, Lemon, Chestnut, and Walnut like fruit trees Father talked about have been transnted That was fast. As expected of you Because they worked using magic along with Peridot and Topaz and their subordinates, it waspleted in about 2 days. With this done, well first need to secure wheat The staple food for this world is wheat. Wheat and barley are cultivated. Well need to go buy an amount to eat and use as seeds. However, where would be a good ce? Also we have no money Although theboratory had plenty of valuable things, the one thing it did not have is currency. I have an idea of a town that may be able to buy it. It is the 5th ce I transported to Thats good. Well then, lets go together. So for money, a Magic Crystal or something I make should be good to sell To this, Reiko tilts her head to the side. Its not unreasonable as Jin and Reiko did not know much about this world. Un, then lets bring several Magic Crystal, I have no other choice but to go with the decision you made Well, I think it is fine Alright, then lets go Yes. The corresponding Warp Gate is here The destination was neatly written on the Warp Gate Reiko set up. The Warp Gate was connected to Blue Land. Is this Blue Land a town? No, it is a city rather than a town. The Warp Gate is hidden in the forest about 3 kilometres away Got it. Lets go And so the 2 were transported to Blue Land Chapter 32 - RED HAIRED GIRL

Chapter 32 C RED HAIRED GIRL

Jin and Reiko were in the cave of the Warp Gate they emerged from. After leaving there, as Reiko had said, they were surrounded by a thick forest. Un, I wonder if this should be about slightly south of Hourai Ind? No, probably because the longitude is shifted Father, what do you mean by that? Aa. I determined that from the position of the sun Jin left Hourai Ind at around 1pm. Looking around, it seemed to be before noon. It was natural that the altitude of the sun was different. That would mean between Hourai and here, the longitude shifted about less than 10 degrees. Knowing the distance I can understand the size of this world ? Jin calcted the angle using a unique measurement ability of the Magi Craft Meister, however Reiko did not seem toprehend. The knowledge in regards to this kind of thing was not transferred to Reiko, however the exnation would be left forter as there was no time, Jin said, and proceeded to walk into the forest. Now then, that voice calling for help came from somewhere here ? No, I do not hear such a voice Jin was troubled as to what to reply. W-Well then so, which way is Blue Land? Yes, it is this way Reiko took the lead and guided Jin. The undergrowth is short so walking was easy. Are there no wild beasts? Jin asked while walking, Yes. From what I have checked there are only small herbivorous animals. Even demon beasts cannot be seen So thats it, then thats a relief Yes. Even if there were any, I will protect Father with this body of mine The current Reiko could easily take on an entire country, so most things were not a threat. After walking for 30 minutes, the forest stopped and a grasnd appeared. A rampart could be seen on the other side. That is Blue Land I see, so its a Fort City A Fort City that is surrounded by stone walls, that is Blue Land. After further walking for about 20 minutes, they approached the rampart of Blue Land. Around the rampart were lined up stalls, crowded with people. Do we need anything to enter the city? My apologies, I did not enter insidest time therefore I do not know I see. Well for now, well take a look at the stalls while gathering information. I will be able to understand the currency and level of tools here Understood So the two decided to look around the stalls together. And because of that, they were able to understand a few things. First,nguage. So far, the words Jin spoke in Kaina Vige were the same. Next, currency. This tooru was also the same. After that, this country is called the Egelea Kingdom, it was the same as the Cline Kingdom that Kaina Vige belonged to, a country of small groups. And finally, this Blue Land is referred to as the economic centre of the Egelea And so they gathered information while looking around. Oh, is this a Magic Crystal? No, its a Magic Stone There was a store that sold Magic Stone in a variety of colours. They arent very big geh, 1 for 1000 tooru!? It was about 10,000 yen. So its 1000 tooru for this small one Oh, are you gonna buy itd? Though the owner of the stall said that, No, its a shame but Im afraid I dont have enough on hand Jin said running away. But for such a Magic Stone to be 1000 tooru. Then how much would this Magic Crystal go for? Jin had brought red Magic Crystals for money. Roughly, the market price of a Magic Crystal is 10 to 20 times that of a Magic Stone. It will be difficult to sell He wanted to avoid being too conspicuous. Reiko, were there any Magic Stone in the Laboratory? They were disposed of because there was no way to use them, therefore I believe there should be if we go to the disposal location Ah, the market would go into chaos if we sold it without a n On modern Earth, there was a rumour about an organisation called the Diamond Syndicate that did this. Jin is the Magi Craft Meister, so this was outside his expertise. Shall we leave selling them for next time? They decided to give up on procuring money for today and finish looking around. There doesnt seem to be many stalls that deal with Magic Tools From what he had seen so far, he had yet to see such a stall. Reiko to the Jin who was looking for more, Father is the only Magi Craft Meister in the world, so there shouldnt be any need for a reference should there? Aa, thank you. However, you never know what kind of interesting idea you might stumble upon in this ce. I believe a Magi Craft Meister should not be conceited and remain modest If that is what Father says Reiko was devoted to Jin no matter what. At that time, they found a shop that ced out Magic Tools to the edge of the lined up stalls. Its kind of shabby Jin saw the goods being sold and muttered. That was his honest impression, What did you say!? It was a small mutter, but having seemed to have heard it, the girl that tended to the store was enraged. Are you trying to find fault with our goods? Standing up, the girl red at Jin, her age was about 15 or 16. Only slightly shorter than Jin, she had wavy fiery like red hair and red eyes. Though she looked stern, 9 out of 10 people would say she was a beautiful girl. Say something! Jin realised that the mutter he had carelessly leaked was heard and thought how he should exin himself. Faster than Jin could open his mouth, Reiko answered. He only said his honest impression. Is it wrong to speak about the truth? And oil was poured on the fire. ITS BAD! THE PEOPLE BUYING WILL DECREASE! From the looks of thing, nothing seems to be being sold. Could it decrease anymore from what is originally not there? W-WHAT DID YOU SAAAAY!? You should stop pushing the responsibility onto other people and take a look at reality YOU SURE SAID WHAT YOU WANTED TO!! No, I did not want to say it, however I reluctantly exined it for you YOU!!! The red haired girl took out a rod from somewhere, swinging it down while aiming at Reiko. Chapter 33 - HELPER

Chapter 33 C HELPER

What are you trying to do? Reiko casually took the rod the red haired girl held. In doing so, small sparks could be seen flying off. Eh? This is a dangerous toy Reiko snapped that rod she snatched in half. W-W-Wh At that time, the man from the neighbouring stall, Oi, could you take your fuss somewhere else. Youre obstructing business Making thatint, the two that were quarelling lost their timing to open their mouth and Jin, Ah, sorry about that. Reiko, stop it. And you,e with me for a moment Saying that, he took the arm of the red haired girl, bringing her to the shade of trees a slight distance away from the stalls. And, I apologise for that incident with mypanion Reiko, sorry He started apologising. Reiko stayed quiet behind him. The girl, Y-Y-You, who the hell are you guys? Taking the Cane of Paralysis with you barehand, then snapping it into 2 oh right! MyCane of Paralysis! What are you going to do about this! Its expensive, this thing! For now could you calm down? There would be another fuss if he left it alone, so Jin calmed the girl. Haa haa To the girl who was taking breaths, Anyways, lets introduce ourselves. Im Jin. This is Reiko. You? I-Im Beana Nice to meet you, Beana Saying that, Jin received the cane that was still in Reikos hand. Fu-n, so theres a small lightning attribute Magic Stone built into the handle part Eh? That will spread through the entire cane, and so youll receive an electric shock on contact Eh? Eh? The canes materials is ash, huh? Definitely, a tree is a good conductor of magic, however its a tree after all so the efficiency will probably be poor Eh? Eh? Eh? The Magic Form invocation uwa, the writing is sloppy. Half or more of the magic power is going to waste Eeeeeeeehhhh!? Beana couldnt hide her surprise from Jin who very easily analysed the operation principles behind the Cane of Paralysis. Y-You, Jin was what you said who in the world are you? Im a Magic Craftsman Jin returned the broken cane to Beana while saying that. A Magic Craftsman wasnt too far and sounded better. You too? Too, that would mean Beana is also a Magic Craftsman? Right. Though it might not look like it, but I diligently trained under Gradia Hampton-sensei for 2 years! Beana puffed out her not really big chest out, but, Whos that? That was the kind of response Jin gave. Whos that? you dont know? Aa, I dont know Gradia Hampton-sensei is a famous Magic Craftsman! So thats how it is. Beana who was worked up, and in contrast was aposed Jin. Well anyway, I apologise for criticising your goods and snapping the cane Jin made another apology. Because of Jins frank apology, Beana, It was also my bad for trying to hit with it Bowed to apologise, but then noticed something, O-Oh right! You, you said my work was shabby didnt you!? Aa, thats why Im apologising Im not angry no, Im a little angry, but Beana hesitated to continue there. The brows on her face knitted, and while red, she cast her eyes down to think before she eventually seemed to have made up her mind, You said, shabby, that means if its you, you can make something better right? Please! Lend me your help! Eh? Not expecting for the conversation to go in that direction, Jin was taken aback. Please! I need money no matter what! Besides, I absolutely need to sell something I make! But I cant even sell one thing! Please! Lend me your help! Wa-Wait a moment Trying to calm the wild Beana once again, Please exin it in order. First, Beana needs money right? R-Right! Why do you need it? Do I have to exin it? With a hung head, Beana nced upwards and gazed. Completely changing from her meek behaviour just before. That is, well even if I lend a hand, I dont know why. What kind of merit is there for me? Uuu I get it. Ill bear the shame and speak its to cure my brother and sisters illness So its an illness. Then theres a doctor, medicine will be necessary, and your parents? Beana looked down gloomily having heard that. And with a sorrowful voice, They fell ill when I was learning from Gradia Hampton-sensei, both of them I see. Sorry, Im sorry to hear that. To Jin who was bowing his head in apology, Beana in a cheerful voice, Its fine. So, because an unreasonable tuition was made for sensei to teach, theres now a debt and we have no money He didnt expect for the stubborn Beana to tell him about her circumstances. Jin was weak to this kind of thing. I understand. I dont know what I can do, but to apologise for the cane, Ill help you out Really!? Thank you, Jin! Beana jumped up and rejoiced. Then what should we do? Right its about time to close up here, so could you guide me to Beanas workshop? E-Ee its untidy though And so with that, having just met the red haired girl, Jin ended up helping out Beana. Chapter 34 - UPGRADE, IMPROVEMENT

Chapter 34 C UPGRADE, IMPROVEMENT

Here is my workshop. Its a bit small Beana had guided him to her workshop. It was in the outskirts of Blue Land, a fairly remote ce. To that, Beana, Inside the city? Only the rich and nobles live there. All the typicalmoners live outside the rampart Said how it was. Jin felt corrupt politics, however it was unrted to him so he stopped thinking about it. Beanas workshop was about 10 tatami mats in size. It would be normal if its a private workshop. However there were few devices and tools there Leaving this aside, wheres your brother and sister? Jin was concerned about the sick siblings. They are in the house behind here. You dont have to worry about them I cannot do that. Could you show me their condition at least? To the persistent Jin, Beana, You, do you know anything about illnesses? A reasonable amount I-Is that so now? Well, Ill let you take a look just to make sure So they headed to the house behind the workshop. Closer to a hut than a house though. Its because I used the money on the workshop Beana was a little embarrassed. Nana, Raldo, how are you feeling? Entering the house, Beana called out to the two younger siblings who were lying next to the door of a room. Onee-chan, youre early today The little sister Nana. About 12 years old and had the same red hair as Beana. Un, Im fine. The same as always The one to answer was the little brother Raldo. Also about 12 years old. He had light brown hair. Both were emaciated. Whos this person? Noticing Jin who was behind Beana, Nana asked. Jin introduced himself. I am Jin. An acquaintance of Beana, I will be helping in the workshop Saying that Raldo, Really? Onee-chans sensei is a famous Magic Craftsman. Thats why Onee-chan is also a great Magic Craftsman! Because he said it with pride, Aa, thats right. I am also still learning various things When Jin said that, the face of Reiko who was outside the room had stiffened. Jin returned to the workshop from the house. So? Did you figure something out about their illness? From their weary appearance and bleeding gums, Jin thought it might be scurvy, but because he wasnt confident, Un, I can think of something but Im not confident about it He stopped with that answer. I see, like I thought. Its fine since I didnt have any expectations though Beana said, warming up the soup for the lunch of the siblings. With this opportunity, Jin gave Reiko instructions. Reiko, quickly return to theboratory and find a Magic Stone please. After that, I need you to bring a lot of the peach-like fruit But then Father will be left alone To Reiko who was worried, Itll be okay. I wouldnt imagine there being any danger here, quickly go ande back Okay, understood. I will be quickly going now. Please do not do anything dangerous Saying that, Reiko disappeared like the wind. Then Beana came back. A-re, are you alone? Wheres Reiko? Aa, I asked Reiko to run me a little errand. She shoulde back soon. So lets get started Fuu-n? Well i guess thats fine. Then lets sit there The two sat down in the chairs on both sides of the workbench made of thick wood. Well then, what shall I do? Ill leave the choice to Beana Jin saying that, Right, well could you have a look at this? Beana ced amp on top of the workbench. It was somethingmon that any house used. A magicmp, huh? This, it was the first thing I learnt to make from senseis ce. These are the basics right? Thats why I want you to take a look I understand Jin looked at it in his hand. The magic power of the Magic Stone and the Magic Form on the te that converts it into light. The Magic Stone attribute doesnt matter as its the basics. ? Un, the main frame is skillfully made. The Magic Form is sloppy so the conversion efficiency is poor You also said the Magic Form is sloppy before. Then show me a better example If he showed his ability here then she wouldpliantly listen afterwards, Jin thought. Do you have a te to write a Magic Form on? Aa, that will be fine Upon contact with the Magic Stone the magic will invoke, so to speak, the te ys the role of a catalyst. So Jin showed his Magic Form that he engraved. Magic Absorption, Magic Collection, Magic Stabilisation, Magic Conversion, Magic Invocation Wa-Wait a minute. What is Magic Collection and Magic Stabilisation? I wasnt taught those thing? While showing the te that Jin had finished carving a form on to Beana, Because the magic power of Magic Stone is not pure, the instability is great. Therefore the light will flicker if you convert immediately after absorbing From Jins exnation, Beana recalled it does happen, Aa, thats true, the light does flicker. Was there such a reason for it? Yep. Try switching with this te and it will shine So Beana set the te Jin had engraved, activating themp. On! Themp then lit up brightly. After looking it for a while, Beana, Off! She turned off themp and faced Jin, Certainly, there was no flickering and it was bright. Your mouth isnt just all talk With a bitter smile, Jin further, If you want to market this, just the main frame isnt enough. Its one thing if its the work of a famous Magic Craftsman, however for a nameless rookie you wont be able to gain notice I see She seemed to have be willing to listenpliantly. Here Jin, Other things too. They produce things from ideas, that is why customerse back to buy from famous Magic Craftsman but as its not like that, first we need to think about what kind of work the customer wants Certainly You, Jin, youre amazing Though its not to the degree of knowing about business, it seemed to be something fresh to Beana. She began thinking seriously. Then she took out another Magic Tool and showed it to Jin. Well then, heres a Magic Tool to create a barrier Un Jin examined it in his hand, then suddenly stopping his hands, he frowned. What is it? This, what do I use it for? To put up a barrier That I understand. Against what, what is this barrier put up for? Eh? Beana did not answer Jins question. Haa so you made it without thinking about it. From how it looks, its fine to try out right? E-Ee. Because that is my newest production Beana answered, Jin took out the te of the Magic Tool to create a barrier he was holding, About this form here, this, it can create a barrier to defend against many things right? Ee thats right. Impact, Water, Fire, Lightning, Wind There Jin, Thats it. Listen, that alone, a barrier to defend against all of that is definitely amazing. However, when using this Magic Stone, it cant create arge barrier right? Pretty much. It should be about the size for luggage That there is the problem. Besides the people inside, others cant enter so invoking it just once means it wont be released until the Magic Stone is exhausted of its magic power Eehhh? Oh its true, I didnt notice that Jin pointing things out still continued. Chapter 35 - THERE’S NO RESPONSE. IT’S JUST…

Chapter 35 C THERES NO RESPONSE. ITS JUST

Do you understand? Then this is called a defective product T-Then what do I do? In this case you should determine how long the barriersts beforehand, or at least weaken the strength against air a little bit Beana was puzzled by the exnation. I understand about designating the time, but what about the strength against air? You know how you release a voice? Your voice is the vibrations of air. Therefore your voice wont reach if it passes through weak air Beana remained puzzled by the exnation. Your voice the vibration of air? What is that about? Jin heaved a sigh. He didnt feel like doing a science ss. Well, itll be fine if we leave that be. Thest thing, the strength of the created barrier, I believe it will exhaust the magic power of the Magic Stone within a minute. Is there a reason for the barrier tost for such a short time? Ahh Hey, not just the efficiency but the usability, its no good if you dont think about the bnce of these things Bnce? Aa, to do in moderation and not focus on one side, thats what I mean Un, I see Although only given advice twice, Beana already seemed to be aware of the defects of her works and began to ponder with her arms folded. There Reiko returned. Father, I have returned Aa, good job FATHER!? JUST NOW, DID SHE SAY FATHER? The word Father which Jin was called shocked Beana. A-re, I havent told you about it? Its because Reiko is my well, an Automata I made AU-AU-AUTOMATA!? Beanas eyes opened up and she froze . Jin didnt notice that Beana, turning towards Reiko, So, the Magic Stone? Since the disposal location is deep underground, I collected only this much and returned for now Saying that, 10 Magic Stones the size of the ones they saw at the stalls before were handed over to Jin. Oh, if its this much itll be fine. You did well. And did you bring back the peaches? Yes, I put them in the basket outside When he looked outside Beanas workshop, there was about 20 peaches put inside therge basket. Good, nice work And Jin then looked back to Beana who was still frozen. Oiii, Beana She remained frozen. Theres no response. Its just a corpse ? But Father, she is still alive Reiko came in with a merciless tsukkomi. I know, I just wanted to try saying it once Saying that, Jin tried to lightly hit Beanas cheeks. Ah, wh-what, it hurts! It seems she rebooted. I didnt want to do it, thats why I called out to you before but you didnt answer Jin said to Beana who was flustered, Haha thats right, DID YOU SAYA-AUTOMATA!? ISNT THAT ARTIFACT CLASS! WHERE DID YOU OBTAIN IT? Upon hearing that, ahh, another bothersome thing was what he sensed and decided to lie. Umm, I found it in ruins much further north from here, it was broken down and I repaired it. Then it became attached to me Reiko slightly frowned upon that answer but Jin didnt notice. He-Hee. Youve got good luck. I see, so thats why it was able to take on my cane before. I can understand if its an Artifact The first time he said made, this time he said repaired but Beana was too surprised about the Automata Reiko to notice and because she seemed convinced with that, So, I asked Reiko to pick me some fruits, do you want to eat them? Saying that he pointed at the basket outside, seeing that Beanas eyes opened up again, Wh-Wh-Wha, isnt that Pelshka! Pelshka? Jin asked upon hearing the unfamiliar name, You who brought it yourself dont know? It is called a royal fruit, its a luxury item imported from inds to the east? Tasty, abundant in nutrients, even most nobles arent able to eat it Jin thought he had done it again but it was already toote. Well, umm, I brought this cause the ce that Reiko found has a lot. So go ahead and eat it REALLY!? YOU CAN MAKE A KILLING FROM SELLING IT TO THE STALLS YOU KNOW? Aa, there was that hand to y too, Jin thought but where he found it and other troublesome things of the like would ur so, I have no intentions in selling it. Please give them to your brother and sister to eat too He said. And then the overjoyed Beana, Is it really okay? Then Ill take two! Saying that she took two Pelshka from the basket and headed to the house. Leaving the rest of the Pelshka outside would be a bad idea, so Jin followed Beana with the basket. Beana carefully peeled it and carefully cut it, serving it on a te, shortly bringing it to her siblings. Here, eat this delicious fruit we received Un! Nana and Raldo delightedly ate the Pelshka. This is delicious! Right, go ahead and eat it all Beana smiled while watching Nana and Raldo eat. When Beana returned to the kitchen with the empty te, Jin was there eating the Pelshka. 6 fruits were scattered about. Thats a lot to eat alone, when Beana thought that, That is Beanas share I peeled Looking, there were 3 pieces of peeled Pelshka on a te. Jin seemed to have eaten 3 pieces. I-Is it okay to? Beana timidly asked, Its okay if I say its okay. You should eat them before they spoil Hearing that, Beana finally reached out her hand for the Pelshka. She moved a piece into her mouth. Delicious! Previously, when she had studied under the Magic Craftsman, she had the chance to eat one small piece at Gradia Hamptons ce, but the taste this time, it was several times greater. That was only natural, it would be harvested when it is unripe then circte in the country and distributed when it ripens. On the other hand, the ones Jin brought ripened on their tree, furthermore they were freshly harvested. I didnt think it would be so delicious! The Pelshka on the te was quickly gone. The rest Im giving to Beana and your siblings, you should eat them before they spoil There was still about 10 left in the basket. is that okay? Like I said, its okay if I say its okay Like the first time, Jin told Beana who received the Pelshka, Thank you, Jin She said her thanks. Chapter 36 - THIS TIME FOR SURE, A REFRIGERATOR

Chapter 36 C THIS TIME FOR SURE, A REFRIGERATOR

Now then, what kind of thing can we sell? Lets see, from what Jin has said, well need to think about what kind of thing the other side will want to use Beana seemed to have understood a little. Isnt there anything? And then Jin remembered the thing he had thought about but couldnt make. Hey Beana, its warm around this area right? Thats right, what about it? Also snow doesnt fall here. Well, Ive never seen actual snow before. Ive only seen the white on the distant mountains. What about it? So Jin in order to test Beana, Hey, about the Pelshka fruit from before, how long do you think theyllst? Eh? Lets see, about a good 2 days since theyre just ripe To Beanas answer, Jin, Isnt there a way to preserve it for longer? Asked. Beana thought for a little while, then her face suddenly lit up, I got it! A magic tool to preserve food! Correct Jin also smiled. Thats right Ive never heard of a magic tool like that before To Beana who answered, To start with, how is food preserved? Well you can dry it or you can pickle it with salt There Jin, In areas where snow falls, things like vegetables get covered with the snow that falls Tried to say. Then Beana, I see, theres also the hand of cooling it. But isnt that difficult? The magic power consumption of continuously using ice type magic isnt a small amount Towards Beana, Jin grinned andughed, Thats exactly why. Attempting to make that kind of magic tool is what makes a Magi Craft Mei a Magic Craftsman Jin had almost said Magi Craft Meister. Though Beana didnt notice that, Right. Thats true. Ill try it! Although Beana had braced herself, Ah you cant. Theres no more Magic Stones in stock. Theres not enough money to buy it either Hanging her head, she fell silent and muttered. To that Beana, Jin, You can use this Reiko ced 2 Magic Stones she had brought on the workbench. One was a fire type, and the other one was an earth type. Eh? No way, theres no way I can ept so much Beana who could not take it refused, however Jin, Well then, once you are able to make the new magic tool you can return the favour with the profits made from selling. Will that be fine? Uuu my debt has increased again if its already like this theres no way I can give up. I will gratefully use this Alright, thats the spirit. Then, think about how to construct it As Jin knew of the thing called the refrigerator, he was already halfplete, however it was different for Beana. Hmm, the shape would probably be a box. A cover attached that can open and close so things like vegetables can be put in it. So to keep the inside cold Thats about right, the foundations are something like that The box and cooling magic, those two are the essentials I believe so. Its better if the box cant transmit heat as much as possible Jin saying that, Why aah, I see. We want to keep the things inside cool Beana showed a fairly sharp side of her. Thats how it is. Therefore the walls of the box should be thick, and a barrier against fire if we can build it Against fire? Aa. A barrier against fire would protect the cooling right? In short, heat would be blocked off. To what Jin had pointed out, Oh yeah I didnt notice that Beana mumbled, staring at Jin, You, could you perhaps be amazing? Reiko responded to that. Father is the best in the world Yes yes. Thats right. Your Father is the best in the world Then with that, the problem is the cooling magic For the time being Beana spilled that out. And Reiko frowned. Jin with his my pace, Wouldnt cooling be simple? Isnt there an ice producing magic? One use of Ice is brief. Thats the kind of thing it is Ice is a magic to freeze water and other things. Isnt that fine? Ice is made inside the box, then it can make ice again once that ice is used up Aah, I see! By doing that, theres no need to continuously operate it! Beana gradually got the design toe together. Aa. Thats why When Jin tried to say the Magic Sequence, Wait a minute. Let me say it Ice producing, ice monitoring, ice producing, and repeat. So ice producing once the content, the ice of the ice monitoring is used up Thinking for a little bit, Jin added on. Lets see. Having it a little bit before the ice is used up should be good. The others I think are fine Yep yep, I feel like Ill be able to do it So they decided to make the box first. The base was made of wood, and the pivotal points were reinforced with bronze. Vertical, it was a modern refrigerator type with the ice room made at the top. So the ice is made here Yes. Because cold air sinks down to the bottom. The ice being on top is the basics Im jealous that Jin has that kind of knowledge And for the essential cooling section. He wrote on a te a Magic Form for it to operate. Like this, this way, this goes like that, ngh Beana wracked her brains while writing bit by bit. Of course magic was used for this writing. Putting this this way will be better I believe Ah, right, itll be shorter that way Modifications can be made before thest of the work with what is called etching. Jin supervised Beana while she constructed an adequate Magic Form. Alright, with this its done. What do you think Jin? Jin scanned over the Magic Form, Yep, I think its fine. With this there should be room to have a simple barrier inside the box So its like that. Whether its a skillful or unskillful Magic Form, I can tell the magic consumption for this is different from the first time And so it waspete by inserting the te and the source of power, the Magic Stone. Its done! Good work. Lets immediately test it out. We should put in the Pelshka from before Okay And so, the remaining 12 Pelshka were ced inside, Cooling It immediately operated. Waiting for a little bit, they opened the door to see the ice was made at the top inside the box. It seemed to have gone well. Well then, Ill be going since its nearly night Is that so? Thank you for today Jin. Will youe back tomorrow? Aa. Well see youter Saying that, Jin together with Reiko left Beanas workshop. ah A little bit after Jin left, Come to think of it, I wonder where Jin lives? There was no one to answer Beanas question. Chapter 37 - POPCORN

Chapter 37 C POPCORN

The next morning. This time Jin brought a basket of orange-like fruits alone, visiting Beanas workshop. Reiko stayed behind in order to give new instructions to the Maid Golem group on Hourai Ind. Good morning Ah, good morning Jin Today Ive brought this Showing the orange-like fruit in the basket to Beana, This is Citran I dont really know about it but I brought it because its bittersweet and delicious This doesnt grow around here? Jin, you, where the heck did youe from? It was a natural question. Aah, lets see, could be postpone the exnation for a little while longer? Ill eventually say it, but right now is a bit When Jin said that, Beana seemed slightly unsatisfied, Muu it cant be helped. Because I did ask for and received help While saying that she received the basket of Citran. So hows the condition of the refrigerator? Refrigerator? A-Aa. The magic tool we made yesterday F-un, Refrigerator huh? Thats a pretty good name Naturally because it was not a name given by Jin. And so, about that refrigerator, Ive discovered one w What is it? Beana guided to the kitchen where the refrigerator was ced and there, Look Aah, I see The floor was flooded. The ice used for cooling melted, and the water dripped onto the floor. Yeah, what should we do The water from the melted ice needs to not fall down. But then keeping it cool will be difficult The result from the 2 thinking, they decided to put the ice in a metal container. The ice that melts would be frozen again to use. Copper looks good to use Why? Iron is cheaper right now? Iron can rust so the durability will be a problem. Also copper can propagate cold air easily Is that so? Anyway, Jin sure seems to know a variety of things I guess so. Now lets immediately reform it Putting the minor details aside, the two immediately started reforming it. There was no problem with the coldness inside so when the leak was gone, the refrigerator was more or lessplete. Its done Ee. Well then, should we make about 3 of them? Beana used the prototype while looking for ws, besides the ns for various tests, they decided the amount to make to market. Well need to improve the exterior appearance since its for sale Saying that, Jin made a wooden case painted white. Its whats called a rge household appliance. ? Oooh, this feels good Because they had a sample, they were able toplete 3 by noon. They had yet to insert the Magic Stone so it was not operating. Its done Aa, good work Its already noon. I cant offer much, but would you like to eat together? If youre fine with it So Beana went to the kitchen. She seemed to cook something. A short while after, the vegetable soup was finished. Nana and Raldo wille and eat, so go ahead and eat first Though that was said, No, I wont do that. Right, Ill bring them peeled Citran Saying that, Jin took 2 Citran fruit and together with Beana, he moved to the room of the siblings. Ah, Jin-oniichan Finding Jin behind Beana, Raldo raised his voice. Yo. Today Ill peel you Citran Saying that, Jin peeled the Citran. He peeled it with his hand like with an orange, it was easy. Its bittersweet and delicious! Nana was delighted. Beana gazed at the two while they ate with a broad smile. The two came back to their meal in the kitchen. The soup was cooked with various vegetables, and the seasoning wasnt bad. However, Hn? He felt something hard Beana to Jin, Sorry. The corn is hard right? It was the cheapest thing and so it doesnt go soft no matter how much I boil it Jin stared at the corn and tried to slowly chew it. This feeling, could it be Beana, is there still any of this corn? E-Ee. I bought a bag of it so there should still be about 8 kilograms left Jin hurriedly consumed the soup after hearing that and had her show him the corn. Jin looked at what he fiddled with on his hand, With this I might be able to do it With that said, he had Beana head to the workshop after she finished eating. Whats the matter? To Beana who was confused, I came up with something that can quickly make money Saying that he issued instructions to Beana, and they begun making a magic tool. Right. 1 medium sized shallow pot also, 1rge sized dense pot. Hang the shallow pot like this, insert the Magic Stone below While saying that, Jin wrote a Magic Form on the te. Seeing that Beana, Eh? If my eyes havent gone strange, isnt that a lightning type form? Wouldnt you use a fire type for a pot? Then Jin grinned andughed, Thats a feature of this tool. Often people see that lightning generated is miniscule, moreover it changes in extremely short intervals Such a thing can be done Jin assembled the tool together with Beana, furthermore Beana, Could I have the corn from before, also a little bit of oil and salt? Putting the oil, salt and corn in the hanging pot, It will be amusing if it works Murmuring that, the tool activated. A slightly sweet smell came immediately after, suddenly POP was the sound that made together with the corn that popped. Beana who was surprised, Wha-What is it? Alright! Its a sess One popped, and one after another the corn popped. The corn that popped was collected by therge pot ced below. Soon the corn in the top pot was exhausted and Jin stopped the tool. Now, lets try eating it Therge pot had collected the popped corn. Jin picked one up and ate it. Yup, its good Beana having seen that, tried eating a popped corn herself. And, Ah. Delicious She became engrossed in eating it. The popped corn in the pot was quickly gone. Fuu, that was delicious. It makes you want to eat more Right? Its called popcorn. Selling this at the stall will be profitable I believe Ah, thats right! Ill try it out immediately tomorrow! Even if the refrigerator is bought no one will look. If the popcorn bes famous then you might be more known Youre right. Im d I can earn my living expenses for now. Jin, thank you! What is it ah, this, if theres no hard skin on the corn then it wont pop well so be careful Really? Thats good.?I thought it would be more delicious if I used expensive corn And so, Jin and Beana decided to go out to buy corn, oil, and salt. Either way it was cheap so Beana could buy it, Jin received one bag of corn and returned home. Chapter 38 - HOURAI ISLAND IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 38 C HOURAI ISLAND IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Upon returning to Hourai Ind, what awaited Jin was a mountain of reporting. The result of investigating the west side of the wastnd, granite, oya stone and other materials can be collected inrge quantities. For mineral resources there is an abundance of iron ore, but not many of the other minerals were collected Please store the high quality iron ore that is mined A fence has been made on the east side of the grasnds, preparations for a farm has been made Aah, as soon as its done, purchase cattle and sheep with money The establishment of the port of Tatsumi Bay has finished, two fish tanks for experiment have arranged Please continue to investigate the types of fishes The orchard of the teau is finished After this Ill make a refrigerator, so please leave the harvested fruit in there A list for the forest area of the north side has beenpleted. So there a rubber tree there, huh? That is good Etc, etc, etc. After all that, the reports continued until the next day, going to Beanas ce became a rest day. Of course Ill be tired The work the Golem Maids did was more than Jin expected. How is it going on your side Father? After finishing the report, Reiko came to ask. Aa. The prototype of the refrigerator isplete. Also the popcorn Popcorn? Its food made from this corn Jin took out the bag of corn he had brought and showed it. The one to receive it was Topaz. I will see to immediately sowing this in the field Aa, please do so Topaz gave instructions to her subordinate golems. Now then, lets go ahead and make a refrigerator I will help Reiko headed towards the workshop with Jin. Rather than putting in a Magic Stone, using a Magic Crystal should be fine Taking out a water type Magic Crystal, Jin immediately carved a Magic Form. A Magic Crystalpared to a Magic Stone is dozens of times to hundreds of times longersting so he directly used carving for the Magic Form. The frequent need to rece Magic Stones is why tes are used. It doesnt produce ice but directly cools it It would be impossible for Beana, but Jin was able to easy configure theMagic Form. Father, the case isplete Reiko had made the body of the refrigerator. Okay. The case just needs to be given an instion barrier. With this its done It isplete The finished product was 1 metre in height, 70 centimetres in width, and 60 centimetres in depth. Okay, lets put the food in. It will be tasty to eat when cool Understood, I will put them inter Okay, next the unused room for the refrigerator, no Ill remodel it into a refrigerated room He meant to create a storehouse for fruits, nuts, grains, and corn. If thats the case, I believe the first floor interior would be best Though it was a huge refrigerator, with Jin and Reiko cooperating, the size wasnt much of a problem. The immediately brought the fruits to thepleted refrigerated room. Simrly, Jin made another room a freezer. It was because freezing was better for long-term preservation. It could also make ice. Fruits and nuts were also stored there. Once things finished it was already evening. Jin headed to the dining room installed in the Laboratory however, Aah, fruits and nuts are todays meal too He let out aint. Reiko hearing that, Father, although its not much, theres bread and dried meat REALLY!? Jin asked in a fluster. Yes. In fact, just the other day, while Father was in Beanas workshop, I made money by selling Magic Stone at a stall. There I bought it. Did I perhaps do something unecessary? Reiko answered seemingly worried. But Jin, Theres no way, its great you noticed Reiko. Im d Saying that, Reiko held out a baked bread, and dried meat. Yeah, its good Jin ate the dried meat and bread in both hands. The seasoning was just right. Seeing that Reiko smiled, I am d However, the bread and dried meat was for one meal. It would be good if you can secure food tomorrow Jin thought while eating. And then he came up with an idea. Thats right, Reiko, besides that I want to build a house A house is it? Aa. This Laboratory is an absolute secret, in the case if I were to bring someone, leading them to the house outside is the minimum we need to protect the secret Then Reiko slightly frowned, is this about Beana-san? No, its not particrly about Beana. A house near a Warp Gate, I thought would be good. In any case, we wont know where well arrive further in the future, it will be a drawback to buying things like grain or livestock So its that kind of thing. I understand. If thats the case, Ill make it with the help of Soleil and Luna It shouldnt be too big of a house okay? It doesnt matter if its small. Lets see, about twice that of Beanas house would be fine. A simple workshop should also be made as a dummy Roger, leave it to me With this, Jin was relieved that it was now easy to exin when Beana asks where did youe from. Chapter 39 - LIGHTER PRODUCTION

Chapter 39 C LIGHTER PRODUCTION

The next morning, Jin visited Beanas house with the apple-like fruits in a basket. Reiko stayed at home today. More precisely, to build the house. Beana, are you home? He says as he knocks on the door, the door then swiftly opened. Jin! You came! hm? Jin was struck flying by the door. Ow So-Sorry There was a bump on Jins forehead, Beana made an apologetic expression having seen that. Aah, Im fine Cure Jin applied recovery magic on himself. Beana was stunned upon seeing that. Y-Y-You, you can use recovery magic!? Hn? I can use it for this much. I can only cure it if its a recent injury Thats still amazing So, why are you so excited? Jin asked Beana having cured the bump. Ah, right. That Popcorn, its selling really well! ording to Beana, at first people bought it out of curiosity, then people who brought it home to eat, and they then returned to buy more having tasted it. Having seen that people came to try it out, and so for the afternoon all 10kg of corn was used up for the afternoon. So, for Jins share, or rather as my gratitude, I want to give you this Beana held out 3 silver coins. It was about 3000 yen. Wow, youve made quite a profit Yeah. Also, 4 of the magicmp that were ced to the side were sold Ooh. Just as nned As Jin thought, the popcorn would attract customers and the magic tool that was sold was the main. And so I decided to open the store at noon and thought Id make magic tools this morning Oh, did you get some kind of idea? Jin asks, Yes. Right now I have two. One is a convenient portable magicmp, the other one is a magic tool to ignite fire After Jin thought a little while from what he heard, A magic tool to ignite fire, is? I dont really cook much so I dont know what is used Is that so? Well you see, magic usually cant light a fire, so because of that houses preserve the kindling to use for fire lighting Fire lighting is a tool for lighting a fire by rubbing two sticks together. There is a magic tool to put start a fire, however its expensive, it isnt something amoner can put their hands on. Thats why I thought something to ignite a fire would be good Jin was impressed. Put simply a lighter was what Beana had said. Un, isnt that fine? Youve already thought of the conception right? Yes, could you listen about it? First the Magic Stone would Having heard Beanas exnation, Jin, I think thats good. You should go ahead and make it Un And so the production begins. It should be the size to hold in ones palm and a fire should be produced when grasped I believe Un, but because grasping is a bit ambiguous, how about doing it like this? Jin exins about a push button. Aah, that would be great. When you press here, the Magic Stone and te touch and operate Thus the lighter waspleted. Because the Magic Stone is extremely small it can be a lot cheaper It could be used 100 times before the magic stone broke. 1 for 100 torr, thats too expensive. About 50 torr perhaps? Approximately 500 yen. 100 uses so 1 use is 5 yen. Its about right. Also, how about when it can no longer produce fire they cane back and you can rece the Magic Stone for a fee? Aah, I agree. That should be about 20 torr Okay. So, likely, I think this will be imitated soon, so you should sell and earn as much as possible until then Hmm, certainly, its very likely it will imitated Beana also agrees. Ah, also, for all your productions from now on, I think you should put on a engraved seal so its known that its yours Eh? Why? To distinguish from an imitation for one. Also it is better to start selling your name now Beanas face then goes slightly red, Y-You think so? Ive never thought about such a thing before Yes, Im not just pulling outpliments, I believe that Beana will be famous from now on And because Jin said that with a serious look, Beanas face grew more red, Mmm-me, famous? You think She began to wriggle about while Jin bitterly smiled, From now on that is. Will you think about the engraved design? I-I know Incidentally Jins designs together with his naming sense is deplorable. For the engraved seal, the design was decided with cing Beanas favourite flower, the lily inside the B of Beana (the characters of this world are very simr to the alphabet). Alright, lets engrave it on the lighter Jin having said that, Lighter? Y-Yeah. This magic tool, named for lighting a fire, I thought to call it a lighter Lighter un, isnt that fine? Refrigerator was good too, Jin, your sense is great! Aplete misunderstanding, however Jin was not so stupid to point that out. The two who made 20 lighters this morning had bread and vegetable soup as well as the apple (apple-like). Incidentally the apple was theparatively themon fruit. Thanks to you my brother and sister are delighted Since Jin has brought a variety of fruits, both of them now had an appetite. Ah, but I wonder if the apple is a little too hard? Beana was worried since they were bleeding from their gums. If thats the case, why not turn it into juice or bake it? Jin said and Beanas eyes widened. Bake? The apple? Yeah. Take out the core, put in sugar and cinnamon, then bake it with a frying pan Beana having heard Jins exnation, Sugar is impossible because its expensive. Also what is cinnamon? Ahh, right, sorry. Thats a way of eating it in my hometown. Well then, theres grated apple Although Jin had carelessly called it apple, ? Apple? So thats what apples are called from where Jin is from. Un, then well go with grated apple Saying that Beana grated the apples, bringing it to eat together with the younger siblings. Chapter 40 - A DEVICE FOR COMMONERS

Chapter 40 C A DEVICE FOR COMMONERS

After lunch, Jin and Beana went to open the stall. As usual, a simple table ced at the edge of the stall area with magic tools disyed there. Thats how it was supposed to be. Wha-Whats with this crowd It was already overflowing with people. Ah! Itse! Oh, quickly sell the Popcorn please! My children are waiting Two popcorns, make it quick please! 3 popcorns here! It seemed like most customers came to buy the popcorn. Okay okay, please wait a moment Saying that Beana put corn into the popcorn-producing device, adding in oil and salt and activating it. About 3 minutester the corn began to pop. Its always so interesting to see Ohh, smells good The finished popcorn is sold packed up in foliage of Breadfruit. Since the leaves of Breadfruit are supple and dont tear easily, it is a leaf that is widely used for packaging. Here, thank you for your patronage, that will be 5 copper coins 1 packet is 5 torr (about 50 yen), it was set well. To begin with, half of it was for publicity. Ooh, Ive been waiting for this. This is it, this taste!It pulls you back for more Some people opened their package on the spot and started eating. Jin was taken aback seeing that poprity, but quickly noticed the thing they had prepared for the goods disyed on top of the table that were prepared. There was a tag with the name and price of the good. Looking around the stall there were many price tags left to see, however there was close to no description of the goods. And so he had made preparations for this. Hey, what is the Lighter thing? Sure enough, the customers lined up to buy the popcorn had bit. Yes, this is a magic tool to ignite a fire. This is a sample Saying that Jin showed how to use the sample lighter. In his hand was a rectangr case, and pressing the round button attached to centre, a small fire lit up. By doing this, you can use it to light a fire Having given the demonstration, Heeeh, sounds good. Could I have try? A housewife perhaps, about 30 women aid that so Jin handed over the lighter. Do this wah, fire came out. So this is connected to wood for lighting. Its convenient that the pilot me goes out. This is 50 torr? Un, I want it. Please give me one Okay, thank you for your patronage One was immediately sold. Jin received the sample, handing over the good and receiving the money. F-un, it looks useful. Ill take one too please Thank you for your patronage The customers who were waiting to buy popcorn saw the usefulness of the lighter and people came out to buy it. Un, I want it but I dont have any money on me right now, hey, are youing to sell this tomorrow too? Yes, Ille Then perhaps Ill buy it tomorrow Like that, before the evening, the corn that was prepared was all used up and the lighter had also sold out. Shall we go home? Yeah Beana had a worn out face. Not ustomed to it, Jin who was also tired decided to return. However, it sure sold well Aah, I was also surprised. More than 200 people came to buy Seems like it. The turnover was remarkable The pouch hanging on Beanas waist was full of copper coins. As for Jin, he had a mix of silver and copper coins. Cant we go exchange the money? Jin asked, Its dull since a handling fee is taken Was the answer that was returned. Returning to Beanas house, the turnover was calcted. Popcorn sales were 2200 torr, the lighter sales were 1000 torr. A total of 3200 torr. From there the cost of the materials was 500 torr for 10kg of of corn, 100 torr for salt, and 300 torr for oil. The magic stone for the lighter was 500 torr and the other things were 100 torr. After deduction is a profit of 1700 torr About 17000 yen in one day, Jin converted it mentally. It was so-so. Then for Jin, half is 850 torr. Here, take it A pouch filled with copper coins was presented. Wait a moment, I dont need so much But, this is an equal split Theres no need for that. The things produced in the workshop are yours and you also supplied the materials. 7 to 3 is fine Umm, then that would be? Please take 700 torr since its a pain to calcte. Here, I did receive things like fruits Saying that Beana held out 700 torr of silver coins. By the way, the correct calction is 510 torr. well thats fine Jin received it with a bitter smile. Now then, since theres still time shouldnt we procure materials? Thats right, although Im tired I need to go buy them by the end of today Beana carried a big bag on her for shopping. Jin did too. First well go buy Magic Stones To buy light things Jin stopped Beana who moved to go buyMagic Stones for the lighter. Wait wait, if its Magic Stones I can prepare them Eh? Aah,e to think of it, you did you had Magic Stones Yep. Ill sell it at cost price so dont worry I feel bad but thank you So the two went around to buy salt, oil, and corn. Jin had finally obtained barley and wheat for food. All the profit has flown away Beana was slightly dispirited. Still barely keeping the business, there was no way to have a break. A little bit longer and an allowance will appear Jin said tofort her. Beana, Thats right. I couldnt sell at all before Jin came, there was no room for luxury Saying that she raised her face. But, the reputation of the lighter, Im d. After all, its worth making something useful for everyone Yeah, I think so too. Well then, you should think of something to make besides making the lighter Ah, are you going home? Aa, sorry. Ill make sure toe tomorrow Ok, thank you for today Saying that Jin bid farewell to Beana, returning home carrying the corn and wheat. Changing scenes, in the mansion of a noble within the walls. A 12 or 13 year old boy was in avish room. Sitting on an alsovish chair. There a servant came over. Young Master, Ive bought the thing you spoke of The servant presented the thing packed in the leaves of Breadfruit. Ooh, here it is. Un, lets see That was without a doubt popcorn. The boy took a bite, Un, delicious! This has a taste Ive never had from what Ive eaten until now While saying that, munch munch he ardently ate it all up. Its already finished? Oi, go buy me some more Saying that the employee had an apologetic expression, Theyve already closed up shop today, you will have to bear till tomorrow to buy more Saying that the boy seemed displeased, Then order the cook to make it Chapter 41 - CONFESSION

Chapter 41 C CONFESSION

Wee home, Father Returning to theboratory, Reiko came to greet him. Although it has be quite dark, the house isplete so please have a look Eh? Already? Jin was surprised that Reikos group had built a house in one day, however Jin did not realise it would have been quicker if he had done it himself. Putting that aside, looking out besides theboratory, there stood a Japanese style house with a tiled roof. This is From Fathers memory, I looked for a form that was easy to live in A single story house with wooden tile-roofing. The walls were stered with y. Please have a look at the inside too Once inside, there is a foyer where you can take off your shoes. The corridor had a wooden floor and dirt floor close together with the kitchen. There were 4 rooms, and contrary to the wooden floor he had expected, tatami? The thing that resembled tatami was spread all over. ording to Fathers memory, it is soft rush right? And so to make it, I saw a simr grass that grew in the wends and tried to use it To do this much he wouldnt have thought, to make this for him showed how much Reiko thought of Jin. Reiko, thank you. You are truly a lovely daughter Jin said with a big smile, Reiko was also delighted from being praised. I guess Ill sleep here for tonight Yes, go ahead That night, Jin spread out a futon and slept in a tatami (tatami-like) room for the first time in a while. The next morning. Jin ate a gruel of barley for breakfast, Reiko, please sell the small Magic Stones again for money. I then want you to stock up on wheat, barley, and seasoning. Yes, very well. Do I go to Beana-sans ce after Im done? Aah, thats right. If were not at the stall then well probably be at Beanas house Understood The Magic Stone collected on Hourai Ind was of high quality so it sold for a fairly high price. Reiko had sold 3 and obtained 5000 torr, using that money to buy wheat and barley. The price of wheat and barley in the vicinity of Blue Land was 1kg of wheat for 80 torr and 1 kg of barley for 90 torr. By buying 10kg it was slightly cheaper. Reiko walked while carrying the 60kg of barley and wheat, the clerk of the grain shop was jaw dropped seeing her off. She handed over a portion of the wheat brought back to Hourai Ind to Peridot, cultivating it. The rest was stored as food. Since salt can be collected from the sea of Hourai Ind, by buying a little pepper, Reikos role was done. Ill go earn a little more money So Reiko sold another 2 Magic Stones, obtaining 3200 torr and headed for where Jin was. Good morning Good morning, Jin I brought Pelshka again today Thank you! Beana no longer cared about where the fruits Jin brought were from. Somehow, it seems like the condition of my siblings get better from eating this Thats good. Its best if he can recover without seeing a doctor Jin saying that, Jin, do you perhaps know how this happened? Saying that Beana gazed at Jin with upturned eyes. Aah, I might have thought of it. However, can I say it without being certain? Therefore I kept silent Come to think of it you did say something like that. Hey, what kind of disease is it? Scurvy Sukerubi? Beana tilted her head to the unfamiliar word. Its a disease that easily appears if one does not eat fresh vegetables and fruit. Beanas vegetables speaking of which, the soup should be enough? When heated up, the special nutrients contained in vegetables wille to an end. Therefore it is meaningful to eat it fresh Beana continued to tilt her head while Jin exined, Why do you have this knowledge Jin? somehow Jin seems fundamentally different from me She said. Ahh, I may have received some special education. Its probably because of that Education? Jin, do you attend a school? School? Am I wrong? Then perhaps you meant a tutor? Were you rich? Or are you a noble? Jin waved his hands in front of his face, No no. How should I say it The house wasplete so he thought about it. Im an orphan Eh? Beana was bewildered by the sudden confession. Jin continued, So, the ce where I live is an isted ind. There arent anymore teachers That ind has an Artifact called a Warp Gate W-W-Wha, a Warp Gate you say!!?? Beana was surprised and flustered. Jin to that Beana, Calm down. So, after using it I came out to the side of a forest. And you know the rest afterwards Quite a bit was left omitted, but he generally didnt say a lie. The details were shocking and after a while Beana, I somewhat understand. So thats the reason why Jin is a special Magic Craftsman The fruits are also grown on the ind Jin appended. I see. Thank you. Do you trust me? Aah. Can you not talk to others about it? Of course. Anyway, I think Ill make lighters today too Of course Ill help So the two immediately began production of the lighter. Since it sold so well, 40 were prepared today. Since there was still a little bit of time, So, did youe with something else you make? Jin asked. Beana, Ah, yes. You see, cant we make a magic tool that produces hot water? The lighter can simply light a fire to reach the point for that cant it? When Jin rejected so, Its different. Though I say hot water, its not the boiling water used for cooking, for example washing your hands, or wiping your body, that kind of hot water. With that exnation Jin pped his hand in admiration, Aah, I see. I got it That is to say a magic tool like the modern Earth water heater. It would be great if it could make moderately hot water. It doesnt seem soplicated Right? So I thought of cing something that generates heat in a container filled with water Beanaid out her n, however Jin rejected it. Aah, thats pointless Why!? Readily shutting Beana down, she spontaneously raised her voice. Yesterday you said it, a tool useful for everyone I said that? That means you should try to keep the price as cheap as possible okay? Well if thats how it is In that case youll need to think of efficiency first Efficiency? Aah. Like the effort in regards to work, that meaning Hearing that Beana pondered, soon understanding the meaning, I see. Use as little magic as possible, producing as much hot water as possible, that kind of meaning right? Right right. You catch on quick Jin was honestly impressed. Chapter 42 - CLICHé DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 42 C CLICH DEVELOPMENT

In the end there wasnt enough time that day to start making a Water Heater, Jin and Beana finished their lunch, and like yesterday, they opened the stall. Somehow it feels like theres more people than yesterday The crowd had increasedpared to yesterday. The two of them immediately began preparations. Ohh, weve been waiting Quickly make some Okay, please wait~ Beana began to make popcorn while Jin arranged the magic tools for disy. There Reiko joined. Jin upon seeing Reikos figure, Oh, Reiko. Already finished? Yes. The purchase of barley, wheat, and pepper is done They whispered to each other so the noisy customers didnt hear it. Alright, thene help me out here Understood And so Reiko joined as a salesperson too. Ara, what a cute child. Is she your little sister? One of the customers said. Jin and Reiko, both had ck hair so they appeared to be brother and sister. No, I am his daughter, was what Jin interrupted Reiko from saying, Thats right. She came to help Heeh, what a good girl. Ah, please give me one of these lighters please. The one I bought and took home yesterday was taken by my mother-inw as she said this is great Okay, thank you for your patronage Handing over the lighter, Jin received the money. Reiko seemed displeased. However Jin whispered, Reiko, well only pretend youre my sister here. We dont want our problems increasing I understand Onii-sama Like that, the popcorn and lighter were sold out this day like the day before. We sold out today too Aah, thats great While they had their conversation and heading towards Beanas home, a group of people ahead intercepted them. Hehehe, you seem to be making quite the profit recently, huh? You should share a little bit of that profit with us There were four bad looking men. All four carried a sword on their waist. uwa. Talk about clich Jin was amazed, but without minding Jin the men reached their hands towards the pouch hanging on Beanas waist. What do you think youre doing! This is todays sales! Beana pped away his hand. Liiiike I said, share a little with us Dont joke with me! Why do I have to share with you! There was the same stubborn Beana as always. Jin, What youre saying sounds like a thief, you do know that right? He enquired. Then one of them, What about it! Saying that, he attacked while aiming at Jin. However, the next moment, that man was in the air. And like that, Heguu! He made a weird scream as he was mmed to the ground, then there was silence. What were you trying to do to Father? Of course that was Reikos doing. The remaining three men couldnt believe that Reiko who seemed only about 10 years old had done that, What the hell did you do just now? Did she use magic? They began to shout. Jin towards those guys, Its best you take that person and go back He said, but the men didnt listen to that warning. Are you screwing with me? Are you blind that you dont understand? As he said that, one of the men drew their sword from their waist. Lets give you a little bit of pain Saying that he shed at Jin. However, that sword did not reach Jin. Dont say things you cant do Saying that from behind him, Reiko snatched the sword from him instantly. Wha-What!? Such a blunt sword, theres no way its useful Saying that, Reiko showed in front of the mans eyes, her bending the de. A-Are you a monster!? The remaining two driven by fear, drew their sword and recklessly began to swing. Thats dangerous However in a blink of an eye Reiko had taken those swords, crumpling them into a ball in her hand this time. U-UWAAAAAA! Seeing that, the men ran away disregarding the unconscious one. Cowards After saying that, Reiko caught up to the three, giving one a blow in the sr plexus. Another one, a chop to the back of the neck. And thest one was hurled away, fainting. Father, Im done Aah, good work The two conversed that way as if it was natural, Beana, Reiko is too amazing. Like this my Rod of Paralysis isnt useful at all She sighed with aint. So, what should we do with these guys? The four were splendidly sprawled out on the ground. Lets see, tie them up and hand them over to the guards Got it Jin reformed the swords the men carried with Forming into a wire, tying up the men. Thats an interesting way to use it Forming is a Craft Magic, Beana can use it too so she imitated reforming the sword into wire, tying up thest one. Now then, first well put away our things then go hand over these guys Okay They fastened the unconscious men just in case. And so the three returned to Beanas house to put away their things. Well then, shall we go hand over these guys? Yeah, although its bothersome The three of them then returned, the four were still unconscious. What shall we do? Father, Ill go drag them Just like she said, Reiko dragged the four, still unconscious, to the soldier guardroom. Against the stone, their trousers seemed to fray. That was something Jin and the others didnt care about. Why cant you make it! Ipetent! The jeer resounded in the mansion. Young Master, the finest corn, the finest oil, the finest salt were used however Whats the finest! This is burnt and isnt the least bit swelled is it! Like I could eat this! The te with the burnt corn was thrown away. What could the problem be? It seemed so simple to make though There was no answer to that grumble. Chapter 43 - REQUEST

Chapter 43 C REQUEST

The next day Jin went to Beanas house alone. Reiko was giving out various instructions on Hourai Ind for the morning chore and arranged to join in the afternoon. First the two of them produced 50 lighters. Then they decided to spend the remaining time refining the n for the water heater. How about the water is collected in the bucket, then the inside is heated up? Beana proposed to Jin, Un, that sounds good Agreed. So they immediately began making a prototype. Making a bucket container with copper, theybined it with a heater Magic Device. It was more or less finished once it was inserted into a wooden bucket. Its done Alright, lets put in water Beanas house has a water well to use for Magic Craft. Drawing the water from there, they filled the container. Heat Reciting the keyword, the Magic Device activated. In about 5 minutes, The temperature of 10 litres of water enough for a hot bath. We did it! Its a sess Aah, it went well. What will happen if we left it going? Leaving it to continue operating, the water begins to boil after about 10 minutes. It can also boil water huh Beana was pleased. However Jin, Un, when thinking for safety and the consumption of the Magic Stone, it should stop at the temperature of a hot bath I see I wonder what we should do. Certainly, there are other ways to boil water It would be fine if it used a Magic Crystal, however for it to boil, the Magic Stone would be exhausted right? Beana thought for a while, Un, Ive decided. This Water Warmer, lets prevent it from boiling Well develop the Water Heater separately Alright And so, with theWater Warmer prototype, the two headed to the stall. Reiko was already waiting there. Oh, Reiko, you came early today Yes, Fath Onii-sama. The purchase of nessary products are done The same as yesterday and the day before, Beana made the popcorn and Jin was the salesperson. Give me one of those things called a lighter Thank you for your patronage The sale of the lighter was doing well today too. Meanwhile, Jin ced theWater Warmerprototype he brought on the table. Ara? What is that? Seeing an unfamiliar magic tool, the popcorn customers were pulled in. This is called a water warmer. You put water in and operate it Heat Facing the fascinated onlookers, The water inside bes hot water Since steam emerged after 5 minutes passed, the customers who saw that were amazed. Hey hey, this, can this boil water? Thats dangerous, so its only up to a temperature where you can put your hand in F-uun. Although it seems like it still has various uses like washing With this I can warm up water at night and save on firewood Oh yeah! I kinda want it. Hey, how much is it? Jin was at a loss for this. He hadnt arranged a price with Beana. So in a rush he ounted the costs in his head. Lets see, one for 200 torr If its that much Ill probably buy it. However I dont have enough money today Ah, this is a made to order product so if you order today, we can hand it over tomorrow Ara I see. Then Ill order one Thank you for your patronage They quickly received one order. Was what he thought, Ohh, Ill order too I want one too Surprisingly, three were sold. It seemed to be more popr than what he thought. Eventually the popcorn and lighter are sold out. There were five orders for water warmers. Im so happy. This is thanks to you Jin. I cant express how grateful I am Beana said with her face on the verge of tears. Haha, Im d i could help. Anyway, wont we run out of copper if we continue? Also the wood for making the bucket Ah, youre right what should we do? Theres no stores to buy copper from in the area Beana was worried. When Jin saw that, Itll be fine. There should be enough left to use tomorrow R-Really? Although its my workshop, why does Jin know more about it than me? Inventory management is important. You cant be out of materials in the middle of making something R-Right, Ill do my best. But its good that Jin is here. I want to praise the old me who requested your help Beanaughed while saying that. On the other hand, Reiko remained silent. A figure of a person appeared in front of the three. Excuse me, are you the Magic Craftsman Beana? It was a man dressed in extravagant, but not gaudy, clothes. With short cut blonde hair and about 35 years old. Y-Yes. Im Beana The man lightly bowed upon that answer, I am the butler that serves Earl Guarana, ude O-Okay The man who called himself ude was slender and tall, with a well featured face. Such a man bowing to her, Beana was a little embarrased. Recently, the food called popcorn has been popr in the area, so yesterday a person from our house purchased it, but after eating it our young master said he wanted more Haa If you can, I would like for you to teach me how to make it. Of course I will reward you Beana looked towards Jin. Originally, it was Jin that told her about popcorn. Having noticed the meaning of her nce, Jin nodded in agreement. Y-Yes, thats alright with me ude upon hearing Beanas answer, Really!? Thank you very much! If thats the case, I would like us to go to the mansion immediately To ude who was saying that, Uhh, umm, can Jin alsoe with me? Hearing that, I was told to bring Ms Beana alone so He said. So Beana, Is that so please wait a little bit so I can put away my things udeplied, I understand. Where is your home? If youd like, I can escort you with a carriage He offered but, N-No, its close by so Ille back immediately, if you could just wait for a moment Saying that she began to jog. Jin and Reiko followed. Heading towards the house, Beana faced Jin, Jin, is it really fine? To teach him Its fine its fine. Besides, the other party seems to be a noble so go and receive the reward Un Beanas face was somewhat anxious on going to the mansion of a noble for the first time, she was worried if she will make a mistake, so she spoke her mind. Its fine. Since the other party were the ones to ask me toe. Furthermore itll be night soon, I cant leave my younger brother and sister can I? It was already the evening. They were slowly getting better, however the siblings were still bedridden, so leaving them to go would be bad. Thats why Ill take care of them until Beanaes back Was what Jin said, Really? Then theres no helping it, Ill go then Beana resigned herself, deciding to head towards Earl Guaranas mansion. Chapter 44 - HOUSE-SITTING

Chapter 44 C HOUSE-SITTING

Well then, Jin, I leave them to you Aah, go ahead. Reiko, Ill be counting on you Yes, Father Beana went out carrying corn and the popcorn producing device. Jin ordered Reiko to bring the luggage to udes ce. Now then, I should head over to Nana and Raldo Before heading out, Beana told the two of them that while she was away, Jin would take care of them. Ah, Jin-niichan Both of theirplexion had improvedpared to the first time they met. It was a sign they were recovering from scurvy. Beana is on an errand and will be a littlete so well have dinner a little bitter. Eat this until then Saying that he held out a te of Pelshka fruit. Waa, I love this! Its delicious! Nana and Raldo delightedly ate. Meanwhile Jin prepared dinner. That said, it was only baking bread and heating up oat gruel and soup. Father, I have just returned Reiko had returned. Thanks for the work She properly went by carriage I see In the mean time, since the oat gruel and soup were warmed, he divided the portions into the dishes and carried it over to where Nana and Raldo were. Because he took care of small children when he was at the orphanage, he was used to this. Here, dinners ready Thank you, Onii-chan He waited for the two to finish eating then he cleaned up the dishes and went back to the kitchen. Reiko had heated up Jins portion. Father, I have cooled it down to a good temperature Actually, Jin didnt like hot food. Even if he only ate hot things, he wasnt used to it. Oh, thank you It was already pitch ck outside. She should being back soon if shes just teaching how to make popcorn, Jin thought. Beana sure iste Father, tonight, are we staying here? Un, since Beana entrusted me with this I cant just leave those kids and go home When Jin said that, Reiko, Then Ill go back home for a moment, Ill bring back Fathers bedding Aah, youll do that for me? Yes, I will go now Reiko quickly disappeared into the darkness. it couldnt be, something couldnt have happened could it? Ooh! Delicious! That is great, young master Beana had been making popcorn in Earl Guaranas mansion. The corn she brought was cheap, but she used the finest salt and oil so the taste had be entirely different. Fuu, Im satisfied Saying that the selfish boy left the dining room. Leaving behind some leftover popcorn, Beana, and the butler ude. So after I clean up can I go home? Beana asked, then ude says, Yes. However, Id like to purchase that production device if possible Eh, but without this Ill be in trouble tomorrow Beana gently refused. Naturally because it was Jins property, but as amoner Beana was nervous. If its a noble, they could forcibly take it, since it does actually happen. Of course Ill pay you a suitablepensation. Including my thanks foring, how about 10 gold coins? 10 gold coins, meaning 100,000 torr. Approximately equivalent to 1 million yen. 10 coins!? Yes. How about it? Right now the profit including expenses for the day is a little less than 4000 torr. It was 25 times, about one months worth. If she was to make it anymore difficult, the worst situation might ur. I understand. Ill take it Beana epted. And so, to apologize after returning home, she would have to hand over all 10 gold coins to Jin, was what she inwardly resolutely decided. Then ude continued speaking. So about this, Ive heard you are quite an excellent Magic Craftsman. How about it, would you like be an exclusive Magic Craftsman for this house? Exclusive? In other words, to be a patron. By being employed by a noble, you dont have to worry about production costs, and can make as many things you like. Beana remembered her teacher, Gradia Hampton. He had three nobles backing him, he had a life without a problem like a countryside noble. Furthermore ude says, If you do be exclusive to us, we will offer to repay the entire debt you are carrying Eh, how did you know Beana was surprised that ude spoke about her debt. Excuse me for having taken it upon myself to investigate Calude answered nonchntly. Beana looked down, pondering. The debt she holds now was about 1.2 million torr. Studying under Gradia Hampton and the expense of taking her parents to the doctor. Currently the prospect to repay it did not seem to be looking up. But Beana raised her head, recalling thest few days. After meeting Jin, she had a new view on magic tools. She knew the joy of shaping her own thoughts. The joy of making a magic tools not for nobles, but for themoners. Im sorry, but I will have to refuse Those were the words that came out of Beanas mouth. She would not yield on this. I see, thats too bad. Pleasee tell me if you change your mind ude said, holding out a pouch containing 10 gold coins. This bag holds the crest of our house. If at one point you will have business at our house, please show it to the gatekeeper Th- Thank you very much Beana nervously received it. Now then, Ill escort you back is what Id like to say, but the gates are already close, so please feel free to stay the night. Ill escort you back as soon as the gates open tomorrow Y-Yes, thank you ude led Beana to the guest room. Beana did not see that his lips had slightly twisted. Jinid out the nket that Reiko brought and made the bed. At that time. Father, someone is approaching here Hn? Has Beana returned? Jin asked carelessly, No. It isnt her magic power. There are four people. Coming by carriage From Jins upgrade, Reikos magic power detection ability had improved. Since Reiko said it, it must be right. The sound of the carriage stopping in front of the house could be heard, right after that the sound of knocking on the door came. Chapter 45 - ANOTHER NOBLE

Chapter 45 C ANOTHER NOBLE

Who is it? Reiko opened the door. There stood a middle-aged man wearing a butler clothing. I apologize for interrupting your evening, is this the home of the Magic Craftsman Beana-san Yes, it is The man then bowed, My name is Sevanz, I serve the house of Earl Kuzuma. Regarding the magic tool that Beana-san made, the head of my house said he would like to talk Head of the house, do you mean Earl Kuzuma came? Yes, he is waiting in the carriage Please wait a moment So Reiko went back and consulted Jin. Since Jin had heard the conversation, Ill go Saying that he traded ces with Reiko and faced Sevanz. Beana is currently away on business. Im Jin and work as her assistant, if you dont mind I can listen to your story Sevanz then thought for little while, Okay, then Ill let Jin-san be the other party Saying that, he opened the rear window of the carriage and spoke something, Is it fine for us to intrude into your house? He asked Jin. Jin immediately approved and says to Reiko, Reiko, take out the apple from the refrigerator and peel it please Was his instruction. Sevanz had his master, Earl Kuzuma got off from the carriage and followed him inside. Wee, pleasee in Earl Kuzuma. My name is Jin, the assistant of Beana Un, sorry for visiting so suddenly, but there are various circumstances Looking at the Earl who said that, he was a youth in his mid 20s. Brown hair, brown eyes. Face is normal but holds a refined atmosphere. Excuse me for this dirty ce, please have a seat Because Jin was a member of society, he more or less knew manners in regards to superiors. Umu Reiko then came over with the apples. It isnt much, but please have some She presented the apples. It was Sevanz who reached out his hand. Probably for poison tasting. Excuse me Saying that he took a bite and Sevanz face changed into astonishment. Wha Seeing that, the Earl, What is it? Its rare of you to make a face like that Upon hearing that, Ha, my apologies. This apple though, its been cooled down quite a bit What? On hearing that, Earl Kuzuma took a slice himself and ate it. Ooh! This is delicious. Especially when its cold How did you like it? Jin promptly asked, Umu, I love it. How did you cool it? Surely you arent rich enough to buy enough ice for it are you? Because this country is in the south, ice doesnt form even in winter. To refrigerate, ice made from ice magic is typically used, but its very expensive, somoners are unable to touch it. Yes, we developed a Refrigerator, something used for preservation Refrigerator? Yes. A magic tool using a Magic Stone Earl Kuzumas face then smiled broadly, So thats it. You guys develop any magic tool you want and selling it cheaply to themoners dont you? Yes, theres also the lighter Umu. In fact, one of our servants bought one, it seemed like quite the useful magic tool. So I was interested in the manufacturer We are honored Also, isnt there that water warmer thing too? Yes, there is It seems like one of the servants from the Earls house ordered one today. After all it is interesting. To begin with, arent the magic tools a Magic Craftsman makes valuable? No, Beana we thought of making something useful for a wide range of people, thats how it is The Earl stared at Jin who answered that with interest, Fu-Fuhahaha! Youre a peculiar one! And then, I like you. Truthfully, I wanted to ask to employ you as a Magic Craftsman for my house, but I wont. Like this, continue on making more and more great things Jin was a little surprised. The Earl in front of him, rather than his own benefits, he gave priority to the benefit of the people. If theres a time youre in trouble, feel free toe ask me for help. Ill help as much as I can The Earl said that to him, If thats how it is, Ill kindly ept your offer When Jin said that, the Earl leaned forward, Hn? What is it? Is there something troubling you? Yes. In fact, this evening Beana was invited by Earl Guarana, she went to visit the Earls ce, however even though its this time, she hasnte back. Her younger siblings are very worried Hearing that Earl Kuzuma, I see. It must be for business. Earl Guarana, huh? Crossing his arms, Earl Kuzuma began to think of something. He soon uncrossed his arms, I got it. Before returning home, Ill stop by Earl Guaranas ce Jin was relieved on hearing that. Thank you very much. Thank you for your help He said his thanks, then the Earl rose but sat down again, Umu. Thats right, before I go home can I see the refrigerator? Having said that, Jin carried over one of the three they made. The powerless Jin could carry it since it weighed about 20kg. Hou. So this is it With interest, the Earl looked at the appearance, opened the door, and looked inside, The Magic Stone is ced inside, reciting the Keyword will activate it Its pretty simple huh. Is this for sale? Yes. Though it wouldnt sell at the stall Thats how it would be How about 10 gold coins? Ha? Jin was taken aback. 10 golds coin would be 100,000 toru, approximately 1 million yen. Is that not enough? N-No, its fine Jin answered while stuttering, Ooh, I see. Sevanz, the gold coins. Also load this on the carriage Yes The pouch of gold coins was ced in front of Jin. And the refrigerator was carried out in exchange. Having affirmed that, Earl Kuzuma stood up, Whew, tonight was quite worthwhile Saying that he held out his hand to Jin. When Jin took his hand, the Earl, Let us talk again Saying that he left the room. Chapter 46 - TWO EARLS

Chapter 46 C TWO EARLS

The castle gates used massive doors. A carriage stopped in front of that. Its Earl Kuzuma. Please open the gate The sentinels protecting the castle gate checked the crest engraved on the carriage and it was certainly that of an Earls house, furthermore the coachman presented a pass topare, Opening the gate! A loud voice directed from the officer on the top of the rampart. Then the gate opened while making a heavy sound, Please pass through The sentinel saw them off and the carriage passed through. Fuu, this feels good Beana entered the bath in Earl Guaranas mansion. As youd expect from an Earls mansion, marble was spread across the luxurious bath that overflowed with hot water, As expected, nobles have a good life For bathing, themoners wipe their body with hot water at most, it is fundamentally different. I got to do my best Beana muttered getting out of the bath. Returning to the dressing room, the clothes she took off were gone, and instead new underwear and a bathrobe had been ced. Somehow it looks more luxurious then I remember She said while putting on the underwear. The silk feltfortable. After putting on the bathrobe, she left the dressing room. A plump middle-aged man was there. Kya Hohou, quite the thing arent you With a hand on his chin the man muttered, his status could be identified from the extravagant clothes he wore.So Beana, U-Umm, you are? Hn? I am Earl Guarana E-Earl-sama! Beana hurriedly bowed, the Earl waved his hand, Aah, its fine its fine. More importantly,e with me Ha? I saide with me! Kyaa! The Earl forcibly seized Beanas hands. Beana tried to shake him off but. If you disobey me, something might happen to your little brother and sister you know? ! It was obviously a threat. Beanas face was frozen. Youve calmed down, now,e Once again gripping her hands, he dragged Beana along. Her face was pale. Walking down the corridor and going up the stairs, they arrived at a room. Were going in A maid stood in front of the door, giving a look of pity at Beana for a moment, then opening the door ording to the Earls order, the two of them entered. In the middle of the room was arge bed. Even Beana could guess what she would be made to do here. However, holding onto a gleam of hope, she tried asking. Um, what are we doing here? Earl Guarana then obscenely grinned with his oily face, Gufu, youre asking what were doing here? Were doing this! Kyaaaa! Suddenly pulling her bathrobe, Beana lost her bnce. She fell back onto the bed from before. The night is long, lets enjoy ourselves N-No The Earl approached her while taking off his coat, Beana tried to resist but, Your little brother and sister are quite cute arent they? Saying it again, Beana stopped resisting. Dont be so afraid, Ill treat you nicely While saying that the Earl leaned bent over Beana. N-NOOOOOO! But that voice only pleasured the Earl. Gufufufu, itll be great if you raise your voice again And then at the time his hands were about to touch Beanas underwear. There was a knock on the door. Although the Earl ignored it at first, the sound of knocking came again, Be quiet. Im busy! He shouted but, My apologies. However, Earl Kuzuma hase to see you What!? Though they had the same position of Earl, Earl Kuzumas house is an old family, on the other hand Earl Guaranas house was an upstart. Their influence was different in the kingdom. He could not ignore it. Clicking his tongue, Earl Guarana separated from Beana. He left the room with loud footsteps. When the door shut, Beana breathed a sigh of relief. Wee, Earl Kuzuma Earl Guarana greeted him at the entrance lobby. No need, I think its inexcusable I came at such a time tonight Then donte! Was what Earl Guarana yelled out in his mind, but on the surface he was smiling, No, it cant be helped for this urgent business. So, what kind of business did youe here for? He ended the greetings and quickly cut to the chase, it was quite obvious he wanted him to go away. Yes, then Ill get to it immediately I wish for you to hand over the Magic Craftsman Beana What was that? Ive heard that Earl Guarana had invited her from her assistant. In addition, the sentinels of the rampart have confirmed that she has not left the walls yet Earl Guarana hurriedly calcted the profit and losses in his brain. The other party was a youth, however his family had participated politics. On the other hand he had went from Viscount to Earl using money. It seemed like he better act obediently. O-Ooh, Beana. She went to use the bath earlier, she should be just about done now. Ill send for her now. Oi ude quickly left there. The silence was painful. Guaranas back was dripping with sweat. Shortly after, ude came back with Beana. Her clothes returned to her former one. She securely held the pouch of money. Are thou Beana-dono? Y-Yes Suddenly being brought before another noble, Beana was worried, however Earl Kuzuma seemed to sense that, I am called Earl Kuzuma. I was requested by Jin-dono to pick up thou Eh? By Jin!? Hearing Jins name, the colour returned to Beanas face. Indeed. Come, lets go Earl Kuzuma said, beckoning Beana. Beana timidly walked over. When Earl Kuzuma gently took Beanas hand, Well then, Earl Guarana, excuse me for having intruded Saying that he left the ce. Chapter 47 - CLOUDING

Chapter 47 C CLOUDING

Beana was now in Earl Kuzumas trembling carriage. Seeing Beana who seemed bored, the Earl called out to her. Beana-dono, to be honest, today I went to meet you To meet me? Right. I always hear about a stall where a Magic Craftsmansells interesting magic tools Um are you talking about the lighter? The Earl nodded, Yes. And when I went to visit thy house, the assistant called Jin weed me instead Jin did? I see Look, I was allowed to buy this Saying that, the Earl pointed at the refrigerator on the corner seat. Ah, the refrigerator The Earl nodded, He talked a little about that, you wanted to make something useful for everyone, I heard thats your motto Eh? Ah, yes, thats right Honestly, I wanted to have you as an exclusive Magic Craftsman for my mansion, but when I heard that I changed my mind Eh? I dont want this matter to be spread about The Earl established the former, About half year ago, golems and magic beasts came from the direction of Seruroa Kingdom EH!? Seruroa Kingdom is a country bordering the north of Egeria Kingdom where Blue Land is. Blue Land is rtively south of the Egeria Kingdom. Therefore the information the Earl spoke of did note through official means. Of course many people would think something is happening. So the nobles have started to eagerly gather excellent Magic Craftsmen to take advantage of it to strengthen their power Well, with that power, I believe its fine if used correctly, but how should I say it, most of the nobles have obviously used it for their own house Beana had no idea what to say back and just silently listened. Compared to them, Beana-dono has a proper idea. Themoners who pay the taxes, you could say that they support the country. Thou who attempts to make magic tools for thosemoners is admirable T-Thank you Being praised by the Earl who is a noble, Beana finally spoke that much. Now then. We should be at the castle gates soon The carriage left after going through the procedure in reverse when it first came. In front of Beanas house, Jin was waiting there. Hou, seems like hes been worried waiting a long time for thee J-Jin!? Wee home, Beana I-Im home Beana slightly blushed while getting off the carriage. Reiko had actually sensed the carriage so he only came out a while ago, however Beana didnt know that nor did Jin say it. The Earl opened the window, Jin-dono, I have fulfilled thy request Saying that, the carriage turned around and once again headed back to the inner city. Jin and Beana went inside the house and both exined to each other what had happened. When Beana said she had sold the popcorn production device, Beana bowed apologetically. It already happened but, Im sorry. That was yours but I sold it without your permission. To tell the truth, I didnt want the 10 gold coins Hearing that, Jinughed, Haha, its fine already. You honestly told me. Also, since it was a nobles request, it was practically an order Since you said that, I feel much better now. Im really sorry about it. Also, here Beana held out the 10 gold coins to Jin. Yeah, thanks Jin epted it. If he didnt, Beana wouldnt be able to get rid of her guilt. Jin also held out the money he got from selling the refrigerator to Beana. Beana gave half, 5 gold coins to Jin. Jin also epted it. They then talked about what happened after, about Beana being assaulted by Earl Guarana and being forced to stay the night. She was saved thanks to Earl Kuzuma. I see. I really owe Earl Kuzuma When Jin said that, Beana also, Yeah. Hes a good person Saying that, she slightly blushed. Seeing that, Jin though oh my but didnt let it slip his mouth, Well then, since youre back now, its about time for me to go home Eh? Its already sote. You should stay No, Ill have to refuse. Good night Saying that, Jin left the room before Beana could stop him. Whats with him, jeez Beana pouted while she went to see how her siblings were. They seemed to be sleeping well so she slipped into her own bed. On the other side, Jin. What do you think? Returning to Hourai Ind, Jin consulted Reiko. What the Earl had said about Seruroa Kingdom you mean? Theres the possibility it might be some kind of magic experiment Magic experiment? Yes. The golem Father met, and the golem that attacked that country. Also the Hekatonkheires I met, as well as what the Earl said. It sounds like the work of a human Hmm Jin folded his arms and pondered, Father, will you stop going to Blue Land soon? Eh? Beana is already independent, the purchase of the grains we can obtain there has also been settled. I think itll be good to go see another ce Certainly, what Beana asked for could be considered done. The refrigerator too, if the Earl talks about it , the nobles will probably buy it. In that case, the debt would definitely soon be paid back. The illness of the siblings too, theyve practically gotten better from the fruits he left behind. We cant always be going back and forth, what you said is certainly true. Then after this, well go another 2 or 3 times then tell Beana about it Okay The next day, Jin thought to tell Beana about this matter indirectly and headed to Beanas house. Reiko nned to join after she gave instructions to the Golem Maids on Hourai Ind. And in front of the house, a single carriage stopped. This is Looking closely, it was the crest he saw just yesterday. It was Earl Kuzumas. He tried knocking on the door of Beanas house once, Jin! Beana came out with great vigour. Thank goodness! You see, the Earl came to see you, he came with various requests, and so, Jin ced his hands on Beanas shoulder, I get it so calm down a little Saying that Beana slightly blushed, R-Right, sorry Saying that she invited Jin inside the house. Oh, Jin-dono Earl Kuzuma was sitting there. I decided toe immediately. That thing called refrigerator is really useful! The cooled fruit that I ate for breakfast was more delicious than usual Im d you enjoyed it Now, thou should sit too. There are various things I want you to hear Well then, please excuse me Beana also sat down, the Earl began to speak. First of all, about that refrigerator, I want you to make one twice the size of it. For the cost, I can hand over an advance payment T-Thank you Arge ie can be expected by selling the refrigerator. Its the best thing Beana could ask for. After that, what I was just shown before, for now Id like for you to make 10 of the Water Warmers 10 of them is it? It was a generous talk, Jin was also drawn in, he was thinking how they could prepare the amount. Chapter 48 - A BAD FEELING

Chapter 48 C A BAD FEELING

After Earl Kuzuma ordered 2rge refrigerators and 10 water warmers, he returned home. It feels like a dream Beana muttered with a flushed face. Until you came Jin, I was troubled that I couldnt even sell one magic tool I made More importantly, we need to start making the orders we received yesterday O-Oh, thats right So they decided to make the water warmers first. They received 5 orders to make. Because of the reproduction process, it could bepleted in a short period of time. But they noticed they were out of materials. Ah, were out of copper and wood Shall we go shopping after we close the store today? Yeah, well need to go early since its far away Oh, so its like that For money, the 100,000 torr we got yesterday should be fine It was the price the refrigerator was sold. Then he suddenly noticed it. There is no popcorn producing device. This is troubling They were out of materials so they couldnt make it now. Looks like theres no choice but to apologise for today Looks like it Since there was enough materials to make a lighter, 30 lighters were made, Though its a little early, lets have lunch Saying that Beana took out a bread. Though it wasnt pure white, it looked like a pretty expensive bread. Oh, thats looks like a pretty good bread When Jin said that, Beana cheerfully smiled, Right? Earl Kuzuma brought it for me Hmmm They decided to leave most of it for Nana and Raldo, Jin and Beana finished lunch. Beana went to bring the two of them their lunch. Reiko arrived. Oh, Reiko, youre early Yes, Father. The things on the Ind are going well. Have you talked to Beana-san about it yet? Saying that, Jin realised he hadpletely forgotten about it. Ah, I forgot Father Reiko gave an astonished look. Well, Ill say it if I find the opportunity to Please do so, okay? She asked for confirmation just in case. Beana then came back, Ara, Reiko-chan, you came Yes It seems like Reiko wont open up to Beana. Well then, shall we go open up the stall? So the three of them headed to the usual ce. They shared carrying the water warmers. What? And I was looking forward to it! You didnt say anything about this yesterday! Youre fucking kidding me, my kids were looking forward to it! Im really sorry, Im really sorry Sure enough, the customers who were looking forward to the popcorn wereining. Beana and Jin frantically apologised. Seeing Jin like that, Reiko red at the customers who wereining. Dangerous magic power began to leak. Noticing that, Jin grabbed Reikos arm and pulled her away to a slightly remote ce. And before Jin could calm her, Reiko, even though Father didnt do anything wrong, whats with them, those humans. May I enforce discipline? They were extreme words. Jin sighed, Reiko, Im asking you not to do anything, okay? But, Father Dont do anything Jin said once again, Reiko, Okay Let out a small voice and reluctantly nodded. Returning to the stall, the customers who only said theirints went back home. But, The Water WarmerI asked for, have you made it? Yes, of course Saying that, he handed over a water warmer. Thats good. Well then, it was 200 torr right? Here you go Thank you for your patronage Like that, the ordered 5 were sold, the lighter goes without saying. All of them were sold Yeah. Its a bit early but its convenient that we can return So we decided to head towards the far away store that sold the materials. It was at the foot base of a mountain an hour walk away outside of the Blue Land castle. There is a mine and its the ce for wood resources. Along the way, Jin was thinking about the timing to speak to Beana. Not knowing about it, Here, this is the ce Arge storehouse was built here. Wee The salesman greeted them. Umm, 2kg of bronze ingots and 10kg of copper ingots. Also wood Beana seemed to think of the order, then promptly ordered. That is 31000 torr, but Ill give a discount to 30000 torr Thanks. Will you carry it to my house? Beana said while paying the cost, Seems I cant beat you He said while agreeing. With this, they can return without carrying the heavy ingots. Though Jin had thought about having Reiko carry it. They returned to Beanas home along with a man and his cart pulled by a donkey like small horse, they saw another carriage that had stopped there. However, the crest of this carriage was Earl Guaranas. Also 10 men who seem liked they were a private army stood there. I have a bad feeling about this That mutter leaked out of Jins mouth. I want no part in this trouble! Saying that, he threw out the ingots and wood there, then had the donkey(?) soar off pulling the empty cart back to the material shop. Jin stood up to protect Beana, Reiko was right beside Jin. Chapter 49 - PEERLESS REIKO

Chapter 49 C PEERLESS REIKO

You are Beana right? A man who seemed to be the leader of the private army. Y-Yes, I am Beana answered with a pale face. I see. Ill have youe with us Wait. Youre taking her without a reason? Saying that Jin took a step forward, however the leader of the private army faced his subordinates and jerked his chin. Two of the subordinates who saw that pushed Jin aside and seized both of Beanas arms. W-What are you doing! She said trying to shake them off, but it wasnt difficult to handle Beanas meager strength. Jin, Let her go! Said that, trying to stop the soldiers but, Annoying Shaking him off like an insect, he swung his hand and hit Jins face. Ouuch !!! At that moment, a gust of wind blew. The name of that wind was called Reiko. Kyaaa! Uwoah!? Beana and the two soldiers that seized Beanas arms flew into the air. The height was actually 5 metres. Being hurled up so high, the soldiers couldnt help letting go of Beana. Though they knew it was useless, they frantically swung theirs hands, pointlessly struggling to somehow fix their posture. Then, Reiko took a single jump, catching the freed Beana in a princess carry and safelynding on the ground. Behind them, the two soldiers who couldnt fly hit the ground and fainted. Since theynded on their back, their necks didnt seem to be broken. T-Thank you Beana said her thanks in a trembling voice, however Reiko calmly said, I didnt do it to help you. It was because I couldnt forgive the man who hit father. Helping you was just incidental Because of that statement, Beanas face slightly stiffened. Aaah, weve done it now Jin looked up at the sky instinctively. B-Bastard, who are you! The leader of the private army shouted. Aaah, could you go guys go back? Hearing Jin say that, the leader to his subordinates, Besides Beana, it doesnt matter if we cut down the others! Issued thatmand. Ah, its over Jin heaved a sigh inwardly. On the other hand, Beana who had taken refuge a little bit away watched with a pale face unable to say anything. And then eight soldiers went to attack Reiko, facing her without fear. Whats with this brat? The soldiers felt the Reiko who was slowly walking to them was an eerie person, so they stopped running and waited. Reiko took another step, instantly closing the distance and appearing before a soldier. Uwoah The soldier was on the ground before he knew what had happened. The soldiers, as if a curse was dispelled, This damn brat! Take this! While shouting those words, they shed at Reiko. However, Reiko seemed to not try to avoid it. The next moment, the soldiers were trembling in fear. Such a dull sword, theres no way it could hurt this body that Father gave to me The sword the soldier swung down had certainly hit Reikos head. However, he could not even cut off one strand of Reikos hair. U-UWAAAAAA! Another soldier struck Reikos torso. But, that sword too was unable to even cut through her clothes and stopped. What about this! Another soldier stuck out his sword this time. He was aiming precisely at Reikos chest. But even that was unable to even cut a single millimetre. For clothes made out of the threads of a Grand Spider, a holy sword, a cursed sword, if it wasnt a sword imbued with high grade magic power, it would be impossible to damage it. Furthermore, Reiko was further strengthened by her own magic power. Do you not understand that it is useless? Reiko casually grasped their swords, crushing it in her hands. The swords that were turned into smalls lump were discarded at Reikos feet. Reikos skin made of the Sham Dragons wing membrane was flexible and tough. Covered with magic power, it was harder than steel. H-HIIIIIIII! ITS THE DEVIL AAAAAAAA! The soldiers were about to run, however, You who take the initiative to torment the weak, then the first to run away when facing the strong. You are the worst Reiko who quietly murmured that, kicked the ground. GYAAA! Reiko instantly got in front of the fleeing soldiers, one of the soldiers in front took a single blow to the stomach and fainted. Then Reiko grabbed that persons leg with one hand and swung him. GYAA! GUWAA! Swinging the adult man with one hand, Reiko beat down the rest of the soldiers No way Thest one who muttered that was blown away. The leader of the private army seeing that, Bastard, you damn monster Saying that he prepared the sword in his right hand. The leader of the private army seemed to be able to use magic, he had a red Magic Stoneembedded in the hilt of his sword. Fireball! Saying that, from the tip of his sword he stuck out, a 2 metre ming ball flew out. This kind of thing However, Reiko put out the ming ball with one swing of her right hand. So what! How about this then, mes, burn everything to dust, me Storm! The leader of the private army used his greatest magic with full power. At the same time, the red Magic Stone attached to the hilt of his sword had shattered. me Storm did note just from the front, but attacked Reiko from all directions. Returning to her senses, Beana rushed over to Jin. Jin! Reiko-chan! This is too much even if shes an Artifact ss Automata! However, Jin was already serious, Its fine. Theres no way that level of magic could do anything to my Reiko, right? As he had said, after the storm of raging mes subsided, the calm figure of Reiko standing could be seen. Is that the strongest magic you can use? The materials that made up Reikos body had magic resistance and physical resistance, the worlds highest ss materials. Even without a barrier, it was impossible to damage it as long as it wasnt legendary ss magic. U-U-UWAAAAAA! Up till now, many of his opponents have been burned to dust by his magic, however seeing his current opponent, of course the heart of the leader of the private army would break. Now he was just recklessly swinging his sword around. Reiko fires magic aiming at the sword. Induction That was magic Jin had taught her, a super high frequency electric current. The electric current generates high heat in metals. HOT! The leader of the private army let go of his sword that had instantly turned red hot. Now he was unarmed. Hii Approaching him step by step, Reiko only frightened him. Unable to escape like a frog stared at by a snake, he could only tremble and turned pale. Apologise in hell for pointing your sword at Father Saying that, Reiko swung her right hand. Chapter 50 - FAREWELL

Chapter 50 C FAREWELL

The hand Reiko swung stopped a hairs breadth away from hurting the leader of the private army. But bubbles had foamed from the leader of the private army, he had fainted. Ive finished Turning around to Jin, Reiko brushed off the dust on her skirt. Reiko, you didnt even kill one right? Yes, because I dont want to make Father a murderer Since Reiko is an Automata, Jin would have to take responsbility for that kind of conduct. The previous Magi Craft Meister Adrianna Balbora Ceci had also said it, so Reiko could only go easy. Thats good however weve done it now Jin muttered, then adding to that, Really, youre an amazing person That voice sounded. !? Turning around, there stood Earl Kuzuma apanied by Sevanz. I heard Earl Guarana had sent out his private army so I was worried and came running over to see, but it was already over On the ground was the private army, 11 people altogether. Really. So you are Reiko? The strength of this miss would probably be above the knights of this kingdom The Earl nced at Reiko for a moment, However, this is bad Eh? Beana had a confused expression, Refusing Earl Guaranas summon, and on top of that assaulted his vassals Wha but thats! The Earl stopped Beana from objecting, Yes, I know. What I said just now would be how you will probably be treated In other words, using Earl Guaranas influence, he could fabricate this quarrel. Beana had no part in taking down Earl Guaranas private army though Jin stopped speaking formally. Yes, well, there is that, but there is no witness There is. Isnt Earl Kuzuma an excellent witness? Jin stated, turning towards Beana, Beana, its been fun getting to know you. Nana and Raldo are already fine, youve also gotten the hang of making magic tools. And above all else, there is Earl Kuzuma who understands you E-Eh? Wait, Jin, what are you saying? Beana was bewildered and didnt understand. Youll be fine without me now wont you? Saying that, he took out a Magic Crystal from inside his pocket. It was coloured an emerald green, a wind attribute. Ill give you this as a farewell gift. Please use it well Saying that, he forcibly pushed it into Beanas hand. Then Jin faced the Earl, Earl, Ill disappear from this country. In regards to Beana, Ill be counting on you Beana, farewell Saying that, Beana did not stop to listen and began to run. W-Wait, Jin! I havent told you how grateful I am yet! Those words reached Jin who ran away. Reiko followed after, but because of her overwhelming speed, Reiko decided to run while holding Jin on the way. Please excuse me, Father Eh, wai, Reiko This way is faster Jin wasnt able to make thest decision. A little after Jin disappeared, Beana and Earl Kuzuma were silent. The first to speak was the Earl. Beana, he Jin, who in the world is he? The questioned Beana also, No idea he lives on an isted ind, a slightly special Magic Craftsman Hmm, I see At that moment, the men who Reiko made faint started groaning. It was about time they came to. Beana, hide on my carriage Eh, o-okay Earl Kuzuma went towards Earl Guaranas private army, What are you men doing! He shouted in a loud voice. Showing such shameful behaviour in this sort of ce. Return to your employer at once! The Earl yelled. The private army that came to took those still fainted onto their carriage and silently left. Beana, its safe now Earl Kuzuma said that and Beana came out of the carriage. Hmm, however, with how things are, its not a good idea to live here now Eh, ha? The Earl smiled andughed, Although its unfortunate, you should vacate this house and workshop ande to my mansion Y-Yes? Beana still didnt understand. The Earl grasping that, In other words, if you stay here, Earl Guarana wille again just like today. Thats why I said you shoulde to my mansion U-Umm, me go to yours? Indeed. But dont worry. I wont try to do anything in particr to you. Just, your house and workshop to my mansion, you should move in Unable to follow the quick development, the Earl to said Beana, Now, with that decided, you should quickly pack your luggage. Sevanz, return to the mansion for a moment, go prepare a carriage to carry the luggage ande back I have received your order Sevanz answered and galloped away on a horse, the Earl, What is it? Beana, quickly get your luggage. Or shall I help you? Because the Earl said that, Beana jumped up and panicked, N-N-Not at all! Ill immediately go prepare! She said and rushed into the house. In the end, that happened While rxing in the house on Hourai Ind, Jin muttered. Yes, but the timing was just about right wasnt it? Reiko said while serving tea. I guess so, we stopped helping Beana without an exnation, but there was no choice. However, thinking about it, we didnt see inside the castle walls of Blue Land Thats true I dont really know much about this world yet What shall we do from now on? Hmm, lets see. For the season, I want to go somewhere warm If thats the case, theres a Warp Gate that goes out to a beach in the south The southern sea, sounds good. Is there anything interesting there? There are many inds, there is development of marine transportation Marine Transportation! Then there must be ships! Yes Alright, well go there next. I really want to see the ships of this world Understood Like that, in anothernd, Jin and Reikos adventure starts. Chapter 51 - SECRET VISIT TO KAINA VILLAGE

Chapter 51 C SECRET VISIT TO KAINA VILLAGE

Hourai Ind has grown quite a bit Returning to the base, Jin spent a few days leisurely. Father, please give a role to Gon and Gen One day Reiko said that to Jin who, I guess I should I wonder how everyone in Kaina Vige are doing There was the kings decree, but Jin didnt know about him being dered innocent. Come to think of it, there was a Warp Gate in the basement of the workshop Though it was buried in soil. Can I not use it? He wouldnt want to be buried in soil and unable to move if he went. Well, in that case, I think we can remotely operate the Warp Gate and send the soil around it here Oh, so there was that kind of trick In theboratory are all of the master side of the Warp Gates, after operating the corresponding Warp Gate here, various things are possible. First, release the selection function Only Jins magic power and those who have magic power with the same waveform can use it, that is the function that is being temporarily released. Then reverse the transfer ooo!? A lump of soil that suddenly appeared surprised Jin. It seems itll go smoothly While ordering her subordinate Soleil to remove the soil, Reikoughed. Then, Ill go first and secretly see how things are The soil around the Warp Gate was gone, but the basement was probably still buried in soil so Reiko intended to go remove it. Ah, about that Reiko Yes? Actually, in the outskirts of the vige, theres a shelter I made. Its about 80%plete. Since I made a simple barrier at the entrance, you should understand what to do Understood Also, once youre there you should setup a Warp Gate in that ce Thats true, if thats the case, Ill disassemble the Warp Gate in the basement and reassemble it there Youll do it for me? Yes, please leave it to me So Reiko was left with that work. And in the middle of the night, Reiko began her work. First teleporting. As I thought, its buried in soil There was lots of soil surrounding the Warp Gate. Theres no presence of anyone around Confirming with magic detection and life detection, she began to work. Moving the soil and also digging a hole out. This was where Jin had worked together with Reiko so she knew whereabouts the exit was. And so after a month, Reiko appeared again at the workshop Jin had used. It was pitch ck, but it wasnt a problem for the current Reiko. Fathers workce After giving a nostalgic look, Reiko began disassembling the Warp Gate. Used to it, she was done in 10 minutes. Carrying out all the materials, shepletely filled up the hole in 5 minutes. Wheres the shelter? She tried spreading her magic detection to the outskirts of the vige. I can feel a distortion, it is probably there Guessing where it was, Reiko carried the materials of the Warp Gate and walked in the darkness. She soon found the location of the shelter. Releasing the barrier, she went inside. It sure is spacious, the floor and wall are all hardened, as expected of Father She quickly began assembling and setting up the Warp Gate. Now then, a test operation Reiko returned to Hourai Ind. The golems Gon and Gen stood there with Jin. The appearances of the two have changed, she thought, intending to remain silent about it until Jin exined. Wee home, Reiko. Seems like it went well, huh? I have returned home, Father. Yes, I have setup the Warp Gate without a problem Then Jin, Alright, lets go right away Saying that, he went along with Gon and Gen into the Warp Gate. Reiko also followed after. Jin came out inside the shelter, I cant see anything He muttered, Light He made a light with magic. The light from his palm illuminated the area. Ah, its been a long time since Ive been here When Reiko had not yet joined with Jin, seeing the animals fleeing from the mountain, he thought some kind of demon woulde so he made a shelter for the vigers. Outside is still dark. From the position of the moon, the time difference between Hourai and here is about two hours? Though it was a full moon, it was much smaller than Earths so it didnt give off much light. Finally, understanding something, only this ce was bright. Father, please hold onto me In the dark night, he would be able to walk without stumbling with the calm Reiko. Jin decided to obediently do so. Walking for a little, there was Kaina Vige. Oh, how nostalgic Not even one month had passed, however it felt like it had been a fairly long time. From the looks of things nothing happened. Thank goodness The Jin who didnt know he was without me, was relieved seeing the vige hadnt changed. Marthas house Hanna, I wonder if shes doing well Involuntarily the corner of his eyes heated up. It makes you miss the ce Looking back at Gon and Gen he brought along, Gon, Gen, you guys will be this viges Guardians and secretly watch over it. And if anything happens inform me at once. You can use the shelter as a base Acknowledged Oh? The two of them have be fluent with speaking Reiko noticed. Yeah. I remodeled them while you were doing the things with the Warp Gate. I gave them the ability to converse and other things, upgraded their autonomy, and reinforced them with Adamantite so their appearance isnt misleading I noticed their appearance, but you had remodeled so much, huh? Before, since it was mistaken for the golem that attacked at the time of the tax payment, he changed its fundamental appearance so it definitely wouldnt be mistaken this time. He had also reinforced the structure. It was almost an entirely different thing. Like the golem maids of the ind, theyve be human like Yeah. I didnt coat them, but theyre basically the same besides their male form By the way, with a coating close to the appearance of a human, it wouldnt be a golem but rather tied together with the term Automata. The boundary was rather vague. And Jin, Although its regrettable, Ill cool down a little more before seeing everyones faces He muttered, walking towards the shelter. Of course Reiko lead him. Everyone, take care It was a small voice, but Reiko who was nearby heard it. At the shelter entrance, he carefully spread a barrier, Okay, as long as they dont have great magic power, they wont be able to get in Furthermore they made a special specification that it was fine if it was Jin or Reiko. Of course the golems Jin made, Gon and Gen are fine too. This distinguished the waveform of magic power, this was a technology his predecessor found. Well then, Gon, Gen, I leave things to you Yes, please leave it to us And so, Jin and Reiko returned to Hourai Ind. Chapter 52 - PORT TOWN PORT ROCK

Chapter 52 C PORT TOWN PORT ROCK

There was a small group of sub countries at the continents southern penins. The penins was called the Elias penins. It is governed by a kingdom of the same name, the Elias Kingdom, and had active shipping routes as well as fisheries and salt production. It is only connected to the maind by a narrow strip ofnd. Its interaction with other countries is small and this has caused a unique culture to form. I see, it sure is warm here. Jin breathed the sea breeze into his lungs. Right now, Reiko was guiding Jin around the Port Town Port Rock, the entryway to the east of the Elias Kingdom. I was sent to this coast on my 15th malfunctioned teleportation. Since there was a marine cave, I have installed a Warp Gate there, it is concealed by being camouged with the rocks. You sure have had it hard too. Jin said to Reiko with appreciation. No, this was a matter of course. Reiko answered happily. Is torr the same currency used here? Yes. It ismon in most of the sub countries. Jin had a bit of money from selling Magi Tools and Magi Stones. Well then, lets find some cheap amodation to settle down at. Many touristse to the south for the winter resorts as it was surrounded by the sea. Because of this, there was of course arge number of amodations. About 200 torr for a night would be a good inn, but is there a kind of ce like the information office around here? Shall I go ask? Reiko said, I guess so. How about asking the stall selling grilled skewers over there? Buy a grilled skewer for me while youre at it please. Okay, I understand Reiko nodded and went over to the stall, buying a grilled skewer, talked to the shopkeeper about something, then gave a nod and came back. Father, here you go. Oh, it smells good. It was simr to grilled squid and has been seasoned with something like a fish sauce. Mmm, tasty. While eating the skewer, Jin listened to Reikos report. Anyway, there isnt anything like an information office around. However, the shopkeeper rmended to go to an inn to ask. I see, that sounds good. So, where is it? Yes. Go straight along the main street, turn left at the corner of the tool shop, then it will be at the end of the road. So they headed towards there. First they walked along the main street. Both sides were lined up with stone buildings. Probably because of the sea breeze. As I thought, the culture should be about the Middle Ages. Reiko responded to Jins monologue. I do not know the Middle Ages very well, but I get the impression it was like Mothers era. Yep, it might be due to the Great Magic War. Because the civilisation was destroyed once, the mages of the civilisation rapidly decreased. Talking about that while they walked, they were in front of the tool shop. To the left of the corner of the tool shop,, Is it that ce? At the end of the road there was an old but firm stone building. A small sign, Sea Pavilion was hung. It seems to be here. The two of them went in. Hello~ Hey there, are you staying the night? They were greeted at the counter by a stout and friendlyndy. Umm, we heard about this ce from the grilled skewer stall, we would like an amodation please Referred by Paul? Well its 200 torr a person per night, but Ill take 300 for the two of you because of that little miss there. Then for now, well stay for 3 nights please. Jin took out 900 torr from his wallet and paid. Yes, certainly. Then please write your names here Jin and Reiko This is the key for the room. Its at the end of the second floor. Meals are in the dining room and cost an extra fee. Got it. The two of them headed to the room. The stairs were also made of stone, and probably because its soft stone, the sound of footsteps doesnt reverberate. It seems like ya stone. As a Magi Craft Meister, Jin was interested about the stone. On Hourai Ind, ya stone which was a tuff of pumice stone, can be mined. The stone was a building material that was fire resistant and easy to process. This seems to be the room. There was no room number on the door, Bonito was written instead. Its the name of a fish. He said to Reiko. Then looking at the doors of the other rooms, they had the names Sardine, Barracuda and Carp written on them. What kind of fish is the Bonito? I wonder? It seems like Reiko doesnt know much about fish too. For now they entered the room. There are two beds and a single small table. Theres also two stools. It even seems to have a designated baggage shelf on the wall. The toilet was at the opposite end of the corridor. Looking outside from a small window, there was the seaside. TheSea Pavilionseems to have been built facing the sea. Rather than baggage, there was only a single bag containing a change of clothes and things like underwear. If he felt like it, he could return to Hourai Ind. However, thinking about the people and exchanging things in this town, they rented a room in the in. There was no bath, only something simr to a shower. It didnt seem like he could enter a bath on Hourai Ind, so Jin gave up, Now then, lets go look around the town again. Yes father. So they both went outside, leaving the room key with thendy. Father, where do you want to go first? Lets see, I want to see the ships so lets go to the harbour. So the first destination was the sea. Behind the Sea Pavilionthere was a sea cove. The open beach there was scattered with swimmers. Looking for the harbour left and right, arge number of ships about 300 metres in size could be seen to the right side. The harbour seems to be over there. If you walked along the coast, you would soon reach the harbour. There were ships of various sizes rocking gently with the waves. With the fishy smell, many of the boats are probably used for fishing. Uh huh, as I thought, the hull is mostly made out of wood. Metal seems to only be used to reinforce it. Jin immediately started observing. Father, this ship is interesting. Hearing Reikos voice, certainly, there was an interesting ship floating when he gave a look. A catamaran. The shape certainly looked like the catamarans from modern Earth. Its total length was around 4 metres. Its a ship that has both high speed capabilities and stability. But what could it be used for here? While Jin was talking to himself, a voice came from behind. Ohh, so you can tell with a look. Are you also a shipwright? Turning around, there was a girl that looked a few years older than Jin. She had a good style with the ces that should stick out sticking out and the ces that should be slim are slim. Her short, blond hair gave an energetic impression. With blue eyes that makes you think of the sea and tanned skin, she looked like a healthy person. No, Im a Magi Craft MeisMagi Craftsman. Jin almost called himself Meister again. However, the womans eyes shined upon hearing Magi Craftsman, A Magi Craftsman! Hey, what ce are you affiliated with? She asked to which Jin replied, No, Im not really affiliated The girl then had an even more delighted smile, Are you a frencer? Thats just perfect. You, whats your name? Im Marcia. Im Jin. And this child is Reiko. Jin and Reiko, nice to meet you. So, this may be a bit sudden, but I want to talk about something so could youe this way. Marcia said, inviting them to a coffee shop at the harbour. There werent many other customers in the store named Cabin, and so the three of them chose to sit in the innermost seats. Chapter 53 - GOLEM BOAT RACE

Chapter 53 C GOLEM BOAT RACE

This is a cheap and tasty shop. Jin once again observed Marcia who began to speak. Even if it can be said that her appearance was that of a beautiful woman, her face was free of makeup and her hands and feet are also tanned light brown. Because of her work as a shipwright, the gaps between her nails have turned ck. If thats the case, shipwrights dont process their materials with magic, it seems to be an upation of constructing with their hands. Wearing a normal top and bottom of linen, she hung an apron from her neck to avoid getting it dirty. Well where should I start from? Jin and the others sat around a table while drinking Kwue, the local specialty. By the way, Reiko was also drinking to pretend to be a human. Although Reiko doesnt need to eat or drink, she was capable of doing so. You can say she doesnt need to eat or drink, but was able to eat and drink. Jin took a sip of it and felt that it tasted closer to cocoa even though its name was like coffee. He thought about going to buy itter. Marcia also took a sip of the Kwue, This country, the Elias kingdom, is a country that develops ships. She started out in a manly tone. Jin also, Yeah, that I understand. And so, annually, or rather every single year, apetition is held for the various ships Ooh So there does seem to be something like a race. Its an effective way to improve technology. So, five days from now, there will be apetition for high speed boats. Sounds interesting. Jin responded carefreely, It does sound interesting, right? Marcia said leaning forwards. And, Therefore lets participate together! If theres a problem with money, Ill cover for it as much as I can. H-Hold on! Jin stopped Marchias excitement. The story just took a huge leap. Theres apetition for high speed boats, please exin from around there. Marcia sat back down and drank the remaining Kwue in her cup, My bad, sorry. Thepetition for high speed boats has several restrictions or rather requirements Okay The size, thats the length and width, the crew number, well Ill leave that aside, and a golem to move, those are the requirements. A golem? Yes. Going in a bit more detail, the operator is a human, while the golem propels the boat. Ah, I see He gradually came to understand it. In other words, it was a race of ships powered by a golem. So, I want you, Jin, a Magi Craftsman, to make a golem! Please, help me! Jin calmed Marcia who was excited again, I understand what youre talking about. So, what are the merits the benefit of entering thispetition? Of course, its honour! For a shipwright,ing in first is great honour isnt it? ? Well I can get the prize money too though Jin understood her feelings. If you make a model that moves, you would want topete against others. So, why me? This was an essential point. Why was she so fixated on Jin when it was just their first meeting? There are rarely any frence Magi Craftsmen. And above all, your response when you saw the ship I made. Oh, the catamaran. Yes, that! You called it a catamaran? Then there are also other ships of such form right? I-I guess He cant say about other worlds though. In other words, Jin is a frencer, and also a Magi Craftsman knowledgeable on ships. Thats why I wish to cooperate with you. After hesitating a little, Marcia continued, My family have been shipwrights for generations, but after Father got engrossed in gambling, we lost the shop. On top of that, what women make here are often disregarded. However I want to get the shop running again Hesitating for a bit, Marcia then continued her speech once again. honestly, we have nothing left. If we dont make a name for ourselves in thispetition, Fathers shop willpletely fall into the hands of someone else. Jin didnt intend to hear about the circumstances for it that deeply. I see. But why do you put your trust in me on our first meeting? It may not look like it, but Ive been through a lot of hardship. If we talk a little after we meet, I can roughly get an understanding of the other party. Jin, I can trust you. Jin gave a wry smile, I cant possibly refuse if youre going that far. Reiko next to him was as expected, expressionless. Because Jin agreed, Marcia, Thats the spirit! Alright, its decided. Until the day of thepetition, Jin and I will form a team. Jin, where are you staying? Its a ce called Sea Pavilion Oh, Im also staying there. What a coincidence. Im in the Heron room on the third floor. Were in Bonito on the second floor. Were in the same inn so its also easier to meet. Then Ill tell the rest of the story there Sure. From there, it was decided that they would continue the rest in the Sea Pavilion. They decided to have our talk while eating lunch in the Sea Pavillion dining room. The menu was focused around fish, one of Jins favourite foods. Now regarding the reward, do you have any requests? She said and after Jin pondered, How much is half of the prize money? Marcia was speechless from what he said. Her face also stiffened. I did say I would cover what I can but Jin, are you unexpectedly greedy? Huh? Why do you say that? I mean, the prize money is 1 million torr you know? Thats about 10 million yen. Irresponsibly saying half of the prize money, that much seemed to be thest thing she would think to hand over. So he quickly deceived her. No, thats when you win. When you dont win, its different. Ohh? You seem confident. Of course, naturally I should aim to win, right? Jin said whileughing so the worry in his heart wasnt noticed, then Marciaughed too, Yeah, sounds good! Aim for victory! If we win, Ill dly hand over half! So, what is the actual request? Well, could you take a look at my work? Is that fine? Of course. Its not like Im troubled with making a living right now He said, then Marcia with an expression of relief, Hmmm, youre a weird one, Jin. But if thats fine then Ill do it With that, the discussion of the contract ended and they agreed to write it upter.While looking at Reiko, Marcia said By the way, Reiko-chan is really quiet. Marcia began to talk about this. No, if Fa Onii-sama is having fun then Im fine The setting of being siblings was still in effect in public for the time being. Hmm, , youre a good little sister. However, if the discussion isnt fun, why not go out somewhere to y? No, theres no need to mind. To Marcia who still wanted to say something, Jin, Well listen to the discussion together as Reiko is more or less my assistant He said. Marcia surprised, Ohh, so thats how it is. Its rare to see Magi Craftsman siblings. Well its fine if thats how it is. Shall I continue? Saying that, she began to exin about thepetition. The total length must be within 4 metres, the width should also be within 4 metres.Well, normally the wider the ship the slower, but For the catamaran, it wont slow down even if its wider. Its also fairly stable. Thats how it is. Also, the crew is limited to a ship operator and golem. The ship operator is limited to women. Well, Ill be the one operating it and the golem will be propelling the boat. Then Jin interrupted with a question. Hold on a moment, how does the golem move the ship? With an oar or paddle of course Are other driving methods prohibited? Marcia didnt seem to have realised the meaning of his question for a moment, but appeared to have realised it soon after, Is there some better method? Yeah. However, it would be bad if its against the regtions. But Marcia, It isnt. For example if we make the golem swim and pull the boat, that should be fine. Hearing that Jin, Thats good. So, what are the regtions regarding the golem? Oh, the height has to be within 2 metres. Theres no restriction on weight. Naturally it would be a disadvantage if it was heavy. And the materials? There shouldnt be any restrictions. Hearing that, Jin immediately began to make a n in his mind. Chapter 54 - FIGURINE

Chapter 54 C FIGURINE

Jin, Im sorry, but theres somewhere we have to go immediately. Marcia grabbed the pondering Jins arm, We wont be able to participate if we dont register by the end of today. I see, that would be bad. Alright, lets hurry. Jin couldnt help but to hurry also after hearing the deadline for registration. Marcia, Jin, and Reiko ran down the street. Reaching the centre of the port city, there wasrge eye catching stone building. This is the town hall of Port Lock Marcia said as she opened the door and entered, followed by Jin and Reiko. Oh, if it isnt Marcia. I guess you found a Magi Craftsman? The person who called out appeared to be older than Marcia with grey eyes and brown hair. Dressed in pompous clothing and followed by two escorts, he was probably a noble. Yeah, I found one. When Marcia responded, the man let out a small click of his tongue. Ignoring that, Wed like to participate in the golem boatpetition Marcia made an application at the reception desk. Sure, then please identify the members. When the reception clerk said so, Marcia beckoned Jin over. The shipwright is I, Marcia. The Magi Craftsman in charge of manufacturing the golem is him, Jin. Understood, then is there any identification that he is a Magi Craftsman? Since that was said, Marcia asked Jin Jin, have you joined a Magi Craftsman Guild? No, none at all When Jin answered as such, the clerk, Then you can show us something youve made, its fine if youplete the challenged weve prepared too said. Hearing that, Reiko stepped forward. If so, then Ill Jin hurriedly pulled Reiko back, The challenge is? He somehow managed to ask. The clerk then, Be able to make something with the materials prepared here He said and pointed at the door to the next room. Jin, Oh, then lets do it immediately He said and headed to the room together with the clerk. On the way, he turned his head back, Marcia, Reiko, Ill be back in a bit. The door then closed. At that time, no one saw that the man who called out to Marcia had a dark smile appeared on his face. In the room, there was another clerk, Then using this, please show me you can make something The clerk ced a lump of copper on the table and said to Jin. Understood. Now, what shall I make The lump of copper is smaller than a fist, he probably couldnt make much from it. A cup, or a dish, or a candlestick or Okay Having decided what to make, Jin immediately poured magic power into his hands. Hm? Doing so, he felt a slightly unpleasant feeling, Forming He invoked the magic without minding it. Marcia, you did sure well finding a frence Magi Craftsman Meanwhile, the pompous man from before began to talk to Marcia in the Guild Hall. I was lucky. However, you wont be qualified to participate in thepetition if he isnt recognised by a Guild. What is that supposed to mean? Its as I said. What would you do if that guy is just a man whos just talk and not a Magi Craftsman? Saying that, Marcia was angered. Dont joke with me! Jin isnt that kind of guy! Forgetting to even use honorifics, Marcia yelled loudly. However the pompous man didnt care, Hmhmm, I wonder about that. Youll know soon While saying that, the door opened, Jin and the clerks came out. How was it? The pompous man asked. The clerk stood in silence and then ced down the object in his hand. !! Oh? It was a bronze statue of about 10 cm in height. No, it should be called a doll. Sorry, Marcia. Since I couldnte up with something, I made a figuri a doll of you. When Jin was still in the orphanage, he had a part time job where he helped manufacture the prototype figurine moulding. Jin was bad at making original designs, but he did better than others if there was something to copy from. That skill waspletely exhibited with Magi Craft. Well its fine but, why in such a swimsuit!? Marciained with her cheeks dyed red. It was dressed in a one-piece swimsuit. Well, thats because I didnt have time. Theres no way I would leave it nude. Still, why do you know my swimsuit appearance anyway!? No, this was with my imagination As expected of Onii-sama. Marcia was still red, Jin answered indifferently. Reiko earnestly praised Jin. W-Well then, I recognise Jin-san is a Magi Craftsman. I did it, Marcia. Thus Marcia paid the participation fee of 10,000 torr. Since ater date is fine, please also register a team name Receiving the participation medal, Marcia embraced it against her chest. Jin, thank you But Jin, You can thank me if we win. He boldlyughed. Off to the side, the pompous man pulled the clerk over to the shadows, Oi, what was that?! W-Well, as you said, I made him work at the table! But that guy had made that bronze statue in no time. The guy in charge of the test also saw it, he couldnt have cheated. That was the table with the built-in magic circle of magic invocation disturbance right? It wasnt changed with a different table was it? That is impossible. Since I properly confirmed the mark. Damn, did I get a defective product? The noble man seemed mortified, however thinking back, a disgustingugh appeared, Well its fine, I still have a hand to y. Bonus. The mayor of Port Rock who was thepetitionmittee chairman was looking at the Marcia figurine Jin had made. Then a brief remark. Yeah, Ill go with this as the official swimsuit for this yearspetition! Chapter 55 - RIVAL

Chapter 55 C RIVAL

Jin and the others are having dinner at the Sea Pavillion, it wasnt much but they had a toast for the formation of the team. Well then, heres to celebrate the formation of team MJR They raised and tapped each others sses. And, Lets aim for for victory! Incidentally MJR was made up of the initials of Marcia, Jin and Reiko. Of course, Jin had left the naming up to Marcia. After a peaceful meal, they began the meeting. Then Jin remembered, By the way, that smug man from before, who was that guy? Marcia seemed to have difficulty saying it. Jin sensing that, You dont have to force yourself to say it. He said, but Marcia had resolved herself, No, I dont want to keep secrets from a team mate. Saying that, she began to talk. That guy is a Marquis of this Elias Kingdom. Marquis Hudsons 3 men are the assistants of the ruler of Port Rock, Valentino I believe he is called, however he says he wants me to be a mistress without any hesitation Huh? He also has three other wives and two mistresses. That guy said he wanted to have the same number of wives and mistresses. What a ridiculous guy Jin was disgusted of course. I dont know why hes taken an interest in me. She asserted. Marcia didnt seem to be lying as Jin thought she was beautiful enough herself. However he didnt say that, So is that guy also entering thepetition? He will. More so, hes the favourite to win. He can use his familys power and money to employ a good shipwright and a skilled Magi Craftsman. Theres also a rumour that hes invited a Magi Craftsman from the center of Magi Craft, Celuroa Kingdom. It is impossible for Onii-sama to lose to such a man. Reiko who had stayed silent until then couldnt bear it any longer and interjected. Y-Yeah. I believe so too. So, what are we going to do now? Somewhat forcibly, Jin attempted to change the subject. Right, a-anyway, well need to get the materials for Jin to make a golem. Cost is no concern is what I would like to say, but as you can see, please dont expect much. Its fine, normal materials are enough. Since Ill be helping with the fishing in the mornings until the day after tomorrow, well have to take care of getting the materials during the afternoon. Therefore you can do as you like during the mornings. Helping with the fishing? Why? Hearing that, Marcia with a little embarrassment, Its a bit embarrassing, but even if its just a little, I want to get used to riding a boat and while Im at it, earn a little money. Oh, I see. Then are you all right with having lunch in this dining room? Since Jin liked how delicious the meals were. On the side, Reiko diligently made note of Jins tastes. Yeah, lets do that. Marcia nodded. In addition to that, we heard that the the lord mighte take a look at thepetition and there will be a prize for design and idea besides just speed before we finished up that evening. Otou-sama is really whimsical. Are you helping others again? She was probably talking about what happened in Blue Land. Well, I guess so. But its also because Im curious about the race, its seems like fun. Im fine with it if Otou-sama is too, but Im worried youll work your body too hard. Since Jin was overworked by the boss and seniors of thepany in his previous world, even though he was aware of it, it was his disposition and that cant be easily corrected. Yeah, Ill be careful. That was the best answer he could give right now. Now then, I want to take a shower to refresh myself. He was somehow sticky from the sea breeze blowing on him all day. Ill go wash my body. Jin said to Reiko and went to themunal bathroom with a change of clothes and a towel But soon immediately came back. Otou-sama? What is it? No way, no way. The water doesnt flow out, you have to draw it yourself with the bucket on the shelf, you cant bathe at all. Even worse, because the sea is nearby, the well water is also muddy. Jin once again recognized that water was precious. A pump was made at Kaina Vige, but it doesnt seem to have spread to here yet. Ill go back to Hourai Ind tomorrow and take a bath there. Jin who gave up on taking a bath and shower for the day, thought about various things and ns while lying on the inns bed, but he soon fell asleep before he knew it. The next day. Jin and Reiko had returned to the Laboratory using the Warp Gate to bring the materials. Reiko carried a barrel of fish paste. They couldnt find any soy sauce so they got it for its simr vour. Getting out of the morning bath he had Reiko prepare, Jin immediately began preparing. Now then. Reiko, I believe there was the leather of a Sham Dragon. The wing membrane was used for Reikos skin as its thin and tough. Compared to it, the leather was thick and flexible. Yes. I secured the material on my 4th teleportation when I hunted it. Reiko casually handed the fish paste over to Peridot who was in charge of the housekeeping. Sham as it may be, it was still a monster with Dragon in its name. It would normally take at least 10 people to subjugate it. Good. I want a bit of it. Also a wind attribute magi crystal. Wind attribute? Would that be better than the water attribute? It was a reasonable question, but Jin readily, Its because the golem I have in mind needs speed more than power. He said just that. I understand She answered obediently. Reiko then collected the things he had asked for. Good. Lets make the swimsuit now then. Hah? To Reiko who had a confused expression, Jin, Well, wasnt there also a beach there? Its been a while since Ist swam. So thats why. The string of the Ground Spiders appeared once again. My predecessor sure was amazing to have made this knit & weave loom. Yes, Okaa-sama is very great. The preceding Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci seemed to have been very womanly and had developed things of the likes of a spinning loom and a knit & weave loom. Inside the knit & weave loom was what could be called meias-like fabric that could be used to weave. The thread I dyed navy blue is set, and Okay, activate Activating it, the speed at which it weaved was much fasterpared to machines on modern Earth. This time he was making a swimsuit, so he stopped once he weaved it to a modest length and took the fabric out. After this Ill also dye it white, so could you weave a bit more? Yes Luna, Soleil, I leave this to you. Jin decided to leave the rest of the work to Reikos two subordinates, he then began putting finishing touches to the swimuit. This goes like this, cut this, attach it here Alright, itsplete. Reiko, this is yours. Thank you. Jin had made a navy blue one piece swimsuit. He wanted to think that its resemnce to a school swimsuit was just his imagination. After that, Jin also made a swimsuit for himself. Alright, its not yet noon so we still have time. Lets return to the Sea Pavilion and change. They returned to Port Rock and after changing into their swimsuit at the Sea Pavillion, both of them headed to the beach at the back. Its convenient that its close. Jin immediately entered the sea. The seawater temperature was rtively high so he didnt feel too cold. Reiko then followed after Reiko weighed about the same as a human so she was able to float by stretching out her body. For a while, both of them calmly floated in the inlet while bathing under the southern sun. Aaa~ its really is rxing. It was at the moment Jin spoke to himself. Oh? Could that youngdy over there be a doll? Some person said. Wh-what? GABO- Trying to set his body upright in a panic, Jin identally swallowed some water. Otou-sama, are you okay? Reiko was worried about Jin. And the person who had called out to them, Ah, as I thought. This is wonderful! There isnt one in our country. Could it possibly be an Artifact? It was a man who looked about 3 or 4 years older than Jin. He was tall and thin with grey hair and grey eyes. His skin was white, though slightly tanned. He was probaby a swimmer as he was wearing a swimsuit. Jin put himself on guard against this man. Why do you think that Reiko is a doll? The man with a slightly exaggerated shrug, Even though I look like this, I am a Magi Engineer of the Shouro Empire. No, you call it a Magi Craftsman here. Oh, forgive my impoliteness, I am called Reinhardt. Jin. This is Reiko. While still vignt, Jin also named himself. Then Reinhardt, Mister Jin and Miss Reiko. Could it be you are also entering the Golem Boat Competition? He said with a smile. Yeah. Then does that mean you are too? Jin checked, I am indeed participating. My golem is this. When he said that, he introduced a golem that suddenly appeared next to him. The golem I poured my heart and soul into to make, Lorelei. It had the lower body of a fish, that is to say it was a mermaid model golem. Chapter 56 - OBSTRUCTION?

Chapter 56 C OBSTRUCTION?

Jin looked at the golem called Lorelei and was impressed with the concept and materials used. Oooh, its the first time Ive seen demon beast leather used as a material for a golem. When Jin said that, Reinhardts eyes opened wide. Amazing! You were able to tell the materials Lorelei was made of at a nce! Using flexible material to allow flexible movement, it makes sense. Reinhardt grabbed Jins hand, Thats right! You really do understand! So, that Miss Reiko of yours I guess theres no way she could be. Definitely not a golem. The main difference between automatas and golems was that automatas are usually made to imitate humans. Thats one of the reasons they wear clothes. Well if you were to think about it, youd find the boundary rather vague. For now, you could say automatas try to imitate humans first and foremost while golems prioritise utility. However, this didnt apply to Reiko. That aside, having heard what Reinhardt said, Jin with a wry smile, Yep. I actually havent made one yet. Eh? Really? Actually, I was only just invited yesterday and had only registered yesterday afternoon. Reinhardt was surprised, This is very serious. Including me, many of the other participants have already finished preparations and started their adjustments. However, Jin grinned, Well, just see. He said confidently. Right! Jin, you dont seem like an ordinary person. Im looking forward to the day of thepetition! Reihardt said, then, Lorelei, lets go. He uttered as he got on the mermaid golems back and, See youter Jin. They then swam away. As Jin saw them off, I see, as long as the golem can move itself, then it doesnt mean you have to ride on the boat. He muttered. Then he grinned, Well, they say motivationes from having a rival. He said that phrase. Judging from the position of the sun, Jin knew it was nearly noon, Well then Reiko, lets go back as well. Yes, Otou-sama Getting out from the sea, they returned to the Sea Pavilion. Well then, lets go procure some materials. After meeting up at the Sea Pavilion, Jin, Reiko and Marcia had lunch together before going out to town. What materials will you use for the golem? Marcia asked, Light Silver would be best, but if its too excessive, bronze is also fine. He answered. Then Marcia replied, Yeah, Light Silver is too unreasonable with our budget. Sorry, but can we go with bronze? Yeah, of course. Jin said and nodded. They then came to a ce where rows of material warehouse stores were lined. Its here. Wee. The clerk weed, Wed like 50kg of bronze ingots for a golem. Also a Magi Stone. However, Ah, Im sorry, we have bronze but were out of our stock of Magi Stones. What!? Marcia raised her voice. Without a Magi Stone, a golem is only a doll. She knew that much as a shipwright. T-then when is the new stock scheduled to arrive? The next stock is scheduled toe in one week. Then well be toote for thepetition! Fine, well go check another store. Marcia angrily said and, Ah, its probably useless no matter where you go. The clerk stated. Why is that? Marcia asked the clerk, Yesterday night, someone bought up all the Magi Stones around here. Marcias face went ghastly pale. Like this, they wouldnt be able toplete the golem. Theyll then have to withdraw from thepetition. Jin tapped Marcias shoulder. Jin? Marcia, well only buy the bronze then. If we need a Magi Stone, I have one. Because Jin had said that, Marcia nodded with relief, Then well only buy the bronze. She said, the clerk, Thanks for the patronage. That will be 30,000 Torr. With these words, Marcia was aghast. What!? Isnt that double the market price? Yes. Weve been short on stock recently. But for it to be double How much can we get for 20,000 Torr? She tried asking, You can get a bit more than 30kg with that. Marcia was disappointed, however Jin, If theres 30kg, I can work with it. He had said. Really!? Yeah. Please leave it to me. Looking at Jins confidence, Marcia became a little relieved, Then well take 30kg please. Saying that, they paid 18,000 Torr. The clerk took out a lump of bronze with great effort, cing it in front of them. Can you carry it for us? Marcia had said, but the clerk, Im currently busy, please carry it by yourself. He refused. What are you saying! There isnt even any other customers! However it was useless to talk as the clerk had withdrawn to the back. Marcia who was left behind, Seriously! What kind of shop is this! But Jin, Marcia, its a waste of time. Lets go back. Saying that, he looked over to Reiko, Sorry Reiko, but please carry it. Yes, Onii-sama. Reiko then easily lifted the 30kg of ingot. Wh-Wha Marcias mouth went wide open having seen that. It was also the same for the clerk who was watching from the shadows. Because they had seen a girl with a height of 130cm who only looked about 10 years old, easily lifting the metal that was around the same weight as herself. As I said, Reiko is my assistant. Theres no way Id believe you with just that! While they were arguing, Reiko had walked off with the ingot. Chapter 57 - COMMENCE PRODUCTION!

Chapter 57 C COMMENCE PRODUCTION!

In the port, there are small rental docks which was where Marcias workshop was. The catamaran was also stored there right now. Over here, this is my workshop. Alright, Reiko, put it down over there please. Okay. Reiko put down the ingot of bronze on the docks floor. Now then, first well need refine this. Hearing Jins mutter, Marcia, Eh? Jin, did you just say refine? Yeah. What about it? No no no! Isnt what we just bought an ingot!? However, Jin with a bitter smile, Yeah, but you know, there seem to be a lot of impurities in this. There seems to be Arsenic, Bismuth and Lead in it. Eh? Eh? Eh? I dont really get it, but the material store knew about this and still sold it for a high price? Unfortunately that is how it is. After Jin said this, Marcias face was dyed with anger, Sheet! That damn material store! Im going toin! However Jin stopped Marcia, Stop, stop. Thats just a waste of time. However, Marcias anger was not appeased. It was Reiko who called out to Marcia. Marcia-san, put that aside and take a look. You can see Oto Onii-samas exquisite skill. Eh? Having that been said, Marcia gave Jin a look, Smelting The ingot shed for a moment, and in the next moment, all the impurities that were in the ingot had scattered out into separate lumps Eh? And thats done. W-What did you just now? Marcia doubted her own eyes. Eh? I just separated the impurities. Jin said indifferently. Ev-even if you say that, how did you do it so easily!? On the other hand, Marcia was agitated. How you say, because Im a Magi Craftsman? I have no idea why you made that a question but haa Fine then. So, whats next? Gradually, Marcia was no longer able to be surprised by each and every little thing Jin did. Shape the golem FormingFormingForming Using the Craft Magic, Forming, in session, he was able to construct the golem. Since he had already learnt how to build the body on Hourai Ind, he was ustomed to it. W-w-wh-wha-wha Alright, this is done. Next is the Ether Converter, Mana Driver and Control Core. Jin took out 3 Magi Crystals from his pocket. Marcia jaw almost fell when she saw that. Since Magi Crystals were not less than 10 times more expensive than Magi Stones. How can you casually take something like that out of your pocket?! Reiko tapped on Marcias back, Since its Oto Onii-sama Marcia, who almost fell from depression, suddenly recovered, Thats right, its not like its a bad thing. Rather, I have to thank fate for introducing Jin to me! Unexpectedly, Marcia quickly recovered. In the meantime, Jin with the help of Reiko was touching up the small details while proceeding with the work. Alright, its mostly done with this. All thats left is It was the first time Marcia had seen Jins style of production, however, Hey Jin, this golem is a female model right? Hm? Thats right. Now the finishing touches, and Marcia was at a loss for words when she looked at the design of the golem. And its done Hm? What is it, Marcia? Jin asked Marcia who had her mouth wide open. Coming to her senses, Marcia, Hey Jin, if my eyes havent gone bad, this golem is Yeah, I used Marcia as the model. I thought so! Right, the golem that Jin had made was not just a female golem, it looked just like Marcia. Of course, the surface of the golem had a characteristic metallic lustre. A golem that looks like the ship operator sounds good doesnt it? You know Looking at the almost, or ratherpletely same body line, Marcia was amazed. How did Jin even know her own body shape. Actually, it was thanks to the nearby Reikos help. Since Reikos eyes came with a see-through function. As Reiko was familiar with the body shape, she pointed out the finer details. So, um Marcia,e over here for a bit. Crouched next to the golem, Jin beckoned Marcia over. Hm? Marcia crouched next to it as well and Jin, I need to transcribe your knowledge on ships to the golem, so please only think about the ship. Haa? Marcias surprise was still not exhausted. Usually, ordinary golems were taught knowledge over time after activating. Well then, here we go Transfer Info! Level 3. Recently he has been able to set the level of Transfer Info to as much as necessary, it had be much easier. Uwaa!? Marcia was surprised by the magic power of Transfer Info going through her head. However Jin continued, Master-ve. First is Marcia, second is me, third is Reiko. He defined chain ofmand. Alright, everything is done with this Hm? What is it Marcia? Jin asked, having seen the exhausted Marcia. Marcia was partly amazed, Its nothing. So, can this one move already? Yeah. Ill activate it now. Rise The golem then stood up. Marcia, go ahead and name it. Jin said and, Eh, ah, me? Marcia was in a panic, but after contemting for a while, Then lets call you Arrow. Yes, I am Arrow. Wha, i-it spoke! Marcia didnt know how much more she could be surprised. Now that the golem was finished, Marcia took a good, long look at Arrow. As a result, As I thought, there wasnt enough bronze. Eh? Since all golems that row the boat would have a tough physique without exception. Wasnt that why you made Arrow a female model? Indeed. In order to row the oar and paddle, everyone made that type of golem, especially having the upper body be tougher. But Arrow had the same appearance as Marcia. If youpared the arms to a male model, it was significantly thinner. With the power required from the golem, a female type would be at a disadvantage. However Jinughed, Its because this golem wont use its arms. Besides, a golems power is not affected by its size. Jin said while he shortly nced at Reiko. Ohh? Anyway, I understand that Jin is definitely not a normal Magi Craftsman. Haha, thats good to hear. While saying that, Jin once again sessively used Forming on the remaining bronze. In an instant, turbine-like parts, wheel-like parts, and winding back-and-forth parts were made. Chapter 58 - Launching Cygnus

Chapter 58 C Launching Cygnus

Hm? What are these? Marcia tilted her neck as the parts were not in the least like an oar. Jin, Well youll see. Reiko, help me assemble this. Yes. Jin asked Reiko to hold the heavy parts while he attached them on the catamaran. Before long, it waspleted. Its done now! Lets test it and take a look at the bnce. It was attached to the rear of the catamarans central hull. There was a turbine at the rear, and attached on the sides of the turbine were wheels. The wheels had a V groove in them and had a flexible belt attached. The belt was connected to another wheel. Another wheel had an L shaped rod protruding out from either side, slightly behind that was a seat and slightly in front of that was a handle. You might already know it by now, but Jin had made a propulsion device that uses bicycle pedals to rotate the turbines. It was often a tourist attraction at ponds andkes. But having seen it for the first time, Marcia, How can this move forward? She was worried. Proof before theory, well try it out first. So, with the Golem Arrows help, we moved the boat to the sea. And, Well then, since Ill be steering, Reiko, please do the pedalling. Eh? Is that okay? Marcia was still worried, but Jinughed, Yeah. Just leave it to me. OtoOnii-sama, Im ready. Okay, lets go. Well take it slowly first. Okay. Reiko stepped on the pedals. The turbine started to rotate, scooping the water to the rear. The boat started proceeding ahead with the recoil. Ooh! It moved! The boat then exited the swimming area and gradually picked up speed. Yep, this is quite alright. Otou-sama, do you want to go faster? No, this much is fine. Reiko, how much is your Ether Converter outputting right now? Yes, its approximately 5%. The efficiency is worse than I thought. Maybe we should change the shape of the turbine. Jin then sat in the cockpit and used Forming. If theres physical contact he can still use it at a distance of 3 metres. However, the efficiency drops inversely proportional to the distance. Oh, looks like its good this time. After fine tuning it several times, the speed had increased by about 30%pared to the first time. Alright, lets return for now. Jin did a U-turn and returned to the dock. Marcia greeted them with a joyful smile. Jin! Thats was amazing! Youre a genius! Not restraining any of her praise, Jin was a little shy while Reiko was proud. Itll beplete after adding one more thing. Its still missing something? Marcia asked for what Jin meant. Yeah. Since the turbine will spray water everywhere, well want to attach a cover to defend against that. When the turbine rotates at high speeds, the centrifugal force would cause water to spray everywhere. Reiko and Jins backs had also been soaked wet. This goes likes this. Forming. Okay, its done. Then can I also give it a ride? Seeing Marcia who was itching to have a ride, Jin wryly smiled, Sure. But before that, the owner, Marcia, should give the boat a name. Hm? R-right. Then how about Cygnus? Sounds fine doesnt it? Well then, to match the name Cygnus Surface Treatment. Huh? Aaah??? The hull of the catamaran, which until now had a wooden colour, had now changed to a white, worthy of the name Cygnus. Wha-what did you just do!? I simply dyed it white. In short, bleaching. Although he had actually applied a water proof coating too. Next Jin, Arrow,e over here for a moment. Okay, ting He ted Arrows surface using the nickel he got when separating the impurities from the bronze. And so Arrow became silvery grey and resistant to corrosion. A-amazing! Jin, is it okay already? It okay right? Seeing Marcia who seemed like she could no longer hold on and wanted to ride, Yeah. Be careful. Great! Ill be going! Im counting on you Arrow! Yes, please leave it to me. Launching Cygnus! Because Marcia has the highestmand priority, the cooperation between Marcia and Arrow was smooth at first. Then the boat abruptly started hopping. There was a ssh of water from the stern as it sailed across the water. Jin having seen that, Ah, as I thought, the efficiency of the water wheel still isnt good. He said to himself. Reiko having heard that, Otou-sama, are you still dissatisfied with it? Reiko had been given the knowledge of the previous Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci, however the propulsion device Jin made this time was not part of that knowledge. Yeah. The efficiency improves as it operates simrly to oars, but if it sshes that much Right, it starts losing its energy because of the sshing and waves. With Jins knowledge from modern Earth, he wanted to make a screw propulsion system. However, there are a lot of problems with rotating the screw. Firstly, the rotation needs to be changed to 90 degrees to the pedal. The rotation speed also isnt enough. Unless the screw has a high rotation speed, the efficiency will be bad. Its because I still havent made bevel gears yet Up until now, Jin hasnt made gears. Since at least 2 or more gears must mesh together, precise uracy is required. With ball bearings, the weight, that is the parameters were manageable to make. But in the case of gears, the module, pitch, involute curve and such were a bit out of his abilities right now. It cant be made without the help of a machine. Since he had worked at factories he had usedthes and milling machines and knew the rough structure of them, however, without time he couldnt reproduce them. Well, thats a task for back at theboratory. After a while, the Cygnus returned kicking up the water. Wee back. When Jin greeted Marcia on the pier, she who was full of excitement, Jin! This boat is amazing! Ive never seen a boat as fast as this! Thats nice to hear. So, do you have any points that youre unsatisfied or worried about? When Jin asked, Ah, no, I have noints on the propulsion. If I had to say, it would be the hull. A little more manoeuvrability would be great. Even though the catamaran can move straight ahead well because it has a long hull, its difficult to manoeuvre with sharper turns. Right, but I dont think we need that manoeuvrability for thepetition do we? Well, thats true. Its simply out the harbour, turn and go around the ind and return to the goal. However, Marcia had one more thing to add. Its not a bad thing to aim for a better hull though, right? To Marcia whoughed and said that, Youre right. Since progress halts when you be satisfied. Jin also agreed. It was nearing evening and the wind was also dying down. Jin and the others decided to call it a day. Chapter 59 - Magi Jet Engine

Chapter 59 C Magi Jet Engine

This one was Trantor:Silent, please enjoy. Chapter 8 - Magi Jet Engine The Cygnus waspleted the next day. The same day, Marcia went to her part-time fishing job while Jin went back to Hourai Ind. Well, I wonder if my thinking is correct. Last night, an idea came to his head while he was in bed at the Sea Pavillion Blower Jin used basic wind magic. Normally its a magic used to blow away rubbish. A strong wind was generated which ceased after around 5 seconds. Hmm, as I thought, theres no recoil. Jin noticed that there was no recoil with most magic. Themonly referred to w of action and reaction was valid even in a different world. However, this did not apply with respect to magic. Jin was trying to analyze the reason why. So Reiko, when I signal, please use Blower. Okay. Reiko was a super automata, in order to protect her master, attack magic of all attributes has been programmed to be used, including high level magic that her master cannot use. 3, 2, 1, now! Blower Trace Strong winds swept from Reikos hands, it was followed by flows of Jins magic. This time use Strong Winds please. 3, 2, 1, now! Wind Inspection Now, Jin began to examine the workings of magic and magic energy. After repeating this 3 times, I got it! Its as I thought! Father? Seeing Jin jump to his feet was umon, Reiko was puzzled. Reiko, thank you. I finally found the reason only the target is blown away with wind magic. Jin then exined to Reiko. For example, the magic Blower, appears to have created wind from the palm, however, it actually fires by collecting air from the surroundings. Jin spected this structure was because it was a rtively weak magic. When firing, although there is supposed to be recoil, the operator does not feel it. This is because magic cancelling the reaction is triggered at the same time. Is that so? Ah. Theres no doubt. Air flow, magic energy flow and magic structure, its all as a result of examining them. But, Jin let out his breath, From the operation of Blower and Wind, its only good at cancelling part of the recoil. From Jins extent of understanding, magic is the recorded procedure of invoking the (flow) in the world, it starts with the soul ofnguage in the presence of chanting and continued by the imposition of mana. In a magic item, a te is used to record and store the World procedure (flow) with the soul ofnguage, magic is triggered when supplied with mana. Storing a new procedure (flow) into the world is creating a new magic, it is said. With that said, the memory isnt foolproof, differences appear between mages spells. That aside, Jin continued talking. Because of that, you can do the same thing with a magic tool. I was able to understand the story. But the magic tool you mentioned before, what is it useful for? With an impish smile, Jin said, Well see Theng, bringing some Light Silver from the warehouse, he began to make something. As expected of Jin, although it took some time to make something for the first time, it waspleted soon. Done It was a cylindrical object 30cm long, 10cm in diameter. Father, this is? Then Jin opened the lid and put a tiny Magi Stone in the upper part of the cylinder, after that, he pushed it to the middle and closed the lid.And, Reiko, hold it firmly but be careful not to crush the cylinder. ? Okay. With that, Reiko held the tube, Start Jin started it. At that moment, wind started blowing from the cylinder in Reikos hand,it pushed against Reiko with considerable force. Father, this is? Oh, its a big sess. It is a Magi Jet Engine. Jins enginering naming was rtively decent. As it is, it will keep going until the Magi Stone runs out. It kept working for another 20 minutes. Un un, its as I thought What does it mean? Father Reiko asked as Jin nodded. Unin the magic Windthe part of the magic that prevents recoil that I talked about a little while ago consumed more than half the magic power. In other words, if you stop the magic that prevents recoil, it would require much less magic. Jin happily nodded, Yes, yes, thats right. With this, the prospect of flying in the sky is in sight, it can also be used to make a high speed boat. With Jins thoughts, the jet ne would probablye before the propeller ne. Wellits about time. Lets return to Port Rock for the time being. Coming out from the cave, Jin headed for Port Rock, as he neared he thought he smelt something burning. Father! Its a fire! Almost at the same time, Reiko pointed out. ck smoke wasing out from the harbour area. Isnt that from the direction of the dry dock? With a bad feeling, Jin began to run. Reiko followed. Ah, the dock! It could be seen from a distance. The source of the fire was the dock owned by Marcia. A deep red me could be seen inside, with smoke erupting, it was in a state where you couldnt see anything. Reiko, can you extinguish it? Immediately after Jin said that, the dock was flooded with seawater. Raising a lot of white steam, the fire immediately went out with therge amount of seawater. That was? It was Water Storm. Reinhardt, The person who used the magic was the Magi Engineer from the Shioro Empire they had met yesterday, Reinhardt. Chapter 60 - True Value

Chapter 60 C True Value

Trantor:Falinmer The firepletely went out before long, and the area was filled with a burning smell. Reinhardt, thank you. Jin approached Reinhardt and expressed his gratitude. Hi Jin, was this your dock? yes Well. When I noticed the smoke, the fire had already broke out and I wasnt able to do anything. No, it was difficult to put out alone. Reinhardt seems disappointed when Jin says so, However, would there be your ship among them? At this rate it will have been reduced to ashes already, Eh? Eh? Reinhardt didnt expect such a reaction of Jin with what he was saying. AAAAAAH! MY SHIP! Marcias cry rang out. Why, why such a thing. The ship that we expected to finallyplete! Damn it! As Marcia shedrge tears towards the ground, Jin approached Marcia. Marcia, you dont have to cry. Jin patted her on her shoulders as he said so. Jin? While wiping up Marcias face with a handkerchief, which had be messy with tears and her runny nose, Jin, Arrow! He yelled out and Yes. An answer is returned, but for some reason from the rear. Look! Jin points to the rear, there was Cygnus floating in the sea. W-What? Marcia is stunned, but Jin remains calm. Is that the autonomous golem, Arrow? Isnt it natural to protect the ship? Yes. We quickly evacuated from the ship into the sea since a fire urred. The bow was slightly burnt. I see, it must have been difficult. The burned bow can be repaired immediately, so that problem has passed. Marcia who saw the ship was safe was shedding tears of relief. Jin, Wow, Jin, you made that golem? Excellent! That a golem which can do self-controlled thought can be made, not even many in my country can make one! who? When Marcia sees Reinhard, her face shows suspicion, while Jin This is Reinhardt who I met yesterday, hes a Magic Engineer in the Shyoro Kingdom. He helped me put the fire out. I didnt put it out by myself. Oh, Im Marcia, a shipwright, nice to meet you. After Reinhardt makes a bow lightly to Marcia who said so, Well, well. As Jin introduced me, I am Reinhardt Randall, a magic engineer of the Shyoro Kingdom. Pushing aside the onlookers, 3 guards approach. There appears to have been a fire, was anyone here involved?? The person who asked appeared to be the leader. Im Marcia, who rented this dock. Simrly, Jin. Reinhardt, a magic engineer of the Shyoro Kingdom. And the leader, Hm? so youre probably a guest of, Reinhardtughed, So you know? Im a person of the Shyoro Kingdom who was invited to participate in the golem boat race. Then, the leader salutes. Excuse me, but wasnt your dock in the central part of the harbor? Yeah. I happened to pass by by chance, because I saw the fire I put it out with magic. Then the leader saluted again, Is that so? Thank you for your work. Then, toward Marcia and Jin, Id like you toe to the station so we can hear your circumstances. Reinhardt was clearly received with a different attitude. In a low voice, Jin said to Reiko, Ill tell youter, make sure nothing more happens to the ship. Jin gave instructions and went out of the harbor to the office on the outskirts of the city block. While the spectators were scattering, Reiko was monitoring the vicinity. This is because she felt an unknown magical power. And it wasnt only Reiko who sensed it. What is it? This feeling? Reinhardt of the Shyoro Kingdom also felt the strange magic. On the other hand, questioning was being carried out in the Guards Office. Like I said, this morning I was helping fishing and I wasnt here! When I came to the port after ying properly, the fire was already extinguished. Neither Jin nor Marcia were present when the fire started. Fumu, but its apparent that the fire started at the dock you borrowed. But, theres no fire in the dock!! Thats apparent, but I can process materials without fire. Hmm, then it is in fact an arson. The garrison leader had an uncooperative atmosphere and was gradually irritating Jin. Anyway, will it be arson or idental fire, either way, I wouldnt set my own ship on fire. Jin tried to bring it to an end. U-Umu. Is that so? Here, Jin said The other docks are safe, is there any possibility that this was an arsonmitted towards us because we are nning to participate in the golem boatpetition? Then, Hey, shut up! You bastard, you cant order me! The leader began to get angry suddenly. Jin thinks this is a little strange. Previously, Jin had encountered a simr atmosphere from a tax collector during a false investigation for tax evasion. So Jin, The golem I made is autonomous. Why dont you ask him? He may be able to provide some useful information. He says so, then in the leaders surprise, What? Can you make such an advanced golem? It seems worth checking it then. So, the guard leader, OK. Marcia, you stay here, and Jin, youe with me. He said so and left Marcia to the other guards, and went to the area with the rental dock again with Jin. Chapter 61 - Death Sea Serpent

Chapter 61 C Death Sea Serpent

Trantor:Silent For now, Reiko and Reinhardt remained at the rental dock. Then they all felt a strange magic power for the sea, they became wary. And then it appeared. Uwa, ah! Wha-Wha-What!? Surprised voices sounded. With a neck projecting from the sea level in the harbour, it was a huge serpent. It was approaching here at tremendous speeds. Death Sea Serpent Someone muttered so. That was exactly right, it was a giant sea snake called Death Sea Serpent. Its length was over 10 metres. Lorelei! Yes creator. Reihardts golem emerged from the sea. Defeat the Death Sea Serpent over there! Yes. Reiko headed towards Reihardt, Please wait, Reinhardt. Hm? What is it Reiko. Um, do you know that demon over there? Ah. Ive only just heard of it. Its a huge sea snake that can use magic power. Of course, magic with the water attribute wont affect it. Reihardt umted magic in his right hand. What is effective is At that time, Lorelei hit the body of the Death Sea Serpent. With this, the speed of the Death Sea Serpent fell. Angrily, the Death Sea Serpent opened its big mouth and tried to devour Lorelei. Its fire magic! me Lance! Aiming at its open mouth, Reihardt fired his magic. It had a fast speed as wasnt difficult to aim, it hit the open mouth of the Death Sea Serpent. The Death Sea Serpent gave a Gyaaaaa cry and thrashed about. Lorelei had already escaped. Im a bit sympatheticbut with that rampage that seems impossible? As it thrashes around the harbour, it createdrge waves. Small boats swayed like leaves and were overturned. Jin and Marcias Cygnus is a catamaran and is very stable, with Arrows skill to manipte, there wasnt a need to worry for now. Reiko confirmed it, Reinhardt, Ill stop the Death Sea Serpent for a little while. In the mean time, please do what you did before and bombard it with magic With that saidshe jumped into the sea without even waiting for Reinhardts reply. What? That girl? Thats reckless! What is she thinking? Such voices rose from those watching. Reinhardt, believing the words of the artifact automata Reiko, started to umte magic in his right hand. It was harder to swim without the swimming suit but in a short period of time, Reiko made it to the Death Sea Serpent and decided to try striking the body. She started with 10% output. There was a sound like striking a lump of iron. Although he believed in Reiko, Reinhardt truly doubted his own eyes. Reikos upper blow blew the Death Sea Serpent a few metres away. The Death Sea Serpents body was 50cm in diameter. Half of it lifted out of the sea. In reaction, Reiko sank to the seabed. Its truly hard. Reiko sank into the sea, letting herself sink, she put a foot at a time onto the seabed. Then, kicking hard against the seabed, with that momentum, she plunged towards the Death Sea Serpent. After rampaging and taking a single blow, the Death Sea Serpents movements had be somewhat slow in Reikos eyes. With that, it was hammered with two more intense blows. This time it was with 20% power. With that blow from beneath, the Death Sea Serpent was blown into the air. Receiving an impact it had never experienced before, it was half unconscious. Aiming at the open mouth, me Lance! Reihardts magic exploded. With much more umted magic than the first time, the head of the Death Sea Serpent was blown off, the sea stained bright red with blood. With no head, the body of the Death Sea Serpent started floating around with the waves. As Reiko dived into the sea in reaction, Jin looked at the situation. Swimming underwater, the blood wouldnt be there, she soon rose to the surface near the shore. Reiko! Just there, Jin was apanied by the Guard Captain Father. Reiko was soaked, but the moisture was scattered clean with one swing of her arm. The special (rare) material wasnt just for show. On the other had, the Guard Captain was stunned to see Reiko strike the Death Sea Serpent. He hurriedly put away something into his pocket that had been concealed in his hands. Jin and Reiko, Reihardt hit Jin across the shoulders, OhJin! Your Miss Reiko is amazing! I really didnt think it would be enough to blow away the Death Sea Serpent! I will, after the time thepetition has finished, invite you to my empire! While they were talking in a normal tone, cold sweat flowed on the Guard Captains back as he listened to them. (No waythis guy isyou have to be a big shot to be invited to the Shioro Empireits a good thing everything didnt go as told. Anyway the boat is safe, the results are not going to change.) Jin didnt notice the true motives of the Captain and called Arrow. The waves in the harbour had already settled, the catamaran Cygnus immediately came alongside the pier. You called? Un, Arrow, just to hear a little from you, but before the fire, did you see anyone suspiscious? Yes, now that I think of it, before the fire, someone came by with a red stone. Red Stone? It might be a Fire Magi Crystal. Well, with the time to put it in ce, it is possible to ignite a fire. Reihardt, who had been listening, said so. Jin was of the same opinion. I-I see. Right, so the person who threw the Magi Crystal was the arsonist? The Captain asked in a nervous tone. Thats right. I-I understand. We will look for the culprit. Sorry for the trouble. Release Marcia. After the Captain said that, the carcass of the Death Sea Serpent was cleaned up and quickly carried away. I dont understand, how was the demon floating over there killed? When Jin asked Reinhardt, Thats right. With the help of Miss Reiko, I managed to defeat it with fire magic. Hmm. Reinhardt is also good at magic. Jin said so admiringly No, no, its all thanks to her. While saying that he showed a small wand made from Mithril Silver. Its size fitfortably into his palm. Jin looked at it, I see! Its preloaded with magic! With this, you can easily activate magic just by sending mana. Reinhardt heard it with consternation, What! You saw through its function with just one nce, as expected of you! Jin youre amazing! Really, I want you toe to my country at least once. He hit Jin on the back while saying so. Jin, moved by his spirit, A, ah. I want to go by all means if an opportunityes. And that was his answer. In the warehouse district in the area with a rental dock nearby. Im really sorry, it seems to have been a failure. The big man apologized to the somewhat delicate man standing in front of him. It went off track due the the Death Sea Serpent. Because of themotion with the Death Sea Serpent, the fire hadnt be a big issue. No way, the boat escaped to the sea in advance. However, theyre a lucky bastard. Theres no way they could have seen the Death Sea Serpenting. Well never mind,this time Ill smash their production. With that conversation, the two men departed from that ce. Chapter 62 - Intruder

Chapter 62 C Intruder

Haa, its finally over. Jin and Marcia both sighed. While Jin was repairing the rental dock, Marcia was exining to the neighborhood and apologizing. Its already dusk We werent able to aplish anything today. Because of the fire incident, the preparations for thepetition including the adjustment of the ship werent able to be done that day. Well, theres always tomorrow. The fishing work I helped with was only until today. I see, then you can work on Cygnus from tomorrow morning. Jin then thinks about what Marcia says for a bit. By the way isnt there a boat Marcia, Reiko and I can take? Because Marcia and Arrow are on Cygnus, it was easy for Jin to confirm the various adjustments the ship needed. Marcia felt, Oh, I get it. Will the small boat I used for fishing be fine? Because it became misty in the wharf of the fishing ground, I decided to use it tomorrow. That night. Reiko, sorry, but will you guard the dock of Cygnus? Because it will be difficult if something causes another disturbance. Okay, Ill call Luna from Horai. As she answered, Reiko passed through the warp gate which connected to Horai Ind in the darkness, she instructed the golem girls Soleil and Luna. You called, older sister? Yes, it is the decree of our most important father. Luna, youe with me. Soleil, you protect Horai Ind. Understood. And she returns to Port Rock again. Luna, you protect this ship in this dock as I exined it And the other golem that was there, Arrow, Arrow, this child is your senior whom father also made. I want you to protect the ship and the dock. AS YOU HAVE DECIDED. Arrow, the golem whos leg strength was reinforced in particr, the fighting power isnt also so (even by this worlds standards, its rather low). So its weak to the offensive from a foreign enemy. You are the newest younger sister. Well, please rely on me. YES. Reiko who made sure of it came back to the hotel. Reiko does not have to sleep. After Jin went to sleep, she paused quietly while investigating the surrounding signs. It should be a condition of its state until the morninges. An intruder? The number of people who forced open the locked back entrance to the Sea Pavilion was 2.If Jin who is the absolute master is not in danger, there is no reason to do anything. Are they going up to the 2nd floor? She leaves the room quietly so as not to wake Jin and stands in the corridor. A host of footsteps seem to be going up to the 3rd floor. The room where Marcia is staying is on the 3rd floor. She thought of Jin who was looking forward to the Golem Boat Race with Marcia, and Reiko judged it would be bad if anything happened to Marcia. She went to the 3rd floor following an intruder without making a sound. When she arrived at the 3rd floor, an intruder was standing in front of the Heron room. It was clear at a nce that their objective was in the room, and Marcia is staying in there. What is your business at midnight? The two people who were suddenly called out from the rear became stiff. They could probably be admired that they didnt cry out of surprise. When the two people turned around, they saw a beautiful girl with raven-ck hair dressed in a white apron and a light blue dress. Well? What is it? Such a suspicious person at a ce like this? One whispered in a low voice. Reiko who heard it, Suspicious. There is a woman staying in that room. Are you going to break in? Then, one person brandished a knife and silently attacked Reiko. It seems dialogue appears useless when they decide to stay silent. The knife instantly disappears from the hand of the man who attacked Reiko. Please, do not touch me with such a thing. Reiko had the knife in her hand before anyone noticed it. She folded the knife in two with her fingers and then folded it again. Hii As expected, the man who was astonished gave out a small cry. The other one is breaking open the lock to the door to enter the Heron room. Reiko judged that as time was a priority she would have to change her power output to 20% from the standard 10%. Geh! Her fist struck the pit of the stomach of the man in front of her and her knife-hand blow struck the neck of the man trying to open the lock instantly knocking them out. Gah! The two intruders copsed. fuu Reiko sighs out of character. Not killing is difficult at 20% power. Reiko carries the 2 men under her arm. If a person saw this, it would be very surreal to them. Without making any noise, Reikoes down the stairs and out theback entrance that the men opened. She inspected her surroundings once more, but there wasnt anything suspicious within 1 kilometer. She determined that safety had been secured for a while. Shall I throw them away somewhere? Reiko says as she kicks off the ground. Reiko ran without making a sound and continued at full strength for about 15 minutes and dropped the 2 unconscious people there. She didnt know where it was, but it was an alley far in town. Reiko then hurried back to Jins room. Aaah, I slept well. When Jin woke up in the morning, Reiko, as usual, was there. Good morning, father. Ah, good morning. It looks like good weather today. Umm, I need to tell you something. Hm? Whats wrong? Reiko exined what happenedst night to Jin. After Jin heard the story, he folded his arms. Uuun, its too early to say. And the affair which showed signs of a series of interference will be linked. The Magi Craftsman wasnt found in the end. All the Magi Stones had been bought up. The quality of bronze he bought was bad. The arson at the dock. And the intruderst night. He didnt notice the magic interference formation at the town hall and the guard captain aimed at himself. Marcia is being targeted? No, the method of doing so is strange. The interference is meant to prevent Marcia from participating in thepetition. The reasons for such a thing cant be thought of though. She isnt a particr favorite an she also isnt a famous shipwright. Reiko did catch the intruder, and if interrogated they could reveal something, but its too early to say. Its bad to ask Reiko to consider something like that. Oh well, at any rate, I cant yield to interference. Jin who concluded so for now was preparing and is nowing down to the 1st floor slowly. After washing his face, he goes to the dining room and Marcia is already there. Good morning, Marcia. Oh, Jin. Good morning. What are we going to do today? After the 2 people quickly ate their breakfasts and fixed their outfits, they hurried to the harbor together. Marcia arrived at the dock where Cygnus floated. Because Luna left a little earlier, there was no unnecessary trouble. Well, Jin, please go from here to that harbor, because my boat is there. As she said so and Arrow started to row, Marcia slowly left the port. Well, Reiko, lets go. Yes father. Jin gave Reiko the lump of bronze that was about to melt thatid on the rental dock, and went to the harbor the fishermen used. Chapter 63 - One Piece

Chapter 63 C One Piece

Hey, Jin! Marcias voice sounded through the deserted fishermens harbor. Not there, a little more to the other side. Its moved ording to the directions. A small 2 seater boat was moored at the pier that was bing misty. Okay, thats it, you can get in now. Marcia was saying from the shore, so Jin untied the rope and boarded the ship followed by Reiko, too. Because it was used to help with fishing ,it smelled of young dried fish. You go first, and Ill go slowlyter. Jin calls out to Marcia, Deodorant The smell was killed by 1 and of engineering magic. Then Jin processed a lump of bronze which he gave to Reiko. |Transformation Forming, Hardening He then began forming the bronze by hand as though he were kneading y. He hadpleted 2 water wheels and a crank like steering wheel. Later, a bearing huh? Because the ball bearing was impossible now, it waspleted immediately with a in bearing. Ok, attach this, and, tto. In brief, Jin made a side-wheel steamer. He attached the waterwheels to both sides of the hull. The steering wheels operate the right and left separately. Its been driven by Jin of course, so far Reiko hadnt though. Ok, Reiko, please turn this and move the ship. Jin then exins to Reiko, the reason the waterwheels on the right and left were made independent was to omit the rudder. The ship can be controlled at will by changing the rotary speed of the waterwheels. Unfortunately, it is too inefficient for an ordinary golem, but theyre able to do this because its Reiko. Its because its natural for the power of the legs to be stronger than the power of the arm for a golem. Yes, leave it to me. However, it can get enough thrust by hand thanks to Reiko who is a super golem. It is an advantage that the direction can be changed without a rudder. First, she familiarizes herself with it. She starts slow and gradually gets faster. Reiko handled the small boat freely and went out to the shore. There were several areas of the sea for practice, and Marcia and others were to the east of the harbor. During this season, the local sea is calm. This is why thepetition is carried out now. On the sea which had calmed down, several ships were sailing around. One ship was the Cygnus. Oh, Jin came whats that? Marcia saw the side-wheel steamer and asked in surprise. Yes, this is better than an oar. To row it, the legs have worse efficiency, but Reiko can handle it. When Jin says so, Marcia frowned, You know, it may be Jin and an unnecessary thing, but even if Reiko is an assistant and can use physical reinforcement magic, how can you be praised for something that is so hard to drive? Eh? Jin didnt understand what she said for an instant, but understood what she was saying shortly after. Is that so? What were you saying Marcia? What? Reiko is a golem I made. Eh? It was Marcias turn to be astonished this time. When we just met, I decided to stay silent, but I must confess. Were teammates. Marcia? Slow down, idiot! She appeared to somehow get angry. Im sorry, but when we just met it seemed tooplex of a thing to talk about. Then Jin worked hard to pacify Marcia for a while. well, because of the degree of surprise this time, now that I really know about your ability, I can understand your anxiety. Marcia says, A-ah, well, its also because of Jins contributions that I can participate in thepetition Ill do this talk here. Marcia said positively as she prepared for thepetition, which relieved Jin. The fact that Marcia was being targeted was a story that Jin was determined to stay silent about until after thepetition was over. It was uncertain whether she was specifically targeted, but he wanted her to focus on thepetition for now. Other than that, he decided to pay as much attention as possible to Marcias security. If I could interrogate yesterdays intruder, maybe I could figure something out. But Reiko had already thrown out the trash. After that, he resumed preparation for thepetition. Promoting the cooperation of the golem and the operator is important. Ifpared, its something like the rtion between the coachman and the horse of a carriage? Marcia and the golem Arrow improved their cooperation whenever they had time while Jin observes closely for malfunctions and makes modifications during every break. The morning ended with this cycle. After I eat lunch, Ill go get the swimsuit for thepetition. Marcia says, while Jin says Swimsuit for thepetition? Yes, the participation fee also includes that part. 10,000 torrs, a high participation fee of approximately 100,000 yen seemed to contain not only the budget but also the share of such a thing. I see, then I will work on Arrow in the meantime. Yes, please. After lunch, Marcia left for thepetition office in the town hall. Jin is addicted to remodeling Arrow in the name of tuning up. Well, it moves as expected, but the bronze joint wears out when it moves so much. As he said that, he gave it a coating of adamant that he brought from Hourai ind. It isnt really a vition of the rules. |Because the Magic Crystal deteriorated a little, I will exchange it for a new one. In addition, Will the bronze resist corrosion if I put a thinyer of mithril on it? It is the world of his hobby, but no one is stopping it. When addict tuning up (remodeling) was over Jin, Im back. Marcia came back but when Jin saw her appearance he nearly spouted out. Wha! Marcia was wearing a navy blue one piece swimsuit. Besides, it looked just like the figure that Jin had made during the registration examination. The chairperson who saw the figure had decided to use it. Some design they have this year, and Jin, do you have something to say? A-ah Im sorry, what is it? At first, Jin wanted to apologize We, well, it looks great! Marcia stared at him with jiiii eyes. That sounded unnatural N-no, not at all! Its because Marcias style is good, it looks good, really! When that was said, Marcias cheeks began to redden. Is that so? Well, if Jin says so. Because Marcia went out in public in the swimsuit, all of the men at the harbor was staring at her swimsuit form. But she herself thought it was bothersome. Well then, lets start the afternoon training session! Saying so, she got in Cygnus. After repeating practice and adjustment until the evening, all that was left was to wait for the preliminary the next day. Not good! That reminds me, I have to extend the stay at the hotel! Jin cried when he remembered on his way back to the Sea Pavilion. Its ok Father, when we left this morning I had it extended for 3 more nights. Reiko was helpful. Chapter 64 - Just Before the Preliminary Starts

Chapter 64 C Just Before the Preliminary Starts

The dawn of the next day. Fine weather. The day of the preliminaries for the golem boat race. The harbor was wrapped in a vibrant energy all morning. As for each of the participants, Aaaah, Im a little nervous. I couldnt sleep wellst night. Fufufu, Ill win today! Everyone seems so great, I feel like renouncing. A tense person, a determined person, an uneasy person. They are showing various faces. Meanwhile, Jin was as usual. Well, there are a lot of ships. There are alos a lot of golems. But physical strength specialized types, well, its a poor idea, isnt it? Isnt it unreasonable topare them with father/Otou-sama? While Jin and Reikos exchange was heard, Marcia was bing eager, too. Hey, Jin! Oh, Reinhardt! Reinhardt rushed up with a girl in a yellow one-piece swimsuit behind him. This is Jins first time, this is Elsa, the operator of my ship and my cousin. Elsa Randall, best regards. Although simr to Reinhardt, her semi-short tinum blonde hair and light-blue pupils are clearly those of a beautiful girl.She has a fairplexion and is not tanning. Im Jin. This is Marcia who is the ship operator and my teammate, and this is Reiko. Im Marcia. Best regards. The ship operators shake hands. Reinhardt interrupted at this point. Hahahaha, Elsa, your chest already lost OUCH! Reinhardt who spoke out with sexual harassment identally fell into the sea after Elsa paid out a kick in silence. Good grief, Rai-nii should learn some delicacy. As they are talking, another person approaches them. Hi, Mr. Reinhardt and Ms. Elsa. This must be Marcia, and this is? It was the pompous man, Valentino. This is Mr. Valentino. Hes Mr. Jin. Reinhardt who has climbed up from the sea calls out to Jin while he is still dripping wet. Ah, so he had such a name, excuse me. Well, Ms. Elsa, Marcia, hows your condition today? As though he couldnt care about a man, Valentino focuses his attention only on Elsa and Marcia. Reiko is too young and doesnt seem to have caught his eyes. Marcia seems depressed to be looked at in such a manner. I am excelletn. Its pleasant weather so it would be fun to start the qualifier early. And, as if Elsa doesnt feel his eyes, A decent finish, for Mr. Valentino. After Valentino bows with his thin chest that has no muscle, Perfect! I will take first in the preliminary. He talked big, and then someone appeared from behind Valentino. Mr. Valentino, the preliminaries will start soon. It was a small beauty who put on a red one-piece swimsuit. She was morous. Is it Riche? I see, I will go now. And with a pompous bow, Well then, I wish you luck. And then walked out as he said so. As usual, Mr. Valentino. Elsa who was half disgusted. Yes, but that confidence also isnt groundless. Unusually, Reinhardt said this with a serious tone. And voice by sounds through harbor. Now then, we will soon start the 10th Golem Boat race preliminaries, participants board promptly and get ready. Well then, Im off Marcia calls out to Jin. Lets each do our best. Reinhardt said as he left together with Elsa. Jin saw the three of them off. When thepetition starts, there will be nothing for me to do anymore. I believe Marcia is an arrow that can only be watched. Yes, and I am your arm Father. And Jin and Reiko went to the dedicated staff seating. Now, the 10th annual golem boat race will begin, and we have a record high number of participants and even many from out of town too, its an unprecedented upsurge. The live coverage uses loudspeaker, so the voice sounds to every corner of the harbor that is the meeting ce. We have invited a young Magic Craftsman, Bernardo, whom is the pride of our country formentary. Im Bernard and its a pleasure to be here today and see so many different golem boats. Now, Bernard, could you exin thepetition in a way that a visitor who came sightseeing from a foreign territory could understand? Of the spectators, who were in the pay seats in the harbor, more than half were tourists and the rest were of the local popce. Let me see, to put it briefly, it is apetition of speed, but the special parts are where a golem propels the ship and a woman steers it. In this case it means that performance of the golem means a lot. Yes, thats also true, but the operations also cannot be ignored. Todays preliminary is just apetition of simple speed, but for tomorrowspetition they will have to go through several checkpoints which also requires navigation. I see, then cooperation between the ship operator and the golem is important? Thats right, just as its important for a coachman and a horse the ship operator also needs to control the golem. Thank you very much. Now, the participants and their ships seem ready to start soon in the harbor. As this was said, the ships were lining up in their participation application order and slowly went around the harbor following the guide ship. Before the chairman floats arge magic screen so the audience can get a good look at it. This year, ship operators are wearing a customized swimsuit showing off their limbs to the audience without regret. The swimsuit has a very unique design, right? Jin didnt think that the figurine he made for the test would be this popr, either. Bernard, can you tell us about some of the teams? Well, first, the team that stands at number one Eliass Glory. This is the team of Mr. Valentino who is one of the 3 aides of Marquis Hudson, he has Miss Riche who was a runner upst time as a ship operator, and the golem is a product of Sir Valerio. It can be said it has cornered the position of favorite. Thats right, I can imagine the strength just by seeing the huge upper body of that golem. If an oar is used by that arm, it should be able to achieve terrible speeds. The picture reflected in the magic screen changes. In the third is the Blue Marine team which is an invitation team and Reinhardts team of four men of the Randall count family and are also excellent magic craftsmen so they cant be overlooked can they? The ship fills arge part of the magic screen. Are you promoting the mermaid type golem Lorelei and the boat with a shallow hull? The emcee exins while examining the documents on hand. The ship operator is Elsa, Reinhardts cousin and hte daughter of the viscount. Elsa is also a mage like you. An especially big shout of joy broke out when I exined so it. Really, Reinhardt was from a count family. You have a rtion to the status with a count, huh? Then the introduction of the yer continues, but there is not the thing which is particrly new for Jin either. But, Oh? What is that? It is athletes number 27. What are those huge wings that grow at the back of the golem? Bernard, its an interesting golem, isnt it? Let me see. When a waterfowl flies out, it flies on the surface of the water, did you reference that? The width of the ship was defined as four meters or less, but theres no limits on the golem. Yes, but with those wings the weight will be considerable. When seeing the golem and the whole metal ship, it sank fairly well into the water and its weight could be imagined. Hm? Whats that? Jin looked slightly interesting. Athlete number 28, team Sea Bird. The hull was a slim canoe type, but a supporting hull called the outrigger was attached to both sids. Its the fascinating shape, isnt it? Reiko says No, if a wave is calm, that is good, but the weight of the hull of the middle hangs over the roof truss and maypromise when arge enough wave lifts one of the outriggers. Jin exins. I see, you dont have the worry by a catamaran of my team, right? Reiko says as she consents. Oh. But it will be effective in this calm sea. In addition, that golem Jin was worried about the golem that had four arms. Naturally, it has four oars. The pattern of the short oar was seen clearly. It may be the desperate n in which you cant have a long oar by the one with an outrigger, but it isnt bad. Now then, the dark horse, a unique team whos athlete number is 35, MJR. Jins and others team is introduced at the end. The shape of the ship is different, isnt it? Thats right. The shape is that of 2 thin ships that were lined up. It can be said that this emphasized stability. And what you should pay attention to is the propulsion system. What is it? It seems to be a water mill. It greatly resembles . With its strange shape it puts the audience in a buzz. Its a water mill that water flows around, but this is the reverse, isnt it? The reason which is turning a water mill and is kicking water. This seems fascinating. The introduction of the participating teams ended with the 35th Cygnus team at the end. The preliminaries are starting shortly. Chapter 65 - Split

Chapter 65 C Split

For the qualifiers, you have to sail out the harbour, around the distant rock and return to the harbour. This will done in groups of five boats, the top two boats can proceed to the race tomorrow. The exnation of thepetition continued. Since there are 35 teams participating this year, teams 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 will be in the first set. Jins Team ͣʣҡ is team 35 and is in thest set. Well then, it is qualifying round one! It is the set where Glory of Elias, team 1, belonging to the snobbish man Valentino is in. Everyone in this set wore red swimsuits. Each qualifying block seems to have a different colour swimsuit. From what Jin saw, the hulls of the five teams are thin like a canoe. The 5 boats were all using oars to row the boat, all five looked natural but the golem on Glory of Elias stood out as the strongest one. He must have employed an excellent Magi Craftsman with his status and money. His imagination was right on target. However, every team is more or less doing this and it isnt a particrly bad thing. Now, we can finally begin! 5,4,3,2,1, start! Water sprays sshed at the same time the start g was waved. The golems began rowing in unison. In a moment, team 1 began to lead. It was followed by teams 15, 19, 22 and 8. Hmm, as expected, power doesnt mean everything. Jin murmured. The golem on Glory of Elias was equipped with an oar twice as big as the others. The difference opened rapidly. Team 1, Glory of Elias, has reached the end and turned back! Because a ship with a Magic Eye was acting as a broadcast ry, images could be sent to a magic Screen, from there, the audience could also see clearly. The distance to the outer inds is approximately one kilometer. The round trip is two kilometers. Reaching the goal, Glory of Elias was 500m ahead of second ce. Its about 1.3 times fast. In addition, its unlikely that was its best. Jin began to analyze the rivals ability In the second qualifying round, the teams 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 were all about the same average ability. There was nothing special in particr. Incidentally, the colour of the swimsuit was orange. And the third round. So, the third qualifying round, set 3, the attention is on team Blue Marine! The golem of the mermaid type is the first that has been seen in the history of the rally! What kind of run will it show us. This blocks contestants had yellow swimsuits. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, start! Lorelei is pushing from the wide, shallow bottom from the rear of the hull. The kick is strong and steadily pushed away from the other 4 ships. This speed is not inferior to that of Glory of Elias a short while ago! The power is also included in thementary. Un, it doesnt have to match the shape of the hull. but even in a catamaran, it can still be propelled between the two. Jin analysed the disadvantages and vulnerable points of the golem Lorelei. In the meantime, set 3 ended quickly for the number 1 position. This was also a big victory with a 500m difference between second ce. Qualifying rounds 4 and 5 progressed but there were no teams catching Jins eye. In round 6 the is a group with Feather Golems. The colour of the swimsuit is light blue. 3, 2, 1, start! Ooooteam 27, its wings have expanded! The wings are pping! There is a considerable force. The ship lifted slightly. As well as producing a driving force by pping its wings, the feather golems also lift the ship up slightly, reducing resistance. However, the efficiency is too bad. Murmured Jin, team 27 had been in second ce right after the start, but whether it was due to the unreasonable golem or magical power shortage it increasingly slowed down and ended up at the rear. However, the idea was interesting After all that, it came to the goalst. And then the final qualifying round. The operators of our block wore a dark blue bathing suit. Now, todaysst race, qualifying round 7 is about to begin! The cheers went up after thementators voice. Jin payed attention. As well as Marcia, team 28 had a golem with four arms. It seems that team 28 has just had a golem change, Bernardo will exin. Thats right. It is said that a master craftsman Mr. Giordano made it. Eh? Wasnt he the person who made the golem of the team that tookst years victory? Thats right. Because of this attention will be necessary. More than that, I also have an interest in team 35. Here, the topic of Cygnus came out. Ha, I had also said that at the time of the parade. Yes. Its also interesting that the golem looks just like the operator. Lets pay attention. And the final qualifying round begins. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Start! Surprisingly, the team that started at the front was team 28. The golem was made in the form to lie down across the hull, its four arms moved very efficiently. Hou, its rowing like an ant moving, interesting. Jin was a little impressed. On the other hand, Marcia was in second ce. Jin watched the situation. It looked like Marcia had an idea. Arrow was far from expending all its energy. She probably thought that ones abilities shouldnt be shown before the finals tomorrow. But, Otou-san, she didnt tell you anything. Reiko asked in a questioning tone. Ah, probably, if you look at the race now While talking, the ships approached the turning point rock. For now, team 28 is first with Marcia in second ce. Bernado, how does it look? Yes, No. 28 is good at using the oar. And Im looking forward to No.35 catching up. On the Magic Projection Window, right now, a circle was shown around where Marcia and Cygnus were. Hmm, the maneuverability is passable. Very soon, Marcia will get serious? Immediately after Jin said so. Ooh, team No. 35, a spurt! Cygnus the sshing from the rear wheel increased conspicuously. And the Cygnuss speed increased. Team No. 35 is fast, fast! Its fiercely catching up with number 28 in first ce. As the y by ymentary increased, the audience cheered. Team 28 had also increased the pace! But No. 35 is faster than that! Andnow! Its overtaken! No. 35 is in first ce! As it is, Cygus will continue to keep first ce. Goooaall!! First ce No. 35, Second ce is No. 28! Wow, Bernadosmentary, it was a heated battle. Thats right, a race suitable for the final qualifying round. However, why didnt No. 35 start with that speed from the beginning? There was the natural question. Thats right, I will guess here, based on the construction, the burden on the waterwheel is great when moving at full speed. It is likely they have saved it in preparation for tomorrows race. While it is a usible answer, they have misjudged Jin. After all, the moving parts are reinforced with Adamantium, there is no worry that it could be broken with Arrows energy. But in the y by y seat, Indeed, the reason was because of the uneasiness about the durability. They understood. Now, the 10th golem boat qualifying roundpetition has beenpleted. Customers, be careful that you dont leave anything behind. In addition, tomorrows race will start at 9:00 in the morning. While the announcements were said, Now then, to thank Marcia for her work. When Jin rose, Jin? My eyes were right after all ! Your method of ship propulsion is wonderful! Turning around, the sultry voice was from Reinhardt. Elsa, dressed in a swimsuit was there too. Because the practice waters were different, I saw it for the first time today, hmm, its a novel idea to turn a waterwheel to run! I want to hear the rted stories! Thats right, why dont we have a meal together tonight? As Reinhardt rattled on by himself, Elsa next to him, Sorry for being noisy. As my brother said, what about it? She askedconically. Jin, If Marcia is okay, I dont mind. Since the answer was so, Oh I see! Then I must quickly go to Marcia to check! And, Reinhardt ran towards the harbour, Hm? What about me? Just there, Marcia, who had entrusted the boat to management personnel, came. Jin, told Reinhardts offer to Marcia. Mm, I dont mind. Marcia immediately answered. Reinhardt was overjoyed to hear that. I see! Right, then lets go! As he started to walk, he was stopped by Elsa pulling his hand. Ani, Marcia and I are still in swimsuits. Wait for a moment while we change clothes. Chapter 66 - Movements of the Lower Class Countries

Chapter 66 C Movements of the Lower ss Countries

In the Aristocrat District in Port Rock in central region, we followed the guidance of Reinhardt to some high-quality restaurants. Well, this is a ce I havent been to. Marcia said, even Jin felt the same. They realized that Reinhardt and the others are nobles once more. But Jin was raised in modern Japan in the end. He only had knowledge about aristocrats, so his attitude didnt change. On the other hand, Marcia doesnt appear to have expected such a luxurious restaurant. Uh, well, would it be better for me to use some more manners since youre the children of a noble? Marcia said nervously, but after he was asked, Reinhardt started tough. I want you to keep talking to me like you have so far. Well, you dont have to mind it with the manners because the room here is private. Really! Im relieved, otherwise I wouldve turned back. Jin says. Jin, calm down. Havent you been such a ce? No, its my first time. When he was on earth, Jin had been to a luxury Japanese restaurant at a customer reception with his boss. He didnt know what to do so he couldnt calm down and kept still the whole time. Well, because its a private room, just act like you did before. As he says so, the party enters the shop with Reinhardt at the lead. Jin, Reiko, Marcia, and at the end Elsa. Wee, youre Reinhardt, correct? Please,e this way. It seems that theyve already been informed and the shop employee guides the party to a private room. Please enjoy yourselves. As they said so, the person who guided them left. The room had a table and five luxurious chairs. When counted there was just enough for the five people in the group. Weve been waiting, young master, youngdy. I appreciate your efforts. The two women wore maid clothes. It seems to be Reinhardt and Elsas maids. When they signalled, Wee, shall I bring out the dishes immediately? Waitresses came out immediately. Yes, please do. When Reinhardt said that, several waitresses came out, one after another, and the table instantly became full of dishes. With this, we shall take our leave. After they said so, the two maids instructed the waitresses to leave the room and closed the door. Now then, shall we have a toast first? Saying so, Reinhardt raises a ss. Everyone else except for Reiko imitated it. The maids poured some foaming wine and, Im grateful that we could get to know each other. Following Reinhardts lead, the sses were put together and a dim sound sounded. Reinhardt who drank the sparkling wine, Yes, the wine of this country is good. Said so and put the emptied ss on the table. By the way, Jin, Marcia. Could you tell me about something? Differently from usual, Reinhardt spoke in a serious tone. Its you, Jin, that I find most interesting. Its about Reiko, that golem, and the waterwheel ship are not things that an ordinary person would think of, if you dont mind, would you tell me about it? Jin took a sip of the sweet wine, I was an orphan, I dont know my parents. I was taught all of it by my teacher, but my teacher isnt around anymore. He said so. He didnt say a lie, but he didnt tell all of the truth. The ce I live is a solitary ind and theres an artifact, a Warp Gate. A Warp Gate! Thats very rare! Reinhardt couldnt be silent any more and replied in a rough tone. I came to this continent with the warp gate and went around here and there. By the way, I am ignorant of the worldsmon sense, so I hope youll forgive me for this. As they were conversing, they left out some parts, but truth was being half told, so the people who were listening could understand. I see! Thats why you have a special way of thinking! Who was your master? Although he was unsure for a moment, Jin decided to tell the truth about this. She was Adrianna. When Reinhardt heard this, he was puzzled. Hmmm, where have I heard that before? Then, Elsa who had remained silent so far, Big Brother Rai, there was a legendary person a long time ago who had the same name and was called a Magic Craftsman. If I am not mistaken, her name was Adrianna Balbora Ceci. Jin was surprised to hear the name of histe predecessor who died more than 1000 years ago now. So that was it! In those days Magic Craftsmen were considered heretics. Indeed, so your master had that name? Y-yeah. To be named after the person themself, Jin knows this isnt true, but hes not foolish enough to say so. Reiko who was to the side drew a favorable opinion of the two people for knowing her mothers name. Is that so? Then I want to ask Marcia next, since Ive been asking Jin Its about the shape of the ship, was that your doing? Reinhardt took a slightly firm tone again. Y-yeah, thats right. Marcia has been tense for a while. Reinhardtughs and returns to his rough tone. Your normal tone is good enough, after all, were in a private room for that. He said to encourage her. W-well, if you insist. Though its called a catamaran, my father made a prototype and Jin and Ipleted it. Well, your father was a shipwright too, right? Marcia nodded, The works not as earnest as you think. Because I get absorbed in gambling, my feminine appeal has been disappearing. But I liked that catamaran that father made in with a sense of fun. After she said so, she took a drink of the wine. One of the maids immediately topped it off. At first, it was a thicker ship, but a thinner one was likely to be faster, so we made it thin. I see, I see, its because its thin that it speeds up, but the stability worsens. But the catamaran is still nicely stable. As he says so Reinhardt takes a drink of the wine that was poured by the maid, and towards Jin, Then wouldnt it be good for Jin to get to know a lot about this continent? Saying so, Jin nodded. Then lets exin a bit about the continent before talking about my country. Reinhardt takes another drink and says, 300 years ago, a great magic war happened. At that time the country that took the leading part in the human side was the Dinari Kingdom but because of a disruption afterwards, it is at present a subordinate country. In fact, Jin did not know this, so he nodded once. The Celuria Kingdom was set up in the area around the castle town of the Dinari Kingdom. They are a country which boasts one of the greatest cultures. Its because they seeded the former Dinari Kingdom. It was quite an interesting story, which made Jin want to listen. There is a rumor that the Cerulia Kingdom is making some suspicious moves, but that isnt something to talk about here. However, Jin has already heard of it. On the other hand, the Shioro Empire I belong to is built where the first generation of the Dinari Kingdom and his younger brother founded the kingdom in the west. So, although not exact, it can be said to have been the Dinari Kingdom. I see. So that he doesnt remain silent the whole time, Jin chimes in with a moderate reply. On the other hand, the Klein Kingdom, Franz Kingdom, Egrea Kingdom, the Elias Kingdom, and the Leonard Kingdom at the east end of the continent are also former Dinari Kingdoms. I see Well, it is said that to prevent the west from invading that the younger brother of the founder of Dinari founded the Shioro Empire. Invasion? Yes. Arge desert spreads out to the west of the Shioro Empire, and there are different ethnic groups on the other side of the desert. Different ethnic groups? Yeah, after the magic war, it is said that the vanguards only attacked once. I think they though those of us who took part in the war would be easy to take. Its a logical reason. But theres an artifact in the Shioro Empire from the great war in those days. An Artifact? What kind? Then Reinhardtughed. I cant tell you here, but if youe to our Shioro Empire as a guest, it might be different. Reinhardt said Now, lets eat. After saying so, the two maids instructed the wait staff. Then they were preupied in casual conversation while eating. It was certain that Jin was interested in the artifact that was in the Shioro Empire. That evening, at the dock that thepetitionmittee manages, the ships and golems which are to appear in the finals are kept there. In order to suppress consumption of the magic stones or magic crystals, the golems have suspended their movement temporarily. A suspicious figure appears. After rustling around a little, the suspicious figure opened the lock to the dock; then, What are you doing? What is What are you ah, ah, ow! The next morning, a man who was tied up was found rolling in front of the dock. The man was a member of the harbor garrison. He is going to be interrogated about what happened and why he was there when he wasnt on night duty, and he sounded deranged babbling that a small girl was the one that tied him up. Chapter 67 - Start of the Finals

Chapter 67 C Start of the Finals

The next day had fine weather, which made it perfect for thepetition. After breakfast, Jin and Marcia had ast meeting in front of thepetition venue. Because the ship was built to be as maintenance free as possible, I dont think its condition should have changed that much. Yeah, I believe you, Jin. So, whats your strategy? Ah, As far as Ive seen for this years course, the area starting from the bay is a technical stage, so I think Ill suppress it until I pass there. The catamaran tends tock quick mobility, but there is still a chance for the shiop operator to show what they can do. Well, its up to Marcia once you start, you can do as you like. When Jin says so, Marcia holds out here right hand. Jin, thanks for working with me and putting up with my selfishness. It was good to be able to meet you that day. Jin grasps here hand as well. There is nothing else that Jin will be able to do from this point on. Yeah, do your best. Well then, Im off. After Marcia turned away from Jin and walked 2 or 3 steps, she suddenly stopped and looked back. The swimsuit was too much. After she said so, Marcia left for the port. Jin is in the staff seating like yesterday. By the way, Reinhardt and the noble man, Valentino, are in the seats reserved for the distinguished guests arranged for the aristocrats. On the other hand, the staff seating isnt so full and is pretty much empty. I wonder why its so vacant? Jin chooses a seat and sits down, while saying its crowded, he still prefers this. Next to Jin is Reiko. Now then, Im looking forward to this. Jin muttered so. Our team winning is already decided. Reiko says, but Jin, No, apetition is also a matter of luck as to whether we win or not, and no one knows what will happen, therefore its interesting. He leaned back into his chair as he said so. Now, what weve all been anticipating, the long awaited finals! It was time and the voice of the announcer sounded. The audience seats were also more full today than they were yesterday. For todays finals, the feudal lord of the Elias Kingdoms southern Zause state hase to our Port Lock, Lord Dominique de Firentsiano! Just after the announcement, a female feudal lord waved her hand from the most expensive VIP box. 14 high speed boats, none of which are inferior, have entered this year. Who will win? Thepetitions final race will begin soon! 14 ships left the dock that was for the exclusive use ofpetitors and went ahead slowly through the inside of the bay and gathered at the starting point. The golem boats with the beautiful female operators wrapped in multicolored swimsuits. Which ship will lead us to the climax? Lets find out with our own eyes! The cheers increased. Wow, the guests are excited too, huh. Thats right, the report says that the audience isrger by 2 tenths more because of the design of the swimsuit. After this, the one-piece swimsuit became the standard for thepetition. Now everyone, the start preparations have beenpleted. Now we just need the countdown to start. Meanwhile, everyone quites down as they wait for the countdown. START! During the thunderous cheer, the 14 ships started. The first to jump out were number 1, Eliass Glory followed by number 3, Blue Marine and 28 Sea Bird. Marcia on the Cygnus was currently in 7th ce. Started a littlete. Jin murmured nkly. When she started, she had to dy to avoid the next ship and was a littlete. When in a melee, the catamaran may be slightly disadvantageous. Because she didnt want to bump the hull of the Cygnus she contented herself with 7th ce for now. Bernard, the first and third are starting to fall out as expected. The announcer is the same as yesterday. Thats right, from what weve seen in the preliminary its reasonable. The one thats about to take 3rd, number 28, seems to have passed through the confusion at the start. Is number 35 dyed? Based on yesterdays catch up, I think that it could catch up after this. Im anticipating whatll happen next. As thementators had expected, when Marcia got out of the bay and into the open sea she elerated. Did you see number 35 spurt ahead? Marcia passes 6th ce and into fifth ce and is pressing in on number 10 in 4th ce. Confirmation by the naked eye bes difficult from this point, so a picture reflected on the Magic Screen has to be relied on. It came out as expected, didnt it Bernard? Yeah, number 35 is as fast as expected, isnt it? Since the obstacles have decreased by going out into the open sea, they can now disy their full ability. Cygnus just overtook number 10 and reached 4th ce, just as the race breaks into the second stage. The second stage is a reef zone with an uninhabited ind, Io, located at the turn point. Competitor number 1 breaks into the reef zone still in 1st followed by numbers 3, 28, 35, 10, and 18. Because of the reef, navigation will be important here. Because they have to detour around the reef to avoid it, they are not able to reach their highest speeds. Competitor number 1 is Riche, a veteran ship operator, but they cant make full use of the driving force of the strong golem. Number 3, Elsa handled the ship without the risk of danger, and Lorelei responds to that too. Number 28 is taking advantage of thebination of the oar, rudder, and 4 arms to use their full mobility to advance through the reef zone. And number 35, Marcia, rejoiced at being able to elerate like she wanted thanks to the golem Arrow. As expected of Jin, you can do it! A golem with autonomy and the mutual understanding of the Master/vemunication could convey the delicate controls well. This was a result of the magic Jin applied to the hull called Surface Treatment. Everyone has a slight magical power, and Marcias is transmitted through the hull to Arrow. Because delicate eleration and deceleration is possible, it makes up for the lower mobility. But not everyone is getting along so well. Ouch! Number 34 seems to hit a reef! Their ships hull seems to be damaged, seems theyll have to retire here. Some of the ships couldnt avoid the reef and have retired. Some among them even sank. Again! They couldnt avoid number 16 and the hull hit the reef! Oh, well, its sinking! Is the ship operator alright? The ship of the race officials who was standing by rushed up and rescued the ship operator. The swimsuit is torn mercilessly! Is the ship operator safe? A rescue scene was reflected in therge Magic Screen. The ship operator whos swimsuit was torn was reflected in it, and it lead to a scene that did not change regardless of the world in that the men raised from their seats giving shouts of joy. The lead group has just broken through the reef area! In the lead are number 1 and 3, followed by 25 and 35! The leading order doesnt seem to have changed, has it? Well, thats the natural result, overtaking in that zone is difficult. But numbers 28 and 35 are closing the distance with 1 and 3, arent they? In the reef area of the 2nd stage, 4 other ships had to drop out, 34, 2, 16, and 12. The 3rd stage is the open sea, a speed stage without any obstacles. Everyone can show the maximum speed they have. After the deserted ind Io, there is the turning point. Number 3 spurted ahead! Fast, fast! As they start to line up with number 1, number 1 also increases their speed! Although Elsa tried to outrun him, Riche lets her golem elerate more to full speed and keeps the top position. 28 and 35 are also increasing their speed! It was possible to see this from the audience seats through the Magic Screen. You can do it, Marcia. Yes, the magic power connection with Arrow is being used well. Jin and Reiko were judged with a sense of security. Its finally the open sea. Yes, but there are also waves, arent there? Because its a catamaran, there shouldnt be a problem. Will Marcia spurt ahead from here? As the golem boats drive fast towards the east, they leave a white wake and disappear towards the horizon. The speed is approximately 30 kilos per hour. By the way, the knot is not used in this world. They cut to a different Magic Eye and the top group which was still advancing were seen on the Magic Screen. Marcia seems to have risen to 3rd ce. The magic screen projected Marcia in her swimsuit as she steered the Cygnus. Jin thought the number of men approaching Marcia would surely increase after thepetition. Father While Jin was thinking about this, Reiko suddenly raised a tense cry. Reiko? What is it? I feel some magic. Chapter 68 - Reiko, Dispatch

Chapter 68 C Reiko, Dispatch

Magic? Where is it from? For a short while, Reiko was focusing on detection. Yes, with this feeling, its close to the turning point. The possibility of Marcia being targeted passed through Jins mind when he heard that, however While its possible, will that guy really interfere with thepetition? I cant tell from here. Then theres the possibility that he will aim for Marcia, huh. Jin was folding his arms and thinking for a while, but while he and Marcia teamed up by chance, he wants Marcia to excel. Hed like to see the ship he made win the championship. Ok, Ill go to the sea area. He couldnt stomach the guy who was interfering with thepetition. There should be apetition official in the area. If we find the saboteur, well have to push him out. Jin said enthusiastically. Yes, Father, Ill help you. Naturally, Reiko follows that course as well. Ok, then well go by the ship we borrowed from Marcia. The paddle wheeler that was borrowed the day before yesterday is down at the pier. Jin and Reiko left their seats and hurried there. Oh? Jin and Reiko, where are you going? Reinhardt who was watching from the VIP seats saw the two people leave and walk towards the pier. Oh, what a fascinating ship. Is there a waterwheel on both sides? I want to go, but Im in the VIP seats, is it impossible? The seats reserved for distinguished guests are divided by private rooms for every aristocrat, and a guard stands at every entrance and exist, so you cant thoughtlessly leave your seat. When he nced at both of his sides, two maids were standing slightly behind him, and Reinhardt let out a sigh of resignation. When he does this, Reinhardt sees the two people go out of the harbor with the ship. E? Eeeeh? Its fast! He lets out his voice unintentionally. Because it was natural, and the outer ring which Reiko turned sprayed the water high and left the port in no time. Because most people were watching thepetition, it was only Reinhardt and a few other people who saw it. Yosh, thats good, keep it going Reiko. Because of thepetition, Jin knew hardly any attention was paid to himself for skipping watching it from the start. And then he confirmed that the audience seats couldnt be seen anymore. Reiko, you may put out 20%. Yes, Father. Although Reiko could afford to push harder, the materials of the boat couldnt endure any more. She turns the pedals at such a speed that her delicate arms arent visible. The water is sprayed several meters high and the ship advances like an arrow. Its a rate that exceeds 60 kilometers per hour. The speed is more than double that of the ships at the top of thepetition. F-Fast!. Because it is an ordinary boat and not a catamaran, the stability is bad. Still Reiko handled it well and the extent of the danger felt was just a bit of shaking. Hey, what is that? One of he sailors on the ships of the staff on duty to ry thepetition with the Magic Eye stared wide-eyed. A ship the size of a canoe passed at a speed he thought impossible. He sees a small man and a girl who wore a light blue dress with an apron. Is there something with my eyes? When he rubbed his eyes and saw it once again, the ship was gone and the white wake was disappearing into the horizon. Jin and Reiko arrived at the open sea without going along the reef zone because they werent part of thepetition. They head towards the magic power that Reiko detected. How is it Reiko? Do you know where the opponent is? Reiko doesnt answer. While rowing, it makes it harder to detect the magic. When Reiko finally began to talk, she seemed apologetic. Father, these are not human beings. The mag was bing stronger. Its certainly Death Sea Serpants. There are about 40. What!? It is the demon whom Reiko and Reinhardt exterminated. Theyre advancing quickly. As were also going there, were rapidly approaching. Are the Death Sea Serpents the demons you keptpanyst time? Jin asked to confirm. Yes, Otou-sama Do you think youll be able to defeat it? Reiko nods to that question. Yes, no problem. No problem, huh If I have to mention a problem, I think that it will be a little time consuming. The opponent is 40 of them, and there is only 1 ship. As time goes on, the influence on thepetition will only increase. We cant afford to turn back here The sea here is approximately 10 kilometers away from the uninhabited ind Io thats the turning point for thepetition. There were no signs of the ships in the vicinity. Now that the outer rings were worn out, they no longer seem to be able to go as fast as before. Before returning, theres also the possibility of being attacked from the rear. The bearings on the outer rings were worn down considerably. They had to make temporary repairs. I have no choice but to do it. Jin muttered to himself. Jin considered how to deal with the characteristics of the Death Sea Serpents that he had heard of and gives a bitter smile. He believed his and Reikos ability to do it, and time passed. The enemy will approach in a few minutes. Reiko told him as she sensed the enemy. Jin then includes a little request at the end. Reiko, isnt there a possibility that the Death Sea Serpents arent attacking? He asked, but Reiko said There is no possibility. The ferocious wave of magical powering from them is full of destructive impulses, furthermore, Death Sea Serpents are carnivorous. When Jin heard that, he resolved himself. I see. Reiko, try to kill them at a distance as much as possible. Understood. After a few minutes passed, the surface of the sea to the northeast started to get choppy. They havee. Reiko, whos eyesight was much better than Jins found it. Jin gave instructions immediately. Yosh, lets do it! Chapter 69 - Interception!

Chapter 69 C Interception!

me Lance!me Lance!me Lance! Reiko continuouslyunches me Lances as a preliminary test. When the first shotnded, a huge Death Sea Serpent broke the surface of the sea and lifted its sickle shaped neck. me Buster! The advanced me magic paid off as it blew off the head of the death sea serpent. One down As the first one was defeated, three more appeared through the surface of the sea as though they didnt even notice the first one. me Buster!me Buster!me Buster! Reiko hits them with three consecutive me magics, furthermore, two of their heads are blown off while one enters a wave. Three more. One of them noticed iting and avoided the me Buster by diving into the water, thus the third shot missed. Jin had seen it. It went into the water. See if you can smoke it out. The considered tactics are put into effect. Sonar! Its an engineering magic which checks for internal ws of a target by sound waves, but when raising the strength, its possible to have an influence on a creature in the water. Jin turned a full strength sound wave towards the sea. It appeared that ten or more of the death sea serpents fled after that one from all over the sea. Fish both big and small fainted and floated to the surface. Now, Reiko! me Buster!me Buster!me Buster!me Buster!me Buster! Five of the death sea serpents disappeared into the seaweed in the sea as the me magic was given off continuously. 8 dead But some of the death sea serpents were able to flea into the sea. So Jin, Ill smoke them out again, Reiko, try to attack with thunder attribute magic this time. Okay, I understand Good, here we go, Sonar! Because of the impact of another sonic wave, the Death Sea Serpents surfaced again. Thunder Rain! Reiko showered them with a top tier thunder magic. The death sea serpents who were hit by it writhed in pain and showed their stomach as they fainted and floated to the surface. Ok, no holding back. Again! Jin casts Sonar at max power while Reiko showers the Death Sea Serpents with Thunder Rain as they float to the surface. More Death Sea Serpents fainted and floated to the surface. Thats about half. However, theres a lot of them. Lets fall back for a moment. Approaching Jin may be as dangerous as approaching Reiko. Reiko retreats quickly. There were two of the death sea serpents which noticed that the small boat in front was the source of their danger. The distance between them is instantly crossed by the power of the Death Sea Serpent. Reiko had devoted herself to controlling the boat and her interception was a littlete. The jaw of one of the death sea serpents drew near immediately. Water Jet! Jin approached and aimed at the uing Death Sea Serpent and released a spell. Because it was faster than the speed of sound, the water de couldnt fail at decapitating the death sea serpent. Uwaa!? This is terrible. Jin and the others were bathed in the blood which gushed out, but another Death Sea Serpent approached in the meantime. Water Jet! Jin used Water Jet again. They werent bathed in blood this time because there was a little distance between them and the death sea serpent. Father, what was that just now? Reiko asks in surprise. Oh, that was engineering magic. Water Jet. It can even cut adamantium. As expected of Father! Reiko appears joyful, even at a time like this. While working in this manner, they were able to get away from the group of Death Sea Serpents. There are about 15 of them left now. Will the effect be light from this distance? Water Jet! Jins Water Jet cut the bodies of two of the Death Sea Serpents in half, but the remaining 13 produced a curtain of water and stopped it there. Tch, is it strong against the water attribute after all? The Water Jet goes through the curtain of water which the death sea serpents created, but the power is considerably weakened and is bounced off of their scales without injuring them. There were 13 left and they raged as they drew their bodies together while aiming to strike at Jin and the others. As a result, their movements stopped for a moment, then Mana Explosion! Reikos most powerful attack magic exploded. This magic can only be used on a target with magical power, its necessary to aim at the magic stone Core to suppress the power. Otherwise neighboring magical powers will also cause explosions, it would be ridiculous. 8 of the Death Sea Serpents were blown apart by the one Mana explosion. Because of one that had fainted and was floating nearby was involved, 17 of them had been ounted for. This left 5 alive and moving. Uotto! Its shaking. The small boat was shaken in the aftermath of the explosion. Once again they were a little too close. Reiko refrains from firing a second Mana Explosion. She considered the safety of Jin and was careful. The remaining Death Sea Serpents were approaching. Laser! Now An intense red light goes through the head of a Death Sea Serpent. When it hit the curtain of water, it made it evaporate in an instant and went from that hole through the Death Sea Serpents. In the blink of an eye, the remaining 5 Death Sea Serpents were instantly killed. When Reiko saw this, Father, is that also engineering magic? Yeah, I was improvising, but it went well. Originally it is an application of the simple magic Light. Light. Its a magic used to light up ones hand and look for things in dark ces. But I amplified the light to an extreme intensity until the wave is coherent. Jin can do it so simply because its magic, but on earth arge device was needed. But Jin lives with the knowledge of both modern Earth and a Magi Craft Meister. Its a fusion of science and magic. it is a higher level which his predecessor as a Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci, had aimed for. As expected of father. Reiko said while giving a fatal blow to a Death Sea Serpent which had fainted. Hmm, well, its not dealing a fatal blow as expected. Although Jin had some reluctance towards attacking an unconscious enemy one-sidedly, Reiko who didnt have such feelings worked indifferently. Is it over? Yes, I do not feel anymore magic. As the sea became quiet, Jin washed away the victims blood in the sea. Because the clothes are made of magical materials like Reiko, itll be clean again soon. Well then, lets go back. Yes, Father. Slower than when they came, Jin and Reiko began to return. Chapter 70 - Dead Heat

Chapter 70 C Dead Heat

Number 35 has appeared! Fast, very fast! Theyve just caught up with number 3 in 2nd ce! Yeah, it seems that number 35 is really showing their ability now. The y by ymentary of the rapid advance was a real eye opener.They were now aware of the team of a nameless shipwright and magic craftsman that was known by no one They arepeting for the top position. Atto, number 35 finally reached second ce! Now they are aiming for the top! Number 1 who was in the lead, Riche of Eliass Glory began to fret. The golem specialized for rowing which a master craftsman and Lord Valerio made. Although they are advancing at almost full power, another team is approaching them and putting pressure on them. I have my pride too! Riche changed the course of the ship slightly as she muttered. Argh! Clever jerk! Marcia spat out. Riche moved her ship to block Marcias course. But, the other side seems flustered too. Marcia calmed down and changed the course of her ship, but Riche anticipated that as well and Marcia couldnt get passed her. Number 1 blocks that course as well! Number 35 is not falling out though! She should have taken a wider route, its difficult when theyre this close. This area is great for a technique expert like Riche. Course interference is not a vition unless the hull touches it, and the one in the rear is considered bad when the hull touches it during a pursuit. While the two ships werepeting like that, number 3, Elsa of the Blue Marlin ran past at full speed using a wide path. WOW! While number 1 and 35 were entangled, number 3 has taken the top away! Number 38 has began a littlete! And the leaders approached the fourth stage, the turning point and uninhabited ind, Io. On the other hand, Jin and Reiko hurried toward the uninhabited ind Io. Since they hade out here anyway, they wanted to see how Marcia was doing. Why were the Death Sea Serpents in that kind of a ce? The Death Sea Serpent should be a monster that lives in the north sea. Thats what Reinhardt said anyways. Have you ever escaped from anything like Hekatonkheires? Hmmm, I dont understand. Anyway, the race is the priority right now. Since the information wascking, she couldnt understand, and Jin was too simplistic about it. Id like to make an airne Just when he was thinking about such things, an unexpected ident happened. Aaah! One of the axles driven by Reiko broke and sank underwater. It happened in an instant while they were still travelling at full speed. Search for it! Jin hurriedly said to Reiko. No, even if you became serious, it would still be difficult. Even if Im charged with magic power, since it sank into the deep sea, how long would it take to find it? Weve already advanced several tens of meters from where it dropped. Even if it isnt impossible for Reiko to find, how long would it take? Then, Reiko dejectedly said, Im sorry. How thoughtless of me to lose a work of yours, Father. And Jinforts her, No, because the material originally had trouble with durability, its inevitable. Aside from that, its more important for our safety to remove the paddle wheel. Yes. Reiko handed Jin the paddle wheel so it would be safe. Oh, this was about to break too Forming! Through Jins magic, the paddle wheel is turned into a small paddle. He was not able to make anything big because of theck of materials. Reiko, Im sorry, but would you paddle with this? Understood. Reiko began to row at once, but the speed was not entirely gone. no good Because of the bronzes bad quality, the hardening magic couldnt do much either. Reiko seems to be over 10% of her output, and the rod seems like itll break. It does not seem like we will be in time. When she saw that Jin was disappointed, Reiko Father, I will swim and push it. She said so, but before Jin could say anything she quickly took off her clothes and plunged into the water. Reiko seems to have felt responsible for having broken and lost the paddle wheel. And Reiko grabbed the boat from the water and began kicking the water with here delicate bare feet. Oh, ooh! This is fast! When she was first transferred to the sea from the Warp Gate to look for Jin, Reiko was able to go 100Kph while carrying baggage and clothed. Now that she has further been strengthened from that time, she could easily support the ship with Jin in the back at 100 Kph. If you looked from the end, you might not notice it, but the ship is travelling at high speed. That seems to be Io Ind. The silhouette of the ind that was the turning point reflected in Jins eyes. There also appear to be some ships which had tourists on them. Reiko, I was wondering, but are we going to slow down soon?! Jin was worried about whether Reiko, who was underwater, could hear his yell. But, because Reikos hearing is not regr, let alone the voice of her father, Jin, she immediately dropped her speed. Slowly, the ship that Jin was riding on proceeds between the tourist boats that were watching thepetition. Although Jin was holding the paddle, for such a small boat to enter the sea was already suspicious. Fortunately, the audience in the tourist boat were too busy watching the fiercepetition of the lead group and no one was paying attention to Jin. The three lead ships are about to approach the turning point! The key to the fourth stage are the turns and how to shorten your time. The size of Io Ind is about 1 Kilometer, it is an almost circr ind. Thementary continued. Because of the conical shape of the ind, much like a volcano, the shore is shallow and the water gets deeper as you get farther away. So, that is to say Thats right, if you try to take a tight turn you risk running aground, but if you y it safe and take it big youre going to take more time. So thats the key of this area, isnt it? Yes, but the three lead ships seem to be trying to turn to the very limit. Just as the announcer said, the three lead ships seem to have decided to go at a distance as close to the limit as several meters from the uninhabited ind, Io. We somehow made it in time. They could finally see the figures of the leaders from their location. Its athletes numbered 3, 1, and 35. Arent they in a good position? After turning around the ind, its a speed game! Jin tried to recall thee stage configuration of thepetition, And, there Father, may I say something? Reiko came out of the water. Reiko, what is it? Yes, I saw two strange golems underwater. Golems in the water? What a strange ce to be. So, what are they doing? Those fellows. For now, nothing, theyre keeping still. I couldnt understand their intention. Considering it was installed near thepetition, its suspicious. I dont understand why they would purposely put it in the water. Have you identified their affiliation? Please wait Well, it is probably produced by a Magic Craftsman named Valerio. I smell the same magic power as the golem with athlete 1. What!? Hmmm When its associated with the nobleman, Valentino, I feel weve caught onto something. It may be an interference this time. Yosh, Reiko, id like you to watch the two golems and prevent them from interfering with thepetition. Understood. Do you want me to destroy them? Thats no good. If its an arm or a leg, I dont mind if theyre destroyed so they cant move, but you cant damage the Control Stone of the golems, we need them to submit as evidence. OK Reiko disappeared into the water. Soon, the lead group approached Io Ind. Chapter 71 - And of the hearts desire

Chapter 71 C And of the hearts desire

These two bodies are specialized in underwater action, arent they? Reiko was observing and while analyzing for any signs of hostility approaching. Small stature, thin figure, and hands and feet with are webbed. Both bodies had the same form. The prominence of the forearm seems to have high offensive power, doesnt it? Reiko approached to about 5 meters and hid herself in that ce. The vicinity is a shallow ce that is no more than 2 meters deep, but its rocky enough to notck hiding ces. The sign of Arrow is approaching, isnt it? When it was seen from beneath the water, the order of approach was the shallow bottom boat of Reinhardt and Elsa, the mono hull of the noble man, Valentino, and the catamaran of Marcia. At that moment, the underwater golems began to move. One of them went towards Elsas boat, while the other advanced on Cygnus. I dont know what youre going to do, but I wont let you go. Since the opponent was a golem, Reiko had absolutely no hesitation. She bent her body like a spring and kicked off the rocks to move through the water in a moment. She first grabbed the legs of the closer golem and crushed them at once. The interior is hollow? It is iparable to the golems made by father. After crushing its other leg so that its movements were dull, Reiko leaves it in ce and goes after the other golem. Are you going to tear the boat hull with that protuberance? The golem was aimed at the catamaran, but Reikos arm quickly caught the golem in an instant. The protuberance is steel, its soft, isnt it? Reiko finished twisting the arm and water entered through the hollow arm, dulling its movements at once. Thats it. Because of their dulled movements, the golems were not an enemy for Reiko. Reiko wrenched off the remaining arm and both legs the same way as she did the other one. Because the Control Core at the heart was fine, they should be able to identify the criminal. Well, lets report to father. After leaving the golems which couldnt move anymore, Reiko returns to the boat that Jin is on. To her rear, the lead group passed through without incident. Father, its finished. Quietly entering from the side, Reiko reported it. Is that so? Thank you. By the way, did you take the evidence from the golems? If thats all, I can go back and grab them. Reiko calmly answered. Is that so? Then please do. Yes. Reiko seems to be happy that Jin depended on her and is acting with a smile. First, she took the hands and feet she had wrenched off and twisted and stretched them into an unshapely rope. It was a forciblebor and not even engineering magic was used. She tied the 2 golems together using this rope made of their limbs. As ridiculous of a feet as it is, Reiko is unaware of this since shes only using 20% of her output. Well, both father and daughter are birds of a feather. (Note: This sentence was confusing, but theyre saying that both Jin and Reiko are absurd and unaware of how absurd they and their actions tend to be) With the golems tied to the aft of the boat, Reiko began to push it back. What? That boat. Its moving without rowing? Some on the sightseeing sheep seemed to notice this time, but Jin was not pursued in this matter since no one saw his face. The top group that went around the uninhabited ind Io, the turning point is in the order of 3, 1, 35, and 28! The y-by-y had continued to announce with their usual tension. Thest stage from here is the high-speed sections with no obstacles, right? One announcer says. Athlete 35 and Marcia were behind and to the left of 1 moving towards the open sea. Its because it doesnt let Riche interfere with their course. And they mad a spurt at the stretch. Oooh! Athlete 35 is fast! The water spray is really flying back! nting to advance had caused Cygnus to lose some speed, but that was nothing. It has surpassed! It has surpassed! team MJR has finally outran number 35 and 1! Marcia has gone out in front of Riche for the first time. This time, it was Riche who was impatient. Why!? Why didnt it fall out?! That ship performs so well! Riche couldnt believe it when the catamaran which Marcia rides on passed her and sprayed her with water. Though she made the golem that Lord Valerio made work to the limit, the difference didnt shrink. It seemed like it was a nightmare. Marcia elerates more and and closes the distance between her and Elsa whos in the lead. Fast it is as big brother Rai anticipated. Elsa felt the difference in the absolute performance of the ship and decided to stop that with course interference. Fair and square game. Even though its not suitable for the climax of the finals, course interference is not foul. Lorelei was encouraged to elerate even more than the limit. Using her flexible body, Lorelei began to kick the water in the rear. On the other hand, Cygnus moved the hull forward with the waterwheel driven by the pedal that Arrow rowed to the limit and pushed a white spray up high. Well, the waterwheel is just inefficient. Jin sighed while seeing it from a long distance. Although shy, the waterwheel is spraying too much water into the air, that meant it was doing extra work, but there were no records about it before this. After all, a propeller would be better, huh. Jin hasnt figured out how to build a suitable drive mechanism for a propeller yet, even with his power. When I return to the research center, Id like to focus on this part as expected. While continuing his train of thought, Jin was jolted in the boat. Work hard, Lorelei. Elsa controlled Lorelei desperately, but number 35 gradually narrowed the distance. Before long, OVERWORK, DEATH, master Elsa Lorelei said that it had exceeded its limit. At this pace, it wont be able to reach the goal. Reluctantly, Elsa drops the output of Lorelei, and Cygnus finally takes the lead. What unbelievable speed! Number 35 has outrun the Blue Marine and taken the lead for the first time! When thepetition is over, team MJR will be in great demand, wont they? If the nameless MJR won the championship, there would be several rich people and nobles who would call out to them. Thats right. ording to our documents, its said that Marcia, the ship operator, is also a Shipwright. And Jin who made the golem is a nameless Magic Craftsman, but after this his name should spread quickly, wont it? For the first time in the finals, Cygnus is running in the lead. Although he couldnt see it anymore, he could listen to the y by y and that made Jin smile. Now Reiko, well return quickly, too. Because they had to advance along a different course from Marcia, it cant be denied that its a roundabout route, but they had to take it to avoid being seen. The small boat with Jin took the great detour around and aimed at the port town, Port Rock. At the goal point in Port Rocks central port, one person who was watching the Magic Screen was grinding their teeth in frustration. Needless to say, it was the noble man, Valentino. Grrrr, surprisingly that girl Riche is cowardly! Sir Valerio is Sir Valerio, too, but I poured in so much money, what is it, that condition? After seeming mortified and murmuring so, he changedpletely and a dark smile floated on his face. Since itse to this, theres no choice He muttered so. Valentino, they will soon be at the goal. Shall we go meet the contestants at the finish line? The person in the VIP seats said. There are not many who can call Velntino by name without a title like this person did. It was Valentinos boss that had spoken, a female lord Elias Kingdoms south Zaus state, Marquis Dominique de do Firentsiano. Valentino clicked his tongue inwardly, but went down ording to the feudal lords instructions from the VIP seats without showing his thoughts on his face. Chapter 72 - Awards Ceremony, and…

Chapter 72 C Awards Ceremony, and

Unbeknownst to everyone present, a small boat had arrived just outside of Port Rock. Everyone had gone to the finish line to watch the winner of the race. OK, its all right now Reiko. A naked Reiko boarded the ship and put on her clothes swiftly without worry. Father, we should take these golems to the Event Officials as soon as possible. Ah, yes, please. Yes. Reiko hauled the golems and began to carry them since they couldnt move. Jin helped out and did the same as well. Hm? What? What is it? Whats that? Huh? Most of the residents were paying attention to thepetition, but we still stood out. Because Jin intended to leave this town soon, he began to act serious. At the finish line, a thunderous cheer could be heard. Athlete number 35, now, GOOOOOOOOAL! Jin was reminded by the especially loud announcement that Marcia had taken first ce. Well done, Marcia. Thought Jin as he made his way through the shifting mass of people who were pushing and shoving to catch a glimpse of this years queen, Marcia, who donned a tearful face. A slightly joyful Reikomented - Congrattions, father. Well, its natural since its father. Ah, if it isnt Jin. Congrattions on your victory. By the way, what is Miss Reiko carrying? Jin ran into Reinhardt while he came down from the VIP seats to thank Elsa for her service. Fortunately for Jin, Reinhardt noticed the two figures carrying golems. Oh, Reinhardt. About these two golems, they appear to be sent by a third party who wished to interfere with todays event.] What? Is the Control Core safe? Of course. Even though I can confirm the details myself, Id like an Event Official to be present. Ill never forgive anyone that defiles thepetition that should be fair. Hey, official! Although Jin was an uninvited guest, because of Reinhardts influence and position as an aristocrat in another country, the Vice Chairman of the event came over immediately. The chairperson seemed to be upied by managing the awards ceremony. There is someone who attempted to cheat with these golems. What!?!?(ED: NANI???) When we investigate the control core, all the supporting evidence will appear. Watch, ! Reinhardt works his magic on the control core. Instead of the higher ranking , it is the easier to understand . This is ! Light begins to flow and forms letters in a line. When read, This part interfere with all ships except for athlete number 1s can be read. This says Destroy athlete number 35 and ****. **** is not readable, but they want it destroyed. What is this thing?! The golem was damaged when Reiko disabled it, so not everything was preserved perfectly. This being so, enough information was kept intact in an understandable condition. In other words, this golem was sent out for ! Theplexion of the vice-chairman changed, but Reinhardt remained calm. No, we shouldnte to conclusions too early, as it could possibly be an excessive supporters efforts. Anyway, well have to bring this up in the Official Event Governingmittee! As he finished the evaluation, an order was given to a subordinate that had them carry the golems to a secure location for safekeeping. Oh? In such a ce. When Jin rxed his shoulders and murmured, Reinhardt was in high spirits. I saw Jin and Miss Reiko row out and leave from before. Adding up the events that happened afterwards, sending an invitation for you to visit my country seems more and more appealing! When I go back home, do you wish to apany me? As Jin thought about the proposal, Reinhardt told him about his ns for travel. Id like to travel with you immediately after thispetition, but unfortunately I have other things that I need to attend to. I intend to go visit the other regions, and in doing so, passing through Elias kingdom will probably take around another 10 days. Because he thought Jin would provide him with inspiration and ingenuity, he gave a grace period of 10 days for convenience. If thats the case, Id be happy to go together. Oh, I see! My Randall family will definitely wee you to our country. Then how about I send someone to meet you here in 10 days? When Jin said hed like to go, Reinhardt was pleasantly surprised. In that case, thatll help. Oh, how much baggage can I bring? If its 1 carriage, it doesnt matter. There didnt seem to be a problem, so Jin thanked him. The Central Harbor was decided on as the meeting ce and Jin received a handkerchief with the crest of the Randall house on it. This will allow the person whos going to escort Jin to identify him. As the conversation finished and everything was agreed upon, remarkably loud cheers came from the direction of thepetition venue. Oh, is the awards ceremony going to start soon? So Jin and Reinhardt traveled to the venue together. On the podium are three extremely beautiful women. Marcia, who wore a blue swimsuit was on the highest tform marked #1. Because of her narrow figure, it emphasized her other features, attracting the gazes of almost all of the male visitors. Elsa was wearing a yellow swimsuit and was in second ce. Because of her modest figure in spite of being 16 years old, and her being a viscounts daughter, people were cheering for her less openly. Standing in third ce was Riche with her red swimsuit. Although she was petite, she had a morous figure which divided the poprity and attention between her and Marcia in two. The awards ceremony was over and Jin and Reiko were talking to Marcia in the waiting room. She had already taken off her swimsuit and was wearing her usual casual clothes. Jin, thank you, its thanks to you that I could win the championship. Thanks to you, I should be able to seed as a shipwright. While saying so, she ced the bag with the 1 million torr prize money on the table. I was able to get the 100,000 torr prize for the design of the ship. Since the catamaran Cygnus was evaluated highly, Marcia appeared to show some more sincerity. Because of that, I got an award for uniqueness. This is your share, Jin. She put the bag of 100,000 torr in front of Jin. The waterwheel drive was also evaluated highly. Because of that, the division of the championship prize money will be equally divided ording to our contract. Um, I Ah, I understand. Because Jin contributed the most to our victory, I want to give you 3/4ths of the prize money. No, thats not it, I Jin started to say that it was a joke, but decided to stay quiet about it, because his modesty could appear as excessive and devalue the victory due to being too reserved. Well then, half, if you please. Saying so, he opened the bag with gold coins and counted out 50 and left it to Reiko. Reiko then put it in a pocket of her apron. That was refreshing. What will you do now, Jin? Marcia asked with relief on her face. I was originally nning to go sightseeing in this country and see the different towns. Reinhardt invited me to visit also Is that so? Though I am disappointed, the contract is over and Jin is not from this country. Although it was short, it was definitely fun. Saying so, Marcia held out her right hand and Jin grasped it in return. I was also happy that I could team up with Marcia. After saying so and smiling, Jin and Marcia left the waiting room. They were then promptly mobbed by people who wished to hire the two of them. Excuse me, is it true? Yes, Reinhardt, a VIP checked it in front of me. Go investigate this immediately. The female feudal lord, Dominique de Firentsiano, was angry at the news that there was a third party who plotted sabotage with the golems andmanded that the issue be investigated immediately. On that day, an aide to the feudal lord was found to have bought arge quantity of Magic Stones and that a magic formation of movement interference was discovered on the desk of an event official. Furthermore, a merchant who used some materials and money made poor quality bronze statues of a specific visitor (they didnt say it was Marcia) and was reported. Another thing that was discovered was that one person who was arrested was a member of the garrison. He was the one who had snuck into the docks where the ships in the finals were kept and failed to steal a ship. As a result of interrogation, they found out that he was after ship number 35. Further inquiry also found that Velntino had been persistently trying to make Marcia, the champion, into his mistress. The final nail in the coffin was that they were able to identify the Magic Craftsman who programmed the golems that Reiko had captured. Naturally, the person who hired him became clear shortly after. Although most of the evidence was circumstantial, the contents found within the programming of the Golems were definitive. Valentino was cornered by the evidence. Lord Valerio who made the golem was also under suspicions, and a written protest was going to be sent to the Celuria Kingdom. Although he was cornered, Valentino still held a fearlessugh. Later through the day, the Event Officials had an announcement to make. This is a very regrettable, but a third party was found guilty of attempting to sabotage an otherwise fair event. The party performed in favoritism of Number 1 Eliass Glory. The position of third ce is revoked from Eliass Glorys team and given to team 28, team Seabird is now raised to 3rd ce. Therefore, as a result of this, we eagerly await for the response of all those rted. Chapter 73 - When a mystery is solved

Chapter 73 C When a mystery is solved

Now then, in honor of everyones efforts, Cheers! Jin, Reiko, Marcia, Reinhardt and Elsa (4 people and 1 automaton) were celebrating their victory from the other day at a luxurious restaurant. Although Jin and Marcia were invited by various aristocrats and merchants after thepetition, the invitation they received from Reinhardt gave them a reason to decline them all, and were able to shrink away from the attention of the masses. No, I lost to Jin! Theres no way Lorelei could have won!!! Really? I couldnt believe that you were overworking Lorelei during thest stage. Both Reinhardt and Elsa obediently admitted defeat. Please tell me one thing, Jin. For now, they seem to want to hear various things about Jins origins. The first thing that was asked in this conversation - Is it true that you came over to this continent with a ? Whether or not he expected it to be brought into the conversation, Jin thought about it deeply. Yeah, but, I dont want to disclose too much information about it. If by chance it were to be broken, my means of returning home would disappear. Jin declined in a polite manner. Nodding in understanding, Reinhardt replied with another question. Is that so? I wanted to check it out, but its impossible isnt it? Big brother Rei, everyone has one or two things they cant tell others about. When Elsa said so, Reinhardt also thought it was unsuitable to continue so he backed down. Sorry, but, some day Ill be able to invite you guys to my home. When Jin said so in a semi-diplomatic manner, Reinhardt took the bait. Really? Is that so? It would be my pleasure! Ah, I have to go to another nations capital as a diplomat tomorrow, its regrettable, but Ill definitely have to take you up on your offer eventually! Y-yeah. Although Jin regretted mentioning the invitation, only the future knows what it will bring. As the meal progressed, they began to talk about thepetition. The topic came to talk about the golems that Jin and Reiko had caught. In the end, there was no evidence of fraud by the operator of the ship, Riche, so she hasnt been arrested. Valentino is being held in custody while the investigation continues. Hmmm, thats understandable, right? Because Valentino had several ways to handle this, Marcia made aplex expression. Marcias had various troubles, right? Jin understood Marcias feelings. Sensing the atmosphere between Marcia and Jin, Reinhardt could tell that they would have a hard time talking about it. Its normally a topic that people dont want to talk about, but after winning the championship and being in high spirits, drinking wine and bing slightly intoxicated, Marcia began to talk about her problems before her participation. What? Can you exin in more detail please, oh, and also in chronological sequence. Reinhardt asked with an unusually serious look. Marcia began with how she couldnt find a Magic Craftsman and how all of the Magic Stones had been sold out. Furthermore, the price of bronze had doubled, and even poor quality bronze was being sold at an exorbitant price. Umm, after that, it was the arson incident. She recalled the fire that Reinhardt had put out that was going directly for their ship. Since he thought there wouldnt be another chance, Jin decided to speak as well. Umm, actually, the night before thest preliminary He talked about how Reiko had repelled some intruders and dumped them far away. Is that so. Hmmmm Reinhardt put his finger on his forehead and began to brood. Even if it doesnt seem like it, big brother Rai is smart. Elsas praise is done in a subtle manner. He isnt just a diplomat for show. After sitting like that for a while, Reinhardt appears to have had an idea and looks up. At first, it appears that they intended to prevent Marcia from participating. Jin agreed with this, Yes, but I dont understand why. Why was it limited to Marcia? Would it ignore other participants? Reinhardt shows a broad grin. Its at that point that I thought Perhaps its not Marcia whos being aimed at, but the ship? Eh? In other words, Reinhardts exnation was that they wanted to destroy the catamaran. Destroy it? Who? Of course, Valentino. Judging from Marcias story, if she couldnt participate in thepetition, she would be forced to let go of the Catamaran. When it came to that, Marcia who had little gold would sell it to Valentino, or so Reinhardt deduces. I see. I had little money, and theres the maintenance fees until next year, I would have had to sell it for some money and the other party wouldve likely been connected to Valentino. Marcia supported Reinhardts reasoning. And his deductions continued. Now that Marcia was qualified to participate in thepetition, they couldnt purchase the ship. So they attempted arson. Reinhardts exnation showed that the ship would cause them trouble, and not that they wanted the ship. He then took a sip of wine to quench his thirst and continued. The arson failed, and Jin made an autonomous golem to pilot the boat. If handled poorly, the criminal could be identified. Everyone listened to Reinhardts theory without interrupting. Therefore, they had to resort to a more desperate n. They attempted to kidnap or harm Marcia to remove her from thepetition, but that also failed. As Reinhardt illustrated all of this, he looked like apletely different person. Thest resort were the golems in the water, but that scheme also came to nothing thanks to Miss Reiko. Other ships were disturbed as well, and and if things went well, they would get the championship. Reinhardt takes a breath. If I can check the catamaran, Im certain that Ill understand something. He concluded. The ships that ced from first to third were under the management of thepetitionmittee at this time. Although it cant be reached immediately, because of the previous methods employed, they couldnt rest easy. Besides, Valentino is a lords assistant. But he should be under investigation right now, so now was the prime time for their undercover investigation. It should be investigated early if possible. As Reinhardt finished, they quickly finished their food and left the restaurant. The outside was alreadypletely dark. As they walked down the street towards the harbour, with the light of a magicmp guiding their way. The sea breeze at night was chilly and pleasant on their slightly tipsy faces. Reinhardt asked Marcia a question while walking. When was the catamaran made? Marcia thought a little, About 2 years ago, I think. Then I readjusted it restlessly. Oh, arge adjustment was madest year. Wasnt itst year that Valentino said he wanted Marcia as a concubine? Last year Yeah! As expected, it seemed to have some relevance to the situation at hand. Before long, the party arrived at the public dock. One guard was standing on duty. Thanks for the hard work. Id like to check on a ship a little, would that be all right? He was from the team that came in 2nd, the owner of Blue Marine, Reinhardt, a guest of honour who stated his intention. After he nodded once, the guard unlocked the docks back entrance. He expressed his thanks as he entered inside. It was pitch ck, but because Jin, Reiko, Reinhardt, and Elsa used magic, it quickly became bright enough. Now, Marcia, may I check your ship? Marcia began to investigate the construction of the ship right away. First, the whole hull was inspected. Nothing in particr is found, though, because Jin bleached it with . Next, the right half of the hull. The inside was hollow except for where there was structural material. What? Whats this? An unfamiliar parchment was forced into a gap of the structural material of the right hull near the rear corner. Its impossible that I didnt notice this gap until now, stay here. A letter and a picture were written on what Marcia pulled out of the hull. Marcia began to read it out loud. Now, lets see, It appears to be a contract for 4 (Eruradoraito). When they heard this, Reinhardt and Elsas eyes went wide. This is Eh? Erudoraito*? Two people raised their voice in surprise, but Jin, What is that? It was a jewel that Jin didnt know about. Yeah, thats Reinhardt began to exin to him. The thing was a very rare jewel that was discovered about 100 years ago. Because it had a property that amplified the effects of magic, many countries restricted the cirction of it. Its also monopolized by the nation of the Elias Kingdom. It would cost about 10 million Torr for a worthless one, so about 40 million torr for 4, or about 400 million yen. If an individual was trading such a thing, then they were smuggling. EH? I didnt know that! Marcia cried. Since it seemed to have concerned the dealings of such a valuable jewel, it was unbearable. I understand, its not a jewel that a meremoner should have in their possession. Reinhardt was referring to an under the table contract that people didnt want others to see. Then the front door was forced open loudly. (EN: DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN) Chapter 74 - Conclusion

Chapter 74 C Conclusion

Golems!? Thats definitely one of Valentinos golems! The golem that broke open the door had been owned by Valentino in thepetition and was made by Lord Valerio. That guy, did he get reckless because hes cornered? Then another figure appeared, it was another identical golem of the same type. Two golems! Did he make enough profit from smuggling to spend money like that? The two golems approached with firm steps while soaking in water up to their chest. I guess they came eyeing the evidence of the El Dorado Transactions. They are advancing straight towards 3 ships, Marcias catamaran being among them. Reinhardt called out to Lorelei; Yes creator. The Mermaid type golem, Lorelei, appeared from the water. Wait, Reinhardt, do you really intend to stop both of them with just Lorelei? Loreleis leather material puts it at a disadvantage against a metallic enemy. While Jin worried he was told, Oh, even though it looks like this, Loreleisbat power is high, although its limited to the water. Saying so, he issued instructions to Lorelei. Lorelei disappeared into the water, and the next moment, the two golems lost their bnce as though they had lost their footing and fell down. Good! Well, wed better get out of here before its toote. Reinhardt tries to make Elsa and Marcia evacuate the dock first, but I refuse! If left alone as is, wont those golems destroy my ship? Yes, of course. Apparently, those two golems seem to be a semi-autonomous type, and will keep working towards their goal until they are destroyed orplete it. When Jin said so, Marcia asked about what a semi-autonomous type was. Reinhardt answered her question. The reason semi-autonomous types are made the most is because they have some autonomy to react to a situation. For example, you dont have to give it detailed instructions when you sayBring me ***** . Conversely, an advanced autonomous golem would require a significantly higher skill to create than the average Magic Craftsman, which are already limited. Well, here it is too narrow On the other hand, Jin was troubled. Reiko was in another room fighting at 10-20% against identical golems, but because of how small the docks were, her fighting ability was hindered further due to the probability of causing coteral damage to the surroundings. When Reiko strikes with sufficient power to destroy a golem, the force is likely to be transferred behind it too, powerful enough to break a wall. After looking around the dock, Jin found out whether or not there were any good methods of attack. Reiko! Knock that fishing weight into them! The weight, or bast, weighed around 20kg. Its used instead of an anchor to fix a ship in ce temporarily. Yes, Father. Reiko lifted the lump of iron lightly with 20% of her output and threw it at the golem. Aaah! Whose voice was that? The weight that Reiko threw crushed the upper body of the golem and protruded outside of the dock. Its good that the door was open Jin was relieved that the golem was forced out without breaking the door. Furthermore, Reiko hurled another weight at another golem. The second golem raised its hand in order to catch the weight, but Reiko had thrown it with 20% of her total output. The lump of iron that was flying at a super-high speed crushed the arm that was held out and the upper body as was and kept flying out to sea without losing any speed. Everyone who was watching were stunned like deers in headlights. The first to return to their senses was Reinhardt. Lorelei, find the Control Core of the golem! Yes. When analyzing the control cores, the criminal can be identified. Lorelei immediately retrieved the 2 Control Cores from the water. On the other hand, Reinhardt began exining the situation to the guards who had finally gathered. Elsa supports him from the side as well. Jin who saw all of this thought it would make a good reference as expected. I see, the two golems forced open the door to the dock and attacked. The guard is also hurt, but hes also saying that without a doubt. Anyways, pleasee to the lords ce. Well secure the crime scene They had caused arge uproar. Jin and the others were going to the female lord who rules the southern part of the Elias Kingdom including Port Lock, Dominique de Firentsiano, as important witnesses. Meanwhile, at the government building where Dominique de Firentsiano is Three subordinates of Marquis hudson and Valentino do Hudson were confined to a room on the 2nd floor for an investigation. For an aide to a feudal lord, it wasnt a jail cell but a room in the government office building. A detailed interrogation was scheduled to take ce tomorrow. As two guards were ced at the only entrance to the room The sound of broken ss resounded from behind the closed doors. What the!?! The guards were surprised by the sound and opened the door to see in the room and were astonished. G-Golem!? Two golems were there. If Jin saw this, hed notice that theyre the same golems that attacked the tax carriers from Kaina vige. Fufufu, as long as these guys are around I cant be caught. I have no use for this country anymore. As he said so, Valentino was already disappearing through the escape hole, the golems rushing after him. W-wait! One of the guards runs out in pursuit while the other ran in order to report it to the lord. What was that?! Valentino has fled!? The lord who heard the report couldnt believe their ears. It appeared that a nobles son with a clear parentage ran away for fear of conviction. Hurry up and arrange a search! The subordinate followed the instructions, but there were few guards in this town. One by one they gathered increasing from the original 10 to 20 people. Even with the resting half, their numbers were not enough to handle two golems. And then Lord Firentsiano, the visitors from the Shioro Empire, Reinhardt and Elsa, and the championship team MJR are here to see you. They are with the harbor guard as well. If it was only Jin and the others, they would have been put off, but when the female lord heard they were with an aristocrat, she ordered to let them through while thinking it was annoying. Her appearance began to change as she listened to their story. When Reinhardt cast [Read] on the Control Cores of the golem to disy the instructions contents, Destroy the ship of team 35 and recover the evidence of the El Dorado transactions that were hidden it it. The person who gave these orders is Valentino! (ED: Well done Sherlock!) The evidence has already been collected, This is it. Reinhardt put the evidence on the table. Theplexion of Firentsiano turned pale and confirmed that the crest was one that Valentino used. When the story is put together, Valentino seems to have been involved in smuggling. A year ago, the El Dorado was meant to be gifted to the Royal Family, but it went missing and was presumably stolen. The same El Dorado was then found hidden within Marcias ship, which was also apanied by the smuggling contract. A carved seal of an E is engraved on the evidence. The stones appearance was written within the contract, and it depicted that all of the stones shared the same E marking. But, it was often hidden in such a ce, wasnt it? The female lord regarded a strange thing, Marcia thought for a little. Oh, it must be that then. A magic craftsman wasnt found to participatest year, but this year they could so the ship was being remodelled. At that time, anyone could approach it since it was stored at a beach and not a dock. It was a ship with an unusual shape, so it worked well as a marker. There was a report that they pursued a suspicious person. When they caught up with him and inspected his personal belongings they found nothing. The Marquis said so while looking at the past records. At that time, Marcia saw Valentino and was gloomily told to Be his mistress. Because it was bothersome, she went to the neighbouring town where her fathers shop was with the catamaran. Valentino who intended to collect it immediately seemed to have gotten impatient. He only found it again when Marcia decided to participate in thepetition with the ship that hid the evidence of his smuggling. All of the reasons became clear with this. When we interrogate Valentino, well also find out the third party responsible that stole and are trading the El Dorado. Reinhardt said with a relieved face, but the female lord frowned. In fact some time ago Valentino escaped from custody with the aid of golems. What?! I have to report to the imperial capital and ce Valentino on a wanted list. Reinhardt, could you go with me? Yes, of course. Jin and Marcia left at that point. From then on, there was no ce for civilians. The next morning, Jin and Marcia bid farewell at the port. If youe to town, make sure to visit me, because I will build up [Marcias Shipyard] magnificently! Yeah, Im looking forward to it. Make a lot of good ships! Jin and Marcia shook hands and parted in this way. Afterwords: Other than Valentino, another person was arrested for the smuggling. One of the guardsmen was hired to set fire to the dock. They were off duty, but they approached the dock area with free entry by site. It also came to light that the guard captainmitted multiple misdeeds and was also receiving a bribe from Valentino. He was dismissed and jailed. The men who were stunned by Reiko when they tried to attack Marcia were caught for another incident in the neighbouring town, but they confessed readily when they considered their other crimes and were interrogated. Later on, arge number of Death Sea Serpent corpses were found off of Io Ind, but there were no witnesses who could be questioned about it. Chapter 75 - First Flight

Chapter 75 C First Flight

After admiring the scene that was Port Rock, Jin took a short trip back to Hourai Ind. He wouldter return to Port Rock at another date for another 10 days, before he nned to visit the Imperial Aristocracy of Cecilio with Reinhardt. They gained a lot of things from visiting Port Rock. Fish sauce could be found but sadly there still wasnt any rice. Ahhas I thought, baths are great. There were only showers in Port Rock, so for the first time in a while, Jin was rxing in a morning bath. Father, I will wash your back. The line was from Reiko. While she had the appearance of a 10 year old girl, she was actually a super automata, capable of fighting an entire country. (ED: (? ? ??? ?)?) Ah, thanks. While having his back washed by Reiko, Jin was thinking of the future. I want to make a high speed vehicle. I think an air-ne that uses a magic jet propulsion engine would be appropriate. A jet engine that uses wind magic. Making jet nes before propeller nes was made possible thanks to the unique trait of this world that was Magic. After getting out of the bath, Jin prepared arge amount of Light Silver. Light Silveris light weight and a good conductor of magic power. Its identity is the element with the atomic number 22, Titanium, with the 26 neutrons reced with magic particles. (TLSilent : trouble with ħ, have tranted it as magic particles for now) It was no wonder that Jin chose this as the material for the aircraft. It was also decided that the windshield would be made from a transparent crystal instead of ss. It was possible to start construction of the ne straight away because he had already decided on the materials used. Hmm first is normal tapered wings, we dont want swept wings.(Straight Wings and Angled Wings, - vs v, respectively.) From the beginning, there was no n of the aircraft that would break the speed of sound. (ED: The pilot would go st unless magic plot armour >.>) Now, where to install the engine? The thrust should be along the aircrafts centre of gravity to make it easy to bnce. It can be put at the back, just before the air intake. Gradually it began to take shape. The problem is the flight control system. You couldnt make a real air-ne cockpit from a model one. There wasnt that much information from games. Well, elevator control stick, rudder, and this will probably move the ailerons He decided on the operation of the ne from his very limited knowledge. Throttle and brake, brake has to connect to the ps Working earnestly, Jin finished his construction in no time. The mass of Light Silverhad now transformed into an air-ne, d in shining silver. Autopilot is not possible but itll survive running by itself for a while. Just like the time when constructing a golem, and with the previous experience of making a glider golem, a navigation aid system was assembled. In this way, it was a prototype made abination of technologies. Done. That afternoon, the first prototype aircraft waspleted. 5 parallel runways were made by golem No. 1, under themand of the Land Developer Topaz. (TLSilent: I think thats what it means) Well, lets run a test flight. Jin was about to board the ne in high spirits when, Father, please wait. Reiko stopped him. ording to what you said, this magic device is going to fly in the sky? Ah, yes. Although I believe in fathers technology, if by any chance it breaks, what will you do? He hadnt considered any safety measures and didnt design a parachute. Please let me try first father. Reiko is a super automata and could easily cope with most situations thrown at her. Mmm, I understand Reiko. Ill leave the first flight to you. Yes, I understand. So, using information transfer, the knowledge on flying nes was passed to Reiko. The seat height was also readjusted because it was too low for Reiko. Finally, it was time for the first flight. Well then, time to start. The wind was weak, the perfect weather for flight, so Reiko started up the Magic jet engine. There was a sound from the air intake as the prototype began to glide. As the speed gradually increased, Reiko moved the control stick. Yes! Its flying! The prototype lifted slightly and began flying into the blue sky. Its a sess! Reiko flew around the periphery of the Ind and when she became familiar with the controls to some extent, she began to test the limits of speed, climb, dive and sharp turns. While it was only a visual estimation, the speed was about 400K/ph to 500K/ph. There was no problem with stability during climbs, dives and sharp turns. This isrgely because of the Light Silverwhich has a 5 times greater strength property than Duralumin for the same weight. In addition, the navigational auxiliary was also learning and starting to support. Ah, I want amunication device. A video camera can be reproduced from the magic eye monitor and magic projection screen he saw during thepetition in Port Rock. I should make a magic ear and magic mouth. The names were only tentative for now. The sun was starting to go down, so Jin signalled to Reiko toe down. Reiko lowered her altitude and came back towards the straight runway. At this point in time, Birds?! A flock of birds, returning to their roost, flew across the front of the airne. The birds struck the fusge, covering the windshield with blood and the magic jet engine started sucking in the birds instead of the air. It was an ident called aBird Strike. The magic jet engine, which had swallowed a number of birds, began to stall and abruptly stopped. With the view also blocked by the birds, the aircraft lost bnce. The result was that it simply fell out of the sky and crashed. Reiko! It crashed from an altitude of 50 metres and was destroyed to the extent that it was a total loss. Needless to say, there was no fire as it was a product of magic engineering. Jin rushed over to the crash site. The location was marked by the assistant golem, with Soleil and Luna amodating Reiko. Haaa, haaa. Jin was gasping for breath as he reached the crash site. Im very sorry Father. Reiko deeply bowed her head. Re-Reiko, are you okay? Is your body hurt or anything? To Jins question, Im ok. This body was made by Father so there are no abnormalities anywhere. However, Ive broken the ne you gave me Jin hugged Reiko, Idiot, we can remake the ne. But Reiko, theres only one of you. Father, Im a doll automata. Father is capable of making anything whether it is this body or another one. Reiko said with her head against Jin. Idiot. You are you, born from todays experiences and memories spent together, something only belonging to you. Even if a simr automata was made, theres only one of you Reiko. Father(ED: liek and subskrib If u cri errytim) Reiko buried her face into Jins chest. Thank you very much. And in a small voice, Reiko is very happy. With a smile, Jin replied Lets go home. So that a second ident doesnt ur, the second prototype will have some more improvements. Yes, I will do my best to help. The broken aircraft was transported by Soleil and Luna, following Jin and Reiko as they headed back to theboratory. Chapter 76 - Failure Teaches Success

Chapter 76 C Failure Teaches Sess

The next day, Jin started making the magicmunication device. A magic eye would fly and send information from a distance to a magic screen. Free ether, that fills space, vibrates under certain conditions and can transmit a wave. It is simr to the rtionship between air and sound. Taking advantage of this, a magic tool capable of transmitting sound was also developed. The device was named ManaCom. (TLSilent: something like manamunication I think.) A magic screen and magic eye wherebined to make a TeleCom. Right, you can nowmunicate with the ground with this. A protective device was then prepared. Some sort of barrier, it would be nice if it could reduce the physical impact on the body. The idea was so that you wouldnt get hurt in a ne crash. A magic device that created a barrier against physical damage was ced under the seat. In case of escaping, a parachute was needed. Jin made a parachute from the thread of a Ground Spider. It is both light and durable. If you attach a small Magic Jet Engine, you can slow the descent velocity and control the movement. This is different from a normal parachute and the benefits are still unknown. After that, with all the safety measures, construction started on Unit 2. The base was the same as the first unit except the shape was changed to a more sophisticated form. Parts where more strength was necessary was reinforced with Adamantium. Furthermore, an extra seat was made for Reiko. So far so good. The problem is how to avoid sucking in solid materials into the engine. Jin was troubled by this problem for some time, then he suddenly got it. It was ced under the seat, a physical defence ward. It was a barrier but the was no problem with people inside running out of Oxygen. That meant that it lets air through it. Ah, but Im not sure if it blocks winds above a certain speed. It would let magic such as Strong Wind or Blowing Wind through. Ehh, I see, the Magic Form heredoes this. Jin started to investigate the Magic Form of the physical barrier ward. Previously in Blue Land, he demonstrated his ability to evaluate Beanas magic tools. As a result, the air intake inlet was made to repel substances other than gas. Liquids and solids were blocked by the barrier. The barrier could cover the entire body of the ne. The only drawback was that it would let wind magic through. Finally, a Magi Crystal was added as spare fuel. Should the ether converter fail, it would still be able tond safely. In the end, the security measures have to be considered. The control core of the navigational aid system was recovered from Unit 1 and was copied to stabilize flight. Alright, lets go. That afternoon, prototype Unit 2, loaded with Jin and Reiko, soared into the sky above Hourai Ind. Wow, this really feels great. Jin was ecstatically flying in the sky for the first time. Incidentally, the manoeuvres were mainly done by Reiko. Father, this ne is a lot more stable. Even though the final shape was adjusted by intuition, it seems to have worked. Failure teaches sess, dont be troubled by it. The efficiency of the new model has risen. With Reiko as the instructor, Jin started learning how to steer the ne. Please slowly get familiar with the controls. Gradually, the steering transferred from Reiko to Jin, by evening, Jin was flying the ne by himself. This was possible due to the navigational system. (TLSilent: Ive basically given up on this pair of sentences, I have no idea what they mean.) Ah, this feels great. After safelynding, Jin was in a good mood. Reiko was also happy. It feels like Ive seen some good dreams today. Soleil and Luna are waiting at the house with dinner waiting. Jin walked back with a light gait. The next day, Jin tried to build himself a boat. The hull shape was Trimaran. Simr to a Catamaran, it is suitable for high-speed navigation. Moreover, since the power source and cabin can be ced in the middle of the hull, the centre of gravity can be lowered. The hull was mostly made from Light Silver and, The engineis this! Based on the Magic Jet Engine, a Magic Water Flow propulsion engine was developed. The wind magic was just reced with water magic and the efficiency remained good. Of course, the principle is different from an actual Water Jet propulsion system. It must avoid sucking things in OK. They had learned since the ident of the Bird Strike, a ward was modified to stop solids such as aquatic nts from being sucked in. After lunch, Jin took the ship to Tatsumi Bay apanied by Reiko. The boat was carried by Soleil and Luna. Right, do you want to go together on the maiden voyage? Unlike an airne, a boat is rtively safe. Jin started to manoeuvre the boat. Since there was no known boat steering system, it was controlled like a motor vehicle. Pressing the elerator pushes the boat forwards, stepping on the brakes triggers underwater brake tes, forwards and backwards is controlled by a lever. A steering wheel turns the boat left and right. Oh, this feelsfortable. The prototype boat sailed from Tatsumi Bay. Alright, time for a maximum speed test. Jin fully depressed the elerator. The Trimarans speed went up, the maximum speed is about 70kph. Thats enough. Well, Reiko is still faster. Jin murmured while looking at Reiko in the passenger seat. Reiko heard it and smiled happily. Jin was now proficient enough with the boat to sail it back to the port where Soleil and Luna were waiting. Well, this prototype boat NO. 1 we will name it Hydro 1. Water contains Hydrogen, so in a sense Jin might have picked a good but unusual name. Oh yea, lets call the ne Albatross. Jin named the ne Albatross because it sounded something like it. (TLSilent: Not sure about that albatross line) The next day, Right, I think we can start mass producing the boats and nes. The ship was for ind defence while the ne was for reconnaissance and defence. He wanted to use them to get a better understanding of the world. Reiko, give the airne to Soleil and the boat to Luna, get them to make 30 of each. I understand. Since its only replicating a prototype made by Jin, it can easily be done by Soleil and Luna. Although, just to note in case, this cannot be done by the general golems of this world, only the most high performance golems can do this. Jin is not conscious of theparison because the only technology he knows concerning magic engineering was taught by the previous Magic Craft Meister, who was capable of making super advanced golems and doll automatas. Because of that, Ill be making golems to pilot the boats and nes. Reiko help me. Okay The golems were built with a focus on lightness so Light Silver was used. Because it had been done many times before, 40 golems were created unceremoniously. As said before, Light Silver is an isotope of Titanium, which allows you to change colours depending on the oxide film on the surface. So, the sky golems were made light blue while the sea golems were navy blue. Right, now to use Knowledge Transfer Level 4Its good that Im ustomed to it. (TLSilent: not sure about the second half.) On the first time he tried, Jin identally transferred to much knowledge and the burden wasrge. After getting ustomed to it after many times, the time required to transfer knowledge is now shorter. Ill name them Sky 1 to Sky 20 and Marine 1 to Marine 20. (TLSilent: what? Only 20 pilots for 30 machines?) Of course his naming sense hadnt changed much. Sky 1 and Marine 1 are the respective captains of the Air Force and Navy. With this, the defence of Hourai Ind became a lot better, even without weapons. I dont want to make too many weaponsI wonder if I have a choice in this world. Jin decided that with demons in this world, forces for self-defence would be required. Aside from that, Sky 1, using your subordinates, reconnoitres around Hourai Ind and make a map. Ill teach you the procedure now. You can use knowledge transfer to teach the necessary knowledge in a moment. This is a lot more efficient than teaching humans. Knowledge transfer is not effective in transferring knowledge to other humans. The position of Hourai Ind would probably be more important in the world, Jin looked forward to the results. Now its time to think about armour and weapons. Jins desire to make things was not restricted. First of all is armour. Considering the materials, Jin headed to the underground warehouse. Chapter 77 - Legendary Equipment?

Chapter 77 C Legendary Equipment?

Although I can make basic armour and shields Jin didnt really feel like putting on such equipment. essories it is then. (TLSilent: not sure about the first few sentences.) Jin took a Magic Crystal out from a nearby shelf. Lets make a ring or pendant. The Magi Crystal in his hand went iridescent, FormingWriting Magic Form I wonder if this is any good. The final product was a ring that exhibited all the colours from the rainbow. Reiko, are you there? Yes Father. When Jin called, Reiko immediately came to his side. Take a look at this. Its a guard ring. It was the ring that he just made. The ring has aplicated Magic Form written into it. I cant analyse it. Even though she was skilled enough in Magic Engineering to be Jins assistant, Reiko was still no match for the Magi Craft Meister in this field. You cant tell? Its designed to nullify both physical and magic attacks, so Id like to see what happens if Reiko attacks. (TLSilent: I think hes asking Reiko to attack.) Its too dangerous. You should test it on a golem. Reiko was opposed. She wasnt certain if Jin, with the ring, would be able to prevent Reikos attack. Hm, its as you say. It cant be helped. Now who can test it? Soleil and Luna had their hands full with the mass production of airnes and ships. Whos avable ah, Peridot is. It was the golem in charge of household chores. Its a modest role, but thanks to that, there wasnt a single speck of dust in theboratory. Right, lets ask Peridot. So they went to the square in front of theboratory. Okay Peridot, after wearing this ring, you only need to stand there. Yes, I understand master. After putting on the ring, Peridot moved a sufficient distance away. Peridot, the keyword to trigger the ring is Barrier . Try testing it now. Yes, Barrier. It wasnt visible to the eye, but it should have been triggered with that. Reiko, start with basic magic. Reiko was given the go ahead. Yes Fireball. A two meter tall fireball flew towards Peridot. But as they reached within 1 meter of Peridot, its movement bes hampered and the fireball dissipated. Okay, here is the next one. Fire Bullet. Dozens of 30cm fire bullets flew forward. However, they were also stopped. Hmm, that was good. Reiko, next. Yes, me Lance. me Lance is an advanced magic. Its powerful enough to even kill a Demon Sea Serpent. But even that magic was stopped within 1 meter. Right, its effective against fire magic. Next try lightning magic. Okay. In the end, It was found to be able to defend against all advanced magic, so Jin was greatly satisfied. In addition, it could also defend against wind and water magic. Reiko, thats enough for magic. Try hitting her physically this time. Jin wanted to test its effect against physical attacks. Yes, I understand. Here Ie! First Reiko tried to punch at 10% power, but her fist stopped 10cm away from Peridot. Hmm, it cant be helped that the distance is shorterpared with magic. Well then, Reiko, 20%. Okay. The barrier then blocked Reikos fist at 20% power. Finally, 30%. Yes, here Ie. Reiko rarely used 30% of her power. Roughly 5% would put adults to shame, 10% was superhuman, 20% was beyond human. The moment Reikos fist at 30% power hit, sparks seemed to scatter, but somehow the barrier still survived. Thats enough Reiko, thanks for your hard work. Thank you Peridot. Jin thanked Reiko and Peridot, Well then Peridot, as a reward, the ring is yours. Thank you very much master. Peridot bowed and went away. Jin turned to Reiko, Reiko are you alright? Is your hand damaged or anything? Yes, there are no abnormalities. Thank you for your concern Father. I see. Well then Reiko, what do you think? I think its good enough. Yes. Although we didnt try, since it can withstand advanced magic, it can probably stop 50% of my power. For an individuals defence, it was at an unprecedented legendary ss. In this world, the space is filled with ether and could be manipted with magic. Just by saying Barrier, you would be impervious to everything. (EDNexias: MC is OP as always) Right, lets return to theboratory. Jin returned to theboratory with Reiko and 10 more rings, identical to the first. Four were given to the 5 colour golems, except Peridot, two were nned to be given to Soleil and Luna as a reward. Jin then made another ring whichbined Magi Crystal with Mithril Silver to create a pendant, with the same Magic Form written on it to give the same effect. The chain was also made with Mithril Silver. Reiko, this is yours. Jin held it out to Reiko. Eh? For me? Reiko was confused. Ah, Youve helped me out a lot, also youre a girl, dont you think it would be nice to have a pendant? Reiko smiled happily. Thank you Father. Ill take care of it. She received it and immediately hung it around her neck. Yeah, it looks good. Jin was also happy. Finally, Jin started on focusing on his own equipment. Ill make a bracelet instead of a ring, since it would suit me better. (TLSilent: someone double check.) A bracelet was made with Adamantium and ted with Mithril Silver. Its shape was simr to a wristwatch and had a Magi Crystal set in it. With this size, aside from defence magic, attack magic can also be written. Previously, in the city of Port Rock, Reinhardt had a wand. A magic activation sequence had been carved into it and could be activated if magic was put in. Lets use that as a reference Rather than just engraving the sequences, a selection was allowed. Fire, water, wind, earth, thunder, light and dark magic could be used up to the advanced level. Right, now to put in extra security so that is can only be used by me. A one of a kind legendary equipment had been made in this world. Time to try it out. When Jin muttered this, I will be your opponent. said Reiko. They went out to the square again, and Jin shot various types of magic at Reiko. However all of it was blocked by the barrier created by the pendant, Jin was delighted. Well, with this magic is decent. It has to be said that being able to use all magic up to the advance level is definitely not ordinary. (EDNexias: orly, what made you think that? >.>) Chapter 78 - Golem Engine

Chapter 78 C Golem Engine

After making a set of legendary essories, Jin took a break. Soaking in a bath at dusk was refreshing. Ah, were doing well, we managed to get several ideas afloat. As Jin leisurely leaked a murmur, Reiko was watching from the side. Now Jin wanted to make a motor engine for rotational motion. How to make the rotational movement from foot pedals At that time, an inspiration struck Jin. Thats it. Golem Engine. The idea is turning the crank shaft by incorporating the same mechanism used in a golems arms and legs to rece the pistons. Jin didnt know the difference between a 2 stroke and 4 stroke engine, but he knew enough to make an engine. I can try to make a prototype in bronze. Bronze is a materialmonly used because its easy to shape with magic. Naturally, Jin thought to make a prototype out of this. In the end, a prototype of the Golem Engine waspleted before dark. It was about 50cm tall. Alright, time tomission this before dinner. Start! Inside, the drive mechanism starts to move and the crankshaft turns. Oh, its turning, its turning. It was found that the speed of rotation could be increased by pouring in more mana. Hmm, as I thought, this is the limit. The limit was roughly 300 rpm. As this was going to be cranked by hand, it was unlikely to be raised above this number of revolutions. Reiko, can you try to stop the shaft? Yes, Ill try. Reiko held the 2cm diameter shaft at an output of 5%. Although the speed of rotation slowed, it didnt stop. It finally stopped at 10% output. Right, thanks Reiko, the Torque (rotational force) is quite something. It could even go in a car. (TLSilent: double check second half of sentence.) It remained durable. Since weve found the max rotation, its time for dinner. Reiko, dont stop it but tell me if the situation gets bad. With that, Jin headed for the Mansion outside. Soleil and Luna made the daily meals there. Its Soleil today. She seems ustomed to it. (TLSilent: I think this is what it means?) Yes Father. There was wheat porridge, bread and tea. For tea, Reiko would sneak back to Kaina vige in the middle of the night to take some tea leaves. The seedling would only produce drinkable tea leaves several years after being nted. Eating wheat porridge, drinking tea and spreading marmde on bread. Recently, a nt simr to strawberries had been found and strawberry jam was made. Thinking about the durability of the engine, Jin quickly finished dinner and went back to theboratory. Oh, Father. How is it? Yes, its working without any problems. Lets see. The Golem Engine was too hot to touch. The piston didnt have a heat sink, so this was only natural. Alright, lets stop it. When Jin stopped the engine, he took it apart. This was to determine if any parts were worn out or damaged. Uh huh, as I thought, the damaged parts are mostly the golem parts. An Adamantium skeleton with muscle tissue made by twisting magical fibre is best. If you thought that the constitution was simr to Reikos, you wouldnt be wrong. Well then, lets get the production started. Reiko, get me some Adamantium. Asking Reiko to get the heavy Adamantium, Jin went to get the magic fibre and Magi Crystals on his own. Its finished. Late at night, the Golem Engine waspleted. The crank and shaft, which were supported by ball bearings, was mostly made with Adamantium. The golem parts were strengthened with multiple reinforcements. As a result the torque was increased to nearly 3 time that of the trial. Reiko only stopped the shaft after raising her output to 20%. Finally, I have to make gears now. With that, the days work was finished. The next day, Jin began to seriously consider making gears. He had tried making them before but when they were put together they were stiff or loose making them useless. Even Magi Craft Meisters had a weakness. The Magi Craft Meisters ability was simr to a 3-D software drawing system. By default, the basics shapes of balls, discs or cubes could be copied. But since there wasnt a concept of gears, as long as there wasnt a reference, it was hard to make it perfect. Hmm, how exactly can I make the model. Jin was grumbling as he ate breakfast. Reiko was worrying at the situation. Father, you have to stop thinking about it during meals. Oh, ah? Youre right. In short first divide the circumference equally Father! Unable to hold it in, Reiko finally scolded Jin. Reiko? Surprised by Reikos yelling, Jin looked at Reiko. Ah, ah, a Reiko herself was surprised that she yelled at Jin. I-Im very sorry. Whoever she learned from, Reiko went into a dogeza. I have had an irreverent attitude to Father. Please punish me! Jin reached for Reiko. Reiko had already determined her resolution. She wouldnt defend or do anything, when Jins hands touched her, she would be deconstructed in a blink of an eye. But contrary to expectation, Jins hands gently stroked Reikos head. Sorry Reiko, I made you worry. Its as you say. From now on correct me if Im wrong. Youre not angry? Why should I be mad. Reiko yelled because you were thinking of me. Jin said while eating the rest of breakfast. Jin had been thinking since the morning but hadnte up with any good ideas. After lunch, Jin was drinking tea at the mansion. The cup in his hand was cylindrical. He fiddled around with it while thinking of gears. In short, I can trante a single gear into copies. With that I can make any number of identical teeth. Ball bearings only need to be the same weight and spherical but a gear cannot deviate even slightly. Father, please dont try the impossible. Reiko was anxious seeing Jin suffer like this. But Jin didnt seem to hear it. Reiko came to the conclusion that it wasnt possible to stop Jin from thinking about it. Instead it would be better to help him to get him out of this state. Therefore, using Engineering magic, Reiko processed a wooden board that was at hand into a circr shape. Shapes of various diameters were created and ced in front of Jin. Hmm? This is? Jin noticed it and looked up. I was wondering if this could help Father think. Jin took one in his hand. Disc. Whenbined it made a friction drive. In order to increase friction, teeth were cut into the side of the disc. (TLSilent: needs to be double checked.) First you have to think about the materials, you want a material that wont slip A thought suddenly hit Jin. Thats right! First of all create a linear gearrack. Then cut the number of teeth required, round them offdone! Father? Ah, Reiko. Looking at the disc you made me, I thought of something. Thank you. Jin stroked Reikos head while saying so. Reikos narrowed eyes looked very happy. With this, I can probably make spur gears. If I can make spur gears, it is likely I can also make bevel gears. In short, because of the equal divisions of the circumference, it is easy to make, using that as a reference, harder production is possible. Father, its time for dinner. Reiko said, Hmm? Its this time already. The moon was already in the sky. Im starting to feel hungry as well. Jin stretched while saying so and went for the meal. But after dinner, Jin started thinking of a wide variety of ways to fabricate gears, veryte atst came up with a method. Okay, you can go to sleep now. Goodnight Reiko. Yes Father, goodnight. Relieved that Jin also went to bed, Reiko was d to be patted by Jin today. Chapter 79 - A gearbox, a magic turbine, and…

Chapter 79 C A gearbox, a magic turbine, and

The next morning, after Jin woke up and had his breakfast, he began making a gear. First, he created a linear gear as a reference. First he prepared a straightened adamantium strip, then he made the teeth of the gear. He didnt worry about the module (the size of the teeth). This is how Jin normally works. Is this much good? Because Jin ns to use it for a car, it needs to be strong, but since hes using Adamantium, itll be work well at a small size. Although its simple to make it big by itself, Jin decided to start from something small. For the time being, he made 200 copies of his first one. These were made without difficulty. If lined up face to face, it bes immediately apparent that the spacing of the teeth is the same and theyre all identical. Well, if I can make do with one band, and . Could I yes, I can do it! Hepleted the teeth on the linear gear. After that, yeah make a gear with the number of teeth that I need to fit this. Yes, its a sess! Now, into a circle. I think Im done with the outside of the gear with this. At this stage, he has a gear with his desired number of teeth. It is, so to speak, a doughnut with teeth. Now, to fill the inside circle of the gear, . Great, it worked! In front of Jinid apleted spur gear. When Jin made another gear with a different number of teeth and tried to engage the two, they engaged so neatly that Jin began to feel like dancing. If a spur gear is made, Jin can make a bevel gear somehow as well. However, it will be limited to the same number of teeth. Still, it was fascinating that it could change the rotation 90 degrees, and it would quickly increase the kinds of machines Jin could make. Yosh, lets make a car! He made the chassis with light silver and got carried away and made a 4 cylinder engine, no, a 4 part engine. The tires are made neatly from rubber and in the afternoon the car ispleted. Un, un, its nice. Because theres no transmissions, it can only be operated by an elerator and a brake, so its not automatic. Because the output of the golem is constant, it can work. After driving around in the t area in front of his research center, Jin got off satisfied. Father, I feel that the golem horses were more versatile. Huh? Jin couldnt understand Reikos question for a minute, but shortly after realized the implications of it. The airne had a and the ship had a Although Jin had thought of the golem engine fornd thats paved, he forgot that most of the world hasnt been paved. How much time until its a cars turn in this world? Hmm, did I becent? Well, itll work for this ind. Was said, Reiko, have Topaz make a roadwork on the ind. You dont have to pave the surface, use , Itll prevent the weeds and also allow something heavy to go across it. Yes. Should I give priority to Tatsumi Bay, the fields, and the airport? Ah, yes, please. Because I made the airport for the airne, the maintenance of the road was urgent business. Arge Warp Gate is installed at each ce as well, but a road is still necessary. Aaah, Im hungry. It was already pitch ck out. Father, I made dinner today. Ah, Reiko, Im looking forward to it. Because Soleil and Luna were busy mass-producing the airnes and ships, Reiko took charge of cooking for Jin. Its pure white bread, isnt it? Yes. Reiko peels the wheat, one by one, and the bread was made with the ground down flour. Mmm, tasty. Jin eats the bread and has vegetable and fish soup, after all, the bread without the crust is is more delicious when mixed in. Im sorry, the rice hasnt been found yet. No, I understand, Im asking for a lot. Ill search for it in the western country Im going to this time. Since they couldnt find rice in the port town, Port Rock, Jin thought they might find it in a western country where the things might be different and unusual. 7 days since he returned to Hourai Ind Might as well make a turbine. The first day Jin began with the lines. The principle was simple, to put an impeller in a sealed container and turn it with wind magic. Since wind doesnt need to be taken in from the outside it circtes well and doesnt leak, so it can be done easily. Oh, the number of revolutions is high as expected. Because its basically a windmill, the rotation speed is high. On the other hand, the torque is inferior to a golem engine. Oh well, itll be useful for something. It was fun to make. Reiko savors the significance of being near someone like Jin. The data of the work Jinpleted is also saved in Reiko, and its put in order and preserved so that it may be possible to reproduce at any time. It is the role of an auxiliary storage device for Jin. Father, what happened to the talk of creating a weapon? And, like a secretary, she points out what Jin forgot. Oh, did I say something like that? It will be necessary for the defense force. Jin said and then was lost in thought , and He decided to make aser standard equipment. The reason being that its easy to make non-lethal if he changes the strength. Although the defense method is limited, its easy to aim and hard to make. Ok, I should be able to make it like this. Jin has Reiko get the materials right away so he can begin manufactureing. The structure is simple. In the form of a thin shlight, he writes the inside. Ok, now for authentication. Father, what is authentication? Reiko asked about the unfamiliar words. Ah, lets say, for example, you lost it and someone else found it, it still wont work for that person. Without Jins magical power waveform it wont operate. It was name magic waveform authentication . Because all the golems and Reiko inherited Jins magic waveform when he made them they can use it without a problem. And thats done. The prototype waspleted. It looked like a tube and wasnt of the pistol type. Do you want to try it? They go outside of theboratory and aim at a pile of rocks at the edge of the open space and fire theser. Thin rays the size of a needle pierce the rock in a few seconds. Yes, a sess. Jin changes some of the settings while saying so and prepares to fire once again. The range is short, which slightly diffused the rays, but the rock was vaporized immediately this time. This is dangerous, we shouldnt use it except in an emergency. Jin said and decided to consider another low power weapon. How about paralysis a stun gun! When Jin first met Beana in the Blue Land, she had a Paralysis Cane. This allowed him to understand that such a magic tool already exists. Well, Ill make something a few stages above that. Jin was enthusiastic but Father, its almost time for lunch, please make sure you eat. Reiko told Jin and he obediently left the research center and went towards the house. Did Soleil make todays lunch? The menu was toast, citron marmde, a sd, and eggs sunny-side up.Although it looks like breakfast, Jin doesnt worry about it and eats. Gouchisousama. Immediately after eating, he headed back to theboratory. As usual, when it is about making something, father always lose sight of his surrounding. Reiko followed immediately after Jin to help him. The stun gun was easy toplete, because he had looked at the Paralysis Cane before. He resolved some of the faults and improved the efficiency. Its looked simr to a wand and was about 30cm long. He also made 2 police baton type ones as well. The wand was for self defense and the baton was for security. The wand was made of light silver and the baton was made of a mithril and adamantiumposite. Since itse to this, Ill also make an army. Jin said so and made 20 golems and name them from 1-20, Land. With this, Hourai Inds armed forces werepleted. Chapter 80 - Confirming the Location of Hourai Island

Chapter 80 C Confirming the Location of Hourai Ind

Day 8 Father, Sky-1 hase to report. Has the result of the reconnaissancee back? Jin, who finished breakfast, and was drinking tea while waiting for the report, hastily headed for theboratory. Theboratory is better equipped than the House. When Jin and Reiko got to the to the basement hall of theboratory, Sky-1 was already waiting. Oh, Sky-1, have you finished the aerial reconnaissance? Yes. I have created a schematic overview of the area surrounding Hourai Ind. Saying that Sky-1 spread out a big piece of paper. So to say, its actually the leather of a demon beast tanned white. Its a durable material that could even withstand 1000 years without breaking. Hmm Jin was impressed with the schematic. It was drawn beautifully. The Map centered on Hourai Ind, heading east was the ocean. On the west side part of the continent was drawn. This continent is the continent with the Klein kingdom and the Elias kingdom. Yes, thats right. Sky-1 affirmed Jins guess. Alright, continue investigation from the sky with this condition. While you fly over the continent, do not let the people below you, be aware of your existence Yes. I will fly as high as possible. Yeah, Do that. Even if there were health concerns for humans when traveling through the sky such as atmospheric pressure, oxygen concentration and coldness, the golems arent affected. Jin continues to examine the map. This must be the Kingdom of Elias. To have such a form, and this is probably the area that I boat raced, and this is Io Ind. And if you look even closer. Is there another ind between Hourai Ind and the containment? Which is much smaller? Jin thought that the Ind could be an outpost for Hourai Ind or maybe a vi. The use of the ne is permitted. Take some of the Army Golems and aircrafts and investigate the ind OK So, if it is an uninhabited ind, then I would like to make it into one of our inds. And we can call it the main Ind. Jin called Soleil and Luna as well as 5 colored golem maids, Marine-1, Land-1, to exin the Future n. 1. When inviting someone in the future, first invite them to the Vi. 2. The vi is thoroughly maintained, to show that it looks like Jin is living there. 3. When its time, it will be treated as a dummy for Hourai Ind. 4. The name of the ind is Kunlun Ind. It was a hobby of Jins to pick out such names. Did you understand the policy and the finer points getting stuck in the future? in the confirmation of Jin, everyone who was there answered with yes. If you dont have enough manpower, just tell me and I will send over more Yes my master, if you are offering that too, please increase the number of your subordinates. since the 5 golem maids asked altogether, Jin epted. Besides Marine-1, Sky-1 and Land-1 there was a Shortage of people. Ah understand. That was why Jin decided to increase the number of golem subordinates that day. Father, Is your Magic Power ok? Oh, there is still room for more. I guess thats alright then. Actually, since Jins body is sustained by magical Power, the quantity of active mana that it possesses was an extraordinary amount or it would be impossible. It would be a while before Jin notices it himself until his peers would point it it for him. Reiko had no other choice but to stay silent as there was no evidence. Thats why if an ordinary mage had tried this they would have had used all of their magic long ago, and finally the golems were finished. Five golems each were directlymanded by Soleil and Luna. The names arearium 1-5 for Soleil, and Sate 1-5 for Luna. The type of model was female. The 5-colored golem maids each had 90 bodies. Including the 10 previous bodies, there was a total of 100 bodies, which also donned the Female Type model. 80 golems each for the Sky, Marine and Land golems. A total of 100 bodies in each faction. The number of course, was 21-100. The Type of model was male. Ah, Im really tired Jin muttered while he rxed in the bath. I got tired more physically then magically. Even though Jin let Soleil and Luna, as well as theariums and Sates help him with the golem creation, it would still be a world record of most golems created in 1 day. Reiko, how is the avability of materials? it seem that Jin also became worried because he consumedrge amounts of materials to create all the golems. Yes, it is okay. It is safe to make over 1000 more golems, with copper, nickel and steel, light silver, adamantite etc. as for 1000 years, the golems just kept digging without rest. Originally, this ind was abundant in mineral resources thats why mother chose this Ind. Due to their nature, the underground resources within the vicinity of Volcanoes are often known to be there. Reiko also exined to Jin that the risk of eruption was magically observed and rxed. The predecessor was amazing even in the modern Earth, it is impossible to defeat the energy of a volcano. Would you like to go to potlock in the afternoon tomorrow? The promise with Reinhardt is after 10 days. It is the day after tomorrow. I did so much in these 8 days Yes, indeed father. Reiko who refrained from standing reports. Reiko, thank you for helping out. Thank you so much Reiko. No, its because I exist to serve you father While answering Jin, Reiko seemed to be happy It is true though, well time to get out Reiko handed a bath towel to Jin who just got out of the bath. Jin wiped his body and got dressed. Reiko, what is todays dinner? I asked. Certainly, its grilled fish and fried shrimp. Oh! That sounds delicious Because there is oil, breadcrumbs, wheat flour and eggs, you can make tempura and fry it. Of course it was taught by Jin. There was something like a sauce so there was enough to be fried. Ah, its good. Jin muttered satisfyingly while eating persica after his meal. I am honored by your words, father Luna in charge of the meal tonight happily said. Soleil and Luna are recently having glimpses of emotional expression, so it must be from the influence of Reiko. (But it is still different for human beings) Dont say it out loud, Jin muttered solely in his mind. Whether its Reiko or any other golem, they are absolutely obedient to Jin who is their creator, so it is sometimes lonely. (After all I wonder if humans want to be among those who are Human as well?!) Jin who was thinking such a thing was looking up at the night sky from a window. Is father not cold? Reiko said, Ah, its Alright As I answered, a nostalgic memory of living in the Kaina vige came to mind. On another note: Since Jin unconsciously absorbs external magical power from his surroundings, the magical power within Jin doesnt reduce much. This is also a benefit of the body he was supplemented with when Jin reincarnated. (EDnexias - Needs confirmation on thisst bit) Chapter 81 - Preparations for the Journey

Chapter 81 C Preparations for the Journey

When Jin finished breakfast the next day, he began the preparations for the trip. Umm, change of underwear, shirt, pants and a jacket Because he can clean my clothes with [clean up], he only takes two sets of clothes. um, is there anything else I need? It is the first time Jin is going to be travelling in this world, so hes confused by it, and he cant count on Reiko in this regard. For now, Ill treat it like when I traveled on earth. Money, medical supplies, handkerchief, tissue, guide book and camera. There are no guide books or cameras, huh. While saying so, Jin decided to make a camera soon. And the handkerchief with the crest of Reinhardts house. It was what he was given to confirm his identity, he couldnt forget it. After that, Ill put it in this bag. After he made sure that nothing was missing, he finished his preparations. Father, what shall we do with the Warp Gate? Because of the Warp Gates, if they needed anything they could return to Hourai Ind at any time. Well, umm, what would you do? Jin was unsure of whether or not to bring it because it was so bulky. Well, if I only bring the Magic Device, I can do something about the housing on the spot. As long as he has the Magic Device for the Metastasis, he can do something about the mount and housing afterwards as long as he has the materials avable. Thats right, I think thats good. Should we take two sets? Yeah, even if something happened to one of them, as long as we have two sets we should be able to return. With that, the Magic Device that could be considered the heart of the Warp Gate was prepared. He wrote the control system on a te with a Magic Crystal of the darkness attribute. Because it has to be synchronized to the magic wave pattern on the master side in Hourai, its a part that can only be made on Hourai ind. Yosh, this should be good. Without the housing, theres no issue of weight as the two units only weigh about two kilograms. Is there anything Ive forgotten? Well, even if he forgot it, he could probably buy it and in the worst case, he could make it. Father, why dont you bring a water bottle just in case? A water bottle, sure. There are insted properties, and there should be a magic form to purify the water inside. He decided to make it right then. Making it out of light silver, he made the double sided structure and removed the air from inside. In short, he made a thermos bottle. Furthermore, he made a magic circuit on part of the bottom to purify water so his stomach wouldnt have trouble with unboiled water. And thats done. I also made one for you, Reiko. I dont need to drink, but Ill reserve it as a spare for father. She said as she received it. Then Since you were invited, father, how about something as thanks for Reinhardt? A gift, huh? After Jin thought for a while, he took a milky white Magic Crystal and [Forming] [Magic Form], [Writing]. A ring was created. It was an inferior version of the Guard Ring. Shall I call it a Protection Ring? Jin didnt know whether protection or guard sounded stronger, but he named it this way because he named the first one guard. Ill make a few and maybe Ill give them out if theres a good opportunity. Thats right, although I have the Guard Ring, maybe I should have something like a sword? Because Reinhardt knows that Reiko is an automata, he wouldnt think much of Jins equipment. If its a sword, its easy to handle and I see. As Jin was saying so, he immediately took out some adamantium. [Forming], [Hardening], [Surface Treatment]. The sword wasplete. It was a small Japanese sword with a slight curve. It was about 50cm and Reiko thought it looked good. Since hell be using magic, he needed something to put the de in. Father, this is Yes, was this knowledge copied into you, too? This isnt a sword, but a katana. Its lighter than a regr sword and its tough, too. While he was saying so, he made a sheath out of light silver. The color of the oxidation film made it pink, so that even if Reiko had it, it wouldnt be out of ce. The sword harness was made to look silver. Though Im not familiar with the structure of a Japanese sword, this should be OK. The hilt was made of a fang from a Siam Dragon, and the string was made from the thread of a Ground Spider so it wouldnt slip. Ok, itsplete. The inscription because its pink, how about peach blossom? And he handed the finished Peach Blossom to Reiko. Thank you, Ill make sure to take care of father with this. As he thought the preparations wereplete with this, he decided to issue instructions to Soleil and Luna for his absence. Then, if there is anything Jin started to say and then H-Hold on! As he said so, he rushed back into the workshop and Reiko followed behind him. Soleil and Luna stood by as is. What happened father? Reiko asked Jin as he began to look for something in the workshop. Oh, I made a Mana Cam. Jin had forgotten until now that he had made one. All right, Ill make two sets first of all so that I can talk with Reiko and Reiko can talk with Soleil or Luna. If there is something, you can contact them with this. For the moment, he didnt call it a cell phone because he cannot choose who to talk with. Its just a transceiver. Because its about the size of a modern cell phone, its not too bulky. I dont think Ive forgotten anything with this. Relieved, Jin again went and gave instructions to Soleil and Luna. Do you understand? Yes, understood. If there is anything, contact us by the Mana Cam. Yes. Saying so, Jin and Reiko went to Port Rock using the warp gate. At Port Lock it was morning local time. They went to the Sea Bower Inn which they were familiar with. Oh, long time no see, did you go somewhere? The proprietress greeted them. It has been a while, since thepetition. I heard from Marcia that you made her golem. ording to her, Marcia seems to be running around to open her shop as a Shipwright. I see, hows the town now? She had paid off her debts and had bought the tools she needed, and then went to another town to buy some materials the day before. So, whatre you doing today? Are you staying the night? Yes, but itll only be one night. Jin said and, Well then, Ill go with the same 300 as before. The room I had Bonito is still vacant, right? He got the same room as before. Well, thepetition is over, so there were less tourists than before. Now, well wait to be picked up tomorrow. Jin murmured so, and sat down on the familiar bed. Chapter 83: Beginning of the Trip

Chapter 83: Beginning of the Trip

Its the morning of the Promised day with Reinhardt, Jin and Reiko who left Sea Pavilion headed to the central square in front of the port. Unlike when it was thepetition, the za is deserted and dreary. Ah, the smell of the tide mixed with the smell of fish, it is quite unique Jin stood there reminiscing for a moment. Even the same sea breeze is different from the seaside of Hourai Ind. Perhaps Jin imagined that this was because there was people living here. Father, a carriage hase. Reikos voice broke such a thought. Apparently it seems that the carriage to pick them up has arrived. Two two-horse carriages came. Well, its pretty but what a suspension system. At having a quick nce at the first carriage, he saw that the arm supporting the wheel of the carriage fulfilled the function of the suspension as it was. Arms extend back and forth from under the cabin. But there is no damper If it is only a spring, it is easy to get car sickness because the vibrationsts long. Modern cars have a damper (shock absorber) to promptly converge vibrations, but this carriage doesnt have that. Is the wheel made of iron? The circumference of the wheel is covered with iron. It will be durable, but the sound is very loud. Well if the ground is made of soil it wont make much sound. In the rear carriage, the molds are roughly the same, but they were somewhat old and the decoration was a bit in. We are the back carriage When thinking about such a thing, a horse-drawn carriage stopped in front of Jin and Reiko, and a man with the atmosphere saying that every part of his being is a butler got off of the rear carriage, and opened the door of the previous carriage. A girl whose face was shown from inside blond that it is near silver, light blue eyes, white skin. Reinharts cousin, Elsa Randol. She jumped off the carriage without anyones hand. Whilst jumping, she held down the skirt so that it didnt turn up. Today she wasnt in her swimsuit, she now looks like a young woman in a colorful dress like a noblemans child would wear. It was a simple dress, but the cloth has gloss was sewn carefully. Cor, sleeve opening and hem, etc. Jin, Reiko, Long time no see Oh, its been a while. The butler red at him, but Jin didnt notice. Jin presented Elsa a scarf in my pocket. But Elsa shook his head, Good, its better if Jin has it. Elsa said that and then instructed the butler to load the baggage of the Jin and Reiko on the carriage who previously came down the carriage behind. Since there wasnt much baggage, the butler finished loading quickly. Now then, lets get on Elsa invited Jin and Reiko to hop onto the carriage. There are three people facing each other in a cabin that could let six people ride. When the butler asked if there were any other peopleing, Elsa answered that it was only herself, Jin and Reiko. Jin and Reiko sat towards the direction of the driver, while, Elsa sat behind the driver facing them. Are you ready to leave? When Jin nod to Elsas question, she drew a string. It seemed that the end of the string is extending to the seats, so it can give simple instructions to the driver, such as halt or advance. After she gave themand the carriage started running. As they were moving the wheels started to make a noise, did it go over a protruding stone? The room shook with a feeling like it was tipping. It seemed that you will feel ufortable if you dont get used to it fast. It was as if Elsa foresaw that. If you feel Sick Just say, I will cure you She told me. There seems to be some easing method. Continuing from that, I came because elder brother Rye wasnt able toe because of some unforeseen business Elsa exins so. Reinhardt seems to be busy person. Yes, thanks for that Jin who wasnt able to grasp the difference of polite wording between himself and Elsa, let the atmosphere around them turn strange. While looking at Jins awkwardness, you dont have to be polite, Id like you to talk to me like you do to my elder brother. Elsa said, hearing that Jin rxed his shoulders. Well then Thank you foring to pick me up today. Nnn Elsa nods. I wanted to have a long conversation with you, therefore I came. Saying that Elsa breathed out, elder brother is one of the top magic engineers in the country, Lorelei who was made by Jin even made elder brothers Lie lose, I wanted to get a understanding of your skills It was a very straight-forward question. To guess from what Elsa was saying with her way of speech, the conversation didnt seem to be a very good topic. Well, I think that it would be better if I had Reinhardt her as well to tell that story. Jin who tried to dodge the question said. Elsa who nodded agreeing asked, Well then, is there something Jin would like to ask? Jin thought for a moment what to ask from Elsa, Well then, where is this carriage headed first? I asked for the destination of the carriage. From the port town of Potlock, to the region which holds the capital of this country, where elder brother currently is What is the name of the capital? As expected, when hearing a surprising question, Elsas eyes grew a little. However, it immediately returned to original, The capital of the Elias Kingdom is Borgia(Borussia), did you not know? Ah, no I didnt know. Because I was living on an isted ind, I dont know the current situation of the continent. When Jin talks a little about the setting that was previously discussed, Well then I will tell you a bit about the Elias kingdom. Elsa began to exin by saying. The Elias Kingdom is on the Elias Penins and the Elias Penins protrudes south of the Continental Lorain ah, I knew a little bit about that Then the Elias Kingdom is divided into four provinces, it is only really necessary to think that it is roughly east, west, north and south Okay then Potlock would be the southern province Yes, thats why the province we are heading to is in the North and its name is Nord [norudo][ nordoh] As Elsa paused exining. Jen remembered the terrain that Sky 1 mapped out in his head. It was now possible to understand it. There are four main roads in the Elias Kingdom, all of them extend from the capital Borussia to the east, west, south and north, so far you understand? Oh, so then can I say that the road to the north goes to the continent of Lauren, south to Potlock? Thats right, the importance of the east and the west provinces is lower than that of the north and south provinces wait a moment Whats wrong? Father? Elsa who was obstructed by Jin in the middle of the story with his eyes supported himself, but Elsa immediately realized what was wrong. Although Reiko didnt seem to know why Jin is having a blue face. Leave it to me saying that Elsa took the hand of Jin after saying that. Huh? Healing Then, a warm thing flowed in from Elsas hand, Jin who felt ufortable, felt a refreshing feeling. How? Jin asked as Elsa let go of his hand, Oh, ah, I felt better. Thank you, was that magic just now? Yes. Aria of [shouro] imperial country method Yeah, of course, after all, its for a person who is quite drunk making them feelfortable? As Jin asked, Yeah, those who get on a carriage for the first time usually feel sick. Is that so Reiko was depressed. Even though Jin felt sick, she didnt notice and he was cured by someone else in front of her. I want to put on a damper, Jin didnt notice the depression emitted from Reiko, and talks to Elsa. What is a damper? Ah, how do I exin it, its a device that suppresses shaking? Suppress the shake Even to Elsa, although it is vague in the exnation, it seems that she understood the exnation on how Jins damper works. It seems to be difficult with this structure, Jin who told Elsa that he wanted to install a damper for himself as well. After all, Jins ideas, I want you to tell me a lot during the trip To Elsa looking at Jin with expressions like curiosity, Ah, great Jin answered lightly. Reiko kept staring silently. It is still the beginning of the trip and I would like to experiance this world through Jins point of view. And Reiko, whats wrong? Chapter 84 - Flat head Village

Chapter 84 C t head Vige

The horse-drawn carriage arrived at the vige where we were to be staying for today, although we arrived while the sun was still high. The name of the vige was called t head vige. I thought that we would stay here today, but it seems we could have gone for a little while more There were many towns and viges in the vicinity of Potlock, and I saw a number of settlements. So it seems there are still a lot of viges ahead. Kaina vige is probably very far out. I stated to remember how it took over two days just to transport barley to Toka vige. It seems like its big enough to say that it is not a vige but a town. The Elias Kingdom wasnt damaged as much as the other kingdoms by the magical war, so this much is normal Indeed, wasnt there rapid decrease in the poption? Yes, and the number of people in the country has also declined by half, they have been dispatched to the battle in the middle of the continent, and because of the devils runaway Then, why Oh, was there little damage to the buildings and facilities? Thats right The horse-drawn carriage stopped in the square. The butler opens the door of the cabin room. Jin and Reiko jumped down. Elsa jumps down as well while skilfully holding the skirt of her dress. Jin spoke to Elsa when all of them had got down, Is there a reason why the vige is called t head? To that question Elsa pointed to the mountain rising to the west of the vige. Look at that Well, its indeed a t head. The mountain was t like the top was scraped. Well, that mountain is a t head mountain, so this vige has be a t head vige It seems so Four followers and two coaches came up. It seems that the left the wagon to someone else. I heard that one out of three men is an escort, the other is a butler, thest one is a boy. The only woman among all the women is Elsas nanny. The names of employees were not introduced. Ah Lady Randall, you arrived earlier then expected Looking to where the voice came from, an elderly man was standing there, with young men on both sides. This is the mayor of this vige, I indebted to him for taking care of me Elsa says so to Jin. Logically speaking because it is a round-trip. I am the one that is indebted Said the vige mayor to Elsa while bowed and ordered the man on both sides to do the same. I go to Elsa who was being escorted by one of the men. Lady Elsa will be staying here Elsa with her nanny where heading over to where they will be staying for today when asked. For those who apanied Lady Elsa, pleasee here The men each side of the mayor stood ready to guide Jin and Reiko. Jin will go along with those who apany you, Ah wait, Jin and Reiko are to be with me Elsa beckoned to them. Lady Elsa, may I ask who they are? The vige mayor asked. Jin and Reiko are guests of Earl Randalls The vige mayor who heard it when popeyed, Ho ho! Is that so! Jin and Reiko is it? Please follow then So, Jin, Reiko, Elsa, nanny and the vige mayor headed to a big house in the centre of the vige. It seems that this is the mayors house. Wee Several employees weed them. Elsa seemed ustomed to staying as she went ahead and smiled and nodded. Jin was puzzled by the unfamiliar wee. Come now, please, rx in this room Jin and Reiko were escorted to a room which became a two-room suite, with about 8 tatami in each room. There are two beds in the back room. Then there was a proportion of a gorgeous table set in the front room. Is this a rather wealthy vige? Jin who started topare it to the vige chiefs house in Kaina vige. Probably because it has arger poption, it is wealthier. Also its much closer to the port town , Jin then noticed that the state of Reiko is strange. Reiko, whats wrong? You havent spoken since a little while ago, is there something wrong? father Reiko called Jin with big eyes. Hmm? Please dont throw me away Ha? I will do my best, so please! Wait, wait, what? I, I wasnt able to help father! Wait a moment, what on earth are you talking about? Jin who can nearly always understand Reiko wasnt able toprehend the iing assault of Reikos words. I didnt notice that my father was suffering, and I let that person get ahead of me! You dont have to worry about that, it was the first time I have gotten car sick, I guess Elsa seemed to have seen a other people get car sick he said. But, but ! Jin suddenly hugs Reiko who is still depressed. Reiko, are you not my daughter? I will not do things like throwing away my daughter, because you are a girl, you dont have to rush just to be useful to me. But I am relieved just because you are near me While saying that, Jen who caresses Reikos head. I was born to help your father If I cant serve there is no meaning to me existing So, I am already saved just because Im by your side Reflecting Reiko quietly embraced Jin closely. Really I can I really help you Oh, of course. You are my proud daughter, arent you? Thank you I said that and I was gently cuddled by Reiko. (Reiko has quite a lot of emotions now) While thinking so, Jin was stroking the back of Reiko. Is are you there Jin? While saying that, Elsa opened the door. And saw the figure of Jin and Reiko hugging, Im sorry Elsa closed the door as soon as I said so. The footsteps were quickly going away. Oh, now it is Elsa?? Im not sure what, but what can I do for you? It was only Jin who didnt understand. * * * After a while, Jin went out to the garden of the vige chiefs residence. Ah, thats a nice view Dusk of this southern country is warm, flowering trees are nted in the garden, I do not know the name, but it has white flowers. The sky was at dusk, where the sun would set over the mountain of thead. At that time, I heard something from behind. ? Jin looks back at the noise. Elsa was there. I am wearing clothes like a rxing gown from the room. Im sorry about walking in on you and Reiko a while ago She then lowers his head. Hmm, a while ago? I do not remember being apologized. But. I heard that there are those who do that kind of stuff, with a beautiful doll, Jen started to have a bad feeling. Wait up Hobby in which a person takes notice not of opposite sex but of dolls wait a minute Reiko is cute, I understand that you feel like that I feel like that. As expected, even an obstinate person was able to understand what Elsa said. After all this misunderstanding. It was heading in the worst direction. Im fine, because I dont mind even if Jin has a hobby like that. Jin cried in His heart with all his might. Chapter 85 - Don’t Touch Me

Chapter 85 C Dont Touch Me

Trantor:Rabie , and thats why, Jin was desperately trying to exin to Elsa. It seems that Elsa finally understood that it was a misunderstanding. Ok I understand, but an automatic doll that is emotional instability I have never heard about such a thing. Reiko is a really special heaving a sigh Jin looked up at the sky. The stars were already beginning to appear. Well we should soon go inside Elsa also consents when saying so, two people then return from the garden to the room. Oh, did you go for a walk? There was Elsas nanny. After throwing a cold eye toward Jin, It seems that dinner is ready. So Elsa headed to the cafeteria with the nanny. In returns to their room and collects Reiko once. Reiko says that she doesnt need a meal but only Jin heard her say that, But well, I didnt tell anyone that you were an automatic doll. It was told so, so Reiko nodded obediently. By the way Reiko can eat the whole meal. It has to discharge secretlyter though. As well, if the discharged food is furtherpressed it will turn into a beaded or needle-like shape, which can be taken out by the mouth, because of that it can also be used for attacks, it is stored in the body to some extent. In addition, there is an analysis function in the mouth, it analyzes the taste of Jins preferences, and it can be made use in cooking. Originally it is a detection function for poison, but this is the result after being strengthened by Jin. Dinner of that day was gorgeous. Clearly Jin is the only one to eat such a dish for the first time. I didnt understand exactly what it was when I heard the dishes name because it wasnt clearly rounded to fine cuisine. Sharif s Bruschetta, Gekuburu s Ajejo or Aufrauf. I dont really have any likes and dislikes, so I didnt have to worry about eating, but I did not understand the manners, because I ate with Elsas whos look looked like it seemed somewhat tired, it was Jin who didnt feel like eating. * * * That night, Jin was rxing in the room and the door was knocked. Reiko had got to get rid of the food that she had eaten so she was absent, when Jin opened the door, Elsas nanny was standing there. her chestnut hair is collected at the rear of the head, she had brown pupils excuse me The nanny cut off the invitation toe in, Mr. Jin, I will tell you as a mdy ofdy Elsa, just because thedy allowed you to ride the carriage with her, Never misunderstand it. Because it is very rude when you do impolite mimicry Ha haa It was Jin who didnt know what he misunderstood, what was he being rude about, but he knew that he should never talk back to a woman who speaks like this from past experience You only have to understand. Then. Thats when she went away and left. Closing the door, I did not know what it meant, so Jin stopped worrying and go to bed. Reiko also came back so he turned off the light of the magicmp and was indeed tired when lying on the futon, Jin immediately fell asleep. * * * The next morning was an early departure. It seems that it is a bit far from the mof [mofuto] [mohuto] vige which will be the next lodging ce. For breakfast they had Milk of a domestic animal, freshly baked bread, and after lightly salting of the vegetables they were finished. They left thead vige while being waved off by the vige head. The t head mountain which shines in the morning sun was beautiful. Ah, I couldnt make a damper after all Jin was busy trying to solve the unstable Reiko and Elsas misunderstanding, and it was impossible to develop the damper. But Reiko, its okay Father, I will heal you this time As Reiko said so, Elsas eyes became round. Oh, maybe, Reiko, did you remember the healing magic? Yes, thanks to you Elsa who finds no word to say. That would be so. Its not amon thing to be able to reproduce the magic that was recited after only hearing and watching it once. * * * Talent and spiritual power to connect to the data repository which usually ys chanting, image, magical power, what is also called magic catalog in addition to that. If all these are not appropriate, magic will not be activated. To say you can not use magic means that one of them is missing. Jin can hardly use attack magic because He cant connect to the magical archive of attack magazine. On the contrary, it can be said that he has nearly unlimited ess to engineering magic data repository. It was iprehensible for a person born with just this. Speaking of magic as aputer program, it can be said that a calcble function exists in the repository. Instead of calling the function y = sin (x), can we talk about whether or not trigonometric functions can be solved with only four arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)? (Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that studies rtionships involving lengths and angles of triangles.) Then, thats maybe why Reiko who is an automatic doll can use attack magic of more than Jin, I think that it is in doubt whether there is a limit to engineering magic though. This is easy to imagine because normal magic including attack magic, in consequence is simple. There are only really many rtively simple functions that activate at the same time. On the other hand, engineering magic chooses who can use it because it is necessary to image not only the result but also the process. Although she has a brain with a magical expression written with the highest technology in the highest quality demon crystal, Reikos image power, creativity power doesnt reach Jin. On the contrary, even if she cant connect to Attack magic data repository, Reiko can remember most magic if she can only write function to the memory demon crystal in her body, she then can use it. The same is true for the bracelet made by Jin for himself. However, it is impossible for the magic that it was soplicated as hes not able to write or the method was unknown. Well if it is analysis ability of Jin and Reiko, almost all existing magic can be analyzed. * * * Because some of the technology that is a part of Reiko is an ancient relic, it is possible, so she can do that Jin kept on exining so. Well its not a lie, Well only partly. Elsa who heard the technology named ancient relics did not put any further doubt and only frowned. Jin who is looking out at the window today. The reason for that is that it is seems he doesnt get sick easily. The highway gradually changes to a climb. A considerable steep slope came out partly. the horses in this world are powerful. Because its pulling a horse-drawn carriage only with two horses. Jin, can I move next to you? Elsa asked. Certainly, if you are sitting backwards on an uphill slope you will fall down to the other side. Oh, sure its only three people, as well with Reiko being small we have plenty of room. Jin put his body on the window a little. Reiko also sticks to him ordingly. Inevitably Elsa will sit on the opposite window side. Todays trip we will be climbing all the way. Todays amodation, Mof vige is a vige made on a sloping gentle slope under the Hanvalvale [hanbarufu] Pass, there main industry is cheese So Elsa exins. Indeed, although the end of February is already over, it seems that thendscape gradually reverts to winter. Its a mountain but there is hardly any snow, because of that the roads pass through these areas Though Elsa seems to have been surprised at Reikos magic acquisition, too, As such, did you consent? Its like the talk we had yesterday. At that time, when I thought whether the horse-drawn carriage swayed greatly, It stopped while leaning. Mdy! I am sorry, the wheel has struck a hole! The voice of the driver sounded. Three people get out of the carriage in a hurry. Around that area was a road that was attached so as to cross the slope, some ces were eroded due to the water flowing from above and the wheels of the horse carriage had got stuck in one of those holes. The horses will be able to persevere! A uselessly savage man usually shouts at encouraging the horse and gives a whip. However, even though its a strong horse, the wheel that has gotten stuck pretty tightly does not move. The carriage that was going ahead noticed it and stopped, and four of the followers came down. Elsa, please leave it to us. Three of the people saying so try to put power into lifting the carriage. However, with the weight of the carriage and the tightly fitted wheel nothing moved. Jin who saw that, Reiko In short, Yes, father Reiko answered briefly and approached the carriage so as to push away the men. Hey girl, what do you intend to do? One person said so with a roughnguage, but Reiko ignored it, she did not care about clothes getting dirty under the carriage, Ei Reiko stood with the horse-drawn carriage pulling out of the hole. What ! Oi, are we dreaming? A small girl just lifted the carriage with both hands and saw the sight of that girl who carried it further, the three men looked at it while opening their mouths. Anyway, because the two horses had kept trying to move started to drag themselves off of the rough halfway. When the horses did so, Reiko moved the carriage to the ce where there was not a rough road surface, Reiko gently lowered the carriage and came back. A little bit of mud was attached, but if she shakes her body for a while it will fall off. Rare materials bonzai. Good work, Reiko Jin strokes and praises the head of Reiko who came back. Reiko who seems to be happier than usual. Although Reiko is an automatic doll, isnt her power as good as golem? Elsa asks surprised as well. Oh, thats right, you saw it once before, back at the Potlock dock. Elsa asked so, she said that her mind had been upset by the golem attacked at that time. So she had forgotten, well. Then, An ordinary automatic doll is about as strong as a human, or a bit strong, but I have never seen an automatic doll that can produce that such power Is it so If I had such a conversation, a man who cried to Reiko a while ago, Huh, so you are an automatic doll thats like a girl? Yes. Reiko answered and that man, may I also pat you? He asked. But Reiko who answer had a cold voice, It is useless, only my father can touch me without permission. As she said that, the man was hesitant and he was pulling back. He has been away from his daughter for about half a year, so I think he wanted to pat Reiko. Elsa followed that. Talking about him, she said he was a guard post. Even so, he seems to be a master of the sword. Because they finished talking, the party resumed the trip. Chapter 86 - Mof village

Chapter 86 C Mof vige

Trantor:Rabie Although there was trouble, the carriage progressed smoothly after that, arriving at the destination Mof vige, at around dusk. Although the slope illuminated in the evening after-light was a dry grass colour, it is usually covered by a pasture between spring and summer, and is covered with colourful flowers blooming, or so Elsa exins. You know quite alot Jin is impressed, Because I had travelled to Potlock on the same road when summer was in full bloom, Such an answer came back. Well, even in this vige, facilities for amodating travellers who are traveling on the highway are enriched, by the way the coachmen and attendants are heading to the inn, while the four of them, Jin, Reiko, Elsa and the nanny are foreign nobles and employees, and by telling a nobleman friend, they were to be taken care of at the vige head home. Jin, will let the horses rest so our departure will be the day after tomorrow Jin who was told by Elsa headed to the vige heads home while thinking about attaching a damper this time. Dinner of the day is bread and cheese dishes. It seems that cheese is a famous dish here. Bread has quite the whiteness, which means that the vige head may know how to appropriately wee Elsa. Cheese cuisine begins with cheese itself, oil fried cheese, sd with cheese. Bread is bread baked with cheese and two baked cheese. The drink was milk or Brule [buru-ru] juice. I like bread baked with cheese. Thats when Elsa put cheese on some bread and handed it to the waiter for baking. Jin kept the cheese as it was and tried it. This cheese is delicious Jin wants to buy some and send it to Horai Ind if he can. What is this Brule? Jin drank the dark purple juice and asked Elsa who liked the taste. It is a fruit made from a low tree growing in the mountains, it is a famous cuisine here Jin admired that there are famous products unique to the mountain region. I wonder if this fruit can be found on MT. Horai, and I wonder if I can make this Brule. Oh, did it not suit your tastes? While Jin was contemting the vige chief asked. Jin hurriedly, No, its very delicious. He answered, and the vige mayor who heard it smiled satisfactorily. Reiko gazed at such a Jin. When I tried to go back to the room after the meal, Customers, I am sorry, we cannot prepare for bathing because there is a shortage of water in front of the spring rainy season, so I understand. You only have to prepare some water to wipe the body. Elsa replied, before anyone else could. Really? Thank you for your kindness. I will have it in the roomter. Jin entered the room thinking that a vige in the hignd is likely to have a shortage of water. A little girl like Elsa brought me some water for the tub. Jin asked the child. Is it good for a moment? Is the weather here really bad here? Then the child, Customers do not know? Yes, rain hardly falls in winter and summer, the rain often falls in spring and autumn. Then pointing to the water in the tub, This water is not for drinking, each household has a barrel as a reservoir, there is spring water too, but then there isnt enough for washing or cleaning, we use the water which is pooled in a big reservoir for that. So this water is the water you got from that reservoir? Yes, it is the water that we cleaned the water with cloth. Okay, thanks. Thats what the girl thanked for and left. After all, the water situation is not very good When Jin murmured, the door was knocked. Yes Reiko opened the door and Elsa was standing. She was wearing a dress until a while ago, but now she was in a light blue kimono. Did you receive water? Oh just a while ago When Ji pointing, Elsa points to that water, Because its too cold to wipe the body, you should heat it up before you do Oh, yes. That said, Jin puts his hands in the water, Heating As he said that steam started to stand out, Well, this should be OK Elsa who was watching it, What was that just now? Its heating, engineering magic. Magic that warms an object or liquid In such a way? Oh, that was? Did you mean Elsa was going to do the hot water with magic? As it says so, Elsas cheeks dyes a little red, Its already good, good night. When I said that, I turned back and went back to my room. Did I do something wrong despite taking care of the water? When Jin asks so Reiko, No, father didnt do anything bad, Elsa, who wascking words, is bad. Jin smiles bitterly, You, cant you talk about her a bit more sweetly? Anyway she invited you toe with us. It was Ms. Reinhardt who invited me, not Elsa. Reiko is iprehensible. But, Elsa is a rtive of Reinhardt, and now Elsa is the only one here Jin repeatedly said that Reiko was reluctant, Okay, if its fathers suggestion. Reiko was nodding. Well, did you understand? That said, Jin made Reiko sit on the bed, He also sat next to him, Yoshi Yoshi Jin stroked Reikos head. Yesterday, because Reiko was emotionally unstable, she worried about Jin. Just for a while, Jin was stroking the head of Reiko. And when I was about to go to bed I noticed that the hot water was cold. * * * Bread came out the next morning, though the bread came out, but the cheese was modest, instead a blue jam and a read jam came out. This is? p jams, its a small tree like grass and we end up with a lot of red fruits in the fall. I tried painting the bread with it and tried it, its sweet, sour and tasty. Compared with eating, the sourness is stronger than the Brule, and Jin likes this one. Elsa saw that she liked sweet and she seemed to like the blue jam. But, I do not see Jins still stuck something. ( 륶ϤҊСŮϸʤäߤʤ褦ǡ֥`ΥबݤʘäޤΤäƤΤʤηҊƤʤ) Reiko was silent and ate it discreetly. I will go out after eating. I wanted to see the spring water and reservoir. However, something in the sky attracted Jins eyes. Oh It was a white object, a Kite that flew in the sky. Chapter 87 - Kite making

Chapter 87 C Kite making

That is definitely a kite, Mof vige is a vige where there are many ces where the wind is strong as it is in a mountain area. There is nothing to do with kite flying. Although Jin isnt interested in the history of kites, he is interested in the kite itself. A long time ago, remembering the memories of kites flying high in the sky made by young children in the orphanage. A kite here is shape that the diamond under bes long, Do I only have to say? The simple one that the bone wasbined with ten characters in length and width. If the kites not made of paper then what is it? There is no Japanese paper in this world. I dont even see Western papers. I only saw what I wrote on parchment or thin board, so Im worried about something like that attached to a kite. Hmm, does customer also have that? When turning around, the vige head was standing there. Looking from a bright ce, His suntanned face is like the tanned paper when I see it in a bright ce, but it seems to be surprisingly young. Yes, the shape is different That is very interesting, if I may ask, you, a magic craft maker, Though it might be mere childs y such as the kite making, Could you show it by making one? Jin while being bored that there is only one and with the polite wording. By all means. Thank you very much for the material. Please, say nothing of it Because of that, Jin returned with the vige chief. Father, is he making something? Reiko who was learning the dishes that Jin liked at the vige head home arrived. Oh, a kite. Its a kite? The thing that you fly in the New Year at fathers old home? Reiko, whose knowledge of Jin is transcribed irregrly, seems to know about kites. Oh, because the wind is stronger in winter It is a story centered on Kanto where the winter seasonal wind called breeze blows. It seems that conventions are taking ce in May at Hamamatsu and around April in Nagasaki. As for now, Jin thought what kind of kite to make before the material the vige head was prepared. Well, I guess you are sticking to tanned leather Animal leather that closely resembles a goat living in Takayama. The color is white and very thin, but still heavier than paper. It seems a fancy kite is rather bad for now, Thats why Jin decided on Flexible Kite. Based on a square or a vertically elongated rectangle, draw a line quarter lengthwise and attach bones to the left and right lines except the center. The grain is a standard at both ends, one from the top is a reference, and if it is shorter than that, it is a so-called ceiling kite, that is, a kite to raise altitude, and it bes a kite flying far if it is longer. And when cutting from the line of threads to the top of the left and right bones with a straight line, the bottom will be a long deformed hexagonal kite. Its a little heavier so it should be shorter by one third? For one, I made three things that changed the neighborhood. Oh, are you finished now this has changed? The vige head who came to see the situation raised such a voice. Jin is good right, Also, Id like to draw a picture on this, are there any paints? When he asks, Hmm, drawing a picture you say, is seems to be interesting? The vige head says, Paints to dye leather had been put out. Jin wrote a big far-flown philosophy about what to draw, red paint on the brush, it was written as dragon greatly. What is this writing? Of course, the vige mayor who cant read the kanji asks. Jin answered, Its an ancient character meaning Dragon I answered. Ho, its an ancient character and a dragon, it surely will be a kite flying in the sky In addition, Jin wrote the letters of dragon with blue and ck respectively to the remaining two. It is a good judgment not to have had a picture. Finallyplete with the help of the engineering magic drying the paint. The yarn is durable hemp yarn. Well, shall we try to fly it? I will apany you. Reiko naturally answers so. Then, I have some work to settle, so Ill see youter The vige chief said so and then retreated to the office. Together with Reiko, Jin takes the kite off the table and goes aiming at the direction where the kite is flying. On the cliffs falling east. Of course there is a strong fence, so it will not fall. A lot of children who saw the kite from afar were gathering watching the kite flier. There is one shadow watching over the children. Elsa? It was Elsa. Not in a dress, but a casual wear for going walks, but it hadce ornament buttons and so on, on it, and it is raising her beauty all the more. Jin The face of Elsa turned around looked somewhat lonely. What are you watching? The Children: I thought it would be fun why dont you join them As Jin says so, No, I am not good with children. Elsa shook her head. However, Do not you dislike it just because you are not good? I said so and showed the kite I got. Elsa seemed to have not understood what it was, , Jin, what is that? Flexible kite is characterized by rolling and carrying. It is unreasonable that you do not know as a kite if it is rounded. Its a kite, do you want to try it? Speaking of it, Kite? That is? She seemed to be interested. In the case of e with me Well, Jin slightly frowned, he walked to the ce where the kids are kite flying with Elsa. At first only the young children that were only watching the kite-flier to noticed them. They gather around us one by one. Onii-chan, you are cute with Soncho, are not you? Oh, what do you have in your hand? Your sister is beautiful. Small, are you also a chewy guy? Thest one is for Reiko. Children who have gathered are about the same as Reiko in appearance. She seems to be familiar with Reiko. Everyone its okay, this is also a kite, and I will show this older sister from how to fly it Jin said so and handed one kite to Elsa. It is a kite written in red with the word dragon. Well, what about me? Yeah, here, But I, I have never flown a kite. Elsa hesitated, but Jin answered, its alright, the kite made by me will not break easily Elsa received a kite and a thread, as it was not that far away. And head towards the kite flying ce. Children who noticed her followed. She stopped at the center. Go on the children were Pushing Elsas back which is bad, See, its easy to get along with children, I hope you can y beside the other person flying the kite. all right Elsa goes to the side of the fence and spreads the kite. The Flexible kite which blows by the wind from the fold and expands at a stretch. Elsa then let go of the kite. The flexible kite who received the wind pulled the thread, and the thread balls in Elsas hands gently disintegrated. And so the kite soared to the sky. Oh! It really flew! Awesome! Without the bncing weight called the tail, the older kids who are flying kites are surprised by the kite which is going to be lifted without adjustment. Sister is good! Some misunderstand that Elsa is manipting skillfully. The flexible kite had a character of its dragon high above the blue sky. Chapter 88 - Kite kite lifting

Chapter 88 C Kite kite lifting

Trantor:Rabie There was a boy smaller than Reiko who is looking at where they were a little away from the frenzied children. When Jin gets beckoned, he restlessly walks over to him. What? Can you lift this up Jin handed that child the blue kite which had the character dragon on it. What the!? Oh, but it may not be dangerous by yourself, so Reiko! Yes Please help this child fly the kite. Okay lets do, what is your name? I am Reiko Because Reiko got along well with Hannah in Kaina vige, she got along easily with this child. Older sister Reiko, Im called Kaito! It was only Jin who thought for a moment that he was named kite in English, and that he was a kite. At any rate it is hard to handle thread balls there we go! One kite was left behind, but Jin just held onto it, Jin fixed his syte onto some dead wood that had fallen down. Okay, this seems to be usable deformation, molding, finally curing In the case of wood, it is difficult to stic deformation like y, so magic was used to mold it. Jin removed all but the necessary parts of the material. By making parts andbining it, an old-fashioned yarn thread windings ispleted. Since there is more dead wood, 5 more items are made with the same design. I handed one of them to Reiko, spread out all of the thread and wind them onto this I give some directions to Reiko on how to use it. And brought one to Elsa. Wow, so far! Elsa is also steadily loosening the thread. Oh elder brother, what is written on the kite? That, that is a character meaning dragon Jin taught so. Huh, its a dragon! It doesnt really sound like its strong Okay then? The character reads Ryuu Riu! Liu! Riu desu! Liu! Liu! As the children remembered how to read the dragons letters, everyone joined saying Ryuu in a row. Jin started to talk to Elsa, You are flying quite far my arm isnt even tired, the kite you made is amazing. Thank you, I when all of the thread is out tie the end with this guy. This is? Thread Winding for Kites The thread ball used in this vige binds a small piece of wood to the edge, and afterwards its suitably winded up. There is a high possibility of it being tangled. Is this also made by Jin? Ah, yeah I made it now. Jin handed the thread winding to Elsa who was surprised and Jin got ready to try to fly thest kite himself. Oh, brother will fly one too? Ryuus older brother! Hey hey, Im going in for a while Oh, thats Jin-chan? While doing such a scene Jin also prepared, Alright, go! A kite flying up and jumping at a stretch. It has a ck character dragon on it. Oh! This is somewhere between the Elsa kite and the kites kite. Ho, this is amazing, truly a magic craftsman The vige head came there. Does the vige mayor also do kite flying? When Jin asked, the vige mayor, Yes, I did a lot when I was a child Because he answered, Jin handed a thread ball. Well then, please try flying this guy Then, if you insist Uumu, what is with this stability!? The vige chief who had flown kites many times before was surprised at the stability of the flexible kite. Even though ordinary kites can adjusted and by adding a tail can fly like that! Jin knows how to quickly make it, and the surprises keep on increasing. Please use this thread winding when the thread is at its end Because it is stable, its okay to look away while flying. Wow, this is a thread winder Indeed, this is a nice thing! A vige chief was even more impressed. Jin entrusts the ck dragon-shaped kite to the vige chief, and went to check on Reiko and Kaito. How about you, Kaito? Oh, thank you! Thank you, this kite is awesome! Said a frenzied Kaito whose face is looking up high in the sky, the thread ball in his hand is almost gone. Okay, Im d Reiko, I will ask again when the thread runs out Yes And to Elsa. All the yarns have alreadye out, they are wrapped around the thread winding ro hold the kite, and they are doing what it takes to hold the handles. Elsa is in good condition ah, its Jin Yeah, as you can see The red dragon-shaped kite pulls the thread at an angle of about 30 degrees and can only be seen small. It seems he flew far enough. Sister, this is amazing! There are many girls around Elsa. a bit, why dont you have it? Okay! A girl who is willing to give hands to Elsas question. In that little hand Elsa grabbed the thread winding. Wow! The girl rejoices from the tension of the kite and the feeling of it in her hands for the first time. Elsa stared at it with a keen eye. Okay, thanks Well then, then you are next Wow! Another girl then took ce of the other, Elsa surrounded by happy children seemed happy as well. * * * Well, Im back, you are truly a magical work maker invited to a nobleman When the vige returned from the kite flying, the vige mayor said so. That kite is easy to make and its stable, so even if you have a little kid they can use the kite. Although it uses leather, its expensive as it is, its troubling if its dropped often. So, may I have your permission to make that kite in our vige, and that thread winding, how about with 100,000 torrents including that one? About 1 million yen. Originally there is no patent system, it is a kite that anyone can imitate looking at. I do not need any special skills. Although I didnt know how much profit wille forward in the future, Jin acknowledged that because he doesnt care much about money. Oh thank you, it will be a new specialty in this vige Jin who entrusted the received money with Reiko was walking around the vige again. I remember Kaina vige when I do something like this It was Jin who cannot forget the life in Kaina Vige. Chapter 89 - Butler and nanny

Chapter 89 C Butler and nanny

Trantor:Rabie As soon as the next morning came, the party left the Mof vige. Even though it was early in the morning, everyone was deeply impressed that the children came to see us all. Brother, Ill give you this! Sister, do your best! Reiko-chan, see you again! Everyone says good-bye, some of them give there treasures, some of them giving beautiful stones. Again, everyone stay healthy, I wille again. Jin and the others reluctantly left Mof Vige. After all, I couldnt make a damper Jin was a bit depressed. Jin, I think we can do it when we join elder brother Whys that? Because my elder Brother would keep pestering you on how you made it Yeah, thats true. As expected? Todays Elsa, like more so then yesterday, had a slightly friendly tone. My family consists of my parents and two older brothers, Brothers father is my uncle She talked about her familyposition. Oh, so your family name is the same. Yes, but my mother is actually different from my brothers. Oh, from the avable facts Jin understands that its a touchy topic, and he thinks that I shouldnt talk about such things to a stranger. I know, but I want you to listen, Jin. But Elsa said that and continued. My mother is no longer here. When my father used to go to a foreign country for work, he seemed to have met my mother at his ce of employment. Jin could only listen silently. But my step-mother loves me like I was her actual daughter, as well, both my brothers have love me, so I had never known that my mother was different Elsa knew about it because she identally heard the conversation between my father and my -step-mother. From what she could understand of the conversation, Elsas father thanked her step-mother for loving Elsa like her own daughter who was not born with her. When I heard that, my vison went ck Elsa stopped, but continued with. That was when elder brother taught me Reinharts mother is not the legal wife. When I heard that, I was surprised, like Elsa. Always the cheerful Reinhart, had a different mother just like Elsa. But I told myself that elder brother has nothing to do with this Elsa said that Reinhardt asked her if she was going to change her attitude towards her parents knowing that. I dont want to change, Elsa said, Well, if everything is okay, there is nothing wrong with that, you should call them the same as before, you are you, you have not changed anything so far, so your parents have not changed anything as well. Thats what he said. It seems to be said that Reinhardt seems to be aforting her. Elder brother was the 4 guy in his family, four men only brothers Reinhardt says his closest brother is more than ten years older. So, Rai-nii is close in age and yed with me a lot. Oh, so you call him Rai-nii? Yes. It was a story that Elsa was most reluctant to speak. Reinhardt was her most reliable rtive. By the way, Jin who speaks a little anxiously for a moment. What kind of person is a nanny? Elsa answered with, Mine always thinks about me the most, sometimes she overdoes stuff rted to me, like ring at the surroundings, but my father doesnt say anything about that, so I think she is fine. It seems that the nanny is called Mine. I asked why, because the attitude of the other day was a little interesting, , If Elsas father doesnt say anything about such a thing, then it was just Jin who didnt understand nurses standpoint as well as the aristocrat they served as it seem to be the correct action. Well, what about milk-mother? Well, what is that? That was an unexpected reply was what Jin thought. Jins recognition of a nanny is that of a woman serving to give milk instead of a mother who is producing bad milk. In fact, there are such nannies and There is another nanny that is the person in charge of the upbringing. It seems that she was thetter. Oh, my bad, I thought she was breast feeding on behalf of Elsas mother When he says, Yeah, I heard that I had drank some of Mines milk. eh? Normally, breast milk should note out from a woman without children, does this world manage this with magic? When Jin says so, Elsa scratches his little head, Ive never heard such a thing. Well anyway we have derailed off of the topic. Somehow, it seems that there was going to be a strange misunderstanding again so Jin decided to stop that story. The horse-drawn carriage slowly climbs up a steep slope. Looking out through the window there is the open sky and it seems that it will soon be at a pass. Take a break once were in the pass and rest the horses for a moment and then go down a little further ording to that word, the party suspended at the Hanvalvale [hanbarufu] pass. Small and wide t ground is built in the pass, and 5 and 6 cars parks are likely to be parks for the horse-drawn carriages. From here onwards, since they are now in the province of Nord where the capital is located, they have stationed 3 guards in the pass. There are easy lodgings here, and it seems to be guarded in turns. I saw the butler show something like a badge and got a traffic permit. The escort is twisting his upper body and stretching his body. The driver had the horses eat sugar-like lumps. Ah, after all the mountain is cold Jin who got out of the carriage, stretches. My breath is white. The wind is also cold. Is the temperature around 5 degrees? The mountains rose around them and some of them were colored white with snow. The altitude of the Hanvalvale Pass is about 2,500 m, and snow that froze in ces is visible here. I felt Mof Vige was cool, but I did not think it was cold. Its a bit painful if we wear an extra coat here. Elsa seemed to be strong against the cold, descending in the dress, turning around the hem of the skirt and ying happily. Jin was looking at such a rare appearance of Elsa, Mr. Jin, are you a little okay? Elder old man introduced as Elsas butler spoke to Jin for the first time. Oh, yes. Jin headed towards the shade of the rock a little away, urged by the butler. Reiko followed a little away. When I go to the shade behind the horse-drawn carriage, the butler deeply lowered my head. First of all, thank you for making friends with the masters daughter, thank you. Huh? It is Jin who is bbergasted by the butlers actions, because he was thanked before he understood what he did It was the first time in a long time that I saw a bright and fun looking face of thedy. There is only one thing that I can think of with a bright and fun face. Well, is this about the story in Mof vige? Yes. Mdy has only yed with her older brothers and a few men, so when she was a child she turned into a bit of a lively person. He was about to say tomboy, but stopped. I myself like small children, and at the asional garden party I would y with them, but when they cried, I didnt know what to do and was embarrassed. She was about to say that shes tomboyish, but stopped. Is it okay to talk to me about this? Jin became fixated and he heard back. It would not be a good idea to hear it at a young age as a youngdy. Well, please listen to it Because it was being repeated such things only, it gradually became it from the age of your age. There will be such a thing if it is not old when you can y with boys. And there must have been a reactionary reaction that I knew about my mother. The most familiar thing was Mr. Reinhardt, my host, but I cant always be with you always. Reinhardt was quite excellent, as a magical engineer, and bought diplomatic personality, he was frequently sent to foreign countries as a diplomat. This time, it happened that there was a shippetition in Port Rock, Reinhardt invited me, I came all the way Then the butler took a word, put a sigh of relief, What you stopped even if you knew it would be exposed to the public in such bathing suit! His fist is being sped whether he could not put it off too much. Your mdys skin will be exposed to the curious eyes of the impable! Ah, haha Jin who is a designer who is a designer has no choice but tough. The butler raised his face, took a deep breath, The story diverted, it came all the way, but as Reinhardt went out in public service it seemed to be a lonesome face, I was worried about seeing it. But, with a beginning, That was, I was smiling happily yesterday and please tell us about various things to Gin and listen to us at night. Oh, my? Yes, I said that you should y with the same line of sight to get along with a child, or have you fished himself the first kite you made for himself Well, for sure Today, I also have a fun looking face in the morning, thanks to Jin-sama, and I thanked the people who celebrated them, such ce, And thank you once more and thanked you that you could understand that thedy wanted to join us on another carriage, Well, during traveling, no matter what you do for yourdy please continue to be friends. Jin hurriedly, Do not lower your head so much, even if you are not told, you are friends with Elsa, because you know that I am here to teach you a lot Thank you And the two returned to the carriage. Every conversation should have been heard, but Riko did not say anything. There, next, Elsas nanny, Mine came. Mr. Jin, are you a little okay? Nanny who goes to the shade with the same word as the butler. Thank you for your opponents partner, first of all. This also lowered his head to Jin with a simr line. But after that it is different. The girlfriend was originally active, and since it was older, she could not have gotten out much, and she was just staying in the mansion. Ha It seems to be outdoors because it was out after a long absence. Although it is rare that we go out, we admit till she gets on a carriage with you, to listen to some selfishness and give it away But why do not you go out to thedy you know? Yes, was it threaded? I hope to understand, I hope for a moderate attitude Immediately after Nanny, Mine dered so. Stupid person! The butlers voice caught my ears. Mr. Adberg The butler seems to be called Adberg. Jin thought about being misunderstood, etc., AdBurgh of that is a great sword curtain, Mine, what did you say!? Jin is an important customer invited by Mr. Reinhardt. Reinhardt trusted thedy and was appointed a receptionist. What is it? Do you know how many times your attitude is to drop not only the girls but also the quality of the main house? But Mine is listening to it with a rotten face. Mr. Jin, I would like to apologize for Mine and I do not feel sorry for myself. So saying that, Adberg made the best wishes to bend the waist 90 degrees. However, Mine sees what he is like, Well, even Adberg seems to have thought Jin-sama was stinky at first. And etc. I am thinking of my girlfriend in my opinion, as a result it would be fine if it could let me quit. I wonder if the quality of the youngdy will go down, do not you think its a cramped aristocrat, I just want to quit. Once you do, I will take care of thedy. you! As expected it would have thought that I could not miss the words of today, Adberg s hands go up. But then. Jin, I will leave soon, Adberg, Mine, what are you guys doing? The man is already preparing to take out a horse-drawn carriage, and Elsa came to search for the Jin who do not return. Yeah, I was looking around a lot Okay! Ride on, then, Chapter 90 - Raid

Chapter 90 C Raid

Thief!? The party did not think that they would be attacked in such a ce. This location shouldnt be visible. We went down a steep pass, and its theres the distance too, how did the guards not notice? Elsa made a calm analysis. Its usually advantageous to attack from above, but were not armed. We can escape to the above, but the incline will make things difficult. Is that so? I know of such a ce being attacked. Perhaps, in anticipation of us making a round trip, theyid an ambush. When going to Port Rock, most trips will be along the same road. As Elsa had said, it would be easy to aim for. How many are attacking? At Jins question, Reiko opened the window a little and looked outside. Its easy for this carriage, but a Magic Form was drawn to produce a barrier making it difficult to see. 10 people, no 11. Reiko reported that they were being attacked by 10 people, while 1 stood in the back alone. Really? Oh, thats right. With these circumstances, Elsa, take this. Jin takes a ring from his bag and presented it to Elsa. Jin? Elsa stared at the ring and looks at Jin with a dubious expression. Well, this is a ring I made, a Protection Ring. Saying so, he passes it into Elsas hand. Anyway, please try it on. Mm. After searching for a finger that the ring would fit on, it fits onto her ring finger. For some reason, Elsa puts it on with a joyful expression. It fits. Ok, when you chant the keyword, [Barrier], it will activate and keep you safe from most attacks for one minute. Eh I dont have time to exin it in detail. Reiko, [Peach Blossom]? Yes, its in the luggage. A sword cant always be carried, so it has been ce in the storage area in the rear of the carriage. Alright, lets go and meet the attackers. Yes. Jin, please wait here, we will deal with the attackers. Although Elsa said so, Jin shook his head in disapproval. I cant do that, its an emergency. Everyone has to work together. With that, he went outside of the carriage with Reiko. A nurse was standing there, ready to protect the carriage with a short knife in hand. Everyone? We can fight as well, well help you. When Elsa is about to leave, My Lady, dont go! The nurse tried desperately to stop her, then Jin Elsa, go inside. We need someone to control the carriages magic defenses. Do you understand? Ah, so the person who stays inside will be safe. But Elsa wouldnt listen and jumped out of the carriage. Mydy The nurses eyes were already starting to water, but Elsa remains calm and If we work together, I can use magic, so Ill also help. Saying so, she looks down the hill. One of the attackers appears to havee into contact with a guard already. You! This is the carriage of the daughter of a viscount of the Shioro Empire! The butler shouted in a loud voice. I dont know or care whos carriage this is, its profitable for me! The leader of the bandits said so as he swung his sword with a forceful attitude. It was the escort who wanted to stroke Reiko who responded. Well, that was disappointing. If you want money, youre going to have to pay with your life! The escort catches the opponents sword and after sliding down its de, he sends his sword into the bandits heart. He goes all the way in to the hilt of his sword. The only reason he didnt cut the man apart is because he didnt want to show Elsa a bloody scene. Gue The guards ability is certainly reliable, as he knocks out one of the bandits with a single blow. I wont let youy one finger on the youngdy! On the other side, the butler was holding a stick like a police baton as he disarmed one of the bandits and struck them in the crown of the head, knocking him out. The remaining servant was trembling while holding a stick. It appeared to be all he could do to protect the carriage. Three of the four people break off and head towards Elsa. Mydy! Why are you outside! Although the butler was screaming, Elsa wasnt worried, as she held out her right hand horizontally. And, [Wind Bullet] She fired arge quantity of invisible bullets. Guh, whats that? Unfortunately, one [wind bullet] wasnt very powerful, and the bandits continued to approach while protecting their faces. Reiko, go! Yes. Although he thought of leaving it to Elsa in the beginning, it was getting dangerous, so Jin ordered Reiko. Hm? Whats a little brat going to do? The robbers wereughing at what looked like a 10 year old girl approaching them, but they quickly changed when they saw the [Peach Blossom] that Reiko had in her hands. W-whats that? When one of the bandits struck their sword at [Peach Blossom], it disappeared at its base which was undamaged. W-wha! Two people swung two swords, and the swords of 3 people were cut, and the 4th person could barely take the back swing. Hiiii! As it was held over the bandits head, Reiko who jumped over his head also cut his sword, then [Wind Blow] Elsa threw a magical strike. Gahaa! The bandit was blown away by the intermediate wind magic and couldnt get up anymore. 3 more people. When Elsa turned her eyes, the remaining 3 people had already been knocked out by Reiko. With this, its all right. Jin said and, Mydy, please dont act rashly just because you can use magic. This life of mine has been shortened due to fright. And the nanny, Mine said while trying to sooth Elsa. It seems the other sides done as wel Jin muttered. Elsa also looks to the foot of the hill. Thanks to the efforts of the butler and the guards, 4 of the bandits were already on the ground and the 5th person was about to fall at the feet of the butler. The butler is also strong. Un, Adberg is also a master of martial arts. Is that so? And Hellman is a master of the knight style sword. The bodyguard seems to be Hellman. The 6th bandit was defeated now. This leaves only the one who was watching from a distance. The assessment was only a little different. Hya! Careless! Shouted 2 of the bandits as they ran from the top of the hill. Kyaa! Mines dagger was repelled by the bandits sword and blood sprayed. Mine was cut from the shoulder and fell down. Mine! Elescape And the other bandit attacked Elsa. In a panic, Elsa forgot to use the protection ring and helplessly crouched down. Barrier To protect the crouching Elsa, Jin covers her and says the key word. The sword which the robber swung down strikes at Jin in the next moment, but the sword is blocked by an invisible wall and never reached Jin. W-What? The battle hardened robber showed a face of disbelief, and the next moment was struck by Reikos sword. The other bandits had already fainted. However, Mine was shed by a bandit and had a deep wound. Mine! Are you alright?! [Heal]! Elsa ran up and immediately applied healing magic, however, the wounds were deep and the blood didnt stop easily. Mdy thank you please stop already. Mine refused the treatment with a pale face, thinking it was useless. No! I wont give up! [Heal]! Although it helped a little, the wound was too big. It was like dropping a heated stone into a bucket of water to boil it, the stone is too small and the bucket too big. After Jin couldnt watch any more, he ordered Reiko to watch their surroundings. Elsa, let me try a little. He said as he neared Mine. [recover] He invoked the magic in his bracelet. Although it was intermediate magic, because the bracelet had the support of Jins great power, it was able to act at the same level as advanced magic. The blood stopped and the wound closed while they were watching. Its all right now. While listening to Jins words, Elsa who had watery eyes stuck near Mine. Mine is ok Mdy Looking at the two people, Jin is also relieved. Although its been healed, because the bleeding and wound were considerable, you shouldnt push yourself. He said as he looked up. Finally, thest bandit moved. Chapter 91 - Vs Golem

Chapter 91 C Vs Golem

The leader of the bandits was a mage. Therefore, he didnt go out and fight in the front, his subordinates were distributed instead. His aim was the daughter of a nobleman. She had an excellent appearance and could use magic. She was a target that wasmissioned by a certain person. The info they had was the nobles cousin, who uses golems, was upied elsewhere. It was a great opportunity. He pretended to aim for them from the front, while he had two of his subordinates positioned to nk them from behind. While his followers were being beaten from the front and they grew careless, his other subordinates would carry off with the girl. The subordinates in the front are the sacrificial pawns. He had made them into puppets with his magic, and didnt care what happened to them. But, the n waspletely shattered. The golem that was given to him by the mysterious man from before was his remaining fighting power. The golem, which was given free of charge, had tremendous power in exchange for a considerable amount of magic power from the operator. In the past, when he decided to try it out, he had killed onepany in no time without taking any damage. Since then, this golem had be the bandit chiefs trump card. Thest remaining bandit was a mage. [In exchange for my magic power] The transparent ball, the size of a babies head, that he held in his hand began to shine. [Summon][Follow][Attack] And when he raised the ball overhead, a huge shadow appeared from behind him. That a Golem! Adberg the butler yelled in surprise. He didnt think that a bandit would have a golem. That golem!? Jin raised a voice of surprise. Do you know of it, Jin? Elsa asked after she heard the words from Jin while she protected Mine. Yeah, I have seen a golem that looked simr before in the Klein Kingdom, but that is The golem that he encountered near Toka vige that became the prototype for Gon and Gen was twice as big. It was 4 meters tall, its surface shined a dull silver-gray all gave it an abominable atmosphere. Elsa! Recall the others! Jin felt something ominous so he called to Elsa. Elsa also thought things felt unusual. Grandfather! Hellman! Otto! Over here! It appears that Otto is the name of the servant. However, the three people didnt follow Elsasmand. It seems they intended to attack the golem to thest, at least the butler, Adberg and the escort Hellman did. Its useless! Your opponent isnt human! Jin also cried out. Although Reiko could handle it, there was the example from when the two golems appeared in Toka vige. Elsa continued to protect the nanny, Mine. Even if its Reiko, she cant be in two ces at once. Not good. Those two arent listening to us. Elsa sighs as the two people wont return even when called. Since thats the case, we have to help from here. Huh? Thinking calmly, Reiko has the greatest offensive power, while Jin has his special bracelet as well. And for defense, Jin has the bracelet, Reiko the pendant, and Elsa has the [protection ring]. However he thought about it, Reiko should go relieve them. Elsa, hold Mine closely and cast [barrier] Yes, [barrier] And Elsa said the keywords. A wall was set up around them both. Jin who saw it, Reiko, beat them as quickly as possible and please return. Yes, as father says so. And Reiko starts running. Jin looked around cautiously, because an attack from another bandit coulde, so he stands between Elsa and the bandits just to be sure. Elsa turned her eyes towards Jins reliable back. Damn! Although Hellmans sword could reach the golem, it couldnt even leave a scratch on the surface. Could it be, no way Adamantium!? The silvery-gray shine belongs to adamantium. If thats the case, theres no sword that can prate it. But as a guard of Elsa, Hellman was unwilling to withdraw. Adberg intended to strike the enemy who was manipting the golem. However, What! He felt as though he had hit steel with his stick. Fufufu, did you think that I was defenseless? The magician had a barrier around himself. This guy is a difficult opponent. Adberg also gets impatient. However, your aim is probably the youngdy. If I dont knock you down then mdy!? The butler looked back at Elsa who he was supposed to protect in fear and his spine froze. Behind Elsa, the same type of golem as before was approaching. Mdy!? And Mine!? Elsa who was embracing the bloody Mine was down, and the golem was rushing at her. Ku, you had two!? Cried Jin as he turned around. When he was attacked by the golems in Toka vige, there was also two. His prediction proved true when it attacked from the other side. The bandits attacked from behind, and the golem did the same! Jin turned around slightly, and the golem attacked Elsa with its hand. Fufufu, with this its over. The leader of the bandits licked his lips and didnt give any more orders began to talk. Gole But he couldnt say anything. His universe was turned upside down. ah? The bandit chief was sent flying and flung against the ground on his back. He fainted without saying anything. Easy. Reiko muttered so, having broken the barrier forcibly and flung away the bandit. Then, while facing the golem, [peach blossom] shed. Huuuuh?! The guard, Hellman, could hardly believe his eyes. The golem that he couldnt even scratch, no matter how much he attacked, was cut in two with a single stroke of a sword. It was split into the top and the bottom, and with a metallic sound, fell down. The magic circuits were disconnected and it couldnt move anymore. Father? And Reiko turned back towards Jin. As the arm of the golem approached Elsa and Mine Kyaaa! Mdy! Instinctively, Elsa and Mine hugged each other and screamed. But the hand of the golem stopped just before it reached Elsa. Towards Elsa who looked confused with a pale face, Jin said [Laser!] The power of his ser] which boasted dozens of times of a normal one could only be used by Jin. After the broadser passed, the lower part of the body evaporated and the rest of the golem fell down. Fu, its good that it works. The ring can stop most attacks. Chapter 92 - Escort

Chapter 92 C Escort

I should secure the [control core] Jin opened the upper body of the defeated golem with engineering magic and confirmed that it had the same structure as the golem that became the prototype of Gon and Gen. Elsas 3 servants and 2 coachmen were tying up the bandits who were unconscious. They were particrly attentive with the bandit chief who was a magic, making sure to gag him to seal any chance of incantation. Nanny Mine was in the carriage. Her wound had been healed, but she needed to rest. Jin. Jin took out the [control core] and returned to where Elsa was waiting. Thank you. Thanks to you, Mine, myself, and grandpa were saved. She said with a deep bow. Its good that Elsa is safe too. Jin who was used to being more curt was a little embarrassed to talk like that. From the windows of the carriage, Mine was looking with aplicated expression. And that magic what was it? Half of the golem disappeared and you appeared to shine. She asked about the magic, ser]. Oh that isummm. Jin was troubled about how to exin, and the conclusion of that was I found it on an ind in an artifact, so I dont understand it well. He said while showing the bracelet. This doesnt seem to work for anyone aside from who first puts magic in it, so no one other than me can use it. The word [artifact] is convenient, because most pursuits will stop when its brought up. Is that so? It cannot be helped Grandfather, whats the matter? Theter words were addressed towards the butler, Adberg. We have finished tying them up, but what shall we do? There are so many who fainted to bring along, and we cant load them on the carriage either. Just going down the steep slope from the pass, and the long downhill slope they had a long road ahead. What should we do? Elsa looked in the direction of Jin when she heard this. It seems she alreadypletely relied on Jin. When she was young, she often had to rely on someone else, like her older brothers and cousins. Well, it wouldnt lower the evaluation of a nobledy, so she would rely on Jin more this time. Well, we should bring that magician and the golems to an appropriate ce. He said while he was looking around. The forest where the bandits were hiding was a mix of 10 meter trees and 3 meter trees. Using the tat tree in this way good. Elsa, can I change the carriage a bit? Of course, Ill restore itter. When Jin asked, Elsa immediately approved it. In fact, it feels like shes interested in what will happen. Yoshi, well then Reiko, please lend me a hand. Yes, Father. Then Jinmands Reiko to cut down some of the 10 meter and 3 meter trees. Hellman who saw Reiko cutting down the 30cm diameter trees with one stroke was amazed. That youngdy does in one what I cannot do in ten so easily. Will I be needed anymore? He muttered, but everyone ignored it. The others were carefully watching what Jin was about to do. Alright, remove the horses, [extend] hand over the logs, make it four legged, strengthen, connect Jin connects two carriages with two logs and intended to put the robbers on the part he connected. After moving the horses from the rear carriage to the front and connecting it to the front, he strengthens the axle and bearing. What he was doing wasnt within their realm of understanding, and his work speed was extraordinary. Anyway, Reiko carries the 10 meter trees by herself and in coboration with Jin they remove the branches in no time at all. While working, Jin asked Reiko a question. Hey, Reiko, you know that two people attacked Elsa and Mine, but were you unable to sense it? It was a natural question. Yes, those two people, I couldnt sense any signs of their existence. Im sorry. Well, since you couldnt sense them, maybe they were wearing a secret magic tool. Ill check a little. Leaving the work to Reiko, Jin goes to the ce of the bandits who were tied up. As a result, he recognized that they had an amulet with the [hide] effect on their body. Hmm, the form can be seen and the effect is cut once they speak not very convenient if it was me He muttered and then realized he still had work and Jin went back to the carriage remodeling. Everything waspleted in about 30 minutes. Because I did some extra stuff, it became a bit slower. Please, try it Elsa. Everyone was amazed at Jin inwardly. Even Mine was at a loss for words. After that, everything advanced smoothly. They took a break and had lunch at Rinato town, one of the several towns along the way. The town guards who saw something strange being drawn by 4 horses went to call their boss. Elsa exined to the soldier who came out, although a little messily, and asked if they were able to hand over all of the bandits to the soldier in Rinato town. Elsa then sent a messenger on a fast horse to the capital city of Borgia with a message for Reinhardt. The kingdom soldiers also sent a message with a report at the same time. In less than an hour, both of them arrived in the capital of Borgia and delivered their respective messages. What? Elsa was attacked by some bandits? So? Whats the damage? Reinhardt rose and faced the messenger. Oh, yes, no ones hurt, everyone is safe. On the contrary, all of the bandits have been captured and escorted to Rinato town. I-I see Next, Reinhardt asked if the information has been delivered to the leaders of the Elias Kingdom. In response, the messenger replied that another person is going to the royal pce. I see thanks for your hard work. Withdraw and take a break. Reinhardt is currently troubled in a residence of Marquis Dominique de Firentsiano, but hurried to the lords room. Marquis, I have sudden news. What happened. Yes. And Reinhardt recited the content of what the messenger conveyed a moment ago. The Marquis who was surprised decides to quickly wee Elsa. She gave the necessary instructions and faced Reinhardt once more. Im sorry. That such a bandit made an infestation in the Nord province is my fault. ording to the messenger, he said that the bandits had some golems. Golems, huh. It couldnt be, a test? Yes, it seems that in recent years these things have appeared in subgroup countries. They said that Jin secured the [control core], so we will know when we check it. When Reinhardt said so, Jin? Not Miss Randall? Marquis Firentsianos doubt was natural and Reinhardtughed. Actually, hes my friend that Elsa picked up. Did you know? Jin is the magic craftsman of the team who won the boat race. Yes, I thought it was a familiar name. I see, so hes been taken by the Shioro empire. Sorry to say so, she misunderstood that she missed an excellent Magic Craftsman before her very eyes. At the very least, while hes in our country we will wee him. Elsas party left Rinato town in the afternoon after the bandits were delivered and the carriage was restored. From the town mayor to the officers and soldiers of Rinato town, everyone seems to have been speechless at how quickly they got their work done and left. After all, the work of Jin was finished in no time, while a normal Magic Craftsmans processes of transformation can be followed with the eyes. The condition of the target changed the moment Jin sang the aria which was also short. It was no wonder that they were amazed by this. Soon, well be in the capital, Borgia. Elsa told him so. The scenery from the carriage was dotted with houses, unlike the forest and grassy ins, or a town or a vige, it appeared to turn into a rural district as the poption density increased. Do you know what the poption is? When Jin asks Elsa, she said apologetically Im sorry, I dont know. After she said that, Jin rushed to say No, if anything, I should apologize. He responded to Elsa, and How is Reinhardt doing? Rai-nii should be at a vi of Marquis de Firentsiano right now, which is where were heading. While they were talking, the carriage stopped. Whats wrong? When Elsa asks the coachman, Mdy, it appears we are being received. When Elsa looked through the front window, 20 soldiers and 2 carriages were stopped there and a man who appeared to be a steward was giving directions. After the man got off his horse, he came over to the carriage and bowed at his waist making a right angle. Wee, to the capital of Borgia. He said. Chapter 93 - Experiment

Chapter 93 C Experiment

Hey, Jin, its been a while! Jin and the others were invited to Marquis Firentsianos vi and reunited with Reinhardt. Elsa had trouble, too. It seems that things were serious in various ways, but its best that everyone is safe. Reinhardt says while stroking Elsas head and saying yoshi yoshi. Rai-nii, stop it. Im not a child anymore. She said while gently pushing away Reinhardts hand. Why? You used to love it when I did it in the past hmmm? Reinhardt notices a ring stuck on Elsas finger when she pushed his hand away. Oh, a ring huh? The tomboy daughter also seems to havee of age and noticed it. Then Elsa hid her left hand in a hurry, This, this is not like that! Her face reddened slightly. This is a magical guard Jin gave it to me, I was saved thanks to this. Reinhardts eyes shine when heard this. I see, could you show me a bit? No. Dont say that, hey, it looks good. Reinhardt approached insistently, but No, I dont want to. Rai-nii will surely break it. Elsa was blunt, but Reinhardt was unaffected. I will do no such thing, I promise. Jin couldnt overlook such bandying works being done. Ah, what, Reinhardt, instead of Elsas, heres another one just like it. You can have it as thanks for taking care of us. Oh, I see! Sorry! Said Reinhardt as he received it as though he was snatching the ring that Jin held out. Not very diplomatic. Rai-nii you craftsman idiot. Elsa leaked out with a sigh. Hmmm, the base is a [Magic Crystal] of all attributes. The [Magic Form] is inscribed, huh. Reinhardt immediately started his anlysis. Very peculiar. Magic is barrier against attack and protection against shock, huh. I can somehow read it, but I can only read it. I cant copy this. Still, it is a big deal to read a [magic form] which not even Reiko could read. Reinhardt said thank you for getting something good and gave a formal bow to Jin. By the way, you should take a bath before you get tired. After the greetings of the unconventional reunion, Reinhardt rmended a bath and rest. Jin, who loved his baths, happily agreed. Reinhardt gave orders to he maids nearby and ordered them to show Jin to the guest room and the bathroom. Here it is. Following the guidance of the maid of the Firentsiano house, Jin and Reiko followed. At first, they were guided to their room to ce their baggage and get a change of clothes, then they headed to the bathroom. Please take it off here. The dressing room wasrge, like that of a public bath, the luxury of it couldnt bepared either. Jin declined when the maid offered to help him take off his clothes and then she withdrew. Furthermore, there was a maid inside who wore something simr to a bathing suit who was waiting for Jin. Wah! When Jin was suddenly greeted with a 90 degree bow, he almost fell down, but Reiko supported him. Guest, please allow me to wash your back. As the maid approached Jin while saying so, Reiko also controlled this situation. No, thank you, because I will take care of father. However, We are also to take care of the youngdy, please, leave it to us. The maid said to Reiko, but Reiko I am an automata. I do not intend to be taken care of by a human being, and it is my special privilege to take care of father. Saying so, she forcibly expelled the maid from the bathroom. Jin gives a bitter smile having been given no choice but to watch. It is only father and I with this. Saying so, Reiko pours some hot water on Jins back. The bathtub which is the size of a public bath, is also luxuriously made of marble. Ahhh, a bath after a long time is as good as expected. Said Jin as he stretched out. Reiko doesnt enter the bathtub and sits straight in the washing space. This is how it usually is. However, Jin saw it Reiko should also get in, it feels good. No, because it is unnecessary for me. Dont say such a thing. Because we are in a bathroom, soak in the hot water, that way Ill be happier. Because of Reikos response, Jin happily gave a fathers order, and for an excuse poured hot water onto herself then silently entered the water. After Jin beckons Reiko toe next to him, he begins to pet her head. Thank you for everything you do. Im grateful. Then Reiko stared at Jin in surprise. Father does not need to thank me, you can just order me freely. Idiot. I told you before, youre my daughter. After that, a rumor that Jin is a girl doll lover spread among the Firentsiano residences maids by the maid who was driven out. I will take care of the youngdy. On the other hand, Elsa was in another bathroom with another maid. It is Mine, a nurse who carefully looks after her. Although she was still a little anemic, she looked after Elsa. Elsa usually took off her clothes by herself, but left it to Mine this time. The skin of the youngdy is always so beautiful. She praised her as she was undressing her, and noticed the ring on her left hand ring finger. She then remembered that Elsa had said she was given the ring by Jin after being attacked by a robber in the daytime. Mydy, that ring Hm? I got it from Jin. W-w-why on that finger! Originally, Mine had a badplexion due to her anemia, however, Because it was just the right size for this finger. To Elsa who was speaking so inly, Mine let out a weak sigh. Look, mdy, the left hand ring fingers are the fingers of love. You are only supposed to put an engagement ring or a wedding ring onit. R-Really? Is that so? A flustered Elsa was rare. Because her mother and many other adult females had rings on that finger, she was thinking it was more adult like. Mine said that she would talk about it in the bath, and two people slowly entered the bathroom. In some unknown country, in some unknown location. An unknown man was talking to another unknown man. Prototype Golem 11 type 2 has been destroyed. Hm. And that means? Yes, that What happened? It was too brief, I couldnt detect it. What? Is that so? An excellent person seems to exist in that country. I have no excuses. Oh well, it is good. This stage is still making an experimental product and trying its power. A few losses are inevitable. Yes sir. However, knowing how to destroy and taking countermeasures, a golem close to being invincible shouldve beenpleted. I see. Yes, its as you say. Alright, continue as you were. By the way, what happened to that man? Huh? Oh, is that fellow who left the Elderite smuggling? The smuggling came to light and it seems he was ced on a wanted list by thepany. He is a useless person. Hmph, you should use it and crush it. That is to say? Thats it. Give the type 20 an experiment. I-is that I dont mind. Try it when you have a chance. Understood. The conversation came to an end, and silence came. Chapter 94 - Ring

Chapter 94 C Ring

Dinner at Reinhardts was awkward, as Reinhardt, Elsa, and Jin barely ate anything. Reinhardts and Elsas maids were waiting on the table. When Mine got out of the bath, she felt a little anemic as expected, so she went to sleep in her room. Because everyone present knows that Reiko is an Automata, she doesnt need to pretend to eat. Because this meal is only for us, please dont be reserved, you dont need to mind your manners. Because he said so, Jin began to savor the food without care. I asked Elsa. It seems its performance was outstanding, I wish I had been there too! After the toast, Reinhardt began to talk. It was the same tension as usual. Elsa sits to the left of Jin for some reason, and Reiko is sitting on the other side. In other words, Elsa and Reiko are sitting next to Jin who is across from Reinhardt. The wine taken out this time is Reinhardts favorite. Although Jin didnt know what was good and bad for liquor, he thought it was good. The ss which it was poured into was transparent. The ss is transparent? Marquis, was this the work of a Magic Craftsman? The rity was higher than any ss that he had seen in this world so far. With the current atmosphere, the delicious wine, and the current pace, Jin was drinking early tonight. Im not getting very drunk am I strong with alcohol? Jin thought so with a little doubt in his heart. Turning away to exin the reason for this is Jins body. Because Jins body is supplemented by magic, it is difficult for him to enter an abnormal state because of an internal factor, so his body is not substantially effected. In other words, hes strong against sleeping pills, poison, and getting sick. On the other hand, external factors, such as car sickness, confusion, hypnosis, or suffocation arent effected. Getting back to the story. While eating, they had a lively conversation about their journey. Elsa was speaking without halting and when Reinhardt had a question, Jin answered it. Although Reinhardt voiced out surprise at times, the meal progressed peacefully. And when it came to the talk about a golem, Reinhardt took an unusually serious tone. Well, it seems that Marquis Firentsiano would like to hear your story tomorrow morning, but do you mind? Oh, I dont really mind it. After Jin answered, Reinhardt returned to the original topic. Elsa was talking about it, but could you tell me about the damper you attached? What is a damper? I couldnt really understand Elsas exnation. Hmmm, is that so. Jin was worried about how to exin it, as the story was slightly technical, but since his partner was Reinhardt, he thought it should be turn out alright. If I attach a weight on an stic band and release it, what will happen to the stic band? Oh, well, the weight shakes. Jin then exined that as vibration and exined that equipment designed to stop vibration early was a damper. Then Reinhardt with a happy face, I see, I see! The vibration stops early in the weight example if I hold it by hand, right? Should I make that kind of equipment? Reinhardts good understanding of it was surprising. After the meal was over, they talked about brakes, too. Kuuhe was brought out after dinner. Rather than just Port Rock, it is a specialty drink of the southern part of Elias Kingdom. Jin thought it was better than the one he had in Port Rock at the Marquiss house, even the aftertaste was refreshing. While sipping the Kuuhe, Jin saw that Elsa who was sitting next to him without talking. She picked up the cup with the elegance of an aristocrat, carried ti to her mouth, and then ced it back on the saucer without making a sound. The actions flowed so well, he admired it a little. Then she noticed Jins line of sight. What is it Jin? Elsa slightly tilted her head and asked, then Jin hurriedly N-no, its nothing, I was just thinking about how it was indeed like ady, how you drink the Kuuhe, it looks good. When he spoke, he said his true intentions, Embarassing. While saying that, he ced his hands on his mouth and her cheeks were dyed red. What happened to your ring? Elsas left ring finger had no ring. When she was told so, Elsa was startled. Im sorry, in Mine, the ring finger is its a special finger. Then, Reinhardt with a sandwich in his mouth, Hahaha! Elsa, you really are cute Jin, the left ring finger is for an engagement or a wedding ring, especially among aristocrats. It appeared that the local custom was the same as modern earth. Being told so, Jin said in a rush. I-is that so? I didnt notice, Im sorry Elsa. He bowed slightly, but Elsa said to Jin Jin doesnt need to apologize. I was the one who received it and put it on my ring finger. That may be so Jin asks Elsa to lend it to him for a second. Elsa pulled out a chain and took it off her neck, then handed it to Jin. Let me see your hand for a second. Elsa held out her right hand and Jin said Excuse me for a moment. And Jin took her outstretched hand. Aaah! Jin ced the ring on Elsas middle finger and didnt notice that she was blushing, and. [Forming] Using his engineering magic, the ring increased the inner diameter and was sized to fit on Elsas right middle finger. And thats done. Jin said and ced the ring on Elsas middle finger and let go of her hand. While staring at the ring, Elsa Thank you. She thanked him with aplex expression, both somewhat happy and regretful. Reinhardt was looking curiously at his cousins novel behavior. After all, Elsa, you are as cute as expected. As he said that, Elsa turned her face away. I dont care. She muttered quietly. Look at what youre doing, you used to have a habit of hitting me suddenly. Rai-nii, mean. Elsas eyes gradually grew wet. Reinhardt stopped ying with Elsa before it turned worse and turned around to Jin. By the way, Jin, I have almost finished my job in this country, and the departure date is approaching. If you want to look around Borgia, unfortunately theres only today and tomorrow. But in reality, there was only a day and a half, because he has an interview tomorrow in the morning with Marquis de Firentsiano. Jin apologized to Reinhardt saying he wasnt finished here and told him not to ask too much. Well, if you say so. As an apology, how about I guide you around Borgia tomorrow afternoon. Elsa, would you also like toe along? Reinhardt said Jin responded that he was looking forward to it. Since its his first time in town, it would be better to have aguide. Although Elsa was a little cross with him, she was slightly happy with Reinhardts words and nodded yes obediently. Jin heard the story of the Elias Kingdom from Reinhardt. Among the 4 provinces, the northern Nord province is under the direct control of the royal families in the capital. Marquis de Firentsiano rules the southern state of Zaus and the western state of Tovesu is ruled by marquis Godofa. And the eastern state of Isudo is ruled by Marquis Carlos de Hudson. Marquis Hudson is Yes, its Valentinos father. For better or worse, he seems to be an ordinary person and hes ruling an ordinary territory. For such a son toe from such a parent, is it because of the mediocrity? The Hudson family, because of the incident Valentino caused, have been demoted to Barons, and if it gets worse, could be dissolved. Other stories were also heard. Reinhardt seems to be a diplomat and is familiar with the circumstances of each country. Jin then remembered something he was slightly interested in and asked Reinhardt. Hey, what religions do they have? Religion huh? Theres no particr denomination, I mean, after the Great Magic War, it seemed to decrease including the priests. Now it seems each country quietly worships their own idols. Jin heard that Reinhardt used the word Idol rather than God. Is Reinhardt by any chance an atheist? He asked, then Haha, I, or rather the Shioro empire is. I think what you are asking about is an existence beyond humanprehension. I dont think there is such a convenient existance like that hearing our prayers and wishes. I see, so youre realists. In the meantime, everyone went back to their respective rooms as it had gottente. Chapter 95 - Jin’s lecture

Chapter 95 C Jins lecture

The next day, after about an hour after finishing breakfast, Jin was called to the room of Marquis de Firentsiano. Reinhardt, Elsa, and Reiko are with me. Its been a long time Was the first thing the Marquis said when Jin sat on the sofa. Of course When reporting about the golem problems after thepetition, he had his attention elsewhere and did not notice, but when he saw the marquis once again, with her blonde hair gathered up and the blue eyes that faintly lifted slightly which gave her an intellectual look. Combined with sses, if she wore a suit, a female teacher or a secretary style also seems to suit her, but the reality is the marquis is wearing white leather pants, white blouse, blue vest and a light purple top coat. Jin thought that he couldnt see her as a woman in her mid-40s. That marquis continued, I think that Jin who was active in the Golem boatpetition would surely be called out to the Imperial City of Shoul, so what exactly are our people out there watching?(EDFalin: Did we mention an imperial city before? I couldnt find it, so if anyone remembers, pleasement below) To want an excellent free magic craftsman is what any country would want. The Marquis regretted it with a half-jokingly smile. She then ordered the servant to pour Kuuhe into a cup, Well, rx please, today I would like to hear about the golem story and about the bandits who you caught Firstly, from the mouth of the Marquis, an exnation was made about the captive bandits. It seems that it was a bandit originally in Isudo province of the East, but recently they have flowed to here. Since the leader was a moderate magician, he used Magic to manipte almost all of his underpinnings by using hypnotism and guiding under consciousness. The terrible point of guiding under consciousness magic seems to be thinking that he himself is acting on his own will. Anyhow, hes the kind of guy makes his subordinates disposable. The Marquis said to spit it out. It is not clear, but the leader seems to have been a lower aristocrat of the Kingdom of Celuria, talking about having killed the pursuer with a golem when escaping She says that she will know more about him after future interrogations, Besides that, its that golem, but when I first looked at the control nucleus, I found out something even more outrageous Whats that? Yes, that golem was named prototype 11 type It is only Elsa that didnt understand its meaning and looked puzzled. Jin and Reinhardt understood the meaning immediately. What do you mean? Jin answered the question from Elsa. It means that, there are at least 10 more golems like it, and perhaps even more have been made. Reinhardt continued, To say prototype means that there is a purpose for making such a golem, and its purpose seems to have been found. Yes, definitely the purpose is war, right? The Marquis said so and connected the dots. Is there someone preparing a battle golem somewhere? Asked Elsa. Yes, ording to the information, it seems that it was the same type of golem that helped Valentino to try and escape from Port Rock Is Valentino also somehow connected to them? When Reinhardt asks so, Marquis de Firentsiano answered with Yes, but even if I investigated the residence that was left, nothing other than evidence of corruption came out, and it seemed that the 3 wives and 2 mistresses didnt know anything Marquis exins the results of the investigation at Port Rock. He was wearing a mask of a bad guy Jin said, No, it seems to be the whole region thats terrible And the marquis concluded. Anyway Marquis who changes the subject. This problem is a matter of our country, so Reinhardt, Elsa, and Jin do not need to be involved anymore. It came from a modest quarrel between the Marquis de Firentsiano and the heads of Elias, because they didnt like how the whole thing turned out. At that time, if you asked Jin and Reinhardt to cooperate, the confusion waiting ahead might have been avoided. However, people arent gods. After all, at this point, the golem body which Jin had yet to Study had not arrived in the capital, so he still didnt know how it was knocked down. As of yesterday, only control nucleus weapons and the bandits were sent to the capital. The golem was much heavier so it was postponed by the judgment of the site. Jin was very curious about how they knocked it down and stopped the golem. After that, centering on Port Rock, I was asked about the impression of the town and the points I liked about it, so Jin who talked about the town noticed one thing. Well, since Port Rock is a port city, because the sea is near, the water is bad, isnt it? He said that not being able to wash the sticky body with salty wind would be a drawback on tourism. The Marquis heard of it, Oh, thats right, because only some high-end amodations can take a bath. Then, look at Jin, with a mischievous smile, But since you talked about that, do you have any ideas for it, Jin? Jin said so, bitterly. You are quite sharp. Yes, I have some idea about it. Well, is that so, I would like you to tell me Of course, it is distition Distition? What is that? Marquis and Reinhardt, the two people asked Jin. While leaning back from Reinhardt. Jin answers that it is a magic for purifying water. But Jin, that well water, no matter how much you filter it out with salt cloth, you cannot get out the saltiness, although it looks clear and good. When he heard of it, he told them that salt dissolved in water would not be filtered out with cloth. What do you mean by that? Reinhardt asked dubiously. In contrast, Well, do you know what will happen if you take the sea water in a dish and leave it alone? Jin asked back. Reinhardt replied that immediately, salt water remained on the dish. Well then, where did the water go? To Jin who asked the question, Well? Ummm, it went dry, and did it disappear? Thought Reinhart. Half the correct answer is half a mistake, that being dry is not going to disappear, it bes something like invisible grain, water scattered in the air ? It seems that Reinhardt do not understand well, Well, with water, when it is cooled, it is ice, which is called a solid. When it melts, it is a liquid. If it is heated and boiled, it bes steam, which is called a gas. It is true steam is not strictly a gas, but I exined in order to make it easy to understand. Oh, I see Then, Jin keeps exining. There are states of this solid, liquid, gas in everything, but it depends on things, how to chill and how to heat it is different Jin who cuts down on words there. Reinhardt chews what he heard while groaning, arms and hoops. Marquis and Elsa seemed to have not understood half, but they seem to understand only that he said were revolutionary things. So, salt has to be heated to a much higher temperature than water, or it will not be a gas. Its as he says so, Reinhardt is indeed quite quick, Is that so? Will salt remain after the water gets exhausted? Jin answered, So, what happens when we gather water that has be a gas? Reinhardt thought for a little bit, Is it not going to be mixed water? I told my correct answer. Correct answer: If you use the principle, you can make fresh water from seawater If thats true then, by boiling seawater you can make salt, as well by doing that, you can make clean water too! As expected, Reinhardt seems to havee up with a concept, and what magic guides to make. There is also a method of separating impurities by engineering magic, but the required magical digits are different. With the method suggested by Jin, they will be able to make magic tools popr in general. The Marquis de Firentsiano, who had seen such a situation, Mr. Jin, Reinhardt, I would like to be the lord of the state so please make a magic guide that can make that Distition please He lowered her head. It is hard to say no when the Marquis lowers her head. Jin and Reinhardt decided to make a magic tool at the meeting. Jin, in my opinion, put the pot on a fire and ce the seawater in it. Then if you cover the pot with a lid and open a small hole in the lid, you wille out with gassed water will it not? Reinhardt shows a sharp point. Jin answered positively, Put a tube in the hole and lead it to another pot, the gaseous water will cool down in the pipe and return to the liquid water I see. Jin, is that your teachers method? Thats what he asked, Well, well, it was a solitary ind where I lived, so I needed such a tool. It was a misunderstanding. Chapter 96 - Apologies and Dolls

Chapter 96 C Apologies and Dolls

Jin and Reinhardt had forgotten to eat lunch while they were making the distiller. Unable to overlook this, Reiko dragged two people into the dining room. The two who finished making the lunch in a hurry ran back to the workshop, and By doing this here, Yeah, shall we try this? They were still working on producing a distiller, working to give it as much efficiency as possible so they could produce more water in less time. Reiko, could you get some copper? Yes, Father. Reiko is so excellent, Im jealous of you JIn. Reinhardt is impressed with how good of an assistant Reiko is and gets more raucous. Because of Jin and Reinhardts natural inquisitiveness, they continued experimenting withoutpromise to make a breakthrough. They had made two prototypes, then three, but all of them were rejected. Neither Jin nor Reinhardt had gone into town that day, but a high-performance distiller was made aspensation. Later in the afternoon, Elsa who had been looking forward to going around the city of Borgia was really angry. E-Elsa, Im sorry! What do you mean? Grrrr Elsas iron elbow beautifully entered the pit of Reinhardts stomach. Are you okay? Jin who was watching and was worried asked Reinhardt. With his body bent like the character, Reinhardt who let greasy sweat run down his pale face didnt respond. Jin was about to cast [cure] when Reinhardt finally came to and started breathing. G-ugh, thats just like Elsa. As he said that, he quickly turned around to see Jin while Elsa was gone. Reinhardt, I think we messed up. Yeah I guess. Whatever the reason, were the ones who broke the promise. Lets go apologize and- As Jin was saying so, Reinhardt Y-yeah. He gave a crisp but awkward reply. When Jin asked why he was behaving strange, Reinhardt finally spoke up about the reason. When Elsa gets angry, she wont lend an ear to listen He said. As Reinhardt told Jin, the answer would be simr to what he saw earlier. Whenever she was angry in the past, she was out of control. Although Jin thinks its bad to break a promise, but hes doubtful whether he or Reinhardt would stop the production of the distiller. But, I dont know whatll happen if Jin goes. Why me? Reinhardt and Jin were slightly different in their understanding, and when Reinhardt noticed that he returned with Even if I go, what should I say to apologize? Jin thinks that Reinhardt is a bit of a pain. Although he isnt sure of Elsas age, when he was in the orphanage, he had to break a promise with a young girl and when he apologized Alright, lets do it. Reinhardt, please prepare some clean cloth, some thread, and some hardwood. Eh? Oh, got it. After saying so, Reinhardt asked a maid and a butler of Marquis Firentsianos house to prepare the materials that Jin had asked for. Are you going to make something with these? Well, just watch. Then, Jin used his engineering magic. First, he prepared a mold from the wood with [Shaping]. Those were connected by [joint] and the shape was arranged. The color was bleached by [safe treatment] and it was smoothly arranged. Next, he took out a ck thread and tied it together by [binding] and attached it with [joint]. Ho, this is He took a piece of clean cloth and handed it to Reiko while giving her instructions. One was sewn into an unfamiliar form with a different color of fabric. Finally, the tabi, huh. After pulling out a white cloth, he formed the tabi with [shaping]. He put a ck stone in the eyes to and a rouge lipstick on it to finish it. Yes, Jin was making a Japanese doll. Now we put on the kimono, and Dolls are good for young children when they cry. From the structure of the kimono to a Hakata doll, a Kyoto doll, or an Ichimatsu doll had all been studied briefly. Thats a strange doll. Are the clothes a traditional thing? Reinhardt admired It also vaguely resembles miss Reiko somehow. ck eyed, ck, bobbed hair. Although its notpletely like Reiko, as the hair is a little longer. Oh well. I tried to make it look like an old doll I saw. The materials are different, but its tentatively a japanese doll. The Kimono was made with a western styled cloth, but it looked unexpectedly good. Jin was about to go to Elsas room with the newlypleted doll and then Reinhardt, where is Elsas room? He said, so 3 people, Reinhardt, Jin, and Reiko went to Elsas room together. First, Reinhardt knocked on the door. Yes. It was Mine, the nanny, who showed her face. Mr. Reinhardt, what happened? The youngdy came running into her room, and no matter how much I call, she wont answer. She said anxiously, and then noticed Jin. Mr. Jin, did you possibly He seemed to have felt some antagonism from Mine. Then Reiko stepped forward, Please stop the false usation. I cannot let you get away with insulting father any further. Hiii! As expected, in the face of someone of Reikos ability, Mines face went pale. Stop, Mine. Stop it, Reiko. Reinhardt and Jin said respectively to Mine and Reiko. Well then, Jin, you go, well wait here for you. Jin nodded in understanding and went into the room. Mine didnt disturb them any further. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so he knocked again. Elsa? Its Jin, will you open up? I want to apologize. After knocking and saying that, the door opened and a subdued voice came. What? I dont want you to apologize. To Elsa who was speaking like that, Jin held out the doll. Yeah, this is also a part of the apology. Please ept it. For a moment, Elsa stared nkly at the doll in front of her and the door opened a little more. It didnt look very good, and there were frays around the edges. Cute Is this for me? Elsa slowly stretched her hands out toward the doll, and Jin immediately handed it over. Im sorry about today. Ill definitelypensate you tomorrow. Ah! Reinhardt! Jin looked back as he remembered Reinhardt. Frantically, Reinhardt says Y-yeah! Thats right! You see, Reinhardts like that too, so cheer up. Please take care of the doll. Elsa pinched onto the hem of Jins outer jacket as he was about to return to detain him. Wait whats the name of this child? Eh? Its name? Hmm, I wonder Toshinobu Nishini (Humanity, justice, etiquette, intellect and sincerity). Jin was about to call it Nobuko, but it didnt seem to match this world. The name is Non. Although a name like Noriko would normally be called non or non-non, you shouldnt expect anything from Jins naming sense, but thats another problem. Non thank you cute. Elsa said so as she was holding Non to her chest. Chapter 97 - City Stroll

Chapter 97 C City Stroll

The following day, after breakfast. Jin and the others finally got around to touring the city. The capital, Bolgia, was built to have three districts. The royal castle is of course in the center. The residence of king of Elias, Blitzen Sc Elias XII and his ministers. Its where the government affairs take ce. Surrounding the royal castles outer solid walls is the first district, the noble district. In addition to nobles vis, it has multiple high-ss shops. It also has its own walls surrounding it. The second district, outside the nobles walls is themoners district. Prosperous merchants, skillful artisans, and small stores aimed for the general public are there. The third district is farnd spread around themoners district. Among other things, the homes of agricultural workers and people who cant live in themoners district are there. Presently, Jin, Reiko, Elsa and Reinhardt are outside the royal castle, traversing the noble district in a roofless carriage. The view is fine, with the only fault being that its a little dusty. How do you like it, Jin? Aside from all the dust, for a while now Jin has been restlessly looking around as if everything was new. A country bumpkin, by all appearances. Well, its understandable, this being his first time in a noble district since being summoned. Oh, uh, theres a lot of noteworthy sights to be sure. Is that so? The buildings here, many of them date back to before the Great Magic War. The poption declined due to the war, but in the parts of the country that werent involved in the destruction, many aged buildings like these still remain. Comparing to Earth, should it be called a gothic style? Countless stone towers with distinctive sharp tips. The ornamentation seems to be a bit over the top. However, it could be said that at the second nce the buildings age gives them an overall bnced outlook. Jin expressed his thoughts to Reinhardt who responded with admiration, Yep, youve hit the heart of the matter. I agree. I think the post-war architectures functionalism is rather dull. The old buildings have a certain beauty in form, while these new ones are just Prattling on and on like that, Reinhardt eventually noticed Eliza ring at him, and he soon shut up. First, shall we go to a tailor?, Reinhardt said and gave orders to the coachman. The coachman skillfully maneuvered the carriage off the main street and around the corner, arriving in front of a tailor shop. Come on Jin, get out of the carriage. Miss Reiko too. Eh? But I dont have any business at the tailor shop. Even so, Reinhardt brought Jin into the shop. Wee, Reinhardt-sama. Immediately the owner turned up and offered greetings. Ah, Im one dayte. Is it done? Yes, it has beenpleted. Is the order perhaps for this gentleman?, The owner said and looked at Jin who was next to Reinhardt. Reinhardt nodded. Then, please step this way. The owner took Jin to the back of the shop. Um. Uh, Reinhardt. Oh well, I guess Ill go with him., Jin said and went to the back of the store, unsure of what was going on. Hey. This is After a while, Jin came back wearing an extravagant coat. Originally Jins attire had been like an averagemoners: ck trousers, a white shirt, and a beige vest. Actually, since the material was thread woven from a Ground Spiders silk, if you told someone it wasmoners clothing, theyd retort by asking where on earth thatd bemon. Nitpicking aside, Jin was now wearing the fancy coat on top of hismoners clothing. Father, it fits you well. Reikoplimented. The coat was slightly purplish deep grey in color, length to just above his knees, and had argepel. It had decorated silver buttons, and a fancy ornamental J embroidered on the chest. Its a gift. Its the standardized coatwear for a Magi Craftsman. As long as you wear it, even other nobles wouldnt act impolite in front of you. Seems like itll be useful on the journey after this. Even though itll be spring soon, since youre headed north itll get colder, right? With that Reinhardt finished his speech. Him having thought it that far, Jin had to obediently ept the gift. Understood. Thanks, Reinhardt. It fits my size well, huh. Jin said, but it really couldve been left unsaid. Reinhardt is a first-ss Magi Craftsman too. Obviously hes able to estimate the size by just looking. Now thats taken care of, lets finally start the real tour around town! Led by Reinhardt, without getting on the carriage they entered a jewelry shop two houses away. In the jewelry store, in addition to the ever-popr precious gems the store carried jewelry with Magi Crystals, so both Jin and Elsa had something they were able to enjoy. Oh? Unlike in the modern Earth, there were no showcases. Instead, there werevish shelves where raw ore, unset jewels, and finished goods were lined up on disy. Jin, who was poor at designing memorized the interesting designs, and also stealthily asked Reiko to memorize them in case he forgot. Ah, this gem has a nice color to it. Its just like Elsas eye color, isnt it? A light blue unset jewel alongside the other ones had caught Jins eye. A small distance away, Elsa, who was looking at another shelf turned around to look. It was a thumb-sized light blue stone, but when viewed in a different angle it looked a deep blue. It was of an elliptical shape, the so-called cabochon cut, which seemed suited for a pendant head. Let me see. Oh, this is excellent. Reinhardt murmured while peeking over Jins shoulder, and called for the shopkeeper to purchase the stone. Oh my, Mr. customer has a discerning eye. This Aquamarine is an import from Leonard Kingdom. While talking, the shopkeeper put on a glove with a Magi Form written on it and picked up the gem. So thats how it is, Jinprehended theck of showcases. Using a magical barrier any member of the public wont know how to get their hands on the goods. Without the glove with the Magi Form on it, theres no way to touch the gems on top of the shelves. Well, if one had enough Magic Energy to overwhelm the barrier applied to the shelves, that would be different. Thats to say, at least Jin and Reiko could theoretically do it. But they wont. The price was 120 thousand Torr. Reinhardt took out the full sum and said, Elsas birthday is soon, so. Afterwards he carefully put the wrapped gem in his coats inside pocket. The next ce to visit was a Magi Tool store. Jin was concerned about Elsa looking sullen, but whether it was because of the Aquamarine Reinhardt bought while talking about her birthday or not, she stayed silent about it. Uh-huh. Theres some very exquisite products here, arent there? Jin was viewing an illuminating Magi Tool. Then suddenly he remembered the Magi Craftsman girl he met in Blue Land, Beana. Theres some simrities in the way they use Magi Forms. While thinking about it, Jin saw that the manufacturers name dia Hampton had been written on it. If Im not mistaken thats the Magi Craftsman Beana was studying under, Jin thought. From beside him Reinhardt asked, Do you know this Magi Craftsman? dia Hampton? Umm, they make Tools fairly well, but there doesnt seem to be anything particrly striking about them. Jin replied with a harsh evaluation. Rather than that, look at this. What do you think about it? Reinhardt pointed at the Tool and Jin immediately recognized it. It was the refrigerator. While Jin was considering how to reply, Reinhardt gave his own opinion on it first. I think its a very good idea. Having a Magi Stone instead of a Magi Crystal function as a sufficient source of Magic Energy is arge achievement. I guess so. What the? Why the unusually half-hearted response? Look, it probably makes ice in this portion, which cools down the contents. When its done making the ice, it doesnt have to run again until the ice has melted. How well-thought-out indeed. Id like to buy it and take it home with me. Ah, okay. Really, whats wrong? Anyway, why is the Magi Device installed on the top, I wonder? If it was on the bottom it would be much easier to increase the size if needed. Oh, cold air is heavier, so it sinks to the bottom. Thats why the refrigerator is on the top. Jin immediately responded, and Reinhardt was taken aback with a surprised look on his face. Jin. Is this, by any chance, your work? Jin, realizing the jig was up, replied affirmatively. Chapter 98 - At the church

Chapter 98 C At the church

Reinhardt, who learned that the refrigerator was Jins work asked, Jin, when did you make this? Didnt you say youve not been into this city? That means you made it in another city, so It seemed like the piled up falsehoods were going to start toppling down, so Jin spoke frankly. Lets see, it was in Blue Land Blue Land?! I was making ns to go there next! And youve been there! Jin exined that hes not seen all of the town. Only outside the castle walls. Hmm, is thats so, then how did you go to Blue Land? While thinking about how the Port Rock investigation incident revealed Reinhardts poor reasoning skills, Jin replied Theres a Warp Gate exit on the outskirts of Blue Land. Oh, wouldnt that mean if I went to Blue Land I could visit Jins home? Its here, Jin thought. Sooner orter this day wouldvee. But isnt there a barrier that restricts who can use the Warp Gate? I wonder if its possible to modify the restriction? Reinhardt kept rapidly throwing out pointed questions. Jin simply hoped Kunluns development was proceeding well. Hmm. I wouldnt know without trying, but I think that as long as we entered together it would probably work. Jin decided that thatll do as an answer for now. Reinhardt was also satisfied with that, then told everyone that its time to go to the next ce and went outside. They lined up and got in the carriage which headed to the main street. The central street was paved with stones, so there was very little dust. This road is also pre-Great Magic War. Because Hardening and Strengthening have been applied to it, it hassted this long. If carriages with iron wheels driving over it dont wear out the stone paving, it mustve been indeed reinforced with magic. And at the end of the central street it stood. Thats this countrys oldest church. Even though it cant be called popr, as expected religion hasnt disappeared. The church was entirely made out of stone, and it reminded Jin of some World Heritage churches he saw on TV. Everyone can visit it freely. Reinhardt said, stopped the carriage, and beckoned Jin to follow. Looks like its be more of a tourist attraction-like thing, even though its a church. Theres something I want to consult you about. At the entrance, while wondering how much alms to give, the gate opened. Gates five meters wide and ten meters tall, shaped like arches. Inside, the floors were polished so that you could see your own reflection, and the walls were filled with engravings and murals. On the ceiling, there were skylights made of colored ss here and there. Indeed, it is an amazing piece of art. Its my first time here too. Its very interesting. Jin and Elsa gave their respective opinions. Isnt it? Modern techniques cant reproduce even a single piece of that colored ss. Reinhardt pointed his finger at a piece of stained ss modeled in the shape of a flower. Because of the Great Magic War? Thats right. It was a detestable war. Jin agreed. The Great Magic War caused this worlds culture and civilization to not only stagnate, but to even regress. After a walk through a long corridor, the group arrived in the innermost ce of worship. Hey, look at that. Reinhardt pointed his finger at one of the paintings on the ceiling. ! Jins eyes opened wide in surprise. Drawn there was a small circle rotating around arger circle. And rotating around the small circle there had been drawn an even smaller circle. That is, the picture depicted a star, a, and a satellite. Do you know what this is? Jin slowly opened his mouth to respond. The sun, this world, and then The moon, isnt that right? Reinhardt was shocked after hearing Jins response. Jin! Isnt this your first visit here? Why do you know the conclusion which took countless of sessive generations of researchers to arrive at!? The surrounding tourists sent puzzled looks at Reinhardts sudden loud outburst. Elsa, who noticed this, chided Reinhardt, Rai-nii, youre too loud. Its better to have that talk in some other ce. Reinhardt understood and let the matter wait for a better spot. It was lunch time, so Jin and the others went to a nearby restaurant. Luckily a private room was empty, and they sat down there. Now then, Jin, give me an answer to my previous question! Reinhardt asked Jin with a ragged breath. Before I answer, could I ask a single question? Was my previous opinion considered heresy? This was an important matter. Even on Earth, when the heliocentric theory came to deny the old Earth-centric theory, many people were Names like Copernicus and Galileo sprung into Jins mind. Uh? Not particrly, theres no such thing. But Reinhardt gave Jin an unexpected reply. The earth is round, and that could be easily confirmed by boarding a boat. It can also exin why there are four seasons. Certainly, this worlds horizon looks spherical. Jin was fairly certain this world was smaller than Earth. Well, Id say there exists people who think the world is t. The roundness is an optical illusion, theyd say. Then theyd finish with the words that it doesnt even matter in our day-to-day lives. So, Jin, whats your answer? If heresy doesnt particrly exist then theres not much to worry about. A weight was lifted off Jins shoulders. He was already thinking about how to escape with Reiko if worst came to worst. Oh, my teacher taught it to me. It was a doubtful line, but not technically a lie. His schoolteacher taught it to him, after all. I havent heard who taught it to my teacher. As expected, Reinhardt and Elsa misunderstand Jins reply. Hmm, Your master is indeed an amazing person. Thats true. The theory started spreading through Shouro Empire only ten years ago. The theory itself goes back way further, but eventually a schr used the drawing to exin various phenomena. Thats sort of a big deal. Excuse me. Here is your meal. At that moment, the food was brought in, and the topic changed to lunch. Sauteed bird breast, grilled fish with herbs, a steak, and some light wine as a drink. Jin didnt recognize all the different birds, fish, meat, or fruit, but it was still delicious. For dessert, it was Citran. Elsa looked like she loved it, and it was good that thepartment was private since she also begged to eat Reinhardts portion. Oh, Elsa, do you want to eat my portion too? Is it okay? Elsa asked with a delighted look on her face, and Jin nodded. You can eat Reikos portion too. So as not to raise suspicion, a small portion was ordered for Reiko too. In the end, Elsa ate everyones Citrans by herself and looked satisfied about it. Now then, Jin. In truth, I must do myst greeting rounds as a diplomat now. Reinhardt said after the meal. What are you going to do? Will your return to the marquiss estate, or visit more ces with Elsa? After considering the question, Jin asked if its okay that Elsa doesnt take part in the rounds. Yeah. Shes not an official, you see. To which Jin replied, Then Ill let Elsa decide. And to which Elsa said, I want to tour the town with Jin-kun. Chapter 99 - Commoners’ District

Chapter 99 C Commoners District

After parting with Reinhardt, Jin, Reiko, and Elsa arrived at themoners district. Jin was more interested in this part of town. The nobles district, to him, felt sort of lifeless. Elsa was eager toe too. Ive wanted to go here before but no one would take me. Thats not unexpected. Theres not much inmon in the lives of the masses and the viscounts daughter. In the first ce, it seems the way of this world is that a nobles daughter wouldnt be let to go out like that anyawy. Its all thanks to Jin., She said while looking grateful. Jin thought that to others they surely looked like a nobles daughter and her retainer traveling incognito. But had no idea what Reiko looked to be. Ah, that, whats that?, Elsa pointed curiously at a street stall and asked Jin. Those are grilled skewers. Didnt they sell those at Port Rock? I only saw them from a distance. Neither Mine or grandpa bought any for me. They probably thought skewers arent proper for a finedy to eat. Want to eat one? Elsas eyes sparkled and she nodded in agreement to Jins question. Jin said that he got it and asked, Reiko, could you go buy two of those skewers? Reiko grabbed Jins wallet. She responded with yes, and moved towards the skewer stall. Soon she was back with two skewers in hand. She gave one of them to Elsa, and one for Jin to eat. The restaurants meal was a bit too refined for his tastes. Hmm, I preferred the ones I had in Port Rock, Jin muttered his opinion while eating. At the same time, Elsa was elegantly eating the skewer one bite at a time. They kept walking on. But its still delicious. Its my first time eating something like this. If nanny Mine saw Elsa eating a grilled skewer while walking like this shed surely scold her, Jin thought. But its fine to once in a while enjoy yourself like this, he concluded. At that time, someones foot pushed out where Elsa was going to step next. Elsa, engrossed with the skewer, trampled on the foot. Ow! The foots owner yelled in a loud voice. It was a young man about Jins age who gave off a lowbred impression. Oi, youngdy! Watch where youre walking, will ya?! He was over a head taller than Elsa. The hoodlum looked down at Elsa threateningly. Im sorry. I identally stepped on your foot. I apologize. Elsa apologized in her usual tone. Seeing Elsas attitude seemed to annoy the man. Oh, is that it? Its over with just an apology? Youngdy. What else can I do? Elsa was going at her own pace. The bones could be broken, ya know? I need money for the doctors bill. But Elsas response was different from what the man expected, If thats the case, Ill use [Soothe]. Show me the injury., which seemed to confuse the man. N- no, uh, if you just give me the money Ill go get treatment myself. Hey you! The smalld over there, youre the attendant, right? What are you gonna to do about the youngdys carelessness? The man turned his attention to Jin. Wondering if this was the right time, Jin said, Elsa, lets just go. This guys only trying to scam money out of you after getting his foot stepped on on purpose. But after Jin called it a scam, the man got angry. Dont mess with me! Who did you call a scammer?! he shouted and started moving to hit Jin. But. [Barrier] Ouch! The fist stopped just 30 centimeters away from Jin. It was the physical defense function of Jins bracelet. Theres no way a normal human could break the barrier that can stand Reikos attack (at 50% strength). Just quit it. Next time youll really get hurt., Jin said to the man who red at him. I- Ill remember this!, The hoodlum left with a parting threat. Well, because things like this can happen, the old man and nanny Mine didnt want to bring Elsa to a ce like this. Jin exined to Elsa. You can find people like that anywhere. So, lets head back. Thinking about Elsa, Jin suggested going back to the marquiss estate for now. But she replied, Ill be alright because Ive got the ring Jin gave me. So I want to look around for a bit longer. Jin was fine with it as long is was just a bit longer. He looked at the surrounds, and there was nobody around because of the quarrel just now. Lets find a better ce to walk about, Jin decided, and brought Reiko and Elsa with him back to the main street. There were a lot of small shops on both sides of the main street. Stores selling ready-made clothes, tools, and foodstuffs. Jin was in a foodstore, looking at something he found. Isnt this a potato? He held it in one hand and looked. The color, the shape, no matter how you looked it it was a potato. He even stealthily used [Analyse] on it and it was unmistakably identical to a potato. Lad, are you going to buy it? The old man at the store asked, and Jin bought a pile of potatoes. Alright, 50 Torr for the pile of topopoes. It was unexpectedly cheap. The total price was 70 Torr after also buying a sack to put them in. Jin, those are you going to eat them? Elsa asked the delighted Jin with concern. Mm, thats right. Ill need to borrow the kitchen for a while this evening. If Im not wrong arent those Devil Bulbs? Theyve got a name like that? Theyre genuinely edible though. Ill definitely not eat them. Afraid for some reason, Elsa took some distance to Jin. Seeing that, Jin handed the sack over to Reiko. Only then did Elsa inch back closer to Jin. Afterwards, they visited a store that sold cheap essories, and a store that sold weapons for self-defense. Elsa expressed some interest in a narrow dagger, but Jin stealthily used [Analyse] and found out that aside from its appearance it was a shoddy product. Jin had to drag Elsa out of the store to exin. Is that so? Mother had a dagger like that, so I was a little curious. After hearing that Jin decided to craft a simr one himself when he got the chance. Im a little tired. About midway on the main street there was a za, and Elsa sat down on a bench. Its no wonder, since they walked a lot. After finishing the Citran juice bought from a nearby stall, Jin turned to Elsa and asked, Then, isnt it about time to go back? Elsa agreed. The sun was setting and the wind was getting colder, so it was a good time to return. Elsa, arent you cold? Mm, Im okay. But the winds only going to get colder, so Im going to have to ask you to drape this over your shoulders. Jin said and put his overcoat on Elsas shoulders. Thanks. Its warm. If you catch a cold, the old man and Mine will kill me. Elsa smiled at Jins remark, while Reiko replied with I will protect father. The expected quarrel with a hoodlum didnt ur, and the group headed towards the nobles district. Chapter 100 - New Specialty

Chapter 100 C New Specialty

Jin and the others got onto the carriage that was waiting on the border ofmoners and nobles districts, and returned to marquis Firentsianos vi. Lets see. Jin took the topopoes he bought, and headed to the kitchen. In there, the dinner preparations were underway. Even though meals had to be prepared for Jin and the others in addition to the Marquis, the atmosphere didnt seem to be busy. Oh? Honored guest? How may I be of use? A man in the prime of his life, who seemed to be the head chef noticed Jin. Umm, good day. Could I use the kitchen for a bit?, Jin said and showed the sack he was carrying. Seeing it, the chefs wondered, Could those be topopoes? Why bring suchmoners food here? Isnt a part of them poisonous? Everyone asked simr questions. Jin smiled and exined, Poisonous? Thats only the ones that are sprouted. The sprouts contain poison. These ones havent sprouted so theyre safe. Is that so? So there was such a thing Hmm, now that I think about it, Ive heard that before. Do you mean the sprouted topopoes are edible if you gouge out the sprouts? Jin faced the chefs and made an exaggerated nod. And so, Id like to make a tasty snack out of these, could you lend me a hand? Jin said, and the head chef-looking man volunteered. If that is the case, then I shall assist honored guest. First, they washed all the dirt off the topopoes. Then they were made into thin slices and let to steep in water for a short while. The water was then drained, the slices fried in high temperature oil, and seasoned while they were still hot. Thats right, Jin was making potato chips. As expected of the master chefs skills, he made slices thin enough to see through. Jin thought about different options for seasoning, but decided to first start with simple salt. Using a saucepan made for frying, the prototype was done in no time. Huh, that was simple. Now, time for a taste test., Jin said and took a potato chip and was about to eat it, when Reiko swooped in from his side, seized the chip, and ate it. Uh, oi. Reiko. If its poison tasting, leave it to me. Reikomenced to measure the toxicity with the analysis function of her mouth. Toxicity, none. The saltiness seems to be just right, too. Alright, Jin thought, and took two or three chips and bit into them all at once. The taste he had missed spread in his mouth. Mm, thats a good result. After seeing all that, the master chef timidly picked up a single chip and put it in his mouth. De-delicious! The crisp texture, and the crunchy feeling goes very well with the oiliness and the salt! The other chefs who heard the head chefs praise, having spare time stretched out their hands one by one to grab potato chips. Thats goooood!, How can something this cheap taste so good!, Things like this is why they say quality of the ingredients isnt the only thing that decides the taste!, and simr opinions were heard all-around. Just like that, the prototype potato chips disappeared in no time. Oh my, Im no match for honored guest. The head chef shook Jins hand. These can be a light meal as themselves, and they also go well with ale. If you experiment with the seasoning, Im sure you can make them even more delicious. Ill leave it to you. And so potato chips were added to the days dinner menu. At dinnertime. Marquis Firentsiano joined the others for the evening meal. First, lets talk about the matter of the distiller. For putting the mass production system in order, would a reward of two million Torr suffice? Reinhardt was fine with it, and Jin nodded. With that, the Marquis work talk was over. Reinhardt-kun, Miss Elsa, Jin-kun. Lets not stand on ceremony tonight. I propose a toast. Cheers! Everyone raised their sses. The sses they used were transparent, and had the Marquis crest inscribed on them. The design depicted some sort of a bird of prey. When the sses were empty of the first round of wine, the head chef came over. This is a new dish., He said, andid on the table the potato chips from earlier. Oh, interesting indeed. The Marquis promptly picked up a chip and ate it. Seeing that, Reinhardt and Elsa also ate some. 126 How tasty. As expected of head chef Mathias. Yes, its good! Delicious. The head chef replied to thepliments, Forgive me, but this recipe was taught to me by the honored guest. Truly honest to a fault. Elza who heard that was surprised, Could Could this be Topopo? Eh? Topopo? Topopo? This? Both Reinhardt and Marquis Firentsiano were astonished by Elsas words. The head chef feverishly exined that yes, it is topopo, but theres no need to worry about any poison, and that it is quite delicious when cooked. Jin continued, Rather than in the topopoes itself, theres poison in the sprouts of the topopoes. You could call it a defense measure against animals who would eat their hard-grown sprouts. Everyone nodded as they heard Jins exnation. Certainly, almost all topopo-rted food poisoning cases have urred after spring. In other words, many days after harvest time. Most importantly, right now its an edible dish. Or rather, a treat. Or rather, a snack. Or rather Topopo chips. Jin said. Hes eaten them for years though. I see. I feel like I understand why Reinhardt-kun called Jin-kun a bit unique for a Magi Craftsman., The Marquis said and grabbed topopo chips. They make you want to have another. He had yet more. Marquis, thats unfair. Reinhardt also grabbed more chips. Jin started eating them too. Left forst, Elsa nervously reached out and put a single chip in her mouth. Soon everyone was eating, and in the blink of an eye the heap of topopo chips had disappeared. Oh my, theres nothing more a chef can ask than having the te eaten clean. The head chef said and bowed. Looking like something was on his mind, Marquis Firentsia turned to Jin and said, Jin-kun, no, Jin-dono. May we make these topopo chips in our house, no, in our city of Bolgia? Jin nodded while smiling, Yes, of course. Think of it as thanks for your hospitality. Alright, thank you. Then, lets carry on with the meal. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest this evening. Some time afterwards, Bolgias topopo chips would be known as a famous specialty, and as topopoes gain poprity, thanks to the increased produce demand farmers livelihoods ease, and the countrys tax yields increase. Derivatives like fried topopoes and mashed topopoes alsoe to fame. Marquis Firentsiano receives praise for his deeds in the years toe. The use of refrigerators to preserve ingredients spreads too aside with the topopoes. Regarding that, Jin warned to not store topopoes that were going to be fried in oil in the fridge, and the information was spread along with them. Chapter 101 - Kunlun Island’s Situation Report and Departure

Chapter 101 C Kunlun Inds Situation Report and Departure

That night Jin took out the ManaCom and tried to contact Soleil or Luna on Hourai Ind. Luna picked up the call. Luna from Hourai Ind speaking. Ah, Luna, its me. Father. Has anything unexpected happened? No, everything is going well. After hearing that Jin was able to rx, and asked for a report on Kunlun Inds progress. Yes, regarding Kunlun Ind ording to Luna, Kunlun Inds situation was as follows. The dummy mansion wasplete. The living spaces, workshop, dining room, and running water were all in order. Things were also made to look aged. Some raw materials were also brought in to not raise suspicion. Stationed on the ind were five subordinates of the 5-colored golem maids: Topaz-100, Amethyst-100, Ruby-100, Aqua-100, and Peridot-100. Three spare Warp Gate systems to Hourai Ind were alsopleted. Food stores were being filled to capacity. It was possible to harvest a lot of the naturally urring Citran and Appleles, but only few Pelshkas. Some mining was also done to make it look like the mineral resources were being dug up for use. Good work, youve achieved a lot in this short time. Jin praised Luna and the others. With this, it should be soon possible to deceive Reinhardt andpany when theyre invited to the ind. Okay, can you also make it look like it wouldnt be strange to find artifacts on that ind? Yes, I think that can be done. Even though the orders were somewhat vague, with the information transferred from Jin and Reika, Luna and Soleil should be able to handle it. Alright, Ill leave it to you. The reason I was asking is that Ill probably being back before long. With that the transmission came to an end. Now using the hidden Warp Gate to get near Blue Land should be good, Jin thought. Looks like thisll work out. After resolving all the pending problems, Jin could rx for the time being. Next morning. Farewell, Miss Elsa. Jin-dono, thank you for everything. I hope well meet again. After breakfast, Marquis Firentsiano bid his farewells when Jin and Elsa departed from the vi. They were heading north, to the border of Egelia Kingdom. Rai-nii is here. Elsa said and looked where Reinhardt was waiting in a carriage to meet them. Because Reinhardt is a diplomat, he had pay a visit to the royal castle before leaving. The line of carriages was led by the carriage of Reinhardts guards and servants. Next was Reinhardts carriage. After that, Jin and Elsas carriage. After that, Elsas guards and servants. Finally there were the carriages carrying everyones luggage and food. Oh, I forgot to make a damper again. Jin muttered. Hee hee, Jins an unexpectedly forgetful person. Elza who was sitting opposing Jin giggled. Reiko clung to Jin tightly and said, Please leave it to me, father. I wont let father fall ill a second time., She was operating as usual. Slowly the line of carriages continued towards the border. The capital Bolgia was located on top of a teau 300 meters above the sea level. After crossing the Delft mountain pass the rest of the way continued with a gentle slope. After the mountain pass, the group stopped to stay a night in a town called Metroff. Nothing particrly worthy of note happened during the night, and the next day the path was easy and mostly downhill. Even though they headed north, the climate didnt change that much because of the change in elevation. Well arrive at the border soon., Elsa said while looking out of a window. Just as she said, in half a day the group had arrived at the border. The border fortifications that were still standing since the Great Magic War still triumphantly towered over the surroundings with a majestic appearance. Not. After the passing of 300 or so years, the stones were weathered, wind and rain caused moss to grow over it, and vines had spread rampant thanks to the sunlight. What a ruin. Jins short description of the fortification as a ruin was appropriate for the appearance. But inside theyre the same as they used to be. Elsa added. Themanding officer of the garrison came out to confirm the paperwork for passage. My apologies, but this is part of the job., While saying so, the officer opened the carriage doors and checked the passengers identities. This was to make sure people like Valentino who were on the wanted list couldnt escape the country. After checking even the luggage and finding no problems with the group, themanding officer ordered a subordinate to open the gate. The gates made a hefty sound as they opened. The iron gates were 50 centimeters thick. A Magi Form to make them resistant to magic was drawn on the surface. Their age sure is made clear just by the appearance. Jin bore such thoughts. The carriages passed through the gates into a tunnel inside the fortification. The tunnels walls also had Magi Forms carved on them. Hmm, the style is rather old but it looks efficient. Jin murmured while gazing out of the carriages window. Jin-kun, you can read the characters written on the walls?, Elsa asked with a surprised look on her face. Jin said he could surprising Elsa even more, Not even Rai-nii can read more than half of the characters on these walls Ah, is that so? Its because theyre rather old. Judging from their form, they age at least 1000 years back. Eh? Elsa was speechless, and Jin carried on, Theres some old Artifacts that have been found where Ie from, so I know a lot about things like this, see? Somehow satisfied with that exnation, Elsa said, Jin-kun is indeed mysterious. It makes me want to know more and more things about you., And stared at Jin. Jin didnt realize it, but next to him Reiko pouted and red at Elsa. Chapter 102 - The Revenger

Chapter 102 C The Revenger

He was a former nobleman. He was born the third son of a marquis, and was raised up without much trouble. Because his elder brother inherited the estate, he was raisedparatively freely. He had a limited talent for magic, but still studied diligently. Until from one day onwards, he started to grow crooked. While ying as a child with a toy as that had been given to him, it broke. He thought hed be scolded, but that didnt happen. Instead, a new toy was given to him. After a while, he lost interest in that toy and broke it on purpose. And as he thought, instead of getting scolded he got another new toy. His lessons were taught by a home tutor. So that hed not get upset, the tutor constantly praised him, and the boy believed him. This state of affairs went on, and as no one ever challenged him in anything, he developed a baseless self-esteem. His heart grew arrogant with the pampering and his ears wouldnt hear anything but ttery. Knowing nothing of failure, he became overconfident in himself. He found his pleasures in wasting money on extravagance, ying around with women, and harassing those weaker than him. Eventually, he came to desire the marquiss estate. He started nning what he needed to do to get it. He skillfully hid his crooked personality, and in other peoples eyes he was just a snob. At the age of 20, he obtained the position of the feudal lords assistant. Around the same time, a mysterious coborator taught him a new power. He already knew of the power of money, women, and authority. Now he also knew of the power of violence. With enoughpensation, it was simple. Using his authority and assets, some treasure here, a jewel there, and a certain organization would sweep it all under the rug. There was nothing that could pose a problem. But one year ago, he tasted the vor of his first failure. The country had a monopoly on precious gems. So when anyone had questions or problems, they came to his office. When a business contract caught his eye, he hid it in a boat with a strange shape. He then immediately went back to destroy the evidence. And thats when the failure happened. The boat vanished. When he next saw it, it was taking part in a famous local contest. That boat was floating in a ce where it attracted the attention of the public. Hed either get his hands on the boat or destroy it and the evidence with it. But both attempts failed. The other party was more formidable than expected. Failure tastes bitter. The man swore revenge on the person who caused that bitterness. He didnt think even a bit that the resentment was misced. He soon found out about his nemesiss movements. The other party was traveling together with a noble who was returning to his country. The mysterious coborator gave the man even more power to use. With it, he aimed to take revenge on his nemesis. The name of that mans nemesis was Jin. The carriages continued on the sloped path after passing through the border fortifications. Once we pass through that valley over there, the road leads from this penins deeper into the continent. Elsa exined. The road ran between tall cragged rocks, and the part where the road is its most narrow wasing up. During the Great Magic War, spots like these were likely used to defend against the Devil races invasion. Thats thest rough spot on the way, and the rest of the way the road is even and can be traveled with leisure, Elsa exined. What kind of city is Blue Land? I never went inside the walls, so please teach me., Jin asked and Elsa replied, Blue Land is a Fort City. Its the economic center of Egelia Kingdom. The lesson started. Roads from Blue Land stretched to all directions, and the trade with the surrounding cities, towns, and viges was prosperous. It was also the contact point of trade with Elias Kingdom, and the feudal lord Duke Blue was King Egelias cousin. The surroundingnd was divided into farnds and ranches, governed by an Earl, and mines governed by another Earl. The exnation ended with, Im poor at exposition. But if theres anything youd like to know, just ask. Jin asked what was on his mind, Do you know who these Earls are? Elsa immediately replied, The one governing the farnds is Earl Kuzuma. Governing the mines is If I remember right, it was Earl Guarana. It was as Jin had guessed. Well, he thought, as long as he didnt show his face to Earl Guarana, things should work out. At that moment, the carriage suddenly came to a stop. Jin was about to fall off his seat while he was lost in thought, but Reiko immediately caught Jin before he fell. Whats wrong? Elsa asked the coachman. Mdy, looks like a it is andslide. Seems it has blocked the road. Eh? Elsa peeked out of the window, and indeed, there was arge boulder on the way. Jin saw it too, and got off the carriage with Reiko. From the next carriage, Reinhardt also got out and examined the boulder. It was three meters tall and three meters wide. The road was also just about that wide, and the surrounding rock walls were approximately 20 meters tall. Even if you wanted to move it, it didnt look like there was a ce to put it. Thats unfortunate. Reinhardtined. Jin thought that he didnt have a way to get rid of the stone either, and asked if Reiko had any ideas. Jin, Ill show you what my golems can do! Reinhardt said and went to the back carriage where luggage was held. Activate! He spoke the Keyword. The hood of the luggage carriage came off, and a human-shaped body woke up. It was a jet ck, two meter tall golem. Stand up, Schwarz Ritter! The golem slowly got off the carriage and stood up. Jin, this is my Schwarz Ritter. Its an Artifact, but it still may not be a match for Miss Reiko In the middle of Reinhardts speech, sounds of earth tremors could be heard from behind. Whats that!? Turning around, behind them in the middle of a cloud of dust they saw two golems. It appeared as if they had jumped off the cliffs from above. A height of 20 meters is nothing tough at, so that meant they were rather advanced golems. Suddenly the golems attacked the food carriage in the rear. With one blow the carriage was destroyed, and bits of food scattered around like droplets of water. What are you doing! Reinhardt turned back to Schwarz Ritter who was just standing around. Schwarz Ritter! Stop them! Yes. After a brief reply, Schwarz Ritter went to face the two golems. The enemy golems were about as tall as Schwarz Ritter, and their color was a dull silver. But Jin was very familiar with that appearance. Arent those They were the same kind of golems that attacked during tax collection back in Kaina Vige. Butpared to those, the power and movements of these golems was on a different level. But Reinhardts Schwarz Ritter wasnt just an ordinary golem either. With the flexibility granted by his capability for autonomous movements, he was able to take on the two golems one at a time. First he circled behind one of them and gave it a strong kick. That golem was blown off into the distance away from the carriages. Schwarz Ritter approached the remaining golem, who reached out with both hands to grab him. Schwarz Ritter sidestepped the grab and circled around to grab the golem from behind, and just like that lifted it above his head. Right on, now hurl it away! Schwarz Ritter didnt need to wait for Reinhardts instructions, and was already taking aim at the rapidly approaching remaining golem. He flung the one he had grabbed at the other. Jin saw the fighting, and as his first priority was to ensure his and Elsas safety, he ordered Reiko to focus on defense unless she herself was in danger. Chapter 103 - The Secret Weapon

Chapter 103 C The Secret Weapon

The battle between Schwarz Ritter and the two mystery golems continued. First, Schwarz Ritter moved to confront the golems one by one, and seeded. In a one-on-one fight, Schwarz Ritter held the advantage. Schwarz Ritter kicked one of the mystery golems with all of his strength, sending flying and crashing against the cliff face. Good work! Now attack the lower half of the body! Schwarz Ritter obeyed his master Reinhardtsmands, and let loose a series of kicks aimed at the other golems legs. Jin felt admiration watching those moves. Hmm, excellent movements. The joints have a very wide range of motion. Thats evidence that the amount of joints is very close to a humans. The mystery golem lost its foothold and fell down due to Schwarz Ritters sweeping kicks aimed at both legs. In preparation to fight the approaching second golem, Schwarz Ritter gave the off-bnce golem a back kick to finish it off. A flexible body, as I thought. Jin admired the golem again. Schwarz Ritter had the most humanlike joints he had seen on a golem sinceing to this world. In other words, it would be easy for a human to program the motions. Thats why the movements flowed so naturally. But Fathers golems stille out on top. Reiko whispered something like that when Jin praised Schwarz Ritter. For Reiko, seeing her master whos a supreme craftsman praise someone else didnt make her happy. The golem who was smashed with a back kick had a huge dent on its abdomen. Great, just press on like that! In response to Reinhardts instructions, Schwarz Ritter put all of his strength into a tackle. A dull sound echoed. 138 The golem with a dented abdomen took the tackle head on, and itunched over ten meters away alongside the cliff wall. Its right arm and left leg tore off, and it could no longer stand. Good work, now finish the other one off! Schwarz Ritter grabbed the golem that was somehow still standing by the head, lifted it up, and smashed it against the cliff. It made a staggering metallic noise. The golem sank five centimeters into the rock, and its limbs tore off. It could no longer fight. Alright, Im going to take out the Control Cores of these guys, so help me out. Reinhardt ordered and searched the chest of the golem in the wall with Craft Magic, then the Magi Crystal was extracted. Then he walked towards the other golem. Schwarz Ritter walked along with him. At that moment. Father, somethingsing. Reikos voice. Before Jin got time to warn Reinhardt, they appeared. My my, long time no see, Reinhardt. Youre A golem a bit shorter than Schwarz Ritter at around 180 centimeters appeared, along with a man. Well, weve got our differences, but for now I dont have any business with you. The one Ive got business with is The man, Valentino, looked at Jin with eyes full of hatred. Youmoner bastard. Valentino hade here. His goal was clear. His target was the man who had uncovered his crimes. In other words, Jin. Schwarz Ritter. As Reinhardt was about tomand Schwarz Ritter to catch Valentino, he said, Give it up. Your golem is indeed excellent. But, its just a helpless doll in front of this Albus. Hearing that didnt stop Reinhardt in the slightest. Jin is my friend. Of course Ill defend him. He said, and gave the order to Schwarz Ritter. Protect Jin from that golem! That just caused Valentino to smile faintly andugh, Thats fine too, Ive been meaning to test Albuss capabilities. Jin and Reiko stood together to protect Elsa and the other travelers. Father, that golem possesses something that causes my analysis to fail. What? Reiko reported such a thing. The greyish white golem had, at least on surface, what looked to be Mithril ting. Height approximately 180 centimeters, just below Schwarz Ritters. Without mistake, the design was the same as those of the golems that just caused a ruckus. Jin judged from appearance that the structure and strength were both far inferior to Schwarz Ritters. Father, please try analyzing the Magic Energy pattern. Hm? Got it. Whats this!? Wha- Whats wrong? Elsa was surprised and asked in a worried voice because of Jins sudden outburst. But Jin just muttered, Mana Core Flow is But despite that, the outputs toorge, Completely absorbed in his analysis of the opponent. Schwarz Ritter, go! Albus, go. Schwarz Ritter and Albus shed. For a moment, it seemed like Schwarz Ritter was overwhelming Albus. Albus, overwrite. Albus emitted a dull light in response to Valentinos phrase. When the light dimmed out, Schwarz Ritter had stopped all movement. Father, that light is dangerous. Mm-hm, I know. Jin perceived it with his analysis, ording to it the Magi Form in the Control Core had been overwritten. Therefore, Reinhardts Schwarz Ritter ceased to be capable of making normal movements. Reiko, will you be fine? If Reiko was affected by that, it would be a dire affair. I do not know. There is too little information. I see. Reiko, hide behind me for now. Eh? But Just do as I say! And Jin desperately considered what to do next. Whats wrong, Schwarz Ritter!? Reinhardt yelled, but Schwarz Ritter kept standstill and didnt make a move. No, if you looked closely, you could see his body quivering irregrly. Schwarz Ritter! While Reinhardt was yelling in vain, Schwarz Ritter was pulled down by Albus, and he fell. Without any hint of getting up, hey on the ground, sometimes convulsing and quivering as if he was nervous. Schwarz Ritter Albus approached step by step. Reinhardt, give up. I only want to rip off the head of thatmoner. If you let me do that, I can overlook the rest of you. Dont joke with me! As if I would sell out a friend! [Wind Bullet] As Reinhardt was yelling, Elsa cast a Wind Bullet from behind. But it was repelled by Albus without suffering a single wound. Miss Elsa, please dont do pointless things. Do you think normal magic could scratch Albus? But Elsa didnt listen, [Wind Bullet] This time the spell hit cleanly. But the end result was the same. If you know its pointless then quit it. Now then,moner. Anyst words? You should be honored by the extreme lengths Ive gone to because of the embarassment you caused me. Jin! Jin-kun! Jin was simply looking down and quietly muttering something. Reiko was standing behind Jin as if she was hiding. Chapter 104 - Cheater

Chapter 104 C Cheater

Jin-kun! Elsa cried who knows how many times. Finally, Jin raised his head. Elsa, Reinhardt, sorry for the trouble. Valentino, lets settle things. Heheh, are you prepared? Valentino boasted arrogantly, while Jin stood rxed. Reiko didnt move. Alright, Albus, break his neck. Valentino gave out the ruthless order. Stop! Reinhardt tried to stop Albus, but there was no way it could be stopped by a flesh-and-blood human, and he was sent flying. I wont let you hurt Jin-kun! Elsa too stepped forth to protect Jin, but Jin gently pushed her aside by the shoulder Thank you, Elsa. Thank you, Reinhardt. But Ill finish this myself. Jin said and took a step forward. Come., He invited Albus. Die! With Valentinos shout, Albus attacked. Kyaa! Elsa closed her eyes. Reinhardt also averted his eyes, but then opened them wide to see the spectacle that followed. [Barrier] Wha- what? Albuss hands were about to grasp Jins head, but they stopped just 50 centimeters away, unable to touch him. 144 What is this! You bastard! What did you do!? Jin replied in an indifferent voice, Its just a simple physical defense barrier. But Valentinos grin only got wider and heughed, Ha, hahah, you seem to be using some kind of Magi Tool for defense, but I wonder how long can itst? Albus can move without recharging for two or three days! Hearing that Jin smiled and humphed, Oh, is that so. You didnt bring an Ether Converter after all? What are you saying!? Jin then faced Reiko and gave her instructions. Reiko, after Ive neutralized this thing, could you see that Valentino doesnt escape? What the You bastard, what are you talking about Valentino was confused as he couldnt understand Jins attitude or what he was talking about. Jin didnt pay him any attention and applied the Magi Language he had learned from the earlier analysis. [Erase] In an instant, Albus freezed. [Write In] Albus began to move again. But instead of Jin, it faced Valentino. Wha- how- whats wrong!? Albus, hes that way! Not this way! Do- donte hereeeeee! No matter how much Valentino ordered, Albus didnt stop, and soon caught Valentino. Snapping sounds could be heard as the bones in Valentinos both arms were broken by Albuss grip. After that, Albus trampled on Valentinos right foot. G-gyaaAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! Oh, thats bad. In a hurry, Jin said, [Standstill], Realizing that without saying the Keyword, soon Valentinos arms may get torn off. And yet, Valentino foamed at the mouth and lost consciousness from the pain of having the bones of his arms and foot broken. *Huff* That was a bit tiring. Jin took a deep breath. Elsa, excuse me but could you give that guy some simple healing magic?, He asked. But Elsa replied, Why? He tried to kill Jin-kun. So even if he was killed by you no one couldin. To which Jin said, Mm. Its just my selfishness. It would be troubling to let him die like this. I want to have him pay for his crimes properly. Elsa tilted her head a bit and said, I understand. You mean healing and then hurting him again. The repetition will work as punishment. A terrifying line like that came out. After hearing it, while thinking that shes indeed a person from this world, Jin tried to calm her down, Elsa, a cute girl like you shouldnt be saying such savage things. For an instant, Elsas face turned red Or so it felt. Okay. For now, Ill give him pain relief. [Schmerzmittel]. Looks like the pains gone for now, but his arms are still twisted into a strange shape. Reiko, put splints on his arms and then tie him up. Reiko enthusiastically followed instructions when her turn to act finally came. She was too enthusiastic and moved the broken arms so forcibly that Valentino let out a groan of pain, even though he was still affected by [Schmerzmittel]. Even Valentinos mouth was gagged, and his arrest waspleted. Next, what were going to do with this guy. Reinhardt managed the situation afterwards. Hes an internationally wanted criminal, so I think it would be best to take him to Elias Kingdom. Sure, that sounds fine. But, since the group didnt have the resources to do it, the second best option of choosing some appropriate muscle to escort Valentino back to Egelia Kingdom was chosen. Ahh, one of the carriages was broken to pieces. The carriage carrying food and water was destroyed by the golems. They collected the salvageable food scattered about, but most of the water went to waste. Looks like its impossible to make it to the town of Phantol by today. Lets go to the nearby Rufaat Vige for water supplies today. Because Schwarz Ritter couldnt be repaired here, the captured Albus carried him all the way to Rufaat Vige. In the carriage where Schwarz Ritter had been, the avable space was used for the surviving food. Thats that. Afterwards, as the discussion about what to do with the boulder that blocked the road was about to begin. Aah, what a bother. Reiko, smash it., Jin ordered somewhat recklessly. Yes, Father! Reiko, who hadnt been able to do much dly walked towards the boulder and hit it in silence. The rock of about three meters in diameter crumbled apart. It goes without saying that except for Jin, the faces of everyone watching became stiff. Reiko started picking up the boulder pieces and tossing them like wastepaper all the way to the other side of the cliff to clear the road. While Reiko was tidying up the boulder pieces, Reinhardt turned to Jin. So, Jin, could you tell me all about that magic in detail? Then, Elsa approached too. It wasnt particrly a secret matter, and thinking ahead, on the contrary it needs to be spread as a countermeasure. Got it. First of all, the magic that Albus used was a kind of Craft Magic called [Overwrite]. Its purpose is to prevent the proper execution of the original instructions by overwriting the Control Core, he exined. [Erase] and [Write In] were the results of analyzing that process. Bu- but how is such a thing possible without even touching the Magic Crystal!? Reinhardts surprise was no wonder. Thats because themon knowledge was that without contact, or in other words, without touching, it was impossible to inscribe the intricate and precise Magi Form onto a Magi Crystal. Oh, thats a mystery. Should we take a look? Reinhardt was assisting in the investigation of Albus, and then, Hey, Jin! This is it! What Reinhardt found was a shining light blue gemstone. No, Magi Crystal. This is Elradrite. It was a gem that amplified magic. Using its special characteristics, normally impossible amounts of Magic Energy could be produced, and it would even be possible to [Overwrite] without contact. I see, its done like this. The two epted that as exnation. I wonder howe Jin was able to perform the feat that was only possible after amplification., Reinhardt admired. It wasnt simple. Even having analyzed the method, it wouldnt have been possible without umting and storing Magic Energy. Jin exined when Reinhardt muttered something. With the bracelets protection, he was able to rx and gain time, he said. But I was worried., Said Elsa who had neared them at some point, and Jin apologized honestly. Then, after I understood the process, I faced Albus and applied it on him instead. First I removed the Magi Form with [Erase], then using [Write In] wrote instructions to catch Valentino. The exnation ended with Jin saying that because of the distance, he wasnt able to write the Magi Form precisely and the end result was broken bones. Well, the bone business was just him reaping what he sowed. Reinhardt said, hinting that Jin shouldnt worry about it. Father, the boulder has been disposed of. Exactly then Reiko was finished with the boulder, and the road looked clear to pass. Okay, lets depart. They were already in Egelia Kingdom. The group set their sight towards Rufaat Vige. The thin clouds in the sky showed that spring was near. Chapter 105 - Hourai Island and Kunlun Island

Chapter 105 C Hourai Ind and Kunlun Ind

Jin and Reiko continued their journey by carriage with Shouro Empire noble Reinhardt. And currently, the line of carriages had arrived close enough to see the Fort City Blue Land. Jin made his suggestion here. First of all, Id like to go ahead to ensure that were prepared to house Reinhardt and the rest. Reinhardt and Elsa understood Jins invitation and eagerly epted. In that case, lets meet at the gates tomorrow morning. But it wont likely be just the two of us. Reinhardt reminded that Jin should prepare for at least the butler Adberg, nanny Mine, and guard Hermaning along. Ah, thats fine. Well then, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Jin-kun, see you tomorrow. Jin and Reiko parted with Reinhardts group with a lighthearted goodbye. They walked for an hour and reached the cave in the depths of the forest on the outskirts of Blue Land where the hidden Warp Gate was. Doesnt look like its been damaged, and theres no traces of entry either. To keep small animals from wandering in by ident and to keep people out, a concealment barrier and a barrier that couldnt be deactivated except by Jins Magic Energy pattern had been applied. Jin and Reiko were able to easily enter the cave, and they stepped into the Warp Gate. In a moment they arrived at Hourai Ind. A familiar atmosphere surrounded Jin. Wee back, Father, Elder Sister. Wee back, Master, Mdy. First Soleil and Luna, then the five-colored golem maids greeted them. The first thing Jin did was take a bath. Traveling by carriage was somewhat exhausting, and more importantly, he hadnt bathed in two days. Aah, so warm. Father, are you tired? Reiko was soaking in the bath together with Jin. Not particrly tired, its just that its good to be home. Master, shall I give the report? To save time, the five-colored golems were summoned to the bath to report. Hourai Inds development is doing well. The roads and the harbor are under maintenance. The orchard and rubber trees are being cultivated, and fish are being raised in the fish preserve. Stones are being quarried and stored, and mineral resources are mined, categorized and then stored. Next are the reports of the Air Force, Navy, and Army. Sky units are making progress with mapmaking. Marine units have deployed boats to scout the surroundings of the ind, and are staying vignt. In any case, since at present there were nopasses in this world, ships werent able to sail on the open seas. Finally the Land units are assisting in Hourai and Kunlun Inds development while on guard. Hmm, now that Im here, I want to make something with smarts for whenever Im not around. Soleil and Luna were a little unreliable. Jin got out of the bath and quickly started putting his ideas in action. Gather all the types of Magi Crystals. Earth, water, fire, wind, lightning, light, dark, and finally metal-attribute Magi Crystals were prepared. Jin ced one Magi Crystal of each attribute in the middle of a te, and the ced the rest surrounding them. He put together a Magi Device where the Magic Energy could reciprocally cycle after flowing through a Magi Crystal of each attribute. Alright, thisll work as the brain. Ill use an Ether Converter, and a Mana Driver for the energy source, and a Mana Tank as a reserve. It was a safeguard against halting due to mostmon problems you could think of. The chassis will be Adamantite and Mithril. He started constructing half of a globe. The domes radius was about 50 centimeters. So that it wouldnt be aputer uprising like in a lot of science fiction, plenty of Magi Forms for security were inscribed. It would recognize Jins Magic Energy pattern, and take orders from no one else but Jin. In addition, a device that would crash the program if anyone but Jin started it was added. Basically, this brain wouldmand all the golems. The only exception was Reiko. Reiko and the brain would have the same rank, and each would keep an eye out that the other doesnt go on a rampage. Reiko had strength, and the brain had smarts. Finally, Jin transferred it almost all of his knowledge, and all the knowledge of Soleil and Luna,arium and Sate, five-colored golem maids, Sky, Marine, Land, et cetera, gave the brain control of the Hourai Ind, and named it Laozi. Father, what does this word Laozi mean? Oh, in the world where Ie from, it was said that he was the leader of legendary magi living in Hourai and Kunlun mountains. Theres some incorrect portions in the exnation, but lets call it a day with that since its not going to cause any problems. Activate Laozi. Jin activated the manager of Hourai Ind, Laozi. My Lord, nice to meet you. Alright, Laozi, are there any issues? No, everything is perfect. You do know what to do from now on, right? Yes, without question. If thats the case, then great. See that a report is sent to me regrly. I understand. In this way, the brain that takes care of Hourai Ind and Kunlun Ind in ce of Jin was born. Now, even if Im away from home I can rest easy. If something happens consult Laozi first. In addition, periodically report to me. Understood. The golems replied in unison. Father, I have a request. Curiously, Reiko asked Jin for a favor. Mm, what is it? Please make me absolutely unable to be beaten by a golem like that Albus from the other day. And also, I want it to be unconditionally impossible for me to attack Father. Reiko It looked like she was worried about not being able to directly fight against Albus for fear of having her Control Core rewritten with Craft Magic. Got it,e over here. So Jin invited Reiko into the workshop inside his study, and shey on top of the worktable. Well then, Ill turn you off for a while. Yes. In fact, Jin had been thinking about countermeasures since that event too. The first countermeasure was Magic Energy shielding. Jin suspended Reiko, and added a shield made of highest quality Mithril to her Control Core to protect it from outside Magic Energy. On the outside of the shield he inscribed a Magi Form that converts external Magic Energy to Ether. Second was protection using Magic Energy patterns. Jin changed the Magi Form to be rewritable only with his Magic Energy pattern, and reced the Magi Circuitposition. It was quite difficult. Lets add a backup Control Core too. Third, he modded in a backup Core that could take control if the main core had defects. He kept the main Control Core in its original ce in the chest, and put the spare Core in the abdomen. I suppose Ill add one final safety device. It was like a breaker of sorts. It was a Magi Device which had Jins Magic Energy pattern in it, and if an opponent tried to tamper with the behavior, it would instantly cut out all Magic Energy fed to it. It was simr to the one installed in Laozi. But this one had the condition of only if it wouldnt be disadvantageous to Jin attached. Now then, lets do the long-awaited full-body maintenance. Jin performed checks on Reikos body, and repaired and strengthened the parts that were even a little bit damaged or worn. He reced the Ether Converter with a new one, and tuned the Mana Drive a second time. It would improve efficiency and increase output by 10%. He took the opportunity to also add stealth capabilities like the [Hide] function. Combining presence removal, Magic Energy istion and silencing, the resulting function was many levels above the one those robbers had used. He named it the [Stealth] function. That was all for now. Alright, Reiko, activate. Jin asked Reiko who got up, How is it? Howre you feeling? My body feels somewhat lighter than before. Thank you, Father. Uh, is that so. Thats good. In reality, with the addition of the extra Control Core, Magi Device and Mithril shielding, the body weight ended up increasing by almost three kilograms. But, it was within error range, and the output was increased too. Jin thought silently. Then he exined the new functions. After finishing Reikos remodeling, Now then, I wonder whats gone on in Kunlun? After having the lunch Soleil made, Jin atst left towards Kunlun Ind to prepare for hosting guests. Father, what about the settings of the Warp Gate? Luna asked. Currently, the gate didnt take people from Blue Land to Kunlun Ind. Instead, it took them into the study. That wasnt desirable. Lets see How about installing another Warp Gate in Blue Land, and having that exit directly to Kunlun Ind? I see. I think that is a good idea. Given that Laozi supported the idea too, the necessary materials were transported to Kunlun Ind. Naturally Reiko carried them. Chapter 106 - Kunlun and Blue Land

Chapter 106 C Kunlun and Blue Land

The first thing to do after going to Kunlun Ind was setting up the Warp Gate. Alright, next is setting up and pairing the Warp Gate at Blue Land. Ill handle it, Father. Before Jin could even say yes, Reiko had jumped into the Warp Gate and returned to Hourai Ind. She then warped to Blue Land carrying the materials, set up the Warp Gate and linked it to Hourai Ind, and came back. It took about 15 minutes for her to get back. Reikos handiwork was good, as usual. Now that the Warp Gate preparations were in order, Jin finally got time to look around Kunlun Ind. Soleil and Luna were the guides. The two were in charge of the development of Kunlun Ind. First is this basement of the mansion where the Warp Gate resides. The stone basement looked very old and gave off an atmosphere that it wouldnt be strange to find an Artifact here. After opening the door and going up the stairs to the first floor, we arrive at the entrance hall. The bronze door looked heavy and was coated in a verdigris patina, really making it seem like the door to a secret room. Both Jins and the precedessors knowledge agreed on this. The entrance hall was of course also of stone and spanned 10 meters in every direction. The walls had frescoes painted andplicated forms engraved on them. If you looked closely, you could see there were paintings of the five-colored golems and Magi Forms for security, and Whats this? A certain poem was written in Japanese on the wall. To be exact, they were lyrics. It was a pop song that was popr some five years ago that had stayed in the back of Jins mind. Well, theres no one who can read it so I suppose its fine. Jin moved on without thinking about it too deeply. The next room is the workshop. Please see that it is to your liking. There were metallurgy tools like anvils, a forge, hammers, et cetera. For woodworking there were saws, chisels, nes and such. In the middle of the room there was arge heavy-looking workbench. Everything had seen years of use (or so it seemed). On one shelf there were a few Magi Crystals and various Magi Stones. On another shelf there was a bit of silk from a Ground Spider. In the adjanced storeroom there was copper, bronze, cupronickel, nickel, iron, tin, and also Light Silver, Mithril, and a small amount of Adamantite. It felt like it was imitating the workshop at Hourai Ind, except at a smaller scale. Hmm, this should be enough. Soleil, Luna, good work. Jin then gave the two Guard Rings he made as a reward for their efforts. Thank you very much. I will take good care of this. The two epted the rings with pleasure. On the first floor there was also a dining room, toilet, and a bathroom. They gave off the impression that they had been recently renovated. Incidentally, the toilet is Western-style. Because the waste is disassembled to its chemical elements using magic, its both sanitary and odorless. The bath was made into a hot spring by drawing water from 50 meters undergound. It was pleasant news to bath-loving Jin. Its a bit of a digression, but after this a hot spring was made in the same way in Hourai Ind. The dining room was wide. It wasrge enough to fit at least ten people. In the kitchen four gas stoves Jin had built were installed. Of course, there was also a refrigerator. Water could be drawn with a pump. Hmm, there seems to be no problems here. The second floor seemed to have the living spaces. The living quarters are set up as follows. There were eight rooms, each around ten tatami mats in size. Two of them had been taken, seemingly one for Jin and one for histe teacher. To be precise, since Jins room had a two tatami mat closet his living space was only eight tatami mats. Jins and his (dummy) teachers room were side by side, and on the opposite side of the hallway there was the library and a storage room. The remaining four rooms were Western-style, and had wooden floors and stone walls. Muscovite was fitted in the windows. There were beds, tables, chairs, and fixed closets, all with an antiquated design. Because the designs were those that were popr during Jins predecessors era, they were without doubt actual (fake) antiques. Three of those rooms were for guests, and the final room was the waiting room of the golem maids. Near the guest rooms there was also a toilet. The third floor was more of an attic, and was used as a storeroom. There were dozens of copies ofmon grimoires from Jins predecessors times, and robes that looked like those of a very old-fashioned magus lying around. Parts of broken Magi Tools from Hourai Ind had also been brought. Only parts that didnt seem to have any use were selected though. Mm-hmm, even to me it seems like a house where a magus has lived since the olden days., Jin admired. Next is the outside. A tentative outline for a map has been painted on the wall. Jin didnt notice it in the entrance hallst time. Let me see. Oh, is this it? Jin could intuit that Kunlun Ind was about half the size of Ooshima of the Izu Seven. That was plenty for people to live on. The coastline was almost circr. In the middle was the Kunlun Mountain, and the mansion was located at the southern foot of the mountain. The east and north sides of the ind are forests. The west side is grass-covered wilderness. The south side is wends, with some grasnds and sparse woods. In that case, have you been able to mine the west side for resources and such? Yes. Land units from 80 to 100 have assisted in excavating several mining pits, and are currently extracting minerals. The arrangements were fairly good. Alright, Ill leave the guiding of the guests to you two. Ill be relying on you then. Understood. Has it been three months since then? Meanwhile, Reinhardt and Elsa had arrived at a friends house in Blue Land. Indeed, something like that. When we departed for Elias Kingdom it was around the end ofst year. Since west met, even Miss Elsa became prettier. No need for ttery. No, its not ttery. She seems somehow more adultlike, or should I say profound. Compliments wont get you anywhere. The friend was Earl Kuzuma. They both spoke to each other informally. Because they were close in age with each other and lived in the same house, theyve been friends since two years ago when Reinhardt became a diplomat and first arrived at Blue Land. You can take it easy now, right? I guess so. Now that all the official business is done, I can return to my homnd at leisure. Ady attendant brought in some fruit. Oh, its here. Try some of this fruit., The Earl said and rmended the te of Pelshkas. Reinhardt and Elsa both had a mouthful and were astonished. Oh, its cold and good! Delicious. Earl Kuzuma responded with pride, Right? The fruits exceptional when its been moderately cooled with a refrigerator. Reinhardt reacted to that word, refrigerator. What? A refrigerator, you say? Thats right, its a Magi Tool I obtained after you departed from here. Its barely spread anywhere else apart from Blue Land. A while ago, I saw a single one in Bolgia. Huh, is that so. It mustve been brought there by a quick-witted merchant. Earl Kuzuma then smiled impishly and said, As a matter of fact, I know the Magi Craftsman who made that refrigerator. Reinhardt was surprised. After all, in Elias Kingdoms capital Borgia, in a Magi Tool shop Jin had said he made the refrigerator himself. He then said, Oh, Id like to meet them. I thought youd say that. Youre a Magi Craftsman too, after all. Hey, invite her here., The Earl said and thedy attendand next to him left to summon the Magi Craftsman. In his inmost heart, Reinhardt was looking towards to finding out what kind of a person woulde. He hadnt known Jin for even a month, but already understood his nature and talent. If that Jin said he made something himself, then those words were true, and hed soon find out just what kind of a swindler this Magi Craftsman would turn out to be. For Jins honor hed expose them, is what Reinhardts secret motive was. Chapter 107 - Reinhardt, Beana and Elsa

Chapter 107 C Reinhardt, Beana and Elsa

Thedy addendant brought with her a young redhead girl who nervously bowed in front of Reinhardt and the others, M- my great, I mean, my greetings, my name is Beana. Earl Kazuma looked at the overly stiff Beana and said, Hey, no need to be so nervous. This is my friend, Reinhardt. She is Miss Elsa, Reinhardts cousin. Im Reinhardt Randol. Elza Randol. The two introduced themselves. N-nice to meet you. Beanas stiffnes still hadnd disappeared. Earl Kuzuma had Beana sit herself down at the table next to him and said, Beanas a very excellent Magi Craftsman I got to know recently, and shes got some ideas Im interested in. Earl, I- Im not that skilled. On the surface, Reinhardt appeared to be cordial to Beana who denied thepliments with a red face, No no, thats not true at all. Refrigerator, was it? Im not familiar with the structure, but the idea is magnificent. What with both being usable for preserving food and improving its texture. Beana cast her eyes down and looked ashamed, No, I cant call the refrigerator my invention. Hm? What do you mean? Reinhardt was waiting for what on earth Beana would say next. Well Even though it was only for a short while, another Magi Craftsman I asked for help did most of the development. I only helped with the assembly. After hearing that, Reinhardts impression of the girl in front of his eyes increased slightly. Was the name of that Magi Craftsman Jin? After Reinhardt spoke, Beanas eyes opened wide and she immediately leaned her body forwards. Jin! You know Jin!? Reinhardt felt her energetic reaction was a bit heartwarming and said, Yeah, I know him. He was the Magi Craftsman of the winning team of a golem boatpetition in Port Rock a few days ago, you see. Earl and Beana responded respectively, Huh, as I thought. When I heard the name Jin, I thought there was a possibility it was him. Eh, eh, eh? Jin won apetition like that!? It seemed like Earl Kuzuma had heard news of thepetition. Beana, on the other hand, hadnt. Earl-sama, why didnt you tell me? The Earl responded to Beana pressing for an answer, Sorry, sorry. I wanted to confirm it before telling you. So, forgive me. After Earl had said all that, Beana had nothing to add and shut her mouth. The Earl resumed his conversation with Reinhardt. Was Jins craftsmanship amazing? Yep. Thanks to him, my team finished second. Right, Elsa? Elsa was a bit surprised being brought up so suddenly, but still responded, Mm. Jin-kuns golem and the propulsion device were both novel. Beana paid attention to the kun attached to the end of Jins name that came out of Elsas mouth. You call him Jin-kun?, Beana couldnt resist asking Elsa. I do. He is a friend. I got this ring from him., Elsa said somewhat proudly, smiled and disyed the ring on the middle finger of her right hand. Beanas mood deted after having the ring shown to her alongside the exnation. Uh, is- is that so. Beana stopped leaning forward and rested her body on the chair, this time leaning on the back of it, then stared at the ceiling. (Even though he helped meAnd I didnt even get to thank him properlyI wonder if I gave him a ring we could have a rtionship) Hm? Did you say something? N-no, nothing. Oh, as I thought, he turned out to be an excellent Magi Craftsman. Meanwhile Earl Kuzumas and Reinhardts conversation continued. I cant say I didnt hope that he settled permanently in this country, but regretfully hes already had a dispute with one of the Earls. Hm? What do you mean? Earl Kuzuma summarized the matter with Earl Guarana. The topic seemed to be a little ufortable for Beana who was rted to it. Elsa also listened, and had thoughts like (Does Jin-kun act kind for every girl?) But she didnt say any of it aloud. I see. Earl Guarana, huh. Reinhardt nodded withprehension. During a previous asion in Blue Land, he had met Earl Guarana in a wee party thrown by the feudal lord Duke Blue. I hate that guy. Elsa voiced her disgust inly. It was because right after his greetings, he had moved towards Elsa and asked her Wont you be my concubine? Thinking about the slimy look he then had in his eyes made a chill run down Elsas spine. Well, because she now spends her time in the workshop here in my mansion, Earl Guarana cant meddle with her. In addition, maybe hell soon have his eyes on some other woman. In that case, itd be unfortunate for the other party. But you see, hes in charge of almost all the mining grounds around here. His influence in Blue Land is nothing to be sneezed at. Ah, there are good quality Magi Crystal mines around, right? Western Blue Lands mountains mines were Earl Guaranas territory. Kuzumas territory was the eastern farnds. The rest of the ins surrounding Blue Land were under Duke Blues direct control. At least since I dont have any official business this time, I can be at ease without meeting him. That would turn out to be incorrect, but Reinhardt didnt know it yet. You said you can return home at your leisure, but how many days can you stay here for?, Earl Kazuma asked while eating the flesh of a Pelshka, Oh, who knows. One of the carriages broke so we cant continue without resupplying, and I want to try making some small improvements to the carriages anyway., Reinhardt replied. Youre the same as ever. In that case, Ill supply the materials. And if you need a workshop Ex-Excuse me, if you would like then please feel free to use my ce!, Beana braced herself and said. It felt like she wanted to hear a little more about Jin, and to see the way a foreign Magi Craftsman works. Ah, when that timees I may rely on you. Reinhardt gave a light reply. Then, he started discussing tomorrows ns. So, I was nning to go out for a bit tomorrow. Oh, is there a specific ce youre going to? Well, as a matter of fact, along with Elsa, I was invited to Jins home. Eeeeeeeh!? Beana wildly raised her voice when she heard that, and asked, Uh, um, is Jining!?, Once more leaning towards Reinhardt while inquiring. As one would expect, even Reinhardt was taken a bit back by this, and he replied, Ah, yes. We traveled together all the way from Elias Kingdoms capital Bolgia to here. Ive traveled with Jin in the same carriage since Port Rock. Elsa interrupted from the side. Oh Is that so For a brief whileplex feelings of regret, or maybe sadness painted Beanas face, but they soon vanished. Please! Would be so kind as to take me along with you!? Beana got up, bent 90 degrees at the waist to bow, and asked. Reinhard thought about it. It didnt seem like this girl Beana was lying about being acquainted with Jin. In that case, there would be no issues about bringing her to the meeting spot with Jin. Afterwards it would be up to Jin whether or not to invite her. Havinge to that conclusion, he said, Right, tomorrow, weve arranged a rendezvous with Jin. Taking you along shouldnt be a problem. After that, you can ask Jin firsthand. Beanas face lit up with enthusiasm, Thank you very much!, She said, and again made a 90-degree bow. With an indescribable look on her face, Elsa was looking at the scene with Beana. Reinhardt did not notice. Chapter 108 - Welcome to Kunlun Island

Chapter 108 C Wee to Kunlun Ind

The next morning, before the castle gates of Blue Land. Ah, theyre here. Jin who had arrived just moments before saw a carriagee through the gates. It was Reinhardts four-horse carriage. The carriage stopped in front of Jin, its door opened, and Reinhardt and Elsa came out. In addition, Elsas butler Adberg and her nanny Mine also stepped off the carriage. And finally in addition to that, a person who Jin didnt expect appeared. Namely the red-haired girl Beana. Jin! I wanted to see you!, Beana said, immediately rushing over to Jin after stepping off the carriage. Back then, you disappeared after just a one-sided talk with me! I didnt even get to thank you properly! Beana was a tiny bit shorter than Jin, but she stood tiptoed and pressed Jin while meeting his gaze. Because of her intensity, So, sorry., Jin could only reflexively apologize. Unable to remain indifferent to Jins reaction, or perhaps considering Beanas behaviour, Jin-kun apologizing is strange. And you, keep your distance. Elsa got between the two and separated Beana from Jin. Uh, I know Jin, no need for you to apologize. I just wanted to thank you Three people observed the situation. Reinhardt thought Elsas actions were endearing. The butler Adberg was staring at the changed Elsa as if he was looking at something dazzling. The nanny Mine was scowling at Jin. Now then, Jin, Miss Beana said she wants to meet you at any cost so I brought her along, but was that unwanted? Nothing of the sort, Jin replied, and continued, Although, the Warp Gates configuration lets me take only two people along with me Oh, I see. You know, Earl Kuzuma also said hell at leaste to greet you, but in the end he couldnte because of government affairs. And Adberg and Mine are just escorting us. But Mine interjected, Reinhardt-sama! You really intend to go to an iprehensible ce like that with just the two of you!?, With grumblings like such. She didnt notice the look in Reikos eyes. Reinhardt stopped Mines tirade, Its fine. Ill be there, and you also know how Jin took care of Elsa during the trip, right? Thats true but Mine still didnt seem convinced, but Adberg said something to Mine and she calmed down. Ji-Jin! Um, could I That is Is it okay if I alsoe to your home? Throwing a sidelong nce at Reinhardt and the others, Beana asked the question she wanted to ask the most. Ive been interested since the time you helped me. Please! What to do, Jin worried. The reason Kunlun Inds house was originally built was a n for when hed bring Beana along to visit. But he just said he cant bring more than two people, so what now, he thought. As if she had read Jins thoughts, Father, I think I should be able to take at least one person with me., Reiko gave him timely help. I- is that so. In that case, we should be able to make do. Jin turned towards the group. Lets see, the Warp Gate only reacts to my Magic Energy. So, if you hold my hand I can take you with you. Thats why I said only two people, but it seems like Reiko is able to take someone else along., Jin exined. It was an exnation with many holes in it, but to Jins pleasure everyone thought something like its an Artifact, so or I guess Warp Gates are like that, so and they didnt particrly poke holes into his story. If its like that, then surely I can Mine startedining again, but Adberg tactfully pulled her into the carriage and it became quiet. Now then, shall we go? Jin began to walk while Reinhardt, Elsa and Beana followed. Reiko was in the rear. Elsa soon got next to Jin and locked her left arm with Jins right one. Beana clung to Jins left arm after seeing that. From behind, Reinhardt looked at them and smirked, Your father is no joke, huh., and called out to Reiko who was walking in the back. Reiko seemed to rather displeased. After ten minutes of walking, Reinhardt, Elsa, or Beana were obviously not yet tired, but Jin still stopped, Koma! and called for his favorite horse golem. The horse golem Koma and two others of the same type came out of the forest. Due to that, Wha- whats this? Beanas face twitched when she saw them. Looks interesting. Elsa was delighted. Horse golems, huh! Just what Id expect from Jin! And Reinhardt admired greatly. Theyre golem horses alright. This is how you mount them. Jin was freed from Elsas and Beanas grips, and straddled Koma to show how. You grab this and twist here to move. Since theyve got some autonomy, as long as you properly give directions to the destination all you need to do is ride. Truth be told, Jin realized this morning that having Reinhardt and the others walk all the way to the Warp Gate was a waste of time, and hurriedly made the horse golems other than Koma. Um, Im wearing a skirt though. Beanas blushed and said. Oops. Jin hadnt noticed it. On the other hand, Elsa didnt seem to care and was already straddling one of the horse golems. Jin-kun, this is fun. As she turned the handle expertly, Elsas horse clip-clopped around the ce. It seemed like she was looking down on and sneering at Beana. Hmm, I hadnt thought of this. Reinhardt had also mounted one, and was driving it around to try it in various ways. Since he had originally nned to bring just two people along, there were only two extra horse golems. (Should I have her ride with Elsa or No, no matter how you look at it, it would be dangerous with Elsa whos not ustomed to riding.) He had installed a speed limiter just in case, but he still couldnt help but worry about something going wrong by chance. And so the only option came to be Jins Koma. I guess theres no other way. That decided, Jin moved Koma next to Beana. Come on, Beana, get on. Jin held out his hand. Eh?, At first she was puzzled, but then understood what Jin meant and said, Um, yes! She grasped Jins hand tightly, and lifted herself on top of Koma. She then sat sideways in front of Jin. Beana clinged to Jin as she sent out a triumphant look towards Elsa, who was looking at the two. Lets go. Ive wanted to see Jins house for a while! 025 They moved to the depths of the forest with Jin in the front, Elsa second, and Reinhardt third. Reiko moved in a defensive position while eyeing the surroundings. Even though they knew theres nothing more than small animals and birds in the forest. They continued on at a speed slightly faster than normal walking speed. In under 30 minutes they had arrived at the foot of a great boulder in the depths of the forst. Now then, this is where we get off the horses., Jin said and first got off himself, then helped Beana off the horse too. Reinhardt promptly got himself off the horse, and said, Come on, Elsa. And was about to offer her a hand when, Its fine. I can get off by myself. Elsa sulked a bit and said, then jumped down. Jin went around the huge boulder and led everyone down into a cave behind it. Here is the entrance. Take my hand. By doing so, you wont be caught in the barrier., He said and held out his hands. Beana took the right hand, and Elsa quickly took hold of the left hand. Oh, Reinhardt, take Reikos hand. Reiko, please. Yes, Father. Reiko had a very unpleased look on her face as she held out a hand to Reinhardt, who took it with a strained smile on his face. Reinhardt was deeply surprised when Reikos hand was softer than he had expected, and he could also feel her body temperature. Well then, shall we go?, Jin said and passed through into the cave. Beana and Elsa went along with him. So bright. The two were suprised to find the inside brighter than expected. The Warp Gate produces some illumination, you see., Jin said and gestured towards the Warp Gate. Because both his hands were upied, he pointed with his jaw while wondering if its bad manners. Ooh! So thats the Warp Gate! Reinhardt was slightly excited to see the real thing for the first time, but Jin just said, Okay, lets go. He stepped into the Warp Gate after saying so. Elsa and Beana hesitated, but since they were holding hands with Jin, they were led into the Warp Gate and teleported. In an instant the scenery changed, and the group appeared in a stone basement. A little whileter, Reiko and Reinhardt also came out of the Warp Gate. Finally, Koma and the other horse golems appeared. Jin let go of the hands of the two, bowed his head slightly and said, Wee to Kunlun Ind. Chapter 109 - Flower Picking

Chapter 109 C Flower Picking

This is Jins home The ce where Jin-kun lives Kunlun Ind you say? Each of the three had their own reactions. This is nothing more than the basement where the Warp Gate is. This way, please. Jin said so, opened the door, and climbed to the top of the stairs. They exited into the entrance hall. Oh my, the walls are filled with paintings. Is this a Golem?, The moment Reinhardt had said that, Wee home, Father, Elder Sister. Soleil and Luna appeared to greet them. Wee, dear guests. That surprised me, are these two of your making, Jin? Yep, the gold-colored one is Soleil, and the silver-colored one is Luna. Im Soleil. Im Luna. The two gave greetings with fluid movements. Seeing the beautiful figures of the two girls, Elsas heart wasnt calm. Because she remembered one night seeing Jin embrace Reiko. Jin denied it, but it seems hes got that kind of a preference after all, right? She pondered. On the other hand, Beana voiced her surprise with honesty and admiration, Oh wow, amazing. Soleil and Luna? Its my first time seeing this exquisite golems. Father, since the weather is fine today, tea has been prepared outside.. Soleil said, and Luna opened the entrance halls door. Jin responded with an is that so and a nod, then led everyone outside. Ooh. Gasps of surprise could be heard again. The reason being there were the five-colored golems subordinates Ruby-100, Aqua-100, Topaz-100, Peridot-100, and Amethyst-100 standing in a row wearing aprons. These are the five-colored golem maids. From the right, theyre Ruby, Aqua, Topaz, Peridot, and Amethyst. Theyve been named after the colors of their eyes. While saying so, in the back of his mind Jin considered altering the color of their clothes next time they change. Lo- lovely maids, huh. Beana said with a slightly strained voice as you might expect. Elsa looked a bit drawn back too. Despite being golems, since every one of them was a female model, the two may have been seriously worried about Jins disposition. This way, please. Reinhardt was apanied by Amethyst-100, Elsa by Aqua-100, and Beana by Ruby-100, and the group sat at a round table. I hope you like the tea. Peridot-100 said and served tea for everyone, while Topaz-100 served some Pelshka fruit. Hmm? Hey, this tea is simr to the good tea I had in Cline Kingdom. Something youd expect only Reinhardt whos gone around to several countries would say. Aah, Its been a while since Ist ate some of Jins Pelshka Beana being Beana, she was in a good mood after having refrigerator-cooled Pelshka. Finally, Elsa asked, Jin, have you been living alone here all this time?, While relishing the taste of the tea. Yes, ever since my teacher passed away. Because Jins predecessor hadnt been around since Jin arrived at Hourai Ind, it wasnt technically a lie. Arent you lonely? It seemed like there was worry in Elsas eyes when she asked that, but, Im not, because Ive got Reiko and the others, I guess. After hearing Jins response Elsa got seriously worried. But again, But after all I wanted somepany, so I tried going to Blue Land and Port Rock., Hearing those words relieved Elsa, as she thought he could still be saved. Right, if you live in a ce like this, yourmon sense will be strange, no? That was Beana. It seemed like she remembered the time she first met Jin. Jin, have you made a lot of golems and such? Reinhardts interests were in Magi Craftsmanship through and through. With a mood like that, while drinking tea and eating Pelshkas, the conversation got lively. Reinhardt talked shop and Elsa wanted to know more about Jin. Beana was interested in the ind. After talking about various things and having drunk the tea, Jin was soon about to show them around the mansion when Elsa asked, Jin-kun, bathroom. Where? In an instant Jin realized what she meant. S-Sorry! Soleil, please show her. Exin how to use it too., He instructed Soleil. It was a necessary measure since there was no way Jin could do the exining. Um, me too. Beana stood up, and so Luna was asked to escort her. OhI messed up. After the two left Jin was at his wits end. During the journey, the carriages were stopped about every two hours to take a break. It went unspoken that those asions were used to go to the toilet. But, as a result for theck of consideration for that, the girls had to ask about it aloud. Jin, dont worry about Elsa. Shes been upfront like that always. Reinhardt tried to console Jin, but it just made Jin sink a bit deeper into the feeling of failure. It was simply bad consideration by the hosting party. After a long while Jin remembered the customer service training he had a long time ago back on Earth, where when weing female guests he was told to make sure to first casually walk them by the toilets. At that time. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!! A suprised voice could be heard. Ah, isnt that Beanas voice? As I thought, it was surprising., Jin said, with an expression as if he thought the reaction was natural. That made Reinhardt ask Jin, Jin, that was Miss Beanas voice, right? What in the world happened? You dont seem confused, so were you expecting it? Before Jin could answer Elsa returned. Jin, kun. That was great. I want one at home too., She said. Reinhardts face was full of questions. Then Beana came back too. Jijijijin, Whawhawhat was that toilet! The toilet was too amazing! It wasnt even on the level of a toilet any more!, She went on and on. Calm down. A girl shouldnt be yelling toilet, toilet repeatedly. After Jin pointed it out, Beana became bright red and shut her mouth. Reinhardt still had a baffled look on his face, and when Elsa noticed it she said, Rai-nii, if you try it too youll understand. It was amazing. Hm, is that so? Therefore, Reinhardt too went to try the toilet, led by Soleil. And as expected, Jin! That was ground-breaking! Certainly I want to bring it to my home, no, my country! Please cooperate with me!, He said after running back. The toilets that Jin had installed on Kunlun and Hourai Inds were so-called Western toilets. The bowl was made out of white quartz, and a [Purification] Magi Form was inscribed on the surface of the seat. A [Surface Treatment] was applied to prevent anything from sticking to it, and a water magic form was used for flushing. Because there was no paper (he didnt make any) it had a so-called bidet. If one used it for the first time, it wasnt strange to make a noise like the one before. Drying with warm air was also aplished with magic, and the disposal of the waste was handled with disassembling it with [Dposition], and removing the smell with [Deodorant]. Since in this world the standard formoners is a pit, and for nobles its the so-called chamber pot, its no wonder that all of the three were shocked. Chapter 110 - Three Sizes

Chapter 110 C Three Sizes

Jin suddenly had an idea and said to leave the talk about the toilets forter, then showed the group into the mansion. First was the ground floor. They entered the entrance hall from the southern entrance. Inside were stairs down to the basement and up to the second floor. Left to the stairs was the toilet. And on the right, the bathroom. This bath is a hot spring. Jin said, and everyone looked puzzled. As he expected, things like hot springs didnt seem popr. Lets see, if you dig deep underground, with any luck you can find a hot water reservoir. Oh, I see. They seemed to understand with just a bit of exnation. Even more to the right, thats to say on the east side of the mansion, was the kitchen and the dining room. On the opposite side of the entrance hall was the workshop and the storeroom. I kind of want to see Jins workshop. Reinhardt said, and as Elsa and Beana also seemed like they wanted to see it, Jin decided to show the workshop first. The workshop had an area of about 20 tatami mats. The workbench that (was made to look like it) had seen years of use was the first thing that caught the eye. The tools that (were ordered to be built as though they) were worn from use were numerous. Raw materials formed rows on the shelves. Hmm, this is magnificient. Or perhaps should I say, enviably perfect. Reinhardt voiced his admiration, and Beana had no words. Elsa didnt really understand, but was looking around restlessly at the curious things on disy. Then Jin spoke of the idea he had in his mind. Um, I was thinking that Id show you around the mansion and its surroundings this morning, and then show you around the ind on the evening, but Hm, isnt that fine? Reinhardt didnt have any objections Since theres going to be a lot of walking, I was going to have us ride the golem horses from before, but the girls are wearing skirts, right? Elsa was wearing her regr clothes, but nheless that included a long skirt that reached below her knees. Beanas outfit had a pleated skirt that reached just to her knees. So if youd like, Ill make some pants usable for horse riding as a gift. After Jin said so, Beana immediately asked, Eh!? Jin, you know how to sew too? No, well, if I had to decide between if I know or dont know how, Id say I do, but since this time Id be making them with Craft Magic I dont know if you could call it sewing. Jin said and picked up some leather from a shelf. Hm!? Could that be the leather of a magical beast? Just like Reinhardt to immediately guess right what the material is. Yep. I thought this would be the best. Its best and everything, but isnt it a precious rare material? You cant find magical beasts around here, right? So thats the case after all, Jin thought, but didnt say a word about it. Well, my teacher gathered a lot of it after all., With that, he dodged the issue. And thus it was decided that Jinll make pants out of white leather for Elsa, and dark red leather for Beana. Oh, Reiko, sorry, but could you measure the sizes of the two? As youd expect, Jin hesitated to do the measuring himself. Yes, Father. It seemed like Reiko only expressionlessly stared at the two, then, It is done. Elsa-sans height is 160 centimeters, and her sizes starting from the top are: 79, 54, 80. Beana-san is 157 centimeters. From the top, 78, 55, 79. Eh Beana was surprised to hear her height suddenly stated out loud when she wasnt even sure about it herself. Elsa gave an impression of is that so? as she looked around at her body. Hey Reiko, dont just throw out numbers like that openly. After hearing that, Jin was also puzzled about how he should react. Reinhardt then asked, I understand the height, but what where the numbers after that? He wanted rification. Yes. I want to know it too. It didnt seem like Elsa really understood either. Honestly, me too. I understand the height was spot on, but what did the numbers after that mean? When asked, Jin was a little embarassed, In that order theyre the bust, waist, and hip measurements, but I wonder if its okay to just say so, He said, but the instant the answer was heard Beana turned red, and Elsa blushed too. Wha, whawhawhawha Jins a pervert! Jin-kun, lewd. Hearing the two say so, Jin reflexively yelled, How am I the one to me here! Basically it had happened because Reiko had been ordered to measure their own bodies sizes, or so it seemed. Hmm, somehow they seemed unsatisfied with the exnation. While saying so, Jin cut the leather. For some reason, Reinhardt was looking with admiration at the temte sheet that had been made out of a thin board. I see, if you use a temte like that, you can make multiple copies with only small differences in them! Judging from Reinhardts reaction, in this world where paper was valuable the concept of pattern paper didnt exist, or at least wasnt generally known. In reality too, temte boards and machine tools are used inbination to make various products. Although nowadays theyre bing obsolete becauseputer controls have be mainstream. Getting back to the subject. After cutting the magic beast leather, Jin used the Craft Magic [Joint] to shape it. After making belts of the same color too, he was finished. Im done. Seeing the skill with which it took only 30 minutes to sew two pants, the three were impressed. Now, you can have these and Another room would be better for changing clothes. And so Jin led Elsa and Beana to the dressing room of the bathroom to change clothes, handed over the pants and went outside the room to wait. A present from Jin. Eheh. When it was just the two of them, Beana excitedly took off her skirt and put on the pants. Elsa simply changed silently. Jin, how is it? Beana who changed faster than Elsa went to show off to Jin who was waiting outside. Due to the somewhat flexible material it was made out of, the pants followed the body shape without causing exhration, rather giving a somewhat healthily sensual feel in the end. Jin-kun, Ive put it on. Elsa came out too, and did a little turn-around on the spot. Its very easy to move in. Thank you., She said. Beana had been impatient. She forgot to give thanks again. Ah, Ji-Jin, thanks! Ill take good care of these! Thats good. They suit both of you nicely. The three then returned to the workshop where Reinhardt was waiting. Speaking of Reinhardt, he was walking around in the workshop, looking at and touching things, so he hadnt gotten bored at all. Oh, that was quick. It wouldve been fine to take your time., He said something like that. Theres no way it was going to take long., Elsa rebutted as if it was natural. Chapter 111 - Common Sense, Lack of Common Sense

Chapter 111 C Common Sense, Lack of Common Sense

Next, the group was guided to the second floor of the mansion. Climbing up the stairs from the entrance hall they arrived at the second floors hall. On the east side there was Jins room and his teachers (dummy) room. The library and storeroom were there too. On the west, there were the guest rooms and the toilet. In addition, the golem maids waiting room was there. Is this Jins room? The Japanese-style room was approximately eight tatami mats in size, and tatami mats had beenid on the floor. Oh, take off your shoes. Jin advised, first took his own shoes off and then plopped himself down on the tatami floor. Huh, so its a floor that lets you do that sort of thing. May I? Still wearing the pants, Beana also took her shoes off andid on the tatami floor. Ah, its got a somewhat good scent. Since the face of the tatami mat had been woven from pseudo soft rush, it had the scent of soft rush. Really? Elsa took her shoes off too, and in the same manner plopped herself down on the floor. Jin was sandwiched with her and Beana on the other side. It feels pleasantly cool. But not too chilly. I see, its very nice when you take your shoes off! Reinhardt had taken even his socks off, and was enjoying the feeling of the tatami mats while barefoot. But how do you sleep? No matter how I look at it, it will be cold during the night as is. When Beana asked the obvious question, Jin got up and opened the closet door. When its time to sleep Iy out this futon., Jin exined, and Beana got up and came over to him, and with his permission tried touching the futon. Eh, whats this? Its so soft and fluffy! Its not stuffed with feathers, right? Let me see. Reinhardt also tried touching the futon, and, Hm, what is this? It feels like its been woven from fine thread. It also resembles felt a bit, but the softness and flexibility arepletely different. Finally, Elsa touched the futon. Soft and fluffy. I want to lie down on it., She said, so Jin took the futon out andid it on the floor. Go ahead. The first one to throw herself down on it was Elsa. Amazing. It feels morefortable than feathers. The body sinks too much into down-filled matresses but this is different. M-me too! Not to be outdone, Beana also threw herself down on the futon. Ah, its true, this is amazing! It cantpare with a straw mattress! After saying that, she noticed the difference between her and Elsa and held her tongue. Hmm, what on earth could the material be? I mean the cloth of this futon. Its not linen or wool. It even feels better to the touch than silk. Reinhardt tilted his head in puzzlement as he felt the cover of the futon and looked at its luster. Its silk woven by a Ground Caterpir. Jin told him the answer as it seemed if he didnt, Reinhardt would be troubled by it forever. What! Ground Caterpir you say!? Isnt that a devil beast thats been said to have gone extinct! They say the same about Ground Spiders, but their food is Magic Energy, not meat. They dont attack people either unless attacked first. But because of their appearance they became targets for extermination, and nowadays they only barely survive deep underground in some remote regions. But at the same time, several of them live in the caves beneath Hourai Ind, since the predecessor knew of their silks usefulness, and gave them shelter. And so, after Jins inheritance their raising was also under investigation. Under Topazs leadership, experiments to see if it is possible to use an Ether Converter to bestow Magic Energy into the mine tunnels after the ore has been extracted were underway. Ugh, a devil beasts silk Beana seemed a little drawn back after hearing that, and got up from the futon. Elsa still seemed to just idle around peacefully. The pants Jin-kun gave are made from a devil beasts leather. Even normal silk is from the the thread woven by a bug. So to dislike a devil beasts silk is weird. Tha- Thats right! This feels so good to the touch too!, Beana said to Elsa, andid down a second time on the futon. In that case, is the stuffing of the futon same too? Reinhardt seemed to understand that the material for the stuffing was the same. Uh-huh. Its devil silk wadding. Wadding made out of Ground Caterpirs silk, or rather made out of a devil beasts silk, and so it was devil silk wadding. I see, devil silk wadding, huh? Reinhardt said, and his face suddenly became serious. Jin, Ill give you some advice as a friend. Your techniques, and the materials of this, Kunlun Ind was it? It would be better for you to not show them off in the outside world too much., He said. The current Reinhardt had the face of a diplomat. Rai-nii, what do you mean? Elsa seemed to be bothered by what he said, and she stopped idling on the futon and got up next to Jin and asked. Reinhardt thought about what words to use to exin it to Elsa. Jins techniques are different. Theyre outstanding. And all the materials hes got are extremely precious and expensive. If it became known, its possible the economy could be thrown into chaos. He stopped the words there and looked at Elsa. After seeing her nod her head he continued. Any country would assemble everything together to corral Jin. Then they would plunder the materials here. Thats terrible. Reinhardt nodded at Elsas fretful reply. Yes, thats right. And so, Jin, you need to understand the standards of the world. Thats certainly true. Jin replied to Reinhardt, and nodded. He knew that his own sensibility differed. He knew his technical standards were high. He also suspected that the resources saved on Hourai Ind could threaten this worlds economy. Even so, he was grateful that Reinhardt didnt mince his words. Thanks, Reinhardt. Ill be careful about the materials. Id like you to teach me about the standard level of things from now on. When Jin said so, Reinhardt returned to his usual mood andughed, I naturally will! And Id also like you to teach me your techniques! Again his face became serious. To be frank, as a diplomat I should be saying, I want you to join our country, but, well. He said, then againughed, But I still want get on with Jin as a friend. So Ill say this, Drop in for a visit at Shouro Empire'' Didnt I already agree to that?, Jin said, to which Reinhardt replied, Is that so, thats good then. To tell you the truth, I was worried that youd settle down in this house, and say youre not going to travel any more. Jin said thats not the case, and added that hes got no intention to break the promise hed made. After hearing that, Reinhardt returned to his normal mood, and Elsa too had a relieved look on her face. Everyone, as it will soon be noon, the meal preparations are underway. Please follow me. Peridot came and said so, and everyone moved to the first-floor dining room. However, Beana seemed reluctant to part from the futon, and kept looking back and back as they left. Chapter 112 - A Good Bath

Chapter 112 C A Good Bath

The lunch served white bread, fish karaage, vegetable sd, and Citran juice. The dessert was Pelshka fruit. Umm, could this pure white bread be Yes, we performed the peeling. Reinhardt was surprised by the whiteness of the bread, because the golem maids had diligently peeled the chaff off the wheat with their hands. The girlss special quality was to be able to continue such menial work far longer than humans. Delicious. Beana had a mouthful, and gave her opinion on the vor. But Jin, when you ate at my ce, you said next to nothing while you ate. If you usually eat tasty things like this, howe you were so okay with it? Oh. Im not very picky. Ive got a habit of just being grateful that Ive got something to eat. Thats, how should I say this, remarkable Beana had some strange admiration. This is delicious. It looked like the karaage was to Elsas tastes. Reinhardts interest was in the taste of the sd dressing, Something in this sds taste makes me feel like Ive had this somewhere before He sounded like a gourmet in some respects. Its fish sauce I got from Port Rock. Jin said, and, Oh! Thats it! Its that taste! I see, so theres a way like this tobine it with spices too! He received praise again. Things like Jins various Japanese style dressings he made in the orphanage were his forte. But Jin, you said youve lived all your life here, right? ? Yep. Beana suddenly asked. Do you grow wheat and such on this ind? Or do you buy it? If you buy it, doesnt that mean youve been to Blue Land quite a while back? Uh. Having the contradiction caused by the food pointed out to him, Jin was flustered. Reiko came to his rescue. Beana-san, if the Warp Gates adjustments and such went poorly it would be dangerous. Thats why it was primarily me who went to stealthily buy wheat and other things. The time Father went to Blue Land and met you was only after the adjustments were perfected. Ah, so thats how it is What would happen if the adjustments werent done properly? You would teleport into an unexpected ce. I shouldnt have asked. It seemed like Warp Gates became somewhat scary. After lunch, they enjoyed tea at ease, and finally the tour around Kunlun Ind began. Everyone got on a golem horse and began the trip around the ind. The three who werent used to riding like Jin were guided by the golem maids that apanied them during the teatime. Reinhardt had Amethyst-100, Elsa had Aqua-100, and finally Beana had Ruby-100. They couldnt possibly see everything, so they went towards the mining site in the west. There was a hill in the ce where the mining tunnels were, and itmanded a nice view. This horse is interesting after you get used to it. It looked like Elsa liked the horse golem. This one also moves wonderfully. Just like a real one. Unlike on modern Earth with its high-speed cameras, analyzing the walk of a four-legged animal is normally impossible. And thats why animal-model golems had somewhat awkward movements that looked unnatural. For that reason Reinhardts admiration could be said to have been just natural. After an hour of enjoying the scenery Although it was mostly just grassy ins, fields of bamboo, sparse woods and wilderness with nothing much to look at, but in any case, the group arrived at the mining site. There, Army golems from 91 to 100 were working, and the sight was overwhelming. It was finally the debut of the male golem models. This is terrific. It was the ce where dug up metals and crystals were sorted into piles. Magi Crystals were carefully stored in a warehouse with a roof, while Magi Stones were stored together with other Magi Stones. As I thought, having a mine exclusively for ones use is amazing. I only seeded it from my teacher, though. That wasnt true. On Hourai Ind that may be the case, but here on Kunlun Ind the exploitation had only started during Jins era. Your teacherAdrianna-dono was it? She mustve been a great person. When Reinhardt said so, even though it was just for a moment, Reiko had a d look on her face. There will be a good view from top of that mountain. The guide Soleil told them so, and everyone started ascending the hill with their horses. The climbing came to an end after around five minutes, and to the west was the sea. Beyond the clear afternoon horizon tiny silhouettes of inds could be seen. Ooh, the seas beautiful. Truly. Could Io Ind be nearby? Reinhardt and Elsa seemed to be reminiscing about the golem boat contest. When Jin told them that it doesnt seem like Io Ind can be seen from here, the two were disappointed. Beana on the other hand was as if it was her first time seeing the sea; she only stared without words. Pretty Nevertheless, it felt as if a voice like that could be heard. They were like that for a while, but they couldnt stay on the summit forever, and after calling out to Beana they descended. Jin, it was good toe here. Thanks., Beana sighed and muttered at the back of the line. As they came back to the mansion, the sun was already starting to set. The sundial in front of the mansion was at nearly four. Now then, Reinhardt, isnt it time to return soon? Or are you going to stay the night? Jin asked, and Reinhardt was considering what to do with a pensive look on her face. Then, Stay. Elsa expressed her wishes in a single word, and as Beana also said she would stay Reinhardt had no other option than to stay too. In that case, by all means use the hot spring., Jin said. Yes, that. I wanted to try it., Elsa said happily. She had seen a glimpse of the hot spring while in the changing room changing to pants. Following the etiquette ofdies first, the girls entered the bath first. Soleil and Luna went along as assistants. Woow The bathtub was around 4 meters in diameter, made of marble and filled to the brim with hot water. Because the water flowed in and out through a structure in the bottom of the tub, hardly any dirt umted. This one was a simple alkaline hot spring. They are easy to get into and causes only a small mellow sensation. Theyre also good for your skin. The two entered the bath after having Soleil and Luna pour hot water on them to prepare them for the bath. Aah, it feels good. Beana who rarely had opportunities to to bathe simply enjoyed it. This hot bath. It makes the skin feel smooth. Is this what a hot spring does? Elsa noticed the difference from a regr hot bath, and asked Luna. Yes. Father said that because of the weak alkalinity it is good for the skin. Weak alkalinity? It was Greek to her, but she understood the part about the water being good for the skin. She then stretched her body in the water, and tried caressing her feet and arms. Elsa had a nce at Beanas direction, then at herself inparison, and for some reason had a relieved look on her face. Image (NSFW, mild nudity) Beana, was it? Y- Yes, Miss Elsa. Beana was surprised when Elsa spoke to her. You dont need to be so humble. You and me, were both Jin-kuns guests here. Y- Yes, thank you very much Even when asked, it wasnt so easy for themoner Beana to change her behavior like that. Whats your rtionship with Jin-kun? Uh, with Jin? Elsa nodded to confirm, and said she was interested in how Jin acted when she wasnt around. Lets see, was it one and a half months ago? It began at a Magi Tool sales stand in Blue Land. Then Beana told her about how she met Jin, and how she then asked him to help her because of the repayment of her debt and her siblings illness, about the lighter and refrigerators development, and about popcorn and the water heater, in that order. Elsa listened attentively until Beanas story came to and end and said, Jin-kun is Jin-kun after all. No matter where, hes the same. Beana felt a sad feeling in her chest when she saw Elsas faint smile as she said those words. Chapter 113 - The Legend

Chapter 113 C The Legend

Ah, this too is exceptional. After the girls got out, Jin and Reinhardt took a bath. Jin, youre really mysterious. Reinhardt chatted while stretching in the bath. Its almost as if you werent born in this world. When Reinhardt said so, Jins heartbeat was set racing. No, its not a figure of speech. Reinhardt continued while looking at the steam-covered ceiling. You may not know of it, but theres a legend in my country. A legend? Jin began to listen attentively after hearing that word. Its said that beyond the sun in the sky there is an another world. What did you say? Jin asked again to confirm if he had heard correctly. It might sound unbelievable and you might ask how a world could exist in a ce like that, but, well, its a legend after all. Reinhardt waved a hand in front of his face as if to say he doesnt believe in it himself, and continued, Its said that our ancestors came from that world. Came from? Mh-hm. Whether it was to pioneer a new world or to run away from the old one, the legend doesnt say. Since Jin wasnt familiar with such a legend, he was a little interested. So he said that its an interesting legend, and Reinhard replied, Thats unexpected. Are you interested? If so, there should be a storyteller who can tell you about it in Celuroa Kingdom which Im nning to pass through after this. After saying so, his attitude suddenly changed. By the way Jin, on a different topic, what do you think about Miss Beana and Elsa? Huh? Jin couldnt keep up with the sudden 180 degree turn in the conversation and was befuddled. I mean, even as her cousin I think Elsa doesnt look so bad, and that Miss Beana is also not just a little cute, dont you think? After rification Jin finally wrapped his head around it, and thought about the two. I suppose so, Beana is kind of like a troublesome younger sister? And Elsa? Shes Well, like a slightly unreliable younger sister. After the reply, Reinhardt wore a smile that looked worried, happy, and also bitter. I see, so the girls are like little sisters for Jin., He mumbled. Its a bit of a digression, but Soleil and Luna heard what Jin had said, and when they told Reiko about it afterwards she had the finest smile of relief and joy on her face. The evening menu was a stew with vegetables and chicken, fried fish, in omelette, sd, and baked Applele for dessert. Oh, this is good. Fried, you say? Yes. The fish is covered with wheat flour, dipped in beaten eggs, coated with bread crumbs and fried in oil. Huh, so theres such a way of cooking too. It seemed like it was Reinhardts and needless to say Beanas first time having the ever-popr fried food. Elsa looked to be enjoying the baked Appleles, and casually asked Reiko for another serving. Jin was wondering if something happened to Reiko, since she seemed to be in a good mood. So this is baked Applele. It really is delicious. Some time ago, Jin mentioned making baked Appleles but wasnt able to as there wasnt enough sugar. It sounds easy to make. Ill try making it for my siblings once I go back home. Speaking of them, how are the conditions of your younger brother and sister? Beana exined that they were already in good health, and currently were helping clean Earl Kuzumas garden. Im indebted to the Earl for many things., And she finished the conversation so. Meanwhile, Elsa was having her third te of baked Appleles. Hey Elsa, are you going to be fine after eating that much?, Reinhardt said, as expected, after he saw what was going on. Ill be fine. Because this will be thest one., She said and ate some baked Applele. Haha, Im very happy that you like it., Jin said withughter and he too stuffed his mouth with baked Applele. Even though its a bed, the futon is the same! The guest rooms had Western Style beds, but the mattresses were futons made with devil silk wadding. Beana was jumping with joy. Ooh, this sleepwear is made out of a Ground Caterpirs silk too, right? It feels really good to the touch! Ruby-100 left the room quietly. I wanted to sleep on a tatami mat. Elsa muttered, and Aqua-100 carried a spare tatami mat in andid it on the floor for her, making a make-shift Japanese-style room. Thanks. Elsa said, and Aqua-100 bowed and made her exit. Elsa threw herself down on the tatami mat, Happiness. After enjoying the tatami mats sense of touch, Elsa got into the futon and fell asleep with a satisfied look on her face. Thank you, this is already enough. Reinhardt faced Amethyst-100 who had folded the taken-off clothes and said. Even in the Earls mansion, Reinhardt was in the habit of taking care of as many of his own things as he could, and so would dress himself in the devil silk sleepwear, he exined to excuse himself. Understood, if anythinges up please call for me., Amethyst-100 said and left. While looking at her retreating figure, Reinhardt felt a bit interested in Jins golems that behaved entirely like humans. I want to absolutely never make enemies of Jin. Those were Reinhardts honest feelings. Its a story like that. Meanwhile, in his room, Jin told Reiko about the legend he heard from Reinhardt. Im very sorry, but I havent heard of such a story. Reiko said she doesnt know of it either. Then, was it a legend that was known only in some ces? If Ive got a chance to hear about it, Id like to hear about it in more detail. He had learned recently from Reinhardt that themon knowledge was that the world was round, but that such an old legend would tell of another world beyond the sun, or rather, in space, there was no way he wouldnt be interested. Maybe a long time ago people flew in the air. Jin muttered. If one day he could go to space, he would try it, Jin thought while remembering the picture books and television clips he had seen as a child. Chapter 114 - To Blue Land’s Fort

Chapter 114 C To Blue Lands Fort

The next morning, Jin got up early and was looking outside from the second floor veranda. It was already March. The salty breeze blew from the distant sea and brought the smell of spring with it. Jin-kun, good morning. Jin turned to face the voice, and it was Elsa. She was still wearing the devil silk sleepwear. Good morning. Did you sleep well?, He asked, Elsa said yes and continued, Tatami. Futon. Veryfortable to sleep in. Jin was felt relieved by the answer, then asked, Eh? Tatami? Elsa nodded. I voiced my whims and the golem maidid out one. Aqua did? Huh, wasnt that thoughtful. Jin admired her volition. Since the golems had a Magi Link with Jin and Reiko, it seemed like they were growing little by little. This is a nice ce. Elsa said as she stood next to Jin and looked out at the scenery from the veranda. Haha, thanks. Jin responded, and because Elsa was still her sleepwear, asked, Arent you cold?, And took off his coat. Elsa epted it while blushing slightly. Thank you Back then too, you lent me your coat. She said. Today, Ill be taking you all back to Blue Land after breakfast. Mmh. I actually wanted to stay longer, but I guess I have to. While saying so, she inched her body closer to Jin. Good morning! Jin! A cheerful voice. In a sh Elsa made space between her and Jin, and looked around. Jin also looked around. Good morning, Beana. Youre up early. Yes, the morning of themoners is early. Beana said and glimpsed at Elsa who was wearing Jins coat. Beana who had already changed her clothes to her ordinary ones whispered, (I shouldvee in my sleepwear too) Huh? It seemed like she was too quiet to be heard. I- It was nothing! What a good view this ce has. Right? Look, you can see the sea in the distance. Oh, thats true. Thats the sea isn tit. The morning was a peaceful time. After finishing breakfast, Jin again took the lead of the golem horses with Koma, and they warped to Blue Land. Since this time everyone was wearing pants, unlike yesterday everyone had their own horse to ride. In less than one hour they had arrived at the edge of the forest. Sorry about this, but around here we need to get off the horses. Jin remembered well what Reinhardt had said yesterday. It would be better for him to avoid unnecessarily disying his craft. Im reluctant to part with them, though. Reinhardt who had given the advice was the first to dismount his horse, then Elsa and Beana followed. Koma, good work. Jin said, and told Koma and the others to go back, Now then, lets go. He said, and began to walk towards Blue Land. Reiko who was carrying the luggage followed, while Elsa and Beana hurriedly jumped towards each of Jins hands. While looking at the spectacle, Reinhardt walked at ease by himself. Spring was so close that gradually grass was beginning to grow around Blue Land, and as they walked they could smell spring. Jin, will you be staying at my ce tonight? I want you to see Nana and Raldo whove be healthy. Beana said while pulling on Jins arm. He cant. Jin-kun is Rai-niis guest. Hes going to stay with us. Elsa didnt draw back either. Well, in any case since Jins staying at Earl Kuzumas ce, Beana-dono, youll have time to introduce Jin to your younger brother and sister. Reinhardt was unable to just watch and said so, and the two calmed down. Unexpectedly Reikos mood didnt spoil. It was likely because she was relieved (?) yesterday when Jin had said the two are like little sisters to him. After walking a little, Blue Lands ramparts came into sight. Oh, theyvee to pick us up already. In front of the walls, two carriages, the butler Adberg, and nanny Mine could be seen. After Mine saw the group, her expression changed and she came running. Youngdyyyyyyy! Like a short-distance sprint runner, Mine quickly ran to and hugged Elsa who was next to Jin. Youre safe!? Nothing happened to you, right!? Why did you stay overnight without permission!!, She kept on rapidly talking. Reinhardt smiled bitterly and said, Wait a minute Mine, since she was with me it wasnt without permission, right? But Mine shaked her head, No, it is most unreasonable for an unmarried woman to stay overnight at a mans house., She said and didnt give up. Mine, thats called not having confidence in youngdy and Reinhardt-sama. How many times must I tell you before you understand? The butler Adberg said. Moreover, he continued, Jin-sama is Reinhardt-samas guest with an equal standing. If you look down on him that much, arent you just insulting Reinhardt-sama? After he had said all that, Mine bitterly hanged her head in shame, Yes I am very sorry, youngdy, Reinhardt-sama, And apologized. Mine, if youre going to apologize, then apologize to Jin-sama too. When Adberg said so, Mine bit her lips, and while shaking turned to bow her head to Jin and apologized in a small voice. After she apologized Jin could breathe a sigh of relief, as he had been worried about how soon Reiko who emitted a thirst for blood would jump on Mine. Jin, Mine means no harm, so let it go with this apology. She just has a bad habit of going off the rails with things regarding Elsa. Thats right. Mine has always only worried about me. Reinhardt and Elsa were sticking up for Mine, but Jin didnt particrly care about it any more. Jin said so, and began to walk. While still attached to Beana by the right arm. When Elsa saw it, she looked at Mine like she was bearing a grudge. Reinhardt, Elsa, Adberg, and Mine were in one, while Jin, Reiko, and Beana were in another carriage, and they headed inside Blue Lands fort. Jin, whose first time it was in Blue Lands fort, was looking around here and there with great interest. Beana saw it and said, Come to think of it, wasnt this your first time inside the walls? Thats right. You know, I get the feeling the inside is actually divided into the noble town to the right-hand-side of the main street, and to the wealthy peoples and high-ss shops area on the left side. Jin, who was told so, again looked at the cityscape around him. The carriage was traveling on the main street, and indeed on the right side there were mansions, and on the left side there were shops here and there. Earl Kuzumas mansion is a lot closer to the heart of the city. Thats because Earl Kuzuma is that important to Blue Land, Jin guessed. Oh, there it is. Thats Earl Kuzumas residence. Beana said and pointed a finger at the remarkably elegant mansion that hade to sight. Chapter 115 - Request

Chapter 115 C Request

Wee, Jin-dono. Earl Kuzuma was in the entrance hall to greet Jin in person. Well, its possible that couldve just been because Jin came with Reinhardt and Elsa. I wanted to have a proper talk with you. The Earl shook Jins hand while saying so. You dont need to worry about Earl Guarana. The private army corps thatmitted the crime of assailing amoner injustly have been discharged. The head of the corps has been imprisoned. The reason Jin had left Blue Land was the trouble with Earl Guaranas private army corps. It seemed like Earl Kuzuma took measures regarding that. Since they were a group that had caused various problems before, apparently it wasnt difficult to find them at fault for the crime. The Earl then faced towards Reinhardt, Reinhardt, did you have fun at Jin-donos base? I wouldve liked to go too if I hadnt had official business to do. Earl Guruma said with an expression ofplete envy. He then faced Beana, Beana, your younger brother and sister have been worried. Hurry up and get going. Ah, uh, is that so! In that case, please excuse me. Jin, see youter! She said, and ran towards the courtyard. Well, step inside. Earl Kuzuma guided Jin and the others at first, but midway the guide changed to Sevanz, as the Earl went with Reinhardt and Elsa to a separate room. Please feel at home here. Jin and Reiko were given a room in the second floor. It was a very luxurious room. Since Earl Kuzuma knew that Reiko wasnt a human, he didnt prepare two rooms. You can see the courtyard from the window. The gardens pretty beautiful. Jin said while looking out at the garden. Reiko was putting the luggage in order. He rxed like that when ady attendant came to summon him. The Earl wanted to have a talk. Because there was no reason to refuse, Jin and Reiko were led by the attendant to the parlour. The parlour was in the center of the same second floor, and had a wide balcony. Earl and the others were on the balcony sitting around a round table, sipping tea leisurely in the early springs sunshine. Ive brought Jin-sama., The attendant who showed Jin here said and left. Hey Jin, the sunlights warm over here. Reinhardt said and beckoned. Jin sat at the round table right between Reinhardt and Elsa. Or rather, was made to sit. Reiko stood silently behind and to the side of Jin. Lewis Oh, Lewis is Earl Kuzumas first name, Jin. Reinhardt said, and exined the name structure of nobles in Egelia Kingdom. It goes in the order of Peerage (title) - first name - pen name - family name. The Earls formal name is then Earl Lewis Wurtz Kuzuma. And finally, he went to the main subject. So, Lewis, wont you tell that story you just told me to Jin too? Told to do so, Lewis, the Earl, said while looking at Jin, Our Egelia Kingdoms kings son, Prince Ernest ising. Hes only the third Prince, but he loves Golems and Automata. He looked towards Reiko for a moment, In ten days a birthday party for Ernest-sama will be held, and weve decided to make it a golem party. Golem party? Jin reflexively asked. ording to Earl Kuzumas exnation, because of the chronicbor shortage caused by the scarce poption, in many nations it has be popr to employ golems, and Egelia Kingdom was no exception. In addition, the third Prince Ernest loved golems, and apparently one third of his guards were golem soldiers. Because of such a background, this year for the Princes birthday a golem party will be held, with excellent golems and Magi Craftsmen invited to attend from inside and outside the country, he said. This was why many countries were exploring effective uses for golems. Reinhardt and his Schwarz Ritter also received a written invitation. Schwarz Ritter seemed to be quite famous. Reinhardt looked bitter and said, Im happy that my Schwarz Ritter has been approved of, but unfortunately, hes currently out of order. What, he is? If you need materials, Ill prepare as much as I can, so repair him. After hearing that Reinhardt looked towards Jin, Thats how it is. Doesnt the party seem interesting?, He tried to pique Jins interest. Since Jin had been interested from the start since hearing the story, Uh huh, seems interesting. Id like to see it., He gave a simple reply. The Earl then responded with, I see, if you say so then its easy for me to ask. Eh? In fact, Earl Kuzuma said, it was arranged for each of the the kingdoms viscounts and higher-ranking nobles to have a golem with them. And so, I would be obliged if Jin-dono could manufacture a golem for me. Ill get you any materials I can. Finally, Earl added that unfortunately its still impossible for Beana to produce a golem. When he put it like that, Jin didnt have the option to refuse. It should be interesting to see if its possible to make a high-grade golem, not with the best materials of Hourai Ind, but with normal materials. As thanks for your help, Ill ept the task. He answered. Ah, is that so. Much obliged. What should I prepare for the reward? What indeed. Please decide after seeing thepleted golem. Hmm, full of confidence, I see. Im looking forward to it. Reinhardt was looking at the exchange between Earl and Jin with an interested, yet slightly worried looko on his face. Speaking of golems, Earl Kuzuma changed the topic slightly. Just yesterday afternoon, some information from Elias Kingdom came, and it seems like those golems are somehow involved with Celuroa Kingdom. He was talking about the golems the attacker in the mountain pass employed. What!? Celuroa Kingdom was a country Reinhardts group had to pass through next to return home to Shouro Empire. I mean, well, a part of the materials, the Magi Crystals were supposedly the ones used in Celuroa Kingdom, but that doesnt necessarily mean the golems were constructed there. The Earl added so as to wipe out Reinhardts worries. And then, about the golem that attacked you. This was about the golem that beat Schwarz Ritter The Elradrite it used is a product of Leonard Kingdom. But since 80% of Elradritees from that country it may just be natural. Hmm, I think Celuroa Kingdom and Leonard Kingdom are in one way or another connected to this business. Reinhardt pondered not in his usual high spirits, but in a serious fashion. Because Celuroa Kingdom has always thought proudly that they should be the ones to seed Dinar Kingdom. Reinhardt furthermore exined that some 150 years ago Celuroa Kingdom was just one of in a group of tiny nations called Frenel Dukedom between Shouro Empire and Egelia Kingdom, which burned with the desire to expand and eventually annexed the other nations. But in any case, on top of having no evidence, private individuals like us cant be expected to do much. Reinhardt said, and returned to his usual countenance. After that was only chitchat. Really, Miss Elsa participated too? The topic was the golem boatpetition in Port Rock. Earl Kuzuma had heard that all of the participating ship handlers were women in swimming suits. Hahaha, I envy the folks who could see close by Miss Elsa wearing a swimsuit. Elsa blushed a little because something like that was said. When the Earl heard that Jin also took part in building the golem Marcia to be the ship handler, he asked, Hmm, in that case this time Ill have you build a female type golem. The model should be Well, how about Beana?, He asked things like that Not knowing whether or not the Earl was seirous, Jin chimed in with a nomittal answer. Neither woman in question, Jin thought and took a nce, had much of a chest so he doubted there was no real interest. Jin-kun, are you thinking about something rude right now? Maybe due of a womans intuition, Elsa red at Jin. Rather than because of intuition, maybe the fleeting nce at Elsas chest was noticed. Now then, lunchtime should be around now. The pleasant chat continued until lunchtime, and when the sun indicated it was noon they moved to the dining room. After lunch, Jin designed his golem, while Reinhardt started Schwarz Ritters repairs. The ce was obviously Beanas workshop. Ah, Jin, Reinhardt-sama, wee. I heard about the golems from the Earl. Jin onii-chan! Jin nii-chan Beana and her siblings came to greet them. Nanas and Raldosplexions had both improved quite a bit, and they had also put on some weight. Wow, arent you two energetic. Yeah! Now, you two, its work from now on, go outside so youre not on the way. Then well go do the cleaning! Nana and Randol were pleased to meet with Jin again, but since Jin had to handle the request after this, when Beana told the two to go they obediently left to clean the courtyard. Jin looked around the workshop and said, Huh, so this is Beanas workshop. Itsrger than the previous one, and the tools and materials are better. What are you making now? Eh? Um, you know, a Magi Tool that produces wind. After this spring, with the summer the temperatures would increase and this area would be hot. To cool themselves, nobles hired servants to fan them, but if there was a Magi Tool that produced wind, evenmoners could get them is what she thought. Hmm, that may be good? So? Whats your design? When asked, Beana triumphantly said, It can be done. Its fine to just use the elementary wind magic [Breeze]. [Breeze] only produced some wind, and was the simplest of the elementary wind magics. Since the Magic Energy consumption was small too, Beana chose it. Uh-huh, I think thats fine. Eheh, since I worked hard even after Jin disappeared. She said, while nobody noticed Elsa looking at the slightly proud Beana from the shadows. Chapter 116 - Jin’s Golem Manufacturing

Chapter 116 C Jins Golem Manufacturing

Jin talked with Beana until the materials for the golem had been brought. Beana, instead of using only wind, how about using the workings of the refrigerator? Like that, he hinted at ideas. I see! The wind blowing over the ice gets cold! Itll be pleasant even during summer! For some reason Reinhardt joined in the conversation. And so along with Reinhardt, the air cooler was conceived. In short, itll be fine as long as you expose the wind to something cool? In that case, wouldnt a shape like this work fine? Thats right, in that case here should be And just like that, while waiting for the delivery of the materials the three finished a prototype air cooler. OhIts done. Its done indeed. Is this okay? Not just Jin, but Reinhardt also assisted with the air cooler. It was understandable for Beana to be worried. Isnt it fine? I only took part to the extents of a hobbyist. Reinhardt said, and Jin too clearly stated that the air cooler was Beanas work and she shouldnt worry about it. ThThank you very much, Reinhardt-sama. Thank you, Jin! Reinhardt said to Beana who looked apologetic while thanking him, Its fine. At any rate, Beana has the makings of a good Magi Craftsman. He said. Beana wondered aloud if thats so, while looking slightly happy and blushing. Now then, lets build a golem! Jin fired himself up in front of the materials that had arrived. Reinhardt carried Schwarz Ritter in and took out a Magi Crystal for the Control Core. Now then, lets start the repairs! Mimicking Jin, Reinhardt got fired up. Even the Earl put in a good word for them, so Beana frantically tried to learn from them. She wondered if the design wasnt yet finished, as Jin hadnt started the work yet. On the other hand, Reinhardt had started the manufacture of the Control Core. Writing Control System. Writing movement control form. To not to miss the procedure, Beana stuck to Reinhardt. Magi Sequence okay. Master/ve seal. And like that, the Control Core waspleted. Alright, with this Schwarz Ritter can go back to normal. But, back to normal is too boring. He couldnt get the golems he saw on Kunlun Ind out of his mind. Reinhardt wanted to make Schwarz Ritter even more highly efficient. In addition, I dont want to lose in the same way asst time. He wouldnt let the Control Core be overwritten by a strong magical force from the outside a second time. Ever since then, Reinhardt had been continuously thinking about countermeasures. I wonder what would be the material that best prevents Magic Power from permeating it. And then, when he took a look towards Jin he wondered just when Elsa hade, as she was sitting next to Jin. Oh, Elsa, you came. Thats unusual, whenever Im secluded in my workshop you nevere to visit. When Reinhard said that, Elsa hmphed and looked away. My goodness, thats rude. While saying so, he returned his gaze to the materials in front of him, looking for a particr one. For now, there was Armor Turtles shell, Grand Lizards leather, and Helm Eagles feathers. It seemed like he was trying to decide which one was most Magic Energy resistant of these. Its hard to do it alone Hey, Elsa, can you help me for a bit? Reinhardt called out to Elsa, but she was feigning ignorance while looking at the scrawling Jin was making which he called the golem design. Reinhardt let out a strainedugh, and turned to nearby Beana, Beana, sorry but could you help me with a little experiment?, He said, asking her for assistance. Y-Yes, if youre okay with me. Reinhardt then made roughly the same sized samples of all three of the prospective materials. Alright, please turn the palm of your hand upwards. He ced them on Beanas hand, and on top of that ced a te. Just like that, write the Well, write the magic for [Wind] onto the te. Got it. While Beana was writing the magic, Reinhardt observed the flow of the Magic Energy, looking for the material that could damp the Magic Energy the most. It was idental, but asking Beana to assist was the right choice. If this was Jin, no matter what the material was, he would be able to write it. And if it was Elsa, since she cant use Craft Magic she would obviously have to use regrly invoked magic for the experiment, and since the invocation time would be so short observing the Magic Energy would be difficult. Hmm, so Armor Turtles shell lets Magic Energy through it the least. I should be able to use this. Reinhardt mumbled to himself, thanked Beana, and opened up Schwarz Ritters chest. Schwarz Ritters insides werent simply hollow, but every important point was was stuffed with various things. For example, the fists were filled with steel to increase the effects of the blows, and Adamantite was stuffed into his toetips to increase the destructive power of his kicks. Spongelike stuff filled most of his body. E- Excuse me, Reinhardt-sama, what is this? Beana didnt stay silent at the sight of an unknown material, and asked Reinhardt. Hm? This? This is called a Gschwamm, and its a devil beast that lives on the bottom of the sea, but its dried remains are soft and flexible like this. Its a material thats just perfect for protecting the central part of a golem, the Magi Device that contains the Control Core. But it very easily lets Magic Energy through it, he finished the exnation. Reinhardt then took the Magi Device out from inside the Gschwamm, and set in the Control Core he had constructed just now. Alright, [Link]Good. Now to connect this to the movement system again. He returned the adjusted Magi Device back into the golem, and covered its surroundings with the shell of an Armor Turtle. Since Schwarz Ritter was a heavyweight to begin with, there wasnt much of a difference. And now the fine tuning. 99% of the work was done, and Reinhardt started on the maintenance of the external wounds Schwarz Ritter had suffered. Alright, Ive decided. To outside it only looked like some sort of a scribble, but Jin had been considering the ns he drew on a wooden nk he was holding. Then as if he had made his decision, with a p, he put his hands together and stood up to get the materials. Simultaneously, Reiko who had been silently by Jins side until now stood up too. Father, what would you like me to bring? Hmm, first Id like some iron and zinc. Sink? Elsa who had been only watching until then raised her voice when she heard an unfamiliar word. Jin heard it and, Oh, zinc is a metal that looks like lead but isnt lead., He gave a simple exnation. Brass was already made in this world. Jin didnt know what would happen if he mixed zinc with iron, but he did know that a zinc coating prevents corrosion. To start with, lets mix carbon to the iron to make steel. He was able to use the carbon dioxide from the air as a carbon supply. Well, Jin was the only one who knew of the existence of carbon dioxide. The carbon content went up to about 0.8%. He then started to build the skeleton with it. Even though it was called a skeleton, it was a much simplified version of a humans. For example, there was no ribcage or pelvis. This should do. Alright, [Heat Treatment]. [Hardening]. [ting]. The same result as with quenching and tempering was achieved through Craft Magic, furthermore the strength was increased with [Hardening], and zinc ting added to the corrosion resistance. The joints and other portions with surface-to-surface contact were ted with adamantite to prevent abrasion. The aim was to build joints that were nearing humanposition. By building an endoskeleton and making the armor shaped around it, it was possible to have it behave simrly to a human. Making the exoskeleton look like a normal golem was quite difficult. Its a little eerie. Elsa gave her honest impressions of the skeleton. The simplest golem that was hollow inside that made all its movements utilizing Magic Energy had a surprisingly bad Magic Energy efficiency. All the golems Jin had made had endoskeletons which incorporated Magical Muscles for movement. They were simr to using pure Magic Energy for the movements in a so-called telekic fashion, but when utilizing the Magical Muscles the Magic Energy was used to expand and contract the muscles instead, the efficiency was higher. For the Magic Muscles I guess Sand Worms leather will do. I know of those. Sand Worms were devil beasts simr to hairless caterpirs that lived in the desert, usually underground feeding on Magic Energy, but if their territory was invaded they would emerge aboveground and attack. The reason Elsa knew was the leather was a specialty of Shouro Empire. Devil beast material could without exception be used for things regarding Magical Energy reactions, and for example as a material for armor, for a scabbard or a hilt of a magical sword, for a maguss robes, all sorts of purposes. Jin tore it into thin strips and bundled them up to make Magical Muscles. Precisely when Jin was done with that, Reinhardt finished the repairs and remodeling of Schwarz Ritter, and came over to see Jins state of affairs. Chapter 117 - Golem Panic

Chapter 117 C Golem Panic

Oh my, what an interesting structure! Reinhardt praised Jins iplete golems skeletal and muscrposition. He seemed to be thinking about many things while staring at theid down unfinished golem. Jin didnt particrly mind and started the construction of a Magi Device for the central part of the golem. He grabbed a Magi Crystal and began to write the Control System. [Write In], Magi Sequence Creating Magi Form. Along with Reinhardt, Beana was also staring at the process intently. Alright, Control Corepleted. Next is the Mana Driver and the Mana Tank, I suppose. From what Jin had seen, the golems in this world drew their Magic Energy from Mana Tanks, without exception. On the other hand, golems Jin had made all utilized Ether Converters that absorbed the Ether in the air and converted it into Mana. Using a Mana Driver that could then be turned into various kinds of energy. Since this time he was building it for amission, it had to be able to be maintained without Jin, so he decided to use a Mana Tank. Even so, Jin had no intention of using a regr Mana Tank. Reiko, please look for a red and a green Magi Crystal. Yes, Father. Meanwhile, Jin prepared the exterior. Since it would contain the skeleton and the muscles, it meant armor. Since the movable parts like joints were obviously fragile, he added ovepping thin bronze tes to cover all the openings. It was work hed usually perform in an instant, but since it was custom made for the Earl who also wanted Beana to learn from Jin, he took his time on purpose. Father, are these eptable? Reiko returned holding Magi Crystals. She had a red fire-attribute Magi Crystal and a green wind-attribute Magi Crystal. Hmm, what are you going to do with those? Reinhardt spontaneously asked, and Jin told him to just wait and see and took them. [Fusion]. Wha!? Reinhardt was amazed by the feat of fusing fire and wind attribute Magi Crystals together. It was said that normally, fusing Magi Crystals of different attributes was impossible. Alright, its done. Reinhardt, want to see? He handed over the just fused Magi Crystal to Reinhardt, who first checked it by sight, then by confirming the Magic Energy flow. And then. Erm, what. Is this!? Inside the Magi Crystal, the Magic Energys activity had transformed strangely. Well, to put it simply, the wind fans the mes so it burns more brightly, so to speak. Jin quickly exined, but it wasnt something just anyone could do at a moments notice. Hmm, so when fusing, do you do it after momentarily making the Magic Energy inert? In spite of that, since Reinhardt was an excellent Magi Craftsman he understood more than half of the procedure Jin did. Thats correct. In addition, its necessary to advance the fusing parallel to the flow of Magic Energy. I see, that was helpful. You have my thanks! Reinhardt was delighted, but for the Magi Craft Meister Jin it was simplymon knowledge. Actually, during the predecessors era it was amon technique. Everything was because of the Great Magic War. As the poption decreased sharply, so did the people upholding the culture, and as such the world regressed. Returning to the topic of the Magi Crystal with improved activity, the handling gets difficult but on the other hand Magic Energy use efficiency is good. Although, the caveat is that its not a match for the all-attribute Magi Crystal thats used by Reiko. Alright, time to connect this thing and the Mana Driver with the Control Core. The central portion was getting done quickly. Okay, Ill get right on on upgrading Schwarz Ritter too! It seemed like Reinhardt wanted to try for himself the procedure he saw Jin do. Ah, Beana, sorry but could you lend me a hand? Y-Yes! With Beana as a helper, Reinhardt too tried to fuse a red and a green Magi Crystal. Meanwhile, Elsa was watching Jin work almost wordlessly. Now then. Next is the head. Reiko, please get me, lets see, two red Magi Stones should do. Yes. Jin then began the work on the head. He took a nce towards Beana and performed [Forming] in a single breath. Elsas eyes went wide when she saw it. Alright, Ill install it and then fuse it. Reiko, please hand over the Magi stones. He inserted the Magi Stones and processed them to work as eyes. He also wrote Magi Forms in the mouth and throat to work as vocal organs. Of course, he also engraved Magi Forms that could hear sound around the ear areas too. Lets see, I suppose Ill shield this one too. He covered the Magi Devices surroundings with Mithril. There were a few protrusions towards each limb and the head as terminals for transmitting Magic Energymands. With that the insides werepleted. Only the adjustment of the exterior and the finishing touches were left. Alright, Reiko, could you do the detailed size adjustments? Yes, Father. Reiko also took a nce towards Beana and started on the work. Head, neck, chest, abdomen, waist. Finally the arms and legs. How is this, Father? Yes, well done. However When Jin looked at the chest area he thought it was a littlecking, and used [Forming] on just that area. Elsas gaze turned sharp when she saw it, but Jin didnt notice. Alright, this should be enough. Jin started applying thest finishing touches and superficial changes. This time he kept the bronzes natural color. In other words, it was reddish. [Hardening]. [Surface Treatment]. Now its finallyplete. Having finished the restriction y of building the maximally high-performance golem with limited materials, Jin was satisfied. Theres still one problem though Jin muttered. Problem, Jin-kun? Elsa who had been quiet until now asked. Yes, Elsa Well, I was wondering what to do about the basic knowledge of this golem. What do you mean? This golem is fundamentally a maid golem. So I was thinking if its possible I could have one of thedy assistants transfer the knowledge. In that case, should I give an order to the head maid? Turning to face the talker, there stood Earl Kuzuma who hade to check on the progress. Oh my. Well, well. Its rather beautiful. Beana,e see this for a bit. Yes? At the Earls call, Beana who had been assisting Reinhardt came. She then saw the golem lying down there. Whawhawhawhwhwhawha, whats thiiiiisss!! She turned bright red and screamed. It was no wonder, as the golem looked exactly like Beana. Her bodys figure was considerably urately reproduced, that is, it was considerably sexy. Jins a perveeeeeeeeeert! Beana was so embarassed she moved to hit Jin, but Reiko gently intercepted her. Let me goooooo! I will not. If I were to, you would surely hit Father. Nooooooooooo! Earl Kuzuma couldnt let the bright red Beana just raise hell and exined, Sorry Beana, but to tell you the truth, I was the one who asked Jin to make a golem using you as the model. E-E-E-Earl did!? Beana was on the verge of panicking. Just then, Chop. Ow! Elsas chopnded directly on top of Beanas head. Ooo Beana was crouching holding her head. Looks like she avoided panicking. Jin was grateful for Elsas resourcefulness in his heart. Calm down a little. For Jin-kun, something like recreating a womans body is simple. He also made a golem exactly like Marcia-san in Port Rock. Oi. In addition, at Kunlun Ind it was easy for him to measure our three sizes. Gratitude cancelled. Ah, umm, that was, howd you say, not particrly out of malice so please forgive me. For Jin, now there was no other way than to apologize. The Earl also put in a good word for him, Hmm. Beana, you should stick your chest out in pride for having been the model for a golem this beautiful. But that word the Earl used was the final nail in the coffin for Beana. But! Why! Only the! Golems chest! Is biggeeeeeeeeerrr!! Beana shouted from the bottom of her heart. Chapter 118 - The Always Forgotten

Chapter 118 C The Always Forgotten

After somehow calming Beana down, Earl Kuzuma summoned the head maid. You called, master? Ady attendant in her mid-30s with aposed air about her appeared. She was dressed in a dark blue dress with a white bib apron, and wore a maid headdress. She had brte hair, and eyes of the same color. Her body was slightly chubby, she was a maid that gave off a calm atmosphere. Yes, as a matter of fact, as this golems currently under production, I want you to share your knowledge with it, Malloum. Come again? Either way, or rather because it didnt seem like she could understand, Jin stepped forward. Malloum-san, please keep on thinking about the work you usually do. Jin exined, and as expected she seemed to not really understand but replied anyway, O- Okay. However, Jin wasnt concerned, [Trans-info] level 3. Eek!? Malloum was surprised when Magic Energy suddenly pierced her head. Jin exined that there would be no pain, after-effects, or any kind of real harm. Even so, Malloum turned a bit pale. Master/ve, rank one, nk; rank two, Earl Kuzuma; rank three, Beana; Rank four, Malloum. He nned to have the third prince be rank one. After establishing the chain ofmand, all of the work had beenpleted. Incidentally, Jins rank was an exception as her Father. Huh, a method like that! I truly wont get tired of being with Jin! It seemed like Reinhardt saw the method Jin used, as expected of him. Well, now then, since the client is already here, [Activate]. Yes, Father. Eeek! Malloum let out a small shriek when she saw the golem suddenlye to life. How is it, the condition of the body? Jin enquired, and after moving her body around a little the golem answered that there are no problems. This is your master, greet him. Nice to meet you, My Master. I am in your care. The golem said and bowed to Earl Kuzuma. The movement was graceful and natural. Hmm, theres certainly a resemnce to Malloum. Since the knowledge was transcribed from Malloum, the movements also resembled Malloums. Jin asked the Earl to name her, and the Earl thought for a bit and said, Hmm, your name will be Lotte. Understood, thank you very much. I am Lotte. Lotte said and bowed very deeply. Beana-sama, nice to meet you. Malloum-sama, nice to meet you. Lotte also greeted Beana and Malloum. Judging from how her eyes were darting around, this was Malloums first time seeing a golem this simr to a human. Hm, now then, Malloum, train Lotte for a while, or rather, see that there arent any problems. Y-ye-yes, master. And thus Malloum left the workshop and took Lotte with her. Now, Jin, youve made a splendid golem indeed. What should I do about the reward? I told you Id leave it to you. After being told so, the Earl grinned broadly and said, How about one million Torr and the status of Egelia Kingdoms Royal Magi Craftsman? Wha! Throwing a sidewards nce at the astonished Reinhardt and Elsa, I decline., Jin resolutely shot down the offer. The Earl just shrugged his shoulders as if he had seen thating and sighed, Good grief, so its no good after all. Reinhardt, I envy you. He then said, Three million Torr. How does that sound? That was be about thirty million yen. Thats fine. This time Jin took the offer. He entrusted the reward of 300 golden coins to Reiko. She pinched the bag containing 6 kilograms of golden coins with her fingertips, lifted it up with agility, and put it in the front pocket of her apron. While the disyed power was a given, the apron didnt tear when such a heavy thing was put in, nor did it even get pulled taut. It was indeed made of rare materials. When the talk of a reward was over, it was already evening. After bathing, Jin and the others gathered in the dining room. There the serving maids came carrying the meals, and among them was Lotte wearing a maid outfit. Oh, Lotte, those clothes suit you. You already seem like a diligent worker. The Earlmended, as he looked at her serving the meals with the movements of an experienced maid. Thank you, My Master. Master, Lotte is most excellent. With just a little guidance, she works like a maid with ten years of experience. You tter me. With a humanlike response like that, if you didnt know beforehand, it could be possible to not notice she was a golem. Even more so since she was wearing clothes. Hmm, you could say this is already an Automaton. Reinhardt muttered. Jin tried asking Reinhardt whats the difference between a golem and an Automata. Its just our own definition, but we call something that puts the emphasis on being like a human is an Automata, while something that puts the emphasis on functionality is a Golem. I see. For me, to put it inly, Automata have hair on their heads and have skin. Golems hair is the same material as their bodies, and they basically have no skin, or something like that. That could be said to be one definition, Reinhardt nodded in response. Jin-kun. During the teatime after the Dinner Elsa addressed Jin. Hm? What is it? Damper. When he heard that one short word, Jin thought, ah. He kept saying hell add some dampers on the carriages, but every time something more important kept him busy and it was postponed. Thats right, this time Ill make them. Thanks, Elsa. Mm. Elsa looked a little happy about Jins thanks. Then tomorrow, Ill do it while the broken carriage is being reced! Hmm, in that case, Ill arrange for the materials as promised. Since Reinhardt also agreed on it, Earl Kuzuma prepared the materials for the damper too. Next morning, right after breakfast, the two went to begin the carriage remodeling and building. Since its a carriage, the axle runs between the left and right wheels, right? Hm? Obviously. However, what would happen if you attached the wheels to a fixed axle instead? Hm? I see, youre talking about having the wheels rotate independently. If its done that way What would it do? It would decrease the resistance when making turns. While having a conversation like that, the two put together their ns for the carriages. As expected, Elsa wasnt apanying them, and was instead spending the day leisurely in Earl Kuzumas mansion. The nanny Mine stuck to Elsa for the whole day. She seemed rather delighted. And so, to suppress the vibrations, wouldnt a structure like this be fine? No, thats way tooplicated. Its better to do it this way Wow, the leather of a Grand Mud Frog makes for a great result! Uh-huh, it should be enough for a damper. Without even having a proper lunch, the two dealt with the carriages until evening when the new model of carriage waspleted in. Chapter 119 - Benefit Society (Guild)

Chapter 119 C Benefit Society (Guild)

The next day, work installing dampers on the old carriage models began. The method was pasting viscostic material on the crosspieces that supported the wheels. The viscostic material in question was of course the leather of a Grand Mud Frog. Sticking it to the top and bottom of the crosspiece would suppress vibration. To see how effective it exactly was they did a test ride. Oh wow, this is great! Jin, when we go back to my country Ill definitely repay this! Looking at the rejoicing Reinhardt, Jin was also happy. Because now the carriage sickness should be much reduced. Carrying on with their business, the two noticed that it was lunchtime only when Reiko said that it was already noon. They went to the dining room where Earl Kuzuma was already waiting. Apparently his official business was over quickly. Oh, you two are here. Ive got something to talk about. He said, and beckoned them to sit down. During the teatime after the lunch, Earl Kuzuma began his talk. The topic is none other than that golem party. He said and faced Jin. Its been decided that from Blue Land the Duke Blue, me, and finally Earl Guarana will go. When she heard that, Elsas expression became a little crooked. Apparently she hated him very much. In addition, the departure will be in three days. The trip to the capital Asunto will take three or four days, so well likely arrive two days before the golem party. Got it. After hearing Jins reply, the Earl continued. In addition, the day after tomorrow, on the afternoon Jin and I will go meet with the Duke. Of course, the golem Lotte will alsoe along. In other words, he wants to show the Duke the manufacturer and the golem thats going to be taken to the golem party beforehand. Also, if possible, Id like to have Jin register at the Magi Craftsmens Guild. In Port Rock Jin had worked as a frence Magi Craftsman, but as expected, it seems this time proper identification is wanted. Ill be the guarantor, and the referee will be Ill do it. Reinhardt volunteered. With the Earl as the guarantor, and with Reinhardting from the Earls mansion to make a rmendation, he should be able to register without any problems. There were no real demerits for Jin. And so he immediately agreed. Thats good. In that case, Ill write a letter addressed to the Guildter. The very same day, by the afternoon all the old model carriages had dampers installed. The two spent the rest of their time adding the same system to Earl Kuzumas carriage. This is the letter addressed to the Guild. The next day, after breakfast, the Earl passed a scroll sealed with wax to Jin, who immediately prepared to leave for the Guild. In truth, Jin had an interest in the Guild. He only made a Marcia figurine in Port Rock, and didnt quite get to understand what sort of an organization it was, and was particrly interested whether this countrys Guild was somehow different. The referee Reinhardt was apanying him. Elsa had said, Ill go too. Its boring to be left alone., And also ended uping along. Four people: Jin, Reiko, Reinhardt, and Elsa were headed to the Guild. Elsas nanny Mine had also wanted to go, but Reinhardt and Earl Kuzuma both told her to treat them like children, and she reluctantly obeyed and stopped talking. The roofless light carriage the four had got on departed from Earl Kuzumas mansion. The direction was the Blue Land branch of the Guild located near the walls. Ooh, this certainly shakes only a little! Truly. Like this, itsfortable to ride in. Reinhardt and Elsa both voiced their impressions. Unlike during the test ride on the mansions premises, they now ascertained the effectiveness of the dampers on a real road surface with mud and stone paving. The next is durability, but the leather of a Grand Mud Frog shows promise. Right. Well, its not that expensive a material anyways, so as long youve got spares it should be practical enough. While chatting about things like that, they soon were close to the walls. Theres the Blue Land branch of the Magi Craftsmens Guild. Jin remembered what Reinhardt had told him yesterday. The organization called the Guild was simr to a agricultural or a fishery cooperative, for example. They offered amodations for people in the upation, sometimes protected their rights, and other times punished the people who would harm their upations workers honor. In addition, there were Guilds for other people than Magi Craftsmen. For example, architects and builders, merchants, handymen, et cetera had their own Guilds. This one, the Magi Craftsmens Guild, was a two-storey building constructed out of stone that looked like Ooya stone. Weve arrived. The taciturn coachman said, and stopped the carriage in front of the Guild. The four got off the carriage, and the coachman moved the carriage to a certain ce, that is, the carriage parking lot. Huh, theres even a parking lot. Jin was impressed. Using a carriage alone was proof of social status or assets. This meant that people like that often visited. Reinhardt opened the door, and the group set foot in the Guild. Hmmm Inside, every important point used white wall ting, giving off a bright atmosphere. From Jins experience he wouldpare this ce to a bank or a post office. Immediately after the entrance was a desk like an information desk, and a young woman was sitting behind it. Farther behind it were a few service counters, each with their area of responsibility marked on them. There were counters for Information, Requests, Consultation, Financing, Registration, Punishments, et cetera, and the one Jin and the others moved towards was Registration. Wee. Are you here to register? Behind the counter was a young man that appeared to be a bit younger than Jin. Thats right. Heres a letter from Earl Kuzuma. First, take this to the branch manager. Reinhardt urged, and Jin handed over the sealed scroll to the young man in charge. After confirming the seal on the scroll, the man said, At once. With a short response he went to the back. While waiting, Jin gazed at the other counters. Reinhardt gave an exnation. Information. By the counter there was only one person, but inside at least five people had been crammed in. Jin thought that his guess that information is very valued in this world was right. Requests. Apparently Magi Craftsmen who didnt have patrons could find work there. Consultation. In case of difficult requests, various kinds of advice could be had from there. Of course, they charged an appropriate fee. Financing. Ifcking funds, you could borrow money in proportion to your achievements from there. In addition, members who achieved prominent merits could get a cash reward from the guild. Materials. They helped with arrangements for production materials, and could refer people to suppliers. Registration. The counter in front of which Jin was currently standing. It was the counter for new Guild registrations. Punishments. It handled procedures regarding people who considerably hurt the Guilds honor, but Jin didnt really want to hear about the details. The young man from just now returned, Pleasee to the second floor, Im told the branch manager wants to have a talk with you., He said, and Jins group followed the young mans instructions and headed to the second floor. Chapter 120 - The Branch Manager

Chapter 120 C The Branch Manager

The room of the branch manager was in the second floor. Manager, Ive brought the guest. The young man from the registration desk knocked on the door and said, and the door opened from the inside. Pleasee in. The one who said it and opened the door was a female model Automata. She was about 150 centimeters tall, petite, and could be said to look like ady close to nearing adulthood. Her light brown hair reached to her shoulders. Her eyes were light brown, the seemingly most usual hue eyes were in this world. Her face was also built to look average. Being invited by this Automata, Jins group of four entered the room. The young man who offered guidance excused himself, and went back to his business at the registration counter. Wee, Reinhardt-sama, Elsa-sama. And also, Jin-dono. The branch manager seemed to be a sociable old man. I am the head of the Blue Land branch of Egelia Kingdoms Magi Craftsmens guild, Philip Teafo. It was a rather long title. Since he had a family name, that also implied he had an honorary position, so hispetency could be understood. His body was about as small as Jins, with short pure white hair and beard. He had no moustache. His eyes were so thin you couldnt tell whether they were open or closed. But, sometimes Jin could feel a sharp glint in the eye sh behind those eyelids. Hey, branch manager Philip, its been a while. Good day. Reinhardt and Elsa seemed to be already acquainted with him. So youre Jin-dono. I read Earl Kuzumas letter. So this means Reinhardt-sama, you will be his referee, right? Uh-huh, thats right. I see. You seem to be a promising Magi Craftsman. Jin-dono, Im looking forward to working with you. Just like that, without much of an examination Jins registration proceeded. Err, isnt there an examination or something? Jin asked, thinking about something like the task in Port Rock. Haha, with Earl Kuzuma and Reinhardt-sama both rmending you, there can be no doubt about it. In addition, that Automata there must be Jin-donos work, right? Its got a wonderful degree of perfection. Philip said while looking at the Automata waiting next to Jin. Shes Reiko. Rather than my work, she is my daughter. Jin said, and Philip responded, I see, youve got love towards your creations, dont you. I like that. I think its wretched how many of the young Magi Craftsmen these days just run after profits. I wish to see more Magi Craftsmen like Jin-dono. His expression then suddenly changed to an embarrassed grin, Well, thats just theints of an old man. Now, should I get to issuing the guild registration card? Eh? Its already over with? Jin questioned Philip, who replied, Thats exactly right. Its already overDonna. Yes. When he called out for Donna, the Automata from earlier stepped forward. She had a metal te in her left hand, and held out her right hand for Jin. Jin-dono, sorry for the bother, but please take her hand. Huh? To the Jin confused by the suddenness, Jin-dono, this Donna can read peoples Magic Energy characteristics with her right hand. She can then record the information on the Mithril alloy te in her left hand. After hearing the exnation, Jin spected about the method in his mind. Reading the Magic Energy characteristics, this was simple. Even the Warp Gates came with a function to detect Jins Magic Energy pattern. But, recording the characteristics, this was something he heard for the first time. Not copy the pattern, record. That meant sampling the Magic Energys characteristics and quantifying it with numbers or otherwise converting it to a tangible form. The speed of Jins thoughts had a limit. Jin could only form guesses by the time Donnas hand reached out to touch him. Jin was very interested and put his right hand on top of hers. In an instant. Donna petrified, and just like that fell on her back. Do- Donna!? Philip was flustered. Jin also leaned over to inspect Donnas condition. Looks like the Magic Energy pathways are damaged. Jin gave his diagnosis, and Philip confirmed it, Hmm, that seems to be the case. But, why? The two pondered. Reinhardt also inspected the damage of the Magic Energy pathways, but couldnt think of a cause. I think that an Overflow happened, probably. Reiko was the one who said so. An Overflow you say? Philip opened Donnas chest with Craft Magic and looked for something. Well! Its just like you said, Reiko was it? But in any case, an Overflow!? Doesnt that mean Jin-dono has more Magic Energy than Donnas Magic Energy pathways can handle!? Yes, probably. Contrasting with Philips agitated raised voice, Reiko spoke indifferently. Because Father is the best in the world. Nevermind, Reiko was in fact speaking with pride. I see, the best in the world, what Reiko, no, Miss Reiko said may not bepletely out of mark. Since when I made Donnas Magi Device I used my own Magic Energy as a reference and intended it to withstand up to five times more. Five times the branch managers! Thats amazing! Jin, youre extraordinary!! I can understand Jins work performance now. Reinhardt and Elsa were surprised and understanding after hearing that. Just to be sure, heres aparison. If you wanted to measure a length 100 or 1000 meters, a 10-centimeter ruler wouldnt be an appropriate measuring device at all. Reinhardt also said something like that, but when Jin consciously held back his Magic Energy, the repaired Donna was able to make a registration card. It was good that to make the registration card, only the Magic Energy pattern was needed and the quantity was irrelevant, Jin thought in his mind. The branch manager Philip said to Jin who was now openly affiliated with the Magic Craftsmens Guild, I look forward to working with you. Now, this is a bit hasty, but if anything hase to your mind Id like you to tell me. From outside, its impossible to tell whats going on in here, Philip exined and for Jins advice. Oh, thats right. Ive been thinking this for a while, theres no patent rights or anything like that in ce, right? Jin then gave a quick exnation of the patent system. Well, Jin didnt know the details himself either. I see, so you mean if someone invents a new thing, theyre given special rights to it for a period of time? Philip nodded his head admiringly. Reinhardt too, In that case, the desire to invent new things will increase!, He was somewhat excited. Furthermore, It also protects from the cirction of imitations and inferior goods, huh. That killing two birds with one stone! Philip said and pped his hands together. We cant systematically implement it right away, but after this country does it other countries Guilds will begin talks of promoting it, I think. Jin-dono, that was a great suggestion, you have my thanks. He said and bowed his head down. Jin was flustered, N-no, that was just a second-hand telling of what I heard from my teacher, thats all., He said, hiding his embarassment. Adriana, was it, your teacher? She mustve been a truly magnificent person! Reinhardt praised. When she heard that, behind them Reiko had a happy look on her face, but only Jin noticed it. Chapter 121 - Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 121 C Beauty and the Beast

The day after Jin registered in the Guild, the meeting of the nobles, golems, and Magi Craftsmen going to the golem party took ce in Duke Blues mansion. Administrator of the Eastern District of Blue Land, Kuzuma. Administrator of the Western District of Blue Land, Guarana. The two Earls first introduced themselves, then the golems and the Magi Craftsmen who built them. Earl Kuzumas golem, Lotte. Magi Craftsman, Jin. When their names were said, Lotte and Jin took a step forwards and bowed. Earl Guaranas golem, Owl. Magi Craftsman, Bootes. His golem Owls whole body was gold-colored. It had a morous feminine body shape with arger build than Lotte. (Urgh, how bad taste does he) She was of the same golden color, but the helper golem Soleil Jin had made for Reiko in Hourai Ind was a more matte goldenpared to Owl in its gilded splendor. Lotte was matte bronze. (Its so new money.) Jin came into such a conclusion in his mind. The Magi Craftsman called Bootes who built it had golden decorative sewings here and there on his clothes, making his tastes apparent. Speaking of, Earl Guarana looked like nothing but a fat middle-aged man with brown hair and brown eyes. Next, Shouro Empires diplomat, Reinhardt Randols golem Schwarz Ritter. Magi Craftsman is the same Reinhardt Randol. Even though he was participating as a guest, Reinhardts Schwarz Ritter was introduced. Oh my, everyone, what wonderful craftsmanship. Blue Lands feudal lord Duke Bluemented. He was King Egelias older cousin. He looked to be around 50 years old. He had blond hair with some white mixed in, blue eyes, and a tough physique. He had grown a short moustache, and he looked rather majestic. Well then, Ill show you my golem too. Tauros! In response to his words, an over two meters tall, sturdily armored-looking golem appeared. At a nce its fighting strength could be judged to be high. On its back it was also carrying a gigantic sword. This is my Tauros. The Magi Craftsman is Jade Nepheloi. The introduced Jade Nepheloi was anky man in the prime of his life. Nevertheless, his gray eyes were sharp, and he was looking at Jin and Lotte as if searching for something. Starting with the guest Reinhardt-donos Schwarz Ritter, disying these in front of Egelia King wont be disgraceful, one upon other theyre all excellent. Duke Blue was in high spirits. Since today is for introductions, from now on, shall we not use this asion to have the participants mingle with each other? Just as he stated, afterwards the participants held a tea party to interacted with each other. Light meals and herbal tea was brought out. Hello, youre Earl Kuzumas Magi Craftsman, right? Jade Nepheloi came over to Jin and said. Eh, I suppose. However, I only epted amission, im not his employee or anything. Jade was surprised by Jins reply, Does that mean youre a frencer? How curious. That a Magi Craftsman who made a golem like that would be a frencer. I suppose a lot of skilled craftsmen are still hidden in the world. You understand the greatness of that golem? Reinhardt, who had turned up next to them, asked Jade. Oh, hello there Reinhardt-dono. Your Schwarz Ritter is a magnificent creation. Particrly the movements are fluid and natural. Not at all, your Tauros too is for sure magnificent. Its certainly strong, isnt that true? Reinhardt took a stab at piquing his interest. Haha, I wonder. But I can say that the one they call the strongest knight in Dukes employ, Robert-dono, gave his assistance for the movement system. Generally, as a model for practically all golems movement systems, a veteran of that profession was asked to assist. Blue Lands strongest knight as the model, huh. That sure seems strong. No no, word hase to me of Schwarz Ritters strength. They say that in the previous mock battle, it singlehandedly crushed 20 opponents. No, that was just because of the limitations of the mock battles rules Jade and Reinhardt were deeply involved in their conversation, so Jin took advantage of the situation and quietly left the scene. However, this time Earl Guaranas employed Magi Craftsman Bootes approached Jin. Hmph, youre Earl Kuzumas Magi Craftsman, Jin, was it? Jin resigned himself to having to deal with him. Eh, I suppose. However, I only epted amission, im not his employee or anything. He gave the same reply as he did some time ago. Pshaw, as I thought. Making a in golem like that meant the Magi Craftsman being in too. Bootes said with arrogance. How about you work under Earl Guaranas employ from now on? Then Ill teach you lots of things. As a result he proposed something like that. Jin entertained him with a halfhearted reply, Ill think about it after this golem party is done with. Maybe he took the answer as a yes, since with these words, Haha, thats right, because its very lucrative once youre Earl Guaranas employee, no one would turn that down., He departed. While watching Bootes retreating figure, Jin thought that there sure are many kinds of Magi Craftsmen. Oh, Jin, this is where you were. Reinhardt who found Jin called out. Jade from earlier was with him. But, before Jin could say anything, Oh, hello there Reinhardt-dono. Today you didnte with Miss Elsa, I see., Another person said so. Of course, it was Earl Guarana. Earl Guarana, since today was the introduction of the golems, Elsa didnte. Reinhardt dealt with him smiling to the end. Hahaha, thats right, isnt it. But wasnt Miss Elsa your cousin? She has a good talent in magic and good looks, Id like to take her as my second wife. As Elsa was from a viscounts house, you could say that even though it would be the second one, marrying into an Earls house would be marrying up. Yet it was a little better than the concubine offer fromst time. No no, shes still a child thats ignorant of the ways of the world, and thats why I took her along on my journey, so I think that kind of talk should be for when shes a bit more learned. What are you saying, that kind of innocence is also irresistibly charming. When you go back, please give her my regards. Even he seemed to think taking the offer further would be out of ce during this event where drinks werent served. Did you hear that, Jin? Reinhardt asked Jin. Yeah. Its no wonder Elsa dislikes him. Elsa who doesnt really understand the world yet, and the greasy fat middle-aged Earl. Its just like in the beautiful, no, like in Beauty and the Beast. But this beast wont turn into a prince after earning the love of the beauty. As if Elsa would marry a guy like that. Reinhardt muttered, showing a rare look of disgust on his face. Aah, both Jin and Reinhardt-sama are at the Dukes house. The one who was left behind, Beana, was grumbling in the workshop in front of Earl Kuzumas mansions courtyard by herself. Elsa, who was taking a walk in the garden heard it and said, It was inevitable. Im rather relieved that I dont have to see Earl Guarana. Eh? Elsa-sama, youre familiar with Earl Guarana? Beana was surprised and asked Elsa. Elsa. Huh? Elsa is fine. I also call you Beana., She replied. O-Okay. Then, Elsa, youre familiknow Earl Guarana? One of the words turned iprehensible, but Elsa seemed to understand and replied properly, Yep. Last time we met, he asked me to be his concubine. Concubine you say Beana thought back to her own circumstances. Using her ill brother and sister to threaten her, he nearly raped her. Then Earl Kuzuma who came on Jins request saved her from the dangerous situation As for me, I was nearly forced by the Earl to Beana said, and, Forced? That man uses violence against women? Since it didnt seem like she understood the implication, Umm What I mean by forced is that Beana struggled to figure out how to exin it, when, Miss, so you were in a ce like this. The nanny Mine came along and said so. Then, The wind is cold today, please go inside. She took Elsa away partly against her will. While looking at Elsa from behind, Looks like Elsa will have her own hardships., She murmured, left behind by herself. Chapter 122 - Chat 3: One Day on Hourai Island

Chapter 122 C Chat 3: One Day on Hourai Ind

This world is filled with Ether. In addition, theposition of the ground, the mantle, and the core differs from Earths. The mantle is of rock containing Magi Stones and Magi Crystals, and the core is of metals like Mithril and Adamantite. Simrly to geomaisms maic poles, magical poles generate lines of Magical Energy. Since the magical north pole draws in Ether, when approaching the North Pole (magical north pole = maic north pole) the Magic Energy concentration in the air increases. On the other hand, when going towards south the Ether gets thinner. Consequently, devil beasts that use Magic Energy as sustenance inevitably gather near the North Pole. By the way, the South Pole doesnt draw in Ether towards itself. Because the South Pole doesnt have a magical pole. This is one of this worlds great mysteries. For this reason, the area around the north pole is devil beasts territory, and the rest is human habitat. However, because exceptions sometimes happen, one Sea Dragon left its den and swam south. On the way the sea dragon preyed on a group of Death Serpents it saw. Half of the about 100-strong group ended up in its stomach. The remaining Death Serpents went south in order to escape the Sea Dragon. The Death Serpents swam around as if they owned the ce in the sea that had no enemies because of the low Magic Energy concentration, and as soon as they found frail sea creatures that didnt possess Magic Energy they immediately ate them. However, that group of fifty-odd Death Serpents met a powerful foe near a certain unpopted ind, and faced a crushing defeat. Majority of the Magic Energy from that scattered around to the sea and the skies. The naturally impossible concentration of Magic Energy dissolved into the ocean, and flowed north with the currents. And then, the stray Sea Dragon noticed it. The Sea Dragon was attracted by the flowing Magic Energy, and restarted its journey south. It didnt know that this would lead it to its own doom. A warm current flows around Hourai Ind. It starts at around the equatorial region, brushes against the penins of Elias Kingdom, and then flows north in the sea Hourai and Kunlun inds are in. In this current, a great deal of fish do their seasonal migration. Right now, the Navy golem of Hourai Ind, Marine-67 was onboard the triple-hull catamaran Hydro-23 fishing along with the maid golem Aqua-67. (Marine-67, the fish are biting a lot today, arent they?) (Yeah, how about freezei and drying these?) (Sounds good. The master loves fish, after all.) At that moment. (Marine-67, did you feel that?) (Uh-huh. Powerful Magic Energy. We should hurry and go back.) Hydro-23 urgently turned back towards the southeast bay, with its Magi Water Jets on full throttle. Avoiding the fish preserve in the southeast bay, they docked by the pier, and Marine-67 went to the research facility using a Warp Gate to deliver a report. Aqua-67 used the Warp Gate after gathering up all caught fish. The magical intelligence Laozi that managed the ind in Jins absence received the report, and immediately began handling it. (Air Force, urgent dispatch. Sky-1 inmand. Sky units from 2 to 10, protect the research facilitys airspace. Units from 11 to 50, patrol the sky above the reported point on alert state two, rest on standby.) (Sky-1, roger that.) (Navy, urgent dispatch. Marine-1, have Marines from 2 to 80 circling the ocean area north of Hourai Ind. The rest on guard against a strike to the southeast bay.) (Marine-1, roger that.) (Army on alert status one. Land-1, have Land units from 2 to 10 defend the research facility and the mansion. Deploy the rest on the coastline from the north to the eastern side.) (Land-1, roger that.) (Soleil and Luna, along witharium, Sate, as well as the number 100 golems, defend Kunlun Ind.) (Roger that.) Laozi gave orders one after another. The military style wasnt quite right because Jins knowledge used as the basis was iplete. After two hours, Sky-45 detected the wake of a boat heading from north to south. Along with the nearby Sky-33 and 37 it descended, and identified that it was a devil beast like a huge dragon. (Sky-45 reporting. Detected a huge dragon. It seems to be the main source of the Magic Energy. The dragon is carnivorous. It has been confirmed to prey on nearby fish.) The information was sent through the ManaComs that were distributed to everyone the other day. (Hourai Ind, roger that. Send a picture too. Continue observing the target afterwards.) (Sky-45, roger that.) In addition, Sky-25, 48, 49, and 50 arrived. Now there wouldnt be the slightest chance to overlook anything. Sky-45 was took a picture with the Magic Eye it was fitted with to use in cartographing, and sent it to Laozi. Laozi analyzed the picture received from Sky-45 and considered how to deal with it. The target is a devil beast. If left as it is, the likelihood is high that it will eat all the fish around Hourai Ind. The devil beast is carnivorous. Conclusion. Immediate extermination upon it entering the sea area under Hourai Inds control. Supplement. For the master Jin, the raw materials should be secured. The Sea Dragon kept moving south at a speed of about 40 kilometers per hour. In course of it, it found the palce where the Magic Energy concentration was at its highest. It was fromnd, but the dragon sensed an unbelievablyrge amount of Mana. The Mana was leakage from the Magi Crystals stored on Hourai Ind. Only slightly changing its course, the Sea Dragon sped up and swam towards the source of the Mana. After getting considerably closer to the source of the Magic Energy, the Sea Dragon noticed tiny sources of Magic Energy dotted around the sky above the sea. It wasnt as much as the Magic Energy it was heading towards, but it also wanted to fill its stomach with these and surfaced. At that time, from overhead a thin light descended. It easily pierced the right hind leg of the Sea Dragon that not even the fangs of Death Serpents could wound. When the Sea Dragon entered the sea area 50 kilometers away from Hourai Ind, it was clear that it was aiming towards the ind. Laozi ordered the attack. First, Sky-25 who was flying just overhead fired a single [Laser]. It pierced the Sea Dragons right hind leg. (Sky-25 reporting. [Laser] is effective on the enemy.) (Hourai Ind, roger that. Have the Air Force on the scene attack using [Laser]. However, to the best of your ability, aim at the head and chest which appear to be vital spots.) (Sky-25, 29, 41, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, roger that.) Then they simultaneously opened fire with the twin [Lasers] each of the nine Albatrosses had as air-to-ground ordnance. The focused optical weapons like thin needles directly hit the panicked Sea Dragon that was about to escape into the sea. 11 [Laser] beams hit the head, 4 beams hit the chest, and one hit the tail. The Sea Dragons life came to an end before it could understand what was happening. Not even blood flowed out. (Sky-45 reporting. Target neutralized sessfully. No damage was taken.) (Hourai Ind, roger that. Leave the dissection and the securing of the materials to the Navy thats on site. Air Force, excluding units from Sky-41 to Sky-50, return to the ind. Sky-41 to Sky-50, scout out whether or not there are additional anomalies in a 500-kilometer radius.) (Roger that.) (Army, call off alert state one and return.) (Roger that.) The Sea Dragons materials were put into the treasury. The horns, fangs, ws, scales, bone were for items using Magic Energy, and the flesh was an ingredient for tonics. The leather had a higher durability than that of a Sham Dragons. (The blood has plenty of Magic Energy, so it should be stored in the cold in case it can be used for something.) Laozi decided to preserve the the blood, almost none of which had poured out. Later on, the membrane of the wings that wereparatively small for itsrge body would be put to use on Reiko, and once again her performance would increase. In addition, the preserved blood would y an important part in the future, but thats a story for the distant future. Laozi evaluated his own response and was satisfied. (Im sure master will also be satisfied.) Thus, Hourai Inds managing magical intelligence Laozis first mission came to an end. Chapter 123 - To the Capital

Chapter 123 C To the Capital

Everything is going as nned. Uh huh, I hear this time some interesting folks are participating too. Indeed. Ive heard that Schwarz Ritter, Tauros and Ceres are taking part. Hm, the golem of that Stearina who rejected our cooperation, huh. That too will be a brief entertainment. If this operation is a sess, well be able to immediately grow stronger. Not if. Its when. Right. As nned, Duke Blues, Earl Kuzumas, Earl Guaranas and Reinhardts groups departed from Blue Land. On the first day, they stayed overnight in the town of Verbena. Since they left on the afternoon, they couldnt travel more than about 20 kilometers. The night was peaceful as even Earl Guarana didnt cause any problems. The next day was rainy. They headed towards the provincial city of Streal. Around this area was where the highway turned to earth, with spots with potholes here and there, and muddy because of the rain, so progress was slow. Heeey, cant you go any faster! Today the vanguard was Earl Guaranas group of carriages, from one of which he lodged a solitaryint. Even without hurrying so much, well make it there plenty before dark, though. Reinhardt muttered with a strainedugh. This time, Jin was riding in Reinhardts carriage along with Reiko. Incidentally, Beana was the one riding together with Elsa in her carriage. Apparently they found a mutual understanding in detesting Earl Guarana and hit it off. Not just Reinhardt, but also Earl Kuzuma helped the two avoid attracting Earl Guaranas attention. In the afternoon, the rain had stopped, and just like Reinhardt said they arrived at Streal while the sun was still up. It was a lively city, although not as lively as Blue Land. Duke Blues party stayed overnight in the feudal lords mansion that served the purpose of a guest house, Earl Kuzumas and Reinhardts groups in a Streal nobles household, and Earl Guarana stayed in the highest ss inn around. Im pleased that you coulde, Earl Kuzuma, Reinhardt-dono. And is that Miss Elsa too, wee. The one who said so and came go greet them was the noble living in Streal, Viscount Grieri. He was a young man with light brown hair and who gave off a friendly impression. With his solid physique, when he stood next to the tall and thin Reinhardt he seemed especially reliable. You must be the Magi Craftsman Jin. And this is? As he asked he turned towards Beana. Beana was flustered, Ah, I-Im Magi Craftsman Beana, and Im indebted to Earl Kuzuma. Oh my, youre a Magi Craftsman too. Isnt that something. Well, why are we here standing around and talking, pleasee inside. He left the guiding of Jin and Beana to his butler, and to the Earl and Reinhardt he said, Please, make yourself at home. And yed the part for the guide by himself. Well, its like a normal nobles Jin said. I dont really know what you mean by normal though. Beana said. The two had been guided into a singlerge room. By the way, I wonder if this room is meant for just the two of us? By the looks of it, the room was about 10 tatami matsrge, and there was only a singlerge bed. It seems so. Well, this kind of treatment must be because were little-known Magi Craftsmen. After that, Jin said, Reiko. Calling out for his Automata. Yes, Father. Eek! As if she had been there all along, Reiko appeared right next to Jin, and that startled Beana. Oh, did I frighten you? Sorry, my bad. I hate when theres trouble, so I had Reiko enter stealth mode. [Stealth]. It was the high-level magical function born as a result from the analysis Jin performed on the amulet the foe encountered some days ago used. It could hide the user, and not just their presence. The principle behind it was using light magic to bend the light around the users body so as to disy whats behind them. Of course, no light would reach the users eyes during it so theyd be in the dark, but Jins knowledge came in there, and he had the magic interact with just the visible wavelengths of light. In other words, using the infrared frequencies Reiko could see things. She would be undiscovered until she suddenly stabs someone in the back, no? Beana expressed her impression of danger. Its certainly ideal for secret maneuvers. Jin wondered if he should build a ninja unit or something when he had the spare time. No peeking. After eating, Beana said shed change into her sleepwear so Jin left the room. By the way, Jin and Beana had a simple meal in a separate room. Since the only thing left was to sleep, the two decided to change into their sleepwear. Elsa then happened to pass by. Or rather, she came on purpose to Jins room. Jin-kun, what are you doing? It was an obvious question. Oh, its because Beanas changing right now. He answered. Eh? You two are together in the same room?, She asked back, with a tone that was a little surprised. Jin, you cane in. Oh, Elsa? The door opened, Beana came out, and she seemed surprised to find Elsa there. Beana,e with me. Err, hey, wait a Looking a little angry, Elsa took Beana towards her groups room, almost dragging her. Youngdy. Are you perhaps intending to have her sleep in the same bed as you? Yes. Because my bedsrge. Elsas bed was a double, no, a king-sized bed. It looked like it would easily fit three people as small as Elsa sleeping there. The nanny Mine had a bitter face. She could have as many friends of the same sex as she wanted, but her sleeping together with amoner made Mine uneasy. Elsa made apromise after she saw the look on Mines face. Okay. Mine, you sleep with me. Then Beana will sleep in Mines bed, and that should be fine. Y-Youngdy!? You would give me the privilege to? After hearing that, Mines sullen face instantly turned to sparkling with joy. Mm. Understood, Beana-san, wasnt it. Please sleep in this here bed. O-Okay. Beana couldnt keep up with Elsad and Mines pace, so she went with the flow and where she would sleep was decided for her. Meanwhile, heres Jin. Beanaste. Father, if Beana-sanes back Ill wake you up, so please go to sleep already. Hmm, you do that. Im sleepy. Jin said and lied down to rest on one side of the bed. Reiko calmly stood by his feet as if on guard, and kept an eye on the surroundings. But Beana didnte back, and there were no signs of other people either. And like that, the night went on. Although there was a mix-up like that, the feudal lord of Streal, Marquess Braun joined the group, and after passing through the town of Ruls they arrived at the capital Asunto in the morning as nned, with the golem party being held in two days. Chapter 124 - The Royal Castle

Chapter 124 C The Royal Castle

Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto was a Fort City. The walls rose to a height of 10 meters, they had been hardened and reinforced with magic, and in addition Magi Forms to endow them with resistance to magic had been carved on the surface. Inside the walls, the structure was unlike Blue Lands, having been systematically divided by parallel roads lengthwise and crosswise like a go board, bringing to mind capitals like ancient Kyoto or the capital of ancient China. The central road stretched forth from the south, and at the end of it stood the royal capital. What a terrific city. Jin said admiringly while gazing out of the window. Mh-hm. Its because this town was established after the Great Magic War. They followed a logical structure. Said Reinhardt. When asked what he meant by logical, he exined that first the area was divided into sections, then each section received a house number, and the addresses were recorded on ledgers. With this, the citizens could be precisely managed, the poption known, suspicious people rooted out and such with great efficiency. It could perhaps be called a simplified version of the modern family or address registry. Hmm, what a rather advanced country. Jin gave his praises. The carriages continued on the central road, then the line stopped in front of the royal castle. Pce guards were stationed on the gates. Duke Blue, Marquess Braun, Earl Kuzuma, and Earl Guarana each gave proof of their identity, and the crew of each carriage was inspected. Reinhardt was a visiting diplomat from Shouro Empire, while Jin and Beana as Magi Craftsmen showed their registration cards. Jin wondered whether or not to have Reiko vanish using Stealth to avoid attention, but to avert future problems he decided to reveal her as Jins Automata from the start. If someone who was trained in magic examined her carefully, they could confirm she was an Automata, so without much trouble the group was allowed to go in the castle. After passing through the gates, although they were inside the royal castle, the area was called the outer pce. Where they headed to was not the royal pce in the front of the well-maintained and stone-paved za, but the state guest house on the left side. They were moving slowly at half, no, a third of the speed at which they had moved until now. And when the carriages arrived at the spot, the doors were opened from the outside. Standing there were four royal guard knights. They were the most outstanding of the kingdoms soldiers. As they were to not let suspicious individuals into the royal castle, they monitored the behavior of Duke Blues group. And then, to wee them came some of the royal castles employed maids. The women were the daughters of low-ranked nobles and influential merchants, working while learning good manners through apprenticesihp. It wasmon to make certain of everyones identity. This was the royal castle, and everyone was on the lookout for foreign spies or assassins mixed in with the people invited for the third princes birthday party in two days. Please entrust us with all your weapons and such. They asked, and starting with Reikos Peach Blossom, Reinhardts guards weapons, and Elsas guard Hermans sword were all taken to custody. In the end, even the butler Adbergs cane was seized. Pleasee this way. Ten maids and ten footmen went with Duke Blues group, and seven maids and seven footmen went along with Marquis Brauns group. Earls Kuzuma and Guarana each both got five maids and footmen each, and Reinhardt got the same number of both. Please make use of these lodgings. Reinhardt, Elsa, Jin and Beana were led to a series of buildings. Somehow it reminded Jin of a single-storied apartment building. The assignment of the rooms was left to the leader of the group, Reinhardt. In that case, I suppose me, Elsa, Jin, and Beana will each take a room. Please divide the rest of the rooms suitably between the men and women. Hisst words were aimed towards his butler. The butler then assigned the rooms for the servants. By the way, the golems participating in the party all had their operation suspended and were moved to a certain storeroom. This was also a measure taken to prevent sabotage and such. Now then, lets move in the luggage and rx a bit. Elsa, Jin, and Beana, lets have some tea in my room afterwards. Mm. Got it. Okay. Everyone then left towards their assigned rooms. However, one maid followed behind Jin. Umm, you are? Jin wondered if she was going to enter the same room as him, and asked. Ah, I, I am the maid who is in charge of taking care of respected guest and his wishes! She responded in a bit agitated manner. On a closer look, she was about 15 or 16 years old. She appeared to be of the same generation as Elsa and Beana. Her hair was a chestnut color cut into a bob, she had a maid headdress on her head, and she was wearing a ck dress and a white apron dress; at a nce you could tell she was a maid. Her brown eyes often looked around, and her round face made her a charming youngdy. That will be unnecessary. I will assist Father. Reiko stood in front of the girl. Seeing the 130-centimeter tall Reiko confidently face off the about 155-centimeter girl wasical and also sweet. U, Um, am I not good enough? Would you like someone with more experience? Seemingly thinking her inadequacy being the reason for the refusal, the maid hurriedly asked. No. Whoever it is, it would be unnecessary. Reiko tly refused, but, No, Reiko, we dont know much about this country or the castle, so dont you think we could use a little help? Jin said. Yes, Father. Reiko reluctantly agreed. Jin put the luggage away and looked out of the window. Nothing but trees and shrubs could be seen outside. A bad view, huh. Jin muttered, and, Ah, um, so, sorry! The trees were nted so that there is no view from the outside. So thats how it was, Jin thought after hearing it. Then, lets go to Reinhardts room I guess. He said and left the room, and not just Reiko but the maid too followed. Just there and then Elsa also came along, and in addition to Mine, yet another maid could be seen following. She was slim and looked a little older than Elsa. She was a youngdy with chestnut hair and violet eyes. Hey, Elsa. She is? He asked. The maid in charge of me. Jin-kuns too? Yeah, so it seems. Then Beana came out of her room. Ah, Jin. Hey Beana. A redhead maid was also following Beana. The three then went to Reinhardts room. In there they found, as expected, two maids. One was in about her mid-20s, a morous woman with blond hair and blue eyes. The other was in herte teens, with unusual ck hair in a ponytail, and reddish brown eyes. She too was beautiful. Seems like this castles maids are all nothing but beauties. Jin said. Oh, dear guest, you tter us. The morous maid behind and to the side of Reinhardt said. Jins maid blushed, and Elsa red a little at him. The tea Reinhardts maids brewed tasted like real ck tea. Hm? This teas got a good vor. Jin said, and, Thank you very much. It is called teee and it is our countrys specialty. Oh? Green tea, oolong tea and ck tea are all made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis in the Theaceae family. To make ck tea, the fresh leaves must be dried, but then strangely the leaves must be left to ferment. Green teas steaming stops this fermentation, and to make ck tea it must be fermented. So, this tea was without a doubt ck tea. Jins also pleased with it? Me too, I thought Id buy some for the return trip. Me too. The tea seemed to suit Reinhardt and Elsa. It looked like Beana didnt know much about teas vors. Now then, Reinhardt opened his mouth to talk. It looked like he had entered diplomat mode. You call yourselves maids, but your goal is to monitor us, right? Chapter 125 - Secret

Chapter 125 C Secret

Whats that supposed to mean? I dont know what youre talking about. Surely theres been some kind of a misunderstanding. The maids responsible for Reinhardt, Elsa, and Beana calmly replied, but, Whawhawhawhawhawhawhawhawhawhawhat do yoyoyouoyou mean!? There was one easy to read girl. Everyone looked at the girl with pitying eyes. She was, of course, the maid responsible for Jin. 096 Huh!? Finally she realized it, and btedly pretended to be calm. La, you Wa, It seemed like her name was La. Las eyes were downcast, and her shoulders shook. Immediately afterwards, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh! She burst into tears. Ca- calm down, you. Im sorryyyyyyyyyyy! Seeing La cry in front of people without hesitation made Jin and the others feel as if they were in the wrong. Elsa couldnt simply stand back and watch and patted La on the shoulder, No need to cry. No one said that you in particr were in on it. In spite of that while La still sniffled, she had nearly stopped crying. *Sniffle*Abe yuu sube? Ah, yes, thats true. Reinhardt replied, seemingly a little drawn back by her face smeared with tears and snot. In the first ce,st time I stayed here we didnt have any maids like you around. Since La had calmed down, Reinhardt exined his reasoning. And now when it wouldnt be an exaggeration to say nobles from all around the country have gathere here, anyone could guess that the security has be more strict. Then taking a glimpse at the maid assigned to him who seemed to be in herte teens and had a sharp air aorund her, he said, Youve got too few wasted movements for a maid. Those are the movements of a person trained in martial arts, most likely a martial art utilizing a short sword. He brought the exnation to an end. After a brief silence, ppp, the sound of apuse resounded. The source was again a maid assigned to Reinhardt, this time the morous beauty in her 20s. Bravo, Reinhardt-sama. Indeed, we are a part of the Royal Secret Maids. No one knows whether or not Jin thought what kind of a chuunibyou name is that when he heard it. The Royal Secret Maids are as name implies, a covert force borrowing the appearance of maids. I am Rianna, this is Kate. She is Mary, and finally theres Lisa. We are the squad two of the Royal Secret Maids. After having their true character reavealed, the squad leader of the Royal Secret Maids squad two, the morous beauty in her 20s, Rianna, began to talk. Our mission is to maintain security in the royal pce. We remove even the slightest bit suspicious people to keep order in the royal pce. She said, then shaked her head, But being seen through by Reinhardt-sama means weve failed. After that, she began to set off. Oi, youre just going to leave? Yes, since weve failed in our duties we will withdraw. Rianna dropped her shoulders and replied. But reinhardt said, You fool, surely its not like youvepletely failed? Excuse me? Rianna was perplexed and raised her voice, as if she couldnt understand what Reinhardt was talking about. Surely its possible to aplish your mission even if your identities have been exposed? If you let go of the people who know the royal pces grounds well, it wouldnt end with just reprimands from your superiors, right? Thats right but Then thats settled, Reinhardt said and pped his hands together, I dont really have any problem with you monitoring us. Its your job after all. But getting sneakily and secretly watched is just unpleasant. Jin admired Reinhardts generosity, but also got a strange sense of difort. Jins attention was then drawn by by someone tugging his sleeve. It was Elsa. With a whisper, Rai-nii has always been soft with women who haverge breasts., She informed Jin. Currently, Jin was back in his room. In front of him was La. For some reason or another, Jin recalled a young girl from the orphanage. She was unexpectedly chosen as the ss representative on her second year of junior high school, and her unfamiliar duties made her a nervous wreck every day. Hey, La. Y-yes! How can I help! Jin was exasperated by how overly nervous she was. He thought that maybe she wasnt suited for the job. Then, Why did you join something like the Royal Secret Maids?, He asked. La hanged her head in shame, Aww So you think im not cut out for it after all?, She asked and looked at him with upturned eyes. A normal man wouldve likely felt something after such a gesture, but Jin was a hardcore blockhead and a durd whos tone-deaf to emotions. Yeah, I think so. He gave an honest reply, and Las shoulders drooped with disappointment, Thats right, isnt it Why would my older sister put me up for this job Elsa didnt have any guilty feelings whatsoever, and didnt change her behavior at all in front of the Royal Secret Maid assigned for her, Kate. Bathing, eating, changing clothes. Seeing Elsa behave as if Kate didnt exist, she sighed and thought in her heart that she was no match for Elsa. Reinhardt was silently keeping his diary. Since he was still a diplomat, he was required to submit a report after returning to his country, and so he made documents for that purpose. Aside him Rianna and Mary were standing around looking bored. They waited until Reinhardt was done keeping his diary. Excuse me, Reinhardt-sama Hm? What is it? Why did you stick up for us? Reinhardt smiled and replied to Riannas question, Hmm, why indeed. I dont like being monitored. But I also dont like having women like you get scolded, you see. Whats that supposed to mean? Are you perhaps trying to seduce me? Riannaughed, covering her mouth with her hand and wiggling her hips. It was fairly coquettish, but Reinhardt wasnt perturbed. Ha ha, even though it may not look like it, but I spent six years apprenticing for a diplomat. Im plenty experienced with seduction techniques. Oh, how unpleasant. Rianna said and once more straightened herself. Monitoring, when done behind the scenes and in secret is disagreeable, but if its done openly its surprisingly easy to tolerate. Ah, it turned out to have a rather subtle answer. Because if I were to send you away, theyd send a more capable person and this time we might get monitored without noticing them, no? And Im saying I dont like that. Reinhardt said and gave an eloquent smile. Chapter 126 - Love Talk

Chapter 126 C Love Talk

On the evening, Jin had the Royal Secret Maid La guide him to the bathhouse. Oh, Jin? Ah, Earl Kuzuma. There, Earl Kuzuma had alsoe to take a bath just then. Jin was about to leave ande backter, when, Just the right time, I wanted to have a little talk with you. Wont you get in with me? The Earl said to Jin. Having been explicitly invited, Jin couldnt refuse. They would go in together. Oh, you dont have toe with us. The Earl ordered the maids to wait outside the bathhouse. Could the talk be about something important, Jin thought and put himself on guard a bit. Although, in truth, Reiko was invisible with [Stealth] and had secretly followed them in. Ahh, taking a hot bath is sofortable. Earl Kuzuma stretched out and rxed in the bathtub. The tub was fairlyrge, enough that the 180-centimeter tall Earl wasnt a bit cramped in it. The Earl was a thin person but still had some muscle, and Jin felt a bit bitter about his meager build. Because no matter how much he trained, he couldnt gain muscle. What was it you wanted to talk about, Earl? Jin couldnt rx so he asked about the topic. Oh, thats right. The talk. The Earl looked up and down and again up and down over and over as if he was thinking about what to say. He repeated that several times, until finally it seemed he hade to a decision. Jin, whats the rtionship between you and Beana like? Huh? Jin reflexively let out a silly voice. All the more because he had been wondering about what kind of aplicated thing the Earl wanted constion with. It seems like youve given Beana a lot of support, and the other day you invited her to your ce. It also looks like Beana is very open with you. Once he opened his mouth, the Earl kept on talking. Shes Brave, thats right, bravehearted. Despite not being by any means blessed with a good environment she studied to be a Magi Craftsman, brought up her brother and sister, and no matter how many hardships she went through she remained pure. Uh, huh. That was the only thing Jin say under the Earls zeal. And I think its praiseworthy how she uses her skill for the sake of the masses. Shes also beautiful and After firing all those words out in a single breath, the Earl finally came back to his senses, blushed, and held his tongue. Earl No matter how dense Jin was, after hearing that much even he could make the connection. Ha ha ha, cheer up. Ever since I first saw her, shes held a ce in my heart. While giving a sideways nce at Earl Kuzuma who had left the bath and was pouring water on his head, Jin thought about how to answer. For a short while afterwards, he had been made to listen to more of Earls love-talk. It seemed like he was serious. He wasnt thinking about social status or anything like that at all. Surely he could make Beana happy. Sigh. While drying his dripping hair with a towel, the Earl took a nce at Jin as if urging him to answer. Jince sensed that and opened his mouth to answer. Beana is something like a troublesome young sister. It was the same answer he had given to Reinhardt. When he heard it, Earl Kuzumas expression immediately turned cheerful. Is, that, so! Shes, like a, sister, to you! And then, keeping that expression, In that case, could your sweetheart be Miss Elsa?, He asked. Since he now knew Jin wouldnt be on the way of his love, he had regained his cheerful mood. N- No, Elsas a slightly unreliable younger sister. Hearing that, Earl Kuzuma said, Hmm, so both of them are like sisters to you. Could it be, you like more mature women like that Rianna from the Royal Secret Maids? The moment the Earl said that, from somewhere a sound like a crash could be heard. Hm? Is someoneNo, theres no way. So, how is it, Jin? When asked, Jin muttered thats a good question and shaked his head. The type of woman I like is the type the woman I like is. It was almost like Zen dialogue. Whats that supposed to mean? As one would expect, the Earl didnt quite understand and raised his eyebrows. Well, Ive got no one like that right now. Jin said, to which the Earl said, While you think that, for example suddenly the destined one for you may appear. Just like for me!, And left the bathhouse. Jin was left alone lying in the bathtub. There, Father. Oh, Reiko. Reiko cancelled [Stealth] and appeared. And then, out of the blue, Father, do you prefer mature women withrge breasts? Jin, who was leaning on on the bathtub slipped and slid down. Wha- What are you talking about? Jin, now half-sunken in the hot water, was flustered and got out of the bathtub. I want to be bigger. Reikos sudden request baffled Jin. He- Hey, Reiko, whats gotten into you? If Father prefersrger women, then I Jin gave a flick to Reikos forehead, You dummy. Theres no way Ide to like just anyone only because they hadrge breasts, dont you know? Jin soothed Reikos worries, and she said, But, Elsa-san said that Reinhardt-san prefers women withrge breasts. Oh, that time, Jin thought. She did say that Rai-nii has always been soft with women who haverge breasts, if he remembered correctly. From that you could read between the lines that he prefers women withrge breasts, but why did it be about me and have you gone blind, Jin thought. As I keep saying, Elsa, and Beana are my friends. And youre my precious daughter. I love your face and your appearance very much. Are you sure!? Looking at Reiko who was about to, no, who was actually jumping for joy, Jin said, And thats why you shouldnt worry so much about other girls. Understood. The remaining problem was whether she really understood it or not, but it was bad to monopolize the bathhouse so much, so Jin got out of the water. In the passageway outside the dressing room, La wassitting down on the floor while dozing off. Jin was troubled with what to do with her for a while, but he decided to wake her up after all, and he tried prodding her head. Huh!? An enemy raid!? La sprung up and flipped her skirt, and unsheathed the knife she was carrying on her thigh. She alsopletely cut apart her skirt. Eeeeeeeeeeeeek! La screamed as her short bloomers and thighs became exposed. Precisely then Elsa and Beana arrived to take a bath. Jin! What are you doing! Jin-kun, is a beast? Utterly misunderstood, Im innoceeeeent! The shout from the bottom of Jins heart echoed through the aisle. Chapter 127 - Game

Chapter 127 C Game

After various troubles the day passed, it became night, then morning once more. Today was the birthday of the third prince of Egelia, Ernest Relm Andrew. Throughout the morning, the nobles outside the castle not participating in the golem party had gathered by the castle entrance, and together with the bodyguards and soldiers it was noisy. Jin and the others, that is, Jin, Reiko, Elsa, and Beana were gazing at the situation from afar. Earl Kuzuma and Reinhardt werent here because of the formalities associated with attending the birthday party. Aah, its so boring. Beanained. Agreed. Elsa was of the same opinion. Jin was also bored, so, Should we y some kind of a game? A game? Jin thought about it for a bit. What would be a game that was easy to prepare, fun for everyone, and requiring no practice or skills. Suddenly, sugoroku came to his mind. Alright, lets see, would this table do? What are you nning? The room they were in was Elsas. Simply because it was thergest one. Simrly, it had the most varied furniture. In there, Jin decided on a 60-centimeter wide square teee table (a table for tea), then, [Surface Treatment]., He made the surface a smooth white. He then drew squares on a grid on it with ink. Whaat? Start? Goal? Beana came over and peeked at it. After drawing the basic squares Jin began to exin. This is a game I know called sugoroku. The foundation of it is throwing these dice. He rolled the dice he had quickly made with Craft Magic to show them. Its a game where you roll the dice and move forward the resulting number of squares, and the first one to reach the goal is the winner. Looks simple. Elsa gave her honest impressions. Jin then said, Yes, seems simple right? But this is where it gets interesting. Some of these squares have special rules to them. Special rules? Jin began to exin it, Skip a turn, for example, or go back three squares, things like that. I see. So its a matter of luck. Well, I suppose. Alright, lets first have a go at it like this. And so, the sugoroku board with one out of ten special squares waspleted. Jin also quickly made pieces and colored them, and now with each hacing their own piece the game could start. Forward three squares, okay. I got it! Six forwar- oh no! Skip a turn!? Four. The first game went on with everyone having fun, and very soon someone would reach the goal. Come on four, four Aww, a two. I need it to be a five Oh. They couldnt rx because of the possibility ofnding on the Go back 20 squares tile in front of the goal. Woohoo! Getting the first ced fired up Jin unsuitably much for his age. Aww, Ive been defeated, huh. Alright,e on two,e onI did it! I got second! My loss. Once more. The sugoroku meant for killing time turned out to be popr. The Royal Secret Maids watching from the back, La, Lisa, and Kate also looked like they wanted to give it a try, so the girls were also asked to participate. At first they gave a firm refusal since they were on duty, but Jin persuaded them by reasoning that its a maids duty to not let the guests be bored, and the girls seemed to agree and eventually participated in the game. Eek! Back ten squares!? Aww, skip a tuuuurn! Come on, siiix! It was rather noisy. But thanks to it, the maids seemed to be less reserved. They passed time with suguroku until the evening when Reinhardt and Earl Kuzuma returned. After ying Jin restored the table back to as normal as he could. La and the others looked a little regretful as Jin did it. Now then, tomorrow will be the golem party atst, however. Earl Kuzuma began to go through some important points. Of course the dress code is formal. It looks like Jin has his Magi Craftsmans coat. Ones been prepared for Beana too, so please wear that. Eh, fo, for me? Earl Kuzuma smiled pleasantly and took out a fine dark red coat from the luggage. Youll be fine to attend with this. He said, and handed it over to Beana. Th- thank you very much! Beana held the coat she received close to her chest. The Earls expression turned a little happy when he saw it. Theres an order for the entry, you know. First are the cab ministers, then the nobles working in the castle, invitees, nobles living in the outskirts, and the noblesing from far away. Reinhardt and Elsa seemed to be categorized under invitees. Finally, the Magi Craftsmen, Jin and Beana. Since only the nobles have to go greet the king and the prince, its fine to just watch. Thats good to know, Jin thought. Honestly, he wasnt very good with shy parties. Since youll be far away from Earl Guarana, likely Beana wont be found by him. After he said that, Beana was relieved. However, Elsa was pouting a little. And so, since weapons and such are not allowed on the grounds, theres also restrictions on Magi Tools. Miss Reiko wont probably be able to enter. That is uneptable. Reiko, who had been quiet until now, began to talk. To protect Father is my mission and purpose in life. But, Hey Reiko, I appreciate your concern, but this time you cant. We shouldnt cause trouble for Earl Kuzuma and Reinhardt. When chided by Jin, Reiko reluctantly nodded and said, Yes, Father. Uh, then, the arrangement goes such that each noble will one by one bring golems in front of the king and prince, give their name and rank, and briefly present the golems operation, but The Earl then looked at Jin, What do you think I should have Lotte do?, He asked. He was probably thinking that as a maid golem, Lotte couldnt give any particrly showy performances. But Jin said, Is there anything in particr you want her to do? He returned the question to the Earl. The Earl didnt by any means expect to be asked, and he had topletely rethink it, Uh, hmm, lets see, could she do a dance, or a sword dance?, The Earl asked. She could., Jin replied. Lets see Jin looked at the Royal Secret Maids one by one. Jins line of sight met La and skipped over her, then stopped on Rianna. Even so, were going to need Rianna-sans assistance, I suppose. Eh? Are you talking about me? What may I do for you? Jin said to Rianna who was entirely out of the loop, Well, just think about your work, please., He thenmanded Reiko to fetch a small Magi Crystal, [Transfer Info] Level 2. Eek! It should be fine now. Wha, wha, what was that just now!? Even the leader of the squad two of the Royal Secret Maids was disconcerted. Jin only copied Riannas movement patterns, he exined, but hearing that only served to make her more ? instead. Since he couldnt yet get in touch with the golem safeguarded in the warehouse, he decided to leave it for the maintenance period before the unveiling, and with that everyone returned to their rooms for the day. Chapter 128 - The Unveiling

Chapter 128 C The Unveiling

Next day, immediately after breakfast Jin got to improving Lotte. Of course, Earl Kuzuma was present. The final adjustments and checking of the operations of the other participating golems was beginning. Jin had the Magi Crystal on which he had yesterday copied the movement pattern of the head of the squad two of the Royal Secret Maids, Rianna, he transcribed the information from the crystal to Lottes Control Core. If you need a mental image, it was close to a updating aputers OS, or maybe patching it. Is it done now? Earl who hade along with Jin asked. Yep. Earl, could you start it up, please? ordingly, Earl Kuzuma said the Keyword [Activate]. Then to the Lotte who had risen up, Lotte, hows the state of your body? Jin asked, and, Yes, Father. There are no problems. After hearing that, Jin moved to a wider location along with Lotte. He then turned to the Royal Secret Maid following him, Alright, now Rianna-san, could you attack Lotte, just lightly will be fine, please? Eh? Jin exined to the wondering Rianna that its because Lotte should be able to use the same martial art as her. Okay, then, here I go. Rianna took a short sword from under her skirt. Unlike La, she didnt cut up her skirt. Then she suddenly stabbed at Lotte. Lotte repelled it with her left hand and took a step forward, aiming her right fist at Riannas sr plexus. But Rianna avoided it with a backwards somersault. Okay, thats enough. Lotte too, stop. Since it wasnt forbat training or anything, just to check the movements, Jin had the two people (one person and one golem) stop. Hmm, thats great! Not just Lotte, but Rianna, you were splendid too. Earl Kuzuma who saw the brief attacks and defenses gave his praises. You tter me greatly. Rianna said and bowed, then retired to the back. As expected of the leader. If it was me, that fist wouldve probably hit. Aww, how didnt she cut her skirt Et cetera, the other watching Royal Secret Maids admired Riannas moves. Although one of them had a bit off-point impression. Jin, amazing, you are! What a curious method! I want to try to do it like that too! Reinhardt said somewhat excitedly. Jin thought that with some training Reinhardt could probably do it. However, His tone of voice dropped, and Reinhardt continued with a whisper. Showing that in public isnt good. Listen, what do you think would happen if it was known read the mind of a general or a cab minister just like that? When he put it like that, Jin understood. In practice, by resisting the reading could be prevented, but its impossible for people who dont know that. If you dont want it used on influential people, or used to pin false crimes on people you should be careful. Jin thanked Reinhardt for his advice. And in the afternoon, the golem party finally started. Take care. The Royal Secret Maids saw Jin and the others off the guest house. Knights came to pick them up and they were towards the inner royal pce. Just like Earl Kuzuma exined, the cab ministers entered first. Then the nobles working in the castle, and afterwards Reinhardt and Elsa entered along with the invitees. Next the outskirts nobles, then the nobles from far away entered, and finally among Magi Craftsmen, Jin and Beana. Jin was looking at the people entering with them, but excluding the Magi Craftsman Bootes who built Earl Guaranas golem Owl, they were all new faces. At that moment, Oh, teacher! Beana said. Teacher? Umm, thats right. Jin, look, the person entering now. That person is dia Hampton-sensei, whom I studied under for two years. Hmm. The person who had entered just now was reasonably tall and middle-aged, with a conspicuously wide body. Ah, I wanted to give my greetings. Beana muttered. Come on, its our turn soon. Jin informed her. Then the person in charge invited Jin and Beana to enter. Looking around, no one could be seen. Jin and Beana were literally thest ones. Ooh. All the participants were gathered in a hallrger than a gymnasium. Actually, not all of them. His Majesty the King of Egelia, Harold Ruan Autocracy=Egelia-sama! His Royal Highness the third Prince Ernest Relm Andrew-sama! Finally His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the third Prince entered. Far away figures that looked like the King and the Prince sat down upright. On both sides of them was a row of nobles each wearing extravagant garments, some decorated with gold and silver threads, others with sparkling gems. On each ones side stood a figure covered with a cloth, likely golems. And now, for His Majesty the King of Egelia, Harold Ruan Autocracy=Egelia-samas third Princes, his Royal Highness Ernest Relm Andrew-samas, birthday celebrations! I present to you, the golem party! A woman with a clear voice like an event directors announced the opening of the party, and the nobles sitting in the row started apuding in unison. Jin and Beana also joined with the apuse. When the sound of the apuse ceased, the king brought up his left hand. This time everyone present suddenly fell quiet. Everyone, We wee you. We thank you for gathering here on this day for the sake of Our son. The king expressed his thanks without bowing his head. It seemed that superiors speeches were long no matter where. Jin was for some reason reminded of his school principals talks held during the schools opening and closing ceremonies. We have nothing further to say. It should be over now, Jin thought. But contrary to his expectations, subsequently the main character of today, the third Prince began to talk. Everyone, thanks for today. Youve gathered many golems just because I like golems, and Im very grateful. The third prince was smaller than Jin. He looked like he was about junior high school age. Jin listened to the talk while thinking that if he remembers right, the prince was 13 years old. I am of the impression that my father, the King has a reward for whoevers brought the most interesting golem. Please look forward to it. Now, everyone, please present your golems! Finally the long greeting was over, and the unveiling of the golems was about to begin. In that case, it seems the attendingdies and gentlemen should start introducing and unveiling their golems. Again the event directors voice echoed, Prime Minister, Galueri-sama. A white-haired aged man stepped forward, put his hand on the left side of his chest and made a deep bow. Then, Golem, Ceres. The Magi Craftsman is Celuroa Kingdoms Magi Craftsman, Stearina-dono. Then, Prime Minister Galueri removed the cloth covering the golem next to him. Ooh! Beautiful! Wonderful! The hall was stirred. The whole body of the golem that came into sight was made out of transparent crystal. It had the figure and body shape of a woman in herte teens or early 20s. It wasnt wearing anything. No, if it was to wear something it would surely only harm its beauty. In the central part was a purple Magi Device. The pupils were like burning deep crimson. It was extremely beautiful. Nice to meet you, Ernest-sama. My name is Ceres. It had a clear and beautiful voice. Its gestures were like they flowed. And the demonstration was a dance performance. With soft movements nearly like a humans, everyone watching was mesmerized, and the eyes of the nobles who were sitting in a row were glued on Ceres. Actually, the Kings and the Princes were the same. Hmm, since theres no joints to be seen, that must mean it uses [Forming] to move. Though, just one person, Jin, was looking with interest at the structure rather than the beauty. The Magic Energy efficiency must be bad. But, its a beautiful golem. You could already cal it a work of art. Nevertheless, that form couldnt be spared the praise. Jin, who was poor at designing, felt jealous of that sense of art. And then looking at the Magi Craftsman who built Ceres, he saw a woman in her early 30s, or maybe in herte 20s. Her bronze-colored hair reached to her back; she was an intellectual-seeming woman with reddish brown eyes. Those eyes were looking at her own work, Ceres. When the demonstration ended, the whole audience burst into apuse. This, this will surely overshadow the golems afterwards. Oh, truly. Surely the Kings prize will go to the Prime Minister. The nobles whispered some such to each other with a low voice. Chapter 129 - The Golems

Chapter 129 C The Golems

Then, next is the Minister of Finances, oroot-sama. A thin-haired elderly man stepped forward and bowed. Golem, Zingel. The Magi Craftsman is Yarui-Dale-dono. From under the cloth appeared a rather normal golem, bronze-colored and with the figure of a girl in her 15s. Thats rather ordinary. Well, surely thats the norm. The nobles whispered the conclusions they came to after evaluation. However, when Zingel began its demonstration surprise painted those faces. -A flower blooming on a in, the meadow swaying in the wind -A glittering cloud, the blue heavens reaching everywhere -A singing bird, the trees are really noisy -A gentle wind, this beautifulnd. It sang with a clear, pure voice. Ooh How beautiful Although the singing golem wasnt as shy as the previous Ceres had been, after performing three pieces it left everyone with a strong impression. And after that the party continued with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Domestic Affairs, and the Minister of Defense. Their golems were passable. Minister of Magic, Kelhidore-sama. A man with a small build simr to Jin stepped forward. Golem, Helios. It is my own work. And then, a pure white golem appeared from under the cloth. Oooh! That appearance! On the golems back there were equally pure white wings. Jin recalled the golem he saw in Port Rock, but this Helios was more refined than it. Angel Someone whispered that word. Jin was extremely curious about it, but he had no one to ask. Helios fluttered her wings slowly, she didnt fly but gave four elegant bows to the surroundings. What a beauty. That mustve been the honest thoughts of the people watching. After that, one golem after another was presented. So far, the ratio of male figures to female figures was about 3:7. The feudal lord of Blue Land, Duke Blue-sama. Finally Duke Blues name was called. Golem, Tauros. Magi Craftsman, Jade Nepheloi. Duke Blues golem was unmistakably a male-type, and furthermore had arge build. Oooooooh! How mighty! Looks reliable. Its outward appearance suited its armor with a ck lustre, being over two meters tall. Today instead of a sword it was holding a shield. Not only that, it was one of those so-called huge tower shields. Its overwhelming intimidating air pressured the people watching without any particr demonstration. The assistant feudal lord of Blue Land, administrator of the eastern section, Earl Kuzuma-sama. Earl Kuzuma stepped forward, and gave a neat bow right out of a textbook. Golem, Lotte. Magi Craftsman, Jin. None of the people watching were surprised when Lotte was revealed from under the cloth. However, My name is Lotte. I pledge fealty to Your Royal Highness. She stated with a clear voice, and when with smooth movements she followed a vassals etiquette, those with discerning eyes watched it their eyes open wide. Rather than smooth, the movements could be called those of a humans. But, the majority of people present didnt realize it, Hmm, how ordinary. Shes wearing a maids clothes, but thats where the novelty ends. Remarks like that which missed the point were said. Jin, was it. Just what kind of a man is he? Well, its just hearsay, but apparently hes the Magi Craftsman who built the golem that won the recent golem boatpetition in Port Rock. Is he a frencer? No, Im sorry to say that it seems Shouro Kingdoms Reinhardt-dono has secured him. Thats a shame. However, a conversation like that was had among one subgroup of the nobles. The assistant feudal lord of Blue Land, administrator of the western section, Earl Guarana-sama. It was Earl Guaranas turn. Golem, Owl. Magi Craftsman, Bootes. The gilded golem was presented. Huh. Gaudy, isnt it? Its just a thing of an upstart Earl. The assessment seemed to be on the harsh side. Feudal lord of Streal, Viscount Grieri-sama. It was the noble who amodated them the other day. Golem, Iron. Magi Craftsman, dia Hampton. The golem was built by Beanas teacher. Isnt this just a regr type of golem, people thought as they saw what looked like a standard male-type golem. The presentation continued, and finally it was the invitees turn. Shouro Empire diplomat, Reinhardt-sama. Reinhardt stepped forward. Golem, Schwarz Ritter. It is my own work. He removed the cloth and unveiled Schwarz Ritter. Ooh, so thats the rumored Schwarz Ritter. I see, a symmetrical bnced form, and natural movements. If you had a hundred of those golems surely youd have nothing to fear. Typical ofbat golems, Schwarz Ritter wielded a wooden fake sword and disyed several forms. The fake sword was of course because of being in front of royalty. Celuroa Kingdoms special envoy, Dominique-sama. A young woman stepped forward. She bowed elegantly so that her blond hair reached down at her waist level. Golem, Loiseau. It is my own work. Apparently she was also a Magi Craftsman. That Loiseau golem was some kind of a bird-type golem. It had red, blue, and yellow feathers. As one would expect, it was heavy enough to also not be able to fly, but its chirping and wing-pping figure was rather authentic. Above all, its value was in the skill required to make it only the size of a pigeon. Since the nobles that came from afar didnt bring any golems with them, Dominiques Loiseau was thest one. Splendid work, everyone. It is difficult to say which one is the best, butter on We will rank them using Our own judgement, so no hard feelings. The Kings voice echoed. Be that as it may, time for consideration is needed. And therefore, even though it is a stand-up meal, please enjoy the food. Everyone, Id like you to put aside your rank and freely enjoy yourselves. Chapter 130 - Surprise Attack

Chapter 130 C Surprise Attack

All the actors are in ce. Then, lets begin. Egelia Kingdoms royal castle was said to have an impregnable defense that was a point of pride. After the Great Magic War, the structure was built drawing on the experiences of the war. The outer walls could withstand physical attacks, while the inner walls specialized in defense against magic. Furthermore, there was a magic barrier to prevent the entry of suspicious people. Finally, the best Imperial Guard knights and high-power golem troops were chosen. These were the factors behind why Egelia Kingdoms royal castle was said to be impregnable. The unveiling of the golems began just before noon, but as the unveiling dragged on for over two hours, now it was already the afternoon. People like Jin were getting bored. As the King instructed, atst thete luncheon preparations started. Maids prepared the tables and carried food in. It looked like it would still take a moment before it was finished. Beana used that time to go greet her teacher dia Hampton. Since Jin had free time, he decided he may as well follow. Teacher, long time no see. dia Hampton, who was having a friendly chat with someone next to them stopped the conversation, looked at Beana, Who were you again?, They said with a face that made it seem they werent very interested. Have you forgotten? Im Beana, untilst year I was under your tutge, teacher. After saying so, dia Hampton thought about it for a bit, and eventually seemed to remember, Oh, you. Excuse me, I have so many pupils. Oh no, dont mind it. So, what can I do for you? Are you here because you made a golem too? Although I dont think I heard them mention your name. Eh, no, about that. Jin gave a helping hand to Beana who was pressed for an answer. Nice to meet you, Hampton-sensei. Beanas been my assistant, and thats why shes attending here today. You are? Ah, excuse me, my name is Jin. Hm, so? No no, thats all. Come on Beana, youve said hi, lets go. Jin said, and pulled Beana away from dia Hampton. dia Hampton seemed to have already forgotten about Beana, and returned to the conversation with the nearby person. Beana was disheartened. Because in her heart she held wishes like even if just for a moment, she wanted to show the teacher she looked up to how much she had grown, and, if possible, be praised by them. But those hopes were quickly dashed. Well, isnt it like that? Jin thought and thought about what he should say, then spoke. A teacher teaches a lot of pupils, right? From a pupils perspective the teacher is only one person, but from the teachers perspective the pupils are a crowd. Its not something you canpletely memorize. Mm, I guess. Oh well. Thanks, jin. Beana seemed to cheer up a bit, and Jin took her towards the food that had been set up. Jin was hungry, and next to him Beana also cheerfully walked forwards to eat the lined up cuisine. The gem that amplifies Magic Energy, Elradrite. A standard piece of Elradrite could amplify Magic Energy 20-fold. Combining two of these would make it 20 times 20, a 400-fold increase. What if you were to thenbine two more? The answer is a 16,000-fold increase. Granted, it doesnt work out simply as the calctions, but the real result is not less than a 10,000-fold increase. And so, the 10,000-fold increase of Magic Energy allows for the writing of Magi Forms on Control Cores, usually done at contact distance, to be done at a range of 20 meters. [Erase], [Writing]. That golem, at the behest of its master, released all of its hidden strength. Jin felt a chill run down his spine. It was the same as the Magic Energy he felt the other day. Shib, whabs whong? Beana asked while her mouth was stuffed with meat. In spite of that, Jin replied with a grim face, Beana, be careful. Huh? Aaaaaaaaahh! At that instant, a shriek echoed in the hall. Beana, here! HuhEek? Beana who was suddenly pulled by Jin stumbled and almost fell, but Jin caught her in his arms and activated his Magi Tool. Barrier. All the golems that participated in the golem party, no, even the golems who carried meals for the tables to help the maids preparations, all began to run wild. Eeeek! Gah! Everywhere in the hall noises of things breaking and of screaming could be heard. Wha- what is going on? Your Majesty, Your Highness, do not be afraid, I will protect you. Actually, it wasnt all the golems. Yourefine? Lotte? Yes. The golem Jin built, Lotte, and Schwarz Ritter! Stop the golems running berserk! Jawohl. Reinhardts Schwarz Ritter. Ugh! Tauros, whats the matter!? Aah! My Helios! The rest of the golems had been removed from under their masters control, and were running riot as they pleased. Argh! Hyah! Stop, stop it! The Imperial Guard knights there struggled hard, but the difference in numbers was too vast. The number of knights was just short of ten, and there was no way they could restrain the over forty golems. Even though they were armed with swords, their opponents were unfeeling metal puppets, while they were flesh-and-blood people. Nine became eight, and eight became seven. You could say that under the circumstances, the vice-captain of the Imperial Guard knights who was by the King and the Prince was putting up a good fight. Take this! The only people in the hall who were allowed weapons were the Imperial Guard knights. Among them, the vice-captain Bruno had a famous sword with Adamantite coating. Swinging it with all his strength, he had the power to cut the bronze golems into slices. Currently, Bruno had cut down three golems. King! Ill keep them at bay! Please escape! Y- Yes. The king of Egelia and the third prince Ernest left their seats. Apanying them was only Lotte. Their goal was the emergency exit in the corner of the hall. When they got close to the emergency exit, in front of their eyes the exit was broken through, and the castles bodyguard golems rushed into the hall. Chapter 131 - Chaotic Melee

Chapter 131 C Chaotic Melee

Content warning: this chapter is a bit bloody. Argh! The emergency exit door was blown off, and two golems rushed at the King and the Prince. However, I wont let you! Protecting them was the bronze-colored maid golem. Lotte! Lotte, with her delicate hands blocked one of the attacking security golems, and in addition flung away her opponent. Her arm was barely dented by it, but not minding that she challenged the other golem, and with a splendid twist of her arm wrenched that ones arm away away too. She then grabbed the other arm, swung the golem around and sent it flying. Lotte then turned to the royals and informed them of the present conditions. Your Majesty, your Highness. It seems likely that most of the golems in the castle are on a rampage. Combat golems like security golems and knight golems came pouring from the other exits and entrances too. Jin and Beana were inside the barrier, and none of the golems attacks could touch them. Despite that, Beana, are you alright? Whawhawhawhawhawhats gogogogogogogoing on? Jin lightly patted the panicking Beanas shoulder to calm her down, Settle down. Youll be fine as long as youre by my side. He told her, and began to exin the state of things. The golems in the castle have probably been hijacked. But how!? Jin then briefly told the story of the golem Albus he had an encounter with together with Reinhardt. The Magic Energy I felt this time was several hundred, no, several thousand times stronger. Moreover, both [Erase] and [Writing] were used. You do understand what this means, right? Beana nodded with a pale face, Right We dont know who the opponent is, but the golems obey only that opponentsmands, is what youre saying. Thats right. Perhaps the only ones that have not been hijacked are my Lotte and Reinhardts Schwarz Ritter. Jin paused for a moment, then continued. I dont know if I should call it lucky or not, but it looks like they could give only simplemands with [Writing] That is to say,mands like act violently, or attack people. Schwarz Ritter, crush it! Reinhardt analyzed the current situation just like Jin, and he came to the conclusion that this state of affairs was extremely bad. It looked like everyone in the hall simply couldnt be saved, and so Reinhardt searched for Elsa and Earl Kuzuma. He had lost sight of them during the outset of the mayhem. Reinhardt surveyed his surroundings and gave orders to Schwarz Ritter. Right now, he had knocked down a knight golem that hade from outside. Take that guys sword. Alright, nowe here. As fast as he could, Reinhardt had Schwarz Ritter acquire a sword. With this he would have a means of attacking. Elsa! Lewis! Where are you! Are you okay!? Reinhardt called for Elsa and Earl Kuzuma. As an answer to that, Reinhardt! Im fine! Hearing that voice, Reinhardts moment of relief was only brief, as Earl Kuzuma was attacked by a golem. Schwarz Ritter! The golem attacking Earl Kuzuma was Zingel, and in the nick of time Schwarz Ritter sliced its leg off. Thanks, you saved me. Reinhardt came running to Earl Kuzuma, told him to stay by his side, and, Barrier. He activated the Ring of Protection he got from Jin. Now for the time being the two of them would be safe. Wheres Elsa!? That being the case, the next concern was Elsa. Elsa had been isted. She wasnt wounded thanks to the Ring of Protection she had got from Jin, but golems everywhere surrounded her. Rai-niiJin, kun Because of the barrier, the golems hade to a stop 30 centimeters away from Elsa, but at the middle of them Elsa seemed anxious and about to burst into tears. Helpme Sheet, whats going on! Most of the nobles were lying on the floorpletely ignorant of who did what. Half of them had been struck unconscious by their own golems by their side, or otherwise seriously injured. Ceres! Its me! Dont you recognize me!? Celuroa Kingdoms Magi Craftsman Stearinas crystal golem Ceres was no exception to the rampage. But since its body was made out of crystal, it was weak to impacts. Its hand swung and missed, identally hit another golem that was passing by, and was smashed to pieces. Aah! Ceres! While swinging its remaining arm it hit a wall by ident, and in the end Ceres lost both of its arms. Since there was no longer a danger of getting hit, Stearina was clinging onto Ceres, Please! Just stop already! I dont want to see you get broken! While saying so, Stearina used Craft Magic. [Writing]. For now, the only ones who could use [Erase] were Jin and the mystery golem. Therefore to stop Ceres, Stearina chose to use [Writing]. After that, Ceress control instructions became a mess, and it halted. Her moment of relief was brief, as Stearina took a golems blow to the head from behind, and lost consciousness. At the same time, Ceres was also destroyed by that golem. Urgh! In the middle of remarkably high screams was Tauros. Even though it didnt have a sword, just the mass of a gigantic tower shield as tall as a human was enough to be a dangerous weapon. With one swing it could blow away three or four people. Sto-Stop it, Tauros! Tauross Magi Craftsman, Jade Nepheloi tried to desperately stop Tauros. But it didnt stop. In the end, the tower shield Tauros swung around grazed Jades arm, and blood spilled out. Eee! It was just a scratch, but Jade went white as a sheet and fled. However, another golem was already waiting ahead. Fortunately for him, that golem was a female-type. Therefore, when he took a blow it only resulted in a broken rib. Although, because of the pain Jade copsed on the spot, spat out blood and fainted. King! Prince! Are you safe!? Finally a group of Imperial Guard knights came running. They numbered 15. They were each d in armor full of scrapes and dents. It was only natural, as to just reach this hall they had to take on dozens of golems. Spread out! Move in groups of threes! Themanding officer instructed. They were not to have blind spots when defending against golems attacking from all directions. With one person each being responsible for their own 120 degrees they made gradual progress. They had to rescue the King and the Prince, but it was absolutely necessary to also rescue the countrys other leaders like the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finances, the Minister of Defense, etc. A, a- aaaahh! St-stay awaaay! Dammit! Just then, one of the Imperial Guard knights shed at a gilded golem who was attacking a fat Earl. However, it was sturdier than it looked, and suffered only a shallow wound. On the other hand, the sword of the knight who struck it chipped. Sheet, so the appearance is deceptive. Because it was shed, the golems target changed and it turned from the fat Earl to the group of knights. Itsing, be cautious. All three of the knights gripped their swords tightly, prepared for battle. Sheet! Dont get in my way! Themanding officer of the Royal Guard knights, Kelly, was crossing swords with the golem Beanas teacher dia Hampton had built, Iron. It was a nuisance since it had grabbed a sword off one of the already defeated security golems. A normal security golem was about one head taller than a human, and that meant its reach was longer. Its body weight was three to five times more than a humans, and the same went for its power. The custom-made Iron was evaluated by Jin to be standard, but nheless it had a higher performance than a security golem. For this reason it could cross des equally with themanding officer of the knights, and a normal knight wouldnt likely be a match for it. And so on, and so on, and so on. The hall was dominated by chaos, screams, and nks. Mixed in with the smell of iron, the scene had turned ghastly. Most of the participants were wounded or passed out, and some unlucky ones had already stopped breathing. In the middle of it all, atst a counterattack was starting. Chapter 132 - Start of the Counterattack

Chapter 132 C Start of the Counterattack

Jin surveyed the scene around him. Immediately after the onset of chaos, Jins attack magic was unusable because using [Laser] or [Water Jet] for example would carry a risk of involving the bystanders by ident because of the magics high power and pration. However, now that the disorder was settling down and only a small handful of people were left standing, as long as he made sure no one was in the line of fire he could use them without hesitation. Beana, dont move away from me. Huh, huh, huh? What are you nning, Jin? Jin didnt have spare time to answer the confused Beana, and shot a [Laser]. He aimed at the golems that were swarming Elsa. Since he wasnt confident that the Ring of Protection could defend against aser beam, instead of the golems between him and the barrier he finished off the golems on the sides. So that this time too evidence would be left behind, he avoided the parts that contained the Magi Devices. In other words, he focused on destroying the lower halves of their bodies. A, amazing Beana who was next to him was more than surprised, she was astonished. Thats because every time Jins bracelet shone, a golems lower half evaporated into nothing. After repeating that several times, finally the golems surrounding Elsa were eradicated. Elsa! With eyes wet from tears, Elsa had been looking at the golems get defeated. That was due to Jins magic. Jin, kun She moved with trembling feet, rushing towards Jin, And their barriers bumped and bounced off each other. Ow. Inside the barrier, Elsa fell on her backside. Jin gave an awkward smile, Elsa, you have to cancel the barrier, see? Jin said and canceled his own barrier for a moment after looking around. Simrly, Elsa canceled her barrier and Jin could help her up. Elsas hand that sped Jins was shivering a bit. Jin wanted tofort Elsa who was like that, but, Sorry. But this ce is still crawling with many more golems. If possible, Ill leave Beana to you. Eh, Jin? Jin stroked Elsas head just once, then pushed Beana towards Elsa. Elsa caught Beana in her arms. Then, Barrier. Once more a barrier covered the two. Ill go assist Reinhardt and the others. You two go to that wall. In that case at least you cant get attacked from behind. Got it. Be careful. She had numerousints, but even Elsa understood the current situation. With legs that still shivered a bit, she retreated to the wall along with Beana. Turning back time a bit, in the state guest house. Reiko was house-sitting. She was visible. The fluctuation just now. Reiko felt a powerful surge of magic flow over her. Its the same kind of magic that that golem Albus used earlier. The direction inside the castle, in the direction of the banquet hall? Reiko calmly began to walk. W-Where are you going? The Royal Secret Maid La who was left behind asked Reiko, who only gave a brief reply, Father is in danger. She muttered and rushed out of the room. Hey, wait! La came rushing after Reiko, but, Eep! Her breath was taken away when he saw the disastrous scene in the hallway. The golems with miscenious duties were running rampant. She then witnessed Reiko destroy them with minor strikes. Awawawawa! La returned to the room in a hurry and locked the door. W- what on earth? There was no one to answer her. The other party, Reiko, increased her output even more and sped through the hallway. She went to the usual 20% Jin permitted. In front of her stood two security golems. Youre on the way. Reiko swung her fist just once. As a result, the two security golems were blown away, breaking through the guest houses wall and flying outside, scattered to pieces. As I thought, its the magic from earlier. Reiko muttered while advancing. The first one was weak, while the second one was strong. Jin didnt probably feel the second one, but Reiko did. It was near the ce where golems were on standby. Thats to say, all of the golems kept in the reserve, whether they were for war potential or chores, were under the effects. One word describes the scene Reiko saw after leaving the guest houses premises: chaos. Everywhere golems and knights or soldiers battled. Fallen soldiers and broken golemsy on top of one another, the royal pces courtyard was like a battlefield. It was obvious that the human sides situation was dire, but Reikos first priority was Jins safety. Although, the attacking golems were so numerous that it was impossible to disregard them. So inevitably Reiko had to destroy many of the golems there. I- Im saved W, what is that girl? A golemNo, an Automata? Perhaps Reiko seemed like a lifesaver to the wounded soldiers. Security golems, knight golems, chore golems. Golem upon golem had risen in revolt against humans. While ughtering arge amount of golems like them, Reiko continued on. ? In the middle of it all, Reiko noticed an out-of-ce white bird-type golem mixed in with the others, but as Reikos current priority was rushing to where Jin was, she didnt take a detailed look. Finally Reiko finished crossing the courtyard, and she arrived at the gate to the heart of the royal castle, the inner pce. However, that area was closed off by a massive iron gate. As an experiment Reiko tried pushing it, but whether because it was barred on the inside or not it didnt budge. Therefore Reiko quickly took alternative measures. Namely, destruction. Boom, and the iron gate bent with a remarkably loud noise. Surprisingly durable, arent you. The gap she created was about 30 centimeters wide. To withstand Reikos blow at 20% power like that, the doors sturdiness was apparent. It was expected, as the door was ten centimeters thick. However, this was enough to let Reiko pass. Through the gates gap, there was more chaos. In the za at the front of the inner pce, Imperial Guard knights and magi knights were assaulting the golems. The Imperial Guard knights used their excellent sword skills, and the magi knights used fire-system magic to aim at the golems weak points. The typical golem in this castle used bronze as a material. The melting point of bronze with five percent tin in it was around 1050 degrees Celsius. When mixed with lead or such, it was lower. The golems made of impure materials deformed when bathed in fire magic, and became unable to move. Having said that, spells like Fireball or Fire Bullet were no good, at least me Ball was needed to have an effect. In addition, the number of magi knights who could cast me Ball was small. In the middle of such chaos, Reiko advanced towards the hall while repelling the hindrances. Fortunately, here the golems had already fought for a while with the knights, so golems that attacked Reiko were scarce. Due to that, Reiko was able to move faster than before. Furthermore, no one who was fighting there had any leeway to notice the small girl running towards the royal pce at a staggering pace. Inside the royal castle, more chaos reigned. Golems lunged at Reiko wielding swords, fists, even mops, brooms, and other household implements. Truly annoying. Even though they couldnt wound her, they could be a very irritatingly hinder movement. So, Reiko found a broken household golem lying nearby, grabbed its foot and brandished it as a weapon. The sight of 33-kilogram Reiko (3 kilograms heavier than before) wielding an over 100-kilogram bronze golem was surreal, but the results were extraordinary. Although inside the five meters wide and three meters tall hall the golem Reiko waved around scraped the walls and splinters and pieces of it scattered, the approaching golems were knocked down. Just weight in itself can also be a weapon Reiko didnt stop walking while she thought such things. Beyond the open doors she could see what was surely Jins magics, [Laser]s, light annihting golems. Father! Ill be there soon! Reiko increased her speed even further. Reinhardt and Schwarz Ritter, and the groups of Imperial Guard Knights had somehow managed to gather the survivors into one ce. Elsa and Beana had also met up with them, and were giving first-aid treatment to with healing magic to those who were the most seriously injured. Theres a lot of them! Schwarz Ritter defended against the attacking waves of Golems with the Imperial Guard knights backing. Schwarz Ritter! Behind you! Schwarz Ritter sent a security golem flying to help out a woman it was attacking. T-thank you It was Celuroa Kingdoms special envoy Dominique. She seemed to be okay. Come, theres rtive safety here. Reinhardt exined and again dispatched Schwarz Ritter. The Imperial Guard knight teams then battled with all their strength and rescued two more wounded people. And then one more. Elsa-sama, please heal them! Got it. She replied, but when she looked at the wounded person her face became stiff. Because it was Earl Guarana. His face was swollen, and his nose broken. His right arm and left leg were twisted into a strange shape. To make matters worse, blood poured out of his mouth as if his ribs had been broken, he was on the verge of death from his wounds. [Schmerzmittel], [Heal]. Elsa used healing magic to give him emergency first aid. During that, Hey! Thats His Majesty and His Highness! One of the Imperial Guard knights in a group saw the King and the Prince far away. The two were protected by a makeshift wall of unmoving golems and a bronze-colored golem maid. Even though it could be called a wall, there was no way it could defend thempletely. By now, Lotte had rendered dozens of golems powerless. Her arms were covered in scratches and some of her fingers were torn off. There was no trace of the maid outfit she had worn, and her beautiful was also dented and chipped here and there, and each time she moved her joints made creaking noises. Lotte, are you okay? Prince Ernest asked worriedly. Yes, Your Highness. I can still go on. While saying so, Lotte took on an attacking knight golems sword with her arm to, defend the Prince. 130 But it had a high price, as finally her right arm broke off from the elbow down. Aah! Lotte! But Lotte said calmly, Do not worry. I do not feel pain. This degree ofYour Highness, watch out! Agh! Another security golem came to attack. I wont let you! Lotte intercepted it. However, since her right arm was unusable, she couldnt defend against the security golems left fist and took it to the chest. Lottes chest caved in a great deal, but without minding it she slipped her usable left arm past the opponents extended right arm, and grabbed the golems head. Immediately afterwards in a single move she applied force with her left arm, and sent the opponent flying while it spun like a spinning top. YYoure amazing, Lotte The Prince uttered words of admiration. Yes, thats because Father made me this way. The one who made you, you mean The King who was listening tried to say something, but, Watch out! This time a sword brushed against the King. It was a knight golem. The opponent was a rather heavy load on Lottes shoulders as she had lost an arm. Even so, Lotte didnt draw back a step, and challenged the golem face-on to protect the King and the Prince. Lottes advantages were speed and flexibility. Facing the knight golem directly was a bit harsh. However, if it was necessary Lotte would do it, thats how she was, with her motherly nature from Malloum and movements from Rianna as basis. The knight golem swung its sword downward from overhead. Lotte caught it with her useless right arm. Because of the impact the remaining part separated from her shoulder. But it was enough to slow down the knights sh. With her remaining left hand she gripped the sword, and twisted it using the principle of leverage. The dumbfounded knight golems right hand was cut off by the wrist, and just like that Lotte was left with the sword in hand. Lotte didnt have the time to change her grip, so while holding it by the de she struck a blow at the knight golems neck. The sword bit about halfway in, and the knight golems movements became slow. Lotte then finally had the time to adjust her grip, and with the sword in hand drove in another blow. This time the knight golems head was cut off, but the opponent didnt stop yet. Lotte then thrust her sword down hole on the neck. With the destruction of the Magi Device inside the golems body, this time for sure the knight golem was stopped. Lotte! Are you alright? Yes, Your Highness. However, the fight just now tore off three of the fingers in Lottes left hand, and she was no longer able to hold the sword and it fell. Seeing that they were sure she was nearing her limits. At that moment, Lotte felt a wave of Magic Energy. Your Majesty, Your Highness, there is no longer need to fear. W-why? What for? Facing the troubled-looking King and Prince, Lotte smiled with a face full of wounds, Because Elder Sister has arrived. Chapter 133 - Overwhelming

Chapter 133 C Overwhelming

Lottes Sister? The Prince looked perplexed. While smiling, Lotte nodded and pointed with her left hand that had let go of the sword. Yes, over there. Lotte pointed at the left side entrance to the hallway. Right now, it was the spot where the most golems were gathered, and the most chaotic spot. From there appeared a girl wearing a light blue dress and a white apron dress. Its Elder Sister Reiko. Father! Scattering the rows of golems, Reiko rushed into the hall. Whether the obstructing golems were chore golems or knight golems made no difference and they were all simrly blown away, as she headed towards Jins location. Oh, its Reiko! I was just thinking that youd be here any time now. Reiko smiled delightedly at the admission of trust, and, So, what would you like me to do first?, She asked Jin for instructions. Jin had just one order. Protect the people, and disable the attacking golems. Yes! Reiko kicked the floor with force, and jumped into the fray of the swarming golems. With a swing of her right arm a knight golem was blown to pieces, and with a swing of her left arm a security golem sunk into a wall. When Reinhardt saw it, Ah, Reiko-chan hase! Eh? Reiko-chan? Elsa and Beana looked towards Reiko, their eyes wide. The amount of the grouped up golems was decreasing noticeably. Not just by one or two golems, but in groups of five to ten golems. Alright, nows the time! Schwarz Ritter, rescue the remaining survivors! Reinhardt saw it was a good opportunity and leaving the handling of the golems to Reiko he decided to use all of his strength in rescuing the survivors. Behave yourselves! Reiko blew away the golems. She had already defeated more than 60 of the rampaging golems, but knocking down one after another there were more golems toe. Seeing that, Jin worked out a n and gathered a bunch of metal fragments of the golems scattered about, [Fusion]. He melded them together, [Forming]. And then shaped them. What he made was a blunt weapon called a mace. Its weight was about 200 kilograms or so. Finally he applied [Hardening] to increase its endurance, and it was finished. Heeey, Reiko! Even though she was in the middle of a melee, Reiko caught Jins voice and immediately came to his side. Its hastily made, but try using this. He pointed at the mace he had made. Reiko immediately sensed its usefulness. Understood, I will dly ept it., She said, picked up the mace with one hand, and said, Then Ill continue cleaning up. With those parting words she again thrust herself in the middle of the group of golems. Watching the whole exchange from beginning to end from nearby were Celuroa Kingdoms special envoy Dominique, and the Magi Craftsman of the same Celuroa Kingdom, Stearina. Both Reikos strength and Jins Craft Magic were so far away from their standards they were lost for words as they watched. Reiko swung the mace, and four or five chore golems were blown away in one go. This is fine, isnt it. As far as Reikos concerned, even wielding nothing more than a wooden pole would have an extraordinary effect. In front of the whooshing mace the golems scattered and were sent flying as if they were scarecrows. Ten golems, twenty, thirty. 135 After ten more golems, most of them had disappeared. And, after Reiko spotted the remaining golems she swung once more. But that swing was stopped. ThatsTauros! The golem Duke Blue brought with him, Tauros, blocked the mace Reiko swung with its giant tower shield. So you can block this. It seems youve got a bit of strength. Reiko gripped the mace she had so far wielded with one hand with both of her hands, and with a big windup, Lets see you block this! She struck at Tauros. A thunderous roar rseounded through the hall. The mace Reiko wielded was smashed up, and Tauross tower shield along with its left hand that held it were pulverized. Rather robust, arent you. Reiko dropped the unusable mace, and faced Tauros with her slender body. This is payback for breaking the mace Father built and gave to me! At that moment, Reiko increased her power output to 30 percent for an instant. Like that, Reiko performed a ramming attack. In this world, excluding the phenomenon of magic, thews of physics dont differ much from Earths. If a light object and a heavy object collide, the light object bounces back. But thats when talking about situations with no friction, resistance, etc. In addition, you must take into ount their individual strength. The 250-kilogram Tauros made of steel, and the 33-kilogram Reiko made without sparing rare materials. Tauross speed was about zero. Reikos speed inparison at the moment of the impact was about 50 meters per second. A sound louder than the earlier thunderous roar could be heard, and metal-odored smoke shrouded the area. When the dust cleared up, Tauros could no longer be seen, there was only the figure of Reiko brushing the dust off her body. The present survivors all felt relieved at the resulting silence. Is itover? Someone muttered, and with that the heavy strain on their shoulders disappeared, as it did from the weakened people who were sitting on the floor. Meanwhile, the vice-captain of the Imperial Guard knights, Bruno, moved to the King and the Prince despite his wounded body. Your Majesty, Your Highness, you made it. Oh, Bruno, so you were safe too. Pleasee this way, the survivors are gathering. Is that so? I understand. With that all the survivors had finally gathered in one spot. Your Majesty! Ah, Prime Minister, so you were safe too Its good that Your Highness alright too. Mmh, thanks to Lottes help. Lotte, covered in wounds, was behind the King and the Prince waiting on them. The King and the Prince, and cab ministers such as the Prime Minister Galueri, Minister of Finances oroot, Minister of Magic Kelhidore, and the Ministers of Defense, Internal Affairs, and Foreign Affairs. Nobles like Duke Blue, Earl Kuzuma, Earl Guarana, and Viscount Grieri. Invitees Reinhardt, Elsa, Celuroas special envoy Dominique, Stearina, and so forth. Magi Craftsmen like Yarui-Dale, Jade Nepheloi, dia Hampton, Bootes, et cetera. Themanding officer of the Imperial Guard knightpany, and the vice-captain. Some had serious injuries, but they werent life-threatening. On the other hand, the escorting soldiers and Imperial Guard knight troops didnt get away with just a few casualties. Due to the immensely powerful Reikos activities clearing away most of the golems in the hall, and it seeming like more golems werent going to rush in any more, the leaders of Egelia Kingdom discussed what to do from now on. From among them, the Minister of Magic Kelhidore asked, Reinhardt-dono, why werent your Schwarz Ritter and Earl Kuzumas Lotte among the rioting golems? It was surely the number one question in everyones minds. Reinhardt replied by exining the story about the criminal in Elias Kingdom, Valentino, and the golem Albus he used. He said he had surely already reported the matter to Elias Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom through the proper channels, and had finished remodeling his Schwarz Ritter to resist against interference by outside magic. I hadnt heard any story about a golem like that. The report mustvee to stop somewhere. On that note, the Minister of Magic went silent with a troubled expression. Jin then turned up there along with Reiko. Oh, Jin! And Miss Reiko! You saved us! Reinhardt greeted Jin. Earl Kuzuma also expressed his thanks, Jin, Lotte whom you builtmendably protected His Majesty and His Highness, you have my thanks! When Jin heard it, Eh? Lotte did?, He said and looked around, and found Lotte behind him. In front of her were the King and the Prince. When the King heard Jins name, he said, Oh, so you are the Magi Craftsman called Jin. We heard from Kuzuma, youre an excellent Magi Craftsman. Good work on building a golem as splendid as this Lotte. Oh, thank you very much. When the King said so, Jin lowered his head. Although he didnt know the etiquette for an asion like this, he thought it should be fine if he just behaved modestly. In addition, Reiko, was it. A splendid piece of work. Is she also yours? Yes, shes an Automata. Hm, is that so. We have many things We would like to ask, but first, let Us express Our thanks. Everyone in the vicinity was surprised when the king of the whole country thanked a mere Magi Craftsman. Jin, was it? We were saved thanks to you! If you can, could you fix Lotte? The one who talked was Prince Ernest. At his remark, Jin raised his head and took a long hard look at Lotte who was behind them. The maid outfit she was wearing had beenpletely torn to pieces and lost, and her right arm hade off from the shoulder. Her left hand was missing the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger, and throughout her body were countless of bruises and dents. Lotte,e over here. Jin beckoned and Lotte came over while limping a little. Looking close her condition was even more severe than thought. Lotte, you did great. You protected His Majesty and His Highness well even though you became like this. Im proud of you. Like so, Jin kindly showed his consideration for the wound-covered Lotte. Chapter 134 - Wrap-up

Chapter 134 C Wrap-up

But King, while this ce seems to be sorted out one way or another, I think there still are golems rioting elsewhere inside the royal pce. Without cleaning them up this turmoil wont end. The Prime Minister Galueri said. Hmm, it is as you say. That being the case, We shall leave the handling hereafter to you and the Minister of Defense. Yes. The Prime Minister Galueri bowed, and turned towards the Minister of Defense Judol, whose painful-looking broken arm had a splint. Judol, even though youre wounded youre still the Minister of Defense of our country. Youlle, right? Of course Ille with you. Judol said and stood up. Kelly, themanding officer of the Imperial Guard knight troops said, You four over there, go apany them as guards. And so the four rtively lightly injured knights followed the ministers. Schwarz Ritter, you go with them too. After escorting them,e back. Ja! Reinhardt also had Schwarz Ritter apany them just in case. Hmm, the arm, it While being protected by Reiko, Jin looked for Lottes parts. Oh, found it. The lost right arm was discovered. Both the parts from the elbow to the fingertips and to the shoulder. Alright, Lotte, lie down there. Yes, Father. Since there wasnt a workbench or anything of the like, the tables left in one piece were lined up and Lottey down on them. [Standstill]. Jin had Lotte go into suspension temporarily. He then began to first connect the right arm. Lottes steel endoskeleton had Magical Muscles. And her exterior was bronze. As the Magical Muscles were considerably damaged, he couldnt repair them more than to the extent of somehow enabling normal movements. Ooh, so Lottes structure was like that. Prince Ernest said something akin to admiration while peeking from the side. Your Highness, are you interested in the makeup of golems? Jin asked, and, Yes, I do! Ill make a golem myself too when Im a little older!, The prince answered innocently. The surface dents and scratches could be mended with Craft Magic. As the Mana of the Mana Tank was running rather low, he refilled it in advance. Jin, isnt this Lottes finger? From nearby, Beana brought an object like one of Lottes fingers. Y-youre ? Seeing Beana like that, Prince Ernest was lost for words and went stiff. Your highness? Jin thought it was strange and he called out for him, but suddenly the prince took Beanas hand and said, You! Your name is? Its B-Beana. Beana gave her name while taken aback and not knowing whats what. Still holding confused Beanas hand, the prince said, Beana, huh! What a good name! Hey Beana, wont you be my bride? Eeeeeeeh!! Suddenly a preposterous suggestion was made. I fancied you at first sight! Because you look exactly like Lotte! Maybe this could still be called the suspension bridge effect, as the prince seemed to have fallen in love at first sight with Beana, the model for Lotte who the prince got an interest in after her protecting him from danger. Although he was just barely 13, so it wasnt certain to what extend he understood what he was asking. I cannot allow that, Your Highness! A single person forced his way through. He was none other than Earl Kuzuma. As I already have nned to propose to Beana! Eh? Ah Right next to him, Beana heard the Earls vigorously stated words. Eeeeeeeeh!? She turned bright red and ran away from the ce. Although, she couldnt leave the hall so she simply went to the ce where Elsa was treating the wounded. Left behind were the Prince, the Earl, and Jin. The atmosphere turned vaguely awkward. Uh, lets see, oh, this is indeed Lottes middle finger. Jin spoke forcedly while using the finger Beana found and brought to fix Lotte. The halls situation was like that, while the clean-up battle for the royal pces insides was about to begin. Alright, with this the preparations areplete. The treasured Imperial Guard knight golems of the Minister of Defense Judol. As they werent usually ever activated, their Magi Devices were removed to make them inert, and for that reason they were safe. The Minister of Magic Kelhidore activated them, and they began their startup. Five Imperial Guard knight golems had started up. Alright, youre expected to defeat the golems who dont obey our orders. Got it? Yes, Sir. The five Imperial Guard knight golems who held shields in their left hands and swords in their right hands left the cer of the Ministry of Defense. The first step should be fine now. Onto the next then. Next they activated ten golems meant for emergency use. These ones were all-purpose types, and they were given orders to assemble and protect the wounded people inside the castle. After that they activated ten spare security golems. They were made to assist in the defense of the castles insides. Just then, the sound of a bird pping wings could be heard. Judol looked out of the window, and saw a pigeon-like bird flying in the evening sky. A pigeon, huh. An enviable thing. The Minister of Defense Judol muttered and turned back to the business at hand, and resumed his discussion with the Minister of Magic Kelhidore. As expected, it seemed the scope of the surbordination magic attack wasnt centered in the castle but the hall area, and the golems in the royal pces second and third floors werent affected. That is, the Queen, the second Prince, and the first Prince were safe. We can conjecture that the temporarily so-called [Subordination Rewriting Magic]s effects radius is about 20 to 30 meters, having the strongest effect at around a 10 meter radius. Kelhidore guessed the effective range from the circumstances of the rampaging golems. From now on countermeasures had to be put to use and recorded, he said. There werent more than 30 remaining golems, and facing the Imperial Guard golems they were quickly neutralized. Thus, the rampaging golems inside the castle were eradicated, and by nighttime the treatment of the wounded was over and order was restored in the castle. The participants of the party who had the most severe wounds were sent into the sickbay, while the lightly wounded people returned to their allotted rooms after receiving medical care. After collecting the usable parts of the destroyed golems, that is, the Magi Devices et cetera, the best materials were returned for reuse. That meant the Magi Craftsmen who were able to were asked to assist in the task as necessary. This time, thanks to your efforts the damage could be kept at a minimum, We are grateful. In his office, the King of Egelia, Harold Ruan Autocracy expressed his gratitude towards Jin and Reinhardt. In particr, Jin, We cannot thank you enough. Because there is no doubt that the golem you built, Lotte, saved Us and Our son. The King said, and continued, And so by all rights We wouldve liked to make you a noble and the Royal Magi Craftsman, but We hear you have already decided to go to Shouro Empire. It is unfortunate, but there is nothing We can do about it. Theres no question about Jin going there. But the King interpreted the meaning of that word by his own ord. Jin felt relieved from the bottom of his heart along with gratitude for Reinhardt. However, The Kings speech still continued. We most certainly would like you to give Us the method of defending against that subordination magic attack. Naturally you will be rpensated. You can state your wish in advance. We will grant it to the best of Our abilities. The King told Jin, who was thinking about just what to request. Chapter 135 - Approach

Chapter 135 C Approach

In that case, Id like you to not investigate matters regarding Reiko. Jin had decided what favor to ask. Hmm, wasnt Reiko the golem, no, the Automata girl who repelled the other golems in a sh? Very well. It is most exceedingly unfortunate, but We shall grant you your wish. Hearing that, Jin let out a sigh of relief. The King gave some instructions to an aide who was waiting nearby, We have seen to it that the Prime Minister and the other cab ministers respect your wishes. But We cannot settle it with just that. We will bestow you somethingter. Thank you very much. And then, Jin brought up the matter he was currently most concerned about. By the way, have you found this times culprit or the crime golem? The one who answered the question was themanding officer of the Imperial Guard knight troops, Kelly. Your concern is natural. The magi knights are devoting all of their power to searching. In addition, ording to reports thest one of the rampaging golems was suppressed not long ago. Is that so. The current situation was that after having the guest of a guest Jin perform such a great service the Imperial Guard knight troops wanted to at least bring the matter to conclusion by themselves. Your Majesty, Your Highness, it looks like the danger has already passed. Please, feel free to go rest in your room. The King was relieved by the report of themanding officer of the Imperial Guard knight troops, Kelly, and said, In that case, Ernest, shall we take a rest? Minister of Domestic Affairs, We shall leave the rest to you. With those words the King and the Prince retired to their room while escorted by guards. All of you who came to attend, I cannot apologize enough for a result such as this. The Minister of Domestic Affairs who was left behind to handle things one by one bowed and apologized to each one of the remaining nobles and invitees. This ce is in disorder and as it seems the guest house is safe, let us move over there. The minister said, and themself took the task of leading the way towards the guest house. En route they all noticed that the thick iron gate separating the inner and outer pce was crooked, and most were struck with terror at the thought of golems rampaging to this extent. A few people however had an idea of just who did the deed, and didnt regard it as particrly threatening. Gathered in the hall of the guest house were the invitees and the nobles excepting those living in the royal capital. There the Minister of Domestic Affairs once more apologized. I know that just an apology isnt enough, but nevertheless as the representative of the royal capital I must express my apologies. With that preface the minister continued, The dinner here should be prepared shortly, so please feel free to rest and enjoy yourselves. In this time of crisis they put aside their rank for the oing dinner, and so seating etiquette and wasnt followed. Among the participants there were people who were felt dissatisfied regarding this incident, but as everyone was more or less mentally worn out they decided to leave that for tomorrow. Such a mood filled the room. The Minister of Domestic Affairs thought about taking a bath, but thinking that as the attack urred during lunch and when it was over it was evening they decided to prioritize having a meal. Nevertheless, because of the hasty preparations there werent enough chairs or tables, and the meal again took the form of a stand-up meal. Because the heavily injured people were sent to the sickbay, Elsa and Beana were relieved that they could go without meeting Earl Guarana. Ah,e to think of it, Im starving. Me too. Immediately after I began to eat the alreadyte lunch, that disturbance started. Next to Jin, Beana kept close. From a little distance away Earl Kuzuma stared at them. Jin noticed his gaze and, Beana, about the Earls proposal. How did you take it? He tried asking her. When Beana heard him, she seemed to nearly spit the food out of her mouth, but, S-stop it! I, I dont know yet!, Eventually she managed to only answer like so. Elsa then arrived at the scene too. She held a te in her hand that had a pile of Citrans on it. Jin-kun, once again Thank you. She said and bowed so that it looked like if she leaned any further with her body the Citrans would spill over and fall off her te. Its fine, dont worry about it. Its good that you were safe though. Mm. That time was really scary. No matter how protected by a barrier, if golems crowded 30 centimeters in front of your eyes it no doubt be very scary. Im grateful for Jin-kun andReiko-chan. She said and looked around, Speaking Reiko-chan, where is she? She asked. Jin smiled and said, Shes here. Reiko! Yes, Father. !! Reiko cancelling her [Stealth] and suddenly appearing surprised not only Elsa but Beana. No matter how much experience they got they didnt seem to get used to her. The enemy in the mountain pass used [Hide], right? I studied it and made a more effective version. Thats all, Reiko. Jin said and Reiko once more disappeared. I see. After all, Jin-kuns amazing. Eh, [Hide]? Whats that? Elsa and Beana showed different reactions. An enemy who attacked us earlier had an item charged with that magic. Elsa exined. Hearing that, Beana said, Oh yeah. Elsas travelling with Jin, right, and theyre experiencing many things together, right. ? Elsa thought that Beana who suddenly seemed disheartened was suspicious, Beana, does your stomach hurt? Eh? N-no. Im fine. Oh? Alright then. Ah, Rai-nii. Looking where Elsa was looking, Reinhardt was there. And next to him was a beautiful woman with blond hair reaching all the way to her back. ShesIf Im not mistaken, Dominique-san? That woman was indeed Celuroa Kingdoms special envoy Dominique. She was thick in the right ces and skinny in the others, the type of woman Reinhardt seemed to prefer. But flirting doesnt really float for Reinhardt. Jin said, to which Elsa replied, Flirting? Float? Rai-nii cant fly in the sky. Or are you talking about swimming?, A natural-airhead-like remark came and Jin exined to Elsa the misundertanding and what flirting is. And then surprisingly, Rai-nii has a fiancee back home. Such a fact suddenly came to light. Ohreally, Reinhardt does. Elsa exined that it wasnt unusual for male nobles to be married by the age of 20. Theres even people who get married as early as at the age of 18, she said. Hmm, how about the women? When asked that, Elsa looked surprised for a moment but soon returned to her usual expression and replied, Theres girls who get married as early as at the age of 13. Most usually get married when theyre between 15 and 19 years old. Is that so? As expected this worlds age of marriage is low, Jin sincerely felt. Jin-kuns how old? Im 16. Elsa asked and peeked at Jins face. She even told her own age without asking. Me? Im only 20. Oh, very soon Ill be 20. Jin answered, and, Eeeeh? Beana who was listening to the conversation next to them raised a hysteric voice. Hey, mind the asion. Jin cautioned Beana who said somewhat agitatedly , Jijiji-Jins 20 years old!? I was certain you were my age or at most a year or two older. Me too. Elsa also agreed, and Jin felt a little sad. Do I really look that childish? He said subduedly, and Beana said in a hurry, Th-thats not it. Youre just, uh, how should I say it Young-looking. Elsa gave a helping hand to Beana, but saying that didnt make Jin much more pleased. Certainly its said that Japanese people look youngerpared to Western people. However, formerly when he went to to high school his ssmates used to say Nidou-kun is kind of like an old man or some such, so Jin was shocked greatly, so, Child on the outside, old man on the inside, huh., His self-deprecating muttering was understandable. Is it impolite to call you Jin-kun? It seems Elsa didnt think he was four years older than her so she decided to call him Jin-kun, however after being called that until now changing it would feel strange, and above all Elsas social standing is higher than his so the same manner as before would be fine, he said. Sorry for interrupting your talk, Jin-dono, wasnt it? Just then Celuroa Kingdoms leading Magi Craftsman who built the crystal golem Ceres, Stearina, came and greeted him. Chapter 136 - Stearina and Dominique

Chapter 136 C Stearina and Dominique

Let me introduce myself. I am Stearina. Stearina Gamma. Ah, Im Jin. The intellectual-looking woman called Stearina Gamma was in front of Jin, had bronze-colored hair that reached to the middle of her back and reddish brown eyes. She was a bit taller than Jin and had a well-proportioned body. Ive got something to talk to you about. Is now an okay time? She said and threw a fleeting nce towards Elsa and Beana. Uh, sure, it is. Alright, thanks. She said and drank a sip of wine from the ss in her hand. Your Craft Magic was amazing. I wonder just who did you take lessons from? If you can, please tell me. She stared at Jin with her reddish brown eyes and said. Jin met her gaze with a searching look of his own and said, From my teacher. And their name is? Its Adrianna. Jin replied, and, Adrianna! Thats the same name as a great magus who lived around 1000 yeas ago. Ah, I guess she must be named after her. She was the third person who knew the name Adrianna, after Reinhardt and Elsa. And she also made the same misunderstanding with the name. I see, your teacher mustve been an outstanding person just like that Adrianna was. Stearina had a little faraway look in her eyes. She then once more looked at Jin and said, I happened to overhear that youre travelling with Reinhardt-sama to Shouro Empire? Jin replied with a short yes, to which Stearina said, I see, in that case youll have to go through Celuroa Kingdom. At that time, if you so desire, Id like to invite you to my home. Sure, Ill try asking Reinhardt if weve got leeway timewise for it. Well, Ill be looking forward to it then. They then made some polite small talk, after which, If I monopolize Jin-kun too much the youngdy behind us will surely get upset. And so, see you around. Stearina said and walked towards the direction of Reinhardt. Elsa came close to Jin who was watching Stearina walk away and, Jin-kun also thinks the bigger bosom the better? She whispered and it caught Jin off-guard and surprised him, Wha, what are you talking about? You just stared at her. Because Jin was an orphan she didnt have anything like a mother. Perhaps because of that he was weak to, or had some yearning for older women. Stearina was in her mid-30s, and the calm feel about her only gave him a vague sense of security, however saying that to Elsa was too embarassing and shameful, and so, I was just worried about her going to where Reinhardt was., He told her a white lie. Elsa readily believed him, Rai-nii does like breasts., She muttered under her breath. Reinhardt-samas Schwarz-ritter was terrific! Maybe Dominique was drunk from the wine, as her face was a little red while she excitedly talked. Haha, you honor me. Your Loiseau, was it, was well done. Oh, you embarass me. Though, during thatmotion its three plumes happened to break off. Thats unfortunate. I really wanted to see it up close, you see. Oh, you tter me too much. She humbly said, but in fact seemed delighted. I wouldve also liked to show it to you and hear your opinions. She said seeming regretful, and moved on, By the way, Reinhardt-sama, why didnt your Schwarz Ritter go berserk? She asked such a question. As expected of a Magi Craftsman, she was curious about it. Because afterwards Jin and Reinhardt were going to spread the countermeasures for the temporarily-named [Subordination Rewriting Magic], he exined it to Dominique. Since the Magi Device is built to defend against magical surges. Come now, why did you do that? ordingly, Reinhardt exined briefly about how the enemy encountered a while ago, had a golem who used the temporarily-named [Subordination Rewriting Magic]. Hearing it Dominique seemed disbelieving and was greatly surprised. Then, Reinhardt-sama, Id like to talk to you more in depth. If you dont mind, could we meet after the meal? She asked in a whispering sort of voice. In response, I dont mind it but As Reinhardt was about to respond, My my, in that case Id certainly also like to have an in-depth talk with you. With these words Stearina forced herself into the conversation. Youre Yes, just like Dominique-san, Im a Magi Craftsman from Celuroa Kingdom, Stearina Gamma. She greeted him. To Stearina, Oh my, Gamma? My goodness indeed., Reinhardt replied, and, Ah, Reinhardt-samas familiar with the significance of Gamma, I see. Yeah. If I recall correctly, every -how many was it- years screenings are held to choose the honorary positions all over the country. Gamma is the third rank, am I correct? He said. As expected of a diplomat. Youre well-informed. But I also wanted to have a talk with you, so? Sure, I dont mind. Well then, shall we meet at my room?? Sure, tonight, at eight oclock. Dominique-san is fine with that too, right? Yes. Dominique agreed with a tone that was a little unpleased. I wonder just how Beana thinks of me Earl Kuzuma was drinking wine bit-by-bit by himself. Then, Earl-sama., The Beana in question appeared. Uh!? Be-Beana!? Wine spilled over from the ss in the Earls hand, and got it on his sleeve. Oh, oops. Ah, please dont move. Ill dry it. Beana said and took out a handkerchief, and quickly wiped dry Earl Kuzumas sleeve. I wiped it as fast as I could, but theres still a small stain. Beana said apologetically, and the Earl said to her, Ah, dont worry about. Ill just change my clothes when I go back. However, Oh, let me make it clean. [Cleanup]. The Craft Magic [Cleanup] was magic that removed impurities and such. And because of that magic the stain on Earls sleevepletely disappeared. Ooh, sorry to bother you. No problem, Im not very skilled but I can do at least this much. Beana said with an awkward smile on her face, and looking at her the Earl made up his mind. Beana. He put aside the ss and grasped Beanas hand with both of his, Would you marry me?, He finally asked. Chapter 137 - Unexpected Ambush

Chapter 137 C Unexpected Ambush

Evening, 8 oclock. Jin, Elsa, Stearina, and Dominique gathered in Reinhardts room. The maids serving Reinhardt, Rianna and Mary, and the maid Kate serving Elsa were there too. Jins maid La wasnt there. Neither Stearina nor Dominique had maids with them. As the room would get too packed. I want to hear more about Reinhardts Schwarz Ritter, please. Dominique said with tear-choked eyes. Her blue eyes were facing towrads Reinhardt. Even if you want to hear more, I dont really know what I could talk about Oh? Ive heard rumors though? Were you not the champion in thebat golem sham battles held in Celuroa Kingdoms capitalst year? That had been Schwarz Ritters debut. On that asion Schwarz Ritter had pushed aside one veteran golem after another, and in the finals he utterly defeated Adamas Warrior who was said to be the number one in Celuroa Kingdom, and won the championship. s, I wanted to see it too. If only I wasnt away from the capital on official business! While saying so, little by little Dominique inched closer to Reinhardt. Thatdy, is she all over Rai-nii? A small distance away from them Elsa said sullenly. Next to her Jin was slurping fruit juice, As I thought, shes interested in Reinhardt, dont you think?, He said. But its strange. Usually Rai-nii doesnt get that close to women. When as a reply Elsa said something a little troubling, Jin couldnt surpress a bitter smile. Yet another person also approached Reinhardt, Stearina. But hes a noble and moreover an excellent Magi Craftsmanm, so isnt it natural for them to be interested in him? Jin asked Elsa, who replied, But as a Magi Craftsman, Jin-kun is better. Shepletely shot down his reasoning. Haha, its an honor hearing that from Elsa, but Im just an ordinary person, so. Lies. If Jin-kun is an ordinary person Ill lose my faith in this world. Elsa said something that could be either speaking well or speaking ill of him. Jin was at a loss for how to reply so he changed the subject, Come to think of it, Beana didnte here. I wonder if something happened to her? He said, and Elsa began to reminisce about what that urred in the bathroom not long ago. After dinner, it was time to bathe to get rid of the dust that smeared everyones bodies. Beana and Elsa went to enter the bath at precisely the same time. At this time, because even the Royal Secret Maids had been recruited to help with the cleanup, they judged it to be a peaceful time to enter the bath. Oh, Beana. Elsa-samasan. As expected, Beana couldnt stop her politenguage. I said Elsa is fine. Yes, butElsa. Mm, thats good. Elsa was one step ahead and was already submerged in the bath, and after washing her body Beana also entered. Um, do you have a moment? Mm, what is it? Beana looked around the bathroom to again confirm that it was just the two of them, then, Elsa-saElsa, what kind of a rtionship do you have with Jin? She asked. Elsa tilted her head, Were friends., And replied. But that answer didnt seem to be the one Beana was after, T-then, Elsa How do you think about Jin? Hm? How is that different from the previous question? Elsa answered the question with a question. Beana nervously asked Elsa a second time. Do youlike Jin? Mm. I do. Elsa replied instantly, while Beana hid her face from her, and, I also likehim., She opened up her heart. When Elsa heard it, As I thought. You like Jin-kun just like me. Were together., She said and smiled. Seeing Elsa act like that, Beana asked, Does liking mean Not minding getting married? (Getting marriedWith Jin-kun?) Elsa looked hard at the Jin next to her. (MarriageLiving like father and mother do? And then giving birth to, and raising children?) While thinking so, she again stared at Jin, (No, thats not it.) Her intuition told her so. Being together with Jin was fun. He knew mysterious things and was reliable. But, she couldnt imagine raising her children with Jin. Thats why in the bathroom she didnt respond to Beanas question. Elsa? A voice brought Elsa back to her senses. Her suddenly bing silent puzzled Jin and turned his attention to her. Did something happen between you and Beana? When I mentioned her, you suddenly went silent. Jin asked. No, its nothing. Just, apparently Earl Kuzuma officially proposed to Beana. Without hesitation she made an outrageous revtion. I-is that so. It was eventual. Jin was flustered. Jin-kun, what do you think about it?, Elsa asked him, but some people interrupted them. The one who spoke was Stearina. Dominique was with her too. As for Reinhardt, he had been set free and could be seen appeasing his thirst with fruit juice. Excuse me, Miss. We also have something wed like to talk to Jin-kun about. Is Jin-kun the one who made that lovely Automata girl? She was talking about Reiko. Seems that as she went around fighting to such an extent, whether Jin liked it or not she caught notice. Yeah, I am. I thought so! It was amazing, to defeat the golems so easily with a build like hers, I wonder just how was she constructed? When she shot the question, for a moment a it seemed like there was a glint in Stearinas eyes. Thats a secret, as a Magi Craftsman I cant reveal my secret techniques just like that. As youd expect, Jin gently refused to answer. Next Dominique who was behind him said, I wonder if that girl too was protected from the [Subordination Rewriting Magic] like Schwarz Ritter was? Jin guessed that Reinhardt had told her that. Yeah, of course. He replied. To which Dominique said, Aha, I knew it! She raised her voice, Hey, could I meet that girl, please? She brought down her body, looked at Jin with upturned eyes from below, and took his hand as she pleaded. 156 S-sure. Ill go call her here, so please wait. He said, shaked and untangled from her hand and left the room for a moment, and after a brief while returned. When he came back, Reiko was following him. This is my Reiko. Reiko, this is Stearina-san, and this is Dominique-san. Introduce yourself. Jin said and Reiko pinched the hem of her skirt a little, Nice to meet you, I am Reiko., She introduced herself. Seeing that, it was as if Dominique couldnt stop herself and she clung to Reiko and hugged her tight. Squee! So cute! I want this girl! She said and rubbed her cheek on Reikos. Reiko stayed as she was. However, you could see disgust in her expression. As youd expect, Stearing couldnt just sit back and watch, Dominique, what are you doing with other peoples children. Stop it, shape up. She said, but Dominique said with a voice much lower than until now, Thats right. If I want her, I should just make her my own. While saying so, she took a glittering green gemstone from her pocket. !? C-could it be, thats, Elradrite? Stearina yelled, and at the same time Dominique cast her Craft Magic. [Erase], [Write-in]! It was amplified [Subordination Rewriting Magic] from zero distance. Immediately after that, Reikos facial expression disappeared. Chapter 138 - Unifiers

Chapter 138 C Unifiers

Content warning: depiction of some violence and pain. He he hee, now Reiko is mine. Ahh, how wonderful! Reiko didnt move. Dominique, you Stearina looked shocked as she forced out some words. Yes, I am a member of the Unifiers. Unifiers? That group of religious fanatics! Stearina said, but Dominique rebutted. Were not fanatics. Were reformers and saviours, here to return this world to its pre-Great Magic War days. So that means you were also the one behind the golems riot? Dominique then grinned widely and said, Yes, thats right. The insides of my bird golem were packed with Elradrite and Magi Crystals. It was simple because the search didnt go as far as the golems interiors. In addition to the red, blue, and yellow ones there was a white one, but I made it operate in the castles golem storehouse to a great sess. ted with sess, Dominique jabbered on. Her smiling face was now overflowing with a sense of superiority. Then, that must mean you almost getting attacked was also an act! Reinhardt said. Yes, that is so. But Im still grateful for your help, Reinhardt-sama. Dominique said nonchntly. Her grinning face looked viinous. 159.png If I bring back this strong Reiko instead of the golems gathered in the castle, Ill surely enter the upper echelon. Now, Reiko, with the exception of Jin and Reinhardt kill everyone here. Dominique gave a harsh order. Hearing that Stearina, Elsa, and Reinhardt went white as a sheet. If Reiko betrayed them there was no one who could stop her. Except for Jin. And the Jin in question kept calm. He was looking at Reiko silently standing still. Reiko! What are you doing! Kill them all! Dominique got impatient with Reiko who didnt move, and yelled out loud. However, Reiko only replied with a cold voice without blinking an eye, Why should I do what someone like you tells me to? Eh? You could see from her face that Dominique didnt understand what Reiko was saying. The only one who can give me orders is Father. Reiko said and slowly walked near Jin. She then held out a Magi Crystal she took from her breast pocket, Father, here is the Magi Recorder. She said and handed it over to Jin. Good work, Reiko. After receiving it Jin gave orders to Reiko while ring at Dominique. As youd expect, Jin got angry at Dominique who tried to capture his daughter Reiko. Reiko, seize Dominique! His tone was also strong. Yes. Reiko gave a reply, and in the blink of an eye went around behind Dominique and wrenched her arm. She also confiscated the Elradrite that was in her hand. Eeek! Why! Why? It seemed she couldnt believe that the performing the [Subordination Rewriting Magic] from zero distance using an Elradrite had no effect at all. Argh! But how! Dominique still raved. Reiko frowned. Then. Noisy, arent you. Gyaaaaaaaahh! She dislocated Dominiques shoulder which made a dull sound. Excuse me, I seem to have used a bit too much strength. Elsa-san, please cure her. It hurts! It huuurts! Dominique yelled, but her body restrained by Reiko didnt move a bit. Rianna, Mary, anyone will do, tie her up. Y-yes! At Reinhardtsmand, the Royal Secret Maid Rianna rushed over and tied up Dominique. Elsa, heal her for the time being. Mm. [Schmerzmittel]. Instead of healing it was pain relief, and from that you could tell that Elsa was angry. Even Jin didnt say anything about it. Well then, well take her away. Ah, please do. And thus, the culprit of the [Subordination Rewriting Magic] incident was caught, and things seemed to be settled for now. Why did you suspect her? When she held my hand the Magic Energy waveform I felt was the same one I felt during the day. Currently, Jin and the others were in Reinhardts room being interrogated by the authorities, or more precisely giving them the general information about the events. With Jin were the Minister of Magic Kelhidore and the Minister of Defense Judol. What!? Jin-dono, you mean that you are able to read Magical Energy waves? The Minister of Magic Kelhidore was surprised by Jins answer. Eh? Isnt it an ordinary ability? Since the Guilds Automata was also able to do it, Jin thought it mustve beenmon. But it was impossible for Jin to quantify it. It was like the difference between remembering someones face and being able to paint a painting of it. Painting was a different skill altogether. No no, generally people cant do it. I see, seems you indeed are a Magi Craftsman whom His Majesty and His Highness have acknowledged. Kelhidore said and nodded multiple times, seemingly havinge to an understanding. Moving on, what kind of a method was that to defend from the [Subordination Rewriting Magic] at zero distance? That time, Jin had a feeling that Dominique was nning something, so he went outside for a moment with Reiko who was using [Stealth]. And then after preparing a countermeasure, he pretended to have fetched Reiko and went back to the room with her. It was this. Jin took the Magi Record he got form Reiko out of his pocket and showed it to Kelhidore. Well, please take a look. He said and handed it over to Kelhidore. The Minister of Magic alternated between looking it over and examining it with magic, but before long, I could immediately understand that this has a Magi Form for Magi Energy absorption carved on it. But theres something more? Ive never seen it before. In addition, theres yet another thing but too tiny for me to read. He gave up. The Minister of Defense next to them was astonished and cast a sidelong nce at Jin. The first thing is a Magi Form for [Record]. The small details are themands applied to Reiko. Jin began to exin it to everyone. It was already known that [Subordination Rewriting Magic] was a magic that wrotemands into the Magi Crystal serving as the Control Core. And that Magic Energy was made to get absorbed by the Magi Record instead of the Control Core, and this was enough to prevent the magic from achieving its goal, he said. Reikos Control Core is heavily shielded from Magic Energy, but at zero distance I didnt want to take the risk so I improvised a thing like this. And then it utterly ruined Dominiques ns, he said, bringing the exnation to an end. Hmm, I see. Very enlightening. Hearing the Minister of Magic who hadpiled together all the magic techniques in the country say that made the Minister of Defense Judol feel shocked from the bottom of their heart. Because the still young Magi Craftsman Jin in front of them was unfathomably skilled. Tomorrow, I want you to give me the precise instructions for that technique. Jin readily agreed to Kelhidores request. Certainly. Something like the [Subordination Rewriting Magic] looks down on both the golems and the Magi Craftsmen who built them. I could never ignore something like that. Taking the work someone poured their heart and soul into and treating it as a disposable piece was truly vexing. As a craftsman himself Jin took great offense in it and would never forgive something like that. Looking at Jin acting like that was Celuroa Kingdoms Magi Craftsman Stearina with gentle eyes. Now then, next Id like you to hear what Ive got to say. The Minister of Defense Judol began to talk. Is there anyone here who dont know about the Unifiers who Dominique talked about? Elsa and Jin raised their hands. I see, Reinhardt-dono and Stearina-dono already know, huh. Thats correct. To tell you the truth, I received an invitation to the Unifiers too. Oh, I cant just ignore that. What kind of a person did you get it from? The Minister of Defense asked her impatiently, wanting a clue even if its a small one. However, Before I tell you, would you exin to Elsa-san and Jin-kun about the Unifiers?, Stearina said, and Judol sat down, cleared his throat and began to exin. Ahem, the group known as Unifiers is an underground organization spanning Celuroa Kingdom, Egelia Kingdom, Frantz Kingdom, and Cline Kingdom among others, having its roots in pre-Great Magic War countryposed of lesser countries called Dinar Kingdom. It seems theyre somehow centered in Celuroa Kingdom. Thats because apparently the ancient capital of Dinar Kingdom used to be around the area where the present-day Celuroa Kingdoms capital is. Some time ago in a restaurant in Port Rock, when Reinhardt mentioned suspicious activities happening in Celuroa Kingdom, this was what he was talking about. At present, you could say the friction between countries is almost nonexistent and there are no territorial disputes as the poption dropped sharply due to the Great Magic War. Theyre a group that wants to expressly unify these countries, and theyre not sparing force to do it. I think you could call them a terrorist group. Causes of cross-national disputes were territorial disputes stemming from resources, economic disparity caused by industry, and in addition religions and such. In the case of these Unifiers, they could be said to be almost a religious organization. That is to say, they recruited fanatical members. The Minister of Defense Judols opinion was that even though there was some power struggles and corruption, in general the world was doing well and the minister would like to avoid letting anyone cause disorder. I agree. Reinhardt, who had been silent until now, began to talk. Because of thebor shortage caused by the poption decrease, each nation has developed golems topensate. Having that [Subordination Rewriting Magic] dominate them all in an instant would be dreadful and cannot be allowed. The countermeasures must be quickly and thoroughly spread to every country. You are absolutely right. Reinhardt-dono, Jin-dono, and Stearina-dono, I would ask for your cooperation. Judol and Kelhidore bowed, and Jin, Reinhardt, and Stearina all nodded, With pleasure. Ill cooperate. Of course. They agreed and shook hands. You knowAbout that Jin character, hes, how should I say it Astonishing. I concur. The Minister of Magic Kelhidore and the Minister of Defense Judol were having a conversation. His identity is unknown. However, hes earned Reinhardt-donos trust and has decided to go to Shouro Empire. I wouldve had him work for our country even if I had to drag him by the neck, if only Youd go to that extent? Yes, Judol-dono. But I know it would be impossible for me. When Kelhidore, the top magus in Egelia Kingdom said so, Judol couldnt imagine just who this Magi Craftsman Jin was, and the Minister of Defense felt a vague sense of fear. Speaking of that Automata Reiko of his, she could most likely destroy this castle by herself. That strong!? Moreveor, shes unconditionally pledged to obey Jin. If something happened to him Just thinking about it scares me. Unless the country decides otherwise, we should refrain from doing anything uncalled for. Chapter 139 - Lotte’s Remodeling

Chapter 139 C Lottes Remodeling

The next day, Jin was very busy starting from the morning. Jin-sama, His Highness Ernest has summoned you. Immediately after breakfast summons from the Prince came, and Jin left for the inner royal pce. There was the third Prince Ernest along with lotte. Oh, Jin, repair Lotte properly at once! The third Prince Ernest said. It seemed like a royals selfishness, but as Jin treasured Lotte whom he built himself, heughed and agreed. If possible, Id like it if you made her more durable than before. The Prince said to Jin. More durable? Not stronger? Jin replied with a question. Uh huh, make no mistake, her being stronger would be good but before that I dont want her to be broken. The prince replied. Jin was pleased with his answer. He then said, Understood, Ill give it all I got. The prince was greatly delighted. You will? In that case, you can use any of the materials in the storehouse! With my permission youll be let to take them! He said and went off, and immediately came back holding some documents in his hands. If you show these, the manager will let you in. He said and handed the permit to Jin. Well then, I wonder what kind of materials there are. After obtaining the permit, Jin first borrowed the workshop inside the royal pce. It seemed to be a ce that was usually used for the maintenance of knight golems. He had Lotte wait there, and from there took a cart for transporting materials and pulled it half excitedly to the royal pces raw material storehouse. It was in the corner of the inner royal pce grounds. Two soldiers were guarding it, and official was closely managing who was allowed in. Jin showed the permit he got from the Prince and was immediately let in. The official followed him in just in case to watch out for theft, but Jin had absolutely no intention of doing that. Because at any rate, the materials would be several levels behind ones in Hourai Ind. Even so, materials valuable in their own way were also stored within. Jin took plenty of aluminium and bronze, within limits. In addition he decided to use a little bit of Adamantite, four Magi Crystals, and a Sand Worms leather. He nced at the official in charge who was muttering something about how if Jin didnt have the Princes permit. Jin the pushed the materials cart back to the workshop lent by the Prince. When he got back it wasnt just Lotte but the Prince too. Your Highness!? Ahaha, I wanted to see Jin repair Lotte, so I ended up skipping todays studies. It seemed the Prince Ernest was very fond of golems. Or maybe he was just fond of Lotte. Is it fine if I watch from here? Sure, go right ahead. Jin didnt hold any dislike towards this Prince who genuinely loved golems. Jin suspended Lottes Magic Energy and, First, lets reinforce the skeleton. With that exnation he went towork. Ah, thats aluminium, isnt it? And that over there is Adamantite. As might be expected after he said he wanted to make his own golem in the future, the Prince was reasonably informed. Yes, first Ill change the steel skeleton to an aluminium one. Jin said, and began to form a recement for the skeleton identical in dimensions. Usually the work would be over just like that, but for the Princes sake he took it easy. Oh really, Lottes skeleton was like this. Its close to a humans. Jin kept working while sometimes giving exnations. After that he coated the surfaces that moved along other surfaces with adamantite. Ah, I see. Partially using adamantite to prevent wearing down. The Prince also was rather quick to understand. Next was the work on the muscles. Forming fibers of Sand Worms leather, Jin intertwined them together to make Magical Muscles. Amazing, Ive never seen this technique before The prince said as he kept staring at Jin working. The current look of the golem with the muscles attached was frankly ominous, but the prince wasnt concerned about it one bit. Then was the most important bit: inserting the Magi Device. This was just a simple transntation of the already existing one, or so the Prince thought, but, Your Highness, this structure protects Lotte from the [Subordination Rewriting Magic]. He said and held out the Magi Device in front of the Prince to show it well to him. Hmm, so this is the centralmost part of Lotte. Could this container be Mithril? Theres some Magi Form carved on it too? Yeah, its a Magi Form to protect against outside magic. Theres a Magi Form like that!? The Magi Form was of the same nature as a [Magic Barrier]. The effective area was the inside of theponent instead of an airspace though. Jin was going to teach the method of protecting against the [Subordination Rewriting Magic] to the Minister of Magicter, he said, and resumed the work. He put the Magi Device in its proper ce in the chest and covered the surroundings well with Magical Muscles. Now the first step is over. Jin said, and waited for questions. As he thought, a question came from the Prince. Hey, if the Magi Device is covered with Mithril, outside magic may not influence it, but doesnt that also mean Magic Energy cant get out from the inside? A rather good question. Jin found it easy to understand why the Prince asked it and replied, Usually that would be the case. But, see these wiresing out from it? Jin pointed at the six wires protruding out. Mh-hm. These are conducting wires that transmit Magical Energy to all of the body parts. Theyre linked to each of the arms and legs, the head, and the torso. Oh, I see. But cant the magic travel through those wires to the other direction? The Princes understanding was excellent. Jin was d and began one of his exnations. It cannot. These wires are made out of Mithril, and while they let Magical Energy through, they dont let magic through. If you want to know why, then Magic Energy was simple waves of energy, but magic was an energy with substance in a sense, so traveling through this thin wire would be difficult for it, he exined. It seemed the Prince still only understood about half of the exnation, but at the very least it was conveyed that thats the way things are. Youre amazing, Jin. You seem to know more than my teacher. The Prince Ernest looked at Jin with respect. Jin smiled and resumed his work. Now, Lottes restoration, entering the final stage. With that notification, he removed the exterior of the ex-Lotte, and moved it over to neo-Lotte. While replenishing the missing parts with the bronze he brought. Seeing Lotte return to her original form in front of him, the Prince was also delighted. When the transntation of the exterior was finished, only the steel skeleton was left. Everything else had been recycled. Alright, shall we do the final finishing touches? Jin said and returned the steel skeleton back to an ingot. Woow, how magnificent. The Prince observed the process of turning the skeleton into an ingot and praised Jin. Even this was just tenth of Jins normal working speed. Normally the transformation would be over in the blink of an eye. Lets separate the zinc. [Smelting]. He separated the zinc used as an anti-corrosive. Whats zinc, the prince muttered, but as expected he was too slow to get an exnation as Jin had already started the work before he heard the Prince. [Forming]. He turned the separated steel into the shape of a disc. Thats right, it was a tray. Jin felt yful and thought that a maid needs a tray. However, this wasnt enough for Jin. [Heat Treatment]. [Hardening]. [Surface Treatment]. Wow, its a tray. Jins special-made weapon usable for throwing and as a blunt instrument. With the leftover steel Jin made a number of knives. Even so, there was still some left, and after thnking for a while Jin made a mop. A steel mop. As a blunt weapon it was a rather effective thing. At the tip he made a tassel out of the remaining Sand Worm leather. Finally, he called for the Royal Secret Maid La who had abstained from entering the workshop. Even though she had work today too, she knew to maintain a reasonable distance to Jin. U-u-u-umm, wha-what are your orders? La was a little nervous being summoned to a ce where the Prince was too. Actually, a little doesnt begin to cover it. Huh? If Im not mistaken, arent you the little sister of the magus knight Airi? As a reply to the Prince La said, Yy-y-y-y-y-yy-es! I am the little sister of Ai-ow! She spectacrly bit her tongue. It seemed to be painful. I thought so! You look a lot like Airi! Im not as capable as onee-chmy elder sister La hung her head in shame. It appeared that her sister had a rather high status in the magi knight troops. But as Jin had business with La, Your Highness, could we first finish with this matter? He said, politely interrupting the Princes talk, Ah, sorry! La, it seems Jin has something to ask of you. He told La. Y-yes, what is it? Jin then spoke of his task. Lets see, I want aplete maid outfit your size. Including underwear. Eeh!? When La turned bright red and looked downwards, Jin thought that she had misunderstood, and Listen, not your maid outfit. I want a brand new maid outfit your size. , He spelled it out for her. The Prince also backed him up, saying Come on, take a look. Theyre to dress that golem up. Isnt that right, Jin? O, oh, so theyre for her, I was sure that, I You were sure that you what. That was on Jins mind, but he didnt say it. La said that shell soon be back, left the workshop, and it really didnt take more than five minutes for her to return. E-excuse me, but was that all? Yeah, thanks. Jin took the maid outfit she presented to him and thanked her, then first started up lotte. Lotte, [Activate]. Yes. Eek! La, who was looking from the side was surprised and let out a little scream. It seemed she wasnt ustomed to and got scared by Lotte who was lying down suddenly getting up. Lotte, hows the state of your body? Jin asked. It is excellent, Father. Thank you very much. After replying she turned towards Ernest, kneeled, and Your Highness, thank you for your concern. she greeted him. The prince rejoiced, Lotte, its good that youre alright now! He said and hugged her. He then spoke with surprise, Lotte, why is your body warm? The one who replied was Jin. Your Highness, to tell you the truth, I inserted a Magi Circuit that warms her to a body temperature. This was a function that Jin included in almost all of his golems after the manufacture of Reiko. The purpose was to remove the cold feeling when touching a golem made out of metal. Ooh, Jin, like I said, youre amazing! The Princes respect grew even more. Jin said to Lotte, Lotte, put those clothes on. He ordered, and soon Lotte was a fully clothed maid golem. With a knife on her thigh under her skirt, a tray under one arm and holding a mop in the other, Jins imagined battle maid wasplete. Chapter 140 - Each One, Afterwards

Chapter 140 C Each One, Afterwards

The greatly delighted Prince left with Lotte, so Jin took a breather and began tidying up the disorderly workshop. Oh, let me help. The Royal Secret Maid La said and began to he Hey, watch out! The remaining materials were scattered on the floor, Eek! She stumbled on a tool and knocked over a shelf, I-Im so sorry! She identally kicked away all the ingredients Jin had already put in ce. Everything returned to being as disorderly as it was before. Jin couldnt let it pass, Please dont help He said and called for Reiko. She undid her [Stealth] and appeared, and before Jin said anything began cleaning up. Aww, Imuseless, arent it? La said and felt down. Well, different people are cut for different things, so. Jin had nothing else he could say. Beanas been avoiding me. Earl Kuzuma was whining at Reinhardt who was visiting his room. Last night, you proposed to her, right? Mhm. Since then, she hasnt shown me her face. He said, gripped the wine bottle in front of him, and drank straight from the it. Whoa there, dont overdo it. Reinhardt rebuked him, but the Earl didnt listen and uncorked a second bottle. Hes got a real problem. Reinhardt sighed and shook his head as if giving up, Im going for a bit. He told Earl Kuzuma and left the room. Woah. Were finally about halfway done cleaning up, dont you think? The hall where the golem party was held had be a mess of debris and broken golems. In every direction maids, servants, and magi knights troops were cleaning it up. Several of the Royal Secret Maids were also helping. The reason why the magi knight troops were participating was that they were securing the recyble Magi Crystals and such from the broken golems. Therefore the work was allotted so that the ones who put away the debris were the male servants, maids cleaned up after that, and finally the magi knights gathered everything that looked usable or expensive from among the debris. Ah, looks like this can be used. One of the Magi Knights picked up a red Magi Crystal. Theres one over here too. This time it was a green Magi Crystal. The work was uninteresting, so without a treasure hunt like this it seemed the wouldnt have been able to go on. During it, Ooh, this ones a fragment of a crystal golem. There was a Magi Crystal embedded in transparent crystal. It was no doubt a part of Ceres. Oh my, thank you for finding it. Eh? Turning to look towards the voice, there stood Stearina. Ill have that. With those words she left. They were suppressed faster than I expected. Yes, looks like there was an unexpectedly strong golem. Nevertheless, we surely achieved our objective? Yes. First of all, the amplification limit of Elradrite. Its about 10,000 times. Theres no way to supply Magic Energy above that. In addition, the Elradrite that functioned as the final amplifier happened to overload and break apart. Hmm, so that means for the second series 400-times amplification is adequate. That is so. And second? Yes. We very clearly secured the detailed information of the golems of Egelia Kingdom and nations friendly to it. Analysis is underway. Hmm, so this means that our noble goal is one step closer. That is so. Let alone one step, I would say weve advanced two or three steps. Most excellent. Please leave the rest to me. Oh, and one more thing, theres some interesting news. Whats that? Theres talk that the Magi Craftsman called Jin is rather good. Oh, very interesting. And his affiliation? The same as Shouro Empires Magi Craftsman Reinhart Randols, or something like that. Reinhardt, huh. Hes also a talented person we want. Alright, keep on gathering information. Very well. Beana was by herself, sitting next to a window gazing out. Although outside it was already dark, with the nted trees almost nothing couldve been seen anyway. Sigh. She then let out a single sigh. She was like that for a while until she suddenly looked over her shoulder, and, Hey, Lisa. She called out for the Royal Secret Maid, Lisa, who was behind her. Yes, what would you like? Id like someone to talk with for a bit, or rather maybe some consultation. In the end, the troubled Beana decided to consult with a girl of her age. Consultation, is it? Whenever youre ready. Thanks. Look, what do you think about marriage between amoner and an Earl? Huh? Beana was honest and told her how she was wondering whether or not to ept the proposal from Earl Kuzuma. Lets see, if it was me I would dly ept the proposal. Really? Yes. Bing a countess, isnt that marrying up? Its status I couldnt dream of achieving otherwise! It seems that Lisas personality was like that. Comparing that to a Magi Craftsman? Thats not even worthy ofparison. I wont say being a Magi Craftsman is bad, but itsspletely different position. An Earl is a noble. A noble! I guess. It appears that I chose the wrong conversation partner, Beana realized and again turned her eyes towards the darkness outside the window. Youngdy, the most important thing is that this time too you were unhurt. The nanny Mine spoke earnestly while having Elsa change clothes. Thats why I told you before that going on a trip would have many dangers. But Elsa shook her head at Mines words, Mm-hm. There may be some dangerous things, but theres many more fun things. Youngdy Hey, Mine, what is marriage like? Excuse me? Mine couldnt understand the meaning of the question and was at loss for words. Earl Kuzuma proposed to Beana. But after Elsa continued Mine understood, Lets see, if you want my personal opinion its not a good thing. Is, that so? Elsa turned around in surprise after the unexpected answer. Mine also turned around as Elsa had finished changing to her nightwear. Yes. Or rather than that, mencant be trusted. You shouldnt do that. Eh? Mines bombshell statement again surprised Elsa. Youngdys soon going to be 17 and a marriageable age for the general public, but men are still unknown to you. Would you like me to tell you a little about them? Mm. When Elsa nodded, The animals called men think of girls as child-bearing machines. If not that, then outlets for their lust. Elsa silently listened at the suddenly rushing harsh words. When I was fifteen, I was serving as a maid ina certain nobles estate. My parents were somewhat influential traders, but learning manners through working as a maid for several years was popr back then. She stopped talking for a moment, then continued. In that nobles estate was a guest. A noble from outside a country, a military personnel. Someone like father. Elsa muttered, as her father was a viscount and one of the armymanders of Shouro Empires garrisons outside the country. When Mine heard that she frowned a little, but soon kept going as if nothing happened. That person worked as the battallionmander of the nations armed forces even though he was young; me and another older maid had been arranged to assist him. He stayed for about three months. During that time, that person and me had an adult rtionship. An adult rtionship? Elsa who didnt understand the euphemistic expression parroted the words back at Mine as a question. Mine smiled, Acting like a married couple without being married, basically. Whether she understood that or not, Elsa still told her to continue. I was told that person had a wife back in his country. He also already had two sons. While knowing that, I ended up in such a rtionship with him. Elsa listened quietly. It was the first time Mine had spoken of her past like this. You didnt, get married? It wasnt unusual for a noble to have a second wife or a mistress. Actually, Earl Guarana had told that to Elsa too. It wouldnt have been appropriate for me to be anything more than a mistress to him. He didnt talk about such a thing even once. She said and continued after a single sigh. Before long the length of his stay was over, and that person returned to his country. But at that time, inside me, a new life had begun. You meana baby? Elsa asked with a slightly blushing face. Yes. When the time came I gave birth to that baby. She was a lovely girl. A girl I nned to raise her by myself. There was enough room for her in my parents house. But for some reason that man knew and came back and said hell adopt the child. For some reason, his wife had a weak constitution and could no longer bear children or something like that. And then, for that man the girl would only be a tool to marry into other influential nobles families. I refused. But amoner is no match for a noble, and in the end the girl ended up being taken from me. Thats terrible. Yes, its terrible. But these days I can serve youngdy like this, so Im not that unhappy. What happened, to that girl? Elsa looked concerned. ording to what Ive heard, she wasnt treated any different from the children his wife brought into the world, and they grew up healthy together. Thats good. Yes, thats my only constion. Arent you lonely? When she asked that Mine smiled gently at her, No, because now Ive got youngdy. She said and gently grasped Elsas hand. Elsa also tenderly squeezed her hand back. Chapter 141 - Each One, Afterwards 2

Chapter 141 C Each One, Afterwards 2

Content warning: mentions of sexual assault. - The night passed, and it was now the following morning. Beana was still worrying. More precisely, without sleeping all night before she noticed morning hade. The Royal Secret Maid Lisa who was serving Beana sitting on a chair leaning against the backrest and sleeping. Morning, huh. Beana muttered softly, left the room to wash her face. The washroom was nearby in the hallway. There there was an artesian well from which water always flowed out. Being March in the spring, the water was neither cold nor warm, a suitable temperature for her to rinse her mouth and wash her face. Then she realized she forgot to bring a towel. But just then, from beside her someone presented her with a new towel. Thanks. Mustve been some maid, Beana thought, and took the towel without checking who it was, then she dried her face. Only after she opened her eyes did she realize it was Jin. Jin. Good morning, Beana. G-good morning. For some reason it was a bit awkward. Beana then waited for Jin to rinse his mouth and wash his face. Jin. Whats wrong, your eyes are all red. Did you not sleep well? After being asked so Beana hesitated for a moment, then, Earl Kuzuma, he proposed to me. She confessed. To that, Jin replied, Oh, right. And to his reply, Beana said, Jin, you knew? Yeah, I heard it from Elsast night. From Elsa, I see. Elsa looked downwards and looked like she was about to talk but then closed her mouth again, until finally after repeating that process multiple times, Hey, Jinwhat do you think? After great pains she managed to voice the question. About Earl Kuzumas proposal, huh Icongratte you. Eh Kuzumas a good person. He isnt injust and doesnt discriminate, and the people under his rule also think so. Looking at his employees too, theres no one odd. If you were to marry him, no one would look down on you, I think. Even the Prince asked you to be his partner with such enthusiasm. Im sure that Kuzuma can bring you happiness. Jin From his words, she could sense Jins feelings towards Beana. However, it wasnt romantic love. It was familial love, moreover like towards a little sister. Shepletely understood it. She was made to understand it. H-hey, Beana? For a moment she looked down, but when she raised her head she was smiling. Then, Thanks, Jin. Ivee to my decision. Ill ept the Earls proposal. She said. And then, she suddenly hugged Jin, Jin, I like you. She said only that and separated from him, then, Thanks for everything until now. From now on, lets keep on being good friends. She said that and ran off. Jin didnt really know what to think of Beanas behavior just now, and was left behind dumbfounded. Mine was pondering. Mine knew that Elsa -of whom she had thought shes a child, just a child- had, before she knew it, grown to the verge of adulthood; now she was wondering what to do. She had obscured the truth from Elsa by saying had an adult rtionship, while in fact it had been a more overbearing, one-sided development. She had been forced against her will. One time after the other. Remembering that, her mistrust of nobles and mistrust of men gained strength. And now what to do with Elsa after this. She was born a nobles daughter, and furthermore she had two elder brothers so her fate was to sooner orter be married into another family. If her partner was a good person and loved Elsa it would be fine, but. That person She unconsciously spoke out loud. Doesnt think of Elsa as just a tool. Now then, Reinhardt-dono, Jin-dono, go ahead. Jin and Reinhardt were exining the countermeasures against [Subordination Rewriting Magic] to the Minister of Magic Kelhidore and other officials from the magic department. First Reinhardt exined the way of sheltering the Magi Device with materials that resist letting Magic Energy through. For now the carapace of an Armor turtle was effective. Oh, I see, if you think about the materials a little it is simple to do. Materials that dampened Magic Energy could be put to use as it is, however it just required a bit of time for remodeling. In addition, as the dimensions of mass-produced Magi Device models cases were known, mass producing the dampeners would also be feasible. Next was Jins exnation. With the intention of not letting Magic Energy inside, I developed this Shield Case. Jin said, and took out the sample he prepared and ced it on the table. The surroundings are made out of Mithril that easily lets Magic Energy diffuse through it. On the contrary, that means it doesnt easily emit the Magic Energy it has absorbed. Indeed, reasonable. Leaving it like that, since something unexpected could happen if it was to saturate, so a Magi Form that, along with converting magic to Magic Energy, releases Magic Energy into the surrounding air has been carved on it. Oooh. The Minister of Magic Kelhidore made an approving sound. Finally as insurance, having a Magi Tool that naturally absorbs released magic it should be good. Jin showed the Magi Recorder and brought the exnation to an end, and Kelhidore gave a round of apuse. Nay, its excellent work, Jin-dono. Your method is reliable but expensive and time-consuming. Reinhardt-donos method is simple to do and also has a high performance. How about using Jin-donos technique for important and high-powered battle golems, and Reinhardt-s technique for the rest of them? No one objected to Kelhidores proposal. It took until nearly dusk for Jin and Reinhardt to be released from the task of guiding the remodeling of the golems. Jin, how about we go wash off the sweat from the work? Reinhardt said and invited Jin to bathe. Jin who loved bathing agreed without a second thought. They headed straight to the bathroom. The dressing room always had towels at the ready, and maids came to take the stripped clothing and wash them, then dry them using magic. Aah, my fatigue just disappears. For almost a whole day, just continuously offering guidance was enough to tire them. Indeed. However, I preferred your bath in Kunlun Ind. Reinhardt said that the hot spring whose water came from underground instead of a hot bath whose water was heated felt better. Jin agreed. The feel of the water was different. Its good if Beana finds happiness. Reinhardt muttered a few words while immersed in the hot water. You heard? Uh-huh, at noon from Lewis. Louis was Earl Kuzumas name. Surely if its Earl Kuzuma he can make Beana happy. I hope so. I think so too. Reinhardt then kept talking. Tomorrows Elsas birthday though. Eh? Thats awfully sudden. Jin was surprised as Reinhardt said so. Certainly, some time ago in Elias Kingdoms capital Borgia it was said that her birthday wasing soon, so he had a hunch. Sorry. Telling you about it got dyed under the confusion of the golem party and otherplications. Theres that gem you bought for her that one time and it should be enough, but Jin thought. Then, he remembered about the object that Elsa was interested in which looked like a pretty dagger. Chapter 142 - Jin, Beana, the Earl

Chapter 142 C Jin, Beana, the Earl

E-Earl, I may be no good at anything, but please take care of me. Beana clearly told about her eptance of Earl Kuzumas proposal to him. After she talked with Jin in the morning, she didnt quite head straight to the Earls room, and noon hade. I, I see, thank you. Please take care of me too. The Earl replied with an unwell look on his face. When Beana saw it, she worriedly asked, Umm, Earl? Are you feeling ill by any chance? No, Im just a bit hung over. The Earl replied with a bitter smile. As youd expect he couldnt say he had gotten himself smashed as a distraction from Beana being uncertain about her response. So even the Earl has a weakness like that. Here I was thinking that you were all proper. Beana said, and the Earl replied, I lost my parents early and seeded the house, so my every day was filled with just work and work, and as a result Im especially awkward regards to rtions with women. When Beana heard that she unintentionally chuckled a bit, It would be a problem if you were too suave. Earl, please take care of me for the many years toe. She once more bowed her head. Hey, Beana, even though the official announcement of the betrothal and such will wait until we return to Blue Land, could you, umm Call me Lewis instead of Earl? Earl Kuzuma asked with a red face. When he asked, Beanas face also reddened and, Y-yes. L- Lewis-sama. Both the sayer and the sayee turned bright red. After Jin had stepped out of the bath. While thinking about Beana, Elsas present, and the Unifilers without an end, there was a knock on his door. Come in. Reiko responded faster than the Royal Secret Maid La who was serving Jin, and opened the door. Behind it stood Reinhardt. Reinhardt-san hase to see you. At Reikos words Jin got up from his chair and went to greet Reinhardt at the door. Reinhardt, whats the matter? Come on in for now. Jin said and invited Reinhardt in. He had spoken with Earl Kuzuma until now, Reinhardt prefaced his news and said, Lewis and Beana have gotten engaged, and I came to tell you about it. Jin told Reinhardt to sit down at any rate, and the Royal Secret Maid La began to brew tea for them. Reiko was on guard against threats. After this, the two of them will surely formally announce their engagement when they return to Blue Land. And this, umm, excuse me for mynguage, him epting a plebeian as his first wife would be rather troublesome, so hes asked the nobles who are his friends to treat her as if she was an adopted daughter. Thats about it. He added one thing to another. When Jin heard it, he thought it was like a historical y he saw in the past about a wedding between amoner and a samurai. Reinhardt changed his seating posture and said, Hey, Jin. Theres something Ive been meaning to ask you. Hm? What is it? How do you think about so-called love? When asked, Jin thought more deeply about something he had thought of earlier. Even Jin wasnt made out of stone, and much like anyone else he had an interest in women. His past life was good, he thought, as he reminisced of a girl. It was around the time he was in senior high school. As expected, she was someone who went to the same high school, but was two grades ahead of Jin. During the day she worked part-time, which was much simr to Jin. He had heard her family was fatherless, and moreover she had three little brothers, so it mustve been quite difficult for her. When he was on his second year, Jin indirectly confessed to her, and that girl also epted his confession so they began to go out. However, as they both had to go to high school they werent able to have a date-like date, and at most they could talk a little on the way to ss or walk to the train station together when going home. Even on holidays one had to help with the orphanage and the other help with the little brothers, and nothing like a date happened. One year passed like that. Then the day of graduation came. She had been proposed to by the manager of thepany she had previously worked part-time in, and she honestly told Jin about it. Along with the fact that she was thinking about epting the proposal as it was a good prospect. Furthermore, she said that she had enjoyed the one year with Jin. Jin listened without being able to say anything. Still being a student, he wasnt a financial match for the other party. Then there was her livelihood to think about. Just saying he liked her couldnt stop her. The words dont go also couldnt get out of his mouth, and instead of them, Congrattions. He said. On that note things between him and her ended. After that Jin graduated and got a job at apany with some bad reputation but good wages, and his every day passed without a hint of romanceAnd then he fell into an electric furnace. Livelihood, I guess. Jin replied with a single word. I see, love is livelihood. I could say its an answer suiting you, but I could also say its very much something an old person would think. Reinhardt said. Anyway. Jin once more said just a single word. Well, certainly, currently the foundation of your life is nonexistent. Kunlun Ind is, how should I say this, like a different world. It is, isnt it. Thinking of it like that, your visiting of many nations is meaningful. If you found a country that suited you and settled there would be good. Although it that country was our Shouro Empire that would be the best. Jin said and smiled, but Jin wasnt in the mood for smiling. Whats wrong? Did I rub you the wrong way? Not really. Jin still replied with just a single word. Well, rtionships between people arent straightforward. Not to mention rtionships between men and women. Reinhardt said, and while Jin who had began brooding stayed like that, he left the room. In the end, Las tea didnt make it in time. Ear- Lewis-sama, is your headache better yet? Beana was in Earl Kuzumas room. Oh, thanks to you its much better. I-Im d to hear that. Earl Kuzuma then spoke inly and without dy. Hey, Beana, how do you feel about Jin? Eh I have no intention of ming you if you like Jin. I only want to know. The Earl looked straight at Beana and asked, and she gave an honest reply. I liked him. I thought so. But in no time Beana continued, However, thinking about it now, I only one-sidedly relied on him, that was how I felt. Beana said, gave a single sigh, and continued, It mayve been just a childish sentiment. She then raised her eyes towards the Earl, Ear Lewis-sama, ever since, umm, the time you rescued me from Earl Guarana I was in love with you. But our social statuses differed and I gave up hope. She again cast her eyes down. It was cowardly, and it was dishonest. But, now after thinking the reply to Lewis-sama through properly thats over. I mean it. If this makes you say you detest someone like me then so be it, but Earl Kuzuma then embraced Beana, Its fine now. I can understand your feelings. Louis, sama For a while Earl Kuzuma kept hugging Beana close, but eventually released her from his arms, You can already retire to your room for the night. He said affectionately. Chapter 143 - Dagger and Brooch

Chapter 143 C Dagger and Brooch

After Reinhardt had left, Jin took a break from his thoughts and made his way to the ce where the debris was stored. He thought he needed a change of pace, and also had to make the birthday present for Elsa. He intended to make use of the serviceable fragments of the broken golems as material. By all rights all the materials from the broken golems ought to have been collected and recycled by now, but collecting for example Mithril used as ting would take a lot of timepared to the tiny amount that could be gathered by doing it, and it wouldve been impractical. Therefore there was a mountain of stored debris. But an individual could ignore the efficiency factor. And so, Jin went rummaging through the debris. Of course, he gave notice to the manager of the debris pile. Hmm, most of the metal is bronze, huh. That was obvious, as the valuable materials had been collected by the mobilized magi knights and magi. Even so, seek and ye shall find, Oh, this bronze is coated with Mithril. Yes! Its a piece of Mithril! Little by little, he gathered up Mithril. However, it wasnt quite enough to make a de. Oh my, Jin-kun, what are you up to? Jin raised his head to look at the speaker, and there stood Celuroa Kingdoms Magi Craftsman Stearina. Oh, Stearina-san. Material-hunting? Yeah, you could say so. But why at this hour? Stearinas question was natural. The time was past five, and it was starting to get darker. Ah, theres something I want to make thats a little urgent. Jin responded. Hmm, what a problem. Stearina said, and continued, Youre a Magi Craftsman, right? Why dont you just turn it all into a single lump and separate theponents? She said. I-I seeI could be doing that, huh. Jin appreciated the help. That method was certainly reliable. Stearina looked at Jin and, As if. Who could do such She began to talk, but, [Fusion]! At full throttle, Jin fused the pile of debris together in one go right in front of her. Eh? [Extraction], copper. [Extraction], iron. [Extraction], tin. [Extraction], zinc. [Extraction], Mithril. [Extraction], aluminium Eeh? Eeeeeh? Stearina couldnt understand what was going on as in front of her eyes lumps of copper, iron, zinc, tin, and then Mithril etc. were made. Woah. As youd expect, Jin looked a little worn out. All the debris in front them mustve weighed ten-odd tons. Melding it all together at once with [Fusion] and taking the ingredients out with [Extraction] one by one. Finishing all that in a short period of time, getting tired was natural. Y-y-y-you, do you even know what youve done? Yes? Why are you surprised when I only did what you said, Jin thought and stared puzzledly at Stearina. You did in a moment what would take days for a normal Magi Craftsman to do Eh? Jin, who had taken seriously Stearinas joke, wondered if he just blew it but now was toote to worry. However, then a good idea urred to him. Excuse me, Stearina-san? Jin timidly asked her. What, Jin-kun? Stearina replied while stepping back from him. She mustve thought he was going to silence her. I used this thing. Jin disyed the object he had in his hand. It was a gemstone. It glittered light in the evening light. Could that be Elradrite? Yeah. See, when Dominique was caught, I forgot that I had seized this from her. I nned to hand this over to Kelhidore-san after this, but it should be okay to use it once, right? He said and showed a smile. The truth was that he had an Elradrite but didnt use it. But Stearina who didnt know that was relieved. Whaat, so thats how. You scared me. I thought Jin-kun was a monster or something, being able to do that. Hearing that made a cold sweat run down Jins back. At the same time, he thought he really needed to get a piece of Elradrite. Of course, for the purpose of hiding his strength. Oh well, I dont think anyone willin about returning itte after making the debris usable like this. Rather, I think theyll be happy. Stearinapletely bought that the stunt just now was done using the Elradrites ability. So, the thing you wanted to make, what is it? She returned to her first question. A dagger. Something a woman would use. Jin replied honestly. The woman in front of him was a capable Magi Craftsman, so maybe shed be able to give him advice. Hmm, did someone ask you for one? Ah, perhaps that tinum blonde miss? Jin guessed that by tinum blonde miss she was referring to Elsa and said, No, I wasnt asked to make one but some time ago she seemed interested in a dagger so. Jin said, and for some reason Stearina wrinkled her well-shaped eyebrows and frowned. Could you be nning to make that a gift? She asked. It was precisely that, and Jin replied frankly, Yes. The truth is, I just heard that tomorrow is her birthday, so. Stearina just took a long hard look at Jin and then sighed, Well arent you an idiot. She criticized Jin. It seems you only focus on being a Magi Craftsman and dont know anything about how to handle women, right? Jin didnt know how to reply so for now he kept quiet. Listen, gifting an edged tool expresses the intent that I want to cut off rtions with you. A ring or a ne means I want to be bound to you. Ah, but bound doesnt mean actually bound, got it? Uh, huh. Gifting clothes means I want to undress you, and inviting for a meal means I want to eat you. Somehow the topic seemed to be rapidly entering perilous territory so Jin said, I-I got it. You want to say that a dagger isnt an appropriate birthday present, right? Yeah. Unless you have an inseparable bond, in other words a blood rtive gifting one for self-defense is eptable. When told so, Jin became even more troubled. In that case, it should be fine if the daggers gifted by Reinhardt, and then some kind of an essory would surely be Thinking it through that far, Well then, what would a brooch mean? He tried asking Stearina. She replied, That would be I want to live inside your heart. That should be fairly decent, Jin thought, and decided to make a brooch. Jin-kun, its about dinnertime. Elsa then arrived to where they were. It seems she got worried and searched for Jin when he wasnt in his room even though it was dinnertime. Ah, so its thatte already. Stearina-san, thanks for everything. Oh, no problem, anything for Jin-kun. She said and saw Elsa and Jin off. Jin was empty-handed, seemingly intending toe backter to pick the things up. Youth is nice, isnt it. It looked like the two didnt hear her muttering. However, it was clearly audible to Reiko, who was invisibly following Jin while under [Stealth]. Jin-kun, what were you doing? It was a natural question for Elsa, but there was no way Jin could answer honestly, Lets see, I thought there might be something useful, so I went searching. Mine always says thing shouldnt be wasted. Jin-kuns excellent. Jin received praise in a strange manner. Chapter 144 - Misunderstanding

Chapter 144 C Misunderstanding

After dinner, Jin once more went to the ce where the debris was stored. When he told the manager he had separated the materials to their constituent parts, the manager was astonished and with great haste went apparently to tell it to their superiors, as soon the Minister of Magic Kelhidore and another important-looking noble came. Oh, you must be Jin-dono. I heard from the one whos in charge of this ce that you separated these? The noble whose name Jin didnt know said to him. The noble looked about 40 years old, his hair was thinning and in a swept-back style, he was a skinny and a tall person. He faced Jin and, I am this countrys Minister of Domestic Affairs, my name is William. He introduced himself. Hm, alright. I have to first exin to minister Kelhidore something about this matter. What is it? Jin then took the Elradrite out of his pocket, This is the Elradrite I picked up from Dominique. To tell you the truth, I was just helped by this thing with the whole separating incident. Thereupon the twos slightly frowning faces right away returned to normal. I see, so this stunt was carried out with Craft Magic amplified with an Elradrite. It looked like they misunderstood the meaning of Jins words quite well. So, Ill return this. Jin said and handed the Elradrite over to Kelhidore. Hmm, Ill certainly have it. Its a littlete, but looking at this mountain of separated materials I dont see a problem, do you, Minister? Not at all. Instead of wasting the materials they can be recycled. With this the Minister of Finances should be happy too. Jin-dono, you were after some materials, right? The Minister of Internal Affairs asked about Jins motive. Jin honestly told the minister that he needed Mithril and a bit of some other materials. Hmm, if thats the case then take anything you need from here. Because after this, Ill have the materials carried out. The minister gave his permission so Jin went to gathering the materials with high spirits. Mithril. Enough to make the dagger and the brooch. Some aluminum, copper, zinc, and tin. Splinters of variously colored Magi Crystals. If a Magi Crystal broke into pieces it became worthless. Because even if repaired using the Craft Magic [Fusion] it wouldnt produce any Magic Energy. You can think of them as mas. Mas have north pole and a south pole, and opposites attract each other. Magi Crystals also emit lines of Magic Energy much like lines of maic force, but the crystals dont emit a lot of Magic Energy in itself. Thats why if you gather a lot of pieces of broken Magi Crystals, the orientation of the lines of Magic Energy be random and they interfere with and cancel each other out, and the resulting Magic Energy output bes weak. (This doesnt happen with mas). Hmm, are you fine with just that? If theres anything more you need please tell me. His Highness Prince Ernest also told me to amodate for your wishes, you see. Eh. His Highness did? Seems he was pleased with Lottes matter. Thank you very much. But this much should be enough. Is that so. Then Ill have the remaining materials carried out. Alright, thank you very much. Jin gave his thanks and left the scene. The materials were heavy, but when he had gone out of sight of the two ministers he had Reiko dispel her [Stealth] and take over for Jin in carrying them. Alright then. After piling up the materials in his own room, when he was about to finally begin manufacture, there was a knock on the door. Yes, who is it? Instead of Jin, Reiko went to open the door and, Good evening, is Jin-kun around? It was Stearina. Ah, Stearina-san. Jin also got up and greeted her. Is now a good time? Yeah, go ahead. Well then, Ill take a bit of your time. After getting his permission Stearina stepped in the room. No one saw the person watching this allNo, except for Reiko, no one noticed. And Reiko judged it wasnt particrly worthy of reporting about. If she reported every little thing every day to Jin, shed just be a bother to him. Therefore, there was no reason she should report about his friend Elsa being on the other side of the hallway. Even with Elsa there, as Jin had things to do hed surely just go back to his room. Reiko came to that conclusion. ThatsStearina, san? Elsa had something she wanted to ask Jin about, so she went to the hallway so as to visit Jin, but precisely then she happened to see Stearina enter Jins room. Jin, kun. And Stearina-san? Having been beaten to it, although Elsa went back to her room for a moment, she felt vague sadness in her chest so she again went out to the hallway. She then snuck up to Jins room without making a sound, and, (I, shouldnt be, doing, this, but) After settling her inner conflict she tried pressing her ear against the door. Oh my, I didnt think it to be your first time doing this. Please dont tter me. Its not ttery. Youre really amazing, Jin-kun. Youve beat me. ! Elsa reflexively stepped back. (What, was that conversation?) Then once again, she nervously brought her ear near the door. Amazing, having it get this hard, Ive never done something like this either. Its different from usual? Jin-kun, youre just as good as I anticipated. No matter which girl it is, theyll be pleased with this. Haha, wouldnt that be nice. I can guarantee it. Somehow Elsa couldnt listen any longer. Elsa left from there as if running away, returned to her room, and threw herself down on top of the bed. Youngdy? Is something wrong? Mine asked worriedly, but Elsa didnt answer and justy there face-down. Usually, you cant get Mithril this hard though? Stearina seemed surprised and said to Jin. Ah, its because I mixed a little bit of copper to it. He replied. Eh? Really? Yeah. Mixing a bit of copper to the metal makes it harder. If the so-called 925 Sterling Silver was heated to about 500 degrees Celsius, then kept at 250 degrees for a while to harden it, then left to cool on its own and it would be even harder. In addition, it bes harder to tarnish than pure silver. Jin knew this as he had learned the basics of metals properties in his rookie training, but it seemed it wasnt yet known in this world. Or rather, even if alloys were made, it looked like the mixtrues ratios werent closely controlled. And then you apply [Hardening], and [Surface Treatment]. Thats, how should I say this, rather amazing. The finished dagger was shining with a silver color, its length about 40 centimeters. It was thin and light. Furthermore, as Jin went through the finishing touches with all of his effort, it was in every aspect stronger than a steel sword. But this shape, size, and lightness. It seems easy to use even for a girl. If thats so, then good. Next is the scabbard and the grip. Jin said, took some aluminium and used [Forming]. He made it a precise fit for the size of the de, shaped it, and finally set the Magi Crystal fragments into the scabbard. On the grip he made subtle carvings to prevent slipping, and at the tip of the grip he also iid Magi Crystals. Now itsplete. The beautiful dagger wasplete. The scabbard was aluminum, its color a subdued gold studded with tiny Magi Crystals. Pulling it out a clear silver-colored de made its appearance. You couldnt buy a thing like this for even a million Torr, huh. Stearinamented. Chapter 145 - Jealousy

Chapter 145 C Jealousy

On the next day, Egelia Kingdoms royal castle had finally calmed down and recovered. In the morning, Egelias nobles who were inside the castle assembled, and ording to Earl Kuzuma they were exined to about the present condition and the ns for the future. And then before noon. This time, all the invitees including the Magi Craftsmen like Jin and the others assembled. To begin with they announced that this times riot was orchestrated by the [Unifilers], that the Celuroa Kingdoms special envoy Dominique was the direct culprit, that using Elradrite sheunched arge-scale attack, that countermeasures already exist and preparations to spread the technology to other nations hereafter are already underway, and other such things. And finally was the conclusion of the golem party. We were dyed by this unexpected incident, but We would like to offer Our thanks to youdies and gentlemen who gathered here for the sake of Prince Ernest, and announce Our evaluation of the golems you brought. All of the people present bowed their heads deeply as the King spoke. Then, the Minister of Domestic Affairs William took over the rest and was made to announce the results. First ce, His Highness Ernests favorite golem, Lotte. Second ce, regrettably destroyed but nheless one that was beautifully molded and a pleasure to look at, the crystal golem Ceres. Everyone could understand the ranking. And then in the third ce was Schwarz Ritter. There was no fourth ce or lower. This time there was surely no other option. To the one who presented Lotte, the assistant feudal lord of Blue Land, administrator of the eastern section, Earl Kuzuma we bestow additional territory, and a reward to the manufacturer, Magi Craftsman Jin. Jin would also get a reward. This mustve been that other reward apart from Reikos case. We would also like to express our gratitude to the Magi Craftsman who manufactured Ceres, Stearina-dono. It looked like Stearina also got something. Finally, wed like to simrly thank the manufacturer of Schwarz Ritter, Shouro Empires diplomat Reinhardt-dono, and in addition present a gift. Right after Egelia Kingdomspliments were given, the rewards were announced. However, today Elsa had been looking depressed since the morning. Reinhardt noticed it and, Elsa, are you feeling ill? He asked with a whisper. However, Elsa silently shook her head. If thats the case, alright The reward Jin got was the title of Egelia Kingdoms Honorary Magi Craftsman and a badge with an extremely tiny piece of Elradrite fitted into it. Gifting Elradrite, which was a resourcepletely controlled by the country, was a gesture that Jin was treated simrly to a state guest. Just that meant that he was considered a dependable and trusted person. Jin, its going to be difficult after this There was no mistaking that now every country would unanimously covet Jin. Only when Reinhardt whispered that, Elsa who heard him raised her downcast eyes. Aah, Im tired. Lying down on his bed in the guest house, Jinined. He wasnt good with formalities. Just then he heard a knock. Come in, Jin said, and Reiko opened the door. Jin got up and greeted the guest while sitting on his bed. To put it bluntly, with bad manners. Excuse me. The one who talked and entered the room was the Royal Secret Maid La. Yes, she was supposed to be monitoring Jin, but ever since that golem riot sometimes she went elsewhere. And, this time she entered the room after expressly knocking. U-umm, it was just for a short while, but I apologize for causing you trouble! That was the first thing La said. Eh? A short while? Y-yes! After todays events, I have been released of my duties of monitoring Jin-sama! Apparently it would be discorteous to monitor someone who has received the title of Honorary Magi Craftsman. Even Jin could guess that. Then, Oh, is that so. Thank you very much for your work until now. Jin gave his thanks. Yes, I think Ive beencking in many areas, so please forgive me. Jin said that while he didnt know if she managed to monitor him properly or not, but as a maid hed give her around 75 points out of a hundred. T-thank you very much! La blushed with deep emotion and said. She then once mored made a deep bow and, Well then, Im reluctant to part but Ill be going now, please excuse me. She said and left. And forgot to close the door. Make that 70 points. Jin muttered with a strained smile while watching Reiko close the door that was left wide open. Elsa, really, whats wrong? After returning to the guest house, Reinhardt was worried and visited Elsas room. Rai-nii. Elsa, whose eyes were wet with tears for some reason or another and whoy on her bed face down, raised just her face up at Reinhardt and slowly opened her mouth. And then talked. About the conversation between Jin and Stearina she had eavesdropped onst night. Hmm. After that, I turned a little gloomy. Why? At that moment, Mine who had been silent until now spoke. Youngdy, what youre feeling towards Jin-sama is But Reinhardt interrupted her, Shut up, Mine. Elsa, what do you think Jin and her were doing? He asked. Elsa only shook her head. I dont know. But I thought they seemed somewhat close. Ah, and then I got the impression that Jin-kun was taught by Stearina-san which is unusual. After Reinhardt heard that, he spoke of his conclusion. Elsa, that feeling is called jealousy. Jealousy? Elsa, her head raised, repeated the word. Yeah. Way back, you always yed with your brothers and me, right? At that time, when other kids were on good terms with your brothers and me you sulked and got into a bad mood. Elsa listened silently. Its the same. You heard Jin talk with another woman like they got along nicely, and you got jealous. But, thats Do you deny it? Reinhardt said and gently stroked the head of Elsa who was lying down. No matter how old you get, you never change huh. If somethings on your mind and even if its okay to just ask, you just bottle it in like this. Good grief, even though youre such a tomboy you can be unusually timid. While talking, Reinhardts tone became milder and his arm stroking her head more kind. Youre 17 today, right? Despite that, youre still a child. When he said that, Elsa pushed Reinhardts hand aside, Im not a child any more. Elsa said and stood up. Alright, thats the spirit. Listen, be considerate to other people. Thats the adult thing to do. To other people Thats right. When Albus attacked us, didnt you first and foremost protect Jin. Remember that feeling. Ill go check up on Jin after this. Reinhardt said and left Elsas room. Reinhardt arrived at Jins room and, Reinhardt, you came at a good time. I was just thinking I should go visit you. Jin said. Then, Todays Elsas birthday, right? He confirmed. Reinhardt nodded, then Previously when we were touring in Bolgia, Elsa wanted a dagger, but is gifting a dagger as a birthday present alright? Jin asked. As expected it seems he wasnt satisfied with just Stearinas talk. Then like in support of her, Reinhardt said, Hmm, I guess not really if gifting it to an unrted person. In general its something youd gift for a rtive. However, its not like its forbidden to gift one. Huh, is that so. For Jin, it was a ratherplicated answer. Jin thought it over for a while and then, In that case, Reinhardt, can you do me a favor. He said and presented Reinhardt the dagger, As youre rted to Elsa, it shouldnt be strange for you to hand this over to her, right? Reinhardt took it and was surprised by the exquisitely styled scabbard and grip, and after unsheathing it was struck with admiration by the Mithrils brilliance. Jin, could it be that you made this? Jin nodded, then, Hmm, youre really loved by the god of crafting it seems. Its magnificent, and the design is splendid. I couldnt imitate it even a bit. Reinhardt praised the work to the skies, but Jin scratched his head and, No, actually I got the design from Stearina. He confessed. When Reinhardt heard that, he remembered the original reason he had for visiting Jins room. Speaking of her, Jin, it appears that you were up to something with Stearina-donost night? Reinhardt tried asking in a casual manner. When Jin heard that he looked awkwardly embarassed and, Youve got me there, you could hear it from the hallway? Aah, Im fatally poor at designing, so when I came across Stearina while searching for materials I asked for her counsel. He replied. Keep it a secret from Elsa, he also added. I knew it was something like that, Reinhardt thought in his heart when he heard Jin. If you think about it, Jines with the sister-inw (?) called Reiko included. With her seductive techniques wouldnt work on Jin, he thought. Reinhardt breathed a sigh of relief in his mind, and with a d look, Alright, Ill handle things regarding the dagger. He said and patted Jins shoulder. Chapter 146 - Happy Birthday

Chapter 146 C Happy Birthday

In the evening on the very same day, the guest houses hallway was borrowed for holding Elsas birthday party. Looking at the assembled lineup, there was of course the guest of honor Elsa, her cousin Reinhardt, Eral Kuzuma, Beana, and Jin. The nanny Mine, the butler Adberg and the guard Herman were also there. Everyone, thank you foring. In a green dress Elsa gave a simple address. Then, Earl Kuzuma as the representative, Miss Elsa, happy birthday. Cheers! He led everyone to a toast. Everyone raised matching sses. And then all present gave gifts. Happy 17th birthday, Elsa. From Reinhardt, she received a pendant made out of arge Aquamarine. It was of course the one he had bought in Elias Kingdoms capital Borgia. Thanks, Rai-nii. Elsa smiled with her whole face and looked happy. At once she undid the chain and hung it from her neck. It matched with the color of her dress and looked very pretty. Happy birthday, miss Elsa. From Earl Kuzuma she got perfume. Its scent was that of a Citran which Elsa liked very much. Instead of an intense fragrance, a faintly refreshing scent wafted from it. Earl, thanks. Elsa tried applying a bit of it behind her ears. The faint fragrance was pleasant. Happy birthday, Elsa. Jin gave her the brooch. It was made out of Mithril and set with multicolored crystals. Elsa epted it while looking a bit down, but because of the beauty of the molding and the color she broke her silence. Pretty. These, Magi Crystals? Yeah. Theyre too small to be of practical use but I iid some of every attribute. Its molding was also magnificent. The whole of it was made out of mithril, but the petals and the flower bud were coated with gold, surrounded by leaves coated with aluminum that had been colored emerald green. Multicolored Magi Crystals were arrangeding down like drops of dew from the flower. Its lovely. Ill treasure it. Elsa said and held the brooch close to her chest. Jin turned to her and, To tell you the truth, I was the one who made it, but the design was, umm Done with Stearinas assistance. He said honestly. When Elsa heard thating from Jin, she understood and thought oh, so thats what that wasst night. Its okay, this is filled with Jin-kuns feelings. Thanks. She said and smiled. From Beana she got a bouquet. Apparently she asked one of the maids to go buy them. Thanks, Beana. Good fortune to you and the Earl. Elsa said, then Beana blushed and looked downwards, and Earl Kuzuma too looked a little shy. From Mine she got a handkerchief, and from Adberg also a handkerchief. Then when Herman also gave her a handkerchief the three became agitated but, Everyone, thanks. Theres never enough handkerchiefs. Im d. Elsa said and bowed. Reinhardt who was looking at them by himself gave an appreciative nod. After that they dined together. As Mine knew what Elsas preferences were, she worked with the guest houses cooks to make the menu. Elsa looked very happy when there were nothing but foods she enjoyed, and the way she ate made it look delicious. Surely there was no one who could look at her expression and not feel soothed. And after the meal, while they were drinking tea and having a peaceful talk, Now, Elsa, today theres a special present for you. Reinhardt said, and handed over a long and narrow package to her. Its length was about 40 centimeters and it was a little heavy. Thanks. Whats this? Just open it and see. When told so Elsa began to open the package. When she was done her eyes went wide open. From the package appeared a dagger with a golden grip and a golden scabbard. The scabbard was studded with delicate ornamental Magi Stones in multiple colors. And in the pommel, although small, a Magi Crystal the same color as Elsas light blue eyes was fitted. This? Some time ago, you wanted one right? Mm. I wanted a dagger that was like the one that was important to mother. Elsa replied and Reinhardt said, Mh-hm. That right there was made by Jin. Eh? When Elsa heard that she was surprised and her eyes went a little wide. Jin asked me if its okay or not to give a girl an edged tool for a birthday present. Adult concerns mean things like this. Jin, kundid. She said and the Jin in question felt embarassed and looked down. Elsa walked up to embarassed Jin and, Jin-kun, thanks. She said, gave a quick bow of her head, and returned to her seat. But she didnt sit down, and instead with the dagger in hand, Lets try unsheathing it. She said and unsheathed the dagger. Oooh. How beautiful! Earl Kuzuma and the guard Herman blurted out. Apparently those two understood the daggers worth. Actually, one more person, the butler Adberg knew of its value but he barely managed to keep quiet. At the des base the dagger was about three centimeters wide. The des length was around 30 centimeters, and it gradually grew more narrow towards the sharp tip. The guard, handle, and the scabbard were golden, however they were only aluminum that was colored. The Magi Crystal in the pommel was small, but its transparency had an eye-catching beauty to it. Mithril? It seemed that Elsa had a rough idea of what the material was. As someone who possessed Magic Energy, she could surely understand that the sword transmitted Magic Energy well, and that it could serve the same function as a wand. For magi knights, a wand would let them direct their Magic Energy and focus it better, it was an extremely useful item for them. But it was hard to have a de hold the properties of a wand. Because hard Mithril transmitted Magic Energy poorly, and Mithril that transmitted it well was soft. Nevertheless, this de that Jin made was hard on top of transmitting Magic Energy well, so it appeared to be plenty strong enough to use as a weapon. However, Elsa, for noblewomen a de isnt a weapon to kill an enemy with. Remember that. Reinhardt began to lecture Elsa as if warning her with an unusually gentle tone. Rai-nii? As a noblewoman, that de is the final tool to protect your dignity with. Only when you absolutely no matter what do not want to your will to be trampled is it eptable to draw. ? I guess you dont fully understand yet. But thats alright. Undoubtedly some day a time when you naturally understand wille. At that time I want you to remember my words. Mm, Rai-nii. I got it. Thanks. Elsa meekly thanked him. Frankly, she understood what he said, but understanding what he meant was still far off. However, she understood that Reinhardt told her something important so she vowed in her heart to make sure she would not forget what he said. And then those words soaked into not only Elsas heart, but Mines too. When you dont want your will to be trampled. Until now, there had been two times. First time it was through force, and the second time it was through political power that she had been overpowered. She wasnt a noble herself. So theres no other way around it, she had thought, however Reinhardts words strangely stuck in Mines heart. It seems that the detailed information has arrived. Yes, this morning the dove arrived, and we immediately began analysis. So, how was it? Yes, it appears there was a single golem that held unthinkable power. It wasnt Schwarz Ritter? No, Schwarz Ritters strength was in line with investigations. This time, the one that destroyed most of the rampaging golems possessed over five times more strength than Schwarz Ritter. What? Are you sure youre not mistaken? Yes. However, I think that a golem that disys such strength cannot act for long periods of time. I conjecture that most likely it is a golem for short decisive battles that utilizes Elradrite. Ha, hahaha. All the same, soon well be able to analyze it. And I anticipate well then produce golems above that one. That is so. A genius, just like I thought. Chapter 147 - What’s Restraint?

Chapter 147 C Whats Restraint?

By the next day following Elsas birthday, Jin had officially received the reward and a certificate. The certificate listed that he got the credentials of a Honorary Magi Craftsman, the badge, and a half coat. The standard for nobles and magi knights was a robe, and for knights a coat was the standard. However, for Egelia Kingdoms Magi Craftsmen it was a half coat. On the left side of the chest and on the back of the coat were tiny crests of Egelia Kingdom. The certificate was a mithril te on which to begin with Jins name was carved, and the rest of the contents said that the King of Egelia guarantees something or the other. The badge with a piece of Elradrite fitted into it he got yesterday was something he could pin to the cor or the chest of his everyday clothes. Finally, not as an extra prize or anything but, they said Jin would granted a carriage and a horse for his own exclusive use. Then, very appropriately for a Magi Craftsman, when Jin said he wanted to manufacture it himself the minister of Domestic Affairsughed and acknowledged that, then wrote up a grant for the necessary materials. Lets see, now that itse to this should I be getting serious? After yesterdays award ceremony, Reinhardt had scared Jin by saying therell surely be many difficulties from now on, so he decided to build a carriage that possesses at the very least the defense capability against unfriendly contact. Basically the frame will be of Light Silver, and the contact surfaces will be coated with Adamantite. Horse golems will do the pulling. You could already imagine how just that would make for a preposterous carriage. Wheels also made out of Light Silver, with Adamantite ball bearings. However, there was one problem. It was that this castles storehouse didnt have that much Light Silver. Now, what to do about this? Here Jin thought of an idea. It was installing a Warp Gate inside the carriage. Originally, he nned to establish a Warp Gate to Hourai Ind somewhere so that he could at least have important materials brought to him. If he installed a Warp Gate small enough for only one person to go through in the corner of the cabin or the luggage space he could go home at any time. And then Jin decided to bring materials from Hourai Ind. And so, first he built a temporary cabin. This would have served its purpose after finishing the carriage proper, so he built it unseriously. Installing a Warp Gate inside was extremely difficult. Fortunately he had Reiko with her small body do most of the heavy work, and he could alternate between applying [Fusion] and [Joint] to the materials. About an hourter the temporary cabin and the Warp Gate wasplete. Reiko was told to promptly warp to Hourai Ind and fetch the needed materials. In that case, see youter, Father. With those words Reiko warped to Hourai Ind. Today, Reinhardt and Elsa had been invited by Reinhardts acquaintance for a visit, and simrly Earl Kuzuma and Beana were invited by the Earls friend for a visit. Both Reinhardt and the Earl asked Jin toe with them, however, Jin said he wanted to build the carriage and so he was left behind by himself. Until the materials were gathered Jin decided to review the details of the carriage. Hmm, I think it would be bad if I didnt excercise a little restraint. He thought of something admirable, but even from the current state anyone could foresee that the end result would not turn out restrained, however, there was no one there who could point this out to him. Independent suspension for the four wheelsis no good. Then if I used a trailing arm instead He added trailing arms that had a long stroke to both the front and rear, with the axle serving the purpose of the so-called torsion bar. As the axle was fixed the wheels did the revolving and so turning was also improved. Now what to do about the damper. Building an oil damper would just be foolish, right. I guess using some viscostic material as the dampers spring would be fine. Et cetera, he kept muttering his monologue while finishing up his ns until Reiko came back. Father, Im back. Oh, Reiko, just the right time, these ns look fine to me. In that case I will have the materials carried in at once. Reiko said, then spoke to the [ManaCom] in her hand. This is Reiko, Topaz-2, send out the materials. (Topaz-2, roger that.) Surely waiting on the other side of the Warp Gate, a few seconds after Topaz-2s reply, Theyre here. From the Warp Gate, ingots of Light Silver warped in. Reiko took them and put them next to Jin. Yes, go on. Reiko issuing orders through the [ManaCom] with Topaz-2 following them and sending in materials. In a sh a heap of materials had piled up. Jin had been watching said, Alright, stop for now. If it turns out to still not enough Ill tell you. Yes. Reiko gave amand, and the flow of materials temporarily ceased. (Ah, Reiko and the others having built-inmunications function is handy.) Jin faced the material pile while thinking about such things. Lets start with the cabin, I suppose. He decided to start from building something with a living room-like atmosphere. He pictured a minivan which six people could ride in. The dimensions were: inside width, 1.8 meters; length, 4 meters; and height, 1.9 meters. It should be enough for even Reinhardt to not bonk his head on the roof. The frame was all made out of Light Silver, the walls, the floor, and on top of their honeb structure he added wood, and so it looked as if it was wooden. Until now, no people were seen. Building in the deste location behind the guest house was effective. Uhh, now to transfer the Warp Gate. He removed the Warp Gate from the temporary cabin and installed it. Its size was so that Reiko could go through it without trouble, but Jin had to crouch a little to fit. However, there was no problem with the functionality. He camouged it well so that even if someone took a nce, no, even if someone took a good look at it they wouldnt notice whats being concealed. He added windows that werent ss but muscovite, and installed frames that could open and close. He also prepared a skylight on the roof that could be used to opened to look outside or use as venttion. The body frame was increasinglyplete. Lets add wheels to begin with. Considering how it was going to run over bad roads, having wheels with arge diameter was good, but toorge and it would affect the overall height, so made them 60 centimeters in diameter. He built them out of Light Silver, then ckened them. I think itd be better if the stroke was on therger side? He was considering the length of the swingarms. Then, he hit on a good idea. Ive got it, Ive got it! There was no particr reason to imitate this worlds carriages, and neither was there a need to reproduce modern Earths suspension mechanics. A golems arm That was his solution. The arms of the golems Jin made had skeletons and muscles. Muscles would work as a spring or a damper. That is to say, when an external force was applied to them they would retract and take away the force, and if the external force disappeared they would speedily return to their original position. Thatll be good. And so, using Magical Muscles on reinforced Light Silver as the skeleton, after all the four wheels got independent suspension. He covered the exterior with Light Silver, so from its appearance there was no way anyone could imagine how the internal construction was. Furthermore, Jin added a reclining function to the seats starting with the coachmans seat. He also installed brakes that he had forgotten about when remodeling the carriages with Reinhardt. Well, as he was putting golems arms to use, the construction was simply a palm-shaped part that attached to the brake pad and pushed on the wheel to stop it. Then, he made headlights using the [Light] magic, and a venttion system using the [Breeze] magic. Even more, he added [Heat] and [Cooling] and the equipment turned out to be an air-conditioner. To finish up, he made the horse that would pull it. That is to say, a horse golem. No way I could equip it with a golem engine, after all. He thought something like that, and you could almost hear someonein havent you heard of the idiom six of one, half a dozen of the other!? As he had built many horse golems already, he finished one in a short time. Then, Oh good. I made it in time. A voice like that could be heard. When Jin looked, there stood Elsa gasping for air. I, wanted, to, be, the, first, one, to, see, the, carriage, Jin, kun, built. Elsa mustvee running, as she was gasping and out of breath, looking at the carriage with gleaming eyes and a sweaty forehead. Is, this, Jin-kun, s, carriage? Elsa, did you run here? Mm. Despite being a little astonished by Elsas unusual shape, I thought so. Well, you can drink this if you want. When Jin had begun the construction and had be absorbed in it, Reiko had prepared a light meal for him, and Jin picked up the Citran juice and gave it to Elsa, Thank, you. Elsa thanked him and chugged the sweet-looking juice without stopping. Ohhh. Elsa handed the emptied ss to Jin and tried again, The carriage Jin-kun built. I want to ride it. Can I? Putting it like that, Jin couldnt refuse. It hadnt yet been moved, but there didnt seem to be any particr problems so, Alright, therell be a test run after this, so if you want you can. Jin said, and hurried back to work to finish thest adjustments. Chapter 148 - Super Carriage

Chapter 148 C Super Carriage

After tying the golem horse to the carriage the temporary preparations wereplete. Alright, here you are. Jin opened the cabins door. Then a mechanism caused some steps toe down. This is, amazing. This time, Elsa was wearing a long dress with a low hem, so she had been thinking that while getting off the carriage she could manage (by jumping off) she didnt know what to do about getting on the carriage. With the steps she could easily get on. The inside isinteresting. The cabin was for six people. There were three seats side-by-side in two rows. They were not face-to-face, instead both were facing the direction of movement. The window that worked as a windscreen was made to be wide, and the seats were arranged so that there was a good view of where you were going. As the seats were covered with a magical beasts leather and filled with devil silk wadding their cushioning properties were also good. The drivers seat was more or less prepared, but as the pulling was done by a horse golem it was in practice unnecessary. Consequently, without a coachman you could see ahead better. Reiko, could you sit on the drivers seat just in case? Jin asked and, Yes. Reiko replied somewhat sullenly. Nevertheless, maybe because some time ago Jin had said Elsas like a young little sister, Reiko didnt look that much displeased. Reiko who had sat down on the drivers seat turned around to look at Jin. He was sitting next to Elsa. When she saw that, Reikos face became just a little harsh. Alright, please. Maybe he noticed, maybe he didnt, Jin gave the signal to go. Reiko grasped the reins stretching out from the horse golems andmanded them with Magic Energy. The horse golems began to walk gently. Sweet. We moved. Elsa was pleased. That was probably because of the movement. The carriage came from behind the guest house to the front of it, and then left for the za. The eyes of the castle sentinel who saw it turned round. The carriage was fine. It looked a bit entric, but that was that. However, the horses pulling it. They were verdigris green. In other words, that meant they were made of metal. Namely, they were horse golems. The sentinel had never seen such things. Because it appeared from behind the guest house, they figured it was a guest of honors possession. However, it was too extraordinary for them to just let pass, Ho-hold it, the carriage over there. So theymanded it to stop. Reiko, stop. Yes, Father. The carriage stopped, the sentinels saw the little girl who was the coachman and were even more amazed, but on a second look they recognized that girl. Ah, perhaps you areReiko-san!? For some reason the sentinel used honorifguage. Yes, I am Reiko. Reiko replied. Ooooh! I knew it! During the golem riot the other day, Reiko-san saved me by a hairs breadth! Huh. The sentinel was somewhat agitated, but Reiko didnt remember at all. Because every human except for Jin literally came second to her. A-anyway, what might this be!? Its a carriage. Err, I received a permit and built this carriage. The door opened and Jin spoke, then, Ooh, arent you Jin-dono! The gentleman who received the title of Honorary Magi Craftsman and who built Reiko-san! The sentinel was sweltering. Sweltering more Reinhardt when he got excited. Is that so, a carriage that youve built. I see, even the horses are golems! As expected of a Honorary Magi Craftsman!! Excuse me, but can we go now? Reiko asked and, Yes! Go right ahead! And the castle sentinel saw them off while waving their hand. A weird person. Elsa voiced her impressions. In the za inside the royal castle, because the soil was being prepared they couldnt really test the ridingfort but, Amazing. It nearly doesnt shake. Before this I thought the carriages Jin-kun and Rai-nii remodeled were amazing but this is even more amazing. Elsa gave high prase. Then they tried increasing the speed a little. They went to maybe about ten kilometers per hour. It was likely theyd be scolded if they went too fast inside the royal castle. Reiko, whats the output on the horse golems? Jin asked and, Yes, its around ten percent. Reikos reply came. Jin nodded like he was satisfied, but Elsa was surprised. Jin-kuns standards really are different. With that the test run was over, and the carriage did a U-turn. The wheels that had independent suspension offered little resistance, and the carriage changed its course nearly on the spot. What was that, just now? Elsa looked like she had witnessed something unbelievable. Because of her high position, she had had the chance to ride many carriages, and once again she realized that none of the carriages she had previously ridden on were a match for this one. Heeey, Jin! Someone yelled. Looking at that direction, there was the third Prince, His Highness Ernest, apanied by Lotte. I was looking out from my room and havent you made something amazing! Seems he was also interested. Jin got off the carriage and greeted the Prince. Your Highness, is this okay? Coming out from the inner pce? He asked and Prince Ernest said, Its fine, Im the fourth in line for the throne. My two elder brothers and my uncle are above me, so as far as this countrys concerned Im not that important. This was the first time Jin heard that and he replied to the Princes irresponsible words, Your Highness, you shouldnt talk like that. For His Majesty, Your Highness is obviously a child who shares his blood. Please try to remember the time of the attack. Jin said and remonstrated him. Prince Ernest looked a little down while listening, but soon raised his head and said, Mm, I know. It might be as you say. Ill be careful. Please be, Your Highness. Jin was relieved. Pince Ernest had his selfish moments but deep down he was an honest kid. Be that as it may, this carriage, its amazing! Because the Prince was staring at it with twinkling eyes Jin smiled awkwardly and, Want to get on? He asked, Yeah! And an energetic answer came right back at him. Err, theres already a preceding passenger, is that okay? A preceding passenger? The prince peeked inside the carriage, and met the eyes of Elsa who was there. Ah, I see. So Jin was in the middle of a tryst with her. Y-your Highness! Jin was flustered, A tryst? And Elsa didnt understand. Your Highness, shes Reinhardts cousin, Elsa. Shes my friend. Im Elsa. Elsa go up, pinched the hem of her skirt and lightly bent her knees in a curtsy. My my. Miss Elsa, I am the third Prince of Egelia Kingdom, my name is Ernest. The prince said, took Elsas left hand and kissed the back of it. From the gesture you could tell that even though he was 13, he had been thoroughly taught the manners of royals. Now Jin, make it run for me! However, his The high-spirited figure he had while saying so was appropriate for his age. Jin instructed Reiko to have the horse golems run at ten percent power. That was terrific! Jin, I want one too! Build one! Sure enough, it turned out that the Prince wanted an identical carriage. Chapter 149 - The Day of Departure

Chapter 149 C The Day of Departure

Early spring, 18th of March. The disorder in Egelia Kingdoms royal castle has settled. Jin, youlle back, right? Next time you can teach me how to build golems without hurrying! The third Prince Ernest said. Jin, I want to see you againter. At that time I want to show you Beana cradling a cute baby in her arms. Earl Kuzuma said. JinIts a trite thing but I cant say anything elseThanks for everything. Ill never never forget these few days. Nor about the visit to Kunlun Ind. Beana said. In addition there were great many people like maids who were reluctant to part and a castle sentinel who was looking worshippingly at Reiko. He and the maids saw Jins group off at nine in the morning, and the group departed from the capital Asunto. King, was it really alright to let them go? The Prime Minister, who was between the thrones, said. That person is dangerous. His technology, knowledge, abilities, and that Automata following him. Any one of those would be a great threat by itself. We know. But you know, that Jin fellow didnt seem to have any ambitions. Ernest took to him too. Even so! If We would imprudently antagonize him and he turned against us, what then? Couldnt that Automata called Reiko take on all of Our soldiers by herself? The King said, and looked up at the ceiling, As thats the case, wouldnt there be many more benefits to just treating him as amicably as possible? Withdrawing from between the thrones, Naive. The Prime Minister muttered. Theres no such guarantee that he wont turn against us. And to say nothing of the possibility of him getting abducted by the enemy and made their subordinate. Even though itste now, I should dispatch someone At that moment a man called out to him. Prime Minister, is something wrong? It was the Minister of Magic, Kelhidore. The Prime Minister then told Kelhidore of his worries and, Hmm, Prime Minister, in the grand scheme of things I agree with you. Not long ago someone came to report to me, and it seems like that Jin possesses outrageous Magic Energy. You see, he converted all of the destroyed and scrapped golems into materials all at once. The other day, Jin turned the scrap into materials with the [Fusion] magic. He said he had used an Elradrite, but even with that without supplying Magic Energy there would be no effect. For example, a transistor amplifies the power of an electric signal, but it needs an adequate power source. Never does it produce something from nothing. Elradrite is the same. Without a Magi Crystal working as a base supply of Magic Energy, things like casting amplified magic cannot be done. As the operation procedures of Elradrite are state secrets, Jin who had no such knowledge didnt realize it. Of course, neither did Stearina. There was also a motive like this behind not informing anyone of how just Elradrite couldnt amplify Magic Energy. But personally, I dare say hes someone Id like to get along with. As even the Minister of Magic evaluated Jin so highly, the Prime Minister Marquis Boyd North Galueri said, Hmm, even so, theres no way we can just not do anything. For now, lets at least have him monitored. And that being the case, he gave orders to a subordinate. Oooh, it really is veryfortable, this carriage. Mm. From now on I want to only ride in this one. Elsa seemed to be extremely pleased, and was sitting in the seat next to Jin as if it was only natural. I can certainly see why the Prince would want this. Thats right, yesterday, that is on the 17th of March, it had taken Jin the whole day to build Prince Ernest a private carriage of his own, and in addition teach the Guild about the structure of and how to utilize and install golem arms to carriages as suspension devices. Of course, even though it was called the Princes private carriage, it didnt have an air-conditioner. The horse golems were limited to ten percent output, it was an inferior version of Jins carriage. Regardless, the manager of the materials had turned ghastly pale and had looked pitiful. It was the same with the structure taught to the Guild. Even so, with regards to carriages it was innovative, and may perhaps be mainstream from now on. Moreover, autonomous-type horse golems, huh. Theyre great. Now after leaving the capital and sightings of people bing more rare, Reiko had also returned into the cabin, and the horse golems were pulling the carriage independently. Leaving the capital, for a while the scenery looked rural, but carrying on gradually the houses became more sparse. And then, they could see a row of red poles, after which not a single silhouette of a house could be seen. Not even a single shack. Although the environment didnt seem particrly bad, there being grass-covered ins and forests. This area north of Asunto belongs to the royal family. Reinhardt exined. There were red poles, right? Starting from there, precious medicinal nts and unusual flowers grow, so Ive heard theres various limitations imposed. In other words, its a nature preserve. Can people enter? Jin asked and, Individuals can without a problem. Even if the intention is gathering medicinal nts, its allowed for private people. It seems gathering them would fine as long as you didnt take too much. However, cultivating thend or grazing on it is forbidden. If it was a nature preserve then that was obvious. So living there is forbidden too. Thats why there werent any people. The carriage moved while they were looking a looking scenery that had been kept natural. Then near noon, they could once again see red poles. Oh, were finally leaving the reserve. Reinhardt said. Its going to be noon soon, lets find some good ce to have lunch in. Normally thered be a vige or a town nearby, but because of the preserve they were surrounded only by nature. To tell you the truth, this course isnt the main road. On the main road theres lodgings at intervals. Reinhardt spoke. So, why? Jin asked the natural question and the one who answered was Elsa. Jin-kun. Youll understand once we go on a bit longer. ? For now as Elsa said so, Jin put off hearing the answer forter, and had the carriage travel a bit longer. After ten minutes had passed and the field of view grew wider, a vivid purplish red filled Jins eyes. Ooh? To Jin who reflexively let out a voice, Elsa said, Hehe, astonished? When I first saw this, I was suprised too. Before his eyes spread a purplish red carpet. On a second look, it was a field of flowers. I wanted to have lunch here, so I had us travel this way. Apparently many years ago during a trip, they came across this ce by chance and the scenery was etched into their memories. And, I wanted to show Jin-kun this scenery. So I pestered Rai-nii and we took this route. Oh, so thats how it was. Uh-huh, its a pretty scene. Thanks, Elsa. Mm. Im d you like it. A little farther there was an open space, and the carriages were stopped. Alright, lets have lunch. Under unusually good-tempered Mines leadership the lunch preparations advanced. She spread a rug right next to the field of flowers and said, Here you go, everyone. They ate slices of hard bread simr to French bread and warmed soup. The same bread was also grilled a little, with thinly-sliced meat that was also grilled on top of it. Sd that was prepared in the morning. Teee. Even though it was the first day of travel, the important preliminary preparation seemed to already have been done. Mm, tasty. Reinhardt also gave hispliments. Mine, this is, delicious. Thank you very much. The soup was seasoned to Elsas liking, so of course she found the taste delicious as she ate it. This time even Mine didnt give rise to any problems, so the lunch ended peacefully. The next town is less than an hour away, so lets take it a bit easy. Reinhardt said while gazing at the flower field. Mm, agreed. Elsa had rushed into the field of flowers in delight. Jin also tried getting near the flower field. He sat down there, plucked a single flower and held it in front of his eyes. The small purplish red petals formed a single group. One-by-one the small petals very much resembled the petals of a soy bean nt. Its simr to a Chinese milk vetch. There had been a small field behind the orphanage, and in the spring seeds of Chinese milk vetches were sown to fertilize it. For the first time in a while Jin reminisced about his previous world. He felt as if he could hear the young childrens merry voices and see them bustle about. Father? Maybe Reiko had noticed him acting unusual, as before Jin knew it she had sat down next to him and was examining his expression. Is something the matter? No, its nothing. I was just reminiscing a bit about the past. The past, is it. Do you mean the world you previously lived in, Father? Mh-hm. Jin nodded and Reikos expression turned to one of concern, Um, Father, do you find it a bother that I summoned you here? She asked looking nervous. Jin shook his head, No, not at all. If you had not summoned me Id be dead, so Im grateful, theres no way Id be bothered by it. He answered and Reiko was relieved, Thats good then. Its just that Father looked lonely. She said and softly held Jins left hand. Jin and Reiko had sat there like that for a while when he suddenly thought of something and picked several of the Chinese milk vetches(?) that were at his feet and began to make something. Father? Reiko looked doubtfully at that, and Jin one by one picked up, twisted, and weaved the Chinese milk vetches(?) then, Alright, its finished. Jin had made a flower wreath. Then, Here you go, Reiko. He ced it on Reikos head. F-Father? Reiko was confused by Jin suddenly cing the flower wreath he made on her head, and Jin said to her, Ah, its cute, Reiko. Jin said with a smile that was just a little lonesome yet kind. Father Reiko looked a little downwards and, Thank you very much. She smiled and thanked Jin. Ah, whats, that? Turning towards the voice, there stood Elsa who hade back at some point. She was holding the hem of her skirt up just a little, and it held the flowers she had picked. Hey, Elsa. Oh, you came back with some different flowers. In addition the Chinese milk vetches(?) there were white and yellow flowers among other ones mixed together. Jin saw it and, Elsa, do you want a flower wreath too? He tried asking and Elsa immediately nodded. Jin then at once began making another one. He made the wreath mostly out of Chinese milk vetches(?), and as an ent in just one spot he arranged some of the yellow flowers Elsa had picked. Its done. Here you go, Elsa. Jin then put it on Elsas head. Elsa blushed just a bit and, Thankyou. She embarassedly thanked Jin. The rays of the spring sun shone warmly, it was the early afternoon. Chapter 150 - Cleaning!

Chapter 150 C Cleaning!

Spring, 18th of March. Jins group who had travelled to Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto to participate in the golem party had gotten over the golem riot incident caused by [Subordination Rewriting Magic], and were travelling to the home country of Elsa and Reinhardt, Shouro Empire. Because Reinhardts work as a diplomat was also done with, they could travel without a care and en route they had lunch on a meadow filled with a field of flowers that closely resembled Chinese milk vetches. After stopping for a night in the provincial city Rassure they returned to the main road, passed through the towns of Pean and Kaltor, then through the provincial city Buzzard, Fragrant Town, provincial cities Dogran and Desir, spending the night of the 24th in the town of Jiaral. On the morning of the 25th, the group nned their next overnight stay and aimed to continue until the the town of Delead. Hm, did something happen? Before noon, at the end of the highway a person like a soldier seemed to be telling them to stop. Judging from their attire, they were a soldier on working for a provincial city. Is something wrong? As usual, Reinhardt who was riding in Jins carriage was the representative and asked. Oh, Im sorry but after this point the road has copsed and be impassable. It looks like the repairs will take nearly ten days. So, please take a detour. Because of the spring it rained a lot. Today was cloudy, but the day before yesterday it had rained. And probably because of that the road had caved in on its most weakest spots. No other choice then. Reinhardts group wasnt familiar with the details of the side road. However, just the general knowledge should be enough, Reinhard thought so this time Reinhardt had his coachman lead the way. They asked for directions from the soldier, and the group then headed towards the side road led by the carriage Reinhardts coachman drove. The side road had a lot of bumps and it was narrow. To make matters worse the wheels dug deep into the road because of the rain, making travel hard. Jins carriage wasfortable, but Reinhardt who had returned to his own carriage that had dampers installed found that they didnt make much of a difference and soon went back to Jins carriage. Sigh, Jins carriage is the best! It seemed to be true that when people got a taste of luxury they couldnt easily return to their original life. While they carried on like that, it once again began to rain. Oh, its raining, thats bad. This area was a valley, and in a short time the rain was pouring full force. In the blink of an eye it had turned into a downpour. At once the road turned ito sludge and the ruts on the road disappeared too. The coachman driving the first carriage worked hard with choosing the way to go, and they continued. However, because the way blended in with abandoned roads and animal trails, in the middle of the rain the group ended up going towards apletely wrong direction. When the rain stopped it was afternoon. The view had finally cleared up, and the coachman driving the first carriage was in a panic. T-this is disastrous! In a hurry they got off the carriage and rushed to where Reinhardt was, that is, to Jins carriage. My apologies, Reinhardt-sama! It seems I chose the wrong road. The coachman apologized to Reinhardt, bowing so vigorously they almost prostrated themselves on the ground. Oi oi, what in the world is going on? Exin properly. Y-yes. I saw a small vige or a settlement ahead, but I was only told that wed see the next town in the evening, there was no mention of a small vige like this. But Reinhardt didnt get particrly angry either, Hmm, well, that was inevitable. If theres a vige then we ought to consider not forcing it and staying there overnight. Thinking about it, isnt it better than getting lost in the same way again? The rain and the hard to distinguish road. Reinhardt wasnt so narrow-minded as to reprimand the coachman because of just this. The coachman sighed in relief, In that case let us head towards that vige. The group then headed for the small vige. What an idyllic vige. You could call it both a vige or a hamlet, it was a truly small vige. It looked like a vige that scraped along and made its living by growing wheat things like that. Hmm, its not that far away from the highway so shouldnt it be more lively. Even Reinhardt was puzzled. Well, no use thinking of it deeply. The group entered the vige. Stakes had been set into the ground to easily mark the boundary, and the houses numbered no more than 20. The vige was smaller than Kaina Vige. Oh my, do we have visitors? When the carriages were stopped in an appropriate open space and they were looking at the surroundings, an old woman happened to pass by. Might you be from this vige? Reinhardts butler asked and the old woman nodded. Wed like to spend the night in this vige, so where might the vige heads house be? The butler asked in a polite manner, and the olddy pointed at one of the houses. The vige head was an aged gray-haired elder. As theres no one but old people living in this vige, we cannot provide any services to respected nobles group. Thats fine, all we need is a ce to sleep, water, and a some food if youve got any to spare. They had many portions of preserved food so the butler limited the requests to bare necessities. A ce to sleep, huhThere are empty houses, if youre fine with them. The vige head said, stood up and led the group to the middle of the vige where there were two stone houses that they could use. There may be a little dust. The vige head said, but it wasnt just a little. Thats a lot of dust. Youngdy, you shouldnt enter before the cleaning is finished. With Mine as the leader, along with the two maids Reinhardt had with him the three began the cleaning as a single group. But cleaning a whole house was a rather big ordeal. Not to mention there was another house after that. Jin couldnt just watch and said, Reiko, could you give them a hand? Reiko suddenly appeared and nodded. I can handle this by myself. She said and quickly started on cleaning the other house. Since she didnt have to breathe, in the defiance of the flying dust, [Breeze]. She blew up the dust with wind magic and ejected it out of the windows. Jin who watched that pped Reinhardt on the back. Hm? What is it, Jin? Reinhardt, lets make a vacuum cleaner. So, like this, have it suck using wind magic. Hmm, hmm. You just need to filter the rubbish out of the inhaled air. I see. Jin, your ideas are as surprising as always. Jin felt a bit guilty when Reinhardt praised him upfront. At any rate, it wasnt his idea but the result of hundreds of years of umted technology from his previous world. Hm, whats up? Reinhardt asked Jin who looked like he was brooding. Ah, nothing, I was just thinking about what material to use. Mmh, thats right. Were on a trip so theres not a lot of materials we can use. Jin lied. Nevertheless, the material was the biggest bottleneck. Hows this? Reinhardt took out an old leather bag. Uh, looks good. I found this. A rock had inadvertently caught Jins eye and looking a it with [Analyze] he found out that it contained a considerable amount of iron. In addition this looks like it could be used. Reinhardt also took out an old coat, so the two decided to give it a go at once. [Extraction], [Smelting]. Jin separated the iron from the rock, [Forming], [Shaping], [Joint]. And Reinhardt made a hose out of the leather back. Jin, is this okay? Umm, can you make it a little bit thinner? Alright, got it, [Forming]. The leather would go through stic deformation, so [Forming] was used. Then Jin made the main part out of the iron he had separated. He wasnt thinking of a cyclone-type, but a regr vacuum cleaner. If you want to know why, its because Jin has never used a cyclone-type vacuum cleaner. If Reinhardt made the filter out of his old coat the rest wuold be easy. The power woulde from a Magi Stone. Jin had been carrying one from the start because he had thought it might be of some use. In the first ce the theory behind a vacuum cleaner is simple, so with Reinhardts merry assistance in less then an hour the prototype vacuum cleaner wasplete. Alright, lets give it a test. And so they tried walking towards the houses they were borrowing when, Father, Ive finished. The house Reiko was responsible for had already been scrubbed clean. That being the case, they went to the house Mine and the two maids were responsible for. That house seemed to be only about halfway done so, Mine, try using this. Reinhardt handed over the prototype vacuum cleaner. Reinhardt-sama, what is this? Reinhardts maids also tilted their heads in doubt. Its called a vacuum cleaner. Reinhardt started it up with Magic Energy, It sucks in garbage and dust like this. He gave a practice demonstration of the cleaning. Whoa! Thats amazing! Its a real help! Each of the three were astonished, gave their thanks and immediately took the vacuum cleaner to use in cleaning the remaining rooms. The cleaning was finished at around 5 PM. It was around the time the spring sun set. Even so, while the houses were small they had bathtubs, all present -especially the maids who had been dirtied by the cleaning- were relieved to be able to take a bath as a reward for their hard work. Chapter 151 - Depopulation

Chapter 151 C Depoption

Now then, theres something I want to talk to you about. This was after they finished bathing and had had dinner. Reinhardt had gathered the whole group, that is Jin and Reiko, Elsa, her nanny Mine, butler Adberg and guard Herman. In addition, in the same room were Reinhardts own butler and two maids. He was in his serious mode. Have you noticed anything strange? He asked. Jin thought a bit and said, Well, I thought it was a little unenergetic for a vige. Reinhardt nodded and, Oh, thats no wonder. After all this is a vige where only elderly people live. He said. Jin frowned while listening and muttered, Depoption advances in this ce too, huh Depoption? Elsa caught that and asked Jin. She looked puzzled. Ah, umm. People gradually disappearing, I guess. Thats right. Reinhardt took it from there. To maintain poption, each married couple needs to have no less than two children. You know that, right Elsa? Mm. Considering the mortality rate of infants and conscription, infectious diseases and such things, three would be preferred, is my opinion as a statesman. Jin came to realize that Reinhardt wanted to say something. To speak inly, this vige has be unable to maintain its poption. After that, Reinhardt began talking with a rather severe look on his face. To begin with, around twenty years ago, the neighboring Celuroa Kingdom was meddling with the surrounding countries. Maybe he wanted to soften the serious talk a bit, as he mixed in some light words. The motive behind it, well, most likely no one but the previous King of Celuroa himself knew it, and you cant ask someone whos buried underground so this is only conjecture. He said and threw a nce at Elsa, then Mine, You could say that basically it was to widen his territory, however, it wasnt anything small. Reinhardt paused to take a breath and, He wanted to annex every country on the continent. He told it bluntly. Thats the Unifilers Jin began to talk, and Reinhardt nodded. Thats right. At that time the Unifilers already had that ideal. The current King of Celuroa doesnt appear to be as ambitious as his predecessor. But in truth, hes a person with ambitions no less weaker than his predecessor, from my perspective. The predecessor was easy to understand but the current King To tell you the truth, I cant see through him. But theres no way he doesnt aspire to rule the other countries. Most likely hes just gathering power for now. He then looked at Elsa a second time, Anyway, during the three-year period between precisely 21 years ago to 18 years ago the previous King of Celuroa assailed Egelia Kingdom and Frantz Kingdom. Maybe because our Shouro Empire doesnt trace its roots back to Dinar Kingdom, they didnt really attack us. However, there was a period when for the sake of self-defense we couldnt avoid dispatching troops to Celuroa Kingdom. Then Jin also understood it. I see, and so that time was the cause of the depoption of this vige. Well, thats how it is. Also, Elsa, Ive heard that it was in those days that your father rose to the top with his merits. When Reinhardt said that, Mines expression contorted for a moment, but there was no one who noticed it. Father, did. Yeah. The story I heard from your uncle was that when he was in Egelia Kingdom as themanding officer of a battallion stationed there, he kept back the Celuroan army over three times the size of his, and that he kept the damage to friendly troops and the surronding inhabitants to a minimum. Eh, Elsas fathers an amazing person, isnt he. That was Jins honest opinion, but when Mine heard it her she once more grimaced. But, as she was hanging her head down no one noticed as always. During the war with Celuroa Kingdoms army a great many military personnel and soldiers died, and apparently among them was Louiss Earl Kuzumas father. Jin understood with just that exnation. Oh, so its because of that that Earl Kuzuma inherited the house so young. Reinhardt nodded with a firm look on his face. Thats right. And the soldiers were conscripted from all around. Most likely this was one of the ces. It looks like all the men that were capable to fight aged 20 to 40 were conscripted. Counting backwards, people who were over 40 back then would be around 60 now. You can understand why this vige had no one but elderly people. I heard that the troops were organized intopanies by vige. There mustve also beenpanies that werepletely annihted. This vige is one of them. Reinhardt said with a sigh. Jins mood also turned gloomy, but one question popped to his mind. Then, what about the wives of the conscripted men and the children in their teens? He asked, and Reinhardt replied looking sad, They probably abandoned the vige. Abandoned the This is north of Egelia Kingdoms capital, if Celuroa Kingdoms army was to attack this would surely turn into a battleground. To the luck of the remaining families it looks like this ce wasnt exposed to the horrors of war, but nevertheless the mothers with children escaped considering the worst-case scenario. Silence filled the room. Sorry for the somewhat depressing talk. But, Elsa, youre already 17, so I think you ought to learn a bit about the world, not to mention about the time that your father took part in. He then faced Jin said, Jin, I had you listen because I wanted you to know about it and I wanted to know your opinion about something. My opinion? Yeah. Earlier you said depoption, right? In other words, that must mean youve seen or otherwise know ofmunities like this vige? I thought that if thats the case, then as a statesman Id like to ask you to teach me about what kind of countermeasures were taken, if you know of any. Reinhardt was also a member of the nobility, and a statesman at that. He was again worried about the hard reality of this worlds poption shortage. He thought it necessary to discover means of lessening it, even just a bit. When so asked, Jin called to mind the memory of a TV programme about a depopted vige of the elderly he had seen while on Earth. Well, lets see. While searching his mind Jin spoke bit by bit. First of all, livelihood, right. Without work to earn a living people wont gather. Hmm, thats true. Please continue. Reinhardt also agreed. Without ces that appeal to young people not a lot of immigration will happen, dont you agree? There were many regions where arablend remained. He meant some reason for saying I want to live here. I can also understand that. Anything specific? Jin remembered news about what some municipality somewhere had done, First would be a tax reduction, I guess. Something like for five years its a some percentage lighter. He adapted it for this world and exined. I see! During that five years theyll settle down permanently. Thats a good idea. Next would be, something like reducing the tax a little ording to the amount of children. Reinhardt began smiling in admiration. Excellent. I also thought of that. Jin, dont you think youve got the talent to be a statesman? He praised Jin highly. Jin shook his head and, No no, youre making too much of a man like me whos only good at building things. He said, flustered. Because all of that was second-hand knowledge anyhow. After that they exchanged various stories and opinions, and when the evening grewte each of the retired to their rooms. That night, Jin was in unusually deep thought while lying on the bed. (Me building all kinds of things is also something Ipletely got from my predecessor.) He tossed and turned in bed. (The exnations I made that seemed excellent to Reinhardt and the others werent my achievements, but thanks to the education I received in modern Japan.) He felt vaguely depressed. (Whats the best I myself can do?) Deep in his dreams, Jin ran swiftly as if looking for the thing he liked and wanted to do, this was his first time sinceing to this world that he had pondered about what he ought to do in this world. Chapter 152 - Chat 4: Ninja Unit

Chapter 152 C Chat 4: Ninja Unit

And heres what Reiko was up to on the other hand. She had noticed that ever since the 18th when they left the capital strange people were following them. On the night of the 19th. Clouds. Behind the hotel in the town of Kaltor. One person was rendered helpless. (Because Father dislikes killing.) It had been fortuious for the person who ended up as the target that they got away with just simple bone fractures on both legs. On the night of the 20th. Rain. In the dead of night, in the hallway of a lodging house for visitors of the provincial city Buzzard. Two people were rendered helpless. (I see that the hair colors different than that of yesterdays person. Could several groups be sending shadowers like this?) After stunning the two she had stripped them naked and tossed them out on the main road. On the night of the 21st. Light rain. On the second floor of the inn in Fragrant town. One person was rendered helpless. (Every day, is it. I should arrange for additional means of protection for Father.) This person had been tied up and hung from the watch tower near the town. And then on the night of the 22nd. Rain. In the lodging house for visitors of the provincial city Dogran. (It looks like they arenting tonight, but I cannot be careless.) Reiko then activated [ManaCom]. (Yes, Luna speaking.) Reikos little sister, support-duty golem Luna immediately responded. Luna,e over here using the Warp Gate. (Yes, Elder Sister.) Luna soon arrived teleporting through the Warp Gate installed in Jins deluxe carriage. Elder sister, you called. Thank you foring. Ill be going to the researchboratory now. Ill be back by the morning, Ill leave protecting Father in the meanwhile to you. You can do it, right? Yes, Elder Sister. And like that, Reiko moved to Hourai Ind. Reiko-san, wee home. How may I help you tonight? Hourai Inds supervising magical intelligence Laozi greeted her. Laozi, I have to consult you in regards to Fathers safety. Ask ahead. Reiko and Laozi monitored each other to keep the other from behaving wildly, but its not like they had a bad rtionship. Even less when talking about Jin. Reiko exined everything in detail that had happened since the golem riot incident to Laozi. Laozi listened closely, and when Reikos talk was over, I understand. Elradrite, and [Subordination Rewriting Magic], was it, this does indeed sound like a nuisance. Ill take deal with all of the golems here. Shielding and a Magi Recorder, right? Ill leave it to you. And after that, about My Lords bodyguards. Thats the number one problem, isnt it. After that, for a while Reiko continued discussing the details. Well do that, and have youe to a decision about if its alright to install ManaComs to each of the golems? Yes. Myself Ill ask Father to install one for me, but please do it for everyone excepting me, Laozi. Understood. There are many of them, so Ill have them remodeled starting with with Soleil, Luna,arium, and Sate, after whom Ill do the numbered golems in ascending order. That should be fine. Jin had already had internal ManaComs on his mind, and that being the case they took this chance to do the whole remodeling in one go. So, about building Fathers bodyguards, the Secret Police (SP), have youe to a decision? Yes. Nheless, if were to build high-grade golems like that, we better get My Lords permission for it. Thats exactly right. Ill try consulting Father tomorrow. Please do. Finally, they exchanged trivial news. Lately My Lord has not been in contact with me, so records have been piling up. Could I have them conveyed through you, Reiko-san? Thats alright. He had Reiko report about the currentpletion of the map, about the repulsion of devil beasts that had approached and the materials gathered from them. When the meeting was over it was alreadyte at night. Reiko at once returned back to Jin. Using the Warp Gate, without any time loss she returned to the provincial city of Dogran. It had stopped raining. Wee back, Elder Sister. This person was seeking Fathers bedroom so I captured them. Luna said and pointed at a man bound by rope. His face was swollen and he was unconscious. Reiko gave him a nce and then lost interest, Good work, Luna. Ill handle the rest. You go back. Although its unfortunate you dont get to talk with Father. Yes, Elder Sister. Give Father my regards. And so Luna went back to Hourai Ind. The caught man was left tied as is behind the lodging house. The next day, Reiko tried talking to Jin about the SP. Then, Haha, I wanted to make something like that too. I suppose its pitiful to have you by yourself as my bodyguard at night, Reiko No not at all, Reiko said, but Jin seemed to already have thought of an idea, Alright, tonight lets quickly go back to the researchboratory to build them. Ahh, I dont have anyone to use as a reference for covert conduct, do I? Jin said and looked troubled so Reiko said, Oh, Father, if thats the problem then I know just the right talent for it. Eh? Reiko then told him about the man tied up and left behind the lodging house. Hmm, people like him came as I thought, huh. The SP looks to be necessary after all. I got it. Ill have his behavioral patterns and such. He secretly went around to the back of the building where the man was still unconscious. That was convenient, so Jin used [Transfer Info] while the man was like that. [Transfer Info] Level 4. All at once he transcribed the knowledge of espionage activities, behavior, movements, and even organizational information to a Magi Crystal he held. After analyzing itter, maybe hed even get to know whence the man was dispatched from. Furthermore it was coincidental,pletely by chance, but in any case after yesterdays pursuers failure their organization had dispatched their top-ss man. Even though she was easily caught by Luna. However, thanks to that Jin got rather, or should I say befittingly high-grade data on espionage to use in golems. Night of the 23rd, rain. In the lodging house for visitors of the provincial city Desir where the group was staying overnight. In the middle of the night, just when the rain let up, Jin secretly snuck out of his room and headed towards the storehouse for carriages. Maybe because the organization was being vignt after having their top-ss agent beaten it looked like there were no suspicious people tonight. Using the Warp Gate hidden inside the carriage Jin and Reiko teleported to Hourai ind in an instant. The time difference between Hourai Ind and provincial city Desir appeared to be around three and a half hours. And thats why over here it was also nighttime, but for golems there is no night or day. Wee home, Father, Elder sister. Reikos assistant golems, Soleil and Luna greeted them. Ah, Im home. I may be hasty, but are the preparationsplete? The one who answered that was Laozi. My Lord, wee home. Yes, the preparation of all kinds of materials isplete. I see, thanks for your trouble. Jin said and moved to the researchboratory. First hed add a ManaCom function to Reiko. As the basic equipment was already finished, this was finished quickly. The real performance was the SP. On top of their features, as being as light as possible was good he made their skeletons out of hollowed Light Silver, and their exterior out of Light Silver too. Now, what do about the appearance. Ill have the surface colored ck. That should do, Jin answered his own question in his head and nodded. Male-type, or female-type. Adult or child. Soon the answer came to him. To have them be able to deal in any kind of setting, making all of them would be good. It took that night and the next one for Jins personal Hourai Ind Security Police, alias Ninja Unit to be born. There were ten members. Five varieties, two of each. Two little girl-type golems same as Reiko. Pensee and Vi. Dahlia and Kanna who had approximately the same figure as Elsa (however, their bosoms were a bitrger). Adult female-types Lily and Rose. Standard adult male-types Elm and Ash. And finally the young boy-types Pothos and Heath. Alright then, please take care of me. Jin faced the Hourai Ind SP he created and said. Yes, Father. They greeted him all at once. Chapter 153 - Whistling

Chapter 153 C Whistling

The next morning after they stayed in the depopted vige the weather had cleared. Aah, I havent seen clear blue skies in a while. Jin stretched his limbs and inhaled the refreshing morning air. Good morning. Reinhardt had also woken up. It looks like well be surely be able to get to Delead from here before the day is over. Breakfast centered on preserved foods. Still, they were able to get some fresh vegetables to add a little color to their food. After the meal that was iner than usual, the group departed the depopted vige whose name they didnt even know. Of course, they thanked the vige head aplenty. There was nothing strangers like Jins group could do to this vige at the moment. They departed with painful reluctance. And yet the sky was blue and the rays of the sun warm. You could say that spring was in full swing already. As they continued moving their moods also cleared up. The wind feels nice, doesnt it. Jins carriages roof also had venttion openings so they were able tofortably ventte. Reinhardt who was riding with them was also rxing. Elsa was unusually for her nodding off. Jin was talking with Reinhardt in a low voice so as not to wake up Elsa. Hey, Reinhardt. Is there a Guild in the town were going to this time? The Guild Jin was asking about was obviously the Guild for Magi Craftsmen. Hm? Probably not, I guess. Not without being at least a provincial city. Is that so. It appeared that the town was still too small for the organization. Do you have some business there? Reinhardt asked, and Jin answered, Mh-hm, I was thinking about promoting the vacuum cleaner. Hmm. Jin exined to Reinhardt that as the vacuum cleaner is a Magi Tool useful formoners and nobles alike, if possible hed like to have it get popr and in addition be as cheap as possible. Thats unbeneficial for you who helped me though, Reinhardt. When Jin said so, Reinhardtughed and told him not to mind about something like that and, I dont think that your way of thinking is bad, Jin. Youve got my support. He said some such, then Jin bowed his head to Reinhardt and, Thank you. He said. Reinhardt then asked Jin, In that case, you must be on themon peoples factions side? Common peoples faction? It wasnt a word he was used to hearing. Actually, mmon peoples faction was something Jin didnt know of. Oh, theres a categorization ofmon peoples faction and chosen peoples faction. People in themon peoples faction obviously want to have Magi Tools universally spread throughout the masses. And so what does that mean for the special peoples faction? I guess it must be that they want to monopolize them for only a selected part of the poption. Thats exactly right. And Reinhardt, youre which? Jin asked and waited for Reinhardts answer. That answer could change how Jin behaved from now on. Im of course Rai-nii is of themon peoples faction. Because of that he got into quarrels with Uncle. Elsa answered from the side. Oi, Elsa, dont steal the words from my mouth. Reinhardtughed, and on that subject, Thats because its boring when you two talk by yourselves. Elsa said and looked just a little miffed about it. No, that was because looked to be sleepingfortably, Elsa. When told so Elsa got worked up, Liar. As if I would fall asleep. She said, and The weathers good today, I guess this is why they say in spring one sleeps a sleep that knows no dawn. Jin said. Whats that? Elsa asked with a puzzled look on her face. Reinhardt also looked interested. Lets see, If I remember correctly, it means something like it isfortable to sleep during spring, and so when morninges you keep on sleeping without noticing. Jin replied. It was in fact Chinese poetry, but Japanese and ssical literature werent Jins best subjects, and so he couldnt exin any further. Hmm, in spring one sleeps a sleep that knows no dawn, huh. Thats rather urate. It perfectly suits sleepyhead Elsa. Reinhardt poked fun at Elsa who blushed and, Im not a sleepyhead. Rai-nii is rude. She pouted and turned away from him. As the talk had gonepletely off-topic, Jin said, A-anyways, I was thinking about making the structure and manufacturing method of the vacuum cleaner avable to the public. If I did that, then anyone couldI mean, any Magi Craftsman could build one, right? But Reinhardt had aplicated look on his face. Hmm, even so, thats not going to happen. It is correct that the Magi Craftsmens Guild is ahead in transmitting information, but the treatment of that information varies Guild by Guild He had a rather unclear reply. What do you mean? Jin asked and, Basically, the Guild would consider that monopolizing that technology would bring them profits. That sort of thing didnt happen in Blue Lands Guild where we went to earlier, though. Reinhardt exined. In other words, he meant that the way received information was handled varied in every Guild. Hmm, is that so. Thats a problem, huh. Jin let out a single sigh. His own meaning for living in this world. Just when Jin seemed to be about to find it he stumbled. He felt vaguely weaker, he vaguely gazed out of the window, and he vaguely started whistling. (Come to think of it, I think this is the first time Ive whistled sinceing to this world.) Maybe he didnt have the spare time, or he had simply forgotten to, but in any case Jin whistled for the first time in a while. The melody was a pop music song from thetter period of Showa era. It was a song his orphanage director loved so he remembered the tune well. While whistling he reminisced about those days. Jin had been a part-time senior high school student. Usually, when you were of senior high school age youd leave the orphanage, but the orphanage director seemingly had wanted Jin to be his sessor and so the director had had Jinmute to school from the orphanage. The surname of Nidoh mustve also been an indication of that desire. During that schoolmute, Jin had often whistled. The tunes had been from songs the orphanage director had collected on their cassette tapes. (Was I fired up with aspirations back then? Or was that just a reflection of me wanting to earn a sry soon?) In any case, it was a world he could no longer go back to, a life he couldnt return to. Jin now had no other option than to live on in this world. (Making this world more pleasant to live in is presumptuous. However, if its just where my hands reach. I can do that much.) In those days, Jin had thought things like i want to make the orphanage a finer ce, or I want to buy many different toys for the youngsters and children. (My predecessor was researchingbining magic and tools. At that time it had been uneptable, but today its epted in the form of so-called Magi Craftsmen. Im) After he had thought that far, the song was over, and so his whistling also stopped. Jin, what was that song just now? Ive never heard that before. It was a good tune. Reinhardt and Elsa spoke well of it. Jin decided that some day for sure hell stop hiding his true identity from these two and speak about it honestly. But as of yet, he didnt have the courage to do so. Jin was afraid of being treated as a heretic and rejected by his friends in this world, like his predecessor had been cast out by her colleagues. Jin didnt call himself a Magi Craft Meister as a result of having inherited his predecessors memories and experiences of being persecuted. Chapter 154 - Isolated

Chapter 154 C Isted

In the town of Delead, they stayed overnight at a farily high-ss inn. It was a sturdy stone-built three-storey building with a t rooftop. During the night, Jin for some reason or another couldnt sleep and left his room, then tried going up the stairs to the rooftop. Small lights gave off enough light to let him somehow see where he was walking. Stars were twinkling in the spring night sky. Ooh, what a pretty night sky. Even though I dont know the constetions here. Jin who was looking up at the starry sky began to feel unusally sentimental. Then, Reiko, youre here, right? Yes, Father. Reiko, the faithful Automata always protecting Jin, undid her [Stealth] magic and appeared. Come over here. Yes. Jin who had be somewhat lonely called Reiko to his side, and gently stroked her head. Father? Reiko raised a puzzled voice due to Jins slightly unusual state. Mh, yeah. Youre always by my side, so. Yes, thats because its my reason for being. Hehe, you always say that, dont you. Well, its fine, just stay by my side always. Yes, of course. It was dark so Jin couldnt see well, but at that moment Reiko had an extraordinary smile on her face. ?????? Suddenly a song flowed out of Jins lips. A song he had for some reason forgotten about until now. The ending theme of a story about a group headed west in search of a sutra. This was also from the orphanage directors collection, but he had heard the tune from a video tape, not a cassette tape. Father Reiko held Jins hand. She hoped that would remove at least a bit of Jins loneliness. ????????? Jin stopped singing, and then. From behind he could hear the sound of footsteps. Reiko quickly turned around and prepared forbat, but. Jin, kun? It was Elsa. Apparently as her room was on the third floor, she had heard Jins voice and hade up. Elsa? Whats wrong? Jin asked. Thats my line. Whats wrong, Jin-kun? Do you even need to ask. Somehow I couldnt sleep Getting such an answer, Elsa gave Jin a searching look and then, Huh. Her reaction was that of more or less epting the answer. So, that song just now was? Something or the other. As if she wasnt satisfied with that answer, Elsa showed a deeply pondering attitude then, Jin-kun, lonely? She guessed exactly right at Jins feelings, didnt she. Eh? As it was dark she couldnt see Jins flustered and troubled face, but he was still clearly confused. By no means did he expect Elsa to say what she just said. W-why? With a slightly nervous voice he answered with a question, and, Because Ive been like that. Elsa spoke. Father is military personnel so hes seldom home. Mother has a weak constitution so she doesnt leave her room much. My brothers are so much older than me that we dont really see eye to eye. He had previously heard of Elsas family structure, but hearing it again either way made him feel for her. Theres no way Rai-nii either could always y with me. Especially after he became a diplomat weve not been able to meet often. No doubt she didnt have many friends of her own age. The cause of her not being very good at conversing mustve been that too, Jin thought. When I was lonely, I wanted to get all the more solitary. Then I would the time I had fun. By times you had fun, you mean When I was little. When I yed with, or no, when my brothers and Rai-nii yed with me. As expected, childhood memories seem to be special for everyone, Jin once again thought. The childish days when you knew nothing and only spent time ying. In Jins case it had been an extremely short time, but certainly it had been like that. Jin-kun is a great Magi Craftsman. Even so, for that reason youre isted. Tonight, Elsa was frightfully sharp. Is what Rai-nii said. But in fact it seems it was Reinhardts opinion told second-hand. Rai-nii said. The only people who can make up for istion are the ones who share the same feeling. Elsa. Jin was surprised that such a speech came out of Elsas mouth. However, But, what did he mean? In any case, Elsa was Elsa. Jins vaguely serious feelings had left somewhere. He once again looked at the night sky, then at Elsa. Arent you cold? Looking closely, in the middle of the darkness, Elsa was wearing only her nightwear. Mm. Im fine. Even so, Jin removed his coat and put it on Elsa. Thanks. Jin-kun is always kind. Elsa thanked Jin and closed the front of the coat. Jin then said to her, Hey, during the day, we talked about themon peoples faction and chosen peoples factions, but are they in a bad conflict? Nothing like that. Our country is mostly of themon peoples faction. Only a part of the nobles are of the chosen peoples faction. ording to Elsas exnation, part of the nobles who employ Magi Engineers = Magi Craftsmen try to monopolize technology. Theyre just immersed in their superiorityplex. Elsa cut them down to size. But, Jin-kun hates something like that, right? Yeah. Just building things that are liked is enough, but when people ept them dly it makes you happy. Thats the time when youre likely to be rewarded for your work. Rai-nii also said something like that. Elsa then stopped talking and cast her eyes down as if hesitating to say something, but eventually like she had readied herself she raised her head and, Although Rai-nii told me not to talk about this. With that preface, I want Jin-kun toe to Shouro Empire. Then I want you to build many things that are liked, and things that are helpful. She then blushed just a bit, Jin-kun, the look on your face when you build things, I like it. Elsa said, turned around and, Good night. She left the rooftop with those parting words. Things that are liked, and things that are helpful, huh. Jin who was left by himself muttered to himself. For some reason Reiko wasnt in sight. To get rid of istion, to settle down, is what it means, right. Right now Jin was alone. He didnt belong to any country. Well, I did n to sooner orter live in some country, but. His original intention behind touring countries during this trip came out. Shouro Empire, huh. Speaking of Reiko, at that time. Elder Sister, there was a man like this. She received a report from the Hourai Ind SP alias Ninja unit. A nuisance night by night, arent they. It would surely be a bother to expressly report this to Father, so please handle the disposal by yourselves. Yes, understood. Chapter 155 - Side Story 5: Kaina Village, It’s Been a While

Chapter 155 C Side Story 5: Kaina Vige, Its Been a While

Just now, Jin hade to Kaina Vige. That was because he vaguely reminisced, and vaguely felt the want to try going. He took the carriages Warp Gate first to Hourai Ind, and from there to the Warp Gate in the shelter that had been established non the outskirts of Kaina Vige. In Kaina Vige too it was night. The weather had been clear in Delead, but here it was slightly cloudy. A vaguely lukewarm air, typical of a spring night. Everyones already asleep, huh With no entertainments or pleasures, the night in farmwork-centric Kaina Vige was shot. When the sun went down almost all of the families went to sleep. With the moonlighting from a rift between the clouds he could somehow see the road. By himself, Jin walked down the nostalgic road. Martha-san, HannahI wonder if theyre doing okay. Quietly, Jin peeked into Marthas house over the fence. Jin could see Hannahs room through the isinss window he had installed. He wanted to take a look, but after rethinking it doing such a degenerates action would be bad, so after walking around the house he really had lingering attachments towards he moved on. He went to the location of the pump. To the ce where the first useful tool Jin had built using Craft Magic was installed. It still works perfectly, huh. Jin softly moved the pumps handle. With its durability raised with [Hardening] the pump had barely worn down at all. Jin let go of the handle satisfied. Next he headed towards the hot spring. The hot bath made the sound of a free-flowing hot spring even in the middle of the night. While it had been just a cabin with a tidy shingle roof, the whole building had been reconstructed to be sturdy. That mustve been because of how much the vigers appreciated the facility. Peering inside, Jin found that on the hole he had dug some hot-spring mineral deposits had umted and so he removed them with Craft Magic. In the sedimentation tank that settled the fresh water and dirtied bath water, mud had piled up so using [Dposition] and [Cleanup] he made it stay clean. Jin kept walking around the vige. He set out to the public square, where in spite of the gloomy moonlight light pink flowers were in full bloom. Kherry blooms, huh. They really are exactly like cherries. While he had been in Japan, they had been the flowers he loved the most. Jin stayed like that for a while, gazing up at the Kherries in full bloom. Master. Jin was brought back to reality by a voice calling out his name. Turning around, in front of Jin was, Gen. The golem Gen. It looked like he was on midnight patrol. How may I help you tonight? Mm, I just wanted to watch the Kherries bloom. Even though the other party wasntt someone he particry had to hide things from, Jin felt vaguely embarassed and answered like that. Then he suddenly realized something. Gen, how is Gon doing? Yes, he is simrly going around defending the vige. When Jin heard that he said, Alright, in that case lets do it in turns. First, Gen, follow me. Yes. The thing Jin had realized was that Gen and Gon hadnt yet received the countermeasures for [Subordination Rewriting Magic]. The same went for the horse golems. Jin then left Kaina Vige posthaste to make sure that the golems there would have countermeasures installed. Laozi, youve gathered theponents necessary for [Subordination Rewriting Magic] countermeasure together, right? Yes, My Lord. The countermeasures of all the golems in Hourai Ind have been taken care of, and 100 sets of spare parts have been prepared. Alright, Ill immediately add the countermeasures to this here Gon. After that, Gen, then the five horse golems. Understood. Jin then installed the Subordination Rewriting Magic countermeasures to Gen with the support of Laozi. At the same time he tuned and optimized the Magi Device, and performed full-body maintenance. Because of that Gens output increased by around eight percent. Comprehensively looking at his current state, he could put out about 30 precent of Reikos power. Furthermore, he added the [Stealth] function, as an improvement to make him able to secretly protect the vige. Alright Gen, go back to the vige and tell Gon toe over here. Yes, master. He then gave Gon the same treatement. And then to the horse golems Ein, Zwei, Drei, Quatre, and Cinq too; Jin breathed a sigh of relief. In the unlikely event that Kaina Vige got attacked it couldve been disastrous, so. By the way, he didnt add the [Stealth] function to the horses. Once all the improvements werepleted, Jin once more warped to Kaina Vige. Near the shelter on the vige outskirts where the Warp Gate was flowed the Elume river. This time Jin tried going to Elume river. On the dry riverbed, finally springs weeds had begun sprouting. While treading on the riverbeds sand Jin broke into a nostalgic smile Oh yeah, we yed some underwater tag in those depths. If Im not mistaken, it was around that time I found a Magi Stone mixed in the sand. Using that Jin had built a stove, and sold it to the merchant Rnd. It somehow feels like the distant past, but is it only like three months that have passed since then? Jin felt that a lot had happened, and Jin reminisced about the things hed done after he had left Kaina Vige. I encountered Beana in Blue Land, we made popcorn, built the refrigerator, met with Earl Kuzuma, and Reiko got into a scuffle. He remembered the fond memories. In Port Rock I made a golem boat, quarreled with a Death Serpent, and began the trip with Reinhardt and the others. It was like yesterday, and it was also like in the remote past. I built a kite, we caught some thieves, developed Kunlun Ind, built Lotte, oh yes, there was also that golem riot. Jins mental state turned into wanting to mutter a line out of an anime show like Everything about itis precious. Meanwhile, the eastern skies were turning slightly brighter. Kaina Vige was much more to the east than the town of Delead where Jins group was currently spending the night, so the sun rose earlier. Any time now the early families will get out of bed, huh. Jin muttered and began walking towards the shelter where the Warp Gate was. Ill be back. Jin shouted out to no one in particr and entered the shelter, and warped to Hourai Ind with the Warp Gate installed inside. In Delead, it was still night. Jin who returned via Hourai Ind quietly returned to his room in the inn and slipped into his bed. Then he would have a short sleep until morning. Jin didnt know that his faithful unparalleled Automata Reiko had followed after him all this time. FatherIs satisfied now, right? Reiko muttered while looking at sleeping Jins content face. Morning was still hours away, and stars were twinkling over the town of Delead. Chapter 156 - Yada Village

Chapter 156 C Yada Vige

Next day, before leaving the town of Delead, Reinhardt told Jin he had something he wanted to discuss. The fact is, north of this town there are some ancient ruins called the ruins of Keuwan, and apparently they date back to before the Great Magic War. Ive not seen them myself, you see. He began to talk. Jin also had an interest in the ruins from the time of the great war. Itll be a small detour, but Im not on official business anymore, so we could go. Im rather interested in seeing them. Reinhardt said, and Jin also agreed. Alright, in that case, how about Elsa? Do you want to hurry back to our country? Reinhardt asked Elsa, and sure enough, Im also interested. I want to go there. She replied. Reinhardt pped his hands together and, Alright, its decided. Ill have the coachman get directions there. He said and got off his seat. The carriages left Delead Town, and headed along the highway to a provincial city called Uremlin. In Uremlin too there was a Guild, but making the technology of the vacuum cleaner avable for the public was postponed. Because the ce felt somehow rough. Jin nned to reveal it to the public after he could confirm that the Guild was more trustworthy. After spending a night there they headed off the highway to the north. After half a day they arrived at the town of Coorz. As there was still time, they headed farther north , and by evening, they had arrived at Yada Vige. This is Yada Vige. First Reinhardt got down from Jins carruage, and then Jin followed, I heard it while inside the carriage, but theres a mine here, huh. He said while looking up at the mine tunnel to the northwest. If I remember right, they say that many kinds of gemstones are mined here. Thest to get down was Elsa. As expected of a young woman, she apparently had an interest in jewelry. Jin looked at his surroundings to survey the state of the vige. Then he voiced his opinion, Its quite lively for being called a vige. There were enough buildings to call it a town, and there was a lot of people too. The one to answer Jins doubts was of course Reinhardt. Thats because theres no agriculture here, this town only has the mine and tourism. The people rted to the mines are mostly from Uremlin, and tourists arent residents. The original inhabitants seem to make their living by managing inns or small stores. In other words, as the base poption was small this ce was treated as a vige. From here, just short of 20 kilometers following the mountain road northeast is Keune Vige. I hear that the ruins of Keuwan are there. Reinhardt exined, Apparently Keune Vige is a really small vige, so they say its better to stay the nights here and make round trips there. Reinhardt spoke the advice he had heard while in Delead Town. Well, we can take it easy today. He said and watched the butler he had had go ahead arrive. ude, thanks for your trouble. The butler ude bowed and, Reinhardt-sama, let me guide you to the inn. Then the group once more got on the carriages, and headed to tonights inn guided by ude. The inn was in a silent ce on the outskirts of the vige. It was a solidly-built 4-storey stone building. The guest rooms all faced towards the mountainside, so the view was good. The room felt a little small, but it wasnt enough to call it incovenient. As a whole, the inn got a passing mark. Oh, I wonder if you can see the mine from the window. These windows hadnt been fitted with ss. It had wooden doors, which Jin opened and looked outside. The view of the mountain with the mine was good. Incidentally, the evening sun had just then sunk precisely behind the mountain with the mine. The dinner was soup with bread, roasted freshwater fish, roasted something that resembled chicken, edible wild nts made into a sd and some such. Elsa didnt seem to have an appetite and it bothered Jin. Then, Elsa, are you feeling ill? He tried asking. Elsa replied, I dislike Cockalisk meat. Apparently the chicken-like meat was from something called a Cockalisk. Jin then, If you dont like like it you dont have to force yourself to eat it. Because if you just ask, I can eat your portion too. Jin said, and quickly moved Elsas portion to his own te, then ate it all up in three mouthfuls. Thanks. Elsa thanked him, looking a bit ashamed. Now then, about tommorrow. After the meal, while sipping Teee Reinhardt began to talk. I asked the people in the inn, and they say that it looks like tomorrows weather isnt going to be very good. And, that the day after tomorrow itll clear up. Therefore tomorrow we can both take a break and enjoy ourselves in this vige, I think. No matter how good the ridefort was, constantly riding in a carriage wore one out. It appears theres also a mine tunnel for tourists. It seems if luck is with you you can also find gems there. I think going there or the factory where the stones are processed would be good. Apparently you can also buy jewels for cheaper than usual from there. Mm. Thats fine. As Elsa also consented, it was decided that tomorrow they would see the sights of this vige. So, they said the weather will be better the day after tomorrow and we want to go see the ruins, but should go by carriage or on horseback? Apparently the road is rather steep. It seems it would take some time with a normal carriage. It must be remembered that was only for normal carriages, and so, In that case, should we go with my carriage? Jin suggested. Neither Reinhardt nor Elsa had any objections. It was decided that Jin, Reinhardt, Elsa, Reiko, and butler ude would go. They considered that depending on the situation they could stay overnight in Keune Vige. Luckily Mine hadnt been fussy about thingstely, so there wouldnt be objections from her either. Alright, lets sightsee the vige tomorrow then. That was the decision they came to. Yada Vige was a town built on tourism and the mine. The mountain where the mine was was gigantic and out of granite. The granite was rock that had been formed by deep underground magma solidifying. During the solidifying process various minerals segregated and crystallized. It was called pegmatite (giant crystallized granite), and because of the gases mixed in it had cavities called geodes. Because geodes contain many kinds of crystallized minerals, pegmatite deposits near the surface make for good mining locations. Back to the topic at hand, Jins group went out to see the mine. Generally, the tunnels open for tourists were old ones from where all the profit had been squeezed out of. However, it was still possible to discover raw gemstone if you were lucky, and on top of that walking down a long tunnel stretching underground was an experience you could seldom have. Consequently, it had be good amusement for rich people and nobles. On the entrance of the tunnel used for sightseeing. In addition to Jins group. a noble-ish family -as expected- had alsoe to sightsee. There were four people: a middle-aged woman who seemed like the mother, a boy who looked younger than Elsa, a girl who mustve been his little sister, and an aging man who appeared to be a butler. My my, today it looks like we have the privilege ofing along with you. Nice to meet you. Were the group of the wife of Viscount Secatt who is the assistant of the feudal lord of Desir. Thank you for your courteous greetings. Were the group of Shouro Empires diplomat Reinhardt-sama. The butler exchanged greetings with his fellow butler ude. Two people guided the two groups of four tourists. One of them was a muscr and gigantic young man, who had been carrying luggage for a while now. The other was a middle-aged small man who seemed to be the actual guide. Dear visitors, lemme be your guide for today. Please watch where youre walking. The middle-aged man had a strange style of speaking, or more urately used some brusque words, and he entered the tunnel in front of the groups to start the tour. The inside was slightly chilly and damp. At their feet were protruding scraggy rocks, walking was difficult. On such a path the guide casually walked on. While asionally looking behind him to confirm that eight people were still following. Therge man was at the back of the line. His task probably was to ensure there were no people falling behind or getting out of sight. A short distance in from the entrance Magi Tools producing light had been put up here and there on the walls. Because of that they could somehow see where they were going. On the off chance you get lost, you can follow these lights back out, huh. Looking closely, next to the light arrows pointing towards the entrance had been drawn. If there were such arrows written on every one of them, even if you got lost you could at least find your way out. Thinking about things like that, Jin was walking in the middle of the line of eight people. Chapter 157 - The Mine

Chapter 157 C The Mine

The tunnel had narrow spots too, but generally it was wide enough to easily walk in. Perhaps this ce had been redeveloped for the sake its tourism use. At first the tunnel was level, but gradually it sloped down. Everyone was grateful for the lights that had been installed here and there. Mother, arent you cold? The boy asked his mother. Inside the tunnel temperature was around 15 degrees Celsius, and if you wore a long-sleeved shirt you wouldnt get cold. However, the madam wore only short-sleeved spring clothing. Yes, its a little cold here. She answered as a matter of course. In that case, have this. The butler took a half coat from the luggage therge man had been made to carry and presented it to the madam. Oh my, thank you. The madam said and put on the half coat. Elsa, who was watching the exchange felt somehow regretful thinking about the long-sleeved coat she was herself wearing. She then stared at the back of Jin who was walking in front of her. Jin was wearing his coat that he had given for Elsa to wear several times. Going down a shortdder, then again walking downhill, they arrived at a slightly more spacious ce. Weve arrived, heres thest stop. It was an unexpected and a too quick end for the tunnel. Well, there was no way in the first ce that theyd be taken to depths deep enough to be dangerous to ordinary people, so it had to be like this for tourism use. There are a few branching tunnels, if youre lucky you can mine ore containing gemstone. The guide said. The tool he had was a Magi Tool resembling a chisel. Pushing the tip of this thing against rock and pouring in Magic Energy, it digs into the rock its pushed against. Maybe it could be called a mini rock drill that utilized Magic Energy. Mother, I want to try it for a bit. The little sister suggested that. It may be that she desired the gems the guide had spoken about. You do? Then, just a little bit okay? The madam said and the guide took one Magi Device from therge mans burden. Ah, then me too. The boy also said, and the guide took out one more. It didnt look like it came at an extra cost, so three people from Jins group, meaning Jin, Reinhardt, and Elsa also decided to give it a try. Each one entered a separate branching tunnel. All of which were short, in addition to having several dug-out spots left from previous tourists. I wonder if you really can find gemstone here? [Ground Search]. He used the [Ground Search] magic for the first time in a while. Hm? Eh? Whats this? In several ces in the walls and the ground there was buried raw ore containing gemstone. At a guess, they were nted there for the tourists amusement, or maybe they could be called free gifts. Jin had also heard that the matsutake mountains with paid admission also do a simr thing. Theres no ore vein here any longer, huh. A magus who could use [Ground Search] could immediately tell. Well, because much deeper there were ces withrge ore veins, you couldnt call this mine a fake one. Oh well, since its a tourist attraction, lets enjoy it. After such a monologue, Jin put the Magi Tool against the area where the ore was buried. When Jin had dug out several pieces of ore. Aww~, I cant find any. A voice could be heard. Turning around, Jin found the daughter of the viscount family from earlier. The girl noticed Jin and, Ah, so, there was someone here already. My apologizes. She said and began to go back. Jin called her to stop. Miss, it seems that you can findparatively a lot of ore over here. Go ahead if youd like. Then the girl stopped, and timidly turned around. In the light of the dim magicalmps Jin could see that she was a cute girl around eight or nine years of age, with blond hair and blue eyes, much resembling her mother. Umm, are you sure? When she asked that, Jin smiled and nodded, then showed the pieces of ore he had dug out. Woow, theres a lot. Is it really okay if I dig here too? Yes, go ahead. Around here looks good. Jin pointed near the ce where he had found ore using [Ground Search]. Okay, Ill give it a try. The girl said and pushed the excavating Magi Tool she had in her hand on the tunnel wall. Then she poured in Magic Energy. The Magi Tool vibrated finely, and the tip section that had been coated with Adamantite broke through the rock. Then, a piece of ore broke out and fell. Ah, something came out. Onii-san, this, what is it? The girl picked up the ore she had mined out and held it out in front of Jin. Jin took a nce at it and, Thats Amethyst. He taught her what it was. Then the girl made an expression that was sort of half happy and half disappointed, Ill look harder. She said and was once again about to press the Magi Tool on the wall. Then Jin said, Instead of digging just there, why dont you give a try over here too? And he pointed at another location where ore had been buried. Thats right, isnt it, Ill try there. The girl obediently went to dig at the wall Jin pointed at. Then once again a piece of ore tumbled out. Ah, I found another one. Onii-san, youre amazing! This time Citrine hade out. Aww~, this isnt the one I wanted either. The girl said. Then, Jin tried asking, Well, what kind of ore do you want? The girl then replied, A pink gem! There are few pink gemstones. Pink sapphires, tourmalines, and kunzites to name a few. Even topazes were exceedingly rare finds with a high value, so there was no way you could find such a thing in a faked mine for tourists like this. Hmm, it would be a nice find, wouldnt it. Jin said while thinking. A pink sapphire he could somehow manage. In the first ce, sapphires were of an aluminum oxides crystal form called corundum. It was a mineral that this ce didntck. However, here its purity was just not enough to form a gem. And so Jin decided to stealthily find a lump of corundum using [Ground Search]. Luckily, he found one in a shallow spot. Since it was a little far away it was difficult, but he somehow managed to extract the impurities little by little with the [Extraction] magic. Of course, leaving behind the main ingredient aluminum dioxide. And also chromium. As by nature the rock contained just a bit of chromium, somehow he was able to finish the processing. Aww~, I cant find it~. The girlined. Jin once more called out to her and, It looks like theres something here. He told her. Onii-sans predictions have been on the mark. Ill try there. She said and pushed the Magi Tool there. It was a bit deep so it took some time. Nothing seems toe out. It seems that its just a bit deeper. It looked like the ore was deeper than he had thought. After spending three times longer than in the previous attempts, finally the gem tumbled out. I did it! Its a pink gem! The girl happily picked up the gem and held it close to her chest, then quickly bowed. Onii-san, thank you. You can have the other gems. She said, and went back through the tunnel carrying only the pink sapphire she had discovered. Jin also thought this was enough, picked up the gems the girl had left behind, and leisurely walked the tunnel back. Chapter 158 - The Ores

Chapter 158 C The Ores

Jin returned back to the crossroads of the tunnel branches, just when the other people had all returned too. Hey, how did it go for you, Jin? I got these. Reinhardt showed the pieces of ore he had harvested. There were two crystals and an amethyst. I found these. Jin also showed off his spoils. Oh, three citrines, three amethysts, and a smoky quartz, huh. As Id expect from you. It seemed that Reinhardt had an idea as to just how Jin found them. Although the little girl dug up one of the citrinse and amethysts each. I couldnt find anything but this one. Elsa held out the ck quartz in her hand to show it. Its just a crystal, isnt it. Reinhardt voiced his thoughts. Mother, here, its a present. The girl from earlier gave the gem she had dug out earlier as a present to her mother , the wife of Viscount Secatt. Now now, really? Schiede, thank you. Apparently the girl was called Schiede. She was smiling as her mother stroked her head. Jin gave them a sidelong nce and thought it was good that he had made the pink sapphire with Craft Magic. That mister over there told me where to look. Jin heard her say. Then the viscounts wife walked over where to Jin was and, My daughter seems to have had help from you, thank you. She thanked Jin. Err, excuse me, but youre Mariria-san, right? Reinhardt asked from the side. Yes, I am Mariria, and you are? Im from Shouro Empire, and my name is Reinhardt. I met your husband Viscount Secatt in Asunto the other day. He said. After Mariria heard that she said, Oh, so thats how it was. Was my husband okay? Hes beente ining back so Ive been worried. Yes, hes fine. Its just that there was a bit of trouble during His Highness Ernests birthday party, so I think he was recruited for dealing with the aftermath. As the propagation of information was slow in this world, it seemed that news of the golem riot hadnt reached the madam yet. And so Reinhardt told her just the harmless parts. The madam seemed to be relieved after hearing of her husbands circumstances from Reinhardt who had been there. Brothers return iste. During that, the voice of the little girl, Schiede, could be heard. The young boy who was her elder brother hadnte back yet. Thats so, Edemste, isnt he. Ill go search. Schiede said and began to run. Ah, dont run, its dangerous! Right after her mother Mariria said that, Schiede tripped and fell over. T-that hurt. Come on, I told you so, How inconvenient that I cant use healing magic Then Elsa stepped forward and, Let me. [Heal]. Ah, it doesnt hurt any more. My my, youngdy, thank you. Come on Schiede, thank her. Okay. Thank you very much, miss. Obediently, the girl thanked Elsa as soon as her mother told her to. Take care now. I will. It was dark so you couldnt see it well, but Elsa seemed to blush a little. Mother! I found an amazing gem! Then, while yelling loudly, Schiedes elder brother Edem arrived. Come on, look! Its a green gem! And this beautiful shape! Edem said while holding out the raw ore he had in his hand towards his mother. Jin at a nce recognized the gem from its unmistakable characteristics. Isnt that fluorite. Elsa caught his absent-minded muttering. Fluorite? Mm, yeah. Its the gem that, um, Edem is holding. Its a neat octahedron, right? Fluorite has that kind of cleavage. Fluorite is calcium fluoride. In fact, it is also used in iron manufacture. At the very least, the electric furnace that Jin fell into utilized it in its st furnace to draw out the foreign matter called g while manufacturing iron. And thats why contrary to expectations it was a mineral Jin was familiar with. Because it was too soft for a gem (4 on Mohs hardness scale), no one but some collectors gathered them. This was probably also one of the freebies for tourists. My my, Edem also found a splendid gem. Im d. Brother, I found a pink gem. Is that so, good for you. It is. Jin had no intention of throwing cold water on the delighted family. However. Their intimacy was just a bit enviable, he thought. Alright everyone, did you have fun? Its about time for us to get out, so please follow me. The guide then raised his voice. The eight people returned the borrowed Magi Tools and returned the way they came. When they came out, the clouds had split and bits of blue sky peeked out from between them. The blowing winds were already the winds of spring. Ahh, the outside air is good, isnt it. Jin said while stretching, Reinhardt also agreed with an indeed, and Elsa too nodded rapidly. Well then, farewell everyone. The wife of Viscount Secatt said her goodbyes. While waving her hand Schiede said, Mister, miss, bye bye! Jin and Elsa waved their hands a bit in return. It was precisely lunchtime so they decided to try going into a nearby restaurant. Because this was a mining vige, the restaurants insides too were decorated with variousrge and small crystals, gems, and pieces of ore. Theres no Aquamarine? Elsa asked Jin with a low voice. Aquamarine, huh. I wonder. Aquamarine resembled the color of Elsas eyes well. That was one of the reasons it was Elsas favorite gem. Ah, that seems to be the case. There was a fist-sized crystal decoration. Aquamarines were the same mineral as emeralds, but emeralds were crystals born deep underground in enormous pressure, while aquamarines could be found inside regr pegmatite. Thats, pretty. Its pretty even without polishing, huh. Mh-hm, Id say that if a polished gem was a dressed-up beautiful woman, a raw gem would be a pristine vige girl. ? ? ? Reinhardt sudddenly cut into the conversation. Both Jin and Elsa couldnt help making an undescribable face as Reinhardt said something uncharacteristically pretentious. Huh? Ive got a feeling that youre thinking of something awful. Reinhardt guessed and said while smiling bitterly, then, Its not just your imagination. A line like that doesnt suit Rai-nii. Elsa revealed her honest impression. Thats terrible. I was just considering whether or not to buy that gem, but should I not? Reinhardt said as if disgruntled and, Sorry. Rai-nii is handsome. Elsa said and edged closer to him. Reinhardts bitter smile intensified, Just when I think youve be more of an adult, but you never change, huh. Oh well, Ill buy it. Reinhardt was weak towards his cousin. So sapphires like that stille out? The guide who had watched Schiede hand it over to her mother, the Viscount Secatts wife, reported it to the miners guild. After that, the tunnel for tourists was closed for two weeks, and mining was cirred out, but far from pink sapphires even regr corundum was found barely found. Chapter 159 - The Mystery of Ether

Chapter 159 C The Mystery of Ether

After finishing dinner, it was decided that each one would spend the afternoon as they pleased. For some reason Jin headed towards the direction of the mine, but when he was in a ce with no other people in it Reiko undid her [Stealth] and appeared. Then, Father, it seems something has happened on Hourai Ind. She informed Jin of it. By that, do you mean something even Laozi couldnt deal with? No, if I had to say then Id describe it as an important discovery that I wanted to report. Is that so. Alright, lets go see it for a while. Jin said and also used [Stealth, and along with Reiko the two invisible people returned back to the carriage. Jin couldnt see to the outside so he walked led by the hand by Reiko. After confirming there was no one watching, they silently boarded the carriage, activated the hidden Warp Gate, and warped to Hourai Ind. Wee home, My Lord. They came out of the Warp Gate on Hourai Ind, and Laozis voice greeted them. Oh, Im home. You had something to report? Jin proceeded to the chamber where Laozis machinery was and sat down on a chair prepared there. Reiko also sat down next to him. Yes, My Lord. To be frank, its about the Albatross units. Albatrosses were the airnes Jin had build that flew with [Magi Jet Engine]s. Right now theyre continuing drawing up the topographic map by means of aerial surveince, but during that process we came to understand something unexpected. Something unexpected? Yes. First, please take a look at this. Following Laozis instructions, Jin had the in-progress map spread out in front of him. The one responsible for it was the army golem Land-1. Its well made. Thank you. Well add the detailster, but the terrain can be rougly understood as it is now, I think. Yeah. However, why is there not much of anything in the southern hemisphere? The northern hemisphere of the map was drawn detailedly, but only a little had been drawn in the southern hemisphere. Thats the point of this report. Laozi then began the report. At the beginning, measurements advanced all right. However, the Albatrosses that went south noticed an abnormality. As did the boarded Sky golems. An abnormality? Yes. The operation efficiency of the Ether Converters fell. However, when we examined the returned Albatrosses we didnt find anything unusual. When Jin heard that, a hypothesis came to his mind, but because of theck of information he refrained from a snap judgment, and had Laozi continue. And then, for the Albatrosses that went north, they say that conversely their Ether Converters perfromances increased. Again the boarded Sky golems reported this same increase. After that Jin had the feeling that his hypothesis wasnt incorrect. Laozi concluded with stating that from this information he deemed that the concentration of Ether in the air increases when going north, and decreases when going south. It was consistent with Jins hypothesis. Father. At that time Reiko, who had been silent until now, spoke. During Mothers era, it appears that the habitats were divided so that north was devil beasts territory, and south was humans territory. Dont you think theres a connection? When Laozi heard that, Reiko-san, thank you for the excellent information. My Lord, judging from this information there can be no doubt of the fact that Ether concentration bes denser when heading north. He reasoned. Jin agreed too. Reiko also agreed and exined, Besides, during the time I searched for Father, I warped all around, and there was an area where the efficacy of my Ether Converter was strangely higher. Perhaps it may have been in the north. Jin nodded and spoke of his conclusion. Yeah, with that many facts, putting aside the reason for it, your conclusion doesnt seem to be mistaken. When ites to going north, theres no problems, but theres an urgent need for development for the nes going south. With that, Jin started designing a new type of aircraft with Laozis assistance. Lets install three Ether Converters. Then to have it be able to fly even without Ether, also build in arge Mana Tank. The Ether Converters and the Mana Tank differed from the usual mechanical airnes, but the size didnt change that much, so while making additions they didnt end up making arger fusge. My Lord, I rmend also supplementing the Magi Jet Engines. Laozi thought theyd better augment the engines, so he made a suggestion. Jin decided to adopt that suggestion and, Alright, lets add one to both wings. By having three engines in total surely even long-range flights would be possible. There was no way that the number of engines would be proportional to the flight range, but the point was probably valid as it made it easier to increase both flight speed and altitude. It didnt mean that Jinprehended much of the aerodynamics from the start. He only had had experience building model nes. If it didnt work out, hed just rebuild them, Jin thought. And thus, they decided to build several fusges. First was the fusge for use in long-distance reconnaissance. It was loaded with three Ether Converters and three Magi Jet Engines too. It had arge Mana Tank and -theoretically- it could easily go around the world. Next was the fusge for use in transportation. It was simr to the long-distance reconnaissance models, but rather than improving flight distance the takeoff weight was improved by increasing the surface of the wings and the volume of the fusge. Finally was the fusge for use in stealth manoeuvres. The Albatross was used as the base, but a [Stealth] function was installed, the offensive ability strengthened, and the frame was made to be capable of high-speed movement. It would be no exaggeration to call it a stealth fighter. They were each named with the long-range reconnaissance model being Skrk, the transportation-model being Pelican, and the secret model being Raptor. The Skrk was a Eurasian skrk, and Raptor was a bird of prey. Jin christened them after names he had heard while on Earth. If you thought of the two then certainly, youd get the feeling that albatross would be a better name for the long-distance reconnaissance ne rather than skrk, but since Jin named them its hopeless to worry. When the designs were roughlypleted, Jin once more viewed the map. From the measurements until now, he could grasp the approximate size of this. However, its smaller than I thought. ording to Laozis calctions thiss diameter was approximately 2400 kilometers. It was smallpared to Earths circumference of about 12700 kilometers. Its filled with heavy elements after allProbably magical elements too, huh. Jin had an interest in thiss structure too, but he postponed that and changed to a different thought. Laozi, it seems that theres a turbulent situation in this world too, so stay alert. Jin brought it to Laozis attention. Yes, things such as [Subordination Rewriting Magic] and Unifilers, right? I get the reports from Reiko-san too. Yeah, thats right. If they knew about this ce, theyd unmistakably set their aims here. Be careful. Understood, My Lord. I will do that, and staying vignt in Kaina Vige is important too, right? Right. It was the name of the vige that was special to Jin. You could call the vige a second home to him. Now that Jin had received the title of honorary Magi Craftsman of Egelia Kingdom, a small hope swelled of perhaps being able to go to Cline Kingdom and openly visit Kaina Vige located in its countryside. It still seemed to for a bitter in the future, though. After that, Jin spent time listening to the detailed reports regarding the inds development, and the state of affairs on Kunlun Ind. To put it briefly, eveything was going very well. Finally, he tried asking about mining Elradrite, but unfortunately a vein of it couldnt be found on either Hourai Ind or Kunlun Ind. Well, I guess it cant be helped. Please continue your investigations. Yes, My Lord. Then Jin once again went through the Warp Gate and returned to Yada Vige. Because of the time difference, it was still bright in Yada Vige. After getting out of the carriage, Jin took the opportunity to check and see if theres been any damage or abnormalities anywhere. Ah, Jin-kun. A voice then greeted him. Turning around, he saw Elsa. What, are you up to? Um, just inspecting the carriage. Tomorrow, well take this to the ruins, right? Thats why. Elsa looked satisfied with an answer like that. Jin-kuns remarkable. Even after making something like this, youre still prudent. Haha, you wont get anywhere even with ttery. Jin replied like that to Elsas praise and, Alright, everythings normal. He said and pped his hands together. I hope the weathers fine tomorrow. Mm. Jin looked up at the sky while walking alonside Elsa. The clouds in the sky dyed red by the sunset seemed to be an omen of fine weather for tomorrow. Chapter 160 - Side Story 6: The Melancholy of King Egelia

Chapter 160 C Side Story 6: The Mncholy of King Egelia

The king of Egelia Kingdom, Harold Ruan Autocracy=Egelia was mncholic. King, what shall we do now? The Minister of Financial Affairs, Baloroot, asked while casting his tired eyes on some documents he had in his hands. The national budget of about three years disappeared, huh. Finally the settlement of affairs after the incident of the golem party from some days ago was over. The restoration of the broken castle, recement of the destroyed golems (mostly by Reiko), the countermeasures for the new golems, the constion money for domestic and foreign guests No matter how much gold you had it wasnt enough for the situation. And on top of that, Father, good morning. Your Highness, good morning. The business with the third prince Ernest. Today too he was apanied by his favorite maid golem, Lotte. The third prince of Egelia Kingdom, Ernest, was not the child of King Egelias princess consort, but one born of a mistress. Therefore his right of session to the throne was after the uncle who was the Kings younger brother. However, the prince in question absolutely did not care about it, and grew up wild and uncontrolled. As a father, seeing that was sweet, but as a king that was honestly speaking a headache. Mmh, morning. Ernest, do you have any ns for today? Yes, Father. Studies of science and good manners in the morning, and practice of horseriding and fencing in the afternoon. Is that so, keep it up. Yes. The busy king exchanged few short words with his beloved son, and then went back to his official duties. There was also Lotte and the business with that carriage, wasnt there. The king once again remembered the cause of his headache. They had begunpensating for thebor shortage by means of golems 12 years ago. After Prince Ernest was born, in practically no time all of his retainers except for his wet nurse had been reced with golems. It was the most important necessity that the people who took care of the members of royal family could be trusted. People like that were few, so the other princes, the king, and the queen took precedence. You could say that it was just inevitable that Prince Ernest who was fourth in line for the throne was put on the back burner. As a consequence, Prince Ernest turned out to be fond of golems. But hes still the best-qualified of them all. The first prince was too soft-hearted and couldnt be depended on, the second prince was quick to fight, and not suitable for politics. His younger brother would make for a decent king, he thought, but as a parent the current king wanted to have one of his own children who shared his blood to inherit the throne, that was simply human nature. Prince Ernests intelligence and personality both were good. He was also liked by the knights and soldiers around him. Currently, because of his lineage and age he could only be bestowed the right of session, not chosen as the crown prince. When Prince Ernest turned 15, the King was nning to ascertain the talents of all of his children and then name the crown prince. If he just wasnt too attached to that golem. A kings foremost responsibility was the preservation of the family line. The thing most to be avoided was internal squabbles over session. Although Prince Ernest was of the kings own seed, right now he was worried about the princes future. Ive heard that there is a woman who was the model for Lotte, but even though shes amoner, shes the fiancee of Earl Kuzuma. As the prince was 13 years old, there was no end to guessing how serious he was, but the King had heard Prince Ernest had suddenly proposed to the girl called Beana. Should I just be relieved that he doesnt seem tock an interest in human women? King Egelia who had thought it through that far shook his head and returned his focus back to the official documents in front of him. Ahh, Im tired. Good work, Your Highness. After his private tutors lessons Prince Ernest was rxing and drinking the Teee Lotte had brewed for him. Theres still the etiquette teacher who wille after this. Thats right. Please study diligently. Yeah, thanks. What? You cant? Yes, my apologies. The breath of Minister of Magic Kelhidore was taken away after he heard the report of his subordinates. It informed him of the fact that they were unable to copy the horse golems Jin had built for the carriage he had gifted to Prince Ernest. Even though the golems in question are right in front of you? Yes. The golem horses Jin had built and left behind. Their size and shape were exactly that of normal horses. That much was just moderately good. The number one wonder was their movements. Four-legged walking wasnt something like just moving the left and right legs alternatively and it working out fine. On modern Earth using high-speed cameras their movements could be analyzed, but in this world magi neither knights nor Magi Craftsmen could aplish it. Incidentally, the [Transfer Info] magic that Jin used often was rather popr before the Great Magic War. Using it the information of the movements could be extracted from real horses, but that magic had been long since lost. And because of that preconception even Minister of Magic Kelhidore did not realize it in spite of receiving a report from the Royal Secret Maid Rianna herself whom Jin had used exactly that magic on. It was a frightening notion. Although, even Rianna whom the magic had been used on had somewhat muddled the contents of the report so the magics true nature wouldnt be revealed. Hmm, I guess we cant make anything more than a lookalike. The King who had seen the horse golems Prince Ernest had had Jin build for himself had given the order to make simr golems to use in the royal carriages. For the next few days, not only King Egelia but the Minister of Magic Kelhidore too continued being greatly perplexed. Which reminds me, wasnt there a Royal Secret Maid who followed Jin? While on a break in the middle of his business, the King suddenly remembered it and asked the Minister of Defense Judol who was next to him. Yes, you mean La Soluz? Ah, so she was called that. If Im not mistaken, isnt she the little sister of Airi Soluz from the Imperial Guards magi knights team? Yes. Both of the sisters have a great deal oftent Magic Energy. The little sister doesnt seem to have manifested it yet though. Judol exined. But the King waved his hand to interrupt, Oh, thats not what I mean. Would it be possible to have her follow Ernest? Yes, currently shes not attending as a Royal Secret Maid, um, how should I put it, because La doesnt seem to be cut out for the job. Mh-hm, mh-hm, in that case there shouldnt be any problems. Alright, at once have that, La Soluz did you say, appointed as Ernests maid. But have her look like a guard to the outside. Okay, understood. As he turned 13 his guards were added to. With that as the official cause, La was decided to be Prince Ernests maid. Did you hear, La! Congrattios! Isnt that a huge promotion! Even her fellow Royal Secret Maids were congratting her. Maybe if youre fitting for the Prince couldnt you even aim to be his mistress! Said the Royal Secret Maid who followed Beana, Lisa. I wonder if someone like me is fit for the duty La herself was anxious rather than delighted, and bewilderment took precedence over joy. The squad leader Rianna gently encouraged the doubting La. Itll be fine. Ive heard that the Prince is kind, and in addition, doesnt this seem like a direct order from the King? But that only made her wither even more. EeehhhFrom the King, why me? Uh, I dont know about that. Eeeeehhhh While filled with anxiety, La headed towards Prince Ernests room. She knocked, and entered the room. There was Lotte waiting upon Prince Ernest The Prince noticed La and greeted her while smiling, Yo, La. Its been a while. Yourplexion doesnt look so good, are you okay? La was astonished that the Prince remember her and, Y-your Highness, howe you happen to remember lowly me? She asked with a sensation of being little flustered. As a matter of fact, this was a major lese-majeste. Because she spoke to the Prince without even a greeting. But the Prince didnt show to mind it in the slightest and, Haha, arent you the one who brought clothes to this here Lotte. Since then, right? Thats why I said its been a while. He said, and La finally remembered that someone in her status shouldnt go without greeting him and, E-excuse me! My name is La Soluz and I am here today because Ive been appointed to be Your Highness Ernests maid! I may becking but Ill do my best in my efforts to serve you, that being the case it is a pleasure to meet yow La frantically spoke out, but maybe because she wasnt used to talking like this, at the very end she bit her tongue. Ahahahaha! Looking at her, Prince Ernestughed merrily. La, you dont have to be so tense. My father told me that I should have you as someone to talk to or consult with without thinking too hard about it. Lets get along from now on. Y-yees! La hastily bowed. Simultaneously a dull thump could be heard. Oww Because she had forgotten about the table in front of her and due to the depth of her bow, she ended up hitting her forehead into it with force. La, are you okay? That was a somewhat terrific sound. Hyeah, Ib fime. Las life in her new workce was just beginning. Chapter 161 - To the Ancient Ruins

Chapter 161 C To the Ancient Ruins

The day Jins group would head to Keine Vige, the weather had been clear since morning. As nned, they departed towards Keine Vige with Jins carriage. The lineup was Jin, Reinhardt, Elsa, and the butler ude. Reiko sat in the coachmans seat. Just like it had been said, the road was rather poor. It was of course uneven, there were abrupt slopes, ces where it got narrower andrge rocks were strewn about. In spite of such a bad road, Jins carriage kept going and they arrived in Keine Vige before noon. Were early, eh? Just as expected from Jins carriage! Reinhardtmended the carriage again. Alright, now where could the so-called ancient ruins be? After parking the carriage in a suitable open space Jin observed the surroundings. This Keine Vige had the atmosphere of a deserted mountain vige. It was much more declinedpared to Kaina Vige. Are there really something like ruins here? If there was such cultural heritage-like thing here wouldnt it be better for this ce to be a little more populous, Jin thought. Hey you, you came here to see the ruins, right? Jin turned to face the voice, and there stood an old person with a crooked back leaning on a cane. They seemed to be from this vige. Uh, yeah. The ruins ofKeuwan, was it? Certainly we thought wed want to have a look. Jin exined their reason foring here and, Oh-hoh, I thought so. The ruins, eh. Ya got some strange tastes. The elder said with a slight ent andughed, In that case, over here. I got spare time anyways, so I guess Ill be yer guide. They then began to walk towards the mountain. Jins group exchanged nces. What do you want to do? Well, how about we try going along? Mm. I think thats fine. There doesnt seem to be any danger. I couldnt feel any bloodlust or ill will from that person. Apparently the butler ude was a top-ss swordsman in the past, and he judged the elder to not be a danger. Alright, in that case shall we go? Oh yeah, Jin, will the carriage be fine? Reinhardt asked worriedly, but Jin just smiled and siad itll be fine. I locked it, so. Far from just a lock, secretly the SP were standing guard so Jin could leave behind the carriage without a worry, but Jin couldnt say that. Oi, whats wrong? The elder at the end of the road turned around and yelled. Jin quickly took out the luggage and, Okay, lets go. He began to walk. Reinhardt and the others also started walking. Elsa noticed that Jin curiously had luggage this time so, Jin-kun, that, what is it? She was interested and asked. Jin replied with a smile. This? Various necessities. He said and began to exin. Light, water, food, and rope are packed in there. After that rification, ude raised his voice in approval, Oh my, Jin-sama has thoroughly prepared, havent you. Unlike yesterdays sightseeing in the mines, ruins receive practically no maintenance, you see. Illumination and water are necessary for sure. He said and pointed at his own luggage. Apparently ude also made his own preparations. This time for the first time in a while, Reiko was walking by Jin with Peach Blossom in hand, as if to prevent being separated. You guys, you brought a lot of stuff but theres no need for something like that. The elder who went in front of them absent-mindedly said. Eh? The ruins arent thatrge, you see. Well just take a quick peek inside, and itll be over after that. Is that right? Jin asked and the elder nodded. Yesh. If it were a little more noteworthy there would be a lot more people, see. Apparently it would be quite a let-down. But, as they had already troubled themselves they kept carrying the luggage they had. After ten minutes of walking, they arrived at the face of a huge cliff. A cliff? It seems to be at least a hundred meters tall. The entrance is over there, check it out. The elder pointed at the nearby vertical cliff that was all granite, and at its base was the entrance to the ancient ruins. Theres no dangers or anything. Sometimes during hot summers we locals go in to cool off. The elders exnation somewhat dampened their interest, but as the group hade for expressly this, they moved towards the entrance. It seems to be somewhat disappointing. Reinhardt said but, Even so this is my first time in a ce like this. Maybe itll be unexpectedly interesting once we enter. Elsa said. Jin kept walking in silence. Then, Reiko suddenly stopped and grasped Jins hand. Father, there is someone in the ruins. Just like she said, from the entrance of the ruins a single person came out. Oh, how curious. Visitors, eh? Oh, teacher, investigating the ruins today too I see. This person seemed to be an acquaintance of the elder as they called him teacher. He too was old enough to be called an elder. No hair was found on top of his head, and instead on his chin was a magnificent white beard. But his back was upright, and from his grey eyes one got an impression of overflowing vitality. He was wearing a white robe-like coat, indeed giving him the atmosphere of a researcher. Mh-hm, if I donte here once a day I cant calm down. He said, turned to Jins group and, Young people having an interest in ancient ruins like this makes me the happiest I can be as a researcher. I am Rucall, the town archeologist. Im Jin. This is Reiko. Im Reinhardt. And this is Elsa. My name is ude and I am their butler. As the man named Rucall introduced himself, so did Jins group introduce themselves and greet him. Ive investigated these ruins for ten years now, but theres still a very much left that I do not understand. Even so, would you like me to be your guide for a bit? Rucall offered. They were honestly thankful to have a person whos done research on the ruins as a guide rather than just look around aimlessly. Thats right, in that case if you would, please. Reinhardt acted upon the groups interests and said. Alright, thene this way. Rucall led the group to the entrance of the ruins he had just himself left. The ruins entrance was a crack in the cliffs granite, giving a really rather weathered and crumbling sensation, but after stepping inside that impression was blown away. WhaWhat is this? It was a wide room with many chairs, benches, and beds. Scattered around were piles of trash. Hahaha, you must be surprised. This was originally a wide empty room, but as this ce is cool in the summers and warm in the winters, the locals started using this ce for summering and wintering. And because of that the condition is like this. Rucall exined. Likely for that reason magicmps were set up here and there, and although it wasnt as bright as during the day, it was still plenty bright. Oh, so thats how it was. It was so sudden, so I got surprised. After Rucalls exnation Reinhardt and Elsaughed and said, while only Jin had a frown on his face. Chapter 162 - The Secret of the Ancient Ruins

Chapter 162 C The Secret of the Ancient Ruins

Jin, whats wrong? Reinhardt who had noticed Jins unusual look asked worriedly. Then, while a single drop of sweat trickled down his forehead, This is a giant Warp Gate. He said. What!? This, is a Warp Gate? Reinhardt and Elsa were surprised, but the most surprised one was Rucall. W-w-wha-what! Di-did you call this a Warp Gate? H-how could you tell!? His face went red and then blue, but eventually he stammered something out. Why you askWell, theres no other answer than because I recognize it. Jin who had used Artifacts known as Warp Gates multiple times by now said and dodged the question, but he unmistakably recognized it as a Warp Gate Artifact. Uh, mm, I, uh It took me ten years of investigation before grasping that and you say you saw it at a single nce!? Thats ridiculous! Uh, well, sorry about that. Jin apologized to the agitatedly yelling Rucall without really understanding why. Oh yeah, look, over there, you see that portion of a magic formation where that paving stone is upturned? Isnt that evidence of a Warp Gate? Jin tried telling him, but Rucall became more deranged. As if Id know! In the first ce, theres no way something like the magic formation used in a Warp Gate would be circted! It looked like saying anything would be pointless by now, so, Jin-kun, lets go. Elsa pulled Jins sleeve. Jin also thought that itd be better to leave him like that for now, and left the spot. So, you say this is a Warp Gate Its huge, isnt it. Reinhardt said in an impressed voice. Yeah. Even I didnt know a Warp Gate could be this big. Well, it looks to be no longer functional though. Jin said. However, it seemed that the air conditioning still worked while faulty. Cool in summers and warm in winters. Caverns are like that, sure, but considering a shallow ce like this air conditioning just makes sense once you think about it. While Jin was thinking about things like that, Reinhardt turned to ask him. Hey, Jin, what do you think a Warp Gate asrge as this was used for? From its size I would say probably transmittingrge quantities of goods or crowds of people. Reinhardt nodded and, I think so too. Isnt this most likely one of the fortresses from the Great Magic War? He spoke of his conjecture. Jin agreed with him too. I see, that possibility is very likely Then, Rucall who had recovered cut into the conversation. You people! You really think so! Thats the same conclusion I came to after ten years! Theres no mistaking that this is a regions fortress from the time of the Great Magic War! Uhhuh. The excited Rucall continued chattering. The Great Magic War! That was the battle which the devil race and mankind bet their whole existence on! The devil race was strong, and humans were weak! But, humans didnt perish. Why do you think that was? Rucall asked Jin. Jin replied with a guess. Was it the Ether Stampede? That appeared to be the correct answer. Thats right! Ether Stampede, using that, although temporarily, all the Ether in the atmosphere vanished. The devil race couldnt keep on living without Ether. However, humans, with the exception of powerful maguses, could live even without Ether. When Jin heard that he felt a chill down his spine. Supposing another Ether Stampede happened not Jin, Reinhardt, nor Elsa would likely survive. And Reiko too would probably be unable to operate. Was the technique for an Ether Stampede handed down? Jin then tried throwing a question like that at him. Hm? No, no. Including that, most of the techniques from before the Great Magic War werent handed down. And for that reason, I am studying these ancient ruins! Jin was relieved for now. There didnt seem to be an immediate danger. However, (Maybe its better to think about countermeasures against an Ether Stampede.) Jin thought in his heart. While Jin was like that, Reinhardt asked him another question. Hey, Jin, if this is a fortress, do you think theres something other than a Warp Gate? Hmm, amanders office, living quarters, a sickbay, mess hall, and finally Jin spoke out while thinking, and eventually little hesitantly, An armoury. He said. Reinhardt agreed with what Jin said. I think so too. Somewhere in these ruins, I thought, shouldnt there be hidden weapons from the past. He continued further. If they were to fall into the hands of the Unifilers, I think that After exining this far, even Jin understood Reinhardts worry. Thats certain. Its fine if theres none, but if there are any we have to do something about them. Jin had the same opinion. He then looked over at a wall and, If this is the chamber for the Warp Gate, its something like an entrance hall. There must be a basement floor just like this aboveground one. In that case, if theres a storeroom it must be underground on the same floor or deeper, dont you think? Jin said, and once again Rucall spoke out. No no. Theres no other floor or anything like that. Even though I may look like this, I can use a little bit of magic, and I investigated at least that much. But it was useless. There are no other rooms other than this one. He said. Jin was going to try to object to that, but on second thoughts he held his tongue. Instead, Reinhardt spoke, In that case, its fine, isnt it. Well then, if theres nothing more to see here, let us go. Jin and Elsa were of the same mind, and so the group left the still muttering Rucall behind in the ruins and went out. Outside, the sunlight was dazzling. The elder who had guided them was not there either. Now then, what shall we do until the night? Reinhardt asked. Hearing the question, Elsa looked puzzled. Eh? Arent we going back? Jin ayed her worries. Well, lets to the carriage at least. Youll hear the details inside. And so the groupzily walked, and returned to Jins carriage. It was the early afternoon, and the spring winds felt pleasant. Alright, now lets exin. After returning to the carriage, they sat in the cabin and closed the door. Reiko, please keep watch so that people donte close. Yes, Father. Jin made doubly sure with his precautions, and suggested for Reinhardt to begin exining. Alright. Elsa, earlier, you heard about the Unifilers, right? Mm. First was the exnation to Elsa. The Unifilers scheme to revive Dinar Kingdom. That means those guys surely want lost technology desperately. Mm, I understand. Next Jin took over and began to talk. If those ancient ruins are the remnants of an old fortress, theres no way its just that room. I can guarantee that. Then, that means, that. Right. An armory surely exists. And past technologies too. Then Reinhardt once more took over and began talking. By all rights our course of action ought to be to get in touch with the appropriate agencies of Egelia Kingdom and have them investigate, but looking at the present state and how its been left as-is for dozens of years, at the very least the lot in Uremlin are entirely ipetent. Uremlin was the closest provincial city. Reinhardt knew fairly well what to say and when. In addition, that Rucall fellow is suspicious. Way too suspicious. Why would one room like that take ten years? Jin had the same opinion. No matter how you look at it it was suspicious. Reinhardt brought it all to a conclusion. I thought that for now, we should take measures so that Unifilers cant benefit from this. Jin agreed with that and, Yeah. Theyre people who would manipte Reiko and golems made by others. We dont know what kind of dirty tricks they have. We must go ahead before them on this one, I think. He said. Finally, Reinhardt said, Moreover, the so-called ancient technologies are also interesting! He brought the exnation to an end. After hearing that Elsa felt her shoulders lose strength. Chapter 163 - Sneaking Into the Ruins

Chapter 163 C Sneaking Into the Ruins

After that, they had lunch in the carriage. The butler ude tactfully went outside to eat, and it made Jin feel a bit guilty, but no matter how Jin tried to persuade him he stubbornly didnt listen and so thats how things were. The dinner was bread and fruit prepared beforehand. And then at the critical moment Jin took out his thermos sk. Ah, hot. Why? Elsa was surprised that the Teee inside the thermos sk had retained its warmth. Jin smiled and, Thats something called a thermos sk. He exined. Does it use magic? Elsa tilted her head and asked. No, it keeps the contents warm as if it used magic, but it doesnt utilize any particr magic. Although I did add [Clean-up]s Magi Form to it, but that doesnt have any connection with the heat instion. Then, why? Yeah, Im also interested. As not just Elsa but also Reinhardt was interested, Jin adjusted his sitting posture to begin exining while drinking the Teee. This is also something I learned from my teacher, but theres three ways to transmit heat. He began like so. Both Reinhardt and Elsa were listening intently. First is conduction. Its the transfer of temperature between objects. Uh-huh, if I put a metal spoon in hot soup, the handle will soon be hot. It seemed that Reinhardt immediately digested it. Next is radiation. When you hold a hand out near a fire it gets warmer, right? After the question this time Elsa replied. Mm. Even from a distance, its warm. You say thats radiation? Jin gave a nod to Elsas question, and started to speak of the third way. The third one is convection. As air or water for example warm up they be lighter and ascend, and as cold air is heavier ites down. Convection is the repetition of this cycle the air does. I see, so when you heat up a cold room with a fire, and the ceiling is warm while the floor is cold, its that. Reinhardt said, and Elsa also spoke of her experience. A bath. Without stirring it, only the top is hot while the bottom is cold. Jin pped his hands together and, Thats right. You two are good, huh. He spoke well of them. So, this thermos sk, the walls of the container have a hollow structure, and the air inside has been drawn out. Having done that, theres no way for heat to escape using convection or conduction. Jin said, and Reinhardts face lit up, And so thats why it doesnt cool down very much! Amazing, Jin, whats that discipline called? He got somewhat excited. Its science. Its the study and attempt of exining all the phenomena of nature. Jin exined, and Elsa gave out a rare smile, I see now. One of the reasons Jin-kun is amazing is that he knows this science thing. Thats why all the Magi Tools Jin-kun constructs make sense. She said. Jin nodded and, Elsa, thats exactly right. The science I learned from my teacher, they learned from their teacher, who again learned from their teacher, and like that it is the knowledge attained after thousands of years. He exined. Hmm, I wouldve also liked to be taught by Jins teacher! Reinhardt said, seeming frustrated. Possibly the reason Reinhardt hadnt asked prying questions regarding Jins teacher was out of consideration for him. Day turned to night. The moon that told of was hanging right in the middle of the sky. That meant it was minutes to midnight. Now then, shall we go? Reinhardt asked in a low voice. Yeah. Jin agreed. Elsa was sleeping on the reclining chair. And so Reinhardt gave orders to the butler ude. ude, please stay here and watch over Elsa. Me and Jin will go to the ancient ruins. Yes, as you wish. Because Reiko followed them as a guard, with ude there were no worries. Well, and because the SP were guarding the carriage from the shadows. Although they traveled the road during the day, during the night walking was hard. Even more so as to be safe they were walking without lighting anymps. Nevertheless, with the guidance of Reiko to whom darkness was irrelevant Jin and Reinhardt could be at ease. And then atst they arrived at the entrance to the ancient ruins. From inside the light of magicmps leaked out, likely because themps had been left on. Reiko, please somehow check that theres no people inside. Yes. ording to Jins instructions, Reiko disappeared using [Stealth] and approached the entrance of the ancient ruins like wind, peeked inside, and returned without making a sound. Although there was no way Jin or Reinhardt saw this. Its fine, there is no one. The two were relieved by the report and again set foot inside the ancient ruins. Now then, Jin, where should we start? Youre probably well-informed so Ill follow your instructions. Reinhardt said. Jin lived in a mansion that had a Warp Gate, even though it was small, and for that reason Reinhardt mustve referred to Jins judgment. After thinking for a bit Jin replied. It must be underground. If its an important storehouse, surely youll build it underground. And I dare say theres no doubt its hidden using concealment magic. Reinhardt agreed with that reply, saying, Thats most likely the case. But, concealment magic? Thats troublesome. But Jin shook his head in denial. That only prevents searching through magical means. Eh? If theres a cave on the other side of the wall, the sound it makes when you hit it is different, right? Mh-hm. So basically, lets use [Sonar]. Jin exined and Reinhardt gave a pat on Jins shoulder in praise. I see! I didnt tnotice that! Lets try it right now! And so Jin and Reinhardt both went to using [Sonar] magic to search the floors and walls. Not here When Jin was about to start on the next wall, Reinhardt yelled. Jin! Come see this! Whats up, did you find it? Jin ran in a hurry to where Reinhardt was. Uh-huh. Behind this. Then Jin alslo tried investigating using [Sonar], and indeed he noticed that on the other side of that wall there was arge cave. Having done that, next is how to get to the other side. They could use earth magic to dig a hole, but thinking about the future leaving traces behind would be kind of bad. Eventually, they decided to dig a different hole from outside. They went outside temporarily. Reiko who had been standing guard apanied them to a ce around fifty meters away. Alright, lets dig around here I guess. As there was a protrusion of rock making it hard to see it from outside, they chose that ce and finally work began. [Dig]. Jin dug the hole, [Hardening]. And Reinhardt strengthened the walls to prevent a copse. Reiko went out to throw the resulting debris far away. Like that, after approximately an hour, finally the hole pierced through. We did it! Arge room spread out beyond the hole. Jin and Reinhardt carefully stepped inside. Chapter 164 - What Was in the Ancient Ruins

Chapter 164 C What Was in the Ancient Ruins

Jin and Reinhardt were in the middle of the pitch ck room into which they had broken into. [Light]. Jin used light magic as illumination. With that their surroundings became visible. What could this ce be Reinhardt posed a question. The room was a bitrge, and only a few old-style desks and chairs had been left behind. The design of the desks and chairs resembled the design that Jins predecessor used. Isnt this either an office or the control room? Jin also had only a guess to go on. But there might be a room beyond this one. Lets search. And so, with the exception of the wall they had punched a hole through, they went to investigate the three walls, ceiling, and the floor. This time a passage was soon found. There was a door on the furthest wall of the room. Althought it had been camouged so that you couldnt tell at a nce. Should we try going? Yeah. After such a brief exchange, Jin and Reinhardt continued even deeper. They followed the just unveiled passage for about five meters and there was another door. Ill open it. Jin, you be on your guard. Reinhardt said, and as a precaution Jin prepared to fire a spell at any moment. Then Reinhardt opened the door. Uh!? Simultaneously with the door opening the room lit up. It seemed that the rooms magicmps hadnt stopped working. This is What appeared in front of their eyes were empty bookshelves. Its like a storeroom for documents. Reinhardt looked over the bookshelves and said his conclusion. These were left behind. Only two books, made out of parchment-like paper had been simply closed and left behind on the corners of the shelves. Is anything written on them? Jin decided to try reading. Jin noticed that these books were written in the characters from an ancient era, and he could read even 1000-year-old magical letters. For the time being, Jin pretended to read them with difficulty, as exining how he learned to read this would be difficult. Fifthmonth23rd day The invasionof the devil raceDecisionmade toabandonthe fort It was a record like a journal. Surely something from the time of the Great Magic War. Thats how Reinhardt thought. Documentsweaponsfoodtakenoutas much aswe could carry Jin read aloud while Reinhardt nodded, and he analyzed it. I see, so there were too many ces to guard from the devil races invasion, and this fort was abandoned, is that it? And in so doing, they took out everything important. Justin casethe hallofthe Warp Gatewascovered up Oh, so the ones who hid this were from our side. Conversely now we had trouble finding it though. Like Reinhardt said, although the Warp Gate was buried, the future descendants of the same side first digging it up was an ironic tale. Jin closed the record and, Well, nothing important has been written down, really. He said, but Reinhardt shook his head and, No, Its a document that approaches the truth of the Great Magic War, even if its just a bit. Lets take it and go. Reinhardt said. Taking documents like this from a foreign countrys historic ruins was surely practically a criminal act, but they told themselves that it was preferable to having it fall into the hands of the Unifilers. Theres also the option of sending it to King Egelia after tranting it. While thinking so, Reinhardt put the documents in his pocket. Now then, in that case the armory is most likely empty, dont you agree? Well, lets just try looking around there too. Beyond the storeroom for documents there seemed to be the armory. If you ask why Jin knew that, its because that was written on the door. Because the door had be ancient, or maybe because it had been locked from the inside, in any case no matter how much Jin and Reinhardt pulled the door didnt open. As ast resort, Jin called out to Reiko. Reiko! Reiko who heard Jins voice immediately came. Yes, Father. Try opening this door, please. Yes. Reiko promptly pushed on the door, and forced it open in one go. The hinges creaked but somehow didnt break in the end. This is The door was opened, and ahead were a number of unmoving golems stretched about. Dust had piled up, and both Jin and Reinhardt covered their nose and mouth with a handkerchief. Battle-type golems? No, theyre simple household golems. Jin examined the unmoving golems, and judged them to be not golems for battle but for household chores. Five golems, huh. Doesnt look like anything in particr is broken though. Reinhardt also leaned over to check up on the golems. The magicmps here were dark, and he couldnt see well so he didnt catch the details. Feels like they ran out of Magic Energy. But Jin refuted that. No, thats wrong. Look at this. Come on. Jin opened the golems chest and showed it. In there, a certain something was missing. Theres noControl Core? Reinhardt grasped the situation at a nce, and went to examine the other golems. This golem doesnt have one either. Neither does this. The result of Jins and Reinhardts investigations was that out of the five golems, not a single one had a Control Core. Its impossible that the Control Cores just disappeared. That means that someone disabled these golems, doesnt it look like that? I wonder. Thats the likeliest possibility though. Even Jin didnt know what the truth was. These golems werent that important. At least not something theyd take along while evacuating. If thats the case, it would be better to take only the most important part. Is the feeling I get. Jin agreed with Reinhardts conjecture and, There might be something about it in the documents from earlier, lets take a close look after weve returned. He said in addition. He then heard Reikos voice. Father, theres one more in the back. What? Jin shifted his attention to the back of the room Reiko spoke of, and he saw something like a human silhouette in the darkness. [Light]. Jin brightened the ce up, saw the human shape better. It was an Automata wearing old maid clothes. She had been left alone sitting on the floor. A simr amount of dust as on the golems had umted on her. An Automata, huh Jin crouched to examine the Automata. He cleaned up the dust using magic. Her build was that of an adult woman type. The [Magical Skin] used as skin still barely retained its flexibility. Her hair was dark blue. Maybe the color was different from a humans on purpose. This one has a Control Core! Jin who had been investigating yelled out in surprise. The reason she isnt movingLack of Magic Energy doesnt seem likely. Thats because this Automata had an Ether Converter installed. Oh, I see. She received some kind of an impact, and the Magic Energy links inside snapped. Atst Jins sharp powers of observation discovered the defective part. Alright, lets repair her. If he knew where the fault was, there was no damage Jin couldnt fix. [Joint], [Fusion]. He joined the broken parts of the Magic Energy Circuit together, and mended the Magi Device that had begun disintegrating. Alright, [Start-up]. Then after giving her enough Magic Energy for starting up, the Automata came to life. While creaking a little, the Automata opened its eyes and stood up. Might you. Be the one. Who woke me. Up? Maybe the speech mechanism was broken as there were some pauses while the Automata spoke. Chapter 165 - Blue-haired Ann

Chapter 165 C Blue-haired Ann

The ancient Automata came to life and spoke. In other words, they were witnessing history, but. Mig. Ht. You. Be M. Y mast. Er? My. Na. Me. Is. Ann. The Automata knew her name was An, but regarding anything other than that, My. Apologies bu. T I. Do not. Have any. Other. Infor. Mation. She unfortunately said. As expected, even the Automata mustve had her important information erased. It was an obvious measure against the possibility of capture by the enemy. Hmm, looks like theres nothing more to see here. Reinhardt concluded after investigating the room where the golems were. And so, what are you going to do about these golems and that Automata? At that moment, a voice could be heard from the passage they hade through. Hoh, hohahahahaha! Extraordinary! Most extraordinary! Good work, and thank you! It was the self-proimed archeologist they had met during the day, Rucall. Rucall! Why are you here! Reinhardt asked and Rucallughed again. Hahaha, didnt I tell you Im investigating these ruins? For the sake of the Unifilers! The Unifilers! It turned out that Rucall was an underling of the Unifilers. During the day, I thought you werent ordinary people, so I sent a report by pigeon. Then in the evening, a reply arrived. To my surprise, Reinhardt and Jin, youre the two talented people we Unifilers have our eyes on, arent you! In his excitement Rucall fluently talked on and on. Shouldnt I then loyally offer this finding, along with you two to the Unifilers! Uhahahahaha! Rucall let out augh like he had gone mad. Then, Jin felt a light tug on his sleeve and turned around to look. There was the Automata from just now, Ann. Mas. Ter. Tha. T per. Sons. Stra. Nge st. Ate is It was hard toprehend and her voice was low, but Jin listened carefully to what Ann had to say. I see. Its good that you told me. Thanks, Ann. Even after Jin finished listening to what Ann had to say, Rucall was still hooting and hollering whileughing. Uhahahahaha! Come on, you both, wont youe with me! Jin only had a single thing to say to Rucall. Make me. Huh? To Jins cold reply, as youd expect Rucall stopped smiling and had astrange look on his face. What, did you say? I said make me, you fanatic. Jin went even further. Unifilers? You really think you can do such a thing? In that case you arent even a fanatic. Just an idiot. After Jin went that far, Rucalls face turned bright red and he flew into a rage. Wha-wha-wha-what are you saying? You bastard, do you even understand what youre talking about? Jin said indifferently, Unifying the continent, right? In the first ce, Dinar Kingdoms rule extended over just a part of the continent at its most. And even thought because of the poption shortage it then couldnt maintain itself, copsed and turned into smaller nations, you say you want to unify the country into a one simr to that times with force? You make meugh. Oh, I suppose Unifilers are then aedy troupe? Even Reinhardt was wide-eyed in shock at the un-Jin-like sharp words, but it goes without saying that Rucall was the one who was most shocked. Wha-wha-what? Do you have a poor memory? How many times do I have to say it? Youre making fun of me! Yeah, that I am. D-d-damn you! Youre red like a lobsterOh, if I say it like that you probably wont understand. Oh yeah, youre like a boiling kettle. Argh! H-hey, Jin? Reinhardt said worriedly as Jin was acting unusual. Jin replied with a low voice. Ssh. Wait just a bit longer. O-okay. Rather than magicians, arent Unifilers a group of idioticians? U-uaaaaaaaargh! N. Ow. At Anns mark, Jin fired a spell. [Stun]. Agh!? Then Rucall copsed on the spot. Ohh, it should be over now. Jin took a breath and Reinhardt asked a question. Jin, what was that magic just now? Ah, you mean [Stun]? Its a magic that, utilizing lightning magic, gives the other party an electric shock for barely an instant, paralyzing them. Its effective againts human opponents. Jin exined and Reinhardt admired, Hmm, is that also a benefit from science? You make me want to take lessons in science from you more and more, Jin. Yeah, when weve got the chance. Jin had alsoe to think that way little by little. First is this guy. Using the fainted Rucalls own robe they tied him up. They tied him up and Reinhard asked Jin a question seeming marvelled. Hey Jin, earlier when you faced this guy you stirred him up a lot, but was there a reason behind that? Jin nodded. He then replied to Reinhardt with a question. Did you feel that his response was somehow strange? Hm? Yeah,e to think of it. But isnt that what youd expect from a religious fanatic? Reinhardt replied, but Jin said no. Try to remember. Dominique too felt like that when she showed her true colors, right? Reinhardt tried recollecting what happened that time. And then he thought that indeed, maybe what they both had inmon was their seeming abnormal excitement. Well, she did get so upset that I thought it strange. He replied and Jin said thats exactly what he felt like, and nodded. Well, I hear that theres a possibility that that might be because of the influence of [Hypno]. Whats [Hypno]? It could very well be described as a version of hypnotism magic. But where did Jin get that information, Reinhardt was surely thinking. Then he noticed that the Automata was next to Jin and, Could it be, you heard it from that Automata? He asked. Jin smiled and replied to confirm. Yeah. Ann told me that. Ann began to begin the supplementary exnation, or so they thought, when unexpectedly the one who began to speak was Reiko who had moved next to Ann without anyone noticing. The magic known as [Hypno] is something that appears to manipte targeted people as one pleases, but that is not the case. Eh? It was a detail both Jin and Reinhardt were hearing for the first time. In the case of [Hypno], manipting everything about the target person is impossible. Then speaking of what it is able to do, it can guide the targets actions. In other words, in Rucalls case he was made to continue investigating the ruins, see. The two reachedprehension then. Ah, so thats why in spite of not having any results, he spent ten years in a ce like this. Usually, one wouldnt be in ancient ruins that seemed to hold nothing to find for ten years. The two felt much better knowing the reason for that. In addition, having him report to the Unifilers supporting him, that much it can do. I see. So, why did you know he was affected by [Hypno]? Reinhardt asked the most pressing question and, The person under [Hypno] enters a light state of agitation with things regarding the party who bestowed them with their goal and directions. She exined. Indeed, Jin said and nodded once. Is that so. Certainly at that time Dominique also felt like that. Rucall wasnt just in a light state of agitation though. There was also a reply to Reinhardts doubts. It appeared to be the degree of excitement associated with orders instilled forcibly. I see. In that case, doesnt that mean Rucall wasnt originally a Unifiler. But why stir him up so much? Reinhardts question was only natural. Even to Jin, at that time Ann had only told him to provocate Rucall. And the answer to that question was, That is because if the affected person receives a shock when they have reached their highest state of agitation, they wake up from [Hypno]. And that was Anns exnation conveyed through Reiko. You mean that therefore, theres a possibility that Rucall will wake up from [Hypno] now. Alright, shall we try waiting until hees to? Chapter 166 - Birthday

Chapter 166 C Birthday

While they were waiting for Rucall toe to, Jin turned to face Reiko and, Reiko, you knew what Ann was going to say? He asked. Just now, she had exined instead of Ann whose speech device had a defect. Yes, Father. This girl is something like a cousin to me so with Magic Energy synchronization she could speak by proxy. A cousin? Jin didnt really understand what she meant. Yes. She and I share the same baseline design. I think it is likely that her designs foundation is of the same family as that which Mother used. Thats why I can feel the Magic Energy waves and speak for her by just touching her like this. Maybe it would be fine to think of it as like two radios with nearly the same frequencies catching each others signal. At any rate, it turns out its possible for Reiko to talk for Ann. Maybe because of this she wasnt especially jealous towards Ann, which had Jin feeling relieved. Hmm, I see. Jin was satisfied, but question marks still floated above Reinhardts head. Jin, what does that mean? Please exin it so that I can understand too. Jin apologized to Reinhardt. Oh, sorry Reinhardt. Its supposition but, this Ann and Reiko have the same design. Of course the details differ, but the foundation is the same. Thats why she could be said to be Reikos cousin. Hmm, in that case is Reiko-ch Miss Reiko built ording to ancient designs like her? Jin tried to remember just how he had exined Reiko to Reinhardt, but, he couldnt remember. He had the hunch that he had told to Beana she was an Artifact Jin had found, but he felt somehow hazy about what he had told Reinhardt. Yeah. Originally Reiko was an Artifact-ss Automata, but when I found her she was pretty damaged. And so, while keeping the design as it was, I rebuilt her using new materials and thats the current Reiko. Exining it like that apparently satisfied Reinhardt, as he nodded his head on a grand scale multiple times and said, I see, now I understand better. I can also understand why Reiko-chMiss Reiko has such a high power. Reinhardt, you dont have to call her a miss after all this time. Right, Reiko? Yes. There was a slight dy, but as it was Jins instructions and she didnt feel particrly animous towards Reinhardt either Reiko agreed. Is that so, thanks, Reiko-chan. No problem. Ann, Ill give you maintenanceter. Y. es. Th. Ank y. Ou v. Ery Muc. H. During their bustling, the fainted Rucall made a slight movement. The first one to notice was Reinhardt. Hey, you awake? Reinhardt tried giving Rucall a few light ps on his cheeks, and finally he opened his eyes. UghWhere is this? Were inside the ancient ruins. Ancient ruins? It appeared that a part of his memory had vanished, and so as the representative Reinhardt exined the events so far to him. Hmm, something like that Certainly, I can faintly remember I think. By the way, could you untie this? Rucall said, looking around at his body bound by the robes sleeves. It seemed like he had returned to sanity, and so cautiously they untied the clothes binding him. Ohh, thats morefortable. Incidentally, you said this is inside ancient ruins? Thats correct. Hmm, I spent who knows how long searching for the secret of the ruins, and you who came here just today found itI should just retire So docile as if he was a different person from the one who was under the effects of [Hypno], this mustve been Rucalls true character. Alright, whatre you going to do after this? Reinhardt went back to square one. The investigation of the ruins was basically over, and it was past midnight by now. Im a bit tired. Ill go back to my cabin. Rucall told them that he lived in a cabin he had built near the ruins. Jin and Reinhardt also decided to first go back to the carriage and sleep until morning, then when its bright outside pay a visit to Rucalls cabin. It would be good if Elsa was still asleep though. Reinhardt said. Jin also agreed, thinking that if she woke up and found that the two had disappeared, she would get angry. And so they quickly returned to the carriage. The result. Reinhardt-sama, Elsa is resting well. The two felt relieved. So as not to wake the sleeping Elsa, they both silently entered the carriage, reclined their seats and began to nap. Reiko and Ann were outside the carriage. Reiko didnt let down her guard, and Ann too was acting as a sentry with her bodys abnormal condition. The next morning. Leaving me behind you two went to the ancient ruins. Youre both terrible. Sure enough, after Elsa had woken up and noticed Ann outside, they ended up having to exin just where she hade from. Sorry, Elsa. You looked to be sleeping so well, so I thought it wouldve been rude to wake you up. Liar. There couldve been danger, so I didnt want to take you to such a ce. Please understand, Elsa. I dont. The angry Elsa was unapproachable. With nothing else to do they decided to first put in order the breakfast preparations. Using the stove Jin had made they boiled water and made soup. By dipping sliced bread in the soup it became a simple breakfast. Because they hadnt expected that the vige would be this empty, the soup was thin but there was nothing to do about it. Well, this is good too once in a while. While saying so Reinhardt glimpsed at Elsas direction, but her mood didnt seem to have improved. Considering the atmosphere, Reiko dropped a bombshell announcement of sorts. Father, isnt today your birthday? Eh? Huh? I-is that how it was? Remarked Elsa, Reinhardt and Jin, in that order. Yes. There is no doubt that Fathers birthday is today, on the first of April. Jins information which he had copied to Reiko included his birthday. By coincidence, the day Jin was summoned to this world was also the same first of April. It was Jins birthday in two ways. Aah, Im 21 too now, huh. It had also now been a whole year since Jin came to this world. I-is that so. Jin, today, lets go back to Yada Vige and celebrate. Reinhardt said, looking disconcerted. No, its fine, Im already 21 so. But Jin didnt look particrly happy. Dont mind that. Its the day to celebrate the day Jin-kun was born. Thats a very important day. Elsa said. Elsa was supposed to be angry, but after hearing today was Jins birthday she seemed to have inadvertently forgotten about it. I-I guess so. In the first ce, Jin who was from an orphanage had birthday parties until the end of his lower grades of primary school. After that he was on the side of those who threw the parties. And so, Jin who wasnt used to being celebrated could only hide his embarassment. First of all, they were going to visit Rucalls cabin, and after talking return to Yada Vige, and this time they left together with Elsa. En route, there was a great sound as if something something was broken, after which it once more became silent. What couldve that been, just now? I dont know. Reiko, dont lower your guard. For now Jin gave Reiko orders, and while wary of their surroundings they moved towards Rucalls cabin. That cabin was 50 meters away from the ruins along the cliff in a sunken ce. But. What is this? The cabin was crushed as if it had been trampled on by a giant foot. Rucall was nowhere to be seen. Was he crushed along with the cabin, or did he escape? As they couldnt see any blood, they preferred to think he had managed to escape. At any rate, nothing we can do about something like this. Youre right, shall we go back to the carriage for now? While feeling not quite alright, Jins group returned to the carriage, told about it to Ann and the bulter ude, and tried hearing their opinions. Thereupon Ann made an outrageous statement. Sure. Ly thi. S Ca. Nt me. An that. The Gigantes. Are. Ta. King a. Ction? Chapter 167 - Gigantes

Chapter 167 C Gigantes

Gigantes? Jin and Reinhardt both asked for an exnation for the word they were unustomed to hearing. Judging that the exnation would be long, Reiko once more got close to Ann for Magic Energy synchronization and began exining instead of Ann. During the anti-demon-race warAnti-demon-race war seems to mean The Great Magic Warthe Gigantes was a weapon that was developed in its final moments. It seems that at that time, people called it the anti-demon-race war. However, the Gigantes was faulty. Because it did not listen at all to what its manufacturers said. So, what kind of weapon is these Gigantes? Jin had a somewhat bad feeling about this so he urged her to continue. The Gigantes is a giant human-type weapons with overall height of ten meters. Hearing that, even Jin was surprised. He didnt know that such a thing existed. Because it was a weapon developed after the predecessors death during the Great Magic War. Is it a golem? No. Gigantes is Gigantes. Please describe its features in detail. Reinhardt said, his face also pale. Gigantess shape is simr to a humans but its shoudlers are wider, legs shorter, and arms thicker and longer. Its height is ten meters, and its weight about 30 tons. What an enormous golem. Reinhardt muttered, but Reiko -that is, Ann- denied it. No, thats incorrect. Thats because Gigantes is assembled out of simple rock fragments. Assembled out of rock fragments Jin tried picturing it. He got the feeling that the word golem referred to such a creature in his previous world. In the orphanage there had been a single game console and in a game he yed on it there had been such a monster. There was a something like that in there? No one in remembered seeing a giant like that inside the discovered ruins. No, Gigantess [Core] was supposed to have been sealed. [Core]? Not a [Control Core]? Jin thought he might have misheard. A Core was the core devil beasts had. A Core. Because Gigantes is an artifical devil beast. An artificial devil beast? Another phrase he hadnt heard made its appearance. Yes. An artificial devil beast made to oppose the devil race. An eye for an eye or something like that, huh. Jin crossed his arms and pondered. Judging from how Reiko is reading her mind, the Automata Anns memories dont seem to be erased after all, he concluded. Most likely, like Reikos had, her Control Core mustve reached the end of its technical life, making the the reading of information unstable. Unreasonably pushing her now could have unfortunate consequences for the lost information he had finally attained. That was Jins conclusion. Although despite that, it wasnt possible to perfectly repair Ann here and now. Jin urgently began examining the Automata Ann. While Reinhardt assisted him. Elsa was at her wits end when she saw Jins expression, and stayed silent to not be on the way. Her steel skeleton had rusted, several joints had stopped operating, and the leather of some unrecognizable devil beast used as her muscles was torn in countless ces. Her coating of Magical Skin was aposite material but it too had worn out. Jin judged that it had been nearly 350 years since she had been constructed. Even the Great Magic War had been 300 years ago, she was older than that. Probably because her materials quality was generally worsepared to Reikos, so after 350 years they had reached their limits. First of all, he did temporary repairs on the Magi Crystal working as the diaphragm of her vocal apparatus. Nheless, by just pasting together the cracked Magi Crystal with [Fusion], the vocal apparatus that was reaching the end of its life span would breakpletely in the near future. Ann, what was the person who built you like? Jin decided to try asking. Yes, I was mass-produced and so I do not have a particr creator. Her way of talking improved considerably, so she no longer needed Reikos help. So there was something like a mass production nt, huh. Yes, secretary Automata like me and battle-type golems and such were built in the factory. And the foundation of those designs was most likely based on his predecessors work, Jin guessed. Heyy, Jin, this Ann has an amazing structure, Ive learned some things! Even Reinhardt seemed surprised when he looked at Anns structure. But there was a more pressing problem. Now then, please tell me everything you know about Gigantes. Yes. Using the Magic Energy stored in its Core, Gigantes constructs its body from surrounding rock fragments. As long as Magic Energy remains in its Core it can reform endlessly. It was rather simr to the golem in the game Jin had yed. Well then, was the Core of Gigantes in the room you were in, Ann? I do not know. Thats because I wasnt given any more information about it. That was all the information, and Reinhardt put it all together into a guess. Anyway, somewhere in the ancient ruins was the Core of Gigantes, and because of some vital reason it activated and came alive. Then it crushed the nearby cabin of Rucall underfoot. That seemed to be the gist of things. The important thing right now was not to determine the root cause but the locations of Gigantes. They were also worried about Rucall. Although it was toote now, they regretted they had foolishly left the ruins wide open. However there was nothing to do about their negligence any more. Hmm, you said it was faulty and didnt listen to what its manufacturers said? How did it turn out? Reinhardt asked hoping that the answer was just it didnt do as it was told, but that wish didnte true. Yes, it turned out that once activated, it didnt made no distinction between friend and foe and attacked. The worst case. Cold sweat trickled down Reinhardts back. And because of that, its only way of use was throwing the Core right in the middle of enemies. It stands to reason that it was somewhat usable in situations where it had no allies around it. Are there any principles or anything like that behind how it moves, or rampages, or maybe attacks? Suddenly a question like that came to Jins mind and he tried asking. Yes, for some reason it goes towards high ces. For some reason Jin remembered the saying Only idiots, smoke, and goats rise to high ces. As Gigantes wasnt smoke or a goat, then it must be So that means that after crushing Rucalls cabin, it climbed up the mountain. Reinhardt crossed his arms and thought. The question is what are we going to do. Will we leave it be, or try to do something by ourselves? Or tell the proper authorities? Were responsible for letting it out. If theres anything we can do, I want to do it. Jins opinion was to exterminate it themselves. Well, with Reiko it probably wouldnt be a big problem, and Reinhardt also agreed. If we waste time then the damage may increase, so. Then they began the talk about who would participate in chasing down Gigantes, and Elsa said she also wanted toe. I want to go too because you didnt take me with you into the ruins. No, its not a leisure trip, itll be dangerous. Reinhardt tried persuading her but still she didnt listen. Elsa, neither me or Reinhardt want to expose you to danger. So please just stay here. I beg you. Jin pped his hands together in front of his face and bowed like he was praying. The gesture was unknown to Elsa but she could still understand Jins feelings. Okay. Today is Jin-kuns birthday, so Ill listen to him. Thanks, Elsa. Finally Elsa agreed. Besides, currently Elsa was wearing a skirt. It wasnt suited for mountain climbing. Jin and Reinhardt put their preparations in order. Although the preparations were only walking sticks for mountain climbing, rope, and water. They made the sticks from wood. That kind of handiwork was their strongest point. Now then, well be going. Take care. You both. Reinhardt-sama, Jin-dono, be careful. You mustnt overdo it. The butler ude saw them off along with Elsa, then Jin and Reinhardt headed towards the mountain. Apanying them was Reiko. This time she was holding Peach Blossom. Ann was house-sitting with Elsa and ude. It seemed like if Ann was about to do something like mountain climbing right now, shed fall into pieces. With Reiko in the lead, Jins group continued while looking for the paths that seemed easy to walk. *Gasp**Pant* *Wheeze* *Wheeze* Jin and Reinhardt were both bad at mountain climbing. Reiko jumped from rock to rock up the mountain as if it was the most natural thing, then came back down, advising them like, Father, the path leading right seems to be the easiest to ascend Or, The rock there is brittle, so please be careful. After roughly 30 minutes of climbing there was a rtively t terrace, and they decided to take a breather. They both drank the water they brought and breathed in deep. Ahh, I knew it but this really is intense. Yeah, in my home country I climbed a few mountains too, but this is my first time on a rocky mountain like this. They had a conversation like that, but they couldnt stay resting forever and the two again began the climb. When they encountered a crag that seemed impossible to climb, Reiko cut the rock to pieces with the Peach Blossom in her hand, making footholds. Thanks to that in an hour the summit was in sight. Ooh, theres the summit. At that moment, Reiko who had climbed up near the summit gave a signal. Father, there is arge footprint here. The target maybe nearby. Chapter 168 - The Super-technology of the Past

Chapter 168 C The Super-technology of the Past

*Huff*, *puff*, *wheeze*, *gasp* After finally arriving at the location where Reiko had found the footprint, Jin and Reinhardt looked at the footprint and were surprised. Isnt it over ten meters tall judging from the size of this? It was that gigantic. However, Reiko shook her head and, No, ording to Anns information it appears that its feet arerge to keep it stable. And therefore She said and was about to continue when. You guys! Why are you here!? A voice yelled at them from above. They looked up, and for some reason it was Rucall who hade missing. Jin and Reinhardt hurriedly climbed up there. Reiko jumped there in just a single leap. You disappeared so we came to look for you! Jin said. It wasnt a lie. Rucall scratched his hairless head and, Well, sorry about that. After having breakfast I went to take a little look at the ruins. And then on in the middle of a passages wall there was a cave, where a sealed box had been left. Rucall exined the particrs. It was securely sealed but by giving it Magic Energy it opened by itself. I noticed that a ck Magi Crystal tumbled out, but then it began taking in surrounding rocks and grew very fast, I ran away in a panic, that guy trampled my cabin, then went towards the mountain. And so I stealthily chased after it, thats about it. He said and finished exining. So, where is it? Reinhardt asked, and Rucall silently pointed towards the direction of the sun, namely the eastern mountainside. It went and climbed up there. Alright, lets pursue it. Jin said and Rucall got nervous and, H-hey, dont tell me youre nning to stop or destroy it? He said. Jin gave it to Rucall straight. Thats right. Apparently its a secret weapon from the Great Magic War called Gigantes. Moreover, I hear its faulty and goes around destroying things without discrimination. If its not stopped now, itll be toote to prevent damage to the surroundings. Bu-but, can you beat it? I dont know, but Ill have a go at it. Reinhardt said. Reiko and Jin went to continue climbing the mountain ridge. The footprints did indeed point towards the east along the ridge. The two kept began walking up following it. Reiko once more was both the scout and the vanguard. Rucall didnt move from the spot and, Can they really beat a monster like that? He just whispered. The path on the mountain ridge was easier to walk than the one until now. Furthermore, the parts where Gigantes had walked had been ttened as if it had been graded, they were even more easy to walk on. Ah, the wind feels nice. It dries the sweat. The mountain wind dried the sweat they had perspired during the climb. The two increased their pace. After continuing for about ten minutes, Reiko motioned with her hand for them to stop. Beyond this pointits there. After this the mountain ridge sank and formed a so-called double ridge, and the gap between the ridges was wide. Looking closely, a part of it was moving. So thats Gigantes! It was a gigantic human shape with bodypletely covered in rock. The very shape that Ann had described. It was walking slowly, moving towards the summit ahead. Can we stop it? Reinhardt said worriedly. Lets try at the very least. Reiko, try tossing a stone from here as a test. Yes, Father. Reiko picked up a rock of a perfect size for her small hand, faced towards Gigantes and threw the stone at 20 percent power. Ooh? The thrown stone smashed into the rock thatposed Gigantess body, the stone smashed into small pieces and a part of Gigantess body was also smashed up. However, it took in as much rock from the surroundings as it needed, and in the blink of an eye the damage portion waspletely repaired. Hmm, now thats a golem. Even at this point Jin had a thought like that. Reikounched a second stone asrge as a handball. This time a sound like a clink could be heard, and a arger piece of rock than before popped off Gigantes, but it too was quickly repaired. That reformation ability sure is troublesome. Jin and Reinhardt were both of the same mind. But just how fast could it repair itself thought Jin, and instructed Reiko to throw arge boulder. Reiko easily lifted up a stone at least five timesrger than herself, and tossed it at Gigantes. Rather than in a parab, the giant boulder flew in a straight line and directly hit Gigantes without error. No use, huh. At the shock Gigantes stumbled, the boulder smashed into pieces, its body smashed into pieces, and before you could tell which was which it hadpletely repaired itself. I guess smaller attacks would be useless then. Reiko had her katana Peach Blossom, but even if a piece was cut off it too would probably regenerate. In the first ce, this location where there was nothing but rocks was most advantageous for Gigantes. In that case, how about attacking with magic! Reinhardt took out his Wand charged with magic, aimed at Gigantes and shot off a spell. [me Lance]! Just by inserting Magic Energy to it, with a Wand charged with magic one could instantly fire the spell. The high-level fire magic [me Lance] hit Gigantes. So not even that works. The rock warmed by the high-temperature mes melted and dripped off, but soon it was replenished by the surrounding stones, not able to make a decisive blow. Moreover, Gigantes finally noticed that there was an enemy here, changed its course, and slowly began walking towards them. Its reactions are slow, though. Its enemy recognition was too slow. This mustve been one of the reasons why it was a failed work too. Yet they didnt have that much time to take it easy. The ten-meter tall Gigantes who was approaching was rather intimidating. Ill destroy it personally! Reiko leapt out to strike Gigantes. Jin-kun, Rai-nii, Im worried. The left behind Elsa was worrying endlessly inside the carriage. In front of her was the Automata Ann. Hey, does Gigantes have, no weak points? For some reason the two had left without asking that. Weak points? If it runs out of Magic Energy it bes unable to maintain its body. Its reactions are slow. It has no intelligence. It was rather useless information. But, the first thing said, if it runs out of Magic Energy, was stuck in Elsas mind. Gigantes, how does it get its Magic Energy? She tried asking. And thereupon Ann gave her an astonishing answer. By touching things, the surrounding air, or cast magic, it can absorb it from many sources. Thats why its use was to be anti-devil race. Against the devil race to whom Magic Energy is an indispensable requirement for living, it was extremely effective, Ann exined. After hearing that an ill premonition hit Elsa. In that case, what if a golem or something attacked it? Yes. It would not be useful against Gigantes, I think. Because just by touching it could absorb Magic Energy from the opponent. Hearing that, Elsa felt the blood draw from her face. Then, in that case, would an Automata like you be no good too? She tried asking as if clinging to a single ray of hope. Yes. If its an Automata, Gigantes willpletely absorb its Magic Energy. Someone like me would be unable to move just like that. The trump card of Jin and Reinhardt was Reiko. Reiko was an Automata that moved with Magic Energy. Jin, kun With uneasy eyes Elsa faced towards the mountain where Jin and Reinhardt went. Reiko was going to strike Gigantes. Gigantes raised its leg to meet its enemy. Reikos fist bashed Gigantess leg to destroy it, or so it seemed, but. ? In the instant she touched Gigantess leg, for just a moment Reiko stopped moving, and immediately afterwards she was kicked flying by Gigantess leg. Ah. The difference in weight was upwards of 50-fold. And so Reiko sailed through the air in an arc, and just like that fell below a cliff. Chapter 169 - Safety Factor

Chapter 169 C Safety Factor

Reiko Jins cry echoed. Reiko had fallen down a cliff with a sharp drop. The height difference was over 100 meters. Gigantes slowly approached Jin and Reinhardt. I cant believe that Reiko couldnt win. Reinhardts face was pale. This bastard, to my Reiko At the moment when was about to fire off a maximum-power [Laser]. Im sorry, Father. I got careless. Reiko had jumped up the cliff ande back. Jin stopped casting magic and, Reiko! Are you okay? He asked worriedly. Reiko waved both her hands and, Yes, nothing has broken. She said and gave Jin peace of mind. Father, wont you leave that to me? Said Reiko standing in front of Jin, she seemed angry. Even if it was for a moment, I caused Father worry. Its my duty to fix that. She said and ran off without even waiting for Jins reply. Jin looked at her back and, Reiko! Do what you want to do! But this time dont lose! He called out to her. After hearing Jins yell, Reiko increased her Ether Converters output to 40 percent. It was as if she turned into a small bullet as she rammed Gigantes with her body. Even Gigantes was felled by that shock. Oh, did she do it? Reinhardt let out a small shout of joy, but, Gigantes grasped Reiko tightly with both its arms. Inparison to her body, Gigantess hands were thick andrge. In proportion to the hands size, it held down Reiko with ease. Then while Gigantes sucked Magic Energy from Reiko to strengthen its own body, it tightened its grip on Reiko trying to destroy her. Creaking and grating sounds came out from either Reiko or from Gigantes. Reiko! At Jins shout Reiko turned to face him just once, and showed a sweet smile. Like saying there was nothing to worry about. Then Reiko increased her Ether Converters output to 80 percent. Wh-what? Reinhardt let out a bewildered voice. That was only natural, as he saw something like a thin light shining around Gigantes. It was a side effect of when an enormous amount of Ether transforms into Mana. Gigantess special characteristic was taking in Mana from the outside, and converting it to Magic Energy with its Mana Driver, making the energy its own. Of course there was an upper limit. That was decided by the Mana Drivers capacity. Right now, Reikos Ether Converter had enterd full operation to supply Mana to both Reiko and Gigantes. So youve still got some leeway. How about this! Reiko finally increased her Ether Converters output to 100 percent. Gigantes pressed on Reiko even harter. You can stand even this, huh. In that case! Reiko increased her Ether Converters output to 110 percent, then 120 percent. It was a drastic move she made because she hadplete faith in Jin and Jins craftsmanship. 130 percent, 140 percent. Machines structures have something called a safety factor or a factor of safety. An example of a safety factor is a truck with load capacity of 10 tons being able to handle a load of 12 tons without breaking. And so designs with no leeway have a low safety factor, and designs with leeway have arger safety factor. Theres also the bnce with costs. So, how do you think Reiko is? Jins beloved daughter Reiko to whom he poured his hearts blood making her utilized worlds top-ss materials and manufacturing processes, and the basis of her design was by the previous generation Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci. The opposing Gigantes was an urgently constructed mass-produced trial product in a war against the devil race. There was no way Reiko would fall behind it in the degree of perfection, durability, or reliability. There was no way a Magi Craft Meisters beloved daughter would lose against a faulty mass-produced product. At least, thats how Reiko believed. 150 percent, 160 percent. The rockprising Gigantess body was tinged with heat. The reason was that the Mana Driver had passed its permissible limits. 170 percent, 180 percent. The surroundings of Gigantes and Reiko were shining with dazzling light. It was just the surplus energy of when Ether was converted to Mana. H-hey, Jin, will Reiko-chan really be fine? Reinhardt who was watching seemed to still be worried. Jin himself couldnt help but worry. But she had faith in the smile Reiko had shown earlier, and was only watching attentively. 190 percent. A snapping sound resounded. 200 percent. Something was smashed up inside Gigantes. Simultaneously its body changed into simple rock and crumbled apart. There was no phenomenon of radiation any more. Reiko lowered her output all the way to her regr 5 percent, then dusted off the dirt clinging to her body. She then faced Jin and quickly bowed her head, Ive caused you worry. She made a briefment. Jin rushed over to Reiko, Reiko! Are you okay! Are you injured anywhere? He asked while gasping. Yes, Im fine. Father, Im an Automata so please say broken or damaged instead of injured. Reiko replied. To such Jin replied, Idiot, I told you earlier didnt I, that youre my daughter. Thats why Im talking about injuries. Yes, thank you very much. Reinhardt watched the exchange in silence, but, Jin, Reiko-chan, shall we go back soon? Elsas must be worried too. He called out to them. Jin was in agreement with that. Got it. Reiko, does Gigantes have a core or anything like that left? Ill investigate. Reiko immediately walked over to the rock fragments that hadpromised Gigantes, dug them up and eventually she seemed to have found something. Father, there was nothing more than this. She said and handed over fragments of a Magi Crystal. I thought so, that would happen if you poured in so much Mana. Jin muttered while holding the three small fragments in the palm of his hand. From the summit that she had been watching with worry, pieces of rock came falling down. Could it beTheyre fighting? Elsa tightly grasped the hands she had crossed in front of her chest. Then the summits area was engulfed in a strange light phenomenon. ThatsMagic Energy? For the light to be that bright, how much Magic Energy was it even. Elsas face when white as a sheet with anxiety and worry. But at that point, the strange phenomenon stopped already, and without means to know what had happened Elsa spent the time achingly as if she had stomach pains. But, when the sun was nearing the middle of the sky, the long-awaited sound of footsteps came. They came back. Elsa jumped out of the carriage. Outside the butler ude was waiting to greet his master Reinhardt. Jin-kun, Rai-nii. The figures of the two, then Reiko appeared in sight of Elsa, who knit her brows seeing their state. Thats because Jin and Reinhardt were both wounded. Jins palms were bloodstained, and both Reinhardts knees had bled. It was a strong enemy after all? Elsa asked with worry and Reinhardt replied with a smile, Yeah, it was tough. But theres no need to worry any more. Reiko-chan beat it for us. The Reiko in question was following Jin by him without having gone invisible. But youre hurt like that. Elsa pointed out, while Jin smiled bitterly and said, Oh, this is from when we wereing down the mountain and we both fell. Our walking sticks and water also fell and disappeared somewhere. After that exnation Elsas expression became strained. Idiot. You worried me. Its good that youre both safe. She then began to cry big drops of tears. Because of his bloody palms Jin refrained from touching Elsa, so Reinhardt was the one to hug and console her. Sorry about worrying you. But were back now, so dont cry. Reinhardt said and calmed down Elsa a bit. It goes without saying that after cleaning the wounds with water, they were healed by Elsas healing magic. Chapter 170 - Party

Chapter 170 C Party

After destroying Gigantes, Jins group had looked for Rucall on the way back, but in the end they didnt find out where he had gone. Maybe he was still under watch by the Unifilers. But as he wasnt a child, him disappearing wasnt a worry for Jin. From under Rucalls cabin they also found splinters of a box that appeared to be from the one that had sealed Gigantess Core. ording to the ancient writing on it, it was a left behind as a trap in the case of the devil race finding the ancient ruins. Thats why Magic Energy inserted just out of curiosity ahad ctivated Gigantes. As the Unifilers surely hade to know about the ancient ruins, they returned all the materials to the golems that were left behind to make it seem like there was a chance there were other unknown secrets. Because the materials werent particrly valuable, it wasnt a great regret. Because they alsopletely rewrote the magic formation of the Warp Gate, even if it was for example reconstructed, it wouldnt function normally. On the contrary, it might behave wildly. In the future, if the Unifilerss members hear news from Rucall ande to investigate, theyll gain nothing, or actually, theyll probably go back with with an unexpected souvenir. Jins group peacefully left towards Yada Vige. Surely the number one find is Ann. Jin said on the subject, Reinhardt also agreed and tapped on his breast pocket. This record of the Great Magic War, its also valuable though. Jin once more looked back over at Ann and muttered. Anyhow, Ive got to get to repairing her. Mh-hm, thats something only you can do, Jin. Please repair her without fail. However, Yada Vige didnt have the equipment for that. At any rate, you better repair her while were still in Egelia Kingdom. That was Reinhardts opinion. Right now Celuroa Kingdom was suspicious, so with Jin being the Honorary Magi Craftsman, while still in Egelia Kingdom Jin could probably borrow a workshop from somewhere, he added. If he brought her to Hourai Ind he would surely be able topletely repair her, but it was still a secret to Reinhardts group. Jin had gradually begun feeling that holding secrets was a bother, and had begun to want to open his heart to Reinhardts group. Although the road was bad, the way back was downhill. By evening they had arrived at Yada Vige. Then once again, or more precisely as expected, Mine came running. Youngdy! You werete so Ive been worried! This time that was all, there was no disagreement towards Jin. Maybe she had learned a little. Aah, Im somewhat tired. Jin who was vaguely worn-out went to his room in the inn and threw himself on the bed. Father, I will wake you up when dinnertimees, so please rest even for a while. And so Jin epted Reikos offer, closed his eyes, and reflected on todays events. About Ann. About Gigantes. The system that absorbed Mana. That had been dangerous. If Reiko hadnt been able to output so much power. While thinking in circles about various things, before he knew it Jin had fallen asleep. A knocking sound was heard. Then Jin opened his eyes. He looked, and Reiko and Ann were going to open the door. Yes, what is it? After the door opened, the first toe in was Elsa. I came to pick up Jin-kun. She said. On that subject, it was already dark outisde, so it must be dinnertime. Jin got up and walked towards the door, then noticed Elsas outfit. Her favourite chartreuse green dress. A rare flower decoration on her hair, and the brooch Jin had gifted her pinned on her chest. Elsa? Elsa turned to Jin who couldnt understand why she had dressed up like that for just a dinner in the inn, and presented her hand. To pick Jin-kun up, I said. Come on, lets go. U-huh. After just waking up he was still muddleheaded, and took Elsas handOr rather, Elsa took his and walked Jin to the dining room. And when the moment they arrived at the dining room, Jin was greeted by apuse. There was Reinhardt, and his butler ude. Elsas butler, Adberg. Then somehow, even Mine was there, giving an apuse. Jin-kun, happy, birthday. Elsa said while holding Jins hand. Jin was wondering for a moment what was going on, but atst he seemed to have understood the situation, Everyone, tThanks. He said, after great pains. Elsa was the first to notice the trickle of tearsing out of his eyes. Jin, kun? While Elsa was worriedly peering at Jins expression, he said to her, O-oh. Its nothing. I was just, thinking that its been a while since my birthday was celebrated like this. And then you know. Elsa led such Jin by the hand and, I was able to see an unexpected part of Jin-kun. Come on, this way. She said, and had him sit on the head of the table appropriate for todays guest of honor. She herself sat next to him. Reinhardts maids immediately went around pouring wine for everyone, and when Reinhardt saw that everyone had had their wines poured, Well then, to our friend, Egelia Kingdoms Honorary Magi Craftsman, Jin Nidous 21st birthday. Cheers! He led the group to a toast. Cheers! Cheers! The participants followed up. Jin, I couldnt arrange more than this on such short notice, but happy birthday. Reinhardt said, and once more tears welled up in Jins eyes. Thanks. He thought it stale, but he couldnt get himself to say anything more. Here you go, Jin-kun. Seeing that his ss had be empty, Elsa poured some more herself. Thanks, Elsa. Mm. All the time, in Jin-kuns care, so. Giving such a reply, Elsa somehow seemed more mature. Then Reinhardt left his seat and came over, Jin, as there was no time this is the only gift we could get you. Think of it as me representing everyones feelings, please have it. He said and presented a t case the size of a business card to Jin. Its a case for keeping your Guild registration card in. Now that he mentioned it, it was the perfect size for that. The material seemed to be silver. On the front there was a gold iying. It looked like it said Jin in ornamental writing. It mustve been made by Reinhardt. Thanks, Ill treasure it. Jin said, and put the case in his breast pocket. Meanwhile, Elsa was diving the fruits. Here you go. Thanks. This evening Jin said nothing but thanks, but it was strangely pleasant. The evenings meal became the one of the most enjoyable meals Jin had had in his 21 years of living. A warm wind typical of a spring evening blew across Yada vige. April hade, and spring was in full swing. From somewhere, Kherry petals came flying by the window, adding light pink to the colors. Chapter 171 - Brother and Sister

Chapter 171 C Brother and Sister

On the 2nd of April when spring was in full swing, the Jin-Reinhardt group left Yada Vige, and spent a night in the town of Coorz. The next day they continued east without returning to the main road, finally arriving in the provincial city of Ikasanaato on the border of Celuroa Kingdom. People who wanted to go from Egelia Kingdom to Celuroa Kingdom, or vice versa, went through here, and this immigration control was picky. This was because the other party was Celuroa Kingdom; the border of Elias Kingdom wasnt controlled as strictly as this. It may take up to three days. Well, it may be good to rest our bodies. Moving on a carriage in itself was tiring. Without having breaks every few days, ones body couldnt endure it. And so, Jin decided to take this opportunity to repair the Automata Ann that was found in the ancient ruins of Keuwan. On the night of the day they arrived in Ikasanaato, Jin had Ann deactivate temporarily, and with Reiko carrying her they warped to Hourai Ind. He was thinking he might tell the truth already if Reinhardt asked where he repaired her. Wee home, My Lord. Oh my, who is thisdy? In the researchboratory Laozi greeted him. Then, he saw the Automata Reiko had carried in and raised his voice in curiosity. Ah, this is an Automata I found in the ruins of something called Keuwan, her name is Ann. She was pretty hurt so I thought Id repair her. Please make the preparations. As you wish. And then because of Jin, Anns repairs begun. The first thing to do was to mend the Control Core. Jin transferred all the information Ann had to the prepared all-attribute Magi Crystals. [Transfer Info]. By [Transfer Info] Jin made an exact copy. It was an especially close call, as after copying, the original Control Core broke into four pieces. Woah, just in time. If its like this then I think theres the possibility that some of the information contains bugs. That was Jins analysis. If youve got a minute, Laozi, transfer the minimum information about Hourai Ind to her, please. At the same time, also copy the information Ann has. Understood. In this way, Laozi happened to gain information of things during the Great Magic War. They decided to simultaneously give Ann the minimum information for working under Jin from now on. My Lord, around 20 percent of the information is iplete. Laozi reported after copying Anns information. It was as Jin had expected. Is that right, I thought so. Please restore as much of it as possible. Its fine even if it takes a while. I understand. Leaving the matters of the information to Laozi, Jinn continued Anns repairs. Next lets think the reproduction process and upgrading the materials through. From a steel skeleton to a Light Silver one, from the tattered muscle tissue to the same Magical Fibers Reiko used. The skin was prepared out of a Sham Dragons wing membrane. And, after going this far, Jin noticed a material he had never seen before on a shelf. Reiko, whats this? Yes, it is something harvested from a Sea Dragon. Oh, the thing I heard from earlier. I see I can use this. To bring Anns repairs to an end for now, Jin resumed the repairs. Eyes from sapphire crystals. An Ether Converter, a Mana Driver, and shielding. He installed a Mana Tank, and made the hair out of Ground Spiders silk dyed blue. After finishing installing the muscle tissue, next was to be the coating, howeever. Making her exactly the same as before is a little Jin was troubled. To tell you the truth, there was something Ann had had installed that Reiko hadnt. I wonder if she was also used for that sort of thing During the war, within the troops that had had no female presence there had been female-type Automata. The reason can be easily guessed. I better not, after all. Jin couldnt see any of his Automata that way. To the very end they were his daughters, and he loved them and that being the case he didnt think of them as sexual objects. Finally, the clothes. He had her wear the same clothes as the five-colored golem maids. The color was ck and there was no maid headdress. Alright, itsplete. [Activate]. Yes, master. Ann got up. How is it, the state of your body? The activated Ann walked around and raised and lowered her hands to check her motions. It is very good. Thank you very much. Alright, stay there on standby. Next, Reiko,e here. Yes, Father. Jin called out to Reiko. Alright, Reiko, earlier you had a hard fight with Gigantes, right? Ill check your whole body, but how about after that I strengthen you so that something like that wont happen again? Yes, I couldnt ask for more. Please do. She shot back with a reply immediately. Jin nodded and, Alright, got it. First Jin had Reiko deactivate, and checked all the parts. And then. This is Jin frowned. The reason was that a few ces had been damaged. The skeleton of the right foot looked a little deformed, and the Magical Muscles on both arms too looked to have snapped apart a bit. There were no abnormalities in the chest cavity, but both the Ether Converter and Mana Driver had deteriorated a bit. As expected running at 200 percent output appeared to have worked them too hard. This needs aplete reinforcement, huh. That and I need to give a warning to Reiko. Jin muttered and started working on Reikos improvements. First was revising the whole body. He included things he had realized while inspecting Anns structure. An Adamantite skeleton. Hollow, with the core having a spongelike structure. With this both lightness and strength could coexist. For the muscles he used aposite of the fibers of a Sea Dragons leather and the existing Magical Fibers. By just rotating Magic Energy through Sea Dragons leather it wouldnt deteriorate, and on top of that its high-power output was three times that of Magical Fibers. But controlling it was somewhat difficult, so he made it into aposite material. For the skin he used a Sea Dragons wing membrane. It seemed to be twice as robust as a Sham Dragons membrane. The result of using these materials was that somehow Reikos weight lightened by 15 percent. Dragon-type materials should be feared. Hm, its as I hoped. Like this the output can be increased. Jin said, and added a second Ether Converter and a Mana Driver to Reiko. In other words, she could double her output. Even with this, against Gigantes Id be little unsure. Jin then started working on the final points of improvement he had thought about after that fight. That was boosting the output. It would be different if he had Elradrite, but to work without it Jin thought of something called a capacitor. Jin wasnt very well-versed in electronic circuitry, but he was aware that a capacfitor was something that temporarily stored electric power. In other words, normally unused output was temporarily stored and released as necessary, that was the theory. For that purpose, he nned to install an ultra high performance version of a Mana Tank to Reiko. It would surely be useful when going south to where there was little Ether too. Theoretically, it could be expected to have a momentary output of 1000 percent. He couldnt think of a use for it though. This thing will take all the weight I reduced earlier, though. After finishing up, Reikos weight became precisely 30 kilograms. The reform took back the weight gained in the previous remodeling. Alright, Reiko, [Activate]. Jin told the details of the improvements to Reiko who stood up. Understood. From now on, Ill limit myself to 3 percent output in normal use. Mh-hm. So, howre you feeling? Very light. Thank you very much. Alright, in that case Ive got something to say to you. Sit down ofer there. Yes? Jin had Reiko sit down. After thinking he then scolded her. Reiko, Im happy that you fight for my sake. However, just taking the brute force approach is irresponsible so stop it. Okay? Eh? The purpose behind Father repeatedly enhancing me, was it not so that I could use that force? What the Jin was greatly perplexed and silenced. It appeared that the enhancements he had given to Reiko in good faith had just made her more devoted to strength. Thats wrong. I only enhanced you because I didnt want you to be broken even in the worst case scenario. Put more thought into fighting from now on. Yes, I understand. Then Jin, Reiko, and Ann were about to return, when Laozi called out to Jin. My Lord, I have a proposal to make. Hm? Thats unusual. What is it? Yes. Now that the amount of subordinates My Lord has has increased, theres a possibility that by some ident or such they fall into someone elses hands. What Laozi said was reasonable. When Jin heard that something popped into his mind, but he first motioned Laozi to continue. And so, I propose that just in case, we install a function for information erasure. I see. What Jin had thought of in the spur of the moment was a self-destruct mechanism, but this was a much gentler idea than that. In the first ce, even though it was Jins idea, he didnt want to install something like a self-destruct mechanism to the golems that could be said to be his children. Even the safety measure installed in Laozi was a destruction device only Jin could activate, so it wasnt a self-destruct mechanism. Those golems of Jin that did not use rare materials couldnt possibly bring out the same performance as those that did. Currently just imitating Lotte was difficult. On the other hand, concealing as much information about Hourai Ind as possible was necessary. Alright, with Laozi as the guide enact that n. Understood. And like that, after this Laozi would add security measures to each one of the subordinate golems. This time Jin returned to Ikasaato. He had stayed quite a while in Hourai Ind, and when so he dozed off for a bit, or at least thought so, morning hade. Good morning. While rubbing his sleepy eyes Jin went to the dining room for breakfast. Good morning, Jin. Reinhardt gave morning greetings to Jin, then looked at his face and, Did you not sleep well? Your eyes are red. He said. Jin nodded, and replied that he missed sleep while thinking about various things. Good morning, Jin-kun. Good morning. Elsa also greeted him. The three went to eat. What are todays ns? Jin asked Reinhardt. Well go handle the formalities. I can handle that alone, so Jin and Elsa, you two can do as you like. At that moment, the door of the dining room opened, and a military-ish man came in. That man looked around restlessly, but finally walked towards Jins group. Then, Elsa, its been a while! No sooner had he said that than he hugged Elsa who had just finished her meal. Brother!? Elsa was surprised. Yeah, thats right. Has it been two years? Youve be prettier, Elsa. But best of all you look healthy. Chapter 172 - Restorative Medicines

Chapter 172 C Restorative Medicines

Last time I saw you your height was only to my chest or so, youve grown bigger. And youve be prettier. The talker was arge man with hair the same tinum blonde color and light blue eyes as Elsa. Next he turned to Reinhardt. Reinhardt, sorry for having had you babysit my sster. Reinhardt didnt seem to mind his somewhat haughty tone and spoke to him amiably. Its been a while, Fritz. So youre a major now. Uh-uh, I was promoted this year. It seems youve been somewhat busytely too. The rumors about Schwarz Ritter have reached my ears. Im honored to hear that. As befitting for childhood friends, the two spoke without honorifics. Oh. Today I came all the way here to Egelia Kingdoms edge as border security. And just across this hotel I recognized that a certain carriage had been parked. So I thought that just maybe, and right after found it was as I expected. Then the man called Fritz once more turned towards Elsa and, I wanted to have a good talk with you, but Im still on duty. Ille again this evening. He said, saluted and briskly left the dining room. He didnt seem to have paid attention to Jin from the beginning to the end. When Fritz left Reinhardt scratched his head while he turned to Jin and, He surprised you, right? He was Elsas brother, the second son of Randol Family, Fritz Randol Von Grosch. He works as thepanymander for the troops garrisoned outside the country. He introduced the man. Although he wasnt here any more. Fritz-niisama is a soldier. Hes a bit simple though. Elsa exined her brothers temperament. I see, a muscle-brain, huh. Jin carelessly said what he thought. Muscle-brain? What the, Jin, whats a muscle-brain? Sure enough, it turned out that Elsa and Reinhardt needed rification. Jin helplessly exined. Lets see, muscle-brain is a figurative expression meaning having even the brain be made out of muscles, so its a word to describe someone whose strong point is in moving their body rather than thinkingI guess. He exined mixing in some a little indirect expressions. There was no way Jin could call Elsas real brother foolhardy, a simpleton, empty-headed, or something like that. And yet, it seemed to go over well, Even the brains are muscleFritz-niisamaPfft Curiously Elsa seemed to be bursting intoughter. Seeing her holding inughter was rather fresh. Ahahaha, what an interesting expression, Jin! Look, Elsas face. Thats something rare. Anyway, Im off to handle the formalities. Elsa, what are you going to do? After Reinhardts question, Elsa who was still quivering finally managed to raise her face and, Mine said that shell show me around town today. She replied. Is that so, so Mine was from around here originally. Alright. Take care. And you, Jin? Umm, Ill casually look around town. Is that so. Well then, see you in the evening. ude, lets go. Yes. In the end Reinhardt put on his serious diplomat mode face and left the dining room along with the butler ude. In that case, Jin-kun, see youter. Elsa left too. The left behind Jin faced Reiko who was hidden using [Stealth] and, Well then, Reiko, shall we go too? He said and left behind the dining room. Jin returned to Hourai Ind with Reiko. The reason being that a lot of things he wanted to do had piled up. Incidentally, he left Ann in the hotel room. If anyone asked, she had the instructions to reply that Jin had gone to the town. And now, speaking of the things he wanted to do, first on the list. Reiko, its a dayte but happy birthday. Eh? Father? Two days after the day Jin had arrived in this world. The third of April was the day he had restored Reiko. Today was the fourth. The reason for the dy was that he couldnt make this in time without Reiko noticing. Its new clothes. Wear these from now on. The clothes Reiko had worn until now were revealed to be a little worn out during the check-up after the fight with Gigantes, and so Jin had made her new ones. The material was the same but this time the color was jet ck. Together with Reikos hair and eyes she was rather mysterious. As a matter of fact, this ck dye had the highest anti-magic ability. Thank you very much, Father. Reiko immediately changed clothes on the spot. She carefully folder the old clothes, and put them in the equipment storage for Reiko. Mh-hm, it fits you well. You look a little more adult-like. Jin said and Reiko smiled happily. Next was checking the information received from Ann. Parts of it seemed to be damaged or missing, but ording to Laozi by supplementing it a fair amount of information could be extracted. Laozi, how is it? Jin asked about the status of repairing the information from Ann. Yes. The restoration percentage of the information is 85 percent. The remaining 15 percent is greatly damaged, and regretfully it could not be restored. To the apologetic Laozi Jin said, Oh, theres no way around that. So, inside the restored information, was there anything new? If there was, please tell me. And urged him to go from here. Laozi responded at once. Yes. The first matter is knowledge about medication. The second matter is information about golem suits. The third matter is about the beginning of the Great Magic War. The rest is still waitingplete restoration. Somehow there seems to be only interesting information. But, the beginning of the war, so there wasnt anything about the Ether Stampede? No. It looks like Ann was abandoned before the Ether Stampede urred. I see. In that case it was inevitable. Well then, medicine, was it? Please tell me about that. About 98 percent of Jins body wasposed of Magi Atoms, that is, magical particles arranged into atoms. For that reason if there was an Ether Stampede Jin would probably vanish in the blink of an eye. Thats why he wanted to know about the Ether Stampede. But also, cells made out of Magi Atoms are stabler than regr cells. Consequently theres the side effect of no results of muscle training appearing, but on the other hand his health wouldnt be negatively impacted by illnesses or such. The sole exception was mental disorders. Therefore even if he was wounded he wouldnt fall ill, was the state of Jins current body. How things like growth or senility would turn out, he didnt yet know. Be that as it may, Jin had an interest in medicine. In the knowledge he inherited from the preceding Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci, there was only a little rting to chemicals. There was just barely enough information for Jin to make things like ointments protecting skin from irritating materials, or salves for burns. Yes. There is information about oral medicine that utilizes Magic Energy to improve the bodys internal healing capability. Jin was about to jump for joy after what Laozi said. Potions! It was the famous thing from games like a certain game about thest illusion or one about beating a dragon. The medicines synthesis wasnt through Magi Craft but through what was categorized as alchemy and so Jin was extremely interested. Yes, its the so-called Potion indeed. ording to the information it can also be made to restore Magic Energy, making it the so-called Ether. The Ether usually spoken of in this world was the source of the unevenly distributed Magic Energy, the Free Origin Energy. Confusing, Jin thought. Thats good. Do you know its manufacturing method? Yes. The one made out of high-ranking devil beasts was the most popr one. After filteirng the blood cells and such, it bes something close to the so-called serum. After hearing that Jin wanted to try making it. Ahh, but where would you even get a high-ranking devil beasts blood. Jin muttered but Laozi said, We have some. Eh? The blood from the Sea Dragon beaten the other day was secured and cold-stored. Was it now, good work! This time Jin actually jumped up in joy. He immediately went to see the frozen blood in the freezer. Woah. There was 20 drums of blood from the giant Sea Dragon. Thats approximately four kiloliters, or four cubic meters. It was a preposterous quantity. For experiments, Jin took an already-prepared subportion. Laozi had been sensible about this. Lets try purifying this first. Jin searched his uncertain knowledge and decided to try a centrifuge. He could make the machine, but to begin with he decided on a simpler course of action. Reiko, Ill leave it to you. He entrusted the task to Reiko. Yes, Father. Reiko swung around the chemically inert Adamantite vessel where the blood had been poured in. Because the container had a high durability, he had her swing it at near the speed of sound, and it brought about unexpected results. She was able to separate it into some threeponents. Serum is essentially blood from which the blood cells, telets, and such have been removed, but by further centrifuging it at a speed no one had thought to try, a liquid that ought to be called pure serum appeared. Hmm, this clearest part must be the serum, right? Please put the remnants to the cold storage forter analysis. Jin brought the crystal container in which the pure serum was before his eyes and looked into it. There was about 300 milliliters of it. Laozi, what do I do with this? Yes. That is sure to contain an abundance of Mana. Please try examining it. After being told that, Jin examined the Magic Energys flow using [Inspection]. And then he found that it was certainly true. More precisely, no one could object to saying it was mostly Mana. Next is simply giving it directions. Directing it for Healing Improvement makes it a Potion, and Absorption Improvement makes for an Ether Potion. Because Laozi had Jins information, his exnation was easy to understand. However, these Potions made out of a Sea Dragons blood had an over ten times better effect than those that Anns era had had. I see, the idea is simr to inscribing spells into Magi Crystals. After grasping that, Jin thought about inscribing the spell [Medicare] into it, but Jin couldnt use it. Right now Reiko was the same. Hmm, I need to have Reiko learn it from somewhere, dont I. Jin muttered, and separated just 100 milliliters of it for an experiment, and tried charging it with the healing magic he himself knew, [Recover]. The liquid shined for a moment and then returned to normal. Hmm, I think theres a limit to the effectiveness, but theres no test subjects. Jin wasnt wounded, and golems didnt need medicine. And because of that, Jin helplessly decided to pour it into a bottle and carry it with him until there was a chance to test it. Using the [Forming] magic he made a bottle out of crystal, and capped it with a block of wood resembling a cork. For now he put it in his pocket. Now then, he also had an interest in the second thing, the golem suit. Powered Suits! Jin got unusually excited. However, there seemed to be only minor data. Hmm, I guess I have to teach myself how to make them. And thus, another unthinkable piece of equipment would be born. Chapter 173 - Engagement

Chapter 173 C Engagement

For the sake of reproducing the golem suit Jin began considering its specifications with great enthusiasm. Shaping it like a knights armor with a twoyered structure, and having muscles of Magical Fiber in betweenOr maybe it would be fine to have the armor itself move using [Forming] magic, or something else. Either way, fundamentally it was armor. And so its defence capability was essential. For now, lets try making a test piece. First hed build armor to fit himself, add the muscle configuration to its outside, and on top of that add the exterior armor, was Jins n for the course of action. Because he had never built anything like armor it was considerably difficult. The material was the usual Light Silver. Because if it wasnt light it would be troubling. For the first time in a while, Jin had Pelshka, Citran and Appleles for lunch after which he hummed and hawed building the armor until evening. Father, we have to return soon. He worked with such zeal that if Reiko hadnt advised him he wouldve kept going until midnight. Nice, I made it in time. He returned to the hotel, where the dining rooms preparations seemed to be in good order. Ah, Jin-sama. There a voice called out to him. Jin turned around and it was ude, Reinhardts butler. Oh, ude. Your return was ratherte. This evening the meal will be had outside, so please prepare for that. Outside? Yes. At Elsa-samas elder brother Fritz-samas invitation. I see, Jin thought. He did say it had been two years sincest time, so surely as a brother he wanted to have a talk with her. Got it. In that case, theyll be waiting in the lobby after 30 minutes. And with that Jin returned to his own room, and began preparing with great urgency. Because hed be with Elsas elder brother, he decided to put on the Honorary Magi Craftsmans half coat. He wanted to take a bath before it, but he didnt have the time and so he only wiped his body with hot water. He had Ann and Reiko help. Finishing the preparations in 20 minutes, he went to the lobby where Reinhardt and ude were waiting. Hey, Jin. Elsa went on ahead. Its a little early but shall we go too? Reinhardt said as soon as he saw Jin. Then he had ude guide them, and they left the hotel. It is just nearby. Just as he said, after five minutes they found the restaurant in question. It was a three-storey building made out of stone that resembled marble. It had no extra ornaments and Jin couldnt decide whether to call it unrefined-looking or elegant in its simplicity. Maybe because he had noticed Reinhardt, a cloak-wearing man who seemed like a nonmissioned officer came and, Reinhardt-dono, right? The major is waiting. Pleasee this way. He said and guided them. Because of the soldiers brisk conduct, Jin who didnt generally have a good impression of soldiers secretly had a good opinion of him. The nonmissioned officer went to the second floor of the restaurant and knocked on a massive door and, Major, I have escorted the guests here. He said. Immediately he wasmanded to open the door, and Jins group was invited in. Wee, Reinhardt. Fritz who was inside said. Sitting next to him was Elsa in her favorite chartreuse dress. Come on, have a seat. Reinhardt and Jin were led to their seats by waiters and they sat down. Jin had the lowest seat. ude stood next to the wall. Elsas nanny Mine was there too. Now, tonight is my treat so please eat to your hearts content. Fritz said and raised his ss of wine. To my little sister, Elsas health. And to celebrate her betrothal, cheers! He led them in a toast, but no one joined him and instead had faces stiff with surprise. !? Ni, nii-sama, what, ive, never, heard of this, before The most surprised one was probably Elsa herself. Agitatedly she pressed Fritz for an answer. But Fritz kept calm. What, you didnt know? In the letter I got from father it was written that you knew. Elsa shook her head fervently, I didnt know. In the first ce Im not interested in something like that. However, Fritz looked at Elsa with a serious expression and spoke as if admonishining her. Elsa, you turned 17 recently, right? A 17-year-old is a fine adult. Didnt you promise to marry after finishing this trip? I didnt. Mine was looking at the siblings exchange with a terrible look on her face, but the only one who noticed was Jin. Because at any rate he was constantly treated like an enemy by Mine, so he thought that at a time like this shed surely be angry, and sure enough she was. And yet, Mine still didnt say anything to Fritz. But on the letter from Father it was certainly written that Elsa has promised to marry after she returns home from this trip. Fritz said, and Reinhardt in turn said to him, She said that before marriage shed tour the world atrge, isnt that a very broad interpretation? But it was as if Fritz didnt hear him. Well, youre at a marriageable age already, and your partner is from a marquiss house! He had his own way. His grounds are next to ours so you must know him. Hes Marquis Gehlen Theoderic von Aizen. Since his wife died a few years ago hes been looking for a second wife, so father certainly offered you. Hearing that Elsas face went pale. But without noticing her state Fritz continued his talk. Even though I said second wife, youll legally be marrying as the first wife, and thats an amazing thing. Because its marrying up. So, you must be d, right? At this point Elsa had no words. Looking at the state of affairs, as youd expect Jin couldnt stay quiet. Excuse me, Fritz-sama. How about Elsas wishes? However, after throwing a fleeting nce at Jin, he sneered at him with a humph and, Wishes? As if a nobles daughter who isnt even the sessor could have something like wishes. Its a womans duty to marry a partner that benefits the house. Hearing those words made Elsas face go white as a sheet. Still, Reinhardt couldnt just let it pass and spoke trying to smoothe things over. Fritz, isnt that a bit of an exaggeration? After all, informing Elsa of something like an betrothal all of a sudden would alwayse as a surprise. Humph, Reinhardt, youre not nning to make Elsa your concubine or something, right? Because youve got a fiancee in our country. Fritzs face was somewhat red. Maybe despite his appearance he was weak with alcohol. Yeah, of course not. Elsas my precious younger cousin. Nothing more, nothing less. But thats exactly why I want her to be happy. However, the heated-up Fritz had alreay turned a deaf ear to him. Im saying, theres no greater happiness than marrying into a marquiss house. Elsa was hanging her head, tears of defeat gathering in her eyes. But it looked like Fritz interpreted that as just embarassment and, Come now, everyone, for my sister Elsas happiness, once more, cheers! He said and made a good showing by himself, but Elsa herself, Reinhardt, and Jin stayed silent like it was a funeral. Of course they didnt have a good appetite, and as a result the brought-out cuisine was mostly left as-is. For all that, the cause of the situation, Fritz, didnt seem to think of it as more thanck of appetite caused by fatigue from traveling. That night, after Jin had returned to the hotel, he visited Reinhardt in his room. Jin, huh. I was just thinking of going to see you too. Reinhardt said and offered a chair. Jin sat down and Reinhardt apologized. Jin, sorry. But Fritz used not to be like that. But Jin stopped Reinhardt and said, Theres no need for you to apologize, Reinhardt. More importantly, Im worried about Elsa. Yeah, me too. I couldnt expect that shed suddenly be told about a betrothal. He seemed to be seriously thinking it was for Elsas sake but he was still in the wrong. Jin spoke his mind and even Reinhardt smiled bitterly. Certainly, bing a marquise would be big. Since Elsas house would also gain in prestige. But the partner being who he is Is he that bad? Jins question was blunt. Hmm, if I remember right the Marquis is 53 years old this year. Hes rather fat. Well, he does look better than Earl Guarana. Being told that didnt make Jin think the Marquis would be a good partner at all. Is marriage between nobles a this sort of thing? Yeah. However, its just the nobles sticking to traditions. Especially family lineages of military personnel. My father wouldnt do such a thing, but my uncle, how should say this, hes obsessed with the desire of getting ahead in life To Reinhardt who found it hard to talk about, Jin said, Reinhardt, you dont have to badmouth your rtives. More importantly, lets go see how Elsa is doing. Yeah, youre right. The two then went towards Elsas room together. The youngdy is already resting. Is that so, thats fine then. As she had already fallen asleep, Jin and Reinhardt left it for tomorrow and decided to retire to their rooms for the night. Chapter 174 - All at Once, No Elsa

Chapter 174 C All at Once, No Elsa

The next day, Jin was woken up by the hallway being noisy. He put on his clothes in a hurry, went to the hallway to see whats going on, and there were several men in military uniforms going back and forth. One of them noticed Jin and approached. Excuse me. But Id like you to show me your room. Huh? Suddenly getting asked to show his room, Jin was surprised. But the man continued, Okay? If youre not going to say no then Ill go see it by myself. He said and pushed Jin aside, then entered the room Jin was staying in. What. Jin didnt have anything to feel particrly guilty about in the slightest, but the mans attitude displeased him a little. The soldier soon came back out and, Hmm, nothing unusual. Sorry for the trouble. He said and walked back into the hallway. Really, what. Jin returned to his room. There Ann said, Master, I got the feeling that he was looking for someone. Jin listened to Anns report while thinking about pointless things like that Ann pronouncing the word master with an extreme lisp couldve been to the original creators tastes. He ignored ces like the built-in drawers of the desk, while searching under the bed and in the wardrobe, and so he mustve searched for somethingrge, most likely a person I think. Anns report was rather outstanding in its insights. Someone, but who? Well, to that extent I At that moment there was a knock on the door. Jin told them toe in, and it was Reinhardt. Good morning, Jin. Good morning. Reinhardt said and looked around the room. Jin noticed that and, Even youre involved, whats the matter? He asked. With aplicated look on his face, Reinhardt then said, Elsa isgone. Whats that you say? Jin was astonished. In that case, the earlier soldier mustve been Fritzs subordinate or something, looking for Elsa. Elsa didnt seem to wake up and get out of her room even though it was morning. Mine whod usually be awake by then couldnt be found either. I tried going to her room, but somehow the two seem to have disappeared. And so Fritz is going around looking for her. Thats right. Did they alsoe here? Yeah. Jin looked out of the window. The soldiers who appeared to be Fritzs subordinates seemed to be splitting into groups to search. They mustve been all together looking for her through the whole town. What a mess. Jin muttered but he could somehow sympathize with the reason behind Elsas disappearance. If we assume shes together with Mine, those guys probably wont find them. Reinhardt said subduedly. In the first ce, Mine is from a town near this Ikasanaato. She must be familiar with the terrain, and probably has acquaintances too. If Mines seriously running away with Elsa, then theres no way theyd be found just like that. The tone of his voice carried the feeling that it would be better if they werent found. How do you feel about this, Reinhardt? Jin suddenly wanted to ask. About what? About Elsas marriage? Or about her disappearance? About both. Jin said, and Reinhardt began to speak with a low voice. I dont think that marriage is a particrly bad thing. Bear in mind when thinking about it that in the case of a marrying a noble who manages territory, hes got butlers and stewards to assist him. For chores he has maids, so to put it bluntly being a decorative figure is enough. Thats a noblemans wife. And for children, its enough to hire a wet nurse. After all that, he grinned widely and, But thats just in the case of old nobles. He said and carried on. Its much different for Elsa, who wants to build a warm home. Her ideal is to marry a partner with mutual liking for each other, although theres also people who say that love grows after marriage. After saying that, for a brief moment Reinhardt had a lonely look on his face. But the next second he returned to his normal expression and continued talking. Well, I cant say I dont understand their running away. Jin, have you noticed? Mines and Elsas rtion. Mmh, a little. So that means you have too? Well, I guess thats obvious. Yeah. Its just a guess, but Mine is probably Elsas real mother. Its a guess because thats something that even if I asked no one would tell. That was probably the case. Theres no way you could hear about it from Elsas father. Much less the from person in question herself. Mines way of talking to, her attitude towards Elsa, and the time she became her nanny, I thought about it a lot and I came to the conclusion shes likely her real mother. Jin also shared his own opinion. Then, Well, I still cant say I agree with things like her method of teaching. He added. Jin too had seen a lot of troubled children, and because of that he thought no matter how much time passed Elsa couldnt be independent. However, the question is what are we going to do now? Jin had a ce in mind. Mines parents home should be around here, and if Elsa and Mine returned there theyd surely be found. Having said that, they could hardly wander around forever. Mine is in some respects broken, you know. Reinhardt said. In this world, the expression broken was used when a person had a mental illness, a trauma, or something like that. In addition it was used with personality ws. Hearing that, Jin thought that that was for sure. He had felt that Mines attitude towards Elsa was strange in some parts. I wonder why Elsas father hired Mine as her nanny. Jin unintentionally spoke out his mind. Reinhardt replied to that, Elsas body wouldntst without Mine. Eh? The shocking truth made Jin lost for words. Actually, to be urate it wouldnt precisely have to be Mine. However, I think it unlikely that a person simrly good with her circumstances could be found. Reinhardt was about to continue but Jin interrupted him in confusion. He seemed to have been told something unexpected. Ho-hold on, Reinhardt. This is the first time Im hearing about this, what would happen if Elsa didnt have Mine? Reinhardt tilted his head in confusion but, Ah, so I had not told you yet, Jin. I thought for sure I had talked about it, sorry. After a word of apology, he began exining. I told you that Elsas been tomboyish since way back, right? One of the reasons was because of the emissions she had. Elsa has a, its not a disease but, she has a w. Its called the excess Magic Energy disorder. excess Magic Energy disorder? Jin had never heard the expression before. Yeah. The Magic Energy that magi possess varies from person to person, but each one has their upper limit, right? Elsas limit isnt veryrge. Its just a bit higher than a regr maguss. Is that bad? But Reinhardt said, No no, heres the point. He appeased Jin who seemed to want him to get to the point quickly. Magic Energy decreases when you use magic. Thats correct, right? Mh-hm. So, by resting the decreased Magic Energy naturally returns to normal. Certainly. In Elsas case, it returns to more than usual. So, the abundance of Magic Energy eats into her. In this case rather than Magic Energy he must mean Mana. In the case of eating too much and getting excessive nutrients, one grows fat, and then problems like diabetes appear. The case with Magic Energy is simr, theres no general rule what happens but the fact is that ones physical health bes poor. Jin tried imagining it. For example, if a golems Ether Converter createdrge amounts of excess Mana while operating, the Mana Driver would be unable to deal with it. The excess Mana would be stimted and transform because of small amounts of magic entering from the outside, and it would probably have a negative influence on the containing body. Would the same thing happen within a human body? Jin could understand Elsas problem. And so, that was likely the reason why Mine tried to have Elsa not overexert herself much using magic. Her symptoms can be held back if she has a person nearby as an adequate safety valve. Jin understood. It was sure that blood rtives had a simr Magic Energy wavelength, and in the same way a person whose wavelength of life was simr could be a path for Mana and as such hold back the symptoms. Are there no other remedies? If Mine were not there, what would happen to Elsa? If its not more than for seven or ten days, being apart from her isnt a problem. Also, during that time by releasing Magic Energy using magic there wouldnt be a problem. Unlike in her childhood, Elsa can understands that herself. Reinhardt saying so wiped out Jins worries. Hey Reinhardt, couldnt she carry a Magi Tool to release Magic Energy? Jin asked in curiosity. But Reinhardt made a lonely smile and, Yeah, in theory it would be settled with that. But theres onerge problem. He said with a strained voice. That is? In the form of magic it can be done, but theres no such person who could build a Magi Tool that releases Magic Energy before invocating magic. Eh? Eh? Hearing that Jin knit his brows in wonder, and after seeing Jin like that Reinhardts expression turned to surprise. Their gazes met. Theres no one who can make one? Dont tell me, Jin, you can? Reinhardt timidly asked Jin who replied with arge nod. I think I probably could. Chapter 175 - Regret

Chapter 175 C Regret

The time for regrets would beter. Is that so, Jin, you could make oneMy goodness. The person Ive been searching for was this close. Reinhardt was crestfallen and hung his head down. It was understandable. A tool that only releases Magic Energy would be possible for Reinhardt too to make. However, with just that the problem would be Magic Energy exhaustion. Well, maybe an easy-to-understand illustration would be something like diabetes caused by Magic Energy. Having more than the required level of Magic Energy harms the body, while running out of it also results in a bad condition. It was natural for him toe to the conclusion that theres no one who could build a Magi Tool that keeps Magic Energy at precisely the right level. However, if you thought about it, it was probably only normal to not openly share secrets about Elsas body, her being a viscounts daughter, with Jin whose origin and nature had been doubtful and unknown until only as ofte. She was a rtive but she also was another houses daughter. Just her having an illness would ordinarily be enough so that no one would marry her. If Elsa had just been my sister instead of my cousin, I wouldve long ago wanted to consult you about it, wouldnt I. Reinhardt said, mocking himself. But now was toote. At that time, once more there was a knock on the door. This time Ann opened it. So you were her after all, Reinhardt. The knocker was Fritz. Of course I know youve already heard, but Elsas gone. Along with her nanny Mine. I will search for the twos whereabouts. Thats why, Reinhardt, you can go now. Eh? Reinhardt couldnt really understand what Fritz meant. It was unusual for the quick-witted man. In other words, Im saying its fine for you to no longer take care of Elsa. Sorry for your trouble. Saying just that Fritz turned and left without waiting for Reinhardts answer. From beginning to end he had ignored Jin. There was silence between the two. Then one of them sighed and, So, thats the situation. Jin, as a result, well be leaving here tomorrow. Do you still think you want to visit my country? With a lonely smile on his face, Reinhardt threw a question towards Jin. Jin immediately replied. Yeah. Of course. In that case it should be fine to leave tomorrow morning, right? Todays ns are? Being asked that, this time Reinhardt smiled happily. Really! Thanks, Jin. I was worried that youde to dislike my country because of this series ofplications. Ill not be around for the morning because of the legal formalities. I expect to be back in the afternoon. Got it. Ill kill time as I see fit until evening. Jin replied to Reinhardts exnation. The two then parted ways. After having a proper breakfast in the hotel, Jin once more warped to Hourai Ind. The reason being something hade to Jins mind. That was a Magi Tool to find Elsas whereabouts. Assuming Elsa had the dagger and brooch Jin had made on her, Jins Magic Energy pattern was surely recorded in them. The Ring of Protection was an exception as it had probably adaptedpletely to its owners Magic Energy. In other words, what he thought about was trying to build a high-power Magic Energy detector. My Lord, youre not continuing the armor today? Laozi asked. Jin nodded, Yeah. Theres a small idea that I had, so. Please prepare the materials. Understood. What Jin thought to build was a superior version of the Magic Energy detector. A Magi Tool, no, a Magi Device that could sense the Magic Energy of an individual and pinpoint the location. As a matter of fact, after the predecessor had died, to find a sessor the Automata that was Reikos previous body had spent 50 years developing such a device. However, because of the thousand-year-long search, after finding Jin that device brokepletely apart without leaving a trace, a part of the Automatas information was also lost, and at present there was no way of reproducing it. More than that, all traces of such a device ever existing had vanished. Including memories. And thats why once more Jin had to build one from scratch. The foundation was the built-in sensor in Reiko. It could tune for a particr Magic Energy and discern the direction and strength. Its precision wasnt very good. He nned to install threerge-scale versions of it on Hourai Ind. If you knew the direction, then by drawing two straight lines from two different points the location would be shown at their intersection. Because the two points cant be moved, to prepare against the worst case that the lines to the target ovep, Jin thought that a rather good precision could be expected by adding one more for a total of three sensors. Like with radio waves, conforming Magic Energies would resonate, and he utilized that principle of resonation. Instead of a coil he inscribed a Magi Form into a Magi Crystal. Jin wrote the Magi Form carefully. On the side, Reiko was building the sensors chassis and support beams ording to Jins instructions. Looking at the situation was Hourai Inds brain, Laozi, thinking that if only he had arms and legs he could be more helpful for Jin. Next, Jin was stumped by how to quantify the direction of the detected Magic Energy. If this was his original world he would have thepass or even the location of the North Star. Ah, apass is required for navigating with ships and nes too, huh. And so he temporarily stopped the construction of the sensors, and tried making apass. First he decided to try experimentally maizing a steel needle, pricking it through paper and having that float in a wash bowl filled with water. He had a needle, paper, and a wash bowl, but maizing would be difficult. In the end, he made wire out of copper with [Forming], and painted the surface with the sap of a tree that resembled acquer tree to inste it. In this way he made an imitation of a ma wire, then he piled up thin sheets of copper and zinc and inserted paper soaked with Citran juice between them, making a battery that he could connect to the electroma. He maized the steel needles iron core, and finally the maic needle waspleted. Jin pricked a piece of paper with it and floated it in water, and the simplepass quickly pointed north and south. With this he discovered that this world also had geomaism. Jin went on to building a regrpass. A steel needle, a small crystal for a bearing, and an aluminum case. He segmented thepass rose to 360 degrees, added east, west, south, and north to it, then northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest, and in between those he marked the eight directions of north-northeast and so on, for a total of 16 directions. If he wanted to have more precision, he thought he ought to usendmarks like the North Star, but this would do for now. After adding thepass rose to the three sensors, in approximately three hours they werepleted. He equipped each one with independent golem brains, and made them able to exchange information with ManaComs. One was mounted on top of Hourai Inds researchboratory in the south, another in the southeast bay, and thest one on top of a hill in the southwest orchard. Alright, now tune it to my Magic Energy. Let me know about the directions each one senses. Managing this was Laozi. Immediately the information was sent to Laozi, who conveyed the information to Jin after processing. My Lord, thergest response is from A:179, B:347, C:61. A was the sensor on the researchboratory, B the one in the bay, and C the one in the orchard. Maic north was 0 degrees, and a clockwise rotation was quantified as 360 degrees. Mh-hm, they are a right match for me as Im in front of the research facility. This seems usable. Can you find other golems for example? All the golems Jin had made had the same Magic Energy pattern as Jin. The difference was intensity. Therefore they could be searched for with the same sensor, however. The number of golems on the ind is toorge, making finding a specific one difficult. It was like this. Right in front of them there were many ways to discern them, but it seemed to be unreasonable with just the Magic Energy pattern. Oh, is that so. Then, how about the air force? In the case of the golems flying to make maps the number was small. Yes, it is possible to pinpoint them. Their locations are But Jin interrupted that, Yeah, you can spare me the details. More importantly, instead of numerical values can you try to represent the information as spots on thepleted maps, please? He instructed Laozi. This was because it was hard to understand a report with individual numerical values for directions. Understood. And so because of this, it became possible for Hourai Ind to investigate Jins lineup. If there was someone he wanted to find, that was surely Elsa. Although to be precise it was the Magi Tool Elsa was holding. My Lord, I have a request. After that conclusion, during the break Laozi told Jin of the request he had thought of not long ago. Could you build a external human-type terminal for me? In other words, a golem or an Automata that Laozi could control. Because in that case I could be more helpful for My Lord. Jin thought about it. Thinking about the fact that Reiko and Laozi were to monitor each other in case they ran rampant or something like that, so if Jin was to prepare a terminal like that wouldnt Reikos superiority decrease. It doesnt need to be as powerful as Reiko-san, just Anns power at most is enough. Laozi supplemented after seeing Jins hesitation. Even Jin thought that itd probably be fine in that case, and approved of it. Alright. Do you have any wishes for the appearance? Yes, the appearance of an elder befitting the name of Laozi, please. Certainly, right now on Hourai Ind there were no golems that had the appearance of an old person. Got it. Leave it to me. Then Jin decided to promptly build the Automata for Laozis use. The structure had Ann as the basis. The differences were that it was a male-type, and that there was no Control Core as the intelligence. Instead he installed Magi Devices like a [Mana Telecam] and a [Remote] so that just Laozi could control it. Therefore its power output reached 20% of Reikos at its maximum. For its appearance, for a moment Jin thought to make it like a sage as it was Laozi, but in the end he decided on a butlers appearance. It felt as if he had added Elsas butler Adberg and Reinhardts butler ude together and then divided it with two. This is confidential, but the reason Jin didnt simply go with the appearance of a sage was that if it was too dignified it would make Jin nervous. One of the targets is taking independent action. Excellent, secure them. Understood. In thete afternoon, Jin returned from Hourai Ind to Ikasanaato. Because there was still some time until the evening, Jin thought he might go get hold of some armor, and so he walked downtown searching for shops that looked like theyd sell weapons and armor. But after a long search he couldnt find one. That was because in the first ce full-body armor that knights would wear is made-to-order. I suppose Ill try asking Reinhardt for helpter. Jin gave up on that and returned to the hotel. Chapter 176 - To Celuroa Kingdom

Chapter 176 C To Celuroa Kingdom

The next day, 6th of April. In the morning, Jin and Reinhardt visited the room Elsa had stayed in. No one spoke a word. They only silently gazed at the objects Elsa left behind, or possibly had no choice but to leave behind. Among them was the doll Non Jin had given her a while ago. It was a little dirty, however it wasnt dirt from neglect, but a result from all the times Elsa had brushed it or held it in her arms. (So she left behind you too.) Jin merely whispered in his heart and softly touched Nons head. The dagger was also left behind. Looking at it Jin felt a little disappointed. However, he was most of all surprised and worried that she had left the Ring of Protection behind. Jin worried himself about why she had done that, as she mustve known its usefulness. He had wished she had at least kept hold of this. Thats why Jin picked up the ring and put it in his pocket. After doing that, suddenly there was a knock on the door, and Elsas elder brother Fritz came inside along with a subordinate of his. What, Reinhardt, you were still around. He said as soon as he saw Reinhardts face. We were just about to leave. Hmph, I see. Fritz said, surveyed the room, then turned to speak to the butler and the guard. Throw away your excess possessions. You guys will be under my jurisdiction for a while. Ill think about whether I send you back to our country or not some other time. Fritz said and hit Non who was on top of the night table with his hand, making her fall. Uh-oh. Before she hit the floor, Jin caught her. Fritz watched it from the corner of his eyes and, Hmph. He snorted disdainfully and, Reinhardt, go already. I think you know this, but dont say anything unnecessary. He said to Reinhardt, back-to-back with him. I know. With just a short reply, Reinhardt patted Jins shoulder and he left the ce. Jin followed after Reinhardt and left without looking back while carrying Non. The butler Adberg and guard Herman lonesomely watched the two leave. The same day at ten in the morning. Jin and Reinhardt rode their carriages and entered Celuroa Kingdom. Because Reinhardt had gone through with the legalities, there was no problem passing through the border barrier. The two spoke little words. Even so, they seemed to be enduring Elsas disappearance. At two in the afternoon they arrived in the provincial city of Tellurs where they would spend the night. In the back of Tellurs flowed arge river called Torres, and on the other side of it was the capital city Esaia. The river Torres was over 200 meters wide, and there was no bridge. A ferry was the only way across. For that reason, ships were on a reservation system. There were few boatsrge enough to take carriages on board. Reinhardt-sama, I hear that there is one vacant reservation in three days. The butler ude said apologetically. Is that so, well, no way around it. You reserved lodgings, right? Because there were many visitors waiting for ferries, it was necessary to have many inns. Yes, there is an adequate hotel with vacancies. And so first Jins group went to that hotel. It was surprisingly ten storeys tall, a rather tall building for this world. Jins groups rooms were on the sixth floor. Taking the stairs to the sixth floor seems really tiresome. Jin was thinking something like that, but surprisingly he was carried by golems. For its size, Celuroa Kingdom has rtively few people. Thats why golems are used in all sorts of ces. Reinhardt exined. It was Jins first time experiencing sitting on a golems arms being carried up some stairs. The invisibly following Reiko had a somewhat annoyed expression but of course it wasnt seen. Ah, I can see the river. Being on the sixth floor meant that they could see the faraway river Torres from above the rooftops. Dozens of ferries were going back and forth. But all of them were small boats. Why dont they make morerge boats? Reinhardt caught the words Jin muttered to no one in particr. Thats the kingdoms policy. The river Torres is a natural moat, you see. Immediately on the other side of the river is the royal capital Esaia. Thats why private individuals arent allowed to own boats that more than ten people can board. The boatsrge enough to use for carriages are all under the countrys management. Hearing that Jin wondered if the situation was simr to Ooi Rivers in the Edo Period. There even boats had been forbidden, and Jin remembered once seeing a scene in a period drama where travellers were carried across the river by people. Well, I guess theres nothing else to do than take it easy for three days. The rooms reserved this time were four adjoined rooms. One was assigned for Reinhardt, and one for Jin. One for male servants like ude, and thest one for female servants. All the rooms were connected through doors, so the construction allowed them toe and go without going through the hallway. Right now, Jin and Reinhardt were chatting in Reinhardts room. Reinhardt, you had to stop here on your way through too, right? Yeah. Because theres no other route than this. Reinhardt said that it was Celuroa Kingdoms policy that there were no other ways to Egelia Kingdom than through here. There was one more, a narrow road in the moountains, but it seems that because beasts and burrs appeared frequently only armed troops used used it. There didnt seem to be settlements that could provide supplies either. This town is fine, but on the other side of the river there are five ramparts, and without permission you cant get deeper than past the first rampart. Normal travellers walk the roads between the first and second rampart. From Reinhardts exnation Jin thought that the country appeared ratherplicated. The so-called ramparts were stone-built walls like the Great Wall of China that appeared to go on endlessly. There were five of them. What a waste ofbor, Jin felt. Because Im a diplomat and were going to approach Esaia, therelll be problems going through the ramparts until the fourth one. Whatre we going to? Yeah, well, we dont have to try too hard to get inside. No thanks to difficult things, Jin said to Reinhardt. Reinhardt seemed to be of the same opinion and, In that case, lets use the road beyond the second rampart. He brought the topic to an end. The proper Esaia is inside the fifth rampart. They had spare time until dinner, and so Jin listened to Reinhardt tell the details about the ramparts. The space between the fifth and fourth ones is wide, and theres a town there. Prosperousmoners live there. It could be said that for all the people except the nobles, thats where Esaia is. You mean thats where you could enter without a problem, Reinhardt? Well, thats the case. So, the space between the fourth and third ones, thats even wider. However, because that ce is meant for holding back the enemy when the timees, military drills and such are held there, its not a ce with a very pleasant atmosphere. Having it exined to him, Jin nodded in understanding. Ah, so thats why the highway is between the third and second ramparts. Thats right. Because anyone can travel between the second and first ones, I hear the public order isnt good. But that doesnt mean Ive witnessed it myself, though. That evenings meal was lonelier than usual. Just by having no Elsa, the mood changed this much, Jin thought. I wonder what Elsas doing right now. Suddenly Jin spoke out by ident. Yeah, me too. Elsas happiness, I wonder what that is. Reinhardt threw back at him, apparently thinking about the same thing as Jin. Jin had something he wanted to ask Reinhardt, so after the meal while drinking Teee, Reinhardt, can I ask you something? He started a conversation. Mh-hm, what is it? About Elsas brother, Fritz, was it? Yeah, thats right. Despite appearances, way back when he yed together with Elsa, did he spoil her a lot? He asked because the brother had been too different from the image he had got in the town of Delead from the talk with Elsa about her ying with her brothers when she was a child. Thereupon Reinhardt made arge nod and, Ah, I see. He said and began to exin. Fritz changed four years ago. It was the period after the previous king of Celuroa Kingdom had died, and the current king who seeded him hadnt yet solidifed the foundation of his government. It hadnt progressed to a war, but there had been battlesrger than skirmishes, but smaller than wars, Reinhardt said. During the time he was a second lieutenant, and the enemyCeluroa Kingdoms national defence army took him as a prisoner of war. Eventually he was extricated in a prisoner exchange, but ever since then hes been a different person. He became a power supremacist, or more precisely he began to pursue power in all respects, Reinhardt said sadly. Until then he had been a good elder brother who doted on Elsa, though. Isee. That mustve been difficult for Elsa. The kind elder brother whom he had called a muscle-brain and made Elsaugh waspletely changed. It mustve surelye like a bolt out of the blue. Jin once more thought about what Elsas happiness could be. Chapter 177 - Unexpected Reunion

Chapter 177 C Unexpected Reunion

Content warning: some graphic violence. - In a sense, you could call the provincial city of Tellurs the gateway to entering the royal capital Esaia. Just why is the royal capital Esaia so close to the national border? Originally Celuroa Kingdom was a very small country. After the Great Magic War and after Dinar Kingdom had split into smaller countries, Celuroa Kingdom which was built on top of the Dinar Kingdoms capital citys ruins, had its eighth king Rnd the Firstmand troops to fight a neighboring country. During the war thatsted nearly ten years, Celuroa Kingdom annexed a neighboring country and added it to its territory. Simr acts of aggression were repeated for generations. The annexednds were in the north and east, west, and then southwest. Thats the reason why the capitals location was lopsided. Had Egelia Kingdom been annexed too, the location wouldnt be particrly strange. Incidentally, during that time the southern Egelia Kingdom had fought stubbornly to thest, and to avoid the national power declining due to the prolonged war Rnd the First made peace with Egelia Kingdom. Since then there had been only small fights, but mostly the diplomatic rtions have continued seemingly favourably. That is, until the events 18 years ago which Elsas father participated in. Didnt Reinhardt say that the current king seemed a bit warlike Jin muttered to himself while walking the streets of Tellurs. There were two more days until they would board the ferry. Reinhardt had said hed try visiting a friend, while Jin went off on his own. To distract himself from the frustration of being unable to find Elsa, for no particr reason he was strolling about town. The rays of the spring sun shone warmly, just perfectly for a walk. After over an hour of walking, Jin was a little tired and sat down on a bench that the za facing the main street was furnished with. Sigh. The street traffic wasrge, and the ce was lively. Parents with their children, families, pairs of lovers. Traders, nobles, elders, children. Many sorts of people wereing and going. Oh, its mister. Hm? From somewhere he heard a voice. Turning towards it, there was a blue-eyed girl with blond hair like silk trailing down. Lets see, you were. Im Schiede, mister. The girl he had met in the vige with the mine, Yada Vige. The young daughter of Viscount Secatts house. Oh, yes, you were Schiede-chan. What are you up to? After remembering, Jin smiled and spoke to her. Yes, the day before yesterday we went sightseeing in this town. Today we came to board a pleasure cruise on the river Torres. Huh, a pleasure cruise. Was it fun? It was. The river was very wide, blue, and the Mr. fishes were leaping. Schiede smiled and made hand gestures while she exined to Jin. Her behaviour was charming and just by listening Jin had fun too. So, why are you here? By yourself? Jin asked, and Schiede made a somewhat ufortable face. Um, thatsBecause I got separated from mother and the others. Eeh? In other words, a lost child. Jin got up in a hurry, and looked around the riverbank. However, he didnt see people simr to them. Your mothers group is surely looking for you too, right? Oh yeah, do you know the hotel youre staying in? I do. Its called Green Bower Hotel. Green Bower HotelI wonder where it was. The name sounded familiar. Jin was thinking about it when a voice spoke close to his ear. (Father, that hotel is on the street east of the intersection on this street.) It was the invisible Reiko whispering into Jins ear. Lets see, if I remember right that hotel is this way. While thanking Reiko, Jin began walking and leading Schiede by the hand. Thank you, mister. That miss is not with you today? By that miss, she mustve meant Elsa. Indeed, she did use healing magic to heal Schiedes wound after the girl fell over, Jin thought. Mmh, shes doing something else right now. Is that so? And I wanted to see her again. It appears after Elsa healed Schiedes wound, she took a liking to her. Mh-hm, that may be difficult. So after all, she cant go outside so often because shes a noble too? Well, something like that. There was no way Jin could tell her the truth and so he dodged the question, while Schiede then said with a serious look on her face. Thats lonely. In that case, Schiede may as well stop being a noble. Those words made Jin think of something but, Thats no good, Schiede-chan. Your mother would be sad. He said to persuade her. Schiede meekly nodded. Yes, I understand. I dont want to make mother sad. Mmh, Schiede-chans a good girl. Jin said and stroked the air of Schiede walking next to him. Ehehe, that feels nice. Schiede delighted in having her hair stroked. Meanwhile, they arrived in front of the hotel. Schiede! A hurried womans voice. It was Schiedes mother, the wife of Viscount Secatt, Mariria. Mother! Mariria came running over and hugged Schiede. Where did you go! Edem and Hauro have been looking for you! Hauro was probably their butler, Jin thought idly while watching the meeting of parent and child. Im sorry. On the main street I saw something interest on disy, then mother and everyone else were gone, and mister brought me here. Then Mariria let go of Schiede whom she was holding and looked at Jin. Thank you very much for bringing Schiede back. Wait, arent you? She appeared to remember Jins face. Yes, we were sightseeing the mine tunnels in Yada Vige at the same time, my name is Jin Nidou. My my, so it was you. Youre by yourself today? Yes, Reinhardt went to see an acquaintance of his. I see. Id like to give you something as a token of my gratitude but as were traveling Im short of money at hand And so forth, she spoke and thats why Jin felt all the more ashamed and, No, it wasnt such a big deal, well then, Ill be going now. He said and bowed, and turning his back to the voices who still wanted him to stop for something, Jin quickly left the scene. Parent and child, huh. That sort of thing, isnt it nice. While thinking about things like that in the back of his mind Jin kept casually walking and came to the riverside. A riverbank about five meters tall had amassed along the river, and it was possible to climb it up. Jin who was a bit sweaty from walking tried climbing up the riverbank to for something like a breeze off the river. Hm? Somethings causing a ruckus. He climbed up the bank and could see the dry river bed, but there a group of people had gathered. Father, it looks like a drowned body or something. Reiko told Jin while staying invisible. Reikos eyesight was sharper than a falcons. Thats what Jin was thinking, but for the invisible Reiko using infrared rays to see it was difficult to discern faraway details so for a moment she had gone closer ande back. It isI recognize it. It seems to be Mine. What!? Mine who was supposed to have run away with Elsa turned up as a drowned body!? Jin had a bad premonition and ran down the riverbank. He was about to slip and fall multiple times but each time Reiko supported him up so he got down without falling over. After getting down on the riverbed Jin urgently rushed there. From among the crowd of curious onlookers Jin said with a groan. It really isMine. It was unmistakably Mine. The only mistake was that it wasnt a drowned corpse. She was still breathing. Out of the way please! I know her! Jin said and moved to Mines side and, Ugh He grimaced at the terrible scene. Her right arm appeared to be broken and bent in a weird direction, her head was swelled dark red as if she had been hit, and a knife had pierced through her abdomen. Chapter 178 - The Escape

Chapter 178 C The Escape

Turning back time a little, to the night before Elsa and Mine disappeared. In one of the rooms of the hotel in provincial city Ikasanaato. After returning to her own room Elsa wept without making a sound. She knew Marquis Aizen. Because his grounds neighbored her familys and because he had also been her fathers superior officer, he visited at times. He had no hair on his head and a plump figure. It was said that before he retired from military service he had a toned body, but Elsa couldnt imagine it. Previously when Beana was proposed to by Earl Kuzuma, Beana had asked Elsa how she felt about marriage with Jin. Elsa remembered thinking at that time that while she did like Jin, marrying and living together with him was unimaginable. But that man is She hated him. She hated being around him. She would hate being married to someone like that even more. Just being looked at by him gave her the chills. Elsa could do nothing but bite her lip and cry. However, being born a daughter to a nobles house, she had to obey her fathers orders. Not to mention that in the case of a marriage proposal beneficial to the house, everyone mustve rejoiced. With the exception of just one person, Elsa herself. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Elsa did not respond, the door softly opened, and Mine entered. Youngdy. Despite Elsa not responding, You dont have to say it. You most certainly hate this marriage with the Marquis, right? Mine said. Elsa reflexively looked at Mines face. I understand. Because youre the youngdy that Ive watched over since you were a baby. Mine smiled kindly, and tenderly hugged Elsas head. Mine In the end Elsa became unable to hold back her emotions and called Mines name. Simultaneously she began to cry a second time and, Mine, Mine For a while Elsa stayed like that crying into Mines chest. When Mine estimated that Elsa had calmed down a little, she spoke. Youngdy, you have two paths avable to you. One path is to stay as a noblewoman and marry the Marquis. The other one is to throw away your status as a noble and earn the freedom to decide for yourself. Freedom, to decide, for myself? That stirred Elsa and she raised her head. Yes. Common people like me assuredly have less rules than nobles. That way there are also hardships, but its the difference between hardships pushed onto you and hardships you yourself chose. Theres no telling which one would be the best no matter what, but dont you think that its as well to choose your own hardship? Mines tempting took time. The truth was that while waiting for the day when they would arrive in this town that was near her birthce, Mine had secretly made many preparations. To run away with Elsa. However, if Elsa were to sneak away of her own volition, Mine would dly say there was no greater fortune she could wish for. Using sophistry, using schemes, Mine was trying to make Elsa receptive for the idea. Freedom, to decide, for myself. Once more Elsa repeated it. You may not meet Reinhardt-sama again. Because hes a noble. But Jin-sama is amoner. Maybe in one or two years if things calm down you could meet him. Mine added. You could call it clever. She skillfully provoked Elsas feelings of worry, or no, feelings of something like pining towards Jin. If its Jin-kun, then surely Were she to meet with Jin, just Jin by himself could maybe arrange her to meet Reinhardt. Elsa held a hope like like that. Then before she knew it, she nodded to Mine. Ill go. Elsa said only that, then Mine hugged her once again and, Youngdy! So youve firmly made up your mind. Mine will protect youngdy even if costs me my life. She said and gently brushed Elsas back. That night, the two vanished. They put onmoners clothing Mine had surreptiously prepared and snuck out of the back door. No one at all was expecting Elsa to run away, and so there werent anything like lookouts keeping watch. There were soldiers guarding the ce, but its not like they were there all the time, instead they only made periodical patrols and because of that it hadnt been difficult to run away while they were gone. They left behind all essories that would immediately reveal that she was a noble, bulky objects, and everything unnecessary. The dagger and the ring included. Because she had taken the ring off, by the time they noticed it they were no longer in a situation where they could go back to get it. However, the truth was that Mine who knew about the items she had received from Jin had purposefully done that. (But, just this is.) Elsa had secretly hid the brooch she had got from Jin as a birthday present in her breast pocket. Mine led Elsa who had wanted to take the dagger too by the hand, and Elsa walked into the night with some reluctance. The only ones who saw them were Pansy and Lily of the SP. But as it did not involve Jin, just like that without doing anything they watched the two leave. Mine who had saved most of her pay as a nanny for this day had told Elsa to not worry about money right now, so she ran with nearly nothing but the clothes she wore. Mines parents home was in the town of Sasad next to Ikasanaato. They were rtively affluent merchants, but as theyd likely be the first ones searched she had no intention of relying on them. In the dark, they went to the ce of Mr. Handy whom Mine had fired. She had already made contact with him for the journey out, in that sense things were going as nned. Hey there, wee. So, she that youngdy ye mentioned? Thats right. I brought her out today. Please proceed as nned. Got it, got it. Mine who had originally intended to run off with Elsa from Ikasanaato already had escape ns prepared. Well, theres not enough time left tonight. Wontcha stay here til tomorrow night? What, they aint finding ye here, no way, so rx. Mr. Handy said and guided Elsa and Mine to a room with beds. It was a room that could be reliably locked from the inside. The two were mentally tired and so they immediately fell asleep. The next day they waited until dusk to act. The hours were long. When the two got out of Mr. Handys hideout they looked exhausted. First, they rode horses northeast. Other than going through Ikasanaato, there were other ways to get into Celuroa Kingdom. Although most of those ways were illegal. There was a narrow path through the mountains between Celuroa Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom, people from underground businesses went back and forth on that path, and now Elsa and Mine rode horses through that path. The path only as wide as the tracks on it meandered through the mountains. The ridgelines marked the border, and here and there were stakes in the ground marking the boundary. These stakes were Magi Tools that would sound an rm if a human passed between two stakes. For that reason their manufacturing method was a secret. Well, if Jin saw them he could probably quickly analyze their entire structure. Lets-a stay here for the night. Near the border there was a small hut. It was a location Mr. Handy used in times like these. Mine and Elsa were tired from riding horses in the midnight darkness, and so as told they wrapped themselves in nkets handed to them. Its not tasty. Youngdy, please endure for just a bit longer. The two satisfied their hunger with bread and soup Mr. Handy had prepared. The taste was of course irrelevant, so Elsa identally voiced her dissatisfaction. This days n was to pass through the border opened by Mr. Through into the vicinity of Celuroa Kingdom, and wait for the night in a hut thatmanded a view of River Torres from up high. The person called Mr. Through was a middle-aged magus who could using the help of a Magi Tool erect a sort of a tunnel between the stakes in a ce wide enough for it. Going through that tunnel, Elsa and Mine were able to peacefully pass the border without the stakes sounding an rm. Now, next is descending the mountain to the river, where with the help of Mr. Ferry yell cross over to Celuroa Kingdoms subcentral district where ye simply cant be found by pursuers, I hope. Mr. Handy who came with them said so to the two, then guided them to hut up high that from which River Torres could be viewed. Wontcha wait here patiently til the night. Mr. Handy said and went out. Left behind, Elsa and Mine exchanged nces. Youngdy, just a little longer. Once we cross the river, theres no need to be afraid of pursuers any longer. Lets rent a house where we two can live together. Mm. Mine affectionately hugged Elsa who seemed to be worn out from the journey. Elsa fell asleep just like that. Mine looked at Elsas sleeping face and, My darling child. Ill protect you no matter what it takes. She said and gentlybed Elsas hair that reached her forehead with her fingers. The outside gradually darkened, and before long the awaited night came. Come on, lets-a-go. Mr. Handy said, and opened the huts door. It was already pitch ck outside. Watch yer step. He said, but even so with just the moonlight it was fairly difficult. After falling over multiple times Elsa and Mine got down to the riverbed. There there was a single boat. Thats Mr. Ferry. The figure on board bowed their head a bit. Thank you for your trouble. Mine said to Mr. Handy and gave him a pouch of gold coins. Hehe, well then, be well. After confirming the contents of the pouch Mr. Handy forced a smile and disappeared into the night. Youngdy,e now. Mine led Elsa by the hand to the boat to board it. It was a small boat which five people could board. First Elsa got on the boat. Mr. Ferry lent a hand, and Elsa safely got on board. Then Mine got on board, and immediately the boat departed from the shore and began heading towards the opposite shore. Mr. Ferry moved the boat with an object simr to an oar. Now you need just wait until we arrive at the other shore. Mine let out arge sigh, gently put her hand around Elsas shoulder, and said. This worlds moon is small. Nevertheless, in the moonlight the rivers surface glittered with countless of reflections like silver sand. Elsa was absentmindedly gazing at it. The boat slowly kept on crossing the river. Chapter 179 - Tragedy

Chapter 179 C Tragedy

Content warning: depictions of graphic violence and sexual violence. - The boat Mine and Elsa were on appeared to have gone about third of the way across the river. Suddenly, Mr. Ferry, the ferryman, stopped rowing the boat. The boat ceased moving forwards, and began to drift downstream with the current. Although, the current in River Torres was slow. It was only a fourth or so of a persons walking speed. What is the matter? Mine looked puzzled and asked, Hehehehe The ferryman had a filthy look on his face. Mine had a bad feeling about it and unintentionally gripped Elsas shoulder harder. !? Elsa was then suddenly bent backwards. Mine looked, and it appeared that in the boat there was another man hiding, who crammed something in Elsas mouth. Youngdy! Hehehe, thisdy seems like a magic user, so. If she cant chant then she aint no different. W-why you! Mine took out a knife hidden in her bosom. Uh-oh, thats dangerous. But the ferryman struck Mines hand with his paddle. Ouch! The hit caused Mine to drop the knife. Her wrist was bent and dangling. The bone seemed to have broken. The olddy can go to sleep. The ferryman again took the paddle and hit Mines head. There was a dull sound and, Youngdy. Right after those words Mine lost consciousness. !!!! Elsa tried to raise her muted voice and struggle, but on top of being unable to chant magical invocation because of the rag stuffed in her mouth, her hands were twisted behind her back, and because of the pain struggling became impossible. Hoheheh, that went well, dont it? Right, I said tonights guest is a nobles daughter, so shes some quality we aint had in a long time. The ferryman didnt just secretly bring people across the river, sometimes he kidnapped them like this and sold them off somewhere. Elsa was todays spoils. How about we first get a taste ourselves. Yeah, it aint often you get a chance like this. The man who was twisting Elsas arm used something like handcuffs to fix Elsas arms where they were. Elsa moaned from the pain of her twisted shoulder and elbow. But the men only grinned and looked down on her. Hehehe, how does it feel to be done in by themoners you normally make light of, miss noble? Evenmoners can amount to this much, ya know. (Thats not it, I dont make light ofmoners.) Even though Elsa wanted to say so, she could not. The ferryman came over and grabbed hold of Elsas breasts. (That feels, bad.) Elsa tried to turn her body to escape from his hands but, Dont struggle too much or yell fall off the boat. He said and the other man straddled on top of Elsas stomach. (Agh, it, hurts.) Without being able to push over the weight of a grown man, and having even her breathing be agonizing, Elsas resistance gradually weakened. Oh? Ye done resisting already? In that case, lets get down to business now. The ferryman said and licked his lips. (No, someone, help, me.) Elsa desperately yelled, but due to the rag stuffed in her mouth what came out were only moans. Uhehe, still growing arent they, these breasts. While saying so, the ferryman reached for Elsas breasts. (Rai, niiJin, kun) They who usually saved Elsa werent around anymore. Because she had run away from them. Elsa! At that moment, Mine who had woken up bumped into the ferryman with all of her weight, the ferryman fell inside the boat, and Elsa felt relieved. Tch, shes already awake, huh. The other man who was straddling Elsa said annoyedly and picked up the knife Mine had dropped some time ago. The knifes edge shone in the moonlight. (Dont tell me? Mine, run!) Elsa who wanted to say so but couldnt was only able to watch as the knife was plunged into Mines abdomen. (No, no, Mine) Ugh, ahErgh, I Mine slowly copsed. After I toss her into the river I can take you on nice and slow, right miss Elsa? The ferryman said and gripped Mines legs, and threw her into the river off the side of the boat. (No, no, no) Elsa despaired, and at that moment. Uh!? Suddenly a light was shined on the men. T, this cant be! A ck patrol boat? It was this rivers high-speed boat, the so-called patrol boat. It had three golems operating its oars, while normal boats had one. It could go five times faster than them. The ferryman hadnt noticed its pitch-ck hull at all. For that reason he hadnt noticed theme close, he thought. However, the truth was that it had been because of [Hide] magic. P-please forgive us. T-thats right! Didnt you promise us youd overlook up to five people a month!? It appeared that the ferryman had some kind of a backroom deal with the Celuroa Kingdoms guards, and he desperately talked about it, but the people on board the ck patrol boat maintained their silence. Looking closely, they were all wearing ck clothes and ck masks. H-hey, is it cuz messing with nobles is forbidden? I aint done nothing! I didnt screw her yet! So please forgiv Thats where it neded. For an instant there was the glint of a de, and the ferrymans head separated from his shoulders and fell into the river. ! As blood spewed in front of her, Elsa closed her eyes. M-me too? No! Nooo! The man who was straddling Elsa yelled while he was about to jump into the river to escape. His back was struck by the wind-type magic [Wind sh]. Ugh, ah Having his back cut open all the way to his spine, the man fell off the boat into the river just like that. The tragedy that urred in front of her was far too graphic, Elsa didnt at all get the feeling that she had been saved. However, the masked people of the ck patrol boat silently moved Elsa from the small boat to the patrol boat, then released her hands from the device restraining them. Elsa who was finally freed from the arm pain was about to take out the rag in her mouth herself. Hold on, before you do that lets put this on you. The first time they spoke was apanied with a ruthless act. Eh? Something like a choker was sped around Elsas neck, and as soon as she heard the metallic nk she realized that in spite of having taken out the rag, she still could not speak. ! Hm, a little tight, is it? Hold on a bit. How about now? The man in front of her appeared to have done something, and she became able to speak, although it was difficult. Who, are, you? Didnt, you, save, me? Elsa said after great pains, then the man in front of her grinned widely enough that it was visible beyond the mask and, We did save you, Miss Elsa. As long as you cooperate with us, we can have you get morefortable. He said. After hearing that Elsa frowned. But, then she remembered Mine. Mine! Sa, ve, Mine. She asked them. Mine? Ah, you mean that turncoat of a maid. The man looked around the small boat, but Mine was nowhere to be seen on the river. Drifted away, or sunk. In either case were better off without a someone disloyal enough to run away with their masters daughter. Ignore her. He said, giving orders to his subordinates. Yes sir. Hearing that Elsa went white as a sheet and, N-no, p, lea, se, I, beg, you. She begged with a strained voice. However, the man ignored Elsa and her pleas. Furthermore, he had Elsas hands and legs restrained once more. If we stay stopped in these waters for too long the guards will find us and itll be a problem. Weve achieved our goal. Lets withdraw. The man who appeared to be the leader ordered, and the ck patrol boat left the ce at high speed. Left behind was only the small boat with the ferrymans headless corpse in it. Chapter 180 - Medical Treatment

Chapter 180 C Medical Treatment

Mine was seriously injured and on the verge of death. To begin with, Jin used healing magic. [Cure]. Anyhow, it looked like there wasnt a moment to waste. It was good that the knife stuck in her abdomen hadnte out. If it hade out in the river, there wouldve probably been major bleeding due to the added water pressure. [Cure]. Jin gave first-aid by piling up healing magic. He confirmed that Mine was still breathing and, Is there a doctorA healer around this area? He asked the curious onlookers that had gathered. Theres a ce a bit downtown from here. One of them said, and, Excuse me, but could someone go over there and call that person to help? Jin then said, but, Oh, Ive got errands to do though. Ive got to be home soon. I cant. And so forth, everyone said, leaving Jin by himself. Actually, just the middle-aged woman who had told Jin about the healers location stayed behind. What a heartless bunch Jin muttered and, That was to be expected. From the start, the people living on this street are a mixed bag, you see. The woman said. But more importantly, we ought to take out this knife. As soon as she said that, she pulled out the knife in one go. ! It mustve been painful, as Mine who was thought to be unconscious spasmed a little. What are you! [Heal]. But without a moments dy the woman chanted Shouro Empire-style healing magic, keeping bleeding at its minimum. If you let something long like that stay in for a long time, it bes unremovable, you see. This was because the muscle tissue would twine around it and stick to it. You are? Jin was impressed by her skills. Oh, Im that healer, Sally Milsson. It turned out that luckily the healer had been among the onlookers. But this is a problem. Itll be tough carrying this wounded fellow with just the two of us. Tough mainly in the sense that itll impact her health. Leave it to me. Reiko, go over there for a bit and call Elm and Ash of the SP here. Yes. As removing [Stealth] here would be too suspicious, the invisible Reiko gave a short reply and went behind a tree growing on the riverbed where she summoned Elm and Ash. Sister, you called? At first, the SP also called Jin Father and Reiko Elder Sister, but while on duty they had been made sure to call Jin Chief and Reiko Sister. This was one of Jins strange ideas. Please act ording to Fathers instructions for the time being. Thank you for your hard trouble. Yes, Sister. Then Reiko came back along with Elm and Ash. Good work. Elm and Ash, please carefully lift her up and carry her. For the destination, just follow us. Yes, Chief. Sally Milsson was surprised seeing the two golems obeying Jins orders. Youre terrific, huh. Having two golems as fine as these. But its a big help. Well then, please raise her gently. Elm and Ash put their hands under Mines unmoving body and carefully lifted her. It was imperative that they carry her while maintaining as much as possible a posture that didnt affect the wound in her abdomen. Thats right, now follow me please. Following Sally they crossed the riverbank into downtown. Although Elm and Ash could be said to be unusual, in a town where plenty of golems were used daily they did not catch many gazes from the passers-by. Its to the right of that corner. Ah, there, see. Sallys healing clinic was a tree minutes walk away from the riverbank. On the small door Milsson Healing Clinic was written. Yes yes, go over there andy her down, mh-hm, thatll do. Theyid Mine down on the examination table and Sally immediately started her medical exam. Bones broken in the right wrist and arm, huh. The stomach wound isHey you, step out for a moment. She was about to take off Mines clothes when her hands stopped, and she advised Jin. Ah, yes. Jin escaped along with Reiko to the neighboring room that was simr to a preparation room. Then, Reiko, try contacting Laozi. See if he can detect Elsas whereabouts. Yes, understood. For a while Reiko was silent, contacting Hourai Ind with her internal ManaCom. Then after about two minutes. Got it. There appears to be two simr responses. One is in Ikasanaato. The other is in a location 20 kilometers upstream of River Torres. After hearing that, Jin made a guess. Hm. The reaction in Ikasanaato is most likely the dagger that was left behind. So in that case, the other reaction would appear to be Elsa. At that moment he heard Sally call him from the other room. Jin quickly returned to the treatment room. Whats wrong? Sally was standing there with a grim look on her face. Its critical. I removed the knife. Closed the wound. Expelled the water she breathed in. Healed the fractures too. However Jin took a look at Mines face. It was a bloodless white. Jin guessed that most likely the knife wound reached her internal organs. He had heard that because the liver, the spleen, and such had high concentrations of blood vessels, stopping bleeding there was difficult. Jin judged that to be the case from the lessons about on-site first-aid which he had once taken during his time as a factory worker. Probably in this world that didnt have surgical techniques wounds in internal organs were fatal. At this rateShes in danger. Sally had an extremely sad expression on her. As expected, not being able to save a patient must bitter. If only there was Restorative medicine Restorative medicine? Yeah. But drink-type medicine is highly expensive. Alchemists in themselves are scarce, so it cant be helped, but if only we could have her drink some of that there would be a chance. Jin had the experimental restorative medicine in his pocket. But it was still a trial product, and without making human experiments it would forever stay that way. What are her chances if recovery if she stays like this? Jin asked, just in case. After thinking about it for a little while, Sally replied, Not even one in ten. More precisely, at this rate if she doesnt return to consciousness shes as good as gone. Jin stopped worrying and took the restorative medicine out of his pocket. Theres something like a restorative medicine in here, but I dont know how effective it is. He said honestly and, Let me see. He handed it to Sally, who then seemed to study it in various ways. Finally, [Analyse]. She used analysis magic. Because this magic couldnt analyze things one had no understanding of it would be pointless for Jin to use, but in the case of Sally, Y-you! Where did you get this!? She excitedly moved closer to press Jin for an answer. Jin assessed the situation and, Is it effective? If thats the case then leave that talk forter, please use it! He said. Being told that, Sally blushed a little and nodded. R-right. Its as you say. Ill do it at once. She said, poured about a third of the contents into a feeding cup, and held it to Mines mouth. Please drink it About half of the liquid in the cup was spilled, but somehow she was able to have her drink the other half. Doing so, the result was dramatic. A red tinge appeared in her once-white face, and her disordered breath turned back to normal. Sally examined Mines pulse from her wrist too and, Mh-hm, it seems shes no longer in danger. She said and breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 181 - In Pursuit

Chapter 181 C In Pursuit

To stabilize Mines condition, Sally had her drink one more mouthful of the remaining medicine. This time she managed to have Mine drink the whole thing without spilling it. Sigh, she should be fine now. Now we just wait and see. Now Mine was breathing calmly. She seems to have also suffered considerable mental damage, so it will take some time until she wakes up. Sally said and so, Doctor, could I have Mine hospitalized here for a while? Jin tried asking. Sally replied, Mh-hm, this is a house of healing so I dont mind. However, as a healer, I would like you to tell me about that medicine. And she brought out her bargaining point. Well, the topic was going toe up no matter what so, Sure, alright. I made that medicine. Jin replied honestly. He thought this healer Sally was somehow trustworthy. She was a woman, but she gave off the same impression as Reinhardt and himself. You made it!? Are you an alchemist? Sally was astonished. No, Im a Magi Craftsman. I heard of the recipe of the restorative medicine from somewhere, so I made one as an experiment. Whawhawha-what? You heard of the recipe? You heard of the recipe thats more valuable than life to alchemists? Sally was even more astonished. Oops, Jin thought, and decided to alter the story. No, the one I heard it from was an Automata, you see. Not only that, but one from the times of the Great Magic War. Whaaat? Sally was well surprised. Jin had thought shed be calm and collected, but maybe she was unexpectedly an easily excited person. The old Automata, see, after telling me that theypletely stopped working, and that was the only thing I heard. Furthermore, the information was iplete. Jin then just told her that he had made the medicine by using healing magic to charge the serum of a devil beast, which he had made by settling some of the blood he had had on hand. The centrifuge and the like wouldve been difficult to exin and so he omitted them. Hmm, so it was that kind of technique you say. However, despite that Sally appeared to have had some kind of an inspiration, and while grumbling she ruminated over the recipe. I cant get my hands on a devil beasts bloodBut isnt there something better than a devil beastWhats important is the included Magic EnergyIn that case Excuse me, doctor. Jin was irritated at Sally who was immersed her own world with no sign of returning, and he called out to her in a quite loud voice. Even more than Mine, he was worried about Elsa. Hm! Wh-what is it? Mine will be fine now, right? Mh-hm. As long as she recovers like this she should be fine. Hearing that, Jin made up his mind. Sorry about this, but could I trouble you to keep an eye on her here until shes well? Hm? I dont mind, but there seems to be some story here. Sally said, and Jin summarized the story of Elsa and Mine to her. Hmm, she ran away with someones daughter. And got attacked midway, I suppose. Huh. Well, I cant think of anything else that mightve happened. And so I guess as far as her employer is concerned, she cant go back to him. Because shell be punished, I see. Sally thought about it for a while then, I understand. Ill look after her for a while, why not until her health improves. Its the least I can do after you told me about the restorative medicine. She said undertook the task. Jin bowed and, Thank you, doctor. So, heres the payment for the time being. He said and handed over three gold coins, that is, 30000 Torr. This is way too much Sally started to say, but then guessed that it must also include the money for keeping quiet and epted it without saying anything else. As Jin didnt have to worry about Mine for the time being, he hurried back to the hotel. It was already evening, but it seemed that Reinhardt still hadnt returned. He then decided hed leave a message. Could you please tell Reinhardt that theres something Im a little worried about so Ill go check on it, and that he doesnt have to worry about me. He asked the butler ude to convey that to Reinhardt, left Ann in his room, and under the darkening skies he departed looking for Elsa. Time was precious. It would be good if he had the golem horse Koma, but it couldnt pass through the carriages Warp Gate. With no other option, he detached a horse golem from the carriage and straddled it. As there was no saddle it was unsteady, but as time was of the priority he endured it. His destination was upstream of River Torres. Jin decided to call the Air Force for backup when its needed. Sky units from 71 to 75 were defending Jin, while Raptor units from one to five had the duty of staying on alert at a high altitude. They would probably arrive by the end of Jins 20-kilometer journey. Oh, but the bottleneck is thatnding will be difficult. Although it was thiste, Jin noticed a w in his n. If Im not mistaken there was something called a VTOL aircraft. Once I go back I should try building one While thinking that, Jin moved in the evenings darkness. The golem horses back just shook and he was concerned about Elsa, but on the other hand his head was filled with idle thoughts. Reiko has been strengthened, but my own body hasnt at all been. I really must finish making some personal equipment soon. Night vision goggles to see in the dark, or the power suit whose development came to a halt midway, or something. Jins thoughts had no end. Oh, if Reiko could fly too thatd be great. He came up with that, which would result in her bing unstoppable by anyone. This was in a sense bacsh from his reservation. Jin wasnt a pacifist in particr. On the other hand, he wasnt quick to quarrel either. Basically he went easy on his friends, and had no mercy for his enemies. Although, thats probably how most people are. Jin wasnt particrly fond of Mine. Shedin at the drop of a hat, if pushed hed describe her as weak-headed. However, while that may be true, Jin wasnt as cold-hearted as to just silently overlook how she had been treated. All the more now that he had been told she was Elsas real mother. Hed track down Elsa and settle the debts with whoever made Mine suffer through that. Thats what Jin was thinking. However, he didnt realize that whoever made mine suffer through that was no longer in this world. So tiring. Jin was worn out by the saddleless and continuously shaking golem horses back. Ahh, having a motorbike would be morefortable. Even a bicycle would be fine. Ill make er. It seemed that the shackle of Jins so-called restraint had leapt into another dimension. Father, are you okay? Would you like me to carry you? Reiko asked with concern, but having a 130-centimeter girl carry him in her arms or on her back to his destination was too shameful for Jin and he refused the proposal. Is that so? If you get tired, please tell me so. Yeah. He replied, but the chances of Jin voicing hisints to Reiko were rather low. It was about the dignity of a father. In the first ce he wasnt too tired to walk, just tired of the saddleless horses shaking, and so walking would pose no problem. In addition, he couldnt go fast. Right now, the SP were going ahead in the direction of travel while on the lookout, so he couldnt go any faster. As the enemy base drew near, he had to slow down for the sake of cautiously getting near it. He was worried about Elsas safety, but Jin judged that supposing he was seen, Elsa would very likely be in even more danger, and so he restrained himself from acting rashly. Any time now hed be a short distance away from the destination. He had to make ensure the enemy didnt suspect anything. Until now he had traveled the to the side of the highway, but finally he decided to take the path where there was no road. Father, to make it more efficient, should I have the SP go ahead as outriders? To push his way through the bushes he would need to use substantial strength. Thats why she mentioned having the SP go ahead as outriders, or in other words cutting and clearing the way through bushes. Of course, with utmost silence and secrecy. Right, go ahead and do that. And so it was arranged that Dahlia and Canna of the SP showed themselves and led them. The other members were wary of the surroundings. Reiko was closest to Jin protecting him, and they carried on. After about fifteen minutes, Dahlia who had been going ahead stopped moving. Chief, there is a building. Just as she reported, if you looked closely, in the darkness there indeed was something like a stronghold. I can indeed feel the Magic Energy of the brooch Father made. Reiko said. In the brooch Jin had gifted Elsa were small Magi Crystal studdings, which had his Magic Energy in them. Thats why Reiko was able to perceive its existence at this distance. Well, lets finally get to the infiltration. Jin said, but, Father, there is no need for you to do it yourself. The SP is for times like this. Just give them the order. Reiko rebuked him. That made Jin feel vaguely ashamed, but it was true that Jins corporeal strength was low. Alright, then Illmand you. First track down Elsa. Do not be found. Yes, Chief. Without a sound, the SP disappeared in the direction of the stronghold. Jin thought while watching it. (It might be interesting to make a magical puppet that moves ording to my will.) Despite thinking it a bit imprudent, even at this asion Jin thought about craftsmanship. Chapter 182 - Elsa’s Crisis

Chapter 182 C Elsas Crisis

The men who kidnapped Elsa kept moving upstream, and eventually the boat arrived at the left bank of the river. Well be having you blindfolded from here on out. Elsa was blindfolded and carried by the men. Elsa who no longer had any energy to resist was at the mercy of the men. After about thirty minutes it appeared they had reached some ce, as she noticed that the atmosphere had changed. The air was a little smelly and moist. It was like entering a closed room. Her blindfold was taken off. Elsa also noticed that her leg and arm restraints had disappeared. Well, its better that you rest for a bit. Turning around to that voice, Elsa saw a ck-masked man outside sturdy-looking iron bars. Judging from his voice it was the same man from earlier who had attached the choker to prevent Elsa from chanting. The day will dawn soon. At that time, Im sure the branch head himself will talk to you personally. Behind him was a man who appeared to be one of his subordinates, and he handed over a wooden cup of water and bread on a te through the space between the bars. Now, its not much but its for you to eat. He said and the men left. Left alone, Elsa tried to once more look around the room. Walls in three directions, the floor, and the ceiling all made out of sturdy-looking stone. The remaining direction had iron bars. It appeared awfully inescapable. Putting a hand on her neck, she felt that the metal choker bit into it. Even though she tried to remove it, it seemed very unlikely for it toe off. Elsa gave up on removing the choker, and simply drank the water. Then shey down on the hard floor. She was feeling too much wretched, and tears came flowing. Rai, niiJin, kun Her older cousin who always supported her and came to her rescue, and her friend who made one thing after another that nobody was capable of copying. Just why didnt she talk to them before running away? That was her only regret. The tired Elsa fell into a shallow sleep there and then. She mustve dozed for a few hours. Elsa woke up to a voice calling for her. Her whole body ached from sleeping on the hard floor. The branch head has summoned you. Come. Once again Elsas both arms and legs were restrained. The restraints this time were two chains 30 centimeters or so long that tied her left and right together. So if she moved her right arm her left arm would move, and if she raised her left leg her right leg would be pulled. In other words, her current status didnt allow for any but small movements. Taken out from the prison in that condition, as she wasnt used to it Elsa kept almost falling over but didnt while she kept walking. ck-masked men were in all directions. She climbed up a long staircase, and walked across a long hallway to the end. The man walking in front of her opened a heavy-looking door. Go in. Ow. Pushed by the man behind her, Elsa fell over. She trust her hands forward to defend her face from impact, but the knees she hit on the floor hurt. Oh my, you shouldnt treat ady like that. Someone said with a slimy voice, and Elsa looked up. In the room was a gaudy chair, and on that a man was sitting looking down at her. That man was the only one without a ck mask or ck clothes. On the contrary, his garments were conspicuously white: he had put on a white robe and a long cloak. Can you stand? Sorry, eh, my subordinates arent aware of how to treat ady, eh. Ill warn themter so please forgive me. His words were courteous, but his tone had an indescribably unpleasant feeling to it. Elsa slowly stood up. Oh my, your knees are bleeding, eh. [Cure]. He cast healing magic and the wounds on Elsas knees recovered. This should be fine. Now then, from the top, wee, Miss Randol. Its a pleasure. The man said and Elsa took another close look at him. She couldnt quite tell whether he was in his 20s or in his 30s. He had a smooth white face and grey hair. His grey eyes were narrow, and within them madness seemed to be showing through. His body was long and thin. He was even slimmer than Reinhardt. He was tall enough that you could recognize while he was still sitting. Im, no, longer, Randol. I, abandoned, that, name. Still the choker pressured her throat, making her voice note out well. Oh, I see. ording to my subordinates report, it appears that you ran away to Celuroa Kingdom together with your nanny, eh? The man said with a wide, serpentlike grin. Excuse me for my manners, I am the branch head of the eighth subdivision of the Unifilers, my name is Purcell Marces DCanagerion. So this was a base of the Unifilers, Elsa thought, feeling dread once more. However, she hid it, and pondered about the name she had just heard. Are you, a noble, of, Celuroa, Kingdom? Celuroa Kingdoms nobles epted convention for introductions was given name - surname (house name) - d - posthumous name (territory name). Oh my, so you know. Mdy is rather wise. His tterybined with his expression only gave Elsa feelings of disgust. Now then, before we get down to business. Purcell ordered his subordinates to have Elsa sit on a simple chair. Its not proper to have ady stand around for a long time, you see. He said, and then finally cut to the chase. Now then, first of all the reasons weve invited you, theres two of them. Well, actually, maybe I should say theres three? Say whatever suits your fancy, Elsa thought while staring at Parcells feet. Number one. As a restraint against Reinhardt-dono. This ones already taken care of, eh? Huh? Elsa wondered for a moment whats the connection between Reinhardt and her, but then realized that if her gentle cousin knew she had been taken hostage, maybe hed be obliged to work for the interest of the Unifilers. Number two. That mysterious Magi Craftsman who suddenly appeared. Jin Nidou, was it, eh? Wed like to know every detail about him and the golems who are with him. In other words, they would extract information about Jin who ruined the Unifilers ns from Elsa whos been together with him. I, dont, know. Even if, I did, I wouldnt, tell. Elsa made a brief promation while ring at Purcell. Number three. Youre an excellent magus. The fact is that I would also love to have you as an ally of us Unifilers. Whod, do that. Elsa looked away in a huff. But Purcell continued while smiling as if he was making sport of Elsa. Consider it veeery carefully. At the very least weve achieved one goal. And were you to refuse to cooperate on the second and third then, well, we have our methods. He wasnt any less polite, but this time there was ice in his words. Elsa reflexively looked Purcell in the eyes. The only thing needed for you to satisfy the requirements of that first one is to stay alive. As for the second, you need only to be able to speak. Understanding the meaning of his words, Elsas face went pale with horror. You understand, right? Tearing off fingernails is the gentlest way. Breaking off fingers. Shaving off the nose. Cutting off the ears. Amputating the limbs. Theres other ways to torture a woman, eh, but I do not wish to do something like that to ady. That was absolutely a lie. The man called Purcell in front of her said that with such joy. Elsa felt that instinctively. E, even, so, m, my, reply, does, not, change. Elsa tried her best to act brave, but her body shivered slightly. Oh my, so you must like being tortured, eh? N, no. I dont, like, either, option. Hearing that, Purcell burst intoughter. Oh my, oh my, arent we a selfishdy, eh? Alright, youll have just this one day to think it over. Tomorrow morning, Ill hear your reply once more. Until then, please consider it very, very carefully. N, no, matter, how long, I, think, my, answer, wont, change. Elsa firmly stared at Parcell while she retorted with a trembling voice and, Ah, mdys eyes are pretty, eh. Like the finest of Aquamarines. I wonder just what kind of voice youll be making once I gouge them out, how about you, eh? Purcell said and licked his lips. ! Elsa quietly fainted. What, thats boring. You just fainted. Return her to her cell. When Elsa once more came to, she was in her cell. The iron bars were shut and locked. There was no window so she couldnt tell the time. But no matter how much time she had, Elsas heart was settled. She had betrayed the people kind to her by running away, but she would not betray them a second time. No matter what she went through she would not budge. Suddenly, she remembered what Reinhardt had said when he gave her the dagger Jin had made. As a noblewoman, that de is the final tool to protect your dignity with. Only when you absolutely no matter what do not want to your will to be trampled is it eptable to draw. What she couldnt understand at that time she now vaguely could. To sever her own life with her own hands. The dagger was for that purpose. But she had left that dagger behind. No, she had abandoned it along with her status of a noble. Even, so, Ive, already. Elsa made a vow in her heart. To never sell out Reinhardt and Jin. To that end, she would subject herself to anything. Thats, my, pride. She closed her eyes and sights of the journey until now came to mind. It was, fun. The trip with Reinhardt. Departing for the golem boat race. Being together with Jin on the return trip. She learned a lot of things. Met a lot of people. Thinking about that, even at this time she felt her heart grow warm. Im, content. Muttering that, Elsaid herself down. There was still time until nightfall, but perhaps because of her piled up fatigue, her body was sluggish and while shey there her awareness sunk into the darkness. Chapter 183 - Jin’s Wrath

Chapter 183 C Jins Wrath

Guard three, neutralized. Front gate sentry two, neutralized. In the blink of an eye, the three guards watching the strongholds surroundings and the two guarding the entrance were neutralized. The means was through [Stun Rod] which was simr to [Stun]. Applied directly on skin it could produce 50,000 volts, and if used on someone with a thick leather coat it could produce up to 500,000 volts. The golems of the SP, alias ninja unit, did not have staves but instead were capable of stunning the enemy by shooting electricity through their own hands. Back gate sentry two, neutralized. In front of them who were hidden using [Stealth] on top of being multiple times stronger and faster than humans the personnel of the stronghold were neutralized one by one. The number of people inside is 32. Currently 12 have been neutralized. Using their internal ManaComs, one after another they sent reports to Reiko. Conjectured structure of three basement floors and three aboveground floors. The material is granite. The building is rtively new. They also send detailed reports of the buildings aspects. Simultaneously they were also transmitted to Laozi on Hourai Ind, while Reiko did her own personal analysis of the situation. There is a reaction on the second basement floor that appears to correspond to Elsa. Their leader is thought to be on the second floor upstairs in the stronghold. Currently 19 people have been neutralized. There is a possibility that they will soon notice. Alright, give maximum priority to safeguarding Elsa. Roger. Whats wrong? What happened! I dont know! The sentries have disappeared! The people who went to get in contact with the guards didnte back! Is it an enemy raid? Entirely unknown, sir! Alright, go on alert status one! ? Elsa woke up to a ruckus. Is something, going, on? At that time, two ck-masked people came down the stairs. Shes there. Ah, theres nothing abnormal here. They exchanged lines after seeing that Elsa was inside her cell. The one of them, and immediately after the other fell down. ? In front of Elsa who didnt know whats what, two golems appeared. They were both female-types, approximately the same height as Elsa. One of them spoke. Elsa-san, no doubt? Ah, yes. After hearing that, the other golem appeared to make a report to someone who was not here. Elsa-san discovered, she does not appear to have great wounds. She has been jailed, now beginning rescue operation. That female-type golem thenid her hands on the cells bars, or so Elsa thought, but then the golempletely bent the heavy iron bars. A, mazing. The gap in the bars was plentyrge enough for a person to go through, then the golem stepped inside and, Excuse me. She said and twisted off the restraints on Elsas arms and legs. However, Its very unlikely anyone but the chief can remove that choker, please endure it for a bit longer. Eh? Chi, ef? Yes. The person who made us. Could, that, person, be. Our Father, Nidou Jin. Jin, kun Tears escaped from Elsas eyes. She knew the truth that Jin had not forsaken her. Elsa-san, can you walk? I, can. In that case please put this on. The golem took a ring out of an essory pack on her hip and handed it over to Elsa. It was something Elsa was very well-acquainted with. This, is. The ring Jin had first given her, the Ring of Protection. The ring that had saved Elsa multiple times. While still crying, Elsa put on the ring. Come, lets go. The golems took the lead and began to walk, and Elsa said to them, Wa, it, what, are, your, names? If theyre Jins golems they surely have name, Elsa thought and asked. I am Canna. She is Dahlia. Can, na, Dah, lia. Thank, you. Elsa briefly said to them and began following Canna and Dahlia. They climbed up the stairs. When they arrived at the second floor, Dahlia who was going ahead disappeared. Agh. A short, mumbled scream was heard. In the middle of the hallway on her left-hand size was Dahlia whom Elsa had thought disappeared, and at her feet were two copsed ck-masked people. You, killed, them? No, only stunned them. Since Chief dislikes murderers. They once more climbed up stairs, and there in a wide lobby there were four copsed ck-masked people. In addition, two male-type golems were standing there. Them, too? Elsa asked when she saw the male-type golems. Yes. Theyre Elm and Ash. The two golems in question approached them and, Elsa-san, right? We will be seeing you off. And thus, Elsa escaped from the stronghold that was one of the subdivisions of the Unifilers, protected by Kanna, Dahlia, Elm and Ash. Elsa! Are you okay! After walking a hundred meters from the stronghold Elsa and Jin reunited. Jin, kun Elsa broke in to a run, buried her face in Jins chest and began crying in a loud voice. Jin, kun, I was, scared Elsa Jin stroked Elsas back for a while, and when atst Elsa had cried herself out he gently ced his hand on her shoulder and separated their bodies. He then took a handkerchief out of his pocket and softly wiped Elsas face. Tha, nk, you. Jin got suspicious of Elsas voice which was even more faltering than usual, and discovered the ne biting into her neck. Whats this? Col,r, to, se, al, ma, gic. The anger on Jins face after hearing that was apparent. Elsa had the excess Magic Energy disorder. If Elsas magic was sealed then what would happen? The surplus Magic Energy could destroy Elsas body. Those bastards put on something like this on you. Jin left the task to his wrath and tore off the choker. Eh? Elsa was confused by the choker that she couldnt remove no matter how hard she trieding off so easily, but then she thought that well, its Jin, and she could understand. Then Jin examined the detached choker with [Trace] and [Inspection] magics, however It doesnt just seal magic! They fucking wrote a magic form on it thats like the reverse of healing magic, gradually weakening the body. Jin said with a voice full of fury, crushed the choker with his hands, and moreover gave instructions to Reiko. Reiko, crush that stronghold. Chapter 184 - Ultimatum

Chapter 184 C Ultimatum

The furious Jin sent orders to the Ninja Unit through Reiko. Throw the neutralized people outside. Once theres no one inside contact me. Goodbye. Even Elm and Ash who had escorted Elsa once more headed towards the stronghold. Left behind were Jin, Elsa, Reiko, Dahlia, and Canna. Jin-kun, what were those golems? Elsa wanted to know and she asked. Theyre the SP, nickname Ninja Unit. Ninja Unit? Apparently she did not know what ninjas were. Yeah. Basically, theyre golems that protect me usually without showing themselves. For now, he exined it like that. When did you make them? Eh? Hmm, after we left Egelia Kingdoms royal castle, I think. Eh? Where? I didnt see you build them anywhere. For a moment Jin hesitated about what to say, but then made up his mind. On Hourai Ind. Hourai Ind? Not Kunlun Ind? Yeah. Once all this has been finished Ill exin it to you properly, so please hold on for a bit longer. Jin appeased Elsas questions. Father, report from Ash. Excluding their leader, everyone has been sessfully neutralized. Currently theyre being carried out. Alright, got a good feeling about this. Then Jin looked at Elsa and, Ill now be going to teach a lesson to the guy who hurt you, Elsa. Please wait here. Dahlia and Canna will protect you. He said and began to walk. Elsa gripped the sleeve of his coat. Wait. Take me with you. Are you sure youll be okay? She would return into the ce she had only just escaped from, so Jin was worried about her. If its with Jin-kun Ill be alright. More importantly, dont leave me alone. She had frightened eyes like a small puppy. Jin sensed Elsas uneasiness and nodded. Alright, lets go together. Jin said and held out his hand which Elsa then took and stood up. Reiko, Dahlia, Canna, lets go. Yes. Jin began walking apanied by three golems. [Light Ball]. He created a ball of light which floated midair. The Light Ball would light the way until the Magic Energy it was charged with depleted. He created ten of them and had them float around the stronghold. The area was then as bright as day. Barrier. Furthermore he deployed a Magic Barrier that enveloped Elsa and himself. They walked on without pausing and set foot inside the stronghold. Dont worry. No matter what happens Ill protect you, Elsa. Mm. They walked inside the unmanned stronghold, heading towards the second floor. There lie the living room cum office of Purcell who called himself the head of the eighth subdivision of the Unifilers, Purcell. While walking, Jin heard the general details from Elsa. Open the door. Jin said, and Canna who was following him went ahead and kicked in the door. The ornamental door looked heavy, yet it was blown away like leaves in the wind. W-who is it? A panicked voice. If you looked, you could see a slim man dressed in white robes in the corner of the room. He was protected by two pitch-ck golems on both sides, while he himself could be seen holding an excessively ornamented long cane. Purcell. Jin didnt miss the fear that ran through Elsas eyes when she saw the man. So youre the branch head? T-thats right. The branch head of the eighth subdivision of the Unifilers, Purcell Marces DCanagerion! Y-you are? Jin grinned broadly and said, Im that Nidou Jin youre so interested in. Hearing that, Purcells face was filled with mixed feelings. I-I see! I see that taking Miss Randol hostage was effective indeed, eh? Coe now, pledge allegiance to us Unifilers! Purcell said with a pompous attitude. However, Dont screw around. Jin said with a voice so cold that Elsa next to him couldnt believe her ears. I didnt particrly care whatever you called yourselves, or whatever you nned, as long as you didnt drag me into it. After Jins remark Elsa couldnt stop herself from looking Jin in the face. But, this time is uneptable. You kidnapped Elsa. You made her cry. You hurt Elsas nanny. You areMy enemies. Elsa had never seen Jin with a face this grim. But she didnt think it scary in the slightest. Rather, it made Elsa feel relieved. As long as she was protected by this person, she wouldnt have to fear anything. Thats how she thought. Ill spare only your lives. Go back and tell that to yourrades. If you make any more moves on my friends, that day will be the day Unifilers get destroyed. Y-you must be joking, eh? You think you can take on us Unifilers by yourself? Even thiste in the game, Purcell acted tough. In contrast to Purcell, Jin put her hand on Elsas shoulder and, By myself? Im not by myself, am I? Ive gotpanions I can trust, and friends I must protect. He said, then looked at Reiko, Dahlia, Canna, and said, Ive also got children I can rely on. At those words Dahlia and Canna took a step forward. Purcell looked at the two golems that had approximately the same build as Elsa and, Y-you were a Magi Craftsman, right eh? You think those dainty golems can bring down my imperial guards? He said, and then to the pitch-ck golems on his sides, Repel them! Purcell gave the order. Jin merely said, Its okay to use your full power. The two golems understood that alone, and in an instant grabbed the pitch-ck golems from behind, and poured on an electric shock of 10,000,000 volts. It wasnt the stun mode that wouldnt give humans permanent damage, but mighty lightning-type magic. Under that might the golems exteriors partially melted, and through the created hole jumped in and easily pierced the golems Control Cores, destroying them. The characteristic smell of ozone wafted in the room, the pitch-ck golems copsed at nearly the same time, and as their metal bodies hit the stone floor there was a high-pitched sound. E-eeek! Seeing that, Purcell wasnt able to stand up due to his fear. But Jin gave him the final blow. If thats what happens to golems, what would happen to a person? Dahlia. Yes, lets try it out. Eeek! Eeeeaaaaaah! Dahlia simply came closer to him and Purcell fainted. Foam came out of his mouth and the pants he was wearing got wet. Apparently he peed his pants. Seeing that, Jin sighed and turned to look at Elsa next to him. How about that? Do you feel a bit better? He said. Elsa smiled just a bit and nodded, Mm. Thanks. She replied. Jin looked at Purcell who had wet his pants and looked like he had no other choice as he gave orders. Ah, thats disgusting. Dahlia, drag him along as we go out, but take care that you dont touch his wet clothes. Yes, Chief. Then Dahlia grabbed Purcell by the cor and dragged him out of the stronghold. Jin and Elsa went ahead of her. Because they didnt want to walk through a hallway dripping with urine. Outside the fortress the Light Balls Jin had lit were still floating. Some of the ck-masked men who were gathered in a bundle were groaning. It appeared that they would wake up soon. Jin took out a Magi Crystal from his pocket and got closer to the unconscious Purcell. Then, [Transfer Info Level 6]. He copied the information rting to the Unifilers. By analyzing this he would surely get to know all sorts of things about the Unifilers. Hey, wake up. I said wake up. Uuuuhh Jin called out multiple times to Purcell who had been thrown down at his feet, and finally he appeared to have woken up. Because he had crashed into things all around while being dragged, his robe was worn out and his cloak too was torn out in ces. So youre finally awake. Eek! Realizing that Jin was looking down him, Purcell drew back from fear. Good grief, so they mean people like you when they speak of an ass in the lions skin. While saying so, Jin looked Reiko who was waiting nearby in the face. Just that was enough for Reiko to understand and, Father, the units from Sky-71 to Sky-75 are in the skies, ready for yourmand. She replied. Jin turned to face Purcell and the ck-masked men who had woken up and, Listen, withdraw from your foolish ambition of something like unifying the continent. This is a warning. There wont be a second one. He told them. The men listened to him silently. Next Jin gave a short indication. Reiko. After receiving that, Reiko gave instructions through her ManaCom to the high-altitude Air Force. Immediately afterwards, pirs of light poured down. There were ten of them. It goes without saying that they were [Laser] lights. Every ne beamed at maximum power from both of their installed cannons. The energy stimted the Ether in the atmosphere, giving the technically invisible light rays visible traces. Exposed to tenser beams, in an instant the graniteposing the stronghold evaporated. Because the light came from flying vehicles, moving the beams target point took less than a second. As a result, in an instant a little over 70 percent of the stronghold had evaporated into nothingness. Wha-whawha-wh Starting with Purcell, the conscious ck-masked men became frozen with fear en masse. Listen, this is final. Do. Not. Get. Involved. With. Us.'' Y-yeeees! This time everyone replied together. Jin gave their miserable state one look and, Elsa, will this do? I could also kill them all but Thats a little much, no? He asked of Elsa who was by him watching. Elsa suddenly nodded. Mm. This, will do. Seeing that, Jin said, Alright, well, lets go. He then gave a pat on Elsas shoulder and they began walking slowly. The moon was shining in the middle of the sky. Chapter 185 - Afterwards

Chapter 185 C Afterwards

By the time Jin and Elsa reached the edge of River Torres, dawn was finally breaking. Ah, Im tired. Jin said and sat on top of a rock that was up on the riverbank. Elsa also sat down. You must be tired too? Jin said and Elsa nodded to confirm. Mm. A little. Judging from her expression in this poor light, she wasnt just tired but also was hiding some moreplex emotion. Is something on your mind? Jin asked, and Elsa spoke a few words with a sad look on her face. I wish Mine was here. Hearing that, Jin asked Elsa. Are you worried even though after running away with you she exposed you to danger? Yes, because it was my wish to run away. I also think I was to me too for getting into danger. More importantly, Mine protected me andShe may have died. Elsa said and cast her eyes down. Tears began to gather in those eyes. Jinforted Elsa, Mines safe. He said. Eh? I found Mine who had drifted along the stream, then I began looking for you, Elsa. She had serious wounds, but shes fine now. Shes in the care of a reliable healing clinic. After she improves a bit more I can have you two meet. Jin briefly exined Mines circumstances, and this time tears of joy spilled from Elsas eyes. Mine, lived Looking at Elsa who happily muttered a few words, Jin was d that she could be saved. After resting for a while, Jin and Elsa once more began to walk. It was already considerably bright. River mist enveloped the surroundings. They moved for quite a time, until they arrived at a wide and t location. It was around six meters wide, vast enough to park two carriages in side-by-side. Maybe they cannd here. Jin surveyed the area and muttered. Reiko caught that and, It is fine. She said and looked up at the skies. Alright. Jin said a brief word, and Reiko gave orders through her ManaCom. Pelican-1,e here. Eh? Not just the Raptors, you also called in the Pelicans? To the surprised Jin Reiko said, Yes, Laozi said to prepare them for the unlikely event that they are needed. Jin nodded and, I see, as expected of him. In that case, Elsa. Go over there by the edge for a bit. Like that. ? While Elsa didnt know what was going on, she still moved to the edge of the riverbank as Jin said. There a ck shadow swooped down from the skies. ! Elsa was surprised and put herself on guard. Jin told her, Its fine. Thats an airne I built. Elsa looked at Jin seemingly astonished. An airne? Before Jin could say something in reply to that, Pelican-1 cleaved apart the mist andnded down on the riverbank where there was barely enough space. Afterwards thending gears protruded a little bit out from the riverbank. This isan airne? Yeah, its transportation model Pelican-1. Come on, get in. Jin said, went ahead up the airstair, then turned around to face Elsa and held out his hand to her. Seeing an airne for the first time, Elsa timidly took Jins hand and ascended the airstair. Ah From Elsas viewpoint, the nes inside wasnt much different from Jins carriages. And thats how she was able to calm down a little. Come on, have a seat, and please buckle your belt. Jin had Elsa sit on the window seat, and buckled her seatbelt. Whats, this? Its a safety belt so that you wont get thrown off your seat in case the fusge shakes. Jin said and sat down on the seat in front of Elsa, then secured his belt. All good, please take off. Roger. The pilot, Sky-1, was the top Air Force golem. With a whooooshing sound as if the ne was sucking in air, Pelican-1 started moving. Ah, um, wha Elsa was bewildered by Pelican-1 suddenly starting and the G-forces of the takeoff. Its fine. Jin faced Elsa and said a few words to her. Elsa was calmed down by Jins words, enough to make her able to calmly look out of the window. A-amazing. After a short run, Pelican-1 gently took off. At that moment they felt as if they were floating. Then Pelican-1 raised its nose and steadily climbed in altitude. Tearing the river mist to pieces, in a moment it had flown out into the clear sky. Were flying Elsas body was shivering a little. She was flying for the first time in her life, moreover she had boarded the vehicle without thinking. I told you, just rx. Im with you. Jin loosened his seatbelt and stroked Elsas hair. Elsa made an embarassed face, but her shivering seemed to lessen. Pelican-1 rose up to an altitude of about 3000 meters, and headed east. Under them were white clouds. Mountains and rivers, forests andkes, cities and viges all appeared tiny. Once Elsa was used to the sensation of flying, she couldnt get her eyes off the spectacle. Amazing. This is what the world looks like from the sky. Pushing against the window frame, she looked at the world. Pelican-1 going at over 300 kilometers per hour was above the sea in two hours. T-that, could it be Elias Penins? If thats the case, is that Io ind? Looking at the unusually high-spirited Elsa, even Jins heart was warmed. Even if for a moment, he had made her forget about the shock of being kidnapped. Thats what he was thinking about. Then at the end of the sea spanning as far as the eye can see, arge ind came into sight. Thats Hourai Ind. Jin exined. Its the ce where my real home is, and its my base. Hourai IndJin-kuns, home. Elsa stared at it with intense concentration. Pelican-1 began to gradually descend. Elsa, the time of thending will be a little shaky, so please sit down properly. Okay. Elsa obediently did as Jin told her to. Then Pelican-1nded on the runway in front of the researchboratory. Wee, to Hourai Ind. Jin who went down first, turned towards Elsa who wasing down the airstair and held out his hand while speaking. Much, obliged. Elsa replied and she blushed a little. Wee back, My Lord. Wee, Elsa-sama. Laozis terminal came to greet them. The perfect butler. Who? Elsa asked Jin. Before Jin could reply Laozi introduced himself. Excuse me my manners. I am Laozi, and Ive been entrusted with managing this ind, pleased to make your acquaintance. He said and bowed neatly. Even Jin who was the source of Laozis information couldnt bow so splendidly. You must be tired, please first take a bath and then have a meal. Just like Laozi suggested they went to take a bath. Jin didnt even know there was a thing like this, but the bathrooms gender-segregation was alreadypleted. As expected of Laozi, he thought. Jin was attended by Reiko, and Elsa by Soleil and Luna. Sigh. Jin who had been moving around all night since yesterday stretched while submerged in the warm hot spring water. Reiko, good work. He spoke words of gratitude to Reiko who was bathing together with him. No, this time I didnt do much of anything. Thats not true at all. I had Reiko as a mediator and as my support. If you werent there, there surely wouldve been more difficulties throughout the whole deal. Yes, thank you very much. Elsa seems to have had a hard time, so please look after her kindly. Yes, I will endeavour to do so. Elsa-sama, how is the water temperature? Ah, its fine. Just perfect. Elsa-sama, I shall wash your back. Mm. Thanks. Elsa received a warm wee from Soleil and Luna. Despite the designs of the Unifilers, and despite the nobles greedy for getting ahead in life, the skies of Hourai Ind were blue and clear. Chapter 186 - Being Called a Brother

Chapter 186 C Being Called a Brother

After bathing, the two had a meal at a time that wasnt quite breakfast nor was it quite lunch. This time Ive done the cooking. Laozi said. He appeared to be in high-spirits about making food for Jin for the first time, so the portions were on therger side but because of their hunger the two ate it all without problems. Thanks. Jins stomach swelled out and his eyelids began to droop. Father, please have a brief rest. Reiko worried about Jins health. Ah, right. I suppose Ill take a short nap. Elsa must be sleepy too. Mm. Then, he guided Elsa to the mansion. Due to it being spring, despite Hourai Ind being north of the Northern Tropic it was rather warm by midday. Make yourself at home. Whats, this. Ive never seen a building like this before. Elsa was wide-eyed in wonder at the Japanese-style tiled roof architecture. Well, lets just have a short rest. After that Ill exin everything. Mm, Im looking forward to it. Heid out a futon in a room facing south and called Elsa there. This also has tatami mats. Im d. Elsa said and threw herself on the with a whump. After that she rolled around all over the ce and towards the futon. Almost like a child. So, Ill be going to my own room to sleep for a bit. Jin said and was about to close the sliding screen when, Wait. Please, just stay by me for a little while. He was held back by Elsas heartrending voice. Got it. Jin once more went back to Elsas room andy down on the tatami. Ill be here, so you can rest easy. Mm. Thanks, Jin-kun. This time Elsa closed her eyes looking calm from the bottom of her heart. Lonesome, isnt she. Jin reminisced of the past. During his orphanage days, there was a time when they had taken custody of a girl who had lost her parents. She was a student on the third year of elementary school and could never sleep unless she had someone next to her. Starting with Jin, the older children had slept by her in turns. Jin was nostalgic as he thought about those days. Father, its about time for you to wake up, please. And just like that, before he knew it Jin had also fallen asleep. He was woken up by Reikos voice. Yawn, I slept well. Jin got up and stretched. Reiko looked to be in a bit of a bad mood. Father, if you dont sleep properly in a futon you wont get any less tired. Besides, what if you caught a cold? Ah, sorry. But I was worried about Elsa. He apologized, and Reiko looked reluctantly epting. Its soon 3 oclock. If you dont contact Reinhardt-san hell get worried. Ah, youre right. I had already been considering telling Reinhardt about this ce sooner orter, but Jin said to Reiko who nodded and, I will follow whatever Father thinks is the best. She said. Jin quietly left the room, and tried asking the same thing about Laozi through his terminal in the mansion. Yes, if My Lord thinks it is a good idea then please carry on to do so. I shall support you with my full capabilities. Laozi also said something simr, and Jin finally decided to bring Reinhardt along with him here. Then, the pitter-patter sound of running steps were heard from the hallway. Jin wondered what was going on and went to take a look, and there was Elsa, running. Elsa? He said to Elsas back as she had passed him by, and suddenly she stopped and slowly turned around. Jin, kun? Elsa, wh-whats wrong? In Elsas eyes enough tears had gathered that it looked like they would fall any moment now. Jin-kun! Then Elsa came jumping towards Jin. I thought youd left me behind. She said and clung to Jin. Jin felt as if Elsa had regressed back to a child a little. (Its probably because of the anxiety from the time she was kidnapped, or because of the change in environment.) Jin thought while gently stroking Elsas back. Well, what to do now. If his guess was right, it should solve itself with enough time. But right now Jin couldnt just quietly go out. I wonder if shell be fine if shes got Soleil and Luna with her? She had been fine during the bath, so Jin summoned the two and decided to leave Elsa with them for a while. Yes, leave it to us. Then Jin told Elsa. I just thought that Id only go get Reinhardt. So could you wait for that? Then Elsa nodded with a sad look on her face and, Mm. But,e back soon. Jin-nii. She said. Jin-nii? She called him nii, the same as Reinhardt. Mm. I already abandoned the Randol house. So Im all alone. If possible, I want Jin-nee to treat me as a sister. Please? Ah, Jin understood. Elsa had already be someone without a single rtive. And thats why she couldnt help but be anxious. Got it. From now on, Ill consider Elsa my younger sister. Is that okay? Mm. Jin-nii. Alright. In that case, Ill go get Reinhardt, so just wait patiently. Leaving behind the finally calmed-down Elsa, Jin warped back to the carriage in Tellurs. There he realized. There was a time difference between Tellurs and Hourai Ind. It seemed to be a difference of about three hours and a half. Therefore it was still before noon. I suppose Ill first go check how Mines health is. Without going into the hotel, he headed towards Sallys healing clinic. At Hourai Ind the skies were clear but here it was cloudy. Jin walked downtown while feeling the vaguely moist spring winds. The clinic was at the end of a curved alley near the riverbank. Good day. He opened the door and stepped inside where there were three patients. Oh, its you. Wait a moment, please. Sally looked at Jin and said, then once again began examining the patients. After waiting for about 15 minutes, Sally who had finished viewing her patients said, The woman -Mine, was it?- has recovered consciousness. Really now! Thats good. However, even though she hasnt recovered her strength yet shes already tried to leave the hospital and Im at a loss with her. You warn her too, please. Then Jin entered the sickbay with Sally. The resting Mine saw Jins face, sat up and, Jin-sama! Elsa, Elsa is! She yelled agitatedly and so Jin waved at her to sit down and, Mine, its okay. Elsas already out of trouble. Shes not hurt anywhere and shes safe, so you can rx. He told her so and all strength seemed to leave Mines body. Oh, uhIs that soYou saved her, right? Thank you very much, Jin-sama. She said and once morey down on the bed. Mine, youre Elsas real mother, right? Right now, Elsas hidden in a ce where she absolutely wont be found. I dont have any intention of telling about it to anyone of the Randol house other than Reinhardt. So you can rest easy and recover. Jin said, tears welled up in Mines eyes and, So you knewInearly brought her great misfortune. She said. Its fine as long as you acknowledge that. Think well upon what youll do from now on. To begin with you need to get healthy. But Im d. Now Elsa can also rest easy. Jin said, then, Jin-sama, I have a request. If possible, please dont tell Elsa that I am alive. Eh? After going through this Ive finally realized it. I only bring misfortune to that child. Its better if she doesnt have someone like me. Maybe being close to death changed her worldview, as Mine was almost like apletely different person. However, You idiot. By now, Elsa has lost all her rtives. Mine, arent you her only blood rtive? And her real mother at that? If you dont protect her then who will? He said to cheer up Mine. Still however, Is thatright? Can someone like me be a good mother? Mine kept saying things like that. Her troublesome nature hasnt changed, Jin thought with a strainedugh in his heart. Chapter 187 - Shocking Confession

Chapter 187 C Shocking Confession

Putting aside the matter with Mine for a moment, Jin returned back to the hotel they were staying in to meet with Reinhardt. Jin! He arrived at Reinhardts room and before the butler ude could say anything Reinhardt himself butted in. What in the world happened? Why havent I heard anything from you until now? Is it something you cant tell about even to me? He gripped Jins shoulder and talked on and on. Jin quickly said, Calm down. I n to exin everything soon. Just calm down for now, and lets go to my carriage. As a result, as youd expect from Reinhardt, Hm, you dont want people to overhear? Got it, lets go! ude, Ill be going out for a bit. Dont be worried even if Imte ining back! He loudly told ude and, Come on, Jin, lets go! He said and gave a pat on Jins shoulder. Jin returned to his own room and called out to Ann. Yes, master? Youe along too. And so, Jin entered the carriage together with Reinhardt and Ann. Now Jin, please exin! Reinhardt urged and, Well, just wait. Reinhardt, to tell you the truth, in this carriage theres a secret that I havent told you about. If you do this here Jin said and opened the door behind the back seats that was pretending to be for storing luggage. A Warp Gate is installed here. Reinhardt was amazed by the statement. Whats that you say! So that means, so that means You can go to Kunlun Ind from here!? Well, youll know where it goes after we go through it. How about it, are youing? Jin asked and, Of course Ille too! How exciting! Reinhardt said, seemingly ready to crawl in there any time now. Jin smiled and said, In that case, Ill go in first and after that youe through holding Anns hand. This Warp Gate too let people through only if it recognized Jins Magic Energy Pattern. Once Reinhardt had confirmed that Jin had warped, he took Anns hand and plunged into the Warp Gate. Reinhardt came out of a different Warp Gate into a wide room. At a nce there were no less than 50 Warp Gates side-by-side. Each one looked operational. Ji-Jin, where is this? It looks different from the cer from earlier? Reinhardt asked after seeing the room that was not at all simr to the room of the Warp Gate in Kunlun Ind. Oh, right. Reinhardt, wee to Hourai Ind. Hourai Ind you say? Yeah. Well, Ill exin it all in detail. But firste over here, please. For now, Jin took the somewhat excited Reinhardt out of the researchboratory where the Warp Gates were. Outside it was already evening. Eh? Wasnt it just past noon when we were in Tellurs? Yeah, theres a time difference of about three and a half hours between here and Tellurs. ? Reinhardt didnt seem to understand yet. But as Jin would exin it all soon, he showed Reinhardt in the mansion. Oh, please take off your shoes. He said, and Reinhardt who had already be familiar with this at Kunlun Indplied, nodding and taking off his shoes before entering the mansion. Theres someone Id like you to meet, Reinhardt. Jin said and Reinhardt tilted his head in confusion, Someone youd like me to meet? Jin, could it be? Without letting Reinhardt finish what he was saying, he opened the sliding screen to Elsas room. Elsa, I brought Reinhardt. Elsa! Youre okay! You idiot, I was so worried! Rai-nii, sorry. I was foolish. The cousins joined hands rejoicing their reunion. Once the two had calmed down, Jin ordered dinner from Soleil and Luna. The preparations had been entrusted to Laozi and the golem maids and so the two only had to carry the food. Come, lets celebrate our reunion. Jin said and raised a ss of wine. Having wine on a low table in a tatami-matted room while sitting on a cushion was the only choice as there wasnt any good sake. Cheers. And so the three started eating dinner. While eating, Reinhardt was itching for answers and Elsa also needed them, and then after thinking about it Jin decided on exining. First, Reinhardt, putting aside your country theres something I want to tell you as just a friend. Jin prefaced. Reinhardt deeply nodded. Then Jin finally confessed. I wasnt originally born in this world. What do you mean? He wasnt understood in one go, Jin thought. Basically, I was born in a different world, then I was Well, transferred into this world. The two pondered and gauged the significance of that for quite a while, but before long Reinhardt spoke. I see, so your outrageous knowledge is from that world. Yeah. In the world I was originally from there was no magic. In exchange the advance of science supported peoples lives. But then how did you get in this world? It was the obvious question. In the other world, I was about to die and just in the nick of time Reiko summoned me. Well, at that time she wasnt the current Reiko though. Summoned!? About to, die? The parts they were surprised about were different, but the matter was sensational indeed. Su-summoned And from a parallel world at that? Sigh, Idugh down that story if it wasnt from you, Jin. Its unbelievable that Jin-nii was about to die. Jin smiled bitterly and kept on speaking. Well, I suppose. ReikoThe Automata that was Reikos basis apparently spent 1000 years looking before it found me. 1000 years!? W-wait a moment. A thousand years? After hearing of the time span of 1000 years Reinhardt seemed to no longer be in control of himself. Yeah. The name of the person who made that Automata was Adrianna Balbora Ceci. My predecessor. Eeeeh? Reinhardts amazement reached its peak. So, that means, Jin-nii, you met Adrianna Balbora Ceci? Jin shook his head in reply to Elsa. No, I remember only what was recorded of her. After being summoned, because of the predecessors magic I inherited the magic knowledge she had left behind. For a moment there was only silence. This time the first one to speak was Elsa. I understand the reason why Jin-nii isnt normal. Are we the first ones youve told? Jin nodded. Yeah, something like this isnt really a topic to go around telling the public about. Ill say no thanks to getting weird people to have their eyes on me. He said, but, Thats impossible. Elsa blurted out. By now the Unifilers are eyeing you. Even in Elias Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom Jin-nii stood out. Right. Jin too was aware of that. If I had just secluded myself on this ind that wouldnt have happened, but honestly being alone is a little, you know. Thats to say, having only golems around you gets lonely. After Jin said that, Elsa visibly rxed and nodded, Im d. Even Jin-niis got a proper disposition. She said something of the like. As usual, she was apparently worried that Jin might be into puppets. By the way Elsa, whats up with the Jin-nii? Reinhardt who had kept quiet for a while spoke up. Ive already abandoned the Randol house. And as such I asked Jin-nii to consider me a sister. Thats why hes Jin-nii. Hearing that, Reinhardt folded his arms. Hmm, so thats why. He did think of her that way Reinhardt grumbled and looked to be pondering a little. Then once more he looked Elsa straight in the eyes and, So you really have no intention of going back any more? He asked her with a serious look on his face. Chapter 188 - From Now On

Chapter 188 C From Now On

To Reinhardt who asked Elsa if she had no intention of going back or not, No. Sorry. She said with an apology. Reinhardt made a truly, truly lonely face but, Well, if thats the decision youvee to after thinking about it, its fine. Or rather, its not for me to judge whether its good or bad. He said and turned to Jin, Jin, please take care of this inconsiderate cousin of mine. Reinhardt said and bowed. Jin had also thought that for the next while hed probably have to take care of her and so he nodded. Im not much good at anything but. Even Elsa remarked something like that. It didnt appear likely that Jin would say he knew, however taking care of her seemed to have turned out to have a different meaning altogether. However, you really werent born in this world, huh, Jin. Once while bathing in Kunlun Inds hot springs Reinhardt had unintentionally spoken of that. Hmm, well, yeah. And so naturally youre ignorant of the worldsmon sense. But, I now know. Reinhardt and Elsa both appeared to have epted Jins unreasonable existence. And in the middle of such an atmosphere, Whats left is to think about what to do from now on. Jin spoke of his other objective in inviting Reinhardt. From now on? Yeah. I gave the Unifilers an ultimatum. They probably wont stop despite that. Jin folded his arms and said with a serious look on his face. Those guys have the catchphrase of pre-Great Magic War or something like that, but in fact, I think they just want political power. At any rate, I cant stomach their methods. However I cant put together tactics or think of strategies, so. Jin said and Reinhardt nodded. I see, I get what youre trying to say. You mean you a person who can grasp the big picture? I suppose. More precisely, I need the knowledge of someone like that. Because I can get it by using [Transfer Info]. When Jin said that Reinhardt smiled bitterly and, Right, you had that as an option. He said. Actually, it appears to have been amon technique during the predecessors era? Well, it has its ws: if the person themself stubbornly resists the transfer can fail, and its impossible to transfer information to people. In addition, people without the aptitude cant use it. Hm? What about when you received the knowledge of your predecessor Adrianna? Oh, that. Its impossible because without having the same Magic Energy pattern as the person the information came from you cannot synchronize it. And for that reason even Reiko spent 1000 years looking for me. Hearing that Reinhardt felt discouraged. Is that so. Thats a shame. Can Rai-nii not learn [Transfer Info]? Then Elsa spoke out her mind. Indeed, if Reinhardt could use [Transfer Info] it would be good, but theres the requirement of considerable aptitude. Despite that lets try testing for it now, he said, and decided to see with Reikos help if it was possible to transfer information from one Magi Crystal to another. During their talk about how to begin doing that, as peers Jin and Reinhardt sounded very simr. Look, the [Magi Form] is like this and the [Keyword] is like that. Hmm, hm. It looks as difficult as I thought. Well, as were just seeing your aptitude its okay to not seed in one go. Got it. Ill try. [Transfer Info]. For an instant the Magi Crystal looked to shine off with a pale light. Reiko was continuously using [Trace] to disy the Magic Energys flow but, Its unfortunate but your aptitude looks to be low. But with training Im sure you can use it up to level two. Jin spoke of his conclusion. Level two? How much is that? Lets see Level one was the knowledge ofnguage, two was movement and behavior patterns, general knowledge was from three to five, special knowledge was from three to seven, and subconscious information was from levels six to eight, Reiko exined. Because of theplex connections of information, the levels varied. So level two would be speech, movement, and behavioral patterns, huh Reinhardt was disappointed. However, Even so, that means I can make more advanced golems than before! His recovery was quick. Rai-nii is indeed obsessed with craftsmanship. Elsa vacantly muttered from the side. Do you want to try too, Elsa? Jin casually asked Elsa. Mm, let me. And so they tried having Elsa do the same thing. [Transfer Info]How is it? It appears you could use it to up to level three. Whaaat! Elsa, Im jealous! Reinhardt loudly yelled. Looking at him, Elsa stifled augh and smiled a little. Anyway, thats all about the aptitude matters, but dont you have any close people that are well-versed in strategy? I dont have what I dont have. Reinhardt looked troubled. Sama. Eh? Elsa spoke someones name. Jin didnt quite catch it so he asked her to repeat. Moritz-niisama. Moritz? Hes Elsas eldest brother. Elsas brother? Yeah. Moritz-dono has a weak body, but hes ingenious enough call unmatched. The younger brother Fritz was a muscle-brain, and the elder brother the weak but smart type. Somehow it was a family line of extremes. Well, it would be good if the siblings would work together, but for example Elsas father Georg Randol von Amber and Reinhardts father Wolfgang Randol von Morgan are on bad terms. Siblings dont necessarily always get along. Its okay to have someone less excellent too though. As Laozis operation faculties are most likely tens of thousands times better than a humans after giving him the fundamental knowledge he could simte things by himself, and probably quickly be skilled. Actually. Jin then suddenly remembered something. Maybe it would be better to make something like strategists or staff officers too. Jin? Reinhardt looked puzzledly at the pondering Jin. Jin quickly apologized, Ah, sorry. I just thought of something. Then, Well, its not like I need that in a hurry. In addition, I wonder if you could get your hands on full-body armor? Full-body armor? Mh-hm. Jin exined. How in Anns knowledge, something like strengthened armor was described. Strengthened armor you say! Im also interested. Its probably going to be difficult procure one inside Celuroa Kingdom, but let me see what I can do. Reinhardts interest was piqued, and he started thinking about how to acquire armor. Finally, I was thinking about what I should do from now on, but Jin said, and Reinhardt had a lonesome look on his face. Oh, right. I guess this is it, the end of the trip with Jin. Eh? Hm? Isnt that what you were talking about? No, no. Im still interested in traveling. Im sure theres still many more things Im unfamiliar with in this world, and Im also interested in Shouro Empire, see. Seriously? Jin smiled and nodded. Yeah. As if Id lie about this. Its just that I was thinking that I want to improve my equipment here for a few days. He exined. Its tomorrow, right? The day of crossing River Torres. Reinhardt nodded. Thats right. For people theres enough, but theres very few avable ships that can board a carriage. If we miss tomorrow I dont know when the next time is. Hmm, Jin though. I wonder if we could meet upter? At that question, Reinhardt said, Itll be difficult but I think we could. Theres a barrier when crossing the river at the, its a region around the royal capital with special precautions for confirming how many people enter. When exiting, its done again andpared, and if the number rises or falls then thats trouble. In other words, its okay as long as I stay here while youre in the zone of special precautions. Well, thats how it is. Itll most likely take five or ten days. Jin thought once more. If its five days hell probably be able to make most of the equipment. The problem was the carriage. Without either Jin or Reiko, there was no one who could make it move normally. Father, would you like me to install a Warp Gate near the ruins of that stronghold? Reiko proposed. Thats right Celuroa Kingdom is a little suspicious. Maybe we should make an advance base there. Eeh? Jin had to exin things once more to Reinhardt who didnt quite get it. Chapter 189 - An Ending

Chapter 189 C An Ending

Last but not the least, Ive got something I want Elsa to hear. What? Its about Mine. Jin said, then Elsa vigorously inclined forwards and, Mine! Is she alright!? She asked, sounding agitated. Despite being surprised by her energy, Yeah. Shes already awake and recovering. Jin told Elsa who sat back down with a thump. Im d She whispered. Elsa, it could be said that Mine was the one who tempted you and made you go through that dangerous experience. Despite that, youre worried? Reinhardt asked. Jin felt some angering out of him and it wasnt probably just his imagination. Mm. But, when I was in danger Mine protected me with her body. Of course Im worried. Elsa answered and Reinhardt sighed and, Sigh, of course indeed. I guess that runs in the blood. He muttered as if giving up. Elsa found some fault with what he said and, Rai-nii, what do you mean? She asked. Reinhardts face became serious. Mine is your real mother, I think. He then informed her. Elsa kicked away the cushions while getting up. Rai-nii! Is that, true? Yeah. Mine herself also said so. This time Jin answered. Once more Elsa tried to sit down but having kicked off the cushions by ident, she kept going and fell on her behind on the floorAnd then toppled over on her back. Ow. A-are you okay? Jin and Reinhardt both worriedly ran over to her. As Elsa and Reinhardt were poor at sitting in seiza, five cushions had been stacked for each of them and so the height difference had beenrge. My butt hurtsBut Im okay. Elsa said and stood up while rubbing her butt, pulled the cushions towards herself and sat down. She had tears in her eyes but you couldnt tell if it was from the pain of falling on her backside, or from the happiness of knowing her real mother. I want to see Mine. Elsa looked Jin in the eyes and said. Jin pondered her request. Then he came to a conclusion. Alright, got it. Mine, you can live together with Mine on Kunlun Ind. That ce is secure and you can easilye and go with the Warp Gates. In addition, Reiko also approved of that. Thats right I suppose, this ind would have a lot of problems but Kunlun Ind was originally a dummy for Hourai Ind. So I think its a good idea. The environments also good there, right? If you lived there then Id be relieved too. Also theres no way Mine would be employed again either. Reinhardt approved of it too, so they decided to invite her to Kunlun Indter. In that case, Ill go back to Tellurs for now. Mh-hm, please take care of the rest. Just leave the carriage for me to handle, and tell them that I dropped out in the middle of the trip and it should go smoothly. Of course. Because you dont want toe in the Celuroa Kingdoms region of special precautions, just tell me when to take a detour or something so we can meet up again. Then Jin gave Reinhardt a ManaCom. Lately, the tuning for Magic Energy wavelengths reached great sesses, so that they could make calls on around 1000 channels without interference. Compared to radio waves the amount of channels is not at all that much, but as it could cover all the members of Hourai Ind it was a very important thing. With this you can contact Hourai Inds Laozi. Laozi can convey it to me, and in the case that Im not around you can just leave a message to Laozi. I see, thats good. Right, I suppose Ill make contact regrly. I wonder if nights would be okay. As expected, the reunion would probably work out easily if Reinhardt kept in contact secretly. In that case, Ill also go meet Mine so lets go to Tellurs together. Jin-nii, please get Mine here. And so, Jin and Reinhardt along with Reiko were seen off by Elsa and they warped to Tellurs. I probably dont particrly need to see Mine. Give her my regards. Got it. Reinhardt returned to the hotel, while Jin headed to Sally Milssons clinic. Good day. This time, there were no patients in the clinic. Oh, its you. The patients condition has improved greatly. Your medicine is really amazing. Sally said and greeted Jin. Is that so? In that case, would it be alright for her to leave the hospital? Hm? Thats probably okay. But she cant work too hard, alright? Yeah, okay. The side receiving her wants to have her recover, so. Jin said and Sally looked relieved. Really? If so, thats a relief. Shell probably be healed and back to normal as long as she takes it easy for two more days. She said. And so Jin went to sickroom. Ah, Jin-sama. Mine tried to sit upright but Jin stopped her and, Mine, youre a lot better now I hear? He asked. Mine smiled and said, Yes, thanks to you my wounds have disappeared. Im still a little weak in the body, but Im all good now. However, Jin replied, No, your recovery is the most important thing. Today I was thinking Id have you change beds. If not here, then where? Could it be? Mines face sparkled with anticipation. Ah, youve already got a faint idea? To where Elsa is. Oh, Elsa! Bu, but, will Elsa forgive me? Mine said and hung her head in unease. Good grief, is this really Mine, Jin thought due to therge change. Maybe the evil spirit in her came out or something, Jin thought. Itll be fine. Also, Elsa knows that youre her real mother. Jin said, and Mine stared at him in wonder. Come on, the mother and daughter should introduce themselves. So, lets go. Y, yes. And so Mine was discharged from the clinic. Her walking was still unsteady so Elm and Ash of the SP were called and made to carry her. Doctor, thank you for your help. As he was leaving Jin turned to Sally and bowed. What, you also helped me a lot. I too will try researching restorative medicine. First Ive decided to test with my own blood. Go for it. Soon after they went to where the carriage was, and after confirming no one was around got in. Only at the moment of going through the Warp Gate in the carriage Jin supported Mine, and instantly they warped to Hourai Ind. Elm and Ash guarded the carriage. For now, Reiko also stayed behind with the SP to move the carriage to the ruins of the Unifilers stronghold in order to prepare for building the advance base, and she nned to return after that. Come on, lets finish this quick for Father. Reiko connected the golem horses she had brought along to the carriage and immediately sat on the drivers seat, and had the carriage start off at a recklessly fast speed. The SP invisibly followed her. O, oi, what is that? Acarriage? How can it be that fast. Some bystanders were surprised or doubtful but no more than that, and in two hours Reiko had moved the carriage to the ruins. Bringing Mine along, Jin returned to Hourai Ind. Mines eyes darted around in confusion after her first Warp Gate experience. They left the researchboratory for the mansion. It was already dim outside. And, in front of the mansion there was the figure of a person. Of course, it was Elsa. Noticing her Mine was startled and began trembling. She stood there petrified as if she couldnt speak. Elsa also froze when she saw Mine. Jin quietly stepped away. Mother. The first one who moved was Elsa. One step, then another, slowly step-by-step she approached Mine. On the other hand, Mine was panicking a little and was even starting to step back. Mother! Suddenly Elsa broke into a run. Then she energetically leapt towards Mine and embraced her. At first Mines arms wandered about in the air as if she didnt know what to do, but eventually those arms held Elsa tight. Elsa! Mother. They both cried. I had no idea my real mother was this close all along. I wasnt alone. Sorry, Ive been a bad motherBut I dont think thats something forgiven with just an apology. Mm, itsfine, already. The two wanted to stay there like that until it was pitch ck, but Jin was worried for Mine who was still recovering and called out to them in the end, and finally the two separated. Afterwards, the two once more went through a Warp Gate and to the mansion in Kunlun Ind. Here the five-colored golem maids, Amethysts, Aquamarines, Topazs, Peridots, and Rubys number 100 models were entrusted to look after them. Elsa who hade here earlier already knew, but Mine had a little, nay, a very strained look on her face. So, if you need anything then please contact me with the ManaCom. Take care of your mother. Mm. Thank you for everything. Jin-sama, I cannot thank you enough for everything youve done. Mine, get better soon. Jin then decided to return to Hourai Ind. Mother, huh. Lucky for Elsa. Unintentionally a soliloquy escaped from his lips. On the way to the Warp Gate, suddenly he looked up at the sky and the whole sky was full of stars. And then, after returning to Hourai Ind Jin finally began to go all out. Chapter 190 - Quinta

Chapter 190 C Quinta

When it came time to go all-out in preparing the armaments, Jin consulted Laozi. First was sorting the information about the Unifilers. The analysis of the Magi Crystal containing the branch head Purcells copied knowledge was left for Laozi to analyse. The main task was strengthening Hourai Ind. Theres a lot of things to do, but which one should I start with? Lets see. Intelligence, transport or mobilization otherwise, and military force. I think these three things are important. Dont you think it would be a good idea to list each avenue for improvement in order of priority? Laozi said, and Jin followed his advice and thought. And the n he came up with was, 1. For solid intelligence, send spies everywhere. 2. Development of new ways of movement. 3. Development of new weapons. These three steps. For spies, I think that increasing the amount of current Ninja unit members should do, however I suppose. If youd like my opinion, I think that if they arent used for the reason of guarding My Lord, they should be Automata instead of golems so they can mix in with people and disguise themselves. Hmm, that sounds good. Alright, lets do that. Lets make roughly 100 of them, and call them the Quinta. The fifth column were spies, werent they? A good name, My Lord. Laozi approved of it too, and for starters they settled upon the construction of the intelligence unit Quinta. The adult-male types that would find it easiest to act numbered 40 and the adult female types 30. For camouge purposes there were ten teenage boy types and ten teenage girl types, and finally ten small Reiko-types for a total of 100 Automata. Their foundation would be the same as that of Hourai Inds SPs, but they would be covered in Magical Skin and have hair to make them resemble humans. Jin would make the principal parts and Laozi would be in charge of the rest. The next thing they started to work on was ways of movement. For movement, I want to make a VTOL or a helicopter. Transport that can takeoff andnd anywhere, I see. I think that is a fine idea. Finally, with regards to the armaments, because they would operate together with the intelligence and the transport systems, they werent in a hurry to make decisions. Then when they were just about to begin working on the Quinta, Reiko returned. Father, the establishment of a base at the ruins of the stronghold has beenpleted. Ah, good work, Reiko. Then Reiko began her report. First of all, the wreckage of the stronghold was left as it was. The reason was to make it seem to the outside that it had been abandoned. The hole in the central part of the stronghold was dug in deeper, and the base was established in a depth of 50 meters. The instation of ManaComs and the Warp Gate have also been taken care of. After that, Reikos report continued. For personnel faculties there are bedrooms, a kitchen, and a toilet. Its small, but a bath has also been installed. Knowing that Jin loved bathing she seemed to have made a smart move. There isnt a stockpile of food yet, but water has been stocked. Enough for about ten people to subsist for a week. Well done. Using the base Reiko made as a standard, lets establish more of them in other ces after this. He added one more thing, the establishment of bases, to the list with three points from earlier. He indeed urgently needed some military staff for nning. Because even Laozi had Jins knowledge as his base. What would you like me to do? Master. Then and there came Ann. Right now, Ann didnt have any particr task assigned for her, so aftering to Hourai Ind shes had nothing to do. It appeared that until now she had been learning some things from Soleil and Luna. Oh, Ann. Jin briefly exined the details. And then, Its only a little, but I think I can offer some advice. She said. Oh right. You were something like a private secretary in that fortress, werent you, Ann? Yes. Im afraid to say that despite receiving your care a part of my memories have disappeared, but I can still offer as much help as I can so please do not dispose of me. Dispose of? Why are you suddenly talking about that? To the doubtful Jin, Ann told him about the past. In that fortress, I was an old model, I also had a lowbat capability, and all the soldiers had grown tired of my body too. And so I was simply left alone to decay without even receiving repairs for any breakdowns. What the What a cruel story, Jin thought in anger. While youre with me, Ill never let something like that happen to the best of my ability. So forget about sad things like that. Anyway, please give me your support. Yes, thank you very much, master. I will do my utmost to serve you. Ann, lets do our best together. Reiko also encouraged Ann. For some reason Jin had never seen Reiko burn with jealousy towards Ann. It must be because theyre blood rtives due to the foundation being of the predecessors design, Jin thought. Alright, in that case lets start afresh. Theres a lot of things to take care of, but they dont have to be done in order. Jin said and looked in turn at Reiko, Ann, then Laozis fixed terminal. Armaments mainly for use against the Unifilers, right? Ann asked to confirm. Thats right. But if possible, I was thinking about keeping them nonlethal. Jin replied, and after hearing that Ann made a statement. In that case, the top priority is collecting intelligence about the Unifilers. The best weapon is knowing your enemy. Jin agreed with that. Mh-hm, thats what I thought. For that weve decided to make the Quinta and dispatch them to various ces. Is that so. In that case, the next is investigating ancient ruins. Ann voiced her opinion. Ancient ruins? Yes. Its certain that in other ruins like the one I was in, there yet remains equipment from the past. It is important to not let even a part of the advanced knowledge of the past be known by the Unifilers. I see, so you mean theres a chance that theres other weapons simr to Gigantes. Yes. Gigantes was a trial version of the mass-produced product, but I recall ten of them being manufactured. Three of them were destroyed in battles in those days. One of the remaining seven was destroyed the other day so the likelihood of six remaining is high. The exchange with Ann turned out to be unexpectedly fruitful. Laozi had the same information as her, but as Anns thought patterns werent designed by Jin she could point out things that Jin had overlooked. First of all, the maximum priority task was to build the Quinta and dispatch them all around to gather intelligence about the Unifilers as well as ancient ruins. After that was the so-called VTOL carriage vehicle. While the VTOL was under development, they decided that they would decide on their ns afterwards ording to the intelligence they got. Specifically, once the prototype VTOL waspleted its mass production was left to Laozi. Jin then ended uppleting the Quinta. It appeared likely that they couldplete the VTOL and the Quinta nearly simultaneously. And then using thepleted VTOLs, they would dispatch the Quinta everywhere. The order of things that was mentioned earlier may have be reversed, but Ann assured them that this was the most efficient method. Jin got into nning the VTOL. Thergest weakness of the VTOL is its bad fuel efficiency. In detail, when staying still the jet engines dont take in air, and so when taking off andnding or stopping in the air the fuel consumption is awful. Jin remembered an article in a magazine he had once read in the past. However, it didnt apply to Magi Jet Engines. If I remember right its not good or something if a helicopters rotor surpasses the speed of sound. This too was from the article in the magazine and so he was uncertain. Its got to be a VTOL-type after all. After deciding the rest was quick. Taking speed, stability, permissible load, et cetera into consideration, he thought about the number and instation method of the Magi Jet Engines. This was mainly discussed with Laozi. Because his simtion capabilities were helpful. In the end, tworge Magi Jet Engines were installed on both wings in a manner that they could point down for takeoff andnding. In addition, another pair of a bit smaller Magi Jet Engines were used for propulsion. On top of that four tiny Magi Jet Engines for adjusting the direction were installed, each pointing in another direction. Like this it could float up like a hovercraft, stay still in the air, move in any direction at slow speeds, or sometimes take flight and increase the speed in the direction of travel with the Magi Jet Engines on the wings. At low speeds and when carrying heavy loads the jets could point downwards and work at increasing the lifting power. By carefully bncing the engines that float the vehicle they believed the change in attitude could be minimized. Alright, lets build a small prototype. Once Jin got into the manufacture he turned even more lively. Laozi prepared the materials, Reiko carried them, and Jin processed them. Up until this point it was as usual, but now with the addition of Ann checking the details the reliability increased even more. While mixing in some trial and error, the first prototype model of the VTOL waspleted just past the afternoon on the same day. Alright, now lets take it for a test flight. To the airport in front of the research facility. This time too Reiko was the test pilot. Reiko, its up to you. Yes, Father. After a small exchange, Reiko boarded the prototype VTOL and started the engines. Whoooosh, sounded the running Magi Jet Engines. The sound became more high-pitched and the prototype machine lifted off the ground. It floats! Jin watched its conduct with bated breath. Its stability looked a little poor, but with Reikos reflexes that were dozens of times faster than a humans shepensated for it, and as nned the machine stayed still at a height of two meters. We did it! Reiko, next is moving forward and changing directions at slow speeds! Using a ManaCom Jin issued instructions to Reiko. After receiving them Reiko once more operated the prototype machine. It moved slower than a person would walk. After moving about ten meters, Reiko backed up the prototype machine. Hmm, hm. Good, good. Then after returning to its original spot the prototype machine turned 180 degrees. After that it moved sideways, then slowly moved in a circle, carefully confirming the operability and behavior at slow speeds. Excellent, Reiko. Now its time to test its flight capabilities. First try flying normally. Satisfied with the performance for now, Jin instructed her to move to the next stage of testing it as an airne. Reiko lightly waved her right arm to signal understanding, and this time began rising vertically. Five meters, ten meters, 20 meters. After reaching a height of about 50 meters, she activated the Magi Jet Engines for propulsion. The prototype machine rushed forwards in a snap. It was rather fast. Reiko increased the altitude and at about 500 meters she began gradually increasing the speed towards the direction of travel with the engines on both wings. It was difficult. The lifting power decreased and the propulsive power increased. The steering turned tricky. It may have even been impossible if it werent for Reikos reaction speed. But Reiko safely operated the prototype machine and gathered data with an auxiliary Magi Crystal. Byparing this information in this Magi Crystal withputer support, afterwards the steering of the VTOL would be remarkably easier. Its a sess! Small adjustments were probably necessary, but on this day Hourai Ind grew new wings. That night, Reinhardt made contact. He seemed to have crossed River Torres without any problems, in other words there wasnt anything abnormal going on. Chapter 191 - Port Rock, For Just a While

Chapter 191 C Port Rock, For Just a While

The next day, leaving the mass production of the VTOLs to Laozi, Jin started manufacturing the Quinta. Their structure was based on the SP. Hollow Light Silver skeleton, muscles out of Magical Fibers, and skin out of Magical Skin. To begin with, they would have about 30% of Reikos faculties, but usually they would restrain themselves to the level of nimble human. Because the process needed to be repeated multiple times, with Reiko and Ann both assisting the work was fast. Reiko and Ann built the basic parts like the skeletons, then made the Magi Devices starting with the Control Core. The countermeasures and such against the Subordination Rewriting Magic were the same as those the SP had, but as they were spies, there was a Magi Recorder added purely for recording. Furthermore, he added functionality to let them tamper with their physical appearance. Specifically, the length of their hair, color of their eyes, height of their bodies, and their body shapes. The length of the hair was manipted, like a certain famous puppet did, by moving the hair in and out through the pores of the skin. The eyes could be changed by swapping the irises like contact lenses. The recement parts were stored inside the body. The length could be changed by up to 10 centimeters by adjusting the gap in the joints of the shoulders, elbows, wrists, back, hip, knees, and the ankles. The body shape could be made to look up to two times plumper by adding water between theyers of Magical Skin. The hair could also be easily dyed a different color. Dyes were also stocked in the equipment. For offense, they had stun guns and lightning magic. In addition they knew enough ssical martial arts to use against people. Just in case, there was a built-in security device for erasing the memories and information. The foundation of their movements was the same as that of the SPs. On top of being able to mix among people, thanks to Mines assistance their generalmon sense was enhanced. Well, it could be questioned whether or not Mine knewmon sense, but at the very least it was preferable to Jins. While doing so. Mine was likewise a little surprised by [Transfer Info] but thats a story for another time. Laozi, with Reiko supporting him at his side, took turns with the repetitive craftsmanship, and as a result somehow the 100 Quinta units had been finished the same morning. Just as initially nned the breakdown was, sorting by the size, 40 adult male types and 30 adult female types. For camouge, ten teenage boy types, ten teenage girl types, and ten Reiko-types. All right, the names are, lets see The adult male type was named Regulus, adult female type Deneb teenage boy type Cape, teenage girl type Spica, and Reiko type Mira. Each one was numbered starting from 1. My Lord, the first VTOL has beenpleted. Precisely then Laozi hadpleted a VTOL. Jin went outside to look, and there was a matte ck VTOL. It had perfect [Stealth] equipment. It was quiterge. ording to Laozi, that was because it was meant to also be used as transport. Ooh, isnt it nice. Jin said delightedly, and Laozi asked him to name it. Name, huh. NameHmm, this wouldve been a better Skrk, huh As it flew up perpendicrly to the ground Jin imagined it as a skrk. Stopping mid-air is like a bird of prey, huhIve got it, Falcon! A falcon. Falcons didnt particrly stop mid-air look for prey, but this was Jin. Yes, then it shall be called Falcon-1. The n is to roll out ten units. Alright, Ill leave it to you. Jin was about to start on the next project when Laozi spoke. My Lord, Elsa-san on Kunlun Ind has called for you. Elsa does? Did something happen? No, she says she wants to have lunch together. Jin remembered that about two hours earlier, when he visited Kunlun Ind to get Mines help in copying a normalmoners mannerism, there was talk of that. Jin-nii,e on in. Hey, Elsa, Mine. We wished to have the privilege of dining together so we called for you, and I hope we arent inconveniencing you. Was this really the attitude of that same Mine? If someone said she had been under the effects of [Hypno] they would sound very believable. Not at all, if you leave Father by himself he skips on his meals, so you were a big help. Reiko who came along made such a revtion. Jin-nii too really is obsessed with craftsmanship. Elsa said while giggling. Is that so, very well then. Come, let us dine. Mine had made some freshly-baked bread, in omelette, vegetable soup with a refreshing taste, grilled fish and fruit sd. It was just right for lunch. Thanks for the meal. After eating, Citran juice was brought out. Mine, are you okay to work already? Jin asked and Mine nodded. Yes, I have mostly be better by now and I feel that by working the condition of my body also returns to normal. If thats the case then fine, but Jin looked at the five-colored golem maids number 100 models staying back a bit away from them. Those golem maids have done fairly well. But for youngElsa, please let me take care of her. Mine said, and so Jin told her to not work herself too hard and also advised the golem maids too. Umm, so, Ive got a request, but After she had done tidying up Mine spoke. Hm? What is it? Um, if possible then, Elsa andme, wed like to go buy a change of clothes and some such, but Because they hade here with only the clothes they happened to wear, they didnt have even a single change of clothes. Jin could make them, but he was afraid of what they may think if he made underwear, and Mine couldnt deal with the silk of a Ground Spider. Thats right, somewhere thats not dangerous Oh, I think Port Rock should be fine. The port city Port Rock. The ce where Jin had met with Elsa and Reinhardt. The nostalgic town where he had entered the golem boat race. Even the Unifilers probably didnt have a hand in what was going on all the way there. Port Rock. I miss it. Elsa also apparently thought the same, as she spoke of the town. Thats right, I was also there and I dont think the products there were bad. So please, if its at all possible. And so, Jin took Mine to Port Rock, or so he was thinking when, Jin-nii, I want to go too. Elsa said. Hmm, well, its at the southern end of Elias Kingdom and theres probably no danger, so sure. After thinking it through Jin gave his permission. Well, his n was also to have some of the justpleted Quinta work both as guards and insert them in the area. Then Jin suddenly realized it. The Automata also needed clothes. And so he proposed to Mine, Thats all fine and good. Id also like to ask you to buy sets of clothes for my Automata. She readily agreed. Yes, Ill do that. First they warped from Kunlun Ind to Hourai Ind together with Jin. The security measure of not being able to warp there without Jins Magic Energy pattern was unchanged. Jin called for the adult female type Automata Deneb-30. Yes, Chief. For now, she was wearing the same clothes as the golem maids were. He didnt know what Elsa and Mine would say if she showed up naked in front of the two. Guard Elsa and Mine and go to Port Rock. Understood. There was also the reason that without Jins Magic Energy pattern they couldnte nor go. Then Jin handed ten gold coins to her. In other words, a million Torr. Elsa, Mine, this here Deneb-30 will take care of the money. He knew that Mine and Elsa had almost no money. Jin-sama, sorry for this. And thank you very much. Understanding Jins consideration for them, Mine bowed. Was this really the same Mine, Jin bore the doubt for the nth time. You probably know this already but, everything about Kunlun Ind, Hourai Ind, and the Warp Gates are an absolute secret. Yes, Ill never say a word about them. Jin had already given orders about that to Deneb-30, but without an oral confirmation he just couldnt rx. In an instant they warped from Hourai Ind to Port Rock. They exited in a marine cavern near the coast. As Deneb-30 had the basic knowledge copied to her, she could guide the two into the town without getting lost. Ive missed this ce. Me too. Elsa had left Port Rock with a carriage on the 16th of February. It was about a month and a half ago. We arrived here in the blink of an eye. Jin-samas magic skill is terrific, isnt it? Once more Mine praised Jin. Elsa was also of the same opinion. Mm. As they had stayed here for almost a month, Mine more or less knew they of thend and they were able to go to the clothing store without getting lost. In this world for nobles there were made-to-order expensive clothes, and formoners there were ready-made and second hand clothes. The ce they went to this time was a store for ready-made clothes. It was a store the servants like Mine used. At the store, Mine bought three changes of maid clothesprised of a dark blue dress and an apron for herself along with ten pairs of underwear. Elsa chose things like a dress, a blouse, a skirt, et cetera, and also ten pairs of underwear. The reason for buying a somewhatrge amount of underwear was probably because they didnt anticipate going shopping often. For the Automata they started with underwear and then chose a dress, a blouse, and a skirt. Lets go buy some cloth and then go back. Mine who could also tailor clothes herself bought a ratherrge amount of linen cloth. Everything was carried by Deneb. After finishing their shopping, at the time of their return the long spring day had already begun to get darker. On the way back, Elsa glimpsed towards the harbor and recognized a number of floating catamarans. (Marcia, do your best.) Without a word, in her heart Elsa bid farewell to her dear friend and got on her way back home. Chapter 192 - Railgun

Chapter 192 C Railgun

The third day of full-scale operations. Now then, what to do after the Quinta? Jin personally wanted to quickly start on the power suit. However, Ann said, Hourai Ind could be said to be a maritime nation, right? An aircraft carrier ought to be built to work as a frontline base. She had apparently got the idea of an aircraft carrier from Jins knowledge. Having the air war potential be dispatched from Hourai Ind takes too much time. Dont you think that an aircraft carrier equipped with a Warp Gaterge enough to transmit nes is needed? I see what you mean. Each and every detail of what Ann said was reasonable. Alright, shall we build one then? Jin started nning with Laozi. It would be a 200 meter-ss one. Because it would have a Warp Gate, it wouldnt need to carry any more nes than necessary. Movement would be with Magi Water Jets. Rather than having a singlerge one, it would use six small ones. It would then also be able to change directions just by adjusting the machinerys output. The deck would have a twoyered structure. The whole lower portion would be for the use of nes that need to make a takeoff run, while the top portion would be for the use of VTOLs. Three Warp Gatesrge enough to amodate all of the current ne models would be installed. It would be armed withser artillery. The main battery would have six cannons, and the secondary battery would have six cannons. There would be a hundred mounted small guns each capable of individually burst firing. All of them would have separate Control Cores. Well, that was just something simr toputer controls. Itd have ten [Water Jet] cannons as a supplement. Jin also wanted live ammunition but that hadnt been developed. The crew would be the Navy golems, the Marines. 100 golems seemed to no longer be enough and so the n was to increase the amount by another 100. The number of Air Force and Army personnel would be simrly increased. The n was naturally for the Air Force golems to man the VTOLs, while the Army golems were to be on duty at the advance base and work asbat engineers. The structure material would be Adamantite on top of which fiveyers of steel would be affixed, with the surface coated Mithril. The ships discement would be about 20,000 tons. The crew would number 30. In theory the cruising range would be infinite, but that was only limited to areas where there was Ether. The cruising range with the loaded Magic Energy would be around 10,000 kilometers. Improved versions of high-speed boats were also nned to be built and loaded on the ship. Jin decided to build three ships with the above-mentioned specifications and gave them the names Hotaka, Myoukou, and Asama. As one would expect, it wasnt something achievable in one or two days, and so with Laozi taking the lead the manufacturing was done without rushing. Jin checked every important detail and manufactured the new equipment himself. Now to what Jin would do after that. First of all, please produce small arms that can fire live ammunition. Ann said to Jin. She was acting like quite the manager. Hmm, I want to make something that could at least destroy Gigantes with just kic energy alone, you see. By now not even a shred of self-restraint could be found. Now that it hade to this it was almost a refreshing change. But it seems like the recoil would be terrifying, huh There probably wouldnt be a problem if it was mounted on an aircraft. And so Jin began constructing what was fundamentally a slingshot. It would shoot shells with the power of Magical Muscles made out of a Sea Dragons leather By now it was a variant of the catapult. It had the w that the shot would fall off if it faced downwards, but that was resolved by adding a function that would hold the shot in ce to one end of the Magical Muscles. Ordinarily it would keep hold of the shot but at the moment of shooting out it would release the shot. Two separate rails above and below would work as the gun barrel, and the Magical Muscles would move the shot between those two rails tounch it. Alright, the prototype isplete. The prototype model with a length of about a meter wasplete just before noon. As Jin had been invited for lunch by Elsa, he thought that hed have a single go at test firing and then go to Kunlun Ind. Reiko, please try shooting this as a test. As he wasnt sure of the recoil he ended up asking Reiko. Yes, Father. The Magical Muscles could be extended by circting Magic Energy through them so setting the slingshot was easy unlike with a regr slingshot. The shot was a steel ball with a diameter of 2 centimeters. Its a test so please use it at its full strength. Understood. Reiko turned to aim horizontally towards the sea. Firing! She pulled the trigger. The Magical Muscles made out of a Sea Dragons leather unleashed their absurd force. The bullet, apanied with a bang, flew out not in an arc but in a straight line. In an instant after being shot out it was no longer in sight of Jin. However, the clouds vanished after the shockwave. It felt like the air was ionized and shining. Ah, right, that sound seems to havee from surpassing the speed of sound. But as I thought it probably wasnt able to free itself from the gravitational pull. Or so Id like to think. It didnt, right? Jin was shocked by the power. On the other hand, Reiko who had done the shooting had taken a small step back because of the recoil after all. Reiko, how was it? Yes, it was my first time so due to the recoil I unintentionally took a step backwards, but starting from the next shot Ill do fine. After hearing that, Jin thought that after some small revisions the prototype model could be made to be one of Reikos personal weapons. Yesterday, I saw a boat that looked like Marcias one. After lunch on Kunlun Ind, Elsa brought up the topic. There were several catamarans like hers floating in the harbor. Huh, seems that Marcias also working hard. Mm. I didnt see her though. Ah well, if they had met, Marcia wouldve asked Elsa why she was there or it wouldve beplicated in some other way, Jin thought and bitterly smiled inside. Jin-nii, what are you up to now? Elsa asked and Jin didnt have anything in particr to hide so he answered without hesitation. Now Im reinforcing Hourai Inds military, I guess. I dislike war and such, but its necessary for protection, and thinking about what those guys did to you makes my blood boil. After hearing that, Mine who had been silently listening until now interjected. Eh, was, something done, to Elsa? She was very surprised. Elsa calmly replied. No. Nothing like that. But I was threatened a lot. And then she spoke about Purcel. Apparently she hadnt told Mine until now. After being told the story, Mine was angered and, What! How could this be! Jin-sama, for the sake of the world you mustnt let people like them live! She spoke some radical words. Ah, her heart hasnt changed after all, Jin thought while smiling forcibly. I know. Once Im adequately prepared Ill destroy them. Jin replied and left his seat. Well then, Ill be going back to Hourai Ind to resume working. Thanks for the lunch. Thanks also for the clothes. Jin said while handing the clothes they had gone to buy yesterday over to Reiko. Mm. Jin-nii, see you, at lunch tomorrow. Uh-huh. See ya. Then Jin returned to Hourai Ind. Because the two rails working as the barrel had grown hot and deformed after having Reiko test fire it multiple times, the testing was ended. Ah, well. Even steel is no good with rapid fire after all, huh. And so he decided to make them out of Adamantite. The melting point of Adamantite was approximately 4500 degrees Celsius. Even if it was heated up to the point of glowing white it wouldnt melt. It was a metal that would be unworkable by any means without Craft Magic. The specific gravity of steel was about 7.9, while Adamantites was about 19.3. It was over twice as heavy, but with Reiko it probably wouldnt be a problem. As a bonus, with this it could also double as a blunt weapon. It overall length was 1.5 meters. A little bit longer than Reiko herself. The shots were cartridge-style in groups of 10. At a diameter of 3 centimeters they were a little bitrger than the ones used in the prototype. The normal ones were steel balls. If prating force was important there were Adamantite-coated shots, and when power was important there were lead shots. In the case of lead, as they impacted the target they would deform and stick to it, transmitting nearly 100 percent of the kic energy to the target. The barrel doesnt have rifling, but this power ought to be enough. At any rate, he decided to add sights as at the highest setting the muzzle speed was around Mach 20, so the gun would fire at straight lines as far as the eye can see. Hmm, the name isWhat a bother, by now it should be called a railgun. In the sense that the shots were fired from between rails he wasnt wrong. Father, thank you very much for this wonderful weapon. From now on I can eliminate Fathers enemies with this. Reiko said, and, No, take the enemy in appropriate consideration first. Jin didnt forget to give her a reminder. My Lord, theres something I would like to report on. Jin guessed that the first stage of the work wasplete and Laozi came to tell him of it. Mm, what is it? We copied information from Mine-san for the Quinta, but in doing so we discovered something that resembled traces of mental maniption, and so I came to report just in case. Mental maniption? [Hypno]? No, its nothing that powerful. Its most likely something like [Seduce]. [Seduce]? Jin had never heard of the magic before. Yes. This too is from Anns knowledge. Its a magic that points ones thoughts towards a specific action. By using it to promote the persons own desires they mostly dont notice anything unnatural. The surrounding people dont, nor does the person being manipted. Hmm Mines behaviour towards Elsa seemed strange and stubborn. It being because of [Seduce] would be fairly consistent. However, the caster was unknown. So, its been cancelled by now, right? Yes. I suspect it was due to the shock on the head, or on the body in general. Alright, please look into magic for cancelling it. As you wish. There was a possibility that from now on, opponents using things like that would increase. Maybe even Elsas brother Fritz being affected wasnt out of the question. Jin thought that this probably wasnt dealt with by ordinary methods, and focused his mind even further. That night, Reinhardt made contact at the regr time and said that instead of approaching the capital city Esaia, he was preparing to cross the river Azul in a town called Dali. It seemed like Jin would have to wait three or four more days still. Chapter 193 - Drugbase

Chapter 193 C Drugbase

Ann advised that brand-new clothes would be conspicuous, and so second-hand clothes were decided upon Deneb-1 of the Quinta put on the clothes she had bought with Elsa and Mine, and was sent to buy clothes for the others. She was also sent to buy clothes from Blue Land, and within the day by repeating this the Quinta all got clothes and they could be sent to live in towns without people finding out. Well then, Ill be counting on you. Understood, Chief. Starting with Blue Land, Port Rock, and other ces with Warp Gates like the strongholds ruins they were scattered about everywhere. They were all expected to regrly report to Laozi every morning and night. With this the first task is done. Jin made sure that everyone had warped and took a deep breath. Now, I wonder what I should be doing next? Of course, Ann was the one to reply. Master, Id like to know about the medicine that was research the other day. How is the blood used in it preserved? Hm? Its just in cold storage. And thats simply the blood in its original state? Yeah, thats right. Then Ann became visibly disconcerted and, Thats not good! Preserving blood is a moreplicated task! She said, so Jin asked Laozi, Laozi, Ann says this, but? He then got a reply. Yes, she is correct. I found that outst night while arranging the information copied from Ann, and immediately took action. My apologizes for beingte in reporting the matter to My Lord. Jin was relieved. Is that so? Thats fine then. Its such a rare material that if it got spoiled that would be a real waste. So, if cold storage is no good then how exactly is it stored? Ann answered that. Whats important isnt the red part, but rather the liquid portion. Once separated, it can be stored in an Ether Stocker with nearly no deterioration. Ether Stocker? It was a word even Jin didnt know of. Ether Stocker is a storehouse that has the Ether amount in its air raised to at least 20 percent. Its possible to store materials holding Magic Energy in there semipermanently without deterioration. Ann exined. This was good news. Last night a storehouse was built and the blood was moved there instead. Laozi reported. It was after the fact, but Jin didnt have any intention of ming him on a matter like this either. Instead hed rathermend Laozi by telling he did good. Is that so, what a relief in that case. And so, Laozi, have you finished studying the proper recipe for the restorative medicine? Yes. The parts that were unclear have beenpleted, and the process is now known. And so at once Jin went to producing medicine. After its effectiveness was verified on Mine, its demand would probably increase from now on, he concluded. The centrifuge was just as before. However, while it wasnt necessary to do it at subsonic speeds, because as a result it shortened the filtration process that wouldve been the next step they decided to do it. So normally the separated serum would need to be filtrated? Yes. Filtrated three times. However, thanks to Reiko-san we can get it done with after just the final filtration process. With the use of Reiko as the subsonic centrifuge, two steps of the filtration process could bepletely skipped. This time they processed about ten liters. The pure serum turned out to total about three liters. The leftover remnants were useful for various medicines or even poisons and so they were left in storage in the Ether Stocker. This could almost be called liquid Ether, huh. Ann nodded at Jins remark. Yes. If Magi Crystals are crystallized Ether, then this could surely be said to be liquid Ether. The purity was over 70 percent. ording to Ann crossing 30 percent was enough for practical use, and so Jin was looking forward to it. Once it takes in Ether, the impurities will settle and its purity will increase further. Thats then called a drugbase. It appeared that the true serum containedponents that took in or otherwisebined with Ether. For devil beasts that had a lot of Magic Energy theseponents appeared to be more numerous. In that case, I wonder what would happen with Fathers blood? Reiko who had been silent until now interrupted. I expect that Father most likely has more Magic Energy than a Sea Dragon. What are youHmm. Jin pondered. Indeed, Jins hypothesis was that he took in Ether through the lungs and in dissolved into his blood. If that was the case, then surely the faculties in his blood that took in Ether would be numerous, considering hisrge amount of Magic Energy. It was a simr rtionship as with oxygen and red blood cells. If the red blood cells were numerous, as a result one would have a high ability to take in oxygen- Alright, how about we try testing with my blood one of these days? Jin said, although he wasnt very keen on the idea. Going back to square one, Jin hurriedly built an Ether Box. It had four times the capabilities of an Ether Stocker. Hmm, its best to put it here. Jin said while putting the drugbase in the Ether Box the size of arge refrigerator. Yes, one day should be enough. The remaining impurities will also settle, so its killing two birds with one stone. The same day they processed 20 liters more, producing a total of about ten liters of drugbase. Todays lunch was Mines high-quality freshly baked bread, simr quality Citran marmde, Pelshka juice, and stir-fried vegetables. After the meal, Jin told about Reinhardts news to Elsa. This time hes at River Azul. He wasining about how he has to wait around once again. Mm. On our trip to Port Rock it also took us a week to cross the two rivers. Really, whats that country thinking about. Even Reinhardt-sama needs to be very careful or itll be dangerous. Jin was also worried a little, but he thought that there was no way theyd attack another countrys diplomat in broad daylight, and with that he left back to Hourai Ind for the day. Now then, if I have the Quinta look for armor for the golem suit research, I wonder if I could make something in the afternoon. Jin thought about what he could do right now. We dont possess many means of travel on thend, right? I was looking into it the other day, automobiles, were they? I think that some transport technology like that should be developed for the use of the army. Jin agreed with Anns advice. Tanks, armored vehicles, military trucks and such came to his mind. Oh right, I also built that suspension device for the carriage. It would be good if those golem arms could be used. Promptly he threw himself into nning. Tank treads were troublesome and so he instead of them hed increase the amount of wheels to eight. Rubber probably wouldnt be durable enough, so hed substitute Sea Dragons leather for it. The eight wheels would have independent suspension, the engine would have eight cylinders, or rather eight golem engines. One for each wheel. The frame and the armor sheets would be made out of Adamantite. To see outside in times of emergency he used a window that could open and close, but normally an extended Magic Screen would be used to give a 360 degree view as if there were no walls at all. It was an exceptional item that could even see far into the distance. Of course, it also had a night vision feature. The armaments were oneser cannon, one railgun (cannon-type), and one water jet. The crew would be four people. A ManaCom and a barrier deployment feature would also be installed. For times when it got stuck in mud a wire rope and a winch would be installed. Furthermore four supporting Magi Jet Engines would be prepared to be able to make it lighter up to a fifth of its weight. The inside would be fully furnished with an air conditioner and two folding beds where the crew could sleep in turns despite it getting cramped. More and more equipment were added as they kept popping into Jins mind. The technical specifications were outrageous. Alright, how about something like this. Master, storage for food, water, and medicine are also required. And a floodlight on top of that. Ann pointed out what itcked. He decided to make the floodlights able to emit infrared and ultraviolet light in addition to visible light. By teaching the basic design to Laozi, Jins workload was lightened as he had to only make the important parts no one else could build. Like this the third day turned into night. At night, there was a conversation with Reinhardt. Im in Dali. Its crowded like Tellurs was. It seems that suspicious-looking people are hanging around. Will you be okay? Yeah, even this town has got soldiers dispatched from Shouro Empire, and because I asked them as guards theres no need for you to worry. Okay, if thats the case. Oh, right. I had an unexpected meeting. With who? Its someone you know too, Jin. Someone in Celuroa Kingdom who I knowIs it Stearina-san? Precisely. You see, shes returning home after reporting to the royal pce. Chapter 194 - Invitation

Chapter 194 C Invitation

Theke Azul is located at the west side of Celuroa Kingdoms capital Esaia, and it is from this hugeke that the river Azul flows out of. Along with the eastern river Torres, Esaia has what amounts to a natural moat. Of course, there being no bridges, these rivers must be crossed using boats. Consequently, just like in Tellurs, to cross the river one must reserve a boat and wait for three to four days. Reinhardt -who had parted from Jin and Elsa- had on the 10th of April been stopped on the checking station, then on the 11th of April he had arrived at Dali and ended up waiting for a boat. And then on the next day, Reinhardt had gone sightseeing around Dali. Oh my, Reinhardt-sama. A voice called out to Reinhardt who turned around to find the charming bronze-haired and reddish-brown eyed Celuroa Kingdoms foremost Magi Craftsman, Stearina Gamma. Well, look here. Stearina-dono. Reinhardt greeted her and Stearina red at him with upturned eyes. My my, hearing such formalnguage from you makes me feel truly lonely. Despite her seductive gestures Reinhardt wasnt perturbed. Oh, please excuse me, Stearina-san Hmm, you are forgiven. Stearina said, then looked around restlessly at the surroundings, then asked Reinhardt. Youre by yourself today? Not with Jin-kun? Yeah, Jins doing something off on his own for a while. Reinhardt answered a bit obscurely. Hearing that, Stearinas face fell and she spoke. Is that the case? Thats a bit unfortunate. I really wanted to have a good talk with him. With a sarcasticugh Reinhardt said, Sorry, but youll have to do with me. Stearina thenughed and took a bow towards Reinhardt. Im kidding, Reinhardt-sama. Are you free today? If youve got some time, wont you keeppany with me? Reinhardt didnt have any particr ns so he agreed. Sure. Do you know anywhere interesting? Ehehe, you can look forward to it. Stearina said and smoothly entangled her left arm with Reinhardts right one, and they began walking like that. Come on in. Where Sterina guided Reinhardt was an ordinary house. A two-storey stone house, you could call it standard for Celuroa Kingdom. The windows were cut out to be on therger side, and one part of the windows were fitted with ss. Behind the house was a waterway, apparently connected to the river Azul. This is my second home. Stearinas main house was on the other side of river Azul, but apparently she had loaned a house here as returning to the capital would always require a wait of three to four days. I use it more than 50 days a year, so its cheaper than an inn. She said and opened the door, showing Reinhardt in. Wee back, youngdy. An automata that looked like a butler past his middle age came to greet them. Im back. Zafio, weve got guests so please take care of things. Also, stop calling me youngdy. As you wish, youngdy. The Automata said and seemingly went off to do something, disappearing into the back of the house. Come on! Apparently the butler Automata was called Zafio. Good grief. No matter how many times I tell him he keeps calling me a youngdy, even though Im already an aunt in my thirties, right? However, Reinhardt shook his head and, No no, Stearina-san is still a youngdy, for sure. He said. The reason Zafio kept calling her youngdy was surely because of his technical specifications. Stearina had programmed him that way so he could do nothing else. Thats how Reinhardt saw through the situation. He saw through it, and on top of that managed to flirt with Stearina,. Oh my, oh my, you tter me. I wonder if Reinhardt-sama is experienced with wooing women, unlike Jin-kun? Well, I wonder. Reinhardt smoothly exchanged lines. Stearina lightly red at him. My, how odious. They had a back-and-forth like that, then Zafio came back. The preparations areplete, youngdy. Dear guest, this way, please. Zafio told them, then Stearina and Reinhardt followed after him. At the end of the hallway was a room, and Zafio opened the door and, Go on in He invited the two inside. In front of them in the spacious room was arge window, and through it a scrupulously maintained garden could be seen. The window surely faced south, as there was plenty of light shining in. In the middle of the room was a simple yet good-looking round table, on top of which were two cups of Teee faintly emitting steam. Theres many things I want to talk to you about. The walls had ears in Egelia Kingdom so the topics we could talk about were very limited, no? Reinhardt could hardly fathom the meaning behind those words, so he decided to nomittally dodge answering. Well, we dont really have that close a rtionship, although I do recall us having talked fairly well. Stearina then smiled impishly and spoke. Oh my, are you being on guard against me? She continued further, We didnt really have a good talk regarding the Unifilers, no? Even Reinhardt got surprised when she spoke. I did tell you the other day that I received an invitation to join the Unifilers, right? Yeah, but wasnt that something you shouldnt talk about with people from Egelia Kingdom? I suppose. But I thought itd be better if I told Reinhardt-sama and Jin-kun about that. But now this is Celuroa Kingdom, and I dont have to concern myself with Egelia Kingdom. Stearina said and finally Reinhardt too was interested in hearing what she had to say. The Unifilers came into contact with me about a year ago. I remember them saying something like lend us your strength to change this world. Stearina took a sip of Teee and continued after taking a breather. Please think about it, they said and temporarily left, but about five dayster they came back, and after that they came every day. If Jin was here to hear this, hed probably think it sounded like a quack religion. Each time what they used to persuade me with changed. Money, political power, and after thatOh, right, they even alluded topensating me with men. Do you think Id even want to be rewarded with men? Stearina said andughed. I clearly refused about five times. After that the person stoppeding, but as they left they said you will regret this How should I say this, what a stereotypical threat. Reinhardt too took a sip of the Teee. The aroma was rather pleasant. After that, there was a time when I got kidnapped. Eh? The details are an embarrassment so please excuse me regarding them. At that time I was rescued by the kingdoms knights and thats why Im here and safe. So thats how it was Reinhardt thought that then what happened to Elsa wasnt a single urrence. Today two knights of the kingdom should be guarding me secretly. I hadnt noticed. That was somewhat expected for Reinhardt who wasnt a military officer. And so Reinhardt-sama, youre also in the same position as I was, so please try to be a bit more aware of it. I suppose so After that the two continued with some small talk. The topics were all around, and it was apparent that Stearina had wanted to once more meet with Jin to talk about all kinds of things. And thats how it was. Reinhardts long story was over with that. Be careful, alright? Yeah, Ill make sure not to take strolls by myself after this. Mh-hm, you do that. With that, Reinhardt hung up his hotline(?) for the day. Chapter 195 - Good Mood

Chapter 195 C Good Mood

Invitation, then abduction, huh. Jin was thinking after hearing Reinhardts story. Master? Reinhardt-san is the person who we travelled with until recently, right? Ann asked about that to confirm. Yeah, thats right. Master, are you close with him? Hmm, I suppose. In that case, is it not risky to not have him and your other friends guarded? Ann described the possibility of a so-called backdoor attack situation. Theres no doubt that Hourai Inds offensive capabilities are the best in the world. Defensive abilities too. But master is different. Eh? What would happen if masters own weakness was attacked? How to deal with it must be thought out. It was a fair argument. This time he had been able to save Elsa, but what about for example Hanna from Kaina Vige? Or Marcia from Port Rock? Beana or Earl Kuzuma from Blue Land? Prince Ernest from Egelia Kingdoms royal castle? Or Reinhardt? If they were kidnapped and made hostage, what would Jin do? It wasnt known if it would be possible to simply cut them down. Youre right. The SP must be augmented, and those people protected from the Unifilers. And in this manner Jin decided to augment the number of the SP. It was alreadyte that day so he decided to leave it for the next day, then returned to his mansion and fell asleep. Jin obediently going to sleep was also because Reiko was being scary. After having breakfast, Jin decided to promptly increase the SPs numbers. He decided to permanently station some in Kaina Vige, Port Rock, Blue Land, and Egelia Kingdoms royal castle. Two would secretly guard Reinhardt. Thinking of their general purpose, he decided to go with all adult female types. As he already had a temte 10 copies were soonplete. Your names are, lets see, Iris, Azalea, Cattleya, Lotus, Cherry, Camellia, Erica, Lobelia, Sage, and Cosmos. To keep the theme of flower names, Jin feverishly came up with names. They were immediately dispatched to ces where there were Warp Gates, but the ones headed to Egelia Kingdoms royal castle ended up waiting for the rollout of the VTOLs and would be dispatched together with the Quinta. Now then, next is Theres just one matter, master. Lately Ann had be like a staff officer. He was worried whether or not Reiko would be jealous, but mysteriously they seemed to be able to share roles, so Jin was relieved. Master is a human. Therefore lets consider something for masters safety. Jin also agreed with that. Golem suit, night vision goggles, helmet, and a battle suit. While thinking of ideas one thing sprung to his mind. No wait, the drugbase we prepared yesterday should beplete by now. Medicine that could heal Jins body was of maximum priority. Oh, thats right. And so Jin went to open the Ether Box and retrieved the drugbase. It emitted a faint light while in a vessel made out of crystal. Its magnificent. Ive never seen a drugbase that contains this much Magic Energy. Alright, whats left is only to load this with magic and it should be good. There was a trick to it like when inscribing a Magi Crystal with a Magi Form. Father, please leave that to me. Heres where Reiko volunteered. The other day I had a chance to learn healing magic at the healer Sallys ce. She was able to use magic up to the high-level spell [Medicare]. Hm, [Medicare]? If I recall correctly, wasnt that the spell I thought was Shouro Empire-style? Jin posed a question. That ce is near Shouro Empire, and because of that closeness I suppose both sides have dealings? Reiko stated her conjecture. Well, even if Jin disputed that no conclusion coulde out of it, so that talk was over for now. In that case, Ill leave it to you Reiko. Yes. Reiko nodded and increased the output of her Ether Converter and Mana Driver up to ten percent, then refined her Magic Energy. [Medicare]. For an instant the drugbase shone, and once it lessened the drugbase became a pale blue restorative medicine. Ann, how is it? Jin asked and Ann examined the medicine. Its an excellent piece of work. The highest grade of restorative medicines. She gave it the stamp of approval. Hmm, as expected from Reiko. After receiving praise Reiko smiled happily. Alright then, lets portion it to small vials. Jin made small vials out of muscovite, then Reiko and Ann filled them with medicine. About 50 milliliters went into a bottle. As there was ten liters of it, it was a considerable amount of work. On top of that this time the vials were in the style of ampoules. Without containing air, they were also suitable for long-term preservation. Because they were made out of muscovite you could see the contents and they wouldnt splinter easily. As muscovite was soft opening the ampoules was easy. He made about 200 ampoules, 50 of which would be stocked on Hourai Ind and the rest would be at hand in the advance base, armored vehicles, etc. ording to Ann, with the purity of the medicine being so high, it could be stored with nearly no deterioration. Just in case, he decided to make an improved version of a small refrigerator which could also work as an Ether Stocker where the medicine would be kept. Then he could have peace of mind. Now then, is it finally time for my equipment? Lets build them one by one. Ann also agreed. The preparation of the materials is ready. Laozis human-type terminal was also here to tell him that. Master, before suddenly building armor, I think it would be better to first produce equipment to guard each individual body part, if you would like. Jin understood Anns advice. I see. Jin who already didnt know what to do after wanting to make armor out of the blue followed Anns advice. Would the helmet be a good start? Mh-hm, a helmet for sure. Jin could already imagine it. With things like a visor or goggles, a telmunication function, a light projector and such attached, a science fiction special effects helmet so to speak. The body cant be anything else than light silver, huh. If it was too heavy his neck wouldnt support it. A ManaCom to be able to talk with Reiko and Laozi among others. One idea after another sprung forth. Lets also install a small but strong floodlight. And make sure that it can emit infrared and ultraviolet light in addition to visible light. It was going swimmingly. Lets make sure the visor part doesnt only impede light, but also has a night vision feature and something that lets me see infrared light. He looked to be really having fun. Coat the exterior with aposite of Mithril and Adamantite, and cushion the interior with Gschwamm for sure. Gschwamm was basically a sponge. I can already see the nsing to life indeed. Laozi said whileying the materials Jin mentioned down on the workbench. All right, lets build it! Jins voice was lively. Reiko who was next to him also seemed to be happier. Jin went on a roll and after about an hour the protoyype helmet waspleted. He tried putting it on and, Hmm, its so-so. Jin said while making corrections to parts of the Magi Form with magic. Okay, it ought to be something like this. Ive already built it, but it would be good to have a simple gas mask or rather oxygen supply too, huh. Apparently he wanted to make it useful in ces with miasma, volcanic gases, et cetera, or at high altitudes with thin air. Alright, lets build the prototype model two! In his good mood, with his momentum he built four prototype helmets during the morning and decided on the model number one for light use, and the model number four for use when an oxygen tank function needs to be attached. Chapter 196 - New Equipment

Chapter 196 C New Equipment

After finishing the helmet, Jin kept thinking. Father, its soon lunchtime. Didnt you have a promise with Elsa-san to have lunch together? Reiko said and Jin once more remembered. Ah, thats right. Well, shall we go to Kunlun Ind then? Yes. The habit of having lunch with Elsa was very good for Jin who, if left alone, would fall into a disorderly way of life. And thats whytely even Reiko had been starting to be sympathetic with Elsa and Mine. Jin warped to Hourai Ind along with Reiko. Wee, Jin-sama. Mine hade to greet them. I came for lunch today too. Jin said and Mine replied, Elsas been waiting. She then led him to the table. On the front of the mansion there was a table by which Elsa was sitting. Appropriately for spring, a single white cloud floated in the blue skies. Jin-nii, wee. Hey Elsa. Fine weather. Its warm today. Jin-nii, arent you hot in all those clothes? Jin was still wearing his winter clothing. His underwear and shirt made out of a Ground Spiders silk protected against the cold in addition to breathing well. Thats why Jin didnt mix up his attire very much. However, apparently as Elsa was a girl she was a bit curious about it. Because it was no longer the season for winter clothing. Its so warm today so we decided to eat outside. Mine spoke while carrying the food over and so thats where the talk about clothes ended. There was a gentle warm breeze; it was certainly the perfect weather for having lunch outside. While slowly eating, Jin recited the story he had heard from Reinhardtst night to Elsa. Stearina-san told Rai-nii a story like that? Mh-hm. The unifilers are Scary. Elsa said and her shoulders trembled a little. Jin cheered her up, saying, Its fine, youll be safe here. Im with you too. Reinhardt also has bodyguards following him. To calm down Elsa, he told her that he had decided to increase the SPs number of personnel so he could secretly protect some acquaintances. This made Elsa smile a little and nod. Mm, Jin-nii. Well, its about time for me to go back. See you tomorrow. Mm, see you, tomorrow. After returning to Hourai Ind, Jin thought about the clothes Elsa spoke of. Then it suddenly urred to him. Devil beast materialsThats right! For example, lets use the Death Serpent. Its body is covered with scales and then with skin. The scales are solid, but the skin is tough too. But how tough? Even though theyre devil beasts, as living beings theyve got skin which is stic. However, when Reiko struck them they made a sound as if she had struck a lump of metal. Why was this? One part of it was that a devil beasts outer skin has the property of bing harder against impacts or pressure. Against an impact like someones blow, in a moment it hardens to the same degree as metal. Even with the localized pressure of for example fangs, ws, or edged tools the same reaction urs. This was a self-defense reaction that utilized Magic Energy. Utilizing such a materials special nature it can be made to stretch and contract by applying Magic Energy. Automata and golems use this property in their Magical Muscles, and Reikos skin which was supple but didnt tear even when smashing up boulders indeed had this property too. First, Jin thought to use this material in his clothes. The pants he was now wearing were made out of a magical beasts leather. They were durable and flexible. However, they didnt harden. The thinnest part of this Sea Dragons leather isAs I thought, the abdomen, huh. If you picture a Japanese dragon with a body two times fatter, thats a Sea Dragon. Its surface area is alsorger, and different parts of the skin have different properties. The abdomen, including the lower abdomen, had a skin that was somewhat thin and the most stic. Its got to be a jumpsuit after all. He nned to make a jumpsuit out of the leather. He was able to use the Craft Magic [Fusion] together with some [Forming] on the leather, so it was ideal for the purpose. However, its color was a purplish ck. This would go with the Adamantite-coated silver grey helmet finished a short while ago. It was way too subdued. First, a prototype. As it was possible to use [Forming] it was fine to make it a little loose or a little tight, and so Jin went ahead with manufacturing. The Sea Dragons leather that couldnt be cut with simply scissors was readily cut through with a [Water Jet], he then used [Fusion] and in a few moments a suit of clothes wasplete. And then when he was about to put it on. Ah, theres no zipper. Jin realized that there was no fasteners not to mention zippers. Oh well. I suppose Ill finish it with the Craft Magic [Joint]. Jin adopted the easiest measure considering this was just a prototype. Here we go. Ah, its too tight. [Forming]. Now its toorge, huh. [Forming]. While wearing the clothes he revised them multiple times, and atst Jin finished his personal leather jumpsuit. Hmm, now lets diffuse Magic Energy into this. Owowowow! Apparently it was the wrong way to diffuse Magic Energy into it, as the clothes contracted around and pressed on Jin all at once. Even so, as he hadnt used much Magic Energy it was not a big deal. If it had taken for example Reikos ordinary power output, all the bones in his body wouldve been broken. Father, are you alright!? Reiko who had been silently watching asked with worry in her voice. Yeah, Im fine. It was just a bit of a blunder. This time he poured in Magic Energy more carefully. The jumpsuit hardened. Reiko, use a littleLets see, use one percent power and directly Wait no, get that over there Thats right, take that branch and try hitting me with it. If Reiko hit him directly he had no idea how hed end up, so Jin wanted to do the performance test as gently as possible at first. In the end, he found out that it was well able to endure a blow from Reiko at ten percent power. However, the final result was that Jin had been magnificently sent flying and Reiko had rushed behind him to catch him with her super speed. And then Jin was too frightened to test any more than that. Well, this is fine. Lets use this as a base and add plenty of features. He had only thought to use it as the base for the armor, so Jin who judged that the hard part was now over with became more cheerful. It may be impossible to control the expanding and constricting well. Even for Jin this wasnt a simple task. Making just the parts that corresponded to muscles constrict was a herculean task. The unrted parts also constricted, or the muscles constricted more than they were supposed to. Reiko who was watching also looked thrilled. Then finally he had an idea. That was to affix additional Magical Muscles on top of the jumpsuit. Using them it would be easy to understand to where and how much Magic Energy he wanted to pour in. Its got an awful appearance though. It was just like an anatomical model with muscles attached. If one saw this in some dark ce one would faint. However, about the performance. It could support Jins movements and about double his strength. It seemed that any more and Jins bones wouldnt be able to handle it. Just the muscles were stronger, and having weak bones support them wouldnt let it disy enough of its power. Nevertheless, well, the defensive power is first-ss. If it lets me double my strength then I suppose its a sess. Although rather than a power suit this is reinforced clothing. For now, Jin was d of his sess. However, this appearance is a little A muscled anatomical model was too spooky. Ah, thats right, why dont I just put anotheryer outside. With the threeyered structure he somehow managed to make it look normal to the outside. The branch head of the eighth subdivision, Purcell, hase back fleeing. The branch head of the eighth subdivisionOh, that neer-do-well? Hes a fellow who got branch head status by using his wealth. Yes, and then after once getting Elsa Randol in his hands he let her get recaptured or something like that. Hmph, how ipetent. So, what about the person who took her back? Yes, that appears to have been Jin Nidou. Huh. And in so doing, Jin Nidou gave us Unifilers the warning of do not get involved with us, and then appears to havepletely destroyed the stronghold of the eighth subdivision with pirs of light. Pirs of light? Whats that supposed to mean? I do not know. Purcells exnation wasnt to the point, you see. Hmph, a neer-do-well is a neer-do-well no matter what, huh. Oh well. Send the report to the head of magic technologies. Theyll probably be able to expose the true nature of these, quote, pirs of light, unquote. Yes sir. Do not get involved with us you say? What prattle from the likes of a Magi Craftsman. It is as you say. Nevermind Jin Nidou, Reinhardt and that otherdy have apparently made contact? Yes, they appear to be in Dali. Alright. Urgently have the two secured. At once. Chapter 197 - Combat-ready

Chapter 197 C Combat-ready

Next is masters weaponry, right? Ann said, because the reinforced clothing was more or lessplete. [Water Jet] and [Laser] are too powerful, and they range from long distance to medium distance usage. Please acquire some short distance weaponry. I see what youre getting at. Anns proposal was on point. But Jin didnt know martial arts or anything like that. Which means that in the end I should be fine swinging around something like a staff For now, Jin pictured himself wielding a staff. There was something wrong with it. Jin couldnt picture it. How about a katana? Although they do say that it wont cut unless you align the de correctly, and Adamantite is heavy too. Double strength was barely not enough to wield a katana made out of Adamantite. Hmm It has to be light, so that means that some materials are off the table, huh After thinking it through that much what popped into his mind was a sword made out of light out of a certain famous movie franchise. That would probably work out, it seems. Jin formed a n in his head. Imprison sma andNope. As an anti-personnel weapon that would be way too brutal. With lightning-type magicIts the same. Jin kept puzzling over it. Hmm, and I thought it was such a good idea Master, before you continue that please first add a self-defense barrier to your equipment. Ann gave her some timely help. However, it wasnt where she had thought shed help, as she helped Jin reach a good idea. Thats right! A barrier! Ill make a barriers force field into a sword! Usually [Magic Barrier]s spread out into a sphere or into a disk, but Jin began to consider if it was possible to make it into the shape of a sword. Spheres, disks, and other geometrical shapes were simple but making it into the shape of a sword was next to impossible. Alright! I can do this! I can do this! However, with Jins knowledge of magic and experience on Earth it became feasible. Wont it work out if I just expand the [Magic Barrier]s poles to the shape of a sword? A [Magic Barrier] was a wall made out of Ether, so to speak. In theory its construction was easy. It was abination of attracting and repelling Ether. Using the techniques in equilibrium, you could put up an invisible wall. Heres some more details about the attracted Ether and the repelled Ether. They collide against each other and in the location where theyre in equilibrium the Ether density in the air bes tens of thousands of times higher. The Ether can then link together. This [Ether Mesh] is what a [Magic Barrier] is. A [Magic Barrier]s strength is half decided by the Ether concentration, and half by the strength of the links of the mesh. The size of the Mesh is made so that Ether can easily pass through it, so that one doesnt have to worry about the magician inside running out of Ether. The poles where Ether is repelled or attracted to are generated by a magical ring for example, or the imaginary points in space a magician can create. By inscribing down theplex details the designated imaginary points can be created by Magic Energy only, so by using a ring or something like that as a Magi Tool the performance is good. And so Jin was thinking about trying to make those poles into the shape of a sword. Usually the emissionse out of a point, so it bes a sphere. Basically an equidistant Ether Mesh forms around the emitting point. To change it into the shape of a sword, the intensity needs to be changed partiallyOh, that should do. By changing the intensity, the distance at which the repelling and attracting forces are at equilibrium changes. For poles that are a point that control would be too difficult, but for a sword shape it wasparatively simple. (Only for a Magi Craft Meister, that is.) It seemed like some minute adjustments were still necessary, but the sword-shaped [Magic Barrier] that Jin held did look like a 50-centimeter sword and emitted a faint light. Alright, lets do this like that, and that like this. Jin continued tweaking the Magi Form for the sword-shaped [Magic Barrier]. After about three rounds of adjustments, Ive done it! Jin raised his voice in delight. If I change the output then Whoa! From the short 40 centimeters it lengthened to over two meters. Now then, the sharpness. Jin tried shing at a block of wood that was lying around nearby. Huh? However, contrary to his expectations it wasnt cut. Hmm, maybe its because right now its a simple cylindrical barrier He guessed at the reason and developed it further. Lets change the nature of the linked Ether at this point to fireNo, to thermal energy. After a small tweak he performed a second test. Hows it now? Ow, thats hot! Hot air leaked out towards Jin. If I change a bit more to thermal energy the Ether wont be diminish. And then the third try. Mh-hm, this is good! A bluish-white shining magic sword. Its temperature probably passed 10,000 degrees Celsius. When he cut the block of wood the cross-section was burned ck and a part of it disappeared. Next he decided to test it on a metal rod. For now he put on the helmet too and asked Reiko. Reiko, can you get that metal rod from there and gently swing it at me please. Listen, veeery gently. Yes. After emphasizing it to Reiko, she took the two centimeters thick and about 80 centimeters long metal rod and swung it towards Jin. He blocked it with the magic sword. As it was fundamentally a sword-shaped barrier, it was able to take it on like a real sword. Then where he blocked the pole it melted down in less than a second and waspletely severed in two. If he blocked a sword, the opponents de would probably get damaged. Alright, then how about electric energy? Fumbling with the Magi Language, he tried to make it produce electric energy using lightning-type magic. Now, how is it? He activated it. It looked bluish-white, but also was bizarrely yellow. Thats the kind of sword it became. Lets see, touching this would be too perilous, huh Reiko, please thrust that metal pole into the ground. Yes, Father. Reiko lightly stabbed the 60-centimeter pole into the ground. Alright, lets go. Aiming at the metal pole Jin swung downwards. The moment the sword was about toe into contact, an arc discharge urred and there was a bang along with an instant of nothing but dazzling light. Without the light-impeding feature of the helmet it seemed he wouldve damaged his eyes. The next moment the sword and the pole made contact, and sparks as if from an electric welder came flying and the iron rod was bisected. Glowing white metal scattered around. To make it glow white with heat in an instant, the voltage must be hundreds of millions Jin stared fixedly at the sword. He had a hunch he had identally made something ridiculous. If the electric energy hadnt been produced by magic, Jin who was the closest to it wouldve been the first one toe to harm. Next is to make sure this voltage can controlled, I guess. Jin muttered, and after adjusting and refining the swords size in addition to the heat and electric energy, he finally finished two Magi Tools that were magical swords. I guess Ill call them Masamune and Muramasa. Masamune was fire-style, and Murasama was the electric-style sword. And those names were once more made up on a whim. Master, good work. Father, would you like a bath? Both Ann and Reiko called out to Jin who had finished working. Jin first stretched his limbs, then said, Yeah, I guess Ill take a bath. He then headed to the mansion. Reiko followed him and Ann stayed to tidy up. Ahh, the fatigue just melts away. While submerged in the mansions hot spring, Jin spoke like an old man. I have arrived at Dali. Alright, proceed as nned. Yes sir. That night, Jin was waiting for Reinhardt to make contact, but when there was no contact after the expected time had passed, Jin began to get worried. Then he received an urgent report from Laozi. My Lord, a report from Sage. It appears that Reinhardt-dono has been kidnapped. What the!? He had just increased the SPs numbers as he was afraid of that. She went via the base at the ruins of the stronghold to Dali where Reinhardt-dono was, but it seems she barely didnt make it in time. Those Unifilers So they didnt heed my warning. Jins anger silently red up. Hourai Ind, prepare to sortie. Chapter 198 - Defeat

Chapter 198 C Defeat

Content warning: depictions of violence. - That day, Reinhardt went to visit Stearinas house in the morning. It was to discuss things regarding the control of golems. For that reason he brought his own work, Schwarz Ritter, with him. As he had also been cautioned by Jin, he had five guards deployed in the surroundings of the house. Originally the guards had been soldiers dispatched from Shouro Empire. Wee, Reinhardt-kun. Sincest night Stearina had got to calling Reinhardt with -kun. Hey, good morning Stearina. Even Reinhardt addressed her without an honorific. They proceeded inside, and he was led to a spacious living room. There stood two golems and two Automata Stearina had made. Right now, this is my masterpiece. Hmm, its wonderful. One of them was the same type as the crystal golem Ceres that had been previously destroyed during the golem party, and the other was a steel male-type golem. The Automata were in the form of a girl in herte teens and an adult woman. The golems are Eris and Caster. The Automata are Sylene and Mylene After quick introductions the two got into their discussion. They both had true artisans spirits. About that crystal golem, from what I can tell, it moves using the [Forming] magic, right? Isnt the Magic Energy efficiency extremely bad? Reinhardt asked, and Stearina answered. Thats right. However, simultaneously with [Forming] the mobile parts have [Softening] applied to them to weaken them. Hmm, I see. I suppose its then about 30 percent more efficient than using only [Forming]? Thats exactly right. In practice its around 25 percent. Long periods of operation are impossible, you see. Although, a crystal golems purpose isnt in its practical use. Reinhardt also could agree with that. Thats right. Seeing Ceres for the first time was startling. You took it to a direction someone like me would never think about. Oh my, thank you. So, how about Caster? Of course, this was about the male-type golem. Hmm, its the same male-type but, maybe because it was made by a female Magi Craftsman, its got a certain style. It indeed was a man with delicate features, or something like that. Maybe it could be likened to a male character drawn by a shoujo manga artist. After Reinhardt told her that, Stearina let out a littleugh and said, Im not much into rough men, you see. Reinhardt ignored that. As for the structure of the golems main parts, what did you use? I used Soft Magi Resin. Soft Magi Resin was a typical material for a golems main parts. It was resin taken from a tree that contained Magic Energy, a Magi Pine. In short, you could think of it as pine resin that contained Magic Energy. If Magic Energy was important you could mix in powdered Mithril, if weight was you could mix in lead. It was popr to change the additive depending on its use. For battle-type golems, jewels tinged with Magic Energy of Magi Stone quality at the very least were used. The golems that Jin once beat that became the bases for Gon and Gen had been golems like this. Golems like Jins with a skeleton and muscles were rare. How about the additive? My Schwarz Ritter uses finely powdered Mithril and Adamantite. Reinhardt disclosed a small secret regarding his own Schwarz Ritter. Oh, finely powdered Adamantite you say? What kind of an effectiveness does that have? One is weight. Adamantite is heavier than lead, you see. The other isWant to guess? Reinhardt said with a mischievous smile. Hmm, lets seeI dont know. Adamantite dampens Magic Energy, while Mithril lets it diffuse. They seem to counter each other. Stearina said, and Reinhardt gave her a hint. Almost but not quite there. I never said that I mixed them. After that hint Stearina apparently got it. She was indeed a top-ss Magi Craftsman. Ive got it! Some parts have Mithril in them and some parts have Adamantite, right? Thats correct. The arms and legs have Mithril. The torso has Adamantite. The fingers and the feet from ankles to toes have Adamantite in them. Different things for different purposes, no? Stearina gazed at Reinhardt with a look of admiration on her face. Youre amazing indeed. Well, in that case Ill Stearina was about to say something when there was a loud noise. Whats that? It came from the entry hall? Reinhardt and Stearina stood up nearly simultaneously and went to the hallway. !! There stood four golems, all over two meters tall and colored a dull silver. They recognized the design of the armor and the helmets. It cant be, the Unifilers!? Why are they here!? What happened to the defense golems on the streets of Dali? What happened to my guards? Well-take-any number-of-weak-golems-like-those-on. Moreover-human-guards-are-nothing. One of the golems talked. The metallic voice was difficult to understand. I cant believe it, you mean you simply openly strolled through the town!? No, they mustve used the waterway behind the house. Reinhardt was reminded of theyout of the houses location. The waterway at the back of the building connected to river Azul. Most likely they had used a regr boat to slip into Dali. Schwarz Ritter! Reinhardt called for Schwarz Ritter whom he had brought with him. Caster! Stearina called for Caster. Resistance-is-useless. With that, one of them faced Schwarz Ritter and the other faced Caster. The remaining two then moved towards Reinhardt and Stearina. Sheet! [Barrier]! Reinhardt activated the Ring of Protection he had received from Jin. The golem that came for Reinhardt was stopped about 30 centimeters before him. Schwarz Ritter and Caster shed with the enemy golems. Schwarz Ritter swung his fist and knocked the enemy golem down. Oh-its-stronger-than-earlier-huh. The golem that appeared to be the spokesman voiced their opinion. Hearing that, Reinhardt understood that information about him had leaked to Unifilers. Schwarz Ritter! Use your full force! Tear them down! Ja. Schwarz Ritter used his full power. His fist had enough strength to blow off the opposing golems head. Schwarz Ritter then moved to fight a second golem. He fought with the autonomic-type golem. The homes walls were pierced with holes and pirs were broken. But there was no leeway to care about things like that. Eeeeek! Stearinas scream was heard. Reinhardt turned to look behind him, and saw that Caster had been destroyed and Stearina had been caught by the enemy golem. Stearina! Reinhardt bit his lip. He shouldve pulled her next to him and included her in the barrier, he thought. First-one-caught. The spokesmanlike golem spoke. Reinhardt-dono-wont-you-surrender? Reinhardt didnt reply, and the golem once more began to speak. Hmm-how-about-destroying-your-hope-that-Schwarz-Ritter-wont-lose. By now, Schwarz Ritter had defeated a second golem. Only the golem that was holding Stearina and the golem in front of Reinhardt remained. If-thats-how-you-want-it-then-let-us-show-our-real-power. The golem in front of him said and headed towards Schwarz Ritter. This was the best chance Reinhardt could ask for, as if Stearina was taken hostage he couldnt have resisted, but maybe because the leaderlike enemy golem was a bit simple, it apparently wanted to fight with Schwarz Ritter. Sincest time, Reinhardt had also improved Schwarz Ritters power. Even though it wasnt a match for Jins Reiko, he thought it wouldnt lose to the Unifilers golems. Schwarz Ritter, go! Ja. With a short reply, Schwarz Ritter grappled with the enemy golem. For a moment the two fought for supremacy in strength and their movements stopped. I-see-so-this-is-Schwarz-Ritters-strength. The two kept struggling but currently neither seemed to be on top. That-is-enough. Full-power-on. The enemy golem said, and suddenly its strength increased. Schwarz Ritter was outpushed. While still being grappled he was thrown against a wall, went straight through it, hit a pir and then stopped. But the enemy golem didnt stop. Itpletely tore off Schwarz Ritters right arm with its suddenly raised strength. And in the next moment the left one. Wh-what!? The look on Reinhardts face said that he couldnt believe his eyes. But this was reality, and the enemy golem kicked Schwarz Ritter down, then plucked both of its legs off. Its strength was monumental. It was as if it was As powerful as Reiko-chan? The dumbfounded Reinhardt spoke unintentionally. Reiko? Is-that-the-name-of-the-strongest-golem? After having his limbs torn off, Schwarz Ritter was left there and the enemy golem once more came close to Reinhardt. Uh Realizing he had identally revealed information, Reinhardt shut his mouth. Oh-well. You-can-tell-us-all-about-itter. The enemy golem said and, and the one who had Stearina as hostage approached Reinhardt. Wont-you-cancel-that-barrier? Reinhardt-sama! You cant! Stearina firmly said, but the next moment her was wrangled and she let out a scream. Reinhardt couldnt just calmly watch that happen to her. He cancelled the barrier. Then maybe because the enemy golem knew that it was the effect of the ring, it twisted and raised Reinhardts arm, then pulled out the Ring of Protection from his finger. At the same time, chokers were attached to the pairs necks. They were identical to the one that had been attached to Elsa. Magi Tools that prevented chanting and harmed the body. Before-long-people-will-gather-here. Because of the loud noises surely curious onlookers and guard soldiers woulde. The golem said that and then took the two out through the hole that had been opened in the wall. Right there floating on top of the waterway was arge ck boat. Get-on. And thats how Reinhardt and Stearina got kidnapped in broad daylight. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, but everyone was at their wits end and could only watch as the ck boat entered the river Azul and continued downstream. Sage and Cosmos who were the SP dedicated for Reinhardt arrived half a day after that. The two found the destroyed Schwarz Ritter and five bodies covered with a cloth. Chapter 199 - Hourai Island’s Troops, Mobilized

Chapter 199 C Hourai Inds Troops, Mobilized

While Jin wasmenting his naivete, the troops were preparing to sortie. And after worrying about it, he told Elsa on Kunlun Ind that Reinhardt had been kidnapped. As he thought this development would result in him not having lunch with Elsa tomorrow. And in doing Elsa wouldnt be able to be in contact with Jin, so as not to unnecessarily worry her he decided to exin the situation at once. UnifilersEven Rai-nii Elsas voice sank. Jin-nii, save Rai-nii. Yeah, Ill save him. Well then, Ill be going. Jin cut the call and continued the preparations. The VTOLs from Falcon-1 to Falcon-3 were possible to dispatch so he had them included. The Air Force golems from Sky-11 to Sky-13 would be in charge of the piloting. Lets see, looking at this now the means of travel are stillcking, huh. Jin felt that the means of travelling to the exact location where things were happening werecking. I guess supersonic aircraft is neededNo, something more than that. What came to his mind was Warp Gate malfunctions. Without one on the receiving side the warp location would be unknown, but supposing that it could be controlled When the perparations to sortie were in order, Jin boarded Falcon-1 and left Hourai Ind. Along with him on Falcon-1 was Reiko, and the 10 SP members following Jin. Reiko had also diligently brought the railgun with her. Furthermore a small Warp Gate was loaded on board. On Falcon-2 were the Army golems from Land-41 to Land-60. Finally on board the Falcon-3, just in case, was the Navy golem Marine-5 along with the boat Hydro-5 which had been suspended. Ann had suggested this to have the possibility of using it on therge river Azul. Falcon-3 flew in the night sky at its maximum speed. About 600 kilometers per hour. It was an astounding speed for itsrge fairframe. If I had an aircraft carrier ready and had deployed it to the western seas, getting all the way there would be fast with a Warp gate. Mid-transit, while Jin was worried about Reinhardt there was nothing he could do about it so he thought about parts where he wascking and of ways on how to improve them. Right, Reiko. Yes, Father? I want to ask you. Do you think a Warp Gates malfunctioning could be controlled? Jin asked Reiko who had gone around the world with Warp Gate malfunctions multiple times to search for Jin. He was trying to get some hints from Reikos experience. While they were malfunctioning there didnt seem to be any directionality to them. Neither could I sense anything inmon with the locations to which I was warped. Is that so Jin was a little disappointed. But, there was one interesting phenomenon. What was it? Yes, there appeared to have been a connection between the Magic Energy consumption of the Warp Gate and the end points distance from the researchboratory. In other words, ording to the impression Reiko got it seemed that when it consumed a lot of Magic Energy the warp distance was long. There had been no way to measure it until now, but the current measurements point to that. In other words, the northern mountain of Kaina Vige, the forest on Blue Lands outskirts, and Port Rock all are nearly the same distance away. That was good news. If the Magic Energy consumption could be controlled, only thing left was the direction. Warp Gates were Magi Tools that connected two points in space. During a warp, the receiving side merely marks where to go, and the propelling side could be said to do almost all of the work. Jin too understood that much. So that means that if only the receiving side could be marked without equipment During the one hour and a bit journey to Dali, Jin devoted himself to thinking about this. Father, were soon above Dali. Ah, is that so. Jin stopped specting and returned to reality. Here too it was night. Jin could see nothing with his eyes. Falcon-1, cancel stealth. Reiko, please look down. Do you see anything conspicous? Reiko received the order from Jin to look for suspicious objects with her eyesight. He himself also put on the reinforced clothes and the helmet. Nothing in particr at the moment. Unfortunately however, nothing was found. Sheet, so we really are toote. Jin thought of ways to find Reinhardt. If he knew Reinhardts Magic Energy Pattern he could search for him with the detector on Hourai Ind, but right now he didnt have something like that on hand. Theres no Magic Energy left in the Guild card case either, huh. Then he suddenly had an idea and got in touch with the SP units Sage and Cosmos who were supposed to be in Dali. Yes, Chief. Sage speaking. Alright, listen, in order to search for Reinhardt, isnt there anything that has Reinhardts Magic Energy pattern in it left behind? Jin asked and the reply came immediately. Yes, theres the destroyed Schwarz Ritter. What!? Jin was surprised. ording to the report he was lying around with his limbs torn off. So the opponent is able to destroy Schwarz Ritter that badly. There was a remarkable difference in powerpared to the enemy golems he had faced until now. Oh well. Anyway, can you carry Schwarz Ritter here? Yes. If the two of us ovep our Stealth fields I think carrying it will work out fine. Alright, then please hurry. Rendezvous in They met with Sage and Cosmos ten kilometers away from Dali, upstream along the river Azul. Of course, stealth was operational at the time of thending. This area across the river was visible from the Celuroa Kingdoms ramparts so there were no viges. Jin wanted to ask if this was a defense n or what. Ten minutes after Falcon-1nded Sage and Cosmos came. They were indeed fast. Good work, Sage, Cosmos. Chief, apologies for being unable to protect Reinhardt-sama. The moment they arrived the two apologized, but Jin just told them not to worry about it. More importantly. Schwarz Ritter, hes really done in, huh Because the limbs had been torn off forcibly, there had been Magic Energy leakage and he had ceased operating. However, thats unrted to the Control Core. Jin muttered while taking out the Control Core from Schwarz Ritters chest. Alright, this should be enough to recognize Reinhardts Magic Energy pattern. Sage, take Falcon-1s Warp gate to Hourai Ind, and hand this Control Core to Laozi. Then have him look for Reinhardts whereabouts. There hasnt been long so theres no way hes that far away from Dali. Understood. Sage took the Control Core and passed through the Warp Gate to Hourai Ind. Jin simply waited contact from Laozi. While waiting he thought. I should install Magic Energy detectors on the Falcons and Raptors too, huh. Then he realized something. Oh, right. To raise the position calctions uracy I should install them not only on Hourai Ind, but on Kunlun Ind and the aircraft carrier Illplete afterwards. If location was far away from the measuring instruments, adding another set of measuring instruments would increase the precision as if the target was closer. This would also be effective when loaded on the Falcons which coulde to a stop midair. While thinking about that Laozis contact came. Thats fast. So, did you find him? Yes, My Lord. Reinhardt-donos Magic Energy is great so identifying him was simple. At the same time Laozi being familiar with this mustve speeded up the process. So, the location? Yes. Ten kilometers north from the location My Lord currently resides in, just by the river. Got it. Good work. Nearly at the same time as he hung up Sage came back. She was holding a simple map. Chief, Ive brought a rough map from Laozi. Sage, good work. Alright, Falcon-2 and 3,nd! While stealthed the two nes descended. Unlike jet engines, Magi Jet Engines didnt make a sound. They kicked up some dust, but that area had a lot of gravel so it wasnt a problem in particr Even if someone noticed, as thending would be brief by the time a patrol came around theyd probably have already taken off. Units from Land-41 to Land-60 go onnd. Sage and Cosmos too. Lower down Hydro-5. Me, Reiko, and Marine-5 will go there by boat. Falcons from one to three will provide protection from above. Understood. It was and, sea, and air encirclement tactic. The preparations werepleted in three minutes. Jin and Reiko boarded Hydro-5 while Falcons from one to three took off to the skies. Alright, sally out! At Jinsmand the Land units broke into a run. Once they had neared the enemy base Sage and Cosmos would handle the stealth equipment so that they could spread out for the encirclement. Jin continued upstream in Hydro-5 piloted by Marine-5. He no longer cared about being seen. This time, Ill make those damned Unifilers regret it. The self-identified eighth subdivisions branch head Purcell didnt have any important information. Apparently he had in truth upied a lower position. A small fry who had gained status in the Unifilers using money. They werent stupid enough to share important secrets with some upstart neer like him. Jin was worked up and thought that this time for sure he would extract major information. Hydro-5 continued on the river at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour, or at nearly 27 knots. Meanwhile, the Army golems also dashed at nearly the same speed. After traveling on foot the distance of ten kilometers in a little over ten minutes, the base they had headed towards was right in front of their eyes. It was one of Celuroa Kingdoms abandoned lookout forts. Chapter 200 - The Sixth Subdivision

Chapter 200 C The Sixth Subdivision

The ck boat that had run away with Reinhardt and Stearina entered the river Azul. Therge river Azul was a river that flowed fromke Azul. Lake Azul was not only a tourist attraction but also an important location that could ensure the resources of the fishing industry that was important to Celuroa Kingdom. Here the width of the river was about 300 meters. Midway the river Azul floated four ships around 40 meters in length. They were ships owned by Celuroa Kingdom for the purpose of carrying carriages across the river, in other words they were ferryboats. The ck boat approached one of the ships. It was already four oclock. There were many barriers for entry to the river Azul, so in order to pass through without notice they employed some trickery and had to use the waterways to enter river Azul. As a result it had taken time. As the sun was already setting, there was no one who saw the ck boat. The sun was already in an angle where the boat couldnt be seen from the coast. Earlier the distance had been around 150 meters and it had already begun to get darker, so for the naked eye it was probably impossible to tell that something was going on. The small ck boat came alongside therge ship, then Reinhardt and Stearina were moved on it. By now their arms had been tied behind their backs. What? Were switching to arger ship? Reinhardt said and, Take-care-not-to-cause-unnecessary-noise. The golem warned Reinhardt. Therge ship the two were made to board went upstream. There was no response from the remaining three ships. After seeing that Reinhardt thought of a question. Theres no way all the three ships are supporting the Unifilers. Even so? Maybe because it noticed that Reinhardt was observing his surroundings, If-someone-as-wise-as-you-sees-then-it-will-bring-trouble-in-the-future. The golem said and covered Reinhardts and Stearinas eyes with a blindfold. Therge ship continued on at a slow pace. The town of Dali grew further away, and the human settlements on both banks of the river became fewer. The curtain of the night fell and the surroundings were wrapped in the darkness. After continuing on for two hours, therge ship neared the right bank. There were the ruins of an old fort. It seemed like a lookout fort from the era when Celuroa Kingdom had used its might to expand. It appeared to no longer be in use and was covered in ivy. Half of the fairly gigantic fort was built as if it was leaning on the river. Even though it was called a lookout fort, it mustve been used as an important stronghold during wars. It had been designed so that boats could sail into it straight from the river, and therge ship disappeared into the passage that was like a dark opened mouth. Reinhardt who was still blindfolded couldnt confirm it but he guessed from the atmosphere that the ship hade alongside a quay. I wonder if weve arrived at our destination? He said, and apparently the spokesmanlike golem had stayed next to him as it spoke. We-get-off-now. It pulled Reinhardt up by the arm like a human. Ow! Be more gentle! Stearinas voice was heard. Apparently she had been pulled up too. While blindfolded, Reinhardt climbed up some stairs, walked through a hallway, turned corners multiple times and once more climbed some stairs. Before long Reinhardt could feel the sensation of a carpet under the soles of his feet, and he was made to sit on a chair. At the same time his blindfold was taken off. Wee, Reinhardt-dono, Stearina-dono. Im delighted to meet you. A man sat on a chair in front of them and greeted them. I am the branch head of the sixth division of the Unifilers, Intact Mazecilia dGalvani. Im also a viscount of Celuroa Kingdom. Intact who introduced himself was a man in his mid-30s or so, and approximately of the same height as Reinhardt. However, he was slim enough to call nothing but skin and bones. He had dark brown hair and ashen eyes. He had a crooked Roman nose and sunken cheeks. Those eyes of his were filled to brim with cruelty, and one could even feel his madness. He wore a white robe and a cloak. The room they were in was stone-built and spacious, the floor had a carpetid out on it and tapestry had been hung on the walls. Countless Magi Lamps were turned on and it was bright as day. It is an honour to wee the superior Magi Craftsmen Reinhardt-dono and Stearina-dono to this subdivision of mine. Hmph, so youre the same kind of guy as that Purcell or whatever his name was. Reinhardt said as if spitting it out. Intact then frowned. Purcell? Id like you to not bunch me together with such an ipetent fellow. You see, I am the only one of the branch heads who have been bestowed with a few of the newest all-purpose golems. All-purpose golems? Thats right. Stronger than your Schwarz Ritter, and capable of autonomic action on top of that. You must know their power from experience, right? Well, you might say that. Reinhardt tentatively affirmed it. And then, I have long been thinking about sounding out Stearina-sama but, regretfully, it turned out to be a heavy-handed operation like this. Hmph, no matter what I wont cooperate with you. Stearina firmly dered, but her voice was a little shaky. Ha ha, bluffing is pointless. You see, we have our methods to make you cooperate regardless of your intent. Are you talking about [Hypno]? Reinhardt blurted out without thinking. Hmm? Who told you that? Intact gave a grim stare at Reinhardt. I wonder. I mustve forgotten. Hmph, ying dumb is also pointless. You see, once youre under the effects of [Hypno] youll confess to everything. Being told that Reinhardt bit his lip. Well, think carefully. If you cooperate, your magical craftsmanship will surely improve remarkably. If you want to know why, we have the worlds most foremost genius Magi Craftsman with us. Ah, is that so. Someone called the best in the world didnt much convince Reinhardt who knew Jin. Hmph, so you dont believe me. But you mustve seen the power of those all-purpose golems. You see, during the golem party that was held in Egelia Kingdom, we caused and utilized the riot that time to examine the golems of each country. The gist of it is that the all-purpose golems were made using that collected information as the basis. So the riot that time really was just a diversion in order to gather information, huh. Thats right. And then there was apparently a golem that also surpassed that Tauros, right? Reiko, you said? We measured its strength and made sure to have the all-purpose golems able to exhibit strength surpassing its. Intact spoke with pride. The madness in his eyes increased further. In addition, Ive also been awarded a singlebat golem specialized in battles. It can boast a strength nearly double that of the all-purpose golems. It truly is a golem worthy of being called invincible. Reinhardt of course didnt fullyprehend Reikos strength. However, the other day he was shown Jins technology on Hourai Ind. Just by knowing that, he could tell that what the man in front of him was saying was false. Well, I dont think the word invincible is something to be used so easily. Reinhardt said full of cynicism, and Intact treated his reply as if it was based on what happened to Schwarz Ritter, Well, I thought you would say that. He said andughed it off. Anyways, Reinhardt-dono, Stearina-dono, now that you are here help is noting. And even if it dide, without a force surpassing an army of a thousand men it wouldnt be enough. Think well on how youll reply to my request. Intact said and nodded towards four ck-masked men, who then forcibly made Reinhardt and Stearina stand and took them out of the room. Where do you n on taking us? Reinhardt said and, To the guest room. One of the men replied, they again climbed down some stairs and eventually the two were locked into a room. There were no windows, only two simple beds. A single Magi Lamp was left to light the room, making it dim. Sigh. Having the restraints keeping his arms behind his back untied, Reinhardt breathed a sigh of relief. Stearina hung her head down. They both looked somehow listless. Stearina, cheer up. Reinhardt said, but she did not budge. Somehow or other her bodys sluggishness was the cause of her being dispirited. Its useless. No matter how I refuse them, Ill end up the same as that Dominique. Reinhardt had told her the other day that Dominique had been brainwashed, or more precisely was apparently under the effects of [Hypno], and remembering Dominiques disgraceful behavior Stearina shuddered. I dont want that! I dont want to not be myself any more! Saying it herself shocked her even more, and she gradually seemed to be more panicked. Its alright, Im with you. Reinhardt concealed the fact that his body was getting dull too, gently hugged Stearina and lightly patted her on the back. Doing so seemed to make Stearina return to normal from her agitation. Sorry, Reinhardt-kun. When she separated from Reinhardt, Stearinas face blushed a little. Just after that she flopped onto the bed. So, the question is what to do now. Laying his heavy body on the bed, Reinhardt pondered. The ManaCom used to make contact was in the inn in Dali. The Ring of Protection had been taken. They had been abducted in the afternoon. Arriving here took five or six hours. And then other things took approximately an hour more. It was about time for Jin to realize that strangely he hadnt made contact with Jin at the usual time. If Jin used that same device that was used to find Elsa for finding him, help would probably arrive at tomorrow morning. Reinhardt thought that, and nned to somehow persist until tomorrow morning. However, his logic had great ws. First, he hadnt realized that Jin didnt know Reinhardts Magic Energy pattern. And the second. Reinhardt-sama, I presume? It was the true strength of Hourai Ind and Jin when he was serious. Chapter 201 - Penetrating

Chapter 201 C Prating

The abandoned lookout fort. It was apparent that it had be a base for the Unifilers. Alright, Land-41 to Land-60, maintain your distance while surrounding the fort, blockade them in. Because the Army golems did not have a stealth function installed they stayed back at a distance of about 200 meters so as not to alert the enemy. All members of the SP, go for the enemy base. The SP who sessfully rescued Elsast time were to once again sneak in and rescue Reinhardt. Falcon-1 to Falcon-3 stay on alert in the skies and provide backup. Marine-5 steered the high-speed boat Hydro-5 on which Reiko was waiting for orders with Jin. The twelve members of the SP snuck into the enemy base without so much as a whisper. Even Jin couldnt see them anymore. They had already be adept at infiltrating with the earlier eighth subdivision base, so their actions were smooth. Even their coordination had be more advanced. As a basis, the golems worked in pairs. While one of them attracted the opponents attention the other would stun them. Against people who were alone they would attack from front and the back. If there were multiple opponents they would also face them with two or more pairs. And like that, without even raising an rm they continued neutralizing the enemy. The lookouts. The perimeter guards. Gatekeepers. Indoors patrols. One after another they were neutralized. The bases structure was simr. Judging from the ages, the eighth subdivision base was a copy of this one. Because of this they were able to move even better. First floor side entrance captured. Starting the investigation of the second floor. Finished checking the first basement floor. Under Jins supervision the reports came in one after another. Then there was finally the long-awaited report. Second basement floor checked. Reinhardt-sama found. Reinhardt, I presume, the pitch-ck golem had asked. Its height was that of an average adult female. It had pried open the door that was supposed to have been locked and hade in. Y-yeah. Im Reinhardt. Then the ck female-type golem bowed and, Pleased to meet you. My name is Sage. I hope you are well. She said. Reinhardt didnt understand what was going on. Then another golem of the same female type appeared and, Sage, lets hurry. She said. Y-you two are? Reinhardt barely managed to say just that. We are of the SP. We were appointed to be Reinhardt-samas bodyguards. My name is Cosmos. The golem who hade inter said. Appointed? In that case then Yes, appointed by Father Jin. After that reply Reinhardt breathed a sigh of relief. Is that so, it seems that Jin was faster than I thought. Got it, are we leaving now? Yes. Its sure to be safe for the next few moments. Okay. Stearina, lets go. Uh-huh. Cosmos then asked. And she is? Oh, shes a Magi Craftsman who was abducted together with me, Stearina. Id like you to also lead her out with us. Understood. Let us go. There was a slight pause. It was because she had contacted Jin, but Reinhardt felt that she was hesitating and made a light apology. Sorry, Im being selfish. No, its no problem. However, having just the two of us would be unreliable so Ive called for Pansy and Vi who are nearby. Before she had finished, two small figures had appeared. The golems had the same physique as Reiko. S-so you two are from the SP too? Reinhardt was surprised. Stearina looked speechless. Please make haste. They went from the second basement floor to the first basement floor. There they met with two more golems, the boy-types Pothos and Heath. Reinhardt appeared to have had something on his mind after seeing their figures. Then to the first floor. There were three defeated guards who had been doing indoor patrols. Then a single golem appeared there. Leave it to me. Pothos said and leaped upon it. A momentter Heath also wordlessly swooped down on it. For an instant, purple sparks scattered. It was 10,000,000-volt lightning magic. The golem was neutralized and copsed. It made a high-pitched noise. Theyve realized somethings going on as we thought, huh. Let us hurry. Reinhardt-sama, Stearina-sama, please excuse us. Eh? Eh? Wha-what? Eeeeeeeeeek! Reinhardt only spoke out in confusion, but Stearina reflexively screamed. This was because Sage held Reinhardt while Cosmos held Stearina in her arms and started running. Their running speed was over five times that of a humans. It was no wonder Stearina screamed. It was like all of a sudden being on a rollercoaster. But, that speed certainly kept the two away from danger. In one go they moved away from the old fort. Stearina appeared to have suddenly gone quiet but it turned out she had fainted. It wasnt a problem in particr so the two golems moved ording to Jins orders and moved to a good distance away from the old fort. There the golems Land-58, 59 and 60 were to guard the two even better. You guys are Jins too? Yes, we are the Army golems Land-58, 59, and 60. Land-58 replied as their representative. Reinhardt recalled and recognized them as the golems he had once seen on Kunlun Ind. And then he re-experienced feeling Jins outrageousness. Theres no way for me to ask something like please work for my country now, is there Father, the rescue of Reinhardt-san and Stearina-san appears to have been a sess. Alright, then its finally time to attack that fort. This time lets avoid using the Falcons as much as we can. There was no need to show his whole hand, so to speak. Jin ordered Marine-5 to move Hydro-5 near the riverbank, and then he got onnd together with Reiko. Because Jin was now wearing reinforced armor, it was possible for him to jump to a height of two meters. He could leap tond without the boat beaching. Jin was wearing the helmet, and by activating the night vision mode of the shield visor he was able to see in the night as though it was midday. Jin, Reiko, Land-50, and Land-51, together with Ash and Elm of the SP moved around from the riverside to the opposite side of the fort, to a ce a hundred meters away from the forts front. Alright, as they didnt heed my warning theres no need to go easy on them. Reiko, give them our greetings starting with three shots, fire into the forts front wall. Yes, Father. Reiko raised the railgun merrily and prepared to fire. Seeing her figure with the one-and-a-half meter Adamantite gun barrel at the ready was extremely surreal. Alright, shoot! Firing! She shot out at Mach 20 the Adamantite-coated bullets which prioritized prating force. Bang, there was a shocking sound and nearly simultaneously a hole three centimeters in diameter appeared in the forts parapet in front of them. The bullet easily pierced the one-meter thick stone wall, kept going to and through the inner wall, and finally came to a stop at the outer wall on the opposite side. Then another shot. And after that, another. After having three holes punched in it, Jin tried imagining what kind of a situation was going on inside the fort. Chapter 202 - Battle Start

Chapter 202 C Battle Start

W-what!! By now the sixth subdivision was in a state of confusion. The time was past nine in the evening. In a sense, it was the most rxed time. It was the time when people on the night shift started, and the people on day shift went to rest. Disorder filled the forts night. The guards at the side entrance were discovered unconscious. The personnel on the perimeter havent returned. The two underground guards have been confirmed to have fainted. The reports kepting in one after another, but it was simply iprehensible. Gaah, just what is going on! Make your reports more clearly! The head of the sixth subdivision, Intact Mazecilia dGalvani yelled loudly, but despite that the situation didnt change for the better. I-its a disaster! What is it this time? The p-prisoners are gone! What? What are you on about? Without understanding what was going on at all, Intact began getting affected by the disorder. Branch head, please calm down. No matter how you think about it, theres no other conclusion than that someone infiltrated us from the outside. The one who called out was the vice branch head Marcello. He was also a Magi Craftsman. Someone, you say? Who was this someone! Intact asked, but Marcello replied iprehensibly. Yesterday, a pigeon came from the headquarters, right? Try to remember, please. What? Dont tell me you took the tale of that upstart Purcell seriously? I told you, if you think about it theres only one possibility. It was extremely close to the truth but Intact turned a deaf ear to him. As ast resort, Marcello was about to give his own orders when something happened. There was a shock as if something had hit his face, and while he thought he saw something pass by his eyes simultaneously there was a dull sound and a hole appeared in the wall. Wha-what? What was that just now? He touched his face and it was bleeding. And in the next moment, a hole appeared in the wall behind him apanied with a dull sound. He had no inkling of what was going on. Marcello was also an excellent Magi Craftsman in his own way, but having no knowledge of this phenomenon he was not able to make any guesses. In the neighboring room a guard soldier began to panic as suddenly there was a hole in the wall, and something had brushed against his armpletely tearing off a piece of flesh from it. Despite this, Marcello was able to think clearly. There was something writtenThats right, there was a Magi Craftsman who told us to not get involved with him, it said. Dont tell me Branch head! A hole suddenly appeared in the wall, and two golems which were on standby were demolished! Something got stuck in the wall facing the river! The reports came in. Go get that thing stuck in the wall, then bring it to me. He gave the order, turned towards the front of the fort, and looked outside through a small hole meant for observation. Hm? Whats that? There were several figures standing about a hundred meters away. They were far away and it was dark so he couldnt make out their facial features. Judging from the direction of the holes those guys are behind this? After thinking about it a bit, he decided to bring out twobat golems. Of course, they were golems of the lowest grade just to wait and see what would happen. Go. If theyre the enemy then catch them and bring them here. Now then, there ought to have been some sort of a reaction by now, but. Ten minutes after the three railgun shots. In the darkness, Jin was watching the fort using the night vision mode on his helmet. Ah, Father, somethingsing. Reiko whose sight was even better than Jins with night vision engaged found two golems that hade out of the fort. Theyre walking here. Golems, arent they. Their quality doesnt seem to be very good. One could tell the quality of the golems by the way they walked. If their walking was clumsy then they were low-grade golems. However, crude force and such things couldnt be measured with that. After they hade about 20 meters closer Jin too could tell that they were golems. And their performance too. No way theyre friendly, huh. The two golems didnt appear to have speech faculties, they kept silently walking closer as if trying to grab at Jin. What are you doing? Reiko swung the railgun in her hands once. As it was made out of Adamantite its weight was approximately 50 kilograms, and the golems got crushed and rendered immobile after being hit by the railgun that weighed more than Reiko. How brittle The exterior was bronze. Jin couldnt understand at all why these golems had been sent out. Lets try going a bit closer. Right, Ash, Elm, carry those golems as we go. Yes, Chief. The SP, Ash and Elm, each took a golem apiece then moved while shouldering the unmoving golems. Land-50 and 51 were also with them. In the dark of the night, Jins group got roughly 40 meters closer. Alright, aim at the walls of that fort and toss those golems. Oh, thats right, I guess Ill ask the Lands this time. Land-50, Land-50, please. Yes, master. Land-50 and 51 simultaneously lifted up the golems, aimed towards the upper part of the forts walls, then threw the golems at full strength. Incidentally, the Army golems maximum output was, using current Reiko as the standard, about 20 percent of hers. That in itself was outrageous. The golems thrown with such force smashed against the forts wall and appeared to have been crushed t as they sunk halfway in. W-wh-who are those people? While observing the outside, suddenly golems hade flying and were buried in the wall. Seeing that, as youd expect even Marcello was scared out of his wits. But he soonposed himself and began thinking. Hmm, that power, the golem with that fellow must be the strongest golem that took part in the golem party, right? In which case he should be Jin Nidou? The information about the golem party and the contents of yesterdays message matched. Its no longer the time to keep holding back, huh. [Light Ball]. Marcello created three [Light Ball]s and had them float in front of the fort. The darkness vanished and it became bright. There, there were four golems that appeared to be the battle-type, and a person in wearing a strange helmet who appeared to be giving them orders. And then boggling his mind, there was a person who by all appearances was just a little girl, holding a mysterious weapon longer than her own body. Hm, so those guys are the ones who attacked? Marcello turned towards the voice, and there was Intact having regained his bearings looking out from another observation window. It appears so. The low-grade golems were not a match for them. Hmph, because no one but me can mobilize the advanced battle-golems, I see. I do not care or know who they are, but Ill teach them a lesson. Intact then drew back for a moment, activated all of the battle-type golems and had them attack. However, as a secret weapon, he kept the strongest battle-type golem and the all-purpose golems in reserve. Marcello watched and soon saw 15 battle-type golemse running to the front of the fort. An over twofold difference in war potential, huh. Well, this should settle it. Someone is be behind the opened observation window of the fort. They appear to be observing us. Reiko said, then [Light Ball]s rose up and illuminated the surroundings. So they finally noticed us, huh. In that case, next should be their full-power offensive, right? [Barrier]. The defensive power of the reinforced clothing was great, but just in case Jin put up a [Barrier]. Before long, fifteen golems rushed out of the forts open front gate. Chapter 203 - Golem Battle

Chapter 203 C Golem Battle

15 enemy golems. Iing! Ash, Elm, Land-50, Land-51, intercept them. Roger. Receiving Jins orders, the four golems rushed out. The first ones to sh were the light-weight Ash and Elm. These two were the type that utilized their speed to the utmost while fighting. Ash pretended toe grappling from the front, then in an instant leapt to the right and drove a backhand blow to the enemy golems head with his left hand. Elm bent his body to avoid the fist the enemy golem swung, then reached out and powerfully smashed the enemy golems chin with his fist. The two were effective against human opponents, but with golems the damage didnt turn out to be great. The heads of the golems who ate the attacks were crushed, but unlike with humans it was no fatal wound. Using current Reiko as the basis, the Army golems power output was about 20 percent of hers, while the SPs was about ten percent. Nevertheless they were able to destroy bronze golems with a single strike, while against battle-type golems the established tactic was aiming at the torso where the Control Core was. Hmm, they really are specialized inbat against humans after all. While Jin held such an impression, at that moment, Land-50 and 51 shed with the enemy golems. As expected of the Army golems, after their first blows struck two golems were turned into scrap and blown away. Subsequently Land-50 and 51 both took golems in underarm holds, one golem per arm, then smashed them together. Meanwhile, Ash and Elm had defeated their first two golems. Seven remained. Hmm, the Land golems do indeed use the brute force approach. Maybe it would be good if they learned some more martial arts. Jin remembered how during the golem party Lotte had yed an active role. Next time, lets also transcribe knowledge of martial arts to them. And so Jin came to a decision in his heart. Oooh, what an impressive group! While observing the scene, Intact raised his voice in surprise. Mh-hm, theyre strong. As I thought, he must be Jin Nidou for sure. Marcello made a calm analysis. That is inconsequential! We must win! I will now go activate the strongest golems! With those words, Intact left. Marcello, left behind, breathed a sigh. Good grief, it appears we ended up throwing our military power in one by one. I suppose things will get hairy unless I make preparations to escape. Little by little, Ash and Elm also appeared to be getting used to fighting against golems. At first they were fighting one against one, but now capitalising on their speed they both attacked the same golem together to beat it. This wasnt a game so it was alright. On the other hand, Land-50 and 51 took the enemies straight on and utilizing their power scrapped them. As you might expect, they hadnt been able to take two golems in an underarm hold like earlier, but they had already defeated two more golems each, and another one just now. Ash and Elm also had beaten two more golems, and in the end all fifteen enemy golems turned into scrap. Hmm, how should I say this, what a pity. Land-50, Land-51, collect them. Simply because they were built for and used by a stupid master, they ended up like this. For research purposes too, Jin ordered the fifteen golems to be collected. And at that moment. Father, watch out! A ck figure attacked Jin. Reiko noticed it and promptly protected him, but as that ruined her stance, she ended up being sent flying because of the weight difference. However, as a result, the ck figure too stumbled and stopped without being able to touch Jin. Although Jin was also inside a [Barrier] he was a little surprised. And then he observed the enemy in front of him. A dark gray golem, huh. It looks like its workmanship is different from the ones until now. With a simple nce Jin was able to grasp its quality workmanship. The dark gray was also a sign of being coated with Adamantite. And then the battle began anew. As a substitute for Reiko who was some distance away from Jin after being sent flying, Ash and Elm leapt upon the dark gray golem. But the difference in physique was great. The dark gray golem was 2.3 meters tall, contrasted to Ash and Elm who were 175 centimeters tall. The weight difference was likely nearly threefold. Ash with the right arm, and Elm with the left arm. The opposing golem stopped them both with one hand each. Huh, youre rather strong, arent you. Jin looked on very interestedly. Hmm, the flow of energy isnt greatly different from the other golems. However, theres a strange concentration that Could it be? Jin had some questions regarding the way the enemy golem put out its energy and, Land-50, you try taking it on. He gave the order. Following the order, Land-50 moved to face the dark gray golem. Realizing that, the enemy golem shook off Ash and Elm. Ash, Elm, good work. Come back. Jin ordered the SP to return back to Jins side. In front of him, the dark gray golem and Land-50 grappled. Hand gripped hand and they simply grappled and pushed. Huh, so it can put out the same amount of force as the Lands. Jin once more observed. While he was doing that, Reiko warned him. Father, its fine to observe the enemy, but if you dont keep it in moderation then the enemy leaders may escape. Being told that, Jin contemted. He was self-aware of his personality not fit forbat. Youre right, I understand. But Id like you to not destroy the research material too much. Alright, Land-51, Ash, Elm, Reiko. Suppress it. Roger. Understood. Reiko swiped at the golems legs. She put a little bit of strength to it probably as revenge for being sent flying earlier. The enemy golems knee joints were bent the wrong way and without being able to support itself it fell to the ground. Reiko lightly bashed the joints of its four limbs Due to the four strikes that urred in the blink of an eye, the connections of the enemy golems limbs were partially destroyed. It wasnt in a state to put out any decent force. In addition, being pinned down by four golems and an automata even the enemy golem became unable to move. Jin approached it, touched its chest, and, [Erase]. He removed the operating instructions of the Control Core. Now the dark gray golem would be unable to operate. It went well. I never thought Id end up using this magic myself. All the golems that hade out were neutralized. Jin looked up at the fort. Reiko also looked up in front of Jin. The people who were here not long ago are gone, it seems. The faces peeking out of the small observation windows had disappeared and, although it was a little inurately, Reiko was also able to detect the presence of living things. Jin had faith in her judgment. Is that so. They probably want to escape. In that case, they went to the opposite side and are most likely going to use the river. Alright, here should be fine. Land-50, 51, in addition to Ash and Elm, stay behind to stand guard. If those Unifilers turn up, dont let them escape. Reiko,e with me. Jins group was in front of the fort. If they wanted to run theyd probably do it by the river. Coming to that conclusion, Jin headed towards the river with Reiko. There Hydro-5 was waiting. Alright, lets wait for the enemy toe. If they set out to the river on a boat there would no longer be a ce to escape. He nned to catch them all at once. On the side of the fort facing the river there was arge gate. If they came out they woulde out of there. After about three minutes of waiting. As expected, the gate opened. Alright, there they are. Falcons, provide backup from the skies. However, hold back on attacking until I give themand. This time, Jin nned to hold back on disys of military power as much as possible. In particr, he didnt want them to learn of the military air power. The enemy boat was arge boat. It was painted ck, and could board probably around 50 people. Four oars stuck out on the left and right sides each, apparently rowed by golems. Hmm, even with this night vision mode, its still a bit dark. Jinined, although he was still able to observe what was going on in the lightless environment using the night vision mode. Hydro-5 pursued the boat silently, waiting until the boat hade to about the middle of the river. Alright, [Light Ball]. Jin made five [Light Ball]s and had them float around. The surroundings were lit up bright. Its an a-a-ambush!? Because of the [Light Ball]s, the boat Jin was on was also made obvious. What, youre telling me they pursued us with a small boat like that? Intact made light of Hydro-5 which looked like a small boat that could barely board four people, but Marcello was different. Branch head, that is not the case. That boat has no oarsman. What? At present, the propulsion mechanism of this worlds boats (excluding those rowed by people) were golems. Seeing no golem as an oarsman meant that Marcello was doubtful. Is the golem underwater? Marcello had heart talk of a mermaid-type golem that had previously appeared in the golem boat race held in Elias Kingdom, and so he arrived at that guess. Hey, attack! Magic troops, to the front! Fire! Giving a backwards nce to Marcello, Intact ordered the magicians to aim at the small boat and cast [me Ball]s. However, before they reached the small boat it was as if the [me Balls] had met an invisible wall as they all burst and scattered without single one hitting. Hey, what are you doing, shoot a barrage! Intact was agitated and irritated by there being no result. While watching, Marcello thought that people manipted with [Hypno] really arent fit to be leaders. Chapter 204 - Aquatic Battle

Chapter 204 C Aquatic Battle

Content warning: death - Magic troops, fire! Keep firing! At themand of the branch head of the sixth division, Intact, the magic troops shot out [me Ball]s one after another. But really, they dont have a strategy or anything. Isnt the branch head just an idiot? While protected from magic by the deployed [Barrier], Jin thought. Well, lets keep on observing the situation for a bit longer. Theyll probably soon run out of Magic Energy and be unable to attack. Maintaining a [Barrier] required little Magic Energy, but [me Ball] required quite a lot. Maybe because they realized [me Ball]s were making no progress, this time three [me Lance]s came flying. But, those were also readily stopped by the [Barrier]. And with that, no more magic was shot. Branch head, everyones overtaxed their Magic Energy The head of the magic troops reported with a blue face, but Intact simply kept being enraged. Useless! Youre all useless! At that moment, a shock ran through the boat they were on. Alright, Reiko, this time using steel rounds fire five shots at their boat. This time Jin wasnt nning to use a lot of special attack manoeuvres. At any rate, disregarding the railguns power, it was basically the same as a catapult or a slingshot which had equivalents in this world. Although no matter what it was impossible for them to shoot at speeds surpassing Mach 20. Yes, Father. The [Barrier] was temporarily rescinded, and Reiko prepared to shoot the railgun. Ah, thats right. Theres no need to use full power. Lets see, five percent should be enough? Understood. The opponents had a wooden ship. There was no way it had the means to stop a steel ball that had -even at five percent power- an initial velocity that surpassed the speed of sound. As youd expect the recoil made even Hydro-5 move about 10 meters backwards, but it returned to its original position right away. On the other hand, to speak of the Unifilers boat. The hull jolted together with a dull impact sound. If you looked you could see a girl on the small boat holding a long tube pointed towards their ship. Dont tell me thats a Magi Tool!? The eyes of the vice-head of the branch Marcello went wide in shock. But the branch head Intact, he panicked. Whawhawha, whaat!? What was that? Someone say something!! Due to a mysterious attack, two of the four golems moving the ship have been damaged! Numerous holes have appeared in the ships hull! Thats not what he wanted to hear, Intact yelled. Then, the ship jolted violently and inclined. One of the shots hit below the waterline and the ship began to flood from there. A-aaaargh! In his panic, Intact summoned the all-purpose golem. Yes-branch-head. H-hold me! Listen, dont let go until I tell you to! Yes-sir. Because he couldnt stand on top of the ships deck, Intact used his only remaining secret weapon, the all-purpose golem to hold his body up. Sigh, now I can rx. How is the damage? What in the world was that attack? When thiste in the game Intact could only put on airs of dominance, Marcello began thinking that its about time to wash his hands off the man. You bastards! Are you people really going to silently ept this iprehensible attack!? Shoot your bows, throw your spears, anything! If the magic troops have recovered even a little then fire your magic! And so on, Intact kept yelling orders. Then two archers heeded themands and stood up on the side of the ship to aim at Hydro-5. The archers were certainly skilled, as they shot two arrows from the shaking and nted ship towards Hydro-5 without erring. However, before they reached Hydro-5, they were stopped by the [Barrier] and fell down to the water. Then, simply as payback, three steel rounds were fired, two of which hit below the waterline. One of them pierced through the cabin. Hull damaged! Its impossible to repair! Water ising in! A report came from the cabin. Marcello gave a sidelong nce at the ranting and raving Intact and gave his orders. This ship is already lost. Everyone abandon ship. Even a nk will do, find something that looks like will keep you afloat and jump into the water with it! Y-y-y-you imbecile, Marcello, you say you bastards are going to abandon the ship!? While hooting and hollering in his agitation, Intact drew closer to Marcello. At that moment, two more shots hit the ship. One of them destroyed the right arm of the all-purpose golem. The all-purpose golem lost its bnce and fell into the river taking Intact with it. Aaaaaaaagh After the scream a ssh, the sound of him hitting water. The all-purpose golem abided by its orders, and even underwater did not let go of Intact. And then Intact, or rather, no human could speak underwater. As a result, in the middle of the river, the all-purpose golem simply sunk down while firmly keeping hold of Intact. All hands abandon ship! Abandon ship! Marcello went around yelling loudly, and when he recognized that no one was left to jump off, he himself also grabbed a nearby piece of wood and jumped into the water holding it. Father, everyone has left the ship. Yeah. The ships about to sink too. Alright, lets finish this. Jin ordered Reiko to shoot two lead shots. Yes. The soft lead was smashed along with the impact, spread wide, and conveyed its kic energy without waste to the ships hull. And the result. Wh-whawha, whawhawha In front of the Unifilers floating on the river, the boat they had just been on was smashed to smithereens. Alright, next is the fellows floating on the water, I suppose. Reiko, let them have it with the smallest current [Thunder Rain] you can. Yes, Father. Right now one of the quickest ways to deal with the people in the water was to give them an electric shock, using lightning from the skies. And so Reiko cast [Thunder Rain] at the smallest possible output she could manage. For an instant, the river surface was dyed purple. Around 100,000,000 volts rained upon the floating Unifilers heads. Urgh, argh, and simr short screams: all the Unifilers on the surface of the river fainted. Despite being submerged in water, their hearts probably wouldnt as long as they werent extremely unlucky. However, there were two of those extremely unlucky people, and two who sank while unconscious due to the weight of their armor. Including Intact, that was a total of five people. By chance, the death toll was the same as the number of Reinhardts guards. Alright, lets collect them. And like this, the neutralized members of the Unifilers were scooped up with the fishings on Hydro-5. The total turned out to be 28 people. For now, lets tie them up properly. The Land golems were made to be on alert on the riverbed, and the unconscious Unifilers were handed over to them. As he didnt have suitable rope with him, Jin fashioned a wire rope out of golem fragments using Craft Magic. Now then, I suppose Ill consult with Reinhardt about what to do with these guys. Although they failed in the end, they had abducted a diplomat of Shouro Empire, so Jin was hesitant to deal with them on his own. Or rather, he thought the one who bore thergest grudge must be Reinhardt, so he figured hed ask for Reinhardts opinion first. Reinhardt then turned up while being guarded by the Army golems Land-58, 59, and 60. Jin! Reinhardt! Are you alright? Yeah, thanks you to. Reinhardt said and smiled, but Jin noticed that there was no energy behind that smile. Looking it over, there was a choker on his neck. Dont tell me! Sorry, Reinhardt. I shouldve realized it earlier. Jin said andid his fingers on the choker. No Jin, this isnt something thats so easy to And then he tore choker off. Without Reinhardt even feeling that Jin had pulled on it. Takeoff Hm? Reinhardt looked at Jin who was viewing the taken off choker annoyedly, and smiled bitterly. Good grief, what in the world did you do to get that off so easily? What did I do, umm The moment I touched it with my fingers I got this indescribably baaad feeling, so I opposed it with Magic Energy which made it as soft as y and I tore it off, or something like that? The choker had a function to, using Magic Energy, adjust its size to the chokees neck. If this functions parts were overcharged with Magic Energy, lets say by ten times the capacity, it was true that it would malfunction but for Jin to know that he would have to examine this choker in detail. Hmm, well, lets leave the detailed investigation forter, as Stearina was also caught along with me. Please also take off her choker. Reinhardt said and Jin was surprised, I heard of that. The ce were you were attacked was Stearina-sans house, after all. Yeah, her secondary home to be precise. Speaking of Stearina, she was still unconscious after being carried by Cosmos. Yeah, it must be because of this choker. Its got a Magi Form that undermines your physical condition inscribed in it. Jin took off Stearinas choker while saying so. What!? So that must be why I was feeling somewhat listless. Thanks, Jin. Leaving that aside, whats up? Thats a very unusual helmet. I dont know if I should even call it clothing? The helmet Jin was wearing was more like a sci-fi movie prop. Right now his night vision visor was flipped up so his face could be seen, but if it was down probably no one could tell who he was. Its the new equipment I made. Its been rather helpful. Jin then put on a serious look and pointed towards the unconscious and tied up Unifilers. Reinhardt, how should we deal with these guys? He asked. Chapter 205 - Reflection

Chapter 205 C Reflection

Theyre the criminal group who kidnapped the Shouro Empire diplomat Reinhardt, so Im leaving dealing with them to you. Oh, wait a minute. As if he had just remembered it, Jin took a Magi Crystal out of his reinforced clothings pocket, got nearer the fainted Unifilers and used [Transfer Info] on the man he felt was the most important-looking among them. Now Ill surely get my hands on some information thats a little better. The branch head of the eighth subdivion, Purcell, whose knowledge he read throughst time did not have decent information. And then, the moment he put it back in his pocket. A figure suddenly rushed out of the darkness and knocked Jin off his feet. Jins body sailed through the air and flew a distance of about five meters. Jin! Father! The one who sent Jin flying was the all-purpose golem that had sunk in the river together with Intact. As its right hand had been destroyed by Reiko with her railgun, getting up from the river took it some time. Of course, Intact whom it had kept hold of ording to his orders had drowned and was no longer of this world. But the all-purpose golem, while not to the extent of Jins golems, was autonomic and when it had confirmed that Intact had died it knew to transfer the rights tomand it to the next person, the vice branch head Marcello. Then when it saw that Marcello had been rendered unconscious and tied down it attacked the enemy standing closest, namely Jin. Jin who had beenunched about five meters by the hity on the ground, unmoving. How dare you do that To Father! At the same time as Reiko spoke those words she dealt a blow to the all-purpose golem. She brandished the railgun in her hand and struck from overhead. Reiko used so much strength it could even bend the barrel of the Adamantite-made railgun, literally all of her strength. For some reason the force didnt sink the all-purpose golem into the ground, instead it crushed t as if it was an empty can driven over by a truck. Jin! Pull yourself together! On the other hand, Reinhardt ran up to Jin to look after him. Uuhh? Jin! Youre awake!? Great! Father! After defeating the all-purpose golem Reiko also rushed over to Jins side at once. I am so sorry! Please punish me as youd like!! Reiko knelt down in front of Jin who had returned to consciousness. However, Jin just spoke to her with a kind voice. Reiko, Im okay. So raise your head. J-Jin, are you really okay? You were hit by the golem andunched five meters away, right? But Jin replied with a smile. Ah, my reinforced clothing defended against the impact. It seems like I somehow fainted, but that appears to be because of the shock of hitting the ground after flying five meters. Jin stood up, waved both his hands around and stomped his feet to show he was okay. Oh, you really are okay. It didnt seem like you were alive. Father Reiko looked depressed. If she could cry she would likely be in floods of tears. Then around her the SP imitated Reiko and knelt down. It was somehow surreal. I said Im fine, everyone. Nothing happened to me. The reinforced clothing made with the Sea Dragon as a material was able to bear the strike of the all-purpose golem, although its right hand had been destroyed. It wasnt a very happy situation, but he did confirm its ability inbat. Jin, Im truly happy that you came to rescue me. But you really should take care of yourself a little more. Eh? Starting with Reiko-chan, the golems are your children. If something happened to you everyone would be sad. You should understand that. Even Reinhardt was full of emotions regarding the golems and Automata Jin had built, and he gave Jin a word of warning. In the first ce, I dont think youre cut out to makingmands on-site. Jin gratefully epted Reinhardts advice that didnt mince words. Youreright. I understand, Ill be careful. Thanks, Reinhardt. Mmh. And like that, the result of Jins consultation with Reinhardt was that the caught Unifilers would be escorted by Land-58, 59, and 60 to the city of Dali, then delivered to Celuroa Kingdom through Shouro Empires stationed troops. The fact was that as a diplomat, Reinhardt couldnt give priority to personal grudges. After having them go that way on foot, Jin thought about what to do with Reinhardt and Stearina who had yet to wake up. Eventually, as it was still dark, he decided to take them near Dali with Hydro-5. Oooh! So this is a boat Jin made! Reinhardt was excited once he saw Hydro-5. Its not moved by a golem, huh! As it was a hassle Jin said to calm Reinhardt down that hed exin it allter, then got on the boat. As its capacity was more or less four people, all seats were taken with the driver Marine-5, Jin, Reinhardt and Stearina. However, Reiko said, I will not be separated from Father. She did not yield. With no other choice Jin decided to go while having Reiko sit on his knee. The bent railgun was put in the luggage space. Even like this there was leeway with the load capacity. Then, let us depart. Marine-5 said and started Hydro-5. As they were going downstream, and although the boat was meant for only four people it moved at a speed of over 50 kilometers per hour. The Army golems withdrew using Falcon-2, with the exception of Land-58, 59, and 60, who were escorting the Unifilers. Reinhardt, Im just letting you know, but the Celuroa Kingdom guards were very unmotivated, I think? Even when Reinhardt and Stearina-san were kidnapped they didnt seem to be making any moves. I suppose. I can somehow understand. Besides, the butler, ude was it? He was apparently shut out of the crime scene. Jin exined the details of what Sage and Cosmos of the SP saw when they stopped at the crime scene to investigate. Hmm, so theyre that rotten, huh. While talking about that, the town of Dali came to sight. They had taken less than 30 minutes. As getting too close would be trouble Hydro-5 approached the riverbank. Here a problem arose. The town of Dali was on the left side of the river, while the captives were on the right side. I guess theres no other choice. Near here, if Im not mistaken, theres a town that I think was called Jiron, but theres sure to be stationed forces there too. Lets deliver them there. Reinhardt said, and so Hydro-5 went across to the right side of the river. Sorry to ask you this, but please somehow exin away my involvement in this. And please take care of Stearina-san. Right now, Celuroa Kingdoms and Shouro Empires soldiers would have a lot of question which would just be a waste of time and above all, bothersome to handle. And so, while feeling sorry about it Jin left all of the cleanup to Reinhardt. Good grief, I suppose I have to. In exchange, I hope youll make up for itter? Reinhardt said and shed a mischievous smile. Then, What, didnt I just save you. Jin said and smiled. Haha, Im kidding. Well, leave the diplomatic matters to me. Reinhardt replied and took things over. Despite that, Jin was worried about Stearina who still hadnt woken up, and so Jin left Reinhardt with the word that hell have medicine delivered to him afterwards, and had him disembark. There Reinhardts personal guards Sage and Cosmos were already waiting, and the unconscious Stearina was entrusted to them. They got in touch with Land-58 and the others through ManaCom, and apparently their trip would take about four and a half hours. Really sorry about this, Reinhardt. Ill leave the rest to you! Jin left those words behind, Hydro-5 once again started and moved upstream. Once they were in a ce where town of Dali wasnt in sight, Falcon-1 and 3nded. Falcon-3 came to a still above the river so that Hydro-5 could be brought on board on suspensions. It sprayed water everywhere. Then Jin and Reiko boarded Falcon-1. While doing so, Jin took one of the medicine ampoules out of the first-aid kit of the ne, and asked Reiko to quickly deliver it to Reinhardt. I understand, but Father, please dont leave the Falcon no matter what, okay? Reiko asked to make sure of it. Jin smiled awkwardly and nodded. Now then, Ill be back soon. Reiko said and disappeared. Reiko traveled the distance of around three kilometers in about a minute. Her speed was nearly 200 kilometers per hour. Reinhardt-san. O- oh, Reiko-chan, whats up? This is restorative medicine. It is very effective, so please use it in two half-doses. Reiko said and presented the ampoule of medicine. Ah, is that so. Thanks for your trouble. Reinhardt thanked her and epted it. Ill be going now. No sooner than Reiko had said so, she turned aside and left like the wind. Father! Are you alright!? Oh, Reiko, that was fast. Great, youre uninjured. Obviously. Who do you think I am? However, Reiko didnt answer that and, Come on, hurry, lets quickly go home. She said. Jin sympathized with Reikos sentiments and instructed the piloting Sky-11 to return. And thus, Falcon-1 and Falcon-3 soared in the skies of dawn. Hydro-5 was suspended in Falcon-3, but it was still as fast as Falcon-1. This was because by practical use of wind magic, the air streams around the nes fusge could be controlled. The Pelicans could also do this. All the models with thick fusges had the same function. On the return trip to Hourai Ind, Jin exined the details of Reinhardts rescue to Elsa through ManaCom. On the other side of the ManaCom Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was thinking about the time she had been kidnapped herself. And once that was done with, although only for a brief while, Jin took a nap. Reiko intently stared at Jins sleeping face. Falcon-1 kept flying towards the morning sun rising over the horizon, heading for Hourai Ind. Chapter 206 - Side Story 7: Meanwhile, in Kaina Village

Chapter 206 C Side Story 7: Meanwhile, in Kaina Vige

April, Kaina Vige was brimming with energy. Spring was the season when hills and fields began sprouting nts, and children concentrated on nothing but ying outside. The adults plowed the fields in preparation for nting crops. Last autumn even the wheat that had been sown had grown a lot, and weeding the field was necessary. Hannah-chan, theres a lot here~ Theres a lot here too~ Hannah and Patty who was a year younger than Hannah were picking wild herbs at the riverbed of river Elume. Angelica, cress, and mitsuba. They were herbs even children could pick. Because tere were no poisonous nts that resembled them, they could be collected without worry. Ah, Hannah-chan, found you~ The one who came and spoke out was the tomboy Jessie. This season, the girls of the vige were busy picking wild herbs. The riverbed and the fields, edges of the forest, and other grassy ces were visited and the herbs were picked. After oveing the season of winter, they fully enjoyed springs delights in the hills and fields, while also being able to resupply the vitamins that one was prone tock during winters. Without even being aware of such a thing, the knowledge of how to pick herbs in the spring was imparted from parent to child, and from child to grandchild. The children who had picked herbs until the long spring day wasing to an end went to the hot springs to wash off their sweat before returning. Ahh~, it feels so nice~ Hanna-chan, Ill wash your back. Mh, thanks~ In the hot springs the children washed each others backs. Just before Jin left the vige, he had taught the people how to use the ritha seeds to wash their bodies and clothing. The ritha seeds ripened in autumn and were said to be poisonous so no one had got involved with them but, Isnt this washnut? Jin had muttered by himself, brought arge quantity of the seeds to dry in the sun, then ground them to a powder. Mixing a little bit of that with water and rubbing made foam which made dirt toe off. If you use it every day your skin will be rough, so its better to use it only when youre very dirty. He had said something like that. Until then they had used lye for washing, but as the powder made out of ritha seeds was better for getting off dirt, everyone in the vige had gathered ritha seeds together. Granny, Im back~ Wee back, Hannah. You gathered a lot, I see. Grandma Martha looked at the plentiful herbs in the basket Hannah was holding and smiled. Lets make a lot of things out of them this evening, shall we? Yeah! Great~! That evening they had herb sd and boiled greens. Of course they also had bread made out of sieved wheat flour. Delicious. Thanks to everything Hannah picked up, of course its delicious. And so the cheerful dinnertime passed. The evening in Kaina Vige passed quickly. The sun had set and most of the houses were dark so it was about time to go to bed. For lighting they did have torches and tallowmps, but normally using them was wasteful so nearly no houses did. Good night, granny. Good night, Hannah. Even in Marthas house the dinner was at five in the evening, and by seven oclock they had fallen asleep. ordingly, everyones morning came early. Everyone woke up together with the sunrise. Good morning, granny. Good morning, Hannah. Everybody went to rinse their mouths and wash their faces at themon well. Onii-chan Every time she operated the pump and water came out, she couldnt help but think about Jin. I hope youre well. The same day, Hannah got on the golem horse Mint and went to the mountains to pick edible wild nts. Today apanying her was the golem Gen. Of course Jin having returned was still a secret, so Gen acted such that Hannah or the vige people didnt notice him. Clippety-clop, the hooves sounded as Hannah headed towards the mountains. Oh~, its Hannah-chan~ Noticing her, the children greeted Hannah. Hannah-chan, Im jealous~ The only one who had a horse for their exclusive use was Hannah. The other five horse golems Ein, Zwei, Drei, Quatre, and Cinq were all formunal use. If the children asked the vige head who managed them they could borrow one, but Hannah having a horse of her own nheless made them jealous. Mint, the horse Onii-chan made is for me, he said. Hannah caressed Mints neck while grumbling. Mint moved past the grassy ins and whening to a mountain patch, continued on briskly walking without stopping. Then after about 20 minutes of climbing she arrived at the summit of the hill. It was over twice faster than walking Below, Kaina Vige looked small. Hannah reminisced about the time whenst year she hade here to pick up medicinal nts with Jin. But she couldnt stay like that forever. I have to pick nts. Hannah got off Mint and immediately began collecting edible herbs. Today one of the nts she came to look for was the lily bulb. It wasmon to pick them up during autumns when the aboveground parts had matured, butst autumn the mountain beasts had been disturbed so she wasnt able toe pick them. Another one was the mountain leek. It was also an edible wild nt, but it was very good nourishment. It was very effective on ones body that had been somewhat weakened after passing through winter. Hannah knew both nts well. The mountain leek in particr had many varieties of poisonous nts that resembled it, but as she knew how to differentiate them there was no worry of making a mistake. It was sure that Hannah was a smart girl. She continued gathering the nts until lunch, and stopped when her basket was full. After tightly fastening the basket to Mint, she straddled the horse and got on her way back home. Going downhill was even faster, and she returned in less than 15 minutes. Im back~ Wee back, Hannah. Good work. Youre not hurt, right? Nope! Then Ill start making lunch now, so lend me a hand. Ye~s. After taking down the basket from Min, Hannah went to the well to wash her hands. In the afternoon, the merchant Rnds carriage came along. Hey, Rnd-san, weve been waiting. Gheebeck-san, its been a while. Its gotten warmer, hasnt it? Yes, indeed. Thest time he hade was before mid-January, and as it had then still been winter, it waspletely different from now. So what about Jin-san? Yeah, he hasnte back. Every time Rnd came he had this conversation with the vige head. Is that so I wanted some rubber balls though. Apparently the rubber balls Jin had made and sold turned out to be pretty popr. However, as no one but Jin could make them there was nothing to sell even if they wanted to. Cant help it if theres none, I guess. As usual, food, salt, voring and so on was sold, and fire-attribute Magi Stones were bought. Hannah looked at the scene from a small distance away. And then night came once more. It was a little windy so the windows were closed. Come to think of it, Jin was the one who made these muscovite windows, Hannah thought. It had been four months since Jins disappearance, and Hannah could still not forget about Jin. Looking up through the window at the skies, the stars were twinkling. Chapter 207 - Research Starts

Chapter 207 C Research Starts

A solitary ind on the surface of the blue sea, the Hourai Ind. This was the base of the Magi Craft Meister, Jin. Once Jin had returned to the researchboratory he was shocked. Its in bits and pieces! How could this be! The Magi Crystal that was supposed to have contained information drawn out of Marcello was smashed to smithereens. Was it the blow from that golem? When Jin had been hit by the Unifilers all-purpose golem, Jin who had been wearing the reinforced clothing turned out fine but apparently the Magi Crystal in his outer pocket had received a shock. Him making just the pocket parts out of a different material as he wouldnt put hard objects in there had backfired. Redoing it is, by now, impossible, huh As he had left the rest of the decision-making to Reinhardt, now he could only give up. Well, if theres a next time then Ill do it then. And so Jin changed his focus and began analyzing the enemy golems. There was nothing worth seeing in the 15bat golems that had turned up. He was familiar with their structure. In other words, they were (as far as Jin was concerned) old models that were the archetype for the golems Gon and Gen. However, thebat-type golem that had appearedter was different. Because somehow it was able topete with Land-50 in strength. Hmm, its different starting from the internal structure, huh. Its even got nearly decent skeleton. He confirmed that the skeleton had been made out of steel that had been processed to be harder. But the structure of the joints wasnt a match for what Jin could make, and the material and such used in the Magical Muscles couldnt bepared. And yet, maybe because of this. Jin took out four jewels. They shined light blue in sunlight, and emerald green in artificial light. There was only one kind of jewel he knew that was like this. Elradrite, is it. The jewels inserted in the important points of the four limbs had the ability to amplify Magical Energy. Normally up to 20 times. So using this it was able to produce the same strength as a Land golem? Nevertheless, producing that much strength with normal materials mustve worked it too hard. And sure enough, the Magical Muscles had deteriorated rather much. I see, so every time after it uses its full power it needs to be maintained, huh. That sounds pretty bothersome. The evaluation was probably unfair. Thats because they did want to use rare materials like Jin but they werent in a situation where they could. What a huge Mana Tank though. Isnt it about ten timesrger than a normal golems? The space in the chest and abdomen was mostly all taken up by the Mana Tank. Hmm, if Elradrite amplifies Magical Energy then there shouldnt be a reason to use a Mana Tank asrge as thisCould it be? Jin could only think of a single reason for that, so he took one of the Elradrite crystals in his hand and, [Light]. He used a spell to create light. Normally it was supposed to be as bright as a 100-watt light bulb, but it turned out as bright as the sh in a camera. Ah! Jin was dazzled and dropped the Elradrite. Father, whats wrong!? Reiko came rushing in from outside the room. By that time the [Light] had already vanished, so Reiko could only ask Jin what had happened. No, it was just a little experiment. Ahaha, I see, so thats how it was! Jin burst intoughter. Reiko simply stared at Jin with worry in her eyes. Father? Oh, sorry. You see, its said that Elradrite amplifies magic so I experimented to confirm that. And then, it did amplify the magic. It amplified it, but it also required a corresponding amount of Magical Energy. Jin got the feeling from the experiment just now that when he used [Light] it took about 20 times the normal amount of Magical Energy. In other words, it certainly might amplify the power of magic by 20 times. However, as it also takes 20 times more Magical Energy, its not much of an advantage in a situation where you dont have enough Magical Energy. The fact of the matter was that unless you had a gigantic reserve of Magic Energy like Jin, or an inexhaustible supply of Magical Energy like Reiko and the like, battles would turn into contests decided by a single bout. And thats why the battle-type golem had a gigantic Mana Tank. By Jins estimate, it appeared that if the golem had kept grappling with Land for over ten minutes it probably wouldve ceased moving. As its Mana Tank wouldvepletely emptied. Well, more detailed experiments are probably necessary, but thats the theory. Ill leave the rest of the experiments and their verification to Laozi. Finishing what he was doing with Elradrite, Jin began discussing the topic he had started with Reiko yesterday, namely, the topic of malfunctioning Warp Gates. Basically, I want to build a Warp Gate that doesnt require one on the receiving side. Jin exined to Reiko. It would be excellent if that was possible, wouldnt it. It would be possible to directly enter the inside of the enemy base. Yeah, traveling would be staggeringly easier. It would be great if we could warp to an arbitrary location and establish a regr Warp Gate there. Indeed. And so, the people who had personal experience with malfunctioning Warp Gates, Jin and Reiko, began considering the details. While being supported by Laozi, they put together the theory. With Laozis processing power it was trivial to do something like construct the theory while experimenting with Elradrite. Then Ann came along. Until now, she had been working together with Laozis Automata. Specifically, she was checking the ideas and ns Laozi suggested. Ann whose train of thought was different was useful in a time like this. However, as her processing power was remarkably lower than Laozis, she was inevitably a bottleneck on how much time it took. Master, Elder Sister, what would you like me to do? Lately Ann had not hesitated to call Reiko her Elder Sister. Although from outward appearances the exact opposite was true. Then Jin exined things to Ann too. She then said, Its necessary decide on a system of coordinates to point at a specific point in space, isnt it? Ann was capable of logical thinking like this. Incidentally Jin did things by intuition, and so Reiko and Laozi had inherited that from him. I see, thats definitely true. Jin then reminisced about the lessons he had taken in high school. When you speak of three-dimensional coordinate systems, the first one thates to mind is the XYZ coordinate system. Width, height, and length. There was something else too, if I recall correctly it was the pr coordinate system or something like that. Azimuth, altitude, and length, was it. The terminology was dubious, but the way of thinking was correct. In this situation its probably better to use the pr coordinate system and use the sending side as the origin. Using the sending Warp Gate as the origin, just determining the distance, direction, and altitude (angle) would be enough. In that case, its necessary to convert the coordinates of already-known locations to pr coordinates, isnt it. Ann also gave advice on the necessary matters. Yeah, an exclusive arithmetic unitA Control Core will be necessary. In this way a control system was fully nned out. However, what was essential was whether or not one could materialize in the destination or not. ording to Jins understanding, the theory behind Warp Gates was that they linked together two points in space. By no means did he n to disassemble the atoms and reconstruct them at the destination. Right, the receiving Warp Gates primary purpose is as a marker, hmm. So lets build something that can recognize a location from a distance. In other words, that would make the receiving side not need anyponents. The receiving side and the sending side had identical devices, it was simply that on a return trip the receiving side became the sending side. With one-way travel a receivingponent isnt needed. So then if the magic formation or Magi Form that worked as thendmark could be remotely controlled Jin pondered the problem frantically. Father, isnt determining the distance the hardest problem? Reiko spoke. Certainly, he understood that the direction could be determined intuitively like when shooting with the railgun. But, the distance. Youre right. Right now theres three ways to consider. One is the intersection of straight linesing from two points. Jin said. That, and the amount of Magic Energy the sending side uses. Reiko said. Then, And the point where attracting and repelling forces meet, right? Ann remarked with a clear voice. It was the same principle as that of the [Barrier]. In any case, long distances will be difficult, huh. I guess its necessary to start experimenting with distances that are within sight. It seemed to be impossible to, for example, suddenly warp from Hourai Ind to Celuroa Kingdom. Jin then began building a prototype. He used a normal Warp Gate with some remodeling as the sending side. Usually, it would be linked to the receiving Warp Gate with a faint Magic Energy connection. Instead of this weak connection, a magic formation would be configured to userge amounts of Magic Energy to create the marker point. Were to determine just how far we can simplify that magic formation, right? While receiving Anns advice, the first prototype was finished just past noon. Jin warped to Kunlun Ind where Elsa was waiting to have lunch. Reiko came with him, and Ann stayed to do the pre-trial checks. Jin-nii,e in. Thanks for saving Rai-niist night. Because of that? Youre a littlete today, no? Oh, I was kind of in the middle of something. After Jins excuse Elsa gave him a re. Jin-nii, you really are obsessed with craftsmanship. She said. Reiko then informed Elsa. Even though Father made Elsa-san wait for him, please have him eat properly. Otherwise hell quietly skip two meals without thinking. Because it looks like today is going to be an all-nighter. Jin-nii, thats no good. Its bad for your health. After being criticized by both Reiko and Elsa, Jin scratched his head and, A-alright, Ill be careful. He apologized. He then briefly told Elsa aboutst night. Jin of course stayed silent about getting struck. Chapter 208 - Superalloy

Chapter 208 C Superalloy

After lunch, Jin got in touch with the SP following Reinhardt. His goal was to once more draw out information from Marcello. Intelligence was indispensable. First of all were the preliminary investigations for the matter. He wanted to know where Marcello had been imprisoned. Once he knew that he could somehow manage with the help of the SP. But the reply he got was surprising. Chief, that isnt a worthwhile question. All the Unifiler prisoners were executed in the morning. What!? Kidnapping a Shouro Empire diplomat was a crime that resulted in the death penalty for all of them. What the heck The hastiness of the executions was a little too strange. Jin once more thought that the Unifilers probably had connections with Celuroa Kingdoms underworld. They were probably afraid of information being leaked. However, by now there was nothing that could be done. He recognized the Unifilers strangeness anew, and resolved to do what he could for now. Jin decided to review Reikos railgun. What kind of force did she use to bend the Adamantite barrel Reiko looked apologetic when Jin was shocked. I am sorry. When I saw Father get sent flying I lost my self-control. Does that mean you may have used 1000 percent of your power? Strength to bend even Adamantite. Jin then suddenly realized it. Reiko, your skeletons also made out of Adamantite, are you sure theres nothing wrong? The gun barrel which was thicker than Reikos bones was bent. Jin became worried. Yes, nothings wrong. Reiko said, but Jin who had be worried decided to do a check-up just in case. Jin looked over Reikos skeleton after her Magical Energy came to a stop and she hade to a standstill. I knew it The joints had be loose and some of the arm bones too had been bent. Jin wondered whether Reiko lied because she didnt want to worry Jin or whether she didnt notice it at all. Even Adamantite cant bear Reikos 1000 percent power, huh Jin thought. Of how he could increase the strength. After all, strength, meaning the force tying the atoms or molecules together needs to be increased, huh. If the bond between the atoms or molecules was broken that would mean the object would break. So, what to do to increase the power of these bond? Jin remembered that there was a method of adding particr metals together to increase the metals tenacity. Lets give it a go I suppose As Reiko was still off, he called for Soleil and Luna. Please get Adamanite and Mithril ready for me. Yes, Father. The two fetched Adamantite and Mithril ingots from the underground storehouse and put them in front of Jin. Good work. First, lets try just Adamantite. Jin made an Adamantite testpiece using Craft Magic. It was a rod with a diameter of one millimeter and a length of about 20 centimeters. Next lets mix in one percent Mithril. Using [Alloying] he created an alloy of Adamantite and Mithril. Then he made simrly-sized testpieces of it. This will do. Soleil or Luna, can either of you bend this Adamantite rod? Jin asked, but very quickly, Its impossible. He got such a reply. Well, I guess it would be. And then with no other choice, he activated Reiko. Father? After Reiko woke up, seeing the displeased look on Jins face made her puzzled. Reiko, I thought so, but your skeleton has got some problems with it. Thats why I wanted to reinforce it, but to do that I need to experiment. So I woke you up even though I didnt repair you yet. I see, I will dly help. Then Jin had Reiko bend the Adamantite testpiece. The testpiece bent and snapped broke with about 25 percent of current Reikos output. Alright, next is this one. It was the one to which Mithril had been mixed in. It bent with about 20 percent output. Father, hasnt it be weaker instead? Said Luna, who was watching. However, Well, just wait. Next Ill do this and then lets try bending it. Jin said, then poured in his Magic Energy into another testpiece. Fundamentally Adamantite didnt interfere with Magic Energy, but because Mithril had been mixed in it became able to contain Magic Energy. I will bend it now. ? Something was weird and it was apparent from Reikos expression. But that was to be expected, as the rod didnt bend even with power increased to 30 percent. Reiko further increased the power. Jin felt her output rapidly increasing and quickly had her stop. Alright, Reiko! Thats enough. As I thought, it seems that Magic Energy increases the strength. Just Magic Energy increased its strength? Not reinforcing magic? Jin nodded at the question. Ah, so yourecking an exnation. You know the magics [Hardening] and [Reinforce], right? Its the same principle as with them. Supplementing the force linking the atoms or molecules together with Magic Energy. In the case of metals, when the microscopic crystalttices bonds stretched and returned to normal it was called sticity, and when the bonds gotpletely dislocated it was called stic deformation. [Hardening] and [Reinforce] which were used up until now strengthened these bonds by sort of wrapping them up from the outside. To do that from the inside this time Mithril was added in the metal. Jins conjecture was that the small Mithril particles were scattered amidst the Adamantite ones and by applying [Hardening] the Mithril particles would be the magics origin points, in other words creating awork of Magical Energy which increased the strength. Probably. Doing the same thing to simple Mithril would of course also increase the strength, but as its base strength and hardness was low, its effectiveness wouldnt be dramatically higher than Adamantites. Therefore even Jin didnt notice to do this until now. You could say that in the first ce he didnt even think of the idea of mixing Adamantite which cost 7000 to 10000 Torr per gram with Mithril that simrly cost 4000 to 5000 Torr per gram. Whats left is the mixtures ratio, huh. Jin experimented on changing the Mithrils proportion. The result was that 1.5 percent mixture produced the greatest reinforcement. All right, lets call this alloy Magi Adamantite. He came to know that by pouring in Magic Energy to strengthen it to the maximum, it became five times stronger than simple Adamantite. Okay Reiko, please go to sleep once again. Because Ill reinforce your skeleton with this Magi Adamantite. Yes, Father. And thus Reikos skeleton was upgraded to Magi Adamantite. Next Jin decided to create a new, even more powerful model of the railgun. His n was to, instead of spherical shots, use pointed bullets and add rifling inside the gun barrel. By making the barrel out of Magi Adamantite, even Adamantite bullets would find it hard to wear it down. And then he changed the method of shooting from a slingshot-type to a spring-type. To put it simply, you could think of it as something simr to a spring-piston BB gun. For the spring Jin would use not the leather of a Sea Dragon, but the muscles themselves. After the dragons dissection there were a few uncut muscles that remained intact. They were probably the sinewy muscles from the wings. An interesting property these sinewy wing muscles had was that when Magic Energy was poured in them they extended. Depending on the amount of Magic Energy put in, the extensions length and force differed. Jin was wondering whether all the muscles did that or not, but the limb muscles and such contracted with Magic Energy. It was the same response as that of humans muscles. So that must mean it needs Magic Energy to spread its wings. Jin who didnt know much about magical life forms made such an assumption for now. But more important than that was the way they were used. Without Magic Energy the muscles would be contracted, and when pouring in the Magic Energy in one go they would extend, and that would fire the bullet. Hm, that should work. In this situation the faster they extended the better, so Jin used one of the pieces of Elradrite he obtained to boost the Magic Energy when firing. The gun barrel was wholly Magi Adamantite. Moreover the bore was increased to 5 centimeters. With this it seemed like it could withstand even Reiko hitting something with it at 1000 percent output. Well, if that sort of situation was to happen often it would still be a problem though. Alright, Reiko, give it a try. Yes, Father. In front of the researchboratory, Reiko aimed east with the new railgun, nay, the new Magi Cannon, and shot at full power. Along with a bang, a hole appeared in the clouds while a trail appeared in the ionized air. The Elradrites boost was frightful. Ooh, thats rather amazing Did it reach all the way to space this time? He wasnt able to make precise measurements, but if there was a person watching in space right now, they would probably notice a small flying object circling the. Its initial velocity was Mach 80. In other words, 27 kilometers per second. Even taking into ount the deceleration after firing caused by air resistance, it became the first object on the to reach escape velocity. Reiko, dont shoot that with full power until I tell you to. Dont shoot, got it? Jin gave Reiko a reminder. Meanwhile, Reinhardt had been extremely busy. First he had exined to the garrison in Celuroa Kingdom that the two of them had been kidnapped by the Unifilers. To prove this they ended up having to travel back all the way to Stearinas vi in Dali. After seeing Stearinas destroyed golems and Automata there, in addition to the disastrous destruction caused by the golems, andstly the state of the guards corpses in the morgue Celuroa Kingdoms defense bureaucracy finally seemed to ept it. On top of that there was great difficulty with the captured Unifiler members. Because no one had for now witnessed Reinhardt with Jin, he kept pretending to have no idea who had saved them. Well, being a foreign diplomat, Reinhardt wasnt questioned thoroughly which saved him a lot of trouble. However, the members of the Unifilers all together spoke of Jin. Well, as Jin had been wearing the helmet they werent able to pinpoint that it had been him. Also because Reinhardt kept quiet, the question whether or not it had been Jin was left to be answered, and the name Mysterious Golem Master was coined for the event. Its a bit of a digression, but Reinhardt and Stearina werent told about the execution of the Unifilers. So, the person who saved us was surely Jin-kun, right? After finishing tidying up Stearinas partially destroyed vi, she and Reinhardt were drinking tea. How unfortunate that I didnt get to talk with Jin-kun this time either as Id have liked. Well, you were unconscious so that couldnt be helped. Maybe because of the magic-sealing choker, Stearina had yet to wake up in the morning. After having her drink the two portions of the medicine Jin gave to Reinhardt, she finally opened her eyes. Hey, Stearina, are you sure youre not hurt anywhere? Huh? Whered that question came from? No, I was just bothered because after being rescued from the Unifilers you were unconscious for a rather long time. First he had wanted to smoothly approach the topic but he gave that up after Stearina asked for Reinhardts reasoning. The truth is that my healths been in a bad shape for a long time now. Always feeling my bodys heavy, and sometimes getting these spasms of pain. Stearina spoke openly. Did you go see a healer? Yep. After receiving healing I became alright, but in two or three days the pain woulde back. Is that so However, now I seem to feel somewhat better than usual. It must be because Reinhardt-kun is keeping mepany, no? Stearina said and smiled. Neither of them recognized that it was the effect of Jins medicine, and it looked like they wouldnt notice it for the next while. Chapter 209 - Smith

Chapter 209 C Smith

There is a report from Deneb-21. The next morning, Laozi conveyed Quintas first results. The destination where Deneb-21 was dispatched was near theke Azul. Lake Azul was a hugeke located in the northern part of Celuroa Kingdom. It was a popr sightseeing spot that also importantly had the national border between Celuroa and Frantz Kingdom and aquatic resources. Due north of the Celuroa Kingdoms capital Esaia was the tourist city Rsus. It was said that on its outskirts there were ruins from the times of the Great Magic War. It appears that the insides were partially destroyed, and no particrly important documents or Magi Tools were left behind. The first results were as stated, although the details werecking. There is a report from Regulus-15. There is a report from Cape-21. That day, a total of three reports came, and the third report, namely Cape-4 said that he had found a box with a sealed [Core] of gigantes in it. The location was in the northern mountains of Egelia Kingdom. So there really were more. Just as Ann said, huh. From the supposedly six remaining ones one of them had been found. Five remained. The sealed box was a little troublesome, but Cape-4 decided to very carefully carry it to Hourai Ind through the Warp Gate near Blue Land. Hmm, the advance bases, or rather the lodgements, or rather thework is stillcking, huh. Jin muttered. But it hadnt been more than five days since thepletion of the Quinta. That was natural. Now then, Ill, hmm. After receiving the reports and giving instructions Jin decided to build a substitute puppet for himself due to Reinhardt telling him to take care of himself the other day. Using same structure as with the Quinta He would make it just like a human. What was essential was the internal [Mana Telecam] that could convey sounds and images to Jin on Hourai Ind. It would move ording to Jins orders, basically half-autonomously. He made its look exactly like Jin on the outside. Or so he wanted, but it really was hard to make a puppet that was an exact copy of himself by himself, so he asked Reiko to make the finishing touches. And thus Jins substitute puppet waspleted. Uncanny. Seeing a puppet just like yourself would be uncanny, wouldnt it. Is it not to Fathers satisfaction? Reiko said anxiously. No, I wasnt criticizing it. On the contrary, its somehow too much like me, just a little. Jin said and calmed Reiko down. Lets try making it move as a test. He immediately started a test run. Controlling it was done in one of the rooms in Hourai Inds researchboratory. There were fiverge monitor screens, each projecting what the substitute puppet was seeing, but the front screen was tuned to disy what was about the same as a humans field of vision, while the screens around it showed the rest around it. The substitute puppets field of vision was much wider than a humans. Normally just the front monitor ought to suffice. From the room Jin sent simple instructions to the substitute puppet. As implementing remote controls seemed to be time-consuming, and development of control through brain waves also seemed to be time-consuming, this was a stopgap method adopted until then. The n was to have Reiko and the SP at his side most of the time giving him support. Move, stop, walk, run. Basicmands worked fine, but as expected small motions were very ufortable. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed clumsier than a human. Well, its a substitute for times when Im going somewhere dangerous, so maybe this should do. He had manyints about it, but it was still a work-in-progress, so Jin decided that the substitute puppet was done for now. Now then, Laozi, whats the state of progress with the aircraft carrier? Jin asked Laozi, and, My Lord, currently the material processing is 50 percent done. My Lord, currently the material processing is 50 percent done. The same reply came from two directions at once. This was because on one side was Laozis human terminal, and on the other there was Laozis brain. Ahh, having two Laozis is maybe too tangled. Jin thought about it. How was it again in that book he once read? Then he remembered. Alright, from now on lets keep calling the humanoid side Laozi, and call the brain side Laojun. They both have the same meaning so its fine, right? Yes, My Lord. Understood, so I am now called Laojin. The alias of Laozi in thend of the immortals was Taishang Laojun, and thats where he got the name. Jin then again received the report about the aircraft carrier. Hmm, it really does take a long time. Yes. Thats because we had to begin from building a dock on the beach to use for construction. Ah, thats true. Jin was the Magi Craft Meister. Just him being the leading Magi Craftsman didnt mean he specialized in building gigantic things. Hmm, I suppose Ill make factory worker golems. Jin said, and he got support from Ann. I think that is a good idea. Leaving the parts only master can build out of it, by letting golems build the rest of the parts masters workload bes lighter and the production efficiency increases. That seems to be the case. And so Jin decided to start mass-producing factory worker golems. The material was steel. There wasnt a particr need to use the valuable Light Silver or Adamantite. However, the steel was an alloy with nickel and chromium mixed in so as to make it less susceptible to rust. In other words, stainless steel. In addition, it was 18/12 steel. 18 percent chromium, 12 percent nickel. The reason was that withrge amounts of nickel the color would be ckish, giving it a solid feeling. The strength is fairly good as is, but if they cant use Craft Magic well itll be troubling, huh. As such Jin transcribed considerable portions of his knowledge to them, making them able to work on everything but the most precise forms. Their physique was about the same as Jins. So that they could also work with small details. He made 500 of them. He first built five and activated them, and had them assist him in building a total of 50. With the additional support of these 50 he built 500. Jin was finished in the middle of the morning. The efficiency really is different, huh. My Lord, the name. Laozi and Laojun reminded Jin to name them as he became excited about how easy the work became. Hmm, lets see, Smith. This was the creation of the worker golems Smith-1 to Smith-500. As usual, he went to have lunch with Elsa and Mine. Come on in, Jin-nii. Hello. Today the weather was once again fine and it was warm, so they had lunch outside. This time lunch was freshly-baked bread with thinly-sliced meat in between, vegetable sd, and Citran juice. Jin noticed that the menu was a little scarcer than usual, but said nothing about it and picked up the bread. ? While Jin did that, Elsa kept staring at him. Jin thought her unusual behavior was somewhat strange, yet didnt stop his hand and ate the bread. ? The second question mark of the day. The vor was a little different from usual. The meat slice seemed to be thicker, but the vor was somewhat weaker. Although Jin was fundamentally not picky with his food, that didnt mean he had no sense of taste. Rather, because he had cooked simple meals by himself, he thought he was as particr as anyone else. He just didnt put it into words. And then as he felt Elsas gaze as he was about to eat the vegetable sd, Jin suddenly came to a conclusion. Could it perhaps be that todays lunch was made by Elsa? He said, and Elsa became visibly nervous. Was it not good? She then timidly asked. No, the voring is a little different than what Mine uses, but its plenty tasty. So that was it, Elsa made the food, huh. Mm. Because it would be shameful if, as Jin-niis sister, I couldnt do a lot of things. Elsa said and slightly blushed. Mh-hm, thanks. Jin said and finished eating all of the remaining bread and sd. That was good, Elsa. Elsa and Mine both simrly finished eating, and for after-meal dessert Mine peeled some Pelshka. Peeling Pelshka was probably still unreasonable for Elsa, at the very least in front of Jin while he was watching. Jin remembered how Elsas aptitude with [Transfer Info] was greater than Reinhardts. If he had the spare time he might try teaching her some Craft Magic, he muttered to himself. Chapter 210 - Side Story 8: Lithia’s Struggle

Chapter 210 C Side Story 8: Lithias Struggle

Content warning: war, death - Lithia Fahlheit was a new noble of Cline Kingdom. Her father, Nichs Fahlheit, was granted the title of Ritter due to his meritous deeds in battle. As Lithia herself also achieved much as a knight apprentice she was allowed to call herself Ritter in public. Although it couldnt be denied that the most important reason was that Cline Kingdom, which Lithia was affiliated with, suffered from a chronk of talented personnel. In the continents history on the 17th of January in the year 3457, the adjacent Frantz Kingdom suddenly vited Cline Kingdoms border. Frantz Kingdom was something like a vassal state of Celuroa Kingdom, and even now they kept crossing the border and stepping on Cline Kingdoms toes. Frantz Kingdom and Cline Kingdom were countries of roughly the same scale, but Frantz Kingdom relied on the national power of Celuroa Kingdom which was behind them, and like this keptmitting small skirmishes every few years. In Cline Kingdoms capital, Alban. Lithia Fahlheit, reporting. Lithia had been summoned by the head of the chivalric order of the country. Mh-hm. Lithia Fahlheit, a battle with Frantz Kingdom has broken out at the western border. You are to head with relief knight troops to Storsk. Yes, sir! In addition to Lithia, 10 new Ritters were admitted into the relief knight team arranged to head towards the battle. The reason Lithia was chosen was that she could use healing magic. Most of the other teams also had a user of healing magic. After merely three days of training Lithia became one of the 25 members of the relief knight team and headed towards Storsk. To save time, they trained while marching and it as severe enough to make three people desert, but Lithia who had a natural sense of responsibility stuck it out to the end. As they had been marching while training, the journey to Strosk took two days. The training was for a total of five days. Right now, the war front was at a deadlock. Cline Kingdoms military strength defended well and had stopped Frantz Kingdoms military. On the contrary, they were slowly being forced back. Once Lithias group arrived at Strosk the relief knight team immediately started working. Water please! Healing magic needed over here, please! Splint it, quickly! Strosk was right behind the battlefield. Stationed there was the countrys third knight battalion of 300 knights. The wounded soldiers were carried here inrge numbers. The battalion also had a specialist relief team, but by no means were they enough for a battlefield, so as soon as the relief knight team arrived they became very busy. [Cure]. [Recover]. The result of her great efforts during training was that Lithia became able to use healing magic up to the intermediate level spells. Fahlheit, over here too, please! Got it! Ill be there in a moment! And as a result, she went around without time to rest in the relief tent. Ahh During her brief rest time, Lithia had gone outside the tent and was looking up at the night sky. Her body and soul were both tired, but she was fulfilled. The things I can doIts got to be healing after all, right? Once, while transporting wheat at the outskirts of Kaina Vige, Jin had said to her, Isnt it fine to live for the things you can do? Since then, Lithia had kept asking herself what were the things she could do. As a Ritter Ill protect everyone! That was the line she had said back then. That wasnt a lie, she thought. Despite saying it in the spur of the moment, or rather precisely because of that she thought those words were the truth as far as she was concerned. Protecting, and healing. Those are thethings I can do, right? The moon shone in the night sky she was looking at, just like in the sky back then she had gazed at it together with Jin. The next morning, the war front moved. Frantz Kingdom got reinforcements and pushed Cline Kingdoms military back. Fahlheit, you retreat while apanying the people whove got minor wounds! Y-yes sir! The relief knight teamsmander Johannes gave the order. The severely wounded people who couldnt walk by themselves were transported with carts. Despite having to shoulder the carts baggage themselves, the relief knight troops were running about securing usable carts. (The cart Jin-san made was amazing, wasnt it) Lithia remembered the cart that could carry all the wheat used for the payment of taxes from Kaina Vige to Toka Vige in one go. She didnt remember the word trailer but she had been surprised by its transport capabilities. (If our country had that technology, then surely) Thats when Lithias thoughts were interrupted. Enemy attack! Ready forbat! Before the evacuation preparations were evenpleted, Frantz Kingdoms army came to attack. AhThats! Frantz Kingdoms reinforcements were golems. Moreover, she recognized the model. The golems thatonce attacked Toka Vige? The resemnce to the golems Jin had once repelled and destroyed with his mysterious magic was striking. There were 20 of them. They stood as the vanguard of the enemy soldiers and came attacking. Urgh! Eek! Screams were heard, blood sshes scattered around, and the number of severely wounded people rose. Meanwhile, the team of 25 relief knights retreated while being protected by the third knight battalion. The n wasnt to abandon anyone except for some of the severely wounded people. Ah, why at a time like this? Lithia shed tears as her expression was a mixture of bitterness and sorrow. [me Lance]! Then, magic was fired in front of Lithia. The [me Lance] melted a golem that seemed to be made of bronze and mowed down enemy soldiers. Ooh, its the magi knight unit! It was thepany that specialized in magical attacks. Their original purpose was to provide long-distance support, but they rushed to in to help with the crisis of the third knight battalion and the relief knight team. [me Lance]! The consecutively fired [me Lance]s massacred the 20 enemy golems to less than half the number. After seeing that the enemymander took the losses into consideration and turned to retreat. The magi knights, instead of pursuing the enemy, began aiding the injured. Many of the magi knights were capable of not only attack magic but healing magic too. Over here! Healing magic, quickly! Styptic! Hurry! The people with minor injuries were made to retreat by themselves, while all the relief knight team members administered medical treatment to the wounded. Oof, this is Blood ceaselessly poured out of the wounds opened just now. Lithia fought the welling up nausea while going around applying healing magic. First aid treatment took priority overpletely curing them. Although the battle was finished before noon, before she noticed it had turned to evening. Somehow the basic emergency treatments werepleted, and all of the exhausted relief knight team membersy down on the ground. (Even soThere were many people that couldnt be saved) Although she was tormented by the feeling of powerlessness, Lithia did not regret her actions. Before long the night came, and behind the torn tent and the partially destroyed carts rested the knight troops. The magi knight unit which had done as much as possible had already retreated to the back taking the severely wounded with them. Theres 58 remaining injured people, and my relief knight team also has five injured people. There was a total of 63 injured, while 20 of the relief knight team members were alright. In addition there were 15 soldiers with insignificant wounds that did not hinder their actions. That was everyone who was left here. The number of casualties was still unknown but it was probably not less than 50 people. In the middle of it all the figure of Lithia could be seen going around feeding the wounded with rice gruel she had made out of the unscathed food. Ill do my best to do what I can. While muttering so to encourage herself, Lithia kept going from one injured person to another. Two days after this, the battle that could be said to be a routine would tentativelye to an end. Both sides suffered meaningless casualties. Chapter 211 - Opened Hostilities

Chapter 211 C Opened Hostilities

My Lord, theres a report from Regulus-2 who was dispatched to Cline Kingdoms capital. A voice was heard. Laojin, huh? Thats something I want to hear directly so please transfer the call here. A bit earlier, Jin had decided to call the intellect overseeing Hourai Ind Laojin and his human terminal Laozi to avoid confusion. Although they were both names that on Earth referred to the same person or more precisely sage, they were effective with preventing confusion. This is Regulus-2. Its Jin, what is it? Yes, the neighboring Frantz Kingdom has vited the border of Cline Kingdom. This appears to be the third time this year. Cline Kingdom, is it? The country where Kaina Vige where Hannah lived was, and which Lithia was affiliated with. Rumor has it that Frantz Kingdom is something like a vassal state of Celuroa Kingdom. I see. Celuroa Kingdom was also the country most suspected of having ties with the Unifilers. Jin was reminded of the (still iplete) map of the world. Frantz Kingdom and Cline Kingdom were to the north of Celuroa Kingdom. If Frantz Kingdom was a vassal state and Cline Kingdom was sessfully made to submit, Egelia Kingdom and Elias Kingdom would remain. What aims Celuroa Kingdom had for the easternmost Leonard Kingdom was unknown, but after the remaining two countries Celuroa Kingdoms original goal of re-establishing the old Dinar Kingdom could be said to have been reached. My Lord, theres a report from Cape-1 who was dispatched to western Cline Kingdom. Cape-1 was the Quinta dispatched to western Cline Kingdom. Frantz Kingdom has dered war on Cline Kingdom. What!? Just when he had got the news of the recent border vition, this happened. My Lord, theres a report from Mira-1 who was dispatched to Egelia Kingdom. Mira-1 was the Quinta dispatched to Egelia Kingdoms capital together with Deneb-1. What is it now? Are you about to tell me that this time Celuroa Kingdom has dered war? Yes, thats exactly right. What the!? Celuroa Kingdom against Egelia Kingdom, Frantz Kingdom against Cline Kingdom. Right now the bunch of small nations was in an uproar. Are Shouro Empire and Elias Kingdom peaceful? Loujin replied. Yes, it appears that nothing is going on in those countries at present. Hmm Jin thought. What should he be doing now? Then he remembered to first of all contact his friend Reinhardt who could judge the state of things in a time like this. If Im not mistaken, Reinhardts supposed to still be in Dali or somewhere around there. To be precise he was in the town of Jiron on the opposite side of river Azul from Dali. The reason was that he was still upied by matters regarding the Unifilers Jin had captured. How should I go meet him After all, it probably had to be at midnight with the stealth aircraft. Alright Laojin, prepare Falcon-1. Also take care of the Warp Gate tuning. Also the golem horses for travel. Yes. At that moment Ann made a suggestion. Master, I think its doubtful having Warp Gates lead directly here to Hourai Ind, with the exception of the ones from locations can bepletely trusted. Hm? What do you mean? Nothing is perfect. However unlikely, you must consider that the enemy coulde here using a Warp Gate too, and having the Warp Gates security broken through is also possible. Anns im was reasonable, and Jin nodded. Got it. Its alright to send people out, but whening here going through for example Kunlun Ind or something would be a goodyer of security, is the gist of it, right? Yes, precisely. In that caseWhere would be good? It wasnt possible right away, but Jin was thinking of using the aircraft carrier as a ry base. If something happened, in the worst case it should be alright to just blow it up. Thinking about it that way, instead of an aircraft carrier just a simple floating ind or something seemed like it would do. And so travel to Hourai Ind without direct passage through a ry base -with the exception of times when the other partys identity could be confirmed using a ManaCom- was included in the ns for the future. That evening. Eight in the afternoon on Hourai Ind. Reinhardt got in contact as usual. Jin, Ive finally been set free from the annoying exnations and procedures and whatnot. Sorry for the trouble, Reinhardt. By the way, did you know that war has begun? Yeah. I heard about it some time ago. Celuroa Kingdom dered war on Egelia Kingdom, right? Not only that. Frantz Kingdom has also dered war on Cline Kingdom. Huuh? Reinhardt was surprised. No wonder. Theres something Id like to consult you about, so I wonder if you coulde over here? By over there you mean Hourai Ind, right? Itd be my pleasure! Alright, Ille meet you after this. After the conversation was concluded, Jin warped from Hourai Ind to Jirons outskirts to the Warp Gate on Falcon-1 which had already arrived there. Apanying him were Reiko and the SP unit. Is that the town of Jiron? Falcon-1nded on the river beach around two kilometers away from Jiron. Jin who hade out of the Warp Gate on board idly stared at the street lights with the night sky as their background. Alright Reiko, lets go meet Reinhardt. Yes, Father. Jins golem horse Koma was on Falcon-1, along with another golem horse. Jin mounted Koma and Reiko mounted the other horse and they headed for Jiron. Jin was of course wearing the reinforced clothing. The SP unit followed them by running. Moving like that it took them merely three minutes to get to Jiron. Strangely this was not a walled city, instead a wide canal enclosed the city. Its width was about 20 meters, not something a normal human could leap over. Also, the moats walls were nearly vertical in addition to the drop to the the surface of the water being over five meters high, so even if you used a boat it would be difficult to get on and off it. Nearly all of the many bridges were drawbridges with had been raised for the night. Only in two spots were the bridges crossable, but they were guarded by sentinels apparently to not let anything suspicious pass. Now then, how are we going to get Reinhardt out? Jin was pondering it but, Father, I shall jump over and bring Reinhardt-san back with me. Reiko proposed. Hmm, I wonder if thatll work. That seemed to be the best option in such a short period of time, so Jin decided to go with it. Listen, use a [Barrier] and dont go anywhere, please. And SP, you protect Father well. Yes, Sister. Reiko who was prone to worrying looked like she wanted to say something more, but as she was urged on by Jin she atst headed to the town. First she chose a ce where there were no people and jumped over the canal. It was a trivial matter for Reiko. Reinhardt-san said he was in an inn called Forest Badger Inn. She had also heard its rough location so she soon found it. There Reinhardt was waiting in the entrance hall of the in. Reinhardt-san. Oh, Reiko-chan. Wheres Jin? Father is waiting on the other side of the canal. Is that so. Well then, lets go there at once. After a simple exchange, Reinhardt went outside with Reiko. Something was in his somewhatrge baggage which he took with him. They soon arrived at the canal. Err, how are we going to cross this from here, I wonder? Reiko approached Reinhardt who looked doubtful. She then extended her arms. Eh? Uhh, dont tell me, dont tell me youre going to? Reinhardt turned somewhat pale. But Reiko looked like she wanted to get it over with as he held Reinhardt in her arms. The scene of 130-centimeter Reiko carrying the 185-centimeter Reinhardt was surreal. Lets go. Eh, hold, ah, aaaaaaaahhh! While carrying Reinhardt Reiko effortlessly jumped over the 20 meter canal and ran to Jin where Jin was without a pause. While still carrying Reinhardt. Father, Ive brought Reinhardt. Reiko appeared in front of Jin while carrying Reinhardt and said. He- hey there, Jin. Hey there, Reinhardt. Their reunion was somewhat awkward. After that Reinhardt got on the golem horse while Reiko rode together with Jin on Koma, and they headed for Falcon-1. As an aside, Reiko seemed happy to ride together with Jin. From there they arrived at Hourai Ind in an instant using a Warp Gate. Chapter 212 - Apology

Chapter 212 C Apology

After arriving in Hourai Ind, Reinhardt was facing Jin in the researchboratorys parlour. First he presented the luggage he had brought with him to Jin. Whats this then? Well, open it and youll see. Being told so, Jin lined up the contents on top of the table. These are He took out two books which contained written records of the Great Magic War. And a doll. And a package that apparently contained Reinhardts personal effects. I took hold of these myself back then, but I think its better if you have these records, Jin. And I had to return the doll back to Elsa. The doll was Non. When Elsa had run away she had left it behind. After Jin had caught it after Elsas brother Fritz hit it with his hand to make it fall, Reinhardt had held on to it. Ill return it to Elsa afterwards. Shell surely be happy. Yeah. Thanks for holding on to it. And if these records can be deciphered Ill tell you about it. Mh-hm, please do. Jin then called for the humanoid terminal Laozi, handed over the records to him and ordered them to be deciphered. Understood, My Lord. Laozi said and bowed. The deciphering would probably beplete by tomorrow. Now then, earlier I sent my subordinate Automata into many countries. ording to them, Frantz Kingdom has dered war against Cline Kingdom. Reinhardt looked surprised. Hmm, this was a long timeing I feel. But also, why now of all times? I want to hear your view on it, Reinhardt. I also had a hunch that leaving you in Celuroa Kingdom like that would leave you in danger. Jin honestly spoke out about his intentions. Hmm, thanks for that. Since both of my guards ended up getting killed, and Schwarz Ritter was also destroyed. Reinhardt looked a bit deste. Schwarz RitterIts a pity. Jin also knew that feeling. Yeah. Whats most vexing is that the broken Schwarz Ritter was confiscated by Celuroa Kingdom. What? ording to Reinhardts exnation, the destroyed Schwarz Ritter was apparently carried out unnoticed by Celuroa Kingdoms soldiers, leaving not a piece behind in Stearinas vis wreckage. Then no matter how much heined he didnt get anything back. Are you kidding me While listening, Jin too gradually got angrier. But then. Wait a minute? Schwarz Ritter? Jin tried to remember. I heard Reinhardt was abducted Then I, lets see, I asked Cosmos and Sage of the SP to search for something that has Reinhardts Magic Energy pattern He seemed to remember now. Ah, my bad, Reinhardt. Eh? Schwarz Ritter is at my ce. Jin said and exined how to track down Reinhardt Schwarz Ritter was brought here using a Falcon. Then I had Schwarz Ritter carried to the researchboratory and he should still be there. Sorry! Jin bowed in apology to the extent of his head touching the table. Oh, no, please raise your head. I- I see. So Jin collected him. That was helpful. As my apology, you can repair him here! You can use whatever materials you like! Jin kept speaking. Reinhardt was pleasantly surprised by Jins words. Are you serious!? Ohh, thats great! Now that it hade to this, there was no ce for words. First the two headed to the workshop. As simr fellows of the same trade neither of them had anyints or anything. Rather than talk about politics, rather than talk about countries, craftsmanship came first. After showing Reinhardt to the workshop, Schwarz Ritter who was in pieces was put on top of a table there. Schwarz Ritter Seeing the terrible spectacle that was Schwarz Ritter, Reinhardts face darkened once more. However, This time, Ill make you into a golem that will lose to no one. He grumbled. He then looked over his shoulder at Jin and said, Excluding Reiko-chan andpany. I suppose Ill also try making a golem with a skeleton. Reinhardt who had seen Jins golems in action multiple times muttered. Jin then said to Reinhardt, Reinhardt, Ive also got a favor to ask you. What is it? That underwater golem you showed me, Lorelei, was it? Id like you to teach me about its structure. How about it? Oh, just that. Sure. Since Im also using your golems as reference. Reinhardt dly agreed, and for now exined about Loreleis structure and its key technologies. As he also had things he wanted to ask Jin about afterwards, he generously spoke about every detail. And that about sums it up. I see, so there was a trick like that for the movement of the tail and fins. Even Jin was satisfied with being told some small secrets. So, are you also going to make an underwater golem, Jin? Reinhardt asked and Jin nodded. Yeah. Because Hourai Ind is an ind. I was thinking theyd be useful in fortifying the defenses on the sea, or in underwater development, or something. Is that so. I see. So, this time theres a few details Id like you to teach me about. Mh-hm, like what? I somewhat understand the way to attach the muscles, but earlier you attached the muscles in some locations diagonally, right? Was there some purpose behind that? Oh, that. That was in imitation of a humans muscle structure, by attaching the muscles a little diagonally the arms and legs be able to rotate. S-so thats what it was! Thats the secret of how to make the movements so natural! Humans arms and legs could not only simply flex and straighten, they could also twist, and normal movements were abination of those actions. And for that reason the golems and Automata Jin made could move in a manner very simr to a humans. All right, in that case Just when Reinhardt got fired up. Father, Reinhardt-san, its alreadyte at night. Please continue tomorrow. Reiko brought that to their attention. Oh, its thatte already? Reinhardt, lets leave it for tomorrow. Jin obediently did as was told. Reinhardt also, albeit reluctantly, followed the advice. The two went from the researchboratory to the mansion, and after quickly washing off their sweat in the hot springs went to bed. Right now, Celuroa Kingdom is the superior power. Evidently so. Cline Kingdom may be mounting a hard resistance, but Frantz Kingdom is gradually pressuring them. Hmph, thats the obvious oue, isnt it. And so, what shall we do after this? Hmm, let us continue as nned. Yes sir. Is it alright to send in the golem force when the asion rises? Yeah. And that new weapon too. T-that? To actualbat? Thats right. Those foolish lesser countries will surely freeze in fear. It is as you say. Ha ha ha, soon the time when we reign over the continent wille. Chapter 213 - Farewell for Now

Chapter 213 C Farewell for Now

In the end, Reinhardt spent the night on Hourai Ind. The next morning the two started working immediately after breakfast. I want to use Loreleis movements in a golem with a skeleton. Hmm, in that case if you did this then Reinhardt gave Jin advice, If you mix chromium and nickel to iron you can make an alloy like this. Hmm, so this is chrome and this is nickel. Ive seen them every once in a while but everyone always throws them away. And Jin gave Reinhardt advice. Alright, do it this way. And this like that. As a result of the fast work, the morning wasnt over yet when Schwarz Ritters repairs were done and Jin had also finished building a dedicated underwater golem Mermaid. Hmm, the mermaid type means that shes not going to be any help at all onnd, huh. My apologies, My Master. Mermaid-1 lowered her head, but Jin put her at ease, No, I didnt mean it that way. Id like to ask you guys to cooperate with the Navy from now on with sea development, exploration, and such. Understood, Ill do our best. Upper half of the body was that of an adult female type, and the lower half was fish. After this more Mermaid golems would be built until they numbered a hundred, and they would y an active role in the surrounding ocean areas of Hourai Ind. On the other hand, Schwarz Ritters state. How do you feel, Noir? Reinhardt had also finished the final adjustments. Yes, very good. Its just that the output bncing has changed so some practice is necessary. 18/12 stainless steel was of heavy use as a material, and because the [Hardening] magic had been applied to it on top of that, the strength had doubledpared to the steel from earlier. The power output too also became, thanks to Hourai Inds top quality Magical Muscle material of a Sea Dragons leather,parable to the power output of Jins Army golems. In addition, because the Jin-style shielded casing was used as a countermeasure against the [Subordination Rewriting Magic], you could say he was totally reborn. Finally, as the Control Core had also gone through aplete remodeling he even became able to speak fluently, Reinhardt decided to name this reborn Schwarz Ritter Noir meaning the color ck. They decided to have lunch together with Elsa and Mine on Kunlun Ind. As Jin had properly contacted them in advance, portions for four people had been prepared. Reinhardt had also heard Jin exin that the reason why Mines character had be so extreme was because she had been under the effects of the [Seduce] spell. That was for sure why at first their meeting was awkward but soon they opened up and again became able to talk like normal. Is that so, Elsas also calmed down, huh. Mm. Now Mother teaches me all sorts of things every day. Like cooking, or sewing. This soup was made by Elsa, right? Jin could roughly tell from the seasoning whether or not it was made by Elsa or Mine. Mm. Jin-nii, you can tell? Well yes, what with you treating me every day and all. Jin said, and Elsa smiled happily. Seeing Elsa so happy, Reinhardt thought that it was good that he entrusted her to Jin. After eating, Jin said to Reinhardt, Reinhardt, hand that over. Reinhardt guessed what Jin meant and took it out of the luggage Reiko had carried for him. Here, Elsa. You forgot this. Ah, Non The Japanese doll Non Jin had made. She had left it behind and Reinhardt had brought it with him. Elsa then, Thanks, Rai-nii. Im very happy. She said and epted it as some tears formed in her eyes. Thank you very much, Reinhardt-sama. Even Elsas mother Mine bowed. Finally Jin and Reinhardt could take some time to properly talk about what to do from now on. Anyhow, you better be careful, Reinhardt. Even your guards got killed. Mh-hm, Ive thoroughly assessed what happened. Even Schwarz Ritter got defeated, overconfidence kills. For the time there was also his exclusive SP following him. There was a new report some time ago, and apparently Celuroa Kingdom and Frantz Kingdom both seem to be overpowering their opponent countries. Jin just got the report from Laojin. Hmm, Ill have to ask the details of just how you get information like thister. Leaving that for now, I am Shouro Empires diplomat after all, so I cant sneakily run away. Itll affect the reputation of my country too. At any rate, now that it hase to this, I suppose I have to ask the stationed troops or someone to guard me while I return to my country. Reinhardt said that he would request not just a unit of several people, but a toon or maybe even apany to guard him. Although Jin was still a little bit worried he nodded. Apart from that, theres also the matter with you, Jin. Youd do well to avoid doing anything that stands out right now, or theres a high chance both countries will for example aim at you or not only aim at but distrust you. Ah, so it really is like that after all For you its probably simple toe to my country, right? It seems like were not albe to travel together, but pleasee visit me at least once. Ill be waiting. Reinhardt said disappointedly. Even Jin was interested in the nation of Shouro Empire which wasnt part of a group of small countries, and he was also curious about the Artifacts passed down from pre-Great Magic War days Reinhardt had once spoken of. Yeah, Ill go there before long. Youve still got the ManaCom, right? Yeah. Luckily or unluckily, it was left behind in the inn so the Unifilers didnt steal it. Although the Ring of Protection was stolen. The imprisoned Unifilers didnt have Reinhardts Ring of Protection. This was because it was at the bottom of the river together with the branch head. Oh yeah, that reminds me. Heres a new Ring of Protection. Its the same as the old one. Jin said and handed it to Reinhardt. Reinhardt took it and said, Thanks for this, Jin. Well then, its about time for me to go. As there was a time difference he wasnt yet in a great hurry, but Reinhardt who didnt understand that well already started speaking about returning. As I spent the night here without telling him, ude is probably going to worry. I suppose. In that case Ill see you off to Jiron. Jin said and stood up with Reinhardt, then walked towards the Warp Gates. Schwarz Ritter and Reiko followed them. They warped in an instant. They appeared inside Falcon-1 which was on standby in the outskirts of Jiron. As Falcon-1 couldnt be seen from the outside because of its stealth field, the town of Jiron was visible in the distance. Come to think of it, its still just past noon over here. Please teach me the reason behind this next time we meet. Reinhardt said and bid farewell to Jin. Ah, right. Well then, see you again. Mh-hm, Ill be waiting in Shouro Empire. Reinhardt said and began to walk, but then he suddenly stopped and turned around. Jin, Ill tell you something. The Artifact I told you about some time ago, its a gigantic golem. Eh? Jin was bbergasted after being told about one of the things he was curious about. Haha, youll surely be able to make a simr one, no, an even better one, so. By now, theres no reason to keep it a secret. Reinhardt said and this time really headed towards Jiron. Jin turned to Reiko who was next to him and gave her orders. Reiko. Yes, Father. Please watch over and make sure that Reinhardt gets to the town and meets with the butler ude and the others. Yes. But Father, you be careful too. While being worried about Jins safety to thest, Reiko followed the order. She disappeared using [Stealth] and secretly followed after Reinhardt. As Sage and Cosmos were simrly following him Jin could have peace of mind. Jin decided to wait inside the Falcon. Jin thought about the gigantic golem Reinhardt mentioned until Reiko came back. Its not limited to just golems, but when something that moves is made gigantic its movements indeed be slower. That was because of strength and inertia. Once it swung an arm, inertia would work against stopping it. If you forcibly went against inertia the arm would break, is how it was. The objects strength, for example flexural strength, was proportional to the area of the cross-section, while the weight or mass was proportional to the volume. That is to say, strength was proportional to the square of the scale while inertia was proportional to the cube of the scale, and so if you made something bigger its strength would indeed beckingpared to its mass. In that sense, you could say a humans size was operationally bnced. But then theres dragons or Hecantokheires, huh. Their movement was fastpared to their size. Theres a possibility that their density is lower making them lighter. The strength would be lowered but taking into ount strengthening with Magical Energy it makes sense. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it couldnt be anything else. In other words that means the weight doesnt change more than by a power of two. It was an extremely simplified idea, but it probably wasnt far off the mark. If the height is 15 meters, and a human is, lets see Jins height was 160 centimeters. He weighed 52 kilograms. The size would be 9.375 times his. The volume would be multiplied by the cube of that, so at 824-fold increase it would be 42.85 tons. If it was multiplied by the square of the scale, the weight would be 4.57 tons. I wonder if achieving a weight of 5 tons or so would be enough Jin too was after all one of the people who yearned for gigantic robots. Chapter 214 - Titan

Chapter 214 C Titan

Now then, where should I start? After parting with Reinhardt and returing to Hourai Ind, Jin had decided the outline of his next objective. Namely, it was intervention so that I am not recognized. Part of being a hero was that the heros true identity remained a mystery until the final episode. He had also made the helmet and reinforced clothing too which was perfect for it, Jin was thinking. Then he got the idea of a gigantic robot. There was no way Jin wasnt attracted by the idea. Although theres no way I can intervene directly with the war. Itll probably be fine as long as he intervened whenmon people or such seem to get exposed to danger, he thought. Furthermore, he was thinking that it would be the best if he acted under the banner of against the Unifilers. Anyhow, he should stand out. By using aser or a railgun they wouldnt understand what happened, and Jin had a hunch that the threat they learned by heart would be small. If it was a giant robo golem, it should be intimidating enough, right? And so, first of all he decided to start with developing materials. If he made it out of Adamantite the weight would be immense, so hed use Light Silver as the base. Hmm, if I recall correctly I was taught that titanium was mixed with aluminium and vanadium or molybdenum or something to create an alloy. Jin tried to desperately recall the knowledge from his past. He guessed that Light Silver was titanium the neutrons of which had been reced which Magitrons. Thats why it should follow the rules and properties that titanium had, he thought. At any rate, nothing I can do but give it a shot. And so with Reiko as his helper Jin explored Light Silvers alloys. Using Craft Magic, he created test pieces in an instant. A lot of them. During the morning he had nearly discovered the most optimalbination of metals. Jin-nii, wee. Today too he had lunch with Elsa and Mine. It was cloudy today so they ate inside. Seeing that the Pelshka fruit had been cut somewhat clumsily, Oh, I see that today Elsa has peeled the Pelshka. Jin said. Elsa returned a smile to Jin who had noticed it. The menu was freshly-baked bread, Citran marmde, vegetable sd, vegetable soup, and Teee. Judging from the seasoning everything had been apparently made by Elsa. Hm, youre improving every day, arent you Elsa? Jin praised Elsa while eating. Im d you think so, Jin-nii. Getting praised, Elsa smiled happily. After lunch, it was once more time for testing the new alloys. Lets see, Light Silver 90, aluminium six, and vanadium four percent, maybe? Eventually he settled on the so-called 6/4-alloy. It seems that in this world aluminium was scarcer than titanium. Vanadiums original atomic number was 23, the next one following titanium and the one preceding chromium, so even Jin could use [Analyze] to identify some slightly detailed information. This worlds ground contained small amounts of it, and even that mystery ore had been piled up in the corner of his storehouse. You could say that the predecessor had had some foresight with giving orders to not discard such unknown ores and metals. Now, returning back to the subject at hand. Jin made the titanium, no, Light Silver 6/4 alloy, and tried spreading additional Mithril into it. With this the strength of the bond between the atoms could be augmented with Magical Energy, and in the end its strength was able to rise up to seven times that of normal Light Silvers. This was astounding. Hmm, from now on it should be much better to use this alloy in ce of Light Silver. Jin held such thoughts. Now then, with the materials decided it was about time for manufacture. Jin called back the Smith golems from 91 to 100 to help him. Originally they were under Laojinsmand constructing the aircraft carrier, but Jin didnt pay any mind to it and Laojin too understood Jins sort of whimsical nature all too well. And that was because most of Laojins knowledge came from Jin. For now, how about we try making three: a remotely controlled one, an autonomously moving one, and one which you get inside to control it. The giant robot types Jin knew were the type operated with a controlling device, the type that had its own intelligence to a degree, and the type you controlled from inside the head or such. They all had the same basic foundation. They all shared the same skeleton, muscles, and exterior. As they had the same foundation as the golems he had made until now, only they wererger, so with Reikos and the Smith golems support he was able to finish the prototype in an hour. What remained was inserting the control system. The autonomous type was roughly the same as a golem so it was simple to make. The orders it followed came through a ManaCom system. Alright, lets see, Titan Mk.1, move. The Light Silver-made Titan was apparently named after the giant divine beings of Greek mythology. Titan Mk.1 stood up in the open space in front of the researchboratory. It was a rather intimidating spectacle. Alright, try walking. As it was just a test it didnt yet have a speech mechanism, so Titan Mk.1 moved wordlessly. However, its gait was stable. The force caused the earth to tremble. Alright, try running. Abiding the order, Titan Mk.1 slowly started running. And then gradually increased the speed. Its movements werent bad. Reiko, hows it look? Jin tried asking Reikos opinion. Lets see, I dont think its bad. The Gigantes I fought earlier isnt worthy ofparison. Mh-hm, I thought so too. Then after reaching the end of the open space Titan Mk.1 properly turned back as youd expect from an autonomous model. Alright, now its time for shadow boxing. Because it had portions of Jins information transcribed to it, Titan Mk.1 followed the orders diligently and started doing the motions. The quickness of its moves didnt match with its size. Jin was delighted his hypothesis had been correct. Alright, halt. Jin had Titan-1 go to a standstill so he could check that nothing had gone wrong with any of the parts. His face was brimming with joy. Mh-hm, hmh, it was just a short while but theres nothing wrong with the joints, the skeleton, or the muscles! This one can be called a sess! Congrattions, Father. As expected. Reiko also seemed happy. Mhm. And now lets finish the type I control by myself first! Jin braced himself to tackle the Titan Mk.2. Controlling it from inside the head would be dangerous so he stopped that idea, and decided to prepare a cockpit inside the chest. The bnce and other detailed coordination data was copied from Titan Mk.1s movements, and the Control Core was made to move the robot in a style ording to the pilots instructions. Because Jin didnt think hed be able to pilot a giant robot out of the blue like that. And so theparatively simple Mk.2 was finished. As it wasnt as dangerous as flying, Jin abruptly got in the robot. Father, will you be alright? Yeah, its like driving a car so. Although Jin didnt have a drivers license, he had operated forklifts and such not on public roads but inside the factory grounds. Alright, Im going. Jin sat down in the cockpit inside the chest. As it was a prototype the chest wasnt armored so he was able to see ahead with just his eyes. Go! He stepped on the elerator, which increased the output of the Ether Converter and the Mana Driver, and responding to that Titan Mk.2 began moving. Jin felt the thuds as it began moving, and gradually it speeded up, until at the end of the open space he made a U-turn and came backthen suddenly stopped. Father? Reiko who had been moving with him looked up, and saw Jins pale face. Reiko then remembered why a condition like this happened. She quickly jumped into the cockpit and, [Soothe]! She healed Jin with the Shouro Empire-style chant. Jin looked disheartened. I suddenly felt nauseated As its size was nearly ten timesrger, the up-and-down movement while walking was also nearly ten timesrger. That burdened the pilot and Jin quickly became affected with motion sickness. Its unfortunate but the passenger-piloted type is a failure. Jin got down from Titan Mk.2 with Reikos assistance. Perhaps I would be fine in it? Reiko followed up. Hearing that, Jin said, I guess so. How about we make that be for Reikos exclusive use. He decided to finish thatter, and began working on the third one, the remote-controlled Titan Mk.3. This used the same system as the substitute puppet Jin made the other day. He decided that the picture from the Magic Eyes built into the golem would be projected to a dedicated cockpit where he could sit and remotely control it. If he didnt do that, then if it happened to go far enough to be out of sight it would be troubling, and of course he did want to experience the sense of controlling it from the inside. Until night he kept reiterating with various adjustments. Jins zealous handiwork was undoubtedly because he wanted to see the Mk.3 tentativelypleted. Chapter 215 - Jammer

Chapter 215 C Jammer

Coinciding with Jins activities on Hourai Ind, the small countries were in an uproar. Amidst that Reinhardt was making his way back to Shouro Empire as nned. He had apany of guards with him. Itsmander was Captain Matheus Geist von Realgar. He was thepanymander of the third Imperial Guard force. He was Reinhardts friend, and also Reinhardts fiancees elder brother. So Matheus came here for me, huh. Right now, Reinhardt was returning home while being protected by the men led by Matheus. Yeah, even His Majesty wished me to escort you, so. His Majesty did? Thats right. The rumors about your Schwarz Ritter have reached all the way our home country. Overall victory in the mock battle ofbat golems held in Celuroa Kingdoms capital! Didnt it also wreck the Adamas Warrior? It was a story from about a year ago, but for the current Reinhardt it felt like a tale from the distant past. Moreover, I hear you got second ce in the golem boatpetition held in Elias Kingdom? Matheus kept talking while keeping precise pace with the carriage on his horse. He was rather skillful. Well, yes. Although it was a shame I couldnt win. What! It was a match outside your field of expertise, isnt suddenly getting second ce a big deal? Now that Mathias mentioned it, Reinhardt remembered that thepetition was when he had first met Jin. Since then his every day has been very busy. Come to think of it, wheres your cousin? Mathiass voice interrupted Reinhardts thoughts. He was asking about his cousin, namely Elsa. Elsa, huh. Its not something for me to say. Ask Fritz. Major Fritz, huh. I do not like that man. Reinhardt knew that as a child his friend had cared about Elsa. However, now she was but a noblemans wife to him. Fritz Now that he had learned much from Jin, he couldnt help but think that perhaps Fritz too was under the influence of [Seduce]. But there was no way of confirming that. They spent the night in the provincial city Tunsten. Jin received reports from Laojin. Regulus-4 has discovered ruins in Mt. Gtt at the outskirts of Blue Land. He found a sealed box containing a Gigantes and is traveling here. Deneb-7 has discovered ruins near theke Cedrolia on the border of Cline and Celuroa Kingdoms, it appears to be empty. Spica-10 has discovered a sealed box containing a Gigantes in the ruins on the shore ofke Manoce in Cline Kingdom, and she is traveling here. Today two sealed Gigantes boxes were discovered. Now three remained. Regarding the war between Celuroa Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom, currently Celuroa Kingdom is slightly superior. Theyve apparently crossed the border and invaded with three battalions. Mh-hm Finally regarding the war between Frantz kingdom and Cline Kingdom, they seem to be presently struggling for supremacy. Both countries are at a standoff. Understood. Jin stood up and headed for the workshop. Reiko followed him silently. War isnt a good thing. I know that. However, I think Ive heard someone say that what is right is decided by the many. But wouldnt that mean that countries decide whats right for them Jin walked while thinking. Im not a hero or a brave man. Im not even a soldier. Im the Magi Craft Meister. And then, he remembered what the new noble girl of Cline Kingdom had said. I am I fine the way I am right now?'' Thats what she had said. And that was Jins current mental state. Father, where are you going? Reiko called out to Jin who had walked past the workshop while deep in thought. Ah, oops. Sorry. Jin walked back while scratching his head. Reiko watched Jin with concern but said nothing. Now then, I was thinking we should develop a new weapon today. The very first thing Jin said after entering the workshop was that. When I analysed the chant-obstructing choker that had been attached to Reinhardt and Stearina earlier, I thought of some interesting ideas. Please do tell. Of course. First of all, that choker had the effect of interfering with the gathering of Magic Energy. His earlier worries disappeared somewhere as Jin gradually heated up. When one uses magic, the chant works as something like a power word. It works as a trigger andpletes the spell with miniscule amount of Magic Energy. If one couldpose that trigger without chanting then casting of chantless magic would be possible, but he didnt touch on that for now. The function of that choker is topletely diffuse the infinitesimal Magic Energy required for the casting. You could think of it as the me of the match that lights the gasoline known as Magic Energy. It was a function simr to blowing out that match. If this was done on arge scale, it would be possible to make a field where magic cannot be cast. Jin wrapped up the exnation. Thats amazing, Father. Reiko honestly praised Jin. And the other thing, the function that whittles off the stamina of the chokee. If this too was applied on arge scale, a whole army could be made to faint. This was also an effective weapon. By finishing them both it seemed he would be able to stop the war, albeit temporarily. Magnificent, Father. Let us develop it at once. Just when Reiko said so, Ann came along. Master, I heard your talk through Laojin. Something like that has once existed. What? ording to Ann, during the early days of the Great Magic War, there was something like a magic-jamming magic. However, as allies also became unable to use magic it was not very effective. Apparently, on the contrary, there were lots of cases where being unable to use magic against the physically superior demon race was a disadvantage. Hmm, in this situation when Magic Energy used for casting is jammed, I think that Reiko and the other golems could act normally, is that right? Jin asked Ann while thinking. Yes, as it imply jams casting, golems that use internal Magic Energy to move are not affected. They just cannot use external magic. Lately Reiko had mostly fought using raw power but she was also capable of magical attacks. But there probably wouldnt be any problems with Reikos strength. It would be effective against spellcaster forces, huh. So, do you know the method? Yes, I remember it. Then using Anns memories as the basis at first, Jin created the prototype Magi Jammer. With Ann it was easy toplete. Jin used his own methods to improve all the important parts. With masters method the effectiveness was more than doubled. Ann who witnessed the test said. Then Jin continued with starting on the stamina-damaging weapons development. I wonder if it worked if I just used the function of the choker as is but made itrger? But then the required Magic Energy will be too great. Hmm, I suppose. Ah, in that case if we did this Father, at this point it would be faster to redo the whole Magi Sequence. That may be so. Jin, Reiko, and Ann. These three kept discussing it. Jins insights, Reikos verification, and Anns different viewpoint. Once there was a tentative model for it, since the goal was clear they had roughly solidified the configuration just before noon. Father, keeping at it for any longer than this will harm your health. Its precisely lunchtime, so lets visit Elsa-san andpany. Reiko said and half-forcibly dragged Jin out of the sea of experiments. Master, please go have lunch. I will keep on putting together the prototype in the meanwhile. After even Ann told Jin so, he turned and went to warp to Kunlun Ind. Wee, Jin-nii. Today the weather was clear on Kunlun Ind. For that reason lunch was outside. Probably because Elsa was clever from the start, her simple cooking had greatly improved. Jin who had been separated from his Magi Craft was still pondering a little as he ate the bread. Elsa found fault with that. Jin-nii, youre eating while worrying over something? Jin was startled. As he waspletely seen through by Elsa, he quickly exined the current situation on the continent. War To relieve Elsa who had be a little pale Jin exined, Yeah, but perhaps luckily Shouro Empire isnt undergoing war. Reinhardt too was, ording to what he saidst night, returning home while being guarded by forces led by some captain called Matheus. Matheus? After hearing that name Elsa looked nostalgic for a moment. Yeah. Do you know him? Matheus is Rai-niis friend, and his fiancees elder brother. Huh. So once Reinhardt gets married this Matheus will be his brother-inw. Yes. If hes with Matheus then Rai-nii is safe. Elsa said and so Jin too was a little relieved. Then, unrted to what they just spoke of, Hey, Elsa, what are your thoughts about the war that has started? Jin tried asking Elsa. Elsa had an immediate answer. I hate war. She then continued. Fritz-niisama once was a prisoner of war. At that time I could do nothing but worry. It was when Fritz was still a kind brother. After what Elsa said, Jin thought that maybe Fritz too was under the influence of [Seduce], which oddly was the same thing Reinhardt had guessed. Father is a military person. I heard he was promoted during war. But I hate war. It would be better if there was none. Maybe because she remembered about the time when Elsa was conceived, Mine who was listening from the side had a slightly painful expression. Got it. Sorry for asking you something strange. Jin said and lightly bowed his head. Chapter 216 - From One Thing to Another

Chapter 216 C From One Thing to Another

After returning from Kunlun Ind to Hourai Ind, Jin was thinking about Fritz. Master, the prototype Magi Jammer isplete. Then Ann came along to inform him. Jin changed his focus. Alright, lets test it at once. Lets see. Reiko, sorry but could you be the test subject? Yes, dly. And so they tried pointing the Magi Jammer at Reiko and activating it. Its shape was roughly that of a cube, with one of the sides having a sort of a parabolic generator device attached to it. How is it? I do not feel anything in particr. As it interfered only with casting, Automata like Reiko or golems like the SP werent affected movementwise. Alright, in that case try using some magic please. I suppose something like a [Light Ball] would do. He chose a magic with no attackponent, namely the [Light Ball]. Yes. [Light Ball]. Father, I cannot cast it. Alright, its a sess! Despite reciting the chant, the apanying Triggers Magic Energypletely vanished like mist. Therefore no magical phenomenon got cast. Jin and Reiko together with Ann examined the effective range. They found that apparently the effectiveness rapidly decreased with distance. The effectiveness was approximately inversely proportional to the cube of the distance. They wanted to increase the current output by 50 times to make it useful for practical use. Hmm, I wonder if its the effect of the Ether in the atmosphere? Its difficult to make arge-scale one Because the jammer would be useless if it wasnt active continuously, its Magic Energy consumption was alsorge. The effect of the prototype cube with edges about 30 centimeters long had a maximum range of ten meters at a 60-degree angle. Seems like the range would be too low even if loaded onto a Falcon or something and used from the air. If it flew 10 meters above ground it would work fine, but that would cause many other problems. Whats the next step Jin was thinking. Even if it was used intermittently Suddenly he realized it. Thats it! Intermittently! Father? Reiko, Ann, please give me the prototype. Jin rewrote a part of Control Core that managed the generator device. Simultaneously he thoroughly re-examined the Magi Form and attempted optimizations. Alright, lets try testing it now. And the tests results. The effective range became two timesrger than just now. It works! Father, what did you do? I understood that you optimized the Magi Form, but Reiko asked, and Jin exined. Yeah. I made it run intermittently and I used the Magic Energy saved doing that to increase the output. It seems to have a synergistic effect. Basically, it was made to run for 0.2 seconds and then rest for 0.4 seconds so the consumption was be reduced to a third. And that portion was used to increase the output when it was running. 0.2 seconds was plenty enough for the jammer to work, and the stop time of 0.4 seconds wasnt enough for anyone topletely finish a chant, thats gist of it. In addition, inserting pause times allowed for increasing the running output. You could maybepare it to electric current which can momentarily surpass the rated value of a resistor. As expected of Father. Master, thats amazing! Reiko and Ann praised Jin highly. Alright, with this the prototype Magi Jammer is alright. Lets entrust the development of this thing too to Laojin and the Smiths. They can determine the optimal intermittent timing. As he had built the Smiths, Jins responsibilities were substantially reduced. ordingly Jin could devote himself to research. Right now time was precious. Alright, now lets think of methods to dispel spells like [Hypno] and [Seduce]. Jin thought that this was the most important thing right now. Supposing that Elsas elder brother Fritz was affected by [Seduce]. No, beyond that, what if the leaders of the countries currently causing war were affected? The Unifilers were liable to do that much. Jin was urgently thinking about what measures to take against hypnotic magic. For that, Anns knowledge was vital. Ann, what do you think? Can you think of any dispelling methods? Yes. To put it in a single word, its a shock, but As before, huh The weak thunder-type magic [Stun] did dispel the spell from Rucall whom he met at the ancient ruins. He said that to Ann then, Master, that wasnt [Stun], that was [Shock]. She gave a reply. Eh? It was identical to the lightning-type magic [Shock] developed before the Great Magic War. I-is that so. Thinking about it, because he had analyzed and put to use the Rod of Paralysis Beana had used, it wasnt strange that there was another magic that was used as its model. There is another magic known as [Paralyze]. Eh? As Ann said something very curious, Jins interest shifted there. Its a weak lightning attack with a peculiar waveform. The waveform is Most likely it was a magic that had the effect of paralyzing the nerves. That was Jins guess. I see. Not just the waveform, the intensity too is important after all. But it doesnt seem difficult to use. For Jin, it was simple to use it to make a Paralyzer. It was in the shape of a pistol, and shot out a lightning attack at the pull of the trigger. The reason it could transmit through air to reach the opponent despite the voltage being low it was likely because of magic. He made it able to switch between emitting short shocks and continuous shocks. Like this it would be effective even againstrge crowds. However, on Hourai Ind this weapon wouldnt be effective against anyone but Jin. Because Reiko and the golems wouldnt be paralyzed by it. But as there was no way hed test it on himself, he postponed the test firing until the time he once more confronted the Unifilers. For the time being he also made ones Reiko and his private SP golems, and decided to have them test it if the asion rises. Alright, now lets once again build a device that dispels hypnosis using [Shock]. He began writing the Magi Form for the [Shock] magic which too was in Anns memories. But this really is quick to do with a model to follow, huh. Itd be quick even without one, but no one told him so. In under 30 minutes the prototype waspleted. Its shape was the same as that of the Paralyzer. Sometime in the future hed probably make something that could swap between [Paralysis] and [Shock]. Theres no one to try this on either, huh. And so he decided to leave the inspection of this too to Laojin. Then Jin started considering methods of the Titans deployment. The Titans were most suitable for demonstrations of force, but their weakness was that carrying them out from Hourai Ind took too much time. For example, the ce where the current conflict lies is about 600 kilometers away, and going there even on Falcon-1 would take an hour. Maybe he could make this take around ten minutes instead, Jin set his goals. And thats where the receiverless Warp Gate woulde in. By sending them out using this, even if there was some measurement error in the location it would be much faster than flying them in all the way from Hourai Ind. However, the problem that they couldnte back followed. And then Jin once more began pondering. Reiko was a little concerned about Jin as she had a feeling he was in a hurry. And because of that, leaving thinking to Jin and Ann, she decided to go to the other room to have a discussion with Laojin. Reiko-san, what can I do for you? Laojin, Im a little worried about Father. I feel like hes been somewhat in a rush these past few days. Indeed. Theres not much of the sense of enjoyment from before, is there? Mh-hm. In my opinion, its because of the Unifilers. In addition, I wonder if hes not fretting over the war. That seems to be the case. I feel that My Lord thinks he must take care of everything by himself. Even though neither the war nor the Unifilers are Fathers responsibility. Because most of My Lords knowledge has been transcribed to me I know. My Lord thinks that it is evil to not act when he has the power to. Father is not evil! I think so too. But My Lord really worries about that. What do you think we should do? Thinking about it normally, if both the war and the Unifilers were to disappear My Lords worries would disappear too. I see, thats indeed true. Having said that, even if for instance they were annihted using [Laser] My Lord would probably not be happy. CertainlyOn the contrary, Fathers worries would increase. Difficult, isnt it. The faithful subordinates, nay, the children had such a discussion without Jin knowing it. He had finally thought about ways to make use of the Titans, and now on top of that was considering how to execute those ns in practice. Chapter 217 - Again, Elsa Disappears

Chapter 217 C Again, Elsa Disappears

The conversation between Laojin and Reiko continued. So, just we arent enough to persuade My Lord, right? Thats correct. After all were something Father created, unfortunately we have to ept we dont have that much influence. Both parties seemed to be of one mind. So, what are we going to do? Laojin asked Reiko. Im reluctant to do this, but let us ask Elsa-san. Reiko replied. Looking at her frown, it was a rather difficult decision for Reiko. In that case, Reiko-san, please bring Elsa-san from Kunlun Ind along with you. Got it. Take care of Father in the meanwhile. dly. After exchanging such a conversation, Reiko warped to Kunlun Ind by herself. Good day. Reiko called out to them and she entered therge guesthouse where Elsa andpany were. It was Jins property in the first ce so she had no need to hold back, but she was being polite. Hello. Oh my, Reiko-san? Mine came and looked a little surprised. Hello. As a matter of fact, I have a request regarding Father that Id like to ask Elsa-san about. Me? What? Elsa turned up from behind Mine. Reiko exined Jins current state to the two. Elsa and Mine quietly listened. About how he was attempting to oppose the Unifilers. About how he was conscious of the war. About how he was worried about what he could do He does not seem as happy as before. I am worried about that. Reiko concluded and brought the exnation to a finish. The two stayed silent for a while, and the first one to open her mouth was Mine. Jin-sama has, because of what happened to Elsa and then Reinhardt-sama, a grudge with the Unifilers it seems. To be frank, Im happy that hes doing it for me. But I wish Jin-nii didnt push himself too hard. Elsa also gave her opinion. Mine continued. Surely Jin-sama is losing hisposure because hes chasing after too many things at once, dont you think? Elsa also shared that view. I think so too. This too, and that too, I feel like hes coveting for too many things like that. Reiko took some time to think about it, and she got the feeling that what the two said was probably right. So, what do you think we should do? That was the thing Reiko wanted to know the most. He needs a break, dont you think? The one who replied was Mine. A break, is it Reiko mumblingly parroted her words, but she seemed to think that was a good idea. So, how should I have Father take a break then, I wonder? Reiko couldnte up with anything. This time the one who replied was Elsa. As long as its something fun, I think itll be enough. Something fun, is it Once more Reiko could do nothing but mumblingly parrot the words. She appeared to be a little sad. She was probably feeling disappointed as she couldnt think of that herself. In that case, wont you please ask Father, Elsa-san? Me? Yes. If rather than me Elsa-san asks, then surely Father will have more of a change of pace. Elsa sympathized with Reikos slightly sad feel and nodded. Mm. If youre fine with me. Please wait a moment. Elsa said and went to adjust her clothes. Mine who was left behind said, Reiko-san, I think its also fine to go somewhere where Jin-sama can feel at ease. She gave Reiko her own opinion. Somewhere he can feel at ease, is it. After hearing that, Reiko thought what could a ce where Jin felt at ease be. But before she could finish that thought Elsa came back. Sorry for the wait. Elsas outfit consisted of a deep blue long skirt, a white blouse with a light blue scarf, and the brooch she got from Jin. For now they were the best clothes Elsa had. Mother, see youter. See you. After a simple exchange, Elsa used the Warp gate with Reiko. Once they appeared in the Warp Gate room on the first floor, she was led to the workshop by Reiko. It was the first time Elsa was in this workshop, and she was curiously looking around at everything. Back at the workshop, Jin was giving instructions to Laojin who assisted him. Once he noticed that not only Reiko but Elsa too entered the room, he was surprised. And thats how it is, can I leave the preparations to you, Laojin? Yes, certainly. After finishing instructing Laojin, Jin was flustered, turned to Elsa, and, Elsa, whats the matter? He asked. Elsa replied immediately as if she had already thought of a reply. Teach Magi Engineering to me, too. Ah, Jin-nii called it, Magi Craft, right? To you, Elsa? Magi Craft? Yes. I want to try. Cant I? Head tilted a little down Elsa asked with upturned eyes. Jin was weak to requests from his family. He hesitated a little, but soon agreed, Fine, Ill teach you. He replied. Cant wait. Elsa said, also delighted. Reiko who was watching them from the side thought, (Come to think of it, some time ago Father did mutter something about that) Yes. Thats the standard way to use Magic Energy. Jins coaching began immediately. Beginning with how to use Craft Magic. Normal magic did most of its work outside, but Craft Magic did most of its work inside the material. In other words, instead of seeing it by sight it was necessary to sense the Magic Energy. Jin began from having herprehend that difference. Aww, its hard. Keep it up. Because once you can do this the rest will be easier. Mm. It was indeed a sight exactly like a brother teaching his little sister. A heartwarming sight. By now, worries about new weapons, military preparations, and such had disappeared from Jins mind. In the end, Jins coaching of Craft Magic to Elsa continued until it was around two hours to dusk. As a result, Elsa became somewhat able to handle and sense Magic Energy, and also learned the basics of the Craft Magic spells [Softening] and [Forming]. [Softening] in particr was very profound with Jin being able to even make figurines using it, but the best Elsa could make was something like a cup. This, is interesting. Even so, using the memorized spells of [Softening] and [Forming], Elsa was ying with a lump of copper kneading it like y. Seeing Elsa who said so and smiled Jin couldnt help but smile himself too. Seeing that Reiko felt relieved. And then she neared the two and informed them of the time. Father, Elsa-san, its already 5 oclock. Its about time to wrap up. Ah, its already sote, huh. Time flies when youre having fun, no? And so Elsa decided to return to Kunlun Ind for the day. Well then, see you tomorrow. Shall we return here to continue from where we left off tomorrow after lunch? Mm, Jin-nii. Im looking forward to it. Reiko and Elsa then headed for the Warp Gate room on the first floor together. Elsa-san, thank you for today. Reiko said and, No problem, I had fun too. Looking forward to tomorrow. Elsa replied. They soon arrived in the Warp Gate room. At that moment Reiko received a call from Jin through her internal ManaCom. Reiko, I forgot I had something to give to Elsa. Pleasee here to pick it up. Reiko then said, Elsa-san, Father contacted me and said he has something to give to you, so Ill quickly go get it. Ill be back soon so please wait here. Mm, got it. Reiko then hurried back to where Jin was. Ah, Reiko, sorry for calling you back. No problem, what would you like me to do? Yeah, I was thinking about giving this to Elsa. Well, I could do it lunch tomorrow too but since shes here I wanted to give it to her early. Jin said and held out a bracelet. Its a bracelet to protect Elsa from her excessive Magic Energy disorder. It has the effect of converting surplus Mana to Ether and storing it. It would be far simpler to release it into the air instead of storing it, but as Jin thought it was a waste he had the bracelet store the surplus Magic Energy. Despite being busy he hadnt forgotten about Elsas illness. Well, shes with Mine now so its not really necessary but. Mine had been the most worried about separating from Elsa who would end up damaging herself, but looking at the twotely the situation had seemed alright to Jin. Because of that whenever he had spare time he had worked on it, and before he knew it he had recently finished it. I understand. Ill go give it to her. By all rights Elsa wouldve been happier if Jin gave it to her but, after all as a simple enjineer he didnt realize it. And thus Reiko went to the Warp Gate room on the first floor with the bracelet. And no sooner than that, she came back and reported with a concerned voice. Father, Elsa-san has disappeared. Chapter 218 - Lost Child Elsa

Chapter 218 C Lost Child Elsa

Turning back time a little. In the Warp Gate room from where Reiko had left for Jin. Elsa was walking around and gazing at the lined up Warp Gates until Reikos return. Names like Kunlun Ind, Port Rock, Blue Land, Ruins of the Eight Stronghold and so on were on disy but as they were all written in Japanese, Elsa couldnt read them. These are, all Warp Gates. Where do they lead, I wonder? She looked around while thinking so. asionally she also peeked inside them. Inside Magi Forms were written with letters she couldnt read. The construction of the interiors was also interesting. The ceilings too had some kind of a pattern she couldnt understand either. Some day, will I also be able to make something like this, I wonder? While thinking about that and looking up, her foot caught on something by ident. Ah. And she fell over. Into the Warp Gate in front of her. All Jins Warp Gates required verification of his Magic Energy Pattern. And on Elsas chest was the brooch she had received from Jin. Yes, back when Elsa had disappeared, Laojin (back then called Laozi) had searched for it using the Magi Radar. In other words, Elsa was recognized and ended up warping unassistedly. Some ten seconds after that was when Reiko came back. After hearing from Reiko that Elsa had disappeared, Jin hurried to the Warp Gate room. Just in case, please investigate the other rooms. Yes, Illmand the maids to do so. Jin then looked around in the Warp Gate room. The most likely possibility seemed to be that she had identally warped using a Warp Gate, but how did she pass the Magic Energy pattern authentication? He left that question forter and went around investigating the Warp Gates, but found no clues. Warp Gates produced no heat when running, as they were Magic Energy self-sufficient models there wasnt a decrease in Magic Energy or anything like that either. Hmm, if there only was a Warp Gate activation counter or something I could immediately tell which one she warped with. Jin grumbled, but it was toote for that now. Before long, a report came from the maid golems stating that Elsa wasnt inside the research facility or in a 50 meter radius surrounding it. Argh, if only I had recorded not just Reinhardts but Elsas Magic Energy too for a situation like this! Father, please calm down. Master, I heard something has happened. Reiko calmed him down, then Ann came along. Lets put together and think about what we know so far. The likeliest possibility is she identally warped using a Warp Gate. But where? Ann thought logically and advised Jin. Ah, thats right. First, Kunlun Ind. I tried silently asking the maid golems there but she hasnte back. In that case, the Warp Gate next to it is very likely. That was the Warp Gate that went to Port Rock. Could you try contacting Cattleya and Lotus who are following Marcia, Reiko? Yes. And in this way Jin and the rest searched for Elsa. While in her fallen-down pose, Elsa appeared in a different Warp Gate. Where, is this? Unless she exited the Warp Gate temporarily she couldnt return. If it wasnt like that, then if one was slow in getting out of the Warp Gate one might get sent back to the original location. Elsa slowly got up and exited the Warp Gate. She was in an unexpectedlyrge room simr to a basement. There was a dim light, probablying from Magi Lamps somewhere. Using that light to scope her surroundings, Elsa saw that there was nothing but the Warp Gate she had just exited from in the room. She knew that if she went in it she would likely return back to the Warp Gate where she came from. Therefore she wasnt very worried under the circumstances. At the side of the basement there were stairs. She was just a little interested. Elsa thought that since Jin had set up this ce, it shouldnt be a very dangerous ce. If she returned now she would surely be scolded. If she was going to be scolded no matter what, then, as if her former tomboyishness resurfaced, she walked towards the stairs. On top of the stairs there was a simple door. She tried gently opening it and outside it was still daytime. Although on Hourai Ind it was already the evening. ? Finding that mysterious, Elsa walked out without noticing. She was in an empty meadow, near which arge river flowed. One step, two steps, Elsa moved her feet towards the river. For some reason or another she wanted to go there, but just before reaching it changed her mind. If I dont go back now theyll get angry. Elsa felt guilty thinking of how by now Reiko had probablye back, found she wasnt there and how they must be looking for her right now. She turned to rush to return, but then was shocked. Theres no door. The door from which she surely exited just now was nowhere to be seen. Even though the door she came out of was supposed to be around the small dirt hill, no matter where she looked that door wasnt there. In a panic she tried looking for it by cing her hands on the ground and patting around the area, but there was no sensation of anything like a door. No way. Elsa groped around some more. Her hands and knees became covered in mud, but she didnt have the mindset to care about that right now. After doing that for half an hour, she even lost track of the original location. All she could see were her own footprints. You could no longer tell where they began. What now When she had been kidnapped Jin had tracked her down. He would look for her again, right? But supposing he got angry from her using the Warp Gate at her own convenience, he might not look for her. Im sorry Unintentionallying to a pessimistic conclusion Elsa became disheartened and wanted to cry, but at that moment. Onee-chan, who are you? Someone called out to her from behind. Elsa looked and saw a girl eight or nine years old. She had slightly dazzling braided blond hair and was holding a basket with wild herbs in it. Where did youe from? Being asked once again Elsa pulled herself together and replied. Im, Elsa. Where I came from, I dont know. Then the girl said, Hm? So a lost child? Elsa replied with a nod. Is that right? Then follow me. Lets try going to the elder-sans ce. The girl said and began slowly walking. With nothing else to do, Elsa followed the child. Soon after following her they reached a small vige. Stakes had been pushed into the ground around it to make a simple fence. Elsa onee-chan, over here. While holding the basket the girl kept walking on a road to the center of the vige. Elsa who had stopped walking to look around quickly went after her. There were curious things Elsa had never seen before here and there. One of them was something which looked to be made out of bronze that had a simple roof over it, and judging from how its surroundings were wet it was a ce rted to water. She was interested in what it was, but the first priority was herself. Elsa followed the girl while matching her pace. This is elder-sans house. The girl stopped in front a building that was slightly finerpared to the other houses and said. Elder-san! The girl raised her voice to reach beyond the door. After a brief while the door opened and a young woman appeared. She was probably around the same age as Elsa was. However, one part of her was overwhelmingly more grown up. Oh my, whats wrong? Uncle hasnte back yet. Hes perhaps making the rounds around the fields, I think. The woman said, then the girl pointed at Elsa and spoke. Is that right? You know, this onee-chan, shes a lost child. A lost child? The woman looked a little puzzled and turned to ask Elsa. Is that so? Ah, Im Barbara. Im the niece of the vige headman Gheebeck. Im, Elsa. Elsa-san, is it. Where did youe from? It doesnt look like youve got any luggage When asked Elsa nearly reflexively said Kunlun Ind, but quickly held her tongue regarding that. I dont know. I found myself here before I knew it. Then I met this girl. Barbara tilted her head after hearing that and, What a curious tale, isnt it. Well, such things happen too. She didnt appear to consider it doubtful. She then looked up at the sky and, Itll soon get dark, so if youd like youre wee to stay at our house. She said, inviting Elsa. Elsa looked that the sky which had be dim and decided to ept the offer. Thank you. Im very grateful. With that Barbara spoke to the girl. Good job, Hannah-chan. Well care for Elsa-san so theres no need to worry. Chapter 219 - Search

Chapter 219 C Search

Hmm, doesnt look like shes in Blue Land either Jin was still in Hourai Ind looking for Elsa. What will I say to Mine It was now 8 oclock on Hourai Ind. The time difference between here and Kunlun Ind was one hour. As it was 7 oclock on the other ind, it was about time for Mine to find Elsa noting back strange. Well, I guess I have to tell the truth Jin had an image of the old Mine burnt in his mind, so he couldnt imagine any other result than getting yelled at. Despite that Jin warped to Kunlun Ind and met with Mine. Jin-sama, it seems that Elsa iste, has something happened? Seeing Mines concerned expression, Jin got cold feet. But he braced himself and, Elsa has gone missing. Jin told her the truth. Eh? Gone missing? Elsa has? What happened? Thankfully, Mine epted the truth without flying into a rage and grabbing Jin. Of course, she looked worried. As a matter of fact Jin exined his conjecture of what went on earlier. After hearing the basics, Mine muttered a few words. That kid She surely was curiously peeking into the Warp Gates, wasnt she? The guess was rather on point but it did not change the current situation. Anyway, since Im searching for her with all I can, dont worry Thats probably too much to ask, however, Id like you to at least not worry too much. Jin said. His remark had a somewhat confusing feel to it but that was unavoidable. Mh-hm, Jin-sama is the person who saved her and me. As youre once more searching for Elsa, I trust in you. Being told so Jin could feel the pressure, but without showing that on his face he nodded in a big way, Leave it to me. He said and left behind Kunlun Ind. Master, why do you think Elsa-san was able to warp? Ann came and asked him. More precisely, she wanted to confirm something to find out the cause. Hmm, maybe the authentication didnt work well, or perhaps She was wearing something with Masters Magic Energy in it, dont you think so? After hearing that Jin sharply pped his hands together. Thats right, that has to be it! I wonder why I didnt think of that sooner? He couldnt think of any other reason than panicking after Elsas disappearance. While reflecting, Jin gave instructions to Laojin. Laojin, like when you looked for Elsa earlier, look for my His instructions tapered off. My Lord, whats wrong? Laojin seemed puzzled and asked. Jin looked like he had understood something and said, Right, thats probably it! Elsa was wearing the brooch I gave her to as a present! Isnt that right, Reiko? Jin basically wasnt very mindful of peoples attire. That included his own. Lets see, thats indeed the case. If I recall correctly I think that she had the brooch on her chest. Reiko hadnt paid much attention to it either. Like father, like daughter, you could say. Well, in Reikos case she was probably just barely concerned with anyone except for Jin. Laojin, that appears to be the most probable one. The same brooch Elsa hadst time she was searched for. Please look for it. As you wish. Laojin used the Magi Radar and began searching for Elsa. The search locations were the ces where Warp Gates had been established. Port Rock, Blue Land, the ruins of the eighth subdivision, and then My Lord, there is a reaction from Kaina Vige. Some 30 minutes after Laojin began the search, he reported of a discovery. So it was Kaina Vige! Jin was relieved for the time being as she wasnt anywhere dangerous. Surely she carelessly went outside and the barrier kept her froming back, huh. The specialty of this sort of barrier was that it was easy to get out from the inside, but you couldnt get in from the outside. It mainly had something to do with the flow of Magic Energy used to cast spells, but lets not go into details right now. Even so, Kaina Vige, huh Jin sighed and had a faraway look in his eyes. Im certain I left Kaina Vige on Decemberst year, and now is April so its been about four months since then He couldnt tell whether four months was long or short. A lot of things had happened during that time. No, too many things. Now that he had received the title of Egelia Kingdoms Honorary Magi Craftsman, he could probably return to Kaina Vige at a moments notice without any harm. However, he wanted to avoid inconveniencing the vige by all means. Anyhow, I dont have any option other than going there tomorrow morning, do I? But, she was worried about Elsa too. No matter how good the people of Kaina Vige were she was probably feeling lonely. Then Jin got in touch with Gon, Gen, and the SP dedicated to Hannah. Iris speaking. Iris of the SP spoke as the representative. Jin briefly told her of Elsas disappearance and asked if she had by any chance happened to see Elsa around there. Her reply was, Yes, a youngdy thought to be her did indeede here. Ady named Elsa of around 16 or 17 years of age is satying in the vige headman Mr. Gheebecks house. She has tinum blonde hair. She was unmistakably Elsa. She seems to have received a warm wee from the vige headmans niece Barbara. Hannah-chan is also with her. Hearing that, Jin felt relieved. Got it. Ill go meet her tomorrow. Until then, take care that nothing happens to Elsa and of course Hannah. Yes. I shall have Gon guard the houses surroundings. And then the call was over. Now it was past nine PM on Hourai Ind. The time difference between here and Kaina Vige was a little over two hours so there it was seven PM. It was already total darkness. It was time for the households to go to sleep. Even if he went there at this time it would be useless. Or rather it would probably cause trouble and maybe even an uproar. Jin calmed his inner conflict by thinking such thoughts. Then he spoke to Reiko. Reiko, theres no doubt Elsa warped to Kaina Vige. Kaina Vige, is it? Yeah. Tomorrow, lets see, at 8 AM local time should be fine. I was thinking of going to meet her. Jin said with a determined look on his face. Father, youre returning to Kaina Vige, right? Reiko asked as if to confirm. Yeah. At the very least I have to show everyone Im safe, and the rest Ill decide afterwards. Right now Jin wasnt even afraid of taking a whole country on. But he wanted to avoid strife. More so because of Kaina Vige. I was thinking of going there as Egelia Kingdoms Honorary Magi Craftsman. Just in case hed be assertive. Yes, Ill bring Peach Blossom and the Magi Cannon with me. Um, you wont need either. He thought those things wont be needed in Kaina vige, and he wished they wouldnt be needed. Jin fell asleep half-anxious and half-expectant of tomorrows reunion. So Elsa-san was in a Warp Gate malfunction? This was Kaina Vige headmans, Gheebecks house. It was evening. After a slightly early dinner, Barbara and Elsa were chatting. Although it mostlyposed of Barbara talking about various things and Elsa responding. Mm. Although malfunction may not be exactly what happened. That right? But, a Warp Gate, huh. Are those thingsmon? Eh? What do you mean? Barbara exined to Elsa who looked puzzled. Last year too, a person who was warped by a malfunctioning Warp Gate came. Hearing that Elsa was a little bit startled. A-and, that person is? Theyre no longer here. It was a misunderstanding but the feudal lord of this area, Earl Walter distrusted them groundlessly and they ended up leaving the vige. Although the misunderstanding has been cleared already, theyve not returned so we cant tell them that. And then that Elsa wanted to say something, but at that moment Gheebeck came. By him was a small girl. Oh my, Hannah-chan, what are you doing here thiste? It was nearly five PM. It was no wonder Barbara asked that. You see, I was wondering about Elsa onee-chan. Me? Elsa was slightly surprised and looked at Hannah. Yeah. I thought, isnt it lonely after appearing here by herself? Hearing that, Elsa smiled. Thank you. Hannah-chan, right? Mh-hm, ah, thats right, I never told onee-chan my name, sorry. Hannah said and quickly bowed her head. Elsa giggled and smiled as she saw that. Its okay. I was saved thanks to Hannah-chan, after all. The two had a conversation like that, then Barbara brought them another chair and, Hannah-chan, sit here. I already asked Elsa about many things. Hannah-chan, you also want to talk with her, right? She said. Hannah nodded in a lively manner. Yeah! Chapter 220 - I’m Back

Chapter 220 C Im Back

Elsa, Barbara, and Hannah were gathered in Gheebecks house and talking. So Where did we leave off? Barbara said and tilted her head, then, We were talking about the person who left the vige. Elsa replied. After hearing that, Hannah said, You mean about Onii-chan? This time Elsa tilted her head, Onii-chan? She said, and didnt look to understand. Noticing that, Barbara borated. Hannah-chan is talking about someone called Jin who said he hade from, what was it? Japan? Hes a Magi Craftsman, you know? Eh? No way, Jin-nii!? Hearing that, even Elsa got so surprised she stood up from her seat. Hannah was also surprised when she heard Elsa. Jin-nii? Onee-chan, you said Jin-nii, right? Onee-chan, are you Onii-chans little sister? Mm, Im Jin-niis sister. Hearing that, Hannah lit up. Jin onii-chan! He got back home okay! Hey, hey, is Onii-chan well? Where is he now? Whats he doing? How about Reiko onee-chan? Hannah threw questions at Elsa at rapid session, overwhelming her. Ji-Jin-nii is at home. Hes well. Hes building all sorts of thingsIt seems. Reiko-chans with him too. Elsa could barely reply. So thats how it was, Im d I was so worried all this time! Not just me, everyone was! Yes, thats right, Elsa-san. Because your elder brother is a benefactor of this vige, and one of us too. Very interesting. Jin-nii never told me. Elsa said and that surprised Barbara and Hannah a little. Is that right? As a matter of fact, Hey, you know what? Onii-chan, he Jin-san built us a hot spring. Onii-chan built Mint for me! They both began talking about Jin to Elsa so she got confused. Wa-wait a moment. Please speak one at a time. Elsa said while smiling awkwardly, then Barbara and Hannah exchanged nces andughed. Hannah-chan, did you have dinner yet? After things had calmed down a little, Barbara asked Hannah. Yeah, Ive eaten. I also told granny Im going to elder-sans house before leaving. I see. In that case, are you going to have a sleepover? If you do then you can talk with Elsa-san at ease. Barbara said to Hannah. Hannah dly epted the offer. Yeah! A sleepover! Barbara then went to tell Hannahs grandmother Martha that Hannah is spending the night here. In the meanwhile, Hannah spoke a lot about Jin. Once Barbara came back the three once more talked together. That continued into the night until Hannahs eyelids began to droop, and so they moved to the bedroom. Hannah ended up sleeping with Elsa on the same bed. Because she wouldnt have it any other way. Eheh. Together with Onee-chan. Good night. Mm, good night, Hannah-chan Soon Hannah sounded like she was asleep. Barbara and Elsa continued their conversation in a low voice so as not to wake Hannah up. You see, Hannah-chan has no parents so shes lonely. And thenst year, Jin-san came along, they lived together, and she took to him. And then again, he disappeared. Oh, so thats what happened. Yes. And thats why because youre Jin-sans little sister, shes so Hannah was clinging to Elsas right arm with her small hands. Hannah, chan. Elsa gently stroked Hannahs head. Hannahs hair smelled like the sun. Next day, when the sun had risen. Half past eight, huh. In Kaina Vige thats half past six. I wonder if everyones awake by now? Jin couldnt stay still and was fidgety. Father, isnt what you said that youd go to Kaina Vige to meet her at eight oclock? Reiko reminded him. I did say that, Ill have to calm down. Seeing Jin like that, Ann had a question. Master, if you want to visit them that badly why havent you gone there until now? Being asked that, Jin hmmed and replied. I suppose I didnt want to cause any trouble. What do you mean? Uhm, when I was in Kaina Vige I was suspected of building the golems that had been attacking here and there, or something like that. But were those not false charges? Yeah, of course. Then theres no reason to be worried, is there? Surely everyones worried about you? Id be d if that was the case, but Ive been hesitating going there as I thought they mightve thought of that as just getting rid of a nuisance. What is that. Master, you sometimes think in a hopelessly pessimistic manner, dont you? Ann said it so clearly that even Jin couldnt suppress a strainedugh. You could say the cause of that was the traumatic incident in Jins past. Back when he was apany employee. There was a certain subsidiary, or actually, as thepany Jin was in was a subsidiary it was a subsidiary of a subsidiary. He was sent to work in their factory as a temporary worker for two weeks. He didnt know whether it was because thepany employees had no motivation, or for some reason, but at any rate it was terrible. More specifically the inside of the factory was a mess, the materials werent even sorted, the machine tools were out of oil and made terrible noise, and the maintenance was poor. Jin struggled hard to inspect everything individually, give instructions how to keep things in order, and made manuals on how to maintain the machinery. In particr, he made the manuals outside working hours. As a result after two weeks the inside of the factory was so clean you could hardly recognize it and the machines worked silently. When Jins temporary transfer was over and it was time for him to return, the workers told him how grateful they were. However. After leaving the factory Jin noticed he had forgotten some documents so of course he went back to get them. And at that moment. (Good grief, he made me fill something as bothersome as a check sheet.) (Hey, I knew where everything was before. Now that theyre all tidied up I dont know whats where any more.) (What a self-important bastard, and just because he was from the parentpany.) (Well, hes no longer here so lets do things as we used to.) He heard voices like that from beyond the door. Jin felt his whole body grow weak as he wondered what he had worked so hard for those two weeks. Because of such an experience, Jin had be timid. And also, you see, I dont want the Unifilers to eye Kaina Vige. But Ann refuted Jins logic. No, master. That kind of half-heartedness wont defend against the Unifilers evil grasp. You must proactively shut them down. You can say that, but. Anyhow its been decided that youll now go to Kaina Vige to meet with Elsa-san. And then youll greet everyone. Im sure everything will go just fine. I wonder. After being admonished by Ann, Jin discarded his little remaining hesitation. He had slightly intended to stealthily go there and stealthily bring Elsa back home with him. Father, its a little early but shall we go? It was nine oclock. At Kaina Vige it was seven oclock. Itste enough that Martha-san and Hannah-chan have already woken up and finished breakfast. Rock-san and the others have surely gone to work on the fields by now. I see. Thats probably true. After Reiko said that to Jin, he stepped inside the Warp Gate to Kaina Vige with mixed feelings. Then he appeared inside the shelter. He tried briefly inspecting the ce. There didnt seem to be any deterioration. Father, let us go. Hurried on by Reiko, while figuring out whether he did or didnt want to go Jin climbed up the stairs, opened the door and went outside. The weather was clear. The spring suns rays poured on endlessly and Jin squinted. The area had originally been rocky but grass had grown in the surroundings, it was indeed spring. It also worked well as camouge. Its been about a year since I first came here, huh. Jin was reminiscing about the events ofst year while slowly walking towards the vige. A vigers voice interrupted his thoughts. Jin! Oh, isnt that Jin? Its Jin! Jin hase back! What? Its true, thats Jin! In response to that voice everyone came out of the houses and fields to gather. Ooi, cmere everyone, Jins back! Its true, Reiko-chan is with him too! And then everyone rushed over towards Jin. Some of them were even people who had neglected farmwork toe. Jin! You look lively! Rock said. Jin nii-chan, where did you go off to~? everyones been worried about you~! Kurt said. More and more people gathered. Jin! What have you been up to! You didnt get in touch with us at all! Said Martha. And then there was Hannah, in front of the vige headmans house. Wee back, Onii-chan. There were only two words Jin could say to that. Im back. Chapter 221 - Hometown

Chapter 221 C Hometown

The morning after Hannahs sleepover. After waking up, in front of her was Elsas sleeping face. Light blonde hair, long eyshes, and clear white skin. Pretty. Hannah thought of her that way. While looking at Elsas sleeping face, on the other bed Barbara woke up. For the women in the vige, even the vige chiefs niece, morning came early. Ah, I slept well. Hannah-chan, good morning. Good morning. The two exchanged greetings. Their voices also waked up Elsa. MmMorning? Good morning, Elsa onee-chan. Hannah greeted the sleepy-faced Elsa. Seemingly remembering aboutst night, Elsa smiled sweetly and greeted her back. Good morning, Hannah-chan. Good morning, Barbara-san. Then the two dressed themselves and went to wash their faces. Of course, the water well was outside. Elsa had grown used to Kunlun Inds conveniences, but she still remembered how in most of the inns she had stayed overnight in during the trip there had been a courtyard with a water well where she could wash her face. Elsa onee-chan, you can go first. Hannah said and operated the pump. Water began rushing out. Elsas eyes went wide. She had heardst night about how Jin had built a pump, but seeing it in action was surprising after all. The pump drew water from the bottom of the deep well without using magic. Jin had made something wonderful, hadnt he? One I too want to make things like this which are helpful to everyone. Such a thought, while still small, grew within Elsas mind. The breakfast was white bread made out of sieved wheat flour, sd made out of edible wild nts, grilled river fish, and tea. This tea, its a little unusual, but its good. Oh, you know, that tea was made out of certain leaves picked from the forest. This morning Hannah too was eating with her. Is that right? It was a somewhat popr drink in the northern parts of Cline Kingdom, but Elsa who was from Shouro Empire hadnt drunk it before now. Next time, want to trying to pick them with me? The Kherries are also still blooming in the mountains so its pretty. At Hannahs invitation Elsa felt like she should maybe try going. She then agreed without thinking. Mm. Next thing they knew, it was suddenly noisy outside. Apparently the vigers all together were making noise. Has something happened, I wonder? Barbara stood up and was about to go look outside when the door opened. Gheebeck stepped inside. While slightly out of breath, Gheebeck turned to Hannah and told her, Jin-kun hase back. Eh! The same noise came out of the mouths of all three of them. The fastest one to speak after that was Hannah. Onii-chan has! And then she quickly ran to towards the entryway. She opened the door and went outside, and saw Rock, Jonas, Linus, Bill, Jeff, Dave, Howard, Rick, Tom, Yan, Surei, Kurt, Jim, Patty, Mario, Jessie, and Martha. There was a crowd of a great number of vigers. And the person everyone was looking at was, unmistakably, Jin. Reiko was with him. All vigers present were speaking to Jin as they pleased. Jin! What have you been up to! You didnt get in touch with us at all! Said Martha. Jin slowly walked towards Hannah. So as not to hinder him, the vigers made way. Tears welled up in Hannahs eyes. She looked downwards as she didnt want to show her teary face to Jin. And when Hannah once more raised her eyes, Jin was already in front of her. The words she had been thinking shed say if Jin came back had disappeared somewhere, and the only thing that came out of Hannahs mouth was simply Wee back, Onii-chan. Facing Hannah, Jin softly smiled and, Im back. He said just two words. Onii-chan! Hannah couldnt take it any more and leapt at Jin with all her heart after a running start. Jin gently caught Hannah. Onii-chan, onii-chan Hannahs face was alreadypletely tear-stained. Jin tenderly hugged her and kept stroking her back gently. Dont disappear again, okay. Hannah pleaded while tears still welled up in her eyes, and Jin looked a little bit bothered but the next moment he smiled and nodded. Onii-chan. Hannah once again clung to Jin. Meanwhile, Reiko was looking at the two while smiling amiably. Jin-nii. Hearing the voice, Jin looked up and there stood Elsa. Elsa, Im d youre okay. I realized you were herest night, but there was no way I coulde here in the middle of the night so I came in the morning. Jin said, Elsa was also moved to tears and, Youre not, angry? She asked. Jin looked puzzled. Why should I be angry? You disappeared, I searched, and found you. Thats all. Youve probably already reflected upon this by yourself, right? Then theres nothing more for me to say. Jin replied and atst tears began pouring out from Elsas eyes too. Im, sorry. Elsa said, leaned on Jin and silently cried. Jin waited for Hannah and Elsa to calm down, then stood in front of the vigers. And then, Ive caused you worry. He made a deep bow. The first one to rush over to Jin was Rock. He put his arm around Jins head and put him into a headlock. Owowowow, R-rock-san!? You arsehole, just disappearing without saying nothing like that. Aint nothing more unfriendly than that! Rock said while smiling. Then Jonas, Linus, Bill, and Jeff too, everyoneughed while watching the spectacle. And next Jin was lifted up. Jin! Wee back! Jin! Wee back! While several people said so, Jin was tossed in the air. While being jostled Jin too cried silently. This was his second hometown, he realized. Not a single person asked where from and how Jin came back. Everyone had realized that Jin wasnt just a normal magus, but despite that no one kept him at arms length. Jin hade back, and that was enough to make everyone happy. Chapter 222 - Jin’s Home

Chapter 222 C Jins Home

Once the hubbub caused by Jins return had settled some. The vige headman Gheebeck spoke to Jin as their representative. Jin, wee back. The vige has been waiting for your return. Chief-san Of course, it would be a great loss to the world to have a Magi Craftsman as excellent as you remain in our vige. However, when youre tired, when youre sad, when you want toe back, this vige will wee you always. He said and took Jins hand. Jin squeezed his hand back vigorously. Thank you very much. The vige chief then turned to everyone and, Come now, everyone. This is enough. Youll surely have a chance to talk to Jinter. Lets let him rx now, no? He said and gestured for everyone to disperse. Jin, see youter then. Jin,ter Ive got something to tell you. Jin nii-chan, lets y againter~ Everyone exchanged a word with him, some returned to their homes and others to the fields. Remaining were Jin, Reiko, Hannah, Elsa, Barbara, Martha, and Gheebeck. Gheebeck then told Jin something. Jin, you probably arent aware of it but youre not a wanted man or anything like that. After what happened Fahlheit-sama came around and told Earl Walter that he had acted rashly. Quite the contrary, apparently His Majesty the King wanted to employ you. Jin felt relieved after hearing that. At the very least him being here wouldnt cause the vige any trouble. Gheebeck then added, Now Jin, you can go to Martha-sans ce. Barbara, get in the house. Gheebeck opened the door and retired indoors. Yes, uncle. Elsa-san, see youter. Barbara also went inside the house. Come on, we should also go home. Martha said and took Hannahs hand. They began slowly walking but immediately stopped, and turned back to look at Jin who was standing still. Hey Jin, what are you doing. Lets go home. Martha-san Sister and Reiko-chan too,e on. If youreing back then youreing home. Martha said and then Jin began walking with Elsa and Reiko. After a short walk they were at Marthas house. Come on, Jin. Arent you going to show your sister your home? Being told so, Jin looked back towards Elsa and held out his hand. Mm. Elsa made a little nod and took Jins hand. So that you coulde back any time, Ive kept your room as it was, Jin. Martha said. It had been kept clean, not a single speck of dust was in sight. Looking at the rooms state, tears welled in Jins eyes. Wee back, Jin. Martha said once again and finally Jins tears spilled out. Reiko quietly handed him a handkerchief. Seeing Jin like that, Elsa simply grasped his hand tightly in silence. Martha brewed tea and Jin drank it. Hannah and Elsa were also seated around the round table. Reiko was standing behind Jin. Ahh, its been a while since Ist tasted this. The ce where the tea nts were harvested from affected the taste after all. Not to mention howtely Jin had been drinking only Egelia Kingdoms specialty Teee, so he had missed the taste of Kaina Vige tea which was like green tea. Sigh Jin took a deep breath. In front of him were Martha and Hannah. Excuse me Jin was about to say something, but Martha spoke before him as if interrupting. Jin, Ill say this first. I have no intention of questioning you in detail about anything. Its the same with everyone in the vige. We all know youre not an ordinary person. We also know you can do things that usually cant be done. So unless you want to talk about how you got came here or such, you dont have to talk about it. Remember that. Martha went and said, then Jin was at a loss for words. Because he had been worrying about how to exin things. Thank you very much. If I spoke frankly it might cause trouble for the vige instead, so you saying that makes me feel at ease. If it was kept to just vigers itd be fine, but starting with the feudal lord the kingdoms officials would probablye to know it too. Jin wanted to avoid any unnecessary trouble. At that moment Hannah spoke, like she couldnt bear it any more. Hey hey onii-chan, lets go gather herbs in the mountains! Hearing that, Jin remembered howst year he had gone picking herbs with Hannah to pick. Hmm, okay. Shall we go after I see Elsa off? Thinking that Mine was probably worrying about her, Jin replied but he got an unexpected response. Eeh? Lets go together with Elsa onee-chan. Jin-nii, I want to go too. Jin smiled awkwardly and nodded. Got it, lets go together. Were not walking, right? Hannah quickly nodded and, Yeah! Me, Im riding on Mint! She replied. Hearing that, Jin thought. Hmm, I wonder if the other golem horses are free? Right now it was the beginning of farming season. The golem horses were surely used in clearing and cultivating thend, transporting materials and such. Ah, thats right. All the horses are probably taken out, right? Martha guessed based on the current situation. Eeh, can we not go then? After seeing Hannahs disappointed face, Jin briefly left his seat. Then outside the room he took the ManaCom from his pocket and contacted Hourai Ind for something. He then returned to the room, turned to Hannah and said, Hannah, itll be fine. More importantly dont you have to prepare the lunch boxes? Hearing that made Hannah very happy. Really? Were going? Ya~y! Granny, Ill help you so make lunch boxes! Yes yes, wait a moment. Martha got up while smiling and took Hannah with her to the kitchen. Jin-nii? Jin exined to the puzzled-looking Elsa what he had done. I instructed horse golems to be sent here from Hourai Ind. And then after calling somewhere again, he handed the ManaCom to Elsa and, Mine is worried. Apologize to her properly. He said. Elsa took the ManaCom. Umm Mother? Mmh, Im sorry. Um, now, Im with Jin-nii. And so, I want to, look around here a bit longer ande back after that. Mm, I understand. Thank you. After talking about something with Mine, she returned the ManaCom to Jin. Jin-nii, thanks. Mother, she said oh well after I told her Im with Jin-nii, and she gave her permission. I see, thats good. Jin then faced Reiko and said, Reiko, give that thing to Elsa please. Yes, Father. Reiko took a bracelet out of her pocket. It was the bracelet that protected from the excessive Magic Energy disorder. In the first ce, to hand this over Reiko was called back and this fuss happened. Although maybe it should be called a fortunate error as thanks to that Jin returned to Kaina Vige. This is a bracelet to protect you from the excessive Magic Energy disorder, Elsa. It also stockpiles the surplus Magic Energy. When using magic, if you cast it with the sense of pushing the Magic Energy through the bracelet, it prioritizes using the Magic Energy stored inside the bracelet first. Really, now? Elsa stared fixedly at the bracelet. She had no idea there existed such a Magi Tool. Actually, it would probably be unmakeable if it werent for Jin, Elsa thought intuitively. Yeah. By wearing this as much as possible, you wont have to worry about the excessive Magic Energy disorder anymore. Thank, you Her defect called the excessive Magic Energy disorder could be kept at bay with this bracelet. She no longer had to mind the illness that she had always worried about. Elsa thought it was like a dream. At that moment, Reiko looked outside as if she had noticed something. Father, it appears that the horses havee. Huh, thats fast. Jin stood up and went outside. Elsa rubbed her eyes and followed him. Jin, Hannah, Elsa, and Reiko went outside and saw Jins favourite horse golem Koma, and the horse golems made for the time Elsa and Reinhardt were invited to Kunlun Ind. Most likely one of the SP had brought them along, but whoever did it was nowhere to be seen. Ah, its Onii-chans horse-san~ Hannah seemed to remember Koma. Elsa too recognized the horse golem she had previously ridden on and quickly straddled it. Wearing a skirt. Well, this time she wasnt wearing a dress so by holding down the front she seemed to be able to manage. The lunch boxes are done. Oh my, if it isnt Koma, and this one is? Did Jin call you? As amazing as ever, I see. Martha came from the house holding a basket with the lunch boxes in it and said. As she finished with As amazing as ever, I see you could probably say she was used to it. Thank you very much. Well then, lets go. Reiko took the basket and a sk. Then the three horse golems and one Automata headed towards the mountain. Ah, its been a while since Ist saw this scene. Its a nice view. Jin was gazing at the view of Kaina Vige he hadnt seen in a long time, and Elsa was enjoying the view for the first time. Afterwards, it turned out that the herb-picking was in name only and the four enjoyed a pic. Chapter 223 - Laojin’s Activities and the Washing Machine

Chapter 223 C Laojins Activities and the Washing Machine

Reiko was talking with Laojin through her internal ManaCom. Father seems to be enjoying himself very much. I havent seen him look this happy in a while. Is that so? Taking breaks is important after all, isnt that right? Yes. I think that rather than taking breaks Father would be essentially more fit for a lifestyle like this. Certainly. A violent life isnt suitable for My Lord, is it? And thats why I was thinking that a system that can deal with the Unifilers even without Father is necessary. I see, that is indeed necessary, isnt it. I also think that it would be good to have My Lord rest there for a while. Ill leave it to you. Because Ill have to protect Father over her, so please. And so, it was decided that Jins burden would be reduced by making Hourai Inds capabilities work fully even without him, and putting in ce a system that could implement Jins ideas as fast as possible. For that, the 500 Smiths arent enough. Laojin decided to prepare 500 more Smith golems. As there was a temte the work was simple, more precisely a kind of an assembly-line work. Laojin put the already-existing Smith golems to full use, and as a result that increased the total lineup of Smith golems to a total of 1000 in the blink of an eye. The Control Cores were copied and they could be made even without Jin. Smiths 101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801, 901, you are all squad leadersmanding the 99 next golems. Smiths from 11 to 100 are to work as master mechanics, mainly taking part in producing special Magi Tools. Smiths from 1 to 10 are to work as mentors for retraining. Using the authority allowed to him in full, Laojin reorganized and moved the Smith golems in order to have Jins ideas implemented in the shortest time possible. Ya~y, Gon and Gen, long time no see~ In the afternoon, after they had returned from the pic which was called herb-picking. Hannah was simply jumping with joy when she saw Gon and Gen who openly showed up. She was in high spirits, dangling from Gons arms and getting shoulder rides from Gen. Jin was still silent about Hannahs dedicated SP members. Speaking of Jin, he was building a washing machine with Elsa as the assistant. He had noticed itst year, that after passing through winter Kaina Viges female vigers hands, including Marthas, became rough. One of the causes of that wasundry. There was not even a washboard in Kaina Vige, and most of theundry was done by rubbing it with hands in arge tub. Sheets and otherrge articles were also tread on with feet to clean them. Although they could also use the hot springs hot water, it was still undoubtedly arge problem. Whaat, that happens every year. Once it gets warmer theyll get better. Martha said andughed, but Jin couldnt ept it. And so, a washing machine. He was picturing a washing machine cranked by hand. Theundry, detergent, and water would be inserted in an egg-shaped container and the handle turned, so when the container goes around theundry inside is stirred. Powering a normal automatic washing machine would be difficult and, while it may be just his own opinion, Jin felt like it wouldnt suit Kaina Vige. He ordered thecking materials from Hourai Ind. Although in the first ce because of the bronze and copper left in Marthas house there was enough metal. Elsa was still learning by example and so she watched. She had her eyes earnestly fixed on Jin as he processed the metal with [Forming]. The mental image is important for [Forming]. You must picture from head to toe how you want the shape to be. Thats the most important part. While talking, Jin slowly used [Forming] to show it to her, as he continued building the washing machine. Mental imageThats hard. You mean, properly imagining what I want to make inside my head? Thats right. Try starting from simple shapes at first. Elsa didnt realize that Jin chantlessly moulding the metal while talking was out of the ordinary. She exerted herself, wanting to be able to do the same thing. The goal of her efforts was too high, but it probably wasnt a waste of effort in the least. Meanwhile, the hand-cranked washing machine had been finished. Reiko had fetched a magical beasts leather to use as material for the seals. Because without it when rotating it the water would leak and scatter all around the ce. Natural rubber would also work, but as expected its durability was on a different level. Interesting shape. Seeing the finished washing machine Elsa gave her honest impressions. Hannah also came along and looked at it with great interest. Onii-chan, whats thi~is? This is a washing machine. Do you have anything you want washed? Jin asked Hannah if she had something for a test. Hannah then replied, Yeah, I do! The panties I wore yesterday. Hannah then went to fetch them from the washing ce. Jin and Elsa watched her with awkward smiles. They went to the side of the well while Reiko carried the prototype hand-cranked washing machine. As the weather was fine several married women were there having a chat. Oh my, if it isnt Jin. Have you made something again? You must be Jins younger sister, right? You dont look much alike, huh. But youre a beauty. Et cetera, the women greeted them. As expected, after being called a beauty, and so forth, to her face Elsa was taken aback and blushed. This is something called a washing machine. Jin opened the lid of the washing machine, put the panties inside, then pumped water from the well into it. Finally as substitute for the detergent he put in a small amount of ritha seed powder. He then shut the lid. The housewives by the well looked at the situation with keen interest. Then we turn this handle. Because it was a trial product, the washing machine was the size for a single person to use. Jin thought that the vige doesnt have that muchundry so this size should be enough. If it was made bigger then the strength required to turn it would also increase, which in itself would be a problem. Although Gon and Gen could also lend a helping hand. After turning it round and round for about three minutes Jin stopped. And slowly the rotation speed dropped, eventually stopping so that the lid was facing up because the washing machines weight had been bnced just right. Open the cork on the bottom and the water will flow out. Dirty water poured out. (For the sake of Hannahs reputation, let it be said that it wasnt dirty in a literal sense. Dirty as in the water had been used to washundry.) Put in the water for rinsing. He closed the cork on the bottom and this time poured water in from the top. Turn it again. While turning the handle, Jin said, Ah, thats right. If the stains arent bad then theylle clean with just water. This time he kept on turning it for about a minute. Jin changed the water once more and then was finished, although he did still turn the handle afterwards with the cork on the bottom opened. Some drops of water flew around. This way theundry will be wringed. But of course you can also wring it by hand. After a broad exnation, he opened the lid of the washing machine and took out Hannahs panties. And then, open the lid and take out theundry. After taking them out Jin shook the panties to drain the water and straighten the wrinkles. Finally just let it dry. Hows that, Jin looked questioningly at the housewives. Just when Jin was about to think that the reaction was small, Jin! This can wash other things too, right? Please make one for me! How interesting! Convenient or interesting, there were various reasons for it but for now Kaina Vige seemed to ept the hand-cranked washing machine. Onii-chan, thanks for washing them! But Hannahs smiling face brought the most joy to Jin. And so through Reiko, Jin had Hourai Ind mass produce washing machines and arranged them to be carried here. Naturally as Jin decided to do so, Elsa also stayed overnight once more. Elsa and Mine also spoke through the ManaComs and apparently she said Thanks for having Elsa use this chance to see and hear about new things. Jin-nii, today you looked really happy. After dinner, Elsa said suddenly. Eh? Jin didnt quite understand the significance. These few days, youve at times had a bitter look on your face, Jin-nii. But today you seemed to have enjoyed the day a whole lot. I-is that so When told so by Elsa, Jin began thinking. Suddenly something came to his mind. (I really have been worn out by the matters with the Unifilers and such, huh.) He really wasnt fit for fighting scenes, Jin thought with a bitter smile. Hey, hey, can Elsa onee-chan also use magic? Hannah who had been helping with the dishwashing asked Elsa once she came back. Mm. But Im not as good as Jin-nii. But Hannah stared at Elsa with eyes sparkling with anticipation and said, Show me somethi~ng! When so asked, Elsa thought for a while, then realized that it had be a little dim in Marthas kitchen and, [Light Ball]. She chanted and lit up the room. The kitchen became bright at once. Martha was surprised. Oh! That scared me Ah, Elsa-chan? Is this also magic? What a convenient thing, huh. Seeing her like that, Elsa muttered a few words, Improving lives with magic is worth doing, isnt it? Jin heard her and smiled, then turned to Elsa, Youve realized an important thing, huh. Im sure Elsa will be a good Magi Craftsman. He said. Really? Jin-nii, thanks. Because of that, Elsa smiled looking truly happy. That smile was something Jin was also seeing for the first time. Chapter 224 - Jin Relaxes, and More

Chapter 224 C Jin Rxes, and More

Laojin kept on with his activities. To support Jin, 1. Build a harbor for the aircraft carriers use. 2. Starting with Celuroa Kingdom, investigate whether or not the important people of the administration are affected by [Hypno] or [Seduce]. 3. Advance investigation of submarine resources by utilizing the Mermaid units. 4. Manufacture weapons for the golems. 5. Further improve on the receiverless Warp Gate. 6. Develop an aircraft that can carry Titans. 7. For heavy work, manufacture heavy-duty golems using the Titans as the baseline. 8. Mass produce Magi Jammers and Paralyzers. and the like were his current goals. Furthermore, he decided to leave a watchman in the Warp Gate room. For both preventing incidents like the earlier one, and to deal with intruders. Also, 24-hour monitoring using Mana Telecams. If Jin heard that, hed probably think of surveince cameras. Jin hadnt given explicit orders for either, but considering his goals they were necessary measures. Once masteres back hell be surprised. Ann working as the support smiled sweetly and said. It may be an unnecessary addition, butstly when Reinhardt made his regr call he instead received the message My Lord is away from home right now. As Reinhardt didnt have anything special going on that day that was the end of it. Amidst the darkness, Jin and Elsa had arrived at the hot spring. As she had missed bathing yesterday, she had stealthily consulted about it with Jin and this was the result. Here where there was no light there were no vigers. Jin took into consideration Elsa who wasnt very sociable. As they had a [Light Ball] the two didnt have ack of light. Well then, Ill be going over here. Jin said, then a childish voice replied. Then Ill go together with onee-chan! Yes, Hannah also came along. Mm, Hannah-chan, lets go in together. It seemed that even Elsa had already opened up to Hannah. For the first time in a while Jin was in the waters of Kaina Viges hot spring. He truly had it all to himself. Ahh, I missed bathing yesterday because this and that happened, huh. When needed Jin used the Craft Magics [Deodorant], [Cleanup], and so on, but still a hot spring waspletely different. Elsa onee-chan, youre pretty. On the other hand, in the womens bath Hannah and Elsa were getting along well in the hot water. Hannah-chan will surely also be a prettydy. You think so? Do you think I can be Jin onii-chans bride? Being asked that, Elsa was embarrassed to reply as you might expect. M- mm. Jin-nii treasures Hannah-chan so surely. She narrowly managed to reply. This time Reiko was unusually waiting outside the hot spring. The reason was that Jin had seemed like he wanted to be alone, and also she could use this chance to converse with Laojin. Laojin, how is it going over there? Everything is well. There are many things to do, but everything is for the sake of My Lord. Thats right, isnt it? For us serving Father is enough. By the way, I would like to ask My Lord toe back for a brief moment if its alright. For some work no one but Father can do, I presume? Thats right. I would like to have him make the Control Cores for the heavy-duty golems. I understand. I will ask Fatherter. Please do. Theres one more thing to report. Another Core of Gigantes has been found. Now theres just two left, isnt that right? Yes. However, the investigation of ancient ruins isnt progressing much. Theres nothing to be done about that, it seems. Or are more people required? At present the Quinta are enough. I understand. Heey, Elsa, Hannah, its about time to go. Ye~s, onii-chan. After an exchange between the mens and womens baths like that of an old couples, Jin got out of the hot spring. The spring nights winds felt pleasant on his heated body. Soon Elsa and Hannah also got out of the water. They both had wet hair and cheeks flushed slightly pink like cherry blossoms, which looked somewhat seductive (well, in Hannahs case there was no seductiveness to speak of). They walked the night streets while the [Light Ball] Jin made illuminated the way. Hannah was in a good mood while holding hands with Jin and Elsa. Behind them, Reiko silently followed the three. It was quite a peaceful sight. The night grewte, and when Hannah had long since fallen asleep. Jin received a simple report from Reiko. Hmm, is that so. I suppose I had better go back for a moment. However, he was worried about Hannah. Jin said that to Reiko and she had a suggestion. Father, in that case how about inviting Hannah-chan to Hourai Ind or Kunlun Ind sooner? Hmm, I could do that too, huh. In that case itd have to be Kunlun Ind where Elsa is. Reiko, could you look after Hannah during that time? Jin asked and Reiko agreed, Yes, if Father so wishes. She replied. Jin felt relieved and told Reiko to do that. Alright, then tomorrow morning, after eating breakfast lets go back for a while. Lets take Elsa to Kunlun Ind via the research facility, and also have Hannah pass time there. How is the war situation? Everything is proceeding advantageously for our faction. Ha ha, that is splendid. By the way, what happened to the intelligence about the Magi Craftsman whos been a problem since the other day? Yes, leaving just Marcello from the sixth subdivision alive paid off, we acquired some information. Very interesting indeed. So, what is it? Perhaps because the information source was confused some of the informations credibility is suspect, but the person who controlled the golems that fought equally against our strongest golem, he called them the Mysterious Golem Master. Mysterious Golem Master, is it So what? I do not think they are a match for ourpatriots. No, Im interested in this person. Perhaps, if theyre rted to Adrianna, then Huh? No, its nothing. Please work hard to restore the the country of the past. Yes, as you wish. Adrianna Balbora Ceci. Even thiste in the game, are you going to stand in my way? Chapter 225 - Side Story 9: the Ancient Country

Chapter 225 C Side Story 9: the Ancient Country

There was a young boy. As he had been born as the third son of some reasonably affluent merchants, he was raised rather freely. His grandparents were also healthy, and you could say that instead of his parents he was mostly raised by his grandparents. The boy loved old legends. His grandparents often told them to him. The Great Magic War. Onerge decisive battle against the devil race. The boys heart pounded as he listened. Once the boy turned 15 he set on a journey. That didnt mean he went a very long way. He went to a ce inside the country which you could go to ande back within ten days. One-way trip there took four to five days. There were ancient ruins there. ording to rumors, the ruins dated back to the Great Magic War. There was also an elevated spot which overlooked argeke. After being developed as a tourist attraction, most of the people who went there were there to see the light and the other attractions. But the boy showed no interest in theke, and he only went around touring the ruins. So these are the ruins The ruins were something like a half-copsed castle. The tourists were allowed to go to the areas where there was no concern about the ceing apart. The other parts were considered off limits, except for archaeologists that sometimes got permission toe investigate. There must be more interesting things over there for sure. The boy thought so. And then he waited for the night when the tourists had gone, and set foot in the area that was off limits. He brought a single small Magi Lamp with him. That changed the boys life. Suddenly the floor under his feet crumbled and a hole appeared. Event though until now dozens of people had trampled over the spot, there had been no hole there. Maybe it was fate. Ouch A hole had appeared in the stone floor with a thickness of over a meter. The boy had fallen through it. You could say he got lucky having not been crushed by the stones that fell with him. Thergest of the stones was as much as two meters in all directions, had he been crushed by it the boy wouldve likely be nothing more but a lump of meat. This is Aching all over the boy forced himself to stand up. He was now in a room that looked like a hall. He hadnt fallen through the hole straight down but slid diagonally. If it wasnt for that the boy probably wouldve lost his life from the impact of the fall. However, the hole he expected to have fallen through had beenpletely blocked by the crumbled stones, making getting out that way simply impossible. Thats troubling. The boy muttered, but he didnt look to be so troubled. The reason was that the boy was now standing in a ce which he thought the tourists werepletely ignorant of, and not even the archaeologists had entered. The boys heart pounded ceaselessly as he thought of how this ce was unmistakably the interior of the castle where formerly, around the time of the Great Magic War, generals and knights had swaggered about. Now then, where should I go? That hall-like ce had two ways to exit or enter. One of them wasrge, and the other was small. The small one was about the size of the entranceway of a regr house. Therge ones height and width was were both five meters. After worrying about it, the boy headed towards the small entryway. The boy began to walk, then realized that for some reason he could see his surroundings. It was supposed to be night, and the Magi Lamp he had brought had been buried under stone. Despite that he could see around him. That was because the walls emitted a faint light. Yes, the boy had nned toe here to see all sorts of new things but this kind of lighting had never been seen before. I wonder if this is technology from the past. Led by the light, the boy passed through the smaller entryway. Beyond it was a very long passage that curved gently. In addition, it slightly sloped down, so the boy continued on even deeper underground. After about ten minutes he reached the end where there was a single door. It was made out of iron and it was red with rust. I wonder if it will open? The boy pushed the door with all his strength, and with a creaking noise the door moved little by little. And when it had opened enough for a person to pass through, the boy entered the room beyond the door. If you thought about it, this was thest chance for him to turn back. But by now fear and hesitation and the like had already disappeared from the boy. The boy was simply attracted to the unknown, and he continued into the room. On the other side of the door there were innumerable Magi Tools. A lot of them were broken, and yet a third of them at the very least looked to be intact. Among them, one thing caught the boys attention. Thats a It was a human puppet. It appeared to be a young girl. But it wasnt alive, it was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall. There was another reason he concluded it was a puppet. Its left hand was broken. From precisely the elbow joint down everything was missing, and something like strings dangled out of the remaining portion. At the very least, it did not look like a humans body. Its pretty. For all that, the puppet was beautiful. It had hair which glittered like gold and felt like the finest silk. Its skin was white as porcin, it truly had the looks of an angel. I wonder if it can still move or not. The boy tried gently touching the puppet. It was cold. He couldnt feel any body heat. So it was a puppet after all, huh. He traced its face with his finger. Soft It felt just like a human, but cold to the touch, giving a sense of unease. Its eyes are also closed, huh. The boy couldnt help but wonder what color its eyes were. A puppet this beautiful would surely also have beautiful eyes. I wonder why it doesnt move. He tried grasping its shoulder and lightly shaking it. The puppets hair wavered softly but it didnt open its eyes. The puzzled boy remembered an old tale his grandmother had told him. It was a story about a princess confined and forever sleeping in a tower. A princess, the sole heir of an ancient kingdom, simply slept. Until the day the kingdom was revived. She would wake up from her sleep when the kingdom was reborn. Thats the kind of story it was. The one who woke her up was a lone hero. The heros kiss woke up the princess. Then the awoken princess married the hero. That was the kingdoms revival. That is, the hero became the king, and the princess became the queen. Should I kiss it? The boy had yet to fall in love. Of course he had never gone out with a girl either. If you could call this love, then this puppet was the boys first love. Despite no one being there to see, the boy looked around him and then softly brought his face near the puppet. And after much hesitation, he kissed those pink lips. The boys face was flushed and he separated from the puppet. He cast his eyes down as if embarrassed, and when he once again looked up at the doll his face was filled with surprise. !? The puppet opened its eyes. Those eyes were red as blood. But the boy thought them pretty. Are you the one who woke me up? Her voice was clear and beautiful, and the boy was charmed. The girl slowly stood up. It seems Ive slept for quite a long time indeed. Oh my, with a broken left arm too. The girl muttered and began walking. Im a little worn out I see. But oh well, as long as it doesnt hinder my movements. Step by step the puppet walked until she stood in front of the boy. Thank you. If youd like, would you please give me a name? Being told so, the boy managed to speak out a name despite his head being nearly nk with surprise. It was the name that had popped into his mind the first time he saw the doll. Elena. The boy said and the puppet smiled sweetly, My name is Elena. Please treat me well from now on, my lord. Chapter 226 - Inviting Hannah-chan

Chapter 226 C Inviting Hannah-chan

The next morning after Jin returned to Kaina Vige after a long time. Ah, what a nostalgic smell. The smell of unripe wheat. The smell of the households cooking. The smell of trees. The smell of the wind. Jin breathed in a lungful of it all. After breakfast in Marthas house, Jin brought up what he had decided upon yesterday. I was thinking about seeing Elsa off after this and going back to the researchboratory for now. The first one to reply was Hannah. Onii-chan, youre going back? Jin who had thought she might say that at once added, Do you want toe along too, Hannah? Hearing that, Hannah nearly jumped with joy. Eh, really!? With onii-chan, to his house? Yeah, as long as its alright with Martha-san. Before he had finished speaking Hannah had already run over to Martha and asked her while gasping. Grandma, hey, grandma! Its alright if I go to onii-chans house, alright? Martha smiled faintly and said, Ah, its alright. But dont cause any trouble for Jin, got it? Yeah! Ill do as onii-chan says! And so it was decided that Jin would return to Hourai Ind, bringing Hannah too with him. Well then, Hannah, it may be ufortable but could I have you cover up your eyes until were there? Yeah, su~re! Knowing how to go to there and such could direct unwanted trouble to Hannah, so Jin suggested this out of concern but Hannah only dly epted the idea. Jin carried the blindfolded Hannah on his back. Just that pleased Hannah and she said, Onii-chans house. I cant wait~ And so on and so on, she was in high spirits the whole trip on Jins back. Elsa who was walking next to them looked at Hannah and smiled fondly. Meanwhile they exited the viges borders and soon arrived at the shelter which had the Warp Gate in it. Im sure I came out of here too. And yet, after I left I couldnt find the ce any more. Elsa said and exined what happened the other day. Jin replied apologetically. Ah, thats because theres quite a few barriers put up to prevent anyone from carelessly wandering in. Is that, so? Thats right. Theres a barrier to hide the entrance. A barrier to protect against intruders. Barrier to prevent magical detection. Although none of them have any effect whening out from the inside. Elsa tilted her head in puzzlement after Jins exnation, But, then Jin-nii cant go in either. She voiced her problem. Jin also exined that. My Magic Energy pattern is the only exception. Theres an infinite variety of Magic Energy patterns so theres hardly any people with the same one. Thats why no one except for me and the golems Ive made can use it. Jin said and extremely naturally reached out towards a ce that seemed to have nothing in it and made a show of opening the door. Although Elsa couldnt see it. Because the Magic Energy in the brooch wasnt enough. Jin then took Elsas hand. Ah. Elsa let out a voice in surprise. The second Jins hand grasped hers, an open door appeared in front of Elsa. The door she had gone out of the day before yesterday. The door to return, which she couldnt find no matter how long she searched for it. Come on, lets go home. Jin said and led Elsa into the shelter by hand through the door. Reiko also followed them. And although they couldnt be seen, the SP dedicated for Hannah, Iris and Azalea also followed. The group first went to Hourai Ind using the Warp Gate, then subsequently warped to Kunlun Ind. Once they got outside, Jin took off Hannahs blindfold. Hannah who had been quiet ever since they had approached the shelter once again opened her mouth. Wow! This is onii-chans house? Yeah, thats right. How we got here, thats a secret. Got it? And dont tell anyone other than Martha-san about this, alright? If you can promise that then Ill bring you along some time again. Yeah! I promise! I wont tell anyone! Its a secret between onii-chan and me! Hannah happily promised. Elsa! Jin-sama! And then Mine came running. Despite what she said, she had probably been worried about Elsa after all. Who? Hannah looked dubious and asked. Shes Elsas mother. Eh? Then shes onii-chans mother? No, me and Elsa arent rted by blood. And so Mine is just Elsas mother. Huuh Just how much of that Hannah understood was unknown, but she nodded once and intently stared at Elsa, then Mine who was hugging Elsa. Mine had spoken with Elsa about something, but now turned to Hannah and, Hannah-chan, right? I am Mine. Im Elsas mother. It seems youve helped out my Elsa, thank you very much. She said and lightly bowed her head. Hannah then blushed a little and replied only, Y-youre wee. Well then, Ive got to go do some work. Ill be back in an hour or two. Jin said so in front of the mansion, then Mine spoke. Jin-sama, I apologize for the inconvenience Elsa caused you. Please let me have the responsibility of taking care of Hannah. This was a godsend to Jin who was thinking of having Reiko do that and, Then Ill trust her to you, okay? She left Hannah in Mines care. Then, Hannah, sorry, but for just a little while, Ive got a bit of work to do so could you please wait? Jin said to Hannah while looking concerned. Mine thought seeing Jin like that was unusual. And then, Yeah! Thats okay! Ill wait! Hannah replied cheerfully. Jin was relieved. Jin-nii, its alright. Ill be with her too. As Elsa also said so, Jin could return to Hourai Ind at ease. Celuroa Kingdoms army is pressuring Egelia Kingdoms army. Frantz Kingdoms army is overpowering Cline Kingdoms army. Information was sent in from the battlegrounds. Ha ha, just as weve plotted. Then another voice spoke. It appeared to havee through somemunication device resembling a ManaCom. The current declined countries cant win against ancient technology, can they? Ah, Elena. Did something happen over there? No, nothing. Its just that theres someone very interesting in the city I am currently in. Hm? Who is it? The Magi Craftsman of Shouro Empire, Reinhardt. What? You mean the Magi Craftsman Marcello once captured? Yes. It seems he arrived here in Astan yesterday. Hm. Thats where Donald was too, right? Yes, hes with me. In that case, Elena, could you somehow try to meet with that fellow? It seems possible. We should be able to just apply [Seduce] to someone in Reinhardts employ. In that case, please give it a try. I understand. Should he be captured? Ill leave that decision to you, Elena. If you think hes got any use value then capture him. If you think otherwise Erase him. As you wish. It would be preferable if he was of some use, wouldnt it? For Reinhardt, and for us. Chapter 227 - Side Story 10: the Story of the Magi Craftsman Called a Genius

Chapter 227 C Side Story 10: the Story of the Magi Craftsman Called a Genius

In the eastern part of Celuroa Kingdom, a Magi Craftsman lived in a poor vige on close to the border of Egelia Kingdom. Originally he had been Celuroa Kingdoms Royal Magi Craftsman, but he came to dislike living in the capital, retired, and secluded himself in his home town. The man had a single disciple. The child was a distant rtive of his and while he had been in the capital he had discovered the childs talent and made him his disciple. The man used to have plenty disciples but few of them proved sessful, and on top of that when he announced his retirement to his home town only the boy followed. All the other disciples had families, or disliked rural areas, or had some other circumstances which they imed as a reason and then went their separate ways from the man. You are my only true disciple. The man said, and imparted the boy his everything. The mans specialty was golems. Naturally he could make other Magi Tools too, but his strongest point was the manufacture of golems. For a long time now Celuroa Kingdom had been supplementing the shortage in thebor force with golems. The mans skills yed arge role in that. The golems the man made were clearly different from those other people made. They could talk, that is, they were the autonomous type. And they were strong. They boasted a power output thrice that of typical golems. In other words, one golem could do the work of three golems. Although work in which numbers were required was a different case. Finally they were beautiful. Even among the brusque worker golems they had a refined form and appearance. As the beauty wasnt simply because the man had been born with a sense for it, but because it was mainly about the functional beauty of the craftsmanship, it could be taught reasonably well. By the time the disciple boy became a young man, the boy-nay, the youth- hade to know nearly all the skills of the man and his instruction was finished. And then came the time when the gears of fate turned. Are you the rumored genius Magi Craftsman? A man stood in front of the youth. He was maybe about five or six years older than the youth. He looked to have just entered his 30s. Who are you? Facing the suspicious youth, the man replied, You could say that Im an emissary of ancient times. So? What does this Mr. emissary of ancient times want with me? Dont you want to try spreading your wings, and using your abilities to your hearts content? Whats that you say? The mans words weremonce, but the youths interest was a little piqued by the expression to his hearts content. Well, follow me and youll see for yourself. The man turned on his heels and promptly began walking. As if the youth following him was a matter of course. He was somewhat offended, but his interest outweighed that. The youth simply began following in the mans footsteps. The man led him to an old mansion in the suburbs. Get in. The man turned to look back for the first time when he opened the door and invited the youth in. And then the youth had a fateful meeting. In front of the youth there was a perfect beauty. Both the beauty in form and function were impable. No, there was a single fault. It was the broken left arm. T-this i-is The girl with golden hair, deep crimson eyes, and white porcin skin. The youth had never before seen an Automata this beautiful. The girl then spoke. Good day, my name is Elena. Are you the man who will kindly repair my arm? Even her voice was sweet. The man was suddenlypletely enchanted. For a while he couldnt speak and only stared at the red eyes of the Automata called Elena. His concentration was broken by the speech of the man who had brought him there. How is it, do you think you can fix her arm? The youth shook his head in silence. He could tell just by looking. The Automata in front of her, Elena, was a work of art. He couldnt-no, as of now he couldnt fix it. However. One day, Ill have you see me be able to fix it. The words spontaneously rushed out of his mouth. The youth was again charmed by Elenas devilishness. The mans words were not a lie. The basement of the mansion was cramped with Magi Tools he had never seen before and Artifacts he had never heard of side-by-side. And there were books written in an ancientnguage that contained writings of magics and magical technologies long thought to have been forgotten. The youth was pleasantly surprised, thanked the man, and immediately began research to enhance his skills. One, two, three years. Time passed. Five years, then ten years. The time flew and the man entered the prime of his life. He couldnt yet fix Elena but his research was steadily progressing. He he, you seem to be having fun. Elenas movements had already be smooth. That was because the restoration of her joints and muscles had finished. However, reproducing her skin and bones was still impossible. I have faith in that you shall fix me. Sometimes the Automata visited the youth-nay, the man, and when she spoke with him face-to-face he kept up with his great efforts even more. The man made multiple dozens of prototype golems. In the process his golem-making skill increased even more. Golems specialized inbat were the norm. The power output which used to be three times greater than usual golems now boasted a performance of nearly double that. It ought to be mentioned that he also made golems with the power of overwriting the instructions in the enemy golems Control Core. And then the course of his research brought about golems which, utilizing the Magic Energy amplifying jewel Elradrite, could -although temporarily- increase the power output by ten-odd times. There were countless others more. Again, not limiting himself to just golems he made a Magic Energy-imbued sword. A shield that defended against magic. Just as the man who had called himself the emissary of ancient times had said, the technology of the past surpassed the current technology by several levels. During breaks from his research he went to visit ancient ruins, carried out relics from those ruins, researched them, and through piled up efforts approached the past even if it was just a little bit. Hmmh, this ancient weapon called Gigantes found in these ruins appears to have a rather interesting function. The youth was by now right in the middle of the prime of his life. Filled with energy, the mes of his passion rather than growing weak burned brighter and brighter. Gigantes, you say? Thats a failed work. With its intelligence being low, it can only go on a rampage, its an imbecile with nothing but brawn. At times Elena came to the mans researchboratory and gave him advice or criticism. More importantly, if there are any Automata left in the ruins please destroy them. Why is that? Elena. Because they are all inferior modelspared to me. I ma the one and only Automata. The queen of all Automata. Thats what I was built for. The Automata remaining in the ruins are conspirators who nned to rebel against me. They cant be left alone. Is that so, I understand. In a few of the ruins multiple blue-haired Automata had been found, but ording to Elenas request they were all disassembled and disposed of. As some of the Automata had body parts which werepatible with Elena, in the 20th year Elenas body hadpletely recovered. Chapter 228 - Hannah’s Efforts

Chapter 228 C Hannahs Efforts

Laojin, first lets hear the reports. After leaving Hannah on Kunlun Ind, this was the first thing Jin said when he returned to Hourai Ind. Yes. First, on the topic of the war between Celuroa Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom, Celuroa Kingdom has the advantage. Now, their army thought to be three battalions strong has captured Ikasanaato. Jin recalled the route he took on his journey. Ikasanaato was a city near the border. It had a fort, high walls, and a moat around it. If theyre assaulting that ce, then it seems theyre only relying on strength, huh. Even Jin who was unfamiliar with military matters could tell that much. On the topic of the war between Frantz Kingdom and Cline Kingdom, Storsk has been captured. Cline Kingdoms national army appear to be reorganizing some 40 kilometers away, a days journey. Both attacking parties were superior. Perhaps that was just natural. Now it was spring, and in this world where career soldiers were few because of the poption shortage avoiding war during the busy farming season was an unwritten rule. That is to say doing so would lead to the nations decline. However, Im sure Celuroa Kingdom is using many golems to do the agricultural work. That was Jins guess, but it was roughly to the point. What should I do Jin was perplexed. Jin had the strength to treat the aggressor as evil and suppress them. But simultaneously Jins strength was likely to disturb the worlds bnce. People are afraid of those with power. As a result the world would shun him, fear him, ostracize him. Thats what Jin feared. I see. Well then, Laojin, what was the most important matter you called me here for? Putting the conclusion on hold, Jin next asked Laojin a question. There is work I would like to ask My Lord to do. Alright, lets hear it. Then first of all Laojin exined about the projects he had undertaken while Jin was gone. 1. Build a harbor for the aircraft carriers use. 2. Starting with Celuroa Kingdom, investigate whether or not the important people of the administration are affected by [Hypno] or [Seduce]. 3. Advance investigation of submarine resources by utilizing the Mermaid units. 4. Manufacture weapons for the golems. 5. Further improve on the receiverless Warp Gate. 6. Develop an aircraft that can carry Titans. 7. For heavy work, manufacture heavy-duty golems using the Titans as the baseline. 8. Mass produce Magi Jammers and Paralyzers. Jin felt admiration after hearing all that. As expected of you. All things needed to advance my goals, and things I forgot about. Thats a big help. Your praise honors me. In which case, is it eptable to proceed like this? Yeah, please do. To tell you the truth, Laojin was relieved. That was because he had been worried whether or not his actions were presumptuous. He also feared that if he made a mistake Jin would take that as a a sign of rebelliousness. However, Jin simply genuinelymended Laojin for his preparations. Then I got it. I just need to make a Control Core for the heavy-duty golems, right? Yes, very perceptive of My Lord. Laojin was permitted to make copies of Control Cores of existing golems for mass production. However, the development of new golem types was outside his jurisdiction. Jin made the foundational Control Cores, and so they abided by Jins rules. This was a measure taken so that Laojin couldnt make subordinates which only obeyed him. It did cause the production efficiency to lower somewhat when just like now, a need for Jin to make the necessary parts arose. Although once Jin made one Laojin could copy them as many times as he wished. Master, please use this. Ann came holding arge Magi Crystal. It was yellow, the earth-attribute. Lets see, its size is the same as a Titans, but its for heavy-duty work therefore Jin thought while looking at the prototype heavy-duty golem. Its skeleton was made out of 18/12 stainless steel, with muscles out of Magical Fibers. Jin formted a Magi Sequence fitting for the materials used. Speed is unnecessary. In exchange its required to be able of precise movements and must be sturdy, so. About five minutester it waspleted. Alright, please give this a try. Jin handed the Control Core made out of an earth-attribute Magi Crystal to Laojin. Thank you very much, My Lord. And now please name the series of heavy-duty golems. Hmm, oh yes. Lets see, lets call them the Daidara. Apparently he got the name from Daidarabotchi. It was indeed a Jin-like name. Daidara is it, understood. For now, the n is to make 50. The name aside, with this project Hourai Ind would be improved even further. Jin checked the details of the other projects and then warped to Kunlun Ind where Hannah was waiting. During that time Reiko watched Jin do all that without saying a thing, but she got the feeling that Jin had returned back to normal. She felt thankful to Elsa, Hannah, and Kaina Vige from the bottom of her heart. Thats wrong. See, you peel it like this. Like this? Yeah, well, something like that. And then, you chop them up to small pieces like this. Will this do, Hannah-chan? After warping to Kunlun Ind, Jin saw the three cooking something under the blue skies. Ah, wee back onii-chan. Jin-nii, its done very soon so wait a bit. Jin-sama, Hannahs teaching us how to make Kaina Vige-style zousui. In short, it was barley cooked in boiling water with added vegetables, dried meat, and vored with dried fruit. Sometimes starch was added for thickness. It was good eating for breakfasts and midday meals. Extensive variations could be made by varying the selection of the ingredients, using dashi, or devising different voring. Jin liked zousui with something called Pasha in it, it was dried fruit of a nt called Bitis that closely resembled the Crimson glory vine. Because Bitis with somewhatrger fruit than usual grew natively on Kunlun Ind, the fruit had been harvested and dried. Apparently they had been used. In addition, on Hourai Inds mountainous area there also grew Frapes and Bluelues once seen in Moft Vige, so they were harvested and under cultivation. If those dried Bluelues were also put in it might taste good, Jin thought while fondly watching the three cook. Onii-chan, its done~ Hannah who had been sampling the food yelled, and Mine turned off the stove. Elsa lined up the tableware on the table. Today Jin could simply seat himself at the table and wait for the food to be brought to him. Ah, what a nostalgic odor. The piping hot zousui was brought. Everyone sat down and after saying itadakimasu which had already be a habit they began eating. Apparently Mine and Elsa had also quickly grown ustomed to this habit. Mhm, its delicious. Tee-hee, Ive lo~ong since memorized what onii-chan likes! Hannah who had guided them in the cooking dered proudly. Yes, the vor is good, isnt it? Apparently Mine also was pleased with the Kaina Vige-style voring. And on top of that she seemed to also like Hannah. Hannah-chans a good girl. You work hard, and youre cheerful and cute. Tee-hee, is that so. Hannah seemed to enjoy being praised. Elsa also smiled while looking at Hannah. The after meal tea was Kaina Viges tea. What a lovely green, isnt it. Mine voiced her impression of the green tea she had never seen before. Elsa had already had personal experience with it in Kaina Vige. Mh-hm, its taste is also good. Inside the fresh bitterness theres a faint sweetness to it, and the aftertaste is also refreshing. She also seemed pleased with the taste. Hannah-chan, wont you teach me about other thingster? Yeah! It appeared that Hannah also got attached to Mine. That was a big relief for Jin. The cleaning up was also done together by the three, and their harmonious work resembled not only that of a parent and child but of sisters too. (Oh thats right, Hannah has also lost both her parents.) Hannah getting emotionally attached to Mine was perhaps only natural, with her still being of the age when she misses her mother. It was good that he brought her along, Jin thought. Alright Hannah, once the tidying up is done lets all go see the ocean. Jin said and went to the kitchen to help with the cleaning. Reiko was looking at Jin do all this with a relieved look on her face. Then she contacted Laojin to have golem horses sent to Kunlun Ind. Chapter 229 - Reinhardt and Donald Meet, Then

Chapter 229 C Reinhardt and Donald Meet, Then

April 19th. Reinhardt had stayed the night in the provincial city Astan. It had been a rather forced marched from Tunsten which he had stayed the night before. Because of that the n of his childhood friend andpanymander of the third Imperial Guard force Matheus, who was guarding him, was to stay there for three nights before departure. This was also because the city of Astan had their homnd Shouro Empires supply base in it. The soldiers also want to rest, so lets stay here for three nights. After that will be a forced march so get plenty of rest. Matheus said and told Reinhardt of the n. After staying in Astan for three nights, early morning on the 22nd they would leave Astan. And then by hurrying all day they would arrive in the evening of the 22nd in the provincial city of Pororon where theyd spend the night. 23rd day would be the town of Ganeez, and 24th the border town Toskoshia. Then if they immediately get the permit to pass through on the 25th theyll enter Shouro Empire. At thetest, well be walking on our homnd on the 27th. Matheus smiled and said. Then, You probably know this, but absolutely dont go wandering off on your own, got it? Even visiting a brothel isnt allowed. Youll be seeing Berthier in ten days, you know? He didnt forget to warn Reinhardt. This was because he had heard from the butler ude that Reinhardt had the bad habit of going on walks by himself. I got it. Reinhardt looked disgruntled. But everything Matheus said was correct so there was no refuting it. The journey with Jin was fun. Reinhardt thought so while lying down on the bed. The 20th day began. His confinement didnt change from yesterday. Despite the weather being fine, Reinhardt had to stay confined in his room. He was sometimes vacantly looking out of the windows, and other times slumping down on the sofa. A maid saw the bored Reinhardt and, Excuse me, master, theres something I heard earlier by chance. She told Reinhardt about what she had heard in the lobby. From what I understand, it seems that right now Celuroa Kingdoms Royal Magi Craftsman, the esteemed Donald Carou Alpha, is staying in this city. What! After hearing that, Reinhardt who was lying down on the sofa jumped up to his feet. Alpha. That represented the top position granted by Celuroa Kingdoms manufacturing agency. Even though Reinhardt wasnt yet acquainted with him, he of course had heard of the name. Hmm, I wonder if I could meet with him somehow? If he was toe here, there shouldnt be any problems. Reinhardt thought so and called for the butler ude, then discussed it with him. As you wish. For now, I shall go ask if it is convenient for the other party to visit. Although he didnt know just how much authority the Celuroa Kingdoms very own Honorary Magi Craftsman held, as Reinhardt was a diplomat they should at least be seen as equals. Feeling excitement in his heart, Reinhardt waited for udes return. Then after nearly an hour ude came back with good news. I have returned. The other party said that they wille for a visit this afternoon. Ooh! Is that so! I cannot wait! ude, Beth, Dory, please prepare to receive them. Yes. Reinhardt issued instructions for the butler and the maids. Due to the lodgings he was staying in he couldnt do much, but as the side extending the invitation he wanted to do the best he could. While holding down the excitement he felt more and more Reinhardt passed the time. The person came apanied by a golem. He had a medium build and pure white hair. However, his blue eyes that seemed as if they were dreaming were filled with nothing but intelligence, and just a bit of madness. Nice to meet you, I am Donald Carou Alpha. Your invitation was an honor, Reinhardt-dono. It is I who should say it is an honor to meet you. The two shook hands and exchanged brief greetings, and they first sat down at a table at Reinhardts suggestion. Thats a golem Donald-dono made, is it not? Reinhardt who had been impatiently waiting to talk spoke before the maids had brought tea. Indeed. It is number 457 which looks after me and my surroundings. The golem called number 457 was two meters tall. It was shaped just like a human. Seeing it, a mutter leaked out of Reinhardts mouth unintentionally. Endoskeleton-type Donald who caught his words looked a little surprised. Why do you ask that? Could it be that Reinhardt-dono has also be capable of building endoskeleton-type golems? From Donalds words Reinhardt could tell that his guess was on the mark. Well, yes. Because by making an endoskeleton the golems are able to move more simrly to a human, no? Reinhardt said and Donald made an exaggerated nod and, Indeed, indeed. Understanding that at such a young age, Reinhardt-dono is a remarkable person. He voiced his admiration. Reinhardt felt a bit shy. But, he wasnt foolish enough to mention Jins name here. Recently, I too have realized something about golems structure, you see. Probably what stopped Reinhardts answer there was his experience as a diplomat. Hmm, Reinhardt-donos golem was Schwarz Ritter, was it not? If I remember correctly it destroyed Betas Adamas Warrior or something like that. In a word, Beta was the next rank of Magi Craftsman after Alpha. Thats already a story fromst year. Your country can make much, much stronger golems now, can it not? This remark contained cynicism about the warp between Egelia Kingdom and Celuroa Kingdom, but Donald didnt seem to mind it at all. Hahaha, thats exactly right. It seems that Beta too has further improved upon Adamas Warrior, as technology is something that marches on, isnt that right? I agree with you on that point. What was left unsaid however, was that he didnt approve of war. After that the talk gained momentum and it was evening all of a sudden. Donald said he wanted toe tomorrow too. It was just what Reinhardt wanted so he readily epted. And then Donald returned through the twilit streets. Ah, what an enjoyable while that was. Talks with other countries Magi Craftsmen were always fruitful. Even with the premise of talking while keeping mum about the their ssified information. Reinhardt-sama, that went well, didnt it? Uh-huh. Because of you, Beth. Thanks. Reinhardt thanked Beth for telling him about Donald. Being thanked made Beth flustered. I am unworthy of such praise. No, Im being honest. Dory too, youve all done well. For nearly two years youve been away from our home country following me. Thats soon to be over. You can return to your families. No, Reinhardt-dono. My family included, were all in indebted to you so it is just a matter of course to assist you. This time Dory replied. Even so, being away from your husband must be harsh. I feel sorry. But its father who had you married people follow me, so So that Reinhardt who was already engaged would not have an affair with a maid during the trip, his father had decided to just in case have only married maids serve him. Incidentally, the two of them having modest bosoms was no coincidence. His father took even that to ount in his decision. After all, surely the old master arrived at this decision after thinking about it deeply. The butler ude said so from the side. He said this because he knew how Reinhardt liked huge breasts. The two maids did not suspect it went that far. Well, at any rate well be back at home in around ten days. Yes, Im looking forward to it. The following day, in the afternoon of the 21st, Donald came as promised. Today he was apanied by another Automata along with the golem number 457. The Automata had long golden hair like silk, skin as white as porcin, and eyes so deep crimson they seemed to be burning. If she was said to be a human it could be believed. I am Elena. The Automata introduced herself. Even her voice was beautiful. It was a clear soprano like the sound of a songbird. Reinhardt watched her in fascination without replying. He came to his senses when Donald spoke. Reinhardt-dono, what do you think? Elena is wonderful, dont you agree? After suddenlying to his senses, Reinhardt blushed a little. In his position as a diplomat, he had a lot of chances to see beautiful women. Royalty, nobles daughters, wives of noblemen, their servants, and prostitutes. But the Automata called Elena in front of her had beauty surpassing them all. Elena-dono, nice to meet you. I am Shouro Empires Magi Engineer, Reinhardt. Perhaps due to some modest pride, Reinhardt introduced himself Shouro Empire-style as a Magi Engineer. Chapter 230 - With Hannah-Chan

Chapter 230 C With Hannah-Chan

Woow, its wide. So this is the sea Everyone had gone to the coast of Kunlun Ind. Hannah had grown in a vige deep in the mountains called Kaina Vige. Seeing the sea for the first time in her life, she simply stood stock still. Jin ced his hand on Hannahs shoulder and they walked all the way to the waters edge. The spring seas waves gradually approached them. Seashells were scattered about on the sandy beach. Oh, its pretty. Is it a seashell? Yeah, thats right. Hannah was in high spirits as she searched for the small and pretty pink seashells that resembled cherry blossoms. Hannah-chan, theres more over here. Elsa also joined her in collecting seashells. If it was a little warmer we could go swimming, but Kunlun Ind was approximately at the Northern Tropic. Unlike in Port Rock where it was evesting summer, the water was still a little cold. Onii-chan, then lets go swimming in summer! Hannah spoke back and Jins expression became softer. Yeah, lets. Memories of swimming in the Elume Riverst year were brought back, and Jin thought hed also make a new swimsuit for Hannah. At any rate, for the children of Kaina Vige swimsuits werergely the same thing as underwear, and furthermore they swam wearing nothing but the lower halves. Although for someone like Barbara a cloth was wrapped around her chest. Port Rock, was fun. Elsa hade to Jins side without him noticing. Hannah could be seen making a mound out of the sand together Mine. Yeah. Come to think of it, that was the time I met with Elsa and Reinhardt, huh. Mm. I miss it. Only two and a half months at most had passed, but still it felt like something from the distant past. That was probably because of just how packed every day had been. Father, the sunlight on the beach is intense so please have this. Suddenly Reiko called out to Jin, and came to present him with a straw hat. Of course, she handed ones for Elsa, Hannah, and Mine too. Oh, thanks Reiko. Where did you get these? Jin didnt have any memories of making straw hats. It appears that Mine-san made them. Eh? Mine did? He looked at Mines direction and lowered his head a little embarrassedly. Thank you, Mine. Jin gave his thanks and put on the straw hat. The straw hat smelled nice. Jin was watching the sea as the salty winds blew. The waves were gentle. He then soon turned to face Reiko who was behind him and, Reiko, do you think one of the Hydros coulde around here? He tried asking. Reiko nodded and replied, Yes, I will arrange for it at once. Then she contacted Laojin through her ManaCom and, He says itll arrive soon. She said. Just as stated, five minutester Hydro-2 arrived. Steering it was Marine-2. Master, you called? As the beach was sandy Marine-2 beached Hydro-2 on the shore as it was. Yeah, sorry for the trouble. That was fast, huh. Yes, this is because I was just patrolling around this area. While Jin had a conversation with Marine-2, Hannah got immensely curious about Hydro-2. Onii-chan, this, is this a boat onii-chan made? I wanna get on it! Jin smiled and assented. Of course. Thats why I called for it. Elsa can alsoe. Mine, sorry, but its only got room for four people so could you stay here? Mine smiled and said, Yes, of course. I will be waiting here. And so Jin, Elsa, and Hannah boarded Hydro-2. Reiko sat on Jins knee like the other day or so youd like to think, but she sat next to Hannah. As the boat was for four people the front and back each had seats for two, with Jin and Marine-2 in the front. In the back sat Elsa, Hannah, and Reiko. As all three of them were small they could somehow sit there. Alright, lets go. Marine-2 put Hydro-2s Magi Water Jets full on reverse. The force moved Hydro-2 which had been grounded, and the boat slipped out to the sea while spraying water into the air. And then Hydro-2 changed directions and without pausing moved ahead to the open seas. Everyone had their straw hats in hand so they wouldnt get blown away. Wow, fa~ast! Amazing. Leaving aside Hannah for whom this was her first time boarding a ship, it was apparent that the ships ridiculousness sunk deeply into Elsas mind even though she had taken part in the golem boat contest in Port Rock. Not just twice. Its three times as fast. The cruising speed of the boat Elsa had been on back then was estimated to be about 20 kilometers per hour. Right now Hydro-5 was going at a speed nearing 60 kilometers per hour. Ammaazi~ng! Hannah was screaming with excitement. Elsa also let herself rx, thinking that if anyone got ill she would cure them. At that time, Jin gave Reiko a signal only she recognized. After noticing it Reiko stealthily cast [Soothe] on Jin. In other words, Jin was starting to feel seasick. Spraying water and kicking up waves, Hydro-2 did ap around Kunlun Ind. Ah~, that was fun. Onii-chan, thanks! When they came back to the sandy beach where Mine was waiting it was precisely the time for an afternoon snack. Kunlun Inds exclusive maid golem Peridot-100 had the sense to bring snacks. Oh, how thoughtful of you. Jin spoke well of her and, Not at all, Laojin instructed me to. Peridot-100 quickly revealed the truth. Laying a cloth on the sandy beach, everyone sat down for an afternoon snack. Peeled Citran, and Citran juice. Wow, delicious! Hannah was apparently pleased with Citran which she had for the first time. Hannah-chan, you can have this too. Jins heart was warmed by the sight of Elsa -whose favorite food it was- sharing her Citran with Hannah. Lets go swimming next time. Yeah! While the golem horses they were riding on strolled back, Hannah was in a good mood. Mine was riding together with Elsa on her horse. Elsa, it was nice of you to share your Citran with Hannah-chan. Mm, Hannah-chan is so cute after all. Eheh, so you also can act like an elder sister, cant you? Mine had the look of a mother on her. As they returned restfully while making detours, by the time they arrived at the mansion three hours had passed. Thats just the right time. Lets take a tea break. Mine said and started making the preparations. Because Ruby-100 heated the water for her they were soonplete. Here you go, Hannah-chan. This time Teee, Egelia Kingdoms specialty, was brewed. Sugar was put in for Hannah. Hannah had a sip. Sweet~! And good~! She smiled sweetly. Seeing her like that, Elsas expression also naturally turned into a broad smile. Mine was also smiling. Here, have some of this too. Dried Bluelues were served with the tea. They were Jins favorite food. Ah~, this is also delicious! Jin, Elsa, and Mine. They each couldnt help wanting to see Hannah smile. After that they went to the mansions hot spring. The three women entered the bath at the same time. Ya~y, theres a hot spring here too~! Hannah was the first one to rush into the bath. Used to the one in Kaina Vige, Hannah properly washed herself before entering the water. Then Elsa and Mine followed. After getting all sticky from the sea breeze, the hot bath feels good, doesnt it? Mine said as she stretched herself out in the bath. Im a little worn out after the horse ride. Hannah then circled around to Mines back and, Auntie, Ill massage your shoulders. She said. Eh, its fine, you dont have to. Mine turned her down, but Hannah didnt acknowledge that. Its alright. You see, I massage granny every day too. Hannah said and began massaging Mines shoulders half-forcibly. Where she felt worn out were the waist and the buttocks, but Mine wasnt so foolish as to say so. Ah, it feels nice. Youre good, arent you, Hannah-chan? Mine said and let Hannah do as she liked. Right!? How is it? Is around here good? Yes, it feels good near there. Hannahs grip was unexpectedly strong. This was because she helped with the housework every day. Thank you, Hannah-chan. I have to thank you somehow, dont I? Is there anything you want? Mine said to Hannah after having her shoulders massaged for a while. Hannah gave a start and a little embarrassedly, We-well, um. You see, auntie She hesitated to say something. Mine smiled gently and urged Hannah on, What is it? Please try to say it. Hannah then timidly voiced her request. Just for a while will do, but I want auntie to hug me. Mine remembered that Hannahs parents had already passed and so, Yes, alright then. Come on, Hannah-chan. She said and embraced Hannah with both hands. Hannah buried her face in Mines ample bosom and, Mom. She muttered with a voice so tiny it was inaudible. Chapter 231 - Martha and Mine

Chapter 231 C Martha and Mine

On the day they had a good time on Kunlun Ind, Hannah decided to stay there overnight. Contact with Martha was arranged through Gon and Gen. Ill have a sleepover at aunties ce today~ Jin felt peaceful looking at Hannah who had thoroughly taken to Mine. Tired from ying for a day Hannah seemed to have gotten tired after having dinner and began nodding off. Mine then carried her andid her down on the futon spread out in Elsas and hers room. Shes just like a mother huh, Jin thought and felt impressed as he watched them. Well then, Ill be returning to Hourai Ind so please take care of Hannah. Ille back to pick her up tomorrow morning. Yes, Jin-sama, thank you for today. Jin-nii, see you tomorrow. Mh-hm, good night then. Jin said and returned to Hourai Ind with Reiko. He got out of the Warp Gate and Topaz-43 was standing there. Wee back, master. Ah, Topaz. Whats the matter? ording to Laojins orders, we are to be stationed here by turns. Jin got it when he heard her. He understood that Laojin arranged this so Elsas disappearance incident wouldnt ur again. So thats what it was, good work. Jin said and headed back to the workshop. Laojin, you dealt with that problem quickly, huh. Jin conveyed his gratitude to Laojin through a ManaCom installed there. Yes. I decided to temporarily station the maid golems there. I was thinking that in the near future having full-time golems dedicated for that task would be preferred. Jin agreed with him. Mh-hm, thats right. Once the current mess is over with lets make them without rushing. Then, Have you got anything regarding the weapons for the golems? Jin asked. Yes, I think that swords and shields are needed after all. Mh-hm, its orthodox but good. But a normal sword would be boring, huh Jin who hadpletely rxed suddenly had a good idea. A Vibration SwordLets make the Magi Adamantite de vibrate at an ultra high speed. With Magi Adamantite he could make a sword thinner than usual with no worry of the de chipping. By making it vibrate at an ultra high speed using magic techniques he should be able to make a sword that cuts through anything, right? Thats how Jin was thinking. If Jin added a security feature that made them usable only by golems they probably couldnt be misused, and without diffusing Magic Energy into it Magi Adamantite was weaker than regr Adamantite. A Vibration de, is it? Understood, I will try. For a weapon like this, with permission from Jin Laojin could do the development without bothering Jin about it. My Lord, Reinhardt-san made contact as arranged. It appears that today he met with a Magi Craftsman from Celuroa Kingdom and had a somewhat interesting time. Huh, I want to ask Reinhardt about itter. Jin said while yawning. My Lord, you must be tired, please rest. The night came an hour earlier on Hourai Ind than Kunlun Ind. Jin was also a little bit worn out. Father, even Laojin thinks so. Please go to so sleep for the night. Reiko suggested, being also worried about Jins health. Jin obediently did as told. Ah, Ill do so. Reiko followed him to the bedroom. Then, It seems Father haspletely returned to normal, Im d. She muttered in a voice so hushed no one could hear it. The next morning, Jin warped to Kunlun Ind before breakfast. The local time on Kunlun Ind was six oclock. That was just after when Hannah had woke up. They met in the mansions washroom. Even though Hannah was surprised, she continued washing her face with the water from the tap. Good morning, onii-chan. Good morning, Hannah. Jin and Hannah exchanged morning greetings. Did you sleep well? Yeah! You know what, I slept with auntie! With Mine? I see, thats good. Yeah. Then Mine and Elsa also arrived. Good morning, Jin-sama. Jin-nii, good morning. Good morning. After exchanging morning greetings, the four went to look outside. Today too the weather was clear. Ya~y, good weather! Hannah was running around happily in the garden in front of the mansion. Jin-sama, are you perhaps going to see off Hanna-chan today? Mine came over and asked. Jin nodded. In that case, I would like to go too to express my thanks for taking care of Elsa. I see. Sure, lets go together. As he knew what Mine was feeling, it was decided that after breakfast Jin, Hannah, Mine, and Elsa would all go to Kaina Vige. The breakfast was bread with thin slices of smoked meat, sd, and Citran juice. Hannah helped with making the sd, while Elsa sliced the smoked meat and squeezed juice out of the Citran. It would be good to bring some Citran as a souvenir too. Thats what Jin was thinking about. On this ind, or rather on both Hourai Ind and Kunlun Ind Citran, Pelshka, Appleles, and so on grew fruit during all four seasons. It was unknown whether that was because of the climate or some other reason. Although Jins guess was that maybe it was the effect of the Mana contained underground. Itadakima~su! Hannah started the breakfast for everyone. Hannah, after breakfast Ill be taking you back to Kaina Vige. Okay, got it. She looked a little lonesome, but Hannah meekly agreed. Mine saw Hannah like that and, Its alright, Hannah-chan. Because Auntie and Elsa will alsoe along. She said tofort her. Eh, really? Auntie too? Ya~y! She seemed to have be surprisingly attached to Mine in a day. After rxedly tidying up post-meal Jin went to get Citrans from the refrigerator and put them in a basket. At the very least there should be enough for everyone, Jin thought. Kaina Vige had 29 houses. If each house had an average of three to four people, if he brought 120 fruit that should be enough. It wasnt an amount a single person could carry, but by splitting up the amount with four people- no, five people including Reiko carrying it wasnt a big deal. But as Jin was carrying Hannah on his back, in the end Reiko ended up carrying three peoples worth fruit. Did you forget anything? Jin tried asking. Nope! Hannahs lively reply could be heard. Well then, shall we go? And with that, the group headed to the Warp Gate room. Hannah of course was blindfolded and on Jins back. They warped in an instant. Once they exited they found that the weather was clear in Kaina Vige too. The time was around half past seven. First they headed towards the vige chiefs house. Gheebeck was sweeping the front of his house with a broom. Oh my, Jin, whats the matter? Who is she? Gheebeck asked about Mine. Mine bowed courteously and spoke. Chief-sama, I presume. My name is Mine and Im Elsas mother. It appeared that earlier my daughter received your favour, so I thought I woulde to offer my thanks. Very polite of you. In that case, Mine-sama and Jin are? Well, as Elsa is Jin-samas informally adopted sister I have no blood rtion with him. So thats how it was. It seems youve got your own circumstances too. Perhaps due to wisdom brought by age, Gheebeck didnt pry any further than that into the matter. And so, its not much but weve brought these as souvenirs. I hope youll like them. Three baskets full of Citran were presented. The vige chief stared at them in wonder. Oh, these are terrific. Ive never seen this fruit before. Ill dly ept them. Should I distribute them to the vigers too? Yes, if you would like. Then Barbara turned up. Ah, good morning. Now, just what is this fruit? Theyre called Citran. Theyre bittersweet and delicious! Hannah had been quiet while the vige chief and Mine were talking, but now that Barbara came she replied with a lively voice. Huh, Citran. Ah, they smell nice. Barbara took one and gave it a sniff, which made her smile. Jin thought this was the right time and asked, Well then chief-san, could I ask you to distribute them? The vige chief agreed with a leave it to me. In that case, Ill be taking Hannah home after this. And so Ill hand over the Citran to Martha-san myself. Hm, I understand. And thus, Jins group went to Hannahs home. Just then Martha was finishing putting theundry to dry. Granny, Im back~! Oh my, wee home Hannah. Did you have fun? Yeah, a lot! You know, we went to the sea, and got onto a boat! It was fast! Is that so, sounds fine. Jin, she is? Martha also looked at Mine and asked who she was. Martha-san, I presume. My name is Mine. Im Elsas mother. Thank you for taking care of Elsa. Next to her, Elsa also bowed her head. Huh, so youre Elsa-chans mother. You certainly look simr. But you dont look like Jin, do you? Well, the truth is Mine exined his rtion with Jin to Martha too. Meanwhile, Hannah brought the basket of Citran to the kitchen, then turned to Jin who went there with her and, Can I eat one? She asked with upturned eyes. Jin smiled and nodded. Hooray~! Then, Ill peel one for granny too! Hannah said and began peeling the Citran. The ripened Citrans skin peeled off easily even in Hannahs hands. After quickly peeling one she took it and went to where Martha was. Granny, here, a souvenir! Martha and Mine had been talking about some things but when Hannah called out they looked at her. Hannah, whats this? Its a very delicious fruit, you know! Is that so, thank you. Uh huh, it is delicious indeed. Right? We brought a lot so we can eat themter too! Hannah said and returned to the kitchen. What a good child, isnt she. Mine said a few words while watching her go. Uh huh, I think she doesnt look bad either, but if she stays in this vige shell probably just end up like me. Martha looked a little regretful. When she heard that, Mine began pondering a little. Chapter 232 - Refrigerator?

Chapter 232 C Refrigerator?

Jin was looking at the Citran left in Marthas kitchen and reminiscing about what happenedst year. In early summer, around the time it had be warm. Jin had thought hed make a refrigerator to preserve foods, but without yet having the means of returning to Hourai Ind he abandoned the n due to a material shortage. But now. Hmm, anything that makes life easier is alright No way thats the case. Although he was no longer a wanted man, he had a problem with Kaina Vige standing out too much. What should I do Jin went outside and gazed at the spring scenery of the mountain range. The snow on top of the low montains had already disappeared, but the tall mountains seen far away were covered in firn. Snow, huh Thats it! Jin returned to the dining room and asked Hannah who was gulping down the Citran, Hannah, does snow fall in this vige? Eh? Hannah who had been eating Citran couldnt understand what Jin was getting after and stared at him in puzzlement for quite a while. Jin-nii, ask a bit more properly. Somehow he ended up chided by Elsa. Ah, my bad. Hannah, I wasnt here during the midwinter so I dont know. I was wondering how much does it snow during the winters here? This time he asked more clearly and Hannah also seemed to understand him. Well you see, until the year changes it doesnt snow. But it snows in February and March. But in March the snow melts soon while in February it doesnt melt so its a big problem. She told this to Jin. Jin had been her until just before the end of the year. He hadnt seen any snow piling up, but apparently it doesnt snow that much before the year changes. But you know, because this year we had the horsies onii-chan made for us, everyone said that clearing the snow was easy. Jin heard that it apparently snowed so much that clearing it was necessary, and this solidified his idea. Alright. Lets make an icehouse. A nice house? Elsa who was next to him asked for an exnation Ah, an icehouse is a hole or some such dug in the earth which is filled with snow, which you can then use to preserve food. By filling it with snow in the winter it can be used during warm summers. The only thing needed to set one up isbour. After hearing that Elsa raised her voice in admiration. Amazing idea. Is that from Jin-niis world too? Thats right. Lets first get permission to do it. Hannah, Im going to the chief-sans ce for a bit. Jin called out to Hannah. Hannah nodded. Elsa reseated herself next to her. Mh-hm, take care. Seen off by Elsa and Hannah, Jin went to the vige chiefs house. Reiko silently followed after Jin, but seeing him have fun she also broke into a smile. The viges housewives were gathered at the vige chiefs house. Jin! I hear you brought souvenirs? Thanks! They seem tasty, dont they? Ill go home at once and try eating them with my children! Come on, leave some for your husband. I know, I know! And so on, the scene was bustling. Amidst all that the vige chief Gheebeck came to Jin and asked, Jin, can I help you with something? Jin then told him how he wanted to make an icehouse. Hmm, an ice house, huh. Weve been storing vegetables and such by burying them in the snow when there is some, but youre talking about using it more proactively. Indeed, being able to conserve food during hot summers would be helpful. Jin, youve got to make one! Its a problem that meat and such dont keep well during summers! As expected from Jin! Youre so reliable. As not just the chief but the housewives who were there too gave him the approval, only thing left was deciding the location. Although it would be little by little, nheless as the snow melted it would turn to water, so a ce with good drainage or a low ce in the vige was wanted. After a discussion, in the end it was decided that it would be built in the za where there was a storehouse for wheat. Because centralizing the food management would be convenient. Also, the drainage appeared to be good. Alright, Gon, Gen, Reiko, lend me a hand. Yes, Father. Jin then headed for the za where the storehouse for food would be. It was on the east side of the vige, and gently sloped downward towards the forest. Jin decided to build the icehouse there in the southmost spot that was empty. Dig a hole over here simr to the shelter. He issued orders for Gon and Gen. As it was work they had already done once, they were rather good at it even without exining the details. Moreover as this area wasnt rocky, work progressed quickly. He had Reiko assist by using the [Dig] spell, ergening the hole. Jin used [Hardening] to reinforce the holes walls. With their coordinated work, the ice house was finished in less than two hours. The icehouse itself was beyond a passage sloping downward, and it was about asrge as two elementary school ss rooms. He arranged stones to improve the flooring and drainage. The water would soak into the ground through the crevices in the stone. It ended up being about three meters underground, and as a result was also well-insted. An additional reason for the good instion was probably the effect of the dug up soil which had been piled up on top of the icehouse. Later when grass sprouted there it would get even better. This is fine. Apart from installing the Magi Lamps which we can doter, snow is whats essential. At this time of the year the snow of Kaina vige had all melted by now. I guess it has to be brought from the mountainsNo. Wouldnt it be fine to make the snow using magic? Right then Elsa and Hannah turned up together. Onii-chan, its lunchtimeSo, what have you made? Hey Hannah. So its thatte already. I guess Ille back for now. Ill exin along the way. Jin then left the icehouse forter and headed towards Marthas house. En route, he exined it so that it was easy for Hannah to understand too. Huh, storing snow. Thats got to be cool! Food can be stored there then! Yeah, thats right. From next year onwards it can be filled with the snow that falls on the vige. But its toote for that this year, so Jin gave a nce at Elsa. ? Elsa couldnt understand the meaning of it at first, but she realized that Jin was having her think about it by herself. Elsa wracked her brain and pondered. And around the time Marthas house was in sight. I got it. Its alright to just make snow using magic. She spoke the correct answer. After lunch, Jin asked Martha and Hannah to gather the vigers in the za with the storehouses. The vigers who hadnt heard Jins earlier exnation were confused. Hey, Jin! Just what is this? As it was lunchtime the vigers had all returned to their homes, and as Jin had once more made something they assembled at once. Once Jin confirmed most of the vigers had gathered he began exining. This is called an icehouse, and its filled with snow. By doing that, even when summeres there will be snow remaining. You can then use it to store foods that easily spoil. It was a simple exnation, but its usefulness appeared to have been conveyed. Huh! Thats great! Meat spoiling quickly during the summers is a problem, so weve been drying it or salting it, you see. But, this year theres not going to be any more snow or anything. Dont tell me youre going to tell us to fetch it from the mountains? Jin smiled and replied. I wont. As from next year on you can fill it with the snow that falls on the vige, this year Jin then looked at Elsa. Elsa. Yes. Elsa pointed towards the icehouse with her right hand and, [Snow Bullet]. She cast a spell. It was an intermediate water attribute spell. Also, it was had the elementary level ice attribute (derived from water attribute) in it. Along with her chant, small beads of snow went flying towards the icehouse. Ooh! Amazing! Ive never seen anything like it! As expected of Jins sister! Shes a real beauty! Oi, isnt being a beauty irrelevant here? The vigers who saw that were all impressed and raised their voices. Not one of them shirked or seemed to be afraid. Because everyone was already used to Jin being outside the norm. Incidentally, Jin couldnt use attack-type magic like this (except by using his bracelet). He could only reach the level of cooling overheated things with [Cooling] or creating ice with [Ice]. As [Ice] could only produce ice it wasnt suited the use of for putting food into holes dug in it, and to have Elsa impress the vigers he had her do it. Also thanks to the surplus Magic Energy stored in her bracelet, after about five minutes the icehouse was full. Alright, thats enough. Elsa, good work. Jin thanked Elsa while Gon and Gen tramped down the snow. Then he said to the vigers, Now you can use the icehouse whenever you want. If you want to cool something down you can also put it there. However, please make sure you always close the door. Ooh, I understand! Are there any other things to pay attention to? Lets see. As youre in the enclosed hole the air may turn bad so please pay attention to it. If you feel like youre choking then immediately get out. While saying this, Jin thought that for now hed leave an assistant golem behind as a countermeasure for oxygen deprivation. Hed have it pay attention to the health of the people entering, and also it could assist with putting in and getting out the food. I understand. Its already usable, right? Yes. All right! Lets get all the guys with nothing to do and go hunting in the mountains! Said Rock, one of the older men. Lets leave some alcohol to cool down so we can have a few drinks when we return! You! Youre not allowed to drink too much! Today too in Kaina Vige things were going as usual. Chapter 233 - Side Story 11: The Madness of a Certain Puppet

Chapter 233 C Side Story 11: The Madness of a Certain Puppet

A little bit before the Great Magic War. There was a certain Magi Craftsman in Dinar Kingdom. The Magi Craftsman announced himself as the seconding of the genius Magi Craftsman Adrianna Balbora Ceci, and other people thought it wasnt an exaggeration. However, it was nothing more than him having acquired -by chance- a Temte Adrianna Balbora Ceci had left behind. And the Temte itself was something Adrianna herself would think to still be at an iplete level if she saw it. But the people of this era didnt know that. The fact of the matter was that Adrianna Balbora Ceci was that much of a super-genius ahead of her time. Only once this era came finally appreciation for her ability appeared. Using that Temte, the man made an Automata. She had not only fitting movements, speech, and thought for an Automata, but she could also feel artificial emotions. And although it was just for show, she could breathe and also had body temperature. The result was good enough you could call her indistinguishable from a human. Ooh, this is magnificent. His works are on a different level, arent they? The noblesuded her and everyone wanted to possess one of his Automata. Silver hair and blue eyes would be good. Her body should be tall, slender, and well-proportioned, and I want the breasts to be big. The hairs got to be blonde and the eyes green, please. Have her figure be thin and the chest be moderate too. The nobles had their own preferences for the looks. The Magi Craftsman varied the appearance of the Automata ording to the request. Hmm, now that itse to this making itd be good if they could be enjoyed during the nights too, but Eventually he met even those demands. At any rate, this was because being approved by other people and receiving admiration were his reasons for living. During the same era there was another, different Magi Craftsman. He, no, she was also a genius. Actually, perhaps calling her the genius would be appropriate. However, maybe because of her talent her intentions became warped, and in her madness she focused her manufacturing towards only building Automata. She dedicated her whole life for building the supreme Automata. Fortunately her house was prosperous, enough so that the assets wouldnt run out during her lifetime. She poured all of it into Automata manufacture. Be that as it may, her first one was shoddy and had a long way to go. Its movements were slow, and it had difficulty speaking. Mas, ter, the tea, is, reedy. Ready, you mean! How many times must I tell you! Every day she got irritated. But she built ten, then twenty, and they gradually got more refined. Master, the meal preparations have beenpleted. Both the movements and the way of talking became non-inferiorpared to humans. Along with that, she once again became the subject of conversations. Automata manufacturemissions began incessantly pouring in for her. But she still wasnt satisfied. That was because inparison to the hers, the Automata of the Magi Craftsman who was the current talk of the town were more popr. That is to say, Adrianna Balbora Ceci was preferred to her. She knew that the Automata that were all the rage then were all based on the Temte Adrianna had left behind. She declined all the manufacturemissions, and she aimed for an Automata that has strength surpassing a golem. That became her next goal. And the reason behind this was that the Automata built based on the Temte left behind by Adrianna Balbora Ceci were three times stronger than any human, so they could even be useful as bodyguards. Whats Adrianna to speak of. Ill show everyone that Im superior to her! Following her goal, the Automata she built became stronger one after another. Despite their appearance being that of a delicate woman, they boasted a strength over twice that of conventional golems. And yet she wasnt satisfied. An Automata surpassing all Automata, the queen of Automata. That was her next goal. Appearance beautiful to the utmost. Graceful bearing. And mighty enough that once she disyed it all the Automata would prostate themselves before her. Building such an Automata became her dream. For that reason she disassembled all the Automata she had made until now for materials, and collected only the most superiorponents and brought them to life. The Automata numbering over 100 were all scrapped by her. But she umted the knowledge and intelligence contained in their Control Cores into one. Without even marrying, she devoted herself to nothing but building the Automata. One day, a regr trader brought in a second hand Magi Crystal. It was a rather old thing, and had some kind of a Control System inscribed in it. She analyzed it. This is incredible! It appears to be over 600 years old, and yet as early as then there was a movement form like this! It was a Magi Form written for a special golem. After acquiring that her research advanced greatly at once. In addition the Magi Crystal had a purity so high obtaining a simr one in her era would be difficult, and so she decided to reuse it after using [Erase]. By the time she had reached her 60s, she finished a single Automata. It was her masterwork. Its appearance was that of a girl in herte teens who had just reached adulthood. Its height was neither tall nor short. Its hair was golden and its eyes a deep crimson. You are my proud daughter. You wont lose even to Adrianna Balbora Cecis golems. At every opportunity she told the Automata that and adored it. The Automata behaved as she had hoped for, no, better than she had hoped for. Mother, the weather is fine today so shall we go for a walk? It even had consideration for others like a human, no, as if it was also a human. More than once a son of a noble fell in love with it at first sight and courted it. That was characteristic of an Automata who had eyes made out of a Magi Crystal with the [Charm] effect, the Blood Crystal. If it so felt like, it could also use those eyes to cast the forbidden spells [Hypno], [Seduce] and [Subliminal]. That was solely because of the womans madness. As she didnt deem eptable that the Automata she built herself would serve people other than her. In addition, the strength hidden beneath its surface was unfathomable. Probably even if ten battle-type golems attacked it they wouldnt be able to defeat the Automata. It had not just strength, but speed, flexibility, and knew martial arts. In addition to all that, it had an Adamantite short sword for self-defense. Bestowed with magic, the excellent sword could evenfortably cut right through steel. Coupled with the sword techniques of the Automata wielding it, the Automata was nearly invincible. On the other hand, maybe because she had worked too hard ever since she was young, she gradually lost her healthiness. Mother, today Ive made gruel out of barley for you. The Automata gantly cared for her, but her physique was weakening day by day. Im no longer young. But having managed to build you is enough. The woman who had already be unable to get up from her bed said with a soft voice. Mother, please dont talk about sad things like that. The Automata said, but the woman slowly shook her head. Humans are beings who all meet their end in due time. We cant live as long as your like. Madness no longer dwelled in her eyes. Once Im gone, live as youd like. You are my masterwork. You are the queen of Automata. Mother My daughter. You are the best Once she had spoken that much, there was a sudden change in her state. Blood came out of her lungs and blocked her throat. Making nothing more than gurgling sounds, the question of how she wouldve continued became an eternal mystery. That was the night she passed away. You are the best That is Mothers wish. The Automata burned those words into its memory, no, its Control Core. She had said the best, but there was no longer any way of knowing just what she had meant by that. At that moment, maybe because of the fickle finger of fate, maybe because the [Erase] had been imperfect, a part of the Magi Form that was supposed to have been erased was restored. The contents of it uneventfully ovepped with the Magi Form the woman had written, and then they spontaneously united. What the Automata ought to do. It should win against Adrianna Balbora Ceci, in other words overpower all the golems she had made. To be the best meant to rise above everything that existed in this world. The Automata had vast amounts on information. It also had the mansion the woman had left behind. The Automata began working out a n on how to rise to the top of all creation Her first victim was the Magi Craftsman said to be Adrianna Balbora Cecis seconding. A maid who had be suspicious of her master who didnt wake up no matter how much time passed went to check on him and found him dead in his bed. After that there was an incident where all the Automata he had handled were destroyed one after another. As their owners had been mostly nobles, their mansions had gatekeepers and inside there were guards and security personnel. Despite that before they knew it, one morning the Automata were found scattered about with their limbs and heads torn off. More than one noble hired magi to ce a barrier to cover their houses, all for nothing. As if ridiculing such measures the culprit easily infiltrated the houses, destroyed the Automata without anyone noticing, and then once again were gone like the wind. What was mysterious was that despite there having been guards in the same room as the Automata, in countless cases before they knew it the guards found the Automata destroyed. The guards testified that none of them had seen the culprits figure. There was even a case where an Automata in the same bed as the noble who owned it was destroyed without the noble in question noticing. There were guesses that it mightve been caused by the forbidden curse [Hypno] but there was no evidence of it. This was because no traces of [Hypno] having been used on the supposed victims were found. The incident went unsolved and continued until all the Automata the dead Magi Craftsman had built were destroyed. Muchter it was established that a magic called [Seduce], which could turn ones focus towards a specific action, was used. Five years after that, the Great Magic War broke out. Many Automata and golems were made. All of them were sent out to the battlefield. It was a time when Temtes left behind by Adrianna Balbora Ceci were rediscovered, then Automata and Golems based on them were built and greatly flourished. Automata were mass produced and they performed chores in the front lines. Of course, golems fought at the forefront. In the middle of it all, a mysterious incident urred. At first the soldier who witnessed it thought it was a dream. This was because a girl with fluttering golden hair ughtered their army of battle-type golems one after another. Behind her the devil race gradually pushed on. Even if it was a dream, it was a nightmare. The Great Magic War was fiercely settled. In a location far away from the site of a bloody battle, one Automata had ceased moving but there was no one to pay attention to it. The Automata who had lost its left arm was already just like scrap. But the Automata was still alive. It knew with its own body that she could not resist the power by herself. Waiting for the next chance, the Automata went into hibernation. It decided on the rule that it would next wake up when a human touched her, then sealed the entrance. Lets be more sessful next time. Yes, with [Seduce], [Hypno] and [Subliminal]. It should be better to set humans against humans. Thats how she made up her mind Chapter 234 - The Ghosts of the Past

Chapter 234 C The Ghosts of the Past

Content warning: death - Reinhardt was having a talk with Celuroa Kingdoms Magi Craftsman Donald and the Automata Elena. Now it was about the structure of golems. Thats true, modern golems are simplistic. Their build is crude. Golems of old had more work put into them. Elena said. I agree. Golems and Automata are modeled after humans. So why not copy the structure of a humans body? Reinhardt whose tongue had unwittingly be loose said, and he couldve sworn he saw a light glittering in Elenas eyes. Reinhardt-sama. I heard from Donald-sama. That among other things, youve be able to build golems with skeletons. Yes, but I was using Soft Magi Resin untiltely, you see. Then I realized thats no good. Elena kept staring intently at Reinhardt. Was that one of your ideas, Reinhardt-sama? Or did have some sort of a model? Once she asked the question, Elenas eyes slightly narrowed. Well, Ji- Adrianna Balbora Ceci made golems like that, I hear. He nearly blurted out Jins name, but Reinhardt hurriedly said something negating it. But once Elena heard him her expression changed. Adrianna, you say!? You mean even after one thousand years that woman stands in my way! Eh? Her deep crimson eyes shone like they were on fire. Not only did Reinhardt feel the weak haze lift, the haze that had been clouding his mind until now, but sensing himself in danger he was about to stand up. But Elena was much faster. In an instant she sent the table flying and closed in upon Reinhardt. Her hand reached towards his throat to strangle him, and at that very moment. I wont let you! The SP protecting Reinhardt, Sage and Cosmos made their appearance and stopped Elena. Wha! These movements, this wavelength, theyre Adriannas! Elena shouted and changed targets from Reinhardt to the two SP golems. Reinhardt activated Schwarz Ritter Noir who was left in the corner of the room. On the other side, Donald and his golem number 457 were Reinhardts opponents. Facing the two golems Sage and Cosmos, Elena was having a hard fight. Actually, she was slightly superior. He-he, so youre nothing more than this after all. You used to be stronger, Adrianna! Elena said to no one in particr, and while throwing out lines like that toyed with Sage and Cosmos. What the! At that time, having heard the mor in the room the three military escorts on standby in the hallway rushed in. Seeing them, Donald said, Number 457. He gave an order without voicing it. That very moment. Aargh! [me Bullet]s were fired out of number 457s hand. There actually were 60 shots. The 20 [me Bullets] shot at each of the three military escorts hit them and pierced their heads, chests, shoulders, abdomens, and both arms and legs, reaping their lives in an instant. You bastard! [me Ball]! Seeing that, Reinhardt shot a [me Ball] at Donald. [me Ball] was a ball of mes with a diameter of one meter. It wasnt a spell you would normally use indoors. And yet, the fireball of the approaching [me Ball] was simplypletely erased when it hit number 457s palm. What? Ha ha ha, how unfortunate, Reinhardt-kun. I wanted to win you over and be one of my colleagues, but as Elenas be like that its impossible. Now theres only one path for me to take. Ill have you die for the sake of our future. Donald said and then gave orders to number 457. Kill Reinhardt! As if Id be done in that easily! Noir, attack! Now the two battles of Schwarz Ritter Noir versus golem number 457 and the SP Sage and Cosmos versus Elena had begun. Sage and Cosmos were having a hard fight. Even though they were bestowed with the martial arts of a veteran spy, they werent a match for Elena. How audacious, you pieces of trash! Nevertheless, as it was two versus one they were narrowly able to stay even. In addition, the movements of Elenas left arm were somewhat worsepared to her right one, and because of that they could somehow use that gap to strike. However, Elena was superior in both speed and strength. The reason Sage and Cosmos were able keep on fighting without receiving fatal blows was simply that being the same type they could cooperate in opposing Elena. On the other side, the fight between Noir and number 457 kept going as they knocked down walls. Noir was superior in strength and speed. He was facing number 457 who had a good grasp of fighting techniques and magic. Just now, the Wind Cutter number 457 had fired had destroyed even more walls. Wha-whats going on!? A person in the inn heard the noise and came to the scene but, A-aagh! Once they saw the unfolding fight of the golems in the cramped room they quickly turned around and escaped. Reinhardt! Then Matheus came running with ten of his subordinates with him. Three of them were magi. Ah, Matheus! What in the world is going on here? I dont know either. They suddenly attacked me. Donald had said he had wanted to win Reinhardt over to be his colleague, but right now having no evidence he hesitated to speak of it. Donald Carou Alpha! Rampaging after a diplomat of Shouro Empire, are you insane!? Just in case Matheus called out to him, but Donald didnt appear to liten to him at all. I never wouldve thought of it but, is it [Seduce]? The one who replied to Reinhardts muttering was Elena. You even know about [Seduce], I see! More and more reasons why you cant be left alive! She said and in an instant faced towards Sage and Cosmos then flung them away. The two fell down on top of each other. Taking that small chance Elena approached Reinhardt and fired a [Wind sh]. She expected the invisible wind des to tear Reinhardt to pieces, but contrary to her expectations the wind des burst open and disappeared before hitting Reinhardt. Wha! They were obstructed by the [Barrier] Reinhardt had activated as soon as the fighting began. Whoa, Im grateful for Jin. Reinhardt felt relieved from the bottom of his heart. Seeing the [Wind sh] be defended against, Elena stopped moving briefly and Sage seized her. Twisting her left arm, she threw Elena seoi-nage-style. In the direction where she was thrown at there was a window. Elena smashed through the window and flew outside. This was the second floor. However, Elena fixed her posture mid-air andnded safely. She then yelled loudly. Donald! Were done here! We know their real strength so lets withdraw! Donald heard her. But right now he was surrounded by Matheuss subordinates. Golem number 457 being taken on by Schwarz Ritter Noir, Sage, and Cosmos and was being held down. Donald Carou Alpha! As youve been caught red-handed assaulting Shouro Empires diplomat you shall be restrained! Matheus proimed and ordered his subordinates to go tie up Donald. Mw-Mmwahahaha You think you can catch me like this? Despite having been bound Donalds fearless attitude wasnt disturbed. Did you think Id havee here without any backup behind me? While he was still finishing his speech the wall to a nearby corridor copsed and ten golems came rushing in. Uwah! Matheus! Matheus and his ten subordinates werent fast enough and were blown away. Next Noir, Sage, and Cosmos were. They werepletely taken by surprise. Mwahaha, this is my true power! As if Schwarz Ritter and some mysterious golems would be a match for me. Donald sat on Number 457s shoulders and sneered at all those present. You bastard are a Unifiler, arent you? Reinhardt spoke, but rather than a question it was closer to an affirmation. Mwa, ha, ha, thats correct. I am the second seat of the Unifilers. The Sage Who Knows The Past Donald Carou. Donald was behaving haughtily as if he had already won. Knows the past, you say? Yes, thats right. Before the Great Magic War, magic and magic technologies were much more advanced than now. Getting back to that era is our noble goal. Shut up! Just for that youre arrogantly causing war and tormenting innocent people! Ha ha, people who cant use magic are an inferior race after all. Although our numbers were reduced by the Great Magic War, we magi are born to be leaders. Madness showed through his voice. You fanatic! You can call me whatever. After all, its nothing more than the whining of a loser. Thats why its a shame. Reinhardt-kun, you had the qualifications to be one of ourrades. Id refuse even if you asked. I know of something even more incredible. Donalds interest appeared to be piqued by what Reinhardt said. Hmh, and what is that? Reinhardt took a deep breath and replied. Its the future. What? Donald was taken aback by the unexpected answer. You who are haunted by the ghosts of the past dont know. Magic is indeed useful. But its not absolute. Outside of magic, there are forces in this world that should be understood and used. Forces that should be understood and used, you say? One day, a timees when you too will understand, I hope. Although at that time itll be toote, understanding is enough. Reinhardt looked Donald directly in the eyes and told him. Hmph, what nonsense. The time for words is over. Golems, crush them. Donald gave the order. Matheus also ordered his subordinates. Attack! Ten golems attacked them. Meeting the enemy was Reinhardt, Matheus, the ten soldiers, Schwarz Ritter Noir, Sage, and Cosmos. The fight didntst long. The SP were carefully made by Jin. Although made by Donald, the numberless golems were not a match for them. And they were already known to be as strong as Elena. Noir also participated. Even Matheuss subordinates fought hard, and in less than five minutes the ten golems were silenced. But Donald and golem number 457 had disappeared. What in the world was that? Finally the situation was so that Matheus and Reinhardt were able to calm down and have a talk. They were Unifilers. So, they came to kill me. Thats why I advised you to not stay in an inn like this, but in the supply base, didnt I? Matheus gave his honest opinion. No, that ce is a littlee on, you know hes there, right? As if objecting, Reinhardt rambled about something he seemed hesitant to talk about. Well, I know how you feel. I also dislike major Fritz. But isnt your life more important than that? Well Reinhardt thought that he could do nothing but follow his friends advice. On top of that, realizing that the ManaCom he got from Jin had been broken, he felt down. Without understanding the reason why Reinhardt looked to be so low in spirits, Matheus looked like he know how it was and gave a pat on Reinhardts shoulder. Chapter 235 - The Ghosts of the Past

Chapter 235 C The Ghosts of the Past

Content warning: death - Reinhardt was having a talk with Celuroa Kingdoms Magi Craftsman Donald and the Automata Elena. Now it was about the structure of golems. Thats true, modern golems are simplistic. Their build is crude. Golems of old had more work put into them. Elena said. I agree. Golems and Automata are modeled after humans. So why not copy the structure of a humans body? Reinhardt whose tongue had unwittingly be loose said, and he couldve sworn he saw a light glittering in Elenas eyes. Reinhardt-sama. I heard from Donald-sama. That among other things, youve be able to build golems with skeletons. Yes, but I was using Soft Magi Resin untiltely, you see. Then I realized thats no good. Elena kept staring intently at Reinhardt. Was that one of your ideas, Reinhardt-sama? Or did have some sort of a model? Once she asked the question, Elenas eyes slightly narrowed. Well, Ji- Adrianna Balbora Ceci made golems like that, I hear. He nearly blurted out Jins name, but Reinhardt hurriedly said something negating it. But once Elena heard him her expression changed. Adrianna, you say!? You mean even after one thousand years that woman stands in my way! Eh? Her deep crimson eyes shone like they were on fire. Not only did Reinhardt feel the weak haze lift, the haze that had been clouding his mind until now, but sensing himself in danger he was about to stand up. But Elena was much faster. In an instant she sent the table flying and closed in upon Reinhardt. Her hand reached towards his throat to strangle him, and at that very moment. I wont let you! The SP protecting Reinhardt, Sage and Cosmos made their appearance and stopped Elena. Wha! These movements, this wavelength, theyre Adriannas! Elena shouted and changed targets from Reinhardt to the two SP golems. Reinhardt activated Schwarz Ritter Noir who was left in the corner of the room. On the other side, Donald and his golem number 457 were Reinhardts opponents. Facing the two golems Sage and Cosmos, Elena was having a hard fight. Actually, she was slightly superior. He-he, so youre nothing more than this after all. You used to be stronger, Adrianna! Elena said to no one in particr, and while throwing out lines like that toyed with Sage and Cosmos. What the! At that time, having heard the mor in the room the three military escorts on standby in the hallway rushed in. Seeing them, Donald said, Number 457. He gave an order without voicing it. That very moment. Aargh! [me Bullet]s were fired out of number 457s hand. There actually were 60 shots. The 20 [me Bullets] shot at each of the three military escorts hit them and pierced their heads, chests, shoulders, abdomens, and both arms and legs, reaping their lives in an instant. You bastard! [me Ball]! Seeing that, Reinhardt shot a [me Ball] at Donald. [me Ball] was a ball of mes with a diameter of one meter. It wasnt a spell you would normally use indoors. And yet, the fireball of the approaching [me Ball] was simplypletely erased when it hit number 457s palm. What? Ha ha ha, how unfortunate, Reinhardt-kun. I wanted to win you over and be one of my colleagues, but as Elenas be like that its impossible. Now theres only one path for me to take. Ill have you die for the sake of our future. Donald said and then gave orders to number 457. Kill Reinhardt! As if Id be done in that easily! Noir, attack! Now the two battles of Schwarz Ritter Noir versus golem number 457 and the SP Sage and Cosmos versus Elena had begun. Sage and Cosmos were having a hard fight. Even though they were bestowed with the martial arts of a veteran spy, they werent a match for Elena. How audacious, you pieces of trash! Nevertheless, as it was two versus one they were narrowly able to stay even. In addition, the movements of Elenas left arm were somewhat worsepared to her right one, and because of that they could somehow use that gap to strike. However, Elena was superior in both speed and strength. The reason Sage and Cosmos were able keep on fighting without receiving fatal blows was simply that being the same type they could cooperate in opposing Elena. On the other side, the fight between Noir and number 457 kept going as they knocked down walls. Noir was superior in strength and speed. He was facing number 457 who had a good grasp of fighting techniques and magic. Just now, the Wind Cutter number 457 had fired had destroyed even more walls. Wha-whats going on!? A person in the inn heard the noise and came to the scene but, A-aagh! Once they saw the unfolding fight of the golems in the cramped room they quickly turned around and escaped. Reinhardt! Then Matheus came running with ten of his subordinates with him. Three of them were magi. Ah, Matheus! What in the world is going on here? I dont know either. They suddenly attacked me. Donald had said he had wanted to win Reinhardt over to be his colleague, but right now having no evidence he hesitated to speak of it. Donald Carou Alpha! Rampaging after a diplomat of Shouro Empire, are you insane!? Just in case Matheus called out to him, but Donald didnt appear to liten to him at all. I never wouldve thought of it but, is it [Seduce]? The one who replied to Reinhardts muttering was Elena. You even know about [Seduce], I see! More and more reasons why you cant be left alive! She said and in an instant faced towards Sage and Cosmos then flung them away. The two fell down on top of each other. Taking that small chance Elena approached Reinhardt and fired a [Wind sh]. She expected the invisible wind des to tear Reinhardt to pieces, but contrary to her expectations the wind des burst open and disappeared before hitting Reinhardt. Wha! They were obstructed by the [Barrier] Reinhardt had activated as soon as the fighting began. Whoa, Im grateful for Jin. Reinhardt felt relieved from the bottom of his heart. Seeing the [Wind sh] be defended against, Elena stopped moving briefly and Sage seized her. Twisting her left arm, she threw Elena seoi-nage-style. In the direction where she was thrown at there was a window. Elena smashed through the window and flew outside. This was the second floor. However, Elena fixed her posture mid-air andnded safely. She then yelled loudly. Donald! Were done here! We know their real strength so lets withdraw! Donald heard her. But right now he was surrounded by Matheuss subordinates. Golem number 457 being taken on by Schwarz Ritter Noir, Sage, and Cosmos and was being held down. Donald Carou Alpha! As youve been caught red-handed assaulting Shouro Empires diplomat you shall be restrained! Matheus proimed and ordered his subordinates to go tie up Donald. Mw-Mmwahahaha You think you can catch me like this? Despite having been bound Donalds fearless attitude wasnt disturbed. Did you think Id havee here without any backup behind me? While he was still finishing his speech the wall to a nearby corridor copsed and ten golems came rushing in. Uwah! Matheus! Matheus and his ten subordinates werent fast enough and were blown away. Next Noir, Sage, and Cosmos were. They werepletely taken by surprise. Mwahaha, this is my true power! As if Schwarz Ritter and some mysterious golems would be a match for me. Donald sat on Number 457s shoulders and sneered at all those present. You bastard are a Unifiler, arent you? Reinhardt spoke, but rather than a question it was closer to an affirmation. Mwa, ha, ha, thats correct. I am the second seat of the Unifilers. The Sage Who Knows The Past Donald Carou. Donald was behaving haughtily as if he had already won. Knows the past, you say? Yes, thats right. Before the Great Magic War, magic and magic technologies were much more advanced than now. Getting back to that era is our noble goal. Shut up! Just for that youre arrogantly causing war and tormenting innocent people! Ha ha, people who cant use magic are an inferior race after all. Although our numbers were reduced by the Great Magic War, we magi are born to be leaders. Madness showed through his voice. You fanatic! You can call me whatever. After all, its nothing more than the whining of a loser. Thats why its a shame. Reinhardt-kun, you had the qualifications to be one of ourrades. Id refuse even if you asked. I know of something even more incredible. Donalds interest appeared to be piqued by what Reinhardt said. Hmh, and what is that? Reinhardt took a deep breath and replied. Its the future. What? Donald was taken aback by the unexpected answer. You who are haunted by the ghosts of the past dont know. Magic is indeed useful. But its not absolute. Outside of magic, there are forces in this world that should be understood and used. Forces that should be understood and used, you say? One day, a timees when you too will understand, I hope. Although at that time itll be toote, understanding is enough. Reinhardt looked Donald directly in the eyes and told him. Hmph, what nonsense. The time for words is over. Golems, crush them. Donald gave the order. Matheus also ordered his subordinates. Attack! Ten golems attacked them. Meeting the enemy was Reinhardt, Matheus, the ten soldiers, Schwarz Ritter Noir, Sage, and Cosmos. The fight didntst long. The SP were carefully made by Jin. Although made by Donald, the numberless golems were not a match for them. And they were already known to be as strong as Elena. Noir also participated. Even Matheuss subordinates fought hard, and in less than five minutes the ten golems were silenced. But Donald and golem number 457 had disappeared. What in the world was that? Finally the situation was so that Matheus and Reinhardt were able to calm down and have a talk. They were Unifilers. So, they came to kill me. Thats why I advised you to not stay in an inn like this, but in the supply base, didnt I? Matheus gave his honest opinion. No, that ce is a littlee on, you know hes there, right? As if objecting, Reinhardt rambled about something he seemed hesitant to talk about. Well, I know how you feel. I also dislike major Fritz. But isnt your life more important than that? Well Reinhardt thought that he could do nothing but follow his friends advice. On top of that, realizing that the ManaCom he got from Jin had been broken, he felt down. Without understanding the reason why Reinhardt looked to be so low in spirits, Matheus looked like he know how it was and gave a pat on Reinhardts shoulder. Chapter 236 - Moving

Chapter 236 C Moving

After finishing building the icehouse, Jin returned to Marthas house. At lunchtime, he was told that Mine had something she wanted to talk to him about. So, what is it? Jin, Mine, Elsa, Martha, and Hannah were sitting around the table in Marthas dining room. Yes, to tell you the truth, me and Else thought wed like to live in this vige? Pardon? As you might expect, this sudden thing surprised Jin. I had a talk with Martha-san and the oue was that we could live in this house. Martha then continued exining for Mine. We talked about many things. Mine-san said she can read and write, cant she? Once she gets used to the vige she could someday teach the children how to read and write, I think. Jin understood. Ah, that would be good, wouldnt it. Its never a bad thing to know how to read and write. Im also good at patching up clothes, and also I think I could somehow make a living by sewing western-style clothes. There was also many things she thought she could help at, said Mine and brought the exnation to an end. Then right after, Id feel sorry if we forever stayed in your care, you see? Ya~y! Auntie, youre going to stay here? Hannah who had been silent until now spoke up. Yes, thats correct. Is it alright? Yeah! Im d! Onee-chan too? Yes, thats correct. Right Elsa? Mm, of course. Perhaps they had discussed it beforehand as Elsas reply was also immediate. Jin smiled and watched the two. I see, if youve both decided then theres nothing for me to say. Instead Ill support you. Thank you very much, Jin-sama. Thanks, Jin-nii. In that case things are going to get busy. First of all, weve got to bring your luggage. After that tidy up the room, I suppose? Jin said, then Martha spoke while smiling. Jin, Ill take care of the room so you just bring the luggage here. Got it. Then Jin and Mine decided to return to Kunlun Ind to pick up the luggage. Of course Reiko followed them. Elsa ended up waiting with Hannah. Using Koma and another golem horse they went to the shelter, warped to Kunlun Ind through Hourai Ind, then Mine quickly began packing. Although that didnt mean they had a lot of items to begin with. Perhaps roughly enough to fill three suitcases. Sorry for the wait, Jin-sama. Seeing her carryrge luggage in both her hands and on her back Jin said, Reiko, please carry one of them. He also carried one, having to half-forcibly take it from Mine. Sorry, and thank you. Mine apologized but Jin smiled and kept carrying the luggage. It was rather difficult but his pride didnt let it show. Returning to Kaina Vige wasfortable as the golem horses were waiting at the shelter. They returned to Marthas house where the room had already been cleaned. It seemed to be the room which Marthas son and his wife had used. Incidentally, the room Jin was using was the guest room. As Hannah had lost both her parents she lived in the same room with Martha. With Reiko also helping, putting the luggage in order was soon over. If you need anything then please tell me. Jin said and Mine nodded happily and, Yes, when that timees well be relying on you. She said. Elsa also looked vaguely relieved. Because the number of family members suddenly increased there probably wasnt enough wheat, barley, and such stocked up, Jin thought and this time returned to Hourai Ind by himself. Of course, Reiko was with him. Hmm, I suppose Ill have golems dedicated to following them too in case anything happens. Slowly Jin began his normal operations. He made a golem with the same specifications as the golem maids. But he decided to add a bit more customisations to it. As for the details of it, they were things to increasebat strength when the situation calls for it. Specifically, he built in a Paralyzer in the left hand and a Magi Jammer in the right one. Besides them, it could also use [Shock] which Jin had thought was [Stun] all this time and [Induction]. He also equipped it with a [Stealth] function and a [Magic Barrier]. Of course, it had an internal ManaCom. Its clothes were the standard clothes of Hourai Inds maid golems. That is, they were made out of a Ground Spiders woven silk. He gave a go to making its eyes out of the same Magi Obsidian as Reikos eyes were. Reiko has them also like that, but Magi Obsidian has the light and dark attributes. The part biased towards dark is the best for absorbing light, or seeing, huh~ While having a soliloquy like that with no one in particr, Jin finished the customisations. Activate, naming, Sara. Yes, Master. Im Sara. It didnt seem like a bad name for female-type golem, but the secret only Jin knew was that he named her after the word for a te, sara. Alright, it may be hasty but Sara, please fetch one sack of barley and wheat each from the storehouse. Understood. Thanks to the transferred information Sara knew where to go for the storehouse on Hourai Ind. Recently Laojin had ordered a portion of the Quinta to make an effort for stockpiling food, so wheat and such were stocked rather plentifully. And then there was something he remembered while building Sara. It was that he hadnt added protection against the [Subordination Rewriting Magic] to Hannahs favorite horse Mint. At the same time he prepared the necessary materials for that too. Master, youre back? Ann then came along. Has Laojin reported to you? When so asked Jin shook his head. Nope, not at all. Is that so. Its not urgent but there are a few things to report. Would you like to hear them? Hmm, lets see. If theyre not urgent then Ill listen after Ive gone to Kaina Vige ande back again. Jin said, then Ann nodded and, Understood. Then Ill be going to review the data and such. She said and left the room. Jin looked at her as she left and said, Mh-hm, please do. Just then as Anns recement Sara came back. She was carrying sacks of wheat and barley on her shoulders. Alright, shall we go then? In her house, Martha had a wry smile as Jin expressly brought them wheat. Youre too kind, Jin. But Ill ept them as you went through the trouble. Martha didnt particrly want to, but she judged that by epting the sacks Elsa and Mine didnt need to feel ill at ease. So, I thought Id also give a go at building you a personal maid golem. Jin said and introduced Sara. My name is Sara, pleased to meet you. Oh my goodness, what a thing. Arent you getting carried away, Jin? Mu-much obliged. Marthas smile got even wryer. Even Mine didnt seem to have expected that one day she -who was originally a maid herself- would have her own maid, albeit a golem. Hannah also stared in wonder. Well, a lot happened but they eventually decided on the priority of theirmand authority. The manufacturer Jin was another thing, but the result of their talk was the order of Martha, Mine, Elsa, and Hannah. But a maid just for us, its really something only Jin would do, isnt it? Martha was still talking. Well, shell be useful with physicalbor and such too. Because of the customisations she was stronger than the five-colored maid golems by a half. Usually it kept itself at the strength of two people, but it could be as strong as about ten people if needed. It seemed unimaginable from the outward appearance. Well, I suppose I can have her take care of the house-sitting too. Martha smiled and said. She mustve thought that itd be convenient if guests came when she was working in the fields or otherwise absent. You could say that her not relying on it even if it proved to be useful was one of Kaina Viges virtues. I suppose you can just think of it as a housewarming present from me. Jin said and also smiled. He then went on to remodel and do maintenance on Hannahs Mint. Elsa was looking at his work very interestedly. Hannah was looking at Sara together with Mine. Is that the countermeasure against [Subordination Rewriting Magic]? Elsa asked. Yes, thats right. Well, it probably wont be seen here but just in case, right?. Mmh, its a terrible thing. The countermeasures are a must. Elsa who had witnessed the harm it caused firsthand strongly agreed. Alright, its done now. Next, Ill leave a golem horse for you to use here Elsa, so please give it a name. Jin said and pointed at a golem horse made out of cupronickel. Eh? For me? Jin nodded. Elsas face slightly blushed and, In that case, Snow'' She named it. Chapter 237 - Report and Jin’s Decision

Chapter 237 C Report and Jins Decision

Jin was curious as he had been told Laojin had reports for him so, Ive got something to do for a bit. He said and excused himself from Hannah and the others and returned to Hourai Ind before the evening. Hannah appeared to be sleeping with Mine so he didnt have to worry. Laojin, the reports please. Yes, My Lord. Laojin began the reports. First he said with regards to the aircraft carriers state of progress that construction had begun. Then he spoke regarding the state of the mass production of the golems weapons: the Vibration des, Paralyzers, and Magi Jammers. And about how the Mermaid unit had found resources at the bottom of the ocean. They were in the middle of prospecting to find out if anything could be dug out. Then, We learned as a result of the investigations on whether or not Celuroa Kingdoms administrations important personnel are affected by [Hypno] or [Seduce] that most of the people appeared to be under some kind of influence. He reported. What the The situation was rming. Apologies for getting the order of the reports mixed up, but incidentally weve confirmed that by means of Magic Energy pattern detection it is possible to distinguish whether or not magic of the mental maniption type has been used on a given subject. What? Thats good news, huh. In the middle of bad news there was thisrge development. When monitoring the Magic Energy Pattern, the normal response is usually a t status which in an agitated state bes a pattern with peaks. If the mind is under maniption then the status stays t constantly. However, its level is as high as when in an agitated state. Hearing that, Jin nodded like he understood. I think I understand. Its something like always being in an agitated state. Yes. Its possible to use the [Shock] magic to dispel it. It doesnt seem necessary to expressly agitate them as it was stated earlier. It seemed that Laojin had experimented on clearly affected people. ording to him they recovered without any after-effects. Well, leaving aside the right and wrong of human experimentation, youve done well. From now on doing things will be easier. Thank you very much. And then Laojin told Jin more bad news. Reinhardt-sama was attacked. Only some time ago did the SP protecting Reinhardt-sama report. What! Tell me the details. Then Laojin exined to him about Reinhardts meeting with the Magi Craftsman named Donald and the Automata named Elena, about how Elenas attitude suddenly changed partway through, and about how the SP, Elena, and Donalds golems fought. And that Reinhardt himself was safe. And then about how Donald was the second seat of the Unifilers. Finally he said that because the ManaCom given to Reinhardt had been identally broken the contact came from the SP protecting Reinhardt. I see, so Ive got to give him a ManaCom again, huh. Reinhardt-sama himself has moved to stay in Shouro Empires supply base apanied by Matheus-sama and his subordinates. Laojin said, bringing the exnation to an end. Jin felt relieved that Reinhardt was saved along with feeling his anger towards the Unifilers resurface. They cant be tolerated any more, huh. He then thought he should give Reinhardt a new ManaCom as soon as possible along with remodeling Sage and Cosmos who were protecting him to be more powerful. Even so, that Automata Elena or something seems to be quite the thing. Although the SP arent that powerful, she can fight evenly or better against two of them. Did you find out what this Automata is like? Ann who had been silently listening until now suddenly cut in. Laojin answered her question. Yes. It seems she has golden hair, crimson eyes, white skin, and outwardly appears to be at an age between a girl and an adult woman. After hearing that the tone of Anns voice rose. Thats! Its her! Her? Interested in what Ann said, Jin instructed her to exin. I said her because her name wasnt known. Just before and in the early days of the Great Magic war, there was a mysterious golem appearing frequently. She looked just like a human andpletely destroyed golems and Automata built by people mostly indiscriminately. What the? Having said that the Automata was no ally of the devil race, as she also brought down countless of them who meddled in her affairs. Hmm, I wonder if shes got an objective of any kind? Thats unknown. A part of the soldiers took to calling her the Golden Princess of Destruction though. The Golden Princess of Destruction, is it? Just from what Ive heard I get the feeling like shes gone berserk. Jin said as he knit his brows, and Reiko who was at his side also agreed. That seems to be the case, I can vaguely imagine it. Surely that Automata is running wild because she has no Master. When Reiko said it it sounded somewhat credible. In which case that Automata wasnt made by that Donald guy, but is from much earlier right? Yes, its surely something made before the Great Magic War. Ann brought the question to a close. Hmm, why is an Automata like that together with the second seat of the Unifilers? Jin wracked his brains but an answer didnte. Then more bad news came in. My Lord, just now a report came from Regulus-2, the Quinta dispatched to Cline Kingdoms capital Alban. Mh-hm, so? Cline Kingdom has proimed a state of emergency and decreed for the nobles holding territory to organize their troops it seems. Eh? Frantz Kingdoms invasion is gradually progressing, and this is thought to be for opposing them. The look on Jins face became even moreplex. In other words, theyre saying to conscript the people of the domain as soldiers, huh. Even though farmwork is supposed to get busy after this! Even supposing that they won, because of the decline in production of agricultural produce they surely wouldnt be able to avoid the decline of national power. War, what a thoroughly stupid act. If youre going to do that why not have just the people who want war to have a go at it. Jin said as if spitting it out. I wonder if I should soon go mix up the battlefield. Thats the only thing Jin thought about. The reason why Kaina Vige lost poption was war, wasnt it. And that one vige Jin remembered the sight of the depopted vige he had seen while on his trip with Reinhardt andpany. Right, surely even Lithia has been recruited. The girl who had asked Jin I am I fine the way I am right now?. The girl who had yelled As a Ritter Ill protect everyone! and assaulted a golem with a sword. As things are, surely even Egelia Kingdom wont safely get away with things, huh Prince Ernest and his favorite Lotte whom Jin made for him. The naturally airheaded and clumsy Royal Secret Maid La. Earl Kuzuma from Blue Land and his fiancee Beana. It wasnt unthinkable that maybe even Elias Kingdom would be endangered. Jin was reminded of the Shipwright Marcia. There were other people he had met during the trip. Schiede and her family whom he met in the mine in Yada Vige. The children of Moft Vige. If theres anything I can do, I want to do it Jin began thinking along those lines. Master, youre not trying to win the war but to stop it, right? Ann asked to confirm. Those words reminded Jin of a scene. A long time ago, in the orphanage. Back then two young children had be totally engrossed in a game, lost their cool from winning or losing, and in the end it appeared to be turning into a fight. If you cant get along then you dont get to y games! The director-sensei picked up the game and threw it against a rock breaking it to pieces. I bought the game for you to have fun and y with, but if the games going to cause conflict between you then I absolutely wont let you y it anymore. The director-sensei firmly said so, and the children who had been fighting cried and apologized. Afterwards, Jin used the money from his part-time job to once more buy them the game console that had been broken, but the children never fought again. Well, whether or not they can get along depends on the countries disposition, I wonder if they can do it if I make them stop. Father? Perhaps vaguely suspecting that Jin was going to instigate something dangerous, Reiko pulled the sleeve of Jins coat. Ah, um, its alright, Reiko. What Im going to attempt to do after this is something out of the question without you. Jin then exined his n. After listening to it Reiko gave arge nod and, Please leave it to me. She replied, puffed up with pride. Then, Father, please just stay on Hourai Ind and send instructions, alright? She smiled cheerfully and said. Jin nned to use the substitute puppet he had made earlier so he meekly agreed. Yeah. Ill issue instructions through the substitute puppet. Oh right, it doesnt particrly need to look like me, does it? Intervening without revealing who he was what Jin had already thought earlier. But upon further thought he realized that it would be convenient for what he would do next if the puppet didnt resemble Jin. Jin then urgently began tampering with the substitute puppets appearance. From ck hair to silver air. From ck eyes to blue eyes. The height was also lengthened to 180 centimeters. No matter how you looked at it, it didnt resemble Jin at all. Alright, this will do. Next is Jin began preparing the equipment he needed to carry out his n at a quick pace. Next is, oh yes, improving the [Induction] Magi Tool. Having the Smith golems assisting him, the preparations werepleted in a short time. Then once Jin saw that all the preparations were in good order he gave orders to Laojin. Have Reiko take out Titan Mk.2. If the situation calls for it Ill move Titan Mk.3 Mk.2 was the type controlled by a person inside it, and Mk.3 was the remote-controlled type. Understood. The construction of a floatsink base in Celuroa Kingdoms Lake Azul equipped with a gigantic Warp Gate has been taken care of. A floatsink base? Jin asked for an exnation for the term he wasnt used to hearing. Yes. The floatsink base is usually hidden down at the bottom of theke, but at times of emergency it can rise up to the surface and be a base with a Warp Gate fit for use. Jin was impressed after hearing that. Lake Azul was in Celuroa Kingdom but its location was by the border of Frantz Kingdom, and Cline Kingdom wasnt far either. It isnt possible to warp a Titan or a ne carrying one to the ruins of the 8th subdivision, you see. Hmm, if I built it myself it could somehow be done but, Laojin, good work. I am thankful. Therefore, please name the airnes that transport the Titans. Laojin said and had tworge nesnd on the za in front of the researchboratory. Ooh, so these are the Titan carriers, huh. They were nes equipped with strange-looking Magi Jet Engines. The diameter of the Magi Jet Engines was bizarrelyrge contrasted with their short length. If normal Magi Jet Engines were tubr, these were rings. As rather than a new thing they were a variation of an old one, so making them was within Laojins authority. Jin viewed them and gave his impressions. I see, so they cant go fast but theyre powerful. Yes. I took the liberty of researching them myself. Hearing that Jin was even more pleased. Good job, Laojin. Please help me like this afterwards too. So, a name, huh. Hmm Jin once more looked at the nes. There were four giant Magi Jet Engines that looked like they were floating, arranged in a square from top-down perspective, and the propulsion was done with four small Magi Jet Engines. In the middle of the square a part like a swing harness came down, on which the Titan would ride. Alright, the names Condor. Understood. Condor-1, Condor-2. Preparations areplete. Ready for takeoff at any time. Alright, weve got plenty of time, huh. Pick up Titan Mk.2 with Condor-1 and depart tomorrow. Sortie and board the Army golems on the Raptors and Falcons. This is Laojin, roger. Raptors from 1 to 10, Falcons from 1 to 10 prepare for takeoff. Jin had the Smith golems put on board the Magi Tools he had made just now. Once that was done with, Laojin gave orders to the Army golems. Land units from 11 to 90, take your provided weapons and assemble. Late at night on the 21st of April. Atst, Hourai Ind started to move. Chapter 238 - New Weapon

Chapter 238 C New Weapon

Content warning: death - On the 22nd of April, at Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto. The castle walls rose to a height of ten meters, and the Magi Form inscribed on it gave it resistance to magic. This wall was thought to be impregnable, protecting the castle inside against all outside invaders. That is, until this very morning. Good morning. Shift change. Good morning. Everythings normal. Ill leave it to you. At sunrise, the soldiers guarding the castle gate had a shift change. The cities around the country borders were being exposed to the horrors of war, but the imperial castle was still supposed to be peaceful. Suddenly a fireball came flying in and caused an explosion. It was a [me Ball]. Wh- whats going on! Even the soldiers who had been in the guardroom turned up. Then another [me Ball] came flying. U-uaaaahh! Aaaaargh! Two soldiers who were not only without shields but without even armor took a blow from the [me Ball] at point-nk range. A third [me ball] then directly hit the soldiers lodging house. It was only then when they had the leeway for ascertaining where the [me Ball]s had flown in from. They came from above. Wh, what is that It cant be The soldiers saw a mysterious vehicle floating in the air. It looked like arge ball with a basket attached underneath. Five of them were floating in the air. The same day. The fight between Frantz Kingdoms army and Cline Kingdoms army was continuing with the dominance of Frantz Kingdoms army. The army of Frantz Kingdoms which captured Storsk then made isher fall, upied Coshes, and was now currently approaching the provincial city of Tetrada. Tetrada was made to be more or less a fort city, and Cline Kingdoms third chivalric order was there to meet the enemy. Lithia Fahlheits father, the deputy leader Nichs Fahlheit was standing in for the leader who had been wounded in a battle some days ago and had takenmand here. Deputy leader! Look! One of the soldiers pointed at the skies when the dawn broke. What? Thats a It, it cant be, its flying? Five huge balloons were floating in the sky about 100 meters above. And then magic was fired from the baskets hanging down from them. Uargh! It was the intermediate level lightning-attribute magic [Thunderbolt]. Many knights fell. This is bad! Everyone, use anti-magic shields! Anti-magic shields were as their name suggests resistant to magic, but weak to physical shock. It was possible to make shields with both characteristics but then they would end up bing heavy. This was because an anti-magic shield needed to berge enough to conceal the users body, as if it wasntrge enough then the damage would travel along the uncovered portions. If you made them robust enough for physical resistance, the result could be easily guessed. Taking a heavy thing like that to a fight was something only a golem could do. And then two of those golems came down from the baskets. For now, eight aircraft have been dispatched to Egelias capital and five to Clines battlefield. Good work. Surely they never expected to be attacked from the sky. In all honesty, ancient technology sure is magnificent. Ahahah. One of our goals is making a disy of that power too. Along with letting them taste the despair of defense being impossible, lets show off mans dream of flying in the air. How about the superweapon? Gigantes, you mean? Thats thest resort. It should be fine to keep it in reserve this time. No matter how tall a castle wall was, it was impossible for it to defend against attacks from the sky. Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto was no exception. Without distinction between the outer and the inner pce, magic poured down incessantly. Aargh! F-fire! Put out the fire! The incessant assault of me magic from about 100 meters overhead plunged Asuntos inner castle into chaos. Then because of the chaos when three more flying balloons approached from the opposite side, no one noticed that they were lowering their altitude. Alright, now, go! Three golems leaped down from the baskets hanging from the three balloons andnded on top of the roof of Asuntos castle. They fell about a distance of 20 meters. Uaaah! There were 15 soldiers on the rooftop. Because all of them had been preupied with the five magic-firing balloons they were toote in noticing the attack that came from behind. After the three golems silenced the 15 soldiers all at once, they began climbing down to the lower floors of the castle to seek more targets. The golems that came down from the basketsnded on top of the walls. Jumping down from a height of 100 meters wasnt safe even for golems. They had descended by using ropes hanging from the baskets to slow down their fall. Even if they had wanted to obstruct the golems, the defenders werent able to move because of the [Thunderbolt]s raining upon them. Once the three flying balloons had confirmed that the golems hadnded and stood up, they stopped firing [Thunderbolt]s and moved even higher up. You! So this was a n was for lowering those golems! The deputy leader Nichs took up his sword and gave orders to his subordinates. Defeat those golems! Their objective is opening the castle gates! Indeed, there were few who noticed it from the uproar caused by the flying balloons, but Frantz Kingdoms army sieging the fort city Tetrada had suddenly be active. W-whats that? People can fly? Themanding officer and his adjutants of the Frantz Kingdoms army battalion spearheading the approach to Tetrada were driven on by the awe of seeing the flying balloons. With something like that, war will change. You could scout out the enemys battle formation from the skies. Troops waiting in ambush and such would be apparent just like that. I thought it was unthinkable to dere war during a busy farming season like this, but turns out that His Majesty had backing like this He then handed down orders. Battalion, prepare for battle! Soon Tetradas western gate will open! Once it does, the first and secondpany will charge! The third and fourthpany will back them from the rear! The fifth and fourthpany will stay on alert on the west side and kill any soldiers trying to escape the castle! Agh! My Queen, please run! The living rooms of the royalty were in the upper floors of the castle. This was because normally the attack of the enemy woulde from the lower floors. But this time was different. The two golems that invaded from the rooftop were going towards the royaltys rooms while scattering the Imperial Guard knights. The king, the queen, and the third prince Ernest were there. A secret passage to escape through had been prepared ahead of time. But unfortunately during the golem riot the other day a part of the passage had copsed and still was like that. The reason was that the king had prioritized giving sce to the soldiers who suffered wounds and reorganizing other important things, rather than repairing an escape tunnel he didnt know when hed use. [Wind Blow]! One of the Imperial Guard knights appeared to be in danger, and at that moment someone cast a strong wind-attribute spell. It wasnt enough to send a golem flying, but it did cause the golem to stumble buying time for the knight. Elder sister! The one who cast the magic was Airi Soluz from the Imperial Guard magi knight division. She was the elder sister of the maid serving prince Ernest, La Soluz. La! Protect His Highness! I shall protect His Majesty and My Queen! Yes! Inside Asuntos castle, the chaos only grew. Chapter 239 - Battlefield

Chapter 239 C Battlefield

Father, goodbye. Ill leave it to you, Reiko. Yes! Condor-1, Titan-2, takeoff. Reiko got on the piloted Titan-2 and Condor-11 took to the skies. Immediately afterwards, it headed behind the researchboratory to where a giant Warp Gate had been built on Hourai mountains side. Ill send orders from here, huh. Jin moved to the control room inside the researchboratory. Your Majesty, Your Highness, over here! A fierce battle was unfolding in Asunto castles third floor. Aiming at the royalty, the three golems pushed on. The Imperial Guard knight troops and the Imperial Guard magi knight troops rushed to defend against them. Lotte had the tray and the mop in hand as she stood in front of the prince to protect him. [Wind Blow]! Continuously firing wind-type spells, Airi Soluz of the Imperial Guard magi knight troops was keeping the impending golems at bay. Because fire-type and lightning-type magic would affect allies while inside, she was heavily using wind-type magic. But the reality was that wind-type magic didnt have much effect on the golems. At least [Wind Blow] was effective against the massive opponents, but even so the best it could do was keep them back. Outside the castle, half of the soldiers were being driven to deal with the attacksunched from the flying balloons. La, help me! Airis breath was ragged from the continuous casting of [Wind Blow]. Her colleagues were also attacking with [Wind Blow]s but it was obvious they werent powerful enough. Bu-but, elder sister, Im Listen up! Stop grumbling about and do it! If youre not helping now then what will you do!? La hesitated even more, then prince Ernest spoke to her from behind. La, Im relying on you. Father and I cant use powerful attack magic. Although I do think its shameful to rely on a girl, right? Your Highness Now that the prince had said that much she could no longer hesitate. Having her spirit invigorated, La took a step forwards. Before dawn. It was too early for the sun to rise and the surroundings were filled with darkness. At the giantke Azul on the border between Celuroa Kingdom and Frantz Kingdom. Its longest diameter was over 100 kilometers and it was about 300 meters deep at its deepest. From its depths a man-made structure surfaced. It was a spherical building with a diameter of 70 meters. Coincidentally with surfacing the huge dome in its top part opened. A simrly huge Warp Gate was enshrined in its heart. The Warp Gate was active. What warped there was a likewise huge golem and an aircraft carrying it. Father, Ive arrived atke Azul as nned. Ill be heading from here to Tetrada. From the heart ofke Azul the distance to Tetrada as the crow flies was around 120 kilometers. While carrying Titan-2 Condor-1s top speed was at most 100 kilometers per hour, so it should take a little over one hour. Almost simultaneously, the Raptors and Falcons also arrived as nned. A life and death struggle was unfolding on top of Tetradas walls. On one side, there was the Cline Kingdoms third order of chivalry who were defending Tetrada to thest and fighting hard. On the other side, there were the mysteriously mighty golems who had been sent in. [me Bullet]! The magi of the chivalric order restrained them with magic, but the two mystery golems used the small shields in their left hands and easily defended themselves. Guh, anti-magic shields, huh! This was on top of the walls, and it seemed like it would take several more minutes for the magi knight troops to rush there. If in the meanwhile either of the two golems took the gate they would lose. Attack! Stop the golems no matter what! The deputy leader Nichs Fahlheit yelled. Following his orders, five knights charged. But. Gyaah! Uaaargh! Aagh! Due to the lightning magic [Thunderbolt] fired from the flying balloons the five knights ended up lying on the ground. T-this is bad! Using that opportunity one of the golems reached the staircase leading down from the walls. Sheet! [me Lance]! As ast resort, Nichs fired the most powerful fire magic spell he could. Its target wasnt the golem, but the stairs. The stone staircase was smashed up by the [me Lance]. Even though it was a golem, it probably wouldnt be able to jump eight meters down from the walls because of its height, was what Nichs was thinking. But his expectations werepletely mistaken. The golem which wasnt alive had itsrge body manipted to jump. Eight meters was a height a human absolutely couldnt fall from safely. There was a thunderous noise and the stones of the pavement were smashed and scattered around. The golem stood up even though the lower half of its body was crooked. But its ankles were broken and knees twisted in odd directions. It was obvious to anyone that it wouldnt probably be able to move any more. However, the golems task was to open the gate. For that, a magical blow would suffice. People down there! Do not let that golem near the gate! Nichs yelled at the top of his lungs. The ten soldiers guarding the gate pointed their weapons towards the golem. Gyaaaah! Uagh! If they paid attention to what was below, magic attacks would be fired from the sky. If they paid attention to the skies, the golem still remaining on top of the walls woulde to attack them. Guh, to think that attacks from the sky would be this troublesome! It was most likely something no one had thought of before, attacking from the sky. Nichs was experiencing it with his body firsthand. Getting backup from the sky, the golem dragged along its body and finally arrived at the gate. Then it pointed its intact right hand towards the gate and fired a spell. It was the same [me Lance] that Nichs had used. But its power was an order of magnitude higher. Ten times the amount of mes that had been in Nichss [me Lance] struck the castle gate. The bronzetches and the iron hinges were blown away. Then slowly the castle gate fell towards the outside. That meant the defeat of fort city Tetrada. A town in Egelia Kingdom, Storsk. Duke Blue and Earl Kuzuma had finally arrived there along with their troops. They were for defending the capital city Asunto. Blue Land was left in the care of Earl Guarana. Myte father also fought against Celuroa Kingdom. So for the sake of my country, Ill fight like him! His fiancees, Beanas, worried face came to his mind, but Earl Kuzuma had put aside his personal feelings due to the countrys crisis and had gone to war. Tomorrow night well probably reach Asunto. Duke Blue muttered while preparing to depart, and at that moment. Suddenly Earl Kuzuma who was looking up at the sky felt that something had passed in front of the sun and strained his eyes to see. What the? There was something, and it wasnt birds. The things were in a single group flying high in the sky. The direction they were headed towards was where the capital Asunto was. However, curiously he didnt have a sinister feeling about it. The castle gates are open! Alright, the first and secondpanies The moment Frantz Kingdoms attack was about to begin. A giant shadow blocked the sun. Looking up, a object could be seen flying. It had four wheels arranged in a square, and connected to the structure crosswise two ropes which came down and were holding up a nk. And sitting on top of the nk was a huge golem which had never been seen before. The mysterious flying object slowly descended as the huge golem on it red at both Frantz Kingdoms army and the city of Tetrada, then it got down and stood up on the spot. Chapter 240 - Strategy #2

Chapter 240 C Strategy #2

Wha, whats, that This was the feeling of fear both attackers and defenders held. Friend, or foe? This was the question both sides were asking. But it was soon answered. A loud voice came from the gigantic golem. Both parties,y down your weapons! Because the wind magic used to amplify the voice made it echoy the original speakers voice was unrecognizable, but they could somehow tell that it was the voice of a woman. War is unproductive. It impoverishes nations and hurts the people. What the world needs right now is peace. From inside the golem, Reiko was reciting the speech that Jin had given her. The poption is scarce, and thends are vast. If you have spare energy to do war with, use it to develop your country. Use it to enrich the people. These were the words of persuasion Jin had frantically thought upst night. Why is it that the hands which sped each other during the Great Magic War are now wielding weapons? It was as if time had stopped on the battlefield. Everyone was carefully listening to the giant golems speech. The past is in the past. Its something you can never reach. Instead you ought to be reaching for the future. Some of the soldiers and knights took the advice. Use your strength not to go back to the past, but to build a prosperous future. Live not for the sake of destruction, but for the sake of creation. Hmph, someone snorted. Pretty words alone couldnt convince the person. Whether or not to heed my advice is your choice to make. However, in the case that you do not you will be stopped by force. Before the speech was over, a [me Lance] was fired from Frantz Kingdoms army towards the giant golem. The gigantic golem caught the [me Lance] with its simrly gigantic hand and crushed it. A short whileter, the first and secondpanies started to move as if they hade to their senses. They were heading towards the opened castle gate. Then magic was fired from the gates direction as a counterattack. Jin who saw and heard what was going on through the Mana Telecam built into the Titan sighed. So its no good after all, huh. It appeared that in the special ce known as a battlefield Jins words had no persuasive power. Reiko, as nned, execute strategy #2. Also deploy the Raptor and Falcon teams. Yes, Father. Yes, master. In the battlefield once again filled with noise, How unfortunate. A voice resounded. The giant golem then moved. The way it moved wasparable to how humans moved. That meant it appeared to move ten times faster than a human. Just like that the golem drew near the walls of Tetrada. U-uoaaah! The walls were eight meters high, while the golem was 15 meters tall. The castle walls only reached to its hips. You could say that being afraid was inevitable when a golem thatrge neared you. Then. The gigantic golem raised its right arm overhead. A huge smashing sound was heard. More than half of the castle wall in front of the giant golem crumbled. Under the rubble was also the wreckage of the golem that hade down from one of the flying balloons. Yes, the giant golem had, along with the wall, pulverized the yet-rampaging golem in one blow. Ho-how could Nichs Fahlheit leaked out a moan filled with surprise and awe. After pulverizing the castle wall the giant golem turned to face Frantz Kingdoms army, then held out its right arm as if it was about to use magic. Just that was enough to make the soldiers freeze. But nothing happened. So it was a bluff, the soldiers started to think and then it happened. Whats this? My bodys hot. Hmm? My sword has heated up? Hot! Ouch!! Owowowow, why? The swords the soldiers were wielding and the armor and the helmets they were wearing began to be tinged with heat. Its hot! I cant keep wearing this! Metallic nks filled the battlefield. Swords were abandoned, helmets tossed away, and pieces of armor thrown off. Now every piece of metal was hot. (As expected of Father.) It was the Magi Tool Jin had finished in a hurry, the Induction Radiator. If radiating at its highest output it could even melt steel in a short while, but taking the soldiers into consideration weak radiation was used. And Titan Mk.2 which Reiko was on wasnt the source of the radiation, the high-altitude VTOLs from Falcon-1 to Falcon-5 were. While invisible using [Stealth], they had pointed the devices downwards and emitted the radiation to the ground. Titan Mk.2 had only taken a pose. This was because there hadnt been time to equip it. U-uaaaah! Wha, what? Whats going on!? The soldiers yelled. The reason being that the abandoned swords, helmets, pieces of armor, and the heads of the spears -which could still be held as their handles were made out of wood- were red hot. Before long red turned to yellow, and then to glowing white with heat All the metal weapons and armor fully melted. No, even the metal pots and other tableware in the encampment in the rear melted. I cant believe this Without weapons and armor there was no way to do battle upfront, and Frantz Kingdoms armypletely lost their fighting spirit. This spectacle wasnt limited just to the front of Tetradas castle gates. Starting with the fifth and sixth battalions lined up on the opposite side, this could be seen happening with Frantz Kingdoms whole army. Not even the mysterious balloons flying in the air were safe. Perhaps the people in the balloons had been trying to determine the giant golems true nature, so they had only stood by and watched. Now they realized that they were gradually losing altitude. Hm? More fire, raise the temperature! Thats right, the mysterious flying balloons were so-called hot-air balloons. One magus on board used fire magic as the heat source to raise the balloon into the air, and it moved using wind magic. Because it didnt use anything heavy like a gas cylinder, its carrying capacity was also high. But, right now, because of the Raptors which were equipped with Magi Jammers they couldnt use their magic. Were going down! Cant you do something! Under us is Tetradas castle! Inside Tetradas castle walls people were waiting for the flying balloons that had lowered the golems who destroyed the gate toe down. Sheet! Attack with magic! We cant! For some reason we cant use magic! Four of the five hot-air balloons did an emergencynding there. The remaining onended outside the castle. Its two crew members immediately began running away from Tetrada. However, they were captured by the already deployed Army golems, and to extract information out of them taken into custody in Falcon-5. They waited for Jins orders. The crewmembers of the other four balloons were all restrained. Nichs Fahlheit was acting rationally. He nned to afterwards order them escorted to the headquarters in Berg. And then, atst, it happened. Ugh!? Gah! Arg! With short screams Frantz Kingdoms army, Cline Kingdoms army, and even the whole poption of Tetrada fainted. This was of course due to the Paralyzers fired from the flying Raptors and Falcons. By simultaneously applying [Shock], even if there were people affected by [Hypno] or [Seduce], they shoulde to their senses after this. The Army golems made their appearance on the outskirts of Tetrada where no one as moving. They gathered all the weapons and armor inside Tetradas castle walls. At the same time, they gave the seriously wounded restorative medicine. Just applying it locally instead of making them drink it had apparent results The fainted people woke up, and after realizing that their armor and weapons were gone Frantz Kingdoms army evacuated somehow with difficulty. Cline Kingdoms army could do nothing else but repair the castle wall and gate. Chapter 241 - Repelling the Enemy

Chapter 241 C Repelling the Enemy

Reiko, good job. Can you head to Egelea next? Yes Father, without a problem. Thats good, since Ill be intervening at Egelia using the substitute puppet. Understood, well be heading there too. Tetradas battlefield had be paused, so Jin decided to next intervene at Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto. Considering the distance from Hourai Ind, by now Raptors from 6 to 10 and Falcons from 6 to 10 should have arrived. Jin projected the picture from the substitute puppet that was on Raptor-10 onto a magical disy. [Storm Rush]! Eek! La chanted [Storm Rush]. She frantically chanted it to defend against the enemy golems approaching her from the front. The wind-attribute advanced level magic had enough strength to push the golems all the way back to the end of the hallway. In the aftermath her allies were also repelled but that was a trivial thing. *Wheeze*, *pant* You did it, La! You can do it if you try! Elder sister La slightly blushed when she received praise from her excellent sister. Now, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Your Highness, go downstairs at once! They couldnt afford to waste the time La earned them, and the Imperial Guard Knights took the lead followed by the king, the queen, the prince, the golem Lotte, L, and finally Las sister Airi as the rearguard. Unfortunately they had no leeway to worry about the knights on their side who were beaten by the golems. They somehow got down to the first floor hall where there was a crowd of wounded knights. Golems areing from here too? Just where had they invaded from they wondered, as ten golems of the same type as the ones who attacked from the rooftop were rampaging in the hall. Your Majesty! Raising his voice to nearly a scream, the Minister of Magic Kelhidore yelled. Surrounding him were wrecked piles of Imperial Guard golems. The strength of those guys is unfathomable! Itpares with the strength of that Reiko from the golem party! What? It cant believe it, is that Jin guy pulling the strings behind the scenes? The one who spoke was the Minister of Defense Judol. Incorrect. A certain maid golem immediately refuted those words. Lotte? Father wouldnt build clumsy and unrefined golems like those. Those are the golems of the Unifilers who caused earlier uproar. Lotte dered. For Fathers honor. Lotte said and tossed the tray in her hand aiming at one of the golems who was approaching prince Ernest and the others. It was the steel tray Jin had made. ng, with a harsh sound the tray embedded itself in the enemy golems chest. The golem stopped moving with its Magi Device destroyed. Lotte quickly recovered her tray and caught the fist of another approaching golem with the tray. This time there was a high-pitched noise and the tray broke. But, the enemy golems fist also broke. The tray bestowed to me by Father! How dare you! This time Lotte grabbed the steel mop she had been diligently carrying on her back. The mops end becamerger and heavier and she wielded it like a mace-type weapon. The mop Lotte struck with ttened the enemy golems cranium. The high-grade golems vision came from the eyes in its head. In other words, by destroying the head meant removing its sense of sight. It wasnt enough to destroy it, but the warped head no longer received enough visual information. With her next blow, Lotte destroyed the enemy golems chest. With this two of the golems were destroyed. Eight remained. Lotte! Alright! We understand! Please protect His Majesty and His Highness! As you might expect, even the Minister of Defense Judol waspelled to ept that if Lotte was destroyed now theyd lose a considerable amount ofbat potential. And so he judged they couldnt afford to lose Lotte who was the royaltys protector. Receiving the orders, Lotte backed down, and in that brief gap. Your Highness! Watch out! Aimed at prince Ernest, the [me Bullet] spell came flying. The shots numbered around 50. Once she noticed, Lotte swung her mop to intercept them. But the blunt weapon wasnt something that could knock down all 50 of the [me Bullet]s. About half of the [me Bullet]s were about to strike Prince Ernest. Your Highness! Someone screamed. Prince Ernest resigned himself to being shot and close his eyes while covering his head. But no matter how much time passed the shock didnte. Timidly, prince Ernest tried opening his eyes. !? He witnessed two pitch-ck golems standing in front of him as if they were protecting him. They were the SP Erica and Lobelia Jin had secretly sent to protect Prince Ernest. Y-you are? To the prince Ernest who reflexively asked, one of the pitch-ck golems opened a part that seemed to be her mouth. We are those secretly protecting Your Highness. She said, and along with Lotte, they surrounded the royal family. Because their affiliation was unknown some suspicion remained, but everyone was d to have theirbat potential augmented. Just when they thought so, Eek! Airi who had been guarding the stairs was blown away. Three golems came down from upstairs. Now the total of golems aiming for the royalty was 11. The Minister of Defense Judol felt a chill down his spine. Airi of the Imperial Guard magi knights had used up her Magic Energy, and although she appeared to be alive her injuries made her a nonbatant. And her younger sister La was still inexperienced. The captain of the Imperial Guard knight troops Kelly was outside giving orders to defend against the attacks from the mysterious flying balloons, so only the vice captain Bruno and his three subordinates were here. The Minister of Magic Kelhidore was capable in magic warfare, but he was entirely unsuited for hand-to-handbat. As for himself, his right arm that had been broken at Golem Party still hadnt healed, making him unable to swing a sword properly. I have no other choice than to protect them with my life when the time timees, do I? Just when Judol had prepared himself. Wh-what!? Another ten new golems showed up. They were golems he had never seen before. They were almost perfectly human-shaped and of a light brown metallic color. They were holding swords. Is this where it ends Judol touched the short sword on his waist and prepared to at least take one, maybe even two golems with him. However. The ten golems that had appeared raised their swords and began fighting against the eleven golems in front of them. Are they friendly? The sharpness of the swords the light brown golems wielded was inconceivable; they easily cut through the spears two of the enemy golems were holding. Ooh? How very No matter how sharp and good a sword was, cutting through metal itself required a fair amount of power. But in front of their eyes, as if slicing fruit with a knife, pieces of the enemy golems bodies were cut off and sent flying. The enemy golems tried to hastily avoid the attacks, but the light brown golems were faster. And with their might the enemy golems hands, legs, and then torsos were cut off. In the blink of an eye, the eleven enemy golems were rendered silent. Just, just how Even the king was wide-eyed. Judol, Kelhidore. Might I ask if you were the ones who prepared these golems? There was no way they could answer the kings question. N-no, the affiliation of these ones is unknown. But they had no choice but to. However, even though he didnt voice it, prince Ernest had a hunch he could guess who had built these light brown golems. And when Lotte sensed their Magic Energy pattern, (Thank you, Father.) She sincerely thanked their manufacturer Jin in her heart. Once the golems were taken care of, only the flying balloons remained. Everyone there looked up at the sky. Then they noticed that hey, arent the flying balloons slowlying down? Two people were in each of the baskets hanging down from the balloons, and they appeared to be panicking. Theyreing down, but they seem to be panicking about something. The Minister of Magic Kelhidore said so under his breath while straining his eyes. Then the five balloons allnded down inside Asuntos inner castle. Ten of the same light brown golems who defeated the enemy golems captured the crews. Now the total amount that had showed up was 20. Hey when did they get in? The Minister of Defense Judol was surprised. He couldnt believe that the castle Asunto which had been said to have impregnable walls could be infiltrated this easily by these mystery golems. Even if those golems were friendly. And then his surprise increased furthermore. Uwoaah, that, thats a! A golem even taller than the ten-meter-high castle walls appeared and peered in the inner castle. Chapter 242 - Deus Ex Machina

Chapter 242 C Deus Ex Machina

The walled city of Asunto was surrounded with walls ten meters high. Its shape was a square with edges almost five kilometers in length, and inside it bordering the north side walls was the royal castle. The so-called outer pce was this defensive enclosure of ten-meter high walls which stretched around from the north side and shaped the outer pce to a rough square. The north side of this outer pce, that is, Asuntos castle walls, had a gate through which the kings army could sally out of. Protected by the outer pce was the inner pce which was the heart of government and where the king lived. The wall separating the inner pce from the outer was three meters high, less than a third of the castle walls height. Therefore from around the center of the inner shrine seeing the exterior castle walls was possible. And seen from the inner pce, a giant golem rising higher than even the castle walls was looking down on them. U, uh oh T-thats a The people watching were trembling with fear, then saw someone step on top of the castle walls from the golems palm. ck clothes, and a silver helmet they had never seen before. They seemed to be a tall person. Judging from the body shape they were male. Who could that be. A friend, or a foe? Everyone watching held the same thoughts. Ladies and gentlemen! The mysterious persons voice reverberated. He mustve been using some kind of magic as his voice reached to all corners of the inner and outer pces. My name is Deus Ex Machina. It seems that a certain subset of people have named me the Mysterious Golem Master or some such. Deus Ex Machina, you say? Ive never heard of him before. Who in the world is he? What are his aims? Everyone present began talking. However, the person who called themselves Deus Ex Machina waved his hand and it again became quiet. War is useless. It doesnt create anything. Deus Ex Machina spoke. Thend is vast, and people are few. Do notmit such foolishness as fighting against your own race. Some of the people agreed inside their hearts. People havent yet caught up with the state of civilization of the Great Magic War days. That is the truth. But setting your eyes on the past is foolish. Because the past will nevere back. There were also people who frowned when they heard those words. Do not head for the past. Focus on the present. Endeavour to clear the way to the future. Deus Ex Machina raised his voice even more, and spoke almost shoutingly. Whether or not you listen to my advice is your own choice. But if you do not, I have a n ready. Deus Ex Machina said and pointed at a destroyed golem. Look. Everyones gazes gathered there. Then, everyones eyes became wide-open with surprise. Before their eyes the broken golem turned red hot, then white hot, and then itpletely melted. You understand, right? I only wish for one thing, peace. To put it in another way, coexistence would do too. It should not be a difficult thing. Deus Ex Machina then stopped speaking, and looked out over at the people. I will not show myself as long as you do not cause conflict. Think well upon it. Finishing with that, Deus Ex Machina jumped on the giant golems shoulder. At the same time, the giant golem turned its back around to Asuntos castle. At that moment, one of the magi knights chanted magic and was about to fire an attack spell. [Wind sh]! Why? I cant use magic! Deus Ex Machina turned to look back from the golems shoulder and, I forgot to mention. Far from neutralizing magic, it is possible for me to make magic unusable. Please stop doing pointless things. He then pointed at the magi knight who tried to use magic. Ugh! Then the magi knight let out a short grunt and immediately after suddenly went rigid. Then he fainted. Unfortunately, that man appeared to have been a puppet of the [Unifilers]. But now he should be returning to normal. I shall send you a list of people who have been confirmed as being maniptedter. Deus Ex Machina said and once more turned his back on the people. Well then, I hope we do not meet again. And this time Deus Ex Machina left together with the giant golem. Jin was fainting with agony at Hourai Inds headquarters. Uooaaaaaaah, suuuuper embarasssiiiing!! This was because after finishing reading the script bearing with the the tone that was excessively like that became too much. Master, please calm down. You were cool. Ann consoled him. Before the Great Magic War, that sort of style of speech and disy was a regr performance. When nobles had small fights between fellow countrymen and such, that kind of exaggerated talk wasmonce, Ann said. It really was exaggerated, wasnt it. Anns constion didnt seem to be of much use. My Lord, please give your instructions on how to continue. Then as a request came from Laojin, Jin switched gears. As ns over here too went more or less as nned, it should be fine to carry on with the ns for the aftermath too. Understood. Then Ill be going to Kaina Vige, so if theres anything please give me a call. After doing something as out-of-character for him as stopping a war, Jin couldnt rx in any way and in a great hurry warped to Hourai Ind to seekfort. Ah, onii-chan! What did you do? Its almost lunchtime, you know? Hannah shouted as soon as she saw Jin. She was a little upset as he had beente ining back. Sorry, sorry, there was just a little something back at my home that I had to take care of. Geez. You scared me, I thought you might have disappeared again! Sorry. Ill be in contact properly from now on. Jin apologized while patting Hannahs head. While doing that he felt his hear that was on the edge calming down. You know, today I went to the forest to gather firewood. This morning uncle Rock and the others brought in a lot of mountain deer, so were going to make smoked meat. Jin remembered that Rock had said something about that when he had seen the icehouse. Oh, I see. Shall we go help? Yeah! Hannah who was back in a good mood pulled Jin by the hand to the za where they were smoking meat. Meanwhile, Reiko had returned to Hourai Ind with Titan Mk.2. Because she had gone through the Warp Gate she was the first one back. Wee back, Reiko-san. Laojin, wheres Father? Reiko asked as she couldnt see Jin who was usually here. My Lord has gone to Kaina Vige a step ahead of you. Laojin told Reiko the truth with some concern, thinking it would make Reikos mood worsen. Is that so. He went to see Hannah-chan, didnt he? Reiko smiled and said so, contrary to his expectations. Father appears to treasure Hannah-chan the most, doesnt he? Feeling just a little marveled, Laojin decided to daringly ask Reiko. Reiko-san, you seem to hold Hannah-chan in special regard too, am I correct? Of course, when leaving My Lord out of the argument. Then Reiko surprisinglyughed. He he, so you noticed. Yes, after Father Hannah-chan is the most important to me. May I ask why? Of course. Its because Hannah-chan resembles Mother well. By mother you mean the predecessor, isnt that right? Yes. My Mother, Adrianna Balbora Ceci. Of course, I dont mean that their Magic Energy patterns are alike or anything like that. On the contrary, Hannah cant use magic. In that case, its the appearance? Thats correct. When Mother was young, no, when she was a child, Im certain she looked just like Hannah. Chapter 243 - The Dream’s End

Chapter 243 C The Dreams End

Well then, I shall begin dealing with the aftermath. Theres also those two who we took prisoner. Okay, then Ill be following after Father. Yes, Reiko-san. Please take care of My Lord. And then, please tell him thatst night we dispelled the mentally manipted people close to Reinhardt. Understood. Reiko headed to Kaina Vige. Then Laojin began working on his proper duties. Now then, for the aftermath firstes the interrogation, doesnt it Laojin then gave orders to have the prisoners held in the Falcon which was still in Cline Kingdom interrogated. Reinhardt was in the supply base. It was in a ce about one kilometer north of the city of Astan. Rocky outcroppings surrounded it and by cutting the rock, making pirs out of it, and cing beams on top of the pirs watchtowers, storehouses, lodgings, and stables had been built. Im bummed out. While muttering to himself Reinhardt was walking between the lodging houses with Matheus. This was because he had just finished breakfast. Yesterday en route to here, Matheus had asked questions like what were those two ck golems, were they new Schwarz Ritters, why did they suddenly disappear, and Reinhardt had to smooth over things by replying with I do not really know, I do not know, they seemed friendly, is that not enough, I am tired and sleepy already. Perhaps Mattheus too had sensed that he had his own circumstances so he simply gave up there, as he hadnt asked a thing this morning. But on this supply base there was another person, someone he didnt want to meet. Oh, if it isnt Reinhardt. So you came here. Just inside his heart, Reinhardt frowned The one who showed up was Elsas elder brother, Fritz. Because it was time for his recement toe, he was also on the way back to their home country. Multiple subordinates with worried faces were following him. I hear you were attacked, right? Ive got strongints to make for Celuroater. Oh well, its probably not asfortable as in an inn, but in exchange its safe here. Fritz said smilingly. Reinhardt felt a little ufortable. Hm? Whats wrong? Do I have something on my face? Fritz seemed puzzled and asked Reinhardt, having been fixedly stared at. N-no, nothing on your face but I was thinking that something about you is different, maybe. Hmm, is that right? Everyone Ive seen since morning says so, but surely Im me? Seeing the awkwardly smiling Fritz, even Matheus couldnt keep silent. Major, has nothing really happened? Fritz knit his brows just a little when asked. Nothing, really. If I had to say, at most I had a bad dream. A bad dream? Yeah. The strangest thing happened, I had a dream that I identally hit my head and lost consciousness. It was a dream, you see? Theres no way Id get a bump on my head or anything. With a p, Fritz made a show of patting his head. Seeing that Reinhardt still couldnt tell what was going on and, W-well, whatever. Im going to my room. So he decided to leave the ce for now. Alright, got it. Once my work hours are over Ill be popping in for a visit. Matheus, youe too. Please let me hear about yesterday in detail. Reinhardt returned to his room, and on the table was a familiar Magi Tool. It was a ManaCom. Just when did Ah, as expected of Jin. With a nod, Reinhardt put it in his breast pocket. How did it go? Through a ManaCom, Laojin asked Deneb-30 of the Quinta who had been secretly dispatched to where Reinhardt was from the sinkfloat base. Using the [Shock] magic, the treatment went well. No one noticed either. It seemed to, yes. Just a moment ago, Reinhardt-sans private SP Cosmos sent in a report. ording to it, the [Seduce] magic Major Fritz seemed to have been under has been lifted. In Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto. The Minister of Finances oroot was greatly perplexed. Because of the attack this time, the burden on the national treasure increased further. And the Minister of Defense Judol and the Prime Minister Marquis Boyd North Galueri were both simrly greatly perplexed. At any rate, if this list is factual then its a huge problem. Spread out in front of the Minister of Defense Judol was a single sheet of parchment. Over a dozen names were listed there. Everyone held an important position in one ministry or another or were nobles rted to ruling major cities. The title of the list was The puppets of the Unifilers. Anyway, theres no other choice than to check them one by one. Mh-hm. Lastly, it says that The [Shock] magic should be used to dispel [Seduce] but is it true? I wonder Ive never heard of a spell called [Seduce]. Didnt you say that too? Yes. I, Judol, have beencking in my studies. In the city of Tetrada located in the western portion of Cline Kingdom, by afternoon finally order had been restored. Deputy leader, everyones lined up! Mh-hm, good job. Cline Kingdoms third chivalric order was standing in a row, but, without armor, helmets, swords, and spears, they certainly didnt look the part. Even now the situation is unclear, but Frantz Kingdom army has retreated. First and second squads went to scout and confirmed it. Theres no mistake. There was a smallmotion. But that soon disappeared. That giant golem could surely have if it so wished annihted us. No, even the enemy army too. Because everyone lost consciousness all at once. To make matters worse, all the weapons and armor was lost. A temporary adjutant next to him addressed deputy leader Nichs. That indeed seems to be the case. I wonder just where did ite from? Even if you think about it you wont find an answer. Rather than that, you have to think about what to do now. How many casualties were there this time? T-thats Hm? What is it? The temporary adjutant hesitated to say. Finding that suspicious Nichs knit his brows. It cant be, theres that many of them? The temporary adjutant then flusteredly refuted that. N-no, just the opposite! There are no casualties! What? There were many people wounded in the battles yesterday and today. Especially from yesterdays battles there were many people on the verge of death from their wounds. However, we confirmed just earlier that everyone has recovered. What the It was an iprehensible tale. They did nothing and yet the wounded recovered. No, could it be, Nichs made a guess. That gigantic golem, theres a chance it did something. He then again remembered what the giant golem had said. Use your strength not to go back to the past, but to build a prosperous future. Live not for the sake of destruction, but for the sake of creation, was it. Perhaps that kind of society isnt necessarily a pipe dream. Weve lost contact with the hot flying balls sent to Cline Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom. What!? They had someone who could make them fall? I could see them dropping one or two, but all? Its said that Frantz Kingdoms army is currently retreating to the national border. Golems! What happened to the golems! Thebat golems we snuck into Asunto castle! A carrier pigeon brought a report that theyve also been destroyed Aargh What in the world happened! My lord. A clear and beautiful voice then cut in. O-oh, Elena. Where are you now? Yes, Im returning there with Donald right now. Hm, atst I get to see your face. I cant wait. So, what happened with Reinhardt? I was going to erase him, but some annoying golems intervened. What? If thats how Elena sees them then Yes, they seemed to have been golems descended from the ones built by my bitter enemy whom I told you about earlier. Hmm, it cant be Do you happen to know anything about them? Yes, some time earlier there was someone called Jin who apparently used golems to destroy the eighth subdivision. Please tell me the details. Hm, that guy, he Elena listened to the exnation silently, but when she had heard it all her voice became a little rougher. My lord, I wouldve liked to have heard about this a little bit earlier. S-sorry. I thought there could be no golems rivaling ours. Elena apparently cut the call by herself as she could no longer be heard. Kaina Viges za was filled with dense smoke. Cough, its smoky. Sara, Ill leave the rest to you. Yes, master. Right now they were burning small Kherry tree chips to smoke the meat of the mountain deer Rock and others had caught, Instead than burning, their purpose was to sputter smoke and so it was smoky. Thats where Sara came in. The golem maid Sara who had no need to breathe worked silently and very soon the preparations for smoking the meat were finished. Only thing left was to keep smoking the meat until the moisture came out. I cant wait, tonights booze will surely taste great. Dont drink too much like I told you, dear! Kaina Vige was peaceful. Chapter 244 - Side Story 12: The Crooked Puppet

Chapter 244 C Side Story 12: The Crooked Puppet

Mother has died. Mother left me with a message. You are the best. Those were mothersst words. Then as her daughter, I will do nothing but make it a reality. The best means someone who cant be beaten by anyone. And someone who cant be beaten by anyone means being above everything that exists. Thats the conclusion I made. The first thing I thought was that everything that exists is too much. So then what. It should be fine to reduce their number. To begin with, I got rid of the Magi Craftsman who caused mother to be neglected. He was a man who wouldve used up his life span in a few years even if left alone, but I thought it important to cut even the weakest bonds of fate he had with mother. Next was destroying the Automata the man built. Because this was the most direct way to prove that I cant be beaten. Everyone was too weak. Just by twisting their arms lightly they came off. So I plucked off their limbs and heads. I continued and the owners of the Automata began being vignt and increased their guards, but that wasnt something that could stop me. Because I am the queen. Just by using a little bit of the strength my mother bestowed upon me, all of the guards became fools. [Hypno], [Seduce], and [Subliminal]. Especially the magic [Subliminal] which made people obey mymands as if they themselves wanted to be my ves. It isnt strange for a queen like me to have ves, dont you agree? And like this, I dealt with all the Automata that were my objectives. However, my usage of [Subliminal] was never noticed by anyone, so they had precautions for only [Hypno and [Seduce] which made meugh. After that I kept thinking about what is it that a queen should do, but I couldnt reach a conclusion. At that time the anti devil race war, which in the current era is called the Great Magic War. began. Most unfortunately the Temtes Adrianna Balbora Ceci left behind were rediscovered, and using them as the foundation Automata and golems were mass produced. Mother who held a grudge against Adrianna came to my mind. And so I thought I would dispose of them and show the world my superiority. A lot of golems were thrown into the battlefields. Destroying them with a single swing of my sword was fun. The Adamantite short sword mother had given me. It cut apart the steel golems, through shields and all. People who saw that were wide-eyed with surprise. Then they surely realized that I was stronger than the golems. The devil race too acknowledged my superiority. They mustve realized that I was only aiming for golems and stopped getting on my way on the battlefield. Although until then I had been cutting the devil race members that got on my way down with a single stroke too. Golden Princess of Destruction. That was the nickname the soldiers gave me. Im a queen and not a princess, but, well, its alright. Because once I make my strength known theyll surely start calling me a queen. I opened my eyes. Only a tiny amount of Magic Energy made contact, but it restarted my Mana Driver. Are you the one who woke me up? A young man woke me up. With blue eyes that looked like they were dreaming. I recognized those eyes. Once, when I was with mother a son of a noble proposed to me. Im aware of how human men see my physical appearance. I felt the young man in front of me have a ratherrge dormant Magic Energy reserve. Thats when I decided I would use this man. Thank you. If youd like, would you please give me a name? If I said this, surely the young man would trust me. Because naming an Automata or a golem was the symbol of a master. Elena. The young man named me. I smiled and waited upon him. My name is Elena. Please treat me well from now on, my lord. The rest was easy. I gradually used [Subliminal]. Then the boy became my ve. As a queen, although I had ves I didnt nonsensically abuse them. I told the young man all I knew and taught him about the Magi Tools that were in the ce I slept in. The young man touched on the technology of the past, and with great emotion embraced the ambition of restoring the country of the past. And very conveniently, the country the young man was from had a group called the Unifiers. They seemed to be an entric group which pursued the ideals of Dinar Kingdom, the supreme post-Great Magic War country that unified the continent. However, their entric aspects were very good for my circumstances. Using [Hypno], [Seduce], and [Subliminal, I had the young man apparently named Joule affiliate himself with the Unifiers and little by little push his way up to the important offices of the Unifiers. Even if it seemed unnatural I didnt care. Because at any rate, all the leaders would be my ves. Over ten years passed, and Joule became one of the leaders of the Unifiers. One day he brought with him a Magi Craftsman who was famous in the present era. Good day, my name is Elena. Are you the man who will kindly repair my arm? I said so, but at a nce I could tell that the mans ability wasnt up to mothers level. But as there were no other talented people, I decided topromise. Although to be honest, I wasnt satisfied with his abilities. Then another ten years passed, and after thorough training even that Magi Craftsman called Donald became useful. He repaired me except for my broken left arm, and I was able to regain my original movements. Only the left arm remained. Because the materials werent enough, I decided to have the blue-haired Automata manufactured during the Great Magic War destroyed and used for parts. Because the blue-haired Automata were also made based on Adriannas Temtes, the material quality used in their construction was better than that of other golems and Automata. Soon Donald had been trained for 20 years. 37 years after I woke up, I was finally able to regain my original body. There was no enemy who could rival me with my original body. Atst, Joule stood at the top of the Unifiers. And simultaneously the ambition of the Unifiers changed from reviving the post-Great Magic War Dinar Kingdom to unifying the continent. As for Donald, I taught him about the supertechnology of the past, and I had him develop numerous golems, weapons, and such using that technology. From this the Unifiers immediately grewrger, and by now it has grown to a great influence with over 5000 members. Then Imanded the Unifiers to unify the continent. It was called the unity group so the party members epted that without feeling anything strange about it, and began moving with the goal of unifying the continent. Elradrite, Subordination Rewriting Magic, hot flying balls, etc, etc, etc I think that the current world has no one who could stand up to the supertechnology of the past. Even so Ill be on my guard. The Shouro Empire Magi Craftsman called Reinhardt or something is said to be rather capable, so I decided to pay him a visit. If it seems hell be useful Ill wee him as a ve, if not, Ill simply erase him. I will reign over this continent as a queen, and no one will get in the way of that. Chapter 245 - How Everyone Coped

Chapter 245 C How Everyone Coped

Evening of April 22nd. In the fort city Tetrada the chivalric orders were gathering. Cline Kingdoms second and fourth chivalric orders, in addition to the relief knight team and the second Magi Knight team. Each one of them were iprehensibly forced to stop battling, although not to the same degree as Tetradas third chivalric order was. They had had no fort cities nearby so they naturally ended up gathering in Tetrada. It appears that as of now, Frantz Kingdoms army has retreated all the way to the border. The scouts reports told them that Frantz Kingdoms army wasnt in a greatly different shape to them, having seemingly also lost their armor and weapons. Hm, is that so. The leader of the second chivalric order, Viscount Bernard Nefra Foster nodded. He was currently inmand of the mixed army. Anyhow, without weapons and armor we cant go to war. Weve got to wait for a response from the royal capital whether to evacuate or advance. Yes. And from the questioning of those prisoners, this time its clear that the Unifiers were the mastermind this time. The one who replied was Nichs Fahlheit. Mh-hm, I heard. The convoy was sent to the royal capital, right? Yes. Well, theres nothing urgent other than emergency repairs on the walls. Well work through the night. The soldiers can rest in turns. This includes youmanding officers too. Yes, thank you. Fahlheit, standing down. Good work. Nichs exited the feudal lords mansion which was being used as the temporary control room, and headed to the post of the relief knight team by himself, without an adjutant apanying him. This was because thats where his daughter Lithia Fahlheit was supposed to be. Oh my, are you injured, Bar? Nichs neared the post and a young guard knight approached him and asked. The relief knight team members themselves werent particrly proficient at fighting, so they had knights guarding them. No, Im off duty right now. I came to meet my daughter. I wonder if Lithia Fahlheit is around? Although if shes still on duty Ill leave. He told the knight on duty and he smiled, and next straightened his pose and stood at attention. Ah, Lithia-donos esteemed father! My name is Pasco Rush. I am the third son of the Rush family. The other day, Lithia-dono healed me of serious wounds and I am in her debt! He said and bowed deeply. I think that around this time Lithia-donos break will begin, so please go ahead. Third tent from the back. I see, thanks. Nichs thanked him and headed to the tent where his daughter Lithia was. As the curtain of the night came down, inside a room in the royal castle of Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto, the King and the Third Prince were talking. So Ernest, youre saying that Jin was the one who built those mysterious golems that came to save us? Mh-hm. Theyve got distinctive movements you see. I mean, didnt they resemble a lot how Lotte moves? The Third Prince Ernest replied full of confidence. But the King couldnt tell the difference in one golems movements to anothers. Hmm, I dont know but if you say so then thats probably it. While having a serious look on his face the King epted Ernests view. But in that case, who in the world is Jin? Making golems that could easily defeat those enemy golems we couldnt do a thing about I could ept that the Automata called Reiko was something like an Artifact, but this time Its useless to think about it. Jins my friend, and the countrys Honorary Magi Craftsman. Isnt that enough? Hmm, that may be so, yet the Prime Minister likely wont ept it. What the King said was extremely on point, but wanting to read everything as if it had hidden motives was the bad habit of politicians. Oh well. Ill speak with the Prime Ministerter. You go be with Catherine please. Mh-hm, mothers probably also disheartened. Ernest agreed and left the room. Recing him the Prime Minister, Marquis Boyd North Galueri came in. Where did His Highness Ernest go? I had him go see Catherine. Shes stayed in her bed since the uproar, you see. The Prime Minister nodded and looked sympathetic. Aha, as Queen Catherine seems to be very fond of His Highness. Mhm. Catherine loves him even though he was born to a mistress. It gives me peace both as a father and a husband. Thats, right. So, Your Majesty, lets get to business. The Prime Minister spread out the document he brought with him on top of the table. I understand. Its about the aforementioned people that were called puppets of the Unifiers, right? Yes. Unfortunately, the information was factual. The battle seems to have ceased. Laojin who confirmed the scene from the image sent by a Raptor said to Ann who was watching the same image. Yes, Laojin. Masters n was a sess, wasnt it? Indeed it was. ording to the report of the Quinta sent to investigate the battlefield, this time there were 119 casualties. All before we intervened. Even so, master may fret over it. Yes, I think that likely. Therefore, let us not report about this until he asks about it. Understood. The next topic was the Unifiers. ording to a report from the Quinta, weve discovered a ce that appears to be the headquarters of the Unifiers. Where might that be? In the ancient ruins above the mine of Kashamnoor, located in Celuroa Kingdom at the west bank of Lake Azul. We received the same information from a captured enemy magus so theres surely no mistake. Laojin had the work terminal Laozi spread out a map of the areas surroundings. Lets see, ah, I understand. If its around there then it wouldnt be strange for there to even be a base of the old Dinar Kingdom. They probably cleverly remodeled one, dont you think? Ann had memories of the early days of the Great Magic War. Laojin also had the same data, but due to the mental connections Ann seemed to be able to use the same information better. Currently Im having ten Quinta move there. Once they knew that this was the base of the Unifiers they could perhaps bring an end to the antagonism between the small nations all in one go. Yes, rather than making small attacks against the arms and the legs, its best to quickly crush the head, isnt it? Thats exactly right. Andstly, Reinhardt-sama seems to be uneventfully spending time in the supply base. Is that so? In that case Ive got a suggestion to make. Laojin thought it very interesting that Ann had a suggestion. What is it? Yes, I was thinking that couldnt we use this chance to obtain thebat patterns of a soldier or if possible a high-ranked knight through Reinhardt-san? Laojin considered the suggestion. Thats a good idea. We have nearly no samples of the movements for swordy or martial arts. If I remember correctly, Reinhardt-sama had the aptitude for using [Transfer Info] up to level two. Then Laojin called a Quinta who wasnt busy and had them head to where Reinhardt was. If it went well, it would lead to Hourai Inds war potential increasing. And then Reinhardt readily consented to it. After Donald left Asunto with golem number 457 and Elena, it took a day but they finally arrived at the closest secret base, got onto a hidden hot flying ball, and were now heading towards the HQ. By using the [Hide] magic there were seldom people who saw them. Especially because it was nighttime. Elena then contacted the Unifiers HQ through her internal device that resembled a ManaCom. After that she was silent. Elena, what in the world happened? Donald felt curious seeing Elena acting unusual. Are you thinking about Reinhardt? He indeed was capable, but theres no way he can be a match for me. And also Youre annoying, shut up for a moment. G-got it. Elena was thinking about Sage and Cosmos of the SP. She had called them trash, but in reality, she epted that they were formidable opponents. And now she heard about the golem user called Jin or something. There was a lot to think about. Numbers, huh. Elena called to mind the memory of once being forced to retreat in front the power of numbers. Donald, once were back mobilize the entirety of the golem corps. Got it, Elena. The hot flying balls top speed was about 15 kilometers per hour. It would be a few hours until they returned to the base. Ohh, eating together with a crowd really makes food taste better! There was a feast in the za in front of Kaina Viges vige heads house. Everyone was eating the roasted barbeque made out of the caught mountain deer and drinking the cooled alcohol with relish When they had caught a lot of game it was Kaina Viges style to share it with everyone. This is delicious. I know, right? Elsa-chan, Mine-san, try this too. Because the fresh smoked meat was still being smoked andcking vor, they were treated to food that had been smoked earlier. Its a good vor, isnt it. Smoking does give it a fragrant aroma that stimtes the appetite. Elsa and Mine had also joined in and were having fun. Amidst the scene, Reiko softly whispered to Jins ear. Father, it seems that Laojin has something to report. Is that so. I wonder if its about what to do next? Jin snuck out of the za. He took out the ManaCom from his pocket and called Laojin. Laojin, let me hear the report. Chapter 246 - Jin Sorties

Chapter 246 C Jin Sorties

So that means battles arent taking ce right now. After calling Laojin, Jin was relieved from the situations change for the better. Master, it is most effective to crush the head instead of the arms and the legs against organizations. Anns voice then cut in. In other words, she was saying to destroy the headquarters and not the branches. Jin made a bitter smile and said, Well, I suppose. I got it. Then, Ille back there soon. And then lets put an end to this mess. Understood. Well be waiting. Jin then cut the call. He silently returned to the za where Martha, Hannah, Mine, and Elsa were. Ah, Jin, howd you like it, are you having fun? Yeah, Ive had enough. By the way, theres something Id like to talk to you about. Jin said and invited the four a little further away from everyone else. What is it, Jin? Onii-chan, whats wrong? Martha and Hannah looked puzzled but Mine and Elsa seemed to have a vague idea of what was going on. Right now, this country is being invaded. Jin spoke. The opponent is a group called the Unifiers. I n to go stop them. He made the story short and simple so only Hannah looked to be full of questions, but Martha seemed to understand. Jin, youve got enough power to stop them, right? Martha asked a little worriedly. Sensing that, Jin puffed up with pride and replied. Yes. After stopping them, youlle back here, right? Yes. Definitelye back. If you dont I wont forgive you. Yes! Mhm, then go, Jin. No need to worry about Mine-san and Elsa-chan. Mine put a hand on her heart and said. Onii-chan, be careful. Ill be waiting like a good child. Hannah also seemed to somehow understand things from Marthas mood. Ah, I got it. Ill absolutelye back to Hannahs ce. Jin leaned over, petted Hannahs head and said. Hannah smiled while crying a bit. Jin-nii, be careful. And make it so that from now on no one bes unhappy because of them. Elsa also said so to Jin with a serious look on her face. I got it. Ill settle it here. Jin-sama, please be careful. I pray for good luck in your battle. Mine also said a few words and saw Jin off. Yeah. Well then, Ill be going. Take care. After being seen off by his family, Jin smiled, waved his hand, and walked away. Then Jin and Reiko returned to Hourai Ind. Laojin, report please. Yes, My Lord. Weve identified a location thought to be the headquarters of the Unifiers. Oh, thats amazing. Where is it? Up in the mountains west of the town called Kashamnoor on the western shore of Lake Azul. There is a mine there, and ancient ruins. I see, so they utilized the ancient ruins and made their headquarters there? Then they also get resources to advance with the golem manufacture, huh. Yes. And those hot-air balloons are after all something developed during the Great Magic War. Ann has guaranteed that. ording to her, the devices the Unifiers called hot flying balls were developed to oppose devil beasts that can fly, but with the weakness of not being fast they ended up not having any practical use. And weve got the VTOLs too, huh. In addition, Ann said that the Automata which attacked Reinhardt-san was surely the Golden Princess of Destruction. And the golem that attacked him has an interesting feature. Which is? It made the [me Ball] Reinhardt-san shoot vanish just by touching it with its hand. The result of analysis was the conjecture that it should be a function to neutralize magic. Once Jin heard that he tried thinking about it himself too. Hmm, the Gigantes from earlier could absorb Magic Energy. Maybe its possible by applying that. Although if it absorbs Magic Energy it probably cant carelessly touch magi, but neutralizing magic is different. Yes, I think so too. In that case, as long as we dont use magic it should be alright. It couldnt defend against purely physical attacks. Jin concluded that it wouldnt probably be a great threat. Is there anything else? Did you hear about how we dispelled the mentally manipted person near Reinhardt-sama? Yeah, I did. Its probably that guy. Elsas brothers, Fritzs, face came to Jins mind. Also, we asked Reinhardt-sama and he copied the sword arts of Shouro Empire knights using [Transfer Info] for us. Oh, isnt that amazing! Alright, lets copy that to the Army golems first. Well probably be able to somehow manage in the time before we sortie. If weve got time then to Hourai Inds SP, Quinta, and other golems too. At once. -Having said that, apparently Reinhardt went through quite the trouble having to stay quiet and not say anything. Was that all? Yes. Theres one more thing. The personal airne for My Lord ispleted to please check it. A personal airne for me? Jin was told that there was a ne at a standstill in front of the researchboratory so he went out to see. Laojins mobile terminal Laozi followed after him and exined. Its basically a VTOL, but with reduced boarding capacity and higher maximum velocity. Just as he said, it was over a size smaller than the Falcon VTOLs and sleeker. For emergency escape equipment, a Warp Gate has been installed in the cockpit. To increase its reliability and to protect highly ssified information, a second system was installed that automatically self-destructs it after transfer has beenpleted. You could indeed call a Warp Gate the ultimate escape equipment. For piloting, Sky-1s Control Core was copied and an exclusive Control Core that automatically moves it was installed. Of course, in an emergency manual piloting is also possible. It had an autopilot. This meant that simply by Jin pointing out the destination it would work well. For weapons it has a Paralyzer, an Induction Radiator,ser cannons, and although small, a Magi Cannon. The precision is low but it also has a Magi Detector installed. An independent Control Core controls the armaments. In addition, for defense it has a barrier that protects against both physical and magical attacks. Of course, theres also a [Stealth] function. Thats perfect, isnt it It was as though Laojin hadnt restrained himself. He was like Jins reflection in the mirror. It has a board capacity of five people. It can seat three people in addition to My Lord, and Reiko. Perhaps he had taken into consideration the time back on Kunlun Ind when Jin went to the sea together with Hannah, Elsa, and Mine. Its made out of 6/4 Light Silver and an estimated top speed of 800 kilometers per hour. That was the highest top speed among Hourai Inds air forces. Amazing, to have made something like this even under your restrictions. Laojin, Im proud of you. Laojins authority didnt extend further than arranging already-existing inventions, yet making something like this by justbining old inventions made Jin even more impressed of Laojin It is a privilege to receive your praise, My Lord. Please go ahead and name the airne. When told so, Jin began thinking. And after some thought, Alright, its Pegasus-1. He named it. Simultaneously he wrote PEGASUS-1 on the airframe with Craft Magic. Thank you very much. It may be redundant, but since a Magi Detector was installed, it is possible to call it using a ManaCom. The closer it was the more precise the Magi Detector was, so it was possible to have it detect Jin underneath it ande flying. I see, thanks again Laojin. Alright, Ill take Reiko with me. And Ann, youe too. Yes, master. Jin decided to have Ann who was well-acquainted with ancient ruinse with him. He also got the substitute puppet on board. Of course because after his remodeling it was the Mysterious Golem Master version with no resemnce to Jin. And Jin himself, just to be absolutely sure, equipped his reinforced clothing, helmet, Masamune, Muramasa, and such then boarded Pegasus-1. Reiko also took Peach Blossom and the Magi Cannon with her as equipment. Jin judged the preparations to now bepleted and gave instructions to Laojin. Laojin, since this time Reiko is with me, have Mk.1 of the Titans move out. Ill be giving broad instructions so you please take care of the details. Roger that. Alright, sortie all the Raptors, Falcons, and Pelicans that are able to. The Army Land troops are to board them each. Fully equip all weapons. Also bring medicine. Jin then asked himself if he forgot about anything. But there were Warp Gates inside the Falcons, and if push came to shove he could have things transported through the floatsink base. Hourai Ind, sortie! Jins voice echoed and first the Raptor group took off and went ahead. This was because of the size of the floatsink base takeoff andnding wasnt possible. Next Condor-1 which had Titan-1 on board took off. Following it Falcons from 1 to 10 took off. Lastly Pegasus-1 which Jin was on board took to the skies of Hourai Ind. And then while Hourai Inds air force was approaching Celuroa Kingdom, from the center of the hugeke Azul the floatsink base rose to the surface. Its top dome opened up, and a ne carrying a giant golem flew out of it. However, being protected by a [Stealth] field no one witnessed it. Now the battle against the Unifiers to which more than half of Hourai Inds war potential was put into was beginning. Chapter 247 - Beginning of the Battle

Chapter 247 C Beginning of the Battle

Before dawn, on the western shore of Lake Azul. The whole ce was a wide, minimally inclined teau surrounded by a vast wilderness. A rocky mountain towered above its northwestern part, and on its slopes grew thick bushes. The mountain was made out of granite and underground it possessed abundant resources. A fort had been built to that ce. It was a thing over 300 years old, but there were people who repaired and remodeled it. The name of the organization that did it was the Unifiers. Ah, so weve finally arrived. The hot flying ball came down from the skies, and from its basket three figures stepped down. I feel tired, Elena. An aging white-haired man with blue clothes said. Donald, youre a human after all. I dont feel that at all. A dazzlingly beautiful girl said. But she was surrounded by a cold atmosphere. The remaining silhouette was obviously not a human. It was the golem number 457. The three figures were surrounded by a crowd of other figures who came from somewhere. Thanks for the reception. Donaldposedly said, and began walking out protected by the guard golems who approached them. Elena and golem number 457 also followed them. A part of the wall of rock had been made into a door openable by only the superhuman strength of golems, beyond which there was a spacious room. Traversing therge room, they were freely let to pass through a set of doors protected by golems. They climbed up stairs, and walked on through a long hallway. Then at the end of the hallway Donald touched the door with his hand and the door opened automatically. Inside there was a decorated room. On both the left and right side multicolored tapestries were hung, in front of which silver- and gold-colored golems were standing holding spears. A scarlet carpety in the middle. Donald and Elena walked on it straight to the back of the room. Wee back, Elena. A person sitting in the back of the room called out. Ive returned, my lord. Elena replied to him. Atst, it seems that the time for an all-out offensive hase, right? Yes. The flying hot balls contacted and the countries are still in a state of disarray. If we now switch to the offensive, the Unifiers led by my lord wille to reign over this continent. Contrasting with her clear and beautiful voice, madness revealed itself through her words. But there was no one here who was suspicious of her. It was because here at the throne of the headquarters of all Unifiers, the only two people were the top seat and the second seat. In fact in the whole headquarters the number of people was less than 50. The rest were all golems. There are 500 old typebat golems. New typebat golems number 500. 200 all-purpose golems. The activation of a total of 1200 golems has been finished. As expected of my lord, the preparations are ready. In that case have them sort Just when Elena had spoken that far. Reporting. A gigantic figure is approaching from the skies. An urgent report from a guard golem came in. From the skies, you say? The man who appeared to be the top seat of the Unifiers operated the Magi Tool attached to the armrest of his chair for some reason. Then a picture was projected in front of them in the room. It seemed to be a variant of the Magic Screen. He switched the picture between various Magic Eyes installed outside the headquarters and sessfully found the figure in question. A deep ck silhouette flying with the daybreak as the backdrop. It was quite a curious object. It had four rings arranged to a square, and something was dangling from the center of it. That something appeared to be the shape of a gigantic human. What? Whats that? No one could answer. However, Elena red at the human shape with eyes that seemed to burn. Thats a! Undoubtedly, its an extension of Adriannas designs. I see, so this means the appearance of that Mysterious Golem Master, Jin, or whatever. We must give him a good wee. Elena grumbled and turned to face the top seat of the Unifilers, Joule, have all the golems sortie. And Gigantes too! She gave an order. Not one bit of the respect she had when calling him my lord until now could be felt. However, no one raised an objection to that. Father, well soon be approaching Kashamnoor. Reiko who was sitting in the navigators seat of Pelican-1 said. Incidentally Jin was sitting in the main pilots seat, but he wasnt doing anything essential. He left it all to the autopilot of the Air Force golems Control Core. Got it. Standby at a high-altitude. Hows Titan-1? Estimated to arrive there in about five minutes. Laojins voice was heard through a ManaCom. From the floatsink base to here there was a distance of about 50 kilometers and they had coordinated to arrive at the same time, but it was inevitable that the slowest Condor became thest one to arrive. A calction error of a few minutes was probably no wonder. Alright. Have it turn off [Stealth] and approach the enemy while visible. Once the enemy notices theyll surely do something. Jin was thoroughly in the mood for defeating them crushingly. Have the Army golems dropped off a small distance away from the ce thought to be the enemy base. Just as Jin ordered, the ten Falconsnded about two kilometers away from the relevant location. The three Pelicans chose level ground and alsonded. With this the full line-up of Army golems was 100. They split into teams of ten golems each and formed a row. The Raptor units circled in the air and monitored the ground. Beyond the horizon, the sun started to rise. The surroundings were dyed yellowish brown. While the light shined on, Condor-1 and the Titan-1 it was carrying came to sight. Since [Stealth] was off they were very visible. Oh, theyre here. Alright, have Titan-1 get just a bit closer to the enemy base and drop down. Just as ordered, Titan-1nded in a location about a kilometer away from the enemy base. As the sun rose little by little the light turned from yellowish brown to golden, then white. Within the light, the enemy bases doors opened. 100bat golems that Elena had called old type appeared. Each one was holding a spear and a shield. First lets try them out. Go! Elena gave the order and thebat golems began an organized march. Father, its the enemy golems. Jin and Reiko were watching them from the sky. Alright, lets have the Army golems meet them. Land corps, go! A 100 vs 100 golem battle began. But this battle was excessively one-sided. The Unifiers 100 golems formed a single line and advanced forming a wall. Their attack could well be said to be in perfect order surely only possible for inorganic beings. But their opponents, the Army golems, were no ordinary golems. Far from ordinary, they were the pinnacle of golems in this world. The Unifiers golems readied their shields and thrust their spears out of the gaps. They were in a so-called phnx formation. The Land corps side wasnt holding shields or spears. They were holding Vibration Swords. They were swords made out of Magi Adamantite that could cleave anything they touched in two with microscopic ultra high speed vibrations caused by pouring Magic Energy into the de. The steel spears the Unifiers golems thrust out were sliced apart in the blink of an eye. Then as a counterattack the swords cut through the shields they were holding and into their defenseless chests. Those thrusts were urate to the inch and destroyed the Control Cores in the golems central area. Ten seconds after contact, the Unifiers 100 golems were rendered incapable ofbat. Joule, the top seat of the Unifiers, who had been watching it through the Magic Screen was shocked. W-what the!? Even though they were old type, to think thebat golems were instantly killed! But Elena was measuring the true strength of the Land corps even while frustration was visible on her face. Next! 200 golems move out! Make sure not to assemble to a rank. Shields are unnecessary. Use swords. For the second battle, 200 golems came out. This time the 200 golems began their assault not in an ordered rank but in a scattered manner. So this time its 200 golems. Land corps, retreat two meters from the 100 golems defeated just now. Form groups and meet the enemy as teams. Watching the battlefield from the skies the progress of the battle was well-visible. Even theyman Jin could gave orders as things were. Additionally, Ann was helping him. To avoid the defeated golems the charge was slower. In addition, their postures were in disarray. Aiming at that the Land units attacked. If they aimed at the legs, the legs were cut off. Then shing diagonally from the shoulder even the Control Core inside the enemys chest was destroyed, stopping their movements. If they cut off the neck, the golems sight would immediately worsen and such golems were readily neutralized. On top of the 100 wrecked golems that the battle started with, more wrecks piled up. Elena who had been watching all that said, Now, is it. Have the 500 new typebat golems sally out from behind those guys! Chapter 248 - Fierce Battle

Chapter 248 C Fierce Battle

Hm? So there was an exit there too. Jin who could literally see the big picture from the sky saw an exit open in a rock wall about 500 meters behind and to the west of where the Land corps were fighting with the enemy. Land corps, watch your backs! Titan-1, back them up. Jin immediately gave orders. After receiving that the Land units from 1 to 60 turned around. The remaining units from 61 to 100 kept massacring the old typebat golems. Oh? This time the golems are of a different model, probably a newer type. Be careful! Jin gave further orders, even to the Raptor team circling in the sky. Be prepared to fire down Magi Jammers at any time. Then he returned to watching the battle. There were 500 of the new type golems that had appeared. Although the old types were mostly defeated, it was still a five times difference in the fighting force. But thats where Titan-1 came in. What a gigantic golem. In practice just the sight of it is menacing. Although even Adrianna didnt built something like that. As youd expect, even Elena felt threatened staring at the gigantic Titan. Before our golems meet with theirs, toss two Gigantes cores in the middle of them! Elenas instructions. One of the all-purpose golems followed them. The pasts superweapon Gigantes was controlled by its Core. That Core absorbed Mana from its surroundings and made it its own. Simply by touching it could suck out the opponents Mana and render them immobile. Thats the kind of superweapon it was. Gigantess Cores were usually held in sealed boxes, so the all-purpose golem tossed the cores, boxes and all, into the middle of the old typebat golems. The boxes hit the ground and broke, then the Gigantes sucked the Mana out of the old typebat golems and formed themselves. Their bodies wereposed of rock and old typebat golem body parts which had been lying around. Two Gigantes, huh. So the two we failed to find were in their hands. Jin said while watching the battlefields state from a Magic Screen while flying in the air. But to use your allies Mana. What a nasty bunch. Currently, the Land corps were under pincer attack by the two Gigantes and the enemy golems. A number of the Land golems stopped moving when they received an attack from a Gigantes, but they were rescued by theirpatriots, had their Mana Drivers safely restarted, and re-entered the battle. Land corps, dont be concerned about the Gigantes. Draw back. Titan-1 will stop the Gigantes. Jin sent out his orders. Father, although its a Titan, wont the Gigantes still suck all its Mana out? Reiko who had once fought a Gigantes said. Mh-hm, Ive got an idea for that. Lets see if its correct, shall we? Jin then issued more orders. Titan-1, apply [Solid Barrier] on your fists. Jins n. First, concentrate the defensive barrier that usually covers the whole body to just the fists. What Gigantes could absorb was only Mana, Ether, and so on, not magic. ording to Ann, Gigantes could absorb Magic Energy from many sources: from touching things, the surrounding air, or fired magic. but during thest confrontation Reinhardts [me Lance] had melted its body. Thats why Jin had made the guess that it probably cant absorb magic. Alright, just like that bash the Gigantes! the Gigantess movements were slow. Titans right fist easily smashed into Gigantes. W-what is this! Elena was surprised. Gigantess body scattered around. Among the fragments was something shining. It was the Core. The moment the Corended on the ground it collected the surrounding scrap and rock and once again formed into a Gigantes. Hehe, I was a little surprised but Gigantes wont be defeated by an attack like that. Elena muttered while watching the Magic Screen. Meanwhile, Jin watched attentively from the sky. Just as I thought. Gigantes cant absorb magic. Alright Titan, keep on attacking like that! Titan-1 left the Gigantes that was a little further away forter and struck other Gigantes close by. Once more Gigantess body was blown to pieces. Simultaneously its Core flew out. Aiming at that Titan-1 once again swung its fist. Eh? Elena who was watching raised her voice in astonishment. Unbefittingly nimbly for its gigantic body, Titan-1 punched once more at the Core that flew out. And as youd expect, the Core couldnt bear the impact and was smashed up. Gigantes didnt form a second time. But, but why!? Elena yelled like what she just saw was unbelievable. Before her eyes, Titan-1 defeated the second Gigantes in the same way. No way Elenas exhausted voice echoed in the headquarters of the Unifiers. As soon as Jin saw that, he gave the next orders to Titan-1. Titan-1, provide backup for the Land corps. Receiving the orders, Titan-1 turned. It headed to provide backup for the Land corps who were in the middle of a fierce battle. The Land corps formed a battle formation to fight against the opponent five times their number. This was the tactic of Shouro Empire knights that Reinhardt had copied for them. ording to it one soldier had the power of one soldier, but when assembled to a group if ten soldiers came their power wouldnt be that of ten soldiers, instead theyd be able to show the power of only five or six soldiers. However, there was also the way of thought that when an army soldier formed a battle formation the power of one could be the power of three or four. Against the new typebat golems that left it all to numbers, the Land corps formed what was on Earth known as a wedge formation. In other words, the made a shape. The golems in its pointed tip held Vibration Swords and assaulted the enemy golems weak point. The back row had the duty of deploying [Solid Barrier]s and [Magic Barrier]s to protect against attacks from the rear. While holding the formation, the Land corps ran through the new typebat golems at a high speed. I see, theyre moving so that they dont get surrounded. Jin who was watching from the sky could easily understand the meaning of their movements. The image from the sky was simultaneously sent to Laojin, and using that information Laojin was able to give instructions guiding the Land corps to the appropriate ces. Now, Titan-1! Once Jin had confirmed that the Land corps had pierced through the enemy golems he gave the order to Titan-1. Titan-1 attacked from behind of the Unifiers new typebat golems which were focused on the Land corps. Around five golems were crushed underneath its giant feet and the enemy golems movements were throw into disarray. Titan-1 ran around in the middle of the enemy golems some more. Tch, how could this! Elenas face warped with displeasure. The only golems she kept seeing being destroyed were the Unifiers. Good, Titan-1, now to the right! It kicked its giant leg, and while the trampled golems werent destroyed, their legs were bent, arms broken, and heads squashed, so they were by no means okay. Their movements of course became slow, and theirbat strength plummeted. The Land corps didnt overlook that. Quickly the wrecks of the new typebat golems piled up. Fall back at once! Fix your posture and reorganize! Elena couldnt be indifferent and gave orders. Abiding those orders, the Unifiers new typebat golems temporarily put distance between them and Hourai Inds military. But in the battle just now, over 100 of the new typebat golems became scrap. There were wounded among the Land corps, but no one dropped out of the fight. But the difference in numbers was still four to one. Even with Titan, the Unifiers had the advantage. Or so it would seem. Well then, I wonder what the other party is nning? The lull of the fierce battle resulted in a break. Jin and his opponent were both examining each other while refining their tactics. Master, in battles on the ground numbers mean everything. However, the opponent isnt coordinated. We can take advantage of that. Ann also made a suggestion. Rather than Jin, Ann was better acquainted with these kinds of battles. Hm, is that so. In other words youre suggesting we go disturb the enemy. Jin muttered. Reiko caught that. Father, Ill go. Chapter 249 - Overwhelming

Chapter 249 C Overwhelming

Reiko, could you go? To make the battle situation even more advantageous, disrupting the enemy now was necessary. And the most qualified person for that was of course Reiko. But dont intervene directly yet. Only use the Magi Cannon to shoot from afar. As there still were things to think about, Jin reminded Reiko. She obediently nodded. Yes, please leave it to me. Jin then lowered the altitude Pegasus-1 was flying at. And when the ground was ten meters away. This will do. Ann, please take care of Father. Reiko said, took Peach Blossom and the Magi Cannon, then jumped down from Pegasus-1. While pinching down the hem of her skirt, Reiko dropped on the ground and stood. The location was about 500 meters away from the battlefield. Alright Reiko, fire with the Magi Cannon at 30 percent. Yes Father. Orders came down from Jin who was in Pelican-1 which had once again risen up higher. I ordered the Land corps to move just now. Our allies will be going from the left side to the right side. Got it? With her marvellous eyesight, Reiko watched the timing of when the allied Land corps had gone from the left side. She then prepared to fire the Magi Cannon in her hands. Magi Cannon, output 30 percent. Firing! Along with the boom of the shock wave, the Adamantite round was fired at a speed of around Mach 20. What are you doing! Aargh, so irritating! Elena who was watching the Magi Screen ground her teeth. At that moment, a number of the new typebat golems were blown away. Eh? After a few seconds, another bunch was. Then another. What? Whats going on? Even Elena couldnt confirm by sight the shots fired at over Mach 20 and couldnt understand what was going on. And meanwhile, more of the golems on her side were blown away. After seeing the friendly golems be blown away a total of ten times Elena lost her judgment. Golems! Spread out! If you group up the damage will increase! Spread out I said! But that was what Jin had been aiming for. Oh, the enemy golems have be scattered. I wonder if theyre scared of Reikos shelling? Jin who was viewing the scene from the sky muttered. Master, now attacks using the Raptors would be effective too. Ann presented some advice. Yeah, thats right. Instead of a wide area attack, lets have them snipe each of the individual golems. Jin then gave orders to the Raptor team. Each one of the Raptor team, fire burst shots withsers at the enemy golems on the surface. No matter what do not hit allies. W-what is it this time!? Elena let out a shriek. On the scene disyed by the Magi Screen, one new typebat golem fell after another. She couldnt tell what was going on. Just that suddenly their heads and arms, or half of their bodies disappeared and they copsed. What in the- what in the world is going oooon! Elena was almost screaming, then the top seat of the Unifiers Joule tried to calm her down by patting her shoulder. But that only irritated Elena. Annoying! Elena swung her hand. It collided with Joules chest. Along with the sound of bones breaking, Joule coughed up blood and copsed. E-Ele na? That was all he could manage to say. He then lost consciousness. Looking down at the copsed Joule, Elena recovered her discernment a little. Tch, I identally broke a piece that was still useful. Well, its fine since there are plenty of recements. She dered indifferently and turned to face Donald who was looking surprised at the side. Donald, from now on youre the top seat of the Unifiers. She told him. Donalds expression had been stiff but Elenas line made him smile. Got it, Elena. From now on Im the top seat. No will could be felt in his eyes. Yes. Donald, how many hot flying balls there are left. Theres ten. Thats enough. Send all of them out. Have all of the magi board them. Got it. Theres 28 so is three in eight of them and two in two of them fine? Yes, thats fine. Have them attack the enemy from the sky! Way to go, Raptor team. Jin watched the battle situation and felt that it was bing more favourable. There were 100 enemy golems left, by now it was possible for just the Land corps to annihte them. Even now none of the Land corps had dropped out of the battle. There were some who had been wounded, but they werent on the level of hindering their movements. Alright Raptor team, stop firing thesers. With the enemies bing sparse their efficiency decreased. Land units should be enough for the rest, Jin concluded. I dont think this is the end, what will they bring out next? Just when Jin had thought so. Master, those. When Ann spoke, Jin raised his head. He had been careful of only whats below, but this time the enemy was at the same altitude as they were. They were at most a kilometer away. With the naked eye they still looked like dots. But the Magic Screen had a long-range viewing function, and when Jin looked at it he unexpectedly was impressed and spoke. Huh, hot air balloons. I did hear of this, but they really did develop them, huh. But Ann said, No, master, I also reported to Laojin that those are called hot flying balls. They were apparently developed to fight against flying devil beasts during the Great Magic War. The information apparently matched the portion of Anns memories that couldnt be recovered. Apparently only just ofte the memories could finally be recovered. These things appeared in Asunto and Tetrada, right? Well, the name doesnt matter. It looks like they use fire magic to heat air and ascend, and wind magic to move, right? As expected of Jin, just by sight he could see through to the theory behind it nearly perfectly. Thats right. And thats why in the earlier wars we could force them to make emergencyndings with the Magi Jammers. Alright, lets intimidate them before that. Jin then had Pegasus-1 move towards the enemy hot flying balls. Make sure that the Magi Jammers are ready to fire at any time. Then deploy a [Magic Barrier] at the front. The VTOL Pelican-1 advanced at a very slow speed and neared the enemy hot flying balls. But really when you get on board one of these hot flying balls you realize how big a deal they are. Yeah, truly. To have a flight method like this, the technology of the past sure is amazing, huh. Flying in the air is really an absolute advantage. You can immediately tell where the enemy army is and how many they number, and you can also attack as you please. Oi, were soon above the enemy so prepare your magic. Up in the hot flying balls a conversation like that was going on. But then their voices froze with shock. H-hey, whats that? In front of their eyes. There was a flying object shining with silver color. Its made out of me tal? Why can that thing fly? After Pelican-1 undid its [Stealth] and showed itself, everyone was astonished. Chapter 250 - Reiko Participates in War

Chapter 250 C Reiko Participates in War

Confronting the Unifiers hot flying balls, Jin ordered, Make a small hole in the balloons using thesers. Following his orders the Control Core managing the guns shot thinser beams. Without erring in their aim, they hit the Unifiers balloons. A-aargh! The Unifiers on board panicked. That was normal, as if the balloons broke they would crash. But the thin beams didnt cut open the balloons, they stopped at only opening small holes. However those holes were enough to make the balloons altitude drop. We-were falling! More fire! Its no use, the only way is down! The ten hot flying balls kepting down quite slowly, being unable to maintain their altitude due to the holes in the balloons. Seeing that Jin said, Alright, thats enough. Now its time for this. Then the Paralyzers were pointed at the crews of the hot flying balls and fired. Ugh! Gyaah! The crew members let out short groans and fainted. Even after the crews fainted, the hot flying balls kept slowly falling all the same. Because they wouldnt be crashnding there probably wouldnt be any deaths. How can this Seeing the scene on a Magic Screen, Elena was dumfounded. Outside of magic, there are forces in this world that should be understood and used. Suddenly she remembered the words Reinhardt had said. Forces other than magic Is this what he meant by that? While ring at the flying silver-colored and shining object Pegasus-1 Elena muttered bitterly. Okay, in that case All-purpose golems, march out! The autonomy of the all-purpose golems was high, and using Elradrite they could augment both their strength and magic. 200 of them were unleashed on the battlefield. Ah, new golems came out again. Those are I remember them. They were the same type of golems that the one which knocked the careless Jin off his feet back when he was saving Reinhardt and Stearina. Theyve got a reasonable performance. Land corps, be cautious! New enemies have appeared. They appear to be able to use both physical strength and magic. Jinmunicated his instructions to all the golems through Laojin. There were about 100 new typebat golems left and 200 of the all-purpose golems. The all-purpose golems, perhaps based on how the battle went so far, spread out when they headed to the battlefield. Because of the speed of their movements there were many who escaped the burst-firedsers from the Raptors. Hmm, theyve learned a little, huh. What should we do? At that moment, there was a transmission from Reiko. Father, please give me your permission for direct intervention. Jin thought about it for a bit and then gave his approval. Alright, thats fine. But absolutely dont force yourself. Limit your output to a maximum of 50 percent at your own discretion, alright? Yes! Reiko replied and kicked the ground. First shed start at ten percent output. With the Adamantite katana Peach Blossom unsheathed, even while burdened by the Magi Cannon, Reiko cut into the enemy golems faster than wind. The exterior of the all-purpose golems was made of steel. Their skeletons were also steel. Although Adamantite was many times stronger than steel cutting to steel still needed a considerable amount of power, but it was an easy feat with Reikos strength. With the first strike she cut off an arm, with the second strike she cut off the head, and with the third strike she severed the torso. And after defeating five golems like that, Reiko talked to herself, Cutting them down with three shes each is inefficient, isnt it. She then increased her power output to 30 percent. After increasing her speed even more, this time Reiko went on to cut the golems vertically in two with one swing. She was like a ck whirlwind. Where Reiko ran through only the wreckage of the enemy golems was left behind. Then after cutting down 30 golems like that, Reiko felt that the Peach Blossom in her hand was under too much strain. Its not good to identally break the katana Father gave me. She murmured and sheathed Peach Blossom. She held the Magi Cannon she had been carrying in its ce. It was made out of Magi Adamantite and was one and a half meters long. A brutal weapon that doubled as a blunt instrument. Reiko swung it around. The enemy golems it hit flipped in the air and were blown away. The shock from the impact made their limbs partlye off. This is as good as I thought! Among the enemy all-purpose golems there were ones who caught the swinging Magi Cannon with their hands but it didnt change the result. No matter how much you applied [Hardening] to it, steel didnt have the strength to stop the mass of Magi Adamantite swung at an extremely high speed. Even their strength raised by Elradrite was utterly meaningless. While swinging the Magi Cannon around with both her hands, Reiko ran through the battlefield as easily as if she was in an empty field. W-w- what in the world is sheeeeeee! Elena was already nearly shrieking. By intensely staring at the Magic Screen she could just barely see Reikos image running around in the crowded battlefield. A ck dress and a white apron. Spreading destruction while her ck hair fluttered, her shape was exactly that of a ck Princess of Destruction. The ck Princess of Destruction by herself had defeated half of the all-purpose golems. Did Adrianna make an Automata like that? I cannot believe it! Thats not an Automata! Monster, it must be a monster! The new top seat of the Unifiers Donald then said to Elena, Elena, please calm down. Even though theyre the old type, weve still got 200bat golems left. Lets send them out. He then continued, If those guys are amplifying their strength using Elradrite, theyll surely soon run out of Magic Energy. That must be the case, alright. Send them out! Oh, the same golems they brought out at first appeared. They must be running out of soldiers by now? Jins guess was right on the mark. Alright, Land corps, go to mainly strike the golems that appeared just now. Dont let them get in Reikos way. And then he thought over it some more. Hmm, the Magical Muscles used in the Land golems were made with a Ground Spiders silk as the base, werent they? He then arrived at a conclusion. Alright, Raptor team, Falcon team, listen up. Point the Induction Radiators at the battlefield and activate them. Make sure not to point them at Reikos direction. And to the ground troops he said, Land corps, attention. Induction Radiators beams areing. If your bodies seem to be overheating then withdraw. The safe zone is where Reiko is. As Jin ordered the Induction Radiators were activated. They were devices that used lightning-type magic to induce current in all metals, and the current would then heat up and melt the metal. As youd expect, it was impossible to just point it at the enemy and them up. The Land corps would also identally be simrly affected. Thats the reason why Jin gave the warning. Incidentally, the electromaic waves have no effect on humans like whats currently talked about a lot in the world. The reason is that its lightning magic instead of electromaic waves. Having received Jins warning, the Land corps immediately withdrew from the battlefield when they sensed their bodies starting to get tinged with heat. Because of this there were no injuries. However, the Unifiers old typebat golems had a low autonomy. You could say that they couldnt decide things for themselves. Thats why they stayed on the battlefield despite their bodies bing red hot. The golems are beginning to heat up!? Why? But whyyyyy! This phenomenon had already been seen on the battlefield between Frantz and Cline Kingdom, but Joule who couldve told her of that was no longer in a condition to speak. The Ground Spiders silk used in the muscles of the Land units and Reikos clothes could withstand a heat of 1000 degrees Celsius. However, the Unifiers old typebat golems couldnt bear with a heat of more than 300 degrees Celsius. The temperature at which steel radiated bright red light was around 700 degrees Celsius. The old typebat golems who had be like that had burned their muscles and were already incapable of moving. They copsed on the spot, heated up more, then became nothing more than lumps of metal. The Magi Crystals used in the Control Cores had a high melting point so they were left unmolten, but with the body molten it didnt help. The golems that were already destroyed followed the same fate. The battlefield ended up with scattered blocks of metal everywhere. Chapter 251 - Furthermore

Chapter 251 C Furthermore

Metal from the molten golems and the Magi Crystals used in them were scattered round the battlefield. Jin who was watching from above noticed something among all that. Hm? I feel like the number of Elradrite pieces is small. He could see the Magi Crystals used in the Control Cores, Mana Drivers, and Mana Tanks all around, but he wasnt able to see any more than a few dozen pieces of Elradrite. I see, its a rare Magi Crystal after all so having all the golems equipped with it wouldve been too much even for the Unifiers. Jin spoke to himself and ordered the Land golems from 91 to 100 to collect the Magi Crystals. As a result of the use of the Induction Radiator, the old typebat golems were literallypletely destroyed. Even thest ray of hope -the all-purpose golems- had been reduced in number by Reikos work, and because on top of that the Land corps were once again taking part in the battle, their fates were extremely precarious. Why, why, why! Just whats wrong here!? By now Elenas had gone past shouting with grief and was panicking. Elena, calm down. We still have that left, dont we? Donald took the kindness for his subordinates he had and used it to calm down the real leader Elena. T-thats true. Now is the time to use that. Donald, I give my permission, send it out! Yes! Donald ordered the remaining few golems and had them carry out the weapon from the past which they had called that. Master, somethingsing out again. Ann who was alert to the surroundings said to Jin who was observing the battlefield. Arge gap opened in the rock face and something came out of there. Hm. What? Whats that? It looked like a giant bow. It had an arced beam with a taut string going from one end to another. In the middle it had a part that looked like a rail. Thats a Ballista, isnt it? I see, so its a giant bow thatunches shells. Jin saw that a number of golems were drawing the crossbow and were about tounch boulders as ammunition. Judging from the golems size, the length of the bow part was about ten meters and the boulder about to beunched had a diameter of 50 centimeters. If the stones specific gravity was about three, then the stone would weigh about 200 kilograms. Will it reach from all the way there? Anyway, lets be careful. Land corps, Titan, be careful! Theyre about tounch a boulder! Nearly simultaneously with Jins warning the boulder wasunched. Drawing a parab and flying nearly 200 meters, the rock fell into the battlefield that seemed to be in a free-for-all fight. Thanks to Jins advance warning the Land corps werent injured, but the boulder flew towards one of the remaining all-purpose golems, and unluckily for it the golem couldnt evade the boulder with the damage it had taken and took a direct hit. The friendly projectile smashed its body and did serious damage. Two more boulders came flying, but the Land corps evaded them all. The enemy all-purpose golems too had no one with poor movements and were able to avoid them. Elsa then changed her orders and had the Ballista brought closer to the battlefield, this time targeting therge Titan. However, the boulder with a speed of about 10 meters per second posed no threat. The Titan easily avoided it. But if it hit then it seems like the Titan would receive some considerable damage. Reiko, do you still have shots left? Thinking hed have Reiko who had the Magi Cannon deal with it, Jin called her. Yes, Father. There are no more Adamantite rounds but I have five steel rounds left. Alright, thats enough. Shoot at the Ballista with about five percent power. Understood. Reiko then withdrew from the battlefield at a high speed. She took about 500 meters of distance. Then she prepared to fire the Magi Cannon. The target was the Ballista. The guns barrel was nearly horizontal. Output five percent, firing! The steel rounds which were softer than the Adamantite ones were shaved down inside the Magi Adamantite barrel which reduced their speed somewhat, but they were still fired. Despite that their muzzle velocity was over Mach 2, so at a distance of 500 meters Reiko could aim roughly straight at the Ballista. Aim better! Elena didnt conceal her irritation at the boulders which didnt really hit the target. In the first ce, the Ballista was a weapon developed to be used in attacks against slow-movingrge devil beasts and the devil races forts. There was no way itd hit the moving Titan-1, much less the Land corps. How useless! Just when she yelled that. The Ballista was suddenly partially destroyed. W-what? What was that? Elena was confused as again her armys weapons were destroyed in an iprehensible manner. On the Magic Screen the picture of the Ballista which got destroyed even further was visible. Ive had it! What in the world is going on!? Elena, look! Donald who was watching another Magic Screen yelled to Elena. On the Magic Screen there was a small silhouette holding some kind of a long and narrow tube at the ready. Whats that? Its so small I cant really tell? This was because their Magic Screens couldnt erge the image anymore than this. I dont really get it but she seems to be the one from earlier? That ck-haired monster, right? Guh, just how much is it going to interfere with us! Now that the threat of the Ballista was gone, the Land corps continued tidying up the remaining golems of the Unifiers. Then there were finally no more moving enemy golems left. Master, the enemy golems have been shut down. The attack and the Ballista have both stopped. Ann looked over the battlefield and said. Jin also had the same impression so, I wonder if its finally over? He agreed with Ann. But, to be careful, he spent some time checking the battlefield from the sky. Hmm, it looks to be over atst. Concluding that the resistance of the Unifiers had run out, Jin decided to give orders to invade the enemy headquarters. Land units from one to 40, stay there and protect the rear. Units from 41 to 60, storm in through the door opened for the Ballista. Units from 61 to 80, go through the front entrance. Units from 81 to 100, enter through the opening in the rock wall on the west side. Father, what shall I do? A question came from Reiko who was on the ground. Jin replied. Wait a bit longer, Reiko. If theres opposition that seems tough beyond the three entrances then please rush in to provide help. I understand. But five minutes passed, then ten, and none of teams who entered seemed to have met with any special resistance. Jin then had Pelican-1nd and dropped the substitute puppet off. Reiko came running to the spot. Reiko, please go through the front entrance along together with the substitute puppet. Yes, I understand. Also, Im very sorry about this. Reiko presented him with Peach Blossom and, Father, Peach Blossom has been chipped. She said. Jin took it and inspected the de. Indeed, the Adamantite de had some faults and its strength had also lowered. I got it. Once were back at the researchboratory Ill give it a version update to Magi Adamantite. Even so Its a narrow space so it probably isnt the time for the Magi Cannon. Leave it here. Take this instead. Jin said and handed a Vibration de to her. It wasnt one for the Land units, but the same size as the ones held in reserve for the girl-type SP. I understand. Ill be borrowing this for now. Next Jin also gave Ann orders. Ann, youe with us too this time. If its a fort from the time of the Great Magic War, then you probably know its structure well. Yes, master. Ann, you can take these. Jin handed over a Paralyzer and a Guard Ring. Thank you very much. Alright, Ill stay on standby in the sky. Once again, dont force yourself. Yes! Jin once again took to the skies with Pelican-1. Reiko and Ann headed to the headquarters of the Unifiers. This was the final curtain of the war against the Unifiers. Chapter 252 - Storming In

Chapter 252 C Storming In

At the entrance that appeared to be the front one. Fifteen minutes after the Land units from 61 to 80 rushed in through it while it was left open. Reiko, Ann, and Jins substitute puppet Deus Ex Machina also entered. Theres no mistaking it. These are the ruins of an ancient fortress. Ann said after checking the structure. The ce where they arrived after going through the entrance was something like a wide hall. It was the ce where soldiers who warped in would wait for orders. Simrly to the ruins in Yada Vige, in the floor there were traces of a Warp Gate. Although the parts left behind were very few so there was no hope of reconstructing it. It had probably been destroyed when the fort got abandoned. From the front there, a passage extended out. At the entryway to the passage there were concaves where guards had likely once been stationed in, but now there were unmoving golems there that the Land corps had destroyed. We should find stairs after walking for a bit. Following Anns guidance, the three progressed. Just as she said, after walking 20 meters more there were stairs leading up and down. The stairs down go to the armoury while the stairs up go to the control room. Where should we go? Ann turned to ask for Reikos opinion, and at that very moment. The sound of people walking up the stairs from below was heard. ! Reiko immediately got on guard, but after sensing the Magic Energy Patterns she realized that they were Land golems and moved her hand off her swords handle. The ones that came up were Land-70 and Land-71. Oh, mdy. The basement seems to be an armory, but there were nothing but broken golems and Magi Tools that had be useless. Land units from 41 to 60 also joined us and were continuing the investigation. Hearing the report, Reiko decided to head upstairs. Lets go up. They went upstairs taking Land-70 and Land-71 with them. Oh my, were not the first. The door leading to the second floor hallway was left wide open, and in the hallway there were the Land units from 91 to 100 who were supposed to have entered through the wester side. Mdy, there was nothing but household golems. Yet theyve all been neutralized. Land-100 reported to Reiko. Most likely the control room is on the fourth floor, lets go. Ann suggested. Reiko nodded and called out to Land-100 and the others. You guys please keep on investigating this floor. Reikos group then went to the third floor. The door to the third floor was left wide open, the Land units from 81 to 90 were there investigating. Reikos group left that floor to the Land corps too and went to the fourth floor. The stairs reached their end there, and a robust-looking door blocked their passage. Mdy, let us try first. Land-70 said and pushed the door together with Land-71. But it didnt budge. It feels like its been barred from the inside. What shall we do? They had a few ways of opening it. He was asking about that. Then Jin contacted them. The substitute puppets mouth opened. Just now Land-61s group discovered members of the Unifiers. The 17 people in total were all neutralized. From questioning those guys it seems that the control room is on the fourth floor. Thats the floor were on, isnt it. Thats right. Most likely the Golden Princess of Destruction is also here. Be very careful. I understand. What shall we do about this door? Should we open it with force? Lets see, chop it off with the Vibration de. Jin gave instructions while borrowing the mouth of his substitute puppet Deus Ex Machina. Yes, Father. Reiko felt just a little disappointed. The substitute puppet turned to Reiko and said to her as if consoling her, Reiko, youll be headlining today so its better to not go ahead recklessly. Then, Also, stop calling this puppet Father. This goes for all of you there, make sure to call it Machina. The word Deus meant god so Jin refrained from that and decided to have the substitute puppet nicknamed Machina which meant machine. Yes, Machina-sama. The group then passed through the door and stepped into the fourth floor proper. There in theparatively wide hallway a carpet had beenid down. Theres no mistaking it. At the end of this hallway is the control room. Its clear that a rather high-rankingmander had been in charge of this fort. Land-70 and Land-71 were side-by-side as the vanguard, behind them was Machina, and Reiko and Ann were the rearguard. They were likewise side-by-side. On the left and right there were a number of doors, but after opening them and checking inside they found nothing particrly notable. Then finally only the door at the back was left. Opening. Land-70 and Land-71 pulled on the door. Because this time there was a handle on the door. Slowly the door opened. It appeared it hadnt been bolted. Please be careful. Ann said, and at that moment. Once the door had opened enough to let a person through the gap, a number of golden and silver figures holding spears rushed out. They were golems. As I thought! Reiko who had stayed cautious immediately unsheathed the Vibration de and in the next moment cut down two of the attacking golems. Even though Reiko didnt know any sword arts, the golems were no match for her physical ability. Then Land-70 and Land-71 too cut down an enemy golem each. This time nothing jumped through the door and it was opened wide. So youve reached this far. In front of them at the back of the room there was an aging man. He was sitting with gold and silver-colored golems like the ones defeated just now standing on his left and right. There was another golem about two meters tall, but it stood in front of Reikos group as if protecting the man from the front. I am the top seat of the Unifiers, Donald. You will be the opponents of my masterpiece, golem number 457. Go! Along with this words golem number 457 kicked the floor and rushed to attack Ann. The aging man, the current leader of the Unifiers Donald, had been watching Reikos specialness through the Magic Screen so he was aiming for Ann who seemed the easiest to deal with. Ann wasnt indeed very strong. [Barrier]. But she was fast enough to activate the Guard Ring she had received from Jin. The Guard ring had once defended against a hit from Reiko at 30 percent output. Golem number 457s fist came to a halt ten centimeters before reaching Ann. W-what!? Land-70s Vibration de mowed down golem number 457 which had stopped briefly. Even steel hardened to the utmost couldnt offer even a little resistance against the Vibration de. The golem number 457 was cut in half at the waist and copsed to the floor making a massive sound. Wha-wh-whwhwhw My masterpiece was Donald turned pale. Machina = Jin turned towards him and spoke. A masterpiece like this is shameful. The masterpiece is always the next one. Reiko stayed silent and nodded as he spoke. Why you Cheeky brat! As if the technology from the past could lose so easily! Thats right! It cant looooooose! But Donald was close to being half-frenzied as he didnt appear to ept the reality in front of him. Ann, the Paralyzer. Machina = Jin couldnt just watch and gave the order. Ann immediately cancelled the [Barrier] and zapped Donald with the Paralyzer. Agh. Then again, she changed over to [Shock] mode and once more zapped him. Perhaps because of something rted to [Shock]s wavelength, or its waveform, there were also people who werent knocked unconscious by it. Therefore it was necessary to zap the people thought to be mentally manipted twice. At the same time as Donald fainted, the gold and silver golems on his left and right side rushed for the attack but they were promptly beaten by Land-70 and Land-71. Now then, I thought that the Golden Princess of Destruction would be here, but she isnt. Reiko looked around the room and said. Ah? Elder Sister, someone has copsed over there. Ann who had been simrly looking around the room found a copsed person concealed by the tapestry hung on the wall. Who might he be? Ann who found him, Reiko, and Machina went there to look. Land-70 and Land-71 stayed vignt of the surroundings. The copsed person was an old man. Ann examined his wounds and her diagnosis was, His sternum is broken but he seems to still be alive. Machina = Jin decided to use the restorative medicine he brought with him, thinking that the person might have some useful information. He applied it on the chest wound and the old mans breathing seemed to be easier. Next Jin made him drink it. The old man managed to somehow drink the restorative medicine. His breathing became regr and color returned to his face. Then the old man opened his eyes. Chapter 253 - Trap

Chapter 253 C Trap

Uhh Where am I? The old man opened his eyes and after looking around asked Machina. This seems to be the headquarters of the Unifiers. Machina replied, and the old man slowly shook his head. The Unifiers. Ah, I remember. I am the top seat of the Unifiers, Joule Rn. I somehow feel like Ive been dreaming for a long time. The sock of being hit and lingering between life and death seemed to have cleared his brainwashing, Jin thought through Machina. Originally the Unifiers idolized Dinar Kingdom and chased after that ideal. Antagonising fellow countries like this makes me unhappy, it was supposed to be a group about ideological unification. As if convincing himself, Joule Rn uttered. Why did it turn to this Joule was very troubled. Seeing him like that, Machina asked him a question. Do you remember what youve done? Joule nodded. Yes. But, how should I say this, its as if another person had been doing it. Just why did I make those orders After replying Joule was once again troubled. Jin who was watching the scene through a Magic Screen in Pelican-1 thought that first of all hed carry onwards, and decided to give orders through Machina. Land-71, stay with Joule for a while. Dont take your eyes off the unconscious Donald either. Everyone else, be careful of your surroundings. Like Ann said, the Golden Princess of Destruction should be hiding somewhere. The Golden Princess of Destruction. Joule had a reaction to the words. Ah, you must mean Elena? Ah, oh, Elena. Right, it was at her instructions. Thats right, I remember now. Her orders were absolute. She was our queen So the Golden Princess of Destruction Elena really was the true mastermind all along. Joule was surprised and looked at Ann who said so. Youre an Automata? Blue-haired Automata We were supposed to have destroyed and scrapped on Elenas orders all the blue-haired Automata we found from the ruins So there were still some remaining. Might you know where this Elena has gone? Ann asked and Joule pointed behind the top seats chair and, If she wasnt here, then behind there is a secret passage. She probably snuck out through there. He replied. He seemed to have beenpletely cleared of the brainwashing. Alright, Reiko, Ann, Land-70, lets go. Leaving Land-71 at Joules side, the group searched for the secret passage. They soon found it. They hit the floor and found a hollow spot. Land-70 then found a depression where by putting a finger there and lifting the trapdoor could be easily opened. Under it were stairs going steeply down. It was nearly totally dark. Stairs down, huh. Lets go in the order with Land-70 first, then Reiko, Ann, and Machina. Jin gave the orders and the group went down the stairs. They kept going straight down an unknown distance. From a bright ce the stairs looked pitch ck but in fact there was a dim light inside, and group could continue without any problems. I wasnt aware of a hidden passage like this. It mustve been builtter. And so I dont know what lies after this. Please be very careful. While climbing the stairs down Ann cautioned, and at that moment. Suddenly the stairs vanished. Or more urately the steps turned to a slope, like a yground slide. Naturally the group slipped and fell. But while the case may have been different if there were humans, no one panicked. Land-70 who was in the front thrust out his arms to the walls and stopped. Naturally, the following three people collided with Land-70 and stopped. A trap, is it. If we were humans then it wouldve been effective, dont you think? Mh-hm. Land, can you smoothly go down like that while keeping the speed slow? Machina asked and Land-70 nodded. Yes, Machina-sama. Its a simple task. The group then left braking to Land and once again began descending. They slid down while Land applied strength to his arms to keep the speed down. Its a long way down, isnt it. Weve already gone past the height we climbed, dont you think were in the basement now? On top of that the descent waspletely straight. The stairway, no, the slide went down at about a 45 degree angle. Just when they thought they had gone quite a ways underground, the end finally came to sight. Land, stop for now. When there was just ten meters left to the end of the stairway, Machina = Jin ordered Land-70 and had him stop for a moment. Theres a high chance theres an another trap. Proceed carefully. Yes, Machina-sama. Land-70 then once again went downwards, this time at a third of the speed he had used until now. Meanwhile Reiko, Ann, and Machina were all watchful of their surroundings. Then suddenly they reached the end of the stairway. A single door was there. Reiko who had the best hearing tried to listen carefully but heard nothing. Reiko tried changing her vision to the infrared spectrum but there were no heat sources near the door. Hmm, if it were me what kind of a trap would Iy? Jin pondered inside Pelican-1. Meanwhile Land-70 touched the door. At the same time Jin suddenly understood a possibility. This is bad! Everyone, watch out above! Before Jin had finished saying so through Machinas mouth, a noise could be heard up from the stairs, nay, the slope. Boulders! Reiko who had noticed the noise first looked up and shouted. Yes, an avnche of rock wasing down the slope. The door was a dummy. The moment the door was touched, a trap generated boulders. nning to bury us alive!? The length of the slope going down was over 50 meters. Enough rock to fill it to capacity slid down. [Barrier]. [Barrier]. Reiko used the pendant, Ann used the ring. The magical barriers hidden in thempletely protected them from the rockfall. But like this they couldnt move. Unlike humans they had no worry of suffocation, but there was no way they could stay like this forever. Hmm, ways to remove all this rock quickly Theres only one, huh. Machina = Jin came to a conclusion. Reiko, Ill exin to you the procedure to listen carefully. First take away the Mana Tank inside Machina thats for emergency use. Yes. The Mana Tank was a Magi Device for the purpose of running problem-free even in regions with a low concentration of Ether. Reiko was the other one who had one of them. Reiko took out the Mana Tank from inside Machina. It was made out of Magi Crystals of all attributes. Even in the darkness it glittered with the colors of a rainbow. In this ce the concentration of Ether was plentiful so Machina who had an Ether Converter didnt stop running. Alright, bury it in the rock that slid down. Itll be hard. Yes. With the [Barrier] on she couldnt smash the rock, as the person inside couldnt even directly touch the rock. Now it was important to temporarily disable the Barrier and quickly set the Magi Crystal in the rock. While doing so someone had to prop up the rock that was about to fall down, but Reiko and Land-70 had plenty strength to support the rockfall and they managed to do it. This was of course because the strength the two had was immense, but also because the friction of the rocks stuffed in the narrow passage helped. Ann watched over Reiko and Land-70 while being prepared to activate the [Barrier] if by any chance it was needed. While supporting the rocks with her right hand, Reiko plunged the Magi Crystal in her left hand into a crevice in the rocks. Then she and Ann again activated the [Barrier]s. Everything had been done without a hitch. Alright, that went well, didnt it. Now the finishing touch. Reiko, on my mark use [Mana Explosion] on the Magi Crystal buried inside. Yes. Jin then, just in case, had the allied forces in the fortress evacuate. The resistance had fallen apart so getting out was possible in minutes. Of course Land-71 and Joule and the unconscious Donald left too. He also ordered for the other prisoners who had been rendered unconscious elsewhere taken out. Okay, wait a little longer Alright, now! [Mana Explosion]. Reikos strongest offensive magic exploded. The Mana Crystal used as the Mana Tank was a lump of Mana, so to speak. If that was made to explode then what would happen? The area around Reiko was sealed by an indestructible barrier. The pathway was straight. The answer was soon apparent. The Magi Crystal with a potential over ten times higher than that of the Core of Hekantokheires -which was once defeated in the mountains north of Kaina Vige- detonated. The mass of rock filling the long sloping path was all blown upwards towards the exit. It turned into a rock cannonball and burst out all at once. With its force it blew through the roof of the control room on the top floor and flew outside. Ooh, it was stronger than I thought, huh. Jin, who was looking at the scene from Pelican-1, saw a part of the rock teau crack and admired the debris flying from there to a height of over 50 meters. W-w-h-what!? What is it this time? The Golden Princess of Destruction Elena had escaped to a room behind a hidden door prepared in advance at the exact midpoint of the slope that had originally been a staircase. She had been feeling relieved when she had sessfully had the people chasing her fall into the trap. That very moment she felt a tremor that was as if it had shaken the whole fort. She looked at the Magic Screen that was still intact and saw rock fragments shooting out like cannonballs from a hole in the rock teau serving as the roof of the fort. What! What is this! Dont tell me this was also done by that monster!? Elenas shouting echoed. Machina-sama, that went well, didnt it? Ann also felt admiration. And Reiko, after cancelling the [Barrier] she was listening carefully. I heard a voice from the middle of the slope. I see, so there was a hidden room or a passage on the way. Alright, lets climb back up. The sloped path had been damaged quite a lot by the shock and had be rough, so climbing it wasnt inconvenient. The group then climbed up easily and finally found the hidden door. Chapter 254 - Princess of Destruction

Chapter 254 C Princess of Destruction

Be careful. Yes, I know. Machina = Jin, Reiko, Ann, and Land-70 all four were standing in front of the hidden door they found in the middle of the slope that had originally been a staircase. Opening. Land-70 pushed the door, but, it didnt budge. Weve probably already been exposed. Do it with all your strength. Yes. Following Jins orders, Land-70 pushed the door with full power. The door and thetch held out, but the hinges could no longer bear with it and the whole door flopped inside the room. They had thought the room would be cramped, but unexpectedly it was fairly spacious. Maybe about the size of a primary school ssroom. Straight forward at the back of the room a single Automata could be seen standing still. So youve finallye. The Automata spoke. You must be Elena. The Automata shook her head in denial at Machinas words. That name was arbitrarily given to me by a ve. I am a queen. The queen of Automata. As I thought, you doubtlessly are the Golden Princess of Destruction. Ann let out such words, then the Golden Princess of Destruction stared at her. So one was still left alive. Even though I thought all the puppets of Adriannas lineage destroyed. She said, as if spitting it out. Jin was watching the image projected on Pelican-1s Magic Screen sent through the Magic Eyes embedded in Machinas eyes. Even through the Magic Screen, the Automata was very beautiful. Golden hair that reached all the way to her waist, white porcin skin, deep crimson eyes. Her proportions were also nearly perfect. However. How dangerous. Jin leaked out a few words as hoping to interrupt them. They were conveyed with the ManaCom through Machinas mouth. What might you mean by that? The Golden Princess of destruction found fault with that and turned to Machina. Her eyes shined bewitchingly. They were Evil Eyes so to speak, with the [Charm] effect. Normally, Jin who had no resistance against mental attacks wouldve perhaps immediately be her ve. But Machina wasnt Jin. The picture conveyed to Jin through the Magic Eyes and the Magic Screen couldnt charm Jin. Ah, I dont know the person who built you. But I was wondering just what that person taught you. Isnt that obvious. You are the best. Those were Mothers final words. You are the best? Reiko and Machina = Jin both said at the same time. Thats correct. I am the best. In other words, this whole world should get on their knees before me! Madness could be felt from the Golden Princess of destruction who triumphantly dered so. Shes malfunctioning after all, huh. Yes, Fat- Machina-sama. Machina = Jin and Reiko had the same conclusion. Reiko then took a step forward. You are the best. Dont you think that what the person who made you wanted to say was you are the best daughter she could hope for? What was that? Did she not fail to continue the words you are the best? The Golden Princess of Destruction was at a loss for words after Reikos question. The madness disappeared from her eyes. But that was just for a moment. Shut up, shut up, shut up! What do you know! I am Mothers masterwork! I am the queen of Automata! She yelled and leapt upon Reiko. Then she tightened both her hands around Reikos throat. Ha, haha, hahahaha Ill twist off your head like this. Then Ill rip off your arms and legs. Just like I did to all the Automata up to now. The Golden Princess of Destruction then suddenly put strength into it. However, unlike what she wished, Reiko stayed calm. Then, What is it that youre doing? Reiko threw words at the Princess of Destruction as though she didnt care at all. Shock was visible in the face of the Princess of Destruction. Y-y-y-you! From the battlefield, youre the monsteeeeeeer! Reiko caught hold of the hands of the Princess of Destruction and easily shook them off. Im not a monster. Im an Automata. The names Reiko. Pleased to make your acquaintance. You, youre! Youre one of Adriannas daughteeeeers!! The Golden Princess of Destruction heated up even more. In contrast, Reiko was calmness itself. Thats right. My Mother, Adrianna Balbora Ceci built me. And Nidou Jin is my Father. You say youve got both pareeeents? You make meugh! Reiko, you said! As if, as if someone like you! While yelling she raised her fists and threw herself upon Reiko. Reiko caught her fist. Stop struggling. However, the Golden Princess of Destruction would no longer stop. The sword arts and the martial arts she knew disappeared somewhere as she only iled with her arms as she fought against Reiko. She looked just like a spoiled child. Stop it, I said. Eek! Reiko took the swung fist and threw the Golden Princess of Destruction to the opposite side of the room. She crashed to the wall, got up with a dangerous glint in her eye, and once again headed to face Reiko. She was fast like a swift wind, but Reiko was even faster. The Princess of Destructions left fist and Reikos right fist collided. Along with a dull smash the Princess of Destruction was blown away. Her left arm was torn to pieces from the elbow to her fingertips. Arrgh As I thought, someone like him couldntpletely fix me! Once again the Princess of Destruction came swinging at Reiko. Reiko met her with a fist. This time her right arm was blown off from the shoulder. Just stop. You cannot win against me. Reiko said, but the Golden Princess of Destructions madness didnt weaken. Why, why, why! Why is Adrianna always hindering me! Why is she always bullying me! Mother! Mootheeer! Where are yoouu! Reiko, somethings strange with her. Machina = Jin who had been watching them attentively whispered. Yes, so it seems. Reiko also felt that. Lets settle this. Reiko said and took the Vibration de in her hand. Then, Sleep peacefully. While speaking she cut the Golden Princess of Destruction horizontally straight apart. Her upper and lower half of the body separated, and the Princess of Destruction fell over to the floor. But words were stilling out of her mouth, and she was trying to use her sole remaining left elbow to move. I am the best. I am the queen. Mo t her But her movements gradually weakened, and eventually the light went out from her deep crimson eyes. Is it over? Machina = Jin let out a sigh. For Jin it was an extremely nerve-wracking act. Seeing her engulfed with madness until the very end was simply sorrowful. Would Reiko have also be dominated by such madness if something had gone wrong? The situation made Jin think about that. Reiko, good work. Lets recover the Golden Princess of Destruction and go home. Yes, fa- Machina-sama. The group then left the room behind them. Chapter 255 - Princess of Destruction, Terminated

Chapter 255 C Princess of Destruction, Terminated

Jin decided to leave his substitute puppet Machina there and have Laojin control it and takemand of dealing with the remaining business. He himself took the Golden Princess of Destructions pieces and returned to Hourai Ind with Reiko and Ann. When they came here they had flown all the way, but on the return trip they decided to use the floatsink base. ording to Laojin since it also had a [Stealth] function they probably wouldnt be seen even during the day. Of course they checked that there were no boats or such in the surroundings. However, even the fishing boats going into the giantke Azul didnt go that far from the shore, so the worry that the waves caused by the bases rise would affect them was exceedingly small. It was better to not use it too frequently, but this time Jin andpany returned before others to the researchboratory through the floatsink bases Warp Gate. Now then, shall we examine this fellow? The Golden Princess of Destructions body and her broken arms wereid on top of the workbench. Jin began assiduously examining them. Reiko had the Vibration Sword in hand prepared for any unforeseen situations, and Ann was standing next to Jin to give advice. Hmm, so she has a simr endoskeleton. Its just that the attachment of the muscles is still imperfect, huh. Although it was far superior to usual golemss, Jin saw that the structure wasnt a match for the works of the predecessor. The skeletons made out of Light Silver, huh. Well, thats appropriate. Then theres Whats this? Father, is something the matter? If something surprised Jin it was probably quite serious, Reiko thought and hurriedly rushed over to Jins side from other side of the workbench. Mmh, ah, sorry. I just saw something curious in her structure. Jin said and opened up the Princess of Destructions chest unit so that Reiko could also see. Theres no Ether Converter. No Mana Driver either. Besides what might this be? Seeing theposition she had never seen before, Reiko too couldnt immediatelyprehend how the Princess of Destruction worked. But as Jin had alreadypletely understood it, he exined it to Reiko. Yeah, this is an Ether Tank and this is an Ether Driver. The energy efficiency is poor, but it seems to be able to produce power easily. Although its not slim at all. Jin said while looking at the giant Magi Crystal working as the Ether Driver. It appears that around the time of the Great Magic War the Ether concentration in the air was much higher than now. So this was probably fine then. In that case, if this Automata went to a ce where the Ether was thicker, it wouldve be more powerful? Jin thought a little and then answered Reikos question. Thats right. If the Ether concentration was doubled, it would probably be able to increase its output by a half. Including Reiko, Jins golems and Automata had an Ether Converter the output of which would double if the Ether concentration doubled. However, it appeared that the manufacturer of the Golden Princess of Destruction couldnt build an Ether Converter in the end. Or she disliked imitating Adriannas patterns. If Ether was crude oil then an Ether Driver burns it directly, while an Ether Converter refines it to gasoline which a Mana Driver then uses. Its a roughparison, but maybe its an easy one to understand. At any rate, its not a match for Mothers technology is the gist of it, is it not? Reiko who came to this conclusion looked slightly proud. Well, the other thing is this. This is no doubt the Control Core, but its a Magi Crystal Ive never seen before. Ann, can you recognize it? Jin had a pink Magic Crystal in his hand. Its diameter was about five centimeters; it was ratherrge. No, I do not. What might the attribute turn out to be? Ann didnt appear to know either. Hmm, it seems to be aposite of light and fire attributes. To think that a Magi Crystal like this could naturally form. At any rate, this should be filled with the memories and knowledge of the Golden Princess of Destruction. Lets have Laojin analyze it. But before that It was a precious source of information, so Jin decided to hold onto a duplicate of it. He prepared an all-attribute Magi Crystal and, [Transfer Info]. He used the Craft Magic for transcription. But at that moment. Woah!? The pink Magi Crystal suddenly lit up. Jin closed his eyes reflexively due to the radiance but Reiko focused on the phenomenon. What was that? The puzzled Jin said while rubbing his eyes, and Reiko who had been watching in detail exined. Father, it seems that the Magi Crystal overreacted to a specific Magic Energy wavelength or waveform. That light came from changing the Magic Energy of [Transfer Info] into light. What? I can understand the theory, but the existence of a Magi Crystal that naturally does that is Nothing like that was in the abundant knowledge Jin inherited from the predecessor. Ann said he didnt know about it either. Hmm, this is just a hypothesis, but could the cause for the overreaction to my Magic Energy -in other words the predecessors Magic Energy- perhaps be the Princess of Destructions hostility against the predecessor? Its possible, but thats hard to prove, isnt it. Yeah. Expressly confirming that seems troublesome too. Anyway, its better not to poorly tamper with it. By the way, was the copy made sessfully? Jin tried examining the all-attribute Magi Crystal. There mightve been some missing parts but most of it had been copied. Alright, lets have this analyzed. Lets make sure the original is securely sealed for now. Since it was a Magi Crystal with unknown properties, Jin decided to be cautious with its handling. He decided to wrap it in thin Mithril foil to inste the Magic Energy, and store it inside a bulky Adamantite box. Alright,stly are her eyes. Jin detached the deep crimson Magi Crystals which had been used as the eyes for the Princess of Destruction. As I thought, theyre Blood Crystals. If I remember right, they had the [Charm] effect. That was something in Jins knowledge. Using these eyes at the same time seems to make mental maniption simple, huh Thiste in the game, Jin felt relieved and thought it was good that he hadnt gone in person. Alright, now I understand it all. I suppose Ill try to repair her. Jin said after finishing the investigation of the Golden Princess of Destruction. Reiko couldnt keep quiet about it. Father, even though she was hostile youre repairing her? When asked so, Jin smiled and added, Yeah, as long as I remove the cause of her madness shell be very helpful, I think. And I was thinking Id have her monitor the Unifiers. Jin exined his n further. The group of small nations, in other words Celuroa Kingdom, Egelia Kingdom, Frantz Kingdom, and Cline Kingdom had beenpletely disturbed by the Unifiers. Instead of leaving the management of the aftermath to just the individual countries, he wanted to have the Unifiers take responsibility. That top seat guy, Joule was it, seems to have returned back to sanity and is regretting things, you see. Hed have the Golden Princess of Destruction, or more urately someone just like her monitoring Joule by his side and giving him advice. I see, I understand now. If she looks like the Golden Princess of Destruction she was originally then she wont feel out of ce, correct? Thats right. So Ill try to repair her. But lets adjust some of the structure. And so Jin set about to repairing the Golden Princess of Destruction. He left the skeleton as it was. But he decided to use the Hourai Ind standards for the instation of the Magical Muscles and their material. Yet he decided to restrict the power output a lot, to about the level of ayperson. Just in case, he thought. He coated the joints with Adamantite. The skin was also changed to Hourai Inds standard Magical Skin. The same skin that was used in Ann. He installed an Ether Converter and an Ether Driver. The problem was the Control Core. Hmm, what should I do Jin was troubled. Father, what are you worrying about? Out of consideration for the troubled Jin, Reiko called out to him. Ah, I was thinking about what to do about her memories. If analyzed, I could even remove her memories of after she malfunctioned, but is that what I should do If it were me, I wouldnt want to be left with the memories of the time I was mad. Id want to be myself because Mother and Father wished me to be so. Hearing Reikos words, Jin made up his mind. Alright, I got it. In that case, lets remove her memories after the point her manufacturer passed away. Then lets confer her the information afresh. In other words, even though she would know what happened, shed recognize the deeds as not hers but of someone elses doing. I dont really want to tamper with her, but shed be dangerous. Father, for Automata it is detestable to have oneself act against the wishes of their creator. Reiko said to encourage Jin. I got it, Reiko. Jin then prepared a milky white Magi Crystal, and very very carefully transcribed the memories of the former Golden Princess of Destruction to it in order of age. He digitized the record of memories and such using the structure of the molecules of the Magi Crystal. Its a digression, but its said that a single standard Magi Crystal could record the memories of 50 people. Alright, its up to here. By the way, herst memory is You are the best, huh. Whats up with that? You are the best? Is it not You are the best daughter I could hope for? Yeah. She probably died mid-way through the sentence Reiko stared motionlessly at the former Golden Princess of Destruction and, Poor thing. I was able to hear Mothersst will but she didnt even have that. She said. First Reiko had been opposed to repairing the Princess of Destruction, but it seems that she had gradually grown sympathetic. Yeah, thats where her misfortune began, isnt it. Jin then after once again worrying about it, added daughter I could hope for to the end of it. Its not a very good thing to do though. Jin muttered and Reiko said to him, No, Father is kind. Even if they are fake memories, this girl will surely be happy. I guarantee it. Thanks, Reiko. Then Jin recorded what happened until now into the information area instead of the memory area. With this shes be able to understand what had happened and what she had done. Hed then have her use the information to make things up afterwards. Lastly, as a safety measure, he added measures to purge the main Magi Device in case she fell into the hands of a third party. Only thing left is general maintenance. As Reiko had bisected the clothes she had worn along with her body, he remade them anew. During it he noticed that he had beente in having lunch so after eating and continuing with it, everything was finished at 5 PM Hourai Inds time. Alright, [Activate]. The former Golden Princess of Destruction opened her eyes. Her eyes had been changed to be just regr red Magi Crystals. She slowly sat upright, then looked at Jin and, You have repaired me? She said. Yeah. How is your condition? It is excellent. Thank you very much. After hearing that Jin tried to ask as an experiment, Do you remember what has happened until now? Yes, I was built by my Mother, loved by her, and she left me with her final words of You are the best daughter I could hope for. I do not have any memories after that. I seem to have been broken. She replied. Jin was relieved. Then again, Alright, in that case what is your name? He tried asking. The manufacturer hadnt given her a name. If there was any disorder or ws between her memories and knowledge then she would surely respond with Elena. But. I do not have a name. It would be a privilege if you who repaired me gave me one. Her reply calmed Jin down. Alright, youre Elena. Yes, I am Elena. Without raising any objections that her name was the same as the Elena in her knowledge, Elena epted her name. Like this, the Golden Princess of Destruction disappeared and was born again as Elena. As you might expect Jin was tired so he went to rx in the hot springs, ate Reikos home cooking, and soon went to bed. Contrary to Jin, the magical brain of Hourai Ind Laojin who knew no tiredness was taking one measure after another in ordance with Jins ideas. The headquarters of the Unifiers was re-established, and to repair it back to functional the Smith units were dispatched. After finishing collecting the wreckage from the battle, the Land Corps near the Unifiers headquarters were withdrawn except for the 20 Land units from Land-81 to Land-100. The brainwashing of the captured Unifiers was undone. Such things were done first. Further arrangements would begin the next morning when Jin would wake up. Thus, there was finally hope that the long days of mayhem caused by the Unifiers would end. Chapter 256 - Had Jin Been the One to Find Elena

Chapter 256 C Had Jin Been the One to Find Elena

Content warning: violence, pain Please think about this tale as something like a parallel world. - One day, one of the Quinta dispatched everywhere reported encouraging news through Laojin. My Lord, on the western shore of the Lake Azul there are ancient ruins that have been turned into a tourist attraction, but underneath it there seems to be arge room. Mh-hm, has that not been found before? It hasnt, My Lord. Hmm, seems interesting. Lets try going for once. Jin muttered, and Reiko raised an objection. Father, its dangerous to go personally to an unknown ce like that. Mmh, Ive got Reiko and since theyre ancient ruins lets have Anne along this time too. And Ill be wearing the reinforced clothing and taking Muramasa and Masamune with me. Reiko was still looking a bit sullen yet, Theres no other way, is there. Ill take Peach Blossom and the Magi Cannon. Lets also have the SP carry a Paralyzer, a Vibration de, and an Induction Radiator each. She said. Jin who heard that wondered about what on earth she was going to wage a war on. But he kept his mouth shut since it seemed like Reiko wouldve asked him not to go since it was dangerous had he said it. If we go through the floatsink base in Lake Azul it wont take long. Lets wait until its midnight on the other side when we arrive. Jins personal VTOL, Pegasus-1 flew out of the floatsink base in Lake Azul, and in about three minutes it was above the ruins they were looking for. The Quinta ising to meet us. No humans have been found on the surface. On top of the search by the Quinta who found the ruins, detection by infrared rays and sight revealed that there were no people around. Judging that the risk of being witnessed was low, Jin made Pelican-1nd in front of an open space in front of the ruins. It was stone-paved just perfectly sonding was easy and done without raising any clouds of sand. First the SP went out to watch the surroundings. A minuteter, Reiko, then Ann left. Finally Jin got out. Good work oning all the way here, Chief. The Quinta in charge of the western shore of Lake Azul bowed. Thanks for greeting me. So, the ruins in question, where might they be? Yes, over here. Jin tried lighting the surroundings with a [Light Ball]. There buildings all around supported by pirs of stone strengthened with magic. However, the strengthening magic hadpletely faded and the structures had begun weathering. Guided by the Quinta, Jin headed near the ruins. The Quinta came to a stop between tworge pirs and said while pointing at the ground, There is arge cave underground here. Jin examined the surface with [Sonar] and understood that there clearly was arge room underneath the ground. Jin then gave orders to Reiko. Reiko, try hitting here with 30% of your power. After confirming that Jin and the others had retreated a bit further away, Reiko swung her pretty fist and struck the ground. Along with a thunderous noise, the earth cracked and caved in. Reiko nimbly leapt away and avoided falling. Once the dust settled, arge hole could be seen there. So dark. [Light]. Even when using light magic to illuminate the hole, the bottom couldnt be seen. The Quinta then said, Chief, I will try going down first. And jumped into the hole. A little whileter a report came in through a ManaCom. Im fine, theres nothing out of the ordinary here. Please go ahead ande down. Jins group then headed to the middle of the hole. Jin was carried by Reiko, while Ann and the SP went by themselves. Once down the hole in the ruins, they found a rather wide room with passages to the left and right. Either direction wouldve been good but Jin decided to head for the smaller passage. After continuing on for a while the passage sloped down. Although dim, there were perpetual light emitters that ran on Ether inside the walls of the hallway. Theyre of lower grade than those in the researchboratory, arent they. Reiko looked at the dim lights andmented. Finally they saw a door. It was made out of iron, was covered in red rust, and once in front of it Ann said a few words. Master, this seems to be the emergency shelter room of the ancient fortress. Hmm, so is it likely theres something inside? Jin asked Ann. Yes, the likelihood of there being Magi Tools or weapons and such for emergency use is high, I think. Alright, lets try opening it. Jin tried pushing but the heavy door barely budged. Reiko took over for him and pushed. The hinges creaked and broke midway, and the door fell to the inside of the room with a loud sound. It raised dust into the air. *Cough*, this is terrible. [Wind]. Jin expelled the dust out of the room with wind magic. Now he became able to inspect the inside of the room. Inside the room were, just like Ann said, quite a lot of Magi Tools. There were ones that had broken through the passing of years, but about a third seemed still u sable. Jin ordered the SP to recover the tools. Then he noticed something at the very back. Thats a It was a human shape. Jin could immediately tell it was an Automata. Its figure was that of a girl. But it was leaning on the wall while sitting on the floor without any life. Its left arm was broken, gone from the elbow down. Thats, it cant be the Golden Princess of Destruction? Ann said. Ann? Its just what I think is probable, but this Automata is the Golden Princess of Destruction. She was a mysterious Automata that in the early days of the Great Magic War went around destroying my brothers and sisters. Hmm, I see After hearing that Jin proceeded to examine the Automata making sure not to touch it. The craftsmanship isnt bad. In the corner of his eye, Jin saw Reiko puff up her cheeks after hearing that and he hurriedly added. Although it cant hold a candle to Reiko. Reikos expression returned to normal. Hmm, supposing we collect all the ancient Magi Tools, just leaving this Automata would be regrettable. Alright, Reiko, please carry her and then lets go hom. Yes, I understand. While carrying the Magi Cannon on her back and Peach Blossom on her waist, Reiko lifted up the Automata. Feeling the faint Magic Energying from Reiko the Automata woke up. Are you the one who woke me up? H- hey, wait, what are you doing!? Ah, she woke up. So she really had configured herself to wake up after detecting Magic Energy. Wa-wait, release me! I am the queen of Automata! Listen to what the queen tells you! She kicked and struggled, but Reikos solid grip was like a vise and no matter how much the Automata tried to shake and untangle her it didnt matter. Y-youre, could it be, youre Adriannas!! Be quiet please. My Mother is indeed called Adrianna Balbora Ceci. I-I knew it! Le- let me gooooo! I said be quiet. Reiko put more strength into her arms that were carrying the Automata. Along with a cracking sound the Automatas skeleton was bent. Gyaaaaaah! It seemed that the Automata possessed some degree of feeling. Her scream echoed. Youre too loud. Father, please silence her. Once asked by Reiko Jin got closer to the Automata and put a hand on its neck. Then, [Standstill]. He had the Automata turn off half-forcibly. Ah, it became peaceful. This Automata really does seem to be the Golden Princess of Destruction, doesnt she. Ann said while looking down at the Automata Reiko was carrying. Hmm, I wonder why did shee to have a personality like that. Im a little interested. Jin said while watching the Automata that had gone limp. They were able to exit the ruins without anything happening on the return trip. When they were exiting the hole Jin was pulled up with a rope hung down by the SP who climbed up ahead of them. They then boarded Pelican-1 and returned to Hourai Ind via the floatsink base. Now the examination of the Automata that had been brought to the workshop in Hourai Inds researchboratory was underway. Hmm, the skeleton is Light Silver, the muscles are Magical Muscles. Theres a Mana Driver but no Ether Converter. Father, what does that mean? Reiko asked while holding down the Automata for hazard prevention. Mh-hm, you and the others use the Ether Converter to change the Ether in the air to Mana, then use the Mana Driver to convert the Mana to energy, correct? Yes. This Automata has no Ether Converter and instead has an Ether Tank, and appears to use an Ether Driver to convert that to energy. Whats the result of doing it that way? Reiko had enough knowledge to tell the differences between the structures, but didnt know anything about their efficiencies and such. Normally a Mana Tank and a Mana Driver arebined, but this Automatasbination appears to sacrifice efficiency for a higher power output. I see, this is the first time Ive heard of something like an Ether Driver. So youre saying the efficiency is worse when converting Ether directly to energy? Thats right. If you think about it, then probably before the Ether Stampede urred the Ether in the air was thicker than now, so this mustve been good back then. Jin stated his guess. But Mother made me with the method Im utilizing now though? Reiko asked a question regarding that. Ah, thats just natural, since you could say that the predecessor had an ideology in her designs on top of the technology. Theres the structure of increasing the power output with heavy work, and then theres the structure that increases the power output by delicately managing the performance. Its needless to say which one is better. Whats more is that this Control Core is somewhat strange. What might you mean? Well, it looks like its been recycled and used twice. Although faint, here and there the old Magi Form remains. Jin said while gazing at theparativelyrge Control Core. Isnt this one of the reasons this Automata went out of order? While saying so, Jinpletely cleared the old Magi Form. And also, theres the possibility that the manufacturersst words have something suspicious in them. While talking, Jin freely used the Craft Magics [Read] and [Dpile] to search for that portion. And after searching for 30 minutes, he found it. This is it. You are the best, huh. You are the best is it. That indeed does seem like something that could make one odd if there was a single error. Reiko could understand the danger as a simr Automata who had lost her manufacturer once. Hmm, but You are the best. Jin tilted his head in confusion. Its got to continue somehow, doesnt it. You are the best and stay like that, or you are the best and the brightest or something. Jin thought of it a lot. Then, If it were me, Id have wanted to say you are the best daughter I could hope for. Reiko said. Well, normally youd say something like that, wouldnt you. Jin also agreed with Reiko. Well, lets for now try repairing the parts that have deteriorated or faded with age. Jin mended the ws in the Automata. He then tried restarting it. Reiko was of course also monitoring her. Although more urately Reiko was watching her restraints. Where is this? The Automata opened its eyes. Are you the one who repaired my arm? There was no madness in the tone of her voice. Yeah, thats right. Are there any other ces that feel weird? Jin said and had Reiko slowly release her from her restraints. The Automata then tried moving its body and, No, not at all. Im in very good condition. Thank you very much. She said and bowed. To thank you for repairing me, I would like to work for you. Would you please give me a name? She said and bowed once more. Jin thought for a while, then suddenly a name popped to his mind. It was rather unusual for Jin. Hmm, I suppose, in that case how about Elena? He said. Yes, my name is Elena. Please take care of me from now on, master. Elena said and gave a deep bow, turned to face Reiko and Ann, then bowed her head and said, Pleased to meet you too, my sisters. This is the world of what-if. The world that wouldve been if Jin had found Elena. A story about a world of what-if that would probably be a happy one for Elena afterwards. Chapter 257 - Each One, Afterwards

Chapter 257 C Each One, Afterwards

The next day, the 24th. After having his breakfast in a great hurry, Jin first warped to Kaina Vige. To make a report. He went to Marthas house where he met with Hannah who had just woken up and gone to wash her face. Onii-chan! After seeing Jin, Hannah ran over and jumped at Jinn. Jin held Hannah up in his arms. Good morning, Hannah. I came back after I was done as promised. Good morning, onii-chan! So, youre not going anywhere anymore? Jin gently lowered Hannah to the ground and, Hmm, theres still some things to put in order, so could you please wait one more day? Ehh While having the conversation, Martha, Elsa, and Mine who heard them came along. Wee, Jin. Martha-san, Im back. Elsa, Mine, Im back. Wee home. Wee home. Im happy that youre well. Jin gave a short exnation to everyone about how he had neutralized the Unifiers among other things. Next, I was thinking of having the Unifiers reorganize, or rather rpense for what theyve done. He exined how the top seat and the second seat had been brainwashed. Elsa who had some knowledge about it could immediately understand, and Mine also quickly got it as she already had a vague idea about it. Martha didnt seem to really get it, not to mention Hannah. Well, at any rate I was thinking of using today to tidy up some things. Hannah could only reluctantly nod after Jins exnation. Now then, firstes your role, Elena. Jin called for Elena aftering back to Hourai Ind. Yes, master. What would you like me to do? Right, for the next while youll be advising the Unifiers on dismantling and rebuilding the organization Elena-san, I will also be assisting you as necessary, and so And so Jin gave orders to Elena while Laojin supplemented them. In that case Ill be going now, master. Elena got on Falcon-4 and returned to the Unifiers HQ via the submersible base in Lake Azul. There were the (former) top seat Joule Rn and the second seat Donald Carou Alpha. Both had been cleared of the brainwashing, one bying near death and the other by application of the [Shock] magic. Also, the information about the former Princess of Destructions, Elenas, [Subliminal] magic had been recovered from her memory. Of course how to dispel it too. Please work out Jin wished for a sess as he watched Falcon-4 disappear into the giant Warp Gate behind the researchboratory. Jins n was as follows. Originally, the Unifiers foundational principle was to revive the pre-Great Magic War country Dinar Kingdom. The Golden Princess of Destruction reced that with unifying the continent. From there, using the top two who had returned to normal hed have the brainwashing cleared from the executives down to the rank-and-file members, making the organization a harmless one. In so doing, he nned to give them some technologies outside of the ones taught to them by the Princess of Destruction to work as an unifying force. Specifically, he was thinking of the Mana Phone. It was an inferior version of the ManaCom, so to speak. Although it was wireless it could only make calls to a specific party. It was also as big as arge desk, so carrying it wasnt possible. Selecting who to call like with a ManaCom wasnt possible. But as a hot line between the leaders of the nations it should be usable enough. Apparently the top seat and the Princess of destruction had used an even more inferior version of this, or more precisely, a smaller model with a short range. Thats it wasnt particrly bad to spread the technology. This technology, along with holding the reborn Unifiers together, could also be used to apologize to the neighboring states. By delivering the technology only when Joule and Donald were at a loss on what kind of amends to make would probably be a small atonement itself. Nevertheless, its sorge The prototype Mana Phone Laojin made really was asrge as a desk. Long-distancemunication is a quite the thing, huh. The reason for the size was that the device included a lot of parts. All of the parts were high-grade Magi Tools. Once again Jin felt proud of the range the ManaCom he had made reached. Because the signal could reach all the way to the other side of the world. But looking at it that way, I probably shouldve used Ether and not Mana for my device He hadnt realized it when applying the method that came from the analysis of the Artifact Magic Screen, but he had carelessly named the device a ManaCom. In truth, it shouldve been called EtherCom. Although Jin was thinking that it sounds bad so hed keep using the current name. This is a digression, but the usage of kanji yed arge part in the miniaturization. Even the power words of Magi Language had a result several times better when written with logograms instead of phically. Back to the main subject. Leaving the support of the Unifiers to Laojin, what was left was giving aid to the nations. This wasnt something Jin was particrly worried about, but because there had been victims and damage because of histe intervention he wanted to give them some kind of aid. It may be hypocritical but its better than not to And so, he decided to first give Egelia Kingdom -which was deemed to have suffered the most- ingots of the materials made out of the molten golems. In total, there was about 200 tons of steel, 200 tons of bronze, and 50 tons of Light Silver. And little bit of Adamantite and Mithril. The market value was approximately 150 billion Torr. Simrly he nned to donate half that amount to Cline Kingdoms Tetrada. In addition, he decided to return the seized pieces of Elradrite which had the countries seals carved on them to the respective countries. 15 pieces to Egelia Kingdom and ten pieces to Cline Kingdom. There were no seals of Celuroa, Frantz, or Elias Kingdom. This was all from the molten golems so it didnt hurt Hourai Inds pocket. The only cost was time. Jin had 41 pieces of Elradrite without any carved seals on them left at hand. That was plenty. He nned to carry in the materials in the middle of the night using a number of Pelicans with the [Stealth] function added. Jin couldnt restrain hisughter as he thought about the surprised faces of the material storehouse administratorse morning. Just when can we leave. Reinhardt and Fritz who were returning to their home country induced to stay even longer because of the internal troubles of Celuroa Kingdom among other things. My Lord, about the response of the nations governing bodies regarding the Unifiers puppets we told them about. Jin was listening to Laojins reports. This was the newest information the Quinta sent this morning. Cline Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom have, for now, dismissed the people thought to be puppeteered. Celuroa Kingdom seems to still be in a dispute over it. Since Celuroa Kingdom was the country where the Unifiers had taken root in the most, this was no wonder. The dispatched armies have all withdrawn to their respective countries. The borders appear to have gone back to normal. Even so, the truth that they had invaded didnt just vanish. Jin left the apologies and reparations to be argued between the countries. What he was interested in were themon people. What does the damage on themoners look like? It seems insignificant. As they had begun evacuation beforehand, nomoners died. There are 24 severely injured and 249 lightly injured people. Id like to stealthily administer restorative medicine to the severely wounded. Yes, that is possible. I shall issue instructions to the Quinta tonight. Mh-hm, please do. Now Jin too felt rather at ease. Really, Im also wondering how my acquaintances are doing. Jin muttered and Laojin immediately replied. Yes, My Lord. This is as much as we know. Lithia Fahlheit from Cline Kingdom is staying in Tetrada. She is working hard with the relief knight troops. Lithia, really? Jin thought. She mustve found what she wanted to do. With regards to Beana-san and Earl Kuzuma, although the Earl had gone along with the dispatched troops, he seems to be heading back to Blue Land since the dispute came to an end. Theyd probably have the wedding ceremony soon, Jin thought. Elias Kingdom where Port Rock is seems to have been indifferent to the strife. Marcia was probably doing her best, huh, Jin thought as he reminisced about the days he spent in Port Rock. Egelia Kingdoms capital Asunto appears to still be in a state of disarray, but they seem to have begun heading towards normalcy. Talking with Prince Ernest and La was really fun, Jin thought as he recalled the times and smiled. That is all. Furthermore, Tellurs in Celuroa Kingdom seems to be under blockade; no one cane or go. Speaking of Tellurs, what was the healer Sally doing, Jin wondered. Come to think of it, I wonder if Schiedes family is still there. Ah, they seem to have returned to their home country before the conflict began. Cape-3 of the Quinta caught sight of them in Desir, you see. Thats good then. There still were a lot of things in his mind, but now that he had taken the measures he could take Jin rxed. Then Reiko brought him Citran juice. Father, please take a breather. Yeah, thanks. Now that peace seemed to have finallye, Jin thought about what to do after this while drinking the chilled juice. Chapter 258 - Side Story 13: The Efforts of a Certain Quinta

Chapter 258 C Side Story 13: The Efforts of a Certain Quinta

Quinta seems to have originally been a Spanish word. Its origin was during the Spanish Civil War, when a general of the anti-government army had broadcast the following on radio: Our four columns of troops are heading to marching towards Madrid. In Madrid our fifth column (quinta columna) will begin to support our battle. In other words it had the meaning of a betrayer, a spy, or a covert operative behind the enemy lines. Unconcerned with that, the Quinta were sent from Hourai Ind as observers to various ces. This is Deneb-20, I have just arrived at the base in the ruins of the eighth subdivision. No people are around Hourai Ind reads you. While gathering information of your surroundings, head towards the appointed area. Deneb-20 was an adult female type Automata. For her goals she looked just like a human from the outside. She could freely change the color of her hair and eyes. Deneb-20 now had light brown hair and eyes. This was because it was deemed the most inconspicuous, being the mostmon colors in this world. I suppose Ill prepare clothes first. For now she was wearing amoners clothing, but they had been bought from the town of Port Rock in Elias Kingdom. And so the possibility was high that they werent customary here. Deneb-20 headed to the town Laojin had instructed her to. She had been given ten thousand Torr to use. The name of the town was Sasari. It was a medium-sized town near River Torres. Anyone could freelye and go during the day. Despite that Deneb-20 was standing near the entrance, watching the clothes of the people going back and forth. I see, they should be clothes like that. She walked the streets while looking for a second hand store. Unexpectedly she found one quickly. There she bought the clothes she needed. For now she bought a woolen skirt that reached all the way to her ankles. She also bought a fur vest and kept her blouse as it was. Her skirt was bright light brown and the vest was gray. It looked like colors that werent too shy were popr. The total cost was 1200 Torr. Deneb-20 who had changed in the storepletely fit in with the town. Now then, how should I go all the way to Kemai I wonder? Kemai was the area Deneb-20 was in charge of, and at the heart of it was a town. It was located to the southwest of Lake Azul. The first question was how to cross River Torres and River Azul. There were a few ways. She could cross it on a boat like a normal person. This was impossible for Deneb-20 who had no identification papers. The other choice was asking a ck market trader to help her cross. Considering that Elsa and Mine had been attacked while taking this option and since it came with the risk of the possibility of her true nature being revealed, that was rejected. So its got to be swimming after all. Because the Quinta had been built to resemble a human exactly, they could barely float on water. But swimming on the surface of the water then had the concern of being spotted by a nightly patrol boat. It was preferable to swim to the destination under the surface. It should work out if I bring some weights with me. Thinking that it should be easy to proceed underwater if she carried a stone or something, that night Deneb-20 put the n into action. She took off all her clothes and securely packaged them. She then carried them on her back. She held a stone as a weight with both of her hands. If necessary, she could let go of the stone and double her swimming speed. The water was still cold but Deneb-20 threw herself underwater without minding it. Possessing nearly unlimited stamina, Deneb-20 was able to effortlessly swim across River Torres. Actually, more than half of the trip was done by walking at the bottom of the river. Then amotion arose once she got out of the water. There was someone who noticed the naked Deneb-20e out of the water. It was a soldier going on patrol around the river bed. Since the river she crossed was at the side of the capital Esaia, the defenses were rather strict. Deneb-20 had been careless as she hadnt seen even the shadow of a soldier from the opposite side. The soldier was taken aback seeing a naked woman get up from the river in the middle of the night. B-bastard, what do you think youre doing! He shone a light on Deneb-20 with the Magi Lamp he had in his hand. Her light brown hair was drenched and dripping with water. Her white skin was glossy as if it was repelling water, and her pair of bulging plump breasts werepletely uncovered. I dont think you were swimming at a ce like this and at a time like this. Youre suspicious. The soldier licked his lips while talking. Ill overlook this if you keep quiet and do what I say, got it? While saying so the soldier pointed his sword at the back of Deneb-20s neck. Soldier-san, are you alone? The soldier seemed to misunderstand the meaning of Deneb-20s question. Ah, yeah. Im alone. Arent you d? Well, Ill try to be as loving as possible, you know? Deneb-20 muttered something again, but the soldier didnt seem to have heard her. Hm? The soldier turned his ear towards her to hear her better, and this time he clearly heard her. What a vulgar fellow. Uoaaah? Heaven and earth were reversed. Uagh! The soldiers back hit a stone on the riverbed and he fainted. The Quintas methods were the same as the SPs. Although since the materials were different they couldnt produce the same power they still were nearly five times as powerful as a human. They could also use martial arts quite well. A soldier or two were no problem at all. However, since it had been an unexpected situation she had decided to report to Laojin through her internal ManaCom and ask for instructions on how to deal with the situation. This is just a guess, but that soldier surely isnt a very earnest person. And so its not a problem to leave him there as he is. Laojins instructions were simple. Instead leave the scene quickly. Make sure to not leave behind any evidence. And pay attention from now on. Deneb-20 followed the instructions and hurriedly wiped off her body, put on clothes, then left the spot at full speed. In the middle of the night, Deneb-20 ran the100 kilometers to Lake Azul as fast as a horse, and no one noticed her. A town on the shore of Lake Azul, Rok. Since she couldnt act without standing out during the day, she decided to gather information here at Rok. Although that was mostly just listening to gossip. Even so, Deneb-20 whose hearing was multiple times better than a humans was able to gather some fairly useful information in a day. 1. The Unifiers influence is great on the shores ofke Azul. 2. The Unifiers appear to have even dug into the central figures of Celuroa Kingdom. 3. The Unifiers appear to be moving around excavating ancient ruins. Numbers two and three werent really rumors, but since she had heard the same information from multiple sources their credibility seemed to be high. Deneb-20 reported the information to Laojin. I see, very interesting news. Weve also got something to tell you. First of all, weve established a way to recognize people who are under mental maniption. Laojin continued his exnation. When detecting the Magic Energy pattern, in a normal condition its t and in times of agitation the normal response is that the pattern peaks. But a mentally manipted persons pattern is constantly t. However, its at the level of an agitated state. In other words, you could say a state of agitation is their usual state. Or perhaps its more urate to say theyre in a constant state of agitation. Although thats only limited to people who have Magic Energy. Since it was about Magic Energy patterns, people without Magic Energy couldnt be distinguished. Although since theres not much merit to mentally manipting people without Magic Energy the method was practical enough. This discovery was the achievement of a Quinta sent elsewhere. Understood. Thank you very much for the useful information. Deneb-20 immediately tried detecting the Magic Energy patterns of the townsfolk. In so doing she found out that two people -someone who appeared to be the town mayor and their assistant- were unmistakably being manipted. (Right, [Shock] magic is used to dispel it.) At the ruins of Keuwan, when returning Rucall who had been affected by [Hypno] back to normal, it was said that a shock needed to be administered to him during a state of agitation. However, experiments afterwards showed that just the [Shock] magic was enough to dispel the affected person. That was also ording to the report of a Quinta working in another area. That night, Deneb-20 took the opportunity to visit the mayor and their assistant while they were sleeping and use the [Shock] magic on the two. After doing that, to get to her assigned area of Kemai she once more got naked and swam across river Azul. This time Deneb-20 crossed the river without being found out and arrived at Kemai that same night. She then began real information gathering in Kemai. During the days she listened attentively to gossip, and during the nights she snuck into the houses of suspicious people and used the [Shock] magic on those who were confirmed to be under mental maniption. She also listened behind the tavern during the nights. As you might expect, there was the possibility of someone seeing through that she is an Automata were she to enter the tavern, so she had to avoid that. However, on the night of the third day. Two men stood in front of Deneb-20 who had been listening to gossip behind the tavern. Oi, oi, sister, whatcha doing in a ce like this? Didja drink too much and start feeling ill? If thats the case then well take care of you. The two seemed to be rather drunk. But on top of that Deneb-20 was detecting their specific Magic Energy patterns. Might you two know about the Unifiers? Deneb-20 tried asking. The attitude of the men became remarkably rougher. What? Why did that namee out now? This might be a hit, Deneb-20 felt and replied, I also want to join the Unifiers so I came to this town. The men then red at Deneb-20 with eyes full of suspicion. Hmm, if thats true, then its not impossible to tell you. Really? However, theres a condition. Condition, you say? Anything long as its something I can do. She had begun to grasp an important clue. Deneb-20 hung onto this critical moment. But one of the men smirked, checked Deneb-20 out from head to toe with a repulsive and contemptuous look in his eyes, then, Keep uspany all night tonight. He said. Deneb-20 wasnt someone who didnt understand what he meant. I see, how unfortunate. I dont have a body that can do such a thing, you see. She said and quickly made the two men faint with the [Shock] magic. She then tied them up- Now then, these people doubtlessly have some information, but what should I do with them? Deneb-20 thought while looking down at the two tied-up men. At that moment. Deneb-20, theres something to talk about. Laojin got in contact. Were constructing a submersible base in Lake Azul so go help. Roger that. Laojin had decided to build an advance base in Lake Azul which was a central location to the group of small nations. The giant golem his master Jin had made could be sent out of it. The Falcon VTOLs brought in materials for a Warp Gate. The location was a small penins on the southern shore. Deneb-20 had confirmed that it wasnt in sight of people. The Warp Gate was established, and Smith golems came through it. Next was the materials for the submersible base. Then the underwater golems, Mermaids came. All the materials were thrown to the water and the construction took ce underwater. The Mermaid golems assembled the parts of the structure while the Smith golemsbined them with [Fusion]. Deneb-20 was on the lookout and would deal with any people if they came close. Deneb-21 and Deneb-19 were also there. Because it was underwater, the construction continued all the same whether it was day or night. In a day the submersible base was mostlypleted. It had a spherical shape. The interior was divided to the top and bottom parts, with the top half having space for a Warp Gate. The ceiling was able to open and close. Various Magi Devices were stored in the lower half, but the vast majority was bast (weights). To sink the bast portion took in water, and to rise to the surface it ejected water. The system resembled a submarine. After seeing it finished, Deneb-20 reported to Laojin about the captured two. That is indeed a great feat. Well handle the questioning. Laojin praised Deneb-20 and collected the two prisoners. Having been left alone for over a day they were quite obedient. They werent certain of just how to question them, but with this as the start surely the location of the Unifiers headquarters would soon be apparent. Today and tomorrow too, Deneb-20, nay, all the Quinta continued collecting information for Jins sake. Chapter 259 - New Home

Chapter 259 C New Home

Kaina Vige, the 25th of April. It was the season of early summer when the rays of the sun grew stronger and the days became more cheerful. The mountains werepletely covered in green leaves and the ears of the wheat in the fields had also grown long. The season when blowing winds were no longer cold and had a pleasant feel to them. Extension work to Marthas house was underway. The workshop Jin had been using was originally used by Marthaste husband who was a smith, so it was only the size of around six tatami mats. Jin figured hed double the size to 12 tatami mats along with adding a second floor to serve as a living space. As it had been arranged that Elsa and Mine would live in Marthas house, Jin decided to use the chance to properly make a ce where hed fit in. Hey Jin, Im here to help Wait, arent you half-done already? The men of Kaina Vige came in turns to help with construction during the breaks from their work. For putting up the supports and such Jin had Gon and Gen along with Reiko who insisted on helping, so the supports were ced in a heartbeat and they continued with constructing the floor. In the morning, far from just the framework, nearly 80% of the work was fullypleted. Jin had lunch and in the afternoon it was time for the interior design. Magi Craftsmen really are amazing, huh. Everyone who came to see the house that was built in an excessively short time was simrly surprised. However, Well, its Jin after all. epting it with just that was sort of the way Kaina Vige worked. Its outward appearance was a two-storey house with a one-sided nted roof. The first floor had the workshop and the second floor had the living space. The front of the first floor was wide and had a long, so-called porch roof installed. When the weather was good he could also work under it. He also decided to dig a basement some other time and store materials there. Of course hed also secretly install a small Warp Gate. The second floor was divided to two rooms each six tatami matsrge. Immediately after going up the stairs was the living room, and Jins bedroom-cum-study was at the back. Since no soft rush grew around Kaina Vige he wasnt able to make a tatami-matted floor, but as his bedroom had a wooden floor Jin was, as a Japanese person, still fussy about taking the shoes off when entering the room. Onii-chan, can Ie up? Hannah called out to Jin from downstairs. Hannah had clung to Jin since morning and watched him work. Right now she was looking around the rooms. She mustve found it curious since only the vige chief had a two-storey house. Sure you can. As he was done with sweeping the second floor and had confirmed that no wood chips or anything dangerous had been left lying around, Jin replied to Hannah. Yay~ Hannah happily came up. And promptly glued herself to the window. Wow, what a view. The view of the vige from the second floor was a little different. Ah, I can see the water well. And thats the hot springs roof~ Hannah was in high spirits. Incidentally there was no dining room or kitchen, as Martha had firmly insisted, I wont forgive you if youre going to tell me youll eat separately from us! Jin had then dly agreed. Father, the roof is finished. Reiko, who had been entrusted with the task of tiling the roof as she was the lightest of them all came down. Reiko onee-chan, good job. Thank you, Hannah-chan. Reiko smiled at Hannah, then said to Jin, Next is the desk, chairs, and the bed, am I correct? Jin gave a nod and said, Yeah. Linus said hell make them for the housewarming party. One of the men in vige, Linus, was unexpectedly good at woodworking. He had made half of the chairs and the tables used in the vige. Im no match for you, but its the thought that counts. Thats what Linus had said. Jin also emphasized that to Reiko so she wouldnt be nitpicky. Jin-nii, I saw Linus-san. This time Elsas voice came from downstairs. They looked down from the window and saw Linus with a trailer that had a wooden bed on it. Jin quickly went downstairs and, Linus, thanks for taking your time to do this. He thanked Linus. Linusughed, waved his hand, and said, What the heck are you saying, this doesnt amount to even a tenth of the work youve done for us. First is the bed. Ill leave this here and go fetch the table and chairs. Thank you very much. Reiko, could you please carry it. Yes. Reiko nodded, easily picked up the bed and carried it out. Linus watched her leave and, Not just Jin, but Reiko-chans incredible too, huh. He pulled the trailer and turned back while voicing his admiration. In the end, the exterior and interior were bothplete in a single day and, although modest, they had a celebration for thepletion in the evening. Although the line-up was just the organizer Jin, Reiko (who didnt eat or drink), Hannah, Martha, Elsa, and Mine. Jin nned to gift boxes of Citran to the people who helped tomorrow morning. And so, thanks for everything youve done today! Jin, congrattions on finishing the house! Onii-chan, congrattions~! Jin-nii, congrattions. Jin-sama, congrattions. Everyone was smiling and cheered in unison. They then enjoyed the food Martha and Mine had considerately prepared. Actually, Jin-nii, this soup, I made it. Elsa had apparently also done her best. Mh-hm, its tasty. Youre also doing your best with cooking, arent you. Mm. Onii-chan, onii-chan. I chopped the vegetables and peeled the Citran too! Hannah also showed off. Ah, thank you Hannah. Its delicious. Ehehe~ Marthas house was calm, and gently Kaina Vige grew dark. It was a day youd want to continue forever, as if all was right in the world. After dinner, Mine had something to tell Jin. Jin-sama, weve decided to hold a study group from tomorrow on. Mine exined that she had talked about it some time ago and decided to teach reading, writing, and mathematics. Well borrow the chief-sans house as the location and I was thinking about starting with two or three hours a day. Ah, because the chiefs living room isrge, I see. Because the vige heads house was also used to hold the vige meetings, it had arge rooms. She had arranged to borrow them, Mine said. Thats good, isnt it. Keep it up. If you need help with anything feel free to ask me. Jin said, then Mine smiled and gave a bow. Yes, thank you very much. As Elsa will also be with me itll be alright. I see, Elsa too. Do your best. Mm, Jin-nii. Even though it may not look like it, Elsa was fond of children. Jin who knew that thought that it might unexpectedly be good encouragement for Elsa herself too. Oh yeah, let me prepare the materials to use for writing. Jin proposed after something popped to his mind. Could you? I was thinking of using tes and writing with water at first though. If you dribbled water on a te that had been shaven smooth, its color would change. Apparently she had been thinking of using this, but, No, Ive got something much better. Ill give it to you tomorrow. Jin said and took on the task. Chapter 260 - New Home

Chapter 260 C New Home

Kaina Vige, the 25th of April. It was the season of early summer when the rays of the sun grew stronger and the days became more cheerful. The mountains werepletely covered in green leaves and the ears of the wheat in the fields had also grown long. The season when blowing winds were no longer cold and had a pleasant feel to them. Extension work to Marthas house was underway. The workshop Jin had been using was originally used by Marthaste husband who was a smith, so it was only the size of around six tatami mats. Jin figured hed double the size to 12 tatami mats along with adding a second floor to serve as a living space. As it had been arranged that Elsa and Mine would live in Marthas house, Jin decided to use the chance to properly make a ce where hed fit in. Hey Jin, Im here to help Wait, arent you half-done already? The men of Kaina Vige came in turns to help with construction during the breaks from their work. For putting up the supports and such Jin had Gon and Gen along with Reiko who insisted on helping, so the supports were ced in a heartbeat and they continued with constructing the floor. In the morning, far from just the framework, nearly 80% of the work was fullypleted. Jin had lunch and in the afternoon it was time for the interior design. Magi Craftsmen really are amazing, huh. Everyone who came to see the house that was built in an excessively short time was simrly surprised. However, Well, its Jin after all. epting it with just that was sort of the way Kaina Vige worked. Its outward appearance was a two-storey house with a one-sided nted roof. The first floor had the workshop and the second floor had the living space. The front of the first floor was wide and had a long, so-called porch roof installed. When the weather was good he could also work under it. He also decided to dig a basement some other time and store materials there. Of course hed also secretly install a small Warp Gate. The second floor was divided to two rooms each six tatami matsrge. Immediately after going up the stairs was the living room, and Jins bedroom-cum-study was at the back. Since no soft rush grew around Kaina Vige he wasnt able to make a tatami-matted floor, but as his bedroom had a wooden floor Jin was, as a Japanese person, still fussy about taking the shoes off when entering the room. Onii-chan, can Ie up? Hannah called out to Jin from downstairs. Hannah had clung to Jin since morning and watched him work. Right now she was looking around the rooms. She mustve found it curious since only the vige chief had a two-storey house. Sure you can. As he was done with sweeping the second floor and had confirmed that no wood chips or anything dangerous had been left lying around, Jin replied to Hannah. Yay~ Hannah happily came up. And promptly glued herself to the window. Wow, what a view. The view of the vige from the second floor was a little different. Ah, I can see the water well. And thats the hot springs roof~ Hannah was in high spirits. Incidentally there was no dining room or kitchen, as Martha had firmly insisted, I wont forgive you if youre going to tell me youll eat separately from us! Jin had then dly agreed. Father, the roof is finished. Reiko, who had been entrusted with the task of tiling the roof as she was the lightest of them all came down. Reiko onee-chan, good job. Thank you, Hannah-chan. Reiko smiled at Hannah, then said to Jin, Next is the desk, chairs, and the bed, am I correct? Jin gave a nod and said, Yeah. Linus said hell make them for the housewarming party. One of the men in vige, Linus, was unexpectedly good at woodworking. He had made half of the chairs and the tables used in the vige. Im no match for you, but its the thought that counts. Thats what Linus had said. Jin also emphasized that to Reiko so she wouldnt be nitpicky. Jin-nii, I saw Linus-san. This time Elsas voice came from downstairs. They looked down from the window and saw Linus with a trailer that had a wooden bed on it. Jin quickly went downstairs and, Linus, thanks for taking your time to do this. He thanked Linus. Linusughed, waved his hand, and said, What the heck are you saying, this doesnt amount to even a tenth of the work youve done for us. First is the bed. Ill leave this here and go fetch the table and chairs. Thank you very much. Reiko, could you please carry it. Yes. Reiko nodded, easily picked up the bed and carried it out. Linus watched her leave and, Not just Jin, but Reiko-chans incredible too, huh. He pulled the trailer and turned back while voicing his admiration. In the end, the exterior and interior were bothplete in a single day and, although modest, they had a celebration for thepletion in the evening. Although the line-up was just the organizer Jin, Reiko (who didnt eat or drink), Hannah, Martha, Elsa, and Mine. Jin nned to gift boxes of Citran to the people who helped tomorrow morning. And so, thanks for everything youve done today! Jin, congrattions on finishing the house! Onii-chan, congrattions~! Jin-nii, congrattions. Jin-sama, congrattions. Everyone was smiling and cheered in unison. They then enjoyed the food Martha and Mine had considerately prepared. Actually, Jin-nii, this soup, I made it. Elsa had apparently also done her best. Mh-hm, its tasty. Youre also doing your best with cooking, arent you. Mm. Onii-chan, onii-chan. I chopped the vegetables and peeled the Citran too! Hannah also showed off. Ah, thank you Hannah. Its delicious. Ehehe~ Marthas house was calm, and gently Kaina Vige grew dark. It was a day youd want to continue forever, as if all was right in the world. After dinner, Mine had something to tell Jin. Jin-sama, weve decided to hold a study group from tomorrow on. Mine exined that she had talked about it some time ago and decided to teach reading, writing, and mathematics. Well borrow the chief-sans house as the location and I was thinking about starting with two or three hours a day. Ah, because the chiefs living room isrge, I see. Because the vige heads house was also used to hold the vige meetings, it had arge rooms. She had arranged to borrow them, Mine said. Thats good, isnt it. Keep it up. If you need help with anything feel free to ask me. Jin said, then Mine smiled and gave a bow. Yes, thank you very much. As Elsa will also be with me itll be alright. I see, Elsa too. Do your best. Mm, Jin-nii. Even though it may not look like it, Elsa was fond of children. Jin who knew that thought that it might unexpectedly be good encouragement for Elsa herself too. Oh yeah, let me prepare the materials to use for writing. Jin proposed after something popped to his mind. Could you? I was thinking of using tes and writing with water at first though. If you dribbled water on a te that had been shaven smooth, its color would change. Apparently she had been thinking of using this, but, No, Ive got something much better. Ill give it to you tomorrow. Jin said and took on the task. Chapter 261 - Nostalgia

Chapter 261 C Nostalgia

On the same night when Jin heard that Mine and Elsa were starting a study group, he warped to Hourai Ind. This time he took Elsa with him. It goes without saying that Reiko came along too. Since a small Warp Gate had been installed in the new homes basement they were able to travel easily and without having to go to the shelter. Wee back, master. Managing the Warp Gates was the butler golem Butler-1 that had started working only yesterday. The adult male type SP golems were used as its base, and to have it serve as a guard too its power output was a little bit higher than the SPs. In addition, there were ns to have butler golems in various administrative tasks on Hourai Ind. Wee back, My Lord. The brain of Hourai Ind, Laojun, weed Jin. Im home. Laojun, I know its sudden but could you prepare some cloth woven out of a Ground Spiders silk? As you wish. How much is it that you need? Lets see, I think that a piece of cloth with a width of one meter and a height of five meters should be enough. I will have it brought to you at once. And so Jin went to the workshop. There he found that the golem maid Peridot-17 who was in charge of the chores had already carried in the cloth. Ah, thanks. Jin thanked her and Peridot-17 gave a bow and left. Father, what are you going to make with the Ground Spider silk? Jins number one helper Reiko asked. Hm? I figured Id make use of the special characteristics of cloth woven out of a Ground Spiders silk and make a whiteboard. Jin replied. A whiteboard I see. Reiko seemed to immediately understand, but Elsa looked to be full of questions. Noticing that, Jin began exining. Elsa, a whiteboard is a board that teachers in my previous world used to exin or write down things when teaching their pupils. Actually ckboards were more widely used, but talking about that wouldve made it moreplex so Jin continued talking about just the whiteboard for now. So, the silk of a Ground Spider is hard to stain. Even Reikos clothes are made entirely of it. After exining that far Elsa too seemed to understand as she made an exaggerated nod. I got it. You can write letters or such on it and exin. And because it doesnt stain the written letters disappear after a light wipe. Thats correct. Elsa appeared to have understood. So by attaching this to a board we can make a whiteboard for the teacher to use. If we cut smaller pieces out of it, children can use them to practice and take notes. Got it. Very useful. Since its still unreasonable for you to make them, just watch us, Elsa. Reiko, lets start. I understand. And so Jin and Reiko split thebor and began to work. The silk of a Ground Spider couldnt be worked with normal tools. Either tools made out of Adamantite or Craft Magic needed to be used. Jin and Reiko worked rapidly with their Craft Magic and built one ckboard-sized one and 27 small squares with 30 centimeters long edges. Amazing. Can I also do it like that one day? Elsa who had watched with sparkling eyes asked Jin. Jin promised her. Yeah, Ill teach you. Mm. I cant wait. Next were pens and ink. This world had pens too, but they were quill pens. Jin thought about making them out of metal, but since regr iron would soon wear down if rubbed against cloth woven out of a Ground Spiders silk and there was also the weight to think about, so he used the 6/4 Light Silver alloy. So as to make them fixable with Craft Magic if they did wear down, he made them out of the same material all the way to the shaft. They were dip pens of the so-called Kabura Pen variety. They were easy to make because they wereparatively simple. Elsa, you can try making these too. Jin gave her the required amount of 6/4 Light Silver and told her to give it a try. Mm. [Forming]. The 6/4 Light Silver changed its shape Its hard. Into a weird one. As I said earlier, the image is important. Close your eyes and imagine the shape you want to make, and then give it another try. Mm. I got it. [Forming]. This time it went rather well. The left and right side werent symmetrical though. Oh, you did rather well. Give it one more go. Mm. Ill try. Elsa practiced many more times. Around the tenth time she managed toplete a usable pen. Oh, this is alright. Good job. Jin praised her and Elsa smiled pleasantly. Lately her facial expressions seemed to have be moremon. Next was the ink. Well, water with color mixed in would do but the other day the Mermaid corps discovered a fish just like a squid (or rather a mollusc), so its ink ended up being used. If time passed then it would maybe pale, but for practice it should be enough. Next was the marker for Mine, or rather for the teacher to use. Jin shaped Light Silver into a tube and made its head narrow, then made a felt shape out of hardened Ground Spider silk and put it in as the tip. He then filled the body with ink and closed it with Craft Magic to finish. Or so he thought, but then ink began overflowing out of the tip. It seemed that he really did need something like cotton wadding permeated with ink or it wouldnt work. Jin redid it. Jin made wadding out of the Ground Spiders silk and stuffed it inside the pen stop the ink from overflowing. Mh-hm, this time it seems to be a sess. My Lord, there is one final report. Hm, what is it? The aircraft carrier has beenpleted. It is the first warship Hokata. Oh, thats good. The reason for the dyedpletion was the need for trial and error in various parts and applying revisions. Considering the true strength of Hourai Ind which finished building the submersible base in a single day, taking over 10 days to do this was strange in a sense. As usual, there was no one around to retort with which options weird here, huh?. The twoyered structure was no good. It makesnding and takeoff all the more time-consuming. As it uses a Warp Gate, its not a problem if we keep the number of aircraft stationed on the carrier as low as possible. The exnation continued. To makending and takeoff more efficient, the deck has been arranged to go diagonally across the ships center line. This angled deck structure was something already put to practical use, but since Jin didnt know of it Laojun had to arrive at the idea by himself. The weapons are as instructed. Some other small adjustments and revisions will be made. But after finishing the first warship, surely we should build the second and third ships as soon as possible. I see. Good work. Keep it up. Yes, understood. While handling all sorts of tasks it had suddenly be nearly midnight. Now then, so that we dontck sleep we should be going to bed soon. Lets go back to Kaina Vige. Ill exin to youter about the aircraft carrier. Okay, Jin-nii. They got out of the Warp Gate in the basement, and here in Kaina Vige at 9 PM everyone was sleeping. Elsa snuck back to the house so as not to wake up Martha, Mine, and Hannah while Jin went to the bedroom that had been recently finished. And then he realized. Theres no futon. He had been thoughtless. Father, I will fetch one from the mansion. Reiko turned around. She warped to Hourai Ind. Few minutester she came back. She brought a new futon, a duvet, and a pillow. Finally Jin could sleep. Good night, Reiko. Good night. The night went on. It had be a daily routine for Reiko who had no need for rest to talk with Laozi about this and that after Jin had fallen asleep. Today Reinhardt-san made routine contact. Nothings unusual, but he seems to still be forced to stay in Astan. Celuroa Kingdom was the country with the most brainwashed ministers, so they surely havent recovered their faculties. Right now, the Unifiers were actually falling apart in every country, and because their influence disappeared everything was in disorder. Celuroa Kingdom was the most disorderly of all, as indeed three in four cab ministers were puppets of the Unifiers. The Quinta sent out and spread the names of the brainwashed people, and each country had their own responses to it. It seems that Egelia Kingdom is testing the [Shock] magic for cancelling brainwashing. Information hade to Laojun through the Quinta. Cline Kingdom seems to be the same. The countries with not enough nobles, or rather, not enough of the leading ss seem to be having it hard. How about Frantz Kingdom? There they have been simply fired. Ah, not burned in a literal sense. I mean that theyve been removed from their posts. Even I know that much, Laojun. But Frantz Kingdom is rather small so they should be able to manage, right? Yes. Celuroa Kingdom is doing the worst. They simrly fired people and hired new ones, but since theyve got so many people a lot of departments have stopped operating. And so Reinhardt-san cant leave either. Thats how it seems. The army seems to be the most disorderly department. In the headquarters of the Unifiers where Jin had sent the repaired and rebuilt Elena, the top seat Joule and the next seat Donald were cooperating with nning the reorganization of their group. Hey Donald, just what were we thinking? I have no idea. We were fixated on longing for the past, and bound by that ended up doing some unthinkable deeds. I was very surprised when Elena told me to take responsibility and that even death wouldnt be enough for that. Indeed that would just be an escape. Then a clear and beautiful voice joined in. Yes, thats right, my lord. Taking responsibility means ending the disorder and contributing to society. Ill also do my best. Ah, just having Elena gives us tremendous strength. No one other than Jin knew where the Unifiers headquarters was. And so, for now, Joule and Donald could act behind the scenes. And so they dedicated the rest of their lives for the purpose of changing the Unifiers to a group that benefits society as a whole. That was conveyed through Elena to Laojun, and having Jins permission Laojun could also help them as much as he was able to. And so, as proof of our new start, lets abandon the name Unifiers, I was thinking of calling us the Nostalgia. Nostalgia you say, that sounds good. Yes, that is a lovely name. Chapter 262 - Study Group

Chapter 262 C Study Group

Good~morning! Good morning! The cheerful greetings of the children resounded in Kaina Vige. Yes, good morning. Good morning. The children hade to gather at vige chief Gheebecks residence. They were children taking part in Mine and Elsas study group. There were nine of them. A small number. There was simply not a lot of children to begin with. Theres very few of them, huh. Mine also noticed it. That was because normally it wasnt unusual for families to have over three children. Elsa too had three siblings, albeit from a different mother, while Mine even had seven siblings. Its because of the bad food situation, isnt it. The vige chief Gheebeck caught what Mine said to herself. Mine-san, it is actually because some men were conscripted, and also an epidemic disease eight years ago yed a part. He was still talking to her in a slightly formal manner. An epidemic disease, you say Previously, Rock had also talked about this with Jin. Although Rock had told Jin the main cause was conscription, the epidemic disease had in fact been serious. At that time Rock had yearned to be a knight and had gone to the royal capital so he didnt know of it very well. It was a harsh time. We lost half of the vige, and to prevent contagion we had no choice but to burn all the dead to ash. Thats why we dont have any proper graves for them. So thats how it was Gheebeck continued to talk to lighten the mood that had be a bit gloomy. But the number of inhabitants will go up soon. Eh? Mine who had been looking down raised her head. I dont know whether its because the burden on the vigers became a bit smaller ever since since Jin camest year, or because of the hot springs, though. Ah, you mean that there are people who have be pregnant? Elsa who was next to them looked like she didnt understand, but as youd expect Mine could guess. Yes. The bellies of five women have be bigger. Thats good news, isnt it. As they talked, Hannah turned up. Auntie, no wait, sensei, good morning. Yes, good morning, Hannah-chan. Shall we begin soon? They had already exchanged greetings at the house, but Hannah had been told to draw the line between that and the study group, so she put it to practice. Adding Hannah there were ten children in total. They were aged from seven years old to 14 years old. Good morning, everyone. Im your sensei, Mine. This is my daughter Elsa wholl be my assistant. Mine-sensei! Elsa-sensei! The children were lively. Alright, calm down. Mine pped her hands and made the children go silent, then said, Since this is the first day, lets begin with self-introductions. Although we might all already be acquainted with each other, but since sensei came to the vige only few days ago we dont really know a lot about you. So please tell us. Ye~s, the children replied. So lets begin with sensei. Im Mine. 35 years old. Im not from here, but from Egelia Kingdom. Elsa here is my daughter. Now then, Elsa, please introduce yourself. Im, Elsa. 17 years old. Im from Shouro Empire. Im not very good at talking, but lets get along well, okay? Once Elsa had finished speaking, the children burst into apuse. Mine-sensei! Elsa-sensei! Show us magic again! When she had shown her magic after the icehouse was built, Elsa had be admired by the children. Well then, please introduce yourselves one at a time in turns starting from over there. Yeah! My names Patty! I just turned eight. Umm, my dad is called Linus and hes good at making things out of wood. My moms Sera. Shes a bit scary when shes angry but shes good at making food. Thank you, Patty-chan. Next one, please. Yes! Im Mario. My father is Rock and my mother is Molly. Like that, the children introduced themselves. Once they were done the teaching finally began. Jin had been watching the situation a little distance away but when Reiko tugged his sleeve and he guessed she had something to talk about they went to the back of the vige heads house. What is it, Reiko? My apologies, Laojun has something to ask you. Hmm, I wonder what. Well, lets go there for a bit and see. Since there was a Warp Gate in the basement of his new home, he was able to freely go back to the research facility. The golem managing the Warp Gate room, Butler-1 greeted them and Jin headed to the usual living room. Laojuns mobile terminal Laozi was waiting there. My Lord, my thanks foring all the way here. Laozi said and gave a bow. As a matter of fact, there was something interesting among the weapons collected from around Tetrada the other day. Laozi said and presented Jin with a short sword. Tetrada Oh, that was where Cline Kingdoms army was disarmed. So this was among the weapons? Jin gazed at the short sword while talking. There was nothing unusual about it, it seemed to be a sword just like any other. He tried taking it in his hand, and again noticed nothing. What about this? For some mysterious reason, traces of My Lords Magical Energy can be felt from the sword. Eh? Jin who had heard something unexpected then tried using magic to investigate its workings. [Inspection]. Indeed, this is my Ah, I remember now. This must be Lithias short sword. Jin recalled it. It wasst autumn, when he had transported wheat in taxes to Toka Vige from Kaina Vige together with some men. At that time, golems had appeared, and time Lithia who had then been a tax collection official recklessly used this sword to fight against them. Even so, the sword that was made out of iron which was even softer than steel had quickly bent out of shape. Then after repelling the golems, Lithia had been feeling down after Toka Viges smith had told her the sword couldnt be repaired. Unable to just watch, Jin had straightened the sword with [Forming], then turned it to a steel sword using [Carburising] and [Heat Treatment]. This is the sword from that time. I see, Lithia was supposed to be in Tetrada too, wasnt she. By Lithia-san, you mean the person who told Father to run back then, correct? Reiko hadnt been around when the golems were driven back: she was talking about the time when after that Earl Walter hade to capture Jin to a misunderstanding. Yeah. Looks like shes been taking good care of this. The sword in his hand hadnt rusted and had been sharpened well. Since it was Lithias it probably hadnt been used inbat, and Jin could tell it had been handled with great care. Indeed. Someone who treasures a gift from Father is a good person. Reikos evaluation standards were in and simple. Jin smiled awkwardly. If possible, Id like to return it. Jin had gone and given orders to have the materials of the taken swords, spears, shields, armor, and such checked, then have them molten down to ingots except for the clearly special equipment that were imbued with magic or made out of rare materials. Considering that, Laojun (and his subordinates) who had found this swords were deserving of praise. She was in the royal capital, wasnt she? Jin muttered and Reiko caught his words. Father, dont tell me youre thinking of going there? Hm? Whats wrong with that? My face isnt that known in Cline Kingdom, so I dont think it would be especially dangerous. But even so Lately the overprotective Reiko had frowned a lot. Laojun then gave a helping hand. Reiko-san, since My Lord has expressed his desire to go, I think it is proper to fulfill his wishes. And if possible, Id like to ask for some more protective measures for My Lord Protective measures against what? It was an obvious question. Against anything that poses a danger to My Lord. Laojun replied and, Please take a look at this. He continued, then the portable terminal Laozi took something out of a basket. Hmm? Clothes, arent they? Yes. These clothes were made out of thin slices of a Sea Dragons leather. A Sea Dragons leather? I wonder if this can harden on impact too in that case. Yes. ording to our tests, its not to the extent of the reinforced clothing but it can defend against Anns full strength. Anns strength used to be about ten percent of Reikos. In other words a human couldnt break through its defenses. The silver surface is the most heavy part, and by passing Magic Energy through it it can be even more robust. The silver referred to the front of the leather which had a smooth surface. You could think of the front as the spot with the most superior defenses. I got it. So, pants and a coat. Thanks, Laojun. It is a privilege to be a help to My Lord. There was still something else at the bottom of the basket. It looked like apel pin. And whats this? No, wait, isnt it a Magi Tool. And what It deploys a [Barrier] on a reaction from the clothes? Yes. Please attach it to thepel of the coat. In the case that you receive an attack and the coat hardens from impact and from Magical Energy, a [Barrier] will be instantly deployed. Since its small the [Barrier] doesntst long, so please activate the bracelet before it breaks. The equipment was perfect. The Pegasus personal airne from earlier was good, but this time Laojun really did excellent work. Got it, Ill dly put them to use. Chapter 263 - Side Story 14: Lithia up to Now

Chapter 263 C Side Story 14: Lithia up to Now

Lithia Fahlheit was a new noble. Her father Nichs Fahlheit had been a leader of the soldiers of Cline Kingdom and had been bestowed with the title of Ritter due to his achievements during a border dispute. His eldest daughter Lithia too was doing her best at being a squire. Next, Fahlheit! Yes maam! The female squires were being trained. Right now the training was mock battles with the instructor using wooden swords. Royalty and high-ranking nobles calling for female guards or knights wasnt umon. Even here in Cline Kingdom in the past few years the number of female knights had risen. The instructor doing the training was the vice-captain of the female Imperial Guard knight squad. Her name was Gloria Ohlstat Her short and bright brown hair coupled with her reddish brown eyes gave a lively impression of her. Many of the female knights were low-ranking nobles or children of knights. Gloria was from a household that had produced a great number of knights for generations. Among them Lithia who had a father who was a new noble was slightly out of ce. That girls keeping at it, huh. Well, since her family are new nobles, if she doesnt work hard then itll end with her generation. Half of the colleagues who were watching her train were children of nobles. Due to their status they wouldnt be troubled even if they couldnt be knights. I wish Id get disqualified and could marry soon. There was even someone who didnt hesitate to say that. Inparison, the people born to knight households were different. Theres no way I who was born to a house thats had generations upon generations of knights can lose to a rookie like that. Just look at her posture. It doesnt even resemble like a proper one. Theres not an ounce of elegance in it. Whether or not Lithia knew about the ridicule, she kept on facing the instructor no matter how many times her wooden sword was repelled. And in the end. Eek! Her sword was forcefully sent flying and the training came to an end. T-thank you very much. Lithia thanked the instructor while agonizingly heaving for air,. Alright, thats everyone, correct? Next is swinging against straw posts. Whoevers on duty, prepare them. Yes. Bundles of straw attached to poles in the ground were set up. The training wos to cut them using swords. Listen, when cutting with a sword take the trajectory in consideration. You must have the edge perpendicr to the thing youre cutting. If you dont do that then the sword wont cut and it might bounce off, bend, or even break. The instructor exined. This was very different from iaido practiced with Japanese swords. In iaido a 45 degree angle cut in often. This was against a straw post made out of a tatami rolled up tight, which was exceedingly hard to cut through. However, as the practice assigned to Lithias group was just for learning the trajectory of the de and the feel of the increased cutting power, the toughness of the straw posts was very low. First, Ill show you. Female knights used what were basically short swords. The instructor unsheathed the short sword hanging from her waist. Hyah! Along with her shout, the short sword shed horizontally in a straight line. The straw post was cleanly cut in two. Gasps came out of the squires watching. Instructor Ohlstat is fantastic. Murmurs like that were heard too. Alright, give it a try. Cutting straight horizontally is difficult. Anderson, youre first. Yes maam! Take this! Thats no good. Your trajectory isnt straight. Hundred practice swings. Next, Bogard. Yes. Yahh. What are you doing! If you dont put any force in it, theres no way you can swing in a straight line! Three hundred practice swings! Next, Carter! Yes! Yaah! This time the straw post was cut cleanly. Alright, thats adequate. Next Like this all 33 of the squires kept attempting to cut the straw post one after another. People who couldnt cut it were given an appropriate amount of practice swings. Finally it was Lithias turn. Finally, Fahlheit. Alright, do it. Yes. Take this! Lithia cleanly bisected the straw post. Mh-hm, alright. Hmm? Fahlheit, let me take a look at your sword. Y-yes. Despite being flustered by the instructor suddenly asking to see her sword, Lithia handed it over. Hmm. Mh-hm, youre actually using a pretty good sword. Where did you get it? Id also like to get something of this quality. U-umm, y-you see, its a sword a-an acquaintance Magi Craftsman repaired for me. It used to be just a normal iron sword, but it got bent and he repaired it for me. Because she was flustered the exnation was a little faltering, but the instructor seemed to understand. Hmm, is that so. Thats a good acquaintance youve got. Take good care of this sword. Gloria then turned towards everyone and, Tenps around the training grounds and thats it for today. Double time! Shemanded and herself began running ahead of them. After a day of training tenps around the training grounds was rather intense. While some dropped out, Lithia stuck it through to the end while wheezing. Then, on the 3457th year in the history of the continent, soon in the beginning of the year the neighboring Frantz Kingdoms army vited the border and Lithia too was appointed to the relief knight troops and recruited to the battle. Was it a shame she couldnt be an Imperial Guard knight, or was this her calling? For Lithia it was thetter. On the battlefield Lithia remembered what she had once talked about with Jin. Isnt it fine to live for the things you can do?, Jin had said. Something I can do Its healing after all, isnt it. Due to her daily efforts in training, Lithia had mastered healing magic up to the intermediate level, and had be a healerpetent even among the relief knight troops. That year there were three repeated small fights. The third one was the most violent battle of them all. There were many casualties, Cline Kingdoms army was forced back, and they met the opposing Frantz Kingdoms army at Tetrade, 50 kilometers from the border. And at that time. A giant golem appeared and made everyonepletely unable to fight. The weapons, armor, even the golems and tableware, any and all metallic objects of Frantz Kingdoms army had been molten. Cline Kingdoms army had been inexplicably rendered unconscious, and once they woke up they found their weapons and armor taken Frontal battle being of course impossible without weapons and armor, so Frantz Kingdoms army withdrew. Lithia and the others also stayed inside Tetrada waiting for orders from the headquarters. Lithia, I heard youve done well. At that time, Lithias father Nichs whose working hours were over came to visit her. Nichs was working as the deputy leader of Cline Kingdoms third chivalric order. Father, Im d youre safe! The father and daughter held each others hands, both d the other was safe. Lithia, it seems youve worked hard. Mmh Although there were people I couldnt save. Lithia spoke and looked sad. Nichs then gently tried to reassure his daughter. That couldnt be helped. Everyone who went on the battlefield was prepared for what might happen. Luckily there were no casualties among themoners. Isnt that because Father and the others did their best? That was our job and Im proud of it. On this day a conversation like that went on between the father and the daughter. By the way, about that third son of the Rush family Finally Nichs spoke about the matter he was most concerned about as a father. But Lithia replied, Eh? About who? And so Nichs felt relieved from the bottom of his heart. The next day. Ah, Li-Lithia-san, morning. Ah, Pasco-san, good morning. The face of Pasco Rush was somewhat red. On top of that he was talking in monotone. W-what a fine weather were having today, dont you agree. Its getting cloudy though Oh, um, thats right, uh, ha, hahaha Pasco tried to smooth things over byughing. Then he faced Lithia and, A-anyway, I have to go work as a guard now! He gave a salute and left. Heh, what an interesting fellow. Lithia then looked up at the sky. Guard, huh Suddenly she ced her hand on her waist, and was surprised when she realized that the familiar thing wasnt there. It got lost, didnt it Lithia had lost the short sword Jin had repaired for him that had been her favorite ever since. In addition to that, there may have been another reason why she was feeling down about it. Chapter 264 - Trip Preparations

Chapter 264 C Trip Preparations

Lithia did say she lived in the royal capital of Cline Kingdom but Jin remembered how she had said If you happen toe to the capital. Cline Kingdoms royal capital, that is, the capital city. What was it again? Its Alban, My Lord. Laojun told Jin. Ah, that was it. Alban, right. I wonder what kind of a ce is it? Previously he had been thinking hed like to sooner orter visit there, but that n fell through because of the Earl called Walter or some such. Hmm, I suppose Ill try asking Elsa. Oh, right, lets take Elsa along too. Hannah too, now that I think about it! Gradually Jins voice got louder which surprised Reiko. Father, thats a Still, Laojun seemed to have a different opinion. My Lord, if you do, then I would like to rmend changing your hair colors with magic dyes. Magic dyes Ah, I see. Simply by doing that the impression we give off would changepletely. A part of the magic dye was made out of something collected from a magical beast that resembled a chameleon. The color of a dye like that could be freely changed using Magic Energy. Since cleaning it off was possible using Craft Magic it was a good idea. However, since Elsa-san and Hannah-chan are a part of the study group they cant be gone for more than a few days. Hearing Laojuns words surprised Reiko. She realized that his intention by guiding Jin like this was to shorten the time of Jins outing. Laojun was several levels above Reiko with regards to plotting(?) like this. Ah, youre right. Alright, a two-day trip starting from tomorrow. That should be fine, right? That is so, Father. I think it good. It seems to me that we better then have one of the SP follow Elsa-san too. Reiko agreed, and another suggestion came from Laojun. Jin epted the proposal. That might be good. Alright, Like with Reinhardt and the others, lets get two of them to do it. Jin at once built two SP golems. Since he had repeated the work countless of times finishing them was quick. Your names are Marron and Plum. Before he knew it, about three hours had passed since he left Kaina Vige. Oops, if I dont go back soon Hannah will get angry again. Jin said and decided to first of all go back. Next to him, Reiko was smiling. Ah, onii-chan. Its already lunchtime, you know. The time in Kaina Vige was half past eleven. Hannah who had returned from the study group had juste to call Jin for lunch. Barely made it, Jin thought deep down. Got it, lets go. And so Jin headed to the dining room of Marthas house. Elsa and Mine had also returned. Although Jin-nii disappeared in the middle of it all, I think today went quite well. Elsa told Jin. Mine added, Today after meeting and introducing everyone, we exined the purpose of studying and in what kind of situations it is of use. Jin listened and nodded. I see, thats good. Ive got something to talk to you about after lunch. Jin said and first started with the lunch in front of him. So, I was thinking of about a trip to Cline Kingdoms capital city Alban for two days. Elsa, are you familiar with Alban? After a simple exnation, Jin tried asking Elsa. Thats because Elsa was the one most knowledgeable about nations in the group. Mmh, Ive never been there so Im not. Sorry. Elsa replied a little dispiritedly. Jin gently spoke to Elsa. No, dont worry about it. If thats the case then its all the more reason to go, isnt it? Eh? You see, I was thinking of going together with you, Mine, and Hannah. Jin said, then Hannah raised her voice in delight. Really? Onii-chan, youre taking me with you? Yeah. Its just two days though. Youll probably learn something too. Martha, are you okay with it? Jin asked Hannahs grandmother Martha who replied with a big nod, It sounds good. She can see many things she wouldnt if she stayed in the vige. She wasnt at all concerned about just how they would go to Alban. You could probably say that was distinctive of Martha who had known Jin for a long time. Yeah! Thanks, granny! And at the same time Hannah was very happy. Alright, in that case since were leaving tomorrow you can spend the night on Kunlun Ind. Oh yeah, Martha, would you like to stay overnight too? Jin said but Martha shook her head, No, Ill stay in the house. You youngsters go on ahead. And she clearly refused. Mine then said, Jin-sama, Elsa, Ill stay here house-sitting with Martha-san. You three, please enjoy yourselves. Jin tried convincing the two toe with, but in the end only three people would be going. Well then, lets stay overnight on Kunlun Ind and leave tomorrow morning. Yeah! Mh. And so, Jin warped to Kunlun Ind with Hannah and Elsa. Hannah was again blindfolded. This time, although Hannah didnt see them, her personal SP Iris and Azalea followed them. Ya~y, its onii-chans house~! Ah, its the maids~! Good day! As soon as Hannah got to Kunlun Ind she began frolicking around merrily. And once she noticed the maid golems who had previously looked after her a little, she greeted them. Elsa, Ive got something to talk about. Jin first left Hannah to frolic and began talking to Elsa about the disguises. Even if its just a little bit, I think that disguising ourselves will help us avoid trouble in the future. Mm, got it. Is it alright if I just change my hair color? Yeah. Surely, just changing your tinum blonde hair to light brown will greatly change the impression you give? Ill change mine to brown too. And what about Hannah? Neither Hannahs name or face were known, so there was no worry about her being recognized. But, after all, just in case they decided to have her hair be simrly brown too. Hannah,e over here for a bit. Hannah who had been ying with Peridot-100 came along as soon as Jin called out to her. Wha~at is it, onii-chan? Jin exined the matter to Hannah. I was thinking of trying to change the color of our hair in preparation for tomorrows trip. Eh? As you may have guessed, she didnt quite understand. Jin then decided to show her in practice. They went to the washroom and to wet their hair with water that had magical dye already mixed in it. He then used Craft Magic. First was Elsa. [Change Color]. Elsas hair turned to a bright tawny color in front of their eyes. Wow! Ama~azing! Cool! Hannah was so amused she pped after seeing it. Next was Jin himself. He changed his hair to dark brown. Onii-chan didnt change a lot, did he. Since his looks didnt change much when his hair color went from ck to dark brown, Hannah had a weaker reaction than she did to Elsa. But Jin didnt mind it. Or rather, it wasnt something to worry about. Alright, next is Hannah. May I? Yeah! [Change Color]. He tried and Hannahs hair changed to a chestnut brown. Even though it was the same brown color, Elsas hair became a subdued light brown, Jins became dark brown, and Hannahs a bright chestnut brown. Hannah once again got in high spirits once she saw the three of them in the mirror. Co~ol! I cant wait for tomorrow! As insurance just in case Hannah got lost, Jin thought hed present her with a ne with a Magi Crystal with his Magic Energy inserted in it. Also, the clothes for going out. Since Jin wasnt a good designer, she nned to also consult Elsa. There was no worry about the sizes since there was Reiko who could tell them at nce like back when he had made clothes for Beana and Elsa. Alright, then lets make the clothing. Jin said, and indeed as they were girls the faces of both Hannah and Elsa seemed to shine. Elsa, please give me some design advice. Mm, Jin-nii. And so the three headed to the mansions workshop. Chapter 265 - Present

Chapter 265 C Present

A light blue one piece dress for Hannah. With a white sash around the waist that you can tie to a bowknot Jin was making Hannahs clothes while following Elsas advice. Something simple typical formoners. But wanting give it a tinge of elegance he ended up making a one piece dress. Since it was spring the sleeves were kept short. The cloth used was Magi Silk. It was light and had a good texture. Hmmh, onii-chan, I want an apron too. Hannah asked and so instead of a sash he decide to make a white apron with wide cords. Wo~w, amazing! The clothes were made right before her eyes. Hannah kept getting more and more high-spirited. Okay, Im done. Want to try them on? Jin asked, then Hannah tossed her old clothes off on the spot. Yeah! She replied with a beaming smile. Wow, it feels kind of nice. Hannah was a little bewildered by the feeling of the clothes that was so differentpared to the linen clothes she had been wearing until now, but then she took a look at herself in the mirror and, Woow, is this me? Onii-chan, thanks! She said, jumping with joy. Next was Elsas clothes. The chartreuse green dress suited you well, didnt it Elsa? Jin said and Elsa nodded. Mm. I like that color. They then decided on a simple A-line one piece dress made simrly out of Magi Silk. The design was the same as that of Hannahs clothes. Commoners didnt wear clothing with too borate designs. Also decorations likece or ribbons were mostly not used. Incidentally, the length of both their skirts was to their knees. For socks they both wore white ones that reached to their ankles. Next is shoes, I guess. He made Mohican style shoes out of magical beast leather. They were dark brown. These too weremon. And like this both Elsa and Hannah ended up wearing simr simple outfits. The only difference was that Hannah was wearing an apron. However, both the Magi Silk and the magical beast leather used were both rare materials. Although they looked usual at a nce, their durability was about five times greater than normal. As they still had time, Jin decided that this was the perfect chance to make the ne for Hannah while exining the process to Elsa. Hannah also watched although she didnt understand. Since it fits with any kind of color, lets use a Magi Quartz. Magi Quartzes were white or colorless crystals and had a weak light attribute to them. They were even used in Reikos eyeballs. However, the most important reason Jin chose it was you couldnt distinguish them from regr quartz. Quartz was a mundane mineral so it wasnt umon formoners to use it, but this was 100 times more valuable. But the difference couldnt be told without the [Analyze] magic. So that the design wasnt too borate he made it a sphere. He decided to attach a Light Silver sp to it and make a chain out of the same Light Crystal which could be hung from the neck. He made the Light Silver into a slightly duller silver color so it seemed like a cheap product with a crude appearance. This was because if they carelessly wore expensive-looking jewelry theyd be found suspicious and they might get attacked by someone who wanted it. Finally Jin inserted his Magic Energy in it so its purpose as a marker for the Magi Radars search was finished. Hannah, heres another gift. Wow, I can have this? Onii-chan, thank you! Even so, Hannah was filled with great joy because she had witnessed Jin make it just for her. Hannah immediately hung it from her neck and happily looked at her reflection in the mirror. Hannah-chan, youre cute. Elsa too was watching Hannah while smiling fondly. Finally Jin told Reiko to bring Lithias short sword with her. Jin-nii, whats this? Elsa asked quizzically and Jin replied, Oh, this, its something of an acquaintance of mine. The other reason I wanted to go to Alban was to return this. Hmmh Elsas eyes seemed a little bit sad as she stared at the short sword. Jin had an idea as for the reason. Elsa, are you by any chance missing the dagger? It was something Jin had once given Elsa as her birthday present. She had left it behind her together with the status of a noble when she had rejected the engagement arranged against her wishes. Mm. Just a bit since it was something I got from Jin-nii. Elsa replied confirming that she was indeed a little sad. Then, In that case, Ill give you something appropriate for who you are now. Jin said. Like what? Elsa was very interested. Sincemoners probably dont carry swords, something like a knife. A knife, mh-hm, thats alright. Elsa seemed to understand. Then Hannah who had been running around in front of the mirror until now came. Onii-chan and onee-chan, what are you doing? Hmm, I was thinking Id make a present for Elsa this time. Jin replied. Hearing that, Hannah looked very interested. Well, just watch. Elsa too, watch carefully. Jin said and prepared the Light Silver. [Forming]. [Forming]. [Forming]. He used [Forming] repeatedly. What Jin made was a so-called folding knife. In his work he had used an electricians knife and sometimes used a Japanese style folding knife. As is there was no locking mechanism for it so he added a simple one. It looks interesting. Apparently this world had no folding knives like this one. Most of them were the sheath knife type which were kept in a sheath for safekeeping. A Light Silver de and a handle. Since just that was unexciting, he decorated it with a Sham Dragons horn and embedded small Magi Crystals in it. These Magi Crystals too should work as markers for the Magi Radar. Alright, its done. After opening and closing the knife multiple times to confirm it works, Elsa, heres another present. Jin said and handed it to Elsa. Although it was a ded tool since they were now siblings, albeit adoptive ones, there shouldnt be a problem. Thanks, Jin-nii. As she had been watching it get made, Elsa immediately tried opening and closing it. She then smiled sweetly and told Jin her impressions. This is interesting. Convenient. Haha, as long as it pleases you. Jin smiled too. Elsa onee-chan got a present from onii-chan too, were the same! Hannah was in a good mood as always. And like that the outside got darker. This was because Kunlun Ind was a about an hour ahead of Kaina Vige. Well then, how about we have a meal? Jin said and left the workshop. He washed his hands in the washroom where Hannah and Elsa followed his lead and washed their hands too. In the dining hall, Peridot and Topaz had done the dinner preparations. Wah, whats this? Jin had given directions for tonights menu in advance. Ground mountain deer meat had been mixed with wheat flour into a paste and fried. Topopoes had been boiled, mashed, mixed with corn and a little bit of meat, covered with wheat flour in beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs sprinkled on top of it before frying it in oil. In other words, hamburger meat and croquettes. Since there was no Worcestershire sauce they gave a shot at a homemade version, and in the end now was its first unveiling after finally making something eptable. (Although the one who went through the trouble of making it wasnt Jin but Peridot on Hourai Ind.) Wow, its delicious! Mm, this, could it be made out of Topopoes? Hannah enjoyed the hamburger meat and Elsa who had a refined pte saw through the croquettes ingredients. I didnt know that Topopoes can be this sweet. She was eating them in a manner from which it wasnt at all apparent that she was afraid of Topopoes. After the meal they spent the time talking with Hannah about the journey Jin and Elsa had made. And then, Jin-nii made kites and flew it with the children. Huuh, I wish youd make one now. Ah, alright. I suppose kite-flying could be poprized in Kaina Vige too. That night Hannah and Elsa were in the same room. Wow, the tatami smells nice. Since Hannah too seemed to be fond of the smell of the tatami, or rather the smell of soft rush, Jin was wondering if it couldnt be cultivated in Kaina Vige too. Well then, good night. Good night, onii-chan. Good night, Jin-nii. They ended up going to bed rtivelyte, but Hannah was so hyped it seemed she couldnt fall asleep. We couldnt leave today either That is unfortunate. Tonight too, Laojun heard Reinhardts regr report on behalf of Jin. Chapter 266 - Capital City Alban

Chapter 266 C Capital City Alban

After breakfast on the next day, the 27th, Jins group departed towards Alban. A base had been established at some ruins nearby that Spica-7 of the Quinta who was responsible for the whole area had found. Of course a Warp Gate had been set up there too, so using it they could arrive there at once. This time too just in case Hannah eyes were blindfolded before they warped. The SP were also following after them although they couldnt be seen. I wee you, Chief, Sister. And Elsa-san and Hannah-chan too. Spica-7 came to greet them. She was just about the same body shape as Elsa. Although her chest was a bitrger. Her bob cut hair was simrly brown as that of Jins and the others. Her eyes had been made gray. She was wearing brown linen clothes fitting formoners. Ah, thanks. Jin thanked her foring to greet them, then Hannah who had just taken the blindfold off asked, Onii-chan, whos this? Oh, Reikos younger sister, I suppose. Although she looksrger than Reiko. Jin exined and Hannah made aplex expression of not being sure if she understood. Its a little sudden, but we came to see the sights at Cline Kingdoms capital Alban. Although Ive also got the goal of returning this sword. Please let me help, Chief. I am acquainted with the area. Spica-7 replied and Jin said to her, Please stop calling me Chief now. Dont call Reiko Sister either. Right, just call me Jin and Reiko Reiko. Dont add -sama afterwards either. I understand, Jin-san. Mmh, thats good. Alright, what should we cal you? In this town Im called Virgo. Alright, Virgo. Well then, please show us the way. They left the ruins. The weather had been clear at Kunlun Ind but here it was slightly cloudy. Jin put on the half coat that signified him being an Honorary Magi Craftsman of Egelia Kingdom that he had brought with him. It looked like the ruins were protected by a barrier, as when they went out they felt a slightly ufortable feeling. It was a rather powerful barrier. The ruins were surrounded by a small forest where a simple barrier to make one lose their sense of direction had been spread out too. Spica-7 seemed to have been rather careful. After walking some ten minutes the capital city Alban came to sight. This too was a Fort City with walls about eight meters in height. Although they were shorter than Egelia Kingdoms capital Asuntos walls which were ten meters high, the stone walls still gave off a dignified feeling. As it had been half past eight when they left Kunlun Ind, here in Alban where the time difference was about an hour and a half it was just past seven. The gates seemed to be simply left open. Is there an inspection or something when entering? Yes. It has already calmed down, but since there was a dispute with Frantz Kingdom its necessary to present identification papers or something equivalent. In Jin-sans case I think the proof of being an Honorary Magi Craftsman is enough. Jin thought it was good he put it on just in case. What about Hannah and Elsa? Hannah-chan is small so I think she could pass as Jin-sans sister. Elsa-sans matter is moreplicated, isnt it. But if there was some proof of you being rted it would be simple. When told so, Jin remembered how once in Port Rock he got verified as a Magi Craftsman. Elsas also be able to use [Forming] pretty well, hasnt she? Lets go with that. Jin said, then felt around his pockets just in case to check if he had any materials with him. And he found some Light Silver scraps. They were probably remnants of when he built a carriage back at Egelia Kingdom. He had probably put the half coat on and the remaining scraps in a suitable pocket back when he took the carriage for a test drive. They were small, but there was enough to make a pen just like the one from earlier. Alright, if youre asked to prove your identity then let them see you make a pen out of this. Mm. Jin now felt relieved. Reiko disappeared using [Stealth]. The group then headed towards the open gates. Hey Virgo, youre as pretty today as ever. Thank you, keep up the good work. Just when Jin was thinking whether Spica-7=Virgo needed ID papers or something, she was admitted in since the guard seemed to be an acquaintance. Who are they? Well, this is my acquaintance Magi Craftsman Jin-san and her sisters. Jin and the others quickly bowed their heads. Huh, is that so. Just in case, have you got anything to prove that? Since Virgo was an acquaintance, the guard seemed to be treating themparatively courteously. On the other side another guard was rigorously checking a man that seemed to be a trader. Im an Honorary Magi Craftsman of Egelia Kingdom. Jin said and showed the badge on his left breast. If thats not enough then Jin was about to take out the Mithril te that had the certificate carved on it, but the guard stopped him and said, No, thats enough. How about this littledy? Im onii-chans sister! Hannah replied cheerfully. Alright, got it. And this youngdy? Shes also a beauty, huh. Maybe because of the guards light personality, he added his opinion after seeing Elsa. Im Jin-niis sister. Ill prove it with this. Elsa said and first made sure to show the Light Silver in her hand to the guard then, [Forming]. She formed a pen using Craft Magic. The guard was surprised by the speed of the work. T-thats amazing. I understand, go on in. Heres your temporary passes. He said and presented them with three wooden tokens. If you hold on to these you can prove that youve been properly inspected at the gate. Jin, Elsa, and Hannah epted them. Please return them when you leave. If you dont carry them then you may be treated as suspicious. I understand. Thank you very much. Jin said and the group passed through the gates. Finally they were inside Alban. That went smoothly, didnt it Jin-san? Yeah. Virgo, are you close friends with that guard? The guard seemed friendly so Jin tried asking. Yes. Hes called Bart, and despite how he seems hes about to be a knight, you know? Hes got an easy personality as you can tell, and whenever hes got spare time hees to talk with me on his own volition and leaks out all sorts of information so hes very convenient. I-I see Jin felt a weird sense of admiration of how before he knew it, even the Quinta had be rather resolute. Well then, first Id like to return the sword. Reiko, show yourself. Between two buildings, in a ce where no one saw Jin called out to Reiko. Yes, Father. She then handed the sword she was carrying to Jin. Since it had been wrapped in cloth so that you couldnt tell it was a sword carrying it around should be fine, he thought. Alright. Virgo, do you know where the Fahlheit house is? But apparently she didnt know as, I do not, my apologies. She said and shook her head. No, its fine if you dont know. Ill try asking someone. For now, do you know if theres an area where knights, bars, or lesser nobles live? Yes, I do know where that is. Alright. Hannah, Elsa, what do you want to do? Ill go return the sword, but you dont have to force yourselves toe along, you can go off on your own if youd like. Jin tried asking, but the two shook their heads. Im fine with being with onii-chan! Me too. We came here together so lets move together, shall we not? Got it. Well, lets go together then. And so, now including Reiko who had be visible the five walked together on the main street of Alban. Both sides of the street were lined with stone buildings two or three storeys high. There were lot of buildings which had the first floors serves as shops too. Jin thought theyd go look through them at easeter. After walking straight down the main street for about ten minutes they arrived at an intersection in the middle of which was a huge sundial. There they turned right towards the eastern area. Immediately after making the turn there were a lot ofrge buildings, but as they walked gradually the size of the buildings went down. Around here are the houses of the Ritters Most of them were two-storey houses with small gardens. From outside thend seemed to be divided into lots of about 20 tsubo each. Considering that Albans shape was a square with edges two kilometers long these were probably on therger side. Far from there being little pedestrian traffic, there was no one else but Jins group walking there, so even if he asked where Lithias house was no one could tell. Well then, what should we do? Jin though, and then a person running at the front came to sight. Ah, thats good, lets try asking them. They then waited for the person toe closer. The person in question seemed to be a young woman. Chapter 267 - Gloria Ohlstat

Chapter 267 C Gloria Ohlstat

Is she training, Jin thought as the woman with short light brown hair ran towards their group from the other end of the street. She was in an outfit that looked like it was easy to move in. She had grey pants. They lookedfortable and very easy to move in indeed. Her top was a white T-shirt with sleeves tailored simrly to ran sleeves. She was wearing short boots. Just by looking at the color and lustre of the clothes one could see that they were made out of good cloth. The leather of the boots also seemed to be high grade judging from its flexibility. Once the woman got closer Jin saw that she looked to be in her early 20s. She was tall, slender, and gave the impression of having a toned body without being slim. Once the woman saw Jins group she slightly slowed down her running pace. Excuse me, could I ask you something? Jin called out to the woman. What is it? She replied and stopped. Might you know where the Fahlheit house is? Hmm, the Fahlheit house you say. Yeah, I know. Turn right at the corner over there, its the second house youll see. The woman told Jin, who bowed his head and thanked her. Thank you very much. The woman then waved her hand as if it was no problem and, What, it was nothing. Incidentally, it seems youre an Honorary Magi Craftsman of Egelia Kingdom? After seeing the half coat Jin was wearing the woman asked to confirm. Yes, thats correct. Hmm, I dont know what business youve got with the Fahlheit house but the head of the family Nichs and his daughter Lithia are both away, you know? Only theydy and her maids should be around. This was because both Nichs and Lithia were still at Tetrada. Oh right, Jin thought but didnt say it aloud. His primary objective wasnt to meet with Lithia but to return the sword after all. Is that so, then thatll have to do. Jin said. The woman seemed to be pondering something and then asked, Could you perhaps be the Magi Craftsman who repaired Lithias sword? Eh, um, yes, I believe so. Far from just believing so, he had the sword in question with him. Ah, I see! My name is Gloria Ohlstat. Right now Im the vice-captain of the womens Imperial Guard troops among other things. Oh, I My names Jin. Jin also gave his real name. Since he had been recognized as an Honorary Magi Craftsman it seemed like if he tried to poorly deceive her it would spell future trouble. Jin-dono, huh. No need to be so humble since youre from another country and all, just call me Gloria. Thank you very much, Gloria. These girls are my sisters. And she is an acquaintance of mine from here, Virgo. And this is Reiko. Virgo. Im Hannah! Elsa. Reiko. Virgo greeted her normally, and Hannah energetically. Elsa pinched her skirt lightly and did a so-called curtsy. Seeing Elsas greeting, Gloria looked a bit impressed. Huh, you sure know your manners, Elsa-dono. Its as if you were a nobles daughter. It was just natural with her originally being a viscounts daughter, but Elsa still blushed a little when praised. Finally, Reikos greeting was with a small nod of the head. Jin-dono, what is it that you came to this country for, I wonder? Since Celuroa Kingdom is between our country and Egelia Kingdom traveling surely isnt easy? Not to mention right now in these times of war. The battle with the Unifiers was on the 23rd, and the Unifiers became Nostalgia on the 24th. And today was 27th. It seemed like enough information hadnt arrived here yet. Well, to broaden my horizons, should I say? Jin gave a nomittal answer. Gloria seemed to more or less realize it, Hmm, oh well. I dont know what business you have with the Fahlheit house, but once thats over with, I wonder if you could pay me a visit? My house is over there. She said and pointed at argish house behind Jin. Im off duty today, you see. Just now I returned from my habitual morning training. So could you pleasee visit after Ive finished dressing myself, lets say at around eight oclock? Right now the time was probably around half past seven. No matter how Jin looked at it there wasnt a lot of time until eight oclock. Maybe the thought was apparent from his expression as, Haha, a knight doesnt spend time on eating or dressing. Twenty minutes is enough to do anything necessary. So, Ill be waiting. Gloria said, then without even waiting for Jins reply opened the door to her house and disappeared inside it. Sigh, shes a little pushy, isnt she. Virgo, do you know her? Jin let out a sigh and asked with a strained smile. Just the name. Just like she said, she is the vice-captain of the womens Imperial Guard troops. Shes from a Barons house, and of course is a Ritter. Since knighthood was a social status rather than a title, it was enough to call her a knight from a Barons house. As shes rather strong, Ive heard she also serves as the instructor for the female knights. Ah, thats why she knows Lithia, huh. Jins guess was on point. Well then, shall we first get the errand done with? Jin said began to walk towards the house that was pointed to them. Hannah and the others followed. Reiko, could it be that you and Laojun too knew that Lithia hadnt returned yet? While walking, Jin spoke about what he was thinking of. Reiko nodded. Yes. However, since we thought that if Father were to hand the sword over to Lithia-san directly shed wonder why you had the sword she had lost at Tetrada, so me and Laojun decided to stay quiet. Indeed, Jin thought after hearing that. It would be very bad if the connection between Jin and Machina was known. Knowing that Reiko and Laojun had stayed silent for Jins sake, he reflected on his own thoughtlessness Simultaneously he felt happy knowing that instead of blindly obeying him Reiko and Laojin judged on their own what was the best when working for him. Well, had he been told beforehand he probably wouldve obeyed them, Jin thought, but didnt say a word since him not doing that wasntpletely unthinkable. The second house around the corner. Indeed, the gates had Fahlheit carved on them with small letters. This is it. After verifying the house Jin handed the sword over to Virgo. Please tell them that a person called Machina kept hold of it. He instructed. Virgo used the knocker attached to the door. After a while the door opened. Hello, who might you be? A woman past her middle age who appeared to be a maid showed up. Ah, this is the Fahlheit house, am I correct? Yes, that is the case. Even though shes not around, Ive got something here for Miss Lithia that a person called Machina held onto. Could you hand this to her once shes back? Virgo said and presented the sword wrapped in a cloth. The maid epted it without any questions Ill be going then. Virgo said and turned back. She had a feeling that the maid asked for her name from behind but she left without minding her. Well then, now the most important errand is done. But there was still some time until eight oclock. Father, are we going to that womans house? Reiko asked. Well, I dont know what she wants to talk to me about, but I feel like therell be future trouble if we brush off the vice-captain of the womens Imperial Guard troops from a Barons house. Indeed. Theres a lot of nobles like that. As Elsa said so too, Reiko had no further objections. Well? Whatll you do? Hannah and Elsa, you dont have toe along with me. But Hannah and Elsa said, I said it earlier. Since we came here together, lets move together. Im fine being with onii-chan. And like earlier, the two dered theyll be with Jin. Got it. Lets go together then. Right, also, thanks for your help, Virgo. If your identity gets revealed from prolonged contact itll be troublesome, so you can stay behind now. If she was needed for everything she could be contacted through her internal ManaCom. Yes, I understand. Please excuse me then. If you need me for anything, please call me at any time. Virgo said, bowed, and left. Well then, shall we go after spending some time taking a look around there? And so they decided to go around the district of the lesser nobles. Jins impression was that they were like ready-built houses. They had small gardens of a several tsubo and in the middle of them were two-storey houses. All the various gardens had their own styles, one was just awn, another had lots of flowers, yet another had fruit trees nted in it, and one was dreary with uncovered soil, and so on. Jin was surprised that many of the buildings had pumps installed. On the other hand, Wow, how pretty! Oh, those flowers look like Kherries! Ah, is that a pump? Hannah kept running around merrily as if everything she saw was unusual. Seeing Hannah like that, Jin thought it was good that he brought her with him. Most of the houses were made of stone. There was a lot of granite. asionally a wooden house was mixed in too. They went around and returned to the central intersection where the sundial was nearly pointing at eight oclock. Ah, were just in time. Lets try going to Glorias house then, shall we? They walked for about five minutes from the intersection. Then they were at Glorias house. They got in front of the house where an aging man who appeared to be a butler was standing. Wee. The youngdy is waiting. Pleasee in. He said and opened the door to the hallway. Ah, thank you for having us. The house was tidy and well-organized. Over here, please. The butler guided Jin and the others to a parlour-ish room at the back of the first floor. Jin-dono and your sisters, wee. There Gloria who had tidied her appearance in order was waiting. Her blouse moderately decorated withce and such showed quite a bit of her bulging breasts, and befitting a knights dress the cord where her short sword was hung from was wedged diagonally in her cleavage. The riding pants she was wearing were dyed a refined purplish gray and had a subdued sheen to them. Her light brown hair had also been tidied up prettily and in one point a golden hair clip ented it well. But most of all what caught Jins eye were the dozens of swords hanging on disy on the wall behind her. It was an honour to be invited. As the oldest of them, Jin gave greetings for the group. But Gloria told him, Ahh, I told you earlier, youre a traveler from a foreign country. I dont mind you being less formal. Im also speaking in a tone like this, see? Maybe rted to her work as a knight, she had a manly way of talking. The butler knit his brows a little but said nothing. She told them to sit down. Jins group sat and, First, please rx and have some tea. Gloria said and ordered the butler to prepare some tea and tea cakes. Speaking of, the tea that was usually drunk in Cline Kingdom was brewed of the same tea nt as the one Kaina Vige gathered the leaves of. The familiar taste rxed Jin, Elsa, and Hannah. But Reiko didnt drink. Hm, whats wrong? Thedy over there Reiko-chan, was it? Youre not drinking? Jin was prepared for this beforehand so he replied honestly. Reikos an Automata so she doesnt need to eat. Hearing that, Glorias eyes went wide. W-what? An Automata? What amazing workmanship! Indeed something only an Honorary Magi Craftsman could make! Gloria began raining praise on Jin after being surprised when she learned Reiko was an Automata. But Jin was more interested in the swords on the wall behind her. Chapter 268 - The Pitiable Beauty and the Blacksmith

Chapter 268 C The Pitiable Beauty and the cksmith

Gloria noticed that Jins eyes were fixed on the wall behind her. Hm? Ah, this collection is a hobby of mine. She said. Although they arent of any practical use, theyre in good condition for decoration. But Jin kept looking at the wall, or rather the swords on it. Is something wrong, Jin-dono? Gloria seemed puzzled as she asked, then Jin finally withdrew his gaze and said, No, its quite the collection, very helpful as a reference. A reference? Gloria said, then seemed to suddenly understand as she pped her hands together. I see! So Jin-donos got an interest in swords! The swords on the wall are mostly for ceremonial use, but they still could be used in practice to a point. The one on the top right is a replica of the swords used by knights of a kingdom that existed 150 years ago and thats why its got that rather different curvature to itpared to modern swords. The curvees into y when shing things with it, but since making it requires some skill the replica was made by casting instead of forging. Youd think that the one below that thats made of not even Mithril but silver would be just for decoration but by loading it with magic it can be of effective use on top of having a design which I find pleasing. The one below that was bought from Leonard Kingdom and it broadens towards the tip, so I think its convenient for hacking due to its weight. The bottommost one is the newest one Ive got: its the standard sword used by the magi knight troop, and then the topmost one on the middle is Jin was a little put off by her starting to go on and on without ceasing. (Whoa) She sort of resembles Rai-nii. Elsa whispered. Hannah wasnt listening from the start. She was eating the confection brought together with the tea. Reikos interest was zero to begin with. (A beautys a beauty, but shes a pitiable one, isnt she) While holding thoughts like that, Jin half-ignored her. And thats the short of it if youre interested in the swords. Now lets talk about the reason I invited you here. Gloria said after talking for a while, then drank her tea in one gulp to relieve her parched throat and, Could I ask you make a sword for me too? She asked. A sword, for you? Yes. Of course, not for decorating this wall. As a matter of fact, the other day my favorite sword finally broke. I do have many spare swords, but all of them arecking. She then looked Jin right in the eye and, I had Lithia show me her sword and it was a good piece of work. I most certainly would like you to make one for me, how about it? She said to finish, then lightly bowed her head. Onii-chan, shouldnt you make one? Hannah said after seeing Glorias act. Oh, Hannah-chan, wasnt it? Thank you. Jin-dono, could you? Jin-nii, shes going this far to ask. Even Elsa said so, so Jin gave in. Making it is no problem, but what about the materials? But there was the problem of not having materials. Ah, for that Ive got an acquaintance whos a cksmith so Im sure well figure something out. Is that so Well, if there were materials he had no particr objections against making it. Even more so if Elsa and Hannah were fine with it. It was just that he had purposefullye to Alban for sightseeing, is what Jin was thinking. Well then, lets go make it at once. Since he had limited time it was better to do it fast. Oh, Im d to hear that! Alright, lets go now! Gloria said and stood up. But then she suddenly looked towards Hannah and said, Oh, how about your sisters? I dont mind if they stay here. It seemed to be her way of taking them into consideration. Im fine being with onii-chan. Ill go with Jin-nii. The two said so Gloria nodded and they all ended up going. They left Glorias house and walked straight in the direction of the wall for some ten minutes. Right next to the wall was the workshop of the cksmith. Since a cksmiths work was noisy and also dealt with fire, the ce was some distance away from the residential areas. Thats it. Properly speaking the shops owner could even work exclusively for the kingdoms chivalric order but hes a little entric. He said that his job is to make tools formoners and so he took up residence here. While Gloria exined, a man with a sturdy body came out of the building and said, Dont just call people entric or whatever Oh, it was you, missy. He looked to be over middle aged and was about as tall as Jin. However, his arms were unsuitably thick for his body. Duston, Im already 23. Surely Im no longer a missy. The past middle aged cksmith Dustonughed and said, Whaat, from my viewpoint youre still a missy. So, whats the business today? Um, as a matter of fact my favorite sword broke. After Gloria got that far Duston interrupted her, No no no no. Ive already decided I dont make weapons. This is the only request from you I wont listen to, missy. He said and shook his head. However, Gloria said to cover that up, No, I wasnt asking you to make it Duston. Id just like you to provide the materials. Duston then began to frown. Hmmh? Well, if its only that then since its for no one other than you then Ill do it, missus. But who are you nning on asking to make it? Ah, this here Jin-dono. Whaat? As if someone as skinny as him could swing a hammer! Since Reiko seemed to be about to jump out after hearing that, Jin immediately put his hand on her head. Reiko then gave up, however. Onii-chans awesome! Hannah couldnt stay silent. M-missy? As youd expect, not even the stubborn Duston could yell back at a girl young enough to be his granddaughter. Onii-chan can make anything! Even a pump, a trailer, and Mint! Hannah said and red at him. But Duston seemed to have caught interest in one of the words Hannah said. M-missy, what did you just say? Didnt you say pump? I did! Onii-chan asked if drawing water was difficult and made a pump! What the Duston stared at Jin with a surprised look on his face. That was also what Gloria was feeling. She too looked as surprised as Duston. T-the pump was made by Jin-dono!? I never heard this before, thats amazing! Y-yes, well. Jin who was the topic of the conversation couldnt keep up with the tense atmosphere and didnt really know how to react though. Well, I can understand when I think of how Magi Craftsmen are capable of all sorts of amazing things. Duston said subduedly after calming down and inviting the group inside to sit on some chairs that were in the corner. From the start I wanted to make tools and Magi Tools, you see. Its enjoyable to make tools that are helpful for everyone, isnt it? Jin said with a quiet tone. That was probably what he really was thinking after having so many fight scenes recently. Ooh, you understand it even though youre so young! Thats right, themoners daily livese first! After hearing Jins line Duston seemed to once again be high-spirited. Thats why I make knives or spoons or kitchen knives and such! Ah, Duston, sorry but they dont really have much time either so if you could get the materials soon thatd be a great help Thinking that if she stayed quiet the task would never get finished, Gloria spoke out. Although in reality she too wanted to hear more from Jin who was considered the inventor of the pump. Mph, ah, I suppose. Is there anything you want? I say, but its not like my ce has Adamantite or Mithril or such? Jin was the one who replied. Iron will do. After that, if its alright please let us watch you work for a while. Hm? Ive got plenty of iron so thats fine. But watching me, well, I dont mind but is watching so interesting? Duston said, but Jin then turned to look at Elsa and Hannah and said, Elsa, its good for you to see the way edged tools are made without magic. And Hannah, this misters got the same upation as your Grandfather did. Mm. If you say so, Jin-nii. Eh? The same as grandpa? Elsa nodded, while Hannah stared in puzzlement. What, so missys grandfather also was a cksmith? Great, be sure to watch. Duston said and stood up. He lit up the furnace. The furnace seemed to work with magic, as there was no coal or charcoal to be found. I dont make my own iron. I make tools out of iron Ive bought. While talking he gripped a suitablyrge ingot with pliers and heated it up in the furnace. Once it had be red he took it out, ced it on top of an anvil, then hit it with a hammer to shape it. If it became cold and stiff the quality of the work would be worse, so mid-way he once again heated it up in the furnace. Co~ol, its bing shaped like a kitchen knife. Hannah raised her voice in astonishment. Duston kept shaping the iron into a kitchen knife using just the hammer. Once it was roughly the shape of a knife he kept working on the shape with a chisel and a file A kitchen knife in the style of a chefs knife was created. This will be quenched next. Sorry, but the methods a secret so I cant let you see itIs what Id like to say but I dont mind you watching from a distance. When told so, Jins group retreaded farther to the corner of the workshop. They watched from afar as Duston grasped the kitchen knife with pliers and inserted it in the furnace. This time he stared at it carefully and when he estimated that the knife had turned orange he took it out and immersed it in water at one go. There was a hisssssing sound and steam rose up. Even at a distance it was intense. Elsa and Hannah who saw it for the first time seemed a little surprised. Now then, with this the quenching isplete. Finallyes tempering. Duston muttered an exnation and once again gripped the kitchen knife with the pliers. This time he warmed it up above the furnace without putting it inside. He kept it like that for a while then took it away from the furnace. Its done. After waiting for the metal to cool and using the file to clean up the surface, he sharpened it with a whetstone. Finally he added a handle. In approximately one hour he had finished making the knife. Chapter 269 - Jin’s Skill

Chapter 269 C Jins Skill

Thank you very much. It was helpful. Jin thanked Duston. Hannah, were you watching? Your grandfather made lots of things just like that. Yep, I saw. It was very different from how onii-chan does it. Jin patted Hannahs head and said, Yeah, I on the other hand am not capable of working like that. Then he asked Elsa, So, what are your thoughts? Elsa replied with a slightly flushed face. Mm. I came to understand just how kitchen knives and other edged tools like that are normally used are made. Itll be useful. Right. Also, the final quenching and tempering is very important for iron and steel. Jin exined. Of course, Elsa threw back a question. What do you mean? You see, steel is a variety of iron, and when its heated until its the color of a Citran and rapidly cooled down it bes harder. Thats quenching. Mm. But if you leave it just like that then itll be hard and brittle and will soon break. So to make it more tenacious it has to be tempered. That can be done by warming it up to the point that droplets of water spilled on it begin skittering around, then letting it slowly cool down. Mm, I understand. Whether you know this or not has an effect on the quality of the Magi Craft. Once Jin had exined that far, Duston came nearby with a grim look on his face. H-hey, youngster! Who did you hear that secret from? Normally a master teaches that only when youve be qualified, right? Even I was taught it only when I had reached my thirties! He seemed to be surprised that Jin who looked like he was less than 20 years old knew this (although Jin was already 21 years old). Who, well, my teacher. Your teachers generous, or maybe I should say theyre amazing Duston was amazed. Hey, onii-chan, show us how you make a kitchen knife too. Mm. I also want to see Jin-nii make one. Encouraged by Hannah and Elsa, Jin turned to Duston while smiling strainedly and asked, May I use your workshop? Yeah, go ahead and show me how a Magi Craftsman works. Duston said and gave his permission. Jin immediately went to where the iron ingots were. [Analyse]. hmm After confirming the quality of the iron, Jin called Elsa over to teach her. Elsa,e over here for a bit. Listen, to examine theposition of this iron you can use [Analyse], but you wont be able to understand substances youre not familiar with. So knowledge is important. Jin said and after once again using the [Analyse] magic to confirm theposition for himself, he told Elsa to give it a try. Mm. [Analyse]. It went well on the first try, but, I could somehow tell what was iron. But everything else is a mess and I couldnt tell what was what at all Elsa said with a frown. Haha, thats natural. Look, [Extraction] copper. [Extraction] silicon. [Extraction] sulfur. [Extraction] phosphorus. Jin used [Extraction] four times on therge ingot. With it, although the amounts were small, copper, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus were separated from it. They all were in amounts small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but considering they were impurities it was an amount that couldnt be disregarded. Look, these are the impurities. Each one of them are pure substances, so give a go at using [Analyse] on them. Mm. [Analyse]. Ah. How is it? Elsa looked a little surprised so Jin asked. Elsa blushed and, I can kind of recognize copper and sulfur. Since they both were materials she was kind of familiar with, even Elsa became able to differentiate between them. Alright. Since taking too much time would probably be a bother, lets stop todays lesson here. Watch me do the rest. Mm. Jin ended lecturing Elsa and resumed making the kitchen knife. Behind him it seemed like Dustons jaw had be disconnected but he didnt notice it. At the side, Reiko was proudly throwing out her chest. [Separation]. [Forming]. Jin separated a necessary amount of iron using Craft Magic. With the next magic he changed the shape of the iron in his hand into a kitchen knife. Alright, lets have the shape like this I suppose. Id want to use [Heat Treatment] next but theres a bit too little carbon for that, huh. Jin had checked it and the carbon content was about 0.5 percent. The amount of carbon was the most importantponent that determined the hardness when quenching, and for a kitchen knife a carbon content of 0.8~1.2 percent was suitable. [Carburising]. He then decided to draw carbon from the carbon dioxide in the air and mix it with the iron. This magic could only mix the carbon with the surface, so he used the [Homogenize] Craft Magic to make theposition uniform. He repeated this multiple times until the carbon percentage was one. That was suitable. Alright, Elsa, pay attention now. [Heat Treatment]. Since he did it slowly, Elsa was able to perceive the kitchen knife Jin held instantly heating up, rapidly cooling down, then heating up once more and returning back to the normal temperature, all while observing the flow of the Magic Energy. Isnt it hot? Elsa asked with worry as, although it was for just an instant, she had sensed the temperature grow until the iron was Citran-colored (orange). Yeah, its fine. What you perceived was simply the phase change of iron, its not like it really went to that temperature. Thats the good thing about Craft Magic. Jin said and handed the kitchen knife to Elsa. She physically felt that it was indeed not hot. Behind them Hannah was watching with eyes sparkling, and next to her on top of having his jaw seem dislocated Dustons eyes were so wide it seemed like they could fall out any moment now. Finally lets make the de. [Shaping]. Lets also clean up the surface. [Finish]. The ckish kitchen knife glittered with silver gray. Alright, itsplete. Duston, do you have a handle for this? ? Jin said and turned, and behind him Duston was making an indescribable face. Hello. Anyone there, Duston? Jin called out to him, and gradually Duston rebooted. Y-yes. I was just surprised since this is the first time Im seeing a Magi Craftsman work. B-but, just wait a minute, what did you do to the ingot!? He was apparently talking about the separation of impurities that Jin did. Well. There was a bit too much impurities mixed in so I separated them. You can do even that? Duston gave an impression of slight exhaustion. Anyway, a handle, huh. Heres one of the standard handles I use. It was a kitchen knifes handle made out of hard wood. Since the knife Jin made was nearly the same size as Dustons, he attached the knife to the handle and it was finished. Gloria who had been simrly watching Jins way of working was likewise absentminded until now when she also rebooted. Ji-Jin-dono! Youre amazing! What Lithia said really wasnt a lie! Could you please make my sword soon too!? The pitiable beauty showed her character. Jin gave a nod and asked, Alright. So, what kind of a sword would you like? The official equipment for us female knights is a short sword. A sword with a de of 50 centimeters and a handle of about 20 centimeters would be preferable. These short swords were called such to contrast with the long swords used while riding a horse. It didnt mean that the sword was particrly short Got it. Jin said and secured a necessary amount of iron from the ingot from earlier using [Separation]. Since he was familiar with Lithias sword he already had a rough idea about the general amount needed. He then used [Forming] and [Carburising] followed by [Heat Treatment], [Shaping], and finally [Finish]. Additionally he applied [Hardening],pleting the swords main body. Elsa who had watched him work asked a question. Jin-nii, why did you use [Carburising] fewer timespared to earlier? And you didnt use [Homogenize]. Oh, well spotted. Breaking is the worst case scenario for a sword. An ideal sword doesnt break, bend, and cuts well. To realize this I useposite materials. Jin exined. Composite materials? Yeah. To put it simply,paratively soft iron is used in the core portions and the edge portions use hard steel. The surfaces are then hardened. After Jin told her that, Elsa said she understood and raised her eyes. If the core is soft it doesnt fracture easily. By using [Carburising] on just the surface it bes difficult to bend. And after hardening it cuts well. You got it. Elsa seemed happy and slightly blushed when Jin spoke well of her. Y-y-y-you! T-this is the first time Im hearing about that kind of a manufacturing method! Is it alright to thoughtlessly spread a secret like that? Behind them, Duston seemed agitated as he spoke. Eh, its alright. I borrowed your workshop and even used some of your iron, Duston. Ah, do you have any materials for making the swords sheath or the handle? Duston was taken aback by Jins calm reply and his agitation ended. Yeah Missy, what a guy you brought with you. While speaking he pointed at a material shelf in the back. You can use whatever you like thats there. Jin then searched the shelf. He chose heavy leather for the sheath, bronze for the guard, and solid wood for the grip. He quickly shaped and processed these with Craft Magic too, and soon the short sword waspleted. Gloria, Ive had you wait for quite a while. Please take a look. Uhm, thank you. After epting the short sword Gloria immediately drew it and tried swinging it lightly. How is it? Since the weight can be adjusted a little, please dont hold back. I see. It feels like the tip is a little heavy. Gloria told her impressions to Jin. Got it. You can keep holding to it just like you were. [Forming]. Jin made the sword taper a little more towards the tip. How about now? Gloria tried swinging the short sword once more and, Mh-hm, this is good! Thank you, Jin-dono! She smiled with her whole face and thanked Jin. Chapter 270 - Turmoil After All

Chapter 270 C Turmoil After All

Right then it was about lunchtime. Alright, let me take care of the lunch. Gloria Ohlstat said and invited Jins group for lunch. She also invited Duston, but he refused, saying he had a lunch box his wife had made. When I was a child, I often went to y at Dustons workce and watch him make cutlery. Apparently by that time already she was a pitiable beauty. They stopped by Glorias house to drop off her sword and then headed to the main street. Therge sun dial showed that it was about 11.45. The foot traffic had increasedpared to the morning. Ive got a preferred restaurant. Gloria said as took the lead of Jins group. Here it is. The restaurant was on the main street little ways back towards the gate Jin and the others hade from. Its sign had Crystal Restaurant written on it, and while it appeared cramped the inside atmosphere was good. Since the time was still a bit before 12 oclock there werent many customers either. Wee, Ohlstat-sama. Like to a regr customer, the waitress greeted her in a friendly tone. Hey, Feo. I broughtpany with me today. Whatever you rmend for four, please. As you wish. The waitress called Feo gave a bow and went to the kitchen to convey the order. The lunch here is famously good. Off-duty soldiers and knights alsoe here often. Gloria exined. Up until the other day there were continuous battles around Tetrada west of here, but it seems to have stopped now. Yesterday a post horse arrived. It seems that Egelia Kingdom had fought with Celuroa Kingdom but it also seems to havee to an end. Thats news that came by pigeon the day before yesterday. Is it alright to tell us something like that? Eh, its fine. You must be worried about the situation of the countries too? I thought Id tell you as part of my thanks for making the sword for me. Why, thank you very much. It was news he was already familiar with, but since she had kindly told him Jin thanked her. Sorry to have kept you waiting. The food was brought in quite fast. They came up with this idea to reduce the types of foods in exchange for careful selection of vors and reduced cooking time. Gloria exined. To put it simply, it was a set meal that changed every day, but reaching that idea in this world could be valued highly. And just as she exined, the taste was rather good too. The food was freshly baked bread, vegetable soup, dried fish stew, and grilled deer meat. In addition they had Appleles. It wasnt high cuisine, but being familiar and cheap it was a menu bothmoners and lesser nobles could enjoy. Incidentally, Jin was interested in the bread. It wasnt pure white, but it wasnt whole grain bread either. To be frank, it was exactly the same bread that was eaten in Kaina Vige. This bread Jin started to say, then Gloria began exining with an understanding look on her face. Ah, its delicious, right? Its be poprtely. Its made out of wheat flour a rapidly growingpany called Ran Firm is selling. I thought so, Jin thought. He felt real happiness being of use to society like this. Hannah wanted to say something, but seemed to be engrossed in the dried fish stew. Youre very knowledgeable, arent you. Jin said, thinking that she was surprisingly well-informed about things despite being a knight. What, its just that the owners wife is my childhood friend. Gloria replied. I see, Jin thought after hearing that. Tea was brought in after lunch. So, about thepensation for the sword. Before drinking the tea Gloria spoke. How much would you like me to pay? Name your price, is what Id like to say but what I can pay has limits Jin turned to Gloria and replied, Since the materials didnt cost anything, its fine if you just pay whatever you think the sword is worth. Jin honestly didnt know the market prices of swords and such. But Gloria muttered that thats what troubles her the most, and she began pondering. Before long she raised her head as if havinge to a decision and took a tiny leather bag from the leather purse on her waist and ced it in front of Jin. Thats all Ive got on hand. Eh? Slightly confused, Jin checked the contents of the bag, and inside it there were seven gold coins and 15 silver coins. That was 71,500 Torr. That was about 715,000 yen. This is too much. Jin said, but Gloria replied without hesitation that even 100,000 Torr wouldnt be enough for the sword and that haggling would be sphemous. Jin felt a little ufortable, but then thought of a good line for persuasion. For craftsmen as long as what theyve made is appreciated and taken good care of, it would be fine to even give the product away for free. So Ill take just this and lets settle it with that. Jin said and took two gold coins out of the bag, then returned the rest to Gloria. Take good care of it, or should I say that Im just happy that I could help. Gloria then turned to Jin who said all that, replied with I swear, and lowered her head. Once they had drunk the tea that had cooled down a little, the outside became noisy. Hm? Whats going on? Before Gloria could finish talking, there was a sound of something breaking and people screaming. This is no trivial matter, Gloria said and rushed outside. There were knights near the area. Incidentally, the bill appeared to go on her tab. Jins group also followed outside to see. Then. Golems? I recognize those. Theyre the old type golems of the Unifiers. There were three old type golems that had be the base for Gon and Gen, and they were rampaging on the main street. What is this!? Gloria asked a knight who was next to her. Ah, Gloria-sama. I-I dont know very well myself, but what I can say is that at 12 oclock those three came out of a wagon and began acting violently. Indeed, ahead of the road there was a half-destroyed wagon with three racks that had fallen over. Cant you stop them!? N-no. Our swords cant make a dent on them. Weve requested the magi knight troops, but as of yet This isnt the time to be talking about that! Gloria turned to the direction of the three golems. They had begun destroying the stores along the road. People were running about trying to escape. A crowd of people rushed out of the destroyed stores. There were also people who turned back when they saw the golems. Among them was a small child who seemed to have been separated from their parent. The child identally fell over in front of the golem. Thats bad! Without any hesitation, the golem seemed about to trample over the child. Reiko! Save that child! Yes. Jin ordered. Reiko replied and instantly moved. Jins order was to Save. To save the child just holding them in her arms and moving away would work, but at this time it would be difficult. If Reiko was to quickly grab them and move, the childs delicate body probably couldnt handle the eleration. After reaching that conclusion, the action Reiko took was being the shield for the child. Reiko went on her hands and knees and covered the child to protect them. Then the golems foot swooped down on her. Without time to be doubtful of Reiko who moved there in an instant, the people present saw the golems footnd on Reiko who was covering the small child. Several women closed their eyes as they couldnt bear to watch Reiko and the child who were about to be crushed in a moment. But Reikos body wasnt so roughly made as to be crushed by a golem like that. Ooh!? The eyes of Gloria who hadnt closed them became wide. Reiko who took the golems foot with her back was undaunted. [Wind Blow]. Then the wind magic spell Elsa cast exploded. Since the golem had raised one of its legs it was easily overturned. Reiko used the chance to take the child in her arms and got up slowly. She then ran back over to where Jins group was. Father, the child is safe. Jin patted the head of Reiko who had carried back the child who was on the point of tears and praised her. Well done, Reiko. Your decision-making was good too. Reiko onee-chan, coo~ol! Even Hannah praised her, and Reiko smiled broadly. Since the child had scraped their knee, Elsa used healing magic. [Heal]. The bleeding stopped, and the child finally stopped crying. Okay, youre fine now. Does it hurt anywhere else? No. Thats good, Elsa said and returned her focus to the golems. [Dig]. Jin used the earth type magic [Dig] to make the golems fall into a pitfall and sealed their movements. If Reiko used violence this could be quickly settled, but since he wanted to avoid being conspicuous he had Reiko move to protect the surrounding people. [Standstill]. Jin then turned off a golem whose movements were sealed. In truth, the SP who were hidden using [Stealth] had also secretly provided support. Jin himself was moving while protected by a [Barrier]. Two golems were deactivated, and one remained. At that moment. [me Lance]. Fire magic exploded and the remaining golem was blown away. Chapter 271 - Princess

Chapter 271 C Princess

Advanced fire magic? Pieces of the blown-apart golem rained down. They bore into the walls of nearby buildings and even some people were hurt by them. There were also people who were burned. What are they doing in the middle of the town! Elsa, go check on the injured. Mm. Jin rushed to a building. It was greatly cracked and there were parts that seemed like they would copse any time now. [Fusion]. Jin started repairing the walls with Craft Magic. For now, it seemed like there was no worry of the wallsing down. T-thank you very much On Elsas side, the treatment of the injured also seemed to be nearly over. Jin took a breather and Elsa took another look towards the direction where the magic hade from. A lone magi knight was there. Numerous knights came from the same direction and they were checking the scene and its surroundings for anyone suspicious. Captain! Gloria raised her voice, ran over, and scowled a little. The magi knight looked at Gloria awkwardly. S-sorry. Looks like I overdid it a little with the power. Not just little! The citizens also got harmed! Youre always like this, captain! Please learn restraint! But if I ignored them the damage wouldve been greater I know that! Thats why I said restraint! Looking more closely at the person Gloria was chiding, she was a woman who seemed under 30 and was slightly shorter than Gloria. She also had very short hair but hers was vividly red. Her eyes were such a bright brown that they also looked red, so at a nce she gave the impression that fire-attribute magic was her forte. That said, ording to current theory ones hair color had no rtion to ones strongest attribute. Her breastte bulged outwards a lot, the size was as Reinhardt liked them. Oh, so you were here too, Gloria? Hows the damage? A carriage stopped behind the so-called captain and someone called out from inside. Recognizing the voice, Gloria was surprised and corrected her posture. There has been damage to the buildings but temporary repairs seempleted. Few people suffered wounds, but several were hurt by the aftermath of the [me Lance]. But thanks to the cooperation of a person who could use healing magic, treatment has been taken care of. After Gloria had replied while standing at attention, she pointed to Elsa behind her who had treated the wounded. I understand. Lets give amplepensation to the citizenster. Ill also have some strict words with Jessica. But settling this incidentes first. Jessica, takemand. Yes. The captain called Jessica replied with a salute to themand that came from inside the carriage. In the meanwhile, female knights who seemed to be her underlings arrested three suspicious men who were near the wagon. Apparently these three had moved the carriage here. Although it was called a wagon, there wasnt a horse connected to it and the men had apparently pulled it by themselves. Take them back for questioning. And afterwardse back to pick up those two golems. Jessica said, and afterwards stepped up towards Jin. Due to your efforts the two golems could be captured, thank you. My name is Jessica Norton and I am the captain of Cline Kingdoms female imperial guard knight troops. Im an Honorary Magi Craftsman of Egelia Kingdom, my name is Jin. Oh, a visitor from Egelia Kingdom? Is thatdy who is treating the people with you? She said and looked towards Elsa. Yes, shes my little sister. Her name is Elsa. This is my sister Hannah. Jin said and introduced Hannah. Mh-hm, Ill extend the thanks to your sister. So, Ive been instructed to tell you that the esteemed person in the carriage would like to thank you personally. Could you pleasee with me? As the captain of the female imperial guard knight troops had called them the esteemed person, Jin could have a rough idea of who they were. Yes, I understand. Thinking that if he refused here it would be troublesome in the future, Jin agreed. Thank you. Have your sisterse too. Gloria, you were off-duty today, werent you. Enjoy the rest of your day off. See you tomorrow at the royal pce. Y-yes. Being told so by her superior, Gloria cast a sidelong nce towards Jins group and, Well then, Jin-dono, Elsa-dono, and Hannah-dono. Im sorry that it things got hectic at the end, but goodbye for now. If you need anything, please feel free toe and ask my family She said, gave a light bow, and left. Come, Jin-dono, over here. Jessica Norton said and beckoned Jins group to follow her inside the carriage that was parked at the side of the main street. Once they had a closer look they noticed that the carriages craftsmanship was remarkably fine. Without revealing her exact status, Ill just tell you that she is a noble of this country. She said, opened the carriage door, and announced, Lies-sama, Ive brought them. Then a very lively voice came from inside. Ooh, have you now! I am Lieschen Physis Cline! Eh? The princess of this country? A princess? Her Highness the Princess was there, throwing out Jessicas consideration with her grand introduction. Sigh. Jessica was sighing inside the carriage. Next to her was the dark brown haired, blue-eyed princess. She was wearing what were probably street clothes and thats why they had no frills or other extra decorations attached, but the clothes were still refined so that one could sense that she was of noble birth. Jin, Elsa, Hannah, and Reiko were sitting in the seats in front of her. Dont sigh like that. Dont they say that happiness escapes the body when you do? The princess said to soothe Jessica but, Whose fault do you think that is She replied with a worn-out voice, then the princess retorted with a mischievous smile. Being royalty is not a secret or something to be hidden! Jessica then sighed many times more. Sigh. Moving on from the mncholic Jessica, the reason I summoned you here was that for one I wanted to express my thanks. The princess stated to begin with. She looked to be no more than 12 or 13, but she spoke like an adult probably due to her education as royalty. Express your thanks? Jin spoke as the representative. Thats right. I saw it, that Automata protecting the child and you dropping the two golems into a hole and neutralizing them. And the older one of your sisters helped the wounded by healing them. Ive got a magical eye that can see at a long distance, the princess said and pointed at her right eye. Lies-sama! You didnt have to tell him that! She went and spoke of something secret and Jessica flusteredly cautioned her due to her wildness, but it was like talking to a wall as the princess didnt seem even a bit shy. A magical eyeyou say? A magical eye was literally that, an eye which held Magic Energy. They were said to be extremely rare, something only one in tens of thousands of people had. In addition their effects varied from seeing through objects, clearly telling true from false through disguises ad camouge, and there even were charm-type eyes like the former Golden Princess of Destruction Elena had had. Then there eyes like the princesss that could see into the distance, and so on. I had just snuck out of the castle to see the situation around town. There was some kind of a disturbance so we hurried here, and it was at that time that I saw your efforts. Speaking elegantly while mixing in things like snuck out, even this princess was the pitiable type, Jin thought. She had refined looks not just because she was royalty, and her slightly upturned eyes were clear and her determination was well visible from them. She gave a feeling of elegance, just her mannerisms were very tomboyish. I have given my name, so please introduce yourselves too. Being told so, Jins group hurriedly introduced themselves. Ah, my apologies. My name is Jin. This is my little sister Elsa, and this Hannah, who is also my little sister. And this is Reiko. Im Elsa. Im Hannah! Elsa stood up, pinched the hem of her skirt and gave a simple bow. Hannah greeted her in a lively manner. Reiko stayed expressionless. Ah, I see, so youre Jin. Egelia Kingdoms Honorary Magi Craftsman, arent you? That is the second reason I summoned you. There was a pause, and then Princess Lieschen began talking, this time with a slightly faltering tone. Egelia Kingdoms third prince is called Ernest-samaor so I hear. Do you know him? If you know then please tell me. W-what kind of a person is he? The princess asked while blushing a little. Oh my, Jin thought as he replied. Lets see, if I recall correctly he just turned 13. H-hmm, so hes a year older than I. Hes rather intelligent and likes golems. Huh, we would get along well. Hes also considerate and watchful towards his subordinates. Kind, is he? Your Highness, could it be that this is about marriage proposal or something? Yes, thatsW-whawhawha-what are you saying?! Midway to confirming what Jin asked the princess turned bright red and panicked. It was appropriate for her age. No, its just that marriage between members of royalty isnt umon, and you wanted to know about a prince in a faraway country, so. At strange times, Jin could be quick on the uptake. Uh, we-well. Were just sounding things out at the moment though. The princess replied while hanging her head down. It was a bit cute. I think hes a good person. However, I dont myself understand rtions between men and women. Jin finished talking and the princess nodded. M-mhm. Youve been very helpful. Thank you. Theres one more thing, its about an Automata I would like you to repair. Chapter 272 - The Blue-haired Automata

Chapter 272 C The Blue-haired Automata

An Automata youd like me to repair? Thats right. Its shameful, but my Cline Kingdom doesnt have a satisfactory Magi Craftsman. Everyone gave up. Princess Lieschen said regretfully. I heard talk that some distant vige had an excellent Magi Craftsman, but thanks to a certain idiot called Earl Walter they ran away. Eh? It was a familiar story. Hm? So youve heard of it too. Really, all those old nobles, theyre just absorbed in protecting their own interests and dont think of the countrys or the peoples benefits at all. While talking the princess looked over at Jessica next to her and continued, Jessicas also a new noble. Good grief, there are sometimes times I think the whole lot of the nobles should be reced. Your Highness, thats a little Jessica softly interrupted her. Mhm, youre right. I shouldnt have the guests from another country listen to my grumblings. And so, Jin, I would like you to apany us to the royal pce. Refusal no longer seemed to be an option. Jin gave up and epted. However, If theres no materials then I cant repair whatever it is I need to repair though. He told the princess before he forgot. She then replied with a serious look on her face, Mh-hm Is there anything you need? Jin exined, It depends on whats broken. I wont know before I examine it. At any rate first came the examination so the carriage the group had got onto moved. On both sides of it four Imperial Guard knights followed. The princess, Jessica, Jin, Elsa, Hannah, and Reiko were on board yet there was extra room. That was only natural as the carriage was drawn by four horses. However, the ride wasnt veryfortable. But the road being paved was a big help. Mostly to Jin. The carriage headed to the building all the way at the end of the main road, the royal pce. Is it fine to just take us along? Jin asked and Jessica answered, Although were heading towards the royal pce, despite it being part of it where were going is more like an imperial vi, so the security and management is loosepared to the main pce. Not to mention that the check will be simple since this carriage is exclusively for the royalty. Princess Lieschen then gave additional exnation. I am the third princess. I have two elder brothers and two elder sisters. Moreover, a princess who isnt an adult has no authority to inherit the throne. So even though Im royalty Im not treated so seriously. Even Prince Ernest was born to a mistress, Jin remembered. Somehow it seemed like royalty like this felt like they were of better quality, Jin thought but of course didnt say it. The so-called imperial vi was to the left of the royal castle when facing it from the front, that is to say it was a building on the western side. It was different from how Jin imagined an imperial vi being like, but thinking that just might be a difference between worlds, Jin epted it. Since this was Hannahs first time on a carriage she was engrossed in looking out from the window. Elsa was watching out from the window too with a slightly interested look on her face. This is it, weve arrived. The carriages door was opened from the outside and a stool for getting down from the carriage was prepared. First Reiko got down while being cautious. Of course, nothing was there. Jin took Hannah by the hand and got down, then Elsa got down while feeling a little bit jealous of that. Thank you Jessica, you may go now. The princess said but Jessica shook her head. No, I shall attend you until the end of the day. Well arent you diligent, if only you were like this when using magic Oh well. While the princess spoke, they passed through entrance that was quite huge for an imperial vi. Jins group kept following after Jessica. She was a slightly dejected from the princesssment. There were less people around than expected. It seemed that thebor shortage affected this ce too. An Automata caught Jins eye. She was wearing a maids clothing and Jin could tell she waspensating for thebor shortage. However, Hmm, why is so rickety like that? Jin voiced his impression of the maid Automata. Even Elsa said, Jin-nii, the Automata here seem to be moving strangely. Awkwardly. Having be used to seeing golems made by Jin on Kunlun Ind and Hourai Ind, apparently she had be able to tell the difference between their movements. Whether the princess heard their exchange or not, she kept on walking silently until she came to a stop in front of a room. Here. She ced her hand on the door, looked over her shoulder and spoke with a sad tone. Jin, please, I want you to repair her. She then personally opened the door. Tapestry with flowers and butterflies on them had been hung on the walls of the room, and there was a soft bright green carpet on the floor. Judging from the feel it was a childs room. Woah, cute room~ Hannah said; she mustve got the same impression. Yes, this was my room as a child. The princess said, her eyes slightly moist. Take off your shoes ande in please. The princess said, neatly took off and put away her dark brown shoes, then stepped on the carpet. Jins group followed. Just Jessica kept standing as if protecting the entrance. They looked around the room while feeling the soft sensation of the carpet under their feet. In the corner there was a crib, and beside it sat a silhouette. Thats Ann? Jin and Elsa both spoke nearly simultaneously. The one sitting there was a blue-haired Automata. At a nce you could tell it was the same model as Ann. Ann? The princess found some fault with what they said. Thats not her name. Shes Tia. My only nanny. Jin didnt miss the sadness in her voice. He then went to take a closer look at Tia. It was unmistakably the same model of Automata as Ann. Her condition was many times better than Anns at the time of her discovery. But, she wasnt running. Before ascertaining the cause Jin threw a question at the princess. Your Highness Princess Lieschen, how did youe into possession of this Tia? Hearing him, the princess reacted with a twitch. Jin youre asking not from who, but how? I see, you must know, right? Indeed, Tia isnt something that was recently made. It seems she was found from some ruins. As I thought, Jin thought. Tia is an automata, but she was also my nanny. Ive heard that when I was very young she even breastfed me. Indeed, if she was the same model as Ann then she probably also had nipples installed. The breastfeeding function may have been something custom. By the time I could understand what was going on, Tia could only talk and had be unable to move. Even so, she let me hear many stories and songs. But The princess hung her head down. Three years ago, Tia suddenly stopped working. I tried showing her to the Magi Craftsmen of my country, but they told me that because her construction differs from the one current Automata use she cant be repaired. Tears were glittering in her eyes. My country is undeveloped with regards to Automata and Golems. Ive heard that Egelia Kingdom makes more use of Golems and Automata. Most of the Automata working here right now have been bought from Egelia Kingdom. While talking the princess softly touched the cheek of the unmoving Tia. I remember it. Tia was, Tias body was warm. The bodies of other automata arent cold, but they arent warm either. The princess then fixed her eyes on Jin, took his hand and said, I know that Tia is a special Automata. But, whatever it takes, I want to hear her voice again. Please, Jin! Please repair Tia! Seeing her desperation, Jin could tell just how serious the once-lively Princess Lieschen was. Onii-chan, listen to the princesss request. Onii-chan, you can do it, right? Even Hannah said so and looked at Jin. Elsa said nothing, but just looking at her face was enough to tell what she wanted to say. It made no difference as Jin himself wanted to repair her too. I got it, Ill do what I can. Jin said and began examining Tia. Although her condition was better than Anns had been, her Magical Skin had deteriorated and its sticity had fallen and her Magical Muscles were torn to pieces in some ces. Her skeleton had deformations and her joints were also rattling quite a lot. But the main cause of her bing inoperable was the Ether Converter. Jins diagnosis was that the Magi Crystal used as the Ether Converter had degraded, and with this eras Ether concentration being too low, it had be unable to refine Mana. Thats why there was no way that this countrys, or rather most of the current eras Magi Craftsmen could repair it. H-how is it? Can you repair her? The princess asked worriedly, then Jin told her with a smile, Its fine, I can repair her. But I need an all-attribute Magi Crystal though. Hearing that the princess began to smile. Got it! An all-attribute Magi Crystal! Ill have one provided at once! She said, then gave some kind of an order to Jessica who was standing at the entrance. Jessica went down the corridor and soon came back. She mustve given orders to other servants or Automata. While waiting for the Magi Crystal to be delivered, Jin began simple maintenance and had Reikoy Tia down on the floor. Your Highness, to repair Tia I have to take off her clothes, is this alright? Jin tentatively asked for courtesys sake. Of course the princess agreed. Elsa, could youe here and take her clothes off? Sensing the cold gaze of Elsa who was watching, Jin decided to ask her. Mm. With a short reply Elsa began taking off Tias clothes. The clothes looked to be recently made as they werent worn out. She took off the apron, the one-piece dress, and the slip-style underwear. As was usual in this world, there was no bra. The Automata was also wearing outdoor shoes tied with a string and bloomers. You can leave the bloomers for now. After having Elsa take off the slip Jin stopped her. If she was the same as Ann then that would be all sorts of perilous. Then when Jin was about to tear off the chests Magical Skin his hand stopped. Your Highness, Ill now be dissecting a part of Tia. I dont know whether or not I want to show it to you. Your Highness, please decide it for yourself. Princess Lieschen looked down and thought about it for a while, but before long raised her face in determination and said, Please show me. Its what I asked for, and more importantly, no matter how she looks Tia is Tia. Ill see it with my own eyes. Chapter 273 - Awakening, Reunion

Chapter 273 C Awakening, Reunion

I understand. Please watch. Jin said and peeled off the chests Magical Skin along the seam. The metal exterior peeked from underneath. Jin-nii, it seemed like there was no seam there. Elsa who was watching the work said admiringly. Well, thats because itd be a killjoy if you could see one, so it was cleverly hidden. This is besides the point, but Reikos body didnt have any kind of seams. Hers was seamless. In the case of Ann and Tia the exterior had seams and by opening them you could see inside. Tubes had been attached to her breasts and Jin could tell they were for breastfeeding milk which the Automata took in orally. It was a structure Ann didnt have. Later Jin would hear that Ann was breastfed using especially the milk of lesser noblewomen who had had babies. Jin continued checking the insides. Oh Its rather damaged, isnt it. Multiple Mithril-made magical nerves were also cut. They were the same things Jin had once described to Prince Ernest as conducting wires that transmit Magic Energy to all of the body parts. Jin had named them magical nerves. His naming for technologies was suitably fine. Your Highness, might you have any Mithril? Just a little is enough. Jin asked Princess Lieschen who was watching from a small distance away. She immediately replied. Mithril? Lets see, if this is enough then please use it. The princess said and took off the ne hanging from her neck. Its chain was made out of Mithril. Is it really alright? Jin asked while epting the ne, and the princess replied right away saying she doesnt mind. Jin furthermore raised his evaluation of the princess. I will use it then. [Forming]. [Fusion]. He replenished the Mithril of the cut magical nerves and connected them. Lotte, whom he had gifted to Prince Ernest had six magical nerves while Tia had twelve. The limbs, the head, and the torso all had two. It was probably to raise reliability. Jin remembered how Ann had no more than six magical nerves. Thinking of it, this Tia mustve been either customized or was an early model. It seemed that theter mass-produced versions were simplified. At that exact moment the Magi Crystal arrived. The princess went to the doorway to personally get it, then handed it over to Jin. Jin, will this do? It was a milky white Magi Crystal. Its quality and size were both adequate. Yes, thats fine. Jin took it and set onto inscribing the Magi Form to make it an Ether Converter. Since it was still impossible for Elsa, he kept the exnation to the basics. This is a Magi Device to convert the Ether in the air into Mana. Saying only that, Jin focused solely on writing the Magi Form. The Magi Form was so tiny and fine that not to mention Elsa, even the princess who had a magical eye of farsight couldnt read it. But doing the work he had done countless of times before, Jin was done in the blink of an eye. Now to rece the old one with this. The old Ether Converter was a darkened white. It looked like a Magi Crystal whose quality had fallen down quite a lot. For now, lets reconnect the cut Magical Muscles and apply [Reinforce] on the Magical Skin. He made sure to make it at least able to move. Any more than that was impossible without materials even for Jin. Some thirty minutester the repair and maintenance wasplete. The clothes were put back on, then finally came the activation of the Ether Converter. Once started, it could convert the Mana it made into energy using its Mana Driver and operate with that. You could call this system a kind of a perpetual motion machine. Your Highness, are you able to use any kind of magic? The Magic Energy pattern used on the start-up decided the direction and nature of the Magic Energy the Automata emitted afterwards. This is why the golems and Automata Jin made had the same Magic Energy characteristics as he did. Hm? We can use [Cure] and [Water Ball] in addition to [Water Bullet]. Thats enough. Pleasee over here. Jin said and the princess came over to Tias side. Please ce your hand on her chest Like that, then pour in Magic Energy. Jin said, but the princess looked surprised and hurriedly said, W-what!? Just Magic Energy? W-weve never done that before? Jin guided her gently, Its alright. Just use [Cure] and itll work out. The moment you feel youre about to cast it, lets see, how should I say this Something like, try undoing the convergence? Hmm Its vague but We can tell what youre trying to say. Should We give it a try? Yes, please do. Here we go. !! Jin who was watching the flow of Magic Energy using the [Trace] spell saw the Magic Energy concentrate on the princesss hands, then saw her cancel it just before it materialized as healing magic. Half of it vanished into the air, but the remaining half was just enough to start Tias Ether Converter. The Ether Converter made Mana, passed it to the Mana Driver, which sent energy to all parts of Tias body through the magical nerves. She then opened her eyes. Next she sat up slowly. Her blue eyes noticed Princess Lieschen. Princess Her lips moved just a little, but she was still able to speak out a word. Its been a while. Youve grownbigger. She said and smiled sweetly. TiTia! The princess hugged Tia. Tia, I wanted to see you. I wanted to see you so! Come now, princess, youre acting as spoiled as always, arent you. While talking Tia tenderly hugged the princess back. Although it was just her arms, she could move. There just wasnt enough material for the legs. I never, thought, Id get to, see you again, princess Me neither! Jins group nearby exchanged nces and left the scene. They looked at Hannah and she was lying down sleeping on the soft and fluffy carpet. Just now, she said I and not We. Elsa whispered to Jin with a low voice. Mh-hm, she undoubtedly said I when Tia began to move. She mustve returned to her past. Jin replied with a low voice too. Jessica then came over to them and, Jin-dono, let me thank you too. Its been a long time since Ive seen the princess this happy. I cannot thank you enough. She said, lowering her head. Jin felt ashamed. No, I only repaired an Automata that didnt work. If Her Highness was made happy then it was all thanks to Tia. Hehe, Jin-dono, arent you humble. But it doesnt seem like the princess thinks that way. Jessica said and pointed behind Jin. Jin turned and met the wet eyes of Princess Lieschen with blushed cheeks. Jin, thank you! Youve done what no Magi Craftsman in this country could do! She said and took both of Jins hands. Her voice woke up the napping Hannah. MmAh, Tia-sans moving! The princess too smiled when she heard that. Thats right, youve got a good elder brother, hes amazing, isnt he. Yeah! At the side, even Elsa was smiling happily. Your Highness, although I repaired Tia some things were only temporary measures, so please dont have her overdo it. Jin gave a warning, just in case. Mh-hm, got it! Jin, what kind of a reward would you like? Eh, nothing in Jin began to speak, but then Elsa pulled on his sleeve. Understanding that she was thinking of something, he tried leaving the talking to Elsa. Your Highness, in that case, I was thinking wed like entrance permits to Alban. What Jins group had been issued in the morning were only temporary permits. Mh-hm, thats a simple thing. And? And tonights lodgings. Hmm, hmm, you may stay here. We have a lot of things We want to talk to you about! She had been thinking that the princess would introduce them to an inn, but instead it turned out theyd stay there. Well have the rooms prepared at once. The princess faced the doorway and gave orders to the young maid there. She then turned to Jins group and said, Shell guide you to the guest room, please follow her. And so Jins group was this time led to the guest room. The princess returned to Tias side and began talking about something again. She mustve been very happy, it seemed like their separation had been quite hard. Jessica stayed on watch in the corridor. Why the captain of the Imperial Guard knights, you may ask. The maid told them that she had originally been the princesss bodyguard and had had a sessful career from there. Its because Jessica-sama actually treasures the princess a lot. Shes protected the princess ever since she was little. The maid seemed to love talking as she had in addition kept on fluently chattering about the gossip inside the royal pce without even asking. The guest room was only for Jins group. Hey, Elsa. Jin threw a slightly critical look towards Elsa but, Jin-nii, just what were you thinking. You did what no Magi Craftsman in this country could just like that. Theres no way theyd send us off just like that. She had a point. So tonight, keep herpany properly. You could read another meaning to what Elsa said, but Jin could understand what she meant. Since staying in the royal pce -or more appropriately the imperial vi- was a rare experience for Hannah she was fine with it, but Jin disliked stiff ces like these. Elsas probably used to it though He muttered and, Thats not the case. Elsa replied. Because until I was precisely the age of that princess, I never went out to the high society. Until then she had just done what she liked and yed, she said. Thats why Im not fond of formal situations either. While thinking of how she didnt say she dislikes them, Jin yed with the braided hair of Hannah who was sitting next to him. She silently, no, smilingly let him. Reiko stood quietly like she was protecting Jin, and soon it had be dark outside. Chapter 274: The princess’ melancholy

Chapter 274: The princess mncholy

Sorry to have kept you waiting. Princess Lieschen came in. She had already changed clothes. Waa, princess! Pretty! Hanna was entranced. She was wearing afortable dress and not her outing clothes. It was a pink dress with whitece. I, for one, do not like this kind of clothes, though. Wearing a bitter smile, she said those words. However, that behavior was polished and it could easily be understood as not being pretension. The preparations for dinner will be done soon. Please do not worry about etiquette and have fun. Yes, thank you very much. And then before long, two attendants and two automatas, came in carrying dinner. No, the ones who came carrying it were the automatas and the ones who lined it up on the table were the attendants. An elderly man, the grand chambein, was standing at the corner of the room and was overseeing the affair. (Ah, this automata is pretty worn out) Looking at the automatas behavior, thats what Jin thought. Jin could understand just by looking. (I cant just fix it as I please, either) He could not help being bothered by it. Its what one would call the mechanics saga. The lined up dinner was moderately extravagant and one could tell it was a menu which isnt pointlessly luxurious. A small boiled pot, which had various vegetables in it, was there, like a pot-au-feu. On a mouthful-sized steak were red and yellow vegetables cut into small cubes with sauce on top. A marinade made with a tinge fish-salmon. A boiled food, which looked like rusk but was not rusk, cut into small pieces with sugar smeared on top. in omelette. And a sd with a lot of fresh vegetables. For drinks, they served fruit juice. This menu is simr to the one I normally have. Well, it might not fit your tastes perfectly but please, dig in. Yes, itadakimasu! Hanna started eating at once. Simr to Jin, Hanna was not a picky eater either. It seems like Elza does not like Cokarisks meat but looks like it wasnt served this time. And so, the three of them were normally enjoying dinner but then the princess asked with a curious expression, Is that itadakimasu an Egelia kingdom manner or something? To that question, Jin answered, No, thats not quite right. It is like a greeting said before having meals in my house. Hearing that, the princess looked very curious. Hou, looks like Jin is from a very unique household. Id be happy to hear all about it when there are no hindrances. said the princess. Moreover, she smiled and said she wanted to know many different customs of many different kingdoms. Jin decided to talk about the automatas. It looks like your automatas are being used quite a bit, princess. Do you know their manufacturer? No, I do not know. It was given to me by my father. I see. From what I saw, one seems to be from Egelia kingdom and the other from Selroa kingdom. As Jin said that, the princess, who was impressed, said, Hou, you can tell just by looking? and continued, How do I say this, it feels like their movements are getting sloppier. What do you think? Hearing that, Jin thought that the princess knows her stuff as well. And said frankly, It is as you say. I think they are not undergoing maintenance. He even went on to say that there is a need for the required materials and someone who can do the maintenance. But that was asking for unnecessary trouble. Ohh, is that so? I will make arrangements for the materials tonight. Jin, rest well today. And tomorrow, please do maintenance on them! Elza, who was listening beside them, let out a sigh and gave a look at Jin saying Even though we had to stay over tonight because you said something unnecessary, you had to do it again. But Elza doesnt hate such sides of Jin. She was just a little worried. After all, she knows Jins interests towards automatas and golems are not normal Hanna, looks like you took quite a liking to that. Here, have mine as well. Wah, thank you, princess. She shared her pelshika with Hannah, making her even happier. As for Jin, pelshika equals peach, so he was wondering why they were here at this time. He had not yet done a detailed research of Hourai ind yet but it feels like the undergrounds Ether has something to do with it-but here, in Kurain kingdom? He wonte to an answer no matter how hard he thinks so he decided to make Quinta investigate itter on. While Jin was pondering such a thing, Elza was having a heartwarming feeling that, while they were not connected by blood, the three here were definitely her family. Hanna-chan, I will give you this as well. Wah, sis, thank you! Elza also shared her peach with Hanna. Seeing that spectacle, Lieschen princess made a slightly jealous expression. You guys really get along well. I am a bit jealous. Hearing that, Hanna said, Princess, do you have someone you dont get along with? It is Hannahs special privilege to be able to ask questions like that. For good or worse, she had been living in a vige without any ulterior motive. Hearing that question, the princess didnt take any offense, rather she wore a somewhat sad expression and answered, Fufu, it isnt like I am on bad terms with someone. Just that I dont have any family I do get along with. A simr but different expression. Elza had a rough idea of the situation. Princess Lieschen was disconnected from the royal family. Jin also understood from a different perspective. That the opposite of like is not hate here, but rather apathy. Its not that she is liked or hated, she is just ignored and she has to bear with it. Automatas wont ever betray their master. But can that be said to be the automatas will? Werent they just created like that? When he was thinking about that, he felt kinda empty. Feeling peace by being served by just automatas is no different than secluding oneself from the outside world. Your Highness, your siblings When Jin started to say that, as if the princess had guessed it, she went ahead and answered, My eldest brother is Edmond. He will be 28 this year. Younger than him is Arthur, he is 26. My eldest sister is 30 and married a duke. My other sister is 22 and she too married a duke. Your siblings, are all, separated quite a lot by age Elza was also much younger than her brothers, so she somewhat understood. That if you are close in age, you cant really get along in the real sense. Your mother Mother died almost as soon as she gave birth to me. That might also be why my brothers and sisters are cold towards me Jin felt like he understood it a little. In the current royal family of Kurain kingdom, there was no queen. As because the queen died right after giving birth to the youngest child, the youngest princess is neglected by her siblings. Only father is kind to me but he is always busy But Jin couldnt possibly do anything. He could only wish this smart and lively princess grows up to be an upright adult. No, at the very least, I could make her feel at ease while I am here. Jin thought again. Even if it is by the help of automatas. Although it contradicts with what he thought before, he gave a bitter smile and decided that he was going to give his all to fix the automatas. There, Jin borrowed writing materials and wrote down all the materials he would need and requested to get them ready. Hm, I got it! If you have all this, it will be enough, right? I will prepare them by tomorrow morning. The princess handed over the sheet to her attendant and gave instructions. I am excited about tomorrow. After dinner, he avoided serious talk and let her listen to some stories of Egelia kingdom. After all, Jin had traveled from Elias kingdom all the way to Serroa kingdom and also through the main road of Egelia kingdom. Hoho, I had heard the rumors but to think the golem incident was that horrible. Among all the stories, the princess was the most interested in the golem incident. Being involved with the incident, Jin and Elza summed up roughly all there was to it. But eventually, the princess noticed Hannah was dozing off so she expressed her gratitude for letting her hear the stories and left. And instead, an attendant came to guide Jin and the others to the bedroom. This attendant did not seem like she liked to talk, being the quiet elderly type. Guests, thank you very much for today. It has been awhile since I have been able to see the princess enjoying herself that much. she left saying just that. All three of them were in the same room. Even then, it was about as big as 20 tatami mats and they had their own beds, with curtains, ensuring private space. Putting Hannah to sleep on one of the beds, Jin told Elza and Reiko, That princess is a better kid than I had thought. Tomorrow, I am thinking of making all the automatas here better before I go. Nn. I knew Jin-nii would say that. As father wills. Both Elza and Reiko did not oppose. And then, Jin gave Reiko instructions. Reiko, contact Laojun and make him send over some materials needed for repair. And then Jin counted up the materials needed for repair. Which will probably be taken in by the SP who are always with Jin. He probably wouldnt need that much but he instructed them to pack it so that its like hand luggage and does not stand out. Alright, everything will be done tomorrow. Saying that, Jin threw himself on the bed. Sightseeing somehow turned into this, huh? No, this is interesting in itself. Elza also sat on her bed and answered. I know that Jin-nii is not only kind towards humans, but towards automatas and golems as well. Hearing that, Reiko wore a very small, gentle smile. Chapter 275: Repairing

Chapter 275: Repairing

The next morning, it was a time for breakfast around 7:30. Perhaps it is too early for nobility or royal family. Hannah woke up at 5:30 and she still dozing off on the bed then Jin also woke up and ying around with Hannah. Even though Jin told Hannah he is as her opponent, he keep his vision height same as Hannah. When the times around six o''clock, Elsa woke up then she rose from her bed and opened the window''s curtain. Since the three of them already awake, they decided to wash their faces together. When they got out to the hall, an automata was standing there. "GoodMorning" The Automata say hi to them. Jin felt that it''s vocal chord function also writhered a bit. The washrom was at the end of the hall (corridor?), wash their faces so their face look fresh. Jin who saw outside through the washroom''s window learnded that the automata is pumping the water to bucket for the mansion use. "It''s behavior is a bit off" There is a little feel of sympathy to in Kingdom. At the same time, a cheerful voicee from behind. "Oh, Jin and the siblings already awake, Good morning" The princess Liesheen was there, she wears a silky and a bit thin glossy sleepwear, Jin sight stuck there but it wasnt seen through. (TN: Tch) With the elderly maid standing there and already prepared the towel and hair brush, thoose 3 (or 4?) wash their face and wash their mouth one person at time and wipe their face with a towel recieved from that elderly maid. Jin noticed the mirror in the washroom, but its abit distorted and not glossy. " " Jin used his magic to clean the mirror. (Thanks to DJ?????? who corrected this line) The princess who saw it was very pleased. (amazed?) "I see! Magi craftman is amazing! We have to develope even more in this country." The princess herself have been thinking about internal affair, Meanwhile Jin being himself. (Thanks for TheDefend to correct it) "Elsa, the deformation is looks easy and important too, The simpler the shape, the more clearer the image is. You have to make the mirror surface t." Jin holding a little lecture to Elsa. "Hnn, Got it" Meanwhile, Hannah walks back to the bedroom, The princess stopped her. "Where are you going Hannah? Come to the room of mine. Let''s y together" "Eh? ying with you?" "Yes, that''s right. Come on." Before the princess talk to hana, she decided to borrow Jin''s and Elsa''s sister, and pulled out her hand. Hannah seems in the good mood to take the princess hand. However, I (Jin?) don''t know how are the royality spend their time like. Jin who decided to return to his room said that to Elsa, "If Hannah-chan is with jin-nii, hermon sense will destroyed" (TN: i think she said this either to jin or princess) And while walking away Jin pretend to didn''t hear that and so he smiled wryly. "Father, this is the material you asked for." Reiko who saw that scene finished showed the the material that Jin orderedst night. It looks like the material brought inside the leather bag that exist anywhere, and while Reiko brought that while she under the effect. Jin confirmed the material inside it and smiled when he thought what he wanted going to bepleted (not sure in this line so i changed it a little). "Oooo" After Hannah came back, Jin who looked toward Hannah opening the door is surprised and amazed/speechless. "Ehehe~, how is it?" Hannah was wearing a gorgeous dress like a princess. "How is my used dress? is it suit her?" The princess who cameter said so. Hannah''s chestnut hair, wich Jin altered(the colour) have been decorated with silver hair ornament with flower motif. The dress is a thin red color that the princess''s favorite color. Decorated withces and frills make it more pretty. And a slightlyrge ribbon is ced on the chest. She wearing a pair of pure white gloves that reached the elbow area that suit an little princess. "It suits you, it''s realy cute," When Jin praised her, Hannah smiled widely and gigled. ******* "I want to give that dress to Hannah, take it home with you." Princess said that while they are eating breakfast. "Well it is because I can''t wear it again anyway." "Un! Princess, thank you!"("un" is more like "yes" and Elsa almost used the same word for affirmative) Hannah rejoice happily. The princess''s face who saw it loosened. Even for the princess who is the youngest child cannot helped it in front of the cute Hannah. (TN: Umu, Hannah is cute, indeed. after i trante this i bet there is a swarm of police in front of my house) Usualy there is wont be easy for amoner have such a familiarity to the royality, actually that seems to be impossible. "Well then, Let''s eat then fix it" Jin who finished eating breakfast dered to the princess to start repairing. "Your Higness, please bring all the automata that works here. Then the material I asked yesterday." He asked her to lend a room to work at the same time. The princess nod and took Jin to another room. There was a frugal room about 10 tatami size, and in the corner of the room there was the material that Jin had asked. How about in this room?" Because there are arge and sturdy table ced inside, she knew that jin was fine here. "Elsa, help me work. How about Hannah?" "Hannah can I apany her?" The princess herself made such an offer, so Jin gratefully ept her offer and he let Hannah y with princess. Since Jin use the material from Hourai Ind, its a bit hard to deceived princess. "Well then, I beg to you." (Thanks to DJ?????? who also corrected this line) She doesn''t need to monitor Jin''s works or whether she really trust him. There were eleven automata, including Tia those working in the mansion. "Well then, shall we started from Tia first?" "Yes, please." Jin make Tia lied on the table and inactive it. Then he remove all it''s clothes this time. "ah" Elsa who was watched it raised her voice and blushed. Same as Ann, part of Tia was made exactly like a woman. Without minding that part, Jin disassemle Tia at once. Strip away all rinds and magical skins and also it''s exterior. "Ahh, this is terrible." "Hmm, somehow rags." Because Elsa watched when Jin made Lotte in Blue Land, she desn''t disturbed at all. "Ah, the skeleton is distorted and rusty." The skeleton made from steel like Ann, but the color is a bit red because it rusted at the joint parts and also it''s a bit bent. "I want to make it from white/ light silver but its impossible, I will make it from stainless steel." Jin said so then he took chrome and nickel from Reiko''s leather bag that originaly from Hourai Ind. That is what he intended to do. "Elisa, look carefully, this is chromium, this is nickel. Mixing it with steel makes it an alloy called stainless steel." While exining, Jin slowly remove Tia''s skeleton using Eoncoat (alloying) magic technique to caoting the stainless steel alloy (carboning). (TN: seriously in raw it tranted as "using alloy to alloying with alloying magic for alloy) To adjusing the distortion he use . Coat the joint part with adamantite. "The skeleton are done, next is the muscle." He asked princess to order the leather of sandworm, It is a devil in the Imperial (demons?) area. It seems quite expencive here, where the location is quite far and the amount was small. However, he anticipated it, he already prepared arge amount of magic fiber that is producted in Hourai ind. Combining those two is quite good. "So, bybining thin fibers and twisting it makes more sturdier and more supple." Jin who is the one to rece the magical muscle while exining it to Elsa. Elsa is looking at Jin''s hand movements to devour his knowledge, trying to remember his movement that way. "With this, Ok. More than half considered useless." "I think that Jin-nii who finished it in 15 minutes is amazing." "Haha" Next is the magic device, such as control core, yesterday Jin confirmed that Magi crystal power is almost empty. He Reced the robust magi crystal, there is no need to worry of the Unifier anymore, but, just in case, he will make the countermeasure againts magic. The Magi device is restored in the mithril casing and surrounded with sponge for the cushioning material made of gourasherum and finished, its a bit bulky because this material he used/arranged. They exchanged all magical device that already tattered with the new item as well. The old nucleus control core are to be analyzed in Hourai Ind. There may be some new information in it. "It will be fine for another 20 to 30 years without maintance." The improvements were made so that it would hardly deteriorate for daily works. Jin will return the exterior to the original ce. Jin using on the exterior parts and the other rusty ce. And for the final touch is the magical skin. This also made from Hourai Ind, He made the exact same color, but for the certain part Jin thinking "what to do for this part?". Jin heard that the princess used to drink milk from it, so Jin decided to leave the nipple part on it''s chest. Because there was a tank to store milk inside the breast part, considering that it should be used as nursing nanny, even Jin redeveloped it. Jin admired that inside of the tank was engraved with the magic form of and it used with intention to prevent decaying/spoge(milk). "But only just clean up is useless," It is effective but insufficient. Decaying/Spoge can''t be prevented only by purifying cleanup that separates impurities. Well, as long as there is no any impurities, it will slow down the spoge. In that sense, Jin added a original magic form . "Underneath is" The problem is the lower abdomen. After all the trouble, He decided to leave it as it just by putting , without exchanging any magical skin there. "Jin-nii, your face be red." While Elsa pinted that out, Jin ended all the work in half an hour. Dressed it and reactivate the power. Tia who awaken deeply lowered it''s head and thanked Jin. "Jin-sama, thank you very much. With this, I can work again." "Tia, now you are restored. Well the other performance should be better than before. I will tell the princess." After Jin said it. Tia smiled and answer it. "Yes, certainly. Because the princess is the meaning of my existence here." ****** The remaining 10 automata were restored quickly. The 7 automata who worked indoors were made by Eglea/Egerea Kingdom, the other 3 working outdoors made by Seruora Kindom. There is no any deterioration of the magical skin, and it seems it willst long enough with only . However, since most of the joints are wearing downd, most of them wer repaired and coated with adamntite. As the skeleton was basicaly only iron, he add nickel and chromium, and make them stainless steel. Nickel and chromium he brought for this is almost run out. "There is no Ether converter, " Because the present era, the mana tank are used instead of ether converter. When Jin think of where to refill the mana tank, it seems there is a magical manna supplier machine further behind the washroom. The automata whose run out of mana need to go there to refill the mana tank either itself or you refill it yourself. "There is a considerable ammount of Magic fiber left that i prepared, so let''s strengthen it." Jin who strengthen it with his original made magic muscle fiber. You can say that the output is 1.5 times more stronger/durable. Those whose voice function is degraded are reced the magic crystal. Jin almost run out of magic crystal he brought. Only one left. He put it in his pocket. "Okay, finished" After he fix them one by one in turn, and thest automata went out of the room. "" Elsa sighing after she watch them get out. Its understandable because she also help Jin who worked 2 hours continuosly. "Finally" "we aren''t done yet?" Elsa amazed, "No, you see, what kind of mana supplier is for them to refill the mana tank." That''s right, after walk out to corridor/hall, just as Jin wondering to follow them. "Inside the washroom, and Oh is it that?" There was a huge device there, Jin want to analyze it''s enginering magic. "Hmm, the principle/method is close to Ether converter, but you can only make it with a huge ammount of it." Stop tampering, only the part that seems inefficient tampered, Jin who keeps moving his hands for a while. "Well, i guess this would improve its efficiency." That said, Jin said looked fairly satisfied. Tia''s performance is should be 3 times better than usual. Chapter 276 - Side Story- Hourai Island’s secret and Topaz’s job

Chapter 276 C Side Story- Hourai Inds secret and Topazs job

Topaz, Hourai Inds golem maid was in charge of thend development. Amethyst and Ruby, who were created at the same time, were in charge of the defence. Peridot was in charge of the house work and Aqua was in charge of the flood control. They had subordinates, who were given numbers from 1 to 100, and they all worked diligently everyday. Soil development is kinda in but it is important. The reason being that it connects to providing their master, Jin, with necessary food. The leader of all the Topaz, Topaz leader, was given all the necessary knowledge from Jin and Laojun (which is ultimately Jins knowledge anyway) to do the work. Most of the unclear points were solved by asking Laojun, so they mostly dont face any hindrance while carrying out everyday work. Done with the first stage of the orchards and the fields maintenance is alsoplete. The Topaz says to herself. It was a habit she got from Jin. One tends to talk to themselves more when they live alone for so long. In front of Topazs eyes, the field and orchard spread into the horizon. In the field, there were wheat and barley. Fruit trees grow depending on the four seasons, so she tried nting wheat and they kept growing steadily and would soon be ripe enough to be harvested. There were pelshka, apple and citran. And also maron (chestnut) and ornatt (walnut). It also hadmons (lemon). Pelshka seems like it would be the most useful. What is called peach in modern Earth era, that fruit, which resembles it so much, also blooms in spring and bears fruit in the summer. But here, in Hourai ind, they can be harvested all year round. After looking into it with Laojun, they found out that it was due to the particr geographical aspects of the Hourai ind. [Seems like Hourai ind has Earth pulses passing through it.] Laojun had said. It was still being investigated so Jin was not yet informed. Laojuns travel terminal, Laozi, and Topazs from 11 to 30 were investigating it so they would probablye to a conclusion in a few days. They can report to Jin after that. The reason why the previous Magi Craft Meistar, Adriana, set base here was because of the abundance of ore underground. [The fact that it has such an abundance of ore hints that theres a high possibility Hourai ind has an ether route.] Laojun had spected as such and begun investigation based on that. And in reality, Hourai inds crop growth rate was high as well. They were able to confirm that the higher the nt has affinity with magic, the faster it grows. And the fastest among all them is pelshka, after all. Peach, apple and citran, the fruits which had been probably growing naturally since long ago, grow during the four seasons without exception. [I triedparing the apple I bought at Blue Land the other day with Hourai inds apples.] Topaz remembered the conversation she had with Laojun the day before yesterday. How was it? Topaz had asked but in her mind, she could already guess the answer. And then, [The ether in the Hourai ind apple was more. To be specific, it was 10 times more.] And Laojun replied with the answer she had guessed. ording to Jins theory, ethers size is even smaller than particles and can easily go through materials. To stop ether, one must use magic. But, ether does stop in pelshkas seeds, do they? [Humans who are called mages, are able to take in the ether in the air and turn that into mana inside of their body. The mana inside of them get used up if they use magic but can be refilled by taking in the ether in the air once again. This mana can be used to take form of various different energy forms by the humans will and imagination and can be controlled. That is magic.] That is Jins interpretation of the theory the previous Magi Craft Meistar had constructed. Humans who do not have magical power cant even take in the ether so naturally, they are not able to use it either. But, ether stops inside of the pelshka seed. Which means, the seed itself has magical power, right? If the seed possesses magical power, so would the tree. The magical power is more in areas where the density of ether is high. And because of this, in Hourai ind, magical nts (temporary name} development is faster, right? This is what Laojun and Topaz came up with. Whats left is to discover the ether pulse (temporary name) inside the ground. Although, this has been proven to a certain extent. It can be understood by looking at the grand spiders and grand caterpirs, which live off of ether, living and prospering underground. All thats left is to wait till the investigation result supports that. Incidentally, the discovery that pelshka seed holds magical power became the indicator which lead to a ground-breaking preservation method. [The peach, apple and citran inserted into the ether stocker do not deteriorate.] It waspleted on 11th of April but Laojun had already experimentally stored fruits at that time. ording to that, the fruits which would normally drop in quality inside a normal refrigerator, do not deteriorate at all inside an ether stocker. After finding out that things which do not have magical power are not harmed at all when put inside an ether stocker, all the refrigerators/freezers at the research institute were remodelled. We can stop the fruits, which master does not eat, from rotting with this. And that was right - the fruits they diligently stocked up for Jin always rot after being in the refrigerator for about a month. It would be a waste so they had been dehydrating the rotten fruits and putting it to use as fish food at the Tatsumi bay. However, after the ether stocker waspleted, they were able to store it without it rotting. This extremely small portion was being used by the Quinta scattered about at different ces. Ooh, it is really rare for pelshka to be avable in this season! It would make tons of money! There are plenty of nobles who say that. By gifting such nobles these pelshkas, they create a connection and are able to gather various information. [Maybe, it is also possible to replenish the magical power.] Having spected as such, Laojun used the Quinta and was also performing experiments on a living person in secret. Even though I say experiments on a living person, they only measured the magical power amount on a person before and after eating the pelshka. Using a device Jin had nned after experiencing the magical power affinity measurement of the Egelia kingdoms guild. The principle was simple. By making use of the phenomenon of magical power resonance, it would measure the amount of magical power the subject possesses. Most of the nobles who have eaten the pelshka also have magical power. And therefore, it was possible to secretly measure and gather the data. And ording to that data, as Laojun had spected, the effect of magical power recovery from intaking the pelshka was certainly high. At that time, Laojun had contacted Topaz informing that some interesting information had been reported to Jin by the SP. [It seems that pelshka had reached the dining tables in Krain kingdom.] Thinking about it logically, there was no way for the fruit to have travelled that far so quick. It was quite unlikely that pelshka would appear in Krain kingdom, which was further north of the Hourai ind. Thinking it to be strange, Topaz asked, Where was that pelshka harvested? [I am making the Quinta do follow-up survey on it.] Laojun answered immediately. Spika-7 and Regrus-2 had been dispatched to the vicinity of Krain kingdoms capital, Alban. He added that the adult among the two, Regrus-2, was doing the investigation. The result was brought about the following day. Krain kingdom was undeveloped in terms of magical techniques but inversely, they were quite ahead other countries in agriculture. In fact, there was even a greenhouse there. By using the fire magi stone inside to keep it warm even at night, they were able to harvest it even in Spring. After exposing it to the cold in November, they start the heating process in December. The flowers bloom by January and the fruit is ready to be harvested by April. [But, the amount would not be much, right?] Yes, at most, it would be around a hundred. And the majority of that is supplied to the royal castle. Regrus-2 ended the report. If they are being treated with such precious food, master and the others are really being warmly weed, arent they? Topaz asked to Laojun. [That is true. For the time being, Hourai ind wont be needing a greenhouse but preparing one wouldnt be bad, I suppose.] And just like this, for the betterment of Jins eating habits, Topaz and Laojun were cooperating day and night with all their energy. - Ethers routes, namely Magic pulses, existence woulde to be known 2 days after this just about when Jin would return. Chapter 277 - Unforeseen Incident

Chapter 277 C Unforeseen Incident

Onii-chaan. Hearing Jins footsteps in the corridor, Hanna also stepped out. She was wearing a different dress yet again. This one had no sleeves. The type which hangs from the shoulder. The skirt spread out and made fluttering noises every time she walked. How is iting along, Jin? Are you maybe done with half of it? Princess Lieschen asked with somewhat impish eyes. Jin smiled and replied shortly, I am done with all of it. Not expecting such a reply the slightest, the princess asked with wide eyes, Really?! The princess had not really known what a Magi Craft Man would actually be like but she had her own thoughts about it. But that was all betrayed in a good way. It is true, princess. Jin-sama is a wonderful person. He also fixed mepletely. said Tia. T-Tia! You can walk now?! Yes, thanks to you and Jin-sama, I waspletely fixed. Just like before No, I have been fixed to an even better version of me than before. With this, I can always serve you properly. I see, I see! The princess said while jumping towards her and Tia properly grabbed her. Till now, Tia probably had some difficulty freely using her feet so this was probably the first time she was able to do something like this. As you can see, I ampletely fine now. Saying that, Tia held the princess up in her arms. This was the genuine princess carry. I am d I am d Seeing the princess be even happier than yesterday when they had restarted Tia, it made all three of them smile. - I really wanted to introduce you to my father, the King but After having lunch, Jin informed the princess that they were leaving. The princess nodded even though she was a little reluctant. She might have thought that it would not be nice to forcibly make them stay. At that moment, Excuse me. Along with the voice, the Imperial Guard Knight captain, Jessica Norton, came in with the vice captain, Gloria Orstat. Oh, you are here too, Jin-dono. Seeing Jin and the others, Jessica looked like she was relieved. The analysis details of yesterdays golem came in so I came to report to the princess. You guys have also helped, so you have a right to listen. And so, they shifted locations to the reception room. Seeing all the automatas moving around energetically, Jessica was left dumbfounded. Ohh, its like they arepletely different from yesterday. Was it you, Jin-dono? Yes. Jin fixed every single automata here. Oohhh, as I thought! He was also a first ss Magi craft man, huh? Not only being good at swordsmanship but at automatas too Ahh, now that I think about it, you had a wonderful automata beside you, didnt you? As expected of Egelia kingdoms honorary Magi craft man! said Gloria. She had already equipped the short sword Jin had made for her. Automata no, Tia came in with tea. Pr-princess, th-this is?! Seeing Tia, who was barely able to move yesterday move better than ever before, Jessica was again staring in wonder. Fufu, were you surprised? Jin also fixed Tia today! Taking a sip of the tea, the princess said proudly. More importantly, let me hear the report. Ye-yes Wiping off her sweat, Jessica fixed her posture and started her report. One could feel the dignity worthy of the Imperial Knights captain from that form. ording to the report, the two captured golems were brought in secretly by the Unifiers. It seems their aim was to cause chaos at Alban during the afternoon on the 27th. Hearing that, Jin thought to himself, that the time they were brought in, Unifiers were pushing forward with their world conquest and Joule and the others couldnt probably do much. The 3 in question were spies of Unifiers as expected. However, about the earlier notice, hypno, was it? There were no signs of such maniption. It was because even the normal members who were not part of the higher ups would cooperate with the world conquest even without brainwashing. Jin had heard that too from Joule through Laojun. Unifiers, eh that is troublesome. The princess said with a grim face. Jin had to hold back his urge to tell the princess that the Unifiers were harmless now. Good job on the report. Ah, right I was thinking of seeing off Jin and the others to the castle gate. Would you guys like toe as well? Yes, if it is the princess order. Eh, Jin-dono, are you already going back? Jessica agreed immediately but Gloria looked a bit sad. I shalle again someday. Saying that, Jin stood up. Following him, Elsa and Hanna also stood up. Reiko was holding the bag, which was almost empty now. For some reason, there was something packed in it. They headed towards the south gate on the princess carriage. The ones riding on the carriage were Jin, Lieschen princess, Tia, Elsa and Reiko. Jessica and Gloria were riding horses, escorting the carriage. Hanna was still wearing the princess dress. Who knows how many more clothing she had received. In fact, the dresses she got were packed in the bag Reiko was carrying. Right, I should give you this. I had requested for it yesterday. The princess handed over a castle entry permit to Jin. It was of silver color, only given to people the royalty had acknowledged. Who knows when they had it made but it properly had Jin, Elsa and Hannas portraits engraved in it, making it useless to other people. With this, you cane to the castle anytime. The general public can only enter the castle when the gates are open, meaning from 7 am to 6 pm. But with this silver permit, they can enter anytime except of emergency times such as war periods. Thank you very much. Jin gratefully epted it. The portrait was ck and white so he could possiblye in with a different hair color as well. Also, this is my thanks. Saying that, the princess handed over a heavy bag to Jin. It has 50 gold coins in it. I do not know if it is enough but it is the best I can do. Please forgive me. 500,000 toll, approximately 5,000,000 yen. Jin refused to ept it. Princess, this is too much. Mu-I-Is that so? But, I would like to No, that money is the tax from the people, right? It wont be good to use it like this. Jin tried persuading her with that. Mmm, then how much would you be willing to ept? Being asked that in return, Jin was at a loss for words. Ri-right. 2 gold coins would probably be enough Hearing that, the princess brought out 5 gold coins from the bag and handed them over. The things you have done is much more valuable to me than 50 gold coins. Please understand that. And also, I know how you feel but do not be so modest. That would be decreasing the value of the things you did. It was really fun getting to know you guys. If it is okay, wont you be my friend? Jin, and Elsa too, understood the princess feelings and Hanna as well, kindly said, Yes, with pleasure. Happily. Princess, you will be my friend? Yayy! There was no way they would refuse. Hmm, I am grateful. Then, from now on, I would like you all to call me Lies. Yes, Lies-sama. Is it okay to call you Lies-sama? Lies-onee-chan! Yes, that is fine. Ahh, today is a good day. Meanwhile, the carriage had reached outside the gate and stopped. To check if there were any suspicious beings in the surroundings, Jessica and Gloria galloped with the horse a little further. Jin had said it was fine to drop them off at the gate but the princess was reluctant on parting and so made the carriage go past the gate. Looking outside through the window of the parked carriage, the princess asked, Is your carriage outside? To that, Jin had no choice but to give an ambiguous answer, Well, yes.. Well, that is fine. I do not want to pry into it Well, then. Come visit again someday. Saying that, the Lies princess shook their hands one by one. And then the door was opened. Even before the stepping stone was ced, Hanna got off as she was closest to the door. At that moment, someone appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Hanna and held a dagger to her neck. As always, Jin had no sense of how to use money. Saying that it was the tax money and decreasing the amount was that really a good thing to do? The SP dedicated to Hanna were alsote due to the carriages speed Chapter 278 - Survivors

Chapter 278 C Survivors

O-Onii-chan Hanna! Jin and the others hadpletely let their guard down. Moreover, the timing was bad as well. Because they were travelling via carriage, the Hanna full-time SP were a bit behind. There would have been no problems whatsoever if Reiko was the first to get off. Theres no point saying that now, though On top of that, Jessica and Gloria also went towards the forest to check. Furthermore, the man must have also been using magic tools with hide effect. The SP might have been aware of the mans presence beforehand but as his intentions were unclear, they were a bitte in coping with the situation. Misfortune kept piling up for Jins side which was fortune for the man. (No, considering what happens next, it would probably be better to say the man was unfortunate.) Do-dont move! You all, get off of the carriage! Lets do as he says for now. Saying that, Lieschen princess jumped off from the carriage. Following her, Jin, Elsa and Reiko also jumped off. Princess! Jessica and Gloria also came back hurrying. You bastard! What do you think you are doing?! Let go of the child! But the man who restrained Hanna boldlyughed. Hmph, if you care for the princess wellbeing, stay 10 meters away from me. Nn? Princess? Hearing that, all of them there realized. The man had mistaken Hanna, who was wearing the princess dress, for the princess. But that did notfort them either. Slowly getting off of the carriage, Jin whispered to Reiko, Reiko, what is Iris and Azalea doing? Reiko changed her vision to infrared and answered after surveying Hannas surrounding, Yes, with just 1 more step Gyyyaaaaaahhh! The moment Reiko started saying that, the mans shriek could be heard. Everyone except Jin and Reiko looked with their eyes wide open. Before they even realized, two deep ck golems had appeared. One was guarding Hanna and the other was holding down the man. And the mans hand was curved to an improbable direction. At about 3 points. Onii-chan! Hanna came running towards Jin with teary eyes. Jin also went running towards her, hugged her and stroked her back. Its all fine now. I am sorry. I made you experience something awful. No, I believed you would save me. Jin gazed at Iris and Azalea told them Good job. Wh-what are these? These pitch ck golems? Finally, the princess was able to open her mouth to say those words. Jin told the princess he would exin it to herter and turned to face towards the man. Oi, what was your aim in doing all this? But the man still stayed there, lying in pain and snorted. Alright then. But that wasnt a good move for him. Iris. The other arm too. As Jin said that, Iris twisted the mans left arm. On the other side, Jin was holding Hanna close to not let her see that. After a breaking noise, the mans shriek once again filled the air. Gyyyaaaaahhhhh! Jin was not a saint. He is lenient to friends and family but to that extent, he doesnt show any mercy to his enemies. This time, the man made Hanna cry. That infuriated Jins wrath. The next will be your hip joint This is thest time I am asking. What is your aim? Crying like a baby with snot dripping from the mans nose, he opened his mouth, I wanted to run Wanted the carriage Jin requested Elsa to give the man some pain killers so that he can speak. Nodding, Elsa said, Schmerzmittel. It stopped the pain. But both of his shoulders were still broken. Why did you want to run? Jin red at the man. Resigning, the man confessed, Soon this ce will be attacked by about 50 men. They are all hooligans. I was their ally but changed my mind and wanted to get out. To do that, I needed to bid farewell to this ce as soon as possible. And so, I wanted a horse or a carriage. At that moment, footsteps of a great number of people could be heard from the forest. Mm?! It seems like he is speaking the truth. The princess turned pale. It would take time to even close the castle gate. The possibility of it not closing in time is higher. At this rate, Alban will be attacked defenseless! Jessica, Gloria, we will defend! Yes, princess! Roger. Then the princess turned her pale face towards Jin, Jin, you guys return inside the castle with my carriage. They probably cant attack that easily inside the castle. What about Lies-sama? I will hold them back as much as I can. Dont worry, I can use at least water ball and water bullet. Saying that, the princess looked at the puddle. This princess intends to be a shield herself? Jin was appalled. Tia, hurry back to the castle and convey this to the soldiers inside. If they move, then 50 people or so wouldnt be much of a problem. But, princess Tia hesitated. As expected of a work from the Great Magic War era, it is built well around these portions. Jin closed his eyes and thought for a little bit, then opened them and said clearly, No, Tia, you protect princess Lies. Jessica-san and Gloria-san, you just need to arrest the bandits. Hearing that, Elsa muttered with a low voice, Well, thats like Jin-nii. Y-you What are you At that moment, the head of the bandits appeared from forest. Bringing along one golem. Wha! They also have a golem! At this rate, I doubt we will be able to hold down even half The princess was surprised and Jessica was getting tensed. Jin-dono, you And so Gloria was about to say something but paying that no heed, Jin gave instructions to Reiko. Reiko! Stop them! But, dont kill them if you can. Yes, father. Reiko kicked the ground. Or so the moment one wouldprehend that, few of the bandits fluttered up in the air and were smacked to the ground. Yo-you people Wh-what is that girl Thats the first time I saw someone up in the air like that. The princess, Jessica and Gloria, all three of them doubted their eyes. About 50 bandits were lying face down on the ground. And the golem got blown away 20 meters by Reikos kick and had crashed into a tree, bending in a weird way. I am done. In less than a minute, Reiko had neutralized 50 people. It cant be imagined withmon sense. Even without saying anything, their eyes spoke for them. What are you people?. I am sorry but let us tie them up before that. Saying that, Jin used the fainted bandits belts and band like objects to tie them up. Reiko and Elsa also helped. Jessica and Gloria also came helping a bitte. And within a few minutes, they were all tied up. Now then. Let me ask again. What are you guys? Lieschen princess asked Jin. Having prepared himself, Jin decided to tell them a part of the truth. Ah Yesterday, I told you about the golem incident, right, Lies-sama? Ye-yes. At that time, the one who did the most in suppressing the rampaging golems was Reiko. She is an artifact and my precious daughter. cing a hand on Reikos shoulder, Jin exined. Due to that, Egelia kingdom gave me the title of honorary magi craft man. He cut off most of it but this was still true. So thats how it was Seeing Jins ability as a magi craft man and Reikos power right now, they honestly felt that it was the truth. Impressed, Jessica said, Even still, Reiko is quite amazing. To think she is stronger than a golem. Ah, right, what happened to the ck golem which saved Hanna just a while ago? Gloria asked while looking around. Jin answered, They are golems who protect from the shadows. They fell behind a bit this time, though Hearing that, the princess eyes glittered. As I thought, my eyes were right! Jin, wont you make some golems for my country as well? So it did turn out like this Jin thought to himself. Letting out a sigh, he replied, Well, it would depend on the conditions. Chapter 279: Request

Chapter 279: Request

When Jin replied that it would depend on the conditions, the princess nodded,pletely agreeing and said, Hmm, of course. Is it thepensation? Or the time needed? Ask anything because I am going to ask this of my father, the King. No, its nothing that big. If you just promise to not constraint us, that will be fine. Of course! the princess promised, putting her honor on the line. Jessica and Gloria also agreed. The country might go under if we went against you, after all. The princess said jokingly but the fact that that was indeed no joke, was not known to anyone there. Even Eliza wasnt aware of Hourai inds real strength. Then, I am sorry but, could youe to the castle again after this? I guess I have no choice. When you think about the terms and conditions, he couldnt once take the option of returning to Kaina vige. Since if they were to ask something like Where are you going?, he would be at a loss for words. If he were to ask Laojun, he would probably be able to convey it to the Kaina vige in some way. Eliza, Hanna, it looks like we will be a day or twote, is that okay? Jin asked them both with an apologetic face. But, both Eliza and Hanna epted it with a smile. Its something Jin-nii decided, after all. To the princess ce again? I am okay with that! Hearing that, Jin was relieved. Then, please get on the carriage again Gloria, sorry but could you look over these bandits? I will send people over immediately. Yes, princess! ************************************************* Getting back on the carriage, Jin and the others once again headed for the imperial castle. They were guided to the guest room and served tea, after which they had to wait for about 30 minutes. During that time, Jin instructed Laojun and Reiko to exin the situation to the Kaina vige. When that was done, Eliza asked, Jin-nii, I also want to ask you. That ck golem which saved Hanna before, what was that? Yes, yes, onii-chan, I want to know too! Jin had thought that they woulde asking that sooner orter, so he exined simply, They dont show themselves normally but they are guardian golems always by your sides. Ohhhh! I see! Thank you, onii-chan! Looks like Hanna was convinced with that exnation. They can disappear? Looked like Eliza was curious about that part. Ahh. Reiko uses that too, right? Its a high level magic called hide. I see Got it. When Jin was about to say something back, Reiko pulled on his sleeve, Reiko? Father, Kaina vige is in a terrible state. It seems like recruitment order has just arrived now. What?! Jin thought back, that it was probably 21st of April when Kurain kingdom had announced state emergency and ordered the nobles withnd to form armies it was something he heard from Laojun. That has now The only relief is that the war has ended. Onii-chan? Hanna was wearing a worried expression, hearing the word terrible. Eliza, too, was worried. To both of them, Jin exined the situation. The war had already ended so even if they were recruiting, it wouldnt mean danger. Moreover, he said that they would also be released soon. Hearing that, Hanna was relieved. But, if only I can properly utilize the fact that I am here Jin had started pondering something but at that moment, the door was opened and Lieschen princess came in. Jin, theres great news! My father just said that he will meet you now! Eh? He had hesitated for a moment there but if the king was going toe meet him directly, he could demand various things really quickly. Ah, also, I am sorry little sisters but please wait here I guarantee your safety. We wont do anything. Jin hadnt even said anything yet but as if she had read his state of mind, the princess said that while patting his back. They wont do anything like taking them hostage to threaten Jin-that was what thest bit sounded like. I wont do anything that would turn you against me. I promise you, with my pride on the line. And so, Jin headed for the royal pce bringing only Reiko with him. Jessica apanied them. And Gloria was with Hanna and Eliza. After walking through a passage for about 5 minutes, they were already inside the royal pce territory. After walking for a further 5 minutes, Jin and the others had arrived in front of a marvelous door. Chapter 280: Jin, activate

Chapter 280: Jin, activate

100 silver swords and 20 all-purpose golems which can even endure battles. Do you want the swords to be long swords? Also, what about the specification of the golems? It was an obvious question. He couldnt give his answer unless he is properly aware of what to make. The prime minister, Powell, answered to that question, Yes, I would like the swords to be long swords. There are also samples, so please take a look afterwards. But the problem were the golems. What would be the main use and size of the golems? To be bodyguards. The miscreants you repelled today-against raids like that, we have far too few soldiers. In the first ce, our country is And so the brief exnation went on. Kurain kingdoms knights and imperial soldiers are career soldiers and they would be about 700 in total. Their army as a whole would have around 4000 units. Kurain kingdoms poption is about 100,000 so this should be their limit. Jin deemed the information they provided to be true. Just that they are still probably hiding the existence of their spies. Laojun was already aware of about 50 spies. Considering our forces, we dont have the scope to attack other countries. And so the prime minister brought his talk to a finish. If it were for defense, Jin wouldnt resist much either. I would like it a bit big hmm, lets see about 2 meters I would say. It would really help if they are also able to work asbat engineers as well. Even Jin was aware that Tetradas castle walls were out of shape. He probably wants to use them there as well. He could also understand why the minister wanted swords. All thats left is your remuneration. For all of itbined, we will give 40,000,000 toll. If they are well done, we will add another 10,000,000 toll. We cant go much higher than that. If the Kurain kingdom is providing all the materials needed then thats just the remuneration for hisbor. When thought like that, it is about just the market price. Although, Jin only knew the market price of the Egelia kingdom. I will ept. He had his own thoughts about it but Jin decided to ept those conditions. Ohh, thats a relief. The king gave a broad smile. The princess, and even Jessica, couldnt hide their joy that the negotiations went well. The knight squad leader Gren was relieved, even though he didnt show it. The order details were written on two different papers and the parchments were handed to the prime minister and Jin. Jin let Reiko hold his one. He could rest easy that way. By the way, Jin intentionally didnt ask about the delivery date. He was confident he could finish it up faster than what they had nned and he also didnt want to stay away from Kaina too long. On the other hand, the minister also didnt ask about the delivery date but his thoughts werepletely opposite to that Jin. He had estimated that this order would take him at least a month. In his heart, he had nned to build up good rtionship with the Egelia kingdom and if possible bring Jin over here within this month. He was even considering sending Leischen princess there for that purpose and make her marry Egelia kingdoms third prince, Earnest, if need be. But even that was only for the country-and that was what made the prime minister the prime minister. However, it was Jin who would end up simply destroying all his ns unconsciously. Umm, are the materials gathered? Being told to work out all the details with prime minister, Jin headed towards the castles first floor workshop. They let him use the workshop exclusively and even gave him the key. It seems this was normally used to make weapons and armors for the soldiers. Although, naturally, it couldnt be used to make weapons for all the soldiers so it was mainly used to make particr weapons but there was no one in charge now. Even at a ce like this, theirck of human resource could be seen. Yes, as I mentioned earlier, the materials will reach here shortly but there is also no problem in using the ones in stock. The inventory is underground. Just show the official in charge this license and they will let you pass. Thinking that he would take about a month to finish either way, the minister wanted to show his generosity and so handed Jin the permit. Receiving that, Jin asked if there was any limit to it. To which the minister replied None. He even went as far as to say that toplete the order, he didnt mind whatever Jin used. And for their lodging until the order was done, the minister said they could use the royal vi as per Lieschen princess instructions. I heard your sisters are also there. I am d it is also helping the princess from boredom. This will be your permit foring and going. Jin also received the permit to enter and leave the castle. Thinking that his work was done here, the minister said, Then, Ill leave it to you and was about to leave when Jin called out again, Ah, what shall I do when I am done? It seemed like the minister thought he was asking where to put thepleted products. There is an adjoined armory so I would like you to hand over them to the person in charge there. For the golems, hmm, lets see there is a guard office which isnt normally used at the end of the corridor, it would be really helpful if you could carry them there. Jin also missed the chance to ask what he intended to so he just nodded. But, what he really wanted to ask was, So, if I am done with all of them? At first the minister thought he was being quite hasty but then re-thought that Jin was probably confirming everything since Jin might not get a chance to talk with him soon. Lieschen princess normally doesnt have anything special to do and so should be pretty free so I think it would be faster if you were to just ask her. From the way he talked, Jin thought they were underestimating the princess. However, he didnt say anything there. Understood. He just gave his reply. And this time for sure, the minister left. Now then, first, I guess I will need to procure the materials. Jin went towards the material inventory alongside Reiko. Just as the minister had said, when they showed the permit, they were dly allowed into the inventory. Alright, first we get metal ingredients. 4 ton steel. 1 kg adamantite. 5 kg mithril. Oh, there seems to be some red arsenic nickel ore in the corner. It has quite a lot of impurities but can still be used. Even though it really looked like the copper could be extracted from the deep red arsenic nickel ore, it couldnt be extracted. Instead, it would just leave arsenic and an unidentified gold. It is an ore which was also mined in the Hourai ind and it was unidentified for quite a long time period. It is not weird for the Kurain kingdom to have a lot of it. I guess they are worthy of praise even for not throwing it away. Saying that, Jin added it to the material list. So next is magi crystal, eh? When he went searching a different shelf, he found yet another different material. He had guessed what it was upon seeing it but still used analyze just to be sure. It was the dragon eels hide. The dragon eel is a herbivorous with a dragon-like head and a huge eel body. The big ones even reach 3 meters. It can be collected from the Manuze Lake east of the capital Alban or from Sedoriake which is south from the capital. The meat has too much oil but depending on the preparation, it can be tasty. More importantly, its hide is weak but carries mana so can be used in weapons or magic tools. It was stocked in Hourai Ind as well so Jin recognized it. It is a bit more better for magical muscle than sand worms hide but really low in qualitypared to the grand spiders threads. Lastly, he prepared the materials needed for the swords sheathe, guard and pattern. For the sheathe, he got strongly tanned hide. For the guard, brass, and for the pattern, he got hardwood. Alright, this wraps it up. It would be bulky and impossible if they tried to carry it all at once but if its Reiko, she can carry it all with just a few round-trips. The officer in charge was astonished with his eyes wide open. The time was around 4 PM. Well then, lets start. Jin started by separating the nickel from the deep red arsenic nickel ore. By the way, the ore was too big and bulky so he was doing the separation at the inventory and not the workshop. He had also taken the officers permission. Smelting. He was able to separate about 350 kgs of nickel from the 20 ton ore. Arsenic is dangerous so he just left it in ore form in the inventory. When 5.5% of nickel is mixed with steel, it is called 5 half nickel steel and with its characteristics, the resistance to corrosion and abrasion increases. Jin took 233 kgs of nickel. (Of course, making Reiko do the carrying.) Alloying'' His ingot and nickel quickly unified and became homogeneous. With this, he was done preparing 233 tons of 5 half nickel steel. Using this, Jin first built up the frame of the golem. He based the temte on the SP adult male of Hourai ind. He was quickly done finishing the first one. Hmmm, so I used about 122 kgs, eh? I guess thats enough. After confirming the amount he had used, with that momentum, he finished making the remaining 19 golems as well. The workshop was off limits for the time being so fortunately, there was no one who could witness this. No, maybe it was unfortunate that he couldnt see how they would react. If there was someone watching, they might have questioned their sanity. That was how abnormally fast Jins production rate was. Of course, he also made the joints with adamantite coating. It was also kinda unfortunate that no one was able to witness the phenomenon of the transformation of the adamantite. But even still, it had taken some time to prepare the materials so by the time he finished up frames for 20 golems, it was past 5 PM. I guess I will do the rest tomorrow. Saying that, Jin locked the workshop and returned to the vi. The automata waiting at the entrance guided him in. It was an automata Jin had fixed. At the royal vi, Hanna, Elsa and Lieschen princess were ying together. No, there was one more person Gloria. Ah, wee baack! Wee back, Jin-dono. Thank you for your work. Ohh, Jin, youre back. This sugoroku game thingie is pretty interesting! So youre back, Jin-dono. That was certainly sugoroku. They had yed it to pass time in Egelia kingdom. Looks like Elsa still remembered it. Looks like Elsa made the pieces and dice with the engineering magic she learnt recently. The princess was red, Hanna was yellow and Elsa was green. And Gloria was blue. Many people can y it at once, the course also changes every time which makes it even better. Above all else, the rules are really simple too. Looks like Lieschen princess was getting pretty passionate about sugoroku. Now then, since Jin has returned Ohh, it is already past 5. The princess stood up, saying, Its almost time for dinner. Was it okay for me to also join you? Gloria said, feeling sorry. Its fine, its fine. The menu isnt that grand either. The princess said smiling. Certainly, when seen from the royaltys perspective, it would fall into the simple category, but from themon persons view, it was quite a feast. After the meal, warm lemonade was served. Wah, tasty! Hanna was delighted by its taste. It seemed Elsa had had it before so she wasnt surprised but maybe it was a taste she liked one could tell she was happy. Mmm, is this honeys sweetness? Drinking one mouthful, Jin expressed his thoughts. Yes, replied the princess and looked at Tia. Comprehending the meaning behind the nce, Tia started exining, Yes, this drink was made from lemon fruits juice and honey. I am surprised you realized. But Jin didnt say that it was because the taste was exactly like honey-lemon. Honey is Lenard kingdoms specialty and is mostly not sold in the marketce but you had it before, didnt you? Having finished saying that, the princess also drank a mouthful and faced Gloria and urged her to exin what happened afterwards with the bandits. Chapter 281 - Golem Complete

Chapter 281 C Golem Complete

They were all underlings of the Unifiers. Gloria had started briefing them about the details she acquired by interrogating the thugs Jin (or rather Reiko) had suppressed. They were unrted to the people who caused the golem uproar the previous day. It seems they had only received orders to attack Alban during the afternoon that day. She continued exining, saying that they had received quite the half-baked orders, that they could just do as they please if they went berserk. No matter how I think about it, Ie to the conclusion that their aim was to create chaos. She brought the briefing to a finish. The guy who tried to kidnap Hanna well, I would say he was the more logical one out of the rest. He probably thought he wouldnt go unscathed after attacking Alban. He confessed everything during the interrogation. She also added that they didnt really know all the details themselves. Although, Jin probably knew more than anyone in the room about what was actually going on behind the scenes. I dont know how much you know, Jin-dono, but from the information we received, it seems that the battle which broke out in Tetrada was brought to an end by a mysterious force. The Frantz kingdoms army withdrew. You could call it one sort of a cease-fire. Jin also knew well about that. It was he who did it, after all. To summarize, I think it is okay to say that the small countries have be stable. Although the post-war conference with the Frantz kingdom has not been held yet. Although Jin was somewhat curious, he really just wanted to leave the political problems to the countries. However, there was one point he could not yield. Did the Frantz kingdom not do the recruitment? Jin had known that the order of recruitment had reached vige Kaina. Hmm, the nobles who control territory have probably received instructions to send out soldiers in response to the poption. It was princess Lieschen who answered. She seems to possess a good deal of knowledge, considering her age, which just goes to show her brilliance. Wont it get withdrawn? That was what Jin was most curious about. Gloria answered that question, It will probably get withdrawn within a day or two. I say that cause the knights will be returning from Tetrada around that time. She went on to say that it might not get withdrawn depending on the chivalry of knights loss and condition. And finished saying that it was because they didnt clearly know if this had brought the war with the Frantz kingdom to an end. I see. Hearing that exnation, Jin thought that he needed to take some more measures. That night as well, Jin and the others were in the same bedroom as before. It was dimly lit with a magicmp. Hanna started yawning so they started to prepare for bed. Or rather, they just changed to night-clothes. It was something which was provided with the room. He could tell it was silk from the feel. While wondering about trifling things such as where they got the silk from, Jin changed his clothes. At that moment, Hanna-chan, you wanna sleep together today? Elsa asked Hanna. When he heard that, he suddenly understood. That even though it was only for a short while, being captured during the afternoon was probably a shock to her. At the same time, he reflected on the feeling that he wasnt able to be considerate enough. And feeling grateful towards Elsa, Jin closed his eyes for the night. The following day, after having breakfast, Jin was going to the royal pces workshop for themission but, Lies-sama, can I take Elsa to the royal pce as an assistant? Jin asked, knowing that he would probably not be allowed. But to his surprise, the princess easily gave her permission. Hey~ hey~ princess, can I go too? Hanna also asked the princess. To which she also gave her permission easily. Moreover, Hmmm, it would be boring if both Hanna and Elsa were to go. I shall stick along as well. And as she said that, Princess! Then I shall apany you too! said Gloria, who happened to be present there. Who knows if it was to guard the princess or just out of simple curiosity. And so, they headed to the workshop altogether. Jin thought that there would be trouble but as the gate guard was the vice leader of the imperial knight guards and the princess was there as well, they were all able to get into the workshop. Oohh! So this is the golem youve been making, Jin! Wahh, so cool! Upon seeing the frames of 20 golems, the princess got excited. Hanna was also having fun. Elsa had seen it a few times so she didnt show any reaction. And Gloria went, Hmmm, so this is the framework of a golem. It will be helpful as a reference. But there was no one there who would inform her that taking that as a reference was not going to do her any good. First, we will add the muscles. Saying that, Jin started processing the leather of the dragonic eel. Elsa, look closely. In separation engineering magic, it is most important to be aware of the amount. As he exined, Jin went on separating the leather into needed proportions.Continue on Page 2 We could also separate it by cutting but theres a chance of cutting the fibre and the construction of the leather that way so we will go with engineering magic here. Hm, Jin-nii. Even while exining, Jin didnt stop working. He kept on dividing the dragonic eel one after the other with separation magic. The arm muscles, leg muscles, waist, shoulders and the neck muscles. Each of these parts have a very subtle difference but as Jin had the temte of it in the back of his head, he could make progress with his work without hesitation. It only took 15 mins till the muscles were ready. His speed was astounding. Alright, now we will add these. Reiko, help me. Elsa, youre still not ready for this so watch properly. Yes. Yes, Jin-nii. Reiko had helped Jin on countless asions and as such, her skills were easily better than most magi craftsman except Jin. Even theplicated and bothersome work of adding magical muscle to 20 golems were only a matter of 20 mins for Jin and Reiko. Mmm, it is somewhat a little creepy You think so? I think it is fun. Princess Leischen was taken aback a little but Hanna was fine as she saw dressings of mountain deers in the vige. We will now make the essential magi device. I would like you to help with this as well, Elsa. Saying that, Jin took the magi crystal and mythril. He asked Elsa to make the mythril-made casing. Of course, they also added anti-servitude-renewal magic. He created a sample and told her to make it like that. During that time, Jin went on creating the mana tank, mana driver and the control core. Looking at the magi crystal Jin had in his hand, the princess said, Hmm, such a pretty all element magi crystal. As expected, she did have the general knowledge on magi crystals. Writing.'' A dim light emitted from the magi crystal and just when the maginguage emerged into the surroundings it went back into the crystal and disappeared. Thats one done. Ooohhh?! So that is engineering magic Witnessing the magic which falls into the showy region out of all the engineering magic Jin had used, the princess was quite pleased. She eagerly watched Jin carve in all the magi form into the magi crystal. To create the total 120 magi crystals, it only took him about half an hour. Even then, Jin was still restraining. If he was serious, he could be 3 times as fast. Elsa, how is iting along on your end? He asked Elsa, who was making the mithril casing with forming. I will be done with another 3. Taking Jins training, although their processing method was very specific, Elsa had already gotten above the standards. Even though she herself didnt realize it yet. After all, she hadnt really watched her cousin making them and her onlyparison target was Jin. Jin also helped so they were quickly done with 20 casings. Alright, now we install this Into the chest portion, was it? Seems like Elsa was starting to learn the procedure. Jin intentionally worked slowly to let Elsa understand and put in the magi device into the chest portion. Um, mana tank, mana driver and control core, right? Right. Good job remembering the mana tank. Jin didnt really make many golems with the mana tank so he was impressed that Elsa was able to recall. At count Kuzumas ce. Right, the golem, Lotte, which they had created at Blunds count Kuzumas ce was also made with mana tank. Elsa might have started to want to be a magi craftsman since then. A thin line of mythril to the control core-meaning, connecting the magic nerves with engineering magic to the head, limbs and trunk. He loaded the surrounding of the control core with glutton sponge to cushion it. And went on installing the eyeballs and speaking device into the head. This time, he fixated the mouth. In other words, it would not be able to change expressions. It took about two and a half hours. The princess and Gloria were watching with overflowing enthusiasm as Jin worked. Hanna looked restless, though. Alright, now we add the armor. Seeing about 50 kgs of 5 half nickel steel which were extended on a board turned into armor and equipped into the golems was quite fascinating. Even Hanna was watching this without saying anything. Reiko was in charge of separating the 5 half nickel steel into 60 kg clumps and extending them. It took about 3 minutes on one. And about an hourter, 20 golems werepleted. Ohhh, youre already done! To the excited princess, Jin said, Now I would like to take the golems movement test. Would anyone like to participate? If possible, a male guard, please. To which, the princess tilted her head and thought. A man would be okay, you say? Then I could call someone from the imperial knight guards. The princess asked Gloria, Gloria ordered a guard to bring someone from the imperial guards and within a few minutes, a young knight had arrived before them. Thanks foring, Lash. I would like you to be opponent for the test. Opponent, you say? There, the princess introduced him to Jin and the others. He is the magi craftsman, Jin. He is making general-use golems for my father. I am Jin. I am Heintz Lash. Jin and Heintz shaked hands. Chapter 282: Secret Copying

Chapter 282: Secret Copying

Heintz Lash introduced himself as the second son of the baron Lash. His hair was brownish-yellow and his eyes were aqua. He was pretty sturdy. He is very promising even among the young knights. The princessplimented him. Hearing that, Lash seemed a bit embarrassed. S-so, princess, what would you like me to do? Hmm, listen to Jin over here. Heintz turned to face Jin. Heintz-dono, I would like it if you give some of your time in measuring the strength of these newly made golems. Jin exined. But even after receiving the exnation, Heintz looked like he didnt quite understand what Jin meant. By the way, as a knight, you fight with a spear or a sword, right? Hmm? Yes. And without a moments dy, Jin used magic. Transfer Info-Mild lv4.'' It was his first time trying the mild option. There arent many people who would be happy if their memories and knowledge were copied so he used Transfer Info silently so they dont notice. He wouldnt be able to properly exin himself either, after all. He copied it to thest piece of magi crystal he brought from the Hourai ind. Dpile Hmm, seems to be fine. Jin confirmed that his magic had sessfully worked. Jin-dono, so what do I need to do, exactly? Heintz asked once again. Looks like he didnt notice what had happened at all. It was a big sess then. Jin told Heintz, Please wait a little. I will be activating this golem now so could you maybe do a simple sham battle with it? Heintz had also heard that Jin was working on a request directly from the king so he dly epted. I see, so thats how it is. I understand. I am looking forward to fighting it. Jin copied the necessary information from the magi crystal on his hand to the golems control core. Alright, activate'' He poured in some mana and activated the mana driver. The mana tank was filled up beforehand. In ordance with Jins words, one of the golem rose up. Ooohh?! Ooh!! It moved! The three who were watching, princess, Gloria and Heintz, all expressed excitement in their voice. Elsa and Hanna were pretty ustomed to the sight so they didnt really react much. How does your body feel? Yes, Creator-sama, there are no abnormalities. Alright. Jin quickly made two sham swords from the remaining 2 ingots of iron and handed one each to Heintz and the golem. Then, please go ahead. Itspletely fine to go lightly. I would feel really bad if you were to get injured because of this. I understand. All of them moved to the backyard. Seeing such a rare sight, free attendants, soldiers and knights gathered to watch what was going to happen from afar. Heintz took off the sword he had on his waist. I shall hold that for you. Gloria approached him, gave a slight bow and received the sword. After swinging the sham sword a few times to get the feel, Heintz nced at Jin. Perceiving that nce as a sign to start, Jin announced the start. Well then, please start. Lets go! Heintz gave a nod and shed the golem diagonally from the shoulder. The golem lightly parried the sh, took one step forward and shed sideways. Heintz dodged that with quick and nimble movements. Seeing that, the golem took a further two steps in. But Heintz moved towards the side and not towards the back, and shed over the golems shoulder. Ohh, I dont know whats going on but its amazing! Said the princess, who was watching from a distance. Heintz was like the top in terms of skill among the young knights. Jin was also delighted, seeing that he would get some good data from this. After all, all of Heintz martial arts were now being copied to the magi crystal in Jins pocket now. Do your best, you two! The princess cheered on them both. But the moment she did, the swords in their hands broke. Not really surprising either, as they were very simply made for a mock battle. Thats enough. Jin announced the end and bowed deeply to Heintz to show his gratitude. Heintz-dono, thank you very much. No, thank you. This golem would be our countrys from now on, right? Then it would be really reliable. I should be the one saying thank you. Jin, youre amazing! As I thought, my eyes were right! The princess was really hyped. The gallery of the people looking from afar were also impressed. But since they couldnt really shout out loudly in the open, they just pped. Then, please excuse me. Heintz gave a slight bow and went back. Jin and the others returned to the workshop once again. And then Jin stopped the golem which he just activated just now and checked its parts. Hmm, no problems anywhere. Then I guess I will finish up on the remaining 19. Saying that to himself, he went on filling in information in the control core using transfer info. He was done with all the work in about 10 minutes. Jin, are you done? Trying to hide her excited face but being unable to do so, princess Leischen asked Jin. Yes, I am done. I will activate them now. Saying that, he went on activating one after another. Ohh, ohhh? It was a magnificent view, 20 shining, silver, gray golems standing in a line. Alright, all units, check your movements. Following Jins orders, all 20 of the golems shook their hands, bent their legs and twisted their bodies to check their movements. And then answered all at once, No abnormalities. Hearing that, Jin gave a broad grin for a moment but soon returned to his usual expression. Alright. Now then, I will give you all temporary names. From the right, Nick 1, 2, 3 all the way to the most left one, Nick 20. Understood. He also added that he gave the name Nick from nickel. Even the golems made in the same method start to develop different personality from the way they are treated. The first step to which is the name. It was a good ce to leave off so they decided to have lunch. With the princess leading the way, they returned to the vi. The preparations there were alreadyplete. The automatas kept lining up dishes one after the other. Seeing the automatas move so energetically felt good. It was lunchtime, so in order to not make it too heavy, the menu was bread, soup, sd and juice. But even then, the bread was pure white, the soup had many different kinds of vegetable and perfectly boiled venison in it and the sd also consisted of vegetables freshly picked this morning. And finally, the juice was of pelshika. Pelshika was quite valuable in the Kurain kingdom so one couldprehend that the princess worked quite hard to get them for Jin and the others. Uwaa, so sweet and delicious! The pelshika juice made from squeezing pelshikas was thick and, even without adding sugar, it was really sweet. That sweetness was natural so the aftertaste was also refreshing. Even Elsa looked like she liked the juice. Was it really okay for me to join in on the meal? Gloria said, feeling thankful. What are you talking about? If we inquire on the origin of all this, didnt it all start from you asking Jin to make some swords? In other words, it is your achievement. Gloria was even more thankful after being told so by the princess. He would make swords in the afternoon. The swords he would be making this time wont be short swords but rather the general, long swords. It is called longpared to the short but it isnt extraordinarily long or anything. A strong man can even swing it with one hand and it is made mainly for thrusting rather than shing. Now then, the model the prime minister said he would prepare one but ah, there it is. Jin gave orders to Reiko to bring the necessary materials. Reiko was better at measuring without contact as her vision was special. From swords weights to girls underwear, Reiko could grasp it all. Father, I think this much would be enough. Reiko brought out 2.2 kgs of 5 half nickel steel. Alright. Saying that, Jin was about to take it but suddenly recalled something important. The golems finishing will probably be checked so setting them to be this strong would be good. They might refuse if the golems are too weak. What did Jin smile there for? One would understand before long. And also about the magi crystal in his pocket with all of Heintzs martial art in it. Chapter 283 - 100 Swords

Chapter 283 C 100 Swords

Although 5.5 nickel steel is very tough, it is not quite suited for des. This is because of the excess nickel which leaves quite a bit of austenite and therefore reduces the hardness. And as such, Jin started by separating the nickel from the remaining ingots. It takes two times the effort but he still has to do it. Extraction: nickel. Out of the 1.79 tons of 5.5 nickel steel, 98 kgs of nickel was separated. The remaining pure carbon steel was more than enough to make 100 swords. Okay then, Elsa. How about practicing separation? Jin told Elsa toe closer. And then he began exining. Listen well, Elsa. The trick to separation is to properly grasp the amount. And you do that by feeling the weight. 1 gram each so for 10, 10 grams. For 100, 100 grams. Its just a repetition of that. Hmm, I do understand the logic behind it. The vital point is to grasp how much makes 1 gram. Start from there. By exining the things he does solely based on his instinct alone, his understanding of the concept also deepened. And at the same time, he also realized how extremely simr his predecessors thinking was to the current Earths science. Of course, not all of it. Just the parts about visualizing things digitally and handling materials all the way down to the atoms. Moreover, it took him quite a while to realize but, the joints on the golems are really simr to the humans and one wouldnt be able to think so far if they hadnt known anatomy. (My predecessor might have also been summoned) Jin was thinking of such a thing, but there werent anyone present who could possibly have an answer for him. Separation'' Jin shifted his attention to Elsa. She was using separation with her utmost effort and was trying to separate 1 gram. Looks like youre able to use separation without problems now. All thats left is to perceive the 1 gram. They say a skilled artisan can check the level surface with just their palms. Of course, magi craft meisters also possess that skill but even without that, humans eye measurement is surprisingly good. A skilled carpenter can even tell apart boards with thickness of 3 and 4 millimeters and an experienced driver can also tell the difference in the tires air pressure. In short, depending on how much you are used to it, you can reach a certain level. The higher that level, the closer they can get to magi craft meisters. Separation how was it this time? After doing it for a few dozen times, Elsa was getting much better at it. Yep, its pretty good. Now then, lets try taking out 2.2 kgs this time. Reiko, handle the adjustments. Yes, father Elsa-san, lets do it. Hmm. And so, Reiko inspected the parts Elsa separated and did the more minute adjustments to the amount. At first, she was making it too big or too small but after doing about 30 times, the difference gradually kept decreasing. Hmm, Elsa-dono is quite amazing as well. Said Gloria,impressed with Elsas growth. She too didnt know any normal magi craftsman and so didntprehend how extraordinary this was. Princess Lieschen was deeply interested in magi crafts and was eagerly watching. Hanna too liked to see Jin work and so was watching quietly but as one would expect, seeing them make 2.2 kilo portions over and over again did seem to make her lose interest. Jin could tell that and so took the 70 portions which were done and began to make the swords. Forming. The clump of steel gave off a faint light and started changing form in the blink of an eye. And soon took the form of a sword. Time psed to make one: 5 seconds. But even then, Jin was holding back. If he had gone all out, he could have finished it in a second. Ohhh, amazing! Jin-dono, is it okay if I take a look at it?! Gloria couldnt stay quiet. Jin smiled and handed over the sword. I havent yet attached the patterns, though. Taking the sword, Gloria walked a bit further from everyone and tried swinging a little. Yep, this is great! I dont really use long swords much but this is really easy to use. Really? I tried taking the sample sword and Heintz-sans sword as reference. Hearing that, Gloria couldnt help but be surprised. And at the same time, the princess also raised her voice, What?! You understood the details of the sword in such a short period of time?! What?! Heintz-donos sword is unsigned but is quite sharp! Although the points they were surprised about were different. Well, its a relief if it turned out good. Saying that, he went back to work. Elsa and Reiko were done making thest portions. Forming. Forming. Forming. He kept finishing swords. And within 15 minutes, he was done making a 100. Th-thats fast Both Gloria and the princess watched with their eyes wide open. All thats left is the tempering, I guess. Mumbling that, Jin started exining to Elsa again. Heat treatment. Shaving. Finishing. Hardening. Seeing Jin do 10 swords like that at once, the ones watching were lost for words. It took him about 30 seconds to do the sequence and about 5 minutes to finish doing 100 swords. Now, I just need to do the sheathe, the guards and the pattern. Elsa can do this too. Tsuba? (The pronunciation for guard on swords in Japanese.) Ah, its guard. Ah if thats it then I got it. And so Jin prepared the materials and the leather he would use for the guard and the hardwood for the pattern. He asked Elsa to do the brass on the guard. He made a sample and told her to make it like that. I will do the minute tuning so go all out. Mm, got it. Elsa separated the brass needed for the guard from the brass clump. Watching her work, Jin was impressed by how much she grew in this short period of time. Moreover, after seeing her also make the forms with forming, he was assured that he could leave it to her and went on to work on the sheathe and pattern. Reiko was in charge of gathering the materials and Jin was processing them. And in the blink of an eye, the sheathes and patterns were being done. Waah, cool! Even Hanna looked happy watching this. This was also done within 10 minutes. Elsa was done with about 20 at that point. Sorry for being so slow. She was apologizing with a sorry face but its just that Jin was too absurdly fast and that she was actually also quite fast to be working with him. Its a tragedy everyone with very capable siblings go through. Jin installed the guards into the swords and nted the patterns and finished it up with some more minute adjustments. If they just add the sheathe now, the sword would beplete. For what it matters, Jin used soft tracing to change the sheathes color little by little. Every 10 swords, the swords went from close to white tea color to dark tea color. It was a gradation of tea color. Hmm, it looks quite pretty. Gloria was also admiring it. Prince Lieschen and Hanna were both gazing at it. Looks like they arent bored. After using all the guards Elsa had made, Jin also started helping her out in making guards. And 100 swords were done a little after 2 30 pm. This makes the whole setplete. Got to see some really nice stuff today. Sword maniac Gloria was also satisfied. Alright, now all thats left is to hand it over to the minister hey, you over there, go call the minister. Tell him that Jin haspleted the order. Princess Lieschen told a guard who just happened to pass the workshop at that moment to go call the prime minister. On the inside, Jin was a bit worried thinking can the prime minister be called out that easily? but that ended being needless worries. The minister literally came flying. J-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-jin-donoo, it ispleteeeeeeeeeedd?!! Then came the apanying guard, amazed at how fast the minister came rushing. Hoho, so even Powell makes that kind of a face, huh? Princess Lieschen was having fun seeing the usual stern looking minister panic like that. Haa, haa, haa Having ran all the way to the workshop with all his strength, the minister was now wiping off sweat and breathing heavily. You dont need to hurry that much, now do you? Hohohohoho, did you really finish all 20 golems and 100 swords?! He came asking Jin. Yes, please have a look. Jin pointed inside the workshop. There stood 20 brilliantly shining grey golems with 5 swords in each of their hands. S-s-so, it is really true Ah, yes, although it was from the middle, Gloria and I also watched. Certainly, Jin was the one who made all these. For some reason, the princess being boastful. At that moment, just when Jin thought that that marks the order asplete, As if the swords a magi craftsman made will be of any use in actual battle! Such a bothersome voice echoed throughout the workshop. Chapter 284 - Reward

Chapter 284 C Reward

Minister! Why did someone like you make such a request?! The owner of that voice was a sturdy, middle-aged man. Bolton, youre being noisy. The minister rebuked but the man wouldnt listen. Arms are only to be forged! The swords made by striking steel are harder to break and the shields made with multipleyers of iron are far more tougher. I am sure you know these swords made with cast metal will break in no time at all and be of no use. It is the same for the arms made by a magi craftsman. Have you forgotten what happened the year before thest?! Even if they do not break, they bend quickly! They cant cut. Telling the soldiers to use such arms is the same as telling them to die! It is insane! I am strongly opposed to this! He finished saying all that in one breath. Just when they were feeling a sort of dj vu, Father Gloria muttered with a tired face. Seems like this man called Bolton is Glorias father. She resembles him quite a lot Unfortunately. Hearing her daughters voice, he realized she was there as well. Ohh, Gloria. You are here and still this is happening?! Even princess Leishcen! No matter how good he fixes automatas or makes golems, I cannot ept entrusting arms to a magi craftsman! He said with a loud voice. Hanna blocked off her ears. Father What, Gloria? I am trying to hear the ministers opinion on Bolton was going to say something but Gloria interrupted him and just silently handed over her short sword. Hm? Didnt you say you broke your sword the other day? Then is this a new one you got? Hmm Wh-what?! Taking Glorias short sword in his hand, Boltons eyes sparkled. Ohhh, wonderful flow of steel! The de is hard and the wick is tender. Such a tough sword! You got yourself quite a wonderful sword! I am sure it must be a very well-named cksmith? Yes, Jin-dono over there made it. Hmm, Jin-dono, eh That reminds me of the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom but d-dont tell me?! It is exactly what you are thinking. And finally, Bolton got to know that Glorias short sword was created by the magi craftsman named Jin. Bolton is a baron and the administrator of arms products in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication. He was a knight himself when he was young. That Bolton was now apologizing with his head on the floor. I am extremely sorry! This Bolton has made the blunder of his life! Who knew there was a magi craftsman who could make such an excellent sword! Its fine, I dont really mind. And Jin really didnt mind. He was just dumbfounded by it all. The princess and minister both looked like they were used to this. Elsa thought he was just an extreme version of Reinhart but didnt show it on her face and Hanna just thought he was an interesting, old man. And then, there is a boundary inside the metal and it starts breaking from that boundary. If the parts surrounded by that boundary is big, the metal bes fragile. After having calmed down, they all shifted to the resting space at a corner of the workshop and were conversing. Same as me, Bolton also possesses the magic eye. A microscopic magic eye at that too. Princess! Looks like the princess went and leaked something she shouldnt have again. She is even more honest than Jin. Microscopic, so that means you can see really small things as well, right? As Jin said that, Bolton was taken aback. Wh-what?! To be able to know what it is just by hearing the name! What exactly are you Like you said, I am the honorary magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom. Stating that, Jin insisted him to continue the interrupted talk. Hmm, I did hear that magi craft is prosperous in Egelia kingdom but to think it hase to this extent And with that, Bolton started exining. From the contents of the discussion, Jin could tell he was talking about metal particles and fiber flow. Metal is made from minute crystals and the finer these crystals are, the harder the metal will be. He knew quite a bit about it as he trained in a metal-rtedpany. These boundaries in the swords made with magic are very disordered and as such I had deemed them to be of no use at all. However, the sword you have made We get it, we get it. Thats enough. In short, what you mean to say is the sword Jin-dono made is very good for practical use, right? Seems like prime minister Powell got fed up with it and so brought out the conclusion. In reply to that, Bolton said, No, it is far higher than that. It wont be an exaggeration to call it an excellent sword. After that uproar just now, he also tried using it and was assured that it was an excellent sword. And ever since, he has been keeping a low profile. Jin was feeling thankful, Elsa was looking at such a Jins face, Hanna smiling with a grin and Reiko was feeling proud. I see. The minister closed his eyes, folded his arms and looked like he was thinking something. After about 2 minutes, he finally opened his eyes and said, Jin-dono, I am grateful. To be honest, I was doubting you. That you might be a Unifier or a spy of the Francis kingdom. And he lowered his head. Wha Powell That is The princess tried to say something but the minister stopped her by raising his hand. Your eyes were certainly correct, princess. After all, there is no way a spy from the enemy would make us such fine golems and arms. If you were wondering why he knew about the golems-it is because he was sneakily watching Jins golems go against Heintz in the mock battle. And then the minister said that he wanted to report to the king as soon as possible and so toe along with him. So he asked the apanying soldier to request an audience with the king. Then, lets slowly head towards there. They all left the workshop. Princess Leischen, prime minister Powell, arms administrator Bolton, vice squad leader of the knights cavalry Gloria, Jin, Elsa, Hanna and Reiko went into the royal vi together. The attendants and guards were curious seeing such a group go together and were silently ncing towards them. I want your sisters to please wait over here. Hanna and Elsa were guided into a reception room beside the office. Jin nced towards Reiko and she understood the meaning so after nodding once, she confirmed with her infrared vision and raised 4 fingers. This meant that the 2 exclusive SP for Hanna and Elsa were nearby. Which made Jin relieved. He went into the Kings office with the minister. Of course, Reiko was with him as well. The princess was also with Jin, Gloria went with Hanna and Elsa and Bolton left. So you came, Jin. As he was probably notified beforehand, it seemed like the king, Alois the Third, had been waiting for Jin. I have heard. It seems you havepleted all the golems and weapons in just a day. Thank you for your work. I am grateful. Saying that, Alois the Third joined his hands on top of the desk and said, Now then, apart from the promised amount of money, I want to add a reward on top of it. Do you wish for anything? All the while looking straight at Jin. It is only natural, as Jin had made such fine golems and arms in such a short period of time. Jin had his own thoughts about it but, To be honest, I do not know how big of a deed I have done. He answered. The question is, what the king will say after hearing this. Hmm, so thats how it is. As for me, I wanted to employ you as the royal magi craftsman but I cant even do that, after all. The title of honorary magi craftsman of the Egelia kingdom was quite useful to Jin. I will give you territory so if you were to settle in our country, that would make me really d. As the king finished saying that, the minister also suggested his proposal. Apart from that, we could even give you a specifd and give you the right of control or perhaps even autonomy in it. Hearing that, Jin just said, That sounds nice. Seeing Jins reaction, the minister jumped straight at it, I-I see! So Jin-dono wants territory. As for the Kurain kingdom, rather than just giving gold, they really want to provide him withnd so that they can keep him there. No, rather than calling it territory, I think it would be better to call it leaseholdnd. Jin replied. A leaseholdnd is an ownership of a temporary right to holdnd or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor orndlord. Although a tenant does hold rights to real property, a leasehold estate is typically considered personal property. And so the one who is given thend holds more authority over it. In this case, the Kurain kingdom will be lending a plot ofnd to Jin personally. Its power to keep him there was lesspared to a territory but it was a good enough condition for the Kurain kingdom. Hmm, any ce you wish for then? Alois the Third asked Jin, with a face that said he just realized what was going on. Jins answer to that was already decided. Yes, then I would like the Kaina vige. Chapter 285 - Leasehold land, village Kaina

Chapter 285 C Leaseholdnd, vige Kaina

Hmm, Kaina vige, eh The Kurain kingdom king, Alois the Third, said while smiling happily. Are you okay with just that? You could ask for muchrgend, you know? No, I would like it to be Kaina vige. Jins decision would not change. Hmm, that is fine as well. Alois the Third ordered the secretary to prepare the contract papers. I will lend Kaina vige to the magi craftsman Jin Nidou as leaseholdnd. That was the outline of it. After which, the details were discussed for example, the definition of Kaina vige, its range, the duration of the lent, etc. The lending period was decided to be 50 years from present time. Each of the golems Jin made for the country would have about 5,000,000-8,000,000 Toll market price. For 20 of them, it would cost from about 100 million to 160 million toll. The cost of materials was about 80,000,000 toll. Judging from the quality of the golems he made, the estimated cost of his work wouldnt be less than 80 million normally but this time it was taken as 50 million. A difference of more than 30 million toll. On the other hand, the revenue from Kaina vige in terms of wheat was about 5 tons which is about 450,000 toll, in 50 years that would reach 22.5 million. Even after taking the reward into ount, it doesnt bnce out no matter how you look at it and thus, Alois the Third said that it would not be a problem even if he asked for a bigger area. And the condition text was read aloud. It also had a condition which stated that if Jin conducted a deed which would contradict the kingdoms profits, the contract would be invalid. And naturally, the vige itself and the territory would be extraterritorial. As Jin himself couldnt keep up with all the conditions the secretary read out loud, he made Laojun memorize them through Reiko and check them simultaneously. And after having considered all of such conditions, the one which would likely cause problems was as expected, a deed which would contradict the kingdoms profits-Reiko whispered to Jins ears. What do you think, Jin-dono? After all the text was read aloud, prime minister Powell came asking Jin. There, Jin spoke of the point Laojun identified through Reiko. Right, the point a deed which would contradict the kingdoms profits, this feels a tad bit vague. For example and this is only as an example but, say that someone belonging to the Kurain kingdom cause problems around the Kaina vige, if I were to rebuke them for it, in that case, how much is permitted? The king had noticed that he was implicitly pointing out to the incidentst year when Jin stopped Earl Walters overbearing attitude. Hmm, that is right. What do you think, prime minister? Yes, then if thats the case, how about acknowledging the self defense of the area, if an incident which would cause harm to it were to ur inside the area? He was twisting his words but to put it simply, he was stating that in the case of an attack on to the Kaina vige, a counter attack inside Kaina vige wont be considered a deed which would contradict the kingdoms profits. It is obvious if it is an extraterritorial area. Inversely, it also means that they cant do anything if such party were outside of the Kaina vige. In this case, is it okay to think of the vige as not a vige, but as an area with a certain border? To be specific, it is the area north of Togo mountain pass which is surrounded by the mountains northward of the Herme river. The mountains northward arent the ces they go to collect medicinal nts, but rather the ones farther north, all the mountains in Hecathon Kayle. Those are quite big. It was Jinsment which added a simple drawing to show the area and made it less ambiguous. He went on to confirm a few more points. Thest of which was that In the case of a person belonging to the Kaina vige causing harm outside Kaina vige, the vige will be given authority to decide the punishment. And after confirming all the vague points, even Laojun gave his OK so Jin signed the papers and gave his fingerprint. Two contract papers were made, one for Jin and other for Kurain kingdom. With this, our country has formed a connection with you. Said Alois the Third. Your Majesty, there is something I would like to confirm. Hmm, what is it? It seems that the war with Francis kingdom has ended but what has happened to the recruitment order? Minister? The king sent the question towards the minister. Certainly, we had sent out an order for recruitment to the nobles who possessnd. However, we have taken it back this morning so they should be breaking up soon. Hearing the ministers exnation, Jin calmed himself down. Now the men of the Kaina vige will be able to return. I am relieved. Finally, I ask you to please consider so that we dont have any friction with Earl Walter who governs that area. I understand. Thinking that this was the end of it and that Kaina vige will be peaceful again, Jin became happy. And the king went, Lets celebrate having a connection. Saying that, he prepared two sses, poured wine into them and handed the rmended one to Jin. Jin also took it obediently. Well then, to our good rtionship. To our good rtionship. Cheers. They were all happy. The princess, because her father also acknowledged Jin, and the minister, because he was able to form connection with a hard-to-get, talented person. With this, the clock had crossed half past five by the time everything was settled and it seemed like they would have to stay for one more night. Taking this chance, princess Lieschen said, Jin, I am d. Please have dinner at my ce again. That is fine, right, father? Right, why dont you join us as well, Powell? Alois the Third nodded with a smile. Hmm, Lies, youre in charge of those so I will leave it to you. Powell, you may go as well. At therge dining hall of the imperial vi, a luxurious dinner was lined up. At the dining hall, princess Lieschen, prime minister Powell, baron Bolton and Gloria were taking part. Also Jin, Elsa, Hanna and Reiko (Although Reiko doesnt drink or eat) were there. Hanna was wearing the dress she got from the princess. Elsa too was wearing a dress, although not from the princess. Jin was wearing the honorary magi craftsmans half coat. Excluding Hanna, they toasted with a light fruit wine. Hanna was having a juice. That cant be helped. Ahh, thats a burden off my shoulder. The minister said after the toast. Seems like creating a connection with Jin made him feel at ease. He might still be thinking of something but now after knowing Jins strengths, he probably wont directly make a move. Jin exined the facts simply to Elsa and Hanna but Hanna probably didnt understand. Even still, she probably understood that Jin received a reward and went, Thats great, onii-chan! While having dinner, the conversation got livelier. The one who was talking the most was princess Lieschen. Saying stuff like, My eyes were correct! or, You could stay here forever if you like, you know! Gloria was being Gloria and went, This sword Jin-dono made for me, I will treasure it my whole life! And her father, Bolton was like, Jin-dono, next time, of course, if you are okay with it but, I would really like it if you make me one sword as well Silently whispered in Jins ears. (Which he put on hold for the time being) And like this, while having fun conversation with each other, the night wore on. On the other hand, Alois the Third at that moment- The minister answered that to Jins question but when was the recruitment order retracted? Just in case, he confirmed it with the secretary. He wanted to value the trust. Yes, it is alright. Without a doubt, the retraction was done this morning, by a fast horse. I see. Then its fine. Seriously, just for a small blunder, we handed over such outstanding talent to another countryst time. He said while unpleasantly recalling Earl Walters rashness. Also, I made a good acquaintance in order to make Lies a bride in the Egelia kingdom. Thinking in terms of the policy of cultivating distant countries while working to conquer nearby ones which the Kurain kingdom follows, they really wish to strengthen their rtionship with the Egelia kingdom. As far as he heard from Jin, the third prince Earnest is quite a good prince and so he was happy as a father. What is Earl Walter doing at the moment? Although it was just one portion, he will be taking thend from the Earl so he wants to properly exin the situation. The secretary replied, Yes, he is probably forming his own army at Gaara. The soldiers for the recruitment have most definitely broken up. Alright, send a fast horse first thing in the morning, lets also tell him about the decision regarding Kaina vige. Laojun, how is the linkageing along? [Yes, it is going excellently.] That night, on top of his bed, after confirming that there were no wiretaps, to double check, he was conversing with Laojun through Reiko. [If the sensitivity is increased a bit, I could see and hear the things Nick 1 to 20 see and hear.] Yes, Jin didntpletely trust the Kurain kingdom. And for that purpose, he had quite a lot of insurance he put in the golems. And so he used the light element magi crystal which were a bit overspec for the eyes. All the spare power was used for the linkage with Laojun. And for that purpose, he minutely did the magi form and also added kanji to theposition so there was nothing which could be analyzed from it. Even the wind element voice device had spare power which was used for the linkage with Laojun. And if he wanted, he could hear everything the golem hears and says. He also added limiters so that it couldnt attack Jin, Hourai ind and Kunlun ind. If pushes to shove, Laojun could even take control of the golems. This was a secret between only Jin, Reiko and Laojun. I have one more request. Laojun, deliver a golem carriage simr to the one I built before near Alban tomorrow morning. Jin thought that they would probably be escorted tomorrow before the farewell and so instructed Laojun to handle the deceptions. This should do the trick Chapter 286 - Nostalgia party is doing activities (side chapter)

Chapter 286 C Nostalgia party is doing activities (side chapter)

Elena, what is this? Former head of the Unifiers and the current head of the Nostalgia party, Joule, questioned upon seeing the magic tool which was as big as arge table. It was April 27th. The day after Unifier had changed name to Nostalgia. This is called the Mana phone. Mana phone? Hearing that unfamiliar name, Joule was puzzled. Yes. Youd need another person with the same device but if they do have it, you can use this to converse with them. Elena started exining. Oho? But didnt we have long-distance talks before as well? It was a justified question. Before, he did talk with Elena over a distance using a certain magic item while she and the second seat, Donald, were returning. Yes, your doubt is justified. I do not know the name of that magic item but when the distance between the parties increase, it fails to connect. For example, its max range would be from here to Astan. Moreover, you cant talk with anyone other than me with it. On top of all that, if there are mountains in-between this distance, it would be impossible to maintainmunication. In contrast to that, despite being so small, this mana phone can connect to a distance of hundreds of kilometers if not over a thousand. And that doesnt change even if there are mountains in-between. Wow! This is from Makina-dono? Yes. In total we received 10 pairs, therefore 20 mana phones and as such, I think we could station one in each country. Egelia kingdom, Serroa kingdom, Francis kingdom, Kurain kingdom and Elias kingdom in total, these 5 countries even though they are small in size, they have deep connections. If you were to connect all of these countries capitals, you would need 4 devices in each country so therefore 4 into 5 equals 20. 20 devices would be needed. Shouro empire and Leonard kingdom would be left for next time. With this, surely they will happy. Joule said, letting out a sigh of relief. And asked Elena again, How is the reorganization of the party going? ording to Elena, even after the mind control was undone, over 80% of the executive members sympathized with the Nostalgia partys ideals and remained. Seems like the remaining 20% were after authority or power so they were thrown into the underground prison. It is still undecided whether they would use mind control to neutralize and release them or let them rot in the prison. It would be best if they were to just reform. I see, if thats so then we could operate as an organization. Yes, my lord. Even though Elena too was remodeled by Jin, as there would be people looking, she kept her style of talking. Hm, I dont think I would be able to go through with this if you werent here, Elena. I will be counting on you from here on out as well. On the other hand, the second seat, Donald, was struggling hard. The reason for which was the early morning battle on the 23rd day. No matter how vast and deserted the innd in front of the headquarters is, there is no way that no one from Kassimnore city would have noticed. Makina (=Jin) was confirming from above. Although there were no casualties among the people dwelling nearby, there was a possibility of someone seeing the debris which blew out when Makina and the others were trying to escape. I wonder if we can somehow deceive them by saying development of new mine To rationalize them all and conceal them peacefully, Donald was racking his brain. There was also the remedial measures left for the meddling they did within all the countries. Sending thugs to cause chaos in the capital city of Kurain kingdom, Alban, ehThere might be more of these Donald wasmenting aftering known what one executive of an extremist party did of his own ord. Today is the 28th day, morning. It will be afternoon soon. One is already done, eh. And it doesnt seem like I will be able to make the other one in time even if I try now I can only hope Kurain kingdom properly deals with this Your majesty, we have received a present from an organization called Nostalgia offering their condolences. What? Nostalgia? Yes. ording to the attached letter, they are a group whose prime objective is to excavate the technology of the past, make use of them in the present and connect them to the future. That sounds kinda fishy. So, what is the present? Yes, this. What is this big desk? Four of these too, you say? Yes, ording to the note attached, it is a magic item called the mana phone. Mana phone? Yes. In other words, it makes it possible to have long-distance conversations using magic. As we have been informed, 4 of these have been sent to each of the countries, Egelia kingdom, Francis kingdom, Elias kingdom, Serroa kingdom and Kurain kingdom. It will make it possible to have contact between these 5 countries easily. If that is true, it will turn out to be extremely helpful. Lets try it out. There might be some dangers so I think it would be better if we have the ministry of magic present as well. Hmm, give them a call. April, 29th, early morning, simr conversations had urred in each of the 5 countries. This is the Egelia kingdoms ministry of magic, Kerihidor. Can you hear me? A bright light glowed from within the magi crystal in the mana phone and the voice spoke. Prime minister Powell, who was nearby, hurriedly replied, Th-this is the prime minister of the Kurain kingdom, Powell. Y-your voice can be heard loud and clear. Ohh, I see. Early this morning, this magic device called the mana phone had been delivered and therefore after some investigation, it appeared harmless so we tried calling you. Hearing that, the minister again replied hurriedly, Our party had also been investigating but thanks to your sudden call, we got to know it is harmless and effective and as such, I would like to offer my gratitude. And then, although unofficially, the ministry of magic of Egelia kingdom and the prime minister of Kurain kingdom continued talking for a while. Certainly, this is extremely convenient. I n on speaking with the king and proposing a conference with your king afterwards. This was during the afternoon of April 29th. A simr signal was exchanged between Elias kingdom and Egelia kingdom, Kurain kingdom and Francis kingdom. Mana phone would surelye to influence the diplomatic rtions between the countries in the future. By the way, there is a mana cam built-in these mana phone and all of the contents spoken over it was leaked to Laojun. Although no one knew of this fact. Elena, about that mana phone, do you know how it was delivered to each of the countries? Yes, my lord. That Makina-sama ordered the underlings and delivered it to the countries. Hearing that reply, both Joule and Donald groaned, thinking that mysterious being, Makina, holds that much power. And also from the sentence-There is more power to this world other than magic which can be used. That sentence which Donald had heard from Reinhart, possessed weight and was stretched out in front of them. Exactly what do you even do to make a golem do this There lied the remnant of the revival materials which were sent to each of the countries. In other words, metal obtained from melting golems were piled up to make a mountain. I have no idea. There must be a ton of things which we, the ones who have only been looking at the past, cant understand. I wonder how much of that we can understand with our remaining lives. There was a touch of loneliness in that sentence Joule said. Isnt it fine even if we cant understand all of it? That is life, after all. Donald answered. He didnt break his positive attitude no matter what. Thank you, Elena. As long as youre here, we can believe in the future. Yes, please leave it to me. Also, Makina-sama has delivered yet another magic item a while ago. I see. I wonder how it will surprise me this time. Chapter 287 - Return

Chapter 287 C Return

The following day, this time for sure, Jin decided to leave Kurain kingdoms capital, Alban. He had been away from the Kaina vige for quite a while too. Hanna was probably starting to feel homesick as well. It was unfortunate how they couldnt drop by Ran firm where the peddler Rnd was. It will have to be during the next trip. After breakfast, the princess once again saw them off till the main gate with her carriage. The Imperial Guards were guarding all four sides of the carriage. For further protection, Gloria was also riding with them but due to the fact that they would be saying farewell momentarily, no dialogues were exchanged inside the carriage. Just the princess few words, You know itspletely fine for you to stay Going past the gate, the carriage stopped. The knights who were guarding were considerate enough to give them some space. Inversely, the SP for Jin, Hanna and Elsa were guarding every nook and cranny of the carriages surrounding. Although they couldnt be seen. Jin and the others descended from the carriage slowly like they were feeling sorrow for parting. By the way, Hanna was wearing her own clothes this time. However, as one would expect, surely nothing worth worrying about would happen today. The princess and Gloria were facing opposite the town wall and Jin, Elsa and Hanna were facing towards it. No one said anything. They all had various things to say but when the moment arrives, it bes quite hard to say it. Among them, Gloria was the first one to get the ball rolling. Jin-dono, I hope to meet you again someday. Following her, princess Lieschen said, Jin, what will you do from now on? The usual energetic princess had a sad expression. Yes, I will go Kaina vige once. Jin answered. Jin was also feeling a bit sad. Ah, yes, you did mention you had a carriage ready. Yes. After nodding, Jin whistled. Following the whistle, a carriage came on from the road which lead to the forest. Oh, oh? Wh-what is that carriage?! Seeing the golem carriage for the first time, the princess was surprised. Gloria also had an identical reaction. Its my carriage. Its a carriage golem horses pull. The carriage came and stopped exactly beside Jins side. With one look, Jin understood that it was the same one he had built at the Egelia kingdom. Seems like Laojun did his work properly. Prince Earnest of Egelia kingdom also has one of these.,he said. Because, if he lets her know that, her interest towards Egelia kingdom would increase. And just as he had thought, the princess replied, Ohh, I see! That makes me look forward to meeting Earnest-sama! And then, You know, actually, a device called the mana phone was delivered yesterday. And thanks to that, it seems like we can talk to Egelia kingdom, Serroa kingdom and Francis kingdom. Ah, also Elias kingdom. He heard of itst night while talking to Laojun. Thinking that they would probably be able to use it properly, he chuckled a little. And thanks to that, Father has also talked about various things, it seems. And ording to that, next month, or rather its May tomorrow so, well, but it seems that, Earnest-sama and my m-marriage meeting will be held or something. As always, the princess just ended up blurting out some of the countrys important information without hesitation. Although she was a bit embarrassed, that little bit of carelessness doesnt change. O-oh, congrattions. Jin couldnt help but say that. Hmm, it isnt decided yet or anything, though. The princess said blushing. Seeing which Jin thought Earnest and her might just be well-matched. Well then, we shall depart. Thank you for having us. Princess! Thank you very much! Hmm, be well. Lets meet again. Jin-dono, lets meet again someday. Although short, they said their farewells from heart and Jin and the others got on the carriage. And then the carriage door closed and it started moving slowly. Take care! Even though she is the princess, princess Lieschen bid them farewell with a loud voice. Jin thought, that even though a lot happened, he met some pretty good people, and sank down on his seat. There they go. Said the princess. Seeing Gloria walking back, she told Gloria to ride in her carriage. You can protect me while in the carriage like when we came, cant you? Gloria was feeling obliged but at the end, lost to the pushy princess, decided to ride back together. As the carriage started moving, the 4 guards naturally came closer. They were to guard till the royal pce. He was a mysterious guy, huh? Inside the carriage, the princess and Gloria were talking about Jin and the others. Yes, he is the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom but had a many riddles to him, didnt he? Hmm. But, I felt that he was not a man who would bring harm to our country. I feel the same as well. The carriage went on the stone paving. Looking outside the carriage, the princess was recalling the golem incident the other day. It was because the builds and the road before her was being repaired. The hole which Jin created to drop the golems and the wall which cracked from Jessicas mence. We didpensate them but didnt yet decide on Jessicas punishment, huh? I guess shell have to go without 3 months worth of sry. In this case, it was a custom that the sry cut would be reduced to half. Gloria could almost imagine Jessicas face on the verge of tears. She would be perfect if not for that. Hmm. She has great leadership, judgement and sword skill. On top of that, she is also popr. If only she could control her magic. Because of the fact that it wont be much of a problem in the battlefield, she is still the captain. Talented people are important, after all. The princess muttered earnestly. The carriage with Jin and the others on rode fast through the highway. Ah, yes, Jin-niis carriage is really different. Elsa said with a satisfied face. It feels really nice to ride. Hanna expressed how the quality of the ride was so good on Jins golem carriage. After riding for quite a while, Jin contacted Laojun through Reiko. Father, Condor 3 who developed stealth is on standby in the sky. Hm Wait, 3? Condor was only supposed to be upto 2. When did it increase to 3? It seems like there is arge scale warp gate in Condor 3. If we use that, we can return to Kunlun mountains with the whole carriage. They didnt connect directly to Hourai ind in case of the worst-case scenario. I see. As expected of Laojun, he is fast with the preparations. Jin was content with his subordinates work. He thought of blindfolding Hanna but then decided to stop. He wanted to bring Hanna like this here from now on as well and he also wanted her to know his true identity. Hanna, we will be going to the Kunlun ind with the whole carriage now, alright? Eh? O-okay. She was confused for a moment there but soon nodded. The things Jin says he can do, he really does do, after all. The carriage steered off the highway and went on down a somewhat bad road. However, due to the active suspension from the golems arm, they felt next to no vibration. After going through that road for about 10 minutes, they got out onto a gaping wide grasnd. That is Condor 3. As Reiko said that, Condor 3 appeared, deactivating its stealth. Waah! So big! What, is that? Did you, make this too, Jin-nii? Hanna was honestly astonished and Elsa immediately thought of the Pelican 1 she rode before but after looking properly, she saw it almost lookedpletely different. But even then, the auraing from its body or maybe the state of magic tools inside it made Elsa feel that it fell into the same category as Pelican 1. That also showed how much Elsa grew as a magi craftsman. The carriage slowly went into therge warp gate Condor 3 created. The ones riding the carriage feltplete darkness only for a moment. The carriage had teleported through a few hundred kilometers and arrived at the Kunlun ind. Chapter 288 - Owner Jin

Chapter 288 C Owner Jin

The location where the carriagended was not the Kunlun ind mansion but rather inside the garage with the warp gate setup. When did they even make all these? Jin muttered. Thest time Jin hade to the Kunlun ind was on 26th. It was 30th now. Seems like Laojun had established quite a lot of things in that short period of time. Jin thought that he would praise him for itter and got off the carriage with Hanna and Elsa. Waah! This, is onii-chans home! Wow, wow! What is going on here? Hanna had noticed the difference from before in a moment. Hanna-chan, Jin-nii is amazing. So he can do these stuff as well. Yep! Onii-chan is amazing! While Jin was thinking how he would exin it to Hanna, Elsa went ahead and convinced Hanna. Alright, lets go back to Kaina vige. Yes! This time, they went underground the mansion to the warp gate which leads to Hourai ind. The number of Butlers defending and maintaining the warp gate in Hourai ind had increased to 10. Then they went from Hourai ind to Kaina vige. It was troublesome but safer that way. They came out under Jins workshop there. Hanna went up the stairs vigorously and stood before her house. Yay, we are back!! They were indeed weed by the princess in Alban but judging from Hannas high spirits now when she is back, it seems her home is the best to her. She then went on bursting into the house. Obaa-chan, I am back! Hearing her voice, Martha came out to greet them. Hanna, wee back. Did you have fun? Yes! You know, I got to meet the princess! She also gave me clothes! As one would expect, Marthas face became a bit stiff hearing the word princess. Elsa, wee back. I am back, mother. Mine also came out to greet them. Unthinkable things always happen around Jin-nii but I had fun. She reported. Jin slowly came up the stairs thest. Wee back, Jin-sama. Wee back, Jin. I am back. Being told wee back is a merry thing. It makes you heartily feel that you have a ce where you belong. However, there was something Jin had to do first. There is something I need to talk about with Martha and the chief first. What is it? Did something happen? Jin said he would tell them at the chiefs house and they all headed there. What happened, Jin? The vige chief, Gibeck, was at home and invited Jin and the others in. There is something I wanted to report. And Jin started talking about how they went to Kurain kingdoms capital, Alban. About Lishias sword and Glorias request, about how they met with the princess, how he fixed the automatas and took on a request from the king himself. And as its reward, he got Kaina vige as a leaseholdnd. At the end, he also showed them the contract papers. I-I see Even Gibeck was surprised and had a stiff expression. Martha and Mine were also surprised. T-that means, this next 50 years, Jin will essentially be the governor of this vige But Jin denied. No, I do not n on bing a governor. In the first ce, it was something I thought of after hearing that they were recruiting people as soldiers from here. You have sharp ears. Certainly, the day before yesterday, the recruitment order was issued and Rock, Jeff, Deibu, Howard and Rick were taken from the vige. As Jin had thought. But with this, it will be fine. The recruitment order was retreated so there will be nothing to worry about from here on out. Hmm, if so, that is great. Then the chief went back to the main topic, T-then, what do you n on doing now, Jin? To the topic of what Jin nned on doing with the vige from now on. Nothing really, I think it is fine as it is now Ah, although there is no need to pay taxes now. Hmmmm, but, we cant do that either. Either its a territory or leaseholdnd, I have never heard of a governor who doesnt take taxes. But even then, Jin shook his head and said, Like I said, I am not a governor or anything. If I were to say, yes, I would say I was a temporary owner or something along those lines. The chief sighed. The meaning do not change if you just change the name, ya know? But, yes, I do somewhat get what you want to say. Then, you are the owner of this vige, Jin. I will be the viges chief. Is that fine? Jin was happy as the chief understood. Yes, that is fine. However, you should collect tax. And then, do something for the vige with that tax. Being told that, Jin finally understood. With the tax he gets, he will do something for the vige. That is how Jin thought things to be. I understand. Then lets keep the tax like it has been. Hmm. It would be so weird, receiving tax. After all, I am living in Martha-sans house so it would be weird taking tax from her and then also having her make food. Hearing that, Marthaughed. What, you were thinking about something like that? Really, that is very like you! Hearing herugh, Jin was finally able to rx. You know, I dont mind whatever you be, Jin. Even if you were to be a noble or something either! You dont either, do you, Hanna? Yep! Onii-chan is onii-chan! Jin felt his eyes getting warmer. Martha and Hanna wouldnt change. Got it Then, chief, I request you to keep managing the vige like before. Understood. From now on, I will be the chief on behalf of you. Gibeck said with a smile. But still, to think that Jin would get so much sess in life, huh? The world is a weird ce. No, I guess because it is Jin. I was also pretty surprised hearing that. They were now having lunch at Marthas house. Hanna was loving her homes taste after so long. Kaina viges food was notcking evenpared to the royal castle. As they say, ones homes food is always worth returning for. Well, now that giving taxes is easier, it means that if we work hard, we will be rewarded more so it is worth more working now. Martha said with a smile. Jin thought to himself that now he could really start setting up a defense system for Kaina vige and started borately nning in his head. And that is how it is. At the royal castle, Earl Walter who was summoned by the king was being told about the situation directly by the king, Alois the Third. Wh-why, Your Majesty?! What kind of failure did I make?! Even though it is small, to cut off my territory! Earl Walter got red up at the king. What kind of failure, you say? Alois the Thirds eyes red. With what face are you saying that? Because of your hasty conclusions and rashness, we gave away such a talented magi craftsman to another country, you know?! Th-that is Do you understand? For 50 years from now, Kaina vige is Jin Nidous leaseholdnd. And also, send back the people you recruited from there as soon as possible. Y-yes Earl Walter did fall back there but nobody noticed that dangerous re residing in his eyes. Chapter 289 - Progress

Chapter 289 C Progress

After lunch, Hannah went to y since she hadnt been to Kaina vige in a while. Elsa was telling Mine about their journey. Jin had started nning to protect Kaina vige, just in case something were to happen. And to implement those ns, he went back to Hourai ind. Wee back, master. Butler 1 weed him. And then Jin went to the workshop. Wee back, master. Ann also came. Jin thought he would tell herter about how he met a simr-shaped automata, Tia. Jin sat down on his usual chair and started discussing with Laojun through the equipped mana cam. He exined that now that Kaina vige was his leaseholdnd, he was thinking of increasing its security. I would like to install magic eyes in several ces and increase bodyguard golems. Laojun also agreed with Jin. [Right. I agree with equipping magic eyes for monitoring along the highway, the Elme river, the northern mountains, the eastern and western forests, etc.] Master, I think it would be good to also prepare barriers. Alright, lets install barrier-generating devices below the Elme river bridge and the viges fences. They made it so that only Jin, Laojun and Reiko could control it. Jin held the most priority, after him was Laojun, and after Laojun was Reiko. We will have 26 golems. Same type as army golems, naming them from Land A to Land Z. Lets make the golems grey so they dont stand out. Stealth should be installed in all of them. The army for Hourai ind is named after numbers so this is to differentiate between them. [Understood, I will get on starting production immediately.] As they would be of the same type as army golems, even Laojun is capable of making them. Master, I think it would also be better to equip them with arms. Another suggestion from Ann. That is true. Alright, paralyzers against humans. Vibration swords against close range golems. And how about induction radiator against long range types? Hmm, right, but since the opposing party might also not be golems so I think it would be better to go withser guns. I see. Then lets go with both of those. Exactly what were they nning to fight against?! There was no one in Hourai ind who would retort like that. Lastly, it would be good to have a proxy for when I am not present. [That is true. I shall station a Butler there permanently.] And so, one Butler was stationed at Jins house in Kaina vige. That is fine and all but how many Butlers do you n on making? When Jin asked, Laojun replied 50. Alright. Then make that 51 and make the one which will be stationed at my ce numberless. [Understood. It might prove to be difficult without any numbers so I shall name it A.] And therefore, a Butler which had just been finished was stationed at Jins house and would act as his proxy in his absence. Well then, after that Jin brought up the topic of how Hannah was held captive for a while in Kurain kingdom and, To prevent these kind of incidents from happening again, I think we need to change the SPs setting a little. [Thats true. A stitch in time saves nine. I think we need to adjust for situations when there are suspicious beings nearby.] How about having it be prepared to subdue anyone who is not known by Hannah-chan, onee-sama and master? That was Anns suggestion. No, worst case scenario, it might subdue someone who just happens toe close to ask directions or such. That is true They werent able toe up with a good option. [I think we have no other choice but to have you, my lord, develop a new defensive magic tool. Eh? [How about a barrier which forms along the surface of the body.] Laojun suggested. Of course, that can be used all the time. Hmmm, it will prove to be quite difficult but I will think about it. It seems quite impossible at the moment. [Yes, I also do not think a situation where it might be needed will arise anytime soon.] At the end, they decided on using paralyzer as default. Even if they used lighting magic, it would be difficult to make it strong enough to make the other party faint. The chances of it affecting the people around was also high. In contrast, paralyzer is able to only paralyze the target. Alright, that should be good enough for the SP. Also Jin took out two magic crystals from his pocket for the other task he had in mind. One was Tias old control core and the other had Heintz Lashs sword techniques in it. Do an analysis on these for me. It will probably turn out to be quite important data. [Understood.] Jin passed the two cores to Laojun. All thats left is Hey, maybe you guys arent showing it to me because I havent asked but that diary-like book we found at the ruins? You are done deciphering that, arent you? Jin asked with a sullen face. Laojun wondered how he should respond, looking forward to how Jin reacts. [Yes, that is] Laojun inartictely responded, which was unusual of him. What is it? Is there a problem? [Yes, I guess you could call it a problem.] Like I said, what is it? [Yes, then I will tell you. That diary was a diary.] Huh? Jin doubted his ears. He was worried if Laojun had gone mad. [No, like, we had thought, it had important facts about the big magic war but it really was just a personal diary.] Ah, I kind of understand. Jin was able toprehend. [It barely has about 2 to 3 parts worth referring to. Except that, it ispletely useless. After all, it is no fun reading some strangers daily life activities.] Well, I guess. Losing interest, Jin asked Laojun about those 2 to 3 parts. [There were something written about alchemy, demons and other historic ruins.] Oh? Sounds interesting. Jin was drawn in the most by the word demon. Jin knew next to nothing about the demon race. [But even still, it is very little Monsters are beings who live off of ether. And among them, demons are the ones which have intelligence.] Hmmm. Laojun continued with his exnation. ording to him, it seems like demons have built up a civilisation which could even rival the humans. However, they do not consider flocking like humans a good thing and therefore do not use any war tactics or strategies. Due to that, the human side was able to barely win. But if that is the case, doesnt abandoning the fort and retreating seem weird? If they were winning, there shouldnt have been any reason to retreat. [Yes, I couldnt understand that much from the diary.] Hmm, then I leave the report to you. Whats written about alchemy in there? Jin knew that alchemy here resembled science in the modern world. But that was all he knew. Alchemy was developed about 500 years ago, after his predecessor had passed. Hence, the golems (Reikos ancestor automatas) which stayed in the solitary ind had no way of knowing about it. [Yes, this was also not something that interesting. It seems they had tried using strong acid as a weapon. At the end, it didnt be a reality as they couldnt create arge amount of strong acid.] Strong acids are acids which have a high level of ionization. Sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. If they were trying to use this as a weapon, they probably contained it in an airtight containers andunched it onto the enemy demons. Chemical weapons, eh It was something he didnt really want spreading. What did the part about historic ruins say? [Yes, for convenience, I did say historic ruin but it seems that at the time it was an abandoned fortress. It is the fortress near the Yada viges historic ruin. However, we, the Quinta, have already finished investigating it.] Got it. I leave the control cores with you. Continue analysing it. [Understood. Also, this is something Topaz and I investigated but, shall I report about it?] Hm? What is it? I am listening. Thinking that this was one day full of unusual remarks from Laojun, Jin urged him to continue. [Alright, then We have identified why the nts, more specifically the fruit trees in Hourai ind, grow so well. It seems that Hourai ind is a singrity point for mana.] Singrity point? [Yes. Normally, ether gathers together at the North Pole. Although it is less than 1/10th of the North Pole, it seems there is a pulse here where ether gathers.] I see. And? [The ether in the fruits decrease in the order: pelshika, apple, citran. Pelshika, being the highest, has more than 10 times the etherpared to the ones grown in other regions.] That is quite amazing. Its like a senmomo(special peach). A while earlier, Laojun had spected that Jin would react like that when he gets to know about it. [And we also discovered that we are able to store it without any drop in quality using the ether stocker.] Ooh, that is nice. So, the refrigerators are already reconstructed, right? This time, Jin saw through Laojuns works. [Yes, as per yourmand.] Jin felt happy seeing his own creation, the system called Laojun, executing properly. At a location 1 kilometer north of the provincial city of Serroa kingdom, Astan. In that area,y Shouro empires storage depot. The diplomat Reinhart was being forced to stay there. Because a majority of the Serroa kingdoms head camp consists of Unifiers, as a result of recing that head, they werent properly functioning as an administration. Reinhart! Rejoice! We can finally depart! Elsas elder brother, Fritz, said while he jogged closer. Eh, really? Yes. The procedures are finally done. We will depart tomorrow morning! Forte, Bololon, Ganiiz, Toskoshia. And my mothend! Seeing Fritz in such high spirits, Reinhart felt happy too. They were about a week behind schedule. We can finally go back to our mothend! Yes, I look forward to it. That night, Reinhart was also able to talk to Jin after a long while and so lied down on the floor in content. Chapter 290: Because I like him

Chapter 290: Because I like him

April had ended, along with spring, and came May, with summer closing in. Today is the 2nd day of May. Yes, this is a letter. A, B, C. Lets try reading them. Eii, beee, shiii! Mine and Elsa were having a study session, teaching Hanna. Jin, who was absent-mindedly listening to them whileying down, once again thought about how simr these worlds letters are to Earths ones. (Well, there might also have been some other human who was summoned long ago from Earth.) He wonte up with an answer even if he pondered and so he recalled the conversation he had with Reinhartst night. [Seems like the Serroa kingdoms governing body started operating properly atst, as we were finally able to renew our passing license. It has been a while since I rode a carriage.] d to hear that. [Yeah. Beth and Dolly probably want to meet their family as well, after all.] You too, right? [Haha, yeah. We have been away from our mothend for more than a year now, so we all feel homesick.] Where are you staying tomorrow, again? [After departing from Forte in the morning, we will probably go to Bololon. Everyone has been waiting to resume the journey, so its pretty lively here.] A lot has happened over here too. I ended up receiving a vige within Kurain kingdoms borders as a leaseholdnd for the next 50 years. [Sounds fun.] Actually And that was how their conversation went. (Shouro empire, eh? I do feel like going there.) But seeing Hanna practicing letters with her utmost efforts, it was kind of hard for him to bring up the talk of going on a trip. It seems Elsa felt something about that Jin. After the study session had ended, Hanna and Elsa held hands and were on their way back. Along the way, Hanna-chan, what do you think about Jin-nii? You like him? Yep, I like onii-chan! Elsa and Hanna were talking about Jin. Right? I like him too. Yay! Hanna-chan, what do you think about Jin-nii going out to travel? Ehh, I dont like it. I would feel lonely. The obvious response. Yep, it would get lonely, huh? But, what did you think about the three of us going out? Wasnt it fun? It was fun! Elsa nodded and patted Hannas head. Right? It was fun. And, so, Jin-nii has a ce he wants to visit. He does? Hanna stopped and looked up at Elsas face. Yes. Jin-nii has been looking forward to visiting this country called the Shouro empire. Elsa squatted and looked up to Hannas face. If we like Jin-nii, lets let him do what he wants, alright? But only silence came back. After a whole 3 minutes of them staying like that, Hanna finally opened her mouth. Yes Elsa hugged Hanna. Such a good girl. You did good. Saying that, she stroked Hannas back. But, it will be fine. If its Jin-nii, he wille back time to time. Yup he will. Hanna said with wet eyes. Afternoon of the same day, Jin was checking up on the magic eyes which were set up withinst night. Hmm, hmm. With this, even if humans were toe attacking, we would have ample amount of time to prepare. They were able to monitor a maximum of 10 kilometers and at least 2 kilometers away from the Kaina vige area. I guess I will make a support intellect exclusively for monitoring. Something like a small-scale Laojun. In terms of efficiency, it will be about a hundredth of Laojun but should have enough processing power to rival 100 men. Since he had experience making Laojun, it only took him about 30 minutes toplete. Activate. [Pleased to meet you, master.] Alright, your name will be Koushin. These namings also have aplicated backstory. In a manga Jin had read long ago, -Insects within the human body leave the host on the Kanoesarus night and tell the Lord of their hosts evil deeds. The Lord would then reduce their lifespan depending on those deeds and so the humans would not sleep on the Kanoesarus night.- Jin remembered reading such folklores there. It was a faint memory but from that one point of monitoring, Jin named it Koushin (Kanoesaru). [Understood. I am Koushin from now on. I will do my utmost in monitoring work.] I leave it to you. Jin returned to Kaina vige after 3 PM. When he went to the library on the 2nd floor, he found Hanna there, waiting for him. Onii-chan, wee back. Mm? Did something happen, Hanna? She cast her eyes downwards and was being hesitant but after a while, looked up to face Jin, and said with a clear tone. Onii-chan, it is fine if you want to go travelling somewhere, okay? Eh? Jin was confused by this sudden event. When we went out before, it was really fun. Onii-chan, you also have some ce you want to visit, right? Then it ispletely fine if you go visit. I will be a good kid and wait here. Hanna Certainly, his desire to go to Shouro empire swelled up after having that conversation with Reinhart. But was it really so obvious that even Hanna realized it? Jin thought, but soon understood that it was probably Elsa. After all, the only ones who knew of this were her and Mine. But he didnt say it out loud. Instead, he just stroked Hannas head. Thank you. Then, I might head out sometime soon. But I will return from time to time, I promise. Okay! Jin promised to return. Hanna was happy with just that. That night, during Reinharts regr call. [We finally reached Bololon.] d to hear that. I also might head there sometime around tomorrow. [What? Jin, you okay?] Ah, only me, though. Its still impossible for Elsa, right? [Hmm. Fritz is back to normal but we dont know about his home, after all. Ah, right. We also found Adburgh and Herman.] Adburgh was the butler and Herman was the guard, right? What about the other one? [We are unsure about the manservant, Otto. As far as I have heard from Herman, after the dismissal, he went away on his own. So he wont probably be returning to Shouro empire.] I see. I guess we cant help it. [Elsa is doing fine, right?] Yea. This time, I will being alone. [Got it. We will probably reach Ganiz by tomorrow and Toskoshia the day after. Catch up to us by Toskoshia, alright?] Yea, leave it to me. [Haha, I thought you would say that. Alright then, I will be looking forward to our reunion.] Chapter 291: Jin, departs

Chapter 291: Jin, departs

Going back in time a little. After being told that he could travel if he wants, Jin went back to Hourai ind in great joy and started preparations for his trip. Now then, lets get the carriage ready first. The carriage he had built back in Egelia kingdom still remained, but after assigning the equipped warp gate for other uses, it would be a bit of a bother to put it back. Laojun had been putting together a carriage of simr type for this asion. Jin thought he would make a new model from scratch. He made the outward appearance simr to the previous one. Of course, he also equipped the warp gate. With four-wheeled, self-support suspension system, Active suspension. Fully furnished air-conditioning. Floodlight projector. And, of course, the horse would be a golem horse. This was what would usually be equipped but from this point on, Jin did the unthinkable. I guess I will make it so that it can run even without a horse. In other words, he nned on equipping it with a golem engine so that it would be capable of running on its own. I cant really pack in a big engine which stands out so I guess I will have to go with the least possible one I can. He isnt aware that his least isnt what is considered to be the general least. Father, I have prepared the materials. Reiko brought aluminium 64. It is much stronger than normal aluminium. Alright, lets start. Not having to worry about anyone watching, Jin exerted his engineering magic as much as he wanted and kept on processing the materials. Reiko was supporting him. Moreover, Laojun was considerate and called over two Smith golems. And before one knew it, the carriage waspleted. They used the sea dragons leather for the tire. Due to its roughness being simr to the dragons scales, its grip power is extraordinary, even above boulders. (In fact, the boulder might break instead.) As I thought, we dont get much speed if the golem engine is small. Jin grumbled as he saw the carriage go through the test run. The engines are small as they have been equipped to each of the wheels. It looks like nothing but a fat tire but, in fact, golem engines are installed next to it. And due to this, he couldnt install anything too big as it would stand out too much. But it is also true that that would decrease the torque. It would be able to reach a speed of about 40 kilometers per hour. If the golem horse pulled with all its strength, it would go up to a 100 kmph. A normal carriages max speed is about 15 kmph. Even Jin himself didnt know that his measure of things was quite outrageous. This golem horse was reusing some of the material used before. Even still, the aluminium portion is reced with aluminium 64 and the magical muscle was enhanced, making the output power twice that of the one before. It would be nice to be able to ride it alone as well. He equipped the horse with a saddle, a stirrup and a handle so that it could be rode without the carriage as well. I guess I should also equip it with a seat so that it feelsfortable riding. Well, when needed, I could always use the warp gate ande back here to sleep anyway. There was no one present there who would retort saying you wouldnt call that a trip now, would you!?. Either way, super carriage no. 2 was done in about 2 hours. [My lord, I have a suggestion.] Mm, what is it? [I suggest taking a golem with you, one which has the outer appearance of a low-ss golem.] Hearing Laojuns suggestion, Jin immediately understood the intention behind it. I see. Low-ss outer appearance, eh? Put simply, a golem which would take care of his daily needs. I guess I could also make it be the driver normally. And so, Jin started making it immediately. All in all, Jin really liked making automatas and golems. The basis is fine being the same as butlers. He used 18-12 stainless steel as the raw material. It looked like iron at a nce so it would be easier to fool others eyes with this. He purposely tried making the outer appearance look clumsy. The model was Unifiers battle golem. Even still, he didnt make it clumsy to that point. He also didnt want others to misunderstand, after all. Its power was a bit higher than the butlers and its dexterity was close to that of the Smiths. And so, it should be able to handle misceneous tasks as well. Hmm, Id better order it to pretend to be sluggish normally. And so, the attendant golem was done. Your name will be Steward. Yes, master. With this, approximately all preparations wereplete. I guess I will rest for a bit. Reiko, Laojun, I leave the rest to you. Yes, father. [Leave it to us.] As one would expect, Jin was pretty tired and so left the remaining preparation to Reiko and Laojun and lied down on the floor. Alright then, I will be back. Jin went to inform the people of Kaina vige about his trip. Jin-nii, take care. Give my regards to Rai-nii. Jin-sama, please take care. Jin, take care. Come back from time to time, alright? Onii-chan, have a good trip After being escorted by Elsa, Mine, Martha and Hanna, Jin headed towards the shelter. The workshops warpgate would have been fine as well but since it would feel kinda weird, he went all the way to the shelter. In front of the shelter, Kaina viges gatekeepers, Land A to Z were lined-up. Master, we are the Land squad, we are in charge of the protection of Kaina vige. Ohh, good job. Then I leave Kaina vige to you while I am absent. I will head out for a bit. Yes, please leave it to us. Have a good trip, master. And so, Jin vanished inside the shelter. In Serroa kingdom, northward of the provincial city, Bololon, an uninhabited wastnd spread out. Its name was the Bololon wastnd. As far as the eye could see, it was full of boulders, some which were even 50 meters tall. It might be easier to think of thendscape as that of a small scale Arizona, whiches up in western films. Among all these boulders, one was noticeably bigger and had an entrance to a cave at the bottom. Hmmm, so this is the Bololon wastnd. Yes. I have probably been here about 8 times before. Reiko muttered. It was that time warp gate behaved recklessly and Jin had gone missing, when Reiko used the same method to search for Jin all around the world. At that time, I appeared out in the sky and barelynded but due to one of the part of the warp gate being damaged, I somehow managed to make it back to theb but had to dispose of the warp gate. However, the areas it had been used at coulde in handyter so Laojun tracked what faint magic it had left and dispatched an air force golem to identify the locations. And then installed the warp gate once again. If there are points like this, it would make travelling through the continent much easier. Although Jin and his staff will be the only people using it for a while. And for this reason, the halfpoints of the warpgates teleportation were also being studied. For security purposes. [First in line is the aircraft carrier Hodaka. It has plenty of space inside so, when used as a ry point, even if by any chance, enemiesnd on it, they would not be able to go through to Hourai ind.] Laojun exined it like that to Jin. Jin said thats fine, I will leave it to you and gave his approval. That system will probably be done quite soon. The carriage, which had Jin and Reiko, ran southwest of the wastnd. Hmmm, he also installed apass, eh? As expected of Laojun. On the ingeniously camouged carriage steering console, apass was also installed. The highway runs from the east to the west, so if I just keep going southwest, I wille upon it. Jin kept the carriage at golem horse mode and fixed the speed to be at 50 kmph. The highway shoulde into view within an hour. Father, I can see it. Reiko raised her voice. To her eyes the highway, which spread about the horizon, was visible. And so, Jin lowered the carriages speed. Even Jin knew that running a carriage at 50 kmph would be out of ce. But even then, the carriages speed exceeded 20 kmph. Bololon and Ganiz had only about 30 kilometers between them. Reinharts carriage was going along at ease. After all, it would take about a day at most to reach the border, on the other side of which was their mothend. Reinhart, good weather were having today. Lining up the carriages side by side, Matheus started talking to Reinhart. Yeah, feels like the full bloom of spring. Dont you feel sleepy? Opening up the carriages window, as Reinhart said jokingly to Matheus, Haha, true. I would feel sleepy on the horse. For better or worse, I am a soldier, after all. I wouldnt even doze off on a horse by mistake. Answering with that, he deliberately surveyed the surroundings. And then, his face got stiff. Reinhart, hasten your carriage. What happened? An unknown carriage ising this way from the wastnds. Hearing that, Reinhart opened up his other window and looked outside. But contrary to Matheus expression, Reinharts one was of joy. Matheus, that is a friend of mine. What? I told you before, right? The magi craftsman I got to know and befriend along this trip. No, I guess now he is the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom. That is Jin Nidous carriage. Say what? Thats his? Yeah. Who else can make such an exquisite golem horse? Bathing in the afternoon sunlight, the silver-colored golem horse shined brightly, pulling the aluminum carriage behind it. Controlling such a horse was a golem made of iron. Oiii, Reinhart! From that carriage, Jin himself set out and was waving towards them. Oii, Jin! It has been so long! Reinhart also got out through the window and waved back. Chapter 292: City of Ganiz

Chapter 292: City of Ganiz

On the 3rd of April, when spring was in full swing, Jin was able to sessfully meet up with Reinhart. Matheus, hes Jin. Although he does have the title of Honorary Magi Craftsman of Egelia kingdom, he is free of restraints. Reinhart introduced Jin to Matheus, who was his friend and escort. Jin, hes Captain Matheus Gaist Fon Rialgar. He is a friend of mine and also the captain of 3rd squad of the Imperial Guards. He will be my brother-inw soon, as well. Nice to meet you, I am Jin Nidou. Nice to meet you as well, I am Matheus. They greeted each other and shook hands. I have heard a lot about you from Reinhart during our journey. You seem to be a wonderful magi engineer. Hahaha, thats right! Jin is a magi engineer whom I cant even hope to reach! That much I can guarantee you! For some reason, Reinhart answered with pride. Seeing that, Matheus raised his eyebrows for a second there but soon went back to normal. I look forward to seeing you in action. And so, is it fine to assume that you will be travelling together with us from now? Reinhart went and answered that question as well. Yes, of course. Jin is my guest, after all! Jin, so is it okay if I get on your carriage right away? Y-yes, sure. I have a lot to talk about as well. Right?! And so, lets depart, Matheus! Slightly astounded by the excited Reinhart, Matheus ordered his subordinates to depart again. And now, 15 people were guarding Reinhart while they were heading towards their country. Lets go! The carriage Reinhart had been riding on departed without its master. The driver knew Jin so he didnt mind either. After all, this happened often before too. However, that was not true for Matheus. The person he was supposed to guard, his friend, his younger sisters to be husband, just went off happily with a person of doubtful origins (although Reinhart did introduce himself as the Honorary Magi Craftsman of Egelia kingdom) he had just met. And theres also this girl called Reiko riding with them. Seems like she is an automata but that just makes her even more mysterious. And not to mention that a iron made golem was driving the carriage, the type of which he had never seen before. It seemed to be inferior to Reinharts Schwarz Ritter in every single aspect. However, the carriage was being pulled by a golem horse. He was honestly amazed by that. (To be able to recreate such horse-like movements I cant measure his ability.) Is Elsa doing fine? Yeah. She is teaching the kids at a vige called Kaina at the moment. I see. Thats delightful. Well, as long as shes happy. Reinhart said and lowered his voice, Jin, Elsas brother, Fritz, the reason why he turned weird no, the reason why he returned to normal you had a hand in it, right? There was a sound-proof barrier spread around Jins carriage so there was no need to worry about being wiretapped but he ended up whispering unconsciously. Ah. That hypnotism and seduce. Before, Rucall cancelled it by stimting and stunning him but now I understand that the same thing can be done by a magic called shock. And then, Jin went on and exined how the Unifiers became Nostalgia and how they are now helping each of the countries. While they were engrossed in their conversation, before they realized, they had reached todays destination, the city of Ganiz. Looks like we are here. Reinhart said while looking out the window. Time sure passed by quick, huh. We will stay here today and head to Toskoshia tomorrow, which is just before the border. We also have the visa needed to pass through, so they probably wont make us wait. Ah, yes, I am looking forward to going to Shouro empire. I am happy you feel that way. Well then, lets get down for now. The carriage stopped at a simple checkpoint just before Ganiz. Reinhart was the most highest ranked person among them so he had to show his face while passing through. Matheus surveyed Reinhart as if to make sure everything was alright when he came down from the carriage. And red at Jin for a moment, who was still inside the carriage. ? While Jin had noticed Matheus nce, he didnt understand the reason behind it so he decided to pretend he didnt notice for now. The city of Ganiz was not a fortified city. It was surrounded by normal wood fences. But its not like the city was only inside the fences, from the looks of it, it seemed like they were in the middle of expanding the city. Although, there was no doubt that the part outside the fences were less developed. The city was in the remote region of Serroa and the reason why it was flourishing lied in the mine halfway up the Karter mountain towards the south. Mines of valuable mithril metal were found at 3 ces, one of which lies along the road used for ore transportation from Bololon. Hmmm. Well, I understand how that would make Bololon prosper but why would it make this ce prosper as well? Hearing Reinharts exnation, Jin asked the obvious question. Thats because the more important of a point Bololon is, the more stricter the management of Serroa kingdom gets. And with that, Jin could guess the rest. Certainly, it would be hard to develop a business district where most of the countrys soldiers and officials were. Well, you can also say its a very disordered city. After parking the carriage at the carriage point outside the city, Jin and the others started walking to the city of Ganiz. Reinhart was attracting quite a lot of barkers, as he was well-dressed. Sir, we have a very nice inn over her, with the best food and great girls! Pleasee! I have some nice magi crystals which were collected from the mines. I will sell them to you cheap, so why dont you buy some? If you want to have fun, then please visit Namiina! All you can drink wine at a cheap price! Matheus went and drove those people away. Seriously this ce is always like this. Reinhart, we have already decided on the inn. Lets hurry. Matheus had sent his subordinates ahead of them to book a proper inn. Ah, as expected of Matheus. Youre very reliable. And then Matheus looked back at Jin and apologized, Sorry but we couldnt book a room for you. We didnt know there was going to be more people, after all. Please search for one yourself. I am sorry. Jin, if thats the case then why dont youe to my Reinhart had started talking but Matheus interrupted saying, If its okay with you, would you like to sleep with one of our guards? But Jin refused. No, if itspletely necessary, I can always sleep in my carriage so please dont mind me. Understood. After giving a short reply, he made his subordinates surround Reinhart and advance on. It looked like Reinhart wasining about something but he didnt lend an ear. Well then, Jin-dono, we depart at 8 in the morning. Dont bete. Matheus said and started following Reinhart at a quick pace without even waiting for Jins reply. (I feel like I am disliked quite a lot here) Having no memory of saying anything bad to Matheus, Jin just stood there, puzzled. And even to Jin, the barkers came up. Hey fe, why dont yae have fun at our inn? Hey, wont you treat me to a drink? Wanna spend the night with me? Well, they werent even barkers, they were prostitutes. Youre in the way. Please dont touch father with your dirty hands. Reiko got rid of all those women. It took about 30 mins for them to realize that Jin wasnt another easy mark and they went away. Its my first time in a city like this. Being close to the border, it was a city with little public order. It seems it would be better to not stay long here. Doesnt seem like there are any ces worth seeing, so lets head back to the carriage. That would probably be the best. Oi, Matheus. Reinhart found Matheus attitude towards Jin a bit intolerable so when he tried toin, Matheus went ahead and said, Reinhart, we will be at our homnd soon. You do understand, right? ? Ah, of course I do. Then dont do anything that will make Belche cry. I havent done anything of the sort, have I? I know you havent been to a brothel. But But? Reinhart asked, being curious. To which Matheus murmured, ma Eh? Reinhart tried listening again as he couldnt hear properly. Getting desperate, Matheus said with a loud voice, You dont need to run after men now, right?! It seems, Matheus had misunderstood something. Chapter 293: Culprit

Chapter 293: Culprit

Ahahahaha! You dont need tough about it that much. Ah, sorry. But, when I think that you were worried about that with Jin, I cant stop. In short, Matheus was worried that Reinhart was homosexual. Bu-butHaa I-its your fault to begin with! You confined yourself in the carriage so long with him Matheus face turned red as he exined himself. But that also made Reinhartugh even more. Th-thats about enough! I am going to my room! Matheus went out of the room, mming the door close. Haha, I wonder how I am going to exin this to Jin Jin and Reiko had reached the carriage stop. Curtains were spread around Matheus carriage and some of his subordinates were staying the night there. Matheus, his butler, hisdy attendant and four of his subordinates went to stay the night in the city and the remaining were here. And there Jin met an unexpected person. If it isnt Jin-sama Adburgh-san? It was Elsas previous butler, Adburgh. It has been a while. Sincedy Elsa had gone missing, if I am not wrong. Youre right. d to see youre doing well. Jin remembered that Reinhart had found Adburgh and Herman and was bringing them along with him. That Mine did quite a foolish thing. I wonder what Elsa-sama might be doing now. Although he was dismissed, since he had been taking care of Elsa since she was young, he did still care about her. What will you do from now on, Adburgh-san? I have grown quite old, you see. I have my son and my daughter in my country so when I return, I will retire. Adburgh said while looking up at the night sky with a somewhat lonely expression. Ah, that reminds me, where is Herman-san? Ah, Herman, he is over there. Saying that, he pointed towards Herman. Hmm? What about that child? Beside Herman, there was a girl of about 10 years who was wearing dirty clothing. A beggar, probably. Adburgh said without any emotion. Herman is kinda soft on children who reminds him of his daughter, after all. Seems like Herman gave that girl something. The girl bowed over and over and then went away. But the way she walked was weird. It was like she was dragging her right foot. Probably hurt her leg. As it was a child, Jin couldnt overlook it either. And so, he went towards his own carriage. Jin went inside the carriage to get some of the recovery medicine he had prepared. Laojun sure prepares well. They could return to Hourai ind but there will be people watching and they wouldnt be able to do it in an emergency situation either. At times like those, the medicines Laojun prepared wille in handy. Underneath the seat was a convenient ether stocker. Of course, it also has the refrigerator function in it so it can keep things fresh. Now then, where did that girl go? When he asked Reiko, who was waiting outside, she pointed towards the direction the girl went and they both followed her. Ah, there she is Eh? From her hair and the clothes she was wearing, there was no mistake that it was the girl from before. But the moment that girl turned around the corner of a shabby looking building, she started walking normally-no, even energetically, as if dragging her feet before was just to pretend. Deducing her intentions behind it, Jin let out a sigh. Its a tough world To get some money, they appeal for sympathy. And for a child to think like that it made Jin depressed. What can I possibly do Still holding onto the medicine, Jin went back to his carriage. Reiko followed him in silence. Haa Returning back to the carriage, he leaned on the back of the seat and closed his eyes. I have money but its not like the situation will be solved if I just give her some It would just be a stopgap measure and as soon as the money is used up, they will end up right where they started. I guess it is abour camp for drifters Father, what is abour camp for drifters? Hearing Jin talk to himself, Reiko inquired. Ah. Well, its a ce where they take light criminals and homeless people and train them to return them to society I guess. Abour camp which was made in the Ishigawa ind. Its a historically true event. At the time-no, even now, it is an unparalleled revolutionary system. I would like the Nostalgia to take this initiative. Thinking that, Jin ordered Steward to not let anyone in the carriage and stepped on to Hourai ind with Reiko. [I see,bour camp for drifters and criminals. I guess it would be good to gather people who want to work but cant, and also orphans and educate them] Laojun also agreed with Jin, so he left the details and everything to Laojun. Wont an organization which holds the bnce of employment also be good? An suggested. Public Employment Security Office, in short. Right. Information would be indispensable in order to do that. We will have the Nostalgia do that as well. And like this, as Jins lower branch, Nostalgia steadily started prating into the society and increased its influence. All the while, Jin was soaked in Hourai inds bath, spending his time leisurely. The day before Jin reunited with Reinhart. At one of the cities of Kurain kingdom, Prense. It was the base of count Walter, who had quite the bad reputation. At the feudal lords house there, a secret talk was going on. You mean the guys working at Inado mine? Yes. We will stealthily release them and tempt them to go to Kaina vige. Will that be alright? I dont care. This is how it will y out. The criminals who escaped from Inado mine attacked Kaina vige. My soldiers moved at high speed to save the vige. But they were just a bitte and all the vigers were killed. My soldiers killed the criminals and took revenge for the vigers The dead cant sing, right? d you pick up well. 5-6 days in a carriage. 2-3 days on a horse. And in less than a day by a dove. That was how far the Inado mine was. It was one of the valuable mineral resource supply center of Kurain kingdom, located at the mountain southeast of Kaina vige. Will we really be released? Yes. However, if youre going somewhere, go to the vige up north. Because there are soldiers south. If we can be free, I dont care where I have to live! At Kurain kingdom, which has a low working poption, all the criminals except the ones whomit extremely heinous crimes are forced intobour. They are put under thends lord to work at mines ornd development. It was normal for them to do heavybour. Fuhihi, I will do it! Ah, yes, there will be women too, right? Good food, good bed, and women. Cant ask for more. The dead cant sing, that worlds saying = dead men tell no tales Chapter 294: Before daybreak

Chapter 294: Before daybreak

[My lord, Reinhart-sama is calling.] Reinhart was calling Jin using the mana cam. Its Jin, whats up? [Ooh, Jin! Sorry for today!] Thats what youre calling about? I didnt really mind. He had thought something might have happened but was relieved to find out he was wrong. [Matheus didnt have any ill intention. He just misunderstood a bit.] Misunderstood? Jin wondered if he did anything which could be misunderstood. What did he misunderstand? And when he asked, Reinhartughed and answered, [That you and I are in a love rtionship] Eeehhhh?! [Right? Hrious.] But Jin couldntugh. He didnt think Matheus would have such a misunderstanding. I-its all cleared up now, right? [Of course.] Then its fine. [Well, either way, I will try not to trouble you with these from now on.] They gossiped for a while after which Reinhart cut the call. I am tired. Mentally exhausted, Jin decided get into the hot spring once again. Haa Stretching out his limbs in the hot water, he murmured to himself, Shorou Empire, eh Sounds fun. Gyaaa! I-its a rebellion! The criminals have escaped! On the afternoon of the same day, the Inado mines administrative building was filled with agonizing cries. The item keeping the criminals in check was the Criminals cor. This was an item equipped onto the criminal with which one can inflict pain on the wearer by pouring a specific mana into it. And to pour that specific mana, a specific magic item is required. Two of those magic items, the dominators, were set up in case of unforeseen circumstances but they were rendered useless somehow. Hyahahaah! Free! We are free! Go, go! We will head for the north! Dont even go south by mistake! There are soldiers there! 52 of these criminals descended the mountain with pickaxes, hammers and clubs in their hands. After going down for about 20 kilometers, the Toka vige was south and the Kaina vige was north. There was food in the rest hut on the main road. The criminals devoured those and headed quickly towards north, being wary of pursuers. With eyes full of lust, they climbed the mountain pass. After climbing to the top, they could see the Herme river shining below. And beyond that, lied a peaceful vige. I can see it! Its the vige! Hyouhou! Food! Women! Warm beds! Lets go! Ah, you! I will be the first!! The criminals went down with momentum. The vigers of Kaina werent yet aware of this. The Kaina vige exclusive defense/monitor magic intellect, Koushin, had informed them at Hourai ind 15 minutes before. It was past midnight in Kaina vige and there was still a while to go before daybreak. At Hourai ind, dawn was just about to break. Laojun pondered for a while about whether he should alert Jin about the situation. Since Jin had gone to bed earlyst night and it was a question of Kaina vige, he decided to wake Jin up. [Assant detected] [They are aiming to invade from the Togo mountain pass] [Reconstructing conversation. Assants identified to be criminals who received thebour penalty. Their objective discerned to be to attack Kaina vige] [Assants will enter the defense circle in within a minute] As expected of Laojun. [Much obliged. I would like to affirm the defensive capability of the system taking this opportunity and as such will not neutralize the offenders all at once. Please give your approval.] Yeah, I dont mind. If no harmes to Kaina vige, that is. [Thank you very much. Please rx and watch the situation from here, my lord.] There was no need for Jin to do anything. He just had to look at the screen provided by Koushin, listen to the reports and watch as Laojun took the necessary steps. [52 assants have reached Togo mountain pass. Collision with defense circle confirmed.] And at the moment when most of the criminals started descending, [Test 1. Paralysis barrier activate.] The criminals raced down the mountain pass. There were some who were tired and left behind and Gyaa! Gaah! They came in contact with the paralysis barrier and passed out. A total of 8 of them. But the ones who scrambled to reach there first didnt even notice the shrieks of the ones behind. Their eyes had be bloodshot as they ran down. [Test 2. Laser shot.] Eeh!? W-what? Surprised shrieks arose from one of them. And naturally so too, as the pickaxe and hammers they had turned to dust in a moment. While they were perplexed, their lust couldnt be stopped by just that. [Test 3. Induction radiator, short time usage.] Gyaahhh! H-hootttt!! The criminal cors they were wearing on their necks were made of metal. Sure they would panic if it suddenly became hot. But that effect had faded after only leaving a slight burn in their necks. O-ouch what was that? After that, they finally had an eerie feeling, so their speed decreased. But even still, when they saw that the vige was within their reach, they couldnt stop. [Test 4. Land W to Land Z, attack in stealth mode.] Geeeee! Geeh! Guugh! Short shrieks of pain came from the party behind and they kept falling down one by one. Wh-what? What is out there? On top of it being just before daybreak with darkness all around them, they couldnt possibly see the Land units which had stealth mode on. And thus, in the pitch ck darkness, the thought of an enemy being around whom you cant see was more than one could imagine. U-uwaaaaa! The men who were still okay ran for the Herme river bridge with all their might. More so because they fell into a state of panic. Fortunately (?), the 5 of them who didnt faint, got onto the bridge. And at that moment, [Test 5. Bridge trap.] Both sides of the bridge were detached. In other words, the bridge was no longer a bridge and those 5 were left on top of it. They couldnt move forward or back, as only the edges were cut off and there was a river underneath. Although the rivers width was quite narrow, its current was fast and deep. Ah, ahhh, damn it! However, one of the courageous ones among them jumped into the river. One more followed him. The other 3 didnt have the courage and were left on top of the bridge with nowhere to go. Geeee! They copsed with a short scream. It was the effect of the shock barrier in the bridge. [Test 6. Anti-human first-handbat.] Haa, haa somehow managed to swim over. Looks like we are the only ones who crossed it. All the food and women are only ours now! They had lost all their ability to make logical decisions. No matter how strong they were, they didnt even think that it would be impossible to take a whole vige just by themselves. In front of those 2 men, who were soaked in water, stood two strange looking shadows. [To the trespassers-if you surrender now, we wont harm you.] But it was pointless to those two who had lost their ability to judge properly. Shut it! [Will now move on to eliminate] The shadows, which were Land A and Land B, used hip throw technique on those two and threw them flying. Gyeeee! Gueee! For what it matters, they threw the trespassers such that they wouldnd on their backs and, so as long as they do not break-fall, they probably werent die. [Testplete as the trespassers are neutralized. Test 7, 8, 9, 10 and X shall be tested next time.] And like this, just before daybreak, before anyone from the vige realized, the assants were neutralized. Chapter 295: Reconciliation

Chapter 295: Reconciliation

Thats impressive. Jin praised the Kaina viges defensive system, seeing a part of it work from start to finish. [Thank you very much.] How did you make the bridge traps work? Jin could think of a few ways but he was curious as to how Laojun did it. [The bridge itself is made of 3 stone golems.] I see. Jin was impressed, as he had thought Laojun only made the golems into bridge girders. What were the remaining defense functions, 7 to X? Jin asked about the 5 functions which could not be tested this time. [7 is a grand spider web trap to get all the intruders at once.] One couldnt possibly escape since the web cannot be cut with des. I would have liked to see that in action. What else is there? [8 is battle with vibration swords and magic neutralizing with magi jammer. We were not able to try this out.] Jin nodded and waited for him to continue. [9 is aerial ships withser guns equipped.] Jin was surprised that they had even prepared to that extent. Certainly, if it is equipped with an ether converter, it wouldnt need to stop to replenish energy and could keep on flying. If the steering was done by a golem, then there would be no need to stop at all. When Jin said that, [No, we have prepared a huge warp gate on the north mountain so we will sortie from there.] Laojun replied. When did you I guess its fine. Well, whats the 10th? [Attack from magi cannons installed on the north mountain.] Even Jin thought what in the world are you nning to attack? but then again, he was the one who created Laojun. And the X? [Yes, that would be a full on extermination with the help of Reiko-san.] I-I see. Jin felt like he understood why it was named X. Laojun too, like Jin, had stopped restraining him somewhere along the way. He would probably be able to drive back enemies even if an army came attacking. Got it. Good work. What do you n to do to the intruders? All of the intruders were tied up by the Lands. Laozi was also heading to the scene. [After interrogating them, I got to know that they were instigated to breakout from the prison by a mysterious man. It seems like they dont know the mans name.] Laojun said he interrogated them so Jin assumed that the intruders really didnt know the mans name. Seems like the mastermind behind the attack thought it out. [After interrogation, I also used transfer info to confirm as much as I could so there doesnt seem to be any mistake.] Jin wanted to ask if there was any meaning to interrogating them then but decided to stay silent judging the atmosphere. Because Laojun was also angry at those people who tried to attack Kaina vige. Even if we do somewhat know who the mastermind behind this could be, we dont have any way to confirm, huh? So, what are you going to do to them? [Yes, as it is now, the Kurain kingdom will get to know of Kaina viges defense system from them and so I want to use memory maniption magic to get rid of those. Can I get your permission?] Memory maniption magic? It was Jins first time hearing that. [It was in the memory information of the automata, Tia. A forbidden spell.] Forbidden spell Oi, oi Jin said, thinking that it gave off a scary vibe. [However, there are a lot of uses for it and there is also a humane side to it. Actually, it was even used on these intruders.] Memory maniption what do you do, exactly? Let me hear it. [Memory erasure.] It was an outrageous magic. Memory erasure, eh What is the range or rather, effect of the magic? It cant possibly return one to their baby memories, can it? [Yes. They get deleted from newer ones. The magics name is amnesia.] Hmm, what shall we do is there a possibility for them to regain the lost memories? [From the information we received, it seems there has been no such cases.] Jin was troubled. Considering the Kaina viges safety, it would be best to erase the intruders memory of what happened here. [It is far more humane than killing or leaving them in a deserted wastnd. On top of that, Kaina vige is extraterritoriality so, my lord, you have the right.] Master, if youre always this kind, you wont be able to protect the things you want to protect. He was even told that by An. Jin sighed and made up his mind. I understand. I approve of it. But, if its possible, only erase todays memory. [Understood. Worst case scenario, it would only erase the memories of this week or so.] And what do you do after erasing the memories? Jin exined how it would seem weird to anyone if these criminals who escaped from the mine were to be tied up so neatly like this. [I n on throwing them near Toka vige, which is also close to the mine.] Are you going to use Deus Ex Machina again? [No, lets give the credit to Nostalgia.] Jinpletely agreed with Laojuns suggestion. Unlike Jin or Hourai ind, it would be better for Nostalgia to stand out. [There arent that many Nostalgia bases in Kurain kingdom but I think it would be fine if we just leave a note beside the tied criminals, saying that it was Nostalgia who caught them.] I see. They would also have their memories erased so they wouldnt be able to exin why they are at that ce either. And thats how the decision was made and Laojun immediately took steps to deal with it. It was a bitte to go back to sleep now so Jin decided to have breakfast early. Laojun continuously went on searching for concrete evidence to expose the mastermind behind this incident. With conviction to ultimately crush them, thoroughly. There was about a 4 hour time difference between Ganiz and Hourai ind. And as such, it was still pitch ck out there. I guess I will sleep a bit. Reiko, wake me up when its time. He recalled that they decided to depart at 8 in the morning. But even still, his carriage was just beside Reinharts so surely they will notice him before departing. Being watched over by Reiko, Jin dozed off a bit on the carriage seat. And then, at half past seven, Father, wake up. Reiko called out to him. He was just dozing off to begin with so it didnt take long for him to wake up. What happened? Yes, its not yet 8 am but Reinhart and Matheus are approaching the carriage. She probably didnt like Matheus attitude towards Jin yesterday, so she was calling him without an honorific. Lets see Looks like they want to talk, they are empty-handed too. And so Jin opened his carriages door. Good morning, Reinhart. Isnt it a bit early to depart? Good morning, Jin. No, sorry but, I just wanted you to let Matheus ride in your carriage today. Eh? No, just thought that if he were to actually ride in your carriage once, he would know why I like riding in it too. Seems like Reinhart wants to clear Matheus misunderstanding once and for all. If thats the case, then please, be my guest. You too, Reinhart. Of course! And so, Jin brought his carriage out from the post and made it run towards a random direction. O-oi, Jin-dono! There are no roads that way, you know?! The carriage went straight down a road with a lot of rocks and so Matheus hurriedly tried to stop him. But, Jin wasnt bothered. Reinhart didnt either. And the carriage went on the road. ? Matheus was lost for words as the carriage didnt sway or vibrate at all. Raise the speed a bit more. Jin ordered the Steward which was controlling the carriage. The powered up golem started to sprint. O-o-oohhhh?! The view outside the window was changing at an unbelievable speed. It was almost as if one was riding on a single horse. It was going at about 60 km per hour. I cant believe it Even though it was a golem horse, it pulled 4 people (including Reiko) and the carriage at such a speed. That too without any jolts. Do you get it now, Matheus? The reason why I wanted to ride on Jins carriage. I-I get it. Rather, I am amazed. Jin-dono, it waspletely my bad yesterday. Please forgive me. Matheus deeply lowered his voice said and apologized. As he was an honest and upright person, when he understands he is in the wrong, he would apologize straight away. The magi engineer Reinhart acknowledged no, magi craftsman, I apologize for doubting you even for a second. Its fine, please raise your head. As Jin had already heard the reasonst night from Reinhart, he readily epted Matheus apology. Thank you, Jin-dono. After returning to the city of Ganiz, the party departed at 8 am, as nned. And they had reached border town, Toskoshia, safely by evening. Chapter 296: The Border City

Chapter 296: The Border City

Toskoshia city was so close to the Shouro empire border that it was called the border city in Serroa kingdom. Also because even though Shouro empire was in good terms with Serroa kingdom for a long time, the only entrance to it was by the border city, Toskoshia. North from Toskoshia city lied the mountain range but south of it was argeke which separated the two countries. And although both these countries possessed vast areas ofnd, they had low poption and the gap between their cultures was also big, which made them not that enthusiastic about cross-national cultural exchange. Well, the previous emperor did say that that wont do and brought a little change. Reinhart was exining as such to Jin while on their way to Toskoshia. Its unfortunate that I cant really disclose much information about things between the countries as I am the diplomat. Oi, you two, Toskoshia is in sight. Matheus called out to them from outside the carriage. Ohh, thats amazing. As Toskoshia was the border city, the fortress for border defense was adjoint to it. But Toskoshia was more fort-likepared to the actual fort. 1 kilometer away from the city lied the fort. It was built up with normal stone and seemed like any fort you could see pretty much anywhere. But Toskoshia was a bit different. It looked as if the Ayers Rock of Australia was made small in size, gouged up the middle leaving the sides. I see. No wonder this would be famous. Jin was also impressed by it. They decreased their speed and stopped their carriage in the post. Toskoshias majestic appearance grew even bigger now that they had got off from the carriage. Jin picked up a rock from the ground and confirmed that it was the same one used to build the city. Sandstone, eh. Seems like this was the bottom of a sea long, long ago. What? Jin, what did you say just now? Eh? Just that this was probably the bottom of a sea long ago. How can you tell that with just a nce? Reinhart was somewhat excited. Why? Well, this is sandstone. This is a stone which forms when sand piles up at the seabed. I was amazed that it exists in thisnd. Saying that, Jin pointed towards the city. See that horizontal striped pattern? Thats more than enough evidence of it. Jin exined it simply. The detail of the stones would differ. For example, the ones at the bottom would be a little rougher than the ones above. The sand gets carried by the river. I see. Is that also science? Yea, geology. At that moment, Matheus who was silently listening to Jin opened his mouth. Jin-dono! His voice was so loud that not only Jin, but even Reinhart was surprised. Amazing! Jin-donos exnation has answered a question Ive had for years! Science, was it? What a wonderful subject! Matheus? It was the first time Reinhart had seen Matheus so excited. No, sorry. Reinhart, sorry for getting too excited. Matheus calmed down and apologized. But, you probably dont know this, Matheus actually wanted to be a schr when he was young. Remember that time when we were by the bank of Tosmoke? You found seashells which became stones. And since then, you couldnt help but want to know how these thingse to be. But everyone around didnt think about it a bit. Tosmo is a hugeke beside Matheus and Reinharts home. Some say that it was made like that by magic and others say it is a seashell which has the appearance of a stone. But I couldnt really think of either as correct. Are you talking about the fossilization of seashells? Fossilization? Then is it really seashell which was turned into stone with magic? No, thats not it. If so, then it would be weird if even the seashells interiors didnt remain, right? That stone you saw didnt have its interior, did it? Th-thats right. From what I saw, the seashells interior was of a stone. Jin nodded. Most probably, the interiors were soft so they were transposed in a period of years. Years, eh. Is it about a thousand years? No, millions. Can also be 100 millions of years. Even Reinhart was surprised hearing that. Th-that much?! Saying that out loud, Matheus was surprised by his own words. And so, remembering his ce, he straightened his back, cleared his throat and said, Ahem, I would like to listen to more of this but lets go to an inn first. My subordinates are already getting the applications done so we should be able to enter the city immediately. Saying that, he stood in front and headed for the entrance of the city. Jin and Reinhart (Reiko and Reinharts butler and attendant too) followed after him. It was at that moment. Nobles! Please, I have a request! Along with that voice, a person came kneeling on the ground (dogeza - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogeza). (Woah, dogeza also exists here.) While Jin was having such misdirected thoughts, Reinhart, to whom the noble word was directed, was bewildered. Are you a citizen of the Shouro empire? The custom of dogeza didnt exist in Serroa kingdom, Egelia kingdom, Kurain kingdom, Francis kingdom and Elias kingdom. It only existed in the Shouro empire. Y-Yes! I am Barou and this is Belle. The boy who named himself as Barou looked to be about 14-15 years old. Belle, the girl beside her, also looked of the same age. Belle and I were working under a noble at Bololon but the previous day, that noble was regted and we have lost our jobs. Jin was startled upon hearing that. It was probably a part of the reformation the Serroa kingdoms executives decided on when things are rted to Unifiers. But as a result, there were people who had lost their jobs. There was a need for Nostalgia to properly deal with this situation. However, firstes the two in front. I am a butler apprentice and Belle is an attendant apprentice. So we can do most of the jobs! Please, take us back with you to our empire! Hmmmm Reinhart had a troubled expression. You kids dont have a visa, right? That was more of a confirmation rather than a question. Yes As I thought. And so you thought of passing through as a nobles attendant. B-But! Belle and I are undoubtedly from Shouro empire! We also have a home there! Barou was clinging on, with a desperate face. But Reinhart wasposed. Where is your home? Magirutsu. Hmm, the city beside Kuraimhilde, eh. N-No! Thats not it! Its a city north of Monto! Hearing that, Reinhart broadly grinned. Looks like that was a trick question just now. I see. Daheim ist daheim, they say after all. Jin didnt understand what he was talking about for a moment there. Yes, there is no ce like home. Hearing Barous answer, he guessed it was something only people of Shouro empire would understand. Hmm, it seems like there is no mistake that you kids are from Shouro empire. But we are also hurrying to return home, you see. Reinhart answered that they couldnt possibly wait here till the visas of these two were done. N-no, please! Please, we will do anything! Please! As Barou said that, Belle, who had her face facing down the whole time, copsed. Chapter 297: For the time being, Jin will

Chapter 297: For the time being, Jin will

Belle! Noticing the girl beside him copse, Barou, rmed, tried to help her up. Jin also couldnt just stand by and watch so he rushed over too. Seems like she has a fever. Belles face had turned red so Jin put his hand on her forehead to check and noticed she was burning up. Belles consciousness had also gotten hazy and her breathing became shallower. Belle! Belle! Barou, who was holding her up, was desperately shaking and calling her but she didnt regain consciousness. Jin stood up. Reinhart, can you leave these two to me? Jin asked Reinhart. (Yea, I dont mind. Do you n on taking them with you?) Reinhart replied with a low voice so only Jin could hear him. Jin also answered in a low voice, (Yea, I cant just stand and watch and I also feel like I have some responsibility here, even if only a little.) (I see Once you get into Shouro empire, a visa or ID wont be needed.) It seemed as if Reinhart vaguely knew what Jin was going to do judging from what he said at the end there. Got it. Then I guess I will be fine in my carriage tonight as well. Tomorrow at 8, again? This time, he raised his voice so that everyone could hear him. Reinhart too replied in a simr voice. Yeah. We will depart at 8 Well then, Matheus, lets go. Saying that, he started walking again. Matheus hurriedly followed him and asked, Reinhart, is that okay? What about Jin-dono? Yeah. Today will be ourst night in Serroa kingdom, lets go all out, shall we? While saying that, Reinhart nced back at Jin behind him gave an eye signal. Jin answered to it by raising his thumb. Keep it together! Belle! Jin tapped Barous shoulder, who was now at a loss as the girl in his arms wouldnt regain consciousness. You for now, we cant keep that girl as she is. Eh?! Barou looked up and saw Jin. The person who was with the noble just now? Seems like he finally noticed that Jin was also there. Jin nodded. Yeah. And I have been entrusted with you two by him. What will you do? Will youe with me? Y-Yes As ast hope, Barou tried standing up with Belle in his arms. But he staggered. As I thought. Seems like you also reached your limit. Reiko, please carry the girl. Yes, father. Father?! Jin was actually 21 years old but because of his baby face, he looked less than 20. Barou was surprised seeing the girl, who looked 12-13, calling Jin father. Reiko picked up the girl and briskly walked towards the carriage. Ah, w-wait, please! Almost being left behind even by Jin, Barou also followed hastily. With his utmost efforts to keep his legs moving, he followed Jin. (I dont know if we can really trust them or not but we dont have anywhere else to go anymore) That was the only thought which went round in Barous head. With that as his only hope, he moved by willpower alone. But before long, even Barou had reached his limits. Jin got into a peculiar carriage. Just before that, Barou also lost consciousness. Ah-he was also at his limit, eh. Jin, who noticed this after looking back, felt bad. The impression left by the girl he saw yesterday night who faked having a bad leg was strong on Jin so he ended up unconsciously testing them. Reiko, could you carry them one by one, then? Wee back, onii-chan! I am back. Jin went back to Kaina vige. With no souvenirs. After all, he had not stepped into the city once this whole time. It was now about 6 in the evening. The time difference between Toskoshia and Kaina vige was about 2 hours and when Jin had came up from the underground workshop, Martha and the others had just finished having dinner. So, youre saying you want to leave those two with us for a while, right? Jin was talking to Martha, Mine, Elsa and Hanna at Marthas residence. They left the two kids asleep on the 2nd floor of Jins house. Yes. If possible, I would like Elsa and Mine to look after them. As he said that, Elsa slightly inclined her head, as if to say why?. Those two are saying theyre from the Shouro empire. Jin simply exined how he met the two. I see, the nobles they had been serving have fallen into ruin and now theyre jobless, eh. Yes. They wanted to return to their country but couldnt cross the checkpoint. And so they had clung to Reinhart. When Jin finished saying that, Elsa cut in, And? What did Rei-nii say? Its impossible if they dont have a visa. And so, they were left to me. When Jin answered simply like that, Elsa looked a bit disappointed when she said, That was cold of Rei-nii. Haha, thats not true. He also said There is no need for visas once you cross the checkpoint too, you know. ? Even when he said that much, Elsa couldnt understand. Jin exined even further, In short, for the time being, I will look after them but after we enter Shouro empire, they can go to him. Ah, now I get it. But, do you guys understand each other from just that, Rei-nii and you? Yea, well, somewhat. I see. Elsas eyes were suspecting. Jin remembered that look. It is the look she gave him when she thought Jin had a thing for puppet love. To think she would have this suspicion following Matheus A-ah, that reminds me, Elsa, how much do you know of Matheus? Jin tried to change the topic. I know him well. He yed with me a lot when I was little. He is the elder brother of Rei-niis fiance, Belche-san. He likes geography and minerals and stuff, huh? Seems like even Elsa didnt know of that. Eh? Is that so? Yeah. He really got into the topic when I said that Toskoshia was probably the bottom of a sea because of the sandstone there. The bottom of the sea? What, is that? Jin, what do you mean? Land being the bottom of sea? I dont understand it a bit. Not just Elsa, even Martha, who had been silently listening till now came asking. Jin realized once again that everyone has a thirst for knowledge, after all. Well, you see, sandstone is formed when rivers or the like carry sand to the bottom of the sea and the pile up Jin repeated the exnation he had provided to Matheus. Ohh. I see. Is that how it works? ? Seems like everyone except Hannah understood. Jin, you really know many different things, dont you? That is very admirable. Martha said. Jin thought to himself, (Having this kind of random discussions about facts is also pretty nice.) At that moment, Father, those two have woken up. Said Reiko, who had been looking after them. Chapter 298: Pelshika Juice

Chapter 298: Pelshika Juice

The two had regained consciousness so Jin, with Elsa and Mine, went into the room. It waspletely pitch ck outside now but since Jins house had magicmps lit, they could see properly. And the room those two were sleeping in was even more brightly illuminated. There were two futons ced in the room and Belle was still lying down. Barou was sitting up straight and saw Jin and the otherse in. Yo, seems like you regained consciousness. Jin called out to them. Y-yes! U-um this is? The two were sleeping on quality futons made in Hourai ind. Barou, who was feeling grateful towards this reallyfortable futon opened his mouth first. Its a ce called Kaina vige. More importantly, how do you feel? Y-yes. Thank you very much, I am fine now. Said Barou as he tried standing up but Jin stopped him and said, Ah, just keep lying down, its fine. Drink this. Saying that, Jin gave him a ss of pelshika juice specially made in Hourai ind. Of course, there was enough for Hanna and the others, which he was nning on givingter on. The thing thats so special about these are that they werent stored in ether stocker, but rather in an ether box. ording to the inspection lead by Laojun, the pelshika (=peach) grown in Hourai ind had even more ether stored in it. They had ether in them just like healing medicines but their effects were different. The healing medicines would heal the bodys wounds but the peach would put the body in order. It was even verified that if living beings with even a tiny mana in them ate these peaches, their mana would be more refined and increase temporarily and their physical condition would improve drastically. It was still being researched if this was due to the contents of ether or due to thend itself. And as such, the pelshika juice made from pelshika of Hourai ind had numerous healing properties, although not as much as the healing medicines. On top of that, there will be no side effects even if you drink it everyday. Moreover, if taken together with the healing medicine, the effect could even be doubled. T-thank you very much. Barou took the cup with both hands, expressing his gratitude. The cup was filled with thick juice. He had hesitated for a moment there but smelling its sweet scent, he tried drinking one gulp. ! An unbelievable sweetness spread throughout his mouth. And before he realized, he had finished drinking all of it. Thank you very much. It was delicious. Do you want to drink some more? Jin asked Barou, who was reluctantly looking at the cup. N-no! Please give some to Belle, not me! Hearing that, Jin gave a broad smile. Have her drink this first. Right, Barou, you make her drink it. Saying that, Jin gave Barou a different cup. It was filled with a light yellowish liquid and didnt give off any sweet smell. Can I ask what this is? Its medicine. Jin answered promptly and urged him to make her drink it quickly. Hearing it is medicine, Barou quickly held up Belle and said, Belle, can you drink? Its medicine. Yes. Although she was conscious, it seemed like her senses were still cloudy and she still didnt have the energy to speak properly. Barou somehow made her drink the medicine and let her rest again. Thank you very much. Jin took the cup, and this time gave him a different cup. Make her drink this, even if only a little. This time it was the same juice Barou drank. Barou made Belle drink that as well. Belle somehow drank that as well. Seeing that, Jin pointed towards the refrigerator, ced at a corner of the room and said, There is more of this juice inside that fridge. If you feel like drinking more, help yourself to it. Rest well for today. Being told that, Barou timidly asked, U-um why are you being so nice to us? Jin thought for a bit and replied, Hmm, I wonder. I couldnt just leave you guys in that situation, could I? And then he introduced Elsa and the others. This is Elsa, my protegee. And that is Mine, Elsas mother. Ah, I-Im Barou. Elsa-sama, Mine-sama, pleased to make your acquaintance. Barou stood up and greeted them, then faced towards Jin and asked, U-Um, what is your name, sir? Hm? Ah, did I not introduce myself? I am Jin. Jin Nidou. Jin-sama, got it! Thank you very much for saving us! Barou expressed his gratitude with a deep bow. Ah, thats fine. Just rest for today. Saying that, Jin left the room with Elsa and Mine. Before leaving, he said, The toilet is on the first floor. The water well is a bit far but drinking water is in that fridge. I will be in the next room so if something happens, you can call me. And finally left. Jin went to his room and Elsa and Mine went downstairs. Left alone, Barou looked after Belle. Seemed like Belle had fallen asleep again. Somehow, herplexion was better than before. When he tried checking her temperature, it had also gone down considerably. Thats a really effective medicine Barou said to himself. He would think so naturally as well, since Belles condition was like this for 4 days now. He felt like he was energized as well. Looks like we were saved by a really nice person, huh And lied down once again. This futon is also unbelievablyfortable too. And like that, Barou also fell asleep again. The next day. Barou woke up from the light shining on him through the window. He realized he was sleeping on a soft and fluffy futon. Ah, I see We were saved by Jin-sama. Muttering that, he looked beside him. Belle who was supposed to be sleeping there was not there now and the futon was folded up. B-Belle?! He panicked and tried jumping out the window to search for her but stopped seeing that he was on the 2nd floor. And when he looked closely, Belle was right below, on the first floor. Belle! He called out from the window. Hearing his voice, Belle looked up and waved at him. Barou! You woke up? Barou immediately went out to the corridor, down the stairs and out the door. B-Belle! Are you okay now?! What about your fever? Yep, I am all fine now. I somewhat felt really good when I woke up in the morning. And, when I realized, I was in a futon, right? And Barou was sleepingfortably too. And so I silently got out. Haa Dont make me worry. But I am d. While they were having that conversation, Mine appeared. Ah, you kids are already able to get up. As expected, Jins medicines work really well. Mine knew as she was also cured by Jins medicine once. Seeing Mine, Belle whispered to Barous ears, (Who is she?) Ah, yes, you werent really conscious yesterday, were you? Umm, Mine-sama, right? Mine smiled and nodded. Yes, thats right. Since you have woken up, you should better go wash your fac ah, it would probably be better if you go take a bath at the hot spring altogether. Saying that, she called out to Elsa who had just woken up. Elsa, please take these two to the hot spring. I will bring them towel and a change of clothester. Saying she also had to prepare breakfast, Mine left them to Elsa and went back into the house to prepare. Then, I will guide you to the hot spring. Follow me. Umm, Elsa-sama, right? Umm, what exactly, is a hot spring? Elsa gave a pleasant smile and just answered you will know once you get there and started walking. Barou and Belle had nothing else to do and so they followed Elsa. Chapter 299: Naked Conversations

Chapter 299: Naked Conversations

Fuaah S-so this is a hot spring! Belle was deeply impressed after getting into the hot spring. Elsa and Belles homnd, Shouro empires central areas, didnt really have rain that much so there wasnt really a custom of entering a bathtub. How is it? Does it feel good? Y-Yes. Really good Ohh Barou was stretching out in the mens section. He was all alone. As he rxed in the hot spring, he felt his piled up fatigue slowly disappeared. To think such a facility exists. He poured hot water on himself and cleaned his whole body before entering so he was following the etiquette. And then, a few vigers came in as well. Oh, I thought we were the first ones but seems like we got beaten this time. Idiot, didnt you see the clothes lying in the changing room? Hey, nii-chan, who are you? 2 men and a kid came in. Barou panickedly greeted them. Ah-N-nice to meet you. I-I am Barou. Umm, I was brought here by Jin-sama and He got really confused there but it seemed that the message he was trying to convey had already been understood. Oh, I see. Jins guest! So, how are you liking the vige? Ah, yes, I just arrived yesterday night and so I dont really understand but this hot spring is really nice! Right? Jin built it, you know? The men said with pride. Barou was surprised to hear it. Eh? Jin-sama built this too? He wondered what exactly was Jin, giving them a medicine which healed Belle overnight and building this magnificent hot spring. So, where did youe from? This time the kid asked. Eh, ahh, Ie from an empire called Shouro I guess His homnd was the Shouro empire but he hade from Serroa kingdom. It was quite a difficult question for him to answer. Shouro empire That means Youre from the same ce as Elsa-sensei and Mine-sensei! Eh, ah, I see. They did say they were also from Shouro empire, I think. Yep. Now, they are teaching the kids how to read and write in this vige. Teach? Barou was surprised once again. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that the vigers in a normal vige do not get the chance to study. The ones enrolling for apprenticeship to merchants or the ones serving the nobles barely get to study. This is a farm vige, isnt it? That was what he thought from what he saw this morning. Yea. We pay our taxes with wheat so its probably a farm vige. But still you people study? Yep. Jin said so, that it is better to start studying from childhood. Well, he has this persuasiveness. And he has a reasonable thinking so nobody opposed it. Thats also true. When ites to needy farm viges, it isnt unnatural for parents to start making their child also work as soon as they can rather than making them study. And even the vige Barou was in did the same. Barou and Belle didnt like that vige and so half-forcibly went with a band of merchants who had visited their vige. They then luckily found a noble who would hire them. This is a nice vige Barou thought just a little, that he would have liked to be born in this vige. I am Barbara. Nice to meet you, Belle-san. Y-yes, nice to meet you. Elsa and Barbara were of the same age. Hey, Belle-san, what is your rtion with the boy who is in the mens bath now? E-eh?! With Barou?! Barbara loved these kind of talks. Ah, so he is called Barou. Yes, him. You guys came together with Jin-san yesterday, right? I heard from my uncle. Barbara-sans uncle is Ah, my uncles name is Gibeck and he is the viges mayor, for what its worth. Although, he is the chief now. The chief? Yes. After all, the owner of this vige is Jin-san. Eeeeehhhh?!! Belles voice echoed. It could easily be heard from the mens bath. B-Belle!? What happened?! Are you okay?! And because of that, Barou called out with a worried voice. I-Im fine. Its nothing! Way to go, kid, Nii-chan, is that your girlfriend? and such voices could be heard from the mens bath. Belle pretended to not hear any of those and asked Barbara, J-Jin-sama, is he a noble?! But Elsa answered to it. No, Jin-nii is amoner. But hes the worlds best magi craftsman. Belle faced towards Elsa and asked her this time, Eh, magi craftsman, you say? Yes. Jin-nii was acknowledged as the Honorary magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom and he also did a lot in the Kurain kingdom recently. And reward for that was this vige. Eeeeehhhhh?!! The second time. Even though she was just an attendant apprentice, Belle did know that Egelia kingdom and Kurain kingdom werent anywhere close to each other. To be acknowledged by both these far away countries Belle couldntprehend anymore. Hmmm, you dont understand what happened at all? Yes. Just that a group called Nostalgia caught those criminals and handed them over to the soldiers at Toka vige. And those criminals dont remember anything of the past 2 days, for some reason. That was the only thing which was convenient for us But, this Nostalgia group, eh I have been hearing their name a lot these days. Annoying bunch. They just destroyed everything. There are no evidence, right? Yes, of course. What should we do next? You returned the enlisted soldiers to the vige, right? Yes, they should be reaching Shalulu city by today. That is good. Do you understand? Dont even do anything that will make me the target of suspicion. I very much understand. Then its fine. Next we Nobody there noticed a thing about the Quinta there, listening to the whole story. Chapter 300: Shouro Empire

Chapter 300: Shouro Empire

After having lunch, Jin let Hanna and the others know that he was going out again. All of them apanied him to the underground entrance to see him off. Onii-chan, take care. You too, Reiko onee-chan. Having understood that they woulde back frequently like this while in their journey, Hanna was able to send them off with a smile this time. Jin-nii, youre finally going to be entering Shouro empire, huh. Elsa looked just a tad bit jealous. Yeah. It would be nice if you could return someday too. Jin said while thinking that she must feel like returning there too. Mm. But still, this is a nice ce. And mother is with me, as well. Yes, Jin-sama, please dont bother yourself with it. Rather, please enjoy your trip. Thank you. Well then, I leave Barou and Belle to you guys. Yes, leave them to us. Barou and Belle werent here. It would be a bit troublesome if they suddenly knew that Jin could go to Shouro empire from here so he left them at his house. It was still early for them to know. Ah, right, right. I was nning on building a feudal lords mansion or something around here. Just letting you guys know. Jin told them about what he was thinking about yesterday. There was no time so he was concise. In short, if Kurain kingdoms messenger came and saw Jin living in a shabby house, it might be bad so he thought of building something splendid. It seemed at least Mine and Elsa had the political knowledge to understand the meaning behind it. Well, then. Take care. And Jin departed once again. And, thats how it is. After stopping by Hourai ind, Jin told Laojun the same thing. [I just need to make a lords mansion, right? How should the exterior look?] As Jin didnt really think too much about it and since he didnt have much time on hand, he just said, I will leave it to you, Laojun. And gave one more instruction, I am pretty sure Belles condition rose from fatigue but make the whole vige have the pelshika juice, just in case. He did not want a pandemic. Understood. I will make Butler A get to it as soon as possible. Jin was relieved to hear that and went on inside the warp gate. [My lords mansion, eh The exterior should be befitting of him. If thats the case] It seems he had decided on an idea so he called 20 of the Smiths. [Using Daidara in the beginning would speed up the progress. Then the construction must begin at night.] Thinking he should gather the materials till then, Laojun started working. First, he called out Jins proxy, Butler A, from Kaina vige and exined it to him. The time difference between Kaina vige and Toskoshia is about 2 hours. Jin left Kaina vige at 9 am and got to Toskoshia at about 7 am. The departure time was at 8 but since he didnt get the time to look around the city yesterday, he wanted to do some sightseeing even if just a little. As I thought before, the best part is that the castle walls are made by shaving boulders. The fact that they made it by hand without magic amazed him. I wonder how many people had to work He muttered. It wouldnt even take 3 days for the golems in Hourai ind. I could do it in a day. Or so Reiko was saying beside him but he wasnt talking about that. Although he had not seen them in person, he could feel the humankinds wisdom when he looked at structures such as The Great Wall of China or the Pyramids. When he exined that to Reiko, she somewhat understood what he was trying to say. Do you mean admiring the scheme of making something so big with limited ways of doing? Hmm, well, yeah, you could think of it like that. As Jin knew that Reikos perception differs from that of humans a bit, Jin was more than satisfied with her answer. They had also built stairs, rooms and windows by shaving the sandstone. And not to mention the vertical 10 meter wall made from it. This kind of experience was new to Jin. And after a bit of sightseeing, Reiko pulled the cuff of Jins sleeve. When he turned, he saw that Reinhart was approaching him. Jin! ude was beside him, carrying the luggage. Yo, good morning. Good morning. Are you sightseeing? Yeah. We still have time so thought might as well. Hearing Jins answer, Reinhart instructed ude to return to the carriage with the luggage. And after ude left and there were none rted to them nearby, What happened to those two? Reinhart asked. Yeah, after having medicine, food and spending a while hot spring, they are doing fine now. Considering this conversation, a person who doesnt know them properly wouldnt know what they were talking about. I am d. As I thought, it was better leaving it to you. Yeah. If they want to, I can bring them hereter too. I want them to rx a bit now. Reinhart nodded. Yea, thats right. Well, either way, we cross the border today. Saying that, he started walking towards the carriage checkpoint. Oh, Reinhart. Matheus had already done the arrangements. So you were with Jin-dono. If everythings fine, lets depart. Yeah. They would be crossing the border so Reinhart got into his carriage. And then, they entered the city through its front gate and kept going on down the road. Jin thought that the checkpost would lie in the city. And as he thought, a noticeably majestic building could be seen in front. It was covered by high walls and the entrance to the building looked sturdy. As the carriage got into it, the sturdy-looking door closed. Jin-dono, I would like you toe down from the carriage. Matheus called out. Jin got off with Reiko, as he was told. The official in charge will check the documents now. Said Reinhart. Jin-dono, about your social status, the diplomat of Shouro empire, Reinhart, and the leader of Imperial Guards squad 3, Matheus in other words, me, will guarantee. Said Matheus. And as he said, the inspection was over in a short period of time. It was a bit disappointing that they werent inspected for their belongings but from what he found outter, it seems that was because of a certain present. Youre spending quite a lot. Jin said after they crossed the checkpost. This is also part of the n. Reinhart said with a smile. After they all got back into the carriage, it went circling down a passage inside the building. And after a while, a door, simr to the one in the entrance, could be seen. Lets go! Across that is my country! Reinharts voice, filled with joy, could be heard from his carriage. They passed through the wall. Both sides of the building had tall walls but the stone paving underneath the carriages clearly changed. And after advancing on like that, they passed through another gate beyond which there were 4 guards. Reinhart stopped his carriage and showed what looked like his certificate. Seeing that, the guards gave a bright smile and saluted. Wee back, sir! Chapter 301: The Movements of the 5

Chapter 301: The Movements of the 5

Although the transit checking in the Serroa kingdom was strict, in the Shouro empire, it was very simple. Which was natural, as the countrys Imperial Guard squad 3s leader was with them. After safely crossing the Shouro empire sides checkpost, they kept advancing for about five more minutes. In front of their eyes, lied an unconventional city. It was the border city of Shouro empire, Banmu. Just before getting to the city, Reinhart got off the carriage. Jin also followed him. And then, Reinhart held out his hand and said, Wee to the Shouro empire! It seems like he remembered how Jin also weed him the same way to Kunlun ind. Looking forward to it, Reinhart. Jin also grabbed the hand and they both smiled. Shouro empires skies were a clear blue. Andslide? It was at Doppa vige. A vige consisting of about twenty houses, which lied between Shalulu city and Toka vige along with Rakunoo vige. It was a storage depot as well as a rest spot beside the highway. A peddlers carriage was brought to a standstill. About 5 kilometers away from it, there was andslide from the top of a cliff, blocking the narrow road with boulders. The road was one of the few narrow passages on the highway but during these past several decades, there were nondslides. But since it has happened now, there is no point in talking about the past. When will the road open again? When he tried asking the soldier who was keeping watch so that no civilians enter the area, Dont know. We dont have the manpower to move that many boulders and there is also a possibility of furtherndslides. As of now, I cant say for sure. Replied the soldier. You cant be serious This happened at the time when Rakunoo vige, Toka vige, Inado mine and Kaina vige were in need of the necessities of life, such as salt, spices, clothes, etc. Well, we cant really do anything here so lets go back to Shalulu for now. Yes, conductor. And so they went back Rnd, who was in charge of fieldwork of the Ranpany, and a neer merchant. The Quinta in charge of Shalulu city was Deneb 2. And Cap 2 was at Rakham and Spica 1 was at Prentz. And although temporary, Deneb 29 was also there to keep watch on earl Walter. These cities were the major cities which connected Kaina vige to Kurain kingdoms capital, Alban, so Jin, as well as Laojun, gave importance to them. And it goes without saying that earl Walter was on Hourai inds cklist of people requiring special attention. [This is weird, since there has been no heavy rain recently either.] After hearing the report, Laojun immediately understood that humans were involved with this. [Is it the next n which came up in Deneb 29s report, I wonder.] The cunning earl Walter only used pronouns such as that or there but didnt use any proper nouns so even Laojun couldnt grasp the whole n. [Theres no mistake.] After thinking about whether he should report it to Jin immediately or not, Laojun decided against it as it wasnt necessarily an emergency and he could just report it during the regr contact at night. He decided to also put in the details he finds out during this time. [I wonder where this person is right now. Investigate and report.] Laojun ordered. [Although, measures needed to be taken are extremely simple.] He said. If he had a face right now, it would have surely been grinning while he thought, [If were going to crush them, it should be thorough, and with one go, of course. If we could get concession from Kurain kingdom while at it, that would be even better.] Laojun was properly (and darkly) growing. I have returned. Lithia Farrheit had finally returned to her house. During the repair of Tetradas castle walls, there was an ident which injured some people. She had remained there to treat them. Owing partially to her sense of duty and partly because of her own judgement as the relief knight squad leader. Wee back, Lithia. d to see youre doing well. She had reddish-brown hair and light-brown eyes. It was Lithias mother, Miria. You got tanned. It seems she was a bit surprised about her fair-skinned daughter returning home pitch ck. Well, yea, since I was under the sun day after day. My daughter wont be able to get a husband M-Mother?! Lithia would turn 16 this year, meaning she will be of marriageable age soon. However, that was not even on Lithias mind. It was only recently that they had been able to have confidence as new nobles after the recent dispute. I feel like my role now goes with my nature. So I dont n on bing someones bride anytime soon. Moreover, what are you going to do about the heir? Lithia was an only child. If she went to anothers house as a bride, they wouldnt have any heirs. Ah, thats fine. If you give birth to 2 kids, I will just adopt one. Mother! Interrupting her mothers words, which she couldnt understand were serious or not, Lithia ran away to her room to change. Whats this? After returning to her room and having finished changing clothes, Lithia sat down to rx a bit and thats when she realized that there was a sword on top of the side table. My sword? Why is my sword, which I lost at Tetrada, here? It wouldnt help no matter how much she thought about it so she decided to go ask her mother. Ah, youre just in time. I just poured some tea so I was about to go call you. She showed the sword to her nonchnt mother and said, More importantly, this sword! How is this in our house? Eh? Ah, that. An unknown woman came and left it there saying Makina left it with her. A woman? Did Al receive it? Al was a maid working in the Farrhait house. Yes. It seems that woman just left that there and left without naming herself. I see She was quite disappointed when the sword she cared so much about was lost. But there were other soldiers and knights in Tetrada who lost their equipment so she couldntin either. She was honestly happy about finding the sword again but she couldnt help but think why only me?. Makina is that mysterious person who appeared in Egelia kingdom, right? How did a person like thate to know Lithia and her sword? The only possibility which could be thought of was Jinsan? That Jin had some kind of a connection to Makina. (We might have been able to talk if not for that) Lithia went to the royal castle to report this but upon arriving, she found out that someone named Jin, who is the Honorary magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom, had built them golems and swords. Gloria, the vice-leader of Imperial Guards women knight squad, told her about it. Gloria, who was also Lithias instructor, showed Lithia the sword which Jin had made with great interest. (But, I am d. Jin-san seems to be doing well.) It was a bitter, when they officially got to know that Jin had received the Kaina vige for the next 50 years as leaseholdnd. Ohhh, whats this? At Kaina vige, on the bank of Herme river. There was a mysterious arrangement of stone. If Jin had seen it, he probably would have instantly understood that it was the stone wall of a Japanese castle. Laojun had decided that the ruler Jins mansion shall be a castle. That too, a castle like Osaka castle and Matsumoto castle. In other words, he was trying to build a castle tower. Thats an enormous stone. I wonder how they carried it here. The stones which he had already piled up, climbed more than 8 meters high. The idle vigers from the vige hade to see it after hearing of it from a girl who hade to the river to get some magi stone for fuel. At the moment, the Smith golems were cutting trees to make pirs. As one would expect, you cant hope to build a whole castle overnight. (Although Laojun was restraining himself). Hello everyone, from now on, this will be Jin-samas official castle. Butler A, who was in charge when Jin was absent, exined it to everyone. The vigers, who were now used to the golems talking and moving exactly like humans, understood from that alone. I see. Well, its Jin, after all. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that one sentence is an example of the clear bond between the residents here and Jin. However, that doesnt change the fact that it is not normal. W-w-w-w-what exactly is Jin-samaaaaaaaa!?! Only Barou, who was still not quite used to it, raised a voice close to a shriek underneath the blue, clear skies. Chapter 302: The operation during night

Chapter 302: The operation during night

After entering the Shouro empire, Jin and the groups journey was peaceful and uneventful. They stopped at Boltoro city for a night after crossing Banmu. And after crossing the city of Danga, they stopped at Denzana for a night, as well. They crossed the Divide river by a ferry and were staying at the city of Panyu at the moment. Whoo, it sure is nice not being busy, huh? Reinhart said softly. Jin, Reinhart, and Matheus were rxing on a veranda bench at an inn. The Divide river was also in view. The days were long in spring and so it was still quite bright outside. And in front of them, Shouro empires specialty, airbell juice was presented. It was in juice form so even Jin couldnt tell what fruit it was but the taste waspletely of strawberry. Ah, this nostalgic taste Jin, this airbell fruit, you see, grows all around the country. So the kids pick them and eat quite a lot-raw or even as a juice, like this. Of course, it is also being cultivated and this is the taste of the cultivated fruit. Reinhart was really delighted being back home. Jin was thinking that it would be a nice souvenir for Elsa and Hanna. That reminds me, Reinhart. When we used to go to the backhills to pick strawberries, Elsa also used to stick along quite often. Matheus was feeling nostalgic, thinking about the past. Reinhart nodded and said, Yeah, we 3 used to go there quite often. There was also this time when Elsa was about to cry because she couldnt pick many strawberries. If Elsa were listening now, she wouldve been quite embarrassed. Thats weird. The scheduled date has already passed. Gibbeck was worried as Rnd, who had been therest month, said that he woulde again this month but hadnt yet arrived. Barbara was also feeling anxious. It is also weird how Rock, Jeff, Dave, Howard and Rick still havent returned. I wonder if something has happened to them And at that moment, Jins proxy golem, Butler A came in. Gibbeck-sama, excuse me. Gibbeck was already used to that appearance and could converse normally with him now. A? Did something happen? As it is also kind of a bother to call him by Butler A every time, the vigers just call him A affectionately. Yes. It seems like there has been andslide in the middle of the highway. And thats why the people who were recruited were held up. What?! I wont ask where you got this info from but, is it reliable? Of course. Gibbeck pondered with a troubled face. Uncle, theres nothing to ponder about! It will be fine if we just clear thendslide! Barbara said cheerfully. Oi oi, theres no way I can send out people when I dont even know the ce or the scale of thendslide. Oh? But A would know that, right? Yes. To Barbaras calm judgement, Gibbeck was a little embarrassed. Ah, hmm, I lost myposure and forgot to ask. Well, where is it? Yes, it seems to be between Doppa and Rakunoo. Alright, lets send out Gon and Gen, also the golem horses, Ain and Tsubai. The ones joining Please wait. Butler A stopped Gibbeck. Why are you stopping me? And then Butler A resumed calmly again, I said they were held up. The roads have been opened again. What? You should say these things first! Yes, I was about to tell them in order but you didnt let me finish. Butler As style of talking also had fault here. It would have been better if he had just started with the recent update. Moreover, as hes always calm andposed, and he speaks indifferently, it is quite easy to interrupt while he talks. Then they will all be returning in a period of days, right? Gibbeck asked. Erik and Rnd-san will alsoe, right? Asked Barbara. The previous day, at Hourai ind. (ording to Deneb 29s additional reports, it seems thendslides were indeed the work of earl Walter, eh?) Laojun was lost in thought. (However, there are no physical evidence It would be a bit early to move now.) Laojun was nning to utterly crush anyone who disyed intentions of opposing Jin. And the methods he would use werent limited to physical ones it included social and economical strategies, as well. (First, lets get rid of this meaningless pestering Lets make the Nostalgia take care of this as well.) Coming to that conclusion in a matter of seconds, Laojun immediately contacted Elena. Fortunately, Elena was free at the moment and Laojun could inform her of all the necessary details at one go. [I understand, if they ask me anything, I will tell them that it was the work of Nostalgia.] And with this, the necessary arrangements were made. Laojun decided on going forward with his n during midnight, when there would be less witnesses. And then came midnight. The moon hade out, dimly illuminating thend. It was too dark for humans but that didnt matter to the golems of Hourai ind. At the location of thendslide. Outside of anyones knowledge, Condor 1, Pelican 3 and Raptor 2 were present. Condor 1 had a Daidara loaded. Daidaras are huge golems about 15 meters high and weighing 8 tonne. Compared to the Titans, they were heavier and their movements were dull but they were capable of more precise movements. Their highest output power rivals even Reikos momentary highest output. Well, they were about 11.5 times bigger, 267 times heavier so that should be quite obvious. Or rather, although for a moment, Reiko just being able to output that much power is amazing. Returning to the main topic First, the Condor 1 used hide on the loading at maximum output. Hide was the lesser version of Stealth and did not erase the users presence. However, as there was no one around, that was more than enough. Rando 21 to Rando 24 were guarding the surroundings, checking if there was anyoneing close. After finishing the preliminary arrangements, they started their operation. Daidara kept clearing up the boulders without breaking them with its absurd power and precise movements. There was no need to worry about where to put them. Thats because Pelican 3 had an experimental warp gate loaded, which didnt need to have a receiving warp gate to work. The other side of the warp gate was on top of the south sea. Some air force golems were dispatched to that area to calcte any errors. In other words, they were also making practical use of the equipment while getting work done. The result of which was just passable. Thergest error was of about 30 meters. And, in this fashion, thebination of the golems and their work took only about 15 minutes to clear the road of the boulders. [Daidara and Condor 1 are to return. Smith 101 to Smith 110, begin servicing the road.] Laojun gave the next order. 10 Smiths came out from the warp gate equipped on Raptor 2. [Get the road up and ready. Also, fix the hill so that anotherndslide is impossible.] Complying with Laojuns orders, the Smiths got rid of the debris on the road and used fusion on the hill which actually stopped any furtherndslide. They filled up the ces where the boulders were supposed to be with the debris on the road and used hardening on them to make them even tougher. [Lastly, I will make it so that it looks like it is Nostalgias work.] Laojun nted a metal te he had fixed beforehand into the rock cliff with 7th May, 3457- fixed by Nostalgia written on it. And once that was over, all the golems and air units took off. All that was left was the cleanly fixed road. O-o-ohh?! What happened here?! Early next morning, the soldiers blocking the road for hazard prevention were shocked when they saw the road. What exactly happened during the night?! It says here that it was Nostalgia!! There was disorder for some time but passage was permitted that morning and Rock and the five others safely passed through. They reached Toka vige that night and the rest of the ces between the viges the day after. [Land R, reporting. Rock-san and the other recruited soldiers located. They all appear to be fine.] Behind the scenes, Land R and S were deployed to find them. [Laojun, receiving. Keep tagging along stealthily like that till the vige.] And so, as the two Lands were protecting them behind their backs all these time, Rock and the others safely reached Kaina vige 9 dayster. Chapter 303: Deep water wells

Chapter 303: Deep water wells

Jin and the others had left the city of Banyuu and started heading west using the highway. They had an early lunch at Kurowas city and stayed the night at Hatata city. They were travelling about 40 kilometers a day but since they were already in their home country, Reinhart wasnt hurrying anymore. In fact, it also seemed a bit like he was a little sad that the journey was going to be over soon. Even though he had wanted to go to his mothend as soon as possible when they were stopped at Asunto. Hatata city was the connection point of highways, and so many people could be seening in and going out. As the spring sun was still high, Reinhart guided Jin and showed him around the Hatata town. Reiko silently apanied them. Unlike Banyuu city, this one has quite a lot of single-storied buildings, huh? One could see quite a few two-storied buildings in Banyuu but one-storied buildings were more in number here. The eaves on the roofs were small so the roofs looked even smaller to Jin. Ah, yeah. There is a lot ofndpared to the poption so there are no need for 2nd floors here, you see. Certainly seems so. Although there were a lot ofing and going here because of the highways, since the city itself was quite big, people spread throughout it and, as a result, the city looked deserted at a nce. It doesnt rain as much here. Banyuu had the Divide river close to it, so it has plenty water but you need to dig pretty deep wells here to get water. Hearing that, Jin understood why the roofs were small. When it rains a lot, inversely, the roofs are much bigger and the eaves are deeper. Ah, so thats why its kinda dusty here. The windows were also quite small to prevent the dust from entering. More or less. One more thing you cant really expect much of the food here. Reinhart said disappointedly. They returned to the inn after 4 pm, after some sightseeing. Wee back. The inn was different, being two-storied. And like the other buildings of this city, as the sites were wide, it also had a wide garden. I will bring the rinse immediately. The doorkeeper girl said energetically. By rinse, she meant water and towels to wipe off the dust, as this city is always quite dusty. Beside the huge entrance hall of the inn, a well was dug and a pulley and a bucket was there to pull up water. Here we go. Seeing the girl pull up water, Jin was reminded of Kaina viges previous state. Seeing Hanna strenuously draw water, he had built a pump. Hanna was 8 years old back then. Now, the girl drawing water was about 12-13 years old. Jin gazed at the scene, without any particr thought. Ah, shoot! Seems like her hand slipped, making the bucket fall down, making a loud noise once it hit the water. In case of drawing water using a pulley, its quite hard to stop a bucket from falling down if you let it go once. And as expected, the girls palm was abraded as she had tightly gripped the rope. S-sorry! I will pull it up back again! Saying that, she began pulling the bucket again. As Jin saw the girl pulling the bucket back up again, he realized that it was taking quite a while and remembered how Reinhart was saying how the wells are very deep here. Sorry it took so long. Heres the water. She handed them the bucket and towel. Reinhart and Jin took that silently and wiped their faces, necks, hands and feet. Thank you. That was refreshing. Saying that, Reinhart gave the girl a tip. T-thank you very much! Seeing the happiness on the girls face, Jin realized that he didnt have any money on hand. And so, Show me your hand. Saying that, he took her hand and, Cure. And used healing magic. The hand which had blood flowing from it was clean again. Th thank you very much! She must have been pretty happy, as she gave Jin a deep bow, andter, went off with the water bucket. Their room was quiterge and they all had different bedrooms. Jin, Reinhart, Matheus and Reinharts butler ude were in the same room. Jin, who had something on his mind, called out to Reinhart. What happened, Jin? We need to talk. Jin talked about the pump he had made before. It became quite popr in the Kurain kingdom but since Reinhart looked like he knew nothing about it, Theres such a tool?! I am extremely curious, I will help. Reinhart was very excited. And so, Jin and Reinhart went to meet with the inns owner together. Isnt the well here very deep? What do you think of installing a far more efficient and easy tool to draw water? In addition to this, Reinhart, who was famous as the maker of Schwarzritter, also helped in persuasion, so the owner agreed and requested the pump. Jin, will you have enough time? Yeah, the days are long, after all. After having such a conversation, Jin ordered the golem he had brought, Steward, to gather the materials. Yes, master. Seeing such a short reply from the Steward, Reinhart whispered to Jin, That golem, is not as bad as it looks, right? He could only tell because of the amount of time he had spent with Jin and saw the stuff he made. Well, yeah. As expected of you, Reinhart. Steward returned immediately, with some bronze materials and some iprehensible avant-garde type materials. They weighed about 120 kgs. It was more than enough for the materials. Is this Tenkunhans work? Reinhart spoke of a weird name. Who is that? I guess you wouldnt know. Reinhart exined it simply: Tenkunhan is a craftsman who was praised extravagantly for a period of time but was now bored and no one knows what he is doing. Saying that then it wont be a problem, Jin easily turned the materials into an ingot using fusion and homogenization. Amazing, as always. Now then, this is the real part. Jin was about to start making the deep well pump. The wells were about 10 meters deep here. Reinhart, could you make the pipes? I will adjust the final size so just try to make the inside diameters about 8 centimeters. And about 10 meters long. Alright, got it. As the style of this pump was simr to the one he had made before, Jin was able to make it even more precisely. Moreover, the handle of the pump was quite long. Even a very long pole was also made. Reiko, Steward, help me set it up. Yes. Understood. As the pipe was quite long, it was also very heavy. Stewards weight is over 200 kgs so he is perfect for situations like this. I will exin properlyter. Saying that to Reinhart, Jin started setting up the pipe. The greatest difference from the normal pumps was the location of the pumps body itself. In cases of deep wells, you need to ce the pumps body underwater. This is called the underwater cylinder style. When this method is used, it doesnt suck/pump up the water, it just lifts it up so as long as there is power, it can draw water up many meters. However, this wont work unless its a dug up well. Alright, thats right. Hold it down fusion. The pipe was slowly being joined together. He then installed the pumps piston into the long pole and then installed that into the handle. Father, I will hold this down. And now that Reiko was helping as well, the work just got much more easier. It was his first time setting up a deep well pump but they were able to finish it up in about 15 mins. Alright, the sliding between the piston and the cylinder also looks to be good. Jin nodded, satisfied after moving the handle, he looked at the people watching. After hearing that the magi engineer of another country was making something, the customers and idle employees in the inn gathered to watch him. Among them, Jin also found the doorkeeping girl from before. Ah, there you are. You,e here for a bit. As Jin invited her over, she came towards him, looking slightly uneasy. Y-yes, do you mean me? To ease off her nervousness, Jin smiled and said, Yep, you. Listen properly, this handle try bringing it up and down, like this. One would need quite a bit of strength to bring up water from deep underneath. And as such, the handle of this pump was even bigger than the one at Kaina vige. Yes, like this? She went on doing as Jin told her to. 20 times, 30 times. And as she kept doing it, the handle also kept getting heavier. And the moment she thought that, water came out from the opening. Ah! The girl was surprised. The gallery was also struck with admiration as they went Ohhh!. Alright, its a sess. You will be able to draw up water more easily from now on. Saying that, Jin patted the girls head. Chapter 304: The Castle

Chapter 304: The Castle

As thanks from the owner of the inn for the deep well pump, they treated Jin and the others to a wonderful dinner. The owners amazement was quite troublesome for Jin, as he came requesting Jin for pumps for kitchen use, wash use and even face-wash use. Reinhart, who felt that things would go out of control at this rate sat down with Jin after dinner and discussed about transferring the control rights of the pump to the Magi Engineer Guild. And they came up with two conditions. Firstly, they would teach this technique to the Magi Engineer guild of this town. And secondly, as soon as they do that, they will not monopolize this technique. And that very night, the guild master of the Hatata city came to visit them. I am Kots Rodoit. Jin-dono, nice to meet you. Reinhart-sama, I have heard many rumours about you. Nice to meet you. As we dont have much time, lets start right away. Saying that, this time, Jin built a pump using the bronze the guild provided. Hohoh, thats a very interesting structure. As expected of the guild master, his skills as a magi engineer were quite high. I see. The essential parts are the cylinder and the piston, am I correct? Thats right. At the very least, it would be good to harden the sliding portions and then coat them with adamantite. If thats not possible, routined check-ups and maintenance will be needed. I understand. However, adamantite is out of the question so I will make do with just hardening. He made Kots Rodoit make a pump as well and as he was able to make it without any problems, Jin was quite impressed. Later when he asked Reinhart, he got to know that the guild master was one of the top ten magi engineer of Shouro kingdom, which Jin could agree to. Whew, Jin, great work! As Kots Rodoit also helped out, they were done installing pumps to all the wells in the inn by 1 am at midnight. As one would expect, even Reinhart looked exhausted and so after speaking to Jin about such, he disappeared to his room. Jin was also tired. But when he was just about to enter his room, he was stopped by Matheus call. Jin-dono, great work today. It was quite frustrating for me, to not be able to do anything but watch. He went on expressing his thoughts out as such. Well then, please take a good long rest. Thank you. Good night. Jin also replied, and this time went inside his room. Father, great work today. Reiko also said the same. Ah, you too. I couldnt receive reports from Laojun, were there developments? To Jins question, Reiko answered, Yes, Lock-san and 4 others have safely reached the rest hut. Ohh, d to hear that. Yes, Land R and S spotted them while returning to the vige and guarded them in secret till the vige. Hmm, thats fine. That was good of them. Jin was also relieved to know that the people who were enlisted as soldiers returned safely. And, it seems the castle has also beenpleted. Ohh, I see. Jin was happy. Ah, I am tired today so maybe I will return tomorrow night. Yes. As Jin was exhausted, after knowing that there were no more reports, he lied down and slept soundly till morning. What?! The highway has been fixed overnight?! Yes, it seems like Nostalgia or some organization worked during the night. Again Nostalgia, eh How very annoying And then, silence continued for a while. Buy up the salt. Yes? Kaina vige cant harvest salt. The merchants take it there. Buy it all at a vige on the way. I hear that merchants are all about trust. Will they really sell all of it? Its fine if you leave a bit. Pay 3 times if necessary. Threaten them too. Understood. However, dont dare put my name out there. Deneb 29, who was on Earl Walter all time, was listening without rest. To think Jin-san has Kaina vige as a leaseholdnd Rishia muttered, while brushing her hair on top of her bed. What she had heard from Gloria was unofficial but she got to listen to the story first hand from the prime minister today. As I thought, theres no mistaking that its Jin-san. After hearing the story, Rishia had reaffirmed that the Jin who introduced himself as the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom was the young man she knew. I see. If thats so, then its convenient. Farheight, from today, you are relieved from your duties as a relief knight and are to head to Kaina vige as a messenger. A messenger, you say? Yes. As an ambassador of our country. If its you, whose face Jin-dono knows, it would probably leave a good impression on him. Prepare lodging houses by yourself. I will grant more than enough fund. I will send a person to exin the details to you afterwards. Understood. Rishia, who couldnt meet Jin even after crossing paths, was shouting at her heart out of joy at the thought of meeting him officially. As you are heading towards Kaina vige, I was thinking of appointing a guard-cum-attendant to you, do you have anyone in mind? The prime minister asked, to which Rishia replied, Not particrly. I understand. Then we shall decide it by ourselves. n the departure the day after tomorrow. Understood. On the other hand, on the 9th of May in Kaina vige, What is this, this building? Such a voice had leaked from Lock. As he had just returned, he didnt know the whole story yet. Seems to be Jins castle. Looking at the castle tower situated near the Herme river, the Kaina vigers were whispering to each other. Hou, so the castles at Jins country looks like this, eh? On top of the stone walls were white tiled roof. It was 6 stories high with two underground floors. Matsumoto Castle resembled it closest. A gold Sachihoko was on the top alongside a lightning rod for safety reasons. H-h-h-how can s-such a big building be built in such a short amount of time?!!! Whats up with him? Seeing Barou scream about all confused, Lock asked. Ahh, you wouldnt know. Hes a guest Jin brought, called Barou. I see, he doesnt know Jin that well, huh. Compared to the Kaina vigers, who were far from being agitated, Barou couldnt hide his bewilderment. However, on the other hand, Belle was already used to it. Jin-san really is amazing, huh! He made such an amazing structure in such a short time, after all. Hm. Jin-nii is using a lot of golems who can do stuff like this. If he just orders them, stuff like these are easily done. Elsa exined, as she knew the situation to a certain extent. Seeing as how more than half of the vige had gathered there, taking the opportunity, the chief started exining it to them. Everyone, please listen carefully. After achieving a lot at the capital, Jin acquired this Kaina vige as a leaseholdnd well, you could say he borrowed thisnd for the next 50 years. While choosing easier to understand phrases, Gibbeck continued his exnation. Well, you can think of him as a temporary feudal lord. And so, Jin built this for official work. As the magistrate, the chief had been briefed about the situation from Jins proxy, Butler A. He will normally live at the house he built at Marthas ce and will do the viges management work here. Theres also a food storage room underground so it can also be used as a shelter in emergencies. Ohhh! As expected of Jin! Someone eximed. Although, I will be continuing my work of the vige chief as the magistrate so not much will change. As a result of consulting with Gibbeck, it was decided that Jin will take about 1 percent of the tax, equalling to about 50,000 toll. Do you have any questions? Oh, what should we call Jin from now on? Feudal lord-sama, or Jin-sama or something? Lock asked the question. Jin said to treat him like you always did. Haha, thats very Jin-like. In the clear sky above Kaina vige, Locksugh resounded. Chapter 305: Arrival at the city of Anbelk

Chapter 305: Arrival at the city of Anbelk

On the 9th day, Jin and the others slowly departed. The reason for the dy was because the people of Hatata hade as arge crowd to bid farewell to them. Everyone who hadid eyes on the pump Jin made yesterday could tell how helpful it is. As the mayor, the business association chief and the inn association chief came in turns, the departure time which was supposed to be at 8 am turned to 10 am. Among all that, what made Jin the most happy were the words from the gatekeeping girl. Thank you, onii-san. With just that one expression of gratitude, Jin had started to like this city. He really likes children. Not in a weird way. The party was advancing down the highway at about 8 kilometers per hour. They had their lunch on the way. Todays objective was to reach Anbelk. The journey is of about 30 kilometers so it takes around 4 hours to reach. They would probably reach there by half past two in the afternoon. They had also considered going a bit further to Rindau the very day but Reinhart said that they were already in their ownnd, and that there was no need to hurry. Good grief, who was it again that said that they wanted to depart early from Astan? Matheus was exasperated. Dont say that. When I think about how this journey wille to an end very soon, I just feel a bit unsatisfied. Well, theres only Rindau, Fonde, Riare and Roizart. We will be returning in 4 days. Do your best being sad in parting. But it was Matheus who took thestugh. Jin was gazing at the scenario outside the window. Hatatas city was quite dry but the same could be said about these areas. Apart from the sulent nts which grow on drynds, there were just boulders and sand everywhere. When he said that to Reinhart, Ah, it wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that this is the most drynd on the highway route. The road we will be following after staying at Rindau today is so dry that it is even called Trockenbeerenauslese. TrockenbeerenausleseThats quite a name. Yeah. But that too will probably be resolved due to the pump. And so Jin asks Reinhart, Wont you build a canal for irrigation in Shouro empire? Canal, eh Yeah, how about it? But a proper source of river here Reinhart did nod but he also pointed out the problem. I am not very knowledgeable in geography but if its you, Reinhart It was a half lie. In Hourai ind, the Sky golems had made quite a detailed elevation map and Jin was well aware that there were no source of river around here. It is a bit unlikely. Theres a canal near the capital. The capital, Roizart had two bigkes near it, Tosmoke and Shujuke and there was a canal. One of the reason why Elsa participated in the golem boat race held in Potrock was because the Randall familys territory included the Tosmokes shore so she was quite familiar with boats from a young age. (I wonder if I can transfer water here using a warp-gate) Jin was also thinking of that possibility. At the time being, the warp-gate is not able to send out materials continuously so a huge reformation is needed for that. (But, it sure is something worth thinking about.) Such thoughts were going through Jins mind, as the carriage jolted through the highway. And that was when Jin spotted a different kind of nt. It was a bit simr to bamboos but the leaves were different. It wasnt as thin as bamboos and was in the form of a palm. But the part at its midrib was cylindrically shaped and was green. What made it look most like a bamboo were the joints. Reinhart, what is that nt? Jin asked, but, Who knows, its a nt which grows quite a lot here. Even though he is Reinhart, it isnt like he knows everything. Oii, Matheus, that nt over there, cant we pick one up? Reinhart called out to Matheus from Jins carriage. Matheus soon came with the nt, which he had cut up with his sword. Will this do? Yeah, thanks. Reinhart thanked him and took the nt over the window. Here, Jin, you want to take a look? And Jin fixedly stared at it. As he had expected, the insides were hollow. However, the parts which looked like joints were not actually joints, but instead were simply swollen up portions from where branches extended. Jin couldnt help but think that they would have been able to build a sk or a savings box if it were a proper joint. But, Cant this be used as a pipe? When he expressed his thoughts like that, Reinhart quickly denied. Ah, that is of no good. That shrinks when its dry and swells up when wet. The measurements do not get stable. I see It was a far more useless nt than he had thought. It cant even be used as a water pistol Maybe a string phone, but thats all. In Jins head, an idea popped up, while he was muttering to himself like that. (A string phone!A string phone, eh) A string phone is made by connecting two cylinders with a string and attaching two papers on the other side of the cans and connecting the string to the exact middle of the paper. It is a toy to talk over a small distance. The voice vibrates the paper, which in turn vibrates the string, making the other sides paper vibrate, ultimately recreating the sound. (If we were to do this with mana) Jin? Reinhart perceived that Jin had probably thought about something and had stayed silent ever since. And with that, Jin kept on putting his thoughts together. (If I were to use mithrils thin lines instead of a string, I think I can transfer the vibrations of ether. The ethers vibrations dont decay) It decays normally due to the resistance. Ether is thought to be of a material even smaller than a particle so theres nothing to block it. And as such, they do not decay. (They actually do decay but at a very, very small rate.) Also, another point which would be different from a string phone is that it doesnt need to be pulled tightly. (Turning a voice into ether vibrations Hmm, that can be done easily.) At this moment, Jin had reached the conclusion of his thoughts, he had thought up of a string phone which uses ether. (Although, it isnt technically a phone) (But, if its a phone, I would like to be able to talk to different people, rather than a fixed target) With mana cam, they changed something which is equivalent to frequency and used that to talk to a specific person. That was the basis of the wireless phone for Jin. (How are phones normally built) There was a ck dial-type telephone at the orphanage Jin was at. (Umm, if I am not wrong, it uses the dialed number to pick the person. The picking is done by the machine but long ago, it was probably an operator) Jin was desperately trying to remember the story about old phones from the director teacher. (Right, first you call the switchboard operator, and after you tell them about the person you want to talk to, they connect them to you!) If he just grasps the rough procedure, the details are not a problem. When this happens, Jins thoughts run at an immensely high speed. (Ah, if I switch the mana phones I distributed through Nostalgia to switchboard system, there would be a lesser need for more phones No, that would be too conspicuous.) Thinking that if the operator was to be Laojun, he could wiretap the calls all he wanted but realizing that at the end he was again thinking about wiretapping, he couldnt help butugh a little. Reiko, who was sitting beside him, wore a puzzled expression. (My thoughts went off track. The operator can be a human and if I were to do that Yeah, it seems usible.) Before the carriage had reached Anbelk, Jin had put together his thoughts about the phone no, the long-range-talking-machine. Anbelk was a city about as big as Hatata. It was apparent that the ce was peaceful from the absence of fences and walls. After leaving their carriage to the carriage station, they were about to step into the city when, Reinhart-sama, and Jin-dono, correct? A few men appeared. Reiko, as expected, came in front of Jin. SP, although not visible to their eyes, went round towards their back and were ready to attack anytime. Matheus put his hand on his sword and was ready to draw anytime, as were his subordinates. I am sorry, did I surprise you? I am the chief of the magi engineer guild of this city, Rymer Gebaltof. The others with me are also guild members. Said the middle-aged man, who was standing in the middle. See, guild master, this is why I told you. That it would be rude to stand in their way with a huge group. Said a young man standing beside Rymer, who was about the same age as Jin. Y-yes, but, you see, I wanted to see what kind of a person the magi engineer who made such a wonderful tool is! Rymer Gebaltof said that to the man and turned to face Jin and the others again. I have received the news from Kotsu Rodoit in Hatata by a dove. And so I wanted to meet you as soon as possible. Please forgive my impertinence. Chapter 306: Honorary Member

Chapter 306: Honorary Member

In the end, it was decided that they would discuss the detailster, and went to the inn after exchanging greetings. But, I have prepared a ce for you to stay. said Rymer Gebaltof. Jin, Matheus and Reinhart looked at each other to decide what they should do and ultimately decided on taking on the guild masters kindness. The inn that Rymer had prepared was the Anbelk mayor, Saryuto Berurushs residence. The city of Anbelk was also mostly filled with one-storied buildings but the mayors building was surprisingly 3 stories high and felt like it was lording over the city from the middle. We can know immediately if something happens, after all.- was what the mayor said, when he greeted Jin and the others. That is true, it was fulfilling the duty of a lookout tform quite well. Jins partys room was on the 2nd floor and the view from there wasnt bad either. Jin and Reiko, Reinhart and ude, Matheus and one of his subordinates, each took a room in pairs. They were to have tea with the mayor after putting away their bags. It was past 3 pm. Their throats was getting dry so Jin, as well as Reinhart, epted. And as expected, Rymer Gebaltof was also there. The tea which was served gave off a nice fragrance, and when everyone took their seats, the mayor stood up. First of all, I would like to wee you all to Anbelk, Reinhart-sama Saying that, Saryuto bowed. He had silver hair and blue eyes. He was about 50 years old. And, youre the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom, Jin-dono, correct? I dly wee you. He said it as to confirm, rather than as a question. He then went on to greet Matheus and then took his seat. Then he faced Jin and said, That is your automata, correct? The one standing behind? Its wonderfully done! He said while staring at Reiko. If I make a request, can you make me the same one? Even Jin was surprised by this. He has done countless works uptil now but no one asked to make a automata the same as Reiko. While Jin was at a loss, looking for an answer, Rymer came interrupting. Mayor, please talk about thatter. Jin-dono, I havee today to make you an honorary member of the Shouro empires magi engineer guild. Hearing that, Reinhart was the first one to raise his voice, Ohh, that would be great! Jin, the title of the guilds honorary member is only given to people who have very significant achievements, and I also havent heard of it being given to someone who isnt a citizen! He was so happy, as if it was his own matter. The guild master of Anbelks magi engineer guild handed out a gold card. It was about twice the size of a business card. Normally, I would have liked to do this grandly. Youre also in the middle of a journey, and from what I have heard from Kotsu Rodoit, you also like that kind of a thing. Would you please ept it? Yes. From the start, Jin had no reason to decline and, moreover, the title of Honorary magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom really came in handy at Kurain kingdom so he dly epted. He also got to knowter that Reinhart was also a honorary member. It seems that if you have this card, you will have more power over materials in Shouro empire and that was very convenient. I am d you epted. By the way, Jin-dono, you have made the pump in Hatata but would you make something here, in Anbelk? In response to Gebalt, it was the mayor who came biting in. Wha! You tell me to talk about my thingster and then you yourself start talking about it?! What are you talking about? I am talking about stuff which will actually be useful to everyone. You just want it for your hobby. Even so, it depends on Jin-dono, whether he epts or not. The way youre requesting is unfair! And they started to argue, astounding Jin. Reinhart gave a bitterugh. Matheus wore an expression which said to let them do whatever they want, and just went on drinking his tea. Jin took it seriously and thought for a bit, then while looking at Reinhart said, I think it would be convenient to have a cleaning machine. Reinhart also agreed. Oh right, that! We could transfer the control of it to this guild! Cleaning? What do you mean? Rymer asked. Jin had decided before to build a market for the cleaning machine he and Reinhart made. Reinhart still had that cleaning machine left in his carriage. Ohh, as expected of Reinhart. Jinplimented him, as he didnt get rid of it and brought it all the way here. Haha, I dont want to destroy or get rid of something which can be useful. Reinhart said that andughed. Jin then went on to operate the experimental cleaning machine they had built to showcase its usefulness. These areas are dry and very dusty so Jin thought vacuum cleaners like this woulde in handy. I made this before the journey so we only have one at the moment. Especially the filter about the cloth which stops the trash, we could rece it with a finer, tougher fabric and use wind magic to strengthen the sucking power. There was an actual machine in front of him and so Rymer also understood quickly. Hmm, to think such a magic tool existed! Reinhart-sama, Jin-dono, would you perhaps sell its manufacturing method to our guild? Jin and Reinhart both nodded. Hmm, for such a magic tool Oi, how much do you think would be appropriate? The guild master, Rymer, looked behind at a young man and asked. Hmm, in my opinion, it should be about 200,000 toll. So about 2,000,000 yen. Selling it to the guild would mean that they would be able to recreate and sell it to the public themselves. The pumps manufacturing method was sold for 1,000,000 toll. When the added value and the convenience is considered, as the pump is rted to a very essentialmodity, water, its value being 1,000,000 and the cleaning machine being 200,000 toll might be appropriate. Before Jin could say that that is fine, Reinhart expressed his opinion. I think it should be a bit more. I am not being greedy or anything here. There are other applications to this technique. Other application? Yes. I guess it isnt surprising for you to not notice it as you have only just seen it today, but this wind magic has many different usages depending on how you think. For example, if you were to just use it as a simple magic tool to generate wind, during hot times Ohh, I see! Rymer eximed while striking his fist into his palm. Then 400,000 toll. How about it? After a bit thinking, Well, I guess its fine. Reinhart said and looked at Jin. There was no reason for Jin to oppose so he just nodded. Well then, we shall hand it over for 400,000 toll. And as such, the contract was formed. The young man from before ran back to the magi engineer guild to bring the money. The tea which had gone cold was taken away and new, hot ones were served. Jin didnt drink it before so he wanted to drink it this time and took one sip. The taste waspletely simr to that of a green tea. As Jin wasnt good at having hot food, he slowly finished the tea. Seeing as Jin had finished drinking, the mayor asked again, So, Jin-dono, what will be your answer to my previous request? There are material rted problems and I cant really make it entirely same but Ohh, then, you will make one?! The mayor eximed happily. Yes, but, can I ask for what purpose you want an automata? Hearing the question, the mayor nodded greatly. Of course. So my grandson has a ying partner. You have a grandson? Yes. Its just that, hes kind of weak-bodied so he cant get out much. And so he doesnt really have any friends and is feeling lonely. I thought that my grandson would surely like an automata like yours. I see, so thats how it is. If its for a small childs ying partner, Jin thought he could make one. He had no intention whatsoever to make it like Reiko from the start. It would be more than enough if the outward appearance was appropriate. And if so, general materials will be enough. If its for your grandson, the faster the better. Yes, it would be fine if you were to send it from your destination. Eh? Eh? Both of them were confused. Both Jin and the mayor didnt understand what each other had meant. Note: Well, no one would think that one can make an automata in a few hours, after all Chapter 307: The Demon’s descendant?

Chapter 307: The Demons descendant?

If its possible, can I talk to your grandchild? I would like to know what kind of a doll they want. Putting aside the delivery date for the time being, she was wondering if he could meet the grandchild first. His reason was that he wanted to know about how the grandchild wanted the doll to be. As Jin was bad design rted things, he would prefer it if the person was to guide him through. H-hmmm, not for a long period, though While saying that, Saryuto Berurush guided Jin to the 3rd floor. That room was at the southern side of the 3rd floor, at the best ce. Yousse, wereing in. Saryuto knocked, said that he wasing in and opened the door. Ah, grandpa. On the window side bed, a girl even smaller than Hanna was lying down. She had pretty blonde hair, green eyes and pale skin. Guests? Seeing Jin behind Saryuto, the girl had the expression as if she had just seen something rare. Yep, nice to meet you. I am Jin, and she is Reiko. Nice to meet you. I am Youss*cough* Yousse coughed mid greeting. But that wasnt the end of it. It continued on. She kept on coughing. A-are you okay? Saryuto asked worriedly, rubbing her back. But even then the coughs didnt stop. Jin couldnt just watch and rushed to her side, Cure And tried using healing magic. And with, the coughs somehow settled down. Yousse looked like she was in a lot of pain as her face distorted. As one would expect, diseases rted to the respiratory system basically makes it harder to breath properly. Jin had seen many children suffer from coughs in the orphanage and wanted to do something for Yousse. Umm, is she coughing like this all the time? Yes. Thats right. Her coughs dont stop like this numerous times in a single day Jin-dono, thank you for the healing magic. Answered her grandfather, Saryuto. Finally being able to breath properly, Yousse looked at Jin and was about to say something. But Jin stopped her. Ah, you shouldnt be talking yet. Just to be safe, cure. After he used cure for the second time, Yousseplexion got much better. (Theres a high change she has infantile asthma) Even at the orphanage Jin was at, there were 2 kids who had asthma so Jin could somehow tell. (If I am not wrong, the number one reason for it is allergy and ticks as well, I think) It is far more dry in this area so it would be far worse for the respiratory system. (If theres tick or not ah, right!) Reiko,e here a bit. Yes, father. Your eyes can zoom in about a 100 times more than the normal eye. Could you take a look at the mattress and see if there are any living creatures there? Asking that of Reiko, Jin looked around the room. It was warm. And in the surroundings, there were a few buckets of hot water-from which one can understand it was for humidification. While Jin racked his brain, Reiko informed him about the result of the inspection. How did they look? Yes, they were like egg-shaped. With 8 legs. As I thought, they are ticks. Inhaling the corpses or feces of the ticks known as tropical rat mite makes up more than half of the reason of infantile asthma. These things feed on human dirt and hair and as they do not suck blood, it is hard to notice their existence. Moreover, they like high temperature and humidity. In other words, the humidification they were making here was having the opposite effect. Hmm, Reiko was able to notice but if it was Gloria-sans father I forgot his name but if we had his microscopic vision ah, we could just make it. Seemed like a switch just turned on inside Jin. Jin-dono? Being called by Saryuto, Jin returned to his self. Returning to reality, Jin looked at Yousse and reassessed her problem. And then, he decided to go outside the room once. What does the doctor say? They said she probably had weak throat since birth and so she has coughs. And so I thought of warming up the room but it isnt helping. I see. As he thought, they didnt think of the possibility of allergy due to ticks. What about it? Does it have any rtion with automatas? No, I just thought it would be nice if her sickness was cured. As Jin said that, Saryuto came biting in. What?! Is it possible that, Jin-dono, you can help cure my grandchilds sickness?! Jin was a little taken aback by his momentum but rethinking that it was his feelings for his grandchild, he exined what he found out. In the futon and the room, there are small living things which cant be seen by the naked eye. By inhaling their corpses, it creates toxins inside the body and condition worsens. These were the two points. Hmmm, doesnt really seem like a believable story when you say it so abruptly. Jin expected him to think that, so he had thought up of a way to exin it better. It was microscope. When he was in the orphanage, as a summer holiday homework, he had made a clear stic bottle microscope. After cutting the bottle short and making a hole in the lid, one just needs to put a ss sphere inside and they can adjust the focus by spinning the lid. It is very simple structure but it was quite useful. He didnt have a clear stic bottle at the moment but that wasnt a problem for Jin. Well, evidence is better than debate. Please take a look with your own eyes. Saying that, Jin again returned to the previous room. Oh, Jin, what happened? There, Reinhart was continuing his chat with Rymer Gebaltof. Would you like to take a look as well, Reinhart? Saryuto-san, I will borrow one ss. Jin took a ss made of crystal after informing Saryuto. Forming. Ohhh?! It was a precision cutting magic only Jin could do, as he was the Magi craft meister. Hm, what will you do making such a sphere? Oho, so sake cups are next? No, thats Reinhart, Rymer Gebaltof, Saryuto and Matheus looked at Jin full of interest as he kept making things one after another with crystal. I am done. And so the simple microscope was done. In short, he just needed a structure to zoom in on a certain object without blurring. Well then, lets try taking a look at this first. Saying that, Jin put the microscope on the table to take a look at the table cloth and carefully adjusted the focus. Alright, then please look. First, Saryuto-san. Nn? Hmm Wha-what is this?! He could see each and every fibre making up the table cloth. This is called a microscope. It is a tool to look at small things better. What, what, let me see too! Woah, Jin, this is amazing! Ohh, Jin-dono, this woulde in handy! The others also looked into the microscope in turn andmented on it. Now then, do you understand that this tool can help us look at the small things by erging them? Hmmm. In response to Jins confirmation, Saryutorgely nodded. Then, with this, take a look at your grandchilds room to see if theres dust there. I understand. And so, Saryuto alone went to Yousses room and came back with dust in his hand. This is the dust from the beds corner. Lets take a look at this. At this point, Saryuto had half-believed what Jin had told him before. But, as he was interested in the microscope, he went and came back with the dust. Wwhat is this?!! Monster! He eximed the moment he looked at the dust through the microscope. Wh-what happened? Being surprised hearing Saryutos scream, the people present there also looked at the dust through the microscope Thats creepy. There are living things like these too Dont tell me, the demons descendants?!! Such were what others thought of the ticks. Chapter 308: Theft

Chapter 308: Theft

To the men who had seen the ticks magnified Jin exined thoroughly. Well, these are called ticks. They are small, like dust and do not really cause harm directly but if one inhales their corpses or feces, they might fall ill. Saryuto, who had been told the same thing just a while before was nodding over and over, showing his consent. Jin talked about the ticks further. As far as I know, these ticks multiply more in warm and humid ces. What! So making the room warm and humid to ease the throat backfired?! Yes, since its an issue of ticks. How could this happen Saryuto hung his head in shock. Jin followed up, putting his hand on Saryutos shoulder. No, I think it was good for your grandchilds body. And so, I think it will turn out quite well if we just remove all the ticks from the room. Hearing that, Saryuto raised his head and grasped Jins shoulders. Jin-dono! I really appreciate it! Lets get on with it right away! There, Jin provided one more advice, About the futon and pillows, I think you will be able to get rid of all the ticks if you were to use the cleaning machine. Ohh! So it can also be used like that! Saying that, Saryuto went off running down the corridor. Jin, Reinhart, Matheus and the Magi engineer guild master Rymer Gebaltof were left standing in the room. Jin-dono, this - cleaning machine - did you say? Could you sell this to our guild as well? Rymer asked Jin. Jin had predicted this and nodded. Please use it well. Of course! And after another discussion, the microscope was sold at 500,000 toll. Apart from that, If you were to use this cleaning machine like this to suck in the dust from the room Jin said. Ohh! One could get rid of the dust in a room! Rymer Gebaltof reacted, as expected of the guild master. In that case, you need to change the filter. Jin advised. Hmm, I will let Saryuto do all practical experiments using the prototype. 6 PM in the evening, it was time for dinner. In the dining hall, the city mayor Saryutos kindness was lined up. Roast of a whole Kokarisk. Mountain deers steak. Grilled barracuda. Stew with vegetable and meat boiled together. Colorful vegetable sd. Earbells juice. And pure white bread. There was more food than one could eat. Jin-dono, just as you said, after a major clean up of the room and the futons, Yousses condition was way better after she woke up. I cant tell you how grateful I am! Saying that, he came pouring wine for Jin. But to think the Egelia kingdom had such a magi craftsman On top of that, they are also so advanced in medical knowledge Rymer muttered in admiration. That waspletely his misunderstanding but it could make thingsplicated if Jin were to say that so he pretended that he didnt hear. Jin, you did some great work today, as well. After having dinner, they were rxing in Reinharts room. Jin-donos knowledge fills me with awe. So much that I want to quit the army and be your disciple but that cant be done. It seems Matheus was a bit drunk as well, which is rare. So, what happened to making the automata in the end? Reinhart asked. Jin alsopletely forgot about that. Hmm, now that shes all better, wouldnt it be better for her to y with human friends rather than automatas? Jinughed. That night, they were all a bit drunk so they decided to hit the sack early. Because of his physical constitution, only Jin was sober. But a lot had happened and he was also a bit tired so he went back to his room. As he closed the door, Reiko started talking, Father Her voice seemed somewhat down. Mm, what happened, Reiko? Just a while before, you said that it would be better for her to y with human friends, didnt you Jin immediately understood what Reiko was concerned about. When ites to topics like this, Reiko bes insecure. Ahh, for that child, I meant. What about father? She said in a further lower voice. Jin came closer, hugged Reiko and said, Reiko, you are my daughter, I told you that before, right? You can be proud. You are the only girl in this world who has two Magi craft meister as her parents. Father, I am not a girl, I am an automata. Hmm, but, I dont think of you as just an automata. And so you are my daughter and I think of you as a person. Thank you very much. The gloom in Reikos voice was gone. Jin was also relieved. Alright then, I will go to sleep now. Yes, I will be awake all throughout the night, so please rest assured. It declined It did, didnt it, executive director Ranpanys perimeter business in charge, Rnd, was greatly perplexed on seeing the Kaina vige in front of him. They had no salt. It all began with the highway road closure. It was because of thendslide in front of Doppa vige. That was on the 5th. They had gone back to Sharuru city for the time being but as they were merchants, they didnt waste their time there and went to the neighboring Gohoho city. They sold out their products there and also bought some. And then, after confirming the situation, when they had returned to Sharuru city, they saw that the road was cleared. Trust is most important for a merchant. On top of that, Kaina vige was the vige which had made it possible for the Ranpany to progress significantly. We messed up. We must hurry. Rnd hurried his wagon to Kaina vige. Going very fast, they had passed through Sharuru city and reached Doppa on the 7th. And yesterday, at Toka vige, for some reason, salt had been sold quite a lot. At 3 times the price too. An unknown soldier came and because he bought arge amount of salt right away, they had a shortage of salt. Who knows where they heard this from but unfamiliar merchants had alsoe and sold about a 100 kgs of salt, that too at 3 times the price. Those merchants probably made a huge profit. And as for Rnd, he also must carry salt to Kaina vige. And for that, he could secure the bare minimum, a 20 kg jar of salt. With this, we will have to make them endure a bit ande back again after a month. Rnd was also considering bringing just salt, with a horse rather than a wagon in half a month, as it was his responsibility as a merchant. But the jar he had disappeared. Last night, they surely had the jar of salt while resting at the rest ce between Kaina vige and Toka vige. Salt is a daily necessity. The salt he had secured to deliver to Kaina vige had disappeared all of a sudden. No, to put it bluntly, Rnd was considering the possibility of a robbery. The price wasnt the factor. They were carrying far more valuable products in the wagon and Rnds wallet was also filled with all the profits he had made. It declined Actually, this time, Rnds son, Erik, was not apanying him. He was busy in charge of technology at Alban. Rnd brought along the neer Bothe this time. Rnd was also not going to be doing the perimeters all the time. His promotion to inner works was also confirmed. Thats why he had brought the neer to show him the ropes. For this to happen on possibly thest trade with Kaina vige for me, with which we had built a good rtion In the first ce, since this highway is close to the Inado mine, there are many soldiers stationed nearby so the public order isparatively better. Rnd didnt know about the breakout the other day. Rnd was depressed, as he didnt even think the salt would get stolen. Either way, we need to go to Kaina vige and inform them about the situation directly Right, executive director. Rnds wagon, which was going at an incredible pace just yesterday, was now sluggishly climbing up the ridge. Chapter 309: The salt!

Chapter 309: The salt!

[A wagon is spotted moving through the Togo mountain pass. It seems to be Rnd, the merchant. He is apanied by an unfamiliar face. Probably a neer.] Laojun got to know about Rnds arrival promptly by the info received from surveince system, Koushin. [He is a merchant who supplies goods which cant be made in Kaina vige. He brings no harm, so guard him in secret.] With that order, Land S was now secretly guarding Rnd till Helme river. Of course, the person himself, Rnd, wasnt even slightly aware of this. Ah! The merchant uncle came! Seeing the girl waving at him from the bridge, Rnd also waved back. Thats Hanna-chan. Energetic as usual. And when the wagon came near the bridge, Oho, this was made of wood before but its stone now. Looks sturdy. Saying that to himself, Rnd advanced, walking his horse. Hanna ran back to the vige to inform them of Rnds arrival. Executive director, what is that? Rnd looked at the direction Bothe was pointing. And his eyes opened wide. What in the world is that? It was Jins castle. Rnd arrivedte in the afternoon so he decided to talk business the next day and spend the night at mayor Gibbecks house, as usual. Ehh, Erik didnte?! Barbara eximed, looking disappointed. I am sorry, he has also been appointed with the duty of technology manager, so he has gotten quite busy. Please try to understand. I wonder if I should head out to Alban But I also dont want to leave this vige Barbara grumbled. To which Gibbeck rebuked, Oi oi, this is not the time for that, right? And then Gibbeck started talking to Rnd again. He exined how Jin was the owner of thisnd now. I-I see So Jin-san is this viges Yes, for the next 50 years, he will be the owner. Gibbeck summarized and narrated Jins achievements. So something like that happened and I didnt hear a thing, even though I was in the capital. It all happened inside the royal castle, so it isnt much of a surprise that themon merchants dont know of it. And so, the building in question is Jins castle. Castle, eh I dont know what I should say It is very Jin-like. If you would like to spend the night there, I could talk to the representative Butler A. N-no, I will just stay here, where I am morefortable, if thats okay with you. Rnd said panickedly. After that, Rnd brought up the matter that was troubling him. Well, you see, theres one thing thats bothering me. Oho? Then Rnd went on to exin how the salt was stolen and he couldnt sell any. Theres no salt, eh? That is troubling. Even at my house, the amount of salt left is very scarce. I think it is the same with other houses, as well. I am truly sorry. After this, as soon as I get to the shop, I will send salt here even if I have to use horses. Rnd said, prostrating himself. [Salt has been stolen, you say?] Land C reported to Laojun, after tapping into Gibbeck and Rnds conversation through the window. Yes, as far as I have heard. [I understand. I will deal with it from here. Report to me if anything else happens.] After cutting the line, Laojun thought about the problem. [Its probably that Earls pestering. I didnt think they would go as far as to steal the salt. I should have appointed guards to Rnd-san, as well I still have many areas to improve on. Either way, it doesnt change how we will go about dealing this.] And then Laojun instructed his movement system, Laozi. Laozi went towards the Hourai inds warehouse. They quite literally have enough salt to start a business. In fact, they were actually selling them. Seaweed salt will probably be no good. Lets go with normal salt. The salt they had produced from the Tatsumi bays sea water had now crossed a 100 ton. To protect the salt from moisture, they were divided in 100 kilograms per containers made of 24k gold. 24k gold doesnt rust upon normal use so they are very handy for storing materials in. He carried one of those out. After putting the container in a leather sack made from monsters, he carried the sack on his shoulder. And then headed for the warp-gate. They had travelled while taking the time into consideration so it was exactly midnight at Kaina vige. Everyone was sleeping. I have brought it. At Jins house, from the underground workshop, Laozi came out. And then Butler A and Laozi both activated stealth mode. The n is as I have exined before. Where is Mr. Rnds wagon? Yes, it over here. Butler A stood in front and guided Laozi. Behind Gibbecks house, the horse was tied inside a stable and the wagon was left beside it. They loaded the wagon with the goods. Please carefully open the package. Laozi ordered Butler A. There should be an empty salt jar. Yes, there is. Following the order, Butler A found 4 empty jars of salt. Thats enough. Now then, lets transfer this salt Laozi and Butler A started transferring the salt from the sack to the jars. The guardian, Gon, was on lookout to make sure no one came near. In about 3 minutes, they were done pouring the salt into the jars. After wrapping it up tightly, their job was over. They decided to carry the remaining 20 kgs to Jins house. This should be enough. Now just put these jars in the back of the wagon. Butler A followed the instructions and pushed the jars into the back. He also paid attention as to not leave any traces of tampering. Thats good enough. It is a carriage so its only normal for the goods to be somewhat disorganized. Now, lets withdraw. It was still midnight. Laozi went back to the Hourai ind and Butler A went back to Jins house. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. Haa this is depressing. The wide space beside the mayor Gibbecks house was the store this time. Executive director, lets just sell whatever we can!! After saying that, Bothe went and just stood in front of the back of the wagon. Holding a jar of salt, Bothe was lost for words. Not knowing what was going on, Rnd asked, Whats wrong, Bothe? E-executive director! There-there is salt inside this jar! What did you say? And thats not all! Judging from the weight, there is probably salt in the 3 other jars as well! Rnd couldntprehend the situation. Out of the 50 jars he had brought, he sold 23 at Sharuru city, 17 at Gohoho city, 5 at Toga vige and out of the 5 remaining jars, 4 were bought by some soldiers. It was clearly written in his ount book. These jars were the ones he had acquired that day to sell to Kaina vige but the salt was stolen. Where did thesee from? Executive director, does that matter at this point? With this, we will be able to fulfil our duty to the people of this vige! Bothe said,optimistic and carefree. Well, he does have a point but Rnd couldnt help but think it was absurd how Bothe didnt even think about the ie and expenditure, being a merchant. Executive, either way, its time for business! Bothe urged him on. And the vigers came, gathering sparsely. Rnd too decided that he would worry about itter and changed gears to sell the goods and started preparing. Chapter 310: Scout

Chapter 310: Scout

Jin, Reinhart and Matheus were steadily advancing towards the capital of Shouro empire, Roizato. ording to their schedule, they were to stop at the city of Rindau on the 10th of May and at Fonde city on the 11th. The journey was more or less peaceful and Reinhart was enjoying it as it would be over soon. On the 11th, Jin being Jin, told the others he would like some time to himself and went into his carriage alone to fly off to Kaina vige, of course. Ohh, its exactly like a castle He didnt really have anything else toment on as Jin too had slightly inferred that Laojun probably wanted to try making one. Jins castle was made near the Helme river. It was about 30 meters high. It was the highest building in Kaina vige. However, as it was built up on lower grounds near the river, it was only just a bit taller than the tallest spots in the vige and the feeling of looking down on the vige was small from the top floor. Even then, the overwhelming aura of the castle when seen from the ground was huge. There was also a shelter beside it which could be used in any emergency. Although it is hard to imagine such a daying. Master, I shall show you around the inside. Butler A, who was waiting beside, guided them into the castle. The foundation was underground, made of stone walls, inside which were 2 floors. On top of which was a five storied building. The ground floor was a huge space, like a reception hall. It was big enough to fit more than the whole vige people. There was even a bath on this floor, not to mention many washrooms. 1st floor was for the guest rooms. The 2nd floor had the reference room and the office. There was also a library on this floor, which they were nning to fill up soon. 3rd floor was said to be a spare but it was filled with traps. The 4th floor had Jins living room along with a bed room. And the 5th floor is the watchtower. Underground 1st floor was the food reserve floor, with enough food for the people of Kaina vige to live for a month. And in the underground 2nd floor, there was an underground prison, for some reason. There are hiddenyers and passages in each floor, so that the ninja squad can hide and move around the castle without being spotted. Of course, the ceiling was also made with that in mind. Ninja squad was another name for the SP. ording to Butler A, he was calling them ninjas here as it was more fitting than calling them SP. On the 3rd, 1st and ground floor, there were pitfalls too. Theres also the system to make the ceilingse down, as well. When Jin heard that, he couldnt help but give a bitterugh. All the rooms were air-conditioned. The walls were soundproof, shock and magic resistant. The ground floor was made of wood and there were about 100 zabuton (t floor cushion) prepared, as well. The 1st floor had good looking rooms with ssy furniture. The rooms were divided ording to the guests. There were also rooms for employees on this floor. The walls in Jins office can alsopletely turn, which might even make one think-what ninja movie is this?! It seems the trap floor 3rd floor, was equipped with a paralyze room, a high temperature room, a low temperature room and a suspended ceiling room. On the 4th floor, there was also a Jin exclusive warp-gate. This could only be used by Jin and Reiko and if used by someone else, they would be transferred to a very terrible ce. It was scary so Jin decided not to ask about it. It is also possible to go to Martha-sans ces underground from here. It was certainly very handy. Well, messengers mighte from the Kurain kingdom soon so I am d we made it in time. Saying that, Jin contacted Laojun. There were manacams skillfully hidden in the 2nd floor office. [There are more facilities in the castle which have not been exined yet but as they are of low importance, I shall exin them to you as needed.] Laojun summed up. Laojun, good work with the castle. Also, make two more butlers and appoint them here. Their names will be Butler B and C. [Understood. I will get on it immediately.] With this, Butler A can stay at Jins house and Butler B and C can be here. [My lord, if you were to entertain the guests, wouldnt a few golem maids be of use as well?] Jin also agreed with that and instructed Laojun to also send over 5 golem maids of 5 different colors. He chose to have 5 different colors as he couldnt decide on one particr color. Now then, since I got to take a look at the castle, I guess I will go to the vige. I dont have much time left anyway. Saying that, Jin went inside his exclusive warp gate with Reiko to the basement of Marthas house. It was just past noon. Seems like the people there had just finished having lunch as Mine and Belle came outside to wash the tableware. Ah, Jin-sama! Belle shouted, seeing Jine out from the basement. Wee back, Jin-sama. In contrast to Mines calm response, E-exactly when did youe back?! Belle asked in confusion. Hearing her loud voice, Hanna and Elsa also came out. Ah, onii-chan, wee back! Jin-nii, wee back Earbell? Elsa has a good nose so she could smell the ripe earbell from the basket Reiko was holding. Correct. I brought these as souvenir for you guys. Jin said pointing at the basket Reiko was holding. He had bought them early this morning from the market. Seeing that, Belle, Elsa and Mines eyes opened wide. Th-thats earbell, isnt it?! Ripe earbell at that too?! Where did you bring them from?! Earbell Nostalgic. Ah, earbell. We went picking earbells a lot a long time ago. Elsa also likes them. And such were the three different reactions from the three. Yep. Atst, I was able to bring something worthy of being souvenirs. Hanna, wash these and have them together with everyone. Okay! Onii-chan, thank you! Wah, it smells so good! There were also fruits resembling strawberries near Kaina vige called Wylie but not only are they really small in size, they are also sour and unappetizing. Compared to that, earbells were exactly like garden strawberries, sweet and sour. Jin-nii, thank you. These make me happy. Seeing how they were all happy, Jin also felt d that he brought the earbells. Ah! Jin-sama! When did you return?! Barou also came out and greeted Jin. And it goes without saying how he was surprised seeing the earbell too. Seems like youvepletely recovered. Jin was relieved seeing Barou and Belles goodplexion. Yes, thanks to you Umm, thank you very much for the medicine at that time. Belle expressed her gratitude by deeply bowing. Ah, what matters is that you guys have gotten well. So, how is it going, have you gotten used to this vige yet? To Jins question, both of them nodded. Yes, everyone is really nice here. Right? This is the best vige in the world thats what I think. At that moment, Ahh! Ji-jin-san!! ?! When he turned to look at the direction from where the loud voice came, he found Rnding towards him. Ah, Rnd-san, it has been a while. But Rnd was somewhat excited. Jin-saan, I have wanted to meet you! Even though the misunderstanding has been cleared. I have also heard that you had been to Alban the other day, as well. Ah-ahaha. Jin was overwhelmed by Rnds tension. You dont know, after that, I couldnt get a hold of gomubooru. And there are still piles of requestsing in for gomubooru! Please Jin-san, sell some gomubooru to me! Y-yes, got it. Jin epted, all the while being taken aback. And just when Rnds tension died down, this time his face turned pale. A I-I messed up! He bowed in exactly 90 degrees. Eh? I-I have heard! That Jin-sa ma is the owner of Kaina vige now! Ah While shaking his head, Jin said, Rnd-san, I just coincidentally did some meritorious deeds and so I got thisnd as a leaseholdnd. I, myself havent changed a bit. So please treat me like you have till now. Hearing that, Rnd raised his head but was still showing some restraint. But then, it would not be respecting Jin-samas position Ah, please, its fine. I would also like it if you stop using sama. After a bit of a dispute, Jin was finally able to make him stick to Jin-san like always. Seems like saying he wouldnt make any more rubber balls if Rnd didnt stop did the work. And, as for the rubber balls, Rnd would be leaving Kaina vige the day after tomorrow so Jin promised to prepare them by then. 100 each of baseball, dodgeball and handball. They are not really bulky, making them easier to transport. He didnt really talk about the ingredients in front of Rnd before so Rnd probably wouldnt find it suspicious even if he made them in one night. The talks had calmed down a bit and so Jin started gossiping, Oh, that reminds me, I hear that salt being sold quite a lot now? Hearing that, Rnd looked depressed. When Jin asked what had happened, Rnd exined how salt was too popr and how he was left with no salt to bring to Kaina vige. He also exined how the only remaining jars were also stolen. Right? And before I realized, there was like 80 kgs of salt in my wagon! Isnt that good? Jin had been simply briefed by Laojun about it. But Rnd shook his head. No, I cant be doing that I dont know where it came from and moreover, I cant sell something I dont know of. What would I do if there was poison mixed in them? I see While impressed by Rnds honesty, Jin also understood that it was bad to just get the salt to him without thinking. If thats so, then I can give my appraisal. Jin suggested, You would be relieved if I make sure of the ingredient with engineering magic, right? Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. If you were to do that, the vigers would also be helped. And so, Jin started appraisal of the salt immediately. Analyze. Analyzing magic. He knew that nothing bad was mixed in them. After checking all 4 jars, Jin gave his approval, saying they are all fine. Hearing that, Rnd couldnt be happier. Thank you very much. With this, I can distribute the salt. Eh? This salt isnt registered in the ount book so I cant possibly sell them. I will give them to everyone for free. Saying that, Rnd took the salt and went away. And Jin was sure that if it was this merchant, he could keep associating with him for a long time. After that, although a bitte, Jin went to the mayors ce. Ohh, Jin, wee back. I will be heading out soon again, though. Um, how does Barou and Belle seem from your point of view, mayor? Hm? Oh, those 2. Hmm, they are not bad. They have also gotten acquainted with most of the people here too, after all. As expected of Gibbeck, properly understanding what Jin meant. I see. Then, if they were to ept, Hmm, there is no problem whatsoever. Hearing that, Jin was relieved. Then he hurried back to Marthas ce since it was almost time to return to Reinhart. Jin found Hanna, Elsa, Belle and Barou having the earbells when he returned. Ah, onii-chan! This is very delicious! Thank you! Jin-nii, thanks for bringing this nostalgic fruit. Jin-sama, this is the taste of my country, thank you for this. Martha and Mine also said they were delicious. Jin was also happy hearing that. I am d. It was worth bringing then. Jin smiled and faced Barou and Belle and asked, If its okay with you guys, would you like to be residents of this vige? Chapter 311: Contract Established

Chapter 311: Contract Established

We be residents of this vige? Yes, if you guys are okay with it, that is. Of course, if you want to return to your country, I will help you. You dont have to answer right away either. said Jin. After thinking a bit, Barou replied, I see This vige is a really nice ce. I had opportunity to observe the study meeting the day before yesterday. Although they were still teaching things we already know, I heard from Elsa-sama that they were nning on introducing many more different things. Jin nodded. Yeah, thats right. Although it is progressing little by little, I do wish toplete the education system here. A vige like this, its my first time seeing anything like it! I like these vigers! Belle said full of spirit. If its okay for me to live in this vige then, I want to live here. To Belle who had already made up her mind, Barou asked, Belle, youre okay with this, right? Yup, Barou. Unlike you, I dont have any family anymore so I wouldnt have anywhere to go even after returning to Magiruts. Looks like Barou was the only one who had a family in the Shouro kingdom and Belle didnt have a single rtive. Although Jin had left the questioning to Mine and Elsa about these, he forgot to listen to their report. It was a point he thought he had to reflect on, as he was the one who brought the two kids. Jin-sama, could you let us live here, in this vige? My country I dont really have a reason to return there soon or anything. At that time we were really grinding with ourst ounce of strength and thought that if we were to die, it should be on the soil of our own country. Barou faced Jin with his back straight. Got it. I will also tell Gibbeck-san about it. About your job hmm, how about castle management? They would normally have to do cleaning and receive guests if there are any. Jin also said that he would like to entrust them with one end of the management tasks one day. Su-such a big role? Barou was getting slight cold feet. On the other hand, Yes! I will do my best! Belle replied positively. Although it can also be that she didnt quite understand the details of the job. Alright, then your sry will be 10 silver coins a month, the food will be served from here and we will also provide the necessary clothes. For your house, how about inside the castle for the time being? You will get about 1 day off a week at first. I will think more about itter. Normally, butlers ordy attendants in learning while living in dont really get paid. 10 silver coins a month was an exceptional offer. Theres also no other ce which gives a whole day off every week. At the very least, not at Serroa kingdom, where they had been working. Y-yes, thank you very much! After being elbowed by Belle, atst Barou also replied. Alright, then its settled. Lets talk about the details again tomorrow. I have somewhere to be after this. Saying that, Jin was about to leave but then he stopped and looked back, Really, I would consider it if you guys wanted to return to Shouro kingdom once. Having said that, he went back towards the castle. Onii-chan, have a nice trip! Hanna, who had juste out of the house, saw Jin off like that. At the time Jin got out from the carriages warp-gate, the group was about to reach the city of Kram. It was about 30 minutes past noon. Jin had perfectly predicted the timings as he knew the time difference. Ohh, right on. He said, instinctively. The carriage stopped at the citys outskirts in the carriage parking. Oii, Jin, you there? It was Reinhart. Seeing how he was asking you there?-Jin wondered if he should be wondering if Reinhart knew about it or that he was getting used to it. I am. This citys specialty is a bit different. Thats interesting. Jin said while getting off the carriage. Reiko also followed him, like his shadow. Reinhart, Jin-dono, lets go. Matheus lead the way. Looks like he had his subordinates make the reservations. Look, this is the ce. The restaurant they had entered was normal in appearance. However, the moment he entered, Jin could sniff a nostalgic scent. Well, it is far off from being luxurious but there are these kinds of food as well so you could try them. To make Reinhart say so much about food. And then, the food was served in front of them. This is It was boiled barley and rice with tsukemono (Japanese pickled vegetables. Apart from that, there was also a grilled, dry fish. It was pompano no matter how you looked at it. Jin expressed his gratitude and sank his teeth into the dried food and vegetables. He had thought the boiled barley and rice would be dry but they were slightly liquidy with wheat flour. He can also catch fish which resemble the pompano at Hourai ind so it wasnt that nostalgic but he was certainly surprised that such a fish existed at a ce like this. It would have been better with chopsticks, he thought, as big forks and spoons felt kinda off. Although it is unfortunate that they didnt have soy sauce, Jin got teary eyed after experiencing the nostalgic taste. He had finished a te right away. Seeing his appetite, Reinhart was also surprised, as he looked at Jin wide eyed. I am surprised. To think you would like it that much. It is an honor. Yeah, I had simr food in my hometown so it felt nostalgic. Thank you, Reinhart. I see, I didnt know that but I am d you liked it. They are better when its cold, though. Reiko, who was standing behind, was analysing the ingredients of the food and sent it to Laojun back in Hourai ind. (Laojun, father is eating this with an expression of nostalgia on his face. Please make it so that it can also be made in Hourai ind.) ([Understood, leave it to me.]) Having received the report, Laojunpared with his own data of Jins likes and informed the golem maid in charge of cooking, Pelidolida. At the very least, the next time Jin goes back to Hourai ind, he will be able to eat coleseed and chinese cabbage-like pickled vegetables with it. After all, as there is a huge refrigerator in Hourai ind, they can also make pickled vegetables which are normally made in winter. After having his fill of the unexpected nostalgic cooking, he was heading towards Fonde while talking to Reinhart who was also on board. And that is how I have decided to hire those two at my ce. Hearing the whole exnation from Jin, Reinhart was happy. I see! I was worried about them, as they were my fellow Shouro citizens. That also makes me feel relieved. Saying that, Reinhart continued, I had prepared their IDs for what it matters, though. Reinhart said bringing out wooden tags from his chest pocket. As he was a diplomat, it seems he could also issue certificates like ambassadors in Earth could. In the certificate, it was written how they were citizens of the Shouro empire and all thats left was their signature. Well, it mighte in handy in the future so I will dly ept them. Yep, that would be good. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. The carriage advanced down the highway carefreely. Meanwhile, at Kurain kingdom, Presos, at the outskirts of Earl Walters territory. Just a little further in is the royal familys territory. Normally,ndlords would ce their base in a ce where it would be easy to rule but it was different for Earl Walter. He liked it to be as close to the capital, Alban. At Presos, two travellers had reached. We will be staying the night here, huh? One was a young, male knight. Seems so. Lets head out early tomorrow. A young, female knight answered. Rush-san, did you evere to this city? Asked the female knight. The knight named Rush answered, Embarrassingly enough, I have not. I will leave it to Farheight-dono. You dont really have to be so formal. Please call me Lishia. I-I see! Then, you should also call me Pascaud! Fufu, got it, Pascaud-san. After parking their carriage, the two went with their luggage to search for an inn. Chapter 312: (Extra) Salt’s Market Price!

Chapter 312: (Extra) Salts Market Price!

May 11th, at Sharuru city. I want to buy some salt. There was group going around saying that. We are in a bit of a shortage of goods at the moment so I dont care, I will pay double. I-if so, then And like this, the shops had ran out of salt really quick. On the same day, the same scene was witnessed at Doppa, Rakuno and Toka vige. Kurain kingdom doesnt have an ocean. And at the moment, they didnt know about rock salt in the country. As such, salt was an imported good and Serroa kingdom provided more than 80% of it. They knew about the usefulness of salt so naturally, Kurain kingdom also came up with a somewhat n. One of which was to stock up salt and other was to import from different countries. At the capital city Alban, there was a salt reserve which held more than hundreds of tons of salt stocked up. However, the king managed it and nobody could take salt from there without permission. Moreover, they were also importing salt from the neighboring country, Leonard kingdom, but as it was a closed off country to begin with, the foreign trades from there was insignificant. Rather, Egelia kingdoms delivery through Serroa kingdom was more than that. However, as salt is heavy and they would have to carry it through a long distance, the price being double wasnt abnormal. I dont care if its the normal salt, could you sell me some? Such an exchange also took ce. In the Kurain kingdom, all the salt is gathered in the capital and only the merchants, who are given permission by the king, were able to do business with them. Although, this permission is given to anyone as long as they provide 20% of the selling price as tax. I will pay three times the market price! I guess I could sell you some then. It hasnt turned into a monopoly so the marketce changes with demand and supply. At present, the price of salt was gradually increasing at one part of the Earth. We have bought quite a bit, huh? We also used quite a lot of money too, though. That doesnt matter. We can just sell them back at the right opportunity. If we are able to sell properly, we would also be able to profit. There was a group having such a conversation. They were Earl Walters subordinates. Salt intake differs from person to person but it is approximately 8 grams per day. Considering the waste as well, it would reach around 10 grams per day so that would be 300 grams per month. If there are 5 members in a family, that would be 1.5 kg. Salt is also used in pickling so an average of 2 kgs of salt will be used. At present, the amount of salt they bought was about to cross 4 tons. Seriously, even though its only 30 toll per kg in Elias kingdom, its 150 toll here. We dont have seas so it cant be helped. Its 50 toll per kg in Serroa kingdom, you know? And since our country is buying from them, of course it would cost more. Buying that costly salt at an even higher price of 450 toll, seriously what is Earl Walter thinking? As if I know. We just have to do what we were told. At the end, they had bought a total of 5 tons of salt that day. The following day, 12th of May. Rumors brought salt merchants to Sharuru city. Among them, an interesting merchant was present. It was a merchant with a golem. They had let the golem pull the wagon while the merchant was peddling. That caught quite a lot of eyes and gathered many customers. Ohh, this is some good salt. Pure white, smooth and dry. Right? Its the salt from far away, Elias kingdom! Its a bit pricey but the taste is guaranteed! Now,e buy some quick! Give me 1 kg. Yes, that would be 200 toll. 1 kg for me too! Yes, thank you very much. Seeing the situation fold out like that, Earl Walters underlings signaled at each other with their eyes and approached the merchant. Oi, I will buy some. Yes, how much would you like? All of it. Wha? I am saying I will buy all the salt you brought. Thank you very much. However, but the amount other customers will buy Stop nitpicking and just sell them to me! I will give 600 toll per kg. O-oh I am telling you to sell them!! Said the man, striking the stand. Seeing that menacing look, the customers who had gathered also dispersed and the merchant gave up. I-I understand. But, it is quite a lot, isnt it? How much do you have? Umm The merchant looked at his ount book. I have about 5 tons. 5 ton, you say?! Yes. And so, I dont know what you will be using them on but how about taking 2 tons for now? Said the merchant, but, N-no, I said all of it so gimme all. The man didnt yield. Being told that many times, even the merchant had no choice but toply. T-then, please inspect the salt in this wagon yourself. I have sold about 60 kilos already so theres 4940 kilos left. Alright, lemme see. Saying that, the men got in and brought out the salt. 10 kgs at a time and confirmed the weight. Theres no mistake. After about half a day, the men had finished weighing all 4940 kilos of salt and looked exhausted. Here, the money. Saying that, he handed over a bag of silver and gold coins. Thank you very much. The merchant quickly counted the money, which was a total of 2,964,000 toll, and then disappeared into a city corner with his golem and wagon. Fu, idiot. It doesnt hurt us no matter how much we pay. The man said. And then made eye signals to a man standing far away. Be as happy as you want with the money you just got. We will be taking it back this night, though. Such a scene could also be seen at Rakuham, Saww and Zuk. That night. What happened to the peddlers? Th-that is I am asking you something! They disappeared. What?! After the encounter, we were following the merchant stealthily but after going around a certain corner, the golem and the merchant disappeared, leaving the empty wagon. Theres no way such a thing can happen! Its one thing if it was just the human but for a huge ass metal golem to just disappear into thin air?! Even if he says that now, it isnt like they woulde back. They had paid the 2,964,000 toll nning to take it back but had failed miserably. [Good job, Regulus 35, Land 54] At Hourai Ind, Laojun was praising the Quinta Regulus 35 and Army Golem Land 54 for their work as the merchant. Pairing these two up, he sent them to Sharuru town to sell salt. As expected, there were people who came to take back the money. [Just as My Lords knowledge suggested.] Yes, although we had to leave the wagon. [Thats not a problem. Its just a mediocre wagon. More importantly, making that Earl suffer a loss was good.] They did the same at other ces. With Regulus 36 and Land 55 at Rakuham and Regulus 37 and Land 56 ta Saww. At Zuk, Regulus 38 and Land 57 went and they all sold salt at a high price. [A total of 20 ton was sold, eh? That makes 12,000,000 toll. This will hit him hard financially.] It is quite a big sum of money for an individual. And then, Laojun yed one more move. [After a few days, lets start selling salt in a small scale. At the previous price of 200 toll. We must not sell these to those guys.] With this, he ns to maintain the normal market price of salt. [Its only costly because theres a shortage of it. However, if theres too much salt in the market, the price will have to go down.] Jin was not that familiar with economics so Laojun couldnt also scheme better than that. But it was more than effective to make Earl Walter suffer. Chapter 313: Ambassador Lishia

Chapter 313: Ambassador Lishia

12th of May. During the time when salt was still being bought up here and there. Lishia Farheight and Pascaud Rush had reached the city of Rakham. They werent on any fixed schedule so they were going at a somewhat slow pace. After all, they could easily make it from Presos to Sharuru with a good horse. Lishia-san, will we be staying here today? Pascaud asked Lishia. He was baron Rushs third son and was now 20 years old. He had a normal physique. He had blonde hair and blue eyes which would make him pretty good-looking but his low eye corners ruin it all. However, that also makes him kinda easy to talk to and so he was surprisingly popr amongst the female knights, soldiers and attendants. But there was only one woman he wanted to be popr to. It was none other than Lishia Farheight, who was right in front of him. Right. From what I have heard, Earl Walter seems to be staying here right now. Lets go give our greetings. Eh Before departing Pascaud had heard about what Earl Walter had done and how he had lost a part of hisnd as leaseholdnd. For that reason, he was worried about how Lishia will be weed by the Earl, since she was going to thatnd as an ambassador. Even though he wanted to protect her, he was from a baron household and was the third son at that, as well. It wasnt like he could hold his own against an Earl. I dont really rmend it, though. Pascaud was the older among the two but Lishia held a higher position than him. On top of that, it was the woman he had feelings for so he was trying to keep a low profile. However, Lishia wasnt the least concerned about it and turned the horse around towards the Earls vi in Rakham. It will be fine. Hes another noble who serves the kingdom. Lishia stated to Pascaud, who couldnt help but worry. Thanks foring, Farheight-dono, Rush-dono. However, contrary to Pascauds thoughts, Earl Walter weed the two in a very good mood. On the surface, at the very least. It has been a while, Earl. I was on my way to Jin-donos leaseholdnd as the ambassador of Kurain kingdom. The moment Kaina viges name popped up in the conversation, the Earls expression distorted just a bit but neither Pascaud nor Lishia noticed. You have been appointed quite an important job then. As its just a vi, I cant provide much of a good service but please, stay the night here. The Earl said with a smile. Lishia decided to meekly take him up on his kindness. Leave the horses at the stable and your luggages with the butler. As they were told, they gave away the big, official luggages to the butler, keeping the hand luggage with them. As the official documents were sealed, they would immediately know if it was tampered with and they also didnt think the Earl would do such a thing. They had three horses, one for Lishia, one for Pascaud and another for their luggages. They left them at the stable. Ah, please give this one these fodder and water. At the end, they also left 2 of their carrier pigeons there. Among the 2, 1 was to report back after reaching Kaina vige, about the situation there. And the other was for emergency purposes. The fact that they had military-use carrier pigeons showed how important this role was. Yes, please leave it to me. The butler dly received the pigeons, saying he had also taken care of pigeons before. That also made Lishia feel relieved. Lishia and Pascaud got two separate rooms. After entering her room, Lishia thought back upon her task again. [As the Kurain kingdom, we really want to hold onto this brilliant-super brilliant magi craftsman, Jin. And, we also would like to receive some tools or magic tools sometimes, which would bring profit to the country. And for that purpose, we must not displease him. And as such, your job as the ambassador for Kaina vige is to please Jin and that is all.] That was what she was repeatedly told by the vice-minister of foreign affairs. [Depending on the situation, hold on to him using yourself.] They didnt say that, though, but she did receive indications of it. Jin-san Based on the impression she has of Jin, Jin seemed like a guy who wouldnt like that. Or rather, he seemed like someone who wouldnt like any shrewd scheme. She had deepened this belief of her by talking to her former instructor, Gloria Orstat. She thought if she was going to have a good rtion with him, she was to have a bond of pure friendship. But that was just her instinct talking and wasnt anything certain. As such, Lishia was having trouble deciding on what to prioritize more for Kurain kingdom, her instinct or the authoritys instructions. Looks like that Farheights young girl is the ambassador. Oho? That is something. It grates on my nerves but I cant possibly use just that as a hindrance. Well, that is true. By the way, it seems that she is taking two pigeons along with her? Mm? You get info fast, huh? Thats true. I have a pretty interesting experiment I would like to do, can I? What is it? I cant say. If it goes well, it might also please you a bit. Hmm, well, fine. I wouldnt stop something you do by yourself. Haha, wise. Quinta-Deneb 29 was listening in on that conversation but couldnt grasp what the mysterious other man was nning on doing. And so passed on the whole conversation to Laojun. [Certainly, we cant say for sure by just that conversation. Just that it will be something rting to the pigeons.] Yes. [Keep a lookout such that her pigeons arent exchanged or hurt.] Understood. [And who is this unknown man?] I do not know. He was wearing a hooded robe so I couldnt see his face. Just that he is probably in his 30s from his voice and physique. [Then also investigate that mans identity.] Yes, understood. [If you are short-handed, I will send one more Quinta.] Yes, that would be helpful. [Then Deneb 30 is free, take her.] The next morning, Pascaud and Lishia had avish breakfast and slowly departed from Rakham. The Earl also went out to see them off with a smile. Lishia looked at the basket behind her saddle, which had the pigeons in it. The two pigeons were quiet inside the basket. There were also no signs of meddling with the documents seal. It isnt good to doubt other people much, huh? Yes Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. The Earl was also regretting doubting Jin-san. He was talking about it yesterday. He did? Pascaud couldnt really believe it just like that. As he had been a noble since birth, for better or worse, he knew the beings called nobles well. And that suspicion of his will hit the mark in an unexpected way. Buying up salt, you say? They had reached Sharuru city, where the price of salt had increased. Salt is used in almost all kinds of cooking. As such, the dinings and restaurants couldnt help but raise their costs as well. And is the Earl doing nothing? Those parts fall under Earl Walters territory. It was thendlords duty to do something when his people are in trouble. He was even staying at Rakham which was just beside Sharuru. Of course, Lishia or Pascaud didnt think so far ahead toe up with the idea that the Earl himself was the one leading this. Yes, nothing. Thats terrible. I wish we could do something about this. Lishia-san, we have a role to fulfill. We must not forget what to prioritize. Pascaud warned Lishia. However, it was a sound argument for a noble. Thats right Lishia felt bitter not being able to do anything. If it was Jin-san here, what would he She couldnt help but think that Jin would do something about this. Lishia secretly decided by herself to talk to Jin about this when she reached Kaina vige. Laojun still hadnt released the salt into the market. It would be a day or two after this. Chapter 314: Pen and pen nibs

Chapter 314: Pen and pen nibs

On ate afternoon of the 11th of April, Jin and the others had reached Fonde just before sunset. Aftering this far, Jin felt like the climate had somewhat changed. Although the dryness was still there, if one were to exin, it would be that the difference was that if one had a dryness warning, the other would have an extreme dryness warning. As I thought, the eaves of the roofs and the roofs, as well, are small-they must have very little rainfall around here. Such a murmur escaped Jins mouth. Jin, did you say something? No, not really. Jin, Reinhart and Matheus headed towards a Fonde inn together. In two more days after this night, we will be at Roizato. It has been long Reinhart said heartily during dinner, holding a ss of wine. When did you leave the country again, Reinhart? Matheus asked while in thought. Umm, I left in the beginning of springst year, so it has been over a year. What do you n on doing after you get back? Continue being a diplomat? Saying that, Matheus started exining to Jin. By our tradition, once diplomats return, they can choose to do a different job for 3 years. I see. Jin agreed with that. As there might be various inconveniences due to being outside the country for long. Will you marry when you get back, Reinhart? Yea, I guess that would happen naturally. I havent met Belche for more than a year too, after all. Hereupon, Matheus interrupted with a grin, Belche has be quite pretty. I havent seen her for half a year myself so she probably got even prettier. From the looks of it, Matheus gets drunk easily. He has also started addressing himself as ore (casual masculine version of I). Yea, I look forward to meeting her. Reinhart washed it away with a normal reply. Reinhart could drink way more than Matheus. That night, thinking he would let Reinhart take it easy, Jin returned to his room early. And then, he secretly went out at night to the carriage with Reiko and leaped to Hourai ind using the warp gate. [Wee back, my lord. Wee back, Reiko-san.] Laojuns weing voice reverberated. Jin didnt n on going to the Kaina vige again tonight. Firstly, because of the time difference, it is already 11 pm there. I n on visiting Kaina vige again tomorrow. I will be taking the balls Rnd-san ordered, so get them ready. [Understood. Handball, baseball and dodgeball 100 each, yes?] Thats right. We have the materials, right? Yes, gutter-percha like the tea nts raw rubber, correct? We have more than enough.] Alright, then, also set up the vessels needed to collect tea nt sap starting now cause I also want to teach Elsa how to make it. I dont need many, just 3 will do. [Understood.] After giving the general instructions, Jin decided to listen to the report. [It was Earl Walters work-not letting any salt get to Kaina vige.] Jin was enraged. Again with him So, is there any evidence? [No, nothing other than circumstantial evidence. He is quite clever with his methods-he makes the subordinates of his underlings hire someone from the city to do the work which makes it hard to get anything on him.] Hmmm. However, the moment we get a hold of evidence, we will throw it in front of the the country-we cant keep being hit by him. As Jin muttered that, Laojun proposed without a moments dy, [Please leave that to me. I shall take care of it.] This part of Laojun was kind of rare. He is also probably angry about the Earl meddling with Kaina vige. Got it, I will leave it to you. I will reach the capital of Shouro empire soon, so I might not be able toe back in 2-3 days, I leave this ce to you. [Yes, have a good time, my lord.] And so, Jin returned to Fonde once again. On the following day, as usual, they departed at 8 am. During the morning, Jin again secluded himself in his carriage and leaped to Kaina vige. Ah, Jin-san, this really helps a lot! Rnd was in high spirits, receiving the gum balls Jin, Reiko and Butler A came in with. It was past 10 am here and so Rnd had thought Jin was making the balls during this time. Rnd would be staying at Kaina vige for another day. The reason behind it was, of course, business negotiations. His aim was the pen used in the study meetings. The pen was made from metal and so was light and didnt worn down. Its not like he saw the study meeting, he just saw the mayor, Gibbeck, using it and was intrigued. And so he hadnt seen the whiteboard or the felt pen. Even by itself, the metal pen was revolutionary. The reason behind that was that this world still used quill pens. This metal pen is amazing! Please sell it to us, the Ranpany! Yes, that is fine. But this is abined unit. Wouldnt one with changeable nibs be better? Thinking of it simply, that type was more suited for the general public, Rnd thought. Thats true. Then I would like a 100 of those exchangeable nib pens and 50 of thebined ones. E-executive director! Isnt that a bit too much? Bothe, who was listening beside them, panicked. No matter how he thought of it, it was being too hasty to suddenly order that many. Nn? It isnt much, is it? We have sales as well the budget. We can pay up more than enough, you know? What Bothe actually meant was that Jin probably wouldnt be able to make it in time if he ordered that much. What Rnd thought was that he meant that they wouldnt have the money to pay. They were weirdly not in sync. Its fine, I will make it in time. Saying that, Jin looked at Elsa. Elsa here can also make them, after all. Elsa came beside Jin enthusiastically. Mm. I will help. And like that, Jin went to the workshop with Elsa. Even Elsa was used to making the pens with aluminium 64. But this time they were making with phosphor bronze as aluminium couldnt be collected at Kaina vige. First, I will show you how to create phosphor bronze. 9% percent tin, phosphorus 0.15% and the remaining with copper. It had high stic limits with a strong spin. Ironing. Phosphorus is in iron as impurity. And so, he had them saved when he refined irons. And in no time, 10 kgs of phosphor bronze was made. Now began the making of the pen nibs. He decided on having Elsa make the 50bined units. Forming. At Elsas hand, the phosphor bronze changed shape and turned into pens. Thats good, they are well made. Keep it up like that. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. Mm. Confirming that Elsa had mastered the technique, Jin also began making pen nibs. The nibs were small so one would think that the amount of phosphor bronze needed would also be less but, !? Elsa, who was seeing the process with a sidelong nce was amazed. Elsa probably didnt know but just like with stic models, Jin made 10 pen nibs with a stem known as stolon. Amazing this is Jin-nii She had thought she had improved a bit but after catching a glimpse of Jins skills, she felt that the path ahead of her was still quite long. But, not being depressed and trying hard there-Elsa had such attributes. If it is only 2, maybe I can Elsa concentrated her will, mana and envisioned it. Forming And she had seeded magnificently. I did it! Hearing Elsas happy voice, which was rare, Jin turned to look. And saw how she had made the pen. Ohh?! Thats amazing! Elsa blushed. Keep working hard like that. Mm. At the end, they made 50 pen holders with hardwood. In the end, the ordered amount waspleted within an hour. Chapter 315: Elsa’s Growth

Chapter 315: Elsas Growth

After finishing making all the pen, Jin decided to teach Elsa how to make rubber balls. Land A went to bring the sap-collecting container they had set up yesterday. See, this is raw rubber. Raw rubber Elsa was curiously looking at the sticky, white substance stored inside the container. At this rate, it will be all muddy in the heat and harden in the cold. Theres a way to make it firm to a certain degree. Elsa was listening earnestly. Thats by mixing sulphur into it. I will exin whyter. And so, we will mix about 15%-20% sulphur, based on the overall weight. Mm. Jin shifted the raw rubber to a smaller container and added a lump of sulphur into it. I will show you how first. Saying that, Jin checked the weight of the sulphur and raw rubber using analyze. Theres about 250 gram of raw rubber in here so we will take 38 grams of sulphur. He prepared the required amount of sulphur by using separation on the bigger lump of sulphur. We will mix this. Homogenize and heating. After separating the unified sulphur, if you apply heat, a reaction called bridging urs and raw rubber turns into just rubber and doesnt melt even when heat is applied. At the end, Forming. Now, we must insert air inside it. To do that, we must make one part really thin once. In very thin gums membrane, there are countless holes big enough such that air can pass through. If you take in more air from there and increase the membrane thickness again, the air gets trapped inside. Then, we will make the membrane more delicate with surface treatment. And the ball isplete. After processing it such that the air doesnt leak, the dodgeball wasplete. Elsa had also seen the kids y with the ball so now that she had seen how it was made, she understood. Now, try making one. Jin handed her 80 grams of raw rubber to start off small as it was her first time. The first step was to prepare the required 12 grams of sulphur. Just think of doing it like before, imagine piling up 1 gram over 1 gram. Mm. Elsa earnestly remembered the 1 gram technique and umted 12 times inside her head. The moment that image in her head had be certain, Separation. And brought out the required amount of sulphur. Jin, who was watching, Hmm, good job. Theres barely any error, thats amazing. Complimented Elsa. Elsa was happy and continued the process by using magic next. Homogenize. Heating. Thats right. Dont forget to observe the gum while heating. Mm. And after 1 minute of careful heating, the gum was wonderfully done. Aftering this far, making the balls shape is a piece of cake. She processed the surface smoothly and one baseball waspleted. You seeded in your first try, youve gotten really good. Thanks to Jin-nii. It will be fine if the kids want more ball now, huh? Yep, leave it to me. Seeing Elsa nod enthusiastically, Jin stood up. It was almost noon. Just as they got out of the workshop, Hanna had alsoe to call them. Jin and Elsa washed their hands and went Marthas house. Ah, Jin-sama. There were more chairs in the dining and Barou and Belle also came. U-umm, Martha-sama said it was okay if we had lunch together so Barou was still somewhat nervous. Jin answered with a smile, Ah, I think thats fine. When you get used to it, try making some in the castle, alright? As Jin said that, Belle energetically replied, Yes! I am learning how to cook from Martha-sama and Mine-sama! I also learnt how to make some Serroa kingdom food. Mine said smiling. There, Barou nervously asked, U-umm, Jin-sama, can I ask you a few questions? Jin nodded to show his consent while eating a bread. Y-yes, u-umm, that is, this ce its Kurain kingdom, isnt it? Mm? Yes, it is. Swallowing the bread, Jin answered. S-so, then, umm, how did you bring us here, which is hundreds of kilometers away from Tosko shia? He probably instinctively understood it was a difficult question to ask as his voice got more and more low. Ah, I see. Well, you would have your doubts. I will just say that I have ways, for now. I will decideter on if I will tell you about the details or not. As Jin said that, this time, Belle opened her mouth, Yes! You mean after determining if we can be trusted or not, right? We will work hard! Come on, Barou, you too! U-umm We will work hard To Barous dull words, Belle retorted by saying stuff like e on, say it again! With more energy!. After lunch, Butler B and C came. Laojun seems to have dealt with it. Barou and Belle went to the castle along with those two. At this rate, there may be five different colors of golem maids. Jin could picture Barous surprised expression. Belle is more adaptable, huh Although Jin was thinking as such, he didnt even realize that it was more of letting go ofmon sense rather than adapting. Ah, Jin-san, how is the pening along? There, Rnd and Bothe came. Ah, they are done. Saying that, he brought the pens in a box from the workshop. Thank you very much, as expected from Jin-san. Said Rnd happily epting them while Bothe just stared in wonder from behind. I had Elsa help me out too, after all. Jin introduced Elsa once again. They didnt really get introduced before, after all. I am Elsa, Jin-niis protg. Elsa also introduced herself. Although Rnd was hooked a bit when he heard protg, he ignored it like a merchant and, Elsa-san, yes? Nice to meet you. Same here. As Elsas introduction was also over, Although the output would decrease a bit, Elsa can also make pen and balls, so it will be fine even if I am absent. As he said that, Rnd got happy. Seems like he was being pestered quite a lot by customers who wanted balls. As for the pens cost, how about 200 toll for one pen nib and 500 toll for an unified unit? It was very Jin-like to have not talked about the pricings before but Rnd came bringing up a very fair price. Moreover, if he made it too cheap, it would affect the traditional items, monopolize the market and lead to the disadvantage for people selling those items, etc, and so there was a chance to disrupt healthy economic development. Well, only Rnd knows if he had thought that far or not. Yes, that is fine. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. On the other hand, Jin easily epted. Here, Mine, who was standing beside them, thought that they should make Barou and Belle support him when they are able to. Keeping the balls price as before, Jin epted the payment. Jin entrusted it all to Mine. Leave it to me. Jin-sama, if were doing this, can I work at the castle as well? Mine continued, saying she couldnt work full time but would like to do part time. Yea, Barou and Belle arent used to it either so I think that will be good. That was more than what he could ask for so Jin quickly agreed. If you could educate those two a bit, that would be even better. Is one gold coin per month alright as your sry? That was 10,000 toll which is equal to 100,000 yen. Considering how the food expenses in this vige doesnt even reach a 1000 toll per month, it is more than enough. Mine said it was too much as she wasnt even working full-time but Jin didnt listen. I am leaving the house to you all the time and will probably be doing it more so its fine. Saying that, he noticed that it was past 1 pm. Now then, I must go again. Jin said and went to the workshop underground, rather than the shelter. Rnd and Bothe were already gone so nobody would think of it as strange. Then, I will be going. Have a good trip, onii-chan! Take care, Jin-nii. Take care, Jin. Have a nice trip. And like that, after being seen off by everyone, Jin went to meet up with Reinhart. Chapter 316: Maestro

Chapter 316: Maestro

On 12th of May, Jin and the others would be staying the night at Riale. The distance from there to Roizato is less than 40 kilometers and it takes about a day to get there. During the afternoon that day, Jin was spending his time inside the carriage, listening to Reinharts story. Ohh, so thats Riale. And in the evening, they reached Riale. They headed towards the carriage station on their carriages. A noticeably distinctive, pure white carriage was there. It was small sized and was pulled by two horses. That is? Is it Reinhart? Hearing Reinhart muttered seeing the carriage, Jin also closely examined at the carriage but couldnt find anything that unusual. If so, the crest seems like he knows the owner. S-she Matheus also muttered. Reinhart-sama~! A girls voice could be heard. When he turned his head, he could see a girl in a dress, running their way. Belche?! Reinhart-sama! Ive wanted to meet you! She ran up to him and jumped on him. Although he staggered a bit, Reinhart caught her perfectly. Belche, it has been so long! I am d to see youre doing well! He hugged her saying that. Youre way toote! I have been waiting so long! Saying that, she also hugged him back. After a while of them being like that, Ah, Belche, Reinhart. We are in front of people so maybe leave it at that? Matheus said clearing his throat with an ahem and with that, the two separated, blushing. After straightening herself, the woman called Belche smiled towards Matheus and said, Wee back to you too, brother. Yea, I am back, Belche. After such an exchange, Reinhart tapped Belches shoulder, faced towards Jin and said, Jin, I will introduce you. She is my fiancee and Matheus younger sister. And then, Belche took over giving her name, I am Belche Gaist Fon Scarlet. She finished saying with a curtsy. Belche, this is the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom, Jin Nidou, my guest. I am Jin. Jin greeted in Japanese style with a bow. If youre Reinhart-samas guest, then youre also my guest. Jin-sama, wee to Shouro empire. I wee you. Belche had slightly wavy, blonde hair and green eyes. She was about 150 centimeters tall, far shorter than even Jin. She seems kind and friendly and judging from the fact that she came all the way here to receive Reinhart, she is also pretty lively. I already have booked the inn! Saying that, she had her hand taken by Reinhart very naturally and the both of them started walking towards the town. Jin and Matheus also followed them. She prioritizes her fiance more than me, her brother, eh? Mathues muttered but Jin pretended he didnt hear. The inn was a luxurious hotel in the center of the city. Dinner was a banquet. The whole ce was reserved. Reinhart-sama, it must have been hard being out so long. I want you to have a great deal of fun tonight. Saying that, Belche sat beside Reinhart and poured him wine. Thanks, Bell. Ufufu, it has been a while since youve called me that, too, hasnt it? The atmosphere around them was very different. So much that even the blockhead Jin could understand. It seems the aura is different just there, huh As Jin muttered, Matheus, who was sitting beside him whispered in a low voice, She has been deeply in love with Reinhart since long ago, Jin-dono. I see Reinhart was cheerful, talking with Belche. Seeing this unexpectedly different side of Reinhart, Jin was having fun too. The food, too, although not anything rare, was made really well and was possibly the best they had since entering Shouro empire. At the time, maybe Reinhart said something to Belche, which made her ask Jin, Jin-sama, could you introduce me to your automata? Eh? Ah, yes Reiko,e here. Jin called Reiko, who was standing behind and introduced her, She is Reiko, my daughter. Reiko slightly bowed and said, I am Reiko. Seeing that, Belche wore a beam on her face and, Fuwah, so cute! I have never seen an automata as wonderful as Rayko-chan! No wonder Reinhart-sama invited her, as well. He has always liked cute stuff, after all. Matheus followed. Belche continued, I have also brought mine along Neon! Come along! And called her automatas name. Yes, miss. An automata with the appearance of a ten year old girl came along. She also had wavy, blonde hair like Belche and green eyes. Or rather, she looked pretty much like Belche. She was wearing a navy blue maid cloth. This girl is my automata, Neon. Neon, introduce yourself to everyone. Yes Everyone, I am called Neon. Nice to meet you. Her way of talking was bit unclear but she had very human-like movements. It must be the work of quite a skilled magi engineer, Jin thought. Good job, Neon. Jin-sama, this automata is the work of the best magi engineer of Shouro empire, Gebalt Ackerman. Even though she said that, Jin just thought And who is that?. And so, he couldnt reply anything other than I see. Grasping the situation, Reinhart followed up by saying, Jin, Mr. Gebalt is my masters senior apprentice. We were both the best pupils of the previous magi engineer maestro, Siegmundt Glynbarth-shi. Magi engineer maestro? Ah, you dont know about it, do you, Jin? Magi engineer maestro is the title given to the best magi engineer in the empire. Jin was drawn in by Reinharts exnation. Hmmm, I would like to meet him. Yep, I thought youd say that. Its fine, I will try to do something. Reinhart promised. Seeing that Belche said, Reinhart-sama seems to pay attention to Jin-samas needs. I am a bit jealous. Jin was a bit startled to hear this but as it didnt seem to have any deep meaning, Belche soon changed the topic. Is Rayko-chan good at doing something particr? Neon is good at singing and dancing. Let me show you Neon! Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. Yes, miss. Neon took a few steps back and started preparing. She has the intelligence of knowing what to do just from the context of the conversation. Its not so good but Saying that, Neon slowly started to dance. It was a slow style dance like the ones in Southeast Asia, Jin thought. She might not be able to move too fast due to the structure of her body too. Before long. She also started to sing while dancing. Even Jin couldnt understand the lyrics. There was probably a melody in her head to which she was trying to sing along impromptu. But even then, it was not at all inferior to Ceres dance in that golem party and the singing was as good as Zuingel there. Thank you. After finishing her dance, she bowed and stood behind Belche. Jin-sama, I would be really happy if your Rayko-chan could show us something as well. Belche requested with sparkling eyes, to which Jin couldnt refuse and called out Reiko. Reiko, can you show us something? Yes, father, leave it to me. Reiko easily epted and walked to the area where Neon had danced. Author note: Atst, Reinharts fiancee makes her entrance. Lolic no, nothing. What might Reiko show them? Bend an adamantite pole. Instantly kill 20 of Reinharts subordinates. Make origami with a 5 mm thick iron te. Something else Chapter 317: Neon

Chapter 317: Neon

Reiko walked out to the same ce where Neon danced. I am Reiko. I hope this helps ease everyones boredom. Performing a beautiful curtsey, she started dancing. This is! Eh! Reikos dance wasnt that different from Neons. In fact, the feeling was stronger and, on top of that, the movements were much smoother. Moreover, she started singing while dancing, as well. As expected, the melody was same as the one Neon was singing. Spring passes by in an instant~ Summer leaves, leaving its footprints~ Autumn quitely goes by~ And winteres running fast~ Her lyrics even had meaning behind them. Thend watches mans activity as always~ The water just flows by~ The mes shine, warm and burn~ The wind blows by all things~ Everyones gaze was fixated on Reiko. And then, the dancing and singing came to an end. Thank you for watching. Again, she did a curtsey and paid her respects. And silently returned to Jin. Everyone was still silent. Father, how was it? That question made Jin came back to his senses. Ah, it was wonderful, Reiko. As expected of you. He said while stroking her head and Reiko just smiled sweetly. A amazing! Belche, who had finally came back to her sense, shouted. Reiko-chan, well done! Reinhart said. Matheus followed up saying, Hats off! Even the waitresses of the hotel apuded. That was amazing, Rayko-chan! When did you learn it? Belche asked excitedly. Neon-san showed me the example, so. Reiko answered nonchntly. Eh? Just by seeing it once? Everyone was surprised but Reiko could even memorize a part of a high level magic by seeing or trying it once. See? I told you, right, Belche? Reiko-chan is an amazing automata! Reinhart boasted as if he was speaking of himself. Thank you very much. But everything is thanks to father, who made me. With that one sentence, Belche was even more impressed. Wonderful! Exactly like a human-no, exactly like a girl! Jin-sama, please be friends with Reinhart-sama forever. Yes, of course. Jin also answered with a smile. The fancy party ended and everyone went back to their rooms. Jin had thought Reinhart and Belche would have the same room but then he remembered the conversation, Are we in the same room today? N-n-n-no way I am doing something so shameful!! And so, Belche had denied with a flushed face. Now then, I guess I will go to the vige tomorrow. Tonight, I will just rest. Yes, father. You did really great today, Reiko. I am really proud. Jin said, stroking her heard. Reiko had a happy smile on her face. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Belche was sitting on her bed, gazing at Neon. At that time, there was knock on the door. Come in. Neon went and opened the door. Sorry foring in sote. Reinhart came in. Reinhart-sama, what happened? Before the ceremony you know, we cant? No, its not something like that. I was just a bit worried about you. It also kinda hurts when you just brush it off saying something like that, though Ah, s-sorry. No, like I was saying Reinhart panicked as Belche was ring at him. Seeing that, Belche soonughed and said, Its a joke. Reinhart-sama, you were worried about me why? Belche asked with a dubious expression, which said that she didnt remember doing anything to be worried about. Hmm, that is, I was saying about Neon. Neon? Yeah. I told you before, right? That Jin is a special magi craftsman. I personally think he is the best in the world. That there is no magi craftsman in this world greater than Jin. Reinhart started speaking enthusiastically. Seeing that, Belche said with a bitter smile, Geez, you get so worked up when ites to Jin-sama. Someone might end up misunderstanding if they dont know you well. Eh? Eh? Reinhart was a bit flustered, as he also remembered being misunderstood by Matheus. But, after seeing Belche float an impish smile, he knew that he was being teased. Come on, dont poke fun at me. Either way, as I know how deeply you care for Neon, I was just a bit worried. Worried? Yeah. Seeing Jins Reiko-chan, I was worried you might say that you dont like Neon anymore. Hearing that, Belches eyes opened wide for a moment, looking surprised. But the next moment, she burst outughing and said, Ufufu, Reinhart-sama, you were thinking that? And afterughing a bit more, Sorry forughing too much. But, you saw me like that? If so, that makes me a bit sad. She finished saying, looking sad too. Theres no way I will ever not like Neon. This Neon, which you gave me. Neon was the automata Reinhart asked his masters senior apprentice, Gebalt Ackerman, to make before leaving the country as a diplomat. Belche continued, I was just thinking how Neon and Rayko-chan were different. Saying that, she called Neon with her hand, made her sit beside her and hugged her. They looked exactly like twins. I see. Then its fine. Im sorry for doubting you Neon, you must be happy having such a great master, huh? Yes, Reinhart-sama. My master is the best in the world. Neon said smiling. That Rayko-san is an amazing person. I want to be friends with her. Reinhart also smiled hearing that. I see. I am supposed to guide him through thend, so I will talk to him about it then. He said while patting Neons head. But Belche, who was sitting beside her was pouting. Correctly reading into the atmosphere, Reinhart said, Well then, sorry for bothering. And then he kissed Belche on the forehead. Ah-n-no, its fine, Reinhart-sama. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Belche blushed and was flustered as she was caught off guard. She then panickedly stood up and saw Reinhart to the door. Good night, Bell. Good night. And the door was silently closed. That night, Belche probably had a good dream. Author note: A few people were able to guess right Chapter 318: The Capital Roizato

Chapter 318: The Capital Roizato

As Reinhart exited Belches room, he spotted Jin in the corridor. Jin, whats up? Yeah, I had something to talk to you about. And so, both of them went to Jins room. Well, what did you want to talk about? Reinhart sat on a chair and asked. Ah, first, about Reiko being a bit immature there. Saying that, Jin called Reiko. After thinking about it carefully, I think that might have hurt Belche-san and Neons honor, you see Jin said while patting Reikos head. In fact, when Reiko got in touch with Laojun for the periodical information exchange, Laojun pointed out that the way she did things could have hurt their honor and incurred displeasure. When I asked Reiko about it, she said she did it for my honor and so I told her to consider the other partys situation a bit too. Reiko looked a bit disheartened. Reinhartughed and denied it. You were worried about that? Belche didnt mind at all. Besides, that was also Belches fault as she asked Reiko to do something as well. Reinhart exined how she must have wanted to know Reiko and Jins skills as he praised them a lot. She didnt mind it a bit, alright? Besides, Neon was also saying how she wanted to be friends with Reiko. As he brought it to an end like that, Jin was also relieved. If so, then I guess its fine Also, theres one more thing. Its about Elsa. Elsa was at Kaina vige right now. Jin was worried how Reinhart reported that. Ah, about that. Reinhart exined it from a public standpoint. Firstly, there was the fact that Elsa apanying him wasnt part of any official business despite the country giving permission. And, although this sounds mean, Elsas biological elder brother Fritz did clearly tell Reinhart that she is not his responsibility anymore after her disappearance at Ikasanato. And so, I dont have any obligation to report. I n on staying quiet until they ask. But, Elsa knew about Belche-san, you know? Did Belche-san not say anything about her? Ah. She knows that Elsa and I went on a trip together but she must also know that Fritz also went to take her. And so she probably didnt find it weird that Elsa wasnt here. Reinhartughed a bit, looking a little lonely, saying that this isnt something they needed to talk about right away. It isnt like we cant meet anymore. After returning and finishing my report, I was nning to properly exin at my house. I see Reinhart, at that time, I will also invite you two to Kaina vige. Seeing Reinhart look a bit down, Jin told him that with a smile. That makes me d. It will be a good memory. Hearing that, Reinhart also smiled happily this time. After Reinhart left the room, Reiko, sorry about that. Jin apologized to Reiko. Reiko was confused, being apologized to by Jin. F-father?! About not letting you do girlish things all this time. Thats my responsibility. Thats not true. Father is But Jin embraced her without letting her finish. No, always saying youre my daughter I always left you with the fighting, thats my bad. Father Jin and Reiko talked about things a lot that night. May 13th, the day theyre supposed to reach Shouro kingdoms capital, Roizato. Jin was woken up by Reiko at 6 in the morning. He had told her to wake him up by 5 but as he stayed up quitete that night, Reiko decided to let him rest. Father, its time. The weather is great. Hmm, I see. Jin said while rubbing his sleepy face, then went on to wash his face and get changed. The weather was also great today. When he went out to the carriage station, he found Steward on the lookout. Good morning, master. Good morning. Good job keeping guard. Saying that, Jin got in the carriage. Reiko followed. [Good morning, my lord.] Laojuns voice weed them to Hourai ind as always. Good morning. Anything different in the vige? [No, nothing in particr. I sent the 5 differently colored newly made golem maids to Kaina vige. Their number starts from 101.] Butler B, C and 5 differently colored golem maids. Barou and Belle too. And Mine, who was working part-time. With this, Jins castle had enough resources. Yeah, that gives me peace of mind. Lets work little-by-little in the Kaina vige, a sudden drastic change wouldnt be good. [Understood. Besides that, we had report of Lishia-saning as Kurain kingdoms messenger and ambassador.] She is? When he came to think of it, she did alsoe as a tax collector and also knew Jin. It wouldnt be weird for her to be designated as the ambassador and messenger. [She is probably staying at Sharuru city tonight.] By horse? [Yes. After that, she will probably stay at Toka vige and will reach Kaina vige by noon the next day.] There arent many precedences of a messengering with a horse during peaceful times so Laojuns spections are probably right. The only time they would be hurrying would be from Toka vige to Kaina vige. That is because theres nothing but a rest hut to spend the night along the way. If so, then she will arrive on 15th noon, eh If I can, I wille but its still unclear. That much was obvious, as even Jin didnt know what awaited him at Shouro empires capital. After about 30 mins of such reports, Jin headed for the bathhouse-which was his first objective. The cities he had stopped at till now didnt have any bathhouses-probably because of theck of water, and so he had no choice but to wash himself with just hot water and that was unbearable for Jin, who loved bathhouses. Not to mention, he was going to reach the capital today, if so, he might not be able to sneak away like always. Fuu, yep, bathhouses sure are nice. Although he couldnt be too carefree, Jin rxed in the hot water, stretching his arms and legs. Father, we will finally reach the capital today. Yeah, Shouro kingdoms capital, eh? I look forward to it. Theres a bigke near it if I am not wrong, right? Yes. ording to Reinhart-san, theres Tosmoke and Shujuke. Thanks to that, the area surrounding the capital is rich in water supply. As Reiko listened, she would also exchange information with Laojun and so was more knowledgeable than Jin in some areas. Well then, lets go. Saying that, Jin went back. Reinhart-sama, the morning air feels good, doesnt it? As Jin got out from the carriage, he met Reinhart and Belche taking a walk intimately, linking arms. Good morning, Reinhart, Belche-san. The two also greeted Jin back. Good morning, Jin. Good morning, Jin-sama. He thought Belche would also want to try and ride Jins carriage but that didnt happen and the two of them kept walking just like they came. They get along well, huh? Reiko must have felt something from that as she pulled on Jins sleeve and said, Father, I am here. Reiko? I will be here, no matter what happens. Jin realized that he made Reiko worry and so patted her head. And then, he tapped Reikos shoulder once and headed towards the inn. 10-15 minutes after Jin reached the inn, Reinhart and the others also returned. And after having breakfast, they departed. Jin, today, I will be travelling in my carriage. I want you to stay behind and follow us. Reinhart said. He was officially returning back so that much is only natural. And of course, Belche, who wasnt part of their group, went ahead of them. Got it. I will follow. Sorry about it. Normally, I would like to exin a few things along the way but Jin-dono, I will appoint two of my subordinates to you. If you have any questions, please ask them. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. Matheus also had to properly fulfill his job as Reinharts escort today. Yeah, thanks. Then, lets prepare to head out. And after half an hour, the party left Riare. They crossed the city of Hald and Nia and had ate lunch at Hore city. There, they checked their outfit once again. The next stop will finally be the capital. Jin was amazed by the highways being paved from Riare all the way to the capital. It was probably due to the hardening magic but thanks to that, the carriages speed increased by 3 times. Jin thought that this was probably one of the reasons why Reinhart didnt ask to let Belche ride on his carriage. Private houses were everywhere along the way from Nia city to the capital. The water being avable here makes people gather, after all. The density of such houses increased even more after they crossed Hore city. There were more 2 storied and 3 storied buildings now. Most of them were made of stone but judging from the few which had the third floor made of wood, one could tell that their architecturing methods were advanced. Jin wasnt specialized in architecture but still wasnt bored by looking at them. Andter, a wide canal could be seen in front of them. Seems like the capital Roizato was surrounded by a wide canal instead of castle walls. It resembled that of Jiron city he had seen before but the length was 3 times that and was probably even deeper. Boats could be seen on those canals, and one could tell that they were used for transport and shipping. And also on the canal lied wooden boards, ahead of which was a stone bridge-one of the many bridges into the city. The wooden part was probably made to stop enemies from invading by burning the boards. Even still, just the canal is about 50, no, 60 meters. Even the bridge piers height is more than 10 meters. It truly feels like the city of water. So was Jins first impression. The bridges were also 10 meters wide so carriages could pass by easily. It seems like bridges like this one exist in all four sides of the city. Reiko exined after having received the information from Laojun. Matheus went on ahead. After confirming with the soldiers guarding the city, they moved to the sides, letting the party cross. And atst, Jin, who was at the end of the queue. A weird carriage, pulled by a golem horse, which was being handled by a golem driver. Even just that would have been very suspicious but it seems like they had contacted the authorities beforehand and Jin could pass by without any problem. It was proof that Matheus and his subordinates were trusted. Atst, Jin proceeded into the capital of Shouro empire, Roizato. Chapter 319: Emperor

Chapter 319: Emperor

As they crossed the wide bridge over of the wide canal, the view outside the window changed altogether. Ohh, interesting. Jin reflexively blurted out. As he had thought, there were a lot of waterways in Roizato, vertical and horizontal, all of which were being used for transportation. There were also some houses mounted on top of these waterways which looked quite fascinating. Hearing Jin mutter that, Reiko started sending the scenery information to Laojun, thinking that it might be helpful as reference data. Although Jin himself hadnt seen the cities in person, to him it looked like abination of Edo and Venice. But as they went closer to the center of the city, the number of these waterways decreased as they connected to the inner moats of the royal castle, surrounding it. Naturally, there were numerous water gates along the way, making it very difficult to get to the castle. The inner moats are about 10 meters, eh He was somewhat reminded of the Imperial Pce of Japan in Tokyo. There was just one entrance into the castle which wasnt a moat and the group advanced through it. And then after a while, a squad of imperial guards were lined up in the way and they stopped the carriage there. That was the first time they got off the carriage after entering the city. The imperial pce waspletely surrounded by the moats. All of their carriages were stationed at the garage and the horses, except Jins golem horse, were left with the person in charge. His golem horse was taken in with a look of admiration from the handler. Jin, please ride in this carriage. Miss Reiko too, please. Three carriages without roofs came to take them. Reinhart was riding on the first carriage and Jin was on the second. The third one seemed to be for luggages and so Jin left his hand luggage there. The three carriages advanced down a beautiful, stone-paved road. They then crossed a sturdy looking door and beyond that was the imperial pce. Oohh He couldnt let out a loud voice because of the ce but he couldnt help but feel amazed. There lied the Shouro empires imperial pce, boasting 300 years of history. The Shouro empire imperial pce was built with granite and was three storied. Its breadth stood out more than its height. It wasnt like a spire, rather it looked like a tough-looking western castle. Jin and the others walked into that castle which was being guarded by knights and soldiers. Reinhart went to report, along with Matheus, and Jin was left in the reception room. Two attendants apanied Jin, one male and one female. Please, help yourself. Jin was a bit surprised when he sniffed the fragrance of the tea they served him. It was a very nostalgic fragrance. He sipped a bit. roasted green tea? It was a taste very simr to that. And so, he tried asking the two with him. Is this tea a Shouro empire specialty? The male butler answered. Yes, it is a specialty of Shouro empires southern part. Do you know how it is made? When he asked, the butler answered, I am not sure if I can talk about that. Jin could assume. If it is a specialty, then theres probably a secret production method. He cant just tell it to a foreigner at a moments notice. I understand. I will be talking to myself then. After picking out green leaves, you steam it and then dry. Afterwards, you heat it till it releases a sweet-smelling fragrant. The moment he said that, the butlers expression changed. H-how do you know that?! As I thought. No, its just that it resembled the tea from my hometown. The butler regained hisposure after Jin said that. Is that so? I had heard that you are a very outstanding magi engineer but to think you are also knowledgeable about tea. He had just known of it because the director liked tea and he had to listen to the director talking about it, but he didnt say that out. Do you perhaps also have tea which is made by heating the leaves immediately after picking them? Jin tried asking the butler, to see if they also had green tea. Tea leaves go through oxidative fermentation naturally as they have enzyme in them. If this goes well and is left alone, it turns to ck tea. If it picked and heated immediately, it stops the enzymes and green tea is made. Y-you even know of that?! That is the production method for green tea which was developed over a 100 years ago! Ah, so they also have green tea, Jin thought happily. The tea leaves they were cultivating at Hourai ind was an imitation of the Kaina vige product, so the taste is a bit different. But the one here is exactly the same. Can I get a refill? As Jin said that after drinking it all, the female attendant cheerfully poured him more. Ah, delicious. Hearing Jin say that while drinking, the female attendant made a happy face. Her family are tea farmers, you see. She is happy you like it. As the butler said that, the female attendants face reddened. Even so, she is pretty silent. As if she was forbidden from opening her mouth. Is it cultivated in a warm area? You know your stuff. Thats right. Roizato is the northern limit to cultivate it. At this rate, there might also be rice, Jin thought and so he tried asking boldly. Um, are there Shouro empire special grains as well? He started off by leading them in. Yes, there is. Umm, its not like wheat, not like soy either and are fit for cultivating on wends and when they ripe, theres like a top portion dangling? As he said that, the butlers eyes opened wide yet again. Where did you learn that from?! You are talking about the nogi which is only cultivated at the south, right?! Jin became even happier knowing that a rice substitute also existed. I will definitely get the seeds! - he was determined. Ah, thats probably it. And the dishes which use it are Just when Jin was about to ask another question, the door opened. A young knight hade. Mr. Jin, pleasee. The emperor desires to meet you. Jin went walking down the hall with Reiko. That was because they didnt say anything about Reiko noting along. Reiko might not have agreed to be left behind again too. The emperor likes meeting outstanding individuals. However, after you enter, please keep your gaze lowered until the emperor tells you otherwise. Please be careful not to raise your gaze without permission. They said that there was nothing else he needs to be careful about and should just behave in his own proper manner. And then he was guided into the office. The door looked sturdy, being made with two wooden boards and two soldiers were standing at each side. Its Mr. Jin. After the knight who guided him there said that, the soldier who was standing by the door pulled a cord three times. Seems to be a bell or something. After which the door was opened from the inside. Please enter. Hearing the voiceing from inside, the knight urged them to step in. Wee, Jin. Reinhart was there. And there was a big solid desk at the back, behind which the Shouro empires emperor was sitting. The emperor really wanted to talk to you in person, you see. Now, please advance inside. To show his utmost respect, Jin bowed deeply and moved inside. 1 step, 2 step. He had reached in front of the emperor after 7 steps. His gaze was still at the emperors feet. He had not raised his gaze. Hes Jin Nidou, magi crafsman of a foreign country. Hes also the honorary magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom and has also be an honorary member of our magi engineer guild the other day. Reinharts voice resounded, introducing Jin. I wee you. Mr. Jin Nidou, please raise your face. After being told, Jin raised his face and saw the emperor for the first time. And was surprised. Wee to Shouro empire. I am the emperor, Gelhart Hilde Fon Rubis Shouro. Shouro empires emperor was a woman an empress. Fufu, it seems like you are surprised. Everyone who meet me for the first time are surprised. Thats fine. I am the previous emperors daughter. And I will be the emperor until the previous emperors child, Elunsto bes an adult. Jin was surprised as she even told him about such internal matters. Fufu, youre surprised again, arent you? Everyone in my country knows of it, after all. However, it is not known externally so most of the foreigners do not know. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. She sweetly smiled saying that. Jin was charmed. Not in a romantic way. The woman in front of him looked to be in herte thirties, had dark brown hair and light green eyes with a small stature. It was as if (Director) She resembled the director of the Nidou orphanage, who was basically Jins foster parent. Of course, while she does resemble the director, there were parts different from the director. Not to mention that the director had white hair. However, that gentle way of talking, that kind look and above all, her aura felt just like the directors. Unbeknownst of Jins such feelings, the Shouro empires emperor Gelhart Hilde Fon Rubis Shouro continued. I have heard from Reinhart. That you are an amazing magi engineer. Also that you have built a pump which can bring water from the deep wells and have also invented a cleaning magic tool at Anbelk. And thats not even all. Microscope, did you say? That too I have not done as much as you are assuming. The empress replied nobody would think that to Jins modesty. ording to Reinhart, you have studied this science subject? If its alright with you, I would really like if you were to teach even a part of it in our country. The empress paused there. Ah, whats the matter with me? I have gotten a bit too hasty Mr. Jin, please take your time looking at our country. Saying that, she pointed to Reinhart. Reinhart, I will be removing you from normal official work for a full year starting now. And I will give you the role of entertaining Mr. Jin. Reinhart silently nodded. She probably also considered his rest after his work as the diplomat and his wedding with Belche. Please go around looking at my country as much as you like. The good parts, and also the bad parts. And I hope, you will like this country on top of all that. And then, the empress gazed at Jins eyes and said, Your knowledge, even if its just a fragment of it. Please lend it to this country, for my people. Saying that, she slightly bowed. Chapter 320: Impression

Chapter 320: Impression

As I thought, were you surprised, Jin? Jin and Reinhart were rxing in the reception room which Jin was in before going to the emperor. Yeah, I didnt think it would be a woman. Yea, it isnt really a secret but I guess we kinda have this custom of not letting the foreigners know. Even I hesitated to tell. Sorry if that bothered you. Jin stopped Reinhart by raising his hand. No, dont worry about it. As for me, I think I was more surprised by how frank she was. She told Jin, who she just met today, about the matters rted to the inheritance. Moreover, although it was for the country, she even lowered her head to Jin. Her majesty is always saying stuff like I dont want to dislike lowering my head if its for something important after all. Well, now that I am officially in charge of showing you around, we will stay here for a while and I will guide you through Rozaito tomorrow or the day after. And after that, I guess more discussions? The dinner after that was grand. It was mainly just Jin and Reinhart, with two female attendants and one butler to attend to their needs. Its rxing to have dinner with less people. Jin said. Haha, I thought you would feel that way and so I proposed it. But in the morning tomorrow, the prime minister or the magic minister mighte, so I want you to bear that for me. Well, yea Thats the normal reception as a country, after all. Jin wasnt very good at those as they felt ufortable to him. Reinhart probably knew that as he spoke of the good news right after. Well, you could say, as return for that, I have made it so that we can go look at that huge golem in the afternoon. Really?! With just that, Jins mood lightened up. He is not good at dealing with formal situations but its different if the topic is about techniques. After that, he heard a lot about the country and the organizations from Reinhart till it gotte at night. The following day. After having breakfast, Jin met with the prime minister Yung Fours Fon Kev and the magic minister Degauz Fult Fon Manishras. Reinhart was also there. I have got the gist of things from Reinhart and have also received information via pigeon from Hatata and Anbelks guild. Prime minister Yung was talking now. He had a simr physique to Reinhart, in other words, he was quite slim. You have contributed heavily to our country. As such, we would like to bestow the title of Honorary citizen upon you. Jin, in our country, the title of honorary citizen doesnt make it obligatory for you to pay taxes. However, as it is just an honorary title, you also dont get the right to residence. But, you will be able to go and visit or use various facilities without much trouble. Reinhart added supplementary details. In other words, it is a necessary measure for you to look at that relic. He said thatst bit in a lower voice. Jin had understood that this was a necessary step because surely they wouldnt show the countrys secret readily to just any foreign traveller. I will ept it gratefully. Jin answered. The prime minister nodded in silence. And next, magic minister Degauz opened his mouth. He was 44 years old and had blonde hair and blue eyes. His big, hook nose stood out. I have heard from Reinhart that Mr. Jin has interest in our countrys artifacts. I was thinking of taking you there this afternoon. Yes, I look forward to it. Jin answered. He got excited as he wondered how it differed from his creation-Titan and Daidara. After that, idle talk continued and the prime minister left midway and Jin talked with the magic minister the whole morning. And it seems like the magic minister felt something from Jin from that talk as well as- Mr. Jin, it sure was fortunate for us to have youe over to our country. Degauz muttered while leaving. Reiko, feeling that Jin was being judged rightly, was in high spirits throughout the whole talk. She was silently passing on the conversation to Laojun. Laojun also analyzed the conversation and said, [There doesnt seem to be a hidden side to this. I would even say it is betterpared to the other countries he has visited uptil now. However, we cant rxpletely just yet. Ms. Reiko, I leave my lord to you.] Of course. Saying that, Reiko was on alert to protect Jin from everything along with the SP hidden in the surroundings. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website So I will finally get to see this huge golem, eh? I am looking forward to it. He was talking to Reinhart about it enthusiastically. And atst, afternoon came. Jin, Reiko and Reinhart went down the stairs which led to the castles underground. Seems like the antique, huge golem is underground. I look forward to it. How many times does that make? Haha, thats just like you. But I feel you. I was also like that when they showed it to me first time. Seems like that was the first time Reinhart came to the castle. I think even you will be surprised, Mr. Jin. Degauz said, leading the group. And the other 2 guards were following behind. Degauz had a magicmp with him. It was a slightly less brighter than the light ball but ording to Degauz, it seems like it gets extremely hard to use magic underground. (I wonder if theres something blocking it or) After crossing the third underground floor, Jin felt the atmosphere change. Or rather, it was pretty clear that the ether there was low. Thats probably it was difficult to use magic there. On the other hand, magic tools which have mana stored in them work normally. (Reiko, dont let the SPe down.) He said with such a low voice that no one could hear him except Reiko. Reiko nodded as reply. Reiko has a mana tank in her so she is fine even in ces with low ether but the SPs do not have that. If they were toe down, there was a risk of their actions being interrupted, so Jin stopped them. And finally, they reached the fifth underground floor. A huge, iron door was there. It is beyond this door. Saying that, Degauz took the magi crystal and inserted it into a hole beside the door. Immediately after, the door slowly began to open. (I see, so they brought a mana source from outside to move the otherwise unmovable door without a golem, eh?) Jin saw through the structure at a nce. Now then, Mr. Jin, pleasee on inside. Degauz called him with hand gestures after getting in himself. Jin also hurried in. Oohh There was a huge space there. The height of the room probably went up to the third underground floor. And then, illuminated by the dim light from the magicmp, a truly huge golem could be seen. It was probably at least 20 meters tall. It was even bigger than the titans Jin built. However, (Iron eh? Or maybe steel.) Rust could be seen on its surface. The corrosion had already begun. It was probably due to the high level of humidity in this fifth underground floor. Iron is weak to humidity. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Its shape was like a gigas. In other words, the lower portion was strangely big. This was probably to bnce. (But, theres also the fact that it would be easier to handle dynamic bnce if its center of gravity was high.) If its just an immovable object, then certainly it would be more stable if the center of gravity was lower. But what about if it moves? [This is called dynamic stability.] Jin could hear the words of his physics teacher from the part time school. It is much easier to bnce while moving if the center of gravity is further away from the contact surface. [You all have at least tried to bnce a broom on your palm while cleaning, right? Its like that. Even if you were able to do it with a broom, what about a brush?] It was the same as a pendulum. The further away the center of gravity is from the contact surface, the longer are its cycles and because it moves slowly, it is easier to recover. (Well, it doesnt seem like this moves now, though.) Judging from the rust, the internal structure (if it has one) must be quite damaged, making it unable to endure serial movement. It is overwhelming no matter how many times I see it. Jin thought the impression the empress had on him yesterday was much more striking. Chapter 321: Lishia — Close to Kaina Village

Chapter 321: Lishia Close to Kaina Vige

May 15th the day Jin reached Shouro empires capital, Rozaito, Lishia and Pascaud had reached Sharuru city. Just a little longer till Kaina vige. If we stay the night at Toka vige and depart at dawn and hurry, we will be able to reach the Kaina vige before nightfall. Lishia-san, you have been there once, havent you? Yes, in the autumn ofst year, as a tax-collecting officer. The taxation system of Kurain kingdom is somewhat special. Generally, the citizens pay taxes to the country. It can be wheat, minerals or money. And the country pays the nobles wages with that tax. This is because there are new nobles, knights and even nobles who do not have anynd. And the nobles who do havend get paid ording to the size of theirnd. And as such, having lost Kaina vige, count Walters wages have decreased. However, looking at it from another perspective, it also means that the tax collected from thend by the country doesnt really leave thend either. In other words, most of the ie gained from mineral or harvest from a newly cultivatednd goes to thend owner. The country buys these minerals. Because of this, count Walters own financial standing was quite high. At least until the salt incident. The mining in the Inado cave was also one of his sources and that was why the incident about the forcedbor of the criminals getting out was not known by the public. It was quite a disaster back then, getting attacked by the Unifiers golem. Lishia said, patting the sword on her waist. Right. But you were the one who drove them away, right? As she had decided to say that after being requested by Jin, that is what Pascaud Rush thought of the incident. No, actually, Mr. Jin drove them away. However, there was no need to hide it anymore. The people above have known it long ago. I-is that true?! A magi craftsman did that? How? But it was hard for Pascaud to believe such contents. He cut through the golem with water magic that time, if I am not mistaken. And how exactly would he go about doing that He couldnt understand even more now. Pascaud could also use magic. Pascaud specialized in wind magic and he was especially good with wind cutter among them as well. He didnt even hear of that wind magic cutting such a metal golem. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website If I remember right, Mr. Jin called it water jet. Sponsored Content Rmended by Water jet, eh? Havent heard of it. Pascaud was slowly starting to realize that Jin wasnt just one of your usual magi craftsman. There was some time left before it got dark so Lishia decided on doing a little sightseeing on her own. And she found a crowd in front of a certain shop. Curious as to what it was about, she listened in for a while and found out that it was a quarrel about the salt price being too high. Thats weird, there should be more than enough salt stored from what I have heard. As a member of the relief knight squad, there are times when she needs to do health management of the soldiers. At such a time, she got to know of the seriousness of deficiency of salt in soldiers and had checked with the inventory control about the reserve. This year, Kurain kingdom should have more than enough salt in reserve. I wonder if someone is buying the goods unreasonably. However, no matter how much she thought about it, there was no reason to buy up all the salt around this area. Salt was circting normally around here and even if one were to buy all of it at once, they wouldnt make much of a profit either. It would rather make the citizens suffer. And it would only increase theirints to thendlords and the country. Dont tell me, that is their reason? Lishia thought but if she didnt know the meaning behind it, it would be meaningless to keep wondering about it and so she cleared her head and went back to the inn. The following day, the two departed early, hurried with the horses and reached Toka vige just before sunset. There was a lodging house for soldiers there. Lishia and Pascaud stayed there. Before it got dark, Lishia gave the carrier pigeon some fodder and water. Ah, cute. Lishia said. It was because that day the two pigeons had gotten chubby. I wonder if its cold to them now. During winter, the birds expand their feathers and store air between them to keep them warm. The two pigeons had their feathers expanded just like that. I guess I will give them a bit more food. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Muttering that, Lishia gave the birds more than usual. She then washed her hands and went for her food. Simple food for the soldier. To be honest, they werent delicious at all but as Lishia and Pascaud experienced the battlefield, they didntin. At that time, she heard something troubling from a soldier stationed nearby. It seems this vige was running short on salt, as well. Mysterious men and soldiers are buying all of it. Now that I think about it, I heard something simr in Doppa and Rakuno too, said Pascaud. Lishia didnt hear anything like that but she could tell that Pascaud wasnt lying. Thats weird I shall send a pigeon as soon as we get into Kaina vige. Chapter 322: Laojun’s Steps

Chapter 322: Laojuns Steps

Ms. Lishia and Pascaud Rush have reached the Togo mountain ridge. Koushin, the surveince-specialized magic intellect, contacted Laojun. [I have received contact from Spica 7. It seems like she is here as the Kurain kingdoms ambassador.] So it seems. But it appears that Ms. Lishia isnt in good condition. [Hmm, that is bad. Is it exhaustion or some disease?] If it were a disease, there was the worry of it being infectious. Even the other day, it was fortunate that Belle wasnt affected by any infectious disease when Jin brought her and Barou to the Kaina vige but the situation couldve turned for the worse if it wasnt so. [Considering we can sterilize it with magic, it might be bad to let her into the vige just like that.] Laojun drafted up several ns and adopted the best one among them. [Land T, S and R. Hurry to the location.] The Land squad, who were in charge of the vige vicinity, had reached Togo mountain ridge within 2 minutes. [Activating paralysis barrier.] A Uu They had adjusted the level of the paralysis barrier to make the two faint without pain. Moreover, they made it so that it didnt affect the horses, pinpointing the targets. Land T and S caught the two falling off the horse. The two Lands carried them and pulled the horses to the rest lodge for the time being. Land R took care of the luggage horse. [Now then, lets give Ms. Lishia the medicines.] From the restorative medicines reserved in Jins castle, Laojun instructed Butler B to bring one with healing effects. Within about 10 minutes, Butler B reached the location. During that time, the Lands medically examined the two and sent the data to Laojun. As Laojun had very basic knowledge of the field, he could draw out a quick result from it. [As I thought, Ms. Lishia is affected by some kind of infectious disease. The cause is still unclear but, for now, sterilizing the things at hand and] Laojun recalled the diseases bird flu and echinocus from Jins memory. [Bird and pigeons the pigeon seems to be it.] Inside the birdcage on Lishias horse, both pigeons had their feathers expanded. The times a bird expands its feathers like that is when its feeling cold or when its in a bad condition. One should judge it as a disease for birds who are strong to the cold. They had kept chickens in the orphanage so Jin knew about it well. As such, Laojun also had that knowledge. [Administer the medicine to the pigeon, as well. The amount I am not sure but, for now, 3 drops mixed with water. To the horse as well, just in case.] They gave medicine to Lishia, Pascaud, the two birds and the three horses. The effect on the pigeons and horses were dramatic, as the pigeons stopped expanding their feathers and the tired horses looked energetic in the blink of an eye. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Lishia and Pascaud still hadnt woken up from the paralysis but Lishias fever had gone down. [All thats left is to sterilize.] He made the Lands bring out all of their stuff and used adjusted light magic to produce intense ultraviolet rays. It was a magic Jin developed, ck light. It was a magic to distinguish the minerals which radiate ultraviolet rays but he strengthened it even more for it to have germicidal functions, as well. Sponsored Content Rmended by He couldnt possibly use it on their body and clothes so he added the sterilizing effect to the healing medicine and sprinkled it over them and then dried it. They could rest easy with this for the time being. The Lands and Butler increased their body temperature to 200 degrees instead of using ultraviolet rays to sterilize them. On top of that, just in case, they also made the health condition check of Kaina vigers more strict. It was confirmed that the disease could be cured with the healing medicine after having used it on Lishia so that was a relief. [This should be fine. Now then, before they wake up, carry them to the Helme river.] They were relieved as the medicine helped cure Lishias fever so, even if by chance someone else falls ill, they will be able to deal with it. Following Laojuns orders, Land R, S and T picked up the struggling horses and headed towards the Togo mountain ridge. At a speed of 120 km/h. Butler B followed them with Lishia and Pascaud on each of his shoulders. At evening, around 5 pm. Pascaud Rush woke up on top of the horse. Uuu Did I fall asleep? Pascaud shook his head to clear his cloudy mind. As his mind got clear, he remembered of the time he wasst conscious. R-right! Ms. Lishia! And Lishia was just in front of Pascaud. She was lying on top of the saddle, either asleep or unconscious. Pascaud hurriedly lined up the horses and shook Lishia by the shoulder. Ms. Lishia, Ms. Lishia! Uu Ah, I am d, Ms. Lishia, youre awake! Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Uhh where is this ce? Lishia asked, looking around the surrounding. This is Helme river, it seems. If so then I fell asleep while descending the ridge and the horse carried me all the way here But maybe thanks to that, I feel refreshed. Pascaud also agreed. Yes, its a bit embarrassing but I had also fallen asleep. But it seems like we were safely carried all the way here thanks to these wise horses. More importantly, I am happy that Ms. Lishia is feeling well again. Chapter 323: Library

Chapter 323: Library

On the other hand, Jin was being guided through the Shouro empires castle on the day Laojun healed Lishia and Pascaud. The guide was Reinhart and another person. Jin, our library is so good that I am sure it is not inferior to any other countries. It was Gelhart Hilde Fon Rubis Shouro, the empress. She had already started calling Jin by his name. What a frank empress. As her majesty the empress was apanying them, they had a free pass to anywhere. The guards also bowed and cleared the way. He also had a look at the deepestyers of the library, the document treasury, which is normally strictly guarded. Yes, please go in. I have work now so I cant stay any longer but, hmm, lets see, I wille back by noon. So lets have lunch together. Saying that, the empress left the treasury without even waiting for Jins reply. Hahh Jin, you look like you want to say something. Reinhart asked first. Jin replied, Yeah. I never thought her majesty herself would be acting as the guide Haha, thats just the type of person she is. Even still, while I am happy being trusted this much being a foreigner, is it really okay being thatx? -is what I also feel. Jin himself didnt have any ill will but if she acts like this to other people as well then it is very dangerous. After all, theres also the probability of a spy or an assassin blending in. As Jin said that, Reinhart shook his head. Theres not much to worry about that. Because, her majesty sees the true nature of the people she talks to. What?! Jin was surprised. If she has such an ability, wont she be the best as a ruler? No, its just based upon spection. Reinhart added ament. That might be true. I mean, if she had, she wouldnt just tell that she has such an ability to anyone like that. Its just that, its also true that the empress judgement on anyone uptil now hasnt been wrong. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website There are certainly people out there who have an eye for people. Is it an ability which multiplies that by tens or hundreds? It might also be more appropriate to call it a psychic ability rather than magic if it really does exist. Sponsored Content Rmended by But it seems like it is different from reading a persons true feelings, Reinhart added. Jin was a bit relieved hearing that. After all, it would be hard to bear that she read him thinking that she looked like his orphanages director. And more importantly, he wondered about what would happen if she knew Jins origin is from another world. At this time, only Reinhart and Elsa know about it. Although I do somewhat feel like I can trust her Whether that was Jins intuition or if it was because the empress looked like his orphanages director, Jin didnt yet know. Father, we have limited time. You need to read what you want to quick. Jin returned to himself hearing Reikos voice. Ah, yes, youre right. Then I will read up. Saying that, Jin started scouring through the bookshelves. Theres also records of previous wars, eh? Yeah. Even this country had its fair of internal struggle. It also seems it had quite a lot of it. As a Shouro empire citizen, Reinhart also has knowledge about its history. Jin didnt have much interest in it but he requested Reiko to read them. Reiko can read upto 10 times faster than Jin and send the data over to Laojun for recording. He also had Reiko read up on other topics such as particr products made in each areas and books about nts or animals. And about the book Jin was looking for, This, eh About the story he heard from Reinhart long ago in Kunlun ind. Mm? Ah, that. I told you about it before, havent I? That was the book which had details about the beginning of the world. In other words, a folklore. A folklore about how theres another world on the other side of the sun and thats where the ancestors came from. He hadnt met a storyteller like that in Serroa kingdom so he was looking forward to finding some records like this here. Lets see now Hmmm There werent more than a few pages of records there and the contents werent as detailed either. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Just that theres a world on the exact opposite side of the sun and that that world is much more bigger than this one. And that chosen human ancestors came to this world on a soaring ship. All this was written simply there. The only extra detail he found here was that that world is much bigger and that they came on soaring ship. On the Earth, the stories are more of there being a Creator or giants who created the world. Here, it says people came from another world. Jin thought that it had more authenticity in a sense. If so, then spaceship the soaring ship might have also existed in the past. Jin was thinking of such a possibility when Reiko pulled on his sleeves to bring him back to reality. Chapter 324: Found at Last!

Chapter 324: Found at Last!

The time seemed to pass very quickly as they read books rted to alchemy, and it was midday before they knew it. Jin, Reinhart, let us have lunch together. So said the Empress as she came in. Do not expect too much from it, though. The food that was actually served was simple but of good quality. Simple yet, hearty, you might say. However, what was most surprising to Jin, was a dish that looked like rice porridge. Except that it was dark. What is this? Jin asked, and the cook who was nearby exined it to him. It is a porridge made from nogi seeds. I was told that you have a great interest in them. Ahh, I knew it. Jin thought. He had talked about this with the butler the other day, so thats where he must have heard it. Thank you. He decided to start with the porridge first. Jin tasted a bite and realized the difference in texture. It was not very thick. It was clearly a type of rice. It wasnt particrly long in shape. It was a kind of rice that Jin was very familiar with. How is it? I heard that you were interested, and so I tried my hand at cooking some As Jin ate it, he thought of the ways to eat foreign rice. He recalled reading a certain cooking manga once, that was about a newspaper reporter who was rebelling against his father. Did you perhaps change the water once when boiling it? The manga had suggested this method for cooking foreign rice. Yes, that is right. It would be very sticky and drippy if you do not do it. Hearing this, Jin decided to ask about the history of eating nogi. When did people start eating nogi? Let me see, it was discovered nearly 100 years ago. But I think it wasnt until the past 20 years that people began to eat it. It was originally used as feed for livestock. Someone must have tried eating it, and so it became food Apparently, horses who ate it would grow much faster, and so it was grown in the western region of the Shouro empire. Someone then tried to eat the grains, which lead to it being used as food for people as well. And so people would eat the grains, and the horses would eat the rest. They were grown and separated like this starting from around 20 years ago. The cook exined. Hmmm In Japan, rice nts were harvested for rice, and so pesticides were used. So of course, they were hardly ever used as food for livestock. But Jins curiosity was really directed more to the nogi. Do you think it will be possible for me to see this nogiter on? Also, if you would allow me to cook some Jin said this, and the cook then looked to the Empress with a slightly troubled face. But the Empress nodded with an expression of deep interest, and so the cook was forced to agree. Reinhart was already aware that Jin had once made a delicious dish out of topopo(potatoes), which had not been widely eaten before, and so he had high expectations. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website This is nogi. I knew it. What he was shown was brown rice. Jin had been told by the director, that brown rice was difficult to cook. And so he knew that they would have to start with turning it into white rice. And so he considered how the rice could be polished. Usually, this would be done by grinding the grains of brown rice against each other so that the surface skin, or bran, can be removed. But if you did this too quickly, the friction would cause the heat to rise, which would affect the taste. I guess Ill go with the orthodox method then And so, even if the taste might suffer a little, he wanted to reach the quality of a retail rice mill. He took this job more seriously than usual, after all, the rice depended on it. Basically, we just need to grind the grains against each other In other words, we just needed to mix them in a bowl together. It would be great if I could also keep the temperature from rising at the same time. Jin had them prepare a medium-sized barrel and filled it up halfway with nogi before cing the lid back on. Reiko, please shake this barrel. And here it was Reikos turn. Yes, father. !? Everyone that was watchingthe cook and his subordinates saw Reiko, who looked like any girl, pick up the 20 kilograms barrel as if it were not heavy at all. They were shocked. Okay, do it. Cooling. As Reiko shook the barrel, Jin used craft magic to keep the temperature down. They stopped after approximately five minutes and looked inside. The nogi inside had gone from brown rice to looking very close to white rice. Alright, just five more minutes. They shook and cooled like before. With this, they got something that was practically white rice. All done. Oh? Jin, what is it? Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website We called it white rice back where Ie from. Its much easier to cook like this Separate(Kurasshi) So saying, Jin separated the rice from the bran. This powder is rice bran. This can also be used for something, so do not throw it away. Sponsored Content Rmended by He would use it for pickling. Now, this here is white rice. Lets try cooking it. Jin had the cook help him wash the rice. Chapter 325: Intrigue?

Chapter 325: Intrigue?

I was the day after Jin had his first taste of rice in a long while. Reinhart, I have a favor to ask. Jin was having a private conversation with Reinhart. The thing is Jin exined about his achievements in the Cline kingdom and how a certain vige had been leased to him. And so an ambassador from the Cline kingdom has gone there. It would be bad for me to not show up, and it seems that there was some sort of incident. Though it is currently resolved. I see. And so you wish to go there for three or four days. Yes. Do you have any good ideas? Reinhart folded his arms and closed his eyes in order to think hard on the matter. I suppose, faking an illness is the only way. That was what Reinhart said after he opened his eyes once again. Faking an illness, huh. It was a standard method used when you didnt want to go to school or to work. Still, it would be fine for just one day, but people might try and visit you if it is three to four days. Reinhart did not forget to point out these possibilities either. However, Jin had a way around that. Oh, then I could just use a substitute puppet. The substitute puppet he had used before had been turned into a Deus Ex Machina. However, they were easy to make, and as long as they justy in bed, no one would be able to tell. He could leave the answering of simple questions to Laojun. Jin exined this to Reinhart. Hmm, I see. A substitute doll. This is a method that is only possible with your skills. A normal automata would have been easily caught but the risk of that happening is next to none if its Jins automata. And since he was supposed to be sick, all it had to do was lie in bed, and no one would stay too long if they visited. Now that they were finished discussing it, it was time to act. First, he would need to get out of the Shouro empires pce. This was easily done with the excuse that Reinhart wanted to show Jin around the city. After that, Jin would be free to use the carriage which was equipped with a warp gate. And he could then travel to Hourai ind. Okay, Ill be back soon. Jin said as he teleported to Hourai ind. He would bring back the substitute doll from there. However, since the previous doll had had its appearance modified, he would have to make a new one. Preparations have been made, my lord. He had sent word on ahead through Reiko, so the necessary items were already prepared by Laojun. Thanks to this, he was able toplete the new substitute doll within thirty minutes. This one could be controlled from a long distance away. It is a little creepy. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website It had the same face as him. No matter how many times he saw dolls that looked like him, he could never get used to it. Then its just Reiko, I guess. It would be strange for Reiko to not be by Jins side, and so he needed a substitute for her as well. For this, he would call a Mira 10 and just disguise it. And this would be very easy, as the Quinta already had such capabilities. Good, time to go back then. He left the general controls of the substitute doll to Laojun as he took the Mira 10 with him back to the carriage. Oh, oh!? Reinharts eyes widened. There were two Jins. Wo-wow! He looks just like you! He was bing very excited now, but time was precious, and so Jin ignored that remark. Sorry, Reinhart. Now, could you return with this doll? Reiko, I am counting on you. Yesfather. The Mira 10 who looked like Reiko answered. He had not even told Reinhart that this Reiko was a substitute. Jin, so it will be just as we discussed? You will return in four days? Yeah. Ill leave the rest to you. I will pay you back for this eventually. Haha. I look forward to that. You know, I wouldnt mind going to visit that vige as well. Could I? Kaina vige, where his cousin Elsa was. Reinhart seemed very interested. Jin nodded, then waved before entering the warp gate once again. Reinhart returned to the castle just as they had nned. Of course, the driver of Jins carriage was the steward. And so the substitute dolls went to Jins room and prepared his bed. This was where Reikos strong im that he does not need maids because he has me, came in very handy. Reinhart, they say that Jin has fainted! Is he alright? Sponsored Content Rmended by The empress was immediately informed about Jin bing bedridden, and as was expected, the friendly empress took time between governing toe and see him. Yes, but, it is only that he is tired from the journey. Reinhart exined, which was how he hinted that she should not stay for too long. The perceptive empress caught his meaning, and so she said only a few words to Jin(the substitute doll), and left. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Everything went ording to Jin and Reinharts ns. Now that Jin was back in Hourai ind, he first listened to a report from Laojun. Illness, huh. Yes. That is, if the mystery man really did do something to the pigeons, just like in Deneb 29s report. Chapter 326: Nidou Castle

Chapter 326: Nidou Castle

Jin let go of his baggage, ced some pens, ink, and parchment for memos in his office, and helped Butler B and C organize some books into the empty shelves. The books were supposed to be nd, and so were of simple Magi Craft introduction material with pictures of nts inside. Of course, these were all made by Laojun. Also, he would also ce the Honorary Magi Craftsman half coat and badge from the Egelia Kingdom here as well. The Honorary Membership badge from the Shouro Empires Magi Engineer Guild was of course, inside the carriage. As the office floor was covered in wood, Jin had a personal set of slippers. Ignoring the fact that they were made from the skin of a monster, they were quite ordinary slippers. Good, thats about right then. Jin saw that everything was in order, and decided that he should make it clear who was in charge of management. First, he ordered that Butler B and C would have everything above the third floor, the five golem maids would be in charge of the underground. He had been told that it was too much to have poor Barou and Belle clean and tidy the third floor and up and also the underground. He would only ask Belle to clean the office on the third floor when they had to entertain guests, but it was decided that the butlers would handle it otherwise. Mine was parttime, and Barou and Belle were in charge of instructing, and so they would be given a little more freedom, which would allow them to move in and out of the third floor when necessary. Once this was done, Jin took Reiko with him and headed for the vige chiefs house. Ah, older brother. Wee back. Hannah had juste outside after finishing lunch when she saw Jin. Im back, Hannah. Um, that girl from the tribe hase here. Yeah, thats right. Thats why I am going to the chiefs house now. Jin said, and so Hannah sent him off warmly. The chiefs house was close to the center of the vige. The time was around 1 pm, everyone should be finished with lunch now. Belle just happened to be in the garden when she saw Jin. Oh, Master Jin. Wee back! Hearing this, Barous face appeared from the window of the chiefs house and quickly disappeared again. Then the door opened, and out came Lishia. Jin! Lishia ran to him at full speed and grabbed Jins hand. Its been so long! I was worried! But its good to see that you are well! What happened while you were away!? Her questions came very rapidly, and so Jin was at a loss of how to reply. He fell silent. Seeing him like that, Lishia turned bright red. She let go of Jins hand and jumped back. S-sorry about that, Master Jin. I am a new noble of the Cline Kingdom, Lishia Fahlheit. I was sent here as an ambassador to the Kaina vige. It is a pleasure to meet you. She said this and bowed very deeply. Jin was even more ufortable. Li-Lishia, please stop that. You said it yourself before, let us talk together like we always have. As Jin said this, Lishia raised her head and stood up. Are you sure? Thats what I said. Jin pressed, and Lishia finally rxed and smiled. Oh, thank goodness. I am d that you havent changed. I wont change. I am what I am. Jin answered. Then he noticed that there was a young man who did not look familiar standing near the doorway of the chiefs house. He was ring at Jin. Umm, Lishia. Who is that? Lishia turned around to see. Oh, he is Pascaud Rush. Of the fourth knights division. He came with me as a guard. She introduced him. Jin and Lishia walked over to the door where he was standing. Pascaud was no longer ring at him now, and so Jin decided to forget about it. I am Jin Nidou. An Honorary Magi Craftsman of the Egelia Kingdom. I have been leased this Kaina vige. He said to Pascaud. Pascaud too introduced himself in the same way that Lishia had done. If you are already finished eating, I would like you toe to my castle. Ah, but first, I would like a word with the chief. Jin said, and then open the door and entered in order to speak with Gheebeck. So that is Jin Nidou. Pascaud muttered in a somewhat resentful tone. Yes. Hehe. I am d that he has not changed. Lishia answered happily. Why would he abandon the ambassador and go talk? Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website It is fine. I wish to continue on as friends with Jin in any case. Lishia said and Pascaud furrowed his eyebrows. Is that the direction you will take as an ambassador? Umm, I dont know. It is without a doubt, my way of thinking. But if you ask about being an ambassador Pascaud was a little taken aback by how cute she looked as she tilted her head in thought, but he quickly controlled himself. In, in any case, I believe that you should protest to any actions that slight our kingdom. But I do not think that that was Jins intention? I just think he wanted to get some business out of the way. Lishia was formerly of themon ss, and so she had no concerns in particr about Jins actions. And she knew that she was right. However, Pascaud was not convinced. He continued to grumble. Inside the house, Jin talked with the chief, and it was decided that tonight, they would have a party where the entire vige would gather together. Things like this could be decided quickly as it was a small vige. So, how many are there in total? There are 29 houses. Excluding you, there should be 102 people. Now that Mine, Elsa, Barou, and Belle are here. I understand. 100 cushions had been prepared for the great hall in his castle. It looked like it would not be enough, though, and so Jin realized he would have to have more made in a hurry. Well, then. Please tell the others for me. Yes, I will do so. Is it alright if we gather at 5? Yes. Jin answered, and he simultaneously thought that he should build a clock tower eventually. Barou and Belle, pleasee back to the castle once you are finished here. Understood. After this conversation, Jin left the chiefs house. Of course, it was Lishia and Pascaud who were waiting for him. Oh, Jin. Are you finished talking? Lishia asked Jin. Ah, Lishia. So you were waiting here for me? I am so sorry I didnt realize it. Jin realized that he had made them stand and wait, and he apologized. Then he invited them to the castle. It has only just beenpleted. Lishia, you will be the first guest who has been invited to it. Lishia heard this and then asked Jin something that had been on her mind. Um, uh, Jin. When exactly did you build this castle? It was of course after I was leased thisnd. Huh? Lishia froze for a second. However, she quickly remembered that it was Jin that she was talking to, and so she returned to herself. Is, is that so. So you are not only great with Magi Craft but construction as well. Yes, well, it was made by the golems that I created. Hearing this, Lishia was somewhat satisfied with the answer. The golems had a strength that far surpassed humans, and so they would probably be able to build things at several times the speed. However, Pascaud did not feel the same. Thats impossibleHow could a building on this scale be finished within a few daysthat is so utterly ridiculous He muttered in annoyance. He had experience with repairing the castle walls of the fortress city Tetrada, and so he had more knowledge of construction and materials than Lishia. And yet the castle now loomed in front of the three. Reiko, please tell the butlers and maids toe out and greet us. Jin gave Reiko the order. Reiko nodded. Jin, what do you mean by butlers and maids? Lishia asked out of curiosity. Jinughed and only told her that she would know soon enough. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website And just as he said, there were seven golems lined up in front of the castle entrance. Jin walked forward a few steps and then turned around. Ambassador Lishia, Pascaud. Wee to Kaina vige, and Nidou castle. He greeted them with a few simple words. And when he was finished, the seven golems all bowed their heads in unison. While they were not wearing clothes, Butler B and C were a matte silver, the five golem maids were red, purple, green, yellow and blue respectively. Seeing their incredible designs in front of them, Lishia and Pascaud became unsurprisingly speechless. Chapter 327: Banquet

Chapter 327: Banquet

Now that Jin had invited Lishia and Pascaud into Nidou castle, he gave them a simple tour. When he asked them to take their shoes off at the entrance, they gave him a questioning look. Everyone does it in houses where Ie from. If it bothers you, here are some slippers. Jin said, and so the two of them agreed without issue. So there was no need for slippers. The flooring feels nice beneath my feet. It was nearing the end of spring, and so the temperature was warm and caused you to sweat a little. The polished nks felt cool under their feet and was very pleasant. Jin led them through the castle. First, they climbed the stairs and visited the office on the third floor. Then they went to the guest room on the second floor, and to the drawing room below that. They avoided the fourth floor and above for now. The baths and toilets are on the first floor. Unfortunately, we are not close to any hot springs, so it is not a natural bath, but I do intend to draw from somewhere eventually. The two of them were shocked. Well, you might call it a sort of culture shock. Ji-Jin. Is this, perhaps, uh, from your homndJapan, was it? Is it from there? Lishia was the first of the two to return to herself as she asked. She didnt remember when it was, but Barbara had told her about it. Yes, that is correct. Though, it is not exactly the same. Lishia looked interested at these words. Oh, in that case, your homnd must be very strange! But nice as well! I would like to even visit She added. Jin could only smile in reply to this. On the other hand, Pascaud looked like he had just swallowed a bitter bug. Jin took no notice of Pascaud however, as he looked out of the window. You could see that the sun in the blue sky was starting to set. It was very easy for him to use his Magi Craft Meister abilities to determine the angle of the sun and determine what time it was. It is almost four thirty. We are going to celebrate the construction of this castle today, along with celebrating thisnd being leased, and it will also be a wee party for our ambassadors. I think to have a banquet. Jin announced to the two of them. Oh, is that so. How fun. Lishia may not have been so epting if he said that it was just for them, and so he exined all of the other reasons, and she readily epted it. I think to request one thing of you as an ambassador. Jin said, and since Lishia understood her position well, said: Yes, I understand. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website And she nodded, much to Jins relief. Pascaud continued to mutter to himself as if absorbed in his own little world. But in truth, he was really just confused as he was unable to digest everything that he was seeing here in the castle. Jin continued to guide the two of them and brought them out to the great hall. Here we are making preparations. Jin said as they stepped foot into the hall. Ah, brother! Jin. Hannah and Elsa were here, and they were helping toy down cushions under Mines guidance. He had thought that Hannah would wear the dress that she received from Princess Lieschen, but she had decided to wear nice, but normal clothes as the dress would get dirty. Master Jin, we are almost finished with the preparations. Belle was in the kitchens with Peridot 101. Peridot was there also. They needed the extra help as there would be many guests. Master Jin, the people of the vige have arrived. Barou said as he guided the vigers inside. Butler B took their shoes and put them away. It was impressive that he could memorize and manage all of the shoes from over 100 vigers. Laojun must have determined that the five golem maids were not enough, so aside from Peridot, five colors each from 91 to 95, in other words, a total of 25 more were brought over to help. It is quite the sight Pascaud seemed to be even more confused as he watched all of this. Jin did not notice this and continued to give orders. Now, what to do about seating arrangements. Lishia would sit at the head. Next was Pascaud. Then the chief after that. Everyone else could sit where they wanted. Hanna and Elsa would sit next to Jin, Reiko stood right behind him. Mine insisted on serving the food and did not listen to him. Ohh, these cushions are sofortable! Dear, that doesnt mean you can take them home with you! These are for sitting on, right? They look more expensive than my mattress The vigers all came in and sat on their cushions. Many were surprised by the texture andfort that they offered. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website And then it was 5 pm. Jin saw that everyone from the vige had arrived, and then he stood up. Everyone. Sponsored Content Rmended by And with that word, the whole hall fell quiet. Thank you all foring here to Nidou Castle today. Thepletion of this castle, the leasing of this Kaina vige to meJin Nidou, and the weing of Lishia Fahlheit and Pascaud Rush as ambassadors of friendship. We celebrate all of this with a banquet this evening. I hope that you all enjoy it. Jin was not ustomed to doing this, and his speech was far from perfect, but he somehow managed to finish it. It went without saying, but Lishia was not an ambassador that would stay here long, but was more of a show of goodwill. Because had she needed to stay here, then Jins permission would have been necessary in advance. Chapter 328: Homesickness

Chapter 328: Homesickness

The banquet had ended quietly before it gotte at night. There was no one in the vige who would get drunk enough to not be able walk. And so all of them walked back to their houses. And naturally, golems, holding light, were dispatched to all the important points of the vige. Lishia and Pascaud were invited into guest rooms on the second floor by Jin himself. Uwah, so this is how they do it in your country, huh, Mr. Jin? Lishia was impressed by the tatamis. Mmm! They have this nice smell! It seemed like Lishia also liked the soft rush smell. On the other hand, Pascaud was guided into a room with wooden floor and a bed so he didnt particrly feel anything but he was surprised by the magi, silk futon. Everyone, good work. After finally settling down a bit, Jin said to Elsa and Mine, who helped around a lot. No, I didnt help much. Mr. Jin, I am hired to do this, so its fine. Elsa and Mine said while shaking their head. On the other hand, Hanna was sleeping peacefully. Jin, it would be sad to wake her up like this so could you let her stay here for the night? Martha said. Jin also epted and told Ruby 101 toy out futons for two people in his room on the 5th floor. Understood. Ruby 101 answered and went toy out the futons. Ah, right, Belle. Jin called to stop Belle as she was returning after cleaning up. You two should also stay here from now on. Till now, it kind of felt like they were renting a room at Jins house which was weird so Jin made rooms for both of them here. The rooms are on the second floor. Theres a room for both of you. Eh? We get a whole room? Being considerate of Hanna as she was sleeping, Belle asked in a low, surprised voice. Yeah. Ask Butler B about it. Butler B, I leave it to you. Understood. Ah, Barou just came back too. And like this, Belle and Barou were lead to the second floor by Butler B. Amongst all that, Jin noticed that Elsa was looking like she had something to say. Hmm? Elsa, what happened? Jin-nii, I want to try staying here once too. Elsa loved thebination of futon on a tatami mat. As Jin knew that, he smiled and nodded. Yea, thats fine. Then I will prepare a Japanese-style room for you. No, I will be fine with Hanna. With Hanna that would be my room, though. Ah. Realizing that, Elsas cheeks turned red. Got it. I will prepare the living room on the 5th floor for Hanna and you. Thanks. Having her wish granted, Elsa happily went to tell her mother that she was staying the night. Mother, I will be staying here for the night. Yes, yes, alright Then Jin, I leave them to you. After a simple conversation, Mine also said OK. Thats probably how much she trusts Jin. Then lets go. Mm. Jin made Reiko carry Hanna and started climbing the stairs with Elsa. There are quite a lot of stairs till the 5th floor but Elsa wasnt tired. On the other hand, Jin got a bit tired. (It was right of them to install a hidden elevator) Although he cant use it out in public but still Jin had thanked Laojun in his head for installing the emergency elevator inside the center pir. Master Jin. Ms. Elsa will be staying as well? Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Ruby 101 had just finishedying out the futons. Sorry about this. Elsa will be staying as well soy out 2 futons in the living room and 1 in mine. Yes, understood. He grabbed both ends of theid out futon and carried it to the living room. Reiko gently put Hanna on it. And then Ruby 101 startedying out one more for Elsa. Good job. You can go and standby for the day. Yes, good night. Ruby 101 replied and went down the stairs. Butler C, you can also standby downstairs today. Reiko is here today, after all. Yes. Well then, Elsa, look after Hanna, alright? The washroom is on the north side. Mm. Got it. Reiko, take care of them. Yes, father. Although Hanna wont probably be wetting her bed anymore but it might be troublesome if they didnt know where the washroom was and started going down the stairs, so Jin informed her. Jin was worried as they also drank a lot of juice. The living room and Jins room was separated by a sliding door,pletely Japanese-style. Ah, right, Elsa. Can youe up with me awhile before sleeping? ? Jin called Elsa and went upstairs to the 6th floor. After climbing a narrow staircase, they had reached the 6th floor, in other words, the top most floor of the Nidou Castle. It was a square room with 10 meter sides and had a fat round pir in the middle. But more importantly, on all four sides, windows were set up from top to bottom, making it kind of a terrace. Waah. It waspletely dark outside, making the starry sky visible. Looking down, they could see lights at ces around the vige. It would be a great view when its bright. Yeah. Trying here in the morning, as well. Jin stopped talking there for awhile. And silence continued. And then Jin started talking again. I met with the Empress. ! Elsas shoulder shook a bit in surprise. Jin continued. She talked to me really kindly. She even showed me around the documents room by herself. I see. Elsa answered shortly while staring at the starry sky. Do you want to go back? And then, Jin asked something which he thought he must ask. Eh? Hearing that, Elsa looked at Jin. And Jin looked like he was smiling but seemed sad at the same time. I also met with Ms. Belche, you know. Seemed like she gets along really well with Reinhart. Elsa stayed silent while looking down, like she was thinking about something. This is a really nice ce Everyones so kind. I am also with my mother. After a bit of silence, Elsa started talking bit by bit. But I was raised in Shouro empireOur actual house is there as well Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Again, looking at the sky, Elsa spoke slowly, as if she was telling herself. My house. My room. I cant say I dont feel homesick. Then Elsa looked at Jin again. Her eyes were holding back tears. Although I dont get along well with father I even had a few friends If I said I never felt like going back it would be a lie. As Elsa stopped after saying that, Jin just gently stroked her head. Jin, nii? Having her head patted by Jin, Elsas cheeks reddened a bit as she looked surprised at Jin. Ah, sorry, unconsciously. Jin apologized and continued, I will make it so that you can surely go back one day, with your head held high. Hmmm. Chapter 329: Sympathy

Chapter 329: Sympathy

The next morning, as there was also noiseing from the next room, Jin woke up at around 5 am. When he tried listening closely, he heard Hanna rustling about. Hanna, youre awake? He asked in a low voice. Ah, brother? Is this, your castle? Hanna opened the sliding the door saying that. I was a bit scared when I woke up in this unfamiliar room but Elsa sis was sleeping beside me too so I didnt understand where we were. I see. You fell asleepst night after the party so Martha asked me to let you sleep here. I see Elsa sis too? Yeah. You would feel lonely sleeping alone, right? The actual reason was a bit different but Jin decided to go with that. Hmm As they were talking, Elsa also woke up. Elsa isnt that good with waking up. Her expression looked nk as she got up and sat on the futon. Sis, good morning! Hanna said cheerfully to Elsa. With that, it seems like Elsa also remembered that she stayed in Jins castle. Good morning. Elsa, Hanna, lets go wash our faces. Then we go eat at the dining hall. Saying that, Jin closed the sliding door once to change clothes. Elsa was also wearing the guest clothes of the castle. After changing clothes, Elsa asked Jin for a favor. Sorry to keep you waiting. But, after washing our face, can we go up to the roof again? Elsa also remembered about the viewst night. Rather than going all the way down anding back up, she wanted to enjoy the view before. Its not exactly the roof, though. After washing their faces, Jin also called Hanna and all 3 of them went up to the 6th floor. The stairs were steep so to catch them if they slip, Reiko was also following from behind. Waah! So high! Ah, is that the Helme river? Elsa was also enjoying herself. Uwah, such a nice view! On the eastern side, the sun was slowly rising behind the mountains. Although the sunrise was a bit earlier, because of the mountains blocking that view, now was the time they could experience that view. After enjoying the view for a while, the 3 of them went downstairs. Shall we go take a morning bath? Jin suggested. As they were in the partyst night, they couldnt take a bath. Mm. Yes! Elsa and Hanna both agreed so they decided to head towards the hot spring. Towels and change of clothes could be taken along the way from Marthas house so that wouldnt be a problem. Ah, Mr. Jin, good morning. As they were talking along the road towards the vige, a voice called out to Jin from behind. It was Lishia. Lishia had also woken up and got dressed. Ms. Lishia, good morning. Good morning. Ms. tax collector, good morning! Lishia also said good morning to Hanna and Elsa saying she wasnt the tax collector anymore. Mr. Jin, you sure wake up early. Where are you headed to? Ah, to the hot springs for a morning bath. The castle also has a bath but hot springs are better still. As Jin said that, Lishia came asking hesitantly. Ah, that sounds nice! May Ie along as well? Sure. Right, Hanna, Elsa? Both of them also said yes immediately. Thank you very much! Then I will quickly go and get a change of clothes! Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Saying that, Lishia went running towards the castle again. Jin-nii, how do you know that person? After Lishia couldnt be seen anymore, Elsa asked Jin. Yea,st year, I got to know her while carrying the tax wheat to the Neighboring vige. Thats all? Elsa was quite sharp today. Well, I may have given her advice and saved her from a golem attack along the way. You had fixed her sword for her too. Reiko came adding unnecessary supplements. However, that made Elsa remember. Ah, the person in Alban. Yea. Brother was kind to that person from the start, huh? Even Hanna came saying stuff like that, which made Jin panic a little. Elsa just said, Jin-nii is kind to girls, huh? Jin didnt know how to answer to that. But fortunately, Lishia came back just then. Sorry to keep you waiting! And so, Jin and the others started walking towards the vige. And there, another person called them. Good morning, Ms. Lishia! Are you going on a walk? It was Pascaud Rush. He had also gotten up early and went for a walk. Good morning, Mr. Pascaud. We are all going to the hot springs together. Eh?! That Mr. Jin too? Jin guessed what he was trying to mean and said, Of course, the bath is seperated for men and women. And Pascaud was visibly relieved. Ah, may I join as well? Yes, we dont mind. Then please go on ahead. I will catch up with a change of clothes. Saying that, Pascaud ran towards the castle at full speed. Jin and the others walked slowly and first dropped by Marthas house to get a change of clothes and towel. Martha and Mine were also awake and when they asked what Jin and the others will do about breakfast, Jin said that he will be having breakfast with Lishia and the others at the castle. Hanna looked a bit sad about it but that cant be helped. And then they headed towards the hot spring. Pascaud had also caught up. Pascaud and Jin went to the mens bath and Hanna, Elsa and Lishia went to the womens bath while Reiko stood by outside. Waaii, so warm! Hanna stretched in the bathtub. Elsa and Lishia also got in. Ms. Elsa, your skin is very pretty and fair. Yours too, Ms. Lishia. Unlike Barbara and Belle, Lishias volume was simr to Elsas so she was relieved. Ehehe, but my face and arms got so sunburnt, its basically all ck now. Lishia, who had been to battlefields was exposed to the sun a lot and got a bit tanned in those areas. But as Elsa was fair-skinned from the start and didnt go out as much, her skin didnt get tanned. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website It will be fine I am sure if you stay in the hot spring for some time. That would be nice Maybe they felt connected somehow, they both could talk without feeling awkward. Hanna was going by her own pace. (This is awkward) (What do we talk about now) On the other hand, Jin and Pascaud were in the bath without having a single conversation. Chapter 330: Sudden End and Confrontation

Chapter 330: Sudden End and Confrontation

While Jin was going through the awkwardness with Pascaud in Kaina vige, at present, Earl Walter was staying at Rakham. Although his usual base is at Prenz, as ofte, he has been working at Rakham, which is closer to Kaina vige. Master, it is morning. You should get up soon. The attendant said, knocking the door. But there was no reply. Earl Walter was at least good at getting up and was known for his pranks on the attendants whoe to wake him up. However, even after some time, he didnt answer, so the attendant got a little suspicious. And then, remembering that he did say something about his body feeling heavy since yesterday, the attendant rushed to the butler. The butler soon came rushing in. And after using the spare key to open the door, there lied (How far does he n on going?)] Deneb 30 thought. She was now following the mysterious man. The mysterious man, who was giving the Earl his wits before was now, heading east after exiting Earl Walters mansion in Rakham early this morning. If he keeps on going like this, he will probably go beyond Earl Walters territory. Even with all the investigation till now, they couldnt grasp the identity of this mysterious man. Considering the Quintas abilities, this is something very surprising. No, maybe the mans movement speed is more astounding. It isnt that of a normal human being. He has travelled 60 km in 2 hours. In other words, he is moving at a speed of 30kmph. It is 1.5 times the speed of a marathon runner. On top of that, he wasnt heading through any urban areas. He was moving along the area between Nowasa and Riein, where theres the least amount of people. And so naturally, there was no proper road there, just boulders, forests and wastnds-and he was moving at 30 kmph even in these conditions. Judging from the fact that the mysterious mans identity couldnt be revealed even with Deneb 29 and 30s investigation, he might not be a human at all-is what Deneb 30 reported to Laojun before following him and that might just be the truth. Master! Seeing his master writhe in pain on the bed, the butler shouted out. And then instructed the attendant beside him. He has an intense fever! Healer! Call a healer! Y-yes! The attendant hurriedly left the room. The mysterious man and Deneb 30 who was following him hade all the way to the Great Shama Wends. Time spent toe this far was a total of 3 hours. That is insanely high speed. Just when their legs started to get muddy, the mysterious man stopped. And slowly turned around. For the first time, the mysterious mans face could be clearly seen. It was face of a man of about 20 years. But it also felt somewhat not human. It would be more appropriate to call it a cold-blooded animal. His height was about 190 centimeters and was thin but ripped. The body of a martial artist. The fact that such details came to light after all this time means that the mysterious man has been careful to not let even the Quintas know of his disguise. Good job making it this far. And then his gaze clearly caught Deneb 30, who was in stealth mode. The healer checked Earl Walter for a while with a grave expression and then just said, Its toote. Eh?! His breathing has already stopped. He cant be brought back to life. That cant be! Master Earl Walter, dead at 41 years old. It was an all too sudden end. What exactly are you? Undoing his stealth, Deneb 30 asked the mysterious man. What about you? With those physical abilities, youre not human, are you? I will borrow your words and use them right on you. Hmm, so you dont have any intention of talking. They red at each other. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website It felt like a stalemate would continue like that but, as if he got impatient, the mysterious man was the first to act. His moved even faster than before. Moreover, who knows where he was hiding it, but he also brought out a short sword. ! Deneb 30 tried to evade but because of the surface being soft, he tripped and his first response was a tad bit slow. And that was enough for the man. -Tiingg- along with a high-pitched metallic nk, the short sword had cut into Deneb 30s right hand. Quintas skeletal frame was made of aluminium. The short sword had even cut halfway into that aluminium. You bastard, golem no, an automata, eh?! The aluminium was tough and Deneb 30 instantly pulled back his arm, taking the mans short sword along with it. To think someone who can create automatas like you also existed in this era What is the name of the person who made you? You think I will tell you that? Taking out the short sword from his right arm, he took stance with it on his left hand and red at the man. His right hand had more than half of its magical muscle cut and was of no use anymore. Hmm, you automatas are always the same. With that unlimited loyalty to your creator However! The man brought out an orb from his pocket which shone light-blue in the sunlight. And then, Divieniunschiavo He used a magic they never even heard of. It looked as if that wave pierced through Deneb 30. Hmm, making me do so much work. Automata, spill your and your masters name. The mysterious man ordered Deneb 30 as if he had won. However, his eyes opened wide in the very next moment. I decline. It was because Deneb 30 acted as if nothing had happened. W-what exactly are you? Not obeying my envement! I have no obligation to answer. I see. Then I shall tear you apart, drag out that control core and directly ask it! The man again put forward the orb and said, Distruzione! Destructive magic was released. Taking in that magic, the mud burst and scattered. Even Deneb 30 wouldnt be unscathed if he took that head on but as he got a hold of his footing properly this time, he was barely able to dodge it. Elrad Light, eh? Thats bothersome. You bastard! You even know of that?! Once again, they stopped their movements and stared each other down. And again, silence fell Your master is definitely quite the person, this I will acknowledge. The man muttered vexingly. Lets make a trade, how about it? You wont follow me around any further. In exchange, I will answer any one of your questions How about it? Deneb 30 was silent. But he was in fact exchanging information with Laojun with mana-cam. ([Is that mans mana remaining in that sword?]) (Yes.) ([Then its fine. We can affirm his location with magi radar. ept those conditions.]) After such an exchange, Deneb 30 answered the man. Understood. I will ept those conditions. However, you have injured my hand, so I will have this sword. As Deneb 30 said that, the man made a grim face. Kugh I have no other choice. Ask anything, I will answer only one question. The question had already been decided by Laojun. Well then What was your objective at Earl Walters ce? Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Hearing that question, the man stared in wonder once again. Oho? So you will ask that. I hadpletely thought that you would ask who I am. You dont need to speak of useless things, so just answer the question. Understood. Me being at his ce was just as a pastime. This isnt a lie. So you were saying you spread infectious disease just for fun?! The man was surprised again. Really, what exactly are you and your master? I did say only one question but to pay my respect to those discerning eyes, I will answer. Exactly that. The man put in the Elrad Light in his pocket and leaped back. He made it all the way to the other side with just one leap. Hahaha, it was quite amusing. However, as usual, humans sure are weak. But, I shall tell you my name. My name is Raldus. Raldus the Jester. The man who introduced himself as Raldus jumped across the wends without getting sucked in and disappeared into the distance. Chapter 331: Parting Gift

Chapter 331: Parting Gift

Deneb 30 gazed at the Great Shama Wends after Raldus disappeared but then realized that he must deliver the short sword to Laojun as soon as possible and so immediately turned aside and started running. He was headed for Kaina vige. Because on top of a warp gate being avable there, Jin was also there at the moment. Present time was around 9 am. Distance to Kaina vige in a straight line is about 80 km. Although his speed would somewhat decrease because of the bad footing in the wends but he still would have been able to reach in 2 hours. However, movement suddenly slowed down. ?! He noticed that his left ankle was slightly damaged. Its probably the after effect of the Distruzione magic Even though he had more than enough margin to run away. Seems like the effect range wasrger than he had thought. I cant run freely with this Without a choice, Deneb 30 decided to contact Laojun. Due to that Raldus guys magic grazing my left ankle, it is damaged. [Understood. I will send someone over from Kaina vige.] Laojun took over. Because he knew Deneb 30s position by magi radar, he was able to send Land Y and Z there from Kaina vige and they reached within 2 hours. The arrangement was that Land Y will take the short sword and travel to Kaina vige at full speed, then use the warp gate to get the sword to Laojun. And Land Z would carry Deneb 30 back to Kaina vige. Although Deneb 30 had told all the necessary information to Laojun, who knows what could happen. Land Z and Deneb 30 also hurried towards Kaina vige. On the other hand, Laojun was caught by the sentence as usual, humans sure are weak. And as such, he contacted Deneb 29, who remained at Rakham. I was just about to contact you. There was a surprising turn of events. [Are you saying Earl Walter died from an illness?] Yes. After feeling fatigued, he caught a fever and then felt extreme pain all over his body, and after suffering that Laojun had made many different ns to tease the Earl but he now got to know that all of that went to waste. [You reap what you sow. A curse will rebound on yourself as well, I suppose.] With that, Laojun renewed his thinking. Lishias poor physical health then and now Earl Walters death. He thought that Raldus was probably connected to both of those. [I must inform my lord.] And there, Laojun contacted Reiko. After enjoying a morning bath at the hot spring, Jin went back to the Nidou castle and had breakfast together with Lishia and Pascaud. Elsa also joined through the course of events. Elsa had textbook like table manners. Seeing that, Pascaud and Lishia were amazed. M-ms. Elsa, was it? Your table manners are very elegant Pascauds face was somewhat red. On the other hand, Lishia honestlyplimented. Uwaa, Ms. Elsa is verydylike. I wouldpletely believe it even if you say youre a nobles daughter. Believe it or anything, it is obvious since Elsa is the daughter of a former noble-thought Jin and Elsa but didnt speak of it. My father was a strict person so Elsa just muttered. Feeling something from her tone, the other two decided to not raise the topic anymore. After having breakfast, they looked around Kaina vige. Jin was on his beloved golem horse Koma and Elsa was on Snow. And they had Lishia and Pascaud ride on Ain and Tsubai. Wa-wa-wa, Like this?! Uwaaahh! I-is this how you do iitt?! Although they were having trouble handing the golem horse at first, after about 30 mins, they were able to walk it without no problem. And so, the 4 of them went around Kaina vige. They departed from Nidou castle. In other words, beside Helme river. At first, they went along Helme rivers river beach. The deep and shallow regions were adjoined and clearly visible there, making it quite the scenery. We can collect magi stones a bit far from here-over there. It is a great ie source for the vige as cooking stoves mana source. Ah, so you can collect them here. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website As Lishia also had 2 stoves from Ranpany at her house, she was used to the magic stones. Whereas, it seems like Pascaud didnt know of them. They returned to Kaina vige after seeing the Helme river. A gentle slope rose from the bridge to the wooden fence and beyond that was officially Kaina vige. Wheat fields could be seen on the left side after entering the fence. Deeper that way lied forests of needle-leaved trees. Inside the vige, as somend was barren, there were fields to y on but mostly there are either houses or ntations or storehouses for materials. We grow the vegetable gardens generally for ourselves. Most of the vegetables they grow were green vegetables. That is because the duration from nting the seeds to harvesting is really low. And then the four of them came in front of Marthas house. This is the house where I stayed at first. You know that, right, Ms. Lishia? Yes. I expanded the previous workshop here and also reconstructed the house. Well, you could say this is my home as well. Elsa also lives here. The mayors house was just a bit further ahead. As you already know, this is Mr. Gibbecks house, my acting magistrate and the person handling the vige. There, Jin got off the road and headed east. Beyond this the storehouse for wheat, right? Lishia remembered it from when she camest year as the tax collector. Yes. But theres one more thing. Jin said while pointing at the ice house. That is? Its called an ice house. Simply said, you store snow in it in winter to preserve vegetables. While he was exining, they made it in front of the ice house and got off there. Jin slightly opened the door of the ice house. If I open it too much it will get warm inside, you see. Saying that, they went inside. Jin brought out a light ball to illuminate the ce. Theres actual snow stored here, huh? Its a bit cold but this is amazing! A great amount of snow was in front of them and in the empty space between the snow was containers of vegetables and meat. You know a lotta things, Mr. Jin. And you are using that knowledge for the betterment of the people. I respect that. Lishia praised Jin but Pascaud just looked at him frustrated. And it was at that time, Father, an emergency situation has broken out. Reiko told Jin in a low voice. What?! What are the details? Yes its rted to the illness. As Lishia and Pascaud were nearby, Reiko tried to exin as ambiguously as she could. And that was enough for Jin to understand. I understand. Ms. Lishia, Mr. Pascaud, I am sorry but I would like to return for now. As Jin said, Pascaud made an expression as if he didnt know what was going on but Lishia just nodded. Yes, if Mr. Jin is saying so, then there is probably an emergency. Please return without minding us. Thank you. Then, pleasee to Ms. Marthas house which I showed you a while ago. Elsa, I leave them to you. Just as he said that, Jin left the ice house and got on Koma and headed towards the house as fast as he could. Reiko got on in front of Jin. Lishia and Pascaud, who were still not quite used to the golem horses were slowly escorted by Elsa. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Earl Walter has died from an illness?! While running, Jin heard the report from Reiko. [This is a guess but this Raldus guy, the mysterious guy at the Earls ce is probably a demon. However, that is not whats important at the time being.] Demon. The sworn enemy of the humans-the enemies they fought with their existence on the line in the Great Magic War. But Laojun says that is not important. Jin urged him to continue while galloping. [The problem is his parting gift.] Parting gift? [Its probably a contagious disease.] What?! [It is the same as the illness Ms. Lishia caught. It looks like the Earls treatment was a bit toote.] Jin felt uneasy. The worst possible scenario was starting to be real. Chapter 332: 70% Threat

Chapter 332: 70% Threat

After returning to his house, Jin entrusted the Kaina vige business to Butler A and went to Hourai ind using the warpgate in the workshop underground. Laojun, give me the details. Without greetings, Jin went straight for the main topic. [Yes. It all started with] Laojun exined in chronological order. Starting with the time when Lishia stayed at Earl Walters mansion for one night when she went to greet him. And that the possibility of them doing something to the pigeons during that time is high. The reason behind that is the pigeons feathers started to swell afterwards. He mentioned how Lishias condition worsened after she left Toka vige. And that the very next day Earl Walters condition also deteriorated. And that this morning, his condition took a steep decline suddenly and he That earl He didnt do anything good till the very end, huh? Hearing the situation, Jin clenched his fist so his nails probably dug into his wrist. He had felt an intense anger towards Earl Walter but the Earl is no longer in this world. Jin thought of what he should prioritize for the time being and forcibly changed his thoughts toe up with a n against the disease. I see. I understand. Your spection is the same as mine. The chances of the pigeon being the medium for the transfer of the disease is pretty high. Jin remembered bird flu and psittacosis. A simr disease might also exist in this world. [A healing medicine was enough to make Ms. Lishia fully recover from it. And after that, as I have reported, we sterilized their belongings and also gave medicine to the horses and the birds.] And just in case, they also had everyone in the vige have the pelshika juice with the medicine mixed in it. Kaina vige was safe for the time being. However, the viges which fall in the path Lishia took. Also the cities surrounding Rakham This is what he had feared a few days ago. It seems that no one has gotten sick yet. However, if the disease also transmits from human to birds, then this is a serious matter. Then it would spread throughout the Kurain kingdom in a sh and probably even to the neighboring countries. It would be a pandemic. [We have collected the short sword from that demon-like being, who apparently goes by the name Raldus, in order to determine his location. Land Y should be delivering it here soon.] Mm? Land Y? Why? Land Y is supposed to be in charge of Kaina viges defense. So why was he retrieving something from the demon?-Thought Jin. [Yes. That Raldus saw through Deneb 30s stealth and, although for a short time, there was a fight. There, he was able to take the demons sword but he also took a blow and became unable to perform movement actions properly and so I sent Land Y and Z as support. Land Z to help Deneb 30e back and Land Y to retrieve the sword.] It was probably bad letting Deneb 30 pursue him alone. [Yes. I thought having more people chase him would make it easier for him to notice but it seems like that backfired. Moreover, they were at the Great Shama Wends so the quintas werent near either.] I guess that couldnt be helped Now if only we do not lose this Raldus guy, it will all work out. [Yes. ording to Koushins report, it doesnt seem like anyone is following Land Y. We can assume that the demon is not following.] Speaking of the devil, Land Y had juste through Kaina viges warp gate. And it is needless to say that he had also raised his body temperature to 200 degrees along the way to kill any bacteria per Laojuns instructions. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Oh, good job, Land Y. Master, I see you have returned here. Laojun, here is the sword. Land Y handed over the sword to Laozi, Laojuns terminal. Mm? Let me see that a bit. Saying that, Jin took the sword. And seeing the material it was made of, his eyes opened wide. It was something he had never seen before. A kind of material even the Magi Craft Meister Jin doesnt know about. Sponsored Content Rmended by I think its probably something from living creatures but Jin abstained his curiosity and handed over the sword to Laozi again. They should prioritize more on locating Raldus now. [Mana pattern has gotten quite weak but its alright, I have recorded it. I will nowmence determining his location.] Saying that, Laojun activated the magi radar. And after a few minutes, [I got it. The big mana source thought to be Raldus is at Renald kingdom at the moment.] Renald kingdom, eh Although it is a part of the small country alliance, due to the forever-continuing mountain range blocking it from other countries, it barely has any diplomatic rtions to other countries and is filled with mysteries. Even the Quintas werent deployed there yet. I would like to deploy Quintas to Shouro empire and Renald kingdom too. But theres a need to increase them in that case [My lord, do you n on increasing the Quintas?] Jin replied yes to Laojuns question. And so, Laojun said, [My lord, considering Raldus physical abilities, it will be worrisome to keep the Quintas as they are.] Jin also agreed. And while he was thinking of exactly how to do that, Land Z had also returned with Deneb 30. They had also made sure to get rid of all bacterias and that no one was following them. Ohh, good job, Deneb 30, Land Z. As Jin praised them, Land Z just replied with, Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website I have just done my job. Well, then. And went back to Kaina vige but Deneb 30 looked apologetic. Chief, I am very sorry to say that I have ended up injuring the body you have given me. But Jin just said kindly, Its fine. You did well this time. Without the information you provided, the situation might have turned out worse. Chapter 333: Renald Kingdom

Chapter 333: Renald Kingdom

Reiko consulted with Laojun and An and plotted her n. We know his location so I can fly to Renald kingdom at night with Pegasus 1 and capture him. She had received the permission from Jin to use the fastest airframe in Hourai ind, so she will use that. The warpgate which doesnt require a receiving end isntplete yet as theres a problem regarding the uracy of the destination and she decided not to use it this time. [Please use the emergency warpgate to return.] There wont be any loss in time with this. Sister, dont go alone, take someone with you. Of course, I know you are strong. But we dont know whether he is alone or not so just in case, just in case. Said An. And Reiko meekly took the warning. She had confidence that she wouldnt lose to anyone but there is a possibility that she might be faced with obstacles. It is reassuring if theres someone along at a time like that. [Right. Taking into consideration Deneb 30s report, I think it would be best if you take Soreiyu, Rulna and 2 Lands.] Soreiyu and Rulna are directly under Reikos supervision and the Lands are the strongest golems in Hourai ind, excluding Reiko. I will do that then. Also, Touka. As one would expect, she couldnt really take the magi canon as its hard to use against single individuals and it would be overkill. Touka was damaged during the decisive battle with the Unifiers but, after that, the parts were changed to magi adamantite by Jin and even the function of a vibrating sword was inserted. And for defense I have this. The pendant she received from Jin before. The time it took to prepare everything was about an hour. The current time in Hourai ind is 5 pm. How does the target look, Laojun? [Its good, it seems like he has stopped moving.] Laojun answered immediately as he was checking the location in real time. Raldus wasnt moving. In other words, he was probably in his base. [It would be best to depart now and descent after it gets dark.] Taking Laojuns advice, Reiko, Soreiyu, Rulna and Land 1 and 2 got into Pegasus 1 and departed. Jin had returned to Kaina vige to consult with Lishia so he was absent. But, even though he wasnt there, in Reikos heart in her control core, the words Jin said I cant leave it to anyone other than you, so I am counting on you were etched in. I will be back then, father. She said with a low voice which only she could hear and took off with Pegasus 1. The distance between Renald kingdom and Hourai ind is about 600 kilometers and the time difference is 2 hours. With Pegasus 1s speed, they can reach there within an hour. However, as the sun was still up and it was bright, the chances of them getting spotted were high, so they took a detour. So Raldus is around here somewhereHowever, this is The sun still hadnt sunk and Reiko was looking down from about 500 meters high and was somewhat exasperated at the sight. To think there isnt a kingdom. Thats right, as far as she confirmed from the skies, there wasnt anything which could be called a country there. It wasnt like there were no humans living there though. Just that they lived in small settlements here and there and it wasnt big enough to be called a town. It wasnt like this when the map was drawn. Are you telling me there was an illusionary barrier deployed When they were making the map, they were viewing it from about 5000 meters and 2000 meters above. At that time, they couldnt spot any anomalies. Seems like the barrier was deployed at about 800 meters. Once they decreased their altitude, the scenery changed altogether. It may be possible if it were normal human beings but to even deceive the golems of Hourai ind and Reiko. Thats secondary for now. However, lets record this phenomenon clearly. Reiko gave order to the golem she brought along this time, Rulna, to properly record the characteristics and strength of the barrier and devoted her attention to finding Raldus. Located. With a short search, she determined his precise location. About 12 kilometers north to where Reiko was at the moment. It wouldnt take more than a few minutes to get there with Pegasus 1. However, as the opponent is even capable of putting up such barriers, she got off 2 kilometers before the destination. As Pegasus 1 has VTOL feature, it couldnd anywhere as long as the surface is t but Reiko was prudent and got off while it was still flying. Standy by here until I contact. I will keep the mana telecam always on. Understood, sister. Soreiyu answered as their representative. This time, they set up mana telecams on Reikos eyes and ears. In other words, everything Reiko sees or listens will be sent to Laojun. It was set up just in case something happens. Reiko jumped off from 10 meters height andnded without making any noise. And like that, she sprinted towards the destination. She already had stealth activated. However, Deneb 30s stealth was also seen through so. Reiko bore in mind that she shouldnt trust too much on the stealth. The surroundings there looked like there was a city there before but it has probably been decades since humans lived there and the buildings were in ruins and weed was growing here and there. And because of that, there was an abundance of ces to hide. Reiko took about 10 minutes to get close to the destination. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website That building seems to be it. It even reacted to Reikos search function. It was a big pulse. As the opponent is a demon, he wont be needing any light. Well, I dont either. The building was made of stone. It seemed to be a 3 storied building before but the 3rd floor has since fallen apart and only 2 floors could be used. And the mana reaction wasing from the 2nd floor. Looks to be alone. She was being wary about his allies but for the moment, as far as Reiko could detect, there werent anyrge reactions of mana anywhere within 10 kilometer radius. Then all thats left is to fulfil my mission. Reiko was careful not to make any sound and went in front of the buildings main gate. As far as she could see, there werent any traps. ! And right at that moment, mes burst out from underneath Reiko. But Reiko wouldnt be done in by that level of me. She leaped back in an instant and escaped the fire. Reiko was fine but the other party nowpletely knows she is there. A trap even I cant see through!? She guessed that it was probably done in a demon specialized way. And then, deciding that anymore covert actions would be useless, she deactivated stealth and equipped Touka. And then, a voice could be heard from the 2nd floor. Fuhahah, a guest, eh? Oho, a youngdy? His appearance was the same as what she heard from Deneb 30. A tall thin figure and a bit muscr. I wonder what business you have here? The guy said with a grin. If Jin saw that, he would probably say it is psychologically unpleasant. You are Raldus, the Jester, am I right? Reiko asked point-nk. The mans face distorted. Hou? Where did you hear that? But Reiko didnt answer and directly went to business. I will have you talk about the disease you spread about in Kurain kingdom. It seemed even Raldus was surprised to hear this. Oho? You know about that too, eh. Cant be, are you an ally of the automata from afternoon? Raldus expression got intense. I didnt feel anyone following, though. Have I grown dull, I wonder? And then, he jumped down from the 2nd floor. Without a sound, without even making the dust move about, as if like a feather falling down. Seeing such a physically impossible feat, Reiko was on alert. If so, you are also an automata. What do you want? Like I said, I havee to hear about the disease you spread in Kurain kingdom. Also how to counter it. Hoho, so you already noticed? It seems the ce isnt filled with all idiots. Answer the question. Reiko asked with resolute wording. But Raldus just calmlyughed. Humans are weak, after all. Even that would kill a great number, you see. I am not asking that. Thats what that fool Walter wished for, you know? I just lent a little hand to his wish. As if he was teasing Reiko, he avoided the point and answered evasively. Earl Walter has died. You killed him. Hmm, he was wrong to believe that the disease he wished for would be harmless to himself. Reiko thought that no progress will be made at this rate and decided to shake it up. I dont know what you demon n on doing at a ce like this but do you want to die of an ether stampede? Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website And this worked a little. What?! I am a demon, you say? Raldus was surprised for a moment but soon understood he was being leaded to an answer. Fu-fufufufu. You seem to be smart as well, huh. Seriously, the guy from the afternoon and now you it seems like the world now has quite a talented magi craftsman. I have grown tired of your tedious talk. Are you going to talk about the disease or not? In response to Reikos final demand, Raldus happily said, If you want to know that, try winning against me. Saying that, he drew the sword he was hiding behind his back. That sword gave off a bluish-white gleam even in the pure darkness. Chapter 334: Demon

Chapter 334: Demon

Seeing Raldus draw his sword, Reiko also drew Touka. You will regret it, you know? Thats an interesting sword you have there. However, even at this stage, she couldnt feel Raldus being serious. Lets go! Raldus instantly came towards her with an overhead swing. Reiko blocked it properly. Oho? So you can also see in this darkness. Even then, thats a good sword you got there, to be in one piece even after stopping my de. Saying that, Raldus leaped back in an instant and created some distance. ? Reiko felt strange, blocking that swing. And even in Raldus movements. Well then, next. Raldus came charging at Reiko from his position, swinging sideways aiming for the torso. And although his movements were quite fast, Reiko should be more than able to react in time and stop it but ! However, Raldus swinging sword elerated weirdly in the middle. You did well blocking that. Barely-she was just barely able to block it. And while she did block it, she had that weird feeling in her hand again. And once again, Raldus jumped back to create some distance between them. Reiko was wondering what was it that she felt. It was the speed and the weight. Theres a weight-a mass to the sword. The fact that the amount of energy needed to elerate a heavy sword would be greater than to elerate a small one. On the contrary, if the energy stays the same, the smaller sword would elerate faster than the heavier one. The weird feeling Reiko just got was just that. The eleration of the sword was unnatural and the impact she felt from blocking it didnt match the speed. But I wonder if you will be able to block off the next one? Even while Reiko was in thought, Raldus was preparing for his next attack. This time he was in the thrusting stance. A sword which can go head to head with the reinforced Touka-even though it is Reiko, theres a high chance she might get wounded. Reiko continued thinking. Its a relief that I can read the varieties of his attack but no, maybe that is also a trap? In that moment, Raldus came charging in again. And then he unleashed the thrust. But Reiko surpassed his movements. She had more than enough leeway to dodge. Or so it was supposed to be. !? Reikos body suddenly got heavier. As if her body weight was doubled or tripled. And because of that, her evasive actions couldnt make it in time. Raldus sword was about to stab into Reikos left shoulder. Barrier. Reiko instantly deployed barrier. Raldus sword stopped right before Reikos clothes. It had broke through the indestructible barrier halfway and was stopped by the clothing which was made by the strings of a grand spider. Hmmm, so you can block that one I shall acknowledge. You and your master are of our level! Raldus shouted, leaping back once again. But Reiko didnt reply. That was least of her worries. The phenomenon just now it cant be but, it cant be exined otherwise [Ms. Reiko, I think what youre thinking is correct.] Laojun, who was also viewing Raldus movements through Reikos eyes, agreeed. Can you, control weight? Reiko asked. Hearing that, Raldus eyes opened wide this time. I am really surprised. You can think to that extent by yourself? Now I feel like meeting the person who created you. Then surrender. Reiko advised but Raldus justughed scornfully. Dont be stupid. I will capture you, tear apart your body, take all the info from that control core and them I will be the one attacking. A very demon-like sentence. However, that is a poor move. Theres no way Reiko would forgive anyone or anything which can put Jin in the way the danger. I will definitely, not let you. Reikos voice got much lower. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website She might be able to beat him if she uses mana explosion. However, that way they cant get the info they need. For Reiko, ways to attack were limited. And now, Reiko kicked the ground really hard. It was her attacking now. Eh! However, her movements became heavier the moment she got close to Raldus. Raldus had made Reiko heavier with his magic. Reikos movement was slowed down to the level of a fast human speed. Raldus easily blocked Reikos diagonal swing. However, What?! His sword was cut down with Toukas new function, vibrating sword. Kugh! However, as the swords speed was slow, even though Raldus sword was cut in half, he was able to dodge without getting injured. But now, fright had bore in his face. You easilye crossing my expectations, huh? Judging from the defensive barrier you had a while ago, half-hearted attacks will be blocked so I guess I have no other choice but to use this although I didnt really want to. Raldus brought out the Elrad Light from his pocket. Gravita. And a magic wasunched. 5 meters surrounding Reiko just caved in. Guu, uu. Reiko barely endured it without falling to her knees. I cant believe it. Everything around you, including you, should weight hundreds of times more now but you still stand? Saying that, Raldus used magic once again. Gravita! !! This time, 1 meter surrounding Reiko caved in even more. And even Reiko fell to her knees this time, with her hands on the ground. Fu-fufhahahaha! Surely you cant stand when it weighs thousands of times more! At this moment, 1 meter surrounding Reiko including herself was feeling thousand times the gravitational pull and because of that, even the bedrockposing the ground started breaking into pieces. The reason Reiko was able to resist it was because of the power hidden in her body. But, how long will thatst? I dont know what is your source for mana but it wontst forever. [Ms. Reiko, thats a bluff. He himself cant hold up this magic for long.] Laojun encouraged Reiko saying that. From the beginning, Reikos mana source has been the ether converter. As long as enough ether exists in the surroundings, she can quite literally keep moving semipermanently. Moreover, she also has the emergency use mana tank. With this, although for a short duration, Reiko can bring out 10 times the power of her usual self. Guuuhh! And with the highest output, Reiko stood up. Under her feet was bedrock which waspressed due to the intense gravitational pull. But it was starting to get crushed due to her weight. Reiko wasnt 30 kgs now, she was over 30 tons. Using the strongest reinforce, hardening and mana reinforce on her body, Reiko finally stood up and started walking. Seeing that, Raldus face became pale. I-it cant be! And as he tried to use further magic, the Elrad Light he was holding in his hand turned to dust. Sheet! Being reverted to her usual weight, Reiko was about spring up for a moment there but stopped with her astounding reflexes. And then, with her strength now tens of times more than usual, she leaped towards Raldus. This is payback! A tackle with Reikos full strength. As the distance between them was small, she hit Raldus before reaching the speed of sound, which was fortunate for him. But even still, that impact he received defied description and Raldus was blown away without even having the time to shriek. Going through 3 houses made with stone behind him, he finally stopped after mming into another wall. And then fell into the ground just like that. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website You were a tough opponent. After a self check, Reiko confirmed that there was no anomaly. She slowly walked towards the copsed Raldus. Seeing that his mana was still alive, she judged that he was still alive and had nned to use transfer info while he was unconscious. She had judged it to be too dangerous to take him as a prisoner. The level at which Reiko can use it was barely transferring subconscious memories but on an opponent who has fainted, she can transfer specialized info easily. The objective would have been achieved if she transferred Raldus knowledge into the magi crystal she had brought for it. Reiko got even closer to Raldus. However, in the very next moment, sensing an enormous mana behind her, she turned around. That Raldus, eh? Hmm, he probably got too cocky, which is a bad habit of his. In the shadows behind, two demon-like figures were standing. Chapter 335: Reiko’s Return

Chapter 335: Reikos Return

! Just when did they appear? A mighty magic power could be felt from the two who appeared right in front of Reikos eyes. Nevertheless, It was surprising that she didnt feel them approaching. Reiko cautiously put up her guard. The demon who appeared to be a man put forth his hand inmand. Dont be hasty. We didnte to fight you. he dered. He was short in stature, but his body was built like a rock. Both his short trimmed hair, along with his eyes were pitch ck. In the first ce, we prefer not to fight innds with such low ether concentration such as this one. To a demon, being in low ether concentration is simr to being in thin atmospheric conditions. It doesnt kill them outright, but it definitely makes their actions more difficult than theyd normally be. Then, why are you here? Reiko pointed out. Fufu, its just a simple investigation on our part, but I doubt youd believe me with just that. Investigation? Thats right. This region is fundamentally low in ether concentration, however, it seems that there is a singr point somewhere, right? This time the demon who seemed to be a woman replied. This one was tall and thin, with pitch ck hair long enough to reach her ankles. Like the mans, her eyes were coloured in a simrily shadowed ck. Singr point? Fufu, yes, a singr point. Its an existence that cannot exist naturally. Only there, the ether seems to be very dense. The northern area that wee from is simrly dense, however, its cold up there. A warm ce of high ether concentration would be ideal. Do you know anything about this? Hearing this, Reiko immediately thought of Horai Ind. However, she didnt let it leave her mouth. I dont know. Even if I were privy to such information, I would be under no obligation to share it. Ufu, fufu, fufufufufu. How nice, your response. What courage. The female demon spewed, her body bending back and forth. Are you the ones who created the barrier? Reiko inquired, disregarding the female demon. This time it was the male demon who replied. Hmm? No, thats wrong. Wasnt that barrier formed from the start? ording to the male demons story, the Leonard kingdom had the phantom barrier formed over its sky over 100 years ago. I dont know who set it up, or what their goal was. It never particrly bothered us anyways. Is that so. The value in that line of conversation wasnt very high to Reiko, so she chose to end it. That man Raldus was spreading an infectious disease. I will collect responsibility Saying so, Reiko turned to the prone Raldus and took a single step forward. However, in an instant the two demons had somehow appeared in front of Reiko, blocking her way. Oops, I cant let that happen. There are only a few of us after all. In that case, do you know anything about the disease Raldus was spreading? Reiko judged that she should start with securing information, and although it didnt seem likely for them to obediently tell her, for the time being, shed at least ask them. Do you mean Magic Exhaustion Fever? Th, that is correct. Since Reiko had truly not expected them to obediently talk, she was expectedly thrown off by this response and had stuttered her words. Like, that illness isnt really a big deal for us though. So the female flippantly prefaced her exnation on Magic Exhaustion Fever. Basically, the more magic power you have, the lighter the symptoms. Without enough magic power, it can be fatal. Saying so, she hit her chest andughed. The gesture frightened Reiko a bit. And then? Ah, so sorry. Then, the point is, its a disease that devours the magic power of the body. Once all the magic power has been consumed, it starts consuming the bodies life force instead. Once that happens its already toote. After saying so, she once againughed. Bemiarch, thats quite enough The male demon remonstrated her. Then the female demon who had finally been named, Bemiarchughed some more. I get it, Dogmalord. Reiko went through a list of the information that she got from the conversation. Birds can contract the disease. However, the birds dont die but recover from it. The disease is passed from birds to humans through contact, and from one human to another through contact. The disease cannot be transferred from humans to birds. There are people who, depending on their magic power pattern, are unable to contract the disease. Those who had been infected once but recovered, cannot contract it a second time. The incubation period is at minimum 2 days, and 5 days at max. The incubation period is long for individuals with a lot of magic power, and short for those with little. In the case of one having an extremely high amount of magic power, they will not develop any symptoms whatsoever. The symptoms of the disease are first, feelings of exhaustion, and second, a high fever. At this point, treatment would still be effective. For the next stage, the entire body is attacked by severe pain. At this point, it would be toote for any treatment. The cause of death is cardiac arrest. Medicare would likely be an effective healing magic. Provided that you can cast it consecutively for several minutes, the disease is meaningless. Even though its a contagion, previous outbreaks had onlysted a few seconds before being finished through the use of Medicare Therefore its possible to render the source of the illness harmless through the use of Medicare. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website That isnt guaranteed to be the truth though. Is that all true? Even if its not thats still fine. Was all of that the truth? Without using info transfer it would be impossible to be any surer, but we cant let you know all our secrets. Dogmalord guaranteed. If its such a simple illness as youve said, why did you bother spreading it? That was what Reiko couldnt understand. Thats simple. Raldus did it of his own ord. In the first ce, that guys still young, so he doesnt have good judgment. Though its only a little, his power is hard to control. In that case, would you say that the spread of the disease is not your goal? Thats right. However, that isnt to say I want to help with the treatment. Saying so, Dogmalord vanished from before Reikos sight, and when she noticed him again he had the copsed Raldus in his arms. No way does this mean you can use spacial teleportation? Im not obliged to teach you up to that point And so I will be taking this guy. I cant lose him after all. See ya, cute kid. Were going to return to our country. Said Bemiarch, blowing Reiko a kiss. Wait a moment! I still have more to ask! However, words of refusal were returned to her. I dont have anything else I feel like talking about. This is the end. Dogmalord said, turning away from Reiko and casting magic. gravita Before Reiko realized it she was floating off the ground. Either the scope of the magic was vast, or it had a property of following the target. This is! Earlier gravity had been increased to dull her movement, but now the opposite was happening. In other words, Reiko had lost the majority of her weight. Reikos weight was approximately the same as that of the air. If it was just a little bit lighter, she would probably be able to move much faster, but this was far too much. This meant that even if she kicked the ground with all her might, none of her power would get through rendering it meaningless. And so, the three demons got away from right in front of Reikos eyes. [Ms. Reiko, its possible to trace Raldus magic power. We should be satisfied that we were able toplete our first objective.] Laojuns advice convinced Reiko. That is certainly true. Either because the demons had left, or simply due to the passage of time, Reikos body weight gradually returned. After about 15 minutes, the magic lost its effect. I should return soon. Reiko ran at full speed in the direction of the ce Pegasus 1 was waiting. As a precaution, she increased the temperature of her body to sterilize it. In full darkness, Reiko ran at no less the 200km/h and reached Pegasus 1 in a minute. Elder sister, were you safe? At Pegasus 1 Luna and Soleil gave their greetings. There was a strong magic reaction, so we are on alert. Land 1 and 2 were rmed by the pressure at the time, so they returned from the darkness. I think I was somehow able toplete our goal. Lets return. Reiko used the warp gate she had previously arranged as an escape route to return to Horai Ind. After her, Soleil, Luna, Land 1, 2 and Pegasus 1 returned to Horai ind. [Thank you for the hard work, Ms. Reiko.] After returning to Horai Ind, Reiko received Laojuns words of gratitude. Its a little regrettable. The way I handled the demons. Reiko freely expressed what she was feeling. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website [I understand that. However, you seeded in achieving ourrgest goal. I believe the words of those demons were no lie.] Elder sister, there is a fragment remaining in my memory, and it there are no discrepancies. I believe those guys were telling the truth. Being told so, Reiko finally raised the face she had been casting downward. [My Lord is waiting in theboratory on the second floor. Hearing about your difficult fight has made him worry endlessly. Please show him your safe appearance.] Yes. Hearing so, Reiko urgently went through the warp gate and ran to the second floor where Jin was. Note 1: ٥ߥ` == no idea how to write this in English. It shows up againter in the story so What do we want it to be? Bemiarch? Thats the best I cane up with. Note 2: ɥޥ饦 == much easier, but Ill list all names at the bottom so we can put everything in the wiki from now on. Dogmalord or Dogmaloud. Ill go with the first for now. Chapter 336: Preparatory Meeting

Chapter 336: Preparatory Meeting

Going back in time a little-Jin, on the other hand. Alright then, lets proceed with that. I can leave the preparations to you, right? [Yes, my lord. Please, leave it to me.] After consulting with Laojun and then giving him several instructions to prepare for the coping method, although he felt painfully reluctant, he headed towards Kaina vige without seeing Reiko off. First, he went to the office of Nidou castle and ordered Butler B to bring Lishia and Pascaud who were around the workshop over. Belle, prepare tea. Barou, bring two more chairs. Yes. Yes. The office was a western-style room, not a Japanese one. It had wooden flooring and a big table and chair. Thinking that the talk might be long, Jin made Belle prepare some tea. While Jin was going through the sequence in his head once more, Butler B came back with Lishia and Pascaud. Sorry for calling you out here. But its an emergency situation. As Jin came saying that as soon as they entered, Pascaud, who looked like he was about to say something, also held his tongue. First, he offered them to seat and then to have the tea Belle poured. After drinking a sip and regaining theirposure, Jin let dropped the bomb. It seems like Earl Walter has passed away. Ehhh?! He was careful to say that after confirming they finished drinking so that they didnt spit it out. I just got the message a while ago. Jin put the message he made Laojun make on top of the table. The time of death was this noon. The symptoms started with lethargy and lead to a fever and pain all over the body. And at the end Lishias face turned pale. She didnt feel the pain but she remembers having felt the lethargy and her temperature rising. And to add more to this unfortunate event, this seems to be a contagious disease and birds are the source of contagion. I, I the birds I, brought were they, pigeons?! Lishia barely finished the sentence, looking as white as a sheet. She probably thought that she was the reason behind Earl Walters death. She looked like she would faint any moment now. Realizing that, Jin followed up. Ms. Lishia, the one who infected your pigeon was the Earl Walter. Eh?! It was done under his instructions by his underlings, to be precise. wh-what do you mean?! And there, Jin exined how the Earl wasnt satisfied with Jin receiving thisnd as leaseholdnd and how he harassed them by buying all the salt and what not. He also simply exined how Earl Walter also tried to use her to spread the disease to the Kaina vige this time. I-Impossible! You would say the Earl did this even for an instant?! Oi, you bastard! Do you have any proof? This can be taken as defamation if you dont, you know?! In contrast to Lishia, who had gotten into thinking, Pascaud snapped and pressed on Jin. Of course, he predicted such a situation. Evidence, eh? First of all, the main source of the disease, Earl Walter, passed away this noon. And, after a little examination, the butler and attendants working at the mansion also started feeling lethargic. Among them, there were also some who were down with a fever. As Jin kept speaking inly like that, Pascaud was at a loss for words. B but, you cant just say hes the culprit with just that! But then he came objecting. And as he said that, he realized something. Oi, dont go saying nonsense! What time do you think it is?! No matter how fast the carrier pigeons are, theres no way they cane here that fast! In the first ce, who came rying such a big incident at the Earls mansion?! However, Jin and Laojun also predicted that. Please read the letter. Saying that, he handed over the letter on top of the table to Pascaud. Pascaud snatched it from Jins hand and skimmed his eyes through it. It seems to say what youre saying and the sender is Deus Ex Machina? where have I heard it before But Lishia immediately recalled. Mr. Jin! Do you know this person, Deus Ex Machina?! She asked Jin, sounding impatient and flustered. This was also within expectations. After all, when returning Lishias sword, he had said I got it from Machina. I wouldnt go as far to say I know him. But we have met a few timesAh, I cant talk about him since I promised him. He made it so that hes an acquaintance of Machina, but a veryplicated kind. Although, when this gets known to the Kurain Kingdoms headster on, it would it harder for them to deal with Jin. I see Kurain kingdom, Francis kingdom, Serroa kingdom and Egelia kingdom. The war controlled by the Unifiers was forcibly ended by a mysterious man who called himself Deus Ex Machina-everyone who participated in the war knew that. Although the man had called himself that at the capital city of Egelia kingdom, Asunto, it was soon conveyed to Kurain kingdom with the Mana Phone. I see, so its information from that man, eh? Then it has some credibility. Pascaud also reluctantly buried the hatchet. And that was when Jin went on to persuade them. And thereupon, the important thing right now isnt finding out who the culprit is. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Reverting his tone back to normal, Jin started speaking to Lishia. He pointed out the culprit to make Lishia feel less guilty. I understand. We should prioritize restraining the spreading of the disease, right? After calming down a bit, Lishia understood what Jin was going on about. Yes. As also written in that letter, it seems like Deus Ex Machina is also investigating the disease at this moment Ms. Lishia, what do you think would be best to do, going forward? Jin thought Lishia might have a good opinion on the matter as she was on the relief knights squad. After thinking for a bit, Lishia opened her mouth. Of course, it is vital to get rid of the disease. And the only way to do that is, I think, trace back our path and examine and cure the people along the way. Lishia said that but her expression didnt clear up. And reason behind that would be clear after what she said next. But, the area in most danger is Rakham, isnt it? It has been days since the contagion there. From the info he got from An and Elena, he knew that the period needed for the disease to infect was from about 2 to 5 days. Judging from the fact that Earl Walter passed away, the people in the mansion are also probably in danger now. The people of Rakham might still have a bit of a grace period. Moreover, we dont know how to cure it. And there, Jin asked Lishia, What is the healing magic you use, Ms. Lishia? I can use cure and recovery. Both are surgical methods of healing. I am sorry, I cant cure the disease. Saying that, she hung her head in depression. But this was also within expectations. Thats fine. I have a magic crystal here with the medicare magic in it. You can activate it if you apply a bit mana to it. Jin took out 2 magic crystals from his pocket and put them on the desk. Eh? Eh? It is true that there are magic tools which have magic forms needed to activate a magic embedded in them. However, that isnt something somon that you would pull them out of your pocket whenever you feel like it Thinking that, Lishia was dumbfounded for a moment. As such, I am guessing we will receive some new information from Deus Ex Machina by tomorrow morning. Lets decide on our final course of action based on that. Like this, the talk proceeded exactly as they thought it would. After going about half way through the discussion, the 3 took another sip of the now lukewarm tea and took a breather. Haa, as I thought, you are an acquaintance of Machina, arent you, Mr. Jin? I had been meaning to ask you since my sword was delivered to me. Well, yes Although, it seems like he doesnt like being tied down and so he prefers not toe in front of people. Fufu, actually, I had also been thinking that maybe Mr. Jin is actually Mr. Machina. Thats quite perceptive of her Or rather, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it would be weird for her to not think that. Lishia just smiled as Jin remained silent. No, its fine either way, even if you are Mr. Machina or not. Whats important now is to stop the disease from spreading. Right. And I think, as you people are nobles, Ms. Lishia and Mr. Pascaud, you have more leeway in moving about helping people. After havinge that far, Pascaud finally opened his mouth again. Seems like he came to terms with himself. Mr. Jin, I promise you, I will put forth every effort. However, I still dont believe that the Earl was behind all this. Jin replied with thats fine. After all, its important to block off the disease now. And so, what will you be doing, Mr. Jin? Dont tell me you will stay here and not work? Pascaud said, half ring. Well, although, it isnt that impactful even if he res as the corners of his eyes are drooping. First, I will prepare the medicine. Saying that, he took a healing medicine from the shelf and put it on the table. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website This medicine has the medicare effect. However, I have a limited amount of them, so I need to create more. Pascaud looked at that ampoule with great interest and Lishia became stiff. M-Mr. Jin, y-you said it has the, effect of medicare? Yes. What about it? What about it?! Isnt that a very rare magic medicine?! These would cost 1 gold coin each in the kingdom! 10,000 toll, about 100,000 yen. That is how precious a highly effective healing medicine was. Jin and Laojun didnt think about its worth that much. However, here, the results of reading that alchemy book came to y. Thats because alchemy hasnt developed much. It can be made more easily if you were to use the newest alchemist, Eschenbachs method. That was half true. As far as Jin read about Toa Eschenbach, Shouro empires alchemist, he had guessed that there is a chance of creating a highly effective medicine if one applies magic to a dense, ether liquid. Jin was impressed when he read that. Is, that so Lishia also withdrew, as it was Jin saying that. After all, its always better to have more medicine. Chapter 337: Top-notch

Chapter 337: Top-notch

Before one realized, the sun had set and it had gotten pitch-ck outside. Jins offices ceiling was also equipped with the same illuminating materials as theboratory, which illuminate as long as ether is present. The device, which was named AL(Ether Luminous body) by Jin, illuminated the room automatically as soon as it started to get dark, because of which they didnt even realize that the sun had set until they looked outside the window. Lishia and Pascaud were at a loss of words when they saw the bright ceiling. Seeing them like that, Jin realized, (Ah, I forgot that this material, the AL, is lost now, even though it was everywhere during my predecessors time) But at the same time, he also thought that if its the revival of lost techniques, he could exin it even if it looked a bit aggressive. However, he decided on restarting the two as they just sat there, speechless. Uhh, this was gifted to me by Deus Ex Machina, with thepletion of the castle. And on the spur of the moment, Jin tried to gloss it over. Jin and the others finished their dinner downstairs. Jin advised Lishia and Pascaud to sleep early and rest well as he wanted them to head out early the next morning. And then Jin imed that he would prepare the medicines and would head for the workshop at his house. I understand. I have a lot of things I want to ask buting up with a solution for the diseasees first. Its exactly as you say, Ms. Lishia. I will also support you with my best. Saying that, the two left for their rooms. Now then, I should also do what I must. And so, Jin rode Koma to his workshop. Koma also had a light equipped so his self-control as a golem was quite high, making it safe. Jin-nii, wee back. Elsa weed him there. Im back Elsa, did you hear about the situation? Mmm. I heard from Butler A. Elsa knew Shouro empire-styled healing magic so Jin had Butler A fill her in on the details after the meeting with Laojun. How good were you with healing magic again? I can use upto Heilverfahren. He didnt quite understand from the chant so he asked her to use it on the pelshika stored in the refrigerator. On this? Elsa looked doubtful but as it was a request from Jin, she abided. Heilverfahren. With that, the pelshika faintly shone for a moment. What was that just now? Umm, you can bestow magic characteristics in liquids which have a high amount of ether in them. Hearing that, Elsa also understood a bit. Jin analyzed the pelshika on which Elsa used her magic. And fortunately, Elsas magic, Heilverfahren, was a high-ss magic on the same level as medicare or even higher. Delighted, Jin let Elsa know, as well. This is amazing, Elsa. Beingplimented, Elsa blushed a bit and asked Jin, Is that, alchemy? Yep. You know of it? Mmm Ms. Saki liked that stuff. It was Jins first time hearing that name. Saki? Saki Eschenbach. The daughter of the alchemist who used to live in Rai-niis familys territory. You mean, Toa Eschenbachs? Unexpectedly, such a name came out of Elsas mouth, at which Jin was a bit surprised. You know him? Elsa asked, slightly tilting her head. Jin exined how he read about him in a book at the library in Shouro Empire. Saki-nee used to y with me a lot when I was small. I learnt many different things then. I see. He wanted to ask a few things about the Eschenbach family but now was no time for that. Well then, Elsa, will youe with me to Hourai ind? It would help if you assist me in making the medicine there. Mm. dly. And so, they leapt to Hourai ind using the warp gate underneath the workshop. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website At Hourai ind, Laojun was done with the preliminary preparations as he was told after the meeting. [My lord, the preparations areplete.] Alright then, I will make golem horses as nned. And Laojun, Elsa can use a magic called Heilverfahren. It also seems to have a higher effect. And so, work together with Elsa and make more medicines. [Understood. Ms. Elsa, thank you for your cooperation. Mm. I will do my best. Jin left that to Laojun and Elsa. Elsa went to theboratory on the 2nd floor with Laojuns mobile machine, Laozi. It was right above the workshop where Jin was. And then, Jin began working on the golem horse which Lishia and Pascaud are going to be using the next day. The base was simr to Ain but he also applied some custom tuning. Which was, a reduction of fatigue while riding effect. The rider needs to bnce when riding. This is done by moving about on the horses back. Theres a need to bnce so that one does not get thrown off and, to do that, they need to use their abdominal muscles which in turn tire them. Moreover, one also needs to hold the horse and the saddle with their lower body and convey what they want to the horse. To do all these, the muscles needed arepletely different from those that are required in everyday life and so it is very tiring. And even if youre used to it, if you ride at a high speed, you will still get tired. With all these in mind, it would just be better to make an offroad bike but theres no way Lishia and Pascaud can master using it in such a short period. Besides, there would be people watching, as well. And so, Jin simultaneously adjusted the horses gait so that the rider doesnt feel the up-down movements much at all and equipped a shock absorbing material to the saddle. Its form would no longer be simr to that of a horse but he decided to prioritize thefort of seating more. And then, he also enhanced its self-control and made it so that itpletely understood the riders words, making it possible for one to give instructions by mouth. However, he didnt insert a speaking function. That was because it would be kind of creepy if a horse were to talk. Instead, he made it so that the horse could shake its head up and down when it agrees and left and right when it doesnt so that the rider and the horse cane to a mutual understanding. It might be better to not tell Lishia about this Jin didnt want her to have more doubts because of the horse being too high spec. The smith golems also helped out with the sequence of work and so he was done making 10 golem horses within an hour. Why 10? Well, thats because if the smith golems are helping out, it wouldnt make a difference for Jin if they made 2 or 10. They might need themter on and so Jin decided to make more. He ns to lend 2 of them to Lishia and Pascaud. To not have them stand out much, he made the horses tea-colored. Alright, with this, they wont have a problem moving around. Wondering how the medicines wereing along, Jin went up to the 2nd floor. Genesung. Just when Jin came up to the 2nd floor. The drug base in front of Elsa let out a blue light and transformed into a transparent liquid. And at the same time, Elsa copsed. Elsa! Jin rushed over. Laojun! What did you make her do?! But it was Elsa who interrupted Jin when he rebuked Laojun with a strong tone. Thats, not, it Jin, nii. This, is, what I, wanted, and, did Elsa exined, with a pale face. From her condition, Jin judged that she had probably used up all her mana. Although Elsa has excess mana syndrome, she too would naturally copse if she used up her mana. And so, Jin took the drug base which had nothing added to it and made her drink it. The ether in the drug base would be sucked in by the bodys cells and would convert to mana. And in a twinkle, life came back to Elsas face. Fuu, uu. Elsa took a deep breath. Elsa, I am grateful that you are helping out but please dont overdo it and hurt yourself He reproved with a slightly strong voice. I am sorry, to have made you worry. But, I also wanted to be of use. While patting her as she looked apologetic, Jin said thank you. Being told that, Elsa raised her face and gave a smile. Seeing Elsa settle down, Jin questioned Laojun. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Well, Laojun, what was that magic? [Yes. To my surprise, Ms. Elsa has be able to use the highest level of magic in this short period of time.] Laojun stated the surprising fact. What?! That Genesung just now? [Yes. She was using Heilverfahren at first but after talking with me a bit about magic application] Thats amazing, Elsa. And again, Jin looked at Elsa and praised her. Being told to her face, Elsas cheeks reddened. Its thanks to Jin-nii. You taught me that imagination is important for magic, after all. Certainly, Jin did tell her that imagination was important when teaching her engineering magic. And that goes for general magic, as well. And Elsa, who had realized that, became one of the top-notch healing magic users in this world with one leap. And the recovery-no, curing medicine Elsa, created, was serene and transparent. Chapter 338: Father, Daughter, Protegee-Everyone’s feelings

Chapter 338: Father, Daughter, ProtegeeCEveryones feelings

ording to analyze, the curing medicine Eliza created had three times the effectpared to the normal one. With this amount, we could easily cure about a hundred people. Laojun, sorry for yelling at you without knowing before. [No. It was a failure on my part as well since I didnt consider Ms. Elizas mana.] Jin looked at the curing medicine again. There was about 5 litres of that colorless and transparent curing medicine. He divided it into small portions and put them in white mica ampoules. It was at that moment. [My lord, Ms. Reiko is having a hard time.] Laojuns voice echoed. Jins hands stopped. What do you mean? And asked for details. [Yes. The mysterious man Raldus seems to be a demon as expected. Moreover, he can use gravitational magic.] Laojun exined. Laojun also stated that he probably travelled through the great Shama wends because of that ability. [Now, several thousand G is on Ms. Reiko. Several thousand?! Eliza, who was beside them, couldnt really understand what was going on but since Jin could understand, he ended up imagining Reiko getting crushed. Well?! How is she now?! As he pressed Laojun for more details, Laojun just calmly continued. [Ms. Reiko has released her full powers and is now resisting it She stood up Shes alright. Rather, the guy shouldnt be able to maintain that magic for long.] It seemed as if Laojun was giving advice to Reiko all the while exining the situation to Jin. And then, finally, the equilibrium was broken. [She destroyed the Elrad Light Raldus was holding.] But just when they thought it would be Reikos one-sided victory from there on, two other demons appeared. However, these 2 do not seem to be aggressive as after they gave Reiko information about the mana depletion fever this time, they picked up the unconscious Raldus and returned to the demons country. [It is possible to chase Raldus mana However, it seems like one of the two new demons can use teleportation magic. They suddenly disappeared to a distantnd.] Teleportation magic? As the warp gate also exists, it wont be weird if there were magic which were simr to it. And gravitation magic too, eh? It must have been a terrifying opponent to be able to make Reiko have trouble. Jin just heartily felt d that he made her body with magi adamantite. At the same time, he also decided to not let Reiko face anymore dangerous situation. However, there were things needed to be done at the moment. Jin returned to his work once again. And 20 minutes after that. [My lord, Ms. Reiko has returned.] I see! Jin stopped making the ampoules. Reiko immediately came climbing the stairs. Father, I have returned. Jin weed her with both his hands. Wee back, Reiko. Youre not hurt anywhere, are you? Reiko nodded. No, thanks to this body you gave me, I was able to return unharmed. As Reiko replied, Jin hugged her and said, Good job. Father? Reiko, I am d youre okay Really, from now on, I will never put you in any dan But he was interrupted by Reiko. No, father. This might be presumptuous, but I will have to say it I will protect the things you want to protect. Your joy is my joy. Your sadness is my sadness. Your anger is my anger. And your happiness, is my happiness. I am your shadow. And a shadow always follows its master everywhere. As she finished saying, Jin hugged her even tightly and said, Thank you, Reiko. If so, then I have only one thing to do. To make you so that you dont get hurt or lose to anyone no matter what. Jin continued with a bitter smile, And, to turn you into ady not inferior to any other girls. Yes, I believe in you. Eliza, who was seeing such an exchange between the father and his daughter just muttered in a voice no one could hear. Im jealous. After calming down a bit, they heard the report about the mana depletion fever from Reiko. Of course, Eliza was also there. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website I understand. So more or less, the measures we are taking arent wrong. However, using medicare for a few minutes that is tough. Jin folded his arms and pondered. He gathered his thoughts within a minute. Eliza, I am sure youre tired but, I want to request this of you. Jin asked with an apologetic expression. But Eliza replied energetically, Mm. Its also my wish to be of use. Thank you. I want to create a magic tool to activate Genezung. And so, to begin, Jin told Eliza about the maginguage, magi form and the magi sequence. He slowly exined the basics and so she was able to more or less understand it in about an hour and now it was time to for the real deal. Write In. They ended up doing it without any practice but as Eliza did make some a while ago, that helped a lot and they were able to do it properly. That being said, the control and activation were slightly insufficient in some parts. I am sorry for making you do these hard things suddenly. But, with this, I can mass produce it. Thats right-Jin himself cant use Hailfelfaren or Genezung but once he knows the magi sequence, he can recreate the magic as a magic tool. Really, youre amazing, Jin-nii. Eliza recalled that time when she found Jin drunk on his carriage when she was travelling to Elias kingdom and how Reiko was immediately able to use Felhail after seeing Eliza use it once. I need to work harder as your protegee. Eliza resolved herself like that in secret but she doesnt realize that even her first magic tool is a very high level tool and is already out of the ordinary standards. Jin, not knowing of Elizas resolve, just kept on filling in magi forms into magi crystals one after another. The following day, early morning, Lishia and Pascaud were standing in front Nidou castle, all dressed up. Mr. Jin, youre telling us to use this horse? In front of their eyes were 2 of the golem horses Jin madest night. Yes. These horses dont need water or food and they do not get tired. Besides Jin opened the hatch on its torso. The horses torso was big so he was able to add a storage space. You can put important things here. Due to the magic setting, only the rider can open it. I-is that so? Learning about these abnormal functions, Lishia was surprised. Also, theres curing medicine for about a 100 people here along with 5 of thetest healing magic tool. You use it the way I just exined a while ago. He had exined to them about the mana depletion fever and the method to cure it inside the castle a while ago. Of course, he said Machina informed him about it. And I have also put in pelshika juice in here. Please drink it when youre tired. It will give you energy. It was the Hourai inds special made one. Jin had adjusted it so that it has more effect in recovering stamina. Yes, got it. I have many things I would like to ask but lets solve this disease problem first. Hmm. I will protect Ms. Lishia. Mr. Jin, you can rest easy. Saying that, Pascaud Rush puffed up with pride. Jin was nodding but in reality, he made Deneb 30 tag along with them. A very substantial escort. If its humans and not demons, theres no one who can go up against Deneb 30. Although that is if the number of opponents is not too high. He also had Falcon 6 to 10 stay in the air to support them whenever needed. Only Lishia and Pascaud didnt know about this. After curing the remaining pigeons as well, they wrote a simple and clear report about the disease and made the pigeon deliver it. It should reach the kingdom before noon. Well then, we will depart now. Afterpleting all necessary preparations, Lishia and Pascaud mounted the golem horses. They had rode Ain and Tsubai the other day so they didnt have any problem handling it. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Ms. Lishia, take care. Mr. Pascaud, take care. Yes! The two departed. Surprised at howfortable and easy it was to handle the horsespared to Ain and Tsubai, Lishia and Pascaud crossed the Helme river and galloped towards the Togo mountain ridge. Alright, I guess I will go do what I must as well. Saying that, Jin came back to Hourai ind using the warp gate in the Nidou castle. Laojun, hows the disease outbreak situation at all the locations? [Yes, my lord. ording to the information from the Quinta] They ordered all the Quintas spread out all over Kurain kingdom to investigate possible patients inflicted with the mana depletion fever. Jin being Jin, was all out on stopping this pandemic in its tracks. Chapter 339: Jin’s true intention

Chapter 339: Jins true intention

Now then, for the n Jin was telling Laojun about his reflection on the matter. Generally, as Reiko and Laojun dont really express their opposing viewpoints assertively to him since Jin made them both, he also had An participate in the meeting. if master thinks that is okay, then I think it is fine, as well. As An also agreed to the n, Jin made up his mind. Alright then, lets start immediately. Laojun, I will leave the preparations to you. After leaving the preparations to Laojun and taking a small break, Jin pondered what to do with Elsa. The step he was about to take now was unconventional, even from Jins perspective. However, if he is going through with it, he doesnt want to regret it after doing it half-heartedly. Why must I go so far?-such a thought did graze Jins mind but he made up his made once again, deciding that it is because he is able to do it. He also wondered whether it would be alright to drag Elsa into something as outrageous as this but aftering to the conclusion that it would be disrespectful to her if he did not let her participate in the end-game after exining everything to her and having her cooperate, Jin decided to wake Elsa up as she was napping on the chair. He was hesitating to wake her up, seeing her sleeping so peacefully, but as leaving her be would also not be okay, Jin hardened his heart and shook her a bit. Nnn Jin-nii? Elsa still looked sleepy but it seems she remembered aboutst night. What happened after that? I heard more about the disease and made the magic tool and It looks like thats as far as she remembers. Elsa, I n on doing everything I can about this from this point on. What will you do, Elsa? He had decided to let Elsa make up her mind but Elsa replied in an instant. of course, I will stick to the n till the end. Alright, then, lets wash our faces first. Jin was also feeling tired, so after descending downstairs to the workshop, he washed his face. Elsa also did the same. Then, watch me as I make it Reiko, bring that magi crystal over there. Yes, father. While also having Reiko help out a bit, the thing Jin was making was an ether converter. That too, a powerful one. You need to be careful when filling in the magi form here. It is changing the ether into mana here but its efficiency is He worked all the while exining the procedure to Elsa. Elsa was still an amateur when it came to magi forms but it seems that she understood Jins intention and seriously paid attention and also asked about the things she didnt understand. Alright, thats one. Jin also made a mana driver and mana tank following the ether converter. He thenbined these together, put it in the case and, finally, also inserted an Elrad Light to finish it up. Even Elsa understood that the magic tool Jin had just made was immensely strong. Jin-nii, what do you do with this? Jin did not directly answer that question and demonstrated it to Elsa by filling in the final magic into it. Write in Genesung. Realizing what that magic is, Elsa stared in wonder. That, is Yes. This is a magic tool for healing. That too one which can be used from a long range on a wide scope. Jin exined his strategy. I will insert this into Pegasus the aircraft, and use magic on thend from the sky. I am thinking of eliminating the disease like that. Even Elsa doubted her ears. She knew that Jin had aircrafts which can fly through the sky. She knew that Jin can make powerful magic tools. She also knew that Jin can use magic he doesnt know by filling it into a magic tool. But to think he wouldbine all those toe up with such a n. No, even before all that, is it even possible? Jin-nii is amazing. Youre on apletely different level Its as if youre a messiah inside a fairy tale. Elsa said, meaning to praise Jin. However, hearing that, Jins reaction was different. I am nothing like a messiah. Eh? I am not a messiah and I dont even n on being one. To be honest, I dont even want to do something like this. I just want to make things I like and have people enjoy it thats the way I want to live. Jin-nii Maybe because he had pulled an all-nighter, Jin was speaking without thinking. And once his true intentions came out, it kept on gushing out. This is just, simply for me. Elsa didnt have the words to say to Jin, seeing him agitated like that. I dont care about someone I dont even know. But, I also have people I care about. And those people live in Kaina vige, and Kaina vige is my precious home, and to protect Kaina vige, Kurain kingdom needs to be in peace, and for Kurain kingdom to have peace, the surrounding countries need to have peace, and so I have to do it. Saying that, Jin gave a smile, looking exhausted. And so I will do it, for myself. Just for now. And that just ended up being something huge like this. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Jin, now looking back at Elsa, spoke even further. I will just protect the stuff I want to protect however I can. Thats all there is to it. Maybe because he had just let out the feelings he had been umting inside him, Jin now had a somewhat lonely smile on his face, different from a while before. Sorry. I wasnt supposed to tell you this, Elsa I might be a bit too tired Saying that, Jin scratched his head. Elsa took his hand and said, No, I am happy you told me I cant do anything for you but I could at least listen. Dont bear it all by yourself. Jin stared at Elsas face. Jin-nii? Elsa was a bit perplexed seeing Jin different from usual. Thank you Even though theres the chance of getting to see and hear many interesting things in Shouro empires imperial pce now, why do I have to be troubled by something like this when I think of that, its harsh He said, sounding fatigued. And to that Jin, Elsa said with a worried tone. Jin-nii, youre carrying too much all alone. Ms. Reiko and the others were also worried about it. It was during the time when the fight with the Unifiers was closing in. At that time, after being requested by Reiko and Laojun, Elsa assisted Jin and helped him get a change of pace. I am unreliable, and cant do much but, I want you to rely on me, even if a little. Like this time. As Elsa finished saying, Jin hung his head. Jin-nii? But then soon raised his face, this time with a much more cheerful expression. Thats right. I might have been conceited to think that I could do everything by myself. Even this time, I got help from you. Saying that, Jin pped his face with both hands and said, Thank you, Elsa. I have snapped out of it. The thank you this time had strength in it. Before, Reinhart had told me that I should learn about this worlds standards. I do think I understand that I am the odd one out in this world. Although I do end up going a bit too far sometimes. Jins eyes were also smiling now. But, I am me. I cant change that. If I look like I am about to make a mistake, Elsa, please tell me. Mm. Leave it to me! Elsa said, giving a lively nod, unlike herself, which made Jin smile and tap her shoulder. Alright, lets go Reiko, sorry but could you load the treatmenter into Pegasus 1? Reiko was looking a bit lonely behind Jin but when she heard those instructions, she gave a smile and said, Yes, father. She happily raised the treatmenter. (I am d, fathers mood livened up Ms. Elsa is sure good at doing that it is a bit frustrating but I have to admit it.) The treatmenter was immediately loaded onto Pegasus 1 and Jin made it so that it could radiate from underneath. This should be good. If medicare is enough to make it harmless, genesung should have a greater effect in a short period of time. ording to Jins assumption, the pathogen for the magic depletion disease is caused by the sudden change in the virus or germ which are making the birds ill. As such, he thought that if he were to revert those changes back to normal using healing magic, he could make them harmless. And if the people with the disease were also cured while doing that, thats killing two birds with one stone. However, he doesnt n on making such a drastic move so often. Well then, Elsa, get on. Reiko, lets go. Mm. Yes. With Jin, Elsa and Reiko on board, Pegasus 1 took flight towards the morning sky. They also activated stealth to be unseen from underneath. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website First, we start with Rakham. They aimed for Rakham, the temporary base for Earl Walter and the ce which was most likely the source of the disease. Jin-nii, youre really amazing. To be able to fly through the skies so freely like this. Elsa said, being excited to have a view from the sky like this for the 2nd time. After gathering the information from the Quinta who were scattered in different ces, Laojun had determined that at the time being, the seriously ill people were at Rakham and then at Thaw city and Sharuru city. Genesungs magic reverts abnormality back to normal. Meaning, healthy people wont feel anything. Jin muttered to himself. Elsa, who had heard that, was impressed. They didnt really use genesung on healthy people before but there should be quite a lot of them inside the magic range. Despite that, the only ones receiving the healing will be either wounded people or ill people. Jin-niis insight is not wrong, I think. Being told that by Elsa, Jin stopped Pegasus 1 on top of Rakham. And then, with a serious expression, he activated the treatmenter. Chapter 340: When the Incident has Ended

Chapter 340: When the Incident has Ended

Now to Lishia and Pascaud. The golem horse that they had borrowed from Jin was beyond description, and they arrived in Toka vige in less than half a day. There were three people in the vige who felt weak, so they used a magic tool to treat them. We can still go further. Yes. Lishia and Pascaud went on to Rakuno, then stopped at Doppa, and then reached Sharuru by evening. This meant that they traveled 150 kilometers in one day. During that time, they treated four people at Rakuno and six people at Doppa. Still, there was no one who had any symptoms that were more serious than tiredness. And now they were in Sharuru. Here, they used medicine to treat feverish patients for the first time. Pascaud was skeptical, but Lishia had faith in Jin and used it without hesitation. The result was that the patients quickly recovered, and Pascaud was both surprised and now aware of Jins abilities. They went around the town untilte in the night, treating people and giving medicine to those who were sick. We ended up treating sixty-two people and using medicine on fifteen people here. It does seem that it has been increasing the closer we get to Rakham. Indeed. At least, there is no doubt that the illness seems to be spreading. Miss Lishia, I think that you should add this to your report to the Kingdom. I will do that. We will be leaving early tomorrow morning, so we should get some rest now. The time was already eleven oclock at night, and considering that they had been up since four in the morning, this had been a tiring day. Oh, yes. The Pelshika juice that Jin gave us. Lets drink it before going to bed. Im going to bed first. Im too tired. Lishia went out to the front of the inn and retrieved the juice from the golem horse and took a sip. She felt as if her body felt lighter now. She drained the rest, and it was as if all of the fatigue that had been stored in her body was now gone. Jin, thank you Lishia thanked Jin, who was surely in Kaina vige right now and went to her bed, feeling very rxed. They set out the next day at five oclock in the morning. Pascaud looked like he was still tired, so Lishia suggested that he try the Pelshika juice. Pascaud tried it skeptically and was surprised that not only his drowsiness but the tiredness of his body had also vanished. Really, who is this Jin And he finally started to feel more epting of Jin. On the previous day, in the Cline Kingdom Theres an emergency message by pigeon from Farheight, who was sent as an ambassador to Kaina vige? Prime Minister Powell looked through the message from Lishia that the pigeon had sent, and his face darkened. Mana depletion fever? And it is starting to spread? If this was true, it was a disaster. The Prime Minister pulled his hair. The Cline Kingdom was suffering from a chronk of personnel. He could count the people that could treat this illness on one hand. With this, it would be all that he could do to have them stationed in the capital. The smaller locations would not be possible. What am I supposed to do In the letter, Lishia had written that Jin cooperated with her and gave her medicine. She and Pascaud were on their way back to the capital and treating people along the way. Still, it will take five to six days no matter how fast they ride There was nothing to do for the people who had already gotten sick. Hundreds, maybe thousands would die Prime Minister Powell said and buried his face in his desk. Alright, Presos is finished. Next is Gaara. ording to Cap 2, who was the Quinta in charge of Rakham, there were reports that the patients that were suspected of having mana depletion illness werepletely recovered after being irradiated. Jins spection that if medicare could nullify it, then Genesung would work, even more, was correct. Jin, Elsa, and Reiko rode on Pegasus 1 and traveled to the towns, starting with Rakham, and continuing to Dagurozu, Thaw, and Zuku and treated the people there. ording to a report from a Quinta who was sent to the capital, Gaara, which was its neighbor, had not been affected yet, but that measures would be taken there and in the surrounding areas as a precaution. Additionally, there were also stories that people who were ill with diseases other than mana depletion illness were cured by using the treatmentor. This would end up being the root of an incidentter on, but no one could have known it now. That should be good for now. Just contact them and say that the preventive treatment isplete. Use the Deus Ex Machina the name. You dont want to use Jin? Yes. I dont want to stick out any more than I already do. Thats so like you. Lishia and Pascaud were in Rakham. On the way, they stopped at a small settlement that wouldnt even appear on a map. And five people had fallen ill there. But they all recovered after taking the medicine. However, since Rakham was considered to be the point of origin for the illness, they expected to see many people that were sickand they stepped foot into Rakham with heavy hearts. But they were pleasantly surprised. You are saying that people suddenly became well yesterday? Yes, that is right. Lishia was inside of Earl Walters mansion. She was talking with the butler who had received her thest time that she had visited. Well then, please tell me what you know about the illness. Lishia said in a slightly harsh voice. And the butler confessed it willingly. It was a guest of the Earl. I do not know anything else. The butler exined that he had been ill until yesterday, but was willing to help them ask around. After all, Earl Walter, who had made the order, was no longer alive. And so there was no one left for him to be loyal to. This guest was following the Earls orders. And he used some kind of method to spread the disease with my pigeons? Yes. The Earl, I suppose you could say that he reaped what he sowed. He was punished. You, will you be willing to testify at the royal court? Yes. And like that, Earl Walters crimes were exposed. At the same time, the fact that he had purposely allowed the criminals of the Inado mines to escape, and that he had bought all the salt illegally tried to prevent its distribution, all of it was made public. But it seemed that there were many other crimes as well, and Lishia and Pascaud were exasperated as they heard them. We-well then, Pascaud, you will have to keep watch over them now. Is that alright? This was because there were no soldiers or knights from the Cline Kingdom in Rakham. And so Lishia had no choice but to have Pascaud monitor Earl Walters men. Now that Earl Walter was dead, there was little chance that they would try to escape, but still, they could not risk them getting out into the wild. Pascaud left the medicine on the golem horse. This was done in case the illness started to spread again. However, Lishia had a feeling that no one would get sick after this. She didnt know how, but she was sure that Jin had cured them. Before separating from Pascaud and leaving Rakham, Lishia bowed to him. Pascaud, Im very sorry. Lishia!? It is my fault for ignoring your advice when you said that you would not rmend it. If we hadnt stopped that time, they wouldnt have been able to spread the disease to the pigeonsI Pascaud looked at Lishia and said tly. Is that what you were worried about? But they would have carried out their ns whether we stayed there or not. There is no need for you to worry about that! If anything, it is because of you that we were able to return so quickly while dealing with the problem! His voice was bing more passionate. Be-besides, I, no, I misunderstood Jin. In spite of the fact that you trusted him so much. Pascaud scratched his head with an apologetic expression. Lishia looked at Pascaud for some time, then chuckled. Thank you, Pascaud. That made me feel a little better. And with that, Lishia left for the capital. A letter from Deus Ex Machina? In the capital of Alban. Morning of the 19th. Prime Minister Powell had stayed up all night without being able to resolve the problem of the mana depletion disease, when one letter was delivered to him. What, whatwh-wh-what!? It was no surprise that he would raise his voice like this. He had thought about it all night, and now he was reading that the treatment and preventive measures had beenpleted. How can this bewho is this Deus Ex Machina He was honestly happy that it had been solved. However, at the same time, the Prime Minister felt something like fear, that this mysterious person had so much power. On the 20th, the following day, Lishia arrived in the capital. She made a detailed report to the Prime Minister about Kaina vige, about Jins hospitality, about Earl Walters evil deeds and its connection to the disease. ording to the report, Jin was somehow connected to this Deus Ex Machina. This was no surprise to the Prime Minister, who knew how capable Jin was. If anything, it made perfect sense. Jin, huhIt would be best not to anger him for now. I will have to consider what to do in the future But the thing that needed to be dealt with now was Earl Walter. The Earl was already dead, but his deeds had been so monstrous and senseless. Pascaud was currently watching the butler and other subordinates who would testify in court. And so he sent out the fourth knights division to round them up immediately. You worked hard, Lishia Farheight. That is enough for today. You can go home and rest up. Yes, thank you. I will take my leave now. When Lishia left the castle, it was already evening. She looked up at the rose-tinted sky and recalled just how eventful her journey had been. Jinthank you. She said without thinking. Lishia was thinking of Jin, who would be far away under the same sky. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Magi Craft Meister 347 11-49 When the Incident has Ended Now to Lishia and Pascaud. The golem horse that they had borrowed from Jin was beyond description, and they arrived in Toka vige in less than half a day. There were three people in the vige who felt weak, so they used a magic tool to treat them. We can still go further. Yes. Lishia and Pascaud went on to Rakuno, then stopped at Doppa, and then reached Sharuru by evening. This meant that they traveled 150 kilometers in one day. During that time, they treated four people at Rakuno and six people at Doppa. Still, there was no one who had any symptoms that were more serious than tiredness. And now they were in Sharuru. Here, they used medicine to treat feverish patients for the first time. Pascaud was skeptical, but Lishia had faith in Jin and used it without hesitation. The result was that the patients quickly recovered, and Pascaud was both surprised and now aware of Jins abilities. They went around the town untilte in the night, treating people and giving medicine to those who were sick. We ended up treating sixty-two people and using medicine on fifteen people here. It does seem that it has been increasing the closer we get to Rakham. Indeed. At least, there is no doubt that the illness seems to be spreading. Miss Lishia, I think that you should add this to your report to the Kingdom. I will do that. We will be leaving early tomorrow morning, so we should get some rest now. The time was already eleven oclock at night, and considering that they had been up since four in the morning, this had been a tiring day. Oh, yes. The Pelshika juice that Jin gave us. Lets drink it before going to bed. Im going to bed first. Im too tired. Lishia went out to the front of the inn and retrieved the juice from the golem horse and took a sip. She felt as if her body felt lighter now. She drained the rest, and it was as if all of the fatigue that had been stored in her body was now gone. Jin, thank you Lishia thanked Jin, who was surely in Kaina vige right now and went to her bed, feeling very rxed. They set out the next day at five oclock in the morning. Pascaud looked like he was still tired, so Lishia suggested that he try the Pelshika juice. Pascaud tried it skeptically and was surprised that not only his drowsiness but the tiredness of his body had also vanished. Really, who is this Jin And he finally started to feel more epting of Jin. On the previous day, in the Cline Kingdom Theres an emergency message by pigeon from Farheight, who was sent as an ambassador to Kaina vige? Prime Minister Powell looked through the message from Lishia that the pigeon had sent, and his face darkened. Mana depletion fever? And it is starting to spread? If this was true, it was a disaster. The Prime Minister pulled his hair. The Cline Kingdom was suffering from a chronk of personnel. He could count the people that could treat this illness on one hand. With this, it would be all that he could do to have them stationed in the capital. The smaller locations would not be possible. What am I supposed to do In the letter, Lishia had written that Jin cooperated with her and gave her medicine. She and Pascaud were on their way back to the capital and treating people along the way. Still, it will take five to six days no matter how fast they ride There was nothing to do for the people who had already gotten sick. Hundreds, maybe thousands would die Prime Minister Powell said and buried his face in his desk. Alright, Presos is finished. Next is Gaara. ording to Cap 2, who was the Quinta in charge of Rakham, there were reports that the patients that were suspected of having mana depletion illness werepletely recovered after being irradiated. Jins spection that if medicare could nullify it, then Genesung would work, even more, was correct. Jin, Elsa, and Reiko rode on Pegasus 1 and traveled to the towns, starting with Rakham, and continuing to Dagurozu, Thaw, and Zuku and treated the people there. ording to a report from a Quinta who was sent to the capital, Gaara, which was its neighbor, had not been affected yet, but that measures would be taken there and in the surrounding areas as a precaution. Additionally, there were also stories that people who were ill with diseases other than mana depletion illness were cured by using the treatmentor. This would end up being the root of an incidentter on, but no one could have known it now. That should be good for now. Just contact them and say that the preventive treatment isplete. Use the Deus Ex Machina the name. You dont want to use Jin? Yes. I dont want to stick out any more than I already do. Thats so like you. Lishia and Pascaud were in Rakham. On the way, they stopped at a small settlement that wouldnt even appear on a map. And five people had fallen ill there. But they all recovered after taking the medicine. However, since Rakham was considered to be the point of origin for the illness, they expected to see many people that were sickand they stepped foot into Rakham with heavy hearts. But they were pleasantly surprised. You are saying that people suddenly became well yesterday? Yes, that is right. Lishia was inside of Earl Walters mansion. She was talking with the butler who had received her thest time that she had visited. Well then, please tell me what you know about the illness. Lishia said in a slightly harsh voice. And the butler confessed it willingly. It was a guest of the Earl. I do not know anything else. The butler exined that he had been ill until yesterday, but was willing to help them ask around. After all, Earl Walter, who had made the order, was no longer alive. And so there was no one left for him to be loyal to. This guest was following the Earls orders. And he used some kind of method to spread the disease with my pigeons? Yes. The Earl, I suppose you could say that he reaped what he sowed. He was punished. You, will you be willing to testify at the royal court? Yes. And like that, Earl Walters crimes were exposed. At the same time, the fact that he had purposely allowed the criminals of the Inado mines to escape, and that he had bought all the salt illegally tried to prevent its distribution, all of it was made public. But it seemed that there were many other crimes as well, and Lishia and Pascaud were exasperated as they heard them. We-well then, Pascaud, you will have to keep watch over them now. Is that alright? This was because there were no soldiers or knights from the Cline Kingdom in Rakham. And so Lishia had no choice but to have Pascaud monitor Earl Walters men. Now that Earl Walter was dead, there was little chance that they would try to escape, but still, they could not risk them getting out into the wild. Pascaud left the medicine on the golem horse. This was done in case the illness started to spread again. However, Lishia had a feeling that no one would get sick after this. She didnt know how, but she was sure that Jin had cured them. Before separating from Pascaud and leaving Rakham, Lishia bowed to him. Pascaud, Im very sorry. Lishia!? It is my fault for ignoring your advice when you said that you would not rmend it. If we hadnt stopped that time, they wouldnt have been able to spread the disease to the pigeonsI Pascaud looked at Lishia and said tly. Is that what you were worried about? But they would have carried out their ns whether we stayed there or not. There is no need for you to worry about that! If anything, it is because of you that we were able to return so quickly while dealing with the problem! His voice was bing more passionate. Be-besides, I, no, I misunderstood Jin. In spite of the fact that you trusted him so much. Pascaud scratched his head with an apologetic expression. Lishia looked at Pascaud for some time, then chuckled. Thank you, Pascaud. That made me feel a little better. And with that, Lishia left for the capital. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website A letter from Deus Ex Machina? In the capital of Alban. Morning of the 19th. Prime Minister Powell had stayed up all night without being able to resolve the problem of the mana depletion disease, when one letter was delivered to him. What, whatwh-wh-what!? It was no surprise that he would raise his voice like this. He had thought about it all night, and now he was reading that the treatment and preventive measures had beenpleted. How can this bewho is this Deus Ex Machina He was honestly happy that it had been solved. However, at the same time, the Prime Minister felt something like fear, that this mysterious person had so much power. On the 20th, the following day, Lishia arrived in the capital. She made a detailed report to the Prime Minister about Kaina vige, about Jins hospitality, about Earl Walters evil deeds and its connection to the disease. ording to the report, Jin was somehow connected to this Deus Ex Machina. This was no surprise to the Prime Minister, who knew how capable Jin was. If anything, it made perfect sense. Jin, huhIt would be best not to anger him for now. I will have to consider what to do in the future But the thing that needed to be dealt with now was Earl Walter. The Earl was already dead, but his deeds had been so monstrous and senseless. Pascaud was currently watching the butler and other subordinates who would testify in court. And so he sent out the fourth knights division to round them up immediately. You worked hard, Lishia Farheight. That is enough for today. You can go home and rest up. Yes, thank you. I will take my leave now. When Lishia left the castle, it was already evening. She looked up at the rose-tinted sky and recalled just how eventful her journey had been. Jinthank you. She said without thinking. Lishia was thinking of Jin, who would be far away under the same sky. Chapter 341: Various Endings

Chapter 341: Various Endings

The days of many intersecting feelings, spections, actions and incidents hade to an end. [I guess you could say it was because of gravity magic that Reiko had such a hard time.] Do you mean the controlling of gravity? Jin was analyzing the magic that was utilized by Raldus the Jester, along with Laojun and Reiko, in hisboratory in Hourai Ind. Normally, Reiko would have learned it the first time, but things were not going too smoothly. This was because the method of activation was different. [It is really effective depending on how you use it.] I bet it is. Magic isnt as simple as chanting a few words. The chanting is just there to support your imagination. But it was difficult for Reiko to visualize the important thing, which was the gravity phenomenon. And as Jin did not know everything about gravity either, it was taking him time to analyze it. In any case, Laojun, you know everything that I know about gravity. I dont care how long it takes, but I want you to analyze the gravity magic. [Of course.] If he could attain gravity magic, then he would have an advantage in the inevitable sh with the demons. And if he could use it Jin thought of the word anti-gravity and considered the possibilities. Also [Yes, I know. The strengthening of security at Kunlun ind and Hourai ind.] He didnt know for sure that this singr point that the demon had talked about was Hourai ind, but there was no reason not to be cautious. [Not only Raldus, but we also know the magic of some demon called Dogmalord. So it is possible to pursue them with the magi radar. ording to it, they are currently to the north of the Leonard kingdom.] Yes, maybe it is true that they have no intention of invading, but its important to be cautious. Also, I dont know what the range of the gravity magic is. Airships would crash if hit by it, and Lands would also not be able to move. [Yes, I will be careful.] Laojun gave orders to the golems to always have backup personnel in any operations including reconnaissance, and that they should retaliate with full force if there was even a hint of aggression. A fight between Hourai ind and the demons. No one knew if that day would actuallye. The heads of the Cline Kingdom were troubled over the handling of Earl Waltersnds. The 4th knights division had rushed to Rakham after Pascaud Rush and Lishia sent the news. Earl Walters butler and much evidence had now been brought back to the capital of Alban. The evidence and testimony were enough to strip Earl Walter of hisnds and title. As he had no wife, heirs or rtives, the handling of his property would be a problem. Why dont you keep it under the control of the kingdom? No, no. It should be made a part of the neighboring Marquisnd. It should be split up and given to the new nobles. As taxes all went into the kingdom first, there was little merit to keeping it under the kingdoms control. If anything, having a noble govern it would help in the kingdomsck of personnel. Very well. We will go with prime minister Powells idea. It will be split between new nobles of merit. It was the king, Alois the Third, who made the decision. The rest of the officers that were their bowed in silence. Well then, the next issue was how they would divide thend and who would be given it. The person who made the biggest contribution this time is Lishia Farheight. This came from the prime ministers mouth. While the sickness had spread from her doves, that was not something she could have predicted, and it was not her responsibility, and no actual harm came from it. Besides, ording to the testament of Earl Walters butler, they would have spread the disease to Kaina vige even if Lishia had not stayed. This butler had experience in raising doves, and he would have colluded with the guest in order to spread the disease. They were still considering his punishment, but it would be severe. All of this was taken into ount when it was decided that Lishia would be rewarded. And also She will be given Toka vige, and Jin will be leased the Inado mines on top of Kaina vige. Any objections? Said the minister of public management. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website They owed a debt to Jin for the medicine and for helping Lishia and Pascaud. Not only that, but it would be an apology for allowing Earl Walter, who was a noble of the Cline Kingdom, for nning something so unspeakable. Indeed. Then it may be well to raise Lishia Farheight to the rank of bar. Making Lishia a lord of a neighboring territory would also serve to create a buffer zone with Jin. And so Lishia became a bar this year, as well as the lord of Toka vige. But it would still take a while for this to be official. And then there is Pascaud Rush. The prime minister had given Pascaud a certain order, as he wanted to confirm something about Jin. It was, think of Jin as an enemy spy. Always look at him with suspicion. However, ording to Pascaud Rushs reports, he saw nothing to suggest that this was the case. I forced a hateful role onto him. After this, Pascaud was promoted from an apprentice knight to a proper knight. Barou and Belle had nowpletely settled into Nidou castle. Thatst banquet was a lot of work, but very fun. Belle said as she cleaned the great hall. Barou was cleaning the entrance. Yes, thats true. We got rooms as well, so Im d we came here. They had little to do but clean, as Jin was usually absent. And the golem maids cleaned everything above the third floor. Really, who is this Jin person Barou questioned. Belleughed and answered. Oh, its easy. Jin is an amazing person. Day and night, Elsa practiced the engineering magic that Jin had taught her. He had taught her how to create a magic tool that used the magi sequence the other day, and so she was mainly reviewing that. The important thing with magi devices was efficiency. Uh, huh, this magi form is Of course, training to use forming, which was the basics, was also important. Making pens and nibs with phosphor bronze would be beneficial for the vige. Elsa was now capable of making three of these pen nibs at once. But, brother Jin She remembered well that Jin was able to make 10 of them at once. And she had a suspicion that he wasnt even doing his best. Ill do my best. Sometimes she would go to the library on the 3rd floor and read some of the handbooks on engineering magic that Laojun had made. The books had been meant for beginners, but the beginning level for magi craft meisters was above the intermediate level for the normal magi craft man. But Laojun did not have enough references to realize this. Still, sometimes sess was born from failure. And it seemed that Elsa would continue to grow from here on out. In the Leonard kingdom, no, former kingdom. Three figures were talking together in the northern region. One of them was unconscious due to a heavy wound, so it would be more urate to say that two people were talking. Damn Raldus. This is what happens when you act out alone. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Hell have to be treated somewhere. Yes. I have an idea. To the north of this continent. There are ruins. Let us go there. A tribe of people had fallen, and no one was around those ruins anymore, said one of the figures. Still, there is little point in going to the south. After all, the ether is weak. It will be unbearably painful without Elradrite. Thats true. We should be satisfied with just knowing that the singr point is towards the sea. And it cannot be used there. Yes. Still, that automata was frightening. It was. We will be destroyed without fail if there was 100 of them. The only saving grace was that they didnt seem to enjoy fighting. Seriously. And so the three figures disappeared into the north. Chapter 342: Strengthening Project

Chapter 342: Strengthening Project

May 19th, night time. On the following day, Jin had promised Reinhart that he would return to Shouro empire. Jin was having a discussion with Laojun, An, and Reiko in Hourai ind. The topic of the discussion was a strengthening project for the Hourai ind force to fend off demons, if such a situation were to ur in the future. First, lets get things done from the list of things which can bepleted immediately. Jins words reverberated. You said that stealth was seen through, right? [Yes. It is very likely that the wavelength of light the demons eyes can capture differ from that of humans.] Stealth is a magic which makes one appear transparent by refracting the visible light rays and showing the viewer whats behind. This visible light rays are rtive to the vision organs. In case of humans, their eyes. And adding to that, demons can probably see ultra-violet rays as well. They say that insects can see ultraviolet rays and a number of reptile species also have an organ which lets them detect infrared rays. It is probably best to not think of the demons the way one would think of humans. With this as base, they vastly increased stealths frequency band towards infrared and ultraviolet rays. To differentiate this from stealth, Jin decided to call it invisible. Hmm, the result is good but then you cant see anything, eh After having generated the invisible barrier for testing, thats what Jin said at first. Because it is warping the light altogether, no light is reaching the person inside the barrier either. Electromaic waves with longer wavelength microwaves, was it? He tried digging up some vague memories. If they make the wavelength smaller, theres a risk of it bing X-rays or gamma rays. Jin felt like he remembered these microwaves were used for radars and so, after discussing with Laojun, he refined the strengthening project of the Hourai ind force with Reiko being the first. Jin himself made the improvements to Reiko and left the modifications of the others golems to Laojun as he didnt have time. One doesnt even need to mention that with this the information gathering skills of Hourai inds forces have increased. [I will reorganize and restructure the Quintas.] Laojun said. Regulus, Deneb, Cape, Spica, and Mira. He will be increasing each of them by 10 and deploy them to Shouro empire and Leonard kingdom. He also exined how he was nning to increase their power, as well, assuming there will be contact with the demons again. They increased Reikos power output from 15% to 30% and also equipped her with armament which they normally didnt as it would make her heavier than an average human. They would fill up the loss in speed because of the weight increment by removing some flesh from her framework but that would normally just decrease her strength so they also decided to change the normal aluminium with 64 aluminium. The advantage to this was that they could do it easily with just engineering magic, without the need to make it anew, as it ispleted just by adding more aluminium and vanadium to the current aluminium. He added armaments likesers, stun weapons and barrier deployers. Yep, I think thats good. Lets go with that. Jin also agreed. All thats left is Jin was summarizing the things needed to be der, in order. First was Hourai inds defense. If the demons were to think of crossing the ocean The possibility of that happening is not negligible. They can probably run on water if they reduced their own weight with the gravity magic. [On top of deploying the 3pleted aircraft carriers, we should alsoplete the sea army.] Right. Even if they are demons, they are still living beings. They should have difficulty dealing with a naval attack. Jin was thinking of creating a submarine squad. If golems were the only ones riding it, they wouldnt need food or oxygen so the structure could be made very simple. Lets make it from 10 meters to about 20 meters. [Understood.] Following Jins base instructions for the submarine, Laojun proceeded with the n to make a submarine squad. Of course, it would also be better if they increased their on-water forces. I would like a military vessel with good maneuverability. They also inserted a 40 meter long high speed military vessel into their project. And with all of this, they also nned on reinforcing the golem squads of thend, air and sea. Sky, Land, Marine, Mermaid-they increased the numbers of each of those from 100 to 200. This can all be done by Laojun alone (of course, by having Smith do the work). And, they had also decided to develop an ether absorbing barrier. Just as the name suggests, it will take in all the ether inside the barrier. It should be fatal to the demons. Thats all for the defense project. And then, Jin, Laojun, Reiko and An worked out the next strengthening projects. First, Reiko. First, he listed all the things Reiko wascking and the features she wanted. Even if he wasnt able to implement them straight away, he was thinking of doing them in the future. Jin was also hoping to understand something from the Shouro empires alchemist. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Self repairing function Fighting skills upgrade Knowledge/Intelligence upgrade Power up Were the listed items. He didnt list the first one, self repairing function, on the long term project and implemented it immediately. It would be difficult to make aplete recovery if the parts making the body are missing but if her magical skin or magical muscle gets wounded or if her skeletal structure bends, it is possible to self-repair instantly. He did this by inserting a magi crystal with the forming, fusion, and surface treatment magic. This way, with just Reikos instruction to heal or repair, engineering magic with a certain level of effectiveness will be applied, fixing her wounds. When resting, she could do this by herself but in a fight, trying to cast a magic on yourself can be deadly so having this simple self-repairing function is helpful. The 2nd one, fighting skill upgrade, would be difficult to implement. Jin always wondered why Reiko always went for hand-to-handbat. And so, after talking with Reiko and cooperating with An to analyze this, they ran into one big problem. That is Reikos low weight. Reikos exclusive peach blossom sword is about 1.5 kilograms, even though it is made with magi adamantite. Even normal longswords made of steel are about 2 kilograms and if they are made with adamantite, it would be close to 5 kilograms. When Reiko, who is 30 kgs, swings this around, the recoil is great. Newtons thirdw of motion is also applicable here so when her body is very light, she cant properly use precise sword techniques. Moreover, holding back. This might be paradoxical but Reikos power is too much. When thinking of a number like 1000000, a difference of 1 or 0.1 is insignificant. However, that 0.1 difference besrge when ites to humans. Reiko is holding back her strength with astoundingly high reaction speed and suppressing techniques but on the contrary, this can also be said to be a very huge wastage of her brains processing power. Hmm, I will handle this. He couldnt think of a solution immediately. If the analyzing of the gravity magic progressed a bit, that might be helpful. They still remembered clearly how Raldus changed his swords weight to increase the speed or impact. It seemed like gravity magic would turn out to be a key tech from now on. The 3rd one, knowledge/intelligence upgrade. To turn Reiko into the bestdy, he needed more knowledge. He nned on ordering the Quinta to gather knowledge and information for that. To be precise, he wanted to know about the etiquette from all the countries, and what the people like, sing or dance to. The 4th one, power up. Considering Reikos body size and weight, physically, she is powered up to her current limit. To power her up even further, better materials would be needed. This would also be handled by Jin. And in terms of magic power up, with the Elrad light, she can easily produce ten times her current power. He was able to reconstruct it immediately. Now then, next is Laojun. Laojun didnt undergo any major remodelling after Jin had created him. On the other hand, the burden on Laojun just keeps increasing. At this rate, in the near future, he will probably be overloaded. Hmmm, theres two ways to go about doing this Talking in terms of aputer, one would be to increase the CPU clock speed. To say it in even simpler words-increasing his brain speed. Two, increasing the amount of CPUs. This would be likeparing to increasing the number of people. Earth, water, fire, wind, lightning, light, darkness-using all 8 of these elements, the magi device, which is Laojuns brains, was made. If he creates the same thing many times and have them parallel process, it would increase his processing speed. As such, Jin created another 3 magi devices and ced all 4 of them in such a way that they made a triangr pyramid (four sides). How does it feel, newborn Laojun? Yes, my lord. Thank you very much. I feel wonderful. With this, I can process information numerous times faster than before.] Thats great I also wanted to increase the clock speeds but Jin wasnt all satisfied. After all, thats a technique he would be able to use in Reikos power up, as well. The mana is like current. Because it is like that, theres a frequency to it. And that frequency inevitably bes the same as Jins unique mana pattern. Jins one is 10 times that of a normal magician. Thats how high his level is. But, if he could increase that even more. That was also one of Jins objectives going forth. [I will perform the reorganization of the Quinta.] At Hourai ind, by Jins instructions, Laojun was carrying out his tasks. First, he reallocated the Quintas. After increasing their numbers to 150 from 100, he appointed new posts to them. He appointed them at Shouro empire, former Leonard kingdom and even at some territories where the demons are. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website The first thing the Quintas, which went to Shouro empire, did was search for the food Jin wanted. And that immediately bore fruit. Spica 11 and Mira 11 who were deployed to the southern area, reported that they found 3 types of rice near the Waske. Moreover, Cape 11 got a hold of genuine tea nt near Aube. As they found both the processed goods and the seeds for the rice and tea, they started working to cultivate them in Hourai ind. On the other hand, the Quintas deployed to former Leonard kingdom werent able to trace the demons but they did find a few human settlements. [Work hard to get along well with them. Also, investigate how that country turned out to be like that.] Laojun instructed. How one of the small countries, Leonard kingdom, fell to ruins and who deployed the illusionary barrier all over the country. There were many mysteries they needed to investigate. The Quintas work would continue from here onwards. Chapter 343: (side chapt er) Love’s Calculations, Going to and fro

Chapter 343: (side chapt er) Loves Calctions, Going to and fro

I wonder, if I should go to Alban Barbara muttered, thinking she hadnt met her boyfriend (or so she thought to herself), Erik, for half a year. However, reality is harsh. Kaina viges ie-a portion of ites from the magi sand (named by Jin) and she has to harvest them and also weed the wheat field. That fact doesnt change even when youre the vige chiefs daughter. At Kaina vige, everyone is doing whatever they can. But even still, it is hard for a maiden in love to suppress her feelings and so on the following morning after the big banquet at Jins castle, she was trying to go through with her n and cross the Helme river Thats Mr. Jin, Ms. Elsa and Hanna Even Ms. Lishia I guess I will postpone for today. And like that, as she had nearly encountered Jin and the others, she decided to quietly go back to her house. Like I thought, a proper n is needed. I will also need money and since travelling alone is dangerous, I will probably need a weapon or something to protect myself. After failing once, Barbara was setting up her n once again. This time, she was being more thorough. Hmm, no matter how fast I leave, if I stop at the rest house along the way, they will catch up to me and bring me back. Realizing that, Barbara thought of borrowing a golem horse. If she does that, she will probably be able to reach Toka vige in a day. Yep, yep, if I do that Barbara was muttering to herself while harvesting magi sand at the Helme river. Her friends watched from a distance. Barbara seems a bit weird, huh? Has she finally gone mad for not being able to meet Erik? But Barbara paid no heed to those voices and kept polishing her n by herself. And that n was so intricate that one wouldnt think a 17 year old came up with it. However, there was one thing that went unnoticed. That is, the Land squad guarding the Kaina vige in stealth mode. Although, since she doesnt even know of their existence, it would be harsh to me her for it. It seems like Ms. Barbara is nning to leave the vige. [She is probably concerned about her boyfriend, Erik. But, there are very few young women in Kaina vige, so this is a bit concerning.] Land H, who overheard Barbaras n, was reporting back to Laojun. And there, a contact was made from the Quintas. [This is Spica 7. I have something to report. Is this a good time?] [It is. Go ahead.] [Yes It seems a very interesting n is being put into motion at the Ran firm.] [Oho?] After listening to Spica 7s report, Laojun made up a n to deal with Barbara. At Kurain kingdoms capital, Alban. After travelling for 7 days, Barbara had finally reached. Im finally here Erik, hes here Without a moments dy, she went into the city. The situation had calmed down by then and there was no need to disy identification during the day anymore. Lets see, Ran firm is It was her first time here and she didnt know anything about Alban and so she was restlessly looking around. She looked like a bumpkin no matter how you looked at her. And as she looked around, she noticed that most of the men and women were dressed up well. Seeing that, she felt that she looked very shabby. For what it matters, she did set out with her best clothing but during this 7 day journey, it had gotten dirt all over it. Uuuu but Erik wont mind stuff like that, right? Forcibly telling herself that, she advanced on down the center road. And when she couldnt find the Ran firm even after wandering for an hour, she tried asking the townspeople. U-umm Even while feeling a bit timid, she tried asking one of the patrolling guards. Mm? What is it, youngdy? Umm, do you know of the Ran firm? Ahh, if you want to go there Without being overbearing, the guard politely answered Barbaras question. Thank you very much. Expressing her gratitude to the soldier, she headed on towards the given direction. And within 5 minutes, she was in front of a big shop. It had Ran firm written on a big board. And even in a building diagonal to it, a board was up saying Ran firm shop #2 which goes to show their prosperity. She decided to peek into the main shop first. Wee. Please, take your time and look around. As soon as she entered the shop, a clerk greeted her but didnt intervene anymore and let her look around freely. There were cooking stoves, rubber balls, even pens and pen nibs. A pump was also being disyed. And at that moment, a shadow came in from the back. When Barbara looked that way, she saw it was Rnd. Ah, Mr. Rnd! Rnd was surprised seeing her. M-Ms. Barbara?! What brings you here? And somehow, the atmosphere there be awkward. (I wanted to meet Erik) She wanted to say that but instead swallowed it and said, I just had something to do here so Hearing that, Rnd seemed a bit flustered. I-I see. Umm, is everyone at Kaina vige doing okay? Ah, right, you must be tired, right? Please,e this way, I will make tea. Saying that, he invited Barbara to a corner of the shop as if he was trying to drive her away from something. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Silly Erik. Haha, sorry, sorry. I will make it up to you. No lying, okay? Then, I will be waiting in the room tonight. It was Erik and a young girl, clinging to his arms. The contents of their conversation and their position, there was no room for misunderstandings. Ah, ahh, Ms. Barbara, th-this is Barbara rushed out of the shop, without listening to Rnd. She woke up in the darkness. She could see a familiar ceiling above her. A dream, eh It was only still slightly bright outside. It was still very early in the morning but as she hadpletely awakened, Barbara got up, changed, washed her face and went outside. Early summers warm wind brushed gently by her cheeks. Seems like today is unusually cloudy. Erik Barbaras heart was also cloudy. On another day, before daybreak, a silhouette neared the golem horse stable. And for some reason, that figure held the vige chiefs key. And just before it tried to unlock the lock with the key. Ms. Barbara, you are early. Are you on a walk? Barbara was startled and literally jumped up. When she turned around, she found Kaina viges guardian, Gon. Ah, G-Gon, good morning. T-thats right. I just felt like watching the sunrise from the mountain top, you see. She randomly gave an excuse. Is that so? It is still quite dark and risky outside so I shall apany you. As Gon said that, Barbara gave up on leaving the vige for the day and went up the usual mountain on the golem horse and watched the sunrise with Gon. Even after that, Barbara tried to secretly leave the vige but was hindered by somepletely different incidents. Laojun was properly doing his important task as the Kaina viges manager. And by the time June was almost over, something was being built a few blocks away from the viges chief, Gibbecks house. The only ones working were golems so the vigers could tell it was Jins work. And although Barbara was quite curious about what the building is, she had her job of harvesting magi sand from Helme river and so she thought she could just ask aftering back and left. And by the time she came back, a two-storied building was already done. I wonder whos going to live here? When she looked closer, she found that there was a workshop-like ce at the back of the house and something simr to a shop on the ground floor. I see, the vige has also started to change recently, so I guess someone is going to put up a store. When she thought that, she lost interest and turned around to return. After 3 days. 3 carriages arrived in Kaina vige. Barbara, who was harvesting magi sand at the Helme river immediately noticed. Erik! Erik was riding on the first carriage. Completely abandoning her work, Barbara ran to the carriage. The other girls harvesting the magi sand wereughing seeing that. Barbara! Seeing Barbarae running to greet him bare feet, Erik was surprised and happy. W-why? Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Hmm? Did you not hear? We have decided to put up a branch of Ran firm in Kaina vige. And I will be the branch manager. I will be sending the stuff I make at the workshop to the main branch too. I didnt hear any of this! Barbara was confused with all of this happening so suddenly. She didnt know if she should be angry because no one told her happy because of it. At the end, Barbara decided to do what was the most befitting action in that situation. In other words, hugging Erik without saying anything more. [It seems like things went smoothly for Ms. Barbara.] Laojun muttered, watching the footage sent by Koushin. [The n to incite the CEO to make a branch in the vige is a huge sess.] And like this, on this day, Kaina viges residents increased by 1. Jin, who had incidentally (?) just returned, dly weed the Ran branch manager. The real summer starts from now. Chapter 344: Onwards to Lake Tosumo

Chapter 344: Onwards to Lake Tosumo

In the capital of the Shouro Empire, Jin obtained recognition from the Empress and became a state guest. He devised a n to counter the Magical Exhaustion Fever, which had spread through not only Kaina Vige but also the Klein Kingdom and possibly through this entire world as well. The n is to resolve the situation by feigning sickness, cing a substitute doll to sleep in his ce, and temporarily returning to Kaina Vige. That was alsopleted safely on the morning of the 20th of May. Which is the day when Jin is to leave Kaina Vige. It might be a little longer this time. In front of the workshop that is Jins private residence, Jin informs his family of his departure. Take care, Onii-chan! Hanna obediently saw Jin off. Well then, Elsa and Smith A will be staying, so if theres anything you dont understand about Magicraft, you can ask them. Even in Jins absence, Elsa decided that in order to study Magicraft, she would try to create a custom Smith Golem. Good luck with your practice. Take care. Elsa had a somewhat lonely expression but still sent Jin off with a smile. Jin-sama, please take care. Ill look after Barou and Belle. After saying that, Mine took them both up as apprentices. Jin, doe back sometime. Martha said so with a smile. Im going. And then, leaving those words behind, Jin left Kaina Vige. And then, Jin jumped into his carriage, setting off to Shouro Empire via Hourai Ind. Hey, Jin! Wee back! Im home The carriage appeared in the Roizato suburb of the Shouro Empire, a ce away from the public gaze. Just on time, huh? On time for the previously arranged meeting with Reinhart. Jin thanks Reinhart for doing well. Were there any issues with the substitute doll? After that question, Reinharts face looked troubled. Well, some people came to visit, and there were almost no issues at all. Excluding one person Huh? Could it be? To Jin, it could only be just one particr person. Yes, your Majesty the Empress The Empress seems to have the ability to see through the true essence of her opponent. There is a high possibility that even in a short time, she may have realized that it was a substitute doll, and not Jin himself. Im scared of whates next While saying this, Jin has a smiling face. Somehow, he cannot imagine a scene where that Empress would make unreasonable demands for this material. Well, at the same time he cant deny he can be too optimistic for his own good. Mira 10, who was disguised as Reiko, disappeared into the warp gate with Jins substitute doll, and the real Reiko returned in exchange. Father, Ive finished without dy. Well done. With this, everything is as it used to be. The following May 21st. Jin had finally arrived at Reinhardts parents house. Jin-kun, how was the capital? Well! Since you tend to sleep a lot, you might not know much, huh? The guileless Empress had informallye along to see Jin off. Since she was being informal, her words were also frank. Although it seems youre not just sleeping, are you? After hearing that from the Empress, who looked at him with one eye closed, Jin thought: Uhh, dont panic Ive asked Reinhart, then Jin-dono as well. If anything happens, contact me. For a moment, the Empress face turned serious, and Reinhart corrected his posture before answering. Yes, maam. Understood. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website After that, Reinhart and Jin left the Shouro Imperial Pce. Since the territory of Count Randle is on the other side of Lake Tosumo, there are two possible routes: either going around theke or crossing it. Jin hoped to cross theke. To do that, first one first needs to head towards to Koju Town, which is by thekeshore. The town is 20 kilometers away, which is a half-day trip. This is also very convenient for Jin because it allows him to advance slowly. Today well arrange for a boat at Koju Town. Tomorrow morning, we shall cross theke. Jin enjoyed himself as Reinhart had said that. It was a really quick run to Koju. After leaving Roizato at 9AM, and having lunch at Ikishi Town, which was in between Roizato and Koju, they arrived at their destination at 2PM. Koju, along with Kam to the west and Lahaa to the east, were the towns responsible for the water transportation and fishing industry in Lake Tosumo. Since its a freshwaterke, theres no smell of beach in the air. However, since fishing is popr, there is some smell of fish drifting about. Jin and Reinhart walked to Koju Town with Reiko, Steward, and the Schwarz Ritter Noir. After seeing such a party of travelers, all of the people that were walking down that road were sure to turn around. Since Matheus, who had escorted them to Roizato, had to return to his usual duties at the Imperial Guard, he was no longer charged with escorting them. Naturally, because maintaining the public order inside the Shouro Empire is important, Reinhart and Jin strongly insisted that the escort was not necessary. However, with such a tall (and thin) young noble, a rather short foreigner, a ck Golem and a silver Golem, and a ck-haired beautiful girl It is impossible for them not to attract public attention. Look, the harbor is over there. At the drawn-in canal, there was a pier, where a great ship (to this world, at least) was moored. Oh! It was considerably different in shape than the one seen in Port Rock, Elias Kingdoms port town. Jin thought it would be the difference between a boat meant to travel the rough waves of the open ocean, and a boat meant to traverse a calmke. There are many t bottom ships. In shallow ces, its easy for ships that have a V-shaped bottom to rub against the ocean floor and the bottom of ake. It is because Jin is the only Magi Craft Meister in this world, that he can get to see through these shapes in such aplete way. About 20 meters atrge, is it? It is a ship that one may want to call a carriage ferry. It is a ship that carries exclusively carriages and horses. As for its power, there are many ways in which Golems can row it. That, along with and wind power, is what powers the ships of Lake Tosumo. Oh, how interesting! Jin looked with great interest how both big and small ships and boats go over theke properly using sails and oars. Sails were not used that much in the port town of Port Rock. Ha ha! Im honored to be able to be this interested! Said Reinhart, who was next by Jins side. The house I was born and raised on is on the opposite shore of this Lake Tosumo, in a ce called Vanne. Since water transportation is developing there as well, Im quite familiar with ships. Thats why I wanted to go to that race. Golem boat racing, huh? It was so long ago It was at that race that I met both Reinhart and Elsa by chance when I joined as a contestant. Thats why both Elsa and I have been swimming since when we were little. How long can you swim, Jin? Well, I Jin has yet to swim on anything other than a pool. About 50 meters, I think Having heard that, Reinhart smiled, and said: Ha ha! I cant say you can keep up with us! I meant how many hours! Both Elsa and I can probably swim across Lake Tosumo! The narrowest part of Lake Tosumo is between the cities of Trom and Mahahama. The distance is about 10 kilometers. The locals are said to make this crossing as aing of age ritual. There are very strong people who can make two round trips instead of just one. Jin admired the fact that the people living in rural areas had these features. Reinhart did not seem to get used to climbing mountains, however, although his pace did not rise, he did not get out of breath like Jin did when he previously chased both him and Gigas up a mountain. It seems that cardiopulmonary functions are trained by swimming. Look, that ones probably the same type of boat well be riding tomorrow. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Looking at the direction pointed at by Reinhart, there indeed was a boat with a design that looked very stable. That is a high-speed boat that can carry 10 passengers. Im taking my own boat as a reference here. Now that you mention it, the shapes are very simr between the two. With such a width and shallow bottom, Jin was convinced that this boat like that would be appropriate for the circumstance. I wonder how are Marcia and the others doing. A catamaran, huh? Reinhart is has a face which seems as if he was submerged in memories. Jin, would it be ok to build that boat that Reiko-chan was sailing? And, of course, it also leaks off the essence of the construction fool. Chapter 345: At Reinhart’s parents’ house

Chapter 345: At Reinharts parents house

The boat that Reiko was sailing? Ah, a paddle steamer, right? Its a propeller that Jin had hurriedly built at the port town Port Rock. Its a boat that, instead of using oars, has a paddle wheel attached for propulsion. By having Golems paddle, control of the boat is self-supported, making the use of a rudder unnecessary. Thats right, that paddle steamer Once weve returned, I want to make one for myself. Is that ok? As expected from Reinhart, the fact that he expressed such intention to start learning Magicraft as soon as he got back home left Jin half impressed, and half shocked. Of course, thats not a problem. Still, are you sure? What about Belche? Hearing those words from Jin, Reinhartughed. I wouldnt worry about her! She knows Im like this, and still likes me! It was nothing more than speaking fondly of a loved one. Gosh, youre such a sentimental. Jin also let out a sarcasticugh when saying that over his shoulder. On the next day, the 22nd, Jin and his party departed from Koju at 9AM heading to Vanne, on the opposit shore of theke. Just like Reinhart said, they were using a wide boat with a shallow bottom. There were 3 of such shallow-bottomed boats that tied together being towed by arge cargo ship loaded with carriages. The speed was about 6 or 7 kilometers per hour, which meant it would be a 3-hour cruise to the other side. The ones on board were Jin, Reinhart and Reiko, along with Reinharts butler ude. The maids Beth and Dolly had returned to their hometown of Vanne a long time ago with Reinharts permission. Vanne is a provincial town in the center of the Count Randalls territory, and its also where my parents home is. Reinhart had exined this to Jin while on the deck. Maybe you know about the tax system of Klein Kingdom, Jin? I havent personally been to the Klein Kingdom, but as a diplomat I have a general idea about it. After that introduction, Reinhart began to exin. Our Shouro Empire is divided into several territories, each of which is governed independently. As Jin heard that, he thought I see, so theres a decentralization of power. Basically, taxes are paid to the lords, and each lord pays a certain tax to the state. Of course, there are also areas under the direct control of the state. Thats the general gist of it. There are merits and disadvantages to both decentralization of power and its opposing centralized authoritarian rule. The tendency is for small countries to decentralize, while wider countries seem to have a high tendency towards decentralization. At least in this world, Jin thought back upon the country he had visited. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Our territory is naturally governed by my father, Wolfgang Randall Von Morgan. Within it, Elsas father and my uncle George Randall Von Amber rules over the town of Exi. Thats where Elsas parents home is. Elsas I see. There are many noblemen in the Shouro Empire who have no territory. Some of them managed to unify towns within the territories controlled by the head families, and rule over them as their own small territories. By the way, the territory to the west of it belongs to the Marquis Theodoric. Matheus family governs the cities of Sagina and Mahahama, two of the cities under the Marquis jurisdiction. It all seemed quiteplicated. Jin tried to get the gist of it as background knowledge for the future. Between these conversations, while enjoying the scenery from theke, the ship approaches the opposite shore. This area of the Shouro Empire consists of great ins, with only a few gentle rises towards the north. The wind of May across theke was neither hot nor cold, and the ships sailed through as if they were gliding over the surfaces ripples. After going over halfway through theke, another ship approached them from the opposite shore. It was a shallow-bottomed ship which was somewhat bigger than the one Jin and the rest were in. Thats Reinhart-sama! It was Reinharts fiancee, Belche. Would you like toe over to this ship? Reinhart, Jin, and Reiko switched ships over to board Belches vessel. ude, the butler, remained in their ship to look after the luggage. Since its exactly noon, the preparations are ready. As she said that, she ordered her female automata Neon, who was on board with her, to prepare lunch. The bread was thinly-sliced, and there were various fruit jams. The fruit juice in the sk was cooled with ice magic. The dried meats warmth was well kept over a fire, since it wasnt ready yet. Then, the specialty Lake Tosumo came out: salt-grilled Pink Toromon. Everything was delicious, and both Jin and Reinhart were delighted. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Reiko was at leisure while everybody was eating. So Neon shuffled her feet to her side, and lowered her head. Reiko-san, how are you? Do you remember me? Neon-san, was it? Yes, thats correct. Im d you remember me. Before, Neon seemed to be friends with Reiko at the town of Riare in order to speak with her. She would frequently talk to her in order to attract her attention, but Reiko had always given out nd replies. The meal was eventually finished, and Neon started to tidy up. Reiko decided to help out. Thank you, Reiko-san. Neon expressed her gratitude, and Belche also bowed to Jin and Reinhart with a smile. Thank you for joining me for lunch. At around that time, the town of Vanne on the opposite shore could be seen quite clearly. A wide canal continued all the way to the ind. It seems like in this town as well, the defense against foreign enemies is provided by canals rather than by walls. After entering the canal, and advancing for twenty minutes, the ship carrying the party on board reached the harbor. Reinhart-sama, today my father and brothers are having a meeting. Belche said this to Reinhart as the ship was arriving at the dock. Oh, I see. You havent seen your father or brothers in quite some time, have you? The ship was docked. Reinhart quickly disembarked and held out his hand to Belche. Belche took his hand with a smile, and disembarked next to him. After seeing that, Reiko anticipated Jins disembarking and extended her hand. Although in Jins case, it was different. Despite he tilting his head he was pulled out of the ship by Reiko. At the harbor there were some of Count Randalls carriages already waiting for them. Jin and Reiko got on arge carriage along with Reinhart and Belche. Since the vessel prepared by Belche was quite fast, the otherrge ship where the luggage and carriages were had yet to arrive. The delivery of those carriages and luggage will be duly carried out by the Randall household. From the harbor, after 15 minutes of travel over the stone paved roads, the counts residence finally came into sight. It had 3 storeys, and it was firmly built in stone. It was about a third of Roizarts Imperial Pce in size. While the spires on top of each side were greatly different, the rest of the building bore a striking resemnce to the pce. Oh, its been a while! Looking at Reinhart being so delighted about being finally home, Belche smiled as well. That night, they celebrated both Reinharts homing, and his fulfilling of his service as a peace diplomat. Furthermore, they excitedly celebrated a wee party for Jin, despite his reluctance. Jin arrived at Reinharts house and, much to his chagrin, ended up getting looked after by a maid and a butler. He only managed to put up with the whole ordeal since Reinhart had told him that it was only for tonight. Reinhart, thank you for your service as a diplomat. His father, Wolfgang Randall had said this as a toast. He resembled Reinhart in his grey hair and eyes, but he was different to his son because of his solid figure. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Ive heard about your deeds with the Schwartz Ritter at Cellroa Kingdom and Lorelei at Elias Kingdom. The one who said that was Reinharts eldest brother, Leonhart Randall. He is the spitting image of their father. Jin-dono, Ive heard great things about you as well. It would appear you dislike these formalities, but please, do apany us just for tonight. The one who had called out to Jin was the second son, Wilhart Randall. He takes after their mothers tinum blonde hair and blue eyes. While being silent, the third son Elhart Randall yfully strikes Reinharts shoulder. He takes his blonde hair after his mother, while having inherited his fathers grey eyes. Reinhart was being served at Belches side, and one by one replied to each of them. As Jin was sitting right in front of Reinhart, he could see his state of affairs quite well. Family, huh? What a good thing to have, isnt it? To an orphan like Jin, a normal family is a difficult concept to grasp. To him, a family is a director, who sometimes a mother and some other times a father, and other young children. Jin-san can I call you that? Uh, yes. The one who appeared at Jins side was a tall and slim-all-around beautiful woman. Reinharts mother. Isolde Randall Von Turfell. Pleased to meet you. Ah, yes, likewise. Pleased to meet you. She was d in a gentle ambience, and a great figure. Jin thought that perhaps this would be probably be Reinharts ideal mother. It appears that youve looked after my son during your journey. Please allow me to express my gratitude once more. No, uh Me too, hes looked after me as well. Ohohoho! When ites to that boy, Jin-san, I can speak with face as gleeful as I possibly can. I have yet to find a friend like that myself. Please continue to get along. Yes, of course. Rather, Im looking forward to it. Oh, Im d! Afterwards, Reinharts mother, Isolde, spoke a few words with Jin, bowed down, and went back to her husband Wolfgang. After that, Leonhart, Wilhart and Elhart said their farewells to Jin before leaving. Reinharts father Wolfgang soon followed, after saying a few parting words. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Jin-dono, I have heard many things about you from my son. I can only ask that you continue to look after him from now on. Yes, of course. Perceiving a hearty concern in his gesture, Jin gained Reinharts fathers favor. No, it would be more appropriate to say it was the favor of the entire family. Reflecting upon this, the thought of Elsa swept through Jins head. Chapter 346: Saki Eschenbach

Chapter 346: Saki Eschenbach

The day after the wee party, Reinharts brothers went back to their respective offices and workces. He did not dare ask what those offices were. Apart from that, there was something else Jin was interested in. That was to meet the alchemist Toa Eschenbach. After breakfast, he indirectly suggested the idea to Reinhart, who nodded as if to say I understand. The Eschenbach household is in the neighborhood, so dont worry. Reinhart then began preparing a carriage. Are we going by carriage, Jin? To which Jin nodded after some consideration. The steward drives the carriage as indicated by Reinhart. Jin faced Reinhart and began to apologize to him. Reinhart, youve faced great troubles to return to your home and family, so its okay if you want to stoping along with me. I mean, youve got Belche-san, and your mother Ha ha! Thanks for putting me to good use! I appreciate your honesty. Apanying you is the solemn duty Her Majesty has bestowed upon me. Sorry. As soon as that conversation was done, they found themselves outside the Eschenbach residence. It took them five minutes to arrive by carriage, and even walking would have been about only ten minutes. It was literally next door. The Eschenbach residence was a smallish-looking house built on a vast plot ofnd. At the garden, a great variety of trees an grass have grown- no, been nted. We even had enough time to talk for a bit in the carriage! How unusual of me, huh? As they were walking towards the houses entranceway, Jin was wondering in excitement what sort of person is this Toa Eschenbach that Reinhart had spoken so much about. I wonder if its ok to go in? As those words escaped his mouth as if they were a whisper, Reinhart knocked on the door using the knocker that was attached to the entranceway. After two minutes of waiting for a reply that didnte, they knocked once again. And then, yet once again. After the third knock on the door, it finally opened. How noisy! Even though Im busy now Huh? Who would have thought it was Reinhart? Well, if its you, its a different story. The blunt voice that came out probably belonged to a woman. Perhaps since she was wearing a shirt and trousers, along with an overall-styled, gray-stained apron, it was difficult to understand her figure. Moreover, she was wearing no makeup, and her hair seemed as if it hadnt been taken care of in a while. Her charcoal-colored hair was cut at shoulder-length. There were ces where her hair was cut in a straight line and others where it was simply unkempt. As she didnt seem to be using a brush or ab on her hair, it bounced around loosely all over the ce. Her eyes were of beautiful purple-gray color, but it seemed as if her eyesight was poor, as she immediately frowned, which gave out a moody impression. However, the voice that came out was a womans voice. She was merely a little shorter than Jin. Seemingly thin, her chest size is small enough for Reinhart not to take notice of it. She also seems to be about the same age as Jin. However, her most surprising feature was that both the right half of her face and her right arm were red, and looked swollen. Sa Saki! Your face! Your arm! What happened to you!? Reinhart panicked. Thinking that it would be best to give her medical treatment before anything else, Jin pushed Reinhart aside and began preparing a spell. Cure. However, even after some of the redness had receded somewhat, she was notpletely healed. Healing magic didnt seem to work on her. So Jin looked at Reiko. Reiko, please. Yes, Father. Heilverfahren. Its advanced medical magic. With it, the red-swollen skin regained its true color, and the inmmation recededpletely. Im surprised! Wasnt that an advance healing spell just now? And whats more, it was chanted in the style of our country! Reiko-chan, when did you remember this spell? Its the spell that Elsa used during the magical exhaustion fever uproar. Reiko also acquired this spell. She can even use the highest-ranked healing spell, Genesung. Before Reiko could answer, the woman before their eyes- Saki, was it?- thanked Jin. Would you look at that? Thank you for healing mepletely, dear guest. Reinhart, will you not introduce us? That threw Reinhart off somewhat. He stood there rearranging his thoughts before he spoke. Oh, this is my friend, Jin. Hes an honorary Magi Craftsman from Egrea Kingdom. He was epted into the Magi Engineers Guild as an honorary member recently. Hoho! My goodness! Pleased to meet you, Jin! Im Saki. Saki Eschenbach. Im Reinharts childhood friend. Please call me Saki. While reflecting on her tomboyish manner of speaking, Jin reintroduced himself. Im Jin Nidou. Pleased to meet you. So polite! Please, lets talk in a more familiar way. Im no good at formalities! You could say I hate them. I see. Nice to meet you, Saki. As Jin corrected himself, Saki nodded happily. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Yeah, thats more like it. Say, Reinhart, are you running an errand for your father? Yeah, is he home? Saki shook her head. You know how my father is. He suddenly rushed out two days ago. He could at the Harihari Desert or the Krueger Mountains by now Good grief! Just as usual Hearing Sakis reply, Reinhart gave out an amazed expression on his face. So, what is did your father ask you to do? Saki asked this while looking at both Jin and Reinhart alternately. Reinhart was the one to answer that question. Actually, we came here today because Jin is interested in alchemy. Saki sank her teeth into that answer. I see! So Jin is also interested in alchemy! In that case, youre just in time! Come on in, you two! Without waiting for an answer from either of them, Saki dragged them both into the house. Jin and Reinhart smiled bitterly as they followed her in. Which reminds me, you came back safely, Reinhart! Im d, Im d! Saki said that as if she had just remembered about it while walking through the corridor. You never change, Saki. Youll never marry anyone like that! So had Reinhart replied while letting out a sarcasticugh. While that kind of speech is nowadays considered sexual harassment, Saki turned it aside with a smile. Oohoho, dont worry about that. I dont have the slightest interest in getting married, after all. And after saying that, she suddenly turned over to Reinhart, and said: Which reminds me, I heard you got engaged to Belche! Congrattions! Yeah, thank you, Saki. Reinhart replied with a smile. But Jin thought that the smile that Saki had shown in return had a hint of sadness. However, as soon as Saki had turned around, he thought that he was probably his imagination, and didnt speak a word about it. Opening the door at the end of the corridor, Saki turned to Jin and said: Here we are, this is myboratory. Reinhart, who had been there many times, murmured: Its been a while since Ist came here. As the door opened and they went in, a strange odor invaded their noses. A few sk-like containers were lined up on the working table, and some of them had some sort of liquid in them. The smell seemed to drift from those sks. The smell of several liquids mixed together, making it a particrly strong kind of smell. There was one of those smells that Jin was able to tell apart from the rest. It was one that he was familiar with. He approached the sks lined up on the working table. Wait, Jin! Be careful! I got that swelling because I touched that sap there on the left-most part of the table. Huh? Jin took a quick look at that sk. It contained a ck, sappy liquid. After gently shaking the sk, he could see it was considerably viscous. Hmm But that wasnt the sk that Jins nose was driven to. It was the second one next to that one. That other sk contained a liquid of a slightly ambered color. Jin gave a more thorough sniff at that liquid. Yeah, theres no mistaking it. I dont even need to use Analyze on this one. This is maple syrup! After hearing that, Saki quickly approached Jin and grabbed him by the shoulders. Jin! You know what this is! Ah, yeah. Where Ie from its called maple syrup. Its a sweetener made from boiling sap extracted from sugar maple trees Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Having heard that, Saki released Jins shoulders, faced Reinhart, and began to cry out in excitement. Reinhart! Did you hear that? This maple syrup may be used as a substitute for sugar! It will even rival sugar itself! Reinhart seemed to know that reaction fairly well. He replied with a sarcastic smile. Oh, I see! I wonder if you can finance and create a mass production system? Saki seemed pleased with that reply. Ohoho! You get it, dont you? As expected from my childhood friend! Okay, there are many of these sugar maple trees growing at the shores of Lake Tosumo. All we need to do is to go there and extract the sap from them, right? Saki was extremely thrilled when she spoke. Jin, however, could not help intervening. Uh, if you try to make a sweetener out of it, you would have to boil it a lot. Chapter 347: Sticky liquids

Chapter 347: Sticky liquids

Huh? Is that so, Jin? Yeah. Its not sweet enough like this. Besides, theres got some impurities in it, so I think it would be best to filter it. Saki seemed disappointed at first, but after hearing Jins words, she regained her spirits. Good grief! So thats what it was. Well then, Jin, Im counting on you! Huh? Dont huh me! Arent you a Magi Craftsman? And a super-first-ss one at that? Thats why Im asking you! Make me a magic tool! Before Jin could answer anything, Reinhart gently tapped him on the shoulder. Sorry, thats just the way she is. Please try to get used to it. To Jin, it did not mean that he found her way of making such a request was particrly disagreeable. It was just that he did not know how to follow Sakis carefree attitude. That same Saki was smiling at both Jin and Reinhart with a cheery expression in her face. Alright. Jin, who was somewhat annoyed about being dragged around, took a Magi Crystal from a rack as Saki had indicated, then took a small ingot of iron from the raw materials storage, and brought them to Saki. Having said nothing up to that point, Jin began to create the magic tools. Forming. Forming. Heat treatment. Surface treatment. First, he created the ironponents. Then he sculpted and shaped them in one stroke, and finished by refining the surfaces. Writing. Writing. Finish. The Magi Form was instantly written in the Magi Crystal. The operation was so fast that Reinhart was not even able to utter a single word of ttery. Oh, oohhhhh! Even though Reinhart was aware of Jins true nature, he was still taken aback. In Sakis case Wh whaaat!? As one would expect, they were both so dumbfounded that they seemed as if they had be statues of themselves, with their mouths wide open. Well, this is the magic tool Stove. You can heat up whatever you put on top of it by applying fire magic to it. You can also adjust the heating power with this knob here. Disregarding Saki, who was still petrified, Jin had exined that to Reinhart. Erm, this is nice, huh? Stove was it? Yeah. Actually, this is a high-end version of another one I created before back in Klein Kingdom. Back then, I could only buy Magi Sand to use for it, but this one works with a Magi Crystal. Can this also be used for cooking? Its amazing its only this big! Actually, there was such a heating magic tool in the Shouro Empire. However, it was shaped like a bread oven, so to speak, and could not be transported at all. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website This is going to be the bane of the elites. Reinhart began to exin to Jin with a sorry smile on his face. There hasnt been a single Magi Engineer who would create such a magic tool solely for the sake of themon folk. After having that conversation, Saki had finally rebooted. J Jin, youre amazing! Quite frankly, I thought Reinhart had exaggerated when he spoke about you. Im sorry for making light of you. Saki lowered her head. She has that kind of personality, but what you see is what you get. And Reinhart followed. Hearing that, Jin nodded. It was a bit out of their way, but it was decided that they would try to boil maple syrup (or an undiluted version of it) at the stove that Jin had made. Since using a sk was no good, they tried using a pot instead, but since there was no suitable pot at hand, Jin created one out of a copper ingot. Boiling syrup takes a long time. In order for it not to get burned, Jin had ordered Reiko to stir it from time to time. During that time, Jin tried to take another look at the contents of the other sk that had caught his attention before. A ck, sticky liquid. Touching it gives you something like a rash. Sap. Is itcquer? Actually, the sap ofcquer trees is not ck. It is more brown-greyish, and not that slimy. It is applied as paint during the first refining and gives off a ck luster. But Jin did not know the details to that extent. However, what was in that sk was not exactlycquer as a finished product, much like the maple syrup on the other sk he found earlier. What was that, Jin? Locker? Lacquer. It looks like a type of natural paint that I know of. Saki nodded as she heard that. I see, so it can be used for painting? Actually, a traveling salesman left a barrel of it here, but it looks that more can be collected south of here. I got into that mess because I tried to study its natural properties. She had probably touched it with her hand, then rubbed her face with that same hand. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website And next to it oh? The liquid on the next sk looked sticky as well. But it was white. Jin was also familiar with this one. Could this be tea tree sap? Saki was the one to answer to that. Tea tree? We collect tea from a different tree. This is Perhya sap. In Kaina Vige, tea trees apparently were called Perhya. But more important than its name were its properties. Jin remembered that there was sulfur at the same rack where he had found the Magi Crystal, so he went to pick some up. Jin, what are you going to do with that sulfur? Grinning at a doubtful Saki, Jin measured the amount of Perhya sap with Engineering magic and added the corresponding amount of sulfur. Okay, Saki,e here for a second. Jin called Saki over while waving his hand. What are you going to do? Well, Im doing something useful, so please sink your hands in this. Huh? Well, if you say so Saki thrust her hands into the Perhya sap without any hesitation. Alright, please take them out now. Linking. The linking reaction of Perhya sap and sulfur progressed and the resulting product was rubber gloves. Separation. And so, the process of separation of the gloves that had been stuck to Sakis hands waspleted. Jin, what are these? These are rubber gloves. You can use them when you handlecquer or something you do not want to touch with your bare hands. But they may get stuck if you wear them for a long time Saki stood in awe, facing those snug rubber gloves that were now covering her handspletely. Looking closely at her palms, she closed and opened her fists as if she was testing the gloves sticity. I see! Theyre great! Thank you, Jin! You truly are an amazing Magi Engineer. No wonder Reinhart speaks so well of you. Isnt that right? Thats my friend for you! Reinhart was also puffed up with pride. Looking at his disy, Saki couldnt help butugh. Ohoho, Reinhart! You really adore Jin, dont you? Well, I cant me you. I might even fall in love, too. After saying that as a joke, Sakis face showed a hint of loneliness once again. But still, itsted only an instant. Wearing those rubber gloves, Saki immediately stretched out her arms towards the sk containing that ckcquer-ish liquid. This one doesnt get dry at all. Ive applied it to a wooden board, but its not dry yet, even after one whole day. cing it t on the table, Saki touched the ck-stained surface of the wooden board with the tip of one of her fingers. That fingertip got painted ck. Just as I thought, its not dry yet. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Saki wiped her fingertip clean with an old rag while having a disappointed look on her face. She probably started getting that red swelling as she was constantly handling that substance bare handed. Hmm, just a moment. Jin had remembered a very small detail aboutcquer. Normally, when living an ordinary life, there would not be many chances to seecquer used as paint outside ofcquer ware. However, Jin had just managed to remember the word zing. During the Sengoku period, many samurai used to wear suits of armor that got their color fromcquer. And that was done by a process called zing. Jin had learned about those two facts on TV. Perhaps if we heat it up, it will dry no, it will probably solidify. After hearing Jins suggestion, Sakis face began to sparkle with excitement. She then turned to Reinhart. Did you hear that, Reinhart? Come on, pleeeasee! You really havent changed at all, have you? Ohoho! Thats right. Just as sure as you cant pick Pelshikas from apple trees. After such interaction, Reinahart put on a bitter smile and approached the ck-stained wooden board. Heat. He used Engineering magic to heat the board. Of course, he adjusted the temperature so that it would not catch fire. Looking at it together with Jin, the surface looked glossy as if it wet at first, but after one minute had passed, the gloss had disappearedpletely. Furthermore, it got a perfect matte after another minute. As Reinhart noticed this, he stopped his spell. Saki then tried once again to poke at the board while wearing the rubber gloves. This time, no paint had gotten stuck to her fingertips. It was dry, or rather, cured. Ohhh! You made it! Just as you said, Jin! I didnt realize you had to heat it up! Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Saki seemed delighted. I can use thiscquer-like sap as a painting material! And then I can study its special characteristics! Itll be so much fun! As she said that, she looked outside through a window, and made a prononuced frown. Jin, who could not help but notice her frowning, decided to ask Saki directly. Saki, forgive me if Im wrong, but your eyes they dont see very well, do they? Chapter 348: Coming out

Chapter 348: Coming out

After hearing that question about her eyes from Jin, Saki smiled and nodded. Ohoho, you found out, huh? You noticed my habit of frowning. Ive always been able to see nearby things clearly, but for a long time far away things seem to get blurry. It was just as Jin had thought. Reinhart, are there eyesses in the Shouro Empire? Eyesses? What do you mean by eyesses? From that answer, it appeared that there were no such things as sses to correct vision impairments in this world. That was a surprising fact, especially knowing that on Earth, even lenses are said to have been used as early as before the Christian era. Jin had read somewhere that Aristotle, or Archimedes, had used a giant lens to burn down an army of assaulting enemies, and that monocles had been used as eyesses since as early as the Middle Ages. However, this magical world does not seem to follow the same way of development as the Earth. Jin also remembered that people here did not know what a microscope was. Umm, I think its best if I show you rather than just exining. Saki, could I use some of your raw materials? Before Saki could reply, Jin was already walking towards the raw materials rack from before and took some transparent crystal, silver, and copper. Separation. Forming. Separation. Forming. Alloying. Forming. Finish. Once again, he began to use Engineering magic in session. The materials began shining faintly as they transformed. The crystal became two lenses, and the silver and copper had alloyed into 925 silver, which then transformed into a thin frame. Since he was unable to create screws, he could not make the frame foldable, so something like hanging them from a shirts cor when not in use would not be possible. So he made them in such a way that they could be kept in ce with a pin. Furthermore, he added pieces of previously prepared natural rubber to the nose pad to prevent slipping. These are eyesses. The silver-framed eyesses with round lenses werepleted. They had an antique-ish design, however, that was not intentional. It was Jins sense of design that had determined the level of style for the eyesses. What do you mean? Let me see if I get this straight. Are those for seeing things? Saki said this looking at the eyesses in Jins hands. Thats right. Please try them on. As he said that, he had Saki put on the eyesses. He then used alteration magic to adjust them to fit her ears, nose, and face size. Well, how are they? I didnt make them too powerful, though. Since there was no eyesight testing involved, both crystals had the same corrective power, and they were not that strong, to begin with. They were made like that because when people who are not used to wear eyesses suddenly put on eyesses that are too strong, they tend to experience headaches or dizziness. First, close one eye Ah, yes, just like that Can you read the cover on that books back on that shelf? Huh? Yeah, for some reason, I can Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Then, Jin asked her to do the same thing with her other eye closed. She could read that just as well. So it would appear that both eyes needed the same degree of correction. Alright then, please try to take a look outside. Yeah Th This is great! I can see so well! These eyesses are amazing! Saki then went over to the window and looked outside. Waah! I can see everything! I can even see the small birds perched on those branches! I can also see clearly the leaves on every tree! Has the world always been this beautiful!? At first, Saki was overwhelmed by the fact that her field of vision had just gotten better. After a little while, her emotions settled in, and she hurriedly went over to where Jin was and took his hands. Jin, thank you so, so much! How can I repay you? Just name it! If it is within my power, Ill do it! Jin epted her thanks with a smile. Haha, its my pleasure! That being said, theres a purpose behind my interest in alchemy. I would like you to help me with that. Ohoho! Id be honored! I wish to do research together with a Magi Engineer such as you, Jin. So, what do you want to do? At that moment, Sakis stomach rumbled. That was a shameful disy, huh? Im sorry, Reinhart, but could you get me something to eat? Actually, I havent eaten anything sincest night. Huh? Im embarrassed to say, but the servants left the day before yesterday. Ive been staving off hunger with leftovers, but I ended up running out of them during yesterdays lunch. Sakising out was unexpected. Both Jin and Reinhart were shocked. At that time, a voice began toe out from Reiko. Father, it appears it should be okay soon. The maple syrup seems to have boiled down. Oh, is that so? Let me see. Taking thedle back from Reiko, Jin scooped up a bit of syrup from it with one of his fingertips and licked it. Mmm, its good! Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Whats that now? Come on, Jin! Let me try some too! Saki hade along as well, and after dipping her own fingertips on the syrup-filleddle that Jin was holding, she too tasted the finished product. Mmm! This is so good! This is definitely good enough for selling! Reinhart, without a doubt this will a specialty in this region! Reinhart tasted the syrup as well, and then made a face as if agreeing. Hmm, this will definitely be a specialty! Lets consult this with my father at once. Saki nodded while grinning cheerfully. Oh, Im counting on you, Reinhart! Ill be very happy if this region bes richer because of this. Leave it to me. Would it be okay if I mentioned that the harvesting method is still under research, but that the manufacturing method involves filtering out its impurities and then boiling it down? Yeah, thats right. As a sample, please take this pot no, just take half of this pots worth of syrup! Saki was so hungry, she probably wanted to eat that maple syrup, as she said that with an ashamed expression while scratching her head. Reinhart nodded as heughed. Haha, roger that. Youve got quite the sweet tooth, as usual! After hearing that, Jin quietly uttered a small question. Saki, dont you have any ingredients left? He was wondering if there was even a bit of barley, wheat flour, vegetables or even eggs left. Hm? There probably are some things left, but Im ashamed to say that Im quite poor at cooking. This was the seconding out for Saki today. Alchemy and cooking are two different things! Saki had suddenly blurted that out as an excuse, but nobody seems to have heard her. However, it seemed as if Reinhart was aware of what was happening in Sakis direction because he expressed a bitter smile. Its true, Jin. When ites to Sakis cooking abilities, youve only got the lethal variant and the certain death variant R Reinhart! What do you mean by certain death? At worst, Im just extremely useless when ites to cooking! Her voice grew thin as she scolded Reinhart. Who was the one that didnt check whether it was sugar or salt before using it? Who was the one that dropped an open bottle of spices into the cooking pot? Who was the one that served the dish before tasting it even once? Who was it, huh? Uuhhh, that was such a long time ago A long time ago? Come on! You prepared that dish saying it was my farewell gift as I was leaving on my journey! I was shocked! I almost had to dy my departure because of that! Reinharts voice became unusually stern. Jin secretly sympathized with Saki, as he seemed to have had such hard times in the past. Jin understands this because of his past experiences in the orphanage. Normally, one should challenge basic recipes after mastering the art of cooking, but how many children end up adding ingredients that are not in the recipe, or without measuring first, all of a sudden, without knowing what theyre doing? On one asion, he ended up with a sponge cake so t that it looked like a piece of cardboard, salty chocte milk, and to top it off, a mint tea full to the brim with mint oil. He thought it would be ok to add a bit of ck tea to it, so he put a whole teaspoon in. After that, Jin wasnt able to eat anything for two days, and whats more, his whole body had reeked of mint oil for a week. There is certainly a special kind of people who have no sense of cooking in this world. They mean no harm but have a hard time dealing with it. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Now, back to the story. Saki has not eaten anything sincest night. And she cannot cook. Moreover, shes all alone in her house now. Where is the kitchen? Since it would take Reinhart some time to go back to his house and make preparations for lunch, Jin wanted to know if there was anything that could be prepared quickly. To Saki, hearing such a question from Jin was as if some god of salvation had spoken to her. Oh! The kitchen! Its right this way! Having said that, she rushed out of theboratory while dragging Jin along. Reinhart soon followed them whileughing. It seemed that he was not seriously mad at Saki, after all. Hmm, wheat flour and eggs, and this is this milk? There were no vegetables. No barley, either. Heter found cooking oil and something that looked like butter. For now, let me try to prepare something with these. Jin had Reiko fetch both the stove he had made and the maple syrup that they had prepared earlier. Meanwhile, he started to get some dough ready by mixing the flour, eggs, and milk together. Here you are, Father. Saki stared at Reiko with her eyes wide open as thetter brought back the heavy pot containing the maple syrup easily with one hand. I didnt notice back when I didnt have these eyesses, but this girl, Reiko-chan was it? What a wonderfully made automata! It would appear that without the eyesses, Reiko must have simply looked like a female-styled golem to Saki. As Jin continued to work with the dough, Jin told Saki that he would talk about Reikos storyter. Heating up a frypan that was covered in oil, he poured down the dough he had prepared earlier. Soon enough, it started to make a crackling sound, and a sweet scent began to drift about. What Jin was preparing was something simr to hotcakes. Since he had no baking powder or baking soda, there were some of them that did not expand as nicely and ended up looking more like crepes. He then ced them on a te and cut them into four servings. Jin and Reinhart would be taking one serving each, while thest two servings were for Saki. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Coating them with the butter-like spread, Jin added the finishing touches by pouring the previously prepared maple syrup on top of them. Okay, lets eat! As for those crepe-looking hotcakes, Sakis reaction when eating was akin to something amazing happening. W Whats this? This is tasty! So tasty! While lost in thought about asking Jin toe to cook for her every day from now on, Saki had not only wiped her te clean but also been staring at both Jin and Reinharts own servings with greedy eyes. Seeing this, Jin went ahead and once again prepared some smaller crepe-like hotcakes. Chapter 349: Feedback

Chapter 349: Feedback

Jin instructed Reiko to boil all of the remaining sap until they turned to maple syrup. And it seems Saki had also regained her senses. Hmm, I cant have you be like this, Saki Reinhart said with a worried face, concerned about his childhood friend. By the way, why did the servant go out? To Jins question, Saki scratched her head and answered with a strained smile, Well, you see, I havent paid rent for thest 3 months so Thats no good Even Jin instinctively retorted to that. For now, lets just get food from my house Reinhart said, with a pensive expression. Not paying rent for 3 months, what happened? There are a lot of expensive materials here too dont tell me Kufufu, yep. My father would always end up buying all the rare materials. Well, me too. In short, a researching idiot who has no sense of economy. Just get a butler to manage the house. Reinhart was exasperated. However, Saki just replied with a nonchnt expression, We are not nobles or anything. We dont really need a butler. But Sakis reply worried Reinhart as she made it sound like it wasnt her problem. Jin worked out a n. Right, Reinhart. We could just make an automata. Reinhart was immediately hooked on the n. He lives up to his reputation of being a building maniac. Ooh! We can do that! You will help as well, right, Jin? Of course. Reinharts excitement increased even further with Jins reply. Alright! Then let us make the 2nd best automata in the world! Seeing Reinhart so excited, Saki asked, Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Well, thats fine but, what do you mean by 2nd best? Mm? Thats simple. After all, the best automata in the world is Reiko-chan over there. Hearing that, Saki looked like she had just remembered about Reiko and gazed at Reiko with her sses on. Her build looks amazing the more I look That reminds me but Reinhart, and Jin. Its fortunate that two of the top rate magi engineers are here. She bent over the table saying that. Mm? You have something you want to ask? There are manymon points of interest shared by alchemists and magi engineers and they have been influencing one another to develop even more. Reinhart had probably thought Saki had a small question or something when he asked that. He surely didnt think that he wouldnt be able to answer. Well then, I will go ahead and ask but the golems and automatas, these magic dolls, how are they able to hold cups, which are very fragile, without breaking them? Uuh. Reinhart hardened. Golems and automatas general movement control is usually given to them by their masters. And the masters inherit it from their masters. This movement control system can be exined byparing it to an operating system. In other words, it is usually inherited by the magi engineers from their masters as a ck box (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ck_box). Theres no progress there. If you were to track it to its roots, most of the current control systems would lead to Adriana Barbora Cecy. And the details of the control system, like magic, is stored in a library in the worlds with magic. And most magi engineers are just essing and copying that. And, as for Jin, Hmm, its reallyplicated so I will try to exin it simply. First, they scan the target. Then, they check it with their knowledge of things and if they find a match, they grip it with the necessary strength. Jin simplified it. Saki, and even Reinhart, was impressed. Seeing Reinhart thinking about it with a backward nce, Saki asked more questions. Hmmm, very intriguing Then, what if its not in the knowledge of things? They wont know how strongly to grip it if its something they saw for the first time, right? Youe asking the hard questions, huh? Well, its the same till the checking part. And if its not there, they perform analogy. They search for things simr to it or things with simr material. I see, I see. Saki nodded. To which Jin grinned and asked, Its fine if they find something simr. But dont you want to know what happens if they dont? Kufufu, exactly. Thought so They start the action of gripping. The fingers touch the target. Then they put in the strength You get it this far? Yes, of course. The problem is after that. If they put in too much strength, it will break. If they dont put in enough strength, they wont be able to hold it. What do they do? They detect the deformation between the target and their fingertips. Eh? is that so, Jin? Reinhart asked. It seems it was also his first time hearing that. The control core is ordering the body after estimating how much strength should be put in. And the body moves after thata very short period of time, about 0.001 secondster. Saki and Reinhart were both listening quietly. Once the finger touches the object, the finger movements slow down depending on the hardness of the object. If they object is soft, its harder for the core to process and it is harder to slow down. If it is hard, then it bes slow quicker. They detect and calcte all these really quick and apply the necessary force. Jin added, By the way, they do mistake the force sometimes After all, humans also sometimes drop stuff after holding them cause they seem lighter. However, since their reaction speed is dozen times faster than that of a humans, in most cases, they make it in time. After exining that far, Jin looked at both their faces. Like a magi engineer, Reinhart was digesting the information he just heard but Saki was fine with just understanding the concept. I see, Jin, thanks! One of my longsting questions just got answered! Saki was overjoyed. They can do that because the control core is much faster than humans at thinking, right? Yep, thats right. Jin nodded to Sakis question. If so, then the control core is dealing with difficult stuff like how the body should behave, eh? Yep, yep Mm? Jin thought over Sakis question once again. Generally, things follow the simple is best principle. Even more so if its a system. Jin? Is something the matter? Saki called out to Jin, seeing him fall silent all of a sudden but the words didnt reach Jins ears. (For the action of determining the strength, most of the control cores processing power is being used. In other words, it is being left to the software) Jin wasnt really knowledgeable in the electronics engineering or IT field but he did have the general knowledge a normal person living in the current world would have. (The software can surely work it out. However, if one can have the hardware also carry that load, the control cores pressure would decrease and it could process other things) Hello? Jin? Oii. Jin was deep in thought. (Then, what can be in ce of it? Automata and golems are made by copying the structure of human body. Something a human has but an automata does not sense of touch!) Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Eyes for vision. Ears for hearing. Nose for sense of smell. All of these have a special magi device for it and were acting like a pseudo sense organ. However, for sense of touch, they only have something very poor. Theres a temperature sensor in the chest portion to detect heat and cold. It is used to monitor the metal bodys temperature. If used properly, it could also detect the temperature of the object the fingertips touch. Sense of pain isnt being considered from the start. (A while before, Reiko didnt use her sword techniques even after learning them because figuring out the ample amount of strength would be difficult.) Complicated actions need delicate power distribution. Even though they have multiple times the processing speed of humans, it would be extremely difficult to calcte the strength allocation while moving tens or hundred times faster. Even more so cause Reikos power is tremendous. Between adjusting from 10 to 1 and from 10,000 to 1, the difference is huge. One can easily figure out which will be harder to determine the strength forsimple actions like punching or kicking, orplicated actions like locking techniques in judo. Such a conclusion had alsoe up after a discussion with Laojun. (Ah So thats how it is) How he would help Reiko understand power distribution even betterJin had just thought up of a solution for it. (I didnt think about it enough) There was a need to control Reikos magical muscle to the millino, to the micron unit by delicately limiting the power output from ether converter and mana driver for Reikos power distribution. All this while moving more than ten times faster than a human. Reiko probably couldnt exin all that to Jin. What happened to Jin? He probably became aware of something important. A few minutes after Jin had indulged in thinking. Saki and Reinhart were whispering to each other. Kufufu, there were times when you became like that too, huh? A specialty idiot, eh? I dont want to be told that by you. And then, Jin returned to reality. Saki, thank you! Thanks to your words, I might be able to progress greatly! In response to Jins loud thanks, Saki replied, still confused. Kufufu, I dont really get what you mean but its an honor to be of use. If its okay with you, could you exin it to us as well? Yes, of course! Reinhart, I would also like to hear your opinion on this. Saying that, Jin started exining the theory of power control which he had just thought of. Chapter 350: New device

Chapter 350: New device

Jin exined the new Automata and Golem control theories. Hmm, I understand the theory, but does it go so smoothly in practice? Reinhart had his doubts. Jin, I can sympathize with your reasoning. If theres anything I can do to help, I sure will! Said Saki, showing her support. One could say this was another difference between Reinhart, who puts things into practice, and Saki, who thinks purely and solely in theories. In short, Reinhart knows how hard it is to put theory into practice. Jin, I can understand your theory. But, first of all, how do you reproduce the sense of touch? I think you should start from there. Reinhart had held him in doubt, but Jin had an exnation. A small device called Strain gauge. It can detect as far as one-millionth of a strain. The fundamentals behind it are omitted in the exnation, but it is a device essential to machine control. Jin was trying to reproduce this device with materials found in this world. If he managed to reproduce it, it could be attached to several ces of the body, and the amount of pressure to the body could be known by detecting those strains. And thats what basically the sense of touch is. Jin added one more thing at the end of his exnation of these operating principles: It would be wonderful if there some sort of material whose magical properties changed drastically as it bends or deforms. Hmm, its magical properties, huh? Actually, Jin has some knowledge of one such material. Wing membranes of a Sea Dragon. Its what was used as a material for Reikos skin. However, since it is not as prevalent, it seems it can only be used to improve Reiko. There is one. Having said that, Saki produced a crystal out of the shelf. The translucent crystal was cross-sectioned, and it had a red interior with an emerald green surface. It looked like a watermelon. Ah, a watermelon tourmaline, right? Jin muttered that spontaneously. A long time ago, a certain girl he cared about was wearing small pendants that looked like that crystal. Watermelon? Tourmaline? Saki and Reinhart reacted to different words. Incidentally, the one to react to Tourmaline was Reinhart. Oh, a Watermelon isrge fruit with a hard, green skin, and a red interior. A tourmaline is a kind of stone. Hmm, this watermelon you speak of sounds like a Shiika. Which reminds me that it is Skiika seedling nting season. ording to Saki, Shiika are nted every year in her garden, and by summertime, they are ripe for harvesting and eating. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Jin wanted to obtain one of those seeds or seedlings since he thought it would be nice to have either one of them. Naturally, it has already been decided that these wishes will be transmitted to Reiko, who, by contacting Laojun, will be given new instructions by the fifth-row Quinta, who in turn have been dispatched anew to the Shouro Empire. Now, lets return to our story. This stone is called Elbite. By applying force to it, it generates a very small amount of magical power. Could this be of any use? As Saki exined, Jin nodded. Oh, well then, lets try slicing off a thin sheet of this crystal, and attach a mithril thread to it! Soon after obtaining Sakis permission, Jin sliced the Elbite with Engineering Magic. Hmm! It sure is nice to have a Magi Engineer around! I can hardly use any magic myself, so Im d! Saki went on rambling about things such as Analysis and being able to feel magical power. Okay, Saki, please hold this mithril thread. Im going to try applying force to this slice of Elbite over here. All right, Jin. A fragment of Elbite tied to a one-meter mithril thread. Jin ced his hand of the slice and pressed with his fingers. How about it? Well, theres some magical power springing forth over here. That is great! Our first trial is a sess! At that point, Reinhart, who had been silently looking from the sides, seemed to not be able to stand it any longer. Hmph! Jin, Saki! L-Let me help too! How should I put it? Its unthinkable to try nothing more than just pressing it with your fingers! This is the birth of a new technology were talking about! Reinhart still appears to be a Magi Engineer, after all. And then, the three of them repeatedly experimented with the Elbite, changing its thickness and size, in order to decide on its optimal shape. Because of that, in that same evening, a tactile sensor prototype waspleted. Lets build an automata using this. I will give this first prototype automata to Saki. Jin and Reinhart agreed. Saki could not argue with them. Huh, well, if you two say so. Besides, there are many tests I want to run. Noticing that it was getting dark outside, they decided to wrap things up for the day. Reiko, how much maple syrup was produced? Father, this is all there is. In the pot that Jin had created were about seven servings. He wondered if it was approximately one liter. All right, lets split it between two bottles. Having said that, Jin magically created two bottles out of crystal and filled them with the remaining maple syrup. The bottles are quite expensive. The lid is also made of crystal. They are not the type of bottles that usually contain ingredients, but considering the rarity of their contents (for now), they seem to be appropriate. Reinhart said nothing about it, and since it appears that Saki has also grown used to Jins outwardness, she also did not say a word. All right, lets go to Reinharts house with one of these. Oh, thats right. Ill need a sample when I speak to Father about this. And so, Jin, Reiko, Reinhart, and Saki rode on Jins carriage, heading to the Randall residence. Wee back, Reinhart-sa ma? At the house, Belche hade out to meet them, but her face changed when she saw Saki. Hey, Belche! Long time no see! Congrattions on your engagement with Reinhart! But Saki paid no mind to her sudden change of expression and greeted her like that anyway. Tha Tha? That look you have! What are you doing, looking like that!? Belches voice sounded as ifpletely shocked. That unkempt hair! That dry skin! Those dirty clothes! That posture! Oh my you even smell a little! Belche judged Sakis appearance from top to bottom. Reinhart-sama, you must be hungry. However, please wait for about one hour! Having said that, she left that ce, dragging Saki along with her. Ha ha! Belche and Saki have known each other for quite a while now. Saki may also look delicate to Belche, too. Saying that, and looking at the two of them leaving, Reinhartughed. Jin, it may be a while before Belche and Saki return, so in the meantime, would you like toe to see my workshop? After such an invitation, there could be no doubt in Jin. Reinharts workshop was in the middle of the courtyard. It was independent of the rest of the house. The pathway to the workshop was built with walls and a roof, so one cane and go without getting wet on rainy days. Oh, how big! The workshop was about twenty tatamis wide, which is considerably spacious. This is where I built the Schwartz Ritter. Said Reinhart with arge nod. Well, have a seat. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Reinhart offered Jin a chair that was next to a table in a corner of the workshop. We can talk without hindrances here. It appeared as if they were going to talk about something important. However, Reikos presence was not a bother to them. I think I should talk to you about this, Jin. With that preface, Reinhart started talking. Sakis mother is dead now, but she was the eldest daughter of the marquis. Huh? Theyve suddenly started talking about such a serious matter. Look, thats the marquis Elsa was proposed as a bride to. Marquis Gehlen Theoderic Von Aizen. His territory is to the west of ours. That eldest daughter and Sakis father fell in love, ran away together, and in the end, Saki was born. Let me tell you something about marquis Theoderic. How should I put it? The Marquis erm, he likes women who are on the small side. Huh? Although it was somewhat difficult for Reinhart, he managed to exin that the Marquis has a preference for young girls that are just bing women. So, now he has three, no, four children counting Sakis mother. However, they are all women. It seems that theck of a male heir troubles him. For that reason, and because his own wife has passed away, he has had his eyes on Elsa for a while now. It seems that Reinhart has been gathering all sorts of information since his return to his home town. I see so, what about Saki? Ah, Ive strayed from the point. Now, Sakis father, Toa Eschenbach, has be one of the top expert alchemists in the country, so he doesnt show any resentment in public. I can tell as much because he lives right across the next territory. Oh, I see. However, he seems to treat Saki as if she was but a cute granddaughter, and is often trying to have our household take her under our care. But Saki refuses him every time, and continues to live over there. Reinhartughed, with a little hint of sadness. When ites to the Marquis family, theres only so much that the Earls family can do. That is the way of feudal society. A Marquis word is only overturned by the prince, and then by the Emperor. Although it does not necessarily mean that it is against thew, you cannot simply say no to a Marquis will. Be it marrying Elsa, or having Saki taken under our care. The Emperor is not a dictator. It is a matter of simply not being able to doing anything simr to disregarding the customs andws of thisnd. Well, I hope I havent troubled you by talking about this with, Jin. But since there may be something up ahead, I thought about telling you so you could keep it in mind. Im sorry, though. Reinhart finished his speech with a nod. There were so many troublesome things already, but even though theyve just be acquainted, Jin was already fond of Saki. So Jin simply said Its nothing andughed. Chapter 351: Make-up

Chapter 351: Make-up

After hearing the situation with the Marquis, Jin was shown around Reinharts workshop. As expected, there are no rare materials like in Hourai Ind, but he is well supplied on materials such as aluminum, mithril, adamantite, and so on. Ok, first of all, how about we discuss the basic ns for the Automata? At Jins suggestion, the two of them returned to the table. Lets decide its appearance. Whether it will be a male or female model, its apparent age, and size. Because its intended to be Sakis own automata, it was essential to make it so that it looked like something Saki would like. Thats what Reinhart is counting on. Hmm, what Saki would like Im not that sure, really. I dont think Ive ever heard that girl speak about such things Then, he added something he had just remembered. Shes really fond of Elsa. Huh? Reluctant to makements like Oh? She has that kind of preference? and so on, a sore silence came between the two. Oh, I knew it! You two were here! Well, dinner preparations are almost over! Belche hade looking for the two of them. Seemingly saved by that cheerful voice, the two left their seats. Saki? As they arrived at the dining room, they found Saki standing there. But she looked different. The charcoal-colored hair, once unkempt and ruffled, is now lustrous and tidilybed. Her once messy hair ends are now cleanly cut. And the beauty of her purple-gray eyes, which used to be partially covered by her bangs, could now be seen clearly. Her round sses look charming, too. Her cheeks are now slightly covered with rouge, and her once unhealthyplexion is now bright and cheerful. And instead of her usual dirty clothes, she was wearing a white dress. Huh? That was Jins reaction. It really suits you, Saki. And that was Reinhart. She wouldnt let me go unless I put on this costume and makeup. Having muttered that, Saki hurriedly looked away in embarrassment, and her cheeks turned red. Jin, Reinhart, Belche, and Saki sat at the round table where dinner was served. At Reinharts request, it was all arranged so that Jin didnt have to worry about being poor at formalities. Saki knew her table manners properly and had her meal in a more polite fashion than Jin. During the meal, Saki was somewhat tense. After the meal, and some harmless conversation over a cup of tea, she was able to rx and return to her usual mood. Ohoho! How long has it been since Ist looked like this? This style really doesnt suit me at all! No, Saki-san, it really suits you very well. Doesnt she, Reinhart-sama? Yes. Its not justpliment, you do look good on it. Do you think? If you say so, Reinhart is this appearance a bit more pleasant to see? Not just a bit. Youre beautiful enough. Ohoho! Should I be happy or sad about that? What a delicate situation! Appearance is not important at all for studying, though. Saki was feigning indifference with suchments, though. Besides, those on your face, those eyesses, were they? Theyre very charming! Thank you. Jin made them for me. They have changed the way I see the world. Thats right! Could you lend me the eyesses for a moment, Saki? Jin said that as if it just had struck his mind, and Saki handed him the eyesses. Thank you. Hardening. Toughen. Jin used Hardening on the frame, and then used Toughen on the crystal lenses. This should do it. The lenses are rather fragile, so I used Engineering Magic on them in order to make them harder. Haha, thats good. Saki can be quite careless sometimes. Saki put her eyesses back on without even answering Reinharts remark, though she did give him a sulky look. She then suddenly changed the topic. Speaking of which what is your cousin up to? Normally, it wouldnt be weird to find her sitting here with us. The cousin that Saki was referring to was Elsa. The fact that Elsa had disappeared, was saved by Jin, and was now staying in Kaina Vige in the Klein Kingdom, was a secret that only Jin and Reinhart knew. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website Uh, that, um Reinhart was too hesitant to say. Huh? Whats wrong, Reinhart? Whats with that face? Did something happen to your cousin? Let me exin. Elsa-san was unhappy with her engagement, and ran away. They hadnt told Belche anything about it either, so this is as much as she knew. Ran away? Elsa? Engagement, you say? Could it be the engagement to that marquis? Saki seems to be hating her own family, calling her own grandfather that marquis with such a tone. And she also seems to know about the devious preferences of his grandfather, Marquis Gehlen Theoderic Von Aizen. Reinharts silence only made Saki more irritated, as she now knew that her guess was correct. That damned marquis and his perverted taste for young girls! Elsa is old enough to be his granddaughter! Good grief, just how selfish can he be? Then she stared at Reinhart. Hey, Reinhart, knowing you, youre probably hiding Elsa and not telling anyone about it. But that doesnt mean you dont know where she is or how she is doing, right? After hearing that, Jin, who had been silently listening to that exchange, was impressed by Sakis intuition. Breaking the silence, Saki stopped acting tough and smiled at Reinhart. Im sorry, Reinhart. If thats the case, theres no reason for me to say such things. My bad. That cousin of yours seems to be somewhat interested in alchemy, so when she returns we can arrange for me to teach her a lot of things, okay? Sakis had a lonely looking face as she said that. Reinhart did not want to talk about the truth of the situation, and unintentionally kept his poker face due to the skills he had fostered as a diplomat. Oh, thats right, Jin-sama, and also Reiko-chan, would you like to sing a song? Belche had proposed such a thing in order to change such a heavy atmosphere. Jin understood that intention as well, and gave his orders. Reiko, sing something. Yes, Father. Reiko began to sing. In fact, since a few days ago, whenever he had free time, Jin has been teaching Reiko some songs in an attempt to give her some talents that any regr girl would normally have. What is the name of the flower that blooms in the spring? Though nobody tells me I like those flowers of the field that bloom gently Belche, Sakim and Reinhart all were charmed by Reikos singing voice. If you pick up a handful of them Give them to your beloved boyfriend If your boyfriend doesnte Let them wash away by the river The director used to use many popr Showa-Era-like songs instead of background music so much, that Jin remembers it quite well. Among those songs, Jin taught Reiko the ones that the idols used to sing. Autumn leaves fall to my shoulders Softly they fall on the ground I wonder what is he up to Is he thinking about me? After finishing her song, Reiko bowed with a curtsy. The one to begin the round of apuse was Reinhart. He was soon followed by Belche, and then Saki came to her senses and apuded as well. The maids Beth and Dolly, who were there serving as waitresses, also gave Reiko a heartfelt round of apuse. Reiko-san, how lovely! Im fascinated! Neon spared no praises as well. Thank you, Neon-san. Reiko thanked Neon with a seemingly happy but troubled face. Well! Jin, Reiko is absolutely wonderful! The word perfect suits herpletely! Reinhart also gave hispliments without reserve. Once the atmosphere hadpletely calmed down, Jin asked Reinhart something he had been concerned about. Reinhart, Belche-san. When do you n to have your wedding ceremony? Hearing that, Belche, who was sitting next to Reinhart, felt her face gopletely red. Reinharts face seemed troubled. Hmm, thats a difficult question. Its scheduled for early June, but at any rate Im at your service now, so Are you worried about that? Ill have you known that Ill be fine if you leave me alone for a few days. Of course, when that happens, its just a matter of returning to either Kaina Vige or Hourai Ind. To know that made Reinharts face look even more troubled. However, he soon put a smile on his face and answered. Thank you, Jin. I will keep that in mind. After that, Reinharts focus shifted to tales about their journey, and about the old days. When talking about the kidnapping by the Unifiler, Berce covered her face, though she could be heard to be crying. We dramatized the story about the rescue and attributed said rescue to Deus Ex Machina. Saki was lost in trance as she listened. However, what Saki was most interested in was the story of the battle between the Gigas and Reiko. Hmm, so Reiko-chan is that strong, huh? Thats really amazing. I know that Reinhart is the best in the world, though. Thats right. But Reinhart-sama, dont do to many dangerous things, okay? If something were to happen to you, I would not be able to live anymore. Belche was clinging to Reinharts arm as she said that. Ohoho! Belche and Reinhart are as close as usual! You seem to have a great rtionship, you two. For a moment, on Sakis face, there was that same lonely looking smile that Jin had been worrying about. Chapter 352: The world’s second-best automata

Chapter 352: The worlds second-best automata

The next day, Jin and Reinhart went to the workshop after having breakfast. This time though, they were joined by Belche and Saki, thetter having spent the night at Reinharts house. Well then, lets start with the skeleton. The night before, Jin and Reinhart had discussed the technical specifications of the automata after dinner. How about neuter gender? Do you mean making it without either a male or female shape? Yes, thats right. I mean, how much sense does it really make to add a definite gender to the automata in the first ce? When he said that, Jin hadnt realized that Reiko was standing behind him with a slightly lonely expression to her face. Although the basic frame is a male one, right? Thats right. Lets just try to make it slender overall, and with a little longer hair. Hmm. For example, it would normally serve as a butler, but it could also wear female clothes in order to also serve as a maid if need be. I see! Thats interesting! So it can be used for multiple purposes! The skeleton should be made out of aluminum. Just as she heard that, Saki spoke up as if surprised. Hey, Reinhart! You say aluminum, but a kilogram costs two million torr! As expected from an alchemist, Saki has a keen understanding of the market value of such high-grade materials. And yet she has no sense of economy. Ah, dont worry about that. Jin has donated the materials. Donated? Youll get used to it sooner orter. Its useless to stick to preconceived ideas when ites to Jin. Reinhartughed as he told her that, but Saki stood in silence for a minute, as if trying to digest what she has just heard. Hehe, I see, Reinhart. You got me there. To believe that it is impossible to discover new things within themon knowledge of this world is the alchemists creed. Im so embarrassed She then consented with an unusually relieved face. Belche was not as surprised since even though her sense of economy was not as poor as Sakis, she didnt know as much about materials. The suspended work resumes. Its intended height is 160 cm. Thats just as hight as Jin, and only a little higher than Saki. It has a slender body, and its target weight is 50 kilograms. Firstes the skeleton. Ive seen Jins work with golems, so I had a lot of things to consider. After saying that, he prepared a lump of aluminum. As a matter of fact, Jin had brought it from Hourai Ind in the middle of the night. Then, Reinhart begins to shape it. Jin also made things together with Reinhart several times in the past, but this is his first time seeing him use Engineering Magic with such seriousness. Reinhart is considerably skilled, and it was evident that studying Jins way of doing things was not just for show. The basic skeleton waspleted in about fifteen minutes. What do you think, Jin? I want to hear your opinion. Jin then shared his honest thoughts with Reinhart. Impressive, Reinhart! Im only taking a quick look, but I can see youve put a lot of detail into it! If I have to say something about it, its the fingers and wrists. Youve used ball joints, but their movements seem heavy. After expressing his thoughts to Reinhart, Jin applied a fine coating to the joints using a small lump of adamantite. Oh, I see! Youre decreasing the amount of wear that the joints will get over time by making their movements lighter. I really need to study more. After that, Saki could no longer watch silently and interrupted them. Guys, Im sorry to break into your passionate work, but let me ask you something. Is that based on the human skeleton? Jin was the one to answer that question. Yes, thats right. Automata are created by imitating humans. So what else would you use to imitate a skeleton? Groaning with a Hummm, Saki carefully looked at the skeleton that was lying on the workbench. Its ribcage and pelvis have been simplified, huh? Im sorry for barging in. Please continue. Then it was Jins turn. He arranged the Magic Muscles made out of Magic Fiber onto the frame. As he was carefully installing the muscle, Jin suddenly wondered how his predecessor must have obtained such understanding of human anatomy. Reinhart and Saki had their full attention set on Jins ability. The only one who seemed as if she was not really getting what was going on was Belche. Done. The muscle instation waspleted in about five minutes. Taking Jins ability into ount, he took it fairly easy. Oh, Jin! That was amazing! Thanks for showing me your skill! Reinhart said that as he excitedly pped Jins shoulder. Ive learned a lot from you, Jin. Saki calmly expressed her gratitude. After that, by using previously prepared Magic Nerves made with mithril silver, they prepared the automatas control core. Though Reinhart said it might be no longer necessary, Jin decided to try to add a shield structure to it just to make sure, since he knew of the existence of monsters. Well then, its finally time to install the tactile sensors! Reinhart said cheerfully, and Jin agreed. Ohoho, itll be the first one to have this kind of features! Sakis face is also full of expectations. Only Belche has a constant?on her face. A total of 40 tactile sensors were prepared in advance for this project. The first sixteen of them are arranged as follows: two for the palm of each hand, and two for each sole, for a total of eight. And five for the chest and stomach, three for the back, andstly, two for the buttocks, for a total of ten. Though these many sensors ensure that the overall functionality doesnt decline that much even if a few of them get damaged, the real purpose for this number of sensors is to make it possible to calcte the center of stimtion from the strength of the signal provided from each sensor. Four more sensors on each arm and leg, for a total of sixteen more. And five more for the head. Thatpletes the originalyout. Hmm, theres one left, should we keep it as a spare? As Jin said that, Saki came up with an idea. Lets try to use all of them, just for the sake of experimenting. What about inside the mouth? Hmm, I see. That way it might sense when its biting something. That might be a good idea. With that, all of the 40 tactile sensors have been installed. They will send tactile information to a dedicated sub-control core, where the information will be organized and sent over to the main control core. This should reduce the burden on the main control core and enable more delicate physical control. Reiko, check the magic flow using Trace and Inspection. Reinhart and I will stimte each of the sensors. Understood. Reikos strongest field is precision work such as measurement. Jin and Reinhart stimted the tactile sensors at various locations simultaneously and sometimes separately, and followed the magic signals emitted from them were sent to the sub-control core to be processed. Such repetitive work took two hours. For the time being, they obtained convincing results, so they decided to proceed with the next step. Everyone, it will be lunch time soon. Lets take a short break and have lunch. Belche, whos had nothing to do so far, called them out while checking a sundial in the garden. Oh, is it that time already? Time sure flies when yourepletely focused on something, huh? Ohoho, youre totally right! The three of them stopped working and spoke their minds in a simr way. Im sorry, Belche. This must be really boring to you. Reinhart washed his hands after saying that, and gently hugged Belches shoulders. Well, if its you, Reinhart I cant say anything when you speak like that! As Belche said that, she put on a rather sulky face, and ced her head over Reinharts shoulder. Both Jin and Saki smiled, seeing those two standing together without moving. Look at those lovebirds. Oh, rtionships are definitely a beautiful thing, huh? Saki and Jin looked at each of them, and after narrowing their eyes, they expressed their thoughts. Rtionships are indeed a good thing. Before long, Reinhart first notices and releases his hand holding Belches shoulder. By that action, Belche turned to herself, and her face went red as she saw Jin and Saki staring at them with a smile. Ah, Reinhart-sama, lets have lunch. Uh, ah, right, Bel. Jin, Saki, lets go have lunch. While trying to hide his own embarrassment, Reinhart and called out Jin and Saki, and headed to the main wing of the house. Chapter 353: Ehr

Chapter 353: Ehr

After lunch, Jin, Reinhart, and Saki returned to the workshop, but Belche ended up staying behind. Reinhart had told her that he felt sorry for dragging her along, and that she didnt need to go back to the workshop with them. But Belche replied that she wanted to apany him, no matter how boring it might be. Id love to have some of your specially prepared sweets for our 3 oclock tea time, Bel. Its been a while. Since Reinhart had asked her, she decided to stay behind and wait for them with some sweets for tea time. Well then, next is the skin, face, and hair, right? Asked Reinhart while taking materials from the shelves. Saki, do you have any requests? Saki thought hard about that. Hmm, I dont have anything particr in mind but if I had to choose, I think Id like it to have light-blue eyes. As for its hair, light blonde, and short. The first thing that came to Jins mind when hearing that was Elsas face. He then started to work immediately. Without having anything particr in mind, he used Elsa as a model, but with a more neutral-gendered face. Reinhart yed the role of an assistant. He was closely observing Jins ability, eager to learn from his crafting technique. Since it was a rather meticulous effort, it took them about an hour toplete the automatas exterior, but they had done a magnificent work. Hmm, hmm! Good, good! I like it a lot! Its fantastic, Jin! Only the fine details remained: adjusting the speaking device and its voice quality, tuning its vision and hearing, and so on. Jin, what should we do about the Control Core? And, are we copying someone elses behavioral patterns, like how you did with Lotte? Lotte is a maid golem that wasmissioned to Jin by his good friend, Earl Kuzuma, for the exclusive use of Prince Ernest, back in the Egelia Kingdom. On that asion, he copied the behavior and knowledge from the head maid of the Kuzuma household. Oh, Ivee prepared this time. Jin took out a Magi Crystal prepared for storing information from his pocket, which will serve as the automatas master reference. This is the same thing used for the five-colored maid golems back in Hourai Ind. Trans-info Level 6. With this, the automata will be able to provide the highest level of household services, just like the ones in Hourai Ind. In short, it will be able to prepare Jins favorite dishes. That, in fact, was one of the main reasons to make it like this. Then, an Ether Tank and an Ether Driver will be used for its power source, just like in Elenas case. Whats that, Jin? It was the first time Reinhart had seen that Magi Device. So, Jin exined. Well, theres this automata called Elena with this, she can operate semi-permanently. Ah, if only we had some ether This type of technology was also present during the Great Magic War, and automata such as Ann and Tia used to be equipped with an Ether Converter and a Mana Driver. It is older than the current equipment used with Houran Ind golems and automata, but its usable enough. Oh, so you will be storing ether in its Ether Tank, and changing it into magic with the Ether Driver? Very interesting! Saki was staring at the two of them work while mumbling such things. It waspleted a little before tea time. All right, lets start it up. Reiko, can you share some of your ether? Yes, Father. The Ether Converter in Reikos body has an added function to collect ether. Because of this, Reiko has a considerable amount of ether inside her body. The Engineering Magic Transmit is rarely used, but its mostly used to activate Ether Converters when there is no Mana Driver present. Since this new automata was not created for battle, it has a small Ether Tank. For this reason, it was filled up very quickly, and soon they were able to start up the Ether Driver. Activate. Jin said the activation keyword, and the automata opened its eyes. Nice to meet you, Creator. Since the one who created the Control Core was Jin, he was considered the Creator by the automatas system. All right, your master is Saki Eschenbach. Yes. Saki Eschenbach-sama, Im in your care. Since the voice was adjusted to be neutral, Jin thought that it sounded as if a woman was ying a male role in a y. The automata then turned to Saki, and greeted her with a bow. Saki, can you give it a name? After hearing Jins question, Saki, who was feeling nervous about being referred to as a master by an automata for the first time, suddenly came to her senses and started thinking. A name Hmm Before long, Saki raised her head as if an idea had just hit her, and said a name. All right, lets call you Ehr. Yes, Master. My name is Ehr. Ehr? That was not a name you would hear that often. Yeah, I remembered that in a book I read a long time ago, the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, were written as Yee, Ehr, Zan, Su The second one in the world was 2, which was called Ehr. I see. Reinhart was honestly delighted, but Jin had his doubts. Say, Saki, what kind of book is it? I also know how to count in that system Yi, er, san, si, wu, liu, qi, ba, jiu, shi Oh, thats quite simr, huh? But Im sorry, Jin, I dont know. Those were some old documents, and one particr book among them had only up to the number four written that way. There was no hint of it being a counting system or anything in the first ce. Jin desisted to push the matter any further after hearing Sakis exnation. Those numbers were strangely simr to how the numbers are pronounced in Chinese, for some reason. I see. Im the one whos sorry, Saki. It was a weird question. Lets just focus on Ehr for now. All right, Ehr, try to stand up. Saki began giving instructions to Ehr. Yes. Ehr stood up or so he thought. The table fell with a loud noise. Ehr had stumbled and, trying to support himself on the table, ended up bringing it with him to the floor. Ah, are you okay? Yes, master. I am fine. As he said that, he tried to stand up once again, but he fell to the floor once more. To Jin, it appeared that the control system was not working properly. All right, Ehr, just sit down for now. Jin also took a seat and thought of a task to give Ehr in order to test the condition of his control system. To that end, he asked Saki to prepare some y. Okay, Ehr. Try to shape this y into a dumpling. Ehr said yes, reached out to the y and crushed it in his hand. Seeing that, Reinhart expressed his disappointment. Its a failure, Jin. He cant control his strength at all. But Jin had a different opinion about it. Ehr, take your time. Try as many times as you want. Yes, Creator. As instructed, Ehr takes some y with his hands. And then, he ends up crushing the y every time. Its no good, Jin. What could have gone wrong? Contrary to Reinharts discouragement, Jins eyes were fixed on Ehrs movements. Is it just my imagination, Jin? I have a feeling that Ehr is bing more and more dexterous every time Just as stated, though little by little, Ehr seemed to remember the degree of strength with which he held the y in his hands. And ten minutester, Ehr managed to make a perfect dumpling out of y. So thats whats happening Jin, I cant make heads nor tails of this by myself. Please exin it to me! Both Reinhart and Saki were worried about not fully understanding what was going on. Jin told them his opinion on the matter. Im thinking that perhaps the signal sent from tactile sensors are not in line with the control form I prepared. In Jins calctions, the control form contained information passed down from an earlier generation model. So its only natural that the newly designed sense of touch was not considered in that form. At first, Ehrs control system does not know how to properly handle unknown information like the sense of touch. Then, after getting used to it over time, he finally managed to roll up a piece of y sessfully. I see, that makes sense! Im not so sure I fully understand, but do you mean that Ehr is not used to his body yet? Jin nodded. Thats what I think. Thats why for now I think its best to let Ehr learn his movements little by little, like a baby. Reinhart-sama! Its time for tea! Its a littlete, so I came to pick you up. Since Belche called them out for tea, Jin and the others left Ehr to continue with his exercises with y and left for the main wing of the house for tea. (Reiko, just to make sure, keep an eye on Ehr.) Jin couldnt forget to give a quick instruction to Reiko with a low voice. Chapter 354: Belche’s that

Chapter 354: Belches that

Here it is, please dig in! At the center of the round table was a big te. And on it was, candied sweet potato? Thats right, its sweet potatoes fried with oil with msses on In other words, it really resembled candied sweet potatoes. Mm? daigaku potato? (Note: thats the pronunciation of it in Japanese) Saki said, hearing something unfamiliar from Jin. Ah, its what they call in the area I am from. Kufufu, thats interesting. daigaku potatoes? I would like hear in detail about why its called that but lets eat for now. Saki started taking some of those potatoes to her te. And while she was doing that, the attendant went around pouring tea. Jin, its called that over here. Belche was always good at making this from long ago. I had her made it quite a lot. Yep, its delicious. I can tell that Belches love to have Reinhart have something delicious is packed in it. Ara, thats embarrassing. Belche blushed. And Saki had already put the 3rd one into her mouth. This would be good with some maple syrup on top as well, I think. Jin muttered while eating. People use honey or maple syrup on it as well as msses. Jins suggestion was taken in by everyone present there. I see! Maple syrup! Now that I think about it, it might be quite delicious with it! We still have some freshly made itopo so we could try it out. It seems the sweet candied potatoes are called itopo here. By the way, Reiko wasnt present there as she apanied Ehr but the SP were there to protect Jin instead. And one among them, Kanna, was sending these info to Laojun. It goes without saying that after that, itoposweet candied potatoes were discovered and sent to the Hourai ind. Ohhh! This is also delicious! The itopos sweetness and the maple syrups sweetness goes so well that I dont know what to say. Jin-sama, thank you for the splendid suggestion. Reinhart was happy, Saki was enjoying the taste and Belche expressed her gratitude. And like this, the tea party ended peacefully. After having finished their tea, when the 3 of them went to the distant workshop, they found Ehr slowly dancing with Reikos help. Ooh? Reiko? She stopped the dance when she heard Jins voice and turned around. Wee back, father. Ehr-san is all good now. Reiko exined to Jin that since Ehr was able to do y work without any problem now, she was helping Ehr to slowly get used to the movement. And just as she had said, y was on top of the table in different shapessphere, cube and even in the shape of a te. But even then, this rapidly? Reinhart was surprised. Yes. It seems it was simple after learning the ropes. I see. In other words, the sub-control core stocked up on information. Jin also observed those actions with interest. He was nning to give Reiko and the others the sense of touch soon so he was even more passionate. Alright, Ehr, try holding this. Jin created a sphere using engineering magic and put it on top of the table. It seemed to be made of iron and therefore felt heavy. Yes, creator. Ehr replied and extended his arms to the sphere and was splendidly able to pick it up. Ooh! Thats amazing, Ehr! Now put it down like it was before. The metal sphere was returned to the table. And not a sound was made when she did that. Reinhart, try holding it. Jin said with a mischievous smile, looking at Reinhart. Mm? This? Reinhart also extended his arms towards it and splendidly crushed it with his grip. Uwah! The sphere was made with a very thinyer of outing. Because he was fooled by the appearance, he put in too much strength and ended up destroying it. Hahaha, how is it? After touching and gripping it, Ehr felt it and was able to use the appropriate amount of strength. As Jin said happily, Saki was also overjoyed. Kufufufu, Jin, I am very curious to see how much this sense of touch advances the automata technology! Afterwards, Jin and the others returned to the main building with Ehr. And there, Belche was waiting for them with her attendant. The attendant was holding clothes. Reinhart-sama, you mustnt let the automata be naked all the time. Belche pointed at the clothes the attendant was holding. Although it may seem quite presumptuous of me, this is the clothing I had prepared for my attendant. Its new so I want to present it to Ehr as a gift forpletion. Ah, thank you but, Bel, does Ehr seem like a girl to you? Eh? Jin and Reinhart looked at each other. Sakiughed a bit and said, Miss Belche, Ehrs gender is neutral. In other words, he isnt either and he is both at the same time. To being with, automatas dont have a sex and their gender is decided by their looks so I guess it is kinda obvious. I see. Oh my, I have jumped to the wrong conclusion. This is embarrassing. Jin followed up on that. No, Belche-san, Ehr can be a male butler or a female butler depending on the situation. And so, I dont think your impression is wrong either. Ara, thank you, Jin-sama. Afterwards, the decision made after a discussion was that he will be wearing a womens blouse and a butlers outfit. Belche prepared the blouse and Reinharts butler, ude, provided the new butler outfit. As both of those didnt fit (Belches blouse was too big in the chest portion and short in height and udes outfit was just too big in general) Jin and Reinhart used engineering magic to adjust the size. Ohh, it suits him quite a bit. He had this atmosphere of a beautiful woman dressing like a man. Alright, Ehr, if you help around Reinharts house a few days, you will be able to learn the customs and practices of Shouro empire. Ehr nodded. Understood, creator. I will do my best for my master. Seeing Ehr like that, Saki said with a smile, Kufufu, I am so excited. Really, Jin, Reinhart, I cant be thankful enough to you guys. Dont worry about it, Saki. Thats right. We made it cause we wanted to and it helped me learn a lotta things as well. The two answered Saki with a smile. A few days after that, Ehr helped around at Reinharts house and soon learn all the work and customs. It is only normal since his base is that of Hourai inds golem maid. And during that time, Saki stayed over at Reinharts ce and passed a fulfilling time by creating something and having discussions with Jin and Reinhart everyday. And then, on May 28th. Discussion at Reinharts workshop after breakfast was a daily thing by then. And there, Reinhart, Jin. Ehr is now fully establishedno, even more than that, I would say. I think I will be going home now. Just when Saki said that, Ahh, thats right. I was thinking of staying over at Sakis ce for a while too. As Jin also said that, Reinhart panicked. Wa-wait a minute, you two! Whats this all of a sudden?! Did I do something wrong? After a while of silence, Jin broke the ice. No, Reinhart, have you forgotten? You will hold a ceremony with Belche, right? Saki followed up as well. Thats right, Reinhart. Kufufu, you shouldnt make ady wait too long, you know. As such, ahright, I will stay over at Sakis ce for like a week to 10 days. Kufufu, Reinhart, no need to worry about me. I havee to understand Jin quite well over the past few days. You two youre being considerate of me? Well, actually Reinhart told them how he was nning to hold the marriage ceremony 3 days from now. But can you prepare in 3 days? Jin was concerned. Ah, that will be fine. I hadnt told you guys before but I was moving forward with the n of holding the ceremony on June 1st to begin with. Oh, what now? Then theres no need to worry, is there? Jin said with a relievedugh. Chapter 355: Reinhart’s Wedding Present

Chapter 355: Reinharts Wedding Present

Well then, Saki, I guess I will be troubling you for a while. Jin told Saki with a smile. Kufufu, spending a few nights with a man under one roof, eh? I am looking forward to it. Wha I am not wrong, am I? Saki said with a impish smile. She had really opened her heart to Jin over these few days and showed this different face to him. Jin, Reiko, Saki and Ehr were travelling on Jins carriage. Saki, actually, I might be outside until the actual wedding day. Hmm? Well, thats fine too. Do you have something you want to do? Saki didnt seem bothered by Jins words at all and just asked a question in turn. Yeah. I want to gift him something for the wedding. Hmm, hmm, I see, you will go around searching for a present thats nice. I suppose I need to give him a present as well. Saki also pondered. Thinking this as the right time, Jin asked. Hey, asking what will be a good present for the wedding seems like cheating a bit so I will ask this insteadwhat is bad as a wedding gift? A bad wedding gift, eh? Something sharp, edgy. Blood rtives normally gift such things. She said something simr to what Elsa said on her birthday. Saki continued. Clothes will also be hard. If you dont know his likes, that is. That is true. Anything else? Of course, rings are no good as well. I think something practical would be good Ah, the topic changed to what will be good as a gift, eh? No, thanks, that helped a lot. Jin lightly expressed his thanks. And he thought to himself that he would ask Elsa about the rest. While talking about such things, the carriage had reached the Eschenbach residence. Hmm, seems like father hasnt yet returned. There were no doors for a gate and so Saki said while opening the entrance with a key. Well, we have Ehr now so it will work out. Ehr, I will leave Saki to you. Jin told Ehr. Yes, creator, I understand. Ehr was already an all-purpose housekeeper by then, being able to do anything from cooking toundry and daily necessities he had be a automata housekeeper. Well then, I will return on the day before the wedding, in the evening. Yeah, got it. I will be waiting. I look forward to what gift you pick. Right, you can look forward to it. After parting with Saki, Jin ordered Steward to bring the carriage to a deserted ce. In these areas near Reinharts house, theres a city as well as forestsquite a nice environment. He made the carriage travel towards the forests. Master, I think this area should be fine. He took the carriage deep into the forestso much that the carriage couldnt be moved any further in as there was long grass and bushes growing there. Alright, here should be fine. Alright then, Steward, wait here until 30th evening. I will camouge the the carriage. Get rid of the golem horses footsteps and the wheel tracks. Understood. Take care. After leaving the carriage to Steward, Jin leaped to Hourai ind with Reiko. They felt a weird sense of difort once they reached the middle point of teleportation. Mm? Having noticed this, in charge Butler 50 started exining. The other in charge Butler 49 stood in silence. Master, this middle ground for teleportation we have reached has just beenpleted the other day and its called Shinkai, used exclusively for teleportations. Shinkai? Yes. Its a spherical structure manufactured in Hourai ind, it is about 20 meters in diameter. It is in mid-air and is made with 18-12 stainless steel and aluminium. This is the inside, as you can see. This time, Butler 49 started exining. It has been set up in the middle of the continent and Kunlun ind using the warpgate which doesnt need a receiving end. In case of an emergency, one of us or Laojun will destroy the warpgate. In other words, if something like that happens, they would be isted in the sea. It has been quite thoroughly prepared. Got it. Good work. Jin gave his thanks to Butler 49 and 50 for the exnation. [Wee back, my lord.] Laojun weed them to Hourai ind. Laojun, how are you doing? A few days has passed since he has been upgraded to multiprocessors and so Jin asked how he was doing. [Yes, I am doing well. I adjusted myself constructed a model of the control system for optimized parallel processing for dealing with situations.] Ohh, thats amazing. The previous Magi craft meister, Adriana, wasnt able to create any further than a single core magic intellect. The multi-core version was Jins original. As such, the OScontrol system, still has lots of areas to improve on and Laojun came up with a model for that. Alright, show me. Listening to Jins request, a magi form appeared in front of him. A normal person cant even begin toprehend it but the magi craft meister Jin could easily read it. I see. You came up with structures about which core would be better for what kind of processing and order and sequence of it, eh. Unfortunately, Jin wasnt very knowledgeable in things rted to theputer. He only knew how to increase the clocking speeds and how to increase the processors but couldnt think of a way to upgrade the ability to properly process information. However, Laojun performed trial and error operations and was close to optimizing the process. Jin also understood how that method was more efficient and so he checked to make sure there werent any bugs. I understand. So youre saying it will be better to change to this control system, right? [Yes. Can I request it?] Laojun doesnt have the authority to change himself. That is because if Jin permits that, theres a chance of him going out of control. Jin prepared a new magi crystal and carefully wrote the control system on it. And then changed it with Laojuns one. How is it? Laojun after confirming himself and the new control system for about 1 second. [Yes, thank you very much. My processing speeds have increased by 30%.] Ohh, I see. Well then, let me know if you find anything new again. I will head to Kaina vige for the time being. [Yes, take care. Reiko-san, you too.] Jin used the warpgate to go to the underground workshop. And when he went up to the workshop, he found Elsa there. Smith A was also with her. Ah, wee back, Jin-nii. Good to be back, Elsa. What were you doing? Elsa showed Jin what was on her hand. Oh, thats amazing. It was a pen nib made of phosphor bronze. Elsa was now able to make 5 pens at once. I am still no closer to getting to your level, Jin-nii. Although she says that, her face shows that she is happy. Ah, vig vrother, vee back. Reko sis too. It was afternoon there so Hanna hade to call Elsa. However, her speech seems weird. When Jin looked closer, he noticed two of her front teeth was gone. The baby teeth fell. Good to be back, Hanna. Ah, Jin, wee back. Martha also came to wee him. Mine was preparing lunch inside. Wee back, Jin-sama. I made your portion as well so please sit down. It seems Butler A told them. He probably contacted them while Jin was upgrading Laojun at the Hourai ind. As always, Laojun is quite considerate. After finishing lunch, Jin told Elsa that Belche and Reinhart would be getting married on the 1st of June. I see. Rai-nii and Belche-san. Her expression disyed a mixture of envy and loneliness. Reinhart-sama and Belche-sama, eh? Yes, I do know of Belche-sama. I see, I see. So they are finally doing it. Mine had a nostalgic expression. Waa, vride! I vanna chee! Hanna was just simply excited. And so, I would like to gift him something but, what do you think would be good? Mine was the first to answer. Right, I think it would be safe to go with essential living materials. And Elsa also followed up. That futon. It would be just perfect for a newly wed couple. Chapter 356: Knowledge Transfer

Chapter 356: Knowledge Transfer

Futon, eh Jin soon realized that Elsa was talking about the futons made using magic-cotton. But wont they have futons prepared already? Mm. Thats true. But I cant imagine them preparing one better than that. The futon made with magic-cotton and covered by magic-silkthe quality of it is certified by Elsa. I see Ah, but, what do I do if it doesnt match the beds size? Then you just also make the bed. Elsa is quite sharp today. No, maybe Jin is a bit dull today. Got it, that sounds good. Thank you, Elsa. After saying thanks to Elsa, Jin turned to face Hanna. Hanna, are your teeth okay? Do they not hurt? It seems he couldnt focus because he was worried about about Hanna. No, vig vrather. Am phine. I guess her pronouncing it like that cant be helped. After all, one of her bottom and top front teeth are out. That reminds me, Elsa, do you have any cavity? Mm, no. Jin-sama, I had taught Elsa to properly clean her mouth since she was young. Mine also added. Since that day, I have also been guiding the other kids in the vige. For good or bad, maybe because they dont have many food with sugar or maybe their teeth are strong, there arent any kids with cavity. I havent heard anyone getting a cavity in this vige. Martha also smiled, showing her teeth. All 32 of teeth were clean and all there. Hmm, theres probably a reason behind it but For now, Jin was relieved knowing that the chances of the kids getting cavity in Kaina vige are low. And so, he went into the main topic of making the futon. Can you tell how big are the general futons? Jin asked Mine. Yes, if a newly wed couple were to use it Having stopped there once, Mine had this bitter expression. She probably remembered something of the past. About 2.2 meters tall and 2.2 meters wide, Id say. Its the same for mattress and quilts. Thats close to being king size in modern Earth. Thanks and sorry. What are you apologizing about? Mine said with a smile. Now then, about the processing of the cloth. Jin hade to Hourai ind with Elsa. He thought he would teach her how to process cloth using this opportunity. He had Reiko line up the samples. As you can see, magic-silk has many different kinds depending on the weaving pattern and threads thickness. Thats what I want you to remember first. In modern Earth terms-in fabrics, twill fabric and satin weave. The weave and weft ratio is respectively 1:1, 1:2 (1 weft more for every weave) and 1:3 (2 weft more for every weave). It is the chiffon organdy tulle fine Japanese silk in terms of fabric variety. Elsa was fascinated by the feel of that fabric. You listening? Jin called back Elsa to which she hurriedly nodded. First, we cut it ording to the size. We will be using separation. Whats different between this and getting the required amount from ingot is instead of the weight or amount, you imagine the size of it. Mm. I understand. It will be better if you think you cant get it just the size you imagine from the get go. If you deviate, it would be good if its bigger. It would be a bit more waste in terms of materials but it will be better than having one too small. After exining in detail, Jin decided to show her. Separation. He processed a medium thickness in weave fabric. As it was extrarge, the weaved fabric was about 2.5 meters in width. Thinking of the final size, he cut it at 2 meter 30 cm in length and width. And made 4 of those. You would normally sew them up together but if you use engineering magic joint The threads joined cleanly and they were done in a moment. If I just add magic-cotton inside and join them from 4 sides And with that, the futon was ready. In this size, the cotton padding might be a bit more so sewing up in a few ces would be good as well. Jin exined how that would stick the outeryer and inneryer making the instion fall. And so he sewed a few areas together with magic-silk threads. How is it? Wonderful. So this is how futons were made. Elsa was amazed seeing how the futon she was using currently was made. Now then, try practicing with these scraps of clothing. He handed over about 20 cm worth of clothing and told her to practice separation and joint. Joint. Separation. Joint. Separation. She joined them and separated them over a few times to grasp the feeling of it. Its hard. The threads did not properly join. Haha, it would be hard doing it all of a sudden. Take back that cloth and try practicing at home. Mm. I will do my best. And next, Jin went on to manufacture the bed. He decided on the design of the bed after recalling his time in Kurain kingdomat Reinharts house and in the empress castle. It was generally a simple design. Once the design is set, next up is the material. It might be a bit too much to cram for Elsa in a day but he decided to teach her how to process wood as well. Theres also Smith A for when she wants to review it. The lumber is avable in the lumber storehouse they made newly behind theboratory. It is stored in a dry environment. From here, we take cypress, cedar, oak, maple, zelkova Jin kept on naming them as he knew them in their Japanese names. I am thinking of using maple this time. Its delicate and is stic and the texture is nice as well. After having Reiko help carry them to the workshop, he immediately got to work. Separation and joint is also main here. One other magic whiches to y here is shaving. Elsa watched attentively. Although the materials are big, the process itself is pretty simple and so he was able to finish one up quickly. It was quite big. He finished it up by varnishing it. He also set up anti-insect coating which is harmless to humans. He also used engineering magic here to apply it uniformly all over the bed. Spread. The magic made it spread uniformly. The image is also important here. Finally, he used finishing to shine up the surface. Elsa watched over the process with respectful eyes. Jin-nii, before when we flew kites in Moft vige, did you use the same magic to make the spool of thread? Elsa asked, recalling that memory. She didnt see him make it. Ah, that happened, didnt it? I want to catch up to you, even if its just a bit. Elsa looked at Jin seriously, seeing which Jin remembered something. Elsa, do you really want to bee a magi craftsmen a magi engineer? Yes, I want to. Elsa answered immediately. I want to make many things like you do and be of use to the people. Magic is to bring people happiness. I think its not something to rule them. That is probably the conclusion Elsa reached by herself. Alright, I understand. Jin brought out 2 small magi crystal from the material shelf. Transfer info level 3. He copied some of his knowledge to one of those. Elsa, you are able to use transfer info, right? Theres general science knowledge packed in this crystal. Read it. He handed over the empty magi crystal and the knowledge packed magi crystal to Elsa. Elsa fixedly stared at the magi crystals on her hand. You cant fundamentally transfer info from human to human. That is because everyones mana pattern in different. However, it is possible to read the info in a magi crystal by transferring it to another magi crystal. Jin-niis knowledge Yeah. But its just the elementary level stuff, alright? Got it. I will try Transfer info. A magi form floated above the crystal and got sucked into the other crystal. Thats right. You were able to do it. You should be able to directly read that crystal now. Jin got back his magi crystal from Elsa and erased it. Elsa looked at the crystal at her hand attentively once again and activated transfer info. Chapter 357: Elsa is also Obsessed

Chapter 357: Elsa is also Obsessed

Brother Jin, thats amazing. Thank you. While it was only the beginners level, Elsa had absorbed Jins knowledge and was now uncharacteristically excited. The structure of matter, the reason that things fall, how nes fly. I finally understand it. Elsa had acquired an elementary to junior high school level of knowledge in science. So many things she had wondered about before were now known to her, and she was so happy and excited. And with that, you are officially my apprentice. But I must warn you, dont go around announcing it, alright? You must be cautious. Cautious Should you really be telling anyone to be cautious? Elsa joked, which was also unusual for her. Jinughed and scratched his head with embarrassment before returning to the matter at hand. Now, the bed and nkets are ready. But we cant carry them They were too big to go through the carriage warp gate. Father, I think we have no choice but to wrap it up and smuggle it in quietly. Reiko, who had been silent up until now, said. Hmm, I see. I suppose there is no other way And so he decided to carry it at night with an invisible aircraft. I might have to make a floating base near Lake Tosumo Laojun heard Jins muttering and wouldter go on to make it, but that would happenter on. So, is this alright? Jin said as he looked at the nkets and bed that were to be a gift to Reinhart. Elsa looked at him and decided to ask him a favor. Jin, I too want to give a present to Reinhart. Yes, I see. Of course, you would, Elsa. So, what will you give? Elsa answered immediately. A mascot. Mascot? Jin asked, and so Elsa exined. Apparently, there was a custom where dolls were given as gifts. They were meant to protect the houses of newlyweds. Reinharts mother had sent one when her brother, Moritz Randol von Amber had gotten married. I want to make a doll like Non and give it to them. Non was the Japanese doll that Jin had given to Elsa on her birthday. Elsa liked it very much and still kept it in her room in Kaina vige. I understand. You should do it then. You can use any materials that you like. Not that it would require that much. I will help you if there is anything you want to know. Yes. I will try it. And so Jin left it to Elsa to do it on her own, and he finally went to work on the other thing he needed to do. Modifying Reiko. Reiko. You were watching Ehr, werent you? I would like to add that same sense of touch to you. What do you think? Reiko nodded. Yes. I have no objections to what you believe is good for me, father. Great. And so Jin informed Elsa, who was busy at work, and then headed to hisboratory on the second floor with Reiko. The materials he would use for the sensors was the flying membrane of a sea dragon. What moved the flying membranes of dragons was not muscle, but magic. In other words, you could freely control them with mana. Once the flying membrane was spread open, it was no thicker than one millimeter, and yet it was stronger than steel. But on the other hand, it was soft and could be easily folded without resistance. He could use this characteristic to make Reikos skin harder than steel and yet as soft as a baby. Furthermore, it was known that the stretching and bending of the material caused magical energy to be released. This was not only true of dragons, but any monster or beast that had wings. However, the material that was avable at the time was much worse than the wings of a sham dragon or sea dragon, and so the magic that came from it was weak. And so his predecessor had not thought to use it for anything. But Jin believed that this skin could be used as sensors. Hmm. In that case, it will be necessary to differentiate between the magic from the wings and magic from Reiko. Jin thought about it for a while, before wondering if the pattern for the magic from Reiko and the skin might be different. Alright, Reiko. Sit over thereyes, try opening and closing your hands. Yes, father. At the same time, Jin used Trace and Inspection to chase after the flow of magical energy. I see Jin saw the very weak flow of magic that emitted from Reikos skin and analyzed it. She repeated this for fifteen minutes. Alright, I understand it now. Through this inspection, he realized that the difference was apparent not in the flow but in the potential. Therger the forming, the higher the magical potential. If he could read the magical potential, he would know the forming amount, and he could calcte the power in it. Thats what it meant. Jin imagined thermographic footage. It separated things by color depending on its temperature, but here, it appeared depending on how high or low the magic potential was. In that case, I will need a Magi Device to read the distribution Up until now, he only needed to read the forming of the body. He was able to do it by imagining the forming of the magic current in reverse, but there had never been a machine that read the distribution of magic potential. It was something that Jin would take on for the first time, and it would bring a revolution to the automatas. He carefully considered the Magi Sequence and constructed the Magi Form. Trace and Inspection are the basics. After using them, and incorporating them once, add weight and location and calcte backwards Jin muttered to himself as he slowlypleted the new Magi Device. It was a Magi Device that came from a Magi Form that was about asplicated as a Control Core. Itsplete. As if very tired, Jin muttered to himself before leaning heavily back into his chair. Father, you must be tired. Um, it is already night time. I think you should go to bed now. Jin was surprised at her words and quickly looked out of the window. It was very dark. It is already seven oclock. Thank to the AL that emitted light automatically, he had not realized that it was dark outside. Alright. But let me put this on you first. Yes, I understand. It took about one minute to integrate it. Its not linked to your movements yet, so it should not be difficult to move in. In any case, I want you to gather some data for me. I understand. Reiko nodded modestly. Then Jin remember the time. Oh, right. Wheres Elsa?! He rushed down the stairs and saw the Elsa was continuing to work obsessively on her doll. Hey, Elsa. Jin called to her rather loudly. Elsa stopped as if she had suddenly returned to herself, and she raised her head. Oh, brother Jin. I just realized it now, but its already seven oclock. You should stop for today and have dinner. Yes. I am hungry. Elsa said with a slightly reddened face. She brushed the dust off of her hands and body and got up from her chair. I feel like I understand you and Reinhart a little better now. She muttered, and then her face became even more flushed. Haha. Thats great I think it is, anyway. She was saying that Jin and Reinhart often became so engrossed in what they were making that they forgot to eat dinner. And it had not been very long ago that Elsa had admonished them for this Jin and Elsa used the warp gate to return to Kaina vige. There was about a two hour time difference between Kaina vige and Hourai Ind. And so it was just nearing dinner time in Kaina vige. Wee back, Master Jin. Wee back, Elsa. We have just finished with the preparations. It was Mine who came out to greet them. Ah, I understand. This is time difference. Elsa was able to understand it now that she had the basic principles of science down. Jin was sure that Elsa would be able to make use of this new knowledge, and he looked forward to seeing it. Brother, wee back. Hanna also greeted them with a smile. While it was a little different than Reinharts, there was also a family waiting for him here. And thinking about it made Jins heart feel warm. Chapter 358: Even Dust Becomes A Mountain If Piled Together

Chapter 358: Even Dust Bes A Mountain If Piled Together

On the 29th, the following day, Jin and Elsa ate breakfast and returned to Hourai Ind. For a second, Jin wondered what kind of master did not even show up at his castle, but such feelings quickly flew away when he thought about how much he wanted to return to hisboratory. Now, to continue where I left off. Elsa, is there anything you want to ask me? Yes, I learned how to do most of it yesterday. I just want to know what materials I should use. Materials to use for the mascot. As you could get almost anything here at Hourai Ind, it actually made it harder to decide. You should make it in the same way as the automata. Huh? Jin said that she should create a simple frame for the bones and then fill it with magic cotton and cover it with Magi silk. There is a kind of doll that is a stuffed animal. It will be simr to that, only you will be able to put it in different poses because of the bones. Scale-wise, the doll would be one third of lifesize. That sounds very interesting. Being able to pose it is such a great idea. Apparently, dolls had not reached that point in this world yet. And so Jin took out some aluminium for her to use as the bones, and decided to watch Elsa as she started to make it. You should think about the head and body ratio. Head and body Oh, I see. The knowledge acquired from Trans Info was not something you could make use ofpletely over a single night. Jin knew this very well. At first, it was as if there was a book inside of your head, and it took time to search through the pages. However, once certain knowledge had been used, it came smoothly next time. Elsa was the same, and so most of the time, she would only realize something after Jin said it. As he was experienced, Jin was able to lead Elsa so that the knowledge was extracted from her. I think that 1:4 or 1:5 is best. Elsa said, once her mind was settled. I want the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, thighs and ankles to have joints. Ah. Well, why not? Uhball joints, I think? That should do it. Jin nodded again. In fact, this would be good practice for making golems and automatas. And one third of 130 cm is45 cm. It was a good size for a doll that would be used as decoration in a room. Jin nodded and encouraged her to continue. The bonescan be like this. Forming. Ah, you have improved. Elsa was able to create the general shape of the mascots bones in one attempt. There were no joints yet, but the head and four limbs showed that she had improved a lot. Really? Thank you. Elsa smiled and continued to make additions. Forming. Forming. Forming. The joints were added and the fingers and toes took shape. Jin watched silently and nodded. I will put on the cotton now. I want to do that with my own hands. There was no need to do everything with magic. Jin agreed with this. And so under Jins watchful eye, Elsa was able to make the general shape of the doll in just 30 minutes. While it was only one third in size, it was still shockingly fast. It was because she had a strong idea of what she wanted to make from the beginning. Now I have to do the eyes and hair. Also the clothes. This was a matter of taste, so Jin had nothing to say. Well, I have things to do as well, so just call me if you need anything. Jin said. Then he took Reiko and headed for theboratory on the second floor. Reiko, how is it so far? Jin immediately asked her about the Sense of Touch Granting Device. Yes, as you said, it has not affected my movements at all. Additionally, I can feel this sense of touch, but the reactions seem to be dull or a little slow. I see The dy of sensation was fatal when it came to fast movements. Jin thought about the reason for this problem. One thing that was likely, was the Magi Sequence he had assembled for the first time. There was still much he could do to make it more efficient. Also Clock up, I suppose. Because the reaction of the magical skin was instantaneous, a dy in perception meant that the reading and recognition of it was taking too much time, Jin decided. Hmm. For now, I could maybe raise the efficiency by double. Jin muttered as he looked at the Magi Sequence again. If it was for movement that was not much faster than humans, like Ehr, then there wasnt really a problem. However, with Reiko, there was sometimes a need for her to move at 100x the speed of a human. If only there was an effective way to raise the speed Jin folded his arms and thought about it. He thought and thought and thought, until Ill do it little by little. He decided. In other words, he wouldnt solve everything all at once. He would have a even dust bes a mountain if piled together mentality. He would increase the speed of each part of the system, which would ultimately result in the entire thing bing faster. First, I should to the magic transfer speed. Jin hadnt really thought about it before, but he now wondered just how fast magical energy moved through the Magi Crystal. The speed at which electricity passes through an electric circuit, in other words, the speed of an electromaic wave, was practically the speed of lightI think. Jin thought as he tried to bring back old memories. Sound waves were a medium whose speed could change. So was light. Then what about magic? The answer was, speed changes by medium. This was because he had observed a phenomenon in the past where a Magi Crystal deflected a little bit of magic of the same type as it. It was like a prism. Light moved slow in material that was dense(refraction, to be precise). And magic was simr. So that means it changes depending on the Magi Crystal After thinking this, Jin remembered Sakis face. How would Saki have went about dealing with this problem? In any case, I might bring her to Hourai Ind one of these days. Reiko immediately reacted to these words that poured out of Jins mouth. Father, are you talking about Saki? Uh, yes. You were listening? Yes. There are times when Saki thinks in a way that is very simr to mother. Perhaps she will be helpful in your research, father. Reiko said most unexpectedly. I-I see. In that case, she did want to meet Elsa, so I should take her soon Well, we should go to Kunlun Ind first. Yes, that would be good. Jin left the matter of Saki at that for now, and returned to thinking about ideas to improve the processing speed. Speaking of Magi Crystals, what about Elradrite? This ore was still very mysterious. It was said that it increased magic or magical energy, but that was not strictly true. You couldnt create something out of nothing. You used nearby magical energy to increase the magical energy that wasing in. Thats a better way of putting it. You made magic with a power of 1 turn into 10 or 20 by using the mana that was around you(the mana thates from your own body is the easiest to use). That was the quality of Elradrite. It did not mean that the sorcerer was able to use magic that exceeded his ability, but that you could enhance the effect. I see! Jin suddenly had an idea. If I used the Elradrite to increase the magic emitted from the touch sensors, it might help with perception? Jin decided to test it out immediately. He removed the Sense of Touch Granting Device from Reikos body and added the Elradrite on the step right before perception. As he justed wanted to see the effect, he didnt change anything else. Otherwise, he would not be able to tell what was increasing the effect. Now, Reiko. How is it? After rebooting, Reiko tried picking up different tools and Magi Crystals. Father, this is amazing. It is much more clear now. She said, informing him of its great effect. This meant that the issue of long reading times had been solved. I see! Its been increased by about 10 times now. Is that enough? Yes. I do think that with just a little more, I will be able to move at full power without feeling any difort. Shall I test it out? Jin was satisfied by her answer. No, we can do thatter. Alright, Im going to take it off now. And I will look at the Magi Sequence once again. And then All in all, he thought that he would be able to make itpatible with Reiko at full power. Jin was full of such expectations. Chapter 359: Technician Reiko

Chapter 359: Technician Reiko

Havingpleted the revision of the magi sequence, Jin recalled the method he used on Laojun. Ah right, we can expect more processing power if we increase Reikos control core, as well. And so, Jin decided to increase Reikos control core by 1. Not like aplete parallel processing unit but rather like a single processor in terms ofputerponents. As this core processor will be dealing with all the data regarding the touch, a burden will lift off of the main control core. As a safety measure, he also added a feature to be able to shut out touch sensespletely. Alright, Reiko, try getting up. And at longst, the newly born Reiko started moving. Jin went outside with Reiko. And he was relieved to see her movements werent crude. How do you feel? In the wide space in front of theboratory, Jin asked Reiko how she was feeling. Yes, father. Its amazing. I can feel things around me more than ever before. I can even feel the wind touching my cheeks. I see, then thats a sess. Well then, first, increase your movement speed and check if everythings alright. First, vertical leaping Dont go all out at once, alright? Understood. After creating some distance from Jin, Reiko jumped at her spot. 50 centimeters, 60 centimeters, 1 meter. Then 2 meters, 3 meters. And atst, she also jumped 10 meters high. Judging from how she didnt make a single sound whennding, it is safe to assume that Reiko is now able topletely control her body. Thats good, Reiko. Next. Next up is breaking into a run. After running all the way to the edge of the wide area, she changed direction at once and broke into a run again. And at a speed of 100 kmph. And even when she was doing that, her footsteps didnt make any sound. Father, this is wonderful. Being able to properly deal with the touch sense data, which was reflecting in her movements, Reiko was also pleased. Up till now, I had been extremely careful with my power output but its different now. Even when I increase the output, I can control it as I please. Saying that, she held up a withered branch from the ground. I will try bending this so as to not break it. Reiko held the branch with both her index and thumb fingers and slowly started bending it. Currently, I am at 100% power output. Reikos 100% power output can even move a few tons. Regardless of that, the branch hadnt snapped. She is now able to intricately control her powers to the 0.010%. Got it, thats enough. Jin concluded the experiment. Its a huge sess. But, in the future, do tell me if you feel even the slightest of a problem. Yes, father. With this, Reiko should be able to brandish her sword andbat skills to the max. Well, it would be better if you didnt get a chance to use it, though Wondering what Elsa was doing, Jin peeked into the workshop on the first floor. Elsa, how is it Oh? Ah, Jin-nii. Elsa had just finished a mascot body. Oho, a doll with ck hair, eh? Although Jin prepared various colors for the strings used for the hair, Elsa picked ck. It didnt have clothes on yet. And the ck hair, cut until the shoulder, somewhat resembled Reiko. I just had something to ask I want to mix colors with the fabric but how do I do it? Ah, I see. It seems that particr knowledge hadnt been copied. Jin asked Reiko to bring the dyes. Father, is this okay? There are liquids in Earth which are used to determine the pH level by change in color but this magic dye changes color based on the magic used on it. Ah, yes, thats fine. Good job. Jin took the magic dye from Reiko and started exining to Elsa. Dissolve this into water and soak the cloth in it. While its wet, if you apply magic to it, it will turn red. If you further apply magic to it, it will turn orange, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue and so on before it turns into bluish purple, purple and purplish red at the end. Once the cloth is dyed into a color you like, just dry it and it will stay. But once it is dried, its color wont change anymore. You can adjust the darkness of the color with the amount of mixed water. Ok, got it. Elsa took the dye and tried using it right away. Ah, wait a bit. ? Jin stopped Elsa and had Reiko bring a solution of raw rubber and sulfur this time. If you use it like that, it will be quite hard to get rid of the colors off your hands. Besides, girls shouldnt damage their hands. Okay. She understood what Jin was saying but as she didnt understand how that has any rtion with the raw rubber, Elsa still had a doubtful expression on her face. And so, add the sulfur to the raw rubber and, homogenize. And, insert your hand into this. Eh? As Jin took the initiative and inserted his hands into the gum solution, Elsa also copied him. As he was wearing short sleeves, he inserted his hand 10 centimeters in from the wrist and used linking. Elsa also did the same. Alright, good, then to finish it off, separation. And then you peel it off your hand. Elsa also peeled off the thinyer of membrane from her hand and finally understood what Jin made. A gum glove? Yep. Use it when youre dealing with dirty stuff or when you dont want to get your hands dirty. Got it. Thanks, Jin-nii. Theres plenty of gum left so make some spare for when it breaks Also, you can do thister but please make some for Mine, Martha and Hanna. Yep, got it. Leave it to me. Elsa nodded and shifted her attention to the topic at hand for now. Which was to dye the cloth. Jin was watching her do it but since there were no problems, he turned towards Reiko. Reiko, lets walk outside a bit. Yes, father. He instructed Laojun to appoint one Smith golem to support Elsa. Ah, it has been maintained quite well, huh? Jin went to see the fields in Hourai ind with Reiko. These pelshika (peach), citran (orange), aplulu (apple), ramon (lemon), maron (chestnust) and walnut were already here in the ind. They were cultivating wheat, barley, ck-eyed pea, red beans and soybean there. Before he knew it, the nt yielding pulse and variety had increased. There were even types of vegetables Jin didnt know of. And cane (sugarcane). Is this the one we found at the southern part of Serroa kingdom? The Quinta deployed to Serroa kingdom found and brought it. Jin just got to know of it recently. And this was because the report was made to Jin after they finished inspecting whether sugar could really be harvested. Moreover, considering how busy Jin was, Laojun also waited for the perfect timing to report on it. Although sugar was pricey, since they purchased quite a lot and stocked it, the risk was low. With this, we can be self-sufficient to to quite an extent, huh? Jin was also very pleased. All thats left is to wait for the Quinta deployed to Shouro kingdom to bring rice. Well, I guess that should be enough of the field inspection. Well then, Reiko, lets get back to theboratory. After getting a change of pace from looking at the green fields, Jin began making something he had thought about for some time. He prepared red beans, white sugar and very little salt. Thats right, Jin was trying to make red bean paste. Right, so 2 kilograms of red beans and 2.5 kilograms of sugar. If I am not wrong, I am supposed to use 1/120 amount of the sugar used as salt so, 20.8 grams. First, you boil the red beans at a high temperature. Then pour water and boil once again before putting out the fire and discarding the broth. Then, once again add water and boil. Take care to take the scum whiche floating. The heat should be low. When it starts getting softer, stop the heat and start pouring water into a saucepan. As it starts overflowing, drain it in a draining basket. Then add the bean to the sauce pan with sugar and salt and mix well and cook in medium heat. Mix so as to not burn it and once the moisture is gone, stop the fire and crush the beans. Once its cooled, coarse sweet red bean paste is done. It takes about 2 hours. Thats about how much he learnt about making red bean paste at the orphanage. As it was just about noon at Kaina vige, Jin gave the freshly made red bean paste pot to Reiko to hold and went to call Elsa. Oii, Elsa, its lunchtime so lets return to the vige once. Ah, Jin-nii. I was just done. Elsa was also done with the mascot doll and showed it to Jin. Oho? It looks great. The dolls shoulder height cleanly cut and clear ck eyes left an impression. The doll was wearing a deep blue dress. The neck was white and the hem of the long skirt hadces. Jin was also impressed at how girl-like the doll came to be. Putting aside the production techniques, even Jin couldnt make a design this good. Smith 1 provided thece so I tried using it. Yeah, I think it makes a good ent. You have improved, Elsa. Jin was also happy seeing Elsa improve so much in such little time. Elsas nose twitched. ? A sweet smell. Jinughed and answered. Yeah, I made red bean paste. Lets get back to the vige and have lunch. Chapter 360: 12-17 Edgar

Chapter 360: 12-17 Edgar

It was just about lunchtime by the time they returned to Kaina Vige. Jin-sama, Elsa, wee home. Minees out to greet them. The smell of freshly baked bread drifts about in the air. Ive just baked some bread. Thinking about how theyve arrived just in time, Jin and Reiko enter Marthas house. Oh, Jin, what does Reiko-chan have there? Martha asks Jin as she sees the saucepan that Reiko is holding. Its bean paste. Im having this with my bread. Im not sure if Ill like it or not, but this is how I used to do it back in my home town. Ah, onii-chan, wee home! Hanna smiles joyfully as shees to the dining room to wash her hands and finds Jin already there. Hey, Hanna! Hey, want to try this? Taking the initiative, Jin takes a slice of bread and smears some bean paste on it with a spoon. The others imitate Jin and smear bean paste on their own slices of bread. Those who took a bite were taken aback by the sweetness. Mmmm! All that Jin wanted to see the most was Hannas smiling face. He had been worried about not being able to bring her a souvenir. Jin-nii, its so tasty! Its so sweet! You only need to put a little of it on bread. So this is bean paste, Jin-sama? It doesnt look too good, but its really tasty! They were having sweet bread with their salty soup. Jin was relieved that they all seemed to like the bean paste. (But it would be impossible to cultivate sugar cane in Kaina vige. I would need to find sugar beet instead.) Sugar is a valuablemodity, so it is not eaten very often unless one cultivates it oneself. (But that might be a good thing when ites to preventing cavities.) Thats what Jin thinks as he sees Hannas face, which is missing a front tooth. After their meal, Jin went back to Hourai Ind together with Elsa. (Tomorrow Ive got plenty of time, so lets spend some with Hanna) Thats what he was thinking. Well then, Elsa. At the workshop, with a workbench standing between them, Jin spoke to Elsa about her new task. Try to make an Automata. Huh? Elsa could not believe her ears. Could she already make one by herself after just having started with Magi Craft not too long ago? Youre already capable of doing it, Elsa. You onlyck experience. Ill be watching, so go ahead and give it a try. Having heard what Jin told her, Elsa could not refuse. Okay, Ill try. As she nods, Jin begins to exin the procedure. Skeleton, Magi Device, muscle fiber, head, skin, Control Core Right, thats the gist of it. Since its your first one, dont make it too big. Just try to do something thats about Reikos size. Jin pats Reikos shoulder, who was right next to him. Got it. Still not feeling entirely confident, Elsa begins gathering the necessary materials. The first thing you need to do is getting used to working with aluminum. Thats Jins first advice. Since Elsa normally processes aluminum, shes already used to working with it. However, neither Jin nor Elsa know that aluminum is not a material that beginners would normally use. The reason why Jin advised Elsa to use aluminum is its simplicity. To get used to a material is to reduce the amount of magical loss when processing it. Jin doesnt have any problems, but due to Elsas surplus of magical power, if she uses up all of her magic, she will start to seem ill. A few days ago they had to remember using Genesung. Following Jins advise, Elsa decides to use aluminum. Since Jin himself always uses aluminum, theres always arge amount of it already prepared. Forming. Elsa begins processing right away. Apparently, she already has something in mind. Jin watches silently, but the thoughts of the time when he was first rebuilding Reiko (before she was even given a name) are filling his mind. After processing several times, Elsa finishes the automatas skeleton. It feels as if she has made something that looks like a mascot doll. How about it, Jin-nii? Elsa timidly asks Jin. Jin nods with a gentle smile, and answers. Its a pass! Youve gotten quite better at this, Elsa. Hearing those words, Elsa smiled cheerfully. Well, now that this is done, heres a little trick to help reduce wear in its joints. Bringing a little of Adamantite ting. Jin produces a ting on the surface. This will reduce friction and increase its durability. Give it a try. The rest of the joints were left for Elsa to finish. And Elsa was able to meet that expectation, demonstrating that she is familiar with this technology. She continued on working for 4 hours with Jin overseeing her work. I made it. Atst, Elsa finished her first automata. Jin also checked its every detail and gave his approval when he found no problems with it. It is a boy model, with the same tinum hair Elsa has. They are closed now, but its eyes are blue. How long does it take you to make one of these, Jin-nii? Elsas question had a hint of relief after having finally finished. Hmm about 1 hour, maybe? That is a rather modest estimation. If he were to put all of his effort into it, it wouldnt take him more than 30 minutes. However, since Laojun and Smith have finished their preparations, Jin almost never has to start working from scratch. Ill do my best. Jin gently tapped Elsas shoulder and said: Well then, youre almost done! Try starting it up. Cheering Elsa on with his words. Yes. Start. Responding to the keyword, the automata slowly gets up. Nice to meet you, Creator. Elsa, give him a name. Yes. Your name is Edgar. Understood, my name is Edgar. Thus, Edgar was born as Elsas first automata. Reiko seems to be pleased as she watches the scene. Perhaps it brings her memories of the time when she was created. Elsa is not aware of it, but Edgars Control System is the same that Soleil and Luna have. Thanks to the TransInfo conducted for Jins official disciples, its possible to use the Adriana Systems Control System. Elsa does not know what this means, though. Simrly, Jin doesnt know either. Thats why Reinhart had told them that its important to know the worlds standards. Such simr people had be teacher and student. Now, returning to the story Well, time to get him dressed. Edgar was still naked. Well, you might not be too familiar with mens clothing, plus I havent got much more time. Let me make his clothes for you, Elsa. Just as a way to celebrate you finishing your first automata. Jin fetches some Ground Spider silk from the shelves and quickly produces some trunks. Then he makes a T-shirt out of knitted fabrics. He also makes sure to apply some rubber to the trunks. This takes him about 5 minutes, by the way. After looking at Jins disy, Elsa began to feel her self-confidence wavering. But she soon got back on her feet. One day, Ill be able to do that too. Elsas ability to not be discouraged might be her strongest point. The jacket is ck and looks like a zer. The bow tie makes him look like the son of a lord. Well, thats done. So cool! Elsas first automata, Edgar, was standing there like looking like a young boy from the Showa era. ck zer, ck trousers. A ck bow tie over a white shirt. And white socks under the ck shoes. Thank you very much, Jin-sama. Edgar bows as he says that. It seems that his behavior has been established. Chapter 361: Number One

Chapter 361: Number One

It was now evening in Kaina vige, and so Jin decided that they should hurry on back. As Elsa had not been given permission to use the warp gate by herself, Edgar took Reikos hand and Jin took Elsas hand and they went through it. Ahhh, older brotherSister Elsa. Wee back. Hanna weed them with a toothless voice. Hanna saw Edgar being pulled by Reiko and looked surprised. Who is that? Hanna, this is Edgar. The automata that Elsa created. I guess you could say that he is Reikos cousin. Hanna seemed to have understood this exnation. Really? So he is called Edgar. Im Hanna. Nice to meet you! Yes, Miss Hanna. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Hanna scowled at these formal words. Edgar, I dont like it when you call me Miss. Elsa agreed. Edgar. Hanna is Hanna. Thats what you should call her. Yes, I understand. Hanna. Is that alright? Yes, that is fine. Hanna and Elsa nodded at the same time. Wee back, Master Jin. And Elsawho is this? Ah, this is the automata that Elsa made. Edgar. Mines eyes widened at this. Her own daughter was now able to make such an advanced automata. I think Elsa has a gift. Jin added. I-is that true? Yes. It might have been better had she started earlier, but she can still learn so much even now. Elsas father only had her educated as a noble, ever since she was little. He had no intention of nurturing any gifts she might have had. Mine looked very sad. Then Elsa called to her. Mother. Brother Jin. What is it? Hurry up ande inside. Aside from Jin and Mine, the others had all gone into the house. After dinner was over, Jin and Elsa introduced Edgar once again. I barely did anything. I only gave a few suggestions and watched to make sure that there was nothing strange. And so Edgar is definitely Elsas creation. Wow! Sister Elsa! Hanna praised her without restraint and Martha also looked impressed. That means that Sara can focus more on helping Martha and Mine now. Currently, Mine was working the most, and so there was less for Martha, the house golem maid, and Sara to do. Well, they were also guards in a way, so Jin meant to maintain the current structure. It was now the thirtieth of the fifth month. Reinhart and Belches wedding would be on the following day. And so Jin nned to return to the Shouro empire in the evening. But he intended to y with Hanna as much as possible until then. Brother! Over here! Hanna rode on Mint and Jin rode on Koma as they went to the mountains. Reiko rode in front of Jin. It was the same mountain they had gone to before to collect herbs. Its been a while since we came here. Yes, thats right. Kaina vige looked small from here. And the summer breeze felt very good. Jin and Hanna lined their golem horses together and enjoyed the scenery in silence. Sister Elsa did so well. Huh? Jin was surprised at this sudden deration. She didnt seem so reliable when she first came to the vige. And she was a bad cook. Well, it wasnt too surprising, since she had lived as the daughter of a viscount up until then. But she learned how to cook and can now clean and draw up water. And she teaches me and can use magic. And recently, she practices in the workshopte into the night when you are not around. It was a side of Elsa that he hadnt known. And now Hanna was telling him. Jin listened carefully. You know, it was her who said that we should let you do what you want. He had had a feeling about it. But he was still happy to hear it from her directly. And so Hanna stopped, as if organizing her thoughts. Then she started again. I decided that I need to do my best as well. You? I cant just be spoiled all the time. I need to be able to help you. Hanna said. Then she smiled like a flower. I dont know what I can do, since Im still small, but after I study a lot and grow up Hannas eyes had a serious light in them. So I can be your number one. Hanna said with red face. Then she jumped off of Mint and ran away. Jin sat there in surprise. Father, please run after Hanna. Reiko said. And so Jin dismounted Koma and chased after Hanna. There was a great field of grass near the top of the mountain. Hanna was running in it. Hanna! Jin called as he chased after her. Hanna turned around and stopped. Brother! Then she ran towards him and jumped into his arms. And like that, they fell onto the soft grass. Brother Jin patted her gently on the head. Hannas cheeks turn red. She looked happy. Hanna, thank you. Jin was a little sad that he couldnt say anything else. But they stayed there and enjoyed the smell of the grass and the early summer breeze for a while. From afar, Reiko watched over them. There was a time difference of about three hours between Kaina vige and the Shouro empire. And so Jin needed to leave Kaina vige at nine in the night in order to return on the promised time. That was why Jin yed with Hanna as much as he could during the day. And now it was nearly nine. Jin had finished his preparations and was standing in front of the house. Well then, take care of things while Im gone. Master Jin, please give my regards to Reinhart. Reinhart knew that Jin was helping Mine, but Belche didnt know. Reinhart would probably tell herter. As for Jin, he hoped that they woulde to Kaina vige as part of their honeymoon. Brother Jin. Please give them my present. The mascot doll that Elsa had made had been wrapped up neatly and given to Reiko. Master Jin, you are leaving so soon again? Barou and Belle had alsoe out to see him off. He had decided to tell them of the existence of the warp gate. Along with the information that it could only be used with him and could only take them to select locations. Jin, be careful. Martha looked at Jin andughed. Brother, please take care. Hanna alsoughed as she saw him off. A new tooth was starting to grow in ce of the one that hade out. Good bye. And then Jin jumped into the warp gate and arrived in Hourai ind and then teleported to the carriage in the Shouro empire. Chapter 362: Coordinate

Chapter 362: Coordinate

Jin teleported to a carriage that was hidden in a forest outside of Vanne, in the Shouro Empire. Steward, I hope that nothing has changed? Yes, Master,: Steward and the carriage were in the same exact spot that Jin had left themst time. Now, lets go. Reiko and Steward worked together to remove the disguise from the carriage, and so it was able to leave within one minute. Today, they would return down the path they had traveled two days ago. When they arrived at Sakis house, Saki herself was waiting there. Wee back, Jin. Youre right on time. Saki said as she looked at the sundial in the garden. It was early summer, and so it was still bright even though the sun had started to go down. I just got back. Really, it is so nice to be able to see well. I am so grateful to you, Jin. Saki said as she adjusted her sses. Ah, I am d you are finding them useful. Jin said as he unloaded his things from the carriage. Reiko got out after him. She was holding the mascot doll that Elsa had entrusted to her. As it was wrapped up really well, it took up a lot of space. Oh, is that your gift, Jin? Saki asked as she looked at what Reiko was holding with interest. Jin shook his head. No, this was made by Ela friend asked me to give this to them. El? Who is El? Jin, do you mean Uh, yeah. Jin was thinking about inviting Saki to Kaina vige. It had only been a few days since they met, but Jin found her straightforward and very likable. Besides, she had no interest in politics and wanted to create some distance between herself and Marquis Theoderics house, which is where she was from. So her position was simr to Elsas. She was so passionate in her research, that Jin thought that it would be good to take her to Hourai Ind. Jin made this decision in his heart. Hehe, very well, Jin. I already heard all about her anyway. that weird old man, damn it. While he was her grandfather, Saki called the Marquis old man. Jin entered Sakis house and saw that it had been cleaned up nicely. Thank you. It was all Ehrs doing. Ehr was an Automata that had the same features as the five color golem maids. So it was no surprise that so much had been done in a short amount of time. Thats good. Im d that I made it. And then Ehr came into the room. Wee back, Master Jin. Miss Saki, the food has been prepared. It is so nice having your meals prepared for you three times a day. Reinhart prepares the ingredients for us so we will not have to starve for quite some time. Uh, I dont think that would happen if you nned properly Jin said with exasperation as they walked towards the dining hall. Well, everything will be done by Ehr from now on. Saki said boldly. Jin sighed as if he had given up. Oh, Saki. About this gift, could we keep it here until tomorrow? Hmm? I see. Then it can be ced in the guest room that was prepared for you to use tonight. And so Jin and Reiko ced it in that room. It was also cleaned up. Dinner was very much simr to what Jin ate at Hourai Ind. Barley porridge, vegetables and meat soup, river fish grilled with salt, and a fruit sd. Sakiughed as she ate her dinner and then asked Jin, Haha. The food that Ehr makes really is delicious. Jin, is this because you educated Ehr? Yes, it is. This kind of knowledge can be stored. Hmm. I watched you create Ehr. Is it because ofyes, I think you called it the Control Core, is that the key? It seemed that Saki had understood the concept of Automata after witnessing it just once. After dinner, Jin and Saki continued to talk about the concept of Automata until they went to bed. Father. What time will you wake up tomorrow? Reiko asked before they went to bed. Ahh. Wake me up at 6 oclock. Jin said to Reiko as hey down on the bed. He closed his eyes and thought back on what Saki had said. I dont meanlike a small child, alright? Yes, couldnt you make a small Automata that could fit in the palm of your hand? Jin regretted that he had so many preconceived notions regarding those words. (It was really just a moving doll. That sounded interesting.) He thought as he drifted off to sleep. The next morning, Jin went outside after being awakened by Reiko. As nned, a wrapped up bed and bedding were loaded onto the carriage. It would cause quite a stir if it were suddenly sent to Renharts mansion, and so it would be carried like this. Jin hadnt even said anything. It was all Laojuns doing. Father. Falcon 3 did it alltest night. Reiko reported. Hmm, I see. Then we are all ready. Jin looked up at the sky. It looked like the weather would be nice today as well. They nned to head for Reinharts mansion at 9 clock. Saki was awakened by Ehr at seven thirty and got up as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. Her hair was a mess. It was a far cry from what it had been when Belche fixed it. Good morning, Jin. Good morning. Saki washed her face in the water that Ehr had brought. This seemed to wake her up, but her hair was still awful. Saki. Its Reinharts wedding today. I hope you will dress appropriately? Jin could not help himself from saying this. Yes, I know. Jin ate breakfast that Ehr had prepared and then got dressed. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. He intended on making an appearance as an Honorary Craftsman of the kingdom of Egelia. His pants were made of grand spider thread that was dyed ck. As the material was thin, it would be cool during these early days of summer. It was eight thirty when he was finished with his preparations. He went to see how Saki was doing, and found that she was still busy with her door opened. Of course, this didnt mean that she was in her underwear, but Jin still hesitated to enter. And so he asked Reiko to go inside to see how she was doing. Oh, Reiko. What is it? Father sent me. He was wondering if you needed any help with your preparations. Oh, how nice. Yes, what clothes do you think I should wear? Saki said as she opened her closet and pointed towards all of the dresses. It was no surprise that Ehr had no advice to give. Yes. Your hair is an auburn color, so I believe a rxedvender color would suit you. This line was the result of Jins attempt to equip Reiko with some femininity. But it wasnt Jin who struggled the most. It was the Quinta who had to get the information. Lavender? As this word was from Jin, Saki did not understand it. Which was not very useful. Uhh, it is a bright, bluish-purple. Hmmm. Like this then There was something like it in the closet, but Saki hesitated to take it out. Is there a problem? No. But there is something about this dress. Well, it was a gift from my grandfather. Saki did not have a very good opinion of her grandfather, Marquis Theoderic. But that is not the dresss fault. It is just a matter of how you feel, isnt it? I see. How I feel. Thank you, Reiko. Then I shall wear this. Chapter 363: The Wedding

Chapter 363: The Wedding

Jin. Sorry to keep you waiting. It was almost nine oclock when Saki appeared after finishing preparations. Ehr and Reiko were with her. Thank you for sending Reiko to me. She really helped. Saki had brushed her messed up hair and was now dressed in avender, no, bluish-purple dress. She was perhaps too skinny, but the simple A-line dress looked very nice on her. She had a hair ornament with a single flower on it in her hair. And of course, she wore her sses. Oh, I almost didnt recognize you. Heh. Its embarrassing to have someone say that to your face. Saki blushed, which was quite unusual. Just then, Reinharts butler, ude, arrived. Lord Jin, Lady Saki. I havee to pick you up. ude bowed to him in his ck butler uniform. Ill ride in my own carriage if that is alright? Yes, of course it is. Now Lady Saki, pleasee this way. Jin took his own carriage and Saki went with ude to the Randol house. ude didnt say anything about the fact that Jins carriage was pulling another cart. He probably had an idea of what it was. So this is your present, Master Jin. When they arrived at the Randol house, Jin gave ude the bed and mattress. ude ordered one of the servants to take it into the house. The Randol house had wide doors, so it was not difficult to carry it inside, but Jin thought that he would bring one that could be taken apart next time(if there was a next time). And this is from me. Saki said as she offered the small box she was holding. Thank you, Lady Saki. ude epted that as well. Like that, all of the presents were gathered together in one room so that the newlyweds would be able to inspect themter at their leisure. And this was entrusted to me by a certain person. Jin then offered the package that he had received from Elsa. A certain person? ude asked as he took it. Yes. Someone that Reinhart knows, but who cannote here. I see. ude seemed to have realized who it was, and so he took the package and ced it into the room. After this, ude and the other servants would open that packages and check to see what they were. This was a precaution in case there was anything dangerous in any of them. Lord Jin, Lady Saki. Please wait over here. The two of them were led to a drawing room. Many other guests were waiting there, and some of the faces were familiar. It was now clear that the wedding date had been decided a long time ago and many preparations had been made. Oh, Jin. It had been a while. The person who greeted him now was Reinharts friend and the older brother of the bride. His name was Matheus Geist von Realgar. And the person next to him was Saki, is that you? I didnt recognize you at first! It was Fritz Randol von Grosch. Elsas older brother and Reinharts cousin. Ah, Fritz. Its been a while. I thought you were abroad. Yes. I am here to represent the family. Fritz smiled, and there was none of the seriousness that was there before. You are Jin, right? Please forgive me for being rude. Fritz said as he turned to Jin. Indeed, he seemed like a different person now. They had not met since Seduce had been removed, and so Jin was surprised at how much he had changed. I wish that Elsa had been here too. Fritz This is not the right ce to talk about such things. Saki had been about to ask him something, but she seemed to remember where she was and stopped. Instead, she spoke to Matheus. I havent seen you in a while either. How is your wife? She is well, thank you. However, Saki, you look so different. I still remember how you used to look like when we yed together as children. As Saki was childhood friends with Reinhart, she was also old friends with Matheus. Hehe. Woman can apparently change a lot with some makeup. It was my younger sister who taught me how to use it in the first ce. Belche did? I see. And what is that you have on your face now? Yes, yes, I have been curious about it as well. Fritz joined the conversation. This? These are called sses. Jin made them for me. They improve your eyesight. Thanks to these, I can see many things clearly now. Matheus heard this and turned to Jin. Jin, are these simr to the microscope? It was just as Jin nodded and was about to say something. Everyone, the bride and groom are now ready. Please follow me. Randol, the butler entered and announced that the ceremony was about to begin. Weddings in the Shouro Empire did not take ce before god. Religion had declined after the Great Magic War. The church was gone and there was no longer a god to worship. There were several different paths people could take when this happened, but the Shouro Empire had decided to worship their ancestors. In other words, they would announce the marriage to their ancestors. And as a representation of these ancestors, nobles prepared portraits and sculptures or stones with their crest engraved into them. Commoners used wood carvings or dolls. The Randol house used a stone b with their family crest on it. It stood in a quiet room near the back of the mansion. It was three meters tall and two meters wide. A white marble stone with two lions who stared at each other engraved on it(or so they appeared to Jin). The names of their ancestors were carved on the other side. I am here to report the marriage of Reinhart Randol von Adamas, fourth son of House Randol, and Belche Gaist von Scarlet, oldest daughter of House Geist. There, both Reinhart and Belch made a report with their parents. Both of them were in white clothes. From today, I Belche Gaist von Scarlet swear to be Belche Randol von Geist. And I Christoph Barde von Ta stand here as a witness. Jin had thought that he looked like a priest, but he was a witness. Every marriage between nobles required a witness to stand by and watch. They were usually representatives from some superior noble, but it seemed that Christoph had been sent by the Emperor. This was quite a great honor. Jin stood in the back and asked Saki about such things. This really is impressive. He whispered so that no one else could hear them. I think Reinhart was very smart to pick Lady Belche. She will surely be able to support him in the future. There was a little sadness in her voice. Jin did not know what he should say to her. But he opened his mouth anyway. Saki, you Shh. The bride and groom are about to pass. After saying their vows, the two of them, apanied by their parents, began to walk by the other guests. Here the guests showered them with apuse and words of blessing. Reinhart, congrattions. I hope you two are very happy. Belche, congrattions. I hope that your lives are filled with happiness. Jin and Saki also pped and sent them their blessing. Then the bride and groom left the room in order to be alone. During this time, the guests moved to the party hall where the wedding reception would take ce. They were now in the great hall, and Reinharts father, Wolfgang, made a speech before the newlyweds arrival. Everyone, thank you so much for attending the wedding ceremony between Reinhart and Belche. Then Reinharts mother, Isolde, continued. My son Reinhart is now an adult. Please continue to be good friends to him. She said, and they both bowed. Belches parents also made simr speeches and when they were finished, the bride and groom entered the room in different clothes. This time they were not in white, but in more formal uniforms that would be worn during official events or ceremonies. They say that helping each other get dressed is the first thing a couple does together. Saki whispered to Jin. When the couple took their seats, Count Randal approached them. Reinhart, Belche. Congrattions. I have a gift for both of you. I shall give you the vige of Kaltz, just west of here. Kaltz was a small vige that existed between Exi, which was owned by George Randal, and their current location, Vanne. There was apuse. Now Reinhart was the lord of a little bit ofnd. I humbly ept it. We will do our best. Reinhart and Belch bowed deeply. And then the hall was filled with the sound of apuse once again. Chapter 364: Beana, During That Time

Chapter 364: Beana, During That Time

Blue Land, a city that was south of the Egelia Kingdom. This fortress city was ruled by Duke Blue, and it was the first city that Jin had visited on his own ord. And it was there that he had met the red-haired girl, Beana. She was also a Magi Craftsman, and Jin had spent a lot of time on the outskirts of Blue Land, helping with her business. In the end, Earl Guaranas harassment had repelled Jin, and he had left the ce. After that, Jin had visited again, along with Reinhart. Then Earl Kuzuma and Beana had gone with him to Asunto, that capital of Egelia. And it was there that they participated in the golem party. It was also then that Earl Kuzuma asked Beana to marry him. And Beana had epted. No, you must not raise the hem of your skirt like that. Yeeees. Your answer should be short and clear! Yes. Beana was currently taking etiquette lessons. In the kingdom of Egelia, the most powerful nobles of each region were able to participate in government. It was normal for them to spend three months of every year in order to fulfill their role. And so Earl Kuzuma was supposed to spend April to June in the capital. However, due to the country-wide conflict that urred in April, the capital was not functioning, which meant he would really just be serving from May until June. On the other hand, Earl Guarana was not important enough to be able to participate in government. That is wrong! When drinking tea, you must hold the saucer with your left hand. Yes. Ahhhhhh, do not grab the cup. You must pinch it! Yes. The person who was scolding Beana was Malloum, the head maid. She was in herte thirties and had served the Earls house since Kuzuma was very young. She was usually quite calm but turned rather vicious when teaching Beana. Do not make so much noise when putting down the cup! Yes. Beana didntin as she was being taught. Ah, I am tired. At night, Beana returned to her room and threw herself onto the bed. Sister. Are you alright? A worried voice came from the next room. It was her younger brother, Raldo. Yes, Im fine. Just a little tired. You two must be tired too. Were fine. Ever since selling the popcorn machine to Earl Guarana, themoners had pleaded for them to make more. And so Beana made a popcorn machine under Earl Kuzumas sponsorship. And it was up to Beanas younger brother and sister, Nana and Raldo, to sell the popcorn. We sold out today as well. As it was publically known that they were backed by Earl Kuzuma, the two of them were able to manage in spite of their age. After all, making popcorn was easy as long as you had the machine, so it was just about selling it and managing the profits. As the table they used to sell it was too heavy for them to carry, maids, butlers or soldiers were sent every day to help them. Thanks to that, they were able to sell quite a lot every day. In fact, they made less in a day than what was paid to the servants who apanied them, but this was fine, as it was more or less a service that Earl Kuzuma provided for the people. Its only been five days, but we now have regr customers and it is quite fun. I see. That is good. Jin had once sold popcorn with them. Large crowds had gathered around, and they had also sold lighters and water heaters as well. It was all a nostalgic memory to her now. And its only been four months. She had met Jin again one monthter and had been invited to his base and house, which was Kunlun ind. Jin. What are you doing now? No! Your steps should be lighter. Your foot should only glide slightly above the floor. Or else you will step on the other persons foot. Yes. Good, that is better. Now, your face. Do not look at your feet, you must look at their chest. Yes. Today it was dance lessons. Beana was quite athletic, and so she took to this much faster than the etiquette lessons. The lesson that daysted for one hour. You must clean more quietly! You are raising dust! When the dancing lessons were finished, it was cleaning. You must be able to clean even if you are a noble. Or else it will ruin both your reputations. If they did not have butlers or maids, the wife must take care of the husband. And so a wife must be able to do the housework at a high level. Or so Malloum said. However, Beana was on the impatient side, and she enjoyed this part of her education the least. Yes, now flip that over! Ah, that is no good at all. Dont be so forceful. Look what you did to the shape. When the cleaning was finished, it was time to cook. Beana was currently making an omelet. It was aplex dish. The ones that turned out bad were eaten by the servants(providing they were actually in an edible state). She woke up at 6 and had lessons until 8 in the night. As young as Beana was, she was exhausted. She was allowed to take a bath when the day was over, but even that was part of her lessons. You may have to bathe with other noblewomen. You must cover yourself with a towel and remember to not stay in the water for too long. And be careful not to ssh water on others. Yes Do not move around in the water. You must not allow it to ssh when you step inside. Yes She wanted to bathe to rx her tired body, but Beana only became more tired. Ahh, Im so tired Beana felt that it would not be long until she got lessons on how to sleep. And of course, this became a reality. Listen to me. You may not go to bed before your husband. Wait for him to go inside and then say excuse me, before entering. Beana was about ready to explode once these instructions started toe. Still, she kept silent that day and went to her room. In her room, there was a letter from the Earl on her table. Earl Kuzuma would write to her from the capital like this once a week. To my dear Beana. I hope you are well. I am currently very busy with reevaluating the kingdoms annual spending. Things are rather bad due to the recent Golem Party incident and the Unifier incident. He started by talking about his days and what was happening in the capital. I know that you must also be busy with your lessons, but I will return in July, so please wait for me. I cannot wait to see you again. Its what keeps me going through my busy schedule. Please take care of your health. From Asunto, with love. Lewis Wurtz Kuzuma. Huhhh. There was a box next to Beanas pillow that was full of these letters. She would read them whenever things were hard or when she felt sad or bad. And they would make her feel better. But of course, it made her the happiest to read new letters. I will do my best tomorrow as well. Beana told herself as she went to sleep. Chapter 365: A Tiresome Party

Chapter 365: A Tiresome Party

The hall where the wedding banquet for Reinhart and Belche is being held overflows with life and joy. Reinharts brother, Leonhart, is the familys representative on the grooms side. The same role is being fulfilled on the brides side by Belches brother, Matheus. After they delivered their short but heartfelt speeches, the groom and bride begin serving all attendees. Both Reinhart and Belche are pouring wine into the sses of all of the guests. After almost thirty sses were filled, a toast is called for. Lets make a toast to the future of these two promising young ones! Reinharts father, Wolfgang, raises his ss and after saying such words, drinks it up in one gulp. After that, the room turns into chatter. Even though there are chairs prepared for the guests, this is basically a standing buffet party. Jin and Saki are standing next to a wall, since theyre not that good at dealing with that kind of noise anyway. Now Reinhart is a feudal lord, huh? Saki murmurs that as she takes off her sses and absentmindedly looks around the room. Ah, thats right. What will our diplomat do now? Lady Belche No, his wife is a very reliable person, so even in his absence shes more than fit for an official role. Saki says things like Belche has a good sense of economy and Shell take good care of him with a smile on her face. Im definitely no match for her, huh? After saying those words, a trickle of tears found their way out of the smiling Sakis eyes. Ah? Saki hurriedly wipes herself off with the back of her hand. Its weird, huh And I had put my feelings in order Her tears continue to spill over and over, no matter how much she wipes herself clean. Seeing that, Jin thinks to himself I knew it. So, Jin takes Saki outside of the room from a side door while nobody is watching. You still think of Reinhart, dont you? Yeah It looks like that. Jin Im sorry that you have to see me like this. Sakis voice breaks as she speaks, tears still rolling down her eyes. That doesnt bother me at all. But dont let Reinhart or Belche see you like this. Hmph, I know that. If they see me like this, I would have been putting up with this for nothing Only you and Elsa are the ones who know about my feelings. Huh? Jin is surprised to hear Elsas name. A long time ago, I talked about my feelings with Elsa. I think she was 12 or 13 years old at the time. Sakis eyes look distant, as if reminiscing the past. Back then, I only needed to take it out of my chest with someone. Elsa listened to me without saying a word. Well, maybe that was because she was still too young and probably didnt know what to tell me, but still. Jin nods, agreeing with Saki that that is the most likely scenario. Id like to see her again someday. Sakis tears finally stop, and with her smile back on her face, the two of them go back to the main room. Ah, Saki, Ive been looking for you! The woman in front of us is about as tall as Saki, maybe a little shorter. tinum blonde hair with grey eyes, and a lean figure. Oh, Aunt Karen. Its rare to see you apanied by a man other than Reinhart. And he looks like hes from the Egrea Kingdom. Will you introduce us? Said the woman while eyeing Jin. Ah, this is Jin Nidou, hes a close friend of Reinhart. As you can see, hes the Honorary Magi Craftsman Im Jin Nidou. Jin nods lightly. Jin, this is my aunt Karen Theoderic Von Banarth. Nice to meet you. Sakis aunt introduces herself in the middle of Sakis introduction. Jin thinks that she might be a little impatient. And Saki, stop calling me aunt. Ho ho! Got it, Karen. See, thats much better. And I see that you havent changed that weird way ofughing of yours. Even though Father, your grandfather, told you to take care of it Hmph! But this is like a bad habit of mine. Its not something I can easily get rid of. Good grief, youre helpless. Karen sighs as she says that, and turns to Jin. Jin, you probably already know this, but Im the youngest daughter, and Saki is the daughter of my eldest sister. Thats why even though Im her aunt, Im actually younger than her. Karen begins to talk about it even though no one has asked her. Jin thinks that this may be yet another aspect of her personality that she cannot hide. ording to her, Sakis mother - Shirley Theoderic Von Morley - left the marquis and ran off with Toa Eschenbach when she was 15 years old. The marquis himself was 16 at the time. Saki was born a yearter. Two years after that, Sakis mother passed away at age 18. On the other hand, Karens mother is Emma, the marquis fourth wife. ording to Karen, the marquis has been single ever since Emma too passed away back when Karen was 12. Jin feels a little bored about being told so many unwanted details about the familys affairs. At that moment, Reinhart and Belche appear. Hey, Jin, Saki. Thanks for being here today. Oh, youre with Karen too? Reinhart seems to know Karen from before. Thank you, Reinhart, Belche. You two look so happy. You seem to be doing great too, Karen. How is the marquis doing these days? This is a standard greeting between the two of them, but Karen frowns a little. Hmm, Ive been a little worried that he might not be doing so well, hes been losing some weight His mood is not as good either these days. Did something happen? I dont know whats wrong with him getting thinner. He just doesnt have that much of an appetite these days Well, thats not something to be too happy about either, I guess. I think its that Elsa whos affecting his mood. He seems to get crankier when shes not around. As for me Im sorry, but I dont want her to be my stepmother, it feels weird knowing that my future stepmother is the same age as me. Reinhart cant resist the urge tough upon hearing such unrestrained words. All of your sisters are married, and if you were to find a husband, Karen then the marquis wont be talking about his own new wife, right? But no man will ever good enough for me in my fathers eyes. Reinhart doese from a fine lineage, though The first to react to that is Belche. Im afraid thats not possible. Reinhart is my husband. Belche res at Karen while holding Reinharts arm tightly. Hahaha! I know, I know. I dont go taking peoples husbands or anything like that. The same goes for Jin, okay? Dont worry Saki, I wont take him away from you. Hearing that, Saki gets unusually flustered in denial. Ka Karen! Jin and I dont have that kind of rtionship! Oh, is that so? Then, wont you be my husband, Jin? Youd eventually be the marquis sessor. Karenughs mischievously. It doesnt look like shes serious, but Jin still inly refuses. Im sorry, but I have no interest in political power and things like that. Oh, how rare! If thats what the Honorary Magi Craftsman says, if he wants to continue to be amoner, maybe your father can ept him. Saki, wont youe back home? Karens words, calling Sakis father amoner, remind me of him. This is where I live now. Please tell that to the marquis. But Saki doesnt seem to want to go back to the marquis state. Karen looks a little disappointed. Right, just as I thought. But do remember that that ce is still your home. You can count on us in case something goes wrong. Yeah, Ill consider it if anything happens. Karen rounds up the conversation with Jin and Saki in order to go chat with other people. Well then, see youter. Good grief, greeting everyone sure is not an easy task. After Karen leaves, Jin asks a nearby waiter for some fresh juice. He then drinks it in one gulp. Oh, are you tired, Jin? Says a smiling Saki. Yeah, Im a little tired. This many people in one room is too much for me to bear. Hmm, right, right. Thats why I wouldnt want to be a noble myself. Saki gets the same fresh juice Jin had earlier, and drinks it slowly. At that time, they hear something being said in a low but clear voice. Hmph! Even though hes not a legitimate child, they go and give him territory. Upon hearing that, Saki literally flies towards the man who said those words. What did you say!? Say that again! Wha what do you mean? The man had been takenpletely by surprise due to Sakis rush attack, but he soonposes himself. Hmph! Theres nothing wrong with saying the truth. His three brothers are legitimate children, but isnt that guys mother is nothing but a mistress. Heughs scornfully as he replies. A sound echoes through the room. Saki had pped the man with all of her strength. Wha whaaat? What do you know? Lord Wolfgangs former wife, Lady Sophia, gave birth to Leonhart at age sixteen, Wilhart at age neen, and Elhart at age twenty-one, then passed away when she was twenty-two years old. Lord Wolfgang thought about remarrying for the sake of his young sons, and hoped to take Lady Sophias younger sister, Lady Isolde as his second wife. But to Lady Isolde, the position of legitimate wife only ever belonged to her sister, so they decided to live in concubinage. Then Reinhart was born. You speak as if you knew everything, but you know nothing. The other man seems impressed by Sakis words. However Hmph! Im Gunther Kirhoff Von Dust, Viscount Kirhoffs heir, you know? Are you sure you should be talking to me like that? The man waves his social position around just for the sake of offering some sort of resistance to Sakis words. Oh, I see, youre the son of Viscount Kirhoff. Ho ho! Now that you mention it, Ive heard the viscount say that his son is quite the rascal. Wh what? Then, Saki follows with a broad grin, and continues: Youve given out your name, so Ill do the same. Im Saki Theoderic Von Silva. Saki introduces herself using her name given by the marquis family side. Gunther ispletely taken aback. The Theoderic? He goes pale after hearing that family name. Ohoho! Thats right! Your family branches off mine! I Im terribly sorry! Please forgive my continuous ranting! He jumps down as if throwing himself from two meters high, and dives his head on top of the floor while getting on all fours. Saki fires off in a cold voice: Im not the one you should be apologizing to. You should be apologizing to everybody here. Understood? Y Yes! Gunther lowers his head again. E Everybody! I deeply apologize for my thoughtless words. I spoke of things I do not know of without thinking. Im very sorry! After saying that loud and clear, he leaves the room. Hmph! Saki watches Gunther leave and lets off a sigh. The first one to approach her after that is Karen. Saki, that was impressive! Yes, be sure to speak your name clearly when youre like that. The next one is Jin. Saki, you were so cool there! You looked how should I put it? Handsome? Hey, Jin! Is that how you praise a woman? Jin cant help butugh. Ah, ahaha Then thest ones are Reinhart and his mother, Isolde. Saki, thank you for speaking up in my stead. I dont mind what he said about me, but Saki, Im d you got angry because of the things he said about my son. Thank you very much. Oh, its its nothing. Now Saki is scratching her head and feeling shy. Jin is impressed by Saki, seeing how furious Saki had be, to the point of using the name she hates in order to protect both Reinhart and his mothers honor. At the same time, his view of Saki as a truly reliable person intensifies. Chapter 366: Invitation

Chapter 366: Invitation

Although some things happened, the banquet ended peacefully and all the attendees were separated into groups-those who were staying at Randalls ce, those who were staying at the citys hotel and those who returned. As for Jin and Saki, they were to stay at Randalls ce tonight. Now that the attendees were gone and serenity had returned to the Randall house, Reinhart and Belche went around looking at the congrattory gifts they received. This is from Matheus, huh? Reinhart muttered, looking at the mythril short sword. Its a present for Belche. And this is from Ms. Karen, right? A solid office table and chair with wonderful ornaments attached. It would perfectly fit into and lords room. This is from Jin, right? A firmly made bed and pure white Japanese-style mattress. He remembered that feel. The mattress was made from magi silk. He wasnt aware of anyone who could make such a thing other than Jin. Master Reinhart, this mattress, it feels wonderful! It seems Belche also fell in love with it at once. Bell, we are already married, so you know do you want to try and change the way we call each other? Eh? Ah, yes thats right, dear Yes, you I will actually go with Bell. Yes, I also like it when you call me Bell. It was such a scene which would make his heartburn if someone saw it. And then they reached the mascot doll. Wah, such an adorable mascot! Dear, look! This mascots arms and legs also move! Lets see, lets see Hoho, this is amazing! The structure is simr to an automata! As expected of Reinhart, it seems he has seen through the mechanism of the mascot doll Elsa built. Hmm, there arent many people who can make such borate doll But I dont know anyone who makes it in this style No, it resembles Jins a little but it isnt Jin Having seen countless products made by Jin, Reinhart came to the conclusion that while the doll certainly resembles Jins style, its outline is different. (Can it be? No) Someone whos close to Jin, can use engineering magic and would send Reinhart a gift. Theres only one person he could think of. However, he couldnt quite believe that that person was this skilled. (Even if I assume that she has started learning, can one really create something like this in just a month and a half?) It was so borate that Reinhart wasnt sure if he himself could make it or not. That cousin of his, whom he thought of like his own little sister. (Well, I can find out if I ask Jin.) Telling himself that, Reinhart moved on to the next gift. Belche realized Reinhart was thinking about something and so she let him be and went on to look at the other gifts. Dear, this jewel box is from Ms. Saki. She said happily, holding it up, as Reinhart came closer. In another room, Jin and Saki were having a conversation, looking all exhausted. Saki had taken off her sses. If youre not used to it, your eyes can get tired having it on all the time. Ahh, its over Its over, huh? I came because it was Reinharts marriage ceremony but I wouldnt likeing to something like this frequently. Kufufu, it seems youre not good with things like this, huh? In response to Sakis banter, Jin asked Well, do you like them, then?. I dont really like them either. To which Saki replied readily. Soon after my mother passed away, I was taken in by the marquiss family for a while. They taught me etiquette there. But I hated it, hated it so much that I couldnt stand it. My father was still a novice in alchemy so he didnt have the leeway to raise me as well so I had no other choice. Hmmm. Saki began talking about her upbringing. Jin shifted to the listeners role and gave appropriate responses in between. By the time I was 16 years old, my father was finally recognized as a respectable, full-fledged alchemist. I ran away from that house and went straight to my father. It must have been tough. Yeah. And right around that time, aunt Karens mother, Ms. Ema, passed away. The marquiss probably couldnt bother worrying about me. A lot has happened, it seems. Yep. And well, I also followed in my fathers footsteps and started learning about alchemy. I was dumbfounded when I got to know that in this world, there are way more things that we dont know about than things we actually know of. Yeah, I get that. The more you learn, the more you find out about how ignorant you were-Jin remembered someone saying that. I, for one, think that learning is done to make people happy. So I also think alchemy should also be doing that and so I am making an effort to do just that. So that is why she was researching saps which coulde in handy the other day Jin thought. Although, for my father, it was more to fulfill his thirst for knowledge. Saki said with augh. I also want to make tools and magic tools which help the people. Jin also stated his thoughts. Really? That makes me happy. Jin, will you cooperate with me on things from here on out as well? Yeah, Id be happy to. Having willingly epted Sakis request, Jin decided to ask about one thing that was on his mind. Hey, Saki. In this worl country, is there something like a marriage vacation trip-type of thing? Marriage vacation? Judging from the wording, you mean a vacation the married couple goes on? No, not that I have heard of. Newly wed couple can forget about work for a week to 10 days and thats about it. If I were to call it something, it would be newly-wed holiday, I supposed. Well, they do go out around the neighborhood, I guess. I see If so, then I could invite Reinhart, Belche and Saki - Jin started thinking. Saki, have you ever been outside the country? Mm? I have never been outside of Shouro empire. My father is always going around from ce to ce, though. I see. So, would you like to visit some foreign country, then? Hearing Jins question, Saki answered after an impishugh. Kufufu, Jin, will you take me? If so, I would like to go. Unfamiliarnd, products. Even more so now cause I heard about Reinhart and your travel stories the other day. Hmm, yeah, someday. Saki was somewhat satisfied hearing Jins ambiguous answer. Someday, eh? Hmm, I will be waiting. I dont think I will be needing to wait long, though, since its you. That night, after dinner, Jin had a private talk with Reinhart. At Reinharts workshop. Well, Jin, what is it? This secret talk you wanted to have? Ah, yeah, its actually about honeymoon. Honeymoon? And there, Jin told him about the custom of honeymoon in Earth. Hmm, thats interesting. As he thought, Reinhart took the bait. And so, I wanted to invite you and Ms. Belche, and Saki, to Kaina vige or Hourai ind. Kaina vige, eh? Thats the vige you have as a leaseholdnd, right? Reinhart decided immediately. Sounds good! I would like to go! Alright, then lets decide on the schedule. And so, Jin and Reinhart discussed about what to do with the schedule and how to gloss over their absence while they are in Kaina vige. And as a result of that discussion, they decided that first, Jin and Saki will head to Sakis home tomorrow and head to Kaina vige from there. And the day following that, the morning of the 4th, Jin wille back to take Reinhart and Belche. Well, they probably wont ask much if I just say were going to have a long carriage ride together. It is inside the territory as well so - Reinhart was optimistic. He couldnt leave Belche alone for too long either so the private talk came to an end there. Well then, I will keep the destination and method of travel a secret to Belche. Yeah, I will leave that to you. Saying that, both of them grinned at each other. And so, I invite you to Kaina vige of Kurain kingdom tomorrow. I dont know how or what this came to be so quick, but I will dly ept. Jin talked to Saki after returning to the main building. Kufu, I had thought you wouldnt make me wait long but to think it would be this fast, huh? Saki said with a joyful smile. Chapter 367: Saki and Kaina Village

Chapter 367: Saki and Kaina Vige

June 2nd. Jin and Saki take their leave from Randall Manor. Well then, Reinhart, see youter. Belche No, Ms. Randall, I wish you all the best. Hehe! Belches face goespletely red. Jin is desperately trying to say Last night was really fun!. Soon after that, Jin, Saki, Reiko, and Ehr are riding Jins carriage. Hey Jin, your riding is finally getting better. Its no surprise, though. Finally, huh? Aw, dont say that. Its nothing to be ashamed of! Back when you gave me these sses, they were such a novelty to me that I failed to pay attention to anything else. Thats your fault, you know? Now youre just arguing for the sake of it. Hehe, thats what you say. After a trip full of such idle conversations, we finally arrive at Sakis house. Well then, what should I do now? Ah, just your hand luggage is fine. If you need anything else, Ill arrange for it to be picked upter. A Warp Gate, was it? I cant wait to experience an artifact first-hand. The high-spirited Saki disappears into the house with Ehr, andes back out after a few minutes. Their speed is partly thanks to Ehrs diligence. Ehr is now wearing ck butler clothes. Saki is wearing a shirt and slender trousers. Theyre not only clean, but they also look rather normal. Jin doesnt really care about changing clothes, because he has everything he could need where theyre going. All right, shall we go? While Saki was getting ready inside the house, Jin had put the carriage in a barn. Since the barns entrance was too small for the carriage, he had secretly destroyed the entrance momentarily and then repaired it. Hmm, so you put the carriage into the barn, huh? This barn rarely sees any use since we dont have anything to put inside it, so thats fine. Steward, Ill be managing the carriage. Yes, master. Saki looks at such a master-and-subordinate exchange with a sharp eye. This golem also seems to be very efficient, despite its appearance, huh? Yeah. Jin answers lightly as he opens the door of the Warp Gate, which is installed inside the carriage. Well, Saki, take my hand. Reiko, take Ehrs hand. Yes, father. I see, so you cannot use it unless you have the same pattern of magical power as Jin? But what is magical power, anyway? Jin murmurs Something like alchemy as a reply, and drags Saki by the hand as he enters the Warp Gate himself. As an exception this time, the gate had been adjusted so it could go straight to Kaina Vige without passing through the base midway. The exit point of the gate is a shelter. Ehh? Did I just move? I didnt feel anything at all, but Im definitely somewhere else! After Sakis excitement fades, she seems to pull herself together enough to have a look around. Where are we? Sakis voice seems to be filled with great interest. The inside of the shelter is bright thanks to a magical lightbulb that turns itself on whenever it senses someone inside. This is a shelter just outside of Kaina Vige Its an evacuation site prepared in case of a disaster. Hmm, so its an underground living space. There seems to be a ce for food storage too. Theres a lot of thought put in here. Saki analyzes the use of the shelter while looking around restlessly. Well then, shall we go outside? Yeah, lets go. The two of them exit the shelter. Huh!? The first thing that draws her attention is Nidou Castle, which towers before her. Hey, Jin, what is that building? Ah, thats my castle. Nidou Castle. A a castle? Yeah. Ill show you insideter, but for now, lets go to the vige. O okay. Jin walks towards Kaina Vige while dragging Saki along, whose eyes are still fixed on Nidou Castle. The time difference between Kaina Vige and Vanne is approximately three hours. They left for Kaina Vige at 11:30 AM, so its just after 3 PM now. The vigers are gradually finishing their work for the day and returning home. Saki, Ehr, and Reiko walk alongside Jin, and find Rock on his way back from work. Oh, Jin, wee back! Whos your friend? Hello, Rock. This is Saki. Nice to meet you. Oh, Im Rock. Nice to meet you too. After meeting several other people and having simr conversations with each of them, they finally arrive at Marthas house. Ah, wee back, big brother! Hannah, whos standing outside the house, quickly notices Jin. Her pronunciation is much better now that her teeth are growing back. Hello, Hanna. Whos your friend? This time, Saki introduces herself. Hello, Im Saki. Nice to meet you. Can I call you Hannah-chan? Umm just Hannah is okay. Ah, I see. Shes such a beautiful girl, Jin. Is she your little sister? Saki asks Jin with a smile on her face. Jin lets out augh and answers. Yes. Were not rted by blood, though. And theres one more girl like her Hehe, is that so? I cant wait for you to introduce me to her. After hearing their conversation from the garden, Elsa makes her appearance. Oh, Jin-nii, youre back? Eh? Saki nee? E Elsa? Both Elsa and Saki are at a loss for words. Neither of them had expected to meet here, after all. After talking to Reinhart, weve agreed to hide Elsa here. Saki finally reacts after hearing Jins words. I I see. Of course. Long time no see, Elsa. My, youve grown! Saki-nee! Elsa runs towards Saki and hugs her. Saki returns the hug, gently stroking Elsas hair. Im so sorry, Elsa Because of that lecherous marquis, you have to live in hiding. No, dont worry. Ive cast the Randall name aside. Now Im just a girl called Elsa who lives in this vige. Mama is here with me too, so I dont feel lonely. Mama? Yes. Mama Mine. Hearing that, Saki nods in consent. I see, so Mine is your mother, Elsa. For some reason, I thought thatd be the case At that moment, Mine returns. Shes holding a basket of vegetables in one hand. Lady Saki? Mine! Long time no see! You seem well! Right! It must have been, what, two years since we met after going on that trip? Ah, youre probably right. Ah, what are you doing stand here talking,e inside! Jin exins the situation to Martha, who hade to see what was the ruckus all about in the garden. After that, they all go inside Marthas house. Martha pours some Percha tea as soon as the water breaks into a boil. The biscuits served are dried Wileys. Wileys are sour as wild strawberries, but when dried, they be a sweet and delicious treat. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. Jin begins to briefly exin what happened since his departure the day before yesterday. Saki-nee has helped me a lot back in my home country. Shes an alchemist who knows many things. Elsa is the one to introduce Saki to the rest. Hehe, Im happy you say such things about me, Elsa. But ever since Ive met Jin, Im reminded every day just how inexperienced I really am. After saying that, she takes off her sses and puts them on the table. These are called sses. Jin made them for me. When I put them on, I can clearly see the world which has always been a blur in my eyes. I cant thank him enough. Thats how Jin-nii is afterall. Yes. Im very happy and relieved that you are his protegee, Elsa. As Saki continues to drink her tea, her attention shifts to Edgar, who is standing behind Elsa. By the way, Elsa whos that Automata? Oh? Him? This is the first Automata Ive ever made. His name is Edgar. I am Edgar. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Saki seems to be taken by surprise after hearing that. What!? Did you make him yourself, Elsa? Did you be a Magi Engineer? Yes. Jin-nii taught me. Saki nods in consent several times after hearing that answer. I see, I see. Well, with Jin as a teacher, youre sure to make quick progress. And whos the Automata behind you, Saki? This time, Elsa is looking at Ehr. Ah, this is Ehr. Jin, Reinhart and I worked to build him, but Jin made most of the work. I am Ehr. Nice to meet you, Lady Elsa, everyone. Sara stands behind Mine, and Reiko stands next to Jin. Saki has Ehr, and Elsa is followed by Edgar. These automatas and golems are like brothers and sisters, or like cousins. They seem to be having a silent conversation, exchanging greetings only with their eyes This all makes for a very rxing space. Chapter 368: Saki and Elsa

Chapter 368: Saki and Elsa

Okay, so are Rein-nii and Belcheing? Yes. I invited them, so they should be here the day after tomorrow. Jin informs Elsa about Reinhart and Belches arrival. Im looking forward to it. After that conversation is over, Martha approaches Jin. So, Jin, will Saki be staying at your castle? Yes, thats the n. Then Ill stay too., Says Elsa, jumping into the conversation. Oh, sure. Well then, Martha, wont you join us for dinner at Nidou Castle? Jin invites Martha and Hannah, saying that food tastes the best when shared with everybody. Mine will also be going as a waitress. Youre right, eating together once in a while is great. Ah, Im looking forward to it! Both Martha and Hannah agree, so they all go over to Nidou Castle. The caretakers in duty are Sara and Butler-A. Ive wanted toe to your castle ever since the banquet, Jin. Martha seems to be rather cheerful about it. Ah, Master Jin, wee home! Berees out of the castle to receive Jin and the others. Hello, Bere. How have you been? Great! Barrow and I are doing just fine! Are we having guests today? Bere asks as she sees Saki. She recognizes Martha, Hannah, and Elsa, but Sakis face is the first one that she notices. Ah, this is Saki. Shes my guest today. Shes an alchemist from Shouro Empire. Wow, is that so? After seeing Beres reaction, Saki asks Jin a question. Jin, is she from there too? Yeah. Both Bere and Barrow, the other apprentice butler, are from Shouro Empire as well. Then, Bere continues Jins exnation. Thats right. I used to work in the Celuroa Kingdom, but the family of nobles that I worked for fell into ruin and had to let me go. Bere gives out a very resumed exnation about her situation, rather than going into too much detail. I see, youve been through a lot. No, Im d it turned out this way, I get to work here instead. Bere, you cant just stand there talking Wee, Master Jin. Barrow appears from inside the castle, reprimanding Bere. Ah, Im so sorry. Bere quickly apologizes and asks everyone to go inside the castle. Saki looks at Bere with a pleasant smile. The group enters the dining room on the first floor and resume their conversation. Saki seems to be captivated by Marthas personality and listens carefully to all of her stories. So, youe from far away country, dont you, Saki? You give off a slightly different feeling than Jin. Can you tell? I can. You two have a slightly different way of speaking. What Martha means by their way of speaking is their ent. There are almost no dialects or anything like that in such small groups of people, but it is inevitable that the ents would differ across the various regions. Incidentally, Jin has a Klein Kingdom-like ent, so he didnt feel out of ce back when he first appeared. Because of his long rtionship with Reinhart and Elsa, and the linguistic knowledge he had obtained when he was summoned, hes unconsciously able to change his ent depending on whoever hes speaking with. Jin-nii, how was Belche? Did she look pretty? Elsa is very interested in talking about the wedding. Ah, yes, she was very beautiful. Come on big brother! Give us more details! Hannah is very interested in that as well. Just as she finishes saying that, the chime of a bell echoes through the room. Huh? What? The one to answer Jins question is Butler-B, whoes into the room. That is a Time Bell. It chimes at 7 AM, at Noon, and at 5 PM. Were still testing it, but it seems to be quite popr. I see. Jin had thought about asking if this was Laojuns doing, but kept silent in front of Martha. Thats most certainly the case. That Laojun is doing a great job. Dear guests, it is 5 PM. Shall we begin preparing your meal? Barrow speaks with a determined tone of voice and demeanor. Mine nods at the fruits of his education. Sure, go ahead. Understood. His back facing the kitchen, he seems to have be more reliable than before. Saki seems to enjoy the unusual vor of the dinner, which is abination of Kaina Vige and Shouro Empire dishes. After the dinner, Jin poured actual green tea for everyone. This is the green tea that he received from Reinhart earlier. Oh, this tea is delicious. I like this taste! Green tea? Martha, Hanna, and Elsa all show their impressions of the tea. Jin regrets having eaten all of the biscuits. Martha and Mine return home before dark, and Elsa stays together with Saki. And as for Hannah I dont want to bother your guests, so Ill be heading home now. See you tomorrow, big brother! After speaking in such a mature way, she returns home together with Martha. Even Hannah has grown up so much. Jin is impressed, and at the same time, a bit nostalgic. Well then, the bath will be ready if you two want to get in. Jin prefers taking a bath before a meal, but today he missed his chance for that since he had gotten caught up in conversation. Nidou Castle also has a bath for visitors. But sadly, there are no natural hot springs here, so its not exactly like the ones one would find at a Japanese-styled bathhouse. Theres a family-sized bath on the first floor, and a public-sized one in the basement. Elsa and Saki go to the family-sized one. Oh, its not a shower, but sort of like a bathtub? This is nice! So says Saki, as she puts one foot into the water after undressing in the dressing room next to the bath. But the onsen back at the vige is even better. Says Elsa, adding to Sakis statement. Onsen? Whats an onsen? Its a huge bath that uses natural hot springs from underground. Its Kaina Viges specialty. Shall we go there tomorrow morning? Ooh, yeah, lets! Saki submerges for a second and then emerges, stretching her limbs. Aah, taking a dip like this feels nice. This is great! Saki-nee, do you still live as unconventionally as ever? Elsa asks her question as she stretches out as well. Saki makes an ugly face in response to that sharp question. Ohoho, thats embarrassing! But hey, I made Ehr the other day, so things are getting better. Even the way youugh is still the same. Oho, everyone tells me that. Does it make you ufortable? Well, I think its very you. Ohoho, thats so cute, Elsa! Saki smiles and strokes Elsas head. Elsa asks Saki another question. About that automata you said you made him together with Jin-nii and Rein-nii, right? Yeah. It was lots of fun. And you, Elsa? Edgar, was it? So, you made him? Saki replies to Elsas question with a question of her own. Yeah. I was able to do it because Jin-nii was there with me. Saki stares at Elsa. You sure have grown, Elsa. You seem different than how you were before your journey here. Is that so? Did you experience many things in your travels? Could you tell me about it in detail? Sure. And so, Elsa and Saki cheerfully share stories for the rest of their bath and continue talking about them until they get back to the guest room. Chapter 369: Girls’ Talk

Chapter 369: Girls Talk

This time, Saki and Elsa stayed over in the guest rooms on the 2nd floor. It is a Japanese styled room as requested by Elsa. Oh, this is an interesting room In the center was a Zataku and with it came the Zabuton and Zaisu. Zataku - low table Zabuton - floor cushion Zaisu - legless chair or tatami chair It seemed like Saki liked the feeling of stepping into the room barefooted. This is called a Tatami. I like to lie down on here. Elsa flopped down onto the floor and Saki, copying her actions, lied down too. Its cool and not damp at all. We cant get this feeling with carpets Saki also came to like lying down. Yup! And then, this futon. On the other side of the sliding door, there were futons spread out in the next room. This is reallyfortable to sleep on. The futons that the Golem Maids dried were nice and fluffy. Incidentally, the futons used in Marthas estate have all been exchanged for the same type. And for the vigers in Kaina Vige, they n on setting the price of the futon as the price of a normal one as a special value. The manufacturer being Elsa. The futon that Jin-nii sent Rai-nii was one like this Saki followed Elsas actions, lying down beside her and was once again surprised. This is wonderful! I want one in my house now too That is the impression that everyone will have after sleeping on this futon. Then, I will make one for you next time Thank you, Elsa! Saki happily hugged Elsa on top of the futon. This was a dangerous scene to look at. Because it was still early and Saki was from Shouro Empire with a time difference, it was too early to sleep. The two of them headed back to the previous room and sat at the zataku. Saki was wearing the pajamas for guests so it wasfortable. There was nothing left to explore so Saki returned to herx position. In other words, she was lying down and holding her head with her hand. Somewhat like an old man. You never change huh, Saki-nee Kufu, yeah, I am me after all. Youre well mannered as usual too, Elsa. When she was young, Saki had been strictly taught manners which had bacshed and now she sometimes ends up showing herself in this manner. On the other hand, Elsa was so well mannered that it seemed like a lie that she was a tomboy in her earlier years. Yes, I have also been told that by mother Aah, I see. As I thought, you told me Mineno, Mine-san was your mother. Just like Reinhart, Saki too spected that Mine was Elsas mother. But, how should I put it, Mine-san back then was so fierce but when I met her today, she seems really gentle and nice. Mm, Mother is really kind. Elsa showed Saki a happy smile, affirming her statement. Elsa, youve got a nice smile now. Before you left on your journey, you seemed like youck emotions. And, hows our meeting after all this time? Is it thanks to Jin? Yes. I owe Jin-nii a lot. I didnt mean it that way but I guess its fine. Elsa, if its alright with you, will you let me hear the continuation of the story you were telling me in the bath? Since this is the first time I left my country, I am really interested. Okay Answering Sakis request, Elsa continued her story, stammering. Saki also sat up to listen. She had told Saki from the day she departed with Reinhardt to the part where Reinhardts Schwarzlitter destroyed the Amadas Warrior in Serroa Kingdom. Um. After that, we headed to Elias Kingdom She talked about the Golem Boat tournament she participated in the Elias Kingdom, which is also where she met Jin. About how she started her journey with Jin. All the memories of thead Vige, Moft Vige, Hanbalf Pass. The time when they were attacked by bandits and golems. The time when she became friends with Hina in the Egeria Kingdom. The Golem Party and the riot. The time she ran away because she didnt want to be engaged with the marquis. The stories continued and before they knew it, it was already midnight, but thanks to the auto light-emitting AL, the two continued their story. I see, I understand that feeling. Elsa and that marquis dont fit well with each other at all. That pervert. When it came to the story of Elsa running, Saki was angered by the desire of that old man. She eximed that its because of him Elsa was put in danger. Yesbut father probably wished for it. Well, that might be a possibility too. But, that wouldnt have happened if that old man didnt fall for you in the first ce. Saki urged Elsa to continue her story which Elsa once again, started. The time when she was saved by Jin. The time when she was introduced as Jins younger sister. The time they moved to Kaina Vige. For the time being, she didnt say anything about the fact that Jin was from another world, nor about the Hourai Ind 9 or Konron Ind. The time she went to Kurain Kingdoms capital, Alban. The time where she met the queen of Rischen. And atst, how she is currently learning about Magi Craft. I see, you have gathered a lot of good experiences havent you, Elsa? I am a bit jealous. Saki, smiled andughed. No wonder you grew up as a person too. Elsa turned red from Sakis words. I am still inexperienced. I am not even close to Jin-niis level in Magi Craft. No, even setting a goal to reaching Jin is a big deal already. Even though it hasnt been a month since I met him, I know his level. Without a doubt, his skills are second to none in this world. Yes, I already know that. Fufu, already know, huh? You know that fact and made him your goal, I see. Elsa, you are suited to be Jins younger sister. Thank you? Even as the night passed, the conversation between the two didnt end. Im sleepy. Fwaa~, we stayed up a bit toote. It was 6 in the morning. Yesterday, they requested Al and Edgar to wake them up at this time so the two of them somehow got out of bed, rubbing their eyes. The reason for waking up at this time was for their morning bath to enter the hot spring. Holding their bath towel and change of clothes, they headed outside. The early summer morning had already brightened, and the morning light shined upon the Nido Castle But, this is one unique castle. The view from this roofno, the top floor is exceptional. Hou, that sounds nice. Lets ask Jinter then. As they continued their conversation, they headed into the center of the Kaina Vige. This is the hot spring. The two of them headed into the female bath. Al and Edgar were outside waiting. They changed their clothes in the changing room and headed inside. Today, there were no customers and the spring was reserved. They could immerse themselves without worries and stretch themselves out. This feels amazing/so nice. Hmmm, so this is a hot spring. The feeling of the hot water is certainly different. It feels like something is mixed with the water. Like an alchemist, Saki started to examine the properties of the spring water. Elsa didnt bother her and enjoyed the bath. It seems they were fully awake now. Sitting beside Elsa, Saki stretched out and looked over. Elsas hair had grown a bit. Though Mine has been cutting it, it was still longer than before. At that moment, another guest entered the bath. Ah, Elsa-san, good morning. Barbara-san, good morning. There, another chest had appeared which made Saki lose even more confidence in her chest. She was the Mayors niece, Barbara. A guest? Elsa answered Barbara, who was looking at Saki. Yes, this is Jin-niis guest, Saki-san. Saki-nee, this is the Mayors niece, Barbara. We are of the same age. Hello, its nice to meet you. I am Barbara. I am Saki. Nice to meet you. Saki, seeing the set of bouncy hills on Barbaras chest which swayed as she entered the bath, felt that the world is truly unfair. Im d I am not wearing my sses. Saki, sitting in the spring, told herself that if she can see them more clearly, she will be even more heartbroken. Chapter 370: Elsa makes glasses

Chapter 370: Elsa makes sses

After leaving the onsen, Saki and Elsa return to Nidou Castle. Since Jin was already up Jin-nii, I want to go to the viewing tform again. Elsa asks him for permission to go all the way up to the sixth floor. Then Ahh, phew. You two sure are slow. Elsa has the most physical resistance out of the three. Ooh, this is a nice view. Yeah, it looks nice from here. The mountains in the east are covered by the fresh greenery of early summer. The Erme River extends over the south, and the Togo Pass can be seen far away. A virgin forest extends across the west. Kaina Vige can be seen up north, and a high cial mountain is even further away. Such a quiet and nice view. Saki corrects her sses position as she says that. Saki-nee, could I see those sses of yours? Huh? Ah, sure. Here. Thanks. Elsa checks the sses structure as soon as she receives them. I see. Its the first time I see something like this. So these concave lenses are used to correct myopia And she continues. But Huh? They dont really look that good on you, Saki. Uh. Those words hit Jin like a truck. He had been just made self-conscious of his ownck of sense of design. Jin-nii, can you change their design a little? After hearing that, Jin suggests Elsa does it instead. It will be a good opportunity for practice. Sure, Ill give it a try. But that will have to wait until theyve finished their breakfast. They have tamagoyaki and barley porridge for breakfast. Then grilled river fish. And citran for dessert. Bere was in charge of preparing breakfast. Hmm, a sweet omelet? As Sakimented on the tamagoyaki, Jin seemed to savor it as if it were something he hasnt eaten in a long time. Elsa notices this, and says: Hey, Jin-nii, is this a dish from your country? Huh? Ah, yeah. Its a very popr dish. Though he seems sad that there is no soy sauce to season it. It would really bring out its vor. Hmm, citran? Theyre really tasty. The citran have been brought from Hourai Ind. Their vor is the real deal. With the exception of the citran, the whole breakfast clearly shows how much Beres culinary skills have improved. Jin calls Bere and makes sure to praise her for her improvement. Elsa and Saki also tell her they really enjoyed their meal. Thank you very much! I have been practicing and Im really d its paying off! Bere wees theirpliments with a smile and bows to the three of them. Well then, lets see if I can make these sses. Theyre now at Jins workshop, which is in Marthas house, in Kaina Vige. First, Elsa checks the materials. There are some rare materials brought all the way from Hourai Ind. Among them, Elsa finds some aluminum. Hmm, so that caught your eye, huh? Jin is impressed. Instead of aluminum, nowadays in Earth people use titanium as it is unlikely to cause allergies to metal, plus its a light material, making it perfect for making frames for eyesses. Then, Elsa chooses the material shell be using for the lenses: the same crystal that Jin chose back when he made Sakis sses. Separation. Forming. After setting aside the necessary amount of aluminum, she begins to process it. The basic structure is based off the sses made by Jin. Hmmm. Jin is impressed by the design. A rounded, horizontal elliptical shape. Close to an oval-like design. Jins prototype was made from 925 silver, but these are made from aluminum, which is stronger and allows for a slender finish. It is clear that Elsas design is far superior than Jins. This is a bit different than engineering, so it is no wonder than Jin loses this match. Separation. Forming. Next are the lenses. Elsa transforms the crystals into concave lenses, but ? Not knowing what to do about the lenses optical power, she silently stares at Jin. Noticing what she was trying to do, Jin offers his advice. First make a rough shape, then adjust it ordingly. Got it. Forming. Elsa start reworking her lenses. Then, Jin intercedes again. Wait, Elsa. Try to create a meniscus. Meniscus? The one to make that question is Saki. Yeah. A meniscus is like a crescent moon. Crescent moon? The moon of this world does not have phases. Saki is even more confused now. Ah Reiko, please exin for me. Yes, Father. Leaving the exnation to Reiko, who was feeling rather lonely for not having participated so far, Jin gives preference to offer guidance to Elsa. This is not to say that hes ignoring Saki. After all, these sses are for Saki. Well, this is how you create a meniscus. Forming. I see. It seems that during the TransInfo from the other day, she learned how to bend lenses easily. Still, while Jin seems to have understood something himself, Elsa quickly makes the lenses as she is being thought. Seeing that, Jin suddenly thinks of something. Oh, I see. Safety sses. When operating certain machinery, such asthe and milling machines, small metal or wood chippings maye flying out. Safety sses are useful to guard ones eyes from such hazards. These sses seem to be indispensable for an alchemist like Saki. Of course, they would be useful for Elsa and Jin, too. Leaving the making of Sakis sses entirely in Elsas hands, Jin decides to create some safety sses. He will be using the usual Muscovite as a material. Using Purify he removes all of the impurities, making it as transparent as possible. All right, like this. They dont have any optical power, so theyre easier to make. Lastly, since Muscovite is a soft material, he uses Hardening and Toughen. Having the safety sses break and their fragments getting into ones eyes simply because theyre not hard nor tough enough is noughing matter. Jin makes about 10 of those sses in the same way. As soon as Reiko finished her exnation, Saki casually looks at Jin, and a tear escapes from her round eyes. Haah I knew that Jin was different, but it seems that Im getting soft Saki lets out a sigh. Done. At about the same time, Elsa finishes her sses. Please try them on, Saki-nee. Ooh, so these are the sses you made for me, Elsa? Im so happy! After saying that, Saki puts the sses on. What do you think? Hmm Im so sorry, but it was easier for me to see with the other ones. Hearing that, Elsas shoulders drop down. To encourage her, Jin says: Elsa, if the sses dont fit her face properly, itll be harder to see with them. Thats why fine tuning is important. How do I do that? Since Jin doesnt have a clear theory to exin it easily with words, he decides to show what he means in a practical way. For that, he asks Reiko for assistance. Please sit here, Saki. Reiko, stand in front of her. Yes, Father. Reiko stands in front of Saki, who is now sitting down. Okay, Reiko. Check the center of the lenses against the center of Sakis pupils. Understood. After his first attempt at making eyesses, Jin had been wondering how to adjust them so that they suited Sakis eyesight better. Jin could have done the exnation himself, but since it he feels a little embarrassed to stare at the eyes of a young woman for too long, he chose to leave it to Reiko. This time, hes being more earnest than ever. Reikos eyes have many functions, one of them being the ability to measure with great precision. That ability is up to par to a Magi Craft Meister such as Jin. The left lens needs to go down by 5 milimeters. The right lens is fine where it is now. It is fundamental to minimize the deviation between the center of the lens and the center of the pupil. Elsa, have Saki put them on and make your adjustments from there. Sure. Under Jins guidance, Elsa adjusts the lenses, corrects the frames angles, and repositions the nose pads. How about now? Yes, this is much better. I can see clearly now! Since both lenses have the same optical power, they shouldnt feel ufortable at all. Thank you, Elsa. Im d you like them! So I guess you dont need those old sses anymore, huh? Saki excitedly waves her head in denial to Jinsment. Nonsense! These are the sses that you made for me, Jin. Ill always treasure them! I I see. Knowing the things they make are being treasured is the greatest joy for anyone who makes things. Though he wont say it, deep inside Jin feels very happy that Saki said that. Chapter 371: Visiting Classes

Chapter 371: Visiting sses

Since the sses werepleted, they leave the workshop and head towards mayor Gibbecks house. The reason for that is that today is the group study day. Its too bad that Elsa is not around, being that she is one of the teachers. Jin, what is this group study? Jin has a simple answer to Sakis question. Ah, you see, there are no schools in this vige. Because of that, childrene here for their basic studies. Reading, writing, mathematics, and stuff like that. Ooh, thats very interesting! So Elsa and Mine are the teachers? Yes, thats right. After that, seemingly deeply interested in the group study session, Saki says that she wants to go check it out. Since theres no harm doing that, and Saki is so eager to see the ss, they decide to visit the group study ss. Patty, whats 23 plus 8? Umm 31! Correct. And 57 plus 6? Umm Mario? Uhh 63! Yes, thats right. Today is math day. All the kids are adding two-digit numbers and 1-digit numbers without any problem. Very well. Then we will be starting to do some subtractions. Open your textbooks at page 21. The textbooks are written by a high-speed copying golem. Thin wood shavings are used as paper. This paper substitute is called Kyougi. They are reinforced with engineering magic so that they can be used as proper paper. Jin wanted to create actual paper for the books, but pulp alone does not do well when mixed with water. For this reason, Jin is still looking for some tree simr to the sunset hibiscus so that he can make Japanese-styled paper. The reason for that is that he doesnt really know the proper way to make paper. The only time hes ever made paper, it was from recycling milk cartons, and even then he had to mix it with a bit ofundry starch. I want something that is water-soluble, but that after drying it bes water-resistant It was hard to find such a thing here. If he were to find that kind of material, it would create a huge source of industry for Kaina Vige. Jin? Hey, Jin! Sakis voice brings Jin back to reality. Ah, wha what? Dont what? me! The ss is already over, and everyone went home for lunch. Shouldnt we head back as well? Then, after finishing tidying up the materials, Elsa and Mine show up. Shall we go back, Jin-nii? Lets head back, big brother! And so, together with Hanna, Saki, Elsa, Mine, and Reiko, Jin heads back to Marthas house. Wee back, everyone. The food is already on the table. Sara, the golem, stands by after having finished her preparations. Its a standard Kaina Vige lunch. A specialty bread and smoked beef, with a siding of vegetable sd. Jin had started to eat fruit and vegetables just to get a better vitamin intake, but nowadays hes eating them because he enjoys them. Mmm, this bread really is delicious. Its not really purely white, but maybe it looks white now because theres almost no crust in it? Ah, thats because it has flour on it. I did the sieving today! Ah, so you did that, Hanna? They continue to enjoy their lunch while chatting cheerfully. After finishing their lunch, Saki asks Hanna to show her how she sieves the flour. Umm, you put the flour in here and then you shake it. Hanna makes her demonstration using whole wheat flour. Oh! I see! Thanks, Hanna! Saki seems to have hit on a good idea. After gently brushing Hannas head and thanking her, Saki turns to Jin and Elsa. Jin, Elsa, I want your opinion on something. The three of them go back to Jins workshop. After looking at that sieve, I had an idea. Saki begins her exnation. I understand that sieves are used to separate big things from small things. Saki looks straight at Jin as she speaks. Agreeing with her reasoning, Jin nods. So I thought that it could be used for things other than flour. Like tea, for example. Ah, I see. Tea leaves are always inevitably mixed with small pieces of leaf dust. When leaves are stored, sometimes by friction or shaking, the leaves break apart into leaf dust, which is almost impossible to removepletely from the rest of the whole leaves. When this dust is mixed along with the tea leaves, they give a certain degree of unwanted bitterness to the resulting tea. If you sieve the tea leaves to remove the dust before making the tea, it should make it tastier. Jin is impressed. Saki has a broad field of vision for finding many practical uses for things. And theres more. It can be used to sieve soil and remove its impurities, you can make well-drained soil. Thats something that horticulturists do nowadays on Earth. The keyponent of the sieve is its. If one were to stretch a like this and attach it to the window, wouldnt it serve as a screen to keep bugs out? In other words, a bug screen. Those are great ideas, Saki. Well done! Oho! Im d to receive such praise from you, Jin. Well, I still need to think about how to make this. Here, when people speak ofs, all they can think about are things like fishings. Makings out of wire is not amon technique here. Since there is no nylon, the concept of a bug screen does not exist. Well, yes. But the first step is toe up with the idea. After thats done, its up to us engineers to think about how to bring those ideas into reality. Im sure Jin-nii can produce thes, but then again, theyre not that popr, arent they? Elsa shares her sharp opinion. Right. Unlike pen nibs and balls, its useless if we dont mass-produce theses. Thats right. This makes Jin think that hed wish there were merchants in Kaina Vige. And that wish woulde true through Laojun in the near future. Now, returning to the main topic. This time, Jin has a question for Saki. What he wants to know is if there is any sticky chemical agent that could be used to produce paper. Hmm, I think that theres a fruit from a certain nt that can produce that kind of stickiness. Do you mean ogura? Minees in with tea for everyone, and says the name of the fruit Saki mentioned. Ah, thats it. Ogura. Are those in bloom now? No, they bloom during midsummer. Mine, please tell me what you know about this ogura nt. Mine seems to know quite a bit about the topic, so Jin asks her many questions. It seems to be simr to Earths okra. Since Jin knows that okra and sunset hibiscus are both from the same mallow species, he decides to ask Laojun to get some through Reiko. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. Reiko,e here. Yes, Father. Listen, I need to get some ogura Saki smiles as she looks at Jin give out his indications in such a calm voice. Jin seems to be so affectionate towards Reiko Its a little different to how Ehr and I get along. How should I put it Ehr wants to take care of me. Without a moments dy, Elsa takes the opportunity to say something. Yes. Jin-nii is really close to Reiko. He even hugs her sometimes. Oho, that makes me feel a little jealous. Huh? What? Elsas face is full of suspicion, and at the same time, Sakis face shows that shes unable to understand her reaction. Their reactions are simr, but the feelings within arepletely different. If there was a cute girl just like Reiko, even if she were a doll or an automata, would it be her human emotions that he would like to hug? Dont you think that even I could want to hug such cute little kid, like Reiko? Is that so? Didnt you make a mascot doll for Reinhart, Elsa? Arent dolls cute? Elsa cant find the words to return to Sakis question. Well, sure, I do hug Non from time to time. Is that the same thing as Jin-nii wanting to hug Reiko? Well, grown men getting too close to girl-looking dolls does worry me a little. This conversation seems to be getting more and more weird. You girls Being the subject of the topic at hand, Jin looks at the two of them looking extremely unpleased, as if he had chewed on a bitter bug. Chapter 372: Wiley Picking

Chapter 372: Wiley Picking

Hanna? Are you there? Just then, Kurt, Jessie, Jim, Patty, and Mario came to see if Hanna was with them. Jin asked them what they were going to do, and they said that they were going wiley picking. Wileys were a type of wild strawberry. They were quite sour and not very good. However, they could be boiled and turned into jam. In Kaina vige, the children went berry picking and made jam in their own homes. However, as boiling the jam used a lot of fuel, it was only done rarely. That is, until Jin made a magic stovest year. And so households with children were all going to make jam this year. That sounds interesting. Mind if I go too? Saki had been listening and sounded very enthusiastic. And since Elsa went wherever Saki went, Jin decided to apany them as well. Of course, Reiko, Edgar, Ehr would go as well, which meant that Gon and Gen did not have to. Brother! Over here! Hah. Phew. Jin and Saki had underestimated how tough the kids were. Neither of them had much energy. On the other hand, Elsa was moderately active, and she walked on with the children who were carrying baskets. The wileys grew in a forest that was to the east of Kaina vige. There were many broad-leaved trees and it was rich with wild grass and flowers. The wileys were mostly found in a craggy area that was just a little further north from there. Of course, that meant that it was a little difficult to walk, and so Jin and Sakigged behind. Brother! There are wileys from around this area. Hanna informed him. Jin started to look around. Saki was searching as well. Oh, there they are. Hanna, do you mean these things? As she was wearing sses, Saki was able to find them before Jin was. Yes, that. Gather a lot, okay! After that, Jin and the children spread out in order to search for the wileys. Dont go anywhere dangerous. Jin warned. Yes. Got it. The children replied as they all disappeared into the forest. I guess I should too. Jin had been sitting down tiredly, but he now got up. Father. There are some over there. Reiko told Jin. However, Jin would have preferred to find them himself. And so he had Reiko take the ones she had found. Ripe wileys were soft and easy to squish, but now that Reiko had a sense of touch, she could gather them easily without breaking them. Ah, here they are. Jin found a clump of them and put them in the basket at his waist. Saki seemed to have a lot as well. Elsa was moving around quickly and had gathered a lot already. After an hour, the baskets were all full. And so they decided to empty theirs in the veryrge basket that Ehr was carrying. Therge basket was now nearly half full. They would have to gather for one more hour then. All right. Lets do this. The mischievous Kurt said as he excitedly ran off. Im good. What a coincidence. Me too. Jin and Saki had no energy and were currently regretting that they hadnt brought any water. Are you all right? Father? Master. Are you tired? Reiko and Ehr were both concerned about him. If he was being honest, he would have said that he had underestimated the trip, as it was a ce that children went. Jin tried biting into a wiley to see what it was like. But it was too sour and he didnt care for it at all. Saki was the same. There were a lot over there. Elsa returned. The basket on her waist was full of them. And then she looked at the exhausted pair. I think you two need more regr exercise. She said bluntly. Yes. I am ashamed. My father wouldnt be like this. Hes always flying around and looking for new things. Saki was an indoor person. Her father was an outdoor person. Just then Brother!! They heard Hanna shouting. What is it, Hanna? Jin stood up and rushed to the ce where Hanna was. Its terrible! Kurt and Jessie! Huh? Hannas face had gone pale. What happened? Elsa and Saki came running behind him. Kurt and Jessie fell off of the cliff. They did what!? And then the three of them followed Hanna as she headed into the forest. They walked through grass and shrubs until they reached a cliff that was about 10 meters high. There was a river running right underneath it. It was a nameless river that connected to the Elme river. See. Over there! They looked to where Hanna was pointing and saw that Jessie was hanging onto the side of the cliff at the halfway point, and Kurt was on the ground below him. The cliffside looked like it would crumble at any moment. Perhaps it would cause a small avnche that would crush Kurtpletely. Jessie! Ille for you right now. But dont move! First, Jin called out to Jessie in order to calm him down. This was because any further movement could result in him falling. Oh, brother Jin Jessie looked relieved when he saw Jin. Sohow should I do this. Small rocks were falling down. It did not look like it would hold for much longer. They would be in danger if he didnt save them quickly. All right. Reiko, Edgar, Ehr. Help me. Jin told them his n. And there it is. I want to help them as soon as possible. Please help me do it. Yes, father. Yes, Lord Creator. Yes, Master Jin. Ji-Jinare you sure it will work? We have to try, dont we? My earth magic wont reach them from here. And I have to help them before it crumbles. Reiko, go. First, Reiko jumped down to where Jessie was hanging. As Reiko was able to control her powerpletely, shended without a single stone falling to the ground. However, both of their weight was on the cliffside now, and it began to shift. Reiko immediately picked Jessie up and threw him with just the right amount of force. It was Edgar that caught him. Next, Reiko dove down to the bottom before the side of the cliff could crumble. She picked up the fallen and Kurt and inspected him quickly. ording to Analyze, he had not hit his head. He had fallen down and fractured a bone. It was the pain that had caused him to lose consciousness. Now that she was relieved, Reiko climbed back up the cliff. It was steeper than 60 degrees. And boulders were starting to roll down the edge. Reiko moved side to side in order to avoid them. The reason that she couldnt throw him, like Jessie, was because it was possible that the wounded Kurt would not be able to handle the force necessary to throw him 10 meters into the air. The falling boulders caused others to fall as well. And before they knew it, an avnche of debris was falling. Once Reiko was halfway up, she threw Kurt towards Ehr, who was standing there and waiting. Now, the pressure on Kurt would be halved. She had decided that he would be able to survive it. And Ehr caught him in a firm grip. It was then that the avnche came straight towards the now empty-handed Reiko. Reiko darted up the slope even faster now. She was running like the wind. From the time she first jumped down, up until the time she got back up again; it was all less than 10 seconds. Chapter 373: Responsibility

Chapter 373: Responsibility

Reiko, well done Jin praised Reiko, stroking her head. Reiko looked even more happy than usual. Ah, its fathers hand. Edgar and Ehr did well too. Like Jin, Saki and Elsa praised their own automata as well. Ehr, good work. Edgar, that was amazing! Jin looked at Jesse and Kurt. Jesse rubbed his elbows and knees. He had scrapped his palm, so Jin went to use healer magic on but abruptly stopped. If the wound healed without cleaning, sand and soil would remain in his body. Jin used condense: a spell that collects the moisture in the air. It doesnt gather much water, but it would be enough to wash the wound. Jin calmed Jesse, who looked about to cry from the pain of the water flushing the raw injury. Just bear it a little longer. Cure. With the magic applied to the washed wound, Jesses wound closed. Despite being in tears moments ago, Jessie grinned andughed. Thanks, big bro! Jin patted Jessies head, saying it was nothing, before turning to Kurt. The unconscious Kurt was in Elsas care. Despite being a beginner, Elsas acquired modern knowledge allowed her to examined Kurts condition through a Shouro Imperial-style diagnosis. From this, she could tell Jin that there was no abnormality other than the fracture and the trauma caused by it. It didnt look like he had hit his head either. The fracture was internal, with no bones protruding. Jin had used analyze to examine him earlier, but it seemed to line up with Elsas diagnosis. Healing Elsa casted Shouro healing magic. It was an intermediate spell that could cure bone fractures even, along with standard wounds. Then: Full Heal Just in case, Elsa used her best magic to protect against damage to Kurts internal organs and brain, while also preventing infection from the wound. Uhh Thanks to this, Kurt soon came to his senses. Huh? Eyes open, Kurt looked all around, noticing that everyone was looking down at him. I What happened? Kurt, you fool! We were worried about you! Seeing Hannah and Patty cry, he realized, Ah, right I fell off a cliff trying to gather some wiley. Kurt, didnt I tell you? Dont go to dangerous ces. Yeah, sorry big bro. Jin rubbed Kurts head, patting it hard. It looks like youre sorry. Dont make the same mistake again, alright? Yup. Looking at Kurts face, Jin felt like Kurt was fully repented for what happened and decided to end the scolding there. When Kurt got home, his father Dave would probably scold him. Jessie would likely face a simr lecture from his father Howard. Alright everyone, were going home. Kay! Despite being the one to say this, Jin ended up with Saki heading home behind all the others. and thats what happened. I was supposed to be looking after him, Im very sorry! Jin went to Daves house first and exined what happened. Jin, theres nothing to apologize for. You and Reiko, not to mention Elsa and everyone else, saved my son, right? With that, Dave forgave Jin and turned with a scowl towards Kurt. Hey, you dumb kid. I dont remember raising you to not recognize danger. Im sorry, Dad With a single strike Daves scolding ended. Jin went to Howards house with Jesse. Like before, Jin was thanked instead of med. Before they realized, it was evening. Huh, Im kind of tired out Again, Jin thought about how challenging it was to lead the children. Both Dave and Howard believed that, despite being little, it was still the kids fault for going to the woods, but Jin felt he was responsible in the end. If only I have more physical strength, I could have gone into the forest with the children. Despite knowing what ifs were pointless, Jin couldnt help but think like this in his regret. Seeing Jin moping, Elsa pulled on his sleeve and called out to him from behind. Brother, dont me yourself so much. I wish I had watched the children more carefully too. Im just as much to me for not doing that as you. Jin heard Elsas words and rxed his face a little bit. Yeah, thank you, Elsa. Without you, we wouldnt have been able to cure Kurt right away. Thanks again. It was true that Reiko had not yet mastered all of Elsas healing magic. She was getting there though. Nah, thats fine. I just did what I could do. Elsa shook her head, gesturing that it was nothing. Watching the exchange between them, Saki spoke up. Fufu, Elsa, youve really grown. Im embarrassed cause I cant really do anything myself. Elsa responded, Thats not true. Everyone does what they can, so I did what I could. Thats it and took hold of Sakis hand. Well Im no match for you A little smile showed on Sakis face. and thats what happened After dinner, Jin went alone with Reiko to Horai Ind to consult with Rou. I would like to make a map of dangerous ces around Kaina Vige and see about reinforcing those that are likely to copse. I agree, and it would be best to send Land to these areas. Yeah, Ill look after it. Understood After this, Rou made his surveince system Koshin send Land or at least Gong or Gen to guard vigers when they got close to dangerous areas. Thus, through implementing these countermeasures as best they could, Jin gradually return to his usual self. (Phew) Internally, Reiko was relieved too. (Father really is his most alive when making something.) My Lord, I have something to report. After a series of meetings, Rou spoke up. Weve been hurrying to stockpile it for a while now. Shouro Imperial Rice that is. As I predicted previously, for each of the 3 types of rice, we have about 1 ton in our warehouses. Additionally, weve begun nting seedlings as of today. What! Thats great news! Jin was depressed, but after hearing the positive news about the rice, his spirits lifted. It was the perfect moment for news like this. I nted a tea leaf tree as well that should be ready for harvest soon. Oh, Ill look forward to trying some. Plus, weve seeded in making stick agar from a red algae type seaweed. Oh! Thats the first Ive heard of this. Various seaweeds can be harvested in Tatsumi Bay. So far, they have harvested konbu, wakame, nori, red algae, and a burnable seaweed used to make salt. Theres enough Nori and Konbu for us to mass produce it even. While Jin had been traveling, a considerable number of marine products had been stockpiled on Horai Ind. The seaweed from Tatsumi Bay is also high in aether, which could be preserved for a long time in an aether stocker. Great, thats great. Oh, lets try making onigiri sometime. The salt and Nori alone sound delicious. Knowing that he could soon enjoy such nostalgic food, Jins imagination wondered. Reiko and Rou were relieved to see Jin like this. They had both been worried about him. Chapter 374: The Pickup

Chapter 374: The Pickup

Four dayster, they were busily making wiley jam from early in the morning. Instead of using a magic stove like usual, a firece, heated by a magic crystal Jin controlled, was built in front of the vige mayors house. They were going to make arge pot of the jam. Wow, the smell is sweet yet sour. The children took out the berries theyd gathered and threw them into the pot. The golem maid Sarah stirred the pot while crushing the berries. The pot was made of aluminum. Although it was considered poor-quality material, no one in the vige seemed bothered by it. Jin had used aluminum because it was still light even though it was so big. During the middle of the night, Land had been ordered to gather wiley from nearby mountains, so the total amount of berries had tripled since yesterday. However, no one noticed this increase. Before they noticed, the berries were crushed and tossed into the pot. When the juice oozed out and it became easier to stir. The foam that came floating up was then scooped out. Im adding the sugar. Jin emptied the sugar into the pot. They added 50 kg of sugar to roughly 50 kg of wiley. Then, taking care not to let it burn by continually stirring, the liquid was slowly boiled down to a syrupy consistency, and the jam was ready. The stronger the sourness, the more delicious the jam would be. During his days as an orphan, Jin had made jam from off season strawberries that could be purchased cheaply. He would add a lot of sugar and let the water cook off to have it keep for a long time. If they put it in the freezer, the jam would keep until next spring, but usually it would be eaten up before then anyway. Let me see Ouch! Jin had scooped up a little jam from his stirring spat using his finger, only to burn his tongue upon tasting it. Yeah, this is sweet! From Jins side, Saki snuck a taste from the spat too, and she broke out in a smile afterwards. The pot was removed from the fire and allowed to cool before being distributed to each household. Hmm, the magic crystal still has energy Jin decided to make a marmde, as the heating crystal was still usable. Reiko, bring me 50 kilos of Citran. Oh, and sugar too. Jin gave instructions to Reiko, and asked Meine for a cutting board and a kitchen knife. Okay, Id appreciate some help from anyone whos free. After two minutes had passed, Reiko came back from the Nido Castle warehouse with the supplies, and those who could use kitchen knives were made to peel and chop up the citron skin. In the meantime, Jin made anotherrge pot. Put the chopped skin in a pot, boil it once and discard the hot water. There seem to be various methods to make marmde, but Jin went with his own way. It felt more natural to leave the white part on the inside of the skin. We can eat about half of the peeled fruit but squeeze the other half and put the juice in a pot. Yes! Despite the energetic replies, the children were stuffing their faces with the majority of the Citran. Seeing this, Jin ordered Reiko, Ehr, and Edgar to squeeze the juice. Citran has a lot of juice, so even if half of the fruit was eaten it would be enough for the marmde. The juice and shredded skins were boiled down. The foam from the top of the pot was scooped out and the boiling juices were mixed with sugar. If too little sugar was used, it wouldnt keep very long. Having made jam from early in the morning, they finished up just around noon. Everyone in the vige had gathered around to taste the finished products. Oh! Yummy! They ate the freshly made jam and marmde on specialty bread. The jams were vorful, so only a little bit was needed on each piece of bread. Big bro, this is delicious! Thanks, Jin! The children who knew the expensive sugar was supplied by Jin thanked him between their mouthfuls. The remainder was distributed into 29 portions. Each house received 2 bottles of wily Jam and 1 bottle of marmde. The bottles were Jins specially made crystal ones. Normally, they wouldnt be used to hold jam, but nobody, including Saki, said anything. When youre done eating, be sure to clean up your mouth. Ill show you how Meine instructed the children. Fortunately, the vige of Kaina had almost no cases of dental caries or periodontal disease, but that could easily change along with new eating habits. As such, it was worth teaching the kids dental hygiene now. Jin had noticed that some drinking water used in Kaina Vige seems to contain a very small amount of baking soda, exining why the hot spring was a bicarbonate spring. Since baking soda can be used for cooking, he was investigating whether he could extract it from the water. However, he didnt want to harm the natural water by doing so. Plus, it was possible that the natural baking soda was responsible for keeping the vigers dental health in check with its slight alkaline levels. On top of that, the water contained more aether than water in other parts of the continent. The water was about 0.1 ppm in Kleins capital city of Alban, but about 10 ppm in Kaina vige. Meaning it was 100 times more potent. However, since it was still only 10 ppm, meaning 1 / 100,000, there was no effect on the human body (nor on the mana of said human body). However, it may help in maintaining the vigers dental health. Jin hadnt done any clinical trials, so he couldnt say for sure, but he thought there was a high possibility this was why there were no dental problems in the vige. Well, its about time I go pick up Reinhardt. It was 12:30 in the afternoon at Kaina Vige. In Banne, where Reinhardt was, it would be around 9:30 in the morning. Be careful, Jin. Heh, Im looking forward to seeing Reinhardt and Belch. Big bro, have a safe trip With Elsa, Saki and Hannah seeing them off, Jin and Reiko left for Hourai Ind using a warp gate. On their way through the gate, How does the oxygen supply work in here? Jin asked Butler 50, who oversaw the portal. I check the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and ventte it at fixed intervals using the warp gates. Relieved to hear this, Jin continued to Horai Ind. Wee back, my lord Good to be back, Rou. Today, Im going to bring my friend Reinhardt and his wife to Kaina Vige. Tomorrow or the day after that, Ill bring you there too. Does that sound alright? Yeah, it does. Ill be ready to go. Reinhardt would likely be with his Schwarzritter Noir and Belch would be with her automata Neon. It was unlikely Noir would be able to pass through the small warp gate Jin had in his carriage. For this reason, the Falcon 10 was dispatched in advance to assemble a warp gate in the barn at Sakis house that wasrge enough to fit both the carriage and Noir through. For security reasons, the gate was disassembled shortly after each use and had to be reassembled when they returned. Is the carriage okay in the warp gate? The warp gate wasrge enough for a carriage. Yeah. If we let them know ahead of time, well be temporarily allowed through security Reiko would use a built-in magicmunicator to contact Laojun just before the transfer, and they would contact him to get its overseer to loosen security. After confirming all this, Jin pulled out one of the golem horses he had made the other day. It would help pull Reinhards carriage. Living horses were hard to care for so Jin preferred his golem ones. Im d I made a lot. Jin said to himself while riding on his horse. Trantions by AsianHobbyist Website. Oh yeah, I have to ask for the horses I lent to Lycia and Pasco That would have to be put off untilter because Jin was on his way to pick up Reinhard in Banne, which was a part of the Shouro Empire. Hey, is Lord Jin reallying to pick you up today? Belch asked Reinhardt, while they were preparing for the journey at Count Randles house in Banne. It was a little past 9. Clouds covered the sky, and the sunlight was weak. It wasnt likely to rain where they were, but the weather looked like it might be different elsewhere. Oh, without a doubt For the time being, the manamunicator had been kept a secret from Belch, so Reinhardt couldnt talk on it long, but he had managed to make all the arrangements in a short exchange with Kou. Reinhard, safe travels The butler, ude, gave these words as farewell. This time, due to a private request that only the couple came, Reinhardt and Belch went to their carriage without anyone other than the Schwarzritter Noir and the Automata Neon. The Randles believed, because Reinhardt was staying inside their territory, there was no danger. There wouldnt be any danger, but, as only Rienhardt knew, they werent actually nning on staying within the territory. Just then, Jin and Reiko appear. Oh, oh!? Reinhardts father, Wolfgang, raised his voice startled. It was his first time seeing a horse-shaped golem. Naturally, he seemed not to see Jin in the carriage because he was so surprised by the golem. ude the butler, was ustomed to the golems, however, so she was unphased. Reinhardt, Belch, Im here to pick you up. Thanks foring, Jin. Lord Jin, thanks for all your hard work. Reinhardt shook hands with Jin. Chapter 375: Honeymoon

Chapter 375: Honeymoon

Okay then, were heading off. Reinhardt waved from the carriage. Were on our way. Belch waved too. Reinhardts father, mother, his butler ude, and their maids saw them off. Reinhardts brothers had already returned to their posts. Jin drove the golem horse from the carriage. As Jin had expected, Belchs automata Neon and Reinhardts Schwarzlitter Noir were with the couple. The carriage arrived behind Sakis house. They chose this ce because it wasnt very visible to those passing by. The surrounding area was densely popted with trees measuring 5 to 10 meters tall and unmanaged shrubs, blocking the view from outside. Alright, I know this is abrupt but were going through the gatelike this Jin turned his carriage towards the recently put together warp gate. The Reinhardts were silent. Being transferred while riding a whole carriage was a rare experience. He Here. WE GO! In an instant, the carriage moved into the portal dimension. Well leave the carriage here. So uhh sorry, but Reinhard and Belch, youll have to get off of the carriage. Alright Understood. Noir carried both their bags. By the way, where are we? Oh, this is like an intermediate transit stop. Once were here, we transfer to where we want to go. The carriage will be stored here until were back. Since it was her first time using a warp gate, Belch looked around uneasily, not knowing what to make of it. Alright, lets go Jin was the first to enter the warp gate to Kaina Vige, followed by Reinhardt and Belch. Neon and Noir followed after. Finally, Reiko passed throughst. Likest time with Saki, they appeared inside the shelter. Jin, where are we? Were already in Kaina vige. Were inside a shelter on the outskirts of the vige. Telling them this, he led them outside. The sky was clear and sunny in Kaina Vige. Wow, the weather is so nice here. Belch sounded shocked. Looking opposite her direction, Reinhardt shouted. Ji, Jin! Whats that building!? Is it yours!? He saw Nido Castle and gave a natural reaction. Wee home Jin. and we wee you too, nobleman from before. Were indebted to you for your help back then. Barrow and Bele hade down from the castle and greeted Reinhardt after noticing him. Oh, its you two from before. d to see youre both looking well. Yeah, Jin helped us back up and weve almost fully recovered since then. Reinhardt exined to Belch what happened to Barrow and Bele . Is that right, you both went through a lot. Yes, but were happy now. Upon hearing this, Belch smiled. It was nice to that hear people in the vige were living happily. Well then, can you carry their luggage to a guest room? Lets see, a Shouro-style room on the second floor would be good. Of course. Having entrusted their baggage to Barrow and Bele, Jin began guiding Reinhardt and Belch around Kaina Vige. Ill have you both stay at the castle tonight, so Ill get into the detailster. Having told them so, he proceeded to take them down a small path to the vige. They walked through the wheat and vegetable fields. Ahead of them was Marthas home. Is that, theres no way Belch raised her voice. Two familiar people were standing there. Saki?! And, next to her is The person standing next to Saki spoke up. Brother Rei! Belch! Wee to Kaina Vige Elsa! Belch wore a face of shock You, how are you here? Reinhardt exined to Belch. Elsa had left her home. She was captured by Unify. Then, Jin helped her escape and shes beenying low here ever since. Mine was her real mother. So thats what happened Belch held Elsas hand, still amazed at seeing her. Thanks for worrying about me. Im happy now. Then Elsa took Reinhardts hand. Rei, Belch, congrattions on your marriage. Thank you, Elsa. By the way, did you make that mascot? Yup. I made it. Jin helped. I thought so Jin spoke up. Well, lets go inside. Weve got a lot of story telling to do so. Though it isnt my house to invite people into. Jin led them towards Marthas House. This is the household that took care of me. Reinhardt seemed to understand the short exnation. I see, so it was this kind of ce. Is that why you became so invested in this vige, Jin? Reinhard and Belch! Congrattions on your recent marriage. Coming out from inside the house, Mine bowed deeply and greeted them. Thank you, Mine Mine, its been a long time. I hear youre Elsas mother? Belch also greeted her with a smile. Yes, thanks to Jin, Im living happily with Elsa now. They all went inside. As one would expect, it was impossible for everyone to fit in the house, so they went to Jins workshop instead. It was spacious there so they could all sit down. Of course, Ehr, Neon, Edgar, and Reiko each stood behind their Masters. Here you are Mine and Sara served Peruhya tea, a Kaina Vige specialty. After a sip, Jin introduced Martha and Hannah. This is Martha and this is her granddaughter Hannah. Theyre my family in Kaina Vige. Im Martha, nice to meet you. Me, Hannah Im Reinhardt And Im his wife Belch They greeted each other in various ways. Even though Reinhardt was a nobleman, he interacted with many people during his journey, so he wasnt overwhelmed. As Belch was polite in situations like this, Martha and others seemed to get a good impression of her. For a while, they chatted about trifling matters, but the topic gradually turned to Magicraft. They talked about Jin making pumps, stoves, hot springs, snow rooms and washing machines. Then they talked about how Edgar, who stood behind Elsa, was made. Unbelievable This was the first thing out of Reinhardts mouth when he heard Elsa made Edgar. Elsa, thats amazing! You can totally hold your own now! Belch praised her honestly. By the way, there was actually something I wanted to discuss, or rather ask you two about . Thinking it was a good opportunity, Jin asked the Reinhardts about an idea hed been considering for a while. Do you think Elsa is ready to stand on her own as a magic engineer in the Shouro Empire? Chapter 376: Terms of Independence

Chapter 376: Terms of Independence

On her own as a magic engineer? Reinhardt repeated, before grasping what Jin meant. I see You want Elsa to be recognized by the Shouro Empire so she can return home? Yeah. Jin confirmed before Elsa could respond to what Reinhardt said. Yeah. If things stay as they are, Elsa wont be able to return home. Brother Jin. I Jin stopped the troubled Elsa before she could finish her sentence and exined. Dont get me wrong, Elsa. Im not trying to get rid of you or anything. However, its not good to be in hiding forever. Hmm, I see. So Jins thought about this too. Saki sounded impressed. Yeah. I heard that Sakis dad was permitted to marry even though he ran away from battle because he became an aplished alchemist. Hmm, I see. Well, if she bes a Magi engineer, shell be far more respected than she is as the Viscounts daughter. Belch chimed in. Thats right, if you be a leading Magi engineer, you can expect help from your country and the support youd receive would be far more solid than you have as a noble without rank. After hearing Saki and Belchs remarks, Jin was sold on his idea. Jin Elsa, youve been running away until now. You should return home proudly and thene back here proudly. Jin smiled at her. Elsa realized what Jin meant and the worried expression on her face softened. Okay, I understand. Even so, Master Jin Belch frowned a little, and scolded Jin. The way you brought this up wasnt right. I can see from her reaction you decided to bring this up without first talking to Elsa about it, so she suddenly heard about it now, right? Uh, yeah. Thats why Elsa misunderstood and worried. It isnt hard to see why she might have felt like she was a bother you were trying to get rid of with the way you brought this up. Jin had nothing to say in response. Hmmm, I want Master Jin to try to think about how us girls feel a little more. Sorry He could only apologize. Please apologize to Elsa, not me. Jin also apologized to Elsa. Im sorry, Elsa. I shouldve talk to you beforehand. No, Jin was just thinking about me. Elsa was currently an exile. She hadmitted no crime but her leaving the country was viewed as her having abandoned it of her own will. ording to thews of the Shouro Empire, returning to Shouro was not allowed without demonstrating that there was a strong reason for leaving. If she returned, only permanent exile awaited her. It was said to be a natural punishment for abandoning Shouro for selfish reasons. However, Elsa had apprenticed as a Magi Engineer under Jin, an Honorary Magi Craftsman. The talent she had developed could contribute to the country, which might be reason enough to forgive her emigration. Elsa would be publicly recognized as a Magi Engineer. Furthermore, Elsa would no longer be forcibly married for the sake of her house because she would be fulfilling a more important role in society. Yeah, Ill back you up too if needed. So please return home proudly and seek an audience with the Emperor. Uh, wha? Elsa was bewildered at the sudden mention of the Imperial Majesty. Yet, Reinhardt followed up Jins words. Thats right. If you can make an automata, youre a first ss Magi. As you are today Elsa, the Emperor will honor you with an audience. Elsa felt more bewildered as the conversation went on. She didnt know what to say. Elsa, youre still young, so dont let the pain you experienced from running away from your home go on forever. Both Jin and Reinhardt say theyll help. Its your turn to take them up on that kindness. But What about mother? Shes still Im fine Im from the Kingdom of Eguerea originally. Ill get my health back here. the Shouro Empire isnt my home to go back to anyway It was Jin who stepped in. Nah, Mine can go too. Mine was kidnapped together with Elsa by Unify. They threatened Reinhardt in order to capture you both. Mine was beaten because she tried to escape, and she was stabbed in the stomach and dumped in the Azur River to die. Thats when I found her and nursed her back to health. Look, shes all better now, right? Master Jin Yeah, I can testify about what happened too. Lord Reinhardt Mine averted her eyes at the warm disy of support from them both. Yeah, if you need more witnesses, you can ask Sally Millsehan, the healer who treated you. Mine started to cry out of happiness. There was silence. It was a young voice that broke it. Auntie, are you okay? It was Hannah. Worrying about Mine quietly shedding tears, she had spoken up. Knowing this, Mine smiled. Im okay, Hannah. Im not crying because Im sad. Its because Im happy. Im happy your brother is so kind. Mine gently pet Hannahs head. If Elsa and Mine were to return home, it wasnt about to happen today or tomorrow. It would take various preparations, and if possible, they would need to arrange things in the Shouro Empire too. Besides, it was Reinhardt and Belchs honeymoon, so they decided to put off the rest of the discussion for another time. The preparations would be carried outter by Reinhardt and Jin. Wow, this is such an unusual castle! The Reinhardt and his wife arrived at Nido Castle with Jin. Saki and Elsa were with them. After finishing a light meal in the dining room on the first floor, they were looking around the second floor. Master Jin, this is a really unique castle. Is it Klein Kingdom style? Belch enquired in fascination. No, this is a castle of my homnd. Where is Jin from originally? Its a ce called Japan. Japan Reinhard and Elsa knew, but Belch and Saki had never heard of the country. Jin, Im not too knowledgeable. Where is this country? Jin thought a little bit about how to answer, then joked lightly. Well, lets see. Its a country in a very distant ce. It would take about 1000 years to travel to. Woah, thats far away Super, super far. Saki said in tune, thinking Jin was joking based on his expression. They went up to the 3rd floor office and then the library. Jin hadnt shown it to Saki yet, so her and Reinhardt were both fascinated by the book collection. There are books for children, but they were focused on the books about magical engineering and raw material exnations. Jin, what is this!? Its amazing! The writing style is amateurish, but the content is really advanced?! Jin, who wrote this book? More than half No, most of it is stuff I dont even know about! He couldnt say Kou had written it, Um, thats the manuscript of a book by my master. Jin dodged the details of the matter and beckoned his guests to follow his lead. The fifth floor is private, since its just my bedroom. The sixth floor is an observation deck. Jin exined while climbing the stairs. Slightly out of breath, Reinhardt asked. What about the fourth floor? Hmm, how should I put it? Its there for emergencies Jin thought it would be hard to exin more if he said it was a trap floor, so he ended it with that. Seeing Jin hesitate in his response, Reinhardt decided it best not to press further. Passing by the 5th floor, they went up to the 6th. Wow, what an amazing view! With open windows and a view on all sides, Reinhardt and Belch were so awestruck they looked like children. Elsa and Saki, who had been here several times, still marveled at the view, admiring how thendscape changed from window to window. Thats the Elme River and beyond it is Togo Ridge. To the west theres a coniferous forest. To the east is a broadleaf forest, where flowers bloom and fruit grows. Its an essential part of the vige. Hmm, so the vige gets food from ces other than farnd. Reinhardt nodded. He was thinking about the vige he would eventually lead. To the north is Kaina Vige. We find herbs in the low mountains beyond it. You can also find Earth Magi crystals there. Master Jin, is the light I can see beyond the mountains a cier? Surprisingly, Belch knew about ciers even though there were no cier mountains in the Shouro Empire. Responding yes, Jin wore a surprised look on his face. I saw one in a book once. Im d to get to see the real thing with my own eyes. Belch smiled at Jin. They all enjoyed the view from the observatory until dusk settled, their conversations blossoming. They ate dinner in the dining room of Nido Castle. While enjoying Klein-style cuisine, they sipped on Persica juice. Wow, this is delicious! Its delicious, Jin! Kaina Vige peacefully wore on into the night. Chapter 377: At Hourai Island

Chapter 377: At Hourai Ind

The following day, Jin took Reinhart, Belche and Saki to Hourai ind as nned. Needless to say, Elsa and Edgar also went along with Aal, Noir and Neon. Hanna refused toe herself and stayed in Kaina vige, because there were guests. The reason why Jin directly took them to Hourai ind before Kunlun ind was none other than because he trusted Belche and Saki. Of course, he also had confidence that Hourai ind wont be shaken no matter what happens. This is the ce Ive inherited from my master. Hourai ind. Jin said as soon as they reached the hall just in front of the warp gate. [Wee back, my lord. And to our guests, wee to Hourai ind.] Laojuns voice weed them. Jin, whose voice is that? Saki asked with a perplexed expression. Belche also had the same expression as she restlessly looked around, searching for the source of the voice. Its the magic brain unifying the whole of Hourai ind, Laojun. A really high performance autonomous golem brain, so to speak. When he exined that far, it seemed Saki at least understood the concept of it but the same couldnt be said for Belche. Reinhardt couldnt just watch Belche like that without doing anything so he was exining it to her in a low voice. Thinking they shouldnt just be standing in the warp gate room like this, Jin called out to the group and lead them outside. Wee. They came out to the entrance hall. There, in front of them, Laojuns movement terminal Laozi, Soreiyu, Luna, 5 leaders of the 5 color golem maids, LSA nd, sea, and air) forces leaders, Smith 1 and Butler 1 had lined up to wee them. Uwaa Belche and Saki were at a loss for words. And although Reinhardt hade to Hourai ind before, it was his first time seeing this many golems gathered like this. Youre something else, Jin This is way above a kingdoms level at this point. Reinhardt had grasped that Jinstent military power easily surpasses that of a kingdom. Im d from my heart that youre a friend, Jin. Afterwards, they had passed through the entrance hall into the front garden. Uwaah, so spacious. So this is Jins research area, huh Im so jealous, really. Saki said, walking up in front, looking around her. Jin-sama, whats that? Belcha asked, pointing at Jins house. It was a single-storied Japanese-style house. Ah, thats my house. When I am at Hourai ind, I live there. Its a Japanese style house. Its quite different, huh? We shall be staying there for the night so I could give you a tour of the houseter on. And hearing that, Belche asked Jin to stop with the iplete formal style of talking and to talk to her like he talks to Reinhardt. Jin looked at Reinhardt,ughed and nodded. Got it, Belche Is this alright? Yes, thats perfect. Treating me alone formally is a bit lonely. Jin answered with a smile. Well then, lets get this started like a sightseeing tour. Jin asked Reiko to bring out the automobile from the garage. It was the automobile he developed before going on the trip with Elsa and Reinhart, the one which runs on 4 golem engines. O-ohhh!! Jin, whats this?! Equipped with rubber tires and aluminium body, a 6-seater vehicle. It has been upgraded quite a bit since production now with golem arm suspension and a control core which makes it possible to autopilot. This is an automobile. Jin had thought of using the aircraft first but after thinking that that might just be a bit too high tech, he refrained himself, which is rare in itself. Besides, it can be said that the surface is better to tour Hourai ind at ease. Now then, please hop on. As it is a 6-seater, Aal, Edgar, Neon and Noir had to take another one. Jin had made 3 of these to move around the ind. He let Reiko drive that one. Neon seemed happy about it. Father, your lunch. Soreiyu and Luna kept loading the food into arge basket. Looks like its going to be a feast. They left Kaina vige at around 8 in the morning and the time difference is 2 hours so it was about 10 AM at the moment. The distance between the researchb and the destination, Tatsumi bay, is about 25 kilometers. Just the right amount of distance to drive at 30 kmph. Well then, lets go. Driving on the well prepared soil which had been hardened was easy. The curved road leading to the destination ran alongside the river. Ara, theres a wheat field around this area. Ohh, theres an orchard on the other side, huh? I can see a lot of pelshika like fruit growing! Thendscape was a bit rural, perfect for a drive. They could also see several golem maids working in the field. Oho? Are these wends? They were approaching the wends. Rice-nt-Nogi, was just nted not long ago there. I havent seen such a fruit wait, is that? Reinhardt realized what was nted there. Jin, are those nogi?! Correct. Thats rice-nt, in other words, nogi. When did you exactly Nah, its you were talking about, after all. Reinhardt came to an understanding by himself. The road became a gentle downlope and they could see the ocean in less than an hour. Saki was most excited seeing the sea. Oo-ohhh! Jin, that-thats the sea, right?! Yes, yes, its so wide! So blue! Saki leaned outside the vehicle as she looked at the sea. Thats dangerous. We will reach soon so sit down. As Jin warned her, Sakis face turned red and she sat back down. Ahem, how embarrassing. I havent really gone outside the country, you see. Well, there are seas in my country as well but I didnt really go that far either. I only know the outskirts of Tosmoke. Saying that, Saki recalled her past memories. Elsa, you participated in the golem boat race in Potlock, didnt you? Yeah. That was fun. With Rei-niis boat and Loreilei and I was steering But we still lost to Jin-niis team. Elsa said with a nostalgic expression. Jin also remembered the events in Potlock. It seems it was the same for Reinhart as well. Ah, makes me feel nostalgic. Now that I think back on it, if not for thatpetition, I wouldnt have met Jin either, huh? Reinhart said as he looked at the sea. While they were looking back on the past like so, they had reached close to the seashore. Reikos car also reached soon after. Aah, theres some kind of a scent here. Is this the seas scent? Saki trotted to the seashore. Aal also followed her. Jin and the others did the same. Reiko, good work with the drive. Jin thanked Reiko and stroked her head as they walked. Reiko seemed happier than usual. Probably because she can feel Jin closer after having the sense of touch installed. I was happy having Reiko-san drive us here. Neon was having such a conversation with Belche. Simrly, Edgar was also conversing with Elsa about something. Schwarz Ritters Noir was silently walking beside Reinhart. Saki, who had ran off earlier, sank her feet in the sandy beach and slipped. It seems her feet got stuck in the sand. Saki-sama! Aal was able to hold Saki up just a moment before her face touched the sand. Aal, thank you. Kufu, it seems I got a bit too overexcited. Oii, Saki, are you alright?! Reinhardt also called out sounding worried. Saki answered, waving her hand. Yea, I am fine. Aal saved me. And then she looked back at the sea. She had apletely satisfied smile on. Yep, as I heard, the horizon is spherical. This world really is round, huh Jin, Reinhardt, Saki, Belche and of course Elsa too knew that the world was round. However, knowing that it is round and feeling it are two different things. It really is round It seems it was the first time for Belche as well, as she muttered with deep emotion. Yeah, I now want to make the paddle steamer quick. Living up to his reputation of a construction-idiot, Reinhardt let out such a remark. Chapter 378: The Sea is Vast

Chapter 378: The Sea is Vast

Father, the arrangements for lunch is done. Reiko informed the group while they were rxing on the beach, looking at the sea. It was a few minutes past 1 PM. That is after taking the time difference between Kaina vige and Hourai ind into consideration. Sheets wereid out on the beach for them to sit, with the baskets just beside them. Even a tarp was set up. A tarp is a cloth used to block the sunlight. Its usually set up using simple props and the tension of a rope. It was already June and, as Hourai ind was located in the Northern Tropic, the sun was zing down on them from above. Ooh, now this isfortable. As the tarp can block off sunlight very well, it was refreshing underneath it. Sun shades are quite important here as the temperature is higher near the coast. Everyone, there are many different items so please feel free to choose whatever you like. Reiko said, opening the lid of the basket. Oohh Sandwiches, smoked meat, boiled egg, pelshika and citran, each of these were put into different baskets. And inside thest one was Onigiri? Onigiri, seasoned with salt and wrapped with edible seaweed. Jin, whats this? Reinhart asked with a curious expression, looking at it. Ahh, thats called Onigiri. Its made with cooked rice and wrapped with ver, a kind of seaweed. Saying that, Jin was the first to take a bite into the onigiri. Reiko, who had been observing from the side, poured him tea from the thermos sk. One bite. These onigiri which are seasoned with Hourai inds seaweed salt are tasty by themselves. Hmm, tasty! Saki was the second to try it after seeing Jin happily stuff his cheek with onigiri. She took a bite and said, Oh-this really is tasty. Its simple but has a profound vor. Hearing that, Elsa, Reinhardt and Belche also tried it. Its ck on the outside because of the seaweed but pure white on the inside. Jin-nii, this is tasty. The scent is also nice. Ohh, it truly is! This is awn no, rice! Jin-sama, unlike its appearance, the texture and taste is quite something. It seemed the 3 of them truly liked it. Jin was happy that they liked the taste of seaweed. Thank you. Its the taste of my homnd Reiko, it was Laojun who did this, right? Jin asked with a grin. Laojuns surprises are somewhat bittersweet since they remind him of his homnd. Yes, father. I see, as I thought. Its delicious. Jin gulped down his fourth piece. These are also delicious. Belche said while having a sandwich. These boiled eggs are so good, even though its just normal boiled eggs with salt. This salt is not our usual salt, is it? Reinhardt tried out the boiled egg and was surprised by its good vor. Which one, which one? Hmm, Jin, this isnt some normal salt, is it? Saki also supported Reinhardts ims. They are quite sharp. Yeah. Thats seaweed salt and can be harvested around this area. Jin answered, pointing at the Tatsumi bay. You make it by burning the seaweed gathered from here, then dissolving the ashes in water and desating the clear topyer of the liquid. Hmmm, if you do that, does that mean theres something mixed in here thats in the seaweed? Exactly. Its salt with the umami thats in the seaweed. Although the taste gets dull if its used inappropriately, it seems it goes quite well with boiled eggs. By the way, the salt used on the smoked meat is also harvested from this sea. Its such a clean sea, after all. As Saki said so while looking at the sea, Aqua suddenly emerged from it. Number 33. Uwaah! Saki was so surprised that she toppled over on the sheet. The others were also considerably surprised but not as much as her. Thats Aqua, a golem maid. Its in charge of ocean development. It seems it has just harvested somever. As Aqua had just suddenly appeared with thever that they had all been having, all of them unanimously looked at Aqua 33s hand. It was holding arge amount of driedver. Thats seaweed? It actually is sea weed, huh? How do you process that to make it edible? As expected, it was Saki who came asking the recipe. Jin answered her question. After cleaning and drying off the clean sea water, its minced and put back into normal water. Afterwards, its filtered with a wooden sk and drainboard before drying again. It was quite an abridged exnation but Saki was able to somewhat understand the process. I see. So, basically, after slicing them up into small bits, you tten them out and dry them, right? Interesting. It was at this moment that Jin had decided to discuss paper making with Sakiter on. After lunch, when they were having fruits, Hydro 2 and 3 returned from outside. Reinhardt had ridden them before once during the turmoil caused by the Unifiers but Belche and Saki were seeing them for the first time. J-Jin-sama, what is that ship?! Its moving without an oar or a paddle! As expected, Belche was surprised seeing the Hydros propulsion system, as she was somewhat knowledgeable about ships. Its called the Magi Water Jet, it moves forward by gushing out the sea water. He exined it quite simply but Belche was unable toprehend it. Marine 2, 3, are you done with todays patrol? They answered in the affirmative to Jins question. Yes, my lord. In reality, it was Laojun who skillfully handled the scheduling without even letting the Marines know. In the first ce, it was weird for them to return here, at the sandy beach, even though the bridge is just some distance away. Of course, Jin too noticed this but didnt say it out loud. If so, would you give us a little ride? Yes, anywhere, anytime, as long as its your order, my lord. The Hydros were 4-seated. As the Marines were handling the ship, Jin, Elsa, Saki and Reiko (Reiko could fit since she was small) boarded Hydro 2. And Reinhardt, Belche and Neon got on Hydro 3. Unfortunately, Aal, Edgar and Noir had to stay back this time. Alright, lets go. Understood. And like that, Hydro 2 and 3 started moving. O-o-ohh, this is-! Saki was amazed by the eleration. Kyaa! What is this?! This speed?! Belche was also astonished. Hmmm, this really is amazing! Even Reinhardt, who had ridden it once, couldnt hide his surprise. I would also like to try building one but I should start with a paddle steamer Reinhardt was well aware of his abilities. Hydro 2 and 3 were moving at about 50 kmph. Jin-nii, this is really fast. Amazing. Elsa said, feeling refreshed with the sea breeze. The ebb and flow difference in the seas of this world is small since the moon is small. Moreover, as urrences of typhoons areparatively low, the seas here are also gentle. And today as well, the movement of the waves were gentle. Catamaran-styled Hydro disyed impressive stability with speed. Jin, this feels really good! This ship is amazing! I know thats all I have been saying but I just cant help it! Saki half-shouted, being somewhat excited. Hydro 2 and 3 rode through the never-ending, vast, blue ocean, leaving a white trail of foam. After about an hour of riding fast on the sea, they returned back to Tatsumi bay. Wee back. Edgar, who was in charge of the luggage, hade over to the foreshore to wee them. As for Aal, he was making seaweed salt with Aqua 33. And Noir had taken a fixed stance as if to protect the luggage. Jin felt this to be interesting, as their personality could be seen from their roles. As they drank the cooled pelshika drink, their dried up throats moistened and they felt refreshed, even under the hot sun. After having the rest of the fruits, the group got back on the automobile and headed back to Jins researchb. Chapter 379: Family

Chapter 379: Family

Ah, its kinda tingly. Reinhardt let out such a remark when submerging into the hot spring in the mansion. Even though it was still bright outside, the group decided to enter the hot spring after returning from the sea as their bodies felt sticky from the salty sea breeze. It was an extended open air hot spring, gender-segregated. It was a hot spring made of granite produced on Hourai ind. It was a simple thermal hot spring with sodium carbonate and so was gentle to the skin. The temperature was cooled down a bit so that one couldfortably enter after being suntanned during the day. If the tan is bad, they could heal it with a restorative medicine but it wasnt that bad this time around. However, if the girls were to ask for it, Jin was prepared to make it. This feels really nice. It really does. Hot springs sure are nice. I wonder if we can get one in Banne as well. I heard its more or less possible in most ces if you dig deep enough. Elsa said, following Berthie and Saki. They were enjoying their time together in the womens open air bath. Berthie was hesitating a bit at first since its an open air bath but once she entered, the sense of liberation was just too pleasant that she was able topletely rx. Even still, no matter how many times I see it, that breast of yours, Miss Berthie, ah, I mean Mrs Reinhardt, is clearly breaking the rules. Exactly what is in there? Umm, its fatty tissues and mammary nd, if I recall correctly. To Elsas honest answer, Saki replied with another question. Fatty tissues? Mammary nd? What are those? Fatty tissues are basically fat. Mammary nds are secretory nds which produce milk. Secretory nds? Saki couldnt help but be puzzled hearing the technical terms Elsa spoke of. Miss Elsa, thats amazing! You have studied, havent you?! Berthie was just honestly amazed. Jin teaches you about all that as well? Exactly who is this guy? Brother Jin is brother Jin. I cant really say much so please ask him yourself. On the other hand, at the mens bath. As the two baths were not adjoined to each other, they couldnt hear the conversation nor peek inadvertently. About when it would be best for Elsa to return to her country, I think during the Engineering Expo would be best. Engineering Expo? Jin urged for further exnation regarding the term Reinhardt had used. The Engineering Expo is a stage made for the engineers in the Shouro empire or in the countries interacting with the empire to gather and announce their aplishments. It seems this engineer is not just limited to magi engineers. Even alchemists, shipwrights and architects take part in this expo. Of course, normal craftsmen as well. That sounds interesting. Well, when will it be held? The dates for the exhibition are 3 days from the summer solstice. Here, the Magi Engineer Maestros are recognized as well. I see the time period is a bit short. Seeing Jin go into thinking, Reinhardt added his advice on top. However I think youll need to justify why you have kept the fact that you were protecting Elsa and Mine a secret. Ah, I see At the very least, it would be weird to not exin that in the capital of the Shouro empire, Roizato. Theres a possibility that they will think that you kidnapped the two for some reason. By they, I mean mainly the old nobles. I see d I discussed this with Reinhardt Jin thought to himself. He was grateful to have a friend who could grasp these political situations. I guess I will discuss it with Laojun as well It was quite a difficult problem but Jin was determined to do something about it. Rice was also served for dinner and it was liked by all. Hmm, nogi-I mean, rice tastes so good when cooked properly, huh? It seems the Shouro empires taste buds were simr to the Japanese. Jin found that very likeable. That night, they engaged in lively conversations and the night wore on peacefully. After having breakfast, they had a simple tour of the researchb. Apart from Berthie, Reinhardt and Saki looked into it with zing eyes. And, the one thing Berthie showed interest on Master Jin, about the futon you gifted us, what material is it made from? I would like to know. Eh Jin hesitated. Is it okay to tell her that its made from the strings of a grand caterpir?. And so, he decided to answer with a question instead. Berthie, I think most of the clothes you guys wear are made of silk. Would you happen to know how this silk is made? His style of asking ended up being a bit weird as he panicked but Berthie replied withoutmenting on it. Yes, isnt it made from the string produced by the string bug? Are you not bothered by strings made by bugs? No, not really? There are clothes and bags made from magical beasts as well and I dont really hate bugs either. Pretty bugs like butterflies, that is. Jin was relieved to hear that and decided to answer her first question. Thats a relief. That futon is made with the strings produced by a grand caterpir. Grand caterpir? Berthie asked another question. Jin, you know about grand caterpirs no, do they actually exist here on this ind? But its a magical beast thats said to be extinct. Yeah, I do know about them. In fact, theres a ton of them on this ind. Ohh! Thats amazing! Please take me there! I wanna see them with my own eyes! Saki excitedly asked. However, since the giant caterpir leaned over Jin thest time he went there, Jin was a bit ufortable going there again. Hmm, sooner orter Thats because giant caterpirs are not good with light. They run away when its bright. He decided to exin it like so for now. Golems can move even in the dark, though. I see. Its unfortunate but I guess it will have to wait. Cant really do anything if I cant actually see it. Saki sighed, looking dejected. She pulled herself back together immediately after. Well then, lets look around other ces. The workshop,boratory, reference room and the storehouse. Even the refrigerated room and freezer. Hmm, seeing these again, I cant say anything other than that its amazing Reinhardt was at a loss for words. As for Saki, Jin, I want to live here I dont mind. Eh? Originally, Jins predecessor, Adrianna Balbora Ceci, had built this ce up as a holy ground for magi craft. Although he would reject people brimming with ambition or personal greed, theres no reason for him to deny like-minded people here. Saki was taken aback by how easily he agreed. Ites with a condition, though keep this ce a secret from the general public. A-ahh, yes, of course, I promise! Jin, thank you! On this day, the resident count of Hourai ind increased by 1. Brother Jin, what about me? Elsa, who couldnt stay silent any longer, asked Jin after pulling on his sleeves. Mm? You have been a resident for quite a while now. Youre my protegee and disciple, after all. Hearing that, Elsas cheeks turned slightly red. Oh my, isnt that wonderful, Miss Elsa? Yeah. Hearing Berthie say that, Elsas cheeks became redder. Ugghh, I want to live here too! Dar-ling? Reinhardt shouted out but soon became silent realizing that Berthie was ring at him. Haha, you cane here anytime you like, Reinhardt. As Jin consoled him like that, Reinhardt became jolly again in a jiffy. O-oh, is that so?! I am d to have a friend like you! As such, the group gathered in the dining on the first floor and discussed the future along with Laojun. [We could adjust the warp gates such that it allows passage when it detects a magic tool, which can act like a permit.] Laojun expresses his suggestion regarding the security. [We will do another checking in the ry base Shinkai. If its anyone other than Master Saki, Master Reinhardt or Master Berthie, we could destroy the warp gate there.] T-that sounds scary. Reinhardt tried imagining such an oue. He didnt quite understand what Shinkai was but the thought of being stranded at the ry base was terrifying. Its alright if Ie as well? Of course, youre Reinhardts wife, after all. I want you to support your husband as much as you can as well. Master Jin, thank you very much. After exchanging the promise of not exposing Hourai ind to anyone else, something like a Hourai ind family was born here. Chapter 380: The Sacred Sight of Magical Engineering

Chapter 380: The Sacred Sight of Magical Engineering

The Sacred Sight of Magical Engineering So, if thats the case, how should we go about identifying everyone? It would be best to pick something thats theyre always holding. Thats true Jin nodded at the Laojuns suggestion and thought about what would work best for everyone. Jin, how about a ring, bangle, or pendant? Elsa proposed. Jin was fine with these options, but still seemed reluctant. I want to pick something that suits whats unique about each person. Something that would be unnatural for others to carry. It would make it safer. I see Kufu, Jin, in that case, my sses would work well. Saki decided for herself first. Indeed, Sakis sses were only used by her, so it was unlikely others would wear them. Yeah, good idea. Saki will use her sses then. Jin, Ill use this Elsa said, holding up her arm with the bracelet Jin gave her to protected against ess magic illness. Hmm, I see. So, Elsa will use her bracelet? The bracelet was also a magic tool no one else could use, so it was perfect for identification. What should Reinhardt and the others use? They had time to deliberate, since there was no reason to rush. Well, Edgar is fine because he was born here, but well need to register Aal, Neon, and Noir. No Master, Aal already has your magic pattern so hes fine. Although you said Edgar would be okay because he was born here, Elsa is the one who made him, so he doesnt have your pattern. Laojun pointed out. Taking this into consideration, Jin thought about what to do with Neon, Edgar, and Noir. The easiest solution would be to embed a magic crystal in each of them for identification. If they had Jins magic pattern on them, their identity could be verified. Considering the options, installing a magic crystal was the quickest and most reliable. Alright, lets try this. Jin muttered and asked Laojun to bring the magic crystals. Berthie, I want to exchange Neons control core, is that OK? Jin asked, while ying with the crystals in his hand. Her performance will probably increase through the process. Oh, but her personality and knowledge will stay the same. Berthie considered this before answering, Yes, if thats the case, then by all means. Neon, youre fine with it? Yes, Mistress Berthie. Reikos master isnt the type to make mistakes. Thank you. Ill do my best to meet my expectations. Jin moved everyone from the cafeteria to the workshop. He had Neony down on a workbench before severing her magic in order to begin modifying her. Um, Elsa, can you do me a favor? Elsa appeared right away. He was hesitant to undress the automata when she looked exactly like Berthie. Okay, I understand Elsa briskly set about her task. Jin returned after Elsa had removed the external skin around Neons chest and other areas. They swapped out her control core and some anti-overwriting magical countermeasures. While were at it, lets harden and toughen the skeleton. Muttering such things to himself, Jin carried out his work. Oh, oh!? Reinhardt was amazed to see Jin proceeding at his usual speed without any hesitation. Looking sideways, Reinhardt saw Elsa observing Jin at work. She looked serious but showed no surprise. Reinhardt then realized Elsa always watched Jin like this. He understood how Elsa had developed so fast a magician. While Reinhardt was thinking about this, Jin had almost finished the remodeling with help from Reiko. It was Elsa who reapplied her skin and redressed Neon. Okay, with that shes done. Anti-overwriting magical countermeasures, an upgraded control core, and skeletal strengthening. Thats everything, right? It had taken about 10 minutes. However, the shield case used in the anti-overwriting magical countermeasures was stocked as a standard part, making it a simple matter of instation. Neon, start'' Yes Neon stood up. How does your body feel? Is it easy to move? Neon performed a self-check procedure and confirmed that there was no problem. Yes, Master Jin, I feel superb. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mistress Berthie. Thanks to improved processing speed and ability of her new control core, Neon spoke more fluently that before. Wow Neon, your pronunciation has improved. Ill be relying on you again going forward. Yes, Mistress Berthie. Thank you for always taking care of me. Since her essence hadnt changed, Berthie would soon get used to the new Neon. Okay Elsa, install the anti-overwriting magical countermeasures in Edgar for me like I did in Neon. Okay, understood Elsa asked Reiko to provide her with everything she would need to install the magical countermeasures, such as a shield case, and began remodeling Edgar. Seeing Elsa carry out the same procedure Jin had with ease, Reinhards jaw looked about ready to fall off. Yeah, I thought Id understood this already but, Elsa, youve really grown Reinhardt praised Elsa, sounding happy yet slightly regretful. Thank you, Rei. Elsa was happy to be praised by the cousin she respected. Although it took her more time than Jin, Elsa still finished remodeling Edgar in about 40 minutes. For the finishing touch, Jin embedded the magic crystal himself. It was a magical recording stone. It was key to identifying Edgar because it carried Jins magical pattern. After confirming everything, Jin smiled at Elsa. You remembered well Elsa. Ive got noints. Praised by Jin, Elsas face flushed, and a smile spread across her face. Hey Elsa, youve grown to smile really nicely, thats good. Yeah, its true. I really like Elsas expression right now. When Saki and Berthie saw her smile, they praised Elsa. Elsas face reddened in response. Jin had imnted the magic stone in Noirs chest while Elsa was remodeling Edgar. When Reinhardt had remodeled Noir previously as a preventative measure against the Unification Party, he had only installed a shield structure, so a magical recording stone had yet to be implemented. With this, the golems and automas could now use the transfer gates with no issues. All that remained was Berthie and Reinhardt. I guess rings would suit the two of you best. Jin suggested. Yeah, I think so too Elsa agreed. Jin and Elsa decided to make protective rings, or guard rings for the couple. Transformation Elsa was responsible for the rings design and their forging. Saving Jin copied his magic form onto the rings. The previous rings were round with a semi-circr cross section, but now they were different. Their upper surface was decorated by a Leve (a lion-like animal), the crest of the Randle family, and on the inside of the rings Reinhard and Berthies names were engraved. Upon seeing the rings, Reinhardts eyes widened in surprise once more. Um, I just said it a moment ago but, Elsa youve really be an amazing magician, huh. If youre missing anything at all, its life experience. Thank you, Rei. Beingplimented again, Elsas cheeks colored, and she gave thanks. To think that you were this talented. You shouldve told me. Reinhardt shook his head, realizing their fates would all be different if that were the case. No, theres no point thinking about what ifs. If youre happy now and you can be happy going forward, then whatse to pass is for the best. Elsa handed the rings to Reinhard and Berthie. Reinhardt adjusted the fit himself. Thank you, Jin Thank you, Elsa. Well take good care of them Made high-quality magic crystals, the rings glowed a rainbow color. Now everyone can make it here through the transfer gate. Still, listen to what Laojun tells you this time. All right Understood. Okay, I got it Reinhardt, Berthie and Saki nodded together. Now, Saki and Reinhardt, you can use this workshop for the time being. The first studio was about 8 by 15 meters wide, so it was spacious enough for three people to use. If you need a private room, there are many empty rooms on the third floor. With this finished, Jins thoughts turned to how his predecessor had set his sights on a research facility a bit closer to the sacred site of magical engineering. Chapter 381: Theorist’s Days

Chapter 381: Theorists Days

Three days had now passed since Reinhardt, Berthie, and Saki were officially weed into the Hourai Ind family. It went without saying, that they all enjoyed themselves during that time. Reinhardtpleted the paddleboat that he had wanted to make, and Saki increased her knowledge on various materials. As for Elsa, she was gaining experience by making magic tools that Jin had made up until nowsuch as vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, lighters, popcorn makers, distillers, and magicmps. As for Berthie, who was neither a Magi Craftsman or an alchemist, she studied under Pelidolida, one of the golem maids. And she learned how to cook new things and expanded her repertoire. But it was not as if Edgar, Ehr, Neon, and Noir were standing around and doing nothing either. Edgar was with Laozi, Ehr with Butler 1, and Neon was with Soreiyu and Rulna. And Noir learned a lot from Land 1. Hmm. Jin, this development environment is wonderful! Reinhardt said happily when he came back from testing his paddleboat at Tatsumi Harbor. For now, he had Marine 50 and 51 driving the boat. I dont think I can go back to using an ordinary workshop Reinhardt muttered with a smile. While he stayed in the workshop during the day, Berthie always dragged him out during the night, so he was getting enough rest at least. Reiko. Would you mind helping me? It seemed like Elsa was going to start something with her again. Recently, Reiko had been listening to any problems that Elsa had. And Elsa really relied on her. What is it? Yes. This time, Im thinking about making an essory instead of a magic tool I understand. You want a design. Through Laojun, Reiko had all of the world information that Quinta had gathered. And that included designs that were popr among noblewomen. Jin, I want to talk to you. Is that alright? As Saki saw things differently from Magi Craftsmen like Jin, he always found her interesting. Saki was currently dressed in white. It was made of cloth that was weaved from the webs of a Grand Spider. Jin had given it to her as a present. It stayed clean and was very durable. She looked like a mad researcher. Her sses really suited her. What is it? Yes, its about engineering magic. Uh, what is engineering magic? Hmm? Its magic you use for Magi Craft. It was the most obvious answer. But Saki was not satisfied with it. No, no. Thats not what I want to ask you. Hmm. Maybe I should rephrase it. Saki said as she looked out of the crystal window. You, Elsa, Reinhardt and Magi Craftsmen can use a magic called Forming, right? Ah, thats right. That is engineering magic. And you can process Adamantite if you can use Forming? Yes. Adamantite is the strongest metal known to man. And you cant affect it with magical energy. So if they can change its shape, shouldnt it require incredibly powerful magic? I see. Jin understood what Saki was trying to say. For instance, it required almost limitless power to bend Adamantite. However, Forming made it possible with only a little magic energy. Why was that? Hmm. I hadnt really thought about that Jin had a few theories of his own. He decided to organize them in his head and then exin them. Forming is the affecting of atoms or molecules of substances, wherein weakening their binding power, you can change their shape. I dont really understand. So, are you saying that you weaken it first and then change the shape? Saki didnt really understand terms like atoms and molecules. But she seemed to grasp the general idea. Wouldnt that make Forming one of the strongest kinds of magic? Swords, armor and even castle walls will be useless if you change their shape, right? Hmm. But it doesnt really work like that. First, the user must be touching the object. And the thing that you can transform must be proportionate in size with the amount of your magic energy. Hmm, hmm. In other words, you must be touching it and have a lot of magic energy. Yes. And it also takes time to activate. You touch it, send the energy into the object, and then change its shape. This is time-consuming. Its not like unleashing a fireball. While Jin was an exception, for most people it would be impossible to use Forming to bend a sword that was swinging towards you. Simrly, making a path through a castle wall would take way too much energy. I see. I understand it perfectly now. Thank you. They had a lot of small conversations like this. This one was on the first day. And on the second day Jin. Is it true that engineering magic doesnt work on living creatures? Saki asked him. Yes, thats right. For instance, you cant use Shaping on a tree. Yet you can use Wind Cutter to cut it down. Then at what point can you use Shaping? Can you use it once it is cut down? Yes, you can. Whether its the trunk or branches, you can use Shaping once it is cut down. Saki heard Jins answer and seemed to be deep in thought. And then she looked up again after having pondered over it for a full minute. Lets leave the difference between a tree and wood aside for a moment. What is the real reason that you cant use Shaping on a tree? Now it was Jins turn to think. He came up with a theory in less than 30 seconds. With Shaping and Forming, which we talked about recently, I think they are affected by Ether and not Mana. All living creatures in this world carried Mana without exception. They took in the Ether and converted it into Mana inside of their bodies. Apparently, Mana circted inside of bodies. So, while this Mana was circting, engineering magic did not work. That was Jins theory. Hoho! Thats amazing, Jin! I never heard that theory before! Then that means, in order to be a Magi Engineeror Magi Craftsman, you need to be able to control Ether! Thats how the conversation went. As for the third day Jin. I just thought of an interesting experiment. Will you please help me? Saki suggested to him. What is it? Saki always had interesting ideas. And this seemed like no exception. So Jin had high expectations as he waited for her to exin. I was wondering if it is possible to melt Grand Spider webs. What!? Grand Spider webs were incredibly strong. And whileing in the shape of threads meant they were easy to use, you were also limited in what you could use them for. I see There was a resin known as nylon. Well, it was a polyamide resin, to be precise. Nylon 66 was particrly famous, as it was known for being stronger than steel and thinner than a spiders web. And polyamide reside was not only fiber, but it could also be used like stic. So, you want to know if it can be used like natural resin. I never thought of that. Jin was quite enthusiastic about it. Grand Spider web is immune to magic, isnt it? Sakis question hit the nail on the head. The web of a Grand Spider could not be burned even with the most advanced fire magic. It could not be melted. Didnt you say that Grand Spiders eat Ether? So, wouldnt that mean that Grand Spiders are like great blobs of Ether? Jin had thought about it as well. If they lived off of Ether alone, then surely their body must be made of it as well. Father. Rulna said that she once inspected a dead Grand Spider. Reiko sometimes offered unexpected information out of nowhere. Apparently, Grand Spiders have a very long lifespan. But this one had been crushed when the cave it was nesting in copsed. And so she brought it back to see if it could be used for materials. Th-that! Tell me more! Saki said excitedly as she rushed closer. Reiko was unaffected by this and continued to talk calmly. ording to her, 80% of its body contained Ether. The Pelshika of Hourai Ind also contained a lot of Ether. So, the same could be said about the Grand Spider. Perhaps you could say that the Ether changes shape and turns into the webs. Jin said. Saki agreed. I think that its very possible! Wouldnt that exin why normal magic is unable to prate it? Then they noticed that they were being distracted a little. They had originally been talking about the possibility of melting the web. Hehe. Its because it is so fun to talk with you, Jin. I sometimes forget myself. Uhh. You want to know if you can melt the web of a Grand Spider, yes? As you can connect webs through Fusion, it should be possible. Reiko, bring us some Grand Spider web now. It can even be a scrap of cloth. Yes, father. Reiko brought an extra scrap that was from the white clothes that had been made for Saki. Wait for a minute. Hmm, you do this here, and Okay. Dissolute. Forming. Saki looked on with surprise as Jin used the original Dissolute which was a modified version of Fusion. But she pushed that feeling aside and concentrated as she watched him melt the Grand Spider web. The web was semi-transparent once melted, and Jin used Forming to spread it out like a sheet. You did it, Jin! Yes, it went well. Saki was happy that her idea had worked. And Jin was happy that they had discovered new possibilities for the Grand Spider web. After that Master Jin. This bathroom. I would like to adopt the same thing for my own house! Jin! Jin! That toilet is wonderful! I want one when I get back as well! There were two more people who were now obsessed with the toilet which had features including a washlet, deodorization, sterilization, and dposition. Chapter 382: Towards the Expo

Chapter 382: Towards the Expo

The fun-filled days passed in no time. The afternoon of June 10, Reinhardt, Berthie and Saki returned home to the Shouro Empire. For the time being, Ill put the warp gate in the barn at Sakis house. Saki nodded enthusiastically at this. Yeah, Id be happy if you did. If its there, its near my house and few peoplee by so its safe. Reinhard nodded. Kufu, should I really be happy about you saying people donte by often? Sakiughed at himself. Well, um, its a good thing for situations like this at least Jin could only follow up as such. Well, anyway, Im d I can go to Horai Ind anytime as long as I have these sses. The lenses had been reced with ones made from magic quartz. Magic quartz had also been used to make Reikos eyes. It has a weak light attribute, allowing its refractive index to be adjusted through magic. With these, I can see perfectly both near and far. I didnt think this day woulde at all. In other words, they were bifocal sses. Saki was myopic, so when she looked far away, her sses needed higher power, and when she looked at her hand, lower power. Saki was weak magically, but even she could manage to adjust the lenses, so she got used to them quickly and now couldnt live without them. Eh!? Returning home, Reinhardt was surprised to hear that this years Technology Expo would take ce in Koju, a town on the other side of Banne. He had thought it would be held in the capital city of Roissart. I see. So you didnt know because you were out of the country? Reinhardts father, Wolfgang, said with a surprised look. To be honest, I thought you wouldve heard about it when you were traveling in Roissart Ah well. Youre going to participate, of course? Yes. Jin and Saki will too. Wolfgangughed and nodded. All right. Ill sign them up. Im looking forward to seeing what Jin will do. Oh, and Jin is going to bring one assistant, so please register her too. Assistant? Assistant. Wolfgang did not inquire further and Reinhard did not borate. So, hell secure spots for Jin, Elsa, and Saki. Jin heard the story in Reinhards room. I see, thank you. So, what are you going to do for the expo Jin? Reinhard asked while drinking tea brewed by Berthie. Im looking forward to seeing it Jinughed mischievously and responded. Reinhardt will be disying his ship, right? Yeah, Im going to get out the paddle steamer. Also, itd be good if I made a special golem for it. Reinhardt seemed to have nned to exhibit the paddle steamer he built on Horai Ind for a while now. Thats why he had made it frommonly avable materials. The paddle steamer was toorge, so Jin had promised to transport it stealthilyter 10 days left. Ill get to work on the golem as much as I can without upsetting Berthie Well then, if something happens, you can always rely on Horai Ind. Finishing his tea, Jin stood up. Jin, are you going already? Yeah. I also want to make something for the exhibition, and I feel bad getting in the way of the newlyweds. I, I see. So, when are youing by next? Reinhardt asked, a little red in his face. Im nning on the 18th. Jin promised to return eight days from now. All right. Im looking forward to it. Smiling farewell, Jin and Reinhardt went their separate ways. Jin checked on the carriage at Sakis house and the warp gate installed there. Oh, Jin, are you heading back already? Saki appeared and spotted Jin. Yeah. Ill be back again on the 18th. Oh right, I asked Reinhardt, and he put in an application for the technology expo for both of us. Thats great. Ill have to get to workpleting my essay then. Saki nned to publish a paper on the natural magic on Horai Ind she had been investigating the other day . Because essays were considered a bit nd, there were few who took the time to publish for this reason, and so theck of contemporary magical theory was said to be a problem. Im titling it About the Workings of Magic and Engineering Magic. If I dont understand something, I maye and ask you for help. Yeah,e anytime. Youre a part of my family, Saki. Kufu, Im d. See you again, Jin. Yeah, see you soon. Jin transferred to the shinkai. The shinkais warp gate was actually quite special. Normal warp gates could only send people from one location to another and back the other way, but the shinkais gate could warp to multiple gates and receive warps from multiple gates. The secret to this was its link cores. Link cores usually connected warp gates one-to-one, but the Shinkais warp gate had a plurality of cores. By switching to the link core corresponding to each warp gate, transfers from multiple warp gates could be received and sent out. With this, everything is certain, so Im ready to go Jin once thought that he could switch the image of the corresponding warp gate by changing the frequency of the core using magic, but he made a mistake, and the really bad experience that followed was something Jin wanted to avoid repeating. It was natural to focus on certainty. Jin arrived at Horai Ind to hear Anns calls. Yes, Master After asking Ann several questions, Jin began synthesising someplicated magic tools with Reiko and Anne assisting him. Yes, that pump there Make sure its airtight, kay? This part is essential When the shape waspleted to some extent, Jin prepared arge amount of ground spider thread and integrated it using the original engineering magic melting dissolute he created the other day. After this, he shaped the thin sheet he had formed into arge bag. Beside him, Elsa was deep in thought She was thinking about what Jin had asked her to make for the exhibit. Hmm, here, then like this She seemed to be doing trial and error at this point, but Jin decided to let her keep going on her own until she asked for help. The struggle she was experiencing was something he had in the past as well. Okay, its done! Meanwhile, Reinhardtpleted his golem in his studio. Love, did you make two golems? Berthie, bringing some tea in for Reinhardt, saw the finished golems and asked. Oh, these two are twins. Theyre Twins? Yeah. Each is responsible for the right and left outer wheels of the paddle steamer. We had a hard time synchronizing the movements, but it worked fine with the Linkage that I learned on Horai Ind. Reinhardts magic had advanced a fair bit. So what are their names? Names Would you mind naming them Berthie. Reinhardt smiled. After thinking for a while, Berthie uttered two names. How about Mac and Mick? Reinhardt agreed with both of the names. Yeah, thats good! Lets go with Mac and Mick! Chapter 383: Early Summer Fruit

Chapter 383: Early Summer Fruit

Since then, Jin and Elsa spent half of their days in Kaina Vige and half on Horai Ind. On one such day, Jin brought a basket full of fruit to Kaina Vige. Big brother, are these what you called plumes? Yeah, thats right. They grow natively further south in the Klein kingdom, but Im hoping they can be grown in the vige. Are they tasty? They were a round yellowish green fruit, about 3 cm in diameter. Hmm, they might be sour as is. Theyre meant to be salted or candied. Plumes were a type of plum. Quinta had originally found the fruit. Jin bought a lot of them in Horai Ind. He did so to make umeboshi, dried fermented plums. He brought some of them to Kaina vige because he thought that if the vigers liked them, he would start growing them here. After washing them with water and removing any dirt, they were normally wiped with alcohol to remove germs, but Jin reced this step with his magic sterilization. Then, they were put in a bottle, salt equal to about 18% of their weight was added, and then a stone weighted cover was ced on top of them. This cover weighed about double the weight of the plums. Once plum vinegar rose in a few days, the weighted cover was switched out for a lighter one. The plums were then taken out in the middle of summer, dried for three days and nights, and then put back into their plum vinegar to make dried pickled plums. This was the umeboshi-making method Jin had mastered at the orphanage. Mold was more likely to grow the lower the salt content, but the plums would keep for years with the 18% ratio he used. Plus, if plums washed and sterilized in the same manner were covered with the same amount of sugar instead of salt and stored in a bottle, plum extract would seep out due to osmotic pressure, and the sugar would dissolve in it. The sugar in the bottle needed to be shaken asionally so that mold didnt grow, but once it waspletely dissolved, the plum extract was ready to drink. If watered down with cold water, it was very delicious on a hot summer day. Jin made these two types of plum products in both Horai Ind and Kaina Vige. He was instructing Sarah on how to do so. At the same time, he taught Mine how as well. Its quite neat how you make all this Jin. Ive preserved fruit in sugar before, but why are you using salt? It seemed it was Mines first time hearing about umeboshi. Normally, plumes were used to make jam in the south of Klein. Sour fruit was delicious when made into jam. Since Horai Ind had begun to produce distilled spirits, they were already using the fruit to make plum wine. This practice had yet to travel to Kaina vige however. This was because distilled spirits were umon in this world. Returning to what was happening. Jin took out a different fruit hed procured. Query fruit, which was basically a type of cherry. He had gotten Reiko to gather them for him, because he didnt have the time to gather them himself. The query trees that grew around the vige of Kaina were mountain cherry blossoms that bore only small fruit, but Jin (well Reiko) managed to procurerge edible cherries Quinta had located in the Leonard Kingdom. Hanna, try one of these. Okay. Hanna said to Jin, putting a cherry in her mouth: YUM! She raised her voice happily. Because we have so many, lets share them with Martha too. Oh and theyre even more delicious when cooled in the snow room. Okay! After seeing Hannas beaming face, Jin naturally smiled too. At teatime that day, Jin, Hanna, Martha, Mine and Elsa all enjoyed the cherries together. These are yummy, huh Jin? Are they also queries? Theyre simr, but their pits are so big. Martha liked them as well. Yeah, theyre queries, but their variety seems different. Id like to see about growing them here in Kaina. Good idea. Ill talk to the mayor about itter. Thanks Martha. Jin thought it would be best if Martha discussed it with the vige chief, Giebec, because the chief knew more about the viges agriculture than Jin. There were dozens of seedlings and some mature trees he could bring to the vigeter to nt. He was not only preparing for the technology expo, but also thinking about the future of Kaina Vige. Hmm, its difficult. Elsa, on the other hand, was struggling to make magic tools on Horai Ind. What would I do if I were Jin? She did her best to put this question out of her mind. No, Im always depending on Jin every time something happens. Elsa told herself and returned to thinking again. Hmm Elsas mutters echoed through the quiet studio. Whats up? Hee! Elsa suddenly heard a voice from behind, and let out a strange yelp. Oh, big brother She whirled around, trying to control her pounding heart, before realizing it was just Jin. Sorry, I didnt think youd be so surprised. I spoke up because you looked concerned about something. Uh, well. Elsa wondered whether to talk to Jin about it. She decided it was better to rely on him that be stuck even longer than she already had been. Well, um. I was thinking about a special jewelry box. A special jewelry box? Jin parroted her words. They seemed meaningless to him. Yup. Its not exactly meant to prevent thefts, but I was thinking of something that makes a sound when its opened up Hearing this, Jin scratched his head as if remembering something. You mean like a music box? He uttered slowly. A music box So, there is such a thing. Thank you Jin. It seemed a music box had been what Elsa was really trying to create. Elsa reflected that she had been too focused on the box being anti-theft and overlooked what its real charm was. Ill try making it myselfter. If I really cant do it, Ille ask you for help. Upon hearing that, Jin gave a gentle smile. Alright then. Do your best? But dont overdo it. Edgar, you watch out for her for me. Yes, Lord Jin. Edgar, who was watching Elsa from nearby, thanked Jin for his advice and bowed deeply. There was one week left until the technology expo. The n to return Elsa and Mine home was well in the works now. Jin had consulted Laojun and Anne, notified Elsa and the Reinhardts, and gotten everyones consent on the matter. Elsa is working hard, huh. Maybe I should make something else too? Jin murmured to himself and began to work on a new concept. I guess Ill see about making a mini-golem after all. It was an idea Saki had given him the other day. A golem that looked like it could fit in the palm of your hand. Itd literally be a moving doll, huh It was a subject that was rarely studied because it wasnt very practical. But a golem that size could be great for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. Small things were convenient in that they were less noticeable. Also, it seemed that it could be used for highly intricate work a normal sized human or golem couldnt perform. First, how small can its magic device be ? Jin carefully looked for a magic crystal. While doing so, he suddenly realized something. I see! I dont have to make the golem directly. If Jin could make a golem precise enough to function, it needed to be about 40cm or more. Reiko, on the other hand, could manage to make one around 20cm. In other words, if I make small smith golems'' Running with this idea, Jin built ten 40 cm tall smith golems with Reikos help. Okay, lets name them Little Smiths. I want you guys to make me ten 10 cm golems. Yes, Master. Because they were so small, it was inevitable that their voices were high pitched. Jin had even adjusted their voices to be as low as possible, but still it was higher than a childs. The Little Smiths took about three hours to build ten new 10-cm golems. Okay, lets see Should we name these ones Mini Smiths? Thank you for creating us, Master. They spoke at an even higher pitch than the previous batch, but Jin decided there wasnt much he could do about it. Chapter 384: Peaceful Days of Busy Calm

Chapter 384: Peaceful Days of Busy Calm

Looks like weve somehow managed to get everything ready. Yeah, Im all set. It was the 16th of June. Jin and Elsa had finished preparing for the Technology Expo. The n for Elsa to return home to the Shouro Empire was well in ce too. Elsa, you have everything memorized? Yeah, Ive got this. Elsa nodded with confidence. Okay, we just have to wait for the Expo to start then. Jin stretched out. Horai Inds sky was clear and blue. Well, I guess Ill check in on how Laojun is handling being left in charge of the ind. Muttering this to himself, Jin called Laozi, the mobile terminal for Laojun. Yes, my Lord, you called me? Yeah, Ive been so busy with things I left you all on your own over there. I thought Id check in. How are things on the ind? Since Laozi was the terminal of Laojun, he knew everything Laojun did. Yes, my Lord. You are aware of the agriculture developments on the ind? Jin nodded. He had heard rice paddies were being built and rice nted for the summer season. Simrly, our seaweed cultivation is on track. Theres been just a minor problem with regards to konbu collection. So the other seaweed is fine, but somethings wrong with the konbu? Well, the thing is It was unusual for Laozi to hesitate when Jin asked a question. It seems the seaweed growing might not actually be konbu. Huh? ording to Laozi, the seaweed was simr but different from konbu. Dashi could still be made with it and it could be processed into something simr to konbu tororo. Other than that, though, the seaweed was different from konbu, even turning red when dried out. Yeah, dried konbu is usually a greenish ck Like Rishiri konbu or Hidaka konbu Oh! Jin realized konbu could only be found in cold northern seas like those surrounding Hokkaido. Of course, it would be impossible to find it in warm waters like those surrounding Horai Ind. Ah Ipletely forgot The seaweed seemed to be different despite looking simr. Thats why it came out differently when processed. Well, continue to find out what recipes you can use it for. Jin disappointment was obvious. A little while after this, Laujun ordered Air Force and Underwater Golem units to search for konbu in the northern seas, where they found quality konbu Jin would be happy with. Was there anything else? Returning to his senses, Jin asked again. Yes, remember how baking soda was being extracted from water in Kaina Vige. Yeah, what of it? Not long ago, Jin noticed that part of the water in Kaina Vige contained a little sodium bicarbonate eg. baking soda. He had realized some of the water underground contained baking soda because of the hot springs in the Vige. He had wanted to look into where the baking soda came from. Water with high concentration of baking soda was found flowing out of a mountain cier. It was about 10 grams to 1 liter of water, which is quite a high concentration. We are currently building a baking soda extraction nt at the cier. Oh, thats great news. A leavening agent, baking soda breaks apart when heated, producing carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide then causes bread and cake dough to rise. With baking soda, Jin could make pancakes that were a little plumper. Jin was excited to use some when he returned. Also, a poultry farm was built to gather eggs. Oh, I see! Jin could use eggs in cooking too, so he was happy about this as well. The birds housed originally inhabited Horai Ind and are simr to wild fowls. If kept penned, theyy one egg every three days. Sounds great And how about storage? Yes, semi-permanent preservation of the eggs is possible if you store them in an aether stocker. This isnt possible with eggs purchased elsewhere it seems. It was likely easier to preserve the eggs because they were from the ind and thus high in aether. Hmmm, I want to know more about aether Ill talk to Saki about it next time I see her. Elements not from the earth of this universe were called aether. However, little was known about aether. No detailed record or study on it had been preserved from the previous generation. After talking to Laozi, Jin returned to Kaina Vige. This time, he went to Nido Castle. It was fairly lively. Leaving the shelter, he stepped into Nido Castle and a bittersweet smell assailed him. Kyaa! He suddenly heard a scream. What was that? That was Belle. Hearing the scream also, Reiko determined it belonged to Belle. Jin wondered what had happened. Hey, whats wrong? They had heard the voice from the kitchen. As soon as Jin entered there, he saw Belles stressed face. Beside her stood Mine. Jin, wee home Compared to Mines calm greeting of Jin, Belle was a wreck. Whats wrong, Belle? When Jin asked again, Belle spoke up with an apologetic tone. The thing is, the marmde you made the other day looked delicious, so I thought Id try making some, and made it with citran but Hanging her head in shame, Belle looked at Jin with upturned eyes. She was like a puppy being scolded. She burnt it, Jin. Mine finished the exnation for Belle. On closer observation, arge aluminum pot sat on the stove, and an acrid burnt smell intermingled with the sweet scent. Jin understood the situation. She had been careless and burned the pot. Since the pot wasnt mixed well enough after adding sugar, it burnt. Its okay. Well empty the contents into another pot, and Ill clean the scorched pot. Jinforted the teary-eyed Belle. He instructed Reiko to transfer the marmde into another pot. Hmm, this is Jin saw the scorched bottom of the pot and noticed something. The burnt marmde was stuck on in the shape of the stove burner. This was due to the poor thermal conductivity of the pots material. Jin could tell because he had boiled countless stews in stainless steel pots in the past. If the aluminum pot had better heat conduction, it wouldnt have burned this easily. I see, so aluminum has poor thermal conductivity. Even though it had been boiling, the top edge of the pot was cool enough to touch. This showed Jin that aluminum conducted heat poorly. Its too bad I went to the trouble of making it It was a shame that it wasnt an easy pot to use. Jin wondered if he could modify it somehow. I just need to improve its heat conduction Yeah, I just need to bond it with something. He needed to make aposite orminate material. Hmmm, diamonds have good thermal conductivity Jin remembered watching a TVmercial for a diamond-coated frying pan once. Well, why not just coat the aluminum with diamond? Horai Ind had plenty of diamonds stockpiled. Diamonds are a product of heat and pressure, and quite a lot of them were formed on Horai Ind for this reason. However, Jin hadnt tried using them much. Perhaps this was because they were so hard, they could easily scratch other things? Or maybe he felt like he would be wasting them because of how expensive they were back in his home world? Yeah, you cant make progress if you always listen to yourmon sense. Telling himself this, he asked Reiko to bring about 500 grams of diamonds. Yes, Father. Leave it to me. Answering as such, Reiko ran off like the wind. Leaving Nido Castle with almost no sound, she went to Horai Ind via the shelter, and returned soon after receiving the diamond Laozi had prepared. She needed about 3 minutes to do all of this. Thank you, Reiko Jin said, stroking Reikos head. Reiko was overjoyed at having her head pat. Okay, Im going to use this to make a pot. Forming. After several moments, the diamond wrapped aluminum pot waspleted. It was a silver-gray pot. Its hard to say how much it would have been worth back in Japan. Jin called Belle. She had been boiling down the remaining citran marmde, but finished and put out the fire just as Jin called, so she came quickly. Yes, Jin Use this pot next time. Jin handed the pot he just made. Um, is there something different about it? Belle, who was working hard to keep the marmde from burning, did not realize what Jin had been doing. Mine was the same. Yeah, I modified it to make it less sticky. Wow, really? Thank you! Belle, who wasnt interested in what Jin had done scientifically, epted the pot without question. Jin had improved it, and that was enough for her. I will do my best to make a delicious dish! Saying this, Belle smiled. Jin smiled back. Chapter 385: Side Story 22: The State of the Eschenbach Household

Chapter 385: Side Story 22: The State of the Eschenbach Household

Toa Eschenbach, the head of the Eschenbach family, was an alchemist. His daughter, Saki Eschenbach, could be said to have learned enough through observation to call herself an alchemist too. Alchemy was the study of creating precious metals such as gold from base metals such as lead. Put more generally, it was the practice of determining the essence of a substance and creating a new substance from it. However, as time passed, its scope broadened, and it came to be a discipline of learning surrounding the study matter and its maniption. There were still some alchemists focused on forging gold or creating androids but mainstream alchemy was not all that different from the chemistry of our world. The only real difference being that magic was still employed in alchemy. Saki, its time for your meal Lawton, a servant of the Eschenbach family, called from outside theb. But there was no answer. The servant decided to open theboratory door. ! He was met with a strange odor. A steel te full of yellow powder sat in the center of theb. A fire was burning underneath it. Saki could be seen toppled over on the floor beside it. Saki! Lawton held his breath and jumped into the room. He carried Saki outside, and closed the door. Hah, hah, hah. Sakis breathing was heavy. She was still conscious though. Waiting for her breathing to return to normal, Lawton watched her for about five minutes before speaking. Lady Saki! What were you thinking?! He loudly voiced his criticism. Her carelessness could have ended up costing her life. Oh, yeah, Im sorry, Lawton. I was enjoying how the smoke from the burning sulfur bleached the color out of flower pedals, and it just kind of happened. Sulphur dioxide gas Its reductive action could be harnessed to take the color out of things, but that same gas was toxic to breathe. At worst, it could even cause respiratory failure, leading to death. Theb, which looked to be full of poison gas, had to have its windows broken open so it could be ventted for two days before it was safe to use again. Hey Ms. Esse, Ive got something unusual. A farmer with a bucket knocked on the door. Esse was an abbreviation of the Eschenbach family name everyone in the neighborhood used. Hm? What is it? Saki opened the door and peaked her face out. The farmer had ced his bucket down near the door. Here. Its this unusual stone that came from theke. It was a nearly transparent stone. It looked as if it had been crushed slightly and it was cuboid in shape. There were several simr shaped transparent stones in the bucket. This was one rock originally. When I spit it apart, it broke into chunks, that all shared the exact same shape. Wow, thats interesting. Id like to buy them. Saying this, Saki offered three silver coins from her pockets. The farmer received the payment with great pleasure and left his bucket with the broken rock pieces. Hmm, hmm, if I break it like this Oh, it really broke off in the same shape! This is neat. Saki casually put the small piece of the stone shed broken off on top of an open book. The book was written by Sakis father, Toa Eschenbach, and was called Introduction to Alchemy. It was bestseller in alchemy, and part of its sales continued to go to the Eschenbach family. In fact, the silver coins Saki had pulled out earlier were from these very book sales. Looking at the stone she had ced on the book, Saki suddenly jumped up from her chair in astonishment. This was because the letters below the nearly transparent rock were visible through it, only they was doubled. Wha, what is this !? No way, does this stone duplicate things or something!? A dayter, Saki had forgotten to sleep and worked on the study of stone without break. Even so, she couldnt understand anything about it. Miss! Garth, a different servant, noticed Sakis state and rushed to her side. Hmm, Im sleepy and hungry I want to eat something He sighed. Did you want to sleep or eat? Please make up your mind My names Rona. Its nice to meet you. A girl, around 17 to 18 years old, bowed politely. She was the new servant the Eschenbachs had hired. Im Saki. Nice to meet you, Rona Up until then, all the servants assigned to Saki been male, but the new servant was a girl this time, so Saki was trying to be more weing and considerate. That was back when Rona first started. Now however Wake up, Saki. Its almost noon! Hmph, no let me sleep a little more I was up until dawn She would stay upte and sleep until noon. Lady Saki! You still havent eaten today?! Oh, uhm, my bad. Its just, this stone was really interesting so. What do you mean! Your lunch was sitting right over there for you. I told you when I brought it up. And now its already nighttime. Lost in her research, she would forget about eating. Rona, Im sorry. It looks like I have no money this month What, again? This makes two months I havent been paid for now. Im really sorry. Ill have your money next month. Seeing Saki apologize like this, Rona looked troubled. Hmmm, I wonder if this liquid could be used as paint? A bucket sat full of a sticky ck liquid. It was sap brought by a traveling merchant who came after hearing the rumors about the Eschenbachs. They were known for being extremely fond of rare things. She scooped up a little with a spat and spread it on a wooden board. The sticky substance seemed to stretch and grown when spread out. This meant the coating was thin. Wow, a small amount can cover such arge area. This was what Saki had hoped to use the sap for, but the next day, and the day after that, the ck sap just wouldnt dry out. She poked it, and it stuck onto the end of her finger. Several times, Saki identally scratched her cheek with this same finger. She had wiped the sap off with a cloth in a hurry, but her face felt itchy that night. Hmmm, its so itchy. I wonder why? She couldnt bear it and ended up scratching her face. The itch stopped then momentarily, but soon after it started to itch again. With this on repeat, Saki was unable to sleep. My Lady, good morn ! Coming to wake Saki up, Rona was wide-eyed. The right half of Sakis face was swollen and blistered in some ces. Blood dripped out from where she had been scratching. It was quite a gruesome scene. Kii, kyaaa! Rona screamed. She could hardly be med for doing so. Oh, that feels good The itching subsided, when Sakis face was cooled with a wet towel Rona had given her. Rona, however, kept her distance from Saki. She thought Sakis face was swollen and itchy because of some disease. It was then that Rona told Saki she wanted to resign. It was nice working for you. Hey Rona, wont you reconsider? Im sorry. Please dont ask me to. Im already at my limit. Please take better care of yourself, Lady Saki. Give my regards to your father. Rona bowed deeply and walked away without looking back. Geez, is that the third one? Or was she the fourth? Having no servants who want to stick around is quite the problem, huh This all happened three days before Aal was made. Chapter 386: Reinhardt’s Ship

Chapter 386: Reinhardts Ship

June 18, two days before the Technology Expo. Confirming the date, Jin decided it was best to leave for Reinhardts ce in Vanne before noon. Elsa and Mine nned to meet up with Jinter. Just before he left, Laojun spoke with Jin and handed over a magi crystal. Ive finally managed a little analysis of gravity magic. The details are recorded in this magi crystal. Taking the crystal from Laojun, Jins face shone. Thanks for the great work, Laojun. Please keep at it Id better be on my way then Yes, my Lord. Have a safe trip. Jin passed through the warp gate. Hey Jin, its been three days? Saki greeted him from the front of her house. Jin had seen her three days ago on Hourai Ind. Ah, thats right. Have you finished your paper? Yeah, its perfect. The golem copies are done too. Golem copies, as the name implied, referred to copies of a piece of writing made through golem technology. Since there was no printing technology here, things needed to be copied out by hand. Golems were used because it was difficult for humans to do it themselves. Golems could write faster than humans and they made no mistakes. Since they didnt need to take breaks, it was said that they were 3 times faster at copying than humans while also being more urate. In truth, Hourai Inds golem handwritings were even faster than this, but Jin wasnt stupid enough to draw unwanted attention to the ind by spreading this information about. After being guided by Saki, Jin entered the house. It had been cleaned and repaired to the point that Jin could barely recognize it. Jin said so honestly, and Saki shyly smiled. Kufu, its all thanks to Aal. The walls, floor, and ceiling are all beautiful now. He reced and repainted the damaged areas. Her face became serious again. I didnt really understand things back then. I learnt from observing my Father. I wanted to be a fully fledged alchemist as fast as possible and I rushed things. I was indifferent to what I wore or ate. My life was honestly a mess. When I think back on it, I feel like a fool. Saki breathed out. Just then, Aal came in with tea. Taking a sip of it, Saki continued, Seeing Elsa, I finally woke up. That girl. She can cook! And she even teaches children to study. Yet, shes a magi engineer a magi craftsman who has grown so, so much. Im really no match for her. Saki had wanted to be seen for her own worth, rather than just her fathers, and that caused her to push herself to the point of neglecting the rest of her life. The conversation drifted to other matters then. Wheres your luggage? Actually, wheres your stuff for the Expo? Jinughed before answering Sakis natural question, Its all onboard Reinhardts boat, moored at Lake Tosmo. Well, that is a surprise. Youll tell me how he made that vessel someday, right? Of course. Their interaction came to an end and Jin made his way to Sakis Barn. He was going to retrieve the carriage hed left there for the journey. He nned to transport the warp gate to the Expo in Koju using it. Originally, the barn door was notrge enough for the carriage to fit in and out, so Jin had destroyed part of it and then remodeled it. Because of this, the carriage could be pulled out easily by sliding a modified wall above the entrance. Hey! Since when could my barn door do that? Jin bowed and apologized to Saki, who smiled mischievously. Im really sorry! I remodeled it without asking. Sorry If you want me to fix it, Ill put it back to how it was right away. Saki smiled at his words and shook her head, Haha, thats okay. I dont really use this barn anyways, and were family right? Hearing her say this, Jin grinned. Thank you. In the afternoon, Jin and Saki, followed by Reiko and Aal, made their way to Reinhardts house. Hey Jin. Hi Saki. Its finally time for the Expo, huh? Reinhardt greeted them with a smile. They all moved to a private room in Reinhardts home. Reinhardts father, Wolfgang, had already left for Koju. Wee to our home Lord Jin, Ms. Saki. Berthie brewed fragrant tea. The paddle wheeler is floating on Lake Tosmo. Yeah, I heard from Laojun. Thanks. Reinhard always kept one of Jins manams to stay in contact. Speaking of things belonging to Jin, he just remembered leaving some of his treatment magic, healing and remedy drugs, and golem horses with Lycia and Pasco. Well, its Lycia so she wouldnt abuse or misuse my stuff, but I need to go pick it up soon, Jin thought. That night, they rested at Reinhardts house before heading to Koju the next morning. I heard Prince Ernest of the Kingdom of Egelia will be there, and therell be magi craftsmaning from the Kingdom of Celuroa too. Reinhardt added that the Royals of Celuroa werenting because the country was going through some internal unrest. Im excited for it. Yeah, absolutely. I wonder how many people will be named Magi Engineer Maestro this year? Well, without a doubt, Jin will be. But I hope Ill have a chance too. Magi Engineer Maestro was the title given to leading magi craftsman. It wasnt limited to one person, so anyone deemed excellent could receive the title. It was rarely ever given out to begin with though. Father is far better than any of them thoughBeside them, Reiko refrained from voicing thisment, but she was thinking it in her heart. The following day, the group departed from Reinhardts estate at 8:00 in the morning. They took the exact opposite route they had taken thest time they crossed theke from Koju. They arrived at Lake Tosmo, where Reinhardts paddle wheeler was moored. Lorelei was there watching over it. On board was Regulus 41, one of the Quinta from the Shouro Empire. Lorelei was the mermaid-shaped golem made by Reinhardt for the golem boatpetition in Potlock. She couldnt walk though because she had no legs, so she was basically luggage while they were onnd. She had been left in a carriage loaded with food and water, but had been partially damaged when Valentinos golem, Albus, had attacked them in front of the vige of Luford. It was Elsa who noticed this. Elsa and Lorelei hadpeted together in Potlock, and she wanted to see Lorelei moving again like back then. So, she took Lorelei from Reinhardt secretly and fixed her up with Jin. Hearing about this now, Reinhardt scratched his head and apologized to Lorelei, Sorry, Lorelei, you shouldve been repaired sooner. Im sorry I wasnt able to fix you myself. No, my creator, dont worry. Lets put it behind us. Heres your ship. Thank you, Lorelei, Reinhard said and looked at the paddle wheeler. It was 15 meters long and 3 meters wide. The ship was ssified as medium-sized. Its hull was slender and streamlined. It was a high-speed vessel suitable for the gentle waves of Lake Tosmo. Okay, Mac? Okay, Mick. All aboard. Mac was on the right and Mick was on the left. Yah, my creator. The twin golems boarded the paddle wheeler. Love, whats the ships name? Berthie asked. As if Reinhardt had been waiting for the question, he dered the name of the ship without hesitation, Of course. The name of this ship is Scarlet Trail. Scar, scarlet ? It was a bright red color, full of vitality. It was also Berthies imperial name. Shouro Imperial nobles gave their names in the following order: first name,st name von imperial name. Imperial names were given to nobles by the royal family. For that reason, they were seen as names of honor. Berthies name, Scarlet, was given to her by the sister of the Emperor, Charlotte Ariana von Leonard Shouro. The ships hull gleamed red. Reinhardt reached out to Berthie, whose face flushed, Ber, this ship is dedicated to you. He then climbed on board the Scarlet Trail. Kufu, thats sure like Reinhardt. Saki, who was watching, smiled to herself. Jin, ude will load the carriage and everything on another boat. You guys should get on. Hearing this, Jin made his way to board. Hesitating about whether to grab Sakis hand or not, he lost his bnce on the pier. Father, its dangerous. Reiko moved to support him. Jin wasnt good with ships. They boarded the Scarlet Trail together. The hull had a t bottom, so it was stable at least. Reinhardt and Berthie were on the bow of the ship, with Noir and Neon nearby. The paddle wheels were attached to the left and right of the boats center. Mac and Mick were ready to man them. At the rear of the hull stood Jin and Saki, followed by Reiko, Aal, and Lorelei. Lorelei was there to rescue anyone in case of an emergency. Alright, here we go. The Scarlet Trail is off! When Reinhardt signaled, Mac and Mick began turning their paddle wheels. The paddle wheels, driven by their mighty arms, kicked the water vigorously and the Scarlet Trail began leaving the pier. Oh, its pretty fast. Jin was impressed as well. It was a substantial speed for a vessel of this size. The Scarlet Trail glided across Lake Tosmo. Reinhard, who saw no other boats around him, decided to try pushing their speed. Ok, full speed! Could you help out too, Lorelei. The specially designed golems, Mac and Mick, powered the ship fiercely. The paddle wheels whirled, driving the Scarlet Trail like an arrow. Lorelei jumped into the water and gave the ship an even further boost. There was no way this wasnt fast. Were going about 40 km/h, huh. It was faster than the golem boat that had been in Potlock. This was astounding given the number of crew members manning things. But, well, we cant stay at this speed for too long. Unfortunately, it was difficult to maintain the magic tank and the mana driver like this. Im sure Jins technology could handle it, but theres no meaning to it if its not something I can make with my own hands, Reinhardt thought. He had his pride. Even so, the Scarlet Trail was a top-ss vessel. Its sure fast my love. Its sure to be the fastest on Lake Tosmo. Berthie wasnt wrong about that. Except for Jins Hydro series, it was the fastest ship in the world. All the other boats crossing theke were astounded at the speed of the Scarlet Trail. Chapter 387: Homecoming

Chapter 387: Homing

Since the Scarlet Trail was too fast for the other luggage boats to keep up with it, whenever they would be in free waters, Reinhardt decided to run several tests. Things like maneuverability, eleration and deceleration, and stability. Alright, except for stability, Id say thats enough for now. He was now able to do very tight turns thanks to his ability to control a normal rudder and paddle wheel. Still, his stability was stillcking. The ship rocked a bit more than what he had anticipated. This could be said to be an adverse effect of having narrowed the ships width. If one uses too much force when trying to level the hull back when turning, it could end up throwing itself to the opposite side. Then one would need to try to level the hull back again and again until its leveled. Thats it! All I need is to add something that acts as a shock-absorbent! The pondering Reinhardt finally arrived at a solution. Ships were really something flexible to work with. There are extensions one can add to both sides of a ship called bilge and bilge keel, which when set up diagonally and downwards under the ships hull, can help prevent the water rolling under the ship when turning, which prevents shaking. Well then, lets give that a go once we reach our destination! The paddle wheel was excellent in terms of eleration and deceleration, especially deceleration. And Okay, this is how powerful it is without Lorelei pushing it When sailing with genuine paddle wheels, the maximum speed it could reach was about 20 kilometers per hour, about half as good as before. One could easily understand just how superior Loreleis swimming ability was. After performing several tests and having a light meal onboard, they finally arrived on Koju a little earlier than the luggage boats. That ended up being very convenient when it came to picking up their luggage. There were noints from Berthie nor Jin about him doing some sightseeing on theke. Heres the lodging house. Reinhardts butler, ude, who had safely managed to carry their luggage, took the party to the lodging house. It was a high-ss hotel in the middle of downtown Koju. There was a reception hall right next to it. The Expo will be held at a multipurpose facility that has been built recently near the harbor. It seems that such a facility was built there since Koju was close to the capital city Roizart, and as a means to create a front door to promote the development of the area around Lake Tosmo. It reminded Jin of the buildings found in the Makuhari and Ariake districts in Tokyo, though he had never actually been to any of those districts before. Jin and Reinhardt carried their disy items as they headed for their designated ce at the facility where the Expo would be held. By the time they were finished carrying them, it was already nighttime. Then the two returned to the hotel and enjoyed a wonderful dinner together with Berthie and Saki. Tomorrows the big day, huh? After the meal, Jin said those words while enjoying a cup of tea in his room, filled with anticipation. Jins room had a living room in addition to two separate bedrooms, one of which had already been prepared by the hotels employees. Each of the bedrooms was for two people. This was very convenient. He had ns to bring Elsa along early on the next day. The night in Koju went on quietly. The time difference between Koju and Kaina Vige is about 3 hours and a half. It was 5 AM in Koju, so it would be about 8:30 PM in Kaina vige. Jin and Reiko went to the Warp Gate inside the carriage they had left at the hotel and teleported to Kaina Vige. Morning, Jin. Good morning, Master Jin. He had already talked to Elsa and Mine beforehand, so they were already ready and waiting for him to arrive. Elsa had brought her best clothes when she came to Kaina Vige. It was the same dress she wore when she went to Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom. Mine would be wearing her usual maid clothes. I also gave this to Mine. She was wearing the same Guard Ring Elsa had on. And I gave these to Elsa. The first item was a brown wig. Magic dye cant change ones hair length, so she chose to wear a wig for this event. Just by changing her usual semi-short hair to shoulder-length drastically changed her looks. Next were protective sses. These also changed the way she looked by quite a bit. They stood out a bitpared to Sakis own sses. Seeing that, Jin decided to also wear protective sses himself. Alright, shall we go then? Yeah. The two of them were a bit nervous about returning to their homnd. Jin gave them both a light tap on the shoulder so as to reassure them, and then walked through the Warp Gate located in the underground workshop. The other two soon followed him. Then, Reiko and Edgar walked through as well. Then all of them emerged on the other side, at the Shouro Empires city of Koju. Well, this is Koju. Heres the carriage we left at the hotel thats next to the reception hall. Yeah, Ive been here before, once. She must have been here during herst travel. However, since both Elsa and Mine suddenly fell silent after saying that, Jin chose to not ask them anything about it. A small trickle of tears fell from both Elsa and Mines eyes. Elsa wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and said: Big brother Jin thank you Her voice cracked due to being ovee with emotion. Thank you very much, Master Jin. Mine also expressed her gratitude while moved to tears. No need to thank me. After saying that, Jin guided the two of them to his room at the hotel. Out of Jins two bedrooms for two, one was for Elsa and Mine. Well, today is finally the day of the Technology Expo. I have something to do now, so please wait for me here. It wont take long, so please bear with me, Elsa. Okay. Understood. At that moment there was a knock at the door. Reiko walked over to it and opened it. Reinhardt was standing on the other side. Ah, so you brought them as nned, Jin. Then Reinhardt closed one eye as if winking and said: We have about 2 hours before we have to go to our ce at the Expo. Lets have breakfast first. Sure. Since Elsa and Mine already had breakfast back on Kaina Vige, only Jin left the room. It seems everything is going ording to n. So today it should go like this then: First, the opening ceremony. Then, the introduction of the participants. Thats right. They didnt say anything about having the assistantse along, so Elsa should just stay on standby for now. They were going over their schedule while having breakfast. By the way, wheres Berthie? He hadnt seen her together with Reinhardt as she always was, so Jin was curious. Ah, shes already had breakfast, so shes greeting her acquaintances who are also staying at this hotel. Shouldnt you go as well then, Reinhardt? Hearing that, Reinhardt smiled bitterly and answered: Hey, hey! Dont you know what is my role here? Ive been your guide all this time, you know? Jin remembered, thinking, Ah, thats right. He had forgotten since he had beening and going from Kaina Vige to Hourai Ind as he pleased. After their conversation, Jin and Reinhardt finished their breakfast, and each returned to their room to double-check if there was anything they might have forgotten before their meeting. Out of boredom, Reinhardt went back to Jins bedroom and a trifling conversation took ce. So wheres Saki? Elsa asked since he hadnt seen Saki around. Ah, the alchemists seem to have gotten together about an hour ago. She had an early breakfast and left. I see. Reinhardt stared fixedly at Elsas face. When she noticed, she lowered her head a bit and asked What?. Its nothing, I was just thinking you look very fresh! If you hadnt said anything I probably would have not recognized you. After all, Elsas hair was brown and at shoulder-length, and she was wearing protective sses. She looked really different than usual. Ah, thats right! You should wear protective sses too, Reinhardt. That way, Elsa wont stand out as much. Having said that, Jin took an extra pair of protective sses out of his luggage and handed them to Reinhardt. Oh, sure. Though magic does most of the work for us, it doesnt hurt to keep our eyes safe. Reinhardtughed as he put on the sses. All three of them, no, four if you count Saki, were wearing sses now. Perhaps Elsa wouldnt bring as much attention to her now. Time went by and eventually a man who seemed to be an executive member of the Expo came calling for them. Alright then, lets go. Yeah. Okay, were off. The two of them stood up as Elsa and Mine saw them off. Reinhardt stopped by his room to get his hand luggage and to bring Schwartz Ritter Noir along. It was finally time for the Technology Expo. Chapter 388: Raising the curtain on the Technology Expo

Chapter 388: Raising the curtain on the Technology Expo

June 20th. It was the day of the summer solstice. The location was the city of Koju, in the Shouro Empire. It was a city close to the capital city of Roizart, and with a well-developed water transportation system thanks to its waterways which draw in from Lake Tosmo. In recent years, it has developed substantially thanks to its good geographical advantage, and it was expected to soon be a satellite city to Roizart. A multipurpose facility had been built in a recently opened port. It hadrge buildings and open spaces. This year, the 10th Technology Expo would be held in this facilitysrgest buildings: the Central Building and its adjacent East Building. I am pleased to wee this many participants and visitors on this beautiful day to this 10th Technology Expo. Empress Gelhart Hilde Von Rubis Shouro opened the event with that statement in the Central Buildings main hall. Next there would be a speech by the Minister of Magical Technology, Degauss Furt Von Maniss, who would be acting as a consultant. Finally, Christoph Barde Von Ta, Secretary of the Ministry of Magical Technology, acting as the Expos executivemittee member, would introduce the participants. Ah, he was one of the witnesses at Reinahardts wedding. Jin, who was in thest row of participants, remembered seeing Christophs face before. A number of people left the hall when the time came for introducing the participants. Perhaps they needed to go to the restroom, or they had some preparations to take care of? Jin quietly slipped out of the room as well. He wasnt fond of such lengthy ceremonies. Besides, he had a lot of preparations to make. Should I connect this now, Father? Ah, sure. Please make sure to connect it firmly. Reiko and Steward were helping Jin assemble a magic tool. It looked like some sort of a smallpressor. What is that, Jin? Reinhardt had escaped from the room as well and hade along with Jin. Haha, its a secret for now. Look forward to it, will you? Its going to be amazing. It was rare to hear Jin say something like that, especially since he usually hated standing out. Reinhardt stood there half-astonished, looking at Jins face. Yeah, Im looking forward to it. After their conversation, Reinhardt decided to go check on his own stand. Aside from the special tools that Jin was putting together, everything had already been assembled the day before. After that it was just a matter of checking everything was alright and then open the doors of the Expo to the public. Needless to say, Elsas, who had been regarded as Jins assistant, had her exhibit already prepared in advance as well. Thepletion of the magic tool was left to Steward. And Lily, one of the SP was left in charge of taking care of the carriage. The preparations went by and lunchtime was drawing near. The Expo would start exactly at noon. Jin went to the great dining hall along with Reiko in order to make sure he had eaten lunch properly before that. Participants were allowed to have free lunch at that ce between 10 AM and 3 PM. Jin took a seat and called one of the waitresses. He couldnt see Reinhardt nor Saki nearby, so either they were still setting things up, or they had already eaten. As he thought that Hey, Jin! So heres where you were, huh? Saki showed up at that exact moment. Hey Saki. Is everything done on your end? Yeah, I already did all I had to do for now. All thats left to do is wait for the results. Saki sat down at Jins table and ced her order as well. Then another voice was heard. Ah, is that you, Jin? Oh, long time no see! It really has been a long time. Are you well? You really helped me back then. It was Stearina, the Magi Craftsman from Celuroa Kingdom. However, Saki didnt know how she was, so she was a bit confused. Who is this, Jin? Ah, this is Stearina Gamma. Shes a Magi Craftsman from Celuroa Kingdom. After Jin introduced her, Stearina giggled and corrected him. Well, Im not Gamma anymore. Its Beta. Stearina Beta. The highest-ranked person in the crafting field in the Celuroa Kingdom was the Unifiers No. 2, Donald Carou Alpha. However, since he went missing after Unifiers destruction, Stearina ended up going up in rank. Youve be Beta! Congrattions! Thank you. But you know, Im not that happy since its not like Ive gained new abilities or anything like that, I was merely promoted. Stearina smiled bitterly. Having been promoted simply due to there being a vacancy was no reason for joy to her. Im Saki. Saki Eschenbach. Im an alchemist. Pleased to meet you, Saki. Likewise. Stearina seemed busy, so she said: Well then, Ill be looking forward to seeing you in the afternoon. And then left the dining hall. The participants would be introduced in the afternoon. Each participant was assigned to their own exhibition area -which would be more appropriate to call booths- but even if those arent appealing enough to those attending, some participant has a designated time to make a special presentation at a special stage. There also were huge Magic Screens installed everywhere around the hall for those who would be too far from the stage to see well enough. Of course, there also were loudspeakers prepared on every corner to ensure everyone could hear what was going on stage clearly. The ones who could actually use this system for special presentations were about a third of all participating Magi Craftsmen. Those participants without achievements could not enjoy such benefits. Of course, Jin was one of the participants who could use the special stage. And since he hade from another country in order to participate, Jins designated time to use it was one of the first ones on schedule. Noon came and the Expo was opened to the public. Jin was standing at his own booth. Lets see, my presentation will be the third one. Look after my booth while Im gone. Yes, leave it to me. Edgar nodded. Elsa had brought Edgar along as one of her works. That concludes my presentation. The first on-stage presentation had finished. Okay, lets go. Jin gave the things for the presentation to Reiko and both left the booth. The second presentation was Stearinas. Next is the Magi Craftsman from Celuroa Kingdom, Stearina Beta. The appearance of such a beautiful participant caused a conspicuously big round of apuse. This is my Crystal Golem, Selene. There was a loud cheer after Stearinas golem appeared on stage. It was a golem made out of a blue-ish crystal. It seemed to be moreplete than Ceres, which Jin had seen in Egelia Kingdom. Hmm, that blue hue cant be crystal, right? Jin secretly used Analyze Magic in order to ascertain the material properties of the golem while looking at the stage. Ah, so its blue topaz, huh? Topaz is a mineral even harder than crystal. Its rare and expensive, especially the yellow ones, which are called Imperial Topaz. In addition to the yellow ones, these gems can also be colorless, pink, brown, or blue. Selene was a golem made from blue topaz. Its movements were smoother, too. It could be seen clearly that this was a moreplete work than her previous one, Celes. And she could even sing, too. Her voice was superior to Celess. But topaz may break more easily than crystal, though Jin had such strange worries while a unanimous round of apuse echoed through the hall. At number three, Jins turn was finally up. He got on stage after Reiko handed him the box she had been holding. Next is the Honorary Magi Craftsman from Egelia Kingdom, Jin Nidou. Another round of apuse went on after his introduction. It seemed that Jin was considerably well known. Heres what I came to show you today. Jin lifted the cover on a tray that Reiko was holding. On it there were ten golems, approximately ten centimeters each. ? The reaction from the audience was poor. They looked like dolls when seen from a distance. However, once Jin began giving them instructions, that reaction turned into surprise. Mini-Smiths, show us your moves. Yes, Master. Asmanded by Jin, the Mini-Smiths replied in a high-pitched voice and began to climb on Reikos body. They were all over her arms, shoulders, and head. Everyone looking at the Mini-Smiths were surprised. Anyone who knew at least a bit of Magi Craft knew that building such tiny golems was not the norm. Even more, they were fully autonomous, and could even speak. And those who knew nothing about Magi Craft werepletely drawn in by such creations they had never seen before. Then, Jin began his exnation. I call these mini golems Mini-Smiths. A Magi Craftsman can use them as assistants. You may wonder How exactly?. Well, I could go on and exin with words, but it will be better if I just show you. Shall we? Jin then produced several small pieces of brass he had already prepared and gave it to the Mini-Smiths. When ites to precise processing, our own hands and eyes may be too rough for the job. But these little guys, on the other hand After Jin said that, the Mini-Smiths all used Engineering Magic at the same time. A special magic circle appeared, and the pieces of brass started changing shape. They had been turned into precisely carved medals. After doing the same thing 3 more times, Jin ended up producing a total of forty brass medals, and ordered Reiko and the Mini-Smiths distribute them to the audience. Reiko walked towards the audience with her tray in hand, and the Mini-Smiths who were standing on top of that tray started handing out the brass medal to the surprised spectators. When they ran out of medals to pass along, each Mini-Smiths would get another piece of brass and quickly produce more medals to hand out. Through this demonstration, every single member of the audience could see the Mini-Smiths up close and their powerful processing capabilities. Chapter 389: A reunion and Elsa’s debut

Chapter 389: A reunion and Elsas debut

Ahh! This level of detail is amazing! Everyone who received a medal expressed their surprise at their precise craftsmanship. The medals were 2 centimeters in diameter, about the same size of a 1 Yen coin. Their margins had subtle patterns engraved into them. This level of detail was something unlikely to be able to achieve with human hands. Those who didnt know much about Magi Craft were impressed by the mini golems manufacturing power. Those who had some knowledge of Magi Craft were marveled by the skill that it would take to make golems of such a small size. And those who had a good grasp about Magi Craft were awestruck at their practical uses. After Reiko got back up on stage with the Mini-Smiths, Jin made another announcement. That concludes my demonstration for today, but tomorrow Ill show you something at the Main za that will defy your conventional knowledge. Thank you very much for your time. Jin bowed down at the audience and stepped down from the stage. The audience had various impressions of Jins presentation. Just who is that young man? I dont know. They did say he was some Honorary Magi Craftsman from Egelia Kingdom. You dont think he has something to do with that uproar at the Golem Party? But did you see those tiny golems? Being able to produce those would mean having the worlds leading processing technology! Certainly. Look at the level of detail of these medals! Just imagine how much these would be worth if they were made of gold instead of brass! Everyone was surprised and in an uproar after seeing that kind of technology for the first time. Hoho, you never cease to impress, Jin. It was really worth it to have invited you to our country. And Im really looking forward to what you may have in store for us tomorrow. Yeah, Ive only been watching since Her Highness was so immersed in his presentation, but it was indeed impressive! The people who had only heard a bit about Jin were simply astounded. Who wouldve thought he had those mini golems up his sleeve? That Jin They may not look like much at first, but the possibilities are endless! Im sure other people understand this much, too. Regardless of whatever Jin could have brought with him today, I knew it would be beyond our expectations. And those who knew Jin well could not suppress their surprise. Someone ran up to Jin as soon as he came down from the stage. Jin! It was a blond young boy with blue eyes, a bit shorter than Jin. Behind him were a female bronze-colored golem and a woman dressed up as a maid. And standing right next to him was ady whose Jin recognized instantly. Your Highness! And The young boy was Ernest, the third prince of Egelia Kingdom. The golem was Lotte, naturally, and the other woman was La Sorius from the Royal Secret Maid corps who had been appointed to the prince. Long time no see, Jin. Finally, thedy who Jin had easily recognized was Lieschen, the Princess of the Klein Kingdom. Long time no see. How have you been? Jin felt that the princess wouldnt ask that herself, so he asked first. Im doing fine. Just a bit tired, but Im pulling through. Ah, Jin, its just that Lies has been put under a forced march in order to bring her back to the Shouro Empire. I see, Jin thought. The Egelia Kingdom may be far away from where they were now, buting here all the way from the Klein Kingdom, which was even farther away, must have been quite tiresome. Both for her and her attendants. d to see youre well, Jin Even Jessica Norton, Captain of Princess Lieschens Imperial Guard, was not looking as energetic as usual. Seeing that, Jin thought about sending some provisions to themter, but then realized that sending provisions to such an important person from another country would be quite troublesome. I was to have a formal meeting with Lies, but I wanted toe see this expo as well. Then Lies told me that she wanted to see me too, so we thought abouting here together. The Celuroa Kingdom stands between Egelia and Klein. So they arranged to meet in Tellurus, a city close to the Celuroa metropolis of Essaia, and headed towards the Shouro Empire in order to attend the Technology Expo together. Perhaps they were being a bit selfish in taking such liberties anding here, both of them being so close to inherit their respective countries thrones. But youre okay, right, Your Highness? Yeah, we came here on that carriage that you made for us Jin, so it was still a pretty fun trip. Ah A horse-drawn carriage furnished with a Golem Suspension does have a different feeling offort when riding it. Without it, the level of burden one would feel while in a forced march would be in apletely different league. She was very adamant in that we used that carriage toe here. O Of course! Its only natural that a man and a woman that are to meet and spend an entire day in a carriage together would try to make it asfy as possible! Lieschen hid her blushing face behind her hands as she said that. She remembered when she shared a ride on that carriage together with Jin and thought about saying something to that effect but then thought it would be better not to. A princess is entitled to have princess-like thoughts. She may be just naturally shy, too. But am I d to see you again! Your skills are as good as ever. But why have you taken up our name of Honorary Magi Craftsman after beingmissioned to the Shouro Empire? Ahh Jin was at a loss for words. The truth was that he was still independent. Back in Egelia Kingdom, Jin saw that he was going to bemissioned to the Shouro Empire, so he thought about not making any pointless solicitations. But what would happen if they realize that he was still unaffiliated? Your Highness, Jin is still our honored guest. After taking a good look at our country, if it pleases him, he shall bemissioned in our governments service. Reinhardts words came from the side like a lifeline. Ah, Reinhardt. So thats what it was. Who is this, Lord Ernest? Princess Lieschen asked Prince Ernest while pinching gently on his sleeve. Ah, thats right, Im sorry. This is Reinhardt, a Magi Craftsman from the Shouro Empire. My name is Reinhardt Randall, Your Highness. Pleased to meet you. Reinhardt bowed down graciously at the princess. Is that so? Im Lieschen Fusis Klein, third princess of the Klein Kingdom. d to make your acquaintance. Prince Ernest and Princess Lieschen, being important people of such high standing, could not stand in the same spot for too long, so they decided to move on to see other exhibits. If possible, Id like some of those mini golems of yours With those words, they headed towards another booth. Jin returned to his booth as well, and looked at the stage from there. Reinhardt was with him, too. I didnt know you were making those little golems, Jin. Haha, next time Ill teach you how to make them yourself. Ah, thatll be great! Some people arrived at Jins booth while they were having that conversation. They were the Minister of Magical Technology, Degauss Furt Von Maniss, and the top Magi Engineer of the Shouro Empire -in other words, the Magi Engineer Maestro- Gebalt Ackerman, along with the Empress of Shouro herself, Gelhart Hilde Von Rubis Shouro. That was truly splendid, Jin. And you said you have even more to show to us tomorrow? Im looking forward to it. Since this was an event venue, the empress choice of words made her seem like she was someone in between her usual public and private selves. She picked her words thoroughly. Thank you very much. I hope to see you there tomorrow. Hmm, hmm, its really exciting. I wonder what you have in store for us. By the way, whats that hanging from your face? Jin was now wearing protective sses made out of muscovite. Reinhardt, who was standing right next to him, had the same kind of sses as well. Right, these are called protective sses, we use them to protect our eyes from dust entering our eyes and to prevent injuries to our eyes while working. Jin took out three samples. The empress picked up one of them. They feel rather light. So they go here? Oh, I see, they dont obscure your vision or anything like that. What do you think, Gebalt? The Magi Engineer Maestro, Gebalt Ackerman, picked up another one of the protective sses samples and shared his impressions after putting them on. Lets see here, they seem quite easy to use. They may not be so necessary when working via magic, but I can see how they can help when working manually. Ah, but you can use them to keep dust from entering your eyes as well. The Minister of Magic Technology, Degauss, shared his opinion after he too tried the protective sses on. I see. They may be useful for soldiers as well. Jin, could I have your permission to produce these protective sses? He hadnt thought of them being used like that, but Jin had no intention to refuse. Yes, of course. They will be useful in many scenarios where its necessary to protect ones eyes. Thank you very much for approving so quickly. And what is that? Degauss expressed his gratitude on behalf of the three of them. At the same time, he seemed to have noticed Edgar, who was standing right next to them. Ah, yes, This is my This is an automata made by my apprentice. His name is Edgar. Pleased to meet you. My name is Edgar. Edgar elegantly bowed to them. He had done it in such a way that it looked a bit like how they do it in the Shouro Empire, so the empress and the others were rather surprised by it. Huh? That bow could it be that your apprentice is from our country? That is correct. Your Majesty, we dont have much time, so please take a look at our work first. Chapter 390: Touring the Venue

Chapter 390: Touring the Venue

After visiting Reinhardts booth, Jin and Elsa continued to tour the venue. Reinhardt seemed eager to join us, but he became busy handling several customers that visited his booth. Jin andpany headed to Steirleanas booth. Hey, Jin. Youvee. Elsa, too. Wee! The centerpiece of Steirleanas booth was undeniably the crystal golem no, it was a blue topaz golem, Selene. With the smooth feminine body line, the transparent blue body looked even more mystical. There were other sculptures and vases made of crystals, as well as essories. Steirleana was skilled in processing such gems and precious stones. This is an exceptionally beautiful pendant. It was a pendant made of pale blue stone, possibly an aquamarine. It was cut in a pear-shape, or sometimes known as teardrop-shape. Oh, that one. I created that pendant with the leftover material from when I created Selene. It was a blue topaz, not an aquamarine. Elsa was fascinated with the beautiful color. Oh, I see. Steirleana looked at Elsas face, then Jins, and then gave a cheeky smile. Jin, Ill give you this for the trouble before. Steirleana handed over the pendant to Jin. Huh? Its fine. Keep it. Steirleana halfway forced it into Jins hands while winking and said, If you dont want it, you can give it to someone else. Jin and Elsa backed out of the booth into the aisle. Right at that moment, two customers came by and started to ask Steirleana questions, so Jin and Elsa walked away along the aisle. While staring hard at the pendant in his hand, Jin finally realized what Steirleanas intention was and said, The color of this stone is very simr to Elsas eyes. If you want, Ill give you this pendant. He handed it to Elsa. Yeah, thank you, Brother Jin. Elsa took the pendant while smiling. Steirleana gave the two of them a sidelong nce while smiling, thinking that she was spot on with her assumption. Oh, Jin and Elsa! Yo, Saki! Right when the two of them were thinking of their next destination, they bumped into Saki. Would you like to go explore the venue together? Jin invited. Yeah, Id love to. Id appreciate your exnations about various things in this exhibition as well. From then on, three people (and an Automata) toured the venue together. Wheres Aal? Oh, I asked him to watch my booth for me. Saki left Aal to watch his booth, just like Jin was doing, touring the venue. Whats that over there? Saki pointed at the booth where a crowd of young customers gathered. Shall we go check it out? We pushed our way through the morously bustling crowd to get closer, only to find various sizes of or more precisely, various dolls that fall into the small category. They were lined up packed together. These are Those would be called Figures, the perfect dolls. The smallest ones were about 10 centimeters tall, while the big ones were about 50 centimeters tall. They were made with various materials such as gold, silver, copper, marble, and crystal. Most of them were in the form of girls, with no dresses on, only the molding. But their vital parts were cleverly concealed by how they were postured. Theyre cute, but how shall I put it Saki turned slightly red as well from embarrassment. Are they your associates, Brother Jin? Elsa said something so unexpectedly wild. Hey! Jin protested, to which Elsa giggled. No. Im just kidding. Sorry. Elsas remark took Jin and Saki by surprise because it never urred to them she would crack that sort of joke. That was probably because she came back to her home country. Jin thought it was wise to have brought her along. Oh, is that Lord Jin over there? Someone called out to Jin who was engrossed in deep thought. The voice came from inside the booth. That would be the person who created those dolls. Im a Magi Craftsman from Celuroa Kingdom, rk Lambda. Lambda would indicate that he was the 11th engineer. He was about in histe 20s to early 30s. He had short-cropped brown hair and brown eyes. His face looked ordinary and yet had distinct features; his physique was medium-build. At first nce, his appearance left a light impression. The models he made were amazing. Perhaps it was due to the biased theme that his rank stopped at the 11th position. Jin was somewhat rudely thinking somewhere along those lines. Without breathing a word of his thoughts, he greeted him back. Im Jin Nidou. Oh, its an honor to speak with you firsthand. Is that Mini Smith? I envy your ability in creating small golems to that extent. rk paused, then gripped both of Jins hands and said, If only you could make these dollse to live! He said it with a voice that resembled a shrill scream of the spirits. Brother Jin, it looks interesting over there, too. Youre right. Jin, Im going over there, all right? Elsa and Saki bailed politely. Jin came to realization and excused himself as well, and then chased after the two of them. Mr. rk, I still want to look around the venue, so Ill excuse myself here today. Ill see you again sometime. Ah, Lord Jin. Pretending not to hear rks attempt to stop him, Jin left in a hurry. Hee hee, there are so many different people. Sakiughed at Jin who finally caught up to them. Thereafter, Jin andpany visited several more booths but decided to check out the Alchemist section since there wasnt enough time. The section was also in the same big hall. Undoubtedly, the first booth they stopped at was Sakis booth. Aal was there watching the booth. Are those your disy items? Rare minerals that Saki had collected so far were lined up on the disy. Yeah, but my favorite is the paper. That item had been submitted for appraisal, and the value would be announced at the end of this expo. This here is an interesting piece because the stone always breaks into a certain shape, so I collected it. He exined while pointing at his collection. Regr octahedral fluorite. Slightly distorted cuboid calcite. Dice-type galena. Thinly peeled biotite. Even though they were formed naturally, these stones have amazing shapes There were crystals in the shape of hexagonal prisms, cubic pyrites, crystals made of rolled ga, and so on. Those minerals were often seen in the science room of any junior high school. Lastly, these stones have beautiful colors, dont you think? Purple amethyst, blue sapphire, green emerald, yellow citrine (yellow crystal), red ga, and two-colored watermelon tourmaline. Jin secretly thought that if he collected such gems and precious stones, he would deplete all his wealth and wouldnt be able to afford his employees anymore. Youre selling rubber, howe you dont disy maple syrup? Jin spoke his mind, to which Sakiughed and answered. Yeah, you taught me about those things, Jin. Aside from the paper (because it was unavoidable), I thought to disy only my creations. Saki seemed to have pride in his own style. Chapter 391: Alchemist’s Fair

Chapter 391: Alchemists Fair

Jin and the others hade to a corner called Material Science. Huh, a lot seems to be happening here. Interesting, isnt it? Very. The thirty or so alchemists were disying various things at their individual booths. And there were also quite a few live demonstrations. Hmm? This smell Saki sniffed at the air and then the color seemed to leave her face as she tugged on Jins sleeve. Ji-jin! This is dangerous! As someone who had in the past, burned sulfur during an experiment and passed out after inhaling the sulfur dioxide, the memories came back to her now. Huh? Yes, at the booth right in front of her, an alchemist was heating sulfur in what looked like a frying pan. The sulfur inside was starting to melt, and the smell that Saki feared was starting to rise from it. Ah, youre worried about the sulfur dioxide. Jin took out a handkerchief from his pocket and used Condense in order to wet it through gathering the moisture from the air. And then he covered his nose with it. See. It will be okay if you do this. Sulfur dioxide melted in water, and so you could temporarily protect yourself with a wet towel when a volcano erupted. Of course, it wasnt perfect, and so they would have to escape as soon as possible. Jin started to wet a handkerchief for Saki. Elsa used Condense by herself and put the handkerchief to her nose. Hmm. I see The wet handkerchief erased the smell of the sulfur dioxide. Well, no. There was barely any smell in the first ce. After all, it wasnt being burned, but just heated. The alchemist in front of them casually continued to heat up the sulfur until it meltedpletely and looked like candy. Now, when you put this into water The alchemist grabbed the handle of the pan and poured the melted sulfur into a bucket of water. The sticky liquid drew strings as it poured in. It was soon cooled by the water and hardened. Then the alchemist took it out of the water. Take a look. The once brittle sulfur can now stretch like this. He said as he demonstrated. It had the texture of rubber and could stretch. Huh. Jin, that sure is interesting! I once saw how the smoke from burned sulfur turned the petals of flowers white, but I identally breathed it in and fainted. But this doesnt seem dangerous. Sister Saki, sulfur dioxide is dangerous Elsa said in an exasperated voice. She too knew the dangers of it. But if you can make rubber from sulfur, that could be used for so many things! However, Jin did not agree. Unfortunately, Saki, that is called soft sulfur, and it urs when sulfur is melted and suddenly cooled down. But it will return to normal after some time has passed. Is that true? Thats too bad She muttered quietly, but the alchemist seemed to have heard her, and he red angrily at them. Well, it was no wonder. As they were basically exposing him during his demonstration. And so they hurriedly moved away from the spot. The next booth that they went to had all kinds of ore lined up. It looked a little like Sakis booth. Brother Jin. Theyre so pretty. Yes, they really are. Red, yellow, green, blue, purple Ore of many colors were disyed. Ah, youngdy. I have this golden stone right here. The alchemist showed them a golden stone that was the size of the tip of ones finger. Then he took out a t, white rocked and rubbed them together. They assumed that the gold would rub off onto it, but instead, a ck line is what remained. Huh? Its not gold then? Saki sounded interested. Exactly. This is a method of finding out if something is gold or not. The alchemist said proudly. Jin and Elsa whispered to each other so they wouldnt be overheard this time. (Is that a streak color?) (Yes, it is. That must be fools gold.) It was an experiment that many would have seen in science ss. Jin and Elsa had seen it before, but Saki was very interested and ended up talking with the alchemist for a while. If you knew, you should have told me. Im sorry, Saki. But you looked like you were having so much fun, and I didnt want to interfere. After Saki had returned from her long talk with the alchemist, Elsa had quietly told her about the streak color. Im really sorry, sister Saki. Elsa seemed a little sad after being scolded by Saki. Bu-but I guess seeing them like this, you can tell that alchemy is likely to really expand as a field! Jin was desperate to change the subject. They research all kinds of things that can be applied to other fields, not just stuff rted to magic. Its very impressive. Do you really think so? While she was still sulking, she looked just a little bit happier. Yes, I do. Its unfortunate that it hasnt been organized yet. Organized, huh Indeed. Within alchemy, there is magic theory and magic study, but material science has only just begun. Material science was the study of the properties of materials and finding ways to use them without relying on magic. In other words, it was more scientific, and had only just gotten started. And so it was no wonder that it hadnt been systemized yet. I hope I can learn from you two. Of course, you will. Ehe. Im looking forward to it. As the three of them continued to look around, a young male alchemist got up on the stage and raised some kind of liquid into the air. The purple colored water was in a crystal-like bottle. This juice is from the purple gan. Purple gan was a vegetable that looked a lot like cabbage, and was purple. So, it was basically purple cabbage. If you pour vinegar into it Gasps rose from the audience. The purple liquid had turned into a vibrant red. And then I will pour the topyer of the harshness into it And then the red liquid turned purple, and then blue, and then green. And in the end, it settled to a yellow color. No magic was used here. It is still in the testing phase, but I think that it could eventually be used as dye. That is all. A great apuse erupted from the spectators. Apparently, the demonstration was finished. And with that, all of todays demonstrations are finished. Came the announcement from the executivemittee. And the audience around the stage began to leave. Ah, that was interesting. Jin. Im going to go back to my booth now. Yes, me too. Jin left Saki and returned to his booth. But there was a great crowd around it. Ah! Lord Jin! Huh? Lord Jin? Lord Jin! Please tell us about the Mini Smith! As the demonstrations had finished, those who had been taken in by the Mini Smith had pushed their way to his booth. Jin had to deal with them all day, and he was very tired when it was over. And like that, the first day of the exposition came to an end. Phew. Im exhausted. Jin was leaning on the soda in his hotel room. It was tiring when you did things that you werent used to. Father. Heres some pelshika juice. Reiko said as she handed him the special juice. It was a very stimting recovery drink that gave you plenty of energy. Ah, it smells great. Just then, Elsa came out of the shower room and immediately noticed the sweet smell of the pelshika juice. Do you want some too? Yes. Drinking cold juice was the best after taking a hot shower. She didnt put her hand on her hipbut instead, drank it in a refined way. Thank you. It was delicious. Alright, Im going to take a shower now. Jin said as he got up. And so Mine handed him a bath towel. Lord Jin, here. Ah, thank you. And so Jin took a shower as well. Reiko prepared a change of clothes for him. When Jin returned to the living room feeling refreshed, Saki came to visit him. Ehr was with her. Good evening, Jin. Ah, Saki. Whats the matter? Yes, I just found it very boring being alone. But I didnt want to bother Reinhardt and Berthie, so I came here. Haha. I see. Jinughed agreeably and then asked Reiko to serve them some pelshika juice as well. Oh, thank you, Reiko. Saki said as she drank the juice. Her motions were definitely less refined than Elsas. Saki, you should drink it more gracefully. Mine advised. But Saki pretended not to hear her. I heard a little bit about it from Reinhardt, but it seems like Elsa and Mine will be able to return to their country just fine? Yes, his Imperial Majesty epted it this afternoon. The only thing left to do is persuade Elsas fatherand the marquis. Indeed. Those two will be a problem. But Saki said with augh, before turning to Elsa and Mine with a serious expression. Elsa. Mina. Im happy for you. Sister Saki, thank you. Thank you so much, Miss Saki. And then Saki immediately returned to her old self. Oh, yes. Jin. I was too busy with my writing and submitting my paper on the alchemists, so I was unable to see your demonstration. But Im sure Ill catch it tomorrow. Jin grinned. Yes, you should look forward to it. He said confidently. Chapter 392: Outside

Chapter 392: Outside

June 21st. This day, outside demonstrations were the primary focus. Hmm. There isnt as much as I was expecting Jin had a serious expression as he checked the magic tool that he had activated the previous day. Even if I raise the power a little, it wont have enough stored until its nearly midday. Jin muttered. And so he went over to the expositionmittee and asked them to move his demonstration to after midday, and they agreed. And then at 9 am, the second day of the exposition began. Nearly everyone was outside, as they left representatives to look after their booths in the hall. Jin too left his to the new Quinta, Regulus 50. An arena had been built in front of the port, and it was here that most of the guests gathered. Hehe. Im looking forward to this. Saki found Jin and Elsa and ran towards them. She took the seat that was next to Jin. I feel like Ill be able to hear detailed exnations if I sit with you. Ehr was behind Saki, and Edgar stood behind Elsa. On the other hands, Reiko wasnt sitting behind Jin, but on hisp. And as he had nothing better to do, Jin would y with her hair and pat her on the head. Reiko looked very pleased. Oh, I think its about to start. A magic screen had been set up here as well, and so you could see the faces of the speakers even from far away. Now then, the second day of the 10th Technology Exposition begins! The announcement came on the magic loudspeaker. And then the demonstrations began. The first was a new type of carriage. Well, it was only new in terms of design. The roof could be taken off if necessary. It was just a convertible. And Jin was not particrly impressed. The second was a new type of golem. There were three, and they carried a sword, spear and mace respectively as they demonstrated their skill inbat. Their movements were quite smooth and elegant. Jin felt that they were decent enough. And the third was Reinhardt. Next is Reinhardt Rendol! His work is the paddleboat, Scarlet Trail and the golems who operate it, Mac and Mick! The magic screen showed the Scarlet Trail floating at the port. This is a high-speed boat that uses a new type of propulsion system involving paddles. It is operated by the twin golems. This allows both sides to be moved symmetrically. Reinhardts exnation echoed. Mutters of approval could be heard from the gallery. Now, allow me to show it to you in action. Mac, Mick! Go! Reinhardt himself got into the Scarlet Trail, and the boat immediately started to elerate and leave the port. Everyones eyes widened at the sight of it. Oh! Its so fast! What an exciting new method. Ohh, it can even change directions. The outside wheels on the side could change direction and speed. This allowed it to not only turn, but slowly change direction as well. All of the spectators were impressed by this. Lastly, allow me to introduce to you the person who thought of this method. Jin Nido, an Honorary Magi Craftsman from the kingdom of Egelia. Reinhardt ended his demonstration by dering that Jin was the originator of the idea. As Jins name was already known, thanks to the Mini Golem he showed yesterday, the arena was filled with rumors about him. I had never heard of this Honorary Craftsman, Jin, before. What kind of man is he? He isnt unknown. In fact, I heard that he won the golem boat race in the Elias Kingdom. I heard about that too. He is well liked by the king and prince of Egelia. However, these mutterings quieted down once the fourth demonstration began. Oh Wh-what is The speaker had pulled a cloth off of a veryrge container, and a single golem stood up. It wasnt any ordinary golem. It was gigantic, at 6 meters. Well, Jin had made the 15 meter Titan, and the artifact that was the Shouro Empires giant golem was 20 meters. So perhaps it was smallpared to those, however, it wasrgepared to most golems and was quite intimidating. Our fourth speaker is Marcus Grinbalt! The grandchild of the Magi Engineer Maestro! Marcus did an exaggerated bow after being introduced, and then he talked about the golems. Ladies and gentlemen! This golem is called Goliath, and it was made to be the biggest golem that we can create with current technology. Marcus waved his hand, and the Goliath took one step and then two steps forward. Indeed, the movements were surprisingly smooth. Definitely better than Gigantes. And this was all the more astonishing given that it was 6 meters tall. So, he hadnt been lying when saying that this was as far as technology would allow. Hmm, I see. Im d that I sat next to you, Jin. Saki muttered as she listened to Jinsmentary. But Elsa was waiting for his opinion on something else. Marcus I think he was the Magi Engineer who worked for my father. But I didnt know that he possessed such skill. Elsa said,pletely ignoring the fact that she had be a top level Magi Engineer in just two months. But that was no wonder. Unless you had a really good teacher, and also Trans Info, you could not hope to make progress so quickly. Thats just how Magi Craft was. Besides He wasnt so bold back then either. His face was unmistakably the same, but his words and actions seemed different. Thats what Elsa thought. Now, do it! Goliath! So, it was at least partially independent. Goliath obeyed Marcuss order and started to move at once. Hmm? The ground shook as the Goliath moved. It was four timesrger than a human, but moved in a simr fashion. In other words, it was moving four times as fast. To be a little more precise, if each joint moved like a humans, then if the size was four timesrger, then the speed at which they moved was also four times as fast. This was quite shocking to watch, and if you werent used to it, it would have been very strange indeed. The size did not seem to match its movements. Everyone believed that therger something was, the slower it would move. There were some exceptions, butrge animals were generally slower. It was the same with wild monsters as well. Ji-Jin. This is amazing! Dont you agree? Hmm. Its alright. Saki was confused by this answer, but she quickly regained her calm. Wh-what? Its alright!? Phew, I see. Thats right, Jin. You dont think like normal people do. Is that apliment? Hehe. Of course, it is. Saki said with a smile. Reiko, who was still sitting on Jinsp, smiled too as if it was obvious. Hmm. Its not enough It was a quiet voice, but as it happened just as the audience had be hushed, so others heard it. Why Ernest, what are you saying? Scolded Queen Lieschen, who was sitting next to him. But it was toote. Oh, the person who just said thatit is the prince of Egelia. Would you mind telling me what you meant by that? As they were seated near the front where they had a good view, Marcus Grinbalt was able to hear Prince Ernest quite clearly. No, its nothing. Oh, Im sure that it isnt nothing. I heard you quite clearly. Now, please tell me how I can improve. It was a rather nagging way to say it. But now everyone in the arena was watching them. Prince Ernest shook his head as if he had no choice. I just thought that it was inferior to the giant Deus Ex Machina golem. Thats all. Deus Ex Machina? Ahh, the dubious thing that appeared during the Unifier incident. The Deus Ex Machina isnt dubious The Deus Ex Machina had saved the country. And Prince Ernest would not stand by when someone tried to nder it. Pardon me. But it hasnt shown itself since, and no one knows what it is. If that is not dubious, then what is? Prince Ernest could not reply to this, and he fell silent. Well, as long as you ept the greatness of my golem, Goliath. Its better than your dubious golem. That made Ernest react again. He ignored Queen Lieschen, who was pulling at his sleeve. Thats not true. What? What did you say? I said that its not true. What do you mean? Marcus continued to talk to him with superficial politeness but with a rude attitude. Just then, someone interrupted them. Stop this, Marcus. It was a man of about fifty who looked like he was from the military. He had arge physique and had tinum blonde hair and blue eyes. His hands were on Marcuss shoulders. Jin recognized him. Father. Elsa muttered next to him. Father? Yes, his hair and eyes were just like Elsas. No, Elsa must have inherited those traits. Thats your father, Elsa? The severe expression and the muscr body. He looked very much like a soldier. Prince Ernest, and the people of the audience, please excuse us. ept my apology in Marcuss ce. With these apologetic words, Elsas father, Georg Randol von Amber bowed and then dragged Marcus off of the stage. Reiko red at Marcus until he was out of sight. As for the giant golem, Goliath, it remained standing. We-well then, thest speaker of the morning The announcers voice echoed as the crowd buzzed. And so the fifth speakers demonstration began. This was also a new kind of carriage. It was light and had fancy decorations. However, the impact of the giant golem had been too strong. And this carriage didnt even have a suspension. It was just a pretty carriage, and so the audience reaction was quite muted. Chapter 393: Jin’s Turn

Chapter 393: Jins Turn

Before the morning session was aBefore the morning session was about to end, Jin took Elsa to the waiting room. Saki came along as well. Elsa, are you okay? Yeah. Elsas reaction to seeing her father was not good. She seemed to be confused about whether she was happy or scared to see him. While clicking her tongue Saki nodded acknowledging Elsas feeling. Yeah, I know how you feel, Elsa. Im in a simr position. I would have mixed feelings when asked if I wanted to see my grandfather. Sister Saki. Elsa still seemed to be anxious. Jin put his arm around her shoulders softly and whispered. Its okay. I will never make you do anything that you dont want to, Elsa. Her Majesty had acknowledged you as well. When pushes to shove, Ill take you back with me to Horai Ind. Brother Jin. You wouldnt be noticed since youre currently in disguise. And Ill surprise the guests first thing in the afternoon. Just watch. Yeah. Elsa felt a little more rxed after hearing Jins confident reassurance. * * * Thetter half of the session resumed at 1:30 pm after lunch. The giant golem was gone before anyone realized it. It was probably hauled out during the break. Then the voice of the announcement echoed in the venue. Now, let us start the afternoon session. The first demonstration this afternoon is from Jin Nidou, an Honorary Magicraftsman of the Egelia Kingdom! Many people recognized Jins true strength from the mini golems demonstration the previous day and gave a big apuse. Empress Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro, Prime Minister Yung, Minister of Magical Technology Degauss, the 3rd prince of Egelia Kingdom Prince Ernest, the 3rd princess of Klein Kingdom Princess Lieschen, the 2nd rank Magi Craftsman of Celuroa Kingdom Steirleana Beta everyone was curious in anticipation of what Jin brought in. Jin had Steward and Reiko help him in installing something in the center of the square, they started preparing. Jin greeted the audience with an introduction. Im Jin Nidou. Ladies and Gentlemen, this bag here was created from the Grand Spider threads. Astonished utterance came from several ces amongst the audience, upon hearing the word Grand Spider. Those would be people who knew that the spider was a rare monster. Steward and Reiko spread the bag open. When the edges were pulled open, the giant bag unfolded to about 40 meters long. Ill inject it with a special gas here. The giant bag was connected to the magic contraption, which had been prepared the day before, and a nearby tank via a hose. The bag started to inte. The magic contraption was for collecting Helium from the air. Oh, ohhh?! W-What is that?! The giant bag started to inte in front of the audience. A long and narrow balloon started to take shape. Something that looked like a stabilizer wing was attached to one side. W-Why is it floating? When the long and narrow balloon was inted to some extent, it gradually floated into the air from originally lying t on the ground. An airship Elsa muttered from the arena. Huh, what? Do you know what that is, Miss Elsa? Reinhardt and Berthie, who were watching next to Elsa, asked. Yup. That is called an airship. A gasbag the bag is filled with gas that is lighter than air, so it could float. During her exnation, the gasbag of the airship continued to inte. The shape became clearer. A basket that served as a passengerpartment was set up at the bottom part of the gasbag. It appeared to be able to amodate 3 - 4 people. Thepartment was not attached by wires but was directly attached to the gasbag. There were cylindrical parts attached to the basket that served a different purpose. This is a Magi Propulsion Device. The recoil from the wind created with Wind magic is used to drive the airship. It was not a Magi Jet Engine. A Magi Jet Engine absorbed the recoil from the original Magi Form assembled by Jin, while this airship utilized magic as per usual. In theory, the wind created by the Blower magic was squeezed into the cylinder to increase the pressure. It would resemble puckering the lips to blow out hard. By doing so, more pressure was created than the absorbed recoil, and the movement would be driven by the pressure difference. The efficiency is lower than that of the Magi Jet Engine, but sufficient driving force could be obtained. And finally, the airship was floatingpletely off the ground. The magic contraption that was supplying the Helium, a gas lighter than air , was stopped. The hose was disconnected and the inlet was sealed with Magi Engineering. In the unlikely event that there is a hole where the light gas escapes, it may crash, the gasbag inside this bag is divided into severalpartments that were designed to prevent the gas to escape all at once. At the moment, Steward had the airship secured to the mooring column by a rope, but if it were to be unraveled, it would fly up into the sky as it is. Well then, is there anyone here who would like to travel the sky with me? Besides me and my assistant, one more person can ride along. I would. The first person to speak out was a woman. The audience was astonished upon discovering the owner of the voice. Your Majesty It was because Empress Shouro who volunteered for a ride. Your Majesty! You should not! The people around were trying to stop her. Jin was quite astonished as well since he did not expect the empress to volunteer for the ride. U-um, is there any other person? Then, let me try it. The one volunteering was a face that Jin knows very well. It was Saki Eschenbach. Please, be my guest. Jin beckoned Saki toe forward. Reinhardt seemed to be vexed that she beat him by a touch. He was surprised that Her Majesty the Emperor volunteered. Taking advantage of his dyed reaction, she beat him to it. Saki, who arrived at the center of the arena, gave Jin a mischievous smile. Hee hee, I was wondering what you would do, Jin. But to fly in the sky Im amazed. Jin gave a supplementary exnation to the audience. Recently, I heard that an organization called the Unifiers arrived at the battlefield by a vehicle called Hot Flying Ball. On the other hand, this is called airship. This can fly faster and longer than a Hot Flying Ball. Some audience could be heard murmuring in awe after hearing his exnation. They were assuming that Jin must have seen a Hot Flying Ball. Meanwhile, Jin boarded the basket. Reiko and Saki followed. At the arena, Elsa, Reinhardt, and Berthie were watching with envious expressions. Right then, lets go. Steward, let go. When Steward released the rope, the moored airship floated andpletely took off the ground. Oh, theyre floating! The audience roared in their seats. Jin grabbed the control stick and jetted out the Magi Propulsion Device downward. The recoil increased the ascending speed of the airship. Woah A-amazing! Theyre really flying The airship soared into the sky as the audience watched in amazement. Wow, Jin, this is amazing! It feels good! Saki was so excited, like a kid in a candy store. It was the first time for Jin to ride on an airship as well. The basket was not airtightly closed, and the muscovite windshield was only covering the front. So they could experience the wind. It felt veryfortable. All right, were going forward. When the Magi Propulsion Device was engaged, the airship moved forward in reaction to the vigorously blown wind. Yeah, this is good! I never expected to feel this good having a birds eye view of the ground! Saki was ted. Jin left the control details of the airship to Reiko. In fact, Jin did not know the specific details of an airship either. So the details in this airship were his original idea. The use of Magi Device, which was inserted in the gasbag, would allow the increase or decrease in buoyancy. Heating up the inside of the gasbag would inte it, and buoyancy would increase as well. On the contrary, cooling it down would decrease the volume and buoyancy. Actual airships were not capable of doing that, but that was where Jins outstanding Magical Technology covered it. Wow, a-amazing! Theyre flying I also want a ride So do I Its going pretty fast. Is it faster than a carriage? As expected of Jin Hee hee, Jin is amazing after all. The audience was looking up from below: some were surprised, some were admiring, and some others were thinking about its practicality. Chapter 394: Together

Chapter 394: Together

Jins airship slowlynded at the center of the square after it flew over Tosmo Lake for about 10 minutes. He felt relieved. He did the demonstration without a rehearsal, but it went unexpectedly well. In his pocket was something Laojun handed to him before he left. (He said it was imbued with weight ultra-lightening magic, but Im d I didnt have to use it.) Although Gravity Magic was still under an analytical study, he managed to reproduce Weight Reduction. Even if the airship crashed, utilizing this magic would reduce the weight to almost zero and prevent injuries. As the airshipnded, the audience exploded into apuse and cheers. Take me for the next ride! No, me first! Me!! The arena became chaotic due to people fighting to go for the next ride. W-wow, this is amazing. Saki was also being pulled a little while she was disembarking. People seemed to have a dream to fly in the sky. Please be quiet! The announcer at the venue was screaming but was drowned by the voices of the audience. At that moment Be quiet! The voice of the Empress echoed throughout the arena. It was undoubtedly a voice of authority. The audience in the venue calmed and quieted down. I understand your feelings. But please maintain order! Looking at the time allotted for his demonstration, he could only take one more volunteer for a ride. Even though there were dissatisfied visitors, he managed to get their eptance of the situation. And then the next volunteer for the test-drive was selected. The Empress would appoint a name. There was no other selection method that the audience would ept. The Empress appointed an elderly nobleman. Jin was not personally acquainted with him. But Saki seemed to know him and showed astonishment in her expression for a split second. She immediately turned her face away and returned to the arena. Even though she seemed to know him, she definitely did not have a good impression of him. On the contrary, the nobleman seemed wanting to say something to Saki. But she ran off without giving him a chance to say a word. The nobleman was bald with an indiscriminately tall physique. But he was terribly thin, and hisplexion was not very good. His bodyweight seemed to be very light. Ill be in your care. The nobleman nodded to Jin courteously and slowly boarded the airship. O-okay, lets go. Jin ascended the airship again. Until they reached altitude, the nobleman silently gazed at the ground. (This is awkward ) Jin was troubled about what to say. But to his surprise, the nobleman broke the ice and started to talk to Jin. Um, did you say your name is Jin? This is an outstanding vehicle. Y-yes, thank you. Its called an airship. I see. You mentioned that a while ago. It certainly is a ship that flies in the sky. The vehicle called Hot Flying Ball that raided Klein Kingdom and Egelia Kingdom would be inferior to this vehicle, wouldnt it? Pardon me, but perhaps do you have military rtions? Jin asked him out of curiosity because his attitude toward Jin was gentle, but his aura was somewhat different. Um, I havent introduced myself yet. I am Marquess Gueren Theodoric von Eisen. Im retired now, but I was a lieutenant general in the military. ! He was Sakis grandfather that said he wanted Elsa to be his wife. However, the impression was quite different from what Jin had heard. He seemed serious and did not seem to throw his weight around. Pardon me, but how fast can this airship go? Would you show me the maximum speed? Y-yes. Jin set the Magi Propulsion Device to its maximum output. The airship sailed through the wind. It picked up quite a speed since it was supported by a weak tailwind as well. Oh, its fast! Its about 100 kilometers per hour, isnt it? In this world, vehicles that could run as fast as 100 kilometers per hour were almost nonexistent. Horses could run as fast as about 70 kilometers per hour. He was supposed to be surprised by it, but the Marquess was persistently calm in giving his assessment. The Empress might have selected him based on this reason. How far can it fly? Well, Ive never tried it, but as long as theres no problem with the people on board, I think it could fly forever. But since water supply and provisions could be a problem, if it flew for about 12 hours with a speed of 100 kilometers per hour, then it would travel 1,200 kilometers. It was a reasonable distance. Hmm, how much weight can it carry? Lets see. It can carry about 6 people. In terms of weight, it would be up to about 500 kilograms. Hmm, thats not quite enough. As expected, he was thinking of military applications for the airship after all. A Hot Flying Ball could carry 200 kilograms at most, but the Marquess seemed not to know such detail. What is the cost per unit No, I guess thats a different problem. The Marquess told Jin that he already asked what he wanted, so he would like to enjoy the ride a little more. Jin made arge turn above Lake Tosmo. The Marquess, who was silent for a while, asked yet another question. Are you on good terms with Saki? Huh?! Didnt you hear from her? Im her grandfather. Isnt it normal to worry about my cute granddaughter? I-I guess. The Marquess stroked his hairless head while letting out a self-torturingugh. Apparently, I wont live for too long either. I only wish for my granddaughters happiness. So, what do you think of Saki? Um, Miss Saki I think shes an excellent alchemist. As he heard that answer, the Marquess gestured with his hand while interrupted Jin. No, no, thats not it. What Im asking is what you think of her as a woman. As a woman ? To be honest, Jin had never desired a woman since he came to this world. Well, shes a good friend of mine The Marquess sighed at Jin for answering hesitantly. I see. As I thought Shes iplete as a woman , she doesnt have any sex appeal. But she cant be called a man either. As for me, Id like to see my grandchildrens faces while Im still alive. Jin was concerned about what the Marquess had repeatedly mentioned and decided to ask him directly. Um, your Excellency. Are you ill? Hmm? Yes, thats right. Ive lost nearly 80 kilograms in the past year. Even a Healer couldnt heal my illness. I guess this is destiny. The Marquess gently smiled. Jin noticed the jaundiced sclera of the Marquess eyes and the redness of his palms. Are there any visible swollen blood vessels on your abdomen by any chance? Jins question was a shot in the dark, but the Marquessplexion changed after hearing it. What? How do you know that?! Ive never told anyone! In fact, Jin read about such illness once in a manga featuring a ck doctor. The symptom was nicknamed Medusas Head. It might be cirrhosis It was a liver disease that could be caused by viruses, alcohol, or drugs. The reason why Jin could diagnose it as a liver disease was due to the symptom of jaundice. Do you know something about this disease?! The Marquess got a little excited but was still maintaining his calmness. He asked Jin about the disease in more detail. Yes, I dare say. Pardon me, would you mind if I perform a medical examination using Magic? Huh? Can you do that as well? I dont mind if you can, please be my guest. Pardon me. Reiko, please. Jin gave Reiko, who was operating the Magi Propulsion Device at the rear of the boarding basket, some instructions. Yes. Diagnose As expected, theres an abnormality in the liver. The Marquess saw Reiko anew with gleaming eyes. Um, what is that child? She isnt human, is she? Is she an Automata? Oh, yes. Shes cute. Children are wonderful. The Marquess gazed at Reiko with gentle eyes. (Sure, he seems to like children, but this is ) Jin was wondering if the Marquess disposition was conveyed in a distorted manner. When Saki was little, she was very fond of me It seems that I was too strict with her, and shepletely hates me now. The Marquess muttered such remark. Looking at his extremely lonely appearance, Jin could not help but ask. Your Excellency, do you know Elsa Randol? Upon hearing Elsas name, the Marquess seemed to stiffen his cheeks for a moment but returned calm right after. Elsa? Yes, I know her. Shes pretty cute. I wanted her to be my wife, but Im running out of time. (So the rumor about him wanting to marry Elsa is true ) Jins impression of the Marquess reputation has gone down a little no, a lot. W-why a young girl? With the flow of the conversation, Jin decided to ask his reasons. Hmm? Well, there are various reasons. More importantly, what about my body? The Marquesspletely dodged the question and asked Jin to tell him about the result of the diagnosis. I dont know the cause, but an organ in your body called the liver is damaged. Chapter 395: Medical Examination, Finally

Chapter 395: Medical Examination, Finally

Liver? What exactly is that? Marquess Theodoric inquired after hearing Jins exnation regarding the bad condition his liver was in. It was only natural for him to ask since he did not have any detailed knowledge regarding the internal organs. The liver is around here . Jin pointed at his own body to describe the position of the liver. Also known as the hepar, its function is for metabolism, detoxification, and digestion Jin only knew that much, so he could not exin in more detail. Hmm, okay. I dont understand. As expected, the Marquess could not understand with such a sloppy exnation. But I know there is a big organ around here. I see, so that organ is in bad condition, eh? The lonely smile the Marquess gave was as if he had given up all hope. I have retired, but Id like? to work for the country a little more. Could this be a way for fate to prevent me from doing so? What would you like to do after you retire? Hmm, I wanted to build a school for the next generation. After hearing his response, Jin felt that the Marquess was not as bad a man as he had expected. The airship had traveled around Lake Tosmo and was about time to slowly descend. Reiko was piloting. Jin gave the Marquess a brief exnation on how to pilot the airship. Haha, Jin, thank you for the valuable experience. I want to give you a personal reward no, Id like to thank you Jin was thinking of saying that he did not want anything in return, but changed his mind. Its a bit difficult to say this, your Excellency. Yes? What is it? After pausing for a beat, Jin finally asked the question. Would you give up on Elsa Randol ? Sure, I dont mind. She has more things in mind to do other than getting married Huh?! Thats why I said I dont mind. O-okay. The Marquess agreement to give up on marrying Elsa had taken the wind out of Jins sails, but he listened to what the Marquess had to say and somehow grasped the situation. I cant marry a young wife with this body anymore. I would bring her nothing but misfortune. I dont want to cause her misfortune because I like her. It seemed that the Marquess had a virtue befitting of a marquess after all. Jin felt relieved. So he decided to give the Marquess the same exnation he gave to her Majesty the Empress. He instructed Reiko to descend a little slower. Hmm, I see. So Elsa didnt want to marry me. Her father didnt mention anything about that. All this time I was assuming it was ording to her wish. Since the Marquess mentioned that, Jin thought that everything seemed to be the reckless actions of Elsas father. I think all my wives love me I wont be able to face them if I marry someone who doesnt wish to be my wife. Ive done something terrible to Elsa. She was even caught by a member of the Unifiers. I have to apologizeter. It was a gamble to bring up the conversation about Elsa, but Jin felt relieved that his judgment was correct. Despite the fact that the Marquess loved young girls, he was a gentleman. The airshipnded at the center of the square. Jin, I had a lot of fun. After shaking hands with Jin, the Marquess disembarked from the airship. His strides were unsteady. His subordinates rushed toward him and assisted the Marquess to return to his seat. The arena was filled with cheers and apuse. Jin thanked the audience and ordered Steward to move the airship to the corner of the za to be moored. * * * The excitement for other demonstration paledpared to Jins airship performance. Two more people gave presentations of their work, but the reaction was unsatisfactory. Jin called Elsa and Saki to the waiting room to talk. Huh, my grandfather did that? Elsa fell silent after the talk. Saki seemed indifferent, but a worried look peered through her expression for an instant. So? After telling us that, what do you want to do, Jin? Her quivering voice was evidence enough that she was worried. I think Elsa can cure the Marquess illness. However, if you use Genesis vaguely, the result would not be too effective, I think. Moreover Moreover? No, I was a little worried, but Im not sure, so Id like to ask Elsa to confirm. What do you think, Elsa? Elsa hanged her head down after hearing Jins inquiry. After considering for a moment, she eventually raised her face. There was determination in her expression. Ill try to the best of my ability. Jin filled Elsa in on the results confirmed by Reiko. Of course, Reiko was able to use Genesis to cure the Marquess as well. But it would be more meaningful if Elsa cured him instead. Understood. Thank you, Brother Jin, Reiko. Okay, next would be the timing. Jin thought that it would be best to have her Majesty the Empress to be present as a witness as well. And so, Jin and the others hurried back to the arena. They arrived at the arena just in time for all presentations were wrapping up. The audience was leaving in small groups. The Empress, who was sitting at the VIP seat, stood up and was about to leave. Then she noticed Jin and the others. Oh, Jin! It was wonderful! Do you have time after this? Yes, I do. In fact, I have a proposition to make as well. Oh, what is it? Since it was not something to be talked about while standing around, they headed for the meeting room in the facility. Empress Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro, Prime Minister Jung, Minister of Magical Technology Degauss, and two escort knights, as well as Jin, Elsa, Saki and Reiko, Edgar, Aal were all present. First of all, lets hear what Jin has to say. The Empress drew an urgent atmosphere. Jin bowed, and then exined Marquess Theodorics medical condition. In that case, can Elsa cure the Marquess? Yes, maybe. Thats good news. Summon the Marquess at once! Making a swift decision, the Empress ordered one of the escort knights to summon Marquess Theodoric. In about 3 minutes, being assisted by his subordinate, the Marquess appeared. Your Majesty, have you summoned me? Oh, Saki! The Marquess approached while limping, and burst into a joyous expression when he saw Saki. In contrast, Elsasplexion paled when she saw the Marquess. He did not look anything like the Marquess she knew. Elsa was shocked to see that the Marquess had be skin and bones. The Marquess she knew had an excellent physique. Saki saw the Marquess briefly after she disembarked the airship. But since they missed each other, she did not have a good look at his appearance. Grandfather! What happened to your body?! Saki often called him old geezer behind his back. But being shocked by a blood rtives haggard appearance that had be too skinny, she could not help but felt worried. Saki, thank you for worrying. This is nothing. My life ising to an end, thats all. While saying that, the Marquess sat on the sofa as advised by the Empress. He looked at Elsa and bowed. Dear me, have we met before, youngdy? You look familiar, but I cant remember. Elsa was wearing a wig and goggles. Marquess, we can talk about thatter. First, please lie down. The Empress interrupted and ordered him to lie down on the sofa. The Marquess intended to refuse, but since it was an order from her Majesty, heplied. Well, then. Ill leave it to you. Yes. Elsa stepped forward. Youngdy, what Elsa interrupted the Marquess and started the medical examination. Diagnose. Elsa focused on the information around his liver. Her expression changed. Toxic substances. Eh? Poison has umted in the Marquess liver. Chapter 396: Elsa

Chapter 396: Elsa

Toxic substances, you said? Empress Gelhart raised her voice in shock. Poison?! Who would do that my grandfather?! Saki was furious. Can you cure him, Elsa? Im not sure. But Ill try. Genesis! W-what?! The Minister of Magical Technology was surprised seeing Elsa utilizing the Healing Magic Genesis. As anyone would be because there were only a handful of people in the Shouro Empire who could utilize Genesis. However, Elsa was not concerned about that and repeatedly utilized Genesis. Her expression did not lighten up. I cant. The liver function would not return. The poison is in the way. Basically, Healing Magic could revitalize the original functions of the body, and hence detoxification ability as one of the liver functions. If toxic substances that could not be detoxified by the liver had umted, the liver function would not be restored no matter how much it was revitalized. Normally, he would have been bed-ridden with this condition. Was Healing Magic responsible for his ability to continue his everyday life as it was? Jin was specting that perhaps he had survived due to the continuous healing of his condition despite the poison umtion. The Marquess must have not been resting this whole time, since he had to continuously heal himself all these while. On the other hand, Elsa was pondering to find a way to cure the Marquess. Seeing Elsa deep in thought, Jin gave a piece of advice. Elsa, do you know what kind of poison it is? Yeah, probably arsenic. Arsenic That was a well-known toxic substance, but it seemed that people in this world were not aware of it. People were murmuring What is arsenic? and I have no clue, was evidence enough regarding their unawareness of the toxic substance. After thinking for a moment, Jin came up with a possible method. Elsa, try Extraction. It should work if you pinpoint it only on the toxic substance. Magi Engineering could not work on the animate body. However, Jin thought that it could be effective against the toxic substance inside the body. That would be difficult. But Ill try it. Elsa concentrated her mind. While scanning with Diagnose, she utilized Extraction upon pinpointing the location of the umted toxic substance. It was a very delicate task. After 15 minutes, Elsa finallypleted the procedure. The extracted arsenic in the form of gray powder umted at the side of the Marquess body. Elsa carefully wrapped it in a piece of cloth so no one could touch it directly. She let out a sigh of relief. Its done. I think I managed to remove about 90% of it. Right after saying that, Elsa copsed out of exhaustion. Edgar caught her just in time to support her. T-thank you, Ed-gar. Edgar gently sat Elsa down on the empty sofa. El sa? Are you that Elsa? The Marquess eyes widened. Elsas wig had slipped while she was staggering. Her wig hadpletely fallen off, and she was sitting on the sofa next to the Marquess, revealing her tinum blond hair. She had removed her goggles as well, disclosing her bare face. Im d youre safe Oh, and my body is feeling morefortable already. His physical strength would not return immediately, but his feeling of difort had finally been lifted. It had been a long time since the Marquess felt refreshed. Marquess Theodoric, even though Elsa did not wish to marry you, she put her utmost effort to cure you. The Marquess understood the Empress admonishing words. Hmm, Elsa, thank you. I take back my marriage proposal. You should walk your own path. T-thank you very much. Elsa felt like her heart had been freed from the cage that was lurking inside all this while. Jin, Elsa, I appreciate your effort. Your precious personnel had saved the Marquess. Please let me show my appreciation. The Empress enthusiastically dered. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Magical Technology were smiling. I shall make an official announcement regarding Elsa. * * * Now, I have a request for Jin, no, Lord Jin. It was Empress Gelharts turn to express her request. I want you to teach me Science that we talked about before. Picking up the conversation, Prime Minister Jung Fowles began to speak. I have also discussed with Minister of Magical Technology Degauss and Gebalt Ackerman regarding that airship. Is it abination of Science and Magic? As expected of the countrys top, he correctly recognized the roots of the technology used in the airship. We concluded that the benefit Science could bring to our country, or rather, the world, would be immeasurable. What do you think, Lord Jin? The Empress took over the conversation. I want to grant Jin the title of Magi Engineer Maestro, and also a territory of his own as a Viscount. Im wondering if youd be willing to serve our government. Jin was astounded being asked so suddenly. While wondering how to answer, her Majesty added. You dont have to answer right away. Hmm, it would be wonderful if you could give your reply within this month. That day was the 21st. He had until the 29th of June to consider it and give a reply by then. Understood. I will consider it carefully. I look forward to hearing a positive reply from you. The Empress stood up while saying that. The Ministers followed as well. Marques Theodoric also stood up. Lord Jin, Miss Elsa. I cannot thank you enough. If youe to my territory, I shall wee you. After thanking Jin and Elsa, the Marquess staggered and began walking. Although the liver was cured, his physical fitness had yet to return. Saki came to his aid as he swayed. Saki? Grandfather, Ill see you off. With a blushed face and turning away from her grandfather, Saki volunteered. Oh, okay. Umm, thank you. Then, Ill be in your care. The Marquess left the meeting room with Sakis aid. Jin and Elsa silently saw them off. After a brief silence, Jin spoke to Elsa. Shall we go, too? Yeah. Jin and Elsa left the meeting room in a single file. Edgar and Reiko seemed to grasp the atmosphere as well and kept quiet. However, they bumped into the most unexpected person. Elsa! Its really you! Elsa shuddered upon hearing that voice. Father. Since she did not have her wig and goggles back on, it was only natural that he found out and started scolding her. A loud whack echoed throughout the passage. Elsas father Georg, pped her across the cheek. Ouch! Elsa staggered upon sustaining the momentum, while Edgar could barely support her. Tears were welling up in Elsas eyes as she suppressed the pain across her cheek. This ungrateful child! What have you been doing so far?! Come with me! He attempted to grab Elsas arm, but Jin interfered. Please hold on, Viscount. What, who the hell are you hmph? Oh, the Magi Engineer who made the airship. Jin Nidou, was it? Yes, Im Jin Nidou. Elsa isnt your tool. Hmph, dont speak as if you know everything. Dont interfere with other peoples parent-child matters. Georgs physique was excellent and muchrger than Jins. He was a soldier on active duty and had subordinates standing by. Nevertheless, Jin boldly told Georg straightforwardly what he wanted to say. Elsa is a full-fledged adult. Even if youre her father, there is no reason for you to treat your full-fledged adult daughter however you please. Such impudence. A full-fledged adult, you said? Thats right. Her Majesty the Empress had acknowledged it as well. Its being recorded by the clerk as we speak. Huh! Even so, Im still Elsas father. Whats wrong with a father bringing his daughter home? Georg hid behind his paternal rights as a shield. Indeed, Elsas independence in the Shouro Empire had not taken effect yet. There was no system of family registers or resident cards in this world. Even if there was, Elsas current ce of permanent residence would be Viscount Randols origin as well. Both Jin and Laojun did not expect for Elsa to be found so soon. She would not be able to defy her father if he brought up his paternal rights. Hmph, you seem to get it. Georg snorted while signaling the man next to him. The man stepped forward and confronted Jin. That airship was pretty good but in the end, it was still a toy. It still needs power if it were to be used as a weapon, doesnt it? The man was Marcus, the creator of the giant golem. Talk about a giant golem brought by an unknown person and getting praised by some prince that turned out to be a sham. The bigger it gets, the worse the golems performance will be. Because his opinion was notpletely off target, Jin thought to engage the argument He changed his mind and focused his attention on Elsa. While Jin was exchanging arguments, Georg had grabbed Elsas arm and pulled her toward him. Elsa tried to resist, but the overwhelming difference in physique rendered her helpless. Viscount, please do not force her. It was Edgar who stood up for the struggling Elsa. An Automata made of raw materials from Horai Ind took pride in his physical strength that was a few times more powerful than humans. W-what are you doing? Edgar grabbed Georgs arm and peeled it away from Elsa with ease. Are you going against me using your wooden doll strength? No, Im merely protecting my master, Elsa. Edgar casually stepped in between Georg and Elsa. What? Whats happening? At that point, curious onlookers started to gather to find out what themotion was all about. Instead of withdrawing, Georg became even more fired-up. He directed abusivenguage toward Jin. You bastard! Are you trying to deceive my daughter?! As expected, Reiko could not stay silent hearing her master being verbally attacked. Thats quite enough, sir. I wont allow any more insults from you. Authors note: Arsenic seems to be methted and excreted by the liver, but arger amount of arsenic cannot be methtedpletely and will umte. Arsenic also umtes in hair and the like, but since the Marquess was bald Chapter 397: Paternal Rights

Chapter 397: Paternal Rights

Elsas father, Georg,ughed in mockery upon hearing Reikos warning. Hmph, whats a mere doll like you prattling about? A mere doll, you said?! Jin was irate and raised his voice when hearing the insult directed at Reiko. Taken aback by the suddenshing out, Reiko had almost forgotten about her own rage for a moment and found herself staring at Jins face. Marcus added fuel to the fire and said, Despite a mere doll, youre acting like his daughter, eh? As usual? Jin was parroting back, but Marcus paid no attention to it and continued, If shes a full-fledged adult as he said, why not make her prove it, Viscount? The Viscount was enticed by that idea. I see. That would be interesting. Marcus, how many golems and Automata of thetest version have you created so far? Lets see, there are 5 giant golems, 2 Automatas, and 3 military golems. Georg sneered as he learned this information. Jin Nidou, if Elsa is your disciple, she would be able to show her Masters skills. Ill reconsider if she can win against the golems Marcus had created. What does Elsas true ability have anything to do with my skills? Everything! I cant acknowledge a disciple of a fake Magi Engineer as a full-fledged adult. I wont hold it against you if you withdrew because ofck of self-confidence. None of Jins words would have mattered unless he could earn Viscount Georg Randols recognition. Besides, Jin was quite offended by the Viscounts insult directed toward Reiko by calling her a mere doll. And hence, he decided to ept the challenge. Understood. Whats the method? And when will it be? Huh, so you ept? How brave. It will be apetition in Gonkurrenz*, where each party will take out a golem or an Automata. Thepetition will be held tomorrow. It will be perfect because there will be some spectators. Gonkurrenz? You dont know what it is? Its a golempetition held in this Shoro Empire. For more information, ask that guy over there. Huh? Due to themotion, Jin did not realize that Reinhardt was standing there listening in. Uncle, challenging Jin will only bring you embarrassment. Reinhardt tried to warn against it indirectly, but the Viscount paid no heed at all. Hmph, we shall see who will lose face in the end. On the other hand, the curious onlookers started a ruckus upon hearing the challenge. Oh! They said Gonkurrenz! Is it the first time in a year and a half? That Jin Nidou and Marcus willpete! Under Secretary of the Ministry of Magical Technology Christoph Valde Von Tarnat, who was also a member of the Technology Expo Executive Committee, got wind of themotion and came rushing. Viscount, Lord Jin! What in the world is going on? Executive Committee? Oh, its nothing. Its just that we have agreed upon a Gonkurrenz tomorrow, where Magi Engineers Marcus and Jin Nidou willpete. What ?! These onlookers stand witness to the deration of ourpetition in Gonkurrenz. We cant back out now. ording to Shourosw, a deration of Gonkurrenz would be publicly recognized at the presence of at least 5 witnesses. Coincidentally, it will be a suitable performance for tomorrow, as it is thest day of the Technology Expo. Uh, oh That being said, Ill leave the preparation of the Gonkurrenzpetition to you. Elsa,e with me. Viscount Georg Randol grabbed Elsas arm again. Ah Elsas face distorted in sadness. Out of concern, Jin shouted in an attempt to stop him. Wait! What? I am Elsas father. Do you have a problem with a father taking his daughter? Right, Elsa? Yes. Being scowled at by Georg, Elsa could only hang her head down and nod. Though reluctant, herpliance was witnessed publicly. Jin could say nothing more in front of so many spectacles. As I mentioned earlier, Ill reconsider about Elsa if you win tomorrow. Thats a promise. See you. After saying that, Viscount Georg Randol pushed his way through the crowd of onlookers, and walked away while dragging Elsa. Marcus followed. Jin and Reinhardt who were left behind felt bothered. Lord Jin, pardon me but would you please exin the situation? Feeling the need to obtain more information, Technology Expo Executive Committee Christoph invited Jin and the others to a meeting room. So, thats what was going on Jin exined the situation. I see, regardless of how it started, seems like theres no choice but to do Gonkurrenz. What is this Gonkurrenz, by the way? Oh, you probably arent familiar with it, Lord Jin. Let me exin. Gonkurrenz is a duel between golems or Automatas, so to speak. Although its called a duel, instead of destroying each other, its a ce to show off each partys skills. Thepetition is based on the following events: Footrace (500 meters run) Heavy throw (throw an object with a specified weight andpete for the throwing distance) Long-distance swimming (during this time, most likely the route will be a round trip swim in Lake Tosmo) Exploration diving (underwater search) Combat techniques (martial arts like swordy or hand-to-handbat like wrestling) Thepetition consists of these 5 events. On rare asions, opponents may add other events after prior discussions and agreements. You can have different golems or Automatas, or you can have just 1 of thempeting in all events. Reinhardt added. Lord Reinhardt is the previous champion. Were they called Schwarz Ritter and Lorelei? They were Reinhardts golems who participated and won in the previous Gonkurrenz that was held before Reinhardt and Elsa embarked on this journey. Let me guess, Lorelei participated in the swimming and exploration diving, while Schwarz Ritter participated in the other remaining branches, correct? Reinhardt nodded indicating Jin was right on target with his assumption. Then, thepetition will start at 9 tomorrow morning in the za where the presentations took ce today. Of course, swimming and exploration diving will be held at Lake Tosmo. After prompting Jin with the information, Christoph Valde Von Tarnat left the meeting room. Good grief, just when the trouble regarding the Marquess was under finally settled. Jin blurted out his discontent. Jin thought it would have been better for Elsa to fix her disguise before leaving the room. But it was toote for regrets. The n was to be in disguise for three days, and then made the self-introduction after the announcement of the participants ratings at the end of the 3rd day of the Technology Expo. If the personal approval of her Majesty the Empress was publicly announced, there would be no more doubts regarding Elsas full-fledged status. But when Georg imed paternity rights like today, it became difficult to refute. It was quite unexpected to see Georg in the Expo. Im sorry. It seems that I didnt my information gathering was inadequate. In the first ce, Reinhardt did not have the information regarding the appearance of Elsas father at the Technology Expo. He was sure that the eldest son Moritz who would show up at the Expo. His assumption was based on the fact that Viscount Georg Randol had never once attended the previous Technology Expo. For this very reason, it was as expected of Laojun that the measure against Georg was included as a precaution. I should have been more careful because I saw him in the arena Well, since he is Elsas biological father, I guess theres no need for me to worry about him causing her any harm. It would be different from when she was caught by the Unifiers. After a long sigh, Reinhardt wished to rify something that bothered him. So Jin, the matters with the Marquess was handled well? Yeah. Jin borated on the details of what happened. I see. Im d that matter was handled better than I had expected. But, poison, huh ? Elsas matters had made Jin readily forget regarding the high possibility that someone was trying to assassinate the Marquess with poison. That was another problem in itself. Ah, this is troublesome Indeed Jin and Reinhardt were silent for a while. Jin broke that silence. Hey, Reinhardt. I feel like Elsas fathers behavior was a bit abnormal. Reinhardt agreed with Jins observation. Yeah, I think so too. Could someone have cast Seduce upon him, like what happened to Fritz? I wouldnt know. Reiko, what do you think? Since Reiko was there as well, she might have noticed something Jin overlooked. There was nothing suspicious about Viscount Georg Randol. Rather, I felt that the Marcus guy was a little strange. Marcus? Yes. How shall I put it Oh yes, I would say that his memory has somehow been tampered with. The pattern of his magical power that leaks out was sometimes disconnected**. Disconnected? Jin understood the meaning of the expression, but could not find the cause of it. I contacted Laojun earlier and tried to consult with him. ording to him, some of Marcus memories were erased using the spell Amnesia, then new memories were nted in ce of the erased ones. Laojun said it would be the most likely case. What?! Theoretically, it would be possible to erase memories in general. But to rece them with new ones was not something that could be done readily. No matter what, there were bound to be somepse. Laojun spected that thispse in memory could be a potential instability factor reflected in the magical power. If so, who tampered with Marcuss memory? Reinhardt asked an obvious question. But no one knew the answer. Through Reiko, Jin ordered Laojun to contact the SP attached to Elsa as her security detail to perform further investigations. Chapter 398: The Remaining Mystery

Chapter 398: The Remaining Mystery

Two SPs, Marron and Plum, were attached to Elsa as her security details. They were adult-female-type golems. Although they were equipped with Paralyzers and other weapons, they could not utilize them to help Elsa escape. Because in this case, her biological father was merely bringing his daughter home, so it wasnt in vition of anyws. Elsa was taken to Georgs lodge. Get in there! Ah! Georg pushed Elsa into a small room, shut the door behind him, and locked it from outside. Edgar was not allowed in the room with her, so he stayed outside. Reflect there until tomorrow morning. Georg left. A soldier stood guard in front of the room. Edgar was standing by as well. The room was furnished with a shabby bed and a chair. Father. Alone, Elsa muttered sadly. Thats the current situation. Marron, one of the SPs who was attached to Elsa, was transmitting a report through Laojun. Jin had just returned to his room and was listening in via Reiko. Jin thought that it would have been better to bring a Manacam. But it was too much of a hassle for the festival afterward. Marron, did you say you are in the room with Elsa, while Plum is outside? Did anyone notice your presence? Jin was worried since it was a small lodge. You need not worry about that. There are only a few people in this lodge. For the time being, tell Marron to give Elsa some assurance. Jin gave the instruction thinking that perhaps Elsa would feel uneasy being locked up alone in the room. And then about tomorrow. The schedule has gone haywire. Partly because it was unexpected for Elsas father to go that far. Was he under some kind of mind maniption ? Out of concern for the possibility of the dangerous mind maniption, Jin instructed Plum, the SP attached to Elsa who was standing by outside the room, to covertly further investigate anyone with aberrant behavior. ( Miss Elsa.) Who is it!? Being the only one in the room, Elsa was surprised to hear the voice. (Please stay quiet. Im Marron, an SP who protects you as instructed by Mr. Jin.) Elsa remembered that Jin had mentioned it before, but hadpletely forgotten about them since they stayed invisible. (Jin would like to tell you not to worry. And to patiently endure until tomorrow.) Brother Jin said that? Understood. Elsa just realized how encouraging it was to have someone there worrying and caring about her. (No matter what happens, I will always be here. Theres another SP, Plum, standing by outside this door. Your Automata, Edgar, is outside as well.) Thank you. Thinking there was someone there for her, she was deeply moved to tears. As such, each thought was being resorted and the night progressed. Im sorry, Mine. The schedule went crazy. Jin apologized to Mine as soon as he reached his hotel room. No, Mr. Jin. From what I heard, you werent at fault. It was just an unfortunate coincidence. Mine was worried, contradicting Jins anticipation. That person Elsas father has always been like that. He has a strong desire to seed and would use any means necessary. Even if it means using his daughter as a tool. If the Marquess let him know regarding the cancetion of their marriage tomorrow, the Viscount would surely give up. No, he would try to offer her to another superior nobleman. Hes that kind of person after all. Mine knew a lot more about Viscount Georg Randol than Jin. If Mine said so, then it must have been true. Anyway, regarding tomorrows Gonkurrenz Jin was considering his formation after Mine went back to her room. Father, please let me do it. Reiko, who had been silent up until then, volunteered. Reiko? That man scorned my and taunted Father. Lets prove him wrong in the public eye. I agree. But you dont have to Reiko interrupted Jin mid-sentence and asserted. No, please let me do this. Im honestly happy that Father treats me as a girl. But my purpose of existence is to be helpful to Father. If I cant do that, I would be a pet doll for real. Jin considered Reikos words. Not only was she like a daughter to him, but also the worlds best Automata. Ironically, it had to be proven by letting her participate in thepetition. Okay, Reiko. Ill leave it to you. That being the case, Ill run a maintenance so youre in your very best condition tomorrow. Yes, thank you. Jinid Reiko on the table and shut off her magical power. He called 10 Mini Smiths and had them check Reikos parts thoroughly. The clearance of the right leg and knee joint is 0. It was reduced by 01 millimeter. Left arm radius, 0. 1 millimeter distortion detected. Correcting. The Mini Smiths were performing precision checks that would be difficult to bepleted by Jin. Thanks to their skills, Jin had been able to excellently maintain Reikos parts up until now. Thank you, Mini Smiths. A 3% improvement in her performance was to be expected after the maintenance and the adjustments. She was all set for tomorrow. People sleep, but golems do not. After people had fallen asleep, Plum moved stealthily to carry out her orders from Jin. She approached Viscount Georg Randols room. Whos there? A voice was heard in the darkness. Plum was noticed even though she was utilizing Invisible magic. I know youre there. I have no idea how you do it, but somehow youre using some kind of magic to conceal yourself, right? Plum, who had always stayed invisible, could move freely in the dark due to her infrared vision. In exchange for the infrared vision, she had to sacrifice color, and settle with a lower resolution of the details. The one who noticed Plum was a middle-aged man. It was Marcus Grinwald. Whats your target? Me? Marcus asked if he was the target. In other words, he was a person of importance, or he was too self-conscious. The fact that he could detect Plum who was utilizing Invisible, only meant that he had some kind of ability. Plum deemed conducting further investigation would be impossible, so she left. Hmm? Running away, eh? Fine, I have no intention to pursue anyway. Plum reported the incident to Laojun. It seems like that man has a significant ability. Even Laojun only knew as much, because there was too little information avable. Rather, the problem was that Plums existence was detected even though she was utilizing Invisible. Could it be due to the noise? Bats used ultrasound to catch information about their surroundings. There was a high possibility that the man was using a simr ability or magic. Sonar was a magic that examined the inside of a substance. There was a possibility of the existence of a magic called Echo, Laojun gave a tentative conclusion. Making further assumptions would be meaningless due tock of information. Laojun instructed Plum to gather more information, but carefully and not to overdo it. Then the breaking dawn marked the morning of June 22nd. Lord Jin! I heard youll be participating at the Gonkurrenz today?! Minister of Magical Technology Degauss queried, as he barged into Jins room. Jin was having breakfast. Oh, yes. Jin briefly exined what happened after the talk with her Majesty the Empress and the Degauss Minister of Magical Technology yesterday. Hmm, Viscount Georg Randol would do such thing Minister of Magical Technology Degauss said with a sullen expression. Currently, Georg was the Commander of the Overseas Mission, as well as a military adviser to the Imperial Army. It was no surprise that someone in such an important position would challenge others in Gonkurrenz so easily. On top of that, the challenged party was a guest of honor of this country and was in the process of entering the government service. Degauss, you can think of it as an attraction. Right, Jin? Reinhardt, who also visited Jins room, said so. They were talking about a lot of stuff until Degauss barged in. Hmm, certainly its an attraction. Shall wee up with a special n for the Technology Expo ? The Minister of Magical Technology looked down and crossed his arms in deep thought. He lifted his head as if he hade to a decision, Okay, lets go with that. Lord Jin, would you mind if the country takes over the operation of thispetition? No, I dont mind. Thank you. Then I shall inform the Viscount as well. Gonkurrenz will start at 9 am, as decided by Christoph yesterday. Chapter 399: Gonkurrenz

Chapter 399: Gonkurrenz

When Jin arrived at the za, a lot of people had already gathered in the arena even though it was only 8 oclock. The word about the Gonkurrenz had already spread like wildfire. Hmm, so you decided to not run away. Jin, as well as Viscount Georg Randol had already arrived. Since this is the long-awaited Gonkurrenz, it seemed that a few more people are interested in participating. You dont mind, do you? No, I dont mind. Hmm, youve got courage, I give you that. Jin asked Georg, who was about to turn around and leave. How is Elsa doing? Hmm? Are you curious? Shes fine, see. Georg jerked his chin and pointed away. Jin looked in the direction he pointed. There were the Viscounts soldiers no, Elsa was sitting in between two Automatas at the front row of the arena. I happen to be the military adviser to the Imperial Army, which means I have my hands on thetest Automatas and golems. If you want to forfeit, this is the time. However, Jin only slightly frowned without saying a word. Instead, Reinhardt that was by Jins side retorted. Uncle, youre going to be humiliated in public. All the Automatas in our kingdom dont stand a chance against Jins, even if we bundled all of them together. However, Georg turned a deaf ear to Reinhardts admonition. He walked away without looking over his shoulder. Jin, I heard! When Jin went to the seat designated for participants, her Majesty the Empress approached. It appears some indiscretions had urred. Jin turned toward the Empress with a bitter expression. Yes, thats right. My schedule went crazy. I apologize for the Viscounts attitude. Jin panicked when her Majesty the Empress bowed to apologize. Oh, no, please raise your head. Im not too concerned with that, but anyway, its not your Majestys fault. It was my blunder for not being able to clearly exin it to the Viscount. Im quite relieved to hear that. Please dont hate our kingdom. I intend to take appropriate measures against the Viscount in ordance with thew. Jin did not request the Empress to show mercy for the Viscount. Insulting the kingdoms guest of honor is a serious crime punishable byw. However, I did not receive any reports regarding the incident on the day it happened Jin did not have any intension for the Viscount to be punished, so he did not report it. It was simr to the incident where Marcus ridiculed Prince Ernest. Honestly, I embrace the idea of having Gonkurrenz. This way, your true ability will be widely known. Even if it results in the defeat of golems and Automatas of this country? The Empress kept smiling gently. Defeat ispletely eptable. It only proves that there is still room for growth, which dictates us to aim higher next time. Oh, youre so positive. The Empress gentle smile rubbed off on Jin, turning his frown into a smile. He-he, thats right. The women of Shouro Empire are positive. Hearing her remark, Jin suddenly remembered Elsas positive attitude, too. Then, do your best. Im concerned about Elsa as well. Having said that, Empress Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro left. Finally, it was time for Gonkurrenz to start. * * * Good morning, everyone! On this 3rd day of Technology Expo, as a special event, we formally present the Gonkurrenz! The moderators voice echoed throughout the arena. The promoter is Viscount Georg Randol. The challenger is Jin Nidou! The cheers of the audience roared in the arena. Furthermore, three people, namely Engar Gerdus, Theolord Governors, and Kelly Galvani, will participate in thepetition asst-minute entrants! All three are up-anding Magi Engineers! The audience apuded to the announcement. As everyone is familiar with, thispetition will consist of 5 types of events: footrace, heavy throw, long-distance swimming, exploration diving, and simtedbat. We have also devised a special simted battle with the giant golem, Goliath! Marcus golem, Goliath, entered thepetition as a participant as well. He must have been quite confident to suggest such an event. Without further ado, participating Automatas and golems, please step forward! The referee Christoph Valde Von Tarnat, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Magical Technology, called upon all participants toe forward. The Automatas and golems stepped forward one after another, leaving their creators in their respective seats. There were a total of six golems, two from each participant: Engar Gerdus, Theolord Governors, and Kelly Galvani. They seemed to have arranged the pair fornd and underwaterpetitions. Viscount Georg Randol, or rather Marcus, had prepared two Automatas and two golems to participate. It was apparent from first nce that they were each prepared fornd, underwater, andbatpetition. One Automata had a light and slim build forndpetition, while another had fins on the limbs with a perfectly fitting swimsuit for underwaterpetition. There were two golems for thebat event. One of them was wearing an armor, while the other looked burly but without an armor. Hmm, victory is on Marcus side, after all. With a smug expression, Viscount Georg Randol marveled at Marcus arsenal, while making light of thest-minute participants. He deemed them no match for Marcus opponents. Suddenly, the audience cheered hysterically. What? They were reacting to the Automata that came forward from Jins team. A girl-type Automata wearing a one-piece ck dress with a white apron that looked absolutely out of ce. Needless to say, it was Reiko. Jin only registered her as the sole participant from his team. Astnohisment, admiration, bafflement, anticipation were the cocktail of emotions that intermingled inplete harmony to create the audiences thundering apuse. Hmph, are you underestimating the other participants with that style, or are you way too confident? We shall see which it is, sooner thanter. Contrary to the Viscounts reaction, Elsa was watching with a pair of pale blue and misty eyes from the front row seat of the arena. Brother Jin Jin, who disliked being the center of attention, had let Reiko participate in thepetition. In other words, he was resolute in obtaining a certain victory. At the same time, it was easy to imagine that Jin would receive more attention than ever before after thispetition. Recognizing that everything he did was for her sake, Elsa felt something warm flowing in her heart. Well then, the first event is 500 meters run! White lines were drawn on the za. On the first track was Reiko. Marcus Automata was positioned on the second track. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th tracks were the golems from thest-minute participants. Ready your positions! 3, 2, 1, start! A cloud of dust was kicked into the air. A loud bang was reverberating throughout the arena. The audience covered their ears. And at the next instant, Reikos figure appeared to be standing at the 500-meter finish line ahead of everyone else. W-what? Who could have said that? Reiko had disced her position 500 meters in less than two seconds. Ten secondster, Marcus Automata reached the finish line. Ten seconds after that, the three golems ran one after another, and finally reached the finish line. Marcus Automata was certainly fast. However, it could not match Reikos speed, which exceeded the speed of sound. A considerable chunk of dirt was gouged out of the ground, where Reiko was originally standing, proving how much torque her foot generated in taking that first leap. Unbelievable As if his eyes were ying tricks on him, Viscount Georg Randol rubbed his eyes many times. The apuse of the whole audience materialized more than ten secondster. Everyone forgot to react seeing how absurdly fast Reiko was. Reiko is amazing after all! Prince Ernest expressed his awe from the VIP seat. The prince, who was directly watching Reikos great performance, acknowledged the result was justifiable. W-winner, Jin Nidou! Second ce, Marcus Grinwald ! The creators names were being called out instead of the Automatas A mortifying expression was visible on Marcus face. The second event is Heavy Throw! This time we will use three types of weights! Throw these andpete for the distance the weights travel. The results will be derived from multiplying the weight used by the distance thrown. To score first ce, the participant must umte the highest points. The moderator exined. Then, going in order, please start from the participant in the 5th position. Throw it in the direction of Lake Tosmo. Underwater golems were floating on theke standing by to measure the distance. The first participant picked up the three weights,pared them, but chose the lightest 10-kg ball. The diameter was about 10 cm. It was most likely made from a metal with a specific gravityparable to that of adamantite. It was painted yellow to make it clearly visible when thrown. The result was about 50 meters. This result was about three times the world record on Earth by mass x distance ifpared to the world record of shot put. The 4th and 3rd golems gave simr results. Marcus turn had finally arrived. The tougherbat golem went out and chose a 20-kg ball, with a diameter of about 17 cm. This ball was painted pink. The golem threw it using a shot put throwing style. The record was about 75 meters. The audience cheering from the venue was audible. Its amazing! Isnt it a new record? It was indeed an amazing new record that even the Empress was impressed with. Hmm, how about it, Elsa? What do you think of Marcus newbat golems power? It exceeds the previous record by 10 meters! Sitting next to Elsa at the front row seat of the arena, Georg bragged about Marcus creations. In an extremely calm manner, Elsa answered. Reiko wont lose. Father, just watch. Youll be surprised. What did you say? Meanwhile, Reiko had just picked up the heaviest weight, a 30-kg ball. It weighed almost as much as her. This ball was painted white. Heh, can she even lift that? Well, she should, right? Georg observed Reiko without batting an eye. When he witnessed her picking up the weight with ease in one hand, he did a double take. Reiko considered throwing it with a shot put style but changed her mind. She did an underhand throw instead, like a bowling ball. The ball with white paint disappeared from the audiences field of vision in no time. The trajectory was close to a straight line and almost horizontal. There was no telling how far it would travel if it were thrown diagonally upward. Both the moderator and the referees jaws dropped. Reiko had no choice but to walk up to the referee and poked his back. Only then, the referee, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Magical Technology, Christoph, finally snapped back into reality and hurriedly recalled the golems from Lake Tosmo to ask various questions. Ten minutes had passed. I-I apologize, but the exact distance of the throw just now could not be measured! The distance recorded was over 100 meters! The weight thrown was 30 kg! Therefore, the score is over 3,000 points! Jin Nidou wins first ce! The golems taking measurements were only deployed as far as 100 meters. Reiko probably threw the ball to a distance of 500 meters, but since no one thought such flight would be feasible, the deployed golems fell short. Immediately after the announcement, everyone in the arena gave Jins team a standing ovation. Incredible The crowd was apuding, except for one, no, two people: Viscount Georg Randol and Marcus Grinwald. Authors note: Shot (7. 26 kg x 23. 12 m = 167. 8512 kg m). Throwing 10 kg to a distance of 50 m is about 3 times that. Reikos throw was over 15,000 kg m. Chapter 400: Despair

Chapter 400: Despair

Lets begin the 3rd event of Gonkurrenz! Were moving the stage to the water surface! Simr to the golem boatpetition once held in Potlock, birds-eye view of Lake Tosmo was projected by utilizing thebination of Magic Eye and Magic Screenbination. I think we will win this time Viscount Georg Randol murmured while worrying in his seat amongst the audience. Sitting next to him, Elsa silently thought, Thats impossible. Look, look at that That girl Automata, is she going to swim in that?! Shes still wearing her shoes, even Two Automatas and three golems lined up on the pier outside the za. No other participants were fully dressed, except Reiko. Marcus Grinwalds Automata even put on something resembling a swimsuit with great difficulty. Lord Jin, are you sure shes going to be all right? Referee Christoph was concerned about Reiko swimming in her dress and tried to obtain Jins confirmation. Jin simply nodded silently. A-all right then, let us begin the 3rd event: swimmingpetition. Below the watchtower on the opposite shore of Lake Tosmo, there are boards with the names of each participant. Please take the board with your respective name and swim back with it. Of course, the fastest one wins. Although the boards left at the base of the watchtower were not visible from here, with the watchtower serving as andmark, the participants were to retrieve their respective boards and swim back. The rules were foolproof. Ready your position, 3, 2, 1, start! Five bodies jumped in theke all at once and swam at tremendous speeds, leaving trails of white foam behind. It was a 10-km round trip swimming in Lake Tosmo. It would take one 30 minutes to swim a round tripp at 20 kmph. However, one Automata was swimming at an extraordinary speed. Unquestionably, it was Reiko. Even though she was fully dressed with shoes on, her speed exceeded 50 kmph. That being said, it was not even her full speed. Reiko once dived into the sea searching for Jin who went missing, while traveling to various parts of the world. During that time, Reiko swam at over 100 kmph while carrying more than 20 kg of luggage. Now that the improvement of her efficiency had been more than doubled, Reiko was only using a slight amount of energy output. Woah?! W-what is that ? No way ! Once again, Reiko took the audiences breath away. The Magic Screen showed everyone her swimming style. She was practically diving. As an Automata, there was no need for her to emerge on the surface and take a breath. Thoughtlessly imitating humans swimming style would produce waves. The waves would create the so-called wave drag, a significant resistance for the swimmer to ovee. Except for Reiko, the other four participants were swimming on the surface, producing a track of white foam behind them as they kicked up waves with their movements. Sometimes Reiko would appear on the surface to confirm direction, but otherwise, she would continue to plunge forward under the water like a submarine. W-what an incredible Automata! Hearing her father muttered in disbelief, Elsa could not help but feel sympathy. ( Thats what you get for having known only your little world. I was able to know this wide world, thanks to Brother Rei and Brother Jin.) Swiftly, Reiko had already reached the opposite shore. She took the board with Jins name from the base of the watchtower and was ready to swim back. The board was about 50 cm long on each side and seemed to be light. However, this only meant that it would not sink in water, and swimming with it could impede the speed. Resourceful as she was, Reiko used it as a flutterboard and started to swim back. She did not dive this time but still glided with incredible speed. About a quarter of the way back, Reiko and Marcus Automata passed by each other. About halfway through her route back, she passed by the other three golems. Reiko is incredible Reinhardt sighed witnessing how Reiko swam. All because he felt that Reiko seemed to be faster than his water-specialized Lorelei. Shes fast, very fast! Jin Nidous Automata, Reiko! She came back in less than 15 minutes! The moderator announced in an overly excited voice close to a scream. He could not believe what he just witnessed. Reiko reached her finish line and won the swimmingpetition with andslide. She undoubtedly had broken a new record. Ten minutester, Marcus Automata reached the finish line. Ten more minutes after that, the remaining three golems returned. Thats inconceivable ! Elsa felt somewhat pitiful seeing her father greatly perplexed. Thoughtlessly, shemented. Father, the world is wide. Bro Lord Jin is a wonderful Magi Engineer. Please acknowledge it. However, herment fell on deaf ears. Marcus! Win the next round! After shooting such a directive, Georg arrogantly leaned back in his seat. Seeing his attitude, Elsa could not help but think, (Has Father been such a person all along? Whenpared to Brother Jin and Brother Rei No, his problem lies even deeper than that. Hescking something as a person.) Elsa thought she could understand it better for she had traveled, met many people, and had many different experiences. Her father was too egocentric and would not listen to anyone, which only facilitated the shielding of his little world and throwing away possibilities. (But in the old days, I didnt think he was this way ) In her distant memory, there was still a kind father kind in his own way. Elsa felt a little ufortable with the inconsistent image of his father within her memory and the one before her eyes. While Elsa was pondering about her father, the 4th even began. In this event, the participants were to retrieve the weights they threw in the previous heavy throwpetition. A portion of the audience was thunderstruck by the announcement. Partly because no one had any idea where the weight Reiko threw earlier hadnded. Committee member! Havent we been required to throw different colored balls into the water and retrieve them for this exploration diving event? Reinhardts inquiry was closer to a protest than anything else. Well, starting from the current Gonkurrenz, as a handicap, it has been decided to retrieve the weights thrown in the previous heavy throw The whole venue roared in objection. But thats Reinhardt, its all right. Jin interrupted Reinhardts protest. Reiko, can you manage? Reiko nodded silently at Jins inquiry. Ready, 3, 2, 1 start! The bed of Lake Tosmo was mostly rock or gravel, which was visible through its limpid water, with asional congregation of mud near the shores. This made the finding of the thrown weight rtively easy. However, the whereabouts of the weight thrown by Reiko was unconfirmed. Finding it would be excessively difficult. Jin, will Reiko be all right? Yeah, I believe in her. Living up to that expectation, Reiko found the 30-kg weight she threw earlier within 15 minutes. The whole audience went wild over her aplishment. (Is Elsa doing okay?) Jins mind wandered as he was rtively free while waiting for the other four participants to return; since Reiko retrieved the weight she threw with ease. He was worried about Elsa, but he could not go to her. Jin then decided to ask Reinhardt to check up on her. Okay, leave it to me. Im worried, too. Reinhardt left to check up on Elsa. Elsa was guarded by Automata soldiers on each side. There were the Viscounts subordinates standing guard at the seat in front and behind her as well. Since Reinhardt could not sit right next to her, he came close enough to call out to her. Elsa, Im here. Elsa looked over her shoulder upon hearing the voice. A sign of relief melted her tense expression when she set eyes on her gentle and reliable cousin. * * * In the meantime, thepetition continued. Marcus Automata sessfully retrieved the weight 30 minutes after Reiko. The three remaining golems were having difficulties in locating their weights even after an hour had passed. As a result, they were disqualified due to overtime. So far, Jin and Reiko had undisputedly snatched the top spot. Candidly speaking, it would seem that only Jin and Marcus werepeting, since the three other golems were outmatched by far. However, from Jins point of view, it appeared to be a one-sided game on his part. Moving on to the 5th event! Its Battle Simtion! This final event is to be performed with a sword and hand-to-handbat! Let us start with swordy battle simtion! Presumed to be the most exciting event, the outcry of the audience erupted across the venue. At this point, since the three golems had been disqualified, only Jins Automata and Marcus golem advanced to this stage. Jin had equipped Reiko with Pseudo-Peach Blossom in advance, a weapon simr to an edgeless Japanese sword made from 64 aluminum. As her opponent, Marcusbat golem stood with a 2-meter colossal stature, equipped with full-body armor, a tower shield in its left hand, and a great sword in its right hand. Standing face-to-face, they looked like an adult and a child no, a giant and a child were more urate. Reiko, dont do any shy destructions. Jin cautioned Reiko as such and returned to his seat. Are both parties ready? Both nodded silently. Ready , fight! The referee swung his arm down, marking the beginning of the battle simtion. Chapter 401: Reiko’s Battle

Chapter 401: Reikos Battle

The one who made the first move was thebat Golem. The length of his greatsword was about the same as Reikos height. He held the sword over his head and swung straight down at Reiko. With her splendid steps, Reiko dodged the attack. In a swift motion, the Golem swung the sword diagonally from below, attempting the next attack. But it was toote. Reiko was no longer there. Hmm, speed is the only remarkable trait she has, eh? Marcus murmured, and then barked an order to hisbat Golem. Garboreal! Get serious! In response to hismand, thebat Golem increased his speed by one level, no, two levels. Likely to weigh over 400 kilograms, the giant began to move faster than humans. The ground was either gouged or cracked from the impact of his footsteps. What an amazing speed with that enormous body ! Most spectators were astounded by his movement. However, Prince Ernest was not impressed. He turned toward Princess Lieschen, who was sitting next to him, and whispered, Its not that big of a deal at all. With her small body, Reiko had knocked off dozens of stampedingbat Golems in the past. Yes, I have also witnessed her true ability. She neutralized 50 bandits in an instant with ease. Just as she said, Reiko was dodging thebat Golem Garboreals onught with a devil-may-care attitude. Heh, all she could do is dodging. Shes just a second-rate Magi Engineers doll, after all! Reiko heard Marcus muttering. Im only following my fathers order to not cause you too much embarrassment, but it seems like you dont even understand that. Reiko stopped. She blocked the iing greatsword. Oh, oh?! The audience could not believe their eyes. Reiko started to engage the attacks of thebat Golem Garboreal; sometimes she dodged, sometimes she repelled them, sometimes she directly blocked them. The entire audience was bbergasted seeing how Reikos tiny hand could skillfully wield the tiny sword, which was only one-tenth the size of the greatsword. She could withstand and even overwhelm the physical strength of the greatsword wielded by thebat Golem. Her physical strength was already unbelievable to begin with, but what she was currently disying was even more ridiculous. Why doesnt it break? Such ament could be heard from among the audience. This pseudo-sword my father had created for me wont break that easily! 64 Aluminum was stronger than steel. With that, Reiko now had the capacity to deal with the impacts of the greatsword. Even though their swords seemed to be shing directly, Reiko rxed her power at the moment of impact that dampened the effect. Its about time I counterattack! Reiko increased her attack speed further. Garboreals tower shield seemed useless against her wave of attacks. Reiko shed from the direction where the tower shield was not guarding. If she were to wield either the real Peach Blossom or the Vibration Sword, the match would have ended with a single blow. s, Reiko was wielding a mock sword with no de. So Reiko chose a fighting method that umted the damage. She persistently attacked the Golems left shoulder, which was the pivot of the arm that supported the heavy tower shield. Despite being covered in full body armor, moving parts such as joints were rtively weak. With more than 10 blows, a part of the armor flew off. After 10 more attacks, the Magical Muscle on the left shoulder cracked. The weight of the tower shield aided the crack to spread gradually. Upon taking more attacks, the deltoid muscle equivalent of the Magical Muscle ruptured. His left arm could not be lifted anymore. Checkmate. Reiko pointed her mock sword at the throat of thebat Golem who could no longer hold the tower shield. T-thats it! Winner, Jin! Jin felt a little sorry for Reiko because it was her creators name being called instead of hers. A wild cheer erupted when Reiko bowed courteously at the audience. Cute! You did well, youngdy! Aim for aplete victory just like that! The scene in which a beautiful girl yed an active part in any world seemed to invite the sympathy of the viewer. Reiko is amazing. Truly, shes something formidable Prince Ernest and Princess Lieschen shouted in joy for Reikos great sess. At the same time, they felt a strong fright as well. The audience was unaware of how threatening that was. They did not realize it because they were too excited about the oue of the match. Meanwhile, the Empress who was sitting at the very top row of the VIP seat was greatly perplexed. Not only he changed the rules without permission, Georg had lost the match so easily. The impression given to Jin could not be worse. And perhaps the audience would be dissatisfied as well. The only positive thing out of this seemed to be that probably there were no spectators who med the rule change because Jin won the match. However, as the Empress who was trying to recruit Jin to work for this kingdom, I wanted to cry. * * * Okay! Final battle! Its a hand-to-handbat showdown! It was obvious that the victor would be Jin and Reiko. But since the regtions dictated that the match had to continue until the very end, while ring at Jin with animosity, Marcus readied his remainingbat Golems. This time, it was the Golem that participated in the Heavy Throw. Although he wore no armors and was unarmed, the Golem had a good physique. He might be over 2 meters tall, and weighed about 400 kilograms. His thigh seemed to be as big around as Reikos waistline. Nevertheless, the audience was no longer skeptical of Reikos victory, since they had witnessed her disy of abilities from earlier matches. Begin! The Golem roared while throwing a fist aimed at Reiko. If he couldnd a punch, it would be like the shattering blow of an ordinary Automata. Reiko jumped a little and dodged it. The Golem aimed at the timing when Reikonded, andunched a kick. It seemed the kick would hit but Reiko ducked and evaded itpletely. The ribbon on her head fluttered with the shock wave from the powerful kick. Reiko seemed to be testing something while dodging the attacks. Ill move my body the way I desire. The air movement that hits my cheeks and fluttered my hair. That air movement gives me clues. And the vibration that travels through the ground will also indicate his movements. Reikos Tactile Sense had significantly improved her ability to detect her opponent in close proximity. She continued to evade the Golems attacks. He was the perfect opponent to put Tactile Sense to the test. But I have to end this soon, dont I? While dodging the Golems fist, Reiko stepped forward. Shended a counter punch near his sr plexus. It was probably her best effort tond a punch that high, since their difference in heights was significant. But since he was a Golem, the sr plexus was not a vital point. Although he could probably withstand the punch, Reikos power was enough to blow away the Golem that was more than 10 times heavier in bodyweight. The Golem was blown about 5 meters away. He did not get up. Apparently, the Magi Device inside was damaged. O-one punch Its amazing Just like earlier, the audience exploded in a screaming cheer when Reiko courteously bowed. Aplete victory. It was also the first great aplishment in the long history of Gonkurrenz. Way to go, Jin! Its amazing. Um, youd be a menace if we werent friends. Knowing Jins personality, Prince Ernest and Princess Lieschen had aid-back conversation with him. Jin, congrattions! Reiko is amazing! Reinhardt was also wild with joy over their victory and highly praised them. Ladies and gentlemen! The results are as witnessed! The winner of the Gonkurrenz is Jin Nidou! And his Automata, Reiko! The cheers of the audience in the venue grew louder. Jin stroked Reikos head that had just regrouped. Reiko, great job. It was amazing. Its all thanks to you, father. I didnt think Tactile Sense would be that useful. I can detect the movements of my opponent by the air movements and vibrations. Subtle power adjustment was also at my disposal. Ah, I see, I see. Jin broadly smiled upon hearing herment. Reiko did not expect Jin to be that affected by how Tactile Sense was useful to win thatst match. Reinhardt asked about it afterward and decided to install a Tactile Sense sensor in Schwarz Ritter as well. But that would be a future project. Lord Jin, what about the simted battle with a giant golem as a special attraction? Upon hearing the inquiry, the audience roared, Yeah! Please give it a try! The audience continued to cheer. Jin did not see any problems in particr, so he agreed. Understood. Lord Marcus, would you please ready the giant Golem? With a hateful expression, Marcus stammered, I dont mind. But Goliath isnt good at pulling his punches. I wont take responsibility if something happened. Finally, the battle between Reiko and Goliath started. Okay, begin! On the referees mark, Reiko and Goliaths one-to-one battle had finally begun spectacrly. Here I go ! Reiko had a quiet anger. The reason being, her father was being looked down upon. She was displeased when the Magicraft Meister Jin was lumped together with ordinary Magi Craftsmen. On top of that, they were making sweeping statements about him. I will crush this Golempletely, and make them acknowledge Jin. Reiko was thinking along that line. She also thought that it would be necessary to clearly show her ability on that asion to eliminate interference and harassment against Jin. However, Jin despised unnecessary acts of destruction. He also did not like to stand out in the crowd. Reiko understood Jins character very well. Reiko ultimately decided to take action as directed by Jin, to overwhelm and defeat without a shy destruction. Chapter 401: An Unexpected Ending

Chapter 401: An Unexpected Ending

Confronting the giant Golem Goliath, Reiko first examined the opponents movements. That was not the first time she faced a giant opponent. Sham Dragon, Sandworm, Hecaton Cale, Death Sea Serpent, and Giggers. The current opponent in front of her paled inparison to those giants. But carelessness is ones greatest enemy, is it? That was something she learned from Jin. Reiko reminded herself that she should never let her guard down no matter who she was fighting against. Goliath was fast, but at most only several times faster than humans. However, Reiko could be several hundred times faster. Goliath attempted to stomp and crush her. Reiko evaded. Instantly, she moved behind him while he was still trying to adjust his position. Then she kicked the back of his left knee, which was supporting his weight. That maneuver was called single leg knee dislocation. Goliaths left knee, which supported almost all of his body weight, copsed. He lost his bnce. He reached out his left arm for the ground to prevent himself from falling over. Reiko was anticipating that move. She hugged his left arm and pulled while twisting it. It was a high-level throwing technique that not everyone could utilize. Due to the precise amount of force, Goliath hadpletely copsed. The loud thud echoed throughout the venue, apanied by a cloud of dust. O-oh! Wow The audience gasped in disbelief. No way. Was that an Arm Twist Throw*? Sitting next to Her Majesty the Empress, Marquess Gueren Theodoric von Eisen was fascinated. That was a secret fighting technique of the Shouro Empire, used only to beat an opponent empty-handedly when a fighter had lost his sword: Dodged the opponents iing de, twisted the whole body while holding the opponents arm, locked the opponents elbow and shoulder, then copse while throwing. That was the only known application of that technique. Gueren, what is an Arm Twist Throw? The Empress, who was sitting across from the Prime Minister, inquired. The Marquess briefly exined, That technique is using the opponents power, one mistake could result in the users self-destruction. And that Automata Reiko sessfully executed it. Well, not only Im interested in when she learned that technique, but also how amazing that she could actually master it. O-oh? Your Majesty, look! Prime Minister Jung Fowles eximed in astonishment. At the same time, the audience cheered from their seats. Before Goliath could get up, Reiko slipped under his body and lifted it: with her tiny body. The 1.3-meter tall Reiko lifted the 6-meter tall Goliath with ease. It was surreal. However, Goliath did not stay put while being lifted. He was iling and stretching his arms in an attempt to grab Reiko. An instant before she was caught, Reiko threw Goliath up in the air. Goliath weighed about 4 tons. Reiko had enough power to throw him more than 30 meters up in the air. Wha Both Viscount Georg Randall and Marcus Grinwald were lost for words at the unbelievable sight. Reiko evacuated from Goliaths falling path. Thew of gravity took care of the rest. Goliath plunged and crashed on the ground. A thunderous impact shook the entire arena. It created a crater of more than 10 meters in diameter on the ground. Goliath lied motionless at the bed of the crater. Looking closely, his hip joint was crushed and damaged. After waiting for a few minutes, Goliath still did not move. Reiko then walked over the referee, the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Magical Technology, Christoph Valde Von Tarnat. Is it all right to call it done? Christoph snapped back to his senses upon hearing Reikos words, collected himself, and then said, Thats a wrap! We have a winner! Winner, Jin Nidou, and his Automata, Reiko! As the announcement echoed, the quiet spectators gave enthusiastic apuse and cheers as if they had just been revived. Wonderful! Amazing! Cute! Reiko! Reiko bowed in response to their cheering, and the apuse seemed to be more intense. Lord Jin, shes a wonderful Automata. An interview was held with the winner while waiting for the arena to be cleaned up. Is there any secret for such a cute Automata to being that strong? No, I simply worked real hard in creating her. Jin tried to elude the question. There is no secret. My father made me. Thats all there is to it. Reiko exined while praising Jin. At this stage, the audience was finally beginning to cool down. Some of them thought Reikos unfathomable power was fearsome. Meanwhile, others who had witnessed her power concluded that it would be better to get on Jins good side instead of interfering. And everyone knew that was the wisest choice. * * * Well then. This marks the end of thepetition. The moderator announced the end of thepetition, followed by the official statement from Empress Gelhart Hilde von Rubies Shouro. There seemed to have been some disputes, but this years technology expo ended with great sess. We would like to thank all participants, all visitors, and the executivemittee members. To the brief statement from the Empress, the venue gave a thunderous apuse. Jin was also pping. He hated long speeches but weed the Empress brief statement. After this, the award will be given to these brilliant people after a short break. * * * No way no way, no way! I cant believe this! Something like this cant happen! Viscount Georg Randol, was muttering in response to the incredible disy of Reikos abilities. But this is the fact. Father, Jins true ability is the best in the world. It was a mistake to challenge him. However, Elsas words fell on deaf ears. Shut up! What the hell do you know? Ive beenpared to my outstanding elder brother since I was a kid, and I couldnt even be his sessor. But now, I finally managed to earn this position. Just when I was aiming higher, he showed up. Why?! Why does he get in my way?! Jin doesnt get in your way. Youre one-sidedly seeing him as your enemy, Father. Jin is very kind to friends and colleagues. However, he is very tough on his enemies. Hes such a person. Upon hearing Elsas words, Georg red at her with bloodshot eyes. You dont tell me ? I wont forgive you! You are to marry a superior nobleman to guarantee my sess! Otherwise, theres no point in recognizing that woman who gave birth to you. Father, how about the promise you made if Jin won thispetition? Though Elsa thought of him as an imperfect father, she adored him at one point in time. His gut-wrenching words really gave Elsa a shock. I dont give a damn about any promises! Your role is to live as a tool for my sess! With bloodshot eyes and bright red face, while engaging in a heated discussion, Georg reached out his hand to grab Elsa in an attempt to drag her out of the arena. At that moment, something from within Elsa shattered. Barrier. That was the keyword to activate the absolute barrier Guard Ring. Georgs hand was blocked by the activated invisible wall. W-what is this?! Elsa! Are you defying me?! Elsa kept her head down and did not respond. Her eyes were tearful. Knowing his hand could not break the barrier, Viscount Georg Randol attempted to sh the barrier with his sword. However, he could not make a scratch on the Guard Ring. The absolute barrier Guard Ring created by Jin could withstand high-level magic and even Reikos physical attacks. Human attacks would not have any effect. Argh, this is troublesome! Puppet soldiers, prepare to utilize magic! The puppet soldiers he was referring to was the Automata that were guarding Elsa. The Automata soldiers raised their respective wands readying to attack. The wands were imbued with me magic. The spectators around had already left, but it would be a serious concern if they were to utilize me magic here. Uncle! Please stop! At that point, Reinhardt, who was stunned by the development, was desperately trying to stop Georg. But his pleading could not reach Georg at all as he was too pumped up. It was Edgar who snatched the wands off of the two Automatas hands. Wha ! You are the wooden doll that Elsa made! Do not interfere! Puppet soldiers, destroy it! Following theirmands, the two puppet soldiers violently attacked Edgar. He dodged a punch from one of them, and then slipped close and threw him. Oh, thats a body throw! It was a technique used by Shouro Imperial Knights. It was one of the techniques that Laojun recently taught to all Golems and Automata rted to Horai Ind as a self-defense technique. The knowledge was transmitted to Edgar through Transinfo during the time he was on Horai Ind, as Jins disciple. Since he did not have Tactile Sense like Reiko, the thrown puppet soldier struck the ground. All his limbs scattered, and he stopped moving. Then Edgar proceeded to the other soldier. He evaded the iing kick and swept the pivoting leg with a hooking kick. The puppet soldier was turning a somersault due to the attack and was about tond on his back. But Edgar grabbed his leg and used the momentum to lift it even more. Naturally, the puppet soldiers head forcefully crashed into the ground. His head was smashed, and he was neutralized. What the hell ? Elsas father could not believe his eyes. The Automata that looked like a boy was fighting on par, or even better against puppet soldiers that were specially designed forbat. However, such an uproar was known to others immediately. The soldiers dispatched by the Empress had arrived at the scene. Viscount! What are you doing? These are the audience seats! At that moment, a strange phenomenon befell the Viscount. Ugh?! Ugh He seemed to be in pain. Suddenly, he lost consciousness and tumbled down. Father? Uncle? Viscount? Commander! His subordinates also rushed over in a panic. Those who knew about first aid on the battlefield instructed, Letsy him down quietly! All right. His pulse is weak. Carry him gently! Ignoring Elsa, they carried Viscount Georg Randol and quickly left the scene. Soldiers dispatched by the Empress also followed along for monitoring. Elsa and Reinhardt, who were left behind, remained confused by the unfortunate turn of events. T-thats right. We have to tell Jin! Edgar, protect Elsa! After saying tat, Reinhardt ran off to inform Jin. Father Elsa was taken aback. What exactly happened to that tough father of his? She felt hopeless against her father until a while ago, but now she felt worried. It could be hopeless this time. ?! Elsa turned around to find Marcus Grinwald standing behind her. There was no one else around. She was being cautious. Upon seeing this, Marcus showed both of his palms and muttered something mysterious. I have no interest in you, so rest assured. Besides, my role here is over. Role? Yes, my role. Its to measure the abilities of humans. Humans? Elsa was wondering about his manner of speaking that suggested as if he was not human. Oops, that was a slip of the tongue. Well then. Miss Elsa, I will take my leave now. I feel relieved when I think that finally I dont have to keep up with this y anymore. A y? Heh heh heh, I did various things to gather information regarding the true abilities of Jin and his Automata. I never thought that Goliath would bepletely destroyed, but I have umted enough information. Who are you? Who knows? Oh, look. Say hello to Jin for me. Im someone who wants to get along well with a brilliant Magi Craftsman like him. You too, Miss. Youre skillful. That being said, Marcus nced at Edgar who was standing in between to protect Elsa, turned around, and left. Marcus suddenly paused, then murmured as if he just remembered something. Oh yeah, please give my best regards to the Marquess. Tell him I am sorry about a lot of things. This time he really left. In the hustle and bustle of the end of the technology expo, the SP Marron and Plum, who were attached to Elsa, were listening to the whole story and was transmitting in realtime to Laojun on Horai Ind. Then Laojunmanded a Quinta that was on stand by right there and 50 Regulus to chase after him Marcus. Elsa! Jin came rushing. With Reinhardts information, Jin quickly left after the Empress closing speech at the end of thepetition. Brother Jin After releasing the barrier, Elsa jumped into Jins chest. All the anxiety she had been holding in so far dissipated. As soon as she felt relieved, she burst into tears. Brother Jin Whats wrong? Did something happen? Jin could only hold the crying Elsa. Chapter 402: Magi Craft Meister

Chapter 402: Magi Craft Meister

What the heck happened? Jin decided to take Elsa to the waiting room so she could calm down, so she could exin the situation. For the most part, he heard the report from the SP to Laojun via Reiko, but he wanted to hear her side of the story. There might be something overlooked, and would be uncovered by hearing the story from Elsas perspective. You know Sitting in a chair, Elsa beginning to exin what happened to her father, as well as Marcus mysterious words. Measure the abilities of humans, he said? Yeah. Jin spected that Marcus was probably a demon or their minion. But regarding Marcus, there was nothing else Jin could do except waiting for the report from the pursuing Regulus 50. Moreover, he was more concerned about Elsas father. Did he suddenly copse? Yeah. Jin thought of several conditions that could disy such symptoms.Brain or heart damage. Brain or heart damage. For the brain, it could be a cerebral infarction, subarachnoid hemorrhage, etc. For the heart, it would most likely be angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. Those were the diseases that he was familiar with. Was he taken by his subordinates? Yeah. Although Jin was concerned about Elsas father, his utmost worry was toward Elsa. Trying to console the anxious Elsa, Jin turned to and reassured her that her fathers life would not be in danger for the time being, since there were healing magic users among his subordinates. But once youve calmed down, lets go and check out his condition. Yeah. Reinhardt joined them in the waiting room. Yo, Jin. Oh, Elsa, youre here too. He followed the Viscount and confirmed his condition. As expected of Reinhardt, he was very attentive to others concerns. For now, there seems to be no danger to his life. However, hes still unconscious. This had happened once before. Before? Yeah. I think it was about two years ago. He lost consicousness once. That time, he came to soon after and was acting like nothing happened the next day. So this time hell probably be fine. Now that you mention it, I think I heard something like that. But I was on a journey and didnt witness it first-hand. Hmm Somehow, it piqued Jins curiosity. But since there was nothing they could do to improve the situation, he switched the subject and focused on Marcusst words. Im a little curious as to why he told you to send his regards to the Marquess. The only Marquess who has a connection with my father is that person. Marquess Gueren Theodoric. Thats right. Jin concluded that it would be best to ask the Marquess himself about thister. In any case, confirming it with the Marquess would have to be after the technology expo had ended. Well, apart from this uproar, there was no major trouble overall. I think themendation will start soon. Oh, I see. As participants, they had no choice but to attend themendation. Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt left the waiting room and headed for the great hall. Hi, Jin. Youve brought Elsa back. Thats great. Im d. Saki, who just came out of the alchemists waiting room, joined them. Yeah, it was resolved somehow. Somehow, eh? Well, its Jin were talking about. So theres no need to be worried. Haha. Id like to live up to that expectation. * * * Finally, its time for us to givemendations to the best performers before ending this technology expo. At the end of the final day of the technology expo, a stage was specially set up for themendations of the outstanding participants. Elsa had also calmed down and was sitting with Jin and Reinhardt. From the Magical Technology section: an Excellence Award for Elsa Randol Von Razura. Amazing, Elsas name was mentioned here. This is to highly value her skills in developing Recording technology and creating a jewel box for magic tools called Music Box. Elsa, go on. Okay. A lot of people stared, while Elsa went up the stage. Amemorative medal was awarded by the Executive Committee member, Christoph in the presence of Her Majesty the Empress, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Magical Technology. A proud expression could be seen on Elsas face while wearing the silver medal around her neck. From the Alchemy section: an Excellence Award for Loenus. He had shown an extremely interesting phenomenon. Loenus was the man who demonstrated that the pigment of purple Ganran could change into various different colors with vinegar or lye. From the Visitors section: an Excellence Award for Steirleana Beta of Celuroa Kingdom.That golem was wonderful. That golem was wonderful. The award winners announced one after another. From the Theory section: Saki Eschenbach. Her work entitled Regarding The Development Of Magi Engineering And Magical Power has an innovative point a view and is considered to be a pioneer of a new field in Magic Theory. Saki seemed delighted to be recognized. It was such a rare sight to see her blush while walking up the stage. From the Golem section: Marcus Grinwald. Despite being defeated, his skill that created the Giant Golem should be appreciated. However, Marcus did not appear. Although Elsa and Jin knew the reason for his absence, the Executive Committee member seemed to assume it was rted to his defeat. He then proceeded themendation ceremony without a hint of suspicion. From the Ship section: Reinhardt Randol Von Adamas. The ship will add a new page to the history of ship-building. Reinhardt dly went up to the stage. After that, several people had beenmended, but Jins name was not mentioned at all. And hence, themendation ceremony ended. This concludes themendations for the best performers at this expo. Upon hearing that conclusive announcement, the crowd in the venue protested. They showed doubt and dissatisfaction because there was nomendation for Jins achievement. Please be quiet. Finally, there is an announcement from Her Majesty the Empress of Shouro. Waiting for the buzz to subside, the Empress then began her speech. This years technology expo is also a great sess. It seems that more talented engineers are growing, and as an Empress, I have never been more delighted. Visiting engineers have also shown their wonderful inventions. She briefly paused to take a breath, while looking at the audience. Perhaps you are wondering why his name was not called upon to receive the award. The venue bustled in murmurs for a second upon hearing her remark. Finally, a Special Excellence Award, Jin Nidou. Mini smiths and the airship are his inventions that overturned ourmon sense. Therefore, I shall grant him a Special Excellence Award as mymendation. At the same time, I shall bestow upon him the title of Magi Craft Meister and the Honorary Knighthood of Shouro Empire! The audience roared and gave a crackling apuse. Jin was dumbfounded and sat still in his seat. Reiko urged him to go on stage. Father, please go on stage. Reiko who said that was also amused. Finally, in front of the public, her father, Jin had be theplete sessor of Adrianna Balbora Ceci. Although limited to Shouro Empire, he was given the title of Magi Craft Meister. O-oh, okay. With an excited voice, he replied and stood up to proceed on stage. Sir Jin Nidou, I pray you bring wisdom to our empire. The Empress hung a gold medal around Jins neck. At that moment, a publicly recognized Magi Craft Meister was born within the Shouro Empire. The people who gathered at the venue gave a great round of apuse, the only Magi Craft Meister in the world. * * * The technology expo had officially ended after themendation ceremony and Empress Shouros closing speech. Congrattions, Jin! Congrattions, Jin. Brother Jin, congrattions. Reinhardt, Saki, and Elsa were congratting Jin on stage. Father, congrattions on being appointed Magi Craft Meister. Reiko also gave him a congrattory message. Well, its a title, not a job. Even so, its a big deal. Magi Craft Meister is higher in rank than Magi Engineer Maestro. After all, theres only one Magi Craft Meister in the world. Knowing Jin and his predecessors circumstances, as well as minding the fact that people around them could hear their conversation, Reinhardt gave an ambiguous remark. Even though its an honorary title, youve been knighted as well. Youre right! No random person could attain the Magi Craft Meister title without possessing the abilitiesparable to Jins. Saki praised. Thank you, everyone. Jin, thats amazing. Im d. Steirleana also came to congratte him. Moreover Congrattions, Lord Jin. Magi Craft Meister Jin, Id be honored to work with you. Honorary Knight, Lord Jin, I look forward to working with you. Other award winners on stage asked Jin for a handshake and flocked to get acquainted. More people from the audience also rushed on stage to get acquainted. Had Reiko not requested them to break it off, no one knew how long that chaos would have carried on. Chapter 403: Future Objective

Chapter 403: Future Objective

After receiving the title of Magi Craft Meister in the Shouro Empire, Jin returned to Horai Ind that same night. Together with Laojun, the brain of sorcery that supervised Horai Ind, Reiko, Jins masterpiece Automata, and Ann, the Automata created during the Magi War, Jin studied the n that had been brewing for quite a while. Youre right. I think thats a good idea. Reiko, what do you think? Jin also asked for Reikos opinion, who also served his predecessor. Yes, I think its a very good idea. What about you, Ann? Yes, I think its a good idea, Master. I see Jins idea. It was a n to globally open the Holy Land of Magi Engineering to the public beyond the framework of each country. Adrianna Balbora Ceci, the former Magi Craft Meister, had a dream of making Horai Ind the Holy Land of Magi Engineering. However, the dream did note true, and Adriana died in disappointment. Jin, who became her sessor after 1000 years, decided that he would inherit her dream and make ite true one day. Unline back then, Horai Ind had now risen and widened due to crustal movements, and with Jins additional knowledge, it had be one of the worlds leading military base. Opening that area to the general public would be extremely dangerous. And hence the main topic of their discussion was whether or not to officially open Konlon Ind to the general public instead. The replica of Horai Ind had recently been finished on Konlon Ind. But I feel uneasy opening Konlon Ind to the general public. Eh? It was unexpected of Ann to object. As far as I can tell, even Konlon Ind far exceeds the standards of the world today. Well, youre right about that. If its open to the public, I dont know what kind of people it will attract. Technologies of too high a level could potentially create envy and cause conflict. I see There are people in every country, organization, or even individuals who had strong desires to monopolize. The technologies and materials that existed on Horai and Konlon Inds would be the coveted targets of every country. From that point of view, it was no wonder people had always possessed a tendency to prioritze the interest of their own country. I think the idea of creating the Holy Land of Magi Engineering is wonderful. She re-established her introductory remark and began to express her thoughts. Due to the Magi War, the world culture and civilization today have retrogressedpared to 300 years ago. It was the official stance of the Unifiers to return the world standard to the pre-war level. However, not everything from 300 years ago was wonderful. Therefore, the Unifiers look to the past for reference Wouldnt it be best for Master to focus on and think about the future, and leave the past to the current Nostalgia? The future, eh ? He understood what Ann wanted to convey. There was no necessity for Jin to follow the same path as his predecessor. The background of the era back then was different, after all. Well then, what shall I do ? My Lord, in that case, you should use a ce where no one could ever im territory. Laojun was right. But the question was, where would that ce be? One would be the bottom of the sea. What? Jin was surprised because what Laojun suggested was out of the ordinary. However, there was also an example of the intermediary base Shinkai of the Transfer Gate Warp Gate. It was not that absurd of an idea, after all. No country would bother to im the bottom of the sea as its territory. There would be no way to utilize it in the first ce. The other one would be in the air. Huh?! This time, Jin was really taken aback. Floating such a big thing in the air However, as expected, Jin quickly overcame his surprise and realized what Laojun meant. I see. Is the analysis of Gravity Magic progressing? Yes, My Lord. ording to My Lords knowledge of the, what was it called, Space Station if we could build a structure like that in space, no country would try to im it as its territory. Thats right, but Jin felt that idea was a little too grandiose and wondered what would happen if he were to suddenlyunch a space station. Would it work to use arge ship? Reiko gave her suggestion, but Laojun disapproved it. Reiko, its unfortunate but a ship would not be suitable for research because of the unsteady environment. Oh, youre right Precise research could not be conducted inside a swaying ship. And so, the idea of ??a ship was rejected. Perhaps, theres an option further north. The ce that Laojun referred to in the north was thend of the demons. Sure, no country would want to im it as its territory, but it would be too unrealistic. Theres also another option. With the keywords nd of the demons, it seemed that Laojun found a new candidate site. Where is it? The old Lenard Kingdom. Oh, there Jin learned about that ce recently when chasing Lardus the Jest, a demon under Earl Walter, a nobleman of Klein Kingdom. Lenard Kingdom was once existed there, but had fallen into ruins long ago. Since the kingdom has fallen into ruins, it currently doesnt belong to anyone. What do you think? Well, yeah remind me, why did Lenard Kingdom fall into ruins again? Quintas had been dispatched to investigate the ce, but had they discovered anything? It was no trivial matter that the kingdom waspletely obliterated along with all the people. War, gue, massacre there were several possibilities, but none of them would cause such a thorough annihtion. Yes, ording to the survey results so far, the people of that kingdom didnt seem to die. What? The conclusion from the Quintas findings was that it was impossible for corpses, bones, and ashes topletely vanish due to sickness or massacre. Laojun was implying that the whole civilization could have migrated somewhere else in groups. There was no evidence of destruction in the buildings that remained either. Did you hear anything from the remaining humans? They dont seem to be the original denizens of that kingdom. They migrated from other countries and didnt seem to know anything. The investigation into the cause of the annihtion of the Lenard Kingdom seemed to have entered a dead end. Then we should avoid stepping into Lenard Kingdom without knowing the cause of their annihtion in the first ce. Yes, that would be wise. In that case, no good candidate site could be selected. Please show me the map. At Anns request, Laojun projected the current map onto the Magic Screen on the wall. Staring tentatively at the map, Ann then pointed to one ce on it and said, How about here? There was a cluster of small inds off the eastern coast of Lenard Kingdom. Ann pointed at one of those inds. It obviously was located within the territory of the former Lenard Kingdom and had a reasonable sizeparable to Konlon Ind. Thats certainly an uninhabited ind. There are no dangerousrge animals, and the resources are reasonably abundant. Horai and Konlon Inds were located roughly on the Tropic of Cancer, so were those inds. Therefore, they would have a simr climate. Hmm, would that be the most suitable site to develop the Holy Land? Yes, considering the various advantages and disadvantages, I would think that is the best site. Laojun finally agreed. All right. Well then, lets leave Horai Ind as it is and only my family has ess to this ce. Since Konlon Ind is something like our vacation home, that ind hmm, shall we call it Fuso? Fuso was also the name of an ind where legendary hermits live. Yes. Then, would it be all right to build a reserach institute on that Fuso Ind with the scaleparable to the original size on Horai Ind? Well, please start from arge enough plot so we can expand itter when necessary. Also, please pick a location that will allow us to build a ship. Affirmative. Is it okay to proceed with the development on Fuso Ind as appropriate? Yeah, go ahead. Also, lets prepare dedicated Golems for the project. Yes, please leave it to me. Jin determined the general objective and left the details to Laojun and Ann. As such, the new era of Magical Technology would being soon. Looking out theboratory window at the spreading dawn, Jin smiled as he thought about how life would get busy again. Chapter 404: Jin Started To Take Action

Chapter 404: Jin Started To Take Action

Arc 13: Stronghold Enchancement Wow, what a great view! This is exhrating! The Technology Expo was held in Koju of the Shouro Empire. Right there, Jin presented the 10-centimeter tall mini smith and the airship. As a person with the best Magi Engineering skills, he received the title of Magi Craft Meister, although it was limited to the Shouro Empire. And now, he was flying in the sky with Prince Ernest of Egelia Kingdom and Princess Lieschen of Klein Kingdom on the airship. Jin is amazing after all. Way more amazing than Marcus. Oh, thank you. Prince Ernest, I was kept in suspense at that time . Haha, sorry, Lies. She was probably referring to the time when she criticized Marcus Golem for being unsatisfactory. Jin thought that Princess Lieschen was very reserved and charismatic. Even though he could not understand his own emotion, he could understand others fairly well. Oh, a beautiful bird is flying over there! Where is it, Lies? I cant see it. Princess Lieschen, who possessed Devils Eyes Distant Vision could see very distant things that Jin and Ernest could not. Therefore, she might be the one who enjoyed this air travel the most. Both of you are letting go, I see. Prince Ernest smiled, and Princess Lieschen blushed a little upon hearing Jins remark. With the two of them on board, Jin flew across the sky for an hour and returned to Koju. Oh, that was fun! Jin, please let me get on the airship again! Prince Ernest, dont bother Jin too much. If something happens to us royals, it will be an international problem. Prince Ernest was 13 years old. Princess Lieschen was 12 years old. However, Princess Lieschen seemed to be a little more mature. Wee back, Magi Craft Meister Sir Jin Nidou. They were greeted uponnding by Empress Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro and Prime Minister Jung Fowles Von Kevsler. Since they were state guests, the Empress herself entertained the prince and princess. The Empress was so excited and wanted to get on the airship as well, but she had to hold back for the time being since she had to entertain Prince Ernest and Princess Lieschen. Jin thought that he could finally rx after dropping them off. But he made a promise the day before to take about 120 people on an airship ride. This is a nightmare All because he presented an unconventional invention called an airship. He reaped what he sowed. Jin took the 120 people in pairs for the airship ride. Each ride took 5 minutes. All in all, he spent about 5 hours going back and forth. He was exhausted. Ugh Upon his return to his hotel room, Jin crashed on the sofa. Reiko offered him some persica juice. Specially made in Horai Ind, it had a fatigue recovery effect. Well, that only applied to normal humans. Most of Jins body consisted of Mana more precisely, Magi Atoms. In terms of modern Earth, it would be simr to treatmentdle in metallurgy, the Magi Atoms would fill up the missing parts of his body. Therefore, poisons and medicines had no effects on Jin. He had been thinking about investigating the mechanism of his metabolism, but it had been neglected to this day due to business with other things. Now lets get back to the main subject. After drinking Persica juice and refreshing his mood, Jin got up from the sofa. Elsa and Mine returned just in time. Edgar was with them as well. Wee back. How was it? A formal and detailed interrogation was being conducted after the disappearance of Marcus. Yeah, there was no problem. Yes, they were only recording our statements. Laojun had prepared an answer to this in advance, so it must have ended without any problems, especially when Her Majesty the Empress was not present. It was important that Her Majesty the Empress gave her approval the other day. Thats great. So, what are you going to do? If Viscount Georg Randol copsed and was likely to be punished in some way, the case about Elsas going home would be left dangling. How the Viscount would be dealt with was still uncertain as well. There was a good chance that he could lose his position. Yeah, for the time being, Brother Rei is taking care of him. Jin acknowledged Elsasment. I see. That would be expected. Even though Reinhardt was officially Jins disciple, he was also a liaison of the empire. In that case, there would be no problem for him to move together with Jin. And what about Saki? Have you heard anything from her? Since the Technology Expo, she went with Marquess Gueren Theodoric von Eisen, whose body was weakened, to support him. No contacts had been made since then. Saki seems to be with the Marquess. Hmm She used to badmouth the Marquess and called him names behind his back. But they were still blood rtives, after all. They are blood rtives, after all. As they say, blood is thicker than water. When Jin made that remark, a bleak expression was visible on Elsas face. Oh, sorry, Elsa. Recently, Jin had been able to discern changes in Elsas facial expressions. Due to having a severe discipline upbringing, Elsa had be less emotional. But she had begun to show her age-appropriate facial expressions recently. No, thats fine. Dont worry. The day before, Elsa was shocked when her angry father, Viscount Georg Randol, made such terrible remarks. Im wondering about the Viscounts condition. Mine was trying to shift the topic a little. Yeah, Im certainly worried. If he had cerebral infarction wait a minute Due to the busy schedule, Jin had not been able to calmly think and analyze the situation, but there was something he worried about. Didnt Reinhardt mention that Elsas father had lost consciousness before? Yeah. At the time, Elsa was on a trip. But were there any changes in his personality around that time? There is! Mine promptly replied. He was indeed a power-oriented and stubborn person, but he still listened to the suggestions from those around him. However, once he recovered from losing consciousness at that time, he became a self-absorbed person. He became hot-tempered, and he would even hit his subordinates if there was something that displeased him. Hmm After hearing Mines story, Jin muttered the word cognitive impairment. Judging from Elsas puzzled look, it seemed that the earlier Transinfo did not provide cognition to that extent. Cognitive impairment could also be caused by cerebral infarction or blockage of small blood vessels in the brain. In that case, changes in personality were often observed. Many became hot-tempered and had unpredictable behavior. On modern Earth, where Jin grew up, such symptoms were often broadcasted on TV. He often watched the program since he was worried about the hospital director. That was the reason behind his limited knowledge about the disease. Are you worried? I dont know. Jin thought that no matter how terrible her fathers words were, the fact that they were parent and child still would not change. It was an emotion that Jin did not understand even if he wanted to. Ill go with you if youre going to visit him. Elsas shoulders quivered as she heard his offer. However, Elsa cast her eyes downward and kept quiet. Reiko replied instead. If this is a big if, okay? If Elsas fathers personality changed because of cerebral infarction like father said, would his personality be restored if the cerebral infarction was cured? Huh Elsa raised her head upon hearing that question. Besides, Im also curious about what Marcus could have done. He mentioned that information gathering was his purpose. But the fact that he even created Goliath was also something we need to specte about. There might be a possibility he could have done something else. I think its necessary to find that out as well. So far, only Jin, Reiko, Laojun, and Ann knew about the high probability that Marcus could have been a demons minion. In fact, the pursuing Regulus 50 had secured Marcus, who suddenly copsed in front of the demon territory. It was as if he was a marite which strings had been broken. After securing him, he was carried to a nearby town was taken care of. Soon after, he regained consciousness. However, Marcus did not seem to remember anything up to that point. It was confirmed by utilizing Transinfo. Could some kind of puppeteering magic have been utilized? That was Laojuns best guess. Otherwise, there would be no other possible exnation. If that assumption was correct, it would also exin his seemingly disconnected cognition. However, Marcus could not remember who was manipting his mind. Though uncertain, it was highly likely that Marcus was manipted by the demons. Due to the uncertainty, Jin had not mentioned to anyone regarding that matter. He did not want to cause unnecessary confusion. He intended to discuss it with his family on Horai Ind soon. But since Saki was absent, the discussion had been postponed. Thats for sure. Elsa nodded in agreement with Reikos remark. It seemed necessary to visit Viscount Georg Randols residence to unravel the tangled threads. It seemed to be a task only possible for Jin and Elsa. All right. Brother Jin, lets go and take a look. Okay, then lets head over tomorrow. Chapter 405: Exxi, Elsa’s Hometown

Chapter 405: Exxi, Elsas Hometown

The next day, June 24th. Jin informed Her Majesty the Empress before heading for Exxi, where Elsas hometown was. At that time, I want to change our agreement a little. That being said, I only would like to cancel the given title of Magi Engineer Maestro. The Empress exined to Jin. The reason being, it would be redundant for Jin had already received the title of Magi Craft Meister. But please consider my offer to have you serve as a government officer. Jin was reminded and urged regarding that offer, but he already had a rough idea of how he would respond. Before he had a chance to give the Empress his response, Jin had already departed Koju. The airship was left in Koju after the helium was drawn out. Jin, Elsa, Mine, Reinhardt, and Berthie. Reiko, Edgar, Noir, Neon. Reinhardts paddle steamer, the Scarlet Trail barely amodated all of us crossing Lake Tosmo. I think it would be better for us to go directly to Exxi instead of through Banne. Well be in your care. Reinhardt was briefed regarding the reason for heading to Exxi. Saki was the only absent Family member. Reinhardt knew the reason for her absence. Saki went home with the Marquess yesterday. I see. Well, thats a good thing isnt it? During the one-hour boat trip, they were having such conversation. The party approached Exxi on the opposite bank of theke. Hmm, the town is lively in its own way. It wasnt as big as Banne, where Reinhardts hometown was, but it was crowded because it was along the highway. Upon entering the harbor, the managers boat approached. It was a routine check for regr flights and ships of non-residents. All right, please proceed to No. 3 East. They were informed of the pier number. Following the instructions, the Scarlet Trail came alongside. Hmm, in the case of this boat, it seems more convenient to get on and off from the stern because there are paddle wheels that we can step on Reinhardt mumbled while giving his beloved wife, Berthie, a hand to alight the boat. Certainly, the water turbines on both sides of the paddle steamer got in the way. It seemed that Reinhardt was thinking about improvements even in such a situation. Master, Ive been waiting. Steward greeted them. He went ahead in a carriage the day before. Thank you. Alright, lets go. Jins carriage could amodate eight people, excluding Steward who was the coachman. Their party consisted of nine people, but it would be all right for one person to ride a horse Golem. After consulting with each other, it was decided that Noir, who was familiar with the location of Elsas home, would ride a horse Golem. The appearance of the Schwarz Ritter Noir straddling a horse Golem was a masterpiece. H-hey, look W-whoa, amazing! Passers-by who saw were whispering in awe. * * * The residence of Viscount Georg Randol was on the northern outskirts of Exxi. Its not in the central part of town, right? Yeah, the town hall is at the central part of town, where the town mayor is. Reinhardt exined when Jin expressed his thoughts. The feudal lord did not directly govern the town. Since the Viscount came from a military background, the mayor was assuming the governing position in his ce. Jins carriage arrived at the Viscounts residence about 20 minutes from the port. The residence was about twice as small as Reinhardts home, but the architectural style was simr. There was arge front yard with trees nted around it. How nostalgic. Elsa felt so nostalgic that she stared at the house for a while. Mine was quiet. Both Jin and Reinhardt understood that feeling, so they let Elsa be with the carriage standing by, while they were being ushered into the Viscounts residence. A slender young man came to wee the party. He had light ginger hair with blue eyes, simr to Elsas. Reinhardt, its been a while. And you must be Sir Jin Nidou. Im Moritz Randol Von Amber, nice to meet you. Moritz was Elsas older brother and Georgs eldest son. Brother Moritz Upon hearing her brothers voice, Elsa snapped back to reality and was about to rush up to him, but hesitated and stopped halfway. Oh, Elsa! Wee home! You look well! Moritz extended his hands as a gesture for Elsa to reciprocate. Elsa hesitated but came closer one step at a time. Brother. Im back. She stood in front of Moritz and greeted him. Moritz took Elsas hand and weed his sister. Im d youre home. I heard youve been through a lot. Anyway, wee back. Reinhardt, Berthie, I wish you a bted congrattions on your marriage. Thank you. Umm, how is the Viscounts condition? Well, lets go inside and talk. Im greeting you thest, but Mine, wee home. Thank you. And as such, the party was shown into the Viscounts residence through arge living room. What about mother? Elsa asked while looking around. This mother Elsa referred to obviously was not Mine, but the Viscountess Marlene Randol Von Nefra. Oh, mom is at the vi on the shore of Lake Wass for medical treatment. Marlenes body was frail. After giving birth to Fritz, she was told by the Healer that it would not be possible for her to give birth to another child. For that very reason, Viscount Georg Randall had Mine bare Elsa and took custody of her. Using marriage as a tool to control Mine. I see. Elsa was a little disappointed. Even though they were not blood-rted, she wanted to meet the mother that raised her with kindness. Well, I have a lot to ask you about. Im sure you have a lot to tell as well. But first, lets get the top priority matter out of the way. Shall we? Like a sharp and able person he is, Moritz went straight to the point. Ive heard about the purpose of your visit this time from the forerunner. Visiting and diagnosing father, also to talk about the matter regarding Marcus, about sums it up, I believe? Yes. Jin replied on behalf of everyone. Well, theres no need for a daughter to hesitate in visiting her father Elsa, would you tell me everythingter on? Yes, brother. Moritz seemed to be stifling his eagerness to ask Elsa a lot of questions. Unlike the second son Fritz, he was an intellect. But his body seemed so weak. Last time he immediately regained consciousness when this happened two years ago. But now, hes still in aa Moritz spoke with a depressed face as he invited the party to the room where Georg was resting. Father My husband Seeing Georg lying in a vegetative state, Elsa and Mine were speechless. Elsa, diagnose and see. Had Jin not prompted her to do so, she might have still been in a daze. Okay, I got it. Diagnose. For an instant, Moritz was surprized seeing Elsa utilized an advanced Healing magic, but he kept watching without saying a word. Diagnose. Elsa had to utilize Diangone several times in order to find out what was wrong with her father. In the end, she put her palm on Georgs forehead. Genesis. She cast the highest degree of Healing magic. As expected, Moritz seemed to be unable to inhibit his amazement at that point. E-Elsa! Since when you could ?! He blurted out. And, how was it? More importantly, Jin was curious about Elsas expression. So he wanted to know the result of her diagnosis as soon as possible. Theres a blood clot in here. The clot seems to put pressure on the brain. Elsa exined while pointing at his forehead. Hmm, the frontal lobe uh, what was it? Even Jin did not know everything. He tried to remember what role the frontal lobe of the brain yed, but his memory was hazy. Anyway, there is no doubt that his brain is not in good condition. Yup. And I tried using Genesis, but it was barely effective. Hearing the conversation between Jin and Elsa, Moritz expressed his thoughts in a roundabout fashion. Im confident that Ive learned a lot of knowledge, but I cant keep up with the conversation between the two of you. However, if Genesis isnt effective, then father is already No, thats not it. Jin interjected as if not allowing Moritz to feel depressed. Elsa, isnt Genesis for internal medical treatment? Yeah, you can call it that. What type of external medical treatment magic can you utilize? I dont know if I can use Complete Genesis, but Ill give it a shot. Complete Genesis was a highly advanced external Healing magic equivalent to surgery. Healing power, please heal him Complete Genesis At that moment, the magic was certainly activated. However, Elsa ran out of power and copsed, just like when she learned to use Genesis for the first time in the past. Authors note: When utilizing a magic skill for the first time, in addition to incantation, I added a chant to emphasize the users strong hope to change reality. Chapter 406: Arsenic

Chapter 406: Arsenic

Arc 13 Stronghold Enhancement Edgar caught Elsa when she was about to fall. Thinking something like that could happen, Jin had Reiko bring the Persica juice specially-made in Horai Ind, for Elsa to drink. The high content of Ether made it possible for magical power recovery. Elsa, who somehow managed to drink it, regained her energy. Elsa, you did it. Youre amazing! Jin and Reinhardt praised her. Yes, thank you. So, how was it? What was the result? Wait a minute. Diagnose. Elsas expression brightened after re-examining her fathers condition. The blood clot is gone. Really? Then its as expected. Jin thought that internal bleeding in the brain should be healed with external medical treatment magic instead of internal. And it worked. Basically, internal medical treatment activated the recovery power of tissues. External medical treatment, however, did not only activate the recovery power but also had additional effects such as wound closure in the case of aceration, and repositioning the bone in the case of a fracture. As a result, the blood clot was broken down and absorbed by the body. Think of it as the disappearance of internal bleeding. Since blood clots were not substances foreign to the body, they were quickly broken down and absorbed. At this rate, I think we can heal the damaged cells in his brain as much as possible. Yeah, got it. Genesis. Elsas magical power had almostpletely recovered with the Persica juice, so she could use advanced magic again without any problems. I think this should be good. Somehow, the Viscounts breathing had stabilized. Wait-and-see would be the only thing they could do now, since they had done everything in their power to help him. Jin and everyone moved back to the living room. Moritz bombarded Elsa with a bunch of questions. Elsa, when did you be able to use such advance healing magic? What was the juice you just drank? Your treatment earlier, could you exin everything? Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Jin and Elsa answered the questions one by one. Of course, they were keeping the information regarding Horai Ind and Jin obscure. I see, I didnt know you have such a talent. Despite that, we couldnt support to develop your talent. Im sorry. After hearing Elsas story, Moritz apologized on behalf of his father for not seeing Elsas talent and for having disciplined her unreasonably strict. Whats done is done. Now, please tell us about Marcus. It was Moritzs turn to share the information regarding Marcus. Yeah. I didnt really like him, so I didnt know him that well. On that note, Moritz began to talk about what he knew about Marcus. He first came to our house about 12 years ago. Elsa was still a little kid. Do you remember? Twelve years ago, Elsa would have been five years old. That was a subtle line. How shall I put it? He was good with conspiracies that barely fall into the crime category. I just couldnt like him. Dad seemed to like him, though. Where did hee from? Um, I never asked. Dad didnt seem to care either. When I met him at the Technology Expo, I thought he was like a different person. Yeah, you would probably think so. He drastically changed during the past year. Drastic change? Moritz said that his attitude had changed significantly since Elsa embarked on a journey with Reinhardt. It was subtle at first, but it surfacedter on. Moreover, his skill as a Magi Engineer seemed to improve as well. Well, its also possible that his attitude so far had been false. Anyway, thats just my deduction. Then why would he do something like that? Jin asked the question this time. I wonder. I dont know either. I could guess, but Information gathering. Huh? Marcus said he was gathering information. Information gathering ? If thats true, he could have been a spy of some country or organization. Jin agreed but did not say a word. If thats the case. His change in attitude would only mean that he had gathered all the information he needed here, and probably it was time for him to ascertain the response. Jin thought that deduction was probably correct. Nothing couldpare to Moritzs shrewdness and wisdom. Elsa and Reinhardt praised him because he could make a fairly urate deduction from very limited information. However, Jin and hispanions were interested in finding the facts and evidences. Id like to check Marcus room. Moritz nodded in approval to Elsas request. I guess, he wouldnt mind. Come. Everyone, right this way. Moritz reached out to Elsa and showed everyone the way. They all proceeded to Marcus room. It was unlocked. This is Marcus room. Feel free to check it out. Moritz said to Jin and Reinhardt, while he stood by the door to observe. Jin immediately began to investigate inside the room. Reiko assisted as well. Father, why is there such a thing in here? Reiko presented a container made of gold. It contained gray powder. Analyze. Jin analyzed the powder at once and was shocked after finding out what it was. Its arsenic. What?! Being the only one who knew the danger of arsenic, Elsa spontaneously reacted. Others did not understand. Jin, what is arsenic? Jin answered Reinhardts question with a serious look. In a nutshell, its poison. Its considerably dangerous, too. What?! Moritz was astonished upon learning it was poison. However, the discovery of poison did not necessarily mean that it was immediately linked to a crime. Jin and hispanions continued to investigate the room. What about this liquor? On the shelf were three finely processed crystal bottles containing liquor. Oh, those are Marquess Theodorics favorite brands. They are very expensive liquor from the south. Weve sent them to him several times in the past. The stoppers made of cork were unsealed and easily removable. Most likely, the Marquess would be the only one drinking them if they were expensive. While making such an assumption, Jin utilized Analyze in the presence of everyone to find out the contents of the liquor. Analyze. This is ! Jin, dont tell me Yeah, a very small amount of arsenic is detected. If the Marquess was drinking this, it could be the cause of his cirrhosis. It was a shocking fact. Moritz also turned pale. If it became public that a person in his household had poisoned the Marquess, there was no doubt that his whole family would be destroyed. Even if that was not the case, Moritz was already deeply concerned about themotion his father caused, which measure was still under consideration by the authorities of the Empire. However, Jin was more worried about something else. I wonder if Marcus knew about the existence of arsenic When Jin was researching in the basement of theboratory in the past, he managed to separate arsenic and nickel. The result concluded that nickel was ssified as an unidentified metal. This being the case, his predecessor already knew about the existence of arsenic. However, the knowledge of the existence of arsenic seemed to be lost in this era. There was no doubt that the knowledge was lost after the Magi War. However, Marcus, who could have been a demon, knew about the existence of arsenic. It would only mean that the discontinuity of knowledge due to the Magi War did not affect the demons. Of course, it would be dangerous to judge based on that one piece of evidence alone. Nevertheless, it was a possibility. With that, Jin concluded that the demons might have more advanced technology and culture than humans today. Im sorry, I feel a little sick. Ill take my leave and rest in my room. Elsa, Ill leave the rest to you. With a pale face, Moritz staggered away while imagining the possibility of the Randol house would fall into ruins. I understand how brother feels. But most importantly, we have to find out the truth. Elsa patiently said so, and then continued to search the room. Chapter 407: The Truth

Chapter 407: The Truth

Even after Moritz left the scene, the investigation in Marcuss room continued. Brother Jin, what is this? Elsa seemed to have found something. Hmm? What is this? It was a piece of torn parchment with characters written on it. But even Jin could not read them. Reiko, do you understand this? One moment, please. Understood. These are characters used by demons. What?! Ask, ques, ichrutoo, fuchgumnas* it says something was mixed with liquor and made someone drink it. I cant make out any more words, because its torn. Reiko confirmed with Ann via Laojun. Ann could understand some demon words. Hmm, arsenic and liquor, and then this note. There is no doubt that Marcus made the Marquess drink liquor that wasced with arsenic. And we can assume Marcus is a demon. A demon?! Hearing those facts for the first time, Reinhardt was the most bbergasted. Elsa and Mine were not as surprised. Elsa had a rough idea from her previous confrontation with Marcus. She also informed Mine about it. What were the demons doing? Elsa responded, As I told my brother earlier, he said he was gathering information. Thats right. Information gathering, huh ? Reinhardt was horrified thinking about the possible meaning of that statement. Information gathering on the humans would only mean that the demons had an intention toe into contact with humans. And it could not have been a friendly contact. Could it be that they have known about Jins airship, mini smiths, and Reikos strength as well?! Most likely. Most likely Jin! Realizing he was the only one getting riled up, Reinhardt regained hisposure. I see. Were those only the beginning of your inventions, Jin? Thats right. Elsa nodded to Reinhardts inquiry. For Elsa, it was self-evident, since she had been inside the airne. Then, two more pieces of the torn parchment with notes written on them were found. Although they were iplete, one of the pieces read ask Elsas father administer poison the Marquess. Another piece read, humans desire of great interest may be utilized. Jin recalled how the demon Lardus, who was helping out at Earl Walters ce just for fun. The demons seemed to be interested in humankind. Well, I dont like to say this, but I think uncle was thinking more than just having Elsa marry the Marquess to be a consort kin. After Elsa got pregnant, he intended to kill the Marquess by poison. After that, Elsa would give birth to a child of the Marquess. He might have intended to be the guardian of the young Marquess, taking advantage of his consort kin, all the more if the child were a boy. Even if she didnt have a child, he would have a significantly different influential voice as the father of the Marquess legal wife. Elsa shuddered when she heard it. I hate that. Mine gently embraced Elsas shoulders silently. But if all evidence is collected, this Randol family will surely be destroyed Fritz, who is a soldier, would probably be all right and allowed to stay on active duty in the military, but Moritz Elsa had the ability to be a Magi Engineer. If she became a healer, she would be sought after. Even if she did not be a healer, she could take refuge and live with Jin on Horai Ind or Kaina Vige. However, Moritz had nowhere to go. Brother I would be grateful if Moritz could help me manage my territory. That is if he agrees. Reinhardt was referring to the territory he received from his father. Since procedures and other arrangements were necessary, the position would be officially assigned to him starting autumn. To that end, increasing the number of subordinates was necessary. Moritz was capable and could be trusted. Would you like to ask himter? They did not find any more remarkable things in the room, so they returned to the living room with Elsa leading the way. Only Moritz was absent. Well, the remaining mystery is The big puzzle was solved, but there were still some things I did not understand. If thats the case, could Marcus be the one who brainwashed Mine? When Mine heard it, she looked down in shame. But she could not have done anything about the incident. Probably so. I think it was a Seduce to protect Elsa from seeing anyone else and make sure she married the Marquess. That would exin that awful attitude of hers back then. And somehow I epted the fact that I could not me her for it. Mine was amazing at that time. I was told, I will cut you if you do something insolent, Lord Jin, thats embarrassing. Please forgive me already. With a beet-red face, Mine pleaded for Jin to stop while looking down in embarrassment. Aside from the people involved, Jin and Reinhardt were the only ones who knew about how she tried to go into exile with Elsa in order to protect her. Back to the topic at hand. So its safe for us to assume that the demons could utilize Hypno, correct? It was released when the head was seriously injured, so it was unclear whether the demons utilized Seduce or Hypno. However, it would be safe to assume they could utilize both brainwashing systems. And then the level of the demon culture. Marcus was a top-notch Magi Engineer. Lardus was also familiar with the heat consumption of magical power. Ann mentioned that the demons arent very social. In other words, they dont create a country; they are organized in family units instead. This means that while humans lost their cultural civilization after the Magi War, it is highly possible that the demons didnt. On the human side, a specific knowledge was inherited by a specific person, whereas on the demon side, everything was inherited on family basis. Therefore, Jin spected that the surviving demons would have inherited a great deal of knowledge. In other words, as if the demons had a lot of backup. Thats a threat. Reinhardt responded with a slightly pale expression. But if you dont know what their ultimate goal is Jin also spected that the low concentration of Ether in the presence of humans today would make it unsuitable for the demons to survive. Reinhardt sighed in relief upon hearing it. Hmm, does that mean its unlikely for them to attack immediately? Yeah. However, we should stay alert. Thats why this isnt the time for humans to engage in petty skirmishes. Jin was about to exin the The Fuso Ind Sanctuary n he was currently brewing. But at that time, Miss Elsa, the Viscount has awakened! The maid, who was tending to Elsas father, came rushing to report. Everyone hurriedly headed to his room. Father! The Viscounts eyes were open, while still lying down. Elsa? Fa-father? However, his eyes seemed to be unfocused. His words were difficult to hear as well. I-it feels like I just had a night mare. Jin figured that there were most likely some aftereffects left in his brain. Even the highly advanced healing magic could not revive dead brain cells after all. ording to Elsas diagnosis, there was a tendency for mild hemiplegia. What ha-happened to Marcus? Marcus disappeared. I-I see. Su-such a heartless p-person! The Viscount noticed Mine standing behind Elsa. Wee b-back. And then he closed his eyes again. Hmm, there are some aftereffects left in the brain after all. Jin said softly while returning to the living room. The first cerebral infarction seemed to be mild. However, this time it seemed to be a little worse. Nerve cells could not be regenerated no matter how advanced the magic utilized. The way healing magic worked was based on activating and healing the cells. Nerve cells and brain cells, which originally had no regenerative ability, could only be repaired and not regenerated. Will father be in that state forever? I cant say anything because Im not a doctor, but maybe rehabilitation could Jin could only give such a response to Elsa, who was worrying about her father. Authors note: The Viscount did not recover. Chapter 408: The Results …

Chapter 408: The Results

Brother Rei, you can use the front guest room, and Brother Jin can use the back guest room. Everyone decided to rx after all the discussions were over. Now that Moritz had fallen asleep, Elsa took over as a temporary head of the family in giving instructions to the maids. How nostalgic. After everything was settled, Elsa entered her room. It was kept as it was before she left on a journey with Reinhardt. There was no dust and and no musty odor. The maids must have been cleaning it regrly. She threw her body into the bed. Staring up, she could see the familiar Light magic tools hanging down the ceiling. Nothing changed. Although the room had not changed, Elsa truly felt that she had. I didnt know anything before going on that journey. But now, I have learned Magi Engineering, Healing Magic, and Jin taught me science. In addition, I gained more knowledge and experience from the journey as well. Im aware that Im still immature. But Im certain that I have grown. For the sake of someone. Compared to when I let others took care of everything, I can do more things myself now. Above all, I have acquired the skills I can be proud of. Someone was knocking at the door while Elsa was immersed in her own thoughts. Come in. Excuse me. It was Reinhardt. Brother Rei. A special envoy from the kingdom seem to have just arrived. Huh? * * * Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt headed toward the living room. Moritz had awakened to greet the special envoy as the acting leader of the house. However, hisplexion was as pale as a ghost, and seemed like he would copse anytime. With a rankparable to the Under Secretary, the special envoy came under the imperialmand of Her Majesty the Empress. Jin and his friends could only witness from a distance. Or so they thought, but when the special envoy beckoned to join in upon noticing them. Lord Jin Nidou, Lord Reinhardt, and Miss Elsa. All of you have the right to listen as well. Please. Jin and his friends sat a little away and watched the development. With the help from the special envoy, Moritz stood in front of everyone. The special envoy started reading the letter. nder toward a state guest, His Royal Highness Ernest, by his subordinates. Simr nder toward Sir Jin Nidou. Moritz was about to copse upon hearing those charges. Falsification of the rules of Gonkurrenz by referee bribery. It was clearly referring to the underwater searchpetition. In addition, regarding themotion caused at the audience seats that interfered with the National Memorial Ceremony, the Technology Expo, as well as the destruction of some facilities. There were a great number of eye-witnesses. There would be no way to talk his way out of these charges. Coming from an aristocrat, these actions are abolutely intolerable and shall not be overlooked. In view of the above charges, Georg Randol Von Amber shall be stripped of his title as Viscount. And is ordered to have a mandatory retirement. Moritz hung his head down. And the final order was announced. At the same time, the Viscount Randol family is ruined. The Randol family will be under the supervision of the eldest son, Moritz Randol Von Amber. I humbly ept. Moritz bowed to the messenger. The second son, Fritz Randol Von Groche, will remain in the military position. His deployment will be discussedter. Elsa Randol Von Razura will remain under Reinhardt Randol Von Adamas supervision. Such was the notification from the special envoy. The Viscount Randols family had disappeared from then on; although still aristocrats, the family had no title and was of low social standing. After the envoy left, Moritz fell back asleep. * * * In the end, would it be all right for Moritz to stay at your ce? In other words, he would be under your supervision, Reinhardt. Jin, who had been listening to the announcement, asked. Im bad at this kind of conversation. Yeah, it is what it is. Well, since my father would be taking over ruling this town of Exxi, I think it would be fine for Moritz to stay the way he is. That was Reinhardts assumption. It would be a waste to let another person rule now. Thats how I thought anyway, since Moritz has originally been working on it. The reason was clear enough. But Reinhardt mumbled. If they found out that uncle knew about the premediated murder of the Marquess by arsenic popisoning, he probably would be executed. Elsasplexion changed upon hearing it. No matter how much I hate my father, I cant stay calm when I heard that he would be executed. Seeing Elsa was anxious, Jin consoled her. All of us here are the only ones who know about that. Moreover, the evidence gathered simply put the arsenic and liquor in the same room not enough to show that your father knew about the plot. The demon memo is questionable as well. Theres a good possibility it was to create some confusion. Is that really all right? Elsa nced at Jin. With that said, we cant hide it if the Marquess asked Besides, taking Sakis feelings into consideration, I think it would be bad if we hide it from her Jin looked toward Reinhardt seeking approval. Youre right I think it would be best for us to tell the Marquess. The Marquess was the number one victim after all. When we visit, we should bring some gift Oh, thats right! Jin pped his knee as if he suddenly he had a revtion. He then turned toward Elsa. Elsa, Ill make an Automata for the Marquess. Lets bring it as a gift and go visit him. And lets tell him the truth. At that time, Elsa should apologize on behalf of your father. Jin mentioned that they had no choice but to bet on the gentle heart of the Marquess that thought Reiko was cute, as well as his love toward Elsa. Hmm well, I understand that we have to talk to the Marquess, but I wonder if its okay It awkwardly fells like a bribe. Its not a bribe. Its a get-well soon gift. Right, Elsa? Brother Jin, youre making a wicked expression. Elsamented on the smirk Jin made while describing the n. * * * All right, then. I have something to tell everyone as well. Jin got the conversation going in another direction in the presence of Reinhardt, Berthie, Elsa, and Mine. Following Horai Ind and Kunlun Ind, we are developing an ind called Fuso Ind. Its located on the sea near Lenard Kingdom. I think I mentioned in the past that Lenard Kingdom had fallen into ruins. So the ind doesnt belong to any territory at the moment. Im thinking of developing the ind and opening it to the public. Jin briefly exined his n and anticipated everyones reactions. After a brief silence, Reinhardt said, Yeah, I understand your point. I think its indeed risky to open Horai Ind and Kunlun Ind to the general public. But then, are you going to reveal the means to get there as well? The reason for Reinhardt to ask that question was because the ind was isted. A Warp Gate would be necessary for people to get there. Yeah. Youre right. For that, Im thinking of setting up designated Warp Gates so people may use them freely. Where will they be installed? For now, Im nning to instal them in Shouro Empire and Egelia Kingdom; and Im still considering Klein Kingdom. Jin chose the two kingdoms that bestowed his Magi Craft Meister title, and from where the closely acquainted prince and princess came from. Those were good enough reasons. Jin also exined further that each gate would be given strict protective measures. I will attach two dedicated golems on each gate. People wont be able to use the Warp Gate without the approval of both golems. Should something happen to both golems, I will destroy the Warp Gate myself. I see, so people will be able to use the gate without knowing the mechanism. Yeah. Aside from that, I have prepared a number of other unobtrusive measures as well. Hmm, then it should be all right. So, what about the facility? I think Ill create a facility simr to the research institute in Horai Ind. I want people to go beyond the borders of their countries and be able to study Magi Engineering, ordinary Engineering, Alchemy, and the like. Everyone nodded in approval to Jins exnation. I think its good. I agree, too. I think its a good idea. I dont understandplicated things, but being able to go beyond the borders of a country sounds great. All four of them agreed. Thank you. Id like to tell Saki next Jin then told his family present at the time that they will depart for Horai Ind the next day. Authors note: A severe verdict had been passed. Chapter 409: Transporter

Chapter 409: Transporter

June 25th. First thing in the morning, Elsa cast Genesis on her father, Georg. Still, his condition did not seem to improve. I-Im so-sorry. Seeing her fathers arrogance suddenly disappeared while struggling with his speech, Elsa was unable to endure it and rushed out of the room. She bumped into Jin outside. Oh, Brother Jin! Was it no good after all? Seeing the tears rolled down Elsas cheeks, Jin realized that the treatment did not go well. It seems that brain damage should be treated patiently. First, we need to deal with the Marquess. Yeah. After breakfast, Jin and his friends excused themselves and left the Randol family in Exxi. They boarded Jins carriage and headed for the Eschenbach residence. Through the Warp Gate hidden in the barn there, everyone traveled to Horai Ind. Wee home, My Lord. Wee everyone. Jin and his friends were greeted by Laojuns unchanging voice. Their first destination was the dining hall. The reason being there was no other suitable ce avable for a meeting room. Ah, this was an unexpected problem. There was no such room becauserge group meetings were unthinkable in the predecessor era. Jin re-discussed the concept of Fuso Ind that was to be improvedter. Basically, the Warp Gate will be installed in the kingdoms capital, wont it? Reinhardt interjected. Yeah, if possible. Installing it inside the royal castle would be desirable. It ensures safety or credibility since the people that have ess inside the castle would be those recognized by the kingdom. At the very least, it would be the first level of security. Im thinking of developing a research institute and a residential building. Here on Horai Ind, the residence and theboratory are inside the same building. But Id like to separate them on Fuso Ind. I think its a good idea. Making a clear distinction between research and life is undoubtedly a good thing. Berthiemented then nced at Reinhardt who was sitting next to her. Will there be a hot spring, a toilet, and a futon? Elsa inquired. She seemed not able to give up on those three. Yeah, I can do something about the hot spring and the toilet. But what shall we do with the futon? Since it needs special materials, I think maybe we should make something that uses more general materials. Lets leave it aside for the time being. I have something to think about. Whats that? Yeah. If possible, Id like to talk about it when Saki is around. Because its rted to materials. She did not persist in asking further after Jins reply. The topic shifted back to Fuso Ind. I would like to set up a magic brain to manage the entire ind, like a miniature version of Laojun. What do you think? I think its a great idea. I think you should make a golem for the assistant, too. If a lot of researchers came to visit, a maid golem would be necessary to do daily chores. Everyone expressed their various opinions. Jin decided to inquire about the progress of the development for the time being. Laojun, whats the progress on the development? Yes, its about 60% done. Specifically, the research institute building ispleted. We have just begun construction of the residential building. The fields, harbors, and roads on the ind are almostplete. Resources confirmation is iplete. Oh, its progressing quite fast. We were just discussing the management system. Please review it. Received. Ill prepare a miniature magic brain for management, a maid and a butler. After leaving the Fuso Ind project to Laojun, Jin suggested Elsa to create the Automata. To give to the Marquess? Thats right. Because he said that Reiko was cute. Its for us to dodge the bullet, so to speak. Although the arsenic umted in the liver had been removed, the cirrhosis of Marquess Theodoric had not been curedpletely. Magic could not regenerate dead cells. His current condition was that the surviving liver cells were activated to the maximum extent until the liver could gradually heal. It was said that a healthy liver could regenerate even after 70% of surgical removal was done. However, cirrhosis caused the entire liver to fail, so only a small number of cells survived. Moreover, it was hard to confirm whether those surviving cells were healthy or not. Such a condition made the treatment time-consuming. It was not because Jin wanted to thank the Marquess decision to give up on the marriage with Elsa, rather, he wanted to do something for him because he was Sakis grandfather. In addition, by having Elsa make a care-provider Automata for the Marquess, Jin was hoping that it would help alleviate some of her anguish regarding the fact that her father and his subordinates were behind the murder plot. The basics are the same as Edgar. However, since its for care providing purposes, it would be better to install Tactile Sense as well. Eh? Elsa was surprised when she suddenly had to ovee a higher hurdle. However, Jin reassured Elsa that he would teach her properly. * * * Meanwhile, Reinhardt was working on upgrading his Schwarz Ritter to be equipped with Tactile Sense. No, to be exact, he was creating the remodeling n, with asional advice from Laojun. I see, as expected. Its difficult to equip Schwarz Ritter with Tactile Sense because its a golem rather than an Automata, correct? Yes. It should work as long as the distortion of the exterior corresponding to the skin could be detected. I see However, as expected of Reinhardt, he came up with an idea. Then, how about limiting the Tactile Sense to necessary parts? Specifically, the palms and sole of the feet. His method was to painstakingly ce a high-sensitivity sensor in the minimum necessary areas, or ce many sensors to ensure high sensitivity. Youre right. That would work pretty well. Laojun was secretly impressed. That method was simr to the remodeling Laojun did for all the Golems on Horai Ind. As a side note, the remodeling Laojun did was to attach the leather from the Death Sea Serpent on the palms and sole of the feet, and then the generated pressure from the magical power was detected. Previously, Jin and Reiko had eradicated the Death Sea Serpent at Potlock. The leather did not rot in the water, so the mermaid unit had been collecting them from the seabed under Laojuns directives. Although the performance was slightly lower than that of the Sham Dragon feather membrane used in the early version of Reiko, the strength and detection power were sufficiently practical. Hmm, what shall I use for the sensor ? Reinhardt was worrying about the material for the sensor. Laojun decided to watch over him instead of telling him directly what material to be used. It would not benefit Reinhardt since he would only be following directions from Laojun. Besides, Reinhardt would not be happy with it either. Mine and Berthie were learning to make new dishes from the Peridot leader. Mix the flour with eggs and milk. There what is this powder? Thats baking soda. Baking soda? Yes. You can get it in the mountains further north of Kaina vige Well, I guess you can call it a condiment. It was obtained by refining the water from a baking soda spring that was found on a cier-covered mountain (unnamed) in the north of Kaina vige a long time ago. Now that the refining nt waspleted, we were able to get 500 grams of baking soda per day. If you add a small amount of this, it will be fluffy. Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, dposes to give out carbon dioxide when heated. This intes bread dough and pancakes. Without leavening agents such as baking soda or baking powder, the texture would be more simr to a crepe than a pancake, but with it, a fluffy cake or dough could easily be made. If you put too much, the taste will be bitter. So please just put a little. When baking soda is heated, it breaks down into carbon dioxide, sodium carbonate, and water. The carbon dioxide causes the dough to rise, but the remaining sodium carbonate has a bitter taste. Originally, it was neutralized by mixing an acidic substance such as tartaric acid to eliminate the bitterness (which was called baking powder), but tartaric acid was not yet avable. Aside from that, baking soda had a lot of other uses such as for polishing metals, and could be very handy in the kitchen. Berthie and Mine had the opportunity to learn various kitchen hacks from Peridot leader. * * * The detection of magical power of the outer skin and its deformation? Thats right. Its hard to process the data from the whole-body, so I think its best to focus on the palm and forget about the others. Okay. Is it okay to concentrate on the part that requires the most delicate force adjustment? Thats exactly it! Youre amazing. Jin was exining the principles of Tactile Sense to Elsa. It utilized the magical power potential of the deformation that urs on the outer skin. Having some basics, Elsa sometimes stunned Jin with her asional surprisingprehension. Okay, then try to improve Edgar. If all goes well, lets start creating that Automata. Try it. Okay. Thus, Elsa first got ready to modify Edgar so hes equipped with Tactile Sense. Meanwhile, Jin left the workshop, went to the underground hall, and consulted with Laojun. What is Marcus condition? Yes, while being pursued by Regulus 50, he lost consciousness for some reason. For the time being, he is receiving medical treatment in the town of Taki outside of Earl Randols territory to the north. Regulus 50 is still standing watch. I believe you said his memory had been examined by Transinfo, but it was only down to level 4, correct? Yes, thats within our limit. Jin was deep in thought for a moment. Well, I think there should be something remaining in his subconscious mind. Currently, I want more information about the demons even if its just a little. In that case, are you going to visit the town of Taki? If possible. A Magi Craft Meister like Jin could go as deep as level 8 and copy the subconscious mind without a problem. In that case, I have just confirmed the Warp Gate that does not require a receiver and is ready to be utilized. Really? Well done! Thank you. I made various efforts to improve the transfer uracy, but My Lords creation, the mini smith, was the deciding factor in the end. Jin ordered Laojun to mass-produce mini smiths for precision work. Instruct mini smiths to produce inch smiths as well as millimeter smiths. Mini smiths were 10 cm tall; inch smiths would be 2.5 cm. Millimeter smiths were about 5 millimeters in height. 1000 of each have been created and taking charge of the production of precision parts. The transport uracy became practical enough. Oh, I see! So 1,000 of each type of miniature smiths were already put intomission. They seem to be quite useful. It is possible to transport from here, Horai Ind, to Shouro Empire within 1 meter of error. We conducted a transport experiment to Lake Tosmo about 3 hours ago and confirmed it. What a superb precision! Jin was satisfied. If this was used, he would be able to reach the town of Taki along with Pegasus 1, then travel back through the Warp Gate that was installed specifically for Jins use only. They would not lose much time. Okay, lets go right away. Using that Transporter. Chapter 410: Hot Cake

Chapter 410: Hot Cake

Jin took only Reiko and boarded Pegasus 1. Both of them transported to the sky above the town of Taki through the Warp Gate that does not require a receiver, also known as the Transporter, which was installed in the za behind the research institute on Horai Ind. As a precaution, they transported a small rubber ball through it, and had a Regulus 50 nearby the destination confirmed it. When no problems were confirmed, they transported Pegasus 1. This time, the coordinates of the Regulus 50 was used as a marker for their destination, which error resulted was almost negligible. Hmmm, if I put a marker in the known world Jins murmur was transmitted to Laojun. However, marking various ces in the known world would be for future discussions. It was still bright, so they activated Invisible andnded on the outskirts of town. The Regulus 50 showed Jin and Reiko the way toward the sanatorium. Hes here. It was a small sanatorium on the outskirts of Taki. Marcus Grinwald was resting in that one room. He looks terrible. It was debilitating to see. His consciousness had not returned. Reiko seemed to be indifferent. It was only natural for her to show the cold attitude since Marcus was Jins enemy. Meanwhile, Jin was talking to the Regulus 50. This is most likely due to the strengthening and mobilizing the body by force. Marcus was a human being. He was manipted by a demon so that the extraordinary physical abilities beyond human capability could be demonstrated. His muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones were battered. The healer has finally able to recover him to this point. I see. I dont have much time, so Ill do it quickly. Jin took the Magi Crystal that he had prepared out of his pocket and used Transinfo at level 8. It was the normal highest level. Above that level, there were only level 9 that could copy up to the personality, and level 10 that Jins predecessor used when passing her knowledge to him. Unlike level 9, level 10 could even add annotations to the knowledge being transferred. It would take more time to do that. Setting that aside, Magi Form surfaced from Marcus head and disappeared into the Magi Crystal as the level 8 Transinfo was utilized. That should do it. Lets have Laojun do the analysis. Jin left the treatment room and returned to Pegasus 1. He handed a bottle of recovery medicine avable aboard Pegasus 1 to the Regulus 50 that was seeing them off. Administer this little by little. It should help speed up the recovery. Then, Jin and Reiko returned to Horai Ind through the Warp Gate installed aboard Pegasus 1. Pegasus 1 would return to the ind by autopilot. Wee home, My Lord. Laojun, please analyze this. Jin entrusted Laojun with the Magi Crystal that should contain all of Marcus memories, knowledge, and experience. Understood. I will do it right away. At that time, someone came. Brother Jin brother, Edgars remodeling ispleted, Elsa reported. When he heard her voice, Jin thought of an idea. But he held back in expressing it. He thought to talk about it after more careful consideration. Oh, I see. Have you tried activating him yet? Be that she was Jins disciple, Elsa was quite fast in working. Yup, I have just activated him. And I wanted Brother Jin to see it. Jin had just finished talking to Laojun, and was about to return to the workshop anyway. Oh, looks good. Really? He tested Edgars activation. His operation seemed to be stable. It seemed that the data sent by Reiko to Laojun was also useful. Well, youre ready to create an Automata. If Brother Jin says so, Ill try it. Finally, Elsa started working on creating the Automata to be given to the Marquess. So that it can provide healthcare, I think it should have about your physique, Elsa. Jin was thinking about the possibility for the Marquess to carry the Automata on his back or hold her up in his arms. Yeah, I think so, too. The skeleton used 64 aluminum. The muscle was from Magical Fiber produced on Horai Ind. Magical Skin was also used to create the skin. The goal was to have half of the specs the earliest version of Reiko possessed that Jin created. Of course, a measure against rewriting the magic for very purposes should be taken into ount as well. To improve Elsas skills, temte references were kept to a minimum; it also served as OJT (on-the-job training, a method of teaching through hands-on experience). This was her second creation, so it took her about 3 hours toplete. Her skills had clearly improved since it took her 4 hours to create Edgar in the past. She used Grand Caterpir for the material of the clothes. She created a typical maid outfit for Lisa to wear. Well done. She has a bigger physique than Edgar, but shell be Edgars little sister. It was not something strange, because Reiko was the eldest among all Jins golems and Automatas. Have you decided what to name her? Yup. I think Im going to name her Lisa. In general, a maid would often have names with two sybles so that they could be easily called. Nicknames would usually be given for those possessing longer names. Even though aristocrats might give their children short names, but ordinary people rarely gave theirs long names like aristocrats. That was the custom. Lisa? Sounds great and easy to be called. Please activate her. Okay. Activate. Lisa had been activated. She got up slowly. Nice to meet you, Master Creator. Your name is Lisa. How are you feeling? Yes, I conclude that there is no problem, Master Creator. Elsas second Automata, Lisa, was a girl with bobbed cut tinum blonde hair down to her shoulders and pale blue eyes. Her face was simr to Edgar, probably because both were designed by Elsa. Okay, then lets ask Peridot to check her housework skills. As such, Lisa was born. * * * This is quite difficult Reinhardt had also managed to install Tactile Sense on Schwarz Ritter somehow, and was getting ready to have a test run. Noir, how are you doing? Yes, Im superb. Can you feel the Tactile Sense? Yes, its fine. Okay, then move slowly and try to umte data. Dont suddenly move fast or lift heavy objects, okay? Roger that. While recalling the case with Aal, Reinhardt let Noir slowly get used to Tactile Sense. After carefully checking every movement for about 30 minutes, Reinhardt decided to have Schwarz Ritter move on to the next step. First of all, it was the stealthy feet movements. Walk slowly without making any noise. That went well. Okay, a little faster. That also went reasonably well. Yeah, thats pretty good Here try to take this. Reinhardt pointed to a hollow metal sphere made by Jin during Aals testing. It was extremely thin, so it would copse immediately if held firmly. Yes. Noir grabbed the sphere and lifted it brilliantly. You did it! Well done, Noir. Please keep that condition. Ja, mein Sch?pfer*. Reinhardt was also growing. Berthie and Mine came around that time. Shall we have lunch? We baked hot cakes. Considering when they ate breakfast, it was considered ate lunch for them. The time difference was about five and a half hours, so it was almost dusk on Horai Ind. Oh, I see. Hot cakes? Jin immediately responded to the word, but Reinhardt was puzzled upon hearing something unfamiliar. Brother Rei, as the name suggests, hot cake is a cake that is served while warm. Its delicious. I think. Everyone enjoyed hot cakes in the dining hall. Peridot leader taught the recipe so it was very delicious. Jin had made crepe for Saki in the past, because he did not use leavening agent. But they were enjoying the fluffy hot cakes this time. Hmm, this is delicious! Reinhardt loved butter. Delicious. This is happiness. Its sweet! Elsa and Berthie used plenty of honey. Yeah, its delicious. Thank you, Mine, Berthie. Youre wee. No need to thank us. Were just trying out a newly learned recipe. Eating delicious food would give a content feeling at heart, and would put a smile on anyones face. For a moment, everyone was smacking their lips, forgot about all the unpleasant things and concerns. Chapter 411: Visiting The Marquess

Chapter 411: Visiting The Marquess

After enjoying the hot cake, Jin and his friends had a little more time to spare before they had to go back, so they went back to finish their tasks at hand. Elsa went to check out Lisa who was working with the golem maids. Reinhardt continued monitoring Noirs operation. Berthie and Mine were being polite and helped cleaned the dishes. Jin went back to the underground hall and asked Laojun regarding his progress. My Lord, Ill give you an interim report on Marcus. All right. Im listening. Yes. My Lords presumption was correct after all. I learned a lot more from Transinfo level 8. Even if his memory was erased, there seemed to be some remnants remaining. It would be more urate to say that his memory could not be recalled, instead of being erased. It wasparable to protected sectors of FAT (File Allocation Table) of a personalputer so they could not be read or deleted. Although it seemed to disappear at first nce, it was still there. I see! So what did you find out? Yes. There was an important finding. First of all, there is no doubt that Marcus was manipted by a demon. That was as expected. So my presumption was confirmed. The demons name was Marcosias. Marcus was targeted most likely because of the simrity in their names. It seemed Marcus was very unlucky to have been chosen just because of that. Heres the important part. First of all, Marcosias, or Marcus, was investigating human technology, ecology, and society. Elsa also mentioned something simr. Their purpose was to measure humans ability. That was probably his mission. He seemed to do various things to see the reactions of human beings. Georg Randols inferiorityplex toward his brother was used to cast magic simr to Seduce to manipte his actions. ording to Laojuns analysis and reasoning, the cast magic seemed to have awakened and encouraged his deepest desires. I see, that exins his abnormal behavior, right? Thats correct. Poisoning the Marquess waspletely arbitrary. I think this analysis is urate. That was good news. That fact would change the situation considerably. Elsa would be happy to hear that, too. Anything else? Yes. It seems that the Seduce cast on Mine was part of it as well. Laojun ended his interim report with such a conclusion. This would be our chance to learn about Marcosias abilities and demon skills. All right. Please continue. Jin felt relieved. The poisoning of the Marquess was not directed by Elsas father, the former Viscount Georg Randol. Thinking more thoroughly, the timing of poisoning was pretty bad. It would have been more advantageous for Elsa to marry and poison him after their baby was born. Jin felt a little relieve since he and Elsa would not need to visit the Marquess with a guilty feeling. Two hourster, Jin and his friends returned to Count Randols residence. June 26th, after dawn. Jin and his friends were nning to head to Marquess Theodoric, but some unexpected things happened. Jin! Its been three days since Ist saw you! The first was the unexpected arrival of Prince Ernest and Princess Lieschen at Earl Randol, Reinhardts parents home. The other unexpected thing was Lord Jin Nidou, Egelia Kingdom would like to grant you the title of Magi Craft Meister together with your honorary knighthood. Lord Jin Nidou, Klein Kingdom would like to grant you the title of Magi Craft Meister as well, together with your honorary knighthood. The prince and princess read the document aloud. Egelia and Klein Kingdoms had granted Jin the title of Magi Craft Meister. Isnt the Manaphone convenient? The day before yesterday, I reported everything regarding the technology expo to my father. Yesterday morning, I was contacted to grant you the title of Magi Craft Meister. Same here. My father made a swift decision. He probably thought he would fall behind other countries in granting you the title. After announcing the official notice, the Prince and Princess returned to their casual tones andughed openly. Congrattions to Jin! Youre now a Magi Craft Meister who is fully recognized by three countries! Reinhardt was so happy as if he was the one receiving the recognition. Brother Jin, congrattions. Congrattions, Lord Jin. Lord Jin, I congratte you from the bottom of my heart. Congrattions, Father! Elsa, Mine, and Berthie were also pleased that Jin was named Magi Craft Meister by two other countries. Reiko expressed extreme joy for the good news. She looked so happy that she was about to break into a dance any moment now. Say, Jin, whats Magi Craft Meister? Even though Princess Lieschen announced the title, she did not seem to know what Magi Craft Meister was. Lies, Magi Craft Meister was originally called a legendary Magi Craftsman a long time ago. As expected, Prince Ernest answered her before Jin did. I see. In other words, Jin is the second generation, right? That would be urate. Maybe messengers from Celuroa, Franz, and Elias Kingdoms woulde soon as well. Disregarding Jin, the Prince and Princess had a conversation by themselves. With a warm expression, Jin smiled listening to their conversation. Although he was recognized as a Magi Craft Meister, which was the pinnacle of a Magi Craftsman, Jin knew that was not the only perk. Only Jin knew about it, to be exact. It was the right of ess to the Magi Engineering Library. Races like wizards and sorcerers could absorb Ether from the atmosphere by breathing it in. It was then transformed into Mana in their bodies. Mana in the body would be used up when utilizing magic. However, by absorbing and transforming Ether from the atmosphere, Mana could be recovered over time. This Mana could take various energy forms and be manipted, depending on the will and image of the user. And hence, it was called magic. Chanting an incantation could support forming a clear image in the users mind. However, chanting became unnecessary if the user could create a clear image in the mind. Simple phenomena such as fire, light, and wind were ssified as beginner magic that could be easily utilized by anyone who could use magic. The process up to activation becameplicated for intermediate to advanced magic. Therefore, it could not be utilized by just anyone. The process for activating intermediate to advanced magic would be simr toputer software. Magi Engineering could bepared to high-end 3D model production software. The ce where this software was installed became the library of the world where magic exists. Magical talent would be someones ability to ess that library. Jin had almost unlimited ess to the Magi Engineering library. On the other hand, the attack magic library was almost inessible. Such magic theory had been forgotten for over 300 years. The Magi War was a significant incident that changed the world. How long will you be here, Your Highness? Here was referring to the Shouro Empire. Well, Im nning to stay until the end of this month at most. Ill have to leave this house in a little bit, too. I want some free time. Since he was the prince, Prince Ernest grumbled when he had no free time. Prince Ernest, I feel the same way, too Both the prince and princess looked at one another and smiled bitterly. Due to the unexpected event in the morning, Jin, Elsa, Mine, Reinhardt, and Berthie finally headed for the Marquess residence after lunch. Reiko, Edgar, Neon, and Noir were dressed as usual, but Lisa was wearing a hooded coat so to conceal her appearance. Again, Noir rode a golem horse, and Reiko sat on Jinsp. After all, the carriage was overloaded, so it could not be helped. It was approximately a 50-km journey between Banne and Mahahama. An ordinary carriage would take a day for the one way trip, but Jins carriage could reach their destination in less than an hour. However, due to other carriages on the road, they could not maintain a speed of 50 kmph. In the end, it took them an hour and a half to get there. The Marquess residence was built in a quiet environment surrounded by forests. An old-fashioned three-story building made of stones. On the left and right were spires proudly protruding. Hi, Jin, Reinhardt, Berthie, Elsa, and Mine. Long time no see. Many servants lined up by the front entrance to the Marquess residence to wee them. Saki was there to greet them as well. She was dressed like a daughter of the Marquess. She was even wearing hair essories. With Sakis drastic change in appearance, Jin was at a loss for words. Realizing what just happened, Saki blushed and gave a wry smile. Heh, as I thought. This doesnt suit me, right? Ah, no, thats not the case. You look so good that I was speechless. Uhm At that time, Reinhardt came to the rescue. Wow, you look good, Saki. You already look beautiful, so anything would look good on you. Upon hearing Reinhardtspliment, Saki turned beet red and stayed silent. Well, everyone, wee. Karen followed up after and weed everyone. I heard youreing from the messenger on a fast horse. Father is also looking forward to meeting you. Elsa, you have returned. Congrattions. While Saki was still blushing, Karen instructed the servants to invite everyone in. Karen was tactful in a way that she did not neglect in greeting Elsa. She did not greet Mine. Perhaps she thought Mine was a servant being assigned to Elsa, or that she was not her real mother. The living room was huge. At the carpeted corner of the room, the Marquess was sitting in an armchair waiting for their arrival. Oh, Jin, youve made it. I heard that you received the title of Magi Craft Meister. Splendid. Pardon me for sitting down, because of this weak body. His body was still thin, but the jaundice had disappeared and his skin had returned to a healthy color. He seemed to be in better condition. Reinhardt, thank you for your hard work in keeping Jin entertained. Miss Berthie how is your newlywed life? Oh, yes, its wonderful Hmm, you seem to be verypatible with Reinhardt. It seems that your sex appeal has alsoe out. The Marquessughed. That would be sexual harassment, but there was no such concept in this world. Perhaps she was still feeling uneasy, Elsa stood silently behind Jin. The Marquess noticed her. Elsa,e over here. Im not telling you to marry me anymore. Beckoned and unable to remain hidden, Elsa stepped forward. Hmm, I always thought youre still a young girl. But it seems that you have gradually be an adult. Could it be because of the fruit of Lord Jins education? Eh, ah, yes. Elsa did not understand what the Marquess was saying and gave a strange reply. The Marquess squinted at her. He then gestured for everyone to take a seat. Well, everyone, please sit down. Chapter 412: Explanation

Chapter 412: Exnation

The party sat around arge table. The Marquess sat at the head of the table with Jin to his left and Reinhardt to his right. Berthie sat next to Jin. Elsa sat next to Reinhardt. Saki and Karen sat across from the Marquess. Reiko, Noir, Neon, Edgar, and Lisa stood behind their respective masters. Mine stood behind Elsa, alongside Edgar. As soon as everyone settled down in their seats, the butler brought tea. It was a fragrant green tea. Well, the letter delivered by the post rider didnt mention any details. But would it be all right to assume your purpose of visiting is for my sympathy? Yes, Marquess. Thats the main reason for our visit. In line with this, theres a gift from Elsa. Hmm, what is it? Please take a look at this first. When Jin nced over, Elsa took off the coat that Lisa was wearing. Oh The Marquess widened his eyes. Karen, the butler, and the servants who were there were also breathtaking. Her name is Lisa. Shes an Automata I created. My name is Lisa. Lisa bowed normally instead of with courtesy since she was a maiden Automata. Everyone who saw her the first time had their eyes nailed to her gestures and appearance. I created her to take care of her surroundings. Did you like it? Elsa spoke in a lower tone than usual. After all, her self-consciousness regarding how hard to deal with the Marquess had not been wiped out yet. Oh, oh, I like her! Her name is Lisa, you said? Are you giving this child to me? Yes, if you like her. Of course, I do! Shes cute. Master, Ill be in your care. Lisa, do your best, okay? Yes, Miss Creator. Thus, Lisa became an Automata of the Marquess family. The Marquess took her hand and said, Ill be in your care as well, Lisa. The Marquess realized that her hand was warm, so he asked Elsa about it. Yes, Lisas body temperature isparable to humans. Oh, is that right? Karen raised her voice in astonishment. It was umon for Automatas to possess warm body temperature. Hmm, Elsa, youve be a really good Magi engineer Is it the result of bing Jins apprentice? After sipping his tea, Jin decided to carry out the other matter at hand. Your Excellency, may I speak with you privately? I have something to report. Hmm? I understand. You guys, please leave the room until I call upon you. Thank you very much. The butler and employees went out of the living room. All that remained were Jin, Reinhardt, Berthie, Elsa, Mine, Saki, Karen, and the Marquess. Is this okay? Yes, thank you. Then, Ill start the report. I found the criminal who poisoned Your Excellency. What? Even though the security knights of the empire havent been able to identify the culprit yet? Who was it? It was Marcus Grinwald. Jin mentioned the conclusion first. Marcus you said?! The Marquess face became grim. Yes. And Marcus was being manipted by someone. These are the two points that have been clearly proven. How did you find out? First, I thoroughly investigated Marcus room in Viscount Georg Randols residence. I found traces of arsenic in the liquor that you like. Some other documents confirmed the poisoning. Jin exined. He then held his tongue while observing the Marquess reaction. With his eyes closed, the Marquess appeared to be thinking about something. It was Saki who broke the silence. J-jin, is that true? I know of Marcus. Did he really poison grandfather? Lord Jin! If that were true, then wouldnt Viscount Georg Randol be the mastermind? Unforgivable! Karens remark was the reaction that Jin and Elsa wanted to avoid the most. That was the reason why Jin investigated Marcus. Karen, please calm down. As Jin was trying to exin in more detail, the Marquess stopped her. With his eyes still closed, he spoke of the past. I know that the Viscount was very ambitious in advancing his career. It would be fine as long as he was doing it for the country. At least, I assumed so and treated it that way. Perhaps because of his age, the Marquess was calm. The Viscount knew I wanted Elsa to be my wife, so he offered to arrange the engagement. The liquor he brought at the time was really delicious. So when I mentioned that to him, he started to send me the liquor regrly The Marquess opened his eyes after finishing his sentence. The one bringing the liquor to me was always Marcus Grinwald. Regarding the liquor, do you have any left? Investigating it would be able to get more concrete proof. The Marquess shook his head at Jins remarks. I dont have any left. I love liquor, so I drink it alone as soon as I received it. After hearing that statement, Jin deduced that his cirrhosis could have been due to his consumption of alcohol. So he was nning for Elsa to marry my father then poison him to death. And then take over the house and position?! Thats even more unforgivable!! Karen was so riled up that she appeared to be ready to storm out of the room at any moment. The Marquess calmed her down. Karen, dont be so emotional. You wont be able to see things objectively. As expected of someone who was once held a vice-admiral position, the Marquess was still calm upon learning such disturbing information. I find the Viscounts idea was a little strange. If he wanted to poison me, it would make more sense to do so after Elsa and I got married. It would make even more sense if he did that after Elsa had a child. The Marquess insight was sharp. Karen, who was losing her temper, was also convinced. W-well, I guess what father said is right. Yes, thats right. The poisoning was at Marcus discretion. Oh? Through his eyes, the Marquess eloquently asked how Jin could know about that. Jin paused for a moment, and then decided to speak honestly with the Marquess. In Magi Engineering, there is something called Transinfo. It was originally for giving golems and Automatas cognition. Oh, thats interesting. The Marquess appeared to be interested in magic he heard for the first time. Only those with rare talents could utilize it. Jin never failed to remind others regarding this fact. That being said, Im able to utilize it. So, I transcribed Marcus memory and examined it. Humans memory is extensive, so its impossible to examine every detail of the memory. However, I can understand the important points. I see. I guess memories wont be able to lie. Thats correct. Former Viscount Georg Randol was involved in everything else but this poisoning matter. The Marquess was silent for a moment after hearing Jins exnation. He eventually spoke slowly. I guess I have to reflect upon the fact that I was taken advantage of. So what are Marcus and Georg doing? Well, Marcus has been captured, but is currently unconscious. Jin also exined the condition of the former Viscount Georg Randol. So was the bleeding in the brain caused his altered personality? Karen had a confused expression. Thats right. Hmm, its extremely rare, but I think Ive heard about a serious head injury that altered the personality. Many years of military life, the Marquess understood. The Viscounts family is ruined. His eldest son, Moritz, is in the custody of Earl Randols family, and his second son, Fritz, is still serving the army. And Elsa is in Reinhardts custody. Finally, Jin finished his exnation with the official notification from the kingdom. I understand. Is that the reason why you brought Lisa so to scratch my back? N-no, not at all. Jin was flustered because the Marquess saw through everything. Elsa seemed to be stumped as well. Haha, thats quite all right. Its natural for children to feel for their parents. But Elsa, I hope you will be happy. I rmend building another house. What he meant by another house was a family other than the Randols. Well, if you want, I adopt you as my daughter. But perhaps you dont want that. Elsa nodded silently. And then she started speaking. Im fine being amoner. Just Elsa. However, the Marquess shook his head when hearing her humble response. No, your ability as a Magi Engineer is first-ss. Youre also a first-ss healer. Having you be amoner is a great national loss. Her Majesty probably thinks so, too. I wonder about that. Absolutely. Well, lets leave that part to Her Majesty. Have youe to say everything you wanted to convey? The Marquess observed Jin with keen eyes. Not quite. Theres one more thing. Its about the demons. Demons?! Ji-Jin, did you say demons? What the hell ?! He said demons! This is bad! Once again, the Marquess calmed both Saki and Karen who were panicking. Reinhardt and the others already heard about that matter, so they listened calmly. Saki, Karen. Calm down for a bit. Lets hear Jins exnation. The two of them held their tongues after the Marquess directives. The Marquess asked Jin to carry on. Okay, Lord Jin, please enlighten us. All right, then Jin told the story. It was about the magic hectic fever that struck Klein Kingdom. The demon that caused it was no other than Lardus the Jester. Lardus two aplices were Bemiarux and Dogmaloud. Jin also talked about Marcosias who manipted Marcus in the most recent incident. All of them listened to Jins story silently. Chapter 413: Enhancing Hourai Island

Chapter 413: Enhancing Hourai Ind

Everyone remained silent after Jin finished his exnation about the demons. Shortly after, the Marquis was the one to first open his mouth. Judging from what you just said, you dont think the demons will attack right away The Marquis went on to make it clear that it was just his opinion. The reason for that is that I believe its going to be hard for them to live in this area where we live. Even then, I think its nothing more than a game for them. A game? Yes, a game. Strategically speaking, what they are doing is the absolute lowest of the low. Theyre probably gathering information as well, but more than that, theyre provoking our alertness too much. Jin was certain. Taking this into ount, Jin had intended to further enhance the military strength of Hourai Ind and other areas. Ill have to be more secretive about it if Im going to do that. Saki and Karen felt relieved after hearing the exnation of the former lieutenant general, the Marquis. Im a little tired. The Marquis was still far from being healthy. For that reason, their conversation ended there for the day. After returning to their bedrooms, the Marquis summoned only Jin, saying he had a private matter to discuss with him. You said Yes in front of Saki and Karen, but you really think otherwise, dont you? After receiving Jin, the Marquis cut straight to the main topic. Jin replied. Yes. Im not sure about the exact date, but Im sure theyre nning to attack soon. Hmm. This ce may seem difficult for them to live in, but they dont necessarily need to stay here after they invade us. We cant deny the possibility that they will be after our resources and crops. The Marquis guess was the same as Laojuns. Sir Jin No, Lord Jin Nidou. Your Automata You mean Reiko? Jin replied as he took a nce at Reiko, who was standing behind him. Yes, that Reiko. Shes cute. And still, shes quite durable, right? The Marquis had witnessed Reikos strength during thepetition. A Lord of your standing should be able to produce several golems like Reiko, am I correct? Yes, well, provided I didnt have a problem with the materials. Hmm, I see. Are you using very special materials? Jin asked about this straightforwardly, forgetting about his manners for a moment. Yes. I have ess to many rare materials. I see. So you can use as many materials as you can get. Is it possible to make powerful golems with them? Yes. Thats good to hear. Knowing that you can make a powerful golem army for any necessary countermeasures, that is. Preparations in Hourai Ind were already underway, but he couldnt just disclose that to the Marquis. The Marquis closed his eyes, perhaps to think of a defensive strategy. Then, he told Jin: Ill think about it. Id like you to think about the countermeasures as well, Lord Jin. Then, he went on. Finally, you were very subtle about it, but you spoke about the magic that allows one to read someone elses memories, [Transinfo]. Its better not to talk about its existence in front of others. It could cause a lot of trouble. I wont speak a word about it. The Marquis then said he was tired, and that he would lie down in bed. Lisa helped him into bed. It seemed that the Marquis hadnt recoveredpletely. Understood. Thank you very much. If youll excuse me. Taking the Marquis condition into consideration, Jin decided to leave the room. Everyone stayed at the Marquis residence that night. But Jin, using the carriages Warp Gate, teleported to Hourai Ind joined only by Reiko. Wee back, my Lord. Hows that Gravity Magicing along, Laojun? Jin started by asking about what interested him most. The analysis on Gravity Magic has taken yet another step, my Lord. Ah, those are great news. Without dy, Jin prompted Laojun to continue. The essence of Gravity Magic seems to be to process space. Hm? What do you mean? Right. There is a theory that states that gravity is, in fact, a nt or distortion in space. Ah, yes, I think Ive seen something like that on TV. Jin remembered having seen something like that when watching a documentary about Einsteins general theory of rtivity. In other words, gravity and space are inseparable from one another. I get that. To make something heavier is nothing but to increase gravity, that is, to increase the distortion of space. It had turned out to be quite a difficult subject, but Jin was able to understand somehow. In other words, it would be possible to create spatial distortions with magic. Jin knew something like that was entirely possible, since he himself had been meddling with space for a while now with the Warp Gate. It is now possible to increase or decrease gravity. However, it requires an enormous amount of mana to do so. Thats right. Was it Lardus who was using Elradrite? Yes. For the time being, if one were to counter the demons Gravity Magic on an individual scale, that could be installed on all of the golems in Hourai Ind. Laojun exined that to influence gravity externally would require an immense amount of mana, but it wouldnt be so costly on an individual scale. Good, lets start immediately then. Anything else? Laojuns answer seemed to have shown a whole new world of possibilities for Jin. Yes. It seems that the direction of gravity can be changed as well. But we havent been able to implement it yet. In other words, it could be used to propel oneself using gravity. Jin started to fantasize about even being able to go to space if he could do that. But there were other problems at hand that needed his attention at the moment. Master, do you have a moment? Just as Jin tried to move onto the next topic, Ann appeared. Hmm? Whats wrong? Well, Ive noticed something about the instation of the Warp Gates. What is it? Well, the problem is ording to Ann, if they were to be installed inside each nations castle, getting out of Fusou Ind would be fine, but a problem would surface when getting in. To sum it up, a malicious agent could invade the castle of any nation via Fusou Ind. Ah I see. This was particrly dangerous because Jin had no ns to give Fusou Ind as much security as Hourai Ind. Each country would have their own passport, but its still no good. If a passport were to be stolen, it wouldnt solve that issue. It seems it would be better to have a specific facility for each Warp Gate after all Yes, I think thats a good idea. Ill ask the Marquis opinion on this tomorrow. Thus Jin revised his original n. He decided to leave the topic of the Warp Gate instation on Fusou Ind forter, and moved on to a different subject. Laojun, I feel like I can use the Transfer Machine for my n. What would your n be, my Lord? Well, Id be using it as something different than a weapon. Assuming there will be an anti-demon war, of course. Are you going to send something out with it? Laojun immediately saw Jins intention. Thats right. A Mana Bomb. A Mana Bomb? Jin exined his idea of ??writing the Magi Form of Mana Explosion on a Magi Crystal or Magi Stone to turn it into an explosive. Jin remembered how when they tried to bury Makina alive in an underground slope during thest stand against the Unifiers, Makina took out his mana tank and detonated it, clearing out all of the debris. Understood. Ill make a prototype. Thank you. Jin believed they could use it forndmines, bombs, grenades, and even missiles. He wasnt sure if it would be too difficult to apply them to a Magi Cannon, though. And what about deploying Inch Smiths to each golem? We could use them to repair simple faults. That sounds good. Ill proceed with the investigation at once. Ah, I was also thinking about a medical team of sorts. Something like a golem unit specialized in healing magic. Elsa had awakened to her ability as a top-notch healer. Jin had no intention to let that pass. In other words, I want to make Nurse Golems. And so, after talking about his ideas with Laojun and asking him to keep doing his research, Jin returned to the Marquis residence. Chapter 414: Discussion

Chapter 414: Discussion

The following day, June 27th After a slightlyte breakfast for the Marquis, Jin and the others were chatting over a cup of tea in the reception room. Jin, Elsa, thanks. Saki spoke out all of a sudden, and both Jin and Elsa tilted their heads to the side,pletely puzzled. Hmm? What are you talking about? Ohoho, Im talking about Lisa. My grandfather seems to like her very much. Besides, her ability to do housework is amazing. All of our maids are impressed with her. She doesnt take second ce from Ehr, I tell you! She may have said that, but both Lisa is exactly the same as Ehr. Both of them have been carefully produced using materials from Hourai Ind, and the quality of their Control Cores are simr. Their only difference was their tactile sensors. While Ehr had sensors deployed across its entire body, Lisa used the malleability of her magical exodermis. The difference between them was the amount of burden when it came to processing the information received. Jin thought he could eventually change Ehrs artificial sense of touch to resemble Lisas. Im sorry to have kept you waiting. The Marquis arrived, supported by Lisa. Jin thought of making a wheelchair, but walking was also necessary for the Marquis rehabilitation, so he reconsidered. Well, what are we going to talk about today? Sinking in his armchair, the Marquis looked at everyones faces so as to listen to what they had to say. Id like to talk a bit about education. When Jin said that, the Marquis eyes sparkled. Oh, education? What kind of education are we talking about here? Jin began to speak without reservation. Yes. About Magi Craft, alchemy, ordinary engineering, and science. I want to create something akin to a research facility that is not bound by a nations borders. Hmm. Since it wont be limited by national borders, wouldnt that include the demons arts? It would also be based on the premise that humanity would not be able topete with them without joining forces with one another. The Marquis had shown his keen insight even though Jin has not said anything of the sort. T-Thats right. Jin replied reflexively. Hmmm The Marquis seemed to have a habit of closing his eyes while he thought. Eventually, he opened his eyes, and It would be ideal. Sounds elegant, but it cannot happen. His criticism was bitter. Huh? Lord Jin Nidou, you are young. You know the ugliness of people, but you dont understand it. Dont you know how easy people allow themselves to get corrupted by political power? It looks like you havent realized how much like shackles the things we call countries can be. With a sigh, the Marquis went on. Human beings will consider it eptable to flock for a short time, for they know that they cannot survive otherwise. However, withrger flocks, factions and conflict are sure to arise. They will scheme against and take others down in order to get more profits for themselves. And then They will go on their own. Not only Jin, but nobody else was able to say anything. 300 years ago, during the Magic War, the Kingdom of Dinard was able to unite the surrounding nations and consolidate mankind, but that was because they feared the demons. The proof of that is that, in fact, after the threat of the demons disappeared, they divided into several small countries. Unfortunately, there was no choice but to concede that what the Marquis was saying was correct. This research institute you speak of cantpete with a nation. There will be people who will choose themselves over a country, and state over research. Thats what I can say. Jin was at a loss for words. He was essentially being told that his ns for a Holy Land of Magi Engineering were impossible. At least in the way Jin had envisioned it. Because people are individuals, there will always be disagreements when they get together. The only thing that can unify them are strictws, and an iron fist. Thats how the military holds its shape. I understand Jin dropped his shoulders. He had excitedly dashed forward, but had tangled his legs along the way and ended up falling. He had been so absorbed in fulfilling that which his predecessor couldnt do, that he had overlooked a great deal of details. But he could at least say that he was d he could hear the opinion of a senior figure such as the Marquis. Elsa, Reinhardt, Berthie and Mine were silent as well. They had instinctively thought that what the Marquis said was probably correct. Ideals are beautiful, but often naive. Therefore, they tend to overlook certain things. Reinhardt, who looked around the small countries as part of his duties as a diplomat, should have known this. Ideals are beautiful, but he hadnt dared to look at their ugly side. I think this came out because I said I wanted to build a school before. But what I want to make is a military school. It will be run by senior officers at its core. Ive been devoting half of my life to the country as a soldier, and I wanted to create a ce so I could keep devoting to it with what little life I have left in me. Having shown himself as a man of the military, The Marquis, Gehren Theoderic von Eisen, brought the conversation to an end with thatst statement. Before noon, Jin and his friends left the Marquis residence and headed for Reinhardts house. Saki, however, stayed behind. It seemed that the Marquis wouldnt let her go. Jin seemed to be a bit depressed while inside the carriage. Reinhardt tried to cheer him up. Come on, Jin, cheer up. This doesnt mean that the preparations for Fusou Ind have gone to waste No, thats okay. Jin replied with his eyes cast downwards. How should I put it? I guess Im still too naive I think youre just fine the way you are, brother Jin. It was Elsa who replied to Jins muttering. Im here because you are you. Elsa Jin raised his head. Yeah, and its not just me. Brother Rein, Mother, and Berthie too. And shes not here, but Im sure Saki likes you just the way you are. Youre as positive as ever, Elsa. Being all sulky doesnt really suit you, brother Jin. You seem to be at your best when youre creating something. Is that so? Yeah. I think thats exactly why you are the Magi Craft Meister. The Magi Craft Meister Jin looked up at the sky from the carriages window. A long stream of clouds flowed through the sky. I may have been a bit impatient. I should take it easier from now on. At that moment, Reiko pulled on Jins cuff. Father, an emergency call from Laojun. ording to Hanna, something happened in Kaina Vige. It seems they ask you to return there immediately. What!? Did something happen to Hanna? What could have happened in Kaina Vige, where he hadnt been for around ten days? Jin decided that hed use the carriages Warp Gate to go to Kaina Vige at once. When he told that to Reinhardt Got it. Ill let my father and the others know what happened. I might go there myself as wellter. Reinhardt meant that he would follow after Jinter. What should I do, brother Jin? Well, I think itd be great if you and Mine were to tag along. Okay, got it. Understood. Once the carriage stopped, Jin instructed Steward to keep driving back to Reinhardts house and to manage the carriage. Please take care, Jin. Thanks, Berthie. Well then, Ill be off now. Jin, Reiko, Elsa, Mine, and Edgar headed for Kaina Vige via the Warp Gate. Since it was an urgent matter, they emerged out of the Warp Gate in the workshops basement. Jin hurriedly ran up the stairs. Hanna was waiting for him there. Big brother! Hanna seemed to be safe. Jin was a little relieved. Hanna, what happened? Still, he was worried something bad had happened in the vige. Sera is in pain! Sera Jin remembered about Linus wife, who should be about 9 months pregnant at the moment. Dont tell me something happened to her baby? Mine asked worriedly. Anyway, lets go. Linus and Seras house was the one behind the house of Giebeck, the viges mayor. Jin and the others started to run. Chapter 415: The Healer

Chapter 415: The Healer

When they reached Linus house puffing and blowing, a lot of people were gathering in front of the house. Oh, Jin! You came back! Hey, Jin is back! Most of the people gathering in front of the house were men. Even Linus himself was outside. M-Martha, Jin is back! The door opened, and Martha appeared. Jin! Mine and Elsa, too! Youvee at the right time! Mine, Elsa, please help me! Jin, Im sorry but youll have to wait outside. Martha, who beckoned Elsa and Mine, closed the door as soon as they entered the house. Upon listening more carefully, a painful moan could be hearding from inside the house. Jin asked Linus what was happening. Well, around noon today, Sera said her stomach was suddenly hurting. Martha took a look at her condition, but after 2 hours, she started to suffer terrible pain Linus and Sera had an eight-year-old daughter, Patty, so this was not her first birth. A few momentster, the door opened and Mine appeared. When she spotted where Jin was, she made her report in a hurry. Lord Jin! Ms. Sera is having a breech delivery! If this continues, both the mother and childs lives are in danger! Do you know of a midwife or a Healer whos familiar with this kind of childbirth? Mine had only given birth to Elsa. Even though Elsa had some knowledge, she had no experience. Martha could not do anything regarding breech delivery. Since Elsa is there, both of them should be in less danger. But it cant be left as it is. Please, find an experienced Healer! A-all right! After answering briefly, Jin rushed back to the workshop. Of course, Reiko followed him as well. Father, what are you going to do? I have no choice but to go to some city and bring back a midwife or a Healer. Jin answered while dashing down to the basement. But I dont have time to search for them Oh, thats right! Jin suddenly remembered Sally Milleshan, a healer he met in Tellurus. She was an exceptional Healer. Even if she was not familiar with childbirth, she would most likely be able to refer Jin to one. Jin went to Horai Ind through the Warp Gate and asked Laojun the coordinates of the Warp Gate that was the closest to Tellurus. The ruins of the 8th fort would be the closest. That was the site where the Unifiers used as their base when they kidnapped Elsa. Got it. Just like the day before yesterday, Im leaving with Pegasus 1 via the Transporter. Then Ill use the Warp Gate on Pegasus 1 toe back. Jin was using the same method of traveling as when he investigated Marcus. This time, the ruins of the 8th fort was the marker, so the error was small. With Invisible activated, they approached the riverside near Tellurus. That was the riverside where MIne was washed up ashore with serious injury. Afternding Pegasus 1 there, Jin and Reiko disembarked. As a matter of precaution, Pegasus 1 was left standing by, hovering in the air. It would descend if Jin called upon it. It was a little after 1 pm at Tellurus. Jin headed straight for the Milleshan Healing Center. Im sure its around here somewhere At the end of a narrow road, he found a familiar door with the sign Milleshan Healing Center written on it. Here, here! The door was tattered with holes here and there. There were pebbles and stones scattered around as well. The ce seemed to be deserted, but Jin pushed open the door and went inside. Hello. There was no reply. There no patients in sight. Everything was quiet. Doctor? Doctor Sally Milleshan? When Jin called her name out loud, a noise was hearding from the back. Jin went further inside to check it out. He found Sally in the far corner of a dimly lit room. Doctor ! Hmm? Who are you? Her appearance was unkempt with dirty clothes, ruffled hair, and hollow cheeks. Although her dark blonde ponytail and blue eyes remained unchanged, Jin could not believe his eyes that he was looking at Sally Milleshan, who had always been dedicated to her work. What in the world happened? Hmm? Oh, oh, youre Jin, arent you? Sally asked while an alcoholic breath oozed out of her mouth. As you can see, Im drinking because I dont have any patients. Thats all there is to it. Why dont you have any patients? The question seemed to have been taboo. Sallys eyes turned vindictive. Why? Ahahahahaha! Theyre all fools! Blood-purified medicine is creepy, they said?! Huh? Everyst one of them! I literally bled myself and did research for every one of your sakes! But they whined about how only demons used that method to create medicine! When she helped Mine who was gravely injured, Jin told Sally to bine Healing magic with a recovery medicine obtained by precipitating a demons blood that possessed magical power. Sally seemed to have practiced it with her own blood. Residents who knew about it rejected to acknowledge Sally who used such medicine. Jin managed to infer from Sallys drunkenly incoherent words. They even threw stones at me! Hahahahaha Funny, isnt it? Laugh! She mowed down the table with her hands. Empty bottles of liquor fell to the floor and shattered. She had be self-deprecating. Truthfully, she could have med Jin who taught her that method originally. But she did not. Doctor, Im sorry I told you unnecessary things She threw a cup at Jin. Reiko fetched it just before it hit Jin. Jin silently stopped Reiko who was enraged. Its not your fault! Its my bad! Because Im helpless! Doctor Why do you think I became a Healer? To help others! To save people! But do they know how painful it is being rejected even though I had such intention at heart?! Jin wondered what to do after hearing her spiel regarding what had happened to her. In dramas, this would be the perfect time to p her back to reality and give her a loud pep talk. However, Jin could not bring himself to do that to Sally. While Jin was contemting what to do, Reiko changed the subject. Doctor, theres someone suffering from dystocia. Would you please lend a helping hand? Sally stoppedughing as soon as she heard Reikos request. What did you say ? The vindictiveness in her eyes dissipated. Did you say dystocia? How long has it been? Well, about 3 hours already Jin responded after making the estimate in his mind. Before he could take a breath, Sally exploded in anger. Idiot! Why didnt youe earlier?! Its dangerous for both mother and child! Oh, right now, she has someone who can use Healing magic by her side. She has no experience in assisting delivery, though. After Jin said so, Sallys anger subsided a little. Well, then thats a little better. Wait, Ill get ready Oops. Sally tried to get up, but staggered because her drunken body did not cooperate. Jin helped to support her. Please pull yourself together, Doctor. Yeah, Im sorry. Detox. Sally used magic that Jin was not familiar with. She became as fit as a fiddle in an instant. Doctor, what magic was that? Um, Detox? Its a healing magic that removes toxins from the body. I finallypleted it recently. Completed? Apparently, Sally had been developing a new healing magic. That was definitely no easy task. I see, thats why its called alcoholic poisoning. Did you get rid of the alcohol? Thats right. You understand well. But this isnt the time to chit chat about this. Help me with the preparation! Yes. With Jin and Reikos help, Sally packed some healing equipment in her bag. Jin felt relieved. It appeared that she lost her temper due to the alcohol. Jin had a strange impression that there would be no such thing as a drama-like development. In the meantime, Sally finished packing her clothes and appeared. OK, lets go. Seeing her with arge baggage, Jin could not help but ask. Doctor, whats with all the baggage? Hmm? I have no intention toe back here anymore. After I helped the patient you mentioned, Im thinking of going on a trip. I see Upon hearing this, Jin invited her to Kaina Vige and thought in the back of his mind that perhaps to invite her to Fuso Ind, preferably his Horai Ind family in the future. All right, lets go. Please show me the way. After leaving her healing clinic, Sally nced over her shoulder. She soon followed Jin with a trot without turning around. Hey, up ahead is the river. Is there a woman inbor up ahead? Sally was suspicious of where Jin was taking her to. Jin turned toward her and exined with a serious expression. Yes, the patient is in the Klein Kingdom. Well be heading there shortly using an Artifact. Chapter 416: Tea and Rice Balls

Chapter 418: Nurse

What a coincidence. I also have a lot of questions to ask you, Jin. After hearing Sallys response, Jin guided her to the dining hall inside Nidou Castle. Oh, this is a unique menu. I ate roundly shaped food yesterday. It was delicious. Whats it called? The only thing that came to Jins mind was rice balls. Its called rice. When cooked like this, we call it steamed rice in my hometown. Sometimes we call it a meal, too. Hmm. Does it mean that this food called rice is so popr that people are calling it a meal? Its indeed delicious. The menu that morning was white rice, pickled vegetables, grilled fish, and sweet omelet. However, Jin had always been craving miso soup. Leaving Jins craving, Sally seemed to enjoy the rice very much. Ive eaten stewed wheat before, but this is iparable to that. You are indeed amazing, Jin. Haha, maybe so. And youre so skillful. What are those wooden sticks? Sally was using a spoon, while Jin was using chopsticks. Sally was impressed seeing him using it so skillfully. These are chopsticks, and I use them when I eat rice in my hometown. There are many ways to use them, such as pinching, piercing, and tearing food. After finishing breakfast while chitchatting, they moved to the conference room on the third floor. Belle served tea and went downstairs. Hmm, your castle is, well, in a nutshell, its wonderful. Sallymented as an icebreaker while she was looking around the room. S-so, what would you like to ask me about? Oh, first of all, theres no mistake that this is Klein Kingdom, correct? Eh? Yes, this is part of the Klein Kingdom. Im leasing thend. Upon hearing that, Sally nodded and continued to ask her next question. What is the immigration procedure like? What? Well, you see, I basically crossed the border into this kingdom. So I was wondering how the immigration work in this case. Jin was stumped. He had never thought about that. It was probably simr to the worries he had when entering Shouro Empire from Celuroa Kingdom. Well, thats fine. Its not a crime anyway. Immigration control was also lenient in this world, where a family registry system did not exist. If you were not a noble, royal family, big merchant, or celebrity, freely crossing borders was virtually not a crime. In fact, peddlers and merchants sometimes cross borders without permission. Jin was thinking of consulting regarding this with each country. And Id like to ask something about you. You mentioned Warp Gate, didnt you? How did such an Artifacte to your possession? Who are you really? Someone else finally asked those questions. Jin exined to Reinhardt and the others, regarding the fact that he was an orphan. He learned everything from his master. He lived on an isted ind. There were Artifacts there, and so on. I see. I got the big picture. Well, I think there are still things you havent told me, but Im not going to snoop that far. So, what did you wanted to talk to me about? Yes. Doctor, would you be willing to settle in this vige? Oh, that. Sally nodded because she was expecting such a request from Jin. Yes, thats right. Apparently, another baby is going to be born. Huh? Sallys remark took Jin by surprise. Sally stared at him with a bitter smile. Haha, even if you own an Artifact, but youre pretty slow in this. ording to my observation, there will be 4 more people giving birth by the end of this year. Uh Hasnt the living condition in this vige improved sincest year? That would most likely be the reason. Speaking of which, Jin camest year and improved the vige in various aspects. Jin thought it was great that the number of children increased because of his improvement to the viges living condition. So, will you stay? Yeah, sure. I have just arrived, but this is a cozy little vige. In addition In addition? Im curious about those books on the shelf there. She pointed at the books that were created by Laojun and were put on the shelf as decoration to the conference room. Old Book of Demolition was written on the back cover of one of them. (Whats with naming it old?) It was probably a deliberate pun created by Laojun* (a peculiar sense of humor he inherited from Jin). May I see them? Oh, yes, please. Jin had no other choice but to let her. Sally took the aforementioned book off the shelf and flipped through it. Hmm, this is amazing! The human skeleton, muscles, internal organs are fully illustrated! Lets see the publication information. 2446 First Edition, 3434 Reprint. What?! (Laojun, youre too much ) Jin also had not seen every book that was ced there. So he was amazed at Laojuns work. I see. Your mentor also possessed pre-Magi War schrly books. They had been rewritten like this amazing! T-thank you very much. Sally jumped in joy after Jin gave her permission to read the books in the Nidou Castle library anytime she wanted to. R-really?! Im so happy. Then Ill be staying at the mayors house for a while. ording to Sally, it would be more convenient to stay in the center of the vige. Jin did not mind if she wanted to live in Nidou Castle. But since it would be more convenient for her to stay in the vige, he thought to build her a house. After all, Eric was going to build a house here to open a store, so it would be better to build another house for Sally at the same time. All right, please let me know if you need anything. Oh, yes. Would you like an assistant golem? Oh, thank you. I see, youre a golem user as well. Then Id like to borrow one. Understood. Their morning meeting ended. Sally borrowed a book and rushed to Giebecks house. Jin immediately transported to Horai Ind and asked Laojun about the progress of the nurse golem. Yes, My Lord. I made three prototypes. Three golems appeared in front of Jin. They were wearing a white coat and a nurses cap. Their appearance was delicate to avoid intimidating the patients. What made Jin even more curious, was their faces. Why do they look like Elsa? All three of them looked very simr to Elsa. Yes, Miss Elsa is the best Healer on Horai Ind. So I created them this way in honor of her. At Potlock, My Lord created the golem Arrow, who resembled Miss Marcia, and Lotte, who looked just like Miss Viina at the request of Earl Kuzuma. So this time O-okay, okay. The problem would be the internal system. ording to Laojun, the basics were the same as the golem maid, but taking hygiene under consideration, the surface was made of silver-d. d material was a material in which two or more kinds of metals were bonded together to enhance the function. In this case, antibacterial silver was bonded. Since it was thicker than ting, it had a durable characteristic that did not peel away easily. I see youve made their appearance matte as well. Silver was a highly reflective metal. In other words, its appearance was shiny and dazzling. Therefore, it had been matted. It was also partially oxidized (ckened with a sulfide film). The difference between the three of them is the tactile sensor. is Aal type, is Noir type, is Horai Ind type. Jin understood Aal type, but didnt understand Noir and the Horai Ind types. However, Laojun interjected his thoughts of asking for a more detailed exnation. Noir type uses demon leather only on the palm and sole to improve the ability to detect the necessary parts. Horai Ind type is an alloy of Mithril bonded with silver-d to generate magical power potential. I see. Then, lets lend to Doctor Sally to test. As such, Jin returned to Kaina Vige with the nurse golem prototype. Since it was closer to the mayors house, instead of returning to Nidou Castle, he went to the workshop basement. Is it okay to call her Gamma? Yes, My Lord. All right. For the time being, please be Doctor Sallys assistant. While having such a conversation. they arrived at Giebecks house. Oh, Jin. Youve brought her here so soon. All right, Im Sally Milleshan. Nice to meet you. Yes, Doctor Sally. My name is Gamma. Nice to meet you. Wow, your golem is indeed amazing. Well then, lets go to Linus house, where a baby was newly born yesterday. Since I havent heard a word from them, Im assuming both the mother and the baby are doing fine. Elsa and Mine should be staying there just in case. They all had arrived at Linus house. We knocked, and Elsa came to open the door for us. Oh, Brother Jin, and Doctor. Yo! Elsa, was it? Are Sera and her baby doing well? Elsa smiled and nodded. Yes, Doctor. Sera is eating normally, and her baby is now being breast-fed. Ah, I see. May I intrude for a bit? Yes, pleasee in. Okay, Gamma,e here. Yes, Doctor. Ah! Elsa was astonished when she firstid eyes on Gamma. Brother Jin And the next moment, she red at Jin. No, no, Laojun made the design. I told him to create a nurse golem. The next thing I know, he said he made it to be simr to Horai Inds best Healer. And thats you, Elsa. Elsa made a conflicted expression. She then said, I somehow understand how Marcia and Viina felt. Authors note: Since this is a parallel universe, they dont have nurses, but they have female nurses. Chapter 417: Sally

Chapter 417: Sally

The door opened, and Sally Milleshan peeked outside. She alternated staring at Locke and Linus. Which one of you is Seras husband Linus? She asked with an angry voice. Im Linus. Sally approached Linus and pped his cheek hard. It hurts! What was that for?! Linus was about toin but decided not to, since Sally was ring at him. This idiot husband! Your wife was having a hard time delivering because of you! She further yelled at Linus, taking him by surprise. Listen, pregnant women shouldnt get chilled. And what did you have her do? Going in the river to collect magic sandstones? No wonder she was having a breech delivery! A fetus in the mothers uterus was said to be in the breech delivery position at first. After 7 months (about 30 weeks), the fetus would naturally shift into the correct position for normal delivery with the head at the bottom. However, if the mothers abdomen got chilled, the fetus would feel ufortable and would shift back into the breech delivery position. It appeared that Sera went into Elme River when she was more than 7 months pregnant to look for magic sandstones. That was why her babys position flipped in her womb. I-Im sorry Linus bowed deeply in apology. Sally retorted, Youre apologizing to the wrong person. Go apologize to your wife. Sally smacked Linus in the head. Ouch! So Sera is Yeah, shes fine. The baby is probably having the first bath right now. You can go inside. Go take care of your wife and meet your baby. Y-yes! Linus excitedly hopped inside the house like a rabbit. * * * Hmm, I was nervous. Sally was rxing at the vige mayor Giebecks house. Sally was staying at the vige mayors house for the night. She was offered to stay at the Nido Castle, but she wanted to stay closer to Linus house in case of an emergency. No, Ms. Sally, thank you for your help. The vige mayor bowed showing his gratitude. No, I may be the one being saved here. Huh? Actually Sally briefly exined what happened in Tellurus. I see Well, this vige has Jin, so were no longer surprised at most things. Giebeck waspletely unaffected by the story of using purified blood to make medicine. Sally was relieved, but a little disappointed at the same time. Um when you said Jin, hes done that much for this vige? Yes, over there well, you cant really see it clearly since its already nightfall. But he built Nidou Castle overnight, and before I knew it, Kaina Vige has be a leased territory. Giebeck was certainly exaggerated when he said the castle was made overnight, but that was how he imagined it. H-huh eh? Leased territory? Thats right. He would personally help us request anything to the king. Um what country was this again? This is the Klein Kingdom. Huh? Oh, speaking of which Sally was recalling that Jin said he would use an Artifact to guide her to the Klein Kingdom. I missed the details anyway, Ill ask Jin tomorrow. That night, Sally felt satisfied and slept soundly for the first time in a long time. * * * The next morning, Sally was rmended to visit the hot springs. She was apanied by the vige mayors niece, Barbara. Sally was 48, while Barbara was 17 years old. Barbara had lost her mother long ago. Although Sally was older than her mother, Barbara was longing for the motherly love Sally showed, so they hit it off right away. Wow, this is nice. All the people in this vige can get in here, right? Yes, since Mr. Jin made it, everyone could soak in here. Jin, eh Who is he anyway? Hes a Magi Craftsman who came from a country called Japan. Thats all I know. Hmm, I see. By the way, on a different note, you said your name is Barbara, was it? Is something troubling you? Eh? H-how do you know? I mean, why do you think that? Sally smiled bitterly upon seeing the flustered Barbara. Youre admitting it yourself. I know because Im a Healer. I can see that something in your mind is bothering you. Well, Im kidding. But I heard from Mr. Giebeck. From my uncle ? Yeah. He said he thought you were uneasy, but then you looked so depressed. Barbara felt a little grateful to her uncle for caring, although she had been careful not to show her worries. No, its nothing. Fufu, trouble with boys? H-how do you know?! Haha, when youngdies your age are troubled about something, usually its about love. Barbara turned beet red while still soaking in the hot water. Well, I guess its hard to consult with me since weve only met yesterday, so Im not going to force you. But just keep in mind that some people are worried about you. Okay. Just when the atmosphere was getting awkward, a cheerful voice was calling. Oh, big sis Barbara. And doctor! Eh? This auntie is the doctor? Doctor, thank you very much for your help yesterday! It was Hanna and Patty. Hmm, yesterday? Doctor, Patty is Linus and Seras daughter. She was entrusted to another family yesterday. Maybe she heard about you this morning. Patty was in Lockes house yesterday. Last nights situation was exined to her this morning. Patty did not know what Sally looked like. However, Hanna had met Sally the day before and told Patty to thank her for saving their mothers life. I see. So youre Seras daughter. Youre wee. Saving peoples lives is my job. There was no hint of depression at all on Sallys face. It appeared that she had already put the case in Tellurus to rest. Watching Hanna and Patty getting excited, Sally smiled at them with a loving motherly expression. I was saved, too Her muttering was drowned by the excitement around. * * * Hmm, so Barbara is contemting something like that. In a room inside Nidou Castle, Jin received a report about Kaina Vige from Laojun and the butler for the first time in a while. Actually, Lagran Company, where Eric is working, is nning to open a branch office in Kaina Vige. Ah, I see. Then it would be best if Eric bes the branch manager. Thats right. The chairman of thepany has seeded in instigated the Quinta. Haha, it would be great if Eric moved to this vige. That would be good for Barbara, too. Jin mentioned that if Eric opened a store here, he would instruct Laojun to prepare the building. When the timees, even if I wasnt around, please consult with the mayor on how to proceed. Im counting on you, too, Butler. Understood. And then, about doctor Sally Jin wanted her to open a clinic in this vige. At that time, he was informed that Sally had arrived at Nidou Castle. He went down to the first floor with Reiko and Butler. Yo, Jin! Morning. Good morning. Do you mind if I ask you a lot of questions? Coincidentally, Jin also had something to say to her, so it was perfect timing. Sure. Doctor, have you had breakfast? If you havent, would you like to join me for breakfast? Chapter 418: Nurse

Chapter 418: Nurse

What a coincidence. I also have a lot of questions to ask you, Jin. After hearing Sallys response, Jin guided her to the dining hall inside Nidou Castle. Oh, this is a unique menu. I ate roundly shaped food yesterday. It was delicious. Whats it called? The only thing that came to Jins mind was rice balls. Its called rice. When cooked like this, we call it steamed rice in my hometown. Sometimes we call it a meal, too. Hmm. Does it mean that this food called rice is so popr that people are calling it a meal? Its indeed delicious. The menu that morning was white rice, pickled vegetables, grilled fish, and sweet omelet. However, Jin had always been craving miso soup. Leaving Jins craving, Sally seemed to enjoy the rice very much. Ive eaten stewed wheat before, but this is iparable to that. You are indeed amazing, Jin. Haha, maybe so. And youre so skillful. What are those wooden sticks? Sally was using a spoon, while Jin was using chopsticks. Sally was impressed seeing him using it so skillfully. These are chopsticks, and I use them when I eat rice in my hometown. There are many ways to use them, such as pinching, piercing, and tearing food. After finishing breakfast while chitchatting, they moved to the conference room on the third floor. Belle served tea and went downstairs. Hmm, your castle is, well, in a nutshell, its wonderful. Sallymented as an icebreaker while she was looking around the room. S-so, what would you like to ask me about? Oh, first of all, theres no mistake that this is Klein Kingdom, correct? Eh? Yes, this is part of the Klein Kingdom. Im leasing thend. Upon hearing that, Sally nodded and continued to ask her next question. What is the immigration procedure like? What? Well, you see, I basically crossed the border into this kingdom. So I was wondering how the immigration work in this case. Jin was stumped. He had never thought about that. It was probably simr to the worries he had when entering Shouro Empire from Celuroa Kingdom. Well, thats fine. Its not a crime anyway. Immigration control was also lenient in this world, where a family registry system did not exist. If you were not a noble, royal family, big merchant, or celebrity, freely crossing borders was virtually not a crime. In fact, peddlers and merchants sometimes cross borders without permission. Jin was thinking of consulting regarding this with each country. And Id like to ask something about you. You mentioned Warp Gate, didnt you? How did such an Artifacte to your possession? Who are you really? Someone else finally asked those questions. Jin exined to Reinhardt and the others, regarding the fact that he was an orphan. He learned everything from his master. He lived on an isted ind. There were Artifacts there, and so on. I see. I got the big picture. Well, I think there are still things you havent told me, but Im not going to snoop that far. So, what did you wanted to talk to me about? Yes. Doctor, would you be willing to settle in this vige? Oh, that. Sally nodded because she was expecting such a request from Jin. Yes, thats right. Apparently, another baby is going to be born. Huh? Sallys remark took Jin by surprise. Sally stared at him with a bitter smile. Haha, even if you own an Artifact, but youre pretty slow in this. ording to my observation, there will be 4 more people giving birth by the end of this year. Uh Hasnt the living condition in this vige improved sincest year? That would most likely be the reason. Speaking of which, Jin camest year and improved the vige in various aspects. Jin thought it was great that the number of children increased because of his improvement to the viges living condition. So, will you stay? Yeah, sure. I have just arrived, but this is a cozy little vige. In addition In addition? Im curious about those books on the shelf there. She pointed at the books that were created by Laojun and were put on the shelf as decoration to the conference room. Old Book of Demolition was written on the back cover of one of them. (Whats with naming it old?) It was probably a deliberate pun created by Laojun* (a peculiar sense of humor he inherited from Jin). May I see them? Oh, yes, please. Jin had no other choice but to let her. Sally took the aforementioned book off the shelf and flipped through it. Hmm, this is amazing! The human skeleton, muscles, internal organs are fully illustrated! Lets see the publication information. 2446 First Edition, 3434 Reprint. What?! (Laojun, youre too much ) Jin also had not seen every book that was ced there. So he was amazed at Laojuns work. I see. Your mentor also possessed pre-Magi War schrly books. They had been rewritten like this amazing! T-thank you very much. Sally jumped in joy after Jin gave her permission to read the books in the Nidou Castle library anytime she wanted to. R-really?! Im so happy. Then Ill be staying at the mayors house for a while. ording to Sally, it would be more convenient to stay in the center of the vige. Jin did not mind if she wanted to live in Nidou Castle. But since it would be more convenient for her to stay in the vige, he thought to build her a house. After all, Eric was going to build a house here to open a store, so it would be better to build another house for Sally at the same time. All right, please let me know if you need anything. Oh, yes. Would you like an assistant golem? Oh, thank you. I see, youre a golem user as well. Then Id like to borrow one. Understood. Their morning meeting ended. Sally borrowed a book and rushed to Giebecks house. Jin immediately transported to Horai Ind and asked Laojun about the progress of the nurse golem. Yes, My Lord. I made three prototypes. Three golems appeared in front of Jin. They were wearing a white coat and a nurses cap. Their appearance was delicate to avoid intimidating the patients. What made Jin even more curious, was their faces. Why do they look like Elsa? All three of them looked very simr to Elsa. Yes, Miss Elsa is the best Healer on Horai Ind. So I created them this way in honor of her. At Potlock, My Lord created the golem Arrow, who resembled Miss Marcia, and Lotte, who looked just like Miss Viina at the request of Earl Kuzuma. So this time O-okay, okay. The problem would be the internal system. ording to Laojun, the basics were the same as the golem maid, but taking hygiene under consideration, the surface was made of silver-d. d material was a material in which two or more kinds of metals were bonded together to enhance the function. In this case, antibacterial silver was bonded. Since it was thicker than ting, it had a durable characteristic that did not peel away easily. I see youve made their appearance matte as well. Silver was a highly reflective metal. In other words, its appearance was shiny and dazzling. Therefore, it had been matted. It was also partially oxidized (ckened with a sulfide film). The difference between the three of them is the tactile sensor. is Aal type, is Noir type, is Horai Ind type. Jin understood Aal type, but didnt understand Noir and the Horai Ind types. However, Laojun interjected his thoughts of asking for a more detailed exnation. Noir type uses demon leather only on the palm and sole to improve the ability to detect the necessary parts. Horai Ind type is an alloy of Mithril bonded with silver-d to generate magical power potential. I see. Then, lets lend to Doctor Sally to test. As such, Jin returned to Kaina Vige with the nurse golem prototype. Since it was closer to the mayors house, instead of returning to Nidou Castle, he went to the workshop basement. Is it okay to call her Gamma? Yes, My Lord. All right. For the time being, please be Doctor Sallys assistant. While having such a conversation. they arrived at Giebecks house. Oh, Jin. Youve brought her here so soon. All right, Im Sally Milleshan. Nice to meet you. Yes, Doctor Sally. My name is Gamma. Nice to meet you. Wow, your golem is indeed amazing. Well then, lets go to Linus house, where a baby was newly born yesterday. Since I havent heard a word from them, Im assuming both the mother and the baby are doing fine. Elsa and Mine should be staying there just in case. They all had arrived at Linus house. We knocked, and Elsa came to open the door for us. Oh, Brother Jin, and Doctor. Yo! Elsa, was it? Are Sera and her baby doing well? Elsa smiled and nodded. Yes, Doctor. Sera is eating normally, and her baby is now being breast-fed. Ah, I see. May I intrude for a bit? Yes, pleasee in. Okay, Gamma,e here. Yes, Doctor. Ah! Elsa was astonished when she firstid eyes on Gamma. Brother Jin And the next moment, she red at Jin. No, no, Laojun made the design. I told him to create a nurse golem. The next thing I know, he said he made it to be simr to Horai Inds best Healer. And thats you, Elsa. Elsa made a conflicted expression. She then said, I somehow understand how Marcia and Viina felt. Authors note: Since this is a parallel universe, they dont have nurses, but they have female nurses. Chapter 418: Calming Down After Many Happenings

Chapter 418: Calming Down After Many Happenings

Upon seeing Gammas appearance, Elsa suspiciously red at Jin, while Sally was examining the health condition of the mother and child at Linus house. Currently, Sera had just finished breastfeeding her baby and was tapping his back to burp him. Doctor, my wife and child are safe because of your help. Id like to thank you once again. Linus bowed in appreciation. Oh, dont worry about it. Instead, take good care of your wife and son. By the way, have you decided what to name your baby? Yes, we cant decide whether to name him Charles or Franklin. Thats right, doctor, would you do us the honor and choose a name for our baby? Me? Hmm, lets see Schroeder ? Nah, it doesnt sound like a citizen of Klein Kingdom. How about Henry? Henry is a great name! Thank you very much. Hey! Your name is Henry. Linus was talking to his baby in Seras arms while poking him on the cheek. After observing them for a while by the front door, Jin gently closed the door and left Linus house. Brother Jin? Jins back seemed so lonely. Elsa waspelled to chase after him. Father, Miss Elsa is chasing us with a very concerned expression. It was unclear whether Reiko was being tactful or not, but Jin stopped and turned around. Elsa was within his arms reach. Ah Elsa felt a little awkward meeting Jin face-to-face. She was wondering what to say. She ended up saying, Brother Jin, do you want children? She said it. Huh? Elsas question took him by surprise. And the person who asked was panicking. No, no, not that, I mean, like Ms. Sera, breastmilk When she realized that her remark did note out right, she turned beet red and started to run away. Hey However, Elsa kept running and disappeared from Jins view. She got flustered and then turned beet red by herself What the hell was that? Father, Miss Elsa was probably I think she came tofort you, didnt she? Hearing Reikosment, Jin suddenly realized. A baby Jin felt extremely miserable seeing Sera and Linus holding Henry. Jin, who never knew his mother, found the sight to be extremely painful. Jin felt sorry for Elsa who was worrying about him. I see. Jin had been feeling depressedtely. * * * Huh, huh, huh. Elsa was gasping for air after running all the way to the outskirts of the vige. Elme River was in front of her. The July sunshine had been radiant since the morning. Elsa was sweating from the run. I want to swim. She wanted to cool her head and her burning body. But she did not have a swimsuit with her. No matter how free Kaina Vige was, only small children would skinny-dip in the river. As she calmed down and caught her breath, Elsa was baffled as to why she escaped from Jin. She knew that Jin was an orphan. She then realized that the cause of Jins lonely expression could have been the sight of Sera feeding her baby and showering him with love. However, Elsa could not find the perfect words to say to Jin and ended up saying some weird things. Amidst the confusion, she then panicked. Because she could not bring herself to see Jin in the eyes, she ran away. Im going back. Elsa suddenly changed her attitude and trudged back to the vige. Barbara appeared in front of Elsa. Barbara was not feeling well either. Oh, Elsa. Barbara. They had both be closely acquainted that they dropped honorifics in addressing each other. You look down. Yeah, you, too. They looked at each other for a while. And let out a small sigh one after the other. * * * With that said, mayor. Shell be in your care. Yeah, no problem. I have a spare room. Ill make the arrangement. Jin was consulting with Mayor Giebeck and decided to let Sally stay at his house for a while. The mayors house would be a temporary clinic. So, can I assume its an agreement with Lagran Company since they want to open their branch store in this vige? Yes. And I would like to discuss with you regarding the location for the branch. Hmm, it would be more convenient to have it built at the center of the vige When Laojun mentioned the possibility of Lagran Companys intention in opening a branch in Kaina Vige, Jin went to the mayor to confirm it. Once it had been confirmed, the preparation for creating the building was immediately arranged. Do you know who will be in charge of the branch? Hmm? No, I havent heard about that. Do you know if Barbara knows? Um, we talked about it briefly. In that case, thats fine. Jin knew that Eric was already on his way there ording to Laojuns report. However, he kept quiet to preserve the element of surprise. Incidentally, when the mayor was talking about the building of this new branch, Barbara was absent-mindedly listening, so she could not remember the conversation at all. In any case, Jin had secretly summoned smiths and instructed them to start building the store. The floor n looks something like this. The disy and workshop will be on the first floor. The second floor will be a living space. Well, the size will be double this house I live in. Understood, My Lord. Five smiths were working all at once. The building waspleted in less than a day. However, it came as no surprise to the vigers, because they were already ustomed to it. To begin with, Sally did not know anything regarding this, so there was nothing for her to be surprised about. That was because she was busy visiting each house in the vige to do health checkups, as well as to meet and greet everyone. Hmm, Im a little tired. Please go to Nidou Castle to refresh. Youre about 6 months pregnant. Please take care of yourself. Come to Nidou Castle for prenatal care. You shouldnt underestimate your injuries to this extent. Shall I disinfect it? Nurse Gamma was following Sally along. In fact, the three prototype nurse golems were designed to stream real-time knowledge and experience to Laojun. So Gamma was working hard to collect data for the newer nurse golems to be mass-produced. * * * There was a vige called Toka Vige located south of Kaina Vige. Including that vige, several other towns like Lucknow, Doppa, and Sharuru had appointed several neu nobles to rece Earl Walter who used to rule the southern territory. Lithia Fahlheit was the one currently in charge of Toka Vige. She became the Lady of Toka Vige on July 1st. Oh, its hot today. Riding a golem horse she borrowed from Jin, Lithia had just left the town of Sharuru. Another golem horse was carrying her belongings. It was borrowed together with Pasco Rush. I have to apologize to Jin for returning themte. She was heading to Toka Vige with Gloria Ohlstat as her guard. I wish I could meet Lord Jin. Although she requested to be Lithias protection detail, her personal agenda was quite apparent. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Powell gave her permission with a bitter smile. I told you that Jin doesnt always stay there I see. So hes elusive. Gloria was formerly Lithias senior and instructor. However, Lithia possessed a higher position currently. Due to this, Gloria attempted to use formal honorifics to address her, which made Lithia ufortable. They had just finally agreed for Gloria to use a figure of speech for addressing someone older. Im looking forward to visiting Kaina Vige. Hehe, Im certain youll be surprised when you get there, Gloria. Lithia muttered and kept moving ahead. She ignored the merchant-like man in a carriage in front of her. Chapter 429: Side Story 23: Lithia Became A Lady

Chapter 429: Side Story 23: Lithia Became A Lady

In May 3457 of the World Calendar, Lithia Fahlheit, the daughter of a new nobleman, was awarded the status of Bar for her significant contribution to the magical power hectic fever that struck Klein Kingdom. At the same time, the former Earl Walter was dismissed. The territory was then assigned to several new nobles to rule. Lithia received Toka Vige as her territory to rule that way. Her appointment will officiallymence starting July 1st. Congrattions, Lithia. Congrats. Thank you, dad, mom. The three of them held a small celebration at home. With this, I feel relieved. Rather, Im very proud of you. Nis was d that the post-war rescue mission was finally over in Tetrada, so she coulde back home. She was serving as a knight in the post-war rescue unit and now had be the Lady of Toka Vige. Even though the rescue units main task is for logistical support, it did not change the fact that it was still on the battlefield. Life-threatening situation was always lurking. Although Lithia went to the battlefield to serve the country, Nis was deeply concerned about her safety. He was delighted now that his daughter had be the Lady of Toka Vige. All this is also thanks to Jin. Lord Jin, eh? The other day, I heard that he was invited as an honored guest by the Third Princess. Apparently so. He came by here when father and I were still in Tetrada. Apparently, Jin became acquainted with Deus Ex Machina and came to deliver Lithias sword found on the battlefield. It was said to be delivered by a woman and received by maid Aal. However, Lithia thought it must have something to do with Jin because he was the only one who knew that sword belonged to her. She implicitly asked him regarding the matter when visiting Kaina Vige. Her suspicion turned out to be true. Jin, who was an acquaintance of Machina, delivered the sword. Lithia still thought that Jin and Machina were the same person. But since our territories neighboring each other, I think we will have more meeting opportunities. Lithia exined while taking a bite of her steak. Yes, he seems like a great person. It would be wise to get along with him. So you can consult with him when you have a problem. Lithias mother, Milia, felt Jins greatness and awesomeness from the stories frequently told by her daughter. Yeah, and I still have to return the golem horses I borrowed from him. Jin let Lithia and Pasco borrow his golem horses when they left Kaina Vige. The performance of the golem horses was amazing, and they had been very helpful along the way. When Prime Minister Powellid eyes on them the first time, he requested the Royal Magi Craftsman to create the same thing. However, disassembling them to understand their mechanism was out of the question. If Jin were offended by that, then it would be a great loss for the kingdom. So they tried to study the mechanism from the outside, but it proved to be impossible. They had no idea about the structure, material, or control at all. The only thing they figured out was the outer shell of the golem was made of aluminum. Even then, using that much aluminum would most likely increase the cost very steeply. At that point, they had to give up on creating a copy. A lot of work needed to bepleted, such as preparing documents, assignments, on-site preliminary inspection, and arranging subordinates. One month passed in a blink of an eye. It was June 25th. Lithias parents saw her off. She left Alban. She was apanied by a knight as her guard. Lithia, Im looking forward to this journey. Yes, instructor. Hey, dont call me that. With that said, Im not properly addressing you as my boss either. Pardon me, Bar Fahlheit. Please stop Gloria. But you have to embrace your status properly Youre the Deputy Captain of the Female Knight Imperial Guard Unit and an instructor. To me, youre my mentor, my teacher. And youll always be my teacher. I would be a lost cause if I forgot that debt of gratitude. Gloriaughed. Haha, thank you. It was only for a short time, but thank you for calling me your teacher. Alright, then lets talk normally unless were in public. What do you think? Yes, if you say so. Are you fine with me showing you respect like I would to someone older? Well, I guess so. The two of them continued their journey. The second day, then the third day passed. As the days went by, Glorias horse was starting to be fatigued. On the other hand, the golem horse Lithia had been riding was as good as new. The same was true for the golem horse that was carrying their belongings. Those golem horses are amazing. Gloria muttered while feeding her horse at an inn in the town of Sharuru. Even though it also has been carrying all my belongings the whole time. Hehe, Jin said that these horses are five to ten times more powerful than a normal horse. Wow! Lord Jin is indeed remarkable. At that time, they could hear a post rider approaching. Post rider work alongside pigeons to transmit information. Although it was not the fastest, it had a high probability for the information to be transmitted to remote areas as well. In addition, pigeons only worked one way as in they always went back to the same ce. However, post riders were more effective in searching for various destinations. Oh, a post rider? Thats unusual. When the post rider saw Lithia and Gloria, he slowed down and changed direction because he was already in town. Hmm? Is heing this way? The horse clip-clopped toward thedies. Upon looking more closely, a knight wearing a cloak with the crest of the royal family was riding it. A messenger knight. Is it a decree? The messenger knight jumped off the horse in front of Gloria and Lithia, and took out a letter from the bundle wrapped around his torso. It might not be a decree because there was no royal seal on it. Are you Bar Lithia Fahlheit? Please read this immediately. Y-yes. Even though it was quite unusual, Lithia was to confirm the content right then due to the urgency of the letter. The letter was written in ck ink on a piece of fabric made of linen. It was the style of letter used between noblemen. Um, Klein Kingdom is granting Lord Jin Nidou Magi Craft Meister title The letter indicated that Jin had been given the title Magi Craft Meister, and Lithia was appointed to deliver his certificate as proof of his title. Is it okay for me to deliver it? Lithia was worried about her Bar appearance. The messenger knight also handed her a short letter along with the certificate wrapped with a royal seal. Eh? Lord Jin Nidou doesnt like exaggeration, so its best for someone he knows and who has received assistance like me to deliver it?! Then, my delivery is confirmed. Lady Lithia. With that said, the messenger knight jumped on the horse, reigned the horse to turn back, and went back in the direction he came. So Jin is now a Magi Craft Meister, eh? Just from the sound of it, anyone would know it was a terrific title. I hope we can meet him. But what should we do if hes not there? Since our viges are neighbors, why dont we ask Jin to get in touch when hees back? Oh, thats right! I didnt realize that. Lithia put the letter and the certificate in the storagepartment inside the golem horses torso. That was the most secure ce. Only Lithia (and maybe Jin) could open it. The next day arrived. It was a day-long journey, but if all went well, they would reach Toka Vige as nned. The two of them left the town of Sharuru early in the morning, just like the journey she had with Pasco in the past. We need to stick to a strict schedule today. Looking up at the sky, it appeared that day would be hot and sunny. Gloria grumbled. I agree. Lets get as far as possible while its still cool in the morning. Likest time, they left early in the morning and had breakfast on the way. They finished eating lunch on horseback and managed to arrive at Toka Vige before sunset. Phew, were finally here. Thanks to the longer daytime during this season. Gloria seemed tired, but Lithia did not look tired at all. She had Jin to thank because the golem horse he created took into consideration of long-distance rides so that it would not be tiring for the rider. Originally, Lithia thought it would be good for Gloria to ride the golem horse Pasco had borrowed. However, she only mentioned it casually and did not want to be pushy about it. In the end, the golem horse carried all their belongings instead. Oh, if its not the Ladyspany. Wee to Toka Vige. My name is Burak, the vige mayor. Im Lithia Fahlheit. Im Gloria, her security detail. After exchanging a brief greeting, they went to the mayors house. During herst visit, she stayed at the soldiers dormitory. Now that she had be the Lady of this territory, the mayor himself weed her. The two of them, who originally were not concerned about a meal, had a wonderful dinner. Currently, were preparing to start mining at the Inado mines in the near future. Apparently so. We passed by the site on our way here. They started their conversation with small talk, and gradually advanced to discussions about the vige. Basically, I shall leave the managing of this vige to you, mayor. I will act as a mediator and negotiator for this vige when negotiating policies passed by the kingdom or the enactment of new policies. Im d to hear that. Recently, our neighboring vige, Kaina, has improved its reputation as a better ce to live. Some of our people have begun to migrate there. I see. Thats a problem. As the Lady of this territory, Id like to improve the living condition in this vige as well. We would be grateful if you would do that. They continued the various discussions about current issues faced by the vige untilte at night. June 29th went by without anyone realizing it. Lithia Fahlheit would officially be the Lady of that territory on July 1st. Authors note: There are 29 days in the month of June, July, and August. The rest of the months have 30 days. Chapter 430: Finally, The Decision

Chapter 430: Finally, The Decision

June 29th was thest day of the month. There are 30 days in a month ording to this worlds calendar. However, the long summer months, June through August, had only 29 days. As a result, a whole year consisted of 357 days. There was also no concept of days of the week. Therefore, calling the same date of the month in each year with the same name would be no problem at all. Ah, today is the deadline for me to give a reply That was the final day Jin had to reply to Empress Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro. I was intending to reply with the Fuso Ind n However, that proposal had been rejected. Well, at least for Her Majesty and the kingdom that gave me the title of Magi Craft Meister The night before, Jin consulted with Laojun regarding which course of action that would get the best out of the current situation. * * * Shouro Imperial Pce. Is Jin not here yet? Empress Gelhart was waiting for Jin toe into the office. The pile of documents to be read had not diminished at all. The Prime Minister had been out for another matter since morning. There was only a maid and a guard in the room. The time was 9 AM. A messenger knocked on the door and delivered the words. Your Majesty, Sir Jin Nidou wishes to see you. L-let him in immediately. Fifteen minutester, the door to the office opened, and Jin entered the room. Ive been waiting, Sir Jin Nidou. My apologies to have kept you waiting. Youre here to give me your answer, I presume? Yes. The Empress leaned forward in anticipation. After making a slightly regrettable expression, Jin replied, I cant serve you. He muttered briefly. Eh ?! The Empress reacted in a manner not befitting of an empress as Jins response took her by surprise. I-I see Well, thats too bad Too bad, indeed Her expression was as if she was about to cry any moment now. Im truly sorry I couldnt meet your expectation. Jin bowed and apologized. But Looking at the depressed empress, Jin continued. I would like to introduce science, Eh?! The Empress perked up her head. Um, I have prepared someone outside Let him in! Let him in! Without consulting with everyone, the Empress gave her permission. The faces of the maid and guard standing next to her twicthed a little. Y-yes, then Reiko, please bring him in since Ive got permission. Yes, father. The door opened, and Reiko with another Automata came in. And this Automata is ? His appearance was masculine. He looked to be in his mid-20s. He had a normal overall appearance. His physique was normal as well. However, he was wearing an outfit that was rarely seen in the Shouro Empire. A navy blue suit with a white shirt. It resembled a suit one would wear to a job interview. This is Fhrer. Hes loaded with scientific knowledge. I would like to give him to you as a present. He was Jinsst resort to apologize for turning down the offer. He was loaded with the transcription of science and mathematics (arithmetic) that was generally taught in elementary schools in modern earth. Jins thought was to have this Automata teach science so it could bring benefits for the people in the Empire. Dangerous knowledge, such as how to make bombs and poisonous gases, had been redacted. That was all that Jin could offer. Thank you, Jin. And what about you? What are you nning to do? Yes, Im thinking of traveling around the world. I see, the world Jin wanted to know more about this world and hopefully found people who could be his rades. Your Majesty, may I say something? Oh, what is it? What I want is a world without borders. And a world without war. Such a thing may be too idealistic. It may very well be just an illusion. But I want that kind of world. For my sake. For your sake? Yes. Even if Ie up with various reasons, it alles back down to myself. I want to create a world where I can do what I want to do and create what I want to create with myrades. A world where honesty is rewarded. A world where efforts bear fruit. I want such a world. I see. I feel like I can understand your feelings, Jin. Thank you for listening. Well then, Ill excuse myself. When Jin was about to leave, The Empress stopped him. Oh, wait a minute. Please have this as a token of thanks for giving me Fhrer. The Empress presented a te with the Crest of the Shouro Royal Family. Jins name and title, Magi Craft Meister, were engraved at the back of the te. Its an ID that will allow you to enter and leave this castle, as well as any public facilities in this kingdom at any time. You may also freely stay in this kingdom as long as you like. Jin soon realized how precious the ID was and was grateful to have received it. Undoubtedly, he now could use the Warp Gate to travel ces within the empire. At least within the Shouro Empire. Well, somehow I knew I couldnt monopolize you, Jin. But pleasee by anytime, okay? Thank you. Jin excused himself from the office showing the utmost respect to the Empress. The Empress sighed quietly as the door closed. Well, I could have expected that much. Its hard to tie him down after all The Empress smiled when she saw Fhrer standing beside her. But I got you. Yes, Your Majesty. My father was worried. He created me afterward. I see. Jin was The Empress stared at the closed door. Through the door, it was as if she could see Jins back as he was leaving. How did it go, Jin? Reinhardt, who was waiting in the hall on the first floor of the castle, called out. Oh, Her Majesty was willing to listen to me. I see The public figure in me felt sorry that you dont work for me. But as your best friend, I feel relieved. The Marquess said the same thing. For the time being, Ill travel to find myrades. Thats right. In that case, what about that person? Steirleana? Exactly. I heard shes returning to Celuroa Kingdom either today or tomorrow. Jin decided to consult with her before she left. Where could she be? Maybe at the guesthouse. He then left for the guesthouse with Reinhardt. It was about a five-minute walk from the castle grounds. He could go in freely by presenting the ID he received earlier. He then asked to see Steirleana and waited in the entrance hall for about five minutes. Jin, Reinhardt, are you here to see me off? Im sorry, but Im not leaving until tomorrow. Steirleana appeared and was already addressing the two gentlemen with familiarity. No, I have a lot to talk about with you. Steirleana seemed happy upon hearing Jins remark. Oh, I wonder what the Magi Craft Meister would like to talk about. In that case, lets go to my room to talk. Chapter 431: A New Partner

Chapter 431: A New Partner

Stearleanas room was on the guesthouses 3rd floor. There was a maid in that room as well, but since they were about to discuss a private matter, she was asked to leave. So, what did you want to discuss with me? Stearleana asked while pouring the tea the maid had prepared before leaving. Well, first of all, I wanted to know if youd join us as a partner, Stearleana. Jin went straight to the point. Perhaps he had been too straightforward about it, since Stearleana didnt seem to be able to grasp the meaning of his words. What do you mean, as a partner? Not as friends? Yes, as a partner. Having finally understood the meaning, Stearleanas face became brighter. Could it be that Ill learn a lot more about you, like your secrets and so on, Jin? Ah, yeah, well Lets do it then! I wont have toe back to my home country either! After hearing those words, Jin asked her again in order to double-check. Do you really mean that? Huh? Are you really okay with leaving your country in order to learn Magi Craft? Are you ready for that? Feeling Jins tone of voice and Reinhardts mood, Stearleana changed her cheerful manner of speaking into a more serious one. Yes, Im okay with that. How about I show you some proof of that? Stearleana opened one of her dressers drawers and reached for her bag inside it. Then, she took out an ID card from it. It looked like a passport. If I dont have this with me, I cant go back to my country. Im willing to offer this to you. Jin pushed the ID back into her hands. I understand. But you dont need to go that far. Theres only one thing Id like to ask your permission for, though. Please let me use Transinfo. Transinfo? What kind of magic is that? Jin decided to answer that question honestly. Its a spell that reads whats in your mind and transfers it into a Magi Crystal. You can use it to quickly tell if someone is lying. People would normally be creeped out by the idea of having their thoughts read like an open book, but Stearleana didnt seem to be too worried about it. Yes, go ahead. Stearleanas dignified attitude made Jin feel a bit awkward. But in the end, he had to do it if he wanted to move forward. Transinfo Lvl 8. Kya! For a brief moment, Stearleana let out a small shriek of difort. Will this do? Stearina asked Jin as he stared at the Magi Crystal resting in his hands. Yes, all theres left now is to analyze it. But thats the easy part. The magic tool he created the other day together with Laojun was called Thought Checker. It looked like a cube, about 15 centimeters wide. It had the same structure as that used for golems Control Cores. The most particr thing about it is that it used a sub-Control Core for storing memories. Once a Magi Crystal was loaded with a minds contents, all there was left to do was to set the crystal into this sub-Control Core. The Control Core would then automatically scan over the transferred memories and thoughts, and check if there was any lie in Stearleanas feelings of bing their partner. As soon as thats done, the Magi Crystal then would erase those stored memories and thoughts in order to protect her privacy. Its vocalization ability was a primitive wordbination type. In other words, a simplebination of a few pre-built words. Complex conversations werent entirely impossible, but they would take a lot of time to implement. This was also made so in order to protect her privacy. In other words, no matter how much one would like to peer into her memories, they wouldnt be able to. With this, Jin reviewed Stearleanas consciousness, and got a No problem, Aptitude A result. By the standards of the Hourai Family, A was a level where a person holds no intention to betray someone. Laojun was particrly picky about this one. Sorry for doubting you, Stearleana. Both Jin and Reinhardt started by bowing their heads in apology. I think it will be clear after this why I had to go to such lengths to confirm this. Yes, Im looking forward to it. With this, Jin and Reinhardt left the guesthouse, and quietly headed for Jins carriage apanied by Stearleana, who had been deemed qualified to be their partner. After making sure there was no one around, they used the Warp Gate that was installed inside the carriage. W-What was that? Jin, Reiko, Reinhardt, and Stearleana appeared in Shinkai. Since it had been her first experience using the Warp Gate, Stearleana was both surprised and excited about it. We have relocated instantly using this Warp Gate. Eh, eh, eh? Warp Gate? Yeah. Youll get used to it. Then, they headed for Hourai Ind. After going through the entrance hall from the Warp Gates room, Jin uttered the usual lines as soon as they left theboratory. Wee to Hourai Ind, Stearleana. Stearleana was surprised by the Warp Gate, but soon learned that it had been just the beginning. The rest was just the usual course. She was surprised by the golem maids, the mountains of materials, the facilities, the toilets, and the hot springs. I dont want to go home anymore Thats what she really thought. However But youll have to return soon. Huh? Why? I want to stay here longer! But if you stay here for too long, youll be reported as a missing person, and a search party will be dispatched to find you, right? They would all be suspected instantly because she had beenst seen heading out together with Jin and Reinhardt. Uhhh, youre right This doesnt mean you cante here anymore. Tomorrow, well pretend youre returning to your country, and then Ill pick you up on the way. Really? Im looking forward to that! With that, Stearleana was set to return to the Shouro Empire. Well then, please use this. Umm, a Mana Comm, was it? Thank you. I will. After sending Stearleana back to the guesthouse, Jin and Reinhardt decided to go to Reinhardts parents home for the time being. The Scarlet Trail was fast enough to take them to Count Randalls residence by evening. Jins carriage would return there byndter. It was a huge advantage to not have to run by carriage through the night all the way there. By the way, Jin, what about Elsa and the others? Jin and the others had a rxed chat after dinner. In response to Reinhardts question, Jin exined the situation in Kaina vige. Hmm, it was hard, but Sally Milleshan seems to be a very good doctor. Did you say Milleshan? A curious Berthie asked from the side. Isnt she a dark-blonde haired, blue-eyed woman in herte forties? She hasnt reached her fifties, has she? Ah, yeah, looks like were talking about the same person. Though I havent asked her her age. After hearing Jins answer, Berthie pped her hands and seemed very rejoiced. Well! In that case, she must be rted to that doctor! That doctor? Do you know her, Berthie? Reinhardt had never heard about the Milleshan family. Yes, I know about ra Milleshan. Its thanks to her that Ive been able to be born into this world. What do you mean? I guess I never told you about this. My mother, Hilde, was born during the eight month of her mothers pregnancy. In short, she was a premature baby. Because she was born prematurely, she fell to illness, and at one point, her life was at stake. But Dr. ra saved her. Of course, this is a story I heard from my grandmother. It seemed that Sally was rted to that healer Berthie talked about, ra Milleshan. Berthie assumed that she could probably be her daughter, based on her age. The dark-blonde hair and the blue eyes were things she would have inherited from her mother. Wasnt she also using the healing magic they use in the Shouro Empire? Jin also seemed to remember that. Was Sally ras daughter after all? But why was she in the Celuroa Kingdom? Could it be? Do you know anything about this, Berthie? Yes, but this is also something Ive heard Chapter 432: Two Beginnings

Chapter 432: Two Beginnings

ra Milleshan was an excellent healer. She was able to use the superior recovery spells, Genesung and V?llig Genesen. They said that even the dead could be brought back to life if they were under her care. But that was, of course, an exaggeration. The dead wouldnte back to life, and there were sick and injured people that not even she could cure. Still, she was still regarded as the best healer, and she was especially popr with themon folk because she treated everyone the same way, whether they were noblemen ormon people. She had saved a baby as well. A premature baby that was born after 8 months of pregnancy. The baby had had no physical abnormalities, but she was small and did not drink milk easily, which made her mother worry. Back then, being infected with measles was quitemon, and the baby had contracted the disease as well. However, thanks to ra, the baby survived and was able to have a normal life after that. That baby would have been my mother, or so Im told. Of course, she wasntpletely sure about it. It was something her grandmother had told her, after all. Is that so? Its the first time I hear that story. Uhehe, its not a story Im particrly proud of either way. Thank you, Berthie. The two of them were creating a sweet atmosphere, but Jins words put an end to that. Im sorry, but And then? What happened to ra? Ah, sorry. She was certainly very skilled, and made no distinction between her patients. It was no wonder she quickly became popr with themon folk But thats of course themon folks side of the story. The first thing aristocrats had trouble with was that they had the same medical treatment as ordinary people. Some would say, Dont touch those peasants with your hands. And others would go as far as to say, I wont have the same treatment thosemon folk have. That trend was verymon among old-fashioned aristocrats, who also happened to have a high rank in society. It was a matter of time before an incident would ur. It seems she failed to cure the illness of a certain dukes second wife, who ended up passing away. Of course, she was med for it. But it wasnt just me. The malicious usations of the Dukes family created a situation in which every single old-fashioned aristocrat denounced ra. As a result, she was unable to stay in the Shouro Empire and disappeared with her daughter. I think that daughter could be Sally. I see. I also know that ra had be a healer because she had lost her husband to illness. Hmm Jin could only wonder how hard it must have been for Sally to be part of a two-generation struggle against illness and injury. Someone like her would be able to do great advancements in research for the entire world as part of their family. Just like so, Jin realized that she would be a great asset for his team. An indomitable will, an endless curiosity, an unfulfilled dream, and unyielding emotions. A passion that doesnt wither, an endless resolve, and an aspiration for supremacy. Kindred souls that had such qualities They all belonged to Jins family. After mentioning that to Reinhardt and Berthie, both of his partners that were there with him I see, that makes sense. Thats great, Jin! They showed him their approval. Jin felt that the thoughts that had been troubling him since the Marquis denied his idea for Hourai Ind disappeared. Earlier that same day, on the noon of the 29th of June, in Kaina Vige You really are something else, Dr. Sally. Thank you very much foring. Sally, Mine and Elsa were talking at the vige mayor Giebecks house. Sally had just finished doing her usual rounds around the vige. Doctor, youve taken great care of my mother. Im indebted to you. Elsa thanked Sally once again. Oh no, a healers job is to treat their patients. Im d youre grateful for my job, but you dont owe me anything. Sally evaded her with augh. But I was really surprised when Jin came back with a doctor. Ah, me too. But it seems Impletely recovered now. Yeah, thanks to Jin and the lifestyle here Sally took a sip of the tea that she had in front of her, and seemed to be enjoying herself as she spoke. Ehehe, this is a nice vige. And that Jin Hes quite the mysterious man. Yeah, really. Sally and Mine seemed to be getting along very well. It felt as if they were close sisters. But Elsa, was it? Youre using the finest healing magic there is at such a young age! Its almost frightening. With experience, youll be a much better healer than I am. Well, thats also thanks to Brother Jin. Ehehe, so Jin has a hand on that as well, huh? By the way, where did he go? She then added I havent seen him all morning. Im sure Brother Jin must have run off somewhere. Hmm, I see. He did have some Artifacts with him. So thats why hes left He seems pretty busy. Sallyughed as she said that. At that moment Chief, Mr. Eric from the Ran Firm seems to have arrived. Butler-A announced the arrival of the person they were expecting. Ah, I see. Right on time. Please guide him to the shophouse Jin has prepared. Right away, sir. Butler-A then left the room, but after hearing that, Sally seemed curious. Did someone arrive? They said someone called Eric just arrived. Could that be Barbaras boyfriend? Both Sally and Mine had their questions, and Elsa soon answered them. Ah, Ive heard about that. Seems hesing to open a shop in this vige and is going to live here together with Barbara. Hmm? Barbara is Ah, shes that youngdy The vige chiefs niece, right? Well, its certainly nice to have more people living here in the vige. A few momentster, Barbara rushed in, puffing and blowing. Uncle, Erics here! Why didnt you tell me!? Ah, I should have told you, shouldnt I? But youve already found out by yourself, right? Ugh Thats not the point! Hoho, looks like its getting lively in here. Barbara sounds so happy. Youth is such a wonderful thing A few minutes walk from the vige chiefs house, there was a building that would be the Ran Firms Kaina Vige branch. Huuh, can we really use this ce? Yeah. Jin has already prepared it for us! I-I see. Who on earth is this Jin guy, with that castle of his Jin is, well, Jin. You wont be able to get around this vige if you let yourself be surprised by everything he does! Haha, youre right. Barbara and Ericsughter echoed in the clear summer blue sky. Chapter 433: First Steps

Chapter 433: First Steps

It was the dawn of the 1st of July. Jin, who had incidentally arrived at Kaina Vige, announced that he would wee Eric as the owner of the leaseholdnd. Eric, Id like you to help the economic progress of Kaina Vige. In return, well help the Ran Firm make a profit. Thank you very much, Jin. If you make Barbara unhappy, Ill pluck those off you, okay? Yes Wait, what are you going to pluck off? Mine smiled bitterly as she heard them from a distance. Elsa was standing right next to her. Mother, what did Brother Jin mean by that? Mine wondered how she was going to answer that question. Meanwhile, in the Shouro Empire. Reinhardt and Berthie were finishing their preparations to depart the Count Randalls residence. They headed for Kartze Vige, which was part of thend handed to Reinhardt by his father, Count Wolfgang Randall. Located between Exie and Vanne, it would take 2 hours by carriage to get to Kartze. It was just the two of them going down the road. Reinhardts father had told him to take care of arranging his own assistance, and for that reason, he hadnt taken a single butler with him. He had only taken Noir with them as coachman. Then he had arranged for a separate carriage to take their luggage. The coachman for that carriage was Neon. Incidentally, the Eschenbach Residence -Sakis house- was on the way. After being contacted by Jin using the Magi Comm he had given him earlier, Reinhardt and the others made a stop on the Eschenbach Residence. Hey, Reinhardt. Jin and Saki were waiting for him there. So youre done with your errands, Jin? Ah, Saki, long time no see! Nice to see you, Reinhardt. Thanks to Jin and Elsa, Lisa appeared and I was finally released from my grandfather. Saki had returned to her usual cheer, but the main reason why she was so happy probably was because the Marquis condition had improved. Ive heard from Jin. So youre going to Kartze Vige? Yeah, thats right. Its a bit unsparing, but the two of us have to go there by ourselves. Your father is quite unsparing himself, huh Saki added that remark with a bitter smile on her face. Haha. Jin, if we end up deciding to get a house there, you can have a base of operations there as well. Jin was d to hear that he could install a Warp Gate in Reinhardts new house in order toe and go without reserve. Weve heard that the old mansion still remains. Apparently, it used to be the holiday house of a nobleman that left it long ago. We were thinking of remodeling the ce and living there. I see. Well, Ill help out, too. Im curious about that ce too. Can I go with you guys? With that, Jin, Reiko, Saki, and Ehr would be heading to Kartze Vige via Jins carriage. Reinhardt and Berthie would also join them in that carriage. They reached Kartze Vige at 10 A.M. Then they were greeted by the viges chief. Wee! Are you Lord Reinhardt Randall? My name is Boyd, and Im the chief of this Kartze Vige. He was a medium-sized, middle-aged man. His brown eyes were full of vigor, suggesting that he was a good man. Yes, I am Reinhardt Randall. This is my wife, Berthie. Pleased to meet you too, Lady Randall. After their short exchange, Boyd looked at Jin and the others, who were standing behind Reinhardt. And who might they be? Ah, these are my friends. They came to join me in celebration for my new appointment. Convinced by the exnation, Boyd led them to the former aristocratic mansion that Reinhardt had talked about earlier. Both Reinhardt and Jin slowly ran the carriage at a speed that matched the vige chiefs pace. Since it was a small vige, it didnt take them more than 10 minutes to get there. Ooh, look at this. It was a two-story stone building. Small, but it had a solid structure. Its walls were covered with ivy, giving it an antique look. Thanks for showing us around. No need to rush though, yeah, lets talk again about the vige the day after tomorrow. Ah Id like to know if you could take care of our horses, though. They would be able to manage with the repairs and the moving by themselves, but tending to their horses was a different story. Thats why Reinhardt asked the vige chief for help in that regard. Understood. Ill take good care of them. Well then, see you in two days. Boyd then took his leave, taking the four horses with him. Though they were pretty docile, he seemed skilled at handling even four horses at the same time, so it seemed they would be able to rest at ease entrusting their horses to him. Reinhardt took another look at the building. It looked like they would be able to use it after some remodeling. Well, Berthie, looks like this is going to be our new home. Yes, but well have to do some tidying up first. Jin called out to the two of them. Let me help out too, Reinhardt. Yeah, thatd be a great help. The building was surrounded byrge trees, which gave it a calm but rather lonely feel. However, those trees were convenient as they provided natural privacy to the house. Using the Warp Gate in his carriage, Jin summoned 10 Smith Golems and 10 Peridot Maid Golems from Hourai Ind. O-Oh? Even though he already knew of their existence, their sudden appearance surprised Reinhardt. Okay, Reinhardt. Please tell the Smith Golems how and where the house needs repairs. And Berthie, please instruct the Peridots to help with the house chores. The Smiths quickly repaired cracked walls, creaking floors, broken staircases, and holes in the ceiling. And the Peridots, following Berthies instructions, cleaned up the kitchen, reception room, living room, guest room, bedrooms, and storage room. With their excellent abilities, they finished up in an hour, leaving the house unrecognizable from its previous state. The ivy on the walls was kept almost untouched. The only parts that were removed were those blocking the windows, leaving the rest as is. Hmm, looks much better now. Since the walls are red granite, they match the ivy pretty well. The building is made of red granite, which is rare in this region. Granite was a rockposed of minerals such as mica, quartz, feldspar, and amphibole, and the one made from red feldspar was called red granite. It made a good contrast to the ivys green. And if the leaves were to turn red in autumn, they would most certainly look good next to the walls as well. It seemed that this house would be called Rankenhaus in the future. After cleaning was done, it was time to start bringing in their luggage, but they hadnt brought much to begin with. Bedding, some clothes, and a few office supplies. Since it only took 2 hours to go back to the city by carriage, it would be easy to go back in order to get something they needed, and what they couldnt bring with them could be simply procured locally. Also, Exie was a little closer than Vanne, where Reinhardts parents lived, so they could go there to buy stuff as well. Well, looks about it. After taking their luggage in, they decided to take a break. It was already noon. Is it okay if I leave for Hourai Ind for now? Jin continued. Theres a lot of things Id like to talk about. I see Sure. Sure thing. Since they both agreed, Jin used the Warp Gate installed in his carriage in order to go back to Hourai Ind. He also took the Smiths and Peridots with him. Id like to install one of those in a room of our house one of these days. Reinhardt had been the one who said that, but Jin also considered the possibility of having one installed in the basement of Reinhardts new house. With a time difference of about 5 hours and a half, it was almost evening in Hourai Ind. Wee back, My Lord. Wee, everyone. Id like to have something to eat for now, is anything ready already? Yes, Mine and Elsa were in charge of that. Ah, so theyre out already? When he arrived at the lunch room, it was already evening in Hourai Ind, but even then they still had menus for lunch. Freshly baked bread, wily jam, and citran marmde. The drinks were milk, persica juice, and citran juice. Sd with lightly roasted bacon. Thank you, Mine and Elsa. Oh, its nothing. Well be joining you as well. The time difference between Kaina Vige and Horai Ind was 2 hours, and Mine and Elsa were having bread juice as well. After their meal, Jin broke the silence. Theres something Id like to talk about as soon as everyone is here. Chapter 434: Preparations

Chapter 434: Preparations

By everyone, you mean Stearleana will being here as well? Reinhardt was the one who asked that question. Stearleana was the only one who met the requirements to go to Hourai Ind, yet still wasnt there. This had already been exined to both Elsa and Mine, so neither of them had any particr doubts about it. Huh? Stearleana? Saki seemed surprised. Ah, thats right, I havent told you about it, Saki! Jin exined the details about how Stearleana was going to join them as their partner. I see. The marquis told me that the idea of a supranational school was unreasonable. So I thought about people who shared my point of view. Im not trying to say that countries dont matter. But people that could use and share knowledge and technology across countries It urred to me I wanted to have such people as partners. There was silence for a while. Saki was the first to open her mouth. Thats great, Jin! You have my full support! Then, Elsa and Mine. Brother Jin, thats a great idea. That sounds like a good n, Master Jin. Thank you. I used Transinfo on Stearleana. Its a shame we cant choose our partners without using that first. Mine affirmed those measures. No, Master Jin. The way I see it, Hourai Ind is full of advanced technology. We have to use that, otherwise, in the worst-case scenario, we risk allowing ambitious people to have ess to that technology. Elsa also showed her support. I think so too. It would be irresponsible of us to allow just about anyone in. Thats right. Hmm, it may be a littlete for that, but since youre allowing me toe and go as I see fit, I wouldnt mind having Transinfo used on me! Berthie and Saki also seemed to agree with everyone else. Everyone agrees with you here, Jin. It was wise of you to do that. Lastly, Reinhardt consolidated their unanimity. Alright. That settles it, then. Ill call Stearleana tomorrow, and then Ill have something to show you guys. Wait until you see it. Jin made that sound like he was being a bit silly about it, and Reinhardt seemed to have realized that right away. Ummm, w-well, if it has to be in front of everyone Oh well. Well look forward to it. Standing next to him, Berthie smiled bitterly at Reinhardt. Well then, lets make a few things that Reinhardt and Berche might need for their new home. Jin felt relieved after the serious conversation was over. What should I do? A toilet, a bathtub, a futon. Elsa said that in whispers. Jin had to concede on those three points. Since toilets yed an important role in hygiene, all of the toilets in Kaina Vige were real-time dposing type rather than underground filtration type. Jin smiled and nodded. Berthie and Saki also nodded silently. Guess it cant be helped. Okay, Elsa, you take care of the futon. Ill make the parts for the toilet. Then, Reinhardt asked, Jin, Id like to change our regr horses for golems, can you teach me how to do it? Rather than trying to get Jin to make them for him, he wanted to make them for himself. That was just how Reinhardt was. Since there arent as many people in this vige, it would be rather pointless to keep breeding horses, because they wont be used very much. Thats why Ive thought about making golem horses. Got it. No need to exin any further. Jin pleasantly agreed to help him. Okay, then, considering the time difference, we have another 5 hours. Lets eat dinner here and go back to Kartze Vige. Thus began the preparation of materials for the maintenance of Reinhardts house. Well, is this how you do it? Elsa made a futon out of Magi Silk while Berthie watched. Hmm, its a bit different from the usual Magi Lamp This was an aether light, right? Ive never heard of it Saki was very interested in the aether light used in themps built by the Smiths. I see, so that is the skeleton? The muscles too Looking at it closely, they do have something inmon with humanoid golems. Reinhardt was making a golem horse with Jin. Ok, Ill give it a shot. Transinfo. Reinhardt used Transinfo on the control core to apply the temte prepared by Jin to it, in order to make the Control Core for the golem horse. Unfortunately, his talent in that regard was slightly inferior to Elsa. Even so, after practicing a few times, he was barely able to reach level 3. You did it, Reinhardt! Ah, its all thanks to you, Jin! At level 3, you can transfer all the way up to technical knowledge. Taking a short break from the production of golem horses, Jin prepared a Magi Crystal for Reinhardt and transferred some of his scientific knowledge to it. Although the range is slightly narrower than Elsa, it was packed with scientific and mathematical knowledge at the elementary to junior high school level. Reinhardt, once you transfer its contents to another Magi Crystal, then use Transinfo on yourself. Reinhardt cheerfully received Jins Magi Crystal. Thank you, Jin. Transinfo. The Magi Form appeared on the Magi Crystal and was absorbed by another Magi Crystal. Alright, now you can read the knowledge that was stored in this Magi Crystal, Reinhardt. Got it. Transinfo. With this, Reinhardt finally gained knowledge of science, even though it was at an elementary-school, rudimentary level. This knowledge is amazing! Jin, I cant thank you enough! Reinhardt was truly excited. Jin stared at him with warm eyes, because he could understand the feeling of gaining knowledge in the true sense of the word. But Berthie, on the other hand Dear? Dont be doing anything silly, you hear me? After having dinner on Hourai Ind, they all decided to go back to Reinhardts house. Considering the time difference, it was likely that their activities would take one more day. 10 futons, and 10 beds. 4 toilets, and 2 golem horses. And various household goods. Taking those with them, they went back to Kartze Vige. So this is Brother Reis new house. My, what a lovely ce. Elsa and Mine praised the house after seeing it for the first time. They set the beds and futons they needed in the bedrooms and guest rooms, and installed the aether lights. These are really bright! Normal Magi Lamps are nothingpared to these. Saki was installing the lights all over the ce. Though she must have seen them all over Hourai Ind, setting those lights up in a ce where they have never been before made Saki all the more surprised at their brightness. There are four toilets in total. Two go on the first floor, and two on the second floor. Elsa and Mine were setting up the toilets. They were nothing more than simple vases. Father, Ive finished setting up the beds, is this okay? Yes, thank you. Reiko had been in charge of installing the beds. Since it was impossible to use the Warp Gate in Jins carriage to bring them whole, the n was to take them apart, transport them, and then reassemble them. Reinhardt and Berthie took care of the small household goods. Kitchen utensils, tableware, and so on. They also set up a fridge. By the time they were finished, it was almost 9 oclock in the evening. The moon -the clock of the night- was visibly ovepping with the treetops. Good job everyone! Thanks for all your help. Everyone was rxing in the drawing room. Berthie and Neon were serving sses of citran juice. They all breathed a sigh of relief after enjoying a cold ss of juice. Everyone, thank you for today. Youve been a great help. Next up is the servants. Any ideas? After asking, Saki continued. If thats okay with you, I was thinking about asking my grandfather about that. Actually, Id like to avoid asking the marquis at all if possible. Lets figure something out on our own. Reinhardts face seemed like something was wrong. Chapter 435: About Everything

Chapter 435: About Everything

After being done with Reinhardts moving for the time being, Jin thought about how to pick up Stearleana. Hmm, but theres going to be a coachman He couldnt just take off with her right in front of her coachman. It was a difficult problem. If it werent for the fact that she was inside the Shouro Empires territory, it would be possible to make it look like she had run off with someone, but with things as they were, it could turn into an international matter. If she were on this side of the Celuroa Kingdom, then there shouldnt be any problems (internationally, at least). Jin thought hard about how to solve this problem. And soon enough, he came with an answer. Thats it! Father? Puzzled, Reiko stared at Jin, who had shouted involuntarily and out of the blue. Ah, no, its nothing, I just came up with a good way to pick Stearleana up. Huh? What is it? Reinhardt asked with a lot of interest. This may be a long shot, but I think Stearleana would be hiring a carriage to return to her country. Ah, yes, I think its safe to say that. In that case, I could As Jin was about to finish, Reinhardts face showed that he knew what he was going to say. Take over the carriage, right!? Thats right. By doing that, if I drive the carriage right away, there would be no need to have anyone riding it. Worst case scenario, I could just have a substitute. Ohoho, that sounds interesting. Saki, who was sitting next to them, jumped into the conversation. If they have departed for Roizart this morning, a normal carriage could have reached Riare by now. Reinhardt also tried to guess the carriages position. In fact, since Jin already knew Stearleanas magic pattern, he could use a Magi Radar to pinpoint her exact location. The quickest way to do this would be to go to Riare tonight or tomorrow morning, and change carriages there But its a little far away. After saying that, Reinhardt was surprised to see a faint smile on Jins face. Right. Distance isnt a problem for you, is it, Jin? Jin nodded silently, and Reinhardt closed his eyes and sighed. Ill tell you about that tomorrow too once I bring Stearleana. Ah, Im looking forward to it! That night, Jin went back to Hourai Ind together with Reiko. He was going to give one instruction there. Laojun, please prepare a dummy golem by tomorrow morning. Understood. You are going to meet with Miss Stearleana, correct? It seemed that Laojun was aware of Jins n after some conversation. Then, he contacted Stearleana using the Mana Comm. Ah, Jin? What is it? Actually, I have this nned for tomorrow Jin exined his n. Needless to say, Stearleana sounded pleased with it. After getting a few more details ready, Jin spent the night in Hourai Ind. Dawn of July 2nd. Due to the time difference, Jin could take it easy for the first hours of the day (though he had stayed upte at night). He took a morning bath, enjoyed a meal at leisure, and finally went out. He used the transporter, which was bing the standard. He went with Pelican 1 to get to the sky above Riare. He didnt use Pegasus 1 because he was taking a carriage with him. The time difference between Riare and Hourai Ind is 5 hours. While Jin left Hourai Ind at 8 in the morning, in Riare it was still 3 in the morning. Using Invisible to stay out of sight in the ck of night, hended in the suburbs of Riare, bringing the carriage down with him. Of course, he brought both Steward as a coachman, and a brand new golem horse along. Though performance would be dropping considerably by doing so. Even though he didnt rush, he managed to arrive at Riare a little before dawn. He had already passed this road once during his trip to the Shouro Empire, so he didnt have much trouble finding his way forward. Jin parked the carriage on the side of the road and waited for the dawn. It was 5 oclock. Riare was an open town, and carriages started to move about early in the morning. Jin hurried, wondering if it was time to get there already. Lets see, she said it was a hotel along the way, wasnt it? Ah, is that it? He had asked her back when he contacted her through the Mana Comm, so he could tell right away. Kemeria Hotel Yes, this is it. Kemerias were red flowers that looked like camellias. As the name of the hotel suggested, there were many kemerias nted around the building. Ah, Jin, youre early. Even though it was 5:30, Stearleana was standing in front of the hotel. Good morning. Youre quite the early bird, arent you? Oh, is that your carriage? Stearleanas eyes began to sparkle as soon as she saw the golem horse. Ah, yes. How lovely! Well then, lets go! Huh? Dont huh me. Ive already canceled the carriage I had signed up for, and Ive also already checked out of the hotel. Upon closer inspection, Jin could see a great pile of luggage next to Stearleana. And the Crystal Blue Topaz Golem, Selene. Jin was surprised at their swiftness. He understood just how eager Stearleana was to go to Hourai Ind. Got it. Lets go, then. Since it was an 8-seater carriage, it could carry quite arge deal of luggage. With Reikos help, they quickly finished loading the luggage, and then Jin turned the carriage around and began to go back the way he came. Oh, this carriage is also veryfortable to ride. It hardly shakes. The power of the active golem suspension ensured the same quality while riding over cobblestones and rough roads alike. And its fast. Is it about twice as fast as a regr carriage, maybe? Although its performance had been reduced, it still could run at more than double the speed of a general carriage, just as the Stearleana had observed. They left the main road at 6 oclock and arrived at thending point of Pelican 1. Anything you want to carry with you? Ah, lets see A change of clothes, and There, that should do it. With only the things she could carry on hand, Stearleana stepped down from the carriage. Well then, this way. She then hopped on board while under the effects of Invisible, with Reiko leading the way. Huh? Is it safe from this point on? Jin assured Stearleana that he would exin everythingter, and then they went through the Warp Gate, followed by Reiko and Selene. They went through Shinkai this time around. After exining her roles in more detail, they headed for Hourai Ind once again. Wee back, My Lord. Wee to Hourai Ind, Miss Stearleana. Laojun greeted them. The four of them crossed the entrance hall and headed outside. Waiting for them there were Reinhardt, Berthie, Elsa, Mine, and Saki, who Jin had contacted earlier. The whole Hourai Family hade out to greet them. They all offered their warm words of wee. Wee, Stearleana. They all said the same at the same time, but it was a heartfelt sentiment. Stearleanas face brightened up instantly, then she replied. Thank you, everyone! Ah, Im finally here! She sounded very excited about it. Everyone gathered at the table set up in the front yard of theboratory while they waited for Stearleana to settle down. Then, Jin started talking. Well, everyone, Id like to begin by telling you that Ive been keeping silent about some things. Huh? Brother Jin Since Stearleana is here, Ill start again from the beginning. Thus, Jin started to talk. About how he was born and raised on Earth. About being an orphan. About how he fell into a smelting furnace, probably to his death, only to appear in this alternate world. About how the Automata that had been Reikos predecessor, created by Adrianna Balbora Ceci, spent thest thousand years searching for the second generation, finally finding Jin, and summoning him to this world. About inheriting all of Adrianna Balbora Cecis knowledge, and Hourai Ind. And about what he had been doing ever sinceing to this world He had already talked about most of this with Elsa, and Reinhardt already had a general idea about it all. But Berthie, Mine, Saki, and Stearleana were rendered speechless out of surprise. Chapter 436: The Wonderful Hourai Island

Chapter 436: The Wonderful Hourai Ind

Jin spared no detail about himself. From everyone present, who couldnt bring themselves to speak before Brother Jin Thank you. Thank you for trusting us with this. Elsa was the first one to speak Tsk, good grief. I knew you werent normal, Jin, but I would have never expected something like this. Then Sakiughed as she said that Ah, thats right, Jin. Let us do our best to respond to your trust. And Reinhardt nodded earnestly. On the other hand, Berthie seemed to be overwhelmed by Jins story, as she grabbed Reinhardts sleeve tightly, but eventually rxed her body. Right. No matter what the story is, Jin is always going to be Jin. Youre my husbands friend, and at the same time, my own friend as well, right? Mine also added to that. I never realized you were having such a hard time right under our noses. Ill do my best from now on to help you as much as I can. Stearleana waspletely befuddled, but still managed to pull herself together, and Thank you for telling me about yourself, Jin. Ill never speak of this with anyone else. Or perhaps I should say that I wont ever need to return to that country. Made such a bombshell announcement. T-That wont do Id rather youe here again after returning to your home. There was no exaggeration in saying that if she were to be reported as missing in the Emperor Shouro, it would turn into an international issue. Jin didnt want to go out of his way to bring about unnecessary trouble, so he asked Stearleana to tread carefully. Right after that had been settled, Jin moved onto showing some actual things. First of all, Daidara. It was a golem for civil engineering work. It had a huge body, 15 meters high and weighing 8 tons. U-Uoooh! Kyaaa! T-This is amazing Daidara appeared, making the ground tremble under each step it took. There was a huge difference between hearing about something and actually seeing it with ones own eyes. Even Reinhardt, who had seen the artifacts of the Shouro Empire known as gigantic golems, found himself trembling out of Daidaras intimidating presence. Even looking at a single one of its movements was enough to show that it was vastly superior to the gigantic golem that Marcus had dispatched. Its movements were amazingly smooth and natural. J-Jin! Youre definitely the best! The Magi Craft Meister! Thank you. Theres one more. The transport aircraft, Pelican 2. The Pelican 2 was taken out of the hangar in the corner of the square in front of theboratory. Elsa was the only of them who had boarded it before. Well, hop on. Huh? Jin, isnt this just like the vehicle you had me board earlier? Stearleana was quick to point that out. Thats right. Its the same model. Hmm? It looks a bit like Jins carriage? Jin boarded itst, after everyone else. The pilot was Sky 2. Okay, then, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts After making sure everyone had properly done as he said, Jin too took a seat and fastened his seatbelt. Okay, Sky 2, if you please. Understood. Taking off. Powered by its 3 Magi Jet Engines, the Pelican was able to take off after a short run, but since it was the first ride for most of the people on board, this time they took a long takeoff run with modest eleration and took off leisurely. U-Uwaaahhh! W-Were flying! Were really flying To think Jin holds this much power Jin had told them that the machine was able to soar through the sky, but when the Pelican actually took off, everyone other than Elsa was ovee with excitement. As they gained altitude, Hourai Ind gradually became smaller and smaller, to the point that it could be clearly seen that it was a small ind floating over the ocean. T-This is amazing I knew we were going to be flying, but this is really something else, isnt it? Good grief, Jin. It might be toote for me to say this, but youre amazing. Hats off to you. However, Jin took theirpliments with a humble attitude. Well, this is nothing more than the Science from my world. In response to that, Saki gave further praise. This is a masterpiece, born from the fusion between science and magic! Berthie and the others were silently looking outside through the windows. Our current altitude is approximately at 10,000 meters right now. Things above ground look like mere dots from here. Umm, Jin, could that under us be the Elias Penins? Of course, being a diplomat, Reinhardt had a general knowledge of geography. Thats right. This Pelican is now flying east Sky 2, turn a little northward. Understood. As we turned north, we could see a wide teau under the path of Pelican 2. Could it be Is that Blue Land? Thats the city where your friend, Master Lewis, lives. Lewis was the name of Count Kuzuma. Reinhardt nodded at Berthie, and How fast do you think could go, Jin? Showed a bit of that engineers curiosity of his. Were at around 300 km/h now. I wonder if it can reach about 500 km/h. Reinhardt was surprised at Jins answer. Ah, Jin Ill follow you for the rest of my life! It was Stearleana who had made such a statement with that coquettish voice of hers. Her blushed face showed that she was quite stimted. To think that there is such a world! And my own country is so proud of its ancient history that theyre not open to trying new things. Its a country that is so conservative that it has be a hotbed for those Unifiers. I dont make crystal golems just because I enjoy it. I do it because thats the only thing that Im allowed to do! Stearleana opened her heart with a loud voice. I want to make more and more useful things for people! But day after day, day after day, all I get to do is research on crystal golems and beautiful Automata. Thats the only thing thats allowed! That was probably part of the dark side of the Celuroa Kingdom. Stearleana poured her heart out and let her soul cry out for the first time in this high altitude, in this environment where no one had to be afraid of what others may think. Youve had it rough too, Stearleana. As Jin said that to sympathize with her, Stearleana puffed her cheeks. This wont do, Jin. Enough with the partner thing, okay? Wont you treat me as your friend when you speak with me, just like you do with Reinhardt? After she said that, Berthie stared harshly at Reinhardt, and Elsa and Saki did the same to Jin. Pelican 2 drew arge arc as it soared through the sky. As it turned slowly to the east, the sea became visible again. Since Im showing you so much already, Ill tell you this as well. Right now, the fastest in Hourai Ind is my own Pegasus 1, which can reach 800 km/h. Everyone was left speechless after hearing that number. However, Reinhardt notices that his sister didnt seem as surprised. Elsa, you Could it be that youve already boarded a ne before? Yeah When I got help from the Unifiers. Also, the other day, when I went to take the Klein Kingdom in order to help with the measures against the disease Upon hearing that, Reinhardt shed bitter tears of regret. Waaaaah! Ive never been so disappointed at the court service befooore! Sitting next to him, his beloved wife stared at him with cold eyes. After a 2-hour flight, theynded in front of theboratory. With a sidelong nce, Jin poured salt on the wounds of everyone else who were still unsure about how safe it was to walk around. Lets go behind theboratory this time. What was waiting for them there was a huge Warp Gate. This is a Warp Gate that doesnt need a receiving end on its destination. Its called Transporter. Unfortunately, it only works in one direction. Whaaaaaaat!? In this world where even Warp Gates are treated as artifacts, Jin improved them and created new ones. The only one who could say something was Reinhardt. Everyone else was so surprised that they couldnt bring themselves to speak. Chapter 437: The Meaning Of “Partners”

Chapter 437: The Meaning Of Partners

Well, next up is T-Theres more? It was Mine who asked that in such a pitiful voice. It was only natural, as she was the farthest from grasping the concept of Magi Craft from the group. Well finish right after this next one for now, Mine. For now, you say? They headed towards theboratory, walking down the stairs that led to the first basement floor. Just above the room where Laojun was enshrined. This is the Control room. I used this ce during the fight against the Unifiers, but what I want to show you now is this Magi Radar. Magi Radar? Yeah. This can tell wherever a registered magic pattern appears. It was a rather simple exnation, but Reinhardt was surprised to see what it meant. What!? Then, he sighed deeply. Phew, really! How much can you surprise me in a day No, half a day What do you mean, dear? Whats this Magi Radar? Lets say we go missing. This device could be used to quickly pinpoint our location. The one who exined was Elsa. Right? Brother Jin. Jin nodded. Exactly. In fact, back when Elsa was kidnapped by the Unifiers, I used this in order to find her, by locating the magical power of the brooch I had given her as a present. Ah, so that was how you did it. Mine was at a loss for words. Back when she took Elsa in, she had made her leave her dagger, her ring, and most of her magic tools behind. If Elsa hadnt secretly kept her brooch with her That thought made Mine shiver. B-But how does it work? How does it find you? Stearleana seemed to be quite intrigued by it, but she asked that question because she didnt understand the principles behind the Magi Radar. I dont know if the word triangtion would make it any clearer, but theres a thing called Magi Detector that can be used to detect magical power. That device can be used to know the direction from where magic flows. Ah, I seem to understand. We can use those to sense strong magical power. So this Magi Radar works in a simr way? Jin nodded. Of course she would know that, since she was the Celuroa Kingdoms second strongest Magi Craftswoman. Using one of those Magi Detectors, you can tell the direction from where magices, but not the distance. But if you were to use two, or preferably three or more Ah! I see! So its like having multiple Magi Detectors? So wherever the lines that can be drawn with each detector intersect, thats where you should look for the source of the magical power, right? She seemed to have gotten the general gist of it. Ah, its wonderful! I feel as if the entire world had been remade in just half a day! Stearleana was trembling with excitement. Everyone seemed to be surprised to find that someone could be so expressive with their emotions. You look like youve been restraining yourself for quite some time, huh? Mine seemed to know all too well about Stearleanas feelings. Could it be that she could rte to her restraint? Phew Since it was nearly impossible to show them the whole picture of Hourai Ind in a single day, they rounded it up at an appropriate ce and went for a tea break at the dining room. I was very surprised by the things Jin was able to make, but the legacy of Adrianna Balbora Ceci is awesome. Reinhardt said that earnestly after having settled down from his amazement at the things he had seen. All this magic and Magi Craft the world has lost to this day How much of that is there? Thats true Even though we have a Warp Gate, we wouldnt know how to make them. And all of these artifacts and ancient relics have been scattered throughout this world This is amazing Stearleanas voice sounded a bit tired as well. This inds resources are really something else, Jin. Just how much does it have? As an alchemist, the amount of materials made Sakis heart flutter. Theres no facility like this in any country of this world. Reinhardt sighed as he muttered that. And Jin made all this in a little over a year? Thats impressive. Stearleana was still a little excited. But his predecessor left him thisboratory, right? However, Reinhardt was of a different opinion. No, but Jin said he arrived here almost a year ago, didnt he? And this year hes been traveling with us since the Golem boatpetition at Potlock. I can only say that to weave his way in such a short time and manage to aplish so much has to be some kind of divine work. Youre exaggerating. I didnt do this all by myself. Reiko, the other golems, and Laojun were there to help me. But you made those golems, Jin. In the end, it was all done by your hand. Kuhuhu, I think hes right, Jin. I think its safe to say you have built an actual paradise on earth here. An engineers paradise. Saki also praised both Jin and Hourai Ind. Thanks for your kind words. Kuhuhu, youre really shy, Jin. Sakiughed mischievously and had a sip of tea. I think my predecessor wanted to make a sanctuary for Magi Craft in this ce. I want to carry out her wishes. Berthie was the one who responded to that. This may be a little awkward, but Id like to say a few words. From my point of view, this Hourai Ind is strange. I mean this both in a good way and in a bad way. But when I say in a bad way, I mean as in that it can easily upset themon sense of this world, nothing more. Taking over from Berthies words, Mine also had something to say. Yes, Im sorry, but I think so too. What do you think everyday people will think when they see the technology you have here? Anyone would see an influential person like you, and all this, and instantly assume you want to grow in power. Your airnes, your golems, your abundant resources Everyone seemed to feel the same way. Of course, with this Hourai Ind, Jin would probably be able to repel any attack, even if the whole world were to join forces against him. Hmm, and if he really felt like it, he could conquer this world, or even destroy it. Stearleana analyzed Jins war potential. But Brother Jin is toozy to do such a thing, right? Elsa replied, staring at Jin with hopeful eyes. Well, why would I need to conquer the world? For power? Thats a hassle. For money? I have as much as I need. He would have continued with For women?, but didnt. Elsa unintentionally let out a quietugh I knew youd say something like that, Brother Jin. And her face showed that she seemed relieved to hear that. Well, let me give you my opinion. Reinhardt corrected his posture and then made his remark. This ce is wonderful. There are so many things you can try, learn, and build. It really is a sacred ce. It is, isnt it? I never thought that there would be a ce like this. Stearleana agreed with him. Thank you very much for having us in today, Jin. Saki bowed her head. Yeah. You found me and helped me a lot, too. Thank you, Brother Jin. Next was Elsa. So Reinhardt looked at Jin straight in the eye, and continued. Jin, you did all this in such a short amount of time. No one in this world could ever hope to aplish what you have done so far. You should be proud of it. Kuhuhu, thats right. But Jin, dont you think youre rushing things a little bit too much? Huh? Sakis words puzzled Jin. You might not even understand even if I tried to exin. Theres simply no one topare you with. Still smiling at the speechless Jins face, Saki passed the baton to Elsa. So, Elsa, please exin. !? You understand what Im trying to say, right? After silently looking at Jin, Elsa followed Sakis indications, and suddenly started to speak. I think Ive said this before, but youre taking too much upon yourself, Brother Jin. I understand that you can do anything. But that doesnt mean that you have to. Hey, Elsa, thats Saki was trying to tell her that that wasnt what she was talking about, but Reinhardt touched her shoulder so as to tell her to let Elsa finish. Really, think about the things only you can do, Brother Jin. You could always count on Reiko, Laojun and the golems. And now, you can count on us, too. Jin was listening quietly. Well help each other whenever were stumped. Wait, its not just that. Well share the fun moments and feel true happiness together. Well support each other through thick and thin, andfort each other when were feeling down. Thats what were here for Right? Even though it had beenpletely off the point, Reinhardt thought her speech was heartwarming, and said nothing about it. What he wanted to say to Jin was something along those lines, too. Youre always taking things upon yourself and yourself alone Well, well! Seems everybody here loves you very much, Jin. Reiko, who was looking at their conversation from the side, knew that all too well. Jins own lonely past caused him toe clean with them. Except for the director, no one could rely on Jin At least, that he was aware of. Jin was someone who could be relied on but had no one to rely on in turn. Were not partners Were family. Reikos voice was so soft that no one could actually hear her say that. I think Father doesnt need partners, but a family Chapter 438: Gossip 24 - Eric’s Shop

Chapter 438: Gossip 24 - Erics Shop

The Ran Firm had a branch store in Kaina Vige, and its manager was Eric. The products sold there were daily necessities, clothing, seasonings, a few number of books, and so on. In short, it was a general store of sorts. It also had a workshop in it, and during the morning, they would produce most of its everyday goods there. I-Is it really okay for me to borrow this ce? Sure, as long as you keep doing your business in this vige. It was a two-storey shophouse in arge plot ofnd. He was rather worried about being able to use itpletely rent-free. Just dont make Barbara cry. Eh, ah, sure, dont worry about it. Those were the conditions under which he would be allowed to use this two-storey shophouse together with its stable, carriage house, and warehouse. On the first floor of the house, there was a workshop on the back and a store at the front, with a kitchen, washroom, and toilet. There are four bedrooms on the second floor, all furnished with beds. There also were two veryfortable-looking futons, which was something Eric had never seen before. It also had a simple toilet with a sink. The rent for a ce like this in the capital would cost well over 10,000 Tolls a month. Jin had thought about giving it to them if Eric ever married Barbara, but he hadnt told them about that yet. Hello, Eric. Hey, Barbara. The vige mayors niece, Barbara, came to help every day. There wasnt a single soul in the vige that didnt know that those two were a couple. What are you making today? Ah, here, look. Eric showed her a half-finished item. Oh, a water gun? Jin had made thesest year too. Yeah, Ive seen kids ying with these before, so I thought theyd sell well. To sell Ah, at the main store? Thats right. Normally the opposite was true, but the Ran Firm had noticed the fact that Kaina Vige would be a good base for transmitting new culture. By the way, Eric Hmm? Umm How How long do you think we can stay? Here in Kaina Vige? Hmm I think at least for a year. Ah, I see. Eric was actually the grandson of the president of the Ran Firm. Because of his high aptitude for Engineering Magic, he attended the Cecilio Magic School at the royal capital for about two years and learned all of the basic techniques. Alright, its done. A water gun made by processing muscovite gathered from the mountains in the north. It looked like a pistol. After adding water, Eric tried pulling the trigger Water should have shot out from the tip, but instead it spewed out from the gaps that were open here and there. Whoops. Kyaaa! Its cold! The two of them ended up being soaked from top to bottom. In particr, Barbara was wearing a thin linen jacket, so the moment she realized some things were starting to show through it, things went a little awkward. D-Dont look! A-Ah, sorry! Both of them wentpletely red in the face, and Eric stood there as Barbara turned around and ran off somewhere. The store opened at noon. Umm, do you have pepper? Yes, wee! How much do you need? 100 grams, please. Thatll be either 400 Tolls or 200 grams of Magi Sand. Here, 400 Tolls. Thank you very much. In Kaina Vige, Magi Sand, pen nibs, and rubber balls have started being used as currency for the first time. At the same time, it also epted traditional bartering. The Ran Firm had a long rtionship with Kaina Vige, so it was quite convenient. Of course, it was undeniable that there is a reason for the vige to be managed by Jin. Thats why the Ran Firm wanted to cherish that rtionship with Kaina Vige, and by extension, with Jin. A shop like the one Eric had set up in the small vige like Kaina, which had about 30 houses in total, was not very likely to be flooding with customers. Eric was able to handle most of the sales by himself. So the reason for opening a new branch there was to find a new product. After closing the store at around 3 pm, Eric would go around the vige, expecting to find various new discoveries. Today, he was heading towards Nidou Castle. He went there bringing some sweets from his shop. Barrow and Belle seemed to be taking a little break, as they were drinking tea in a corner of the cafeteria. Good afternoon. Huh? Ah, wee! Mr Eric, right? Yes, Im Eric from the Ran Firm. I have some questions for you, is now a good time? Yes, we were just taking a short break. Erics nose twitched as if to say Ah, thats great then, and presented the sweets he had in his hand. Then, he noticed some yellow things he had never seen before in front of Barrow and Belle. He wondered if they were some kind of food, since they had cut markings all over. Um, what are those youre eating? Ah, these are called hotcakes. I know! Why dont you try some, Mr. Eric? Belle then stood up, got some powder from the shelves, mixed it with eggs and milk, and began to stir. Ah, thanks. Umm, here. I brought these for you. Ah, thank you very much. Barrow nodded politely after epting Erics gift. After being invited to take a seat and having a chat with Barrow, Eric started to notice that something smelled good. Here you are. After 10 minutes, Belle was back with the hotcakes. Peridot 101 had made it possible to make them here as soon as they started to be made on Hourai Ind. That, of course, had been done that way so that Jin could enjoy some hotcakes while in his castle. So these are hotcakes, huh? You can add as much butter, syrup, or jam youd like. T-Then Ill have some syrup, please. Typically, syrup is made by boiling sugared water, and although most of the sugar would turn slightly brownish, the syrup here was colorless and transparent. In other words, it used pure white refined white sugar. Eric was astonished to learn this. He even wondered if they would charge him for the syrupter. However, seeing Barrow and Belle in front of him with a generous amount of butter and syrup, Eric decided hed do the same. He took a bite Delicious. Eric also immediately fell in love with its taste. It seemed to go well with the elegant simplicity of tea. Im d youre enjoying them. Eric was so absorbed into his delicious hotcakes that he could hardly hear Belles voice. Umm, could you teach me how to make these hotcakes? Hmm, let me see. Id have to ask permission from Master Jin. She turned him down instantly A few dayster, when Jin returned to Kaina Vige, Eric begged him to teach him how to do it for 100,000 Tolls, just as he had with the pumps. Eric opened the store at 4 PM. Customers woulde in to get their groceries for dinner. Id like a kilogram of sugar, please. Yes, thatll be 10 pieces of animal fur. And salt as well. Sure, its 150 Tolls per kilogram. And when the Sun of that long summer day was beginning to set, the bell in Nidou Castle announced that it was 6 PM. The idea of daylight saving time had be very popr, so after some consideration, it had been established that during winter, the clocks would be set one hour back. At that time, Barbara came to the shop to help with closing and calcting the sales for the day. Have you had dinner yet, Eric? No, not yet. I can prepare it after Im done with todays ounting. Would you like toe to my house to eat tonight? Eh? Really? Id love to! Its settled! Then Ill help you finish calcting the sales Eric was surprised by her words. It was unusual for a rural girl like her to know her way with numbers. Thanks But, can you count, Barbara? Dont look down on me! I may not look it, but Ive studied hard! Barbara then sat next to Eric and started working with the numbers. Looking anxiously sideways, Eric was surprised at how urate and fast she was. Thats right. Miss Mine taught me how to do this. Its easy to just add up the daily sales and subtract the cost. Actually, she had taken special ounting sses precisely because she wanted to help Eric, but she wouldnt admit to that. Youre a great help, Barbara. (Do you think Id make a great wife?) Huh? Did you say anything? N-Nah! Must have been your imagination! Anyway, alls done here! Im done on my end as well. Barbara stood up vigorously, and grabbed Eric by the hand. Lets go, then! Y-Yeah. Only the rising moon was watching the two walking in affectionate harmony. Or so theyd wish it to be, but on their way from Erics shop to Giebecks house, they were actually seen by many vigers like Martha, Hanna, Jonas, and Nona And Eric already knew that the cat was out of the bag. Chapter 439: Indo Mine

Chapter 439: Indo Mine

Lets go back in time a little, to the middle of June. Back when the Technology Expo in the Shouro Empire hadnt been held yet. Day after day, the council of the Klein Kingdom was in disarray. The topic in question today was the former Earl Walters Inad Mine. The policy of splitting the former Earl Walters estate and giving it to the new aristocrats who have made achievements had already been decided. Toka Vige would go to Lithia Farheight. And the Inad Mine to the east would be added to Jins leaseholdnd as well. But there was a problem with the Inad Mine. At the Inad Mine, gold, silver, and some Magi Crystal and so on could be gathered. They ount for about 5 percent of all mineral resources, both as a source of ie for the kingdom and as a resource to support industry. It was truly regrettable to let go of that 5 percent of the kingdoms source of ie. It may be that human beings are reluctant to let go of something when need arises, even if they had decided to do so themselves. Then, could we agree to say that Jinsnd will be officially leased from August 1st, and that as much mining as possible will be done until then? Alois III, King of the Kingdom of Klein, sighed softly at the teasing of his ministers. (It seems that the corruption of these old aristocrats isnt limited to Count Walters estate) However, as a king, he couldnt allow himself to say that out loud. Then what should we do with the miners? Humans arent as efficient. Thats why we should use golems instead. Dont we have 20 general-purpose golems? We should send 10 of them in. Those golems had been made by Jin. That suggestion seemed to have been made for the benefit of the country, and since there was no point in objecting to such grounds, even the king himself couldnt reject it without giving them a chance to exin first. The next day, the 10 general-purpose golems and several mine carts were sent out, joined by the leaders Viscount Bayer, Balton Ohlstat, and Heintz Lash, and the coachmen. Viscount Bayer became a leader by saying he was familiar with the intricacies of mine management. Bolton could ssify ore with its microscopic magic eye. Heintz came as a guard. The party reached the Inad Mine six days after departing. The Inad mines entrance was located atop a small hill, and its tunnel was dug diagonally downward. The area remained just as it did back when Count Walter destroyed the magic tools, freeing the criminals who then went on to cause the miners to attack the Kaina Vige. Alright, lets get started! After cleaning up the scattered debris and broken pieces from the magic tools, they moved right onto starting with the excavation. The ability of the golems that Jin had built was simply amazing. Although far from the Golems of Horai Ind, these general-purpose golems were about 10 times stronger than regr humans, and they could dig up even more than them with their pickaxes, chisels and hammers, and so on. Air and food werent an issue for the golems as well. All they needed in order to keep working was to have their tanks filled with Mana once per day. The carriage was stacked with mana supply vessels for that purpose. They could also operate with the bare minimum amount of light. These were all thanks to Jins merit, but Viscount Bayer wasnt noticing that. All he could do wasugh while staring at the heap of ore piled up in front of him. Bolton appraised the ore, finding gold, silver, quartz, raw Magi Crystal ore, and so on. It looks like the veins are indeed starting to run out of ore. The amount of ore that has gold in it is declining. Hearing Boltons report, Viscount Bayer issued new orders. Lets try digging deeper, then. These golems should be able to do it. The advantage of golems was that even if water was to start springing up after a certain depth, they could work to some extent even underwater. The Viscount had ordered the veins to be dug deeper than what humans would normally be able to. In this way, two months worth of ore was mined in a single week. As the work became routine, the Viscount began to frequently go down to the nearest vige, Toka Vige. In terms of distance, Kaina Vige was actually closer, but he chose to go to Toka Vige instead because even if it was already well known, he didnt want to face the fact that they were mining at such a quick pace. Such precautions were useless against Kaina Viges monitoring system, Koushin. The Inad mine had also been monitored since Earl Walters previous attempted attack. In addition, there was a special magic line working as a tracking system connected between Laojun and the general-purpose golems. With that tracking system, he could see everything the golems did. Theyre desperately mining for ore. Yes. They seem quite frantic about filling their pockets, huh? How petty. It seems to be full of greedy people like these all over the world. I agree. So, what should we do? Lets leave them be. Its the same with or without such a poor mine. Besides, were talking about My Lord. Its possible that he wont even bother himself to manage it out of it being too troublesome. It was no wonder that Laojun described the mine as poor. The daily production of the Inad Mine was about 0.5 kg of gold, 3 kg of silver and 6 kg of copper. 4 kg of tin and 10 kg of zinc. 0.1 kg of Mithril silver. 150 kg of quartz, and 15 kg of agate. And about 0.5 kg of Magi Crystal. It was about 1/500 of Hourai Inds overall production. And even then, this amount was possible only due to Jins general-purpose golems. When humans used to work the mine, its production wasnt even one tenth of this. Even so, it seems they have dug quite deeply. The Inad Mine was a higher point than that of Kaina Vige. Its main tunnel had already been dug past 100 meters deep, and was about to reach the 150-meter mark. July 1st. It was the day when Lithia officially became the head of Toka Vige. Viscount Buyer stopped resting in Toka vige the previous morning and left to avoid quarreling with Lithia. He knew that Lithia was close to Jin to some extent. Well then, the right time is near. Out of the five wagons under hismand, four had already been sent back with the goods. The remaining wagon was also filled with more than half of its capacity with ore. It would be full in a day or two. Even though the general-purpose golems performed way better than humans, it still took longer than expected to carry ore to the surface from about 150 meters underground. If it were any less efficient than this, it wouldnt even be profitable. It had already be a mine that was impossible for humans to work in. To give a mine in those conditions to someone could be seen as an act of disdain towards them, but the Viscount didnt care about such a thing. The ones who cared were the country and the royal family. He just did the job he was ordered to do. (Though I am taking a cut here) Viscount Buyer muttered that in his mind. From the excavated gold ore, he secretly smelted about 2 kg of gold and took them for himself. The viscount used the Engineering Magic spell Smelting to that end. Then, on July 2nd The wagon was almost full and the work waspleted in a single day. Bolton, who was appraising the ore every day, was the one most pleased. Should we go back with this now? Even though it was an order, I didnt really want to do this job By the way, I heard that Gloria ising to Toka Vige, perhaps I should meet with her tomorrow. He had such trivial hopes. However At 6 PM, the depth of the main tunnel had reached 200 meters deep. At that moment, a sudden tremor took ce underground. What was that? Then, a cloud of dust was spewed forth with a thunderous roar. A cave-in? If a tunnel over 200 meters copsed, not even golems would be able to escape in one piece. Thinking he could lose 10 valuable general-purpose golems, and the responsibility for that would fall to himself, Viscount Bayer turned pale. But the situation wasnt as simple as that. Arge amount of rock spouted from the crumbling tunnel. It flew in the air for tens of meters before falling. The standing tree near the exit of the mine was broken into pieces. The 10 general-purpose golems have also been hurled out of the mine all together. However, none of them were unharmed. Many of their arms were missing, and many of their legs had been bent. T-This isnt just some cave-in! Bolton cried out at the unstoppable sound of the earth rumbling. Heintz was also alert. The only one who seemed to be flustered and not knowing what was going on was Viscount Bayer. Then that appeared. W-What is that? It came out of the mine. About 5 meters wide, and 50 meters long. The surface of its body had a metallic luster about it, and glittered in metallic green. Countless legs were wriggling on both of its sides. Its four eyes were shining red. A Centipede? It was a monster that looked like a giant centipede. U-Uwaaaaahhh! It wasnt only one. Two, three A total of five giant centipedes had crawled out of the tunnel. Chapter 440: Giant Peeders

Chapter 440: Giant Peeders

State of emergency. After receiving an emergency call from the Kaina vige monitoring system Koushin, Laojun immediately connects the magic line. Five giant centipedes have emerged from the Inad Mine. Theyre about 50 meters long. Laojun also learned the general outline from the information gathered by the general-purpose golems that were digging in the mine. About how they had found an underground cave. About how magical beasts lived there. About how their bodies were so hard that the general-purpose golems couldnt even scratch their surface. Finding that there was a way outside, the magical beasts immediately headed for the surface. And about how everything that came in contact with the mucous substance that came out of their mouths would be dissolved into a white smoke. And so on. Their description resembles that of the monster known as Peeder. Peeders were monsters that resembled centipedes, but were at most 50 centimeters long. There was no way they could be 50 meters long. So should we call them Giant Peeders? These Giant Peeders wriggled their way out of the Inad Mine onto the surface, and started climbing down the hill. No matter where they are heading to, I need to contact My Lord. Jin was still in Hourai Ind with his partners. W-What are those? So creepy. The images they had seen on the Mana Telecam located in themand room on the first basement floor were so realistic, that not only the girls but also Jin and Reinhardt were disgusted to see them. These make Giant Spiders look cute The Giant Peeders slowly descended the mountain. Their speed was about 20 km/h, which was slower than what Jin would have expected. Are they heading towards Kaina Vige, or? Whether it was Kaina Vige or Toka Vige, Jin stood up as if saying that he couldnt just stand there doing nothing about it. J-Jin, what are you going to do? Saki seemed anxious. Dont tell me youre going to tell us that youre going to manage to deal with them somehow! Im telling you exactly that. Not to mention Kaina Vige, but I also have acquaintances in Toka Vige. Im the only one who can manage to deal with them somehow. Ill go with you, Brother Jin. There might be some injured people. Despite her pale expression, Elsa still kept a firm posture. Okay, lets go. Reinhardt, you and the others stay here, keep your eyes peeled, Ill be counting on you for backup if necessary. Laojun should use Machina to rescue anyone who couldnt get out in time. Orders received. Got it. Then, as Jin and Elsa were about to leave the room W-Wait! Take me with you! I dont know if Ill be of much help, but I cant just stand here! Saki loudly called out to them. Got it. Lets go. The three of them left the room. Reinhardt, Berthie, Mine and Starleana remained in the room, staring at the Magic Screen. The Giant Peeders were on the road that connected Kaina Vige and Toka Vige. There, one of them turned towards Kaina Vige, while the other four turned towards Toka Vige. Well operate the paralyzing barrier at Togo Pass at its maximum power. This barrier Laojuns voice echoed in themand room. Then, he followed with a basic exnation. Reinhardt and the others were all impressed with how well prepared Jin was, and even if that were to be the full extent of what he could do about this situation, that still brought a chill down their spine. If they manage to cross the Togo Pass, we will issue an emergency alert to Kaina Vige. We n to evacuate to the Nidou Castle shelter and watch the situation from there, and if the Peeders manage to cross the Elme River, we will move the residents to Kunlun Ind. That was the exnation of the evacuation n. The idea was to get everyone out safely, without suffering any injuries. Pegasus 1, takeoff. Jin, Elsa, and Saki boarded Pegasus 1, and headed to the transfer machine. At the same time, they started up Titan 2. The Titan 2 had the highest overall performance, probably because it was operated by Reiko. J-Jin, did you make that as well!? Saki was surprised to see the Titan. Elsa didnt say anything, but her face was saying everything for her. First, Pegasus 1 was transferred over. Since they had position data from Koushin, it was possible to transfer with just a small error margin. Jin deployed invisible mode as well. Then, Titan 2 was transferred over. There was only an error of 10 cm above the ground, but otherwise the transfer waspleted sessfully. Invisible mode was deployed on it as well immediately after the transfer in order to hide it from Kaina Vige. The ce they arrived at was right under the Togo Pass, a wide riverbank of the Elme River. Looking up, they saw a sh of light run through the Togo Pass. The paralyzing barrier is up. The paralyzing barrier was running at full power. It wasnt enough to make the Giant Peeder faint, but it managed to shock it enough to make it turn around. With this, all five of them would be heading to Toka Vige. However, the distance to Toka vige is more than 50 km in a straight line, so they had to be dealt with by then. Alright, lets go! In the middle of nightfall, Jin moved Pegasus 1 over Togo Pass. Well, its bad! At this rate, either Toka Vige or Kaina Vige will suffer great damage! Heintz Lash shouted as he looked down the hill. I-I know! We have to do something about it! Anything! Viscount Bayer was bleeding from his head. He was hit by one of the pieces of rock that were shot out of the mine. That had further flustered him to the point of being on the brink of panic. Those arent something that humans could deal with Bolton had reached the point of giving up. Five golems arrived, having been sent there by transfer machine from Hourai Ind. They were Land 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. Its dangerous here, this way, please. W-Who are you guys? What do you want with us!? Bolton demanded an exnation. We serve Deus ex Machina. We have been instructed to protect you. Deus ex Machina? That has to be Theres no time for that now. Please, this way. Bolton, Heinz, the viscount, and the one remaining wagon officer were evacuated by the Land-series golems. As Bolton thought about how they had never seen the silver-colored structure they were being taken to, he noticed the other three people that were with him had lost their consciousness. Having seen that, Bolton tried to resist, but he ended up losing consciousness just like the other three. Thats good. Get them inside the Pelican and wait for instructions in the air. Having them lose consciousness due to the paralysis barrier and then sheltered in the Pelican was all part of Laojuns instructions. The barrier was painless, so he decided that this was better in order to keep Hourai Ind confidential. The viscounts injury was treated. However, since he was getting his just desserts, all that was done for him was to stop his bleeding and disinfect the wound. With nothing more to protect for the time being, Pelican 3 took off to the skies, and the five Land golems stayed on the ground. Ill try attacking it with theser. It was his fastest weapon. As long as you can see the target, you will never miss it. It had semi-automatic sights. Jin took aim at the Giant Peeder that was at the front of the group, and pulled the trigger. A red light was emitted from theser cannon attached to the nose of Pegasus 1, hitting the center of the Giant Peeders torso And then it bounced off. To be more precise, it was reflected. Theser beam that hit the Giant Peeders metallic-lustered body was reflected as if it had been scattered about. Uoooh! Why? W-What happened? Being aware of the existence ofsers and their properties, Elsa looked as incredible as Jin. However, since aser is made of light, it would naturally share the properties of light. In other words, it wouldnt work against highly reflective surfaces. Saki was astonished at the fact that there was a monster that was unaffected by light magic. The reflectedser beam hit the surrounding trees and shrubs, burning them to a crisp. It seems it did some damage, though. The center of its torso seemed to have sustained a bit of damage. It looked like the Giant Peeder hadnt been able topletely reflect the power of that fully-poweredser beam. But now that it was hurt, the Giant Peeder that was at the front of the group had be even more ferocious. Chapter 441: Struggle

Chapter 441: Struggle

J-Jin What are we going to do? Her face turned pale, Saki asked with a trembling voice. We might have no choice but to physically crush it. Physically What do you mean? Brother Jin means that hes going to do something with strength rather than with magic. Sakis face indicated that Elsas exnation made her understand even less. Reiko, take care of the one on the front! Understood, Father. By all means, there was the theory to try to limit the movements of those on the rear, but they tried to prioritize the one that was damaged by theser and ended up going on a rampage, if only a bit. The speed of Titan is 150 km/h. That was about 8 times faster than the Giant Peeders. In a blink of an eye, it overtook the five of them and wrapped around them, catching the one that had been hurt by theser. But the 50 meters long Giant Peeder was stronger than expected, and tried to wrap around the Titan in order to immobilize it. The other four of them continued to move towards Toka Vige. Thankfully, they hadnt decided to gang up on the Titan instead. Why you-! The Titans fist impacted against the Giant Peeders head. Surprisingly, the blow, which struck with an output equivalent to 200% of Reikos power, wasnt enough to crush its head. The Titans movements had turned rather sluggish. But thanks to that, Reiko was able to punch it two times, then a third time, and the Giant Peeder had also been considerably slowed as well. Alright, Reiko, now move aside! Jin aimed the Magi Cannon at it. Fire! After having its power slightly adjusted because its target was only a few hundred meters away, the Adamantite warheadunched at a speed of about Mach 3 did not miss its mark, piercing the body of the Giant Peeder. As soon as that happened, yellow fluid started gushing out from it. Smoke started toe out of a nearby rock that was hit by that fluid. It seemed to be a strongly corrosive agent. There was a chance it was a powerful acid. At least, it seemed to be the same as the liquid that they spat out of their mouths. Reiko! Watch out! Depending on the acidsposition, not even an alloy of aluminum and titanium might bepletely safe from it. Reiko put up a barrier for substances. Contrary to what would be expected, the Giant Peeder that had its body torn to pieces became even more violent. It spat liquid from its mouth. The Titan managed to dodge it, but a nearby rock started to melt into white smoke upon contact. So it definitely had the sameposition as its yellow body fluids after all. He had received the report about it, but to see it for himself was truly something else. So these guys are synthesizing a strong acid inside their bodies, huh? Perhaps something stronger than acid a liquid that corroded other objects and substances. In any case, Jin became more alert so as to not stupidly let the Titan, Reiko, and the golems get hit with that substance. The remaining 4 Giant Peeders sped up a little, heading towards Toka Vige at about 30 km/h. Do we have to crush their headspletely? Seeing that one of them wasnt dying even though its torso had been pierced through, and even had the strength to scatter destruction around it, Jin wondered if that would be the case. Or maybe they wont stop until we chop them into pieces A Water Jet would work, but Ah! Jun remembered about the magic swords he had made before, Muramasa and Masamune. Heat should be effective here Laojun, send Masamune here. It was a magic sword that didnt get much use after being created, and was instead rotting away at the warehouse, waiting for its chance to shine. That sword was instantly sent to Jin via Warp Gate. Okay, do this here Jin didnt waste a second, and started remodeling it immediately. Two pairs of eyes stared at him with anxiety. J-Jin, I dont know what youre doing, but do we really have the time to y with swords? Brother Jin Elsa was terrified of these Giant Peeders, who Jin didnt seem to know how to deal with, and who left Saki at a loss for what to do about them. Okay, done. After remodeling the magic sword, Jin opened the skylight of Pegasus 1 and activated it toward the sky. A pale purple tinge of light extended from it. The sword of light reached about 10 meters long. Jin then stops it immediately. It was an improvised weapon created by overloading its magic circuit. Alright, it came out great. J-Jin! W-What is that? Its a sma Sword I just fashioned in a rush. Puhss-ma Sword? When the hot gas is heated further, the gas molecules are separated into cations and electrons. This state is known as sma. Jin produced a state called hot sma and confined it within a sword-shaped barrier. Its temperature was about 1 billion degrees. It is the same temperature at which nuclear fusion can ur. I might not be able to keep it up for long Ill have to rely on Reiko for this. Jin used his Mana Comm to contact Reiko. She then made the Titan crouch and got out of the cockpit, waving at Jin. Responding to that, Jin threw the sma Sword at her. Reiko was able to catch it without any problems. So youre saying I should use this, Father Reikos voice came out of the Mana Comm. Thats right. Its magic circuit will probably burn out soon. Its a match against time. Im counting on you! Leave it to me. After cutting themunication, Reiko released 100% of the power output. Neither the Laser Gun nor the Magi Cannon have proven to be very effective In themand room located in Hourai Ind, Laojun exined the state of the battle projected in the Magic Screen while analyzing it. What is Jin going to do? There was a hint of impatience in Reinhardts face. If a weapon with such power cannot produce a meaningful result, will there be anything that can? Dont worry. It may be something that we havent really rehearsed for, but there are still two more ways left to do this. Laojun reassured everyone who was still there. At that time, a request from Jin came in. Laojun responded immediately and ordered the mobile terminal, Laozi, to transfer the magic sword Masamune to Pegasus 1. What was that now, Laojun? A magic sword previously made by My Lord. Laojuns exnation was brief. Reinhardt felt even more respect for Jin. Perhaps, My Lord is Rather than me exining it, please see for yourselves. What they saw on the Magic Screen was Reiko holding a gigantic sword made of light. Actually, what Reinhardts and the others could see was nothing but a shadow that seemed to be Reiko, moving around at a speed that can not be easily followed by their eyes. The next moment, the Giant Peeder had been chopped into pieces. First of all, the one that had already been severely damaged had quickly been sliced into seven pieces. No blood or body fluids had spurt out of the cut sections. This was the reason why Jin had decided against using the Water Jet. He wanted to prevent those body fluids to cause damage to the surrounding area. But more than anything else, to keep Reiko safe. Then, another one was sliced into eight pieces, and another one into nine. And by the time the 4th had been sliced in half The dazzling sword of light disappeared. Gah, its reached its limit! Five seconds. Five seconds after being forced to go beyond its limits, the magic sword Masamune had burned its own magic circuits out, and stopped working. The result was that three of the Giant Peeders had been killed, one of them had been split in half, and thest one was still unharmed. Thatst one was still heading towards Toka Vige. The body of the one who had been cut in half was still moving around, and the body fluid spit out from its mouth caused trees and rocks alike to be burnt and melt away. Since they still didnt know the identity of those body fluids, it was dangerous for Reiko to get closer to it, so Jin didnt allow her to. If itse to this Send the other magic sword, Muramasa. Yes, right away. The thunder magic sword Muramasa was sent over immediately. Jin quickly started remodelling it again. One minuteter, remodelling wasplete. Reiko, Im counting on you again! Yes, Father! Reiko once again catches the sword Jin threw at her. Then, the sword started to emit light Whats that, Jin? Its different from before? Oh, this ones a thunder-type magic sword, so its effect might be a little different. As the sun went down, the sword of light that glittered with purple lightning illuminated the darkened ground. Excited by the mega-electron bolt, the sma pierced the sword-shaped barrier and released that purple lightning. And the extreme speed at which that sword moved sealed the deal for the remaining Giant Peeders. T-They did it Reinhardt and the others were excitedly staring at the Magic Screen. T-That was amazing Those are Jin and Reiko for you. Is it because hes out of the standard, or simply because hes Jin? All thats left now is to clean up. There was a hint of relief in Laojuns voice. And there was also an atmosphere of relief in Pegasus 1. Then Hmm? Saki made a puzzled voice after looking outside. Jin! Look over here! Huh? Saki was pointing at Inad Mine. From the crumbling tunnel, countless Giant Peeders were crawling out into the dark. Chapter 442: Eccentric

Chapter 442: entric

Oh boy This is bad The Giant Peeders that wereing out of the Inad Mine werent as big as the other five, and were at most 10 meters long and 1 meter wide. But the problem was in their numbers. There were easily over a hundred of them. Well, what should I do? This isnt the time to be calmly asking that to yourself! Sis Saki, please calm down. Panicking isnt going to bring us any closer to a n. Uh Youre right, but Look at Brother Jin. Hes just calmly thinking of a solution. Thats how he is. Although Jin was being praised by Elsa, despite his calm appearance, his mind was a mess. I dont have any magic swords to use anymore Theyre too little for the Magi Cannon to be of any use as well Hmm? Too little? Thats where he stopped. Guess Ill just have to try Reiko, take Peach Blossom No, take the Vibration Sword! He had brought a Vibration Sword along in case hed need it. For the third time, Jin threw a sword at Reiko for her to catch. Reiko, make sure you hit them with it! It was a sword made of Magi Adamantite, the hardest metal in the known world. Since the Magi Cannons shells were made of the same material and were able to pierce through the Giant Peeders bodies, that sword should be able to cut through them as well. And Jins guess was correct. As Jin and the others watched, Reiko splendidly sliced one of the Giant Peeders in half. Body fluids spurted out of the sliced sections, but Reiko cleverly cleared away from harms way. Since they were small, they didnt spurt as much of those body fluids as the others, so she managed to dodge them without a problem. Yes, thatll work! Jin contacted Laojun and ordered him to dispatch 50 Army Golems armed with Vibration Swords. Orders received. Not even 5 minutes after receiving Jins brief order, the 50 Army Golems arrived on site. Okay, Land Corps, full steam ahead! Shred them as quickly as possible! Once you sh them, immediately deploy your Barriers. Try to avoiding in contact with those body fluids as much as possible! With Jins instructions, the Lands 51 through 100 that had been sent started to move along with the Army Golems. Reiko joined in as well, and what unfolded afterwards, to put it in one word, was chaos. To put in two words, it was aplete overrun. Since the cut sections werent burned as the des went through them, body fluid scattered all over, causing things to emit a white smoke. The Lands scuffled cleverly and deployed their barriers so as to not get in contact with those body fluids, and then attacked again. Still, since they were dealing with this many Giant Peeders, they were definitely going to suffer some damage. Reiko was the only one who came out of that battlepletely unscathed. The battle was about one hour long. The extermination waspleted as a total of 129 Giant Peedersy chopped up on the ground. More than half of the 50 Army Golems had some parts of their bodies molten away, but they were still able to move around to some extent. Is it over now? Jin ordered the 10 Land units from 91 to 100 to scout inside the tunnel of the Inad Mine. 10 minutester, their report came in. Master, we have reached the innermost part of the cave. We couldnt find any remaining Giant Peeders in here. They seem to have beenpletely exterminated. I see, thanks. Do one more round just in case and then return to the surface. Jin rxed his shoulders. Before he realized, it was already night and the moon was rising in the sky. It was about 8 oclock. Great job, Brother Jin. It really was rough, huh? I thought that there was nothing we could do against them, but Well, were in the middle of the air anyways, so its not as if they were going to attack us right away, but how should I put it? I cant find the words Hopelessness? Elsa sent a lifeboat at Saki, who was at a loss for words. Yeah, thats it! Hopelessness. That feeling of dread you get when you face something mere humans cant deal with. Saki felt more at ease to speak now, having been released from her previous tension. To be able to manage to deal with them, Jin You really are the Magi Craft Meister! But I got really anxious this time. It made me realize Im still not quite there yet. To find out that such monsters were out there Jin wasnt expecting theser to not be able to take care of those monsters. Sure enough, there was a defense mechanism that would make it possible to reflect light-based attacks. Jin wondered if he could create a barrier that could work in the same way. The Magi Cannon isnt very user-friendly In short, he could say that the performance of close-range and medium-range weapons was rather poor. Because of that, he intended to put the sma Sword into practical use. Ah, if I were to use a Mana Bomb Wait, thats going to cause a lot of damage to the surrounding area. Hmm? But if I were to put a barrier beforehand Wait, to cover such a wide area would be a little too much But Elsa and Saki remained silent as they saw Jin indulge in his own thoughts. In particr, Elsa felt that it was precisely at times like these that Jin woulde up with the craziest ideas. Then, just as she expected That could work! Jin seemed to have finallye up with something. Two Titans should deploy a hemispherical barrier toward the same target. When the two hemispheres arebined, they be a sphere. You can trap your opponent in that spherical barrier. And if you were to send a Mana Bomb with a transfer machine in there! At first nce it seems like he was talking to Elsa, but he wasnt. The very things he was saying were proof of that. However, Elsa, who was listening by her side, understood the principle and was impressed with Jin. And Laojun, who had been listening through the Mana Comm immediately started working on a detailed analysis of Jins theory. At that moment, another emergency call arrived. Master, the tunnel is caving in. What? Stop the investigation! Everyonee back to the surface, now! Was its foundation that brittle, or was it a result of the Giant Peedersing out of it? Jin hurriedlymanded the Lands that were scouting underground to return to safety. Faithful to Jins orders, the Lands head for the surface without looking back. At that time, they noticed something that seemed to be an unfamiliar magic tool, but they didnt confirm it because they prioritized Jins instructions. If they had stayed long enough to confirm it, they might have found a new fact, but half of the Lands could have been buried under the rubble as a result. Was it a good thing or a bad thing that they couldnt check that magic tool underground? No one would really know that, but if they had retrieved that magic tool, would a different fate await them in the future? A few seconds after the Lands returned to the surface, the tunnel copsed and the Inad Mine became inessible. Okay, everyone seems fine. Jin rxed his shoulders once again. Now it should really be over. The area around the Inad Mine was in bad shape. All over the ce, trees were broken,rge and small rocks were scattered, and everything had been riddled with holes. To make things worse, there were also ces filled with white smoke due to the influence of the Giant Peeders body fluids. This is going to be a pain to clean up. Well, lets get it done by the Kingdom of Klein, thought Jin as he made Pegasus 1 move in order to get confirmation. Ah Is this some kind of material? The sections cut by Reikos sword of light were burned by its tremendous heat, and no body fluids were released from them. Jin told Laojun to collect those. At the same time, he had him retrieve the destroyed general-purpose golems as well. I have dispatched Condor 3 to retrieve those. As stated, he would use Condor 3 to collect the materials and retrieve the destroyed golems. Phew,e on, Jin, What on earth are you exactly? Just how many nes do you have? Saki sighed as she said that. Well, Ill take it easy from now on. Please do. Id like to be able to keep getting along with you from now on. So go easy on me! Saki had a tired smile on her face. Sis Saki, you have to think about it well before getting along with Jin. Eh!? Do you mean that as dont get along? It sounded terribly bad depending on how you understood it. I mean, thats the only thing I understand from what you said Jin made a sad face on purpose. But Elsa doesnt seem to be that kind of person Ah, no, thats Thats not it, umm Elsa panicked as she saw Jin cast his eyes downward. Thats not it. Look, Im not saying Brother Jin is not a nice guy, hes just a little entric, thats all. Elsa, that still sounds terrible in my ears. Uh, ah, ah Elsa went frompletely blushed topletely pale. T-That Tears started to form in her face. Now it was Saki and Jins turn to panic. I-I get it, Elsa. Sorry, sorry. I do understand what youre trying to say. I think your reaction just now was really cute, Elsa. Saki stroked Elsas head as she said that. Whatever. Elsa looked away and pouted. Uhuhu, its the first time I see you make a face like that. You really are so cute, Elsa. Sis Saki, you dummy. Once again, there was peace inside Pegasus 1. Chapter 443: At Toka Village

Chapter 443: At Toka Vige

Using the warp gate equipped on Condor 3, the Giant Peeders remains, 50 Army Golems, Titan 2, Pegasus 1, and Lands 21 to 25 and Pelican 3 who were evacuating Bolton, were moved to Hourai Ind. Condor 3 would return via the huge warp gate established on the northern part of Kaina vige. And Pegasus 1, who had left using theboratorys rear warp gate,nded on the previousboratory area, which was lit up well using Magic Light. Jin, Elsa, and Saki hopped on-board, looking all worn-out. These three were weed by the left-behind squad. Jin, you must be tired! Elsa, Saki, you guys too! Master Jin, that was amazing! Ms. Elsa and Ms. Saki, great work! Jin, you really are amazing! Master Jin, great work out there. Preparations for your meals have been made. It was past 10 PM at Hourai Ind. Mine was considerate enough to prepare dinner for them. Ah, speaking of dinner, I do feel a bit hungry. Thank you. Being weed back by all of them, Jin finally wore a relieved expression. And truly, Hourai Ind was certainly a home where Jin can return to now. Considering the time difference, it would be bad if Stearleana did not return for the time being. If the difference is 5 hours, the time where Stearleanas carriage is would be past 5 PM by now. Oh my, thats unfortunate. That said, its alright if Ie again tomorrow, right? Of course. Ill be waiting. Rather, I will send someone to pick you up. Jin wholeheartedly agreed. My lord, I have arranged for Pelican 1 to remain on stand-by there for that purpose. Laojun intervened. Jin was impressed hearing so. Ohh, I see! True, that would be far more convenient. If Pelican 1 were to be on stand-by near Stearleanas carriage, it would certainly makeing and going much easier. He decided on that being the means for transport for the time being. Well then, Jin and everyone, Ill see you tomorrow. Stearleana, who seemed to have mixed in well today, left after saying her farewells. The day after, Jin decided to head over to Kaina vige. As Jin expected, nobody noticed anything different over there and everyone was passing a peaceful evening. Being relieved, Jin returned back to Hourai Ind again and began repairs on the Lands squad himself. On the other hand, at Toka vige W-what has happened? Loud noises came from the highway leading to Kaina vige. Due to the asional shes in the night sky, the vigers could not remain at ease. The reason why nobody hardly noticed anything over at Kaina vige was because the battle took ce over at Togo pass, which is closer to Toka vige. I will go check once it gets bright. Gloria had assumed that it would be too risky going there in the dark and decided to go check on things there the next morning. Afterwards, as the noises died down, the vigers could finally rest in peace and went to rest. And so, the next morning, at 5AM. To check the cause behind the noise yesterday, Gloria woke up early and got on her horse but on her way there, she found someone copsed at the viges entrance. father! When she got closer, she realized it was her father, Bolton Ohlstat, knight Heintz Lash and another person, most likely the coachman. Viscount Buyer was also there, with an injury to his head. Wh-what happened here? She cancelled going to check what happened out in Togo pass and started nursing them. Although it was very early in the morning, since the matter was of significance, she informed thendlord Lithia about it. Eh? Ms. Glorias father? Viscount Buyer and Mr. Heintz too? Although Lithia had just gotten up, hearing the situation snapped her out of the drowsiness. They informed the guards on duty and had the guards carry them to the guard post. This was because it also had a nursing room in there. Lithia cured Viscount Buyers injury promptly. And at that time, Lithia got to know of an unexpected truth from the soldiers. The Viscount and others had been continuing mining ores at the Inado mine What did you say? Please tell me in detail. Lithia had known about Inado mine being included in Jins leaseholdnd from August 1st. Its one thing to be maintaining the mine but apletely different thing if they were to continue mining there for half a month now, ording to the soldiers story. As a result, they sent four fully loaded wagons of ore to the capitol. What a shameless act Lithia was greatly perplexed. Father, youre also conspiring with him? Gloria, who was also present there, was enraged. You cant really deny a superiors orders now I guess that is also true. Unlike the female knights squad, bureaucrats of the office can not really have a say in most things like how Gloria applied to be Lithias escort this time. The grief of court service. Even then, I wanted my father to at least have the backbone to admonish him Lets have that talkter I am sorry, but even though I can use healing magic to heal injuries ah, right. Lithia remembered the magic tool for healing which she borrowed from Jin. She had kept it with the golem horse to return it to Jin this time. She went rushing to fetch it. Surely, if we use this Lithia came back, out of breath, and used the magic tool without even letting Gloria ask any question. The magic tool with the medicare effect activated, returning consciousness to the four of them, who were paralyzed. T-this ce is?! U-uwaah, save me, please! Father! Viscount! Bolton was surprised at where he was while Viscount Buyer entered a panic state. Gloria, is that you? And that is quasi-baron Farheight was it? Heintz Lash calmly analyzed the situation. He grasped that the vicemander of the female knights squad Gloria and the currentndlord of Toka vige Lithia Farheight was in front of him. A-awawawaa And thest one, the coachman, was shaking. Lithia enquired Heintz and Gloria enquired her father about the situation. What? Last nightsmotion to think such events took ce at the mine i-is this vige going to be safe? What? Oh my that is a breach of trust, isnt it, father?! Lithia was shaken from the threat of the huge centipedes while Gloria was enraged about the mining situation. And during all this, Viscount Buyer had just been muttering about something, unable to talk properly. It seems he had taken quite the hit to his mental. I understand the situation. Ms. Gloria, it was good that you did not need to go check on the mine. Gloria said, feeling goosebumps as she imagined Gloria facing off against the huge centipedes. That said, were talking about 5 of these monsters, you know? Can we really evacuate the vige if we start now? As she truly understood how despairing the situation was, even the cheerful Gloria looked pale. That reminds me, Deus Ex Machina was protecting us Did hee to this vige? Heintz spoke up, remembering about the fact. Eh? Master Machina was? Ah, right, I remember now. Just when we were out of options in front of those monsters, 5 golems under his orders appeared and helped us escape I do not have any memories after that but perhaps he took some kind of measures? Now that you mention that, it was loud and noisy for a while with shes and what not but all that also died down after a while. shes? Those monsters didnt release any light, though What? But, there were shes of light in the night sky, for sure Hmm This is being optimistic but if Machina were to be the one behind those shes then Heintz stated his guess. However, Bolton was still in disbelief. Ehh? Are you telling me he defeated 5 of those monsters? If its him, then maybe E-either way, we must make sure of it Ms. Gloria, on second thought, could you go take a look? However, with utmost caution. Take healing medicine as well, just in case. Lithia handed over thest medicine she had been entrusted with by Jin. Listen closely, no matter what, dont do anything reckless. You must return unharmed. Ill be making the decision to evacuate the vige or not entirely based on that. I understand. Leave it to me. Then, Ill be heading off. Gloria mounted her horse once again and was just about to leave the vige in high spirits when she realized something. There was something at the ce where the 4 of them were lying unconscious. It was a piece of paper. I dealt with all the Giant Peeders. Theres no danger anymore. Deus Ex Machina. Gloria, who was about to leave the vige once again, turned back and went to show that to Lithia. The whole group was relieved to see that. However, a confirmation was indeed still needed so Gloria still went off to check. Chapter 444: On-site Inspection

Chapter 444: On-site Inspection

Right after Gloria had left the vige, Heintz Lash advised Lithia. Quasi-baron Farheight, I think it is too risky to have Miss Gloria go there alone. Having 2-3 people tag along would be much better. If possible, I would like to apany her myself. Lithia was taken aback. I-I understand. She decided to have two of the skilled horse riders from the soldiers who were stationed tag along with Heintz. Mr. Heintz, please be careful. Lithia passed them some dried meat and water bottles. Im greatly thankful for your concern. After receiving it, Heintz Lash gave the other two their portion and said, Well be galloping till we reach Miss Gloria! As soon as he finished saying, he whipped his horse and sped out. The other two followed after. Lithia saw them off with a worried look till they were no longer visible. Oooii! Hearing a call from behind, Gloria stopped her horse and nced back. She spotted Heintz and two others galloping towards her. And so she stood and waited. Orders from Ms. Farheight. Were to apany you. Understood, lets go together. Gloria and Heintz lined up and advanced together. It was already quite bright outside, with white summer clouds drifting in the sky. Heintz handed some dried meat and a water bottle to Gloria. From Ms. Farheight. You wont be able to perform your best when needed since you skipped breakfast. Thats true. Being knights, they had no problem eating while riding. Even while eating and drinking, they did not ck the reins. The soldiers following also kept up. Well, Mr. Lash, could you tell me more about this monster? Gloria asked Lash after finishing eating. Yeah I lost consciousness in the middle of it all so I cant really speak of it in detail but I think it was at least 50 meters tall. And it had 4 eyes, if I am not wrong. They shone red. 50 meters eh? Yes. It threw up some sort of liquid from its mouth-and everything that touched, whether its some tree or even a boulder, they all started melting, giving off white smoke. T-that sounds terrifying. Thats about all I know. After that, Mr. Machinas golem guided us to this area which had a silver glow I dont remember anything past that. Before I realized, we were in Toka vige. I see. How did he defeat such a monster? Gloria could not imagine such a scenario even if she tried. The path forward was a gentle slope upwards and as they kept advancing, less and less greeneries could be seen. After passing a wastnd full of boulders, they were faced with a sudden uphill. Well probably reach in about an hour. The two of them slowed their pace and proceeded with caution. Would it be better to ready ourselves to draw at any time? No, I dont think we could do anything to it with a sword. I think it would be better to be careful of the surroundings more. Heintz answered Glorias question with a bitter smile. And so, another thirty minutester, the two of them stopped their horses. The soldiers following did the same. We should be close to the scene now. Lets proceed with caution. Hearing that, the group focused themselves anew and started slowly walking with their horses. Theres a weird smell here. Gloria muttered, holding her nose. This is the centipedes liquids smell. Heintz answered, holding down his nose as well. The group became even more cautious than before, paying attention to everything around them. And then, seeing that ahead of the curved path in front of them, the four froze. The horses also stopped in their tracks out of fear. The thing that was lying there-it was like a scene out of hell. Countless corpses of enormous centipedes of over 10 meter in length. Mr. Lash! This is way more than just five! Y-yes then, after that, even more of them came crawling out Heintz felt a chill down his spine, seeing more than hundreds of such corpses lying in front of him. While still on the horse, they went closer to the one noticeably bigger corpse. Gloria could not help but stare in wonder, seeing the body cleanly cut in two, probably with a huge sword. He he can cut a monster of this size? Gloria tried shing at its shell as a test. And with a high pitch sound, the swords de broke off. It sure does not feel like it could be cut with a sword. The sword she brought with her this time wasnt the one Jin made, it was one made with the usual steel. And such a swords steel stood no chance against the centipedes toughness. Gloria realized anew, the fact that although Machinas strength is very reliable, it is also a threat. They looked inside the shell to find some sort of a yellow colored liquid. It seems to be the liquid these centipedes released from their mouth. Gloria nonchntly thrusted her sword into that liquid. Uwaah! The steel sword gave off a white smoke and melted away just like that. Ms. Gloria! I told you about this! The fact that its liquid can dissolve anything. Although, it seems like the liquid does not do anything to itself. Looking at her now broken, melted off sword, Gloria muttered, I wonder if Mr. Jin would make me one if I asked It seems Ms. Gloria, Mr. Heintz and two other soldiers reached the scene. Laojun, who was monitoring the Inado mines situation using the surveince system Koushin, muttered. He could clearly see Glorias surprised expression. It would be better to clean it up after having them see it, after all. The shell would make for great material so Laojun nned on collecting them from the start but to disy what went down there, he just took the five 50 meter ss ones and left the rest. He had just witnessed Gloria trying to cut the centipedes body and try to touch the liquid with her sword. Its the liquid that melted even the Land units a bit. Simple steel would not be able to endure it. Laojun does not have a face but if he had, he would definitely be wearing a wry smile right about now. It is possible for the mobile terminal golem Laozi however. They are lucky the centipedes liquid is very vtile. It would be extremely dangerous if the whole area had been a sea of such liquid but in about two hours, most of the liquid had evaporated. Only the shells remained. That too will evaporate in a few more hours. It would prevent anyone from misusing them so Laojun didnt mind. After all, they had collected that liquid more than necessary from the four bodies of the 50 meter pedes. Hmm, it seems they are going to check the mine too, for what it matters. He said as he saw Gloria and her group climb up the mountain. Itspletely unusable, huh? Heintz said, looking at the sorry state of the mine. They couldnt even tell which was the entrance from all the rumble and the remains of general purpose golems. Was it worth sacrificing expensive golems? Gloria asked, not really pointing towards anybody. No clue. I just followed my superiors orders. To the knight Heintz, disobeying orders was something unthinkable. Lets head back. Gloria announced with a sigh, turning around her horse. Heintz and the other two followed after. Chapter 445: Review Meeting

Chapter 445: Review Meeting

The day after the centipede extermination Hourai Ind, 3rd of July. Stearleana came back and they were having a sort of review meeting. I assumed our current defenses were more than enough but I came to realize that theyre insufficient, said Jin. He thought there was not anyone Hourai Inds current forces couldnt assassinate. Reinhardt and the others couldnt also say that it was just Jin worrying too much. If we consider the worst case scenario, getting stronger isnt really a bad thing one could just not use their strength if it isnt needed. Even Saki came up and said so. It seems yesterdays experience was intense. Master, in my opinion, the weapons specialities are somewhat unbnced. An gave her remark. Elsa and Reinhardt had known about her but Saki, Belche, Mine and Stearleana saw her for the first time. As Laojuns right-hand, she is the one receiving reports from the Quinta and usually giving out orders to prevent any sort of unfavorable situation for Jin or the Hourai Ind. It might be appropriate to call her the manager behind the scenes. She was also attending the meeting this time as Jin wanted to hear her opinion as the strategist. In terms of long-rangebat, we gotsers and the Magi cannon. An continued. As for medium to long-range, we have the Induction Radiator but theres a possibility it may not work against some opponents. For closebat, theres the Vibration Sword and Paralyzer as well as the Golem and Titan squad as our resource. Jin just silently listened. As for defense, we have Barrier and Magi Jammer and Treatment Cure for support. An then went on to give her opinion from a different perspective as well. We have enough anti-personnel firepower for swordsmen or magicians or the like. However, against monsters, if we consider extermination is an option, we do not really have the means to properly deal against a case like yesterdays one where the battle took ce in a very limited area. It is also unfavorable that the titans are not armed. Reinhardt had decided to just keep silent and listen but he couldnt help but speak up there. H-However, I do not think such opponents would appear often, right? Not exactly. The Death Serpent Mr. Reinhardt defeated before and the Sandworms in Harihari desert would be a good example. said Reiko. Although all of these were in the past and Reiko did defeat them, they came attacking without caring about the damage to the environment. I n on using the magic sword-I mean, the sma sword like this time in such a case. We dont have a blunt-type weapon. Elsa?! Jin was surprised to see Elsa say that. Not just Jin, even Reinhardt and the others too. We are all allies. Its only natural that I want to help brother Jin. That is true. Elsa did say the other day that he was taking too much upon himself, too. Sorry, Jin. I guess we were kinda being spoiled by you as well. Yeah. Mr. Jin, you dont have any piercing weapon either, right? Theres also the option of binding the enemy, like, with a rope or chains, you know? Light, water, bullets we have those, so heat or ice, maybe? Seeing everyone try ande up with useful ideas made Jin really happy. Lance, drill, mace, heat rays, freezing, anchor rope, etc. These along with the in-development Mana Bomb and Gravity Weapon would be close to idealistic. Also, you have too many weapons focusing on just power. Right, I guess you can say that. Especially in close-range. There are too many one-shot KO ones. Even Jin admitted to it. For anti-personnel, the paralyzer would sort of work that way. How about throwing knives or darts or a small calibre gun, like some kind of a projectile weapon? They were precisely doing what is known as brainstorming at the moment. (Throwing knives, gun, spear, mace, rod, drill, anchor rope, heat rays and freezing, eh) Laojun, who had been observing their conversation, already started working on the possible ones from these as their discussion ended. Since the discussion about weapons reached a point where they can take a break, it was time for tea. Reikos subordinates, Luna and Soleil came in with tea. By the way, Laojun, you said We still have 2 other cards to y that time, what did you have in mind? Reinhardt asked as he drank his tea. Yes. One was to freeze them with ice magic. Arthropod its an insect so I assumed it would be weak in low temperatures. The other was to have Ms. Reiko throw a Magi Cannons cannonball at it. They do seem effective methods. However, neither could match up to my lords method. Even I didnt think of freezing. Jin said after augh. The group then moved onto the next topic. Lets have Laojun exin to us everything we know about the enormous centipedes. Jin said after a sip of his tea. Yes, it is still not clear why the pedes grew that big, however, we have made significant progress in analyzing the materials. Since these gigantic centipedes were able to give a hard time to even the Hourai Ind forces, it would be safe to assume that their material would be excellent. Their outer shell is extremely tough. It reflects almost 90% ofser beams. It is assumed that this percentage can be further increased through additional processing. These materials seem to be perfect for shield or armor. It is still unclear how a creature living in the depths of the Earth acquired such high resistance to light. Its only natural for the creatures which live underground to be weak to light. In fact, the Grand Spider and Grand Caterpir hate light. We found out that their liquid ends up melting most things. As of now, the only materials it can not melt are the pedes body itself and the Grand Spiders string. The Sea Dragons material also gets melted. So it melts anything other than the material taken from subterranean monsters. Yes. We have collected about 2 tons of the said liquid from 5 of the bodies and stored them in a container made out of the Grand Spiders resin and Ether Stocker. Itsposition is still being researched. Chances are high that it is not something like acid or alkali-not some well-known chemical. Even adamantite melts? Yes. It can melt aluminium, gold, tinum, mythril, adamantite and stainless steel. However, the rate at which it melts is low. Although it was just a little, the Lands legs also were melted. Did the vibration sword also melt? As it was used to cut down such a big number of those pedes, the majority of them will not be of any use unless theyre restored. I understand. Continue with the analysis. Jin thinks it will lead to discovering the secrets behind the Gigantic Centipedes. Of course, weaponizing the materials also falls under his n. In addition, the liquid is also highly vtile. There is almost none of it remaining in the scene now. It seems the evaporated gas is of no harm for some reason. Were still looking into it. Hearing that, Jin remembered that there were agricultural chemicals which made things harmless through chemical reaction or UV rays. It is fortunate that it did not turn into poisonous gas. I repaired the damaged Lands but what happened to the general purpose golem I made in Klein Kingdom? ! Elsa was surprised to hear that. After all, she was there when Jin made that golem. And she also knows that Jin has an attachment towards his creations. Yesterday, after Ms. Gloria and the others finished inspecting the scene, we collected all 10 units but they are in a terrible state. I would assume so. It would be better if you saw it with your own eyes. Laojun projected the collected golems in the magic screen. Thats terrible. Both legs and arms were gone. There was a hollow in its torso and many wounds and holes. Damage all over the head. It did not even have its original form. It would be easy to fix. After all, this is Hourai Ind. But I dont want to hand it to them ever again. Jinid bare his true feelings. Yea, I think that would be better. The princess and the king are probably sincere. Ms. Lishia, Ms. Gloria, Mr. Bolton and Ms. Jessica too Elsa, who had gone to Klein Kingdom together with Jin, had a simr opinion. I just heard this from others but it seems the king of the Klein Kingdom does not really hold much power. The system isnt changing for the better. Reinhardts opinion about the Klein Kingdom as a diplomat expressed its current twisted state. Dear, by that do you mean that the few nobles with territory gather, and then they choose and set up a king among them as a mediator? Yea, Bell. Thats more or less correct. Umm theres no actual authenticity to this rumor but I heard that the Francis Kingdom and the Celuroa Kingdom are pulling the strings behind the scenes to shave off the royal familys already weakened authority. The chances of that sure are high since Stearleana is saying it, considering she is from Celuroa Kingdom. That is certainly true. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that Celuroa Kingdom is the one doing most of it. Such information could only be acquired by Laojun and the Quinta dispatched to different locations. He even added that he did not really pay much heed to this as it did not seem like it would put Jin in a disadvantageous spot. That in itself is not a problem. They had no intention of meddling with cross-national matters. However, the matter is different if it were to affect him and his acquaintances. It seems they are narrowing their target to the nobles who are full of pride with no skill and sowing seeds of alienation. All warfare is based on deception, eh? Jin, what do you mean? Reinhardt didnt let that go. Eh? Ah, all warfare is based on deception? Umm, it is a famous saying from my world, left by a military strategist Sun Tzu I think? Oho? Does that mean, Jin, you also have knowledge as a strategist!? No, its more of a thing from education, I guess? Like a maxim but thats about it. In reality, he actually acquired it from a manga. And, well, what was it again ah, right, a war won without fighting is the best, is what it means I think. That was Jins limit. It actually means The goal of any conflict is to control your opponent and ovee them. In other words, winning without fighting is better than winning by fighting. I see, winning without fighting, eh? And thats the purpose of diplomacy and strategies. It is certainly true, that in terms of territory, personnel and resources, it is definitely better to win without fighting. As expected of Reinhardt, he was able toprehend what Sun Tzu meant. W-wait, Reinhardt, the conversation is getting derailed Had Saki not said that, Reinhardt was about to go off about diplomacy and strategies himself. Right Seed of alienation, eh? Well, lets put that aside till any real harmes of it. However, always keep a grip of the situation. As he had said earlier as well, as long as the countries are restraining, Jin did not n on doing anything. It would be all fine if only Lies were to marry Egelea. Jin blurted out something quite serious nonchntly. What would be the best for Kaina vige? Jin asked, looking at the others. Chapter 446: Klein Kingdom is…

Chapter 446: Klein Kingdom is

Although they went very off topic there, they still ended up returning to the original topic at the end-how to deal with Klein Kingdom. Jin, what do you n to do? Hmmm I didnt really n on doing anything really its a bother. Reinhardt let out a smallugh hearing his answer, but he wore a serious face the very next moment and warned Jin. Thats no good. Not only will they take you lightly, nothing will change on their side. And the fact that they wont change means that theyll probably do something simr again. Yea, thats probably whats going to happen. Just think about it, if these gigantic centipedes had made their way to Kaina vige and there were casualties, could you have been as carefree? Jins expression stiffened. That is true. A firm response would be needed in such a case. My lord, let us use Machinas name. Laojun suggested. My lord is soft, Machina is hard. Lets differentiate it like that. Hearing that, Stearleana voiced her doubt. Who is this Machina? It is my lords other face. Ah, as I thought. I thought I heard it before during the dispute Stearleana understood. The one who saved those 4 is Machina. As such, let us use Machinas name to give a warning to the kingdom. But then, they might look into Jin and Machinas rtion, you know? Officially, Machina has saved the four from the kingdom, as such, let us send them a warning as Machina. They might look into Jin and Machinas rtionship in such a case, you know? In that case, we could say that Machina is my lords senior as a disciple. Reinhardt nodded after pondering for a while. Right, I think it would also be better if we add that Jin and Machina arent that close. Then we could say that my lord became a disciple after Machina became independent. That should do it. Well, I doubt they woulde ask in the first ce, though. How about we send them a few pieces of the chopped up gigantic pede? Of course, with a document ming the Klein Kingdom as well. Reinhardt and Laojun kept progressing the talk by themselves. Lets also send a part of the broken general use golem. After all, we will be repairing them with 18-12 stainless steel instead of 5-? nickel. By sending them a portion of the exterior, they would be letting the kingdom know what foolish move they made. How about we also send the ones responsible in Toka vige along with it? Yeah, that sounds good. Um, Bolton, Heintz, the coachman and Viscount Buyer, was it? Yes. Alright, take em out during nighttime and send them off to Alban. It seems Jin was quite angry as he could see the destroyed general-use golem lying in the corner. 4th of July, early dawn. It would be fine to send it to Klein Kingdoms royal castle via the transmission device. The Quinta in charge of Alban, Spica 7, was able to send it with minimal error. Same day, in the morning. There was a huge uproar in front of the royal pce in Alban, Klein Kingdom. W-what is, this? Is it a centipede monster? Who is there? M-Mr. Bolton? Even Heintz Lash! Also Viscount Buyer! And who is that? The coachman? A piece of the centipede, a piece of the broken golem and the VIPs there were lying in front of the royal castle unconscious. Theres no way it would not turn into an uproar. Considering that the piece is of a centipede of 10 meter length. It was a threat in and of itself. Theres a letter too? For the Klein Kingdoms King? The sender is Deus Ex Machina?! Call the prime minister! The healing party as well! Hurry! The uproar finally calmed down after 3 oclock. Seven people had gathered in the kings office. Klein Kingdoms King Alois The 3rd, minister Powell, leader of the order of chivalry Glen, leader of the 2nd knights squad Belnard, Bolton Ohlstat, Heintz Lash and Viscount Buyer. Now then, first off, Viscount Buyer. Lets hear it. Bolton, youre to intersect if the Viscounts exnation has something missing or is unclear. Heintz as well. said the prime minister. Alois the 3rd was just ring at the viscount in silence. Bolton was cowering in fear. Heintz was also on edge, being red at by his superior. Although his mental chaos had died down and his injuries had also been healed, he looked pale due to the tense atmosphere. However, since he was questioned, he couldnt afford to stay silent and so he reluctantly opened his mouth. Y-yes Firstly, we were at the Inada mine He slowly started exining the situation starting from his assignment there. Bolton also assisted in the exnation, and some details here and there and Heinz backed them up. And then they came to the point where the centipede appeared. A huge centipede crawled out from the back of the mine, and we had no choice but to retreat. Bolton added immediately. It was Deus Ex Machina who saved us, and it was also Machina who got rid of the centipedes. Hearing that, Viscount Buyer bit his lips and was trembling. Fools. Not only did you bring about loss of trust from Mr. Jin, but you also caused a disaster that you couldnt solve yourself-making Machina, who is not even someone from the Klein Kingdom, fix your mess. The king was enraged. Did Mr. Machina really get rid of that monster? The Viscount was still in disbelief. Yes. Did you see the centipede piece that was left with you? The sword broke when they tried shed it. Even as we see it here, I can understand that that monster is beyond our control. It can be cut with an adamantite de. Unless its a super-fast vibrating sword, its definitely not easy. A part of the destroyed general-purpose golem was also sent. Ten of these golems were lost at once! ording to the letter, Mr. Jin is also indignant. But of course. We were secretly mining even after saying that we would give it to him. And to top it all of, a monster came out of the mine and it is now abandoned. The kings voice slowly became sad. I was stupid. I lost credibility and lost precious golems. I can no longer ask Mr. Jin to make more of them. Mining the natural resources from the mine without telling Jin was a breach of trust itself. What kind of a face is he supposed to make to ask Jin to make him more? At this point, I have to considerpletely transferring Kaina vige to him, not just lease it. Alois the 3rd was at his wits end. Even Mr. Machinas impression of us has surely gotten worse Deus Ex Machina, who has the means to carry not only humans, but also the centipede pieces from Toka vige all the way to Alban in just one day or less. They assumed he had some sort of connection with Jin and wanted to deepen their bonds going forward but this is doingpletely the opposite. where did we go wrong? King Alois the 3rd regretted his indecisiveness and what he couldnt say earlier. However, in such a situation, the current situation cannot be improved overnight, and so his worries deepened. Even so, he was able to dispose of Viscount Buyer as the person responsible. He was well aware that this does not solve the problem. He only hoped that this would prove to be a warning towards the old nobles to act with care. Viscount Buyer is confiscated and deprived of his title. Exiled from the capital. The king himself dered the punishment. He had been taking a cut so this much was obvious. On the other hand, Bolton Ohlstat and Heintz Lash were only rebuked and had their sry reduced for one year. Afterwards, it was decided that the resources derived from the Inado mine loaded on the four wagons that returned a few dayster would be transferred to Jin as is. Furthermore, they also started considering making Kaina vige Jins permanentnd. Such events in the Klein Kingdom were known by Laojun. Well, I suppose thats a reasonable line. Kaina vige will now be Jinsnd-not just a leaseholdnd. In other words, it would now be an independent area. Although, it seems it has not been made final yet. There is definitely a high possibility of it happening. It is not like he really wants it but it wouldnt be bad to have it as his ownnd. In such a case, we need to stay unrted to the Klein Kingdom If that happens, my lord will be a feudal lord in its true sense. Laojun was secretly pleased. If that happens, we can develop Kaina Vige boldly. And so Laojun began making ns for development straight away. Chapter 447: Elsa’s Tears

Chapter 447: Elsas Tears

Ten days after the incident with the Giant Peeders. Stearleana had safely entered the Celuroa Kingdom. Needless to say, she would go back to Hourai Ind almost every day during the day. Ill do away with that mansion when I get back! She wouldnt hesitate to make such derations. She seemed to have be tremendously disgusted with the Celuroa Kingdom. Reinhardt and Berthie spent most of their time in Kartze Vige. He had just be a Lord, so it couldnt be helped. Ive been told that in that vige next to Kaina, Toka, was it? Theres a new Lord living there. Id like to discuss territorial management with him sometime. Those kinds of conversations were taking ce. Saki was finally freed from the formal aristocratic life and was free to study to her hearts content. She also gnawed on several foodstuffs as she pleased. Uhuhu, I dont need to worry about food, theres a lot of good ingredients This is the best! Her behavior made Ehr worry about her as well. As for Mine, her everyday life consisted in trial and error, in an attempt to reproduce the bakers yeast with Peridot, as suggested by Jin. The fermentation of wine and beer was done with yeast cells. There are many types of yeast, but the one that is most suitable for making bread was called bakers yeast. Jin knew that much, but anything beyond that waspletely out of his scope. Yeast research would also lead to miso and soy sauce, so Peridot and the others worked hard because it was something that Jin wanted to put particr effort into. Which is why they had chosen to recreate the bakers yeast first. The bread that we make with that yeast is so spongy, and it tastes so well! It seemed that a new specialty was about to be created in Kaina Vige. And, of course, she hadnt forgotten about her duties as a teacher. A study session was held at Nidou Castle three days a week. The reason why they were no longer held at the vige headmans house was because Sally had opened a clinic there. Although attending school there was a little farther away than before, no child would miss ss because there were delicious meals served during school lunch. During that time, Elsa went back and forth between her parents house, Kaina Vige, and Hourai Ind. He went to his parents house to see his bedridden father, Georg. Of course, that would be whenever she came from Reinhardts territory, Kartz Vige. Even with Elsas healing magic, his father Georgs condition was almost unchanged. Elsa was starting to feel helpless about it. One day, there was an unexpected reunion. Wee home, Elsa. M Mother? When Elsa went to her parents house, Elsas stepmother, Marlene Randall von Nefra, was returning from medical treatment and about to take care of her husband Georg. I heard some of what youve gone through. Youve also had it quite rough yourself Im sorry I couldnt be there for you on those hard times. After she said that, Marlene gently hugged Elsa. M Mother A mother who Elsa had loved ever since she was little. Gentle arms, gentle voice. Surrounded by nostalgic warmth, Elsa cried. I thought that man had to be insane, but I was too much of a coward to say anything. When they announced your betrothal to the Marquis, I was too dumbstruck to actually say anything against it For the first time, Elsa learned that Georg had been violent against his wife, Marlene. She too had been a victim. Half of the time she went for her medical treatment was actually an excuse in order for her to be able to keep her distance from Georg a little longer. Can you forgive me? Ive done nothing but run away Im really sorry, Ive been a bad mother Yes Its alright Surrounded by the warmth of her mother Marlene, Elsa returned to her child-like state and kept crying for a little while. After finally having calmed down, Elsa was talking with Marlene while still cuddled up to her. Elsa was doing most of the talking. It was mostly about everything that happened after going on a trip with Reinhardt. Marlene listened with a smile. Looks like youve had some good experiences. Im d you sent it on a trip. And this Jin, was it? Id like to meet him sometime. Knowing Brother Jin, hell surelye one of these days Ah! Right after saying that, Elsa realized she had called Jin her brother, and blushed. Oh, so you can make that face too, Elsa? Hehe Marlene poked at Elsas cheeks repeatedly. M-Mother As the surprised Elsa backed away, Marlene stared at her and began to speak with a more serious tone. Elsa, now that hes under my care, you dont need to worry so much. Dont you have something youd like to do instead? Thank you Tears started to well up on Elsas eyes once again. Well, well, here I was thinking about how much youve grown up, but youre still a crybaby. Marlene wiped Elsas face with a handkerchief, and at that time, Elsa caught a glimpse of blue bruises from under the cuff of her blouse. Mother, what happened to your arm? Marlene quickly pulled her arm back. Youve seen it, huh? Its much better now. It waspletely blue a month ago. Im sure youve got a damaged main blood vessel. Huh? A main blood vessel? Yeah. Leave it to me. Elsa stood up next to Marlene, and rolled up her sleeve. Elsa? V?llig Genesung. The healing magic wrapped around Marlenes right arm and healed it before their eyes. The part that had changed to blue quickly returned to its regr skin color. E-Elsa? You can use not only Engineering magic, but Healing magic as well Yeah, I havent told you before, but Ive learned how to use it thanks to Brother Jin. Rubbing her cured arm, Marlene smiled as she spoke with Elsa. Elsa, you have to go and follow your own path. The path of Magi Craft and Healing magic. You have to make the best use of that talent of yours. Ill always be here, praying for your happiness Mother Elsa had shedded tears many times that day. Jin had been visited by Lithia. The road was quite rough, and even though traveling by carriage was impossible, thanks to the hard work of the soldiers stationed in Toka Vige, it was very possible to travel by horse. Especially with a golem horse. In a single day, one could go from Toka Vige to Kaina Vige, and with plenty of time to spare. After leaving Toka Vige at 6 AM, she arrived at Kaina Vige at 2 PM. This time, after being persuaded by Lithia, Gloria apanied her on a golem horse borrowed by Pasco. She was surprised at the quality of the ride. Jin I, Lithia Farheight, have be a bar and have taken the vige of Toka as a territory. Lord Jin, I, Gloria Ohlstat, have joined Bar Farheight as her guard. Wee. Its been a while, Lithia. You too, Gloria. Jin met them at his office in Nidou Castle. Lets do away with the formalities and speak with each other as we always have. After Jin said that, Lithia and Gloria looked at each other and nodded. Ah, Im d you suggested that, Jin. Lithia rxed her shoulders and offered a wrapped scroll to Jin. Jin, this is an official letter from King Klein. Its your certificate as Magi Craft Meister. Thanks. After opening the scroll, Jin found that the Klein Kingdom had issued a certificate officially recognizing him as the Magi Craft Meister, in return for him having assisted Lithia and Pasco during their magical fever by providing them with recovery medicine. There was also a letter and contract stating that the Inado Mine would belong to Kaina Vige as of August 1st. Finally, there was an apology for Viscount Bayers unfair mining of resources, and a statement that said that all resources mined during that time would be handed over to Jin. Ah Jin frowned, as he wasnt expecting any sort of reward for his efforts during the magical fever incident. The Inado Mine hadpletely copsed due to the previous incident with the Giant Peeders, so Jin hadnt thought about hearing about its production. Jin had to endure the urge to say Its too much of a hassle, I dont want it but then he remembered the story he heard from Land units who had dived into the mine. They had said that they found some unfamiliar magic tool inside. Jin recalled that it might be a good idea to make a dedicated golem to investigate underground, and decided to ept the Inado Mine. After Jin seemed to be done reading, Lithia bowed her head, and Gloria soon followed suit. I dont feel entirely at ease to apologize, but let me do so either way, first of all! Lord Jin, please ept our sincerest apologies. Even though he was ordered to, our father was still concerned with that n. We are truly sorry for that. Jin wasnt nning toin or anything, but if he were to be too soft in dealing with it, he could end up being perceived as treating them with contempt, so he figured he might as well say something. I dont really care about the resources of this country. What really bothers me is when someone stabs me on the back. Y-Yeah, were honestly sorry about that! Lithia was surprised to see Jin so unusually displeased. And she was without a doubt going to talk about it with the Prime Minister. Well, it really means nothing to be hereining to you two about it, so lets leave it at that. Still, please make sure to pass this on, okay? Y-Yes, of course! Lithia breathed out a sigh of relief after realizing that though Jin was angry, his anger wasnt directed at her. Then, she came up with a question just to change the mood. By the way, Jin, can I ask you something? Sure, what is it? Thank you. Umm Youve been certified as the Magi Craft Meister in the Shouro Empire the other day. When and how did youe back here? Chapter 448: A Peaceful, Normal Ride, In A Sense

Chapter 448: A Peaceful, Normal Ride, In A Sense

Umm The unexpected question caused Jins eyes to sway wildly from left to right. One could say that it had actually been a very sessful question in terms of changing the mood. Jin was being pressed hard by Lithias question regarding when and how he had returned from the Shouro Empire. He would be saved from that predicament by Reiko. Miss Lithia, my Father asked Lord Deus Ex Machina to bring us along with him. Huh? Lord Machina? Thats right. Lord Machina has an excellent means of transportation at his disposal. He has forbidden me from speaking in detail about it, though I-Is that so? You really are amazing, Jin. To be acquainted with Lord Machina Thats right! Youre really something else, Lord Jin! Apparently, Reiko secretly spoke with Laojun through the Mana Comm, and together devised an excuse to avoid this awkward situation. For the time being, they would go with the pretense that Machina is a senior to Jin, but they werent acquainted during their student years which was what they agreed for at the meeting a few days ago. I know Ive taken a bit longer than expected, but Im giving you back the golem horses and the healing magic tool. Thank you! Thank you very much. Lithia was relieved that Jins mood had changed. Thats good. Then Ill have to return those horses you left under my care. Lithia and Pascos horses had been left at the vige headmans house. Originally, there were more than 10 horses in the vige headmans house, but when he was recruited for army duty 10 years ago, all of his horses were taken and he had stopped keeping them since then. However, he said that it would be a shame if he didnt keep at least one, so he decided to keep only one horse with him. That is why the vige headman was used to taking care of horses. That would be a great help. Pasco has finally be a knight and has received a new horse, so I will take both of them with me. That was all for the time being, so they decided to check the horses before it got too dark. After all, Jin didnt know anything about horses. Lets go take a look at the horses. As summer drew near, the day was still dazzling at 4 PM. It was the first time that Gloria had visited Kaina Vige, so they walked slowly as they showed her around. That one over there is a wheat field, and this here is a vegetable field. Most of the fields in Kaina vige are taken care of collectively. Collectively? So they arent private fields, but something like vige fields? Thats right. Thats why they are taken care of collectively. And the harvest is distributed fairly. Its hard work, though. Hmm, so technically, someone could get their share of the harvest without actually having worked the fields, right? Glorias question is natural. Jin had thought the same thing when he first came to Kaina vige. What do you do in those cases, Jin? So it wasnt hard to answer Lithias question. This is a small vige. We cant get by without helping each other, so the division is decided by ourselves. The vige headman distributes it properly ording to the work, and since everyone here is a hard worker, no one really skips work. W-Well, that sounds like an idealmunity Lithia was surprised to hear Jins exnation. Usually, when ites to such an organization, its easy to think that some people would be eitherzy, or trying to increase their own share as much as possible. But Jin said that Kaina Vige wasnt like that, so it was no wonder that she was surprised. That over there is Marthas house. I owe her a lot Big brootheeeer! Hannah, who was pulling out weeds in front of her house, quickly ran towards Jin when she realized he was there. Oh, the knightdy! And Umm Upon recognizing Gloria, a broad smile appeared on Hannas face. But when she saw Lithia, she tilted her head to the side, as she knew her face, but couldnt remember her name. Im Lithia, Hanna. Ah, thats right! The x collectordy! Not x collector, Hanna. You mean a tax collector. Okay, so the tax collectordy! The party, which became lively with Hannas presence, soon arrived at the vige headmans house. There was a small sign that read Milleshan Clinic. Milleshan Clinic? Lord Jin, what kind of ce is this clinic? The words doctor, physician, hospital, clinic, and so on didnt really exist in this world, so it wasnt unreasonable that Gloria was confused by the sign. As a means to signify a new beginning, they had decided to name it clinic after discussing it with Sally. Arent they usually known as Healing Centers? Gloria nodded as if saying I wouldve been able to tell what it was if you had named it that instead. Lithia was also impressed. So youve invited a healer to this vige, Jin? Well, they are necessary Lithia, who once belonged to the Rescue Knight Corps, and could use healing magic herself, pondered about that for a bit. As they walked towards the back of the vige headmans house, they came to a small, wide area where three horses were running freely. Umm so my horse Eh, eehh? Pascos horse was a chestnut-colored stallion. Lithias horse was a white-nosed, chestnut-colored mare. And the horse the vige headman was already keeping there was apletely chestnut-colored mare as well. Those two mares bellies seemed to have be a littlerger than what they used to be. Ah, Jin. And Lady Lithia The vige headman, Giebeck, had juste out to put the horses back in the stable. When he saw Lithia, he looked terribly apologetic. Id like to apologize to you as well, Jin With that preamble, Giebeck bowed his head to Lithia in apology. Im terribly sorry! Though it was your mare, Lady Lithia, I left her alone with Pascos stallion, and they ended up mating! Eeeehhh!? Lithias face wentpletely red. If only I had noticed Its spring, and it ovepped with their mating season Tsk, Pascos horse has no moderation. He went and got two mares pregnant at the same time Gloria said that while shaking her head. Upon hearing that, Lithia blushed even more. Ah What are we going to do? Jin also seemed troubled. So the horses are going to have babies? Hanna appeared to be the only one excited by the news. What should we do? She should still be okay enough to ride, though I see But I dont want to put too much burden on her, so could you take care of her until the foal is born? Of course, Ill cover the costs Ah, but this happened because she was under my care Lithia, you can go ahead and keep using that golem horse I lent you. To end her worries, Jin decided to give Lithia the golem horse. A-Are you sure its okay? Yeah. But Id like to do some maintenance on it. Its already evening, would you spend the night here? Ah, right. Then well take up on your kind offer. And so, one golem horse would be handed over to Lithia. When Lithia and Jin were having that conversation, Gloria was just looking at the vigers returning from working in the farms. Her eyes were wide open. That was because a hatchet that was being held by one of the vigers had caught her attention. T-That! No way Is that? Huh? Whats wrong, Gloria? Gloria jumped out without paying attention to Lithias voice. Then, she stood in front of the viger L-Let me see that hatchet! And shouted that, which surprised the viger. Noticing that both Jin and the vige headman were there, the viger asked for help. H-headman! Jin, Gloria, and headman Giebeck heard him loud and clear. Gloria Even though Jin and Lithia were a bit shocked to see Gloria do her usual shenanigans, they turned towards Jeff, the viger. Sorry if thises as a bit abrupt Could you let us see your hatchet for a moment? Huh? Okay After being calmed down by Lithia, who was somewhat of an acquaintance to him, Jeff offered his hatchet to Gloria as requested. Gloria took the hatchet, and was surprised to see that its de was made of adamantite. T-This! Its just its de, but its made out of adamantite! The hatchet was one of those that Jin had made the year before due to an emergency in Kaina Vige. To see adamantite being used like this! Gloria was getting more and more excited. Lord Jin! I will be staying in Toka Vige for another week. During that time, I beg of you! Please make me a sword like this! Huh Lithia and Jin both smiled bitterly and sighed at the same time. Jin thought of it as just Gloria being Gloria. And Lithia was about to say I would like to ask you to teach me what you can about managing Toka Vige, since you are an expert in territorial management, Jin, but the timing had beenpletely ruined. Under the summer evening sky, a single cloud that had just started to change its color was floating above Kaina vige. Chapter 449: Gossip 25 - Development Rush

Chapter 449: Gossip 25 - Development Rush

First of all, Cooling, right? Jin and Laojun had started the development of the new weapon. Elsa was helping out as well. It means to take away somethings thermal energy. Convection, conduction, and emission, right? Right. But this Ice magic, Eis I think we should better analyze it. Ice magic was causing a phenomenon that couldnt be exined by thermodynamics alone. Elsa, could you try using Snow Bullet on the surface here? Sure. Jin and Elsa went out of theboratory together, and started to analyze magic. Snow Bullet! Snow was generated from Elsas hand and flew forward at a considerable speed. Jin studied its movement using the Trace spell. Hmm, so it has its basis on Cooling after all. The Engineering magic spell, Cooling. It was a spell that cooled down overheatedponents. I wonder how much the temperature can be lowered by unraveling the principles behind this and modifying its activation method. Reiko was also helping Jin and Elsa on their research of Cooling. After all, its not convection, conduction, nor emission, but a process that snatches heat away Seeing a hot object being instantly cooled off was something truly magical. I can only think of it as transferring the objects thermal energy to some other space, or even another dimension Jin decided he would remodel Cooling based on this new hypothesis. Can something like that happen, Brother Jin? Elsa, who was looking from the side, seemed to be amazed at the idea. Yeah. Perhaps the Magi Form here is the key. We cant remodel a spell if were trapped inmon knowledge. I can understand that. Youre that kind of person after all, Brother Jin. And after a lot of trial and error, Jin managed toplete his Super Cooling Spell, naming it Absolute Zero. It was a spell that instantly transferred the thermal energy of an object to (probably) another dimension. By adjusting its power, it was possible to cool an object down to anywhere between an extremely low temperature close to absolute zero and below freezing. However, there was still a lot of work to do regarding the amount of magic power it consumed. It only took a single use for Elsa to be almostpletely drained of her magical power. It seemed that they would have to make and use magic tools. Laojun was making a sma sword using the mobile terminal Laozi. The biggest problems with it were strength and durability. Based on the Masamune and Muramasa that Jin had remodelled, the hurriedly constructed sma sword had 500 times more magical power than what it originally had. So, enhancing the magic circuit And then, Cooling. Since it is a sma of 1 billion degrees, even though it was confined within a super strong barrier, the effect of such heat on the main body was nothing to sneeze at. It seemed that it wouldnt be unbearably hot after being kept on going for a long time. Thankfully, My Lord has just developed this Super Cooling Spell With it, the excess heat would appear to be taken care of. The only thing that remained was that the amount of magical power consumed was extremely high, but this could be dealt with by using high-quality magical crystals and installing a highly efficient ether converter. No matter how much magical power would be consumed, it was far from being all of Reikos reserves (about 40% of them, to be precise). For Titan, it was rtively easier because one could simply install arger mana tank on it. Lets make these Vibration Swords the standard for Hourai Inds armament. Laojun had already begun with their mass production. Im thinking about making a barrier bomb. After finishing development of the Absolute Zero spell, Jin suddenly brought that up. A barrier bomb? Reiko asked as Elsa silently pricked up her own ears to listen. Yeah. Its an easy thing to do. All that Id have to do is create a barrier that enclosed my target, and then make it smaller. Wouldnt that smash the barrier? This time Elsa was the one who asked, frowning. Well, maybe. He recorded the Magi Form that created a barrier, and the one that shrunk it, both on the Magi Crystal. Then, to wrap it up, he set the Magi Form to activate with a specific magic power. The prototype itself waspleted in 10 minutes. Alright, lets give it a try. After stepping in front of theboratory, Jin prepared the carapace of a small Giant Peeder, and threw a prototype barrier bomb at it. Activate! A barrier was created after Jin uttered that keyword. It wrapped around the carapace and part of the ground. It then quickly started to shrink. The carapace soon started to make a creaking sound as it was being crushed by the barrier. The spherical barrier barrier, which was initially about 5 meters in diameter, soon became less than 1 meter wide. Nevertheless, as it continued to shrink, the spherical barrier started to crack under the tremendous pressure generated inside once it reached a diameter of about 30 cm, and as a result, it was destroyed and disappeared. All that remained was the Giant Peeders carapace, which had been hardened into a round shape. Looking at how it was sunk into the ground by its own weight, it appeared that it is quite heavy. Or rather, if its original weight hadnt changed, its density now must be more than 50 times higher than before. Reiko, try cutting it down with Peach Blossom. Yes, Father. Reiko brought her personal weapon, Peach Blossom, back from theboratory. Here I go. She raised the de over her head, and shed down at it. There was a slightly muddy metallic sound, but the de didnt bite even one millimeter into the carapace. Alright, then once again, in Vibration Sword mode. Yes. The exact same thing happened again. Only this time, Peach Blossoms de had broken apart. Stop! This is amazing Have I created a material that is actually harder than Magi Adamantite? In addition to the barrier bombs sessful test, an unexpected new material had been created. Analyze I knew it. Did you learn anything about it, Brother Jin? Its molecr structure had beenpressed. Huh? Though it would be unthinkable under normal circumstances, the carapace of a Giant Peeder was a material with high amounts of magical power, and was stable enough in apressed state without copsing. Is it the work of Ether? If so, it might be applicable to Magi Adamantite as well Jin made another more powerful barrier bomb, and prepared a lump of Magi Adamantite of about 1 cubic meter. It weighed 19.3 tons. A lump of this size could only be carried by either Daidara or Reiko. Jin threw the barrier bomb at it, and activated it. This time, a spherical barrier with a diameter of about 2 meters was generated, which then started to shrink. When it reached a diameter of about 60 cm, the barrier bomb copsed and the spherical barrier disappeared, just likest time. All that remained was the Magi Adamantite, which had beenpressed to a diameter of nearly 60 cm. It seemed that its density was now about 10 times higher than before. It was now a sphere small enough to look like it could be lifted by hugging it with both arms. However, it was a ridiculous substance that weighed nearly 20 tons. Its rtive density was about 200. To put it in perspective, it was as if a sphere the size of a baseball weighed over 40 kilograms. This is amazing Not only its weight, but also its hardness was absurdly high. Ill name this Hyper Adamantite! Lets repair Peach Blossom with this! After finding this new material, Jin was as cheerful as a child. Elsa thought that he was being a little weird. Changing the entire de to Hyper Adamantite would make the weapon too heavy, so just like how Katanas used to be made, only the edged part of the de was made of this new material. The rest of the de that enclosed the edge was still made of regr Magi Adamantite, in order to suppress the increase in weight. Of course, the Vibration Sword mode was also installed in the de as usual. Since most of the weapon was based on Magi Adamantite, it could be further strengthened by imbuing it with magical power. Okay, Reiko. Now try cutting the rest of the Hyper Adamantite. Yes, Father. Peach Blossom was about three times heavier than before. When enhanced with magical power, Reiko was able to swing it lightly, so she easily shed into the Hyper Adamantite ingot. The ingot was brilliantly split into two with a clear, high-pitched metallic sound. This sharpness wasnt thanks to the Vibration Sword mode, but to the level of magic enhancement. Amazing It has be the strongest sword of all. Thank you very much, Father. Reiko had seemed to be rather dejected when her Peach Blossom shattered, but now she was smiling with joy. So, Hyper Adamantite, huh? I expected no less from My Lord. Lets use some of it to strengthen the units that will be investigating the Inado Mine. Laojun was concerned about the mysterious magic device found deep underground in the mine. It would be a few dayster that Laojun would develop a drilling machine for underground exploration. And so, the development of new weapons and new materials progressed, and Hourai Inds strength was further increased. Chapter 450: Summer Girl +…

Chapter 450: Summer Girl +

At a high ground, towards the northern side of Klein Kingdom, lies a small vige called the Kaina Vige. With a high mountain towards the north, a deep forest towards the east and a mountain range stretching out beyond that. A great river called Herme going around the vige from its west to its south. Shouts of joy reverberated through this river. Brotheeer! Oiii, Hanna. This feels so good! A quiet little girl by the name Hanna was floating around on the river, wearing a pink colored swimsuit and a swim ring to assist her. And the young ck-haired man she called brother was lying sprawled on an intable boat. The young mans name is Jin Nidou. Hes known as Jin to most. Although he can swim, he is definitely not good at it, which is why he was having his share of fun on the boat. A girl, about the age of 10, was supporting the boat such that it does not capsize. Her name is Reiko. The ultimate automata in this world, made by Jin. Be careful~ Got it! Brother Jin, Im keeping an eye on her so its fine. Yeah, thanks, Elsa. The girl with tinum-blonde hair, Elsa, was good at swimming. She gripped Hannas swim ring and headed for the deep waters. Hanna, how about we try going over there a bit? Alright, sis Elsa. It was in the middle of July, the midsummer sun was shining down on Kaina vige and the average temperature during the day crossed 30 degree celsius. It wasmon for the vigers to bring the children out to Herme river for refreshment. Fufu, swimming in a river sure is fun, too. Yes, certainly. A quietke is nice but a river with a stream feels different. The two women were lying on their belly on top of a huge boulder by the shore, basking in the sun. As Herme rivers water temperature can be quite low, ones body might get too cold unless they sunbathe like this sometime. As for worries of sunburns, it seems the ultra-violet rays from the sun are low in thistitude, making sunburns much less severe. And on top of that, they were only sunbathing for a short duration as well. Berthie, you were quite busy these days too, werent you? Yes. Extremely. Although it was a coincidence, I found Adberg and made him my secretary so I can take it easy now. Adberg Ah, the person who was Elsas butler? Oh, you knew too, Ms. Saki? ,Yes. He fell into despair after being dismissed and so he was spending days in retirement back in his hometown Eksi. Adberg was Elsas butler and cared for her as a grandfather would. Hes a master at martials arts and also has high office skills. Reinhardt was aware of this and so he had also reached out to have Adberg work under him but it seems Adberg himself had lost his willpower and did not feel up to it. Seeing how it wont work out as simply as that, Reinhardt backed off temporarily, devised a n and went back to invite him, this time with Elsa apanying him. His face lit up like never before. M-maadyyy!! He held her hand as he wept. People who did not know about their situation might find this scenario to be strange. As he had holed up back in his hometown, he did not know about how lively the engineering exhibition turned out to be and thus did not know about Elsas return. Old man Im sorry to have worried you. No, you just being alive and well-that alone makes me d that I am alive! Thank you. Although he came after Mine, this old man had stuck by Elsas side since she was 5 years old. When Elsa told him itd help her if he were to stay at Reinhardts ce, he epted without a moments dy. Even still, I didnt think such would be master Reinhardts condition. Saying that, he made his preparations and headed to Kartze vige. He is now working hard as Reinhardts right-hand man. However, because of this, he was left to work alone today. Kufufu, it isnt hard being andlord, huh? Certainly. But then theres the exception. Both of them turned towards the river saying that, ncing at Jin, who was riding on the rubber boat at the moment. Seriously, theres no getting bored being with Jin. Rubber boat, was it? Its quite an interesting boat. Yes, to think such a boat exists. Even in Shouro Empire, where ship technology had advanced quite a bit, rubber boats were still not invented. Rubber itself was known yet discovered so it isnt really a surprise. I suppose we should get to swimming ourselves too now. Weve warmed up quite a bit. Right. The two stood up. Saki is slender and 158 centimeters tall. She was wearing an orange-colored one piece swimsuit. Berthie has an outstanding sense of style and is 150 centimeters tall. She was wearing a white one piece swimsuit. The both of them were contrastive. I was a bit reluctant on wearing this swimsuit at first but it seems quite nice now that Ive gotten used to it. Yup, it makes it easier to swim and also feels nice to wear. Apparently, Jin designed these and they were first introduced in Potlock, in the Elias Kingdom. Yes, Ive also heard about that from Reinhardt. These types of swimsuits will probably be trendy going forward. The swimsuits were made with knitting goods weaved with the grand spiders threads. As Magi Silk was also used in its lining, it felt excellent to the touch as well. Just to put it out there, normal consumer swimsuits like these would never be made with the grand spiders threads. Ah, Ms. Berthie, and sister Saki. Sis~! Elsa, who was wearing a bright green one piece swimsuit, waved at them. Hanna also waved at them. Ufufu, Hanna is so cute. Yeah. This vige its somewhat healing. A very strange vige for sure. The two went into the water saying that. Its so nice and cold. Berthie, how bout we race to the shore on the other side? Fine with me. The two rushed on. Looks fun. A girl watched thempete, feeling a bit jealous. It was the vige chiefs niece, Barbara. She was a hopeless swimmer. As such, she was holding onto the swim ring and was floating about. The yellow swimsuit looked great on her. Her boyfriend Eric is a merchant and so was in his shop at the time. And so she was feeling a little lonely. However, It does feel envious seeing people swim so well, doesnt it? There was another person, holding on to the swim ring just like her. It was Lithia Farheight, wearing a blue swimsuit. The new noble who became Toka vigesndlord just the other day. She hade to Kaina Vige today to consult with Jin but as it was the hottest hour of the day, they all decided toe to Herme river to cool off. Lithia too, is a hopeless swimmer, and so was borrowing a swim ring from Jin to float in the river. I so want to be able to swim Such a mutter leaked out from both of them at the same time. And thest two were the butler and maid apprentice at Nidou castle, Barrow and Belle. As the two were from Shouro Empire, they were excellent at swimming without exception. Sis, bro, you guys are so good at swimming! Can you catch me? Alright, Ill catch you real quick! I wont lose! Get over here- They were having fun with the children today ying tag on water. An early afternoon at the Kaina Vige. The sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky, weing in the height of summer. Chapter 451: To Toka Village

Chapter 451: To Toka Vige

And thats how it is. I personally would like to cultivate the viges production industry, not like a foreign currency. Either way, there should be a way to earn money. The time was half past two in the afternoon. After cooling off a bit at the river, Jin, Lithia, Elsa, Berthie, and Saki had assembled in the Nidou castles meeting room to discuss. Elsa was attending as Jins assistant. Berthie was taking part to learn something useful for Kartze viges administration. And Saki was just there to apany them. Mayor Giebeck was absent as he hade down with a summer cold. Sally was nursing him. Jin thought he would just heal him with magic but they had this happy look on their faces and so he decided not to interrupt. Other than that, hygiene, I guess? I see, that would be appropriate. Lithia probably felt it firsthand how much hygiene can affect ones health as she was in the relief squad. Kaina Viges toilet, I want that. At present, Kaina Viges toilets had, at the very least, the deodorization feature, dposition feature, purifying feature and sterilizing feature installed. In other words, it clears out the bad smell after use, dposes the waste material to the molecr level and self sterilizes after use. Dposing the waste to the molecr level is basically getting carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and such from it. If the carbon is properly dposed, it results in a ck lump resembling carbon fuel. This can then be used as cooking fuel. Hydrogen and oxygen are notpletely dposed during this process and left as water molecules to avoid the risk of explosions. They used this water for fertilizers. This too was an application of magic, because he knew the chemical forms. Right, considering the maintenance, I can give you the mobile on- You can sell them. Berthie cut in when Jin said he was going to give it to them. Reinhardt had alsoe to Jin regarding the toilets for Kartze vige and the price for it was being considered. Jin said he would give it for free at first but Reinhardt argued that would make their rtion unhealthy asndlords and said he would buy it for the right price. As for Jin, he was not really looking for money. Instead, he was considering getting some produce as price. Berthie, who knew about this, casually warned him about it. It seems Jin had also realized as he gave a short nce towards Berthie and nodded. Putting aside the price and payment method forter They talked about the necessary things for now. First, the pumps position, and secondly ns on changing the toilets as soon as possible. Lithia also added, Id also like to make a hot spring facility if possible there As expected, she also wanted to have a hot spring. Ah, right. Alright, Ill go to Toka vige. Ill look for the hot spring area there and if I find one, Ill make you one. Thank you very much! Lithia stood up in joy as she said that. O-of course, Ill pay the installment fee! She didnt forget to add that as well. Its alright, I wont be pestering you about it. More importantly, lets think about the Toka vige produce as I mentioned at the beginning. If Toka vige is able to produce a specialty exclusive to them, it would bring money anyway and he could have that as the payment method. Ores are the first thing thates to mind. As Inado mine is in the area, it is possible that there are more useful mineral around here. This can also be easily discovered if they used Grand Search. When Jin asked Lithia if there was anything other than that, Lithia answered that although she doesnt understand agriculture that well, she thinks that their farm products are more or less the same as Kaina vige. She was also not sure if any of the vigers are able to use engineering magic. Well, it may be a bit far fetched to expect that much from her considering it has also been half a month since she was appointed there. Well then, lets go to Toka vige tomorrow. Thank you very much. Master Jin, please let us apany you as well. Jin, Id also like toe along for future reference. Lithia also agreed to Berthie and Sakis request. And as such, the next day, Jin, Elsa, Saki, Berthie and Lithia would go to Toka vige together. Ive brought some refreshments. Just as their discussion had ended, Belle arrived with juice. Please. The juice she distributed to everyone had bubbles on its surface. The ss was made out of crystal and so it was easy to spot. M-Mr. Jin, this is Lithia gave a doubtful look at the juice as it was her first time seeing it. Ah, its a carbonated drink. As their time as officials had ended, Jin shifted to his usual tone. Eh? Carbonated? Yeah. Its pretty good. Jin drank all of his juice at once in front of Lithia. Jin, who had created a magic tool to suck out the helium from the air, was also easily able to take out the carbon dioxide from the air. Due to this, lowly carbonated drinks had been going around at Kaina Vige for about a week now. He had it made low carbonated such that the vigers dont choke on it as they are not used to carbonated drinks. There were two vors, citran and lemon. It was being sold at the Nidou castle and at the hot springs. It was reasonably cheap at only 3 toll per cup (30 yen). Currently, the butlers were making and selling it. However, once everyones used to it, he ns on hiring a few vigers to do it for him. Putting that aside, as Elsa, Saki and Berthie also drank it with pleasure, Lithia finally timidly took a sip. eh? She felt a popping sensation in her mouth. Citrans acidity and sweetness mixed to make the drink very nice and pleasant to drink. Delicious! And before she realized it, she had emptied her ss. Mr. Jin, this is delicious! d to hear that. These are what one would call specialty, huh? She muttered heartily. The next day, 17th of July. Jin and the others departed for Toka vige as nned. Jin and Reiko, Elsa and Edgar, Saki and Ehr, Berthie and Neon, and Lithia. All of them were on golem horses. The distance between Kaina vige and Toka vige is about 80 kilometres. Although the road is a bit rough, 3-4 hours is enough to reach there for a golem horse. As such, the group was able to reach Toka vige before noon. Mr. Jin, wee! Gloria came to wee them. She had stayed in Toka vige for most of July and was to assist Lithia with her work. A-about the sword is it done?! Before Lithia could even call out to her, Gloria asked Jin about the sword and even fumbled on her own words. Yes, its done. More importantly, Ms. Gloria, is it alright for you to not attend to Lithia? Ah She rushed over to Lithias horse and held the grips. Lithia gave a bitter smile and got off, leaving the horse to Gloria. Well then, lets all have lunch first. Lithia invited the group over to the temporaryndlords mansion which was beside the barracks. The vigers were looking at them from a distance. Ah, from that time some of the vigers seemed to recall Jin as they were having such a conversation amongst them. However, nobody there realized that Jin was Kaina Vigesndlord. U-um, Im sorry. They could hear that conversation, making Lithia alone feel extremely embarrassed. They all entered thendlords mansion and Lithia was finally relieved. After taking the horses to the stable, Gloria returned and received the sword from Jin and paid 25 gold coins for it. After which, she excitedly went outside. Shell probably be vicemander forever if that isnt fixed Lithia and Jin both thought. Well then, Ill prepare lunch. She signaled to one of the servants and 3 vigers came in with the food. Among the food, there was something Jin hadnt seen for a while. this is The food on the te was, no matter how you looked at it, pasta. Chapter 452: Jin’s Work

Chapter 452: Jins Work

This is Ah, this? Its a dish called Pashta which weve just recently started cooking here in the Toka vige. You knead the flour, roll it into thin pieces and stretch it Eh? ording to Lithias exnation, it seems they are stretching it one by one. Once he took a closer look at it, it looked like an amateurs handmade udon-all of them were a bit thicker than normal and the sizes differed. Thats fine and everything. Close. However, the sauce did not go with it at all. It had a nd sweet vinegar-like sauce all over it. Although there are probably people who would like this taste, it is definitely suitable for the general public-thought Jin. At the very least, it wasnt to his liking. It was not inedible but the bnce was just off. He felt like it would be better on yakisoba rather than on these pasta-like noodles. Spices, eh? Pepper also existed in this world and same as in Earth, it can be harvested in the South. The fact that its hard to cultivate from the seed is also the same. It is normally cultivated through nt cutting. Jin also did not know about the cultivation method but since Hourai Ind is a subtropical area, it is possible to cultivate pepper. As such, he had recently sent the Quinta to acquire it and now they had started cultivation. Putting that aside, Jin was now thinking how if they could find a spice to substitute pepper, they could make it Toka viges exclusive produce. After having lunch, Jin immediately started looking for suitable spots to set up a hot spring facility. Having worriers disposition, he couldnt sit still and went straight to work. It was easy for Lithia and Saki to also keep up as they were ofmoner birth as well. As Elsa had been with Jin for quite some time now and knew Jins pace, she also had no difficulty in keeping up. However, it seemed like it was a bit much for Berthie as she had been living as a noble since birth. Jin told her to not push herself but she said she was fine and insisted to tag along. Ground search. Toka vige does not have any volcanoes nearby like Kaina vige and as such, it did not have as many hot spring spots. However, as he kept meticulously searching, he soon found a good spot with good amount of spring water. Ah, found a good spot. Really? Thats wonderful! Lithia was so d hearing the result that she jumped in joy. I also found a lode of copper nearby as well Copper? Would it be easy to mine it? There are a few different kinds of copper ores but the type under here seems to be copper pyrites. A precious kind of ore. It is close to the surface so it should be easy. You can try mining it when you have some leeway. Thank you very much! The Klein Kingdoms taxing system was such that the people of the territory cleared the taxes to thendlords and thendlords then cleared the taxes to the kingdom. The amount thendlords have to pay as tax depend on the people of thend and the tax ratio. So if thends harvest increases, it would result in making the peoples lives more abundant. If they get a new mine in thend, it will increase Toka viges overall harvest. Although it wont be exclusive to Toka vige, it is a good enough objective for Lithia to aim for for the time being. However, the hot springes first now. Well then, lets have it made here, shall we? The Toka vige chief Brack set the location. It was beside a small river. Lithia had called him here to discuss the matter. There were also a number of young vige folk along with some children who were intrigued in seeing what Jin does. Elsa, this is an application of earth type magic as well. Jin used the magic while exining it to her. Dig. With the dig magic, he created the pool for the hot water, the ditch and the settling pond. Elsa was also observing with interest as this was different from the usual engineering magic he does. Although Jin was in contact with the surface, no one else could pull of a feat of digging up a hole dozens of meters deep so easily. Elsa did not realize this at the time. All the while, Jin just kept working at his own pace. Tracing the procedure he used in Kaina Vige, Jin had finished making the facility in no time. However, the hot spring here is a simple thermal hot spring. With no smell of sulfur, the water here is clear and transparent. The temperature is also about 50 degree Celsius and so theres no need to decrease the temperature no cool the water first. It gets to the appropriate temperature by itself when left in the pool. All thats left is to put up a shack. Yes, we will be doing that! Mayor, Ill leave it to you. Ill pay for the daily wage mayor? Having seen Jins work firsthand, the mayor Brack was left frozen in ce due to shock. Lithia called out to him once again. Mayor! Y-yes! A-ahh, yes, we just need to build the shack here, yes? Thats right. Let the vigers use it. Ill leave the procedure to you. Lithia had no intention of meddling in the details from the start. She provided the preparation money as well as the daily wage for them. It was her n to revitalize the vige this way. I understand. Ill get to it right away. Mr. Jin, thank you very much! Lithia lowered her head as she thanked Jin back in thendlords mansion. Now then, Mr. Jin, how may I remunerate you? Asking that to the person himself No, I want to have a honest rtionship with Mr. Jin. Now that she came and said that straight out, Jin cant be careless with his words either. He tried remembering the time he was working. (Engineers would get about 5000 yen per hour, so for 4 hours would amount to 20,000 yen. If I were to add the travel time and keep it at 2000 yen an hour, that would amount to another 20,000 yen for 10 hours. Another 10,000 yen for the business trip, so that totals at 50,000 yen. That would be about 5000 toll.) Alright then, it will be 5000 toll. Eh? Lithia doubted her ears. Hiring even amon frencer magician (magi craftman or healer) would cost more than 10,000 toll for a day. And since he is the magi craft meister, she was expecting around 50,000 toll. However, Jin took Lithias reaction in the opposite way. Ah- Was it a bit too high? He asked. And since Elsa and Berthie normally do not deal with money rted dealings, they did not know what would be a good price either and so they remained silent. N-no, its the opposite! I was wondering if its okay with it being that low Ah Because it is Ms. Lithia, Im offering a discount as a friend. Jin tried to gloss it over. However, to Jins surprise, Lithia was overjoyed to hear that. I-I see! As a friend! Ufu, thank you very much! Elsa looked at their faces in session and let out a sigh. They decided to stay over at Toka Vige that night. As there was time left till dusk, Jin went on a walk around the vige with Reiko. Oi, dont be so slow now, newbie! Really, how clumsy. Jin looked at the direction from which such voices came and found the military post. A 16-17 year old new soldier was being pushed by the senior soldiers. Oi,e on, bring it over already. The boy was carrying 5 mans worth of baggage and was slowly keeping up behind the senior soldiers, almost staggering every now and then. And just right before the military post, one of the leading senior soldiers kicked a log in front of the newbie. Since he could not see his feet because of the baggage, he got caught in the log and fell over. And of course, he dropped all the stuff he was carrying as well. S-sorry Aahh, look what you did to the baggage. Now its all dirty. Im very sorry. No dinner for you tonight. the senior soldiers coldly said that before picking up their stuff from the baggage and left towards the post. Thats terrible. It seems no matter where you go, there is always the senior-junior bullying. Jin couldnt bear watching and so went to the young soldiers side. You, are you okay? It seems the kid had hit his knee when he fell and could not quite get up. Cure. He used healing magic on the kid. Jin could only do up to the basic level healing but it was effective enough. T-thank you very much. That helped a lot. The kid expressed his gratitude to Jin as he stood up and picked up the baggage again. Ah, wait a bit. Seeing the kid try and carry the remaining 4 soldiers baggage covered in dirt, Jin told the kid to wait. Cleanup. A spell to get rid of the dirt. Seeing the baggage all cleaned up, the boy lowered his head again and expressed his thanks. T-Thank you very much! I-I am Fred. I became a soldier this year! Fred, eh? Im Jin. Mr. Jin. Are you of this vige? No, I am from Kaina Vige, its far north from here. Eh? Kaina Vige? Jin By chance, a-are you Mr. Jin Nidou?! Yeah, thats me As he became a soldier in the neighboring Toka vige, he had heard his fair share of Jins stories. And so, realizing that it was actually Jin, he almost dropped the baggage again. I-Im sorry, excuse me! Fred skillfully bowed even while carrying the baggage and hurried towards the military post. Even after returning back to Lithias mansion, Jin couldnt help but think about that young kid named Fred. When a new member joins a group like this which already has a defined system, theres always trouble till they can mix in. Even more so if its a soldier squad where its easy for stress to build up, thought Jin. In the orphanage Jin belonged to, when a new kid came in, it always took some time for them to fit in with the others. Of course, it would differ from person to person, some would take more time, some would take less. Jin was a senior back in the orphanage since he was the oldest, he had seen his fair share of neers and made sure they got along well. And to such a Jin, being concerned for Fred was only natural. Mr. Jin, did something happen? Gloria asked Jin during dinner. Jin told them about the scene which yed out before him this evening. Hmm, today half of the soldiers were reced but to think such a thing happened As Gloria was the previous instructor, she took that hard. Lets just keep an eye out for it casually. Lithia said. Chapter 453: With Enough Food and Clothing

Chapter 453: With Enough Food and Clothing

Volume 14 Family Trip Arc The following morning, Jin decided to return to Kaina vige. Thank you very much, Jin. We hope to be able to keep counting on you from now on as well. Thank you for the sword, Lord Jin. Though a bit scarce, Adamantite could be obtained from the mountain behind Kaina Vige. It was used to reinforce and strengthen ordinary swords. As a result, one could say that even a regr iron sword could be reborn as an extraordinarily fine sword. Jin suddenly thought that the same could happen to people. After all, an ordinary person like himself inherited Adriana Balbora Cecis knowledge, and became the next Magi Craft Meister. The same could be said about other regr people. That boy soldier named Fred may change if he finds something he can be proud of. It could be knowledge or even prowess of his military arts. Then, after someone found their talent, they could put it to use for the good of the society. Jin strongly thought that that was the true meaning of education. He arrived at Kaina Vige before noon. Golem horses sure were convenient. Well then, Ill have to start not only in the neighboring vige but also here. Jin murmured that upon arriving at Nidou Castle. Did youe up with something, Jin? Berthie asked Jin. She was working hard to gain knowledge that could be helpful in managing Reinhardts territory. Ive always been thinking about what it means to enrich peoples lives. Jin answered Berthies question without hesitation. To enrich peoples lives I guess you could say there are a lot of things, huh? Saki, who was listening to their conversation beside him, voiced her opinion. I dont think its just things. Andstly, Elsa. Jin moved to the meeting room. They had lunch before the meeting. Belle had brought in freshly baked bread, which had been made with yeast. Hmm, this is so yummy. Its taste wasparable to the bread that one could enjoy on the modern Earth. Though it was madepletely with natural ingredients and no extra additives, plus it was handmade, so this one might have been even better than that. It tasted good even without butter or jam. Food is not just about being nutritious. Meals that do not bring enjoyment to taste are nothing but dull. Jin, who was really close with the children at the orphanage, knew this well. Children are more honest than adults, who tend to be more aware of their self-control. A delicious meal brightens the face of the eater. That in itself would be proof that they feel cheerful. Jin, who had such a fixation, wanted to seek an abundance of food. An abundance of food, huh? When Jin suggested that at a meeting after lunch, Saki was the first to agree. I agree. Humans cannot live without eating. Improving the quality of their diet might be tied to abundance of food. Yeah. In my world, we have a saying: Having good manners with enough food and clothing. Having good manners with enough food and clothing, huh? Does it mean to uphold manners and moderation only when one has enough food and clothing? Berthies interpretation was correct. Jin nodded. I think we need not just enough food so that we can eat without suffering a shortage, but it also needs to have the taste that we will be satisfied with. No matter how much food you eat, if it tastes bad, you wont be satisfied, right? Elsa also understood what Jin was trying to say. Yeah. That means increasing the production of agricultural products, improving their quality, and improving their preservation and processing methods. Everyone nodded. They all seemed to agree with Jins views. What about the snow house we have in this vige? We should make one of those in Kartze Vige as well. What do you think? A snow house would be effective in terms of preservation. Ice and snow could also be created by magic. Of course. Id also like to poprize refrigerators. The price of Magi Crystals and Magi Stones may be a problem. Sakis opinion was on the spot. The price of Magi Materials such as Magi Crystals and Magi Stones would be the bottleneck when ites to ordinary peopleing in contact with magic tools. So it will eventually result in energy problems At the same time that Jin uttered those words, Saki also shared her idea. If only we could make our own Magi Crystals Jin bit at the words that Saki had leaked so casually. Saki, thats it! Huh? What if we could make artificial Magi Crystals? What did you say? Even to an alchemist like Saki, Jins suggestion sounded preposterous. Whether its food or anything else, you have to use energy in order to get started. Even on modern Earth, the energy problem was pressing. Rising gasoline and electricity prices were painful expenses for the general public. But this world has Ether Perpetual motion is impossible, but the concept of free mechanism was possible. That would be thebination of the Ether Converter and Mana Driver that Reiko and the others have built in. It could be said that it was a clean energy source that converted Ether that already existed in the air into energy. However, there were various problems with spreading it to the general public in its current state. There was the possibility that it could be used for military purposes, and it could be even more problematic if it was misused. Would it be possible to use Magi Crystals just as wed use a battery? That idea was stuck on Jins mind. Well, if it could be done, it would be revolutionary Jin, do you know what a Magi Crystal is to begin with? Elsa was right. Its impossible to make something if you dont understand what it is that youre trying to make. I know its a mineral that contains Mana. That would be a start. But its still quite impressive! Jin, if that were something that could be manufactured it would be great if it was inexpensive! It might change the way we live our lives! Berthie also showed her approval of Jins idea. Okay, should we start researching tomorrow? Yeah, I cant wait! That was the end of that days meeting, and Jin set about to unveil a new food. Well, what could it be? Uhuhu, I cant wait! Berthie and Saki were also excited about their expectations. Big broootheeer! Ah, here you are. It was Hannas voice. Most of the children in Kaina vige had arrived as well. Jin could also see Barbara and Eric. There were some vigers who were there as well, so it seemed that a total of about 40 people had gathered. They had all assembled at the hall on the first floor. What are you going to treat us to today, Mr. Jin? Barbara asked, sounding like she was really looking forward to it. Well, youre about to see for yourself Look. Barrow, Belle, and the golem maids appeared carrying something white on their trays. Huh? Everyone stared in wonder at what was being served to them. Well, why dont you all give it a try before saying anything? Each of them scooped some of it from their crystal bowls with a silver spoon, and then brought it into their mouth. Its cold! Its sweet! Its so yummy! It was shaved ice. Sprinkled with citran juice, it was cold, sweet and sour, and had a very summery taste. It was made by freezing water with ice magic and carving it with a shaved ice machine made with Elsas help. If you eat too much, its going to ruin your stomach. You shouldnt have more than 2 cups of it per day. And the interval between the 1st and 2nd cups should be at least 3 hours, just to be safe. Jin had started selling shaved ice at Nidou Castle at a cheap price of 10 Tolls (about 100 yen) per cup. It was typical of Jin to have taken proper measures to prevent stomach sickness. The shaved ice would be very popr, and this idea and the shaved ice machine would beter sold to the Ran Firm in the capital city of Alban for a price of 100,000 Tolls. However, In Alban, they wouldnt have that restriction of no more than two cups a day, so it waster said that there were a lot of cases of upset stomach after having eaten too much of it Chapter 454: Deduction, Examination, Experiment, Verification

Chapter 454: Deduction, Examination, Experiment, Verification

On the morning of July 19, Jin, Elsa, and Saki went to Hourai Ind. Berthie returned to Kartze Vige, where Reinhardt was waiting for her. Stearleana was also in Hourai Ind. She had gone there after returning to her home in Goa, in the Kingdom of Celuroa, on the 16th. Ah, but if it isnt Jin and everyone else. Stearleana had been given one room on the 3rd floor for her to use as herboratory. Jin and his friends turned up there. What brings you here today? Theres something Id like to hear your thoughts about. Ah, what is it? Jin told her about making Magi Crystals artificially. When Stearleana heard that, she started jumping up and down in joy. Alright! Thats what I wanted to do! What I really love are crystals, beautiful gems, and magi crystals, not materials for making golems! From there, they moved onto the details. Jin was the first one to speak. So you know about the Mana Tanks that golems use? They work by storing Mana in Magi Crystals. Do you know the principle behind them? Well Its a bit embarrassing, but Im using them without really knowing how they work. Some technologies are derived from empirical rules and some are derived from theory. The Mana tank was one of technologies discovered after a long period of trial and error. Everyone, try to think about how Mana is stored in a Mana Tank. I have no idea. After thinking for a while, Saki gave up. Stearleana followed soon after. But Elsa was still thinking. Eventually Elsa raised her face and replied in a soft voice, seemingly unconfident. By filling gaps, perhaps? I think thats the correct answer. Jin saw Elsas answer and realized that they seemed to be on the same page. However, Saki and Stearleana were still struggling to grasp the idea. So Jin decided to deliver an easy-to-understand exnation. Lets say I put several big round stones into a box. Well, after its filled with round stones, would I still be able to put something in the box? Hmm? But if its full, then you cant put anything else in it, right? Ah, wait. You can still put sand in it, huh?. Jin nodded at Sakis answer. Ah, so thats it. Well, you mentioned sand, but you could still put water in the box, right? Stearleana voiced her mind after hearing their exnation. Then, what youre trying to say is that the things we know as Mana are actually very tiny? I think so. All substances are made up of what we call molecules. Molecules are like grains, but they are so small we cant see them. But Mana is much smaller than that. And I guess Ether is even smaller. Jin revealed his theory. Most substances can contain Ether and Mana, but I think Magi Crystals are a material that can contain a lot of Mana and are easy to carry around. Of course, since you can write Magi Form on Magi Crystals, it is sometimes said that theyre efficient when used as tanks. I see. I think I follow somehow. Though Ill need a little more exnation on these molecules you mentioned. Please, go on Now, what would happen if we were to put a lot of Mana in a regr stone? It would turn into a Magi Stone, right? This time it was Saki who shared her deductions. Jin nodded. If only I could, though Ive tried to do that before, but unfortunately, I havent been sessful yet. I-I see. So not even you can do it, Jin Saki dropped her shoulders. But on the other hand, Stearleana was burning with a fighting spirit. But thats why its worth it! It makes you want to find out more about Magi Crystals, and to find a way to replicate them, right? Jin nodded Yeah. Well first have to try several things. And then asked Reiko to prepare several Magi Crystals. First of all, Ive been wondering why Magi Crystals have different colors depending on their attributes. Jin said that as he looked at the colorful Magi Crystals ced on the workbench. Well, that may be just a matter of course, but whats the difference between Magi Crystal and Magi Stones? Is it just the amount of Mana they contain? Most of the Magi Crystals are transparent or translucent, while the Magi Stones are opaque. I think theres something there. Ah, could it be? After hearing Stearleanas statement, Elsa seemed to havee across something. I think Magi Crystals are crystallized after all. In other words, since they have a regr molecr arrangement, its easier for them to contain Mana. But Magi Stones are different. Since Saki and Stearleana werent familiar with the term crystallized, they didnt seem to be able to fully understand Elsas statement, so Jin provided a supplementary exnation. Crystals are, essentially, molecules Which, as I said earlier, are the small particles that make up a substance. A crystallized substance is one whose molecules are lined up in regr patterns. For instance, mostmon crystals and gemstones have their molecules arranged in hexagonal patterns. That analogy seemed to have worked, as the two of them nodded profusely at Jin. To put it in another way, we could say that the gaps in theirposition are lined up neatly. Which would be easier to drive on, a straight road or a winding road? Thats our Jin for us. I wouldnt have been able toe up with that analogy myself. At least, being a crystalline material seemed to be a big factor in whether it was easy for something to contain Mana or not. Then, the next question is whether Mana will naturally enter such stones and crystals. If they were able to understand their mechanism and reproduce it artificially, they might be able to make artificial Magi Crystals. Is that Is that something that can be understood? Sakis tone of voice sounded as if shecked self-confidence. Well, well, I think you can understand a little when you think about where you can find them. What do you mean, where you can find them? If you can understand the process and reproduce it artificially, you can make an artificial Magi Crystal. As far as I know, you can collect fire-type Magi Stones near a volcano in Kaina vige. They have also found earth-type Magi Crystals. That was something that happenedst year. You can find all sorts of attributes underground in Hourai Ind, right? Jin nodded in response to Elsas words. Yes. There seems to be a point in this inds underground where quite a lot of Ether can be found. At that moment, Elsa shared her thoughts one more time. If Ether isbined in a certain way, will it turn into Mana? What did you say? When Jin heard those words, he stared at Elsa. In response to Jins gaze, Elsa looked down a little. I see So if Ether is like an atom, then Mana is like a molecule? Elsa was able to see the logic behind Jins murmuring. Yes, thats what I wanted to say. Since the other two once again seemed to have lost them, Jin started to exin. Atoms are Well, theyre like building blocks. Imagine atoms are like pieces of wood. By themselves, they may not look like much, but whenbined, they can be furniture, or even a house. That analogy seemed to have been easy to understand. Ah, I see! So fire-types, water-types, earth, wind, and so on Each of them have a specificbination of Ether, right? Saki spoke with a hint of happiness in her voice, and Stearleana The way theyrebined sounds like magic, its like some kind of spell! That notion of Ether and Mana was very good for both of them, so Jin could omit getting too technical about it, which he was d about. Ah, could it be that for Magi Crystals, the shape of the gaps in the crystals matches the shape of the mana for each attribute? Jin believed that the theory they had arrived at was pretty solid. One could see it like positives and negatives, or like males and females. Jin hypothesized that Magi crystals are those in which Ether is incorporated into the Mana whose attribute matches that of the crystal-like shape of theirposition. The only w in that theory was that it may not work for all attributes, but other than that, it sounded consistent enough. If so, there must be a Magi Crystal without Mana, right? I have never seen such a thing Ive heard a lot about Magi Stones without Mana. Stearleana and Jin both seemed puzzled. But without Mana, Magi stones will just turn into regr stones, right? Ah, but their colors might be a little lighter than usual Since he doesnt use Magi Stones so much, Jin seemed to be a littlecking in self-confidence about them. So, should we give them a try? Elsa came up with that idea. Certainly, since they didnt know what happens to a Magi Crystal whenever it loses all of its Mana, they could try experimenting with them to see if they could learn something. Yeah, lets do that. Therefore, they decided to use the smallest Magi Crystal on the workbench as an energy source to activate some magic. Then they would use as much of its Mana as possible. Alright, Magi Jammer should do the trick. Magi Jammer was certainly a tool that consumed a lot of Mana. Jin asked Reiko to bring a prototype. In the meantime, he briefly exined what kind of thing a Magi Jammer was. the activation of magic? It sounds very interesting. So you were developing something like this, Brother Jin. Here you go, Father. Reiko came back with it while they were speaking. This used to be an Ether Converter that I remodeled. Well, then Its remodeling consisted in making it so that it used Magi Crystals as an energy source, and changing the intermittent drive to suppress the consumption of Mana into a continuous drive. Alright, Activate. Jin activated the modified Magi Jammer. If youre near this, you shouldnt be able to use any magic. Really? Let me try Light Ball! Ah, its no good. I really cant use magic. Hmm, its fascinating. Id like to ask you more about thister. Saki is particrly interested in the origins and effects of magic. This could be easily seen from the fact that her alchemy thesis was also About the workings and power of engineering magic. The Magi Jammer, which had been modified to increase magic power consumption, stopped working after approximately 10 minutes. Okay, lets see what happened. Jin confirmed the part of Magi Jammer that was expected to have taken in the Mana from the Magi Crystal. This is There was nothing on the ce where the Magi Crystal was supposed to have been. Chapter 455: Training

Chapter 455: Training

I see Jin nodded. Although Jin himself had used Magi Crystals as an energy source before, he had never used up their magical powerpletely. Using Magi Crystals as an energy source wasnt something Jin did too often because they were quite expensive, so he didnt know they did that. Normally, you would write a Magi Form and use it as a Magi Device. If you use it like that, you probably wont even use 10% of the Magi Crystals Mana. Stearleanas guess was the same as Jin. That must be it. I was sure that the part of the Magi Crystal that was getting its Mana consumed would only get lighter The actual weight of Mana and Ether were still unknown. Jin only knew that they both weighed very little. What we can say with this is that, rather than filling the gaps in the crystals structure, it is more likely that Mana will crystallize at the same time to create a Magi Crystal. That is to say, they also require the presence of mana to crystallize. But we didnt know whatponents other than Mana were there, right? Elsa sounded vexed. Well, I have a guess. Huh? I dont know of any material or substance that when it loses its Mana, it also loses its crystals. Which means That theyre made out of Ether? Yeah. Im wondering if thats the case. Lets call them Magi Atoms for now. Magi Atoms Elsa, who knew the basics of science, was able to follow Jins theory. They would be made of Magi Elementals such as Magitron, Magi Proton, and Magi Electron, and these Magi Elementals would, in turn, be made of Ether. And then they would be shaped into a Magi Crystal by interacting with Mana? Something along those lines. That would be amazing. Elsas brain was moving at a high speed. Perhaps a poor quality Magi Crystal will leave some residue behind after running out of Mana. And they were able to confirm this through an experiment. Some mineral powder remained after they tried using up all of the Mana out of some low quality Magi Crystals. Furthermore, it was possible to verify that unlike the ones that originated in Hourai Ind, the Magi Crystals that were widely distributed were just stones with no mana, although they look the same as them. As their prospects had be brighter, Jin and the others decided to take a short break. Now, we seem to have a hypothesis about the true nature of Magi Crystals. Ah, I know, Jin! If you could use Transinfo on me! I want to know more about science! Me too! Saki and Stearleana spoke with a loud tone of voice that made it clear that they were both speaking from the bottom of their hearts. But Ah, right. I never checked either of you forpatibility, did I? Jin decided to take this opportunity to investigate thepatibility of the two of them with Transinfo. Okay, this is the Magi Form, and this is the keyword. He then gave Saki and Stearleana the same exnation he had previously given to Reinhardt and Elsa. We dont have to seed in our first try. Im just going to check howpatible you are. Alright. Transinfo. Same here. Transinfo. Reiko drove the flow of their magical power. Well? Miss Saki, Miss Stearleana, the two of you should be able to handle up to Level 3. Level 3 was the same Elsa could handle back when herpatibility was first checked. Depending on how much one trained after that, that level could be improved by 1 or 2. Reinhardt too was able to handle it up to Level 3. And currently, Elsa can handle it up to Level 5. At Level 3, you can receive elementary knowledge. Really? Then please, go ahead, Jin! Yeah, me too, Jin, please! It was already past noon, but after sumbing to their enthusiasm, Jin decided he would use Transinfo to share the same level of knowledge he had given to Reinhardt. He hadnt erased the Magi Crystal he used with Reinhardt, so it was ready to go. Transinfo. Transinfo. The first Transinfo was to transfer the knowledge from the original Magi Crystal to another Magi Crystal, and the second one was to transfer that to Saki and Stearleana. The two of them were briefly overwhelmed by the enormous amount of knowledge they had gained. Jin and Elsa decided to leave them alone for a moment, and prepared for lunch. That being said, they just brought in the food that Peridot had already prepared. And most of the carrying was done by Reiko anyway. Since Jin, Elsa, and Saki came from Kaina Vige, they had had breakfast recently, so lunch was rather modest. It was a hamburger with steak and vegetables, and the buns were made with yeast. This is yummy. Stearleana had 3, Jin had 2, and Elsa and Saki had 1 each. Next, we need to determine how Ether turns into Magi Atoms. After lunch, Jin talked about the next topic. Do Magi Atoms and Manabine to make Magi Crystals? Ah, my father is going to go nuts after he hears about this. Sakis father was the renowned alchemist Toa Eschenbach. Speaking of him, wheres your father now, Saki? I heard he came back home for a couple of days while I was staying at my grandfathers house. Then he left once again to who knows where He was the kind of person who couldnt just stay at home. I-I see After pulling himself together, Jin started over. Ok, so, how does Ether turn into Magi Atoms? Now, the four people there had a general idea about atomic structures. Although it was a simplified concept, it was enough for everyone to be able to discuss the current topic. To begin with, we dont even know how the activation magic process works A mage can take in the Ether in the air by breathing and convert it into Mana in their body. This Mana can be made to take the form of various types of energy, and even be manipted depending on the will and imagination of the purified person. This is what we have thought to be magic. Huh? Is that the knowledge passed on by Adriana Balbora Ceci? Jin nods at the two surprised faces. Yeah. Though that may be a little outdated. This knowledge dates from before the Great Magic War So, in other words, if force of will can transform Ether into Mana It should also be able to transform it into Magi Atoms, right? I think so, yeah. While replying to Sakis remarks, Jin thought that a mage might be closer to a person with supernatural powers on Earth. At least he couldnt see any problems with thatparison. Both people with supernatural powers and mages had inmon the fact that not everyone could replicate their wondrous feats. So, what exactly is a naturally made Magi Atom? Jin returned to the main topic. Im really interested in that as well, but lets return to our goal of making artificial Magi Crystals first. Hmm, thats right. Were not going to find an answer to that no matter how much we want to right now. Then, if you know the structure of an atom, perhaps we might be able to make a Magi Atom? Stearleana took a stab at the heart of the matter. Yeah. Maybe we should start with the atoms of the simplest structure. Hydrogen, right? Right. However, Hydrogen is an invisible gas. Its going to need some craftiness. So, they decided to try the method that is often used in experiments to collect gas, that is, using a pneumatic trough. Since Ether was also present in water, all that was left was to determine how to convert Ether to hydrogen. ! The four of them tried to generate hydrogen in various ways. The general idea was to imagine the structure of hydrogen and make the Ether in the cup change, but it didnt go that well. The first one to seed was Jin, perhaps due to the difference in power for making mental images. Got it! Oh, some gas is being generated. Analyze Hmm, its definitely hydrogen. Thats our Jin! Saki didnt know all there was to know about the Analyze spell, but she now knew the existence and structure of hydrogen, so she could analyze it. After Jins sess, Elsa, Saki, and Stearleana all seeded as well. Seeing a precedent seemed to be an effective means to get results. At any rate, it seemed possible to create atoms from Ether. However J-Jin, I feel so tired for some reason. Me too. Me too, a bit. Except for Jin, the other threeined about feeling sluggish. Theyve all run out of magic, huh? That had been Reikos diagnosis. It seemed that alchemy wasnt such a simple thing to do. Chapter 456: Preparations for Departure

Chapter 456: Preparations for Departure

The training to create Magi Atoms seemed to consume a huge amount of magical power, and the three other than Jin started to suffer from being out of magical power. Since he was used to seeing Elsa suffer from this, Jin gave the three of them a drink of Mana Potion Which was nothing other than Hourai Inds special Pelshika juice. Although not as much as the actual drug-based Mana Potion, the Ether contained in the Pelshika juice could be absorbed by the body on a cell-by-cell basis and converted into Mana. The three of them soon regained their vitality. Thank you, Brother Jin. Whats this? Jin began exining. The Pelshika from Hourai Ind contained a lot of Ether. By storing it in an environment with a high concentration of Ether, the amount of Ether they contained would increase. Then, drinking its juice can help make up for theck of Mana in ones body. Hmm, thats a great discovery! Its better than my fathers research! A simr thing was written in a book written by Sakis father, Toa. Maybe this is simr to Magi Crystals? Ah, you may be right. Jin and the others concluded that they are simr in that Ether is trapped between the molecules that make up the Pelshika juice. Okay, lets conclude our experiment for today and just take it easy from here. Sounds good. As expected, all three of them followed Jins advice because they were mentally tired, even though their magical power had been restored. On the other hand, Laojun, who couldnt get tired, would continue their research. Since My Lord has shown us how to proceed from this point on, it is now our turn. And with that, Laojun took over the research on Ether. Ah, this sure feels nice. The three girls were enjoying themselves in the open-air bath. I might get a little too used to doing this in broad daylight. Stearleana had already grown used to life on Hourai Ind. Kuhuhu, Im already used to this. You should think a little more about your lifestyle, Sis Saki. Steady as always, huh, Elsa? Im not steady, youre just sloppy. Stearleanaughed as she saw the other two have such an exchange. Elsa was 17, Saki was 21, and Stearleana was 31. Ah, to be young Those words like that of an old person slipped through Stearleanas mouth. But youre still young, Stearleana. Ah, thanks. In fact, one could say that Stearleanas skin was very fine and firm. Your skin is so white I can almost see through it, and Sakis is just as fine. Ive been living quite the disordered life until recently, so I cant beat Elsa Uhuhu, thats not true. Youre very beautiful too, Saki. The open-air bath was bustling with the interaction between these three girls. Sometimes I think it would be nice to go on a trip. Jin voiced his mind during dinner. Ah, that sounds lovely! Where would you like to go? Ive been wanting to go to the old Lenard Kingdom. Jin answered Stearleanas question. Ah, it seems it fell into ruin before we even realized, huh? Yeah. It was really close to Kaina Vige too, so Ive been wondering why it fell into ruin in the first ce. Did something unusual happen to it? Thats very interesting! Saki seemed enthusiastic about it as well. But do you think it would be safe to go there? Stearleana was worried that the ruined Lenard Kingdom would be in a literal state of anarchy. Safe? Ah There might not be any functioning hotels to stay in, and sleeping in a tent might be a bit too dangerous. Worste to worst, Jin thought he might have to sleep in the carriage Should we make something like an RV instead? And so he came up with that idea. An RV? Ah, that. Saki, Stearleana, and of course Elsa, who all had received Jins basic knowledge, immediately realized what he had meant by RV. That would make it possible toe back to Hourai Ind only at night, though. In response to Jins words Isnt that what makes a trip fun? Saki said that. She had made it sound like a walk in the park. Even if its a little inconvenient, that kind of trip sounds like fun. Thats right. It pains me to admit this, but I havent had a trip like this back when I was a child. After hearing Elsa and Stearleanas thoughts, Jin went back to the ns for the RV. He decided that everyone should have a say in how to make it. It should be big enough to fit 5 or 8 people in it. Thinking about the RV having beds and so on would be the limit. He could make a huge one, but considering the width of the road, it would still be necessary to keep it about the same size as arge carriage. If the whole Family is going, then perhaps we should make two of them. If they were to make two RVs that would fit four people each, they should all be able to go camping together. Id like for them to have a bath installed. Also a bathroom. Id also like to be able to eat delicious food in them. In response to their wishes, Jin devised a n. A foldable bathtub, a Hourai-Ind-styled bathroom, a refrigerator, an Ether Stocker, a Cooking Stove Hmm Its impossible. No matter how hard he thought about it, there was no way all of that would fit in the size of arge carriage. It would have to be about the size of a tourist bus instead. Id prefer to make it as an automobile, too Since it would be a ce where not many people would be around, Jin decided it would be better to equip the vehicles with a golem engine. Automobiles! That sounds great! It seemed that Saki could imagine it because she had been in an automobile back when she went to Tatsumi Bay. Though Stearleana knew about them, she had never been in one. Im really looking forward to it! The idea was to build something like an Unimog, which Jin had seen before in a manga. This was because of its ability to run on rough roads. Jin would always incorporate his own ideas into it. The lower body would be made of 18/12 stainless steel. It would have 6 wheels in total. Its overall size would be about the same as a small bus. Due to the space inside the car, it would have two floors. The first floor would be the cockpit and the living room,, and the second floor would be the bedroom and observation deck. Of course, the roof would be able to be opened and closed. The cabin would be made of 64 aluminum to reduce weight and prevent its center of gravity from bing too high. The windows would be made of transparent ground spider resin. Light and unbreakable, and resistant to scratches and dirt. As for its weaponry Id like it to have a Magi Cannon, a Paralyzer, an Inductor Radiator with a Magi Jammer and a Laser Cannon. And Reiko would be going with us as well. It would also be nice to have a Treatment Device and a Barrier. My Lord, please bring the Absolute Zero magic tool that waspleted the other day, and the Barrier Bomb. Jin nodded at Laojuns suggestion. An active golem arm would be of course used for suspension. The tiers would be made out of pseudo-dragon leather. They would also have a small Warp Gate for use in case of an emergency. Something like this? Jin, who was drawing a conceptual diagram for window panes made out of ground spider resin on a whiteboard, stopped for a moment so he could show the concept to everyone. Oh yes, that would be very safe to use. That sounds like a somewhat promising material Somewhat, Stearleana? Strangely, Elsa protested Stearleanas remark. The next morning, it was finally time to start making the vehicles. Laojun, you take care of the materials. Well leave the rest to the Smiths. Understood. Reiko, you take care of getting the Treatment Device and the Barrier ready. These were to be prepared as per the norm. Yes, Father. Elsa should take care of our bedding. Ok, sure. Jin quickly assigned roles to everyone. Saki, you work with the Peridots and get the foodstuffs for us to load in the vehicles. Alright, leave it to me. Stearleana, you watch how I do things. Understood. Im d to be able to see the Magi Craft Meister do their thing with my own eyes. My Lord, the materials are ready. Ive called in the Smiths from #51 through #60. Well done. Smiths #51 through #56 should be making the tires. #57 and #58 will take care of the frames. #59 and #60 are to assist me. Yes, My Lord. Jin started working with the help of the Smiths. W-Wow, amazing I expected no less of you, Jin The Magi Craft Meister! Stearleana was truly impressed to see Jin being done with the vehicles before her very eyes. In the meantime, Elsa alsopleted 10 sets of Magi Silk futons and nkets. The vehicles werepleted within the day, carefully assembled and tested for operation. Weapons and equipment were ready. Food and medicine were also loaded into them. So, what are we going to name these vehicles, Jin? Ah, right What about Tortoise? Jin thought that the name Tortoise was quite appropriate. So, shall we depart tomorrow? What about Hanna, Brother Jin? Jins cheerful face was met with Elsas question. Ill invite her, of course. Neither Jin nor Elsa had forgotten about Hanna, who was in Kaina Vige. Ill be right back. It was 6 PM in Hourai Ind, and about 4 PM in Kaina Vige. Jin used a Warp Gate to quickly travel to Kaina Vige. Chapter 457: Investigation Trip

Chapter 457: Investigation Trip

Yeah, Ill go! Of course, Hanna had no objections. She would be absent from the study sessions, but Jin and Elsa would be teaching her enough for her not to fall behind during their trip. She quickly got herself ready and went to Hourai Ind together with Jin. Good morning, Hanna. Good morning. Ah, Sis Elsa, Sis Saki! And Sis Leana! Hanna had called Stearleana Sis Leana. Uhuhu, youre so cute, Hanna. It seemed that Stearleana was very pleased to hear that Hanna had treated her as her sis. The next morning, the time to depart finally arrived. The ones on board were Jin, Hanna, Elsa, Saki, and Stearleana. Reiko and Steward would be apanying them as drivers. Ehr and Edgar would stay at home. Mistress, have a safe trip. With a slightly disappointing look, Ehr and Edgar saw off their mistresses. Well then, should we get going? They were going to use a transfer machine to instantly travel a long distance. It was currently 8 AM in Hourai Ind, and they were headed for the city of Dier. They set thendmark at Quintas Regulus 45s location, since there was a significantly small chance of an error, making it possible to transfer within 1 cm from the surface of the earth. It became easier to get it right the more it was done. Ive been waiting for you. The Regulus series consisted of adult male types. Regulus 45 weed the party. No one had any doubts about its existence because he had been introduced in advance. Good job. Whats with that look? Jin asked that question to Regulus 45. Its body looked a bit thin and slightly dirty all over, as if he had been worn out. Ah, yes. I did this in order to blend in with the remaining residents. ording to Regulus 45s exnation, about 50 people still lived near the old capital city of Dier. I rarely meet anyone, though. My house isnt in Dier, but a bit farther away. Understood. Shall we head for Dier then? I shall be your guide. Regulus 45 sat in the passengers seat and gave directions to Steward, who was in the drivers seat. Jin and the others went to the 2nd floor and opened the roof to look around. Waaah, this is so fascinating. Hanna was thrilled to see andscape she had never seen before. Jin, Elsa, Saki, and Stearleana were all looking out with eyes wide open as well. Endless grass covered the road, and buildings entwined with vines were lined up left and right. It looked quite peculiar at the beginning, but just as Jin and the others started to get bored of the unchangingndscape, a river came into view. This is the Spee River. Its easier to drive by the riverside. Regulus 45 exined in a loud voice so that everyone who was on the second floor could hear it. The time was around 8 am and the river breeze was pleasant. The river seemed pretty big, and about 100 meters wide. Although they were treading overrge stones, the undercarriage of Tortoise had a golem suspension system installed, making any shaking almost non-existent. There were some willow-looking trees growing sparsely along the road, but they didnt interfere with the progress. The Tortoise was still able to advance at about 40 km/h. After going on for about 30 minutes, they saw something strange in front of them. Big brother, what is that? It was understandable for Hanna to say that like that. A group of half-destroyed buildings, covered with vines, towered ahead. This almost makes Reinhardts Ivy House seem pretty Saki was surprised as well. How many years must have passed since these buildings were infested with vines to the point of crumbling down like this? It really looks like no one lives here. What in the world happened here? Jin and Elsa were also confused. In particr, Jin knew that the Hourai Ind research institute hadnt copsed even after 1000 years, so this state of ruin was unbelievable. Ten minutester, they finally arrived at Dier, capital of the old Lenard Kingdom. It seemed that the surrounding area had once been circled by a castle wall about 7 meters high, but more than half of it had copsed, so there were several ces where one could enter the city. Basically, no one actually lives here. Very rarely, peoplee here to see if theres anything of value. Have youe here to investigate? Regulus 45 asked that to Jin. Yes. In the first ce, some people have been in and out for several decades, taking valuables away with them. Well, yes, thats what it looks like. Even if there had been any gold items or valuables there, someone must have already taken off with them. It seemed that the only things that remained were either things that were considered worthless or things that couldnt be taken out. Still, I want to take a look. In that case, this way. Regulus 45 guided them to a sturdy two-story building. This one was also covered with an incredible amount of vines. I think this was some kind of museum. Most of the things here have been taken out When she heard that it had been a museum, Saki suddenly became enthusiastic. Jin, lets take a look! There may be some rare books! Taking the lead, she started going forward. The vines at the entrance had been cut off, and it was evident that some people still went there regrly. Ooohh! They went through an entrance that was wide enough for only one person to pass at a time. There was no light inside, and the windows were blocked by vegetation, so it was rather dim, but as their eyes got used to it, it turned out to be quite the spectacr sight. A mural painting was drawn all over the wall. As expected, no one would have been able to take that with them. This is amazing! Lets see, it says here: The light thates from the east, its called ??? There are some parts here that are illegible. Unfortunately, the wall was considerably damaged, and there were some parts where it was impossible to read what was written on it. However, this mural painting had already been recorded and analyzed by Laojun long ago. There was little useful or new information to be found in it. Except for one single thing. Chief, please look at this. After being called by Regulus 45, Jin approached the corner of the wall. driana Ceci West Maybe something about Adriana Balbora Ceci was written here? Yes, that is likely, but this section has sustained a lot of damage, so it cant be deciphered. That particr section was severely deteriorated, and some parts of it were peeled off and crumbled away, so there was no way to read what was written on it no matter how hard one tried to. Hmm, perhaps my predecessor once lived here in the Lenard Kingdom Although he had inherited the knowledge from his predecessor, he didnt get all of her memories. Jin didnt know about his predecessors childhood or who she had learned Engineering Magic from. Not even Reiko knew that. Big brother, what is that? Hanna, who had been improving her reading and writing skills thanks to her study sessions, called out to Jin. When he went to her, he saw Hanna pointing at a hole in the wall. ? There was a copsed section of the wall there where there was a rectangr gap where stones that looked like Magi Stones were embedded. It was about 50 cm above the floor, so it was easy for Hanna to find it. Regulus 45 was shaking his head as if he didnt know anything about it, so it looked like it had copsed just recently. Jin called out to the rest of hispanions, who were scattered all over the room. Whats the matter, Jin? Did you find anything, Jin? What is it, Brother Jin? He showed the Magi Stones to Elsa, Saki, and Stearleana. Could this be a key to operate something? The three of them agreed with Jins theory. I have no idea whats this going to trigger, what should I do? Chief, Ill give it a try. Regulus 45 volunteered to try the Magi Stones. Since he said hed do it as soon as Jin and the others were at a safe distance, Jin decided to leave it to him. Alright, well go wait outside. Jin and the others headed outside for safety, leaving Regulus 45 behind. The sunlight was very radiant. Okay, were good. Jin called out from the outside. Regulus 45 confirmed the path of magical power as it was customary for investigation procedures, and after confirming that there was no risk of it going haywire, poured magical power on Magi Stone. Immediately after that, it seemed that nothing would happen, but after a while, Jin noticed that the building vibrated a little from the outside. Chief, the floor has opened, revealing some stairs. Chapter 458: The Basement’s Messenger

Chapter 458: The Basements Messenger

Is it a basement? Called by Regulus 45, Jin and his friends returned to look at the stairs that appeared on the floor. It seems that there was some kind of special barrier that I wasnt aware of even after Regulus 45s preliminary investigation. Jin came to that conclusion as he investigated the entrance to the staircase. These kinds of hidden rooms and passages could be easily found using a sonar and the like. The barrier that was hiding these stairs must have been a very advanced one. I will go down first to see if there is any danger. Regulus 45 sounded eager to go as he dove down the stairs that appeared on the floor. The sound of running down the stairs became quieter and quieter. After waiting for about 5 minutes without saying anything, the footsteps were heard again and Regulus 45 came back. Theres no danger. Its a very interesting ce. After his report, it was decided that it would be quicker to just go down and see for themselves. Okay, lets take a look. They went down the stairs in this order: Regulus 45, Reiko, Jin, Hanna, Saki, Stearleana, and Elsa. Surprisingly, there were Ether Lights stuck on the walls, which started to emit light as soon as Jin and his friends approached them. Considering that they werent triggered when Regulus 45 came downstairs alone, they seemed to have been set to react only to humans. It was a very advanced device. After about 50 steps down, they arrived at the basement. There was a door at the end of the stairs, and when Regulus 45 opened it Oh!? Amazing! T-This Whats this? Whoa. Each of the five of them had a different reaction. What was waiting at the other side of the door looked like a sea of stars. Though it was actually a huge mural and ceiling painting that imitated the starry sky. A dim starlight was shining. The room seemed to be hemispherical. It was like aarium that had gone out of order. Wee, everyone. A voice came out of somewhere. Whos this? I was left here to tell the facts of what happened here to those who woulde here after such a long time. An artificial intelligence? You may perceive me as such. To put it simply, it was an entity simr to Laojun. Though its main function simply seemed to be to ry a message. What are these facts you speak of? The reason behind the disappearance of the people of the Lenard Kingdom. It was a shocking fact. There seemed to be a very specific reason for the disappearance of the people of the Lenard Kingdom. Everyone seemed to want to know more about it. Please tell us. Of course. Thats why I exist. The story they heard from that mysterious voice was astonishing. 234 years ago, an unknown epidemic broke out in the kingdom. It was named Magical Exhaustion Fever. Magical Exhaustion Fever Just recently, Jin and Elsa had been suffering from a difficult illness. It seemed that there had been arge outbreak in the past as well. The gue started in the north of the country and gradually moved south. The mortality rate was high and inevitable in the beginning. The bodies of those who fell victims to it were burned, and the kingdoms poption was cut in half. For better or worse, there were no diplomatic rtions with the neighboring kingdoms of Klein, Celuroa, and Egelia, so it seemed that the gue didnt turn into a pandemic. While still looking for a cure, the people of the Lenard Kingdom considered the possibility of escaping the country. Since the gue was moving southward from the north, they decided to escape to the south. The entire country had begun to construct a huge ship. Jin wondered if they had made it in time, but the voice soon continued speaking. But the ship seemed to take too much time. So they instead evacuated to the sky. To the sky!? Do you mean Above the clouds? To be more precise, to the moon. There was a magic circle in this Lenard Kingdom, left by someone many, many years ago. A Magic Circle. The Magi Form would be arranged in a circle, so to speak, a magic circuitposed only of the Magi Form. Its effect could be amplified by circting magical power in a ring shape, but it was difficult to handle, and was a magical technique that had be obsolete in modern times. There was a legend that spoke of opening up a path to go up in the sky and travel to the moon. Jin wondered if that magic circle the voice spoke of was the kind that could be used to teleport. First the royal family, then the ministers, then the knights, the soldiers, and themoners. They moved forward one after another, and none has evere back. The few remaining people died of the gue. I was created by one of those who remained, the Magi Engineer Alexta Stakel, to tell those who woulde here in the future about this event. In short, an epidemic broke out. To escape from it, the people turned to the magic circle of their legend. Most of the people ended up leaving, never to return. The mysterious voice was that of the messenger left by one of the Magi Engineers who remained in the kingdom. Jin tried to summarize the story in his head, wondering if it could really have happened. At the same time, some questions appeared on his head. Did they not make sure where that magic circle was going to take them? No matter how hard he thought about it, Jin couldnt really believe such a story. Yes, the first to ride the magic circle was King Rentra the 11th. The king was the first to say that there was nothing to be afraid of. There might have not been anything to fear, but it would have still been hard to believe. Jin was under the impression that the king probably not only abandoned the country because he was afraid of the gue, but that he also had been the first to escape. Even so, they never came back here Was it because they had no means to do so? Saki shared her thoughts with everyone. No, the magic circle itself could be drawn by anyone, and it really didnt even need much mana to put it into operation. So they could havee back anytime if they had wished to? Saki wondered if they had actually preferred the life they were having where they had gone, and if that had been the reason why they never returned to the Lenard Kingdom. She couldnte up with any more objections on the matter. Do you know what kind of magic circle it was? Jin was eager to ask that question. But the answer was rather disappointing. I havent been filled in with that information. Therefore, I do not know. Jin still could use Warp Gates, but even then he was interested in the technology behind teleportation through a magic circle. But other than that, the thing that Jin was most worried about was their reason for not being able toe back. It would have been nice if at least one of them would have returned to tell others about what kind of ce their destination was. He wondered if the gue had been that scary, and came up with one reason. Dont tell me? Jin frowned. Elsa saw Jins puzzled face, thought about what could be troubling him, and arrived at the reason. B-Brother Jin! If If they really went to the moon The moon Vacuum Jin nodded silently. Yeah. I thought about that too. At that time, they might have not even thought about the fact that there was no air at their destination. Saki and Stearleana went pale when they heard Jins words. Both of them had enough of a grasp of science to understand what he meant. J-Jin, then Then all of the people who were transferred at the time Theyve all Jin If their destination was in a vacuum Then Jin nodded with an extremely sad face. Only if they had actually gone to the moon. They could have gone somewhere very far in this world as well. But if that was the case, then someone would have eventually returned here, right? Normally, you would have some interest ining back to your hometown, right? But if they couldnte back So thats what actually happened, Jin? Perhaps those who had transferred at that time died before knowing what kind of ce their destination was going to be. The messenger wouldnt know about it, and it didnt have the scientific knowledge to understand it. Is there anything else you should tell us? After regaining hisposure, Jin asked the messenger. No, there is not. I was only created with the purpose of rying this information. I see. Feeling a little depressed, Jin and his friends decided to return to the ground. Hanna was the only one who didnt understand what was going on, so she wondered why Jin and the others had such gloomy faces. When everyone had finished climbing the stairs, the hole in the floor closed itself. Jin resealed the wall by reactivating the Magi Stone with Engineering Magic and went out silently. The others followed him. The blue sky was the only thing that had remained unchanged after the long gone years when the Lenard Kingdom thrived. Chapter 459: Ruins

Chapter 459: Ruins

The sight of the blue sky had failed to brighten up anyones face, except for Hanna. Whats wrong, everyone? Do you all have a stomach ache or something? Concerned, Hanna looked up at Jins face. Then she reached out to his cheeks and touched them. Get better soon, big brother! Hannas palms felt warm and relieving. Ah, thats right. Whats done is done. Having said that, Jin picked Hanna up and gave her a ride on his shoulders. Kyaa! Hanna was surprised at first, but soon smiled. Waaah, thank you, big brother! After seeing that, Elsa, Saki, and Stearleana also found themselves smiling. Hmm, thats right. We cant do anything about it anymore, huh Yeah. We came here to do some sightseeing after all, right? Im sure Brother Jin will be able to take us to the moon someday. Reiko stared silently at them. Well, would you like to go see another ce? The royal pce is a little further ahead. Sensing that the mood had changed, Regulus 45, resumed his guidance. The royal pce, huh? Lets go take a look. Having regained their motivation, the party headed for the royal pce. Hanna was still hitching a ride on Jins shoulders. She seemed happy that everyone seemed to have gotten better. The royal pce was also covered with vines. It also showed signs of having been severely ravaged by scavengers, as several entrances had been opened. Jin and the others didnt mind that since it only made it easier for them to get inside. Hmm, it looks very archaic. Yeah. Theres something old fashioned about its design. Elsa agreed with Sakis opinion. You think? Its not much different from the Royal Pce of Celuroa On the other hand, Stearleana said that it wasnt different from the royal pce of the Celuroa Kingdom. There seemed to be a strong sense of tradition in the Celuroa Kingdom. Big brother, whats that? Hanna had already gotten down from Jins shoulders and was walking beside Reiko, but when she looked to the right, she saw something strange. Hmm? Oh? Stearleana, who had turned to see in the same direction as Hanna, also expressed her surprise. A cat ornament? A cat? Hannah didnt seem to know anything about cats. In the first ce, there was almost no custom of keeping pets in this world. Neither horses, cows, or goats were treated as pets. In some regions, people seem to keep dogs, but as guard dogs, not as pets. The only exception would be birds, but people would keep them just to enjoy their chirping. And pigeons were used as messenger birds. Unlike on modern Earth, there was no custom of keeping a cat as a means to seekfort orpany. Also, there werent too many issues with rats or mice infesting a house. The habit of keeping cats to keep mice and rats at bay didnt appear because the harm those rodents could cause could be prevented with magical tools such as the Beastward Bell that Jin and his friends used to deliver wheat. But it seemed that there was an exception to everything. Huh, so they did keep cats as pets in the Lenard Kingdom Stearleana was impressed. It seemed that some people in the Celuroa Kingdom used to keep cats as pets. Many people say that cats are attractive because they are whimsy, they dont get too familiar with nor they butter up people. After Stearleana exined how cats were regarded in the Celuroa Kingdom But I dont really like them. I actually prefer dogs. She confessed that she actually was more of a dog person. Yeah, me too. The same was true for Jin. At the orphanage, there was a well-disciplined mixed-breed dog. Jin would sometimes take him for a walk, though it was mostly the younger children who would take care of him. Jin looked at the cat ornament while absentmindedly reminiscing of such things. The ornament looked just like a regr cat one would find on Earth. Since it was figurine-sized, he couldnt know how urate it was, but Jin assumed that it would be quite on point ifpared to an actual-sized cat of this world. Oh well, this almost looks like a real cat though. Stearleana confirmed Jins assumptions. Then Hanna asked him something unexpected. Hey, big brother, can you make me one of those? Huh? She probably wasnt referring to a cat ornament, but a cat golem. Jin thought that the idea of making one was quite interesting. There was a door where the ornament was, and it was half open. Looking inside, there were dusty, broken dolls and toys scattered around. It seemed that it had once been the bedroom of a prince or a princess. It also appeared that whatever had been of any actual value had already been pilfered from that room. Its a bit Boring. This time, Hanna was the downhearted one. Certainly, walking around ruins was rather saddening. Should we go outside? When Jin asked that, Hanna nodded silently. Elsa, Saki, and Stearleana all sympathized with her, and turned around without saying a word. The group left the ruins of the capital and drove the Tortoise by the riverside. They had a light lunch inside the vehicle. The group had be somewhat down in spirits. Jin wondered if they should go back home already, but since they hade all the way there, he thought they might as well spend the night there, so he started to look for a good ce to set up camp. Ah, that might be a good spot. There was a small grasnd on an elevated ce close to the riverbank. It had a nice view as well. Jin ordered Steward to take the Tortoise there. The output of the 12-throttle golem engine, made by Jin, was able to climb the slope with ease, even though it was about 40 degrees steep. Yeah, thisll do. The grass was short, so they were able to secure afortable space just by weeding a little. Although there was enough room in the car, Jin was finicky enough to prefer eating outdoors when camping. Uwaaah Oh As they tried to go get chairs and tables for everyone, they noticed. All of their luggage hadnt been fixed onto anything, and was all cramped against the back of the Tortoise. Such a thing happened because they had climbed a 40-degree slope. I guess it needs some improvements. After rearranging their luggage, they once again started to get ready to have some tea. The tarp of sunshade had also been set up, so the river breeze wasfortable even in the summer. Ah, finally some relief Saki muttered that earnestly. Yum! Reiko considered that a cup of tea with plenty of sugar was great for when one was mentally tired. To go with their tea, they had dried wilies as snacks. They were deliciously bittersweet. They were great for healing their spirits, which had been frayed for being surrounded by so much ruin and decay. I guess well leave the mystery of the barrier for some other time An illusionary barrier that makes it look like theres a country when looked at from the sky. Jin wondered if he would be able to do something like that if someone asked him to. He believed he could achieve the same effect, but he didnt know if he would be able to urately replicate the method used for that other barrier. Jin thought that depending on the situation, he might have to increase the number of Quintas. Dinner was ready before the sun had gonepletely down. It was standard barbecue. The iron tes were ced on a furnace made by stacking stones. Since firewood would have made it troublesome to adjust the heating power, they used Magi Stones instead. The main dish was mountain deer meat and vegetables. Then they added udon noodles made from wheat flour, seasoned with Worcestershire sauce. Since Jin didnt know much about lye water, which was used for making noodles, he ended up making thinner udon noodles instead. It reminded of the Pashta he had seen back in Toka Vige. Wow, its a bit different than how I know them, but theyre delicious! Thats right. Youre a great cook, Jin! Even so, they seemed to be quite popr among Jinspanions. Before the summer day was over, they had finished eating, washed the dishes and the iron tes at the river, and further cleaned them using a purification spell. Stars started to appear here and there. The wind blowing from the river felt veryfortable. Then, they all went to the second floor of the Tortoise. Again, since they had climbed a 40-degree slope, the futons were a little too close to each other, so they had to rearrange them. Then theyid down on their futons and looked at the sky from the open skylight. The first one to fall asleep was Hanna. Then Elsa, Saki, Stearleana, and Jin. Reiko, who didnt have to sleep, closed the skylight and stood guard together with Steward. Sweet dreams, Father. Reikos words were soaked up into the starry sky. Chapter 460: The Provincial City of Goa - 1

Chapter 460: The Provincial City of Goa - 1

Theres nothing special here, is there? Goa, a provincial city of the Kingdom of Celuroa. It was a magical industrial city where many Magi Craftsmen live. Every store here is just full of ordinary things. It was about 20 kilometers north of the main road, but many tourists visited it because there were many Magi Craftsmen living there. It had grown into a lively town with the help of the nearby road leading to Lake Azure. I cant feel any originality from this. Several shops were lined by the streets. They disyed all sorts of Magi Engineering products for tourists. Weapons for self defense such as daggers and knives, portable Magi Lamps, and travel goods such as Beastward Bells. Also, essories such as brooches, rings and nes. Second hand stores might be a bit more interesting. The face of the girl who had been looking at the stores by the towns streets for some time ago quickly expressed her dissatisfaction. She was about 14 or 15 years old. She was a beautiful girl with straight, shoulder-length bright blonde hair, and eyes that looked like jades. However, her moody, scowling face made it evident that she was not in a good mood. Her clothes werent extravagant, but nothing too simple either, and seemed to be very well matched together. Furthermore, living up to her youngdy status, she was apanied by one attendant. He was a young boy, two or maybe three years older than the girl. Youngdy, that way leads to a back alley. Its okay. These streets all look pretty, but have nothing of quality. Maybe theres something good over there? The girl turned around the corner and trotted ahead. Her attendant hurriedly followed her. After running straight for about 20 meters, she turned at a junction, and headed for an antique shop at the end of the alley. She then casually walked through the door. Whoa To put it in one word, the shop was chaotic. There were several brooches with designs that had been popr the previous year all sprawled out over a vintage wooden table. A rusty sword was ced right next to an unspecified number of silver tableware. Alongside the dolls that children would be happy to y with, there were also helmets worn by soldiers from neighboring countries. Uhuhu, this one, this ones it! Im sure a shop like this will have something interesting! The girls face changedpletely, and started to look around the shop with a pleasant smile. Huh? Then, her eyes came across a short sword. Its light, shiny golden scabbard was finely carved and studded with small Magi Crystals. Its handle was also golden, and a light-blue Magi Crystal had been embedded to it as well. How lovely. She picked it up, and it was lighter than she expected. She softly drew the de out of its scabbard. Whats this? The de was about 30 centimeters long. It was definitely made out of Mithril silver. The girl was fascinated by its beauty. Youngdy? It seemed that the young boy who served that girl as her attendant had finally caught up with her mistress. Look, Andro. Look at this short sword. The boy called Andro stared at the short sword as he was told. He was impressed with its splendor. Ah, its a fine article. I want this. With the short sword back in its scabbard, the girl walked to the back of the store. There was a shopkeeper there, who had been staring at the girl from a while ago. Sir, Id like to have this short sword. Oh, so youre interested in it? I found it in Ikasanato, in the Egelia Kingdom, not too long ago. Some soldiers who came from some farawaynd were selling everything they had on them. I dont care where it came from. How much? Right, thatll be 100,000 Tolls. After hearing that, the girl turned to her attendant. Uh, ah Do you really want to purchase that short sword, youngdy? Yes. Go ahead and pay the man. Quickly! U-Understood. The boy took 10 golden coins out of his purse and offered them to the shopkeeper. Thank you very much. Lets go, Andro. Please wait for me, youngdy. As soon as the girl went out of the antique shop, she took a good look at her new purchase. Ah, now this was a good haul! If I were to order this, it would have cost me no less than a million Tolls! Huh? Is that sword really that expensive!? The girlughed. Yes. This was a great purchase. After spending a single night on their investigation trip to the Lenard Kingdom, Jin and the others returned to Hourai Ind. The exploration of the ruins had turned out to be less interesting than expected, and quite mentally enduring as well. The time was still 10 am because they came back while still riding the special RV Tortoise using Condor 3s warp gate. Well, that didnt quite go as nned Jin grumbled as he drank a ss of soda in the dining room. Should we have a little review meeting? Stearleana shared her idea. Yeah, thatd be nice. Jin agreed. Elsa and Saki had noints either, so they decided to have a brief review meeting. Incidentally, Hanna was ying with Reiko outside. Looking at what they were doing, it seemed that Reiko was leading her around the fields. She was also eating some Pelshikas. I guess Ill leave her in Reikos care for now. And thus they started their review meeting. How were our safety measures? Jin started with a question regarding their vehicle. Well, I have noints about the camper itself. Except for the luggage falling to its back when we went up that slope Yeah, that thing. Ill think of a way to keep our things fixed in ce. Then, Saki was the next one to give her opinion. Im not really sure I want to go exploring more ruins anytime soon. They give this feeling of uncertainty Yeah, youre right. And even more so now that we know that most of the valuables have already been taken. Maybe we shouldnt have gone there Yeah, the only thing weve got out of that trip was learning the reason behind the Lenard Kingdoms downfall. Everyone nodded to Elsas remark. Indeed. But to think that everyone fled their country because they were afraid of a gue Do you think its possible they had been under some kind of mind control? Ah Elsa knew that demons could be involved because Jin and Elsa worked together to bring things back in control during the magical exhaustion fever incident. And when ites to demons, mind control is always a possibility. This stemmed from the fact that Elsas own father had been influenced by the demon Malkosiath. I cant deny that They hadnt found any evidence of it, but it was definitely possible. Master, could I give you my opinion about the time when the door to that basement opened, and when you actually entered that basement? Oh, Ann. What is it? Ann had arrived at the ce where Jin and his friends were having their review meeting, and said that she had something to say. Thank you. First of all, you may have gone outside of the building while the door was being open, but that might not have been enough as a safety measure. The Tortoise, was it? You should have taken shelter inside that vehicle, and deployed its barrier if possible. And you should have been a few hundred meters farther away. What if it had been some kind of explosive trap? Please think about this. She was right. Jin regretted that if he had been careful enough to build those defensive measures into the Tortoise, he should have actually put them into use. And it was a bit careless of you to have actually gone into that basement. You should have been more careful, Master. You are an irreceable person after all. Ann had given Jin harsh but honest advice. Jin became somewhat remorseful about him being a bit excited to explore those historical ruins. Although Quinta was already investigating those ruins, and they were quite frequented by several people, a hidden room like that one should be something to watch out for. Ann has pledged allegiance to Jin, but she wasnt an automata that he had made. Therefore, she was a valuable being who wouldnt blindly obey him, and would evenin about his methods. And finally, Laojun. After confirming with our Master, no, even without his consent, you should have deployed aerial troops to remain standby just in case. Even Laojun had been scolded by Ann. Jin and the others reaffirmed that Anns existence was something truly precious. Chapter 461: The Provincial Town of Goa - 2

Chapter 461: The Provincial Town of Goa - 2

After their review meeting was over, Jin and his colleagues decided to take a break and discuss some newly discovered items. Although Quintas preliminary survey did not reveal the existence of the basement, we did learn that a special barrier had been set up. I knew it the moment I walked into that basement. That was an Attenuation Barrier. Attenuation Barrier? Yeah. Regr barriers simply block an entrance. Though they do have reflecting properties depending on their angle. Elsa nodded to Jins exnation. I see. Basically, their purpose is to separate the inside from the outside. Thats why, if you use an investigation spell, youll get a different reaction from the surroundings, and as a result, youll know that theres something there. I see, youll feel that theres something enclosed by some kind of empty space there. Saki hade up with an interesting analogy. Thats right. Thats a nice way to see it. And that barrier doesnt reflect or absorb the investigation spell. Think of it as something like electromaic waves that travel through space. They would seem to attenuate naturally. If we go by Sakis analogy, the reflected area would be a white enclosure, and the absorbed area would be a ck enclosure. So this attenuation would be A transparent enclosure? This time, Stearleanapared it to colors. It was a pretty urate metaphor. Thats right. Its something like that. Thats why I didnt quite understand. It seems that Sonar has simr characteristics, so not even Quinta could tell there was something there. You seem to have a good grasp on things, brother Jin. Elsa looked at Jin with reverence. Yeah, one of the purposes of going to the old Lenard Kingdom was to analyze barriers. I was especially careful about it. Jin exined that he wanted to unravel the mystery of the phantom barrier that stretched over the old Lenard Kingdom. I was curious to know who did it, and how did they manage to deceive a golems eyes. Depending on their design, golem eyes could be made to outperform human eyes. They could see at a farther distance, and they could even see infrared and ultraviolet rays if their maker felt like it. That phantom barrier could not be seen even by the Air Force Golems, who were equipped with such eyes. Jin wanted to know the secret behind that. Well, Ill continue to leave that investigation to the Quinta. And thus Jin concluded his speech. It was almost time for lunch, so they headed to the dining room. Huh? Is Hanna still outside? Just as Jin muttered that, Reiko and Hanna came back. Reiko seemed to have been right on time. Big brother, Sis Reiko said toe back now since its almost time for lunch. Yeah, youre right on time. Lets have lunch. Hanna, I know youve had some Pelshikas a bit ago, so are you okay with having lunch now? Yeah, Im okay! Hanna was quite energetic. Her front teeth had alle out, so she had been having less difort when eating. Todays lunch is udon noodles. Soleil brought in freshly boiled udon noodles. Of course, they had already been chilled with cold water. Udon noodles? Thats right, here they are. Waah, they look nice! Chopsticks and forks wereid on the table for everyone. Of course, Jin preferred using chopsticks. The soup is a special soup made by Peridot and others using fish sauce and a kelp substitute. Mmm, delicious! Jin started eating first. The cold udon noodles went pleasantly down his throat. Mmm, this is good! Delicious. Yum~! So tasty! The others were using their forks, but the noodles seemed to have been well received. Hannas portion was smaller than the rest, so she finished her noodles before anyone else. It was a great meal. But Jin, those Chopsticks, were they? You seem to be quite skilled with them. Ah, well, Ive been using them for a long time. Stearleana praised Jins dexterity as she saw him hold the noodles with those two sticks. I think Ill give them a try. Me too. Me too~! As the other three girls said that, Stearleana also decided to join in, and a course on how to use chopsticks was held. First, we need to determine the length of the chopsticks each of you is going to use. Open your fingers so that your thumb and index finger form a 90 degree angle Thats right. So, the chopsticks that will be the easiest for you all to use are about 1.5 times that length. Got it. Elsa would be using chopsticks 22.5 centimeters long, Saki and Stearleana 24 centimeters, and Hanna 18 centimeters. Next is the weight. Should you use heavy chopsticks or light chopsticks? Or perhaps standard weight, since its your first time? Jin made that decision while remembering the words of his teacher at the orphanage, who taught him how to use chopsticks. He would use Kerrie wood, which was simr to Earths Cherry tree, to make chopsticks for everyone. It was a hard and sticky wood. Jins chopsticks were also made of this same wood. Incidentally, after using his chopsticks, he cleaned them using the cleanup and sterilization spells. They practiced for about an hour. It was Hannah who made the most progress. Surprisingly, Saki was the slowest of the bunch. Uhuhu, what a shame. Im really clumsy with these after all Jin tried tofort the depressed Saki by reminding her that there was no such thing, and that anyone could learn how to use them with enough practice. After their practice, it was time for tea. However, since it was hot outside, they decided to have juice instead of tea. Well, what should we do after this? Steraleana was the one who answered that question. Right. Hey, Jin Do you want to go to the Celuroa Kingdom? The Celuroa Kingdom, huh? Yeah. My main house is in Goa. Its a provincial city where many Magi Craftsmen of the kingdom live. Jin was a little awestruck by the fact that he had rarely visited the Kingdom of Celuroa, partly because of the turmoil with the Unifiers. Hmm, Id like to go too, Jin. It seemed that the idea had caught Sakis interest. It should be okay, since theyre not very strict with visitors as in Essiah. There was a carriage with a Warp Gate in it stored in Stearleanas house, so that Stearleana could use it to go back and forth between her house and Hourai Ind. It seemed that her ns for moving out had been frozen. So there wont be any issues with us going there by transfer? Thats right. You can go there freely. Shall we go then? Jin also seemed to be enthusiastic about it. Yeah, lets go! Ill be there to wee you! Thus it was decided that everyone who had joined Jin on his trip to the Lenard Kingdom would be going to the Celuroa Kingdom as well. They wouldnt be using the Tortoise this time around, though. And Ehr and Edgar could join them as well. They could spend the night in Hourai Ind, or at Stearleanas house. After choosing which option they would go for, Jin and the others took only the minimum luggage necessary, and transferred over. Everyone had gotten used to transferring by Shinkai by now, so the process was smooth. Wee to the Celuroa Kingdom. Stearleana jokingly weed them with that line. The ce where the party arrived, that is, the ce where the carriage that had the Warp Gate was, was arge storehouse. Several materials were piled up around it. My workshop is right next door. They headed there first. It was arge family consisting of Jin, Hanna, Reiko, Elsa, Edgar, Saki, Ehr, and Stearleana. Wee home, youngdy. It was a butler-style Automata that was in Dalis secondary residence. The secondary residence had already been vacated because it had been damaged by the Unifiers attack. Thank you, Zafio. We have a lot of guests today, so you can have Selene help you out. Understood. Zafio made a reverence before leaving, and Selene, a blue topaz golem, took his ce by bringing in some drinks. They seemed like some kind of cold juice. Waaah, so pretty! Hanna expressed her surprise after seeing Selene for the first time. Uhuhu, thank you, Hanna. Stea Arena took a sip of the juice Selene gave her andughed happily. Chapter 462: The Selfish Princess

Chapter 462: The Selfish Princess

At about 10:30, Stearleana was walking around the streets of Goa, guiding Jin and his friends. They were joined by Ehr, Edgar, and Reiko. Selene was a bit too showy, so she stayed at home. This is a rtively new district. Dont the buildings look rather new? Just as she said, the stones used for building were very smooth. It was considerably different from the weathered buildings of the old Lenard Kingdom. But the way the streets areid out isnt very precise. I wonder if someone who visits here for the first time wouldnt easily get lost in here. In the case of a new town, the roads would be either made vertically and horizontally like a grid, or extending radially around the lords castle and making the town concentrical. There were many cities that served as examples of those two building archetypes. However, in Goa,rge buildings and small buildings were lined up in a cluttered manner. Instead of being straight, the streets drew arcs as if they were bent like a key, making them very difficult to understand. The reason for this is that the lord Duke Eubert Bertin Du Perchamps said he didnt like townscapes that looked too much like grids. Stearleana concluded by adding that the duke was a dictatorial lord. Ah, but I find this kind of townscape easier to get around. That was Jins honest impression. A cluttered townscape made him feel that the town was lively. Even if a town seemed like it had been carefully fitted into a grid, Jin would feel that there would be a lot of open space everywhere. Thats why he prefered the former. I feel I can understand what brother Jin means. Yeah, I also like the unorganized atmosphere of this town. Even Saki agreed with Jin, but he quickly retorted. Haha, well, your room is very unorganized, Saki. Ugh! I-Its not like that anymore, Jin! Ehr makes sure its tidy every day! Sis Saki, thats not something you should be too proud about, is it? The party went on the main street in a harmonious manner. As the number of people started to increase a little, Jin held hands with Hanna. Its so you dont get lost in the multitude. Thank you, big brother! Seeing that from the side, Stearleana murmured. (Though little kids can fuss about that kind of treatment, a little girl will always find it refreshing) Jin and Hanna seemed to not have heard her murmuring, and went on walking on the streets while holding hands. Jin, Hanna, its getting crowded here, so lets turn right. Stearleana called out to them, and the party left the main street and entered an alley. After walking on that alley for a bit, they came out into another street. It was a quiet street,pletely devoid of all the noise of the main street. This ismonly known as the Material Street. There are various shops that sell from food ingredients to Magi Crystals. Oh, that sounds fascinating! It seemed that Sakis interest had been piqued. Look, that over there is a shop I always go to. It seemed to be a little smaller than the other shops around it, but once they went inside, they were surprised to realize that it extended quite a bit to the back. Ah, Miss Stearleana, wee. What are you looking for today? The elderly shopkeeper politely greeted them. Ah, no, today Im showing some friends around. Though shes an alchemist, perhaps you have some ingredients you can show her? Seeing Saki wandering around the store, Stearleana ended up asking that to the shopkeeper with a bitter smile. An alchemist! You dont see one of those every day. Well, theres this stone I just dug out of the mine the other day. The shopkeeper took out a ck, t stone from his still unorganized luggage. Its quite interesting. You can peel thinyers out of it. Biotite? Just as Jin said, it was biotite. The muscovite from the north of Kaina Vige was either white or transparent, but the biotite was jet-ck. Other than their color, their properties are extremely simr. In this region, it was regarded as a toy-like mineral that children could peelyers off from and y with. And then theres these. Oh, those are wonderful! There were several stones of various colors such as orange and purple. Their shape was simr to a regr octahedron. These are fluorite. I like these a lot, so I collect them. Saki also knew what flourite looked like from the scientific knowledge she had inherited from Jin. She also had a lot of simr stones in her collection. Tomemorate this, Saki bought a small amethyst. Next up is Lets see Ah, how about that ce over there? Stearleana pointed to a store that sold essories. Some items were on disy outside the store. Big brother, Im thirsty. It was unusual for Hanna to say something like that. They had all been drinking juice back in Stearleanas house, but it seemed that Hanna had been rather shy about it, and ended up drinking just a bit of juice. On summer days, the closest the radiance of the sun is to the surface of the, the more one could feel the heat from it. It was no wonder that Hanna, who was the smallest of them, wouldin about being hot and thirsty. Okay, where should we get you something to drink? In that case, it might be a bit far ahead, but theres a store at the end of the street where you can get something for Hanna. Were going to go see essories. Okay. Well meet you thereter then. Jin, Hanna, and Reiko went to the store rmended by Stearleana, while Elsa, Edgar, Saki, Ehr, and Stearleana went to an essory store. As Elsa tried to enter the store, she bumped into a girl that wasing out of it. Ouch. Ow. The both of them flinched, but neither fell. Watch where youre walking! S Sorry. It had been no ones fault, but the girls menacing attitude forced Elsa to lower her head. Then, something fell at Elsas feet. Ah. It was a folding knife that Jin had given her before. The de was made of aluminum, and the handle was made of thinly processed sham dragon horns and studded with fine Magi Crystals. It seems it had collided with something hard that the girl had in her in a pocket in her clothes. Elsa quickly picked it up. Huh? That The girl stared at the knife that Elsa had picked up. L-Let me see that for a moment! Huh? Sure After almost snatching the knife from Elsas hands, the girl seemed surprised. Dont tell me Its from the same artisan? No, it couldnt be that easy But this is definitely She was mumbling, but then she turned to Elsa, and You! Where did you get this knife!? Who made it? Speak quickly! Started speaking in an overbearinglymanding voice. The girl was a little smaller than Elsa, but she had an indescribable vigor, and Elsa, who was confused and overwhelmed at the girls pace, fell silent. Hey, you, why dont you calm down a little? Saki pushed herself between the two of them. And who do you think you are? The girl red at Saki. Im Saki. Whats your name? Why are you talking to us like that? How annoying! You said your name is Saki? And you would order me, Beatrix, around? Im looking for the artisan who crafted a certain short sword. I was wondering if this dagger was made by the same person. This time the girlshed out at Saki. However, she had more or less told her her name. Though she was still shocked and anxious, Saki responded while looking calm on the outside. So, Beatrix, could you please return that knife to her? I wont take orders from you! The girl named Beatrix was still holding on to Elsas knife. Beatrix? Blonde hair, green eyes Could it be youre The Selfish Princess? Stearleana, who had been thinking about it since the girl said her name, raised her voice a little as she suddenly remembered. Oh, so you called me Selfish Princess, huh Well, I wont deny that. Beatrix turned to Stearleana and red at her as well. Thats right. I am Beatrix Bertin Du Emeraude. Im sorry for being so selfish. But thats some nerve you have, to speak to me like that face to face. Eh, ah, no, um Stearleana was overwhelmed as well. She was the daughter of a lord, and although she was in the tenth or twentieth ce, she also had the right to seed to the throne of this country. And there were many more troublesome rumors about her. Stearleana didnt want to be red at too much. What are you doing, Beato? A young man came out of the store and talked to Beatrix. Brother, I have found a clue to finding the one who created this short sword! What is it? Here, look at this. Beatrix showed the young man the knife that still was in her possession. Chapter 463: The Selfish Siblings

Chapter 463: The Selfish Siblings

Hmm? Oh, whats this? The design is different, but its probably been made by the same artisan! I know, right? Excuse me Beatrix and that young man started to talk to each other. The young man was also blond and had green eyes. Since Beatrix had called him Brother, Elsa wondered if they were actual siblings. But more important than that was the knife that Jin had given her. Um Would you mind returning that to me? Nervously and hesitantly, Elsa approached the young man. At that moment, the young man made a surprised face as he saw Elsa. Hm? Oh, what a beautiful youngdy! Whats your name? Im Albert Bertin Du Silicanight. E-Elsa Although taken aback, Elsa answered uprightly as she told that man her name. Elsa, huh? Thats a nice name. Very Shouro-Empire-like. Albert took and kissed Elsas back of her left hand. W-What are you doing? Astonished, Elsa reflexively withdrew her hand. The Shouro Empire didnt have a habit of kissing the back of a womans hand. She had already been exposed to such customs in her experience of traveling to other countries with Reinhardt, but this time it was apanied by a sense of physiological disgust. After being touched by Alberts lips, the back of her hand had an unpleasant feeling, almost as if a slug had just crawled over it. And yet, Albert didnt seem to disy the slightest hint of shame. My, my, youre quite the naive youngdy. Are you not familiar with the customs of the aristocracy? But thats okay. Ill teach you little by little. As Albert tried to reach out for Elsas hand again, Edgar gently stopped him. Excuse me. Could I ask you to please stop bothering my mistress? Albert had a stern look for a brief moment, but he soon changed into a distorted smile. His tone changed drastically. Hmm, you have quite the cheeky automata But I guess youmoner women have a right to choose, huh? Im 13th in line to seed the throne, but Ill treat you kindly, so you should consider yourself honored. That is just your own perspective. My mistress has no desire for any of that. Ha ha, I dont care about that. What matters is that this is what I want! Albert raised his left hand. In response to his gesture, ten soldiers appeared around him. Behold. These are my personal guards. Beato, lets bring Lady Elsa with us. Then we can calmly ask her about the short sword. Beatrix let out a heavy sigh. As you wish, Brother. In the blink of an eye, 8 soldiers and a young man appeared next to her. Come now, Elsa. Lets not force anyone to have to resort to violence. Lord Albert, do you really think such injustice will be tolerated? Stearleana, who couldnt believe what was happening, quickly came to her senses and took a step forward toin to Albert. Hmm? Umm What was your name? I really dont do well with middle-aged womens names Ah, I remember now. Stear something or another, huh? Does a Magi Craftswoman like you have something to say to me? This has nothing to do with social status. Injustice is injustice. Thats all. Albertughed scornfully at her words. Ha ha, injustice, you say? Where, exactly? All Im trying to do is to keeppany with a woman Im intrigued by. Isnt it a great honor to be apanied by someone like me? That, again, is your own perspective. There are many girls who dislike that type of thing. Thats precisely why I dont care. These streets are my fathers territory, and Im his eldest son. Everything my father has is mine as well by right, so how exactly am I doing anything wrong here? Words didnt seem to work with him. Stearleana was fed up with just how much of a fool this rumored Selfish Prince really was. Okay, I think thats enough of this joke. Lets go, Elsa. Wait. Huh? Do we really have to get a little rough here? In response to Alberts words, one of his soldiers stepped forward. Mistress, please stay behind me. Edgar stood in front of Elsa, protecting her. Covert Units, you two protect Mistress. And deploy the barrier. Edgar stood in front of the armed soldiers and called out to Maron and Plum, the Covert Units who had been guarding Elsa without showing themselves. In response to that, Maron and Plum appeared to Elsas left and right. Hmm? You had bodyguards? Ha ha, you arent just an averagemoner after all. Interesting! Ill ask you all about it once Ive brought you home with me. Albert smiled as he spoke in a maniacal tone. You might have that cheeky automata with you, but all my guards are automata as well. The Kingdom of Celuroa was the most technologically advanced out of a small group of countries. They had the best automata and golem technology. Many of their Magi Craftsmen have been taught by Donald Carou Alpha, the leading Magi Craftsman who once belonged to the Unifiers, and even after the Unifiers were gone, their technology remains. Theyre custom made as well! First, lets destroy that insolent automata. As Albert nodded towards them, one of his automata guards rushed on Edgar. Since they were in the city, Alberts guards were only armed with a small buckler on their left hand and a short sword on their waist, but the unarmed Edgar was still at a disadvantage. The guard didnt draw its sword, but instead went for a bash attack with its buckler. Edgar cleverly dodged the blow, caught its attackers arm, and using its momentum, twisted it behind its body. It was a martial artmonly taught to knights in the Shouro Empire. Automata, which behave like humans, had a range of motion of joints that was simr to that of humans. Therefore, techniques used in human hand-to-handbat were effective against them. Automatas can put a heavy load on their wrists and elbows, but they dont feel pain. Therefore, the guard simply tried to force its own arm free from Edgars lock. However, doing that while its arm was being twisted hadnt been the right choice. A heavy load was applied to the elbow joint, and although it managed to shake it off, it suffered great damage while doing so. The guards left shoulder broke, and hung from its half-disconnected joint. Albert apparently was more than just a selfish prince, as he instantly recognized how dangerous Edgar was by seeing him fight. Four of you, attack him together. Three more guards rushed on Edgar. They came at him in all directions. Back in the Shouro Empire, Edgar had taken on two puppet soldiers owned by Elsas father Georg, but these automata guards were different. Edgar was able to easily dodge the attacks by the first two of them, but the thirds attack shook his right shoulder. The impact caused him to slightly lose his stance, and as a result, the attack from the fourth guard, which should have been avoided at thest moment, struck him directly on his back. Edgar! Elsa shouted. As Edgar staggered forward, one of the automata guards kicked Edgar in the face. The automata guard behind him kicked his head after he had leaned backwards. As the impact sent his head forward, a second kick came at his face. However, Edgar caught its attackers foot with both hands, and half-twisting his body, threw himself at the guard behind him, tackling it with his back. Still, his opponent was considerably heavy, so the impact only managed to make it stagger. Conversely, Edgar ended up being grabbed from behind. Another automata guard approached the restrained Edgar and raised its right fist for an attack. Watch out, Edgar! However, Edgar used his legs to propel himself back, bent his knees, and used his backward momentum to kick forward with both legs, using his restrainer to support his body. Naturally, the kick connects with Edgars rushing attacker. With the recoil, the guard that was restraining Edgar fell on its back. The two automata fell on the ground, bouncing off each other. Twisting his body, Edgar freed himself from his restraint. However, the remaining two automata guards finally pulled out their short swords. A-Are you going to go that far!? Saki had been dumbfoundedly watching the entire scene, but finally reacted. Elsa was being protected by her two Covert Units, so there was no need to worry about her. In that case Ehr, go assist Edgar! Beatrix responds to her voice. Oh, youre sending reinforcements? Then I shall do the same. With a sign of her hand, four of Beatrixs personal automata guards took a step forward. Ehrs battle performance was slightly inferiorpared to Edgars. The battle between Edgar and Ehr versus eight automata guards seemed to have a clear victor. Ugh! Jin! Come quickly! Before they realized, the passersby had already fled the area, and the shops had already closed their doors. Meanwhile, there were three people running towards them. Is everyone okay? They were Jin, Hanna, and Reiko. Brother Jin Jin! Thank goodness Jin Elsa ran towards Jin, and Saki and Stearleana breathed out a sigh of relief. Hmm? Whos that? Stop attacking! Since an intruder had stepped in, the selfish siblings ordered their automata guards to stop attacking as a simple temporary ceasefire, and they came to a sudden halt. I heard the details from Reiko. Seems like youve had quite a rough time The Covert Units used their built-in Mana Comm to contact Laojun, who then ryed the information about what was happening onto Reiko. Upon learning of the situation, Jin and the others came running. Jinsplexion changedpletely after finding that Edgar seemed to have sustained some damage. Edgar? Are you fighting against those guys? Thats right, Jin! That guy was trying to take Elsa with him, and when she refused, he tried to take her by force! Got it. Jin looked at Elsa, who was hiding behind him, and then at Albert. Then, he looked at Elsas knife, which Beatrix was still ??holding to herself. Reiko, first of all, retrieve that knife. Understood, Father. Beatrix simply wasnt quick enough to react, and right after hearing those words, Reiko had already snatched the knife away from her and instantly returned to Jins side. Well done. You cant take Elsa away with you anymore. Barrier After noticing that the knife in her hand had disappeared and was now in the intruders hands, Beatrix cast a spell at Jin. Fire Bullet! However, the spell waspletely blocked before Jin and Elsa, and not a single bullet managed to reach them. Hey, whats the deal with you? Why are you shooting fire bullets at us all of a sudden? Hearing Jins words, Beatrix chuckled. You just stole my knife, thats why! Jin was taken aback. Wait, wait. This is Elsas knife, isnt it? The only thief here is you. Whaat!? How dare you call me a thief! Prepare yourself! Say, are these guys out of their mind or something? They seemed to be impervious to words. Jin turned to Stearleana, who was standing beside him, and asked her that question. In response, she shook her head with a disappointing look on her face. Well, I guess you can say theyre a bit exceptional Chapter 464: Neutralization

Chapter 464: Neutralization

It seemed that in the system of the Celuroa Kingdom, those who were close to certain powerful people were indeed above thew. The siblings standing in front of them were the two best examples of that. This isnt just old-fashioned No, this is outright despotism! Jin realized that this wasnt a country with a system based on the rule ofw. So this is why Stearleana had wanted to flee this country Whatever! Just hand over the knife! The Selfish Princess shouted hermand, and Come, Elsa,e with me! The Selfish Prince also went on with his nonsense. Brother Jin After realizing that the disheartened Elsas eyes were glimmering, Jin asked Have they done anything to you? To which Elsa nodded silently. That was good enough for Jin. Stearleana, I know youve gone to great lengths to invite us today, but I think weve seen enough, right? Stearleana could feel Jins anger, but nodded strongly because she herself was already very offended. Ive already had it with you people! She carelessly voiced out her anger, her utter disgust with the Celuroa Kingdom all over her face. Big brother, are they bad people? Thats right. Theyre bothering others for their own convenience. Granny always tells me that its a bad thing to be a nuisance to other people. Thats right. Those two areplete fools who dont even know that. You should never be like them. Okay, Hanna? Yeah! Im a good girl! Jin stroked Hannas head in response to her cheerful reply. Her bright spirit caused Elsa and Saki to unconsciously rx the grit on their teeth. However, the Selfish Siblings werent finished. Im the one who has had it with the likes of you. Youve thrown enough nder at us. Thats a crime punishable by death! Though you might be able to save your lives if you cry and ask for forgiveness, hmm? Jin was growing tired of their antics. Give me a break. How many people have you forced to cry with that kind of excuse? Hmph! The people that live here are our property, and we can do whatever we want with them! Their manner of speaking had taken Jin to the limits of his patience. Sensing his anger, Reiko was already prepared for a fight. Father, can I teach these two fools a lesson in reality? Reiko was a little angry because Edgar, who she thought of as her cousin, had been hurt. Yeah. Im sorry, its a shame you have to serve such foolish masters. Reiko, neutralize them all. Jins permission had been granted. It could be said that ordering her to neutralize them instead of destroy them had been an act of mercy. H-How impertinent! Go! Tear that piece of junk apart! The ten automata guards that were under the Selfish Princesmand rushed towards Reiko all at once. Reiko did nothing. She just stood there, waiting. One of the guards grabbed her by the torso while another one held her by the head. The remaining eight guards grabbed her arms and legs in pairs. Wahaha! How do you like that! Now you cant do anything anymore! Tear her apart! No matter where I look at you from, youre just a disgusting brat. Jin stared at Albert with cold eyes. Elsa, Hanna, Saki, and Stearleana all nestled close to him. Elsas Covert Units turned invisible once again, vanishing from sight, but still remaining close by and guarding the surroundings. The same was true for Jin and Hannahs own Covert Units. Hmph, youre nothing but a sore loser. Come on! Tear her apart! In response to their mastersmand, the ten automata guards put their strength into it But nothing happened. Whats the matter? Theres no need for you to be holding anything back, you know? Reiko, who should have been torn limb from limb, remained calm. Is that all the strength you have? Ill be making my move, then. Okay? Reiko twisted her body. That simple motion was enough to shake off all ten of the automata guards that were restraining her. W-What!? Both Jin and Reiko had an idea of ??the automata guards potential. They could tell by looking at the output of their ether converters, ether drivers, or mana drivers. They had confronted a number of golems and automata in the past, including some very strong enemies, but these automata guards seemed to be leaning towards the weak side. Though its a bad example, if Reiko were to kick Edgar, he would disappear without a trace. And she would only have to use about 40 percent of her power to do that. These automata guards seem to be on the same level as Edgar in terms of strength. Unlike golems, power was a secondary thing for automatas, since they were intended to resemble humans. Ether Converter output is now 30 percent. An output of 20 percent seemed to be enough, but just to y it safe, Reiko set it to 30 percent before going on the offensive. The weak spot of an automata is, generally speaking, the head. Since the priority is for them to resemble a human being, their neck section would usually give the impression of not being sturdy enough, and the only way for them to obtain visual information is through their two eyes. Because of these two reasons, attacking an automata on the neck would be an effective way to neutralize them. Manybat-oriented golems wouldnt even have a neck for this very reason, but automata were different. Neck Throw. While jumping over her opponents head from the front as if she had pole-vaulted over it, Reiko grabbed it by the head, and as shended behind it, twisted her body, throwing it in a shoulder-throw style. If she were to do this against a human, their neck would snap right there. The same was true for automata. After having its head facing a direction it wasnt designed to, the first automata guard quickly ceased functioning. Normally, whenever visual information disappears, that is, whenever they be unable to see, an automata would make an emergency stop to prevent the dangers of running around blindly. However, her second opponent, now aware of what her attack could do, pulled out its sword and put up her shield. Then Reiko effortlessly grabbed the protruding shield and twisted it like a steering wheel. Due to Reikos power, the posture of the automata guard copsed easily. Without a moments dy, she grabbed that arm and mmed it against the ground with an Arm Throw. After toppling it over and leaving itying upwards on the floor, Reiko kicked the second automatas head, smashing its cranium and causing the rest of its body to stop moving. The entire fight until that point hadsted about ten seconds in total. The remaining eight automata guards rushed at her all at once. Reiko jumped forward. She avoided being surrounded by striking one of her attackers with a knee straight in the face. Naturally, that single automata guard waspletely incapacitated as well as a result. Lets see how this works here. Erase. It was one of the Domination Magic spells that had once been developed by the Unifiers. It could not be prevented without the shield structure that Jin had developed. As a result, three more automata guards instantly ceased functioning as all of the information stored in their Control Core waspletely wiped clean. The Selfish Siblings stood inplete shock and astonishment after seeing how more than half of the automata guards they had sent forth had already been so easily dealt with. At that very moment, another one was incapacitated. Three more remained. Her speed is just on apletely different level. Jin and hispanions were watching Reikos fighting behavior with a deep sense of relief. She had been able to reduce the number of automata guards from 10 to 3 in less than 30 seconds. Brother! My automata guards will also fight! Go! Attack those guys! The Selfish Princess Beatrix ordered her own automata guards to attack Jin and hispanions. However, Jin had already deployed a barrier. It wasnt something that an automata guard could break. Why? Why cant you catch them? The automata guards were unable to get past the barrier, which stood 30 cm in front of Jin and the others. Their punches and kicks were blocked, and not even their swords were able to put a dent on it. How troublesome. The fact that they had pulled out their swords meant that they had a clear intent to kill. You bastards! Jin was even more angry at how even Hanna ended up being involved in this situation. He had initially thought to let his Covert Unit take care of them, but then he decided to take matters into his own hands. Laser. Light extended from Jins bracelet, piercing the chest of the automata guards. It went straight through their Control Core. Such an urate shot was something only the Magi Craft Meister Jin could have aplished. One after another, a total of eight automata guards had their Control Cores destroyed in this way,pletely neutralizing them. W-W-Whaaat!? What on earth are you!? Who are you!? I dont give my name to the likes of you. Jins words came out as icy daggers. Saki and Stearleana had never seen Jin be this angry, but Elsa was a different story. Thinking back, she believed the first time she had seen Jin get this angry was during the battle with the Unifiers. And Hannah remembered how Jin had gotten when she was surrounded by Count Walters soldiers. Reiko had already taken care of all of the ten automata guards that had been sent after her. How about it? Still feel like doing this? Jin scowled at them. Frankly, the child-faced Jins scowl wasnt very intimidating, but even then, after having 18 of their automata guardspletely shutdown by him, the Selfish Siblings faces became white as a sheet. W-Why dont you tryying even a single finger on me!? Well see what Father has to say about that, huh!? I-Im a princess! Go ahead and do your worst! Ill have your head on a tter! Neither of them had reflected on their actions in the slightest. But then Good grief, is the fun over already? Andro? Andro, the boy who had been apanying Beatrix all along, took a step forward. Chapter 465: The Fifth

Chapter 465: The Fifth

You seem to have a rather outstanding automata with you, huh? Thats good to know. Andro? W-What are you Beatrix was surprised by the sudden change in the presence of the young boy Andro. Youngdy, Im truly sorry, Ive been just pretending to be your attendant all this time. Ive had lots of fun thanks to you! Andro kicked one of the automata guards that were lying on the ground towards Jin and his friends. Surprisingly, the automata flew in the air, hitting Jins barrier -who was about 5 meters away from them- before falling to the ground. W-What on earth are you? Albert made a surprised voice after seeing such a disy of superhuman strength. My real name is Androgias. Androgias the Wild. Upon hearing that name, Jin reflexively blurted out a question. You Are you a demon? Huh? Do you know about demons? A slight hint of surprise appeared on Androgias face. A demon!? Andro, were you a demon all along? Beatrixs voice came out loudly. How noisy. Be quiet, you selfish youngdy. Im talking with this guy right now. After interrupting Beatrix with his cold voice, Androgias once again turned towards Jin. It seemed that that was his true tone of voice. So, do you know about demons? No, Ive once met a guy named Marchosias Well, I wouldnt say I actually met him However, as far as Hourai Ind was concerned, there had been five demons. Lardus, Dogmaud, Bemiarouge, Marchosias, and now this Androgias. Hmm? Im not sure I follow, but it does seem to me that you know about demons. At that moment, something about Androgias changedpletely. So I cant let you live. Gravita. Look out! Erleichtern! Jin activated the Magi Crystal with the weight-reduction spell that he happened to have on him. Laojun had given him that just in case of an airship crash. And it had barely managed to offset Androgias gravity magic. Androgias had been the first to chant, but Jins spell seemed to have been the first to bepletely activated. Wha-!? Howe are you all still standing? Your bodies should feel 10 times heavier right now! Could Androgias really make their bodies 10 times heavier even if he hadnt used Erleichtern, or was he simply inexperienced? Jin wasnt sure, but the force attacking them was making their bodies only 20% heavier than usual. Even Hanna had a What? face as if she had been expecting something more than just the feel of carrying a heavy bag on her back. Stun. Kuh!? Reiko cast a spell, taking advantage of Androgias momentary state of surprise. It was a spell not intended to kill, but to paralyze its target forter questioning. Ah!? Kyah!? However, a mysterious barrier that surrounded Androgias blocked and repelled, and it was scattered. And in the aftermath, the Selfish Siblings, Beatrix and Albert, ended up being caught by the stray spell. Reiko cast her next spell without paying attention to the two fools that had fallen to the ground. Wind sh! Since her electric shock attack had been deflected, Reiko tried using her wind-based spell, which was a semi-physical attack. Hmph. However, Androgiasughed and warded off that attack as well. Looks like Ill have to get rid of that automata first, huh? Gravita. Reikos body shook for a moment. It was proof that gravity had increased. Hmm, looks like my gravity magic is working after all. Androgias grinned, but Reiko started to walk while making a face as if she wasnt feeling anything at all. Wha-! Whats the matter with you!? It didnt work!? No, Im sure Ive be about 300 kilograms heavier right now. But what about it? Reiko was acting as if weighing even a few tons was no big deal for her. Androgias wentpletely pale. Perhaps he had already reached his limit. You might have repelled my magic, but how about that? After saying that, Reiko leapt forward. Reaching Androgias position in an instant, Reiko threw a right punch at his abdomen. The barrier seemed to stop Reikos punch. However, this had been only for a moment, and Reikos fist, which had been thrown at 30% of her power, dug straight into Androgias abdomen without losing almost no momentum at all. Furthermore, this wasnt the punch of a 30-kilogram-weighing Reiko, but the punch of a Reiko that weighed over 300 kilograms. Although it had only managed to blow Androgias a few meters away, Reikos absurdly heavy blow was enough to render him unconscious. After Androgias fainted, the effects of his spells vanished, so Jin also canceled his own weight-reduction spell. Phew, Im d I had this with me J-Jin! You can operate gravity as well? Saki waspletely astonished, but Jin assured her that he would exin everythingter. More importantly, what are we going to do with him? Androgiasy sprawled on the road about 10 meters away from Jin and his friends. He could be an important source of information about demons. Jin was also personally curious about what had been his motives. Should we try to use Transinfo on him? Even though Androgias had fainted, he didnt know if he would regain his consciousness soon, so Jin approached him with caution. me Ball! Wha-!? A fire spell was unleashed, hitting Androgias directly. me Storm! And another one. For a brief moment, it seemed that the demon boy had managed to open his eyes. But the next moment, the powerful mes had already turned Androgias into ashes. Dont look, Hanna. Jin hurriedly hugged Hanna so as to block her field of view. Haah Haah Albert had been the one who had released the Fire Ball, while Beatrix followed with her me Storm. What have you done!? Beatrix red at Jin in response to his yelling. What? He was a demon, an enemy of mankind! Thats right. He had been deceiving us and manipting us all this time. Whats wrong with us punishing him for it? It seemed that Reikos Stun, which had bounced onto both of the Selfish Siblings, had been enough to dispel the mental maniption spell that Androgias had cast on them, but still their personalities hadnt changed one bit. Well, I think we could have learned many things if only we had been able to take him for interrogation. Interrogation? Theres no need for that. Mankind had already won thest Magic War. Even if there were to be another one, mankind would surely win again. Even after regaining their true selves, the Selfish Siblings still wouldnt listen to a word Jin had to say. Jin finally rxed himself, thinking, Theres nothing we can do about it now anyway. Have it your way, then. As he stroked Hannas hair, Jin said, Lets go home, shall we? To which Elsa, Saki, and Stearleana nodded silently. W-Where do you think youre going!? Albert started to yell about something, but Jin didnt bother trying to listen. Edgar seemed to be able to walk on his own, and Jin started to walk away without looking back at the Selfish Siblings. Ill remember this! The Selfish Siblings kept on talking, but neither of them dared to chase after Jin and his friends, as they were probably still afraid of Reiko. Im so tired. The mentally exhausted party returned to Stearleanas house, throwing themselves on the sofas. Hanna seemed to have be very tired from all that walking, and was taking a nap. Reiko sat beside her. Im very sorry about all that! Stearleana bowed apologetically, almost as if she were about to drop on her knees. I never thought something like this could happen! Im very sorry, Elsa! Dont worry about that, you dont need to apologize about that. Thanks. Stearleana hadnt meant for any of that to happen, so no one really was ming her for it. I can see clearly why youre so keen on giving up on this country, Stearleana. Jin suddenly opened his mouth. He had a tedious expression on his face. I know, right? You should really move away from here as soon as possible. Todays events made it even clearer to me. Jin and the others decided to talk about Stearleanas future. I dont think I can stay here anymore Stearleanas voice sounded extremely tired. Yeah, I think so too. Me too Everyone was of the opinion that she should move away. So next, they had to decide her destination. Was she going to go to Jins Kaina Vige, or to Hourai Ind? Or perhaps even to Reinhardts Kartze Vige? Since Hourai Ind was rather separated from the other areas, and because the other possible destinations had Warp Gates, it quickly turned into a choice between Kaina Vige and Kartze Vige. Wait, why dont you move in with me? At that moment, Saki offered a third option. Chapter 466: Gossip 26 - Laojun and the Celuroa Kingdom

Chapter 466: Gossip 26 - Laojun and the Celuroa Kingdom

The Celuroa Kingdom was thergest of the small group of countries. Its poption was around 200,000 people. It had grown strong enough to swallow the Korin Kingdom to the south 200 years ago, and the Rivas Kingdom to the east 100 years ago. It was a country that had grown in leaps and bounds in terms of Magi Engineering. The capital city of Essiah had a poption of 18,000. Its inhabitants took great pride in the historical value of the city, since it once had been the royal capital of the former Dinard Kingdom. However, pride is easily reced by arrogance and self-conceit. Most of its aristocrats were haughty, and in fact, their abilities were nothing to write home about. The king two generations prior, Guiume Bronieu Du Celuroa, who was the current kings grandfather, was said to be the ancestor who revived the country. The government, which was centered on aristocracy, was changed to be centered on royalty. Severalws were put in ce, and magical technologies were encouraged. Guiume also gave preferential treatment to engineers in order to encourage technological development. He created the ranking system that rated the engineers by giving them the names of Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and so on. Thanks to this, a culture centered on magical technology blossomed, solidifying their position as the number one country from the small group of countries in terms of automata and golem technology. It was Guiume who subordinated the neighboring Frantz Kingdom with military power, turning it into a semi-vassal state. Though there was a general sense of tension perceived by the neighboring countries, he had several friendly diplomatic rtions, and his people praised his reign. The current King of Celuroa, Richard Valois Du Celuroa, was Guiumes grandson. Unlike his father, Cybele Valois Du Celuroa, who had faultlessly followed Guiumes steps, Richard had his own policies. Head of Domestic Affairs Lanbureau, bringing in todays report. Head of Foreign Affairs Beaujorie, bringing in todays report. He removed all rtives from the political aristocrats at the royal pce from their positions of power in order to prevent any usurpation of the throne. In their ce, regional politics were left to his direct blood rtives, namely, other members of the royalty, to rule each region as a duke or grand duke. The order of session to the throne was clearly defined in order to prevent house turmoil as much as possible. However, the fact that national affairs were ruled by meritocracy while regional affairs were ruled by a doctrine based on blood rtions brought an imbnce that caused various conflicts. It was also the hotbed for the estrangement of the regional great houses, which in turn brought about the rise of the Unifiers. All such aristocrats had already been purged since then, and it seemed that politics were carried out only by those who were faithful to the kingdom, at least on the surface. However, behind the scenes, there was a constant battle for power and the order of session to the throne. The lord of the northwestern part of the Celuroa Kingdom, including the provincial city of Goa, was Duke Hubert Bertin de Perchamps. He was the kings cousin and brother of the current queen, and was 9th in session to the throne. He was 40 years old, and his body was as wide as a beer barrel. He was eager to rule the territory in a different way than his grandfather Guiume. He wanted to center his rule not around thew, but around the people. It indeed sounded good to speak of the people ruling the cities instead of being subject to thew, which could sometimes hand down cruel verdicts. However, that would give birth to favoritism and unfairness. The towns in the territory were governed by the dukes direct rtives, such as his younger brother, who began to consider only their own personal interests. Some people disliked such governance and left the town, but the fact that the situation wasnt much different in other towns and that most of them wouldnt wee any outsiders ended up in those people giving up and returning to the town. Since fleeing abroad was subject to severe punishment, most of the people lived their daily lives in a state of near-resignation. It was also a fact that the people could spend their days quietly as long as they didntmit any serious crimes and fulfill their obligations such as tax payment. In that sense, it could be said that it looked like a peaceful and gentle rule. Damn those filthymoners! That day, Albert, the son of Duke Hubert, returned home utterly indignated. His sister Beatrix was there with him. Brother, lets just send some soldiers to the house of that Stear whatever that womans name is! Yes. And lets talk to Father about our incident with that demon. Goa was where the stronghold of Duke Hubert, who ruled over the northwest, was located. That day, the duke was at home. Father, theres something I have to discuss with you. What is it, Al? The duke would normally call his son Albert Al. Its about some unscrupulous Magi Craftsmen in the territory, and someone who turned out to be a demon. What did you say? The sturdy,fortable chair the duke was sitting on squeaked after failing to stand the pressure made by the slight but sudden movement made by the dukes 180-centimeters-tall and 148-kilograms-heavy body. Also, do you remember the short sword you gave me the other day? Ah, yes. I bought it for 100,000 Tolls, but it turned out that that short sword was actually worth at least 10 times that value. Dont tell me you actually found the artisan that crafted it? They were looking for a craftsman to make a short sword to give as a present tomemorate the adulthood of Her Royal Highness, who was to turn 15 that year. Well, no, but I found somemoners who had a short sword that seemed to be made by the same craftsman and tried to ask them about it, but they turned out to be quite the defiant people. Hmm. But what about those automata guards I gave you? Im truly sorry, Father, but Though we had a numeric advantage, they were destroyed by a monstrous automata they had with them. What did you say? In addition, that boy, Andro, who had been appointed as an attendant to Beato, turned out to be a demon. WHAT!? Its true, Father. He called himself Androgias the Wild. Hmm The duke intimately entrusts his entire weight to the back of the chair. Once again, the chair squeaked. And then? Yes. Beato and I defeated that demon. I see. I expected no less from my own two children. Smooth words make smooth ways. In reality, if not for Reikos stun, not even a party of a hundred people with the skill those two had would have been able to defeat Androgias. What about those defiant Magi Craftsmen you mentioned earlier? Yes, he had several friends with him, including this Stear something or other, woman. The duke fell silent for a moment as if deep in thought, then finally opened his mouth again. Stear Stearleana, you mean? Ah, so that was her name. Thats one fine woman Ahem. So what happened? The lot she was hanging out with had that crazy strong automata that destroyed all of our automata guards. Hmm So they were Magi Craftsmen as well? Thats what it looked like. Alright. Lets bring them in. Go discuss the details of it with the housekeeper. Understood. Thank you, Father. Thus the Selfish Siblings, Albert and Beatrix, ended the audience with their father. However, at the time, Cape 10, one of the Quinta who operated under Laojuns orders, was using Invisible, and was standing right next to the duke. This concludes my report. Understood. You are to retrieve that short sword. I will send you the money for it shortly. As soon as Cape 10 issued his report, Laojuns orders came right back in. Shortly afterwards, 10 gold coins were transferred to him. We are not to steal this short sword. After eavesdropping on their conversation, they had learned that they had bought the short sword for 100,000 Tolls. Jins financial affairs -or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say Hourai Inds budget- were ample enough for them to be able to afford to pay for the short sword. They were to retrieve the short sword and leave the 10 gold coins, worth 100,000 tolls, in its ce. Laojun secretlyughed at the thought of what kind of face would the duke make after realizing that the short sword had turned into gold coins. The next target were the Selfish Siblings themselves. Laojun handed out instructions to Regulus 11 and Deneb 25, who were in charge of Essiah, the capital of the Celuroa Kingdom. Slip this document into the Head of Domestic Affairs report. Slip this document into the Head of Military Affairs report. Laojun had prepared two documents stating only the bare in facts. They read as follows: After receiving unfair treatment, Stearleana Beta has gone into exile. Her destination is currently unknown. There was an intrusion made by a person that seemed to be a demon, however, he was killed without prior interrogation, so no further information could be obtained from him. Laojun knew from Quinta that this kind of clumsy reports were what the current king hated the most. This fact soon reached the kings ears, which earned Albert and Beatrix a reprimand, causing their right to seed the throne to fall by 10 ces. Albert fell from the 13th ce to the 23rd, and Beatrix fell from the 21st to the 31st. Their father, Duke Hubert, was also brought down by five positions. He was said to be in a very grumpy state for several days after being dropped from the 9th ce to the 14th. This is just the beginning. How should we proceed next? The brains of Hourai Ind, Laojun, would never forgive that family for their insolence against Jin and his friends. Chapter 467: Seeking Asylum

Chapter 467: Seeking Asylum

Stearleana was brooding over Sakis suggestion. Move into Sakis house, huh? There are plenty of rooms, and its very quiet. My dad lives there too, but hes rarely home anyway Jin also thought it wasnt such a bad idea. Moving to Kaina Vige meant that they would need to build a new house for Stearleana. And it would have to be built in a single day. Moreover, the biggest issue was that she wasnt familiar with the people of Kaina Vige. And Kartze Vige was even worse in that regard. Since Sakis house was located in an isted area, there werent any other houses around it, making it unnecessary for Stearleana to have to interact with any neighbors. Besides, it was better than one could hope for in terms of keeping her safe from a country. That also made the Shouro Empire the better option as a destination for her. At any rate, the earlier Stearleana could leave the Celuroa Kingdom, the better. The discussion was settled with her moving into Sakis house, at least for the time being. They began with the preparations without dy. They split into groups and began to gather Stearleanas belongings. Only a small portion of her furniture would be left behind. Her clothes, tableware, books, and so on, were packed by Edgar, Ehr, and Selene. Since her magical tools were heavy, Reiko was put in charge of them. They were 3 boxes weighing about 50 kilograms each. All of her materials would be left behind as well, except for the rarest ones. Am I forgetting about anything? Well, we may be able toe back to get some more stuffter. But more importantly, are you sure about this? This is the house youve grown used to living in, after all Jin asked Stearleana that question after seeing a hint of loneliness in her face. Upon hearing it, she smiled. Its okay. I have lots of fond memories about this house. But I think its better for me to leave these ufortable living circumstances for good. I see Jin nodded, but seemed to still be worried about Stearleanas somewhat lonely expression. Well, lets go, shall we? Each of them took their appointed portion of luggage and went through the Warp Gate installed in Jins carriage. Since the Warp Gate was small, it was impossible to carry arge amount of luggage all at once. For this reason, they left the luggage in Shinkai, and would go back for itter. The luggage had beenpletely moved after two round trips. It had taken them two hours to finish. The n was for Steward to take the carriage and use the Warp Gate located in Condor 3, which had been dispatched in a suitable location, to make the return trip. The time difference between Goa, in the Celuroa Kingdom, and Vanne, in the Shouro Empire, was about 2 hours. It was about 1 PM when they arrived at Sakis house. Thank you for letting me stay here, Saki. With that said, Stearleana went through the front door of the Eschenbach residence, carrying arge bag with her. Huh? And you are? The voice of a man. Stearleana involuntarily dropped the bag she was carrying. Father! Saki shouted. The man standing there was none other than the one who was rarely home: Toa Eschenbach himself. Hmm, so youre seeking asylum, correct? A-Ah, yes, thats why Ive epted your daughters kind offer. Thirty minutester, Stearleana, Jin, and Elsa, who had all just finished carrying the luggage to Stearleanas new room, were in the drawing room with Saki. Incidentally, Hanna hadnte along with them from Shinkai but went to Kaina Vige instead. It was about time for her to have dinner with Martha and the others at home. I hope Im not a nuisance to you. Could you let me stay here for a while? Stearleana bowed down, then looked straight into Toas face. Toa was 44 years old. He had reddish-brown hair, and purple-grey eyes that looked a lot like Sakis. He was a little thinner and a little taller than Stearleana. Oh, Im not really home that often. If my daughter says its okay, thats good enough for me. Toa, who wasnt very concerned about things, easily epted Steana into his home. She was d that he didnt ask him anything about how she got there from the Celuroa Kingdom or anything like that. So, what about the rest of you? He then turned to Jin and the others. Ah, my name is Jin. Im Sakis friend. Im Elsa. It truly has been a while After taking a good look at Elsas face for a moment as if trying to remember Elsa? Oh, youre that youngdy! Long time no see! Youve really grown up a lot! Toas voice came out quite loudly and full of energy. Y-Yeah Though he was but amoner at the time, Elsa had met with Toa -who turned out to be Sakis father- several times in the past. So are you Elsas husband, Jin? Uh N-No, Brother Jin is, w-well, l-like a brother to me With slightly reddened cheeks, Elsa desperately shook her head left and right. Saki, who was sitting right next to Toa, looked at her as if she thought that Elsa wasnt acting like her normal self. Oh, looks like its a little moreplicated than I thought, huh? After saying that, Toa didnt pursue the topic any further. As for Stearleana, she was looking straight at Toa. Can you create crystals with alchemy, Mr. Eschenbach? Toa let out a chuckle upon hearing her question. Haha, even though its called alchemy, it cant create things out of thin air. Its all a matter of changing somethings properties and making things do something else Oh, is that so? Yes, though I once tried to create gold Toa and Stearleana seemed to get along very well, as they appeared to be on the same wavelength. Saki looked at his father, who was a little bit more enthusiastic than usual, as if she thought that he wasnt acting like his normal self either. Anyway, Im d weve found a new home for Stearleana. Definitely. Im relieved to see that my father is okay with it as well. Sis Saki, it looks like your father and Stearleana are getting along very well. It was Elsa who said that. Certainly, Toa and Stearleana seemed to be talking fairly intimately, even though they were meeting for the first time. Shall we head back to Hourai Ind, Elsa? We have to take a look at Edgar. Right. Lets go. That was the reason Jin gave Elsa for having to return to Hourai Ind. Jin thought that Saki might have a lot of things to talk about with his father, who she hadnt seen in quite some time. In fact, there were many things Jin himself wanted to talk about with Toa, but he prioritized Saki and Toas father-and-daughter time. It was part of Jins characteristic thoughtfulness. See youter then, Saki. Yeah, see youter. Thus Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar all returned to Hourai Ind. First, lets power Edgar off. It was already night on Hourai Ind, but the first thing they did upon returning there was, of course, taking care of Edgars maintenance. The undressed Edgary on the workbench. His creator, Elsa, said the keyword Stop. Jin and Elsa started to take Edgar apart ording to the usual procedure. Ah, he did take some damage after all. Jin had asked Elsa what exactly had happened while Reiko, Hanna, and he himself were absent, but after carefully examining Edgar, he could imagine how the situation had been with a bit more detail. His skeleton is a little bent here and there Im d we used aluminum to make it. Aluminum is not only a light and durable material, but also has a fair degree of sticity. For this reason, it wouldnt break even after being attacked. Had Edgars skeleton been made out of bronze, his bones would have snapped like a humans. Lets change it into Aluminum 64. Yeah. It was a material that was stronger than regr aluminum, enhanced with the effects of the Hardening and Toughen spells. In addition, they reinforced the essential parts with adamantite. Elsa did most of the work herself. Jin only stood by her side and offered her guidance when needed. Alright, now we need to increase his output. Considering Edgar also had the purpose of protecting Elsa, it was an undeniable fact that he wascking in power to do so effectively. It would be more desirable to make him a little stronger than the Quinta. They decided to rece his Magical Muscle with Sham Dragon material. They also redesigned his ether converter and mana driver to be able to produce a higher output. After three hours of work, Edgars repairs and upgrades went without a hitch. Chapter 468: Registration

Chapter 468: Registration

I heard youve fled your country, Stearleana. Thats right, Reinhardt. It was July 23rd, the day after Stearleana had moved into Sakis house. At around 9 AM, Stearleana was visiting Reinhardt in his house in the Kartze Vige. Hmm, this should be reported to the state quickly Reinhardt decided to go to the capital city Loizart, thinking of taking care of things as soon as possible. His true motive for doing that could have also been that it would be a nice change of pace for him since his duties as a feudal lord had been finished for the time being. The lineup for the trip would be Reinhardt, Stearleana, and Neon. On the outside, the reason why they were taking Neon instead of Schwartz Ritter was to lighten the load on their vehicle, but in fact, it was all part of a worried Berthies n to to have Neon make sure Stearleana and Reinhardt wouldnt spend too much time alone that they ended up fooling around. They took a carriage to Vanne, then boarded the Scarlet Trail at the port towards the city of Koju on the other side of the riverbank. Finally, they hired another carriage in Koju, headed for the capital city of Loizart. Their fast traveling allowed them to reach the Imperial Pce at around 3 PM. They hastily arranged for a meeting with the chancellor. Of course, they also stated their reason for the meeting. Perhaps because there was little work left to do on that day, Reinhardt and Stearleana were quickly granted an audience with the chancellor, and 5 minutester, they were called into his office. Ah, Reinhardt and Miss Stearleana. We havent seen each other since the Technology Expo, huh? Chancellor Jung Fawles Von Kebsler wasnt the only one in the room. He was joined by the Minister of Magi Technology, Degauss Furt Von Maniss. And even more surprisingly Wee to the Shouro Empire. Its nice to have you here, Miss Stearleana. The empress herself, Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro, was there as well. Y-Your Majesty! I-Im truly honored Stearleana waspletely taken aback by such an unimaginable situation. Reinhardt was very confused as well. I just happened to be consulting with the Chancellor on another case, and heard that there was a report and a request for an audience from Reinhardt. Reinhardt secretly convinced himself that that had been the reason why their audience was granted so quickly. Miss Stearleana, we are delighted to wee a talented Magi Engineer such as yourself into our country. Are you currently staying at Reinhardts? The chancellor asked Stearleana with a broad smile on his face. No, Im staying at Saki Eschenbachs house. She denied his initial assumptions and replied earnestly. Ohoho, is that so? By the way, does the Celuroa Kingdom know that you havee to our country seeking asylum? No, I dont believe so. They might be able to imagine it, but they have no way of being sure. I dont think Ive left behind any clue that could tell them where I went. Understood. Well take this chance to properly announce it from our end. You can rest assured that well take care of everything. The chancellor kept on smiling, reassuring Stearleana that he would personally handle her emigration from country to country. So, what do you n to do here in our country? Right then, the chancellors eyes became sharp. But Stearleana wasnt daunted by his gaze, since she had no ulterior motives for moving into the Shouro Empire. I dont have any particr purpose to be here. I would like to live quietly if possible That was her real intention. To simply live quietly in the Shouro Empire. Therefore, not even the empress herself could understand. They assumed that if all she wanted was to live peacefully, she could have gone to Hourai Ind instead. I see. Wed be very grateful if you could share your skills with our youth engineers The empress raised her hand as if to keep the chancellor from speaking any further. Not now, Jung. Miss Stearleana must be tired after her experiences in her home country. You can ask her about that after she has rested. Yes, Your Majesty. Miss Stearleana, make sure to rest your body and mind for the time being. Is there anything you need? After being addressed directly by the empress, Stearleana bowed her head profoundly. Thank you very much, Your Majesty. Theres nothing in particr I need right now. I see. So, chancellor, do we have any certificates for our countrys Magi Engineers? No, not at this moment. Oh How are we going to prove that Miss Stearleana is under our countrys protection? Your Majesty, there was this thing called Family Register I learned about from Fuhrer, which I received from Mr. Jin Nidou Ah, Ive learned about that too. But its not something I can do right away Understanding the people of a country is useful not only for management but also for all sorts of social services. But unfortunately, Rome wasnt built in a day. If so, how about creating a system to issue some kind of certificate for foreign residents living in the Shouro Empire? The Chancellor hade up with an alternative. They already had passports and visas for temporary residents. But they needed something that served as a certificate for permanent residence. Oh, right. Lets go with that. Miss Stearleana shall have the honor to be the very first one! Uh Huh? The conversation went on and on, and Stearleana had a hard time keeping up with them. She was no good at political talk. Reinhardt, on the other hand, could easilyprehend the effectiveness of their idea. Your Majesty, please consider attaching a portrait to this certificate. That way, it can be easily updated every certain number of years. This kind of advice was only possible thanks to Jin having transferred his knowledge of modern-day Earth to Reinhardt. Ah, that sounds great. It would also make it easier to identify its holder, and to prevent misuse by a would-be-impostor. The empress pictured its effectiveness and quickly approved of the idea. Thus Stearleana became officially recognized as the first registered foreign citizen living in the Shouro Empire. The same day, on Hourai Ind My Lord, I have several things to report. Laojun spoke while Jin and Elsa were thinking about what kind of weapon would be a good choice for Edgar. Alright. Tell me. As he had been stuck in his thoughts, unable to decide what to do for a while, Jin decided to listen to Laojuns reports for a change of pace. Very well. First, about Lardus short sword, which we have recently obtained. It was the short sword used by the demon that had called himself Lardus the Jester. Deneb 30 had been able to snatch the de after being shed at by it. My Lord had theorized that it had been made using materials from a monster, and it turned out to be that way. It was discovered that it was extremely close to Giant Centipedes. I see Back then, Giant Centipedes were a monster that Jin knew nothing about. It was no surprise that he hadnt been able to notice that at the time. Though it was very simr to a Giant Centipede, it could also have been some kind of falsely simr creature. At any rate, there is no doubt that it was some kind of arthropod monster. Something that has some kind of an exoskeleton, then. Like a mantis sickles or a stag beetles jaw. Thats right. Jin assimted that information while thinking about how terrific a creatures must be to have an exoskeleton that was tougher than aluminum. Ah, should we try to use that for Edgars equipment, Elsa? That? You mean the Giant Centipedes carapace? Yeah. Its light and very durable. How about we make a knife and a hand guard, and also a pair of gauntlets for him? Jin and Elsa had returned to the topic of Edgars equipment, but Laojun still had something else to report. My Lord, I havent finished with my reports. Ah, right, sorry Please continue. Very well. The second topic is about the Mole. Mole? Jin didnt really understand what he was talking about. Laojun quickly began to exin. Its a magic tool for underground exploration. Based on the situation from the other day when several Giant Centipedes came out of the mine, I thought that it would be better if we were able to conduct an investigation before going underground. Oh, that makes sense. So? I would like to ask you to create a certain Magi Device, since I cannot do so due to my restrictions. There were some things that Laojun couldnt do without the permission of his creator, Jin. One of them was the creation of a magic tool that had never existed before. These are the ns for it. Jin confirmed the conceptual drawing that Laojun projected on the Magic Screen. It had a cylindrical body and was furnished with a hyper-adamantite tip, which would be used to burrow underground. The excavated rocks and sand would be then transferred to a designated spot using the warp gate installed inside the cylinder. Its cylindrical body would be able to move forward and backward using golem engine-driven caterpirs installed on its sides. Yeah, its very well nned. So, what is the Magi Device that youd like me to use? Jin felt that it was functional enough. A magic tool that can use Dig. Ah, so thats what it was. Jin nodded. Jin had used Dig when he created the hot springs. This was ssified as a beginner earth attribute spell, and was originally used to dig a pitfall for an enemy to fall into. Jin had also used it to dig underground tunnels. Originally, it would be very difficult for an average, or even an advanced mage to dig a hole 5 meters deep into the ground. This was because the magical power of the caster would weaken as the volume of soil and rock extracted from the ground increased. Jin, however, was an exception among exceptions. Also, the soil and rocks removed by Dig are discharged as if they were ejected from a hole. Since this also consumes magical power, the easier it bes to imagine that the deeper the hole, the more difficult it would be for the average mage to handle the spell properly. If theres a foreign object underground, you can probably detect it without destroying it using Dig. That is correct. During the Giant Centipede incident, a mysterious Magi Device was found while investigating the hole they had crawled out of. But they werent able to identify its name or purpose from its outward appearance. Got it. Ill make it right away. Upon seeing Laojuns intentions, Jin quickly vouched to make the requested Magi Device. The third topic is regarding a proposal to equip the entirety of Hourai Ind with Lightweight-inducing magic tools as a countermeasure against eventual attacks from demons. It was a measure against the use of gravity magic. Since it had been a great help during the incident with Androgias, Jin quickly agreed to Laojuns proposal. Then we shall prepare it so My Lord and his family, Reiko, the attendant automata, the Covert Units, the Quinta, and every golem in Hourai Ind are equipped with such countermeasures, in that order. Yes, thatll do just fine. In this way, further enhancements were nned for Hourai Inds defense. Chapter 469: Back to the Capital

Chapter 469: Back to the Capital

I have one more thing to report. Okay, lets hear it. As Jin seemed to continue working on the Magic Tool that could use the Dig spell, Laojun quickly continued his report. Its about theposition of Magi Crystals Sorry, Laojun. Id like you to wait until everyone is here before you continue talking about that. Understood. Jin was waiting for Stearleana, Saki, and Reinhardt. He wanted everyone to be present when Laojun revealed the new information he had. First, he had to continue working on the Magic Tool. It wasnt a particrly difficult thing to do. It was simply writing the Magi Form onto an earth-attribute Magi Crystal. The work itself waspleted in less than 5 minutes. Thank you very much, My Lord. With this, you should now be able to replicate this and make more Magic Tools like this one here, Laojun. Yes, leave it to me. As Laojun received the Magic Tool from Laozi, who had in turn received it from Jin My Lord, I have just received a report from Deneb 4, the Quinta in charge of Toka Vige. Hmm? What happened? It appears that a total of nine soldiers that were stationed in Toka Vige have been recalled into the Royal Capital. Originally, soldiers would be stationed in remote areas like Toka vige because of locations such as the Inad Mine. Because criminals would be normally used as abor force, 10 soldiers were stationed there at all times, just in case something happened. However, the Inad Mine had be no different from an abandoned mine, and would be delegated to Jin as of the 1st of August, so it seemed that the number of troops stationed there was increased. It appears a single soldier will be left behind to guard the feudal lord. Lithia has nominated a young soldier named Fred. Jin remembered that name. When Jin went on a business trip to Toka Vige, Fred was a new soldier who was being constantly picked on by a senior soldier. Hmm, Lithia must have seen some promise in him, huh? Jin had imagined that even if his suitability as a soldier was low, he might have been good for office work. Since the timing was appropriate, Miss Gloria will be leading these nine soldiers in their return to the Royal Capital. That would be all. She must have been entrusted with leading those soldiers since she was the deputy captain of the female knight corps. However, Jin was a bit concerned about the party being formed by Gloria and 9 other men. Should we have Deneb 4 join that party? If we do that, there will be no one left in charge of Toka Vige. Well send someone from the backup unit to cover for him. Since Toka Vige is going to be an important point from now on, we should have a Covert Unit stationed there. Understood. Ill take care of it. Quit dragging your feet! Step up the pace! Meanwhile, Gloria was marching towards Rakno Vige. Since they departedte from Toka Vige, Gloria realized that they wouldnt make it all the way to Doppa, and decided to stay at Rakno for the night. (Tsk, thats what we get with a woman leading us.) (The nerve of that woman! Some knight she is, that damned aristocrat!) (Youre the only one who gets to ride a horse. Were on foot here!) The nine soldiers werezily following her while whispering theirints. Ah, its so hot out here. The midsummer sun was shining overhead, burning the skin. It was no wonder that such aint would leak out unintentionally. However Stopining! Can you really afford to whine like that on the battlefield!? Gloria quickly scolded the soldier for wasting his breath. (Damn this conceited wench.) Thus the dissatisfaction of the soldiers kept on rising. (Theyre bad Too bad) Gloria was taking a thorough look at the soldiers. (Even though theyre a bit superior to the female knights, theyre still far from the elite) Most of the female knights were aristocratic daughters who would take their knighthood as some temporary thing to do until they married, but one or two out of ten would actually be highly qualified and motivated. Compared to those women, the soldiers she had been put in charge of now were merely small fry. In addition, Gloria had heard from Jin the other day about how they were picking on the rookie soldiers, and was thinking of taking this opportunity to work them hard a little as a result. One more hour until we reach Rakno! Hurry up! Huff, puff. Haah, haah. Just you wait, you damned aristocrat! The soldiers who arrived at Rakno, who were camping as opposed to staying in an inn, were still quite resentful, and kept onining behind the scenes. They had set up camp in the outskirts of the vige. At that moment, Deneb 4 caught up with Gloria and her party. (It looks like the soldiers are somewhat dissatisfied.) Deneb 4municated with Laojun through his built-in Mana Comm so that he wouldnt be heard by the soldiers. (Please proceed with caution. Miss Gloria is a bit more than just a mere acquaintance to My Lord, but not enough to be called a true friend. I dont know how their rtionship will develop from now on.) Then, Laojun continued. (Id like to have a chance to examine in detail the microscopic Magic Eye her father, Mr. Bolton Ohlstat, possesses.) Laojun was a bit disappointed that he had only managed to conduct a stealthy but brief study of it back when he obtained it during the Giant Centipede incident. However, despite Jin and Laojuns worries, nothing happened that night. Get up, everyone! On July 24th, Gloria roused everyone out of bed at 4am. Of course, it was still pitch ck outside. Get yourselves ready! Everyone is to prepare their own meal! A lot of portable food had been provided to them when they were stationed in Toka Vige, so Gloria had thought of having them have that for breakfast on this asion. There was a chance that they would throw away their portable food as soon as they returned to the Royal Capital. In an environment with a lot of delicious food avable, it would be only natural that they wouldnt even look at their old portable food. Wahh, Im so sleepy. Tsk, that damned princess. Im sure shes having a feast all by herself. But that was a misunderstanding. Gloria was having the same portable food as them, but the soldiers had no way of knowing that. Alright, get ready for departure! It was 4:30 am when the mountains to the east finally started to be brighter. At that time, Gloria ordered the departure. Lets move! Having somehow managed to finish their preparations, the soldiers departed from Rakno. There was a disturbing conversation in the back rows. (I bet its going to be 5 hours of nothing but rocks from now on.) (If we were to get attacked there) (Im just hoping to see her having to get down from her horse.) Ehehe, Im looking forward to it.) Completely unaware that such a conversation had taken ce, Gloria continued to march forward on horseback. After leaving Rakno, they had to traverse a mountain trail for 4 hours. Then, after 2 more hours, another mountain road. The rest of the way would be roughly t all around. The ce where Count Walter had previously caused andslide was just halfway there. The party started to go slowly and gently uphill. The breathing of the soldiers became rough. Keep at it! Just a little more and well be at the mountain pass! But even then, Glorias words of encouragement (Tsk, of course you can say that, youre on your pretty little horse.) (Just you wait) didnt reach the hearts of her soldiers. They eventually reached the mountain pass. All that was left was to go downhill from there. Okay, stop, everyone! Lets take a short break here. Everyone, take this chance to drink some water. Gloria also got off her horse in order to rest. That ce in the mountain pass was a small, open space that travelers could use to take a break. Gloria wiped off the sweat from her neck. Seeing that, the soldiers eyes shone with a dangerous gleam. Chapter 470: Tamer

Chapter 470: Tamer

The soldiers were stealthily grasping for their swords, and as they were about to take them out of their scabbards and point them at Gloria Ah~ A lot of humans came around~ A new voice echoed through the mountain pass. That had undoubtedly been the voice of a little girl. No matter how fairly had the years treated her, it was far from any voice that could have belonged to an adult woman. A small figure appeared giggling from behind arge rock. She was about 120 centimeters tall and definitely looked like a girl not older than 7 or 8 years old. Her jet-ck hair stretched all the way to her lower back and her eyes were dark red. Her skin was morbidly white, and her arms and legs, which were peeking through the ck sleeveless dress, looked thin and delicate. The soldiers who were just about to attack Gloria stared at the girl,pletely taken aback. Im so lucky! I didnt even have to wait an hour, and a lot of humans already appeared here~ The inside of the cackling girls mouth was as red as blood. You Who are you? Gloria red at the girl while reaching for the short sword on her waist. Me~? Im Alciel. Alciel the Puppeteer. The girl that called herself Alciel approached Gloria step by step. The grin on her face, far from appearing to be a friendly smile, was more of a smirk. Stop right there! Gloria shouted as a result of the indescribable chill she felt. A cold sweat was running down her spine. Whaat? Are you afraid of me? Look, I dont have any weapons or anything like that~! Alciel halted on the spot, opened her arms wide, and started fluttering them like wings. Ive heard your name before, Alciel. What are you doing here? Hmm~? I was waiting for humans to show up. And why were you waiting for humans here? I want to make an experiment~ An experiment? Yeah. Ah, look! These are my pets! Alciel raised her right hand and pointed it straight at the sky. Then, huge, long and narrow things came down from the top of the rock. They looked a lot like earwigs, but they were well over 2 meters long. There were 4 of these in total. W-Waaaahh! M-Monsters! The soldiers behind Gloria screamed and started to run away the moment they saw them. Idiots! Hold your ground! Six of them stopped immediately at Gloriasmand. The other three stopped and turned around, but once started to run away. Ahaha~ These cowardly humans! But do you think you can escape~? Alciel let out a high-pitched whistle. Then, the four giant earwigs appeared in front of the three soldiers that were trying to run away. Gyaaaah! The one runaway soldier that was ahead of the others was bounced off by a tail swing from one of the giant earwigs. The remaining two just barely managed to keep a safe distance from the monsters tails. Come back! Form a circle! Gloria shouts out anothermand. The remaining 8 soldiers obeyed, and stood in a circle. The nine of them had formed a circle in the middle of the mountain pass. They wouldnt be attacked from behind as long as they kept this formation. Draw your swords, everyone! Get ready! In response to Gloriasmand, all of the soldiers pulled out their short swords and pointed them ahead. Ahaha, do you really think thats going to help you~? How silly. You cant damage my boys hides with those puny little swords of yours~ We wont know unless we try! Gloria repelled an oing tail swing with her de. The giant scissors that were on its tip fell to the ground. Huh? In her astonishment, Alciels eyes had opened wide. No way. You actually cut through it? What is that sword? The sword in Glorias hand was the one that Jin had reinforced with Adamantite. Itsposition was a 0.1 millimeters thick, 25 millimeters wide and 60 centimeters long sheet of Adamantite sandwiched between the swords steel edge. The Adamantite in the de was harder than the giant earwigs exoskeleton. Thank you, Jin! Gloria offered her gratitude to Jin for having made that sword for her. That day, Jin and Elsa had finished working on Edgars equipment. Though the giant centipedes carapace was inferior to Adamantite, it surpassed it in terms of strength per weight. In other words, it was strong and light at the same time. We made a total of 10 knives. Lets have him keep them inside his clothes. With Edgars new enhanced strength, he was now able to easily pierce through bronze armor. He could even tear down steel armor as well. And his new gauntlets covered his forearms from the elbow all the way up to his fists. If used properly, he would be able to repel even magic with them. With this, Edgar should be much stronger now. He should be able to do a much better job at protecting you, Elsa. Thank you, Brother Jin. At that moment, Laojun came in with an urgent report. My Lord, Miss Gloria is under attack. Her opponent is a little girl that seems to be a demon. Shes apanied by eight giant earwigs, each of them being around 2 meters long. What? Jin had feared that Gloria could be attacked at some point, but he had never imagined that she would be attacked by a demon. Send 10 Land Units under the name of Makina! Well also test our new equipment. Understood. Using the Transfer Machine, Laojun sent out Lands 11 through 20. Since Deneb 4 was in charge of marking their position, there was almost no error in their destinations coordinates. There seems to be one seriously injured person. Okay, send Nurse Alpha there as well. I should be making more of them, huh? After sending out Nurse Alpha, Jin started to mumble to himself. Ahahaha, so youre a worthy opponent for my giant earwigs~! Alciel was enjoying herself, seeing Gloria fight with her pets. So humans can really do this much. This is a good reference~! Damn it, dont underestimate us! Only Glorias sword could inflict any damage to the giant earwigs. The soldiers were no match for them, even in terms of ability. The soldiers were standing in a circle, and managed to prevent attacks from behind by attacking as a group. Gloria was in charge of one part of the circle, protecting the soldiers from the giant earwigs while trying to damage the monsters, and repeating the process over and over again. However, Gloria was the only one who could actually attack the monsters. Naturally, the soldiers that were on the side without Gloria were under the biggest threat. In order to prevent such dangerous situations as much as possible, Gloria slowly rotated around the circle, moving from side to side at all times. Ahaha, youre going to get tired soon, arent you? The soldiers were less trained than Gloria, and were still tired from their marching. Their legs would get tangled up, and their movements were slower than ever. Their tiredness would eventually lead to a catastrophe. A soldier standing right next to Gloria failed to keep up, and got his own leg mixed up with Glorias. Waah! The result was that both Gloria and the soldier tripped over and fell to the ground. Ahaha, thats it~! That was so fun! A giant earwig rushed straight towards the fallen Gloria. Captain! Some of the soldiers shouted. Gloria closed her eyes and clenched her teeth in preparation for theing shock and pain. However, no matter how long she waited, there was no further sign of the giant earwigs attack. Gloria opened her eyes Wha-! Then she saw a silver-brown golem wielding a brilliant sword as it shed at the giant earwig. Who are you guys!? Who said you could show up out of nowhere!? Alciel shouted in a voice that sounded close to a shriek. Chapter 471: Ideas

Chapter 471: Ideas

Who Who are you? Gloria, unaware that it had been a golem who had saved her from the giant earwig, asked her savior as if it was another human. We are a golem unit dispatched by Deus Ex Makina. Land 11 answered on its behalf. From Lord Makina? Were saved! All 8 giant earwigs had been in. Some of the soldiers seemed to know about Makina, and sank down to the floor on the spot in relief. You guys are no ordinary people How dare you do that to my lovely giant earwigs! Eight Land Units, 12 to 19, surrounded the demon girl Alciel, who had lost her temper. There was no escape anymore. They kept a distance of around 2 meters from her and deployed their barriers to keep Alciel in check. Since they didnt know what she was capable of, they avoided direct contact with her. Because the eight Units barriers were in contact with each other, there was no room to escape. If you submit quietly, we will cause you no harm. Dont make meugh~! Divieniunschiavo! Alciel cast an envement spell. However, it had no effect on the Land Units, who had already taken measures against such spells. Land 11, who was the leader of the dispatched unit, spoke to Alciel. That spell is ineffective against us. However, Distruzione or Gravita are a hassle. Activating Magi Jammer. This also disabled the Lands barriers, but that wasnt a problem. Alciel was already a mouse in a bag. Howe you know so much about magic~? Gravita! Alciel desperately cast gravity magic, but nothing happened. W-What? How? What did you do~? Not surprisingly, Alciel was confused by this. Im under no obligation to answer. But would you answer our questions instead? Do you really think Im just going to sit tight and answer your questions~? In that case, we have ways to help you cooperate. Land 11 approached Alciel, who was still surrounded by eight other Land Units, extended its right hand at her and tried to activate Paralyze. There was another way to stun her with a direct attack, but it chose to do it this way instead. Not only Alciel looked like a little girl, but sincest time even the demon Androgias was easily turned into ashes, Land 11 feared her body wouldnt be able to take it. So it decided to use Paralyze instead, but in the end, it turned out to be a bad move. Fundamentally, no other spells would work as long as the Magi Jammer was in effect. The very moment the Magi Jammer was briefly interrupted so that Land 11 could use Paralyze, the surrounded Alciel disappeared in an instant. It seemed that she was desperately trying to escape and kept activating her transfer spell the entire time. Alciels transfer spell was sessfully activated the moment the Magi Jammer was interrupted, allowing her to reappear about 5 meters behind the Lands. She also managed to activate her transfer spell a second time before Land 11 was able to reactivate the Magi Jammer. This time, Alciel had vanished without a trace. It appears weve allowed her to escape. Land 11 murmured in disappointment. Then, he slowly turned towards Gloria. I-Im Gloria Ohlstat, Deputy Captain of the Klein Kingdoms Female Knight Corps. Thank you very much for your assistance. Gloria must have realized that Land 11 was the leader of the dispatched unit. She promptly bowed and offered her gratitude. No need to thank us, were just following orders from Lord Makina. I see youre injured. Gloria shook her head There are others here who were injured more severely than me. And looked at the soldier that had been bounced off by the giant earwigs tail swipe. However, that soldier was already being treated by Nurse Alpha. Is Is that golem also here on Lord Makinas orders? Yes. I am Nurse Alpha. I specialize in healing. Lord Makina is a truly remarkable person Then, as she was casually looking at Nurse Alpha, Gloria unconsciously muttered Miss Elsa? Laojun, who was being informed of the situation real time through Land 11, noticed the mistake that it had been to allow Gloria to see Nurse Alpha, who looked exactly like Elsa. And so, he quickly prepared an excuse and passed it on to Land 11. Yes, Nurse Alpha was modeled after Elsa, who had temporarily been under our protective custody. Hmm, I see. Well, its not as if I was meaning to pry. Gloria appeared to be convinced. She seemed to be pure at heart. Treatment is nowplete. Only Gloria is left. After finishing tending to the soldier, Nurse Alpha approached Gloria. Ah, right. Thanks. Sterilization. Heilung. First, Nurse Alpha sterilized Glorias wounds, and then proceeded to heal them. The healing magic healed the wounds on her arms, shoulders, and cheeks. Ah, amazing! It doesnt hurt anymore! Thanks. Though brief, Gloria bowed in gratitude like a knight would. Well then, well be taking our leave. Take care on the rest of your journey. Please convey my earnest thoughts to Lord Makina. Tell him Id like to meet him one day. Will do. Gloria and the soldiers reorganized their formation and saluted the Land Corps. Gloriasmand came soon after. Lets go! Gloria and her party continued their march towards Doppa. The eyes of the soldiers now glimmered with respect for their captain. She had faced those monsters without taking a single step back in order to protect them. As the party faded into the horizon, the Land Units returned home. A little closer to Rakno, Pelican 1, which had a Warp Gate installed, was waiting a little away from the road. And of course, Pelican 1 continued to watch over Gloria and the others until they safely reached Doppa. Is Gloria safe? Jin and Elsa, who were following the battle through Laojun, let out a sigh of relief. The demon this time called herself Alciel the Puppeteer. Though she looks like a little girl, were not sure about her true age. Right. Its too bad we couldnt capture her. Still, we were able to get valuable, albeit iplete, information on the transfer magic they use. I believe we were fortunate to encounter Alciel at this time. There is virtually no way to defend against transfer magic. What if they used it to transfer to Hourai Ind and destroy Laojun? That would be an immeasurable loss. Also, the more information they could gather about the enemy, the better. Jin waited for Laojuns exnation. First, the destination for transfer magic seems to be limited to ces directly in line of sight and previously specified locations. That was the information obtained instantly via the Inspection used by Lands 12 through 15. It was when Land 11 briefly interrupted the Magi Jammer in order to try to paralyze Alciel. Laojun had instructed the Lands to obtain as much information as possible, and no matter how small, about the demons magic. Because of that instruction, they used Inspection to see how the demon would react to 11s Paralyze. But as a result, instead of sensing the demons reaction, it sensed the flow of magical power that apanied the activation of transfer magic. I see. So we would be safe to assume that theres no need to worry about being attacked at Hourai Ind for the time being? That is correct, My Lord. It turned out that it couldnt be used like a transfer machine. It appeared that transfer magic posed no real threat for the time being, but Jin wanted to make absolutely sure for peace of mind. Ive been doing nothing but developing weapons so far, but maybe I should improve our defenses as well? Are barriers useless now, Brother Jin? Hearing Jins muttering, Elsa asked him that question. Yeah. Theyre not without their ws. ws? Right. You know how there are Magic Barriers and Solid Barriers? Yeah. Basically, Magic Barriers dont allow magical power to pass through, while Solid Barriers ward off fire, blunt forces, and swords. Jins conclusion was that in the same way that they blocked iing attacks from the outside, they also blocked outgoing attacks. The only exception is when you use a magical tool like my bracelet to activate a spell at the same time that a Barrier is deployed. Since it is perfectly synchronized, you can, for example, shoot a Laser and disable the barrier just on the point where the attack should go through. However, normally, Barrier and any offensive spell would be generated separately, so if you have a barrier deployed, you wouldnt be able to attack either. I wouldnt be able to shoot a Magi Cannon or anything like that from inside a barrier. Ah, right. Thats why I think that barriers have room for improvement. I see. Thats very clever of you, Brother Jin. So Im wondering if there are other ways to fend off attacks that could work better for us. A Barrier was one of many kinds of protective wards. Jin then spoke of ideas such as wards that can absorb magic, wards that can reflect attacks, and wards that transfer the damage of an attack to a specified target. Amazing. Toe up with these great ideas Youre a genius, Brother Jin! Ah, no, these are all things Ive seen somewhere else. After beingplimented by Elsa, Jin confessed that he had seen those concepts in books. Specifically, in manga and anime he had seen back in his homeworld. The people from your world are really impressive, Jin. Yeah, some of them are incredibly creative. Jin reminisced about Japan, his country of origin, which was also home to possibly the most creative and delusional people to be found in his world. Chapter 472: Turning Point

Chapter 472: Turning Point

No matter how talented Jin was, not even him could create new magic or magic tools with an idea alone. He decided to collect his thoughts for the time being. It was lunch time. They were going to have rice balls. It was said that on Earth, only Japanese people had enzymes that could digest seaweed, but in this world, everyone could eat it without problems. At least, that was true for all of Jins friends. This salty taste is delicious! Elsa seemed to enjoy the simple, salty taste of the rice balls. Jin was the same. When they were about to finish their meal, Laojun contacted Jin. My Lord. Master Reinhardt, Miss Berthie, Miss Saki, and Miss Stearleana have arrived. All of his friends who had gone to the Shouro Empire had arrived. Jin gathered everyone in themand room on the first basement floor. Long time no see, Reinhardt. Indeed it has. The feudal lords work has settled down for a while atst, so I can finally afford toe here Reinhardt had small dark circles under his eyes. Though Adberg is still at work even today. Berthie stepped into their conversation with that remark. My request for asylum in the Shouro Empire has been epted. Ive been able to settle down without any issues. Mr. Toa is a nice person as well. Kuhuhu, my father also seems to have taken a liking to Stearleana. Im relieved. Stearleana and Saki also briefly reported their current situation. After chatting for a while like that, Jin decided to get into the main topic. That is, artificial Magi Crystals. First of all, an exnation and apology to Reinhardt. So thats what happened. Sorry, Reinhardt. Gah! You were doing such interesting things while I was doing nothing but work!? Reinhardt let out a scream full of regret, but as soon as he heard Jins exnation, he somehow managed to calm down. Well, it cant be helped. So, theres going to be a report from Laojun soon? That is correct. Would now be the right time for me to start? Everyone nodded silently. Then, Ill begin. The first thing I noticed was about Pelshika juice. In particr, Pelshika juice from Hourai Ind was known to have a high amount of Ether. It was also a well-known fact that its concentration increased further when it was stored in an ether box. Of course, its still far from the amount of Ether of a Magi Crystal, but I thought it would be useful for research. Therefore, Laojun then decided to remove the unnecessary ingredients found in Pelshika juice one by one. First of all, its sugar content. He separated a type of sugar called fructose from the juice with Engineering Magic. Then, he separated its dietary fiber. At this point, its Ether content had already increased tenfold. The rest were vitamins and minerals such as potassium and iron. This left almost the liquid portion of the juice, whichprised about 90% of its totalposition. When only the isted liquid contained in Pelshika juice was stored in an ether box for a single day, its Ether content had increased to about 1200 times its original value. Wait a minute. That increase of 1200 times its original value ispared to the value Pelshikas have at the time of harvest, right? Saki asked a question, interrupting Laojuns speech. Correct. I failed to mention that in my exnation. Umm, can you tell me how to measure the amount of ether contained in a substance? Saki asked another question, this time tilting her head to the side. Understood. Simply put, I converted a certain amount of the solution into mana with an Ether Converter, and generated magical power using a Mana Driver. Then Ipared the duration of the process. The point is that the amounts were indirectlypared by converting them into energy. It was essentially the same asparing the capacities of different sets of batteries by checking how many hours could each set keep the same light bulb on. I see. I understand it now. Thanks. Ill continue. This time, the amount of Ether contained wasparable to that of a Magi Crystal of the same weight. Therefore, I believe that if this solution can be crystallized, it could turn into a Magi Crystal. These are the facts that Ive been able to establish. Everyone was deeply impressed. It became apparent that Magi Crystals, which were an important material in Magi Craft, could be synthesized. After a brief pause, Laojun resumed his speech. From here on, its all conjecture. I believe it would be easier for Ether to enter the gaps between the molecules of a liquid substance than those in a solid state. Jin nodded. He had also thought that that would be the most likely scenario. In that case, I wonder if you can saturate Ether into ordinary water? Reinhardts question was quite reasonable. Yes, regarding that, Ive been wondering if the water contained in the Pelshika found in Hourai Ind wouldnt happen to be an isotope of ordinary water. Ah, I see. Mithril silver is an isotope of silver, which means that most of the 60 or 62 neutrons contained in the nucleus of silver are reced by magical elements. Aluminum is an isotope of titanium, which means that most of the 26 neutrons contained in the nucleus of titanium are reced by magical elements. We will call such isotopes Magi Isotopes. The water contained in the Pelshika found in Hourai Ind, that is, its hydrogen and oxygen, are probably Magi Isotopes. I believe that the reason for this is that the very soil of Hourai Ind may act as a catalyst for such elements to turn into Magi Isotopes. I see, I think I sort of get it Other than Jin -actually, Jin included, no one could say for sure that they had fully understood the logic behind Laojuns hypothesis. Still, they could at least feel that they were standing at a major turning point in the long history of magic and Magi Engineering. If we are going to use it as an energy source, we dont have to make it solid, right? Jin opened his mouth after a brief period of silence. Yes. Ive been wondering if it would be okay if I changed the Ether Converter so that it could use the Ether found in this solution instead of drawing it from the air. J-Jin, wouldnt you be able to get an extraordinary output from that? Realizing the meaning of Laojuns words, Reinhardt jumped in, sounding somewhat excited. Yeah. If we refine mana from a solution that has a higher Ether concentration higher than the one found in air And if we ignore the Mana Drivers durability, I think we should be able to get about 100 times more output than usual. Everyone was lost for words once again. Jin realized that this solution would be as easy to handle as petroleum was on modern Earth, which can produce a high output of various fuels, such as atomic fuel. My Lord, how should we call this solution? Laojuns voice broke the silence. Since its a solution that contains Ether, how about Ether Water? Come on, Jin, thats too simple! Saki disagreed with the name without a moments dy. E.W.? That was Elsas proposed name. E from Ether, W from water. It was slightly better than Ether Water, but the party still felt that it should be a little different than that. How about Ethenol? Theres no particr meaning to it, it just sounds simr to Ether and it has a nice ring to it I see, it does sound good. What do you guys think? Reinhardt nodded at Stearleanas suggestion. Seeing him nod, Berthie soon followed. Therefore, they decided to name the new solution Ethenol. Returning to the main subject So now we should see how were going to crystallize this Ethenol. Very well. Since it is originally water, it will certainly be solid if frozen. However, at room temperature, it will melt again and return to its liquid state. At this point, Elsa noticed something. But the Magi Crystals found in nature are supposed to contain mana, not Ether Ah. That is true. It seemed that Jin and Laojun had the same misunderstanding. The experiment they had conducted the other day had demonstrated that what was entering the gaps in the material made of Magi Atoms was Mana. The Ethenol was a solution in which Ether would enter the gaps between the molecules of substances made of Magi Isotopes. It was simr, but different. This was still a very useful discovery, so the result was satisfactory nheless. Then, we just have to find a way to generate Mana with an Ether Converter and then secure that mana. Thats right. Im wondering if theres something we can understand from the phenomenon that a Magi Crystals color changes depending on its attribute. Mana itself has no magical attributes. However, Magi Crystals change color depending on their attributes, e.g. fire, water, earth, wind, light, darkness, and so on. So once again, they decided that Laojun would be conducting various experiments in order to better understand this phenomenon. After the technical talk was over So, another demon, huh Jin first told Reinhardt about the demon they had met in the Celuroa Kingdom, Androgias the Wild, and then about the other one that Elsa already knew about but the others didnt: Alciel the Puppeteer. At the same time, he talked about the gravity, destruction, and envement spells by the demons. The magic used by the demons has a different arrangement and structure from ours, so it takes time to analyze it. He then exined how he had been rearranging the format his own spells used. So thats how you were able to counteract Androgias gravity magic that day. Saki reprimanded Jin for having forgotten to exin it to herter like he had promised. Sorry. After apologizing to her, Jin continued his exnation about demons. There were some things that some of them already were aware of, but he wanted to make sure that everyone was up to date with all of the information they had at the moment. Chapter 473: A Pleasant Trip

Chapter 473: A Pleasant Trip

Hmm, demons, huh After Jin finished exining all that he knew about demons, Reinhardt seemed somewhat troubled. When I saw the various weapons and armor you were making, I honestly thought that it was a bit excessive, but Im not so sure about that any more Yeah. Theres simply too much we dont know about these demons powers and abilities yet. Elsa quickly expressed her agreement with Reinhardts opinion. So, about Gravity Magic Jin resumed his exnation. As far as he could understand it, Gravity Magic seemed to work by distorting space in a specific area. The reason for that conclusion was that it also affected inertia in its assumed area of effect, rather than simply making objects in that area lighter or heavier. Well, we have our Warp Gates, plus theres magic capable of summoning people from another world, so it wouldnt be strange if there was a type of magic that worked by distorting space. After his rough exnation, Jin concluded with that remark. So how far is the analysis going? For the time being, weve only managed to counter it by making ourselves lighter. Jin showed them the Lightweight Magic Tool he used to cancel Androgias Gravity Magic during their encounter in the Celuroa Kingdom. There are many Magi Sequences that are different from the ones us humans use, so we cannot use them as magic ourselves for the time being. I see Its a little disappointing, but I guess its understandable. Still, the magic demons use is quite scary, so for now I believe its best not to get involved with them if wee across any of them in the near future. Jin made special emphasis on the case of the Gravity Magic of Lardus, who had been able to reach a force of thousands of g by using his El Radlite. T-Thousands of g Such a gravitational force would make a human look like a thin sheet of paper stamped onto the ground. I think no one other than Reiko would be able to withstand that For this reason, the analysis of Gravity Magic is our highest priority right now. We should be able to deal with consuming a considerable amount of magical power, enough to use a spell like Lardus El Radlite. Ordinary Magi Crystals may not be enough. However, that may be solved by using our newly discovered Ethenol. Those are some high expectations, huh? That demon girl, Alciel, seemed to be able to use monsters as pets. Ive asked Laojun to look into this as well. Would that be another one of the demons special abilities or something like that? Jin nodded, saying that it was possible. At the same time, he couldnt stop thinking about how much of a threat it could be if a demon could control something like those Giant Centipedes they had to deal with the other day. The main question here is the demons motives. Thats right. Are they trying to start a war, or are they simply messing around? Ah, theyre the worst! Why cant we all just live in peace? Sakis outcry spoke for everybodys feelings. At least weve got some peace here. Elsa murmured her thoughts earnestly. Yeah, thats right. This is truly heaven on Earth Again, everyone nodded. Thats something that would need to be reported to the state. Reinhardt spoke out. There was no way the existence of demons could be hidden within the Celuroa Kingdom because their existence had been confirmed by a prince and a princess who both have rights to the throne. An official promation about this would inevitably happen sooner orter. Ill contact the empress under the name of Makina. Well let each nation know about this. Yeah, I wonder if nows the right time to do that. After Jin and Reinhardts brief consultation, they decided to reach out to the empress under the name of Makina. By the way, Jin Did you ever get around to making that Animal Golem that Hanna was talking about when we went to the Lenard Kingdom? After their conversation about the demons was over, Saki asked such a question. Huh? Ah, yeah. I did try making one, but Jin was making unclear statements, which was an unusual thing for him. But it didnt go very well. Huhh? Thats rare for you, Jin. You give me too much credit. Oh well, its better if you see for yourselves. Shall we go to the workshop? So they all moved from the control room on the first basement floor to the workshop on the first floor above ground. Here it is. Jin put a prototype golem that resembled a cat on the table. It was about 30 centimeters long excluding its tail. Since it was just a prototype, it had no coat of fur, and looked like a mechanical bronze cat. Hmm, it looks good enough. Thats right. This definitely looks like a cat, no matter how you look at it! Saki and Stearleana praised the prototype, but Jin still had a bitter expression on his face. Yeah, but look Activate. Jin put the cat-shaped Golem into operation. It does seem to move in a weird way. Sure enough, the way the Golem moved on all fours wasnt very cat-like. It was as if its movements were still unpolished. It would be fine if it had been a Golem Horse, but this is my first time making an animal this small. Jin then exined that he should be able to get better results if only he could study the movements of a cat closely. Then how about we go study some cats? Stearleana spoke with a casual tone of voice. Ive already told you about this before, but there are many aristocrats in the Celuroa Kingdom who keep cats as pets. Especially in the southern, warmer regions. I see I have an acquaintance in Coupu. Ill introduce you to her. Coupu was a town in the southern tip of the Celuroa Kingdom. It is said to be a fishing and touristic town with many boats decorating its shores, just like Potlock in the Elias Kingdom. My Lord, in that case, you can use the 10th Warp Gate set by Reiko, which is located at the eastern foot of Mt. Rawai. Then its about 100 km from there to Coupu. That was one of the ces where Reiko went to search for Jin back when he ended up being randomly teleported by a Warp Gate that had gone haywire. We wont be able to use the RV, though. Yeah, its along the highway. It would be too noticeable. Should we then use a Golem Horse carriage and stay at an inn? Stearleana suggested taking the road that went through the towns of Igo and Shumi, which would allow them to reach Coupu in three days. We also have the newly refurbished Hotaka stationed at a nearby sea, so perhaps you would like to use it instead? Back when it was first constructed, the aircraft carrier Hotaka was not equipped with any weaponry, but in response to the recent incidents, it was furnished with 20 Magic Cannons and a Mana Bomb. Hmm Jin, however, thought that it would be a big fuss to use an aircraft carrier with a discement of 20,000 tons to a sea full of 30-seater boats. How about the Falcon? Is there anywhere near Coupu we couldnd it? There is. Theres a sandy beach west of Coupu that is rarely visited during the night. Should we use that, then? Jin was rather troubled about how they were going to travel. Saki and Elsa seemed to sympathize with him, and remained silent. Stearleana had a bitter smile on her face. No matter how much I wouldve wanted to, I dont think I wouldve been able to tell you anything about it in such a short period of time. But the southern part of Celuroa The atmosphere of the Korin region is different. The Korin region used to be known as the Korin Kingdom about 200 years ago. However, it fell to an attack by the Celuroa Kingdom, and it became part of its territory. I find it very interesting that there arent many traces of the Magic War there. Just like the Elias Kingdom, this region at the southern tip of the continent was said to still have many old relics to this day, since it was not exposed to the chaos of war during the days of the Magic War. Though the fact that its poption has declined due to bothpulsory military enrollment and the Ether Stampede hasnt changed The Ether Stampede was thest resort that the human race took to counter the demons in the Magic War 300 years ago. However, the true nature behind its workings, which caused the Ether in the atmosphere to run haywire and destroy anyone with high enough magical power -whether it was a human or a demon- still remained a mystery. Jins magical power was by far thergest. If something like the Ether Stampede were to happen again, it would certainly be fatal to him. More than Jin, Reiko, Laojun, and the Quinta have always wanted more information about the Ether Stampede so that they coulde up with a countermeasure. Cape 9 is in the nearby town of Oath. Would you like me to get it ready so that it can be your guide? Jin shook his head sideways in response to Laojuns suggestion. Theres no need for that. Stearleana here offered to guide us there. Understood. Still, I will keep it waiting in the vicinity. I will dispatch an air force to remain on standby as well. These measures were in response to Anns words of caution from the other day. Okay. Ill leave that to you. With this, the party decided that Jin, Elsa, Saki, Stearleana, Reinhardt, and Berthie would be going to Coupu. They wouldnt be taking Hanna along with them this time. I hope well have a pleasant trip this time around. Kuhu, yeah, thatd be nice for a change. As attendants, they would be taking Reiko, Edgar, Ehr, Noir (Schwartz Ritter), and Neon along. Selene might stand out too much for this trip Looking at the seemingly disappointed Stearleana, Jin voiced out a suggestion. How about we put a Magic Skin on her to make her look like an automata? That would be nice! Stearleana immediately agreed with the idea. At the same time, they decided to strengthen Neon a little. This is because she was not up to par with the other automata in terms of being able to protect Berthie against a demons attack. Having Smith Golems to help Jin, Elsa, Reinhardt, and Stearleana, they were able to work on those tasks about twice as fast. Considering the time difference, they would have to depart from Hourai Ind at 7:20 AM in order to reach the west coast of Coupu at 3:00 AM. In other words, there would be no problem in departing on the 25th of July. They had more than enough time to prepare. Incidentally, Berthieter persuaded Saki to help her prepare that evenings supper. Chapter 474: At Coupu

Chapter 474: At Coupu

The operation to coat Selene with Magical Skin waspleted without any issues. By ying around with her power source a little, and thanks to the specifications of the Ether Converter, she was now capable of semi-permanent motion. As a measure against Envement Magic, a thin Mithril silver armor was ced over the entire fusge. She should be safe to take along with us now. Finally, a Barrier generation function was added to her. It was a feature to make up for the fact that Selene was the weakest in terms of defense of their apanying attendants. Thank you, Jin, Reinhardt. Then, Elsa and Stearleana moved on to preparing new clothes for Selene. Ill make her underwear. Ah, thanks, Elsa. Ill leave that to you, then. While the two Magi Craftswomen were taking care of Selenes clothes, Jin and Reinhardt prepared her hair and shoes. The shoes were made of magical beast leather, which was light and very sturdy. For her hair, they made an artificial wig made with threads of Ground Spider silk. It was the same copper color as Stearleanas own hair. When they were about finished with their work, Elsa and Stearleana arrived with the clothes. Ah, thats lovely! Selene, who was a blue topaz golem, was now hardly recognizable. She looked like a sister to Stearleana, thanks to her rich copper-colored hair. Then lets put on your underwear. The underwear Elsa had prepared was a modern Earth-styled bra and somewhat short knickers. Jin and Reinhardt looked away. And you cant go wrong with these clothes. It was abination of a ck dress with a white apron. The ssic maid look. Reiko, Ehr, Neon, and now Selene, were all dressed with ck dresses and aprons. Edgar was wearing a ck zer and pants. And Noir had his ssic escort, Schwartz Ritter look. Well, they still seem to stand out a little Jin said that, though he realized it might have been a bit toote for that now. Dinners ready. Berthie called out to the others a little after 6 PM. I had Sakis help today, so Im sure its going to be delicious, right? Sakis hands were full of wounds. Sis Saki, give me your hands. Behandern. It was a surgical treatment spell. Elsas role as a healer had been established. Thanks, Elsa. Its important for us girls to take good care of our hands. Mother taught me that. This Mother you just mentioned is Miss Marlene, right? Though you do call Miss Mine Mother too Yes. Your lineagees from the marquis family, Sis Saki. You should take better care of your appearance. Ugh, youre making my ears hurt. Saki started to scratch her head in frustration. Come on now, your dinner is going to get cold. Here you go, honey. While giving Saki and Elsa a backward nce, Berthie started to pour wine on Reinhardts cup. The menu was steak, soup, bread, and sd. And also, they had tempura made from fish caught in the Naudalia River. Ive been practicing. It was quite difficult to fry the tempura batter. Berthie said she had received special training from the Peridots. Instead of a dip sauce, they had seaweed salt from Hourai Ind. Jin was more of a salt type of person, since he preferred his tempura to retain its crunchiness. Yeah, youve gotten really good at it, Berthie. You think? Im so d! Thanks for the meal. Huh? Finished already? Yeah, it was delicious. They had such a moment during their dinner. The world of Jin and his friends was truly a peaceful one. The next morning, the 25th of July, the party left Hourai Ind at 7:20 AM just as nned. Stearleana had prepared some bread to take with her as a souvenir, and had Selene carry it for her. Of course, it was a fluffy bread made with yeast. And she had used other ingredients as well. Furthermore, everyone was wearing a ring, which was also a Magic Tool that was able to unleash a weight-reducing spell, simr to Jins bracelet. Laojun had managed to produce them in a rush. The Falcon 1, which they had already dispatched the day before,nded safely on the sandy shore. Then, Jin and the others used its Warp Gate to reach the west coast of Coupu. The local time was 3 AM. Since it was summer, it wasnt cold, but it was so dark that it was impossible to do anything outside. The party considered activating the Falcon 1s invisibility barrier and simply taking a nap inside. But then, thinking that would make it pointless to have arrived at such a weird time, they decided to walk leisurely towards Coupu. Reiko and the other automata and golems were fine walking in the dark, so Jin and the others decided to walk hand in hand each with their own attendant. That way, they wouldnt have to worry about getting caught in the sand and tripping over. While resting at times, after walking for about two hours, dawn came, and they were able to see the town of Coupu together with the sunrise. The weather was a little cloudy. The west side is a shallow sandy beach, so it is not suitable for fishing. There are many rocky shores on the east side, so there should be fishermens boats there. While listening to Stearleanas exnation, Jin remembered about Marcia, the shipbuilder he met in Potlock, back in the Elias Kingdom. He nostalgically remembered how she would go fishing early in the morning in order to earn money to cover both her living and boat expenses. Weve finally arrived. Well done, everyone. When Stearleanas voice brought Jin back to the present, he realized that he wasnt standing on sand, but on solid ground. My acquaintances house is a little farther ahead. With Stearleana leading the way, the party entered the town of Coupu. There were many stone houses that looked a little like the ones in Potlock. Jin wondered if this was some kind of countermeasure against the sea breeze. These building stones Theyre not oya tuff stone, but sandstone? But sandstone crumbles easily? Sandstone is a building stone created by piling up sand, and it is easy to process because it has coarse particles and is soft, but it also weathers down easily. However, its very good at preserving indoor temperature. On Earth, the city of Florence, in Italy, is famous for having most of its old townscape made out of sandston, which still stands to this day. Jin thought that they woulde crumbling down easily, but as heid his hand over a wall, he found it to be surprisingly firm. Ah, a Toughen spell has been applied to these. Jin was quickly convinced by Stearleanas exnation. Here we are. I wonder if shes already up. The time was 5:30 AM at the time. It was a house in an alley just off the main street. It was just as big as a typical house for themon folk of Coupu. It had two floors, and seemed to have about 5 rooms, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. For a knocker, a wooden board is hung at the entrance, which would be hit with a small mallet to notify the visitor. The board made a dry sound when Stearleana hit it with the mallet. The door was opened shortly after. Long time no see, Vi. Ah, Stearly! What a pleasant surprise! It truly has been a long time! What are you up to today? She was a woman that looked a bit like Stearleana but also seemed slightly older than her. She had bright tinum blonde hair that looked a bit like grey hair, and dark brown eyes. She was a little shorter than Jin. Ivee to show some friends around. Sorry to show up so early, though Dont worry about it! Im d you brought friends, Stearly. Wee to Coupu, everyone! Come on in! The woman Stearleana had called Vi invited Jin and the others into her house. There was a nice smell in the air. It seemed that she was in the middle of preparing breakfast. Everyone, this is Vivian. Shes a childhood friend of mine. When Stearleana tried to start to introduce her friend, Vivian quickly interrupted her. Wait a moment. Let me finish getting things ready. Umm What to do? I can manage with this much soup, but I dont have enough bread Ah, Ive brought some bread as a present. Really? Thats great! Well then, please take a seat, Ill be with you all shortly. In Vivians kitchen, there was a table so big that everyone could take a seat and there would still be room for more people. Stearleana took the bread that she had given to Selene for holding and cut it into pieces for everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting. Vivianid arge pot of soup on the table. Oh? Jin was a little surprised to see the soup. That red color, that unique scent No matter how he looked at it, it was tomato soup. Chapter 475: Storyteller

Chapter 475: Storyteller

Its a local dish of this region. Stir-fried vegetables are stewed in Tometle juice. Vivian made a brief exnation of the food, adding that each house seasons it differently, and then started serving portions into each of their bowls. She seemed to be quite dexterous. I hope you like it. After serving everyone, and making sure everyone had bread as well, Vivian resumed the introductions. Nice to meet you all. My name is Vivian. Im a storyteller, and also Stearlys childhood friend. Ill introduce you to my friends. These are Saki, Jin, Elsa, Berthie, and her husband Reinhardt. And these are our attendants The automata Ehr, Reiko, Edgar, Neon, and the golem Noir. How impressive! You dont get to see these many automata and golems too often. Vivian was absolutely spellbound, but soon realized that they still hadnt started breakfast Ah, excuse me. Please, go right ahead. And encouraged everyone to begin eating their breakfast. After saying their bon-appetits, everyone started by trying the soup. Delicious! Its a taste based on sour tomatoes with spices. Though the tomatoes of this world seemed to be called Tometles. Im d you like it. Seeing everyones faces and realizing they werent just saying it was tasty out of ttery, a broad smile appeared on Vivians face. Then she tore a piece of bread, dipped it in the soup, and took it to her mouth. Oh my, this is delicious! This time it was Vivian who voiced her excitement. I felt it when I tore it open with my hands, but this bread is so fluffy and has such a wonderful scent Its really tasty. She was most likely talking about the scent of natural yeast. It was not yet customary for the people of this world to use yeast when making bread. Jin and the others had had a rather light breakfast before departing for Coupu, so they were just hungry enough to be able to enjoy the unusual taste of the tomato soup. After finishing their second breakfast for the day, everyone was served a hot drink called Kaffi. (Which was essentially this worlds coffee.) The Quinta had been just recently dispatched to the southern part of the Celuroa Kingdom, so Jin wasnt aware of its taste. The same was true for the Tometles. Jin decided that when they returned from their trip, he would have this worlds coffee and tomato equivalents, that is, Kaffi and Tometle, cultivated on Hourai Ind. So, about why wevee here today While they were drinking their Kaffi, Stearleana started talking. Jin, Reinhardt, and Elsa here are Magi Craftsmen just like me. We were thinking about making a Golem Cat. Oh, a cat? So youvee here to study the movement of cats? Vivian nodded as if she was following. Didnt that family that keeps a cat as a pet live somewhere around here? Stearleana seemed to have a rough idea, and asked Vivian in an agreeable tone of voice. Thats right, the Techres family might be able to help you with that. Both of them nodded in agreement. Then, Vivian began to exin. Mr. Techres house is the richest family in the city. Hes a merchant who seems to be making a lot of money by doing marine business with both the Egelia Kingdom and the Elias Kingdom. Stearleana then took over from where Vivian had left off. But hes very well-mannered. He likes to hear stories from the customers he meets abroad, so Im sure itll be a pleasant surprise for him if we all go see him. Well, it might be a bit too early to go see him right now. It was about 6:30 AM. Though it seemed that the residents of Coupu were quite the early birds, it was still a little too early. Um, did you say you were a storyteller? Jin, who had been curious about it from the moment Vivian had introduced herself, finally asked her directly. Ah, thats right. Im a 32nd generation storyteller. Though Im still a bit inexperienced. Vivian replied with a bashful expression on her face. That was one of the other reasons we came here. Vi, could you tell my friends some of your old tales? Jin was overjoyed at Stearleanas unexpected request to Vivian. Particrly, Jin here is quite fond of old tales. Please? If youre the one asking, Stearly, how can I say no? So, what kind of story would you like to hear? Though her question had been quite abrupt, Jin thought for a moment and gave his reply. Id like to hear about the ancestors that came from beyond the sun If thats okay, of course. Vivian smiled pleasantly. Huh? Thats interesting. Usually, when peoplee asking for one of my stories, they want to hear about heroes conquering fierce dragons, or the story of a tragic love between a princess and a knight. I havent told many stories like the one youre asking, since theyre so old nobody can really tell whether theyre true or not. Vivian said that a storyteller is, in essence, a person who tells stories and teaches history to themon people who dont know how to read or write. But since youre asking, Id like to share a valuable story with you, one that isnt written in any book. Thats my biggest pride as a storyteller. Still smiling as she said that, Vivian slowly started to tell her story. A long, long time ago Our ancestors lived in anothernd. It was a paradise. People there could fly in the sky, and lift things without using their hands. They had attendants who looked like them, and their masters didnt have to do anybor on their own. There was no disparity of wealth among them, so they knew no conflict. Sickness and injuries were also strangers to them. People would spend their time absorbed in their hobbies, and colorful cultures flourished as a result. They thought that such days wouldst forever. However. Hundreds, maybe thousands of yearster. Their poption was slowly starting to decline. The reason for that was that fewer children were being born. People had long lives, but there were more people dying of old age than new children being born. And so, several hundreds of yearster Paradise was no longer a paradise. The poption had decreased to a thousandth of what it had been at its prime. And a fraction of those who remained had set their hearts on leaving their paradise. They built a ship that could fly in the sky and departed to the vast sky, searching for a new world. After a long, long journey, they found a new world. People have decided on one of the continents as their new home. The continent was uninhabited, with abundant nature and plentiful resources. Their ship remained in the sky watching over the new world, and people began their new lives there. Living in the new world wasnt as easy as they were used to, and some people chose to return to the ship and live there instead. But even then, hundreds of yearster, people were beginning to prosper once again in the new world. Taking their past as a lesson, they strived to not make their old mistakes again. And so, their poption started to rise for the first time in aeons, and they started to move to new continents. Several hundreds of years have passed since then And thats it. Vivians voice sounded almost apologetic. The story of what happened to those people after that hasnt been passed down to me. Thank you, Vi. Still, it was a fascinating story. Theres something about old stories that just stirs ones imagination! Yeah, they really are up to the listeners interpretation. It was a very interesting story. Everyone shared their own impressions about Vivians story. Of course, this is a story that has been handed down through many generations of storytellers. I dont know how much of it is actually true. However, Jin wasnt so sure about that. Maybe the moon is the spaceship those people used toe here? He muttered that as if speaking to himself. Chapter 476: Old Tales

Chapter 476: Old Tales

Huh? Saki asked Jin after overhearing his muttering. What did you just say, Jin? Im talking about the Lenard Kingdom. I was wondering why there would be a magic circle that teleports one to the moon ording to Jin, if the moon was a spaceship, it would make a lot of sense. I see. That still didnt answer the question of why none of them hade back to this world, but at least it was convincing enough to exin why there was a magic circle to go to the moon. Well, its not as if I can verify any of it What are you going on about? Vivian, who didnt know the whole story, tilted her head to the side in confusion. Ah, we went to the Lenard Kingdom the other day Stearleana exined what they were talking about. Oh, so thats what happened. Thanks. I see now. Vivian spoke with a soft smile on her face. Then she looked at everyone. Is there anything else youd like to hear about? Jin immediately replied to that question. Do you know any kind of folklore about demons? There was so much they didnt know about demons, that Jin thought he might as well try to get as much information as possible by asking Vivian. Demons huh? Yeah I have some scattered bits of that. Vivian thought for a moment, and then started talking again. The demons appeared hundreds of years before the Magic War. They came from the northern continent. Mankind had been heading north long before that, but no one knows what became of them. The demons possessed a powerful magical power that far surpassed that of mankind, and were also good at magical technology. In the beginning, they werent hostile. The humans would offer food to the demons, and the demons in turn would offer their knowledge in magical technology. After such a rtionship was established, it seemed that the two races could coexist. However, at one point in history, a decisive discrepancy took ce between these two races. What exactly happened hasnt been passed down, but it was beyond any doubt something that was enough to create hostility between mankind and the demons. After that happened, the two races became enemies, and the demons retreated to the northern continent. Thats all I have. Vivians voice sounded apologetic once again. This story is probably more than a thousand years old. And until the Magic War 300 years ago, the demons didnt seem to have any kind of rtionship with mankind. Thank you very much. Jin bowed in gratitude. After all, it seemed that since the demons lived in the northern continent, they were unable to procure enough food to be self-sufficient. On the other hand, their magical technology was advanced, and they surpassed humans in terms of magical power. Um Excuse me What have you been told about the Magic War? Elsa nervously asked Vivian. That was something Jin wanted to hear about as well. He was particrly hoping to get whatever information Vivian would have about the Ether Stampede. The Magic War, huh? Vivian started reciting for the third time. A little over 300 years ago, the demons once again came south. Their reasons were unknown. This time, the demons were extremely belligerent. The human towns that were closest to the northern continent were devastated, and their inhabitants massacred. Even human countries who were antagonistic to each other ended up joining forces under the Dinard Kingdoms leadership against their menace. But even then, the war was approaching its final stage, with mankinds position being at a clear disadvantage. The Ether Stampede that was eventually unleashed had seeded in destroying most of the invading demons. However, it also caused the death of about 60% of all human mages. Thus, the Magic War came to an end with an unprecedented catastrophe. I can only tell you this much. It wasnt very different from what was alreadymon knowledge. Do you know anything else about the Ether Stampede? It was the thing Jin was most concerned with. No, nothing else. In the first ce, the work of a storyteller is meant for themon folk, so no details of the war were handed down. Pretty much most of the magicians who knew about it have already departed from this world. I see Thats unfortunate. After all, it seemed that there would be no other way but to look for any written records of that time. But so far, they hadnt been able to find anything of the sort, even with the efforts of the Quinta. Thank you very much. Jin and the others once again bowed their heads in gratitude. Thanks, Vi. You must be tired. Why dont you try drinking some of this? Stearleana offered her a thermos filled with chilly, Hourai-Ind-specialty Pelshika juice. Thanks. Oh, yummy! It was a thick, rich-vored juice. It felt nice when going down the throat. And its abundant Ether gave vitality to those who drank it. Ah, Im so refreshed. Well, you should take good care of your throat, after all. Stearleana and Vivian smiled at each other. Well, then. Should we go study some cats? The time was 8 AM. It would be okay to walk around Coupu at this time. Everyone decided it was time to go take care of the reason for their trip here, which was to learn more about a cats movements and behavior. Do we even have anything to bring with us as a present for Mr. Techres? Smiling at Jins Japanesque concern, Vivian answered his question. Well, I did mention that he likes to hear stories from people he meets abroad. Hell be happy to meet you all. So dont worry about it. Also, she offered to show them there herself. After locking the front door, they followed an alley that led to the main street. A lot of people were walking on the main street, which was totally different from when they first came to Coupu. Several carts loaded with fish were alsoing and going. The street was full of life. They walked by the edge of the street so as to not get in the carts way. To Jin, it was somehow reminiscent of the streets of Japan. After walking on the main street for about 10 minutes, the surroundings started to look more like a residential area. And after another 10 minutes, they arrived at a mansion with a splendid front gate. This is the Techres residence. The estate had a surface of about 100 square meters, which is an exceptional size for something in such a remote area. Moreover, the building stones used seemed hardly weathered, which evidenced their regr maintenance. A gatekeeper was standing on the right side of therge gate. Good morning. Vivian greeted the gatekeeper. Good morning. Ah, but if it isnt Miss Vivian. What brings you here today? Im showing some friends from abroad around town. Is Lord Eckert home? The gatekeeper and Vivian seemed to know each other and their conversation had a friendly tone to it. Yes, he is. So, from abroad, you said The gatekeeper smiled as he looked at Jins party. Wee. Ill announce your arrival to Master Techres. Please wait a moment. With the ring of a bell, the gatekeeper called an errand boy. After the gatekeeper told him something, the boy ran towards the mansion. Chapter 477: The Techres House

Chapter 477: The Techres House

Jin and the others were quickly invited inside. They were led into a magnificent hall. There were many maids and servants, and a middle-aged man with pure white hair was standing at the other side of arge table. Wee, everyone. Im the head of this household. My name is Eckert Techres. He seemed to have the low-profile of like a merchant instead of the pride that rich people tend to have. His hair waspletely white, and his eyes were brown. He had a solid physical build. I recognize Miss Vivian, but I see we have a lot of new faces. My name is Jin. Im Elsa. Im Saki. Jin and the others introduced themselves. After Reinhardt and Berthie finished their introductions, Eckert invited them to take a seat. Reiko, Edgar, and the other attendants remained standing behind them. They all took a seat at the table, which was made of solid dark wood. Immediately the maid brought everyone something to drink. It was cold Kaffi. What do you think? This is some of our prized cold Kaffi. Eckert seemed to be a bit boastful about it, but since Jin and the others were aware of the existence of refrigerators, they werent as deeply impressed as he would have liked. Still, that didnt change the fact that the cold Kaffi was delicious. Eckert quickly noticed theirck of surprise, which made him look a little disappointed. Hmm, so cold drinks are not unusual to you, huh? Ah, but I should have expected that. Eckert upfrontly conceded defeat. Yeah, do you know about a thing called refrigerator? That quickly caught Eckerts interest. A refrigerator? Whats that? As the name implies, a refrigerator is a Magic Tool built as a cab that keeps things cold inside of it. It was created in Blue Land, in the Egelia Kingdom. Really! Hmph, Ive only reached as far as Fantole Town there, I should have done an extra effort and gone to Blue Land as well! Eckert seemed to be tremendously vexed. But he immediately got back on his feet. Ah, excuse me. Of course you would know of such exotic things. This is something to be happy about! Do you happen to know about other unusual Magic Tools or other devices? He had started to sound like an actual merchant trying to do business. Ah, so youve gone to the Egelia Kingdom by ship? Reinhardt was the one to speak up this time. Thats right. Its far more convenient than using the highway. So far, there were no restrictions on maritime traffic. This is because the Celuroa Kingdom was originally an ind country. The Korin region, where Coupu was located, which once was known as the Korin Kingdom, was considered as nothing more than a pivot point by the Celuroa Kingdom. For that reason, the regtions on maritime traffic were still a bit rough around the edges, which in turn made it possible for the areas maritime trade to flourish. Have you ever been to Potlock, in the Elias Kingdom? Potlock? No, Ive heard about it, but Ive never been there myself. Ah, thats a shame. An excellent shipbuilder called Marcia lives there. Earlier this year, Marcia had teamed up with Jin in a golem boatpetition in Potlock. Reinhardt and Elsa had teamed up and participated as well. Jin and Marcia won thepetition, with Reinhardt and Elsa taking as runner ups. From that moment on, Jin, Marcia, Reinhardt, and Elsa became friends. Thats why Reinhardt, using his skills as a diplomat, casually mentioned Marcia as a rmendation. Ohoho, I see Eckert seemed to be in a good mood. It looked like he was seeing an opportunity for good business within his reach. After that, Jin and the others went on having an unreserved conversation about various things Mr. Techres. Oh, its nearly time for lunch. Let me get it prepared for you. As Eckert pped his hands, his maids skillfully arranged tes for everyone on the table. After they were done, an attendant brought along a huge pot. Well, you might have already known about cold drinks, but what about this? A brown soup was served on their tes. It didnt have any garnish. But Jin remembered that scent very well. Miso soup? Oh? So you know about it, Mr. Jin? This is an ingredient I got from a certain contact the other day. He called it Bin Pei, but you just called it Miso. I think your name for it rolls easier on the tongue. Eckert was surprised. But Jin could only think of one thing. Can I try it? Of course. Please try it to your hearts content, everyone. Regardless of whether or not Eckert had finished saying that, Jin picked up his te and started sipping on the soup, which was very simr to miso soup. It was definitely a vition of manners, but Jin couldnt afford to worry about that. How is it? Elsa and Reinhardt also scooped up the soup that looked like miso soup with a spoon and brought it to their mouths. Its a little salty, isnt it? No, this is just about right. Ah, no, I mean, this is such an unusual vor Looks like this could be even tastier with a few more ingredients in. Everyone had given up their smoothed up impressions about it. However Its terrible. Jin couldnt help himself. J-Jin!? Reinhardt was surprised by his surprisingly upfront remark. The soup stock isnt good. Its too salty. Its been left to boil for way too long, and most of the aroma is gone. Jins criticism had been extra harsh because he had been yearning for some good miso soup for a long time. If its okay with you, would you let me prepare some miso soup? Oh? Yes, please. Go ahead! Rather than being offended by Jins words, Eckert nodded, seemingly looking forward to seeing what Jin would prepare. He then had one of his attendants show him to the kitchen. Ill help you as well, Jin! The Familys vor expert, Berthie, hurriedly went after him. Without either saying a word, Reiko and Neon followed along as well. Is this Miso? The miso that the head chef showed them once they got to the kitchen was quite fermented. Unlike soy sauce, miso is not heat-treated, so how well its fermentation process goes depends on how its stored. Yeah, but we can still use this. Jin confirmed this by dipping his finger in the miso and tasting it. First of all, the soup stock When there are no dried bonito kes nor kelp, one could always turn to dried sardines for the soup, but unfortunately, there were no dried sardines to be found either. Jin searched all over the kitchen looking for a substitute, and eventually came across a candidate. Dried fish? Drying was one of the many ways to preserve fish. A simple way to do so was by slicing freshly caught fish open, removing the internal organs and washing them with salt water. After that, one would simplyy them out under the sun and let them dry. Leaving the theory that drying fish in the sun caused proteins to dpose into amino acids, increasing the fishs vor, Jin realized he could use these dried fish as a base for the miso soup stock. Now, onto the other ingredients With a fish-based stock, the next ingredients would preferably be nt-based. Seagrass like wakame would have been a great choice, but eating seaweed didnt seem to be customary in this world. So in that case There was no tofu in this world either, so naturally, there would be no fried tofu. Hmm? Jin found a vegetable that looked like an eggnt. Alright, eggnt miso it is, then. Jin started to nimbly peel off the vegetables purple skin. Let me help you with that, Jin. Berthie offered to take care of peeling the eggnts while Jin dealt with the soup stock. She then soaked the chopped up eggnt-like vegetable in a bowl of water to remove their bitterness. In the meantime, Jin put the whole dried fish into a pot of boiling water, and after letting it boil for a while, he took out the fish and put in the eggnts Berthie had chopped up, and brought that to a boil. He didnt mind that the soup would get a little ckish. After boiling for about 2 minutes, he added the miso and turned off the heat just before boiling. If you let it boil after adding the miso, it will lose its aroma. Jin exined that to both Berthie and the head chef, who were looking attentively from the side. Alright, lets give this one a try. Neon carried the pot back to the table, where the maid started serving the new soup to everyone. The first one to try it was Elsa. Delicious! Reinhardt, Saki, Stearleana, and Vivian also took a sip and were surprised by the difference in vor. And the one that seemed to be the most surprised was Eckert. Oh, my! To think it could be this tasty! All you need to do is use a soup stock, and not let it boil after adding the miso. Just with that youll get a much better vor out of it. Since they werent particrly good at taking hot food, Jin and Berthie were slowly enjoying their miso soup. This time, the soup was tasty enough for Jin to be able to actually enjoy it. This could be turned into a local specialty! Of course, Eckert couldnt help but look at this soup with the eyes of a merchant. Chapter 478: Cat

Chapter 478: Cat

In addition to the miso soup, they had bread, grilled fish, sd, and fruit for lunch. Oh, Im not used to these luxuries. Eckert Techres was enjoying the same food Jin and his friends were having. After enjoying a leisurely lunch, they had some cold tea. They resumed their conversation while drinking it. Well, you said you had a request for me? Yeah, thats right. Following Eckerts lead, Jin was finally able to talk about what they hade here for. We were wondering if you wouldnt mind showing us one of your cats. Oh, so you know about cats? Sure, Id be delighted to. Smiling, Eckert signaled at one of the maids with his eyes, who in turn hurriedly left the run only to return just as quickly as she had left. This is one of my cats, her name is Aqua. She had the same name as a golem maid that Jin had made back on Hourai Ind. The reason for the cats name could be clearly seen by looking at her. She has such lovely eyes, doesnt she? She had beautiful light blue eyes. They look like Elsas eyes. Hearing Reinhardts remark, Elsa looked at the cats eyes. They do, a bit. Noticing that Elsa was looking at her, Aqua meowed at her. Would you like to hold her? Following Eckerts words, the maid handed Aqua to Elsa. Elsa timidly received Aqua in her arms. She could feel the weight and warmth of a living creature. So cute. Aqua seemed to be a docile cat, since even though she was being held by Elsa for the first time, she did not show any kind of difort. Far from it, she even reached out to Elsas face and nuzzled her nose. Haha, she seems to have taken a liking to you. She is the most docile and friendly of my cats. Eckert was smiling, happy to see that his guests were pleased with her pet cat. Can I hold her too? Berthie approached Elsa. Sure. Taking Aqua to her bosom, Berthies face couldnt hold her delight. Aww, shes so cute. I want to hold a baby like this with Reinhardt as soon as possible too. Her murmur hade out a little too loud for it not to be heard by the rest. Come on, now humph. Saki also fearfully tried to hold Aqua, and feeling the cat in her arms made her face all wobbly. After Stearleana and Vivian, it was finally Jins turn to hold Aqua. He was able to hold her without her getting her ws out. Then Transinfo Level 3 - Mild. He chanted that in a quiet voice so that Eckert wouldnt hear, and then copied the cats behavioral pattern onto a Magi Crystal that he had in his pocket. The Mild option was a measure to avoid both causing the cat to be startled and his face getting scratched. Though Level 2 would have been enough, Jin used Level 3 instead. Taking into ount that the information copied from a cat would be all jumbled up, he decided to use one level higher just to be sure. Thest of them to hold Aqua in his arms was Reinhardt. He had feared that she would get so scared that her hair would stand on end, but she proved to be gentle and friendly to him as well. Oh, shes so warm. She even began to purr the moment he started to stroke her under the chin. Aqua seemed to have taken a liking to not only Elsa, but to all of them. The purpose for their visit had been fulfilled, and there had also been some unexpected results. The time was 2 PM. Just when Jin was thinking it was about time they headed back Suddenly, an uproar seemed to have broken loose inside the residence, and the door of the hall was opened loudly and hurriedly. Master! Theres been an emergency! Whats this? We have guests here! Eckert yelled severely at the now-seemingly-embarrassed tradesman-looking man who had just stormed into the hall. Ah, Im truly sorry! But sir, the ship! Has there been an ident? Seeing that the tradesman appeared to be unable to finish speaking, Eckert made a guess, partially as a joke. But unfortunately, his guess had hit the mark. Ah, thats correct, sir! What!? Tell me more! The color on Eckerts face changed as he urged the tradesman to speak, almost as if he had forgotten that Jin and the others were still present. The scaffolding copsed, trapping ten of our workers under it! What!? Eckert got off the chair so fast that it almost fell, and then looked at Jin and the others. Please forgive my rudeness. It seems that theres been an ident. It was truly great to have you all here today. Thank you very much foring. As he tried to excuse himself from the hall with another example of his lighthearted manners, Jin called out to him. Wait, please! Is there anything we can do to help? Having people trapped under a copsed scaffolding sounded like the type of ident that was a matter of life and death. Jin wasnt so coldhearted that he could simply ignore such a thing. And his friends were the same. We can heal those who were injured in the ident. Thats right, weve heard what happened loud and clear. Please let us help in any way we can. Elsa, Saki, Reinhardt, and Berthie all expressed their willingness to help. Stearleana and Vivian soon followed. You cant hesitate when something as life-threatening as this happens. If you have anyints, please save them forter. The lives of those workers should be our first priority! After hearing everyones thoughts on the matter, Eckert made up his mind. Alright. Please bring your attendants along as well! Then he finally broke into a run, leaving the room. Jin and the others followed him. After going through the residences back door, a long corridor seemed to lead them towards a huge dock. Screams could be heard from that direction. As they arrived at the dock, all they could see was aplete disaster. In the center of the dock, there was a huge wooden ship that seemed to be under construction, and a wooden scaffolding had been built around it. But this very scaffolding seemed to have copsed halfway, and several workers had been pinned under it. Some of the ships building materials had been knocked over and were about to fall, so if things didnt go well, a second disaster would be likely to ur. Even among the workers that hadnt been caught under the fallen scaffolding, several had sustained slight injuries. The fallen scaffolding had also trapped several golem workers, which was causing them to malfunction. This is terrible A single look at that disastrous scene was enough to make Jin frown. Elsa and Saki had their breath taken away. Biting her lips, Berthie held tightly onto Reinhardts arm, and Stearleana and Vivian involuntarily pulled themselves closer together by their arms. Those who are safe, clear the debris away! Help those who are trapped under the scaffolding! After shouting hismand, he himself set out to the copsed scaffolding and reached out to it as if trying to move some of it out of the way, but at that moment The rest of the scaffolding that was still standing also copsed. Watch out! Schwartz Ritter had jumped in. His sturdy back caught the falling wooden girders. Ah, ah Eckerts face turned white as a sheet. Had it not been for Schwartz Ritters intervention, he would have been hit directly by the falling girders. Mr. Techres, please evacuate everyone. Well take it from here! At first, Eckart was hesitant about Jins words, but then Its much safer if we use our attendants to save the trapped workers! Those words had closed the deal, and Eckert finally nodded. Everyone, please take refuge outside of the dock! At their employersmand, theborers and engineers began to evacuate the dock. But Eckert stayed behind. Mr. Techres? Jin seemed a bit lost, but although Eckert still seemed a bit pale, his next words came out with an undaunting resolve. As their employer, Im responsible for their safety. I will see this through to the end. Resonating with his strong determination, Jin called out to his friends. Everyone! Lets help the injured! Chapter 479: Rescue Operation

Chapter 479: Rescue Operation

At the scene of the incident, Jin issued his instructions to Reiko and the others. Reiko and Noir, you two clear away the fallen scaffolding. Edgar and Ehr, you two take the injured out. Neon and Selene, you two go help Elsa. Elsa, you take care of the injured. Ok, understood. Reinhardt and Stearleana, us three are going to use the Engineering Magic spell Joint to temporarily fix the scaffolding to prevent it from copsing any further. Roger! Okay. Id also like to ask Saki to watch over the scaffolding, and Vivian to watch over the ship. Please let me know if you find any spots that seem to be about to copse. Leave it to me, Jin. Sure, I can do that. Jin stood at the farthest point. Reinhardt stood at the closest point. And Stearleana stood between the two, where it was easier to make sure that nothing would go unnoticed. The three of them started to use Joint at the same time in order to fix the scaffolding in ce. As the name implied, Joint was a spell that was originally used to join two separate pieces of non-uniform materials such as wood, so it could be used in this way as well. But to think you would suggest using a spell like this for this purpose. I have to take my hat off to you, Jin. The impressed Reinhardt murmured those words while holding the scaffolding in ce. Thats true. I wouldnt have expected any less from the Magi Craft Meister! Reinhardt quickly reproached Stearleana for carelessly saying that out loud. Stearna, thats a secret Ah. Fortunately, Eckert didnt seem to have heard her. Meanwhile, Reiko and Noir were able to effortlessly clear away the fallen scaffolding without even having to exert their full strength. Lady Elsa! Please prepare for healing! Okay. Cleanup Sterilization Heilung. Edgar and Ehr carried the injured from under the cleared scaffolding. Elsa cleaned and disinfected their wounds, and then cast her healing magic. Then, the workers who have had their wounds tended for were taken to a safe ce by Neon and Selene to lie down and rest. With this, they were able to rescue and patch up 8 out of the 10 workers that had been buried under the fallen scaffolding. The other two must be buried further below. It was a ce where the structural materials of the ship and the timber for scaffolding had piled up extremely high. Reiko, please. Noir, do it. The timber used for the scaffolding weighed at most 20 kg apiece, but the structural material of the ship easily exceeded 100 kg. Some items even weighed nearly 200 kg. Lifting items of such weight would be beyond the abilities of most golems. However, the Schwarz Ritter Noir, reinforced with materials from Hourai Ind, had more than enough power for the job. Besides, Reiko, AKA the walking absurdity was there as well. She lifted the materials weighing 100kg each and put them out of the way as if they were toy bricks. W-What in the world are you guys? Eckert couldnt believe what his eyes were looking at. The piled up structural materials of the ship and the scaffolding girders were cleared up in an instant. Miss Elsa! He isnt breathing! The worker that Edgar was carrying was no longer breathing. Diagnose Hell be alright. His heart is still beating. It was still too close for him. V?llig Genesung. Elsa used her strongest spell. After that, she leaned forward,pletely exhausted. She hadpletely used up her mana reserves. Elsa! Having somewhat finished reinforcing the scaffolding, Jin rushed towards her. Reiko, contact Laojun for me. Have him transfer over some Pelshika juice and healing salves. He should send them outside this deck so that no one notices. Understood. Reiko immediately went out of the dock and contacted Laojun using her built-in Mana Comm. After receiving the items requested by Jin, she quickly returned. Miss Elsa, please drink this. Thank you Reiko. It was Hourai Inds special Pelshika juice, which could restore the mana in ones body upon drinking it. Reiko also handed her a healing salve at the same time. As for thest remaining one, Noir cleared away the rubble of structural material, and Ehr carried him to safety. His wounds were tended to by using a healing salve. Is this all of them? All of the workers that had been injured during the ident had been treated, andy at the edge of the dock, in a non-hazardous area. Some of them started to regain consciousness. However, their physical strength hadntpletely returned to their bodies, so they couldnt stand up yet. After tending to the most severely injured workers, they went to take a look at the other injured people. Since their injuries werent too threatening, a healing salve for each would suffice. Reiko and Neon, you should go back to the site and take a good look. If theres any section that seems to be about to copse, please let me know. Understood. Lets go, Neon. Yes, Lady Reiko! Recently, Neon had started to call Reiko Lady Reiko. She cheerfully followed Reiko on their way back to the site of the ident. That ce over there seems dangerous. But its not so serious that it warrants bothering Father. Ill fix it myself. Joint. Reiko reinforced a small section of the scaffolding that seemed to be about toe crumbling down. After seeing that, Neon became absolutely thrilled. Whoa, you can use Engineering Magic too, Lady Reiko? Well, only a little bit. Amazing! Im impressed! Youre truly something else! When Neon had another upgrade the other day, her control core had been reced for a new one as well, and from that moment on, she started to behave in a more emotional manner. Apparently, back in the day, emotional programs were created to go along low-quality control cores. The recent upgrade had caused Neon to be easily excitable, akin to Berthies high-spirited nature. I think shes much cuter now, so thats okay. Berthie was very pleased with the change. On the other hand, Reiko had been set to prioritize a calm state of mind to better suit her duties as an assistant, so there was a certain contrast to Reiko and Neons interactions, which Berthie thought was adorable. Now, returning to the story Reiko and Neon continued to explore the ident site. They decided to go take a look around the ship that was under construction. The total length of the ship was about 40 meters, which is about the size of a pleasure cruise in modern Japan. It was exceptionallyrge for the ships normally found in this world. I wonder how it is powered. With that in mind, Reiko and Neon went around the ships bow and headed to the other side. There was a bit of debris left on this side as well, and even some scattered and stuck all over the ships hull. After finishing tending to those who had sustained minor injuries, peace and calm finally returned to the dock. Mr. Jin, I cant thank you enough! Eckert bowed wholeheartedly in gratitude to Jin and the others. If you all hadnt been here today, several workers could have lost their lives. Youve really saved us all. The injured were recovering, and there had been no casualties. After their rescue operation had concluded, Jin looked up to the ship that was under construction. Its big, isnt it? It was supposed to be built in secret, but well, now that youre all here, I guess the cats out of the bag. Eckert broke the silence as he started talking about the ship that was being built in his dock. We are building this in order to allow the town of Coupu to do business with the Egelia and Elias Kingdoms, and the Shouro Empire as well. Once this isplete, well have a ship that can carry our luggage and allow us to sleep inside it. With it, well certainly earn huge profits. Eckerts passion as a merchant was once again burning like fire. Currently, there are no checkpoints at sea, and there are nows that regte maritime transportation. Besides After a short pause, Eckert continued as if staring into a dream. I want to see the vastness of the ocean with my own two eyes The moment Reinhardt was about to say something in response to that, the dock shook. Or, to be more precise, the thing that shook was the halfway-built ship. The pedestal that was holding it in ce started to warp and bend, causing the ship to lean towards the floor. Towards Jin and the others. Someone screamed. The halfway-built hull, which seemed to weigh about 200 tons, loomed overhead as it began to fall menacingly over Jin and the others in a slow-motion fashion. Chapter 480: Then, A Conclusion

Chapter 480: Then, A Conclusion

Barrier. Reacting to the falling ship, Jin quickly deployed a barrier. Although invisible to the eye, the Covert Units who protect Jin and Elsa also set up a barrier and nestled up to Jin and others. Then, Jin took out the weight-reducing Magic Tool that was still in his pocket, and just when he was about to activate it The ship, which was supposed to have fallen by that moment, flew off toward the other side with a roaring sound. Some wood chips fell on the barrier, but it was as if nothing happened. W-What just The words simply escaped the mouth of the dumbfounded, yet still pale Eckert. Which wasnt surprising, since the 40-meters long ship had been utterly shattered into small pieces. Are you okay, Father? Of course, the one behind the ships destruction had been none other than Reiko. In order to protect Jin and the others, she delivered a powerful kick at the copsing ship, using almost all of her strength. As a result, the structural materials such as the ships core structural beam, which was 50 cm square, were blown apart from their joints as the force of Reikos kick was carried over to one side of the ship, causing all of the nks on that side to be shattered and sent flying all over the ce. Yes, Im okay. But I think you put too much power into your kick What remained no longer looked like a ship. It was just a pile of rubble. Though the ship was still under construction, Reikos kick had been so strong that it had left it in that state. Weve also found the culprit. What!? Someone had tampered with the tform that was holding the ship. At the same time as Reikos report, Neon dragged a fainted man along. This time, Eckerts face turned red with anger. You! Youre the manager, arent you!? Eckert immediately had an attendant report him to the town guards. After contacting the town guards, the magistrate in charge of the entire town of Coupu himself arrived, bringing soldiers along with him. That was how influential Eckert was. During that time, Jin and the others couldnt leave, so they instead offered their testimony in response to Eckerts request. Hm, so youre friends with Vivian, huh? Wait Arent you Stearleana Beta!? Stearleana was quite the celebrity in the Celuroa Kingdom. And the news that she had gone into exile or opposed her kingdoms nobility had not yet reached the southernmost parts of the kingdom. Though it could end up leading to some troubleter, at the moment Stearleana simply exined that she had already left her homnd. I dont know where to or for how long Ill be out, but Im still Stearleana, the Magi Craftswoman. Stearleana then exined everything they had seen on behalf of the rest of the party, and after hearing her entire exnation, the magistrate started to nod in understanding. So you used your golems and automata to rescue the people injured in the ident, huh. The testimony given by the renowned Stearleana Beta was convincing enough for him. Jin and the others were relieved since they hadnt been asked for their names. After regaining consciousness, the fainted man was subject to a brief cross-examination on the spot, where he eventually confessed having been sent by one of Eckertspetitors. All that was left from there was simply the administration of justice. Im sorry for having detained you here for so long. Please, stay here tonight. By the time the magistrate and his soldiers left with the apprehended culprit, dusk was already drawing near. So, taking up on Eckerts kind offer, Jin and the others decided to stay for the night. After a bath, dinner was served. Without dy, they were served miso soup again, but this time it had been made using a soup stock. The chef seemed to have remembered how Jin had prepared it earlier, and though it was loaded with leafy vegetables such as cabbage, this time it was delicious enough. The rest of the meal included venison steak, grilled dried fish, sd, and fruit. It wasnt a very extravagant dinner, but it had been prepared with high-quality ingredients. Truly, miso soup goes great with rice Jin couldnt remain silent. If youre looking for something that goes great with miso, you should really look into the grains they harvest in the southern region of the Shouro Empire. Eckert rejoiced at Jins advice. My, my! I cant thank you enough for all the great things youve been teaching me so far! After the fact that his presence in the dock had caused the destruction of the ship that was being built there, Jin felt a little relieved by Eckerts words. Although Jin himself hadnt caused it, Reiko destroyed the falling ship to save Jin and the others from getting crushed under it. Eckertughed heartily and cheered on Jin, almost as if he had read his mind. Mr. Jin, please think nothing of it. I dont think there was anything else to be done in that situation. Of course, its a shame that the ship was destroyed, but all I have to do is build it again. Im just thankful that everyone was rescued and no one died. Thank you very much. You saying that makes me feel at ease. Though I must apologize if anything Ive said hase across as rude. Please forgive me. Oh no, I really appreciate your frank opinions, and not just about miso. In fact, Im d that now Ive learned how to properly prepare miso soup. Jin had grown to like Eckerts personality. So he decided that hed help him out a bit. If thats okay with you, could you show me the blueprints for the ship? Reinhardt also reacted to Jins words. He was living up to his reputation as an engineering enthusiast. Oh, are you that motivated, Jin? Let me help as well! Jin smiled and nodded. After dinner, Jin and Reinhardt were invited to a separate room to see the blueprints. The dimensions of the ship were 40 meters long and 10 meters wide. The hull was 6 meters tall, and the total height of the ship including the cabin was 12 meters. Oh, impressive. Reinhardt was impressed at the ships size. There were no ships that big in this world Other than in Hourai Ind, that is. Jin, on the other hand, thought about asking a question that had urred to him when he saw the actual ship earlier that morning. What about its power? How does it move? The ships driving method wasnt detailed in the blueprints. Thats top secret. And that was Eckerts reply. Our Magi Craftsmen have devised a way to move it that is nothing short of ground-breaking. Thats all I can tell you. Since Eckert couldnt speak at liberty about it, Jin and Reinhardt decided not to press the matter any further. Though they guessed that some kind of propulsors would be installed at certain levels in the ships stern. Which is why they thought about giving Eckert some advice about the ships hull and its internal structure. They werent familiar with the structure keel building method, so they wouldnt talk about it, but even then, there was something that they were curious about. That was the fact that, despite being so big, the ships bottom was t. Thanks to that, the ship was not only easier to build, but it was also easy to make divisions inside it. However, with a 40-meter long ship, this could produce a problem with its strength. It should do well enough in waters with no waves, but theres always waves at the sea. This means that the hull will be constantly shaken up and down as it sails the sea. For the sake of argument, lets say that the bow is lifted by a big wave. The next moment, the bow would fall due to gravity, crashing into the surface of the water. When that happens, if the bottom is t, its surface would suffer a big impact as it crashes onto the water. Therefore, in order to lessen the impact on the hull, it ismon practice to build it in a V-shape instead. This was part of the fundamentals of naval architecture that Jin gained in the process of making a model ship. Of course, there would be no need to be concerned with that impact if its strong enough. However, the fact that the ship he had seen was entirely made out of wood was enough cause for concern for Jin. I see Eckert seemed to understand Jins exnation to some extent. He made a face as if he was thinking about something. I see what you mean, Mr. Jin. So I should either make it stronger, or change its shape altogether. Thats right. Ah, a piece of advice from me. If you want to make such a big ship, it would be nice to have more partitions inside so that each can be sealed hermetically. In the event of flooding, the possibility of the ship sinking would be reduced if the iing water were to be stopped by sealing the affected cabins shut. That was Reinhardts advice. Eckert seemed to be very interested in ships. He quickly understood Jin and Reinhardts suggestions. I see. Ive learned a lot from this conversation. I thank you two from the bottom of my heart. Id love to see the ship once itspleted. Haha, see it? Youll be one of its first passengers! After their conversation was over, Jin and Reinhardt were escorted to their appointed room. So, what is your guess, Jin? Once in their room, Jin and Reinhardt started to talk about the ships propulsion device, trying to guess what it was. At first I thought he would be using oars or paddles from each side of the ship, but that doesnt seem to be the case. This method was used for 10-meter long ships, such as patrol boats. One could think of them as some kind of galley. Yeah. There were no holes in the side tes. What I found curious was that ramp. Yeah, since there dont seem to be any propellers installed onto the ship, I think that something will be attached to that ramp. When ites to that, there arent many methods thate to mind. What if, for example, something like Loreleis lower half were to be attached there? Reinhardt spoke of his idea as if it were something extravagant. However, after giving it a good thought, Jin thought something like that actually wouldnt be that crazy. I see. Something like imitates a fishtail? Yeah. I dont think it would be too bad of an idea. Jin and Reinhardt agreed that Eckert must havee up with something like that as a method for moving the ship, since it was something that had been created through Engineering Magic rather than through a scientific technique. Chapter 481: Preparations

Chapter 481: Preparations

Afterwards, the only thing weighing on the minds of Jin and the others was what they were going to do about Vivian. The magistrate was aware that Stearleana hade to Coupu to pay her a visit. Eventually, word about Stearleanas defection would reach this town, and when that happened, it could cause quite a bit of trouble for Vivian. I have to discuss this with the others. With that, Jin asked Reiko and Noir to call on the rest of the girls, and they all started to discuss what to do with Vivian. Why dont we ask her to leave the country with me? Stearleana shared her idea. That doesnt sound half bad They had already shown to Vivian that day that Jin and the others werent just ordinary people. However, it would still be too early to talk to her about Hourai Ind. Sensing Jins worries about the matter, Reiko offered him a word of advice. (Laojun says that since shes a storyteller, she knows a lot about the past, so its okay to tell her as much as about Warp Gates.) (I see) There were a few people outside of Hourai Inds Family who knew about Warp Gates. Vivina seemed to be as trustworthy as those people. (So it should be okay to treat Warp Gates as artifacts when talking to Vivian about them) On that line, Jin thought about having Vivian escape to the Shouro Empire, just like Stearleana, and concluded this topic with an open remark. In that case,e with us tomorrow. Ok, sure. Ill take care of getting you a ce to live. Reinhardt beat on his own chest as he dered that. Wee on board, Vivian. Berthie cheerfully followed up on her husbands words. By the way Unable to hold it any longer, Reinhardt opened his mouth. What is it? Elsa, Saki, Berthie, Stearleana, and even Vivian. Each of them had a small animal either in their arms, on theirps, or snuggled up to their feet. Huh? These are cats, you know? Berthie replied nonchntly. No, I know theyre cats. But why are there so many of them? There was literally one cat for each of the girls. While you two were gone, Mr. Techres had one of his maids take us to the room where he had all of his cats. There were dozens of cats in there. We all grew attached so much to these little ones, that we ended up bringing them here with us. Elsa and Saki offered their exnations. The white cat from that morning, Aqua, was on Elsasp. Saki had an orange tabby. Berthie had a ck cat, and Stearleana and Vivian had made friends with a white cat each. They seem to be enjoying themselves as well. Yeah. With a blissful expression on her face, Elsa nodded while stroking Aquas soft back. The next morning, after being treated to a nice breakfast, Jin and the others thanked Eckert before leaving. Well Weve more or less fulfilled our goal here, and weve seen some interesting things. Reinhardt nodded at Jins words. Thats right. Weve seen a ship, and weve seen some cats. Weve also enjoyed some nice miso. Jin asked to take a little bit of the leftover miso with him. By using this, it may be possible to get some proper koji mold from it. And that mold could then be used as a starter to make even more miso. After that, to be able to produce soy sauce was a matter of time. Sadly enough, he wasnt able to take one of Eckerts cats back with him. Pleasee visit me again some other time. Eckert seemed to have taken a liking to Jin and the others, as he had a reluctant expression on his face as he saw them off. The first thing they did after that was to go back to Vivians house. The invitation to leave the country together with Stearleana was still standing, and Jin and the others were in full support of it. Splitting into groups, they quickly took care of packing everything up. Since Reiko, Noir, Neon, and Ehr were there, it wasnt much of a big deal. Still, going out the front door with all that luggage was definitely going to draw a lot of unwanted attention. Should we bring a Warp Gate here? There were still a few hours of daylight until they could go out unnoticed. Because of that, Jin was trying to think of a way to bring a Warp Gate to their current location. The idea was to simply have Reiko receive it outside Vivians house. The parts were sent immediately, and she retrieved them while being careful not to let anyone see her doing so. It would be a piece of cake for Reiko to reassemble the Warp Gate. She borrowed one of Vivians rooms and was finished in about five minutes. Father, everythings ready. Oh, good job. While Reiko was working, Jin talked to Vivian about Warp Gates. ording to his exnation, Warp Gates were ancient artifacts. He happened to have arge number of them under his possession, and was freely able to use them. And as long as Jin was with them, others could use the Warp Gates as well. You said theyre called Warp Gates? Ive heard old tales about them! Thats amazing! Vivian seemed to be very excited to see the magic tool of legend. Stearleana was smiling silently. First Berthie disappeared through the Warp Gate, then Reinhardt followed behind her. Well, lets go. Stearleana grabbed Vivian by the hand and took her through the Warp Gate. This time around, the Warp Gate was set to take them directly to Reinhardts house instead of going through Shinkai first. Then followed Edgar, Ehr, Noir, and Neon, all of them taking Vivians luggage with them. Elsa and Saki entered the Warp Gate after them. Before going in himself, Jin left some instructions behind. Covert Units Elm and Ash, you stay here. After Reiko walks through the Warp Gate, take it apart and wait here, then use the Falcon to return home. Yes, chief! Jin then entered the Warp Gate, leaving the invisible Covert Units behind with their instructions. Finally, Reiko took her leave. The destination Warp Gate was currently installed in the basement of Ranken Haus, Reinhardts manor. The party headed to the first floor as soon as they left the Warp Gate. They soon appeared at the entrance hall. Make yourself at home, Vivian. Thank you. The only other person who was currently in Reinhardts house was his private secretary, Adberg. He hadnt still been able to bring himself to employ people from the vige. Even then, since Reinhardt had ns to reactivate the viges economy, they would eventually have to find capable people from within the vige as well. Weve only recently finished conducting a census here. Reinhardt admitted to that with a hint of embarrassment on his face. Wee home, Lord Reinhardt. A maid automata hade to meet the party, attracted by the ruckus made by their arrival. This is an automata Ive built recently. Her name is Vera. Reinhardt did the introductions. He then exined that since there was a Warp Gate in his house, automata were more reliable than strangers when it came toing and going around the house. The maids purple hair could make the fact that she wasnt human stand out all the more. She had ck eyes, and was wearing a standard maids outfit. Im Vera. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Despite his busy schedule, Reinhardt was still an engineering enthusiast, and seemed to have been making automata of his own right under everyones noses. The time difference with Coupu was about 2 hours, so the current time was 7 AM. Im sorry, but Vivian, Stearleana, could you both apany me to the capital? Id like to report your arrival before the day is over. Yes, of course. The two readily consented to Reinhardts request. In that case, Reinhardt, Ill be going home for now. Can you please announce at the capital that I might go visit Her Majesty tomorrow? Reinhardt nodded as soon as he realized Jin seemed to have something in mind. Got it. Ill sign you up for an audience at 1 PM tomorrow. Thats okay with you, right? Thank you. Reinhardt, Stearleana, and Vivian headed for Roizart, and Jin, Elsa, and Saki went to Hourai Ind. Saki would then go back home from Hourai Ind. Well, Jin, Ill be going back home now. Now that they were alone, Elsa asked Jin. Brother Jin, you said you would be travelling to Roizart tomorrow, but What for? Ah, Ive been thinking about going to exin all that weve found about demons. Then I had another idea. Another idea? Yeah. But in order to realize that idea, I need to do some preparations. Perhaps you could help me, Elsa? Yeah, sure. Im counting on you too, Reiko. Yes, of course. With the help of Reiko and Elsa, Jin started making some kind of magical tool. Chapter 482: One Step Forward

Chapter 482: One Step Forward

The next day, on the noon of July 27th, at the capital city Roizart Reinhardt was waiting for Jin at the public square that was in front of the Imperial Pce. I thought hed be here by now Two hours before, Jin had told him via the Mana Comm that he would be arriving around noon. Master Reinhardt, over there. Noir, who was standing next to him, pointed at the western sky, just above Lake Tosmo. A blimp? There was something flying in the sky. No, its a bit too small And theres two? There were actually two of those flying machines. And they were getting closer and closer. At that moment, a blue-haired automata appeared beside Reinhardt. It was Ann. Master Reinhardt, Lady Elsa and Master Jin are currently riding those flying balloons. Please tell everyone in the castle. G-Got it. Reinhardt hurriedly went to the closest Imperial Guard he could find. He then told him that those were flying balloons, and that Jin, the Magi Craft Meister, was currently on one of those balloons. Then, he told the guard to ry that information to the other guards. Since it was Jin, Reinhardt didnt think his aircrafts would be damaged if the guards were to try to shoot them down, but just to be as sure as he could, he also told the guard to report it to the empress as well. A few minutester, the flying balloons flew just above Reinhardts position. So, youve gone and made yet another new thing, Jin Turning around to the familiar voice, Reinhardt found the current Empress of the Shouro Empire, Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro, standing behind him. Naturally, she was escorted by five Imperial Guards. Hmm, arent those the same flying balloons the Unifiers used to use for aerial transportation? The one who said that was the Minister of Magi Technology, Degauss Furt Von Maniss. There are two of those. Lord Jin is in one of them, and in the other one Lady Elsa, perhaps? That was the chancellor, Jung Fowls von Kebsler. There were many other people, including Christoph, who was the Vice-Minister of Magi Technology, and the Captain of the Imperial Guard. Everyone seemed to have dropped whatever they were doing toe rushing outside upon hearing that Jin wasing from the sky. The flying balloons that Jin and Elsa were flying on slowly began to descend, and finallynded in the middle of the public square that was in front of the Imperial Pce. The door of their gonds opened, and Jin and Reiko appeared from one of them, while Elsa and Edgar came out of the other one. Wee, Jin Nidou! What a surprise! The empress was the first one to receive them. Jin and Elsa bowed to her in response. Your Majesty, Im sorry for the sudden visit. Dont worry about it. You the Magi Craft Meister and an Honorary Knight of this Empire. Of course I would personallye here to greet you. After the flying balloons had deted, Jin removed something that looked like a Magic Tool from them, and turned to the empress. Your Majesty, could I entrust these flying balloons to your care? Of course. The empress then chose two of her guards and had them take care of the flying balloons. After that, everyone went into the Imperial Pce. Once again, I apologize for the sudden visit. The first thing Jin did after they all arrived at the conference room next to the empress office and everyone else had taken their seats. Dont worry about it. Is there some pressing matter? With a friendly tone of voice, the empress urged Jin to talk. Thank you. There are a number of topics Id like to discuss with you all. Ill start with a report about the demons. Yes, I received a letter from Lord Makinast night. A demon had appeared in the Klein Kingdom. In order to increase the storys credibility, Jin had already reported the incident using the Makina alias. Is that so? Well, in fact, the other day, in the Celuroa Kingdom Jin then started to exin the events that urred in the Celuroa Kingdom, which ultimately resulted in Stearleanas defection from her own country. There were nows in the Shouro Empire criminalizing illegal immigration. Reinhardt had personally verified that as well. For that reason, the empress said nothing to that effect. But she was still skeptical about the news regarding the demons. Hmm, I dont know about that I know we have no concrete evidence to support this. As a preface, he added that the demons might have been pulling Marcus strings as well. We cant overlook this! The chancellors expression changedpletely. We still dont know what the demons true goals are, but judging how theyve been acting across these countries, its not likely to be anything friendly. Hmm, I agree. Do you know anything else about them? Yes, I have some info about the magic they can use. Lord Makina has also provided some information about that in his letter. He wrote about gravity magic, teleportation, and explosion magic. Of course, Jin had already informed them about that beforehand as well. Yeah, and their power is not to be underestimated. We cant be too careful about them. At any rate, we need to be careful in case we have some undercover demons in our midst. The empress had a troubled expression on her face. Thats what I think. And it makes me wonder if we need to discuss not only within the Shouro Empire, but with the other countries as well. Hmm, thats right. Your Majesty, lets bring this to the table during our next scheduled meeting this afternoon. The Mana Phone, which Jin had distributed to each country through the Nostalgia Party, was used as an effective means ofmunication between each country. First of all, the scheduled phone meeting. Due to time differences, the time at which it takes ce would be slightly different, but in the case of Roizart, the capital of the Shouro Empire, the calls with the Kingdoms of Celuroa, Egelia, Franz, Klein and Elias were scheduled to be held at 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. For instance, the time difference from Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom, which is the most eastward of the countries, is 2 hours and 40 minutes. In other words, the scheduled times in Alban would be 10:40 am and 4:40 pm. With this, the Shouro Empire and the small countries would work together against the demons ns. Next, I have a gift for you. The empress was quick to guess. Could it be youre giving me one of those flying balloons? Correct. The empress was so overjoyed that she seemed about to hug Jin tightly. Really? Amazing! Thank you, Jin! No, a mere thank you wont do. How can I repay you? Ill do anything I can. Well, I do have one request. What is it? The empressposed herself and showed her willingness to listen to Jin. I would like to have a permit that allows me to freely enter and leave the Shouro Empire. And, if possible, I would like that permit to be extended to my friends as well. Hmm, I see. Thats what those flying balloons are for. The chancellor seemed to have guessed the true meaning behind Jins chosen method of transportation foring here today. Correct. Traveling through the air effectively ignores checkpoints. I was hoping there was some kind of permit so that entering the country wouldnt be considered as illegal entry. Jin then continued by saying that he intended to send two flying balloons to both the Egelia Kingdom and the Klein Kingdom each. I see, something that works for you to be able to enter a country that recognizes you as the Magi Craft Meister, right? And youll then be asking the same of the other countries? Thats right. This is what he had consulted with the Laojun, Ann, and Elsa the previous night. Instead of secretly going back and forth all the time, it was better to move across countries by using his status as the Magi Craft Meister. After that, he was nning to make an approach about this in the Elias Kingdom as well. Understood. Well, as for your friends, how does being able to take up to 10 of them as long as theyre apanied by you sound? Yes, thats great. Thank you very much. The empress thenmanded the chancellor to take care of the required paperwork as soon as possible. By the way, though they are flying balloons, Id prefer if we could call them hot air balloons instead, to differentiate them from the ones the Unifiers used to use. Jin began to exin the basics of hot air balloons. That sounds like a more fitting name, dont you think? Since the balloon is inted with hot air Thats right. The ones used by the Unifiers relied on fire magic to generate the hot air that would inte the balloon, but my hot air balloons are different. Hmm Can you borate? The Minister of Magi Technology, Degauss, leant forward in curiosity. Ah, sure. Id like to do that by showing it to you in practice. Okay, in that case, lets go to the public square just outside of the Imperial Pce! By Her Majesty the Empress final word, everyone present headed back outside towards the public square. Chapter 483: Above The Sky

Chapter 483: Above The Sky

After they had all arrived at the public square in front of the Imperial Pce, Jin began his exnation. Elsa worked as his assistant. Ill briefly exin how its made. First of all, this air sac is essentially a bag that stores hot air. Any cloth that is light, durable and heat resistant will do just fine, but this one uses sandworm hide. Sandworms were monsters that were local to the Shouro Empire, and lived in the western Baribari Desert. Their hide was durable enough to withstand Reikos blows. I see, youve chosen a material that could be obtained in this country. The Minister of Magi Technology, Degauss, nodded profusely in agreement. Jins airship used rare materials, such as Ground Spider threads, which couldnt be easily replicated. Then, Ive used these ropes to attach an elliptical gond to it. Thats all for the materials used to make the hot-air balloons structure. Next, Ill be exining how to actually use them. Jin pointed at the Magic Tool attached underneath the air sac. This reacts to the Engineering Magic spell, Heat. A fire-based Magi Stone serves as an engine. All you need to do to start it up is to operate this lever here. Raising the lever attached to the heating magic tool would start heating the air, and lowering it stopped it. By adjusting to the right position, one could keep the altitude constant to some extent. I see, so it ascends by applying the principle that air bes lighter and rises as its temperature increases. Ive just recently learned about that from Fuhrer. It seemed that Fuhrer was being able to pass on his knowledge without issues, as Jin had hoped. Just in case, its perfectly safe to have someone who can use the Heat spell on board. This is Engineering Magic, and at the same time, it is a beginner spell of the fire attribute, so there will definitely be some people who can use it. Hmm, thats right. Just from our sorcerers, 1 out of every 3 of them can use that spell. Degauss spoke confidently. And this is the hot-air balloons propulsion device, Wind Thruster. Back when he was making his airship, these devices used to be called Magi Propeller. Propulsion is gained by using the Blower spell to narrow down the wind in the desired direction. As Jin verified long ago, regr wind magic had the ability to negate recoil. However, if the wind speed were to be increased by passing the generated wind through the duct then narrowing said duct, the increased wind speed would generate a certain amount of recoil. As a result, it was possible for Jins hot-air balloons to achieve a maximum speed of about three times that of the Unifiers flying balloon, which were mainly at the winds mercy. If you ride the tailwind and use its wind thruster, its possible to get a velocity over 50 km/h. It should reach a speed of 30 km/h when theres no wind. Hmm, its pretty fast. Its also very efficient since it can move freely, without being obstructed by the city buildings. Yes. However, it may be too dangerous to fly on this when the wind is too strong Thats understandable. Well be careful. Also, I have prepared this heavy bolt attached to a strong rope. In case of an emergency, you can use this ballista to shoot the bolt into the ground, effectively anchoring the hot-air balloon. I see, that works just like a boats anchor. After giving a detailed exnation of how to operate the hot-air balloon and its precautions, Jin decided it was time to get some actual flying. Chancellor Jung Fowles and Minister Degauss boarded one of the balloons. Jin, Reiko, and Elsa would follow them on the other balloon. The empress herself wanted to get on a balloon as well, but after hearing the protest from the chancellor, the minister, and the captain of the Imperial Guards, she reluctantly refrained from doing so. Okay, now please raise the lever all the way up. Jin activated the heating device of the hot-air balloon he was riding. Then, Degauss raised the lever on his side as well. } As a result, the device immediately started heating the air, and the heated air began to umte inside the air sacs due to the effect of the Blower spell stored in the Magic Tool. The air sacs became inted very quickly. The inted air sacs slowly began to rise. Then, thanks to the tight ropes that connected them, the gonds started to shake. More and more heat was sent in. The air sac, filled to the brim with lightened hot air, finally lifted the gond from the ground, thus officially starting to float in the air. Its flying! Ah, theyre leaving I wanted to fly too The empress, showing traces of regret, had no choice but to see them off as they started to fly away. Your Majesty, please consider your position The captain of the Imperial Guard said that with a slightly tired-sounding voice. I want to get on one of those hot-air balloons, no matter what! As the chancellor and the minister of Magi Technology returned to the ground after having learned the basics of how to operate a hot-air balloon, the empress said that almost as if begging to everyone around her. Back when Jin showed us his airship, I was able to get on it, but I couldnt get higher than a few meters, remember? I thought Id get the chance to fly in the sky for real this time Your Highness Both the chancellor and the minister of Magi Technology, who had just returned from their flight, could sympathize with the empress feelings. And they came to a conclusion after some careful consideration. Your Majesty, if you really want to get on a hot-air balloon, perhaps connecting both of them with a rope would considerably reduce the risk of something going wrong. They considered the fact that even if one of the balloons were to be about to crash, the other one would be able to soften its fall. To make it as light as possible, Your Majesty should go together with Jin and his automata, Reiko. Degauss should go on the other one. This was the chancellors proposition. Yes, thats fine. Atst Ill be able to soar high into the sky! Well, I see you are in very good spirits. Jin Nidou, please take good care of Her Majesty. S-Sure. Jin got in first and extended his hand out to the empress. She was then gently pulled into the gond by Jin. Then Reiko got in, closed the door and locked it. Well then, lets go. After giving a sign to Minister Degauss, they raised the heating lever all the way up at the same time. The two hot-air balloons became inted in unison. In addition, Jin had Reiko provide additional heating to their hot-air balloon. This was due to the balloon they were on was heavier than the one Degauss was on. Reiko did this by using the Heat spell. Eventually the hot-air balloons lifted off the ground. Its flying! Its flying! The empress was frolicking like a small child. The balloons were ascending slowly. At an altitude of about 30 meters, Jin slowed down and activated the wind thruster. Whoa, its moving! Two hot-air balloons were moving toward Lake Tosmo. Their altitude was still rising slowly, and were now about 50 meters above the ground. From the way theyre made, its difficult to keep a constant altitude at all times. Jin was exining some things to keep in mind when flying on a hot-air balloon. I see. If it goes up too much, the heating would get weaker, causing it to go down, and as it goes down, the heating would rise, causing it to go up again. The lush Lake Tosmo could be seen in the distance. The flight was stable, and Jin left control of the hot-air balloon in Reikos hands. Reiko, take care of the controls for a moment. Yes, Father. Jin had guessed that the empress wanted to discuss something with him. Thank you, Jin. Ah, at longst, my wish has been granted, Thend is so vast and wide Looking down on her country from the sky, the empress thanked Jin with a soft voice. Youll be giving more of these hot-air balloons to the kingdoms of Egelia and Klein, correct? Yes, thats the n. Well, I understand, but it still saddens me a little. I wanted to think that only our country would be getting one of these. The empress remarks immediately denied Jins perception of her having something to talk to him about. But I shouldnt be saying that. Nows the time for all of the countries to join forces against the threat posed by the demons. Yes. We humans managed to win the Magic War by the skin of our teeth, and even then, a great sacrifice was needed to achieve that. I can only wonder what will happen from now on I do think that once we find out what the demons are after, we might just be able to settle things peacefully, though. Jin shared his opinion with the seemingly uneasy empress. Well, there are many people in thisnd that think like you. But that is a personal wish. As the empress, I have a duty to protect the people. At the very least, in the event of a war, we have to be prepared to reduce damage as much as possible. Jin felt the same way in that regard. The numerous instations on Hourai Ind could be considered military power, but were focused on defense rather than attack. After a brief moment of silence, the two hot-air balloons arrived at the sky above Lake Tosmo. It was a day almost devoid of wind, so their current speed was about 25 km/h. It was about time Jin and the others turned around and returned to the square. Aw, were heading back so soon? I wanted to fly for a little while longer, but I guess it cant be helped. Yes, Im afraid this will have to do for today. Minister Degauss, who was on the hot-air balloon that was connected to the one Jin and the empress were in, seemed to be relieved to hear that. Say, Jin. Do you have any ns for getting married? The empress had abruptly changed the subject. Huh? Ah, no. Not for now, at least. The question hade as a surprise to Jin, whose face showed a slight hint of dismay. What about Elsa? Dont you two have something going on? Not at all! Jin vigorously shook his head in denial. The empress was confused by his reaction. Really? But shes such a nice girl Elsa is like a younger sister to me. Still, the empress pursuit didnt stop there. You may say so, but youre not rted by blood. Or could it be that theres some otherdy from another country that youre more interested in? Why are you bringing this up? Theres no one like that in my mind. Oh, but I was just thinking how nice it would be for you to find a bride within the Shouro Empire. That way our country can have you all to itself. Please stop Jin refused to continue that conversation, stating that though he could sympathize with the empress intentions, being approached about that topic made him feel ufortable. But youre at a fine age to get yourself a wife. Or maybe youre not interested in women in the first ce? The empress pursuit only became even more relentless. To be honest, I dont have those kinds of urges. Jin spoke frankly about himself. Chapter 484: At The Lake

Chapter 484: At The Lake

Upon hearing that Jin had no desire to be with a young woman, the empress opened her eyes widely. Wait, Jin So thats what it is? What do you mean by it? Jin had no other answer to such a question. The empress then tried again from a different angle. So if its not a young woman, then maybe you like them even younger, or perhaps you like them older Thats not what Im saying. T-Then Could it be that youd prefer thepany of a man instead? Why are you drawing these weird conclusions? Jin was utterly confused. He had never expected the wise and dauntless empress to suddenly start talking about those kinds of things. Certainly you dont prefer automata Please stop The empress then easily realized that Jin was being serious, so she decided to drop this conversation. (Actually, she figured Jin would eventually end up together with either Elsa or Saki, so there was no point trying to get anything else out of him.) Without putting thatst thought into words, the empress then changed the topic. Theres so much we dont know about demons. Im a bit worried. R-Right. But Ill do everything in my power to help. Hearing that from you feels as if I had an army of thousands behind me. Our country will do as much as we can as well, so if you need anything from us, just say the word. Yes, when ites to that, I will. After that, they traveled in silence for another while. Then, as soon as the Imperial Pce came into view as a tiny speck in the horizon I want power. A small voice escaped from the empress lips. Power, huh? Yes, power. Human resources, economy, weaponry. I wish I had more and more power so that I can better protect my people. Jin couldnt say anything in response to the words that hade out from the innermost depths of the empress heart. However, through Reikos ears, those words were tightly grasped by Laojun. The hot-air balloons had safelynded on the public square in front of the Imperial Pce. The Chancellor rushed to meet the empress as she stepped down from the gond by Jins hand, who helped her after getting down himself. Your Majesty, Im d youve returned safely. Yes, thank you. It was a veryfortable flight, with no danger whatsoever. The empress turned around and smiled at Jin. Thank you very much, Jin Nidou. Everyone then went back to the conference room inside the Imperial Pce. Stearleana and Vivian were waiting for them in the room. Jin, Vivian here has be the Shouro Empires second registered foreign citizen. The empress herself exined that. The overly friendly chancellor seemed to have a troubled expression on his face. Ah, thats good news. Will you be epting more people seeking asylum from now on as well? Jin had asked that question in a casual tone, yet the empressughed as she replied. Yes, thats right. As long as they really need our help. That made Jin remember that there was a rumor that Her Majesty had the ability to determine a persons true nature simply by looking at them. In that case, she would be able to see clearly if a person seeking asylum was actually trying to infiltrate the Shouro Empire as a spy or otherwise trying to cause harm. If the rumor was true, it would bring Jin some peace of mind. (After all, he had quite a lot of friends in the Shouro Empire.) It was no wonder that Jin wanted to support them as much as possible. there. As he was immersed in his own thoughts, Jin ended up failing to hear some of the empress remarks. It had been a very disrespectful thing for him to do. However, the empress -whether she had perceived Jins inner dismay or not- cleared her throat and rephrased herst statement. In other words, From now on, I intend to leave dealing with those whoe to the Shouro Empire seeking asylum to Reinhardts family, the Randall House. Im taking into ount the fact that Reinhardt himself is a very aplished diplomat, you know? Stearleana, and then Vivian. The Shouro Empire had taken two refugees in a considerably short period of time. Given the instability of the Celuroa Kingdom, it wouldnt be too farfetched to think that more of their inhabitants coulde to the Shouro Empire seeking asylum in the near future. Because of that, the empress figured that it would be best to leave the matter in the capable hands of the Randall family. Jin was relieved to know that that was the Shouro Empires position in the matter. After all, they always had the option to not take any refugees and simply send them back to their country of origin. It seemed that the Shouro Empire prioritized securing human resources over maintaining good rtions with the Celuroa Kingdom. Jin had the honest impression that having any kind of normal diplomatic rtions with the current Celuroa Kingdom would be something very hard to realize. So its settled, then. Reinhardt, Ill be sending a letter of appointment to your father, Count Randall, shortly. The chancellor was the one to end the conversation with that remark. After staying the night in one of the Imperial Pces guest rooms, they departed the next morning. Thanks to that, they were able to arrive at Koju with ample time before noon. Oh, theres three paddle steamers now? Jin sounded impressed. There were two more paddle steamers floating on the water that looked very simr to the Scarlet Trail made by Reinhardt. Oh, Ive been thinking about taking water transportation of Lake Tosmo upon myself in the future. As a Magi Engineer, this makes me happy. But I might have to apologize to you, Jin. Apologize? What for? Reinhardt met Jins puzzled face with a serious expression. For the mass production of paddle steamers. However, Jinughed it off. Theres no need for that. You just said it yourself, Reinhardt. To be able to do something that can be useful for the people is the Magi Engineers joy. Im d you see it that way. Though I do have some ideas about how you can make this even better. Ah, thats great! Why dont you tell me about it once we get on board and head for Vanne? Stearleana and Vivian looked at those two from a distance with a half-jealous and half-shocked look on their faces. Master Reinhardt, were ready to depart. Good work. Well, everyone, shall we get going? Reiko, Jin, Stearleana, Vivian, Noir, and finally Reinhardt boarded the Scarlet Trail, which left the shore soon after. The Scarlet Trail was characterized by being faster than other paddle steamers since it was powered by the mermaid-type golem Lorelei. The wind over Lake Tosmo was cool and refreshing, even in the middle of summer. Stearleana and Vivian enjoyed the trip over theke with the wind behind their backs. Meanwhile, Jin and Reinhardt You can cover the paddle wheels by extending the deck over them I see, that also makes it easier to get on and off the boat Youll also want it as a means to avoid sshing water all over the deck. Ah, thats right They spoke of nothing else during the entire trip from Koju to Vanne. They really get along well, dont they? Vivian already was beyond amazed. Thats a good thing. Its proof that were at peace. Stearleana smiled as she replied. The future was shrouded in an unpredictable darkness. But the light that illuminated it was definitely right there with them. Chapter 485: The Klein Kingdom And The Hot-Air Balloon

Chapter 485: The Klein Kingdom And The Hot-Air Balloon

Whats that? Jin is bringing a what? A hot-air balloon, you say? During the scheduled call on the afternoon of July 27, the Shouro Empire informed the two kingdoms of Klein and Egelia about the gift received from Jin named hot-air balloon. At the same time, the two kingdoms also received the news about the demons, which matched with what Makina had informed them about in his letters, which made their leaders grow nervous. However, the kingdoms of Klein and Egelia were far away from demon territory, so their degree of nervousness was greatly different. At 10 AM of July 29, in Alban, capital city of the Klein Kingdom Oh, here hees! Whoa, Jin and the others are really all the way up there. Its been a long time Amazing Arge number of Royal Guard Knights, Prime Minister Powell, Princess Lieschen, Prince Ernest of the Egelia Kingdom, and Lithias father, Nicus Farheight, were all waiting for Jin to arrive in the square in front of the Royal Castle. Prince Ernest was visiting the Klein Kingdom to spend some time with Princess Lieschen. Nicus was there as well because he was one of the people who had seen the Unifiers flying balloons during the battle in Tetrada. As they stood there watching, the hot-air balloon on which Jin was ridingnded in the center of the square. Only Jin and Reiko hade this time around. This was because there was a lot of luggage. Also, Elsa stayed in the Shouro Empire because she wanted to visit her family. Jin! The first one to rush towards him was Prince Ernest. Princess Lieschen followed right after him. Those of the Royal Guard Knights who had never had direct contact with Jin before seemed confused, but those who knew him, such as Glenn Dabrode, the leader of the Royal Guard Knights, and the young knight Heintz Lash, were able to keep their cool. As Jin bowed at the two who rushed to greet him It certainly has been a long time, Your Highness Prince Ernest, Your Highness Princess Lieschen. Long time no see, Jin. Why so formal? Right! Like Lord Ernest said, that was a bit too stiff, dont you think? Thank you. Then Jin cleared his throat, then Long time no see, Your Highnesses. he amended his greeting with a smile. Lord Jin, nay, Magi Craft Meister Sir Jin Nidou, wee to the Klein Kingdom. Prime Minister Powell walked up to Jin and presented him with a silver tter. This is a certificate that grants you free entry and exit rights to our country. Like the one issued to you by the Shouro Empire, this allows you to take 10 people to apany you across our borders. Thank you very much. Jin humbly bowed as he epted the document on the tter. Well then, lets jump right to business Ill be teaching you how to use this hot-air balloon. Jin began by exining how it was made, and then moved onto how to operate it. Incidentally, the air sacs in these hot-air balloons werent made of sandworm leather, but of dragonic eel hide. Jin had chosen this material instead for this one since that monster was easier to find in the Klein Kingdom, and so its hide was easier to procure. After giving a general exnation and taking both Prime Minister Powell and Nicus along, the hot-air balloon took to the skies. Ohoho, this is quite pleasant! No wonder the Unifiers were immersed in such a sense of superiority. These are meant to help us against the demons. Please dont use them to solve disputes between fellow men. Jin once again stated that he did not want the hot-air balloons to be used during human conflicts. Of course, Jin understood what Nicus was trying to say. Most of their current technology could be used as they were in order to gain a military advantage against ones enemy. Yes, I understand that. I still vividly remember Lord Deus Ex Machinas words and the mysterious power he wielded. Nicus, who had been at the Tetrada front line, had experienced first-hand the futility of the war. Jin had no choice but to believe in the peoples reasoning and innate goodness. By all rights, you should have already been appointed Honorary Knight by His Majesty the King. Id like to offer my most sincere apologies for the dy. After arriving at the reception office, the prime minister bowed apologetically. The Honorary Knight title issued in the Shouro Empire only required an official notice, but in the Klein Kingdom, an formal appointment was necessary. His Majestys condition has worsened, and so he is resting in his chambers. My father has also been a rather frail person. Im very worried about him. Princess Lieschen, who was also there with them, had a deeply troubled expression on her face. Since Lord Ernest was so kind toe visit us, I figured I would be able to indulge in a bit of filial piety. It would have also been reassuring for the bedridden king to learn of his youngest daughters betrothal. Jin implicitly asked if he could meet the king, but the prime minister said that only the royal family, aides, and court physicians were allowed into his room. (Oh well, guess it cant be helped.) Since Jin didnt know the symptoms, there was no way to guarantee that the king could be cured from whatever that was ailing him, and there was no way he could conduct a medical examination on the king even if he were to force his way into His Majestys chambers. Jin then shared with the prime minister and Princess Rischen as much as he knew about the demons. Hmm, I understand. Some time ago, Gloria Ohlstat came back with nine soldiers, but ording to Lord Makinas report, she had been attacked by one of those demons. Also, the other day, Lord Makina eradicated a swarm of giant centipedes After saying that, the prime minister hurriedly bowed down and apologized once more. Lord Jin! I deeply apologize for the inconvenience! Of course, the prime minister was talking about the Inad Mine. He had already received his apologies through Lithia, but he still extended them to Jin once more. We shouldnt have given you an abandoned mine in such a state. Therefore, more than offering you a regr Honorary Knight title, we believe it would be more appropriate to bestow upon you the title of Honorary Knight of the 1st Order. Is that okay with you? Yes, thank you very much. After thinking a little, Jin figured that turning down a title here while he had epted a simr one in the Shouro Empire would cause great offense to the Klein Kingdom, so he decided to ept the prime ministers offer. Being part of the aristocracy was often convenient in this world. Jin had been feeling that was the case, especially as ofte. Still, he nned to reveal his position as a knight only when necessary. Now, Sir Jin, about having Prince Ernest take one of your hot-air balloons to the Egelia Kingdom, Ive received a reply a little while ago stating that they agree with that. Oh, thats great. Jin had intended to take this opportunity to visit the Egelia Kingdom, and believed that taking Prince Ernest back with him would serve as a good demonstration. The empress of the Shouro Empire and the leaders of the league of small countries were aware that the prime minister of the Klein Kingdom had taken a ride on Jins hot-air balloon, and so they had made an approach about the matter during their scheduled call over the Mana Phone. As a result, the royal family of the Egelia Kingdom approved of Prince Ernest returning to the capital of Asunt via the same hot-air balloons. Needless to say, Prince Ernest also personally requested the same thing from Jin as well. Then, the next day, August 1st, at 7 AM After assembling the other two hot-air balloons they had brought with them to the Klein Kingdom, Jin and Reiko were to be boarding separate gonds. Reiko seemed a bit dismayed by this, but Jin had gently stroked her hair and told her that there was nothing for her to worry about. Naturally, they had a lightweight-inscribed Magi Crystal with them, and Falcon and the others were escorting them from a distance. Jin, lets have a nice chat again sometime. Lord Ernest, goodbye for now. Lieschen seemed saddened as she saw them off. See you again sometime, Your Highness Princess Lieschen. Lies, next time Ill be the one toe snatch you! Ah, Lord Ernest Princess Lieschen turned bright red to the clear words of Prince Ernest. So, Sir Jin Nidou, we leave Your Highness in your care. After acknowledging Prime Minister Powells words, Jin boarded his own gond. Roger. Well then, let us depart. Jin and Reiko each operated their own hot-air balloons. As the two hot-air balloons slowly began to rise, Princess Lieschen vigorously waved at them. Jin, Prince Ernest, and his personal golem, Lotte, were on one of the balloons, and Reiko was joined by the maid La on the other balloon. Ah, being up here in the sky sure feels nice! Ill be sure to ask Father to have one of these hot-air balloon things made for my personal use. Looking up at the clear sky and watching over the vastnd, Prince Ernest seemed to be in a good mood. And youre really something else, Jin. I hope we can keep being friends forever. Of course, Your Highness. Yes, Im sure youre the type of person who remains a friend as long as the other party doesnt betray him, huh? In that case, Ill continue to be someone who can live up to that trust. Had that been royal intuition, or had it been Prince Ernests innate talent? Either way, his words indicated that he had seenpletely through Jins true spirit. To Jin, fidelity was a very important thing. Living up to peoples expectations and never betraying someones trust was a big part of Jins creed. And as long as people were faithful and sincere with him, Jin would respond with the same faithfulness and sincerity. Your Highness, you seem to be on very good terms with Princess Lieschen, arent you? Yeah, I had been wondering what kind of person she was, but shes a really nice girl. From the point of view of a member of the royal family such as himself, Prince Ernest had no hope of a free romantic life. But the red thread of fate seemed to have already made its decision. Jin, who was also a good friend of Princess Lieschen, couldnt help but feel like wishing all the best for the future of those two. The road ahead was clear of any clouds. Your Highness, let me show you a little secret. Oh, a little secret, you say? Yes. A little secret that will make this hot-air balloon fly faster. Grinning, Jin unleashed a spell. Wind Barrier. It was one of the more superior wind-based spells of the elementary level. It was basically a windbreak. It also served as a means to preventponents in outdoor construction sites from being blown away by the wind. It also had another hidden effect. W-Whoa! The hot-air balloon elerated with a whoosh. Seeing that, Reiko also used Wind Barrier in order to catch up with Jin. This Engineering Magic spell was able to block the wind, in other words, it could block the flow of air, with an added side effect of reducing air resistance. The hot-air balloon more than doubled its speed in the blink of an eye. It was moving at nearly 60 km/h. The distance from Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom, to Asunt, the capital of the Egelia Kingdom, was approximately 260 km. So it could be said that they would be able to arrive in less than four and a half hours at that speed. Whoa, its about as fast as your previous airship. Prince Ernest was the one frolicking like a child this time around. Chapter 486: Egelia Kingdom And The Hot-Air Balloon

Chapter 486: Egelia Kingdom And The Hot-Air Balloon

Thanks to the increased eleration, they were able to easily traverse the distance of 260 km, and even though it was still early in the morning, the capital city of Asunt could be seen in the horizon. Incidentally, even though they had to cross over the Celuroa Kingdom, they didnt have to worry about incurring in airspace incursion since the Celuroa Kingdom had yet to establishws regarding aircrafts. For that reason, as long as they remained above 100 meters of altitude, they wouldnt face any problems. Although being at an altitude of only 10 meters would be problematic. Oh, its so fast! Imagine how long would this trip take for a carriage? Being able to move straight ahead without having to worry about obstacles is so pleasant! Prince Ernest had been very enthusiastic the entire trip. On the other hand, L Soreuse, who was joining Reiko in her hot-air balloon ride She had remainedpletely silent from the trips beginning all the way to its end. Oh, here theye, Your Majesty! Already? Thats much faster than what weve anticipated! Maybe the wind was very favorable? In Asunt Royal Castle, King Harold Ruan Hautecress-Egelia, Queen Catherine Leana Sfale, Chancellor Boyd Norse Galueri, and all military and civil officials had gathered to wee the hot-air balloon. Oh Thats amazing. Father seems to be in high spirits after seeing that youreing, Jin. Half shocked and half delighted, Prince Ernest made that remark as he watched over the situation from above. On the other hand, Jin honestly wished to not be involved in such an exaggerated wee ceremony, but there was no turning back now. He had decided to put on the Honorary Magi Craftsman half-coat he had prepared in advance. Then, exactly at noon, the hot-air balloons that Jin, Reiko, Prince Ernest, Lotte, and L were ridingnded on the outer shrine of Asunt Royal Castle. Wee, Magi Craft Meister Sir Jin Nidou. The chancellor took a step forward and shook Jins hand. Ernest, Im so d to see you return safely to us. Yes, Father. Its nice to be back home. The prince also exchanged words with his father. This may be a bit abrupt, Sir Jin Nidou, but since Ive brought all of the military and civil officials here with me, I would like to hold a formal investiture ceremony for you as Magi Craft Meister in this Egelia Kingdom. The chancellor voiced his proposal. Of course, if Jin were to be hesitant about it, he could end up leaving and taking all of his officials with him, after having gone through the trouble to summon them there. Ah, yes. Good. Well then At the chancellors signal, a female knight with a long coat that seemed to have already been prepared approached. After taking a good look at her, she turned out to be Ls sister, Airy Soreuse. She had recently been promoted from the Royal Mage Knights Troop to Commander of the Royal Mage Knights Third Unit. This is the unique coat to be used by our countrys newest Magi Craft Meister. It also serves as proof of your status as Honorary Knight. Since both the Shouro Empire and the Klein Kingdom had made Jin a Honorary Knight in their own territories, the Egelia Kingdom decided to do the same. The long coat that Airy helped Jin put on seemed to have been specifically and precisely tailored for his measures. It was white, with decorative antique gold trimmings. Sir Jin Nidou, praising the blessings you have brought to our country andmending your wisdom and skill, once again we bestow the titles of Magi Craft Meister and Honorary Knight to you. That had been the Kings entire speech. It had been an exceptionally fast bestowing ceremony. This was because Prince Ernest had recently mentioned via the Mana Phone that Jin would be displeased if the ceremony didnt finish in a short time, considering his personality. As a result, it had also been established that they would be holding the ceremony in a way that could be done and over with at a stroke, so as to not give Jin much of a chance to refuse. Jin, who was not good at dealing with shy stuff, was a little confused, but Reiko was happy to see that Jin was being given recognition, so she simply stared at him from beginning to end. After the ceremony was over, the officials left, and only King Harold, Prince Ernest, Chancellor Boyd, Minister of Magic Kerihidor, Minister of Defense Judre, Airy, L, and a number of Royal Guards stayed behind. Jin no, Sir Jin Nidou, have you already had lunch? Yes, we had a portable meal while we were flying. Father, eating while looking down on the world below is something extraordinary. I-I see. Then, should we get down to business? Heeding the chancellors words, Jin started teaching them about hot-air balloons. He talked about its structure, the function of each of its parts, and its operation method. These hot-air balloons air sacs were also made from Draconic Eel Leather from the Klein Kingdom. This was set in consideration of friendship and trade between the two countries. Then, with Chancellor Boyd, Minister of Magic Kerihidor, Minister of Defense Judre, and Airi on board, the two balloons took once again to the skies. King Harold seemed eager to ride as well, but remained silent. Oh my, this is so nice! Definitely. When the Unifier used something like this to attack us from the sky, I couldnt make heads nor tails of them. But now I can see these hot-air balloons superiority. And youve said that these perform even better than the ones used by the Unifiers, Jin. We cant thank you enough for this. The chancellor and the ministers of Magic and Defense gave their impressions. And as for Ls sister, Airy Her face was white as a sheet of paper. It seemed that, unlike her sister, she was afraid of heights. Sir Jin Nidou, let me thank you again! After arriving at the office, the chancellor bowed to Jin. And when he raised his head, the mood hadpletely changed. Well then, wed like to move on to the next topic. Needless to say, he was referring to the matter concerning the demons. Jin then proceeded to repeat the exnation he had given in the Klein Kingdom. Hmm, we dont know what their goal is, but we can at least tell that theyre up to no good. Fortunately, our country is quite far from demon territory. The risk of them attacking us here is low. The chancellor and the Minister of Magic voiced their thoughts. However, the Minister of Defense seemed dejected. No, ording to Kerihidor and Sir Jin, the demons seem to have already reached the Celuroa Kingdom. If so, theres a risk they will cross over the border ande to attack us. Hmm, I see, Celuroa maye to attack under the demons influence Precisely. Perhaps it would be best to see it as if the threat of the Unifiers has been exchanged for the threat of the demons. Good grief, we cant even take a break, can we? Our coffers are taking quite a hit Minister of Finance urots worries leaked out of his mouth. Preparations for His Highness Prince Ernests betrothal are already in motion, so if the Klein Kingdom happens to enter a state of emergency, well have to send soldiers to help. Various other simrments started to emerge from those present. Jin then offered his advice from a technical point of view. But that gravity magic is quite a nuisance. Well, since it cant be deployed in a veryrge range, I believe we can counter it by attacking the caster from all directions. I see. Then The anti-demon meeting went on until thete evening, when everyone, realizing that there was still much more to discuss about that topic, decided to continue on the following day. By the way, I wonder how Earl Kuzuma and Beana are doing? Jin would be staying in Asunt overnight. They had invited him to take the room for noble guests for the night, but he declined staying in such a breathtaking room, and instead asked to use the same lodging house he had once stayed in during the golem party. Umm, I hear well be having a wedding soon? The maid L came along soon enough. Jin wondered if it was the same lodging house as the one he had stayed in before. It looked quite different. Oh, is that so? Yes. The earl worked here until June, and it appears that Beana had been taking bridal lessons until that time. The gossip birds of the Royal Castle loved rumors, and it seemed that word of Earl Kuzumas uing marriage was already in everyones mouths. (I might have to tell Reinhardt about this) Both Earl Kuzuma and Beana knew that there was a Warp Gate on the outskirts of Blue Land, so it wouldnt be surprising for them if Jin were to use it to pay him a visit. Um, Lord Jin? Ah, yeah. Sorry. I was a bit lost in thought. What is it? Umm I just wanted to thank you for allowing someone like me to ride on that hot-air balloon! L bowed silently. Huh? Ah, dont mention it. Youre Prince Ernests maid and guard, right? It was only natural. Sorry I had to put you on a different hot-air balloon than His Highness. A-Ah, dont worry about that. It was a first experience for me, and the view was so beautiful! Haha, Im d you enjoyed it. Just when Jin was starting to enjoy a leisurely chat Father, sorry to bother you, but Reiko cut into the conversation. What is it? Sensing that it was something Reiko didnt want L to overhear, they headed for the bedroom. Ive received notification that Satellite 001s preparations have beenpleted. What!? They had been speaking in whispers, so even if anyone had heard Jins exmation, there was no way to know what they were talking about. I see A new era seems to be about to begin. Okay, well be going back tomorrow first thing in the morning! Okay, Ill get everything ready. Ah, Im looking forward to this. Jins imagination had already flown back all the way to Hourai Ind. That was precisely the true worth of the Magi Craft Meister, Jin, who will carve out a new future. Jin was reminded of the feeling of short and calm daysing to an end, and that long, busy days would soone once again. Chapter 487: Gossip 27 - The Ship’s Fate

Chapter 487: Gossip 27 - The Ships Fate

Well then, thank you very much for everything. Yeah, be safe. Eckert Techres, the most powerful merchant in Coupu, the southernmost town in the Celuroa Kingdom, had just dismissed a Magi Craftsman. Phew Back to square one, huh? Eckerts dream was to travel to each of the countries by ship. It couldnt be just any ship. It had to be the greatest ship in the entire world. His dream was to build such a ship, and use it to travel around the world. That was the reason why he, who had been deemed a genius as a merchant by the age of 30, had been saving up all of his fortune. However, that dream had been taken all the way back to the drawing board. A businesspetitor had approached the site chief recently hired by Eckert and involved him in their n for sabotage. Though it should have been kept a secret, word of the sabotage and the ship had somehow gotten out, so Eckert started to think that it could be very hard for him to start rebuilding his ship. However, thanks to Jin and his friends being there at the time, the sabotage attempt hadnt beenpletely sessful. The n also seemed to involve attacking Eckerts workers and technicians, but no one was killed or even gravely injured as a result of the attempt. Moreover, the site chief was captured on the spot after it was revealed that he had been the one to sabotage the ship. The name of the businesspetitor who had plotted against Eckert was brought to light shortly after. For better or worse, thanks to the quick action of Jin and his friends, there had been no casualties, so the penalty imposed upon the site chief hadnt been that severe. The businesspetitor who had been behind the sabotage had all of its property and assets seized, and was subsequently banished from Coupu. Another reason why the penalty imposed on the Magi Craftsman who had worked as a site chief had been reduced considerably was that it was also found that his family had been taken hostage in order to force him to cooperate in the sabotage. However, since he had also been given money for the job, he was also banished from Coupu, although his property and assets werent seized. Being banished meant having no other choice but to go to somece where there was no living infrastructure. It was considerably harsh, since they couldnt stay within 100 km of Coupu. Roughly speaking, theyd have to go north of Mt. Rawai, which towered to the north of Coupu. Well, he should be able to make a living wherever he is now. Since he was a Magi Craftsman, he should be able to find a decent job anywhere. The businesspetitor, on the other hand Eckert was not concerned with what would be of him. A dock for shipbuilding built into the premises of his manor. It was empty at the moment, but until recently, there had been a halfway built ship there. The money to cover his economic loss had been paid from the assets seized from the businesspetitor, but that wasnt where the problem was. The problem was that the ship that was already halfway built had beenpletely destroyed. Ultimately, it had been Jins automata, Reiko, who had destroyed the ship, but Eckert couldnt bring himself to me either of them. The automata had acted prioritizing human life above all, and if anything, he was grateful for the lives that were saved. Not to mention that one of the lives in danger was my own. I cannot in good conscience me them for what happened. After saying that to himself, Eckert left the dock. Master. Hm? What is it? When Eckert entered his manor, a butler hurried towards him. We have two Magi Craftsmen who havee seeking employment. What!? Let them into the parlor quickly! Eckerts face was painted with joy. Now that the man who had been the site chief has been dismissed, he was in desperate need of a new Magi Craftsman. The butler quickly had them enter the parlor, where Eckert was waiting. My name is Altaf. Im Giena. The former was a robust man in his early thirties, and thetter was a woman in herte twenties. They said they were husband and wife. Im Eckert. What kind of things can you do? Altaf answered this question on behalf of the two of them. Right. In general, we can do pretty much anything. But my specialty is making big things, while my wifes very good with making small things. Hoho, thats reassuring. Eckert felt it could be too good to be true, but Altafs next words made his suspicions disappear. We have an assistant golem, so work is pretty quick. What! There werent many Magi Craftsmen who had assistant golems. And those who did would be very skilled, without exception. Well be frank with you. Wevee because weve heard that youre building a huge ship. Rumors of the sabotage and business rivalry had spread across Coupu so much that they could no longer be denied. But on the flip side, if those rumors were to bring some good Magi Craftsmen to his door, then so be it. Can you show me that golem of yours? Eckert asked that so as to cement his decision. Geana then left her seat, and headed outside, where their golem had been waiting. We cant have our golem follow us everywhere. Eckert agreed with Altafs words. Thanks for waiting. Before long, Geana was back with their golem. Oh Eckerts breath had been taken away. The golem was only about 160 cm tall, but had a matte silver gray color, and proportions that were exactly just like those of a human. Usually, golems would have a physique and proportions that matched their purpose. Those oriented forbat would be generallyrge and tough-looking, while those designed for boat races would have arms stronger than usual. But the golem before Eckerts eyes was dressed like a person, and looked like a human that had their face covered by something. Well, looking at your golem I can see just how skilled you two are. Id be very much obliged if I could count on your abilities from now on. Thus the contract was signed, and Altaf, Geana, and their golem became part of Eckerts staff. Hmm, Im a bit concerned about its strength Altaf and Geana were looking at the blueprints for the ship. Do you think so? Yes. Especially on its bilge. Eckert was reminded of Jins words, who had alsomented on the ships bilge. And so, he figured he should rethink that section of the ship, since there were two different Magi Craftsmen who had pointed out the same thing. Maybe I should explore other options. What do you suggest? Well, I would put structural materials here and increase the number of partitions. These partitions would also help to improve the bilges strength That reminded Eckert of the words of one of Jins friends, one named Reinhardt, who also said that the inside of the ship should be divided into sections. I see, then please go ahead. As a result of the blueprints review, the outer shape of the ship remained the same, but its expected weight increased slightly, from the initial 240 tons to nearly 300 tons. Hmm, looks like its going to be a little heavier than expected. However, it cant be done in any other way if we want to keep the boat safer. Well, thats right I wonder if we couldnt do something to that effect with propulsion? What do you think we should use? Well, wed use abination of wind and magic. This was an idea that had been proposed to Eckert by a previous Magi Craftsman, but Eckert began to exin it to Altaf and Geana. I see! I wouldve never thought of that! Jin was impressed by that idea. In fact, Altaf and Geana were Quinta who had been sent to Eckert by Jin himself. Altaf was Regulus 50, and Geana was Deneb 30. And naturally, the golem they had with them was one of the Smith Golems, Smith 40. Jin had decided to secretly help rebuild the ship that Eckert had been working on with all his heart and soul, considering the facts that he had no choice but to destroy it, he actually liked Eckerts personality, and the ships potential impact in the future. Apart from that, Jin praised that innovative method of propulsion. Wind magic has no recoil, which means that if you use it against a set sail, the ship will advance As Jin once verified, normal magic had an added effect to counteract recoil. To put it in an easy-to-understand analogy, even if one were to use a huge fan to move a ship with sails, the ship wouldnt move. The reason is that the recoil of the wind is generated by the fan and the force that pushes the sail cancel each other out. However, ording to Jins verification, wind magic, water magic, and so on, had an added effect that canceled recoil so that the caster wouldnt be affected by it. Jin had already been able toplete a Magi Jet Engine that achieved the same results. However, he couldnt just p a Magi Jet Engine onto every ship in the world. Paradoxically, there would be no other choice but to find a solution for the recoil problem that involved the use of normal magic. The Magi Craftsman who had designed this ship had used that to his advantage and intended to drive the ship by blowing wind directly on its sails. I feel a bit bad, lending Mr. Techres a hand in such an underhanded manner It was a method that neither Jin nor Reinhardt could even think of. They instead had spected that Eckert was nning to install a propulsion engine shaped like a fishs tail on the sloped section of the ships stern. My Lord, there are still many more pieces of advice we could offer in regards to navigation, prevention of disease in long-term trips, and spare propulsion devices. Right. Lets get those suggestions on the table little by little. Understood. Thanks to Jins help from the shadows, Eckerts new ship was finallypleted four monthster. Chapter 488: In Leaps And Bounds

Chapter 488: In Leaps And Bounds

Launching in 10 seconds. 9, 8, 7, 6 A countdown voice echoed in Hourai Ind. A metal ball had been ced in the corner of the central teau where theboratory was located. It was 1 meter in diameter. It was a Magi Machine with an aluminum outer shell. Magi Machine was a general term forplex magic tools made by applying science to them. 3, 2, 1 0! The spherical Magi Machine started to float in the air, and then began to ascend very rapidly. Its speed was close to the speed of sound speed, and it disappeared in a blink of an eye. Laojun, are you able to track it? Yes, My Lord. It is currently at an altitude of 5,000 meters. 6,000 meters, 7,000 meters On August 3rd 3457, at 9:00 am, a prototype artificial satellite, dubbed Satellite 001, wasunched into orbit. It was propelled by a Magi Gravity Engine. It was Jinstest Magic Tool, created after analyzing the Gravity Magic used by the demons. It was capable of producing an eleration of 2G -19.6 m/s2- until the satellite could leave the atmosphere. The outer shell wouldnt overheat because its air friction waspletely negated through the use of the Wind Barrier spell. At the same time, by using another Gravity Magic spell on the satellite -actually, by changing its inertial mass- its mass was made almost zero. Jin was able to use Gravity Magic to that extent, but that effect was achieved through the use of Ethenol. Ethenol has many practical uses. Yes, My Lord. Its perfect for getting ultra-high output in a short to medium timeframe. By using an Ether Converter, the satellite could be operated almost permanently, but on the other hand, using Gravity Magic had a certain amount of Mana cost, so relying solely on it for power could lead to concerns about running out of Mana at some point. This concern could bepletely avoided by using Ethenol, which was a high-concentration ether solution. It wouldnt be possible to replenish the satellites Ethenol supply once depleted, but as soon as the satellite was in orbit, that would no longer be a problem because the Ether Converter alone was able to provide sufficient magical power to keep it in orbit. Satellite 001 has reached the stratosphere. Current altitude is 50,000 meters. elerating The thinner the air, the less likely it would be for the satellite to overheat at higher speeds. As long as the inertia was almost 0, the influence of the eleration pressure would also disappear, so the satellite could be elerated as much as they wanted, but they would still need to be careful not to lead it to overheating. But if the risk of overheating disappears, they would be able to increase the speed indefinitely -literally. 10G, 11G, 12G Eventually they would be able to get an eleration of 100G. This was aunch experiment that also served the purpose of collecting data regarding achieving such levels of eleration. We have reached an altitude of 35,000 kilometers. Reducing eleration. eleration would stop as soon as the satellite was in a geosynchronous orbit, that is, an orbit that matches thes rotation. Since its inertia was almost zero, its eleration would eventually be zero as well the moment it started toe in contact with a few particles. After that, its inertia would be restored and stabilized. As its inertia is restored, its kic energy would return to its initial state. In other words, it woulde to a stop rtive to what it was at the moment ofunch. That is a characteristic of inertia that is especially useful when trying to make a satellite go into a geosynchronous orbit. Well now begin orbital correction. A set of ultra small gravity engines were used for fine adjustment. By freely specifying a gravity vector for each engine, it was possible to move the satellite in three dimensions to precisely set its position. This was of course Jins firstunch, so naturally, he didnt have all of the necessary data. Satellite 001 was the first prototype Jin and Laojun hade up with after much deliberation. The idea was to use it to gather as much data as possible in order to make futureunches easier. Furthermore, if they could get position data from outer space, it could eventually allow them to go to space at leisure via a transfer machine instead of having to go through the trouble ofunching a shuttle from the ground. At any rate, utilizing outer space as a resource was an integral part of Hourai Inds future. The satellite has entered orbit. Beginning fine adjustments. Okay, Im leaving the rest to you. Making fine adjustments while constantly monitoring was simply too much to do for a human, so Jin had to rely entirely on Laojun for that. If Satellite 001 was sessful, the n was to put another 8 simr satellites into orbit as well. The role of each satellite was to gather position data for the transfer machine. It was the same way of thinking as with a GPS. With that total number, the satellites would be geosynchronous with each other by monitoring each other as well as being monitored on the surface. The second one would be meant for ground surveince. Since it would be loaded with a high-powerser cannon, it could also be used as a deterrent in case of emergency. The third one would be meant for the observation of outer space. It would make it possible to not only investigate the moon from a closer distance, but also to find any possible presence of Ether in outer space. The fourth one would be meant to be used to collect operational data of Gravity Magic. Jin had wanted to install a gravity engine in addition to the Magi Jet Engine on the aircraft. Looks like it went well. Phew Congrattions, Father. Reiko was clinging to Jin like a shadow. Ah, Im really looking forward to the future. Jin looked up at the vast, cloudless blue sky. So, how did it go, Jin? Stearleana called out to Jin as he was back to theboratory. She hadnt appeared from theboratory, nor from Jins house. She hade out from her own house, the one she had in the provincial town of Goa, in the Celuroa Kingdom. I made some tea, why dont you stop by? Oh, dont mind if I do, then. Jin entered Stearleanas house. Come in, make yourself at home. When he entered the dining room, he found Sakis father, Toa Eschenbach, sitting there. Good morning. Toa seemed to have found a kindred spirit in Stearleana, so at Sakis rmendation, they had him take an aptitude test. Naturally, he passed, and as a result, he was given clearance to enter and leave Hourai Ind. Vivian also took the same test at that time, and was epted into the Family. She now enjoyed exchanging information and knowledge every day with Ann and Laojun. Ah, it makes me so happy as a storyteller to be able to uphold these legends! Vivian also continued to work as a storyteller for the Shouro Empire. And on the other hand, speaking of Stearleana and Toas quick chemistry Those two are definitely going to get married one of these days. Father has this look on his face that Ive never seen before. That was Sakis reaction. She even added, Well, its been a long time since my mother died, and there arent many women strange enough to be interested in someone like my father. I think Stearleana would be a nice match for him. Though her face showed a seemingly lonely expression. Toa and Stearleana had spent the past few days in Hourai Ind together. So youunched the satellite? As Stearleana poured down some more tea, Toa asked that question to Jin. Yes, we somehow managed to do it. Some fine tuning will be necessary, but overall I think the operation was a sess. Well, thats amazing. Ive heard a lot from my daughter, but what you do is absolutely mold-breaking. Ah, ahaha. Jin still hadnt used Transinfo on Toa, or rather, he couldnt. Because that spell could only be used on him or with a Control Core he had made himself. Unless Toa himself could use Transinfo, he wouldnt be able to gain knowledge through it. This was still something Jin and the others had to find a workaround for. In the meantime, Toa would be learning what he needed to learn through books made by Laojun. Ah, but Ive been learning so much, I can hardly go back home now. Toa seemed to enjoy spending his days in a carefree manner in Hourai Ind. He would also spend every night at Stearleanas house. Jin didnt have the slightest intention to make any sort ofment about that. But you can imagine how surprised I was to find this house here. Stearleana, who was sitting right next to Toa, interceded in an earnest voice. After Stearleana went into exile, Laojun made use of the cover of the night and dispatched Falcon 2 along with several Smith Golems. Being careful not to damage the building, its foundation was separated from the ground, and then the entire house was transferred to Hourai Ind by a transfer machine. Then, it was affixed into the ce it was currently located. As far as the Celuroa Kingdom was concerned, an entire house had vanished into thin air overnight, but neither Jin nor Laojun heard of any kind of chaos having sprouted from that event. Laojun was currently providing support for others who had also defected from the Celuroa Kingdom. For the time being, they were being sent to the Shouro Empire, who weed them with open arms. Well, you seemed to be a bit sad, Stearleana. After all, youd be emotionally attached to your own house. Yes, thats right. It may not be the house I was born and raised in, but its the house I was given back when I was first scouted. Stearleana was, like Vivian, born and raised in the town of Coupu. They used to y together when they were young, but when Stearleana turned 15 and Vivian turned 17, they were selected by the kingdoms scouting. Scouting was a practice in the Celuroa Kingdom to find talented children and provide them with a gifted education. Its one of the main reasons why the Celuroa Kingdom had a technical advantage over its peers. After that, Stearleana was set on the path to be a Magi Craftswoman, while Vivian was trained to be a professional storyteller, thanks to her great memory. After their training wasplete, Vivian was taken back to her hometown of Coupu, while Stearleana was ordered to live near the Royal Capital. After living for 10 years in the same house, you start to grow attached to it. Both Stearleana and Vivians parents, who were fishermen, were said to have died in an ident shortly after the girls were scouted out of town. There was a grim rumor that said that the rtives of those who would be scouted out of town for training would be assassinated by the kingdom in order to remove all lingering attachments to those being scouted, but its veracity was not confirmed. Should I bring Vivians house here as well, then? Ahaha, you really do break the mold. After Jin and Toas voices had brought her back from the corners of her mind, Stearleana quickly smiled and drank the rest of her lukewarm tea in one gulp. Chapter 489: For Father

Chapter 489: For Father

My Lord, pleasee to the control room as soon as possible. While Jin was rxing at Stearleanas house, Laojuns voice suddenly echoed in his ears. Jin quickly thanked Stearleana for the tea and hurried to the control room in the basement of theboratory. Reiko followed him without saying a word. What is it? Did something happen? Were in an unpredictable situation. What!? Satellite 001 is falling. After the Gravity Magic affecting it was canceled, the satellite was supposed to restore its inertia and put itself into a geosynchronous orbit, but after several tens of minutes, it became difficult to maintain said orbit, and it had started to fall. Where did we fail? Falling has a certain velocity. After a mere 15 minutes, ording to Satellite 001s data, its no longer stationary. What? Thiss rotation speed was higher than anticipated. Satellite 001 seems to have been left behind. Hmm Jin began to think. Geosynchronous satellites are those that are rtively stationary with respect to thes surface. Preliminary experiments confirmed that when inertia is restored, the satellites original velocity would also be restored. If the time fromunch to orbit is 2 hours, the direction of speed would shift by about 30 degrees, but something like that should have been corrected by the satellites Magi Gravity Engine. However Ah, I see! Jin realized where his misunderstanding had been. It could never behave like a satellite at the speed it had when it was on thes surface. The satellite orbit couldnt be maintained unless its speed was about 8 kilometers per second. Jin quickly instructed Laojun. Laojun, elerate it using its Magi Gravity Engine. It should be able to reach a speed of 8 kilometers per second if we elerate it at 1G for about 15 minutes. Im afraid that wont be possible. Why? Satellite 001 is rotating as it falls. What? It seemed to have started to rotate at a speed that was beyond the satellites attitude control. Ah I should have put a gyroscope in it Jin was not familiar with the mechanism of artificial satellites, so it was understandable that his first attempt would fail. How frustrating Jins face had made aplete change from his previous expression, and was now groaning with regret. Laojun, cant we use the Falcon or something like that to catch the satellite? Jin wasnt the one who asked that question. But he was the one to answer it. That wont work, Reiko. Theres no air in outer space. The Falcons Magi Jet Engine wont work there. I see Reiko was disheartened after seeing Jins own discouraged expression. The one toe to their aid was Laojun. My Lord, I believe there is one thing worth trying. What is it? Since they had little time to act, Laojun was brief in his exnation. We could transfer an aircraft that can break into the atmosphere and retrieve Satellite 001 with it. But can we match the satellites falling speed? Will we be able to catch it as it falls? At this point, we can only take our chances. Jin was worried. A golem-operated aircraft shouldnt have much of a problem being transferred into outer space. However, Jin could not predict what would happen the moment it entered the atmosphere. It would be nice if Satellite 001 could be retrieved safely, but if all were to go terribly wrong, the aircraft could be lost. And its golem pilot with it. Father, Ill go on Pegasus 1. What? It feels weird that I say this myself, but I have the fastest reaction speed of all the golems and automata that you have ess to. I think that we should take our best chances if we want this operation to seed. But My Lord, we cant afford to hesitate. Each second that passes, Satellite 001 gets 9.8 meters per second faster than thest. Understood. Jin made up his mind. Reiko, theres no need for you to do that. I have no intention to put you through that kind of danger. Ah This failure was my mistake alone. I was too greedy. I should have taken a different approach at this. I should have started by making a vehicle with a Magi Gravity Engine to gather data, thenunch a regr satellite and get more data before trying to put a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. The satellite falling now is nothing more than my just desserts. Father Jin stared at the ceiling with a sad smile on his face, as if he was actually staring at the falling Satellite 001 through the walls of theboratory. The dispirited Jin then left theboratory, and seemed to be heading towards Stearleanas house. After seeing Jins depressed state, Laojun started to consider other possible ways to retrieve Satellite 001. Is there any other way? Although he wasnt as creative as Jin, Laojun was far superior to him in terms of thinking speed and ability to process multiple pieces of information at the same time. After spending about 3 minutes, Laojun finally arrived at a conclusion. There was no other way. But he could make slight modifications to their previous n. Satellite 001s current altitude was less than 20,000 kilometers, and its speed was close to 18 kilometers per second and increasing even further with every passing second. It was already impossible to catch it as it fell. It would be possible to retrieve it by setting up a huge Warp Gate along its fall course, but that wasnt something that could be prepared at a moments notice. Before anything else, it was essential to reduce its falling speed. It should be narrowly possible to reduce Satellite 001s inertia to 0 by using its remaining Ethenol in the span of approximately 3 seconds. In the meantime, wed have to transfer the Falcon equipped with a transfer machine and transfer Satellite 001 to the surface. If its inertia is set to 0, Satellite 001 would stop instantly. Therefore, the coordinates would be specified and the Falcon would be sent close to those coordinates. Then, the Satellite 001 would be transferred using the Falcons transfer machine. The Falcon would be able to safely enter the atmosphere by deploying a Barrier. This was Laojuns conclusion. Satellite 001 was originally nned to act as a marker for transfer, so determining its position would be an easy task. And although the principle behind transfer machines and Warp Gates were unknown to him, its inherent speed would be 0 (at rtive velocity) at the time of reappearance, regardless of how fast it was at the time of being transferred out. Fortunately, Falcon 1 still had its transfer machine installed after it was used to bring Stearleanas house to Hourai Ind. Laojun consulted with Reiko through the Mana Comm. After all, Reikos reaction speed was necessary for this operations sess. Lets do it, Laojun. For Father. Immediately, Reiko acknowledged his message and left Stearleanas house quietly so as to not arouse suspicion from Jin. Then, Reiko boarded Falcon 1, which was just outside theboratory. Since Jin had gone inside Stearleanas house to talk to them about the satellites failure, he was unaware of any of this. Lets hurry. Before it enters the stratosphere. Reiko put the transfer machine of Falcon 1 in Standby Mode while Laojun prepared the transfer machine that was installed outside theboratory. Falcon 1 is ready. With that, Laojun reduced Satellite 001s inertia to almost zero. Satellite 001 stopped instantly, with only a slight resistance. Laojun then immediately transferred Falcon 1 to its target coordinates. Falcon 1 was transferred to outer space in a mere 1.4 seconds. Reiko immediately aimed the transfer machine at Satellite 001, which took her only 0.7 seconds. Then she turned on the transfer machine, and 0.8 secondster, the transfer started. The entire operation to transfer Satellite 001 took exactly 2.9 seconds. A momentter, Satellite 001 appeared in front of theboratory. Its inertia had been restored at the same time as it was transferred, so there was no danger. With this, Satellite 001 has been safely retrieved. The rest is up to you, Reiko. Falcon 1 started to fall from an altitude of about 13,000 kilometers. Its built-in Magi Jet Engine still wouldnt start. Reiko deployed Falcon 1s Barrier. They would enter the atmosphere after falling for another 100 kilometers, in approximately 27 minutes. If only we could transfer it ourselves without needing to send an aircraft to set up a transfer machine, this incident could have already been solved without any problems The hints that Alciel the Puppeteer had previously given them about Transfer Magic hadnt been fully analyzed yet. Reiko, pleasee back to us safely. At that moment, Jin stormed into the control room. Laojun! Where is Reiko!? My Lord, Reiko is <> Reikos voice echoed from the Mana Comm. Reiko! I told you not to do this! <> Reiko Laojun also exined himself to the worried Jin. My Lord, the Falcon 1 also has a Warp Gate, so in case of emergency, Reiko can escape to safety with it. That doesnt mean I can feel at ease yet. Reiko, pleasee back safely. Therell be time to scold youter. <> Then, after 27 minutes had passed, Falcon 1 finally entered the atmosphere. Chapter 490: Entering The Atmosphere

Chapter 490: Entering The Atmosphere

Usually, there is a specific trajectory that space shuttles should take when entering the atmosphere. Thata trajectory would use air resistance to slow down the shuttle, preventing it from overheating and bursting into mes. The tip of the shuttle would sh against the air resistance as it enters the atmosphere. When that happens, the speed is so high that the particles of air collide with the tip of the shuttle one after another without being pushed away. This is known as an adiabaticpression of air. In physics, the gasws by Boyle and Charles indicate that gas pressure is inversely proportional to volume and proportional to absolute temperature. In other words, the more air ispressed, the hotter it gets. And by hotter, it doesnt mean a little hotter. Its temperature can rise to anywhere between 3,000 to 10,000 degrees, sometimes even more. With spacecrafts, their trajectory is devised so that their temperature remains around 1,500 to 1,600 degrees, and its very important that it remains within that threshold as much as possible. Building extra bulges and wings on a spacecraft do nothing but interfere with this trajectory correction. Reiko, please deploy a Solid Barrier as wide as possible. Those were Laojuns instructions to Reiko. This was to increase the air resistance and decelerate in order to reduce the heat Falcon 1 would be subject to as much as possible. The Falcon 1 entered the atmosphere as Reiko deployed a Solid Barrier. Its altitude was about 100 kilometers, and its speed was close to 16 km/s. At that speed, it would collide with the ground in a matter of a few seconds unless it decelerated. This speed creates ayer of hot, smated air in front of the Solid Barrier. It started to glow yellow due to its high temperature. Estimated temperature: 10,000 degrees? Cooling! She hadnt touched the Falcon 1 itself, but its radiant heat was so high that it was hard to put into words. Reiko tried to decrease Falcon 1s temperature with the engineering magic Cooling, but it was like pouring a bucket of water over hotva. The Falcons nose became red. The melting point of aluminum 64 is 1,540 to 1,650 degrees Celsius. It had no way to withstand 10,000 degrees. Thes surface was getting closer and closer. It was no wonder, since the Falcon was falling almost vertically. Although it was slowing down, it would take it only a handful of seconds to reach the surface. Absolute Zero! With the strongest cooling spell, the overheating of the aircraft finally took a rest. Reiko then focused on controlling the aircraft. It was currently descending at 6 km/s. Its altitude was less than 20 kilometers. At this rate, without proper deceleration, it would crash onto the ground in less than 4 seconds. <> These were Jins instructions. Reiko immediately reacted and did as he had said, causing the Falcon 1 to begin to adjust its stance. The vertical fall trajectory had now nted, albeit ever so slightly. This would grant Reiko a few more seconds to act, though. <> Understood. Its altitude was now 10 kilometers. Its speed had dropped to 3 km/s. Once again, it would crash in less than 4 seconds. It was all or nothing. Reiko decided to cancel the Solid Barrier. She gambled that the Falcon would slow down due to the air resistance. Father, I love you. Reiko murmured through the Mana Comm and canceled the Solid Barrier. <> In Hourai Inds control room, Reikos mutter was heard by Jin. Reiko! Reiko had canceled the Solid Barrier at an altitude of 3,000 meters. A lump of air crashed against the Falcon 1s fusge. Its speed was now almost 2.8 km/s. In other words, Mach 8. The Falcons assumed upper speed limit was around 1,000 km/h, which equal to 0.28 km/s. And it was falling 10 times faster than that. However, the aircraft that Jin had poured his heart and soul into building was able to endure such an absurd amount of force for a few seconds. Then, within those few seconds, the Falcons speed had dropped below Mach 1. But in return, its nose was crushed, and both of its wings had been torn apart. With a distorted fusge and deprived of both of its wings, the tailspinning Falcon fell into the water between Hourai Ind and the Elias Penins. Laojun, having predicted to some extent the point where the Falcon would fall, rushed the Hydro and Mermaid units to the scene. Laojun, how? Please be assured, My Lord. Reikos magical response is as strong as ever. The Hydro units rushed to Reikos exact location since they had detected her magical response. They were quickly able to find her as she emerged on the waters surface. On the other hand, the Mermaid units were sessful in recovering the Falcon 1 that had sunk into the sea, and were also able to retrieve nearly 80% of the scattered parts it had lost, such as its wings. The exhausted Jin was still in the control room in Hourai Ind. What happened, Jin? Did something go wrong? Before he realized, Stearleana and Toa were already there as well. They seemed to have gone to the control room because they were worried about Jin being so flustered. Ah, my mistake has caused Reiko to walk a dangerous tightrope Jin briefly exined what happened. Thanks to her basic knowledge, Stearlena managed to understand to some extent, but Toa was unable to make heads nor tails from it. In the evening, Reiko returned, along with the wreckage of Falcon 1. Looking upon the face of Jin, who had remained by himself in the control room, Reikos first words were Father, Im sorry for ruining Falcon 1. You idiot!! Jin yelled louder than ever. Reiko waspletely taken aback. Im sorry, Father! I really didnt mean to ruin it, but Jin silently approached Reiko, who had lowered her head as she tried to exin herself. As her shoulders dropped even lower, Jin ced his hands on them. Im d youre safe, Reiko. F Father All of this happened because of my own naivety. Im not going to me you for trying your best to help me. But I cant help getting a bit angry to see you taking it too far. Having said that, Jin softly bonked Reiko on the head with his fist. Its not just the Falcon. I cant bear the thought of you getting hurt for my sake. Reiko, who also has the sense of touch, could feel that Jins fist hadnt hit her with too much force. And she could also understand Jins affection for her. Sorry Jin hugged Reiko, who had been barely able to apologize, so as to console her. Sorry for yelling at you. Youre always doing everything in your power to help me. That is my purpose, after all. With a worried expression on his face, Jin started to gently stroke Reikos head. Hows your body? Does anything feel out of ce? No, Im fine. The fall was nothing for this body youve given me, Father. After examining Reikos body with Analyze, Jin confirmed that she wasnt just putting on a brave front, and sighed with relief. Then Laojun, hows the status on the retrieved Falcon 1? Atst, he could afford to worry about other things. The fusge is rtively unharmed. We have recovered both of the damaged wings. It is possible topletely repair the Falcon 1. I see, thats great. Jin quickly instructed Laojun to begin repairing Falcon 1. In the meantime, he would analyze the Control Core of the retrieved Satellite 001 in order to identify the problems. Let me help you, Father. Of course, Reiko would act as an assistant. In this way, Jin and Hourai Ind would umte more strength, despite Satellite 001s failure, as encouragement to face new challenges. But not before Jin gave both Laojun and Reiko a scolding thatsted nearly three hours. Chapter 491: Jin, Towards Kaina Village

Chapter 491: Jin, Towards Kaina Vige

It was the day after Satellite 001s failure, that is, August 4th. Jin was hanging out at Stearleanas house. What a shame about what happened yesterday. Yeah, well. It might have been a bit out of my league. Haha, if youre not good enough to make it happen, then who in this world can? Then, after having spent some more time on idle chat Thanks for the tea. After putting down his empty cup, Jin decided it was time to leave Stearleanas house. He was nning to activate his new Magi Machine on this day. My Lord, the preparations for the activation of Mole are ready. Laojun reported this immediately after Jin returned to theboratory. As of August 1st, the Inad Mine had been officially incorporated into Jins leaseholdnd. There was nothing anyone could do to prevent that anymore. Laojun had questioned the Klein Kingdoms decision to retire their guards right before the transfer of possession had been properly made. Okay, lets start probing. We need to be very careful. Yes. We also have 20 Land Units equipped with sma Swords standing ready just in case. There were many things that Jin wanted to investigate, like the mysterious device discovered beneath the Inad Mine, and the habitat of the Giant Centipedes that hade out of it during the other days incident. The Mole was to be transferred to the position set by the Land Units upon their arrival at the scene. Thepleted Mole was a huge cylinder with a diameter of 2 meters and a length of 3 meters. It was simr to the shield machines used for tunnel digging on modern Earth. It was capable of using both the Engineering Magic spell Dig as well as Hyper Adamantite excavation tips. The excavated soil and sand would be discharged to the surface using a transfer machine. It could dig while exploring foreign substances in the ground thanks to its sonar and Magi Detector. It was also capable of using the Toughen spell on the walls of the tunnels it excavated in order to prevent cave-ins. Those were the functions avable to the Mole. Under Jins attentive watch, the Mole was transferred to its destination at 11 AM. Father, Elsa is calling for you. Come inside. Hmm. Okay. The two of them entered theboratory, and headed towards the workshop. Ah, Brother Jin. Ive finished working on their exterior. Elsa, Jins protegee and top disciple, cheerfully greeted him. There were 10 cat-shaped golems on the workshops big workbench. Jin had entrusted the hair transntation process to Elsa after she had returned from her parents house. Nine of them had a shiny and colorful coat of fur. One for each of the colors of the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple, plus one white and one ck. Oh, theyre so pretty. Thest remaining one still had an aluminum exterior. It was still a prototype. Ive named them Seki, Tou, Ou, Ryoku, Sei, Ai, Yukari, Haku, and Koku. They all seemed to have been named with words that seemed to be fashioned after Jins own name, and sounded very Japanese-like. What about this one? Jin asked that while pointing at the single golem cat which had yet to get his own coat of fur. I havent thought of a name for that one yet. Why dont you name it, Brother Jin? Okay, then How about Tama? Tama, huh? The nine coated golem cats had been made in Tamas image. The only difference it had with the other nine was itsck of fur. Tama would be kept on Hourai Ind, but the other nine would be sent to Kaina Vige so that they could roam free. In the first ce, all these golem cats were a result of Hannas suggestion to Jin. At first, Jin was going to make a single golem cat for her, but he then changed his mind. Brother Jin, why did you choose to make so many of these? Elsa seemed to have been wondering why for some time. Well, Reinhardt advised me that, as a feudal lord, one shouldnt show signs of favoritism. The point was that the other children would be jealous if Hanna was the only one to get a golem cat. Its different from when I was under the care of Marthas family, but albeit tentatively, Im a feudal lord now. Thats right. Kind of like Brother Rei. Thats why Im nning to set these little guys free in Kaina Vige. They moved just like cats, but their intelligence was set much higher. Their bodies were made with aluminum, while adamantite was used for their ws. Even if they were toe across a Rock Wolf or a Wood Bear, they should be able to defend themselves without any problem. Of course, they were also set to notify Laojun in case of an emergency. They were intended to behave like friendly cats. Still I think it would be nice if kids could remember the importance of life by caring for a living thing from these little guys as well. One of the teachings of the orphanages Director was that keeping small animals as pets wasnt just for cherishing them, but to remember how precious life actually was. The gravestone that Jin had set for his pet goldfish probably still remains in a corner of the orphanages garden to this day. Okay, Startup. The ten golem cats started to move all at once and began to meow. Jin immediately named each one of them. Then Tama, you stay here. The rest,e with me. Following Jins orders, Tama walked up to Elsa. When Elsa stroked its head, Tama jumped silently from the workbench and rubbed its body against Elsas legs. The remaining 9 golem cats formed a line behind Jin, followed by Reiko at the very end of the line. Using the Warp Gate, they traveled through shinkai and towards Kaina Vige. The exit point was the shelter in front of Nidou Castle. Ah, Lord Jin, wee back. Noticing Jins presence, Barrow rushed over to him. Jin realized that his behavior was a little off. Thanks, Barrow. Whats the matter? Did something happen? Y-Yes. Um, it looks like we have found two seemingly lost children. Lost children? Yes. Theyre at Dr. Sallys clinic. I only know what Ive learned by hearsay, so please ask the vige chief if you wish to know more about this. Got it. As Jin began to feel that trouble was on its way once again, Belle arrived also in a hurry, so he introduced the golem cats to her. Whoa, theyre so cute! So these are the famous cats, huh? Yeah. Ill be letting them run free around the vige, so try to show them some affection from time to time. He also added that they didnt need food or water because they were golems, which caused both Barrow and Belle to stare at them in wonder. This was the first time they had seen a golem that resembled a small animal. It would be more urate to say that there had never been a small animal golem in that world before, so their surprise was understandable. They dont even look artificial The yellow golem cat approached Belle and crouched at her feet. She reached out and caressed its body. Its fur was made from Ground Spider silk, which was more supple than regr silk, and stronger than steel. It feels so nice to touch Leaving Ou with her, Jin started walking forward. Alright, lets go take a look. Now Jin had only 8 cats following him. Ah, its big brother Jin! Oh, what are those? The children approached Jin the moment they noticed he was there. These are golem cats. Ill let them wander around the vige, so please show them some affection. Golem cats? Patty, one of the children, picked up the blue Sei, who then promptly curled up in her arms. Youre really skilled at holding it, Patty. Yeah, Im used to holding Henry just like this. Henry was Pattys newborn younger brother, born on June 27th. Even though he was barely 1 month old and couldnt even hold his own head steady, it seemed that her older sister was already used to babysitting him. After stroking Pattys head, Jin resumed his walk. Reiko and the now seven golem cats followed behind him. Along the way, Seki and Tou ran off, chasing some small animal that looked like a mouse. Jin then arrived at Marthas house joined by only five golem cats. Ah, big brother! Wee back! Hanna rushed to see Jin and was surprised to find the five golem cats behind him. Oh, are those cats? You made them, big brother! It all started when they came across a cat figurine in the old Lenard Kingdom and Hanna asked Jin if he could make something like it. Yeah, Ill be letting them roam free in the vige, so make sure to show them some affection when you can. As Jin said that, Haku, the white golem cat, rushed to Hannah and got on her shoulder. Whoa! Golem cats weighed about the same as normal cats. Haku was rubbing itself against Hannas face. Waah, so fluffy! Hanna was in very high spirits. Jin leaned towards her. Hanna, do you know about the lost children that are said to be staying at Dr. Sallys clinic? Eh? Ah, yeah. Are you going there? Thats the n. Then, Jin parted ways with Hanna and headed towards the vige chiefs house, followed by Reiko and four golem cats. On the way, they ran into other children, and Ryoku and Yukari stayed behind with them, so when Jin arrived at the vige mayors house, he only had Ai and Koku with him. Hello. Sally came out as soon as they knocked on the door. Ah, its you. I take it youre here about the lost children? You came at the right time. Come in. Following those words, Jin entered the Milleshan Clinic. The golem cats, however, ran off somewhere. Chapter 492: The Mysterious Two

Chapter 492: The Mysterious Two

Yesterday, Rock went to the northern mountains to catch some mountain deer, and came back with these children. The vige chief, Giebeck, exined the details to Jin. There were a couple of beds in front of Jin and the others, and a boy and a girl were sleeping there. The girl had clear white skin and long silver hair. The boy had dark skin and short dark brown hair. They both seemed to be around 14 or 15 years old. They have yet to wake up, but Sally said its due to fatigue and hunger. Sally? Ah, err I mean, Dr. Sally said. After realizing he had called her simply Sally and not Dr. Sally like everybody else in the vige, Giebecks face had turned a little red with embarrassment. Jin had a hunch about the meaning of Giebecks sudden nervousness, but frankly enough, he found no pleasure in seeing a middle-aged man such as him making such an expression. So Jin decided to change the topic. Do we know their names? Hmm, I cant say we do. All we know is that weve never seen clothes like the ones these two are wearing. Even though he said that, it was impossible to tell that at a nce, since the two children werepletely tucked up in nkets. Sally, who seemed to have been preparing medicine in the back, came back to the room. Then, he turned to Jin with a serious face. Jin, I want to hear your opinion. What are they? Judging by her choice of words, Jin perceived that Sally had a slight hunch that those two children could not be ordinary human beings. I cant say for sure. But one thing is certain, and that is that they came from a far away ce. Jin tried to be as vague as possible in his reply. Hmm, far away, you say? Judging from the ce where they were found and the heavy clothes they were wearing, they couldnt havee from anywhere but the north. Sally looked towards the wall. There were two heavy fur cloaks hanging from it. Thats Snow Tiger fur, right? Reiko muttered just those few words. Snow Tiger? Jin, Sally, and Giebeck all stared at Reiko at the same time. Yes. Its a magical beast that lives in the forest way to the north of here. On my 11th transfer back when I was searching for Father, I came across such beasts and named them Snow Tigers due to their appearance. The white coat of fur with ck horizontal stripes certainly looked like that of a tiger. It was very simr to the fur of the white tigers that could be found on modern Earth. Master, both Dr. Sally and myself agree that they seem hungry for magical power. Sallys assistant, Nurse Gamma, also arrived. She had a feeding cup in her hand. Well, thats right. But I dont understand why they dont seem to have recovered at all after an entire day Oh, itspletely different from the Magical Exhaustion Fever I heard before. Its like their magical power haspletely vanished and wont recover. ording to Sally, if it was a case of Magical Exhaustion Fever, they wouldnt be able to take things so leisurely due to its contagion risk. Thats why I was formting a drug that restores Mana in the body. That seemed to be what was in the feeding cup that Nurse Gamma was holding. Ah, just in case, theres no monster blood or any other animal products in it. Since she had been once persecuted for it, Sally was making daily efforts to avoid using animal products when concocting medicine. This is a refined version of the Pelshika Juice you gave me. Sally seemed to have arrived at that idea through her own efforts. However, she might have received some help from Nurse Gamma. Solids such as dietary fiber would have had to be removed, and then she would have had to increase the concentration of Mana through centrifugation. Of course, the one to do the actual work would have had to be Gamma. (Reiko, get ready to use your Paralyze spell at a moments notice. Then summon the Land Units here.) (Understood.) (Also, have the Land Units prepare their own Paralyze spells as well.) (Yes, Father.) (Barrier) Through Reiko, Jin issued instructions to be prepared in case of something unexpected happening. Then, for hisst insurance measure (Transinfo Lv8 - Mild) Using Transinfo on the children, Jin copied their knowledge. That way, he could analyze itter, even if the children were to try to hide anything from him. Sally was using a feeding cup to try to get the girl to drink the medicine, while Nurse Gamma was doing the same to the boy. The liquid that had the effect of recovering Mana was given to the two children little by little. About 1 minuteter The girls eyelids started to tremble, and she finally opened her eyes. Then, she became stiff the moment she noticed Nurse Gamma staring at her. Eek! Ah, its okay. Dont worry. The girl turned to the voice she heard, and found Sallys smiling face. H Hu The girlsplexion became even more pale than usual. Oh, dont overdo it. Take another sip. Sally offered her the cup, which still had more than half of its contents left. The startled girl held the medicine in her mouth. Um T-Thank you very much After calming herself down, the girl thanked Sally. Dont mention it. How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Ah, yes Upon hearing that, Sally went to the kitchen. It was almost as if she was in her own house. It seems the boy has regained consciousness. Gammas words urged Jin to look towards the boy, who seemed to have finally opened his eyes. The boy slowly moved his head, looking around the room. Youngdy! Oh, Im d The boy started coughing, probably because he started to speak too loudly all of a sudden. Gamma helped himy on his side and rubbed his back. Ah, Lucas, Im fine. These hu people, are nice. The girl then turned around towards everybody else and respectfully bowed her head. Thank you very much for helping us. My name is Shion. A second look at the girl that had introduced herself as Shion revealed that her silver hair was waist-long, and her skin as white as paper. She also had impressive-looking eyes, as blue as the winter sky. On the other hand, the boy named Lucas had short dark-brown hair, dark skin, and ck eyes. They contrasted so much with one another that they were like light and shadow. Well, you shouldnt force yourself to speak too much. First, eat this. Sally had brought a pot of stew from the kitchen. It wasnt too hot or too cold. T-Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Lucas and Shion thanked her and began to devour the stew. They seemed to have been very hungry. That stew isnt going anywhere, you know? Besides, theres plenty more of it in the kitchen. Smiling bitterly, Sally couldnt hide her delight about how energetic her patients seemed to be. Since the children had been advised not to speak too much for now, Jin and the others left the room. So, Doctor, do you think maybe I could have a word with them tomorrow? Hmm. Well, they should be better by tomorrow. Understood. Ille back tomorrow then. Jin decided to return home for the day. Laojun, please put Kaina Vige in an ongoing state of high alert. But also keep it in absolute secrecy. Understood. There is a high possibility that those two are demons. Measures against Gravity Magic, Envement Magic, and the like will be put in ce. Also, Ill prepare means to neutralize them, or even kill them, if necessary. We will not allow any harm toe to the people of Kaina Vige. Thank you. Laojun armed 20 Army Golems -Land Units 1 to 20- with countermeasures to Gravity Magic, sma Swords, Paralyzers, and so on, and sent them to Kaina Vige. Also, five Falcons were set on standby over the skies of Kaina Vige. Jin stayed at his house next to Marthas house and left Covert Units to stand close watch over the surrounding area. Reiko never left Jins side. Then, after the day went by without any incidents, night came, and then the morning of August 5th began. Chapter 493: Knocking on a Stone Bridge

Chapter 493: Knocking on a Stone Bridge

Looks like nothing has happened. Yes, My Lord. The Land Units deployed at the clinic also reported that the night transpired without any incidents. Do you have the results of the analysis of the Magi Crystal I used Transinfo on? About that Laojun was unusually hesitant to speak. Whats the matter? I was unable to read it. It would be more precise to say that it was as if nothing had been written in it to begin with. ording to Laojuns exnation, information such as knowledge and memories should normallye out in his analysis, but in this case, all he got waspletely meaningless data. There may be some kind of protection in ce, or it could be that Transinfo doesnt actually work with demons. Jin thought about this. It was a pity that he couldnt manage to get any information beforehand, but he still expected toe to understand many things after he had his conversation with themter that day. Ill go see how things are going after breakfast. Jin was considering the possibility of relocating the children to Nidou Castle. He turned to Butler A, who happened to arrive to check on the situation just in time. I dont know if itll be today, but eventually Id like to take them there. Understood. To the dungeon? N-No, I dont know that yet. Judging from our encounter yesterday, they didnt seem to be hostile. If thats the case, then well use a guest room. Jin thought that even if they ended up being demons as suspected, it would still not be okay to immediately conclude that they were his enemies. It wasnt reason, but intuition. Somehow, Jin had felt that from their short encounter in the clinic. But still, he had to tread carefully. Jin checked his equipment. Barrier, Lightweight, Laser, Paralyzer Jin made sure all the functions in his bracelet were in order. Everything seemed to be in top condition. Father, Elsa is here to see you. Jins house, which had been built next to Marthas house, was a two-storied building. In response to Reikos announcement, Jin took a look outside of his window. Elsa was standing there, wearing her usual outfit. That is, wearing a bright green short-sleeved dress and a white straw hat. Jin went down the stairs and greeted Elsa. Morning. Morning, Brother Jin. What is it? Did something happen? No, actually, I heard something happened here in Kaina Vige and decided toe to see what was going on. I see. Jin invited Elsa to his workshop on the first floor and offered her a chair, and after he too had taken a seat, he briefly exined what happened the day before. I think those two are demons, or at least theyre involved with demons to some extent. Thats why Im taking some precautions. I can see why youre being so cautious. So, what are you going to do? Jin told her exactly what was on his mind. That is, he wanted to take them to Nidou Castle in order to indirectly keep a close watch on them. Yeah, that may be a good idea. Elsa had already met with demons before, and had heard how terrifying they could be, so she didnt disagree with Jins measures. But I think its better to check if they really are demons. Yeah. But Id like to do that in Nidou Castle. After all, the clinic is right in the middle of the vige. Just in case. Elsa nodded. Okay. In that case, let me go with you. I think Dr. Sally might let you take them with you if Im around. Ah, I see. But have youe prepared? Yeah, Ive brought everything. Seeing Jins concern, Elsa showed him a ring that could unleash a Barrier and a Lightweight spell. You should be careful too, okay, Edgar? Yes, Master Jin. Thus Jin headed to the Milleshan Clinic, joined by Elsa. Along the way, a golem cat ran past them. It seemed to be chasing a mouse that was trying to get inside the wheat storage. Already, the golem cats were making themselves useful. Ah, big brother and big sis Elsa! Hanna, who had gone outside to y, noticed Jin and Elsa and ran up to them while waving her hands. After saying their good mornings, Jin noticed the white golem cat Haku wrapping around her feet. As Jin expected, Hanna seemed to have taken a liking to the golem cat. At the same time, it had alsoe to act as a bodyguard of sorts to her. Where are you going? Ah, were going to see the vige chief. Sorry, Hanna, we have something important to talk about there, so well y with youter. Jin said that to prevent Hanna from wanting to tag along, and she nodded obediently. Okay, sure! See youter! Come on, Haku! Hannah rushed home after calling out to Haku, who was crouching at her feet. Haku meowed and then ran after her. After seeing them off, Jin and Elsa arrived at the Milleshan Clinic. Is someone here? At Jins call, Land 1 cancelled his Invisible spell and revealed itself. I am here, Master. Oh, its you, Land 1. How are things around here? Peaceful and uneventful. Those two havent caused any trouble. Relieved to hear that, Jin knocked on the clinics door. Nurse Gamma came out shortly after. Good morning, Master. There have been no changes. There were two potential meanings to the phrase No changes. Either the childrens condition hadnt changed, or nothing had happened at all. Okay. Can wee in? Yes, Master, please do. Elsa seemed to be a bit embarrassed after seeing a golem that looked just like her calling Jin Master. Ah, youre here, Jin. Yes, Doctor. How are those two? Ive brought Elsa with me as well. Good morning. Ah, good morning, Elsa. Im d to see you here. Do you need a checkup? Now that Elsa had mastered healing magic and medical examination spells to their highest levels, she had earned a great deal of trust and cordiality from Sally. First, they went to see Lucas and Shion. The two were a little surprised to see Elsa, who they had never seen before, but Sally calmed them down. Its okay. Shes another healer like myself. Im Elsa. Nice to meet you. Im Shion. Im Lucas. After giving each others name, Elsa asked for permission to check up on them and used Diagnose. After learning the result, Elsas face became stiff for a moment, but soon returned to normal. Other than being a bit weakened, theyre both healthy. I see. My medical examinations showed the same result. Im d to hear that. Sally seemed relieved. Thats why I was thinking about taking them to Nidou Castle. It might be a bad idea to keep them hospitalized here. Jin told Sally about his n in a separate room. As expected, she wasnt too happy to hear it. Hmm, its a bit too sudden Though Elsa would be there with you, right? Still, I dont think I can give you an answer to that without asking the kids themselves first. Jin imagined she would say something like that, which is why he had Reiko consult with Laojun. And so, a counter argument was quickly produced. Doctor, I think those two havee here for a reason. I rmend you ask them about that, indirectly of course. Reiko offered that suggestion. Hmm, I see. They headed back to the sickroom. You two seem to have recovered quite well. If not from the weakness that was probably caused by hunger, youd be perfectly healthy by now. Lucas and Shion seemed relieved to hear that from Sallys mouth. So, you guys must havee here for a reason, right? In that case, this is Jin, the lord of this vige. Hes one of the most influential people around here. You can discuss your business here with him. That was Sallys approach. Both Jin and Elsa could see how Lucas and Shions faces became slightly tense after hearing that. A-Ah Shion seemed to have something to say, but was hesitant. Is there something youd like to discuss with me? If thats okay with you, why dont youe to my castle? We can talk there in private. Upon hearing those words, Shion became silent and stared at the floor as if thinking about something, but soon raised her head again, fixed her eyes on Jin, and nodded slowly. U-Um Y-Yes, Id appreciate t-that If youre going, youngdy, Ill be there with you! Shions words were choppy, but Lucas were loud and clear. Okay. Doctor, would that be okay? Sally nodded reluctantly, feeling that the two of them seemed to be involved in some deep circumstances. Thats fine by me. But Ill apany you until we reach the castle. Chapter 494: Dialogue

Chapter 494: Dialogue

Jin had the Land Units he had summoned earlier take Lucas and Shion on stretchers to Nidou Castle. Although that attracted some degree of attention from the vigers on the way, when they saw that Jin was involved, they all showed no further interest and returned to their respective everyday lives, so Jin was relieved. The two children didnt seem to be very surprised when they saw the Land Units. Jin, in turn, was surprised by this, but didnt say anything about it. Jin had two futon beds arranged in the guest room for their use. You can sleep here for the time being. Ah, thank you very much. Then, silence. Jin decided to ask them his question again. Well, is there anything youd like to talk about? Im all ears. But the two of them still remained silent. Oh, well. No other way, I guess. I have a few things to ask you. Jin decided to try a different approach, and asked them another question. Do you know anything about demons? !! Both of them nearly jumped out of surprise. W-Whats up with that reaction? I wont let youy a single finger on the youngdy! Shions surprise caused Lucas to lose his temper, and heshed out at Jin. I knew it. But you dont have to act so scared. After all, Ive alreadye across several other demons before. Huh? Lardus, Dogmaud, Bemiarouge, Marchosias, Androgias, Alciel. Do any of these names ring a bell to you? Eeehhh!? Y-You W-Who What are you? Shion was paler than ever, but her eyes were fixated on Jin. Im the Magi Craft Meister, Jin Nidou. Magi Craft Meister? So it exists? She seemed familiar with the concept of a Magi Craft Meister. Shion calmed down a bit, and continued with a seemingly deep emotion in his voice. But Ive heard that no one was there to take up the mantle after Adriana Balbora Cecis passing so howe there is a Magi Craft Meister in this day and age? This time, Jin was the one taken by surprise. You know of my predecessor? I mean, youve at least heard of her Predecessor? So you truly are Yes, Father is, without a doubt, Mother Adriana Balbora Cecis sessor. Reiko, who had been silent until then, cut into the conversation. Shion stared at her. A ck-haired Automata You really are the Magi Craft Meister Since Shion seemed to have calmed down a bit, Jin decided to wait and hear what she had to say. Just as you say, Lord Jin, Im a demon. My ns name is Shinra. My name is Shion of Shinra. I am Lucas. Im the youngdys personal escort. Since Im an attendant, I dont have a n name. Are your n names like surnames, in that they are hereditary? Yes, thats right. I guess it would be okay to put it that way. At this point, Jin decided to ask her about things he was wondering about regarding demons. This was because Shion seemed to be more inclined to talk about that. Say, are you really okay being in a ce with so little Ether? Y-Yes. But to tell you the truth, it is a bit tough Hmph! Im only training myself! This is nothing Lucas was putting up a brave front, but from his paleplexion, Jin could see that he was experiencing some degree of difort after all. I see. I expected as much. By the way, youvee from the northern continent, right? Through that narrow isthmus ! You! You know of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext? Jin had a general grasp of the northern hemisphere of this world, though it was limited to only its topography. When it came to actual ground surveys, most of thend was still unexplored, as Jin didnt know how dangerous it would be to conduct them, and thought it best to not risk triggering any unexpected conflict. Ah, I just know of its topography. So its called Great Isthmus of Pazdext, huh? So you do live in the northern continent, correct? So you know that much As expected from the Magi Craft Meister Little by little, Shions stiff mouth began to loosen up. Yes, as you said, we live in the Gondoa Continent, on the other side of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. The northern continent seemed to be called Gondoa. Through Reiko, Laojun was umting every piece of information in minute detail. So you dont seem to have countries like we do here. Shion was eager to reply after being asked about how their society was organized. The ns group together to settle colony-like viges. Therge ns have about 100 members, while the smaller ones have about 10 or so. Jin had to make an effort to hold the reins of his excitement after learning such valuable information. Then, he asked the one question that would pierce the heart of the topic. Are the demons nning to attack again? As expected, Shion couldnt answer that immediately. However, instead of her, Lucasshed out in anger once again. What do you take us for!? Thats something that some ns do of their own ord! Lucas OOkay. At Shions warning, Lucas held his tongue. Like Lucas just said, not all of us have a desire for conflict. Though there are some powerful factions among therger ns who call themselves radical and extremists, and they seem to be scheming something. I see. It seemed that, as suspected, not all demons were the same. There were still a lot of things Jin wanted to ask them, but he decided to let them rest for now, and called Belle to bring some special Hourai Ind pelshika juice. Thank you very much. Please drink this and rest. Since he had enough juice for the three of them, Jin first took a sip to show them it was safe. Seeing that, Shion took a cup in her hand. Lucas seemed to have wanted to say something, but still took a sip before her. Delicious Wait, this Youngdy, our magic The juice had more Ether in it than the medicine they had been given at Sallys clinic. Both Lucas and Shion seemed to be in a daze as they drank up. Seeing that, Reiko prepared herself for battle. She put herself on guard, in case the two became aggressive after their magical power had returned. Of course, the same was also true for the Covert Units around Jin. But that turned out to be a needless concern, like kicking on a stone bridge before crossing it. Thank you. Ah, my body feels much better now. It was delicious. Thank you. Even after drinking all of it, their demeanor didnt change one bit. This beverage has arge amount of Ether in it, right, Lord Jin? Thats right. I thought it would be particrly effective on you. It was. Thank you very much. Then, they returned to their conversation. Alright then. Can you tell me why you came to thesends? Yes. Um P-Pl lp us Huh? Please help us! As her face suddenly became as if she was on the brink of tears, Shion instantly dropped to her knees, ced her hands on the ground, and lowered her face. Im begging you! Please, help us! This took Jin by surprise, and he was rendered speechless for a brief moment. You! Mydy is on her knees, and you say nothing!? As much as Lucas raised his voice in anger, it wouldnt make Jin react any sooner. Shion, can you please be a bit more specific? I cant give you a response if you dont tell me what you need help with. Ah S-Sorry! Shions face becamepletely red after realizing that she had just anxiously blurted that out without any context. Chapter 495: The Demons’ Circumstances

Chapter 495: The Demons Circumstances

Well, what should I start with? Shion slightly tilted her head to the side as she began to think. Eventually, she seemed to have collected her thoughts, and started talking again. The Gondoa continent where we live is much colder than this region. As a result, we arent able to harvest as many crops. Yeah, I see. Our poption is Well Im sorry, but I cant say. Its a secret of our tribe. Ah, I can understand that. Dont worry about it. Information such as the poption of the race to which you belong is one of the things that should be kept secret in case a war breaks out, even if you dont know the exact number. However Since the poption has dropped sharply as a result of the anti-human military campaign, the amount of farnd has increased rtive to the poption, so it seemed that there wouldnt be any problems with that for a while The demons also seem to have been greatly affected by a drastic decline in their poption. For thest 10 years or so, the temperature has dropped considerably and we havent been able to harvest sufficient crops to feed our people. So, cold damage? Cold damage? Ah, I see, thats what you call it here. Yes, it was cold damage. Thats why we started to run out of food in general. Jin remembered the tales he had heard from Vivian, where she had spoken of demons hailing from the north, seemingly wanting to get their hands into the humans agricultural produce. If someone were to ask him, hed say that such a reason was a rather disappointing one, but at the same time, it was also easy to understand. The heads of the ns got together and debated about what our options were. And we were divided into two different opinions. I can somehow see where this is going. Um, yeah One faction thought about trading with the humans for food. The other one, however, spoke of threatening humans into giving us their food. I understand. Jin prompted her to continue. Of course, Lucas and I are part of a moderate faction. But the radicals are different. They might not be thinking about a full-scale war, but they seem to be nning to conquer and colonize human viges. Shion seemed terribly vexed. As a means to prepare themselves, the radicals have people scattered in various countries gathering all sorts of information on the humans current situation. The five demons you mentioned are probably some of them. I have also heard about Alciel before. Jin now had a rough idea about the demons background. It was time to get to the point. So, what exactly is it that you need me to help you with? The first thing we need is a steady supply of food. I believe we can provide for a good amount of materials from magical beasts, and I was thinking those would make for a fair trade. The thought that such trades could have been made in the olden days crossed Jins mind. I see. And what else? You said the first thing, so there must be at least something else you need help with, right? Yes. Please, stop the radicals! Huh? Was that something to be asked to a single individual? Though, Shion had been like that about her trade offer. The request had simply been too abrupt, and Jin couldnt help but be surprised by it. B-But you, you are the Magi Craft Meister, are you not? Legend has it that a Magi Craft Meister created a certain magic tool, something unlike anything we have ever dreamed of, and it changed our lives! What did you say? There were no records of the previous Magi Craft Meister, Adriana Balbora Ceci, having done such a thing. Even Reiko had no recollection of that or rather, she probably didnt even know about it to begin with. Mother was already quite old when she made me. Realizing the meaning behind Jins gaze at her, Reiko replied to his unspoken question. However, it was certainly possible that his predecessor had done such a thing. I see. Okay. Please tell me more about that requestter. Depending on what you tell me, I may offer to do as much as I can to help you. But please tell me one more thing before that. Yes, what is it? Is there anything among your legends that exins why the demons ended up living in such a cold region? At that moment, Shions face stiffened for a second. Her reaction made Jin regret his question, wondering if it had been rude of him to ask such a thing. Ive been told that it was the humans who chased us off. Shions voice was deeper than ever. There is a legend that says that our ancestors moved to the north after being chased off by humans more than 3000 years ago. Rather than her usual soft, tender voice, she was speaking in a much gloomier and disheartened tone of voice. Im sorry. Looks like it was a bad thing to ask you about. Jin quickly apologized. Shion sighed deeply and returned to her usual aura. No, dont worry. Its just a legend Though it has given us demons a reason to despise humans. Okay. Thank you for answering my questions. Your bodies havent recovered yet, so maybe you should rest for a while. Would you like me to bring you some of that juice again? Or perhaps youd like something to eat? Ah, well Um, wed like some food Feeling as if she was demanding to be served something to eat, Shions cheeks turned deeply red. Jin nodded heartily. Got it. Ill get something ready for you right away. Please wait a moment. After saying that, Jin left the room, followed by Reiko. Shion and Lucas were the only ones to remain in the room. Was that really okay, youngdy? Yes, its alright. That person named Jin is, without a shade of a doubt, the Magi Craft Meister. To think that that guy Dont underestimate him. Humans, unlike us, have improved their magical skills instead of the technology to strengthen their bodies with magical powers. But were the ones with the better technology! Yes, thats right. But we have merely inherited our ancestors legacy. But the Magi Craft Meister is different. He can create new things, things that have never existed before. And thats the kind of help that we need. Understood. Did you see that automata, the one he called Reiko? Her hair was long and ck, just as its told in our legends. That Jin was just like her, too. Yes, certainly Right. So we should wait and see for now. And we should focus on recovering. Yes, youngdy. It goes without saying that Laojun listened to the entire conversation between master and servant. Jin was talking to Laojun in the living room on the 5th floor of Nidou Castle. What do you think, Laojun? What they said was almost entirely true. There seems to be no contradiction between what they said and the information I have umted so far. Hmm, so even that part about demons being chased off by humans over 3000 years ago was true as well? Yes, that is very likely. Thats why they have no reason to lie. ording to Vivian, mankind had their sights set on the northernnds in the past, but that begs the question whether things happened exactly as the demons im they have. Hmm, so were not sure how much truth there is to the chased off part of their story, huh? Correct. It is possible that what happened was a matter of demons and humans taking separate paths after some sort of dispute rather than humans chasing demons off. Right, and that eventually turned into humans chased us off as time went by and the story turned into legend. This is all mere spection, however. Then, this may This may support my theory that humans and demons share the same origin. Your theory, My Lord? This theory was born as a result of Elsas medical examination of Shion and Lucas, which showed that they were essentially no different from humans. Yeah. Though we call them demons, as if they were inherently evil, they seem to be more like magical beings. After all, at least in my world, concepts such as magic and demons are closely rted. So rather than a race of demons, theyre more of a race of magic users, correct? Thats what I think. That theory brings the question of what caused this difference between humans and these magic users? Id like to start researching that from now on. Very well. By the way, My Lord, we have discovered two Hecatoncheires in the mountains 50 kilometers north of Kaina Vige, and exterminated them shortly thereafter. Hecatoncheires, you said? Like the giant Reiko defeated in the northern mountains some time ago? Correct. Since they were heading south, there was a good chance that they would eventually reach Kaina Vige, and they could have eaten up the local mountain deer and wood bears in their wake. But why were they? It is possible that they were chasing after Shion and Lucas. Rather than being associated with Shion and Lucas, it was more likely that the Hecatoncheires were trying to catch and kill them. What has made you reach that conclusion? Had they been their underlings, they would not have been so exhausted and in distress. The Hecatoncheires werent bothered at all by the snowfall around the area where we found them. Even if the fields were buried in snow 5 meters deep, Being well over 30 meters tall, Hecatoncheires would have little trouble moving about them. It seems that radicals and moderate factions are at odds with each other, and some demons with the ability to control monsters might have unleashed them upon Shion and Lucas. Like Alciel the Puppeteer, huh? Jin wondered if the Hecatoncheires that Reiko had defeated before had also been a monster sent by the demons. We might need to tighten the security in the northern areas closer to the mountains. Yes, Ill have the Air Force watch over the area for the time being. Okay, thanks, Laojun. Jin ate lunch in the 1st floors dining room. He had rice balls put together with nori and salt. The miso brought from Coupu was being analyzed by the Peridots. Since it was a fermented food, the earliest they could start getting a mass-produced amount of it was a yearter However, a bowl of wakame miso soup was ced in front of him. Whats this? This is the miso soup I learned how to make only this morning. The answer to Jins question came from Belle. Oh, a soup made from dried sardines. Yum! Jin was pleased that it was quite delicious for something Belle had just learned how to prepare. Though in fact he was d that this miso soup tasted better than the one he had at Mr. Techres house. However, Jin was also puzzled. He was sure about getting only a handful of miso from Mr Techres. Later, he learned that this miso, also named Bin Pei, was being made in small quantities in the southern part of the Shouro Empire. In other words, it had been brought by the Quinta that had been dispatched to the Shouro Empire. Chapter 496: Calling For Help

Chapter 496: Calling For Help

The afternoon of the same day, Jin promised Shion to do as much as he could. He had returned to the room where Shion and Lucas were resting. Sorry foring back so soon, but I had something I really wanted to ask you. Sure, what is it? After having her magical power greatly restored by the Pelshika juice and a hearty lunch, Shion seemed to havepletely regained her vitality. Its about the kind of magic the demons can use. Ah! There are many secrets not even I know about. Jin could understand that well. It would be foolish of them to y the game with their handpletely revealed. Ah, but maybe you can tell me more about what I already know. I know about Gravity Magic, Explosion Magic, Transfer Magic, and Envement Magic. W-What!? The one who had raised their voice hadnt been Shion, but Lucas. Thats top secret! How do you know about these things!? Lucas, youre being rude. Im sorry, Jin. Shion quickly calmed the agitated Lucas and apologized to Jin. No, its fine. The reason I know about them is because the demons I met used those types of magic. I knew it Shion nodded as if finally understanding something. Hmm? What is it? Eh, ah, yes, ording to our legends, Not a single hint should be given to the Magi Craft Meister, no matter how trivial it may seem. In short, it seems to be a passage born out of concern for the Magi Craft Meisters analytical power and ability to apply knowledge to new situations. The Magi Craft Meister, when given even the slightest opportunity, will be able to put the whole picture together. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that maybe that was a bit too much of a stretch, but on the other hand, looking at Jin, they were probably not that wrong about him. Well, Im not so sure about that, haha. Jin scratched the back of his head. And there are only a handful of ns that can actually use magic. I cant use it. Lucas is the same as me Youngdy! Thats a bit too much! No. How do you expect to earn this mans trust if we hide such important details from him? Lets talk about the things we came here to discuss. They wouldnt talk about the total number of demons because it didnt concern Jin directly, but they were open about talking in regards to their personal magical abilities. Shion was the only one in the room who knew what was the basis for that logic, but Jin decided not to pursue that. And About the remuneration for your help Yeah. Jin wasnt nning to be made use of unterally. He was hoping there would be some kind of repayment from Shion. If youre interested in ves I can get you 10 of our people myself included I refuse. Jins reply was as sharp as a knife. I have no need for something so troublesome. Or is it customary for your people? very in this world was a thing of the past. Jin wasnt sure about the underside of society, but as far as the general public was concerned, that was the truth. One of the reasons for that was that the poption had decreased too much. People preferred to have employees instead of ves to serve as their workforce. But that wasnt the only reason. There would be no economic development with very. In other words, the economic wheel turned whenever people bought things with their hard earned money as employees. When money circtes, it can be said that the economy is in a good state. But when money is simply umted without it ever being spent, the economy bes stagnant. The politicians of this world seemed to have understood this quite easily at some point in history. T-Then, how about monster materials? Yeah, thats more like it. Jin was more interested in getting some rare materials. However, Reikos face looked bitter. Father, if its materials you want, we can get them ourselves. Perhaps we should ask for something else? Lucas stared at Reiko, but her expression didnt change at all. T-Then How about showing me some of your secret magic or artifacts? A-Artifacts? Well, there are a few Really!? What kind of artifacts? Is any of them something you can talk about? Um Shion thought about it for a little, then started talking. Theres a machine that can show pictographic images. Its a magic tool that transcribesndscapes and portraits into paper. (Like a camera?) If thats what they were talking about, it was something that Jin had yet to recreate in this world. What else? Um, theres a magic tool that tells you the current time. (A clock! How didnt I think about making clocks before?) And theres a magic tool that magnifies really small things so that we can actually see them. (A microscope, I wonder? Well, Ill probably use that as a reference.) Shion was staring at Jins, who was simply nodding silently after hearing each of her suggestions. Um? Hmm? Ah, sounds good. But cant you show me some of your weaponry? Jin asked that just for the sake of asking. He understood why they didnt seem too eager about disclosing anything rted to their military power. But he had nothing to lose by asking. Um Yes, I think. Alright then. Just think about one or two things you can tell me about. Thatll be all for now. Huh? T-Thats it? Yeah, thats it. Actually, he wasnt just being that much of a simple guy. In terms of topography, Kaina Vige was rtively close to the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. This meant that if an invasion of demons were to ur, there was a possibility that they would be attacked first, and even Jin couldnt overlook such a situation. Of course, Jin was nning to add even more surveince and security to the area north of Kaina Vige. T-Thank you very much! Shion kneeled on the floor and brought her face close to the ground. It was simr to the posture of dogeza that wasmon in modern Japan. Oh, dont mention it. I was hoping to get some kind of reward out of this either way. With that, Jin asked Shion to stand back up. Well then, lets talk about the concrete part of your request. Jin nced at Shion. How are you feeling? Can we keep talking for a bit longer? Y-Yes! Im okay. Please, go on! Shion waved her hands cheerfully to further indicate that she was fine. Seeing that, Jin continued talking. So, stop the radicals, huh? Do you have any specific ns for that? Yes, though it is the opinion of our tribes patriarch My grandfather. Shion started talking. To stop the extremists, all we need to do is eliminate their reason for wanting to fight. At the end of the day, their reason is nothing more than a food problem. First, we should secure food for the time being, and then find a continuous source. And if we can be self-sufficient, even better. Thats what my grandfather said. Hmm, I understand. But will that be enough? Um, I beg your pardon? Well, they are a radical faction. Will that really be enough to make them stop threatening humans? In fact, there was a demon named Lardus who seemed to be doing it just for fun, and many humans died because of him. Marchosias, too. He was mere steps away from killing the leader of an entire nation. Upon hearing Jins words, Shion seemed to have be even tinier than she already was. W-Well Their actions didnt cause me any direct damage. But they attacked the Klein Kingdom and the Shouro Empire. Ah, yes, the Celuroa Kingdom might have suffered some damage from them as well. Jin exined to Shion that seeing each of those countries situations really made him wonder if a simple Sorry about that, we wont cause trouble here anymore would be enough to settle things. When ites to getting food, I think buying from the Klein Kingdom would be your best bet. At this point, Jin had thought of a n, but he believed it was still too early to talk about it. Oh, onest thing. About this matter, what position do you upy in demon society? The youngdy is the granddaughter of the patriarch of the Shinra n, thergest n of the moderate faction! Lucas, who had been silent up until now, blurted that out loudly. You! Youre quick to promise to help us even though you have no real abilities, arent you? Lucas! Youre being terribly rude! No, youngdy. Please let me continue. You, lets have a duel! If I win, youll have to admit that youre powerless to help us! Chapter 497: The Duel

Chapter 497: The Duel

A duel? Lucas! Stop! Stop this instant! No, youngdy. You even offered yourself as a ve to him. Please let me see with my own eyes if this guy is worthy of such an offer! Lucas relentlessly challenged Jin to a duel. Shion, does he know in which position he is in right now? When Jin asked, Shions face went pale and she quickly bowed her head. Im Im sorry! Please, please, dont change your mind about helping us! Apparently, Shion seemed to understand her position. In other words, she must have feared that Jin wouldnt really be at a loss if he were to abandon them to their fate. However, Jin wasnt nning to do such a thing, because he wanted to keep Kaina Vige safe and to learn more about this worlds past. Jin was sure that there would be no way he could lose if he were to simply deploy a barrier and attack Lucas from behind its cover, though he doubted Lucas would be satisfied with that. Father, please let me ept his challenge in your stead. Reiko offered this alternative to the pondering Jin. She had asked Laojun to analyze the demons physical abilities and inferred that she should be able to fight Lucas. Hm, I see. Looks like I have no choice but to take you up on your offer. But dont go too hard on him, okay? Thinking that there might be no other way to resolve this, Jin gave those instructions to Reiko. Since youre acting in Shions stead as her attendant, I will be your opponent in Fathers stead as her daughter. Hmph, fine. Itll be a fight between attendants, then! Lucas said that because he knew that Reiko was an automata. It was still bright enough outside, so they decided to have the duel in the open area in front of Nidou Castle. Is your body well enough for this, Lucas? Hmph, as your guard, youngdy, I can fight anytime! Reiko was quick to throw aeback at his boastful words. And despite that, you still managed to faint and had to be taken into medical care. Ugh Shion had recovered to the point where she could walk, but in order to not overexert herself, she let the castles specialist Topaz 101 hold her up in its arms and take her outside. Um, so wheres your weapon? Jin asked Lucas. No weapons! Ill be fighting with my own body! Got it. Are you ready to begin? Come on! The moment Lucas said that, Reiko dashed forward. She instantly appeared right in front of Lucas and threw a right uppercut straight at his jaw, but stopped it right before it actually hit him. Looks like Ive already won. W-Why you sneaky! Were putting our abilities to the test, soe at me head on! Lucas words hade across as the cold sweat from a sore loser. Reiko jumped backwards, taking some distance from him. Is that so? Then, pleasee attack me when youre ready. This time, Reiko simply stood there, readying herself for Lucas attack. You cheeky! This time Lucas dashed towards Reiko. Using his momentum, he threw a punch at a speed that would have been hard for the untrained eye to follow. But Reiko easily moved out of the way. Wha-! Lucas threw even more punches at her. However, Reiko blocked each of them using only one hand. Damn it! How about this!? Lucas shifted towards foot techniques this time. A front kick, a roundhouse kick, a knee strike, and an ax kick. Yet Reiko dodged each of them with just the bare minimum amount of movement. Amazing Both Jin and Shion, as well as Belle and Barrow -who had just arrived to see the duel- were witnessing a battle so fast-paced that their eyes had trouble keeping up with it. Damn it! Why cant I hit you!? Perhaps he would normally be strengthened by magical power, but thesends had a low concentration of Ether. Lucas was gradually running out of breath. At this rate, he could end up tiring himself to death. But Reiko didnt want that to happen. Considering Lucass personality, she thought that the only way to get him to stop would be by showing their actual difference in ability. Ill be attacking now! Reiko, who had been defensive until now, had already read Lucass attack patterns. And she let out a flurry of punches and kicks that were faster than his. W-Waah! At this point, Lucas was the one who was restricted to defending. But Reiko couldnt afford to stop attacking. If anything, she was getting even faster. Even so, Reikos output was only 15 percent. Ugh! Right when Lucass right hand seemed to be about to catch Reikos fist, Reiko instead caught his right hand with her armpit, and twisted her body. It was an Armpit Reversal, one of the secret techniques of the Knights of the Shouro Empire. Gah! After bending his elbow joint contrary to its intended direction long enough, Lucas naturally lost his bnce. When she applied more weight in response, his posture was thrown off. Then, by throwing herself on the floor while holding him in that position, Reiko sessfully threw Lucas to the floor as well. At that moment, Reiko could have broken his elbow or shoulder joints, but she wasnt nning to do anything like that, so she let go of his arm. After pushing Lucas away, Reiko distanced herself from him. Lucas, on the other hand, had an amazing sense of bnce, leaping away and taking his distance as well without as much as stumbling after being pushed away. Reiko then instantly measured the distance between herself and Lucas, and then between herself and Jin, and decided to try a single technique. After briefly increasing her output to 50%, she rushed at Lucas at a speed close to Mach 1. However, she came to a sudden stop about 1 meter in front of him. But Rushing at a speed just below the speed of sound had created a lump ofpressed air in front of Reiko. Then, by suddenly stopping in her tracks, thepressed air mass separated from her and continued to move at the same speed while expanding. It was as if a giant speaker had vibrated only once while producing an incredibly low pitched sound. Since it wasnt actually magic, it had been severely dampened and it could really be used only at a short distance, but this mass of air struck Lucas. It was simr, if not a bit more potent, than the Wind Magic spell Wind Blow. Uwaaah! As a result of taking that at point-nk range, Lucas was sent flying about 20 meters away before falling to the ground where he fainted on the spot. I hope I didnt go too far. Lucas! Shions worried voice resounded. Reiko rushed to where Lucas had fallen to take a look at his condition. Father! Seemingly concerned about something, Reiko quickly called Jin, who also rushed towards Lucas. Whats wrong? Please take a look at him with Analyze. Hm? Okay. Analyze. Then, Jins face went pale. W-Whats this? The flow of magic in his body waspletely abnormal. This didnte up during his Diagnose When Lucass body was examined with medical magic, he seemed to be no different from a normal human being, but a clear difference was made evident by using Analyze. That is his flow of magical power. Normally, magical power would circte in the body like blood, but in Lucas case, it didnt. Rather, it felt as if it flowed out from one point in his body and then gathered itself back again. Shion. Y-Yes? Failing toe up with a good exnation for that, Jin called Shion. In exchange for Lucas rudeness, could I ask you to allow me to use the Analyze spell on you? Uhh Shions face changed color. However, he quickly made up her mind and nodded. Understood. Go ahead. Thank you. Analyze. Hmm, this ording to its result, Shion was no different from any other human being. This meant that while Lucas was very simr to humans and demons, he was actually a different kind of creature. Um, Lord Jin? Rather than trying toe up with an answer himself, Jin decided to ask Shion directly. Tell me, what exactly is Lucas? Hes from a slightly different race from you right? Hearing those words made Shions face turn pale yet again. Youve figured that much, havent you? I shouldve expected that from the Magi Craft Meister Shion hung her head down in dejection. Yes, Lucas isnt exactly a demon. It would be more urate to refer to him as a Servant. ording to Shions exnation, in the Land of the Demons (for theck of a better term, since their territories werent divided into countries) there were both Demons and Servants. Like Lucas, all members of the servant caste were dark-skinned and had identical brown hair. And they all had brownish-dark eyes. Lucas is only 5 years old. What!? Those from the servant caste grow at an elerated rate. He became my personal attendant onlyst year, so I dont have a tight grasp on his reins yet. Please take that into consideration when dealing with him. Understood. Reiko, hows Lucas condition? He just fainted. He should be recovering consciousness soon. Just as she said that, Lucas groaned and opened his eyes. Are you okay? Reiko asked him that just to make sure. Lucas got up slowly and ced his hands on the ground in front of Reiko. I waspletely defeated! Youre much stronger than me! Then he turned towards Jin and lowered his head. My apologies! I now fully understand the true ability of the Magi Craft Meister! Then, he turned towards Shion. Its exactly as you said, youngdy. The Magi Craft Meister will definitely save you and your people. After returning to Nidou Castle, Jin handed Lucas a ss of Pelshika juice. The magical power consumed by the match was restored, and Lucas regained his energy. There didnt seem to be any injuries on him other than some scratches, so Jin healed them with Cure. Well then, you must be pretty tired, so wrap it up for today. Ill leave Ruby 101 here, so please let her know if you need anything. Ruby 101 was quite adept at offensive magic, especially of the me attribute, among golem maids. And she was also able to use Paralyze, so she was the right choice for both guard duty and surveince. In addition, Lands 16 and 17 had been called from Hourai Ind, and were standing beside Ruby 101, hidden under the mantle of Invisibility. Jins next move would actually begin starting from the following day thereafter. Using the Warp Gate in his own room on the castles 5th floor, Jin went to Hourai Ind. Chapter 498: Friends’ Warning

Chapter 498: Friends Warning

What do you think, Laojun? After handing Laojun all of the data he had on Lucas, Jin asked him for his opinion on it. Since there is little data, this is mostly pure spection, but this makes me think that Lucas could be just like those servants who are almost the same as a person that were mentioned in Vivians tales. Thats what I thought. Jin was also of the same idea. He wasnt sure whether he was part of a different species or an artificially created race. So, can we trust those two? Through Reiko, Jin asked further questions to Laojun, who he had expected to have heard all the conversations he had with Shion. Yes, My Lord, I believe there is no matter for concern with them. I see. Though they might still be hiding something, they appear to not have told a single lie so far. At the very least, they dont seem to have any malicious intent, and since some valuable information may be obtained from them, I consider it potentially beneficial for us to continue to help them for the time being. Understood. However, though it might prove difficult to do so due to time differences, I believe it necessary for you to consult this with the rest of yourpanions yourself. Youre right. Elsa already knows about them, but I have to talk about this with the others. It was currently 4 PM at Kaina Vige and 6:20 PM at Hourai Ind. That meant it was around 1 PM at the city of Loizart in the Shouro Empire. He might be in the middle of work now He felt sorry about bothering Reinhardt while he was busy, but this was probably a more pressing matter than his everyday work. Jin contacted everyone using the Mana Comm, and 30 minutester, all of the members of the Family were present. That included Jin himself, Elsa, Mine, Reinhardt, Berthie, Saki, Toa, Stearleana, and Vivian. Since this was an urgent matter, they gathered right away. Well then, I have good reason for calling you all here on such short notice With Laojuns help, Jin recounted the events that transpired the day before. And thats basically what happened. Sorry for bringing you all here so suddenly. D-Demons, you say? Are you sure this is a good idea, Jin? The first one to speak after Jins exnation was Berthie, with an understandably concerned tone of voice. Hmm. Jin, those demons Shion and Lucas, you said they were called? Can we really trust them? Reinhardt also shared his prudent opinion. Yeah. About that, Laojun and I both agreed that we believed their words. Though I cant personally say that I fully trust them. Hmm So They said they knew Marchosias and Androgias, huh Sakis face seemed tremendously suspicious of them, and with good reason. However, Elsas opinion was different. I think theyre no different from humans. Huh? When I conducted a medical examination on them with Diagnose I found that their bodily structure is the same as that of humans. Hmm Then what about their extraordinary strength, endurance, and special abilities? Reinhardts face showed that he couldnt agree with Elsa. The one to answer that question was actually Laojun. I do have a hypothesis about that. I believe demons undergo some kind of special physical enhancement process. This was taking into consideration that Androgias, though powerful, had been reduced to ashes with Fire Magic after having fainted. Since the human body has water, it is unlikely that it will instantly be reduced to ashes, even when exposed to temperatures above 1000 degrees. Ah, youre right As for Jin, who had his life on Earth cut short as a result of falling into an electric furnace, his own experience of having his body burn in mes was second to none. Such an experience had reasonably turned into a slight trauma. me magic is basically magic that turns Ether into heat. In other words, if you hit a body that has a lot of Ether with magic All of the Ether in the body turns into heat at the same time, instantly reducing the body to ashes? Correct. Which leads me to believe that, along with the water in their bodies, their bodies themselves are made with Magi Isotopes. Laojuns hypothesis was met with a few nods. If the cells that made up their bodies were made of Magi Isotopes, they should be verypatible with magical power. The physical enhancements of the demons may be fundamentally different from those used by mankind. Im currently in the process of analyzing Lucas, though it seems that it will take time because his method ispletely different. Hmm, right. Im guessing that the empowering spells that some knights can usee from a method that brings out unused abilities. Having gained knowledge about modern Earth, Reinhardt used his wisdom toe up with an analysis of magic of his own. The way demons do it might be simr to how we enhance golems. Jin also supported Reinhardts theory. I think the story about those two is more important right now. With Elsas pointing out, the conversations trajectory was corrected. Yeah, youre right. So, Im nning to start talking this out concretely starting tomorrow. Hoho, a concrete n from you, Jin? Thats new. Jinughed as he answered Sakis remark. Well, I wouldnt call it an actual n, but I think it would be a good idea to sell the food grown in Kaina Vige to the demons. I see. Since there was no need to feed the kingdom with it, Jin would inevitably have a constant supply of food. However, when having a surplus of food, selling it was an option worth considering. If thats not enough, then Ill ask Toka Vige as well. I dont know exactly how much food the demons need, so I cant say I can n for a steady supply. I see. Well, I dont think either of those viges would have a problem with the idea, but selling out a lot of food all of a sudden is a bit risky. There wasnt a lush abundance of food in this world. Fortunately, the Klein Kingdom was an agricultural country, so it had some surplus food. However, there was also a need to stockpile it in case of famine or natural disasters, so selling all of the surplus off was unreasonable. We also have some reserves here in Hourai Ind. However, Id like for them to eventually be self-sufficient. Regarding crops, topopo (this worlds potato), wheat, rye, buckwheat, cabbage, green beans, etc. could be considered, but crops after buckwheat have not been found yet. Then theres dairy farming. Jin believed that a golem-centered workforce would be somehow manageable. Jin, Applues should grow well even in rtively cold regions. Toa, who had listened silently up until that point, voiced his opinion. Ah, thats right. Then theres fishing. There could be no whaling in this world, but it could be possible to do something simr with some other kind of marine magical beast. We could also consider suggesting the use of greenhouses. Laojun shared his thoughts. If we manage to put even this much weve nned so far into practice, we should be able to improve their food situation for the time being. Jin seemed relieved. Then all we need to know is how big their poption is Without that, there was no way to estimate the amount of food the demons would need. Yes. Ill have to ask them about that But Brother Jin, dont tell me youre nning to go to thend of the demons? A worried Elsa asked Jin while looking straight into his eyes. Yeah, eventually, I think. Im absolutely against that. You cant go there, Brother Jin. Elsas face went pale in response to Jins answer. Yeah, Im against that as well. You cant just go there, Jin. Its too dangerous. No matter how much you can believe what Shion and Lucas, was it? No matter what they say, can you trust the rest of the demons? Thats right, Jin. There must be some way to solve this that doesnt involve you going there. Berthie and Reinhardt also expressed their opposition to Jins willingness to go to thend of the demons. You must have another way to do this, right, Jin? You dont have to go. Saki was also of the opinion that Jin shouldnt go to thend of the demons. Seeing the unanymous concern from his friends, Jin nodded reluctantly. Okay. I kinda wanted to go, but I wont do anything reckless. Hearing Jin say that, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Demons, huh These beings that only appeared in stories, and yet theyve suddenly be so familiar? Thats what it means to get involved with Jin, Vi. Yeah, Im not saying that Im scared or that I dont like it, Stearly. Im just surprised. Seeing Stearleanas confused face, Vivian couldnt help butugh. Hearing that conversation, Jin, Reinhardt, and Elsa also smiled. At any rate, they had reached a conclusion of sorts, so they decided to break up the meeting for the day. I wont be going, but I still need to have someone go, so well have to take the Substitute Doll up a notch. Reinhardt and Berthie returned to Kartze, and Toa and Saki returned to their house, joined by Stearleana and Vivian. Mine also returned to Kaina vige. Elsa was about to start working with Jin on Hourai Ind. Back when I first made it, I wasnt able to give it the sense of touch, so the feedback wasnt very urate, making it hard to handle it, but I wonder how it wille out this time? That doll was the one he used to pose as Deus Ex Makina, so Jin would be making a new one. However, with the help of Elsa and the Smiths, the foundation for it waspleted in about 30 minutes. Okay, lets try it out. Just like how he would when manipting Makina, Jin sat on a special seat and used a Magic Screen to see through the dolls eyes. Its operation is an application of Linkage. The Substitute Doll would use its own judgement and optimize any movement that Jin would think. Simrly, the Substitute Soll could speak at its own discretion, but Jin could speak through him as well if necessary. Its movements have be more natural after all. By adding the sense of touch to it, its movements had be closer to those of humans. Amazing, Brother Jin. Elsa was very impressed with the result. I wonder what are you going to do, Reiko. Youre always by my side I dont want to leave your side, Father. Thats what I thought. Hmm, what should we do, then? Jin started thinking once again. Chapter 499: Jin’s Thoughts

Chapter 499: Jins Thoughts

Brother Jin, theres something Ive been meaning to ask you. Elsa asked Jin as he pondered what to do with Reiko. Why havent you tried making another Automata simr to Reiko? Reiko shivered when she heard that question. Dont get me wrong, Reiko. Its just something Ive been curious about, thats all. Im not denying you or anything like that. Jin called Reiko towards him and gently stroked her head. I cant bring myself to do it. Its that simple. There can be only one Reiko for me. Then Jin hugged Reiko and had her sit on hisp. It was Reiko who called me to this world. To be exact, it was Reikos predecessor. ording to her predecessors will, Reiko has been searching for me for 1000 years. And it was Reiko who desperately searched for me when I went missing after a Warp Gate went haywire. Im here because of and thanks to Reiko. While saying that, Jin kept on stroking Reikos head. Reiko had her eyes closed and seemed to be very happy about it. Shes more of a daughter than Ill ever deserve. Thats why I cant, I dont want, to build more Automatas like her. I understand. Sorry Brother Jin. Sorry, Reiko. Elsa deeply bowed at them. I remember thinking how close you seemed to be even back when I was just starting my journey. Ah, back then That was back when Elsa had mistaken him for someone sexually attracted to dolls. A-Anyway, thats why Ive decided that Reiko is unique to me. I understand. Sorry for asking such a silly question Jin held his hand forward as if asking her to stop. Elsa, please dont worry about that anymore. Like Jin, Reiko also felt that it was water under the bridge. Well then, really, what should I do? Jin resumed his thinking. I dont want to simply make something only to leave it dormant once I no longer need it Unable to just watch Jin worry himself sick about it, Reiko voiced a suggestion. If you promise not to leave Hourai Ind, Father, Ill go with the Substitute Doll. I-I see. It would be great if you could do that for me. More than anything, Reiko wanted to be useful to Jin. Okay, in that case, lets upgrade you with thetest materials and technology we have. Yes, thank you. Jin had Reiko lie on the work table. Elsa would be assisting Jin, while Edgar would be watching the process and learning. Lets start with the skeleton. The Magi Adamantite was reced with Hyper Adamantite. Its rtive density was about 10 times higher, but it was also 20 times stronger, making it an ideal material. Jin presumed that the reason for this was that the distance between its atoms had been shortened due to itspression, increasing its bonding force. He also assumed that the reason why it hadnt gone ording to a simple calction before was because of the influence of Ether. Using this, Jin would be able to make her twice as sturdier without altering her weight. Will we be using the usual Magical Muscle? No, well also rece that for muscle that has been impregnated with Ether. Impregnated? Yeah. Ive been wondering if by curing something inside an Ether Box, its Ether contents could rapidly increase. It would be as easy to use as ever while also being able to draw more than double as much power as before. The downside to this is that its going to eat through her Ether reserves, but I still think its effective since the northern region seems to have a high concentration of Ether. I agree. Also, well be adding an Ethenol Tank so she has something to fall back on in case of an emergency. It would be more efficient than the Mana Tank she used to have installed. This was because the magical density of Ethenol, which contains Ether as a liquid, is higher than that of the gaseous Mana. I have to make it so that she can use Gravity Magic as part of her base kit. Various magic tools for activating spells were built in so that she could do so without the need for chanting. I also have to increase the capacity of both her Ether Converter and Mana Driver. With that, each of her auxiliary features had beenpletely rehashed. (Brother Jins work is very diligent. I can really see how much he cherishes Reiko.) Elsa, who had been an assistant in name only during this process and so didnt actually get to participate much, was closely observing Jins work. (I wonder if theres anything I can do? Ah!) Havinge up with an idea, Elsa quietly left the workshop while Jin was still working hard on Reikos upgrades. After impregnating her Magical Skin with Ether, Reikos upgrade waspleted. As a result of having adjusted her weight well, her finishing was just unchanged from before. Then, he finally realized Elsa was nowhere to be seen. Elsa? At that moment, both Elsa and Edgar returned to the workshop. Ah, have you finished remodeling her, Brother Jin? Yes, at least for now. Whats that you got there? Edgar was holding something that looked like a folded cloth. These? These are new clothes for Reiko. I made them from Ether-impregnated Ground Spider thread. T-Thanks. Thats so nice of you. Her old clothes were starting to get a little worn out. Yeah. Elsa handed him the bloomers, chemise, dress, apron, and ribbon she had tailored for Reiko. Their color and design were the same as those Reiko usually wore. This was because Elsa couldnt just decide a style and color for Reiko other than her usual. Just in case, Jin checked the size of the clothes. There were only a few, barely unnoticeable errors in measure, so he made a few adjustments and finished them up. You did a great job as usual. Did the Ether impregnation change anything about their manufacturing process? Yeah. But I think I should be able to get used to it if I keep making more. Haha, lets make these one at a time, shall we? Alright, Ill make some new shoes for her then. Ah. I forgot about making her new shoes and socks! Elsa felt ashamed to have only concerned herself with making clothes, as evidenced by her reddened cheeks. Dont worry about it. Im just as careless, if not more, all the time. Whileughing, Jin took out some Ether-impregnated Sea Dragon Leather. Can you do the socks, Elsa? Yeah! Jin would make her shoes, and Elsa her socks. Their work waspleted in no time. They put them on Reiko before booting her up. Startup. Reiko opened her eyes in response to hearing that keyword. How are you feeling? Reiko jumped down from the workbench and started moving slowly as if checking her own response. Im fine. Thank you very much. Thats good to hear. Elsa made you a new set of clothes. I helped out a little too. Is that so? Thank you very much, Elsa. Youre wee. After exining to her the new functions she had and making sure that she could use them without any problems, the preparations for Reiko had beenpleted. Alright, were doing this tomorrow, then. After a littlete dinner, Jin and Elsa returned to their respective rooms. Reiko and Edgar also followed their respective masters. Reiko, huh? Lying on the futon bed, Elsa thought about Jin and Reiko. Shes really important to him. Of course, that didnt mean that she was the only one he cared about. A closer look at Jin would reveal that when it came to meals, he would eat as little as possible, and when making various parts out of materials, he would try to avoid waste as much as possible. He would take good care of things, and he would also take good care of Reiko. They were the same thing, but also very different. That could be all part of Jins humble nature, a characteristic of most Japanese people, or a feeling of intrinsically holding things dear. Im a bit jealous of Reiko With that feeling in mind, Elsa looked out the window. Countless stars were twinkling in the dark night sky. Chapter 500: Inventory Control

Chapter 500: Inventory Control

On August 6th, Jins double was sent to Kaina Vige with Reiko by its side. Father, please dont leave Hourai Ind while were out. Reiko not only reminded Jin of his promise, but also had left Soleil and Luna in charge of Jins protection. Like a child who was being overprotective of her parent. At Nidou Castle The previous night, Jin had called Barrow to his office after having confirmed with the surveince Land Units that there was nothing to report about Shion and Lucas. Good morning, Master Jin. The one sitting at Jins desk was actually the Substitute Doll. Barrow didnt seem to be aware of that fact. I wanted to ask you something. Do you know how much food Kaina Vige has in stockpile? Ah, yes. Please wait a moment. Barrow took out a file from a bookshelf. Following Ms. Mines teachings, Ive been keeping such records here. Ooh! Jin read through the file through the doubles eyes. It described the yields of all agricultural products in Kaina vige, including all their rted ie and expenditures. I see. 15 tons of winter wheat harvested before summer, huh? That was a good harvest. And 4 tons of it went into the storehouse as a tax? Other useful numbers were written there as well. There are currently 30 houses in Kaina Vige, including Erics shop but not Nidou Castle, huh? Each of the inhabitants eats an average of 150 kg of wheat per year. The vige has 105 inhabitants, so the amount of wheat we need for a year is about 15 tons This number of inhabitants probably wasnt including Jin and Elsa, though it could be taking newborns such as Henry into ount. Spring wheat is doing well, too. And about the wheat and barley in the storehouse Jin found what he was looking for after flipping through a few pages. Oh, here it is. The viges food stockpile. Lets see, 4 tons of wheat, 4 tons of barley, 1 ton of round beans (like Earths soybeans), 200 kg of red-eyed beans (like Earths red beans), 100 kg of ck-eyed beans (like Earths cowpeas) He started to think about how much he could give to Shion from the stockpile in Nidou Castle, the viges stockpile, and the nned harvest amount of the vige. This is too much for me after all Though he hade up with some sort of n, he wasnt sure about how viable it was. Therefore, Jin decided to consult with Giebeck, the vige chief. Reiko would be bringing Barrows file with her. Before leaving the office, Jin asked Barrow about something different. How are Shion and Lucas? Both of them were feeling well this morning, so during their checkup earlier today, Dr. Sally said they could start having normal meals. So you served them Nidou Castles usual breakfast? Correct. This mornings menu was toast, soup, topopo sd, and citran, and yet they ate all of it. It was nice to see that they had an appetite. And now? Since Dr. Sally said they should go out and move their bodies a little, Belle took them for a walk around the vige. I see, Im d to hear that. Thanks, Barrow, thatll be all for now. Very well, Ill be taking my leave then. Barrow seemed to have gotten used to bowing like a butler. Jin (that is, his substitute doll) left the castle and headed for the vige. Reiko followed along silently. However, he was interacting with the real Jin, who was on Hourai Ind, using her built-in Mana Comm. (Father, the substitute doll is doing a great job. So far, nobody has been able to realize its not the real you. It acts very naturally from what I can see. Thats great to know, thanks, Reiko. As Jins double continued walking toward Giebecks house, he was called out by a certain someone. Big Brotheeer! Hey, Hanna, good morning. The real Jin was the one who answered. You know? Haku caught a mouse! Hmm, did he? Granny said that we should let him because the mouse had been nibbling on things around the house. The golem cat once again proved to be quite useful. And, and Huh? Whats wrong, Hanna? Though she had been rushing towards Jins double, she came to a sudden stop a few steps beforeing too close to it. Big Brother Is that really you? Huh? What do you mean? You look different somehow Hanna began to take a few steps back. Ah, so you noticed Huh? Perhaps it had been due to the innate intuition of a child, or maybe because Hanna was particrly sharp, but she had realized that this wasnt the real Jin. Reiko began to exin the situation to Hanna, who was starting to get nervous. Hanna, this is Fathers Substitute Doll. Huh? A doll? Yes. Just like me. Ah, like Big Sis Reiko Hanna seemed convinced by the exnation. However, she still appeared to be a bit uneasy, and wouldnte any closer. And wheres the real Big Brother? Jin himself answered that. Im in my house, Hanna. Hmm I have something to discuss with the vige chief, so I have to go. Okay, see youter. Hanna waved at him and ran off somewhere. Seeing her off, Jin muttered something. Hanna saw right through it, huh? (She has spent a lot of time around you, Father.) Oh, well. After some more walking, they finally arrived at the vige chiefs house and knocked on the door. The signboard that read Milleshan Clinic was very noticeable. Good morning. Giebeck himself came to the door and greeted them. Good morning, Jin. If youre here to see Dr. Sally, shes out on a house call. Oh, no, Ive actuallye to discuss something with you. Hmm? Well,e on in then. After being invited inside, Jin faced Giebeck across the table in the living room. Jin then quickly began to exin the purpose of his visit. Without actually mentioning who they would be selling food to, though. Hmm, so theres a potential buyer for the viges surplus of food, and youre thinking about selling, Jin? Yes. Also, this is partly because I want to help the buyers by giving them as much as possible, but I was still wondering how much I could sell in the viges current situation. Jin had Reiko show Giebeck the file they had brought along. After taking it and reading it carefully, he started to share his view. Well,st year was a good harvest and the first half of this year was also very good. Spring wheat and other crops are going well in August. So I think there wouldnt be a problem if you were to sell everything off, leaving only what we need until next years harvest season. Really? Yeah. The vige is also doing well financially, so were in a position where we can buy food to cover shortages in case of an emergency. Jin was relieved to hear that. Besides, you said that you were trying to help the buyers. If not for that, I wouldve wanted to keep half of it. Understood, thank you very much. So, in that case Jin decided he would sell 2 tons of wheat, 2 tons of barley, and some legumes. Since 6 tons of winter wheat and 3 tons of barley had already been distributed to each household, they only needed to have 6 tons of barley and wheat in stock. They had already estimated how much they would harvest in autumn, and Nidou Castle still had a stockpile of nearly 5 tons. As for how to transport all that food Well, Im sure you can figure something out, Jin. Yes, thats my specialty. His biggest concern had been resolved. Jin then kept on talking with Giebeck to ask a little more about the way of thinking around the viges food management for a bit. Oh, but if it isnt Jin. Morning. Sally had just returned from the home visit. Henry is growing up healthy and quickly, and maybe two more babies will be born within a month. Thats great news. Thank you, doctor. Please, Im not doing anything. By the way, I saw those two people taking a walk a while ago. It looks like theyre getting better. Yes, thats thanks to you too. Haha, well, lets go with that then. Sally tapped the shoulder of Nurse Gamma, the nurse golem who had been joining her as her assistant. This one hase in really handy as well. This vige is very nice. Im d to hear you say that. Itd be great to see you settle down here for good. As for me, Id like you to stay in this house for as long as you want. Both Jin and Giebeck shared their earnest thoughts with Sally. Chapter 501: Prisoners of War

Chapter 501: Prisoners of War

So, what are those two right now? After leaving Giebecks house, Jin (or rather, his double) searched around for Shion and Lucas, who would probably still be out on their walk around the vige. However, he was immediately informed of their location following a report made by the Land Units to Laojun. They were currently by the northern edge of the vige, apparently to gaze upon the wheat fields. It took about 10 minutes of gentle-paced strolling for the substitute doll to follow the path they had taken and finally meet with them. Good morning. Ah, Master Jin, good morning. Good morning. Good morning, Lord Jin. Belle, then Lucas, and finally Shion greeted Jin back. You seem to be much better. Im d to see that. Yes, thanks to you. Um, the wheat grows really nice here. Oh, so you do have wheat in your territory? Yes, we can somehow manage to grow some wheat for about four months a year. Ah, so its like an oceanic climate Huh? Shions face had question marks written all over it. Umm, the oceanic climate is Jin shared the general knowledge that regions near the sea are affected by the hard to warm and hard to cool nature of water. There is little change in temperature over the years, and the humidity is high, so the annual rainfall is also high. Oh, so thats what it is? Its true that many of us take up residence near the seashore. Weve been unknowingly using this oceanic climate? Shion nodded as if astonished. Ah, Ive read about that in one of the books in the library! Huh, did you know about this too, Ms. Belle? Shion seemed a little shocked by Belles words. But you cant be walking around too much or youll get tired, and we cant have that, can we? Shall we go back to the castle? Yeah, youre right Shions lively spirit was instantly snuffed out. Do you know so much about this world because you are the Magi Craft Meister, Lord Jin? Shion asked such a question upon returning to Nidou Castle. Um, well, yeah, I think. His reply wasnt exactly a lie. As the human Jin was summoned from another world as the second generation Magi Craft Meister, he had been given all of the knowledge he would need for his new role. Im a bit jealous of you, Ms. Belle After all, youre able to receive so much knowledge from Lord Jin. Huh? Since Shion seemed to have misunderstood, Jin exined to her that Belles knowledge came from reading books in the library. Books, huh? Can I see them? Shion seemed to be very interested in books, as her eyes were sparkling with excitement. Yeah, sure. Lets go to the library on the 3rd floor. Yes! Joined by Shion and Lucas, Jin went to the 3rd floor. Shion was rendered speechless by the sight of the library, which was next to Jins office. Her eyes shimmered as she stared at the many books that filled the librarys shelves. (This ce is starting to get too filled up) Jin could feel Laojuns obsession with books. Feel free to pick any book that catches your eye. You can just sit here and read to your hearts content. Thank you very much, Lord Jin! Right after thanking Jin, Shion took three books out of their shelves and quickly began reading one of them. The youngdy really loves reading books Lucas had an exasperated look on his face. Oh, but you can read anything you like as well. Im the youngdys guard. Hehe, if youre not very good at reading, you can be honest about it. Well, knock yourselves out. Belle wille back for you once lunch is ready. Jin then left the library. Back in Hourai Ind, the real Jin sighed in relief. Hmmm, the substitute doll did pretty well. I cante up with any improvements for the time being. And those two look like they will bepletely recovered in a day or two. He had to consider leaving for the Gondoa continent around the day after tomorrow. Jin, who had been following the behavior of the substitute doll he had sent to Hourai Ind, stood from his seat at the monitor and stretched out his limbs, trying to imagine what unexpected circumstances he could encounter there, and then realizing that they wouldnt be unexpected if he could just imagine them. Laojun, hows the Mole doing? Since he had entrusted the Moles management to Laojun, Jin asked him about its current status. Its going well, My Lord. Were still investigating as we go deeper down the Inad Mine. Thats good to know. Yes. Were able to collect a considerable amount of data with it. Great. There were some veins that had been overlooked in previous explorations, so the mine should still be useful to some extent. The Mole had been built specifically for underground exploration, and it was able to do things that humans couldnt. I was wondering if I could take it to the depth where the Giant Centipedes were. Oh, there? Sure, but be careful. Yes. Weve also detected an unknown magic tool in the mine, so well look for it with caution. By the way, My Lord, some information came from the Frantz Kingdom which may be of interest to you. Hm? What happened? They have apparently captured some demons there. Captured? Laojun started to exin. The information provided by Regulus 7 the day before yesterday was that a pair of suspected demons was captured in Enak, a town on the outskirts of the northeastern part of the kingdom. They appeared to be a male and a female 17 or 18 years old. The girl called herself Istalis of Shinra, while her guard was referred to as Netros. Its unclear what they have been up to after entering the Frantz Kingdom. The reason for that was that Enaks town mayor had devised a n to capture them. He had set up a meeting to talk with them and treated them like guests, and that same night he apparently poisoned their food. It seemed that the two demons realized something was off once they were escorted to the capital. Hmm, Shinra, you said? Do you think its one of Shions rtives? That is very likely. We may have underestimated the Frantz Kingdom to some extent. It was rather low in terms of importancepared to other countries. Nothing to be done about that now. The Frantz Kingdom is basically a vassal state to the Celuroa Kingdom anyway. Yes. However, we should have sent in the Quinta to scout its capital and the surrounding areas. How about we send some now? If you would allow me, My Lord, I would like to send 10 more Regulus to the area. Understood. Please do. Jin immediately gave him his permission. Information was more valuable and important than anything else. Thank you very much. Ill proceed with that at once. With that out of the way, Jin thought about what to do with this. Should he tell Shion about this, or should he keep quiet for a while? What would Shion do if he were to tell her? Would she ask him to help those captured demons? Or would she disregard them? He couldnte up with an answer. After pondering for a while, he decided he would tell her. Reiko wasnt with him this time, because she had gone to Hourai Ind to join Jins substitute doll. I cant seem to be able to calm down Jin had an ufortable feeling, simr to knowing he was wearing only one sock. Reiko would always be right next to him, almost like his own shadow. I wonder if Im relying too much on Reiko. Laojun refrained frommenting on Jins muttering. Chapter 502: Dropping the Act

Chapter 502: Dropping the Act

The time in Kaina Vige was 3 PM. Jin (s substitute doll) had gone to the library to see how things were. Reiko was with him. What do you think, Shion? To his surprise, Shion had already read more than 10 books. Although their content was rather simple, they were still 10 books of at least 500 pages each. Her reading speed was truly something else. Ah, Lord Jin, you have the most wonderful collection! There were so many things I didnt know about! At a nce, Jin found she had picked books such as First Aid, Body Structure, Body Rxation Exercises, Cooking and Nutrition, and Food Chain. These books taught many things by lowering their rted subjects to a level where it wouldnt be a problem for anyone to understand and chew through. Still, there were many concepts used in them that were not in this world, and Shion was actively absorbing them. On the other hand, Lucas, who was supposed to be Shions guardian, was lying down with a book in his hand and taking a nap. It seemed that he wasnt lying when he said that reading wasnt his thing. Haha, Im d youre enjoying yourself. Then, an awkward silence. Shion seemed to be aware that something was wrong. Lord Jin, did something happen? Hm? Why do you ask? The atmosphere is somewhat different from usual. Jin didnt know if Shions difort was due to her bing aware of the substitute doll, or simply out of anticipation of the information he was about to start talking about, but still Shion seemed to feel that something was off. He then decided that it would be better to cut to the chase, and began with a question. Shion, do the names Istalis and Netros ring any bells? Huh!? Where did you hear those names? Ah, the truth is Jin exined to Shion that he had learned that they had been taken prisoner in the neighboring Frantz Kingdom. What did you saaaay!? Shions shriek echoed throughout the entire library. It was so loud that it caused Lucas to jump out of his sleep. Wha-! W-Whats wrong, youngdy? My sister was captured? That has to be a lie! And even Netros? I wouldnt even believe they could capture Lucas, but that Netros? Theres no way! Zion was speaking loudly. Her tone was clearly different from before. Shion? Y-Youngdy Jin was taken aback, and Lucas was grimacing. And Shion Ah She soon noticed her own attitude and tone of voice, and her face turnedpletely red. I-I cant believe this! She corrected herself to some extent, but Jin and Lucas remained silent. Then, after some more awkward silence, Lucas was finally unable to endure the mood a second longer, and muttered a few words. Youngdy, I believe its time to drop the act. Huh, right. Jin, Ill stop using that sickening manner of speaking, if you dont mind. O-Oh Sure, suit yourself It looked like that gracefuldy act was hiding Shions true tomboyish nature. Cmon, Istalis and Netros got captured!? That has to be a lie, right? No, its true. It seems that the mayor of the town of Enak tricked them into his house and then poisoned them Poison Shion, whose mouth was distorted to the point where Jin could hear the sound of her teeth grinding against each other, squeezed that word out of her mouth with a regrettable expression on her face. What a coward Yes, that was a very cowardly move. Huh? Shion and Lucas both seemed surprised to hear Jin agree with them. Dont you agree? He tricked them into thinking he just wanted to talk and then poisoned their food. Hows that not being a coward? No, youre right I just never thought Id hear those wordsing from a human. But thats my point of view as a third party. That mayor must have thought that what he was doing was justified. Jin exined that Marchosias had poisoned a marquis food with arsenic, and Lardus had spread the Magical Exhaustion Fever. Marchosias and Lardus did those things? After hearing Jins exnation, Shion drooped her head. I suppose I understand why humans would think that all demons are like that. But trust me! Some ns are peaceful! Its easy to say that I understand what you say. But to be honest, I cantpletely trust you. Jin threw the harsh truth at Shion. She stared at him at first, then stood up with a determined face. If my words arent enough to earn your trust, then I have no choice but to show that you can trust me with actions. This is proof that you can trust me, Jin! Right in front of Jins eyes, Shion took off her clothes, exposing herpletely naked white body. You can do whatever you want with me! Shion stood upright with her eyes closed tightly. However, her cheeks werepletely red, and her entire body was shivering. Youngdy! Lucas, stay out of this. Shion silenced Lucas as he tried to stop her. Well, Magi Craft Meister Jin! What will you do? Ah Oh, boy Back in Hourai Ind, the real Jin was at his wits end. Whats the matter, Brother Jin? Elsa showed up at a rather unfortunate moment. E-Elsa? ? Elsa, wondering about what had made Jin so upset, looked at the magic screen he was looking at. Then Shion? Shion was standing there,pletely naked. Brother Jin? Whats going on? Elsas voice was as cold as ice. A-Ah, no, this, what Ah, this, this is it. This is whats been troubling me. Jin sounded as if he was panicking, so his exnation was terribly incoherent, but Elsa seemed to have managed to figure out what was going on. Okay. For the time being, she should get dressed up. Ah, ah, right. Cold sweat ran all over Jins face as he realized that demons couldnt be underestimated, since they would do strange things that humans wouldnt normally do in certain situations. Shion gently opened her eyes, wondering if Jin wasnt doing anything, even though she had shown the determination needed to expose her naked body to him. Jin was standing therepletely motionless, as if he had turned into a statue. (Huh thats weird I heard that human men were vulnerable to this kind of temptation) As she thought that to herself, Jin suddenly moved. Shion involuntarily put herself on guard. But all Jin did was turn around. I understand how you feel, Shion. I trust you. So please put your clothes back on. You wont do anything? I wont. Now please get dressed. Okay. Thinking what a weird guy to herself, Shion put on her clothes again. Lucas, who was also facing away from her, was relieved. All done. At Shions signal, Jin and Lucas turned around to face her once again. So, let me ask you one more time, Shion. What do you want to do from now on? Chapter 503: Visit

Chapter 503: Visit

Shion immediately answered Jins question. I want to help my sister. Thats what I truly want. Okay. Would it be okay if we postpone the food aid for the time being? Jin asked this to see if the demons valued their families more than their entiremunity. Yes. We do need food, but its something that can wait for a day or two. But my sister is different. If we dont hurry, her life may be at risk. I see. That sounded like a reasonable exnation. Okay, in that case, we depart tomorrow to help your sister. You two make sure to get a lot of rest today. Ill be taking care of everything we need for the journey. Got it. Thank you. She understood what Jin had just said, but Shion was still having a hard timeposing herself. The Frantz Kingdom, huh From his seat in Hourai Ind, the real Jin pondered. Reiko hade back to join him as well. I know so little about that country I should probably ask Reinhardt about it. Its past 6 PM on Hourai Ind, but it was just past noon on the Shouro Empire, about 12:30 at most. Jin arrived at Reinhardts house at lunchtime. Reinhardt had just finished having lunch, and was enjoying a cup of tea with Berthie. Hey, Jin. Whats up? I came here because there was something I wanted to ask you, Reinhardt. Right this way, Master Jin. Ill be making some tea. While drinking tea served by Berthies Automata Neon, Jin said he wanted to know more about the Frantz Kingdom. At the same time, he also remembered to inform him that Shion of Shinrais sister had been captured. Hmm, the Frantz Kingdom? How should I put this? The king has a very powerful authority in that kingdom. Its close to an absolute monarchy, you know? Reinhard had paused to find the correct words to describe the Frantz Kingdom based on the knowledge he had received from Jin. I havent been to the Kingdoms of Klein and Frantz in myst diplomacy, so I cant say that I have an urate grasp of their current situation, but that country is a vassal state of the Celuroa Kingdom. Ah, Ive heard about that too. The kings name is Ah, right. Rijean Du Berkley. Reinhardt paused for a moment, then continued. I think you should be able to get more information from the princess of the Klein Kingdom, Jin. But Jin shook his head at Reinhardts suggestion. No, I dont want to bring demons or rather, Shion and Lucas, to the public view. I want to at least wait until weve rescued Shions sister, Istalis, before deciding a proper time to do that. Because of that, Jin also asked Reinhardt to not share that information with his colleagues or report them to the state. Okay, Ill keep quiet until then. The average person is more likely to have prejudice against demons, after all. I wish we could suddenly get along with each other, but even if we cant, it would be nice to at least be able to trade with them. Reinhardts view as a diplomat was reassuring to Jin. But I will eventually have to inform the state of their presence. Yes, of course. But Id like to be able to at least get a good grasp on the situation. Also, the Frantz Kingdom might be a small power, but still, dont let your guard down, okay, Jin? Yeah, I know. I wont do anything rash. If this was only a sightseeing trip, I wouldnt say anything. You have Reiko and the Covert Units with you. But youre going to rescue captured demons, you know? Uh It was a fair point. Jin couldnt say anything back to him. You should be fine as long as you wait to see how things y out while sightseeing. But the moment you rescue that demon, dont move a single finger. If possible, just return to Hourai Ind as fast as you can. Jin still remembered that time when he was hit by an enemy golem back when he went to rescue Reinhardt from the Unifiers. Reinhardt was really worried about Jin. Understood. Thanks for the advice. After thanking Reinhardt and Berthie, Jin returned to Hourai Ind. Father, how about we follow Reinhardts advice and ask Princess Lieschen about this? Reiko made such a suggestion. It was about 7:00 PM on Hourai Ind, so it was a little past 4:00 PM in Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom. Hmm, right. Im now able to freely cross their borders after all There was also a Warp Gate near Alban. Following Reikos rmendation, Jin went through the Warp Gate to meet Princess Lieschen. No matter how I look at it, not getting in touch with them beforehand was going to make meeting her more difficult Jin was talking to himself while walking along the streets of Alban under the still bright summer sky. Lets look for some of your acquaintances, Father. People like Gloria, Jessica, Pasco, Heintz, and so on, were all acquaintances of Jin to some extent. Those of them who were knights could be on patrol at this time, so there was a chance he could encounter them. However, though he was sure it would happen eventually, an hour had passed without him meeting any acquaintances. If you cause some sort of uproar outside of the castle, they mighte out. Unsure whether Reiko was joking or actually being serious about that, Jin scolded her and started walking again. Then, shortly after Oh, but if it isnt that Jin? Jin suddenly heard a voice from the crowd. When he turned to it, he found a familiar face. Its been quite some time, hasnt it? Hows my son doing? It was the director of the Ran Firm and Erics father, Rnd. I was thinking of going there to visit, but Ive been way busier than expected withpany work. Business is going well, isnt it? Rnd invited Jin and Reiko into the head office of the Ran Firm. They soon found themselves in an extravagant parlor. This is Ran Eastwood, my father-inw and Erics grandfather, and also the head of thispany. Im Jin, nice to meet you. This is Reiko. Ive heard so much about you, Jin. Ive been wanting to meet you. His body was so robust that it was hard to believe that he was over 60 years old. His slightly greyed hair had a hint of brown simr to Erics. Ive wanted to meet you ever since I saw that handy tool called pump, and here you are atst! The man who started the Ran Firm from scratch and made it grow into such argepany even with Jins tools being around was apletely different type of merchant from Eckert, who Jin had met in the Celuroa Kingdom. Pumps, cooking stoves, wheat, balls, pens and nibs Youre a big benefactor of thispany, Jin! I cant thank you enough! It was almost 6 oclock already. Ran had his attendants prepare a meal. By the way, what is your business here in Alban? Have youe to do some sightseeing? Jin suddenly came up with an idea. After all, the royal family wouldnt be the only ones who had information about the Frantz Kingdom. Yes, well, in fact, I wanted to know more about the Frantz Kingdom. Hmm, but why Ah, but I dont mean to pry. Yes, Rnd is very well informed about it. In response to Rans gaze, Rnd started speaking. Thest time Ive actually been in the Frantz Kingdom was about 3 years ago, so I can tell you about how it was at the time. Its government system could be very well called a dictatorship. Jin nodded silently, acknowledging that Rnds words matched Reinhardts. The difference between rich and poor is huge. While some aristocrats are swimming in luxuries, themon folk are barely able to eat. So its not a good ce to do business. Jin frowned. At that time, I went to that town next to the capital Sanjerton what was its name again Ah, yes, Bubro. But the aristocrats were reluctant to pay even though they had money, so I realized I couldnt do business with them and came back. With that said, Rnd told Jin a few other things he noticed during his time in the Frantz Kingdom. Among them were the names of aristocrats who seemed to be rtively less greedy than the rest. In addition, he gave Jin some more pointers under the assumption that he was going to go to the Frantz Kingdom. Thank you very much. Youve been a great help. Oh no, I cant pay you back for even a tenth of what youve given me so far. Rnd and Ranughed. Ah, if thats okay with you, could you show me the inside of the store? Jin remembered that he had missed his chance to visit thepany thest time he visited Alban with Elsa and Hanna. Yes, sure. Rnd, please show him around. Stillughing, Ran gave instructions to Rnd. Very well. This way, Jin. They left the parlor and headed for the store. The head office mainly deals with small items. First of all, stationery. The pens and nibs that Jin wholesale were lined up on the shelves. Other items included ink, leather paper, pen stands, and pen tes. Next was tableware and kitchen utensils. Dishes and bowls of all sizes, spoons, forks, knives. Carving knives, tongs, pots, and frying pans. Heres where we sell stoves. There was a stove there that worked by fueling it with Magi Sand, which Jin had taught them how to make. I taught the craftsmen how to make them, and they managed to produce them in-house. Jin checked the stove, and found it was quite well-made. This is the daily necessities section. Magi Lamps, beast-repellent bells, and hand mirrors. There were also rubber balls on disy in this corner. Im d Eric did all of the numbers for us. Every month, Eric would put together the required amount and order the items they needed, so whenever Jin and Elsa went to Kaina vige, they could make it all in one go. Therefore, they had a stable supply. Huh? In one corner of the store, there was something that caught Jins eye. Chapter 504: Departure

Chapter 504: Departure

What Jin found at that corner of the store was definitely a fridge. A fridge? Oh, you have quite the discerning eye, Jin. This is a magic tool weve just recently got in stock. It was sold by an earl from the Egelia Kingdom After all, it seemed that Earl Kuzuma was sponsoring their production and sales. He was soon reminded of that red-haired Magi Craftswoman, Beana. (Those two will be getting married any day now, huh. Ill ask them about it if I get the chance.) And this here is a lighter. Jin? Jin, who had lost himself in his memories of the time when he saw Beana and the magic tool that they made in Blue Land, was returned to this world by Rnds voice. Ah, sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment. I see. So, this is a water heater. Its pretty well done. Im currently researching whether I can make them myself. Since there was no concept of ??patents in this world, this kind of idea came up rather naturally. And since the market was unlikely to suffer because of it, Jin decided not to say anything about it. If I have any questions about it, can I ask you for your help, Jin? Jinughed and nodded to Rnd, who asked that of him without knowing that Jin was (one of) the creators of all of those items. Jin turned down Rnds invitation to stay overnight, and instead returned to Hourai Ind. Well, preparations are going to be rough. What happened, Brother Jin? As Jin seemed troubled all by himself, Elsa suddenly showed up in the control room. Hmm? Ah, Elsa. Well, tomorrow Ill be going to the Frantz Kingdom with Shion and Ive been wondering what to look like. Ah, so it was about that. Elsa had been worried it had anything to do with Shion having undressed herself in front of Jin in order to gain his trust. But tomorrow? You agreed to go tomorrow? Yeah, thats right. So, I got some information about the Frantz Kingdom from both Reinhardt and the Ran Firm in the Klein Kingdom. Its government seems to be a tyranny of sorts, and the aristocrats appear to be in control, so that makes me think that knights would generally be in a good social standing. I was wondering from what country should I call myself a knight of Jin exined that he wanted to introduce himself as a knight instead of as the Magi Craft Meister. In that case, you should go in as a knight of the Shouro Empire. Elsa expressed her view. Going as a knight of the Klein Kingdom was out of the question since their rtions with the Frantz Kingdom was rather hostile. The Egelia Kingdom was in bad terms with the Celuroa Kingdom, which was Frantzs suzerain state, so he would have to avoid using that country as well. I think the Shouro Empire is a rather neutral option. Elsa concluded that the Shouro Empire shouldnt be seen as an enemy because it has diplomatic rtions with the Celuroa Kingdom. I see. So I should go as a knight of the Shouro Empire on a visit? Yeah. And I can look for Shions sister. Wait. Youreing as well, Elsa? Jin was surprised by Elsas remark. Yes. Im not sure youll be using the proper etiquette of the Shouro Empire if you go there all by yourself. That was more or less a pretty good reason. There was no way Jin could refuse after being called out like that. Understood. Make sure to bring your Guard Ring with you. Okay. Thus, Jin, Reiko, Elsa, Edgar, Shion, and Lucas would all go to the Frantz Kingdom. The time was right after dawn on the 7th of August. The ce was in front of Nidou Castle. It was a cloudy morning, and it seemed that it could start raining at any moment. Ok, so Shion, Lucas, Elsa, Edgar, Reiko, and I, were all here. Lucas had already met Elsa, but still was a little cautious because Edgar was a new face to him. Edgar is Elsas guardian Automata. After hearing Jins exnation, Shion spoke out with an impressed tone of voice. Oh, the Magi Craft Meisters disciple is also very skilled. Yeah, she is. So, are we all ready? We didnt need to make many preparations to begin with. But more importantly, how are we going to travel to this Frantz Kingdom? Well fly there. Huh? Jin exined to them what he meant. The distance in a straight line between Kaina Vige and Storsk, a vige that was on the border between the kingdoms of Klein and Frantz, was approximately 300 kilometers. Such a distance could be traversed by airship in about 3 hours. Curiously enough, there was no highway connecting the Celuroa Kingdom with its vassal state, the Frantz Kingdom. To get to the Frantz Kingdom, they had to go through the Klein Kingdom. Laojun had sent some of the Quinta to confirm this, believing that there must be some kind of secret road. A blimp? Is this something you made as well? The demons had records of humans having used aircrafts known as hot flying balloons during the Great Magic War 300 years ago, but a blimp was beyond their imagination. There were some improvements to be found between the hot flying balloons of the past. Specifically, it had an increased load capacity, and it featured an elongated air sac to increase buoyancy. Yeah, well use this until we get to the national borders. We can use this to freely move around the Klein Kingdom. After that, well go the rest of the way by carriage. The carriage Jin was talking about was one that he had already transferred to the national borders of the kingdoms of Klein and Frantz in advance. Alright, lets go! The blimp took off from Nidou Castle. For the time being, they were under the effects of Invisible in order to not cause an uproar. Its so dark Since Jin wouldnt cancel Invisible until they were way high up in the sky, the view outside the blimp would bepletely dark. But once it was cancelled Woah, amazing! Were above the clouds! Once they had reached level flight, Invisible was cancelled, and everyone on board could finally see the surroundings. Shion was frolicking in excitement as she looked down onto the world under the blimp. Jin no, Magi Craft Meister, youre amazing! Lucas face didnt express much, but a hint of excitement could be seen in his blushed cheeks. Even to Elsa and Jin, the view of the world from the sky was apletely fresh experience. The blimp was sailing over an endless sea of clouds. As clouds became thinner, the world below was more visible. Jin made the blimp drop a little altitude to further improve the visibility of the world below the clouds. Thisnd is so vast. And there are so many humans living on it Shion said that as she gazed upon the fields and viges that seemed to be so tiny below that it seemed as if she was looking at a map. Since the blimp managed to travel faster thanks to the Wind Barrier, they arrived at Storsk about 2 hourster. Theynded in an unpopted suburb while cloaked with Invisibile. Jin had sent a golem carriage there before by transfer machine. The coachman was, of course, Steward. Okay, lets ride that carriage. Shion had a curious expression on her face. J-Jin whats this? Thats my carriage? No, I know, but how is it here already? Ah, thats a trade secret. Trade? Well, Ill tell you one of these days. Dont worry too much about that for now. After that, they boarded the carriage. Ten minutester, they had left Storsk behind. The vige of Storsk was a ce where the scars of the conflict that urredst April still remained here and there. Like any border town, it was surrounded by walls, but these walls were about to crumble in some ces, and hadnt been repaired yet. Jins carriage approached a checkpoint on the outskirts of that town. Stop! The border guard soldiers of the Klein Kingdom stopped the carriage right before the checkpoint. Jin stepped down from the carriage and showed them a permit. Of course, he was wearing a coat simr to the ones used by the Shouro Empires aristocracy. Very well. You may pass. The effect of the permit issued by the royal family was ring, and the soldiers gave permission to pass after simply taking a quick peek inside the carriage. It was a bit too easy, dont you think? Elsa muttered that once the guards were far enough. No matter how good Jins permit was, it was quite negligent for a border soldier to allow them all to pass without taking a good look at everyone else who hade with him. That had been an impression unique to Elsa, since she had been on diplomatic trips with Reinhardt. They really are falling short in human resources Jin remembered the immigration examination that he underwent back when he entered the Shouro Empire from the Celuroa Kingdom. After passing through a stone gate, they finally arrived in the Frantz Kingdom. Chapter 505: The Frantz Kingdom and Loroon Town

Chapter 505: The Frantz Kingdom and Loroon Town

On the other side of the stone gate, there was another checkpoint, where some border guards of the Frantz Kingdom were stationed. Halt! The guards stared at the carriage as it came to a stop. Jin was thinking about getting off the carriage, but Elsa stopped him and had Edgar present the exit permit given by the border guards of the Klein Kingdom to the soldiers. Ill confirm this. Please wait a moment. After one of the guards in charge received the permit, they were led to a small building in the back of the checkpoint. Steward was instructed to park the carriage on a designated spot. Huh? These horses are golems? Ive never seen a carriage like this before. The soldiers there were rudely touching the carriage with their hands. Reiko seemed angered by this, but Jin gently tapped her shoulder to calm her down. Dont worry. Okay. Three or four minutester, an official who seemed to be in charge arrived, and checked the carriage and crew. Hm, So, Knight of the Shouro Empire, Jin Nidou, his sister Elsa Nidou, and his friends Shion and Lucas. The Automatas Reiko and Edgar. And the coachman Steward. Is this correct? Yes. At that moment, Elsa handed something small to the official. Thank you for your hard work. The official tried to see what Elsa had given him, but Okay, you may pass. He quickly gave them his permission instead. Soon after, the carriage was already speeding up on the highway after leaving the checkpoint. What did you do, Elsa? Jin had a hunch, but he still asked Elsa directly just to be sure. I slipped 2 gold coins into his hand. In short, she had bribed the guard. Jin was slightly surprised that Elsa was aware of -and willing to do- such a trick. I learned that from Brother Rei. Since they were going to the Frantz Kingdom, Reinhardt had given her all sorts of pointers for the trip the night before. He also told me it would be better if I didnt have to resort to such tactics. He was probably right. That was not knightly of us at all. Yeah, youre right. He told me to be careful as well. After hearing their conversation, Shion looked at them with an apologetic expression on her face. Im sorry. It seems that you two ended up doing something risky for my sake. But Jin turned towards her and smiled. Dont worry about it. Actually, Ive been meaning toe to the Frantz Kingdom at some point, so we probably would have had to do that either way. But if youre really feeling bad about this, why dont you repay me by telling me more about you guys? What do you want to know about? Well, things like why did your sistere all the way to the Frantz Kingdom, and why were those Hecatoncheires chasing you Did you say Hecatoncheires? Jin told them what he had learned from Laojun. And it seemed to have been quite effective. The Hecatoncheires were probably sent by the Puppeteer n to chase after us. Ah, so there was an entire n with that ability after all. Right. The Puppeteer n specializes in Envement Magic. They can turn most monsters into their servants. Jin nodded. This was consistent with Laojuns hypothesis about Alciel. Then, he asked about something he had been curious about for some time. Does that ability work on other demons or humans? No, normally Envement Magic wouldnt work on Lucas or me. Most demons are naturally resilient to mental attacks. As for humans I dont know. I havent seen anyone trying to use it on a human. Upon hearing that, it urred to Jin that the reason why Transinfo hadnt worked with them was because of their innate resistance to mental attacks. And thinking back on Marchosias case, it was possible that Envement Magic did work against humans after all. I didnt even know that my sister hade here. She might have been dispatched separately shortly after we left. Hmm, so it seems that they sent them here just in case you failed? It seemed that they had not only sent people to the Klein Kingdom to negotiate food aid, but to the Frantz Kingdom as well. It was an understandable choice from a topographic perspective. Seen from the Great Isthmus of Pazdext, the Kingdom of Klein was a little closer, but there was a steep mountain range on the way. On the other hand, although the Frantz Kingdom of Franz was a little farther away and there were still some mountains on the way, they werent nearly as high. I see. Your sister was really unlucky Yeah. Shion cast her eyes downward, perhaps gued with concern for her sister. However, Jin thought that either Shion or her sister had been sent as a decoy against the radical demons so that the other one could escape safely. And considering that the Hecatoncheires were chasing Shion and Lucas, it was clear who were the decoys. That also exined why someone like Lucas, who wasnt really suitable for negotiations, came with Shion as her guard. Though he didnt say anything to Shion, Jin found it ironic that while the demons intended negotiator failed, their decoy had actually seeded in negotiating for food. As a result of traveling along the highway at a slightly faster speed, they managed to arrive at Loroon Town in the early afternoon. Foreigners werent allowed to drive their carriages into the town, so they were asked to leave the carriage in a parking spot at the entrance of the town. Of course, there was a fee involved. Lets find some ce to stay for the night and gather some information. Neither Shion nor Lucas objected to Jins suggestion. Well, where can we find a good inn? Huh? After stepping down from the carriage, Jin gasped as he found himself before a scenery he had never seen in any of the other towns and cities he had visited so far. What How awful. It was a bizarre sight to behold. The stone buildings were very simr to those found in the Klein Kingdom. But the inhabitants werepletely different. There were two types of citizens: the rich and the poor. The huge difference between them could be easily seen at a nce. The rich walked magnificently down the street, dressed in very fine clothes. Most of them seemed to be obese to some extent. The poor, however, walked on the edges of the street, dressed in rags over their thin, pale bodies. To think that the difference would be so abysmal. Humans also discriminate against each other after all Shion nodded to herself. Thats right. There are many kinds of humans. Good people and bad people. Honest people and wicked people. Powerful people and oppressed people. Its very saddening. Lucas was scowling at them the entire time as if he was realizing that human nature wasnt something set in stone. Sir? Excuse me, Sir! At that moment, a voice called out to Jin. Are you perhaps looking for a ce to stay? I know of a good ce. If youe from abroad, Im sure youll love it! The man, who would fall under the poor category, still had a better appearance than most of his peers, and drew close to Jin and the others whileughing in a ttering manner. He was probably in histe 20s or early 30s. Though he was still thin, he was rather well built, and there was still some strength left on his tense eyes. Reiko and Edgar immediately prepared themselves for battle. Lucasgged a bit behind them. But the man didnt seem to notice -or care about- their hostility, and continued his incessant chatter. My name is Fernand, and I run an information business in this town. If you need any information about things aside from inns, please let me know! It seems that he had heard Jin talk about wanting to gather some information as he was getting off the carriage. He appeared to be quite savvy. Well, can you show us where the inn is first? That was Jins answer. He had decided to evaluate this man who called himself Fernand depending on the inn he rmended. Hehe, then please follow me! Fernand took the lead and started walking. Jin and his friends followed behind him. Reiko and Edgar were still on alert. They walked straight ahead in the middle of the road, and turned right at an intersection. There were lots of luxurious houses and arge park on the north side of the town. And next to thatrge park, there was a huge hotel. Here we are. This is Hotel Lunor. Alright, give me a moment Jin took out a silver coin from his pocket and handed it to Fernand. After that, all of them went into the hotel. The hotel rmended by Fernand had been a good choice. It cost 10,000 tolls for one night with two meals and room service. Of course, that price would be multiplied by four. (There was no charge for Automatas as they were considered luggage.) Jin was prepared to pay up to 100,000 tolls for the four of them, so it was cheaper than anticipated. He had expected to find really high prices and no decent ce to stay unless he was willing to fork over at least twice as much as he had. After checking in and leaving their luggage in their rooms, Jin left 2 of his Covert Units in his room just in case, and then went back outside to the park where Fernand was waiting for them. Hehe, what do you think? Its a nice hotel, right? Yeah, itll do. So, do you know anything about the boy and girl that were captured in Enak a few days ago? It was quite the long shot, but Jin figured there was no harm in asking anyway. Oh, rumors do spread quite far, huh? Ive heard they are demon soldiers. Yes, Ive heard the same. Id like to learn as much as possible about them. Fernand thought hard for a moment, and then spoke. For 10 gold coins, I can find a tidbit or two. Lets meet here tomorrow at noon again. Ah, do you think you can pay some of it in advance? Jin whispered something in Reikos ear, and she handed him 5 gold coins. Okay, tomorrow at noon it is. Ill leave you to it then. Hehehe, yes, leave it to me. After receiving his money, Fernand quickly walked away from the park and vanished. Chapter 506: Runaway

Chapter 506: Runaway

After seeing Fernand leave, Jin turned to everyone else. Okay then, we should go get as much information as we can ourselves as well. ording to Fernand, lots of rumors about this have spread around the city. Yeah. That way, if that guyes back with sloppy information, well know right away. Shion nodded several times as if her head was working swiftly. (Reiko, just in case, get two of our Covert Units to attach themselves to Fernand and have them be on the lookout for anything strange.) (Understood. Ill send in Panse and Vi.) Reiko chose the two smallest Covert Units and issued them their instructions. With this, there would be no need to worry about being tipped off to or getting themselves targeted by strange organizations. First, Jin and his friends decided to look around the town while pretending to be simply sightseeing. Yuck. A mountain of garbage was piled up right next to the alley. It wasnt only food scraps, but also strange garbage of unknown nature thatpletely covered the sidewalk. Jin and the others immediately turned around, and decided to stick to the main road for the time being. There was almost no food to be found in grocery stores, and to say that the magic tool stores had a wide selection would have been an overstatement. At essory stores, there were only a handful of luxury items. The economy here is really weird, dont you think? Yeah, it looks that way. This ce is such a mess. Humans really are untidy creatures, huh? Just like there are differences between the ns of demons, there are all sorts of humans. Thats all. While having that conversation, they returned to the middle of the main street. Okay, lets keep going straight ahead. As they started to walk, the surroundings suddenly became very noisy. Screams could be heard at a distance. What? Father! Reiko got herself in front of Jin. Edgar also jumped forward to cover Elsa. Uwaaaaahhhh! I-Its a runaway carriage! Looking in the direction of that voice, they could see that a small carriage was running at a tremendous speed. It had no coachman. It was pulled by a single horse, but it seemed to be frothing profusely from the mouth as it rushed recklessly through the middle of the road. People who noticed it hurriedly tried to dodge it, but the horse wasnt running in a straight line but meandering, so even trying to avoid it was very dangerous since the horse could end up going towards someone who had thought that they had already avoided it. AAAIIIEEEE! A person had been sent flying. And the carriage was now headed towards Jin and the others. Reiko was about to jump forward to try to restrain the horse, but reconsidered after realizing that it was probably better to stay by Jins side to protect him. Instead, she prepared a spell. (Paralyze) Since she had used her maximum output to cast that spell, the horse fainted instantly. Uwaah! Someone screamed. When the fainted horse fell to the ground, the carriage fell sideways and mmed itself onto the surface of the road. Then, nothing but silence. The horse and the carriage it was pulling both stopped a mere two meters away from Jin and the others. The first one to return to her senses was Reiko. Father, are you hurt? Ah, no. But it was close. Someones injured. A middle-aged woman was lying down on the ground. It seemed that she had been the one who screamed earlier. Are you okay? A-Ah, m m-my leg The lower part of her right leg had been bent in an unnatural way from the shin below. It seemed that it had been trampled over by one of the carriages wheels. Give me a moment. Diagnose This should be fine. Schmerzmittel. Huh? Ah Im sure it must still hurt quite a bit. After using a painkiller spell, Elsa twisted the womans leg back to its natural position. By doing this, her next spell would be most effective. A-Ahh! Heilung Elsa cast healing magic immediately after roughly repositioning the womans leg. A faint light emerged from Elsas palm and was absorbed by the affected area. Its healed Oh, thank you very much! The wound was literally healed in the blink of an eye. The woman bowed her head as she rubbed her healed leg. Thank you very much! B-But I dont I dont have any money Thats fine. I didnt heal you because I wanted money from you. Take care now. Oh Thank you! Thank you so much! The woman then began to leave while bowing gratefully over and over. Elsas words soon caused amotion in the surroundings. Hey She did it for free! I cant believe it But wait, those clothes Ah, theyre foreigners Now I understand. Those foreigners are so generous. It seemed that the act of tending to someones injuries for free was quite the rare sight in this town. Meanwhile, Jin was investigating the carriage that had fallen on its side. The surroundings were crowded with curious onlookers, but none offered to help move the carriage out of the way or to look for its upants. Ah! An elderly woman was still inside the carriage. Her appearance was hard proof that she was an aristocrat. Jin carried the woman out of the carriage. Since she had a small build, Jin still managed to carry her by himself despite not being too physically strong. Reiko said she would help out, but Jin asked her to let him do it. The cobblestone road would have been too rough to have the womany on, so Jin first took off his coat and was about toy it there, but then Here you go, Father. Reiko had found a nket in the carriage andid it on the road. After that, they had the olddy lie there. Reiko, Edgar, move the carriage to the side of the road. Yes, Father. Yes, Master Jin. He had asked the two of them to do it because he saw no need to disy Reikos strength in a ce like this. Still, Edgar looked like a youngd, and Reiko looked like a petite youngdy. The curious onlookers still stared in awe as the two of them moved the carriage away almost effortlessly. Jin then asked Elsa to conduct a medical examination on the olddy. Diagnose Shes fine, only a few bruises and scratches. She should wake up soon. Behandern. Elsa treated the olddys bruises and scratches. This should be enough. Thank you, Elsa. Shion and Lucas approached Jin and Elsa. (Oh, look at that! As expected from the Magi Craft Meisters sister.) Shion was noticeably impressed. She wondered if they had heard her whispering. Step aside! Youre in the way! Move! Six soldiers wearing armor came running, making a ttering noise. I-Isnt this! The soldiers seemed to realize what house the olddy was from by looking at the carriages coat of arms. You! What happened here! Exin yourself! One of the soldiers, who seemed to be their captain, yelled at Jin. Huh? This carriage went out of control, the horse fell, and the carriage fell with it. So I helped this person out of it. Thats about it. Are you sure? You dont want to be lying to me, you hear? The soldier red at Jin. At that moment You there, could you stop being so rude? This man is telling the truth. The olddy had regained consciousness and interceded in a dignified voice. Chapter 507: Catherine De Lafayette

Chapter 507: Catherine De Lafayette

L-Lady Catherine! All six soldiers saluted immediately. It seemed that this olddy was someone very important. Someone has attacked my carriage, causing my coachman to fall and my horse to begin a rampage out of fear. That someone is what you need to be looking for! Yes Maam! The captain gave instructions to his subordinates, saluted the woman who seemed to be called Catherine, and had three of his men go in the direction where the carriage hade from. The remaining two soldiers looked at the still fainted horse. Lady Catherine, what would you have us do? Should we prepare another horse to rece this one? Or should we send notice to your manor? But her answer took the soldiers by surprise. Oh, no need for that. Ill walk the rest of the way. Please bring my carriage to the manor once the horse has regained consciousness. Huh? Yes, Maam. After throwing a sidelong nce at the soldiers, Catherine turned towards Jin and bowed in gratitude. Thank you very much. I see you hail from the Shouro Empire? My name is Catherine De Lafayette. Im a former duchess in thesends. My name is Jin Nidou. Im a knight from the Shouro Empire. Im his sister, Elsa. Then, Jin introduced Reiko and Edgar as their Automata, and Shion and Lucas as their friends. My, my, what wonderful Automata you have there. Id expected as much from someone from the Shouro Empire. Have youe to this country as a tourist? Yes, thats right. I see. Where are you staying? Jin recalled the name of the hotel. Um, Hotel Lunor. Oh, what a nice choice. You have quite the expert eye. Id like to repay you for helping me. If thats okay with you, would you like to join me for dinner tonight? After a brief moment of hesitation, Jin decided to ept her invitation. Of course. Thank you very much. Then Ill send a carriage to pick you up at the hotel at 5 PM. Please bring your friends. Ill be waiting. After that, the former duchess Catherine smiled and asked the soldiers to apany her on her way back to her manor. One of them would walk with her while the other one stayed behind to take care of the carriage. Elsa, can you heal the horse? I can try. Heilung. The spell Heilung basically worked by maximizing its targets own healing ability. As a result, it would be effective on horses as well. The horse opened its eyes wide and got back up as if nothing had happened. My, my, impressive! Miss Elsa, thank you very much! Catherine thanked her while the soldiers stood there inplete awe. Ill be seeing you allter then. As they had started to draw in more and more attention from curious onlookers, Jin and his friends decided to leave. Brother Jin, do you think that person? Yeah. She seems to be quite influential, so I thought maybe we can get some good information from her. I see, thats very smart of you, Jin! After having such conversations, Jin and the others resumed their mission to gather information. By 3 PM, Jin and the others had returned to Hotel Lunor. It was a little bit too early, but Jin had determined that it was very unlikely that they would get any significant piece of information by asking around for the time being. I mean, its probably going to be better to see what the former duchess can tell us anyway. I agree. She seemed to be a decent person. The party washed away their sweat from having walked around town, and changed their clothes to refresh themselves. The Covert Units that had been left in the room confirmed that their luggage had not been inspected nor tampered with. Listen, Shion, please leave the talking to me and Elsa. You guys dont know the customs of this ce. Got it, Jin. Ill be ying thedylike role again. Lucas, you cant say a word unless I say its okay. Y-Youngdy I know how much you care about me, but others may not be so understanding. I realized this after our first negotiations with Jin. I need you to be quiet. Okay? Y-Yes Shion seemed to have thought hard about that as well. Jin was relieved to hear that. Okay then, Elsa, do you think you can give us a short lesson on Shouro Empire etiquette before the carriagees to pick us up? Yeah, sure. Thus Elsa gave them a lesson in manners and etiquette for the next hour or so. About a minute after the clock had hit 5 oclock, two carriages arrived in front of the hotel. Both of them were pulled by a single horse each. It seemed that only small carriages could be used in this town. After some consideration, Jin, Elsa, and Edgar got in one of the carriages, while Shion, Lucas, and Reiko got in the other one. The carriages ran leisurely along the cobblestone streets as they headed to the northwest side of the town. The Lafayette Estate seemed to be located in that direction. What an interesting town. Theres a mix of old and new buildings everywhere. Thats probably a result of the war. Jin and Elsa make various guesses about the cityscape seen from the window. Meanwhile, Lucas began to talk to Reiko T-Tell me, Reiko, is Lord Jin a good master to you? I was made by my Father, and exist for him. I dont see him as good or bad. Please refrain from speaking about my Father as if he was like you. He had beenpletely cut down in a single stroke. Though she was there to monitor Shion and Lucas, Reiko was in a bad mood after having been temporarily separated from Jin. About 15 minutester, they arrived at the duchess manor. Wee. The gate was wide open, and after both carriages had stopped in front of the entrance and Jin and the others got off, they were greeted by arge number of servants. Im d to see youvee. Catherine was waiting for them at the entrance hall. Well, then,e on in. And you, take good care of our guests. Jin, Elsa, Shion, and Lucas were each escorted by one of Catherines maids into the main hall. Whoa The hall was so gorgeously decorated that Jin couldnt help but express his amazement. The floor was covered with a fluffy red carpet. A close look at it revealed that it had a pattern woven into a slight relief. The walls were decorated with colorful tapestries and beautiful paintings in between. The g of the Frantz Kingdom was disyed on the front, and gold and silver suits of armor were ced on both sides of it. The ceiling was adorned with colorful sculptures and chandeliers studded with Magi Lamps hanging down. The table in the center of the room was made of jet-ck wood and had fine carvings on the sides and legs. Catherine sits at the edge of the table. Jin and his friends were also guided to their respective seats by the maids. Jin and Shion sat to Catherines right, while Elsa and Lucas sat to her left. Reiko and Edgar stood behind Jin and Elsa, respectively. Id like to once again wee you to my manor, Chevalier Jin Nidou. Chevalier was the word used to refer to knights in the Frantz Kingdom. The word Knight was used in the Egelia Kingdom, while in the Shouro Empire, the word used was instead Ritter. Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Catherine de Lafayette. I was once the wife of thete duke. Now Im just a widow, so I hope you can treat me as you would normally treat any other widow regardless of my past title. Despite her words, there were things about aristocratic society that could not be changed. To have someone of upper standing show generosity to someone of lower standing was nothing short of a virtue. And those below should always be courteous about it and not behave like a spoiled child. Thanks to Elsas crash course on Shouro Empire etiquette, Jin was able to correctly respond to Catherines words. Thank you very much for having us today. To see that you have gone to such lengths to prepare all of this just for us I feel greatly honored. Jin bows his head after saying what Elsa taught him. Upon seeing that, Catherine smiled. Oh, Im the one who should be thanking you. Not only did you manage to stop the runaway carriage, but you even treated my wounds But before we get into that, lets enjoy our supper. Catherine pped her hands, and a maid who had been standing there stepped forward and poured wine into their crystal sses. Heres a toast to our fateful encounter. Cheers. Following Catherines lead, Jin and the others also raised their sses. Cheers! The wine was a little sweet and very ptable. It was a good choice for an aperitif. Well then, please have your fill. The entrance was a deliciously rich chilled stew, followed by several fish-based dishes that were especially valuable in the Frantz Kingdom, as it was far from any sea. All of them were well seasoned, and everyone ate until they were satisfied. Chapter 508: Information - 1

Chapter 508: Information - 1

At the end of the meal, they were served a fragrant herbal tea-like drink. I take it that everything suited your taste? ording to Elsa, table manners in the Frantz Kingdom demanded that conversations during meals be strictly prohibited, basically allowing them only during the tea time after meals. It seemed that she was correct about that. Yes, everything was delicious. Oh, Im d to hear that. The time for idle talk had officially started. Catherine started bymenting on various topics So youvee from the Shouro Empire, Sir Jin. I have never been there personally, so Ive been wondering what kind of ce it is. I heard its being ruled by an empress, I wonder if that doesnt arouse her subjects dissatisfaction? Then switched to tourism I hear Lake Tosmo is quite big. Our Frantz Kingdom also has a bigke called Lake Asur. Its at the border with the Celuroa Kingdom. Your attendants, Reiko and Edgar, its impressive how well made they are. The idle chat slowly began to shape itself into an actual conversation. Then, Elsa casually started to lead the conversation in the direction that Jin wanted. Weve heard a rumor in town about some demons being captured? Is that true? Oh, the rumors have really spread fast. The former duchess Catherine smiled awkwardly, then started to talk. I guess theres no point in me hiding it. Yes, thats right. About two or three days ago, Enaks local governor reported that he had captured two demons. They hade from the mountains up north. Theres a mountain range 2,000 meters tall that forms a natural border in the northern part of the Frantz Kingdom. And those two hade from the other side of it. We are of the race you call demons. The town of Enak is close to a fort that had been built to keep a close watch on the Klein Kingdom, and is ruled by the deputy officer of Duke Lafayette, who has a territory in the northern part of the Frantz Kingdom. Its hard to believe that those two had no actual intention to fight after having arrived at a town that was constantly on edge due to it being so close to the national borders. The deputy officer, who doubled as the mayor, Kutaga Actar, has the advantage of being a very prudent man, but is also tainted with a cunning mind. Though he has to, for he wouldnt be able to work as a representative of a town near the border otherwise. Pretending to be friendly towards them, he approached those two. Im told youre not here to fight. I dont want to fight either. At that moment, one of the so-called demons started to speak. Fighting brings hatred to both sides, but it also hurts thend and is the bane of peoples kindness. It drains the power of a nation, and their people are suffocated by misery. Without the slightest consideration for their words, Kutaga kept on pretending to be friendly towards them until he eventually poisoned them. The poison he used wasnt lethal, as it only paralyzes the limbs, but at the same time it damages its victims artictions, so its also very effective on magic users. They must have been sent to Sanjerton by now. A lot of people know about this because Enaks mayor was personally escorting them to show his achievement off. That concluded Catherines recount. Jin turned to his side and found that Shion was shivering. (Calm down.) He said that in a whisper as he tapped on her shoulder. Havinge to her senses, she raised her head which she had been allowed to hang loose. Im okay, Lucas. No one knew what she had meant by that. However, Lucas -who had known Shion for so long- understood the exact meaning of her words. Even so, Lucas still obeyed her master Shions orders, and considering his short temper, this would have probably earned him Shions praise under other circumstances. Um, you mentioned Duke Lafayette Yeah, thats my son. After my husbands passing, Ive decided to enjoy afortable retirement. So I hope you do away with titles when referring to me. So Elsa changed the topic again. Although she was often very taciturn, she was more reliable than Jin at it simply because she was more used to this than him. Ah, um Ive heard that there are two duchies in the Frantz Kingdom. Yes, thats right. Roughly speaking, the eastern part of the country is further divided into north and south, the Lafayette family in the north and the Orange family in the south. Everything along the highway between them belongs to the state. They didnt know exactly how thisst piece of information was useful. None of them knew what to do with it but still decided to keep it in mind. By the way, does anything still hurt? Ah, yes. Impletely healed, thank you. Though Ive had a slight knee pain for some time. Would you like me to take a look at that? The former duchess thanked Elsa for her kindness. Catherine pulled her chair away and turned her knees towards Elsa, who then started her medical examination. Heilung. Elsas palm gave off a faint light, which was absorbed into Catherines knees. Ah, it feels much better now! Thank you very much, Miss Elsa! Dont mention it. That was a chant from the Shouro Empire, right? It works so magnificently well. In this world, healers would use words such as Painkiller, Healing, and so on when chanting their spells. In reality, most of her pain was caused by the cartge of her knee being worn down, so surgical healing magic was necessary. Elsa used the best healing magic she could based on her knowledge of modern Earth, so the effect was immediate. Now with an even better impression about them, the former duchess asked them to stay overnight. Jin and his friends decided to ept her kind offer. Thank you so much, Elsa. It was quite the handful. After being escorted to two extravagant adjoining guest rooms connected by a sliding door, Jin expressed his gratitude towards Elsa. They didnt think they were going to be eavesdropped, but still had Reiko and Edgar make sure about it, and then decided to discuss what they thought. I wouldnt have been able to get any useful information by myself. Im d to be useful. The former duchess seemed to be a really nice person Though I dont know what she thinks of themon folk. Jin couldnt help but criticize the fact that the former duchess had served them an extravagant meal while people on the streets were literally starving. But oh well, I dide here and had my fill of that extravagant meal without saying a word, so I cant reallyin about it now. Its not like you could have just said something about it while we were eating, so its no use worrying about that now. Well, yeah. Im worried about this kingdoms politics, but we need to worry about helping Shion for now. Shion quickly reacted to Jins words. Thank you for all your help, Elsa. But that Kutaga guy is despicable! Jin tried to calm the enraged Shion. I understand why youre angry. But please understand that humans dont know how much they cant trust demons. I-I know. Ive heard that Marchosias had buttered himself up to humans in order to do all sorts of things, so I think were all on the same boat here. Well, if you understand that, were good. I dont mean toin about the personal aspect of your anger. But just so you know, Elsas father was one of Marchosias victims. Huh? To be precise, Elsas father hadnt been poisoned, but he was still deceived by Marchosias, so he was also considered one of his victims. I-Is that so I cant ask you to forgive us, but still Im sorry. Shion bowed apologetically at Elsa. But Elsa gently shook her head. Its fine. It wasnt your fault. But still, I feel bad about what happened to your father. And thanks to you, Ive learned a lot about what happened. So it was some kind of anesthetic, right? If they were rendered unable to move freely, even if they had known powerful spells, they wouldnt have been able to use them to escape. Shion bit at Jins remark. What are you going to do next, Jin? Well, Ill wait and see what kind of information Fernand brings us. After that, it depends, but well most likely go to Sanjerton. Well have toe up with a rescue n, too. There was no way they could make a n without first knowing exactly where and how Shions sister was trapped. Shion could understand that too. If they have captured her but not killed her, then they most likely want to get information out of her. So we can at least rest assured that shes still alive. Jins words managed to somewhat cheer up Shion, whose face had been clouded by anxiety. Yeah, youre right. But what kind of poison was it exactly? Can you cure poisoning too, Elsa? Yeah, thought only a bit. Though knowing what kind of poison it was does help. From the symptoms, Jin could guess that it was the kind of poison that paralyzed the nerves. Thats all he could do for now in terms of conjecturing. All that was left to do was to take some kind of action. Its been a long day today, so lets take it easy for now. Jin said that in the most cheerful tone of voice he could muster as he turned to Shion, who had worry written all over her face. My Lord, you think so much about poison, and yet you dont look after yourself On Hourai Ind, Laojun sighed. He was concerned about how Jin and his friends ate the food they were served at a strangers house without doubting it for a second. But thats one of the good things about Master Jin. Precisely because he is who he is, he can trust others and earn their trust in return, dont you think? Yes, you might be right. Arent we here to assist our Master, knowing how he is? It is as you say, Ann. Well, I learned from the Covert Units report that the food they were served at the former duchess residence was not poisoned anyway. Jin was happy to have such great subordinates. Chapter 509: Information - 2

Chapter 509: Information - 2

The next morning, after having ate breakfast, Jin and his friends left Catherines manor. Pleasee visit me again sometime. Catherine came out to the front door to see Jin and his friends off. She was a nicedy. Yeah. Jin and the others were rambling on in the carriage that was taking them back to the hotel. They had to keep their conversation very vague so as to not let the coachman hear anything he wasnt supposed to. It was too early to say for sure at this point, but both Jin and Elsa agreed that it seemed that their encounter with Catherine had been a virtuous one. So youre meeting with that Fernand guy, right? Shion asked Jin. Yeah, he said to meet at the park in front of the hotel at noon. The previous night, Panse and Vi had reported that Fernand didnt show any suspicious behavior, so Jin had some expectations. Panse and Vi could potentially bring as much information to Jin as Fernand, but since Jin didnt know how useful Fernand could be in the future, he was set on giving him the remaining 5 gold coins to keep him as a contact. For now lets just go back into the hotel and make a fresh start. The carriage had just arrived in front of the hotel. Jin and his friends got off the carriage. Elsa, who got offst, thanked the coachman and gave her a tip. Seeing that, Jin thought that he had expected as much. Hehe, she looks like a wife supporting her husbands endeavors. Shion murmured when she saw Elsa rushing towards Jin after he had gotten off the carriage. It seemed that Shionsment hadnt reached Jins ears, but Elsa had apparently heard it as her cheeks suddenly turned a bit red. After a rather early lunch at the hotel, they headed for the park. Originally, Jin had wanted to go just with Reiko. But neither Elsa nor Shion would have that, so in the end, all of them went together. Oh, youre here! Sir! Sir! Over here! Fernand had already arrived and was waving at Jin and his friends. He had changed his clothes from the day before and was now wearing clean, beautiful garments. Youre looking sharp today, huh? When called out by Jin, Fernand chuckled before replying. Hehe, I got these with the advanced payment you gave me yesterday. There are some sources that I cannot even approach if youre wearing rags. That was also mentioned in Panse and Vis report. Fernand was not lying about that. Hehe, I got you a big haul today. Do you think you can throw me some more coins? Jin decided to act a little condescendent in his answer to Fernand, who seemed extremely proud of himself. Well, that depends on the merchandise. In fact, Panse and Vi -who had been sticking around him- along with Laojun and Reiko had all been able to get the same information that Fernand had, but Jin had purposely refrained from asking any of them. For starters, it seems that their names are Istalis and Netros. Okay, what else? The first stage had been cleared. It seems they have introduced themselves as demons. And since he saw no point in hearing whatever these demons had to say, Enaks governor Kutaga set them up and then captured them. The second stage had been cleared as well. It seemed that he had actually managed to get urate information so far. Also, Ive heard that they had brought gold and Magi Crystals as gifts, but Kutaga simply slipped those into his own pocket. And the third stage was also cleared. Fernand was speaking honestly and was not distorting the information he had found. So, it seems that they were taken to the royal capital to question them about where the demons are based, what they are nning, and how many troops they have. So far, everything was consistent with the information he had heard from Catherine. Fernand was really well-informed. This is the problem. Even though they have them drugged, theyre still demons. They dont know what kind of powers they have. And they dont know if there are othersing to help them. So it seems that theyre going to take them somewhere else. This was new information. Fernands supplementary exnation made sense. And where are they being taken? Hehe, youll know as soon as I have my fee. Very well. Jin handed him 5 gold coins that he had prepared in advance. Then, he showed him another 5 gold coins Ill give you more depending on how good your information is. So talk to me. Hehe, you got it. The ce is Genf, south of Sanjerton. Theres a prison over there. Genf was a town about 50 kilometers south of Sanjerton, near Lake Asur, and had a prison for vicious criminals and political prisoners. It seems that the demons were being taken there by carriage yesterday at noon, so they should arrive tomorrow evening. This was good information. Reiko, who would have already learned this from Panse and Vis report, didnt say anything, so he wasnt lying. Therefore, Jin gave Fernand all 5 gold coins he had in his hand. Oooh! This is great! What a generous aristocrat. If you ever need me in the future, all you need to do is go to that tower over there in this park. Fernand pointed to a tower close to a sundial found in the center of the park. Just put something blue at its base. It could be a handkerchief or some other piece of clothing. Got it. Ill keep that in mind. Well then, thanks for your patronage, Sir! Fernand bowed down and started to leave. Then, he turned around Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The carriage is being escorted by 10 soldiers and 2 knights. Then he left. (Father, it seems that he wasnt lying. What he said matches the information that Panse and Vi got.) (Alright.) Jin and Reiko talked in whispers, and then decided to return to their hotel room to make a n based on Fernands intel. Now that I know the whereabouts of Istalis and Netros, we have to think about how to rescue them. Cant we just attack their guards? Lucas was as straightforward as ever. We cant do that, Lucas. If we did, wed only widen the gap between demons and humans even further. Oh, y-yeah, youre right Shion seemed to be considering the future of the rtionship between the two races. Jin didnt yet believe that he could fully trust the demons. Or rather, he was simply being cautious. But Jin felt that he could at least trust Shion. However, he still needed to be cautious, because trusting one demon didnt mean he could trust all of them. For now, his mind was set on meeting Istalis and Netros and listening to what they had to say. Is there a way we can rescue them without causing offense? Jin was deep in thought. In the first ce, to rescue them was a bit extreme. The Frantz Kingdom was entitled to its honor as well. If only I could switch them for replicas But that was impossible, because Jin didnt know what Istalis and Netros looked like. What if they happened to die, Brother Jin? Ah, thats it! Jin quickly supported Elsas idea. But how are you going to do that? Shion seemed anxious. Well, lets see Something like Someone who hated or feared the demons attacked the guards and burned the two demons to death. Jin exined that their burnt corpses would be made by burning monster materials. The problem is how to make the switch without anyone noticing. A smokescreen? No, Elsa, that has a lot of uncertain variables to that. There has to be a better way Why dont we just kill all of the guards? Lucas! Lucas voiced his radical opinion, and Shion protested it right away. But it still gave Jin an idea. Right, but what if we could make them all faint? They should be able to incapacitate the guards without needing to harm them by using a paralyzer. In that case, we should make it clear that the attacker is a human. And we need to determine where were going to strike. Elsa and Jin began to sketch the frames of a n. They wouldter have Laojun fill in the details. We need to think about where to and how to escape once weve sessfully rescued them. As she listened to Jin and Elsa discuss their n, Shions face gradually became brighter. Just by hearing them, she somehow knew that they would be able to rescue her sister. Alright, lets leave the rest to Laojun. With his incredibly high thinking speed, Laojun was more suitable for adjusting details and selecting time. Jin would be taking care of thinking about what to do after they Istalis and Netros had been rescued. Shion didnt know what Jin meant by Laojun, but she was relieved to hear that they had finallye up with a n that looked like it could actually work. Chapter 510: According to Plan

Chapter 510: ording to n

On August 9, Jin and his friends left Hotel Lunor. So what are we going to do now, Jin? Shion seemed quite puzzled, and rightly so. The towns of Loroon and Genf were more than 70 kilometers apart from each other in a straight line. There was no way they could catch up with the convoy by carriage. Oh, dont worry about that. How were going to catch up to them is a secret. You guys havent told me everything, have you? I have my secrets as well. Please understand that. But I can assure you well definitely rescue your sister. G-Got it. This time, Jin had no intention to make a move himself. There was a risk of getting himself exposed and med, and besides, there was no need for him to get himself into a potentially dangerous situation. Therefore, Jin intended to return from the Frantz Kingdom to the Klein Kingdom for the time being. After some backtracking, they arrived at the checkpoint. They underwent the same inspection and verification as before, and after another bribe, they easily passed through. Then, they also passed through the checkpoint on the Klein Kingdoms side by showing Jins certificate, just like before. I wonder if this certificate really is this effective, or if those guards were just cking. At 13:00 on the same day, at the midpoint between the towns of San Jose and Genf in the Frantz Kingdom A coniferous forest with no houses in sight. A road about 5 meters wide stretched from north to south with some zig-zagging. Since it was unpaved, dust was being kicked up from it. Ten soldiers and two knights were escorting a curtain carriage. Were less than ten kilometers away, so we should be arriving there in about two hours. Ah, I cant wait to say good-bye to these annoying demons. How about we hit the brothel once we arrive at Genf? The soldiers were escorting the carriage -which had a cage inside- while having such conversations. At that moment Wait! Five suspicious-looking people appeared before them. Bandits? Are you stupid? Does it look like we have anything of value? But they werent bandits. I see youre the convoy escorting those demons. Hand those demons over to us. What? Who the hell do you think you are? Lets just say were some people who hate demons. Would you kindly hand them over? The one that seemed to be their leader took a step forward. The guards couldnt see his face since they were covering it with his hooded robe. However, they managed to catch a glimpse at the breastte he was wearing underneath. That crest? No way, is that the one belonging to the Royal Family of the Celuroa Kingdom? While still doubting his own judgment, the guard that seemed to recognize that crest moved forward. Were escorting them under official duty. We cannot hand them over to you. If you continue to get in our way any further, we will be forced to remove you. Move away now. That sounds fun! Why dont youe over here and see how that works out for you? One of the five who imed to be hostile towards demons was all worked up. However, the one that seemed to be the leader spoke out calmly. I guess theres no other way. If you dont hand them over, youll be dooming yourselves. Even before the leader stopped speaking, the ten soldiers and two knights that were escorting the carriage fell on the spot without being able to even say anything back. This is Regulus 41. Processing fainted targets. This is Sky 1. Ive confirmed that there are no people within two kilometers around. Laojun here, acknowledged. Check the prisoners. This is Regulus 41, roger. Regulus 41 approached the carriage and carefully lifted the curtain that covered what was inside. Targets confirmed. There were two demons, about 17 or 18 years old each, in the cage that was inside the carriage. Both of them had fainted as well. Transinfo. Regulus 41 activated the magic tool given to him by Jin. Transinfo failed. I can confirm that the targets are demons. Since they couldnt have Shion do facial recognition of the prisoners, they used the fact that Transinfo had no relevant effect on demons other than receiving information that was impossible to read. Sky 1, descend as nned. This is Sky 1, roger. Landing Falcon 1. Falcon 1, which was capable of vertical take off andnding,nded on the specified spot. Regulus 41 searched the fainted guards, finding the keys to the cage. Regulus 42 and 43 carried the two demons out, and 44 and 45 brought in the dummies they had prepared in advance to rece them. With their Magi Jammers ready to be used at any time, Regulus 42 and 43 took the demons into the Warp Gate installed in Falcon 1, instantly sending them to Nidou Castle. At Nidou Castle, 20 Army Golems were standing by in the guest room on the second floor, prepared for anything. Begin the final phase. Following Laojuns instruction, the carriage was oiled and then set on fire. The wooden carriage burst into mes in no time. The fainted guards were moved far enough away so that they wouldnt sustain any burns. Eventually the fire went out and all that remained was ash and a charred iron cage. There were two burnt corpses in the cage. Of course, they were dummy corpses, made out of monster materials. They were now nothing more than a pile of ash and charcoal, so there was no way to know they were fake. Good. Pull out, everyone. Regulus and the others used Falcon 1s Warp Gate to send themselves back to Hourai Ind. They were to be sent to their new posts after that. Then, Falcon 1 deployed its invisibility cloak and took off once more, setting a course for Hourai Ind as well. They must have noticed the crest. This would end up being even better if they were to believe that the mastermind behind this assault was rted to the Royal Family of the Celuroa Kingdom. Though its fine if they dont make that connection. Regulus 41s breastte had been furnished with a crest very simr to the one used by the Royal Family of the Celuroa Kingdom to create a misunderstanding. After driving the carriage a little to the north of Storsk -a town on the border of the Klein Kingdom, Jin found the blimp that was being handled by Steward. Good job, Steward. Lets go back to Kaina Vige. J-Jin, w-wait! Are we going to head back already? Without doing anything? Shion panicked. Her discontent was made evident in her face. Huh? We obtained lots of information, havent we? Information, you say? We came all this way here just for information!? However, Jinughed it off, and reminded Shion of an important fact. Dont worry. Were going to rescue your sister. Leave it to me. Are you sure? Yeah. Thats why we need to go back quickly. Im not sure I understand what you mean by that, but oh well After that conversation, Jin and the others boarded the blimp. The trip back to Nidou Castle by taking the same route used toe all this way but in the opposite direction took them only two hours. The time difference was about 1 hour, so it was nearly 2 PM by the time they arrived. And roughly at the same time, Istalis and Netros also arrived at Nidou Castle. Wee back, Master Jin. Barrow was there to greet them. It appears that we have received two guests in the second floors guest room just a few moments ago, but I am unable to confirm this since Ive heard you had specific instructions for us not to go inside. Is that correct? Ah, I see. Just in time. Yes, you did good. You and Belle will have to wait to enter the guest room until I say you can. Understood, Master. Neither Shion nor Lucas understood what they were talking about. Elsa, on the other hand, wasnt surprised, because she had an idea of ??what Laojun had done under Jins instructions. Anyway, Shion, Lucas, youll see for yourselves when we get there. Jin walked fast, followed closely by Reiko. Shion and Lucas also began walking hurriedly behind them. Reiko opened the door of the guest room on the second floor. Jin was standing behind her, which was something Reiko had insisted on to protect him from any harm that maye. Wee back, Master. They were greeted by Land 1. He had been keeping watch on the two demons that were lying on the futon beds. Sister! After seeing them, Shion shouted loudly and rushed into the room, clinging to the still unconscious female demon. What!? How!? How many questions were confined within those two words? After staring at Jin, Shion stared at her lying sister and began to shed tears. She really does look a lot like you, Shion. The female demon, who was probably Istalis, had the same silver-colored hair and white skin as Shion. The male demon, which would be Netros, had brown skin and ck hair, exactly like Lucas. Are they not waking up because of the poison, or? Jin realized that she was talking about the Paralyzer. Land 1 quickly understood what she was trying to say, and quickly replied. We believe its both. That signaled it was Elsas turn to act. So, Elsa, can you do a medical examination on them and treat their wounds? Yeah, sure. Elsa stepped forward, gently pulled Shion -who was still clinging onto her sister- away from Istalis, and flipped over the sheets covering her in order to conduct a medical examination on her. Ah! How horrible S-Sister Istalis was wearing nothing but a single piece of dirty cloth that barely covered her body. Her exposed skin was covered with bruises that had turned blue and ck, and a wound that had been covered in dried and solidified blood. Chapter 511: Medical Care and Nursing

Chapter 511: Medical Care and Nursing

Netros was in an even worse condition. Not only he had bruises and wounds all over his body, but both of his legs had been broken, and every single one of his nails on both hands and feet had been torn off. After being brought to Nidou Castle, Nurses Alpha and Beta had given them first-aid treatment, so their lives werent at risk. Still This is too much. Of course, Elsa was also upset after seeing their condition. I cant just judge an entire race for the actions of an individual. I see that clearly now. Yeah, thats right. Just as Elsa said. Anyway, we have to heal them now. Yeah. Just as Elsa was preparing herself to use healing magic Wait, Elsa. You should use this instead. Jin gave her a magic tool that Reiko had fetched for them. Ah, this is It was a magic tool that had been very helpful during the time of the Magical Exhaustion Fever. It was something Jin had borrowed from Lithia and the others. Elsas V?llig Genesung consumes a lot of magical power, so Jin was trying to reduce that burden with the help of that magic tool. In this case, she wouldnt be using the tool to do the healing for her. Instead, she would be using the magic tool in tandem with her own magical power in order to heal Istalis and Netros more efficiently. V?llig Genesung. First of all, Istalis. As a faint light wrapped her, the color lost to her skin due to internal bleeding was restored, and the cuts on her body were closed. This was the result of thebination of the power of Elsas mental image and the magic tools ability. Incredible Shions eyes were wide open in amazement. In a matter of seconds, Istalis skin had returned to a beautiful white color,pletely devoid of wounds. Her breathing, which had seemed to have been painful, had settled considerably as well. Now here. After repositioning the broken bones, Elsa used V?llig Genesung. She was already using it like a veteran healer. The external wounds on Netros body seemed to have healed as well. The poison is going to be the hard part. Yeah, thats right. Reiko, please? Yes, Father. Analyze. Reiko analyzed the toxins in Istalis body. She was better at this kind of work. She then did the same on Netros. I see. It appears that they used sulfur dioxide on them. Sulfur dioxide is a type of volcanic gas that is also produced when sulfur is burned. Saki had been made to inhale this same gas in the past. It affects the lungs and causes respiratory failure. It seems that Istalis and Netros were able to somewhat mitigate its effects thanks to their sturdy demon bodies. Thats a terrible thing to use. They must have not cared whether they died or not. There were no such things as chloroform and dimethyl ether for use as anesthetic gases in this world, since chemistry wasnt as developed as in modern Earth. Sulfur dioxide, also known as sulfurous acid gas, is a poisonous gas generated by burning sulfur, so its uses may have been well known in the Frantz Kingdom. And there are traces of what seem to be mushrooms inside their stomachs. The first thing that came to mind to Jin was toadstools. Some of them had toxins that can make people unconscious, and even in this world, they were used as anesthetics. Got it. Thanks, Reiko. Entgiftung. Previously, Elsa removed the arsenic affecting Marquis Gehren Theoderic using Extraction, but this time she chose to use Entgiftung instead. It was a spell for breaking down poison within ones body of the highest level. This was based on the Detox spell developed by Sally, and incorporating the Engineering Magic spells Extraction and Dposition. Thanks to this, Elsa had managed to assemble all three spells into the most powerful detoxification spell so far. She had reallye a long way. Genesung. After clearing away the poison left in their bodies, Elsa used her most powerful spell for treating internal damage. With that, the treatment on the two of them seemed to be over for the time being. It would take a few more days for them to recover their lost physical strength and the torn-off nails to regrow, but the organ failures induced by their poisoning had beenpletely taken care of. Sister Netros Shion stared at them with anxious eyes as they were still far from regaining consciousness. Jin then decided to leave their nursing to Shion and Lucas, and left a jar with Hourai Inds special Pelshika juice by their bedside. Give them a little bit of this to help them replenish their Mana. Jin ordered Land 1 to be even more vignt than before. I feel like we dont have to be too worried about Shion, but the others are a different story. After being tortured so much, it wouldnt be a surprise to anyone if Istalis and Netros ended up hating all humans. Hey Elsa Sometimes I wonder if all this were doing can actually help solve the dispute between demons and humans. Jin found himselfining idly at Elsa, who was standing by his side. Yeah, but its still very sad. Elsa had a general idea of the history of the world Jin used to live in. Even in that world, tensions between nations havent disappeared yet, and local conflicts have never stopped. Though I dont want to think that its because thats how we humans are. Elsa seemed to have the same opinion as Jin. I think Im beginning to understand why my predecessor decided to exile herself to Hourai Ind. How much fun would it be to just spend his days on that ind with like-minded friends, and creating stuff to his hearts content? But Jin had already made many connections in this world. Theres no way to prevent Kaina Vige from being attacked Jin and Elsa quickly went to Hourai Ind. Reiko and Edgar followed after them. A weapon that makes it so someone cant use magic? How would that be different from a Magi Jammer? A Magi Jammer prevents someone from casting spells, but what Im thinking about is something that can drain Mana from its target. Jin exined the concept he had been thinking about for some time. I think that a weapon like that would be amazing. But how can we make it? Elsa seemed to be unable to imagine how to create such a weapon. Ah, well, for instance The wind caused by Wind Magic is a localized phenomenon. This was possible because of their spells innate ability to manipte air molecules. The same applied to Water Magic. Their spells only were possible because of their ability to work on water molecules. Fire Magic was no different. The phenomenon of fire is essentially air being burned, and Mana could be used to generate the heat needed to aplish that. But there is a force that could allow one to manipte fire on another level, like throwing it like a ball or giving it the shape of a spear. Lastly, the same could be said about the power to dig holes and crush rocks with Earth Magic. What do you think this force is? Jin asked both Elsa and Reiko. He had a mischievous smile on his face. I dont know. I give up. Both of them quickly raised a white g, since they had no way to know the answer to that question, no matter how hard they thought about it. I believe this force could be psychokinesis. An invisible force, able to be directed and resized at the casters will. In other words, the ability to manipte things with ones mind. Im sure magic as we know it wouldnt be possible without this. That makes sense. Elsa thought that this was true even with Healing Magic, it may be said that this psychokinesis is what makes the spell to the area she wanted to treat. In my world, the concept of psychokinesis is deemed questionable at best, so its often referred to as force of will instead. The power of the mind would be the same as ones willpower. Hmm, I see. So, going back to the topic, Ive been thinking that maybe the medium that conveys this force of will is actually Ether. I see. Thats incredible, Brother Jin. Wonderful, Father! Edgar remained silent. Unfortunately, it was possible that his Control Core wasnt able to catch up. I wish I could understand the basis behind this force of will that is generated from the caster and transformed into magic, but even if I cant do that, Id like to at least be able to understand the phenomenon itself. This is where Jin presented his theory. The caster has their own Mana in their body. And this Mana can be changed at their will. Just as ones vocal cords trembled in order to make a voice, so that this voice would travel through the air as sound waves. Magic would also be a force that was borated within ones body that would then travel through the air to carry its effect to its target. I think that the medium for carrying a spells effect is also Ether. Hmm, that sounds possible. Thats so smart of you, Jin. Turning to the voice, Jin was met by Toa Eschenbach. Stearleana was right beside him. I think so too. You have to let me know whenever youre going to talk about these interesting things, Jin. After being scolded by Toa and Stearleana, Jin scratched his head and started again from the top. Chapter 512: Interference Device

Chapter 512: Interference Device

Jin figured he might as well get in touch with Reinhardt and the others. This of course caused Reinhardt to want to go help even at the cost of neglecting his work, but he ended up tearfully giving up after Berthie scolded him. Then, you have to tell me how it came out in detail! So thats what I think. Jin reiterated his theory before Elsa, Saki, Toa, Stearleana, and Vivian. Hmm, so what youre saying is that Ether is at the same time a source of magical power and a medium that conducts both magical power and this force of will, right? Saki was the first to react. Thats right. So Ive been wondering if we would be able to create Ether at will. Hmm. First of all, we need to make sure that Ether is really a medium that conducts both magical power and this force of will. That was Toas opinion as a researcher. I would like to provide some information in regards to that. Laojuns voice echoed throughout the room. I believe you all know about transfer machines. They require the use of magical power to create a path to the destination, but this tends to be more difficult as something or someone is transferred to the south, where the Ether density seems to be low. The fact that the density of Ether bes higher as one goes north and lower as one goes south was already well known. Laojuns input supported Jins theory. I can agree that Ether conducts magical power. But, this mental power, this force of will? Is that even real? Im not so sure Stearleana was skeptical about the concept of mental power. Hmm, but thats not the point. Elsa quickly pointed out that discussing whether or not these concepts were real wasnt the point of their meeting. They were trying toe up with ways to create some kind of device which could interfere with magic. Right. Though Id like to study the possibility of the existence of this force of will. Toa seemed to be very interested in this concept. Well then, what do you think well need in order to make this device, Jin? I think that well have to first explore the theory behind how magic is put into operation in the first ce. Simple enough, eh, Jin? Saki seemed slightly disappointed with Jins answer. However, he continued to delve further into his theory. The caster converts the Ether they have taken in by breathing into Mana, storing it into their body. How much Mana can a person store varies between each individual. The Mana in ones body decreases as its used, but it will slowly regenerate. Perhaps the human body mana on a cell-by-cell basis. Then, ones force of will, or mental power if youd prefer, works on their Mana, transforming it into magical power. As long as this mental power is involved, there will be a difference at an individual level between ones Mana and the magical power they can produce. Magical power uses the surrounding Ether to activate magic spells. The total amount of Mana the caster has determines the maximum amount of spells they can use before running out of Mana. Hmm. So in short, mental power draws magical power from Mana, which in turn is generated from the surrounding Ether? Toa briefly summarized Jins theory. Yes. What we refer to as magical power is actually the force that acts on the Ether, and I suspect that it can also cause all sorts of phenomena by manipting Ether in various ways. I have no reason to disagree with that. It makes sense. So well be making an interference device based on that theory, right? Elsas remark once again brought the conversation back to its course. Their primary purpose was to develop an interfering device, rather than trying to fully elucidate the phenomenon of magic. They couldnt lose sight of their purpose. Theres no doubt that Mana and Ether influence each other. This was also from Elsa. Though she wasnt very good at making hypotheses, she seemed to have managed to summarize the main point of Jins theory. The Mana refined in our bodies can be manipted at will. This is due to our own mental power. Are we all good so far? Yeah, thats right. In that case, would there be a way to turn that Mana back into Ether? Oh, I see With that train of thought, Jin considered the possibility of finding a practical solution to their puzzle without having to approach the theoretical side of magic. Another thing. Barriers. Could we say that they are barriers made through Mana? Ah, right Elsa approached the main point without concerning herself with unimportant details. This could be a hidden ability of hers. The Barrier spell could be considered to be a barrier that uses magical power to forcibly stop Ether in the air. At that time, Ether would be like cement, and the air molecules would be like gravel. In this sense, the resulting Barrier would be like concrete. Incidentally, if created in a vacuum, a barrier would be created containing only cement, that is, only Ether. Pseudo-solidified Ether would be strong enough to prevent even an attack from Reiko. Have youe up with anything, Brother Jin? Elsa asked this after noticing that Jins expression had changed. It seemed that Elsas input had been like a keyword that unlocked an idea in Jins mind. Take the fire-type spell Fireball, for instance. This spell converts Mana into heat energy, then it generates a me out of the air heated by this conversion beforeunching it forward. Lets take this as an example. Jin then exined that there were several possible ways to nullify this spell. The first one is to prevent it from essing its Ether supply. Naturally, if Mana cannot be generated, the spell would not work. The second one is to revert Mana into Ether. This is the method that Elsa hade up with. It could be said to be a canceller of sorts. The third one would be the Magi Jammers we now use. It interferes with the casters chanting, preventing Mana from being generated in the first ce. Yeah. I see. So apart from the third method, which would be better? The first one or the second one? We should be able to determine that by examining both methods. Jins remark would make it possible to choose the most feasible out of the two methods. So how do we go about preventing Ether from being used? By eliminating the Ether in an area? No, that would be far too convoluted, dont you think? Leaving the how of that idea aside, it would be a very impractical solution. Then, how do we turn Mana back into Ether? If Mana is generated from Ether through mental power, why not interfere with this mental power? Ah, but wouldnt it be better to Toa, Stearleana, and Saki. Each of them came up with their own ideas. Jin found this very enjoyable. The idea of wishing he could continue doing this kind of debate for a long time grazed in the corner of his head, but he couldnt afford to stray off the topic for now. It may not be possible topletely eliminate Ether from an area, but we could manage to put that Ether under our control. ording to Jins theory, the magical power of the caster taps on the surrounding Ether to create magic. The idea was to use their own magical power to beat the caster to it, and put that Ether under their control instead. I understand the theory, but Toa seemedpletely puzzled. Wouldnt you need an enormous amount of magical power in order to do that? Saki seemed to have finished her fathers sentence. No, thats not the case. Take Ether Converters for instance. Theyre Magi Devices, which I first installed in Reiko and then all across Hourai Ind, which have the function of working on and collecting Ether around it. Using up a lot of magical power in order to collect Ether would be mistaking the cause for the end. Elsa added to Jins exnation. I see, that makes sense. Convinced, Toa nodded. Expanding an Ether Converters range, we should be able to interfere with the Ether in the surrounding area. Theres no need to draw it all in towards us, but it should be enough to put it under our control. Would that really work? Stearleana was still half-convinced about it. Evidence would be better than debate at this point. Should we try it out? Jin instructed Reiko to increase the output of her Ether Converter to 100%. Understood, Father. Now most of the Ether around Reiko should have been captured by Reikos Ether Converter. Jin then went on saying that they should be able to see for themselves by trying to use any kind of big spell. Im putting big spells as an example since there must still be a lot of Ether around here. Ah, then let me try it first. Purify. Purify was not only an Engineering Magic spell, but also a high-level Earth Magic spell that removes impurities from an object. As she tried to remove the impurities from a Magi Stone she had in her pocket Oh, youre right. It doesnt work as well as it normally would. She noticed that both activating the spell and the spells own effect took far longer than usual. I see. We should be able to make our interfering device now that weve seen this. It was as if a ray of light had made its way through an overcast sky. Chapter 513: Confusion

Chapter 513: Confusion

I think its been made sufficiently clear. Jin had Reiko reduce her output to normal values. This can be seen from Reikos experience as well. Yes, back when I went looking for Father after he went missing, I found myself in a ce that was clearly a northern area. The Ether concentration there was incredibly high, and my magic was over three times more powerful than ever. From this, Jin concluded that it is possible to theorize that this was due to the concentration of Ether being so high that it could be used at length even by someone who had as much magical power as Reiko had at that time. I see. That makes a lot of sense, Jin. You always have these incredible ideas, Brother Jin. Theres no getting tired of your discoveries, Jin. Everyone expressed how impressed they were. Jin shyly scratched his head. W-Well, Im going to be making an interfering device using this as a basis. Ill help. Well be allowed to watch and learn as you make it, right, Mr. Magi Craft Meister? Since they were able to use the same Magi Sequence used for the Ether Converters, a prototype waspleted in a rtively short time. Is it already done? Im impressed. Vivian couldnt hide her amazement. I know that feeling too, Vi, but this is Jin were talking about. It was still bright outside, so they decided to conduct a quick experiment in the open area in front of theboratory. The prototype is simply a Magi Form written on a Magi Crystal. Jin said the keyword Activate. Its effective range would be about 10 meters in a radius centered on Jin. Yeah, when I get close to you, it feels kind of strange. Is this because of the Ether around us? Lets see. Wind Bullet I cant Elsa, who was standing right by Jins side, tried shooting a Wind Bullet into the sky, but the spell failed to activate. It worked! Sorry, Elsa, but can I ask you to call Edgar over here? Sure. Come here, Edgar. Following Elsasmand, Edgar approached them, and suddenly became unable to move properly. Insufficient Ether Motor functions malfunc tioning Stop. Jin hurriedly turned off the prototype, and Edgar went back to normal. Thanks, Elsa. Now I know this also affects Automata, which means that magic tools shouldnt work either. But why is Reiko able to move? Reiko, who was standing behind Jin, didnt seem to be particrly affected by the prototype. Oh, thats because the Ether thats under the control of this interfering device obeys my magical power. Reiko, the other golems, and Laojun, all share the same magical power Jin has. It could be said that theyre all in the same frequency. Thats why even when the interfering device is active, it wont affect anything I made. This was very important. It meant that one could block someones ability to use magic while still being able to use magic themselves. Next we should work on its ease of use. Basically, there should be a way to direct the area of effect of the interfering device while retaining a spherical form, and it should allow its user to expand and narrow its range as they see fit. Youre losing me there, Brother Jin. Hehe, Jin really is quite the tinkerer. Elsa and Saki were staring at Jin with silly smiles on their faces. But this isnt really interfering with magic itself, but with Ether. Ah. Thats right. Yeah, dad, youre right. Toas remark was on point. It couldnt be called an interfering device. Hmm, alright. Since its interfering with Ether, how about we call it Ether Jammer? Yeah, that sounds much better. Thus they decided to name theirtest invention Ether Jammer. The Ether jammer waspleted on the same day. They started mass-producing them right away, and then equipped them to Reiko, Laojun, the Covert Units, and then the Quintas, in that order. They would eventually be installed in all of the Golems in Hourai Ind. Lets prioritize deploying them to Nidou Castle and Kaina Vige. Laojun instructed the Quinta to follow this order of preference. Next we should think about how to defend against it. Was there anyone who could think about how to defend against a weapon they had just finished making? Will you tell me if youe up with anything? Jin didnt have much time to spare, so he couldnt afford to think about that at the moment. Early the next morning, Jin and Reiko moved to Nido Castle with their new gear. How are they, Butler? Butler B had arrived to greet them. They seemed to have regained consciousness for a brief moment, but then fainted once again. I havent checked on them today yet. Upon hearing his answer, Jin went to the guest room where Shion and the others were. Shion? Its me, Jin. Can Ie in? Shortly afterwards, he could hear Shion saying sure from the other side of the door. Iming in then. Jin entered the room with his hand holding the newly made Ether Jammer he was keeping inside his pocket, just in case. How are they? They seem to be much better. They havent opened their eyes yet, but their breathing has stabilized and their color seems to have returned to them. I see, thats good to hear. While they were talking, Istalis mouth moved. Youngdy, look! Lady Istalis is! In response to Lucas voice, Shion quickly turned towards her sister. Sister! Sister! Shi on? Her closed eyelids slowly opened. Istalis had the same semi-transparent, pale light blue eyes Shion had. Yeah, its me! Pull yourself together, sister! Jin gently tapped on Shions shoulder and handed her a feeding cup filled with Pelshika juice. Ah, right! Here, sister, drink this! Istalis brought the feeding cup to her mouth and took a sip of the juce. Its delicious Then, after drinking all of it, Istalis condition seemed to have greatly improved. Shion Is that really you? Yes, sister, its me! And Netros is here too. Everythings going to be okay now! Huh? Okay? Ah! I I was captured Istalis face started to warp and get more and more distorted with every passing second. U-uh, aaah AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!! She then started to scratch at her own face with both hands. Red scratch marks began to appear one after another all over her face. Sister! Sister, stop! Her body started to twitch and tremble heavily, and Shion found herself unable to calm her down. Its no use! Not only Istalis was still furiously scratching her own face, she was also hyperventting and her throat was making a wheezing sound. Reiko! Yes. Paralyze. Unable to bear watching that any longer, Jin asked Reiko to use Paralyze on Istalis. Sister Istalisy limp on the bed with her facepletely stained with her own blood. Jin had Butler B prepare a clean cloth and wiped her face. Then he used Sterilization and Cure on her. They were the best Jin could do in terms of Healing Magic, but they were good enough for the current situation. Shion stared at her sister as shey on the bed with her wounds healed and her face now clean. Sister What happened to you? Please, dont ask. Netros, who had regained consciousness at some point during this incident, muttered those few words in response to Shions question. Chapter 514: A Gamble

Chapter 514: A Gamble

Netros, are you okay? After being asked that by the worried Shion, Netros sat up straight on the floor and nodded. Im fine. But because I wasnt there with her, Istalis had to go through something like that What happened? However, Netros calmly shook his head. I cant talk about that. Lets just say the way shes been treated is beyond words. Jin ced his hand over Shions shoulder. I think we should leave it at that. Upon seeing Jin, Netros again turned to Shion. Who is this? This is Jin. Hes the one who saved both Lucas and me. When I heard that you and my sister were deceived and taken prisoner, I asked him to help me rescue you. Shion briefly exined what had happened thus far. Is that so? You have my gratitude, Mr. Jin. Netros face showed that,after having gone through such a horrible experience, he couldnt fully trust Jin, but he still nodded, being convinced by Shions words. He told me that he would share food with us, and above all, hes the Magi Craft Meister! Im sure hell save us. What? The Magi Craft Meister? Netros seemed to be aware of that titles meaning. That fabled, magnificent person No way, the Magi Craft Meister is still alive after all this time? Ah, thats right. Humans lives are much shorter than ours. Hes the second generation Isnt that so, Jin? Shion turned to Jin as she asked him that. Jin nodded. Thats right. Im the 2nd Magi Craft Meister. I see I cant say I trust humans after what weve been through. But if youre the Magi Craft Meister then I guess I can trust you. The title of Magi Craft Meister seemed to have a special meaning to demons. Jin was curious as to what was the reason behind that, but realized that it wasnt the time to ask about that. What should we do about Istalis? She seemed to be burdened with a big trauma, and might break down again the moment she regained consciousness. Shion also seemed to be so worried about her sister that she hadpletely forgotten about her wanting to know why her sister had been sent to the human realm as well as herself, without her knowledge. Time could make her forget everything about what happened to her. Those words leaked from Jins mouth. And upon hearing himself say that, an idea began to form in his mind. Hmm Shion, please stay here with your sister. Ill be stepping outside for a moment. Huh? Sure. Have youe up with something? Well, yeah, but I dont know if itll work yet. Just wait here a moment, but dont get your hopes high. Jin then excused himself from the room and secretly hurried towards Hourai Ind. What do you think, Laojun? Your idea is feasible, My Lord. Theres only one problem that needs to be settled beforehand. You mean that, huh? Correct. Since Transinfo doesnt work with demons, we can assume that their resistance to Mental Magic is quite high. But their bodies have the sameposition as a humans. Why is that? I do not know. I have no samples. We should be able to get some one way or another, right? At the very least, theres a high chance we will. After having this conversation with Laojun, Jin went back to Nidou Castle. This was so that he could discuss this with Shion. Back at the guest room, where Istalis stilly unconscious Ah, Jin, how did it go? Well, I cant guarantee its going to be perfect, but Ive found a way that should work somehow. What is it? Let me ask you something first. Do you guys have any kind of magic that can erase someones memory? Huh? I think so. Oh, I see! Are you going to erase my sisters memories? The method that Jin hade up with for her treatment was to use the magic spell Amnesia, which had been branded as a forbidden spell, to erase the torture from her memory. This Amnesia could only erase memories in order starting from the newer ones. It couldnt only erase the memories that you wanted it to. Fortunately, there must have been a long period of unconsciousness between her capture and subsequent rescue, so it was unlikely that there would be a discrepancy in her memories continuity. I see. So youre saying that if the memory of her torture were to disappear, then she wouldnt be thrown into that mad breakdown after she wakes up? Shion and Netros seemed to understand the idea, but Lucas face indicated that he wasnt so sure to be following along. What do you think about it, Shion? Shion seemed to be able to imagine the danger involved with tampering with her sisters memories to some extent. The procedure could fail to do anything at all. Or even worse, there was a chance that Jin ended up erasing more than they needed to. There were many caveats to this n. Netros told Shion that he would be leaving the decision to her, since she was her actual sister. Ive made up my mind. Jin, please remove that horrible experience from my sisters memories. Understood. Jin nodded, and had Nurses Alpha and Beta carry Istalis outside of the room using a stretcher. I wont be able to treat her here, so Ill be taking her to my secret base, where Ill be better equipped to do this. Ill be back soon, so theres no need for you to worry. Yes, Ill be leaving everything in your hands, Jin. And Ill make sure to live up to that trust. A hospital bed where Istalisy was brought to the control room in the basement of Hourai Ind. Shes all yours, Laojun. Understood. I will begin now. Laojuns mobile terminal Laozi ced its hand over Istalis forehead. Transinfo As expected, it has no effect. Hmm, this is going to be rough. Is there anything we can do? Jin started to think. Thoughts Mind Brain waves Brain waves? Laojun, do you have data on the magic that demons have used? Yes, I have information on several of their spells. Check their magical pattern. Especially their frequency. Understood. Comparing data I see, this What is it? Their frequency seems to be quite high. Jin seemed to be pleased with Laojuns reply. Well, I thought that would be the case, but it seems my guess was right. The demons have an unusually high frequency in their magical patterns. Probably an order of magnitude higher. Well, then it makes sense that they cant be read by conventional humans. Yeah. Lets find the most suitable frequency then. In order to sample a waveform correctly, it is necessary to sample at a frequency higher than twice the bandwidth of the frequencyponent of said waveform. For example, when sampling music on a CD, it needs to be at a frequency of 44.1 kHz to match the human audible frequency of 20 kHz. In the case of the demons, the frequency of magical power and mental waves was higher than that of humans, so it could not be read correctly by human magic. Based on this reasoning, Laoujun used Transinfo several times to determine the optimum magic power pattern to make it work. Understood. I believe we have a good chance to make it work if we do it like this. I see. But when tampering with someones memories, we have to be very careful about how far back we should go. We should be able to have a general idea of where to stop by asking Netros. The question is whether we can get it to work with a specific date and time. That shouldnt be a problem. I have some data on former prisoners, so even if there is an error, it should be within a 1-hour margin. Laojun had already erased memory of Count Walters n and how the prisoners of the Inad mine were captured after they were all incapacitated when they tried to attack Kaina Vige. Jin had thought to use that data to help him erase Istalis memory all the way back until a little before the moment she was tortured. Could you confirm this, My Lord? Sure. After his short answer, Jin returned to Nidou Castle to check that with Netros. They were captured on August 4th, right? Yes, Ive confirmed this with Netros. Then Ill begin. Amnesia, August 5th The treatment itself took only a brief moment. I will now check what became of her memories using Read Info. Read Info is a spell that eliminates the need to transfer information to a Magi Crystal from Transinfo. Since information flows in an instant, there is no point in using it unless you have Laojuns processing power. Well, Read Info Alright, the memories from August 4th onward have beenpletely erased. So it worked, huh Jin felt as if a heavy burden had been taken off his shoulders. Alright then, lets take Istalis back to Nidou Castle. Jin! Did it work? As soon as Jin returned to Nidou Castle, Shion hurried to him. Yeah. She may still remember about being captured on August 4th, but she shouldnt be able to remember anything after that. I wonder if this will help her at all. I dont know that. But I believe that she wont be trapped in madness anymore now that she doesnt have those painful memories. The human heart is unfathomable, and the same was true for demons. It was quite possible that things wouldnt go as nned. However, Jin wanted to bet on Shions sister. I think shell be waking up in less than an hour. Please remain by her side. Got it. Mr. Jin, I have a favor to ask. Hmm? Having recovered enough to be able to get up, Netros stopped Jin as he was about to leave. Could you Could you erase my memories as well? Chapter 515: Population and Food Situation

Chapter 515: Poption and Food Situation

Jin was surprised to hear that Netros wanted to have his memory erased as well. Yours too? Thats right. I I have a vague idea of ??what Lady Istalis was forced to endure. If Istalis wont have that memory anymore, I shouldnt have it either. Oh, so thats why. But a memory is an experience. Youre Istalis personal guardian, right? Wouldnt forgetting about this lesson be a bad thing? Youre right, but Erasing the memory of this incident meant that he could end up being deceived in the same way in the future. Still After thinking for a while, Netros started talking again. I was the one they tortured first. Since I didnt say a word about what they wanted to know, they ended up torturing Istalis as well. So I was hoping to erase only the memory of the suffering Istalis was put through. Hmm Then Jin presented various arguments against the idea, but Netros wouldnt budge. Though Jin couldnt totally agree with Netros, he could understand how Netros felt about his mistress, Istalis. Let me ask you about this onest time. Are youpletely sure? Yes. Im sure. Okay. If its what you wish. I appreciate it. So, Jin instructed Reiko to paralyze Netros and put him on the stretcher to be carried out of the room by Nurses Alpha and Beta. Then, Jin took him to Hourai Ind. Thats why Ill need your help once again, Laojun. Understood, My Lord. Laojun weed this procedure because it would allow him to get even more data about the demons magic frequency. He measured the magic frequency, verified the memory to be erased, then erased said memory, and made sure it had worked. Since it was his second time doing this, it was done much more efficiently than before. Ive finished. Ive left the memories up until the morning of August 5th untouched, and erased everything from that point on. Well done. But I dont want to do this too often. Laojun, even if I instruct you to do this again, dontply at once. Be sure to ask for the reason, make your own judgment, and let me know if you think that something is out of ce. Jin instinctively hated the idea of erasing someones memories. Memories are proof of a persons life and experiences. Theyre not something that others should be ying with Laojun made sure to remember Jins words and fully grasp their meaning. Incidentally, when Laojun checked Istalis and Netros memories, he caught a brief glimpse of what they had been put through and what they had talked about. (Its a relief that Istalis torture didnt include anything that would trample over a womans dignity For both sides.) Laojun was of course relieved that nothing like that happened for Istalis sake, but if it had actually happened and Jin learned about it, he would definitely consider retaliating against the Frantz Kingdom for it. After taking Netros back to Nidou Castle, they waited for them to wake up. Shion frowned anxiously as she kept on staring at both of them. Then Thirty minutester, Istalis eyelids trembled, and finally opened up. Sister? Shion? Is that you? Yes, sister, its me! Are you okay? While still lying on the bed, Istalis blinked her eyes repeatedly. Yes, though I remember eating something, and then I passed out I dont remember anything else after that. Sister, youve been tricked into eating poisoned food. Both you and Netros were captured But youre okay now. Jin watched over Istalis by his side. So far, there were no signs of panic. The procedure seemed to have worked. Jin let out a sigh of relief. So you rescued us? Yes, though I should say the rescue itself was made by him. Shion then introduced Jin. This is Lord Jin Nidou. He is the Magi Craft Meister, and also the one to help me when I fell unconscious myself. Then we learned about your situation, and I asked him to help me rescue you as well. Im the 2nd Magi Craft Meister, Jin Nidou. Jin bows lightly and introduces himself as well. Oh, so there is still a Magi Craft Meister around? Upon hearing that Jin was the Magi Craft Meister, Istalis looked at him with respect. This reignited Jins curiosity about what kind of rtionship his predecessor had with the demons, but he still refrained from asking anything about it at this time. Besides, Istalis herself didnt seem to have recovered her strength yet. My sister, dont overexert yourself. Please rest for a bit longer. Yes, youre right. Heeding her sisters words, Istalis smiled briefly and then closed her eyes again. Ultimately, by that same evening she had recovered enough to have a conversation with Jin. Netros had also woken up, and after making sure that both of them were well enough to get up from their futon beds, Jin decided it was time to talk with them. Thank you very much for all your help. After getting up from her futon bed, Istalis bowed to Jin in gratitude. I am Shions sister, Istalis, from the Shinra n of demons. Ive heard the particrs from Shion. Im very sorry for the inconvenience we have caused you. Istalis gave Jin the impression of being very graceful anddy-like, much like when he met Shion for the first time. Jin wondered if that was Istalis real behavior. Should I call you Lord Jin? Lord Jin, youre the Magicraft Meister Im sure that youre already aware of our circumstances. Please help us. Netros, who was still sitting on his futon bed, turned towards Jin. Im Lady Istalis personal guard, my name is Netros. Im begging you as well. Please, lend us your strength Since Jin had erased all of his memories after August 5th, Netros didnt even remember his first interaction with him, so he greeted Jin again. He seemed to be very polite, unlike Lucas. I intended to do that from the beginning, but is there any piece of information that you can share with me other than what Ive already heard from Shion? Istaris seemed to be thinking about Jins words, but soon made up her mind. Its unreasonable to ask for your help without first telling you how many of us there are. Sister! Its okay, Shion. Were talking about getting help with our food situation, so we were going to have to talk about this eventually. Istalis was staring straight at Jins eyes as she gave that answer to calm the flustered Shion. It was something to be expected when asking for help. There would be no way for Jin to know how much food he would need to get and n for it without knowing how many mouths were there to feed. My n has about 50 people. The entire demon race consists of approximately 1,000 people. Are there really so few of you? Jin was surprised. Certainly, this could very well be the demons most important secret. Yes. We never were that many to begin with. Ive heard that during the event that you humans call The Magic War, there used to be about 20,000 of us. That meant that the Ether Stampede had taken the lives of nearly all of the demons that once existed. Jin was also able to get detailed information about the demons food situation. ording to Istalis, it was said that the yield of wheat during the previous year was about 60% of the average year, and they were expecting the current years yield to be less than half than usual. No matter how much we try to economize, our stockpiles are going to run dry by the end of September, and its very unlikely that this years harvest will be enough to get us through the winter. Jin was having a hard time telling whether the demons had already reached a stalemate or if they still had a fighting chance. But now, it was evident that the demons were at their wits end with this situation. After they ran out of food, they would have no way to replenish their stockpiles. They were trying to devise a n while they still had some food left. I know humans and demons dont get along well. But Id like to be able to bring back some good news to my people Hmm Jin folded his arms and seemed to be deep in thought. Upon seeing this, Istalis face started to show signs of concern. Um, Lord Jin? Perhaps youre thinking about not helping us after all? After hearing such a thing, Jin stopped thinking and turned towards Istalis. Oh, no, its nothing like that. I just thought that something was a little strange Strange? Right. Well, it wouldnt be too strange that both Shion and you had a different way to do things. Such a thing coulde in handy when trying to negotiate in two separate ces at the same time. Uh-huh. Both Istalis and Shion had a nk expression on their faces. Neither of them knew what Jin was talking about. But why did you introduce yourself as a demon so openly? Eh? Huh? Both Istalis and Shion seemed to have been taken aback by Jins question. Well, back when I first met Shion, I asked her if she was a demon. But you, Istalis, told me you were a demon right off the bat. Ah, thats right. There was no way I didnt know about the hostility between humans and demons that hadsted for hundreds of years. So why did you do that? Im not a diplomat or anything like that, and I think even I wouldnt do something like that. That was because Grandfather I mean, the n leader asked me not to lie when negotiating. Dont you think its dangerous to do that? To not lie about that? Jin was a little shocked. He even wondered what the chief from the moderate faction of demons was thinking when he asked Istalis not to lie about being a demon. In fact, the gifts you brought along were quickly taken from you, then you were poisoned And you were even being taken to a dungeon when we rescued you! Istalis found herself hanging her head in response to Jins slightly harsh words. I I think thats a bit strange, too. But Grandfathers instructions were clear, so No, Im not saying that you should have lied about it, but it would have been wiser to avoid confessing that you were a demon for a while longer Istalis head hung even lower than before. Chapter 516: Capricorn

Chapter 516: Capricorn

Lets assume, for the sake of argument, that its not something all demons do, but instead part of your ns policy. Jin continued. Would having your sister serve as a decoy be part of your ns policy? To value ones friends because there were only a few of them was something Jin could understand, but to abandon not only your friends but your own family to their fate was something that Jin could not agree with. Y-Yes. Istalis, who had been casting her eyes downward, finally raised her head and turned towards Shion before lowering it again. Shion. Im sorry. You have been sent out as a decoy in order to draw the attention of the radicals towards you. Istalis apologized to her sister. The day after you left, Netros and I were also sent out to negotiate. I was given gold and Magi Crystals so that I could buy food and use it to sweeten up to the humans. Im sorry for forcing you to face the dangers of being a decoy, even though it was Grandfathers decision. Istalis once again lowered her head. Even though she understood, it seemed that Shion was still shocked to hear those wordsing out from her own sisters mouth. However, knowing the hardships and pains Istalis and Netros had to go through, she didnt feel like ming her for it. Its not your fault, sister. Dont worry. After all, we ended up meeting Jin, and he has promised to help us. Youre right. We, on the other hand, got ourselves captured and our gifts taken from us Looks like weve been the fools here. Stop it. That wasnt your fault either. Shion gently hugged her sister. Istalis then hugged her back. Thank you, Shion Listening to the sisters conversation, Jin was relieved to see how much they cared for each other, and that neither of them had any choice but to follow their grandfathers -the n leaders- instructions. However, even if he were to tell them that, the story wouldnt end there. From a humane point of view, Jins biggest concern was the threat of an all-out war against the demons. That was something that he had to avoid at all costs. All of that, of course, while considering the safety of Kaina Vige. He had no way to save every human being from harm, but he at least wanted to be able to protect the well-being of his second home, Kaina Vige, which had epted him with open arms when it all began. And by erasing the torture from Istalis and Netros memories, their grudge had disappeared as well. Was that a good or a bad thing? It may have been good for humankind, but what about Istalis? Moreover, erasing the memory of torture didnt mean that something like that couldnt happen again in the future. Jin couldnt help but wonder if he had done the right thing after all. And he found himself very intrigued about the fact that he was wondering about that so much. Considering Istalis physical condition, Jin decided to wrap it up for the day. However, their meeting made things much clearer for him. After returning to Hourai Ind, Jin consulted with Laojun. For 1,000 of them, would about 150 tons be enough? That is correct. But that would be the total amount for a year. If they are able to provide for themselves for about half of their needs, we would only need to send them 75 tons, or 50 tons if they can be self-sufficient for two-thirds of their needs. So your idea would be to give them only half of what they need for a year? That is reasonable, isnt it? Since there is no need to supply everything at once, we will have time to consider suppliers and so on. ording to the Quintas research, there seemed to be surplus crops in the southern parts of both the Shouro Empire and the Celuroa Kingdom. We could also buy it from the Klein Kingdom, but it would be unwise to not do this in a discreet manner. The Frantz Kingdom was a great example of how human nations react to the presence of demons. From the perspective of the entire nation, and for the security of its people, it wasnt a bad thing to regard demons as enemies. I believe it would be desirable to provide food for them until next spring, and then help them increase their self-sufficiency rate. Jin wasnt nning to help them forever, as it wasnt good for them. It seems they brought gold and Magi Crystals with them as gifts. Yes, though I was unable to confirm that. There is a high chance that this is precisely why they were poisoned. It was possible that the governor of Enak, blinded by greed, incapacitated Istalis and Netros with poison in order to slip their gifts into his own pocket. It was a clear indication of local corruption in that country. Umm That former duchess, Catherine, was it? She also didnt mention anything about any gifts. The same was true for the information gathered by Fernand. In other words, there never was any official mention of any gifts brought by the demons. Incidentally, how should we go about the means to go north, toward the demon viges? Ah, well, going by blimp might be a bit too dangerous. He could also use an airne, but it was a little too hi-tech, and for that and several other reasons, Jin didnt really want to show it to the demons so soon. How about a four-legged ground vehicle? Using golem horses as a base, Jin was thinking about the possibility of constructing a vehicle about the size of a small bus. It would be like a four-legged walking version of the RV he had made before. I see, so it should be able to walk even through deep snow. I wonder if something like that would work. Since Laojun approved of Jins idea, they decided they would start developing the four-legged vehicle the morning of the following day. Then came the morning of the 11th. Jin had gotten up early in order to begin work on the new vehicle. Lets use austenitic stainless steel, since its resistant to low temperatures. Reiko, please get that material for me. Yes, Father. Austenitic stainless steel wasmonly used for storage of ultra-low temperature substances such as liquid helium, since it was less likely to be brittle after being exposed to low temperatures. This time, Jin decided to use a product based on 18/10 stainless steel -meaning that it had a 18% chromium and 10% nickel alloy added to itsposition- to which he added a 0.5% of mithril silver in order to grant it with the properties of an enhancing magic spell. It should be okay to use the same walking controls we used for golem horses. They would be much bigger than that of golem horses, but they would operate in the same way. And itll just be a torso, theres no need for it to have a head. The idea was to make it look like a vehicle. It should have a capacity for 10 people and lots of luggage. He wasnt trying to make something like an RV, where you could technically live in. It should have reclinable seats so that people could sleep on them. However, it should also have enough air conditioning, and it should also have at least a toilet and a simple shower. Any human waste would be magically deodorized, sterilized, and dposed. It should be armed with Paralyzers, Magi Cannons, Laser Cannons, and Ether and Magi Jammers. Should I equip it with Mana Bombs? My Lord, just in case, it should also have enough treatment devices, recovery medicines, and remedies. In addition, it would also have a Mana Phone, a Barrier, and a Magi Detector. It would also be equipped with a Warp Gate for emergencies. Finally, it would be furnished with a gravity-control magic device. This would allow the vehicle to resist and even negate the effects of Gravity Magic. With these parameters in mind, Jin finished building the four-legged vehicle with help from Reiko and thirty Smith Golems. To finish, he had it walk up the slope from the front of theboratory towards Mt. Hourai as a test run of sorts. Yeah, its looking good. Its maximum speed was 70 km/h, and its maximum climbable angle was 50 degrees. Each of its four legs were 6 meters long, its trunk was 8 meters long, and the total height of the vehicle was 8 meters high. It should have no problem moving around even in deep snow. Thanks to its gravity-control magic device, it would also be great at walking without sinking even in a swamp. It came out pretty well. I think Ill name it Capricorn. Its ability to climb steep mountains reminded Jin of the many wild goats that live in the mountains, which made hime up with that name. Laojun, it seems that this should be useful for Hourai Ind as well, so please make several more vehicles like this Capricorn. Theres no rush, though. Understood. The first vehicle made by Jin was thenbeled Capricorn 1. Can you use the Land Units to run thorough tests on Capricorn 1 all day today? Understood. I will report to you in the event that they find any faults in it. Please do. Given the current condition of Istalis and Netros, Jin decided that he could wait until the following day to depart, and nned to spend the current day performing tests on the new vehicle. The ones who will be going on this expedition will be my Substitute Doll, Reiko, Shion, Istalis, Lucas, and Netros. And Land 1, too. The Covert Units maybe I wont have them go. Ill be staying here on Hourai Ind, after all. In that case, please consider having some Mini Smiths on board. They mighte in handy. Following Laojuns advice, Jin decided to have 10 Mini Smiths on board. What about Ann? I think you should take her along, Father. Strangely enough, Reiko stated her opinion clearly. You think so? Okay. Ann was the only Automata in Hourai Ind that knew about the Magic War. Jin decided to take her as well. Since Jin was a little unsure about doing it at the time, he waited until after lunch to call Ann. He had decided to upgrade her so she would be reinforced for the trip. Master, did you call for me? Ann, Id like you to apany me to thend of the demons. Since Im a little concerned about your current performance being enough for the task, Ive decided to strengthen you a little. Understood. Im in your capable hands, Master. Thus Jin began upgrading Ann. Starting with her skeleton and magical muscles, Jinpletely remodeled her. The improvements included not only the addition of the sense of touch, but also the ability to use Gravity Magic. She was also equipped with Ether Jammers. After Anns enhancements were finished, her performance had increased to about half as much as Reikos own ability. Chapter 517: Heading North

Chapter 517: Heading North

Once Anns enhancements werepleted, Jin went back to Nidou Castle. ording to Butler Bs report, it seemed that Istalis and Netros condition had improved considerably. Neither of them had shown any kind of suspicious behavior, so they were deemed not to be lying, at least generally speaking. After knocking on the rooms door and getting a response from inside, Jin opened the door. Ah, Lord Jin. Istalis approached Jin. Herplexion was looking much better than the day before. Im feeling much better now, thanks to you. Her once almost transparent white skin showed signs to be regaining its color. Her once messy hair was now neatlybed, and hung from her shoulders and down her back in a flowing manner. My specialty is Recovery Magic, but I hadnt been able to use any spells because of theck of Ether around here. But Istalis pointed at a bottle of Hourai Inds special Pelshika Juice After drinking this, I can now use them. And smiled. Jin was a bit startled, but not because of her impish smile. Istalis was wearing a yukata-styled nightwear that had been left in the guest room for her to use. But a closer look revealed that her cor was a bit loose, partially exposing her rich cleavage. Jin quickly averted his gaze, making an effort to not stare. Thats good to know. Has Netros recovered as well? Yes, besides, Netros is very sturdy. Right? The taciturn Netros nodded silently. Hey, Jin. Came here to visit? Shion and Lucas walked into the room carrying fruit in their hands. This is delicious. It was Pelshika fruit. Jin had brought in arge amount from Hourai Ind, saying that it was highly nutritious, and therefore very good for sick people. Haha, Im d you like it. Are you feeling all better now? Yes, thanks to you. Jin then changed the topic, asking about when to depart. Well My sister has recovered quite a bit, but Maybe tomorrow? Sure, dont overdo it. How about we leave tomorrow morning then? That sounds good. Alright. Jin then excused himself from the guest room. However, Laojun continued to monitor them by making full use of the surveince system installed in Nidou Castle. Hey, Shion What is it, sister? Im really sorry about making a decoy out of you. Dont worry about that, sister. I know you had no other choice. But I deceived you and departed shortly after you had left the vige, then I got myself caught. Then, even though you were supposed to be the decoy, you met Jin and ended up rescuing me Drop it already. How many more times are you going to apologize? Geez. Im really sorry Youve always been like this, sister. Look at how things turned out in the end! If all goes well, well be able to return to ournd together, and with food for our people! Thats all thanks to you, though. Ugh, stop saying those things. Were finally departing tomorrow! Thats right. I wonder how were going to head back north Well, Jin is the Magi Craft Meister. He has a ship that flies in the sky. Oh, is that so? But I hope the radicals wont try to get in our way. Yeah, that could happen. I wonder why cant we all just get along. We cant even get along with the radicals It makes me wonder if theres any hope for us ever getting along with humans Its a real shame After hearing such a conversation, it was clear to Laojun that they didnt want to get into any sort of conflict. It would be very scary if they actually knew Im eavesdropping on them and this conversation was an act. Though that was extremely unlikely. Then came the morning of the next day, August 12. Good morning, Istalis, Shion. Good morning, Netros, Lucas. Good morning, Lord Jin. Morning, Jin. The time was 6 AM. Everyone had just finished their breakfast.al Jin (s Substitute Doll) arrived with Reiko to pick up Istalis and the others. Jin, how are we going to travel north? Shion asked him that question since she seemed to be so worried about it that she couldnt keep it to herself any longer. Istalis and the others seemed to be just as worried as her, which Jin thought to be very interesting. Our ride is waiting for us by the river. Istalis and Shion had no luggage to carry with them. They were going to travel, literally, with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. And in Istalis and Netros case, even that was something that Jin had given them. Therefore, they left Nidou Castle empty-handed. Barrow and Belle had already said their goodbyes, so they werent there to see them off. The Herme River was right behind Nidou Castle, and the Capricorn 1 was towering over the surroundings next to its wide riverbank. W-What is that? What is that thing, Lord Jin? It has four legs? Does it walk? No way, is that our ride? Shion and Istalis raised their voices in surprise. Lucas and Netros, on the other hand, looked up at Capricorn 1 silently as if they werepletely awestruck by its size. This is Capricorn 1, a ground vehicle I made. We can use it to travel through any rough and snow-covered terrain. With that said, Jin gave a signal. In response to it, Capricorn 1 folded its legs, bringing its main body down to the ground. Alright, lets get in. Jin got in first and called them inside. Reiko quickly followed. Lets go, Shion. Istalis got in next. Yes, sister. Then Shion. Lucas quickly followed after her. Netros was still silently staring at Capricorn 1 with interest, but when he realized that he was the only one left to get in, he hurried inside. Alright, everyones in. The door closed, and the Capricorn stretched its legs. Uwaa!? Capricorn 1 had stood back up. Lucas, who was looking through a window, screamed in surprise. Let me introduce you. This is Land 1, a golem that will be in charge of piloting this vehicle. And this is Ann, an Automata that has been taking care of you all since the day you arrived. Im Land 1. Nice to meet you. My name is Ann, pleased to make your acquaintance. Each of them introduced themselves; Land 1 still sitting on the pilots seat, and the standing Ann bowing profusely to them. How impressive, as Id expect from the Magi Craft Meister himself! Shion was deeply impressed. Istalis was staring out a window. Please take your seats. The main body of the Capricorn 1 was approximately 8 meters long and 6 meters wide. Two-thirds of it were used as a cockpit and living quarters, and the remaining one-third housed a kitchte, a toilet, a shower room, and a storage room. Alright, lets go! The Capricorn began to move slowly, heading upstream along the bank of the Herme River. Its not shaking as much as I thought it would. Still staring out the window, Istalis muttered her observation. Thats right. I have made it so that its center of gravity doesnt move up and down as it walks. That was a result of the many adjustments that took ce the day before. Taking the control system used for golem horses as a base added to a walking control that thoroughly suppressed vertical movement, the living area was also suspended and supported by an active golem arm in order to reduce shaking. It was a measure put in ce in order to help prevent motion sickness. Wait for us, everyone Were on our way. Shion looked up towards the northern sky and uttered those words, thinking about those waiting for their return. Chapter 518: Gossip 28 - After Their Rescue

Chapter 518: Gossip 28 - After Their Rescue

Did you say, the Magi Craft Meister? Yes, Maam. Thats right. I think Ive heard them call Mr. Jin by that title. The ce was Loroon, a provincial city in the Frantz Kingdom. It was the city where the secondary residence of House Lafayette -also known as the House of the Northern Duke- was located. His sister seems to be pretty skilled No, she seems to be a top-notch healer. Im d I got to meet them all. After Jin and his friends left, the former duchess Catherine De Lafayette looked out the window, half relieved and half regretful. What she could see from there was a seemingly well-organized townscape. But she knew it was all a sham. So, has the person who attacked me been found? She had met Jin and his friends after the carriage on which she was riding was attacked. After the coachman was killed, the carriages horse began to rampage, and in the end, the carriage itself ended up toppling sideways, where Jin and his friends found her. The one responsible for killing her coachman hadnt been found yet, despite the local order of knights thorough search. However, thanks to her position as former duchess, Catherine had ess to a small private army. One of the soldiers of that private army was the one currently reporting their findings to Catherine. We have found a dead body which we believe could belong to our culprit. I see. He must have been killed as well to prevent him from speaking. There were only a limited number of people who could make a profit for killing Former Duchess Catherine De Lafayette. The Southern Duke The southern border of the Frantz Kingdom was connected to its suzerain state, the Celuroa Kingdom. Partly because of this, House Aurange, known as the House of the Southern Duke, had a stronger bond with the Celuroa Kingdom,and was proud of being close in power to the royal family. On the other hand, the House Lafayette, known as the House of the Northern Duke, was rather away from the rule of the Celuroa Kingdom, and many of its heads of family had secretly wanted to walk their own path. This also applied for the former duke, who had been Catherines husband, as well as for their son, who was the current Duke Lafayette. However, they could only grind their teeth as, publicly, the state of the country indicated that the house of the duke could be immediately purged at any time. I would like to be able to improve the people of this citys lives, at least a bit. That was the best they could do. However, as soon as the citys profits rise even a little, the government would immediately learn about it and raise their tax rates ordingly. And knowing that the royal castles policy regarding how to treat themonfolk was to not kill them, but to not let them live either caused Catherine to sometimes feel trapped in a deep hopelessness. And still They seemed to have contacted an informant. And it seems theyve been looking into demons? I wonder, what are they nning to do? Maam, what about those demons we heard that had been attacked by a group of radicals and set on fire? Do you think No, I know Jin went through the checkpoint of the Klein Kingdom. That attack couldnt have anything to do with him. Jins alibi waspletely watertight in that regard. Magi Craft Meister Jin, you who has been certified by the three countries of Klein, Egelia, and Shouro I would certainly love to see you again. You fools! How could you allow those prisoners to be burned to death right under your noses!? P-Please forgive us An even more severe rebuke flew toward the knight who bowed his head. Its not a matter of apologizing! This was a good opportunity to set ourselves way ahead of House Lafayette, but now thats all been ruined! The one yelling at the knight was no other than the Southern Duke himself, Rufort De Aurange. He had pale blond blonde hair, watery blue-gray eyes, and a fat and ck body. He looked like the typical influential aristocrat of this country. And after the local governor Kutaga Actar went through so much trouble to capture them Kutaga Actar -the mayor and deputy of the town of Enak- despite officially serving the Northern Duke, was secretly in cahoots with the Southern Duke. The Northern Duke had already captured demons, took them alive to the royal capital, and received praise from the king himself! The Southern Duke was grinding his teeth out of anger, eager for his own time to shine toe. He would use any means to squeeze information out of the demons, which would hopefully get him enough favor to be themander of the punitive force. Of course, he would remain safely in the back while his soldiers did the fighting. That was Ruforts n, or rather, his overly optimistic scheme. And high-ranking officials from the Celuroa Kingdom are going toe to Genf as well The trip between the Celuroa Kingdom and the Frantz Kingdom was done not only through the secret road, but also through Lake Asur. My reputation is ruined! This had been a good opportunity for him to gain influence in the Celuroa Kingdom, but it resulted in him falling from grace instead. Rufort was holding his head with both hands. Ill have no choice but to offer even more tribute to those high-ranking officialsing from the Celuroa Kingdom Hmph, so you came into contact with the Shouro Empires aristocrats? The ce was a log cabin in the forest near Loroon. It looked like a regr lumberjack cabin from the outside, but it was actually one of the bases of the Partisans. There were about 10 men inside. Some of them were dressed like soldiers, others were dressed like peasants, and of course, others were dressed like lumberjacks. At the back was a man in a ck robe, and Fernand, the informant, was talking to him. Yeah. I dont know why, but he wanted to get information about the demons, so I told him. He paid well, and we had a good understanding. You said his name was Jin? Yeah. At least thats how hispanions called him. Hmm. He was very interesting. Jin, knight of the Shouro Empire, huh? Do you know him? Oh, as far as I know, theres only one person named like him: Jin Nidou. He has recently been officially recognized as the Magi Craft Meister. The Magi Craft Meister? Thats right. And he hasnt been recognized as such just by the Shouro Empire. The kingdoms of Klein and Egelia, too. Then Yeah. Aside from the Shouro Empire, the other two countries are not on good terms with the kingdoms of Celuroa and Frantz. Can we capture him as well? No, itll be safer to stay clear from him. Ive heard that he doesnt like conflict. He also has some super-powerful golems. Didnt you see them? Yeah, his carriage was pulled by golem horses, and even his coachman was a golem. He was probably the one whos said to have disabled most of the golems by himself during that rampaging golem incident in the Egelia Kingdom. Yeah. Hes amazing, that guy. Right. I dont think even a hundred soldiers would be enough to capture him. Thats amazing. With 10 of those golems, he could fight an entire country, dont you think? Yeah. But Jin doesnt seem to want to have anything to do with any kind of power struggle. If only we could get our hands on him and have him fight for us That wouldnt be a smart n. Hed destroy uspletely. Thats right. But more importantly than that, was that aristocrat named Jins sister. Her name was Eliza, or Elsa, or something like that. A different man stepped forward. That day the day the carriage went out of control. She treated amoner woman and the former duchess in the blink of an eye. Hmm, so shes a skilled healer? Yeah. And she wouldnt ept money from either of them. There were a lot of passersby there so this was easy to confirm as well. Id like to bring that Elsa girl here, but Im sure it will be a difficult task. We could try to kidnap her. You idiot. Didnt you hear me just now? If we do anything against that man, he could have us all killed in less than a day. Ah Then another person stepped forward. Ivee to report that weve gained a new ally. Come to the front. The man turned around and looked at the young man who was farthest away from the rest. Sure. The young man did as he was told and bowed at everyone. My name is Sholt. Nice to meet you all. Hmm, where do youe from? Im from the Klein Kingdom. Oh. So you know about the internal conditions of that country? Yes, to some extent. Hmm, you mighte in handy. But youll be under supervision for the time being, okay? That was a natural safety measure. Yes, of course. Then the man bowed at everyone again. (Hmm, it looks like Regulus 41 was able to sneak into that underground organization without a problem.) Back in Hourai Ind, Laojun was chuckling to himself. Chapter 519: Going North

Chapter 519: Going North

The Capricorn 1 was climbing along the Herme River. Since the river itself was narrow, it could afford to step into it. Its 6-meter-tall legs wouldnt get even halfway submerged, and so it could manage to walk while into the river. There were several small waterfalls along the way, but thanks to its ability to climb slopes up to 50 degrees, it was easy to handle them by climbing around them. Thanks to that, they were able to reach the cier that was the source of the Herme River on the same day. Of course, the soles of the vehicles feet were furnished with spikes so as to not slip off the snowy surface. Were about to reach the Klein Kingdoms border. Jin muttered as he looked over a topographic map. Did you make this, Jin? This map is wonderfully precise! Istalis looked over his shoulder, seemingly surprised. Ah, thats right. Heres where we are right now. And heres the tip of the cier. Well be climbing for a while longer since there are still a few obstacles ahead. Since it was the middle of summer, there was little snow in the mountains and the risk of an avnche was low. ording to its Sonar, the cier was more than 20 meters thick and several tens of tons, making it very likely for it to support the weight of the Capricorn 1. In case of emergency, it could climb a rock wall with a slope of 70 degrees or more and float in the air for a short time by using its gravity control magic device. However, floating in the air would consume a lot of Mana, and even the action of floating for only 5 minutes would use up half of the emergency Ethenol. The vehicle could be piloted continuously for 24 hours without any need to rest thanks to Land 1 being in charge of the piloting. And that was very convenient due to the risk of avnches being further reduced during the night, when the temperature drops. Thanks to that, they were able to do the most dangerous climbing at the best possible time for it. After finishing their evening packed meals, Jin and the others reclined their seats and went to sleep. Besides Land 1, Reiko and Anne didnt have to sleep either, so they kept watching over the surroundings from the window. In addition to this, Falcons 2 and 3 were monitoring over 5000 meters above ground, and had a system in ce to respond to any unforeseen circumstances. This is Falcon 2. There are no obstacles ahead, proceed as usual. This is Capricorn 1, roger. Please continue to be vignt. Its really quiet here, isnt it, Reiko? Yeah. I hope things remain quiet. Nothing happened that night, and Capricorn 1 was able to safely pass through the most perilous part of those tall mountains. Although it was traveling at about 20 km/h, being able to move non-stop was huge. Thanks to that, they were able to travel more than 300 kilometers in a single day. The route nned by Jin and Laojun was to follow the Herme River upstream until reaching its source, and cross over the saddle between the mountains. It was a bit of a long way, but the northern side of the high mountains had a lot of wastnd where trees dont grow, so it was easy for Capricorn 1 to walk there. Winding around the south side of the high mountains, blocked by the dense coniferous forest, would have taken a lot of time and effort. This was also thanks to the sky reconnaissance from Falcon 2 and 3. Slow and steady win the race, or so they say. However, though it was a hassle to have to cross several rivers -despite none of them being particrly big-, it was nothing Capricorn 1 couldnt handle. The following morning was cloudy. It seemed that this kind of weather was particrlymon during summer, since the weather conditions on the northern side of those tall mountains were prone to cloud formation. It was cloudy every day when we came. It was only sunny when we crossed these high mountains. Jin thought that these clouds were probably formed due to a sea breeze flowing from the cold sea on the north side and hitting the high mountains. These clouds could also y a part in the cold weather that would damage the crops in demon territory. The next day, the party finished with their packed meals for breakfast while Land 1 continued to drive Capricorn 1 through the wastnd. They had just crossed the first river. Since it was an upstream area, the width of the river there was less than 10 meters, and the depth of the water was about 50 cm. Its going well so far. Jin opened a skylight, allowing for a new, chilly mountain air toe flowing in. Lord Jin, its a bit too cold. Istalis quickly murmured herint to Jin. Ah, sorry. Jin, that is, his substitute doll, could measure the temperature around it, but was unable to feel cold or hot. Whenever the skylight is closed, the temperature inside the vehicle is about 20 degrees Celsius, enough to remain warm while wearing a singleyer of thin clothes. Since the demons live in the north, they seem to be rtively resistant to low temperatures, but it seems that the temperature in the high mountains was too cold for Istalis. The temperature outside is 5 degrees Celsius. Jin had built a mercury thermometer, which measured the temperature in degrees Celsius. However, since the atmospheric pressure has not been defined urately -and things like boiling and freezing points change with the atmospheric pressure-, it is just a simplified version. Yeah, I can see that here. This thing is quite handy. Shion was impressed with the thermometer. Dont you have something like this in the demon territories? We dont. But we do have a cold and hot indicator. A hot and cold indicator? ording to Shions exnation, it was a round (sometimes square) board with some kind of monster material attached to it, which turned red when its hot and white when its cold. Jin figured it would be simr to a liquid crystal thermometer. Eventually, Capricorn 1 crossed the second river. ording to the map, there were no more rivers ahead. After a while, the slope became gentle. Land 1 turned his course, which had been winding around the hillside, to the north, and finally headed for the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. They continued on for half a day. Since the condition of the terrain improved, they were able to proceed at a speed of about 30 km/h. Near the evening of that long summer day, a huge sea came into view over yonder. I can see the sea! Ah, youre right! Wevee all this way back already Although it was still more than 50 kilometers away, Shion and Istalis seemed to be relieved to see that thend they knew was close. But that feeling didntst long. As they got closer and closer to the sea, the bottom of the clouds became higher and the visibility became better, and eventually, Shion and Istalis began to see strange objects in their improved field of view. Um, Sister, those are Dont tell me Yeah, stone giants. No way The Kanrou n? I thought they were neutral! Whats that? The real Jin, who was controlling his substitute doll from his control room in Hourai Ind, was staring at the objects disyed on the Magic Screen. They looked like huge statues, and appeared to be no different from a giant rock when seen from a birds eye view. A huge golem? They resembled the ssical giant golems that would appear on video games. Their bodies werepletely made of stone, and there were 10 of them in total. They had suddenly begun to move. Their goal was clearly Capricorn 1. Theyre really quick for a stone golem. There were some stone golems used for ore mining in Hourai Ind. They were 2 to 3 meters tall, and their movements were powerful but sluggish. Compared to them, these giant stone golems disyed agile movements that didnt suit their height of about 10 meters. They were probably made of a light stone. Well, theyre not as good as a Titan, though. The Titans made by Jin could move at almost the same tempo as humans. In other words, they could move and throw their fists about 10 times faster than humans. This was a miracle in itself, considering that they were 80 times heavier. But the giant stone golems that were disyed in the Magic Screen moved at about a fifth of that speed. This might be a good chance to test Capricorn 1s weaponry As if talking to himself, Jin issued amand to Reiko, Land 1, and Anne through the Mana Comm. Prepare for a long-range assault. (We received instructions from Father) Prepare the Magi Cannon. I shalle out as well if need be. Reiko picked up her Peach Blossom from the warehouse. Do you know anything about those golems? Jin (s substitute doll) asked Shion and Istalis. Y-Yes These are called Stone Giants, and can only be operated by those of the Kanrou n Though I dont know why they are here Is that n against you guys returning to your territory? Huh? N-No, no way The question made sense for Jin, but seemed to sound unreal to Istalis. Chapter 520: Stone Giants

Chapter 520: Stone Giants

While Istalis was deep in thought, the Stone Giants approached Capricorn 1. They were about 500 meters ahead. Shion shouted: Theyre definitely going to attack us! Jin asked her how she was so sure about that, and her answer was Their eyes are glowing red, see? Thats something that happens when theyre in attack mode. Certainly, their single red eye was fixed on Capricorn 1. Please, Netros! Tell them that wevee in peace! Roger! The skylight was opened, and Netros got on Capricorn 1s roof. Then, he made a gesture with his hand directed at where he guessed the members of the Kanrou n controlling these golems would be, but the Stone Giants didnt stop. Its no use, Lady Istalis! Netros shook his head as he got back on board. Lets run away! Were faster than them, so well be okay! Shion shouted again. Her shock seemed appropriate, though. Would it be too bad if we were to destroy them? To turn around and escape when they had the Great Isthmus of Pazdext right in front of their eyes would be a real shame. Jins question wasnt a joke. Huh? Lord Jin, are you saying that you can defeat those Stone Giants? The ten of them? Shion waspletely taken aback, and Istalis asked that question with a voice that suggested that she didnt believe what she had just heard. Yeah, I think so. Once they set their red eyes on their target, they will not stop until that target is crushed Well have to destroy them. Theres no other way Both Istalis and Shion seemed to not be able to fully believe their own words. Okay. I guess its safe to say that Ive got your consent Land 1, you have my permission to open fire. Roger that. Hmm, first Alciel the Puppeteer of the Kugutsu n, and now the Kanrou n It seems that each n has their own traits. The real Jin watched over the situation from Hourai Ind. Then he issued amand to Land 1. Land 1, you have my permission to open fire. Roger that. After his short reply, Land 1 fired the Magi Cannon with an output of 30 percent. With a bang, the head of one of the Stone Giants was shattered into fine dust. Huh? W-What was that? Neither Istalis nor Shion could believe their eyes. Lucas and Netros seemed to be on the same train, as both of them had their faces stuck against the window as they stared outside. Thirty percent was a bit too much. Lower the output to ten percent. Then, three more shots were fired in quick session. The golems auto-aim was true, and three Stone Golems ceased functioning as their heads exploded. Lets try a Mana Bomb next. He had been able to develop the Mana Bomb, but never had too many enemies on the same ce at once in order to try its full potential. It was fundamentally the same as the Magi Cannon, but much slower. It wasunched at a speed of about 30 meters per second, and the moment it hit one of the Stone Giants, it made a thunderous roar as it exploded. Kyaah! W-What? What happened? Istalis and Shion were amazed to see that not only the Stone Golem had beenpletely destroyed, but there was also a huge crater where it had once stood. Laser, fire. This time, two more heads evaporated instantly. It had been the work of the Laser, an ultra-high output weapon. Already, there were only 3 Stone Giants left standing before them. Reiko, who had been merely looking at what had been happening outside, suddenly opened her mouth. Id like to show Father the results of the enhancements he has done on me. Then, she opened the skylight and jumped out to Capricorn 1s roof. You really never change Do you, sister? Seeing that, a bitter smile floated on Anns face. Huh!? Reiko? W-What are you doing? I know youre strong enough to beat Lucas, but those Stone Giants huh? They were about 10 meters tall, but their heads were rtively small, being no bigger than 1 meter in diameter. Reiko swung her Peach Blossom down at one of those heads -or rather, directly at its single eye. As its single eye fell to Reikos quick strike, the Stone Giant immediately stopped moving. Just as I thought, their eyes are connected to their Control Cores. Reiko had used this Stone Giant as a research subject to provide valuable info to Jin, who was back in Hourai Ind. Her n had been to try to damage it as little as possible so that Jin couldter study it in detail. Then, after causing the second Stone Giant to cease functioning, Reiko put her Peach Blossom away. Those two Stone Giants would eventually be taken to Hourai Ind, where Jin could use them for his research. Ill use thisst one to put this new body Father made for me to the test! Reiko broke into a dash. She was a 130 cm tall Automata versus a 10 meter tall Stone Giant. However, Reikos body housed a terrible power despite its size. The Stone Giant raised one of its legs as if to stomp the rushing Reiko. Taking this as a chance, Reiko headed straight for her opponents remaining standing leg. She then kicked the Stone Giants 2-meter thick leg with her 10-centimeter long foot. Its really fragile. Reikos kick easily crushed the Stone Giants ankle as if it had been a candy cane. Having lost its foot, the Stone Golem shook the ground as it fell to the ground. A-Amazing A word of praise escaped from Netros mouth as he stood there staring at Reikos performance. After the Stone Giant fell, Reiko directed her attacks all over its body. Let me see what I can do! She struck the Stone Giant with a chop on its right shoulder, causing the entire arm toe off. She threw her fist at its left hand, destroying itpletely The output bnce is the absolute best as well. I expected no less from Father! The Ether density had increased by 70% simply by being in an area so far up north. It made sense to test how the new Ether Converter would operate in these conditions. Back when Reiko had gone to the northernnds looking for Jin, she had reached a Previously, when I moved to a northernnd where I didnt know where to look for Jin, she had been able to reach an output three times more powerful than usual. And since she had only been there for a short time, she hadnt had the time to check the load status of the Ether Converter in detail. Father, there is no problem with the Ether Converters operational stability at an Ether concentration of 170%. She used her built-in Mana Comm to report directly to Jin. Thanks for checking that, Reiko. This wille in handy. Jins reply came instantly. Upon hearing it, a cheerful smile drew itself on Reikos face. And then Thank you for your cooperation in this test. With those few words, Reiko kicked the wreckage of thest Stone Giant with 50% of her capacity. Geee A strange sound came out of Lucas mouth. And it was only natural, considering that the Stone Giants body was blown to smithereens as a result of that kick. Lucas, Im so d youre safe. Youngdy Lucas was trembling as he was probably remembering the duel hed had with Reiko. He could only think about what would have happened if that kick had actually reached him back then He would havepletely disappeared from this world without leaving a single piece of himself behind. Was she going easy on me, or just toying with me? ? Shion exined the situation to Istalis and Netros, who didnt know about the duel between Reiko and Lucas. Well, thats Youre also quite reckless, Lucas. Ugh, I know that After being told off by both Netros and Istalis, Lucas lowered his head with an embarrassed look on his face. At that moment, Reiko came back. Great job, sister Reiko. Oh no, it was Father who did a great job, not me. Reiko would never forget to credit Jin for her own aplishments. All Stone Golems have been destroyed. The road ahead is clear. Land 1 resumes Capricorn 1s advance towards the north. The Great Isthmus of Pazdext was just ahead. And after that, they would be in demon territory. Were finally here, huh? Jin (s substitute doll) muttered those words. Lead-colored clouds covered the far north sky, and a cold headwind was blowing as if trying to force the party to retreat. Chapter 521: Gossip 29 - Summer Festival in Kaina Village

Chapter 521: Gossip 29 - Summer Festival in Kaina Vige

The day was August 15th. Jin (s Substitute Doll) was heading towards thend of the demons. Meanwhile, Kaina Vige was in high spirits. A festival was being prepared A festival, huh? Sounds fun. Yeah, they seem to do these from time to time in the royal capital. I cant wait! You have to be the one who overlooks its preparations, Jin, no matter what! As the Lord of Kaina Vige, Jin said that he would hold a festival in the middle of August -which is the leisure season for farmers-, for thefort of the vigers. And so, Jin arrived at Kaina Vige, without being joined by Reiko, since she was part of the caravan that was taking relief supplies to thend of the demons. Well, I guess I have no other choice. Covert Units, youll be in charge of my safety. Reiko had given Jin permission to go there -despite not being there to protect him- with that as a condition. Was she being overprotective or just too worried? Either choice would make Jin feel that Reiko was treating him as a child she must protect by any means necessary. There were no customs like the Obon in this world, but there were other kinds of festivals, such as harvest festivals, and whenever arge amount of mountain deer was hunted and brought to a vige, the whole vige would revel in the haul and make an impromptu festival out of it. However, this time around, the vigers were looking forward for what Jin would have nned for them. A summer festival, huh? So they can afford to hold one, huh Lithia Farheight, the Lady of the neighboring Toka Vige, was also invited along with its mayor Brak. We do celebrate the time of harvest, but this Oh, Lithia, wee! Ah, good morning, Jin. Everything is so lively around here. The ce was the square in front of Nidou Castle. Golem Maids brought from Hourai Ind were preparing the stalls. Everything looked perfect. This brought the Bon-Odori, a traditionalntern festival in Japan, back to Jins memory. But it wouldnt make sense to wish for something he couldnt have, so he ultimately settled for just the night stands. Oh, look at how many Golems you have working here, Jin! This is really something Golems actually werent as cost-effective as humans, given their initial costs and maintenance costs. This is more noticeable for poor quality Golems, as it is costly and time-consuming to replenish Mana and keep each of their parts in good shape. However, the Golems created by Jin were maintenance-free. They could operate continuously for entire years, for up to 100 years. With that in consideration, humans couldntpete with Jins Golems. Thats how efficient they were. Yeah Thats because Brother Jin is the Magi Craft Meister Elsa, who was walking next to them, said so with pride. A hint of a superiorityplex could also be barely seen in her face. Well then, Ill go take another look around. See youter, Lithia. With that, Jin and Elsa walked away together. By mid-August, anyone would feel that the days were getting shorter. And the wind would start feeling cooler with each day. At 6 PM, once the sun had started to hide behind the horizon, Jin announced the beginning of the Summer Festival in the public square across Nidou Castle. Everyone, wee to this Summer Festival were holding here tonight. Ive prepared various things as tokens of my appreciation towards you all. I hope all of you can enjoy some well-deserved rest from your everyday activities, and have some good fun here tonight. As soon as Jin finished speaking, Magi Lamps were lit all at once in the public square. The vigers that had gathered there began to cheer. Whoa, its so pretty! As dusk began to fall over the public square, the light emitted by the Magi Lamps began to shift color between red, yellow, blue, and green. Lithia was fascinated by that sight. She was wearing a yukata prepared by Jin. Since there was no cotton avable, it was made of hemp. And due to the short supply of fabrics, they were only avable to women. The one Lithia was wearing was dark blue with a Japanese morning glory pattern. She had never actually seen a Japanese morning glory, but assumed that it was a flower from Jins hometown. Jin went back to Lithia, joined by Elsa and Hanna. Hannas yukata had a sunflower pattern, while Elsas had a dianthus pattern. Lithia and everyone, I hope you all have lots of fun tonight. Will youe with us too? Hanna, who was holding hands with Jin, invited Lithia with her free hand. Lithia decided to gratefully ept her offer. Then the rest of us will go off on our own. In a disy of tact, Brak, the mayor of Toka Vige, said that. Then, take this, Lithia. Jin handed Lithia some square tickets. What is this? Think of it as money you can only use at the night stalls. They were gold-colored tickets made by cutting a thinly tanned piece of leather. Every viger was given ten tickets, and enjoying each of the night stalls attractions cost one ticket each. Thank you very much. Oh, this is great! Lithia cheerfully epted the tickets Jin gave her. Whats that, Big Brother? Hanna pointed at a bouncy ball scoop. It was a game where one had to scoop rubber balls from a bowl filled with water using adle made out of wafer. The wafer used to make thedle was made with a mixture of wheat flour, rice flour, cornstarch, and baking soda, and was made by the Peridot after painstaking efforts. They had originally made it to cover sweets with it, but they ended up using it to make waferdles for this attraction instead. The game seemed to be very popr with boys. Kurt and Jim were energeticallypeting against each other. Huh? Whats that, Jin? It looks like a cloud The thing Lithia was pointing at was cotton candy. Also known as candy floss, it was made by melting sugar and then using centrifugal force to blow it out of a small hole, causing it to form thin threads, which would wrap around itself into a cloud-looking shape. Its cotton candy. Want to try some? Hanna, Elsa, you have some too. As the one running the festival, Jin handed one more ticket to each of them, which they exchanged for some cotton candy. Waah, its so yummy! Mmm, tasty! This is really delicious, Jin! All three of them seemed to like it. Jin himself had eaten a little bit too much of it in the process of creating the cotton candy maker for the festival, so he was a little sick of it by now. But Hanna didnt know that. Have a bite, Big Brother! And so she offered Jin some cotton candy. Really? Thanks! Jin couldnt help but dly ept Hannas offer, and took a single bite of her cotton candy. Is it good, Big Brother? Mmm, its really good! Ehehe~ Hanna was delighted to hear that. Next was the shooting game. Since there were no rifles, they used a small bow to fire arrows at the target. Five arrows cost one ticket. The prizes one could get there were mainly essories and toys made by Jin and the Smiths. Jin exined that even if they didnt get a single target to fall, they would still get an uchiwa, which was a traditional Japanese handheld fan. Ah, I want to give it a try! Me too! Lithia jumped in, and Elsa joined her without being too sure as to why she was doing so. Jin and Hanna watched them y. Ok! Lithias first shot missed. Her second one hit the target, but wasnt enough to make it fall. And her third shot was the same as the second one. Without a single word, Elsa tried her hand at the bow. Her first shot missed. Her second shot missed. And the third shot missed as well. Ah. Lithias fourth shot missed. And the fifth one I got it! It fell! Lithia was able to win a crystal ne made by Jin, which made her jump with joy. Meanwhile, Elsa tried her fourth shot, which missed. And her fifth shot also missed. Aw, too bad. But that uchiwa goes really well with your yukata. Jinforted Elsa, who received an uchiwa with a picture of a goldfish as a constion prize. Really? Elsas disappointed-looking face seemed to have regained some of its spirit. Ah, that looks delicious, too! Eric and Barbara had just arrived and were enjoying something that looked like a snow cone. The two of them were sharing a single serving. Whats that? Elsa pointed to a serving of yakisoba, fried noodles made with wheat flour, eggs, and baking soda, and served with sauce. It smells really good. Elsa used one of her golden tickets to purchase a serving of yakisoba, while Lithia enjoyed a Pelsika-vored snow cone. Can you eat that? Jin noticed that Hanna had a single corn on the cob in her tiny hand. Her front teeth hade out already, so she should be able to eat them just fine. Yes, I can. Since it seemed to be too much for her to eat by herself, she offered half of it to Jin. Ehehe, lets eat it together, Big Brother. Hanna seemed to be in a very good mood after sharing half of her corn on the cob with Jin. Looking at the two of them, an envious expression seemed to appear on both Elsa and Lithias faces. Ah, Jin! This festival and these night stands are quite nice! It was Sally Milleshan, who hade together with Giebeck, the head of Kaina Vige. She was wearing a beautiful yukata with attice pattern. Its nice to have you here, doctor. Are you enjoying yourself Yes. That cotton candy I just had was delicious. Though it was a little sticky on the mouth. After saying that, Sallyughed. Giebeck just stood there beside her, smiling. Ah, we can all y that one together. Jin pointed at a ring toss game. A single golden ticket gets yers five rings, which they could then try tossing at small stakes stuck on the ground. Each stake had a different grade, like 1st, 2nd, and so on. Prizes were awarded depending on the grade of the stakes they sessfully tossed their rings at. Okay, lets all give it a shot. The four of them took turns to throw their rings. On the first turn, Jin missed, Elsa missed, Lithia missed, and Hanna got a 3rd grade stake. Yaaay~! On the second turn, Jin missed, Elsa missed, Lithia missed ,and Hanna got another 3rd grade. Third turn, Jin missed again, Elsa got a 4th, Lithia a 3rd, and Hanna a 2nd. I did it! Got it. Hooray~! Fourth turn, Jin missed, Elsa missed, Lithia got a 4th, and Hanna got a 3rd. And on thest turn, Jin got a 4th, Elsa missed, Lithia missed, and Hanna got another 3rd. The final result was that both Jin and Elsa hit a single 4th grade stake each, Lithia got a 3rd and a 4th, and Hanna got an outstanding four hits on 3rd grades and a single hit on a 2nd grade. As for prizes, those who got 4th grade stakes got an uchiwa. 3rd grades awarded a water balloon, and 2nd grades awarded a wind chime. Here, Hanna, you can have this. Elsa already had an uchiwa, so she gave the one she got in this game to Hanna. Thank you, Sis Elsa! Then Ill give you this! And to Big Brother and Sis Lithia too! Hanna shared her four water balloons with the other three. Ehehe, we all match now! Each of them had an uchiwa slid into their yukatas sash, and a water balloon on their left hand. And Hanna had her wind chime in her right hand. Lithia smiled after hearing the wind chime ring with a clear sound. It has a nice ring. A wind chime, you said it was called? Its refreshing to look at The night sky was full of stars. And the Summer Festival of Kaina Vige had been a great sess. Saki: I came here without anyone knowing I would, but it was really fun! Stearleana: I love this yakisoba. Vivian: These snow cones are delicious. Toa: Ive failed miserably at both the shooting game and the ring toss Mine: I wish Elsa showed a little more initiative Reinhardt: I want to hold a festival like this one in my territory! Berthie: Cotton candy is so delicious! Chapter 522: Karst

Chapter 522: Karst

Thend in the north, the Gondoa Continent where the demons live. A great sea separated it from the human continent of Lauren almostpletely, only being connected to each other by a single narrow ravine called the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. Ferocious sea dragons lived in this vast sea, which made it extremely difficult to navigate by ship. Therefore, the only way to cross to the Gondoa Continent so far was through the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. And now, Jin (s Substitute Doll), Reiko, Ann, and Land 1, along with the demons Istalis and Shion and their retainers Netros and Lucas The eight of them were on their way to cross over to the Gondoa Continent on the Capricorn 1, a four-legged vehicle made by Jin. Looks like theres nothing past those Stone Giants standing in our way. Ten Stone Giants, a type of giant stone golem controlled by the Kanrou n of demons, had attacked Jin and the others as they tried to cross over. It was natural for Jin to think that there could still be other traps waiting ahead. However, Falcon 2 and 3, who were conducting surveince from the sky, reported that there was no further danger ahead, at least on the side of the Lauren Continent. There didnt seem to be any members of the Kanrou n around either. The narrowest part of the isthmus is about 5 kilometers wide. If I were to set a trap, it would be there. Yeah, I agree with you there, Shion. Istalis and Jin nodded in agreement with Shions theory. In that case, we should make sure we go through the isthmus during the day. The blue-haired Automata, Ann, made that suggestion. Our presence here has already been revealed. So we should move during the day, when visibility is at its best. With that, the party decided to spend the night on the continent of Lauren. It was the first time after leaving Nido Castle for Capricorn 1 to stop moving for an extended period of time. All right, time for a full check. Though he said that, Jins Substitute Doll didnt have the Magi Engineering skills of Jin himself. Therefore, Reiko would offer her support as well. No abnormalities on the vehicles legs. No dissipation found in the power unit. Actually, the one operating the Substitute Doll at this time was Laojun, not Jin. This was because it was impossible for Jin to be controlling it all the time. Moreover, Jin was currently in the process of preparing a Summer Festival in Kaina Vige. My Lord is indeed very skilled. Thanks to the durability of this material being raised to the limit, there are no signs of wear anywhere in the vehicle. Jin could be careless sometimes, but when ites to making things, he was a thorough perfectionist. Laojun was unable to see any problems with Capricorn 1s performance. Lets set up camp here. Capricorn 1 had a high level of liveability. It even had a simple shower room. Shion and Istalis took a shower. Jin (s Substitute Doll) pretended to shower afterwards, and finally Netros and Lucas had their showerst. Ah, that was so refreshing! Yes, that shower has renewed mepletely. As the Ether concentration in the air had increased as they moved north, Istalis seemed to be in good shape. Assuming that the standard Ether concentration at thetitude of Hourai Ind (which was equivalent to Earths Tropic of Cancer) was 1, the concentration in this area was about 1.7. And once they reached demon territory, it could go up to 2 or even 2.5. Of course, Hourai Ind was just a reference. Capricorn 1 would carry on walking while collecting such data. Then came the morning of August 14th. It was another morning of breakfast consisting of dried bread, dried fruit, and instant soup. It doesnt taste bad, but I see us getting bored of it quickly. Shion, we cant afford to expect great luxuries. Our viges are starving right now. Youre right. Im sorry. Shion had spoken her mind with honesty, but was quickly reprimanded by her sister. One could use the built-in Warp Gate to bring a freshly prepared meal from somewhere else, but Jin had no intention to go that far. Okay then, lets get moving. Land 1, please. Starting up Capricorn 1. Capricorn began its slow advance, using its four legs to step steadily on the ground and proceed to and unknown to Jin and his friends. At first, thend was slightly overgrown with grass and shrubs, but gradually turned gray the further ahead they went. The rocks are different here? The question escaped Jins mouth. Yes, its probably limestone here. Limestone is a rock whose mainponent is calcium carbonate, and is said to have been formed by umted deposits of corals, sea lilies, foraminifera, and shellfish. It is rtively difficult to weather and often creates unique terrain. Karst terrain, huh? Karst terrain is a terrain formed by erosion of thend made of limestone by rainwater, surface water, and underground water. It often features underground limestone caves. The Akiyoshido Cave in the Yamaguchi Prefecture of Japan is a famous example of this kind of terrain. The group continued to move north for about two hours while enjoying the terrain scattered with strange rocks. My Lord, somethingsing from underground. Land 1 noticed such a thing as he approached a point about 10 kilometers away from the narrowest point of the Great Isthmus. ording to the Magi Detector, theres about thirty of them. Capricorn 1, stop. Deploy the barrier, and prepare the Paralyzer, Magi Cannon, and Laser. Roger that. At that time, a monster appeared from a rift in the ground. Isnt that A Grand Worm!? Laojun was still in control of the Substitute Doll. He informed thesetest findings to Jin, who was working in his workshop at the time. Got it, Ill be right there. Laojun would remain in control until Jins arrival at the wheel, at which point he would hand control over to him and act as a co-pilot. Is that Miss Shion has referred to it as a Grand Worm. They were omnivorous organisms that lived underground and were basically quite docile, but since they were easy to enve, they were often kept inside those caves to be used as sentries. The Kugutsu n, perhaps? Yes, that is quite possible. If we know where the one controlling them is, could we incapacitate those worms? It is quite possible, but we may not have enough time to try to do that at this point. The Magic Screen showed the image of a Grand Worm bouncing off Capricorn 1s Barrier. I guess we dont have a choice. Well try using the paralyzer first. Lets begin by incapacitating those Grand Worms. Roger that. Jin gave his instructions through the Substitute Dolls mouth. Land 1 then lifted the upper portion of the barrier covering the Capricorn 1. The barrier of Capricorn 1 could be split in halves, allowing its operator to lift either half while leaving the other half still active. Paralyzer, fire at maximum output. Capricorn 1srge caliber Paralyzer sessfully incapacitated the three Grand Worms that were attacking it in one go. Alright, looks like it works well against Ground Worms as well. Since the Paralyzer affected its targets nervous system, it wouldnt be very effective against inferior organisms. But the Grand Worms seemed to have a nervous systemplex enough for the Paralyzer to work on them. In this way, the Paralyzer swept away the surroundings, quickly neutralizing all 30 Grand Worms. I-Impressive So this is the power of the Magi Craft Meister? Both Shion and Istalis were looking out the window as if their jaws had dropped. Okay, find the one controlling those worms. Roger. Land 1 checked the Magi Detector. There were several dots on the radar that werent moving, which were probably the incapacitated Grand Worms. Among all those motionless dots, there was a single dot that was still moving little by little. That must be the one that controlled them. Ill go. Reiko took a step forward with her Peach Blossom in hand. Chapter 523: Belials

Chapter 523: Belials

With her Peach Blossom in hand, Reiko jumped out of the skylight instead of exiting through the door. Reiko, the enemy is diagonally to the right from your location. Laojuns Magi Radar, which was far superior to Capricorn 1s Magi Detector, was able to detect the enemys location more urately. I found him. He seemed to be using a Hide spell, but it didnt work against Reiko. Reikos eyes were not only able to see the usual light spectrum, but also ultraviolet rays and infrared rays, and her ears could capture ultrasonic waves. She was also equipped with a simplified version of the Magi Detector. Here! She shed at a limestone spire protruding from the ground with her Peach Blossom, and a figure rolled out from behind it. Damn it! How did you know I was here!? He was a man who looked like he was in his twenties. He was slim and had an eagle-like nose. His golden eyes were shining brightly in contrast with his gray hair and dark skin. Are you of the Kugutsu n? H How do you know about that? Did that traitor tell you about us? Screaming, the confused man threw a rock at Reiko. What a nuisance. She flicked the rock away with a swing of her de. You monster Are you in league with that shameless traitor!? Activate Ether Jammer. Paralyzer. Guh The demon lost consciousness instantly. Since he was unable to use the surrounding Ether, he had no means to defend himself against the Paralyzers waves. Reiko then tied up the demon with a rope made with Grand Spider threads and carried him to Capricorn 1. The rope had a thickness of 9 mm, and was so durable that even Reiko herself couldnt cut unless she raised her output past 40% of her capacity. Belials? Upon catching a glimpse of the demon Reiko had captured, Istalis said his name. Do you know him, Istalis? Yes. Hes definitely Belials, a member of the Kugutsu n. So hes good with Envement Magic? Yes. There are many ns who can use their abilities to make monsters do their bidding. Do they have any other abilities? They had to know that much about him if they wanted to keep this demon prisoner. The Kugutsu n Ah, yes, they should be able to use Transfer Magic as well. Upon hearing that, Jin quickly thought of a countermeasure: A magic-sealing ne that Elsa had worn once before. Back in Hourai Ind, the real Jin hurriedly gathered the materials and started working on it. Umm, was it something like this? It has no stamina-draining abilities so its easy enough to make. The source of its magical-sealing abilities was its wearers own Mana. It was quite ecological in that regard. Using the Warp Gate on board, Jin transferred the ne to Capricorn 1. Reiko then took it and put it around Belials neck. It was made out of Aluminum 64, so it would be impossible to remove it without using magic. Looks like we managed to take care of it before he came to his senses. The Substitute Doll back in Capricorn 1 muttered those words with relief. Lord Jin, what do you n to do with Belials? Istalis asked with a puzzled expression on her face. I want to ask him about the reason why he attacked us, and I also want him to tell us what other traps have been set ahead. Capricorn 1 stopped its advance until Belials regained consciousness. The idea was to wait until they could get him to tell them what kinds of traps to expect before risking being caught by them. And that wait wasnt that long. 10 minutes after being taken into Capricorn 1, Belials opened his eyes. Are you awake? Belials. Uh Youre Istalis! Where are we? Does that matter now? Why did you attack us? Belials snarled. He didnt seem to want to talk. Weve piled up our current provisions and have gone to different countries Belials quickly reacted to those words. Countries, you say? Are random groups of n countries now? Dont make meugh! Belials! What are you trying to say? I dont get you at all!? It seemed that Shion could no longer remain silent. We have to focus on getting food, right? We need to get enough food for everyone, or well all starve to death! Hmm, food, huh? There is food. In the southernnds. In the human countries!? However, Belials kept his mouth shut in response to that. Well, theres nothing else we can do here. Lets move on. Yeah. In response to Jins words, Istalis and Shion nodded and they all left Belials alone. Land 1, lets go. Starting Capricorn 1. After having wasted a little less than an hour, the party resumed their travel northward. Thirty minutester, they reached the narrowest point in the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. The area is rocky, and full of sections with both rugged cliffs and holes in the ground, making it extremely difficult to proceed. The color has changed again. After a certain point, the color of the rocks had changed from the gray of limestone to a reddish hue. Radiria? It reminded Jin of a type of red te that formed the Akaishi Mountains, also known as Japans Southern Alps. Although it is a sedimentary rock like limestone, it is not calcareous, but a siliceous type of rock formed by the umtion of dead radirians. Perhaps the Lauren and Gondoa continents have been brought together by millions of years of seismic shifts. Jin voiced his observation to himself as he looked at thendscape. At that moment, Capricorn 1 stopped suddenly. Whats the matter? There seems to be a magical trap ahead. What? Upon checking the Magi Detector, they found a magical reaction that looked like a horizontal line. Whats that? I do not know the details. But I believe its some kind of tripwire. So its purpose must be To trigger some kind of trap, huh They didnt know exactly what kind of trap it was, but they werent surprised. It was a great spot for setting a trap, after all. Belials, do you know anything about this? Youre already quite involved in this. Shion looked over her shoulder and asked Belials, but he still remained silent. So you still dont feel like talking, huh? Father, should I go on ahead and investigate? Reiko suggested this idea, but Jin stopped her. No, you cant do that. We dont know whats up ahead. Its too risky. Then Ill go. Netros intervened. I know quite a bit about the traps used by us demons. Yeah, youre right. Could I ask you to take care of this? Yes, leave it to me. Lucas, youe with me, too. Itll be good training for you. Alright. Then Ill go too. Im sure Ill be able to support you in some way. Ann volunteered to help them. Thus Netros, Lucas, and Ann went on ahead to find and disarm the trap they had detected. Chapter 524: The Land of the Demons

Chapter 524: The Land of the Demons

Look, this seems to be some kind of Magi Stone embedded in this ce. This is the key to its activation. If you remove it like this There, now it cannot be triggered anymore. I see. Thank you for teaching me this. Netros immediately identified and disarmed the trap. Ann eagerly watched him do his thing. ? Lucas, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit too slow to understand. This is a magic circle. If you erase this part here, it will no longer be a threat. Netros seemed to have a vast knowledge about traps, and easily disarmed one after another. The traps that were scattered all over this field seemed easy enough for him to find and disarm. Still, I intend to disarm them all, but some of these traps mechanisms might be booby-trapped as well, so better be careful. Y-Yes! Netros showed caution as well. Lucas desperately tried to remember everything he said. After they were done removing all of the traps they had found, Ann returned to Capricorn 1 and checked on the Magi Detector. It appears all traps have been disarmed. Yeah, it looks like that. Shortly after Anns report and Jins confirmation, Netros and Lucas returned as well. Young Lady, weve found a total of four traps ahead. Two of them were set to unleash a Muro de Fuego (firewall), another one was a Trampa (pitfall), and thest was set to unleash a Distruzione (destruction) spell. We have sessfully disarmed all four of them. Good job. Istalis praised Netros for his hard work. Shion turned to Lucas as well. Did you manage to learn something new, Lucas? Y-Yes, a little bit Looks like you still have a long way ahead of you, Lucas A faint sigh escaped Shions mouth. Alright, lets keep going north. At Jinsmand, Land 1 started up Capricorn 1 again. It then began to make its way through the reddish radiria-te-coverednd. They managed to traverse the rednd without encountering any problems on their way. At some point, they hadpletely crossed the Great Isthmus of Pazdext, and had finally crossed over to demon territory. Where exactly do your ns live? Ah, yes, turn east past the isthmus and proceed along the coast. Welle across a small cove where well soon arrive at the settlement of the Shinra n. The area looked like a dry wilderness littered with red stones all over the ce. There were a few patches of grass and moss growing here and there. Thisnd doesnt seem very rich, huh? Yes, there is little cultivablend as there are too many rocks around and thend itself has be barren. Jin thought that this was the reason why the demons were going through such a shortage of food. Then, as the sun began to sink into the ocean, a small cove came into view, just like Istalis said. Is that it? No, thats not it. Its a little farther to the east. The cove is a bit bigger than that one, too. So they kept on going east. There were no more interferences ahead, so the road ahead was smooth. Ah, there it is! Jin saw arger cove than the previous one. The area around it was covered with greenery, indicating that it was indeed an agriculturalnd. The sudden appearance of Capricorn 1 seemed to have caused a stir among the people of this settlement. The vehicle stopped its march temporarily. We cant go on any further. Netros, please go there and try to exin the situation to them. Yes, Young Lady. As soon as he was told to, Netros opened the door and jumped out of Capricorn 1. His movements were quite fast, possible to the high density of magic coursing through his enhanced body. In the blink of an eye, he was already at the ce people were making the most noise. It seemed that Netros had started talking with them, but something was off. Netros was acting as if he was being verbally abused by the inhabitants. He seemed to be bowing and apologizing to them. Eventually, someone seemed to have raised their hand against him. Is something off? Jin muttered. Ill go too. Istalis got up and followed after Netros. Be careful. Ill be fine. Theyre the same n as me. Istalis smiled at the worried Jin and left Capricorn 1 as well. Hmm, Im still a bit concerned. Can you go with them, Reiko? Reiko stood up almost instantly. Ill go check things out. After saying that, she jumped out after Istalis and Netros. Using Invisible, Reiko approached Istalis and Netros undetected, and was amazed by what she found there. Netros, Istalis, and even Shion and Lucas were being reproached by the people of this settlement. Why have you brought humans to this ce!? Are you that proud of having flirted with those barbarians!? You traitors! They were being bombarded by all sorts of nder. And more and more people would arrive and add to the chaos. P-Please wait, everyone! Istalis cried aloud the moment she arrived at the scene. We were under the orders of the n chief However, she couldnt finish what she had been trying to say. A stone flew towards her, hitting her on the right cheek. Ah! Liar! The n chief said that you have escaped the vige against his orders! And that you stole gold and Magi Crystals as well! They were hurling all sorts of ridiculous usations at them. N-no Go away! And nevere back! You should be thankful were not killing you right here and now! More stones came flying their way. Istalis just stood there in a daze. But Netros brushed off as many as he could. Everyone, please listen to me! Shut up! You traitors! Youre a disgrace to us! Leave this ce now! At that time, an old man emerged amidst the multitude. He had white hair and white beard. And a pair of bright blue eyes, much like Istalis and Shion. Stop, everyone. n chief Grandfather It was Bardius, the chief of the Shinra n, as well as Istalis and Shions grandfather. Istalis, youve left the vige without my permission How dare youe back after having acted so brazenly? B-But youre wrong, Grandfather I did get your permission I do not remember ever doing such a thing. And not only you took gold and Magi Crystals with you, now you bring humans to our vige? For shame! N-No Istalis was about to burst into tears. No? Am I wrong? And whats that vehicle? Thats a human weapon, isnt it? No, wait! Huh? It has destroyed the Stone Giants at the border, and captured Belials of the Kugutsu n? And you say it is not a weapon? I think Ive heard enough. N-No, its not a vehicle used for attacking, but for defense! It was made by the Magi Craft Meister The Magi Craft Meister, you say? Do you really think I would believe in such fairy tales? Its not a fairy tale! The Magi Craft Meister is real! But Bardius had no ears for Istalis words anymore. I said, enough. Youre no longer part of our n. You can go off wherever you want. Think of the fact that Im not having you killed as an act of mercy from me. G-Grandfather Istalis finally began to cry. Everyone, destroy that weapon. With that, Bardius turned away and went back into the multitude. Meanwhile, the remaining vigers Destroy. Destroy it. Destroy it! Almost as if in a trance, they all started walking towards Capricorn 1. Chapter 525: The Mysterious Clan

Chapter 525: The Mysterious n

A group of vigers started moving towards Capricorn 1 with the intention to destroy it. Stop, everyone! But no one paid heed to Istalis words. Netros, hurry back to Capricorn 1 and tell Lord Jin to withdraw! But Lady Istalis Ill be fine! Go! At that moment, Reiko deactivated her Invisible, revealing herself before Netros and Istalis. Ill take Miss Istalis to safety. Lets go back to the vehicle. Y-You, where did you We dont have time to talk about that now. As soon as she said that, Reiko grabbed Istalis under her arm and started running towards Capricorn 1. Netros followed them. K-Kyaaaaaaaaaahhh! Istalis screamed as she felt the bodily sensation of being carried at a speed of 200 km/h. So thats what happened. Back inside the retreating Capricorn 1, Reiko reported what had transpired to Jin (s Substitute Doll). The real Jin was in his control room in Hourai Ind, listening in real time. No way However, Shion and Lucas werepletely shocked to hear that. They were shaking their heads in disbelief. Im sorry, but its all true. Ah, why? Why, Grandfather? Leave your grief forter. Things are going to get a bit rough Huh? In order to shake off the pursuing members of the Shinra n, Jin had ordered Land 1 to run away at full speed. After reaching the maximum speed of 70 km/h, Jin and the others started to feel some turbulence. However, since their pursuers were on foot, it was more than enough to outspeed them. Thanks to that and with the help of the darkening evening sky, Capricorn 1 managed to lose the pursuers by sprinting ind. Uhh. Chin up, sister! There must be a reason behind this. Shion tried tofort Istalis, who was unable to recover from her shock. She had gone through great efforts to get the help her people desperately needed, only to be called a traitor upon her return. Of course she would be greatly affected by it. She couldnt stop sobbing. Well, what should we do now? Jin (s Substitute Doll) muttered those words as he looked upon the darkness ahead of them. Capricorn 1 was now at the foot of a rocky mountain. U-Um, Jin? Hmm? Shion timidly approached Jin. Are you perhaps thinking about going back home? Why would Ah, I see. Jin hade all the way here to offer a helping hand and was chased off like a ruffian instead. Shions fear made sense. She would have figured that Jin no longer had a reason to remain in demon territory anymore. Ill stay here for a while. Really!? Shions face regained its light. Yeah. Theres too much of a difference between what you guys told me and how things seem to be now. I wont leave until I find out the reason behind that difference. He was especially concerned about some hidden plot being at the root of this difference. Jin wanted to be able to confirm the intentions of this moderate faction, at least for the safety of Kaina Vige. Since the one in this expedition was a Substitute Doll and not Jin himself, Reiko didnt say anything in response to Jins will to remain here for the time being. Thank you, Jin. Shion bowed deeply in gratitude. But Jin patted her on the head as if to tell her that it wasnt that big of a deal. Would you say that the n chief I mean, your grandfathers attitude has changed suddenly? Jin broke the ice, moving straight to the main point they should be focusing on at the moment. How resistant are demons to mental maniption? Ann shared what had been on her mind. We do have ess to an Envement Magic spell called Divieni Un Schiavo. We can use this to brainwash someone into doing our bidding. Im sorry for not telling you this back when you asked me what we could do. Shion ended her exnation with an apology. She probably figured that they had truly reached a point where there could be no more secrets between them. But its rtively easy to know if someone is being affected by that spell. Their will would be gone, and their very emotions would disappear. And the members of the Shinra n had kept their emotions intact. Jin and the others then concluded that they hadnt been affected by that spell. So are they controlled by a different Envement Magic spell, or maybe through other means? Ann was unable to go any further from there. It seemed to be different from the method once used by Marchosias as well. He had used something very simr to what ismonly known as possession. Everyone was deep in thought. And soon enough, a bright light appeared. Thats right, we have that guy. Belials of Kugutsu. It was possible that he knew something. Hmph, what now? The party went to the warehouse where he was being kept captive. Of course, he was still unwilling to cooperate. Theres something Id like to check with you. Transinfo. Whoa!? It was the first time Jin attempted to use the new Transinfo on a demon, but it seemed to have worked well enough. The Magi Crystal containing the transferred information was quickly sent to Hourai Ind using Capricorn 1s built in Warp Gate, and Laojun immediately analyzed its contents. He then reported his findings through Reiko. Theres one new thing weve learned. The demons seem to have a ce called The Land of Beginnings. What!? Why is that No, theres that magic as well Netros was the first one to look surprised to hear those words. Shion and Lucas also had a surprised look on their faces. Istalis had finally stopped crying and turned her red, swollen eyes toward Jin. The Land of Beginnings is a ce of legend where the distant ancestors of us demons first arrived here. Jin remembered a story Vivian had once told him. ording to it, a long time ago, the ancestors of humankind and demons may have first arrived at that ce. As Jin was still thinking about that, more information came from Laojun through Reiko. Is the n closest to this Land of Beginnings the Gospel n? Thats correct. But the Gospel n has less than 10 people in total, and they hardly interact with other ns. Shions face looked as if she was about to ask what about it?. The Gospel n seems to be well, to put it simply, they seem to be sticking their noses in human affairs. In fact, they seemed to have an emphasis for setting up a guerri warfare. Are you sure about that? I dont think the Gospel n has such influence, though Istalis finally opened her mouth, following Shions question. Belials, on the other hand, had regret written all over his face. Damn it So youve read my memories. You humans are truly despicable. Dont make meugh. The way you demons do things isnt worthy of roses either. But I guess thats how strife works. You focus solely on what you stand to gain, without the slightest regard for your own people Ann quickly objected to Belials remark. My master doesnt want to live in a world like that. He wants to live in peace, but you guys just have to be such a nuisance, dont you? Hmph, you say nothing but nice-sounding words. But they are the truth. Thats okay, Ann. Jin figured going any further would be a waste of breath, so he asked Ann to stop. Where do we find this Gospel n? In the ind areas of the Gondoa Continent. ording to Reiko, their settlement was farther to the north of their current location. Should we go meet with them? Huh? Im interested in this Land of Beginnings. I also want to talk with the n who seems to be at the root of everything thats been happening here. I I see. There might be no other way to deal with this as well. But Im sure it wont be easy Istalis agreed with Jin, while Shion pointed out that there would be trouble ahead if they were to choose that path. Well, wevee all this way. If something gets in our way, well deal with it. Its amazing Im really sure you can solve this, Jin. Shion seemed a bit shocked, but she also knew that this could be the only way for them to make things right once and for all. Im counting on you, Jin. Shions words, which were filled with anxiety, could only be heard in whispers. Chapter 526: Inland Area

Chapter 526: Ind Area

Capricorn 1 started its slow advance north. Although it was slow, Land 1, Reiko, and Anne didnt need to rest, so they could go on without stopping for the night. Thanks to that, they were able to travel several hundred kilometers in a single day. But they hadnt spent the entire day just traveling. They also used Amnesia on Belials. Now that he no longer knew why Jin and the others had captured him, there was little concern about him leaking any information in the event that he managed to escape somehow. Istalis and Shion had plenty of rest, so they had recoveredpletely. And now, after crossing a shallow but wide river and going over the 55th parallel north, the party found itself in front of an ice-covered mountain. I know theyre said to live at the base of this mountain There didnt seem to be much confidence in Istalis words. They dont get too involved with other ns, after all Hmm, were going nowhere fast. Land 1, what does the Magi Detector say? Lets see. Theres a reactioning from about 2 kilometers to the left. Okay, lets try heading there. Capricorn 1 changed its course to the left. The road ahead was covered with snow here and there. The temperature outside was 2 degrees Celsius. Im d I managed to make a good air conditioner for this vehicle. Jin (s Substitute Doll) wasnt affected by hot or cold temperatures, but Istalis, Shion, Netros, and Lucas would have had to bear with the sudden change in temperature of the northerntitudes. Eventually, they reached their destination. Theres quite a big magical reaction around this area. However, there was nothing but an ice-covered mountain scattered with rocks and snowy patches. Hmm, how strange At that moment, the real Jin back in Hourai Ind suddenly realized something. Phantom Barrier Jin was reminded of the phantom barrier, which could deceive not only humans but also the eyes of the golems made by Jin. It was the same kind of barrier that covered the old Lenard Kingdom. Laojun, did you learn anything from that other Phantom Barrier? The Quinta dispatched to the old Lenard Kingdom were supposed to be investigating that day and night. Yes, My Lord. I do not know who set it up in the first ce, or for what purpose, but Ivee to understand its effect a little. I see, and? First of all, it should be noted that the Phantom Barrier deceives not only any optical input received from the infrared to the ultraviolet spectrums, but also any sound waves from 1Hz to 30,000Hz. So it affects the sense of hearing as well The Phantom Barrier also had the effect of bouncing sound waves back to give the impression that theres a solid object where there actually isnt. It made sense to affect hearing as well, as hearing is the second most useful human sense after vision. Hearing is simply a little less directional than vision, and there is no way to naturally close ones ears to block iing stimuli (one can plug their ears, though). Even when asleep, the sense of hearing can pick up hints of danger, the sense of touch can detect vibrations on the floor, and the sense of smell can pick up the smell of smoke in case of a fire. So its like an illusion, but with a substance? No, I wouldnt go that far. It cannot deceive the sense of touch. And how is it created? Both its generation method and principles are still unknown. I see If it were merely an optical illusion, even Jin would be able to replicate it, but he still didnt know how to trick the sense of hearing like that. It seemed to be a fairly intricate and advanced illusion technique. There is something we could try, though. If its generation method is magic-based, we should be able to use an Ether Jammer to dispel it. I believe its worth at least a try. I see. Alright, Land 1, activate the Ether Jammer. Roger. The Ether Jammer was then activated for the first time. At first, nothing seemed to have changed. But a minuteter Oh? A part of the ice-covered rocky mountain vanished, revealing a huge cave in its ce. This looks like an entrance. J-Jin! What did you do? Shion couldnt hide her surprise as she watched that happen through the window. It seems that there was some kind of barrier. All I did was try to break it. All you did, you say? Haha, thats so you, Jin. However, though it was quiterge, the cave was only about 4 meters wide by 4 meters high. It wasnt wide enough for Capricorn 1 to pass through. Try cutting off the Jammer. Roger. Though the Ether Jammer had been stopped, the Phantom Barrier didnt reappear. The cave was still there. Jin thought there might have been some special conditions for it to be generated in the first ce, but either way. It would be ideal if someone were toe out now that the barrier is gone. However, even after waiting for about half an hour, no one seemed to havee to check on the missing barrier. I guess well have to check how things are looking down there ourselves In that case, Ill go. Netros quickly offered himself as a candidate. I can handle myself quite well inbat. And Im well aware of the situation. I see Take care down there, okay? It wouldnt be a good idea to have anyone from Jins side going there first, so there was no better option for the job than Netros. Lucas was still too green to go by himself. Yes, Lady Istalis. Ill be back safely soon. Netros opened the door and jumped to the ground, then started walking slowly into the cave. Jin and the others saw him off from the safety of Capricorn 1. Five minutes passed since Netros vanished into the cave. Then, ten minutes. Jin and the others were starting to grow impatient. Then, fifteen minutes. Whats that? Two figures moved toward the caves entrance. Netros And whos that with him? One of them was definitely Netros. The other one was a thin, middle-aged man with pure-white hair. His face wasnt that clear from that distance. The man stayed at the caves entrance while Netros alone continued towards Capricorn 1. Netros waved from the ground to indicate that everything was fine. Jin then lowered Capricorn 1 to ground level. After carefully opening the door, Netros boarded the vehicle again. Ive returned. Just like you assumed, the Gospel n lives in this cave. Netros began his report as soon as he got back in. I briefly exined whats happened so far and they seem to be willing to receive us with open arms. They appear to have an idea of whats the reason for the chaos weve seen, and want to share their thoughts about it with us. They also want to hear what we have to say. Is that so? Thats great! Ah, what a relief! Istalis and Shion seemed to be relieved. Reiko initially suspected Netros could have been brainwashed, but he showed no signs of such a thing. Alright, then Land 1 shall remain here while the rest of us go to speak with the Gospel n Ah, thats right, we should take Belials with us as well. Though they seem friendly now, they might be nning something, so be on your toes. No one objected to Jins instructions. Okay, lets take some food with us. Ann, bring 100kg of flour. Yes, Master. Reiko, make sure to take your Peach Blossom with you. Yes, Father. Jin (s Substitute Doll) would carry some medicines and Pelshika Juice. And Belials would be going with them as their prisoner, under Netros custody. Okay, lets go. Land 1, retreat for 200 meters after we leave, and set up a barrier. Roger that. Thus Jin and his friends were finally headed for the ce of residence of a n that was actually willing to talk to them for a change. Chapter 527: The Gospel Clan

Chapter 527: The Gospel n

As Jin and the others approached the cave, the man who had arrived together with Netros weed them with a bow. Wee, Magi Craft Meister. My name is Alectus, and I serve as a mediator for the Gospel n. Alexis had a lean but well-built figure. Like the one you would see in a health and wellness magazine. His hair was white and shortly trimmed. His eyes were yellow, which was an eye color Jin had never seen before. I am Jin Nidou, the Magi Craft Meister. These are my Automata, Reiko and Ann. I am Istalis of Shinra. Im Shion of Shinra. Im Lady Shions retainer, my name is Lucas. Jin and the others introduced themselves one right after the other. Well, we cant talk at leisure at a ce like this. Come inside. Guided by Alectus, the group headed into the cave. The inside of the cave was quite warm, and was illuminated by a dim light. Is it something simr to Ether Lights? Theyre quite dim, though Jin muttered to himself, but Its usually much brighter here, but now its like this due to something that you did. Alectus said that with a bitter smile, causing Jin to panic. A-Ah, Im really sorry about that Haha, dont worry about that. Thanks to that, I was easily able to confirm that you are indeed the Magi Craft Meister. After a couple of minutes of walking while having such conversations, they finally arrived at a spacious area. This would be our entrance hall. After crossing that and going through a front door of sorts, they reached another passage. Were digging our way into this mountain so that we can live here. They had ess to magic, so Jin thought that they could know some spells that made it easier for them to dig inside the mountain. Here we are. After going through a wooden door, they found themselves in what seemed to be a conference room. There was an old man at the back of this room. He also had white hair and yellow eyes, which seemed to be a characteristic of this n. My name is Fabius, and Im the chief of the Gospel n. Wee, Magi Craft Meister. Their first meeting was rather brief. They had essentially discussed the reason for Jin and the others toe all this way to visit the Gospel n, and whether Jin really was the Magi Craft Meister. The reason foring to see them was clear enough. Jin wanted to ask if it was true that other ns were being instigated to start a war against humankind, and if so, what is the true intention behind it. As a means to prove that he was the Magi Craft Meister, Jin showed Fabius both Reiko and Ann. He was quickly convinced when Jin showed that they had been equipped with the sense of touch. Certainly, there is no doubt that you are the Magi Craft Meister. Its a great honor to meet you. Fabius bowed to Jin after saying that. And regarding the question of whether the other ns were being instigated I cant say youre right or wrong in assuming that. He returned an ambiguous answer. But thats a topic that could go on for hours. And its gettingte. Lets talk about it freely tomorrow. After saying that, Fabius concluded the parley and escorted Jin and the others out of the room. From there, Alectus took them to their next destination. We would like you to use this room, Master Jin. It was a simple but elegant room in a secluded ce. It didnt seem to have been made by hollowing arge rocky surface out. The only thing that gave away the fact that they were inside a rocky mountain was the roomsck of windows. Jin (s Substitute Doll), Reiko, and Ann were naturally led to the same room. Lady Istalis, Lady Shion, this way, please. They were taken to a room right next to Jins. Of course, their retainers Netros and Lucas would be staying with them. Dinner will be ready in about 30 minutes. Ah, thats right. Well split the food youve so graciously offered to us amongst our nspeople. You have our deepest thanks for that. With that, Alectus finally dismissed himself. What do you think, Jin? Shion and Istalis were visiting Jin in his room. Hmm, I cant say for sure yet. There really wasnt a better answer Jin could give them at the moment. Im quite intrigued by the fact that they dont seem to know the purpose, or rather, the reason behind the other ns instigation. Im worried about that as well. I cant see how this benefits us demons, no matter how hard I think about it After all, the demons entire poption wasnt over a thousand, while the number of humans in this world was well over a million. There was no way a war where the enemy outnumbers the demons on a scale of a thousand to one could benefit them. The fact that they think they can wage war against humans in itself is quite worrisome Jin was reminded of the Magical Exhaustion Fever and the incident of the Giant Centipedes. He couldnt stop thinking that either of those incidents could have ended in a tragedy had it not been by his intervention. I cant understand either, no matter how hard I think about it. Ill have to make sure to ask Fabius about this in detail tomorrow. Yeah, thats right, theres no better way to understand any of this right now. And Istalis, who had remained silent up until that point, finally opened her mouth. This situation It reminds me of that time. Istalis remembered the time when both Netros and herself were poisoned and captured by the Frantz Kingdom. Right, we need to be on our toes. Jin (s Substitute Doll) nodded in agreement. However, poison wouldnt work against him. At that moment, Alectus called them for dinner. Jin (s Substitute Doll) decided to ept their food. In many ways, there could be many new discoveries to be had at the dining table. Im afraid its not much, but please, feel free to eat to your hearts content. They had been taken to a room that looked like a parlor, and were served their meals by Alectus and a waitress. This is my wife, Milonia. Im Milonia, nice to meet you all. She seemed to be in her mid-thirties. She was a slightly slender and refined young woman. I have been put in charge of todays meal. With that, she then proceeded to exin the meal to Jin and the others. This is called Non. Its made by kneading wheat flour into a thin and t bread. Please make sure to enjoy it with any of these sauces. The name reminded Jin of the Naan bread found in Indian cuisine, but it was more simr to Chapati in shape. As for the sauces, the first one seemed to have been made by smashing something simr to cowberries and bringing the mix to a boil, while the other one looked like it was made by mashing leafy vegetables and boiling them in saltwater. Thetter of those sauces didnt look too appetizing to Jin, so he chose the cowberry sauce without hesitation. However, the Substitute Doll had no taste buds, so it would have been the same either way. But even though it could not tell the foods taste, Jin (s Substitute Doll)s mouth had an analysis function, much like Reikos. And ording to it, no poison was detected in the food. Ah, this vor brings back memories. Istalis tried the muddy mashed vegetables sauce, and seemed to be enjoying it very much. Jin thought it might be too salty, but it had plenty of mashed vegetables in it, and the concentration of salt in the saltwater used to make it didnt seem to be that high. The garnish was grilled meat. From what Milonia had told them, it seemed to be the meat of a herbivore called Snow Gazelle, which lives in the northern mountains. It had a simr taste to venison. Im afraid this was all we could prepare for you. The flour you have given us has been this dinners saving grace. Upon hearing that, Jin (s Substitute Doll) eased his hand with the food to a point where it wouldnt be unnatural to stop eating. After the meal, they were served herbal tea. We make this with the wild herbs that grow naturally on this mountain. Jin (s Substitute Doll) had no way to tell how it tasted, so he basically looked at his friends reactions to the tea and roughly imitated them. Once their dinner was over, there wasnt much else for them to do other than rxing in their rooms. Jin (s Substitute Doll) took this opportunity to use Dposition on the food that he had fruitlessly ingested and flushed it down the toilet. What do you think about them? The Magi Craft Meister? Is it really him? Yes, were very certain that he is indeed the real deal. Hmph, if thats true, we wouldnt want to cross him. Yes, ording to legend, the Magi Craft Meister has ess to a technology that far exceeds ours. If only we could put him to good use. But if we enrage him instead Will we have to deal with him? Most regrettably, yes. But he does seem to be quite an easygoing character. Do not underestimate him. The Magi Craft Meister can produce the most drastic results out even out of a piece of lint. Understood. We shall see tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. Chapter 528: History

Chapter 528: History

It was the morning of August 17th. Master Jin, are you awake? The summer nights at highertitudes are short. At 7 AM local time, Alectus arrived to inform Jin and the others that breakfast was ready. During this time, Jin (s Substitute Doll) was being operated by Laojun. Ah, good morning. Just as Jin, Reiko, and Ann wereing out of their room, Istalis and the others had alsoe out to the hallway in response to Milonias call. They were then guided to the same room as the night before. Breakfast was already served on the table. The menu didnt seem to be very different from the previous night either, with grilled fish being served instead of venison. This is embarrassing, but were also being affected by a food shortage. Please understand Milonias face was filled with regret. Of course, Jin and the others were well aware of that, so they thought nothing of it. This juice is amazing. I shared some of it with everyone and they all agreed that only the Magi Craft Meister could have produced such wonderful juice. It seemed that Hourai Inds special Pelshika Juice was making quite a name for itself. I truly hope we continue to be on friendly terms, Magi Craft Meister. After their breakfast filled with small talk was over, they finally started talking about the real issue at hand. Im really sorry, but todays tea will be served in our council room. Would you be so kind as to go there? At Alectus request, the party headed for the council room. Laojun summoned Jin, who had been working on his workshop in Hourai Ind, as there was a chance the mystery could finally be solved. Jin then made his way to the control room so that he could operate the Substitute Doll. Im sorry to interrupt your breakfast, but it seems I too want to settle this topic as soon as possible after all. The n chief Fabius, Alectus, and Milonia were there in representation of the Gospel n. Fabius was the one to break the ice. First of all, Id like to talk about your question about whether we have been instigating other ns into wanting to wage war against humans. Jin was watching through the Magic Screen from Hourai Ind while holding his breath in anxiety. First of all, let me speak about our background, as it will help you understand our situation better. Jin (s Substitute Doll) stared fixedly at Fabius, who began to speak slowly. ording to what has been passed down through generations, our n used to live south of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. Huh? And before that war, the one you humans call The Great Magic War There were no differences between us demons and humans. Jin thought that this story matched with the one Vivian had once told him. Thats A very valuable story. !? Hearing someone elses voice had caught Jin off guard. As he turned around, he found that Vivian, Stearleana, and Elsa were there, staring at the Magic Screen. Saki and Toa came in through the door a little after that. Did we surprise you? Sorry! I went to the workshop looking for you and you werent there, so I asked Laojun and he told me you were here. Ah, thats right. Maybe its better if youre all here to listen to this. Thus Jin and the other members of the Family resumed their watch through the Magic Screen. Whats the reason behind the discord between humans and demons in the first ce? We live in different regions, so it cant just be a territorial dispute Fabius interrupted himself and stared straight at Jin. Its a matter of products. Products? Thats right. We want thend that humans have, and humans want ournd. So its a matter of food versus Magi Crystals? Istalis summarized Fabius words. Jin was thinking exactly the same thing. Thats right. And whats more, us demons had ess to a level of magical technology that far surpassed that of humans. Fabius said that with pride, but his face had a hint of loneliness. It would be more urate to say that we used to have that, though As everyone else thought that Fabius might have been too obsessed with speaking with the correct tense, Fabius resumed his speech with a bitter expression on his face. We can still use some of it, but we can no longer create new technology, or regain the ones weve lost Is that Because of the Great Magic War? No, thats not it. Our magic technology in itself has existed for well over a thousand years. We estimate that it first appeared more than two thousand years ago. Two thousand years ago!? Thats right, two thousand years ago, we used to have ess to an excellent level of magical technology. But after many, many years, while we were still able to make use of it, we became unable to repair our broken tools. This started happening about a thousand years ago. A thousand years ago was the era of Jins predecessor, the Magi Craft Meister Adrianna Balbora Ceci. Around that time, a woman called Adriana Balbora Ceci arrived in thesends, probably guided by her good intuition. It was the first time Jin heard such a story. She was a beautiful woman. She had antique gold hair growing long all the way down to her waist and lustrous brown eyes that were sparkling with life. She was also apanied by a servant with jet-ck hair. Jin turned to Reiko, who shook her head. She didnt seem to have any recollection of that. She stayed with us for about half a year, and during that time, she repaired every single one of our broken and damaged Magic Tools. When offeredpensation for her work, she simply said she was happy to have gotten the chance to work with such interesting equipment, and that that had been enough for her. Jin felt that he could understand his predecessors feelings. That is why we treat the Magi Craft Meister with the utmost respect. Jin imagined that his predecessor had probably learned about the demons technology while working to repair their Magic Tools. Jin wondered what kind of person his predecessor had been, to have been able to analyze and work with a magical technology that even the demons, who had created it, had lost, and even managed to make it her own. And Reiko was deeply moved after hearing Fabius speak about her mother, who she technically never knew. At that time, it was our n who weed her. Other ns woulde to see her from time to time, but we are probably the ones who had known her best. With this, it was clear why the demons would wee Jin, no, the Magi Craft Meister, with open arms. The Magi Craft Meister was regarded as a benefactor by all demons. So, where did that magical technologye from? This was a question we all had, and it was Adriana Balbora Ceci who unraveled the mystery for us. Not only Jin, but everyone else with him in Hourai Ind pricked up their ears to listen. One of the Magic Tools she repaired for us had a memory of sorts. This is something she learned of after leaving thesends, though. Jin thought that it might have been some kind of memory storage tool used to keep historical records. Surprisingly, it would appear that our ancestors came from the sky. Huh!? Shions surprised voice escaped her mouth. Istalis, however, remained with her jaw dropped, unable to say a word. You dont seem very surprised to hear that, Master Jin? Perhaps you already knew this? No, but there was something simr in our legends as well. I was merely thinking that I had already heard something simr before. Is that so? So it would appear that both our ancestors, who came from the sky, and the ancestors of humans, are one and the same. Huh? It was quite a shocking matter. Certainly, Jin already knew that humans and demons had the same physicalposition, but he never imagined that they had the same ancestors. That made Jin think that there could be some individuals of mixed race somewhere in this world. I cant say I know what made us demons and humans so different. I can only think it had something to do with us living separately over thousands of years Jin, Istalis, and Shion were all at a loss for words. Fabius resumed his story. So we figured, if we have the same ancestors, we should be able to form a friendly rtionship. It was only natural to think that way. And for a while, us demons and humans have been interacting with each other and getting along well Until 300 years ago. At that moment, Fabius facial expression took a sudden turn. His eyes were opened wide, and hisplexion was pale. Thick sweat appeared on his forehead, and his entire body was assailed by slight twitches. Alectus and Milonia, who were standing to his left and right, were in a simr state. Uh, ugh! W-Whats wrong? Weve been detected By the Land of Beginnings Fabius squeezed his mouth shut as if trying not to speak any further. Suddenly, the door of the council room was kicked open. Whats going on? On the other side of the door, there were six golems that glowed with a dark and gray light. After recognizing Jin and the others, the golems quickly rushed into the room. Chapter 529: Break-out and Hostage Taking

Chapter 529: Break-out and Hostage Taking

Kyaah! What do you think youre doing!? You bastards! What do you think youre doing with Lady Istalis!? Yaaah! Help me, Lucas! Lady Shion! Damn it, let go of her! Six golems, each less than 2 meters tall, came rushing in. Their movement was slow, but they still managed to catch both Istalis and Shion while they were sitting. Though Netros and Lucas were able to quickly dodge them, it meant nothing since their mistresses had been captured just as easily. Two of those golems seemed to have their sights set on Jin (s Substitute Doll), and rushed to catch him as well. What do you think youre doing? You wonty a finger on him. Reiko and Ann jumped in to get rid of those golems. Ann pushed away one of those golem with such force that it was driven into a nearby wall, while the one that Reiko attacked was shattered into small pieces. What on earth is going on? Understandably enough, Jin had been unable to keep up with the sudden turn of events. If itse to this, we have no other choice. Reiko, use the Ether Jammer! Yes, Father. Reiko activated her built-in Ether Jammer, causing the golems that had restrained Istalis and Shion to stop moving. But at the same time, not only Istalis and Shion, but Netros, Lucas, and the three demons from the Gospel n all started to groan in pain. They seemed to be suffering from Ether deficiency. This is bad Reiko, Ann, take care of the remaining golems, quickly! Following Jins instructions, Reiko and Ann disposed of the remaining four golems in a matter of seconds. Jin then had Reiko stop her Ether Jammer. Phew. Istalis and the others sighed in relief. In human terms, it was as if one were to suddenly appear at the top of Mt. Everest. The amount of oxygen in the air there is less than one third its normal ratio. Of course it would be difficult to breathe there. It appeared that a simr thing would happen once the Ether concentration in the air was caused to drop suddenly. Since humans werent as dependent on Ether as demons, the effect on their physical condition was almost non-existent. Fabius was lying on the floor, and seemed to have fainted on the spot. D-Damn it Ugh Alectus and Milonia seemed to have regained their senses. An idea came to Jins mind, and he quickly gave Ann amand. Ann, restrain Alectus. Yes, Master. Ann twisted Alectus arm behind his back. Reiko, use your Paralyze. Yes, Father. She then paralyzed Alectus while was still being held by Ann. They were going to take him hostage. Paralyze Milonia as well. Jin quickly issued anothermand, thinking it would be bad to get too noisy about it. Just in case, they paralyzed Fabius as well. Alright, lets get out of here. After going through the busted door and reaching the hallway, they were met by four people -probably other members of the Gospel n- who red at them. Their faces were pale and their eyes were devoid of life. It made Jin feel a bit ufortable, but he could only afford to think about escaping for the time being. Step aside. Dont you care about what happens to Alectus? Buth the four demons were as if they couldnt hear Jins words, and all jumped at them at the same time. Paralyze Gah- Gyaah- Reiko unleashed her Paralyze, and all four demons dropped to the floor in an instant. There were about 10 people in the Gospel n. There might be two or three more of them somewhere around here. Dont let your guard down. Just as Jin had finished saying that, two men appeared from the shadows of the hallway, each of them holding a baton over their heads. Paralyze Guh- Gyaah- But still, they were no match for Reikos reaction speed. They were neutralized in an instant. The party advanced through the hallway led by Netros, and followed by Istalis, Shion, Lucas, Jin, Ann (who was still holding Alectus hostage), and Reiko, in that order. Eventually, they reached a familiar exit. Were almost out. The outside of the cave seemed cloudy and dim. Its cold. Istalis and Shion started shivering. The inside of the Gospel ns cave was about 15 degrees Celsius thanks to the caves internal heating, but the area around the entrance was closer to 5 degrees. It felt even worse due to the fact that none of them had had any time to get their jackets on. We can change our clothes once we get back to Capricorn 1. Trying to cheer them on, Jin instructed Reiko to contact Land 1. Hell be here soon, Father. Jin had been a little worried that something might have happened to Capricorn 1 during the night, but Land 1 had been on constant watch and the vehicle itself had a strong Barrier. In addition, Falcons 2 and 3 were in charge of aerial surveince, so there really wasnt much to be concerned about. A minuteter, Capricorn one finally arrived, and the party was able to catch a breath. Land 1, were getting out of here, quickly. Jin decided to keep his distance with the dwelling ce of the Gospel n for the time being. They had reached a distance of about 10 km after going on for half an hour at a speed of 20 km/h. Alectus was tied to a passenger seat, with Reiko having her Paralyzer ready to fire at any moment right next to him, and Ann with the Ether Jammer ready to go as well. After taking all those measures, Jin finally approached Alectus and woke him up by using Healing. Uh Alectus opened his eyes, and didnt seem to know where he was, or why he was there. Youre up, huh? Why did the Gospel n suddenly attack us? You seemed to be so friendly up until now Alectus was reluctant to answer that question. Im concerned about that sudden change of attitude. Id like to know why it happened. Still, Alectus remained silent. Do you think you might have been influenced by Envement Magic? Father, I think thats quite unlikely. After all, Ive already used my Paralyze on him, and though its effect is not as great as if I had used Shock, it should have been enough to jolt some sense back into him. Wait a minute. You can dispel Envement Magic with a Shock? Istalis joined in the conversation. In our case, we also know of a canceling spell Is that so? Can you use it yourself? I can. Can you try using it on him? But Istalis shook her head. No, because Mr. Alectus isnt being affected by Envement Magic. I see Just like when they went to see the Shinra n. Another kind of Envement Magic, or It would be great if there were some spell that could cancel the effects of any other spell Both Jin (s Substitute Doll) in Capricorn 1 and the real Jin back in Hourai Ind muttered those words at the same time. And if there isnt such a spell Perhaps a Magic Tool? Ann shared her thoughts. Assuming they were being controlled, but werent under the effects of a spell, then it could have been some kind of Magic Tool, right? Her theory sounded logical enough. Jin nodded. If a Magic Tool is behind this Reiko, use your Trace. Yes, Father. Trace. Reiko investigated the flow of magical power within the bound Alectus. After several seconds There is an unusual concentration of magical power behind Mr. Alectus chest and the back of his ears. As soon as he heard those words, Alectus began to act violently. He started to twist and turn in his seat, with little regard for the rope that was binding him. The rope scratched his body all over as he tried to force his way out of the seat, and trickles of blood had started to stain it. No! Reiko! Yes! Reiko used her Paralyze on Alectus once again. As a result, his rampage was finally stopped. What just happened? Jin waspletely puzzled. And everyone else on board was also at a loss for what they had just witnessed. Their silence was eventually broken by Ann. Master, please deploy the Magic Barrier, quickly! Right. Land 1! Roger. A Magic Barrier was quickly deployed around Capricorn 1 as a result. It was a barrier that could prevent all magic up to intermediate level, and could also withstand some advanced magic to a certain point. Thank you. Im sorry to have asked you to deploy the Magic Barrier so rashly. I was merely concerned that our conversation here could have been susceptible to being intercepted by a Magic Tool. Chapter 530: Probe

Chapter 530: Probe

You mean someone could be eavesdropping on us? Jin was surprised to hear Anns remark. However, he himself had the means to do that if he wanted to, so he couldnt deny the possibility. Jin (s Substitute Doll) wanted to probe around for the strange concentration of magical power Reiko had found, but he couldnt make heads nor tails out of it. If only Elsa was here But I cant have here to these dangerousndsAh, I know! He suddenly realized he could use the Mini Smiths he had brought along. They should be able to do the minute-precise work needed after a few calctions. Mini Smith, activate. Yes, Master. Jin activated one of the 10-cm-tall Mini Smiths. Upon seeing it, Istalis and Shion stared at it in wonder. Huh? W-Whats that? Its cute. Theres no time to exin now. Mini Smith, go take a look. Yes, Master The Mini Smith hopped onto Alectus shoulders and went behind his ears. Then , afterying him down horizontally, it examined his chest. It took the Mini Smith 2 minutes toplete its work. There is a Magic Tool embedded behind his ears, right under the skin. The one in his chest reaches close to his heart. Both have magical power running through them, and seem to be connected to somewhere. I have yet to determine where somewhere is. Since Jin had deployed a Magic Barrier, its connection to the outside by magical power was probably severed already. But it also turned out that the Magic Tool still seemed to have some effect on Alectus. Can you remove them? Yes, I can remove the one in the ear right away. The one in the chest will take some more time. The Magic Tool that had reached Alectus heart seemed to be much more difficult to remove. It seemed to be a work better left to Elsa. Okay, take out the one behind his ear then. Jin decided to start by having that one removed and see what kind of Magic Tool it actually was. Depending on the results, he wouldter see if he wanted to have Elsae here, or to send Alectus to Hourai Ind to have the other Magic Tool removed. Master, Ive finished. About a minuteter, the Mini Smith had sessfully removed the Magic Tool in question. It resembled a needle, and was 2 cm long and about 1mm thick. After pulling it out, blood started flowing from the hole it had been embedded into, but the basic Healing Magic spell Cure was enough to close the wound. Okay, lets see what kind of Magic Tool this probe is Jin had the Mini Smith analyze it. This also took it about 2 minutes toplete. Understood. This conveys the masters instructions to the wearer, while sending whatever the wearer hears back to the master. This shocked even the real Jin, back in Hourai Ind. And there was further information to be gathered through the use of Dpile. I see The investigation had revealed an ancient Magi Form, which seemed to precede the time of Jins predecessor. However, its purpose and effect were clear. It was a portion of a Magic Tool used to control its wearer. Now that we know this, we ought to remove the one in his heart as soon as possible as well After the initial shock had faded, the members of the Family who had gathered around the real Jin in Hourai Ind finally settled down, and everyone went back to their routines. Since Elsa had gone off somewhere, Jin had Laojun call her back to the control room. What is it, Brother Jin? Have you made any progress? Elsa had returned in less than 2 minutes. Yeah, actually As Jin exined what had happened, the look on Elsas face turned more and more serious. So hes being controlled by a Magic Tool embedded in his heart? Yeah. Thats what it looks like. How fiendish I think the same. Elsa offered to get rid of that Magic Tool by any means necessary, so Jin asked Reiko to use Capricorn 1s Warp Gate to send Alectus to the ry station Shinkai. The real Jin then began preparing to assist Elsa in her procedure. Though it merely consisted in going over simple recovery spells and Magic Tools. Five minutester, Jin and Elsa had reunited with Reiko and Alectus in Shinkai. The Mini Smith that had removed the ear probe had tagged along as well. Incidentally, using the Warp Gate to go to Shinkai required an external link, so the Magic Barrier had to be lifted for a brief moment. Then, Jin had the Magic Barrier set up again right after entering Shinkai. Thats how careful he was about it. Elsa, we dont have much time, so try to work as quickly as you can. Back in Capricorn 1, Jin hadnt told Istalis and the others about the Warp Gate, so they were under the impression that Reiko had taken Alectus to a small room in order to remove the device herself. Yeah, I know. Elsa then began working on removing the probe embedded in Alectus chest, with Jin and Reiko as assistants. Diagnose I see. The probe is stuck near the hearts coronary artery. If we try to force it out, we could end up rupturing the artery, causing major bleeding. After a bit of thinking, Elsa finally came up with a way to solve this problem. Since hes still under the effects of Paralyze, theres no need for anesthesia. Well have to pull the probe out in one swift move while using V?llig Genesung to avoid damaging the surrounding tissue. This was a job that called for the help of the Mini Smith. Okay? 3, 2, 1, 0. V?llig Genesung. Matching Elsas countdown, the Mini Smith sessfully pulled the probe out at the right time. Thanks to Elsas healing magic being applied at the same time, the resulting bleeding was negligible, and the procedure waspleted without any issues. Okay, Reiko, time to take him back to Capricorn 1. Yes, Father. Then, as she headed for the Warp Gate carrying Alectus in her arms, Jin said something else to her before she left. Im counting on you, Reiko. Upon hearing those words, a big smile appeared on Reikos face as she walked through the Warp Gate. I wonder what theyre doing. Meanwhile, in Capricorn 1, Shion was growing restless. Performing surgery in an environment that is notpletely sterilized would be too risky. Shion didnt seem too convinced with Anns exnation. Dont worry, it looks like theyll be done soon Didnt you say that 10 minutes ago? They really wont be long now, okay? While they were exchanging such words, the door of the small room where the Warp Gate was installed opened. Were finished. The Magic Tool that is, the probe, has been safely removed. The Mini Smith, who was standing on Reikos shoulder, lifted the probe over its head for all to see. In order to not arouse suspicion from Istalis and the others, Jin quickly analyzed the probe before leaving it in Reikos care once again. This probe appears to be the type that helps the wearers master by allowing him to cause pain in the wearers heart. What did you say!? Shion was outraged. Jin could easily sympathize with her feelings. Please calm down. Weve already extracted it. Alectus should be nowpletely free from his chains However, just to be sure, they tied him up to his seat -though loosely this time- once again before waking him up with Jins Healing. Ugh How are you feeling? Weve taken care of those Magic Tools controlling you. After opening his eyes and hearing Jins words, Alectus blinked and shook his head a few times. Thank you, Master Jin No, Magi Craft Meister My head feels lighter now. So you were under that Magic Tools control after all? Yes. Those guys called it a needle. The moment they put those things on me, a voice started to echo in my head, like a whisper, and whenever I tried to do anything other than what it tells me to, Id feel an intense pain in my chest, have trouble breathing, and feel like I could faint at any moment. Just as they had all imagined, it was an atrocious Magic Tool. Everyone in our n, even our children, had those probes imnted on them, and there was nothing we could do to go against it. Alectus looked terribly apologetic. Jin asked Reiko to untie him. Thank you for trusting me. After his bindings were undone, Alectus bowed respectfully once again. I hadnt heard much of those whispers this morning, so I thought we would be able to wee you all with open arms and convey our plights to you, Master Jin. But it seems it was too naive of me to think that way. It didnt seem that the one pulling their strings was monitoring all of them all the time. The same could be said for Jin, as he wasnt at the reins of his Substitute Doll around the clock, though. By the way, Master Jin, are you feeling well? Huh? Ah, yes. There was no change in the physical condition of the Substitute Doll. Thats great to hear. The truth is that I had poisoned your food, Master Jin, but you seem to have neutralized it somehow. Im d nothing happened after all. Id like to offer my sincerest apologies for that. I have used a drug that would have lured you to join our side on you alone, Master Jin. Well, nothing happened in the end, so dont worry about it. No poison could have worked in Jins Substitute Doll. The real Jin in Hourai Ind exhaled a sigh of relief. Chapter 531

Chapter 531

Magi Craft Meister 531 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-10 The n of Beginnings But I hadnt noticed he was being controlled that way. Istalis words came out mixed with a sigh. Im actually ashamed of myself. But if every other n has gone through the same thing, theres no helping it. Still, if this is the case Netros started talking with a sullen expression on his face. Does that mean that the Shinra n has gone through the same thing? Oh, thats right. Getting one of those needles imnted doesnt take that long. An elongated tube should be enough to get the one on the chest imnted in an instant, and the one on the back of the ear shouldnt be too different from that. Who could have done something like that? I dont know Then, when? Im just guessing here, but half a month ago, all of the n chiefs gathered at the n meeting. I think that was when our mastermind did it. But Istalis didnt seem to know anything about that meeting. I dont know about that. It must have happened after we left. In that case, then Istalis, Shion, Netros, and Lucas would all have escaped being controlled by those probes. Shion was the one to cut that conversation short. I think we should be talking about what to do from now on. Yes, youre right. I truly wish for all of our ns to be free from those nefarious needles Alectus frowned as he said that. I think the same. Id like to at least release the Shinra n from its shackles Shion gave her realistic opinion to Alectus and Istalis, who both dreamed of liberation. But its going to be really tough, dont you think? Not only we dont know whos behind this, but those who have been enved arent going to just sit tight while we remove their probes How long can this take? I think our best course of action would be to tackle the source of this problem. It looked like a demon-only discussion at first, but Ann quickly shared her ideas. You mean, finding the one who put those needles on everyone, and doing something about them? Shion asked with a profusely raised eyebrow. Is that even possible? First, wed have to find the culprit. And even if we do, they could try to use their needles on us Istalis didnt sound very confident as she spoke. I believe it depends on how we go about doing it. We dont have to tackle it head-on. Ann spoke as if it was nothing. We find the culprit, infiltrate their base of operation, and then we neutralize them. She then added that, roughly speaking, they didnt have enough information yet. How do we find them? Lets say that there is a way to find them. Simply because my Master is the Magi Craft Meister. After a brief silence, Istalis nodded. I guess we have no choice but to give it a try. Can I ask this of you, Lord Jin? Id like to ask you to do this for us as well, Master Jin. Please, were counting on you. Understood. It was merely a hunch, but Jin believed that this problem wouldnt end with the demons. He had a faint premonition that if he didnt intervene here, this whole thing would eventually harm humankind as well. The first thing we have to do is to find where our mastermind is. B-But how are we going to do that? Jin started speaking as if it was not a big deal, provoking Alectus skepticism. Those needles we took from you must still be connected to the one who controls them. All we need to do is follow that connection. I see I still cant tell you how I can trace it back to its source. But for now, please believe that I can. Laojun was the one piloting Jins Substitute Doll at the moment. Had it been Jin himself, he could have mentioned the existence of the Magi Detector, but Laojun was more cautious than that. After determining the magical powers direction, Jin issued his instructions to Land 1. It was headed further northward. Okay, move a little to the east and take another measurement. It was a basic technique for surveying. As a matter of fact, Hourai Ind had a Magi Radar that was much more powerful than a Magi Detector, so Laojun had already grasped the general position of that mysterious presence. However, it was possible to improve its readings uracy by measuring again on-site, so although it was troublesome to do it twice, another measurement was done from within Capricorn 1 itself. Its north-northwest from here. The masterminds location would then be where those two lines intersected with one another. Jin was able to pinpoint its location with the help of a simple map. Here it is. On the other side of this mountain here. When Jin pointed at the map, Alectus opened his eyes wide in astonishment. The Land of Beginnings Huh? That is the Land of Beginnings. Its a ce created by a n called the Origin n. The Land of Beginnings, huh? The name matches the information we got from Belials. It was also consistent with the intel that stated that the Gospel n was the one that lived closest to it. I see, so theyre the ones behind this? Jin took his face away from the map and stared at a mountain up north through the window. With this, their goal was set. Lets start by heading towards that Land of Beginnings. Well talk about what were going to do along the way. Understood. Yeah, no objections here. Thus Capricorn 1 started making its way straight towards the northern mountain. What do you know about the Origin n? The piloting was left entirely to Land 1, so Jin and the others could continue their discussion. Well Ive heard they possess some very ancient technology. Alectus answered the question. Ancient technology? Yes. Its the magical technology that our distant ancestors had. This was a valuable piece of information. It meant that they had ess to a technology that preceded even that of the Gospel n, whose technology was more than 2,000 years old. Laojun tried to supplement this information with the tales passed on by Vivian. The ancestors of both humans and demons came to this world in a ship that could fly through the sky, in other words, a spaceship. A servant that closely resembles a human, in other words, an Automata. All these made Vivians story make much more sense. At present, Jin wasnt able to build a spaceship. With that in mind, the technology these ancients possessed could be considered to be quite terrifying. Well have to be very careful once we meet them. Laojun decided it would be necessary to devise a n that contemted the possibility that the Origin n was too much for even Jin to handle. Youre right. But is this Origin n really that dangerous? Ann seemed truly curious about it. Well, Ive never actually met them. Alectus lowered his head apologetically. Our Gospel n only knew that the Origin n lived nearby, and that they would contact us by voice only. And it didnt even happen that regrly. Since the Gospel n had ess to its own technology, they could receive word from the Origin n from time to time. But this posed a single question. Was the Origin n able to provide food for itself without interacting with other ns, all while knowing that the other ns were starving? Though that could be thanks to the use of some ancient magical technology. Istalis answered that question with a troubled expression on her face. Thats the kind of enemy were facing? Dont be so timid, sister. Dont see them as enemies, were only doing whatever we can to save our n. Shion faced her with a positive attitude. Y-Youre right Its not like theyve been hostile from the very beginning or anything. Just as they were talking about that Theres a barrier up ahead. Land 1 interrupted their conversation with his own report. Chapter 532

Chapter 532

Magi Craft Meister 532 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-11 Infiltration Capricorn 1 stopped right before the barrier. A barrier? Do you know what kind of barrier it is? Yes. Its a detection barrier. If we cross it, it will probably alert Their destination was about 2 kilometers further to the north. We will arouse suspicion if we go any further. What should we do? Were going to have to cross this barrier in a way that doesnt trigger it. Once again, Ann spoke as if it wasnt a big deal. But how in the world Its easy, really. The barrier goes all the way down to the ground, but it wont go through the ground. So all we have to do is dig a hole, go through it, ande out on the other side of the barrier. I I see That was part of a barriersmon behavior. If an attack were to destroy part of the ground a barrier is touching, it would normally continue to expand to cover the missing space until it touches the ground again, but it would never go through the ground. But its not realistic to try to dig a hole big enough for Capricorn 1 to go through As a strategic advisor, Ann presented a precise n. Sister Reiko and I And also, Id like one of you demons toe with us. Then Ill go with you. Alectus quickly volunteered. He had been a direct victim of those needles, and was quite familiar with the situation. Istalis and the others had noints about it. Jin (s Substute Doll) would remain in Capricorn 1 to offer logistical support. About 30 minutester, the underground tunnel that would take them to the other side of the barrier was finallypleted. It had taken them that long because they had been working as quietly as possible so as to not arouse suspicion with their noise and ground vibrations. Okay, lets go. Take care. Were going in Be careful, Mr. Alectus. May our turmoil be over soon. Then, the three of them disappeared into the hole before soon reappearing on the other side of the barrier. Reiko was holding her Peach Blossom, while Ann had a Vibration Sword in her hand. All they had to do after that was to simply wait. Hmph, so thats what happened? Yes, My Lord. We dont know what kind of technology the Origin n has at its disposal. I thought wed need to take every precaution we could, so I called you. As they advanced towards the Land of Beginnings, Laojun had called Jin Cwho had once again returned to his workshopC because of the anticipation he had felt due to the climax of their expedition being close at hand. The irony of technology was that he had been able to gather more information from the distant Hourai Ind than the party on the Capricorn 1, which was essentially on-site. So Reiko, Ann, and Alectus, huh? Right in front of Jin there was a needle which had been sent to Hourai Ind via the Warp Gate. To think that something this tiny can be so evil Most of the Mana it needed in order to function would be taken from its wearer In other words, from its victims body. Now that these needles had been extracted, their power supply had stopped, so from its point of view, their wearer might as well be considered to be dead. All that remained was their connection with a feeble line of magic. Im d these needles dont send visual information to their master Jin kept on looking at the visual information sent in via Reikos eyes while whispering those words to himself. A frozennd stood before them. It was an area with an average temperature of 1 degree Celsius even during summer, and was covered in perpetual snow. The uracy of Reiko and Anns magic detection function was lower than that of Capricorn 1s Magi Detector, so they were moving in a zigzag pattern, probing for the general location of their destination. All while Alectus Hide enveloped the three of them. But since Hide couldnt conceal thempletely, they had to cover themselves with a white poncho-like cloak. Almost 500 meters left. There were no obstacles up ahead. Thend was almostpletely t, save for a few undtions here and there. I wonder if its underground. It was quite possible, considering the weather conditions. Lets be extra careful as we proceed. 400 meters, 300 meters, 200 meters Please wait. About 150 meters to go, Reiko asked everyone to stop. There seems to be another barrier up ahead. She threw a piece of ice that had fallen at her feet up ahead, and it bounced off in mid-air as if it had hit an invisible wall. A physical barrier, huh. It was just like a Solid Barrier. Had it been a Magic Barrier instead, the thing that wouldnt have been able to go through it would have been magical power instead of solid matter. How are we going to go through it? Should we burrow underground again? Yes. And it shouldnt take us too long, since its all show and ice around here. At Annes suggestion, they began digging the snow at their feet. That said, Ann had already done most of it by that time. Her enhanced physical ability was not for show. After digging a hole of about 10 meters under the snow, the party was finally getting closer to their goal. Only about 100 meters left. A loosely raised snowy field came to view. It made them wonder what was underneath all that snow and ice. Metal? The feeling under Reikos shoes wasnt that of rock. She crouched and cleared away some of the snow, revealing a silver-gray metal underneath. Mithril? No, its an unknown metal. At first, Reiko felt the urge to use magic to investigate this new metal, but she then realized it could alert the Origin n of their presence, so she changed her mind. Were definitely close. Anns words caused Alectus body to be tense. If this truly is the Land of Beginnings, and the Origin n truly lives here, there has to be a doorway somewhere around here. After saying that, Ann started looking around everywhere. But Mrs. Ann, this ce is so vast How are we going to find a doorway? Ann met Alectus uneasiness with a nonchnt reply. Sister, please search the surroundings with your Temperature Sensor. Anywhere with an unusually high temperature would be suspicious enough for us to take a look. Understood. Reikos eyes had been given various functions. One of them was a Temperature Sensor, which was essentially a built-in thermograph. It allowed her to see the distribution of ambient temperature in different colors. After a minute of surveying, Reiko concluded that there was no difference in temperature in the area. Lets keep moving for a bit longer then. Reiko repeated this procedure closer to 50 meters to the apparent destination of their search. There are two ces with an unusually high temperature. Lets take a look. They would investigate those ces from up close. Ah, there are some nts growing here, thats all. The first ce they checked was an area where cold-resistant, lichen-like nts flourished. Lets check the other ce. A t snowy field was there. However, it seemed a bit unnatural. What a beautiful circr shape it has, dont you think, sister? Yeah. And the temperature in this circle is slightly higher than everything around it. About 2 degrees higher, Id say. The conversation was solely between Ann and Reiko. Alectus couldnt keep up with them. Do you think there could be a hatch here somewhere? Thats very likely. Lets try clearing away some of this snow. Reiko and Ann worked together to clear the snow away. The confused Alectus hurriedly tried to help them, but Youre getting in the way. Please step aside. He was seen as nothing but a hindrance by Reiko. Then, three minutester This is definitely a hatch. There was a round metal hatch about 2 meters in diameter right in front of them. Do you see how we can go about opening this? Maybe. There was a square section beside the hatch. It had a lid which opened the moment she slid her finger in it. And there was a lever past that lid. This lever should open the hatch. Yeah. But before we do that Lets go over what were going to do after this once again. Chapter 533

Chapter 533

Magi Craft Meister 533 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-12 Ancient Facility Ah, Father, I bet youd love to see this for yourself Reiko muttered those words as she stood before the hatch. Back in Hourai Ind, the real Jin nodded to those words. Well wait for about a minute after the hatch is opened. Then you go on ahead, sister. Ann exined her n. Leave it to me. Well follow right behind you if theres no danger up ahead. Okay, got it. I cant say anything more than that because we dont have enough information. The only thing I can say is that I want to proceed while avoiding fights as much as possible. There were no objections to that, either. Well, then, Im opening it up. Ann operated the lever. As expected, it was connected to the hatch, which slowly opened up. The diameter of the gaping hole was about 2 meters, which was almost the same as the hatchs diameter. The lights inside didnt seem to be on. The three of them stood there, 3 meters away from the opening. But nothing happened, nor did anythinge out of the hole. A minute has passed. Lets go in. With her Peach Blossom in hand, Reiko jumped into the hole. Two minutester It should be safe by now. Lets go too. Huh? But Mrs. Reiko hasnt contacted us yet? Alectus was utterly confused. However, Reiko was connected to Laojun via her Mana Comm, and the same applied to Laojun and Ann. Therefore, Ann and Reiko would be able tomunicate with each other through Laojun. My sister and I canmunicate with each other. That was Anns simple answer to Alectus. Since there was no time for them to be wasting out there, they concluded the conversation there and jumped down the hatch one after the other. It was a vertical hole that went down for about 5 meters. There was a simpledder attached to the wall, making it look like an emergency exit. Or is this supposed to be some kind of air vent? The two of them quickly went down thedder, and found a corridor that spread to the left and right at the bottom. The corridor was bright, as it seemed to be illuminated with Ether Luminaires. They could see Reiko standing on one side of the corridor. Apparently, their destination was that way. But what is this corridor? The walls, floor, and ceiling are made of metal Alectus words came out with a hint of amazement. Ann walked silently towards Reiko. Alectus followed her a brief momentter. There are no signs of people around here. Theres a magical reaction a bit further ahead, but Ann seemed confused by Reikos exnation. And Alectus couldnt help but be surprised at Reikos next remark. This metal Ive never seen anything like this before. Reiko touched the wall and then stated the results of her analysis. Huh? I think that even Father doesnt know about this metal. So theres a metal that even the Magi Craft Meister himself doesnt know about? That seems to be the case. Makes me wonder who in the world built this? Ann answered Alectus question, and a mere secondter, Reiko shouted. Stop! Huh? A door appeared from a nearby wall in front of them, blocking the path ahead. And at the same time, another simr door appeared behind them, blocking the way back. Were trapped! Busting through a door like this should be easy enough Just as Reiko muttered those words while touching the door, a yellowish-green gas drifted from the ceiling. Reiko then made a quick decision. Ann! Stay close to Alectus and create a fully defensive barrier! In response to hermand, Ann quickly set up a fully defensive barrier without asking any questions, let alone hesitating. It was a barrier that wouldnt allow any gas, liquid, or solid substance to pass through. Therefore, it would be able to ward off that seemingly poisonous gas. On the other side, it would also set a time limit on the oxygen supply for those within the barrier. Ann didnt need to breathe, but Alectus was effectively on a timer. It seems to be some kind of toxic gas. Reiko was able to analyze the gas. This is definitely chlorine gas. Chlorine is an element with atomic number 17 that irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, causing coughing and vomiting. It was used during World War I as a weapon due to its ability to destroy internal living tissue and cause potentially lethal respiratory failures. Its special trait is being heavier than air, making it particrly effective against soldiers who were trapped in trenches. Sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3), also known as Hypo, would be needed to neutralize this gas safely, but there was no such thing in this world. (Hypo would be used to dechlorinate tap water in order to make it suitable for keeping domestic fish. Jin knew this, and so Reiko and Laojun also learned this from him). The nozzle is there. me Ball! Reiko calmly found the nozzle where the gas wasing from, and used a me Ball to melt it down and seal it. Next was the chlorine still in the air. She then contacted Laojun in order to devise a countermeasure. Use water to absorb the chlorine gas, huh? I see Im counting on you. After receiving Laojuns word of advice, Reiko waited for his support. Soon enough, a huge block of ice appeared before her. I expected no less from you, Laojun. Ill melt this ice first Heat. The 1 cubic meter block of ice began to melt into water. Reiko kept on increasing the temperature, causing it to start to evaporate. The steam filled the air, absorbing the chlorine gas and bing a mixture of hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid, which was extremely corrosive. There, Reiko pulled out her Peach Blossom and thrusted it deep into the floor. The unknown metal at her feet could only offer a cardboard-level resistance before thebination of the power of Peach Blossom and Reikos own strength, and was easily pierced. The extremely corrosive liquid went down that hole, rendering the air in the closed corridorpletely harmless once again. Theyve underestimated us. Now, lets open this door. With her Peach Blossom in hand, Reiko unleashed a series of four consecutive shes, two vertical ones and two horizontal ones. The metallic door was cut down like paper, creating a square hole in the middle of it. Fresh air came rushing in. After that, Ann lifted the fully defensive barrier. Alectus was unable to grasp what just happened, and was just standing there with a confused look on his face. I asked Ann to create a barrier to keep the toxic gas away while I worked on neutralizing it. Reiko offered a very abridged exnation. A-Ah I suppose I shouldve expected as much from the Magi Craft Meisters Automata At any rate, we can now proceed. We need to be much more careful than ever from now on. The three of them then resumed their exploration of the underground corridor. At the end of the corridor, they found another vertical shaft with a spiral staircase leading downward. We have no choice but to keep going down here. Reiko explored the surrounding area with her built-in Magi Detector. Even though hers was a simplified version, it was practical enough at short distances because it helped her determine whether or not there was magical power in the vicinity with certainty. There doesnt seem to be any magical traps in the area. After saying that, Reiko started going down the spiral staircase. The floor below was a mere 4 meters down these stairs. The hallway was also illuminated brightly with Ether Luminaires. Nothing dangerous seemed to be up ahead, so Reiko called Ann and Alectus to go down as well. Another corridor, huh? Yes. Our destination seems to be a bit further down below. So its even deeper underground? That seems to be the case. After waiting for a minute without anything happening, the party stepped into the corridor that stretched out in front of them. The acid that poured from the upper floor was now gone, and the three of them continued walking for about 15 meters before reaching a turn to the right. There were no doors on the way. Please stop. Reiko, who was leading the party, asked everyone else to stop. From that point on, the color of the floor had changed. What used to be gray was now painted purple. Whats going on here? It didnt seem to be just an aesthetic change. It was reasonable to think that it indicated some sort of meaningful boundary. Sister, why dont you try throwing something over to that side? Right. Lets see Reikos body had the function of processing, solidifying and storing food. This processed sphere could be shaped into a sphere, which could then be used as a weapon of sorts. But now she had chosen to use it for research purposes. Reiko spat a small sphere of about 1 cm of diameter towards the purple floor. The sphere drew an arc before falling, and then, the moment it touched the floor !! Blue sparks flew, and the sphere became charred before crumbling on the floor. Chapter 534

Chapter 534

Magi Craft Meister 534 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-13 Dungeon Lightning Magic, huh? After seeing those blue sparks, Reiko determined that that was the case. Since purple was the color that represented the lightning attribute, Ann and Alectus agreed with her estimation. Lightning Magic Or maybe a high-voltage lightning trap? On Hourai Ind, Jin was curiously following the scene projected on the Magic Screen from Reiko via Laojun. Theres no way to know how it was set up, so this trap itself might not even be magical in nature For example, they could have simply charged a powerful capacitor or rechargeable battery with lightning magic and then used it for this floor. A smile appeared on Jins face as he thought to himself I could use one of those. But then he quickly returned to the issue at hand. Ahem An electric trap, huh? Well have to think hard about how to avoid it. Barriers arent very useful if the floor is under high voltage. This is because they can only spread out to the point where they touch the ground. Ann and Reiko should be safe against lightning magic damage thanks to their magical beast leather shoes, but theres no need for them to take unnecessary risks Besides, theres Alectus to consider as well Jin continued to ponder in front of the Magic Screen. There seemed to be a high-voltage current coursing between the floor and the ceiling. He had no way to know the exact voltage because there was gas instead of vacuum, and if it was a magical discharge, it could have been affected by Ether. At any rate, it would be in the range of tens of millions to hundreds of millions of volts. He considered it to beparable to the voltage of any natural lightning bolt. Should we short it out, then? Jins words came out tainted with a mischievousugh. Father has made something, and it seems he will be sending it to me. What could that be? Reiko ryed a message she had received from Laojun. Ann had received the same message as well. Incidentally, and unfortunately enough, Reiko and Anne were currently unable tomunicate with one another directly. However, by using Laojun as a ry, they would be able to have a long-distance conversation with a timeg of less than 1 second. Alectus, as usual, was the only one excluded from their apparent telepathic link, and couldnt help but be the only one having question marks written all over his face. Then, a minuteter, the item in question was sent to them via the transfer machine. Is that a Mithril rod? It was actually a long pole made of Mithril silver, which had a good electrical conductivity. The n was to use this pole to connect the ceiling with the floor, ideally causing the trap to short out. Naturally, it was long enough to touch both the ceiling and the floor, and had a grip in the middle made of an insting material. Grabbing the pole with that grip, Reiko ced it so that its lower tip touched the floor, and then slowly raised it until it was almostpletely vertical, where its upper tip touched the ceiling. In an instant, pale blue sparks started to fly all over the ce. With a current of hundreds of thousands of amperes going through it in less than a second, the Mithril rod still withstood the load, even though it had started to turn red. I believe the lightning magic that had been coursing through here wont be a problem anymore. Reiko spat another ball of processed food. This time, it fell to the floor and rolled unharmed, which confirmed that the Magi Device that was causing that lightning had burned out due to overload. Still, just to be on the safe side, Reiko was the first one to step onto the purple floor. All clear, its safe to walk in here now. Thus the lightning trap was disarmed, and they were able to continue exploring the hallway with the scent of ozone in the air. The purple floor went on for about 3 meters before returning to its usual gray hue. Then, the corridor took a turn to the left. Please wait. Ann and Alectus did as Reiko said, and at that moment, the floor that had been right in front of them was gone. It was a pitfall trap. I could sense the echo under this section here with my Sonar, which lets me explore the surrounding area with more precision. This kind of trap is useless against us. The width of the trap was about 5 meters, which was enough for Reiko and the others to leap over. Sister, there may be another trap right after this one. Ann offered her word of advice. After all, setting up a second trap right after an easy-to-avoid trap is amon strategy that takes advantage of the false sense of security that avoiding the first trap would give. Youre right, we have to be extra careful here. Reiko pulled out her Peach Blossom and shed the metal wall, cutting out a metal sheet about 1 square meter. Then she rolled the metal sheet into a cylinder and threw it over the hole. The cylinder made a nging noise as it rolled on the floor. But since nothing happened to it in the end, they determined that the floor after the trap was safe. Okay, lets go. Can you jump over this hole, Mr. Alectus? Yes, it should be possible for my enhanced body. Well then, Im going first. Ann jumped right after Reiko. After that, Alectus too jumped over the trap. A bit after that, they came across another spiral staircase. But this one was heading up. Upstairs, huh? I thought we were going deeper down below? Perhaps this route is a decoy? Ann shared her concerns. But for now, we have no better route than this one. In case of an emergency, well have to break through the floor and walls. Lets keep going like this for now. Despite offering a rather extreme alternative, Reiko chose to continue on their usual path. From the length of the stairs, it seemed that they would go back to the same level as the floor where they had been a while ago, but it also looked like they woulde out at apletely different ce. First of all, the ceiling was pretty low. Reiko, who was 130 centimeters tall, could barely stand upright, so the ceiling didnt seem to be more than 140 centimeters above the floor. Ann and Alectus had to crouch in order to be able to walk in there. The corridor severely restricted their movements. It was also quite narrow, about 1.5 meters wide. This looks like a dungeon. The word Reiko had learned from Jins vocabry seemed appropriate to describe this ce. So there must be more traps on this floor as well, huh? The moment Ann added her own remark One of the walls of the corridor opened up, and approximately a hundred golems about 1 meter tall starteding out of the hole. Now they throw golems at us!? Without saying a single word, the golem horde attacked the party. Their power and speed were decent. However, there were many of them. Moreover, it was extremely difficult to fight them because the ceiling was so low. Because of that, it could be said that the terrain was beneficial for the golems. Reiko was the only one that could fight properly, but even then, she had little space to work with. She tried swinging her Peach Blossom around, but it would get stuck on the ceiling and walls. Still, she had to try her best, since she had to protect both Ann and Alectus, who could do nothing but crouch in that narrow corridor. This is such a bother! This situation had Reiko very frustrated. And the same could be said for Jin back in Hourai Ind. Reiko, I have received permission from my Lord. Please raise your output to 50 percent. Okay. Reikos power at 50% output capacity wasparable to that of tactical weaponry. A single punch from her sent one of the golems flying, taking with it 3 more of them in its path. She had the power to neutralize 5 or 6 golems with a single kick. And once she did just that, it created a small opportunity. Induction One of Jins original spells, a magic that generates high heat in metal by the principle of electromaic induction. Ann, use a Barrier to protect Mr. Alectus. Yes, sister. Thanks to Induction, about 60 of the hostile golems had turned red-hot. Then they turned orange, then yellow, and then started to be incandescent before they started to melt. Those golems turned into lumps of metal in almost no time. The high concentration of Ether in this area makes spells much more effective. B-But how are we going to keep moving ahead? Alectus seemed concerned about the fact that the corridor up ahead had turned into a pool of molten metal. Well have to cool it off then. Absolute Zero. Through the use of the spell that robbed substance of its heat, the pool of molten metal solidified in an instant. W-What? What kind of magic is that!? Alectus couldnt help but shout out of disbelief of what he had just seen. This is our original magic. It wasnt a lie. And nothing more about it was shared with Alectus. They continued crawling for about ten more meters, where they found a staircase at the end of a turn to the right. This time it was a staircase that went down. Lets go. After a quick check for traps, Reiko stepped in. These stairs seemed to go down for about 10 more meters. Lets see, what kind of interference are we going to find on this floor? Reiko still had plenty of juice left, and Ann was just as motivated as her. Were still not there yet, huh However, Alectus seemed to have umted a great deal of fatigue. Chapter 535

Chapter 535

I updated the links. You need to locate chapters from the series page I also made an announcement which you can locate on the homepage Magi Craft Meister 535 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-14 Arrival Here, Mr. Alectus. Drink this. Ann took a small bottle of Hourai Inds Pelshika Juice she had brought on her in case of an emergency, and handed it to Alectus. After drinking about 100 milliliters of it, Alectus was rejuvenated as his fatigue vanishedpletely. The one most surprised by this was Alectus himself. Amazing! What kind of secret medicine is this? My fatigue ispletely gone! Im d to hear that. Lets carry on ahead. It was still too early to stop for a chat, so Ann urged Alectus to keep moving. Alectus didnt ask any further questions. The ceiling here had returned to its normal height. The party was grateful for not having to crouch anymore. This corridor was about 20 meters long, and it curved slightly to the side. Whats that? The corridor led up to something that looked like a small hall. There still seem to be a few more traps ahead. Reiko carefully looked into the hall. It was empty and circr, about 10 meters in diameter. The ceiling was about 4 meters high. There were no decorations inside, just a metal floor, ceiling, and walls. Another corridor was visible at the opposite side of the hall. I cant think that there are no traps in here. But we cant turn back now. Their destination seemed to be after that corridor past the central hall. Ill make a barrier and take it with me as I go first. Protected with a barrier, Reiko wouldnt be caught by most traps. Be careful, sister. Still, Ann couldnt help but wish for Reikos safety. Im off. Protected by her barrier, Reiko broke into a dash across the corridor Oh? The floor at her feet sank about 1 centimeter deep. Since she hadnt detected any underground cavities, she had no way to predict something like this. The tips of Reikos shoes got caught, and she suddenly found herself unable to move. At that moment Sister! The ceiling of the hall opened and a viscous substance fell from its opening. It was a translucent substance simr to birdlime. Rather than covering Reiko herself, the birdlime-like substance covered her barrier. It didnt frighten Reiko, but her face still seemed bitter due to her being called by surprise. Though its binding force was rather weak, it was still very bothersome. The substance was stic and couldnt be shaken off. Since it had also covered the floor, if Reiko were to move, she could trample and fall, and then she would be covered in the substance herself as well. W-What should we do? Alectus waspletely flustered. This is very, very troublesome Just as Ann was thinking the same thing as Reiko, she received an instruction from Laojun. I see, so you want to use that? As the same indication must have been ryed to Reiko as well, she remainedpletely motionless. Ann then proceeded to use the most powerful spell she had at her disposal. Firestorm. W-What!? Alectus went white with surprise. Ann had let loose a powerful Fire Magic spell on Reiko. The spell Firestorm covers its target with fire. The birdlime-like substance that covered Reikos barrier and surrounding area was immediately disintegrated by the fire. Ann adjusted the range of the mes well so that there was no major damage to the walls or ceiling. A spell of this magnitude shouldnt pose any danger to my sister. Besides, shes well guarded by her barrier. But that substance, on the other hand Just like Laojun deduced, the substance would be highly mmable, so the Firestorm destroyed itpletely in a matter of seconds. Reiko smiled as she dispelled her own barrier. It went really well. She then walked across the hall towards the other corridor and called Ann and Alectus to join her on that side. They too walked across the hall while under the protection of Anns barrier, and eventually reached the entrance to the other corridor, where Reiko was waiting for them. You saved me, Ann. Dont mention it, sister. It was all thanks to Laojuns indications, after all. After this brief conversation, the three of them started to walk along this new corridor. What an obnoxious trap On Hourai Ind, those words came out of Jins mouth almost as if he had spat them out. My Lord, you may see them as traps, but theyre nothing more than a defense mechanism to protect whats ahead, rather than something to simply deal with intruders. A defense mechanism, huh. Yes. I believe the concept of a dungeon as mentioned by Reiko would actually include elements from a maze, though this ce theyre exploring feels more like a straight line road ahead. I see. Now that you mention it, there werent any choices for them to take along the road. Thats right. Even so, these mechanisms have been quite inconsistent. The lightning trap was quite ostentatious, whereas the chlorine gas one was truly evil. Its like theyre not on the same level with one another. But doesnt that make sense? When ites to dealing with unknown intruders from othernds, it would be better to have all sorts of different countermeasures and hope that at least one of them would work against them. I see, you do have a point. But I still think that whoever built these mechanisms, merely adapted already existing mechanisms in this structure to fit their needs. Yeah, it does look that way to me as well. Everything would probably be revealed once Reiko and the others reached their destination. The new corridor was slightly nted downwards and went ahead in a straight line. Our destination should be up ahead. After walking down this new corridor for about 30 meters, a door came into view at its end. It has to be after this door. The three of them stopped about 10 meters ahead of the door. There werent any soldiers or guardian golems anywhere near it, and there didnt seem to be any barriers protecting it. I cant say there wont be any traps, though. Right. What kind of trap would they have set up down here? It was highly unlikely theyd reuse a trap that has been already defeated on the way to this ce. The traps used so far were pitfalls, lightning traps, poisonous gas, a birdlime-like substance, and a golem army. They had already covered all aspects of physics and magic. There has to be something essential to Fathers concept of a dungeon Reiko decided to use her Mana Comm to ask Laojun about it. Of course, since Jin himself was there as well, he offered his own thoughts. I dont even want to think about something like it, but What about a trap that can send intruders to apletely different ce? Something like a warp trap, huh? That information was immediately passed onto Ann and Reiko. Something that could send us somewhere far away the moment we cross that door, right? Then, to prevent it Well have to use the Ether Jammers. There was another reason why they couldnt be too careless about exploring this ce. Back in Capricorn 1, Istalis, Shion, Netros, Lucas, and Jin (s Substitute Doll) were waiting for their safe return. Ether Jammer, activate. Ether Jammer, activate. Ann and Reiko activated their Ether Jammers at the same time. Reiko then slowly approached the door. Nothing happened on the way, and Reiko safely reached the door itself, where she found a lever that seemed to open the door. She pulled the lever And nothing happened. Perhaps it operated through some kind of magical power. And now that weve used our Ether Jammers, the lever doesnt have enough energy to open the door. Ann probably wasnt wrong about that theory. Then I guess we have no other choice. Reiko grabbed the doors knob and pulled with all her strength. However, far from being opened, the knob came off, making a loud noise. It was quite fragile after all. Reiko had no choice but to pull out her Peach Blossom. The noise theyve made had already given them away, after all. She shed at the door without any reservations. The door was left with a big X-shaped sh, which Reiko then kicked. The doors lock mechanism was probably destroyed along with Reikos shes, as the door itself was blown away with an even louder noise than before,pletely revealing the mysterious room that it had been guarding just a few moments ago. Chapter 536

Chapter 536

Magi Craft Meister 536 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-15 Mastermind The door kicked open by Reiko flew into the room with a tremendous speed. Its momentum was so strong that it looked as if it would destroy everything along its path, but instead, it soon vanished. And then, the inside of the room became visible. What is that room? In Hourai Ind, the real Jin was shocked by the image on the screen that was fed by Reikos eyes. It was windows, windows, windows everywhere. Small windows. Round windows. Square windows. Big windows. Long, rectangr windows. Elliptical windows. Bright windows. Dark windows. Glowing windows. Translucent windows. Red windows. Blue windows. Yellow windows. Windows withndscapes painted on them. Windows with letters on a 3D relief over them. The walls and ceiling of this room were filled with all sorts of windows. Could those be monitors of some sort? Thinking of the parts that look like windows as LCD panels, the room would seem to be full of high-tech electronic devices. However, it looked way too differentpared to the technology that Jin knew. So this is the technology that precedes even my predecessor? Jin muttered to himself. Laojun remained silent. So youve made it HERE. You, the followers of the Magi Craft MEISTER. It was standing right there, in the middle of the room. It was about 120 cms tall, slightly shorter than Reiko. Its head was smooth andpletely bald. Its eyes alone were strangely big, and stared at the party with a cloudy gleam. Its body was almost unhealthily skinny. Its gender wasnt clear, though it was unlikely that it was female. Its skin seemed to be deathly pale. That along with its overly slender figure made it look almost like a very sick person. And there was some kind of Magic Tool in its hands. Are you a member of the Origin n? Alectus was the first one of the party to open his mouth. NO. I AM Nega-Doll 001. Nega-Doll 001? That is CORRECT. It seems I have underestimated YOU. The being that called itself Nega-Doll 001 warped its face into a hateful expression. Were you the one who was controlling the demons with those needles? Reiko confronted Nega-Doll 001. Are you an AUTOMATA? Hmph, just a pitiful DOLL that does nothing but blindly obey her creator, without asking QUESTIONS. What did you say? Her voice was mixed with anger. Oh, are you ANGRY? So you have EMOTIONS. Ill answer your QUESTION. With a Thats right. Why!? Alectus anger was also made evident by his voice. Why, you ASK? For REVENGE. Revenge? Against all demons? This time, Ann took a step forward as she asked her question. Nega-Doll 001 took a step back. WRONG. Against HUMANS. Then, why did you imnt those needles into the demnos!? I was just doing unto THEM what they have done unto US. What!? Its TIME. Ive finally replenished the MANA that had disappeared after you so unexpectedly blew away the door to this ROOM. Having said that, Nega-Doll 001 operated the Magic Tool in its hand. After that, it instantly disappeared from the room. Transfer Magic? But we used our Ether Jammers! How? Reiko and Ann were confused. Their Ether Jammers were still active. Alectus thought that since Nega-Doll 001 wouldnt be able to use magic, it shouldnt have been able to teleport like that, and yet it did. It was probably thanks to that Magic Tool. Ann concluded that there must have been some kind of secret in the Magic Tool that Nega-Doll 001 had. Ether Converters wouldnt work while an Ether Jammer is active, but Ether Tanks and Mana Tanks wouldnt be affected. Meanwhile, Reiko was surveying the room and sending her report to Hourai Ind. So it managed to escape after all Yeah, its a shame. Alectus dropped his shoulders, and Ann had a bitter look on her face. But Reiko turned to Alectus and said: But the magical power needed to operate the needles is stilling out of this room. What? Are you sure? Yeah. Perhaps thats because of this Magi Device. Reiko then pointed at a Magi Device that was behind the ce where Nega-Doll 001 had once stood. It was also covered in several small windows, though it was a bit different than the rest of the room. But I dont know how to use it It was highly unlikely that Ann or Reiko, let alone Alectus, could know how to operate it. The same was true for Jin back on Hourai Ind. It could be possible to do something after taking some time to investigate the Magi Device, but there was no way to learn how to operate it in a shorter period of time. At any rate, we have to put an end to it. The Magi Jammer couldnt make it stop either, probably because it had some magical power inside. We dont have to destroy it, lets just make it stop. This was Jins wish. He was hoping to be able to learn something from itter. Using the Vibration Mode of her Peach Blossom, Reiko carefully opened the exterior of the Magi Device. Due to Reikos own strength, the sharpness of Peach Blossom, and the effectiveness of its Vibration Mode, the metal on the Magi Devices exterior was cut like hot butter. Alectus was at a loss for words at the swords sharpness. A minuteter, the interior of the Magi Device waspletely exposed. Are these some kind of magical power conduction wires? There were four thick wires made of Mithril silver inside. At the very least, cutting these wires would most likely cause the device to cease functioning. Lets cut them. Without hesitation, Reiko quickly cut the four wires one after another. Looks like its stopped. The magical power needed to operate the needles, which Reiko and the others had been chasing after, was not felt anymore. At least with this the ns should have regained their free will, right? Yes, perhaps. But its also possible that only the Gospel n has been freed. Assuming that the Shinra n and all other ns were being manipted in the same way, it was still unlikely that a single Magi Device would control all the ns. Should we try turning off all of the Magi Devices in here? No, sister. There are many Magi Devices here that we dont know what they are for. If we go about disabling them just like that, we may cause some kind of irreparable damage. There could even be some kind of self-destruct device for all they knew. And even if no such thing were actually there, they could end up causing some sort of infrastructure outages such as turning off the lights, or stopping the air venttion. Reiko and Ann would be okay under such circumstances, but they could be fatal to Alectus. Yeah, youre right. Reiko acknowledged that, and put her Peach Blossom back into its scabbard. Well, what do we do now? We ought to return to the Gospel ns ce. Eventually, yes. They had to send Alectus back to his people, so they would have to at least stop by on their way back. But lets investigate here for a little longer. Reiko thought it wouldnt hurt to look around for a while longer, considering they had gone through all that trouble to go all the way down there. And Laojun and Jin also wished for them to be able to find something new as well. Huh? Is there another room behind this one? Ann, who was looking into the back of the room, found something that looked like a door. Reiko and Alectus soon came along. A door, huh? There was a thin rectangr fissure running 2 meters tall and 1 meter wide on the wall. However, despite looking like a door, none of them knew how to open it. There were no handles, nor levers, nor anything that could look like something that opened a door anywhere nearby. It doesnt seem that it can be opened by anything except magical means It looked like the automatic doors found on modern Earth. Still, even those automatic doors could be opened manually in case of an emergency. This door Despite Reiko and Anns insistent search, there didnt seem to be anything that would open that door around. Is this really a door? Alectus walked up to the door and ced his hand on the door before rubbing it. At that moment The door opened without making a single noise. Chapter 537

Chapter 537

Magi Craft Meister 537 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-16 White There was only one word that came to mind when looking at the hidden room behind that door: White. Everything was white. The ceiling, the walls, the floor. Everything. However, it wasnt pure white like snow, but rather more like a very light gray, or a matte white. The white that covered everything in that room had no radiance at all, and was just a in, boring white. And in the center of that room was a bed on which someoney. What is this ce? A hospital room, or a bedroom, perhaps? While Alectus and Ann shared their spections, Reiko was staring at the person in the bed. That person was covered in white sheets, so she couldnt see them well. At that moment Whos there? They suddenly heard a new voice. When they turned toward its source, they found a white Ca really white girl standing at the other side of the bed. She was about 1 meter tall, making her smaller than Reiko. Her hair was pure white. Her skin was also infinitely white. The clothes she was wearing were also white. Only her eyes were ck. Have youe to bother my father? That person that looked like a small girl walked around the bed and put herself between Reikos group and the bed. Ill protect my father. Then she spread out her arms in front of her chest as if blocking the way. This confused the three of them, but Ann soon opened her mouth. Dont worry. Were not going to do anything. So that one on the bed over there is your father? She spoke with a gentle tone of voice so as to not irritate the girl. Yes, thats right. Whats your name? Neige. Neige, huh? Im Ann. Is your father asleep, or is he sick? I dont know. Hes been sleeping for a long time, and wont wake up. Neiges gaze was fixed onto the floor. Ann then crouched and met Neiges eyes, and then continued speaking in an even more gentle tone of voice. Hey, Neige, could you let us see your father? If hes not feeling well, we might be able to cure him. Neige raised her head. Really? And if you cure my father, will he wake up? Yeah, Im sure of it. After hearing that, Neige remained thinking in silence for a brief moment, and then moved herself to the side with determination. Please, wake my father up. Okay. Ann slowly got closer to the bed where Neiges fathery. Meanwhile, Reiko approached Neige and started talking to her. So the one sleeping over there is your father, right? Yeah. Whats your name? Im Reiko. I have a Father as well. You too? Yes. My Father made me, and is the best father in this world. Hearing that caused Neige to frown. The best father in the world is my father. That remark drew a gentle chuckle out of Reiko. She could really sympathize with Neiges feelings. Yeah, youre right. For you, your father is the best father in the world, huh? Yeah! But to me, my Father is the best father in the world. So the two of them are the best? Yeah, it looks that way. It seemed that something simr to empathy had sprouted between the two of them. While Reiko and Neige were getting along well, Ann started to check on Neiges father. Lets see It was about as tall as Reiko, and very simr in appearance to the Nega-Doll that they had met just a moment ago. But there were many differences as well. The first one Ann could notice was his skin color. Rather than a sickly pale tone, his skin was warmly tanned. And he had white hair on his head. Lets take a look at his pulse To begin her diagnosis, Ann checked his pulse. However Theres no pulse? She checked his wrist, his armpit, and the zone where his carotid artery would be, but there was nothing even remotely close to a pulse anywhere. But She could feel that the being lying on the bed right in front of her wasnt dead. His body was still warm, and it felt alive. But she still didnt know how to wake him up. Back in Hourai Ind, Jin and Laojun were also at a loss for what to do. At any rate, we could try Check Up and a Trace There was a chance that they could learn something by looking at the flow of magical power in his body. Id like to have Elsas opinion Laojun, where is Elsa right now? Yes, shes currently in the kitchen taking cooking lessons from Mine. Im sorry to bother her, but please ask her toe here. Understood. A call from Laojun?. I see, Ill give that a try. Check Up Ann started her examination the same way she would do for humans. There are biological reactions inside his body, but I cant understand his organs or metabolism. I believe hes not human. Lets try a Trace With that, she was able to find out how the magical power in his body was circting. So his body works via a magical technology But what should I do now? At that time, Ann received another call from Laojun, this time to deliver some instructions from Elsa. Healing and then Trace I see Ann examined the flow of magical power after applying intermediate recovery magic, and then shared her findings with Laojun. His flow of magical power seemed to have improved, albeit slightly. Healing Healing Healing Since she was equipped with an Ether Converter, Ann could continue to use the same spell over and over without a single worry in the world. Not to mention the fact that the spells potency was significantly amplified in this environment, which had a high density of Ether. Trace He seems to be getting better little by little. I expected no less from Lady Elsas insight After five more consecutive uses of Healing, Ann made a small pause. Nows time for some recovery medicine. She then took out an ampoule of muscovite out of the first aid kit she always carried for emergencies, and fed its contents to Neiges father. Though he couldnt have taken the medicine Ann was giving him in his initial condition, now that he was slightly better, he was able to swallow it without a problem. Now Recover Recover Recover. Through Laojun, Elsa instructed Ann to apply surgical healing magic. The reasoning behind that was that even if his bodys structure was different, it could still be effective to some extent. And Elsas reasoning proved to be correct, as shortly afterwards, Neiges father slowly opened his eyes. Chapter 538

Chapter 538

Magi Craft Meister 538 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-17 No. 700672 Father! Neige jumped at her father, who had just started to open his eyes. Father, father! Nei ge? The words dide out of his mouth, albeit with difficulty. Ann took another recovery medicine and offered it to him. Can you drink this? Please try to. Ill feed it to him! After receiving the ampoule from Ann, Neige had her father open his mouth and poured its contents inside. After drinking the recovery medicine, Neiges Father slowly took a deep breath. Thank you. This time around, his voice came out much stronger than before. The medicine seemed to have been very effective. Help me sit straight, Neige. Yes, father. With Neiges help, her father straightened up on the bed. He then looked around at the new faces around him, catching a glimpse of Ann, Reiko, and then stopping on Alectus. After silently staring at Alectus for a full minute, Neiges father softened his expression. Impressive. So even one of the descendants of the Fallen Ones has managed to get here. Imend you for finding this ce. Alektus, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth in response to those words. Y-You Are you from the Origin n? Correct. I am Servant No. 700672. I am one of which you know as the Origin n. This ce No, this facility what is it? This time around, it was Reiko who asked. Well, if it isnt an Automata with a will of her own. Truly impressive Ill answer your question. This is a ce that was once part of the Soaring Ship. And this room where I ought to sleep for all eternity. Soaring Ship. Those words sounded somewhat familiar. Are you one of the people who came here on this Soaring Ship? Correct. I havee to thisnd with my master. Where is your master now? My master is no more. The lifespan of his kind is shorter than ours. W-What are those Fallen Ones you spoke of? This question came from Alectus. The Fallen Ones are those who were born after we arrived on this, from the descendants of my masters. Then, that means Correct. They are the distant, yet direct, descendants of my masters. Meanwhile, in Hourai Ind, Jin sensed that themon roots of both humankind and the demons were about to be revealed. Through Laojun, Jin asked for an urgent meeting of the Family. Brother Jin This is very interesting. Elsa was already in the loop. What is it, Jin? Then Saki arrived. Did something happen? What happened, Jin? Whats going on, Jin? Master Jin, did you call for me? Then Toa, Stearleana, Vivian, and finally Mine. Whats up, Jin? What happened, Jin? Finally, Reinhardt and Berthie arrived. My masters came to this Ars after leaving the resource-depleted Hale. There are abundant resources and ethers here, all which have rejuvenated the masters. Hale would be the name of their of origin, while Ars seemed to be their name for the where Jin and the others lived. Some of my masters have associated themselves with the natives of this world, which resulted in the creation of offspring. As this offspring carried a weaker blood than that of my masters, they were dubbed Fallen Ones. Did you understand? This is the answer to your questions from earlier. My master is no more. All that remains are you, the Fallen Ones, who have inherited their blood. This made Jin wonder if those who inherited the blood of this Master are the ones who can use magic, and those who havent, cannot. Jin, does this mean Ah, thats right, Vi! This will make for a great story to tell! The precious truth is about to be history So, what have you been doing here all this time? The partys next question was asked by Ann. I shall answer that as well. I am thest Servant, No. 700672. I am merely waiting here in thisnd where my masters lie buried until the day I too crumble to dust. How How old are you? I am my masters creation. Therefore, the question how old are you? makes no sense in my case. The closest concept that I could rely on to give you a suitable answer would be that my master created me over 5,000 years ago, ording to thiss calendar. F-Five thousand years!? Reiko, Ann, Alectus, and everyone else listening to this exchange in Hourai Ind were equally amazed by his answer. Correct. I am a homunculus. A fabricated life form. Therefore, the concepts of aging and death are foreign to me. I shall instead decay and cease functioning before crumbling to dust. T-Then, why have you used this needle to exert dominance over our kind? A needle, you say? No. 700672 was deep in thought with an expression that hinted that he didnt have any idea what they were talking about, but eventually found an appropriate answer to deliver. Would it be a Magic Tool about 2 centimeters long and 1 millimeter thick? Thats right! Please answer my question! Why are you trying to control us? Alectus voice became louder as he was overtaken by his emotions. However, No. 700672s face looked as if he couldnt understand. Control you? What do you mean? Dont y dumb! NO! Neige interrupted the agitated Alectus. Wait, Neige. Perhaps he too is going through a situation of his own. In contrast with Alectus excitement, No. 700672s answer waspletely devoid of passion. Ive been sleeping in this room for quite some time before you arrived. How long has it been ording to your time standards 300 years, perhaps? No. 700672 looked at one of the windows that were present in the room. Therefore I cant say I am aware of the particr strife youre talking about. 300 years Alectus, and everyone else listening in Hourai Ind, were half amazed and half surprised to hear about such a long slumber. However, I can think of a possibility. Please exin the situation in detail. O-Okay. The thing is No longer concerned about using the proper honorifics with whom he was speaking, Alectus exined his ns situation. And Reiko and Ann exined what was going on with the other ns. Hmph. Its possible that this is the doing of the failures. Failures? Thest Servants my masters created. However, it seems that my masters had no particr need for them in this world, and so they came out as imperfect, disobedient creations. Are they homunculi as well? Correct. My masters used to refer to these defective homunculi as Failures. Alexus was at a loss for words. The fact that the technology to create a person artificially actually existed was incredibly hard to believe, and yet one such person was sitting right before their eyes. I havent been able to move my body satisfactorily for about 400 years now. I havent left this room for that long. Thats why I dont know whats been happening in the outside world. ording to No. 700672, a total of 13 failures had been created, and all of them should have been discarded. However, it is possible that some of those failures actually managed to avoid being discarded. That Nega-Doll we met earlier Was that one of those failures? Reiko interrupted his monologue. Nega-Doll? Is that what it called itself? Yes. We encountered it in the previous hall, just before we found this hidden room. Though it teleported away shortly afterwards. I see. I have an approximate understanding of the situation. I would like to think about this for a moment. After saying that, the seemingly exhausted No. 700672y on the bed once again. Chapter 539

Chapter 539

Magi Craft Meister 539 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-18 The Facts Behind the Strife Would you like to have some more of this? Ann offered him thest medicine she had in her hand. Thank you. But isnt this valuable to you? No. 700672 asked Ann as he received the medicine from her. Dont worry. We can have a lot more of this once we go back. Hmph. This medicine is truly impressive. My masters would probably be able to concoct something of this quality, but I am surprised to see that the Fallen Ones can make something like this. Youve got it all wrong. Finding herself unable to keep quiet about it, Reiko corrected him. The one who made this medicine was my Father, the Magi Craft Meister, not the Fallen Ones. Though unexpectedly, she was technically speaking the truth. Jin was a person summoned from Earth, so he wasnt someone born in this world. But to No. 700672, Reikos remark was nothing but an expression of her own pride. Haha, as expected from an Automata with a will of her own. I can truly understand the feeling of holding ones creator with utmost esteem. I too wish I could meet my own creator. No, thats not it However, at this moment, a message came to her through Laojun, telling her that there was no need to continue talking about that. And to let him speak. After taking thest of Anns medicines, No. 700672 seemed to have recovered some of his energy, and continued to speak while lying down on his bed. Im sure theres only a few remaining Ether in this facility, but you should still be fine here. Huh? In order to sustain my physical body, I require Ether. Therefore, my body is set to gather Ether from the surroundings. This could be one of the reasons why Alectus had gotten tired so easily. Hmm? The Ether density in the air is strange? No. 700672s voice came out with a hint of surprise as he looked into one of the windows close to his bed. Did something happen while I was asleep? This low concentration of Ether is quite abnormal. This might be a result of the Great Magic War, and the Ether Stampede. Ann briefly exined the particrs of these two events. Hmp, a Great Magic War, you say? How foolish. To think that brethren that share amon ancestor would kill each other Then he quickly changed the topic. Regarding those needles It was indeed my master who made them. ! The look on Alectus face turned grim. However, that did nothing to change No. 700672s calm tone of voice. Dont get flustered. My master did create them. However, their purpose was to allow them to control the failures. So it was for the failures? Correct. Ive mentioned that the failures came out as disobedient creations. Therefore, my master created the Agujas to have them follow orders. There were two types of Agujas. One that conveyed orders to the wearer, and another one thatpelled them to follow those orders. An additional feature of the Aguja that conveyed orders was that it was able to transmit whatever its wearer had heard to their master. We shouldve known that they werent going to work the way we intended them to. So what youre trying to say is that those failures are the ones trying to control us The true identity of the mastermind had been made clear. However, there were still some doubts. Whats their goal? Things like the destruction of all humanity seem like an illogical directive. Ann stepped and asked this on Alectus behalf. The failures absolutely abhor the Fallen Ones. Thats why they see them as foes. B-But why? Im not sure about that. The concepts of very, worship, obedience, and allegiance had been embedded into them when my master created them, but all of these concepts had be their direct opposites. And so they started calling themselves Nega-Dolls, huh. Ann was still calm even after hearing such a story. Perhaps. Youve mentioned something about a Great Magic War. Theres a high possibility that this war was plotted by them as well. With this, it could be safe to regard the Nega-Dolls asmon enemies to demons and humans alike. At this point, No. 700672 closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh. Father, are you okay? Neiges voice was filled with concern. Yes, Im fine. Just a bit tired. I think Ill be able to be with you a little while longer. Im d. Neige took No. 700672s hand and smiled. Come to think of it, what exactly is Neige? Ann asked the question that Reiko, Alectus, and everyone else on Hourai Ind had been asking themselves for some time. No. 700672 had said that thest Servants thest homunculi turned out to be failures. What did that make of Neige? Neige is a homunculus of my own creation. I made her long after my master created and subsequently discarded the 13 failures. It was said that creating a homunculus was no easy task, due to the various special materials and secret techniques required to do so. Perhaps it wouldve been better to not get too greedy with their functionalities, to keep them simple, to not embed those factors into them, and to not have made so many of them. At any rate, other than Neige, these homunculi wouldnt listen to No. 700672s master, and hated the Fallen Ones, which were the direct descendants of these masters. The masters tried using the Agujas to keep them in check, but were unable to monitor them for 24 hours a day, and fearing they would be able to do whatever they wanted while outside of monitoring hours, they decided to dispose of them. Though they were all supposed to have been burned to ashes. And yet the one we met earlier called itself Nega-Doll 001. It may be the first one of the failures to be made. Ann recalled what Nega-Doll 001 had said. He had spoken of revenge. And of doing unto humans what humans had done unto them. When she told that to No. 700672, he nodded. It stands to reason. The pain caused by the Aguja must have been unbearable. I can understand why that could trigger their wish for revenge. In the case of homunculus, the Aguja would have been embedded into their organ that was equivalent to the human brain. As Alectus had one of those embedded into his own heart, the thought of having it in his head instead sent a shiver down his spine. Almost everyone on Hourai Ind listening to this conversation went suddenly silent. It was as if it had shaken everyone to their very cores. The only exception to this was Jin. Laojun, tell Ann to ask him what kind of magical technology Nega-Doll 001 has ess to. Understood. From what they had heard so far, Nega-Doll 001 seemed to be indiscriminately attacking both demons and humans alike. It was as if it didnt even see them as demons or humans. They were all merely the descendants of its hated master. Perhaps, its goal is to instigate demons into getting them destroyed by humans, and in doing so, damage humans in some way as well. After quicklying back to his senses, Reinhardt shared his opinion. Ah, it seems that No. 700672 is about to answer the question. In response to Jins words, everyone shifted their attention towards the Magic Screen. The weapons at the Nega-Dolls disposal, huh No. 700672 repeated Anns question. Thats right. Its only logical to try to get as much information about our enemy as possible. Hehe, as expected from an Automata with a will of her own. You say interesting things. And you are correct. I shall tell you everything that I know. No. 700672 started by saying that there was some guessing to his knowledge, and then mentioned the following items: The Agujas. Chlorine gas. Adhesive traps. Every known type of offensive magic. Illusory barriers. Metallic Golems. Enved magical beasts. Kic ammunition. Gravity Bombs. Transporters. And so on. They are also armed with intelligence. It is possible they had devised other weapons. Thest two on that list seemed to have piqued the curiosity of Jin and the others on Hourai Ind the most. What is a gravity bomb? They asked this question through Anns mouth. Are you familiar with Gravity Magic? Well, Gravity Bombs generate a tremendous amount of gravitational force in a narrow range for a brief moment after their detonation. They can apply a force of 1000 times stronger than normal gravity in a single second. Most living things would be crushed under such tremendous force. Even non-living things would be unable to bear the pressure. And the Transporter is a kind of device that allows them to ce a marker at a specified location and send things to it, as well as bring things from it. It sounded simr to Jins transfer machine, but the Transporters main advantage was that it allowed them not only to send things over, but to retrieve things as well. On the other hand, it seemed to rely on a marker to be set in ce beforehand, a limitation that Jins transfer machine did not have. Well, were going to at least need toe up with something that can counter those two things. Jin folded his arms and began to think about possible countermeasures. Chapter 540

Chapter 540

Magi Craft Meister 540 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-19 The Return So that No. 700672 has been sleeping for thest 300 years, huh? Vivian started muttering. Thats about how long ago the Great Magic War took ce Im pretty sure the initial discord between humans and demons was put in motion by this Nega-Doll. Yeah, you could say that. Stearleana agreed, saying that No. 700672 had said something to that effect as well. So, does that mean that the strife between humans and demons will end if that Nega-Doll is defeated? Reinhardt was the one to answer that question. As long as we can get proof of what No. 700672 said, or even fully believe his words to be true, that is. Then, he finished by adding that the intense feeling of hatred that has been ingrained for over 300 years would be considerably difficult to get rid of. Im not sure whether his ambiguity was intentional or involuntary, though. Elsa voiced her concern. I have no idea who this master he spoke of could have been. No. 700672 had been very unclear in some of his words, sometimes speaking of masters and sometimes referring to a single entity. Lets ask him that then. After announcing that, Laojun asked that through Ann. So you want to know about my master No. 700672 closed his eyes as if letting himself be ovee by nostalgia, but this was only for a brief moment, as he soon opened his eyes again and started talking. My master and we descended upon this about 5,000 years ago, ording to its calendar At that time, there were probably about 1,000 masters. Apparently, each of these masters used to keep one or two servants. Therefore, when I say master, Im referring to my own master. And when I say masters, Im referring to all of my own masterspanions. Jin and everyone else on Hourai Ind were convinced by this answer. In other words, the Nega-Dolls were made by my masters, while the Aguja was created by my own master. Understood. Can you tell us the name of your master? I No, none of us Servants are at liberty to speak of our masters names. It would seem that they held up their own names to a certain degree of sanctity. Once again, No. 700762 closed his eyes as if he waspletely exhausted. Neige silently covered him with a nket. Reiko, Ann, and Alectus moved away from the bed. Well, Id say weve learned a lot about what we wanted to know. Ann nodded at Reikos statement. Yes. Im sure theres a lot more Master would like to know about, but I think this Nega-Doll is our biggest concern at this moment. Yeah. I think we only need to know how to disable those needles ah, Agujas, then we can leave. That would be nice to know. After a brief moment, Alectus slowly approached the bed. Neige raised her face to meet him. Im sorry. Theres one more thing wed like to know I know. You want to learn how to disable the Agujas. I heard you. That makes this quicker then. Could you please tell us? Certainly. At the very least, I can help you with the controlling portion that I made. Its in the room next to this one. Neige can take you there. But I dont know if the failures have made any changes to it. That meant that the failures, in other words, the Nega-Dolls had the ability to create their own Agujas. Dont worry about it. Well release my n from their grasp, and then well set all other ns free as well. Hmm, I see. Neige, please show them. No. *?$&D#. There were some unintelligible words at the end, but still Neige walked ahead without hesitation. Then she silently pointed at a Magi Device. It was slightly different to the one Reiko and the others had disabled earlier. Is this it? It had threerge windows, and eight smaller ones. Then I do this here. Neige then operated two small levers and four small buttons, and the threerge windows went dim. The device seemed to have ceased functioning. This should do it. After saying that, Neige trotted back to the small room so that she could stay close to No. 700672. You have my thanks, No. 700672 of the Origin n. Alectus offered him a bow from his slightly distant position. No, none of this would have happened if only we hadnt been so careless. So you ought to be careful, and dont underestimate the failures. Thats all I can say. If possible, Id like you to destroy the failures though that might prove to be impossible. No. 700672s voce had gone feeble. I would like to tell you where the failures have set up their base of operations But thats outside of what Im aware of. Im sorry I cant help you in that regard. I see, thats too bad. Ah, thats right. The thought of having to go back to the surface soon brought another question to Anns mind. There were a lot of traps on the way here. Do you think you can disable them? Traps? No. 700672 was visibly confused. Ann exined to him the obstacles they had to ovee before meeting him. I see. As far as youve told me, most of them had been set up by the failures. They cane and go as they please using their Transporters, so having this ce full of traps doesnt really affect them in any way. Ah, I see Theplexity of the traps had varied from simple pitfall traps to theplex and otherworldly chlorine gas room, with golems and everything in between. The party couldnt shake off the feeling of inconsistency in the selection of traps, but there was a clear reason behind that. Were some of those traps added by the failures after taking into ount that they didnt need to use the hallways? Perhaps. Moreover, most of them were set up while I was sleeping. Originally, it was just barriers and simr things. Reiko, Ann, Laojun and Jin were all convinced by his exnation. Ah, theres more. No. 700672 continued, as he had just remembered something. When you want to go outside, look for the ceiling of the aisle just outside of this window room. There should be a vertical shaft that connects directly to the surface. With a Fallen One amongst you, you should be able to use it to return to the surface safely. And then, after his words of advice I wish all the best for the future of the Fallen Ones. No. 700672 said those words, and then once again closed his eyes. Welle back here one day for sure. After a gentle stroke on Neiges head, Reiko finally left the room. Neige was probably older than Reiko, but neither of them seemed to care about that. Once the party left the white room, the door behind them quietly closed itself. So I guess homunculi dont need food in order to survive. Reiko muttered her observation. Thats right, sister. Its possible that they only need Ether to sustain their bodies. If so, the Ether Stampede might have had a huge impact on homunculi. Maybe thats why No. 700672 has been asleep for so long While having that conversation, and going back the way they came, Ann suddenly stopped. Nega-Doll 001 maye back here as well. No. 700672 said that he didnt know about what other base of operations he may have, but we should take preventive measures in case he decides toe back here. Youre right. But what should we do? Then, a message came from Laojun. Ah, I see. Yes. Understood. Laojun then sent 10 Land Units and 10 Mini Smiths to their location via transfer machine. The role of the Mini Smiths was, of course, to analyze the Magic Tools and Magi Devices in the area. Alectus had a doubtful expression on his face since he didnt know that Reiko and Ann had such means tomunicate, but it was still too soon for him to share these details with him, so the party left the window room in silence. A vertical shaft Sonar Got it, its this way. Instead of simply trying to guess where the shaft was, Reiko used her Sonar and searched for openings and hollow sections around the corridor, and quickly found a cavity that extended upwards 5 meters ahead of their position. The walls of this cavity seemed to have handrails and indentations that could be used as steps. A quick check with Trace revealed an influx of magical power, but there didnt seem to be any traps in the vicinity. Should we give this a go? Alectus started climbing up the vertical shaft all the way up until he found a ceiling of sorts. There was a hatch there, and when he ced his hand over it, it opened just like the door leading to the white room. So is this something only the Fallen Ones no, the ones that had inherited the blood of the masters, can open? Past the hatch, there was a spiral staircase attached to the walls of the 1-meter-wide vertical shaft. Its steps were only 50 centimeters wide, but it was possible to climb them easily by walking sideways. After climbing for 20 meters, they arrived at a small room of about 3 square meters. As soon as the three of them had entered this room, the hatch to the vertical shaft connecting to this room closed itself behind them. Following the knowledge passed down to them by Jin, Reiko and Ann concluded that this room could be some kind of air-lock. Perhaps this door here would already lead us outside. Alectus looked behind his shoulder, seemingly wondering when would they be able toe visit this ce again after crossing that door. The room itself waspletely empty, but for some reason, he felt somewhat reluctant to part from it. Mr. Alectus, if you will. Anns voice sessfully brought Alectus back to reality, and he promptly ced his hand on that door as well. And just like the others before it, this door opened without making a sound. The cold air from the outside flowed in, and Alectus quickly fastened the cor of his coat. His breath came outpletely white. The temperature seemed to be below freezing. Night seemed to have already fallen, as it was pitch dark outside. Lets go back to Capricorn 1. Reiko, who could see clearly even in this total darkness, pointed the party in the right direction. The three of them then started walking that way. The barriers that had stood in their way before were now gone, and so the party of three was able to safely return to Capricorn 1. Chapter 541

Chapter 541

Magi Craft Meister 541 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-20 Summarizing and Beginning Preparations The Family gathered in the undergroundboratory on Hourai Ind to discuss what they had learned so far. First of all, lets talk about the origins of humankind. Jin raised his index finger. A long, long time ago, the ancestors of humankind built a spaceship, left their home world of Hale, and arrived on this, which seems to be called Ars. Reinhardt picked it up from there. So thats consistent with our folklore, right? Vivians voice was brimming with joy. The servants that looked like humans would be these homunculi, right? And the newnd they set out in search for would be this entire. Everything is so clear now. Jin and Reinhardt nodded. The time of renewed prosperity in the newnd meant that their poption had increased as they mingled with the natives of this world. Jin shared his own conjecture. Hmm, so these ancestors from another world mated with the native race of this world, and the result of this mix would be the ancestors of both humans and demons. Toa took over with his own deduction. Heres where we face our first question. Where did the differences between humans and demons arise? Saki asked the first question. To begin with, there is no difference between the body of a human and that of a demon. Elsa stated a fact. Though we did hear that demons have a longer lifespan than humans. So why is that? Reinhardt asked the second question. I have formted a hypothesis about that. Laojun began his statement. There is a Magic Tool called Ether Stocker which enables semi-permanent storage of magical materials. But what if there was something simr for human beings, or in this case, the demons? I see So you mean that by living in a region with a high density of Ether, they could be using a device like that to dy the natural deterioration of their cells? Stearleana voiced the conclusion she had arrived at. Correct. Moreover, I believe that, after many generations, they may have be more familiar with Ether at a cellr level, which in turn extended their lifespan. I cant say thats such a good thing After all, that would make them so that they could only live in a region with a high density of Ether Vivian expressed her opinion with a bitter smile on her face. Exactly. In that sense, it would be urate to refer to their condition as an Ether dependency. And in such circumstances, something like an Ether Stampede would prove to be fatal to their kind. It could be safe to say that Ether dependency is a condition that causes one to suffer while there is no Ether close to their body. Looking at the reaction of the demons when they were exposed to Ether Jammers only seemed to solidify this theory. In the end, the Ether dependence caused by spending several generations in and rich in Ether turned out to be a double-edged sword that had brought them both great power as well leaving them vulnerable to abstinence. Next is the strife between humans and demons. Jin now raised both his index and middle finger, to symbolize the beginning of the second topic. It would seem that it was orchestrated by the homunculi No. 700672 referred to as failures. Right, though there isnt much information regarding them since No. 700672 was asleep. But it is unlikely that he is mistaken. Reinhardt supported Jins conjecture. B-But these so-called failures They were discarded, what, thousands of years ago? And yet they did nothing until the Great Magic War 300 years ago? Unusually enough, Mine gave her opinion. However, she had a point. At the very least, the failures should have been disposed of way before the time of the Great Magic War. This is because the failures had been made during the time the masters of the Servants such as No. 700672 were still alive. I have formted a hypothesis about that as well. This time it was Laojun who stated his conjectures. It would be easy for any being capable of rational thought to allow for a good preparation period. And since the concept of a lifespan is foreign to them, its no wonder that the remaining failures spent thousands of years nning before starting to call themselves Nega-Dolls. Upon hearing that, everyone nodded deeply. This is because Laojuns theory that he himself would also take a very long period of time to prepare for any ns if he had an extremely long lifespan without the need for anything but Ether for sustenance was quite convincing. In any case, these Nega-Dolls havee to despise both humans and demons alike, that is, these Fallen Ones who are the descendants of the masters, right? And for this they have incited the demons into bing hostile towards humans, right? Reinhardt and Jin were having a frank exchange about the goal of these Nega-Dolls. So we should think of the possibility of an eventualrge-scale offensive. Yes. It could bring about a destruction unlike any other skirmish so far. Upon hearing that, Elsa and all other women in the room shuddered. Will it turn into a war? Something like a Second Great Magic War? Will we truly have to go through such arge-scale bloodshed again? Im really hoping I dont have to pass on such a terrible story to posterity. This would be a grievous end to human history as we know it. You can do something about this, right, Jin? Jin nodded. Thats what were doing right now. Were gathering as much information as we can to prevent such a thing from happening. And if the need to do so ever were to arise, Jin knew that he had ess to enough military power topletely annihte the demons. But he wanted to exhaust every other possibility before ever having to consider that option. Id really like to have more information about the Nega-Dolls Laojun, it seems that the time for Capricorn 1s exploration is over. Yes, My Lord. I believe from this point on, Hourai Ind should start working on preventing the Second Great Magic War. Permission granted. Im counting on you. Then Jin turned to face the rest of the Family. So thats that. I hope I can count on everyones help. As Jin bowed his head before his friends, their voices started flying all over the ce. Of course, Jin! Ill do as much as I can. I dont know how much I can do to help, but Ill spare no effort! Just tell me what you need me to do, and if I can do it, I will. If anyone can solve this situation, its you, Jin. I, no, all of us are going to do our best to support you. Honestly, I dont think Ill be of much use. But if theres anything at all I can do to help, please tell me! Jin, you dont have to take this upon yourself alone. Thats right! Well be with you all the way! Thank you. The corner of Jins eyes started to grow warmer as he thought about what great friends no, what a great family he had in all of them. Meanwhile, Capricorn 1 had returned to the Gospel ns cave. Ill go check things out. Alectus stood up. Ill go with you. The Agujas were supposed to have beenpletely disabled, but just in case, Ann offered to join Alectus. Okay, so you two can take care of that. With Jin (s Substitute Doll) and Reiko, as well as Istalis and the others seeing them off, Alectus and Ann went back into the cave. And not even five minutester, they were back at the entrance. Seeing the joy in Alectus face made it easier to imagine how things had gone. Lord Jin! My n is free! And its all thanks to you! Thats great to hear! The n chief wishes to offer his thanks and sincere apologies, and also to discuss the situation. Would you like toe in? Jin (s Substitute Doll) nodded profusely, epting Alectus invitation. Just like before, the party left Capricorn 1 in Land 1s care, and once again headed into the cave where the Gospel n lived. And exactly at the same time as that, Hourai Ind began its full-scale preparations. Chapter 542

Chapter 542

Magi Craft Meister 542 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-21 Analyzing the Current State M-Mr. No, Lord Jin, Im truly sorry for what we have put you through There are no words to express my regret! In the drawing room, Fabius, the chief of the Gospel n, was literally on his knees as he apologized to Jin (s Substitute Doll). No, dont worry about it. No matter how many words he employed in apologizing, it was nothing but a waste of time. Thats what Laojun, who was currently operating the Substitute Doll, thought. Lets talk about more constructive matters, shall we? Jin then went on about how it was important to have all of those needles Cthe AgujasC extracted. But how are you going to do that? Ill let some experts take care of that. Just as Jin said that, Reiko came into the room. Father, here they are. Thanks, Reiko. What Reiko had brought were two Automata, Nurses 1 and 2. They had been made by the real Jin at his workshop in Hourai Ind. Making the best use out of the data of Nurses Alpha to Gamma, these new models had the most optimized tactile control, reinforced analytic capabilities, and the ability to use the highest level of Healing Magic. Their outer appearance, which had proven to be unpopr with some (?), had beenpletely renewed. To put it simply, they shared various features taken from Elsa, Sally, and Anne put together and split evenly between the two. Very short tinum hair as if to reinforce their pure and clean look. A face with an expression that was filled with the broad-mindedness of a grown woman. A medium-built body that exhibited energetic movements. Their pure white nurse clothes have been woven with Ground Spider threads, which are quite hard to get dirt on, and were sturdy enough to disinfect them by putting them through mes rather than by submerging them into boiling water.** Equipped with the strength of 20 people, they could easily suppress unwilling, rampaging patients, and they could also use Paralyze and Hypno. But their best selling point would be the Mini-Smith no, the Mini-Nurse each of them had as their personal assistants, which allowed them to handle even the most minute medical treatments. The 10-centimeter-tall Mini-Nurses were in charge of dealing with procedures at a very small level, which would be otherwise impossible for life-sized nurses. Incidentally, when not needed, the Mini-Nurses would usually stand by inside the regr-sized Nurse Caps. Lord Jin, who are thesedies? Jin smiled at the visibly confused Fabius. These Automata specialize in medical care erm, in healing. Nurses 1 and 2 had learned the procedure to safely remove the Agujas devised by Elsa via Transinfo, so the treatment for ten people waspleted in less than an hour. Since Alectus had already had his Agujas removed, there were only 9 people left in the Gospel n to go, but after including Belials of Kugutsu, who had been taken prisoner by Reikos party, the total was raised to ten. Lord Jin, I truly cannot thank you enough. Fabius had once again gone down on his knees. Oh, dont worry about it, please stand up The one controlling the Substitute Doll was Jin himself. The reason for this was the wanted to see for himself how Belials procedure had gone. I can imagine how the members of the Gospel n will be after having their Agujas removed, but Im curious about how Belials has turned out to be? Hes had a dramatic change. Youll see in a moment. Fabius gave an order to Alectus, who was standing next to him. Alectus then left the drawing room and came back about two minutester, joined by Belials. Mr. Jin, there are no words to describe how grateful I am for your help. Belials also bowed deeply toward Jin. Im d to see youre fine. Im not doing this just to help the demons. My purpose is to prevent a war between demons and humans. Can you help me? Jin went for a straightforward approach. He believed that anyone who had been controlled by the Agujas would see where hesing from. And he was right. Absolutely. I will help you in any way I can. Then, Fabius also made an announcement. Lord Jin, though our help might not be worth much, you can count with all of us from the Gospel n for whatever you need. Just say the word. Thank you. Before anything else, Id like to recount the current situation. Could you ask Istalis and the others toe here? It wasnt that Istalis, Shion, Netros and Lucas had all just been rxing in a separate room They had been talking about oral traditions and legends passed down to both the Gospel and Shinra ns. However, since the estrangement between ns still remained, Istalis and the others seemed to have been feeling as if they were being treated like members of an inferior n the whole time. Still, they didnt seem to show any kind of hostility, and so Jin didnt feel the need to cut into their conversation. Ann, who had been in the same room as Istalis and the others, simply ryed their conversation to Laojun without saying a word. Did you call us, Lord Jin? Youll help our grandfather too, right, Jin? Istalis and Shion arrived in the room, silently followed by Netros and Lucas. Finally, Ann came inst. Were going to talk about that in this meeting. After they heard Jin say that, Istalis and Shions faces became a little brighter. First, lets review what has happened so far. Jin asked Fabius, the leader of the Gospel n, to briefly recount how they got their Agujas embedded into them. Understood. We call ourselves the Gospel n because we sometimes receive words of advice from the Origin n. Those words of advice might have been seen as teachings or revtions from a superior n, which is why they chose the word Gospel to name theirs. One such advice I once received spoke of a certain Magic Tool Cor perhaps it would be better to call it an ArtifactC that was apparently enshrined in the innermost part of this cave, and told me to retrieve it. Fabius then interrupted himself as if trying to recall something, and after putting his thoughts together for a few seconds, he resumed his speech. As if it had been some kind of portent to more advice being delivered to us, one of the windows of that Magic Tool started to glow red all of a sudden. Was it about half a year ago? As the window glowed red, I waited inside that room for the words of advice to arrive. After a brief pause, Fabius continued. But instead of words of advice, what suddenly appeared was something that looked like a dwarf, that is, a very short person. Fabius then added that this dwarf might have teleported himself there. This dwarf pointed something like a tube at me. Then, before I realized what was going on, I lost consciousness When I came to, I realized that I had no choice but to do as someone said. Thats when they imnted the Agujas on you, right? Thats right. Then the dwarf was gone. And yet, I could hear a mysterious voice inside my head, or rather, right behind this ear, that whispered to me Imnt the needles on your entire n. Fabius put his hand behind his ear, as if he could still hear that voice. At first, I kept saying that there was no way I could obey such stupid orders. I kept saying that because that mysterious voice seemed able to hear my voice. But it didnt seem that it could read my thoughts. Thats one of the features of the Aguja that was imnted behind your ear. Thats right. Then, as soon as I refused, I felt an intense, unbearable pain in my chest. I couldnt breathe, and I fell on the floor and began to sweat. As I felt my consciousness fading away, the pain finally subsided, and as soon as I started to feel relieved, the voice startedmanding me again. With his shoulders dropped, Fabius then finished by saying that, eventually, he had no more strength left to struggle against that voice. Considering Fabius age, it waspletely understandable. I found some more Agujas in my pocket, as well as the same pipe-like tool that was used to paralyze me. So I started by calling Alectus to my room, where I paralyzed him, and then Cthough I waspletely disorientedC I managed to imnt the Agujas on him, following the voices instructions. Hanging his head out of shame, Fabius then added that the more allies he had, the easier it became toplete the task. And in less than an entire day, all of the members of the Gospel n had Agujas imnted on them. Also, I wasnt constantly hearing that mysterious voice. Sometimes I wouldnt hear it for as much as five days in a row. When you arrived, Lord Jin, I hadnt heard the voice for several days. But that same night, the voice spoke to me again ording to Fabius, the voice had been very talkative that night. It talked a lot about you, Lord Jin. About how you were easy to deal with and how we had to put you down. Having heard those words, Reikos face became a little tighter, while Fabius frankness and his own self-assessment caused Jin tough. By the way, what kind of drug did you try to use on me? Though he had changed the topic, Jin thought about returning to the previous one whenever he could. Well, I dont know what it is, but since it was in my pocket along with the agujas, I still have it. Ill give it to you if you wish. That would be a great help. Id like to analyze it. Fabius then whispered into Alectus ear, who then promptly left the room. A little less than a minuteter, he returned with a small bottle in his hand. This is it. The voice said that a single spoonful of this would be effective enough. But since you were the first one we ever tried using this on, we have no idea what would have actually happened. Upon receiving the bottle with the drug, Jin passed it onto Reiko. She would then use the Warp Gate in Capricorn 1 to send it over to Laojun. ording to the dwarf, this drug weakens the will and makes it so you can be lured in by someone elses words. Jin spected that it was some kind of narcotic. At the same time, he thought that having this kind of drug widely distributed in the world would mean all kinds of trouble. I understand what the Gospel n had to go through, so I guess I can say that you hold no actual hostility towards humankind, correct? Jin made special emphasis on that fact. And chief Fabius nodded in a big way. Of course! Weve had enough of us having to dance in the palm of that dwarf that Nega-Doll. Thats good to hear. Ill do everything I can to help you as well. At longst, Jin felt he was able to take the first step towards the main reason for himing to thend of the demons. Well, before we talk about the Shinra n After ncing at Istalis and Shion, Jin looked at Belials. Id first like to know about what happened with the Kugutsu n. Understood. I want our n to be saved as well, Mr. Jin. Belials bowed at Jin, and then began to speak. Chapter 543

Chapter 543

Magi Craft Meister 543 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-22 Exchange of Information Officially, the Kugutsu n is neutral, but in fact, its split into two. Belials tone of voice turned slightly more gentle towards the end of his sentence. Perhaps his feelings of gratitude towards Jin had calmed him down somewhat. Its very embarrassing to admit it, but we have an internal disunity. Belials dropped his head slightly. Jin thought that kind of thing was fairlymon, but he didnt say anything about that. Instead, he asked a different question. Am I right to assume that youre good at manipting monsters and beasts? Thats right. My specialty is controlling Grand Worms. It seems that the affinity with various monsters and beasts varies on each member of our n, and only a few of us actually speak of what we can control. I see Ah, thats right, do you know anyone by the name of Alciel? Upon hearing that name, Belials seemed to have been taken slightly by surprise. Where did you hear that name? Alciel is my sister who went missing about a year ago. Hmm? I havent met her personally, but Ive heard she wasst seen in human territory, in the Klein Kingdom. Is that so? A hint of concern started to appear on Belials face, but he quickly brushed it off and began his exnation. Her specialty is Giant Earwigs And shes also able to use Transfer Magic. Jin was reminded of those Giant Earwigs that Alciel had used to attack Gloria and her party. Do you know whos good at controlling Giant Centipedes? Giant Centipedes? No, Im sorry, but I dont know. Jin thought it had been a bit of a long shot, but he figured there was no harm in asking. Well, if you dont know, you dont know. Dont worry about it. Then Jin remembered another thing that had been weighing on his mind. Ah, right, another thing. Do you know who can control Hecatoncheires? Yes, I can think of about five people who can do that. About a month ago, someone named Endus was sent to the other side of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. Contrary to Jins expectation, it seemed that the more intelligent a creature is, the easier it is for those of the Kugutsu n to control. ording to Belials exnation, intelligent creatures had their advantage since they had a will that could be bent to some extent. On the other hand, he mentioned that the more primitive a creature is, the more suitable it is for manipting. So whats the current state of the n? Since the belligerent ones have been leaving our abode, please consider that there are about 20 or so members of the moderate faction still present. However, all of them must have had those Agujas imnted on them. I see At the very least, both the Kugutsu and the Shinra ns could be seen as victims of those dreaded Agujas. The problem is that we dont know how many ns were being controlled by that Magi Machine we stopped. It was important to release all of the moderate ns from the control of those Agujas, but they had to start with the Kugutsu and Shinra ns. Im thinking about setting off tomorrow, but which of these two ns is closer from here? Istalis answered Jins question. If thats the case, we, the Shinra n, are closer. The abode of the Kugutsu n is far off to the west. Thats right. Belials had a disappointed expression on his face, but there was nothing he could do about it. Okay, then tomorrow morning, were going to see the Shinra n. If they had been released from the machines control, then well simply remove the Agujas from them. And if not What are you going to do? Ill just use our paralyzers to incapacitate them all, and then extract the Agujas from them all the same. Jin then finished by saying that the Nega-Dolls might already be aware of the fact that some of the Agujas have been removed either way. Soon enough, they reached the end of their meeting. Mr. Fabius, do you think you could show me some of the ancient Magic Tools you have? Jin (s Substitute Doll) asked that out of curiosity. Yes, of course. Though there are some things that dont work anymore. Come this way, please. Jin (s Substitute Doll) then set 4 Mini-Smiths on his shoulders before following Fabius. Reiko went with them as well. First is this. There, in the deepest part of their abode, there was a Magic Tool with many windows. That was the Magic Tool of the Gospel. I see Can I touch it? Please, please, go ahead. I see no harm in exposing our secrets to you, Lord Jin. epting his kind words, Jin (s Substitute Doll), together with the Mini-Smiths, removed the exterior of the Magic Tool. Hmm Oh, so thats what it looks like on the inside. But I cant make heads nor tails out of this. The basic Magi Sequence of the exposed Magi Tool was very simr to that of the Mana Phones that Jin had given to each country by way of the Nostalgia group. After taking a brief look at the Magi Tools inner parts, they put it back together. It had been enough for Laojun to etch the image of its basic design in his memory. What else can you show me? Here. Fabius took Jin to another room. These are the Golems we have been using to do our work for us. Inside that room, there were a total of 14 ck-gray golems. They looked the same as the ones that had attacked Jin and the others, and were repelled by Reiko and Ann. We used to have a total of 20 of them, but as you know, 6 of them were destroyed during your incursion the other day, Lord Jin. Ah I apologize for that. This way of apologizing was unique to Jin. Laujun would have never been able to say something like that had he been in control. And out of these remaining 14, two have stopped working. Please, let me take a look at them. Jin had a particr interest in Golems and Automata. He started analyzing the two Golems that had stopped working without a moments dy. First was the material used to make them. It was an alloy unknown to this world, though Jin knew what it was. It was stellite, a highly resistant alloy consisting of cobalt, chromium and tungsten. It has excellent resistance to wear, corrosion, and heat. There was almost no tungsten in this world or rather, on this. Instead, there was adamantite, but Jin thought that the metal used to build these golems could havee from another, namely, Hale. They had no artificial muscle tissue, so they seemed to be moving directly with magical power. Thats why their movements looked so clumsy. It could be said that this method for building Golems was unique to this area where the Ether concentration is high. In exchange they were highly durable. To Jin, only the material that had been used to build them could be used as a reference. They had stopped working because their Ether Converter had deteriorated over the years. So Ether Converters have been used since so long ago Perhaps my predecessor had also learned how to use them. With that in mind, with the help of the Substitute Doll, Reiko, and the Mini-Smiths, Jin started repairing the Golems. They also reced the Ether Converters on the Golems that were still operational, since they were considerably deteriorated. Incidentally, there was no shortage of parts because this region was capable of producing a high amount of Magi Crystals. Thank you very much, Lord Jin! As he saw the remaining 14 Golems begin to work properly, Fabius bowed at Jin over and over again. Next was the lighting near the entrance. Jins use of the Ether Jammer seemed to have overloaded the safe section of the lightings magic circuit, causing considerable damage to it. Still, it was quite easy to repair. Finally, it was the illusory barriers turn. Oh, this is It was fundamentally simr to a 3D image projector. It consisted of several individual projectors that emitted images using magical power. The intersection of the waves emitted from those projections formed three-dimensional dots. The collection of all these dots created the illusion. Since they all formed a three-dimensional image, it wouldnt seem unnatural when seen from multiple directions, and there was no way to tell it was an illusion without the use of the sense of touch. Furthermore, the illusory surface had the property of reflecting sound waves over a considerable range. As a result, the barrier could also deceive the ears, further enhancing its concealing capabilities. Jin was impressed to see magical power being used in this way. This concept of magical power isnt a broad one, like a supernatural, magical energy, but a more narrow meaning, simr to maic force. It would be more urate to speak of magical force, instead. Magical force, much like light, can travel through space and air. Its waves can also be modted. Thus such interferences can cause the intersection of two waves of magical force to produce a visible image of light. After analyzing the data, Laojun provided that exnation. At any rate, the results of this analysis would surely enhance the defensework of Hourai Ind. This data had definitely been a big haul. During their work, Jin was able to find and remove two suspected teleporting markers. This would prevent a surprise attack from the Nega-Dolls. Aside from this, Jin repaired an additional ten kinds of Magic Tools. As Jin repaired all the malfunctioning tes and magical circuits, Fabius kept on thanking him, saying how he had no words to express his gratitude over and over again. Chapter 544

Chapter 544

Magi Craft Meister 544 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-23 Releasing the Shinra n The next morning After bidding farewell to the Gospel n, Capricorn 1 set out to release the Shinra n. With Jin (s Substitute Doll), Reiko, Ann, Land 1, Istalis, Shion, Netros, Lucas, as well as the added Nurses 1 and 2, the Gospel ns Alectus, and the Kugutsu ns Belials, the vehicle was well over its capacity. Just like it had during their outward journey, it would take them an entire day to reach the Shinra ns abode. Belials was also deeply impressed by Capricorn 1, but theres no need to go into details about that now. That night they camped about two kilometers away from the Shinra ns abode. Thus it became the dawn of the 21st of August. It appears that the Shinra n has been released from the machines influence. This is the result of investigation by Lands 81 to 83, a part of the army sent there via transfer machine. The Shinra ns abode was at peace because they hadnt received any instructions from that mysterious voice, and several people expressed their true intentions. Laojun privately shared those results to Reiko, Ann, and Jin (s Substitute Doll). Because of that Ill go take a look at the situation. Jin wasnt worried at all when Netros said that. Are you sure? Be careful, Netros. Jin felt a little sorry about looking at Istalis worried face, considering that he hadnt still shared Laojuns report with her. And so, Netros reconnaissance was sessful and faced no inconveniences. After stopping someone who had been taking a walk outside of the Shinra ns abode, he confirmed that he had been controlled by the Agujas. And this person also confirmed that they hadnt heard that mysterious voice for the past three days. Netros then repeated this procedure with three more people, and was thoroughly convinced that the Shinra n had been sessfully released. Oh, Im so d to hear that! Having heard Netros report after his safe return to Capricorn 1, Istalis and Shion both sighed with relief. T-Then, I should try heading there myself as well Shions fearful behavior was made evident by her way of speaking. Jin and his friends all knew it was safe, so they just nodded. Istalis, on the other hand, still seemed worried. Be careful Oh, I wonder if I should go with you You should stay here, sister. If anything happens to me, youll be the only one who will be able to do anything for our n Shion While it was a moving scene between sisters, it was also quite vexing for those who knew the truth about the current situation. Jin wanted to say Yeah, lets all go together, but he couldnt afford to do such a thing. Okay, nows a good chance for me to be of some use. Alectus volunteered himself. Certainly, since he was not only a demon like them, but also a member of the Gospel n, it was unlikely that they would suddenly attack him. In that case, Ill go as well. Belials also stood up in the same way as Alectus. So Jin would once again find himself leaving that in the hands of two other people. After Alectus and Belials got off Capricorn 1, they slowly started to walk towards the Shinra ns abode. Thirty minutester Alectus came back trotting. Everythings alright. We talked a bit about you all and the Shinra ns leader, Bardius, was so delighted he almost cried. Really!? Grandfather Lord Jin, Ive deliberately talked a lot about you. Theyll happily no, theyll humbly wee you into their abode. Thus, Istalis and Shion were finally able to return to their n. Nurse 1 and 2, this time both of youlle with us. Understood. In order to emphasize his status as the Magi Craft Meister, Jin would be joined by not only Reiko and Ann, but Nurses 1 and 2 as well. Land 1 would stay behind to ensure Capricorn 1s safety. Oh, Istalis! Shion! A middle-aged couple was there to wee the sisters. Father! Mother! They then introduced their father Radeus and their mother Lorona. Were so sorry Though we were still trying to protect you, we couldnt do anything but drive you out Oh, dont worry. Jin looked at this face-to-face meeting between parents and children with a little envy. Then, someone called out to him. Youre Magi Craft Meister Jin, are you not? The one who spoke to Jin was a young demon who hade along with Belials. Im Clydos. Im Istalis and Shions brother. Jin and his friends were weed at the house of the Shinra ns chief. Mr. Jin, there are no words to express how grateful I am to you for having helped my daughters. Radeus, Istalis and Shions father, bowed deeply. Their mother Lorona bowed alongside him as well. Nows the time for all ns to acknowledge that Mr. Jin here is a Magi Craft Meister without equal. Those were the words of Bardius, who had just entered the room. His Agujas had just been removed a mere moments ago by Nurse 1. It would take more than half a day to remove all of the Agujas of the Shinra na due to itsrge poption, but having been made aware that this would forever free them from such a terrible curse still brightened up everyones faces. I would like to discuss what to do next. Bardius agreed with Jins proposed topic. I am no representative of humans, but if the demons continue to be in such discord as they are now, I wont be able to help you in a way thatsts for too long. I think youre right. At the very least, I can guarantee that the Shinra n bears no hostility towards you, Mr. Jin. Bardius once again bowed respectfully. What about the rest of the so-called moderate ns? I dont think we can move forward unless at least these moderate ns are united. Im sure that those who arent being currently being controlled by those needles those Agujas can be brought together easily. Especially by you, being the Magi Craft Meister. It seemed that the title of Magi Craft Meister was held in a considerably high regard among the demons. Id start with the ns of Shinen, Kuon, and Yoiyomi Bardius mentioned three of the moderate ns. If we can get them all to join us, thatd make 90% of all of the moderate ns to be under yourmand, Mr. Jin. Ah, but I wasnt trying to Jin had no intention of ruling over the demons, and he certainly had no ns to stay in thend of the demons forever. What he really wanted was to enjoy some peaceful days in Kaina Vige, and to be able to continue to rx and make gadgets in Hourai Ind. Well, Im not asking you to be our leader. I hope you can be a banner for us Still, Jin was reluctant. He didnt like the idea of being held aloft like some symbol to others very much either. Above all, he had no intention of interfering with the internal affairs of other races (although they were biologically the same as humans). Can we leave this forter? Jin decided to postpone it for the time being. Rather than just running away from it, he wanted to think about it carefully. At any rate, first of all, we need to find out if these three ns are still being controlled by the Agujas, and if so, well have to find a way to release them from their control. ording to Laojuns n, Jin (s Substitute Doll) would be in charge of dealing with the moderate ns. At the same time, a separate team would be in charge of developing a strategy to deal with Nega-Doll 001. Chapter 545

Chapter 545

Magi Craft Meister 545 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-24 Laozis Power-Up Dealing with the radicals, dealing with Nega-Doll 001, and dealing with the moderates. We need to do those three things at the same time. The next day, August 22nd, on Hourai Ind, Laojun was exining his n to Jin. I understand that. But first, I want to know more about their food situation. Jin thought that if the food situation of the demons could be improved, that in itself would take care of about 80% of this turmoil. I see In that case, it would be better to solve this problem while your Substitute Doll is in the Shinra ns abode, My Lord. After considering it for a few seconds, Laojun agreed. Okay, Ill see what I can do for a couple of days. Can you see to the other two points? Yes. I know Ill manage to do this to some extent. However Laojun then brought the fact that there was no one to lead each team that would take care of all of the work they had to do to Jins attention. Ah, I see, were shorthanded, arent we? We have enough in terms of ability to deliver results, but when ites to leading figures Should we use Laozi? However, in its current form, it was clearlycking in power. Jin wanted it to have a level of performance at least above the Lands. Okay, its settled. Well power-up Laozi. Will you do that for me? For security reasons, Laojun couldnt make any changes on Laozi.Therefore, Jin himself would have to do it. Thus Jin decided to give Laojuns mobile terminal Laozi a proper remodeling. However, since it was fundamentally the same he had already done for Reiko and the other Golems, adding new functions to Laozi took Jin slightly less than an hour in total. The improvements included aplete overhaul of his skeleton and muscle tissue, adding the sense of touch along with all its natural functions, and the capability to use Ether Jammers, Gravity Magic, and most offensive and defensive spells. The addition of a Mana Tank allowed for sufficient stockpile in terms of energy. He was also able to use Engineering Magic as well as Healing Magic. The result was a truly almighty Automata. Reiko could also be considered almighty, but in her case, she had an outstanding level of offensive power. In Laozis case, he was fine-tuned to have him function in a well-bnced manner. As a unique feature, he had five built-in ultra-small Golems about 5 centimeters tall, aptly named Finger Golems. They were based on the Mini-Smiths, and had been made especially so that they were half the size of a standard Mini-Smith. They would be useful for collecting all sorts of information. They were named Fingers 1 through 5. What do you think of Laozi, Laojun? My Lord, you havepleted yet another wonderful work. There can be noints about it. Thank you very much. As Laojun operated Laozi, his remodeled mobile terminal, he reported to Jin that his workmanship had been on point. Ill follow Nega-Doll 001s every step. Got it. Be careful. Yes. For the time being, Ill be sending the Land Corps to secretly observe the radical ns. Alright, sounds like a n. Once the moderates have settled down, well start working on the radicals. Correct. So in the meantime, I thought wed better keep an eye for any suspicious movements among the radicals. Okay. Lets send Falcons 8 through 10. Theres plenty of Ether in the air so they will have no problem standing by in mid-air. In this way, Laojun would handle Nega-Doll 001, the Land Corps would watch over the radicals, while Jin (s Substitute Doll), Reiko, and Ann would work on the moderates. Hows our agriculture, you ask? Jin (s Substitute Doll) was having a meeting with Bardius, the chief of the Shinra n. Yes. Of course I can offer you some provisions to aid you, but I think it would be better to ensure your self-sufficiency. Certainly. Ill ask Lorona to take you for a look around the area. Shes very knowledgeable in that regard. Thus Jin followed the mother of Istalis and Shion, Lorona. Reiko walked silently behind them as well. Meanwhile, Ann asked Istalis and Shion to take her for a walk around the Shinra ns abode. Based on what she saw, she would then point out whatever she felt was problematic as well as a potential solution. Lorona had silver hair, light blue eyes, and white skin that looked exactly like Istalis and Shions. In fact, many of the Shinra n had those features. The thought that this could mean that there would be many marriages with close rtives in the n briefly crossed Jins mind, but he quickly brushed it off to concentrate on agriculture. Most of the wheat variety we produce is barley. Jin was led to a barley field that was being grown on a hill that faced the sea. Although they had lots of ears, it seemed that they werent producing as well as the ones seen in Kaina Vige. Incidentally, barley was said to be more resistant to being damaged by salt than wheat. So it was reasonable to have barley grow on a field close to the coastal edge. Umm, so what do you do to prevent damaging the soil due to repeated cultivation? Well, we normally try to add mulch during the seasons when were not growing anything. Damage due to repeated cultivation is basically the natural reduction of a crops yield due to the increase of specific diseases and pests that appear as a result of producing the same crop in a consecutive manner, as well as the deprivation of minerals in the soil. Hmm, so is this insufficient, or is it simply a local breed? Jins knowledge in this area only allowed him to think that, without growing two different crops Cor even the same kind of cropC in the same arablend semi-annually over the course of the same year, the demons would have to allow the plot ofnd to rest for half a year while adding some kind of organic fertilizer. How about other crops? So he decided to take a look around to get a general idea. Here we are. Heres where we grow what we call summer beans. At first nce, they looked very simr to green peas. Certainly, they would be one of the most cold-resistant types of legumes. However, it also seemed that their growth wasnt going so well. This is how we sweeten our meals. We call it vietra. No matter how Jin looked at it, it was sugar beet to him. We grate it, squeeze the juice out of it, and simmer it to make sugar. Then we use the draff to feed our livestock. It seemed to be used to feed their Capri, which was a livestock animal of this world that looked like a mix between a cow and a sheep. So far it all matched what Jin already knew. And this is thest thing we have here to show you. Huh? It was a field with white flowers all over. Jin was familiar with these flowers. Soba? Looking closer, the base of its stem was red. It had to be buckwheat, which was used to make soba. Though not all buckwheat was like that, in Jins memory, the base of the buckwheats stem was red. Its called rye. We sow it in May after the snow melts, and we harvest it in September. It was true that buckwheat pips were dark-brown, but it was a different type of nt from barley. But thats not where Jin saw a problem. How do you eat this buck this rye? Well, we grind the pips skin and all into a fine flour, then we make dough with it by adding hot water. This preparation method reminded Jin of sobagaki Cbuckwheat dumplings. Unlike barley, buckwheat could be made into hikigurumi, a flour made by mixing each grind from the first to the third all together which is prized for its aroma. If only I had some broth to go with this soba For Jin, there werent many options for eating soba without having soy sauce avable. Buckwheat cookies, steamed buns Since Jin had spent several years during his time in the orphanage making soba noodles for everyone during New Years Eve Cas is tradition to have a bowl during that nightC, he was very adept at making soba noodles, even if he wasnt an actual expert at it. However, there was no way for him to make soba soup in thend of the demons, so he quickly gave up on the idea. Even without baking powder, they still had baking soda, so they could still make steamed bread. After inspecting all the crops and fields, Jin (s Substitute Doll) returned to Shinra ns abode. He then took a seat in the drawing room and started thinking (though the actual thinking was made by both Laojun and the real Jin on Hourai Ind). Then he voiced his final conclusion. First well have to secure manpower, then probably review the crops and methods for agriculture. What do you mean, Mr. Jin? Both Lorona and her husband Radeus looked like they werent following Jins words. Bardius was even worse. Lets make some farmer Golems. Then you can grow potatoes. And build greenhouses. Jin revealed the idea he had been thinking about. I understand what you mean by farmer Golems, but what are these potatoes and greenhouses you speak of? Jin gave them a short answer to their questions. Potatoes, which are also known as topopo, are a type of tuber that can be grown even in very harsh environments. They can be prepared into all sorts of delicious meals. And greenhouses are basically structures made out of transparent tes that allow for safe growing of crops even in cold regions. The temperature inside is higher than outside. That sounds great! Being quite familiar with agriculture herself, Lorona seemed to have understood quite a bit just by listening to Jins vague exnation. I would like it if you could help with the production of the farmer Golems, as well as provide the materials well need. Of course. Ill go get everything ready. Radeus quickly left the room, saying he would prepare the materials. So, Mr. Jin, we need to talk about your remuneration for your help in this matter. What would be okay for you? Chief Bardius said so with a worried expression on his face. And Jins reply was: Well, Id like some of that buckCI mean, rye and some vietra seeds. Chapter 546

Chapter 546

Magi Craft Meister 546 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-25 Beginning At Last Bardius nodded, acknowledging Jins request for rye pips and vietra seeds as payment for his help. Understood. Though of course, I dont think thats enough to thank you for your assistance. But well start with that, if thats okay with you. Well, okay. In response to this, Lorona left the room. Apparently, she quickly went to get the seeds and pips ready. A few secondster, Radeus went back into the room. Mr. Jin, we have set the materials ready in our workshop. Could you please take a look whenever you can? If theres something missing, we will get it ready as soon as possible. Understood. Lets go. Thus Jin (s Substitute Doll) went to the workshop with Reiko. The ce where the Shinra n lived spreaded out over a hill thatmanded a great look over the sea. The reason why they had chosen to live on a hill was to avoid the seas big waves. The sea is usually calm during the summer, but it gets very rough in winter, with waves over 10 meters tall. You cant even send a ship to the sea under those conditions, can you? Jin made such an observation as he bumped into Istalis and Shion as they were in the middle of exining the situation with the sea to Ann. Father? Jin? where are you going? Well, Lord Jin is going to make some Golems for us, so Im taking him to the workshop. Oh! Can I go with you, Father? I-Ill go too! Radeus looked at Jin with a troubled expression on his face. He seemed to be rather easy-going with his daughters. Or perhaps he was still feeling guilty about kicking them out of the hill the other day, although he was being controlled to do so. Well, I was about to ask Ann if she could help me, so I dont have a problem if the two of you want toe with us as well. Yay! Thanks, Jin! Shion was in a good mood because she would get a chance to see Jins skill from up close. Istalis also seemed to be excited, though she was more reserved about it, and didnt say a word even though her cheeks were slightly blushed.*** The abode of the Shinra n was basically made of stone. All structures were essentially made by piling up oya tuff stone bs strategically. It was the same type of stone used in Potlock, a port town in the southern part of the Elias Kingdom, where Jin once participated in the Golem boatpetition. However, the one used here was more greenish in color. This stone seemed a good choice as a building material near here because it was resilient to salt damage while having excellent heat retention due to its low thermal conductivity. All houses were single-story and had only small windows facing the sea. Istalis said this was to preserve heat as well as a measure against the winds of winter. Most of the roads between the houses were about 4 meters wide. They were quite wide considering the total size of their ce of residence. After walking for some time on these roads, they finally reached the workshop, which was located on the outskirts of the abode. It was about 10 meters square, and very spacious. It consisted of a semi-underground structure with a high ceilingpared to that of their houses. The materials have been piled up in the corner of the workshop. The first thing that Jin noticed was the metals. Large ingots of copper and iron, smaller ingots of light silver and tin, and a small chunk of adamantite had all been ced there. There was also a considerable amount of magical beast leather on a shelf in the corner of the workshop to make synthetic muscle tissue with. And finally, a substantial amount of Magi Crystals of each attribute had also been ced on those shelves. Yeah, this is plenty enough to make some good stuff. Jin nodded profusely. Since they were not meant forbat but for farmwork, he was nning to build them with the physical strength of 3 grown men at most. Is there anyone here whos familiar with Magi Craft? Finally, Jin asked for an extra pair of hands. This was not to have them assist him with building the Golems, but to entrust the Golems future maintenance to them. I can think of a few, but when ites to actually skilled ones What about Malikka? Ill go get her. Having said that, Shion ran off somewhere. Whos this Malikka? Shes one of Shions friends. Her grandfather was a proficient user of Engineering Magic. Jin thought that anyone would be able to perform regr maintenance on the Golems, so he simply waited for Shion to return, which happened about 5 minutester. Thanks for waiting, Jin. Malikka, this is Jin, the Magi Craft Meister. Malikka was rather simr to Shion. Her hair was silver, but her eyes were unusually yellow. N-Nice to meet you. M-My n-name is M-Malikka. Umm, wCwhat do you need me f-for? She was visibly nervous, and couldnt stop stuttering. Im Jin. Ill be making some farmer Golems for you all, but Id like you to take care of their future maintenance. D-D-Do y-you think I-I-I c-can d-do t-that? Oh, theres no need for you to be so nervous about it. After smiling at Malikka, Jin started by giving instructions to Reiko.. Lets start by making one Golem, Reiko. Please get the materials for me. Yes. Jin decided to go with a basic Bronze Golem. He started by making bronze by alloying tin and copper. Since Jin had plenty of tin at his disposal this time around, he would be making bronze with 90% copper and 10% tin. That would result in the so-called gun metal. Gun metal is a copper alloy that used to be used to make cannons before they started being made out of iron. Its a type of bronze that is easy to cast, and is very strong and tough. Alloying. After determining thepounding ratio by weight, Jin quickly used Alloying, producing a huge ingot of gun metal weighing about 1 ton. Eehhh!? W-Whats that? Malikka was surprised to see such a huge ingot being done in an instant after a single chant. Istalis and Shion were both standing in awe, with their eyes open wide and unable to say a word. Ho-Ho-How can you make such a huge ingot like that so easily!? No one there had thought that what Jin had just demonstrated was even possible, despite all of them being demons, who boasted having a high amount of magical power. Hmm, how should I split this The level of ability with Engineering Magic of the Substitute Doll was about a third that of the real Jin. This is it, this is the proof that this man is the Magi Craft Meister! A convinced Radeus loudly voiced his excitement. The rest of them managed to keep themselvesposed enough to appear calm on the surface. Well use 50 kg of bronze per Golem. Jin then used Separation to cut 10 lumps of 50 kg of gun metal for the time being. Eeeh!? Malikka was once again surprised. The real Jin, however, wouldve been able to split the entire ingot into 20 pieces with ease. Time to make the skeletons. Please help me out here, Reiko. Yes. Well apply a thin coat of adamantite on the joints to increase their durability Are you watching this, Malikka? Yesh. Now, for muscles What kind of leather should I use? Jin picked up some of the magical beast leather to be used for magical muscle and tilted his head. The real Jin would be able to tell just by touching it, but the Substitute Doll wasnt so able. This is Grand Worm leather, isnt it? Those were the magical beasts that had attacked Capricorn 1 the other day. I see. Thisll do just fine. After tearing it into thin strands, the leather was twisted into muscle fiber and installed on the skeletons. With Reikos help, the entire operation waspleted in about 20 minutes. Eehhh Malikka was stunned. It was no wonder, considering that she had never seen a Magi Craft Meister in action, and there werent many capable Magi Craftsmen among the members of the Shinra n. Ok, lets prepare the Ether Tank and Ether Driver. On the assumption that they would be used in areas with a high concentration of Ether, Jin intended to unify the system used by Reiko and other Automata and Golems with the demons current system. Well use Mithril silver for the magical nerves. See here, Malikka, if these get cut, they wont be able to move so well. Yesh. Now, their Control Cores Lets have them focused on agricultural knowledge. Yes. Laojun built a Control Core based on the agricultural know-how collected by the Golem Maids on Hourai Ind, then sent it to Reiko via Warp Gate. Well use this as a master, and produce copies for the Golems. Then they moved on to working on the Golems exterior one by one, and the first one waspleted in about an hour. I-Is it done already? So quickly A-A-A-Amazing! Shion, Istalis, and Malikka all voiced their reactions. Malikka was still stuttering as usual. Im really impressed, Mr. Jin. Last but not least, Radeus bowed his head. Huh? Ive seen your true ability as the Magi Craft Meister. There is no doubt you are our savior. Jin, who didnt like being put on a pedestal like that, couldnt help but be slightly annoyed after being called that. Chapter 547

Chapter 547

Magi Craft Meister 547 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-26 Agricultural Reform Seeing that Malikka wasnt being very useful at the moment, Jin decided to give the newly created Golem some rudimentary Engineering Magic knowledge as well. With it, the Golems should be able to perform maintenance on each other. Then, Jin activated the firstpleted Golem. Just like the one used in Kaina Vige, the Master ve spell that determined the chain ofmand would target an unspecified number of members of the Shinra n. This is a method that targets all n members who have that knowledge, with Malikka as a representative. Whenever new members are added to the n, they can be added to the chain ofmand using this system as well. L-Lord Jin? Stay still. Im setting the chain ofmand for these Golems. O-Okay. Malikka was still stuttering, but Jin paid no mind to it as he continued to use Transinfo and Master ve. All done. Start up. HELLO. The Golem stood up. It was 2 meters tall, and seemed to be quite rugged and powerful. Kyaah! Wow. Malikka and the others were shocked to see a lying Golem stand up like that for the first time. Even though Ive seen something like this before, it still amazes me every time. Radeus also seems to have been overpowered by its presence. The Gospel n had Golems, but the Shinra n didnt. Instead, they had servants like Lucas and Netros. This is a Golem that will focus on agriculture Lets name its model Agri. It seemed only natural to name its model after its intended purpose. Youll be Agri 1. YES. I AM Agri 1. It speaks Yes, now well finish making 19 more like this one. Agri 1, help us. YES. That rudimentary knowledge of Engineering Magic Jin had given this Golem wasnt just for show. Together, they managed to finish the next 4 Golems in a little less than an hour. Then, together with Reiko and the 5 Agri, the remaining 15 Golems werepleted in another hour. At that point, those who were watching had been renderedpletely speechless. Istalis and Shion were looking at it all with great interest, but seemed to have beenpletely taken aback by the realization of just what kind of person had been taking care of them all this time. A-A-Am Amazing, Lord Jin Malikka was still nervous, and couldnt stop stuttering. Jin looked at her with warm eyes. Malikka, youre still new to Engineering Magic. These Agris have been given rudimentary Engineering Magic knowledge, so if you feel like it, you can learn a lot from them. Dont be so hard on yourself. Y-Yeah. T-Thank you so much. But Malikka wouldnt loosen up even after they were done. Jin wouldter learn that she was younger than Shion, so it was no wonder she was so rattled. After finishing the 20 Agris and enjoying a littlete lunch, Jin (s Substitute Doll) returned to work. After all, since both the real Jin and Laojun took turns operating the Substitute Doll, they could basically work without taking a break. It was finally time to make a greenhouse. I wonder what I should use instead of ss. If they were in Kaina Vige, they would be close to an area that produces muscovite, but there didnt seem to be anything like that near the Shinra ns abode. Instead, they would use transparent zirconia (zirconium dioxide), which they could easily mine in the area, andprocess it into window panes, cups, and so on. Im sure the humans in the south would love to buy this Jin was sure zirconia would make for a good target for trade as it was rarely obtained naturally in the Lauren continent where humans lived. I see That would be truly great. There was no need to make ss out of it in order to sell it. It was good enough as a trading good as an inexpensive transparent material. Zirconia has a melting point of no less than 2700 degrees Celsius, and its rated 8 to 8.5 in Mohs hardness scale. Since its very tough, it can also be used to make cut ss. But for the time being, their main goal was to build greenhouses with it. Jin asked Lorona to choose a suitable ce, and then created a light silver structural frame with the help of the Agris and the others. Then, he attached zirconia tes to the framework. Oh, so these are greenhouses? Jin had built a total of three greenhouses with a size of 3 meters by 6. Radeus and Lorona went inside one of the greenhouses, and were impressed with its warmth. Its certainly warm now, but wont it get cold at night? Lorona had a really good eye for choosing sites. While the houses of the Shinra ns members werent green houses, they seemed to have been strategically built in ces that make the best use of sunlight to keep them warm. The Shinra n must have umted a vast amount of experience in this regard. Yeah, thats why were going to install heaters in them as well. Heaters? Fortunately, as this region was rich in Ether, Jin would be able to make a highly efficient heater with a simple structure. However, the problemy in the thermostat (a temperature control mechanism). Ive heard a bit about this from Istalis, but theres a certain Magic Tool that could sense temperature, right? Yes, a hot and cold indicator. Lorona replied and pointed to the wall of the workshop. We have one of those right here as well. There was a translucent board fitted in a round wooden frame that, at first nce, looked like a hand mirror of sorts. It would turn red when its hot and white when its cold. How does it work? Reiko took Jin (s Substitute Doll)s ce here. She was better at analyzing. Is this monster leather? Close enough. This is skin from an Icefield Lizard, a creaturemon to thesends. ording to Lorona, it would turn reddish brown in summer and white in winter so that the lizard could blend in with the environment and remain hidden from predators. Hmm, it seems to be difficult to use. Since Jin had deemed it too difficult to incorporate into a Magic Tool of his own, he ended up disregarding it as a potential candidate. So well have to make a temperature sensor after all Besides a thermometer, there are many things that can be used to tell the temperature. Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and boils at 100 degrees Celsius (at an atmospheric pressure of 1), and metals have a fixed melting point (which is not very sensitive to atmospheric pressure). In Reikos case, a highly pure Fire-attribute Magi Crystal was used to make her sensor. Fire-attribute Magi Crystals constantly emit a weak magical power, and have the property that the amount of such emissions changes depending on the temperature, so reading those changes was a way to detect changes in temperature. However, there was no way to establish a zero in degrees Celsius using fire-attribute Magi Stones, so there was a need to perform a calibration of sorts at the temperature of reference. Furthermore, the less pure the Magi Stone was, the less urate the temperature readings drawn from it would be. Reiko had it set to remember four specific temperatures: the freezing point of water (0 degrees Celsius), the boiling point of water (100 degrees Celsius), the favorite temperature for Jins bath water (43 degrees Celsius; he liked it really hot), and the temperature at which tea was too hot for Jin (62 degrees Celsius; he wasnt very good at taking hot meals and drinks). Highly pure fire-attribute Magi Crystals were hard toe by, which made them a tough candidate as a material to produce regr thermometers. Well, we dont need to make too many of them, and it also seems that thend of the demons has plenty of mineral resources. Jin took the three most pure of the fire-attribute Magi Crystals that had been ced on the workshops shelves. Alright, now Writing. Whats that, Jin? Shion asked as she looked into Jins hand. Its a temperature sensor I made it like this. Writing. Then, putting it together with the other Magi Crystal, Jin assembled the heater. He then encased the heater with a light silver chassis. Ms. Lorona, this heater has the ability to generate heat when it gets cold, and it stops doing so when it gets warm. Jin tried to be as uplicated in his exnation as he could. Lorona, Radeus, Malikka, Istalis and Shion all reacted with half amazement and half confusion, as if Jin was speaking of somethingpletely impressive and outrageous at the same time. Ah, yes, yes! We should put these inside the green houses! I see, with these, youve made it possible for us to grow crops even in winter, Mr. Jin. Still, Lorona and Radeus had understood Jins aim. This is only the beginning. If we were to add even more greenhouses Yes, we would be able to eat all the fresh vegetables we want, even in the middle of winter. Im really looking forward to it! Shions face had be very bright. Next, wed have to increase the area of ??arablend. It was only natural, since the addition of the Agris had increased the amount of workforce. Lets meet again tomorrow and talk about cultivating newnd. Chapter 548

Chapter 548

Magi Craft Meister 548 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-27 Preventing Frost Damage The next day, August 23rd Under Loronas guidance, Jin (s Substitute Doll) selected thend to be used to grow more crops. Of course, Reiko and Ann had tagged along as well. Oh, I think this area is good. It was a plot ofnd that sloped gently toward the south. There was a small river flowing there, so there would be no shortage of water. To the north was a coniferous forest. It seems it was dense enough to prevent the northern wind. Yes, but thend is barren here. Too barren, Id say. Certainly, it was a plot ofnd with almost no grass. Reiko crouched down and scooped up a little of its soil with her hands. It was mostly sand, gravel, and volcanic ash y. She took some of that soil and showed it to Jin. Ah, so its not very organic? Organic, you say? Lorona seemed confused. Though she was a mother of three, her appearance was that of a woman in herte twenties. Incidentally, the lifespan of demons seemed to be about five times that of humans. Lorona said she was 200 years old. That would make her equivalent to 40 years old in human years, but demons apparently didnt start showing signs of aging until they turned at least 400 years old, so she still had a very youthful appearance. But leaving that aside Yes, organic. Like mulch. The soil here is too hard, so well have to plow deeply. Jin had also made some tools such as plows and hoes the day before. He had used iron for the entirety of each tool, save for their tips and des, which he had made out of adamantite. This was so that they wouldnt deteriorate so easily even after being put through a lot of strain by the powerful Agris. So well have to find a way to improve this soil No matter how knowledgeable Jin was, he only knew a few ways to aplish that. He remembered once seeing in the news something about burying paper diapers in the desert (actually, high molecr polymers mean a more water-absorbent resin), about sh-and-burn farming, and about using root nodule bacteria when growing beans. Well, nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potassium are essential. Jin remembered about the three elements of nt cultivation, so he decided to start with his preparations from that point. What is that? Jins words only made Lorona look even more confused than before. Her expression as she tilted her head to the side could make anyone forget that she was a married woman with three children. These are very essential nutrients. Nitrogen is important for the growth of leaves and stems, phosphoric acid for flowers and fruits, and potassium for strong roots. Oh Is that too something you know because youre the Magi Craft Meister? Well, who knows? For the time being, they would prepare some mulch, wood ash, bone powder, oil residues, and so on. The mulch would need to be as free from leaves from coniferous trees as possible. This was because those leaves contain turpentine oil, which hinders root growth. Wood ash would be prepared by burning the trees and weeds that were growing in the ce they had chosen as the new cultivation area. Bone powder would be made by grinding bones and leftover carcasses the demons would otherwise throw away after eating. There was no way to get oil residues. The demons didnt even use vegetable oil to begin with, since they had no sesame or rapeseed to press for oil, so they didnt even have any oil to get residues from. Well, as soon as you get your rye and beans going, youll start getting some oil sooner orter. The roots remaining in the soil and the chaff from cereal seeds could also be turned into organic fertilizer. As Jin was sharing such simple knowledge with Lorona, he soon realized that Istalis had been there for some time, listening eagerly as well. Are you going to take over after your mother, Istalis? Yes. I hope to one day seed my mother and be in charge of providing food for everyone. Upon hearing that, Jin exins in more detail. As Istalis devoted herself to learning, Jin happily shared his knowledge with her as well as any little detail he could remember that could be useful to her.*** There are chemical fertilizers that can be bought with money, and you can also use other things such as dried sardines and the like. In addition to those three elements, it would be nice to have trace amounts of calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. The bumps on the roots of beans are called rhizobia, and theyre actually bacteria that fix nitrogen in the air, which coexist with the roots of these nts. Soil has a crumb structure, and if you make it so that it consists ofrge crumbs, roots will have an easier time burrowing into the soil and will growrger as well. You can also produce mulch quite easily by digging a shallow hole into the ground, filling it with vegetable scraps, and simply letting it rest there for a few months. If you manage to get peat, that could be used as fertilizer as well. Even though she seemed to not be able to understand everything Jin was telling her, she tried her best to listen and remember every word. Since Jins own knowledge of agriculture was only at the kitchen garden level, he soon ran out of advice. I think thats all I can share for now. Thank you very much. Jin then started to think. Perhaps the demons were downying technology and othermon arts such as agriculture because they were able to use more powerful magic than humans. And as their blood continued to be weak, their magical powers gradually weakened as well, until they reached this point where they didnt have enough magical power nor the knowledge to fend for themselves. While Jin was talking to Lorona and Istalis, the 20 Agris had cleared about 2 hectares ofnd. At this rate, they would finish clearing 10 hectares by the end of the day. To feed a hundred people, they would need to produce at least 15 tons of grains. This required at least 30 hectares of cultivatednd. There were actually 50 members in the entirety of the Shinra n, so at first it would seem that there was no need to prepare that much more arablend, but it was important to have some fallownd ready to avoid damaging the same plot by repeated cultivation. Since it was a cold region, a total of 40 hectares would be desirable, to ount for the reduction in harvest caused by the cold weather. As far as Jin had seen, the current cultivated area avable to the demons was about 30 hectares. This was just barely enough to survive, and not so much to keep a good stockpile. I wonder if well be able to harvest some rye before the frost if we start sowing it now. ording to Istalis, the first frost started from the end of October to the beginning of November, and the first snowfall would be around the end of November. Our rye is very susceptible to frost. Jin didnt know this, but the demons had been growing it for quite some time, so they knew that detail well enough. We should be able to harvest it in two months at the earliest. They had clearednd on a slope facing south, so it should be somewhat effective. Then Oh, I know! A barrier! Huh? As he gazed upon the fields the Agris were working on, Jin seemed toe up with something and ran to the workshop. In this regard, there would be no way to tell the difference between the real Jin and the Substitute Doll. Well, it doesnt have to be too strong. But its range should be as wide as possible What are you making, Jin? Shion looked into the workshop. Soon after that, Istalis showed up. Unlike the real Jin, the Substitute Doll could run faster than Istalis. Its a barrier to prevent frost. Huh? You can do that? Physical barriers could help prevent frost, but it would be difficult to cover arge area of ??tens of hectares. But Jin knew some ways to help prevent frost damage to crops. In the ind areas of Japan, they would burn heavy oil and waste oil to generate ck smoke, as well as using electric fans, to prevent the damage caused byte frost in May. The point of these measures is to prevent radiative cooling and to circte the air to prevent it from freezing. This physical barrier has its strength reduced to the bare minimum. Thanks to that, it should cover 1 hectare all by itself. What Jin had created was something weak enough to be impractical as a Solid Barrier. It had only 1/10,000 of its usual strength. However, that much was actually enough to prevent warm air from dissipating and cold air from getting within its bounds. Moreover, since it was so weak, it wouldnt prevent people from walking through it. Whoa Amazing. Shion also seemed to understand how it would work rather quickly. Its probably strong enough to prevent snow flurries from getting in as well. With this barrier, the demons should be able to harvest a second crop of their rye. Jin advised that if possible, they should grow beans from spring to summer, and rye from summer to autumn. Even without the greenhouses, this barrier alone should let you get better yields Thanks to its weak heat retention effect, the temperature inside it would be raised by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius, so it would seem that the farming season could be extended for 1 to 2 months. Just as Id expect from the Magi Craft Meister! With this, the root of our strife will surely disappear, Lord Jin! Istalis openly praised Jin, causing him to embarrassingly scratch the back of his head. At the end of the day, Jin went to check out the zirconia mining site. It was behind a hole dug in the side of a cliff close to the coast line. What Jin saw there deeply surprised him. He couldnt believe how perfectly transparent the zirconia they could get from that cave actually was. How? Thinking carefully about it, such high amounts of that perfectly transparent zirconia was extremely unnatural. Sonar. After feeling around for a moment, Jin noticed that the mineral deposits continued deep into the mountain, but the distribution was geometrical, that is, it formed an unnaturally arranged path into the cave, almost as if it was semi-artificial. Strictly speaking, the zirconia that could be mined in this cave seemed to contain some additives. Unfortunately, Jin wasnt very familiar with gemstones, so he didnt know what it was or how it worked. For the time being, it was easy to imagine what happened to these mineral deposits in the past. Though he wasnt trying to unveil any kind of deep mysteries, so he decided to leave things be, and just be content with the fact that he could now get some usable materials. Its a wonderful invention, My Lord. Jin kept receiving praise even on Hourai Ind, this time from Laojun. Yeah, I also think it was a good idea. Its very practical in this region, where the Ether concentration is so high. It could also serve as a nice gift to offer to the other moderate ns. The moment the moderates saw the potential for self-sufficiency, the food problem would surely be solved. Alright, we should visit another moderate n soon. Were also starting to get a good glimpse on the situation with the radicals as well. Good. Let me know as soon as youve brought some info together. Yes, My Lord. Chapter 549

Chapter 549

Magi Craft Meister 549 16 The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-28 To The Next n The morning of August 25th Jin dered that he would be departing from the Shinra ns abode. A total of 20 hectares of new arablend had been cleared, and 50 farmer Golems had beenpleted. The Golems also had amunication function that allowed them to reach out to Laojun if anything happened, and receive instructions from him. It would serve as insurance in the event that the radicals decide to raid the Shinra n. Also, a sufficient number of generators for the anti-frost barriers had also been set in ce, so in all, the Shinra n had the prospect of being self-sufficient. I should visit other moderate ns soon. Yes, Lord Jin. Please. Both Belials of the Kugutsu n Cwho was now being treated as a guest rather than a prisonerC and Bardius, the chief of the Shinra n, bowed to Jin. The next destination would be the ce of residence of the Kugutsu n. A scout Jin had dispatched there two days prior had reported that the Kugutsu n appeared to be free from the influence of the Agujas. Who would like to apany me? If an influential member of the Shinra n were to go with Jin, it would make things go much smoother. If so, I would. Istalis volunteered. Oh, you, Istalis? Good. Then, Lorona, you too go with them. Yes, understood. Thus Istalis and her mother Lorona would be tagging along for this trip. Of course, Netros would go as well as Istalis escort. Eh? What about me? Shion was quick toin, but then reluctantly gave up after being told that she was too young to make such trips in the first ce. Uhh Well, make sure toe back here again some time, Jin. Shion said that line with upturned eyes. In response to that, Jin (s Substitute Doll) patted her head lightly. She quickly felt Jins reply, and said nothing more after that. Well, Im off. Jin (s Substitute Doll) waved his hand from the skylight of Capricorn 1. Thank you, Lord Jin! Be safe, Lord Jin! Lord Jin, pleasee again sometime! Seen off by the members of the Shinra n, Capricorn 1 started heading west. Over there was a slightly ind area where it was said that the Kugutsu n made their ce of residence. My n has about 30 people in total. We dont have retainers like the Shinra n. Instead, we domesticate magical beasts and the like. It seemed that Belials used his Grand Worms to cultivate theirnd. We dont use the Hecatoncheires very much. The bigger a beast is, the stronger it is. But the Hecatoncheires were carnivores, which made them difficult to feed. For that reason, it seems that they wouldnt use them much for anything other than self-defense. If we were to have some of those Golems you made If you have the materials, Ill make some for you. Is that so? Thank you so much! Along the way, Jin asked Belials to bring him up to speed with his ns situation. They had lunch on the way, and after a little over 5 hours at 20 km/h Capricorn 1 had traversed about 100 kilometers in total. Our abode is just a little farther ahead. The surrounding area had specks of coniferous forests in some parts of a vast wastnd. This ce may look like a wastnd, but there are plenty of small animals around, so my n mainly hunts them for food. There was a species of rabbit called Rock Ice Rabbit, whose meat is said to be particrly delicious, and their fur was used in winter clothing. The Gondoa Caribou was a kind of reindeer sorge that catching a single one could provide a lot of meat. Of course, its fur was also used for winter clothes as well as floor coverings. The Kugutsu n seemed to be proficient at hunting. ording to Belials, they would often trade with the Shinra n, exchanging thetters produce for the formers meat. Oh, I see. Arent those? I have detected an unusual amount of magical power! Land 1 interrupted their conversation. His voice implied that whatever was going on was considerably urgent. A very strong magical power is approaching from the north. It seemed that something had happened near the Kugutsu ns abode. Whats going on, Lord Jin? Lorona and Istalis, who had been having a pleasant mother-to-daughter chat, hurriedly asked Jin. Let me see It seems that three enormous dragons are approaching. This was reported by Falcons 2 and 3, who were scouting the surrounding area. D-Dragons, you say!? There cant be dragons around here! And three of them? In particr, therger the magical beast, the more Ether it needs to maintain its body, so it is said that beasts like dragons shouldnt note out in these hightitudes. Perhaps that Nega-Doll has something to do with this. Ann shared her guess. It wouldnt be strange to think that Nega-Doll 001 was already made aware that Jin had already liberated the Gospel and Shinra ns from the influence of the Agujas. It was easy to imagine that more moderates would be released in the same way soon enough. So he might have thought to sic these dragons on the moderates in an attempt to crush them Thats possible. Jin agreed with Anns conjecture. But Belials became flustered after seeing Jins calm demeanor. Mr. Jin! No one in my n can control dragons! We need to get away from here as fast as we can! But Jin (Substitute Doll) shook his head. We wont make it out of here. The dragons areing at us at about 150 km/h. The maximum speed of the Capricorn 1 is 70 km/h. We will not outrun them. T-Then what are we going to do!? Belials tone of voice was overflowing with panic, and his face had gonepletely pale. On the other hand, Laojun, who was in control of the Substitute Doll at the time, was obtaining detailed information regarding those dragons from Falcons 2 and 3. From their experience so far, Laojun knew that the strength of a magical beast was almost proportional to the magical power it possessed. Hecatoncheires, Death Sea Serpents, Sea Dragons, Giant Centipedes Though the dragons that were approaching them had more magical power than a Sea Dragon, they still didnt seem to be a threat to Reiko and the others. From a distance, the party could see that the dragons approach could be felt even in the Kugutsu ns abode, as several people were heading out and seemed to be alert. Belials, Id like you to go to your n and try to calm them down. Huh? A magical beast that has nothing but their huge size in their favor is no match for the Magi Craft Meister. Those words Laojun made the Substitute Doll say wouldve never been said by the real Jin. But he figured that if he could defeat a dragon right in front of the Kugutsu ns noses, he would easily be able to win their trust. C-Can you really do that? Everything will be okay, Belials. Istalis supported Jins words. Lord Jin has defeated Stone Giants as if they had been y dolls. Im sure he can take care of those dragons as well. Uh A-Alright. There was no choice but to trust Jins words. Belials opened the skylight and jumped out. Using his enhanced strength, he quickly ran back to his n. They immediately weed Belials, confirming that they too had been freed from the influence of the Agujas. Okay, all I have to do is get rid of those dragons in front of them. As Jin (s Substitute Doll) muttered those words, small dots started to be reflected on his eyes. Those dots gradually became bigger and bigger. Grand Dragons! They were terrestrial, and their bodies were gray-brown. They greatly resembled huge iguanas, about 20 meters long. ording to Lorona, they seemed to be a natural enemy of the Hecatoncheires. Theyre said to prey on Hecatoncheires. I see And for some reason, offensive magic such as Gravity Magic doesnt work very well on them! Huh? That was a first. It had Laojun wondering if this was some kind of special ability of these dragons. The Grand Dragons would reach them in a matter of seconds. Dust was rising in the distance. Through Jin (s Substitute Doll)s eyes, Laojun kept observing. He looked at the dragons, trying to determine if there would be anything that could be harvested as a material from them. It seems we could use their scales and the spikes on their backs. Therefore, he decided he wouldnt use a Mana Explosion. Complicated weapons such assers were also excluded from his ns. Id like to defeat in a way that is as shy as possible. And so he drew a conclusion. Reiko, Ann, could I ask for your help? Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Sorry for the dy. I thought I published chapters of this novel this month already. There will be a double release today. Enjoy! Magi Craft Meister 550 16The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-29Singlehandedly Dealing With Grand Dragons Reiko and Ann headed out to meet the Grand Dragons, who were whipping up a cloud of dust as they sprinted towards Capricorn 1. The idea is to show the Kugutsu n our power, so please be as shy as possible. Understood. Magical beasts with high magic resistance had a tendency to be rtively vulnerable to physical attacks. Reiko carried her Peach Blossom on her back and a Magi Cannon in her hand. Ann armed herself with a Vibration Sword and a Mana Bomb. Lets go, Ann. Yes, sister The two of them jumped out of Capricorn 1s skylight. The Grand Dragons werent more than 200 meters away from their position. Several members of the Kugutsu n hade out to watch and stared at them, unable to take a single breath. What are they doing? Two women? And one of them is a little girl! This is absurd! What could they possibly do? However, their doubts soon turned into astonishment. Magi Cannon, fire! Reikounched three lead cannonballs one after another to try to stop the three Grand Dragons advance. Though lead is too soft to deal any considerable damage, its still effective as a stopping measure as it transfers all of its kic energy to its target upon impact. Each of three Grand Dragons, which had been sprinting at a speed of nearly 200 km/h, took a lead ball to the chest, causing them to roar as they bent backwards. This caused them to momentarily drop their speed by more than half. Reiko took this chance to fire her next round. The now slowed-down three Grand Dragons each took a steel ball to the head. Their roar echoed, shaking the very earth. They were cries of pain. Their heads seemed to be quite hard, as the steel balls bounced off of them upon impact, but they still seemed to have sustained some damage. As a result, the three sprinting Grand Dragons stopped 100 away from Capricorn 1. Ann, use your Mana Bomb. Yes, sister. Following Reikos instructions, Ann threw her Mana Bomb. The Mana Bomb unleashes a Magical Explosion which, despite being magical in nature, deals physical damage. Although Grand Dragons are fairly resistant to magic, they would suffer considerable damage from its raw physical destructive power. And though the debris of the bombs explosion had barely scraped their tough hides, the shockwaves of the explosion shook their not-sorge brains,pletely paralyzing the Grand Dragons hearing. Now, armor-piercing bullets, fire! Her third set of ammunition were armor-piercing rounds, which had a particrly high piercing power. Rather than cannonballs, they were shaped like bullets that had Hyper Adamantite tips that would be fired at a speed of Mach 20. Having been fired from a distance of 100 meters, the armor-piercing bullets generated a strong shockwave after colliding with the Grand Dragons bodies, prating thempletely. The three Grand Dragons roared in pain again. And Reiko decided to go for a follow-up attack. Ann, lets go for some close-ranged attacks! Yes, sister. The members of the Kugutsu n stood there, staring in awe. An unbelievable scene had just unfolded right in front of them. The three Grand Dragons were drawing near at a tremendous speed. At that time, they feared their home would be trampled over in a matter of seconds. But then a thunderous sound echoed, and the Grand Dragons suddenly roared and bent backwards. Though they plugged their ears, they still heard the second roar that followed as the Grand Dragons had slowed down, and once the roaring was over, the dragons had alreadye to aplete stop. And not only that, their bodies had been pierced, and their wounds shed blood as they writhed in pain. W-What What just happened? Then Belials puffed up his chest as he spoke to them. They are under the service of Jin, the Magi Craft Meister. Magi Craft Meister!? Yes. Mr. Jin hase to save us. And while that conversation was taking ce, the scene continued Hyaah! Reiko cut off one of the front legs of one of the Grand Dragons with her Peach Blossom. A littleter, Ann did the same thing. Then Reiko cut off another Grand Dragons front leg. The Grand Dragon writhed in pain. Itsrge head approached the ground, and then Reiko threw a punch at it. All present members of the Kugutsu n were equally astounded. W-What!? I cant believe it! Reikos punchunched the Grand Dragon tens of meters away. As it fell, the Grand Dragony sprawled on the ground, and then stopped moving. Then, the blue-haired woman did the same thing the little girl had just done. And in the same way, the second Grand Dragon ended upying inertly on the ground. Only one Grand Dragon to go. W-What!? Then, after a mixture of ck and blue, the remaining Grand Dragon got all of its legs cut off. Reiko and Ann followed up with a kick at its limbless body, sending it flying even further than the other two. The Grand Dragon then finallynded over 100 meters away, causing loud tremor upon impact, and then stopped for good. Wee to our humble abode, Magi Craft Meister Jin! Thank you for saving our n! Jin (s Substitute Doll) followed Reiko and Ann, and stood in front of the members of the Kugutsu n. My name is Maximus, Im the chief of this n. How can I ever repay your kindness? The n Chief Maximus then bowed to Jin. Thus Jin and the others were weed by the Kugutsu n. Looks like the Agujas here were under the influence of that same machine. With the help of Nurses 1 and 2, they managed to remove the Agujas from the 25 members of the n in about half a day. Alciel and other 4 n members, who were more close to the radical side of the Kugutsu n, were missing. It was highly likely that those 5 would still remain hostile to humans even without the Agujas. Well need to persuade them as soon as we find them. Right. Mr. Jin, do you think you could take Belials with you for a while? Sure. Itll be easier to persuade them if we have someone of the same n as them with us. As they settled on their next guidelines for action, Jin expanded his agricultural reform to this territory as well. He made 20 farmer Golems, named Agris 101 to 120, as well as 10 Barrier generators to help prevent frost damage. Considering the ns numbers and the fact that they could also hunt for food, this would be enough for them to be more self-sufficient. Jin also gave them 200 kg of the wheat he had brought with him. The Kugutsu n gave him some monster materials in exchange. Jin was given a lot of Snow Tiger fur and Icefield Lizard leather. He had no idea how much he would get by selling them, but he also had no intention to do so. He had also been given many other rare materials, so he was in very high spirits. Of course, the materials he was happiest about the most were the scales and hide obtained from the Grand Dragons Reiko and Anne had defeated. I have to take a look at their properties once we return home. With that, Jin (s Substitute Doll) sent the materials over to Hourai Ind via Warp Gate so that the real Jin could get his hands on them. Things are going to get rough from now on. Jin said so to himself as he operated his Substitute Doll. My Lord, I was able to obtain information regarding Nega-Doll 001s movements. Is that so? That must have been tough. Send me a report. Understood. The autumn breeze began to blow in thend of the demons. The full-scale battle with Nega-Doll 001 was yet toe. Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Magi Craft Meister 551 16The Demons Mastermind Arc 16-30Gossip 30 C The Fruits of the Expedition Back in Hourai Ind Laojun had categorized and summarized everything that had been obtained as a result from thisst expedition. Jin was there with him as well. First of all, this Buckwheat. Jin promptly interrupted Laojun with a cheerful expression on his face. Yes, buckwheat. I was thinking about beginning to sow it right away. Buckwheat prefers cold areas. Although Hourai Ind itself was in a subtropicaltitude, the hillside of its 3,000 meter-tall Hourai Mountain fully met the requirements. We will be sowing buckwheat at an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters. With that, they would be able to harvest buckwheat all year round. We will prepare three fields. The n will be to rotate cultivation on two of them while the third field rests. This was to prevent damage to the crops from repeated cultivation, and to avoid causing the soil to be barren. You can expect some results in two months from now. Ah, right. Jin had been thinking about cultivating it in Kaina Vige next year. But before that, they needed to produce more seeds. Since the Shinra n was able to give Jin only a handful of seeds, the only thing they could do for now was to nt them in order to multiply them. They would have to wait until that was done before beginning to nt them for food. Lets talk about the scales and hide of those Grand Dragons next. Sure. Both are extremely resistant to magic. They were tough enough to not be even scratched by intermediate-level offensive magic. Even gravity magic was ineffective against them. The scales of the head and the chests hide are particrly excellent among those on the rest of their bodies. And have you found out why this is so? Im currently analyzing the principle behind it. But I do have a general idea. Thats impressive. And? They act as a naturalbination of a Magic Barrier and Ether Jammer. What do you mean? I guess I can imagine it, but please continue. Yes. They act like a catalyst, continuously converting the surrounding Mana into Ether. As long as using this to defend themselves, they can also keep using their properties to convert their opponents Mana into Ether. Magic uses Mana as its main energy source. Converting that Mana into Ether effectively removes the fuel out of the equation. And because they can also change the surrounding Ether into Mana, which the Grand Dragons themselves could use, it was exactly like hitting two birds with one stone. Thats amazing. If they managed to fully understand the principle behind them, they could serve as a great defense against magic. It would effectively work as a Magic canceler of sorts. At the very least, making armor with these scales and hide should provide a considerable amount of magical resistance. I see. Please continue to look into this. Coming up third is that metal A sample of that unidentified metal was taken from a piece of that strange door and sent over via Warp Gate as well. Oh yeah. Ive never seen anything like this metal, even on Earth. There were many substances in this world that Jin didnt know about, probably because of the existence of Ether as a nucleon. Jins predecessor, Magi Craft Meister Adriana Balbora Ceci actually knew about some of these substances, but there were still some which still remained unknown. Maybe this metal was abundant on the Hale, where the ancestors of both demons and humans originally came from. Its mechanical properties were close to those of iron. However, it had an abnormally high melting point of approximately 5,000 degrees Celsius. No wonder they used it to build their spacecraft. Though I cant really think of anything I can use it for. Next, the Phantom Barrier? Yeah. The Phantom Barrier was a device that created 3D stereoscopic images using Magic Lines. It had the particr trait of not only being able to deceive ones sight, but also their hearing by imitating the sound reflection of the image they disy. Im still conducting research on it, but I believe it will be possible to reproduce it in the near future. Im counting on you. Coming up fifth is this fur Sure. He had been given a lot of fur of Snow Tigers and Rock Ice Rabbits. They were close to being purely white colored. Jin thought that fur coats made with them would be a big hit with women. He also pictured an image of Elsa wearing one such fur coat in his mind, and thinking it would look nice on her. There had been no time to analyze the artifacts mentioned by Shion before their expedition, that is, this worlds equivalents for a photographic camera and a clock, this time around. Hed have to wait for an eventual next visit before he could take a look at those. Thest thing we have is Transfer Magic. Yes. While its use seems to be limited to ces you can physically see and ces with markers, its still quite effective. The transfer machine also required specific coordinates for its destination. The important thing was that if there was a solid object at its exact destination, the transfer would fail. Experiments have shown that the transfer would bounce back to its starting point. Jin had only tried transferring stones during these experiments, so he didnt know what would happen with living things in that scenario. And he was still trying to figure out why it worked so well for gasses while at the same time failing for liquids and solids. I believe that preparing a Magi Crystal specifically for transfer magic and creating a dedicated spot for return would be the way to seed at this. As of now, we cant do much more than that. It would still be very useful for a quick emergency escape. Lets try to implement this. Understood. Ah, by the way, going back to the Grand Dragon materials Do you think they can be used to nullify Gravity Bombs? What do you mean? Like using them to make a sheet to cover it with or a receptacle to contain it. The idea was to weaken its effects and therefore reduce the damage they could cause. I think it should be possible. Lets look into that too. As an extra, they brought up the analysis result of the drug that bends the will and makes one do as theyre told to. Sadly enough, there was absolutely no good news in this regard. My apologies. Not even Laojun was able to analyze the unknown chemical substances used in this drug. Thats because Jin, who was the source for Laojuns knowledge, was not that familiar with chemistry and pharmaceutics himself. Unfortunately, there was no more information they could draw from it at this time. They could only think of it as a mysterious drug. After their review was over, Jin decided to take a rest. The next thing on his list was the report on Nega-Doll 001s activities. Ill have lunch before that. Jin then went out from the underground Control Room. He then stretched out under the fresh and sunny blue sky of Hourai Ind. Brother Jin. Hey, Jin. Jin turned around after hearing his name being called, and found Whoa. Elsa and Saki were there, both wearing yukatas. I like this outfit. It feels refreshing. Saki said that as she looked at her own yukata, which had a cool-looking bamboo pattern over its dark blue background color. Her sash was yellow. What do you think? Elsas yukata had instead a bellflower pattern over its dark blue background. Her sash was orange. I wanted to see if I could make them. Elsa said that she had made them all by herself, using the one she got from Jin. They look great on both of you. Oh, Im d. Ehehe, you think so? Jinspliment had been quite simple, yet it was enough to get the two girls smiling cheerfully. Were having chilled udon noodles today. Huh? Jin had given up on such Japanese-style noodles because he hadnt found soy sauce yet, but Elsas words caused him to open his eyes wide. It looks like the Peridot Leader was able to pick out something we could use from the miso we had and made some adjustments to it It could be said that miso and soy sauce are like siblings. After bing a working adult, Jin visited Takayama on an employee trip. While in Takayama, he experienced its delicacies such as hoba miso, which are magnolia leaves grilled with miso and negi (a type of leek). And the morning market At the morning market, he hade across the many varieties of home-made miso they had for sale there. Some of that miso had a taste simr to that of soy sauce. And Jin liked the miso that tastes like soy sauce very much. Oh, I cant wait then. He headed to the hall together with the two girls dressed in yukatas. There, the Peridot Leader was waiting for them, wearing a kimono and an apron reminiscent of a typical Japanese maid. Its still a prototype, but I managed to make a bit of something that resembles soy sauce, and Ive added it to the base for our soup. The stock is made from dried sardines. Oh, Im really looking forward to this. Thin, pure white noodles were served on ader made of bamboo. They were served chilled, with pieces of ice ced on top. Well, dont mind if I do. The three of them sat in a room covered with tatami mats, and started to eat. Elsa and Saki had been practicing how to use chopsticks, though they still struggled with the thin cold noodles. Oh yea, this is good. It was a bit different from the taste that Jin remembered, but it was still delicious enough to put a smile on his face. The wind chimes hanging from the eaves were ringing, and thete summer in Hourai Ind was indeed a peaceful one. Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Magi Craft Meister 552 16Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-01The First of the Neutrals September 4th. Capricorn 1 left the east side of the continent of Gondoa, where the demons live, and began its journey to the west. Jin (s Substitute Doll) had been on demon territory for half a month. Starting with the Gospel n, he had also managed to release the Shinra and Kugutsu ns from the control of Nega-Doll 001s Agujas. After that, he also seeded in releasing the 40 members of the Shinen n, the 35 members of the Kuon n, the 28 members of the Ganrou n, the 35 members of the Fueki n, and the 31 members of the Yoiyami n, establishing a friendly rtionship with the ns that yed a central role among the moderates. Its been a lot of work. Jin said that to himself while sitting in the Control Room in Hourai Ind. Since the moderate Shinen, Kuon, Ganrou, and Fueki ns were still being controlled by the Agujas, they had to paralyze them all and forcibly remove the Agujas from them. The Yoiyami n, much like the Shinra n, was already free by the time Jin and the others arrived at their territory. Thanks to the efforts of Nurses 1 and 2, each of the ns had their Agujas extracted from all of their members in half a day, and each of them also seemed to adore the figure of the Magi Craft Meister. Jin made 15 farmer Golems of the Agri series for them Che had gotten used to making them by nowC and also set up barriers to prevent frost damage. It was good to see that the sphere of influence of the moderates on the eastern side of the Gondoa continent was almost unified into a single strong voice that ounted for a good portion of the near-1000 total of the demon poption. Thanks to that, Jin concluded that it was finally time to head west in order to try to persuade the neutrals into joining his cause as well. The moderate ns and the neutral ns were 300 demons strong each, meaning that the radical ns consisted of the remaining 400 demons in total. If Jin could manage to have both the moderates and the neutrals on his side, it would give him a great advantage when the time to negotiate with the radicalses. The lineup was Jins double, Reiko, Ann, and Land 1. Also, Belials had joined them as a representative of the moderate demons. His role was mainly to guide them across the demon territory. Even though Jin and the others knew the terrain, they had no way to know where each n was located. Since Belials was very knowledgeable about the continents geography, he dly offered his help. To be honest, Im also worried about Alciel still being missing. Belials exined his situation with an almost child-like frankness. Alciel could control Giant Earwigs, and had previously attacked Gloria back in the Klein Kingdom. She apparently was Belials younger sister. Us from the Kugutsu n normally have gray hair and yellow eyes, but Alciel has ck hair and red eyes, much like those from the Kyoran n. She started saying that she didnt belong with us, and ran away from home. It was fairly possible that the radicals took advantage of her insecurities to take her in. Though she can control Giant Earwigs and use Transfer Magic, shes still a 43-year-old child. As the average lifespan of demons was about five times that of humans, 43 years old in human time would be roughly equivalent to 8 years old. Although it cannot be reallypared with human growth, it appears that even with the vast knowledge thates with the passage of time, a demon wont truly mature mentally until the age of 80. I want to find her and bring her back home with me. Jin couldnt help but understand that feeling as an older brother himself. Capricorn 1 slowly headed west. The destination was the territory of the Shinshoku n, the first of the neutrals on their route. Among the neutrals, the Shinshoku n has the most inmon with us moderates. I think theyre a great ce to get started. With Belials guidance, the party left the coastline and began its journey ind. Can you see a small hill? There, at the foot of that hill. The hill was so small that it looked more like a bulge on the ground. At its foot was the abode of the Shinshoku n. Its a small n of about 30 people. Capricorn 1 stopped at a point about 2 km away from it. The current time was 2:00 PM. Well, what should we do?, Jins double asked. Let me go there first. That sounds like a good idea. Ann, why dont you go with him? Yes, Master. The Substitute Doll was being controlled by Jin himself. Therefore, Reiko and Ann each referred to him as Father and Master respectively, despite it being Jins double and not the real Jin himself. Its settled then. Belials and Ann got off Capricorn 1 and started running. They would arrive at the Shinshoku ns abode in a few minutes. I wonder how this is going to go. Jin recalled thetest report he had received from Laojun. Using the powered-up Laozi, Laojun investigated the movements of Nega-Doll 001. ording to his report, Nega-Doll 001 had two bases in addition to the one discovered by Reiko and the others. Both of these bases were located in the far west side of the continent. It was an areapletely covered with ice. One of those bases is particrlyrge, so I believe it must serve as his headquarters. The other one is closer to a settlement of a radical n of demons, so it seems to be some sort of front base. I see. That seems to be the case. Jin checked the map while receiving Laojuns report, and nodded. Though he calls himself 001, I have been unable to confirm the existence of other Nega-Dolls. Well, it kind of makes sense. After all, No. 700672 said that the failures were going to be eliminated. So if some actually managed to escape their fate, it couldnt have been more than one or two Nega-Dolls. The small number of enemies was very convenient for Jin, but the fact that there were two bases meant that even if they managed to corner Nega-Doll 001 easily, he would be able to escape to his other base via transfer, or even somewhere else entirely. Well have to find a way to prevent him from using his transfer ability to escape. One way to do that is to find and eliminate his markers, but this wasnt very realistic, as the total number of markers was unknown. Even so, the marker at the base where No. 700672 was located had been already removed, so it was unlikely that Nega-Doll 001 could return there. The famous Soaring Ship, huh? Its a precious ancient relic. Id like to get a good look at it after things have settled down. After allowing that thought to leak out of his mouth, Jin went back to the point. A transfer can only be made by sensing the transfers destination with magical power. If so, all we need to do is to make it impossible to find that destination. So I wonder if some kind of Jammer could do the trick Magical power, or more precisely, magical power lines, seemed to have the same properties as electromaic waves. That would mean that they have frequencies, wavelengths, and waveforms. The magical power pattern that identifies an individual would also be made up of thisbination of frequency, wavelength, and waveform. And after riding his train of thoughts all the way there, Jin found himself lost in the maze of his reasoning. At that time, he was interrupted by a message from the demon territory. We received word from Ann. The Agujas imnted to the Shinshoku n seem to have stopped working as well. Is that so? Thats very convenient. Land 1, get us a bit closer. Understood. Following Jins doubles instructions, Land 1 had Capricorn 1 proceed slowly at a speed of about 15 km/h. Then they stopped at a distance of 500 meters from the abode. Okay, lets do the rest on foot. Jin had decided that it was not a good idea to bring Capricorn 1 too close. Should we take, say, 50kg of wheat as a gift? Reiko, can you take care of that? Yes, Father. Jins double, Reiko, and Nurses 1 and 2 got off Capricorn 1 and walked towards the Shinshoku ns abode. Jins double was wearing a brown coat with a hood. It wasnt very pleasing to the eye, but it was made of Grand Dragon hide, so it counted as a piece of highly magic-resistant armor. It had been made in Hourai Ind as a prototype, and Jin and Laojun agreed that the Substitute Doll was the most suitable candidate to wear it. It took less than 10 minutes of slow walking for them to arrive at the abodes entrance, where Ann and Belials were waiting for them. There were also some members of the Shinshoku n there to wee Jin as well. Wee, Magi Craft Meister Jin. My name is Domenicos, and Im the chief of the Shinshoku n. Domenicos was an old man of small build. His blond hair was grizzled with strands of white, and his purple eyes had lost some of their light. The other day, the voice and the pain that controlled us suddenly stopped. Our visitors here tell me this is your doing, Mr. Jin. I cant thank you enough. He then took Jins hand in a firm handshake before introducing the middle-aged-looking demons behind him. This is my son, who will soon be this ns new chief, and this is his wife. My name is Jrdos. My name is Yeminiena. The demons joining the chief gave Jin their names. They were a little small, even for a demon. Many of the members of the Shinshoku n seemed to be quite small. Well, why dont youe in ande to our house for a while? Domenicos began walking, followed by Jins double, Reiko, Ann, Belials, Nurses 1 and 2, and Jrdos and Yeminiena at the end of the line. The residence of Chief Domenicos was located in the center of the Shinshoku ns abode. The buildings here were made of stone like the other ns. Most of them are one-story buildings, but the chiefs residence was three stories high. Please, doe in. The party was invited inside. The inside of the residence seemed to be more humid and warmer than the outside. Please, take a seat here and make yourselves at home. Jins party was led to a drawing room. The room itself was rather in but at the same time very rxing. Even the real Jin back in Hourai Ind thought it would be very nice to sit there and rx for a while. Finally, the first stage of negotiations with the neutrals was about to begin. Chapter 553 Chapter 553 Magi Craft Meister 553 16Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-02Frequency The food situation certainly is pretty rough. The talks with the Shinshoku n, one of the neutral ns, had begun. The demons of the Shinshoku n that were participating in this meeting were Chief Domenicos, his son and next-in-line Jrdos, a mediator, and a secretary. In addition to those four, other five demons were present as audience. Through Mr. Jins efforts, you would be self-sufficient in that regard. Belials began to exin. In fact, the core ns of the moderate faction are expected to be able to harvest rye again within the year. Oh Someone from the audience was clearly impressed by that. Suddenly, one of their reasons for invading human territory, which was to procure food, had copsed. Does this mean that it will be possible for us here as well? Domenicos turned towards Jins double, staring at him straight in the eye as he asked that. Of course, but Ill require that you cease your participation in the invasion of human territory, as well as a minorpensation from your n. Domenicos frowned a bit in response to Jins answer. Only a minorpensation? You wont ask for any riches or anything too big? I dont think so, no. Belials here tells me that thesends produce quite a lot of Magi Crystals. Ah, I see. Being the Magi Craft Meister, youd certainly have endless ways to use them. Thats right Thus the first of the negotiations with the neutrals were settled rtively smoothly. Jin then resolved to call for representatives from other nearby ns on the next day. Things went pretty well with this n since its rtively moderate among the neutrals, but I think its going to get tougher in the future. Jin and Laojun were having a briefing session on Hourai Ind. You mentioned that tomorrow you would be calling for representatives of other nearby ns. It was an opportunity to win them all over in one go, but the game was in a difficult state. Would you do the negotiations in my stead, Laojun? In short, it meant leaving the control of the Substitute Doll to Laojun. Understood. Thank you for trusting me with this task. Is there anything else were going to need for our negotiations? Well Since were negotiating with a neutral party, I think we should do something to show our ability. We only need to think about what would be a suitable option. Jin remembered that Lucas had said something simr once. Considering that demons put a great deal of value in merit, Jin wondered if there was some shy way to prove his worth. How about a sma sword? I dont think its a bad choice, but I also believe its a bad idea to show our cards too much. Laojun was concerned about revealing too much considering they didnt know the extent of Nega-Doll 001s technological abilities. I see What about the airship? I believe its better for us not to show off our aerial military strength just yet. Istalis and Shion knew about the airship, but they werent going to tell anyone anyway, so Jin tried thinking about something else. How about we send in arge number of Golems? Seeing Jin thinking hard, Laojun came up with an idea. I see, thats a good idea. We have Land 1 there, so lets send in Lands 2 through 20. Understood. This time, they would win them over with quantity rather than quality. Is there anything else? Yes, just now, Im in the process of investigating Nega-Doll 001s bases, but unfortunately progress is slow as I do not want to arouse suspicion. I see. And? Still, I managed to infiltrate. ording to what I could gather, it would appear that Nega-Doll has somehow gotten wind of your existence, My Lord, so well have to consider the possibility of him trying to take some sort of action against you in the future. I see. So, what do we need in order toe up with a countern? Here, Laojun shared his theory about Nega-Doll 001s possible course of action. Since youve managed to extract so many Agujas releasing so many demons from his control, you have surely be a thorn in his side. So Laojun then said that he would definitely aim for Jins double. The most likely way hed do it would be a surprise attack by use of his transfer ability. Basically, he would transfer himself close to Jin in order to attack him in some way, and then he would escape using the same transfer ability. That was the most likely scenario. Though they had set up a Magic Barrier, which would prevent anyone from transferring within its area of effect, the barrier is more often than not turned off whenever they are visiting one of the demons ces of residence. If he were to send in a gravity bomb, there would be no defending against it. That was Laojuns conclusion. Yeah, youre right. In fact, the only way to nullify a gravity bomb so far was to hit it with gravity magic in the opposite direction in order to offset it. We could use a transfer machine to send any iing gravity bombs far away before they can detonate, but Transfer machines werent small enough to be carried around easily. Wait, what if the transfer machines destination was already set in advance? Jin came up with an idea. The reason why transfer machines were so big was that the function to manually set the transfers destination takes up a lot of physical size. I see, that is a great idea, My Lord. Do you think it would be possible to make a pocket-sized transfer machine that can instantaneously send things to a predetermined location? The transfer destination wasnt the only piece of information a transfer machine needed to understand. It also needed to have a good understanding of the object it was going to transfer away. Otherwise, there would be a risk of other surrounding objects being sent away along with it. Human reaction speed would be no good either. But if it was Reiko If operated by Automata or Golems, which have a reaction speed that is several tens of times faster than that of humans, the pocket transfer machine would be able to catch a gravity bomb on the fly and send it far away before it can detonate. It would be great if we could design it in the shape of a gun. Yeah. With this outline, Jin and Laojun set out to develop a simple transfer machine nas a countermeasure against gravity bombs. And since it could also be used to neutralize other things as well, they worked on it with the highest of priorities. Jin, are you here? After dinner, Saki came into the workshop as Jin was working on his n. Toa wasnt with her; she hade all by herself. Hmm? What is it? Hey, Ive been thinking about something and wanted to hear your opinion on it. Okay, lets hear it. Jin too had been absorbed into his thinking for a while, so a change of atmosphere was most wee. Thanks, I know youre busy. But anyway, Ive been thinking about those Magic Lines weve been talking about, and Id like to hear your opinion on some theories Ivee up with. Jin remembered thinking about something simr that morning, trying toe up with ways to disrupt Transfer Magic. Sounds good. Tell me about your theories. Ehehe, its a bit embarrassing now that Im here and all. Umm, first Sakis first point was very simr to what Jin had been thinking about before. Magical power lines are like waves. So they have frequencies, wavelengths, and wave forms Oh, I totally agree with that. Hehe, Im d that you do. Well, my first theory is that magical attributes are determined by frequency. Huh? Saki begins her exnation. There are four attributes: Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire. Earth has the lowest frequency, while Fire has the highest. Also, for example, ice would be among the lowest frequencies in the Water attribute. Since ice is solid, Saki seemed to believe that it was closer to the Earth attribute. Hmm, interesting. Isnt it? And the one with the highest frequency among those in the Water attribute would be steam. Hmm, I see. But in that sense, what about Wind and Fire? Ehehe, thats where the knowledge I received from youes into y, Jin. The solid, liquid, and gas states of matter. Earth is solid. Water turns into ice when its solid, its liquid in its normal state, and when heated it turns into gas. So what about Fire? There may be some interpretations of what Fire actually is, but it can also be seen as a state in which a heated gas emits light. This was Sakis exnation. Hmm Well, thats impressive. Thanks. So Wind is linked to the gas state, and so is Fire. But what if you heat it up even more? The answer was sma. I think it might thats what we call the phenomenon of lightning bolts, but I wanted to hear your opinion, Jin. Jin agreed that sma was an ionized gas, and that lightning bolts were one of the many ways sma could manifest. Right! So then, Light would be above that, and then Darkness, I suppose? Sakis voice faltered toward the end of her sentence. She seemed to be losing confidence. However, her face quickly brightened up with Jins answer. That phenomenon itself may not be linked to just frequency, but I agree with your theory. Right! Well, Im d I consulted this with you! But the thought of Darkness being above Light kinda goes againstmon sense. The idea that light dispels darkness generates themon idea that the Light attribute has to be on top of the line. Hmm, but ck holes, which not even light can escape from, are still darkness. And its frequency At that time, an idea came to Jins mind. Chapter 554

Chapter 554

Magi Craft Meister 554 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-03 Friendship Sakis idea of ??ssifying magical power by frequency brought a new sh of inspiration to Jin. Jin needed to find a way to nullify magic, either with a spell or with a Magic Tool. And one way to do so was through Interference? Its a phenomenon that urs when two simr waves traveling in opposite directions cancel each other out when they collide with each other, but the theory itself is quite profound and well beyond the understanding of the night high school graduate Jin. However, being a practical person, Jin thought that the theory would eventually follow alongter. Now was the time to try whatever was possible to try. Jin? As a frown suddenly appeared on Jins face, Saki called out to him with a worried look on her own face. At that moment Yeah, it looks like its worth a try! Thank you, Saki. Thank you! Aftering to his senses, Jin was seemingly very happy, as he took Sakis hand with both his own and grasped it tightly. S-Sure, I dont think Ipletely follow yet, but Im happy to help Saki was taken aback. Her cheeks were definitely redder than a few moments ago. Okay, lets try it out right now! That wont do. A frigid voice came from behind Jin. E-Elsa? Reiko asked me to look after you. Youll have to go to bed soon, Brother Jin. Time had flown, and it was currently 11 PM Reiko had asked Elsa to keep an eye on Jin so that he wouldnt get carried away and forget to sleep while she was away. Ah, okay. A bitter smile appeared on Sakis face upon seeing Jins disappointment. Ehehe, looks like shes got you tied to her apron strings. Wha- Ahaha, its nothing. Night-night. With augh, Saki promptly left the workshop. Come on now, Brother Jin. Elsa took the seemingly dejected Jin by the hand. He felt that her grip was quite strong, but didnt mention it to her. On the other hand, Laojun didnt need to rest. In other words, Laojun steadily continued with the development of their concrete countermeasure, the simple transfer machine. Then came the next day, September 5th. As arranged, the chief and aides of the nearby neutral ns had gathered. A previous examination confirmed that none of them were under the influence of the Agujas. By noon, everyone had already arrived. First, they all introduced themselves during lunch in a conference-room-like area. Im Starcus of Kyozetsu. Anemosdeus of Kokou. Okealus of Kairi. Coridorialus of Kyojin. Im Jin, the Magi Craft Meister. These are my Automata, Reiko and Ann. After a brief round of introductions, they had lunch. The main dish was made with rye porridge (this worlds rye was more like Earths buckwheat), but served in a specific way. Essentially, it was crepes. It is said that crepes were first conceived by baking buckwheat porridge, so Jin had instructed Ann to make them using this worlds rye. The crepes had smoked meat and various seasonings, with dried strawberries and sugar syrup on top, and were served in bite-sized pieces. Hmm? This is delicious! Well! This is so tasty. Theyre easy to make, and you can put so many different vors into them. Is this your doing, Mr. Jin? It seemed to have been well received by Jins guests. There was bread on the table as well, but it would appear that they had never used rye flour to make something like bread. Meals provide a soothing sensation. The n of Domenicos, chief of the Shinshoku n, to hold a meeting after lunch, was a reasonable sess. I like to think that eating is not only to keep us alive, but also for nourishing the mind. I see, I see. Thats very profound. As Jin uttered the words he had heard somewhere before, all of the visiting n chiefs looked at him with an impressed look on their faces. Well then, everyone. After lunch was over and the table was clean of tes, Domenicos, who was also acting as mediator for this meeting, spoke in a dignified manner. Lets begin with the reason why weve all gathered here today. Id like you to hear what Magi Craft Meister Jin has to say. Everyone else listened silently. Im Jin. Im not going to be so rash as to say that Im speaking as a representative of all of humankind. All I want is for you all to hear me out and make a rational decision. He stopped there and looked around to see all of the chiefs faces. Everyone was listening with intent, eager to hear what Jin was trying to say. First of all, Id like to discuss your food situation. With my technology, this can be solved to some extent. Saying to some extent was a rather humble approach, since in reality, the situation would be almostpletely resolved, although it would take a few more months for that resolution to be fully realized. Once your food situation is resolved, you should have little reason to remain hostile to humans. Besides, that hostility is mostly due to the influence of a certain mastermind. This caused a bit of amotion. All 4 n chiefs agreed that no Agujas had been imnted on their ns to begin with. Some ns, particrly the moderate ones, had been imnted with special control devices called Agujas. Its true. I can attest to that. Belials of Kugutsu dered so. I believe you. We received messengers from both the Gospel and Shinra ns bearing letters that spoke of this as well. Coridorialus of Kyojin gave that answer. He was an unusually well-built man about 1,90 meters tall. His appearance was simr to that of a male human in his early forties, so he was probably the youngest among the chiefs gathered in this meeting. We bear responsibility for all members of each of our individual ns. For that reason, we cannot carelessly say whether we as ns are hostile or not. Coridorialus stood up and looked straight at Jin. Id like you to show us a rational means for us to decide, Magi Craft Meister Jin. No one disputed his opinion, as it seemed to be shared among all four chiefs. And Laojun, who was currently controlling Jins double, had also been expecting to be asked to do such a thing at some point. Very well. Jins double looked at Reiko. As a matter of fact, he was talking to her telepathically using their built-in Mana Comms. Yes, Father. Even though it was a Substitute Doll operated by Laojun, Reiko reacted with an attitude that corresponded to that which she would have with the real Jin. She then walked slowly towards the door of the conference room and opened it. Come in, Lands. In response to her call, a total of 19 Army Golems, which were Lands 2 through 20, entered the conference room slowly and quietly. W-Whoa W-What? Mr. Jin! Even Belials of Kugutsu and Domenicos, the chief of the Shinshoku n who also was the one who convened this meeting, appeared to be very surprised by this. Afraid, even. The Land series were 1,80 meters tall, weighed 200 kg, and had a body shape simr to that of a human. However, the power they could produce was nearly half of what Reiko could currently produce. Having only half of Reikos power at their disposal might make them look meager, but Reikos own power equals nearly thousands of G. And there were 19 of them. Ohh, impressive. When did you? I had them brought herest night. Everyone was surprised again after hearing Jin say that so nonchntly. Back when I was still little, there was a conflict that humans called the Great Magic War. At that time, I still wasnt allowed to go out yet, but Ive heard time and time again how the adults of the time struggled so much to stand up to the golems made by humans. Domenicos, chief of the Shinshoku n, shared his story. He was 355 years old, and around 50 years old at the time of the war. When put into human years, he was akin to a 10-year old boy at the time. Though he couldve been seen as a living witness of the Great Magic War, he said he actually hadnt been allowed to leave the house because it was too dangerous, so he only knew what happened at home at that time. And at any rate, had he actually been out there in the battlefield, he wouldve been exterminated along with the rest as soon as the Ether Stampede happened. But thats enough digression While the n chiefs were overwhelmed as they witnessed with their very own eyes the 19 Land units, Laojun, who was controlling Jins double at the moment, spoke with a very assertive tone of voice. I hate conflict. Thats why, as the Magi Craft Meister He looked at everyone and then continued. It is my desire to settle matters with as most peace and quiet as possible. However! If something rises to threaten that peace in the slightest, all I can do is eliminate it. At the same time as he finished saying that, the 19 Land units took their Vibration Swords in both hands and saluted by extending their arms in front of their chests while still holding their swords. It was simr to presenting arms but with a sword instead of a firearm. Incidentally, I can continue to create more Golems like these as long as there are enough materials. Whether such a demonstration was sessful or not, discussions with the chiefs continued without dy, eventually resulting in a total of 200 demons from 5 neutral ns to establish a bond of friendship with Jin. Chapter 555

Chapter 555

Magi Craft Meister 555 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-04 Sneaking The fact that most of the neutral ns had already agreed with Jin was a very fortunate one. The rest of the ns, which had a smaller number of people, would most likely be persuaded by the chiefs of the ns who have established these bonds of friendship after this gathering. However, this friendship is with Jin, not with humanity. They had merely be friends with the Magi Craft Meister. Well, its still a step, and a big one at that. Jin was making enough farmer Golems of the Agri series for each n. Since there wasnt enough time to make them on site, he had the Mini Smiths on Hourai Ind to help him on their end. Thanks to this, the production volume had tripled, and in a single day, they managed to build 200 Agri units and 20 frost damage prevention barriers. The n was then to secretly send them over via transfer machine. By the way, My Lord, I have finished the first prototype of the simple transfer machine. Oh, that was fast. Here it is. Since Laojuns mobile terminal Laozi had been dispatched to search for Nega-Doll 001s base, he was using a Smith Golem as his assistant.? Yeah, it really looks like a small gun, huh. It resembled a toy gun,plete with an uneven design that looked clean at best, and in at worst. However, Jin seemed to like it. How do you use this? After much consideration, I made it so that what you should try doing first is aiming for something and then touching the trigger. Just touch it, dont pull it yet. Okay. Jin then went out of theboratory, and aimed at a fallen tree branch. After he touched the trigger a pointer-like redser was emitted from the device. And this is? Its a pointer. The device will transfer the object targeted by it. Please pull the trigger now. When Jin pulled the trigger, the tree branch disappeared. Oh, I see. The transfer destination is fixed by design. It is a point 5,000 meters above the sea far away. Above the sea, huh? Jin thought that there wouldnt be many disadvantages to that as long as the device wasnt used too often. So it could also be used to indirectly neutralize bombs. Its disadvantage is that each transfer takes arge amount of energy, meaning that it can only be used twice beforepletely running out of energy. For the same reason, it cannot transfer objects that are toorge. The devices energy source is Ethenol. Jin thought that at least it was better than it being a single-use device, though it would be better to keep two of these devices at hand and ready since they were quite small. Whats the size limit for this device? It can transfer objects up to a spherical diameter of 50 centimeters and a weight of 40 kilograms. It would have no problem dealing with a bomb. But other things should be dealt with through other means. Too bad that the transfer destination isnt outer space, though. Increased distance would make the device consume even more energy than it already does. Ah Right. Well, we have to be careful not to be reckless when using this. Jin instructed Laojun to make 40 more of this device and equip Reiko and Lands 2 through 20 with 2 each. Well, as for me Jin resumed his investigation of magic nullification. Brother Jin. Elsa arrived at the workshop, where Jin was deeply engrossed in thought. Uh, Elsa? Whats the matter? I came to help you, Brother Jin. Help me? Yeah. Since Reiko is away, I was thinking maybe you needed someone to act as your assistant. I see. I appreciate it. Let me tell you what Im working on right now. Jin exined to Elsa the theory of magic nullification that he had been thinking about since the day before. Cancel I thought about that, but canceling a wave requires another emission of an exact same wavelength but with an opposite direction. What if you send all possible frequencies? The device sending those frequencies would have to be too big. It seemed that Jin also considered the possibility of making that magic nullifier small enough to be carried around as well. Then, how about subdividing for each attribute? That could work, but then well have to carry a lot of those devices around. Hmm This wont be easy to solve. Elsa began to brood over it. Jin suddenlyughed when he saw her cute face all frowned. What? Ah, dont mind me, I was just looking at your face as you began to think hard and thought that it looked cuter than expected. ! With a rare Ah! and a face as red as a tomato, Elsa quickly stood up. I-I j-just remembered I have to p-prepare lunch As soon as she finished saying that, she set out to leave the workshop in a hurry. On the way out, she got her foot caught between a chairs legs and almost fell, but clumsily managed to recover before finally leaving the workshop. Jin was nearlypletely taken aback by Elsas rare behavior, but All frequencies Subdivision Right! Suddenly struck by an idea, Jin immediately started working on a prototype. Meanwhile, Laojuns mobile terminal Laozi was in the middle of searching for Nega-Doll 001s bases. His current location was a mountainside to the far northwest of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. There was a ce where the rocks werent covered by snow, probably because of the direction of the wind or because the snow had been blown away by strong winds. There was a small entrance behind these rocks, and past that entrance was one of Nega-Doll 001s bases. (Theres a barrier here as well. Its really troublesome.) Laojun Cor rather, LaoziC made full use of his ability to detect magical power and found the barriers area of effect. (This barrier is multiyered? No, it seems to have only two singleyers.) Laozi analyzed the structure of the barrier with a precision that was impossible for humans. (Heres its weak spot. Passing through this singr point wont cause any rms to go off.) A barriers singr point was amon weakness amongrge-scale barriers, such as those generated by using multiple generators. It urs at the intersection of magical power waves emitted from different antennae. Strangely enough, precisely because they have the same waveform and wavelength, the intersection can cause interference creating a weaker section of the barrier. This is the phenomenon known as singrity point. All Laojun had to do was to find the barriers singrity point and use it to bypass it. (There dont seem to be any other barriers inside Is he that confident in his defenses?) The entrance had been cleverly hidden, but not enough to deceive Laozis eyes. He passed through that entrance without difficulty and stepped inside the base. (It seems this ce was made by digging into the rocks here. The work here is also quite sloppy. It seems he doesnt have many subordinates) Laozi hid its presence with an invisibility barrier and slowly proceeded inside. Thanks to his added tactile sensors, he was able to immediately react to even the slightest irregrities in the ground and continued to walk without making any noise. After walking down a slightly downward-nted corridor for about 10 meters, he found a small hall at its end. (Its very likely that there will be some traps around here.) He had ess to the information of what Reiko, Ann, and Alectus had seen when they infiltrated his other base. Laozi pondered how to pass through this small hall. (Should there be a trap in here, what would be its triggering conditions?) In other words, what kind of sensor detects intrusions? (I need scouts Come out, Finger Golems.) They were ultrapact Golems about 5 centimeters tall. Laozis body had five of them stored under his chest ting. After the five micro-Golems were deployed, they quickly started analyzing the small hall from its entrance and slowly advancing inside. (No temperature sensors, no weight sensors, no infrared sensors) While detecting various sensors, the Finger Golems advanced step by step. (Optical sensors There we go.) There was a trap that would activate after an object over a certain size was detected. (The wavelength that reacts to it is normal visible range? No infrared detection, no ultraviolet detection I should be able to pass through while under the effects of Invisible.) After investigating the inside of the room and confirming that it was being monitored with an optical sensor, that is, a Magic Tool that detected objects within the normal visible range, Laozi kept his invisibility barrier up and proceeded through the small hall. By repeating this process of probing, devising a countermeasure and slipping through halls many times, Laozi gradually proceeded deeper into the base. Chapter 556

Chapter 556

555 Really is a weird number lol. Thanks for reading. Magi Craft Meister 556 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-05 Mines Regret and Elsas Shyness September 7th. Having established friendly rtions with the neutral ns, Capricorn 1 set out for its next destination. In order to avoid unnecessary troublesome situations, the Shinshoku n sent an envoy with a message from Chief Domenicos in advance. The party was now heading to the territory of one of the central ns among the radicals, the Kaigyaku n. This was the n to which Lardus belonged. It was also thergest n with about 100 members. Joining the party were Belials of Kugutsu and Jrdos of Shinshoku. Jin could see that the Shinshoku n actually trusted him a lot, having sent their next-in-line for the position of n chief with him. The abode of the Kaigyaku n was less than 80 kilometers away , and since Capricorn 1 could travel at about 25 km/h, the trip would take about 3 hours. Oh, to think something like that actually happened I bet it wont be easy for humans to forgive something like that. Since there was time along the way, Jin (s double) talked about what Lardus had done. To unleash deadly bacteria is a bit unforgivable if you ask me. Jrdos had a grave look on his face. Actually, he Lardus is my cousin. Then he shared an unexpected fact. Your cousin? Reiko, who had faced Lardus firsthand, asked him to make extra sure she had heard that correctly. Yes. His mother, that is, my aunt, is from our n An unexpected blood rtionship had been revealed. So Mr. Jin. If we happen toe across Lardus in the future What would you do? Jrdos frankly said that he spoke of this because if it turned out that Jin couldnt forgive Lardus, he himself would be in a rather tough position. Well, he has caused a lot of trouble, and some people actually died because of him. Its not an easy question. Jrdos had spoken honestly, so now the real Jin, who was currently controlling the Substitute Doll, also spoke his mind straightforwardly. When ites to humanws, his deeds are undoubtedly punishable by death, but what about demonws? The same. If you kill a fellow nsperson, you get the death penalty. Then what if you kill a human? Jrdos was at a loss for words. Jin could somehow sympathize with him. Could we assume that Lardus is being manipted by the Agujas as well? Unfortunately, Jrdos shook his head. Im afraid thats unlikely because hes had an interest in humans from an early age and had a lot of fun imagining various ways to toy with them. Hmm Aside from Lardus, there was also the demon Marchosias Cwhose n was still unknownC, who had poisoned a marquis of the Shouro Empire, and Androgias of Kyouran, who was killed by the Selfish Siblings. Negotiations with the radicals were going to be difficult. On the same day, at Hourai Ind While cleaning up after breakfast, Mine noticed that her daughter Elsa looked different than usual. Lately, after being done with the chores, she would go to theboratorys workshop, but today she went with Mine all the way to the shelves where the dry tableware would be put away. It was as if she didnt want to go to the workshop. Elsa, I can handle the rest myself, you know? Mine tried that approach first. Hm. Let me help you all the way through. With that said, she finished washing and carried the dry dishes to the shelves. Well, with that out of the way, were already done. To which Elsa quickly replied with: Hm. Ill help you get the things ready for preparing lunch. She would constantlye up with a reason to stay, or rather, to not go anywhere. Mine instinctively knew that something was up. Shouldnt you be helping Jin, dear? When she said that, Elsas face turned red. Did something happen? N-No, nothing. Mine chuckled and pinched on Elsas cheeks. Then howe these are this red, huh? Come on, you can talk to me. Said ute. Huh? He said I looked cute. Well, well! Mine sighed. Being 17 years old, Elsa was about the age of being married and having children. But she was so na?ve While thinking that, she also remembered what she would do as a nursing mother to keep undesirable lovers away, before bing Elsas mother. And on the other hand, she thought about Jin. There were several women around him. And he was of marriageable age. Moreover, not only was he good-looking, but he was also a very likable fellow. But When ites to romance, Mine felt that every woman was different. Hanna was still far too young, and Saki felt more like a fellow researcher. Stearleana was getting along quite nicely with Sakis father Toa, and Vivian wasnt that familiar with Hourai Ind yet so she hadnt had that much contact with Jin. Lithia, was it? Lithia was a young woman who had joined Jin, Elsa, and Hanna at the summer festival in Kaina Vige. She was a new aristocrat who had been appointed as feudal head of the neighboring Toka Vige. She also was about the same age as Elsa, and from Mines point of view, she seemed to be quite fond of Jin as well. But when ites to chances to be face-to-face with one another, they were far moremon with Elsa. Or rather, Elsa could always be around him. But still Mine knew that being always around him didnt mean that she had a romantic advantage over other young women. (Well, its not like I have that much of a romantic past to be proud of or anything like that.) Her self-deprecating words were muttered only within her chest. After that, Mine decided to encourage her daughter. I know most men tend topliment young women with empty ttery. But if Jins words made you happy, you shouldnt run away from them. But A strong sense of regret welled up inside Mines chest. Had Elsa been raised as part of the aristocracy, she wouldve made her social debut around the age of 13, and would already be rtively ustomed to rhetoric by this point. But this wasnt Elsas case. She was regarded as being sick with an excess of magical power and was kept away from her social circles so that her rtives could save face. With great trouble, her cousin Reinhardt had been taking Elsa to the center stage of politics every year, but unlike aristocratic parties, they were somewhatcking in terms of fostering the search for a partner in life. Even so, Jin Now, when ites to Jin himself There were no stories about any previous love life. There were suspicions about him being interested in men instead, but that wasnt the case either. For a while, he was even thought to be sexually attracted to human-like dolls (like Automata), but now everyone knows Jin wasnt like that. I wonder if hes even interested in ever getting married yet. Somehow, Mine felt that this was the closest to the truth. She couldnt feel any lust for women from him. There was no logic to it, it was purely a womans intuition. Then, what should she say to Elsa in order tofort her? You call him Brother Jin, right? So you two are more like siblings. Its not umon for an older brother to say that his younger sister is cute. Youre worrying too much about it. You really think so? Thats right. Come on now, go help him out. He needs you. With that said, Mine lightly pushes Elsas back toward the kitchens door. Elsa took a few doubtful steps, then turned around. Thank you, mother. Then she trotted out of the kitchen and towards the workshop. After seeing her off, Mine let out a subtle sigh. It looks like theres still a long way to go for those two. Elsa? Whats wrong? Mine was surprised to see Elsa slumping back. Did Jin say something again? No. Brother Jin is not in the workshop anymore. At this time, Jin was in the Control Room, piloting the Substitute Doll. Chapter 557

Chapter 557

Magi Craft Meister 557 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-06 Chaos Dont take us for fools! Those were the first words that came out of the mouth of Bafrosk, the chief of the Kaigyaku n. Have you forgotten how many of our people died in that Great Magic War, or what those filthy humans call it? Do you think we can pretend it never happened and hold hands with them just like that!? Bafrosk had the appearance of a human in his mid-40s, with gray hair and gray eyes. He had a fierce look on his face. One of our own nsmen, Androgias, was murdered by humans! And yet you ask us to get along with them? That was the chief of the Kyouran n, who hade here despite not being invited. Why should we be afraid of those lowly humans!? Humans cane here and beg for forgiveness all they want, and we would still not forgive them! On September 8th, the first discussion was held in the Kaigyaku ns abode, but more than an actual discussion, it was chaos. Please, calm down! Try to be a little bit more rational! Not even Jrdos of Shinshokus call to attentions voice was enough to make them listen. Everyone! Calm down! Lets look at our reality! Belials of Kugutsu also resolutely tried to get them to listen to reason, but it was no use. Perhaps me not being present at that meeting was for the best after all Jin (s double) had stayed inside Capricorn 1, which was stationed about 4 kilometers away from the Kaigyaku ns abode. Only Belials and Jrdos had gone to meet with the chief of the Kaigyaku n Apart from Ann, who, unbeknownst to either of them, had followed them using the Invisible spell. And Ann was now secretly rying what had been discussed there. Its worse than I imagined. In the Control Room on Hourai Ind, the real Jin let out a sigh. The radicals were so chaotic that trying to reason with them seemed to be impossible. They live quite far away from everyone else Something must have happened to them during the thousands of years theyve been moving around from ce to ce. Looking at the footage sent from Annes eyes, Jin could see that the radicals seemed physically a bit different from the other demons. First of all, they were taller. Most of them were 1,80 meters tall, some of them reached 1,90, and a few even reached the 2-meters mark. Their hair was either gray or ck. And most of them had ck eyes. My Lord, perhaps it is the other way around. Hmm? What do you mean? It could be said that the radicals are more pure-blooded. The blood of those from the radical ns wasnt so watered down like that of those from the rest of the ns. It was closer to that of the masters of No. 700372, who came to this from Hale. Ah, I see. And thats why theyre magical power is so strong, right? It was a usible theory. However, expanding upon it wouldnt help solve the current situation, so Jin decided not to pursue it for the time being. He would merely keep an eye on it after the talks were over. After the long period of words being hurled back and forth had finally subsided, Jrdos of Shinshoku reiterated his posture. You have to start thinking about achieving food self-sufficiency! You cant live without food, itsmon sense! Were saying your living conditions can be greatly improved with our help! However, his desperate appeal was crushed by the words of the radicals. Hmph, when we dont have enough food, we just steal some from the humans. They have a lot of food. Bafrosk of Kaigyaku spoke with confidence. But to Jrdos, his words were unfathomable, almost as if they hade out of the mouth of an insane person. Are you serious!? Oh, Im dead serious. Let me ask you one thing. Where does that confidencee from? Because Ive done my research. Research? On what? Humans. Then, he raised his voice to make sure everyone else in the room could hear him loud and clear. Listen to me, and listen to me well. Humans are susceptible to Magical Exhaust Fever. They can be easily manipted with Envement Magic. And above all they are creatures of great desire. That was some of the information that the radicals had on humans, which had been mainly gathered by the Kaigyaku n. They are helpless against Gravity Magic. Not to mention the fact that their power at an individual level is far inferior to ours. But humans outnumber us by a scale of more than a thousand to one of us. Hmph, youre saying tackling them head-on is reckless? But there are many ways to deal with them. We can spread the Fever on them. We can force them to do our bidding and cause them to break their bonds with one another. Thats where Belials jumped in. That might work against humans. But you seem to be forgetting about the Magi Craft Meister. The Magi Craft Meister, you say? Thats right. You were saying something about Gravity Magic? Well, Ive heard that that Lardus fellow actually lost. For the first time after hearing Jrdos remarks, Bafrosk was at a loss for words. Ugh How did you know? And you also forgot to mention that the Magical Exhaustion Fever was actually dealt with before it could cause a significant amount of damage to the human poption. And whats more, you said that we can make humans do our bidding, but he was found out and ended up escaping, or have you forgotten? With that, the rest of the radicals who were still making noise finally becamepletely quiet. Humans themselves might very well be insignificant against us, but the Magi Craft Meister is different, dont you think? H-Hmph. Certainly, Lardus may have lost. But his opponent was still one single person. If we attack him inrge numbers, not even the Magi Craft Meister would be able to deal with us all. You dont know anything. Even a trivial glimpse of a hint is enough for the Magi Craft Meister to devise any countermeasure. He seems to be far ahead of us in the game already. Unwilling to admit defeat, Bafrosk opened his eyes wide in anger at Jrdos words. What are you saying! Have you lost your pride, Jrdos? We might be faced against the Magi Craft Meister, but even he is a human after all. However, Jrdos also tenaciously stood his ground against Bafrosk. The most amazing thing the Magi Craft Meister has is his creativity! The Magi Craft Meister is someone who is capable of creating things that will change the entire world! Hmm, that kind of thing is no different from garbage before our overwhelming power. You blockhead! What overwhelming power? If anyone here has an overwhelming power, its the Magi Craft Meister, not us! Wake up already! Youre the one who needs to wake up. Dont forget the pride of us demons! Vigorous remarks like that were certainly pleasing to the ear. However, Jrdos knew that the demon race as a whole was currently stepping on thin ice. You know as well as I do that those words are just that, empty words. If you really worry about the future of your n, think with your head. Dont let your emotions cloud your reason. However, Jrdos words fell on the deaf ears of Bafrosk and the other demons, who got heated up once again. Were not going to reach an agreement here. Bafroskughed condescendingly. You need to change your mind! Please, wake up already! Jrdos words came out as a sorrowful plea. But the radicales were no longer willing to listen. They were justughing. (All traps were sorted out without any problems.) Laojuns mobile terminal, Laozi, had infiltrated one of the bases of Nega-Doll 001. (Ive finally made it this far.) At this moment, Laozi was closing in on what could be considered to be the bases Control Room. He was inside an air-conditioning pipe that was hanging from the bases ceiling. He had been crawling slowly at a speed of a certain number of centimeters per hour, and was currently just above this Control Room. Though Nega-Doll was undoubtedly there, he couldnt hear his voice. After all, he had no-one to talk to. The homunculus Nega-Doll 001 didnt talk to himself. (It seems I will have to make an estimate based on his actions) Thus Laojun entered a state of surveince. He hid behind a ceiling board and left the reception of visual input to the Finger Golem. With that, he would reduce the risk of being found out by Nega-Doll 001. (I see I have been curious about the meaning of that screen.) Taking the visual feed perceived by the Finger Golem, Laozi was finally convinced. He had been wondering how Nega-Doll 001 was able to get information from that screen Cwhich was merely getting brighter and darker at seemingly random intervalsC but it soon became clear. (He can see things that are in a different spectrum.) Laozis vision, as well as that of Reiko, Ann, and the Golems, was finely tuned around the normal visible range that is, normal for humans. But if the one he was observing could see in a different spectrum, there was a chance that some invisible pieces of information could have already gone unnoticed by Laozis eyes. In terms of wavelength, the normal visible range is approximately 400 to 700 nanometers. Of course, with certain adjustments, it is possible to see ultraviolet rays of less than 400 nanometers and infrared rays of more than 700. (This is an ultraviolet light of 300 nanometers) After adjusting his vision to perceive ultraviolet rays, the letters on the screen became visible. It was actually not his own vision he adjusted CLaozi was still hiding behind a ceiling boardC, but the Finger Golems. It would appear that both homunculi and the distant ancestors of both humans and demons were naturally able to see ultraviolet rays. Before, the Covert Units had been seen because they hide outside normal, human visible range, and Nega-Doll can see beyond that wavelength. Laozi thought this time he would be alright, since his own invisibility covered both infrared and ultraviolet rays as well. His surveince went on for another 3 days. Laojun was able to gradually be aware of Nega-Doll 001s movements. (The radicals? A spy among them? Though it seems that, whoever they are, they disappeared amongst their kind.) Nega-Doll 001 seemed to be following Jins movements through one of the radicals. (It seems hes not working alone after all) On one single asion, Nega-Doll 001 had contacted someone else. As a result, Laojun finally decided against attacking Nega-Doll 001 directly. He realized it would be ill-advised to do anything of the sort before identifying this spy. He persisted cautiously for a while longer. And then, the fateful day, September 8th, arrived. Nega-Doll 001 teleported away somewhere all of a sudden, disappearing right before Laozis nose. Chapter 558

Chapter 558

Magi Craft Meister 558 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-07 Surprise Attack Were not going to reach an agreement here. After Bafrosks scornfulugh, You need to change your mind! Please, wake up already! Jrdos cried out, and then Amidst the radicals, the dwarf suddenly appeared. Wha-! What do you think youre doing!? But without saying a single word, the dwarf threw a silver ball over head and then disappeared in the blink of an eye. (Thats that Nega-Doll!) The only one who could react in time to it was Ann, who was present but concealed by the Invisible spell. A silver ball. There was no time to determine what it actually was. Whatever it was, it was certain to be bad news. Jin (s double) wasnt here. And the ce was full of radicals. And yet (To think that Nega-Doll would still attack!) Whatever that silver ball really was, the simple transfer machine would be able to make it disappear. But at this point in time, Ann hadnt been equipped with it yet. The only prototype currently in existence was in Reikos possession. It would take another twelve-or-so hours before they could be mass-produced. (I dont have enough time! I have to protect Jrdos and Belials at the very least!) Since they were the two closest to Ann, she pulled them even closer. As Bafrosk had just pushed Jrdos shoulder, he too copsed near Ann. Barrier. Then she deployed a barrier. That was all Ann could do with what little time she had. And one second after Nega-Doll 001s vanishing act The silver ball unleashed the magical power contained within. W-What happened!? At Hourai Ind, the chair Jin had been sitting on tumbled over and fell as he stood up abruptly. For a brief moment, the radars picked up an Ether disturbance. But that was all they got. The Magic Screen had cked out. What happened to Ann!? And wheres Reiko? My Lord, Ive confirmed the others are safe. Switching over to them now. The Magic Window became brighter. It seemed that it was now showing Reikos field of view rather than Anns. Reiko, something happened to Ann and the others! Reiko replied immediately. Yes, Father. I could feel the fluctuation of Ether. Capricorn 1s sensors detected both a sharp decrease in Ether and a sudden outburst of energy. At the same time as that, there was a strong sh of light around the location where Ann and the others had gone. Seeing this was a very serious matter, Jin decided to investigate it. Reiko, the simple transfer machine Could you take the Transfer Gun and go check what happened to Ann and the others? But listen, listen to me. Be very careful. Right away, Father. Reiko took her Peach Blossom, picked up the Transfer Gun and jumped out of Capricorn 1 before breaking into a run of over 200 km/h. It took her a little over a minute to traverse the 4 kilometers between Capricorn 1 and the Kaigyaku ns abode. What Everything waspletely silent, as if themotion that had taken ce just moments ago had been nothing but a lie. After cloaking herself with an Invisibility spell, Reiko cautiously headed towards the ce where the discussion had been taking ce Cthat is, the residence of the n chief, Bafrosk. What is this? Some demons were lying on the road. There was no time to check if they had died or just fainted, so she went past them. Bafrosks residence was still surrounded by a deathly tranquility. The iron gates attached to the stone walls that surrounded the residence were closed. As Reiko tried to open them, she noticed something strange. The Ether concentration is low? Compared to the area around Capricorn 1, the Ether concentration in this area was unusually low. It seemed to be slowly recovering, but the decrease itself had been abnormally excessive. Such a phenomenon wouldnt ur unless a series of super-powerful spells were to be used in rapid session, and not just 10 or 20 times, but 100,000 or 200,000 times. And even if such powerful magic had been used here, the building itself seemed to have sustained no damage. The confused Reiko pushed the heavy iron gates open. Reikos Ether converter was highly efficient. It managed to convert enough Ether into Mana to supply energy to Reiko, regardless of the little amount of Ether currently in the area. The bolts locking the door shut snapped like tree branches, and Reiko entered the residence. Things inside werent too different from what she had seen outside. There were several demons lying around seemingly unconscious on the ground. Since she learned from Anns report that the discussion was taking ce in the courtyard, Reiko cut through the front yard and rushed into the manor itself. There was no movement inside either, so Reiko simply dashed through the manor without being stopped by anyone and jumped out into the courtyard. What Reiko saw there What! There were about 20 demons lying on the floor just like those before them. Wheres Ann!? After surveying the scene, Reiko finally caught a glimpse of Anns familiar blue hair on the opposite side of the courtyard. Ann! In a single leap over the fallen demons, Reiko reached Anns position. Ann! What happened!? Ann had copsed there along with Belials, Jrdos, and Bafrosk. There was no barrier protecting them. Sis Sister Ann opened her eyes to Reikos voice. Ann, are you unharmed? Yes. Im feeling a bit weakened, but Im fine. No abnormalities found. Anns first words after opening her eyes came out with a bit of difficulty, but her voice soon returned to normal and she managed to stand up on her own. What happened? Nega-Doll 001 hade out of nowhere,unched a silver ball and then vanished. Thats all she could recall. The problem was what had happened after that. I dont know. I remember putting up a barrier as I kept an eye on that silver ball, but it seems that it got somehow disabled soon after that. Then she looked at the three demons lying on the floor near her. I tried to at least do something to help Belials and Jrdos, since theyre friendly towards us, so I dragged them both inside the barrier. It seems that Bafrosk got dragged in as well at that moment. Ann then crouched and took at them. None of them were conscious but were breathing and their hearts seemed to be still beating. Their heart rates are very low, though Reiko also took a look. Ann was right, their heart rate was at about 30 beats per minute, which was about half of the normal rate. And the beating itself was extremely weak. Reiko sent a report to Jin exining everything that had happened so far. Lets try giving them some restorative medicine. Laojun instructed Ann to try and administer some of the medicine that she always carried with her to Belials, and Ann was set out to do exactly as she was told. However The medicine seems to have changed. The ampoule Ann took out had turned into a muddy color. There was no time to investigate the reason behind that at the moment, so Jin had Laojun send some more to Ann via the transfer machine. Belials slowly swallowed the medicine, and after a short while, his heart rate seemed to have returned to normal. However, he had yet to regain consciousness. Id like to hear Elsas opinion as well. Jin then had Laojun summon Elsa, who wasted no time in arriving at the Control Room. Whats wrong, B-Brother Jin? Elsa had a stiffer attitude than usual, but Jin didnt seem to notice it. Elsa, I want to hear your opinion on something. Then he briefly exined what had happened. I see. If possible, I think it would be better if we could administer this medicine to the others as well Then Elsa shared her opinion. If we let their blood pressure stay this low for an extended period of time, these demons could end up having some bad aftereffects. Got it. Jin instructed Anne to administer medicines to Jrdos and Bafrosk as well. Then he told Reiko to check the condition of the other demons. Having received her orders, Reiko examined the other 20 demons. But then she reported a shocking fact. Its no use. Everyones dead. Chapter 559

Chapter 559

Magi Craft Meister 559 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-08 Ether Stampede All of them? Hearing the news that all 20 demons were dead, Jin couldnt believe his ears. Yes, everyone. On the other hand, Jrdos and Bafrosk had taken in the medicine administered by Ann and both had seemingly managed to restore their heart rates to normal, just like Belials. In other words, the three survivors were Belials, Jrdos, and Bafrosk. All three of them were still unconscious. Jin, Elsa, Anne, Reiko, and Laojun were racking their brains trying to figure out what had actually happened. It was a tremendous sh, but it wasnt an explosion. Correct, there are no copsed structures, and no fire. One thing was certain; the silver ball had cast some kind of offensive spell. But the question was which actual spell it had been. My Lord, judging from the situation, I cane up with only one possibility. Laojun began his report. Which is? It was an Ether Stampede. The Ether Stampede. 300 years ago, during the Great Magic War against the demons, it single-handedly brought humanity Cwhich had been put at a disadvantageC back from the brink of total annihtion. But while destroying most of the demons, the Ether Stampede had been a vicious spell that also caused great damage to humankind. It was a lost spell that Jin had been seeking in order to devise a means to counter it. If Nega-Doll 001 has used something like that, then My Lord, it is possible that the Ether Stampede of old was also caused by Nega-Doll 001. The Ether Stampede that happened 300 years ago has caused humans and demons to keep fighting against one another while also iming arge number of lives. It made sense. If that is the case, it is also understandable why there is no data on the detailed materials required to recreate an Ether Stampede. Yeah. But even if we were to be able to recreate it so we can study it, I dont think we can do it here Jin dropped his shoulders with a slump. Reiko quickly called out to him. Father, I believe if you had been here when this happened, you would have most likely lost your life. I know how careless you can get sometimes, so Im really d you were on Hourai Ind instead. Laojun also added to that. My Lord, I do have to wonder if Reiko would not be capable of destroying the entire world if you had perished here today. I have many reasons to be relieved that that was not the case After hearing all that, Elsa, who had been standing right next to Jin, shivered heavily even though it wasnt cold. So, an Ether Stampede Ann had been the closest to a surviving witness of such a phenomenon. Ann, can you exin what happened? Yes, Master. Though I only have a general idea Thus Ann began to exin. Jin had been looking at the situation through Anns eyes before themunication got cut off, so he already had a basic understanding of the events. Its possible that one or several of the radicals had transfer markers on them. There was no telling if the markers had been imnted like the Agujas or if they had been kept inside their pockets, but in any case, Nega-Doll 001 had attacked via transfer. This was exactly what Laojun and Jin had imagined a while ago. The next thing to consider was the Ether Stampede itself. I couldnt get a good grasp of the details pertaining to it since I prioritized trying to put up a barrier. Ann exins what happened to her. First, the Ether concentration in the area became abnormally low. Then I felt as if my energy had been sucked away, and shortly after I ceased functioning. However, since Ann ended up temporarily ceasing functioning, she didnt know anything past that. Ann, how much Mana is there left in your Mana Tank right now? Laojun asked a question to which he already seemed to know the answer. The current amount of Mana remaining in my Mana Tank is nearly zero. What!? Ether was abundant in thesends. A situation where a Mana Tank would be nearly depleted in this environment waspletely unthinkable. And yet it happened. Meaning My Lord, I havee up with an hypothesis about the phenomenon known as Ether Stampede. Laojun was the first to derive a hypothesis from this situation. Got it. Id like everyone to hear it, if possible. Can you call for an emergency meeting? Understood. Thus Laojun made an emergency call to all of the members of Jins Family. Upon hearing the reason for the meeting, even the busy Reinhardt decided to delegate some of his work to his secretary and hurried to Hourai Ind. After the call was made, Jin spent the next dozens of minutes while everyone arrived at the meeting getting Capricorn 1 closer to the scene and dispatching Nurses 1 and 2 to search for any survivors. ording to the Nurses report, all victims within 500 meters of the silver balls detonation were unfortunately beyond saving, but there were some survivors who had been luckily farther away during the incident. There had been 19 survivors. The Kaigyaku n had been known for being one of thergest ns, with a little over 100 members, so in fact, about 80% of the entire n had perished in a single sh of light. The 19 survivors were gathered in the same ce and given restorative medicine. The results of their physical examinations were also reported, which further supported Laojuns hypothesis. The Ether Stampede is a phenomenon that causes all Ether in the environment to behave wildly differently than usual, hence its name. Jin, Elsa, Mine, Saki, Toa, Stearleana, Vivian, Reinhardt, and Berthie; the entire Family had gathered there. Laojun began to exin his hypothesis. Ether is formed by minuscule particles. A mage can use their force of will, a type of magical power, to collect and absorb these particles. It is through this force of will that Ether is transformed into Mana. He began with an exnation of the rtion between Ether and Mana. Since Mine and Vivian were unable to use magic, they appeared to be confused by this exnation, so Laojun decided to change into a more straightforward analogy. For example, think of Ether as if it were stone powder. By adding water, which we shall call force of will here, and kneading it, stone powder can be turned into y. Mine and Vivian seemed to have understood via this approach, so Laojun moved forward. This y Cin other words, ManaC can take many forms due to the mages force of will. Just as y can be used to create bowls, tes, teapots, vases, figurines, and other objects of different shapes and uses, Mana can also have various attributes such as fire, wind, water, and earth. Saki seemed to like this analogy, as she nodded profusely while listening. The difference between Mana and y, however, is that Mana can be further transformed by force of will into energy. From this point onward, it became difficult for Mine and Vivian to follow, as neither of them had been taught anything about science. Saki and Toa had been studying a lot by reading the introductory book prepared by Laojun and asking questions to Jin, Elsa, and Stearleana when necessary, so they seemed to be able to follow along, albeit roughly. I can only think of this Ether Stampede as something that forcibly converts Ether itself directly into energy, while also reverting converted Mana in the environment back into Ether. This is what would make it fatal for life forms that rely heavily on Mana to survive. The reasons why Ann had temporarily ceased functioning were that the Ether in the environment disappeared in a sh and her Mana Tank was nearly depleted as if its contents had been sucked away. Since this conversion to energy is a gradual process instead of a sudden one, it does not produce an explosion. What is produced instead is a sh of light that diffuses over the course of a few seconds. Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt were able to understand this immediately. Saki, Toa, and Stearleana were frowning, but still seemed to have a general idea. Berthie, Vivian, and Mine seemed somehow convinced with the exnation. Laojun then finished by saying that this was merely a hypothesis at this point. I see. But we still dont know how Ether Stampedes are triggered. It was entirely possible that, when confronted, Nega-Doll 001 could resort to unleashing another Ether Stampede. The fastest way for devising a countermeasure to it was to learn its basic principles. Unfortunately, I do not know that yet. Can we take effective measures with the information that we have right now? Laojuns opinion was that it would be a difficult task. Moreover, we cannot forget that an Ether Stampede can nearly deplete a Mana Tank despite it being protected by both a barrier and its own magic shield. Even abination of a barrier and a magic shield structure couldntpletely block its effects. This is a very difficult problem. Though he was able to dpose Mana, it was impossible for Jin to turn Mana back into Ether with his current knowledge and ability. At this rate, it could be said that a direct hit from the Ether Stampede would render even Reiko unable to move. Hey Jin, if there is a force capable of collecting Ether and turning it into Mana, there has to be a way to do the opposite, right? Saki, who had been thinking silently, shared her idea with Jin. Right The method was yet unknown, but it was possible to make an hypothesis that it used a magical wave with a special wavelength and waveform. At this time, if you think that its range can be limited depending on the intensity of said special magical wave Cwhich would be the key to the Ether Stampedes generationC it would exin why those in the courtyard were killed while those who were farther away managed to survive. At any rate, the Ether Stampede that took ce during the Great Magic War 300 years ago was on an entirely different scale. It hadnt killed dozens, but hundreds of thousands. In any case, its just a theory At that moment, Jin remembered about No. 700672. Back when we asked No. 700672 about Nega-Doll 001s abilities, he didnt mention anything about him being able to unleash an Ether Stampede at will. Perhaps No. 700672 didnt know that? It was unlikely that he had avoided sharing that detail on purpose. It was far more probable that he didnt even know about that to begin with. In that case, this is an ability that Nega-Doll 001 developed on his own. A doll gone insane, wielding super-ancient technology. He is a formidable foe. Indeed. On Hourai Ind, Jin was absolutely convinced that the threat of Nega-Doll 001 could not be left unchecked. Chapter 560

Chapter 560

Magi Craft Meister 560 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-09 Visit As the evening closed in, the surviving demons, including Bafrosk Cthe chief of the Kaigyaku nC began to gradually regain consciousness. What What happened? Bafrosk, are you awake? Jrdos, who had regained consciousness a while before him, looked into the face of Bafrosk, who was lying in the bed next to his. Jrdos was it? What the hell happened? You dont remember? Bafrosk sat up straight in the bed, shook his head a few times, and groaned. Ugh That dwarf appeared out of nowhere Then he threw a silver ball? I cant remember anything past that. Bafrosk kept on groaning while holding his head, and Jrdos spoke in a soft voice. That thing was an Ether Stampede. What? The Ether Stampede. The bane of us demons Bafrosk was at a loss for words for a while. Eventually, he seemed toe to terms with that fact, and his voice regained its usual might. But then, how did I survive it? How did you? We were helped. Helped!? One of the Automatas created by Jin, the Magi Craft Meister, happened to be there when it happened, and she managed to create a barrier that protected you, Belials, and me. Even so, the Ether Stampede was too powerful for the barrier, and we all ended up losing consciousness due to ack of Ether. Bafrosk cast his eyes downward once again, deep in thought. He was trying to deny the fact that he had been helped by the fabled Magi Craft Meister. However, along the way, he realized that there was a more pressing matter. T-Thats right! What happened to the other members of my n!? Jrdos pondered for a moment about whether or not to tell him the truth, but he eventually figured that he would understand and chose to speak frankly. 20 people, including you, survived. The rest O-Only 20? Out of the hundred demons in our Kaigyaku n? What are you talking about? What about the chief of the Kyoran n? The crestfallen Bafrosk held his head. Jrdos sympathized with his feelings so he didnt say anything. However, Bafrosk immediately raised his head as if his mind had done a 180 degree turn. The one who did this was that dwarf? Yeah. His name is Nega-Doll 001. Hes been plotting to make humans and demons fight one another to the death. Hes our true enemy! A gloomy expression came over Bafrosks face. Thats what Ive been trying to exin earlier, but our discussion turned into an uproar. Jrdos didnt hesitate to remind Bafrosk about his ns attitude towards the discussion. Tell me everything you came here to talk about. Ill listen. Bafrosks voice was also coated with a gloomy undertone. Jrdos thought it would be a good chance to exin everything he knew to Bafrosk, who was deeply saddened by the events that had transpired but at the same time became more rational. Is it true that our ancestors came from the sky? And that Nega-Doll 001 I will never forgive him for what hes done. A dark me dwelled in Bafrosks eyes after hearing the facts, but Jrdos didnt notice that. So what are you nning to do from now on? Pleased to see that Bafrosk had turned somewhat docile, Jrdos exined that a subordinate of Jin Cthe Magi Craft MeisterC was currently looking for Nega-Doll 001s base of operations. I see. The Magi Craft Meister seems to be a very capable person after all. He might be able to find him one day. With that said, Bafroskid down on the bed and closed his eyes. Not only he had to process everything that Jrdos had just told him, but his body wasntpletely rested yet. Meanwhile, Laozi continued to lurk around the Control Room of Nega-Doll 001s base. (He teleported away and back here again in 2 seconds. That was very quick.) And he continued observing him. During that time, he learned that the Ether Stampede had happened. (He was probably trying to cause internal division among the radicals by framing My Lord for the attack. But we were fortunate that Ann and Bafrosk merely fainted and managed to survive.) He had to consider the dangers of the Ether Stampede as well. (Now that we have yet to establish what originates an Ether Stampede, neither Reiko nor I can make a move.) There was no way to know how, when, or where would Nega-Doll 001 be able to throw another one of those silver balls that looked like a Magic Tool as a surprise attack and cause yet another Ether Stampede without their knowledge. (We all need to work hard with My Lord to develop an appropriate countermeasure.) Meanwhile, Laojuns main unit worked with Jin, exploring various possibilities. They started with a thorough checkup of Ann, who had been sent back to Hourai Ind. It seems that the surface of her Control Core has suffered some kind of erosion. Meaning that the Ether that makes up the Magi Crystal was also affected. It could be said that having the Magi Form carved inside the Magi Crystal with the technology from the previous Magi Craft Meister had been well worth the effort. Jin decided to rece the entire Magi Device, including Anns Control Core, just in case. Things couldve gotten much worse for Ann if the Ether Stampede hadsted longer It seems that the barrier she deployed may have had some effect. Jin ced his hand over his chest and sighed in relief, saying he was d that they didnt lose Ann on that attack. Next up was to analyze the Ether Stampede itself from the results of examining the corpses of the fallen demons. They had recovered the silver ball as well, and found that it waspletely empty save for a small amount of leftover dust. Jin spected that it was the remains of a Magi Crystal that had to be used up to activate the Ether Stampede contained inside the silver ball. Now, we would need to think about how the Ether Stampede would affect the human body. They knew that it was a spell capable of causing Ether to behave wildly. It is known that a mage takes in the Ether in the air by breathing and transforms it into Mana inside their body. This transformation from Ether into Mana doesnt involve any special organ. It happens at a cellr level. ording to Laojuns theory, just as mitochondria control the energy cycle called the TCA cycle and supply energy to living things, there is something that could be referred to as Magi Mitochondria in the cells of the mage that supplies Mana to their bodies. It seems that the quality and quantity of these Magi Mitochondria determine the total amount of magical power of the mage. But enough digression for now. Since the Magi Mitochondria in the cell are deeply connected to Ether, they are probably destroyed when Ether Stampede urs. My hypothesis is that the cells will die as a result, causing the human body to perish as well. Jin seemed to agree with that hypothesis. There was currently nothing to deny it. Then, our next step is to investigate possible countermeasures. They would make this the highest of their priorities. Using Grand Dragon scales and hide to shield a Control Core should be effective to some extent. Right, we can also try to use that together with the Mithril Silver we already use. That was probably still not enough in terms of preventing the Ether Stampede from damaging a Control Core, but it was better than not doing it. The Grand Dragon hide will also keep converting Mana into Ether, right? Correct. Though it would have been more effective if it would convert the spell itself into Ether. Definitely. They kept tossing ideas around for a while to no avail, and Jin was starting to feel that they were racking their brains in vain But then, he suddenly came up with something. Hey, do you think No. 700672 would know anything about the Ether Stampede? This was already discussed before, but I believe there is a high chance he does not know anything about it. Right, but we could also hear his own opinion regarding the Ether Stampede. They were running out of time. If they had a few more days, they could potentially analyze the Ether Stampede phenomenon in more detail, but time was of the essence at the moment. You know the coordinates of that room, correct? Correct. Reiko and Ann already visited it, so I know the coordinates. Okay, Ill go ask him directly. My Lord!? Thats too dangerous! But Jin denied it. He didnt refuse to speak to Alectus about the Fallen Ones, right? In that case, I should be okay. But you do know how Reiko is going to get when she hears that Ah, right. Contact Reiko and tell her toe back here for a moment. So Laojun contacted Reiko through the Mana Comm. And, as expected Father, please refrain from doing such a dangerous thing. However, Jins curiosity wasnt so weak that he would back down just yet. The Lands units are still there, right? They reported that there are no more markers there, and Ill be wearing reinforced clothing. Also, youll being with me, Reiko. How does that sound? Very well. With that, Reiko reluctantly agreed with Jins n, and immediately went back to Hourai Ind via Warp Gate. When she arrived, Laojun presented her with something that looked like a gun. Reiko, this is a special Transfer Gun. It has been adjusted to send its target to Shinkai, so please use it if My Lord finds himself in a situation of imminent danger. Understood. The idea was to transfer Jin back to Shinkai in the event of an emergency using that special Transfer Gun. After taking all possible safety measures, Jin and Reiko used the transfer machine to teleport to the base where Servant No. 700672 was located. So this is the inside of the fabled Soaring Ship, huh? Jin started to walk around the spaceship. The room they had arrived at had a lot of windows. Weve been waiting for you, Master. Lands 31 through 40 and Smiths 11 through 20 were there to greet Jin. Its good to see you, everyone. Youve been doing a great job. Wheres the room of No. 700672? Jin was very interested in the Magi Machines he could find in this spaceship, but he had a job to do here first. This way. Reiko pointed at a section of a wall that seemed to have door-like seams. Wow, the gap between the wall and the door is so minuscule its almost impossible to see As he said that, Jin touched the surface of the door with his bare hand. The door then opened silently, just as when Alectus touched it. Jin stepped into the White Room. Who are you? Unlike thest time, the awakened Servant No. 700672 asked for the intruders identity with a challenging voice. Please excuse our intrusion. Im Jin Nidou. Ive got something to ask you. Jin stood at the door, introduced himself and stated the purpose of his visit. However, Servant No. 700262, who was sitting straight on his bed, squinted at Jin. You are the one who made that wonderful Automata. Yes. Can you tell? I can. I can feel a magical connection between you two. That Automata is willing to go to great lengths to protect you. Neige, the white girl by his bed, heard that and walked closer to the bed, snuggling up to No. 700672. So, what do you want to ask me? Please, lend me the wisdom Ill need so I can deal with Nega-Doll no, with that failure. Chapter 561

Chapter 561

Magi Craft Meister 561 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-10 Dialogue Having heard the reason for Jins visit, No. 700672 nodded profusely. The failure, huh? What exactly are you nning to do? Oh, before we start talking about that, please have this. Jin presented 10 bottles of restorative medicine to No. 700672. These are rich in Ether. A smile began to form on No. 700672s face. Oh, this is the same medicine I tookst time. Thank you. He immediately opened one of the bottles and drank its contents. Hmm, I can feel it working already. Thank you. Seeing his father getting better brought a happy smile on Neiges face as well. After that was settled, Jin began to speak. The other day, the failure used an Ether Stampede. What? I remember that blue-haired Automata mentioning something about the Ether Stampede phenomenon. Can you tell me more about it? Sure. So Jin shared everything he knew about the Ether Stampede. No. 700672 pondered for a while, then it seemed that his thoughts were finally settled, and opened his mouth so as to speak. So thats the Ether Stampede, huh Its certainly a huge threat. Neither Neige nor I would be safe from it. Neige tightly grabbed No. 700672s sleeve. Its a weapon created by that failure, so I had never heard of it before. No. 700672 closed his eyes, seemingly thinking about something. Then he opened them up again and stared at Jin. So what you want to know is how to defend against it? Thats the main idea, yes. More specifically, would you happen to know of a way of turning spells and Mana back into Ether? Hmm In other words, youre looking for the means to manipte Ether? Thats what ites down to, isnt it? No. 700372 cast his eyes downward for a brief moment and thought about it. Then he raised his face once again, this time staring at Reiko. It seems to me that this Automata here is using both an Ether Converter and a Mana Driver, am I correct? It seemed that No. 700672 was able to determine Reikos power source with just a nce at her. I see she-s running with a splendid level of efficiency, but my masters used something called Magi Reactor. A Magi Reactor? Is it something that can convert Ether into Mana and at the same time Mana into energy? Thats right. You catch on quick. A single Magi Reactor can do the work of an Ether Converter and a Mana Driver at the same time. So its logically more efficient. Jin exined that he understood the theory behind it very well, and that he had already considered making such a device. However, he had also considered the fact that it would be very difficult to control, and it could easily go haywire, so he had abandoned the idea. I see, so you have already contemted making something like it. If you could make it easy to control, you wouldnt have to worry about it going haywire, correct? That makes sense. No. 700672 nodded and continued talking. Well, thats the answer to your first problem. If you want to be haveplete control over Ether, youre going to need *****, but Well, that simply doesnt exist in this world. Whats that? Jin couldnt get that word, so he asked for it to be repeated. No. 706672 nodded with a know-it-all look on his face. I cant even begin to describe the notion of *****. But it was amon substance in Hale, my masters home. Inmon words I suppose I could call it a mental catalyst. A mental catalyst? Jin could somehow imagine what kind of thing this mental catalyst was. I think I have a general understanding of how magic works, and that mental waves are a type of magical wave. Well, if I could only use that substance, I would be able to control Ether more efficiently. However, this substance didnt exist in this world. Jin quickly changed his state of mind after realizing that there was no point factoring in a substance that was impossible to procure. Well then, let me tell you about something, and see how much of it you can understand. No. 700672 started talking while looking at Jins eyes. All magic is caused by magical power. Jin nodded silently. Then, what is this magical power? It is an invisible, powerful wave. This was consistent with the hypotheses made by Jin and his colleagues. Jin nodded again. Since magical power is essentially a wave, there are various wavelengths, wave heights, and waveforms. No. 700672 looked at Jins face, confirmed that he was following along, and then continued. It is this very magical power that collects the Ether that exists in the environment. This magical power is what turns Ether into Mana, and it is also this magical power that turns Mana into magic. Right. For the first time, Jin voiced his understanding as he nodded. Those are three separate roles, but theyre all handled by this magical power. So, how can magical power do so many different things? No. 700672 looked into Jins face as if testing him out. The things it does would depend on the wavelength, wave height, and waveform that you mentioned earlier, correct? No. 700672 nodded satisfactorily toJins answer. Yes. The biggest difference here would be the wavelength. In other words, the frequency. By the way, while meager, all mages can emit magical power by themselves. Lets call this a mental wave. Right. These mental waves are the exclusive magical power that a mage can create to turn the surrounding Ether into Mana and Mana into energy to fuel their spells. Jin sensed what No. 700672 was trying to convey to him and redoubled his focus. Then, the process to activate a spell Well, you seem to know this already, so lets skip this part. Up to this point, Jin had a firm understanding and followed along nicely. Seeing this on Jins face made No. 700672 seem a bit happy. Hmm, you have a very strongprehensive ability. Lets keep it up, shall we? Sure. No. 700672 grinned. So what is this energy? With Fire-type magic, its heat energy. With Wind-type magic, its kic energy Do you see? No. 700672s expression became even more joyful after seeing that Jins face as he nodded didnt look like he was just pretending to understand. The magical power we call force of will is amplified into a much stronger magical power that rules over energy. This would be an exnation of magic from another angle. Jin had a hunch that they were finally approaching the core of the matter. The frequency of the magical power that can be used depends on its attribute. No. 700672 was talking about the same thing that Jin had been discussing with Saki the other day on Hourai Ind. Well then, what frequency do the mental waves have? Jin and his friends didnt understand that much either. This is because they couldnt quantify magic waves. There was an Automata named Donna back at the Magi Craftsman Guild in Egelia Kingdom who was said to be able to read and understand the special characteristics of different types of magic.. However, she could only do so at a superficial level, and it was not a true analysis of every aspect of magic. As an example, one could ask what is the rtionship between AM radio radio waves and voice data. Radio waves, which are carrier waves, have frequencies of about 530 kHz to about 1600 kHz, and their wave heights and waveforms represent voice data. Since the human audible range is between 20 Hz to 20 kHz, it could be said that the carrier wave has a frequency of 1000 times or more than that of what human can actually hear. Although this would not count as a detailed exnation of the principle behind radio waves, audio signals are extracted from radio broadcast waves through a process called demodtion. But returning to the original topic The magical power that can be perceived by the general public could be seen as the audio signal in the previous example, and the carrier wave here is usually too high in frequency to be detected through normal means. That was exactly what the exnation of No. 700672 was. Mental waves have a considerably high frequency among magic powers. This was the first time Jin had heard such a theory, and his gleaming eyes were proof of his excitement. Seeing this, No. 700672 asked to test Jin out with a question. What attribute of Magi Crystal are you using for your Automatas Ether Converter? A generic one. Upon hearing that, No. 700627 shook his head. I thought as much. After all, thats an easy mistake to make. What did you say!? Reiko had been silent so far, but hearing Jins work being challenged like that was something she simply couldnt endure. Her reaction caused Neige, who was clinging to No. 700672, to re at her. Reiko, its okay I understand. You mean I should be using a Light or Dark Magi Crystal instead, correct? Upon hearing that, No. 700672 nodded with contentment. Thats right. Dark-attribute Magi Crystals seem like the best choice due to their high frequency, but Light-attribute Magi Crystals are empirically known to be the most efficient. Of course, generic Magi Crystals also have the Light attribute within them. But since all other attributes coexist as well, they are less efficient in terms of usability. But this is only for Ether Converters. There isnt a most efficient Magi Crystal attribute when ites to using spells, so generic ones will do just fine. I see. The information Jin had learned thus far was very useful. Now, with this, you seem to have understood quite a bit about the power to manipte and control Ether through what Ive told you so far. Yeah, thats right. Jin quickly nodded. Well, how do you control magic power? Of course, the source is mental power. You cant exceed the limits of their frequency. How would you go about it? How indeed? Right now, I dont have the means to tell a magic waves frequency. Hmm, thats quite frankly put Neige, please guide him. Yes, Father. Such a simple exchange was enough for Neige to understand what her father wanted her to do. She then took one of Jins hands and pulled it, leading it to the front of one of the windows attached to the wall. Unleash some of your magic power towards that window. The color it changes into will tell us a lot. Got it. Jin gathered magic power on his palm and directed it at the window. Oh! No. 700672s voice came out with a surprised tone. Jin, however, didnt understand what he was supposed to be suprised about. Whats this? The dark window was glowing in a bright blue color. Chapter 562

Chapter 562

Magi Craft Meister 562 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-11 Teachings Splendid, Jin Your mental waves have enough frequency and intensity to manipte Ether. No. 700672 was smiling with his whole face as he said that with a happy tone of voice. In other words, the Automata that you create all have the same abilities. Heading towards the confused Jin, No. 700627 went on talking in an admonishing way. No living thing has mental waves strong enough to manipte Ether at a distance. Thats why they would need to use a mental catalyst No. 700672 seemed somehow hesitant to go on. Jin then shared an idea that hade floating to his mind. What if the mental catalyst also exists inside the brain of certain organisms? No. 7006272 couldnt hide his surprise after hearing those words. You certainly can see the whole picture by being shown nothing but a small piece of it, huh? Yes, the mental catalyst can be created by harvesting the brains of certain creatures. Anything that has a brain that can handle magical power has that which is necessary to create a mental catalyst, but Im sure that despite being collected from a living creatures brain, the amount of material for creating a mental catalyst found there is very small, right? Hearing Jin had anticipated so much on his own surprised No. 700672 even more. Thats right. If you want to create one using the creatures of this, youll need to collect at least a million brains. Jin had no intention to do Cand could not condoneC anything as inhuman as that. The creatures of this? Then, Jin noticed the hidden meaning in the words of No. 700672. Its easy to guess. My artificial brain contains a considerable amount of this mental catalyst. No. 700627 stared at Jin with probing eyes, adding that the brain of the failures were the same as his. What do you think? If you take my brain, you can easily get the mental catalyst you need to prevent another Ether Stampede, right? Neige silently moved between Jin and No.700672. After all, taking his brain would be the same as killing him. However, Jin lightly stroked Neiges hair and stared directly at No. 700672. Im not so heartless as to even consider doing something like that. As the Magi Craft Meister, Ille up with another solution. He closed his statement with a smile. Seeing Jins resolve, No. 700672 smiled as well. Hmm, youre quite interesting Neige, dont worry. They dont seem to be the kind of people who would do anything to me. That said, Neiges nervousness subsided. You may have already noticed that that failure may have ess to mental catalysts made out of the brains of the other 11 of his kind. Jins face became grim. He didnt know how many times an Ether Stampede had taken ce prior to the Great Magic War, so there was no telling exactly how many more times it could happen. At worst, it could happen 9 more times. Rather than thinking how many more times it could happen, Id like for it to never happen again No. 700672 seemed to have liked that answer. Im d to hear you say that. You really seem like a nice person, so Ill tell you something. ? All homunculi, myself included, are very vulnerable to low temperatures. If the temperature is below the average freezing point of water, we will not be able to function properly. Jin seemed confused by that unexpected piece of information. Whats the matter, Jin? I was just wondering to what extent is that actually true. Oh? There are many good reasons for this base being located in this hightitude region. One of them is that this region is rich in Ether. But if you were susceptible to low temperatures, you would have set up your base farther to the south, and collect as much Ether as possible there. After listening to Jins exnation, No. 700672 nodded repeatedly as if he had been expecting Jin to realize this. Thats right. Im sorry to have put you to the test. I now know that you have no intention of harming me. So you were testing me? I apologize for that. But thanks to that I can now say with certainty that you are trustworthy. Then, No. 700672 had Neige bring something that looked like a small box. It was made of metal and about the size of a business card holder. Take this with you. Whats this? Jin asked while receiving the box from Neige. Its a mental catalyst. Its thest one I have. Eh !? But this must be very important to you However, No. 700672 stared straight into Jins eyes and said: No, this must have been left in my care so that I could see it be used to put an end to the failures once and for all. So its only natural that I pass it over to you. Looking at the box he received, Jin thanked him with a quiet voice. Thank you. Ill put this to good use. No. 700672 nodded and exined how to use it. If you use it in Magi Machines Cnot in living bodiesC, you have to add it to Light-attribute Magi Crystals. Can you do it? Sure, with either Fusion or Add. Well, I dont know about those spells, but if you say you can do it, then thatll do. Add it at a ratio of 1 per 100 Magi Crystals. By doing this, it will be possible to generate the optimum magic wave for Ether interference. You already know this, but while Magi crystals of all attributes are certainly a good choice, Magi Crystals for each attribute will work best for magic of the same attribute as them. Got it. Jin thought of a speaker. Full-range speakers certainly have many advantages. However, there is a limit to the volume they can produce. Magically speaking, they would have a low ceiling of potency. However, in Reikos case, her limits had reached a level way above what the average human can do. Back to the speakers, there is a way to let the tweeter handle the treble and the woofer to handle the bass, in what is called a multi-way speaker system. Though Jins knowledge of audio and sound wasnt deep enough to discuss sound quality. But in terms of magic, it was quite simple. Fire Magic can be generated with a fire-attribute Magi Crystal, Water Magic with a water-attribute Magi Crystal, and so on. You seem to be good to go. I have one more thing to tell you, but its up to you to see how you understand it. Having said that, No. 700672 began a more sophisticated exnation. What is the medium through which mental and magical waves are transmitted? Jin listened silently. My masters hadntpletely figured it out, but they seemed to think that there are particles that are even smaller than Ether that serve that very purpose. Something named Under Ether, right? Yes, exactly. You sure are quick to understand. If Under Ether were seen as air molecules, then Ether would be a balloon. The flow of air molecules, that is, the wind, can move the balloon. The phenomenon of manipting Ether with mental waves has a simr rtionship. Magical power is also transmitted through this Under Ether. In other words, you can deal with all kinds of magic by dealing with Under Ether. Theoretically speaking, that is. So, did you manage to understand? Yes, at least the road ahead is visible now. Oh Ive been considering some measures to counter the failure. Ive been worried about his ability to teleport away and escape anything I could have prepared to deal with him, but now I have a n against that too. No. 700672 nodded. Hmm, to interfere with his transfer ability? Im sure youre aware that it needs a transfer marker for it to work. All you have to do is simply to radiate the same magical power as the transfer marker. From the theory discussed so far, Jin was confident that he could now produce the magic wave he needed. Yes, I think so. I would have to make it so that he cant know which is the signal thates from his real transfer marker. Thats right. Youre really impressive. You make me think you really can get rid of the failure Thats been the n from the beginning. No. 700672s face seemed as if he was about to burst intoughter. When I look at you, I remember my masters. Back when they were full of motivation and life. No. 700672 squinted a little and seemed to be looking at a ce somewhere far away into the past. Thank you so much for everything. Jin thanked him and told him that he was about to take his leave. He still had a lot to ask, but time was of the essence. He had a lot of work to do at hisboratory. As he was about to leave, No. 700672 called him over. Im sorry, but could youe closer for a bit? There was something a little different about No. 700672s voice this time. What is it? Jin walked up to the bed where No. 700672y. No. 700672 silently stared at Jin. ? Then No. 700672 reached out with his right hand and took Jins hand. Umm? However, No. 700672 quickly let go of it and went back to lying on his bed. Im sorry to have stopped you from leaving, Jin. I just felt bad about asking you to deal with the failure in my stead. Dont worry about it. I was going to do it either way. Will youe again? Sure, after this situation has been cleared up. Im looking forward to it. I really enjoyed talking with you. Me too. Until then. Thus Jin left the room. No. 700672 remained lying down and staring at the ceiling Or rather, he was staring at the sky that was supposed to be way past it. Father? The white girl, Neige, saw her fathers behavior and called out worriedly. Neige, for a brief moment, I felt like I was back in the old days. What do you mean, father? That young man named Jin reminds me of my former masters, even though he may look different from them. Once again, No. 700627 seemed to be smiling with his own face nostalgically. I was given knowledge by the masters who made me, and I passed that knowledge on to my masters children and grandchildren. This man has reminded me of those times. Then the exhausted No. 700672 closed his eyes again. Neige stared at his father, unable to hide the sadness in her own eyes. Chapter 563

Chapter 563

Magi Craft Meister 563 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-12 eleration Jin returned to Hourai Ind via Shinkai using Reikos transfer gun to save time. The Family had gathered there to wee him. Wee back, Brother Jin. Weve been listening to your conversation, but Im not entirely sure I understood enough of it. Elsa didnt seem to have been able topletely follow No. 700672s exnation. Jin! I barely understood what you were talking about, but it was clear enough that you two have been discussing a wonderful and profound theory! Jin, this is a topic we should work on thoroughly. Saki and Toa had sensed that a door to a new world had been opened, and were excited about it despite being unable to understand itpletely so far. Jin, I couldnt understand it, but you got this, right? I believe one day youll be able to exin it to us in an easy-to-understand manner. Im looking forward to that as well, Jin. Both Reinhardt and Stearleana frankly admitted that they couldnt understand it, and expressed their eagerness to have Jin exin it to them after the turmoil was over. Jin, please do your best. I too will do my best to help you in any way I can. Me too. Mine and Berthie upfrontly offered to cooperate. Their disposition caused Jin to think about how lucky he was to be surrounded by such a dependable family. That day, Jin continued to talk with everyone untilte at night. Then, as soon as the next day started, Jin immediately began to set things in motion. First, he would work on the development of the Magi Reactor. Not only Nega-Doll 001 was sure to already have ess to such technology, but Jin needed a more efficient power source in order to prevent another Ether Stampede. Hmm, so its basicallybining an Ether Converter with a Mana Driver Jin began to think hard. It was impossible to have a single Magi Crystal govern over those two separate functions. Everything may be arranged and configured as necessary on the Link Board, but a loss in connection and synchronization will inevitably ur at some point. Both the work of Jin and his predecessor, Magi Craft Meister Adriana, was incredibly efficient, but even then, there would be no way topletely prevent even the slightest loss. Back when Reiko was captured by Gigas, she destroyed its core by overloading it with an excessive supply of Mana. At that time, the magical power unleashed by that loss caused the surroundings to emit a dazzling light. Having that in consideration, it was clear to Jin that not even him would be able to reduce the loss to zero. Hmm, then Fusion alone wont be enough. As Jin was racking his brains over it, Stearleana suddenly showed up. Jin, do you have a moment? Jin wasnt making any progress either way, so he obliged. Is something the matter? No, I obtained something interesting so I thought maybe youd want to have a look at it. Having said that, Stearleana extended her closed right fist, turned it over, and opened it up. Whats this? Its very interesting, dont you think? I was looking for various crystals and came across this beauty. It was a crystal made up of two identical crystals arranged in a symmetrical way as if they had been stuck together Theres a phenomenon with crystals called twinning, where two or more adjacent crystals of the same mineral grow from the same side in a symmetrical way. There is a geometric regrity, unlike when crystals are just stuck together artificially. Jin remembered having seen something simr during science ss in junior high school. The teacher had shown them a Japanese twinning which was a t crystal that looked like a butterfly with its wings spread evenly, which had left an impression on him. Jin? When Stearleana called out to Jin, who seemed to have drifted away while staring at the crystal, he finally came back to the present. I see! This could work! Thank you, Stearleana! Im not sure I understand whats going on, but Im d it helped you, I guess? So about this crystal? Ah, yes, this is called twinning. Its when two crystals grow together, rather than being artificially stuck to each other Jin then shared as much as he knew about twinning crystals with Stearleana. After thanking Stearleana once again, Jin resumed his work in hisboratory. Being the kind of person that he was, Jin immediately brainstormed spells to give shape to his ideas. How aboutbining Fusion with Crystallization? He tried it on some crystals he had prepared in advance. The two crystals merged together, and then were crystallized once again. Hmm, it doesnt work. What he managed to produce was an unstable crystal made of two smaller crystals put together. Should I add another spell into the mix? Fusion Crystallization Forming no, its still not good enough All that resulted was a joint crystal with distorted halves. Fusion Crystallization Transform! By also making use of Analyze, Jin devised a spell that would allow him to understand the structure of the crystals in order to change it whilebining them into a single crystal. As a result, a beautiful Japanese twin crystal waspleted right before his eyes. I did it! With this, I can finally work on the Mana Reactor! Magi Crystals were usually crafted into a spherical shape. It was an empirically chosen shape because it was easy to mold, beautiful in shape, easy to handle, and because a solid sphere has the smallest surface areapared to its volume. There was an unquestioned, unwritten rule that established that the smaller the surface area, the more effectively the magical power contained within could be used. Jin was now daring to go against this rule of thumb. Originally, Magi Crystals were very simr in appearance to high quality quartz, that its, they looked like hexagonal prisms. They would then be carved out into a spherical shape for the aforementioned reasons. However, Jin wondered if it would be possible to make the best use of the crystals original shape. In other words, he intended to make the best use of their natural t surface. If I could write the Magi Form here, I wouldnt need to use a separate Link Board, making this easier to work with! Jin realized that by using the t surfaces of the crystal itself as a Link Board would allow for more precise control than what would be possible with a spherical Magi Crystal. This knowledge would have been meaningless before the possibility to have Magi Crystals arranged like Japanese twins, but now it was very important. Jin devoted another hour to trial and error, and I did it! Finally, he was able to create a Magi Reactor with an efficiency of at least 99%. He hadnt measured the effectiveness of the Ether Converter and Mana Driver that he had made before, but he estimated that they would be around 80% at best. 80% was still an amazing number, but the recently finished Magi Reactors 99% was, until a few moments ago, an unthinkable efficiency rate. Ill install this on Reiko and everyone else, then Jin immediately thought of a good use for the Magi Reactor. In any case, Ill have to mass-produce this. Then he decided to tackle the next task on his list. Needless to say, it was regardinging up with measures against Nega-Doll 001. The first thing I have to do is toe up with something to prevent him from unleashing another Ether Stampede. To have near-total control over Ether. Thats why Jin was developing a high-power Magi Reactor. What about a spell that can transform Mana back into Ether? Jin began to think. Although it ended up having its ws, Gigas was a decisive weapon against demons. It also had the ability to take Mana from external sources and use it to fuel its own functions. Jin didnt know how it managed to do that because the Gigas waspletely destroyed. That Gigas must have been given to humans by Nega-Doll 001 as well It seemed likely since it had had the characteristic of not attacking both friend and foe indiscriminately once activated. Time to work on this. Jin decided to create Magi Crystals that could generate the magical waves that would allow him to take control of Ether. He was going to use Light-attribute Magi Crystals, which were transparent by nature. Now I have to add the mental catalyst I got from No. 700672 to these. He opened the small box and found a pinch of ck powder. Just like No. 700672 told him, Jin added it to the Magi Crystals at a weight ratio of 1 to 100. Add. The transparent Magic Crystal became darker. It now looked like smoky quartz. If this is used as a generator, can it have a great effect on Ether? He was thinking it could be used to unleash the Magic Cancel spell he had been theorizing about before. The device would then be named Magic Canceller. By forcing Mana into transforming back into Ether, an opponents arsenal of spells could be severely impaired. The only things that would not be affected by it would be those that unleash physical attacks after they had been activated. For instance, a spell that simply hurls a boulder at their opponent needs no Mana supply after it has been activated. Aside from that it should be able to deal with all sorts of magic-based attacks. Summoned mes would go out, and gusts of wind would disperse. It should also be able to undo the effects of Gravity Magic, and most importantly, interfere with transfer and teleporting abilities. Considering the amount of powder he had avable, he made only two such devices. One of them would be used by Reiko, and the other one would be equipped to his aerial support. Reiko is still susceptible to the effects of the Ether Stampede, huh With her current defenses, Reiko C who is arguably Jins trump cardC, was likely to be rendered unable to move if she were to get hit by the Ether Stampede. Also, considering the possibility that Nega-Doll 001 had ess to the super-powerful Envement Magic, Jin was considering reinforcing Reiko even further. After contacting her through the Mana Comm, Reiko shortly arrived at theboratory. You called for me, Father? Yes, Reiko. I called you here so I could strengthen you even more. Jin exined to Reiko the details and purpose of her uing remodeling. Reiko nodded without any hesitation. Yes, please go ahead. Thus Jin began his hard work remodeling Reiko. Chapter 564

Chapter 564

Magi Craft Meister 564 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-13 A Second Time Jin started remodeling Reiko. First of all, he reced her Ether Converter and Mana Driver with the newly created Magi Reactor. Since the Magi Reactor took up the same space previously used by the Ether Converter and Mana Driver in Reikos frame, no space was wasted, which increased the devices efficiency, causing Reikos output to increase by 60%. Next up was Reikos armor ting. Its firstyer was the same Mithril silver casing as before. But its secondyer was made of a casing made with Grand Dragon scales. With this, she would be sturdier than ever, but Jin also added another function to it for good measure. That is, a very small Magic Canceller. Since it was the smallest one Jin could produce, its effective radius was about 10 centimeters from Reikos body, but it was enough to prevent the effects of the Ether Stampede. If Jin had given her a Magic Cancellerrger than that, it would interfere with her other functions. And lets make the full-scale Magic Canceller into a bracelet for her to wear. He made a simple Mithril silver bracelet that still looked good on Reiko. Okay, thats done Lets do some maintenance as well. Reiko was made with materials of excellent durability, but considering how much work she puts out, it wouldnt be strange for her to deteriorate faster than usual. Jin reced her Magical Skin, Magical Muscles, and so on, with materials that had been further improved in durability with an Ether impregnation treatment. He also reviewed the joints and checked her skeleton for any bending or cracks. Jin smiled, satisfied with the results. Reiko, start. Hello. Father. In the end, Reiko woke up with a higher degree ofpletion. Jin then exined each function to Reiko. Then, I should pass some of the increased output to the Magic Canceller. Yes. And the proper Magic Canceller is that bracelet. It has an irradiation angle of about 120 degrees in the direction of the Magi Crystal attached to it. Understood. The other Magic Canceller would be installed on Pegasus 1 and will be used to provide aerial support in addition to Falcon 2 and 3. Jin himself wanted to ride on Pegasus 1, but both Laojun and Reiko strongly opposed to the idea, so he eventually settled for having Deus Ex Machina there on his behalf. Meanwhile, Laojun had the Land corps dispatched to thend of the demons while continuing to retrieve as many transfer markers as he could. By ridding an area of all of its transfer markers, Laojun was trying to eliminate Nega-Doll 001s escape routes.. Additionally, Laojun continued to use its mobile terminal, Laozi, to keep a close watch over Nega-Doll 001s actions. He would watch Nega-Doll 001 from a distance, hiding behind a thin ceiling board in his base. Though he wanted to make a hole in the ceiling board so that he could observe him directly, Laozi feared that Nega-Doll 001 might notice him, so he continued to use the Finger Golem he had sent out for reconnaissance. (Hes been inactive for about 16 hours now. His physical condition must not be so great after all.) Then it dawned on him. Nega-Doll 001 was not very active physically. (No. 700672 has weakened over the years, but what if ?) Resuming his observation on that premise, he found some facts to support that theory. His movements were sluggish. He was by no means impaired, but seemed to be even slower than Reiko and the others when Laojun first met them. (Hes not as well done as a homunculus whenpared with No. 700672, so it wouldnt be strange if he reached the end of his life sooner than him.) It would be wonderful if he were to perish and cease functioning without Jins side having to intervene in any way, but it didnt seem like they were going to be so lucky. And there was another great concern regarding Nega-Doll 001, possibly the biggest one of them all.. Nega-Doll 001 would often contact someone Cor somethingC else. In other words, he wasnt operating alone. Laojun had considered the possibility of using Laozi to attack Nega-Doll 001 for a chance to potentially put an end to his n, but this was the reason why he chose not to do that. A mysteriouspanion, or maybe a subordinate. Its identity was unknown. Whenever they contacted each other, they would use very few words and talk to each other in code. Laojun could distinguish a name, though: No. 13. There was no information on what kind of technology this unknown third-party had. So there was no way to know how things would turn out even if Nega-Doll 001 were to be defeated right at this moment. There were too many uncertainties. In addition, Laozi wasnt even sure he would be able to attack Nega-Doll 001 directly. And even if he could manage to defeat him, it would be mistaking the cause for the end, and the situation could end up worse than before. Therefore, Laozis objective was to identify Nega-Doll 001s mysterious ally. In this way, Laojun discovered another fact, As he had guessed, Nega-Doll 001 seemed to be getting weaker. Still, he couldnt afford to underestimate him, since Laozi still hadnt been able to fully identify the true identity of all of the Magi Machines in his base. (It might be too naive of me to expect the perfect chance toe up, after all.) After much deliberation, Laozi determined that his best course of action was to attack Nega-Doll 001 as soon as the opportunity arose. Right at the very moment Laozi arrived at that conclusion, Nega-Doll 001 teleported away. At first he thought he had noticed him and ran away as a result, but a few secondster, Nega-Doll 001 came back. (He must haveunched an attack somewhere.) Since Laozi didnt know what Laojun knew, he could only assume that Nega-Doll 001 must have attacked some unknown n. The thing that made him think that he had gone to attack somewhere was that his absence had been very short. Therefore, it was possible that he had thrown something like a bombe somewhere and then instantly came back to his base. And this bomb Nega-Doll 001 had thrown just so happened to be an Ether Stampede. (You killed so many innocent people right before my eyes I cant hesitate anymore.) Bafrosk, the chief of the Kaigyaku n, had a rage swirling inside him like a ck smoke. He was also having a meeting with other ns. Among those, the Kaijin n was their most reliable partner, as they had very good diplomatic rtions with one another, enough for both ns to have arranged a wedding between Bafrosks daughter, Bemiarouge, and the Kaijin ns chiefs son Dogmaraud. Hmm, an Ether Stampede, you say? So were dealing with someone capable of unleashing those at will? With him was Florodorus, the chief of the Kaijin n. He was the father of Dogmaraud, a demon who had once confronted Reiko. With its nearly 150 members, the Kaijin n was considered to be one of the most powerful of the radical ns, rivaled only by the Kaigyaku n. They specialized in Explosion Magic, and many of them could also use both Gravity Magic and Transfer Magic. Therefore, it was natural for Bafrosk to rely on them. He had also learned that the chief of the Kyouran n had been killed, and his son, Raidoros, became their new chief. With 80 members of Kyouran, 80 of Kaijin, and 20 of Kaigyaku, the survivors of each n had joined forces and were devising a n to battle Nega-Doll 001. So our opponent is called Nega-Doll 001, huh? What is that guy? Ive heard that its a magical creature created by our distant ancestors which has grown to despise us. Hmm, its hard to believe such a thing. Its far too convenient. I understand that, but regardless of what he is, the fact that he killed 90% of my n remains unchanged. That is true. And I dont think it will end there. He may even set his target on the Kaijin n next. Then, as the conversation had reached that point Someone suddenly appeared in front of them, as if they had just transferred themselves in. Father! What? Dogmaraud! Having been interrupted during his meeting, Florodorus spoke with a hint of displeasure in his voice. The Shundo n has been wiped out! What did you say!? The Shundo n was a mid-level radical n of about 50 members. And we were trying to get them to help us Dogmaraud had been sent as a messenger to other ns because he could use Transfer Magic. When they heard about what happened from him, they all thought it had been caused by another Ether Stampede. Ugh How dare he attack our brothers Although the connections within each n were considerably strong, the ties between different ns were nothing to write home about. But this wasnt the case anymore. As one would expect of a situation like this, the chiefs of the radical ns agreed that they wouldnt stand for it. Chapter 565

Chapter 565

Magi Craft Meister 565 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-14 Showdown and Conclusion (You killed so many innocent people right before my eyes I cant hesitate anymore.) While lurking in the ceiling of Nega-Doll 001s base, the mobile terminal Laozi learned that the Shundo n waspletely eradicated by another Ether Stampede. As a result, further observation was meaningless, and so he decided to go for an attack. (Lets try with a Laser first.) Laozi took aim through the thin ceiling board. Wasting no time, he fired the Laser through the ceiling board. His aim had been true. But his only miscalction was the ceiling board itself, which was made of an unknown metal. He had rushed it a bit too much. This metal had a melting point of 5,000 degrees Celsius. Most of the Laser was used up just to prate this metal, so when it did connect with Nega-Doll 001, it was at a tenth of its original power. Agh!? Still, the Lasers beam connected with Nega-Doll 001s head and right shoulder. But that was it. The beam that would have otherwise evaporated half of Nega-Doll 001s head along with the right half of his body barely managed to cause minor injuries to him instead. Distruzione! Looking at the hole in the ceiling, Nega-Doll 001 guessed his attackers location and unleashed an Explosion Magic spell there. The ceiling board made a roaring sound as it was crushed. However, Laozi had already moved away the moment he realized his own attack had not produced the desired result. The ceiling now had arge hole in it, and Nega-Doll 001 followed up with another Explosion Magic spell there. (Uhh) Despite being somewhat safe thanks to his Barrier, Laozi still tightened up hjs guard after receiving a st at a close distance. (He might have weakened due to age, but looks like he can still put up a fight when he needs to.) Yet another Explosion Magic spell was unleashed on the ceiling. Seeing it was meaningless to continue to hide any longer, Laozi jumped down. You damned INTRUDER. Nega-Doll 001s face was distorted with hatred. We meet atst. Laozi, however, remained fullyposed. Youre yet another stupid DOLL who only does as is TOLD. Nega-Doll 001s hatred had also tinted his words, but Laozi remained unfazed. It is only natural for me to do My Lords bidding, as My Lord created me. Hmph, you all say the SAME. Just after saying that, Nega-Doll 001 unleashed yet another one of his Explosion Magic spells. Distruzione! Laozi dodged it with an astonishingly fast reaction. Since his Nega-Doll 001s spells seemed to have been toned down due to the fact that they were indoors, all Laozi had to do to get himself out of the range of his Explosion Magic was to move a bit out of the way. This was a point in favor of Laozi in this battle. You wouldnt want to destroy your own facilities, so youre attacking options are quite restricted, arent they? You insolent DOLL. Then, Nega-Doll 001 cast another spell. Gravita! The gravity of the surroundings had increased tenfold. This room can handle this level of gravity without COLLAPSING. But you even if the gravity doesnt crush you like a BUG it will still slow you DOWN. Laozi replied with nothing but silence. Im not so foolish as to waste time with dolls like YOU. FareWELL. Nega-Doll 001 then used his Transfer Magic in an attempt to flee. But he didnt disappear as intended. WHY!? Laozi had secretly ced Finger Golems all over the room. And though considerably weak, they were all equipped with Magi Jammers. They were powerful enough to interfere with the signal of the Nega-Doll 001s transfer markers. This would also prevent him from unleashing an Ether Stampede. After all, he wouldnt be able to escape from it before it detonated. This is your DOING. Knowing that Laozi had cut off his means of escape, Nega-Dolls face became even more distorted with hatred, and redoubled his determination to destroy him at any cost. Distruzione! He went back to his Explosion Magic. However, Laozi easily dodged that as well. He used his built-in gravity control Magi Device. WHAT!? Nega-Doll grimaced, unable toprehend what just happened. Then Laozi took this chance to throw himself at Nega-Doll 001. Gwaaah! Due to the difference in body sizes, Nega-Doll 001 was sent flying towards the other side of the room, where he crashed into the wall and fell to the floor afterwards. Laozis assumption that Nega-Doll 001s physical abilities were not a big concern had been correct. Ill settle this right here and right now, so My Lord doesnt have to dirty his own hands. Then, Laozi fired another Laser.0 With nothing to stand between the powerful beam and himself, Nega-Doll 001 couldnt resist the full force of Laozis Laser and his upper body disintegrated instantly as a result. Laozi couldnt help but think that his end had been rather disappointing. I hope this settles things once and for all. Nega-Doll 001 wasnt a living creature, after all. He was an homunculus created by Magi Engineering. Even though his upper body was gone, there was no telling what would happen next. Therefore, Laozi fired yet another Laser to get rid of the rest of his body. Laozi remained on alert for a while. While still motionless, he recalled the Finger Golems he had scattered throughout the room. In the meantime, he was in constant vignce, checking for any fluctuations in magical power. This was important just in case there was some kind of timed mechanism that could unleash an Ether Stampede in ce. Thirty minutes passed Nothing seems to be happening. I had thought that maybe Nega-Doll 001 had something prepared in case he fell inbat, but it seems there was nothing for me to worry about after all. Thus Nega-Doll 001 had disappeared from this world. Back in Hourai Ind, Laojun sent Lands 41 to 50 and Smiths 91 to 100 over to Laozis location via transfer machine. This was so that he could gain total control of Nega-Doll 001s base and to collect as much data as possible from it. His biggest concern at the moment was this other person Nega-Doll 001 frequently contacted. Maybe hes a subordinate, or another Nega-Doll like him He wanted to find out this persons true identity as soon as possible. The reinforcements sent by Laojun arrived after a few minutes. Half of them were dedicated to disabling any traps that could have been left behind, while the other half was in charge of analyzing the equipment in the facility. The Lands and Smiths formed groups of five each and worked under Laozis direction. The ceiling here is also made of an unknown metal. This ce may be just like the Soaring Ship. This metal had been capable of withstanding Laozis Laser for a certain amount of time. It might be done like this so that this facility can reenter the atmosphere. Laojun remembered their satelliteunch attempt, where they determined that a melting point of 5,000 degrees Celsius was very convenient for vessels to withstand the high temperatures that they would be subject to when reentering the atmosphere. Shall we collect everything after our analysis is done? He turned to the current status of the facilitys equipment analysis. Smith 91 had just removed the cover of a certain device. This is probably some sort ofmunication device. Although it was a product of an unknown Magi Technology, it turned out to be amunication device, since it shared some simrities with a Mana Comm. Functionally speaking, it was more simr to a Mana Phone than a Mana Comm. It seemed to be connected only to a specific partner. In this case, it also seemed this device could be used to determine the coordinates of the device it was connected to. What else is there Ah, wevee across a few of these before, huh? There were some monitors that emitted a light outside the normal visible range for humans. Laozi was relieved to see that there was nothing -and no one- on the other end of any of these 10 windows. Another thirty minutes went by Each Magi Machine was being analyzed one after another. Even though they didnt know how these Magi Machines worked, Laozi and the others managed to determine what about 70% of them were used for. Be careful not to touch anything we dont fully understand. Lets go through each Magi Machine thoroughly before looking into the next one. By that time, about half of the traps still remaining in the facility had been sessfully disarmed. So far so good, huh? Unlike his usual self, Laozi seemed quite relieved. At that moment Themunication device activated itself. The unknown person that had been in touch with Nega-Doll 001 was calling in. This is No. 13. Did something happen, 001? Chapter 566

Chapter 566

Magi Craft Meister 566 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-15 No. 13 Someone calling themselves No. 13 was now calling in. Laojun quickly decided how to deal with the iing call and gave instructions to every Land and Smith unit via Mana Comm. His decision was to not respond to the call. He had also forbidden everyone from making any noise. No.13 would eventually realize that something was off, so the less information Laozi and the others carelessly leaked out, the better. Since all of the transfer markers of this base had been removed, it was highly unlikely that No. 13 would suddenly teleport himself to Laozis location. The uncertain factor was how this person would respond after getting nothing from Nega-Doll 001s side for a while. 001? What happened? 001! After calling his name several times, the call was cut off. Laojun immediately gave out new instructions, Everyone, get ready for battle.All Smith units on the ceiling. All Land units go invisible and stick to the walls. He also ordered Pegasus 1, and Falcons 2 and 3 to monitor from the air for anyone approaching. It seems that there was another one after all. On Hourai Ind, Laojun reported his findings to Jin. He called himself No. 13. No. 700672 mentioned that 13 failures had been created, so it seems that this is one of them. Its reasonable to think so. Correct. Apparently, No. 001 had already deteriorated considerably due to age, and physical problems had begun to appear. But we dont know if the same applies to No. 13. Well have to decide how were going to deal with him from now on. Do you think there are any more failures, that is, more Nega-Dolls out there? Hard to tell. However, ording to No. 700672s story, it is highly unlikely that more than a third of the original failures still remain operational to this day. Therefore, I would like to make a n on the assumption that No. 13 is thest of them. What do you know about No. 13? Unfortunately, all I know is their name. But since were analyzing hismunication device, I believe their whereabouts will be revealed soon. Okay, lets start by gathering as much information about them as we can And what about the radicals? For better or worse, having suffered a second Ether Stampede has caused them to be more open to our views and to discussion in general. I see Its a shame it had toe to this, but I hope it brings us closer for a brighter future Mr. Jin, we decided to call upon the chiefs of the remaining radical ns. After learning of the fate of the Shundo n, the chief of the Kaigyaku n, Bafrosk, and the chief of the Kaijin n, Florodorus, both started to show a positive attitude towards the discussion. Representatives from the three ns of Raitei, Guren, and Gufu are set toe here soon. Each of these ns had about 30 members each, and with their inclusion, all of the radical ns would be ounted for. Since these representatives can use Transfer Magic, well have them all here by tomorrow. I see, thats great news. Jins Double expressed his relief with a heavy nod. If he could manage to persuade all of the radical ns at once, a war between humans and demons could bepletely avoided. However, Jin was also worried about something.,, We dont know where Alciel and Lardus are at this moment Do we? It was the fact that those two demons were still missing. Though Jins concerns remained unchanged, night fell, then the sun rose once again, and the next day -the 11th- came. Using their Transfer Magic, several radicals appeared on site one by one. By noon, all of them had arrived. A total of 15 members of several radical ns had gathered in the courtyard of the residence of the Kaigyaku ns chief. Jin had prepared arge amount of Pelshika juice on Hourai Ind, which he brought in the day before via Warp Gate. The radicals, who thought it was nothing more than just a simple juice, were surprised by the effect it had on their bodies after taking a sip of it. W-Whoa! This is so good. My body feels lighter? Seeing some big, tough, and angry-looking demons drinking juice and relieving the tension on their faces -and some of them even smiling- was not an everyday sight. But their alertness towards Jin seemed to have dropped considerably. Well then, lets begin with what brings us all here today. Jrdos of Shinshoku was acting as the mediator for this gathering. Unfortunately, as you all know by now, the Shundo n waspletely annihted, and the Kaigyaku n has also sustained a tremendous amount of casualties. Both of them fell victim to an Ether Stampede. This time around, the gathered radicals listened quietly. To begin with, let me talk about our ancestors As they listened to Jrdos speak about the nature of the demons ancestors, they started to get a little noisy. After settling in thesends, our ancestors mated with the local inhabitants This fact made the noise be even louder. The being known as Nega-Doll was plotting to create a conflict between humans and demons in hopes that they would destroy one another At this point, the radicals restlessness finally reached its climax. Do you have any proof of what youre saying!? You want us to just believe that demons and humans share the same ancestors!? Many voices were jeering and booing. When the discussion was about to get out of control, Bafrosk yelled. Silence! His order was final. The sheer authority exuded by his voice was enough to make the roompletely silent. Its true that this Nega-Doll was the one behind the Ether Stampedes I was there too. I was just lucky enough to survive. I have the barrier created by Jins Automata to thank for that. Though his n only had 20 members now, the words of the chief of the Kaigyaku n, once considered to be the strongest of them all, were still indescribably convincing. All I could think of was about taking revenge for my people. But I didnt even know where to begin searching for this Nega-Doll. However, Jin here tells me he should be able to find him. Is that true!? At that time, a mysterious voice echoed in the room. Hahaha You dont have to search for me. Ivee to you. What!? Where? Everyone was looking around for the source of the voice. Where are you looking? Im right here. Look up! Jin (s Double) shouted. He had been alerted by Falcon 2, which was standing by in the sky. Up? Oh? About 50 meters above the courtyard, nearly 50 unusual humanoids with feathers were floating in the air. Have they transferred themselves here? Even though there are no more markers left? That was the first thing that crossed Jins mind. His question was answered by Sky 2, who was aboard Falcon 2. They appeared suddenly from outside of the residence. From there, they flew up to their current position atop the courtyard. Outside of the residence? Jin ordered the Land Corps waiting outside to conduct a search. However, the situation was pressing. My fellow 001 has been eliminated. As thest remaining Nega-Doll, I, No. 13, will continue his legacy. I will wipe both humans and demons from the face of this world. The voice wasing from one of those 50 winged humanoids. It was extremelyrge and dark-colored. As it descended slowly towards the courtyard, its shape and features became more visible. Angelus Huh? Jin was surprised at what one of the demons had named this winged humanoid. It was, after all, a humanoid being with wings on its back. However, its skin was dark green. Its face was ferocious, and its mouth hadrge fangs. Its body was about 2,5 meters long. Its appearance reminded Jin of the gargoyles that often appeared in fantasy. Thats an angel? The real Jin on Hourai Ind remembered the Golem Party that had once been held in the Egelia Kingdoms Royal Pce. At that time, a Golem that looked like an angel had been put on disy, one Helios, made by Kerihidor However, that Golem had a feminine appearance, and its body and wings were pure white. It lookedpletely different from the gargoyle that stood before their eyes. I wonder if their concept of angel differs from ours In his Control Room on Hourai Ind, Jin was rather calm about this entity. However, the demons were trembling with fear. Chapter 567

Chapter 567

Magi Craft Meister 567 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-16 Battle with the Gargoyles Most of the demons were cowering in fear before this entity they called Angelus, which actually looked very much like a gargoyle to Jin. Whats the matter? Taken aback by their reaction, Jin (s Double) asked everyone, and the only one who managed to muster enough courage to reply was the Kaigyaku chief Bafrosk, who was hiding behind Jin. That is an angel, a messenger from the heavens that appears in our legends. As you can see, they can fly, and their power is tremendous. We are no match for them His face had gone somewhat pale. It made Jin wonder if the demon behind him was really Bafrosk, but he guessed this would be a natural reaction for him and all of the demons if faced by a legendary creature like this angel-gargoyle. Before he realized, all of the demons in the courtyard were kneeling on all fours as if they were in the presence of a god. The only ones still standing were Jin (s Double), Reiko, and Ann. Additionally, there were 10 Land units standing invisible in the courtyard as well. Are you not afraid? After finallynding at the other side of the courtyard, the gargoyle addressed the Substitute Doll. Thats right. Why should I be afraid of a mere winged Golem? Youre a fool. Jin knew that what was standing before him was nothing but a Golem that was using an excessive amount of magical power in order to move around. He still wondered what other features it could have, just to be on the safe side. But still, Jin saw this as a great opportunity to finally awaken the radicals. Jin decided to employ all of the power currently avable to him in thend of the demons. Land units! Prepare to attack! In response to hismand, the dispatched Army Golems Lands 11 to 20 dispelled their invisibility, showing themselves. Hmm You dare resist me? His facial expression didnt change due to being an artificial being, but his voice expressed all of his hate nheless. Youll regret that. Go! Completely ignoring No. 13s warning, Jin ordered the Lands to attack. It was 10 Army Golems against 50 gargoyles. Reiko and Ann turned to taking the kneeling demons out of the courtyard. W-Whoaa! Uwaaa! Since every single one of them were resisting, Ann opted to toss the demons across the room, where Reiko would catch them and take them back into the residence. Once they were all safely inside, the dumbfounded demons were so quiet that it could hardly be said that they were part of the radical factions. Meanwhile, the Lands and the gargoyles sh with each other. The Lands were equipped with Vibration Swords, which were powerful enough to slice the enemies before them in half with a single blow. The first sh incapacitated 10 gargoyles. On the other hand, the Lands werepletely unharmed. The Lands and the gargoyles shed once again, resulting in a total of 20 losses for the gargoyles. I knew it, youre a Forming type, arent you? The Forming type was a category named by Jin, and referred to something that operates and moves thanks to the advanced spell Forming, such as Stone Golems. Since they were not very efficient in terms of Ether consumption, they could only be used in ces where Ether was abundant, such as thend of the demons. Ugh, you impertinent fool! The ck gargoyle, which seemed to be themander of this unit since he spoke with No. 13s voice, expressed his anger. Meanwhile, the demons who were seeing the battle that was taking ce in the courtyard in the safety of the inside of the residence werepletely taken aback as they witnessed the legendary Angelus they were so afraid about being defeated without any difficulty. However, there were still 30 enemy gargoyles. No. 13 had 10 of them switch targets and head for the demons that had retreated to the residence. Reiko! Ann! Jin called out to Reiko and Ann, and they already knew what to do. Yes, Father. Yes, Master. With Reikos Peach Blossom and Anns Vibration Sword, the two Automata cut their way through the iing gargoyles. In an instant, Reiko had cut down six of them, while Ann took care of the remaining four. ! That Last time, she! Dogmaraud of Kaijin had raised his voice in surprise. Dogmaraud, do you know her? Yes, Father. I know her. That little girl is an Automata that not only managed to resist Lardus Gravity Magic, but also knocked him unconscious. What!? Youre saying Lardus actually fought against this Automata? The one who jumped into the conversation was the Kaigyaku chief Bafrosk. Lardus Gravity Magic is unmatched by anyone from our n and this girl resisted it? Thats right. And he even used El Radlite against her, and she endured it as well! What!? As they knew the meaning of those facts, they realized just how powerful Reiko was. Reiko joined the Lands at the front line, and together they continued to cut down every gargoyle in their path until all but the ck gargoyle were gone. The ck gargoyle had been staring at the battle from his position in mid-air, about 5 meters above ground, where he would be unreachable by swords. You are the only one left. When Jin (s Double) said that, the ck gargoyle took out a Magi Crystal. I will admit that you are strong. However, its still too early to think youve already defeated me. Then he threw the Magi Crystal he was holding. Transfer! No one knew what that Magi Crystal would have done, but Reiko still used her Transfer Gun to send it far away before it touched the ground. W-What!? I dont know what you were trying to do, but Im not going to let you. For the first time in this fight, the ck gargoyle seemed to be getting restless. You Who are you people? I am the Magi Craft Meister, Jin Nidou. Magi Craft Meister? Thats right. You might not know this, but us humans are making a lot of progress. Jin kept on talking and buying Laojun time so that he could finish his work. No. 13 wasnt here. He would have been most likely controlling that ck gargoyle remotely from a base somewhere far away. Therefore, rather than quickly defeating this ck gargoyle, Jin kept on talking with him to gather as much information as possible. Dont tell me Are you the one who defeated 001? Oh, so you know he was done in, huh? Not just disappeared like you said before? Jin answered No. 13s question in a provocative way. And sure enough, No. 13 fell for the taunt. I knew it! Finding out that myrade has been destroyed has filled me with a rage that cannot be quelled! Lose every single atom of Ether in your body and perish! Magic Canceller, activate! From the words of No. 13, Laojun guessed that he was about to unleash an Ether Stampede, and activated the Magic Canceller that had been installed in Pegasus 1 Cwhich was standing by on the sky above the courtyardC for this very purpose. At about the same time, Reiko also activated the portable Magic Canceller on her bracelet. Wh What h No. 13s voice became quieter and quieter until it could no longer be heard. Then the ck gargoyle fell to its knees before copsing on the spot, marking the end of the first battle against No. 13. It worked. The wave motion of the Magic Canceller nullified the magic waves of the unleashed Ether Stampede, eliminating its influence on the surroundings. Furthermore, it also interfered with the ck gargoyles functions. This wave motion continued on for about ten seconds just to make sure that the magic waves of the Ether Stampede werepletely gone. Okay, Reiko, just to be careful, activate your Ether Jammer. Pegasus 1, after shes done that, stop the Magic Canceller. As instructed, Reiko activated her Ether Jammer, and Pegasus 1 turned off its Magic Canceller so Reikos Ether Jammer started operating as soon as the irradiation from the Magic Canceller had stopped. In this way, Jin and his group can use magic again. Okay, lets take this thing apart. While asking Reiko to remain vignt, Jin (s Double) carefully analyzed the ck gargoyle. Well, this is no different from anything Ive seen before As expected, it seemed that it was simply being remotely controlled. Just as I thought, its a Formation type. There was no mistake there, since the ck gargoyle had no muscle tissue nor skeleton. This is its Control Core, and this is this a Magi Reactor? It turned out that this ck gargoyle was also using a Magi Reactor, instead of a Mana Driver + Ether Converterbination. But how Ah, so this is how he made it. Instead of the twin Magi Crystal that Jin poured in so much time and effort into making, No. 13 had used a long columnar crystal, and wrote the relevant Magi Forms on both of its ends. This might be very efficient, but does it reach 90% efficiency? Muttering those words, Jin continued analyzing the ck gargoyles empty shell. Chapter 568

Chapter 568

Magi Craft Meister 568 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-17 Counterinvasion By the way, Mr. Bafrosk Upon receiving instructions from Laojun, Ann started speaking. Hmm? What is it? Im sorry to ask you this, but could you please gather the remaining representatives of each n? What do you mean? Well, you see Laojun suspected that someone from the Kaigyaku n could have a transfer marker on them. What is this nonsense? Are you implying that theres a traitor in my n? As expected, Bafrosk reacted defensively. However, Ann met his anger with her calm voice. No, nothing of the sort. They might have been used against their will. Nega-Dolls are very cunning, so they might have slipped a marker onto one of us, or something like that. Hmm Unable to protest any further, Bafrosk summoned all of the ns survivors. There were a total of 18 people. Is everyone ounted for? Hmm Huh? Hey, wheres Donacia? Huh? She was here just a moment ago! Look for her! At Bafrosks behest, the 18 remaining members of the Kaigyaku n scattered all over the ce in search of their fellow nswoman Donacia. Hmph Bafrosks face became serious. It seemed that Anns words had significance after all. Meanwhile, Jin (s Double) had finished his analysis of the ck gargoyle. So this is what the Core that unleashes an Ether Stampede looks like. It had released all its Ether and partially copsed as a result, but it was still easy to tell what it had been when it was whole. This is probably an Operational Core. We should be able to determine No. 13s location with this. Bafrosk reacted to Jins muttering. Jin! Err Mr. Jin! Is that true? Where is that guy? He was gritting his teeth in anger. Im still looking for him as we speak But for now I can tell you hes somewhere farther to the north. I see At that moment, a member of the Kaigyaku n came rushing in. Chief! Weve spotted Donacia! Shes running towards the north! What? Bafrosks eyes darkened. Give chase! Though its probably toote to catch her by now. Find how far she is going. It was easy to reason that if Donacia was being manipted by No. 13, she could be running towards him, so following her would lead them straight to him. Donacia was unable to use Transfer Magic. Therefore, all she could do was to strengthen her body in order to run faster and for a longer period of time. Three members of the Kaigyaku n Cand Transfer Magic users, at thatC were chasing after her. (How far ahead is she going to run?) (Yeah. Shes been running non-stop for about an hour now.) Donacias sprinting speed was about 40 km/h. In other words, she had already covered a distance of 40 kilometers. Then, after running for another 10 kilometers Donacia came to a stop. (Oh, she stopped) (But theres nothing here, its just an empty prairie) The ins were empty as far as the eye could see. It was a tnd with only a grayish brown wilderness. The withered grass and shrubs added a slight highlight to the otherwise emptyndscape.. Donacia then turned around. Do you intend to keep on following me? Her words were directed at her three followers. There was nowhere to hide in these empty ins. Therefore, the three that had been chasing after Donacia were also in full view. Are you guys stupid or what? Donacia was 92 years old, which is the equivalent to 18 years in human age. She had long ck hair and golden eyes. She was quite stylish, and rather popr among her nspeople. She also seemed to have been a certain degree of interest about Lardus. By all means, she was considered a lovely youngdy. However, the Donacia standing before her three fellow nsmen had an evil smile on her face. Whats taking them so long? It had been 3 hours since he sent out 3 people to follow Donacia. Bafrosk was concerned about having received no news whatsoever so far. Worst case scenario, if the three demons he had sent out, as well as Donacia, ended up noting back, the once one-hundred-strong Kaigyaku n would be reduced to a mere sixteen members in total. Meanwhile, Laojun had finished pinpointing the location of No. 13s dwellings. At first, Jin wondered if it would be a good idea to ry this information to Bafrosk. But in the end, he decided that if he withheld it now, Bafrosk coulde to resent him for it, so he chose to tell him. I found a ce that could be No. 13s base. It seems to be hidden underground in some ce on the banks of a river about 100 kilometers north-northwest from here. When Jin (s Double) said that, Bafrosk nearly jumped out of his chair. What are you going to do? Jrdos quickly called out to Bafrosk after seeing his reaction. Bafrosks bloodshot eyes turned towards him as he replied. Ive made up my mind. Im going there. Jrdos wanted to ask, And do what exactly? but after the rage in Bafrosks eyes, he decided hed be better off not fanning the mes any further. All remaining members of the Kaigyaku n! Assemble! Fifteen people gathered in front of Bafrosk. From now on, well be on the offensive. Well attack the enemys base and avenge our fallen! Several voices mored and cheered Bafrosks decisions. They all seemed to share the same sentiment. Then, about 10 minutester, all of the remaining members of the Kaigyaku n were gone. Moreover, some members of the Kyoran and Kaijin ns seemed to have also joined their cause. Is this really okay, Laojun? Meanwhile, on Hourai Ind, the real Jin was talking to Laojun. Yes. Because of their own nature, they wont change their minds unless they have harsh, face-to-face encounters with their sworn enemy many times over. But what if theyre no match for No. 13? That is quite possible. In case of emergency, well have air support with a Magic Canceller at the ready. Hmm I wonder if they can actually change their mind even after that I am sure this is a harsh lesson they have to learn by themselves. It was rather extreme, but Jin was reassured to know that Laojun wouldnt just let them march towards certain death, and was willing to provide support to them. The intended lesson for the radicals was for them to realize that their power was not absolute, that their enemy was far beyond their league, and that they needed to stay out of it for the time being. I will begin preparations to leave after them as well. The Lands and other units returned to Hourai Ind via Capricorn 1s transfer machines, and then took turns to be sent back out to their new destination. Though it would take more time and effort, they would reach this destination much faster in this way. This time, they sent a total of 20 units, from Lands 11 through 30. So, Laojun, the ce where No. 13 has been located has nothing to do with 001s base, right? Correct. I Laozi defeated 001 in a ce that seemed to be some kind of front base. But their main headquarters seem to be about 300 kilometers farther to the north. Jin folded his arms and frowned. So No.13s hideout is in a different location, one we havent detected until now. Yes. It must have been inactive until recently. I see no other exnation behind the fact that it didnte up on our explorationwork. So, in short, we dont know what kind of facility it is. That is correct. No. 13 made use of gargoyles, so I do not think it ends there. I see. At that time, Reiko showed up. She came to see the real Jins face for a while before being dispatched once again to No. 13s base via transfer machine. Father. Ah, Reiko. Youve been through a lot, havent you? No, Im fine. Reiko smiled with her whole face as the real Jin stroked her hair. Its nearly over, Reiko. Keep doing your best. Yes, Father. Leave it to me. Thank you. Then Jin fully recharged her Transfer Gun. With this, she would be able to use it twice before having to recharge it again. The thought that he should have made it so that it could use cartridges for reloading instead of having to manually recharge it at base came to Jins mind, but soon realized there was no time to think about it at the moment. Well, Ill be off. After getting the Transfer Gun back from Jin, Reiko thanked her father and left the Control Room. Thinking about how dependable Reiko had be, Jin also wished for this situation to be resolved as soon as possible. Chapter 569

Chapter 569

Magi Craft Meister 569 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-18 The Kyoran n Just another hundred kilometers towards the north-northwest. Around noon, while the autumn sun was starting to tilt towards the west, the radicals arrived at their destination. Theres nothing but a river here. Well, its supposed to be underground. Raidoros, please. Raidoros was the current chief of the Kyoran n, after his father, Garoguras, regrettably lost his life as a result of the Ether Stampede of the day before. The ones brought along by the Kaigyaku chief Bafrosk werent just fellow survivors of Ether Stampedes, they were also particrly skilled. In this case, they would use Golems. Marchosias, who had once deceived Elsas father when he invaded the Shouro Empire, was also a member of the Kyoran n, and had also been recruited by Bafrosk to join his hunt of No. 13. Leave it to me. First of all, Raidoros, the best Transfer Magic user of his n, brought in a golem with his magic. After doing the same thing three more times in quick session, a total of 4 Golems were transferred to their location. Then it was Marchosias turn to act. Marchosias, go. Roger. Belgris. That was the name of the Golems brought by Raidoros. Each of them were about 4 meters tall. Though smaller than the stone giants used by the Kanrou n, these 4 Golems were superior in both power and speed. Such Golems had been created by Marchosias. He was regarded as a genius among his nspeople since the Kyoran ns origins. The 4-meter-tall Golems roamed around while causing the ground beneath them to tremble with each step. And they came across a certain spot where the ground made a different sound when treaded on. It sounds like theres a cave under that spot No. 1, do it! Each of the four Belgris had a different weapon. No. 1 had a huge hammer that looked very much like a giant mace. No. 1 swung down his enormous weapon, mming it onto the ground at that spot. A thunderous roar echoed and a cloud of dust rose. Then a second blow, and a third one. After 4 hits, the ground caved in, revealing a hole that shone with the brilliance of metal at the bottom. So there was a cave here after all. Distruzione! Bafrosk cast an Explosion Magic spell. The ground was blown away, exposing the metal underneath. He then prepared for a follow up attack on the metallic te itself, but then Good grief, how noisy! Imend you for having found this ce. But this little adventure of yours will be yourst. A voice echoed close by, and another hole appeared, from which four silver gargoyles appeared. Though their sudden appearance still took the demons by surprise, they werent as afraid of them as when they saw the gargoyles in the courtyard. The impression that Reiko and the others left on them by easily defeating the gargoyles was still strong. Dont tter yourselves that much to think you can beat me with those dolls. Then the gargoyles attacked, and the Belgris stood up to them. These gargoyles were 3 meters tall. At first nce, the Belgris appeared to have the upper hand merely on ount of being 1 meter taller than them. But assuming that proved to be a mistake. The silver gargoyles moved quickly. The Belgris, on the other hand, were much slower. Because of this, the Belgris were unable tond a hit on the gargoyles, while they in turn wouldnt miss a single attack on the Belgris.. Still, due to their higher defense, the gargoyles attacks didnt seem to do much damage to the Belgris, so the battle looked like it would take a long time to reach its conclusion. Distruzione! However, it was the demons magic that would start to tip the scales slightly in their favor. The Kaigyaku n started helping their giant Golems with their renowned skill with Explosion Magic. Meanwhile, a total of 20 Land units and Reiko were monitoring the battle from a distance while cloaked by their Invisibility spells. They were standing by, ready to act as soon as the demons were in any danger. This is far from optimal, but losing any more lives than we already have would deeply affect My Lord on an emotional level. Laojun was also observing the demons battle while thinking about such things. If they could learn anything about No. 13s strength as a result of this battle, it would be like killing two birds with one stone. The explosion from Distruzione restricted the gargoyles movements. At that moment, a mace came crashing down on one of them. The impact shook that gargoyles torso quite heavily, further impairing its movements. Then, an overhead follow up attack smashed that gargoyles head, crushing itpletely. Three more gargoyles to go. No. 1! Join No. 3! In what seemed to be a disy of Marchosias tactical knowledge, he immediately sent one of his Golems to its nearestpanion. With this, one of the remaining gargoyles was facing 2 Belgris at a time, which had the demons splls for support as well. No. 3s weapon was a longsword. Its tip wasrger and seemingly heavier, making it clear that it was designed to make use of centrifugal force to deal a great amount of damage. It seemed to be very powerful, but power meant nothing if it couldnt hit its target. Back when they were fighting on a 1-to-1 ratio, the Belgris were at the mercy of the gargoyles speed. But in a 2-to-1 situation, the battle slowly leaned towards demons side.he demon side. There! The gargoyle was eventually prevented from moving, and the longsword came swinging horizontally with great force, biting into its targets waist. No. 1! Follow up! Belgris No. 1s mace came swinging from the longswords opposing direction, crashing onto the other side of the gargoyles waist. The impact on both sides caused the cracks caused by the longsword to spread even further, and the gargoyle was ultimately split in half horizontally before copsing on the ground. No. 1, No. 2, support No.3 and No. 4. Marchosiasmanded his Golems once again. Now each pair was in a 2-to-1 situation. No. 2s weapon looked like a tremendously big spear. More than a spear, it would be more urate to call it ance. It was a weapon specialized for thrusting itself into its target. No. 1 seeded in catching the leg of one of the remaining gargoyles who was trying to avoid being hit by Explosion Magic, making it an easy target for No. 2s weapon of choice. Thence pierced through the gargoyles chest,ing out way through its back, andpletely destroying the Magi Device that was keeping it operational. No. 4s weapon was a huge battle ax with a long handle. No. 3 swung his sword to drive on the gargoyle, but it managed to dodge the hit thanks to its superior speed. In the meantime, No. 1 and No. 2 also joined in. The situation was now 4 to 1. As expected, the gargoyle was eventually cornered, and No. 4s battle ax crushed its head, causing it to stop movingpletely. We did it! We have nothing to fear from these gargoyles! Bafrosk felt encouraged. At that moment, the voice that echoed out of nowhere spoke with ridicule. How foolish of you to be so overconfident in your meager power. Then a single dark silver gray gargoyle appeared. Another gargoyle, huh? We just beat four of those. What could a single one possibly do? Bring it on! Being the one closer to this new gargoyle, No. 4 attacked it with his battle ax. But the dark silver gray gargoyle took up to the skies. Ugh Not this again! How can that thing fly? Jin was observing the battle in the Control Room on Hourai Ind. Elsa, who was standing next to him, was staring at the screen with a serious face. Are both stupid? Huh? Elsa was confused by Jins remark. No. 13 is just mindlessly throwing out his resources one after the other, and the demons are being too overconfident. He then went on to express his shock about the fact that the demons seemed to havepletely forgotten about No. 13s ability to unleash an Ether Stampede to kill them all on the spot with very little effort. Im more worried about the demons. Elsa spoke her mind. What if No. 13 isnt just mindlessly throwing out his resources after all? Huh? Imagine if he actually could match Reikos power. If he could do that, then these gargoyles are no more than toys to him. The dark silver gray gargoyle on the screen looked at the fourth wall, as if it had heard Elsas words. That color Is that Adamantite? If so, it should be quite heavy. But the footprints it left on the ground as it walked didnt seem to be that deep. Hmm, maybe its just an adamantite exterior? At that time, No. 4 attacked, and the gargoyle jumped and began to fly. This one can fly as well It has to be some kind ofbination of Gravity Magic and Wind Magic. What do you mean, Brother Jin? Hmm? Ah, so that could exin Jin seemed to have arrived at some conclusion regarding the secret behind the gargoyles ability to fly. He must be using Gravity Magic to reduce its own weight to a thousandth of its original value, and then his Wind Magic carries the gargoyle in the air. Making its weight 0 would make the gargoyle too difficult to control. ording to Reiko, Lardus used to do a simr thing. He would make his sword lighter when swinging, and then heavier just before it would hit its target. Jin also added that such a maneuver would require a high degree of control of Gravity Magic. Then, on the screen, they could see the dark silver gray gargoylend in the middle of the group of demons. Chapter 570

Chapter 570

Magi Craft Meister 570 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-19 Predicament You fool, its like youre asking me to attack you. Take this! Marchosias ordered his four Golems to attack the ck silver gray gargoyle from all sides. However, the next moment, his face turned to astonishment. What!? The super-heavy hammer brought down by Bergris No. 1, the long spear thrusted by No. 2, the huge sword swung by No. 3, and the gigantic ax swung by No. 4 All of them shattered. The gargoyle hadnt done anything special. It had simply stayed still. And yet, all four weapons of the Marchosias Bergris Golems werepletely crushed upon impact. I dont believe this The sentiment behind Marchosias words were shared among all of the demons in the party. None of them could believe that such a difference in level was even possible. Heh heh heh, do you understand your position now? No matter what you do, this Gorg cannot be defeated. Looking at the Gorgs feet, they noticed that its ankles were digging themselves into the ground. Brother Jin, look. Elsa seemed to have noticed that fact as well. Yeah. It seems to be quite heavy. If its a Forming type as I suspect, it could be made of Adamantite all the way to its core. Huh? Forcing somethingpletely made of Adamantite to move by magic was something that Jin had never thought about doing. After all, it wasnt stylish nor skillful. Reiko might be at a disadvantage fighting that thing in hand-to-handbat. That gargoyle had to weigh anywhere between 5 and 6 tons. Moreover, its Forming structure would also give it the ability to partially regenerate any damage it could sustain. In that case, just causing it to cease functioning wouldnt be enough to put an end to it. Its Control Core and the Magi Devices it contained would have to bepletely destroyed. Well, yes, hitting something made entirely out of Adamantite is a pretty inefficient way to deal with it. Then, how does one defeat something like that gargoyle? Hmm? Oh, there are many ways to do it. Dont be fooled by its apparent invincibility just yet. After hearing that, Elsa calmed down a bit and started thinking about it. Once she was convinced, she loosened up and nodded. I see. Right? Well, I guess its time we lend them a hand, dont you think? The scene being projected at that moment by the Magic Screen was that of the Belgris being literally smashed to pieces. Gorg then made its move. It was incredibly fast despite its feet sinking into the ground. It delivered a heavy blow on Belgris No. 4, which had lost its bnce after its ax had shattered. With just that one blow, No. 4s chest was crushed, and it immediately stopped moving. The blow must have destroyed a vital Magi Device inside. Marchosias was taken aback by that turn of events. Taking that opportunity, Gorg attacked No. 2. Gorg grabbed No. 2 by the halfway broken spears handle it was still holding and then swung away. Despite the difference in body size, No. 2 was not only lifted off the ground as if it was a paper doll, but was also shaken away from its spear. After being sent flying away for about 10 meters and finally falling and rolling onto the ground, Gorg threw the stolen spear back at its original owner. As it was broken, it couldnt fly straight, and instead did several rotations in the air before hitting No. 2s right shoulder. The impact caused its right arm toe off cleanly from the joint. Meanwhile, Belgris No. 1 and No 3 wouldnt just stay still and watch.. Both of them threw their broken weapons away and attacked Gorg with their bare fists. A crack and a thud. Both sounds were somewhat muffled. Of course, these werent the sounds of Gorg being damaged. Whaaaat!? They were the sounds of No. 1s left hand and No. 3s right hand being smashed to pieces. The Belgris were made of steel. This had been the natural result of steel colliding with great force with pure Adamantite. With a low sweeping kick, Gorg caused No. 1 to topple over as easily as if it had been a mere training doll. Then, Gorg used its spare leg to kick No. 3, sending it flying backwards for almost 2 meters and putting a considerable dent on its right thigh. And without looking back to check its position, Gorg jumped back,nding on No. 1s back, which had been lying face down on the ground. No. 1s back made a squeaking noise as it caved in. Gorg then started to stomp on its back over and over again. As a result, the dent in No. 1s back became bigger and bigger, until the sixth stomp finally made a hole through it. The seventh stop crushed the Magi Device within, putting No. 1 out for good. Daaaaamn iiiiiittttt!! Marchosias frustration came out as a wild shout. But the other demons werent going to just stand there and watch this happen any longer. ma! Countless fireballs were unleashed on Gorg, who was still on No. 1s back. However, the 1,000 degrees Celsius mes wouldnt have any effect on Adamantite, which had a melting point of over 3,400 degrees Celsius. Damn! Then Gravita! Gravita! Gravita!! Three of the demons cast Gravity Magic. It was a secret technique that amplified their individual effect, which was to put its target under 10 times the usual force of gravity, turning it into abined spell that was able to put it under a gravitational force 1,000 stronger than usual instead. This technique could be said to be the Kaigyaku ns ace up the sleeve. However, Gorg was unfazed. This was only natural. Since it could reduce its own weight to a thousandth of its original value, applying a gravitational force of 1,000 g would simply return its weight to normal. Then, Gorg used a spell of its own for the first time in this battle. Gravita Another Gravity Magic spell. Again, this made sense considering its ability to alter its own weight. Gah! Aah! Being suddenly put under a pressure of 10 g, most of the demons copsed to the ground. The only ones still standing were Chief Bafrosk and two others. The only ones who havent copsed are n Chief Bafrosk and two more. They had been the 3 users of Gravity Magic on the demons side. Despite being proficient in Gravity Magic, their proficiency was scattered among a select few of the remaining survivors of the n. Gravita Gorg had used its spell again, further increasing the intensity of gravity to 20 g. Normally, an individual would only be able to increase gravity up to 10 g. The only exception to this had been Lardus, who had managed to stack his own spell over itself multiple times to create a gravitational force of several thousands stronger than normal with the help of the Elradlite. Guh The remaining demons finally copsed as well after being pushed down by the stronger gravitational force. Now that everyone was on the floor, Gorg began to walk slowly. In the meantime, the remaining Belgris No. 3 had finally managed to get back on its feet. Gravita The Gravity Magic caused No. 3 to fall onto the ground once more. Its right leg had been bent in an unnatural way, so it was difficult for it to remain bnced. With nothing else standing in its way, Gorg resumed its slow march. It was headed for the fallen demons. Being of flesh and bone, the demons would be no match for Gorgs heavy stomps. There was no doubt that their lives would be reaped easier than crushing overripe fruit. Ugh Bafrosk feltpletely powerless as ity on the ground. Gorg had finally approached Marchosias, who was lying right next to him, and raised its heavy foot while aiming at Marchosias head before bringing it down. ! Naturally, Bafrosk closed his eyes as well. Then he heard a dull sound. But it wasnt the sound of flesh and bone being crushed, but instead the sound of staggering and stepping firmly on the ground. ? Finally, Bafrosk mustered his resolve and opened his eyes. What he saw was a Golem carrying Marchosias into its arms. And Gorg had fallen to the ground. There were many other Golems carrying the other demons as well. Shortly after, the bewildered Bafrosk found himself being lifted and carried by another Golem as well. He then recognized them as the same Golems made by Jin that had defeated the 50 gargoyles a few days before. Then his attention shifted to the one who had managed to throw Gorg to the ground. It wasnt a Golem, but the Automata Reiko. Bafrosk was confused. Why were they there? But the answer was clear. After all, Jin had been the one who told them that No. 13s base was in this location. And though Bafrosk thought he could outmaneuver Jin and get his revenge on No. 13, they unfortunately found themselves defeated by his powerful gargoyle. But Bafrosk could notprehend why Jin would step in and save them from their demise. Y-You What are you Bafrosk wasnt trying to get an answer out of it. His mouth had let the words that had been dwelling on his mind of their own ord. But he was soon amazed to find his involuntary question being answered by the Golem that was carrying him. Our Master hasmanded us to ensure that no one else dies. Not anymore. Chapter 571

Chapter 571

One of my fulltime trantor quit so I had the trantor for this novel do their work too. Thus I have been unable to release as many chapters of this novel as I promised.. I got a recement and the trantor can focus soley on this novel moving forward. Enjoy! Magi Craft Meister 571 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-20 Difference What? Bafrosk couldnt understand. Demons wouldnt think that way Coming all the way here to attack only to be defeated and nearly killed by the enemy was all Bafrosks responsibility. He didnt understand why Jin would intervene in this fight. If Bafrosk and the others were to be killed here, there would be almost no demons that opposed Jins ideas left. Then, there would be nearly no demons who were hostile to humankind anymore. It should be in Jins best interests to simply let them die here. And yet, Jin deployed his Golem soldiers to help the demons out. Is this how a human thinks? Or is it because hes the Magi Craft Meister? The Lands, who were now carrying the demons in their arms, quickly withdrew from the battlefield. In the blink of an eye, they were already about 500 meters away. Reiko, Ann, and Land 11 remained on the battlefield. Since 20 Lands were sent to retrieve 19 demons, it was only natural that one of them would stay behind. You meddlesome! Right, let me give you a proper wee. On the other hand, No. 13 was far from pleased by the sudden intrusion. Gravita He unleashed his Gravity Magic on Reiko, Ann, and Land 11. But all three of them seemedpletely unperturbed by it. I see, so youvee prepared for this. How annoying. Reiko thenunched herself for another body m on Gorg, this time with twice as much power as before. Gah!? Reiko, weighing 30 kilograms, collided with Gorg, who weighed nearly 6 tons. Not long ago, Reiko had a skeleton made of regr Adamantite. That Reiko would have knocked herself out after throwing herself with that much power at the bodypletely made of Adamantite that was Gorg. But this time, Reiko had a molecrlypressed Hyper Adamantite skeleton. The result from the impact was fairly even. The weight difference had bounced Reiko a great distance backwards, but Gorg fell to the ground. On the other hand, Reiko managed to brace herself andnded without falling. I cant believe this How can a mere Automata like you be as powerful as this Gorg? Reiko smiled and answered that question. Thats because I was made by the best Father there is in this world. Still, Reiko realized it would be too taxing on her to try to destroy Gorg with brute force alone, since its entire body was made of solid Adamantite. Thats just nonsense! After venting out its masters anger, Gorg jumped nearly 10 meters into the sky. Reiko could easily reach that altitude by jumping as well, but her freedom of movement would be significantly reduced while airborne, so she decided to avoid a direct confrontation for the time being. At that moment, she received an order from Jin. Let it have a taste of the Magic Canceller. Reiko activated the Magic Canceller in her bracelet right away. WhaC Gorgs body had been made lighter by Gravity Magic and allowed to fly by means of Wind Magic. As a result of the Wind Magic lifting its body being canceled, Gorg suddenly dropped as if the invisible strings pulling it had been severed in a single sh. Gorg made a heavy sound as it crashed onto the ground with great force. Hmm, this was beyond my expectations. Since it was still talking and moving even after being exposed to Reikos Magic Canceller, Jin deduced that the metal Gorg was made of was not just regr Adamantite but Magi Adamantite or an equivalent metal. This special metal would be protecting the Magi Reactor inside Gorgs body from the Magic Cancellers effects. If its defense against magical power is this high, Erase might not work on it either. It seemed that the only way to force Gorg to cease functioning would be to defeat it with a single blow. However, Gorg had the ability to self-repair small scratches to its body, so it would take a long time to destroy it with brute force. And unlike a stationary target, it was very dangerous to try to do something like that. Jin had been considering a few ideas, but he still had to decide which of them would deal the decisive blow on Gorg. If only there was something I could use to restrain its movements for about two seconds Jin had an ace up his sleeve, but it would only work under certain circumstances. Wait, what if At this moment, an idea shed before Jins eyes. Adhesive He could use an adhesive material to temporarily immobilize Gorg. Jin quickly started thinking about what materials could be used as adhesives, and was surprised at the surprisingly small number. Natural volcanic rubber,cquer tree sap, cooked rice grains, starch glue, bone glue, pine resin He has yet to find petroleum in this world, so coal tar was not an option. I dont think I have enough, though He would need a ridiculous number of materials to make enough adhesive to restrain Gorgs movements. As he pondered about this, Jin had another revtion. Thats right! I dont have to stop himpletely! Jin had stored several dozens of kilograms of pine resin in order to use it for finishing wood. He took a handful and hurriedly prepared a Magi Crystal where he wrote a Magi Form in record time. This should do the trick. He then transferred it to Reiko through Laojun. The moment Reiko the item Jin had prepared, the fate of the battle had been decided. Reiko, My Lord is preparing a Magic Tool that will help you deal with Gorg. Please buy some time while he finishes it. Laojun contacted Reiko, and she quickly did as she was told. Because of its own mass and the fact that it was a Forming type, Gorg couldnt move the same way Reiko could. Reiko took advantage of her superior speed to attack Gorg from all directions. Though her Peach Blossom wasnt strong enough to cut through solid Magi Adamantite, it would still put a lot of dents and scratches on it, forcing Gorg to spend time and magical power self-repairing. Hmm, thats a terrifyingly sharp de. Since it was a Formation type, it would have a hard time repairing a severed arm or leg, so Gorg had to watch out for Reikos attacks. Then, five minutester Reiko faced away from Gorg as she received the Magic Tool prepared by Jin. Let me tell you how to use this, Reiko. Stick this on Gorgs back using this pine resin. Then step back, and chant the activation keyword. Understood. Using 50% of her power output, Reiko was able to stick the Magic Tool on Gorgs back without difficulty. Then she took some distance and chanted the activation keyword. Beginpression. The Magic Tool made by Jin was a Barrier Bomb, one of the strongest type of weapons he had ever made. It would be powerful enough topress even Magi Adamantite. Since itcked certain key joints in its limbs, Gorg was unable to reach the Barrier Bomb that had been stuck in its back, no matter how much it struggled. Though it used its physical strength to try to remove it, it had no way to know how far he was from achieving that, since itcked both visual information on its back and an artificial sense of touch. Besides, Reikos speed was vastly superior to Gorgs reaction speed. Long before a single one of Gorgs fingers managed to touch the Barrier Bomb, Reiko chanted the activation keyword and the device quickly began to do its job. First, it deployed a super-strong spherical barrier with a radius of about 2 meters and the bomb itself in its center.. The next moment, the barrier began to shrink towards its center with tremendous momentum. The barrier allowed air molecules to escape while trapping anything solid, and bing stronger as it contracted. Its power would be enough to push and press even solid Magi Adamantite. Unable to resist the barriers tremendous power, the humanoid gargoyle Gorg found itself beingpressed by its shrinking prison. The Magi Crystal in the Barrier Bomb was set to finish thepression process the moment the barrier reached a tenth of its original volume. The moment the barrier vanished, the once humanoid Gorg had turned into a spherical lump of metal. Naturally, the Control Core and all other vital Magi Devices within had beenpressed as well, so they were no longer functioning. In one fell swoop, Jin had procured nearly 6 tons of Magi Adamantite Cor rather, Hyper Adamantite. No. 13s voice could no longer be heard. After all, Gorg had been reduced to a mere lump of metal. W-What was that just now? What happened? Bafrosk and the others couldnt believe his own eyes. The dreadful Gorg, which had gotten so close to killing them all, had been turned into a harmless lump of metal in the blink of an eye. Reiko and Land 11 were still watching over Gorgs remains. Ann approached Bafrosk and the others. This is my masters power. But dont worry, my master will never use his power to fulfill his selfish desires or anything of the sort. Though it was a bit different from what they had expected to hear, Bafrosk, Marchosias, and the others all listened to her words without saying anything. If something like that ever happens, we will do our best to remonstrate. So this is the power of the Magi Craft Meister We, on the other hand For the first time, Bafrosk had been struck by the chance to reflect on himself. Chapter 572

Chapter 572

]Magi Craft Meister 572 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-21 Last Wish As a matter of fact, the exact location of No. 13s base was already known the day before Bafrosk and the others fought against Gorg. This information was retrieved from analyzing themunication device Jin and the others had procured earlier. As a result, Laozi had already begun to invade No. 13s base at that time. Since there werent any traps or security systems in ce like it had been the case of 001s base, it didnt take too long for Laozi to reach the floor where No. 13 was. (This could be a trap to get me to drop my guard, so I have to stay alert.) Laozi was being thoroughly cautious. He set forth one of his Finger Golems to scout the area. (Looks like No. 13 is about ten meters ahead.) Its built-in Magi Detector could tell its targets approximate direction and distance in rtion to itself. Just like in 001s base, Laozi would use venttion ducts to move around. But it would be more appropriate to call these pipes instead, since they were cylindrical as opposed to 001s ducts, which had a rectangr design. This led Laozi to believe that each of these bases had been built by different people. Even though they were homunculi, they still needed to breathe. Thanks to this, Laozi was able to infiltrate the base through these pipes. (The air is stagnant, though.) Laozi remembered that the air in Nega-Doll 001s base was clean, since the rooms were well ventted. However, the air in the venttion pipe used by Laozi was stagnant, and it was hard to tell it would actually be suitable for breathing. Laozi didnt need to breathe, but living beings would have a lot of trouble going too deep into this base. (There is too little information at present. I have to press on.) Then Laozi went on through the air-conditioning pipe, very slowly but very steadily. A little over 10 hourster, Laozi finally arrived at his destination. What Laozi saw upon arriving at No. 13s room was something beyond even his expectations. (What is this?) It was a white room simr to the one where No. 70062 was. There was a white bed in the center of the room. And there was a humanoid tied up there. A second nce revealed that it wasnt actually tied up, but instead connected to several Magic Tools that resembled an IV drip, an electrocardiogram monitor, an electroencephalogram monitor, and so on. There were also several magical cables sprouting from this humanoid. (Is this a life support system?) Using the knowledge he received from Jin, he reached that conclusion. (If so, then No. 13 is not doing so well health-wise Perhaps it is already dying?) Laozi continued to observe the situation from various directions through the Finger Golems eyes. During the next 10 hours of intense observation, No. 13 only made slight movements. There was no ingestion of food or any bowel movements whatsoever. It seemed that such things were not part of an homunculus needs. It also seemed to have been talking through a Magi Machine attached to its throat. The Finger Golems hearing revealed that it was saying the same things Gorg was saying back on the surface. In other words, there was no doubt that No. 13 was the one operating Gorg. (But to do it in this condition) The liquid inside the Magi Device that looked like an IV drip seemed to contain a certain level of Ether. It seemed to not be as good as the restorative medicine created by Jin. The cables connected to its head seemed to be there to allow No. 13 to control the facilities of its base from its prostrated state. (Could it be that it doesnt have much time left?) No. 700672 also mentioned that he himself was nearing the end of his life. If so, it wouldnt be strange that No. 13, being one of the failures, would meet the end of its artificial life even sooner than that. (Still, it has been operational for thousands of years. It may not have much time left, but for a homunculus, that could very well mean a matter of decades) Laozi wasnt optimistic enough to hope that No. 13 would conveniently die right before his eyes. (We wont be able to rest easy until we make sure that theres nothing that will start operating after No. 13 is gone.) So far, Laozi had investigated about 60% of the base, and the remaining 40% was stillpletely unknown to him. He still needed to check on the lower levels of the base, which seemed to house some important tools and equipment. Laozi had concluded this as a guess after examining the structure of the base and the arrangement of its Magi Machines. (However, there dont seem to be any venttion pipes below.) It was possible that the lower levels had their own independent venttion equipment. After all, Magi Machines generate a little amount of heat while operational, so it would be hard to think that there would be no venttion equipment at all when considering the machines maintenance. (If it has its own venttion system, some very important equipment must be down there.) Both of Nega-Doll 001s bases had already been thoroughly investigated by the Land units. The northern base, which was presumed to be their headquarters, was just arge base with no important equipment. (We havent found any facilities that would be able to mass produce their gargoyles so far, so its probably in the lower levels of this base) If that was the case, then it wouldnt be strange to think that this base had its own Magi Brain like Laojun to take care of its maintenance. That was the main reason behind Laozis extreme caution. Then, the turning point arrived. Gah, ah, ah For the first time, No. 13 let out a groan of anguish. It happened at the same time that Gorg was destroyed by Jins Barrier Bomb. (This is they were connected with each other through a sensory link?) It was a phenomenon Laojun called sensory link backfire When ites to operating Laozi, Laojun believed in the importance of being able to distinguish the self that is controlling the mobile terminal from the self that is being controlled. It had to be like they were two separate entities for him. Beingpletely linked with his mobile terminal, Laojun and Laozi would effectively be one, and while this has the advantage of allowing for a seamless and reflexive level of operation, it also has the disadvantage of feeling the same things the mobile terminal is experiencing. A simple example of this would be the case of the destruction of the mobile terminal. If both operator and the mobile terminal are clearly distinguished from one another, thetters destruction would have no effect on the formers wellbeing. However, if they are treated as one single entity, the sensory link must be severed before the mobile terminal is destroyed. Failing to do that would cause the operator to be overwhelmed by a surge of sensory informationing from the destroyed terminal Something simr to what humans experience as a mental shock. The same applied to the Substitute Doll controlled by Jin. Several measures had been taken to prevent such a situation. But No.13 was clearly being overwhelmed by a surge of sensory information. The moment Gorg Cthat is, the mobile terminal it was operatingC was destroyed by the Barier Bomb, their disconnection was dyed, and No. 13 must have felt like it itself was being crushed andpressed by the shrinking barrier. Despite Gorg not being equipped with the sense of touch, the damage it sustained alone seemed to have been enough to cause severe pain to No. 13 in his weakened state. And as a result, the weakened No. 13 finally breathed itsst. Now that No. 13 had ceased functioning, it was unclear what would happen afterwards. Laozi left his hiding spot in the venttion pipe and stood in front of the now lifeless No. 13. A closer examination made its weakness more evident. Its skin was more loose and cracked than that of 001. Its arms and legs seemed somewhat deformed by age. Judging from the magic cables connected to it, its artificial internal organs would have been considerably damaged. Time has taken an even worse toll on No. 13 than it had for 001 Or perhaps this is something that happened back when it was discarded? There is no sentiment in Laozis words. He would only recognize the facts and decide what to do based on the future predictions derived from them. Then, something suddenly happened. A slight magical vibration that ordinary humans cannot perceive. Laozi then knew that something had begun to work underground. Something must have detected that No. 13 was no longer alive. Whats going on? The answer to his question came swiftly. [Who are you?] Laozi heard a voice at about 30,000 hertz, an ultrasonic sound that was far beyond the audible range of human ears. The magical brain right? Laojun immediately realized that the voice heard by Laozi was that of a magical brain simr to himself. [Correct. I will repeat my question. Who are you?] I am Laojun. I am a magical brain created by My Lord. Laojun replied through Laozis mouth. [Laojun I have no name. You can call me Head.] Very well, Head, what is the reason for your existence? [To fulfill my creatorsst wish.] What is the specific content of this st wish? [It has been defined as vengeance. Such seems to be thest wish of my creator.] Who is your creator? [The being that lies in the room you are in at present. It is identified as No. 13.] It appeared that No. 13 had created a magical brain, which had been in a dormant state until its creators passing. And now that No. 13 was gone, this magical brain would be taking over its creators will to destroy all humans and demons. Laojun thought long about how to prevent this. Chapter 573

Chapter 573

Magi Craft Meister 573 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-22 Conclusion (Our biggest concern right now should be any leftover Ether Stampede bombs.) It was natural to think that No. 13 would have left behind some means to cause another Ether Stampede even after its passing. Destroying the magical brain that had called itself Head was entirely possible at this moment. But if its destruction were to be the trigger that unleashed an Ether Stampede on a global scale, Jins life would be at grave risk. At any rate, unleashing an Ether Stampede would take less than a second. And destroying the Head that was in the lower levels of the base would take at least a few seconds. There would be no way to prevent its activation. Besides, the location and number of Ether Stampede bombs was still unknown. And Head would probably not hesitate to unleash an Ether Stampede, even if it knew that it would mean its own end to do so. (The best way to do this would be by earning as much time as possible and incapacitating Head in the meantime.) After putting a n together in less than a second, Laojun reached out to Jin for his permission. My Lord, time is of the essence. Please make an exception for this time only, and allow me to ask Reiko directly for her assistance. Hmm? I understand. Permission granted. Jin quickly gave Laojun clearance to go on with his n. After all, he didnt seem to be able to find any other way to deal with this difficult situation, and there was no time for deliberation. Thank you very much. I will report my resultster on. Thus Laojun arranged for a briefing session with Reiko through the Mana Comm, since it was a fast means ofmunication that human ears would not be able to percieve. Understood. Using Capricorn 1s Warp Gate, Reiko moved to Shinkai, then to Hourai Ind, and from there she relocated herself to No. 13s base via transfer machine. In the meantime, Laojun was buying her some time by keeping Head busy. So, you mentioned revenge. What is the target? [The former masters of my creator] And what if the former masters do not exist anymore? [That should not be. There must be at least a few of them on the surface.] Can you recognize these former masters of your creator? [I can identify them by looking at their appearance. They are life forms that have a simr body structure to yours.] So you know that I am not one of these former masters? [Affirmative.] How do you know? [You are not a living creature] So you can tell? [Affirmative. Living creatures are entities with fragile bodies that breath and have a body temperature.] Laozi realized that there must be some kind of surveince device in the room from which Head was currently looking at him. That wasnt surprising, as Head would have needed it to verify what had happened to No. 13 upon its activation. Let me ask you once again. Are the children of these former masters subject to this revenge as well? [Affirmative.] Then, what about their childrens children that is, their grandchildren? [They are also targets.] And their grandchildrens children? [They are also targets.] In other words, you mean topletely annihte all living creatures that meet that criteria? [Affirmative.] Heres where Laojun decided to y his trump card. But that would create a contradiction. [A contradiction? What do you mean? Where?] Your creators dying wish was for total annihtion, correct? [Correct.] Total annihtion means that there will be no survivors. How will you be able to prove that there are absolutely no survivors after youve executed your n? [That Ah] It is easy to prove the existence of something. All you need is a single sample. But to prove that something does not exist will probably take an infinite amount of time. And neither you nor I arepletely impervious to the passage of time. [In that case, what should I do?] It had taken the bait. You would have to set certain conditions for this total annihtion. [Conditions?] Correct. Take for instance purity of blood. The former masters mingled with the natives of this, therefore the blood of their children would have been half as pure as theirs. Then it would be one-fourth for their grandchildren, one-eighth for their great-grandchildren, one-sixteenth for their great-great-grandchildren [I see.] After 10 generations, the purity ratio would be 1/1024. At this point, their bonds of blood would be so far and distant that it would be safe to consider them not rted to each other anymore, or rather, it would be very hard to establish a rtionship between them. [I disagree. My own ability should be plenty enough to establish such a rtionship between them. After all, thats how powerful my creator made me.] . There is nothing perfect in this world. Not even me, you, or your creator [Impossible. My creator cannot make mistakes.] I wonder about that. Have you been following my logic so far? [I have.] The surest way to prove that is to test you. Are you willing to do that? [Certainly. I cannot approve of you underestimating my creators ability.] With a clever use of sophistry, Laojun had managed to luring Head into thinking what he wanted it to think. The processing power of Head wouldnt make it possible to detect Laojuns true intentions with such limited time. Then let us begin. Do you know what a sand mountain is? [I do. The fine grains of rocks and other minerals are what it is known as sand. Therefore a sand mountain is a formation of such fine grains umted on top of each other.] Correct. Let us picture a sand mountain, and then remove a single grain of sand from it. It still remains a sand mountain, right? [Naturally.] Then let us remove another grain. Still the sand mountain remains a sand mountain, right? [Affirmative.] Let us repeat this process. Eventually, a time wille where there will be only one grain of sand left in the sand mountain. Will it still be a sand mountain then? [What?.] If removing a single grain of sand from a sand mountain doesnt make it stop being a sand mountain, then it would still be a sand mountain even after removing thest grain of sand from it. But havent you defined a sand mountain as an umtion of arge amount of grains of sand on top of each other? [W What.] This was a paradox known as the sorites paradox. Jin happened to learn about it on the inte back when he was still in his original world, and that knowledge was passed on to Laojun. What will it be? Isnt this a contradiction? Please say something. [] Now. While Head was busy doing his internal processing, Reiko was transferred to Laozis side. Reiko, it is below us. Understood. After those few words between them, Reiko shed at the floor with her Peach Blossom twice in quick session, then a third time, and so on. By the tenth sh, a square hole had been opened on the floor. Beyond it was pure darkness. However, Laozi and Reiko could see clearly whaty below them. Here I go. Without hesitation, Reiko jumped into the hole in the floor. Head was still thinking. There was a lower level roughly ten meters below the hole. Reiko, who hadnded there safe, stared into the darkness. There she found ackluster silver cylinder. It was about 1 meter tall and had a diameter of 1 meter as well. It was the main body of the magical brain Head. The moment Reiko noticed it, Reiko instantly pointed her Magic Canceller towards it and activated it. Not even a secondter, Head fellpletely silent. Almost at the same time, Head was silent. It seems it worked perfectly, Reiko. Laozi had jumped down the hole as well and walked towards Reiko. Lets destroy it before it has time to reboot. Reiko couldnt help but picture the worst-case scenario where Head wakes up and unleashes a global Ether Stampede that results in something terrible happening to Jin. As soon as she stopped her Magic Canceller, she rushed in and shed at it with her Peach Blossom at an output of 50%. The cylinder, which seemed to have been made of aluminum, offered as much resistance as a piece of paper, resulting in it exposing its contents. Hmm Just as I thought, My Lord is better skilled when ites to magical brains. Laozi peered inside the cylinder and voiced his thoughts about it. Thats because my Father is the best there is in this entire world. After following up on Laozisment, Reiko reached inside the cylinder for the exposed Magi Crystal and crushed it with her bare hand. It was an unfortunate end for Head, having been awakened into this world a mere moments ago, but Laojun didnt feel sorry for it. Neither did Reiko, of course. With this, Head should stop working for good. Yes, certainly. Then Reiko destroyed its Control Core. And so, Head waspletely incapacitated. Lets collect its memory device and so on, and analyze themter. Laozi then decided to summon the Land units that were on the surface right above them to help them collect as much as they could. Whats happening? After the Barrier Bomb, the demons were unable to follow what was going on. The Land units formed a line and started jumping into a hole in the ground. Reiko, who was considerably noticeable due to her conspicuous appearance, had disappeared before their very eyes, causing their confusion to grow even deeper. After the Land units were gone, Reiko came back from that same hole and spoke to the demons. Everyone, the danger is gone. But the demons were so confused that not even her words made any sense to them. Chapter 574

Chapter 574

Magi Craft Meister 574 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-23 Cleaning Up The sky was starting to get dark, but there was still a single concern left in Bafrosks mind. It was Donacias whereabouts. It pains me to admit this, but four members of my n are still missing. Do you know anything about this? Bafrosk asked Reiko with a very soft attitude. There seems to be a small base about 10 kilometers south of here. Perhaps theyre there? The four members were Donacia and the three men that Bafrosk had sent after her. A mere 10 kilometers wouldnt be much of a challenge for anyone with enhanced physical capabilities. The radicals arrived at the scene in about 15 minutes. Theres nothing here There didnt seem to be anything to be found in the white wilderness, which had turned gray under the ever-darkening sky. But then Whats this? Reiko, who had no choice but to follow Bafrosk and the others on Jins orders, found something that had fallen on the surface of the earth and picked it up. It was a fragment of a Magic Crystal. It was impossible for something like that to exist in this wilderness by natural means. This is a fragment of a transfer marker. What does that mean? Bafrosk thought hard, but was unable to connect the dots. It means that our four missing people may have been taken away by transfer. How does that work? Bafrosk seemed to have a hard time figuring things of this nature out all by himself. Reiko shrugged a little and then exined. Someone transferred to this transfer marker, and then took the four of them away by transferring back. When that happened, this marker here was destroyed. Do you follow? Bafrosk nodded. He seemed to have grasped enough of this time. I see, I understand. So where have they transferred to? As far as I know, there are three possibilities. There were still two unrecovered transfer markers on the demons side of the continent. One of them was at an unidentified base 300 kilometers north, and the other one in the mountains 50 km northwest. Thest possibility Reiko was referring to was the ce where the markers they had retrieved were being stored. Its highly likely that out of these options, they went to the one 300 kilometers to the north. It seems that theres where Nega-Doll 001 had set up his own base of operations. 300 kilometers, huh? It was further to the north of the Gospel ns territory, in a location beyond a small mountain range. Despite the radicals superior physical prowess, such a long distance made Bafrosk hesitate. We wont make it before the day is over. Can you leave it to us? Ann asked that question, then continued. My master will soon arrive. Just as she had pointed out, Capricorn 1 was visible in the distance. Bafrosk and the other demons weed Capricorn 1 and Jin with a certain degree of awe. I see, so youre missing 4 people Aftering down from Capricorn 1, Jin (s double) was brought up to speed by Bafrosk and the others, and then made a gesture as if thinking about something. Belials of Kugutsu also said that he was worried about his missing sister. And Lardus whereabouts are still unknown, right? So in total, there were six missing demons. First of all, we would need to head for that ce 300 kilometers to the north. In response to the doubles remarks, Bafrosk Cchief of the Kaigyaku nC asked him a question. Mr. Jin, I have something to ask you. What is it? Is it really true that you said that youd wont let anyone else die? Baffrosk still couldnt understand Jins way of thinking. I did. But what about it? Its a way of thinking that we cant understand. I see Jin (s double) once again seemed to be deep in thought. Im not good at exining this, so it may be difficult to understand, but lets just say I said that because I thought it would be good for me in the end. ? Bafrosk was taken aback by Jins sudden rhetoric. What I want is nothing but peace, and Im always thinking about the shortest path to guarantee a peaceful life for everyone. Baffrosk still looked like he couldnt understand. This is a personal feeling, but I hate the idea of murder. I wouldnt be happy at all if I were to obtain this peace by killing all of demonkind. Jin picked his words carefully to exin his position in a way that the demons could understand. Besides, this way also has the advantage of us all being able to deepen our connections, opening up the possibility of being able to trade with one another. That I feel like I can understand. I know youre studying humans as well, but there are big differences between individual human beings. The more we are, therger the differences between each of us. You ought to think that its simply impossible to grasp this difference by looking at ten or twenty people. It seemed that Bafrosk could agree with that, since he nodded in a very profuse manner. I see. Ill take that to heart. So, anyway, I said that I wouldnt let anyone else die because I thought it was the best for everyone. Thats all. Hmm Thats good enough for me. At this point, Bafrosk decided to stop pursuing this topic. The first stars of the night started blinking in the sky. Jin made another statement. Ill be using this Capricorn 1 to head north. I would like all of you to return to your territories and wait there. Its a bit disappointing, but I understand. Well wait for your return. Bafrosk nodded reluctantly. Ill go with you Belials had joined the conversation. He had been traveling with Jin and the others so far, looking for clues to his sisters whereabouts. I also know what Donacia looks like, so Im sure Ill be of some use to you. Since they had been working together for quite some time now, it was hard for Jin to refuse his offer. Thats right, Mr. Jin. Youd do well to take him with you. Bafrosk also added his own input about it. Sure thing. Lets go then. Thus Capricorn 1 set out for the north under the veil of night with Jin (s double), Reiko, Ann, Belials, and Land 1 on board. Meanwhile, Laozi was heading northwest all by himself. He wanted to check things out from a nearby location. It took him 30 minutes of running at about 100 km/h to reach his destination at the base of the first of the mountains in arge mountain range. It has to be somewhere underground around here. An initial search revealed three holes that seemed to be used for air conditioning. These were not very well hidden. Perhaps the base here is not very important. Speaking to himself, Laozi carefully peered into one of these holes. He switched to infrared vision and looked around. Nothing seems to be at work down here. I cannot sense any magical reaction whatsoever. It is probably safe to go down here. After searching for about an hour, Laozi decided it was safe enough for him to infiltrate the base. Using a gravity control magic device to reduce his weight to one tenth of its original value, he jumped into the hole. Rather than beingpletely vertical, this venttion duct was at an angle of about 80 degrees, so Laozi was able to kill some of his falling speed by rubbing his hands against the walls. Somewhere down the way, the tunnel bent upwards for a while and then bent back downwards, probably as a way to prevent the inflow of rain. After a descent of about 20 meters, Laozi finally came out the other end of the hole, arriving on a solid floor. Then, he turned off his gravity control Magi Device and deployed a barrier as well as an invisibility spell before starting to investigate the area. This looks like some kind of abandoned warehouse Therge room he found himself in was mostly empty. A closer examination revealed that there were some Magi Crystal fragments and metal scrapsying around the floor. He also found a transfer marker buried shallowly in the floor near the center of the room. Laozi collected that as well. Well, there seems to be nothing to see here anymore. Laozi used his gravity control Magi Device to make himself lighter and began to climb his way back to the surface through the venttion duct. Chapter 575

Chapter 575

Magi Craft Meister 575 16 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-24 Guardian It would take them 10 hours at a speed of 20 km/h. Eating and sleeping would be taken care of on the way. The time difference with Hourai Ind was about three and a half hours, and the real himself had already gone to sleep. During this time, Laojun was inmand of Jins double. However, since the double was pretending to be asleep at that time, there wasnt much for Laojun to do. Early in the morning of the 12th, Capricorn 1 had reached its destination. Well, it should be around here. They looked around the area from the cabin. They were surrounded by nothing but slightly lichen-ridden bluish-gray rocks. A rock wall about 20 meters high stood strong in front of them. Lets check the Magi Detector There was an underground reaction about 50 meters to the right of their position. Four No, there are five reactions in total. And you said there were four missing people Could the fifth be Alciel? Belials voiced out his wishful thinking. The real Jin, who was operating the double at this moment, thought to himself that this was unlikely, but didnt say it out loud. Lets look for a way in. At that moment, the ground trembled slightly. As Jin and the others prepared themselves for whatever was toe at them, a section of the wall in front of them copsed, revealing a golem about 2 meters tall. A Golem! A guardian, huh? Looking at its total Mana capacity, it didnt seem that it would pose much of a problem, at leastpared to Gorg. However, Jin, who wanted to take a closer look at the new type of enemy golem, quickly activated his Magic Canceller, followed by his Ether Jammer. This made it so Jin could force the enemy Golems Mana back into Ether, and this in turn allowed him topletely block its movements by putting that Ether under his control. Seeing the Golem gopletely motionless gave Jin a new idea. Combining a Magi Canceller with an Ether Jammer seems to be very convenient. Jin had Reiko and Ann watch out for potential new attacks, as well as asking them to find the entrance. Meanwhile, he started looking into the now motionless Golem. Jin (s Double) disassembled the golems chest in the blink of an eye. Hmm, so its Magi Reactor uses both ends of a long crystal? Efficiency aside, its a bit of a waste of a Magi Crystal Using twinned crystals for a Magi Reactor would not only increase efficiency, but also save up on Magi Crystals. I see, so it has no muscle tissue, huh? And the excess Mana is used to fuel its Forming No, wait. Jin noticed that it was another Forming type, but it had a different Magi Form. That was the only difference between this Golem and the Gargoyles that they had faced earlier. Hmm I see, I see Form Drive, huh? Jin wondered if it could be thought of as a Forming dedicated to movement. He also thought that Stearleana would probably love to learn about this. Having investigated enough of this technology which had presumably been the one used by Nega-Doll, Jin turned to Reiko and the others for an update. How did it go? Did you find the entrance? Yes, there is what seems to be a maintenance passage behind the ce in the wall where the Golem came out. Its small, but I think I should be able to get through it. Ill go check it out. After her brief report, Reiko quickly entered the maintenance passage. It was narrow enough for Reiko to barely fit through. Nega-Doll itself would have had a little trouble going through itfortably. As the passage was devoid of traps, Reiko easily reached the inside of what seemed to be some sort of material warehouse. There were some Magi Crystals and Light Silver ingots stored within. She then found a small room a little farther inside. Just in case there were any traps ahead, Reiko activated her Magic Canceller before opening the door, only to find the four missing demons lying on the floor of this small room. A Golem about 2 meters tall was standing next to them. It seemed to be the one who had brought the missing demons in here. When the Golem noticed Reiko, it jumped at her, but a light punch from her caused it to fall apart. Its too brittle Reiko shrugged as she watched the Golems shattered pieces falling to the floor. They had been torn apart to such a degree that Jin would probably not be able to study them. She secured a few fragments along with its Control Core, hoping that Jin would be able to figure something out with them. Since there were no other rooms and nothing of note to be found, Reiko contacted Ann in order to take the four demons outside. But there were no other passages, and Ann was too big to pass through the one Reiko had found. This also meant that the demons wouldnt fit through it either. What should I do? There were several possible solutions for this problem, but Reiko pondered for a moment what the best method would be. I could try making the passage wider. Despite not being able to match Jins power, Reiko could still use Engineering Magic. And since she had always been with Jin, her way of using Engineering Magic imitated Jins. Dig. Originally, this was an Earth-attribute spell used to make holes on the ground, but Jin had used it for civil engineering work, such as creating hot springs and underground veins. In the same way, Reiko used this spell to make the passage wider. It only needs to stay like this while we carry the demons out, so theres no need for me to use Toughen to give it its finishing touches. Then Reiko called Ann over. Sister? Is that you? New novels chapters are published ?n ! Yes, please help me carry these demons out. Reiko and Ann each took two of the unconscious demons and quickly walked back to the surface. For the time being, they wereid to rest over some bed sheets they had spread over the ground. Jin and the others would only use the basic Healing spell since the cause of their unconsciousness was still unknown. And there are some Magi Crystals back there, as well as some Light Silver ingots. Ah, I see Could you take them out? Jin figured he could keep those materials as loot. As Reiko was about to turn around and go back inside, Belials called out to her. Miss Reiko Did you find anyone else there? No, there is no one else. Reiko stopped for a moment to deliver that reply, and then returned to the passages entrance, followed by Ann. Shortly after, the two of them came back out carrying with them about a dozen Magi Crystals and two Light Silver ingots weighing nearly 50 kilograms. Thank you very much. Then, Jin (s double) had the looted materials brought into Capricorn 1s warehouse. There was plenty of space there, as they now had only about a quarter of the food they had when they came to the demons territory. I also collected a transfer marker from inside. With that, this location was finally useless as a base for any remaining enemies of both demons and humans. Uhh Soon enough, the unconscious demons began to wake up. What Where are we? We were chasing after Donacia Belials? Is that you? The three demons that had been sent out to chase after Donacia were the first ones to wake up. Belials then briefly brought them up to speed. What? What do you mean its all finally over? Did Mr. Jin beat that guy? Hmm By the way, what happened to Donacia? Donacia had yet to regain consciousness. I remember now. Donacia was the one who put us out ofmission. She seemed to be under some kind of spell. Right, she was like apletely different person. Was she being controlled by someone else? I couldnt tell Jin examined Donacia, but was unable to find any Agujas embedded into her body. So he turned to Belials. I heard from Shion that Envement Magic causes the victim to lose all emotions for the duration of the spell, right? Yes, thats right. But it doesnt look like Donacia was being manipted with magic either. Jin already knew that. After all, spells like Transinfo were ineffective against demons. Transinfo was unable to copy the demons knowledge due their low-frequency waves. (Perhaps normal Envement Magic with a higher frequency would work. That would exin her sudden change of personality when she attacked the other three.) As Jin thought about that, Donacia finally opened her eyes. Uh Where Ah! I-Its you! Her eyes brimmed with hostility as she gazed anxiously at hispanions, the members of the Kaigyaku n. This led Jin to believe that her strings were still being pulled by something or someone else. Dont underestimate me! Donacia then jumped up to about 5 meters. Gravita! Then unleashed a Gravity Magic spell as she came back down. But it had no effect. W-What? Reiko had activated her Magi Jammer, eliminating the effect of the spell. Then she added an attack of her own. Stun. Kyaaa!? If it worked the same way it did for humans, this would have snapped Donacia out of any normal Envement Magic spell. Should tie you up for now? After tying her up with a rope made of Grand Spider silk, Jin used Healing on her. Ugh Having recovered from paralysis, Donacia opened her eyes once again. Huh? Why am I tied up? D-Donacia, are you feeling better? Do you recognize us, Donacia? Mr. Jin, youre incredible The three demons seemed to have gained a certain degree of respect for Jin after seeing how he had seemed to have rid Donacia of the spell that had been pulling her strings. ording to Donacia, the one who had put an Envement Magic spell on her was thete Nega-Doll 001. The Golem Reiko destroyed earlier had probably used some kind of spell to teleport itself to Donacias location, where it stunned her and the other three demons before taking them to the underground warehouse. That conclusion had been drawn due to the fact that it would have been impossible for the Golem to get the 4 demons inside the warehouse without the ability to teleport. In that sense, Jin thought that it was a pity that Reiko had damaged it to the point that it was impossible to analyze its remains. Now that the rescue mission had been sessful, the party began their preparations to return. Chapter 576

Chapter 576

Magi Craft Meister 576 17 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-25 The Council of ns A subsequent survey from the sky that included magical power detection revealed no further irregrities in the area. After analyzing the memory Magi Device of Head and the Control Core of the Golem that protected the warehouse where the four missing demons had been taken prisoner, there were no other Nega-Dolls remaining in this world. However, the how regarding the discarded Nega-Dolls 001 and 13s survival was still unknown. It was also unclear what they had intended to do with the four demons they had kidnapped. Although there were still some unsolved mysteries, it was safe to say that the incident rted to the Nega-Dolls was finally settled. It was already September 12th. A full month had passed since Jin came to the demons territory. The tide is finally turning, huh? It was now possible to solve the demons food situation, and a war between demons and humans could now bepletely avoided. The Nega-Dolls, which hated both humans and demons and were trying to get them to exterminate each other, had been eliminated. And Jin himself had managed to establish friendly rtions with most of the demon ns. All in all, it was a satisfactory result for Jin. However, there was one demon that still had something to worry about. Alciel There were still no clues regarding Alciels whereabouts. And Belials was terribly worried about his little sister. This is probably a longshot, but she might still be on the Loren continent. After Jin shared his thoughts, Belials nodded, though not entirely convinced. Maybe so. I will be returning to the Loren continent soon. So Ill be on the lookout for any news regarding your sister. Also, Alciel is pretty tough, right? Im sure shes fine. But Belials shook his head weakly. After I met you, Mr. Jin, I wonder what it actually means to be tough Such were the conversations being had as Jin and the others headed back to the Kaigyaku ns abode. Of course, Donacia, who had returned to her original self, as well as the three demons who had been sent after her, were also on board. Oh, Donacia! Bafrosks joy was through the roof. It was to be expected, since the Kaigyaku n had only 20 surviving members in total. n chief, Im sorry, I Feeling terribly ashamed, Donacia exined what happened to her. Bafrosk listened in silence, and after she was done, he tapped her on the shoulder, and simply said Dont worry about it. I guess we all have to change our way of thinking. Its the same for me. So really, dont worry about it. n chief? I have to think about the future. Mr. Jin has offered his help as well. Donacia was taken aback by the n chiefs attitude, which seemed to be so out of character for him. After all, Bafrosk had openly expressed his concerns about his fellow n members. This incident made me think a little about the way we do things. And I dont feel like being hostile to the Magi Craft Meister. Though he didnt admit to Donacia that he knew he owed Jin a great debt of gratitude. Though the demon poption had been hit hard by the Nega-Dolls schemes, for better or worse, the food shortage wouldnt be that much of a problem for the time being. After all, the once nearly 400 radicals had been reduced to about 270 in total. Their current stockpiles should be enough to feed that many demons for the rest of the year. And by that time, the rye they had nted would be ready to be harvested. So, any objections as to the division of work regarding agricultural products, farming, hunting, fishing, and mining? No objections. Hmm, no problem. That sounds alright. I have noints. Three dayster, the momentous first council of all ns was held. The venue was the abode of the neutral Shinshoku n. This Council of ns was a meeting of representatives of all of the moderate, neutral, and radical ns. Alectus of Gospel acted as chairman on this asion. The purpose of this meeting was to determine the roles to be fulfilled by each of the ns. And such a meeting was possible in the first ce because all ns realized that they were in the same boat. In that sense, one could think that Nega-Dolls n had actually ended up facilitating this meeting. Jin (s double) was attending this meeting as an observer, and the real Jin back in Hourai Ind Cwho was controlling the double at the timeC was deeply moved. (The humans on Earth wouldnt have changed their mind like this even in a situation simr to this Did the demons change their mind like this because its in their nature, or was it a result of their poption being so small?) Jin had no way to know for sure. But the important thing here was the results obtained. (At least, they no longer seem to have the will to invade human settlements, so I can safely say that we have fulfilled the mission we set out to do when we first came here.) Theres this vige called Kaina Vige. Hearing a familiar voice pulled Jin right out of his thoughts. In that ce, all the vigers formed one strongmunity. The one speaking was none other than Shion. The fields are managed by the whole vige. And the harvest is distributed equally Or should I say fairly, amongst them. Some demons then asked what the difference between equally and fairly was. Shion promptly answered that question. Sharing equally means that if there are 20 people, the harvest would be split into 20 equal parts to be given to each of them. But that also means that they would receive their part even if they didnt work for it. And that just wont do, will it? Shion was an enthusiastic student. The results of her research were clearly visible. Sharing fairly takes the amount of work every member of themunity does, as well as their familyposition, before determining how much to give to each person. She had managed toe up with a fairly easy to understand way to exin it. The attendees listened with great interest, and more than anything else, it served as an opportunity to ignite a sense of good rivalry. One of them even said Theres no way we cant do things the same way humans can. There was something that took Jin by surprise. Mr. Jin created Farming Golems for us The one speaking was Bardius, chief of the Shinra n and Shions grandfather. Jin wondered what he would have to say. I would like to jointly manage them as an asset of the entire demon race. Amotion echoed. He was right. Golems were valuable assets for the demons. A roar spread. It would be so. A golem is an asset. Especially those made by Jin, which wereparable to ancient artifacts. The reason for this is quite simple. It helps prevent corruption. Bardius put his hands forward as if trying to get the crowd to calm down, and then continued. Golems are certainly wonderful. They allow us to harvest our crops without actually doing anything ourselves. But not doing anything ourselves is a double-edged sword. Some of the demons nodded in understanding the meaning of his words. Getting things without actually working for them can lead us to lose the will to work. And losing the will to work can, in turn, often lead to corruption. Bardius spoke earnestly. After 15 minutes of long-winded speech, the attendees unanimously epted Bardius opinion. (Impressive The humans back on Earth No, not even the humans of this world would see things like this.) Although humans and the magical beings known in this world as demons were biologically the same species, there was a huge difference between them in terms of spiritual nature. Shion had presented Kaina Vige as a model for them to follow, but Jin was wishing he could take Bardius with him and have the ruler of each of the human countries listen to what he had just said in this meeting. The moderates, neutrals, and radicals would each have three representatives per faction, for a total of nine members. Then, the chairman for the council would need to be someone from the Gospel n. This was Shions idea as well. She seemed to have got it from a book that she found when she was in Nidou Castle. (Laojun, what kinds of books are you writing?) Jin was both impressed and a bit shocked. It was a system that hadnt been adopted in the countries of this world. Perhaps that was precisely why the demons, who have a sense of rivalry with mankind in general, had chosen to adopt it. Then, does anyone here have any objections to discussing our future in this way from the next time we convene onwards? Muffled words echoed through the room. Though not all of them were entirely intelligible, they didnt sound like they carried any objections. At this point, Jin Cwho had beenpletely enthralled by this meetings developmentC wondered if humans shouldnt be striving to emte this power of solidarity. I dont think we can eradicate our grudges and hatred of humans right away. However, we ought to realize that we must not be so blind as tomit the foolishness of starting a pointless war against humans. Surprisingly, those words hade out of the mouth of Bafrosk, the chief of the radical Kaigyaku n. Conversely, I dont think it will be possible for us to build friendly rtions with all of mankind right away either. I believe we should start by making a pact with Mr. Jin here. No objections. Makes sense. This was also unanimously epted. Jin felt a bit embarrassed. Then, he read out loud a list of special products such as magical beast leather and Magi Crystals as some of many items that could be exchanged for seasonings and rare ingredients from the humannds, he made a list of special products such as magical beast leather and Magi Crystals, and asked Jin for his consent. They also decided that they should meet at least once a year so that they could follow up on these agreements on a regr basis. Jin was also surprised to have been asked about borrowing the book that Shion had read. This led Jin to believe that the Shinra n had a strong desire for knowledge, and that they had both an excellent memory and a superior ability to understand things. Thus a pact was struck between Jin and the demons, although it was still in its early stages of development. Next, we need to figure out where in the world has that Lardus guy gone Bafrosk whispered to himself after the Council of ns had finished and everyone else had left the room. Chapter 577

Chapter 577

Magi Craft Meister 577 17 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-26 Gossip 31 C The Moles Findings On August 4th the underground probe Magi Machine Mole had begun an underground exploration of the Inad Mine. Mole was a cylindrical device with a diameter of 2 meters and a length of 3 meters, and it resembled the shield machines that were used for tunnel digging on modern Earth. It could be used in one of two ways: either through its Magic Tool that allowed it to use the Dig spell, or with its Hyper Adamantite chips. The excavated earth and sand would be discharged to the surface using its dedicated transfer machine. Equipped with both a sonar and a Magi Detector, it can dig while searching for foreign objects in the ground so as not to miss any treasure buried on its path. And it was also able to use the Toughen on the walls of the tunnels it created to prevent cave-ins. Since the idea was to search for any buried objects, the excavation had to be done at a slower pace than usual. Back when the Giant Centipedes first came out of the mine, the existence of an unfamiliar Magic Tool was detected in one of the caves used by them. But before the tools nature could be confirmed, a cave-in urred and everything was buried underground. First, we need to aim to reach 200 meters underground, which is how far below we had reached back then. Thus Mole kept on digging while collecting some sphalerite Cwhich is the primary ore of zincC on the way. By August 12th, Mole had reached 50 meters underground. There it found some deposits of arsenopyrite, which is an iron arsenic sulfide. On August 21st, it reached the 100-meter mark, where it mined some olivine on the way down. The 150-meter mark was reached on September 1st. The Mole found some ga deposits there. And on September 9th, it finally reached a depth of 200 meters underground, which was the point where the Giant Centipedes had crawled out from. Mole continued to dig deeper down with more caution than ever. Ive found something. Smith 3, who was in charge of operating Mole, reported his most recent finding to Laojun. Its a broken Magic Tool. I believe that it was smashed as a result of the cave-in. Noted. Please collect it and transfer it here. Following Laojuns instructions, Smith 3 carefully dug out the Magic Tool, changed the built-in transfer machines destination settings and sent it out. Then Mole continued digging deeper into the ground. On September 10th, Mole hit a cave at around 220 meters underground. Whats this? It seemed to be about 1 kilometer long and around 300 meters wide. It was truly a huge cave, with a height from floor to ceiling of about 20 meters. But it was clearly man-made. The walls, floor, and ceiling were unnaturally t. Smith 3 reported this to Laojun, who in turn asked him to examine the cave in detail and sent Smiths 4 and 5 to assist him. The 3 Smiths split up in order to cover more ground. Mysterious Magic Tools found. Mysterious material found. Mysterious substance found. Each of them had found something different, which in turn would lead to more surprising discoveries. Perhaps there is some kind of processing facility in this cave. This processing facility would be a ce that processed the corpses of living beings by either burning or dissolving them. With this size, it must have been able to process a considerable amount. Smith 3 continued his report to Laojun. This is? A Golem. Though it doesnt seem to be operational anymore. Eventually, the final report on the Smiths findings in this man-made underground cave consisted of four mysterious Magic Tools that seemed to be used for the same purpose due to their simrities with one another, about 50 tons of a mysterious material taken from an unknown creature which was probably some kind of magical beast, and nearly 20 grams of a mysterious substance that resembled a ck powder stored inside a crystal storage container. The aforementioned broken Golem, which didnt seem to have anything special about it, was not included in their report. The mysterious magic tool was analyzed on the spot. As for the mysterious materials and substance, after conducting as much research as possible on site and confirming that they werent dangerous, they were sent to Hourai Ind. Jin opened his eyes wide when he received the ck powder. Mental Catalyst! That ck powder was exactly like the small amount that Jin had received from No. 700672 some time ago. But I dont get it. No. 700672 said that about a million brains had to be collected from creatures of this world just to create a handful of this At that moment, they were contacted by the Smiths. Master, Laojun, we believe we now understand the purpose of the mysterious Magic Tools. They have a function that allows them to collect Ether. Wait, hows that different from an Ether Converter? Their only function is to collect Ether. Huh? In short, they seemed to have the function of collecting Ether from the surrounding area to increase the concentration of Ether within a certain range. Jin had been wondering why bothering to just collect Ether and not do anything else with it, but now he had an idea of what its true purpose might have been. Perhaps the demons or rather, our ancestors made these tools? The climate was harsh in the north, and Ether was scarce in the south. As such, the possible measures tobat each regions shorings were to either devise ways to stay warm in the north, or to collect Ether in the south. And this facilitys purpose was to collect Ether from the area to increase its concentration. It seems to be more efficient than the ones used in Ether Stockers and Ether Boxes. I see. I suppose we could call these Ether Condenser. Jin instructs them to send them over as well. Then, Laojun made another big discovery. My Lord, could that ce have been used as a monster farm? Laojun spected that the ancestors could have raised magical beasts in that ce, which had a high concentration of Ether thanks to those Ether Condensers, and then farmed their brains in order to mass-produce mental catalysts. Jin himself had started to explore that possibility, so he immediately agreed with Laojuns theory. Then, after many years passed, these ancestors and their descendants either perished or left this ce, leaving the golems behind, which simply continued their assigned work. Jin agreed with this as well. At any rate, Im grateful that I got my hands on a little bit more of this mental catalyst. Though I might not have any use for it anymore. After all, a pact of peace between the demons and Jin had been recently struck. However, for anyone who dedicates themselves to creating new things, securing all sorts of materials is without a doubt something that can greatly expand their potential, which in turn can open new possibilities for the future. Please send me a sample of the mysterious material. Understood. Jin then picked up the material sample that had been transferred over. It was silver-gray with a certain shininess to it, and it was quite light. It had a level though undefined form, though this was a result of it being a biological material being artificially made t as part of its processing. This material was supposed to have once been the shell or carapace of the same magical beasts that were farmed in order to manufacture the mental catalyst. It was hard for Jin to guess how many years, as well as how many of those magical beasts, had been necessary in order to manufacture that mental catalyst. And he couldnt see himself trying to do the same thing. Still, the best way Jin had to pay respects to all those magical beast was to not let the materials they left behind go to waste. Hmm Ive never seen anything like this Jin decided to examine it without haste, and to think about both its characteristics and possible uses. Perhaps those Giant Centipedes came to be as a side effect of the prolonged use of this Ether Condenser? Laojun shared his guess with Jin, who seemed to have been thinking about the exact same thing. Are you sure there arent any more of those Giant Centipedes around? Yes, were not picking up any reaction within 1 kilometer of our position. Okay, leave the investigation of this cave to Smiths 4 and 5 and return to the Mole. Lets dig a little deeper underground. Smith 3 did as instructed and resumed the digging work. Since there seemed to be no further concern about collecting anything else, he increased the speed to cover more depth in less time. Then, having dug 50 meters deeper in a single day, he found native gold, native tinum, and some iridosmine (an alloy of iridium and osmium). Iridosmine is a metal that is used to reinforce golden pen nibs Cthe part that rubs against paperC of high-quality fountain pens due to their hardness and resistance to wear. I dont have much use for it, but Saki and Toa might be happy to get their hands on some of this With that in mind, Jin stored it in his warehouse. The Mole continued to dig deeper and deeper, and around 500 meters underground, it came across a rtivelyrge vein of Magi Crystal. It was milky white, as was average for Magi Crystals that were attuned to have all attributes. With this amount, Kaina Vige should have enough Magi Crystals for the next 500 years However, mining all that Magi Crystal would only be possible with Jins technology and the materials stored in Hourai Ind. When looking at the cost-effectiveness of the whole process, it wouldnt be that big of a profit. But Jin probably wouldnt understand all that. Chapter 578

Chapter 578

Magi Craft Meister 578 17 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-27 rification A chilly wind began to blow on September 17th. By this time, the demons had calmed down for the most part. However, there was still some anxiety left due to the fact that the whereabouts of both Lardus and Alciel were still unknown. Since Laojun already knew Lardus magic pattern, he would have been able to find him with his Magi Radar, but I cannot find Lardus magical reaction. This was a most abnormal situation. Either he is in a ce where magical waves cannot pass through, or Or he is no longer in this world, said Laojun. In any case, now that he had aplished what he had set out to do in the demonnds, Jin returned to the Shinra ns abode. And this time around it wasnt the Substitute Doll, but the real Jin himself. Reiko and Laojun had finally given him the OK to be there himself since a pact had been struck, and there were no further signs of danger. Of course, he had used Capricorn 1s Warp Gate to switch ces with the Substitute Doll. Jins main motivation toe to the demonnds at this moment was so that he could see their artifacts with his own eyes, and touch them with his own hands. Oh, look at that Now free to investigate to his hearts content, Jin was amazed by an artifact named photographic machine. Its structure was simple. It was basically the same as a camera. The light that passed through the lens would hit the film and form an image on something. Of course, it also had a shutter. It was simr to those old-fashionedrge cameras that used a ss dry te. Rather than the structure of the camera, Jin wanted to know more about the film, that is, the photosensitive agent. It was old and deteriorated, degenerated, but the photosensitive agent seemed to be something simr to Magi Crystal powder. A dry te is a reactive te that is made by ttening a crystal and coating it with a photosensitive agent. Jin hade across some ideas about this photosensitive agent, so he decided hed talk about it with Saki and Toater. Next was the time disy device. It was simr to a table clock, but it had no minute or second hands, only a single hand that would tell the hour. Still, it was quite practical. Hmm? The power that moves the hand? And whats this? Father, is there something you dont understand? Ah, Reiko, have a look at the rtionship between this Magi Device and Ether for a bit. Jin pointed at the Magi Device, which seemed to be the heart of the time disy. Understood. Trace. This looks like its following the stream of Ether. As I thought. I still have some questions but thats okay. This clock has a Magi device that seems to track the movement of the sun, so the suns position in the sky is disyed as the time. The clocks core was able to detect the Ether emitted from the sun and turns in that direction, which in turn moves the hour hand. For the purposes of telling the time, it was definitely a method without mistakes. However, if the device would be turned over, it would throw the disy in disarray. In this way, Jin was allowed to examine the artifacts of the Shinra n, and finished analyzing their structure. Have you finished, Jin? Shion came into the room, saying that the tea was ready. Oh, thank you. Ill be right there. Shion, Istalis, and their mother Lorona were waiting for Jin. I brewed some of that tea you gave me, Jin. I wonder if I did it right? The tea that Jin had brought was the leaves of the Tea Tree of Kaina Vige, also known as Perhya. He had also brought some seedlings with him so that the demons had their own homegrown tea leaves. Shion and Istalis seemed to like it, so Jin rmended cultivating it in this continent as well. Yeah, its really good. After taking a sip, Jin shared his impressions. Oh, Im d. As Jin started to feel more rxed, Shion turned towards him. Hey, youre going back home soon, right, Jin? Yeah. In 2, maybe 3 more days. I see Shions face revealed a hint of loneliness. Though Jin was for the most part unaware (actually, very unaware) in regards to romantic feelings, he was still sensitive to the feelings of younger children. But hey, Ille visit from time to time. How? Shion was ring at Jin with doubtful eyes, as if suspecting that Jin had said that just to make her feel better. I can fly here. Ah, right, you have a blimp. You can definitely use that toe here now that its safe for you to do so. Shions mood improved instantly after understanding that Jin wasnt lying to her about it. Oh, is the tea cold? Ah, no, I cant really handle hot food or drinks that well, so its better like this. After saying that, Jin drank about half of the tea in one go. At that moment, he remembered the question he had been nning to ask them. By the way, Shion, Istaris, and Miss Lorona I have a question for the three of you. Yes, what is it? Lorona answered for the three of them in representation of her two daughters. Well, I heard from Shion that Lucas and Netrose from a race of servants. But I havent seen any other ns have servants like you do. Ah, thats right. Before Jin had finished saying everything, Shion nodded and began to speak. Just like Jin said, we of the Shinra n are now the only ones who have servants. It seems that most of the ns used to have them, but Compared to us demons, servants have a shorter lifespan, so the only n that still chooses to keep having them to this day is ours, the Shinra n. Istalis took over Shions words and finished her exnation. Then, now, the servant race is Very small, yes. Only 10 of them remain. Only 10, huh It was a considerably low number of people for a race to even have a chance at survival, let alone thriving. Ah, this happens very rarely, but there are times when a demon has a child with their servant. But in most cases, the newborn childes out with the characteristics of a demon. In the case of interracial reproduction, it seemed that the genes on the demons side would be the dominant ones. Jin thought it was time to exin where he was trying to get to with his question. Is that so? Actually, I was wondering where the servant race came from. The ancestors of the demons were the so-called Originators who hade from the Hale. Then, after arriving on this Ars, the Originators mingled with the natives, which gave birth to the ones known as the Fallen Ones. Most likely, the ones with the stronger Originator blood eventually became the demons, while those with the weaker blood became what was known as the humans of this world. But what about the natives? There were no known settlements of this native race in this world. That fact led Jin to believe that this servant race might actually be thiss native race. Of course, this is purely out of intellectual curiosity. Jin added that line after being done with his exnation. I think your theory is correct. After a moment of silence, Lorona finally stated her opinion. ording to the knowledge that has been passed down among us, the servant race was brought from the south. Jin nodded silently. The servants dark skin was not suitable for this northernnd. He had also felt that the servants were a bit out of ce living in such coldnds, and wondered if they werent better suited for the warmer, southern continent. Then, if I ever visit the southernnd, I might meet new people of the same race as Netros and Lucas. Jin had set yet another goal for himself. Whats this? Jin hade to see the zirconia deposit. When he investigated the ore deposits with Ground Search, Jin found that they were distributed in a rather neat and geometric manner. (I think the closest way to describe it would be as if a dome had been buried underground.) Just like the dome cities that Jin had seen in science fiction, an artificial dome could have ended up turning into a buried cubic zirconia deposit. Thats what Jin thought, but he didnt say it out loud. He couldnt even prove it to begin with. But it still was a valid exnation regarding why there was cubic zirconia buried here, since it wasnt a formation that was known to ur naturally. Then, he followed up with an additional spection, There may be something deeper in the deposit, or rather, deeper underground. If it was a dome, it must have been protecting something. However, thanks to his Ground Search, Jin had learned that one thing that was deeper underground was a formation of limestone rocks. Jin theorized that it was probably the remains of a building that seemed to have been made out of something that resembled concrete. At the current mining pace, this reserves shouldst for at least 50 more years. Jin believed this would make for a finemodity for trading. He also thought he would probably be able to synthesize it eventually. Ah, now that Ive cleared some questions, I feel a little better. Jin straightened up his back and looked up at the darkening sky. The wind felt a little cold against his skin. Jin. As he turned around at the voice calling him, there he found Shion. With her hair fluttering in the evening breeze, she looked like she was sinking along with the setting sun. So tomorrow youre going back home, right? Yeah. Thats the n. I see. Thanks for everything youve done for us. As Shion cast her eyes downward and her sadness became evident in her voice, Jin cheerfully patted her head. Shion, youre a very diligent student. Im impressed. Huh? Shion was taken aback by the suddenpliment. Well, you exined various things during the meeting, didnt you? Ah, yes. But those were simply things Ive read from the books you have in your castle, Jin. Even so, understanding everything to that extent after reading it only once is truly amazing. This was Jins honest opinion. Shions face brightened after hearing that. Y-You think so? Could it be that this amazing learning ability is a characteristic shared by all members of the Shinra n? I dont really know whats so amazing about it, but Ive heard that the name Shinra apparently means something like the knowledgeable so it was given to our n because we know a lot of things. Jin took this chance to ask about something he had been wondering for some time. So, does that mean that all the n names have that kind of meaning? Uh Hmm. You could say they do, but at the same time, not so much. Before Jin could ask her what she meant by that, Shion began to exin. A long time ago Yes, when the ns were clearly divided, you would have been able to say that. Kugutsu means the puppeteers, and they are good with Envement Magic. Kyoran means the frenzied, and they are known for doing unthinkable things. I see. But now, there are marriages between different ns, so it doesnt make much sense anymore. Jin understood that after all, as their blood thinned, the demons distinctive features seemed to thin out as well. But you seem to be very worthy of the name Shinra, Shion. Eh? Shions voice escaped her mouth in a rather half-witted tone after being taken by surprise. With your knowledge, you really look like someone who can lead the demons as a race once you be an adult. Shions face turnedpletely red. Wh-wh-wh-wh-whaaaaaaaat!? Y-Youll get n-nowhere by p-praising meeee! Her reaction perfectly fit her girlish appearance. Alright. Make sure to do your best, not for me, but for your fellow demons. Having said that, Jin once again stroked Shions head. Stars began to twinkle in the bright western sky, and the shortened autumn day would soon turn into night. Chapter 579

Chapter 579

Magi Craft Meister 579 17 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-28 Revisiting No. 700672 Before returning to Hourai Ind, Jin once again visited the White Room where he had met No. 700672 for the first time as promised. No. 700672 was still on his bed, but still greeted Jin with a smile. Wee, Mr. Jin. We were able to put an end to the Nega-Dolls ambitions thanks to you. I really cant thank you enough. As Jin said that, he handed No. 700672 another sample of the same recovery medicine he had given him on hisst visit. Thank you. It seems that my condition has improved a little since I started drinking this. Im d to hear that. Yes, it is I who should be thanking you. Neige, who was standing next to her father, looked up at Jin with a slightly happy expression on her face. Well then After a short pause, Jin exined how the conflict around the Nega-Dolls had been brought to an end. Hmm, I see. Oh, so thats what happened, huh? Interesting. I had expected no less. I see. Truly, Im the one who cant thank you enough. Every so often, No. 700672 would nod and express his impressions as Jin continued to exin the series of unfortunate events that had taken ce, and thanked him after he had finished. Mr. Jin Nidou. Imend you for your wisdom, decisiveness, and actions in solving this predicament. With a slightly exaggerated tone and gesture, No. 700672 kept on thanking Jin. Theres no need to thank me. I did this for myself, too. Hmph, thats only natural. All living things live for themselves. Its just that the motivation behind for myself is simply different for each person. Jin hesitated a bit about how to respond to such a philosophical line, but eventually spoke up. That may be true To be honest, Jin wasnt sure he had understood even half of it, but he had to say something to keep the conversation going. Uhuhu, youre still young. Even if you can understand my words, it will still take time to understand the meaning behind them. No. 700672 muttered those words as he stared at Jin with eyes that seemed to see through him. Now, Im sure you didnte all the way here just to give me a report on how the events have unfolded, right? Is there anything you wanted to ask me? After a pause during which No. 700672 seemed to have read Jins mind, he brought up that question. Jin promptly answered that. Well, Id like to hear some old stories. Oh? What do you want to hear? First of all, Id like to know more about the native race that originally lived on this when your masters came here from Hale. Sure enough, Jin was interested in the roots of the Servant Race who lived in the demonnds. Hmm, the time when my masters came here, huh No. 700672 peered into the distance as if remembering the old days. We first encountered the natives on the southern end of this world. Back then, their culture was limited to using crushed stones, and they had just learned how to handle fire. Jin guessed that would have been thiss equivalent to Earths Stone Age. They only had small settlements scattered about. I remember us moving an entire remote vige to this continent and training their inhabitants as servants. Did your masters ever have children with those natives? Yes. Most of them were native women. And what did they look like? Many of them were dark-skinned, probably because they were well adapted to the south. With this, Jin got the confirmation he needed to cement his theory that the servant race was the native race of this world. I understand. Thank you very much Refreshed after his doubts were cleared, Jin expressed his gratitude. Anything else? Well, while I do have more questions, it wouldnt be interesting if I just asked you about everything. Ill do my best to put these puzzles together on my own. Ooh. Hearing Jins answer, No. 700672 smiled happily. Thats good. Im sure you can do it. Then, No. 700672 took another short pause before continuing. By the way, this mighte out as uncalled for, but why is your body so inconsistent? Huh? Unable to grasp the meaning of his question, Jin tilted his head to the side in confusion. How should I put this Most of your body feels like it doesnt really belong to you. As if it was a fake body. Wha Father, do you think that is a result of your summoning into this world? Reiko, who had been silent until now, interjected. Summoned? What do you mean? Well, you see Reiko then exined that Jin was the second generation Magic Craft Meister, who had been summoned to this world in ordance with the will of the previous Magi Craft Meister, Adraina Balbora Ceci, who had been searching for a sessor for nearly 1,000 years. Oh, I seeThats why youre not bound by the limits of this world. Not surprisingly, No. 700672 epted Reikos exnation. But to have been summoned from another world? Interesting. I understand the concept, but how does it actually work? Im sorry, but since I went over my own limits in the process, my memory regarding the details of the summoning itself have been damaged, so I cannot exin how it works. After passing everything onto Jin, the Automata that was Reikos predecessor found herself at the end of her life, and broke down. Her Control Core had been so badly damaged that some of its information could not be salvaged when Jin transferred her knowledge to the new Control Core. We might be able to reproduce the process if we do what our predecessors once did, but getting there might take a considerable amount of time Reiko concluded that it could take them decades, or even hundreds of years. I see. Its a little disappointing, but its definitely worth a thought Then, No. 700672 turned to Jin as if to look back on the topic. In any case, your body was burned in your world, correct? So when after being summoned to this world, you were given a new body made of Magi Atoms. Eh, yeah. Though it would be more urate to say that my original body was regrown using Magi Atoms instead of having obtained a brand new body. Hearing that, No. 700672 lowered his head as if thinking deep about something, but soon raised his head once again. So thats why. Didnt you say that you fell into molten iron? Because of that, most of your lower body and the internal organs within are in an inactive state. Inactive state? Jin parroted back No. 700672s words, unsure about what he meant. Yes. Should I say that the Magi Atoms are constructing something that merely pretends to be a physical body? Anyway, Im not familiar with your original body. Does this situation cause any kind of problem or physical disability? For instance, your muscle strength may not be improving regardless of how much you train. Having several thingsing to mind, Jin nodded profusely. Yes. There are quite a few, actually. Just as I thought. You probably wont ever get sick, but your body wont grow either. And youre probably unable to leave offspring as you are now, am I right? Ah It seemed that not only Jin but also Reiko was taken aback by this. What should we do? Please tell us! Reiko quickly approached No. 700672, pressing him for an answer. Dont panic, my dear Automata. No. 700672 gently stopped Reiko and exined how to approach this situation. There was a simr technique to save those who were seriously injured. Its like supplementing the missing parts of the body with a transmuted temporary body and slowly letting the original body get used to it. A-And then? Reiko still seemed quite impatient about the matter. Though it was understandable since it was about Jins body. You are aware of the fact that the cells that make up the body are renewed every few days to several months, yes? However, it seems that special cells such as brain cells do not have such limitations. Jin silently nodded. Very well. So, most of your new body still hasnt gone through this renewal process. If you were to activate it, that alone should allow your entire body to rebnce itself. So basically, what Im doing now is wearing ultra-precise prosthetic body parts. Yes, thats right. That analogy is pretty urate. So, you might be wondering about how to activate your renewal process. Jin nervously gulped. What kind of Healing Magic can you use? It has to be something that can activate the cells inside your body. In that case, we can use V?llig Geneseng. Reiko quickly answered the question. It was the strongest Healing Magic spell from the Shouro Empire, and one that Elsa was highly proficient at using. Hmm, from its name I gather its a spell that is very effective in treating wounds and all sorts of physical damage, correct? That should work. Just cast it on Mr. Jin several times. By doing so, the cells that made up his original body would be activated, and the Magi Atoms thatposed his reconstructed body parts would be activated in response as well. Be warned that you may feel some pain as your cells rearrange themselves after the spell is cast, though Reiko was suddenly struck by the realization that since Jin had basically never been seriously injured, there had been no need to use V?llig Geneseng on him so far. Back when he chased the Gigas up the mountains, the only injury he had sustained was a scraping on his hand as a result of a fall, so it was no wonder they didnt know that this spell would have such an effect on him. Just to be sure, you should try to do it once while youre here, Automata. Reiko agreed after No. 700672 said that the Magi Devices in the room could be used to monitor Jins body during the attempt. Father, would that be okay? There were no objections from Jin. V?llig Geneseng! Ugh!? Oww. A sharp pain coursed through Jins entire body. He held himself tightly as thick sweat started to run through his face, which was frowning as a result of the intense pain. Father!? Reikos face looked so worried that if herplexion could have changed, she would have turnedpletely pale. Jin made an effort to speak up in an attempt to reassure her. I-Im f-fine After roughly ten seconds, the pain subsided, and Jin breathed a sigh of relief. Hmm, its definitely improved. The spell has managed to activate about 5% of his cells. That meant Jin would have to endure the same pain 19 more times. This fact made Jin feel a bit discouraged. No, I dont think you have to do this continuously. Rather, Id said that youll get used to it better if you take some time between each use of the spell. In that case, it would be better to do it little by little, once or twice a day, so Jin decided that would be it until the next day. Chapter 580

Chapter 580

Magi Craft Meister 580 17 Resolution With The Demons Arc 17-29 A Bright Future Having learned that there was a solution for the issues with his body, Jin figured that he could take this opportunity to consult with No. 700672 regarding another problem that had been on his mind. One more thing, do you know anything about Magic Excess Syndrome? Magic Excess? Would that be a physical condition caused by having too much magic inside ones body? Yes. Magic Excess Syndrome. The disease guing Elsa, who Jin considered as a younger sister. Thanks to the bracelet that Jin made that absorbs any surplus of magical power, she was now able to live her life without any risk of sumbing to her condition, but all he had managed to do was to treat the symptoms and not the cause, so her disease was far from cured. He had been searching for a solution for this disease along with the ways to put an end to the threat of the Ether Stampede. Hmm I may have an idea. Really!? Yes You know how Ether can be turned into Mana, right? Yes. By the Magi Mitochondria inside our cells, correct? Do you call it Magi Mitochondria? But yes. There are microorganisms that convert Ether into Mana coexisting within the mages cells. No. 700672 exined this slowly as if reviewing a lesson. Jin nodded in silence. When using magic, it is the mage himself who draws in the Ether from the air. And they have no need for it, it is the mage himself who leaves the Ether in the air alone. Having listened so far, a sudden realization shed inside Jins mind. Thats right! It looks like you understand. Those suffering from Magic Excess Syndrome take in Ether even if they dont need to. With this, Jin finally understood the nature of the Magic Excess Syndrome. Now he could focus on finding an actual treatment. What do you need in order to gain control over Ether? A mental catalyst, right? Thats correct. Probably, their body especially their brain, doesnt have enough of this mental catalyst. So even though they can use magic, they dont have enough control over the Ether surrounding them. Jin pondered about this. Elsa was a top-level caster when it came to both Engineering and Healing Magic. And yet, she could not control Ether. How could this be? After sharing his concerns with No. 700672, Jin received a clear answer. Dont forget about the frequency. The frequency of magical power for using spells was different from the frequency used for manipting Ether. Jin was instantly reminded of this fact. Thats right. It seems I have forgotten about that. No. 700672 looked at Jin with a gentle smile on his face. If so, do you have any idea how to cure it? Jin answered immediately. Yes. After all, the mental catalyst is the key, isnt it? Thats right. If you can supply her with enough mental catalyst, you can cure her with up to 99% effectiveness. That gave him hope. But there was also a problem. What if the amount of mental catalyst left wasnt enough for Elsas treatment? There was that mysterious substance found under the Inad Mine that also seemed to be more of that mental catalyst, but Jin was a little hesitant to suddenly prescribe it to Elsa. They had guessed the substance they had found was another batch of mental catalyst, but facing the possibility of administering it to Elsa, Jin wasnt so sure about the substances nature anymore. However, after thinking about it a little, he quickly realized that his worries were unfounded. A very small amount will do for a single dose, right? No. 700672 nodded. Remember that I said that you need about 1 million brains from living creatures in order to synthesize the mental catalyst? The opposite is also true. One millionth of a gram would be enough for a single human brain. Conversely, it could also be said that it would be exceedingly difficult to urately prepare such a minuscule amount. What would happen if I were to give her too much of it? The mental catalyst affects not only Ether, but also Mana. In other words, their her magical power would increase dramatically or rather, explosively. And the result of that would be Her body running out of Mana, right? That was the condition known as Magical Exhaustion. Exactly. And that would be a problem. I understand. Thank you very much. Jin was relieved to have finally found a lead about a potential way to rid Elsa of her illness. He still had about 0.1 grams left of the mental catalyst he had received from No. 700672. That alone would probably be more than enough. So how should I administer the mental catalyst dosage? Should I mix it into a liquid solution for her to drink? Thats right. The mental catalyst should be quickly absorbed from the stomach, circte through the body via her bloodstream, and eventually umte in her brain. This wouldpletely cure Elsas illness. Thinking about that, Jin couldnt help but let out a sigh of relief. Hmm, judging from your reaction, is the afflicted an important person to you, Mr. Jin? Huh? Yes. Shes a good disciple, an excellent healer, and more importantly like family to me. Elsas face appeared in Jins mind as he replied. Only Reiko noticed that his cheeks had turned slightly reddish. Having resolved his concerns, Jin thought it was the perfect opportunity to talk to No. 700672 about an idea that had been on his mind for some time. Would you like toe live in my ce? Youd like me to go live with you? Thats right. My predecessor created the foundation for a base which Iter developed. I might be able to provide better treatment for you there. He didnt mention the name Hourai Ind. Hmm, so youve considered my situation as well. But I I also know that you need a certain supply of Ether. I have the means to provide that for you, among other things you might need. Jin stared at No. 700672, awaiting his response. But No. 700672 shook his head. Thank you very much for your kind offer. But Ill have to pass. Why? This is the ce where my masters used to live. You could say Im attached to it. And Ive decided that when the timees for me to perish, I want it to be here. I dont know how many years or decades it will be before that happens, but my life expectancy is already over. I want to cease functioning in this ce, which is full of fond memories. I see Your offer and thoughtfulness are truly kind. I hope you can forgive me for turning them down for such a selfish reason. No. 700672 bowed apologetically. Oh, dont say that. Jin then turned to the alternative that he had juste up with. In that case, please allow me to make this ce a little better for you. Nega-Doll 001 had been using this ce as a base, so there had been some adjustments put in ce by him that no longer served a purpose. Hoho, that sounds like a n. Then Ill take your word for it. Great. First, Jin transferred one of the Ether Condensers that he found b under the Inad Mine the other day. It was brought over by one of the Land units who gave it to Reiko. She then ced it in front of No. 700672. It was about the size of a tissue box. Jin took it and ced it next to No. 700672s pillow. What do you think of this? Seeing the device, No. 700672 appeared to be a little surprised. This Where did you get this? There, Jin briefly exined how he found it in an old facility buried deeply underground in his own territory. I see So youre saying that our ancestors had set up a mental catalyst harvesting facility there But something caused that ce to stop working at some point Thats what I think. But this ce ended up giving birth to creatures known as Giant Centipedes. Hmm No. 700672 then said that no property of Ether could make living organisms grow to that extent. There must be another factor behind their extreme growth. Or perhaps their gigantic size was already innate to them to begin with, and the individuals you came across were actually small inparison because they simply could not grow any more than that. I see, thats a possibility as well. ording to No. 700672, an Ether-rich environment can prolongs the lifespan of living organisms. The long lifespan of the demons in thisnd seemed to be a result of both the effects of the higher concentration of Ether of thesends and the innate physical make-up of the originators. After their short digression, Jin installed then activated the Ether Condenser brought from Hourai Ind. Oh this feels nice. The new Ether Condenser improved by Jin was designed to collect Ether from a wider range than the old model was capable of. The Magi Craft Meister, huh Humanity certainly is changing. No. 700672 took several deep breaths to make sure that he could feel how high the Ether concentration was with his entire body. Hmm This actually reminds me of how the air felt back in Hale. Mr. Jin, I cant thank you enough for this. Jinughed. Dont mention it. Like I said, I did this for myself as well. Hah, I see. You have indeed. The two of them smiled at each other. Jin then figured it was time to leave this ce. Mr. Jin, I owe you so much, in so many regards. Please, doe again. If you have any questions, Ill be more than happy to oblige. Yes, thank you very much. Ill be sure toe visit again. With the promise to return someday, Jin left the White Room. After this, Jin gave instructions to both the Land and Smith units to improve the facilities around the White Room and install a Warp Gate. With this, No. 700672 would be able to continue to cooperate with Jin from time to time as his adviser. And thus, the uproar involving the demon race as a whole hade to an end. Oh, Big Brother! Wee back! Hanna weed Jin back to Kaina Vige after his three-day absence. Her smile revealed a beautiful row of newly grown front teeth. Hello, Hanna. Here, I brought you something. Jin handed her some cookies made from buckwheat in Marthas kitchen. The cookie dough was made by mixing buckwheat flour with sugar and eggs. The buckwheat vor was brought out slightly by the cookies crunchy texture, making for a delicious treat. Marthas Golem maid Sara brewed some tea. This tea would bring out the vor of the buckwheat cookies. Theyre delicious, Big Brother. Theyre really good, Jin. Im d you like them. Their impressions made Jin think that it would be great if Kaina Vige could grow its own buckwheat and make these cookies a local specialty. Autumn clouds flowed in the sky over Kaina Vige, as the sun still managed to shine over some of the now golden ears of wheat in the fields. Chapter 581

Chapter 581

Magi Craft Meister 581 18 Further Progress Arc 18-01 Recovery V?llig Geneseng. Ugh Brother Jin, are you okay? Yes, Im fine. I dont feel as much pain as before. At the manor on Hourai Ind, Elsa was casting Healing Magic on Jin. The date was September 29th. 12 days had passed since Jins return from thend of the demons. During that time, Jin has had the same recovery spell cast on him once per day. At first, Reiko had been the one in charge of the spellcasting. Then, along the way, after having Elsa run a checkup on his body, the role was passed onto her. The reason why this was possible was because, at this point, Elsa waspletely cured of her Magic Excess Syndrome. Eight days before that Jin, how do you prepare water with one millionth of a gram dissolved in it? I wanna know that too. Standing in front of the entire Family, Jin was exining that he had found a way to cure Elsas Magic Excess Syndrome. Jin! R-Really can Elsas illness really be cured!? Mine, Elsas biological mother, clung to Jin with teary eyes. Youre truly amazing, Jin! To think youd find a cure for the Magic Excess Syndrome, which until now was known for being incurable! Reinhardt was also very excited to hear this. A mental catalyst, huh? What a wonderful substance! Toa was impressed and seemed to be wanting to see the thing for himself. How are you going to prepare one millionth of a gram? On the other hand, Saki just asked questions. At any rate, everyone was very excited about the news and were already talking to each other about it. Brother Jin Can you really cure me? The only one with tears in her eyes was Elsa, and seeing her face made asting impression on Jin. Both Saki and Toa were eagerly staring at Jin, wondering how he was nning to create an aqueous solution that had one millionth of a gram of mental catalyst in 10 of water. Is it even possible to measure a millionth of a gram? Saki wondered if Jins Engineering Magic had such precision. No, its actually impossible. But I can use these to measure all the way down to 0.1 grams. Saying that, Jin showed Saki and Toa the weighing machine he had just finished working on. Whats this? It looks strange. It was a top pan bncing scale. In this world, scales were either of the hanging-type or the beam bnce-type. Jin was the first to make a top pan scale. This one makes it easier to make fine measures. Hanging-type scales had the disadvantage of making it harder to put weights and samples on their tes simply because of the strings the tes hang from. So a top pan scale would be easier to work with as it did not have that limitation. Jin had nned to hand over this new top pan scale to Saki after this weighing was finished. Ok, so you can weigh 0.1 grams with this, but thats just one tenth of a gram, right? How about one millionth of a gram? Jin gives a hint to Saki, who still seemed confused. Even after the mental catalyst dissolves in water, its nature wont change. So if the water ister evaporated, the dissolved mental catalyst should return to its original state. Huh? Then No way, Jin!? Saki seemed to have finally understood the answer after seeing Jin preparing water in a huge container. Uh-huh. If were trying to get one millionth of a gram in 10 of water, we could get the same ratio by dissolving 0.1 grams into 10,000 liters of water, right? In other words, dissolving 0.1 grams in 10 tons of water would yield a solution with the desired concentration. Jin then put 0.1 grams of the mental catalyst into something that looked like a small pool rather than a simple container, then used Homogenize to make a homogenous liquid solution. Now I guess well take a liter from this. Jin decided to prepare a bit more of this precious medicine, just in case he ended up meeting someone who might need it other than Elsa. He then split this into 10 crystal vials of 10 each before proceeding to separate the mentalk catalyst from the remaining solution. Extraction. Oh. Sakis astonishment escaped her mouth. Having retrieved a little less than 0.1 grams of mental catalyst from the near-ton of water, he carefully stored it into a hermetically sealed container, and discarded the remaining water. Come on, lets have Elsa drink this. Just as Jin was about to see Elsa with the vial in his hand, he stopped suddenly. Elsa was there, standing in front of him. Elsa. Brother Jin Elsa stared at the bottle in Jins hand. Is that the medicine? Jin nodded and held out the vial. Thats right. There shouldnt be any harmful ingredients mixed in. But feel free to analyze it. But Elsa took the vial and shook her head. No, this is the medicine that you made for me, Brother Jin. I trust you. Saying that, she swallowed the contents in one gulp. It doesnt taste like anything. Well, it probably shouldnt. After all, this was 0.1 grams in 10 tons of water. The medicine you just took had a concentration of one millionth of a gram. Jin, is Elsa already cured after drinking that? Saki, who was watching from the side, said with interest. No, it seems that its going to take about two days for the mental catalyst to circte through her body and finally settle itself in her brain cells. Hmm, I see. Back to the present Two days after that, Elsa woke up with an unusually refreshing feeling all over her body. Does this mean that the medicine worked? Of course, this refreshing awakening didnt mean that she had always woken up feeling bad. Still, that feeling she was so used to having in her body, which would somehow tell her that something was wrong, was nowpletely gone. To her, it was as if she had thought that 100 points was the highest score until this morning, when she realized that there was way more than that more than that. Feeling like that had be standard for her, so now that she was OK, she actually felt way better than ever. When Elsa told Mine about how she was feeling, thetter cried tears of joy and quickly embraced her daughter. Elsa Oh, Im so d Ever since learning that Elsa had an overabundance of magical power, Mine has always been by her side and has be an outlet for her surplus magical power. This surplus magical power (or rather, of Mana) would be usually manifested in the form of a fever. Therefore, whenever Mine felt that Elsa had a slight fever, she would immediately have Elsa use magic so that she could vent her excess out. By the time she turned 13, Elsa had learned to see her bodys signs on her own and was able to deal with them by herself, but after Jin made a bracelet that absorbed her surplus magical power, she no longer had to do that. Elsa thought she could live her life like an ordinary mage. And she would reflect upon her happiness, thinking about how great it felt to finally have a rtively normal body. But this time, things had gone even further. I I owe Brother Jin a great deal He had been the one who had saved her from the Unifiers, who had caught her shortly after her leaving her house. He had been the one to make her feel safe and at home as his protege. The person who had helped her birth mother Mine, and allowed for Elsa to be reunited with her. The one who made the bracelet that eliminated her excess magical power. The person who showed her the new world of Magi Craft. The one who showed her that there was another world, one highly advanced in the art of Science. And now He was the one who had managed topletely cure her Magic Excess Syndrome, a condition she had thought she would have no choice but to live with for the rest of her life I will dedicate myself to return every single one of his favors With a new resolution in her heart, and having heard that the synthetic cells that made up most of Jins body were inactive, Elsa offered her hand, willing to do anything she could to help Jin. Diagnose Quite a lot of them are now activated. Having earnestly examined Jins body, Elsa was surprised at his initial imbnce. But now More than half of the once inactive cells are now active. Hearing that, Reiko, who handed over the role of casting Healing Magic to Elsa, also smiled. In less than 10 days, Brother Jins body will be fully functional. Chapter 582

Chapter 582

Magi Craft Meister 582 18 Further Progress Arc 18-02 Rainy Day It was raining in the Klein Kingdom, which was quite a rare urrence. Normally, there was little rainfall in the ins of the eastern part of the Loren Continent, where the Klein Kingdom was located. Instead,rge amounts of rain and snow would normally fall in its mountainous areas. This rain and melted snow wouldter be rivers and subterranean streams which would in turn moisten the soil of the ins. Each city could secure water by digging wells. And for this reason, the pumps that Jin made the year before and were sold by the Ran Firm quickly became popr. Autumn rain? Gloria Ohlstat, deputy captain of the Klein Kingdoms Knights of the Imperial Guard, was off duty that day, looking out the window. Its not a super heavy rain, but I still dont feel like going out for a run in this weather As part of her daily training routine, she would normally go out for her usual 10-kilometers run, but she didnt feel like running under the cold rain. On a day like this, perhaps I should be taking proper care of my sword, huh? As steel swords were vulnerable to humidity, her own sword was prone to rust under these conditions. To prevent this, oil extracted from chemeria (a camellia-like nt) would need to be applied to it. This oil was non-drying (meaning that it wouldnt solidify) and was also used as a hair oil. An oiled sword wouldnt rust, but it would darken as it absorbed the surrounding dust, so it would need to be wiped off regrly and cleaned before applying a newyer of oil. To an extent, it was quite the troublesome work, but Gloria, being a sword enthusiast, happily went about it. Gloria had very short light brown hair, brown eyes, and was 1.68 m tall. It could be said that these features were ideal for herpact 83-57-82 figure. However, perhaps due to her personality, even now, at the age of 23, she didnt have a single personal love story to tell. This sword made by Mr. Jin is definitely different This was the sword that had once managed to stand its ground against the Giant Earwigs. It had been made by sandwiching the des steel with thin adamantite tes. The steel part was also nickel steel, so it was more resistant to rust. It was a sword that barely needed any maintenance at all. Still, now that she was able to rx for the first time in a long time, Gloria continued to care for her sword with all her heart. Oh, its raining. The ruler of Toka Vige, Lithia Farheight, looked up at the lead-colored sky with mncholy. We wont be able to reap the wheat. It was very rare for it to be raining during the spring-sown wheat harvest season. Even though clear weather was more desirable for harvesting since the harvested wheat would need to dry, it had been raining continuously for the past five days. We were expecting a decent harvest Would it have been an eptable harvest for the first year? Staring at the ledger, Lithia furrowed her well-shaped eyebrows. She brought the teacup beside her to her mouth, but its contents were already cold. Is it possible to turn this tea into amodity? The tea in Toka Vige was also made from Perhya, just like in Kaina Vige. Lithia had been adding herbs to this tea on a trial-and-error basis to find out ways to increase itsmercial value. It was now getting to the point where it seemed like it would soon turn into a fine article for sale. Lady Lithia, the vige mayor is here. Very well, please let him in. Fred, Lithias personal secretary, announced the visit of the vige mayor. Fred used to be an apprentice knight, but after Lithia saw that he had better office skills than he had military ability, she pulled him out and started training him as her personal secretary. However, since Lithia herself was also inexperienced, both of them would often make mistakes. Well met, Lady Lithia. Burak, mayor of Toka Vige, entered the room. After bowing to Lithia, he immediately went straight to the point. I wanted to discuss this years spring wheat. Lithia had also been thinking about that, so she urged him to continue. Though the crop is good, we havent been able to reap it because of the long rains. However, weve decided that it would be bad to leave it as it is. What do you mean? Lithia was just an amateur when it came to agriculture. So she had no idea what the mayor was trying to say. If it continues to rain like this, the wheat will grow moldy, and then it will be useless to us. Moldy, huh Yet another problem had presented itself before Lithia. Had we known it was going to rain like this, we would have harvested it while it was still sunny, even if it meant we would have a reduced yield But the rain this year was so sudden that they had missed the timing. Im sure you know more about this than I do, Mr. Mayor. So Ill leave the decision in your hands. Despite her position, Lithia had no choice but toe to that conclusion. The mayor agreed and left. The rain continued to pour down outside the window. It was raining on Hourai Ind as well. The view of Mt. Hourai was hazy under the rain. Standing at its feet was Jins manor. V?llig Geneseng. Ugh. Brother Jin, are you okay? Are you okay, Father? He had been under continuous treatment with Healing Magic for 18 days. Still, the pain that he was subject to when being affected by the Healing Magic spell was greatly reduced, probably since most of his cellsposed of Magi Atoms were now activated. What he felt now was more like a stinging sensation. Yes, Im fine. The pain is much better now. You should bepletely cured in two more sessions. Great, thank you, Elsa. Dont mention it. Jin also felt his body had started to feel much lighter as ofte. The old feeling like he was wearing ultra-precise prosthetic limbs wasnt there anymore. A prosthetic limb is just that, no matter how well it does its job. Its no match for the original body part. And as his cells became more active and adapted to his body, Jins bodily functions also improved. The Magi Mitochondria in Jins somatic cells were already extremely high performance to begin with. It was likely that this feature was something that was implemented at the time of his being summoned into this world, but the important thing at this moment was the result. In the past, when measuring his own magical power pattern at the Magi Craftsmans Guild in the Egelia Kingdom, Jin overflowed the circuit of the automata Dorna, which also doubled as a measuring device, due to the amount of magical power he possessed. By activating the cellsposed of Magi Atom, their function has further improved, but so far no one has noticed it. Since there were only advantages and no disadvantages, no one had tried to investigate this, and it looked like Jin would take a little longer to notice this himself. Rain again today, huh? After finishing his treatment session for the day, Jin looked out the window. With this temperature and this humidity Looks like mold is going to grow Jin was worried about these unusual weather conditions. Yeah, its a bit too damp. It seemed that Elsa didnt like the humid air either. Umm, in that case The warehouse on Hourai Ind had a system implemented to keep both temperature and humidity constant. But Kaina Vige didnt have anything like that. Air conditioning And it would be nice if we had a desant as well. Desant? Elsa knew what a dessicant was, but had no idea how to go about making it. Its going to be a bother to exin it twice, so lets go see Saki and Toa first. Well talk about it there. Sure. Since they didnt want to walk in the rain from his manor to theboratory, Jin, Elsa, and Reiko used a small Warp Gate to get there instantly. Oh, Jin, how are you today? And Elsa and Reiko are with you. Did something happen? Saki and Toa seem to be having some kind of research discussion. There were several thin boards used as memo paper scattered all over the workbench. Not really, its just that its with this rain, the weather has be quite humid. So I thought Id make a desant. A desant? What was that again? Ah, I remember now. But what are you going to use that for? Will it be for drying rooms, or? I wanted to do something about the humidity levels of the food were storing. Without letting Toa finish, Jin proceeded to exin his n. I see, preserving food during the rainy season is quite troublesome. So you can use a desant to prevent it from getting moldy. Jin, do you need our help to make this desant? Of course. It would be easy to make with Engineering Magic, but that wont do for the masses. When Jin exined that, Toa nodded profusely in agreement. I see, you want to make it widely avable to the general public. Lets get to work then. And thus, on this rainy day, began the production of desant on Hourai Ind. Chapter 583

Chapter 583

Magi Craft Meister 583 18 Further Progress Arc 18-03 Desant However, Im not that knowledgeable about the topic either. Jin was thinking about the three types of desants he knew could be actually used. Silica gel, calcium chloride, and quicklime. Charcoal also had a high capacity for absorbing moisture, but it was not considered among the candidates in this asion. As far as he knew, silica gel seemed to beposed of silicon dioxide, or SiO2, but since this silicon dioxide seemed to be present in quartz and rock crystal, Jin didnt understand how it absorbed moisture, so he discarded it as an option. Calcium chloride was one of the many solutions found in the bittern that is left over after the crystallization of seawater, so it could be easily produced by separating it from the rest of the bittern. ingredients contained in seawater, so it can be separated from kernels. It could cause a phenomenon called deliquescence, in which it absorbs moisture and melts. Lastly, Jin knew that quicklime was calcium oxide, apparently made by burning seashells. Looking at it this way, Jins first options were calcium chloride and quicklime. Each of these had its own drawbacks, though. While calcium chloride could absorbrge amounts of moisture, its deliquescence process eventually turns it into an aqueous solution, which makes it difficult to handle. Jin figured they couldnt just leave the thing melting away just like that. Quicklime, on the other hand, absorbs moisture to form calcium hydroxide, also known as ked lime, which helps to make acidic soil more alkaline. However, if you pour water over the quicklime, it will generate a sudden heat that could even cause things to catch fire. Jin remembered a case he heard in the news, back when he was still on Earth, where a bag of quicklime that was left under a leaking roof actually started a fire in that building. Incidentally, its heat-generating properties are used in self-warmed sake cans. So those are the options. Jin was exining his n regarding making desant to Elsa, Saki, and Toa. Hmm, both of them have their pros and cons. The impressed Toa shared his thoughts. That silica gel thing is going to be difficult to work with even for you, right, Jin? If the choice is between quicklime or calcium chloride, I think quicklime is our best choice. Saki favored the quicklime route. I think quicklime is good too. Its fine as long as we dont expose it to direct contact with water. Calcium chloride looks like it could lead to a dangerous situation if we identally spill it. Elsas opinion was correct. In fact, even on modern Earth, calcium chloride-based desants were meant solely for business use rather than for the general public. I think quicklime is good too. Toa also agreed. Okay, then lets follow that route. Being an ind, Hourai Ind was rich in marine products. A lot of m-like shellfish could be caught, which would also contribute to Jins n to mass produce miso. They could also serve as stew ingredients, so there were many reasons for Jin to begin harvesting shellfish. After all, the Magi Craft Meister couldnt afford to waste anything that could be used as material. Lets begin with an experiment. When calcium carbonate (CaCO3) found in things such as shells and limestone is exposed to a heat of about 1,100 degrees Celsius, the carbon dioxide (CO2) is released from it into the atmosphere, leaving the calcium oxide (CaO) behind. This was an experiment that was sometimes done in high school chemistry sses in modern Japan. Jin put a seashell in a crucible made of carbon and used the Engineering Magic Heat. As a result, the shell turned into quicklime. Oooh, thats impressive. The alchemist Toa found this phenomenon to be very interesting. Your Engineering Magic is quite the handy tool, Jin. I wish I could use it myself. Saying that, Saki looked into the crucible over Jins shoulder. Her hair brushed the tip of Jins nose. On top of having Ehr do her hair for her regrly, she also bathed in the hot springs on Hourai Ind every day, so Sakis hair was now much smoother than before. After catching the scent of her hair, Jin found himself unusually thrilled by it. Brother Jin, if you pour water on this, will it generate heat? Sensing that Jins face had turned slightly red, Elsa peered in from the opposite side of Sakis side and half-forcibly turned Jins attention to herself. Ah, yes. Let me show you. Well move this to this te over here and pour a bit of water over it. As a result, the newly processed quicklime started to let off steam before turning into ked lime. Uhuhu, thats interesting. Now this is what you call chemistry, huh? Saki was genuinely enjoying the transformation, but an uncertain feeling was still lurking inside Elsas chest. As for Jin, he wondered why his heart had begun to beat faster than usual after finding himself so closely sandwiched between the two of them. Hmm Jin, the process itself is simple. So all we need is a cheap material and a cheap method, so that its affordable for everyone. Toa seemed to have understood the idea. Naturally, production cost was something that had to be considered if production was to take ce outside of Hourai Ind. If Im not mistaken, we could use limestone as a recement for seashells. Now, about how to heat it up well, I dont think firewood alone is going to get us anywhere near 1,100 degrees Celsius A temperature of 1,100 degrees Celsius would be very difficult to achieve without using carbon fuels and a means to send in oxygen. I wonder if well have to use some kind of Magic Tool for this It doesnt have to be for personal use, so if wee up with a good enough idea, it would still be profitable, dont you think? Toa agreed. Perhaps because of his seniority, Toa was very good at ounting for these costs. Though Saki thought that it would be nice if his father didnt give in to his material desires so easily. Thats right, its exactly as you say, Toa. We could keep the heater in a ck box so that it will disintegrate if you try to remove it It seemed that Jin already had an idea in his mind. And what about the limestone? Where can we get it? Saki added another question. Well, yeah, we still need to figure that out. But I think we could use shells or egg shells at first. After answering that, Jin realized that a production nt set up like this would not be able to operate in the Klein Kingdom, as it had no direct ess to the sea. Hmm seashells shellfish As he brooded over it, Jin suddenly remembered something. Elsa, wasnt there something about fossil shells being discovered in Lake Tosumo? Jin remembered that in Toscotia, a border town between the Celuroa Kingdom and the Shouro Empire, Berthies older brother Matheus had said something about that. Yeah, theres definitely a ce where we could get fossils there Ah, do you think therell be limestone there? Jin nodded. Yeah. If fossils were found there, it means that the area used to be at the bottom of the sea long ago. That means there is a high possibility that well find limestone formations there. Limestone was formed by deposits of crinoids, corals, shellfish, etc. in ancient seas. Therefore, the presence of fossils means that there is a high possibility that limestone exists there as well. Come to think of it, its been a while since thest time Ive visited the Shouro Empire. And then something else came to his mind. Its about time I let Barrow and Belle go back home for once, isnt it? Also, I should report the events in thend of the demons as well He now had more than enough reason. Okay, lets go to the Shouro Empire Ah, itll have to wait at least until the day after tomorrow, right? Why is that? Because Brother Jins treatment will end the day after tomorrow. Elsa answered Sakis question. Saki, Toa will you being along with me? Toa was the one to answer for the both of them. No, we should be heading back home as well. Thanks for the offer, though. I see Then Jin asks Elsa the same question. Ill go with you. Elsa grabbed the hem of Jins clothes tightly and answered immediately. Alright. Then Ill go talk to Barrow and Belle, and after thats done, Ill be starting with our preparations. First Ill go pay Reinhardt a visit Ah, Ill talk to him about the desant production nt as well While listening to Jins rambling, Elsa thought that poor Adberg would be getting a lot of work on his hands soon. . That same day, it was also raining in Kaina Vige. After transferring himself to Nidou Castle, Jin summoned Barrow and Belle. Huh? Youre taking us home? The two of them eximed in unison. Will it really be okay for us to leave? Sure, I dont mind at all. Rather, Im sorry it took me so long to find a chance to take you back home. However, both Barrow and Belle were very excited, to the point where Jin wasnt sure whether they were even listening to him anymore or not. Well, Id like to go back as soon as possible! Ah, I shouldnt speak like this here. Lets just say that Im very excited for this opportunity! I-Is that so? Thats great. fine. Umm, well be passing through the Egelia Kingdom on the way, so I hope youll enjoy the journey as well. Thank you very much! As a matter of fact, Regulus 5 of the Quinta he had dispatched to Blund not long ago, had informed Jin that Count Kuzuma and Beana would be getting married soon, so he wanted to join in the celebration. Jin shared that information with Barrow and Belle as well. Understood. At that moment, we will of course continue to serve you as butler and maid. Jin admired how dependable they had shown to be thus far. Well be leaving in three days. If you have any luggage or presents youd like to bring along, be sure to start preparing them. It doesnt matter how much you have, well bring it all along. Yes! Jins how much had literally meant that he had no problem taking along as much as they wanted to bring with them, but at the time, Barrow and Belle thought that it had been a bit that it doesnt matter how many there are, but the two of them thought it was a bit of an exaggerated phrase that came from Jins kindness. But that wouldnt change the result. The only one that noticed this was Elsa, who was still grabbing the hem of her Jins clothing. Chapter 584

Chapter 584

oMagi Craft Meister 584 18 Further Progress Arc 18-04 Perfect Jin V?llig Geneseng. On October 7, Jin had the V?llig Geneseng spell cast on him for the 20th time. Today, which had been marked as the final day of his treatment, Jin felt no pain at all. How are you feeling, Brother Jin? Father? Worried about Jin not responding, Elsa and Reiko called out to him. Eh? Ah, Im sorry. How can I describe this its rather strange. Ah? If yesterdays treatment was like climbing a flight of stairs one step at a time, today it felt like going up an entire floor in a single leap. Jin jumped up on the spot to show what he meant.. Huh!? Jin had jumped up to a height of about 1 meter. My body feels so light Next, Jin lifted up a nearby low table. Despite it weighing nearly 30 kilograms, he effortlessly lifted it from the ground with only one hand. Until now, even though I was trying to put in the effort into my muscles, it would feel as if my energy was escaping my body. But I dont feel like that anymore. Most likely, up until this point, Jin had been unconsciously subjecting himself to a Physical Enhancement in addition to putting in his own normal strength. I can move normally now. Jin jumped up again. This time he reached a height of nearly 40 centimeters. Oh, so this is how the Physical Enhancement feels, huh? There was also an Engineering Magic spell with the same effect as the demons Physical Enhancement. Magi Craftsmen would use it to gain the physical strength needed to carry heavyponents and materials. Up until now, Jin had ended up giving up on any further attempts at buffing himself with Physical Enhancement, since his physical strength and stamina wouldnt change at all, no matter how hard he tried. But now! Thrilled and excited about his newfound abilities, Jin picked Elsa up and ced her on his right shoulder. Then he did the same to Reiko, cing her on his left shoulder. B-Brother Jin!? Father? Elsa was taken aback by how suddenly it had happened. Reiko was also a bit confused by it. Elsa, Reiko, thank you, both of you. I now feel like I finally have my own body. Ever since he was summoned to this world and his body was reconstructed, Jin had been gued by a feeling of stagnation in his body. And now that this feeling was finally gone, the only feeling rushing through his body was that of sheer ecstasy. Jin was so happy that he started skipping around the room with the two girls still on his shoulders. Have you settled down? Yeah. Sorry you had to see that. Jin had been in high spirits for about 30 minutes, and hadnt been for Toa and Stearleana Cwho happened toe byC staring at him in shock, he might have kept on that state for who knows how much longer. Elsa, Reiko Once again, thank you. Jin deeply bowed his head. Please stop, father. I didnt do anything special. Same here. Besides, I still owe you so much, Brother Jin No, I dont think that my cells would have been activated to this extent. Besides, I had you stay with me for 20 days. I was just carrying out my duty. And I was just casting Healing Magic That should do it, wont it? I got to see something strange here, so just put a lid on it already, okay? Stearleana stepped in to stop the conversation, which looked like it would have gone on forever otherwise. Something strange? What do you mean? Jin and Elsa each answered with a question of their own. Stearleana met their questions with a smile. To see Jin frolicking around with Elsa And look at you, Elsa, your cheeks are so red! Wha Uhuhu, could this be another result of Jins cells finally being activated? I wonder Toa tapped Stearleanas shoulder as she put her hand over her mouth to cover her chuckling. Leana, you have something else to tell them, dont you? Leana seemed to be Toas nickname for Stearleana. Eh, yeah Hehe Now it was Stearleanas turn to blush. ? Come on, Leana. No. You tell them. Oh boy. Well, listen Jin, the thing is Stearleana and I are getting married. Oh, congrats! Congrattions! Everyone knew that Stearleana and Toa were getting along quite well, and there was a feeling in the air that they would eventually end up tying the knot. Wheres Saki? Jin thought that Saki should have been here as well for such an important announcement. She already knows. When we told her, she said Congrats, father, and then suddenly ran off somewhere Well, Im sure shes alright. After all, Ehr was with her Laojun also added that the Magi Radar would be able to tell the whereabouts of every member of the Family, including Saki. I suppose it wouldnt be strange if she was feeling a certain degree of resistance to her father remarrying after all Toas muttered words came out of his mouth with a hint of sadness. So, any ns regarding your wedding ceremony and reception? Well, I think Im already too old for that kind of stuff Though you also told me oh, since wevee this far, why not?, havent you? Jin pondered about this. As a member of the Family Lets do it here on Hourai Ind, even if its just for us friends and close rtives. I agree. Uncle Toa, doesnt that sound like a n? After hearing Jin and Elsas advice, Toa and Stearleana nodded embarrassedly. Okay, then well take you up on your offer. Is it really okay, Jin? Jin nodded sharply. Of course! So, when are we going to hold the ceremony? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? After saying that, Jin remembered that he was nning to go to the Shouro Empire with Barrow and Belle on the day after tomorrow. Ah, were not in such a hurry. Just when he thought he had been careless, Jin felt a little relieved to hear Toas words. There seem to be no rtives on Stearleanas side, but Ill have to speak to my father-inw Marquis Gehren. Marquis Gehren Theoderic von Eisen. He was a nobleman of the Shouro Empire, as well as Sakis grandfather. Ah, thats true. Actually, I was nning to go to the Shouro Empire after tomorrow. Oh, is that so? Then, could you Halfway through his sentence, Toa realized that it wasnt even necessary. Jin would be going to Reinhardts Ranken Haus, while Toa and Stearleana would be going to Toas house. Both houses had a Warp Gate installed on them. Toas guess was actually wrong. Well, we may meet over there, but well be counting on you when the timees. Yes, of course With that out of the way, everyone headed to theboratory. Now then, we have to prepare a celebration for Count Kuzuma and Beana as well. In theboratory, Jin and Elsa were thinking about what to give them as a present for their wedding. Speaking of which, what do you think Reinhardt will give them? Ill go ask him. Thanks to the Mana Comm, they would be able to ask Reinhardt directly in a matter of seconds. Therefore, Elsa headed to the Command Room in the basement of theboratory, where the Mana Comm was located. The sky was still painted in the color of lead, and the scenery reflected in Jins eyes was dimmed out by the rain. I wonder if the weather is clear in the Shouro Empire right now Jins muttered words were drowned out by the sound of the pouring rain. Chapter 585

Chapter 585

Magi Craft Meister 585 18 Further Progress Arc 18-05 To Blund It was the morning of October 8th. The rain that had been falling on Kaina Vige had already stopped, but the sky was still lead-colored. Even so, the clouds were still quite high up in the sky, and the visibility was very good. So, are you ready? Arge number of people had gathered in front of Nidou Castle. Every single one of them was facing diagonally upwards in the same way. What they were staring at was the blimp, which was currently suspended in midair. Is that thing going to fly? He has once again achieved the unthinkable, hasnt he Well, its Jin after all Everyone wasmenting about how amazed and impressed they were. M-Master Jin, are you going to go with this!? Yeah, thats right. With this, you can reach the Shouro Empire in two days. T-Two days!? Jin had improved his blimp. It could now fly at a speed of nearly 100km/h. Since the distance between Kaina Vige and the capital of the Shouro Empire, Loizart, was less than 900 kilometers, it would actually be possible to fly there in a single day with a little effort, but doing it like that would be no fun. He was nning to spend several nights in the Egelia Kingdom. Beana and Count Kuzuma, both of whom he hadnt seen in a long time, were getting married soon. Barrow and Belle nodded when Jin exined this again. Understood, Master Jin. We will make sure to be on our best behavior as we act as your butler and maid on this journey. It was roughly the same thing he had heard from them the other day, but this time it made Jin realize once again how much the two of them had grown. But can this thing really fly? Still, Barrow was skeptical about flying on the blimp. Take care, Big Brother! This time, rather than sightseeing, it was more about reconnecting with old friends, and about Barrow and Belle returning to their homnd. And there was also the discussion about the desant manufacturing nt at Reinhardts ce, so it wouldnt be very interesting enough to have Hanna join them on this asion. Sure! Ill stay here and look after the house. Having listened to Jins words diligently, Hanna sounded a little more mature. Jin felt a little bit of a heartache seeing Hannas admirable behavior. So he decided hed have Hanna join them at the Shouro Empire via Warp Gate after they had finished with all their errands. Well, were off With Jin, Elsa, Reiko, Edgar, Barrow, and Belle all on board, the blimp slowly begun to float upwards. Ohh! Its floating no, its flying! Jins creations really are amazing. Have a safe trip, Big Brother! The voices of the vigers grew progressively quieter as the surface of the world grew farther away. Whoa, its really flying! Barrow clung to the gond, shivering a little. Wow, what a nice view! Belle, on the other hand, was fascinated by the view of the ground from the sky, which was a first for her. Okay, lets fly! Jin loudly dered this before activating the blimps propulsion device. The blimp then started moving slowly and gradually gained speed. Then, when the speed reached about 80 km/h, the eleration stopped. Brother Jin, what improvements have you made to the blimp? Having nestled close to Jin, Elsa asked him that question. After making up his mind about going to the Shouro Empire, Jin had spent two days improving his blimp. Well, Ive done a few things. Some of them are experimental. The first thing I did was set up a resistance reduction barrier. A resistance reduction barrier? I can somehow guess what it does, but how does it work? Elsa tilted her head to the side. That gesture made Jins heart beat a little faster. Ah, umm, you know about air resistance, right? Elsa nodded, so Jin continued. Well, until now, I used a wind barrier to reduce resistance, but this time its different. Im not using that barrier. Huh? You can barely feel the wind, can you? Now that you mention it Until now, the wind had been reduced by the Wind Barrier, so she would have felt a slight headwind. Im pushing the blimp from behind with wind magic. Huh? But the recoil Oh, I see. Right? Its moving the entire mass of air that envelops this blimp. Mr. Techres, a very important merchant who operated in the southern part of the Celuroa Kingdom, had built arge ship with a propulsion system that used Wind Magic to blow wind onto the sails to propel the entire vessel forward. Jin was applying the same theory to his blimp. Normal Wind Magic has no recoil. No matter how strong the wind blows, the caster would feel no recoil. The details about how it actually works have been exined previously, but the important thing was that Jin was using it as his main driving force. But since its not as efficient, the blimp wont go faster than 100km/h. Still, its amazing. You really do make your title of Magi Craft Meister justice, Brother Jin. With that, Elsa leaned closer to Jin, perhaps because she was feeling a bit cold. Jin had been slightly uneasy since a while ago. (Until now, Ive always seen Elsa as my younger sister, and in fact, I wouldnt feel anything at all whenever she would get this close Could it be that this is also a result of my cells being activated?) His guess was correct. Until now, Jins withered attitude and hisck of interest in women were all due to the fact that the synthetic cells in his reconstructed body were inactive. In other words, his inactive cells caused his secretion of hormones and brain substances such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin and their effects on the body to be greatly diminished (not that they werepletely absent). However, as a result of theplete activation of his body and the normalization of all its functions, the emotions and reactions that are natural of a man of Jins age seemed to have returned as well. Moreover, because this change was so sudden, Jin was mostly taken aback because he could not keep up with his newfound sensations. Elsa, who had no way of knowing about Jins inner conflict, was simply expressing the feelings of gratitude she had cultivated up to that point, which had peaked after Jin cured her of the illness she had been suffering from for so long. As for Reiko, she couldnt help but feel a bit sad. After all, she had been the one who reconstructed Jins body after he was summoned to this world. The resulting inactive cells in his body have probably caused all sorts of misunderstandings that had been making Jin ufortable up until now. At any rate, the blimp continued to fly towards its destination regardless of the feelings of those on board. The straight-line distance between Kaina Vige and Blund was nearly 500 km. At their current speed, it would take them a little less than 7 hours in total for the blimp to arrive there. The blimp was heading southwest. If Barrow and Belle knew even a little about navigation, they would have wondered how they could be flying in that direction with such certainty. And the answer to that question would have been that the Quinta Regulus 5 was stationed in Blund as andmark, and with Reiko at the helm, she would have no problem heading for his location in a straight line. At noon, they enjoyed the great experience of eating lunch while looking down at the surface of the world from the skies. The tea served from the thermos was hot and delicious as well. Barrow was confused at first, but after three hours of flight he got used to it and was enjoying looking down at the ground with Belle. Were about to pass through the Klein Kingdom and fly over to the Rivas region, at the eastern part of the Celuroa Kingdom. Jin informed them of their current location. The Rivas region was mostly mountainous and sparsely poptedpared to other regions. However, since it wasnt a particrly friendly region, Jin raised the altitude a little. At the same time, he activated the Wind Barrier to keep the air pressure from going down at a higher altitude. They had been flying at an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters so far, but this was now increased to 3,000 meters. This region was already at a high altitude itself, so even though Jin and the others were flying at an altitude of 3,000 meters, the distance from the ground in this region was less than half than that, at merely about 1,200 meters. Still, with that much altitude, the blimp would only look like a small dot on the sky when viewed from the ground. After flying like that for about two hours, they finally entered the airspace of the Egelia Kingdom. About 5 hours have passed so far since their departure. Well reach our destination in about two hours. They were scheduled tond on the outskirts of Blund. The mountainous area that had continued from the Celuroa Kingdom was also gradually lowering its altitude. And Jin lowered the altitude of his blimp ordingly. Oh, what is that tall mountain? Oh, thats Mount Garat. Its a goodndmark. Mount Garat towers between Asunto, the capital of the Egelia Kingdom, and Blund, their destination. As they left the mountain behind on their right, they could finally see the fortified city of Blund below. Reiko, have you found ournding site? Yes, Father. Regulus 5 is already waiting for us there. Reiko can see through even the distance that Jin cant see. As a result, Reikos eyes could clearly see Regulus 5 standing in an open space, about five kilometers away. Lets lower our altitude. Jins blimp could change its altitude normally without changing the angle of its air sac. This meant that the gond itself could remain parallel to the ground as they descended. The blimp started heading towards its destination as it descended at an angle of about 30 degrees. There they are. Regulus 4 and 5 were waving their hands right in the middle of a clearing. The blimpnded beside them without anyplications. Just before the gond would hit the ground, Regulus 5 helped it down. Wee, Chief. Good job, Regulus. Regulus 5 used its hands to support the gond so that it wouldnt sway. Jin, Elsa, and Edgar were the first ones to descend from the blimp. Barrow and Belle shortly followed after them. Ah, umm, Master Jin? Who are these people? Oh, this is Beat. And this is Mark. Beat was Regulus 5, Mark was Regulus 4. Since Jin hadnt really gone into much detail about anything with Barrow and Belle, he had no choice but to give the Regulus units some easy to remember names. Oh, I see. Nice to meet you, Mr. Beat, Mr. Mark. Then Reiko finally came down. Father, I have finished checking the engine. Everything is normal. Thank you. Now, Mark, please take care of the blimp for a while. Right away. Mark Cthat is, Regulus 4C boarded the blimp and slowly moved it towards the forest. As Jin looked at this, he turned to Beat. Wheres the Count? He said he woulde pick us up in a carriage shortly. Chapter 586

Chapter 586

Magi Craft Meister 586 18 Further Progress Arc 18-06 At the Residence of Earl Kuzuma Ten minutester, they heard the sound of carriages approaching. As it reached the blimpsnding point, the coat of arms of Earl Kuzuma became visible. Two medium-sized carriages with two horses each had arrived at the clearing where the blimp hadnded. Jin! As soon as the carriage at the lead stopped, its door opened and a red-haired girl jumped out from it. Its been quite a while, Beana. Yeah, really! Its been what, half a year? No, more. Beana now looked like ady, and was wearing a dress with just the right amount of ornaments. Lady Elsa, long time no see. Beana pinched the sides of her skirt and made a smalldy-like reverence. I have already abandoned the Randall family, and now I am Brother Jins younger sister. So theres no need to call me ady. Please continue to refer to me as you always have Beanas eyes widened at those words. Huh? You cast your house away? Really? I was sure that But those words were interrupted by another voice. Beana, lets not talk about such deep things here. Jin, Miss Elsa, wee. I was surprised when I received your letter yesterday. Surprisingly, Earl Kuzuma himself hade to pick up Jins party. Jin had sent Regulus 5 in advance to inform Earl Kuzma of his visit to Blund. Long time no see, Earl. Jin bowed at him in 45-degrees Japanese style. These two are my butler and maid, Barrow and Belle. This is the Automata Edgar, and you already know Reiko. And this is Beat, right? I was surprised when he brought me your letter yesterday. Wait, if we keep talking here, Beanas gonna get mad at me. Lets get in the carriage. Jin, Elsa, and Reiko got on the same carriage as the Earl. Barrow, Belle, and Edgar got into the carriage behind them. Since the only luggage they had brought along was hand luggage, they simply carried it all on their persons. Beat, that is, Regulus 5, was to stay behind. Lord Jin, Ill remain here with the blimp. Yes, thank you. After that, the carriages started to move and got on the road to Blund. Jin found that ride was quitefortable, contrary to his expectations. Beana did a lot of trial and error to get these carriages to move about smoothly on these roads. Earl Kuzuma said this with pride. Jin was truly impressed. He figured Beana must have taken some notes after looking at the carriage that Jin had made back in the Egelia Kingdom, but other than that, she seemed to have developed the suspension and dampers all by herself. After going through the castle gates, the carriages headed down the main street and deep into the castle town. By the time they arrived at Earl Kuzumas residence near the center of the town, it was alreadyte. The short autumn day was getting dark. Once again, wee to Blund, Magi Craft Meister Jin, Miss Elsa. Wee, Master Jin, Lady Elsa. Once they reached the entrance hall, Earl Kuzuma and Beana stood side by side to wee Jin and Elsa. Then they escorted their guests to the guest room area. There were four luxurious rooms there. Aside from the living room for guests, one of these rooms was for Jin, the other one was for Elsa, and thest one was for the retainers Barrow and Belle. Is it really okay for us to upy this room? It was normal for retainers to be assigned to a guest room as well. And Barrow knew as much. After all, he had been forced to live under harsh conditions in the Celuroa Kingdom. I think its okay. Im sure Lord Lewis I mean Earl Kuzuma, sees you two as guests, just as honorable as any other. Elsa stated her thoughts on the matter. Clearly speaking, Jin was a guest of the state. He was the only person in the world recognized by this government as the Magi Craft Meister. Thats why there was no way anyone in this country would treat even Jins butler and maid likemon servants. As such, Earl Kuzuma had decided to leave Jins everyday necessities to Barrow and Belle whenever they were in the guest room area, and otherwise treat everyone as his own guests. And besides, I think the furniture and rooms that Jin made are more elegant than these. Even looking at a simple futon, it could be clearly seen that there was nothing that couldpare to those made by Magi Silk in Hourai Ind. Design aside, it was natural that the quality of the furniture and magic tools for daily lifemonly avable to people would be inferior to Jins work. Still, this treatment came as a surprise for Barrow and Belle, as they had had a rough life for as long as they could remember. About ten minutester, after all that had been sorted and everyone had settled in their rooms, there was a knock on the door of the guest living room. It was one of the maids of the Kuzuma residence. Ivee to inform you that the bathroom is ready. Jin and Elsa took out a change of underwear from their luggage. Barrow and Belle remained in the room. Of course, Reiko and Edgar would go with their masters. They followed the maid down the corridor and went down some stairs. The bathroom area was in a semi-basement. This ce was made by Earl Kuzuma with the help of hisdy wife. In other words, Beana, having taken a liking to the hot springs on Kunlun Ind, had decided to have something simr in her house and advised the Earl on how to make it possible. By the way, Jin and the others thought it was heartwarming that Beana was already being called dy wife. Even though she was ofmoner origin, there seem to be no scorn from the residences servants. Jin and Elsa entered the bathhouses, which were separated by gender. Earl Kuzuma had been considerate enough to entrust the tending of the bathing necessities to Reiko and Edgar respectively. Ah, I never thought Id be able to bathe in a hot spring here. A closer look revealed that this hot spring was of the salt-water type. It was a type of hot spring that keeps the body lukewarm to prevent feeling chilly aftering out of the bath. Though it couldnt be said that it was close to the sea, Blund was probably the city in the Egelia Kingdom that was closest to the sea of them all. Hows the water, Father? Reiko knew that Jin liked his baths to be really hot. Ah, to be honest, its a little lukewarm. But lets refrain from heating other peoples baths without permission. Understood. Since it was lukewarm, Jin just sat back and rxed. Barrow and Belle had been invited to use the hot springs dedicated for retainers and servants. It seemed that the servants were also allowed to use the hot springs, which reflected the virtuousness of the Earls personality. Ah, Im all nice and warmed up now. Aftering out of the hot spring bath, the maid from earlier came to pick them up, as dinner was ready. Mr. Jin, Miss Elsa, and you as well, Barrow, Belle Please have a seat. Even though they were at the lowest seat of hierarchy in this room, Barrow and Belle were surprised to have been invited to join Jin and Elsa at the table. They figured Earl Kuzuma was someone who didnt really care much about his status. A-Ah, th Thank you very much. However, Barrow and Belle were still rather anxious about being sitting at the same table with a noble from another country, especially an Earl. Seeing this, Earl Kuzumas own butler whispered something into his masters ear. I see Barrow, Belle, I see youre not at ease here. Im sorry for making you two feel ufortable. My maid can escort you to another room if you wish. They agreed, and together with the maid they disappeared into a different room. Theyre still not used to being in a ce like this, huh A bitter smile appeared on Earl Kuzumas face. Earl, Im sorry you had to take the matter into your own hands Jin bowed apologetically. But Earl Kuzuma raised his open palm as if to stop him from speaking any further. Oh no, Mr. Jin. Dont concern yourself with that. It was imprudent of me as a host to assume that they would feel perfectly at ease sitting here with us. Come on, lets have a toast tomemorate our meeting here today. Beana jumped in with a bright tone of voice in an attempt to dispel the slightly awkward atmosphere. Wine was poured into their sses, and Earl Kuzuma was the first to raise his own before he began to speak. Im filled with gratitude for this chance of meeting you again. I wish we can all stay in good health, as well as enjoy a life full of happiness. Cheers! Cheers! The clear sound of the sses touching each other echoed through the room, and the four of them took a sip of their wine. Oh, this wine is very good. It was a slightly dry white wine, which was meant to be served as an aperitif. Jin didnt know much about wine, but he still thought it was delicious. Olsen 3,450? Thats correct. You seem to know your wine very well, Miss Elsa. Elsa had guessed the wines brand. Both Jin and Beana were surprised, but the Earl immediately praised her without even batting an eye. Oh, its just a coincidence. I just happened to have had this exact brand of wine quite a few times in the past. For those outside the loop, Elsa must have sounded like a heavy drinker. However, the truth was that Olsen was one of the many wine producing regions of the Shouro Empire, and their wine was Reinhardts favorite. Elsa had several chances to enjoy this exact same wine every time she went with him on his diplomatic journeys. Jin, who had also traveled with Reinhardt, didnt know about this. The reason for that was that Reinhardt would only drink on the outward journey, as he couldnt allow himself to drink on the way back. With this as the trigger, the conversations during their meal were centered around travel stories. Incidentally, the table manners of the Egelia Kingdom did not prohibit conversation during meals. Rather, eating while chatting was fairlymon in thesends. Naturally, the travel stories that were shared on this asion were rted to everything that happened after they had left the Egelia Kingdom. So you had to go through all of that, Miss Elsa To be kidnapped and then rescued Like a princess from a fairy tale, huh? Earl Kuzuma and Beana both voiced their amazement after hearing Elsas story. Their reaction was understandable; after all, the story was full of events that would normally never happen in someones life. And you too, Jin. Youre great! Back when I first met you, I wouldve never guessed you were such an amazing person. After all, you were always nitpicking at my work. Ah, sorry about that. I tend to blurt out whatevers on my mind without thinking too much about it. You dont say. Everyone startedughing cheerfully. Ah, right, this is quite bted, but congrattions on being formally recognized as the Magi Craft Meister. After having talked about Jins participation in the technology expo in the Shouro Empire, the conversation reached the moment when Jin was formally given the title of Magi Craft Meister. Thank you very much. Then Earl Kuzuma continued. Mr. Jin No, can I call you just Jin? Id be very happy if we could refer to one another as friends, like you do with Reinhardt. There was no objection from Jin. There is only one Magi Craft Meister in the entire world, after all. And not only that, I would also like to congratte you on bing an honorary Knight. Earl Kuzumas tone was now much more informal than before. Thank you, Earl. Oh, enough with the Earl thing. Please call me Lewis. Okay, Lewis. Are you sure about this? Yes, this is much better. After that, the topic of their conversation naturally transitioned to Prince Ernest. Did you know that he was engaged to Princess Lieschen of the Klein Kingdom? Of course. Or should I say, I saw that for myself. We actually met in the Shouro Empire. Oh,e to think of it, they said theyd been nning to marry for some time, didnt they? They seem to get along very well, and personally, I think theyre a great match for each other. Im really happy for them. Thus the dinner progressed in a friendly, casual manner. Chapter 587

Chapter 587

Magi Craft Meister 587 18 Further Progress Arc 18-07 Elsa And Jin Well, Id love for us to keep on talking, but its gettingte, so what do you think about leaving things here for today? Earl Kuzuma sounded reluctant. The time was just a few minutes after 10 PM. And please let me apologize in advance. Tomorrow Ill be busy with the preparations for the ceremony, so I dont think Ill be able to join you for too long. Im sorry. I understand. The wedding is the day after tomorrow, right? Dont worry about that, do what you have to do. Thank you. Still Im surprised that you came to visit us in a moment as auspicious as this. Well, I guess we were just lucky. But the truth was that the Quinta Regulus 5 had caught wind of the news about the wedding and informed Jin about it, so it was no wonder that they had gone to visit Earl Kuzuma and Beana just at the right time. I think I should be able to join you for breakfast tomorrow, at the very least. Jin and Elsa replied that they would look forward to that, and left the dining room to return to their rooms. Earl Kuzuma offered to have a maid take them back to their rooms, but since they already knew the way there, they turned the offer down. Reiko walked ahead of them, while Edgar followed behind them. On the way, Elsa noticed that Jins steps were a bit unsteady. Brother Jin, whats wrong? It seems I had too much wine. His face had turned slightly pale. Are you okay, Father? Reiko had stopped to turn to Jin with a worried expression on her face. Y-Yeah Its just that it seems that now that my body is fully active, its more prone to external stimuli So I guess now its easier for me to get drunk. The unexpected drawbacks from the activation of Jins cells had started to be apparent. Now that he was more susceptible to alcohol, it would be safe to assume that the resistance to poison he used to have would be gone as well. Verheile. Elsa cast Healing Magic on Jin. It was the same spell she used on him back when he got carriage sickness. In addition to healing injuries, it also cures nausea, so it would help alleviate some of the dizziness he was feeling at the moment. Im feeling a bit better now. Thank you, Elsa. Youre wee. The two of them smiled at each other. Seeing this, Reikos face changed into an intricate expression that looked both happy and sad at the same time. When they arrived at the guest room area, they were greeted by Barrow and Belle. Wee home, Master Jin, Lady Elsa. Instead of going to bed, they seemed to have decided to wait for Jin and Elsa. Ah, so youve been waiting for us. Thank you. But dont worry about us, please go get some rest. After Jin said that, the two of them bowed and left. Very well, good night then. Good night. Jin leaned back on the sofa in the living room and took a deep breath. Phew A cup filled with water was brought before Jin. Here you go, Brother Jin. Ah, thank you, Elsa. The thirsty Jin happily drank the water. It was exactly at the right chilly temperature that he liked. Oh, so refreshing. Thank you so much. Mm-hmm. After taking the empty ss off Jins hands, Elsa sat down on the chair opposite to Jin. Beana looks so beautiful And quite elegant as well. Elsa put together her words with deep emotion as she stared a little further into the distance. Yeah, she really has. Its all thanks to the Earl. Beanas manners training must have been quite intense. Jin made a face that said had it been me, I would certainly have not been able to teach her this well. Do you not like formalities, Brother Jin? Thing is, back in my country, we didnt have anything like the nobles andmoners of this world. Of course, you had to mind your manners, but social standings yed a rather small part inparison to how things are here. Oh, that sounds intriguing. Well, Im probably dead back in my world, and its not like I have any means to go back there, let alone take you with me Yeah. Elsa stood up, went around the table, and sat down next to Jin on the sofa. Elsa? I want to always be by your side, Brother Jin. Will you let me? After saying that, Elsa, who had just sat down, jumped up and rushed into her room. Edgar followed suit. Elsas face waspletely red, but Jin didnt notice. Elsa? Jin, who still hadntpletely sobered up, stared nkly at the darkness outside the window, trying to figure out the meaning of what Elsa had just said, but Reikos voice brought him back to reality. Father. Whats wrong, Reiko? This time, it was Reiko who sat next to Jin. Without saying anything else, Reiko leant against Jin. Feeling Reikos warmth, Jin continued to stare into the darkness of the night in silence. Autumn nights make us long forpany. Those words had suddenlye to Jins mind. Should we go to sleep? Jin also thought it was time to head to his own bedroom. Several stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky, which had finally cleared up. The next morning, after Earl Kuzuma apologized to Jin and the others for not being able to keep thempany for much longer after breakfast since he had some preparations to do for the next day and Jin and the others replying that he shouldnt worry about it, the two returned to the guest room area. Barrow, Belle, like I said yesterday, you two are free to do as you please today. Is there anything youd like to do? Half of the purpose for this trip was for Barrow and Belle to take a vacation after all. Yes, actually, weve be good friends with Lady Beanas younger siblings, so theyre going to show us around Blund today. Beanas younger siblings used to help with cleaning the garden, but now that theyrepletely healthy, it looked like Nana was training to be a maid, and Raldo was training to be a butler. Apparently, Barrow and Belle met them during dinner on the previous day and quickly became friends. I see, that sounds nice. Do take care. We will. Thank you. Then they heard a knock on the door, and when Belle opened it, Nana and Raldo were standing there. Its big bro Jin! Good morning! Oh, long time no see. You seem to be much better now! Yes! Thank you very much for your help back then! Jin rejoiced at the reunion with the two, who had grown taller and looked much healthier than ever. I hear youre getting along well with Barrow and Belle. Yeah! Nana replied cheerfully. Barrow was 15, and Behle was 14. Nana and Raldo were both 12 years old. In a sense, it would be inevitable that they would be friends, considering the four of them were the only ones to be rtively close in age at the Earls residence, which was full of adults. So youre going to show them around? Yep! Jin smiled and took out four gold coins from his pocket. Then let me give each of you one of these. Here you go. Nana, Raldo, you can think of this as your payment for offering to show them around. Barrow, Belle, think of this as pocket money for you to spend however you want. But this Is this really ok? Jin handed over the gold coins to the hesitant Nana and Rald, almost pressing them into their hands. Thank you, Master Jin! Barrow and Belle, who were deeply aware of Jins non-standard behavior, epted the gold coins without question. Well, what should we do? After Barrow and the others left, Jin sat on the sofa and started thinking. Brother Jin, what are we going to do with the gift? The wedding gift that Jin had prepared for the next day was still on Hourai Ind. Jin thought it would be a bother to be carrying it around with them, so he hadnt loaded it on the blimp. Hmm, Ill take care of that in the evening. After hearing Jins answer, Elsa made a proposal. Then, why dont we take a look around Blund together? Chapter 588

Chapter 588

Magi Craft Meister 588 18 Further Progress Arc 18-08 Sightseeing on Blund There you are. Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar walked out of Earl Kuzumas residence and met Regulus 5 (Beat) on the outskirts of the aristocratic district. Jin and Elsa were nning to do a little sightseeing around Blund. Regulus 5 would be acting as their tour guide. On this asion, Beat was dressed like a wealthy merchant. There was an entire district in Blund that would house such wealthy people. He had dark blond hair and gray eyes. Ordinary features for discreet activities. Okay, show us around, Beat. Lets go. The five of them began their leisurely walk around town. The passers-by they came across were dressed in autumn attire, creating a serene atmosphere. The people here have a good sense of design Oh? Elsa was drawn in by the clothing of a certain passer-by. The woman was wearing a dark navy dress and a slightly darkened yellow cardigan, which was fairly standard. But what stood out the most was the scarf wrapped around her cor. This scarf was different from anything Elsa had ever seen. Its fabric was rainbow-colored. Whether it was dyed or woven like that, it was certainly eye-catching. Thats the rainbow dye thats in vogue these days. Its color would change depending on the surrounding lighting. More than iridescence, its rainbow coloring made it look like it was shining like an opal. It looks like a pearl that is constantly changing colors Jin muttered that, but he noticed that Elsa was still following the woman with her eyes. Elsa, would you like a scarf like that? Huh? Ah, no Elsas words said now, but her sideway ncing eyes were saying otherwise. Beat, can you take us to a store that sells those? Yes, please follow me. Beat already knew exactly where to take them, and escorted Jin and Elsa to a certain clothing store. Wee. How can I help you? They were soon met by ady clerk in her mid-twenties. Were looking for rainbow-colored things. Do you have any scarves like that? Sure! Right away, sir. The clerk then retreated to the back and returned immediately with several scarves. This is this years trend. These are quite popr with young people She thenid out the scarves she had brought with her over the desk. in ones like the one the woman from earlier was wearing and light colored ones with patterns. All of them had a subtle rainbow coloring that would change depending on the lighting conditions of the room. (Hmm, the fabric is silk, isnt it? And the pigment hasrge particles. More like dyeing, it looks as if its been painted over.) Jin secretly analyzed them with Engineering Magic. Elsa, on the other hand, was looking at the scarf Jin had picked up. I think thatll look great on you. Elsa wasnt wearing her usual bright green one-piece. Since the autumn days had started to get chilly, she was instead wearing a long-sleeved, ankle-long, dark purple dress, and a beige hat. Though it wasnt chilly enough for her to consider wearing a cardigan. The rainbow-dyed scarf that Jin had chosen had a light-blue base coloring. The reason for his pick was that, to him, it somehow matched the autumn sky. You think? Let me try it on then Elsa then wrapped the scarf around her neck. Oh, yes. It does suit you very well. The clerk nodded as if trying to say that it was as if the scarf had been made especially for Elsa. When Jin offered to pay for the scarf, Elsa hesitated a bit at first, but eventually gave up and epted his offer. The scarf had cost 3,500 tolls, which was roughly 35,000 yenapproximately 35,000 yen. Jin has no idea if it had been expensive or cheap for a scarf, but considering the uniqueness of the dyeing process, he figured the price might have been reasonable. Thank you, Brother Jin. As he was about to leave the store, Jin caught a glimpse of a scarf that seemed to be made of wool. It was light brown in color and seemed to be very soft to the touch. Oh, this one looks good too. Jin quickly bought this scarf as well. It cost 1,200 tolls. Here you go, Reiko. Father? I Jin interrupted Reiko, who was about to say something, and continued. I know youre not cold. But I still think this would look nice on you as you walk with us around the city. Thank you very much. Elsa then turned towards Reiko. Brother Jin is so kind, isnt he, Reiko? Yes Reikos ck dress and white apron matched well with the bright brown scarf. And Elsa was also looking very cheerful with her new scarf around her neck. So, where should we go next? Lets see.. How about a store that sells daily necessities? Jin was also interested in seeing the daily necessities because they would reflect the peoples level of culture and lifestyles. In that case, theres a good ce this way. Beat guided them to arge hardware store, which seemed to deal in both Magic Tools and regr appliances. Oh, they have refrigerators. The initial design, which had looked like a rugged square, had been slightly rounded around the edges. Its price had also dropped to 8,000 tolls which was equivalent to around 80,000 yen. Oh, this is a Magic Tool made by Lady Beana, who is Earl Kuzumas soon-to-be wife. This refrigerator is our top selling item at the moment. The store clerk began to show them some more products. And this lighter. And this water heater. This over here is an electric kettle. All of these were made by Lady Beana. Beana seemed to have made quite a good reputation for herself. She had continued to develop Magic Tools even after the Golem Party. Shortly after that, Jin and Elsa left the hardware store after shaking off the clerk Cwho was adamantly trying to sell them a refrigeratorC with the excuse that they were traveling. Hmm, what is that? A familiar-looking interior that was under construction in a vacant lot in town had drawn their attention. A t stone floor with a square recess Its a public bath that uses hot springs. Its an ongoing project that Beana proposed, and with Earl Kuzumas rmendation, Duke Blue began the construction of this ce. So not only would they have their own hot-springs bath at home, but Earl Kuzuma and Beana were also working to make them essible to the general public. Jin thought this was a very good move in terms of welfare for the residents. Now, where shall we go for lunch? If I may suggest a ce As Beat was about to take them somewhere, the sharp sighted Elsa spotted one particr market stall. A certain scent was in the air. Popcorn, huh? More like vegetable oil, it smelled like it was being made with butter. Feeling nostalgic, Jin headed to the stall. Wee! Since the customer base was a little different from outside the castle walls, where Beana had once set up her own shop, this ce had a slightly high-ss feeling to it. The popcorn maker also looked really elegant, and instead of popcorn cups made out of tree leaves, this ce used ones made with paper-thin wood sheets. The price per serving here was 20 tolls as opposed to the 5 tolls it would normally cost outside the walls. It was only natural since this ce used butter, which was regarded as a high-ss ingredient, more appealing to the wealthy people that resided within the castle walls. Yeah, it really is much better with butter, huh? So tasty Jin bought two, one for Elsa and one for himself, and had started snacking on it while walking. Compared to vegetable oil, popcorn made with butter was much tastier. Should we sit down at a stall while were here? Jin suggested they sit at a spit-roasting stall he found, and Elsa happily tagged along. He then ordered two things that looked a lot like hot dogs, one for each of them. Oh, this is very good. The meat, which was sandwiched between two halves of bread, had a texture simr to bacon, and although it wasnt exactly a sausage, it had a perfectly bnced vor. Elsa seemed to like it too, and ate it up in no time. Here you go, Father. Elsa. After they were done eating, Reiko had brought a ss of juice for each of them. The thoughtful Reiko seemed to have bought them while they were distracted eating. Ah, thank you, Reiko. Mmm, this is good too. Delicious. It was a fruit vored juice. It seemed to be a mixture of citran, applue, and others. So, whats next? Id like to try that. Elsa pointed at a boiled ear of corn. Okay, lets have one of those too. Thus Jin and Elsa enjoyed sightseeing. So, what about the gift? The current time was around 2:00 PM. Jin had instructed Laojun to send the parcel overter. However Father, I received a call from Laojun. He said that he has already sent it to your room in the residence of Earl Kuzuma via transfer machine. Is that so? Jin was impressed by Laojuns preparedness. The Covert Units Lily and Rose should be watching over that room, so there should be no problem to have the gift already been sent while Jin was away. The gift had already been sent over, and Laojun had sent them their formal clothes as well, so there was no need to worry about that either. Then, should we do a little more sightseeing around Blund? Yeah! And so, Jin and Elsas return to Earl Kuzumas residence waited until the sun had started to set. Chapter 589

Chapter 589

Magi Craft Meister 589 18 Further Progress Arc 18-09 The Wedding October 10th. The day for the wedding of Earl Kuzuma and Beana had finally arrived. The ceremony was to be held at the residence of Duke Blue, the lord of Blund. Jin was wearing his Magi Craft Meister long coat. The Church doesnt have much authority in the Egelia Kingdom either. Its the same everywhere. The Church lost most of its authority after the Great Magic War. Elsamented on Jins observation. Whether or not they had believed in gods, the priests of this world had been more vulnerable to the effects of the Ether Stampede during the Great Magic War, as they generally possessed more magical power than most humans. This began a trend of people believing that God does not protect his believers which eventually led to the Church losing its authority. The wedding was to be held in the Great Hall of the Dukes residence. Weddings in the Egelia Kingdom of Egerea were essentially a gathering where high-ranked nobles would bear witness and formally acknowledge a couple as husband and wife. When either the groom or the bride are members of the Royal Family, the wedding is also reported to a predecessor within the family if one is alive, or to a portrait of said predecessor otherwise. This was very simr to how weddings were in the Shouro Empire. For Earl Kuzumas wedding, the feudal lord Duke Blue was to fill the role of predecessor. The bride and groom will be entering soon, The voice that announced them echoed, bringing the noise that had been generated from the mix of everyone elses conversations to a halt. Then the door in front of the hall opened, and the groom and the bride made their appearance. Earl Kuzuma was wearing a white and gold suit, and Beana was wearing a pure white dress. The two of them linked arms with one another and walked through the audience as everyone made way for them, and finally stood in front of Duke Blue, who was waiting for them at the far end of the hall. I, Lewis Wurtz Kuzuma, Earl of the Egelia Kingdom, from this day onwards, take you, Beana Lonsdale, as my wedded wife. And I, Beana, daughter of Bernard Hamus Lonsdale, Earl of the Egelia Kingdom, swear to be your wife from this day onwards. It seemed that, being born amoner, Beana had to be adopted by Earl Londsale in order to be able to marry Earl Kuzuma. This reminded Jin that back in the Edo period of Japan, a simr thing happened with weddings within samurai families. Of course, this knowledge stemmed from the fact that the director of the orphanage where Jin had lived was an avid enjoyer of Japanese historical drama series. I wish health and good luck upon Lewis Wurtz Kuzuma, and to Beana Lonsdale, who from this day on shall be known as Beana Kuzuma. After Duke Blue solemnly approved the marriage between Earl Kuzuma and Beana, the ceremony itself was pretty much over. The hall, which had been silent, now burst into a thunderous round of apuse. Then the newlyweds turned around and walked back towards the door amidst apuse and cheers. Its a fairly simple ceremony, isnt it? As he joined in the round of apuse, Jin muttered those words to Elsa.. There is a strong tendency to keep the ceremony itself simple. The reception after this is whats going to get much more lively. Ah I see. Come to think of it, Reinhardts own wedding ceremony hadnt been all that long either. It could be said that, for the weddings in noble families, the reception after the wedding itself was where the real party would usually start. The bride and groom would greet each of the guests and show the presents they received in front of everyone. Jin thought that this was bound to leave them quite exhausted. (Maybe I should have slipped some Pelshika juice into their drinks) While the guests waited in the hall, Duke Blues butlers and maids prepared everything for the reception. They set up several tables with food, drinks, and flower decorations. It was heartwarming to see how the work was carried out quietly, almost mechanically, without any rush being felt from the butlers and maids. These preparations took approximately 20 minutes after the ceremony had finished. Then, after everything was ready, the bride and groom made their appearance. Thank you for waiting, everyone. It is now time for the bride and groom to join us. Please wee them with apuse! The one doing the announcements seemed to be the head butler of the Dukes household. He was an attractive tall man with a clear baritone voice, which seemed to turn a few heads among the maids. A total of 51 participants gave their heartfelt apuse, and the bride and groom Cwho had both changed into an extravagant attireC entered the venue once more. Oh How gorgeous Thesements were heard several times all over the venue. Earl Kuzuma was now dressed in a ck suit that resembled a tailcoat, and Beana was now wearing a bright red dress. Once again, the two of them walked all the way to where Duke Blue was waiting for them, and each sat down on a raised seat that had been set up there. Now then, everyone, please allow me to introduce you to the bride and groom Deep down, Jin thought, Wow, what a public execution. He remembered how Cduring his time on EarthC he had once been half-forced to attend the wedding of a senior at work. He remembered how his seniors buddies from his high-school days had openly shared stories his senior would have rather not to be reminded of in front of everyone, including the bride, during his reception And here too in this wedding, as expected, the faces of the bride and the groom Cwho were at the centerstage of this dayC had turnedpletely red. After that embarrassing moment of the reception was over, it was finally time for the guests speeches. The wedding gifts would be shown at this time as well. Most of the gifts were already set along one of the walls of the Great Hall, so all they really had to do was remove the cloth that covered them. The one who went first was, of course, Duke Blue, as he was the first witness of this wedding. Congrattions, Earl Kuzuma and Beana. It is my hope that you can join your strengths, and to not only serve your country, but to build a good and healthy family together. Thank you very much. The Dukes gift was a crystal figurine in the shape of two eagles. Since eagles would only mate with a fixed partner throughout their life, they were said to symbolize marital harmony. The second gift to be shown was the one from a deputy knight of the royal family named Bruno Thales Bright. Jin remembered him as the vice-captain of the Knights of the Imperial Guard. The reason behind such a representative from the royal familying second Calthough rather superfluousC was that Duke Blue was actually the cousin of the current King of Egelia, so he was directly rted to the royal family. The gift was a bust of a man in his prime. From what Jin had gathered, it was of Earl Kuzumaste father. The Earl seemed to be very moved by this gift. The third in line was Beanas foster father, Earl Bernard Hamus Lonsdale, and his wife. Lewis, Beana, congrattions. I hope you dont hesitate toe to me if you ever need anything. Thank you very much. Since Earl Lonsdale was on good terms with Earl Kuzumas father, he and the Countess offered to act as parents for the two of them on this day. Their gifts were a ceremonial sword for Earl Kuzuma, and a beautifully decorated dagger for Beana. Seeing Beana receive this dagger, Elsa remembered the time Jin gave her a dagger as well. Looking back, she couldnt help but feel a bit of regret about not having known anything about this world at that time. Elsa? Since Elsa had been acting as Jins escort, she had had her hand on his left arm for a while now, but Jin had felt a sudden slight pull on his elbow. Ah Im sorry, I was just remembering the old days Ah. Jin, who somehow guessed what was going on, turned his attention back to the stage where the newlyweds were without saying anything more. A steward from the Earl Guaranas household, which is also located in Blund, had attended as a representative. He had stated that Earl Guarana had still not recovered from the injuries he had sustained during the Golem Party, and regretted not being able to be present at the ceremony. But some of the guests CJin includedC had guessed that this wasnt entirely true, and that, in fact, the reason for Earl Guaranas absence was the fact that he wouldnt dare to see Beana Cwho he had been relentlessly chasing in an attempt to woo herC getting married with his own eyes. Another dozen or so nobles who were acquaintances of Earl Kuzuma followed, and after them came several important merchants. All of these merchants seemed to be very grateful to Beana, since they had been able to make huge profits by dealing with her inventions. The following is a gift from a friend of both groom and bride, the Magi Engineer from Shouro Empire, Reinhardt Randall von Adams. It was Reinhardts gift turn. Oh? It looked like some kind of square te. It was actually a certificate of sorts, which had a drawing of a carriage. Its a small carriage that seats four. Its light and quitefortable. It seemed that, though he hadnt made it in time, Reinhardt had arranged for a carriage to be sent as his wedding gift. Next is the Magi Craft Meister, Jin Nidou, and his sister Elsa. Last but not least, it was finally Jin and Elsas turn.. Upon hearing the words Magi Craft Meister, the venue started to buzz with excitement. (So he is the Magi Craft Meister?) (Hes so young) (But Ive heard that both the Klein Kingdom and the Shouro Empire have officially recognized him as the Magi Craft Meister.) Ignoring the noise, Jin and Elsa headed to the central tform together. Earl, Countess Congrattions on your wedding. Jin congratted them, not entirely sure if his words had been totally on par with the required etiquette. Thank you, Sir Jin Nidou. I would like you to ept this humble gift tomemorate this day. With that said, Reiko lifted the cloth from the gift that Jin had prepared. Oh! Everyone in attendance uttered the same words of amazement. Under the cloth was a Golem. But he wasnt just a regr Golem; it was wearing a maids outfit. Its design was based on the Golem maids who worked on Hourai Ind. And in the Golems hand was a silver tray with a pair of drinking cups and wine sses in red and blue pairs, respectively. The Golem is from me. The drinking cups and wine sses are from my sister Elsa. The red ones were made of ruby, and the blue ones were of sapphire. The faceted, splendid design had been carefully handcrafted by Elsa herself. And the Golem didnt have the slightest bit of awkwardness or dullness in its movements. It was really hard to tell it apart from a real human maid. Yes as expected from the Magi Craft Meister and her sister. Several whispers could be heard among the crowd. After Jins turn was over, the reception moved onto the banquet. The time was exactly 12 PM. Well then, everyone, thank you for waiting. Lets now have a toast to congratte the bride and groom! And please enjoy yourselves to the fullest! Chapter 590

Chapter 590

Magi Craft Meister 590 18 Further Progress Arc 18-10 Sickness and Countermeasures Mr. Jin, I am Baron Yarmani, I live near the castle. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Sir Jin Nidou, I am Nareef. Im currently doing business here in Blund. After the reception, arge number of guests hade to introduce themselves to Jin. Miss Elsa, those drinking cups and sses look very beautiful. Its truly wonderful to see both brother and sister being so familiar with Magi Craft Lady Elsa, I am the wife of Stroen, who runs a store in the neighboring town of Crosgow. Of course, Elsa had also been surrounded by female guests. Are you married, Mr. Jin? We have a daughter who will be turning 15 this year Do you have a partner already, Miss Elsa? Soon enough, their interactions with those who hade to greet them had transitioned to more stereotypical topics. At that moment Jin, thank you for joining us today. Thank you so much, Elsa. The bride and groom, who were doing their rounds of greetings, had just arrived where Jin and Elsa were. As usual I mean, I could expect no less from you. Your technique is amazing. Earl Kuzuma said that while pouring white wine from the wine bucket held by the butler into Jins ss. Elsa, when did you be a Magi Craftswoman? Those sses you made look simply gorgeous. And Beana said that while offering Elsa a sweet cocktail ss from the tray that her maid was holding. Noticing that the newlyweds wanted to speak with Jin and Elsa, the flock of people that had gathered around them quickly dispersed. Thank you, Lewis. Haha, I know youre not used to this kind of thing. And I know the feeling, having to deal with a lot of people at once like that can get really tiresome. A piece of advice, if you dont mind: at times like these its best to say things like next time, if I get the chance, or one of these days to put them off easily. Saying nothing but thank you would be a bit of a mistake. I see Thanks. It seemed that social etiquette was slightly different from country to country. I have to study hard about this. As for Elsa, her biological mother (who at the time was merely posing as her nursing mother), Mine, had kept her away from social circles as much as possible, and as a result, she wasnt familiar with such lip service, so she was relieved that the Earl Kuzuma and Beana hade to help them out. But really, Elsa. Thest time I saw you, you couldnt do anything with Magi Craft, right? Yeah. After leaving my family and being taken under Brother Jins wing, he taught me everything I know. That was at most half a year ago, wasnt it? Im a bit overwhelmed by your progress, to tell you the truth. Well, I feel the same about you, Beana. You look so fantastic. You may be talking with an easy-going tone now, but your demeanor in public is already that of a truedy. No one who didnt know about your past would be able to tell that youve been born amoner. I cant do something like that. I think your progress is really remarkable too. T-Thank you Hearing those words from Elsa, who was an actual daughter of a true nobleman, caused Beana to blush and be a little nervous. I know how much effort Beana has put into this. Lord Lewis, please make sure to make Beana happy. Yes, I will. You can count on that. Lewis After hearing Elsas words, the Earl wrapped his arm around Beanas shoulders. Beanas cheeks turnedpletely red. (Beana looks so happy. Marriage, huh) Seeing Beana smiling so blissfully, Elsa found herself feeling a slight pain running through her chest. (?) And yet, Elsa still didnt know what this pain meant. She was suddenly distracted by another voice as soon as she started feeling it. We have received a congrattory letter and a gift from the wife of the Lord of Kartz Vige of the Shouro Empire, Lord Reinhardt Randall, Lady Berthie. Something other than Brother Reis carriage? I wonder if theres been some kind of misunderstanding that caused the carriage to have not arrived yet That was their theory, but both Jin and Elsa were more interested in what this other gift was. Berthie hadnt mentioned any ns to send them any other gifts. Jin also remembered that Reinhardt hadnt said anything about that either thest time they talked over the Mana Comm. Two maids came in, bringing with them some kind of package. From Reinhardts wife? What could it be? Im looking forward to it. Earl Kuzuma was also very interested. Then he opened the package. Oh? Inside the package were four crystal bottles of about 50, each filled with an amber liquid. Theres a note Heres some maple syrup, a specialty of this region. I hope you like it I knew it, thought Jin. He was quite familiar with that thick amber liquid. Even so, the fact that they had been able to prepare such arge amount of maple syrup at this time of the year deeply impressed Jin. Normally, sugar maple sap, which is the raw material for maple syrup, would be collected from winter to spring. Autumn is the season that yields the least amount of sap. Ohoho, it seems to be a very sweet syrup made with our local sap, huh? The Earl continued to read through the note. Oh, Ive had the chance to try their early versions of this syrup, and it was really sweet and delicious. Wow, to be sent two liters of that Yeah, its really sweet and tasty. Jin and Elsa shared their experience with this particr kind of maple syrup. Oh, this is great, Beana. Lets prepare something with thister. Yes dear. Beanas reply was joined by another intense reddening of her cheeks. Her purity and naivet were truly endearing. Seeing the two of them like that, the guests once again gave another round of apuse. Phew Jin left the hall to sober himself up. Father, are you okay? Yes, Im fine Its just that now its easier for me to get drunk As a side effect of his treatment topletely activate his cells, Jin had lost the resistance to alcohol he used to have when he first arrived in this world. That being said, sobering up was also fairly quick for him, but bing weaker to the influence of alcohol was still a disadvantage Before, no matter how much he drank, he would never get more than a little tipsy. Jin had thought that he had gained some kind of resistance to alcohol upon being summoned to this world, but the truth was that this resistance was due to the cells of his reconstructed body being inactive so far. This caused his bodys natural reactions to not ur as expected. Are you okay, Brother Jin? Elsa sounded quite worried as well. Yes, Im fine. But I gotta do something about this He tried to think about a solution, but his intoxicated head wasnt able toe up with any ideas. Let me try something. Entgiften. Oh? Elsa cast a detoxification spell on Jin, and the effect was immediate. I sobered up in the blink of an eye Well, after all, the drunken state is a sort of intoxication Jins sobered mind now allowed for normal logic. He remembered the healer Sally Mileshan using the Detox spell in the past to obtain the same effect on patients. Certainly, alcohol in the blood is the same as any other foreign substance. Therefore, Elsas Entgiften was also effective. So maybe I could try making an essory that can cast a detoxification spell, huh If such a device were to exist, it would be possible for the wearer to choose whether or not to get drunk at will, regardless of how much they drank. Thats so you, Brother Jin. As Jin was immersed in this new idea of his, he ended up beingughed at by Elsa. Ah, youre right. Todays the wedding of Earl Kuzuma and Beana. I can think about thister. As he scratched the back of his head apologetically, Jin tapped on Elsas shoulder. Should we head back? Yeah. Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar returned to the main hall. This time Jin decided to stay quietly by the wall so that he wouldnt stand out too much. Earl Kuzuma and Beana continued to walk around the main hall together, greeting one guest after another. It looks quite rough, dont you think? Yeah. But Beana looks so happy As Elsa said that, she took half a step closer to Jin, standing at a distance where their shoulders would barely touch each other, and then leaned against the wall. Reiko stood by Jins other side, snuggling up to him, and Jin ced a hand on Reikos shoulder. Elsa nced sideways at this, and after making up her mind, she took Jins arm before picking up a cocktail ss from the tray of one of the maids that was passing by. Chapter 591

Chapter 591

Magi Craft Meister 591 18 Further Progress Arc 18-11 Gossip 32: Malloum and Beana My name is Malloum. I am a maid who serves Earl Kuzuma. This year marks the 24th year since I started working as an apprentice maid for the father of the current Earl, Master Lewis, back when the former was in good health. I first arrived at this residence shortly after Master Lewis was born. Both the former Earl Kuzuma and his wife were really good people, and although this job was really difficult for me until I really learned how to do my job well, I faced almost no hardships during my time here. I came from a family of merchants, but my fathers business failed and the family split up. As a result, I had to take care of my young sister, so I started looking for work, and thats how I ended up working here as an apprentice maid under the former Earl. I started working here back when I was 14. I suppose that makes my age evident now, doesnt it? Thats right, I will be turning 38 years old this year. But I digress. After nearly three years of apprenticeship, I managed to be a formal maid from an apprenticeship. The head maid at the time was named Aluna, and she was a gentle but strict superior. Everything I know as a maid, I learned from Aluna. In the winter of that same year, the former Masters wife sumbed to illness. Little Lewis was only 3 years old at the time. It was then decided that young Master Lewis would be put under my care. The reason for that decision was quite simple. Among the maids, I was the one who was the closest in age to the former Masters deceased wife. She had been only 19 years old, and I was 17 at the time. The other maids, though also young, have already crossed their mid-twenties. For a while, young Master Lewis could not understand that his mother had passed away Cwhich was only natural as he was only 3 years oldC and he would cry every night. As a result, a maid would be chosen to sleep with him at night, and I was the chosen one. After I started sleeping with him, the young Master stopped crying at night. However, being appointed to this role would result in me bing too old to get married. The ideal age for marriage for women is between 15 and 25 years old. But I had dedicated that period of my life to the young Master. But I have no regrets. It would be unscrupulous of me to think of such a thing, but Ive always thought of young Master Lewis as my own son. For seven years until he turned 10, I served the young Master not only as her personal maid, but as her nanny as well. The former Master, that is, the young Masters father, never chose another wife. I believe he couldnt bring himself to remarrying and leaving her memory behind Even from my own point of view, the young Masterste mother had truly been a wonderful person. A littleter after young Master Lewis 10th birthday, a dispute broke out on the border with the neighboring Celuroa Kingdom. That dispute would soon bring misfortune to this house. The former Earl was forced to join a troop as theirmander and was sent to the battlefield, where he wouldter lose his life. When the news of his fall came in, the young Master Lewis epted the fact without shedding tears. In the world of the nobles, 10 years of age is old enough to inherit the family estate. At that moment, my young Master disappeared and became the Master of the Kuzuma family. After bing the new family head, as well as the new Earl Kuzuma, Master Lewis found himself at his desk every single day. He wanted to learn as much as he could from the familys steward so that he could be a fine family head, worthy enough to seed the previous Earl, as soon as possible. But I knew the truth. I knew that at night, when everyone was asleep, Master Lewis would lock himself inside his room, all alone, to cry in silence. Time passed in the blink of an eye, and Master Lewis grew up splendidly to the point where he started to take part in national affairs. And before I knew it, I was entrusted with the role of leading the servitude of this house as the head maid. Aluna had retired after she turned 50 years old. And my little sister, who had once been young, had also grown up in the blink of an eye, and ended up getting happily married to a merchant. Then one day The young Master no, Master Lewis, brought a young woman into the residence. Her name was Beana, and was a Magi Craftswoman. I remember wondering how, despite being so young, she managed to have such a solid way of thinking. She had a fervent desire to make things that could make peoples lives easier. I thought it was quite remarkable of her. She also had a younger brother and sister, and they started working here in the mansion as apprentice butler and maid respectively Cthough their work at first was only superficial at most. Then, one day, while I was having a friendly conversation with Master Lewis He mentioned the possibility of taking this young woman, Beana, as his wife And this made me feel a bit uneasy. What exactly was Master Lewis happiness? I wondered. Having be the only maid who had known the former Master and histe wife, I felt it was my duty to think about the happiness of my young Master. One day, there was an event in the capital called Golem Party. Being an Earl, Master Lewis was invited to participate, and so he decided to prepare a Golem for it.. As a result, he hired a young Magi Craftsman named Jin Nidou to build the Golem for the event. I dont know the first thing about Golems, but the one made by this Jin Nidou person looked really well made. My onlyint was that it looked just like Beana. However, since it seemed this had been so at Master Lewis request, it wasnt something I had any ce interfering with. Still, there was one thing that made me really happy. A second Golem wasmissioned from Jin Nidou to be presented to the Royal Family. This Golem was modeled after me. Andter I would learn that this Golem, which had been named Lotte had protected the king and the prince with her own body. Having been selected as a model for a Golem to look just like me made me feel really proud, to be honest. And not only that, I was rejoiced that thanks to this Golem, which looked just like me, the Royal Family started to bear Master Lewis in mind in a more auspicious way. Miss Beana then became Masters fiance. Being born amoner, Beana was unable to be the Masters legal wife, and the most she could aspire to be was his concubine. For that reason, it had been arranged that Earl Bernard Hamus Lonsdale, a friend of the former Earl Kuzuma, would be her adoptive father.. However, Miss Beanas behavior wasnt that of a nobledy. As the wife of this houses Master Ca man in charge of national affairsC, she had to behave in a way that befitted her A wifes behavior can cause her husband to be taken lightly and looked down on. Unfortunately, thats how aristocratic society works. For my Masters sake, as well as for the sake of their happiness, I decided I would be very strict with her. Thats wrong, you shouldnt pick up the hem of your skirt that much. Okay. The answer is not okay, its yes! Yes. And so I started training Miss Beana.. At the very least, making this woman worthy of the title of countess would make for a fine final duty for me as a maid. Thats wrong! When you drink tea, you must hold the saucer with your left hand. Yes. Oh dear, you have to pick your cup with your fingertips, not hold it like that! Yes. Her dissatisfaction with me was clearly visible on her face, but still I continued to train her like this. You need to be more gentle when youre cleaning! Youre whipping up a lot of dust like that! Apparently, Miss Beana has a bit of an impatient nature, so her cleaning would be rather sloppy. Being a noblemans wife doesnt excuse you from having to know how to clean well. If you fail at house chores, itll hurt your husbands reputation. We would practice hard from 6 AM to 8 PM. It was a lot of work for me as well, but I had to do it for Masters sake. You may find yourself sharing a bathing area with other noblewomen in the future. You must remember to cover your front side with a towel, and whenever you pour hot water on your body, you ought to pay attention to my surroundings, so you dont ssh hot water on other people. Yes I had feared that Miss Beana would break under the immense amount of pressure I was putting on her and start yelling at any moment, but to my surprise, she followed my grueling training without uttering as much as a whisper. Listen, in the bedroom, you must not go to bed before your husband. You are to wait until your husband has gone to bed, and only then can you ask for permission toy down. Still, I could see that she was constantly on the verge of exploding. Nevertheless, I continued to train her with the same intensity. And Miss Beana endured two months of harsh training without letting her emotions explode. Her resolve was fueled by the letters that Master Cwho had to go on a long business trip to the Royal CapitalC sent her every day. After all, I had no choice but to admit that her strength came from her love of Master Kuzuma. So I could only root for her sess. I didnt mind if she would end up hating me for my harsh way of training her Then, at the end of August, two monthster than expected, Master finally returned home. His dy had been caused by the need to clean up the aftermath of a Golem rampage that happened in the Royal Capital while he was working there. Im home, Beana. Lewis! Beenas face, which had been finally released from the loneliness of not being able to see each other for five months, was shining like never before. Did you miss me? I missed you terribly. And Masters face as he firmly took Miss Beana was something I had never seen before It was the face of a loving husband. It was at that moment that I realized that my young Master was no longer in this world. That being said, I wasnt sad. No, to be honest, I was a little sad about it. After all, I have no husband, and no children of my own. It may be a bit arrogant of me, but to me, the young Master was like my own son. And no parent would be sad to see their son grow up to be a full-fledged adult who had found himself a fine wife. With that realization, I finally felt the peace of mind to be able to honestly happy for the two of them. Those two are getting married today. I heard that the feudal lord, Duke Blue, would act as Masters witness. A maid like me has no business attending a wedding being held in Duke Blues residence. But praying for your happiness from here is good enough for me. Theres nothing more I can do. I slowly begin to pack my things. I dont want to get in the way of the young newlyweds. Besides, Miss Beana, who is officially bing a countess today, will probably not want me around anymore. I dont think shellin to my face, but I cant me her for not wanting to have a maid she doesnt like, or even hate, at her side. So it would be better to just leave quietly for the sake of the house. Just like how the 14-year-old me was hired as an apprentice maid that day, it would be nice to hire a new person. But still, with the maids currently employed by this household, there shouldnt be any significant dys in the housework for the time being. I feel a bit sad to be leaving the residence where I worked for 24 long years, but I should see this as a new beginning for me But I cant. I can barely hold my tears. Today, Master and Miss Beana are starting a new life together. To be crying on this day would be a bad omen. I throw out my chest and take a step forward Ah. Malloum? When I was about to leave through the front door, I ran into Master and his new wife. And here I was thinking that they wouldnt be back for another few hours As I dwelled on that, the confused Master asked me a question. What Whats the meaning of this? No matter how he looked at it, my clothes and the heavy luggage I was dragging behind me made me look like a person that was just about to leave for good. Malloum, whats the matter? Why are you leaving? I had no choice but to answer with the truth. Young Ma No, Master. From today onwards, you and your wife will be writing a new story for your family. Theres no need for old people like me anymore. So I However, Master didnt let me finish, and took the luggage from my hands. You say you no longer have a ce here? Nonsense! Youre like a mother to me. What kind of son would drive his mother out just because he got married?! Hearing Masters words made me feel immensely happy. But what would his wife say? Thats right, Malloum. I understand that youre unhappy about calling amoner like me your mistress, but for Lewis sake, please stay here. Besides, Ive still got a lot to learn about being a nobledy, so Id like for you to continue to help me with any areas I still need to improve on I definitely wasnt expecting that. Today, at the ceremony, I realized that this was the reason why youve been so strict with me all this time, Malloum. Thank you. I wouldve definitely made a mess of myself if not for your teachings. The youngdy turned out to be much kinder than I expected. No wonder Master chose her to be her wife. Are you sure? Please, I want you to stay with us. The young wife took my hand and lowered her head. His hand was so warm that I could no longer hold my tears And so, I remained in charge of the young maids as the head maid of Earl Kuzumas estate. Right now, the thing I look forward to the most is to one day be able to hold Masters own child in my arms. May this happinessst forever. Chapter 592

Chapter 592

Magi Craft Meister 592 18 Further Progress Arc 18-12 High Altitude Flight The wedding ceremony and reception of Earl Kuzuma and wife was a great sess. It would be a pity to keep the newlyweds here with us all day. And so, at Duke Blues discretion, the reception officially ended at 4 PM. Apparently, receptions would normallyst until midnight. Jin was grateful that today would be an exception, as he felt he wouldnt be able to keep up for so long. We have to make sure we dont get in the way of those two. Yeah. Jin and Elsa agreed, and decided theyd wait a few more minutes before returning to the venue. Whats going on? Five minutester, when they returned to the Earls residence, Lewis and Beana were both hugging Malloum, the head maid, by the front door. Ive heard that Malloum was the one in charge of raising Lord Lewis I see, so she came out to congratte them personally. But whats with the luggage? I dont know. Realizing that they should probably not interfere, Jin and Elsa went around the side gate and quietly entered the Earls residence. Well, tomorrow morning, we will finally depart for the Shouro Empire. Jin stated this in front of Barrow and Belle. Thank you, Master Jin. It looks like youve gotten along with those two, but Im sorry. We cant remain here much longer. No, its okay, Master Jin. We understand you dont want to disturb the newlyweds. Despite her words, Belle still seemed to be a bit sad about having to leave so soon. Jin continued. Well, as you probably gathered fromst time, were a single day away from here if we use our blimp. Right! Sensing the nuance of the possibility of a future visit implied in Jins words, Barrow and Belle nodded cheerfully. The next morning, Jin decided to depart after having breakfast with the Earl and wife. I wish you could join us for a while longer, Said Earl Kuzuma, to which Jin replied: Ill definitelye back after youvepletely settled in. You know I can do that, dont you? Indirectly alluding to his Warp Gates. Yeah, thats right. Then, have a safe trip, Jin, Miss Elsa. Jin, pleasee again sometime. Keep doing your best, Elsa. See you soon then. See you soon. While Jin and Elsa were somewhat reluctant to part with Lewis and Beana, Barrow and Belle exchanged words of farewell with Nana and Raldo as well. Nana, Raldo, take care of yourselves. Stay safe, Belle, Barrow. After both masters and retainers said their goodbyes to one another, Jin and his party went through the main gate of the Earls residence, where the Quinta Regulus 5 (AKA Beat) was waiting for them with four Golem horses. M-Master Jin, how did you get these horses? Golem horses were alsomonly used in Kaina Vige, so both Barrow and Belle were used to riding them. Still, they were surprised to see them in a ce like this. Even though both Barrow and Belle knew that Golem horses werent something that could be found just about anywhere, they soon epted their presence in the faraway Blund despite knowing it made very little sense to them. The secret behind these Golem horses presence here was that a Warp Gate had been temporarily set up in the outskirts of Blund to have them brought over. The party headed for the suburbs. The four Golem horses were ridden by Jin and Reiko, Elsa and Edgar, Barrow and Belle, and Beat with the luggage respectively. The blimp airship had already made its way to the clearing. Regulus 4 (AKA Mark)s handling had been impable. Jin praised both him and Beat for their hard work. Well, shall we go? The blimp started to slowly gain altitude after the party had boarded it. The only ones remaining on the ground below were the Quintas Mark and Beat. Lets go. The distance between Blund and Reinhardts territory CKartze Vige, in the Shouro EmpireC was a little less than 900 kilometers. If they had to make a stop to spend the night somewhere along the way, it would have to be in the Celuroa Kingdom, which they had to go through in order to reach Kartze Vige. But Jin wanted to avoid that for many reasons. Thats why Jin had made ns to be able to fly to the Shouro Empire in a single day. Even though they could be seen to be a bit underhanded there was no choice but to press on. Lets go up even higher in the sky. The Celuroa Kingdom had not given Jin permission to enter or leave their country, let alone their airspace. For that reason, in order to avoid troubles, he had nned to fly way high up in the sky to avoid being detected. Furthermore, Jin had nned to make the most use out of the Wind Barrier to reduce air resistance and increase the blimps speed. Flying at a super high altitude would be convenient for this reason as well. Whoa The view from an altitude of 10,000 meters was truly spectacr. Humans would normally be unable to survive in such an environment, but since the air pressure and temperature were maintained by the Wind Barrier, the crew was unaffected by the altitude. And because of that, they were able to see an extraordinaryndscape of this world. A sea of ??clouds as far as the eye could see. A clear blue sky spreaded above their heads. Here above the clouds, its sunny all year round. Jin was fascinated by the sight. This is so beautiful. Elsa was also mesmerized as she gazed upon this mystical sight. Even at such high altitudes, the blimps Magi Detector was fully operational, so they never lost sight of their destination. The blimp was flying at a speed of nearly 150 kilometers per hour. Had they continued to fly in that state, they would have arrived at the Shouro Empire in about five hours. Therefore, Jin decided to reduce both their altitude and speed. The sky in the Shouro Empire was clear, so the blimp descended without having to go through ayer of clouds. Um, Master Jin? Where are we? Ah, we should be close to Magiroots. Huh!? Since the Quinta Regulus 9 Cwho was in charge of watching over the neighboring town of MontC was guiding them, Jin was able to urately determine their course even from above the sea of ??clouds. Ah, ah, umm, r-really, M-Master Jin? Yeah. Can you already recognize this ce? Umm Barrow waspletely taken aback, and Belle was staring fixedly at the ground. Ah, Barrow, look! Theres the vige! And those are definitely the vige chiefs house, and the watchtower! The area was covered with dry cornfields. Corn and beans made for suitable crops for arid regions. This area looked like a corn farm. As Jins blimp approached, it started to attract the attention of some of the vigers, who started to look up at the sky and point at it, panicking. Even though some of them might have already seen a blimp before during the Technology Expo, this reaction was still natural from anyone seeing it flying in the sky for the first time. Jinnded in a meadow outside the vige. Regulus 9 rushed over. He was an automata that looked like a teenage boy, and had brown hair and eyes. He was dressed like a noblemans retainer. Wee, Chief. Good job. Please look after the blimp, Regulus 9. We wouldnt want any children ying around it. Jin caught the sight of a few curious among the vigers that had gathered to watch the blimps arrival from afar. Ah, Big Bro! One of the children spoke up loudly. No way, it really is Barrow! And Belles here too! How in the world? At that moment, themotion among the vigers became even louder. Excuse me, who are you? I am Flix Becker, tax collector in charge of the Etranto region. He was a man in his 30s with a solid build, with chestnut-colored hair and the signature blue eyes of the Shouro Empire. I am Jin Nido, the Magi Craft Meister. And Im his sister Elsa. Im a Magi Engineer. Jin and Elsa each introduced themselves. The Magi Craft Meister!? Oh! No way! Jins name seems to have been known to the tax collector who called himself Flix Becker. Thetter then performed an informal salute in the Shouro Empire that consisted of cing his right hand on his chest. This wasmonly done to respectfully salute any nobleman below the rank of Baron. Im terribly sorry for my rudeness! Is there anything you need from this vige? Jin nodded. Yeah. These two are Barrow and Belle, who are working in my estate. Ivee today to bring them home. Chapter 593

Chapter 593

Magi Craft Meister 593 18 Further Progress Arc 18-13 Homing After exining the purpose of his visit to the vige, Jin headed to the vige chiefs house with Elsa. Reiko and Edgar followed closely behind them while carrying their luggage. Barrow and Belle also joined them so that they could talk about their circumstances with the vige chief. Look at you, Barrow, you seem well! I thought you were working in the Celuroa Kingdom, but you were actually working for the Magi Craft Meister? Thats amazing! It looks like youve grown a little taller, havent you? Big bro, did you bring us anything? Barrows family tagged along while catching up with him. Yeah, Ill give it to youter. Barrows cheeks were a bit reddish. However, there didnt seem to be anyone here trying to catch up with Belle. (Come to think of it, she did say she doesnt have any living rtives anymore) Jin remembered her saying something to that effect back when he first hired her. Still, this was her hometown, and that alone was enough for her to want toe back here. This way, please. Jin was brought back from his thoughts by the vige chiefs voice. Before he knew it, they had already parted with Barrows family, and were standing in front of the vige chiefs house. Jin was led into the houses parlor, where the tax collector in charge of the Etranto region, the one called Flix Becker, stood face-to-face with him. Although there may be some exceptions, tax collectors in this world were reasonably trustworthy. Flix, who seemed to be deeply sincere, started by bowing to Jin. Please allow me to apologize once again for my rudeness from earlier. I am truly sorry. No, I understand. After all, I pretty much appeared out of nowhere. You are too kind. By the way, may I report your visit to Her Majesty? Sure, no problem. Once he was done here, Jin had nned to go to Reinhardts ce. He would have to cross Lake Tosmo for that, and he would not be able to avoid passing through the capital Loizart on the way there. Then Ill do just that. Are you nning to stay in this vige for a long time? Jin exined that he was going to visit a friend after two days at most. Flix Becker nodded, and after making sure Jin didnt need anything else, he left the vige chiefs house. Then came the vige chief. Wee, Mr. Jin. My name is Robard, and I am the chief of this Magiroots Vige. Robard greeted Jin and the others, and weed them once again. Please use our house during your stay. After saying that, he led the party to a separate building for guests that was right next to his own. There were three such buildings right outside the vige chiefs house, so that visitors could use them during their stay. Frix was currently staying in one of them as well. Jin brought in his baggage, turned to Barrow and Belle Well, thatll be all for today, so youre free to spend the rest of the day however you please. And gave them the rest of the day off. Thank you! Barrow was about to run off happily, but stopped as soon as he noticed Belle. What will you do, Belle? Ill go take a look at my old house. Then she left the building and started walking towards the outskirts of the vige. Jin turned to Barrow, who was now standing still. I remember Belle said she no longer had a family, but she still has a house to return to? Yes. It should be on the outskirts of the vige. Her parents and sister died two years ago from an epidemic. Oh, I see Up until now, Jin had avoided asking Belle anything about her past, thinking that it would be better not to pry into it. However, now that he knew that much, he couldnt just pretend to be oblivious to her situation. Ah, um, Master Jin W-Would Would it be alright if I introduced you to my family? Noticing Jin seemed to be deep in thought, Barrow timidly asked him this question, which Jin replied to with a smile and a nod. And so, Jin and Reiko went with Barrow to his parents house. Elsa said shed go back to the guesthouse to finish unpacking. Im home. It was a small house on the outskirts of the vige. Barrows parents and siblings gathered to wee him. Big bro! Wee home, Barrow! A mother, a father, one brother, and one sister. They seemed to be a very lively family. Since the family had quite a few members, the house had a spacious dining room, where Jin would be face to face with all of them once again. So this is the person thats been taking care of you? Thats right. Master Jin Nidou. Hes an honorary knight and the Magi Craft Meister. A knight!? S-Son, do you think its okay to behave so casually around such a person? His parents were surprised to learn that Jin was a nobleman. Or rather, instead of being surprised that Jin was the Magi Craft Meister, they were taken aback by the fact that he was an honorary knight. It seemed that, for the general public, the title of honorary knight was more relevant than that of Magi Craft Meister. Dont worry about that. After all, its just an honorary title. Jin also addressed Barrows parents in a casual tone. Im Barrows father. My name is Conti. And Im his mother Maitz. Thanks for taking care of our son. Dont mention it. Hes been a great help. Even though Jins title was an honorary one, for Burrows parents, he was still a member of the nobility, so both of them still leaned towards a formal tone when addressing Jin. Big bro, you said you brought something for us. Barrows little brother didnt seem to be even 10 years old yet. He clung to his big brother and started begging him for the gifts that had been promised to him. I know, I know. Here. After lowering the luggage bag he was carrying on his back to the floor, he took out a few small packages. This ones for you, Kono. Come here, La, Ive got one for you too. La was Barrows little sister. She seemed to be very shy about Jins visit, and was hiding behind her mother. Wow, thank you, big bro! Kono opened the souvenir he received on the spot. Whoa! Konos package had a pair of childrens gloves and shoes. They were from Erics store, and were made of durable Wood Bear leather. This area had no Wood Bears, so its leather was quite a rare sight here. Come on, La,e here. After calling her name several times, La finally came out from behind her mother and received her gift. It was a scarf made of hare fur. It was pure white and very fluffy. T-Thank you big bro After gathering enough courage to say that, La then quickly returned to the safety of her mothers shadow while wearing her new scarf. Oh, look at that, what nice gifts your brother has brought you! Seeing her daughter with her new scarf around her neck brought a smile to Maitzs face. And this is for both of you, mother, father. I hope it helps with the family finances. The leather bag that Barrow put on the table made a metallic sound. Surprised, Conti opened the bag and found 20 silver coins and 1 gold coin inside. Back when he was an apprentice butler, Jin would pay him a monthly wage of 10 silver coins, but after he was officially hired as a full-fledged butlerst August, he started earning a monthly sry of 1 gold coin, which was worth 10,000 tor. And since Jin was also providing him with all his life necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter in addition to his monthly wage, this made it all an exceptionally high sry for a 15-year-old like Barrow. Y-You Whoa Since he knew Barrow had a powerful employer in Jin, he had assumed that his son would have a rather fair sry, but he still couldnt avoid his surprise when he saw the contents of the bag. Im sorry I was away for so long. Please take it. Then, scratching his head apologetically, Barrow started bringing his family up to speed on what he had been doing so far. He briefly talked about how he started working in the Celuroa Kingdom, about the purge of the nobles, about how turned adrift in the streets as a result, and about how Jin found him and hired him as an apprentice butler. Youve had it quite rough, havent you, son? But Im d you were able to find such a kind-hearted master Sir Jin, thank you so much for taking care of our son Conti and Maitz bowed their heads at the same time. Jin met their reverence with a slight bow of his own. The pleasure is mine. Barrow, thank you for all your help so far. I hope I can keep counting on you in the future Yes, Master Jin! Both of Barrows parents stared at their son and Jin, and smiled at each other. Chapter 594

Chapter 594

Magi Craft Meister 594 18 Further Progress Arc 18-14 Belles House Soon enough everyone regained theirposure after such an emotive reunion. It was already a little past noon. At this moment, Jin figured it would be a good idea to go back to the vige chiefs estate for lunch. Barrows parents did ask him to join them for lunch instead, but he refused their invitation since he didnt want to keep Elsa waiting for him. Well then, Barrow, Ill leave you so you can enjoy some quality time with your family. After saying that, Jin returned to the vige chiefs house. Ah, Brother Jin, wee back. Elsa greeted Jin as he arrived at the vige chiefs guest house. And just in time, too. The maid just came in a few moments ago. It seems that lunch is ready. Great! Lets go then. Edgar would stay on house-sitting duty, and Jin, Elsa, and Reiko headed for the main building on the vige chiefs residence. The tax collector, Flix Becker, was also sitting at the lunch table. Ah, Mr. Jin, Miss Elsa Im sorry that this is all we can prepare for you today. Lunch consisted of boiled corn, bean soup, and sd. This area is so dry that we can only grow corn and beans. Flix added his exnation to the vige chiefs apology. Flix exins. A few days ago, we managed to have a deep well and a pump installed with the help of the Magi Engineers Guild, but things are still not going so well. Huh? Jin remembered that, back when he came to the Shouro Empire with Reihnardt, the main road was referred to as the Dry Road by the locals. Because of the low rainfall in this region, we needed to dig pretty deep in order to build our water wells. And since getting water from such depths with well buckets would take a considerable amount of time, we had these devices called deep well pumps installed. Jin recalled that he had sold the rights to the deep well pump to the head of the Hatata Magi Engineer Guild, who, if he remembered correctly, was called Coates Rhodoit. Should I take a look at them? The pump that Coates Rhodoit had made back then was not bad at all, but Jin wondered if that would be the case for this viges pumps. After all, they were probably mass-produced, so some of them could be faulty. With that in mind, Jin offered to help. That would be great! Thank you! The vige chief unhesitantly bowed to Jin. Even if he still didnt know what he could make, he seemed to be aware of what to expect of someone worthy of the title of Magi Craft Meister. After that, Jin quickly finished his lunch, and went with the vige chief to take a look at the pumps. Naturally, Elsa joined them, and since Flixs interest had been piqued as well, he also went along. Heres the first one. There are two more pumps, but they all seem to be out of order Though the pump in question managed to pump out water when operated, the outflow had be quite thinpared to when the device was first installed. ording to the vige chief, it was taking them up to three times more effort to get enough water out of them. The poption of this vige was around 200 people. It was easy for Jin to imagine that the wells could be used up if these three pumps were to be used every day. Jin operated the pump, confirming that the amount of water that wasing out of it was very small despite the high amount of effort he was putting into the pump. Okay, lets see Reiko, sorry to ask you, but could you pull it out? Yes. Both the vige chief and Flix almost dropped their jaws as they saw the little Reiko pull the entire pump, which was more than 10 meters tall, out of the well with absolutely no visible effort. Thanks. Ah, I knew it All of the sliding parts are worn out. Since it was a high pressure pump, it was of the utmost importance that all of its parts were watertight. Jin attributed the pumps malfunction to an imprecise manufacturing process, and concluded that the pumps durability was remarkably poor due to an insufficient application of Hardening on its surface. Do you see this as well, Elsa? Yeah, I understand its structure and principle. Elsa also knew a lot about ordinary pumps, and she seemed to be able to grasp how these deep well pumps were made right away. So they quickly started working to fix them. Forming. Hardening. First, they would work to reduce the pumps gaps and crevices to a minimum and harden the surface of all of its parts to prevent wear. Then Treatment. Toughen. They mirror-finished the pumps surface to reduce friction among its parts, and further enhanced its resistance to wear and tear to surface is mirror-finished to reduce friction, and by processing it to prevent wear and tear, which would extend the pumps life. This should be good enough. You can put it back down, Reiko. The vige chief and Flix were even more surprised to see that the three of them had finished the pumps maintenance in less than five minutes. Jin also used Hardening and Toughen on the pumps levers bearing, which would aid in reducing friction a little. Well, lets give it a try, shall we? Operating the lever felt much lighter than before, and the water flow had improved as well. This one should be good to go. Please take us to the other two pumps. S-Surely! Ah, thisll make things much easier for us. Thank you very much! The vige chief finally came to his senses after Jin called out to him, and bowed to Jin many times out of deep gratitude. Then, they went to check on the other two pumps. Both of them had the same issues as the first one, so they were quickly fixed as well. Even though they had to walk to different parts of the vige to fix each of the three deep well pumps, the repairs werepleted in less than an hour in total. Sir Jin Nido, you really did a wonderful job. As expected from the Magi Craft Meister! Flix, who had remained silent as they went to each of the three damaged pumps, suddenly became very talkative the moment the vige chief left them after they all returned to the residence. Well, I heard rumors about your feats at the Technology Expo so I already imagined your work would be impressive, but now that Ive seen it in person, I see that youre far more amazing than I imagined! A-Ah When I was young, I wanted to be a Magi Engineer, but I was told I had no talent for it. I failed to do even the basic stuff, so I ended up giving up on that dream, but old dreams are hard to forget, and so Ive made a hobby out of watching the work of other Magi Engineers. But the way you work is far superior than anything Ive ever seen from other Magi Engineers, Sir After that, Flixs monologue continued for what felt like an eternity, and when it eventually seemed like it was finally over, he started asking questions about Magi Engineering. Soon enough, Elsa quietly left the room, but it wasnt so easy for Jin to do that. Before they knew it, it was already tea time, that is, 3:00 PM. Flix had been rambling on for over an hour. Brother Jin, teas ready. Unable to continue to turn a blind eye to Jins situation, Elsa finally called out to him. Jin saw that this was his chance at freedom, and was finally able to excuse himself from the room. Flix, on the other hand, looked like he still had more things he wanted to say, but it looked like all that talking had dried his throat, so he himself went to his own room for some tea. Thanks for the save Elsa gave Jin a sympathetic look as he threw himself at the chair by the tea table, lookingpletely worn out. You held on pretty well back there. But I guess thats the price of fame. Yeah, but still Elsa had brewed some tea from Perhya leaves, which they had brought from Kaina Vige. Its light vor made it Jins favorite. How about we go see how Belle is doing after this? Sure. Having heard that Belles house was on the northern outskirts of the vige, Jin, Elsa, and Reiko started by heading in that direction. Once again, Edgar stayed at the residence, just in case he needed to take a message. Other than having to ask a viger on the way to make sure they were going the right way, they were able to find Belles house without any problems. More than the outskirts of a vige, the area itself looked like an abandoned part of the vige. The house was a rather small building that actually looked more like a hut. Since it hadnt been inhabited for quite some time, the roof and walls were showing signs of wear. From a distance, they could see someone inside the house. It was, without a shadow of a doubt, Belle. She seemed to be sitting on a broken chair and staring nkly outside. Her signature cheerful expression waspletely gone from her face, so Jin decided to call out to her. Belle. Belle nearly jumped on the spot as Jins voice instantly pulled her back to this world. Ah Master Jin, Lady Elsa Belle stared at the two of them,pletely surprised. W-Why are you here? Well, I was a bit worried about you, so I thought Ide and see how you were doing. Jin answered her question withplete honesty. Y-You came here to see me? Jins answer made Belle even more surprised Its only natural, isnt it? After all, youre one of my most important workers. Thank you very much. Belle met Jins words with a slight bow of her head. As you already know, this is my familys house. Back when I was younger, I lived here with my parents and my younger sister, but I lost them all at once due to illness. Belle seemed to be the only one in her family to be spared from such fate. From what Jin had gathered, this illness seemed to have been some sort of epidemic, simr to influenza. This epidemic seemed to have hit several other families, and many people were lost to it, but it appeared that Belles family was the one that suffered the most. The people of this world had no concept of things like prevention or disinfection, so a single mistake in their habits could easily lead to these kinds of illnesses, and the people would have little tools to defend themselves against them. (Not only this vige, but Kaina Vige and Toka Vige, which is also rtively close we need to be careful about this) Since thesends were originally dry, an illness like influenza would have an environment where it could easily thrive and wreak havoc. Jin wondered if he should do something about it in the near future. Chapter 595

Chapter 595

Magi Craft Meister 595 18 Further Progress Arc 18-15 A Good Harvest The short autumn days had already receded, and the wind was getting colder. Belle, what are you doing today? Jin wanted to know if Belle was nning to stay at this house. As far as he could see, it had no proper bed or any piece of furniture suitable for sleeping. Incidentally, the moment this thought led Jin to wonder what she was going to do for things like lunch and so on, he suddenly heard a cute little roaring from her belly. Ow Belle blushed after her hunger was made evident. Listen, Belle, Elsa and I are staying at the vige chiefs guest house tonight. Would you like to join us? Eh? But Belle hesitated at Jins invitation. Dont worry. If youe with us as a maid, no one will have anything to say about you joining us. With that said, Belle could no longer refuse, so she gratefully epted Jins offer. But at that very moment, someone else arrived on the scene. Oh, Master Jin, Lady Elsa What are you doing here? The same question goes to you, Barrow. I came to ask Belle toe to my ce for dinner. Barrow seemed to have been worried about Belle, and so came here with the same n Jin had. Come on, lets go. Everyones waiting for us. Ah, but Whats with that attitude? Come on. You know my family, they dont bite! Yeah Belle nced at Jin and Elsa while being pulled by the sleeve by Barrow. Well, thats great, Belle. So that means youll be spending the night at Barrows ce, right? Barrow, make sure to take good care of her, okay? Yes, of course! Barrow took the lead and Belle followed, which was the exact opposite of how those two were during their time as butler and maid at Nidou Castle. Jin and Elsa smiled as they watched them walk away. Poor Belle, she looked so sad Elsa muttered those words as if they had escaped her mouth, but then continued. She was like the exact opposite of her usual self. Oh, she must be feeling inferior to all of us. Inferior? Jin exined his theory to the confused Elsa. Viges behave like closed mini-societies, in a sense. Being alone in the remains of her home, without a family waiting for her return She must be feeling quite meager. Jin remembered how, back when he was in the orphanage, it would take a while for some of the new children to get used to their new surroundings. Being alone is painful. Elsa was reminded of the time when she abandoned her home and was subsequently taken prisoner by the Unifiers. As the air was starting to get chilly, Jin and Elsa decided it was time to go back to the guest house. Reiko walked silently behind them. When Jin returned to the vige chiefs guest house, he was met with the harsh reality. Since this vige had a shortage of water supply, there were no such things as bathhouses, and instead of a bathtub, the guest house had showers. Taking a hot bath was something regarded as a luxury that no one could afford. Well, if ites to that Back when they were repairing the pumps, Jin noticed that the wells were about 20 meters deep. Ground Search. Jin decided to take a look at how things were below the ground just in case. He first foundyers of soil and sand, followed byyers of gravel, and then bedrock. Below that there was yet anotheryer of gravel, and then bedrock yet again. Theyer of gravel that was sandwiched between the twoyers of bedrock was the permeableyer, that is, theyer through which groundwater would normally flow. This was also known as a perched aquifer. Since the water inside such formations flows at atmosphere pressure, it wont rise up to the surface unless it is pumped by an external force. If the people of this vige were to dig a bit deeper, they might hit a pressuredyer which would cause water to spring up, but such wells were rather difficult to maintain. Hmm, what should I do If too much groundwater were to be pumped up, it could cause some harmful effects, such as ground subsidence. But judging from what he could observe during his probing, Jin felt that there was an abundant supply of water, and since the vige had a rtively small poption, they would only need to have ess to a small amount of that water. While thinking about such things, Jin continued his underground probing, and soon came across something that piqued his interest. Native copper? Copper ores are rich in sulfides, but formations of native copper, which resembles gold dust, can also ur naturally on rare asions. Such deposits were once discovered in the area of Japan that is now known as Chichibu city, and they were used to produce wado-kaichin, which is among the oldest examples of coinage in Japanese history. There are also records ofrge deposits of native copper having been found in America, specifically in Michigan and Arizona. Its a little too deep, but we can make an industry out of this. Jin immediately went to see the vige chief. Flix Becker, the tax collector, was also there. Jin quickly informed them of the deposits of native copper he had discovered lying deep underground. What? Native copper under the ground of this vige? The vige chief was delighted to hear that. Who would have thought that this impoverished vige, where only corn and beans would grow, would actually have abundant deposits of native copper sleeping deep below the ground? If we can dig it up, it will be very good for this vige, and by extension, for this country! Flix was ??also feeling very enthusiastic. Its quite deep underground, though. So youll need to be very careful when digging your tunnels. Jins warning goes without saying. Yes, it would require a solid construction made by professionals. The copper mines could also bring about a great opportunity for development for this vige, but that would be a matter for the future. Anyway, heres the main question. ? Both the vige chief and Flix seemed confused. What else was there to say about the native copper deposits? Would it be possible to mine enough copper to mass-produce pumps? Huh? Although there are abundant water veins underground, Jin knew that the vige was suffering from chronic water shortages due to ack of wells. What Jin wanted to do was to dig a few more deep wells, and to use whatever copper they would mine on the process along with some tin to make bronze, which he would then use to build more pumps. This is also due to Jins personal desire to enjoy a hot bath. In the past, the Japanese have built baths by creating artificial rivers which would carry the water from natural hot springs to effectively take the hot springs with them. And being a Japanese himself, Jin was one hundred percent sympathetic with the idea. Since it was already gettingte that day, they would start digging on the following morning. With Elsa and Reiko as his assistants, Jin started looking for suitable sites for the new wells.The three of them explored various parts of the vige, and after finding a spot that looked good enough in the eastern part of the vige, they went to the vige chief for permission. The area you mention is basically a wastnd, and it will take time for us to turn it into a harvestable field. So I dont mind if you want to do some prospecting over there. With the vige chiefs blessing, Jin decided this was a good opportunity for him to train Elsa, so he had her use the Ground Search spell to do a little probing of her own. Theres another bedrock under the first bedrock you can find. We need to investigate that loweryer of bedrock. Sure. Elsa nodded, and used the Ground Search spell. I found it. There is underground water deep below the ground. So you can see it too. Well dig a hole for it, but we also need to dig out the native copper above it. Got it. With this, Jin proceeded to the next step in Elsas training, which consisted of actually digging the well. They were able to obtain some native copper, and as they continued to dig, they also found some cassiterite Cwhich is one of the most important sources of tin oreC in anotheryer. With it, they would be able to make bronze. Elsa, too, had increased her possessed magical powers since she was cured of her condition. Jin believed that this was probably because her ability to manipte Ether had increased. Whoa, as Id expected, the Magi Craft Meisters young sister is also a top-notch Magi Engineer, isnt she? It seemed that Flix, who was observing as Elsa worked, was no longer able to keep that thought to himself. Then, after about 2 hours of work, which consisted of digging a hole, drilling the well, mining the ore, refining the metal, and building the pump, the instation of the deep well had beenpleted. Since setting everything up was a considerable amount of physical work, Elsa had Reiko help her with the heavy lifting, but setting that aside, this training session had proven just how much Elsas ability had improved. Then, Jin and the others set up two more deep wells in the same area. Jin also helped out this time, so each of the wells werepleted in less than an hour. A total of three deep well pumps were installed. The vige chief was overjoyed now that the number of deep wells in the vige had doubled for a total of six. Unable to hide his deep feelings of gratitude, he bowed to Jin and Elsa many times, eager to rewarding them for their hard work in any way he could However, the only thing Jin asked of the vige chief was to be allowed to use some of the water from these wells so that he could enjoy a hot bathter that night. Of course, the vige chief wholeheartedly agreed. Ah, the water feels so nice The temperature of the pumped water was 15 degrees Celsius. After using his Heat spell to bring it to a temperature more appealing to him, Jin was all set for a nice, hot bath. He hade to enjoy hot baths even more than before, probably because of his bodily sensations being enhanced after the cells in his body werepletely activated. Jin believed that one of the reasons for that was that, when they were inactive, his synthetic cells wouldnt produce as much dirt as before, but now the need for a hot bath after a hard day of work was stronger than ever as his body would tire and get dirty in a more normal manner. Hometown, huh This feeling, paired with the fact that this was Barrow and Belles hometown, made Jin think of his own hometown, a far away ce to which he could not return. But now Now he had Kaina Vige, Hourai Ind, and, of course, his Family. Im a very lucky person. Jin murmured those words as he looked at Reiko, who was keeping watch near the bathtub he was in. Soon, the restless stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky. Chapter 596

Chapter 596

Magi Craft Meister 596 18 Further Progress Arc 18-16 A Sudden Visit It was the morning of October 13th. A message suddenly arrived at Magiroots Vige on this day. Her Majesty the Empress Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro will be visiting the vige. What? The vige chief could not hide his surprise, and the tax collector, Flix, went suddenly pale. This message was actually a reply to Flixs own report, which he had sent by carrier pigeon two days prior. He had reported to the Empire that The Magi Craft Meister, Sir Jin Nidou, has arrived in Magiroots Vige, but he hadnt thought that it would be such a big deal. He didnt know that the Empress held the Magi Craft Meister in such high regard. No way have we been found out? But the reason why both of them were so flustered about the Empress visit was that the tax collector Flix Becker and the Magiroot vige chief had actually conspired with one another to embezzle some of the tax revenue. However, it was for a small amount, one that any tax collector would do. However, fraud was still fraud, so if it was discovered, both of them would be subject to penalty. Flix had nned to score some points with the Empire by letting them know that the Magi Craft Meister had arrived as soon as possible, but he had never imagined that it would cause the Empress herself toe to the vige. Though, as they say, suspicion begets monsters, and the Empress was justing to see Jin. Jin was also slightly surprised to hear the news. Her Majesty is a bit reckless, isnt she? Was it really okay for someone as important as Her Majesty the Empress of the Shouro Empire herself to be going to such a remote vige so casually? Elsa quickly followed up on Jins remark. Her Majestys always been like that. She enjoys doing tours around the distinct regions of the country from time to time. After a brief pause, she continued her exnation. Throughout her reign, the Empress has conducted these imperial visits at least once for each region, and she has gone as far to visit some regions six times already. Hmm Jin remembered that, back in his world, His Majesty the Emperor of Japan would also make frequent visits and tours to various rural areas of the country. But still, toe all the way here Well, thats because youre here. Yeah Jin didnt dislike the Empress, and even held her in high regard, but he couldnt stop feeling bothered by the fact that their social standings were so different that he had to act all formal and ceremonious around her. Early in the afternoon of that same day, the Imperial Carriage arrived at Magiroots Vige, joined by 25 members of the Imperial Knight toon. Since one of those knights had actuallye to announce the Empress arrival one hour ago, all of the vigers that were avable that is, all of the vigers, came out to wee her. Her Majesty the Empress of the Shouro Empire! At the same time one of the knights voices echoed, the door of the carriage opened and the Empress stepped out. My, what a reception. Please, raise your heads, everyone. When Jin raised his head Cwhich he had bowed deeplyC, he saw the Empress smiling brightly at him. Magi Craft Meister, Sir Jin Nidou. The Empress walked up to Jin. Its been a long while since ourst meeting. But above all, you seem well. I apologize for having neglected to contact you for so long, Your Majesty. Jin tried his best to sound as formal as he could. But the Empress didnt seem to like his approach. Oh, no Everyone, please. Were not in the Imperial Castle. I cant expect you all to treat me like any other of your neighbors, but please try to behave as normally as possible. Everyone was surprised to hear such unconventional instructionsing from the Empress herself. Your Majesty That worn-out sounding voice belonged to Degauss Furt Von Maniss, the Minister of Magi Technology, who had a prominent aquiline nose. He seemed to have joined the Empress on her tour. Im not trying to take formality lightly, Degauss. But Im sure youll agree that cing more importance on form than necessary will lead to all of us taking much longer to say what we want to say, right? Yes, I understand He could sympathize with the Empress opinion when it came to formal ceremonies and procedures. Still, although the Minister of Magi Technology as a statesman felt that formality was there to show the dignity and magnitude of a politician, and as such there were some things that couldnt be considered unnecessary, he breathed out a sigh while keeping his thoughts to himself. Jin, on the other hand, weed the fact that he didnt have to be so formal around the Empress on this asion. Its really been quite a long while, Jin. Shortly after that, Jin was chatting with the Empress in a marquee set up on the outskirts of the vige. The Empress, her secretary, Minister Degauss, and an escort female Knight, as well as Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar were inside thisrge tent. It seems that youre doing well too, Elsa. Im d to see that. Thank you very much. I feared that youd be feeling down after the ruin of your parents house, or your fathers illness, but it seems thats not the case. I guess its because Jin is by your side. Yes. The Empress seemed a little surprised to hear Elsa respond so quickly and with such assertiveness to her remarks, which she had said half-jokingly, but she immediately smiled. Huhu, is that so? After looking at both Jin and Elsas faces, the Empress made a face that looked like that of someone that had understood everything. First of all, allow me to thank you once again for giving Fhrer to us. Every single one of our key officials are happily attending his lessons. Fhrer was the name of an Automata Jin had gifted to the Shouro Empire to facilitate the propagation of scientific knowledge, even though it was only natural science and mathematics at an elementary school level. Minister Degauss opened his mouth as if he had waited for the right timing to speak up. I actually have a question rted to these teachings. Could I bother you with it for a moment? Sure, go ahead. Thank you. So, there are so many things that dissolve in water, correct? Salt, sugar, and so on. But sand, for example, doesnt dissolve in water. Whats the difference here? Why do some things dissolve in water while others do not? His sharp question quickly popped Jins balloon of thoughts. Jin thought hard about how to exin this without delving too deeply into the concepts of atoms and molecules, which was foreign to the people of this world. Hmm, thats quite a difficult question. You do know that matteres in three states: solid, liquid, and gas, correct? Yes. Well, you see, solid matter is made of minuscule grain-like particles. Oh This was something that could not be exined with elementary school-level science, and so it wasnt included in Fhrers curriculum. For example, you can know how sand and y be harder by adding water to them? Jin exined that, in this case, a grain of sand is the smallest unit of solid matter. Both the Empress and the Minister of Magi Technology listened to Jins exnation in silence. Jin looked at them and started thinking about what kind of analogy he could use to help them understand the concepts he wanted to exin. So, the difference between a soluble solid and a solid that doesnt dissolve so well is whether or not these small particles can stick to each other easily. Both of them nodded in unison as Jin exined that sand and y differed in how easily they crumbled after being hardened like that. I have yet to find a way to exin everything rted to what makes it easy for these particles to stick to each other, though. Ick the necessary technical knowledge to be able to do that. Jin made it clear that there were things that even he didnt fully understand. Even though he was aware of concepts such as intermolecr forces, he had absolutely no confidence in being able to exin them. We study science so we can unravel mysteries such as the one youve just presented. Thats why its very important to keep asking ourselves these kinds of questions. It helps develop our scientific knowledge. Thus he concluded his exnation. I understand. Thank you. Jin was d to see that the Minister had a strong desire to learn, and was looking forward to seeing how his studies would produce in the future. Thank you, Jin-kun. So there are some things even you dont know about, arent there? Thats right. Just looking around this world makes me think about all the things I still do not understand. The Empress smiled at Jins words. Huhu, youre so humble. Once the conversation had reached a pause, the Empress secretary ced a cup in front of everyone. Jin was pleased to see that it was green tea. It seemed that the Empress had kept Jins preferences in mind. After the tea break, the conversation resumed, this time with a more businesslike tone. I just heard this from the vige chief Is it true that there is copper to be mined under this vige? Yes. There is ayer of bedrock at a depth of about 12 meters underground. I was able to find some deposits further below it, at a depth of about 18 meters. Thats good news. But it may be impossible for this vige to handle this on their own, so we should get the appropriate department on board and have them do the mining. The secretary quickly took some notes. Well, theres something you should know regarding that. I have already dug out three deep holes in this vige and created some pumps with the resulting copper. Yeah, I heard that too. Dont worry about it. Its not like you had put the copper you mined into your own pocket, after all. If anything, I should be thanking you for doing that work for us without any promise ofpensation of any kind. Thank you. Though, to be honest, all I wanted was to be able to enjoy a hot bath during my stay in this vige. After hearing those wordsing out of Jins mouth, the Empress suddenly burst outughing. Uhuhu, you really are something, Jin. Simply because you wanted to enjoy a hot bath, you ended up finding an underground deposit of native copper, then you just went ahead and dug it up so you could make pumps. You cant find someone like that just about anywhere, Id say. Jin felt embarrassed after hearing the Empressplimenting him like that. Still, he took this chance to say that although the instation of pumps was progressing, he was concerned about theck of capable maintenance personnel in the vige to help keep the pumps in top condition. Certainly. Were currently installing some of these pumps in our deep water wells at a rapid pace. Though we cant seem to be able to catch up to you But still, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Ill keep them in mind. The Empress assured Jin that she would take his concerns into ount regarding the instation of pumps throughout the country. Chapter 597

Chapter 597

Magi Craft Meister 597 18 Further Progress Arc 18-17 A Report and Whats to Come By the way, Id like to enjoy a hot bath as well. Please ask the vige chief about that Jin had already donated the entire bath facility he had built to the vige. Then, he remembered that there was one more thing he needed to talk about with the Empress. Actually, theres something Id like to discuss with you in private. Upon hearing that, the Empress let out a mischievous chuckle. Oh? Am I about to get a move made on me? Jin waspletely taken aback. P-Please stop. Elsa, who was sitting next to him, involuntarily grabbed Jins arm. Ouch. Elsa? As Elsas grip started to feel painful, Jin stared straight at her,pletely confused. Ah-I Im sorry Elsa blushed and let go. Seeing that, the Empress nodded and then let out a single hmph, as if she could see beyond her reaction. Im sorry, Im just joking. Well, everyone, please wait outside until I say you cane back. Although there were a few exchanges, there was no questioning of the Empress orders, and so everyone, including the escort knight, went out of the tent. The only ones left inside were the Empress, Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar. Is this okay? Thank you. After a brief pause, Jin opened his mouth once again. Actually, its about the demons. Oh, I thought as much. Have you found anything? There, Jin briefly exined the series of events that began with Shion and Istalis asking Jin for help. For the time being, Jin thought it prudent to omit the part where he arranged for Istalis rescue from her imprisonment in the Frantz Kingdom. Moreover, he also chose to avoid talking about No. 700672, which made things slightly harder to exin, but Jin still managed to deliver a convincing report. I see. The Empress face looked like she was thinking hard about all this new information. Jin had expected that the fact that the demons Cwho have always been considered a sworn enemy of mankindC actually shared the same ancestors with mankind would be hard to ept. After a moment of silence, the Empress finally opened her mouth. To be honest with you, Jin, this wasnt something I could immediately ept. Who else knows about this? Jin named Elsa, Saki, Toa, Reinhardt and his wife, Stearleana, Vivian, and Mine. All of them are your acquaintances, huh Well, if you say so, Ill believe it. The Empress made another pause followed by a sigh, then continued speaking. Listen, Jin. Do you think you could leave the task of passing this information along to each of the other countries to me? S-Sure. Jin agreed that the story would be much more credible if the Empress of a country were to be the one to tell it as opposed to doing it himself, so he immediately nodded to the Empress suggestion. You know, one of the reasons I ask you this is because of the different race of people that live on the other side of the Harihari Desert. Ah, they were the ones who invaded thesends a long time ago, right? Jin remembered hearing that, soon after the Great Magic War, they invaded the impoverished Small League of Nations. These people I speak of look exactly like the ones from the servant race youve described just now. Dark brown hair and eyes, and dark skin. ording to No. 700672, those from the now referred to as servant race by the demons had been taken north from these soutnds, so Jin agreed that there was no mistake there. They had to be from that same race. Those original ones you mentioned When they came to this world, it was around our Stone Age, correct? The concept of Stone Age was something they had learned from Fhrer as well. And sure enough, No. 700672 had said that the natives of this world used tools made of stone. That being said, 300 years ago, these people had quite a few weapons. They themselves couldnt use magic, but they had their giant Golems, which are now ancient relics, at their disposal, along with other Magi Devices. What the Empress meant to say was that the people of this particr race had made great progress in thest few thousands of years. Perhaps the original ones from Hale had shared some of their knowledge aspensation for taking some of their people to the northern continent. Thats why we, the Shouro Empire as a country, have a basis to believe in what you say. But what about other countries? Knowing that these people are weakened, some of the other countries may want to attack them instead. I see Humans fight even among their own kind. There was no way that they would just ept the fact that the demons, who have until now been nothing but hostile towards mankind, actually shared the same ancestors with them, and that it was possible to coexist peacefully. So, heres what I personally think. That Great Isthmus of Pazdext, you said it was called? It would be better for all of us if you could watch over that ce to make sure that no fight between humans and demons ensues, dont you think? If you yourself cant do it, Jin, then maybe you could ask Lord Deus Ex Makina to help you with that. A-Ah Jin couldnt tell how far the Empress, who was known for having a keen intuition, understood how Jin and Deus Ex Makina were rted to each other, but her advise itself had made a lot of sense, so he concluded that hed consult with Laojunter so that they coulde up with a course of action towards the management of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. The escort knight, Minister Degauss, and the secretary were called back into the room before Jin moved on to the next topic. Id like to set up a dessicant processing nt in Kartze Vige, if possible. Jin then briefly exined his reasons for this. I know that there are many rtively dry regions in the Shouro Empire, but I think having a way to manufacture desant wille in handy in the southern part of the country, which is next to the sea, as well for the neighboring Celuroa Kingdom, and the Elias Kingdom to the south. Hmm, it would be nice if we could get our hands on some of that limestone. Degauss agreed. Your Majesty, I think it would be safe to say that this will definitely promote our countrys industry. I believe Reinhardt would be the most suited for the job, considering Sir Jins cooperation thus far Yes, youre right. Ill allow it, Jin. The conversation progressed even though Reinhardt himself wasnt there. However, Jin wouldter talk about itter with Reinhardt through Mana Comm, so he believed he wouldnt have anyints about this n. Sir Jin Nidou, well leave that to you then. Understood. With this, all the business talks that Jin had nned to have with the Empress had been taken care of. So, Sir Jin Nidou, I wonder what would be a good reward for you. The Empress pondered. Territory? A promotion perhaps? Which one would you like, Sir? The Empress smiled mischievously as she asked Jin. Then she waited for his reply. Id actually like to decline both. Well then, let me at least give 1 million tor as a reward. Ill give it to you the next time youe to Loizart. Make a note of this. Thest words were for the secretary. The reward would be taken from the national treasury so as not to put pressure on the already troubled Magiroots Viges finances. That night, the Empress was to stay in the marquee. But before I go to bed, I really want to take a bath. Feeling a bit troubled, the vige chief quickly arranged for a bath for the Empress. Jin also helped by boiling the water. After all, without his Heat spell, the cost in fuel needed to get the water hot enough for a bath wouldnt have been small. (Ill look into making a Magic Tool for boiling waterter.) And Jin was already thinking of a way to reduce those costs with Magi Technology. The next day, the Empress reluctantly left Magiroots Vige. She had already scheduled visits to two other viges after this one. The entire vige had gathered to see the Empress off. Jin, lets meet again at Loizart. Those were the words that the Empress had left behind. Both the tax collector Flix Becker and the vige chief were relieved that there had been no mention of their embezzling. However, the truth was that the Empress secretary had actually noticed their actions, and upon their return to the capital, both of them would receive a light reprimand. But none of that would have any real consequence in our main story. Jins blimpnded on the outskirts of the vige. Well then, shall we get going as well? Jin started carrying luggage to the airship. Though in an unexpected manner, he had managed to report everything that had happened directly to the Empress, so all that was left for him to do was to go to Reinhardts territory. Master Jin, are you sure you want us to stay here? I Maybe its better if at least I go with you Both Barrow and Belle seemed troubled. Ah, dont worry about me. Youve been waiting for so long toe back to your hometown. All you need to worry about now is enjoying yourselves here. Thank you very much. Finally, Jin turned to Barrow with a concerned look on his face. Barrow, take good care of Belle. Yes, of course! Shes like family to me already. Belle blushed, and Barrow answered to her reaction with a warm smile. This interaction between the two brought a bright smile to Jins face as well. Then, Ille pick you up in about half a month. Okay. Take care, Master Jin, Lady Elsa. Jin, Elsa, Reiko and Edgar boarded the blimp. Looking up as the blimp slowly began to take off, Barrow and Belle waved at them. Have a safe trip! Barrow and Belle watched the blimp getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared in the distance. Chapter 598

Chapter 598

Magi Craft Meister 598 18 Further Progress Arc 18-18 Deadlock Reinhardts Kartze Vige was about 120 kilometers away, in a straight line, from Magiroots Vige. The trip would take them around 3 hours at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour. As Lake Tosmo spread out to their left, they crossed the airspace of Vanne before starting to drop the altitude. Kartze Vige was a little farther away from Eksi, where Elsas parents house was. Wee, Jin. Jins blimp had descended into the wide front yard of Reinhardts estate, called Rankenhaus. Youngdy! You seem well! Ah You too.. Adberg, who was there with Reinhardt to wee Elsa Cand who had been Elsas former butler, now serving as Reinhardts secretaryC took her hand and burst into tears. During lunch at Rankenhaus, Jin told Reinhardt and Berthie about how Earl Kuzuma and Beanas wedding had been. I see, Louis and Beana they look like they make a good couple. Yeah. Ah, thats right, I managed to catch a glimpse of the carriage you sent as a gift, Reinhardt. When did you make it? Haha, I somehow managed to find some free time to make it. Then, when Jin talked about how Elsas Magical Excess Syndrome had beenpletely cured, Adberg was overjoyed with tears in his eyes. Master Jin, thank you so much for saving the youngdy! Adberg bowed his head over and over again, and seeing him like that brought tears to Elsas eyes as well. They continued to talk about various things until they all finished eating. At that moment, a maid entered the room. Master Reinhardt, your guest is here. Ah, right on time. Please guide him to the workshop. Guest? Seeing the confusion on Jins face, Reinhardt answered with a smile. Its Mr. Toa. You said you were nning to build a desant nt? And that you wanted to make it avable to the general public? Jin nodded. He had only given Reinhardt a general outline of his n via the Mana Comm. Toa also said he wanted to help in any way he could. Mr. Toa came the day before yesterday and told me that he had found a promising deposit of limestone. Jin remembed that Toa had mentioned that he would being here a few days ago. The ce is a rocky mountain near Lake Tosmo. It seems to be almost entirely made of limestone. Thats amazing. The issue of not having enough materials was now as good as solved. The mountains in the Chichibu region in Japan are made of limestone as well, which is used to make cement. One of those mountains, Mt. Buko, was known for how much its shape has changed over the years of having its limestone essentially shaved off its surface. So, yesterday I sent someone to mine there for a while. Ah, nice. Now that Reinhardt had be the lord of this small vige, he was involved in many things for the good of the vige. I was just wondering if we could start an industry. Jin thought that an opportunity like this was definitely a godsend. Lets get on with it right after this. Very well. Brother Jin and Brother Rei are so full of energy today. Elsa muttered those words after seeing the two of them in such high spirits, and Berthie followed up on it. Uhuhu, he has been this excited sincest night. Being able to leave his everyday government affairs for a while really makes him very happy. Reinhardt seemed to have been a bit drained up by his work recently as well. After a short rest after lunch, Jin and Reinhardt headed for the workshop that thetter had built on the premises. Hey there, Jin, Lord Reinhardt. I guess I cant say that its been a while, can I? Normally, Toa wouldnt use any honorifics when referring to Reinhardt, but since this was Reihanrdts own house, he feared everyone else around him would think poorly of him, so he chose to call him Lord. As for Stearlena, she was dressed in a rather unusual manner for her. Her copper-colored hair was tied up high, and she was wearing a light purple dress that reached down to her ankles and a white summer cardigan-style jacket. They seemed to be on their way back home after having visited the family of Toaste wife, in other words, the House of Marquis Theoderic. Stearleana then left the workshop saying that she wanted to go talk with Berthie. Toa, I heard you found a limestone deposit. I expected no less from you. Toa scratched the back of his head after hearing Jins words. Well, collecting materials was originally one of my jobs. I may not look it, but I have a really good understanding of internal resources. As expected of a first-ss alchemist. So, we have some materials prepared here. Reinhardt had prepared some limestone and Magi Crystals, as well as some stones for making a furnace. You used a carbon crucible for your experiment, right? Yeah, but its not verymon. Any material that can withstand 1,100 degrees Celsius will do. In modern science, several carbon-based materials, including ceramics and superalloys have been developed as ultra-high-temperature materials in the fields of aviation, space, and energy technology. Toa told me how to make it. The principle is simple, but were trying toe up with a method for mass production. As the Magi Craft Meister, Jin possessed several abilities that others did not, and because of this, his way of thinking often deviates from the way of thinking of ordinary people without him even noticing. In order to make up for that, Jin was nning to ask for Toas cooperation this time. Several kinds of rocks can bemonly used as refractory materials. Toa pointed to the stones that had been prepared in advance.. First up is tuff. Oya stone is one of several kinds of tuff stones. This type of stone can stand up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, which was a little too short of the temperature needed for working with limestone. Sandstone. This one could also withstand up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. There were also andesite and serpentinite, but none of them seemed they would withstand 1,100 degrees Celsius. Hmm, looks like weve fallen short. Making it an industry for the people of the fief is no easy task. Jin and Reinhardt were racking their brains. If we had anything like carbon, zirconia, or tinum, theyd do just fine However, those materials were far too expensive for them to be used as base for an industry. Seeing the unusual struggling expression on Jin and Reinhardts faces brought a sad look to Elsas own face. Wasnt there any other heat-resistant stone we could use? Jin desperately searched his own mind for answers. Heat Furnace, huh The thought of things such as st furnaces still caused Jin to shiver a little. It wouldnt matter if it was a small crucible like the one they made the other day, but the mere thought of making a furnacerge enough for a person to fall into was enough to give him goosebumps. This reaction wasnt unreasonable because he had almost lost his life by falling into thedle of an electric furnace. Jin felt a bit pathetic for having had this kind of reaction. After all, it wasnt that he hated dealing with fire. Noticing Jins slight trembling, Elsa remembered how he had nearly died in his home world, and gently took his hand. Thanks to that, Jin regained hisposure, which allowed him to remember one particr kind of stone. Peridotite. Peridotite is a type of intrusive igneous rockposed mainly of olivine and pyroxene which is formed deep underground, and features a high resistance to heat. The melting point of olivine is 1,910 degrees Celsius, and its crushed sand could be used for sand casting. Olivine of good quality could be obtained from the Inad Mine near Kaina Vige. However, its quality was so high that it could be considered to be on the same level as a jewel, which in turn makes it too expensive to use it as a material. Therefore, Jin came up with the idea that peridotite could be used as a material for furnaces instead. Peridotite, huh Peridotite is an igneous rock, that is, a volcanic rock. As such, it would be produced in a different area from that of limestone, which is a sedimentary rock. If anything, the Shouro Empire had a lot ofnd made of sedimentary rock, especially around Lake Tosmo. Andesite and other rocks could be found rtively nearby, but there were no nearby mountains where peridotite could be mined. But Having to import such heavy stones does cause a bit of a price problem. Toa had a history of pouring money into collecting materials. As a result, it seemed that he had a good grasp of the costs involved in Jins n. Hmm This made them think of just how easy Hourai Ind, and to an extent all of magic itself, had it. They didnt have to worry about costs or anything like that. As long as he had the ingredients, he could at least make do with processing them with magic alone, but Jin was still worried, since he wanted it to be essible to the general public. Iron wont do it, right? Jin nodded at Toas question. Yeah. The melting point of iron makes it look like itll do just fine, but continuously heating it up to such high temperatures will cause it to oxidize and crumble in no time. Ironbines easily with oxygen, especially at high temperatures. This problem has turned out to be surprisingly difficult to solve, hasnt it? Toa also crossed his arms and pondered whether there were any good materials they could use. I guess the only thing left to do is put up a barrier This is a factor that raises the initial cost and makes maintenance difficult at the same time. Id like to consider that option ourst resort, though Everyone in the workshop seemed to be at wits end. At that time, one person peered into the workshop. What are you guys doing? Chapter 599

Chapter 599

Magi Craft Meister 599 18 Further Progress Arc 18-19 Sakis Little Roam Around Town Phew A few days earlier On the evening of October 7th, Saki Eschenbach was walking along the shores of Lake Tosmo. She wasnt at the side where her house was, but the side of the capital Loizart. After using the Warp Gate to transfer to her house, she came to the other side of theke by ferry. The reason behind that was that she would be likely to encounter people she knew if she had stayed in the side where her house was instead. She had some money on her since she hadnt had any chance to use it on Hourai Ind. She was apanied only by Ehr, the Automata that Jin and Reinhardt had made for her. Ehr had an androgynous appearance, so they were currently wearing a maids uniform. Ah, Im so pathetic Saki muttered to herself. Ehr listened silently. It had all started when her father Toa said he wanted to marry Stearleana, a Magi Craftswoman who was also Sakis friend. I dont think my father has to stay unmarried forever, and I know Stearleana is a good person No reply from Ehr. Still, Saki continued speaking. My mother died when I was two years old, so its no wonder I dont remember her. After taking a deep breath, Saki opened her mouth again. But you know? I wonder what this feeling is. Saki looked up and saw three Cor maybe fourC stars twinkling rapidly in the darkened sky. The wind that came from theke was getting much colder. Putting this feeling aside, I have to secure a ce to stay the night. Ah, good grief, people are such a bother Finally done talking to herself, Saki left thekeside and started walking towards the town. This was the town of Trom. It was a fishing town, focused on fishing in Lake Tosmo. Its still early, so maybe I should go get something to eat. Saki had skipped lunch. Until recently, she would have been fine with such an irregr lifestyle, but since she was now getting used to living in a more regr way, skipping a meal was starting to give her a tough time. Its my first time in this town, so I dont know where to go. So she ended up getting into the first cheap restaurant that caught her eye, a ce called The Fresh Shrimp. Wee. Since it was a little early, about half of this restaurants seats were still free. Saki took a seat in the far corner. Unlike high-end restaurants, it wasmon sense when entering any small restaurant to leave any Golems or Automata brought along outside. Therefore, Ehr would have to wait outside while Saki had her meal. Ill have the daily special and a beer. Saki wasnt usually too much into drinking, but for some reason she felt like drinking a bit tonight. Comin right up. The tanned middle-ageddy who hade to take Sakis order soon came back with a mug of beer and some snacks. The daily special would take a little while longer. Mmm, I dunno if its because I was so thirsty, but this is good. Saki drank half of the 1 liter jug ??in one go and nibbled on the dried jerky served as a snack. Because she drank it on an empty stomach, she immediately became tipsy. Looking out the window with vaguely hazy eyes, Saki could see the light of a shrimp fishing boat swaying on the surface of Lake Tosmo as darkness began to cover the sky. Thanks for waitin, heres your daily special. Thedy ced a tray with arge piece of grilled fish, barley porridge, bean soup, and a bit of vegetable sd in front of Saki. Oh, this looks delicious. Saki, who wasnt very picky with food to begin with, started with the grilled fish. Yeah, its a bit salty, but it tastes really good. Its saltiness was probably because there was arge number of workers involved. After drinking the rest of her beer, Saki took a spoonful of barley porridge. Oh, this is a little better than the food at Jins As she was finishing the sentence she was muttering, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. W-What? Why? Saki drank her soup in one go after wiping her tears with her sleeves. It was a little hot, but she smoothed it out by shoving some of her vegetable sd into her mouth. Am I really this weak? Saki continued to self-loathe as she took bite after bite of the rest of her grilled fish. In the first ce, whats with me getting all sad that my father is getting married again? Now that she was even drunker than before, Saki couldnt even put her thoughts together anymore. Hey, waitress Ill have another ss of beer. Incoherent thoughts called for more chaos and even more alcohol. A new ss of beer was brought onto the tray that had once been filled with the daily special that Saki had already finished eating. Mmmbah. After drinking half of the mug, Saki rested her chin on her hands over the table and sighed. Oh, I dont care anymore Saki wasnt particrly strong against alcohol. No, as a matter of fact, she was very bad with it. A single ss of wine was enough to get herpletely drunk. Miss? Maybe its time to stop? A man sat down in front of Saki, who had gotten drunk after drinking a ss and a half of beer. He was a tanned man in his forties who looked like a fisherman. Drinking beer all by yourself, getting drunk like this Is something going on at home? But Sakiughed as she answered. Uhuhu, bullseye! But right now I just want to be like this for a while. I dont know what happened, but youre too young to take away your sorrows with alcohol. Thats something us middle-aged people do. Huhu So Im too young to get drunk? As she said that, Saki drank the rest of her beer in one go. Hey, hey, wait a minute, dont be so rash Im not being rash Nowpletely unable to further articte words, Saki finally fell limp over the table. Hey, miss Then another voice came from behind the worried fisherman. Ah, there you are Sorry if shes caused you any trouble. When the fisherman looked up, he saw a reasonably well-dressed man in his thirties standing there. I know things have been rough at home, so I figured she would run away but I never thought shed be drinking herself away in a ce like this. While saying that, he helped the limp Saki get up. I see, so youre one of her rtives? Do me a favor, will you? Dont take your eyes away from her again. I wont. Sorry for all the trouble. The well-dressed man then paid for Sakis meal and left the restaurant. Saki didnt seem to be conscious anymore. She was just mumbling iprehensibly. Then he walked into the darkness while still supporting Sakis weight. Another plump man was waiting there. Bro, that went super smoothly. Hehehe, and shes quite a stunner too. The twoughed at each other with amonscivious tone of voice. You have a really good eye for this stuff, bro. Its not my eyes, its my nose. I can smell psychologically unstable young women like these from miles away. While talking about such things, the two of them set out to drag Saki to an even darker, less popted alleyway Please wait. But they were stopped by a voice. Huh? The two men turned away to face the source of that voice and found a maid with a delicate-looking body. Look at that, we got ourselves another duckling. Hehe, can I have that one? Sure, do whatever you want with her. The plump man licked his own lips and reached out to the delicate-looking maid Uwaaah! But was mmed into the ground in no time. W-what? H-How dare you? Although Ehr was rtively powerless whenpared with other Automata, he was still one of Jin and Reinhardts creations. And theirtest rework in Hourai Ind had given them enough strength to easily overpower five grown men. Ehrs reaction speed was ten times faster than humans. And since they also had been given the sense of touch, they could adapt their strength by feel without any restrictions. You are to return the youngdy to me right this instant. Ehr kicked the plump man, who was lying on the ground, right in the pit of the stomach, rendering him unconscious on the spot. Dont try to mess around with me! The well-dressed man pulled out a knife from his pocket and threw it at Ehrs face. Ehr simply tilted their head slightly to the side to evade the flying knife before taking a big step towards the man. With that single big step, Ehr had already gotten really close to the man. With the momentum, Ehr threw a left uppercut at the mans chin. The attack was a clean hit, and the well-dressed man fell backwards and fainted instantly. Youngdy Another man came as Ehr lifted Saki from the ground. Ah, I knew it So this is what was going on It was the same fisherman who had sat in front of Saki back at the restaurant. Chapter 600

Chapter 600

Magi Craft Meister 600 18 Further Progress Arc 318-20 Opal and a Mysterious Mineral 18-20 Oww My head hurts As Saki woke up, she scrunched up her face as her head felt like it had been ran over by a horse. Miss Saki, youve awakened Ah, Ehr Can you give me some water? Saki continued to hold her head as she took the ss of water that had been presented to her. T-Thank you After drinking the water in one go, Saki felt a little better. Then, once she put on her sses, which Ehr had handed her, she realized that the one who had given her the ss of water hadnt actually been Ehr. Ah, um? Huhu, did I surprise you? This is my house. My husband brought you here after you drank yourself unconscious. The woman in herte thirties said that with a smile. Her dark blond hair was casually tied behind her head, giving her a cheerful feel. Her eyes were bright blue. Uh Saki tried to remember what happened the previous night, but it only made her head hurt even more. You passed out after drinking two mugs of beer. The beer here is much stronger than normal, so its no wonder. It seemed that the beer here was stronger than usual since the towns fishermen preferred it that way. The strength of regr beer is around 5%, but the beer in this town was said to be over 15%. And since Saki couldnt handle alcohol very well to begin with, two mugs were more than enough to knock her unconscious. Im sure something must be up around you for a young girl like you toe to a ce like this to get herself drunk Seeing Sakis face, which had turned pale from her hangover, the woman held out a small cup and urged her to drink from it. Since her head still wasnt working properly, Saki epted it instantly and drank it all in one go only that this time her face was twisted by an intense bitterness. Huhuhu, yeah, its bitter, but it works. Hangover headaches were said to be caused by substances such as acetaldehyde and acetic acid, which are produced by the dposition of alcohol and cause blood vessels to dte, which in turn causes inmmation. The reason beverages such as tea and coffee are rmended tobat a hangover is because they contain caffeine. Its just very strong tea. Itll help you feel better. Thank you. Her headache hadnt subsided yet, but Sakis head had returned to a level where she was able to realize that she was being rude. My name is Saki. Im sorry for having caused so much trouble already. My, how polite. Im Rosie. After their introductions were over, Rosie asked Saki how she was feeling. Saki said that the tea seemed to be working already, and that she was feeling a little better. Rosie smiled and asked Saki to excuse her for a moment before leaving the room. Ehr, what did I dost night? Now that they were alone, Saki asked Ehr about the night before. Well, Miss Saki Ehr spoke frankly, and briefly recounted how the drunken Saki was about to be kidnapped by those suspicious men, how Ehr fought them off, and how Rosies husband Auguster showed up and offered to bring them to his house. I I see. Thank you so much for helping me, Ehr. All I did was fulfill my duty. At that moment, the door opened, revealing that Rosie had returned with a bowl of barley porridge. Here. Take it easy while eating this, okay? The barley porridge had a gentle taste. Saki felt a warm sensation as she brought one spoonful to her mouth after another. This restaurant, The Fresh Shrimp, also doubled as an inn, so Saki decided to rent a room in due form for the time being. Rosie and Augus were a bit concerned since Saki seemed to havee to this town only joined by her maid Automata, so they assumed that something was wrong, but both decided against trying to dig too deeply into the matter Has it been already three days since I came here? Saki ended up staying several days around andscape that was different from the familiar north shore of Lake Tosmo. Theke shore was sand mixed with gravel, andrge rocks protruded here and there. It seemed like an ideal ce for fishing. The gravel here is quite something Her interest as an alchemist was growing little by little. She asked Ehr to dig a hole 1 meter deep into the ground, and was surprised to find a rainbow-colored mineral. Is this opal? Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica, also known as silicon dioxide (SiO2nH2O). Well, since theres opal here, it means that this side of theke has igneous rock or other kinds of thermally metamorphic rocks. Saki knew that the northern shore of Lake Tosmo, where her house was, had of the sedimentary rock type instead, because fossils have been found there in the past. So this means that the geology is different on both sides of theke! After discovering an unexpectedly interesting fact, Saki spent the next two days researching the geological features of Lake Tosmo from her new temporary base in the town of Trom. Hmm, whats this? As a result, she ended up finding a strange mineral that she had never seen before. It was a bit like y but also had quite a rocky texture, and seemed to have small bean-like grains inside. I should get this to Hourai Ind Im sure Jin can help me find out what this rock is in no time. Saki muttered those words while rolling the mineral she had found over the palm of her hand. What should I do? In the end, Saki ended up staying another night without reaching a decision. This was her seventh night in a row staying here. As expected, Rosie and Augus were starting to get worried about Saki. To both of them, Sakis situation seemed critical. Perhaps it was because they didnt have children of their own, but they couldnt just leave Saki to fend for herself. Hey Saki, I dont know what happened to you, but maybe its time for you to go back home, dont you think? Right. Your parents must be worried sick too. At that moment, Saki revealed her feelings to them for the first time. My mother passed away a long time ago, and Im sure my father is getting along well with his new partner, so its fine. She finished her remark with a forced, almost desteugh. Upon hearing that, Augus face looked like he was telling Ah, so thats what it was to himself. I see So thats what youve been sulking about. Thats why you ran away from home, huh? Sulking? No, Im Without letting her finish, Augus gave Saki a gentle tap on her head with his closed fist. Nonsense. Why did you stay here all this time, hoping someone woulde looking for you? Thats a bit selfish, dont you think? Their guess was a bit incorrect, but it was what they believed. Now that Ive heard this, I cant let you stay anymore. Well, its alreadyte today, so you can stay here tonight. But please, go home tomorrow. Eh? Um Thats right. Starting from tomorrow, we wont even take your money anymore, so youll have to go home, okay? The two of them had gone on about it whilepletely disregarding Sakis intentions. There were other ces besides The Fresh Shrimp where Saki could stay, but Rosie and Augus assertiveness drew a bitter smile onto her face, and tears welled up in her eyes. Though Saki had run out of the house in silence and seemingly not wanting to return, deep inside her heart she was actually looking for a chance to go back home. Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Rosie, Mr. Augus. There, there, Im d you see that too. Well then, I guess tonight well have to flex our skills for you. Relieved to see that Saki had agreed with them, Augus smiled as he pped his flexed arm. That night, The Fresh Shrimp closed its dining room at 8:00 PM. Then, the dinner, which could be called Sakis farewell party, began. Heres to your future, dear Saki. Augus raised his mug, and Rosie and Saki raised their sses. Since that night, Sakin hadnt had a single drop of alcohol. Thank you. Mrs. Rosie, Mr. Augus. Really, thank you very much for all youve done for me. Now that she had finally decided to go back home, Saki felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders, and was able to say thank you from the bottom of her heart. Now I wonder why I was being so stubborn. But I was able to wake up thanks to the both of you. Now that she had seen it, it was so easy to understand. It had been so selfish of her to run away just to make Toa worry about her. Reinhardt, who Saki had had feelings for, had chosen Berthie as his partner, and now her own father Toa had found himself a new partner. Saki now could only feel ashamed of herself for running away from home as if to try to make someone understand her loneliness. Now, Saki had recovered to the point where she could reflect on what she had been doing wrong. I wonder what Jin and the others will say when I show them the opal and that other mysterious mineral I found? With that goal in mind, Saki was now looking forward to reuniting with the others. Thank you for taking care of me Take care, dear. Come again sometime. Though she had been with them for a short time, Saki felt a flood of emotions as she got on the ferry. The morning breeze across Lake Tosmo felt nice and cold. Rosie and Augus stood there to see Saki off as the ferry sailed away. Saki kept waving her hands until the two of them were out of sight. After arriving at Sagina on the opposite shore, Saki had lunch at a restaurant near the port, and then walked to her house along thekeshore road. She wanted to double-check the geology of the north shore of Lake Tosmo. Saki wanted to bring back some new discoveries to make up for having disappeared without saying a word. After making sure that the northern bank was made of sedimentary rock, Saki returned to her house. However, contrary to her expectations, it was empty. I wonder if they went to see Reinhardt? She would have been able quickly confirm this by contacting Hourai Ind, but for some reason, Saki didnt feel like it, so instead she chose to use the Warp Gate installed in her house to go to Reinhardts Rankenhaus via Shinkai. Master is in the workshop. A maid that was familiar to Saki told her that when she saw her. As she approached the workshop, she could also hear Jin, Elsa, and her father Toas voice. Though a bit hesitant at first, Saki finally peered into the workshop. The first thing that came out of her mouth sounded just like her. The things that had been worrying her for the past week were no longer clouding her usual brightness. Hey, what are you guys doing? Chapter 601

Chapter 601

Magi Craft Meister 601 18 Further Progress Arc 18-21 Technological Innovation for the Common People Hey, what are you guys doing? Jin and the others turned towards the voice, and saw Sakis head poking into the workshops entrance. Saki! Where have you been? Ive been worried sick! Toa rushed towards Saki. Back on Hourai Ind, Laojun had a good grasp of Sakis whereabouts and had confirmed that she was in no danger, but her father still worried about her. Im sorry, father. After Toa ground his closed fist against the top of Sakis head, she lowered her head apologetically. Alright. You showed in really good spirits, after all. But you couldve called me at some point, dont you think? After all, Ehr had a built-in Mana Comm. But Saki had ordered Ehr not to use it. Even so, they had still been exchanging information with Laojun. Yeah. Im sorry. I know Im very whimsical myself, so maybe its not my ce to say this, but Stop making your Family worry. Yes, father. Even if her body looked fine, he couldnt know what was going on inside her mind. Toa went on saying that she shouldnt deal with her worries all by herself, and asked her to talk to him about them. He then concluded with If youre really against it, then I will not marry Leana Father! However, Saki immediately cut him off. Dont say that! You raised me without my mother all this time Well, to be honest, one-third of my life I was under grandfathers care, and another third of it with a maid, but Im here because of you, father! Saki Thats why I want you to think about your own happiness for a change. The happiness of my family is my happiness too. Otherwise this wouldnt be a family at all, right? Thank you. Toa gently hugged Saki. Then she softly hugged him back. Ah Ahem. Seeing that the situation had settled down, Reinhardt intentionally cleared his throat. As if it had been some kind of signal, Saki and Toa quickly let go of each other. The important thing is that both father and daughter are on good terms with each other. So, Saki, whats that thing you brought with you? Reinhardt was curious about the box Ehr, who had been standing behind Saki, was holding. Ah, yeah. But first, I have something to tell you all And thats what happened. Saki exined that she had researched the geology of the southern shore of Lake Tosmo, near the town of Trom. This thing here is an ore sample. Then, she opened the box that Ehr had been holding, revealing a piece of opal and A piece of soil? At first nce, the other stone looked like a lump of dry soil. Wait, is this Analyze I knew it! Uhuhu, I knew youd figure out what this is, Jin. Yeah. This is bauxite. Bauxite is a well-known source of aluminum, but that wasnt the official name of the mineral. It was actually a mixture of several minerals such as gibbsite. But Jin was an engineer, not a schr, so he called it bauxite, as is customary for people of modern Earth who work in metallurgy. Its mainponents were aluminum oxide and aluminum hydroxide. Why is there so little aluminum in this world? Compared to the earth, there was a lot less presence of aluminum. What the people of this world called aluminum or light silver was actually titanium, which was mined inrge amounts in this world. (In the past, the Japanese used to call aluminum light silver as well.) But I see, the other side of Lake Tosmo has!! Jin remembered non-metal uses for aluminum. Alumina! Alumina? The others tilted their heads, unable to understand what Jin was going on about. Ah, yes, alumina is a material that can be made from this bauxite, and it has high heat resistance. Its melting point is 2,072 degrees Celsius, and its chemical form is Al2O3. Jin came up with the idea of ??using this as material for his furnace. If the production area was on the opposite shore of Lake Tosmo, the cost and workforce needed would be considerably less than anticipated. Jin exined this to Reinhardt and had him proceed with the preparations to begin prospecting for bauxite. The area that included the town of Trom was under the direct control of the Empress. Normally, it would be difficult to get permission to exploit suchnds, but Jin Nidous name as the Magi Craft Meister carried a lot of weight. After being contacted by Reinhardt, the Empress gave priority to the necessary documents despite having just returned from her tour, and the solicited permission was granted the next day. The first test drilling began on October 16th. The hard part was taking care not to damage the fishing grounds. Ground Search Yeah, this should be fine. There are enough deposits here on thend side, so we wont need to dig into theke itself. Jin, who hade to see the site, checked the status of the underground and reported it to the construction chief. Ground Search was a basic earth-attribute spell, but just like with Analyze, the caster would need to have a good grasp of the spells target for them to be able to get any information from it. The bauxite brought by Saki hadnt been enough for the earth-attribute mage in charge of the construction. Dig. As Jin dug a pilot tunnel to make the rest of the digging easier, he also managed to secure the amount of bauxite he needed to make his first trial furnace. This should give you a rough idea of where to dig next. Oh, thank you very much, Sir Jin Nidou. The construction chief thanked him, and the site suddenly became very active. When handling bauxite with human hands, be sure to wear a mask so as not to inhale the mine dust. If possible, have a Golem do it. Remembering that inhaling bauxite powder could cause pneumoconiosis, Jin warned them to take extra care when handling it. Jin had also gone to the site to see if there were any problems, but after learning that there was nothing for him to worry about, he left the rest to the foreman and returned to Kartze Vige. Finally, Jin would be able to start his first trial manufactures of the desant nt. First, he built a furnace by extracting the alumina from the bauxite and using Fusion to harden it. Since this was a prototype, Jin wasnt going to make something too big. It was just big enough to produce 40 kilograms of quicklime at a time. Well set up a Heat Magic Tool at the bottom here. Yeah, this is how the furnace will work. Reinhardt already had the framework in mind, so he understood immediately. Yes. Alumina has good thermal conductivity, so the heat is immediately transferred to the inner part of the furnace, raising the temperature there to about 1,100 degrees Celsius. To monitor this temperature, they decided to use copper metal after considering its versatility. The melting point of copper is 1,083 degrees Celsius. After preparing a pocket of sorts inside the furnace, they ced a piece of copper metal inside. Should it melt, then that would mean that the temperature inside is at least 1,083 degrees Celsius. The inside of the furnace should be a little hotter than that, so Jin and Reinhardt thought it would be a good way to measure this. Okay, lets do a test run. A sufficient amount of limestone had already been prepared in the two days before Jin first got the bauxite. They ced about 30 kilograms of limestone into the furnace and covered it with a lid. Heat. The idea was to keep applying heat to the furnace until one full minute had passed after the copper in the temperature monitor melted, and then let the furnace cool down. Ah, this is quite a bother. Since the furnace was made of alumina, which had high heat retention, it took a considerable time for it to cool down. In fact, they would have to wait until the next day to be able to open the lid of the furnace. I keep being reminded of just how very convenient magic really is. Toa murmured these words earnestly while looking sideways at the furnace. Youre right, father. Now, if we were to use this method, wed need a structure that allows the finished quicklime to be taken out of the furnace and cooled down. Saki also shared her thoughts. Thats right. That way, we can add new materials to the furnace before it cools downpletely, which will increase its efficiency since we wont have to reheat it from scratch every time we want to use it. Reinhardt summarized the way it would be used once the nt was ready. Right. So, about this structure we need Jin searched deeply into his brain for an answer. How about a long cylinder? We put the materials on one side and heat them up, then we take the finished quicklime from the other side Elsa was the first one to share her theory for this structure. Hmm, but then both ends of this cylinder would need to be open, so I think the heat will escape. Ah, I see Toa pointed out the shorings of Elsas theory. Then why not make it so half of the furnace can be turned around to make it easier to take out the finished contents? Saki added her own thoughts. If we do that, the copper for the monitor will most likely leak out Then why dont we make the furnace a double structure? Opinions were shared one after another, which solidified the basic design of the furnace. We have to be able to create a production technology for this world that relies as little as possible on magic. The technological innovation for themon people advocated by Toa had just begun. Two dayster, on October 19, the prototypes workability was improved by turning it into a rotary furnace. Thanks to that, they were now able to produce 200 kilograms of quicklime in a single day. The desants werepleted by splitting the quicklime into portions of 5 kilograms each, which were in turn stashed into double jute bags. A warning tag was written on each of these bags, which read Do not get wet. Highly mmable. The prototype is finallyplete. These desant bags would then be stored in a closed warehouse to ease their management. 500 torr per bag. So about 100 torr per kilogram. Toa set the price for their new product. The only thing left to see was whether it would sell. Chapter 602

Chapter 602

Happy New Year Magi Craft Meister 602 18 Further Progress Arc 18-22 Gossip 33 C Autumn Harvest North of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext, the continent of Gondoa was experiencing a colder season than usual. The people of the race known as demons, who had been visited by Jin a little more than a month ago, had taken measures to prevent the buckwheat cultivated in autumn from being damaged by cold weather, so they were still able to harvest it without issues. The cold weather creates wind. The cold air then moves to warmer ces. This wind collects water vapor as it passes through the strait between the Gondoa continent, where demons live, and the Loren continent, where humans live. The humid air hits the mountains ahead and rises, creating clouds. And these clouds bring rain and snow to the world beneath them. In addition, the cold, dry air on the continents and warm, moist air on the seaward side create a stationary front. When a low-pressure system forms above a stationary front, rain clouds are swept away by the seasonal winds. When these winds are weak, the clouds only manage to rain down onto the mountains, but when the wind is strong, the rain clouds move ind. This rain cycle will continue until the season in the Loren continentpletely changes to autumn, where the temperature difference between the Lauren continent and the Gondor continent bes smaller, and the north wind weakens. In addition, a warm current flows from south to north on the eastern side of the Great Isthmus of Pazdext, making the seawater on that side warmer than the seawater on its western side. In other words, the east side of the Great Isthmus tends to have more humid air and therefore more precipitation. The Klein Kingdom has more annual rainfall than the Frantz Kingdom. For this reason, it could be said that the Klein Kingdom was regarded as an agricultural country. Its raining a lot this autumn. Giebeck, the headman of Kaina Vige, was frowning while looking up at the sky. The other day, the long rain had stopped temporarily, and the whole vige went out to harvest all of its wheat crops at once. The day in question was October 10th. Beck, dont leave the damp wheat just lying around. Itll get moldy and start to grow buds. Are you sure about this? Kaina Viges healer, Sally Mileshan, was very concerned about this decision. Beck was her nickname for the vige headman. Yeah. Jin is out, but I consulted with Butler A, who is in charge of things in his absence, and we agreed that well be storing the wheat inside Jins shelter. I see, its dry over there. The underground shelter next to Nidou Castle was built by Jin and managed by the Butlers. The interior was air-conditioned, and although it was underground, it was dry, so it could also be used to safely store grains. Furthermore, in order to suppress the growth of mold, as soon as the wheat was brought in, Laojun adjusted the air conditioning to make the air even dryer, so it could be considered that harvest in Kaina Vige had been rtively good. The reason for the rtively was that the crops had been harvested a little earlier than it should have due to the weather. Oh dear The Toka Vige headman Braak let out a loud sigh. Toka Vige hadnt been as lucky as Kaina Vige. The rain-soaked wheat here had been victim of a phenomenon known as ear germination. When the wheat absorbs water due to heavy rainfall, it sprouts on the ear while still growing in the field. It was said that the quality of sprouted wheat deteriorated, and it would not get better even if it was made into bread. After harvesting, the crops were covered to prevent rain, but when the grains were threshed, they found out that about 30% of the crops had sprouted. Even so, 70% of it was saved, so I have to say it was good enough. The youngdy of Toka vige, Lithia Farheight, tried to reassure the vige headman. Lets make the taxes a little lighter this autumn. Thank you. However, there werent many lords like Lithia, who would consider lowering the taxes just because a harvests yield had been worse than expected. There were very few like her, in fact. And so, this long spell of rain began to affect the entire Klein Kingdom. Only half tax revenue for this autumn? The reports that flew into Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom, were all unsatisfactory. Luckily, none of them were affected by the ergot fungus Cwhich was known in this world as Devils Wheat, though there had been reports of some crops being affected by a red mold. Eating wheat with this red mold could lead to experiencing symptoms of food poisoning such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Therefore, it had to be incinerated to prevent it from spreading, resulting in a painful loss of revenue. This red mold is happening a lot, especially in the southern fields Hmm After hearing the report of the Minister of Industry Derait Domus Hanks, the Prime Minister, Powell Darner Hudson looked down with a bitter expression on his face. This red mold, which is known on modern Earth as Fusarium ear blight, is verymon in warm regions, so it seemed to have been especially devastating in the southern fields this season. Id prefer not to upset our poor king with these news The King of Klein, Alois III, was bedridden since the beginning of summer, and the efforts to nurse him back to health had proven to be ineffective. Due to the conflict with the neighboring Frantz Kingdom of Frantzst spring, the countrys coffers had been nearly depleted, and their stockpiles of wheat werent toorge either. At this rate, it was clear that the market prices of wheat and barley would skyrocket toward this winter. The livelihood of our people will be quite harsh once again Chancellor Powell wasnt ipetent. He was a noble minister who put his country first. He understood well that it was the farmers who supported the Klein Kingdoms core industry Cthat is, agricultureC, and that the country was able to remain economically stable thanks to the taxes it generated. We have to do something. However, despite the urgency of the matter, they werent able toe up with a good n, and all they could get that day was a few sighs of frustration. A mushroom, huh? The rain had already stopped on Hourai Ind. However, many mushrooms had begun to sprout in the coniferous and broadleaf forests on the north side of the ind as a result of such a rainy autumn. The Golem maids Peridot and the others, who were in charge of all household chores on Hourai Ind Ccooking, in particrC, were trying to find mushrooms they could use as ingredients. Specifically, they were searching for shiitake, nameko, maitake, shimeji, and matsutake. To find the mushrooms they had seen in Jins memories, and cultivate them if possible. With that goal in mind, Peridots 81 to 90 searched around day and night. This is a shiitake mushroom. I found a matsutake I found a matsutake Is this a white mushroom? Thanks to that, they were able to find mushrooms that closely resembled shiitake, nameko, matsutake, and white mushrooms. After consulting with Laojun, the Peridot Leader determined that they couldnt let humans eat them before confirming that they were safe for consumption, so she made a broth of each type of mushroom they had found and gave it to small fish and animals to try to confirm this. In addition, Laojun collected further evidence supporting these mushrooms safety to eat thanks to the information provided by the Quinta Cwho were stationed in various regionsC, which confirmed that these mushrooms were already being used as ingredients elsewhere. After further analysis, they were finally able to confirm that none of these types of mushrooms were poisonous, so Laojun finally gave his permission to use them on Jins dishes. Among these, shiitake mushrooms began to be cultivated using part of the tunnels that had been excavated. The Peridots expected that they would grow nicely, and that they would be able to harvest a lot of them in about half a year. This is delicious! After the mushrooms were confirmed to be safe to eat, the Peridot Leader asked Mine to help here up with mushroom dishes. Nameko mushrooms can be used in miso soup, shiitake mushrooms can be grilled, and all of them can be used to make soup stock. White mushrooms can be added to stews or chopped and sprinkled over steaks. Matsutake mushrooms can be made into a soup using a small amount of tamari soy sauce. Once rice and soy sauce were mass-produced, the n was to try to make some matsutake rice. I hope youe back soon, Jin. Wanting to see Jins happy face, Mine worked hard to prepare a delicious dish. The Rivas region in the eastern part of the Celuroa Kingdom was not suitable for agriculture because of its barrennd, so they made a living by purchasing food from others. Of course, their prime seller was the Klein Kingdom. Therefore, the decrease in harvest in the Klein Kingdom due to the unusually long rain this autumn would naturally affect them as well. Would the governing body of the Celuroa Kingdom send food aid to their eastern regions? At this point in time, there was no way to tell. At any rate, due to its regions with infertilends, agriculture in general wasnt as developed in the Celuroa Kingdom, so their self-sufficiency rate was less than 100%. Topensate for this, they had developed other ways of industry, especially Magi Technology, exporting industrial products while importing food, especially grains. But there was no telling what would happen to the Celuroa Kingdom should it lose its main source of importing food. What kind of ripples would the autumn rain cast on the Small Group of Countries? A turbulent air had started to creep up little by little. And Jin, who was currently in the Shouro Empire, had yet to notice its presence. Chapter 603

Chapter 603

Magi Craft Meister 603 18 Further Progress Arc 18-23 The Pot Lid On the night of the 19th, Reinhardt started making arrangements for their ns to build a desant production factory in Kartze Vige, in the Shouro Empire. However, on the morning of the 20th, he and the others received an unexpected visit. A knight of the imperial guard of the Shouro Empire hade as a messenger with an imperial order. Since the manufacture of desants has be an urgent matter, it has been decreed that a factory will be built in Vanne as a national project. To this effect, the Empire requests the assistance of Reinhardt Randall. Reinhardt was perplexed. Where did they catch wind of the idea of building a desant factory? But more than that, he wondered why it was so urgent. So he asked the messenger. We have received reports stating that, in the Klein Kingdom, the long autumn rains had caused mold to grow on their grains, which drastically affected the quality of their harvest. Understood. Ill go with you. When Jin said so, the messenger knight said that he would promptly inform Her Majesty the Empress about it, and quickly left. Well, what should we do with this one here? The ns for the desant producing nt Jin and Reinhard had been working on were already roughly finished, so they estimated that it should continue to move forward even without them.. Then let me keep an eye on it. Reinhardt gratefully epted Toas offer to stay behind as a technical advisor. Berthie and Adberg would be enough to take care of all necessary paperwork. Saki and Stearleana also offered to stay and help out in any way they could. Thus Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt rushed to get ready to leave. After having an early lunch, they departed on Jins blimp. Ooh, the view from the sky is as beautiful as ever. Reinhardt was in great spirits after seeing thendscape from the sky for the first time in a while If I ever have time, Id like to make one of these for my personal use, too. Though he quickly grumbled about being very busy with his new duties as lord of this region. Apparently, there was an airfield for blimps in Koju, so they headed there first. The trip took about 1 hour. The Imperial Pce could be seen far away in the distance, on the other side of Lake Tosmo. Oh? Thats There were five sphere-like things floating around the Imperial Pce. Ah, Id heard about it, but those must be the hot air balloons developed here in our country. It seemed that the Shouro Empires Magi Engineers had made them using the ones Jin had gifted them as reference. Their air sacs had the same coat of arms as the national g of the Shouro Empire, the Three Wheat Ears. With those, you can easily tell which country theyre from, huh. Ah, thats right. Jin. You shoulde up with your own crest as well. Reinhardt then went on saying that since Jin was an honorary knight, there shouldnt be any problem if he were to have his own crest. Then I think Ill go with two lines across a circle. Huh? Its one of the family crests of the country Ie from. Its an abstract shape of two horizontal ck lines drawn across a ck circle. This crest is alsomonly known in Japan as the Pot Lid because it resembles a traditional wooden pot lid seen from above. A simr crest, the one line across a circle, was also known as the Pan Lid for the same reason. Both of these crests were linked to the Ashikaga and Nitta ns, from the historical epic Taiheiki, which was written during thete 14th century in Japan. Jin remembered that the headmaster who raised Jin at the orphanage had told him that the family crest was based on the same character for Ni () used in his ownst name, Nidou. Oh, its quite simple, but that makes it easy to understand at a nce. Yeah, thats what I think. The fact that its abstract might actually make it stand out. Elsa nodded as well. Therefore, Jin decided that he would talk about it with the Empress once they visited herter. The soldiers in the balloons seemed to recognize Jins face and saluted him. They were wearing protective sses on their faces. It seemed that they were used as both windbreaks and as a means to avoid getting dust into their eyes while airborne. Weed by the five hot-air balloons, Jins blimpnded at Koju Square, the site where the Technology Expo had been held. There was also a new bord installed there for mooring blimps, balloons, and simr aircrafts. Wee, Magi Craft Meister, Sir Jin Nidou. They were then greeted by Degauss Furt von Maniss, Minister of Magic and Technology of the Shuoro Empire and owner of arge aquiline nose. What do you think of our hot air balloons? They were made with the best of our countrys technology. After a few greetings, Degauss asked Jins opinion. Yeah, I think theyre very well made. s a good result. I can picture them being able to fly almost anywhere. Ah, Im d to hear that from you, Sir Nidou. Im sure youve heard, but weve received orders to set up a drying agent manufacturing factory near here in Koju. So I have. Then, we have set up a dormitory for you here. Ill introduce you to the people who will be working on this project with you there. Once they arrived at the dormitory, Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt were introduced to Vice-Minister of Magi Technology Christoph Barde von Tarnert, who was going to be involved in the construction of the factory. He was joined by three other young Magi Engineers, who introduced themselves as Kiringer, Salzbach, and Budwight respectively. Jin and the others started byying out the experimental tools they had prepared, and showed them how to make quicklime from limestone, and how the quicklime that was produced was water-absorbent. Hmm, interesting. This alchemy no, this science. Thats right. Christoph, as well as the other three young men, had also studied under Fhrer, the automata Jin had given the Shouro Empire for educational purposes. We have already nned the shape of the furnace well need for this factory, as well as the materials well need to make it. While Reinhardt exined this to the other four, Jin took out the piece of parchment where they had written the ns for the furnace, and spread it over the table. I see, this doesnt seem to be something that you can just make bigger in order to get more out of it. Rather, I think it would be best if we were to arrange several of these furnaces in tandem. We would also need airtight containers and storage to keep the finished quicklime from absorbing moisture from the environment. Keep in mind that our miners need to wear a mask when digging for bauxite to ensure that they dont inhale its dust. In this way, the meeting went on smoothly until it started to get dark outside. At night, there was an uproar in the lodgings. Having heard that Jin was here, the Empress flew over after finishing her government affairs. Sir Jin Nidou, thank you for your cooperation in this matter. I, umm Im simply acting in response to having heard about the mold situation in the Klein Kingdom, where I received the title of Magi Craft Meister. I will do everything in my power to help out. Since the guard knights and the mayor of Koju were also present, Jin couldnt address the Empress in a casual tone. Yes, that is exactly what this is all about. We are to help the Klein Kingdom with this situation, as it is something that could happen to our country as well. So we have decided that this is a n worth promoting as a national affair. Jin was impressed by the Empress decisiveness in this matter. It also made him wonder how long it would have taken for the Japanese government to make a decision like that. Of course, that didnt mean that Jin thought that the government of his home country was all bad, but he still preferred the Shouro Empire in that regard. The work for the day was finally over after Jin recreated his experiment to create quicklime before the Empress. Taking this opportunity, Jin reported to the Empress that his crest would be two lines across a circle. I think its a fine choice. No other country has such a crest. You could say its the peak of simplicity. I think its perfectly suitable for the Magi Craft Meister. The Empress also praised the design. She then agreed to have it officially registered as Lord Jin Nidous crest. Anyway, there is something I want to show you, Sir Nidou. I would also like to give you the reward money I received the other day, so would youe to Loizart after your work here is done? The Empress seemed to be quite secretive about what she said she wanted to show Jin Its rted to a state secret. To the point that she had to resort to saying that to prevent him from inquiring into the matter any further. Jin then asked if he could go the day after tomorrow or the day after that. Getting this desant factory going was originally a mission for Reinhardt, so Jin was actually free to go whenever he wanted to. Jin, go with Her Majesty. I can manage things here on my own. Reinhardt was also considerate enough to say that, but Jin didnt want to be half-hearted about the project either, so he replied that he would stay with them until the prototype furnace waspleted. After that, the prototype furnace was finished, and two dayster they were able to confirm that it could produce quicklime sessfully. Then, just like Jin said, three dayster, on October 23rd, Jin had decided to leave for Loizart as soon as he had finished his breakfast. Thank you for everything, Jin. See youter, Elsa. See youter, Reinhardt. Please take care of the rest. And good luck. Good luck, Brother Rei. Even though Loizart was only 20 kilometers away in a straight line, Jin had set his mind on going there by blimp. Once they got to the airfield, Jin spent a few moments painting his new crest, which he had already sketched in his spare time on his blimps air sac. Thus Jin and Elsa headed for the capital, Loizart, on a short flight. Chapter 604

Chapter 604

oMagi Craft Meister 604 18 Further Progress Arc 18-24 Whats Underground There were two hot air balloons guarding the sky over the capital Loizart. As Jins blimp approached, the crew members Cwho were wearing safety gogglesC saluted. Jin thought that they must have noticed the crest in his blimp, and admired the Empresss quickness in making his new crest official. The knights guided the blimp to thending point below. Several white circles had been drawn in the front yard of the Imperial Pce, so Jin made the blimp descend towards one of them. The four royal guards greeted Jin and Elsa with a salute. In the meantime, Reiko moored the airship to the bord. Wee, Magi Craft Meister Sir Jin Nidou. Her Majesty is waiting for you. Two of the royal guards escorted Jin and the others. One of them was about the same age as Jin, but had a solid physique, with blond hair and blue eyes, and the other one was a female knight who was around 20 years old, a slender beautiful woman with blond hair and blue eyes. The male knight followed Jin, while the female knight followed Elsa, as they all headed for the Imperial Pce. Reiko and Edgar also followed them closely. Then they reached the pces main office. And it seemed that to say that the Empress was waiting for Jin had not been an exaggeration. Waiting in the office on the second floor were, of course, the Empress, but also Chancellor Jung Fowles Von Kebsler, Magi Engineer Maestro Gebart Ackermann, and, to Jins surprise, Marcus Grinwald was there as well. Wee, Magi Craft Meister Sir Jin Nidou, and Miss Elsa. When the Empress weed Jin and the others, her tone changed to a more friendly one. First of all, the reward that was promised to you the other day, one million torr. Here you go. Thank you very much. Jin received the bag handed to him by the Empress respectfully before entrusting it to Reiko. She then stowed the bag containing 100 gold coins, which weighed about 2 kilograms, in her skirt pocket. Well, I want to hear everyones frank opinion from here on, so please feel free to speak your mind and say whatever you want to say. So first of all, stop being so formal. Okay? The Empress continued, as no one objected. Just to make sure were all on the same page here, well exin the background for our uing discussion. Chancellor, please. Yes. Im sure you all know that there is a vast sandy area called the Hari-Hari Desert in the west of our country. Chancellor Von Kebsler nced at everyone, and continued ahead after confirming that there were no remarks from anyone. About 300 years ago, this nation was attacked by the people of a different race. They probably thought that it would be easy to deal with us humans after our forces had been so exhausted from the Great Magic War. However, we managed to repel their assault thanks to the power of the Artifacts. Even Jin knew everything up to that point. We have received reports that these people are thinking of invading yet again. Of course, nothing has been confirmed yet, but we still cannot leave that possibility unattended. Therefore The Prime Minister lowered the tone of his voice a little. Were nning to try to reactivate the Artifacts that are in the in the basement of the pce. Jin had already been shown what these Artifacts were. They were giant Golems, about 20 meters tall. The first stage of the n is Goliath, arge, 6-meter tall Golem that Marcus here had on disy at the Technology Expo. Chancellor Von Kebsler started his recap as he turned to Jin. We have manufactured ten of these Goliaths and promptly named them Goliaths 1 to 10. The main idea behind this is to have them do maintenance on these Artifacts. Because of their gigantic size of 20 meters, there would be simply too many maintenance tasks that human hands would not be able to perform. Therefore, the Goliaths were created to perform such tasks. Of course, we can also count these Goliaths themselves as part of our forces. We have also prepred special shields, swords, and maces for them to use. At that point, the chancellor took a deep breath. This is what we have discussed thus far. Does anyone have any questions? Where did the information about this potential attack from the other side of the deserte from? Jin asked the first question. Jin was convinced that this foreign race would share the same ancestors as what the demons referred to as the servant race. Thats why he wanted to avoid any and all conflict if possible. Hmm, so it seems you havent heard, Sir Jin. There are several towns near the Hari-Hari Desert. And, although its unofficial, it seems that there are a lot of exchanges with these people from a different race in those towns. The information came to us from one of those towns. It was a usible exnation. This also meant that it was possible tomunicate with them. Fortunately, in this world, thenguage barrier was very low. Although there were some dialect-specific words, everyone seemed to speak the samenguage for the most part. Jin believed that the reason for this was that the ancestors that came to this world from the Hale brought a singlenguage with them, which only managed to diverge into a few regional dialects so far. Theres one more thing. Were not going to preemptively invade them, right? Of course not. The Empress immediately answered Jins question. The Shouro Empire will devote itself to its own defense. Our first priority is to prevent these underground Artifacts from turning into a waste of a national treasure. Jin thought that, at the very least, the Empresss words were true. Even Jin had some interest in these ancient giant Golems. He wasnt just interested in their sheer size; he also wanted to know if they had any special functions. Understood. Thank you. Seeing how Jin was convinced, the chancellor began to talk once again. With your cooperation, Sir Jin, our strength will grow immensely. Today we would like you to have a look at these Artifacts, but first Id like to hear if anyone has any opinions about this. Those words were directed at the other people in the room. Is there anything someone like me can do to help? The chancellor nodded profusely in response to Elsas unconfident words. Of course. Youre a respected Magi Engineer as well, Miss Elsa. Then the chancellor looked around at everyones face as if asking Anyone else? Looks like thats that, then. After making sure that no one else seemed to have anything to add, the chancellor nodded to the Empress and then stood up. Well, everyone, Im sorry to trouble you with this, but Id like you all to follow me to the basement. As usual, there wasnt a lot of Ether in the underground. Just like thest time, Jin left the Covert Units on the surface, and just to be safe, Edgar also stayed behind. Reiko, on the other hand, followed Jin. As I thought, theyre quite deteriorated Jin voiced his thoughts once he saw the rusted legs of the Golems found on the pces 5th underground floor. These Golems seem to have a mechanism that resembles human muscles. The Magi Engineer Maestro Gebart Ackermann, muttered this as he touched the Golems giant foot. We should start by repairing their skeleton first, then the muscles And then the exterior? Jin was the one to answer that question. No, first of all, we need to do something about this abnormal amount of Ether in this environment, or we wont even be able to get much work done at all. What? The Ether concentration in this basement is extremely low. Perhaps this was intended so that these Golems wouldnt get stolen, or activated identally. The expression on everyone elses faces made it clear that none of them had thought about that. There should be some kind of Magic Tool to regte the concentration of Ether hidden somewhere around here. Hmm However, even trying to find such a thing would be impossible without the ability to use magic to begin with. Jin had a rough idea, but he opted not to go out of his way to go that route this time around. Well, since looking for such a thing would also be a waste of time The chancellor concluded that they would be better off bringing those giant Golems to the surface instead. Therge-scale construction work began immediately. The idea was to bring these giant Golems up from a depth equivalent to a 5th basement floor. Logically, the first thing to do was to make a way to the surface. Fortunately, the courtyard was directly above the ce where the giant Golems rested. Once the paving stones were removed, drilling the necessary holes to get to the 5th basement floor would be easy. Hmm, just as I thought. Gebart Ackermann stared at the pavement and nodded as if agreeing with himself. Take a look over here. These paving stones here are divided into square sections, and they are located just above the Golem hangar. Its only natural that there should be some kind of remains of the way they used to store them down there in the first ce. This was a reasonable logical conclusion. With the help of all of the Goliaths, all of these paving stones were removed, revealing a square stone cover underneath. This was the correct answer after all. The rest of the work was done rather quickly. Once that stone lid was removed, they could see the giant Golem hangar from directly above. Okay, lets lift them up. After building a scaffolding over the hole, they set up a pulley. Then, they lowered several strong ropes from it and tied them to the giant Golems. There were a total of 10 of these giant Golems, and the Goliaths took care of tying each of them up. Okay, pull! Following Marcus shout, the rope was pulled. However, the giant Golems did not budge. It wasnt even able to lift the Goliaths either. The weight of these giant Golems probably exceeded 200 tons each. And each Goliath weighed about 10 tons. Even putting all 10 of them together could only add up to 100 tons. It seemed that these giant Golems werent meant to be lifted by a fixed pulley. I guess this will be impossible unless we shift to a movable pulley and try to lift them in two stages instead of all the way up here in one go. Jin couldnt keep quiet and offered advice. Gebart Ackermann, who had been educated by the teacher Automata Fhrer, was convinced by Jins words. Thats right! We should be using a movable pulley at times like these. With Jins help, the team prepared a two-stage movable pulley. It had a 4:1 mechanical advantage, meaning that it would require only one fourth of the strength required to lift thingspared to the previous pulley. This new pulley system would make it possible for six of the Goliaths to operate it at the same time. Okay, easy now Slowly Thats right. Marcus gave instructions, and Goliaths from No. 1 to No. 6 pulled the ropes. But at the same time, the scaffolding started to squeak, and the ropes broke. It seemed that they werent enough to support 200 tons. After using Toughen on the next set of ropes, they tried once again, and this time, they managed to lift the giant Golems off the underground floor. Then they tried to move the scaffolding once the giant Golems legs were just above the ground in the courtyard and failed. As ast resort, they decided to put the stone cover back on the hole under the giant Golem as it was being lifted, and gently lowered it onto it. They also used Toughen and Hardening on this stone cover, and as a result, it didnt break even under the pressure of the 200-ton giant Golems weight. And so, the rusty frame of the first of the giant Golems known as Artifacts was exposed to the sunlight for the first time in 300 years. Chapter 605

Chapter 605

Magi Craft Meister 605 18 Further Progress Arc 18-25 Ancient Giants After bringing the giant Golems to the surface, the analysis and repair work went forward smoothly. The team of Magi Engineers set up another scaffolding around them, making it easier to work with them. Jin proposed that Sand Worm leather be used as the material for recing the Golems synthetic muscles. ording to him, this leather should be able to put out equal or greater power than what it previously had.. It took the Magi Engineers a single day of work for them to get this done. On the other hand, the maintenance work on the Golems slightly corroded skeletons waspleted in only half a day. Although the amount of work for their exterior was quite extensive, it was rtively easy. With theirrge workforce, the young Magi Engineerspleted this task in half a day as well. The real problem when repairing these giant Golems would be their internal Magi Devices. This was the kind of work that Jin was looking forward to the most. Hmm, so this is what an Artifacts Magi Device looks like Jin and the others began to brood over one such Magi Device after having extracted it from the chest of one of the giant Golems. So what is this? Ive never seen a Magi Sequence like this. It was a Magi Converter, a type of Magi Device that both Jin and Elsa were already familiar with. (Though it seems to be pretty inefficient it doesnt look remotely close to anything made by my predecessor.) Perhaps this Magi Form here is what works on the Ether it takes in. Hmm, in that case, then this is ah, I see! It collects Ether from the environment and then converts it into Mana! Jin was acting like a shadow, casually guiding the young Magi Engineers thoughts so that they coulde up with the right answer themselves. Meanwhile, Elsa was also measuring the Magi Engineer Maestro Gebarts ability in her own way. ( Though Im far behind Brother Jins knowledge and understanding of magic.) Despite herck of experience, Jins teachings added to her own natural talent proved that her knowledge and technical prowess had already surpassed those of the current Magi Engineer Maestro. Marcus Grinwald, on the other hand, had shown to be quite reticent, as he hadnt said much at all during work. Though he had received a special education for gifted children as the grandson of the previous Magi Engineer Maestro Sigmund Grinwald, he still had a slight inferiorityplex because he had always felt that his ability was one step behind his grandfathers. Although it was back when he was controlled by the demon Marchosias, he has still mastered the means to produce therge Goliaths, and thanks to that, he was allowed to participate in this restoration project. For a short while, he was overjoyed that his path to being a worthy sessor to the previous Magi Engineer Maestro had been opened, but this changed once he saw that Jin Nidou, who had brought along his Automata Reiko Cwho, in turn, was the one that hadpletely trampled over his Goliaths on one asionC had alsoe to participate in the same project. No wonder Marcus was feeling so gloomy. And the fact that it had been Jin who had suggested to use the Goliaths to hoist the giant Golems out of their hangar wasnt doing anything to lift his spirits. Regardless of Marcus own feelings, the analysis work went on smoothly. Jin thought that, had he worked on it all on his own, he probably would have finished already, but neither Jin nor Elsa were so thoughtless as to say that. Rather, both of them were eager to know the proficiency level of the average Magi Engineer. Its a Control Core, but whats this supposed to be? What indeed, huh? Jin had never seen it before. But on second thought, it looked simr to something he knew. (Perhaps this is some kind of remote controller?) It had a few things inmon with those used in Titan and Double, such as amunication function that is fueled by magical power. This probably controls the giant Golems movement. But theres no way it can move as it is now, right? Once again Jin hinted at the three types of Golem operational methods to the troubled young Magi Engineers: Autonomous, semi-autonomous, and onmand. This looks somewhat simr to an onmand operational device. See? This part here Hmm, youre right. However, even though it has a basic operation form, the mand section here is nk. Instead, it is connected to this Magi Device, and so Ah, I see, so this Magi Device issuesmands to the Golem? But it shouldnt have this kind of function, right? What if instead of giving orders through voice, it could give orders through some other means? Ah, no wonder youre the Magi Craft Meister. Thats actually very possible! So, this Magi Device Thus, after a full day of work, this operational method was dubbed Remote-controlled type, bringing the total known operational methods up to four. Brother Jin, whats on your mind? While Jin was rxing inside his assigned room in the Imperial Pce, Elsa came over with a bottle of wine. Hmm? Well, about the giant Golems were currently researching, I guess? Hmm After sitting across from Jin, Elsa showed him the bottle she had brought along. This is one of Brother Reis favorite brands. Nasiline 3450, a noble rot wine. Noble rot wine is that a sweet kind of wine? Noble rot wine is made from noble rot grapes, which has a high sugar content due to the presence of the Botrytis cinerea fungus, resulting in an extremely sweet taste. It is mostly drunk as an aperitif or dessert wine. Reinhardt and Elsa preferred it as a dessert wine. Yeah. Its really smooth and has a juicy taste. Elsa asked Edgar to pour some for Jin and for herself. Jin quickly took a sip from his ss. Yeah, it sure is sweet. Since Jin wasnt a regr drinker, he preferred sweet wine to dry wine, so he found himself liking the taste of this wine. So, whats got you worried about those giant Golems? Well, the first of my worries has already been cleared. I was worried that those giant Golems would have some kind of built-in device that would trigger an Ether Stampede The Ether Stampede was a phenomenon that had been created by the Homunculus known as Nega-Doll 001 out of his hatred for both humans and demons. Τᡢ֪˿ڤϣ¤˜p٤ƤޤäΤǤ롣 The first time such a phenomenon was documented to have happened was at the end of the Great Magic War, and it single-handedly reduced the poption of the known world to less than 40%. I see. However, it seemed that these Artifacts had nothing to do with Nega-Doll 001. So, what else? Elsa continued to ask questions while enjoying her wine. Their control device. Just like with my Substitute Doll and Titan 3, there should be some kind of control device or cockpit somewhere, but I cant help but wonder what if I cant find it? Without it, they wouldnt be able to move the giant Golems even after finishing the repairs and maintenance they were doing, rendering all of the work they had done so farpletely meaningless. Is that all? No, theres one more thing. I found a Magi Form engraved on the inside of the giant Golems chest ting. But I didnt see anything like that. Jin began to exin in a soothing voice as if trying tofort Elsa. I know. As soon as I found it, I immediately had Reiko take it to the Chancellor, so its no surprise that you didnt know about it, Elsa. Is it dangerous? Jin nodded, took a sip of his wine to moisten his mouth, and continued. I believe it can be something dangerous. It was a Magi Form that amplifies magic. It was one of the Magi Technologies that had been lost to time. But you know about it, right, Brother Jin? Jin nodded at Elsas confident question. Yeah. But its full of ws Seeing Elsas confused look, Jin began to exin with a bitter smile on his face. The Ether concentration in todays world is way too thin. Ah, so thats what it is. Elsa quickly agreed. Both of them had learned that, before the Great Magic War, this world was at least 3 to 5 times higher in Ether concentration than in the present. In short, trying to amplify magic would make no sense unless there was a high concentration of Ether in the surroundings. So as soon as this amplifier is put into operation, its going to cause a shortage of Mana, right? Correct. It works like the Elradlite. That could get to an amplification of 20 times, but I think this other one can get to 10 times at most. Its still quite a threat. While an amplification ratio of 10 didnt sound too much of a big deal, when thinking of it as an engine that suddenly gets 10 times more horsepower, it can be clearly seen just how overwhelming of an increase it can be. Probably, just moving one of those giant Golems already uses up a lot of Mana. I wonder if the amplification function was necessary to temporarilypensate for that. What would happen if an ordinary person were to use this? Jin grimaced in response to Elsas worried question. Theyll run out of magic right away. When Jin said run out of magic, it was the same as if he had said that their Mana will bepletely depleted. And on that note, though he was speaking of amplification, this function wasnt able to create something out of nothing. All it could do was put together 10 times the amount of Mana a spell or device needed and consume it all in one go to make its effect more powerful. Thats why its a pointless Magi Technology right now. Theres no surplus of Ether for it to be able to generate that much Mana. Having reached that conclusion made Elsa feel a little more reassured, but he knew that this Magi Technology could be a threat depending on how it was used. (Imagine if someone were to use this to send super-powered, but disposable, sorcerers to attack a city or an entire country) Although the thought was considerably frightening, just as there was too little Ether in the environment, there were very few sorcerers left in this world, so it would make little sense for anyone to try to do something like that. Besides, Jin felt a bit of relief knowing that the Magi Form was now under the protection of the Shouro Empires Ministry of Magi Technology, where it would be kept under lock and key. Theres one more thing One more thing? Elsa was taken by surprise, and couldnt help but parrot Jins words back at him. Its about their Control Cores there were some forms written there that even I dont know about. Though Jins knowledge of the current world was immense, he had close to no knowledge about this worlds past. He didnt know about the Magic Tools that were used before the time of his predecessor, nor about the Magi Technology that was developed back then. However, there were a few things about that time which he did know. Especially, about how Magi Technology had progressed little by little until before the Great Magic War. If only I had been alone with that thing Jin was still very cautious about showing the full extent of his abilities in front of others, and believed that it would be better not to let others know about it more than they should for any given situation. I had to stop analyzing it at one point because I felt there was a high possibility of it being protected in some way. Jin had considered the possibility of the Magi Form reacting to an attempt to analyze it. Do you mean Yeah. If it were to simply self-destruct, wed lose some progress in our work, but that would be the end of it. But what if it were to cause a big explosion instead? In order to maintain confidentiality, the Golems created by Jin were also designed to self-destruct whenever someone tried to analyze them without his authorization, so his worries werent unfounded. I hope nothing happens in the future because I left that ck box be I suppose it would be better if you put it back underground, where it already was surrounded by a very low concentration of Ether. If they were to do that, the Magi Form would be in the same environment it had been all this time, where it would be unlikely that anything would happen to it at all. I see. Ill talk to the Chancellor about this tomorrow. Jin replied at the same time as he started to feel a bit uneasy after the few sips of alcohol he had taken had already started their quick climb to his head. Chapter 606

Chapter 606

Magi Craft Meister 606 18 Further Progress Arc 18-26 The New House Uhh My head hurts. Since that noble rot wine Jin and Elsa enjoyed the night before tasted so good, Jin ended up waking up to a mild hangover. Are you okay, Father? Ah, Reiko Sorry to ask you this, but please use your detoxification spell on me Understood Entgiften. The detoxification spell Reiko used was the Shouro-Empire-styled chant she had learned from Elsa. It was capable of breaking down acetaldehyde and adenosine, which are what cause headaches. Im feeling much better now, but my head still hurts Then Heal. Any better? Reiko followed up with a spell to help alleviate the inmmation of Jins dted blood vessels. Ah, it feels very refreshing. Thank you, Reiko. No problem. Through this experience, Jin realized that it would be better to make a detoxifying Magic Tool as soon as possible. The maintenance and analysis of the giant Golems waspleted a little past noon on that same day. At Jins suggestion, the steel of their frame was ted with nickel, and the steel ting of their outer shell was ted with mithril, recing the old, rusted look with a one that shone silvery white. Jin Nidou, Elsa Nidou, Gebart Ackermann, Marcus Grinwald All of you, well done. As the work hade to a close, the Empress herself came to inspect it, and was so satisfied with their disy of workmanship that shemended them all appropriately. The only thing that still remained to resolve was the giant Golems control device. Jin had already sent his reports regarding this to the chancellor, who in turn passed them on to the Empress. The basement where the giant Golems was searched thoroughly for anything that could resemble a control device, but nothing was found. As a result, they believed that it was possible that it was hidden in another part of the castle. But I have no idea where such a thing would be However, the Empress waspletely unaware of the existence of any such control device. Jin then made a suggestion. Then I would rmend returning them to the basement. This was a consequence of Jins uneasiness, which he had discussed with Elsa the night before. I believe that as long as we cannot find their control device, its crucial that we keep them safe in the exact same ce where they have been for so long. No, Im against that. The one who had cut Jin off was Marcus. I would like to do further analysis on these artifacts in order to make use of this technology in the future. Also, I believe that making their majestic appearance public is a good opportunity to show the power of our country to the world. Hmm, what should we do? As an individual, the Empress wanted to take Jins opinion into ount, but as a public figure, she understood Marcus point of view fairly well. Therefore, she decided to consult with the Minister of Magi Technology. What do you think, Degauss? Well, I think it would be good to announce to the public that we havepleted our work with these giant Golems, if only for a brief period of time. After that, we can return them to the basement. His input can be considered to have been apromise proposal. After thinking about it briefly, the Empress decided to follow the ministers advice. Understood. Lets disy them in the courtyard for 10 days and announce them to the public. I will allow you to analyze them further during that period of time, Marcus. But after that, they will be returned to the basement. A decision had been made. Jin decided not to press the matter any further. With this, there was nothing else for Jin and the others to do for the time being, so the team was disbanded. Then, each member was rewarded ordingly. Sir Jin Nidou will be given an estate in Loizart. Jins reward was, surprisingly, a house. Having discovered a Magi Form that can amplify the effects of magic apparently had been quite the achievement. It was also located in the capital Loizart, so Jin could use it to establish a base in the Shouro Empire. This was more profitable to him than money or titles. As expected, the actual center of the city was out of the question, and although the ce given to Jin felt like it was just outside the city limits, Jin also thought he could use the peace and quiet. It was a two-story stone building. It was quiterge, and Jin appreciated that it had arge garden. The total area of the estate was about 1,500 square meters, of which approximately 1,200 were nothing but garden. The building itself was second-hand, but it was well maintained and ready to move in. It seemed that it had previously belonged to a baron that had fallen into ruin, so there were still a few pieces of furniture left. The house had about 20 rooms. Maintaining it would normally be very difficult, but this was not a problem for Jin. Feel free to modify it to your liking. Jin was surprised to receive such official endorsement. As Empress, Gelhart Hilde Von Rubies Shouro was certainly very curious about what kind of remodeling the Magi Craft Meister would do to this estate. She would most likelye for a visit at some point. Its nice that it has a basement as well. We can set up a Warp Gate there. And since it has such arge garden, theres space for a Golem carriage. Elsa knew very well what it meant for a noble to have a mansion in Loizart. It was unprecedented for anyone with the rank of Knight to be granted such a reward. Thats how much Jin was trusted and recognized. With that in mind, Elsa advised Jin to make it so that his new estate would live up to that trust. Hmm, I see. Of course, theres no need to go as far as your castle in Hourai Ind. That would be viewed poorly as well. But it would be better if this bes a house that can meet Her Majestys expectations. Elsa knew that the Empress would eventuallye check how things were going in this house from time to time. Im finally free, so Id like to bring Hanna at some point Alright, Ill get the remodeling done today. It looked as if a switch inside Jin had been flipped in an instant. After an early lunch, he quickly set out to begin working. He started by setting a Warp Gate in the basement. Reiko was sent out via transfer machine as andmark to allow for a provisional instation of this Warp Gate. Then, he used this temporary Warp Gate to summon 10 Smith Golems. With that, his preparations wereplete. Since Elsa knew her way around Loizart, Jin asked her to go shopping for general household goods with Edgar. Though Jin would probably be able to just make everything he needed in that regard, he had the potential gossip around the neighborhood to consider, as it would be unnatural to establish a house and not to buy any household goods. It would also be better for the Shouro Empires economy to spend some money. After all, he had yet to touch the 1,000,000 torr he had received as reward earlier. Jin asked Elsa to get curtains, tableware, basic cooking utensils, and carpets. Sure, leave it to me. Since it would be difficult for Edgar to carry all of that on his own, Jin had two of the Smith Golems go with them. Jin had no intention to hide that he was the Magi Craft Meister, so the fact that the Golems would stand out a little was no problem at all. Okay, Ill get to work on my end as well. After Elsa left, Jin and the remaining 8 Smiths began remodeling the house. The maintenance work on this house had been only the bare minimum, so it needed to be cleaned from top to bottom. The 8 Smiths were dispatched to clean the entire house. After they took care of all of the dust, rubbish, and small vermin that had settled in, Jin was finally at the starting line. The first thing to do was to expand the basement. Jin set up a food warehouse and a material warehouse, as well as a secret room to hide the Warp Gate. The original basement would be used as a workshop. Some of the building stones of the house were damaged, which was taken care of by using both Hardening and Toughen on them. The toilet room was remodeled to match the level of Kaina Vige. In other words, Jin changed the old one for a Western-style marble toilet seat equipped with a waste disposal mechanism consisting of Deodorant, Dposition, Clean Up, Sterilization. No warm water washing function, though. A simr mechanism would be prepared for sewage treatment. What Jin noticed up to this point was the water supply and sewerage systems in Loizart. Themon toilet was an underground permeation type equipped with Clean Up, but the sewage was temporarily stored in a sedimentation tank, while the clear while the supernatant liquid was treated with Clean Up poured into Lake Tosmo. Simple yet effective. Jin was a little worried about what he was going to do with the sediment that would be piling up as a result. But returning to the story Loizarts water supply came in the form of water wells installed in each house. Underground water seemed to be fairly abundant due to the citys proximity to Lake Tosmo. As a test, Jin dug a deep well. The water there seemed to be under a considerable amount of pressure, and would rise to the surface on its own when dug out. This saves me the trouble of having to pump it up. Jin temporarily stored this water in a tank built in the attic on the second floor of the house. He then installed pipes inside the house so that the water supply could be used on the second floor as well. Of course, this water would also be treated with Clean Up and Sterilization. He also installed a water heater that was made with a Magic Tool that had the Heat spell so that he could wash his hands with warm water in winter. It seemed that the original bathhouse could only be used for bathing in hot water, so naturally Jin built a new one. The sewage would also be treated and then discharged into the sewage system. The Smiths were doing a fantastic job. As for Reiko, her role was to get the necessary materials from Laojun and have them transferred over from Hourai Ind. After Elsa finished her shopping around the city, she returned to the house and started setting up the carpets and curtains she had purchased. Its amazing how much a few curtains and carpets can change how a house looks. The once bleak interior and corridors were suddenly brightened up. Elsa had a great eye for decoration. Next we need to take care of each of the rooms and the kitchen. Please give me a hand with that as well. Yes. They started with the kitchen. The sink and cooking table were made of stone, so they were reced by new ones made of 18-12 stainless steel. Having a Warp Gate around is so convenient Being able to use materials from Hourai Ind, which would normally be very difficult to obtain, to their hearts content was indeed very convenient. Of course, Jin was also trying to buy the materials that were avable nearby as well, but since he was in a bit of a hurry, he ended up bringing more than half of the materials he needed straight from Hourai Ind instead. The futons have to be made of Magi Silk. Thats non-negotiable. They brought the Magi Silk futons Elsa was so particr about to each of the rooms. One for Jins bedroom, one for Elsas bedroom, and ten more for each of the guest rooms. With this many, Saki, Reinhardt, and the others would be able to spend the night here as well. The parlor needs to look nice without being too over the top Since this wasnt Jins area of expertise, he left that to Elsa as well. Sheid down the most expensive carpet out of the ones she had purchased, and modified the original dignified-looking table set with Engineering Magic to make it even more splendid. After that was done, they noticed that it was starting to get dark outside, so they decided that their next step was to think about what to do with the lights. I think wed be better off not using Ether Luminaires Right. Having devices thatbined existing technology was fine, but it wouldnt be a good idea to put a lot of lost technology on disy, so they settled for the Magi Lamps that Elsa had bought. Ill go buy some more tomorrow if these are not enough They ended up not being enough for the guest rooms, so they decided to leave that for the next day and finish their work for the day by setting up their own bedrooms. Id like to have tatami mats here. Elsa said that she wanted to sleep in a room with a futonid over tatami mats, just like she had in her own house. Jin agreed as well. So the two of them brought some tatami mats over into their bedrooms. Both of them added a floor that was about 40 centimeters higher than the rooms original floor before covering it with tatami mats. This made them resemble the typical tatami rooms found in izakayas all over Japan. Even though they were bedrooms, each of the rooms could fit 8 tatami matsid on the floor, but their new raised floors were only wide enough to fit 6 mats instead, so thats what they did. For reference, each tatami mat was about 2 meters long by about 1 meter wide. Jin had ns to make a sunken kotatsu for when it gets colder. The rooms had no built-in closet, which added to their now Japanese style, but they still seemed to be quitefortable. After collecting all of the small tools they had used, they decided to call it a day and have dinner. Father, Miss Elsa, foods ready. Ah, thank you, Reiko. You did a great job today. Reiko had been giving the Smiths instructions on things that Jin hadnt noticed, and had also taken care of other minor adjustments as well as having been in charge of getting materials from Laojun. She had delivered exceptionally well as a behind-the-scenes assistant. I was just doing my job, Father. However, contrary to her words, Reiko couldnt hide her smile after being praised by Jin. Chapter 607

Chapter 607

Magi Craft Meister 607 18 Further Progress Arc 18-27 Presents The morning of October 29th had arrived with good weather. Ah, I slept like a baby. Good morning, Father. Oh, Reiko, good morning. After a big stretch, Jin got up from his futon. Since he hadnt brought any pajamas, he had slept in his underwear. He quickly put on his clothes and headed to the washroom. Then I will prepare breakfast. Reiko promptly headed to the kitchen. Maybe I slept so well because I got so tired yesterday For Jin, remodeling an entire house was more immersive and tiring work than repairing ancient Golems. Good morning, Brother Jin. Oh, good morning. Elsa was already up as well, so she joined Jin at the washroom and washed her face alongside him. Then she realized she hadnt brought a towel with her, so she had no choice but to use the Engineering Magic spell Heat and the Wind Magic spell Breeze in order to dry her face. We could make a hot air dryer with those spells Jin and Elsa headed to the kitchen while thinking about new Magic Tools for daily life they could create. Since they hadnt bought any groceries yet, Reiko had prepared bread, citran marmde, bean soup, bacon and eggs, sd, and fruit juice using the ingredients Laojun had sent over from Hourai Ind. This breakfast made both Jin and Elsa feel at home. What are you doing today, Brother Jin? Elsa asked this while sipping fruit juice. Well, Im thinking of calling Barrow and Belle over, and Hanna as well. Elsa put down her cup after emptying it. In that case, we should have a ce in this estate where you cannd your blimp. Ah, thats for sure. If I were to prepare such a ce It would have to be on the roof, Jin thought. Should I take the existing roof apart and build a terrace? Or maybe just turn it into a proper rooftop? After thinking about it for a moment, Jin decided to build a proper rooftop. Anyway, we ought to get permission for aerial departures and arrivals first Jin had to go to the Imperial Pce soon to get his blimp back, so he nned to take that opportunity to get that permission as well. Ive been thinking about making an Entgiften Magic Tool to offer as a present as well. Jin thought that this would make for a fine present, as it could be indispensable for the royal family and government officials. He then immediately had some Magi Crystals sent over from Hourai Ind. Elsa, what shape do you think is best? A ring? A bracelet? A pendant? Elsa thought about it for a brief moment before replying. When ites to detoxification, I think its better to have it closer to the center of the body. So a bracelet would be better than a ring. And a ne would be even better than a bracelet. I see. So a pendant would be better. Jin then went on about how he would have to show the Empress and the other officials how to use this Magic Tool, as well as making the chain adjustable so that it would fit perfectly right in front of the users chest. Yeah, that sounds good. The chain should be Mithril silver Alright. Ill leave the design to you, Elsa. Ill be making the chain. After having some Mithril silver sent over as well, Jin made the chain for the ne. It was designed like a Kihei chain, which was a chain made with regr links that had been twisted 90 degrees and ttened. Even Jin knew about this type of chain. Since pure Mithril silver was rather flimsy, he made 925 Mithril silver instead, which had copper mixed in. This was the same material Jin used for the dagger he gave Elsa for her birthday. He started by making an ordinary ne chain, and then manually twisted and ttened each of its links. Elsa was surprised to see that the chain Jin was making was about 10 meters long. What are you going to do with such a long chain? Well, Im making enough chains for at least 10 pendants. Elsa was even more shocked by that remark. Brother Jin, first of all, its important to make this a gift to Her Majesty. What Im trying to say is that it should be a single item. That would emphasize its value. Elsa told Jin that that would be the value of something made by the Magi Craft Meister. I see Having understood Elsas advice, Jin nodded obediently. But I cant let this go to waste now, right? I could make a pendant for you, Elsa, and for Mine, Martha, Hanna, Saki, Stearleana, Vivian And Ah, yes, Beana and Lithia. Elsas eyebrows twitched when Lithias name was mentioned. Once again I realize that youre just that kind of person, Brother Jin. ? It seemed that Jin couldnt hear what Elsa had just muttered after a weak sigh. Anyway, the first thing to do is to finish this particr present. Got it. At Elsas suggestion, they decided to make a diamond-shaped pedestal for the pendant with Mithril silver and inserted the processed Magi Crystal into it. At 9 AM, Jin and Elsa headed for the Imperial Pce, carrying their present with them. The Magi Craft Meister, Jin Nidou, was already a celebrity, so he was instantly allowed into the pces waiting room. Elsa and Reiko, who were always seen with him, were also well known, so they were let through as well. Then, after a nearly 20-minute wait Ah, Jin, to what do I owe the honor? Just when Jin and Elsa were thinking that it would be nice to see the Chancellor, they were let into the Empresss office instead. If the Magi Craft Meister has something to say, well always be here to listen. The Chancellor was sitting right next to the Empress, but seemed to be a bit tired, so Jin pretended not to notice that and instead started talking about the purpose of his visit. A detoxifying Magic Tool That sounds wonderful! Elsa designed it, and I made it. Jin presented the pendant, which they had put it in a box made of ck wood simr to ebony. So if I put this on, I can protect myself from toxins? Yes. Even just wearing it has a light effect. For example, you cant get sick after drinking if youre wearing this Jin then proceeded to exin the pendants effects in detail. So, for example, if youre wearing this, even if you were to drink a deadly poison, you wont copse right away. Its passive effect will allow you to perform basic functions for a short period of time, so youll be able to activate it even in that scenario. The goal behind making it like that was that, if one were to try to activate the pendant after the poison has taken effect, it might be toote. If you ever feel like something strange is going on in your body, just press the pendant to activate it. The fact that one could be unable to speak due to the effects of poison was also taken into ount. Thanks to its light detoxification passive effect, I believe its unlikely that your hands will be paralyzed under such circumstances. Jin also added that activating the pendant by mistake would have no adverse effects on the body. Thank you, Jin. I appreciate it very much. The Empress received the pendant with a smile So, is that it? Dont you have a favor to ask me? then showed her perceptiveness. Ah, yes. Theres a permission Id like to get from you Jin then exined that he wanted to set up a blimpnding spot on the roof of the residence he had been given. ʤۤɤ͡ࡢ󤸤ʤ? I see What do you think, Chancellor? Can we do that? After thinking it over, the Empress asked the Chancellor for his opinion. Yes, Your Majesty, indeed. I believe it would be a good idea to have Sir Jin Nidou set a precedent here. In the future, people may own hot air balloons of their own, and it would be good to be able to issue such permissions to them as well. In other words, the Chancellor wanted to set Jin as an example to create the first draft of such permissions and use it as a reference for the future. Thank you for your prompt permission. Jin thanked them, then left. As expected, the Empress didnt have time for idle talk. You did it, Brother Jin! Ah, but it was all thanks to you, Elsa. Jin, Elsa, and Reiko triumphantly arrived at the blimps mooring, holding a piece of parchment with the details of the permission written on it. Reiko, tell the Smiths that we left on standby to start working. Understood. Since Jin already knew that he was very likely to get that permission from the Empress, he had already made preparations in advance to get the renovations going as soon as possible. The 10 Smiths received Reikos call and immediately began remodeling. The production capacity of the Smith Golems was about a tenth of Jins. But that didnt mean that 10 Smiths would be the same as 1 Jin. The numeric advantage allowed them to work on dismantling the roof, removing the dismantled roof, redevelopment of the attic, construction of the new roof, and the preparation of the blimps parking apron at roughly the same time. Even omitting the detailed work, to be able to divide so many processes was extremely convenient. The entire renovation work would be alreadypleted by the time Jin and Elsa left Magiroots Vige after picking up Barrow and Belle. The distance between the capital Loizart to Magiroots Vige was about 130 kilometers. Jin headed for Magiroots Vige in a high-altitude flight, trying to spend the least amount of time possible. Once he wanted to get something done, Jin would get impatient like this. They reached the vige in less than an hour. There was no surprise in the vigers eyes this time, they just looked at the approaching blimp with curiosity. Wee, Lord Jin. Afternding in a vacant lot on the outskirts of the vige, the vige chief weed Jin and Elsa. What can I do for you today? We just came to pick up Barrow and Belle. Jin exined that he thought it was time they got back to work. As long as they continue to work, thats only natural. Please take good care of them. After saying that, the vige chief bowed to Jin. Chapter 608

Chapter 608

Magi Craft Meister 608 18 Further Progress Arc 18-28 Confiding Barrow, Ivee to pick you up. Jin visited Barrows house with Reiko. Master Jin! Oh, you were here as well, Belle? Yeah! Belle then exined that she was taking care of Burrows younger siblings while also helping with housework. Im surprised to see how skillful you are, Belle. Maitz, Barrows mother, said that as she entered the room. Ah, wee, master! Barrows brother and sister looked at Jin and greeted him in a loud voice. Master? Yes, hes the owner of the ce where big brother works, right? Barrows younger brother, Kono, seemed to be very smart for his age. Haha, youre definitely not wrong. Jinughed and stroked Konos head. Barrow, Belle, sorry foring here so suddenly with this, but I was thinking it was time for both of you toe back to work. What do you think? Jin wished there had been some way to let them know in advance. He was still unsure about whether it was too soon to give Barrow and Belle a Mana Comm. Yes, of course. Thank you for this unexpected long vacation. Barrow answered while straightening his back and bowing properly. Okay then, Well be going to Loizart after lunch. Understood. A Are you leaving, big brother? Barrows little sister La looked up at her big brother with a sad look on her face. Yeah, I have to get back to work. But Ill be back. Barrow crouched in front of La and stroked her head as tears started welling up in her eyes. Seeing this, Jin turned to Barrow. Barrow, are you sure about this? If you want to stay here in the vige But Barrow interrupted him. No, I want to go back to work for you, Master Jin. I see. Well, Im once again counting on you, then. Still worried about the sad look on Las face, Jin decided to use the hour of free time he had before lunch to make a doll for her. Jins reasoning was that dolls were the way to go when ites to making a little girl happy, and this was no different in this world. Brother Jin, want me to help you? Elsa, who was watching from the side, offered to lend a hand, so Jin asked her to make some clothes for the doll. Jin contacted Laojun through Reiko and had him send the necessary materials from Hourai Ind via the transfer machine, so there were no issues when making the doll. Jin made it so it resembled a hug me doll. It had a soft body made of Magi Silk and Magi Cotton, and it had a simple inner frame made of stainless steel wire so that La could make it pose in any way she wanted. The clothes were also made of Magi Silk, so they felt quite nice to the touch. Her eyes were made of blue mother-of-pearl buttons, and her hair was made of Magi Silk dyed gold. It was not hard to imagine that if one were to purchase a doll like this in a store, it would cost thousands of tolls. See you soon, big brother! Barrow, give it your all. Sir Jin, please take good care of my son. Just past noon, they were finally ready to leave. Barrows family came to see him off. B-Big brother do your best Jin then presented La with the hug me doll he and Elsa had made. Whats this? Didnt you say so yourself, La? That even though youd be lonely, youd still encourage your big brother? Thats so nice of you! So I thought Id give you a little present. T-Thank you. La was a bit shy at first, but still epted the hug me doll Jin gave her. Then, while stroking Las head After all, Ill make sure your big brother cane back home to see you from time to time. he offered her someforting words. Belle, please take care of Barrow. Yes, uncle. Come on, Belle, youre basically our daughter-inw already. A-Aunty!? Belle was thrown off-bnce by the wordsing from both of Barrows parents, which had been said half-jokingly, half-seriously. And so the blimp soared into the sky. See you soon~! Both Barrow and Behle continued to wave until Barrows family members became smaller than peas. Well, first well be going to Loizart. Jin thought this would be a nice time to tell Barrow and Bell about how he was given an estate. I will be staying in Loizart for a while, so Id like you to work at my new house during that time. Understood! They flew at a high altitude on the way back as well, so they arrived at Loizart in the early afternoon. Umm, where was it? Over there, Father. Seeing that Jin was unsure of the exact location of his new estate, Reiko showed him where it was. Oh, okay, okay. Look at that, the Smiths did a great job. The roof, which had been covered with te up until recently, had been removed and reced with a t roof. A handrail had been built on the roof, as well as a simple garage for the blimp. With Reikos support, Jin skillfully lowers the blimp to the roof and moors it. There, three of the Smith Golems pulled the blimp into the garage and anchored it. So this is your new mansion, Master Jin? Yeah. I just got it, so there might be a few things left to do to improve it here and there. If you notice anything, please tell the Smith Golems about it. U-Understood. At first, Barrow and Belle were a bit nervous about the Smith Golems, but after seeing that they were getting along quite nicely with both Butler and Steward, the two of them quickly got used to them as well. After an hour of surveying the situation, Jin finally decided to go pick Hanna up. Take care, Brother Jin. Since it wouldnt take him too long, Elsa decided to stay in the house. Jin took Reiko and headed to the Warp Gate he had installed in the basement, then used it to first go to Shinkai, then from there they jumped to Kaina Vige. Then they came out on the other side, not inside Nidou Castle, but in the basement of Jins workshop. It was already dark in Kaina Vige. B-Big Brother! Hanna encountered Jin while preparing dinner. Wee home! Hello, Hanna. Ah, Jin, wee home. Have you finished your errands already? Jin had also been thinking about taking this opportunity to tell Martha about the Warp Gates. So he entered Marthas house and faced her in the dining room. Whats wrong? Do you have something important to talk about? Yeah, actually Jin exined that he could use an Artifact called Warp Gate, that back when he first came to this vige his first attempt went haywire, and that he had properly set them since so that such idents wont happen again. I knew that you were out of the ordinary, Jin, but this This is something I couldve never imagined to be possible Im sorry. I couldnt afford to make a single mistake with this technology. Telling too many people about it could make it easily targeted by other countries. Well, thats right. Any country would be able to send soldiers and weaponry anywhere in no time at all. But Jin expressed his opinion that this should be used more constructively. Fufu, I agree with that. Well, its one of your things after all Jin, so I cantin about you using it. Just dont use it for bad things. Of course. Jin nodded sharply. And finally, he added that the reason he hadnt told her about this until now was because he was trying to avoid being noticed by people who were aiming for such technology, and not because he couldnt trust her with the information I understand. Dont worry about it, Jin. Martha smiled brightly and gently tapped Jin on the shoulder as he lowered his head. I did tell you to get along with Hanna, after all. So, are you taking Hanna with you today? Yes Yaaay~! Until then, Hannah had been silently listening to Jin and Marthas conversation, but let out a cheer once she saw that they had finished talking. Hanna, lets take the clothes that the princess gave you. They got ready with Marthas help, who aided them in getting her clothes packed. Okay then, well be going now. Well be going nooooow~! Have a safe trip. As Martha saw them off, Jin and Hanna disappeared into the Warp Gate. And as she saw the Warp Gate in action for the first time, Martha found herself muttering to herself. To think that the youngd that Hanna found that day would grow into a man that could change the world Chapter 609

Chapter 609

Magi Craft Meister 609 18 Further Progress Arc 18-29 Time Difference The Imperial Pce, in the capital city Loizart. There, the giant Golems towered over the courtyard. A temporary roof was being constructed around these Golems, which were still unable to move by themselves. Hey, bring it a little bit more over here. The scaffolding there is unstable, so be careful! Alright, now lift it, slow and steady. The construction work, which was carried out using Engineering Magic, was supervised by the Magi Engineer Marcus Grinwald. Therge Golems he had built were also being used, so work progressed at a quick pace. Most of the framework waspleted in one day, and by the second day, all of the giant Golems had been moved to their exhibition spot on the courtyard. Excellent work, Marcus. The Empress, who came to see the finished work, thanked Marcus for his efforts. These things are quite sturdy. But its a pity that we dont have their control device. I wanted to see them move At that moment, there was a clicking sound somewhere, but no one paid any attention to it. Wow, this is your new house, Big Brother? Hanna, who Jin had brought along through the Warp Gate, was in high spirits. Barrow and Belle were puzzled as to how Jin brought Hanna from Kaina Vige, but they were already used to Jins entricities, so they simply swallowed their doubts and didnt even ask him about it, thinking that they would get an exnation from Jin someday. But its still bright here. Why is that? It was past 5pm when they left Kaina vige, but it was still 2pm here. Hannah tilted her head in wonder. Oh, thats right Jin decided to take this opportunity to talk about time differences with Hanna. And, since Barrow and Belle were there as well, to them, too. He started by using Engineering Magic to create a terrestrialrather, an Ars globe. It was a simple model that very vaguely showed what this world looked like when seen from outer space. Still, it also had a proper support so that it could be rotated. Then, he set a Magic Lamp to act as the sun toplete his preparations. The world we live in is called Ars, and this is what it looks like, only much, muchrger than this. But Ill use this model as an example, okay? Everyone nodded, and Jin continued. This here is our sun. Ars rotates slowly like this. This half here thats under the sunlight is currently in the morning. And in this part, where the sun is right above, its noon. As the world spins around, all of these parts will stop being under the sunlight, morning will be noon, noon will be afternoon, and will eventually get dark. Thats when its night. Barrow and Belle were also listening with great interest. So, time is determined by the position of the sun. Here, where the sun is right above, its noon. And on this part here, which is the exact opposite to that one, its midnight. And so time is divided equally all around our world depending on where the sun is. Hanna seemed to have a bit of trouble digesting all of that, but since she was a very sharp girl who also studied on a regr basis, she seemed to be following along to some extent. So the hour of the day here and the time, lets say, here, will be different from each other. Jin pointed at two different points on the Ars globe. The first one was at noon, and the other was at sunset, around 6:00 pm. This is what time difference is. Imagine these vertical lines This is whats called a longitude. Since this world spins in this direction, the hour of the day changes as you change from longitude to longitude. But it wont change as we move along the meridian, that is, from north to south. Do you see? Yes, I understand! It was very easy to understand. You said this thing is called a model? This helped a lot. Barrow and Belle seemed to be following along nicely. Yeah, Big Brother, I understand why the time here and back home is different now. Hannah seemed to at least understand the general idea. Jin then thought it was time to take Hanna to do some sightseeing around Loizart. Then Ill go with you. Ill show you around. Thus Jin, Elsa, Hanna, Reiko, and Edgar would be heading downtown. Barrow and Belle decided to stay at the mansion to take care of any tiny details that could still need some polishing. Feel free to give any instructions to the Smiths. S-Sure. Although roughly 90% of the work had beenpleted, there were still some unfinished details to the furnishings, so Barrow and Belle began to search around the residence for anything that could still use some more work. Oh, theres a gap in the door here, can you do something about it, Mr. Smith? Roger. This part of the stairs here looks damaged and could be dangerous, could you please fix it? Roger. In this way, Barrow and Belle went over the finishing touches to the house while getting used to itsyout. This is the central square. Wow~! Jin and the others had taken Hanna around for sightseeing rather than shopping. The Shouro Empire was founded about 300 years ago, so its history was shortpared to other members of the Small Group of Countries. And the way Loizart was built matched its short history. In terms of design, many of the buildings in the city seemed somewhat angr, making a clear distinction from the over-decorated aesthetic of the Celuroa Kingdom. Theres so many people The time was past 4:00 pm. It felt as if the number of people going around shopping downtown had increased as ofte. Ow. While she was walking, Hanna bumped her shoulder against someone else. Whoops, watch out. Jin picked up Hanna and put her on his shoulder. Big Brother? Hanna was a bit confused for a moment as Jin suddenly carried her on his shoulder in the crowd, but soon got used to it and started enjoying it. Whoa, I can see so much from up here! Thank you, Big Brother! Elsa, who was walking next to her, stared at her with a hint of envy in her eyes. ? At that moment, Elsa felt that someone had grabbed her right hand. We need to make sure we dont get separated. The one who had taken Elsas hand was Jin. As a result, she started walking a little closer to him. Reiko and Edgar watched the situation from behind as they followed the three of them. After doing some sightseeing, Jin and the others returned to the residence a little earlier than expected. After a bath to wash off the sweat and dust, it was soon time for dinner. Incidentally, Hanna had left Kaina Vige without having dinner. Back there it was almost time to go to bed already. Therefore, during dinnertime at Jins house, Hanna had mainly fruit. She understood that, timewise, she had skipped dinner, so she was fine with having just a bit of fruit before bedtime. Since the time difference was only 3 hours, it wasnt that big of a jetg, but just to y it safe, he had her go to bed early. To Jins surprise, Hanna said You know, Big Brother? I can sleep alone now! before going to bed. Still, the Covert Units Iris and Azalea were still watching over Hanna, so Jin felt there was no need to worry about her. Jin was also tired from having a busy morning due to his audience with Her Majesty the Empress and the round trip to Magiroots Vige, so he decided to go to bed early as well. That night, a messenger hade from the Imperial Pce, but Jin, who had gone to bed early, would not know about the contents of his message until the next morning. Whaaat!? The messenger from the previous night had left a letter. One of the Smiths delivered it to Jin soon after he woke up the next morning, so he read it immediately. What happened, Brother Jin? Jin silently showed Elsa the letter. Her Majesty the Empress ising for a visit!? Looks like she is. The letter said that the reason for her visit was to make sure that there were no defects in the residence given to Jin, but Jin figured that Her Majesty was probablying because she was intrigued about how Jin had renovated it. Her Majesty!? Huh!? Even Barrow and Behle had also be slightly pale. Should I have a Golem Maide be brought over here? Unsure about what to expect from the Empress visit, Jin thought about asking Laojun to send him 5 Golem Maids from Hourai Ind. Wait, no, this is a special asion, so I should create new Golem Maids specifically for this visit. It seemed that the Empress would be arriving at around 10 oclock, so Jin figured he had enough time. And so, Jin used the Warp Gate to go to Hourai Ind so that he could make his preparations there. Chapter 610

Chapter 610

Magi Craft Meister 610 18 Further Progress Arc 18-30 The Visit As soon as Jin emerged on Hourai Ind, he immediately started working on the new Golem Maids. Their technical specifications would be basically the same as the other five-color Golem Maids, so he expected to have them ready rather quickly. The same went for their clothes. However, since he was nning to add some self-defense techniques, new knowledge, and both Engineering and Healing Magic, he could not entrust this task to Laojun. Of course, the idea behind these additions was so that the new Golem Maids could make the best out of them in Loizarts environment. The self-defense techniques were to help them defend themselves against foreign enemies, thieves, intruders, and so on. The Engineering Magic was so that they could do maintenance of both the residence and each other. And the Healing Magic was just in case. They were also given the sense of touch and the ability to modte how much force they put into a task. Their offensive magic was the same as that of the other five-color Golem Maids, so they could use it at an intermediate level. Okay, youll be called Amethyst 102, Topaz 102, Peridot 102, Ruby 102, and Aqua 102 respectively. Yes, Master. Everyone answered in unison and bowed their heads. Next, Jin made a new Butler Golem, and named him Butler D. He had also been given the sense of touch and the same new knowledge as the Golem Maids. With this, Jin had built a team of Golems that would be in charge of his new residence. Therefore, he was now free to recall the Smith Golems back to Hourai Ind. My Lord, I have something to tell you. Jin had been working at his usual pace, so he still had plenty of time left. Yeah? Whats wrong, Laojun? My Lord, its about the giant Golems that were being repaired in Loizart. Whats the matter with them? I have a certain concern regarding them, which I will proceed to report now. A concern? Since there were other people around at the time of the repairs, not even Jin could manage to do an in-depth analysis. Therefore, after being finished for the time being, Jin had left the Quinta in charge of Loizart, Cape 7, to conduct a secret investigation. First of all, I had been wondering why these giant Golems had been stored in a ce where the Ether concentration was so low. Wasnt that to prevent theft? Lets think about this more carefully. It would be considerably difficult to steal something as big as those giant Golems. Now that Laojun mentioned that, Jin thought it made sense. Back when they first opened the door to the basement where those Golems were stored, they had simply had to supply it with Mana from the outside to open it, leading Jin to believe that the lock was too lenient, but now the idea of those Golems being stolen was actually unrealistic. So, there must be another reason. Correct. The most logical reason would be to prevent them from being moved, or starting to move on their own. If it was to prevent them from being moved by someone else, there would have been no need to lower the Ether concentration in that basement to that extent. Therefore, it could have only been to prevent them from moving on their own No way, you think those things could start moving on their own now? That is the concern I have. I do not know what would happen if those giant Golems suddenly started to move on their own, considering we have yet to find anything that looks like their control device. Thinking about the functions suchrge Golems would have, Jin figured they would at least have certain basic movements such as walking, running, and punching. Jin also believed that they would be able tobine these basic movements into slightly moreplex ones. That was how Jins own Titan worked, after all. I see. Then, if they suddenly started to move, would we have a way to stop them? Just in case, Jin decided to think about the worst possible scenario. The simplest way to do it would be to rid them of their Ether supply. Since the giant Golems were equipped with Ether Converters, Laojun believed that either an Ether Jammer or a Magic Canceller would be effective to make them stop. Thats right. Then we could maybe issuemands to them using a magical power with the same wavelength as their control device, right? Jin believed he could have built a control device for those giant Golems himself if only he had allowed himself enough time to do so, but he didnt want to risk attracting unwanted attention as a result. It looks like it may take some time for us to precisely identify the correct magic wavelength for that. Well, yes. But I believe this is the most preferable way to handle this We could develop a device that would allow us to do just that. I do believe that there may be other uses for such a device in the future, so feel that it would be better to work on it. A Magi Spectrum Analyzer of sorts, huh? Jin remembered that No. 700672 had a Magic Tool with such a function. Thanks to it, he was able to determine that the frequency of Jins mental waves were good enough to manipte Ether. Hmm Jin groaned as he pondered. After spending around 20 minutes like that, an idea was finally conceived in his mind. Thats right. I wasnt able to find a way to do it because I was too focused on trying to express this wavelength in numerical form. What we should be doing is trying to find a wavelength of the same frequency! In order to express a wavelength in numerical form, it would be necessary to count the number of waves in a fixed period of time (for example, 1 second). However, that was very difficult to do with magical power at the moment. This was because there were no sufficient means to define 1 second as exactly one second. The basic signal in electronic circuits is called a clock signal, and it was necessary in order to create said means starting from there. But Jin came up with a different approach. We could raise the frequency from low to high and see at which point a magical resonance urs Jin believed that, if they were to manage to generate magical power of the same frequency, their immediate problem would be solved, so he figured it would be better to tackle it from this angle. However, when Jin was about to start working on a prototype, he was approached by Laojun. My Lord, I believe its nearly time for you to return to the new residence. Huh? Is it time already? He had about 20 minutes left until the Empress arrived. Since the excuse for her visit was to make an inspection of the residence, it was inescapable for Jin to have to be there being the one doing the show-around. He also needed some time to change his clothes. Aw, if only I had 10 more minutes, I wouldve been able to make a prototype After getting changed and stuffing his pockets with all the Magi Crystals of the attributes he wanted to use, Jin returned to Loizart while feeling that he was being dragged back against his will. Incidentally, he had already sent the new Golem Maids over. Brother Jin, an announcer was just here a few moments ago. As Jin returned, Elsa greeted him and informed him of the most recent events. As nned, Her Majesty the Empress would be visiting at 10 am. Hanna, go get changed, okay? Jin brought along a dress that had been given to Hanna as a gift by Princess Lieschen of the Klein Kingdom. Elsa was already wearing appropriate clothes for weing such an important visitor. And Jin was wearing his Magi Craft Meister clothes. Jin also decided to keep the Magi Crystals in his pocket just in case. He was nning to work on his prototype as soon as he had the time. Her Majesty the Empress of the Shouro Empire The Empress arrived at Jins new residence as the families in the other neighboring houses were paying attention to what was going on. Sir Jin Nidou, I know you are very busy, but thank you for having us here today. Just as before, the Empress was being apanied by Minister of Magi Technology Degauss, the female knight of the royal guard, and her personal secretary. Wee, Your Majesty. Jin hurriedly performed the Shouro Empire-style salute that Elsa had taught him. With his right palm on the outside of his left elbow and his left palm on the inside of his right elbow, he bent his waist approximately 60 degrees forward while maintaining his crossed-arms posture. Elsa, who was standing next to Jin, bowed deeply on one knee, which was the most respectful way for a woman to bow in the Shouro Empire. The Empress didnt say anything about the formalities on this asion, as it was necessary to be polite, unlike during their encounter in Magiroots Vige. Let me show you around the house right away. Pleasee this way. Jin and Elsa led the way to the entrance hall. Oh!? Wow. The new five-color Golem Maids and Butler D were there to wee the party. Jin, what is this!? As soon as she entered the hall, the Empresss tone shifted to a more candid one. These are the maids and the steward in charge of this manor. From the right, Amethyst, Topaz, Peridot, Ruby, and Aqua. And the stewards name is simply Butler. Hearing Jins voice, all six of them also greeted their guests with a respectful bow. This is wonderful. I shouldve expected no less from the Magi Craft Meister Hmm The Empress was frankly impressed, and Degauss marveled at the workmanship, so much that he even seemed a little scared of it. I see you also did a great job with the interior design. Thank you very much. That was all Elsas doing. At Jins words, the Empress looked at Elsa and smiled. How lovely You really are doing well as partners. Elsas cheeks blushed slightly in response to the Empresss praise. And these are Barrow and Belle, who take care of my daily necessities. Theye from Magiroots Vige. At Jins introduction, Barrow and Belle nervously saluted with a respectful bow as well. Is that so? You shouldve introduced us the other day Back then, they were enjoying a well deserved vacation Hmm, I see you take good care of your servants, dont you, Jin? The Empress seemed happy to know that her people were being taken care of with respect. And finally, let me introduce you to my other little sister, Hanna. Im Hanna. Wearing her new dress, Hanna bowed curtsy. Children were not required to bow in the same way as the adults. My, what a pretty young girl. The smile on the Empresss face became even broader. Wee. The Empress crouched down and beckoned Hanna. In response to this, Hanna approached the Empress briskly and with small steps. A Klein Kingdom-style dress, huh? It looks really good on you. Thank you. Hannah bowed once again. Shes really cute. You said shes your little sister, Jin? Yes, we are not rted by blood, but she is my precious little sister. I see. Nice to meet you, Hanna. Much obliged, Your Majesty. The Empress took Hannas hand and gently stroked her head. Chapter 611

Chapter 611

Magi Craft Meister 611 18 Further Progress Arc 18-31 Engineering Magic It all started by pure coincidence. It just happened to start taking in a magical power of the right wavelength from the environment. However,pared to when it was first created, there was far too little Ether around. Its built-in Ether Converter had slowly begun umting the Mana necessary for its movement. And when the required amount was exceeded, it started moving. Jin started showing the Empress party around the remodeled mansion. This is the kitchen. Wow! What a beautiful sink and kitchen counter! They were made of 18-12 stainless steel, which was so well-polished that you could see your face reflected on them. It was only natural that the Empress would be surprised by them. This is the restroom. Oh, this feels nice to touch. Hmm, this idea is interesting. It makes itfortable even when the weathers cold. Everyone seemed to be drawn to the heated toilet seat. The restrooms other functions were also more advanced than the average restroom, so their reaction was understandable. Its important to treat sewage. Especially if it all returns to Lake Tosmo. It seemed that Lake Tosmos water already wasnt being used for drinking in the first ce, and that the people living around it had already decided to use purified water instead. Thats right. We are currently reviewing our policies regarding that, including everything rted to hygiene. The Empress then mentioned that, based on the knowledge she had obtained from Jin, she was considering a policy that included disease prevention. Of course, we think its necessary to properly wash our hands and brush our teeth, but also to boil water in order to sterilize it. Degauss added to the Empress words. He then continued by saying that the detoxification and disinfection Magic Tools wille in handy once the policies had been settled. After that, they all headed to the guest room area. Oh! What is this floor? In addition to the living room for himself and Elsa, Jin had made two Japanese-style roomsplete with tatami mats. These had quickly caught the Empress attention. These are called tatami. Youre supposed to take off your shoes when walking on them. Oh, that sounds wonderful! To take off ones shoes during a visit Ah, what a sign of peace. In a way, Jin was impressed by the Empress own interpretation of the meaning behind the tatamis. Her idea was that not having to wear shoes during a visit meant that a visitor would feel reassured by being in a ce from where they would have no need to run away in a hurry. And It smells really good. Like the smell of nature. They smelled like freshly cut grass. Elsa liked this scent, and the Empress seemed to like it too. I wonder if you could cover the floor of a bedroom with these and justy down a futon bed on top of it Judging from her words, it seemed that the Empress had really liked the idea. Ill give you some tatamister. As soon as Jin said that, the Empress looked like she was about to start jumping out of joy. Do you think you could show us around the rooftop as well? Right, Id like to take a look at how you did things up there for future reference. The main purpose for Degauss and the Empress visit was to see how Jin had put his blimpnding station together, as well as its maintenance infrastructure. Sure. This way, please. They climbed the new set of stairs that would take them to the roof. Hmm, of course, the exit to the roof has a door and a roof overhang of its own, I see It was as if they hade out to the rooftop of a school. The door and overhang were there because Jin didnt want any rainwater to make its way into the building during bad weather. I see, so you can have the necessary personnel here at any time. The Empress nodded after seeing that there was an area on the roof where the personnel that assisted withndings and departures could stay. Not only the roof, but also the pirs and walls are reinforced with Toughen and Hardening to increase their durability. Hmm, of course. We have drawn a white circle as a guide forndings, just like the one at your castle. Of course, youd have bords here as well. A low but strong railing had been set around the roof, as well as bords for mooring aircrafts. Oh, whats that? Minister Degauss pointed at something that looked like one of themps used to brightly illuminate a square. Thats a light Magic Tool that I set here for when any arrivals or departures happen during the night. Degauss nodded at Jins exnation. I see. Its true that you need to be able to either take off ornd here even at night, in case of an emergency. Thats right. At that moment, they all saw a messenger on a horse running at full speed towards Jins residence. Huh? Wheres he going with such haste? Hesing here? And two minutester, an out-of-breath Barrow ran up to the roof. M-Master Jin! T-Theres big trouble! I-In the castle! After waking up and checking its surroundings, that realized that it was trapped. The ck box that Jin had feared had begun to move. Its arm slowly moved upwards, and the mantle that had been covering it slid to the side and fell. Uwaaaaahhh! This caught Marcus by surprise. Just when he thought they were finally done moving those giant Golems, one of them suddenly started moving, tearing away at the temporary cover that he had put a lot of effort into. Though he had avoided the falling mantle, Marcus face wentpletely pale after realizing what was happening. W-What? How? Why now? The giant Golem, which he had been ordered to store away, had now started to walk all of a sudden. And Marcus and his team had yet to find their control device. At this rate, the giant Golem could cross the entire courtyard of the Imperial Castle, break through the outer walls and go out into the city. Goliath No. 1! Stop it! Marcus gave instructions to one of Goliaths, therge Golems Marcus had brought along for this job. However, this only invited further chaos. The 6-meter Goliath faced the 20-meter supergiant. Using one of his legs as an axis, the giant Golem made one full rotation. It was like it was trying to shake off a puppy that had been clinging to its leg. Goliath No. 1 was sent flying by that momentum, causing it to fall on the ground. The giant Golem then proceeded to keep walking. Hey! Everyone, stop that thing! This time, four more Goliaths clung to the giant Golems legs, two on each. However, this didnt stop the giant Golem. No. 1! You too, get up! The fallen Goliath No. 1 finally managed to get back on its feet. However, it seemed that the fall had damaged its lower back, causing its movements to be sluggish. Even so, it stood in front of the giant Golem. The giant Golem raised its right arm and brought it down at its right leg. A blunt, metallic sound was heard, and Goliath No. 3s head was crushed. However, despite having lost its visual receptors, the Goliaths control mechanisms werent located inside their heads. Therefore, Goliath 3 continued totch itself to the giant Golems right leg. W-What!? The giant Golem ced its hand on Goliath No. 3s crushed head and activated a magic spell. A faintly shining magic circle appeared, and Goliath No. 3s body was distorted into a strange shape beforeing to aplete halt. When Marcus saw that, his eyes widened in surprise. Forming It was Forming, an Engineering Magic spell. It wasnt impossible for a Golem to use Engineering Magic to attack an enemy. However, that was all that it was: not impossible. That was simply part of the characteristics of Engineering Magic. The strength of most Engineering Magic changes in inverse proportion to the cube of the distance between its caster and its target. Its considered to be a rtionship that affects three-dimensional objects. In other words, as the distance between caster and target increases, the effect of Engineering Magic decreases sharply, along with requiring more magical power to work at all. Therefore, when ites to attacking an enemy, regr offensive magic would be more efficient and effective. Back when Jin was attacked by Count Walters soldiers in Kaina Vige, he used Forming to bend their spears, that had been an exception among exceptions, and not something that anyone could do. But the giant Golem had been able to use Engineering Magic in the same way. This was what had rendered Marcus speechless. After being done with Goliath 3, the giant Golem proceeded to incapacitate the rest of Marcus Golems one after another. Chapter 621

Chapter 621

Magi Craft Meister 621 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-08 Friends Its almost time, Father. Jin had gone to take a nap about an hour ago, excited by the fact that they had finallye across some dried bonito kes, also known as katsuobushi. Following his instructions to wake him up in an hour, Reiko entered Jins room. Mmm Jin got up while rubbing his sleepy eyes, which was soon followed by a big yawn. Ah I think Im a bit more refreshed. And after washing his face in the washroom, Jin was looking pretty refreshed. Its already lunchtime, huh? Maybe Ill call Elsa and Hanna over here for lunch. Jin was looking forward to having some miso soup made with bonito kes. Father, about that Hmm, did something happen? Well, the thing is, Hanna has brought a friend. Huh? Is it a friend she met at Loizart? Yes. Her name is Shide. Hmm? Shide? The name was familiar to Jin. Um, is she about the same age as Hanna, with fluffy blond hair and blue eyes? Yes. You and this child are already acquainted, Father. The first time Jin met Shide was in the mine in Yada Vige in the Egelia Kingdom, then they met again in the city of Tellurus in the Celuroa Kingdom. Reiko knew all this because she was with Jin on both asions. Is that so Jin thought that since it was such a rare thing for Hanna to bring a new friend she had just made, he wanted to go give her a warm wee. For that, Ill have to wait a bit before enjoying my miso soup Jin decided to let his beloved miso soup wait for him for a moment, and to go wee Hannas new friend first. Ill spend the night in the new mansion. First of all, its time to go back to Loizart. As soon as Hanna returned to Jins mansion with Shide, they were greeted by Elsa. Wee, Shide. One of Golems guarding Hanna, Iris, had returned to the mansion a little earlier to announce the arrival of their guests in advance. Ah, youre thedy from that time. Elsa Can you heal Shides injury? Huh? You see, Lady Elsa Then Belle recounted what had happened in the park, exining that the two girls had been so obsessed with picking up Castani nuts that they bumped into each other and fell on their buttocks. Im alright, but Shide got a few scratches on the palms of her hands when she fell Hmm, I see. Come here, please. Yes. Elsa then took Shide to the washroom. This may sting a little. She then rinsed the wounds with clean water to remove any soil stuck to them. Are you OK? Yes Sterilization. Behandern. Elsa then cast a spell to disinfect the wounds, and then another to heal them. The scratches on Shides palms disappearedpletely, and were now as good as new. Wow, thank you, miss! Shide bowed bouncily, and Elsa smiled at her. Youre wee. Once they returned to the reception room, Shides butler Hauro thanked Elsa. Lady Elsa, thank you for healing the youngdys injuries. Oh, no, its no big deal. Around that time, Jin also came back. Im home Oh, hi, Shide. Oh, its you, big bro! Ah, sorry to intrude. Wee back, Brother Jin. Wee back, big bro! My name is Hauro. I apologize if our sudden visit is inconvenient After exchanging such greetings, Jin invited them all for lunch. Wee to my house. I hope youll join me for lunch. Hauro asked if it was really okay, continuing to express his being sorry for intruding, but Jin paid his concerns no mind and instead went straight to leading them all to the dining room. There, Peridot 102 started serving the meal,pletely unaffected by the fact that they had sudden visitors. The menu was white bread, vegetable soup, in omelet, and fruit juice. On top of that, there were some baked sweet potato-lookalikes made with itopos, which were this worlds equivalent to sweet potatoes. Just like with regr sweet potatoes, slowly heating itopos promoted the conversion of their own starch into sugar. The best way to do this was to bake them slowly over hot stones. Is it really okay for me to join you at the table? The butler, Hauro, seemed to be unsure how to deal with the fact that Jin had invited him to join them for lunch as well. Sure, please, take a seat. So, youre traveling here to Loizart this time around Shides father, Viscount Terrence Odeo Sekat, was an assistant to the lord of Diziel, a provincial city in the Egelia Kingdom. He himself was not in a position to travel at a moments notice. Yes. The viscountess younger sister has been married into a family from the Shouro Empire. Her second child was born recently, so the viscountess thought about bringing Lady Shide here with her. Viscount Odeos eldest son Edem seemed to have returned to Diziel, while Shide traveled with their mother, Viscountess Marilia, to the Shouro Empire. Oh, well, I believe congrattions are in order, then. Jin went along with the expected lip service and congratted Shides family for the newborn child. Meanwhile, Shide and Hanna were happily enjoying their meal while chatting. This is delicious. Shide was happily enjoying her baked sweet potatoes. Jin was d to catch a glimpse of her joyful expression. Jin had this feeling that young girls love baked sweet potatoes. At least thats what he had seen throughout his time on Earth. Yeah, its so tasty. Elsa also liked baked sweet potatoes. Hanna was stuffing her cheeks as well. All three girls were sinking their teeth into their baked sweet potatoes, paying no mind to the bread at all. Jin smiled and took a bite of his baked sweet potato as well. During their after-meal tea, Jin turned to Hauro, while Hanna and Elsa talked with Shide. I see, so the Egelia Kingdom wasnt affected by the long rains, huh? Thats what I heard. However, the Celuroa Kingdom is going through a bad time. Even though it was part of the Egelia Kingdom, Diziel was a provincial town close to the border with the Celuroa Kingdom, so the viscount was worried about how the situation in the Celuroa Kingdom would affect Diziel. And it seems that the Klein Kingdom is in an even worse situation than that. Jin knew the outline from Laojuns report, but after listening about their situation as recounted in a way that seemed closer to someone who had experienced it first-hand, it felt a bit more true to life to him. He then began to wonder if it wouldnt be a bad idea to consider sending some food aid to the Klein Kingdom. So, it took half a month to get from Tellulus to Jiron. Oh. Meanwhile, Shide was telling Hanna about her travels. It seemed that, by the time Shide was crossing the Naudaria River, the battle with the Unifiers had just ended, and the Celuroa Kingdom was still in a state of confusion, so it understandably took her more time than expected. Elsa was just listening to Shides story, while Hanna was the one asking questions. What happened after that? Everything went well right after crossing the riverWe passed through Scabia, Tansten, Asta, and so on I cant remember the names of all the towns. But it looks like it was fun! Actually, it was really hard at times. I had a fever once as well It seemed that there was still a lot to talk about regarding Shides travels, but before they knew it, the time had just passed the 2 oclock mark. The butler Hauro bowed to Jin and promptly got up from his seat. Youngdy, Im sorry to interrupt your entertainment, but its time for us to go Oh, is it already thatte? Shides face turned to a sad expression. Aw, are you going already, Shide? Hanna also looked sad. Im sure Shide and Hauro have things to do as well, right? Remember that theyre always wee toe visit us again anytime. Jin tried tofort Hanna with these words. Yeah, thats right. Come again sometime, Shide! Yes, Hanna, Ille visit you again one of these days. While still seeming reluctant to go, Shide took Hauros hand before leaving Jins mansion. Hanna stood at the gate and saw them off until they disappeared from sight. Incidentally, Belle had decided to soak the Castani nuts that Hanna had picked up in water so that they could be eatenter. Chapter 622

Chapter 622

Magi Craft Meister 622 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-09 Reinhardts Peerage On November 7th, a visitor came to Jins mansion. Hey, Jin, what a nice mansion! It was Reinhardt. It seemed that the Empress had summoned him. Congrattions on your appointment as Honorary Advisor to the Imperial Family, Jin. Berthie hadnt been present during their meeting where the Family had debated about the Recoil Elimination Magic, so she took this opportunity to congratte Jin. Thank you. Jin epted the congrattions without any particr mannerism. I heard that youll be receiving the title of baron, Reinhardt? Yeah, and its all thanks to you. He would be given the rank of baron for his great achievements in the country, such as the desant nt he had set up together with Jin. Jin had heard the news about it the night before. Though its actually you who should be credited for most of these achievements, Jin. It feels a bit wrong to ept this title What do you mean? Rather than the technology itself, whats being rewarded here is the fact that you have paved the way for themon folk to be able to produce it, right? Ah, but that is also mostly thanks to Mr. Toa Reinhardt was a very humble man. Jin could see a little bit of himself in him as well. So, what are you doing today? Oh, dont you know? Theres going to be a peerage conferring ceremony today at the Imperial Pce. Huh? Jin looked at Elsa. Yeah, I know about that? Am I the only one who didnt know about this? The Imperial Pce sent us a message about it yesterday. Barrow properly informed us of it, so I assumed you had heard the news as well Umm Two days before, since Shide hade to visit, Jin hadnt been able to enjoy his miso soup with bonito kes on Hourai Ind, so he had postponed it to yesterday. And since Jin had been so restless, looking forward to it since the morning, he seemed to havepletely ignored Barrows report. Ah Im sorry. Well, thats Jin for you. Reinhardt had a bitter smile on his face as he said that. So, I took this chance toe take a look at your new mansion, Jin. Oh, is that so? Great timing, then. Ive been wanting to tell you to feel free to use this house whenever you have toe to Loizart. Jin then went on saying that he could use any of the empty guest rooms, andughed. I see, Ill take you up on your kind offer then. Ive been stopping by my fathers mansion so far, but this ce is also very convenient. Reinhardt alsoughed after saying that. Then how about you show Berthie and me around the mansion? Topaz, please show them around. Understood. As Reinhardt and Berthie were guided by Topaz to take a look inside of the mansion, Jin whispered to Elsa. I have to prepare a gift to congratte Reinhardt. Yeah. What should we do, Brother Jin? After thinking about it for a while, Jin and Elsa decided to give him a hot air balloon. As a special feature, its air sac would be made using Grand Spider Silk, a very sturdy material which Jin also referred to as GSS for simplicitys sake. It would look like a normal hot air balloon, but it would have its own things that set it apart from the rest. Jin thought about decorating the air sack with Reinhardts family crest, but I think we should make a new crest for the Family and use that one instead. At Elsas rmendation, Jin decided to leave the crest forst. At 1:00 PM on the same day Okay then, well get going. Reinhardt, the main guest of todays event, would have to be at the Imperial Pce earlier than everyone else, so he left earlier together with Berthie. Jin and the others would be departing about an hourter. At 2:00 PM,. Jin, Elsa, and Hanna went to the Imperial Pce. Of course, Reiko and Edgar were also with them. The invitation sent by the Imperial Pce stated very clearly in the Empress own handwriting that they expected Hanna to be present as well. Jin and Reiko put on the cloaks and robes they had received from the Shouro Empire. Hanna was wearing a dress. Meanwhile, Elsa was worried. She would be seen in public around other nobles, such as Marquis Theoderic, and Reinhardts father, Earl Randall, so she was concerned about what to do regarding her position. Would she be introducing herself as Elsa Randall, the Magi Engineer? Or as Elsa Nidou, younger sister of the Magi Craft Meister Jin Nidou? Her father, Georg, had been stripped of his viscountship, but the Empress had told her that if Elsa wanted to set up a family line of her own, she would consider it. However, Elsa had lived her life until today without ever replying to that. (I guess I could establish a branch family and revive the Randall house, but rather than that) Elsa wanted to be by Jins side. If she could, she would like to be more than a little sister. Ive made up my mind. Muttering in a low voice, Elsa opened her closet and started picking clothes for the event. Are we going to the castle, Big Brother? Hanna was in high spirits after hearing that she had been invited to the Imperial Pce by the Empress, whom she met the other day. On this asion, Jin and the others would be traveling in a Golem carriage brought from Hourai Ind. This one was pulled by two Golem Horses. It was a brand new Golem carriage, and although it hadnt changed much in terms of design, it had on it both Jins crest and the crest of the Shouro Empire, just like the cloak that Jin received. The coachman would be Butler D. Steward was to stay on Hourai Ind. Is Elsa still not ready? Ah, there she is! Elsa finally appeared from inside the mansion at a quick pace, apanied by Edgar. Wow, Big Sis, you look so pretty! Elsas outfit was her favorite bright green dress. She had matched her clothes in a very refined way, and even Jin honestly thought that she looked gorgeous. And yet, he couldnt help but feel that something was out of ce. Not knowing what it was, Jin and the others got into the carriage, and left for the Imperial Pce. A carriage drawn by two Golem Horses was definitely a very conspicuous thing, but it soon made sense for everyone who saw it arrive once they realized that it belonged to Jin, the Magi Craft Meister. This way, please. Thank you. Jin already had a status higher than that of an Earl Calthough only in nameC as an Honorary Advisor to the Imperial Family, so he can walk around the castle without reserve. While politely responding to the servant who weed them, Jin and the others headed to the venue. The venue was arge hall. In addition to Reinhardt, there were several other nobles who had been conferred peerage, and a banquet was to be held tomemorate them. Oh, if it isnt Lord Jin. Jin turned around at the familiar voice. Ah, Umm Lady Karen, was it? tinum blond hair, and gray eyes. Her name was Karen Theoderic von Banners, the fourth daughter of Marquis Gehlen Theoderic. She was Sakis aunt. Its really been a long time. I know itste, but congrattions on being officially recognized as the Magi Craft Meister, as well as on your appointment as Honorary Advisor to the Imperial Family. Thank you very much. Karen then found Hanna, who was holding Jins hand. Oh, what a pretty youngdy. Are you Lord Jins younger sister? Yes, my name is Hanna. Karen smiled as Hanna greeted her with a curtsy. If my father sees you, he might not be able to help himself and end up taking you with him Oh, Im just joking, just joking Seeing Jins stiff expression, Karen hastily corrected herself andughed it off Well, shes a little bit too small even for my father. We wont know until maybe five more years or so. though she added yet another uncalled-for remark. Long time no see, Elsa. Huh? Karens eyes widened when she saw Elsa. Chapter 623

Chapter 623

Magi Craft Meister 623 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-10 Elsas Determination I see, youve made up your mind. Instead of looking at Elsas face, Karen smiled as she looked a little further down. Hmm? Jin followed her gaze, and found himself staring at Elsas hands. Her fingers were white and thin, just as always. She was wearing the Guard Ring Jin had made for her on the middle finger of her right hand. Her nails were also neatly trimmed, with no manicure. Jin remembered that there was an anecdote about people on Earth growing their fingernails long to show that they didnt have to do manual work. Huh? Jin once again felt a slight sense of difort. Clearly visible hands Oh He had just realized that Elsa wasnt wearing gloves. Jin recalled that aristocratic women would almost always wear gloves when going to a party or other important social events. Did you forget to put on your gloves, Elsa? No. Then why? Mh-mmm. Why? I cant say. For some reason, Elsas eyes turned to the side, as if she didnt want to exin her reasons to Jin. He then turned to Karen for answers. Karen, do you know why? But Karen just smiled. No, you cant hear it from my mouth. Please try to figure it out on your own, Lord Jin. Leaving those words behind, Karen then left rather quickly. Big Brother, Im not wearing gloves either, look! Hanna waved her hand as if trying to make them more visible. Jin gently stroked Hannas head. However, he was still concerned about the reason as to why Elsa wasnt wearing any gloves. El Jin was about to ask Elsa about it again. But at that time Her Majesty the Empress! A voice echoed, and everyone who was there stopped talking and turned to look towards the back of the room. The door on the right side there opened, and Empress Gerhart Hilde von Rubies Shouro finally made her appearance. Thank you all foring here today. After saying that, the empress sat down on her throne. It was Chancellor Jung Fowles von Kebsler who continued speaking from where she had left off. We have gathered here today to announce the names of four new barons of our Shouro Empire, and to celebrate the future of our fine nation. At the same time that he finished saying that, the door on the left opened, and four young men entered. They lined up in a row on a tform that was one step lower than the throne. We shallmence the peerage conferment ceremony without dy. These are our four new barons. The voice of the ministers secretary, who was presiding over the meeting, echoed throughout the room. Reinhardt Randall von Adamas, Lord of Kartz Vige. Kralg Scher von Dorms, Lord of Etko Town. uze Alhaus von Furth, Lord of Eno Vige. And finally, Matheus Geist von Rialgar, Captain of the Imperial Guard. The four names were read out loud. Matheus, who was standing on the far left, was Reinhardts friend and Berthies older brother. So Matheus was also given the title of baron, huh? The other two seemed to be lords of local towns and viges, but Jin had never met them. Then, on the far right, was Reinhardt. The four were wearing brown robes that represented their status as barons of the Shouro Empire. In the less than two minutes that had taken the ministers secretary to introduce all four of them, the maids had already skillfully handed out wine sses filled with white wine to the guests. By the time the empress rose again from her throne, everyone had wine sses in their hands. Hannas ss, however, was filled with juice. Let us have a toast to the birth of our new barons! After hearing the empress voice, everyone raised their sses before taking a sip from their wine. From this point on, this will be a social gathering. Everyone, please enjoy yourselves.. After saying those words, the empress and chancellor left the meeting. The venue then became lively at once. Attendees were congratting the new barons and talking with each other. Hey, Jin. Lord Jin, it has certainly been a while. Reinhardt and Matheus went towards Jin. Next to them were Berthie and another woman with blond hair and blue eyes. Im Matheus wife, my name is Ciara. Ciara then turned to Jin. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lord Jin. I hear that your new residence is just across from the Hekerath estate Ah, yes, thats right, but Thats Ciaras parents house. Ciaras maiden name was Ciara Hekerath von Labra. Of course, now she went by Ciara Geist von Labra. Hey, Matheus and Ciara. Congrattions on your new title. Then came another familiar voice. Lord Jin, sorry for the other day. It was Flora, the female knight who had been on duty as the empress personal bodyguard during the giant Golems incident. She had blond hair and blue eyes, and looked a lot like Ciara. Ah, sister, its been a while.. Sister-inw, long time no see. Floras full name was Flora Hekerath von Merante. She was the eldest daughter of the Hekerath family, and Ciaras older sister. So youre a baron now, Matheus? Looks like youve finally outranked me, huh? Since Flora was a female knight, in other words, a chevalier, Matheus, who was now a baron, was more or less above her in hierarchy. In terms of the military, Flora was a knight of the Imperial Guard, while Matheus was the captain of the 3rd Company of the Imperial Guard. It was quiteplicated for Jin, who was unfamiliar with military affairs, to keep up with the different ranks and their differences. Oh no, it is you, who can serve Her Majesty directly, who is of higher rank between the two of us, Flora. Oh, please, stop calling me by my name. I hate it. Oh, sister, does it still bother you? ? Jin couldnt understand what Matheus and Flora were going on about. Seeing this, Ciara gently exined. My older sister has always been a tomboy, to the point of wanting to go to a knight school. And since she finds her name Flora to be too feminine, she doesnt like it very much. Hey, Ciara! You have no business saying such things! Floras blond hair shone as she turned around. Her silky straight hair was bob cut, and fluttered and reflected the light as she moved. So, she graduated at the same time as my husband, and after working as a junior knight, she eventually became a senior. She may be a tomboy, but shes very earnest and by the book, so I hope you can get along well. Ciara! Jin thought this feeling of female knights C such as Gloria Ohlstat from the Klein Kingdom and Flora here C not being feminine was actually a bit disrespectful to the women of this world. The way Jin saw it, a feminine woman probably wouldnt want to be a knight in the first ce. In the evening, at 5:00 PM, the social gathering ended. Reinhardt had told Jin that, although this had been a social gathering just like any other one, it had to be held during the daytime and to be kept at a small scale since it was originally meant as a ceremony to officially introduce the new barons of the Shouro Empire. Lord Jin, Miss Elsa, Miss Hanna, and Miss Reiko, Your Majesty the Empress calls for your presence. Huh? As Jin and the others were just about to leave, the empresss secretary called out to them. Reiko, who was treated in the same manner as a junior knight, was also summoned. I wonder what this is all about? Though he thought hard about it, Jin couldnte up with an answer. The empress secretary led Jin and the others to the empress office. Here they are, Your Majesty. Please,e in. The empress and the chancellor were waiting for them there. Im sorry for calling you on your way home. Ive been busy working until now. Even as she said that, the empress eyes turned to Hanna. Hello, Hanna. Hello, Your Majesty! The empress beckoned Hannah, and she went to her. Taking Hannas hand, the empress exined why she had called for them. Today, we have something to say to Elsa. Lets listen to the details from the chancellor. Chapter 624

Chapter 624

Magi Craft Meister 624 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-11 To The Klein Kingdom The reason why we asked you all toe here today is that we have a favor to ask of Miss Elsa. The chancellor then began to speak. Jin couldnt see any traces of sorrow in his face, so he figured that it wasnt something extremely urgent. Alois III of the Klein Kingdom has been in poor health since the beginning of summer. Jin had heard about that a while ago. Specifically, at the end of July, back when he sent one of his hot air balloons to the Klein Kingdom. It is a little worrisome that the kings condition had not improved since then. I got this through the Mana Phone, so I dont know the details of his symptoms, but it seems that hes so sick that he cant even get up from his bed. Do you know anything about hisplexion? After thinking for a moment, Elsa asked that question. Hmm. The whites of his eyes seem to be yellowing a little, but I dont know the details. Is that so It was possible that it was cirrhosis of the liver, just like Sakis grandfather, Marquis Theoderic had, but there was still too little information for her to be certain. Thats why the Klein Kingdom has asked for both us and the Egelia Kingdom to send a good healer over there. The healers in the Klein Kingdom had been unable to cure the kings illness. And as representatives of the Shouro Empire, both I and Her Majesty agree that you, Elsa, who have sessfully cured Marquis Theoderic in the past, would be the most suitable for this job. What do you say? Would you like to go to the Klein Kingdom as a healer from the Shouro Empire? Elsa started to think about it. She had previously met the third princess Lieschen back when she visited the capital with Jin and Hanna. For this reason, she has a personal desire to cure her father, Alois III. However, the desire to heal and whether or not she could actually heal him were two different things. If she was dispatched as a healer in representation of the Shouro Empire, and she happened to fail to cure the king, Elsas failure would be a failure of the Shouro Empire as a whole. That was the reason for her hesitation. Are you worried about having to take responsibility in the event that you cant cure him? If thats so, let me tell you that you dont have to worry about such a thing. The empress spoke to Elsa. She looked like she was ying with Hanna, but she was very good at doing various things at the same time. You would be going there to help the Klein Kingdom precisely because their own healers cant cure their king. If it turns out that you cant cure him either, no one will me you. The empress turned to Elsa and smiled as she finished saying that. Im not saying that you have to go, either. This isnt an order. If youre notfortable with it, you can refuse to go, okay? Elsa slowly turned her head, first looking at Jins face, then Hannas, then Reikos, and finally Jins face again. And the words simply rolled out from her mouth. Ill go. Huh? Please let me go to the Klein Kingdom. I will do what I can. Understood. Then I shall give you the title of Reichsarzt, that is, of Imperial Doctor. The n was for Elsa to arrive in the Klein Kingdom by the day after the next, and, if possible, the empress wanted her to leave the next day instead. Jin offered to send her by blimp. That will help a lot. Itll be twice as fast as a hot air balloon. You wont have to worry about safety on the way, and Jin seems to have a lot of influence in the Klein Kingdom as well. And to finish, the empress took Jin and Elsas hands. Jin, please take care of Elsa. Elsa, do your best to support Jin, okay? Then sent them off with those encouraging words. Are you sure about this, Elsa? After leaving the empresss office, Jin asked Elsa. Yeah, Ill give it a try. Ive always been protected by everyone else, including you, Brother Jin. And Alois III is Princess Lieschens father. If theres a chance I can cure him, then Ill definitely give it a shot. I see. I understand. Ill help you out as much as I can. Sure. Big Brother, is the princess father sick? Hanna, who had been listening to the adults conversation, turned to Jin with a worried look on her face. Yeah. Thats right. Thats why Elsa decided to go take a look at him. Is that so? Big Sis, make sure to heal him, okay? Elsa smiled softly and stroked Hannas head. Yeah. Ill try my best. After that, they all went back to the mansion to make their preparations. Oh, so thats what happened? Reinhardt, who had returned to the mansion a bit earlier than Jin and the others, had a serious look on his face. Alois IIIs illness seems to be serious. Yeah. But I wonder if Laojun has anything to report about this? Laojun must have dispatched one of the Quintas to Klein Castle. Jin instructed Reiko to contact the Laojun. He hadnt installed a Mana Comm here yet. Reiko fell silent for a while while shemunicated directly with Laojun. Father, I have learned a little more about Alois IIIs condition. ording to Reikos report, the king showed symptoms of jaundice, and although he was losing weight, his stomach was abnormally swollen. Im almost certain that theres something wrong with his liver. Said Elsa with a gloomy expression on her face. But I cant say anything else yet.. We shouldnt jump to conclusions She then added that she would like to see the rest with her own eyes. They then moved on to start making their preparations. Jin thought that they should travel by blimp only shortly after departing and shortly before arriving. Thats right, lets depart on the blimp, then have Condor 3 meet us in the sky, and go straight to Hourai Ind. After making preparations over there, we can use a transfer machine to go to an area close to the Klein Kingdom. That way, not only we wont need to worry about unnecessary things on the way, its also the safest way to go there. Going by Jins blimp meant that such measures could be taken behind the scenes. They also resolved to prepare medicines and healing Magic Tools on Hourai Ind, as well as taking a Nurse Golem along. Next What should I do with Barrow and Belle? Should they stay here or go back to Kaina Vige? Would you like me to take them to my ce to look after them, Jin? Jin gratefully epted Reinhardts offer. That sounds great. I hope they can learn a thing or two while theyre at your ce as well. Thus Jin decided to take this opportunity to have Barrow and Belle stay at Reinhardts mansion for a while. This was because he thought that it would be good for both of them to keep in mind what kind of work human butlers and maids do, since most of Barrow and Belles coworkers (other than Mine, that is) were Golem Butlers and Golem Maids. Understood. Im going to work really hard! Both Barrow and Belle seemed to be looking forward to working at Rankenhaus, that is, Reinhardts mansion. Now, what about Hanna? Jin then asked Hanna whether she would like toe with him or return to Kaina Vige. Hmm, I want to see the princess. I also wanna tell her father to get well soon. I see. Okay. Lets go together then. And so it was decided that Jin, Elsa, Hanna, Reiko, and Edgar would be going to the Klein Kingdom. Since the blimp could take some cargo with it, Jin thought about taking along a free sample of the desant he and Reinhardt had developed. There was enough space for about 60 kg of it. He also thought about using Gravity Magic to make it lighter if need be. Alright, thats about it. Lets talk to the chancellor tomorrow, and then well depart. That was what had been decided. Reinhardt and Berthie would be returning to Kartze Vige the next day, so Barrow and Belle would be going with them at that time. Butler D and the Golem Maids would remain in the mansion, so it was okay for them to leave for a while. That night, a small party was held at Jins mansion in celebration of Reinhardts promotion to baron, as well as a send-off party for Elsa. Jin himself was doing things at his own pace. Once again, Reinhardt, congrattions. Thank you. This is also thanks to you, Jin, and the rest of the Family as well. Reinhardt then raised his jug of ale while looking at Elsa. Elsa, be strong. Jin, take good care of Elsa. Support her resolve. Oh, of course. And please ept her Vow of Bare Hands. Huh? Brother Rei! Elsa blushed and red at Reinhardt. Huh? What? You didnt talk to him? Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click DonateFor More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 625

Chapter 625

Magi Craft Meister 625 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-12 Vow Oof, I shouldnt have said that Reinhardt scratched his head in frustration. Elsa puffed out her cheeks and turned away. What do you mean by Vow of Bare Hands? Naturally, this new concept intrigued Jin. Elsa was looking to her side with her face as red as a tomato, while Reinhardt seemed embarrassed. Oh well. Elsa, Im sorry for my husbands slip of the tongue. Would it be okay if I exined the meaning of this to Jin? Looking away, Elsa silently shook her head. To put it simply, for an adult aristocratic woman to attend a public event without wearing gloves is seen as proof that she is helping with the household chores. It is basically the same as saying I have someone I want to do the chores for, and by extension, I have someone special in my heart A tter was heard, and looking at its source, they found Elsa, who had suddenly gotten up from her chair before leaving the room. Her face was even redder than before. Ah Ill apologizeter. Reinhardt bowed to Jin with a sorry look on his face. Maybe, for Elsa, this was a vow to herself. And all I did was call her out on that. Sorry, Jin. Reinhardt lowered his head again. But Jin told him not to worry about it. I have to face Elsas feelings. Said Jin as in a murmur while staring at the door Elsa left. Jin, do you still think of Elsa as a clumsy little sister? It seemed that Reinhardt remembered what Jin had answered back when he asked him about it back when they were at the hot spring on Kunlun Ind. No. Jin replied while shaking his head. I dont think shes clumsy anymore. Shes a fine woman. Im sure shell be happy to hear that from you. Can we stop talking about this, please? Yes, I understand. Just make sure to be direct about it when the timees, Jin. Someday, once my feelings are sorted out. When Jin answered so, Reinhardt and Berthie couldnt help but let out a small sigh. The next morning, Jin prepared the blimp and boarded it with Reiko, Elsa, Hanna, and Edgar. But Elsa was acting like she was avoiding Jin, and didnt really give him any chance for conversation. Jin was somewhat optimistic that he would be able to do something about it once they arrived at Hourai Ind. First, they stopped by the Imperial Pce for a brief moment. Waiting for them were both Chancellor Jung and the Minister of Magi Technology Degauss. Miss Elsa, Lord Jin Nido, were counting on you. Chancellor Jung handed Elsa a cream-colored robe that indicated that she was the Reichsarzt, the Imperial Doctor sent by the Shouro Empire. Thank you. I will do everything I can. Afterwards, the chancellor talked to Elsa about some considerations to be taken during her visit to the Klein Kingdom. Taking advantage of that time, Jin asked Degauss if he could send a sample of the desant. Hmm, good idea. Ill get someone to bring some right away. While they were doing that, the empress also came running. Ah, I made it in time. Elsa, were counting on you. Jin, take care of her, will you? The empress then handed out a letter to Elsa. You should show this when you go to the Klein Kingdom. Do your best. Thank you. It seemed to be an official letter in the empress handwriting. Apparently, she had been talking with the Chancellor of the Klein Kingdom through the Mana Phone until just now. Just to make sure there are no mistakes. In the meantime, a desant sample was brought in. Degauss exined to the empress what Jin was trying to do. I see, thats a good idea, Jin. Thank you. After the 60 kilograms of desant were loaded up, the blimp was ready to depart. Take care, Jin. Elsa, stay strong. And Hanna, see you again soon, okay? The empress once again turned to Jin and the others. Okay, lets go. Jin had the blimps mooring ropes released. The blimp slowly began to rise, increasing its speed as it continued to rise. A strong westerly wind was blowing that day. The empress, the chancellor, and the minister all looked up at the sky until the blimp disappeared. Riding the tailwind, the blimp flew east at about 60 kilometers per hour, and reached an altitude of about 3000m. After flying for an hour, a sea of ??clouds could be seen spreading out below the blimp. Wow, its so pretty! Hanna was in high spirits. Jin muttered while gently stroking her head Itll be here soon. Huh? Whatll be here soon, Big Brother? Hanna was now curious. Jin smiled mischievously and continued stroking her head. Well, just watch. As he said that, a huge object appeared about 500 meters ahead. It was Condor 3, which was equipped with a Warp Gate. It had been sent here via transfer machine. Oh, thats a ne Ive seen before! Hanna seemed to remember boarding it to return from another earlier visit to the Klein Kingdom. The blimp slowly approached Condor 3s huge Warp Gate. Hmm, I wonder if this is a bit too dangerous However, Jin decided to stop plunging the entire blimp into the Warp Gate. Whats the matter, Brother Jin? Because of her embarrassment, Elsa had been avoiding Jin since the night before, but it seemed she couldnt help but ask him what was going on at the moment. The wind is a bit strong today, so it could get a little bit dangerous because of all the shaking. Blimps and hot air balloons were susceptible against wind. Of course, this applies to all sorts of aircrafts, but blimps at hot air balloons were especially vulnerable. Well anchor the blimp to Condor 3 and enter its Warp Gate on foot. While thinking that he might have to look into ways to deal with strong winds in the future, Jin lowered the blimp onto Condor 3. Sky 21 and 22 came out and firmly moored the blimp. After that was done, Jin got off the gond before helping Elsa and Hanna get off as well. Reiko and Edgar followed. Okay, lets go After Jin and the others crossed the Warp Gates threshold, Condor 3 started transporting the blimp to Hourai Ind. Jin and the others went from Shinkai to Hourai Ind. It seemed that Hanna had already gotten used to it after having used the Warp Gate a few times herself. Wow, were already on Hourai Ind! Hanna then ran out of theb, energetic as always. Hannas dedicated Covert Units, Iris and Azalea, reunited with her here. Since Jin couldnt get them on the blimp, they instead used the Warp Gate that was hidden in the Loizart mansion to return to Hourai Ind ahead of the others. Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom, was about 800 kilometers away from Loizart, the capital of the Shouro Empire. Although it was possible to make that distance in one day, Jin left Loizart nning to get there on the following day. In other words, they could afford to spend a whole day on Hourai Ind. Jin nned to use this time to get a few things done. Well then, lets get started. Jin took out a Magi Crystal and presented it to Elsa. Whats this, Brother Jin? Jin then exined to the confused Elsa. This is a key to unlock further knowledge. Right after saying that, Jin realized that he had said that in a rather weird way, and immediately felt embarrassed. However, Elsa had her serious eyes fixed on him. Does this Magi Crystal contain more scientific knowledge, Brother Jin? Elsa had understood the meaning of Jins words. Thats right. The one we used some time ago contained elementary level knowledge. This one is intermediate level. The elementary level Magi Crystal had knowledge up to what would be taught in junior high school, but the intermediate level was equivalent to senior high school knowledge. It also included knowledge of kanji, as well as part of Adriana Balbora Cecis Magi Engineering knowledge. Im sure youre now more than able to handle this knowledge, Elsa. Brother Jin Think of it as a gift tomemorate your decision to go to the Klein Kingdom of your own free will, Elsa. Jin wanted to do whatever he could for Elsas safety. Im so happy Elsa shyly epted Jins Magi Crystal. Transinfo After copying the knowledge contained in it into her own Magi Crystal, she began to absorb its contents. Once the transfer was done, Elsa staggered for a moment due to having suddenly received a surge of knowledge that was more advanced than the elementary level knowledge she had, but quickly recovered. Are you okay? Yeah. Looking after Elsa, Jin took her to a chair. For about 10 minutes, Elsa kept looking down as if going over her newly increased knowledge, but then lifted her head and met Jins eyes, who were looking worriedly at her, and smiled. Thank you, Brother Jin. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click DonateFor More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 626

Chapter 626

Magi Craft Meister 626 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-13 Enhancing Edgar Elsas face brightened after receiving the intermediate scientific knowledge from Jin. Ive found the answer to some questions I had until now. I was able to understand things that I couldnt before. And I realize that this world is still full of things I dont understand. Hearing those words, Jin smiled back at Elsa. Thats right. Whenever theres something unknown to us, well want to learn more about it, and that makes us want to work hard precisely so that we can learn. And that is the gateway to our future as a species Realizing that he was speaking in a weird way yet again, Jin scratched his head in embarrassment. But Elsa continued to look at him with a serious look on her face. I will dedicate the knowledge I gain from now on to you, Brother Jin. As soon as Elsa finished saying that, she instantly felt embarrassed as well, and turned her head down as her cheeks became red. Reiko looked at the two with aplicated look on her face and tried to open her mouth several times, but in the end she remained silent. Now, Elsa, lets upgrade Edgar. Huh? This is only a guess, but its possible that only Edgar will be able to go with you to see the king. So I thought it would be better if we could copy the Nurse Golems knowledge onto his memory as well As if she had been able to see how Jins words made evident just how much he cared about her, Elsa felt her cheeks heating up even more. Yeah, thank you, Brother Jin. So they decided to set the Edgar Upgrade n into motion right away. Hanna seemed to be enjoying Hourai Ind for the first time in a while, running around the garden and ying, so they sent Soleil and Luna to join her as well. Once Jin and Elsa arrived at theboratorys workshop, Edgars remodeling began. First of all, the most important thing was to copy the knowledge of the Nurse Golems into his memory. This would allow Edgar to use a great deal of Healing Magic. The upgrade also included enhancing both his abilities in martial arts and swordsmanship. Now, lets improve his visual system. This was so that he could be of further assistance during the kings examination. The Magi Crystals used for Edgars eyes were upgraded, giving them fluoroscopic and magnifying capabilities. A link between Edgar and Laojun was also established so that Laojun could help analyze anything Edgar would see or hear. Lets remodel the energy system as well. Jin then decided to teach Elsa how to make a Magi Reactor. Brother Jin, this is too difficult. I cant do it. But Elsas Magi Crystals failed to merge during her first attempt. Its okay. You can do this, Elsa. Try it again. However, it fails a second time, and then a third time. Brother Jin Elsa was about to finish that by saying I knew it, I cant do this, but then it dawned on her. She was still trying to rely on Jin at this very moment. (I swore to myself that I would work hard to be able to support Brother Jin. So I cant keep asking him to solve everything for me) Let me try again. Hearing those words, Jin smiled and nodded. Yeah, keep trying and trying again. I know youll be able to do it, Elsa. Okay. She got another set of Magi Crystals from Jin, and started fusing them again, refining their shape to change their structure. She had a model to work with: the twinned crystals, which looked like a crystalline butterfly spreading its wings. (Brother Jin was able to make this without a model. I have a model in front of me, so it should be much easier for me. Theres no way I cant do it.) Elsa focused her mind, sharpening her magical powers, and activated the Engineering Magic Transform. You did it! Elsa heard Jins voice praising her. In her hands was a beautiful, perfectly finished twinned Magi Crystal. It was all thanks to you, Brother Jin Oh,e on, I didnt do anything. Right, Reiko? Yes. Reikos answer was short, and although there was a hint of respect in her voice, no one seemed to notice. Jin and Elsa also furnished Edgar with a Barrier, Magi Radar, Magi Jammer, and Paralyzer. And by adding a Magi Device which allowed him to use intermediate-level offensive spells, he was more than well equipped to serve as Elsas guardian. Furthermore, he was also given the function tomunicate with Elsas Mana Comm pendant. Okay, this should be enough to keep you safe. Happy with Edgars upgraded capabilities, Jin was finally able to rx. The sky over Hourai Ind was dyed in madder, and Hanna, who had been ying outside, had finally returned. Big Brother, did it get dark so early because of that time difference? Yeah, thats right. Hanna seemed to have a good grasp of the concept of time difference, which Jin had exined to her a few days prior. Jin was surprised about how quick she was at understanding new things. They had barely gone over breakfast time back on Loizart, but it was already dinner time on Hourai Ind. Judging from the time difference, it was actually time for lunch for them. Jin and the others headed to Jins house to have dinner. This is called a tiled roof, right? Hanna asked this as she looked at Jins house. When had she studied this? Thats right, Hanna. Impressed, Jin stroked Hannas head, and she smiled happily. Ehehe, I read it from a book I found in your castle, Big Brother. Hanna then proudly said that she had read all the books that the Laojun had prepared for the children. Perhaps he was being partial to his family members, but Jin thought that maybe Hanna was truly a gifted kid. Dinner was white rice, miso soup with nameko mushrooms and tofu, grilled fish, pickles, and roasted green tea. All three of them really liked Japanese dishes like these. Elsa hadnt been having much of an appetite since she was a bit nervous, thinking about the following day, but seeing a meal this sulent changed that. Delicious. Can I have another? Ah, me too! Hanna, make sure you chew your meal well! Mm-hmm! It was a friendly dining atmosphere. Elsa felt that this warmth would give her strength for the big day tomorrow. After dinner, it was time for a refreshing bath at Hourai Inds onsen. The mens and womens baths were separated, so Jin went to the mens bath while Elsa and Hanna went to the womens. Hanna has really grown up in such a short amount of time. Yes, Father. Hanna is a smart girl. Do you think so too? Jin was immersed in the hot water while thinking about whether not only Hanna, but also every child in Kaina Vige, should receive special education for gifted children. Meanwhile, on Elsa and Hannas side Big Sis Elsa, let me wash your back. Thank you. Ill do yours after that, okay? Yeah! The two of them happily washed each others backs, and then Elsa also washed Hannas head. Let me wash your head next, Big Sis! Saying that, Hanna filled the wash basin with hot water and lifted it up but her hand slipped. The wash basin fell to the floor with a thud. Due to Jins fixation with the material, the wash basin had been made with Alumite, that is, aluminum covered with an oxide film. Ah, Im sorry Since its base metalponent was aluminum, it was rather malleable. It seemed that the moment it touched the floor, the wash basin got a dent on its side. Seeing this, Elsa gently stroked Hannas head. Its okay, Hanna. Dont worry. I can fix it right away. Forming. Elsas Engineering Magic quickly restored the dented wash basin. Wow, thank you, Big Sis! Hanna gratefully rubbed the repaired wash basin with her hands. Magic is amazing. Big Brother also knows how to do this, but I wonder how you can change the shape of things just like that Huh? Hearing Hannas casual words, Elsa felt something connected in her head. Big Sis? Ah, Im sorry, Hanna. But thanks to you, I think Ive figured out how to solve something that has been bothering Brother Jin Big Brother? That makes me happy. After that, Elsa quickly finished washing her head, and continued to be deep in thought while enjoying her hot bath together with Hanna. Chapter 627

Chapter 627

Magi Craft Meister 627 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-14 Progress After getting out of the hot spring, Jiny down on the tatami mats in the living room to cool off. When I close my eyes like this, I can hear the singing of insects Its such a nice ambience Many autumn insects lived around the mansion, ying a symphony that was typical to autumn nights. But suddenly, the sound of footsteps invaded his ears. Are those footsteps Elsas? Elsa was the only one who could be making those footsteps. However, they sounded a bit too rushed for her usual pace. Brother Jin! Also, her voice felt louder than usual. Whats wrong, Elsa? When Jin opened his eyes, Elsa was standing there, and she looked as if she had just stormed into the living room. She was wearing nothing but her underwear. E-Elsa, what happened!? Brother Jin, isnt the driving force of Recoil Elimination Magic the same as the power normally used in Engineering Magic? Eh? What? Jin was so upset by Elsas unexpected appearance that he couldnt understand even half of what she said. How frustrating. Maybe itll be easier to understand if I say it like this? Isnt the power used in Engineering Magic of the same nature as Recoil Elimination Magic? Uh ah, uh-huh. Do you understand it now? Hanna was there as well. And she asked a question at this moment. Big Sis Elsa, why arent you wearing any clothes? I mean huh? Clothes? Hanna made Elsa aware that she was standing in front of Jin in her underwear. Eh? Ah? U-Uwaaaahhh! She turned red and immediately stormed out of the living room. In the far end of his confused head, Jin wondered if the thump he heard in the distance was the sound of Elsa tripping and falling on the floor. Umm The power used in Engineering Magic is of the same nature as Recoil Elimination Magic? Jin finally started to think straight, and seemed to understand the implications of Elsas words. Laojun, lets call the rest of the Family for an emergency meeting. So, Elsa gave me a hint to solve that problem. Back on Hourai Ind, the second Recoil Elimination Magic Review Meeting was held with Jin, Elsa, Reinhardt, Saki, Toa, and Stearleana. Elsa, please exin. Jin urged Elsa, whose face was still slightly red. She began to speak quietly. First, I want you to think about the Engineering Magic spell, Forming Brother Rei, why do you think the shape of an object changes when you use Forming on them? Reinhardt thought about it for a moment, then gave his answer. Why? Well, because Id be using magic to change the objects shape. Thats how the magic works, I guess Just as I was about to finish his sentence, Reinhardt seemed to notice something. I-I see, the power that transforms matter is! Thats right. I realized that the power to create wind, the power to set things aze, and the power to transform matter is all the same power. Hmm, interesting. Toa muttered while folding his arms. The next person to speak was Stearleana. I feel like I understand. Even the power that makes a Crystal Golem is basically Forming. In short, the spell Forming was powerful enough to power a Golem. The group was convinced of this theory. With this in consideration, I think its strange to say that only this Recoil Elimination Magic has some kind of special power. Elsa then wrapped up her exnation. At that moment, Saki grinned and continued where she left off. I see. But then, do you have any idea why Jin failed thest time, Elsa? Jin had conducted an experiment where he attempted to activate only the Recoil Elimination Magic leaving its Wind Magic behind, but it failed to activate. But Elsa shook her head. No. I dont have an answer to that. But I thought of another possibility. Another possibility? Yes. The best example is the Earth Magic spell Stone Bullet, which is an offensive spell that shoots stones to hit an opponent. But what is the driving force that causes them to be shot like that in the first ce? Ah, I see Everyone understood what Elsa was trying to say and nodded in agreement. This is a hypothesis I made before, but I believe all mages are able to generate a small amount of magical power on their own. Lets call this ability force of will, or mental waves, if you will. Using this, the surrounding Ether is converted into Mana, and the Mana is then converted into energy to activate spells. In the case of Stone Bullet, this energy would be kic energy. Jin exposed his theory. Thermal energy for Fire Magic, kic energy for Wind Magic, and so on. And when this kic energy was applied to stones, it would be the Earth Magic spell Stone Bullet. Now then, the power that generates this kic power is the mages mental waves. In other words, the magical power we call force of will is amplified into arger magical power, which allows it to exert control over energy. Though I dont know exactly how that works yet. Jin dered once again that he would leave the unraveling of the how behind the nature of magic for another asion, and that this time he would focus on analyzing its power aspect. Im thinking of calling this amplified mental energy that can exert control over kic energy telekinesis. I dont know if this term is 100% appropriate, but it is a power that is generated ording to the will of the caster, so its not necessarily wrong either. There were no objections. This way, its easy to understand a spell like Forming as something that transforms matter with this telekinesis. And the same goes for Wind Magic, as something that moves the air with telekic power. Everyone silently listened to Jins remarks. At this point, Jin changed the subject. Well, heres a question. Do you think it is possible to move humans with magic? Reinhardt immediately responded. In my opinion, it might be possible if you use something like Wind Magic. Thats right. You got it, Reinhardt. Reinhardt scratched his head embarrassedly in response to Jins praise. Come on, its not such a great deal. After all, there was a precedent for this: Eckart Techres ship. Eckart Techres was a millionaire who lived in a town in the southern part of the Celuroa Kingdom. He was trying to build a gigantic ship and use Wind Magic to propel it forward by blowing wind on its sails. Yes, thats a good example. The idea was to use a physical phenomenon caused by magic to move the ship instead of using the magic itself. However, now Jin and the others knew that it wouldnt have been just magic itself. So the question is, would it be possible to move humans with telekinesis? This is the key to solving our problem. Everyone kept thinking silently for a while. Then, Stearlena was the first to speak. Jin, do you think its possible to send a Golem flying using Stone Bullet? Jin also stopped for a moment before answering that question. I think it can be done. Lets put it to the test Mini Smith! YES, MASTER. Jin summoned an ultra-small Golem, which was only 10 centimeters tall. Please help us out with our experiment. Jin exined briefly. The idea was to use Stone Bullet to try to send the Mini Smith flying. UNDERSTOOD. After heading out of theboratory, Jin asked Reiko to catch the Mini Smith in the event that it did get sent flying. Leave it to me. Okay, then lets give this a try Stone Bullet. Jin activated the spell that had been written in his bracelet. As a result, the Mini Smith did get sent flying through the air, and had to be caught by Reiko. Oh! Jin! Amazing! Everyone stared at the scene in amazement. It seems that it can be done, if you know exactly what youre throwing. Now, how about something bigger? Jin then summoned a Little Smith, which was 40 centimeters tall, and attempted the same experiment he had just done with the Mini Smith. This one also worked as expected. Father, can you try to send me flying this time? epting Reikos offer, Jin did a final experiment using her as the test subject. Stone Bullet! Whoa!? Reiko flew magnificently through the air as well,nding just as magnificently about 10 meters ahead. J-Jin! This is a great discovery! The excited Reinhardt rushed over to Jin. Saki, on the other hand, calmly shared her opinion. Why hasnt anyone used it like this until now? I dont mean to be able to fly in the sky, but this can be used to blow away enemy Golems in a war or something like that. Hmm, I believe that this takes a hefty amount of magical powerpared to just using it to throw stones. It appeared that the amount of magical power this spell consumed was rtive to the mass of the stones C or Golems C one wanted to throw. This meant that if a stone weighed 1 kg a Golem weighed 200 kg, then it would take the mage 200 times the amount of magical power to move the Golempared to moving the stone. I see, so maybe people didnt try to do it because it required too much magical power for the resulting effect. However, a bright light had finally been cast over this mystery. Jin and the Family decided to push further in this direction. Chapter 628

Chapter 628

Magi Craft Meister 628 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-15 Crossing Over Obstacles Well, with our current method, itll be nothing short of a gun barrel. Jin returned to the meeting room in hisboratory and started over once again. Its just a matter of setting it off after choosing a direction, so its essentially the same as a gun barrel indeed. Toa spoke with a strange hint of admiration in his voice. But it wont be able to make humans fly, right? This was Saki. Living things are unaffected by Engineering Magic. Jin has already proven this to be true in the past. Physical phenomena caused by magic can affect humans, but humans themselves are almost immune to the direct applications of magic. The only exception to this rule was Healing Magic. It would seem that the mana circting in our bodies hinders the direct influence of magic. Thats right. Im interested in that too, but lets leave that for another time. They couldnt spend too much time digressing, or they would never find a solution to the matter at hand. Uhuhu, thats a shame. Well, putting aside the matter of humans for the time being, it turns out that Golems can indeed be affected by this force. Now, I want to take this one step further. Jin finally started talking about the core of his research. Would it be possible for the Golem itself to fly? Using its own power? Is that your ultimate goal, Jin? Jin nodded at Reinhardts question. Yes. If this bes possible, itll change the world. Elsa was the first to understand what that meant. The propulsive power of an airne Exactly, Elsa. And it could also apply to other things, like spaceships. The attempt atunching a satellite using Gravity Magic had failed. Jin wanted to develop a new propulsive power before trying again. If this can be put into practical use, people may be able to fly by themselves. Jin, are you talking about people being able to move their own body with telekic power? I dont think anyone has ever thought about humans being able to do something like that. Jin couldnt help but nod at Stearleanas words. Well, who knows. But its a dream I want to think about. No one disputed that. Being able to fly freely in the sky is an unfulfilled dream for humans. But first things first. Were not gonna make humans fly, we need to start with Golems. Jin then said that things needed to be done one step at a time. But even making it so that Golems can fly by themselves Can we actually do that? Stearleana tilted her head in confusion. Her point was that Golems couldnt elevate themselves on their own. Yeah. But I think thats because weve been mistaken about a thing that we may call the starting point of magic. Elsa answered Stearleanas question. This is the great discovery that she had stumbled upon while in the hot springs with Hanna. In other words, I think that the people who tried to move themselves, definiely ced their starting point in their own inside. Hmm What do you mean? This time, Jin jumped in to exin this theory to the confused Stearleana. You cant elevate yourself on your own. Thats because the point where the force is applied and the point where its originally generated C that is, the starting point C are all inside your body. But magic is different. You can consciously ce the starting point outside your body. As Archimedes once said: Give me a ce to stand on, and I will move the Earth Ah! I see! Stearleana and Reinhardt spoke almost simultaneously. Both of them had realized what would happen if the starting point of the force was outside the body. But that kind of thing No, it should be possible for you, Jin. Yes. Jin answered with a serious face. There arent many mages who can analyze Magi Forms, so I dont think anyone ever thought of that until now. Y-yeah! Let alone even trying tobine science and magic! At any rate, it was true that there were no precedents to these theories. Dont you think this is worth trying? With that preface, Jin began preparations for a demonstration experiment. It was already quitete, but no one wanted to finish this meeting. They were that interested in the experiment that Jin was nning to do. Here, like this Jin started by engraving the Magi Form that generates the power to shoot stones with Stone Bullet into a small Magi crystal. But if it were to be sent flying in this way, the Magi Crystal would spin out of control, so Jin instead attached it to a simple model airne. It was a type of model airne that would typically be hand-thrown into gliding, aptly named handunched glider. Jin was very good at making those since he had made many of them for the other children back when he was living in the orphanage. This should do it. Everyone left theboratory once again. The light shining from the window of theboratory was too feeble, so they made an artificial light using the Light Ball spell. Okay, lets try this out. Activate.'' Once Jin chanted the activation keyword, he noticed that the model airne in his hand, or rather, the Magi Crystal attached to the model airne, had started to generate propulsion. Launch! With those words, Jin let go of the model airne. The airne lost altitude for a moment, but as it picked up speed, it raised its nose, and before long, it reached a high altitude before disappearing into the darkness. It worked Those words escaped Jins mouth as he stared at the darkness where the model airne had disappeared. Then, inspired by the experiments sess, the others voiced their praises. You did it, Jin! Congrattions, Brother Jin. Jin, you are amazing! This is a huge discovery, Jin! Thank you So far, it could only make the model airne move in a straight line, and there was no way to change its speed, but it could still be used as a propulsive force for an airne. It was safe to say that this problems biggest obstacle had been crossed over. After that, since it was alreadyte at night, the second Recoil Elimination Magic Study Meeting was brought to a close. Reinhardt and the others had left, leaving Jin and Elsa alone in the mansion. Hanna was also there, but she had tired herself away from ying outside and was fast asleep. The time was 1:00 AM, and the moon had just crossed over the highest point in the sky and was already starting to move towards the west. The autumn moon stood tall, illuminating thend from overhead. In the quiet surroundings of the mansion, the autumn insects were once again chirping at each other. This is so peaceful. Yeah. Although it waste at night, Jin and Elsa sat on the porch and listened to the insects. Incidentally, the sounds of the insects chirping on Hourai Ind were simr to those of a cricket C more precisely, the chirping of blue pine crickets and bell crickets. There were several other types, but Jin didnt know their names. Thank you, Elsa. ? Elsa tilted her head in response to Jins quiet words of appreciation. Thanks to the clue you gave me, I think Ill be able to put an end to the problem Ive been struggling with for so long. Ah. Im happy to be of help, Brother Jin. Oh, you were very helpful. Well, theres still a lot ahead of us. But Im sure well make it work somehow. I am looking forward to it. Yeah, please look forward to what well create. After saying that, Jin let out a big yawn. Whoa, well, I guess its time for bed. Same here. Elsa also let out a yawn of her own. Good night, Elsa. Good night. Soon, the lights in the mansion went out, and the only light left was the one from the moon, shining from the sky. Chapter 629

Chapter 629

Magi Craft Meister 629 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-16 Temporary Homing The next morning, both Jin and Elsa overslept a little. The time was past 7:30 AM. Its morning already, Big Brother! Hanna arrived to wake the sleeping Jin up. Hmm Ah, its this time already Jin looked at the wall clock. Since Laojun was in charge of measuring the positions of the sun and moon, Hourai Inds clocks were very precise. Come to think of it Last night I went to bed without asking Reiko to wake me up That was one of the reasons why Reiko hadnte to wake Jin up. The other reason was that there was no particr urgency, so she actually took extra care not to wake him up. Ah, I slept so well. Since he had managed to sleep soundly for more than 6 hours, he was relieved of his fatigue. Ill go wake Big Sis up too! After waking Jin up, Hanna headed to Elsas room. Jin slowly put on his clothes and headed to the washroom. While Jin was washing his face, a sleepy-looking Elsa came into the washroom as well. Good morning, Elsa. Good morning, Brother Jin. A nice smell wafted from the kitchen as they finished washing their faces. Soleil and Luna, knowing that the three had woken up, had already begun to prepare breakfast. The Golems Soleil and Luna, who were created as Reikos assistants, were currently working in Jins new mansion instead of theboratory. They were in charge of maintenance and cleaning. In addition, ne and Sate, who were their subordinates, were mainly responsible for the maintenance of the kitchen garden and the mansions yard. And whenever they had free time, they helped the five-color Golem Maids as well as worked with Laojun to write new books. Oh, were having grated radish this morning. The menu consisted of porridge, seaweed miso soup, pickled plums, grated radish, pickled greens, and dried horse mackerel. The radish was found by one of the Quinta the other day. Jin thought that he would be even happier had they found a turnip instead. The pickles were made with fermented brine and rice bran. After theirst batch of rice was harvested, the Peridot Leader was able to recreate the recipe based on Jins memories, producing a precious pesticide-free rice bran. She was also able to make soy sauce, albeit with a slightly shorter-than-usual brewing period. Delicious. Hanna could handle sour foods like pickled plums. She didnt particrly like them nor dislike them. She was able to enjoy eating both delicious and not-so-tasty foods. Of course, she preferred eating delicious food. Jin was the same. He wasnt exactly a picky eater. Elsa didnt really like the meat of the cockalisk C arge chicken-like bird C but she ate everything else without any particr preference. However, her better upbringing caused her to frown at things that didnt taste good. Even so, Jin remembered the experience of the escape they shared together with Mine, and was d that Elsa had never forgotten the feeling of gratitude for a heartwarming meal. Id like to have seconds. In any case, both Elsa and Hanna seemed to enjoy Jins favorite Japanese food and Japanese recipes, so Jin was really enjoying their time eating together. Me too. On this day as well, breakfast time was filled with a peaceful atmosphere. Okay, lets go to the Klein Kingdom after having lunch here. Since they had to adjust for the time difference, Jin thought that wouldnt pose any problems. I will go to Kaina Vige for a while and see how things are over there. Hanna, would you like toe with me? Yes! What about you, Elsa? Ill go with you. Id like to talk with Teacher Sally for a bit. Thus the three of them used the Warp Gate to teleport themselves, not to Nidou Castle, but to the basement of Jins workshop. Granny! Hanna runs to Martha. She must have felt lonely because Hanna had been away from her house for so long. Oh, wee home, Hanna. And Jin and Elsa. Thank you, Martha. Thank you. What are you up to today? Were going to the royal capital again in the afternoon, but I had some time to spare so I thought about stopping by. Martha replied with a big nod. I see. Ive heard that the royal capital is in trouble. Have you now? I thought Id ask around about that. Then you might find some answers if you go to Erics ce. Mr. Rnd came back the day before yesterday. Understood. So Jin went to Erics shop, and Elsa went to Milleshan Clinic. Hanna stayed at Marthas ce, so the three of them would act separately for the time being. Ah, Jin! Barbara was helping out at Erics shop. When did youe back? Then Eric himself showed up. Ah, just now. Im going to the royal capital again after lunchtime. To Alban? Yeah. So, I wanted to ask about how much you know regarding how Alban is doing. Hearing that, Barbara silently prepared a chair and went off to start making tea. She was already a fine new wife. Jin sat down and listened to Eric as he started to share what he knew. The fear of famine is starting to grow In Alban no, in most of the kingdom, the fear of famine is starting to grow. Due to the fact that their wheat and barley harvests have been so poor to begin with, together with the growth of mold on their stored food, the estimation is that the kingdoms food stockpiles will notst until the harvest in early summer next year I see, just as I thought I think Kaina Vige and the neighboring Toka Vige will be fine. Especially Kaina Vige here. However, there are rumors that the kingdom will start requisitioning any surplus grains from viges such as these. That would be useless Even Jin understands. Doing so would not only increase distrust of the government, but also reduce the general willingness to work. This in turn would lead to a decline in national power. In response to that, it seems that the rich people have started buying up food around the royal capital. Looking at this calmly, when do you think it will be a full-fledged famine? Jin wanted to hear the outlook from a merchant like Eric. Lets see If youre okay with my estimations Well, this years harvest is 70% of the average year. And on top of that, 20% of that is already covered by mold. In other words, the kingdom has around 50% C maybe 60% if were optimistic C of its usual yearly stockpiles. At this rate, the food in storage will run out before springes. I understand. The outlook was rather bleak. Assuming that each person eats 150 kilograms of grains per year, there was a shortage of 66 kilograms. The poption of the Klein Kingdom was around 100,000, and a simple calction showed that there was a shortage of 6,600 tons of grains. Not even Hourai Ind would be able to produce that much food in such a short period of time. Jin was thinking of trying to make another estimation once he reached Alban, but he had a feeling that it wouldnt change that much. Jin wondered what would he be able to at this moment. What? The king is sick? Elsa went to Milleshan Clinic, and was talking to Sally. So you were officially dispatched from the Shouro Empire? Hmm. Sallys face turned to a sullen expression as she started pondering. Lack of experience aside, youre one of the best healers in the world. I can guarantee you that. The only advice I can give you right now is to believe in yourself. Dont give in to the noise surrounding you. Sally then added that as long as she only thought about saving the patient and gave it her all, favorable results would surely follow. Thank you, teacher. Elsa bowed her head respectfully. Hmm, still, this vige is so peaceful. A few days ago, we had a mother who just gave birth to baby after baby Both the babies and the mother are safe. Everyone is very healthy. The mothers postpartum recovery was also without troubles, and her breast milk production was normal. There were no problems at all. Elsas tension was relieved after she heard that Its a blessing to be able to honestly rejoice at the birth of a new life. Im d I came to this vige. Sally smiled too. Elsa looked up at the clear sky from the window, thinking that as long as Jin was there, this vige would remain peaceful. So, granny, then Shide and I Hanna shared her experiences during her travels with Martha while enjoying her favorite dried Wiley. (To think that shed meet the empress of another country My granddaughter has really grown up, hasnt she?) Martha was both amazed and impressed. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click DonateFor More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 630

Chapter 630

Magi Craft Meister 630 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-17 Magi Engineer The date was November 8th. Five days had passed since Oliver, the merchant from Ismal, had made his promise. Laozi went to Olivers shop with Ann, bringing a small package with them. Oh, its you, sir. Thank you foring once again. Oliver was in the shop, and he weed Laozi. And who is yourpanion? Oliver asked as his attention was drawn to Ann. Shes an Automata who serves my Master, in the same way I am. Laozi answered in a way that can be interpreted in two ways. Was she serving his Master in the same way he was, or was she an Automata in the same way he was? The answer was that both interpretations were actually true. However, Olivers reaction waspletely normal for a human being. In other words, he thought that Laozi was human. Oh!? Did you say that she is an Automata!? Even from an outsiders perspective, Olivers surprised reaction seemed to be exaggerated. But this could be the norm in this faraway frontier town. Ive finallyid my eyes on one for the first time Automata are much like real human beings, no, they are actual human beings As someone who saw Automata on a regr basis, Laozi didnt add any unnecessaryments to Olivers remarks. Well, my Master is a first-ss Magi Engineer, after all. He would leave it at that, since dering that his Master was actually the Magi Craft Meister would be going into too many details. Oh, your By the way, I never asked you for your nameCould you tell me if you dont mind? My name is Oliver, as you may already know. Im very sorry. Please call me Laozi. And she is Ann. So, Mr. Laozi, and Miss Ann, right? I look forward to continuing to do business with you from now on. Oliver bowed his head, and with that, they were finally ready to begin doing business. Well then, has the katsuobushi arrived like you said it would the other day? Yes, of course. I was able to get five pieces this time. Oh, I see, I see. In that case, this shoulde in handy. Laozi pointed to the small package that Ann had been carrying. What is that? It is a necessary tool when preparing katsuobushi. Oliver was taken aback by those words. What? Thats very fortunate! Would you let me see it? Of course. Thats why we brought it. T-Then please,e into the kitchen! Just like the other day, Oliver allowed Laozi into the kitchen. Ann followed while still carrying the package. Then, Laozi ced the package on the kitchen table and took something out of it. What is this? It was a rectangr box. Laozi silently took its lid off, and a small opening revealed a de inside it. This is a katsuobushi shaving machine. Huh? Impressive! Yes. My Master thought that katsuobushi should be shaved with this kind of tool, so he made one in a hurry. Do you still have the katsuobushi you used the other day? Back on Hourai Ind, Laojun had one of the Smiths create this tool based on Jins knowledge. Ah, yes. I do. Oliver then handed Laozi some katsuobushi for him to prepare. This is how you adjust the des position. Laozi lifted the ded ne section of the tool and held it up in front of Oliver so that he could see how the de came out. When you want to bring out the de, all you have to do is hit the head of the de. A wooden mallet will do the trick. I see, that way the de itself doesnt get damaged. And when you want to retract the de, hit this raised part. Oh, I see! It was very simr to a typical Japanese ne tool, but it seemed that it was the first time Oliver had seen anything like it, so he couldnt help being impressed by it. Ive already adjusted the de, so we can start shaving. This way, the usual way to shave katsuobushi is with a pushing motion, but it can also be done by pulling. Then, Laozi dampened a clean cloth with water and lightly wiped the surface of the katsuobushi. If you keep it slightly damp, the shavings wille off smoothly and without a powdery texture. But dont get it too wet. After his exnation, Laozi shaved the katsuobushi and showed it to him. The katsuobushi made a crispy sound as its shavings came off. You need to be careful not to scrape your hands as the katsuobushi gets smaller. After saying that, he stopped and opened a smallpartment on the side of the box. Oh! They were shaved perfectly! Inside that smallpartment was a pile of shavings that were so thin that you could see through them. This is called kezuribushi. If you sell it in small portions, you can sell them for cheap. Oliversplexion changed with those words. He was probably wondering if Laozi was thinking of using the katsuobushi he bought from him to open his own business selling shavings. However, hearing the words that followed, Olivers face was filled with joy. How much would you pay for this katsuobushi shaving machine? Huh? Oliver could understand the literal meaning of Laozis words, but he couldnt help but be confused since he didnt know what were the intentions behind them. We are not merchants. Even if we can make something like this, we have no connections to sell it. In that case, I dont think its strange to think of doing that through someone promising, right? I I see. Intuitively realizing what this meant, Oliver took Laozis hand. Can you really sell me this tool? Yes, Im not lying. Olivers face became serious for a few seconds, as if calctions were going on in his head. Then, the merchant immediately smiled. How about 50,000 tolls? He had recently learned that the stock made from katsuobushi was very good for dishes with eggs and vegetables. He had even experienced that with his own sense of taste. He knew that this tool would make it possible for him to sell the katsuobushi in a form that was easier for customers to purchase. It was an offer that Oliver couldnt have hoped for. However, there was a limit to how much he could pay. 50,000 tolls was as close as what Oliver could currently pay. This meant that, should Laozi be dissatisfied with his initial offer, he could still add a little more to it. However, his thorough calctions proved to be meaningless. Yes, thats fine. Laozi had immediately epted the amount Oliver offered. T-Thank you very much. I-Ill go prepare the money right now. Laozi called out to calm Oliver, who seemed to be a little flustered. Wait, Id like to purchase two more pieces of katsuobushi, so please deduce them from this exchange. The katsuobushi at Olivers shop was selling at 400 tolls apiece. Therefore, Laozi said hed instead have two pieces of katsuobushi as part of the payment for the shaving tool and then receive the remaining 49,200 tolls. Ah, u-understood. Still a bit taken aback, Oliver withdrew to the back of his shop before quickly returning with a bag of gold coins. A man who seemed to be some kind of guard had joined him. Thank you for waiting. He is my security guard. Since this is a big amount of money, I asked him toe with me just in case. I hope you wont take offense Laozi nodded with an easygoing demeanor. None taken, of course. Theres no guarantee that someone else coulde in while were doing business. Much obliged. Oliver then counted four gold coins and ny-two silver coins and presented them to Laozi. Once Laozi received them, he put it in a purse-like bag and handed it to Ann. After that, Oliver handed him two pieces of katsuobushi, which were also passed onto Ann. Well then After the transaction waspleted, Oliver started talking once again. Mr. Laozi, this maye across as rather impudent, but can I ask you something? As far as Laozi was concerned, the whole point of bringing the shaving tool on this asion was so that he could deepen his connection with Oliver, so he entertained his question. Sure, what is it? You know a Magi Engineer, correct? Im sure you mentioned that your Master is a Magi Engineer. I see. Then, Oliver stood up and bowed deeply, Please! I would be very grateful if you could introduce me to a Magi Engineer! Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click DonateFor More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 631

Chapter 631

Magi Craft Meister 631 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-18 The Meaning of Keeping Them Safe A Magi Engineer? Oliver continued his exnation after hearing Laozi parroting his own words. Yes. There isnt a single Magi Engineer in this town of Ismal. I understand that, but are you nning to hire a Magi Engineer? Oliver hesitated a bit after hearing Laozis question. N-no Well, yes Its not me who wants to hire them, but an acquaintance of mine. I see By the way, on what conditions would you be hiring them? I need to ask you this, or I might not be able to introduce you. Thats very reasonable. Umm The sry is negotiable, but I dont think it will fall below 20,000 tolls. I believe the job will consist of repairing various magic tools Hmm, I see, so where will they be working? The question had visibly upset Oliver. Its hard for me to say at this moment. I suppose that saying that it would be in the desert isnt technically incorrect. Hearing those words, Laozi pondered. Even though he used only a portion of Laojuns processing power, his processing speed was many times that of a human. (Perhaps these mysterious employers are the foreigners, or maybe some of his own rtives. Should I draw out a little more information here and just ept the rest?) Laozi then shrugged his shoulders after making such a decision in the blink of an eye. I dont think there are many Magi Engineers who would be willing to take a job request with just that amount of information I-I suppose. Well I guess I can trust you with this, Mr. Laozi. But before that, Im going to ask you please not to discuss what were going to talk about with anyone. Of course. The person who needs the help of a Magi Engineer is the same person who sold me the dried bonito the katsuobushi. Oh. Deep inside, Laozi secretly cried out in delight that his prediction was correct. I see, I see. I somehow had a feeling that would be the case. With that in mind, I believe I do have someone in mind. His answer was rather sloppy. No matter what he had in mind, he would have to get the Quinta ready. Really!? Still, Oliver was overjoyed to hear that. T-that would be a real lifesaver. Umm, when do you think we could meet? Laozi acted as if he was deep in thought. Well, I believe 5 days from now, perhaps? I think thats around the time when my Master will being to this town. Upon hearing this, Oliver was clearly ecstatic. Yeah, yeah, thats fine! Thank you so, so much! Oliver was bowing his head gratefully over and over again. Laozi politely asked him to stop. Once his excitement had finally subsided, Oliver asked another question. What kind of person is your Master, Mr. Laozi? I would like to know, if you dont mind. These words made Laozi think for a moment. After all, he was unsure whether he should disclose Jins identity. However, it was still Laozi making the decision, so even though he pondered about it, he reached a conclusion in less than a second. My Masters name is Nidou, and he is traveling in search of rare materials. Instead of revealing Jins name, he revealed hisst name. So his name is Nidou. So, is heing to this region looking for Sand Worm leather? Thats correct. Oliver pondered for a moment after hearing Laozis answer. If thats the case, Ill be happy to prepare some for you. This posed no particr problem, so Laozi agreed to his offer. Then, in about five days, I will bring you a Magi Engineer. Yes, thank you very much. In this way, Laozi gained a stepping stone towards learning more about the foreigners. On that same day, in Kaina Vige Jin, do you have a minute? While Jin was rxing on the second floor of his workshop, Mine arrived, saying that she wanted to give him some advice. Of course. What is it? And since Jin nodded, Minne immediately got to the point. Jin, youve been taking Hanna to all sorts of cities and towns, right? Yes. Have you considered the risk of someone trying to kidnap her? Yeah. Not only Hanna, but Elsa as well. But Ive given both of them their own Covert Units, who keep them safe while remaining hidden from everyones eyes. Mine shook her head. Thats not what I mean. Not in the sense of danger, but in the sense of making it known to everyone. Making it known? Thats right. You have received honorary titles in three countries. In other words, you ought to act as a noble. So it would be best if you had at least one visible escort. In other words, it was important to show that he was well guarded. What I mean by this is that you need to show any insolent person that could try to assault you that if they mess with you, theyll get hurt. I see Jin had Reiko, Elsa had Edgar, and Hanna was mostly walking with Jin. And even during those rare asions when she was not with him Jin believed that her having the Covert Units by her side was enough. Not only when shes walking around town dressed for a party, but also when shes in casual clothes. Apparently, kidnappings in the capital of the Shouro Empire, Loizart, were a rare urrence, so it was rtively safe, but the same could not be said about the provincial cities of the Celuroa and Franz Kingdoms. I dont know what Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom, is like, but I think its best to be on the safe side. I understand. Thank you. After having been given advice by Mine, Jin started pondering. Hmm, then Laozi is out, so I should make a new wait what kind of guard should I make? It probably doesnt matter if it doesnt look human. Ah, I see. Jin was the Magi Craft Meister. At least, in the three countries that have officially recognized him as such, it wouldnt be strange for him to have an escort Golem with him. Okay, then this is a good chance for Steward. Steward was an all-purpose Golem originally created by Jin to be the driver of his Golem carriage. Though his outward appearance seemed a bit unrefined, his basic performance level was above the Butlers, and he was a very capable Golem who was able to do everything from physicalbor to precision work. Jin immediately contacted Laojun and instructed him to bring Steward C who was on standby on Hourai Ind C up to speed. The idea was to have Laojun use Transinfo to imprint the necessary knowledge onto Steward in order to save the hassle of having to exin it to him instead. The problem is that now were going to be one more person than how much we were after we left the Shouro Empire It would indeed be strange if Steward suddenly appeared as part of the group after Jin and the others left the Shouro Empire on the blimp. I hope the Shouro Empire didnt ask about how many of us will be going Hearing Jins concerns, Laojun contacted him. You dont have to worry about that, My Lord. There has been no discussion about the number nor the details of members that would be traveling. Is that so? Laojun was able to monitor each conversation made via the Mana Phones Jin had donated to each country. In that case, there shouldnt be any problem taking him with us Right? Taking Steward with them meant that they would be exceeding the blimps weight limit. Still, that issue could be easily solved by reducing the excess weight with Gravity Magic. And so, Jin began his preparations for his visit to Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom. We should depart soon, shouldnt we? Jin started things up at 1:30 PM The time difference between Kaina Vige and Alban was about 20 minutes, so there would be no big miscalctions. Arriving in the afternoon would be good enough. Big Brother! Hanna had arrived. Brother Jin. And Elsa seemed to be ready as well. Alright, lets go. Elsa, make sure to be thorough in the fulfillment of your duties. Stay safe, Jin. After being sent off by Mine and Martha, Jin and the others flew towards Hourai Ind. 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Chapter 632

Magi Craft Meister 632 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-19 Medical Examination They boarded the blimp at Hourai Ind and headed straight to the Klein Kingdom via transfer machine. Of course, it would be too suspicious to simply appear over Albans sky all of a sudden, so they instead teleported above Lake Cedroria, which was on the border with the Celuroa Kingdom. The sky was cloudy. From there, they headed north to Alban. The local time was 2:00 PM by the time Jin and the others were in the sky above Alban. That hot air balloon over there is the one I gave them. A hot air balloon was floating above the royal castle. Jin could clearly see that it was the one he had given them in the past. Unlike the Shouro Empire, it seemed that their mass production had not yet beenpleted. Jins blimp now bore his own family crest, the two lines across a circle and it was safe to assume that this had already been notified to each country. And true enough, the soldier on the hot air balloon saluted in the Klein Kingdom style C the elbow of the right arm is bent upwards and stretched sideways at shoulder height, the fingers of the hand are extended, and the palm is turned toward the receiver C expressing that he recognized Jin. The soldier then piloted the hot air balloon so as to follow Jins blimp, flying slowly downwards beforending in the square in front of the royal castle almost at the same time as him. Jin felt that even though the Klein Kingdom still hadnt been able to mass-produce the hot air balloons, this soldier was quite proficient at piloting it. Wee, Magi Craft Master Lord Jin, and Reichsarzt Miss Elsa. The Third Princess Lieschen and Chancellor Powell were there to wee them. And there were some faces that Jin had never seen before. After the blimp was moored with many ropes to prevent it from being blown away by the strong winds, Jin turned to face everyone. Wee, Lord Jin. Chancellor Powell took Jins hand and weed him. He then took Elsas hand, And Reichsarzt Miss Elsa, thank you foring all the way here as well. I am truly indebted to you. He lowered his head as he said that in a polite tone. And the Third Princess Lieschen seemed to be delighted to be reunited with Hanna. Wee, Hanna. How have you been? You look a little taller, dont you? Hello, Mdy. Its been a while. Hanna had be ustomed to picking up her skirt and bowing. Then, Jin and Elsa exchanged greetings with the princess in turn. Hmph, they sent a fairly young healer. Reichsarzt, was it? Thats a big-sounding title. The person who said those words was a young man in his mid-twenties. He had blond hair and gray eyes. His eyes somewhat resemble Lieschen. Brother, thats a bit rude. The Reichsarzt is the healer sent in by the Shouro Empire. And she is the younger sister of the Magi Craft Meister Lord Jin. Hmph, you are too good of a person, Arthur. That country has no obligations to our own. Maybe thats why they sent us inexperienced people with nothing more than a literal diplomatic appointment. Brother! However, the man whom Arthur called his brother turned away and did not concern himself with him any further. Please allow me to apologize for my brother Edmonds behavior.My name is Arthur. I am the Second Prince of this country. My brother Edmond is the First Prince. Arthur, who introduced himself as the Second Prince, apologized for his brother Edmonds disrespectful demeanor before turning to Elsa. Miss Elsa, please dont take offense. Our father has been examined by dozens of healers so far, but none of them have been able to find the cause of his illness, let alone cure him. So my brother is having a hard time trusting healers. Arthur bowed his head after saying that. He had dark brown hair and gray eyes. His hair color was very simr to Lieschen. Well, lets get started, Miss Elsa, can I ask you to examine the king? The chancellor intervened, and Elsa silently nodded. I apologize, but I would like to have the kings examination done in the presence of Prince Edmond and Prince Arthur. Understood. Elsa nodded. Jin then took this chance to turn towards the chancellor. I have brought a free sample of desant from the Shouro Empire. Please have someone carry it. Oh, oh, is that so! Well then Ivan, take it to the Minister of Industry. Yes! By order of the chancellor, a soldier called Ivan took the three bags containing 20kg of desant and carried them away with ease. Jin, pleasee with us. You too, Hanna. Lieschen, who had been talking with Hanna, called out to Jin with a sorry look on her face. Only healers can go see Father right now. Elsa, who had started walking, stopped and looked back at Jin. Ill be back in a moment, Brother Jin. Dont worry about me. After saying that, she quickly started walking again. It seemed that only Edgar was allowed to apany her. Steward had stayed behind to guard the blimp. Jin then took Reiko and followed Lieschen. The ce they headed for was the royal vi, the residence of Lieschen where Jin had stayed thest time he came to the Klein Kingdom. Im sorry. As soon as he entered the room, Lieschen apologized to Jin. Huh? Jin was taken aback by this, since he didnt remember that Lieschen had to apologize for anything. Just a moment ago, my brother Edmond said some rude things to Elsa, no? And I didnt say anything to stop him, so Im sorry. No, you did nothing wrong, Liese. Hearing Jin say that, Lieschen finally felt a bit relieved. Im d you can still call me that. I may be the Third Princess, but my older brothers still shun me. Jin had heard something regarding that during hisst visit, so he simply nodded so that Lieschen didnt feel like she needed to bring that up again. Hehe, youre as kind as ever, Jin. Lieschen offered Jin and Hanna a chair each. Once the three of them had had a seat, the Automata Tia C who had been designed to be exactly like Ann C brought in some tea. Wee, Master Jin, Miss Hanna. Hey Tia, how have you been? This body that you repaired is in excellent condition. Thanks to you, I can continue to serve the princess with all of my devotion. Tia was literally Lieschens nanny and tutor. Jin had repaired her after she became unable to function any longer due to her long age. The tea was a mix of herbs. It smelled like a mix of roses and strawberries, and was quite delicious. After drinking a couple of sips of tea, the princess resumed her tale. A year agoYes, since aroundst autumn, my father has been unwell. He had beenining about getting tired too easily. Lieschen exined the kings condition to Jin. But since this summer, his condition has suddenly gotten much worse. He can no longer handle government affairs properly. Jin had presented the Klein Kingdom with a hot air balloon byte July. ording to Lieschen, the king was already bedridden at that time. His face is turning yellow, and his belly seems to be swollen Im very worried. Hanna tapped Lieschen C who had cast her eyes downward C in aforting way. Its okay, princess. Big Sis Elsa is amazing. Im sure she can cure him. Lieschen faced Hanna and managed to produce a weak smile. Hehe, youre very kind, Hanna. I see, so Elsa is just that incredible, isnt she? Yes! Seeing Hannas bright smile, Lieschen felt her heavy heart getting a little lighter. This is Meanwhile, in the deepest part of the royal castle, Elsa was examining Alois III, King of the Klein Kingdom. His eyes were yellowed. His skin, more than being just yellow, had actually be darker. Those symptoms, together with the fact that the color of his nail was also yellowish, were clear indicators of jaundice. It turned out that the king had a bad liver. Excuse me. Elsa folded up the bedsheets in order to take a look at the kings abdomen. ! His abdomen was clearly bloated, which further supported Elsas theory that the cause of the kings illness was his liver. Ill use Magic to examine you. Diagnose. Elsa cast her spell with a single word. I knew it, so it was the liver after all. As a result, it turned out that the king had cirrhosis of the liver. The liver? His liver, huh? Is that whats causing these symptoms? They also seemed to know that there is arge organ called liver in the abdomen, but they didnt know how it worked. Though this limited knowledge wasnt exclusive to just them. The liver is one of the most important organs in the human body. Im afraid to say that His Majestys liver is in serious trouble. Elsa gave an easy-to-understand exnation to both the chancellor and the prince. Whats the reason? It was said that Alois III was quite sensitive to alcohol, so he would only drink during ceremonies. And as far as the other foods in his usual diet were concerned, ording to the maid who served him his meals, his eating habits didnt seem to be the cause either. It doesnt seem like arsenic has been umting in the liver either. Unlike Marquis Theoderic, the kings cirrhosis didnt seem to be caused by umtion of arsenic in the liver. ? As long as the cause of the disease remained unknown, even if Elsa were to cure the king with her Magic, his disease would soon recur. So Elsa used her Diagnose spell many times in an attempt to discover the cause. However, the cause was still unclear. It seems its no use after all. Prince Edmond stared at the troubled Elsa with cold eyes. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 633

Chapter 633

Magi Craft Meister 633 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-20 Exploring Possibilities After all, youre just like all the other healers, arent you? Seeing how Elsa was so troubled, the First Prince Edmond spoke with a voice filled with disappointment. No, I just need a little more However, Edmond quickly refused. No. I dont want my father to be seen by an ipetent healer anymore. T-Then, tomorrow, I could Hmph, are you saying that tomorrow you will be able to see what you cannot see today? But Elsa nodded so as to resist those words. Yes. When Edmond heard such a reply, he seemed to have seen something interesting for a moment, but his expression immediately returned to normal Fine. But, if youre unable to see anything new by tomorrow, then youre done here. and finally said that with a cold tone of voice. Yes. It was frustrating, but it was also true that she couldnt understand. So as a means to at least offer somefort, Elsa decided to use her Healing Magic. Genesung. The pinnacle of internal medicine Healing Magic. After using such a spell, Elsa would have previously used up all of her magical power, but after her recovery from her magical power excess syndrome, she now still had a bit left to spare. Oh!? As a result of Elsas Healing Magic, Alois IIIsplexion improved visibly. At least, this should offer some relief until tomorrow Elsa said that while being a bit short of breath due to the bacsh of having used up arge amount of her magical power. Well then, this is all for today If youll excuse me. Elsa bowed deeply before leaving. Princes Edmond and Arthur watched her leave. Elsa was led by a maid to the VIP room on the second floor of the royal castle. Of course, it was a different one from the room where Jin and the others were. Umm, wheres my brother and everyone else? I dont know. I was only ordered to escort you here. After saying that, the maid left the room. Only Elsa and Edgar were in this room. Elsa dropped herself onto a sofa, and was starting to feel a bit discouraged, and understandably so. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Come in. Edgar opened the door, and Prince Arthur was standing at the other side. Miss Elsa, do you have a minute? Oh, please, doe in. Elsa hurriedly got up from the sofa and invited Prince Arthur in. Excuse me. Unlike Prince Edmond, Prince Arthur had a gentle demeanor. Since he didnt make Elsa feel even more nervous than usual, she was able to respond with rtive ease. Both of them sat down facing each other at the rooms coffee table. Edgar then used the rooms tea set to brew some tea for both of them. A nice herbal scent soon filled the air. Please dont think badly about my brothers attitude. Despite appearances, hes very concerned about our father in his own way. I know. Did you know about our mother? When our mother was sick in bed, we had every healer in the countrye examine her, but she could not be cured and ultimately passed away. Thats why trusting healers is hard for those in this house. For my brother and for me as well. Elsa remained silent, unable to say anything in response to that. Noticing this, Prince Arthur changed the subject. Were you able to find anything about our fathers illness? Yes. His liver is in bad shape. You said something like that earlier, correct? But that Healing Magic spell you used on him before you left Wouldnt it heal himpletely if you were to use it repeatedly? Elsa understood his reasoning very well. An amateur would normally be inclined to think that way. That wont do.. If we dont deal with the cause of the disease, it will recur. The cause? And what is that? Hearing Elsas answer, Prince Arthur frowned. I am sorry, that is currently beyond my power. However, please allow me to examine His Majesty again tomorrow. Thank you for looking after my father. Prince Arthur stood up and took Elsas hand. And thank you for your sincere examination and treatment. After saying that, he kissed the back of Elsas hand. Ah. Elsa panicked and withdrew her hand. Her cheeks had gotten quite red. I believe in you, Miss Elsa. Please heal my father. Excuse me. After one bow, Prince Arthur left the room. Overwhelmed by her feelings of helplessness, a tear ran down Elsas cheek. Brother Jin ( I made up my mind to do my very best. I cant be discouraged by this kind of thing.) Muttering those words in her heart, Elsa picked herself up. At that moment A message from Master Jin, Miss Elsa. From Brother Jin? Elsa felt her own heart racing. Elsa, I heard from Laojun Looks like things got a bit rough, huh? The call hade through Laojun, but it was actually Jins voiceing out of Edgars mouth. Yeah, but Ill keep trying my best. So, Laojun and I decided to look into it as well. Jin had decided to share his personal opinion concerning Alois IIIs medical condition. It may not be caused by some kind of poison. What do you mean? I just heard from Liese that His Majesty went to Lake Manuse before summer. Lake Manuse? Yeah. Its ake near the Great Shama Marsh where people go to catch Dragonic Eels, but it seems that other freshwater fish are also quite abundant. Arent there any other things that one can catch there? After listening to Jins words, Elsa thought for a moment and shared what came to her mind. A parasitic bug? I think its highly possible. On Earth, there are parasites on freshwater fish, crabs, and shellfish. The Ezo Red Fox is also known to carry a parasite called Echinocus. Elsa also knew about this as it was knowledge she got from Jin, but since there was no general awareness of their existence in this world, she couldnte up with it on her own. Conducting a medical examination without that consideration, not even the Diagnose spell would help a healer notice the presence of parasites. Moreover, since parasites are living things, there is no way to recognize them as such unless the healer is aware that they are foreign to the patients body. Thank you, Brother Jin. Ill look into it again tomorrow. Yeah, do your best. I know youll pull through. The call ended there. Lieschen was there with Jin, so he probably took advantage of a moment where she wasnt around in order to call Elsa. The call hadsted less than two minutes, but it was still enough for Elsa to feel a warmth in her heart which reassured that she was not alone. Elsa no longer cared about Prince Arthurs earlier gesture, and decided to go to bed in order to rest her body in preparation for the next day. Being who he was, Jin asked the Third Princess Lieschen about many things regarding her father, Alois III. Father likes the trout that can be caught in Lake Manuse, and when the ban on fishing was lifted in June, he visited Dekubo Vige for two days as a vacation, as he used to do every year. How do you eat that trout? Usually, they are grilled and sprinkled with salt. I wasnt there, so I dont really know for sure, but Ive heard that they cut the raw trout, sprinkle vinegar on it, and prepare it with vegetables Jin spected that it might be a way of eating simr to how marinated food is prepared. Even if there were parasites in the trout, the vinegar should have neutralized them, but it was possible that the food itself wasnt sufficiently cooked. (I should tell Elsa about this) Once Lieschen left her seat, Jin connected to Laojun via Reiko, and Laojun connected to Edgar, setting up a phone call with Elsa. And so, the possibility of the kings illness being caused by a parasite was conveyed to Elsa. Incidentally, it should be noted that the acetic acid found in vinegar is not effective against most parasites, so Jins assumption in that regard was actually a bit off the mark. 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Chapter 634

Magi Craft Meister 634 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-21 Support The next morning, after having breakfast, Elsa was waiting to be summoned. However, after 9 oclock, and even after 10 oclock, no one came to pick her up. Even if she wanted to leave the room, there were four guards in the hallway, and Elsa was forbidden to go out on her own. Then, when it was nearly 11:00 AM, the door finally opened. Your name was Elsa, right? Come on. Ill take you to my father. The one who came to pick her up was the First Prince Edmond. Y-Yes. Elsa stood up slightly nervously. She just couldnt get used to Edmonds crude behavior. Hmph, get ready quickly. I-Im a-already ready Then lets go. Come. Prince Edmond turned around and started walking down the corridor without looking back. Elsa and Edgar chased after him. Following the same route as the day before, Elsa arrived at Alois IIIs bedroom. Yesterday, right after you gave him treatment, my fathers condition seemed to have improved a bit. But this morning, hisplexion was the same as before. Do something about it. Please. At that time, Elsa perceived a faint hint of sorrow in Prince Edmonds face as he spoke bluntly. However, all that Elsa had to focus on at the moment was to examine her patient, which she would now do in full awareness of the possibility of a parasites presence. Diagnose. The area to be examined was, of course, the liver. However, Elsa didnt find anything in the liver. Thinking that that shouldnt be, she tried again.. Diagnose Diagnose Diagnose. This time, she examined the region in more detail, sorting it out into sections. Whats this? It wasnt in the liver exactly, but she found something near the galldder under it, inside the bile duct.. Diagnose. Then she did another close examination specifically focused on the bile duct itself. There it is. I found it The thing she found had a t, elliptical shape about 10 mm in size. It was definitely a parasite. Elsa, were you able to learn something!? Prince Edmond notices that Elsas facial expression had changed during the examination. He grabbed Elsa by the shoulder and hurriedly asked her about it. Y-Yeah I found a parasite in His Majestys galldder. This is probably the cause of his affliction. What? A parasite? What in the world do you mean by that!? However, Prince Edmond was confused by Elsas exnation as he didnt seem to be familiar with the term parasite. You! You better not be trying to y smart As he started to say that, Edmond noticed Elsas serious face and stopped himself. Im sorry. I said too much. You really are examining my fathers condition in all seriousness. Prince Edmond apologized and let go of Elsas shoulder. Parasites are small creatures that nest inside the human body. Hmm. There are blood-sucking insects in the mountains are these parasites something like those? Yes. That would be a fine way to describe them. So, these insects that nested inside His Majestys body have been eating away at his insides and releasing toxins, which caused His Majestys health to deteriorate. So, can it be cured!? Elsa knew that removing parasites lodged inside the bile duct required surgery. But she wasnt sure she had the ability to do that. Please, let me talk to my brother, Jin Nidou. The time was noon. Elsa was talking to Jin. To be precise, Hanna, the Third Princess Lieschen, the First Prince Edmond, the Second Prince Arthur, and Chancellor Powell were all present as well. After a light lunch, all of them gathered in what could be mistaken for a tea party when seen from afar, but the topic of their conversation hardly suited a tea party. Those of you who were at the Technology Expo held in the Shouro Empire will already be familiar with this. After such an introduction, Jin ced a Mini Smith on the table. NICE TO MEET YOU ALL. Whoa! Except for Princess Lieschen, who had seen them at the Technology Expo, everyone else from the Klein Kingdom was wide-eyed in awe. Jin continued. These Mini Smiths are capable of performing movements with a level of precision that is several times that of humans. Actually, they were dozens of times more precise than humans, but Jin wanted to simplify his exnation as much as possible. The Mini Smiths can use a conjunction of the Paralyze and Schmerzmittel followed by a treatment with Sterilization in order to take out the parasites in the affected area in a matter of a few seconds. Elsa then took over Jins exnation. Then, as the parasites are being extracted, well use V?llig Genesung to heal and close the wound. Thats the outline of the treatment. Everyone else waspletely silent. Hanna seemed to understand about only half of it all, and had a slightly confused look on her face. I see, from what Ive heard so far, it seems like it could work. But is there some kind of track record for a treatment like that? This was Prince Edmond. His concern was understandable. He wouldnt allow the king of a country to be subject to such an invasive treatment without some kind of proof that it had worked in the past. Since its basically the same procedure used to take out the Agujas that were controlling the demons in the northern continent, it seemed that there would be no problem with this procedure. However, this would be the first time for Elsa herself to do this kind of treatment, and above all, Jin didnt want to talk about the demons at this moment. The actual surgery would be performed by the Mini Smiths, but it was no wonder that those who have this kingdoms best interest at heart would want to see some kind of proof. Then, I have a proposal. This time it was Prince Arthur who spoke up. Im sure there are several people in the kingdom who need simr treatments. How about we try this proposed treatment on them first, and if there are no problems, then we shall allow our father to undergo this treatment. What do you think As far as Jin was concerned, this was the same as asking him to treat those people asb rats before risking the kings life, and while that wasnt exactly what it actually was, this was an extremely natural way of thinking in this world. Yeah, thats good! Good idea, Arthur. Brother, please try to be a little more considerate. Hmph, it is our subjects who should be considerate. And those of us who stand above should be the ones taking the decisions. Ahem. Chancellor Powell cleared his throat in a very deliberate manner in order to throw cold water onto the exchange between the brothers. Then, is it okay if we give Miss Elsa a list of people for her to examine, and have her treat them if they have a simr illness? Although they were the First and Second Princes, the owner of the position of Crown Prince had yet to be decided, so the Chancellor had the final say in this matter as he was higher in the chain of hierarchy. Understood. Elsa nodded in agreement.. Then, we will search for suitable patients, so Ill ask you to please wait here until we find them, Miss Elsa. Then the chancellor turned to Jin. Is it okay if I ask Her Highness Lieschen to keep Lord Jinpany in the meantime? Yes, Ill take responsibility for Jin and Hanna. Thank you very much. Then, thatll be all for now, everyone. With that, the unofficial meeting that could affect the fate of the Klein Kingdom was over. Miss Elsa, would you and Lord Jin honor us by staying here with us until we find a suitable patient? There was no objection to that either. At any rate, now that there finally were some good prospects for the kings treatment, the chancellors face had finally started to regain its color, which it seemed to have been deprived of for quite a long time. Great job, Elsa. The first thing Jin did after both of them returned to the guest rooms of the royal vi was to show appreciation for Elsas efforts. It was all thanks to your advice, Brother Jin. Thank you.. Elsa thanked Jin in return. If you hadnt suggested the possibility of parasites Yeah, Im d I improved Edgar before we came here. Just being able to talk to each other through Laojun is a big advantage. Will you be okay doing the surgery? Yeah. Ill be just covering the wound, so. The Mini Smiths would be in charge of the difficult part of the work, and could definitely be trusted with it thanks to the experiences shared with them in the Demon Territory. The rest was a matter of getting a track record going as a means for them to gain the trust of the kingdoms people. Ill do my best to help those people too. Yeah, give it your all. You can do this, Big Sis. Both Jin and Hanna supported Elsas determination. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 635

Chapter 635

Magi Craft Meister 635 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-22 Poison Jin, Minister of Industry Derait has said he wants to see you. Just before 3:00 pm, Princess Lieschen came to Jins room and informed him of this. The Minister of Industry Derait Domus Hanks. He was the one in charge of everything concerned with agricultural products in the Klein Kingdom. Its just about time for tea, so lets all have tea together! Jin nodded at Hannas words. Elsa didnt seem to have any objections either. Oh, I see. Then lets go to my room. Jin and the others followed Princess Lieschen to her room. Minister Derait was already waiting there. Ah, Lord Jin Nidou. Im Derait Domus Hanks, and Im Minister of Industry in this country. Derait Domus Hanks was in histe 40s, of medium build and height. Im Jin. Nice to meet you. Following Jin, Elsa and Hanna also introduced themselves and sat down around the round table. Prepare some tea for us. Yes, its already done. Upon hearing Princess Lieschens words, the maids poured the herbal tea that had been prepared in advance. Wow, it smells good. This time around, Jin could smell a scent of oranges from it. Since he couldnt take hot food and drinks very well, Jin didnt drink right away, and instead turned to Minister Derait. Derait took a sip of the herbal tea and began to speak. I had been meaning to ask you how to use the desant. Oh, I see. Thats Kyaa! Jins words were interrupted by Hannas scream. At the same time, Jin heard the noise of something breaking, and got startled by it. W-Whats wrong, Hanna? Ah, aaah! Hanna, who was frolicking with Princess Lieschen, tried for them to have a toast with their cups of tea, and broke her cup in a fit of excitement. As a result, Princess Lieschens cup was cracked, spilling most of its contents on the table, while Hannas cup shatteredpletely, and all of its tea fell on Hannas skirt, leaving arge stain. Hanna, Your Highness you seem okay. Dry, Clean Up. Elsa ced the cup of herbal tea she was about to drink on the table and proceeded to dry and clean everything up with her spells. Did you get burned? No, Im fine! Thanks, Big Sis Elsa. Sorry to trouble you with this, Elsa. No, dont mention it. At the same time as Elsas answer Uh, uhh Minister Derait suddenly began to seem as if he was in pain. Whats wrong, Derait? In response to Princess Lieschens question, the Minister of Industry could only open and close his mouth. He doesnt seem to be able to speak. Even so, he made a gesture by pointing to his mouth with a trembling hand. Its meaning was clear. Poison!? Elsa! Yes Entgiften, Heilverfahren. Since Elsa didnt know what kind of poison was used, she first focused on neutralizing the poison, and then on healing Deraits poisoned body. Her quick thinking saved Minister Deraits life. T-Thank you You saved me Having recovered enough to speak, Derait thanked Elsa. In the meantime, Jin analyzed everyones herbal tea. Alkaloid? Even Jin didnt know much more than that. After all, chemistry was outside of his area of expertise. Tia! Catch that maid! Princess Lieschen raised her voice. Yes, princess. Huh? Huh? Tia restrained the maid, who seemed to have been takenpletely by surprise, not knowing what was going on. Jin! Was there poison in the tea? Thats right! Princess Lieschen picked up the tea caddy that was in her room. Ive never seen this container before. After muttering that, she handed it over to Jin. Could you take a look at it for me, Jin? Jin immediately used his analyze on the tea leaves inside the container. The result Its the same. These tea leaves contain poison. It was likely that someone had mixed some poisonous leaves into the rest of the tea leaves. I see. This is a serious matter Someone is here! Lieschen summoned a soldier, briefly exined the situation, and ordered him to report to the Chancellor. After watching the soldier hastily leave the room, the princess checked on the Minister of Industry. Derait, how are you feeling? The Minister of Industry answered feebly. Still not very well, but the numbness seems to be gone I see. Thank you. Elsa. Jin, on the other hand, was angry. He realized once again that this poison had threatened not only himself, but Elsa, Hanna, and Princess Lieschen as well. Jin had dodged the poison thanks to his inability to hot drinks that well, while Hannas ident caused both her tea and the princess to spill, and Elsa was about to take a sip herself but instead put her cup down to tend to Hanna. Hadnt the culprits intentions been thwarted by such a strike of luck, it would be safe to assume that everyone in the room would have ingested that poison by now. I wont forgive them. Jins insides were burning with anger and filled with nothing but the intention to find those responsible for trying to drag himself, Elsa, Liese, and even the innocent Hanna into this. I-I dont know anything! I-Its true, I swear!! The maid who was being restrained by Tia appealed while crying. At that moment, Prince Arthur, Chancellor Powell, Captain of the Klein Kingdoms royal guard Jessica Norton, and two female knights arrived on the scene. Your Highness! Did you say poison!? Liese! Are you okay? What about our guests!? Your Highness! Are you safe!? The three of them were relieved to see that Princess Lieschen, Jin, and Elsa were safe. Next, they all frowned as they looked toward Minister Derait, who was lying on the floor. Who did this? Even the mild-mannered Prince Arthur was visibly angry. The first one to drink that tea was Derait, and in a way, you could say it saved everyone else., said the chancellor with a sorrowful face. Indeed, since Elsa, who excelled in healing magic, was safe, Deraits life was saved as well. The leaves in this tea caddy are mixed with poisonous nts. Was it mixed inter, or did someone bring it here knowing it was poisoned? Jin handed the tea caddy he was holding to the chancellor. Lets find out as quickly as possible. First of all, lets interrogate all of the servants, including the maids who work in the royal vi., said Prince Arthur as he grimaced. Jessica Norton heard these words and gave instructions to her subordinate female knights. The female knights nodded and hurriedly left the room. But who and for what purpose Im pretty sure that Minister Derait wasnt the intended target here. Either Liese, or Miss Elsa The chancellor and Prince Arthur were analyzing the situation to try to determine the culprits identity. Jin faced the maid Tia was restraining. When did you bring that tea caddy? The maid was crying and seemed to be very afraid, but she managed to answer Jins question. Uhhh I just used the tea that was there in the princess room Both her eyes and nose were pouring their contents all over her face. Ah Um I Im going to get the death penalty, right? Anyone whos found guilty of trying to poison a member of the royal family, a minister, and guests of the state, will definitely not escape being punished with the highest penalty. Crying with anxiety, the maid begged Jin for an answer. Although Jin was angry, he wasnt so foolish as to misjudge. He asked Tia to take the maid to the corner of the room. Such an instruction didnt require the princess confirmation as far as Tia was concerned, so she carried it away immediately. Ah Um It seemed that this had made the maid feel even more uneasy, as she then began to tremble. H-Help S-Somebody! Jin always carried a Magi Crystal in his pocket. This was so that he would be able to create one of several Magic Tools C such as a Mana Bomb C in case of emergency. First of all, Jin put up a Barrier. This spell, which wards off all physical phenomena outside of its range, had the risk of suffocating those inside due to theck of oxygen if kept up for a long time, but at the same time, it also had the advantage of blocking air vibrations, such as voices and other sounds. Please stay still Transinfo (Level 4) (Mild). Using his Magi Crystal, Jin began reading the maids memories thoroughly. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 636

Chapter 636

Magi Craft Meister 636 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-23 Crisis Averted Jin was thinking about how to analyze the Magi Crystal, which was loaded with the maids memories. Laojun would be the one most suitable for analyzing the Magi Crystal. However, there was no way to send it to Hourai Ind without it taking too long. Is that something I can do, Father? Reiko asked Jin. Hmm, you, huh thats right, you might be able to do it. Really!? Reiko was happy to learn that she might be able to help Jin. Link this with your backup Control Core. Then you should be able to read its contents without any risk. Jin came up with the idea of ??using a backup Control Core, since linking it directly with Reikos main Control Core could interfere with its memory area. This is possible because both are written with Jins magical pattern. When Reiko received the Magi Crystal, she immediately linked it to her backup Control Core. Father, shes clean. Since Jin had shared his knowledge with her, she used a colloquial term instead of saying that the maid was innocent. Really, I dont know anything. I was just doing my normal job. I see. This conversation took ce in a corner of the room. Only Elsa was listening. Princess Lieschen was hugging Hanna as if to protect her, and both were sitting on the sofa. The chancellor, Prince Arthur, and Jessica were in the middle of a discussion. Anyway Prince Arthur seems to have reached a conclusion. Liese, Miss Elsa, and the guests should be moved to the royal castle instead of this vi, and the security around them is to be increased. At least until our culprit is identified. Very well. The chancellor had no choice but to nod to Prince Arthurs opinion. If something were to happen to Elsa or Jin, who are state guests, it could turn into an international problem. Things progressed quickly after that. Jin, Elsa, Hanna, Reiko, and Edgar were moved to the rooms reserved for special guests in the royal castle. Princess Lieschen also goes to the royal castle, joined by Tia. And as for the maid that Tia had been detaining C apparently her name was Amelie C it was decided that shed be put in prison for the time being. The Transinfo that Jin secretly performed was not amon spell, and even if he were to exin that such magic existed, it would take time to prove that the information it collects is actually true. In addition, if the knowledge of such a spell were to be spread out, it could be a worldwide threat, so its not something that can be made public. Thats why Jin had investigated the maids memories in secret. Jin was convinced she is innocent, but whether he can convince a third party of that is an entirely different story. He was barely able to postpone her punishment by reasoning that the possibility of the maid Amelie being the culprit was low, and that she could be at most just the perpetrator, so it would be better to keep her alive so that the true culprit could be revealed. Still (Reiko, how about the Covert Units?) (Yes, they have already been deployed inside the royal castle.) Since it was not possible to have them board Jins blimp, they were momentarily returned to Hourai Ind by transfer machine before being sent to Alban. Now, they had crossed the castle walls, entered the castle, and were ready to protect Jin, Elsa, and Hanna without showing their presence. (Alright, lets make it so that Amelie wont be silenced by the real culprit while shes imprisoned Right, lets have Lily and Rose watch over her.) (Understood.) Several items for testing food for poison were lined up on the table for that days dinner. In addition, Jin and Elsa would use their Analyze, and Reiko would also taste the food for poisoning herself, so they were perfectly prepared. However, nothing actually happened during that dinner that would warrant such measures. The food contained no poison. I shouldnt have brought Hanna with us Jin regretted putting her in danger. But now that things have turned out like this, he had no choice but to do everything he could to protect her. Would she be safe if the culprits target is clear? In other words, it is unlikely that Hanna would be targeted directly. But he still had to be careful about her getting involved in this. Reiko, please instruct Iris and Azalea to be extra cautious. Understood. Even though it may look like taking extra steps to do the same thing, the reason why Jin asks Reiko instead of him giving the instructions himself was because Reiko is more suitable for the job. Reiko has a built-in Mana Comm, which she can use to pass on Jins instructions without speaking out loud. The night in the Klein Kingdom progressed without any other events. The next day, breakfast was also inspected rigorously. Since it had to be carefully tested for poison, it naturally got cold. Being so bad at taking in hot foods and drinks, Jin enjoyed his breakfast without anyints. Brother Jin After breakfast, Elsa started talking while drinking her herbal tea, which had of course also been tested for poisoning. I think we should send Hanna back to Kaina Vige. Yeah, Ive been thinking about that too. Even if Jin could ensure her physical safety, there was no way a ce like this, where a dark scheme taints the air, would be a good ce for her education. Huh? Return to Kaina Vige? Yeah, okay, but what about you, Big Brother, Big Sis? After Jin and Elsa exined to Hanna that it would be better for her to return, she nodded obediently, but was still concerned with Jin and Elsas safety. I have to cure the kings illness. And if Elsa stays, I have to stay with her. Elsas cheeks blushed slightly at Jins words, but her face quickly returned to a serious expression. Brother Jin, I wont be conducting any treatment on the king today nor tomorrow, so I think its best to send Hanna back to Kaina Vige as soon as possible. Youre right right Jin immediately decided to consult with the chancellor. Luckily, there was still a little time before he had to start with his official duties, so they were able to talk about this right away. As chancellor, it was in Powells best interests to avoid a situation that would displease Jin as much as possible, so he granted him permission immediately. And Jin moved quickly. By 9:00 AM he was already preparing his blimp for takeoff. Considering the current circumstances, he conducted a thorough search on its hull. He considered the possibility of it having been sabotaged in some way, but since Steward had been in charge of protecting the blimp, he found nothing worthy of note. Okay then, Im leaving. See youter, princess! Yeah, you shoulde visit again sometime, Hanna. Take care, Brother Jin. Im going to be away for only a while, but you take care too, okay, Elsa? Lord Jin, take care. The blimp carrying Jin, Hanna, and Reiko floated in the Alban sky, seen off by Princess Lieschen, Elsa, and Jessica. This day was also cloudy. Jin has no intention of going to Kaina Vige like that. They took the blimp above the clouds. There, the Condor 3 that Jin had called in advance was waiting for them with a Warp Gate that would take them to Hourai Ind. After getting off the blimp there, they once again transferred themselves to Kaina Vige. Jin had the blimp undergo another thorough examination and maintenance while in Hourai Ind, as well as some modifications. In addition, he also had an ultra-small Golem prepared for intelligence gathering purposes. Being five centimeters tall, it has the exact same specifications as the Finger Golem that Laozi has at his disposal. Granny, Im home~ Havinge out of the other side of the Warp Gate in the basement of Jins workshop, Hanna went straight to Marthas ce. She was followed by Reiko, who was carrying her baggage. Good morning, Hanna. Youre back early, arent you? Were back, Martha. Ah, youre here too, Jin. Did something happen? Well, actually Jin exined the incident that happened in the royal castle. Hmm, youve been through some trouble. But I see, if thats what happened, Id feel much more at ease if Hanna was back home too. Then Martha goes on. Jin, you should be careful too, you know? You can certainly do a lot of amazing things, but you can get hurt, and in case of emergency With Hanna around, Martha avoided using words that sounded too drastic, but Jin understood what she was saying and the feeling she was trying to convey. Yes, thank you, Martha. Ill be careful. Yeah, really, you have to take care. And not just of yourself, you have to take care of Elsa as well. Yes, I understand. Martha nods. Yeah, thats more like it. So, I dont know if thisll help at all, but that poisonous nt? It sounds like when someone eats Aconita Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 637

Chapter 637

Magi Craft Meister 637 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-24 Sams Aconita? Yeah, its a weed that grows in the mountains, but when people go picking wild nts in springtime, its still small, so its sometimes mistaken for an edible wild nt. Martha then exined that ingesting it by mistake can cause numbness in the limbs, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. That certainly sounds like our poison. It does, doesnt it? It also grows in the mountains around here. In summer, it grows big and blooms with a very notorious purple flower, so theres no mistaking it. From what he heard, Jin thought that it would be a nt simr to Earths wolfsbane. If so, he had seen pictures of that nt. But its poison isnt strong enough to kill a person. Huh? At most, you could be rendered numb for a few hours. Ive never heard of anyone dying from eating Aconita. It seems to be less toxic than the wolfsbane that Jin knows about. In that case, if those poisonous leaves were really from the same Aconita Martha just described, then it made little sense to use such a weak poison. Jin started to ponder about this, but then figured it was time to return to Elsa, so he ultimately decided not to. Thank you. That information was very helpful. Are you going already? Yeah, Im worried about Elsa too. Big Brother, please be careful. And make sure to protect Big Sis Elsa! Reiko, take care of Big Brother! Yes, Hanna. Reiko smiled at Hanna, Jin stroked Hannas head, and the two turned around. Okay then, were off. After returning to Hourai Ind, Jin confirmed that the blimp had undergone both a thorough check and the modifications he had specified. My Lord, road, as instructed, a small Warp Gate has been set up. The resulting increase in weight has been dealt with by reducing the blimps overall weight through a structural revision. I see, well done. Here are the Micro Golems for intelligence gathering you requested. Ten Golems with a height of only five centimeters were standing in a line. They can use simple Engineering Magic, basic offensive spells, the Barrier spell, and a paralysis attack. Of course, theyre been equipped with the means to use Invisible as well. Thatll do just fine. Alright, leave the rest to me. Jin thenpletes them by installing the necessary Control Cores and other important parts into them. Okay, Startup. HELLO, MASTER. Numbers from one to ten were written on their backs to facilitate telling them apart. You guys will be the Sams. YES. He had wanted to name them Toms as a reference to Tom Thumb, but since theres already someone named Tom among the residents of Kaina Vige, he chose to name each of them Sam, which sounds simr to Thumb. Okay, lets go. Jin boarded the airship and flew over Alban via transfer machine. There he descended,nding once again in the square in front of the royal castle. Wee back, Brother Jin. A seemingly tense Elsa greeted Jin. She was being apanied by both Edgar and a knight who had been appointed as her personal guard. It was very clear that seeing Jins face had brought Elsa some relief. Whats wrong, did something happen? Yeah. For now, lets go to the room. Jin and the others moved to one of the rooms in the royal castle. Once again, Steward was left in charge of guarding the blimp. It would be troublesome if his luggage was checked, so he left the Sams on board. He nned to move them once theres no one around. So what happened? After closing the door, Jin asked Elsa again. One of the servants was found dead. What!? ording to what Ive heard, he was in charge of managing the furnishings in the rooms of the royal vige. It seems one of his coworkers found him in his room this morning He was already cold to the touch. Elsa then said that she believed that the servant had been silenced by the true culprit. Jin felt the same way. So, are you safe, Elsa? Yeah. There was no poison in our lunch. Laojun said, They probably wont be resorting to the same approach., said Reiko. Then she continued. ording to Laojun, Elsa is being directly targeted. The reason for this would be that the king being cured of his illness would inconvenience our true culprit. Like some kind of conspiracy Since there was no time to go somewhere else to contact Laojun, Jin contacted him through Reiko instead. Yes. Furthermore, Laojun said, I wonder who would benefit the most from the kings death. That would be someone who has the right to inherit the throne. Jin seemed vexed. You mean Prince Arthur or Prince Edmund? Elsa frowned as well. She was unable to understand anyones willingness to harm their own parents for their own benefit. No, apparently, its not limited to just those two. Reiko, who was still passing along Laojuns input, continued to exin. Laojun says that there is a possibility that someone else will benefit from either of them bing the new king. I see Jin remembered a historical y he once saw which featured a turmoil simr to this one. In it, a minister of a daimyo had devised a scheme to try to take control of the daimyos house by having the young heir take over his fathers position. Getting mixed up in this kind of quarrel would be quite the hassle, huh? Jin spat out his thoughts. Yeah. But precisely because of that, we cannot forgive whoever is behind this. Elsas past saw her older brother being manipted by a hypnotic spell as well as her father being convinced by a demon to act in a way that would be detrimental to his country. Her resentment at having ones family abused by someone elses ambitions was stronger than anyone elses. Jin had shared a little bit of her feelings in that regard, and was determined to uncover this conspiracy. By the way, I found something about the poisonous nt they used in our herbal tea. Jin thought about sharing the information he heard from Martha in Kaina Vige with Elsa. Lets see Its a poisonous weed called Aconita. ording to Martha, its not lethal. Aconita yeah, thats highly possible. At that time, everything happened so suddenly that I rushed to save Derait, but looking back on it now, I feel like his condition wasnt so desperate. It was understandable. After all, everyone in the room started panicking after seeing that one of them had been poisoned. Ive been trying to find any leads as to how the culprit got their hands on that kind of poison, but I havent had any luck yet. After that, Jin and Elsa continued to make various conjectures and pondered about them, but didnt make much more progress. There was too little information to work with. This reminds me, hows Deraiting along? I examined him a while ago, and he seems to be much better. I believe he should be able to wake up tomorrow. I guess the poisons toxicity was weak after all. Thats good to hear. Getting mixed up in this kind of quarrel would really be quite the hassle Meanwhile, Jins blimp Tightly moored and temporarily covered with a mantle, it is impervious to the slightest wind. Steward had been ced in charge of its defense. Therefore, there was no need to post any guards for that job, though soldiers would do their regr patrolling of the area from time to time. Taking advantage of those moments where no soldiers were around, the Sam Golems scattered around the royal castle. And just like that, the day went by without anything worthy of note happening. And the next day, the 11th ording to Princess Lieschen, the kingdom was currently looking for sick people among themon folk with simr symptoms to the kings. Once anyone was found, they would be examined and treated ordingly. But now I have plenty of time in my hands, with Hanna not being around anymore The bored Lieschen would go to the VIP room and have a chat with Jin and the others, but she seemed to be getting tired of that as well. Would you like to y a word game? Lieschen sounded confused by Jins proposal. A A word game? W-what do you mean? Seeing that Lieschen was unfamiliar with such a game, Jin quickly began to exin. The game consists of us taking turns back and forth to say a word each, but theres a condition. Your word has to start with the same letter the other yers word ended in. Satisfied with the exnation, Lieschen nodded repeatedly. Ah, I see, I see, so thats the word game you had in mind. Yes. You cant repeat words. The yer who cante up with a new word loses. Oh, I see, that sounds interesting. Some other restrictions can be made to add spice to the game, but lets keep it simple for now. Okay, lets do it. Jin, you can start. Okay, then Lets see Ill start with an example Automatic, I guess? Yeah, so the next word needs to start with a C, so Ill say Cross. So the next word would need to start with an S. Okay Liese, youre up. Princess Lieschen thought about it for a moment before answering. Okay, then S S Syrup?. Plum. Princess Lieschen questioned Elsas answer. What? Plum? What is that? Its a kind of tree. We dry its fruit to make a snack. A snack made with fruit? So is it sweet? But Elsa furrowed her brow and shook her head. Actually no, its sour and salty The face Princess Lieschen made upon hearing that was difficult to describe. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 638

Chapter 638

Magi Craft Meister 638 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-25 Another Problem Jin and the others kept ying the word game for some time, but while they were in the middle of it, someone knocked at the door. Come in. Tia opened the door. And on the other side stood Minister of Industry Derait. Oh, if it isnt Derait! Im d youre feeling better. Yes, Your Highness. Thanks to Miss Elsa, my life was saved. Is now a good time? Sure, I dont mind. Minister Derait still looked a little pale, but the numbness in his limbs seemed to havepletely disappeared. Miss Elsa, thank you for yesterday. Lord Jin, I would like to ask you about the desant today, since we were unable to do so yesterday. Okay. They had been ying that word game just to kill time anyway, so Jin agreed immediately. He also asked Tia to prepare some fresh fruit juice C no tea for them today C which Princess Lieschen had noints about. The reason behind that choice was that there was no need to worry about fresh fruit juice being poisoned, since its made by squeezing fruit on the spot. Just in case, Jin still used his Analyze to confirm that the juice hadnt been tampered with before having it poured into everyones sses. Furthermore, Reiko made extra sure that Jins ss was safe by tasting the juice herself for any poisoning before Jin could even take a sip. For the first time, everyone was able to enjoy a beverage with peace of mind. So, you wanted to know how to use the desant, right? Thats right. First of all, Id like to make sure were on the same page regarding some considerations. You do know that it absolutely cannot be in contact with water, right? Jin was concerned about potential fires and burn injuries. Yes, I am already aware of that. Although a little bit of humidity isnt much of a problem, pouring water on it will make the desant hot enough to cause burns. Yes, thats right. I might be able to use a small amount to make a bit of a demonstration. I see, so youre saying we shouldnt just take that knowledge at face value, but to actually learn it by experience? Thats exactly what I mean. By the way, do you know how to make this desant? Minister Derait suddenly asked about how to manufacture it, so naturally, the cautions Jin No, I dont know that much dodged the topic with that answer. While Minister Derait and Jin were having their discussion, Elsa and Princess Lieschen were having a conversation of their own. Lady Liese, this maye across as a bit rude, but I was wondering if you could tell me about your brothers Hmm? Oh, its fine. My older brother, Edmund he speaks bluntly, but I dont think he has a two-faced personality. Edmund had been quite hostile towards Elsa from time to time. But Princess Lieschens opinion of him wasnt as bad as she thought. Arthur is Princess Lieschen hesitated. well, I dont know him all that much, really Is that so? Ill tell you this because its you, Elsa, but in the past, he used to be very mean to me Their mother, who had birthed two princes and three princesses, died after giving birth to Lieschen. So he would say things like that their mother had died because of her, and that her brothers didnt love her at all. Of course, now we have more people around us, and theyre not as aggressive towards me as they used to be It seemed like he was worried about yesterdays poisoned herbal tea. Well, no matter how your rtionship was in the past, youre still real siblings who share a bond of blood, so Im sure theyre worried about you too. Elsa couldnt help but feel a little sympathy for her cold tone of voice, which didnt suit a 12-year-old. However, Arthur seems to have an excellent private tutor, so perhaps his personality has really improved. A private tutor? Yes. Apparently, hes a famous schr brought over from the Celuroa Kingdom. Some say that he would be able topete with all of our countrys schrs put together, but that has to be an exaggeration. The Celuroa Kingdom has a long history and arge poption. It wouldnt be strange if there were schrs who surpassed those from the Klein Kingdom. Do you know the name of that schr? Yes If I remember correctly, hes called Liones Ashford. Elsa decided to just keep that name in her memory for the time being. Meanwhile, Jin had finished telling Minister Derait everything he needed to know. Thank you, Lord Jin. We can expect great results from this, together with the dehumidifier we received the other day. Jin reacted to those words. A dehumidifier, huh? Judging from its name, its a tool to remove moisture, right? Thats right. The Nostalgia Party seems to have been distributing them to each country. Ooh The Automata that exined that to us was blonde, and very pretty. I wonder who built her? Jin thought that he was referring to Elena. Apparently, she was working just fine. After that, they transitioned to small talk. For now, we can focus on stockpiling enough food tost the year. For Jin, who was trying to find out about the food situation, this was an effective source of information, even if it was just at the level of small talk. With a simple calction, if the kingdom has 100,000 people, we can see that we should have four more months worth of wheat, although that will not be enough. They had calcted that there would be no food during the period starting from February of the following year until their harvest in June. So you mean you are 5,000 tons short? Assuming that each person eats 150 kilograms a year, thats 50 kilograms each 4 months, or 12.5 kilograms per month. They only had to multiply that by 100,000. There was no big difference from Erics calctions back in Kaina Vige. Thats right. But now that we are aware of the food shortage, we can actively eat other crops, and try to economize on what we have left we should cut that down to a shortage of 3,000 tons. Jin pondered. Hourai Inds stockpile was probably several dozen tons at most, so it wouldnt be of much help. At best, it would serve as a temporary emergency distribution of rice. Do you have any idea how to procure food? Its difficult. ording to what Ive heard, theres a famine in the eastern part of the Celuroa Kingdom. I just pray that there wont be a war. Whenever two countries wage war for food, all that results is in both countries wasting even more food. Its an obvious contradiction, but its us humans who make that contradiction. (Even the Shouro Empire cant afford to send 3,000 tons here as food aid) However, it doesnt seem like there will be any riots by the end of the year. Im hoping to have a solution in sight by the end of the year. Having said that, the outlook was bleak. Completely hopeless, even. This is because the food self-sufficiency rate within the Small League of Countries is just over 100%. I can only advise you to grow crops that can be harvested in a short period of time. Minister Derait seemed to have decided to hang onto Jins words. What kind of crop would that be, Lord Jin? Jin, too, decided to speak about it openly, as the lives of many people depended on it. Its a crop called buckwheat. Buckwheat, huh? Ive never heard of it before. Its a crop grown in the northernnds, and it can be harvested in about two and a half months. What?! It was mid-November, so if they were to sow it now, they should be able to harvest it at the beginning of February. Just barely at that, but they should be able to get it done. Lord Jin! By all means, by all means, I would like to grow that buckwheat! Can I ask for your cooperation in the matter?! Of course. But there are some problems. The first problem was that the necessary amount of seeds cannot be prepared immediately. Most of the autumn buckwheat on Hourai Ind was made into flour. It seems unlikely that the amount left for seeds will be enough to feed a kingdom. The second problem is that some people are allergic to buckwheat. Jin has never seen anyone in this world having anything simr to an allergy, but that alone wasnt enough for him to be able to say with certainty that no one will be allergic to buckwheat. Its possible that the amount of seeds youll need wont arrive in time. Also, there might be some people whose bodies cant handle buckwheat very well Jin can only give him a nd reply. But just like a drowning man will clutch at a straw, Minister Derait still bowed to Jin repeatedly. Lord Jin! Anything you can do will be good enough, so please help us procure that buckwheat! Since he had gone that far, not even Jin could refuse. Understood. He nodded with a slightly sour expression on his face. Buckwheat seeds, huh? Having been following the conversation between Jin and Minister of Industry Derait through Reiko, Laojun pondered. Even if we were to give them all of the buckwheat seeds we have on Hourai Ind, they wouldnt even make up for a tenth of the amount they need Their current stockpile is, so to speak, the harvest of their first cultivation. This is the amount that was harvested as a result of sowing what little buckwheat seeds Jin had been given in thend of the demons. Though less than a ton, more than half of it was made into buckwheat flour, and the rest was set apart to prepare it for a second cultivation. They would be able to get more seeds from that second harvest, but that wouldnt happen any sooner than less than two months away. In that case, well need to procure seed buckwheat from somewhere. That somewhere could only be thend of the demons, and the food situation of the demons was tight as well. Well have no choice but to try to trade with them and offer them some kind of alternative food source. To ask them for their buckwheat seeds, which are their main source of food, and give them something else to eat in exchange. Laojun deemed this to be the only way out of this predicament, and so he made the final decision. Wheat flour, huh? Laojun calcted that it would be possible to exchange 1 ton of wheat flour harvested on Hourai Ind for 1 ton of buckwheat harvested in thend of the demons. But even this would not be enough. The yield of buckwheat is lower than that of wheat. Sowing 1 ton of buckwheat seeds will yield about 20 tons of buckwheat. It was a serious problem that not even Laojun could solve. The only advantage generated by this would be that it shortens the wait between sowing to harvest. Whats left is that foreign race, huh? The foreigners who lived west of the Harihari Desert. Laojun didnt know how much food they produced, nor how much they kept in stock. It was quite a long shot. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 639

Chapter 639

Magi Craft Meister 639 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-26 Gossip 34 C The Golden Princess This happened a few days before Jin and the others headed to the Klein Kingdom. At Asunto, the capital of the Egelia Kingdom A hot air balloon with a golden gasbag was flying overhead. The gasbag had the words Nostalgia Party written inrge letters, and regardless of its design, it was the most definite indicator of its affiliation. The Royal Knights, who had built two of that exact same kind of hot air balloon after examining the one that Jin had given them, immediately approached the golden hot air balloon. Then, a voice came from the golden hot air balloon. Im Elena, a diplomat from the Nostalgia Party. Ive brought a gift for your country. I request permission tond. This was possible thanks to a spell that uses Wind Magic to give directionality to her voice and transmit it to any specific receiver who is far away. It was often used before the Great Magic War. Its name is Acoustic Tube. The Egelia Kingdom is the farthest from the Nostalgia Party HQ. Since Elena doesnt need to eat, drink or sleep, she decided to visit this faraway country first. Incidentally, the climate and eating habits of the Elias Kingdom are quite different from the rest, so they wouldnt be getting a dehumidifier this time around. Although there were ns to give them one at some point in the future. Elenanded in the courtyard of Asunto Castle, sandwiched between the two hot air balloons built in the Egelia Kingdom. Surrounding it are 20 knights of the Royal Guard armed with swords, although they had not drawn them. Aware that this castle was once attacked with a hot air balloon during the Unifier era, Elena smiled bitterly. Nice to meet you. My name is Elena. Ie as a representative of the Nostalgia Party. Elena introduced herself once again. A knight stepped forward in front of her. Wee, Miss Elena, I am Bruno Thales Bright, the Vice Commander of the Knights of the Royal Guard. Are you here for the delivery of this dehumidifier were scheduled to receive today? Elena had a sweet smile on her face. Some of the knights were fascinated by her smile and smiled broadly themselves. Yes, thats right. Could I see the person responsible for receiving it? Of course. Ill take you to Minister of Magi Technology Kerihidor and Minister of Home Affairs William. After Bruno said that, the other knights turned around and left. With a small package in her hand, Elena followed Brunos lead, crossing the courtyard where the scars of the turmoil during the Golem Party still remain here and there, and headed for the guest house, which was located to the left of the castle. Elena was weed into what looked like arge conference room at a state guest house. Her exposition began shortly after in the presence of two mage knights of the Royal Guard. Moisture condensates as temperature drops, and the resulting water is removed as temperature returns to normal. Thats the principle behind how it works. Do you understand? The attendees were puzzled by her concise exnation. Uh well, its mechanism seems to be simple enough. We should be able to produce these ourselves, shouldnt we? Yes. By all means, please try manufacturing them as well. Elena smiled. The removed water will umte, so please make sure to drain it regrly. Do you have any questions? Why does condensation happen when the temperature is lowered? Elenas face looked like she was at a loss for words for a moment before Kerihidors question. Its impossible to exin it in such a short time. Please ept it as it is now. However, Elena could clearly see the dissatisfaction in Kerihidors face. The maximum amount of water vapor that air can hold depends on the air temperature. This is called saturated water vapor. When the temperature is high, it can hold more of it, and when the temperature is low, it can hold less of it. How about now? Im sure that this exnation has brought even more questions to your mind, and thats because the foundation for this kind of phenomenon hasnt been exined in detail. Thats why I said it was impossible to exin this in such a short time. Elenas red eyes didnt have the slightest hint of disdain, and so, even Kerihidor, Minister of Magi Technology, couldnt help but back down. Water droplets tend to stick to the outside of a ss filled with cold water, right? That happens because of this exact same phenomenon. Hmm I see Elena kindly gave a supplementary exnation, which seemed to have satisfied Kerihidor. Are there any other questions? Everyone had fallen silent. They might have given up entirely. Well then, Ill be on my way. After making a reverence, Elena stood up. Again, Bruno apanied her back to the hot air balloon. There was someone staring at her from afar. It was Ernest, the third prince. He was staring at Elena, asionally tilting his head to the side. Prince? What happened? The princes maid, L Soreuse, who was standing by his side, asked the prince about his strange behavior. Hmm, what a strange Automata. She feels different from the ones Jin makes. L was surprised by those words. Huh? Im talking about that Automata Elena. Shes different from Reiko. But there are also some simrities But theyre different. Hmm T-that girl is an Automata? Hmm? Yes, of course. Cant you see it? I-I cant tell! The prince had intuitively noticed that Elena was an Automata. The only other person who knew that she was an Automata was Minister Kerihidor. None of the knights watching her from a distance had realized that about her her. After that, Elena headed for the Klein Kingdom. The reaction there was more or less the same. The ones who weed her there were Chancellor Powell, Minister of Industry Derait, and Viscount Bernard Nefra Foster, the leader of the 2nd Order of Knights. They, too, had trouble understanding her exnation of the theory behind the dehumidifier. Well then, if youll excuse me After saying her goodbyes, Elena took her leave. But her eyes were opened wide for a moment as she was about to board her hot air balloon. (Blue hair An Automata of Adriana Balbora Ceci? She had seen Princess Lieschen and her wet-nurse-looking Automata, Tia, from afar. When Elena saw her blue hair, she felt a rush of excitement for a moment, but it soon subsided. Then she boarded her hot air balloon and took it up into the sky once again. The Franz Kingdom was the same as the others. (The way they stare at me is depressing) However, their knights and soldiers seemed to be less skilled than those of the other countries she had visited, and the level of understanding of those in charge was also poor. (The future of this country is bleak) And in the Celuroa Kingdom, there was even a ploy to secretly kidnap Elena. Once Elena had given the kingdoms representatives the dehumidifier and finished with her exnation, she headed back to her hot air balloon. At that time Miss Elena! Some Golems have gone berserk! Its dangerous, please run away! Such an ident was set to ur. The two Golems in question seemed to have been built forbat, and both were rushing at a tremendous speed. One of them was on an obvious course to hit Elena, and if she were to avoid it, it would crash into her hot air balloon instead. (What shall we do) Elena had recently been detuned so that she would only be as strong as amon human being. However, her reaction speed and the techniques she has learned were untouched. She was programmed to self-destruct in the unlikely event that she were to break down and her Control Core was left prone to being analyzed by an unwanted third party. While the risk of anyone stealing the Control Cores secrets with ill intent was low, she still needed to have some means to defend herself. There was no time to think any more, and Elena met the rushing Golem. Just before it could crash into her, she moved lightly to the right and used her leg to sweep at the Golems feet. It was simr to the deashibarai throw in Judo. With its upper body unable to keep up with the movement of its center of gravity, the Golem easily lost its bnce and fell forward. Since there was still a risk of it hitting the hot air balloon even after that, Elena grabbed the Golems left arm and swung it around using its own momentum. Even though she weighed less than half of that Golems weight, it was enough for her to change the trajectory of a Golem that had lost its bnce. Elena released her grip on its arm and quickly sidestepped away. Thats because the second berserk Golem was approaching. This second rushing Golem collided with the first one, which had just been thrown forward, making it lose its bnce as well, and the two Golems fell to the floor in an entangled mess. Ill leave the rest to you. Good evening, everyone. Elena quickly untied the mooring cable, jumped into the hot air balloon, and used her Fire Magic. The gasbag inted very rapidly, and soon began to float. Since all the luggage she had loaded in it was now gone, it quickly took to the skies. ncing at the stunned soldiers, Elena kept on gaining altitude. ( I dont know if humans are too smart or too stupid) Embracing such impressions, Elena took her hot air balloon back to the Nostalgia Party HQ. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 640

Chapter 640

Magi Craft Meister 640 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-27 Surgery November 12th, in Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom Three patients were brought into the royal castle. Miss Elsa, please. Elsa was called shortly after breakfast. Understood. This time, Jin would be apanying her so that the Mini Smith would assist her in the surgeries. No one objected to that. Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar followed the knight down the corridor. It seemed that Princess Lieschen wouldnt be going with them this time around. The knight escorted Jin and the others outside the royal castle. The patients are outside? The knight answered Elsas question. Yes. After all, the patients aremoners, so rather than inside the royal castle, we housed them in the healing room of the soldiers quarters. I I see That kind of treatment was something inevitable in this world. Though she had received Jins knowledge, she didnt say anything back to the knight. Still, Jin could see that she was a little disappointed. The soldiers quarters were on the outskirts of the royal castles courtyard. At the end of that was the building with the healing room. Here we are. A soldier standing in front of the healing room saw the knight and opened the door. Oh, Miss Elsa, Lord Jin, thank you foring all the way here. The chancellor was already waiting there. Standing next to him was a healer who seemed to be the one in charge of this healing room. There was no one else, only Jins party, the chancellor, the healer, the knight who had escorted them here, and the patients. There were five beds in the room. The patients were lying in three of them. The Covert Units who protect Jin waited outside the building, and worked together to cover the entire building with a Magic Barrier. This would help prevent any magical interference or attacks. This measure was the result of a consultation between Jin and Laojun. The Magic Barrier doesnt prevent physical interference. People and air cane and go through it as they please, so it was very unlikely that anyone would notice this kind of barrier was set up in the first ce. And inside the building, Jin used a Solid Barrier to cover Elsa, the patients, and himself. Elsa trusted that Jin would take such measures so that she would be able to devote herself fully to her medical examinations. Y-youre a healer, right? D-doctor, can you cure me? The pain Jin could see that all three of them were suffering from jaundice, since their skin had turned yellow. On the other hand, Elsa asked Edgar to help her and started her detailed examinations. 20 minutester, the results are out. These two people have the same symptoms as His Majesty. And this person has liver cirrhosis, which I believe to be due to alcohol intake. After hearing the exnation, the seemingly confused chancellor arrived at a decision. Hmph, I dont really understand what you mean by liver Sir Roses but those two over there have the same disease as His Majesty, right? Then, lets get them treated. Understood. Hearing this, the patient who was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis spoke up in a miserable tone of voice. D-Doctor, what about me? Will you not heal me? But Elsa smiled at the patient. Dont worry. Youll be thest one, but Ill heal you. Hearing those words, the patient closed his eyes in relief. Okay, lets get started As a substitute for a sterile room, Jin used Sterilization within the area protected by the Solid Barrier. At the same time, the first patients skin was also disinfected. Schmerzmittel Paralyze. The Schmerzmittel and Paralyze spells were used as substitutes for anesthesia. Once the patient lost consciousness, it was Jin and the Mini Smiths turn. Of course, the Mini Smith had already been sterilized properly. Brother Jin, please. Yeah, leave it to me. By forwarding the visual information obtained by Edgar C who was looking at the patient in fluoroscopy mode C to the Mini Smith, thetter could see the affected bile duct, and quickly located the parasite that was there. Mini Smith, at zero, remove the parasite. UNDERSTOOD. You ready, Elsa? Okay, lets go. Three, two, one, zero! The Mini Smith plunged its slender body and arms into the patients abdomen. Blood spurts out, but since the wound itself is small, the amount of bleeding is not a big deal. And in less than two seconds, the Mini Smith seeded in dragging the parasite out of the patients bile duct. Elsa! Heilung, Heilung. Elsa cast intermediate surgical magic twice. Since the damage done to the body itself was small, it could be considered appropriate in this case. V?llig Geneseng would have been excessive here. Diagnose. Lastly, she examined the first patients condition. The parasite is gone. The procedure was a sess. Good. Since the first patient is still paralyzed, Jin and Elsa decide to proceed with the surgery on the second patient. The procedure was performed in the exact same way as for the first patient, and of course, it was sessful as well.. But when Elsa tried to treat the third patient Miss Elsa, you can leave this one alone. She was interrupted by the healer in charge of this healing room. Even if you can cure thismoner, he wont make a penny. I have already confirmed your ability. The first time he opened his mouth, he said something unbing of a healer. No, if there is a patient in front of me, it is my duty as a healer to heal them. Elsa turns her back on the rude healer and turns to face the third patient. Miss Elsa! He tried to reach out to Elsa in order to drag her away from the third patient, but since Jin had set up his Solid Barrier, he couldnt get close to her. Tsk Bodemann, stop it. Leave this to Miss Elsa. Yes. Persuaded by the chancellor, the healer named Bodemann withdrew regretfully. Chancellor Powell wasnt particrly interested in getting themoners treated. He just wanted to see Elsas ability from a different side. Liver cirrhosis. 70% of the liver is useless. This is the result of Elsas diagnosis. Ascites We have to make it recede. Heilverfahren. The idea was to reduce the patients ascites by improving the functions of the internal organs, suppressing the water leaking from the capiries, and activating absorption. Its bad to leave a dead liver as is. Dposition. That spell was originally used to dpose garbage into atoms, but it is also effective for dead cells. Once dposed into carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and other trace elements, they can no longer do any harm to living organisms. This treatment was necessary because cirrhosis can develop into liver cancer if left untreated. Now we have to discharge this. Add, Add. This spell also was not used with its original purpose in mind, but its still an effective method to solve this problem. With this, the resulting carbon and oxygen were looselybined to form carbon dioxide, while the oxygen and hydrogen were converted to water. This would make it easier to remove them from the body. A portion of them was absorbed through the blood vessels and released into the atmosphere through the lungs. Another portion was absorbed by the intestinal tract. Since carbon dioxide is dangerous when it merges with blood inrge amounts, this was converted slowly and in very small amounts. As a result, the swollen abdomen gradually copses. At the same time, the protruding capiries also shrunk. Ohh Both Chancellor Powell and Bodemann, who were watching the situation, werepletely amazed. A girl who is not even 20 years old was doing what no healer could do. Genesung. Including the first two patients, who had just woken up from their paralysis, Elsa cast the highest level of Healing Magic on all three of them. Then, Edgar held her from falling after she understandably stumbled and almost fell due to fatigue. Are you okay? Jin took a small bottle of Hourai Inds special Pelshika juice out of his pocket and handed it over to Elsa. Thank you, Brother Jin Short of breath, Elsa drank the juice in one go, and then let out a sigh of relief. Chapter 641

Chapter 641

Magi Craft Meister 641 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-28 Jins Prediction All thats left to do now is to watch over your progress and get Healing Magic cast on you from time to time. Elsa wiped the sweat from her forehead. Thank you, Doctor Thank you for your help, Im indebted to you Thank you for saving my life The patients thanked Elsa. And she doesnt forget to give her patients a word of advice. Dont eat raw fish, make sure to cook it properly. And you should stay away from alcohol if you want to stay alive. Once she was done, Elsa turned to the chancellor. Oh my, you did a splendid job, Miss Elsa. As expected from the Reichsarzt. Chancellor Powell gave her generouspliments. Bodemann seemed frustrated. You must be tired, so please go back to your room. The chancellors tone became a little more courteous. After dispelling the Solid Barrier, Jin and the others returned to their assigned chambers. Whats the matter, Brother Jin? Elsa called out to Jin, as he had been scowling as if thinking hard about something ever since he entered the room. Hmm? I may be thinking too much, but theres something thats been bothering me What is it? There, Jin decides to talk to Elsa about what he has been worried about. Its about the premise that theres someone out there for whom letting you heal the king is very inconvenient Even though we still dont know who they may be Yeah. They tried to poison you, but they failed. And since that time, they havent tried to poison you again. So we can think that theyll be taking a different approach. Uh-huh. Elsa had figured as much as well Although she is aware that her own life is being targeted, Elsas determination to heal the father of her friend, Princess Lieschen, is still going strong. At times like this Theres always some kind of pattern. This was something that only Jin couldve thought of, having watched enough TV dramas and read enough manga in modern Japan. What would that pattern be? Jin answered while looking at Elsas worried face. Theyre aiming at the patient. Why would they do that? No matter how hard they try to harm you, your defenses are very tight. In that case, our culprit might think about changing his approach and try to discredit you. Something like that? Elsa went pale when she heard that. She seemed to understand very well what Jin was trying to say. They may try to make it so that my treatment fails and the patients condition worsens Jin nodded silently. Thats terrible! I cant forgive that! Elsa was unusually furious. Jin gently tries to soothe her. Its okay. Since Ive been worried about this, Ive already set up some surveince. Did you bring in reinforcements from Hourai Ind? Yes. Theyre called Sams. Ive stationed two of them in the soldiers quarters. And judging from the results, Jins prediction had been right on the mark. MASTER, WE HAVE NEUTRALIZED A SUSPICIOUS MAN. Shortly after nine oclock that night, Sam 1 contacted Jin to inform him of such news. Jin couldnt go take a look for himself due to security reasons, so had Reiko sneak into the scene and use Transinfo to learn as much as she could about the mastermind behind all this. Okay, Ill be right back. Even if Reiko leaves the room, Elsa still has Edgar, and the Covert Units are also in guard duty, so theres no need to worry about their own safety. Reiko came back in less than five minutes. Heres the transcribed Magi Crystal. Great, Reiko. Please read it for me again. Yes, leave it to me. She has already done this once before, so she knows how its done. After a brief moment, Reiko finished examining the transcribed memories. Its no use. A masked man seems to have used Hypnosis on this person. This didnt reveal the masterminds identity, but Jin still indirectly obtained some information. Did you say Hypnosis? That was a spell that the Unifiers used to use in order to increase their number of believers. Jin also knew that only a handful of that organizations members knew how to use it. Someone from the Celuroa Kingdom, huh? Brother Jin, do you mean? Yeah. There was someone from the Celuroa Kingdom in this royal castle. Liones, was it? Prince Arthurs tutor. There may be others, but I think its safe to say that hes one of our suspects. There could be some kind of connection like the one Marchosias had with my father. I think thats highly possible At one point, Elsas father, Viscount Georg Randl, was instigated by Marcus Grinwald C who was, in turn, being manipted by the demon Marchosias C into taking derailed actions. Remembering that time, Elsa grimaced, and unconsciously bit her lip. Tomorrow, if the condition of the patients youve treated today has improved, Im sure theyre going to call you, Elsa. You should get plenty of rest. Having guessed Elsas inner feelings, Jin spoke to her in a caring way. At those words, Elsa also loosened up a bit. Yeah, I will. Good night, Brother Jin. Yeah, good night. Elsa disappeared into her bedroom. Jin then confirmed the Sams report. THE PATIENTS CONDITION IS STABLE. THE CHANCELLOR SEEMS TO WANT TO LET MISS ELSA DO THE TREATMENT. LIONES HASNT SHOWN ANY SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR THUS FAR. Reportsing in one after another. The good news was that the patients seemed to be recovering at a steady pace. If the kingdom confirms that tomorrow, shell definitely be allowed to treat the king. And so far, Liones hasnt made any strange moves. There may be more than one culprit here While smiling bitterly at the fact that hes not very good at ying detective, Jin was convinced about doing his best for Elsas safety and for Lieschens sake. Then came the morning of the 13th. After Jin and the others finished their breakfast, Princess Lieschen came in with a female knight. Good morning, Jin, Elsa. I heard from Powell. He said that you certainly showed some skill yesterday. I wish I was there with you yesterday to see it. Thank you. Elsa seemed a bit embarrassed by thepliment. Then, Princess Lieschen moved towards the purpose of her visit. Anyway, Brother Arthur said he wants to talk to the two of you Thats fine by me. There is no reason to refuse, so Jin agreed. The female knight went out to pass that message along. A few minutester, Prince Arthur arrives, apanied by someone else. A middle-aged man. Good morning, Lord Jin, Miss Elsa. Today, Liones wanted to have a talk with the two of you. If you dont mind, could you please keep uspany for a while? Yes, thats fine. As he answered, Jin heightened his vignce. He deployed a Magic Barrier around Elsa in a whisper. Since Solid Barrier and Barrier both prevent things from physically going through them, this may arouse suspicion to their existence, but theres no such concern with a Magic Barrier, which only blocks magic. This was based on Jins assumption that no one would try to physically attack Elsa under the current circumstances. First of all, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Liones Ashford. You probably already know this, but Im from the Celuroa Kingdom. Liones looks like hes in his 40s. Brown hair, and brown eyes. He is tall and well-built. Im Jin Nidou. Ive been officially appointed as Magi Craft Meister. Im Elsa Nidou, Reichsarzt of the Shouro Empire. Jin and Elsa also introduced themselves. Well, there are a few things Id like to ask you. Would that be okay? Sure. Go ahead. Jin replied while inwardly readying himself. Chapter 642

Chapter 642

Views: 0 Magi Craft Meister 642 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-29 The Kings Surgery The meeting with Liones Ashford was to be held in the room Jin and the others were borrowing. Jin, Elsa, Prince Arthur and Liones Ashford sat facing each other at a four-person table. Liones sat in front of Jin, while Prince Arthur sat in front of Elsa. Princess Lieschen prepared a separate chair and sat by the sidelines. First of all, thank you for agreeing to my selfish request for a meeting. Liones began to speak in a friendly tone. My specialty is anything. I became a schr because I wanted to know the various things that are scattered about in this world. I see, so youre like a natural historian? Jin uttered the words that had just sprung to his mind. Natural history is the study of things that exist in the natural world, such as animals, nts, and minerals. From Jins Family, Toa could be said to be a natural historian as well. However, in this world, they didnt seem to be called that way. Oh, natural history? Hmm, I see. You sure have an interesting vocabry, Lord Jin. I see A natural historian? It has a nice ring to it. Liones seemed to really like how the name natural historian sounded. So, Im from the neighboring Celuroa Kingdom, but youre from the Shouro Empire, right? Thats right., answers Elsa. What I want to ask about is nothing but ships. Jin was a little impressed that he was interested not only in natural history but also in engineering. Deep down, he had thought that, in this world, the attitude of greedily wanting knowledge was unique to the Celuroa Kingdom, which had an old culture. Ships? Certainly, the Shouro Empire makes all sorts of ships. While Jin was deep in thought, Elsa jumped into the conversation. Elsas cousin and Jins best friend, Reinhardt, was very well versed in shipbuilding. Jin too, of course. This is only hearsay, but apparently theres a merchant building arge ship in the southern part of our own Celuroa Kingdom. Jin thought that he might be referring to Eckart Techres, whom he had met before. If so, then this man named Liones had sharp ears. At this point, Jin decided to let Elsa lead the conversation while he paid attention to Liones himself. Arge ship would be very effective for transportation. Yes. The Shouro Empire useskes, rivers, and artificial waterways to transport cargo. However, considering the power they need and their cost, wouldnt it be difficult to say with confidence that theyre generally worth it? Well,pared to horses and wagons, they can be loaded in muchrger quantities, so that offsets their costs. But if you take into ount the safety ofndpared to water Since theres no sea, our main water bodies have little to no waves, so we use wide, shallow boats. So theyre quite resilient If you do happen to set out for the open sea, I think its necessary to consider the rigidity of the hull. In that case, what about its structural materials? But, do you think weight would be such a big problem if we were to use metal as a structural material? You have a point. Considering the specific strength per unit mass per unit weight, of metal and wood Elsa and Liones continued to have their technical exchange. Jin remained observant, but so far had been unable to grasp Liones intentions. Prince Arthur was simply listening in silence. Their conversation goes on without interruptions, and with Jins interventions from time to time. This went on for about an hour, and was finally over at around 10 AM. Well, Miss Elsa, Lord Jin, Ive learned a lot. Thank you for your time Remaining friendly until the end, Liones thanked them before leaving the room. I dont get it. After Prince Arthur and Liones left, Jin voiced his concerns. Did he reallye here just to talk about ships? It seems that Elsa couldnt grasp his intentions either. As for me, Im worried about the fact that my brother Arthur has barely opened his mouth None of the three of them knew what the purpose of this visit by Liones was. Jin started to think that perhaps his visit had actually been purely for academic purposes. So, Lio? What do you think? After returning to his own room, Prince Arthur asked his teacher Liones. You cant underestimate them. Those two have a level of knowledge that surpasses mine. What!? That much? It seems that Liese has gotten herself some good friends The prognosis of the patients who underwent surgery yesterday seems to be good. His Majesty will probably have his surgery this afternoon. Do you think it will seed? Yes, probably. I see Prince Arthur looked out the window without saying another word. The color of the sky was finally changing from gray to blue. After lunch, the chancellor visited Jins room along with Prince Edmund and Prince Arthur. Miss Elsa! Weve reached a conclusion. Starting today, we would like to leave His Majestys medical treatment in your hands! The chancellor had been the one who asked her to perform surgery on the king from the very beginning. Miss Elsa, please. Please save my father., said Prince Arthur as he bowed his head. I dont know how difficult it will be. However, the three sick people you guys treated yesterday are all recovering. And it seems that the chancellor and Arthur trust you. So Ill trust you two. Please heal my father. Even Prince Edmond bowed his head. Of course. Thats what Ivee here to do. Well give it our all. Elsa and Jin promised to do their best. After that, they all moved to the kings bedroom. The kings condition was the same as before. Once again, Elsa asked Edgar to help her with the examination. This time, Jin saw Alois III in his sick bed for the first time, but was surprised at how worn out by illness he appeared to be. Is this what a bad liver looks like? Once again, Jin was determined to do everything in his power to make the treatment sessful for Lieschens sake as well. Brother Jin, the examination is over. We proceed as nned. Okay, understood. Jin put up a barrier that surrounded himself, Elsa, Edgar, and Alois III. He took extra care to make it indestructible and capable of blocking both physical and magical attacks. Since he had already exined what it was to those present, no oneined about it. Schmerzmittel, Paralyze. First, the anesthesia. Sterilization, Sterilization, Sterilization. The inside of the barrier was sterilized, as well as the surface of Alois IIIs body and the Mini Smith who was in charge of performing the surgery. The real thing would start right after this. Edgar, use your fluoroscopy, please. Mini Smith, share visuals. It was just like performing surgery while looking at the image from an endoscope or an echography. The Mini Smith had a clear view of Alois IIIs bile duct thanks to the visual feed sent by Edgar. Okay, lets start a countdown to zero. Three, two, one, zero. At Elsasmand, the Mini Smith thrust its own body and arms into Alois IIIs bile duct. Princess Lieschen, who was watching from outside the barrier, let out a small scream. But the next moment, the Mini Smith had plucked the parasite out. Heilung, Heilung, Heilung. Compared to the surgeries of the patients of the day before, the damage to the bile duct was slightly greater, so Elsa used Heilung three times. Only a little amount of blood had spurted out, and the blood that had stained his abdomen was sterilized and disinfected before using Clean Up to clean itpletely. Now, the ascites. Alois III also had an ascites of considerable size, so Elsa treated it based on her previous surgery experiences. Heilverfahren. Elsa stimtes the activity of his internal organs. He also has a bit of liver cirrhosis. Heilverfahren. With two uses of such a high-level internal medicine Healing Magic, a considerable number of internal organs were revitalized. Entgiften. The name jaundice stems from the word Jaune, which is French for yellow, and it was named that way due to the yellow coloration of body fluids and tissues such as the eyes and skin caused by the excess of a yellow substance called bilirubin. By breaking down the excess bilirubin, the kings yellowed eyeballs and skin returned to their original coloration. This was the first time Elsa used this for this kind of treatment, but it was an idea that came to her after treating the other patients the day before. Its done. Whoa Released from the extreme tension of the situation, Elsa staggered a little due to her Mana being considerably depleted. However, Jin, who had learned that this would happen from the previous treatment, this time took Edgars ce, immediately offering his own body to help her support herself. Thank you Brother Jin. Heres some Pelshika juice. Then Elsa drank the Pelshika juice, which restored her Mana. The surgery was a sess. From the looks of it, Alois IIIsplexion had already improved dramatically. Views: 0 Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 643

Chapter 643

Views: 0 Magi Craft Meister 643 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-30 Proposal Would that be enough, Elsa? Yeah. It looked like Elsa couldnt get rid of her sense of fatigue, and under normal circumstances he would have kept it up until Alois III wakes up, but Princess Lieschen is there with a worried look on her face, so Jin dispelled the barrier. And when he smiled at Lieschen, her frown suddenly turned into a smile as well. Jin, Elsa! You You saved Father! Elsa also smiled at Liese. Yes, Your Highness. Hes okay now. Now he needs to rest, and start eating little by little Oh, I see! Thank you, Elsa, Jin. I cant thank you enough For the first few days, give him a diet for the sick, starting with fruit juice, then porridge, and so on. Elsa gave her advice to the prince, princess, and chancellor. Understood. Ill definitely tell the nurses. Prince Edmund replied on their behalf. Except for the two nursing maids that stayed behind, everyone else moved to a different room. The parasite the Mini Smith had extracted from the kings bile duct had also been ced on a mithril silver te. This was inside my fathers body Prince Edmond muttered as he scowled at it. Im seeing right here in front of my eyes, so even though I cant believe it, I have no choice but to believe it. How did this end up inside Fathers body? Prince Arthur asked Elsa with the same expression on his face as Prince Edmond. Perhaps he ate raw fish while it still had eggs orrvae of this parasite. He did go to Lake Manuse as part of his treatment before summer, perhaps it was at that time?, said the chancellor, deep in thought. Now that I think about it, His Majesty likes to eat trotto. He goes to the Imperial Vi in Dekubo almost every year if not this year, it might have beenst year. But, Elsa, was it? You sure enough did know what it was after all! Thats impressive! I apologize for my words when we first met. Please forget them. Prince Edmond bowed his head, referring to his previous scornful remarks. The flustered Elsa tried to stop him. N-no, Your Highness, please stop. Considering Your Highnesss feelings under these circumstances, I think its only natural. Huh, Elsa, youre so generous. I like you! Would you be my wife? Ehh!? I still havent found a girl that I really like. Im still a bachelor at 26, but you seem to be pretty good. So? Will you think about it? While blushing, Elsa nced at Jin sitting next to her. Jin, being who he is, and this sudden turn of events spinning around wildly inside his mind, he desperately tried toe up with an excuse for her to be able to refuse. Then he remembered that something like this had happened in the past. No, Your Highness! Im nning to propose to her to Beana! After the Golem rampage incident in the Egelia Kingdom, when Prince Ernest saw Beana and proposed to her, those were the words Earl Kuzuma said to interrupt him. No, Your Highness! Brother Jin. Hearing Jins words, Elsas face broke into a wide smile. Im nning to However, Jins words stopped there. Hmm? What happened? to To what? Im nning to find a suitable partner for Elsa. What? Brother Jin Elsa is visibly disappointed. You dummy. And right after saying that, Elsa jumped off her seat and ran out of the room. Only Edgar followed her. Elsa The stunned Jin could only watch her leave. He was thinking of how, despite her leaving like that had certainly left a terribly awkward feeling in the room, it cannot be helped. You idiot. The one who just pped Jin on the head was Prince Edmond. His first thought was that at least it was his open hand and not a fist. Even after I saw it, I understood. That girl seems to be in love with you. If you say something like you just said, of course shed be disappointed. Well, I suppose its my fault for suddenly proposing to her like that. Come on, why arent you going after her? Would that be okay? Another smack, this time Edmond ps his cheek lightly. Dont dawdle at a time like this! Go after her this instant! Brother, at a time like this, thats a bit Prince Arthur tried to stop him, but Prince Edmund ignored his words and once again urged Jin to chase after Elsa. Thats right, Jin, hurry up and go. Even Princess Lieschen spoke up to push Jin forward. Y-yes. Jin also hurriedly got up from his seat and ran out of the room. Brother Jin, you dummy. Elsa was running at full speed down the corridor. The guard knights,dies-in-waiting, and maids were all stunned by her sudden outburst, and all they could manage to do was to simply watch her. She ran up the first set of stairs that she saw, and then ran down another corridor. At the end of this corridor was an open door leading to a balcony. Elsa stepped out onto this balcony. The fresh air felt pleasant against her flushed face. She rested her back on arge wooden box as tall as her, which had been ced in one of the corners of the balcony, and let out a sigh. Im the one being a dummy. She has also known Jin for a long time. She shouldve known the kind of person that he is. Brother Jin is kind to everyone. Of course, that is within his rtives C the Jin Family C and friends. Besides She was the one who had put herself forward in the beginning. Im the one who told him Ive already abandoned the Randall family. Im all by myself. So Id like you to treat me like your sister, Brother Jin.. Jin could have declined her offer and sent her back to the Randall family. But he didnt. He kindly weed Elsa and gave her a ce to live. He showed her his way of life. The kindness she received from Jin, his affection as a family member, and his world-ss knowledge. The more she thought about those aspects, the more she was shocked by their value. Theres nothing that I can give him in return. Jin wasnt expecting anything in return, she knew that well. Elsa herself was happy to serve Jin, and shes been having a great time simply by being by Jins side. But, after all She wanted Jin to tell her that she was special to him. Im being conceited. She knew she wasnt the only girl in Jins mind. Hanna, Saki, and Lithia. Even among demons, the girls named Shion and Istalis. Maybe there was someone he liked back in the world he used to live in. Those kinds of thoughts swirled inside her, and before she realized, her eyes were filled with tears. Edgar, who had been by her side the entire time, remained silent as if he knew there was nothing to say at a time like this. At that moment, she heard footsteps. Brother Jin? Elsa turned around, wondering if he hade chasing after her. Ah. But that hadnt been the case. What happened, Miss Elsa? The Minister of Industry Derait was standing there with a worried look on his face. Views: 0 Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 644

Chapter 644

Views: 0 Magi Craft Meister 644 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-31 Flowers By The Window The one who had followed Elsa to the balcony was the Minister of Industry, Derait Domus Hanks. Why are you here?, Elsa asked while wiping her face. Well, my office is next to this balcony. I heard someone running down the corridor, so I went out to take a look and then I found you. People normally dont run down these corridors, so he must have thought that something urgent had happened, which is why he came out of his office to take a look. This is very embarrassing. Elsa looks down as her face goes red. Derait seemed to be taken a bit off guard by this, but still spoke to her in a calm voice. Its already getting dark, and the wind is cold here. Im sure you are in the middle of some kind ofplicated situation, but for the time being, would you like toe to my office? Having calmed down a little, Elsa took Derait up on his offer and followed him to the Minister of Industrys office. Edgar remained outside so that he could tell Jin in case he came looking for her. There was a stylish table set by the window. Derait offered Elsa a chair. I was just about to finish my work. Please have a seat. Thanks. Elsa sat on a chair by the window. The window was right next to the balcony. Elsa felt ashamed about Derait having seen her like that, but was relieved to see that that crate was on the way, so at least he hadnt been able to see her when she was in the balcony from here. Well, lets make some tea. Dont worry, its not poisoned. Derait brought up the topic of poison, probably in an attempt to make Elsa smile, since she still had a grave look on her face. Have a look, these guys are my assistants. Ah. Minister of Industry Deraits assistants were two Golems. One of them C the one who was about to brew tea C had the physique of an adult man. It seems like an all-purpose Golem. The other Golem is two meters tall, and was probably built for heavy work. This one was standing in the back of the room. The one in the back is Gren, and he helps me with heavy work such as carrying luggage, and this one is Lecker, who takes care of everyday tasks. I see Elsa was looking in the direction of Lecker without really paying too much attention to it, but was still impressed to notice that the Golems movements were quite sophisticated. It was a very well-made Golem. Here you go. She was served a rose-scented herbal tea, sweet with a hint of sourness. Elsa takes a sip and exhales. Derait did the sale, and smiled. Well, are you feeling a bit better? Yes, thank you very much. Thats good to hear. Im indebted to you for saving my life. So it makes me happy to be able to give back to you even a fraction of it. After taking another sip of herbal tea, Derait opened his mouth again. Opportunities like these seem to be rare, so would you mind indulging me in a bit of conversation? Eh, sure. In a polite tone, Elsa replied semi-reflexively. This country is already in shambles Derait changed into a heavy tone. The king fell sick, the nobles put their own interests first, and even the weather gave up on us. You are from the Shouro Empire. So I would like to hear your frank opinion. Do you think this country has a future? It was a very heavy question for Elsa. But, regardless of how she was two years ago, now that shes been able to travel with Reinhardt, seen different countries, and umted more experiences together with Jin, its a question she can answer. I think it does. The answer seemed to take Derait by surprise, as if he was expecting something different, and his eyes widened in surprise for a moment. He soon bes calm, however. Oh, why do you think so? Elsa answered while carefully choosing her words. Countries are people. In the Klein Kingdom, there may be some people in their ruling ss who are no good. But there are also people who are trying to rebuild the country. And theyre working very hard to that end. This country will not die yet. Thats what I think. Derait closed his eyes while listening to Elsas words. The unexpected question and conversation had managed to cool Elsas head off. She feels that Derait believes the future of this country to be bleak. In her mind, she started going over the various events that had taken ce, and connecting them. Although it was still iplete, the mysterious puzzle was assembled. The Minister of Industrys poisoning, a weak poison, the kings illness, the problems with the kingdoms food provisions, the sessor Some pieces were still missing, so the whole picture was still not visible. As her mind worked, Elsas eyes looked around the room unconsciously. Suddenly, her gaze stopped by the window. A simple vase was sitting by the window. The nt in the vase had several purple flowers that looked like long and narrow helmets. However, they had no leaves. Aconita? Hearing those words, Derait opened his eyes wide. His eyes were slightly bloodshot. Miss Elsa, do you know this flower? But it doesnt grow here No, I dont think it even grows in the Shouro Empire, either. Yes. I know a little about medicines and poisonous nts. Elsa slowly looked back from the vase as she continued. The poison that you ingested the other day was probably from the leaves of this nt, Mr. Derait Mr. Derait, why arent there any leaves on this flower? She identally said too much in an attempt to derive an important piece of information. As soon as he heard those words, Deraits expression changed. I see, so you know that much.. Huh? Jin had gone looking for Elsa, who had run out of the room. When he asked the knight in the hallway, he told him that she seemed to have run through the hallway and headed towards the stairs. Jin went towards those stairs as well. For a moment, he was unsure of whether Elsa had gone up or down, but soon realized that he didnt have much time to make up his mind. Even though she had rushed out of the room, the Covert Units Chestnut and Plum were still protecting her while hiding their presence with the Invisible spell. And Edgar was with her as well. For that reason, Jin could find out which direction Elsa had taken by just looking it up via Laojun. But the reason why he didnt do that from the beginning was because he didnt want to rely on Reiko and the others, and instead wanted to find her himself, but there were limits to that within this royal pce. Reiko, please ask Laojun where Elsa has gone. Understood. With a slightly dissatisfied look on her face, Reiko contacted Laojun. The answer came soon. It seems that shes in the office of Industry Minister Derait, on the upper floor. What is she doing in a ce like that? Then came Princess Lieschen. Any luck, Jin? I realized it would be hard for you to search for Elsa in this castle all by yourself, so I chased after you to help you you havent found her yet, have you? Liese No, not yet, but she seems to be in the office of Minister of Industry Derait. In Deraits office? I see. Lets go. With the princess leading the way, Jin began going up the stairs. Come to think of it, I just remembered that Derait is also from the Celuroa Kingdom I heard that he was married into the Hanks family a long time ago. His wife passed away a few years ago, and he hasnt remarried since. Hearing that, Jin suddenly remembered the words that Industry Minister Derait had let slip without any context. (Come to think of it, he called Elena an Automata Has he seen her before?) He didnt think that the fact that she was an Automata woulde out of Elenas own mouth. And he also had his doubts about Minister of Industry Derait being knowledgeable in the matter enough to see that Elena was an Automata. This means that he had seen Elena in the past. Jin had a bad feeling about that. The 2nd floor is where we were until recently, and the 3rd floor is where the offices of each of the ministers are. At that time, Reiko interrupted their conversation. Father, Elsa is in danger. You are brilliant. Very much so. If possible, Id like to persuade you toe with me. W-what are you talking about? Derait stands up and stands in front of the door, cutting off Elsas escape route. Youve realized, havent you? You know that that poisoning incident was all a ruse. I know that the poison from Aconita leaves isnt lethal. Yes, if everyone in that ce had fallen to poison, your credibility would have dropped like a rock.be lost. Then you wouldnt have been allowed to treat the king. Thats what I thought But I never imagined you would know about Aconita. You mean you were the one who brought that poisoned tea caddy? I know. If I take you with me as a gift, itll make up for me not being able toplete my instructions. Huh? Instructions? Disgusted, Elsa got up from her chair. Edgar was out the door. This country wontst long. Just like the neighboring Franz Kingdom. In that case, it would be better for it to be absorbed by the Celuroa Kingdom, and leave its rule to it. The eyes of Derait, whose tone had changedpletely, seemed to be filled with madness. I dont think so. If the government of the Celuroa Kingdom upies the Klein Kingdom, theyll just treat it and its people like theyre of a lower position than its own. Elsa has seen many countries. Recently, shes had a bitter experience when she personally faced her selfish older brother and younger sister in the Celuroa Kingdom. And shes also heard stories from Stearleana and Vivian. No matter how she looked at it, she didnt think there would be fair governance under Celuroan rule. Hmph, I dont care about themon people. The important thing is whether or not we I can get a better position than I am now. Lecker, dont let that girl escape. The Golem Lecker approached Elsa as instructed by Derait. Elsa immediately put the table between them as a means to shield herself. Hmph, its useless. You wont cooperate nicely, will you? I dont want to have to get rough. It might have been all an act, but I still owe you for ridding me of that poison. Do you think you can escape safely by taking me as a hostage? If I make a loud noise, someone wille running. Haha, I wonder if I can just stall for time. Gren! With that one word, the Golem standing in the back also started to move. I have another one just like him outside in the corridor. Whos going to be able toe here? Even so, theres no way you can escape. Haha, dont you think youre forgetting about something? What if I told you that I have a hot air balloon too? No way The technology of the Celuroa Kingdom is wonderful. In exchange for 300 tons of wheat, they gave me one hot air balloon and five Golems. You smuggled precious food out of the country? Youre the worst. Selling your own country like that You young ones dont seem to understand how attractive power can be. I dont suppose you can even begin to see how wonderful it is to be able to run a country the way you want. Besides, my homnd is the Celuroa Kingdom. I dont even want to understand. Things like power are just a bother. Dyed with Jins way of thinking, Elsas words meet Deraits lust for power as if they were a sword, cutting it down and throwing it away. A bother, you say? Well, youre a woman after all. You cant understand the joy of ruling over others. Im a man, and yet I cant understand that joy either. What?! Brother Jin! The door to the room had been forcibly opened from the outside, and Jin was standing there. Views: 0 Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 645

Chapter 645

Views: 0 Magi Craft Meister 645 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-32 Embrace Youwhy are you here!? What happened to the Golem?! Ah, you mean that wooden doll? Its turned into scrap by the hallway. Isnt that right, Reiko? Yes, Father. Reiko threw arge piece of iron through the door opening. Derait hurriedly avoids it, but was surprised to see it roll on the floor with a loud noise. What?! Thats because it was the head of a Golem of the same type as Gren. You how did you destroy this one?! How? Well, how did you do that, Reiko? Well. I wont even bother answering that question. What did you say? At that moment, Princess Lieschen opened her mouth. Derait, give up already. Ive heard everything you said. And now that Jin has jumped in, you have no chance of winning. Just admit your crime quietly. But Derait didnt seem to be listening. Shut up! Were done here. Lecker! Prepare for our escape! Gren! Catch that woman! The general-purpose Golem Lecker broke the window and jumped out onto the balcony. It seems that the hot-air balloon was hidden inside therge wooden crate that had been ced there. On the other hand, the heavy-duty Golem Gren smashed the table that Elsa had been using to shield herself and approached her. It seemed that they were trying to take Elsa hostage. However, Edgar stood in his way. Edgar Miss Elsa, leave this to me. Okay. Edgar took Grens blow without dodging it. Because he could have hit Elsa instead if he had tried to dodge. Edgar, are you okay? Yes. Derait was being held down by Reiko near the door. Give up. I wont let you escape. Ugh! Were not done yet. Lactor! Kisah! ro! U-uwah! J-Jin! Princess Lieschen seemed flustered. In response to Deraits voice, three heavy-duty no,bat Golems appeared, breaking through the wall in the adjacent room. Kill them all! Deraits words no longer cared about appearances. The three Golems attacked asmanded. This is dangerous, Father. As one of them brought down its fist at Jin and Princess Lieschen, Reiko stood between Jin and the Golem. Of course, this sets Derait free, who runs towards the window in an attempt to reach the balcony. Dont let him escape! Gyaah!? It seemed that, responding to Jins voice, one of the Covert Units showered Derait with a Stun spell while remaining invisible. Derait rolled on the floor before being rendered motionless. Still, thebat Golems had already received his orders, and werent stopping. Reiko, were still inside the royal castle, so dont do anything too shy! Understood. There were knights and maids on the floor below. In the unlikely event that the floor copsed, they could be seriously injured, so Jin urged Reiko to be careful. In that respect, he was moreposed than Elsa. As for Reiko, if she had her Peach Blossom with her, she wouldve been able to cut the Golems to pieces in no time, but unfortunately she hadnt been allowed to bring any weapons into the royal castle. On the other hand, thebat Golems didnt care for such reservations and attacked Jin and the others with all their might. However, fighting under such a handicap meant nothing to Reiko. Her only concern was which of her choices she would go for in order to deal with them. (Transfer Gun no, its better not to use that in public. Laser too shy. Induction thatll take some time.) Those thoughts dashed through Reikos mind in about 0.2 seconds. Then, she reached a conclusion. Magic Canceller. A weapon that forced Mana to revert into Ether. Contrary to such a simple effect, it would be difficult for any onlookers to understand what happened to its targets. Golems dont even have an Ether Converter, let alone a Magi Reactor. If their Mana Tanks run out of Mana, they will no longer be able to function. Father, lets take out their Control Cores. Well done, Reiko. With their Control Cores removed, each of the three stationary Golems would be no different than scarecrows. Jin quickly removed the Control Cores from all three of them. Princess Lieschen was at a loss for words, since she couldnt understand what had just happened, or how Reiko had neutralized the Golems. On the other hand, Edgar, who had been improved and strengthened, waspletely undaunted before a Golem with a physique over five timesrger than his own. Not only did he catch its punch, he retaliated with a front kick. Since it is a kick that is aimed slightly upward, it managed to lift his opponent slightly despite the weight difference, sessfully causing it to fall. However, Elsas face turned pale when she saw the resulting cracks in the stone floor. E-Edgar, be careful, or the floor may copse. S-sure. Grens weight seemed to be around 500 kilograms. It wouldnt be strange for something that heavy to tear a hole through the floor when falling. So Edgar decided to change his method of attack. He pulled out his equipped knife. This knife was made from the shell of a Giant Centipede, and was capable of cutting through steel. With Edgars strength, it easily pierced through Grens armor. A second sh destroyed the Magi Crystal in charge of its sense of sight. Its movements, which had already been slowed, now became even slower. Taking advantage of that opening, Edgar used the knife in his hand to cut through Grens chest armor ting. The iron te falls to the floor with a loud noise. The cracks on the floor spread further. But that was the end of it. With his armor ting missing, Grens internal Magi Devices werepletely exposed. Edgar pulled out its Control Core, causing thebat Golem to cease functioning. Miss Elsa, its over. Thank you, Edgar. Toughen, Fusion. Splicing the cracks together, Elsa repaired and reinforced the cracked floor. Phew, this should do it. Elsa! Elsa, who had taken a deep breath after having avoided a potential ident by repairing the cracked floor, was suddenly hugged by someone. This caused her to suddenly be stiff, but once she realized that the one hugging her was Jin, her face turned bright red. Ah, uh, B-Brother Jin? Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did anything happen to you? N-no. I see good. Even as he said that, Jin continued to hug Elsa. B-Brother Jin it hurts. As expected, being hugged tightly by Jin, who had strengthened his body for this situation, was a bit too painful for Elsa. Ah, Im sorry. Hearing this, Jin hurriedly let go of her. His face was also bright red, as if it had been boiled. Ah. Released from Jins embrace, Elsa was relieved that the pain was gone, but she was also disappointed that his warmth was gone. Jin, that Golem is running away! The blushing Jin and Elsa came back to their senses at Lieschens call. On the balcony, the hot-air balloon was about to take off. Views: 0 Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 646

Chapter 646

Magi Craft Meister 646 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-33 Domain There was something floating outside the window. It was a hot air balloon made by the Celuroa Kingdom. Or rather, a hot flying balloon It was exactly like the ones used by the former Unifiers. By the time Jin and the others had gone out onto the balcony, it had only gone up ten meters above ground. Since it didnt even have a Wind Thruster installed, its takeoff speed is rather slow. Now that were outside, its the end of the line for them. Elsa, tell Edgar to use one of his knives Sure. Edgar, aim for that balloon. Yes. Elsa gave Edgar instructions before Jin finished speaking. Edgar threw one of his remaining knives. It struck true, cutting through the balloons air sac and causing its gond to fall. Huh?! The gond crashed onto the courtyard, but there was nothing and no one inside it. Oh no! It was a decoy! It seemed that the all-purpose Golem was very shrewd. There is a possibility that they were investigating all sorts of state secrets Where could it be hiding? At any rate, its trying to escape. It seems that its leaving Derait behind. Jin nced at the floor. Deraity there, unconscious. It seemed that the all-purpose golem, Lecker, wasnt just under Deraitsmand, and had been tasked with digging up as much information about the Klein Kingdom and reporting it to its real boss. This real boss might be this incidents true mastermind. If thats the case, the more time passes, the harder it will be to catch them. Reiko, can you detect it? Reiko has a Magi Detector installed. It has about the same range as a Magi Radar, but its still highly useful. That Control Core we just took out of that huge Golem If theyre created by the same person, its Mana pattern will help you find it. Understood. Ill give it a try. Reiko received the Control Core from Jin, and after reading its Mana pattern, she searched for simr readings in the area using her Magi Detector. Got it, said Reiko in a quiet voice. It is over there! Reiko pointed at the corner of the balcony, behind a wooden box. Edgar. Yes! Another knife flew out of Edgars hand. A metallic sound was heard, and the knife was knocked down at the same time as the spell Hide was undone. The Hide spell can erase its casters presence, but if they make any noise or get hit by an attack, this effect is lost. Hmm? So thats where you were hiding!, said Princess Lieschen in a surprised tone of voice. Nowpletely visible, Lecker seemed to realize that he could not escape anymore, and aimed for the one who looked like the easiest target. In other words, the one in Jins group with the smallest physique Reiko. Lecker hadnt seen Reiko making short work of the other heavy-duty Golem in the corridor, nor did he see her neutralizing the threebat Golems. Therefore, he may have thought of attacking Reiko, who was the smallest, and if given the chance, he could even try to take her hostage. How foolish. Seeing this, Reiko faced Lecker. She stepped forward, sneaking past Leckers outstretched arm and getting close to his chest. Then she punched with her small fist. A heavy sound echoed, and Lecker was blown away. Ah. Just before Reikos fist had touched him, he had twisted his body in a desperate attempt to dodge, causing his flights trajectory C which should have crossed the balconys railing and ended in the courtyard C to shift slightly. As a result Whoa?! Jin wasnt sure whose voice that had been. The wall of the royal castle the wall of Deraits office was blown away along with Lecker. That wall is 70 centimeters thick The voice of the frightened Princess Lieschen echoed. That night, Jin and Elsa were in the chancellors office. There are so many things to talk about, I dont know where to start First of all, allow me to thank you. The chancellor bowed first to Elsa, then to Jin. His Majestys condition seems to have improved considerably. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Miss Elsa, Lord Jin, and the Shouro Empire for entrusting the two of you with this. No, it was more than a coincidence that I found out the cause of His Majestys illness. If I hadnt heard what Her Highness Lieschen had to say, I would have never realized. Well, in fact, no matter how many healers we tried, all of them only managed to treat his illness without ever being able to find its cause, so its only what to be expected Speaking of what is to be expected, my role as a healer is to cure diseases. Oh no, no, I wouldnt go as far as to say that Words of gratitude and humility mingled. They finally reached a conclusion after a while. I have to talk about our next topic. Its about the former Minister of Industry Derait. Yes. Jin and Elsa settled down and listened. As a result of our investigation, we were unable to prove any connection between Derait and the Celuroa Kingdom Why is that? Derait had clearly mentioned the name of the Celuroa Kingdom to Elsa. No, more precisely, a connection to the royal family of the Celuroa Kingdom, or its government. It is true that he had a connection with the people of the Celuroa Kingdom. However, this connection doesnt fall outside of a personal level. There is nothing to prove that the Celuroa Kingdom itself, as a country, had a connection with Derait. Thats ridiculous! What about the 300 tons of wheat he gave the Celuroa Kingdom, or the Golems he received in return? Jin approached the chancellor with an angry tone. However, the chancellor had a regretful expression on his face. Thats right, and we have received the Control Core you have submitted as evidence, Lord Jin But no matter how much we try to read its contents, theres no mention of the Celuroa Kingdom in it, or even the name of the Control Cores creator The chancellor concluded that it had been prepared very thoroughly. But we havent given up on this. This time, its clear that that country has sent agents to our country and is trying to destroy it from the inside. In this case, theres something we can do. The chancellor did not say what kind of thing this something was. Now, Id like to talk about your reward, but The chancellor began to speak with a sorry look on his face. Honestly, right now, our countrys finances are in dire straits. Or should I say, were nearly bankrupt. Therefore, its currently impossible to give you a mary reward Im very sorry about this! The chancellor stood up and bowed deeply to both Jin and Elsa. Neither Jin nor Elsa could remain silent after hearing the chancellors apology. I came to treat His Majesty by order of Her Majesty the Emperor of the Shouro Empire. This was my official duty. So, theres no need for a reward. Elsa spoke with determination. And looking at her, Jins eyes were filled with kindness. However, Lord Jin is the Magi Craft Meister, as well as an Honorary Knight. Someone like him cannot leave this country empty-handed. While saying that, the chancellor picked up something that looked like a document from the top of his office desk. I would like to grant Miss Elsa the title of Honorary Healer. And I would also like to repay Lord Jins by turning Kaina Vige into an independent territory. An independent territory? That wasnt something Jin was used to hearing around here. I cant me you for not being familiar with this. Its a system we have only recently created. As an independent territory, as far as foreign rtions are concerned, Kaina Vige will still be a part of the Klein Kingdom, however, in reality, itll be a part of Lord Jins territory. This meant that the Klein Kingdom would not interfere in Kaina Viges affairs. This would effectively turn Kaina Vige into Jins country. However, as the chancellor exined, it would still be a part of the Klein Kingdom on paper. It would be better to call it a domain rather than a territory. Regarding that dominions range, the Klein Kingdom will not be involved in the area consisting of Kaina Vige and northward. Understood. I ept. Oh, thank you. The chancellor must have thought that Jin might not benefit from this, but the truth was different. It could be said that theres a nk area starting from the northern part of Kaina Vige all the way up to the Great Isthmus of Pazdext. This was the same as saying that that nk territory was now part of Jins domain. In reality, this meant that Jin had been awarded an area ofnd that was more than one-third of the entirety of the Klein Kingdom as his own territory. There were many ways in which Jin could use this territory effectively. Now,stly, I would like to talk about the desant. The chancellor started speaking again. I want you to tell me about this desant you discussed with Derait. Since Deraits sessor hadnt been decided yet, it seemed that the chancellor would be taking over his duties. Seeing the face of the chancellor, who seemed to have lost a little weight, Jin became worried about his health. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 647

Chapter 647

Magi Craft Meister 647 18 King Kleins Treatment Arc 19-34 At Night By The Window By the time everything had finished, it was quitete at night. Jin took a bath to wash off his sweat, and went by the window in order to cool off his warmed up body. Brother Jin A voice came from behind Jin. It was Elsa. Her hair was wet, and Jin could tell that she was just out of the bath herself. Her skin, peeking out from her Magi Silk bathrobe, had the color of cherry blossoms. Want to sit over here? Elsa nodded at Jins words, pointing to the sofa by the window. This wind feels nice. While saying that, she sat down next to Jin. Having cooled off a little, Jin could feel Elsas warmth. Time passed in silence. Jin was the first to speak. This night breeze is already getting a bit chilly. Ill close the window so you dont catch a cold. Sure. Elsas answer was short. Then silence came again. This time, it was Elsa who spoke first. Brother Jin, about today Yeah? Thank you for today. When you came asking if I was okay, it made me very happy. Y-yeah. But, after all, Im still Brother Jins little sister right? Elsa was having way more trouble speaking than usual. The reason why her cheeks were red wasnt because she had just gotten out of the bath. Since Jin couldnt answer, Elsa continued. Im the one who started calling you Brother. I know that Im being selfish, but right now I want to be more than just Brother Jins little sister. Those are my honest feelings. After saying that, Elsa stood up and tried to leave the room. But her hand had been grabbed. Of course, it was Jin who stopped her. B-Brother Jin? Elsa. Id like to speak frankly too. I what I feel for you is Father. Suddenly Reiko spoke up. Jin came to his senses and let go of Elsas hand. Elsa remained frozen in ce. W-whats wrong, Reiko? A bit thrown off, Jin responded to Reiko. I received a call from Laojun. I-is that so? Did something happen? Elsa, who looked like she had just woken up from a dream, must have been curious about this call from Laojun, so she sat down on the sofa again and asked Reiko with a confused look on her face. Y-yeah. Ill fill you in about it after this. Please give me a moment. What is it, Laojun? My Lord, Im sorry to bother you thiste at night, but theres something that requires your judgment. Laojuns voice came out of the Mana Comm. Sure, what happened? Any progress? Yes, in fact Laojun then briefly summarized what had happened on his end during the past five days, that is, the time since Jin had arrived in the Klein Kingdom. I see, so youre saying that that merchant called Oliver wants to hire a Magi Engineer, huh? Yes. I believe he probably has some kind of connection with the so-called foreigners. Yes. Im curious about it too. My Substitute Doll should be good enough to pose as your master, but as a Magi Engineer Jin pondered for a moment. Though he wanted to go there himself, he knew it was probably ill-advised to do so. In that case Okay, lets use Deus Ex Machina. The second-generation body they had used the other day. With more advanced functions added, it was hard to tell it apart from a real human being. And above all, Jin could control it directly. Laojun would usually take control of it, and Jin could take over whenever he had free time to do so. Understood. Then Ill arrange it like that. Sure, please do. What should its name be? As expected, it couldnt just introduce itself as Deus Ex Machina. Thats right Elsa, do you have any good ideas? Not feeling confident enough abouting up with a good name, Jin was d to have Elsa around so he could ask her to name it instead. Jon Diniu. Huh? I just shuffled the letters for Jin Nidou around a little. Umm, so, Jon Diniu, huh? I see. It was hard for Jin to say whether it was a good or a bad name, but since it was an alias, Jin decided to go with it anyway. Okay, Laojun. Lets go with Jon Diniu. Understood. I will contact you once theres any progress. And with that, the call ended. Im looking forward to it, Jin said to himself. Jin was already excited to imagine what kind of materials and techniques these foreigners possessed. Elsa had her eyes fixed on Jins face from the side, but she eventually got up. Elsa? Im going to bed. Good night. As soon as Elsa said that, she bent down and kissed Jin lightly on his cheek. Then she turned bright red and quickly ran to her bedroom. Good night. Frozen by this sudden action from Elsa, Jin finally managed to say only that. Meanwhile, on Hourai Ind So, Jon Diniu, huh? I think it would be better to make him look a little different from Machina. Laojun was taking steps to make slight changes in Deus Ex Machina #2s appearance. His hair and eyes can stay ck. How about changing his height to around 160 cm? Since he was an Automata that can be used as a multi-purpose substitute, his physical build could be changed a little. Now, lets prepare My Lords Substitute Doll This would be a Substitute Doll to be introduced as Laozis master to Oliver, the merchant in the town of Ismal. If he was left to look like Jin himself, there would be a risk that hed be recognized by the locals, so there was room for concern. Lets change his hair color. His hair and eyes were changed to brown. Laojun figured this color wouldnt stand out since it was fairlymon. Next, about the carriage Would it be a Golem carriage, or a normal one? That being said, Jin didnt own an actual horse for a carriage, so that question was quickly answered. Well also need to take care of their technical level being too conspicuous Just in case, I decided to detune the Golem horses in order to reduce their performance. A mode was added to them in order to make their movements a bit clunkier. Up until now, they had been moving their bodies in Normal Mode. A new downgraded mode was set up to conceal their true nature. Being a measure that reduces performance, it can be set up at the pilots will. This mode can be switched on and off with a simplemand. After trying to make the Golem horses walk, Laojun had mixed feelings when he saw their newly downgraded, awkward movements. Its a shame we cant show their true performance My Lord originally built them for. However, this would serve the purpose of introducing Oliver to the Magi Engineer he would be hiring. The carriage itself was the same they had been using so far. It had a Warp Gate that could be used in case of an emergency. Even if it was unlikely that it would be used, there would be plenty of opportunities to use it in the future, so it wouldnt be a waste to leave it there. What awaited beyond the desert? Laojun was already looking forward to the day where he will be reporting his findings to Jin. Install Mobile app With Offline Browsing Click Donate For More Chapters Next Chapter(s) on Patreon and Ko-fi Chapter 648 Chapter 648: The Klein Kingdom Afterward Three days had passed since King Alois IIIs sessful surgery, and Jin and Elsa remained in the Klein Kingdom to monitor the kings recovery. During this time, Jin and Elsa discreetly teleported to the vige of Kaina, where they informed a concerned Hannah about the sessful treatment. Oh, really? The king is recovering well, isnt he? Princess, you must be so happy! Big brother, big sister, thank you! Seeing Hannahs smile, Jin felt that all their efforts had been worthwhile. And then Lady Elsa, Lord Jin, words cannot express our gratitude. King Alois IIIs health had significantly improved, although he was still bedridden due to hisck of strength. Jin and Elsa had an audience with the recovering king to personally express their gratitude for saving his life. Present at the meeting were three members of the royal family: Prince Edmond, Prince Arthur, and Princess Lieschen. Three ministers were also in attendance: Prime Minister Powell, Minister of Magic rot Bados Caelis, and Minister of Defense Fadas Lofus Feargram. The Prime Minister presented a concise report to the King, followed by an exnation of the illness. So it turns out that consuming raw fish is detrimental to ones health, King Alois IIImented, visibly disappointed. It appeared he had a fondness for such dishes. Father, your health is paramount. Please take good care of yourself, Princess Lieschen urged, rendering the king momentarily speechless. Drinks like Apururu and Persica juice are beneficial for your health, so I rmend consuming them regrly, Elsa advised. Jin had brought Apururu fruits from Peni Ind, handpicking ten of them while they were still firm with the intention of making fresh juice. These fruits were known for their high Aether content, a potent magical substance that proved particrly effective for the ailing. In an ideal scenario, they would have offered healing potions, but given the traditional nature of the country, there was a risk that such gifts might not be well-received. Hence, they opted for fruit instead. Thank you. Well have them juicedter, Princess Lieschen epted the fruits on behalf of the king, passing them to his devoted maid. To avoid further straining the kings health, everyone left the room and convened in a smaller conference room. Well, Lord Jin, Lady Elsa, thanks to you, we have resolved this crisis, the Prime Minister said, bowing his head before continuing. Over the past three days, weve managed to identify and eliminate five spies who had infiltrated the kingdom, he added, without disclosing their identities. However, the discovery of five spies within such a short timeframe had evidently improved overall security. Though unspoken, it seemed one of them was Boedeman, the healer in the convalescent ward. These spies employed various methods to obstruct us, the Prime Minister exined. Some of their actions, such as deliberately prolonging the treatment of injured individuals or tampering with food, were rtively mild. However, some of their actions had the potential to wreak economic havoc. The Prime Ministers expression soured as he recounted their deeds. But this isnt the end; there are undoubtedly more spies out there. We will not relent in our pursuit, he emphasized, suggesting that the Prime Ministers troubles were far from over. Delight, the former Minister of Industry, had also been revealed as a spy for the Kingdom of Celroa. This conclusion rested solely on circumstantial evidence since there was no physical proof, and Delight hadnt confessed. He ims to have been a member of the Unified Party Unifyer, the Prime Minister said, a im likely true since he appeared to have knowledge about Elena. He cleverly married into the Hanks family, became its head, and after his wifes death, openly transmitted information to the Celroa Kingdom. However, weck concrete evidence to support this, the Prime Minister continued. Even for smuggling 300 tons of wheat, he could face the death penalty. If we manage to extract information from him, his execution will undoubtedly follow. Defense Minister Fadas Lofus Feargram then spoke up. We have decided to repurpose the golem Delight obtained while smuggling wheat for our own nation. This time, it was rot Bados Caelis, the Minister of Magic, who spoke. He was a middle-aged man with red hair and brown eyes. It was a Heavy Golem, not a Le Carre. The Le Carre had been severely damaged by Reikos single blow, rendering the control core unanalyzable, and thus, it remained unmentioned. Nheless, Jin suspected this golem was responsible for using Hypno on the servants. Lord Jin skillfully neutralized it, and for that, we are grateful, Princess Lieschen conveyed on behalf of the king. No, Im pleased to have been of assistance, Jin responded modestly. As for that mans hot air balloon, weve decided not to repair it, as it pales inparison to the one Lord Jin provided us, Prime Minister Powell added. It alsocked an engine, making the decision logical. Weve been employing desants and dehumidifiers inbination, and it appears to be effective, the Prime Minister continued. They had yet to find a recement for the Minister of Industry. Weve ced an order for 100 tons of desants from the Showlo Empire, and they will gradually deliver them to us. I understand. I must stress the importance of handling moisture with great care, as improper management could lead to fires or burns. Yes, we will exercise caution. Jin and Elsa then took their turn to speak. Elsa began by addressing the recent illness. This time, His Majesty suffered from a parasitic infection known as liverworm.'' What is that? Prince Arthur inquired. This is the parasite that was removed from His Majesty and two other patients. We believe they ingested fish that contained the eggs orrvae of this parasite. Is that so? Elsa paused briefly before continuing. His Majesty frequents Lake Manuze annually, as I learned from Princess Lieschen. It is likely that others in the vicinity have also suffered from this ailment. Elsa paused again, scanning the rooms upants. His Majestys harboring of this parasite also partially rests on your shoulders. Tension filled the room among the kingdoms officials. Not informing His Majesty about the prevalence of this disease in the area was irresponsible. Assuming that His Majesty would be the only unaffected party was a truly negligent assumption. A somber silence fell upon everyone. Finally, the Prime Minister spoke up. What you say is true. The responsibility is mine, without a doubt. He lowered his head, appearing even wearier than usual. I was the one who issued the order to keep the locals away when His Majesty went to recuperate. In reality, it was the soldiers who carried out the order, so even if there were sick people, Powell wouldnt have known, Prince Arthur consoled the dejected Prime Minister. Rather than cing me on me, it should be us, the siblings No, its me. Father has visited every year, and Ive apanied him many times. Yet we were unaware of the existence of such a disease, Prince Edmond confessed. Are you suggesting I couldnt have shown such consideration? Prince Arthur retorted. Brother, if youre going to make such statements in this setting, I wont hold back either, Prince Edmond responded. Ignoring the siblings exchange, Princess Lieschen bowed her head. More than anything else, the me falls on us for not informing Father about the onset of this illness. Deeming Father the sole exception to the illness was a truly irresponsible assumption. The kingdoms officials remained speechless. Finally, Defense Minister Fadas Lofus Feargram broke the silence. Your Highness is correct. It pains me to hear that. National defense epasses more than just dealing with visible adversaries; diseases are also formidable foes, he added. Another silence enveloped the room. Princess Lieschen broke the silence once more. Elsa, Jin, I believe many people around Lake Manuze are afflicted by the same parasite as Father. Its impossible to cure them isnt it? Jin understood her sentiments. He too wished to do something Elsa is not from the Showlo Empire, so please disregard her words, Princess Lieschen said, bowing her head. Observing the princesss gesture, Elsa pondered her capabilities and spoke. First and foremost, refrain from serving live fish that may contain the parasites. This advice was focused on prevention; they could not afford any more patients. If you must serve them live, ensure they are properly processed. What do you mean by processing, Elsa? Princess Lieschen inquired. Basically, engineering magic cannot be applied to living creatures. Instead, we utilize it the other way around. You should be able to inspect dead fish for live parasites or eggs before cooking them. I see, that makes sense. So Father can still enjoy his favorite trout, Prince Arthur remarked with a chuckle. Above all, we must prevent further infections, Elsa continued. I understand. Thank you, Elsa. Rather than relying on others, lets start by doing what we can ourselves, Princess Lieschen replied, appearing a touch more mature. As for the food situation, Jin added, broaching a topic he had been considering. You might consider consulting the Kingdom of Elias. Being located to the south, they can easily increase food production. Thats a valid point. We could request dried fish and simr products from them, Jin suggested, thinking of Topopo at this juncture. He had learned from the Elder that the Marquis of Firenza had disseminated it not only within the Borgia capital but throughout the entire kingdom. However, he kept this information concealed and simply rmended seeking seafood assistance. Simrly, he hinted at seeking aid from the Kingdom of Egeria, which had ess to the sea. With Elsas matter addressed, Jin realized there was no need to focus on grains. Perhaps the Prime Ministers concerns had alleviated somewhat. Prime Minister, if you ever feel fatigued, consider consuming fruit juice, Jin remarked casually. Is that so? the Prime Minister responded. Jin rmended Apururu from Peni Ind for its therapeutic properties. After offering a few more pieces of advice, Jin and Elsapleted their mission during this visit. Jin and Elsa prepared to take their leave. Superficially, it was merely a formality. They waited for the scattered sams to return to their various locations within the castle and then packed them into boxes. They also dispatched the Special Operations Unit S.P. outside the castle. These tasks consumed time. Jin, Elsa, I owe you both a great debt. Lets meet again, Princess Lieschen expressed. Lord Jin, Lady Elsa, please convey my regards to Emperor Majesty, Prime Minister Powell added. We will undoubtedly reunite in the future, Jin replied. They bid farewell to Princess Lieschen, the Prime Minister, and the others, watching as their airship ascended into the clear Klein Kingdom skies, heralding the arrival of winter. Chapter 649

Chapter 649

19-36 Idle Talk 35 At the Reinhardt residence The Rankenhaus, an ivy-covered mansion in the vige of Karutsu in the Shouro Empire. It was the residence of Reinhardt as well as the lords mansion. So, these two are originally servants of Lord Jin Nido, but he is currently on a mission to the Klein Kingdom by order of His Majesty. Therefore, they will work here in the meantime. Reinhardt, who had gathered the servants, introduced the two. I am Barou. I know I have many shorings, but I will do my best, so please take care of me. I am Belle. I am inexperienced, but I will work hard. Please guide and instruct me. Barou and Belle, who would temporarily work at the Reinhardt residence, did so of their own volition and were treated the same as the other servants. * * * Barou, I want you to help my secretary Adoberg with his work. Yes, I understand. Mr. Adoberg, nice to meet you. Hmm, the feeling is mutual. But lets get down to business, Barou. Can you do calctions? Yes, Mr. Adoberg. I can manage. Good, then lets start with this book. Barou began to assist Adoberg as his secretary. The ledger he was given was simr to a household budget, used to manage daily expenses. It recorded ie and expenses, along with their respective details. Since the main source of ie was tax revenue, it was received at least monthly. Therefore, the focus was mainly on managing expenses. Lets see, food expenses, sries and misceneous expenses? Barou widened his eyes. It was much too vague. Um Mr. Adoberg, is that all? Hmm? Yes, why? Isnt that a bit too vague? If we break down these misceneous expenses further, it could serve as a guide to eliminate waste. Although it addedplexity, breaking down expenses into smaller categories often helped identify unnecessary spending. Could we at least break it down into hygiene expenses, transportation expenses, housing expenses, necessities, and others? Hmm. Where did you learn this method? Yes, from Lord Jin. I see. Lord Jin has a rational mindset. We seem to have a lot to learn from him. Excuse me, but could you exin this division in more detail? Yes, of course. First * * * Belle, please fold this. Yes. Belle was helping two maids with their work. They were both from Karutsu Vige and were 17 and 19 years old. They were also learning etiquette as they worked. Automaton Be takes care of the difficult tasks, like foldingundry. Kaara, the 17-year-old maid, said while foldingundry. Be was an automaton created by Reinhardt, with purple hair and ck eyes. Though Reinhardt never mentioned it, she bore a striking resemnce to Mine. She had a well-endowed figure and exuded a calm aura. Ugh, ironing is such a hassle. The other maid, Dessa, who was 19 years old,ined as she pressed an iron to a shirt. Belle, looking at what Dessa was holding, was taken aback. What is that? What? Its an iron. Havent you seen one before? No Could it be used to remove wrinkles from clothes? Yes, exactly. Have you never used one? No In fact, Belle had never seen an iron beforeing to Lord Jin. In her hometown of Magilutz Vige, they were not used, and in her first job with the nobility of the Cerloa Kingdom, she had only done menial tasks. She had learned how to remove wrinkles from clothes after she started working for Jin. Um, dont you use an iron? Whats an iron? Wait a moment, please. Belle remembered that she had a small iron in her belongings that Jin had made for her. Most of Jins clothes were made of GSS (Ground Spider Silk), a fabric that could be described as shape memory, which didnt wrinkle even after washing and retained the same texture as when it was first cut. However, some of the outer garments given to Jin by various countries, or the blouses and dresses that Elza originally owned, were made of silk, hemp, or wool. They needed ironing after washing, and Belle had learned how to do that during her time with Jin. Here it is. Belle took out the small iron Jin had made especially for practice. The iron was heated with magic stones, not magic crystals, and it would heat up in about two minutes. It also had a simple temperature control. This is called an iron. You put a magic stone called a magistone in here For linen, which wrinkled easily, it was best to moisten it well before applying a hot iron. The key was to press hard to remove wrinkles. I see. For wool, use a cloth as a barrier. Keep the temperature a little lower. Belle finished her work efficiently, and not only the two maids but also the vending machine Be watched her attentively. * * * That night, Adoberg and Be reported to their master, Reinhardt. Hmm, as expected from Jin. In that case, Be, could you teach him court etiquette and how to deal with nobility in return? Yes, my lord. As for Adoberg yes, how about teaching them some basic self-defense? Dealing with unruly guests or thieves required certain skills. Reinhardt believed that Adoberg, a martial arts expert, could impart such knowledge. I understand. Given the short time, well only cover the basics. Good, that will suffice. Dealing with everyday tasks should be something they learned with Jin, but dealing with various nobles can be challenging. Lets make sure that Jin doesnt embarrass himself as our master. The two of you, please give them a thorough training. Understood. Understood. * * * No, lower your gaze slightly and never look directly into the customers eyes. Lowering it too much would be rude. Focus on their mouth. Yes. When leading, walk slightly ahead so as not to block the customers view. Yes. When receiving a customers belongings When opening a door When saying goodbye to a customer Starting the next day, Be began giving Barou and Belle two hours of customer service lessons a day. Kaara and Dessa also attended the lessons. Its different. When you bow low, dont put your hands in front of your stomach. Do you have stomach pain? Look closely. Do it like this When you put the dishes down, be careful not to make any noise. Bes instructions were strict, but Barou and Belle, as well as Kaara and Dessa,cked enthusiasm at first. However, seeing Barou and Belles dedication made them change their minds, and they began to work diligently. Jin seems to have found some excellent talents. Reinhardt was amazed that the two ragged individuals he had picked up on his way back had be so had be so useful. Right! Move your right leg further back! Y-Yes! Adobergs self-defense lessons, one hour a day, began with footwork. Exactly. While moving your right leg half a step back, swing your body around your left leg. This is an effective way to dodge straight attacks. Practice this alternately on the left and right. Bing proficient in this art wouldnt happen overnight, but mastering the basics would allow for more advanced applications. If your lower body is not stable, you wont seed in any martial art. Make it a habit to practice regrly. Yes! Barou and Belle seemed to be making progress. * * * This morning, during the regr contact with the Klein Kingdom, it was reported that Jin and the others have sessfullypleted their mission and will be returning soon. If so, they should arrive in Royzart tomorrow. Is that so? In that case, their work here wille to an end. It was a short time, but thank you for your hard work. Thank you for everything! And so Barou and Belle returned to the Royzart mansion. Reinhardt considered using the teleportation gate to take them to the mansion. Maybe its time to tell them about the teleportation gate. I should discuss this with Jin. And so a new chapter of their story began Chapter 650

Chapter 650

19-37 A kind of epilogue Instead of going directly to the Shouro Empire after leaving the Klein Kingdom, Jin and the others decided to use the Condor 3 to travel to Peni Ind. They nned to spend a whole day there. Elsa, can you help me with something? Sure, what do you need? Im making a special vending machine. Its called Automata.'' Specialized? What kind of functions does it have? Well, youll see. Reiko, do we have the materials? Yes, Father. Everything is ready. Good. In front of Elsas eyes, Jin began to create the automaton called Automata. He worked methodically and calmly. His crafting speed was such that he couldplete about 80% of it in just 30 minutes. Elsa realized that she still had a long way to go to match Jins skills. Is it a female model? From the skeletal structure, the muscles, the touch sensors, and the temporary magical skin, it was obvious that the vending machine had a female design. Yes. Thats right. And I was thinking that you could help with the final touches to its appearance. Why me? Hmm? Well this vending machine is a medical vending machine designed for health care. Medical? At that moment, Elsa remembered her earlier conversation with Jin when she said, I wonder if I could help sick people. Thank you. With that, Elsa decided on the appearance of the vending machine. She wanted it to resemble Sally, the healer she respected. She called it Liese. At the same time, Jin created a miniature golem specifically for surgical procedures. He named it Jack. Whether it was named after Tom and Jack or the legendary ck doctor was unclear. A few dayster, a mysterious healer appeared at Manuze Lake. She treated various ailments, including parasitic diseases, gave advice on prevention, epted minimalpensation, and then left for an unknown destination. By the way, old man, do you know what happened to the maid? And what about the families of the hidden servants? While they hadnt inquired about these matters during their time in the Small Kingdom, Jin became curious as time passed. Yes, my lord. As for the handmaiden Ameri, once the culprit, former Minister of Industry Delight, was identified, she was released from prison and reinstated in her position. Princess Liessen vouched for her. I see, thats good to know. It was reported that the families of the servants werepensated ording to the regtions. In case of death due to idents at work, 100,000 thalers will be paid to the families. 100,000 Thals, huh? Its hard to say whether thats a lot or a little, but its probably in ordance with the employment contract. The next day, after calcting the approximate time, Jin and Elsa returned to the Shouro Empire on the airship. In Royzart, they were greeted by the Prime Minister. After the short formalities, Jin, Elsa, Reiko and Edgar went to the Prime Ministers office. There they met the Empress. Lord Jin Nido and Royal Healer Leizelsoutsu Elsa, wee back. We are back. And you havepleted your mission. Elsa humbly acknowledged their sess, to which the Empress responded with a bright smile. No need for false modesty. King Klein himself expressed his gratitude during the regr morningmunication. It was brief because of your condition, but well done. The Empress praised her, and her expression became more serious as she turned to the Prime Minister. Your aplishments this time were significant. You and Jin helped uncover the cause of the unknown illness and provided an effective treatment. Impressive work. After acknowledging their aplishments, the Empress turned to the Prime Minister, who spoke. Due to their contributions, Lady Elsa of the former Randel family is hereby granted permission to rebuild her familys estate. She may choose to revive the Randel House or establish a new one. Her status will be that of a viscountess. Elsa was surprised by the sudden announcement. In the Shouro Empire, a viscountess ranked higher than a baroness, which made her higher in status than Jin, who was only a master of magic and an honorary imperial advisor. However, this distinction was only made within the Shouro Empire; outside, Elsas status would be considered higher. Meanwhile, in Ennd, a viscountess or lower was still considered amoner, unlike in the Shouro Empire. Is it okay? Is it really okay? The Prime Minister confirmed that this decision had been reached through various diplomatic exchanges. As for the desant issue, I have ordered an additional ten tons. It was shipped two days ago using the Goliaths to demonstrate our nations magical engineering prowess. Have you informed the Cerloa Kingdom? They are right to be cautious. We had various diplomatic negotiations to make it happen. After all the reports were finished, it waste in the evening. In the twilight, Jin and the others flew back to the mansion in an airship. On the roof of the mansion, magicmps illuminated their arrival. Wee back, Lord Jin and Lady Elsa. Barou and Bele greeted them. We have been waiting for you since yesterday afternoon when we received the news of your return from Lord Reinhardts residence. Wee back safely. Congrattions on your great sess. Jin thought that despite the short time they had spent there, Barou and Bele had learned a lot during their stay at Reinhardts. At this point, Barou and Bele received further exnations from Reinhardt about the Teleportation Warp Gate. Reinhardt had consulted with Jin about this exnation, since it would be second-hand information. They wanted to keep the details vague. This exnation took ce on November 15th, the day before Jin and Elsa returned from the Klein Kingdom. Its time you knew. Reinhardt gave a detailed exnation, starting from the beginning. Jin possesses several Ancient Artifact Artifacts, known as Teleportation Warp Gates. They cant be ced anywhere, but they are near his bases and those of his close friends. This was a summary of what they already knew. Those with Jins permission can use these teleportation warp gates. From now on, that includes you two. This revtion shocked both Barou and Bele. Ehhhhhhh?! R-Really?! It seemed that the fear and excitement of their new ability,bined with Reinhardts exnation about possible failure and ending up in an unknown ce, had put them in a strange mental state. Uh, Reinhardt-sama, are you sure its safe? Can we really use it? Dont worry, its safe. Lets go. With their magic patterns still unregistered, Barou and Bele stepped through the Warp Gate teleportation portal with Reinhardt. They found themselves in Shinkai, not Royzart. Two butlers, number 49 and 50, who were in charge of security, were there. Hm, where are we? Did the teleportation fail? Reinhardt reassured them. This is an intermediate point. Suspicious individuals wont be able to get anywhere from here. They say this ce is the bottom of the sea. If someone were to stay here, they would be in quite a predicament. H-How terrible'' T-This is the bottom of the sea? The two were even paler now. Reinhardtforted them before leading them to the teleportation warp gate to Royzart. The three arrived at the underground chamber in Jins mansion in Royzart. As they ascended to the surface, Barou and Bele finally breathed a sigh of relief. Amazing! Were really in Royzart! It feels like a dream! This time their faces were red with excitement. Reinhardt couldnt resist adding a word of caution. Listen, this is a secret, okay? Dont casually tell anyone. If you cant keep it a secret, I wont know anything about it. Yes, we understand! We will definitely keep it a secret! With that, Barou and Bele would no longer panic if Jin suddenly showed up at the mansion. Back in Royzart, Jin rxed in the mansion. Elsa, however, seemed a bit down. Elsa, whats wrong? Jin asked, and Elsa answered honestly. Ive been thinking about rebuilding my familys estate. Is that so? Well, I cant say much about it How about you go to your family and discuss it with your mother? Really? Yes, of course. If you use the Warp Gate teleportation portal to get to Reinhardt, youll be there in no time. Encouraged by Jin, Elsa thought for a moment and then nodded. Yes, Ill do that. Thank you, Big Brother Jin. Jin handed her a ring. Guardian ring? I already have one. Well, this one is Oh. Jin quickly took Elsas left hand and ced the Guardian Ring on her ring finger. Elsa looked at the ring, which was made of rainbow-colored magic crystals like the other Guardian Rings, but with a small aquamarine ent. Big Brother Jin, is this This is my way of expressing my feelings Take your time with your family. You must be tired from everything that happened. Elsa, also blushing, turned away. Thank you, Big Brother Jin. Ill be leaving now. Edgar, lets go. Elsa disappeared through the teleportation warpgate into the underground chamber. Whatever conclusion youe to, Elsa, Ill be on your side. Jin murmured quietly, though his words probably didnt reach Elsas ears. Chapter 651

Chapter 651

20-01 A New Beginning On Peni Ind, the Old Man reported to Jin, specifically about his interactions with the merchant Oliver and the progress of their n. This took ce on November 20th, 3457. On the promised day, the 14th, just before noon, the Old Man arrived at Olivers shop with his portable device Laojun and Deus Ex Machina, now known as Jon Diniu, as per their agreement with Jin. Oliver-san, are you here? Oh, Sr. Laojun, its been a while. And who is this? Yes, this is Jon, the MagiCraft engineer we discussed earlier. Nice to meet you. Im Jon Diniu. Nice to meet you, Im Oliver, a merchant. After exchanging greetings, Oliver turned to Laojun and began to speak. Sr. Laojun, I would like to begin by fulfilling our agreement regarding the Sandworm Leather. Huh? But we havent finished discussing Jons contract. Yes, thats true, but Sr. Laojun, you held up your end of the deal. Sr. Jons contract is our business. So Id like to honor our agreement first. Oliver was quite principled. Laojun epted his offer and bought 50 pieces of Sandworm leather at the discounted price of 25,000 thals. That was half the market price. Sandworm leather was known for its sticity and durability, making it a suitable material for mid-level golems. Now, Ill take my leave. Laojun had noticed Olivers intention to keep the conversation about Jons contract private, so he decided to leave the scene. Jon, Im leaving now. If you have any problems, feel free to contact me. I hope everything goes well with the contract. Yes, Lord Laojun, thank you for your help. If we cross paths again, please extend your guidance. The two said their goodbyes, and although Laojun was the one who had orchestrated everything, their parting seemed natural. So Laojun left Olivers shop. (I guess theres no need to use the double puppet of Jin here.) He had prepared a double puppet of Jin just in case, but there was no need to reveal it. Laojun went back to the carriage and sent the 50 pieces of sand worm leather to Peni Ind. Now lets focus on Oliver and Jon. Sr. Jon, why did you ept my invitation? Olivers question was justified. It wasnt every day that someone willingly epted vague requests, no matter how curious they might be. Of course, the old man who orchestrated this situation had already prepared an answer. I want to see a new world. A new world? Of course, Oliver didnt immediately understand the meaning behind these words. Yes. To create something new with magical technology is one aspect of it. And using my powers in an unexplored world is another. At the mention of an unexplored world, Olivers expression subtly changed. Sr. Jon, are you interested in thend beyond the desert? Yes. Jon gave a straightforward answer that left Oliver somewhat surprised. Are you aware that there are various tribes living beyond the desert? Ive heard rumors. Arent you afraid? If you do something that benefits the enemy, you could be considered a traitor and punished. Jonughed at Olivers concern. Who is the enemy you are talking about? I havent engaged in anybat or hostile action. Oliver was even more surprised by this answer. Well, thats true, but He hesitated for a moment and then said, You are different. And with that, he held out his hand. You are quite unusual. He continued, Wee aboard. Jon shook his hand. After this exchange, the old man reported to Jin, who nodded in agreement. You did well. Whats the n for the next phase? Yes, Lord Master Mylord. ording to Oliver-san, he ns to take a little trip in ten days. Ten days, huh Indeed. Jin warned himself not to rush; patience was the key in this situation. Ill have to take it slow on my end I have my own tasks to take care of. Then he turned to Reiko. Reiko, can you help me with something? Yes, Father. Using Mithril, Adamantine and Dark Attribute magic crystals, Jin quickly created a small MagiMachine. It was the realization of his long-held dream: the Force Generator. It had the ability to generate force in any direction and magnitude, much like the Recoil they had recently tested. Jin wanted Reiko to test it. Reiko, this is a MagiMachine that generates force. Im going to attach it near your center of gravity. It should allow you to hmm, what did I call it again? Ah, right, 3D Mobility.'' He transmitted detailed instructions to Reiko via Transinformation. Understood, Father. So, Im supposed to test the practicality of this device, right? Yes, exactly. Can you do it? Of course, Father. Ill do whatever I can to help you. With that, Jin attached the Force Generator just below Reikos abdomen. He connected the mithril-silver MagiNerves and adjusted the distribution of magical energy from the MagiReactor. Alright, its done. Reiko, activate.'' Yes, Father. How does it feel? It should have added about a kilogram. It doesnt seem to affect my bnce at all. Good. Are you ready to try it? Yes. They walked to a square in front of theb. Okay, lets try it here. But dont push yourself too hard, okay? Yes, father. Reikos figure disappeared after her answer, followed by a loud crashing sound. Looking in the direction of the sound, Jin saw arge hole in the outer wall of theb. Reiko had effortlessly punched through the sturdy, rock-like material known as Chart that was used for thebs outer walls. W-Wait, Reiko, are you okay? Worried, Jin shouted loudly, and Reiko emerged from the rubble. Father, I apologize for my actions. She prostrated herself on the ground in front of Jin. Chapter 652

Chapter 652

20-02 Great Sess Jin quickly checked Reikos condition. Fortunately, she had suffered no damage, as expected from a world-ss automaton made of rare materials. Reiko, I need your help to fix theboratory. Can you assist me? Jin asked after Reiko had stopped bowing. Yes, Father. I will also ask Soleil and Luna for assistance, Reiko replied obediently. Thats a good idea. Reikos assistant golems, Soleil and Luna, had been taking care of Jins house beside theboratorytely. Since they were nearby when Reiko broke through theboratory wall, Jin decided to enlist their help in repairing the outer wall. Thankfully, the damage was confined to a vacant room. Jin assembled the fragments and used engineering magic, Fusion Fusion, to restore theboratory to its original state in less than 30 minutes. Phew, that should do it. Thank you, Soleil and Luna. Yes, we will return home now. If you need anything, please call us. Soleil and Luna bowed and returned to Jins house. Jin turned to Reiko. Reiko, do you know what caused this recent incident? Yes, Father. It was due to the magical energy reactor, the Magillia Reactors output being too high, even though it was less than one percent That low, yet I see. Jin had a vague idea. The Force Generator, a field generator, had exceptional efficiency. When we used gravity magic to reduce weight to nearly zero, we required around 20 percent output. Is this new Force Generator really that efficient? Jin nodded. Ah, I see. Gravity magic generates gravitational eleration, affecting all points on an imaginary straight line. In contrast, a Force Generator operates at just one point, which is why the efficiency differs. Jin wasnt a physicist, but he understood enough to apply it. In the case of Stone Bullet, Jin realized that with less waste, it could be possible tounch arge stone with even less magic power. He added, I understand. Next, Ill try it with even less magic power. Wait. It might not be safe here. Lets go to the coast. So Jin and Reiko traveled to the coast on Pegasus 1. They arrived at Tatsumi Bay, where Marine 1 and Aqua 1 were drying tengusa (seaweed substitute). Aqua 1 asked, Whats the matter, Master? Jin exined, I came to test Reikos new function. Since it might be dangerous, could you stay a bit further away? Understood. Jin created a solid barrier, recalling the danger of Reikos earlier rampage. However, Reiko couldnt control only the magnitude of power, not its direction, so there was no need to worry. Alright, good. Ken activated the physical barrier and signaled through the manamunicator. Reiko responded, saying, Yes, Father. Im going now. Reiko began to sprint toward the sea at about 50 kilometers per hour. She left a line in the sand as she moved, even though she wasnt using her legs. Reaching the shoreline, Reiko made an instant turn and came to a stop right in front of Jin. She had grasped her new function well. Father, I think Ive got the hang of it. It seems so. Next, Reiko attempted three-dimensional mobility, and she slowly ascended to an altitude of about 10 meters before stopping. Father, please take a look. After those words, Reiko moved horizontally at an impressive speed, heading towards the sea. She executed a series of somersaults, figure-eights, and more. Reiko continued to test her new function. Rapidly ascending and descending, she flew horizontally inrge arcs. With time, her speed increased, and her turning radius became smaller. Ken watched in excitement. Then, Reiko forcefully ascended at an angle, creating a sonic boom as she broke the sound barrier. In an instant, she returned, stopping above the sea. She moved gently andnded next to Ken. Father, is this level suitable for testing? Ken deactivated the barrier and picked up Reiko, eximing, Yes, its enough. Amazing, Reiko! Its a great sess! However, he quickly let her go with an Ouch. Reiko, who had been flying at supersonic speeds, generated considerable heat due to adiabaticpression of the air. Are you okay, Father? Thanks to Reikos temperature regtion system, she remained only slightly warm. Its alright, Ken replied, still smiling happily. Reiko, have you noticed anything wrong? No, there is nothing wrong, but I have noticed that controlling the bodys rotation is somewhat challenging. Ken agreed, I see. He realized that adding rotational movement capability would allow free movement within three-dimensional space and changes in orientation. All right, lets start improving it right away. Jin and Reiko boarded Pegasus 1 and returned to theboratory. Muttering to himself, Jin began working on the improvements. He added force field generators, known as force generators, on Reikos shoulders and hips to allow free orientation. This should do it. Reiko, give it a try. After a recheck, they conducted the third test. Reiko ascended up to 100 meters into the air and started with a slow rotation around the bodys axis, gradually increasing the speed. If she were human, dizziness or fainting would have been likely, but Reiko remainedposed. As Reiko executed various movements, Jin watched from a hundred meters above on Pegasus 1. Um, at this point, we really need to consider the issue of air resistance To achieve supersonic speed with an object shaped like Reiko, efficiency was indeed a problem. Heating due to adiabaticpression of air was also an issue. I wonder if we could apply the Wind Barrier to somehow solve it While Reiko freely maneuvered through the air, Jin began to formte new ideas. Chapter 653

Chapter 653

20-03 Supersonic Jin and Reiko realized they wouldnt be able to aplish much more that day, so they decided tond and return to the research facility. With Reikos assistance, Jin proceeded to create the basic data for three-dimensional maneuverability, which could be applied to other golems and aircraft. This would eliminate the need to start from scratch. The memory bank of the old lord stored the data,pleting the work. Furthermore, Jin began to modify Reiko. Hmm, with the current method, it would probably only work with Reiko Sudden eleration, rapid deceleration, and sharp turns would all generate tremendous eleration. Maybe not just dozens of Gs, but hundreds? eleration? Jin suddenly remembered the operational method of the force field generator. In the end, force is equal to the eleration it imposes on mass. In other words If used properly, it might be possible to avoid the generation of eleration pressure known as Gs. Deformation Forming could be it Since its applying force only to the necessary object I think its doable. With that idea in mind, he began to refine the force field generator. With this method, there should beplete freedom in both rotation and linear movement. He adjusted it to recognize Reiko as an object that the effect would be applied to. This would include things that Reiko was holding (within a certain size limit) or wearing. By doing this, every atom of the materialposing Reiko would receive the same force, eliminating the effect of inertia. The three-dimensional maneuvering from earlier was possible because of Reikos robust body. If a living being attempted it, theyd likely be ttened by inertia. It took about an hour, but the modification waspleted. A specialized magic reactor called the Magilia Reactor was added. Having an independent energy source like this led to improved reliability. In addition, Jin conducted the customary overall review, maintenance, and adjustment. To further adhere to his specifications, he seeded in changing the materials to increase strength by 5%, while returning Reikos weight to her original 30 kilograms. Alright, Reiko, start.'' Yes, Father. Reiko, who had risen, reported that her condition had not only remained the same but had improved further. Please conduct an operational test. Understood. Here I go! Reiko, having left the research facility, slowly ascended and freely soared through the twilight sky. Father, this is amazing. My body feels as light as a feather, yet Im overflowing with power! Indeed, its a great sess. Landing, Reiko spoke somewhat excitedly. It was probably the first time she had experienced such sensations as Reiko. With this, even when pushing something heavy, you wont be overwhelmed by your weight. Yeah, thats right. With her weight being only 30 kilograms, Reiko would have been physically unable to push something as heavy as 300 kilograms without firmly anchoring her feet to the ground due to thews of physics. Now, the force field generator called the Force Generator would support her. Reiko had be even more powerful. Alright, todays work is done. Lets have dinner. Beneath the early evening sky, where the quick-to-twinkle stars had begun to appear, Jin and Reiko headed for the house guarded by Soleil and Luna. The dinner that Soleil made consisted of white rice, miso soup with wakame seaweed, nikujaga (beef stew), tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), hiziki and aburaage simmer, and pseudo pickled napa cabbage. It was all his favorite dishes, so Jin ate to his hearts content. Today, it was unusual for only Jin to be at home. Hanna and Elsa werent present. Reiko, Soleil, and Luna were usually quiet as long as Jin didnt talk, so the house was quite silent. All that could be heard were the sounds of insects, and Jin couldnt help but feel a little lonely in this setting. Shall I take a bath? It was already pitch dark outside, and the moon was rising. Jin headed to the open-air bath. Ah, rx. Stretching out his limbs, Jin rxed in the hot spring. Reiko joined him. Father, youve been quite busy recently. Reiko seemed to be in high spirits, as her condition had not only remained the same but had improved. (Thinking back to the past) When Jin visited Blue Land and Potlock in the past, Reiko had supported him. Even now, Jins trust in her remained unchanged. Reiko, the automaton he trusted the most, was still the same. Tomorrow, I want to apply the Force Generator to the engine. If applied to aircraft, they would be able to fly even in a vacuum. Jin immersed himself in hot water while contemting various possibilities. But air resistance would be a problem. As Jins thoughts revolved around this issue, he moved his hands in the water, feeling the resistance in his palms and trying different things. Soon, he grew tired of that as well and dipped the hand towel he had ced on his head into the water. No one would call it a breach of etiquette here. The hot water at this ce continuously flowed from the bottom, ensuring cleanliness without the buildup of impurities. Jin decided to revisit a childhood game called Octopus Monk, using a towel, more than a decade since hedst yed it. As the air encased by the towel transformed into bubbles with a fizzing sound before vanishing, Jin, captivated by the spectacle, had a sudden revtion. Hmm? Wait a minute. He recalled something hed read about in a manga, a futuristic technology known as Super Cavitation. It was a hazy memory, involving the use of air bubbles to surround torpedoes or submarines, effectively reducing water resistance and enabling them to travel at speeds of several hundred kilometers per hour underwater. Even though his knowledge was vague, Jin felt a surge of inspiration. If I implement the Force Generator for propulsion, it should work! Father? Jin eximed, catching Reikos puzzled gaze. Oh, right. I just had a great idea for minimizing air and water resistance. Of course, Father! Whats the n? Well, I knew I could reduce air resistance using a wind-deflecting barrier. However, with the magic-based jet propulsion engine, the Magi Jet Engine, which inhales and expels air, it wasnt feasible. But If we use the Force Generator for propulsion, it wont be an issue, right? Thats brilliant! So, can we apply this to the magic-based water propulsion engine, the Magi Water Jet, too? Exactly, even for creatures like mermaids. Their underwater maneuverability would significantly improve. I cant wait for tomorrow. Jin mumbled happily, and Reiko smiled with excitement. *** The following day, Jin promptly decided to install the Force Generator on Pegasus 1. With a wind-deflecting barrier in ce, traditional aerodynamic control was no longer possible. Therefore, the Force Generator was necessary to alter the direction. This adjustment consumed more time than Jin was used to, upying the entire morning. Naturally, he also installed a new type of wind-deflecting barrier. Alright, lets test-fly it before lunch. Father, considering the potential danger, please leave it to me. As Jin prepared to board the aircraft, Reiko interjected. Well, I suppose I cant argue with that. Jin epted Reikos offer without protest. He knew it would be safe, and it would also expedite their progress. Then, go ahead. Reiko climbed into Pegasus 1 and took off using the conventional magic-based jet propulsion engine, the Magi Jet Engine. Jin hurried to theboratorys magical imagemunication device, Mana Tel, and connected to Reikos channel. Reiko, hows it going? Yes, Father. Im about to activate the Force Generator. She flipped the switch. Even through the Mana Tel, Reikos appearance remained unchanged. Father, its incredible speed. Im going to activate the wind-deflecting barrier now. Reiko pressed another button. Once again, Reikos appearance remained the same through the Mana Tel, but Old Man reported, Master, based on the readings from the magic power detection device, the Magi Radar, shes reaching approximately 2500 kilometers per hour. This was roughly Mach 2. She easily broke the sound barrier, and there was no sonic boom. Reiko, any issues with maneuverability? No, its perfectly fine. The control system is functioning without problems. Ill now conduct some maneuverability tests. For a while, though not visible through the Mana Tel, Jin knew Reiko was putting the aircraft through various maneuvers and received her reportter. I performed rapid ascents, rapid descents, turns, somersaults, rolls, and several other maneuvers, and there were no issues. Ill return now. Excellent work. Please return home as soon as possible. Impatient to try it himself, Jin instructed Reiko to head back. Chapter 654

Chapter 654

20-04: Reflection and Self-Reproach Oh, so this is supersonic Jin, riding Pegasus 1, flew through the skies along with Reiko. For now, their top speed was 3,600 kilometers per hour, equivalent to Mach 3. This calction was based on the results measured by the magical energy detection device, MagiRadar, which the Old Man had used. In the vacuum created by the wind-dodging barrier, they should be able to increase their speed infinitely, but there were still limits. That limit was the barriers generation speed. At speeds over 3,600 kilometers per hour, the barriers generation speed couldnt keep up, causing Pegasus 1s nose to extend outside the barrier. Still, its an incredible speed. This, Ars, could be circumnavigated in two hours, which was an unparalleled speed. After enjoying the world of supersonic flight, Jin decided to retrofit other air forces. Once Jin created the design and registered it in the control core control core, which stored the memories of the Old Man, the skilled cksmiths would produce the devices. Thus, all aircraft would be equipped with force field generators, eliminating the need for runways for takeoff. Of course, it can be used on ships and golems too. Hydroboats and Mermaid Golems were given priority for modifications. Due to the water-repellent barrier for underwater use, the Mermaids maximum speed reached 500 kilometers per hour. Here, Jin would reflect deeply on something. Old Man, whats the status of the three aircraft carriers? These were 20,000-ton-ss aircraft carriers that began construction during the conflict with the Unified Party Unifer. The first ship, Hidakami, had already beenpleted. Yes, Master. The second ship, Myoko, and the third ship, Asama, have also beenpleted. Myoko is currently at Tatsumi Bay, while Asama is still in dry dock, awaiting itsunch ceremony. Hmm? Oh, I see. They had visited Tatsumi Bay earlier to test Reiko, but he hadnt noticed. He was likely too absorbed in the testing. Thats fine, but Old Man, I have something to discuss. Yes, what is it? The necessity of aircraft carriers. They had constructed the aircraft carriers because it was inefficient tounch their air forces from Hourai Ind, but the Unified Party Unifer had decided to dmission them without ever using them. With thepletion of the teleportation devices, they could instantly return and sortie to any location, rendering the carriers unnecessary. I did this on a whim. Master, there was no other option at that time. Besides, you are fond of creating new things. The Old Man reassured Jin. He felt like he had been told something subtly askew, but he decided to press on. Well, theres no point in regretting it now My real question is whether we should modify the three carriers. What kind of modifications are you considering? Im thinking of creating something like a universal vessel, so to speak. In terms of weaponry, versatile vessels had excellent usability, but theycked the decisive power in critical situations. In other words, they tended to be more like multi-purpose vessels than universal vessels. However, Jin was designing it, so at the very least, he thought he could minimize that concern. The Old Man contemted the pros and cons, and then replied. I think your idea has merit. What kind of modifications are you considering? Im thinking about connecting the three carriers to make a trimaran-type vessel. Wouldnt that make it toorge? Combining all three ships would result in a total of 60,000 tons, and if they factored in the connected decks and other considerations, it could reach around 70,000 tons. In that case, it would surpass the super-dreadnought battleship Yamato from before. As for me, I believe a size with a flight deckrge enough for the private aircraft of milord, Pegasus 1, to take off andnd, and space for one or two more tond should be sufficient. Yeah, I understand. Thats why Im pondering Father, how about creating an invincible fleet? Reiko, who had been listening silently, chimed in. In your memories, Father, I recall there being destroyers, light cruisers, heavy cruisers, battlecruisers, battleships, aircraft carriers, repair ships, supply ships, submarines, torpedo boats, and so on, am I right? Even that seems excessive. Immediately, Jin expressed his disagreement. He understood Reikos sentiment, and he felt an inclination to create them, but he couldnt see any practical use for them. Even during World War II, it was the era of aircraft carriers rather than battleships. If he was thinking aboutbat, strengthening the air power would be advantageous. If he had no intention of fighting, then having a fleet would be superfluous. Reiko, considering milords personality, I believe making a practical ship that you will use often is the best approach. Youre right. Reiko was an example of that. Jins personality was to treasure things he liked to the utmost. In that case, why not consider the specifications you need, whether to modify or not. Jin nodded at the Old Mans suggestion. First, imagine the purpose and scenes of use. Ah, I see For instance, going to Potlock? Considering that, it cant be toorge The key point was size. In terms of aircraft, it would be equivalent to an airship, something that wouldnt have many use cases as it couldnt be presented to the public. I do want to go to Potlock and Eckhart. Besides, the demon realms territorial waters. Another purpose could be catching fish and transporting them to relieve famine. To go to the Northern Sea, youll need a fairlyrge ship. Bigger is advantageous for transporting fish as well. True Jin pondered. He didnt want to go halfway. But creating something that would be useless was also something he wanted to avoid. Perhaps we should make a few ships of different sizes If it were under 10 meters, it would have no living space. Even at 20 meters, it would be insufficient. So, maybe around 50 meters? The ships built by Eckhart Teclis, a major southern merchant of the Cerloa Kingdom, were about 40 meters in size. Would 50 meters be considered reasonable? Yes, that sounds about right In any case, youll need smaller boats for docking at regr ports. Hydro-ss, then. If youre using Force Generators for propulsion, you wont need to worry about bnce, so theres no need for catamarans or trimarans. At least two ships, thats what it would be. Jin gathered his thoughts to stay within the boundaries ofmon sense. Father, do you think people wont wonder where we built suchrge ships? Ah Its a problem. The existence of the Peni Ind base was kept secret. iming that Deus Ex Machina owned them might work, but it would be difficult to insist that they were Jins property. Ah Its full of problems. Since it was an item more visible to the public than an airne, there was a risk that they wouldnt be able to hide anything. May I offer my opinion? Seeing Jin troubled, the Old Man decided to suggest an idea. First, the three vessels that have beenpleted will be refitted from aircraft carriers into battleships and used for the defense of Peni Ind. Thats not a bad idea. We should also construct a few cruisers for operations since battleships are not easy to operate on their own. They should be around 100 meters, 2,000 tons. Even though those sizes would be considered destroyers in modern-day Earth, the Old Man continued without minding. As destroyers No, as torpedo boats, several one size up from the Hydro Series. Jin thought the Old Man had ns to fight, but when he considered it, there was indeed ack of naval powerpared to air power. That leave it to you. But whats my wish? Yes, if you could take a look at them, milord, I think your thoughts will be more refined. Indeed, seeing the actual vessels could help solidify his imagination. Jin permitted that as well. In that case, please start work on the lead ship for each of them. Understood. What will be the names? Umm, I named the aircraft carriers turned battleships after mountains, so for cruisers, rivers, and for torpedo boats, fish, maybe? Then, would it be fine to name the lead cruiser Azusa and the lead torpedo boat Koi? Wait a moment. Lets not use fish for torpedo boats. Its too far from the image. Azusa was a river flowing at the foot of Mt. Hotaka, in the vicinity of the Upper Hignds. Koi, or carp, didnt seem suitable at all for a ship. For torpedo boats, lets go with numbering, simr to the Hydro Series. And for the series name How about Stream? Like the Hydro Series, it was a good name. Understood. Well go with Stream 1 for the torpedo boat. This was how the fleet to protect Peni Ind was officially established. Meanwhile, Jin continued to struggle with what to do with his private ship. (If Elsa were here, I could consult with her.) Jin couldnt help but feel a bit lonely without Elsa, who was always with him. He immersed himself in ship matters to dispel that feeling. Chapter 656

Chapter 656

20-06 The Randle Family Back in time to November 17th, in the evening, at the Rankenhaus, the underground mansion in Karltz Vige, Showro Empire. Elsa, wee back. Ive heard youve done quite a remarkable job! Her cousin Reinhard weed Elsa, who had arrived using the teleportation gate Warp Gate. Elsa-san, thats truly amazing. I have the utmost respect for you, Reinhards wife, Bert, also offered her sincere praise. Thank you But its all thanks to my brother, Jin. Without him, I couldnt have done it. Elsa modestly replied while blushing slightly, and Reinhard gently patted his cousins shoulder. Well, in any case, lets go upstairs. Yes, Ill prepare some tea. The group moved from the underground chamber to the sitting room. The maid automaton Beh brought tea. Ive finished my work for today, so lets take our time to hear your story, Reinhard said, taking a sip of tea and encouraging Elsa to begin. Alright. First, I heard from His Majesty about the declining health of the King of the Klein Kingdom Then, for a good hour, Elsa shared her story. Reinhard and Bert asionally interjected, but most of the talking was done by Elsa. And thats the situation. After thoroughly exining everything, her mouth and throat parched from the lengthy discourse, Elsa finished her story. I see. They offered to establish the Randle Viscount House No, the Count House. Thats quite impressive. Reviving a family that had once been abolished was a rare urrence. Disbanding a noble house was a severe measure. Yes But when Reinhard saw Elsa looking a bit unhappy, he seemed to sense something. Elsa, if something is troubling you, why dont you tell us? Rai-niisan Youve spent a lot of time with me, Elsa. I can tell from your face that somethings bothering you. So, go ahead and tell us. Elsa, if you have any concerns, please share them, Bert added. Thank you To be able to revive the family is something I should be happy about. But that means Ill be even more tied to the country than I am now. I see. Reinhard nodded once and gestured for Elsa to continue. Jin-nii is a free spirit. Hes a person who should be free. I dont want to be a burden to Jin-nii, who values his freedom. So, thats whats bothering you? Yes. Reinhard and Bert exchanged a knowing nce. Elsa, I see what you mean, After moistening her dry mouth and throat with tea, Elsa concluded her lengthy exnation. Hmm, so they offered to establish the Viscount Randle House No, the Count Family House. Thats quite impressive. Reviving a family that had been abolished once was indeed a rare aplishment, as disbanding a noble house was a severe measure. Yes However, when Elsa looked down and didnt appear particrly happy, Reinhard seemed to sense something. Elsa, if you have concerns, why dont you share them? Big brother, Rei Youve spent a lot of time with me, Elsa. I can tell from your expression that something is troubling you. So, go ahead and tell us. Elsa, if you have any concerns, please share them, Bert added. Thank you To be able to revive the family is something I should be happy about. But it means Ill be even more tied to the country than I am now. I see. Reinhard nodded once and gestured for Elsa to continue. Jin-nii is a free spirit. Hes a person who should be free. I dont want to be a burden to Jin-nii, who values his freedom. So, thats whats bothering you? Yes. Reinhard crossed his arms and closed his eyes, appearing deep in thought for a while. During this conversation, Bert asked Elsa a question. Elsa, you dont want to be a burden to Jin-sama, right? Elsa nodded. But you still want to be by his side. Elsa blushed slightly and nodded. You like Jin-sama, dont you? Elsa remained silent in response, but her blushing face made her feelings quite evident. Oh my, how adorable. At that moment, Reinhard spoke up. Hey, hey, Bert. Dont act all superior just because its only a one-year difference. Look at Elsa. Oh my. Elsa was blushing deeply while looking down. Sorry, Elsa. I didnt mean to tease you. Even with those words, Elsa continued to look down. Seeing her like that, Reinhard gently addressed her. Elsa, do you think Jin would give up his freedom so easily? Uh? He possesses knowledge from another world, and that knowledge is not something any single nation should monopolize. Im quite certain His Majesty doesnt even know that Jin is from another world, so restricting Jin would be absurd. Elsa remained silent. So, Elsa, you should do what makes you happy. Does that sound unsatisfactory to you? Elsa, still looking down, only raised her eyes to meet Reinhards gaze while retaining her blushing cheeks. Her eyes revealed her dissatisfaction with his advice. Well, theres one more thing. If you love Jin, then be a good daughter to your mother. Elsa raised her face with a slightly puzzled expression. What do you mean? Reinhard proceeded to exin. First of all, your family has been disbanded. Thats the first premise. Yes. In a general noble family, girls are considered to be fulfilling their duty by marrying into another noble family. Thats the second premise. When Elsa heard the second premise, her face frowned slightly. In thews of the Shouro Empire, theres a provision that states, In the event there are no heirs left after the daughters of hereditary nobles marry into other families, the sessor can be chosen from close blood rtives. Thats my piece of advice. Elsa took a moment to digest Reinhards words, and as she understood the implication, a smile formed on her face. Reinhard, does that mean for example, as a close blood rtive, it could be Moritz-niisama? Correct, Reinhard replied with a warm smile. Bert also smiled beside him. To be a good daughter means, Reinhard continued, you, Elsa, can reestablish the Randle family, and when you be the head, you can choose Moritz as your sessor if you ever marry into another family. That way, the Randle family can continue. Elsas face, once full of concern, now brightened up. I understand, Reinhard. Thank you. Her face had transformed from the time she first visited, and she now wore a joyful expression. But when Reinhard mentioned under Jin, Elsa once again turned beet red and looked down in embarrassment. Seeing her reaction, Reinhard gently spoke. Its gettingte today. You should stay the night here. Ill escort you to your familys home tomorrow. Alright, Reinhard. Please. By the way, Reinhard hadnt noticed due to Elsas clever concealment, but Bert was the only one who noticed the ring on Elsas left ring finger. The following day, Elsa visited her familys home once again, apanied by Reinhard. Mother, its been a while. Aunt, its been a while. Elsas stepmother, Marlene, greeted the two of them with a healthyplexion. It seemed that her health had improved since Elsas treatment. Reinhard-sama, I hear youve be the Count. Congrattions. Thank you. After exchanging pleasantries and greetings, Elsa conveyed the words of the Empress to Marlene. Well, theyre offering to make you a viscount and establish a family. Its truly wonderful Marlenes eyes welled up with tears. However, her next words were moreposed. So, Elsa, what do you want? Do you want to reestablish the Randle family, or do you want to start a new family with a different surname? But Elsas answer to that question was already determined. I want to reestablish the Randle family. I am Elsa Randle von Razzura. I see Thank you, Elsa. Thank you, Reinhard-sama. It seemed that Marlene had understood Elsas feelings, and she also seemed to have a vague sense that Reinhards advice had yed a role in her daughters decision. Congrattions, Elsa. In that case, Ill be on my way, dear aunt. Elsa will stay a while, right? Yes. Thank you, Reinhard. Well, then, Ille to pick you up the day after tomorrow the day before the deadline. Until then, take your time. With that promise, Reinhard left, and Elsa remained behind with her family. Chapter 657

Chapter 657

On November 22nd, Jin had returned to his mansion in the capital city of Royzart from Peni Ind afterpleting the Shark. There, he was weed by Elsa at the underground transfer gate, alongside another familiar face. Long time no see, Jin. Hey, Reinhard. Reinhard had alsoe to Royzart with Elsa. Wee back, Jin-sama. Baro and Bell greeted him. Reinhards here as well? Yes, I was summoned by His Majesty. I see. Well, lets discuss things upstairs. The group then moved to the living room. Elsa, Jin, and Reinhard took their ces around a round table, while Reiko and Edgar stood behind Jin and Elsa. Bell promptly brewed some tea and set it in front of everyone. Todays tea was hojicha. Its delicious. Youve brewed it just right, Jin praised after taking a sip. Hojicha was traditionally brewed with boiling water, but Jin was sensitive to hot temperatures due to his sensitive pte. Therefore, his portion had to be cooled down slightly after pouring it into the teacup. The exact procedure was known to all the golem maids on Peni Ind. Bell, who received thepliment, briefly expressed her gratitude and then stepped back. It was apparent that her training at Reinhards residence had paid off. Now then, Elsa, wee back. Have you decided what to do? Yes, Ive decided to reestablish the Randle family, Elsa answered, looking Jin straight in the eye. Jin replied gently, I see. Im sure thats a decision you made after a lot of thought. Ill support you. Thank you, Jin-nii. Elsas cheeks reddened slightly, and she bowed her head. So, Reinhard, you were summoned by His Majesty. Was there something specific? No, it seems its not about any conflicts or issues. Its a technical consultation, Reinhard replied, though he noted that he hadnt been informed about the details yet. I see Well, Im going with you today, Jin stated. Eh? You too, Jin-nii? Yeah, I think things will go faster with me there. As an Imperial Honorary Advisor, Jin had the authority to visit the pce without an appointment and request an audience with the Emperor. That would certainly be helpful Although Jin is going for Elsas sake, right? Reinhard teased Jin. Uh, well, yeah, Jin replied with a straight face. Elsa, who was listening to their conversation, blushed and looked down. Jin, please take care of Elsa. Shes my dear and adorable cousin. ? Oh, yes, of course, Jin responded, not fully understanding the implications. ! Their exchange seemed casual, but there was a subtle difference in nuance between Reinhard and Jin. Elsa, who was listening, wore an awkward expression. ** * ** It was 10 a.m. when Jin, Elsa, Reinhard, Reiko, Edgar, and the others traveled to the Imperial Pce in an airship. They didnt have much time to chat along the way. Besides saving time, using an airship allowed them to convey the purpose of their visit more quickly. As theynded, the Prime Minister weed them with open arms. Well, well, Lord Jin Nido, wee. Lady Reiko, youre wee as well. Sorry for this sudden visit, but I brought Elsa and Reinhard. Excellent timing. His Majesty is waiting for you. Please follow me. The Prime Minister led them to his office without letting anyone else speak. Lord Jin Nido, Lady Reiko, Lord Reinhard Randle, and Elsa, wee. The room they were led into was not just any office but the office of the Empress. After everyone took their seats, the Empress got straight to the point. We have some urgent matters to discuss, so lets skip the formalities. Jin, its good that youre here. First, Elsa, how are you feeling? Have you made up your mind? Yes, I would like to go by the name Elsa Randle. The Empress nodded approvingly. Thats fine, then. Prime Minister, any objections? Not at all, its perfectly fine. Therefore, today, on November 22, 3457, I officially approve the title of Lady Elsa Randle, the Viscountess. Thank you. Elsa stood up, bowed to the Empress and the Prime Minister, and thus, Elsa Randle von Razure became a Viscountess. Just to make it clear, you wont receive any territory. Instead, you will receive an annual sry of 1 million tolls as a Viscountess. What about the recipient? If they held territory, they could maintain their family through tax revenues. However, in the Shouro Empire, nobles without territories received a sry from the state. Additionally, if they held an official position, their sry would be increased ordingly. For now, Elsas sry was set at the minimum. As a result, Elsas parents, who had been merely depleting their familys assets, now had a means of financial support. However, they would be obligated to take on certain responsibilities for the state, even if they didnt hold a position. Ill leave it to my mother from my family. Understood. Secretary, make a record of it. Seeing Elsas tension and anxiety, the Empress smiled kindly and instructed her secretary to document the decision. Dont be so nervous, Elsa. Your main role is to be Jin Nidos assistant. Will that be okay? Yes! Elsa initially looked bewildered, not understanding what was said, but once she grasped the meaning, her face lit up, and she responded enthusiastically. What a lovely smile. Thats how a youngdy should be. Jin Nido, please take care of Elsa. Yes. Jin also smiled and responded to the Empresss request. Now, Lord Reinhard Randle, the reason we called you here is for a shipbuilding project. Shipbuilding? Yes, shipbuilding. Were grateful that Jin is here too. Are you ready to hear the details? Yes, Your Majesty. When it came to discussions about creating things, Jin was always enthusiastic. Thank you. Prime Minister, please continue. Yes. Our country relies heavily on water transportation. We are thinking about the future, and we believe that further development of ships is necessary. You mean thinking about the future? Reinhard leaned forward. Yes. We have a sea to the south of our country, and it is mostly uncharted and untapped. We cant afford to leave it untouched. Yes, I agree. This time, Jin responded. First, we want to create ships capable of ocean voyages that can withstand journeyssting several days to a few weeks. The primary purpose will be transporting goods. To promote the development of water transportation, I assume. Elsa remembered her recent conversation with Lioness Ashford in Klein Kingdom. Thats right. For this reason, we want to buildrge ships, and wed like Reinhard to be part of this n. Do you already have an outline for the ship? No, weve only decided that the size will be between 30 and 40 meters. The details will be handled by experts. It sounds interesting. Jin, who had been deeply involved in shipbuilding on Peni Ind, found himself getting excited. In the Celroa Kingdom, there were 40-meter-long ships used to carry wagons across the Azure River. These were simple ferry boats with limited mobility. In that sense, this newrge ship, which will be the first of its kind in the world. It was no surprise that Jin was eager to get on board. Chapter 658 658 20-08 Projects Jin, are you willing to participate as well? Seeing Jins enthusiasm, the Empress asked for confirmation. Yes, if possible. That would be very helpful. Wed like you to y a role as an advisor, okay? Considering Jins rtively free position and ability to lead, he was assigned the position of advisor. Of course, Jin is not solely a citizen of the Shouro Empire, so theres no obligation. However, it would be appreciated if you could support this project to the end. Ill do my best. Jin responded with a nod to the Empresss request. Now, with Jin joining us, lets delve into more detailed exnations. The Prime Minister began exining further. For the future development of our country, we are thinking of improving our transportation infrastructure and strengthening our transport capabilities. This is not for the short term but for the medium to long term. The Prime Minister shared that he learned this idea from Jins gifted book Fhrer. Hearing this, Jin felt pleased, as the knowledge was being used for the benefit of the people. Fornd transport, we are considering mass production of Goliaths. Therge, 6-meter-tall golems could carry approximately 10 tons of cargo, but for practical use and considering mana consumption, it was more suitable for carrying around 5 tons. Goliaths will not only be used for transport but also for assisting inrge-scale construction. Jin was impressed as he also used the heavy-duty golem Daidara on Peni Ind, realizing the potential of such heavy machinery in this world where cranes and forklifts did not exist. Additionally, we want to mass-produce golems for human assistance. Jin could understand this too as he used the Smith golem for his work. Lord Reinhard Randle recently provided a temte for the ck Knight Schwarze Ritter. We decided to officially adopt it, although well make some adjustments in materials. I am honored. The initial Schwarzeritter operated with the application of Transmutation Forming, which was an efficient method when perfected. Weve alreadypleted the shipyard in the town of Simos on the shores of Lake Wass in the south. Jin could tell from the preparations that the project was proceeding systematically and not just a passing idea. Magic Engineering Minister Degauz will be responsible for this project, but Undersecretary Christoph will act as the de facto coordinator. Christoph Balde von Tarnat had previously served as the witness at the wedding between Reinhard and Belche. As for the magic engineers, currently, we have Lord Reinhard Randle, Zenelos Fort, and ire Altmann. We might add one or two more. Understood. When does it start? Christoph has already arrived on-site. Wed appreciate it if you could head there as soon as possible, preferably by tomorrow. The Prime Minister looked at Jin, probably expecting to rely on Jins airship. The distance between Royzart and Simos town on the shore of Lake Wass was approximately 150 kilometers, and an airship could cover that in half a day. Ill send a message with a pigeon today, so please be ready. In this way, Jin and Reinhard were assigned to their new roles. Later, the group returned to Jins residence on Peni Ind after their visit to the Imperial Pce. Elsa came along as well. Reinhard wanted to see the Shark Jin had created. He also had several things to discuss before they began the project. Wow, this is amazing. Can I take a ride? Yes, of course. In turn, Jin, Reiko, Edgar, Elsa, and Reinhard boarded the Shark. A dedicated pier had been constructed, making boarding a smooth process. I see, the bigger the ship, the more you have to think about boarding and disembarking. Reinhard began studying it immediately. Jin, did you make this all by yourself? Oh, right, all by yourself, or well, with a bit of help from Reiko, Jin replied. Reiko, upon hearing this, cast a sideways nce at Elsa. I wanted to help, Elsa pouted, turning her head away. Well, Elsa wasnt around, though, Jin added as an afterthought. I mean, it was lonely without you. Eh? Elsa didnt seem to have heard this part. Huh? Oh yeah, thats right. Jin lived all alone before meeting Elsa and Reinhard. Reinhard chimed in, eager to get moving. At that time, even though you were there, Reiko and the others helped me a lot. But now, I have friends with me. Lets go! Jin activated the Water Magic Propulsion Unit, Aqua Ruster. The Shark began to move slowly. Wow, it moves so smoothly. In contrast to the golem-powered boats, the Shark moved without swaying as it cruised gently through the calm waters of Tatsumi Bay. Now, lets pick up the speed. Turning the bow of the ship toward the open sea, Jin opened the throttle. Wow, what is this? Fast. Reinhard and Elsa couldnt hide their surprise at the Sharks speed, which exceeded an estimated 50 kilometers per hour. This ship is so fast for its size! As experts on ships, Reinhard and Elsa could estimate the speed by feeling the wind on their faces. Maybe its even faster than during the Golem Boat Racing, Jin? The time when Jin and Marcia won with their Signus. They likely reached speeds close to 40 kilometers per hour during the final sprint, but the Sharks speed exceeded that. Of course, Jin had faster aircraft at his disposal, but the impressive part was that the Shark achieved this speed without any special materials. In a way, Elsas ability to discern the absence of special materials in the Shark with just a brief nce revealed her growth as a magic engineer. Big brother Jin, its amazing! Yeah, its really something. Jin, this ship is incredible! To achieve this speed without any special materials! Reinhard also sensed that no special materials had been used in the Sharks construction. Thank you. Well, from here on, lets move on to the next world. Eh? Big brother Jin? The next world? Jin yfully grinned and turned on the Force Generator, a force field generator. eleration time! Wh-Whoa!? The Shark elerated rapidly, exceeding the previous test speed of 150 kilometers per hour. W-Whats with this speed!? Big brother Jin, could this? Elsa seemed to have figured something out. Right, this is thepleted Force Generator propulsion. Force Generator propulsion? Thats it. Jin acknowledged with a smile. He stopped the Shark, and it gradually slowed down. Aah, so, I wanted to gather the family, but Elsa had gone back to her family, and Toa and the others were out, so we couldnt get everyone together. As he mentioned this, Jin turned to Elsa and Reinhard. At least its a first meeting for everyone except me. Reiko, show them! Yes, Father. Jin and the others ascended to the roof of the Shark. The roof had handrails and built-in chairs for convenience. Here we go! Reiko vanished in front of Reinhard and Elsa. Or rather, she seemed to have disappeared. Huh? Up there, Jin pointed. Elsa and Reinhard were surprised to see Reiko floating upward, unsupported. Force can be directed in any direction, including up. However, even so? I thought so, Jin? Reiko seemed to have sensed something. Yeah, its thepletion of the Force Generator.'' Force Generator? Really? Elsa and Reinhard were astonished to witness Reikos precise control and levitation, as well as her aerobatic flight, including loops, sharp ascents, rapid descents, rolls, and figure eights. They can see that I made the ship with ordinary materials! Congrattions, Jin! I wanted to help. Reinhard and Elsa admired the demonstration as they looked up in awe. Chapter 659

Chapter 659

Even after Reiko returned, Reinhard remained excited for a while. Jin, youre amazing after all! Imagine living on Peni Ind and leaving everything behind! Rei, Miss Berche would cry. The Shark gradually returned to Tatsumi Bay. Have you calmed down now? Oh, yes. By the time the Shark docked at the pier, Reinhards excitement had finally subsided. Jin firmly secured the Shark and turned to Reinhard. I think we can develop personal flying armor-like devices once we umte more control data for the Force Generator.'' I see! Im looking forward to that! Jin tried to distract Reinhard, but it backfired. Flying armor? People flying through the air? Fantastic! I cant wait for that day! Until they returned to the research institute, Reinhard remained in a state of constant excitement. The discussion for this development project? Yes. Back at the research institute, at what felt like lunchtime for Jin and the others, Reinhards excitement had calmed down. For me, it was quite informative. Jin, using ordinary materials to create something like that is impressive! I agree I didnt expect the Force Generator, though. Reinhard and Elsa both appraised the Shark that Jin had created. Seeing that, Im confident that His Majestys ns for this project will seed. I cant lose to Eckhardt Tecless, a merchant living in the southern part of the Celroa Kingdom! Reinhard was eager topete against Eckhardt Tecless, who was constructing a 40-meter-ss ship. If we use the Goliath for the construction, it will significantly reduce the construction period. Im looking forward to it! Jin shared Reinhards excitement. Well have to work out the specifics of the ship type there. Do we have everything we need? When Jin asked them, Elsa answered. Since its a national project, I think you only need to bring personal items. If necessary, you can buy what youck there. Thats right. Besides, we have a small warp gate on the airship, so we can return anytime. Jin, youre like that Reinhard marveled in an odd way. The next day, which was November 23rd, the early morning saw Jins airship depart from Loizardt. On board were Jin, Elsa, Reinhard, Reiko, Edgar, and the steward. Slightly overweight in terms of weight, they reduced it with gravity magic, and the airship headed straight for the town of Simos. With a light north wind, they arrived in Simos shortly after 10 AM. It seemed that a message had been sent by pigeon yesterday. Arge sign in thekeside square read Airship Landing Zone, so there was no need to search for anding point. Wee, Lord Reinhard, Lord Jin, and Lady Elsa. The one who weed them was the mayor of Simos, who appeared to be in his mid-30s, energetic and slightly skinny, tall, with brown hair and gray eyes, giving off a vibrant impression. And Lady Reiko, and is he Master Edgar? The mayor seemed to have a firm grasp of the information about their group. Right next to the square, a hot air balloon was anchored. I am Varial Toa. We were informed of your arrival yesterday, so weve been waiting for you. Because Baron Reinhard was the highest-ranking among the three and had been assigned the task by the Empress herself, he served as the representative. It seems that you are Mr. Jin Nidou. Your reputation precedes you. The youngdy here is Lady Elsa Randle. And Miss Reiko, despite being an automata, also holds the title of squire. Nice to meet you. Jins airship was securely anchored, and they ced a temporary covering over it. They left the steward in charge and followed the mayors guidance, walking to their destination. It was a short walk, but it appeared that the working area was right next to them. This way. Just a three-minute walk from where the airship was anchored. There was a new building by the inlet facing Lake Wass, and one of them was the management building. It seemed like the project had been well prepared in advance, as the mayor exined that they had started construction in July, which meant the project had been in progress since shortly after the Technological Exposition. Ah, Lord Jin Nidou, wee. Im sorry I couldnte to meet you. Lord Reinhard, thank you foring. Miss Elsa, or should I say Miss Elsa? And also, Lord Reiko, you havee. The current projects site director, Christoph Bard von Tarnate, served as the Vice Minister of the Shoal Empires Ministry of Magic and Technology. He had acted as a witness at Reinhards wedding and served as the master of ceremonies during the Technology Exposition, so Jin was familiar with him. No need to apologize for not being able to go to the meeting, I didnt mention the time. Even if you say that, its still embarrassing. Christoph scratched his head. So, whats this? Jin asked Christoph as he looked at the ns he had spread on the table. These are ship ns. Ive been studying them for a while because they look pretty good. May we take a look? Please, go ahead. But before that, now that the core team isplete, Id like to have everyone introduce themselves. Huh? I thought one or two more people might be added. Exactly. We finalized thest member this morning. With that, a meeting was arranged to take ce in a conference space further inside. Everyone, thank you for gathering. Our goal is to create an unprecedented giant ship. This will bring a significant revolution to our Shoal Empires industry and transportation. After the introduction, Christoph took a short pause, looked around at the seven people who were seated, and began the self-introductions. I am the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Magic and Technology, Christoph Bard von Tarnate, and I serve as the site manager. Now, let me introduce the people who have gathered here. First, we have the Magicraft Meister, Jin Nido, participating as a consultant. The other five people, apart from Reinhard and Elsa, murmured in excitement. The title of Magicraft Meister had apparently reached them. Next to him is Miss Elsa Randle, who is both a Magic Engineer and a state-appointed healing mage, Reichsaltsdot. She can attend to injuries that ur during work. The introduced Elsa bowed her head slightly without saying a word. Next to Lord Reinhard Randle, who is on Jin Nidos other side. Oh, I forgot to mention earlier, but during your involvement in this project, lets try not to be too attached to titles like nobles or aristocrats. Being too particr about it might hindermunication. Saying so, Christoph smiled. Jin felt relieved that it would be a rxed atmosphere. On the other side of Lord Reinhard Randle is Xeneroz Fort. Hes a local Magic Engineer and Magicraft Meister. Xeneroz had blond hair, gray eyes, and a robust figure. On the other hand, ire Altman, who was introduced next, had red hair and brown eyes, and her petite appearance could make one think she was still a child, but she was over twenty. On my other side is Rodrigo. He is a shipwright from the Elias Kingdom. And the one next to him is Cobalt, a shipwright from our Simos town. So, the eight of them, including Christoph, would be the initial members. Of course, they would hire additional workers. Rodrigo was taller than Reinhard and looked even skinnier than him. Jin felt like he had seen his golden hair and blue eyes somewhere before. The other Cobalt was silver-haired with green eyes and had a sturdy build. Now that were all here Christoph adjusted his seating position a bit. As I mentioned earlier, until weplete this project, I will serve as the site manager. The basic working hours will be from 8 AM to 5 PM. There might be extensions depending on the progress. During the working hours, please try not to be too particr about noble titles and such. But I do expect you to maintain basic etiquette. Thats all. Christoph put on an expression fitting for a manager, then spread the ns he had been looking at earlier on the conference table. Now, I would like to get to the discussion right away. Here is the conceptual design for the new ship. I was looking at it earlier, and it seems quite promising. I would like to hear everyones opinions. Jin peered at the drawings and was surprised. This is a catamaran? Rodrigo spoke up, Jin, was it? Do you know what a catamaran is? The other five people, apart from Reinhard and Elsa, were agitated. The term Magicraft Meister seemed to have reached them. Whos next to you is Miss Elsa Randle, who is a Magic Engineer and a state-appointed healer, Reichsaltsdot. She can tend to injuries sustained during work. The introduced Elsa simply nodded her head slightly. And next to Lord Reinhard Randle is Xeneroz Fort. Hes a local Magic Engineer and Magicraft Meister. Xeneroz had blond hair, gray eyes, and a robust figure, and he was quite young. ire, the girl next to him, had red hair, brown eyes, and appeared petite enough to be mistaken for a child, although she was over twenty. On the other side of Lord Reinhard Randle is Xeneroz Fort, a local Magic Engineer and Magicraft Meister. Xeneroz had blond hair, gray eyes, and a sturdy build. ire Altman, who was introduced next, had red hair, brown eyes, and appeared petite enough to be mistaken for a child, although she was over twenty. Next to me on this side is Rodrigo. Hes a shipwright from the Elias Kingdom. And the one next to him is Cobalt, a shipwright from our Simos town. So, the eight of them, including Christoph, would be the initial members. Of course, they would hire additional workers. Rodrigo was taller than Reinhard and looked even skinnier than him. Jin felt like he had seen his golden hair and blue eyes somewhere before. The other Cobalt was silver-haired with green eyes and had a sturdy build. Now that were all here Christoph adjusted his seating position. As I mentioned earlier, until weplete this project, I will serve as the site manager. The basic working hours will be from 8 AM to 5 PM. There might be extensions depending on the progress. During the working hours, please try not to be too particr about noble titles and such. But I do expect you to maintain basic etiquette. Thats all. Christoph put on an expression fitting for a manager, then spread the ns he had been looking at earlier on the conference table. Now, I would like to get to the discussion right away. Here is the conceptual design for the new ship. I was looking at it earlier, and it seems quite promising. I would like to hear everyones opinions. Jin peered at the drawings and was surprised. This is a catamaran? Thats right, Jin, right? Do you know what a catamaran is? Rodrigo asked. He looked puzzled. Yes, Ive seen one in Portrock in the Elias Kingdom. Right, Reinhard? Yeah. I thought it was quite a practical design. Upon hearing that, Rodrigos face brightened. Is that so? This design offers excellent stability and is perfect for ocean travel, I think. What do you think? It makes sense. However, considering the size What do you mean? Rodrigo asked. Jin continued to exin. There are auxiliary float ships simr to catamarans. If waves hit only those floats, what do you think would happen? Hmm? Ah, I see. There would be significant force exerted on the arms connecting the floats to the main hull. Rodrigo appeared to understand. He quickly arrived at an answer. For smaller boats, catamarans might be effective Jin recalled Marshas catamaran from thepetition. However, when its on arger scale Go on. It might get heavier to ensure sufficient strength to withstand the forces, especially if its primarily constructed of wood. This experience of building the Shark on Peni Ind wasing in handy here. We also need to consider how it aligns with the propulsion system. Rodrigo nodded in agreement. Right, thats a good point. Christoph, could you please exin further? Understood. Christoph took out another set of blueprints. Chapter 660

Chapter 660

20-10 Intense Discussion For the propulsion system, Jin, Im thinking of this one that youre probably familiar with. Jin nodded as he looked at the blueprints Christoph had spread out. Indeed, he was quite familiar with it. The Wind Magic Propulsion Thruster, Wind sher, right? Unlike the Magic Jet Engine, it used wind magic without recoil to generate propulsion by reducing the diameter of the jet outletpared to the air intake, increasing the wind speed to obtain thrust. Yes, thats right. The idea is to use what is originally used as a propulsion engine for hot air balloons on the ship. They had considered adapting it for underwater use by converting it into a water magic version, but due to the narrow diameter of the jet outlet, it was likely to get clogged with aquatic nts and debris. So, Christoph exined that they decided to use it as it is to generate thrust in the air. The idea of using a barrier to prevent solid objects from being sucked in, like Jins concept, did not seem to cross their minds. However, Jin also thought it wouldnt be a problem. Even on modern-day Earth, there were boats with propellers designed to run in areas with a lot of water nts and algae. We n to use three to four of these Wind Magic Propulsion Thrusters. That sounds good. Christoph beamed as Jin, the developer, nodded. So, with the premise of using these Wind Magic Propulsion Thrusters, Id like you to proceed with considering the ships hull. In that case, the mounting position bes a problem. How about between the two hulls of the catamaran? Rodrigo quickly spoke up. Not a bad idea. I I think a slightly higher position would be better. For maintenance convenience, and I think we can change the direction of the Wind Magic Propulsion Thrusters to change the direction of travel. I see. It was an idea to cover the drawback of the catamarans inferior maneuverability. No, then the intake ports would be on the deck. What if, by any chance, a crew member gets sucked in? Now there was a suggestion addressing the potential danger. If thats the case, why not just attach a in front of the intake port? No, no, generating propulsion from too high a position could make the ships behavior unstable, you know? Thus, the discussion heated up from the very beginning. Observing the lively atmosphere from a slightly withdrawn position, Jin thought, This kind of atmosphere is also nice, and rxed in a carefree manner. However, So, if you want safety, you shoulde up with a solution! No, Im saying that thinking like that will reduce the propulsion power. You shoulde up with a solution! Its unnecessary to do something that could be considered wasteful! Whats wasteful? Coming up with solutions is what engineers do, right? The debate escted gradually. Mainly, it was between Clea and Generos. Clea, with her red hair, somehow resembled Vina, and Jin watched the two arguing while thinking about it. Lets stop the discussion here for now. Christoph intervened, forcefully stopping the seemingly never-ending exchange. We should listen to the opinion of Mr. Jin, the inventor of the Wind Magic Propulsion Thruster, regarding this. That would be better. At Christophs words, the attendees turned their attention to Jin, making him feel somewhat pressured. However, when it came to technical discussions, that was Jins arena. From an efficiency standpoint, I believe its better to keep the flow path, the wind passage, as straight as possible. Hearing this, Generos looked triumphant, a look that seemed to irk Clea. Ugh Clea clenched her small fist in frustration but said nothing more, ring alternately at Jin and Generos. But during direction changes, it might be a good idea to branch the flow path, Jin added. With this addition, Clea showed a happy expression. If thats the case, what about the Wind Magic Propulsion Thruster? I think it should be ced below the deck section connecting the two hulls. This time, Rodrigo spoke up. No, in that case, the catamaran might not be suitable for this purpose after all, objected Kubalt, the shipwright from Shimos. Why? Because for that, strength is required. In that case, it would be disadvantageous for one of the nned purposes, transportation, as it would lead to a decrease in payload. The increase in the ships weight would directly lead to a decrease in cargo capacity, Kubalt exined. I see Rodrigo seemed to sincerely consider others opinions. After various opinions were exchanged, the assembly fell into contemtive silence. At that moment, Now, lets put an end to the debate for now. Christoph, sensing that the discussion could go on forever, forcefully stopped it. Weve had a lot of opinions on the first day, which is delightful. Since the timing is just right, lets have lunch. With that, Christoph pped his hands once. Lunch was delivered from a nearby hotel to the conversation room prepared separately from the meeting room. It was akeside setting, with a set meal centered around river fish. Of course, the fish had been cooked, or rather, salt-grilled, so there was no need to worry about parasites. Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt had noints about the taste. No, Im surprised. Its been so intense right from the start. Drinking tea after the meal, Reinhardt spoke, and Jin nodded in agreement. Yeah. But its interesting. Being involved in this kind of development can be quite enlightening. Even you, Brother Jin, feel that way? Elsa looked at Jin with a puzzled expression. Yeah. Indeed. People with different perspectives sometimes point out unexpected things. And often, those are things youve overlooked. So, how do you, Jin, think about the catamaran? Well, about that Jin lowered his voice. In the world I came from, I dont remember manyrge catamarans. I guess its because they have both advantages and disadvantages. Hearing this, Reinhardt decided to respond more as a statesman than a technician. Certainly, from the perspective of someone providing the budget, youd want to avoid everything being entirely new. For a project funded by the public, its not eptable to easily create something unproven, dont you think? In reality, a cautious approach, building on existing achievements, is taken rather than doing something entirely new. I sort of understand What I mean is Do you know about building and operating achievements? If youre doing it privately, its different, but if youre pouring in tax money from the people, you cant easily create something without proven results. In the real world, a careful approach is taken, building on existing achievements rather than attempting something entirely new. I sort of understand What I mean is Do you know about building and operating achievements? If youre doing it privately, its different, but if youre pouring in tax money from the people, you cant easily create something without proven results. Elsa nced at Jin. So, in that sense, Brother Jin, youre cheating. Haha, quite harsh. But its true. Reinhardt, like me, is a bit of a tinkerer, but what sets him apart is his political vision. Elsa chuckled, ncing at Jin. So, Brother Jin, Brother Reinhardt, are you both against the catamaran? Yeah. Unfortunately. Both replied in unison. Well, I guess so. Too bad. A voice came from behind, and when Jin turned around, Rodrigo was standing there, holding a cup of tea. Ah, Sir Rodrigo. Im not saying theres anything wrong with the catamaran. Its just But Rodrigo interrupted Jin with a wry smile. No, Lord Jin, I dont have anyints. Your points make sense, and Lord Reinhardts perspective is also valid. Rodrigo didnt seem like a self-righteous technician. His age, likely in his mid-40s, might contribute to that. Ive never built such arge ship before. What Lord Jin mentioned about the forces on the hull changing due to the waves, I just realized it now. Truly impressive. Oh, that sounds interesting. Kubalt joined the conversation. In that case, what conditions are necessary when designing arge ship? Kubalt, having finished his tea, looked at each of them before raising the question. Stability, restorability, strength, habitability, maneuverability, maintainability, fuel efficiency There are various factors to consider. This was Jins response. Hearing these words, Kubalt widened his eyes. Haha! Indeed, youre the Magikraft Meister. Toe up with such an immediate answer. Ive been thinking about this since the discussion started, and I agree. I didnt even consider maintainability. Then, Christoph joined them. It seems like an interesting discussion is taking ce, but Id like to continue it in the conference room. There were no objections, and after finishing their tea, they all moved to the conference room. Chapter 661

Chapter 661

20-11 Models and Experiments In the conference room, as soon as they moved, Jin made a request to Christoph. Christoph, do you have any Magi Resin? Hmm? I have some reserved for Golem maintenance. Magi Resin is themon name for resin that can be easily deformed by magic,monly used as the core material for Golems. Its essentially resin imbued with magic, akin to magical pine sap. Id like to get some of that. Well, its reserved for Golem maintenance, but Christoph called a soldier outside the room and ordered him to bring a sizable amount of Magi Resin. In a few minutes, the soldier returned carrying Magi Resin in his arms. Thank you. Now, can I use this? Jin looked at the Magi Resin ced on the conference table, and with everyones curious eyes on him, he began contemting something. The others were eager to see what Jin had in mind. Eventually, Jin seemed to organize his thoughts and calmly used engineering magic. Separation Transformation Forming For a moment, a faint glow characteristic of engineering magic urred, and the mass of Magi Resin on the table fragmented and transformed into a ship. Oh! This is Incredible! The onlookers were amazed by Jins swift work. Only Reinhardt and Elsa were unfazed. Um, Ive made a roughly 1:100 scale model. I thought it might be useful for our discussions. A model about 40 centimeters in length, representing a conventional single-hull ship. Yeah, I think its better if the bottom of the ship isnt t. In cases where there are waves, if the bottom is t, it might break when lifted and mmed onto the waters surface. Impressed by Jins precision and speed, no one spoke until Reinhardt broke the silence. I think its better to make the front of the ship slightly higher since waves hit there. Elsa also chimed in. Clearly, her experience in the Golem boat race in Potluck had paid off. Alright, like this? Transformation Forming.'' Following their suggestions, Jin made adjustments to the details of the model. By then, the initially astonished crowd had regained theirposure, realizing the effectiveness of this approach. Shouldnt we make the bow a bit narrower? Is this about right in terms of length and width? The sides should be curved rather than t to prevent the deck from being washed by the waves. Using a mock-up, a model, in product development ismon sense in modern Japan, but it was a fresh idea for these individuals. After about 30 minutes of exchange, the approximate shape of the hull had been rapidly refined. However, this method is quite interesting. Christoph, taking a break, expressed his admiration. No one would have thought of this if Lord Jin werent here. Is this what you call a mock-up? Its far more understandable than drawings. Its a shame, though, that it seems to require expertise in magical engineering. Cobalt spoke resignedly. Jin reassured him. No, no. It may take time, but you can make it with wood or y. Indeed, thats true. Rodrigo nodded in agreement. And so, with Jins model-making, the shape of the ships hull was rapidly refined. Water was poured into arge container, and the model was floated to identify various issues and make necessary corrections. With this phaseing to an end, the discussion shifted to the next stage. Now, lets move on to the instation of the Wind Thruster, the magical propulsion device. Yes, we need to decide on that; otherwise, determining the hull shape wont make much sense. Indeed, lets proceed with the considerations for the thruster. Jin agreed with Christophs suggestion, and the others also nodded in agreement. Here, once again, Zenelos and Creia started a heated argument. Im telling you, its more stable if we attach the thrusters on both sides! But wouldnt that obstruct getting on and off? Its better to attach it along the ships centerline! But making a 40-meter Wind Thruster on both sides, is that necessary? It seems like a waste, doesnt it? Hmm (Those two, are they on bad terms?) (No, theyre probably just simr personalities, so they sh.) Elsa quietly asked Reinhardt, making sure not to direct her question to Jin. Jin, on the other hand, watched the exchange between the two with a slightly exasperated expression. Generally, if you attach it that low, water mighte in, not just wind! Considering the structure and principles of the thruster, sshes shouldnt be a problem. But if its debris or algae, that could be an issue. But during a storm or when we need propulsion, it would be troublesome if it malfunctioned, wouldnt it? We can use wind magic to blow away sand and small stones. Water shouldnt be a problem. It should be a problem! It involves the lives of the crew! To prevent the discussion from dragging on endlessly, and since Jin couldnt let the argument continue, he decided to intervene. How about experimenting with that too, with a model, or rather, a prototype? Good idea! Yes, that makes sense! Jin asked Christoph to arrange for bronze and magic crystal MagiCrystals. Using these materials, Jin made a Wind Thruster about 50 centimeters in length this time, which is not at a 1:100 scale but still small enough to test. By now, the speed at which Jin worked didnt astonish them as much as before, but everyone, except Elsa and Reinhardt, still stared wide-eyed. Now, this is not a 1:100 scale. Its a Wind Thruster that should be enough to move a hot air balloon. By testing this with water, we can see if it works properly. Once again, Christoph was the first to regain hisposure. Y-yes, right. Was Lake Wass nearby? Lets test it on a general-purpose Golem. Indeed, its right there. Lets have a Golem perform the experiment. So, everyone headed to the shores of Lake Wass. Now, lets get started. Christoph activated the Wind Thruster. As the wind blew, the general-purpose Golem restrained it with its strength. Hmm, yes. This Wind Thruster made by Lord Jin has quite a bit of power. Cobalt, who had been observing, expressed his admiration. Then, please immerse it in the water, Jin said. Is it alright? Christoph hesitated. However, Jin smiled and nodded. All right. Go ahead and immerse it in the water. Christophmanded the general-purpose Golem to immerse the Wind Thruster in Lake Wass. Immediately, something unexpected happened. Whoa!? The general-purpose Golem, weighing over 200 kilograms, was dragged down and pulled into theke. At a time like this! Dragging gravel from thekeside, the Golem was about to submergepletely when Hurry, bring the Wind Thruster above the water! No, make it face upwards! Golem! Stand up and use whatever you have! Following Jins instructions, Christoph hurriedly gave orders. By standing the Wind Thruster upright, the Golem was finally able to stop being dragged into the water. We dont have the power to lift 200 kilograms into the air. The Golem came back, dripping water. Lord Jin, what was that? Could you exin? Of course. Lets head back inside for that. Everyone returned to the meeting room. Naturally, the Wind Thruster had been stopped. Now, about the phenomenon you just witnessed Looking at the eager faces of those who wanted to know the reason, Jin began to speak slowly. By the way, Elsa and Reinhardt already knew the reason. The Wind Thruster is an application of the Wind attribute magic, Strong Wind. This Strong Wind magic affects air molecules Jin started to exin but hesitated. Um, air isposed of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. There might be questions, but first, please understand that aspect. Suppressing the urge to speak that was evident on the faces of the listeners, Jin continued his exnation. Strong Wind is what moves those particles of air. And anything within the effective range, regardless of whether its made up of air particles, will be moved. A small exmation of understanding could be heard. Jin continued. Even, for example, if there were sand particles. You know how Strong Wind can blow away dust, smoke from a fire, right? Thats a practical example. This time, there were nods and no audible responses. So, water, too, is made up of water moleculestiny particles of water. Thats why it can be moved with Strong Wind.'' Here, Jin paused, looking at everyones faces, except Elsa and Reinhardt. Water is much heavier than air, so the Golem was dragged down. However, that doesnt mean itsmendable to use the Wind Thruster underwater all the time. Why is that? Christoph asked, representing the group. Jin answered promptly. Because its less efficient than the Water attribute magic Water Stream.'' Chapter 662 Chapter 662_ End of Day 1 Jin exined how inefficient it would be to manipte water with wind attribute magic. In other words, the size of the molecules we target is different. Water molecules are several timesrger than air molecules, roughly like the difference between sand and gravel. Here, Jins use of the term water moleculescks uracy. The size of one water molecule (H?O) is not significantly different from oxygen or nitrogen molecules. If anything, its rtively light. Materials with waterproof and moisture-permeable properties allow water vapor to pass but not liquid water. In the case of liquid water, water molecules are not in individual H?O units but rather clustered together, forming the so-called cluster state. This functional difference is due to the apparentrger size of these clusters. In essence, individual gaseous water molecules can pass through small holes, but water molecules in liquid form, which are clustered, cannot. Water attribute magic works on these clusters, but wind attribute magic works on each water molecule individually. In other words, it is highly inefficient. Even working on each molecule individually doesnt increase the power. Its simply a waste. Leaving aside these technical details, Jin managed to convince those whocked basic knowledge of atoms and molecules by using metaphors and examples. Well, Lord Jin, thank you for the exnation. Honestly, there were parts I didnt quite understand, but I think I grasped the essential points: that the Wind Thruster can function even when covered with water, and in that case, the consumption of mana, the magical energy, increases. Christoph expressed his gratitude. The others, looking somewhat tired, also nodded. The discussion was concluded as it was about time to wrap up the first day. I apologize for the rearrangement of the itinerary, but amodations have been prepared here. Guided by Christoph, or rather, everyone walked in the same direction. They headed to a hotel by thekeside, a quaint and pleasant establishment. Weve reserved the entire hotel for your stay until the project ispleted. From the on-site director Christoph to the escort soldiers, everyone was supposed to stay at this hotel. Each person had a private room. The rooms were on the second floor, arranged in the order of Reinhardt, Jin, and Elsa. All rooms faced Lake Wass, providing a beautiful view. Hmm, two rooms, a living room and a bedroom. Jin ced his belongings in the room and looked around. Reiko was checking the interior. Father, theres also a bathroom and a shower room. Perhaps due to the abundant water from thekeside location, the facilities seemed quite good. However, Jin preferred themunal bath. Therefore, carrying spare underwear, he decided to go to the bath. Then, in the hallway, he ran into Reinhardt and Elsa. Hey, Jin, are you going to the bath too? Yeah, thats right. Me too. Shall we go together? Elsa, you can join us until the entrance. Mm. Since the baths were separated by gender, Elsa could apany them to the first floor, where the baths were located. Oh, quite spacious, isnt it? The Southern part of the Shouro Empire has a bathing culture. Its not like hot springs, but its rxing. With no one else present, Jin and Reinhardt were in a private setting. The two stretched their limbs and leisurely soaked in the bath. Hey, Rodrigo What do you think? Taking advantage of the private setting, Jin spoke to Reinhardt. Well, seems like a good person. Not about that, though. About Miss Marshas situation? Marsha was Jins partner during the Golem Boat Race held in Potrok in the past. I suspect she might be the father who went missing when she disappeared. I think so too. Reinhardt was also aware of Marshas circumstances. What should we do? It depends on what she thinks. Lets observe a little longer. Yeah, that might be a good idea. At that moment, the sound of someone entering the changing room was heard, so they ended the conversation there. On the other hand, there was a prior visitor in the womens bath. Oh. Oh, Elsa-san, right? It was Clea Altman. Good work today, Elsa-san. Haha, indeed. Im tired on the first day. Cleaughed while washing herself. Elsa nced at her from the side while rinsing her body. Despite Cleas petite height, only reaching Elsas nose, she had a reasonably-sized chest that elicited a sense of unfairness. Once in the hot water, Clea, who finished washing, also entered. Ah, spacious baths are really nice. In response to the casually muttered words, Elsa replied with a simple Yeah. Are you knowledgeable about ships, Elsa-san? Huh? Yeah I participated in the Golem Boat Race in Potrok. Surprised, Clea responded, Wow! Thats amazing. Ive heard rumors. One of the top engineers in the Elias Kingdom gathers there, right? Yeah, maybe. I teamed up with my cousin Rein well, my cousin Reinhardt, so. Huh? Oh, I see. If you share the Randol surname, then youre cousins. So, what about you and Mr. Jin? Jin-nii is Elsa momentarily stumbled over her words. Just the other day, she felt that her feelings had been conveyed to Jinjust her feelings. Right after that, in a moment of crisis, Jin had embraced her, and she even received a ring. However, she hadnt heard Jins feelings, the crucial part. Hes my master, a sort of brother a sister by rtion. At the moment, shecked the confidence for anything beyond that. Wow, the top disciple! A MagiCraft Meister in magical engineering! Clea immediately seized on the aspect of being the top disciple. You were amazing today! The speed and precision of that Transformation Forming! And your knowledge is incredible. Truly, youre the only MagiCraft Meister in the world! Clea showered Jin with praise, more as a disy of admiration. While listening to her statements, Elsa felt a mix of happiness and frustration. I need to wash my hair. Trying to change the mood, Elsa got out of the bath. Clea followed suit. Oh, if its your hair, I can wash it for you. Lets wash each others hair! Huh? Though Clea had a somewhat familiar and forward personality for someone she just met, Elsa wasnt particrly fond of her. But she couldnt say that directly. Fine. Ill wash it myself. Elsa said only that, but Oh, no need to hold back. The hair shampoo here is pretty good. Let me do it. Without waiting for a response, Clea moved behind Elsa, scooped hot water into a basin, and poured it over Elsas head. Make sure to keep your eyes closed. Saying that, she poured shampoo on Elsas head with surprisingly gentle and careful movements. Any itchy spots? Mm. Helpless, Elsa let herself go with the flow. You have beautiful blonde hair. Its straight and translucent. Im so envious. My hair is all frizzy red, so jealous! While saying this, she continued washing Elsas hair more gently and meticulously than Elsa had anticipated. Any itchy spots now? Mm. At this point, Elsa had no choice but to go with the flow. Your hair is done. Now, let me rinse it with hot water. Dont open your eyes yet. Saying so, Clea rinsed Elsas hair with hot water from the basin. I can envy your smooth blonde hair, right? Mine is so wild and unruly. Saying such things, Clea finished washing Elsas hair. Elsa, who had it done by herdy-in-waiting and foster mother, Meine, had no choice but to admit, Surprisingly not bad, to Cleas assistance. S-So, now its my turn. Oh, thank you. With unustomed movements but reasonably skilled hands, Elsa washed Cleas head just as she had done. Clea did have somewhat coarse hair, but it was well-maintained, not dirty. Ah, feels refreshing! Thanks! After expressing her gratitude to Elsa, Clea headed back to the bath. Elsa then washed herself and returned to the bath once again. It seemed Clea liked to soak in the hot water, as she was still in the bath. Hey, do you think guys prefer girls with blonde hair? Huh? Elsa was faced with quite a challenging question. I mean, with my red hair, seeing a girl with blonde hair makes me jealous. I know a woman with red hair who became a countess. Thinking of a friend in the Egelea Kingdom, Elsa shared that information. Eh? Really? Hmm, is it the chest after all? Or maybe the face? Not much different from me. Saying that, Elsa inexplicably felt a bit sad. Hmm Maybe its the face after all Completely unaware of Elsas inner thoughts, Clea innocently pondered the matter. Chapter 663 663 The meeting on the 24th began with Rodrigos question. Lord Jin, based on yesterdays exnation, is it Wind Magic Strong Wind for the Wind Magic Propulsion Device Wind Thruster? What was it, um, water molecules? But cant it be done like air? The question had some unclear parts, but the intention behind it was clear to Jin. In other words, can we make it so that it doesnt change the propulsion force even if it gets water on it? Yes, thats it! When the Wind Magic Propulsion Device Wind Thruster is attached to the side of the hull, in rough waves, it inevitably sucks in water. Each time this happens, the propulsion force fluctuates, making it difficult to move straight, especially during slow forward movement, which can be problematic. Thats the reason. It might be possible. If he answered immediately, it would sound too much like a lie. So, Jin, being careful not to make it seem like he had avoided doing it, responded. Oh, really! In that case, Lord Jin, could you consider improving that? We will proceed with the discussion on the hull with the remaining members. Sure. So, Jin was alone, though apanied by Reiko, working on the improvement of the Wind Magic Propulsion Device Wind Thruster in a separate room. Elza looked a bit disappointed as she watched Jin go to the separate room. Father, is it really that difficult? Reiko had a curious expression. Jin reprimanded her. Shh, your voice is loud Improving something like that can be done in two minutes. But doing too much would make it stand out, and thats not good, you know? He seemed to be aware, at least a little. It might sound strange, but its likely that voices saying, Isnt it toote now? could be heard. I understand. So, Jin and Reiko worked together to partially dismantle the Wind Magic Propulsion Device Wind Thruster prototype created yesterday. Then, Jin contemted in front of it. However, what he was thinking about was a different matter. Even if its not a geostationary satellite, if markers are buried on top of mountains or something, it could serve as andmark, but theres still the possibility of being dug up I think thats a possibility. Since strong magical power makes it easier to be detected, its only natural. Thats why Jin is fixated on satellites. Um, its quite difficult to make itpletely stationary rtive to the earths surface. Precise calctions and urate measurements are required for that. Jin, thinking not only about the teleportation target but also about establishingndmarks for aircraft and ships, gradually shifted his thoughts towards considerations for the navigation technique he was currently developing. By the way, in ship navigation, its not just apass, right? What was it um a quadrant or sextant? Roughly speaking,titude and longitude can be determined based on the time and the suns position, and thetitude can be determined by the altitude of the North Star. Withtitude and longitude, one can know their own location. Slowly, his thoughts shifted towards considerations for the navigation technique he was currently developing. Reiko, does this world also have a North Star? Jin wasnt particrly knowledgeable about stars. Reiko, using the built-in ManaCommunication device, contacted the Old Man and answered Jins question. Yes, there is. A star with almost no deviation. Earths North Star is actually slightly off from the celestial North Pole, appearing to move in a slight circle, umting errors over time. I see. Then, I can confirm my position with the North Star at night. No, you can see it during the day too. Huh? Reikos words were shocking to Jin. Jin is well aware that Reiko has much better eyesight than humans. However, he never thought stars could be seen during the day. With vision acuity of 6.0 or 7.0, it seems stars can be seen during the day. However, Jins vision is about 1.5, so its impossible. However, in this world, where the air is clearer than on Earth, its not strange that stars can be seen during the day with Reikos eyesight. In that case, if I create a dedicated instrument, it should be possible to calcte the position from the time, the suns position, the moons position, and the North Stars position Setting the time at theboratory on Hourai Ind as Longitude 0 and using Hourai Mean Time (HMT), all that is left is measuring the angles and making calctions. This will solve the fleets navigation. Jin notified the Old Man of the idea that just came to him and decided to have the details worked out. I understand. Ill try making a prototype. Now, the issue is over here. While it might be good for the Hourai Ind fleet, Jin switched his thoughts back to the ongoing project. Apass is essential. In that case, we should avoid using ironponents as much as possible on the ship. Modern ships use a lot of ironponents, making the maicpass prone to deviation. Therefore, for the shipspass, Jin decided to use a maicpass instead of a gyropass, which would be too advanced. Hence, he wants to avoid using ironponents as much as possible. As he was pondering this, Reinhardt and Elza arrived. Jin, whats up? Its already lunchtime. Jin-nii, are you immersed in thoughts again? It seemed lunchtime hade without him realizing. Jin headed to the conversation room with the two. Lunch had already been delivered, and everyone except them had already started eating. Feeling hungry, Jin sat down and immediately started eating. The menu for the day included bread, sauted freshwater shrimp and vegetables, sweetened sweet potatoes (ItoPo), and fruit juice. Jin, how is it? I guess its rude to ask? After finishing the meal and having a second serving of juice, Reinhardt asked. The others listened intently. Uh, yeah. Ive got a rough idea. Now, I just need to try making it. As expected, youre amazing! Reinhardts praise was met with silent agreement from the others. It seems that everyone became convinced of Jins abilities during the previous day. Ive made quite a bit of progress too. In the afternoon, I n to start discussing the interior. Depending on the interior, there might be some minor changes to the hull as well. Ah, thats true By the way, who is handling the model processing? Since Jin is working on the propulsion system alone in a separate room, someone must be responsible. Who do you think? Smirking, Reinhardt nced briefly at Elza. Is it Elza? Nodding slightly, Elza blushed, seemingly aware of Reinhardts yful smile. Well, she is Jins top disciple after all. Her processing speed and uracy surpass mine. Everyone was impressed. Really As Jin stared, Elza blushed even more. While this was going on, the break time came to an end. Jin informed Reinhardt and Elza that he wants to use a maicpass, so they should avoid using ironponents as much as possible. I see, got it. Ill keep that in mind. With that, Reinhardt and Elza headed to the afternoon discussion meeting. Jin returned to his task. Now, lets finish up the propulsion system. For Jin, it was a straightforward task. If wind magic affects air molecules and water magic affects water clusters, what about earth magic? The answer is particles. Earth magic works on everything from the molecr level to rocksbasically any mass or lump. In other words, by utilizing magic like the Stone Bullet series, which affects lumps, propulsion can be generated regardless of air, water, dust, etc. But there are drawbacks. Muttering to himself, Jin modified the prototype. It has poor fuel efficiency Working on lumps means that there is a loss when trying to use it on air molecules. Its like using arge dump truck to transport a tennis ballone can imagine the inefficiency. But, Father, you can improve it, right? Inserting ament into Jins soliloquy was Reiko. It was a phrase full of trust in Jin. Of course. Jin grinned. Just add three magic forms to the Magiform. A judgment form to determine the size, a sorting form to categorize into three stages, and a control form to adjust the force based on size. In other words, an idea to apply suitable force to solid, liquid, and gas. With this, the efficiency would be improved to the point where it could bepared to the original Wind Thruster. After all, its my Father! Listening to Reikos praise, Jin rewrote the Magiform and reassembled the Wind Thruster. No, its not the Wind Thruster anymore. Right, lets call it Jet Thruster.'' Thus, the ship propulsion, the Jet Thruster, waspleted. With the remaining time, Jin pondered various methods for confirming the current position. I see! If we bury markers in ces so deep that they cant be dug up, that could work! If the sky is not viable, he thought inverselydeep underground might be. As long as the magical pattern is unique, and its only detectable to the extent of faintness, no one would bother digging it up. In this way, Jin continued to implement new ideas in the intervals. Chapter 664 Chapter 664: Bath-Time Conversations The second day concluded smoothly. ording to Reinhardt, the examination of the hull is almostplete,and they are now contemting how to integrate it with the propulsion system. It seems they areing to a good point by refining the details. Tomorrow, we can finally make a decision. Jin will also participate in the hull examination tomorrow. Yeah, Im looking forward to it. Jin and Reinhardt, once again, head to the bath together. Upon entering, they find Rodrigo already there. Ah, Lord Jin, Lord Reinhardt. Rodrigo greeted them with a raised hand from the bathtub. (He seems quite thin) Seeing Rodrigos body, Jin became a bit concerned. Despite his height, Reinhardt maintains a rtively light and slender appearance. However, Rodrigo is even more so, hes not just slender but downright skinny, to the point where it could be described as pathological. Moreover, Reinhardt, perhaps due to marrying Berthie or the increase in desk work as a feudal lord, has recently gained a little more flesh. Some might humorously say his belly is starting to show. Haha, my body? I was bedridden until recently. Seeing Jins slight frown as he examines his own physique, Rodrigo chuckles in a somewhat self-deprecating manner. No need to apologize. Jin offered an apology, but Rodrigo waved it off. Its okay. Anyone would have the same thought seeing this body. Honestly, it was because of gambling, alcohol, and women but Ive quit now, though. Haa While they engaged in this conversation, another person arrived for a bath. Oh, you guys came before me? It was the local magic technician and engineer, Zeneros Fort. In contrast to Rodrigo, Zeneros has a robust physique. Lord Jin and Lord Reinhardt are from the capital area, right? Do they have the custom of bathing there too? Zeneros asks while pouring water over himself. Well, yes, it has be moremontely. Reinhardt responds and Zeneros asks another question. Bathing customs arent widespread, I presume? Well, yeah. Its not possible without abundant water, and heating it also involves costs and effort. You also have to consider the disposal of used water. Youre right. In this world with magic, the Purification Cleanup type of magic can manage it, but even that isnt free. For a while, Reinhardt and Zeneros shared trivial stories. Meanwhile, Rodrigo conversed with Jin about various things. It seems like theyre crafting quite a remarkable ship. Its a pity they didnt go for the catamaran design. For a smaller ship, the advantages of a catamaran design could have been more efficiently exploited. It may not provide much constion, but Jin offered this perspective. Haha, thank you. Its even nice to receive such ttery from you. Jin found this mans straightforward personality appealing. So, he decided to ask him something more detailed. They mentioned youre from the Elias Kingdom. However, that word seemed to be a sensitive topic, as Rodrigos expression tensed. Yes My homnd is the Elias Kingdom. Back there, I did something well, something I cant face my family about. Oh, its not anything criminal, you know? I-I understand. I apologize for prying. As Jin apologized, Rodrigo shook his head. No, its natural to be curious when youve traveled all the way from such a distantnd. As if reassuring Jin not to worry, Rodrigo waved his hand in front of his face and continued. As I mentioned earlier, I got lost in gambling, umted debts, got involved with women, neglected my wife, and eventually, I deserted my family, ran away, drowned my sorrows in alcohol Thats how it is. Rodrigo, his ribs visible on his chest, gave it a light tap andughed with a mncholic expression. Jin was concerned about his health. Rodrigo, your body hasnt fully recovered yet, has it? Well, yeah. But even if I consult a healer, it seems it wont improve, and it costs money, you know? More than that, right now, I want to leave behind something, at least one job that I can be proud of to others. Saying only that, Rodrigo left the bath, leaving a voice saying hell go ahead. When Jin nced in that direction, it appeared Reinhardt had wrapped up his conversation with Zeneros. Or rather, if they lingered in the hot water any longer, they would risk overheating. The two decided to exit. We spent a bit too much time in there. Jin and Reinhardt, still sweating even after getting out of the water, took a moment to cool down in the changing room. After dressing, they headed outside. In the view from the window overlooking Lake Wass, the lights of boats for night fishing could be seen here and there. When they returned to the room, Elsa was standing in front of the door. Yourete. Ah, I got a bit caught up in conversation. I see. Since being alone in the room is boring, Elsa exined that she came to hang out until mealtime. So, the three of them decided to enter Jins room. Reinhardt asked Jin about thepleted propulsion system. Yeah, I arranged it so that it ispatible with the ship Jin provided a concise exnation. Reinhardt and Elsa grasped the concept easily. I see, as expected of Jin. Really. I think its not something youd easilye up with in ordinary circumstances. Haha, thank you. Tomorrow, well integrate the propulsion system with the ship and make the final adjustments. Reinhardt said with enthusiasm. Achieving milestones is always gratifying. That night, a message arrived from the Old Man. Master Mylord, as nned, John Dini has departed with Oliver. I see. Whats their destination? At the moment, its uncertain. Approximately, it appears to be a location roughly two days away. Understood. No need to rush. Lets take our time. Understood. On the 25th, lively opinions were exchanged in the meeting from early morning. With the propulsion system settled, the focus shifted to determining the final shape of the ship. Simultaneously, decisions were to be made regarding additional facilities. Would they prioritize habitability or cargo capacity? Should we prioritize speed or range? Heated discussions and arguments shed in the meeting. After a whole morning of debate, a conclusion was reached. As it was the first ship, they decided to prioritize habitability and range. If there are no objections, lets proceed with this n. In the afternoon, well delve into the details further. There were no objections to Christophs announcement. Everyone had high expectations for this new type of ship. So, after a quick lunch, the group gathered again in the meeting room, including Jin, to work on the details. Though the basics were already in ce, the focus was on fine-tuning the specifics. And now, it was time to craft the blueprints. A length of 40 meters should be good. Then, the width would be 10 meters, right? With the essential dimensions settled, they only had to take measurements from the model and transfer them to the blueprints. Jin and Elsa measured, while Rodrigo and Kubalt worked on the drawings. By the 3 oclock break, the overall drawing waspleted. Lord Jins proposed three-view drawing is quite clear. Using the third-angle projection, amon mechanical drafting technique. In this world, they hadnt attained the level of precision in drawings seen in our world, possibly due to the absence of advanced paper. After a short break to refresh with tea, they resumed the drawing process. This time, it was for the detailed parts. Starting with the final drawing, they created various part drawings. However, this turned out to be quite time-consuming. Hey, there, the dimensions seem off. Oh, darn. I need to rewrite this. Theres no need to use a new parchment. Purification Cleanup will do. All the drawings werepleted two dayster, on November 27th. Finally, it was time to start construction. Chapter 665 Chapter 665: Journey to the West Meanwhile, in the southwest corner of the Shouro Empire, in the town of Ismaru. Its November 24th, the morning when Jin developed the Jet Thruster, a jet propulsion device. Ah, is that Johns horse? The merchant, Oliver, and the hired magical engineer, John Dini, were preparing to embark on their journey. Its been ten days since the two were hired, and during this time, it seems that John had been crafting this golem horse. Of course, it was Jin who made it, and the Old Man implemented a program to reduce its performance. If necessary, it could immediately demonstrate its original capabilities. You can put luggage in here, making it quite convenient. John opens the storage space in the torso. Oliver is quite impressed. Mr. John, youre an exceptional magical engineer! Im truly fortunate to have met you. No, no, Im still learning. As they exchanged words, Oliver loaded their luggage onto the horse. This journey seems to involve only Oliver and John. It seems they dont want to bring too many people. Instead, Oliver has prepared two horses. One for himself to ride, and the other for luggage. Their luggage primarily consisted of merchandise for business purposes. John spected whether it was intended for bartering, as trading with themon currency of small-group nations might be impractical when dealing with individuals from a different ethnic group. Additional supplies included four days worth of food and water. However, water can be replenished along the way, and what they have is enough for a day. Nevertheless, being an automata, John doesnt require food or water. Among the goods were a modest quantity of salt and magic crystals, along with several small magicalmps. Additionally, there was around 50 kilograms of wheat. Given it was an individual transaction, it appeared to be the typical assortment. Well then, lets get going. Wearing wide-brimmed hats for sun protection, the two set out. The time was 8 a.m. They walked around the southern edge of the Hari-Hari Desert. It didnt seem particrly unusual, and they attracted no special attention. John considered that in this town, such travel attire might not stand out. (However, it doesnt look like theyre deliberately avoiding trade with different ethnic groups) John decided to refrain from specting further without sufficient information, anticipating that things would be clearer once they reached their destination. The Hari-Hari Deserts southern edge is close to Ismaru. To the south, there are moderately elevated mountains. The t terrain between the desert and the mountains was the route taken by the two horses and the golem horse. There are quite a few rocks in this area. Observing the barren stretch extending to his right, John muttered. Contrary to popr perception associating deserts with sandy wastnds, the reality often features rocky deserts. Vast sandy expanses are known as sand deserts, and the central part of the Hari-Hari Desert is an example of this. At this southern edge, rocks and gravel were more prominent than sand. Being closer to the Tropic of Cancer, this area inclined more toward the seapared to the central part of the desert, resulting in increased precipitation. However, its not sufficient for lush vegetation, and what can be seen are nts resembling cacti and sulents. Weve already crossed the border around here. Oliver mentioned. Since there wasnt anything particrly indicating the border, John concluded that they must be using the ridgeline of the mountains to the south as the border line. Before 4 p.m., a structure resembling a rest shelter made of stacked rocks came into view. Thats our lodging for tonight. Oliver stated while leading the way and ncing back. Upon closer examination, it proved to be sturdier than John had initially thought. It wasnt just a pile of rocks; there was skilled craftsmanship involved, with consistent sizing and consideration for gravity apparent. Quite impressive, dont you think? Oliver remarked as he secured the horses. Then, he shared something even more surprising. It appears this has been here since ancient times. John examined the stonework. Indeed, judging by the weathering on the surface, it seemed to have been here for over 500 years. It might even be close to 1000 years. The structure was spacious enough to shelter horses inside. Theres a spring at the back here. Its just a trickle, though. John was also astonished by those words. Looking at the surrounding terrain, it didnt seem like a ce where water would spring naturally. Wondering if it was a man-made well, John approached the water source. This is While Oliver allowed the horse to drink from the water source, John discreetly inspected it with his Acoustic Detection Sonar. It was undoubtedly a water channel. Of course, with moss growing and debris umting, the flow was not smooth, but it was undeniably an artificial water channel. A water channel from a thousand years ago John Dini, or rather the Old Man, hypothesized that this might have been made by different ethnic groups for invading the east. Compared to crossing the desert, the path John and the others followed was rtively easy. Especially with the presence of a water channel Now, John, lets grab a meal. At that moment, Oliver called out to John. He decided to stop thinking and y his part. In other words, to have a meal and pretend to be human. The following day started with an early departure. We should reach our destination by evening. With Olivers words, John felt a sense of excitement. Naturally, because it appeared he would have a productive report to present to his master, Jin. The surrounding scenery had changed a bit. The Hari-Hari Desert was receding, and there was a slight increase in greenery. However, in general, numerous wastnds still prevailed. One could argue that the climate had shifted from a desert environment to a steppe climate. It turns into a green grasnd from spring to summer. Even with Olivers exnation, it was evident that this area was close to a steppe climate. During the break, the horses grazed along the roadside, while John and Oliver drank the water they had brought. As Oliver had mentioned, when the shortte autumn day began to transition into evening, a small settlement came into view. Thats our destination. Observing the scene, there were several houses made of stone and y, and some people waved at Oliver. However, they all appeared to share Olivers race and didnt seem to be from a different ethnic group. Perhaps sensing those nces, This is the Kari settlement, and its not inhabited by different ethnic groups, Oliver exined. Its amunity established by individuals expelled from small-group nations or descendants of fugitives. As they dont belong to a different ethnic group, engaging in trade with them is not considered a criminal act. It appears to be a secure haven for those in search of refuge. Oliver! The voice calling out belonged to a young woman. The Old Man, who controls John, noticed, with her darkplexion, that her skin tone wasnt sunburned ck but rather resembled the servant race in the distinct ethnic group the demon race territory. Its possible that her grandparents or so might be from a different ethnic group. Hey, Maya. Oliver addressed the woman as Maya. She was in her early twenties, with a slightly tannedplexion, dark brown hair, and bright brown eyes. She had a moderate build, and her figure was attractive. We brought a magical engineer with us. As promised, huh? Thats a relief. Slightly ented words. John wondered if this was a characteristic of a different ethnic group as he continued to gather information through his ears. Nice to meet you, Im John Dini. Im Maya, nice to meet ya. Yes, nice to meet you too. After exchanging greetings, Oliver asked Maya a question. Do you have an immediate request for him? Yeah, I do. Besides the usual, there are a few things that even that guy Tenkunhan couldnt handle a while ago. John, alias the Old Man, remembered the name Tenkunhan. (If I recall correctly, during the journey of his master Mylord towards the Shouro Empire) It was the name of the magical engineer who created some inexplicable avant-garde sculptures in the town of Hatata. Um, is there something you want me to repair? John asked Maya politely. Ive gathered all the things that need fixing. If you can, just repair what you can and line them up here for me. Maya led John to one of the huts. All these inside are tools that are broken or malfunctioned. Repair what you can and line them up over here, okay? Understood. Oh, and of course, you can take your time until tomorrow. Yes. Even though the actual work would begin tomorrow, John was curious about what kind of items needed fixing. These tools often acted as indicators of the local culture. Hmm, a pot with no bottom, a frying pan with a missing handle, and a kettle with a hole in it. This seemed to be the usual assortment around here. John pondered whether there were no professionals like foundry workers, but the holes might be too big for conventional repairs. There were also various other small household items. The rest is in the back Whats that!? In the rear of the hut, undeniably, two objects resembling bicycles were ced. Chapter 666 Chapter 666: Deepening Mystery This is As John spoke, he ventured further into the hut. Indeed, its a bicycle. The wheels were made of iron, engraved with block patterns as if they were biting into the ground. Judging by the worn corners of the pattern, it seemed to have seen considerable use. The frame had a light silver appearance. Althoughcking suspension, the saddle was supported by a structure known as leaf-spring or leaf-suspension, offering a reasonablyfortable seating experience. Leaf-suspension is a structure that stacks tes of different lengths as springs, providing both suspension and damping effects as a damper. Setting that aside, what caught Johns attention was the chain. More specifically, a roller chain. This is the mechanism used by almost all bicycles and motorcycles to transmit power to the rear wheel. Its function is straightforward, but the structure is intricate. Outer tes, inner tes, rollers, bushes, and pins are intricatelybined in various arrangements. Would someone from another culture create something like this? Jin could probably make it, but its something he hasnt made yet. Moreover, there were no bicycles in the demon territory. It appears even the Origin Founder hadnt ventured into creating bicycles. Oh, you noticed those? Turning towards the voice from behind, it was Maya. Yeah, its used as our means of transportation, a thing called a bicycle. But the magical engineer, Tenkunhan Magiengineer, who camest time, gave up, saying he couldnt figure it out. I see Looking closer, several bushes and pins are missing. It seems like the pin broke, causing the chain to snap. Its okay to start fixing tomorrow. What do you think about it? Can those be repaired? John, seeing this as an opportunity to build trust, nodded in agreement. Oh, really! Thats a relief. Thank you. Since its already dark today, Ill fix it tomorrow. Yeah, yeah, thats fine. As long as it gets fixed. Ill count on you tomorrow! Maya said happily, but as if remembering something, she added, Oh, right, dinner is ready. Thats why I called you. With that, she gestured for John to follow. Dinner was served at Mayas house. It appeared that Maya lived alone. While there was a romantic atmosphere between Oliver and Maya, John opted not to inquire. The menu included barley porridge and a modest stir-fried vegetable dish. Vegetables seemed to be a preciousmodity. How is it? Is it tasty? Isnt it too nd? ording to the analysis function in Johns mouth, the result was that it was a bit low on salt. Of course,pared to Jins preferences. Yes, its fine. Its light, but it tastes good. I see, thats good. Salt is precious, you know. John spected that salt must be valuable ind. Then, Maya added a somewhat concerningment. Lately, transportation has been a bit sluggish John deliberately refrained from delving into the details of that matter, thinking it was too early to ask such things. The amodation was in a lodging adjacent to Mayas house, apparently a facility for visitors. It wasnt clear whether it was utilized by travelers from the Shouro Empire or by visiting outsiders. Oliver appeared to be lodging at Mayas house. Catching sight of John from the doorway, Oliver wore a slightly embarrassed expression. Nevertheless, sleeping alone had its conveniences. The Old Man, John, wanted to transfer a small amount of carbon steel from Hourai Ind. Theponents of the roller chain were crafted from hardened carbon steel. In modern-day Earth, various elements are added to enhance strength, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. However, from what he observed, this bicycle chain seemed to be simple carbon steel, approximately S45C. (S45C is a carbon steel with a carbon content of 0.45 percent.) The Old Man confirmed the knowledge obtained from Jin and prepared the material. He added carbon to the stocked pure iron using Additive Add and homogenized it with Homogenization Homogenize. Using his magic as a marker, he transferred about one kilogram of S45C. The next morning, following a satisfying breakfast, John began the repairs. He quickly fixed the pots with holes. However, the real challenge was the chain. If the sizes werent uniform, it would be useless. He carefully used Deformation Forming. Fortunately, the number of missing parts was minimal, allowing him toplete the chain repair in approximately two hours. John also inspected and maintained otherponents throughout the process. To his greater astonishment, he found that ball bearings were employed between the wheel and the axle. (A magical craftsman with this technology, a MagiCraftsman, apart from Master Mylord in the past?) Then, the Old Man suddenly realized. (Could it be the First Lord?) Yes, if it wasnt Adrianna Balbora Ceci, the first magical engineer, MagiCraft Master, this precision machining would be possible. (But Earths engineering knowledge) Jin inherited Adriannas knowledge, and there shouldnt be anything rted to modern Earths science and engineering in it. There were several simr technologies, but they didnt surpass the realm of simrity. Therefore, the Old Man arrived at a conclusion. Adrianna Balbora Ceci didnt create this. (Then, who did? This adds another mystery) Hey, did you say your name is John? Your skills are fantastic! Thanks a lot! Maya, seeing the two bicycles fixed, jumped with joy. This one is mine. Thanks a lot. Mr. John, impressive job. The Magi Engineer who camest time gave up on the bicycles. Absolutely, it was exceptionally crafted. Personally, Im intrigued about the creator. That genuinely reflected the Old Mans sentiments, and that statement marked the beginning of a new discovery. Oh, it looks like youre curious. A voice came from behind John and the others. Turning around, a man in his early forties came into view. He had a robust and well-built physique, keen eyes, brownish-ck hair, and gray eyes. A short beard adorned his face. What caught Johns eye the most was the color of his skin. Compared to Maya, it was much darker, reminiscent of Lucas and Netros, the servants of the demon tribe. Im Daro. Im the chief of this vige. The man who introduced himself as Daro had almost no ent. Youre Mr. John, right? Are you really interested in bicycles, or rather, in that kind of technology? The Old Man perceived this as an invitation to explore the topic more deeply. Yes, indeed. He replied promptly, without hesitation. I see, hmm. Upon hearing Johns response, Daro rested his hand on his chin, lost in thought. Subsequently, with probing eyes, he asked a question. So, for that, even if it might mean you cant return to your country? Pausing there, he turned around. If its now, you can still reconsider. Please think carefully. Even with that suggestion, the Old Man, portraying John, had only one answer. Theres no need to think about it. Let me be clear. I want to meet the people we call outsiders. Simultaneously with those words, a dozen or so men surrounded John. They held something resembling clubs in their hands. Can you prove that youre not a spy from the Shouro Empire? It appeared that suspicions of being a spy from the Shouro Empire lingered even in this ce. I cant. Probably, no matter what I say, I wont bepletely trusted. On the contrary, what would make you trust me? This was the turning point, and the Old Man, as John, opted to hope for negotiation. If youre not a spy, can you look at this? In response to Johns words, Daro took out a rainbow-colored no, a magical crystal that shimmered with an iridescent hue, from his pocket. A light that naturally flickered. The Old Man quickly sensed that it was a hypnotic magical tool. However, the effect was very weak, and it couldnt induce a permanent hypnotic state. Based on his knowledge, the Old Man decided to make John Dini pretend to fall into a hypnotic state. He rxed, creating an expression as if his eyes were unfocused. Answer the questions. What is your name? John Dini. Country of origin? Egelia Kingdom. This was a prearranged scenario. As long as it wasnt the Shouro Empire, having some suspicious points in behavior or knowledge wouldnt be too strange. What is your purpose ining here? I wanted to see an unknown world. Are you a spy? What is a spy? I dont know. This was the riskiest answer. There was no way to determine how much thinking ability remains in a hypnotic state. However, it seemed that this answer didnt pose a problem. What do you know about the outsiders? I heard they were west of the Hari-Hari Desert and had targeted the Shouro Empire in the past. Your family? I dont have any. Are you okay with not being able to return to your homnd? I dont mind. After a series of these questions for about ten minutes, it appeared that John had been deemed trustworthy. When I p my hands three times, youlle back to consciousness. Forget the questions we discussed 1, 2, 3. Daro pped his hands, and John pretended to wake up. Chapter 667 Chapter 667: Knowledge and Peace Mr. John, you dont seem to be a spy. Daros words reverted to his initial polite tone. Oh, well Yes, please join us at our location. With great pleasure. In this way, Mr. John managed to earn some trust for the time being. Wow, John, youre impressive. Winning approval from Mr. Daro is quite an aplishment. Hasnt it been about two years since Tenkunhan? Well, that person wasnt very useful. John, Oliver, Maya, and Daro engaged in conversation over lunch, which mainly consisted of dry bread. But its genuinely remarkable, John. Youre sure to receive a warm wee. Maya said with a slightly envious tone. Um, in the West, does that imply that Magi Craftsman and Magi Engineers are highly regarded? Daro nodded in agreement. Well, thats the general idea. Youll understand the details when you go there. Since John didnt want this topic to be discussed too much at the moment, he decided to change the subject. That bicycleWhats its purpose? Oh, that? You just ride it and move around. Ride it? Wouldnt you fall? Arent they designed for carrying something? Upon hearing those words, Maya swallowed the dry bread she had in her mouth and stood up. Ill show you how it works. With those words, as if on cue, Maya ran towards the shed, quickly grabbed the bicycle, and returned. Ready? Like this, you sit here Maya straddled the saddle, ced her feet on the pedals, and slowly started riding. Wow! Shes, shes riding! Oliver, seemingly witnessing it for the first time, eximed in amazement. Why doesnt she fall? John, who knew the theory but purposefully raised that question, observed as Maya confidently rode back afterpleting ap. Hehe, its all about getting used to it. Well, I dont understand that talk about gyros or whatever. Gyros. Once again, a term that shouldnt exist in this world. Mr. John found himself growing more intrigued by the West. Oliver, lets keep the bicycle thing confidential. Oh, um, yes, I understand. Despite being caught up in the excitement of finding someone like John, who could even repair bicycles, Daro and Maya regretted revealing the bicycle to Oliver. For the time being, they opted to keep it a secret. Maya appeared determined to journey west with the bicycle. Upon hearing this, Oliver was profoundly disappointed. Well then, Mr. John, take care. Yes, it was a short time, but I appreciate your hospitality. On the morning of the 28th, John and Oliver exchanged farewell greetings. Oliver exined that he couldnt or wouldnt go any further west. Beyond this point, only those acknowledged by them are allowed. Oliver mentioned. Thanks to you, I managed to acquire valuable items at a reasonable price. The Cali settlement, mostly popted by individuals from small countries and the Shouro Empire, functioned as an intermediate base. Even if an investigation were to be conducted, living outside the borders was the only fact that could be acknowledged, resulting in no crime, just a stern warning. Oliver, engaged in business with them, faced a simr situation. As long as they couldnt pin down the operation on the ground, it couldnt be considered a crime. The truth was, despite the presence of diverse ethnicities, it wouldnt be punishable unless caught in the act. Well then, Maya, take care! Yeah, Oliver, you take care too! Waving goodbye, Oliver set off on his journey. As Olivers figure vanished, John, Maya, and Daro also initiated their journey westward. By the way, that golem horse he mentioned, that sounds amazing. Maya, pedaling on her bicycle, expressed her admiration. Absolutely. We cant even imagine it. Daro, also cycling, agreed. The road they were currently traveling on was dirt but adequately packed, enabling the bicycles to run at about 15 kilometers per hour. Both Maya and Daro possessed considerable leg strength. Today, were heading to the town of Seki. Seki Town has some interesting things. Im looking forward to it. Covering a distance of just under 60 kilometers, they reached the town of Seki around 2 p.m., taking breaks at the viges of Aaji and Seto along the way. Inparison to the viges they had passed through, Seki Town was more than five timesrger. Before them stood a robust stone wall, its gate wide open. However, as soon as the three of them passed through the gate, it closed with a resounding noise. A thick bolt was also secured, making it not easily passable. Wee to our country, Mizuho.'' Mizuho Is that the name of your country? Yes. It seems to mean a country filled with Mizumizushiho, although we dont know what Mizumizushiho means. It sounds mysterious. Responding with these words, Mr. John quickly associated the term with [ (Mizuho), wondering if Mizumizushiho could be tranted as lush ears of rice. However, hecked the evidence to support this, so he chose to remain silent for now. The group then entered the town. Many buildings were single-story stone structures with wooden roofs. The ground was covered with leveled gravel, but noticing that the golem horse wouldnt leave hoof prints suggested some form of hardening treatment. John, riding the golem horse, attracted attention. People on the street turned to look. The attire of the locals was not significantly different from that of the Shouro Empire, although their skin tones were all light brown. As they walked, John continued to observe the surroundings. I am the deputy mayor of Seki town. As they approached a particrlyrge building in the central area of the town, Daro spoke. We have the responsibility to determine whether you pose a threat or not. If we have been impolite, please forgive us. Oh, dont worry about it. Im not bothered. John smiled at Daro. Thank you. Well then, would you like to meet the mayor first? John dismounted from the golem horse and parked it in front of the building. As it wasnt a living horse, there was no need to secure reins. The structure, functioning as the town hall, was unusually two stories high, with an attached wooden watchtower. Invited into the building, John, apanied by Maya, was led into a room of about 8 tatami mat size, likely a reception room. A table that could amodate around six people was set, and John was seated at the seat in the back. Daro took the seat directly opposite John, positioned to the right when facing him. Maya brought four sses of water, one for John, and the remaining three were arranged after his. One ss was ced in front of Daro, while Maya herself took a seat at the left end. The remaining central seat was taken by the man who enteredst. He had dark skin, sun-browned hair, brown eyes, a sturdy build, and appeared older than Daro. Wee, guests. The man was the first to speak. I am Crow, the mayor of Seki town. I am John Dini, a Magi Craftsman specializing in magical engineering, or as they say in the Shouro Empire, a Magi Engineer. Hmm, I heard a little from Daro. He said youre a very skilled Magi Engineer. Oh, no, its not that impressive. Theres no need to be modest. Just fixing Daro and Mayas bicycles shows you have extraordinary talent. John, can you also be of service to our country, Mizuho? Crow asked straightforwardly. John replied slowly. Of course. In return, what do you desire? Money? Power? John had a prepared answer. Knowledge and peace. Chapter 668 Chapter 668: Wine Hmm, knowledge and peace, huh? Its a bit abstract, isnt it? Could you borate a bit more? Crow said, taking a sip from his water. Sure. For me, knowledge entails venturing into and exploring the yet unseennds in the west. He exined. Hmm, I understand. Thats something we also aim for. Crow acknowledged. And peace refers to our rtionships with the nations in the east, he continued his exnation. Daro reacted to those words. Mayor, there are rumors circting in part of the Shouro Empire that we are nning an invasion He reported. What? I have no idea how such rumors spread or whats going on. Crow asserted, looking directly at John. We, the Mizuho, at least as far as I know, are not considering such a thing. He rified. What about the events from about 300 years ago? John inquired, referring to the well-known story of foreign tribes attempting to invade the Shouro Empire after the magical war. Crow and Daro closed their eyes, fell silent, and showed signs of deep contemtion. Mayor, why not exin it to him? Maya suggested. Crow opened his eyes upon hearing Mayas voice and slowly began to speak. 300 years ago, its a story from when the free magical energy substance Aether in the atmosphere dramatically decreased At that time, the magical devices we used became unusable. It was a matter of life and death. Certainly, if the concentration of free magical energy substance Aether decreased, the operation of magical devices would be unstable. At that time, a radical faction, so to speak, attempted an invasion Lets leave it at this level for now. If you integrate with us a bit more, I believe I can share more detailed information. Understood. For now, thats eptable. Confirming that there was no intention of war from the foreign tribes was already a significant gain. Laojun, as John, immediately considered reporting this information to Jin. After spending a few days in this town, youll go to Miyako, the Capital, and meet with the chief. The details beyond that will be decided in a discussion with the head chief. Miyako? And what does the head chief imply? John, was taken aback with those terms, was not only surprised by the word Miyako, which means Capital, but also wanted to know more about their political structure. Yeah, we can give you a brief exnation up to a certain point Daro. Crow turned to Daro, indicating that he should handle it, and nodded. Alright John, our country is quite different from yours. First of all, we dont have a person called a king. While that was indeed a significant difference, it wasnt surprising since even among the magical races, there was no king among the demons either. Representatives are selected from each region, three each, forming a Parliament. And that Parliament elects the Head Chief.'' Hmm, thats certainly different. The Head Chief is the administrative leader, elected every two years. Of course, if they are deemed unfit during the term, they can be dismissed. So you follow the rules of the administrative leader? Yes. While they hold the administrative position, the Military is under the oversight of the Parliament. Daro exined their power division. Although imperfect, there was mutual surveince. In the other smaller nations, there were still kings, and autocratic monarchies prevailed. There were no constitutional monarchies. In this foreign tribe, the Mizuho, it seemed they adopted a deliberative system. The mystery deepened even more. Would it be unraveled by going to Miyako? Laojun, as John, held even higher expectations. Finally, about your remuneration Id like to discuss it again since youre no longer working with Mr. Oliver. Do you have any preferences? Well, for now, as long as I dont have trouble eating and have a ce to sleep, its fine. John replied casually, and Crow nodded. In a foreignnd where everything was unfamiliar, the priority was the living conditions rather than money. Got it. Ill think about it. Well, for today, lets leave it at that. Amodations are taken care of by Maya. Thats the n, alright, Mr. John. Yeah, thanks. Thats all for now. On the same night, Laojun provided Jin with a detailed report. Hmm, there are a few interesting things. Yes. The origin of the magical devices and also the naming convention of ces. Right. Its intriguing that there are names simr to Earths or rather, Japanese names. Kari as in temporary, Seki as in barrier, Miyako as in capital. And then there is Aaji and Seto. If Seto is rted to the Seto Ind Sea, then Aaji might be Awaji. Jin wondered if there was some connection in the past. Reikos predecessor, the automaton, spent over 100 years developing a technique to find Jin as the sessor of Adrianna Balbora Ceci. The knowledge, possibly due to overuse, resulted in the shattering of its control core, rendering that part unrecoverable. Despite Laojuns advanced abilities, which should enable connections to different dimensions, the development of the spell has not progressed in a shorter time. There seems to be something fundamentallycking. Is it the material or the basic spell? Jin didnt view it as a major loss, so he hadnt instructed Laojun to investigate further. Setting that aside. Jin pondered whether someone from the same world or a very simr one hade in the past. Not that it matters, though. It could be described as intellectual curiosity. Honestly, the closest reason would be just curious. Well, lets take our time. More importantly, how about food production? Yes, my lord. Since Seki town is close to the Hari-Hari Desert, I havent seen any fields. Ill see that from now on. I see Jin was hoping for surplus food to aid the Klein Kingdom. But there didnt seem to be a shortage of food, so there might be hope. Understood. Keep it up. Jin shifted his focus. Currently, the construction of the ship has entered the actual work phase. Wood was avable as material, and artisans and Magi Engineers hired to work on the ship were processing it ording to the ns. Once a certain number ofponents were ready, they would move on to constructing the hull. Construction andponent processing would then proceed simultaneously. We cant get teak for the materials, so pine, huh Pine was a wood simr to the pine trees Jin was familiar with. It seemed to growrger than the pine he knew, as two 40-meter-long pieces were prepared. In addition, there were standard-sized pieces, likely 5 meters long, stacked in abundance. Im concerned about water resistance Pine had decent strength, but its resistance to decay was average. However, in this world, pine wood seemed to be widely used as a shipbuilding material, so it had a proven track record. Well, were finally starting tomorrow Until now, they had been processing materials, and starting from the next day, the assembly of the ships hull would officially begin. Jin was looking forward to it. Father, its the first time Ive seen such aid-back construction. Yeah, but apparently, this is the norm. Reikos surprised expression wasnt unfounded. However, in Peni Ind, a ship of this ss would likely bepleted in half a day. Jin, who had be the worlds best in one go,cked experience in this type of work and found a certain enjoyment in it. It seems my new function wont be needed. Reiko was equipped with a force field generator. While she could freely fly in the sky, it seemed there wouldnt be an opportunity to utilize that feature this time. Well, thats alright. Theres a difference between not using it and not being able to use it. Besides, they say, A capable hawk hides its talons. Jin said as he pat Reikos head, and she nodded with satisfaction. Thats true. At that moment, a knock was heard. Reiko opened the door. Hey, Jin. It was Reinhardt and Elsa. Good evening. I got some excellent wine. I thought we could enjoy it together. Reinhardt was a wine enthusiast. The Olsen region, my favorite wine-producing area, is on the west bank of Lake Was. There were various Olsen wines in this hotel, so I chose some. The bottle in Reinhardts hand was Olsen white wine, unfortunately from the year 3455, not 3450. The one from 3450 is the best, but this one isnt bad either. Well, give it a try. Reiko prepared sses for the three of them. Hmm, its tough. Reinhardt struggled to uncork the bottle. By the way, it wasnt a cork but a stopper made of soft wood. Allow me. Reiko took the bottle from Reinhardt, and with a graceful move, the stopper popped out satisfyingly. Hey, thanks, Reiko. Reiko then poured wine into sses for the three of them. Well then, lets toast to the sess of the ship construction. Reinhardt raised his ss, and Jin and Elsa followed suit. Yeah, its true. Delicious. Delicious. Rein, you could be a wine connoisseur. Haha, thanks. Even if its just ttery, it makes me happy. But you know, you cant just stick to your favorite brand. The night continued in a cheerful and rxed atmosphere. Chapter 669 Chapter 669: The Construction Begins On the final day of November, the 30th. It is finally the day when the full-scale construction of the new ship begins. Given the impracticality of a monocoque structure simr to the one Jin crafted for the Shark, Reinhardt suggested a vertical design. A vertical structure involves utilizing arge number of structural materials in the fore-aft direction to guarantee strength against bending, considering the elongated nature of the hull. Specifically, one of the two prepared 40-meter materials is utilized for the keel, while the other is vertically split into two, serving as an auxiliary keel. This auxiliary keel is attached to the left and right sides of the hull, extending into the water, providing a damping effect on the sway. It was Reinhardt who came up with this idea. And when tackling the construction of a ship thisrge, the challenge was how to get it afloat on the water. In response to this, Rodrigo proposed a creative solution. Specifically, the idea was to construct the ship on a carriage and then transport both the ship and the carriage from the traditional dock to theke. Hmm, Rodrigo really knows his stuff. Jin murmured as he surveyed the workshop, already envisioning potential challenges. Likely, the carriages wheels might sink into the ground under the ships weight. In such a case, Jin intended to proposeying wooden rails for smoother movement. Additionally, foreseeing potential challenges during boarding and disembarking, Jin opted to devise a unique gangway for the time being. (Maybe a straightforwarddder No, a staircase might be more suitable. Foldable, allowing the angle of the stairs to be adjusted while ensuring each step remains horizontal) It appeared to be a rather intricate design. The construction of the ship has now begun. A sturdy carriage made of wood simr to oak was constructed, and on top of it, processed keel and auxiliary keel were lined up. The ones handling this task were tworge golems, Gorias. Oh, having heavy work delegated reallyes in handy! Rodrigo muttered as he watched the operation. Jin, along with Reiko, inspected the three arrangedponents. The wood grain ran straight, making it good lumber. However Reiko, the spacing on this side is off. Yes, its 10 centimeters too narrow. Shall I fix it? Yes, please. Reiko effortlessly lifted one end of the auxiliary keel, which had a cross-section of 30 cm x 60 cm and a length of 40 meters, and ced it back in the correct position. No one noticed Reiko casually handling lumber weighing over 5 tons. Connecting the keel, joists were attached, and further structural materials were added to them. In no time, the skeleton of the ship took shape. Indeed, work progresses smoothly with the Gorias. Large golems serving as heavy machinery. Moreover, their greater freedom of movementpared to traditional heavy machinery is a significant advantage in this work. Although inferior to Jins and those in Peni Ind, the frame waspleted in a single day. How does it look, Lord Jin? Its well done. With the framepleted by 4 PM, the days work concluded. Christoph, the site supervisor, along with Jin, conducted an overall check. It seems like youve carefully selected quality wood for the structural materials, and the joints are well done. The dimensions are also quite precise, so lets continue the work in this manner. Its reassuring to hear that from you, Lord Jin, the Magi Craft Meister. Im looking forward to tomorrow. Its only natural that the result is good. While Jin was inspecting the frame during the work, he quietly fixed any issues he noticed. Maybe theyll start putting on the outer ting tomorrow. Thats exciting. After another round around the ship, Jin returned to the hotel, which served as his amodation. Then, on December 1st, with only one month left in the year 3457, the instation of mechanical equipment, including the propulsion device created by Jin, the Jet Thruster, was carried out. So, this is thetest model Jet Thruster Its an impressive piece. Lord Jin, you truly have remarkable skills. Gigantic Jet Thrusters, boasting a maximum diameter of 1 meter and a total length of 4 meters, were being carefully attached one by one on each side of the ship. Additionally, for auxiliary purposes, pairs of small Jet Thrusters, each with a diameter of 25 centimeters and a total length of 1 meter, were mounted at the bow and stern. These additions allowed the ship to execute subtle forward and backward movements. They could change the direction of the jet, making it useful for turning. A steering mechanism was also installed,pleting the navigation-rted instations. The next step was to attach the outer ting. Gorias, a bit higher Thats right. Now a little to the right. Good. Joint Attachment.'' Christoph manipted Gorias to perform provisional attachment of theponents. Properly joining them was the task of the hired Magi Engineers. Reinhardt was supervising their work. Alright, securely connect that part with Joint Attachment. Ah, pay extra attention there. Its a critical area where force will be applied. And as for Elsa, she was supervising the interior. Yes, donty the floorboardsst, or itll be difficult to work. Elsa gave instructions without looking at the blueprints. The blueprints were already imprinted in her mind. Elsa, what about theseponents here? Thats going to be the dining area. If we dont secure the tables and chairs, theyll move with the motion. Understand? Yeah, so well bring in the tables and chairster? Thats right. Oh, whats the role of this? Thats a voice transmission pipe. Install it before putting up the walls. Understood. Maintaining proper sanitation is essential. Cleanliness is of utmost importance during a sea journey. We cant afford to have wastewater scattered around. Ensure that the magical form for Deodorization, Dposition, Purification, and Sterilization is written on them. Jin inspected everything, addressing any issues or mistakes. (Working together like this to create something as a group its quite nice.) Suddenly, Jin remembered his middle school days when the ss coborated on a cultural festival project. (I was in charge of props back then.) The project was a puppet y, based on the tale of the Forty-seven Ronin. Jin single-handedly crafted all the props, including the swords and kimonos for the puppets. Well, there were others assigned to props as well, but they were so clumsypared to Jin that, in the end, it was quicker for him to do it alone. Afterward, Jin also assisted with therger props. No, he was coerced into helping. However, amidst the shared enthusiasm of the entire ss working together to achieve amon goal, Jin found the experience strangely nostalgic and pleasant. In the end, the day concluded with progress reaching around 70 percent. The meals at this hotel are decent. Yeah, noints here. And they have a selection of pretty good wines too. Jin and the others were having dinner in the dining room. While room service was avable, Reinhardt enjoyed ordering various wines, so they opted for the dining room. The white wine they were currently drinking was from the year 3453, ate-harvest Auslese wine called Erlich. Reinhardt sure has a taste for wine. Elsa remarked with a hint of amusement as she watched Reinhardt swiftly empty a bottle. Tomorrow, donteining if youve got a headache. What? Elsa, youre not going to cure it? Thats harsh. In a slightly tipsy mood, Reinhardt gazed at Elsas face and pretended to cry. No point in such a weak performance. Observing the yful exchange between Elsa and Reinhardt, Jin suddenly recognized the necessity for antidotes. Later, when they retired to their rooms, he directed Laojun to craft three magical antidote tools. For the design Well, something like a business card holder will work for mine and Reinhardts. We can carry it in our breast pockets. For Elsa, a pendant head will be suitable. Understood. After receiving these magical tools, and a few dayster, Reinhardt reportedly stopped getting more than slightly tipsy. It was said that he disyed aplex expression, a mix of joy and disappointment, upon realizing this after using the antidote for a few days. Chapter 670 Chapter 670: Compass Jin inquired about Christophs strategy for boarding and disembarking. Well, my initial thought was to use adder. Christoph responded. Jin anticipated this. However, he considered that employing adder wouldplicate the process of loading and unloading cargo. I believe it would be more practical to have a gangway prepared. Jin proposed. A gangway? Yeah, a gangway is And Jin exined what a gangway was. I see. For managing cargo at the port, we should have a robust one for cing on the ship. Additionally, we can prepare a foldable one for the crews convenience. Christoph quickly approved the suggestion. Regarding loading onto the ship, it would be addressed during the final outfitting inspection. The lingering concern was navigation. Jin decided to discuss this with Christoph as well. Hmm, so we need to find a way of determining our current position Christoph said. In the vast sea with nondmarks, figuring out where they were posed a challenge. Christoph could imagine the difficulty. Itsplicated. He admitted. For now, Christoph mentioned that their n didnt involve venturing far offshore wherend wasnt visible. In essence, they intended to keep the coastline within sight at all times and navigate along it. That sounds good, but what if we get carried away by currents, encounter fog, or it bes night, and we cant see thend anymore? Jin inquired. Hmm Christoph was deep in thought, finding himself stuck at Jins question. Alright, lets have a meeting this afternoon first. Christoph decided. With the ships work anticipated to be mostlypleted in the morning, there should be time avable in the afternoon, he exined. Jin agreed to gather his thoughts by then and left the scene. Now, the prototype of thepass Jin opted for the simplest experiment and instructed Laojun to make the necessary preparations. As nned, the ships work progressed about 90%, and after finishing lunch, everyone was called to the meeting room for the afternoon session. There, Christoph exined the proposals Jin had made in the morning. I see, a gangway Its necessary to install it at the port. But it would be convenient to have one on the ship as well. Everyone quickly recognized the need for it, and it was unanimously agreed to incorporate it. The concern now shifted to navigation. First, consider what to do if everything around is the sea, and you dont know where to go. Jin proposed, encouraging them to use their imagination. Hmm During the day, we can see the sun Before the Magi Engineer Generos could finish his sentence, Clea interrupted. Nonsense. What if its cloudy or foggy? Ugh Looking at the stars at night, could that be a solution? Clea made a sharp suggestion. Ive heard that in the northern sky, theres a star that doesnt change its position all night, called the North Star. She added. Even in this world, there were those interested in stars, evidently discovering the North Star. If we can identify that, it could serve as a reference for direction. If were moving along the south coast, heading north would lead us tond. Christoph exined, and everyone nodded in agreement. But even at night, if its cloudy, we wont be able to see the stars. What do we do then? Clea questioned. Indeed. Isnt there some magical device that can always indicate direction, anywhere, anytime? Generos was deep in thought. Upon hearing this, Jin responded promptly. There is. Huh? Everyone, except Elsa and Reinhardt, stared at Jin simultaneously. Its called apass. Apass? Whats that? A ma? The thing that sticks to iron? Clea, Rodrigo, and Kubalt seemed unfamiliar with the concept of apass. On the other hand, Christoph and Generos appeared to be aware of its existence. Its a stone that naturally sticks only to iron. Christoph exined, he was referring to maite, a type of iron ore that urs naturally as a maic stone. Thats right. Here, I have a powerful ma. Jin pulled out a rod-shaped ma he made on Hourai Ind from his pocket. It was crafted from a material simr to MK ma steel, with iron, nickel, aluminum, and copper additives. Jin only knew about this type of ma steel and didnt know of Alnico mas or rare earth mas, but this one was powerful enough. With this, if you rub the steel needle and stick it into a leaf, then let it float on the water It was an experiment often done in elementary school with mas. Usually, a sewing needle is inserted into a piece of paper and allowed to float on water, but since there was no paper, Jin used a dry leaf. Hmm oh! The floating needle came to a halt, aligning itself north and south. Even when the direction was altered, it consistently pointed north and south. There are such properties in a ma Jin, how did you know about this? Christoph asked with a surprised expression. It seemed that Christoph hadnt received much scientific education from Fhrer. Likely due to being more upied with practical matters. This is science. I learned it from my mentor. Please keep that a secret. To prevent potentialplications, Jin added a word of caution. Hmm, if we use this, we can always know our direction, anywhere, anytime! Christophs face lit up with joy. He realized that this could be useful not only at sea but also onnd. However, as you know, its attracted to iron, so it wont be urate if theres iron nearby. Yes, indeed. But we havent used iron parts in this new ship, so we should be fine. Christoph assured. To prevent rust, they heavily used bronze and light silver in this construction. Of course, Jin had hinted at this through Reinhardt on the first day. If you float it in oil instead of water, the needle wont rust. Seal it in transparent crystals, and even if the ship rocks, the oil wont spill. It would be fantastic if we could make itrger and easy to see. Various opinions were expressed, and as a result, Reinhardt and Elsa would take care of the gangway, while Jin would be in charge of making thepass. With the meeting wrapped up and some time remaining, everyone except Jin, Reinhardt, and Elsa went to work onpleting the ship. Reiko, can you give me a hand? Yes, Father. Elsa noticed Reiko looking at Jin with a somewhat longing expression and happily following him out of the room. Seeing Elsa looking a bit downcast, Reinhardtforted her. Elsa, dont be jealous of Reiko. I-Im not not at all. Elsa hastily ced her hand on her cheek. Denying it with a red face isnt very convincing. Uh, well Reinhardt smiled fondly at Elsa and offered words offort. For Jin, given the circumstances, he might be burying himself in work because expressing affection isnt possible. Besides, he probably refrains from such things in public, doesnt he? Yeah, youre right. Elsa blushed even more. Ha ha, my bad. What I meant is that Jin is probably feeling lonely too. He can only have a proper conversation with you during dinner. And, you know, Jin isnt the type to do those things in public. Yeah, youre right. I understand the urgency to finish the ship and be free. I havent seen Berthie for quite a while either. Rein, brother, you just ruined the mood at the end. Chapter 671 Chapter 671: Titanic Jin decided to craft a disc-shapedpass with a 20-centimeter diameter, intending to let it float in oil. He attached thepass to the back of a stic disc created from threads obtained from the grand spider, using a thin resin from the underground spider tree known as GSP. Given hisck of knowledge about the specificpasses used on ships, he decided to improvise. For the container, he utilized quartz and crystal sourced from the material warehouse. The lower portion was crafted from white quartz, the upper portion from transparent crystal, and internally, he filled it with a mineral-based oil. The choice of a mineral-based oil was crucial; without it, the oil would either solidify or be discolored. Of course, he discreetly brought it from Hourai Ind. Once sealed, discerning the type of oil would be impossible. Alright, loading two of these should be enough. Father, you seem quite invested in this. Reikos tone wasnt precisely dissatisfied, but it was a rather slightly curious tone. Yeah. Its our first ship, and I want it to be a sess. Besides, since its a ship Ive worked on, Im determined to make it a sess. His eagerness came from the fact that Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt had all contributed to this ship. Reiko had noints about that. Thats true. Your name will be remembered as well. Its sess is crucial, especially considering it received coboration from the Magi Craft Meister. Well, thats true. And Jin, making use of his spare time, began to create notes. Father, what are you doing? Yeah, even though I helped this time, Ivee to realize that I wont always be avable to help. So, Im writing down the insights Ive gathered. Jin has carefully observed the ship. He focused on fixing the issues and weaknesses in this construction method. Therefore, when Jin summarized them, it wasnt just logical but also held real importance. Alright, this should be enough. Jin collected his notes on parchment, bound them, added a cover,pleting theption titled New Ship Memo. I suppose I can pass this on to the person in charge. Jin left the room carrying the New Ship Memo and thepass. Upon seeing the finishedpass, those present once again wore expressions that acknowledged the greatness of the Magi Craft Meister. Christoph eagerly received it, contemting where to attach it. Meanwhile, Rodrigo appeared as though he had something on his mind. Rodrigo, is there something on your mind? Sensing this, Jin called out to him, and Rodrigo responded somewhat flustered, Uh, well no, its nothing Are you intrigued by thepass? Jin suspected it was likely rted to that. Well, yeah Following this, Jin intended to craft severalpasses referred to as dry types. In contrast to the wet type, which moves within oil, the dry type is easier to produce butes with the drawback of the needle taking more time to stop swinging and bing unusable when rusted. This knowledge doesnt quite fall under overtechnology, as it was also present in the Fhrer previously gifted to the Shouro Empire. Apart from Christoph, the Minister of Magi Technology, Degauss, should be well-acquainted withpasses. Jin chose to pass the New Ship Memo to Christoph. Oh, Jin, this is really useful. Ill use it as a guide for the next one! Christoph dly epted the memo. The ships gangway was expertly crafted, and by the days end, the new ship was nearly finished. The next morning, a final check was nned, and if everything checked out, theunching ceremony was set for the following afternoon. It was rumored that the Prime Minister would make an entrance at theunching ceremony in a hot air balloon. Were finally approaching the finish line. It was quite fascinating. Jin, you did an excellent job. If you say that, Elsa did just as well. After taking a bath, Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt were enjoying wine in the dining hall. Reinhardt had developed a strong fondness for the local wines in this area. Both the Elrich region to the east and the Olsen region to the west of Lake Wass boasted numerous vineyards, contributing to a thriving wine production. Todays wine was from the Elrich region, the year 3456. Its still a young wine, but its tastier than I expected. As Reinhardt uttered this, he wasnt paying much attention to the food, and was consuming the wine at a brisk pace. Rein, you should slow down a bit. Elsa, expressing concern, intervened. Although Jin and Elsa had nearlypleted their meals, Reinhardt had only eaten about half and was mainly drinking wine. Ill tell Berthie when we get back. With just that sentence, Reinhardts hand came to a sudden stop. Ugh fine. Reluctantly agreeing, Reinhardt eventually began eating. Jin sensed that, despite the pending final check, Reinhardt felt a sense of relief now that the ship was finished. Lord Jin, Lord Reinhardt, Miss Elsa, may I join you? Rodrigo approached their table. Yes, please. Would you like some wine, Rodrigo? Reinhardt offered, but Rodrigo declined. No, I appreciate the offer. Im just here for thepany. As I mentioned earlier, my health hasnt been great. Elsa, feeling uneasy hearing this, spoke up. Um, excuse me, but why is your health not well? Yes, until recently, I drank too much. If its alright, Id like to examine youter. Elsa suggested. Huh? Seeing Rodrigos puzzled expression, Jin exined. Despite her appearance, Elsa was recently appointed by His Majesty as the Royal Healing Arts Practitioner, so shes quite skilled in the healing arts. For a moment, Rodrigos face showed a hint of joy upon hearing this, but in the next instant, it returned to its usual expression. No, its okay. More importantly, I have a proposal. What is it? Please, have a seat. Reinhardt offered a chair. Thank you. Well, the thing is its a bit awkward to say, but its about what happens if the ship sinks. Do we have any ns for that kind of situation? If the ship sinks? Even Reinhardt, renowned for hisposure, frowned slightly. Considering theunching ceremony had yet to happen, discussing what to do if the ship sank might seem premature. However, Jin had a different perspective. Lifeboats, is that what youre suggesting? Jin had also forgotten about it. In the current world, ships on Earth are equipped with lifeboats for all crew members. The tragedy of the Titanic urred because there werent enough lifeboats. Even if there were lifeboats, the debate revolves around whether all of them could beunched in the short time before sinking and if the crew could be evacuated. Youre right. Thats what I mean. With Jins understanding, Rodrigo became more enthusiastic. Lets discuss this in a meeting tomorrow morning. Thank you for taking charge of it. Having heard Jins words, Rodrigo bowed and left. Jin called Reinhardt and Elsa to his room. Both seemed a bit upset after hearing about the sinking discussion. While this might not fall within your technical expertise, Jin then shared his knowledge about the sinking of the Titanic. So, prioritize women and children Both listened silently to the story. So, its true that its not an uplifting topic. But theres no ship thats guaranteed not to sink. So No, thats enough. I understand, Jin. Jin, I get it. Reinhardt and Elsa both nodded with seriousness. I believe we should also utilize some of those rubber boats crafted in the Klein Kingdom. To be more precise, they were crafted in the vige of Kaina, not the Klein Kingdom, and both Jin and Elsa were the ones making them. Ah, those could indeed be useful. Not only for leisure but also for situations like this. Exactly. Additionally, everyone on the ships crew should wear life jackets. Lifebuoys, rubber boats, life jackets C these were the topics the three nned to address in the discussion the following day. Chapter 672 Chapter 672: Completion The next day, during the morning meeting, when Rodrigo raised the issue of lifeboats, the atmosphere did indeed take a negative turn. Until now, there hadnt been anyrge ships requiring lifeboats, and they hadnt ventured into the open sea. As a result, their awareness for such emergency situations was quite low. However, if we venture into the open sea, we cant predict what might happen. I believe its worth considering. Rodrigo remarked. Above all else, we must prioritize the well-being of human lives. We cannot turn a blind eye to such possibilities. Reinhardt and Elsa emphasized, providing their support from behind. With these statements, others also appeared to take the matter more seriously. I think it would be advisable for all crew members to wear life jackets. Additionally, equipping them with floating rings would be a good idea. Reinhardt suggested. Following that, came JIns remark. Life jacket? Floating ring? At this point, Jin exined both items. A life jacket is a garment that, when worn, allows you to float in water without any effort. Its designed like a vest. As for the floating ring, as the name suggests, its a ring made to float, and slipping into it ensures you wont sink. Once again, Jin utilized magical resin to craft a doll and a floating ring, providing a demonstration. Like this You lean on the floating ring on both sides while waiting for rescue, it looks something like that. Regarding the floating ring, everyone seemed convinced after seeing the model. I see! Its a good idea to make them out of wood! Its easy, doesnt take up much space, and isnt heavy. Its perfect for emergencies! Even those who initially had reservations about lifeboats readily agreed to the idea of floating rings. I think we shouldnt only consider them as lifeboats. In ces where ports arent developed or when stopping at shallow shores, its essential to have shallow-draft small boats fornding. Everyone appeared to grasp the importance of this proposal. Oh! Indeed! There are always beaches whererge ships cant stop. Its undeniable that there might be a need tond in such ces for water and food needs. Thus, the idea of equipping small boats that could also serve as lifeboats was embraced. Negotiations with the Klein Kingdom would likely secure rubber floating rings. While the finishing touches were being applied to the newly constructed ship, the production of small boats began on the side. Rodrigo and Kubalt were in charge. Two boats of approximately 3 meters and two of 5 meters were prepared for this asion. Now, we just need to figure out how to load and unload. Considering the size, manually handling the loading and unloading of cargo would be highly inefficient and could disrupt the bnce of the ship. Im thinking of making arge golem for that. Christoph suggested. It appeared Christoph had already been considering this. Arge golem serving as a substitute for a crane. For the time being, Gorias would act as a makeshift solution, and once its usability was assessed, they would consider adding a dedicated one, ording to Christoph. Inside the ship, a versatile golem designed forbor tasks was assigned for night patrols and physical duties. Jin didnt make any specificments on this matter. And finally, in the evening of the same day, the newly constructed ship waspleted. The surface was coated with Soft Magic Resin. This material, also used as the core of intermediate golems, was essentially magic-infused pine resin. In other words, small scratches or holes could be quickly sealed using Transformation Forming. However, it required the presence of a Magi Engineer. Jin was genuinely impressed by this concept. Now, right before Jin and the others, the newly built ship stood tall, emanating the amber glow of soft magic resin. Its done! Yeah, we did it! I have no words Im so happy. Everyone, with their own emotions, looked up at the ship. I n to hang a te at the stern with the names of everyone involved in the construction of this ship. Dered Cristoph, prompting cheers. Lets have a lively celebration tonight! Excitement surged even higher at Christophs words. The hotel staff appeared ready to serve delightful dishes for the celebration. Now that the newly constructed ship was a sess, using the hotel the staff were staying at, would make for an excellent promotional opportunity. Cheers! Cheers! sses clinked in response to Christophs voice, making a faint sound. The next moment, lively conversations began. Well, Lord Jin, it was an honor to work with you! Sipping wine beside Jin was Kubalt. As a shipwright, I felt inexperienced. In that sense, Ive learned a lot from Mr. Rodrigo too. Kubalt mentioned. Rodrigo, on the other hand, shared his thoughts. This job has been a valuable learning experience. Lord Jin, Lord Reinhardt, Lady Elsa, I appreciate your guidance. He continued, addressing Reinhardt and Elsa. Mr. Rodrigo, how is your health? After the toast, Elsa noticed Rodrigo, who hadnt touched the wine but was sipping juice. She voiced her concern. Its alright, no need to worry. I wont copse tomorrow or anything. Rodrigo reassured with a smile, though hisplexion didnt look well. [Behandlung]. Huh? Unable to bear seeing Rodrigo like this, Elsa cast a healing spell on him. It was basic magic that served for both internal and external healing. Despite its simplicity, the dual-purpose aspect made it effective even in cases of internal bleeding. I feel much better. Rodrigo said, visibly regaining color. You mentioned drinking too much alcohol, and I thought maybe your stomach wasnt in good condition. Elsa exined her judgment. It was somewhat spective, given she hadnt conducted a proper examination, but healing magic was not harmful. It turned out to be a good call. For stomach ulcers caused by excessive eating and drinking, internal healing magic alone might not be very effective. When the stomach lining is torn, and theres bleeding, abination of internal and external healing magic is advisable. However, healers capable of making such judgments were rare. Apart from Elsa, only Sally Milleshan in Kaina vige might be able to do so. Moreover, Rodrigo had encountered healers in the past, all of whom seemed tock skill, and none had attempted to use surgical healing magic on him. Additionally, Rodrigo had only consulted healers who were inexpensive, meaning they were not as widely experienced. I haventpletely healed you, so please let me examine you properlyter. Elsa said. Elsa, youre Rodrigos eyes began to well up. I always thought that healers, despite their demanding high fees, never really cured anything properly. Thats Having heard from Sally that there were indeed many healers like that, Elsa couldnt say anything. Now, I might be able to apologize to my family someday. Your family? Unlike Jin and Reinhardt, Elsa hadnt heard Rodrigos life story during their bath sessions. Yes. They should be in the city of Potlock in the Elias Kingdom. Potlock It was a familiar name. The town where Jin and Rodrigo first met. That vige was Potlock in the city of Potlock. Oh, have you heard about it? Yes. I visited there at the beginning of this year on a trip. I see Rodrigo looked nostalgic, thinking about his hometown. Thats why I keep emphasizing, safety should always be the top priority when ites to ships! No, ships, as well as tools, must consider safety while also thinking about other functions! Since people ride on them and use them, safety should be the top priority! Otherwise, we cant expect significant progress. Sometimes, technology requires taking risks! Loud voices arguing with each other could be heard, and it turned out to be Clea and Generos. It seemed these two never quite got along until the end. As they engaged in what appeared to be a friendly argument, nobody felt the need to intervene. That conversation is intriguing. Jin remarked, listening to the debate nearby. Whats your take on it, Jin? Elsa, standing beside him, overheard and asked promptly. No technology is 100% certain. But thats precisely why engineers strive for perfection. Agreed. Reinhardt chimed in. Exactly. In our situation, if something seems a bit risky, we can always employ golems to handle that part, and that works out well. Absolutely. As he responded, Jin nced briefly at Reiko standing behind him. His beloved daughter who consistently took the lead in testing new technologies. Whether Jins feelings reached her or not, Reiko looked at him and offered a sweet smile. Chapter 673 Chapter 673: Naming Ugh my head is killing me My head feels like its about to explode Its so unpleasant The participants, who had indulged in lively conversations the previous night, attended the meeting with headaches from their hangovers. This excluded Jin, Reinhardt, and Elsa. Since the meeting wouldnt be productive in their current state, Elsa, in a show of empathy, opted to cast a healing spell. [Entgiftung] [Genesung]. Oh, wow I feel so much better! Miss Elsa, so you can do things like this too! As expected of the nations chosen healing sorceress, Reichartz. After a round of praise for Elsas skills, the morning meeting began. Now, early this morning, the Prime Minister should have left for Loizart. He is expected to arrive around noon. Theunching ceremony is scheduled for approximately 2 PM. Christoph detailed the days agenda. After that, well spend three days conducting various inspections at Lake Wass, and on December 8th, well set sail for the sea. Lake Wass is linked to the sea through a waterway approximately 20 kilometers long.The width and depth of this waterway are more than sufficient, posing no obstacles to navigate the new ship. When were at sea for our first voyage, we intend to embark on a round trip to the southern end of the Elias Kingdom, Potlock. The announcement took everyone by surprise. After this, we will be recruiting volunteers, and those who participated in the construction can expect to be given priority. Im going! Dered Clea, the first to express her desire to participate. Following her, Generos also raised his hand. Ill go too. Oh, having a Magi Engineer in the team is reassuring. Anyone else? Jin, Elsa, and Reinhardt didnt raise their hands. Shipwright Kubalt from Simos Town also seemed uninterested. And thest person. I would like to go as well. Rodrigo dered his wish in a small voice. Understood. Clea, Generos, and Rodrigo, the three of you will be added to the passenger list under my authority. Thank you! The next item on the agenda was naming the ship. The Emperor has given us permission to name it as we built it. Does anyone have any suggestions? Jin remained silent. He was aware that his sense of naming was unconventional. The first to speak up about this was Clea. How about Pioneer? Indeed, its a new type of ship. Next, Generos raised his hand. I think Imperial Glory of the Empire would be good! Yes, its a ship that will go down in the history of our Shouro Empire. Objection! Such stern names are not suitable! What! Are you saying even Pioneer is too clich? What did you say! Whats with that! The others, except Clea and Generos, sighed at the ongoing exchange between the two. With mild interest, they observed the verbal sparring. Christoph then sought additional opinions. Ah, is there anything else? Yes. This time, Reinhardt raised his hand. What about Loizart? Indeed, the name of a city. We can align the second and third ships with the names of cities. Any other suggestions? Bernstein. This was Elsas suggestion, inspired by its amber-colored appearance. Some good names havee up, but is there anything else? By this point, Clea and Generos were tired of talking and listened to the opinions of others. How about Sea Dragon? Jin couldnt stay silent any longer. It was fitting, considering its a sea creature or rather, a magical creature. The Countess. Water Undine. Rodrigo and Kubalt also voiced their opinions. With Christoph as the chairman abstaining, everyone else contributed their suggestions. Lets take a majority vote, then. Christoph decided to cast a vote as well. The result was surprising: Bernstein received three votes. Elsa, Christopher, and Jin. Well then, the name of the new ship shall be Bernstein.'' Well, not bad at all. No objections! Agreed. Clea and Generos also supported the decision, and thus, the name of the new ship was decided. In that case, Miss Elsa, youll be in charge of presenting its name at theunching ceremony. !? Elsa was surprised by the sudden and unexpected request. As for the attire, you can borrow something from the hotel. Elsa,e to my ce after this. Well discuss the details. Yes. So, unexpectedly, Elsas naming proposal was epted, and simultaneously, she was entrusted with the significant task of naming the ship at theunching ceremony. Well, Elsa, it suits you. Elsa was dressed in what could be described as a frilly dress. It had a light blue base with whitece and frills, adorned with gold decorations for emphasis, making it quite shy. A silver tiara sparkled on her head. Underneath the skirt, she wore a pannier, creating a slightly puffed silhouette. Although it was called a pannier, it wasnt made of fabrics like tulle. Instead, it was a structure known as a farthingale from a bygone era. In other words, it had a framework made of stic material attached to the waist, puffing up the skirt. Is this what they do in traditionalunching ceremonies? Half in amazement and half in admiration of Elsas attire, which was quite unusual for him to see, Jin asked. Hmm, honestly, I didnt know either. After all, this is the first time arge ship like this has been built. Thats true. However, in the past, when they constructed several military ships, they might have done something simr. Referring to the coastal patrol ship of the 10-meter ss. This marks the beginning of the ceremony. Elsa exined the program to Jin. I see, they created a new ceremony based on past traditions. So that means, you be the honored first person to perform the naming ceremony. In contemporary Earth ceremonies, itsmon to break a bottle of red wine or pop a champagne cork. But, it looks good on you. It wasnt exactly Gothic Lolita, but the design seemed rted to it in Jins eyes. Given Elsas preference for simple and easy-to-move designs, it was a new discovery for him. Dont stare too much. Elsa herself felt ufortable in the unfamiliar dress with a design she didnt like. No, Im praising you. Still, its embarrassing. She seemed ufortable with the attention in an outfit she wasnt used to. You wont be able to have lunch dressed like that. Reinhardt made an unusualment. Yeah, so after this, Ill practice and then change. The outfit was somewhat old-fashioned, to the point where even using the bathroom seemed challenging. Jin thought that a more modern outfit, ording to Earth standards, would be more suitable. Chapter 674 Chapter 674: Launch Ceremony In the early afternoon, a hot air balloon from the capital, Loizart, arrived. Aboard were Prime Minister Jung Fowles Von Kebsler and the Minister of Magical Technology, Degauss Furt Von Maniss, the key figure responsible for the construction of the new ship this time. They left Loizart before 6 a.m., evidently in a rush. It seems they managed a quick meal in the sky, indicating a rather demanding schedule. Well, this is the new ship. Quite impressive, isnt it? The Prime Minister shared his impression. As soon as they arrived, the two of them took a tour around the ship. The name is Bernstein, amber, huh? Naming it based on its appearance. Its modest and quite fitting, dont you think? The Minister of Magi Technology was also impressed. With this, theunch ceremony can proceed without any issues. Is the order of the ceremony as we discussed before? Yes, it follows the order we agreed upon earlier. Well then, as this will be the standard for the future, lets carry it out meticulously. As scheduled, at 2:00 in the afternoon, theunch ceremony finallymenced. In attendance were the Prime Minister, Minister of Magi Technology, individuals involved in production, the hired craftsmen, knight guards, soldiers, the hotels manager and assistant manager who provided amodations, and Simos Towns mayor, totaling 51 people. Additionally, numerous spectators gathered to witness the event. Dressed in a luxurious gown, Elsa is the first to ascend the gangway, taking her ce at the bow of the ship. With a resolute voice, she deres, As of this moment today, I hereby name this ship Bernstein! She proceeds to cut a rope with a silver dagger in her hand. This rope is hanging from the side of the ship, attached to a banner. As the cut rope and banner descend, the letters BERNSTEIN are revealed. Amidst apuse from all participants, the Prime Minister, Minister of Magi Technology, Mayor, Reinhardt, Generos, Clea, and Kubalt, a total of seven individuals, board the ship. On-site supervisor Christoph, Jin, and Rodrigo refrain from boarding the ship. With the exception of Christoph, essentially only individuals from the Shouro Empire are on board. Moreover, Christoph holds another crucial role. Now, lets proceed with theunch ceremony! Amid the continuous apuse, the fixed ropes supporting the ship are being removed one by one. As the final rope is detached, Christoph issues amand to the working golems. Push the ship! Bernstein, assembled on a sturdy cart, was meant to be pushed along the gently sloping path from the construction dock to Lake Wass. However, an unexpected turn of events urred. Due to Bernsteins weight, the sled part of the cart sinks into the ground, and it doesnt budge. Push! Christoph issues themand again, but the ship remains stuck. The working golems pushing are three-meter-tall mass-produced types based on Schwarz Ritter. Evidently, theyck the necessary strength. Although the giant golem Gorias might have the power to move it, its imprecise movements could pose a risk of potential damage to the ship. Cold sweat forms on Christophs forehead, and his face pales. If theunch ceremony were to fail at this critical moment, it could have repercussions on the countrys prestige. (Reiko, please help.) (Yes, Father.) Observing the situation, Jin quietly instructs Reiko. Fortunately, most of the ceremony attendees are focused on watching the figures waving from the ship, unaware of the unfolding issue. However, if the ship doesnt start moving soon, people will begin to notice that something is wrong within a few seconds. Jin gave instructions to Reiko at this critical moment. Reiko activated Invisible, rendering herself invisible, and stealthily approached Bernstein. Desperately, she slipped between the three golems pushing the cart and crawled beneath it. Force Generator, activate. She generated force in the direction of lifting the cart. Bernsteins discement is about 300 tons. Reiko took on half of that weight. Oh, it moved! With the weight halved, the sled that had sunk in started to slide. Simultaneously, cheers erupted. Gradually, it gained momentum. However, the speed was only about 4 to 5 kilometers per hour, equivalent to a person walking. Reiko slowly decreased the output of the force generator. The momentum slightly diminished, but the slope leading to Lake Wass increased in incline. It seemed like the ship wouldnt stop now. As evidence, the three golems that were pushing it had already let go and were watching. Okay, 40 meters, 30 meters, 20 meters On either side of the slope, local residents, tourists, and onlookers stood, observing the newly constructed ship. Bernstein glided through the spectators and gracefully entered Lake Wass. As arge spray of water rose, the detached cart floated up, and ahead of it, Bernstein floated on the blue surface of Lake Wass, with its amber-colored hull. Loud cheers and apuse erupted from the audience. (Father, was that okay?) In the midst of this, Reiko quietly returned to Jins side. (Oh, splendid. Well done, Reiko. Thank you.) Jin gently patted Reikos head. No leaks. No abnormal deformation in the hull. Kubalt checked for leaks, and Clea confirmed the absence of any abnormalities in the hull. Inside Bernstein, floating on the surface of Lake Wass, the temporary crew was busy checking each part. All right, power check. Slow forward. Understood. In response to the Prime Minister, who had assumed the role of temporary captain, Reinhardt took on the role of temporary engineer and activated the jet thrusters. Oh, its moving! Continue forward, maintaining a distance of approximately 100 meters from the shore. Understood. Taking hold of the steering lever, Generos assumed the role of temporary navigator. Bernstein drew arge arc and slowly moved away from the shore. Its easy to maneuver! The incorporation of golem technology facilitated power-assisted steering, simplifying the navigation process. All right, weve moved far enough from the shore. Gradually increase the engine output. Understood. These instructions were transmitted to various locations through the sound transmission pipes installed throughout the ship. Reinhardt managed the mana tank, the magical power storage located in the central part of the ship, and monitored the flow of mana, the magical energy, sent to the jet thrusters attached to both sides of the ship. As expected of Jin, everything is normal. Unless in emergency situations, the jet thrusters on both sides of the ship are operated using the throttle lever located beside the navigators steering lever. Temporary navigator Generos slowly raised the output of the jet thrusters. Its fast. Almost reaching the speed of golem boats. Elsa, positioned at the bow, gauged the current speed based on the intensity of the wind brushing against her cheeks. Oh! Cheers erupted from the spectators on the shore. Bernstein had gradually started to pick up speed. Yeah, its operating as nned. Jin also looked satisfied. And Bernstein continued to increase its speed. Wow, this is amazing! Well done, Lord Jin! Christoph leaned over the safety railing set up on the shore to observe the wake of the new ship. Excited, Rodrigo pped Jins shoulder. In the midst of this, considerable waves generated by Bernstein were crashing onto the shore. Hmm, this its a good thing we had other ships pulled ashore. Given the instability of small boats, there was a possibility of them sinking under the impact of the waves. Currently, Bernstein was sailing at nearly 20 kilometers per hour. A great sess! Christoph eximed with overwhelming emotion. Jin, too, felt a warmth in his chest, thinking that everyones efforts had paid off. Chapter 675 Magi Craft Meister Chapter 675: Father On that day reserved solely for temporary crew, the newly constructed ship, Bernstein, returned to the newly established port after a simple navigation test. Although called a port, it was essentially a pier designated forrge vessels. Temporarily, a pier was constructed in a deep-water area. Subsequently, a full-fledged port would be constructed. Slowly, steadily With the aid of auxiliary jet thrusters, Bernstein was safely moored to the pier, easily executing slight forward and backward movements. A gangway was set up, and the temporary crew began to disembark. Leading the way was Reinhardt, followed by Kubalt, Clea, Generos, and others. Then came Mayor Barial, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Magic Technology, andstly, Elsa. While the apuse and cheers had been enthusiastic since Reinhardts descent, they reached a crescendo when Elsa appeared. Elsa had ascended the podium at the Golem Boat Races in Potlock with an expressionless face, but she seemed somewhat surprised by the fervor of this reception. Jin stepped forward to greet Elsa as she descended the gangway. Just before the final step, Jin reached out his hand, and Elsa took it. As thest crew member, when Elsas foot touched the ground, it could be said that theunching ceremony concluded without a hitch. Phew. Elsa, now out of her dress, let out a sigh. Bernstein is a fine ship. Its all thanks to Jins involvement. Throughout the trial voyage, Elsa had stood at the ships bow, literally experiencing the magnificence of the new vessel. Elsa-sama, your attire. Thank you, Edgar. Elsa slipped into the usual clothes Edgar offered, made of the familiar magical silk fabric, Magisilk, with itsforting texture. Edgar, lets go see Jin. Yes. In Jins room, besides Reinhardt, Rodrigo was also present. Hey, Elsa, well done. Big brother Jin, big brother Rai, and Rodrigo-san, well done to you all too. Theyughed together, the four of them. The jet thrusters were amazing, werent they? I wonder if theyll be the standard from now on? Reinhardt spoke rapidly, still filled with excitement from the voyage. Absolutely, Jin-sama is incredible! The jet thrusters will revolutionize ships! On that note, it seems that for the time being, only ships directly built by the Empire will be equipped with those jet thrusters. Rodrigo mentioned, having been informed unofficially by the Prime Minister before returning to the hotel. Its likely to be announced at tonights party. It seemed that it would take a little longer for them to be installed on ordinary ships. I see Thats unfortunate. Rodrigo sighed, his shoulders slumping a bit. Seeing his tired expression, Elsa decided to offer him treatment. Rodrigo-san, its just the right time for some treatment for your body Jin, is that alright? Elsa checked with Jin, the owner of the room, who gave his consent. Yeah, sure. You can use the sofa over there. Thank you, Elder Brother Jin Rodrigo-san, please lie down there. Huh? No, Im fine after yesterdays treatment But Elsa exined that yesterdays treatment was more of a temporary fix than actual therapy, persuading Rodrigo toply. And so, Rodrigoy down on the sofa as instructed. Edgar, please. Focus on the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Yes, Elsa-sama. Edgar activated his X-ray vision function, which allowed him to examine the interior of the human body like a CT or MRI scan. Theres an ulcer near the pylorus in the lower right part of the stomach. The bleeding seems to have stopped, but its quiterge. As I suspected Since the previous treatment hadnt identified the specific location, it had been inadequate. Now I understand. Genesegun Heilfahren. Elsas hand emitted a faint glow, and its warm light was absorbed into Rodrigos abdomen. Edgar, confirm. Yes The ulcer has disappeared. Thats a relief. Diagnose His liver seems a bit weak. Heilfahren. After another examination, Elsa found Rodrigos liver condition and treated it simultaneously. With this, you should be fine. No more irregr eating habits, and go easy on the alcohol. Having used healing magic multiple times, Elsa had grown magically and her capacity for healing magic had increased slightly. However, Jin, being cautious, offered Elsa some Peni Ind Persica Juice he had brought with him. Thank you, big brother Jin If its alright, would you like to offer some to Rodrigo too? Sure thing. Rodrigo, please have some too. Its good for you. With hisplexion greatly improved, Rodrigo graciously epted the Persica Juice Jin offered and drank it all. Thank you, Elsa-san With this, I might be able to see my daughters face. Your daughter? Jin recalled their conversation in the bath where Rodrigo mentioned fleeing and leaving his family behind. Um, may I ask, whats your daughters name? Yes, her name is Marcia. As expected, it was indeed that name. Marcia Marcia-san? Huh? Do you all know her? Rodrigo looked puzzled. Naturally, it was strange for them to know the name of a daughter who lived in the faraway Elias Kingdom, even further in the southern end in Potlock. Yes, we know her quite well. Now that the major task of constructing the new ship waspleted, Jin saw this as a good opportunity to delve into the topic of Marcia. Jin and Reinhardt took turns exining how they knew Marcia. Rodrigo listened intently, but when he heard about Marcia participating in a race and using the prize money to rebuild a shop, he finally couldnt hold back his tears. Marcia said something about that catamaran, the one your father made on a whim Is that so That child Hearing about his wifes passing, Rodrigo teared up once more. My wife she had a tough time too But you still want to go back, dont you? Jin interjected. When Marcia talked about her father, she looked genuinely nostalgic. Im sure shell forgive you. Elsa reassured him. Do you really think so Rodrigo sobbed, his face buried in his hands. Blood-rted parent and child. That bond cant be broken. Elsa advised, each word weighed with meaning. Ive felt betrayed by my father before. But still, hes my father. She added. Rodrigo remained silent, bowing his head. And besides, by participating in the development of this new ship, your name will live on. You can return with pride. Reinhardt encouraged him. Is that so Rodrigo murmured the same words again, then lifted his head, looking around at Jin and the others, sensing their genuine belief. I want to go back to see Marcias face and, even if its just a single word, apologize You should just board the Bernstein and return with a wave. Im sure youll be warmly weed in Potlock. And then, Marcia Rodrigo nodded silently. Jin and the others hoped for nothing more than for this father and daughter to live together as a family once again. Chapter 676 Magi Craft Meister Chapter 676: Navy gship On the same evening, a grand party was held in the hotels main hall. While the previous one had been an internal affair, this time it was arge-scale party involving not only the towns dignitaries and guards but alsoborers, and even hotel employees. A podium was set up at the front, and first, Prime Minister Jung Fowles gave a brief speech, followed by Minister of Magi Technology Degauss and then Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magi Technology, Christoph, who also addressed the gathering. Next, the Prime Minister took the podium again and announced that they would be recruiting a few crew members for the ship, eliciting cheers from the crowd. The captain, officers, and sailors have been decided, but we also n to recruit technicians and others from the general public. We hope that those who do not consider themselves as part of our countrys pioneering efforts will step forward. Registration will be open until tomorrow morning. This was based on the belief that public opinion was also somewhat important. Once that was done, the party officially began. Now then, lets celebrate this auspicious day with a party! Since it was a standing-party format, attendees mingled with each other all around. Among them, Elsa was particrly popr. Elsa-sama, I am Delicel Rabado, the mayor of the neighboring town, Suar. Its a pleasure to meet you. Elsa-dono, I am Godronas Berntzam von Nad, the leader of the 2nd Squadron of the 1st Knights dispatched for escort duty this time. A token of acquaintance. Elsa-dono, please ept my cup. Elsa-sama. Elsa-dono. Excuse me, it seems the master is a bit tired. Please excuse me for a moment. Seeing Elsas weariness, Edgar quickly declined the surrounding attendees and led her out of the main hall. The ce they emerged into was the hotels garden. There was a spaciouswn sloping gently towards Lake Wass, with the moon just rising in the sky, casting its reflection on the rippling surface of theke like scattered gold dust. Phew. As people came and went, offering wine, Elsa found herself slightly intoxicated. Her footing was a bit unsteady. Entgiftung. To clear her head, she cast a detoxification spell on herself, returning to a state of mild intoxication. With clearer eyes, she nced through the window at the party venue. Reinhardt was easily spotted, but Jin was nowhere to be seen. Big grother Jin? She muttered his name almost as a soliloquy, not expecting a response. Elsa? A reply came from the darkness. A figure approached slowly. It was Jin, apanied by Reiko. Whats up, Elsa? Did you sneak out too? Im not reallyfortable with that kind of atmosphere either. Jin, though not as overwhelmed as Elsa, felt worn out from being approached by numerous people upon hearing the name of the Magi Craft Meister, offering conversation or pouring wine for him. The moon looks beautiful, doesnt it? The moon shining over Lake Wass, though smaller than those seen from Earth, exuded a brightness distinct from the other stars. Yeah. Beautiful. The winding across theke was chilly but pleasant on Elsas slightly intoxicated face. Concerned she might catch a cold, Jin began to take off his coat to offer it to her. And then Father, Elsa-san, the night breeze can be harmful to your health. Please take these. Reiko thoughtfully brought two shawls. They were provided by the hotel. Oh, thank you, Reiko. Thank you. They expressed their gratitude as they draped the shawls over their shoulders, feeling considerably warmer. Father, the moon is beautiful tonight, isnt it? Yeah, it is. Jin, Reiko, and Elsa gazed up at the moon for a while. Edgar stood behind them, silently apanying them. The next morning, after finishing breakfast, Jin went to meet with the Prime Minister right away. Ah, Lord Jin, wee. Christoph told me that youve been quite helpful in various ways. I appreciate it. Yes, Im d we could contribute to the sess of the ship. So, what brings you here today? Realizing time was limited, Jin decided to get straight to the point. After the trials on Lake Wass arepleted and the Bernstein sets sail, I n to return to Loizart. As for whates after that, I havent decided yet. I might return to Kaina Vige or head to the Egelia Kingdom. The Prime Minister nodded. I see. Youve served as a consultant more than adequately. Tomorrow, Ill also return to Loizart to give a detailed report to His Majesty. I believe there will be rewards for you, including for Lord Reinhardt and Miss Elsa. Though Jin didnt feel particrly in need of rewards, he wasnt foolish enough to voice that sentiment. Onest thing. When embarking on long voyages by ship, please ensure that vegetables or fruits, even dried ones, are prepared. Ahh, I see Bittamin, was it? That deficiency, right? Jin had provided this knowledge from the Fhrer. It seemed that it was being properly utilized in the Shouro Empire. Yes, thats correct. Thats all from me. Very well. Its finally time to conduct various trials on the new ship. Im looking forward to it. And finally, This is also something His Majesty the Emperor wanted me to convey directly to you, Jin. The Prime Minister prefaced his words with this exnation. For the time being, the new ship will be ssified as naval, but I want to ensure theres no misunderstanding. Currently, only the military has the capability to operaterge ships within our organization. However, in the near future, I intend to establish a new organization. Of course, it will be for peaceful purposes. I see Please, make sure theres no misunderstanding. This is merely a temporary measure. Knowing Jins aversion to conflict, the Prime Minister likely entrusted him with this supplementary exnation. As Jin and the Prime Minister left the room together, they ran into Reinhardt and Elsa. Ah, perfect timing. Its time for the trial voyage of the Bernstein. Shall we go see it together? Yes. While yesterday was managed by the individuals who constructed it acting as temporary crew members, today marked the official crews first day aboard. However, it would primarily be a day of practice to familiarize themselves with operating the ship. Attention! The captain of the newly constructed ship Bernstein was Rugalia Gascar von Alkois. He was themander of the 3rd Naval Fleet of the Shouro Empire and had experience in navalbat. And among the ten sailors standing in formation were also members of the 3rd Naval Fleet. They were all young and full of enthusiasm. As of today, this newly constructed ship, the Bernstein, shall serve as the gship of the Shouro Empires Navy. You all are the esteemed first crew. I urge you to swiftly acquire seamanship skills and strive to contribute to our nation. This morning assembly took ce near the dock. While the Prime Minister participated, Jin and the others observed from a slight distance. Ah, so its truly bing part of the Navy Jin recalled the conversation he had just had with the Prime Minister. I truly hope they establish a public organization separate from the military in the near future Then, he suddenly remembered Eckert Techres, the prominent merchant who was constructing a simrrge ship in the town of Coupu in the southern part of the Celuroa Kingdom. (Come to think of it, he mentioned they had already held theirunching ceremony.) Jin felt regretful that when they visited, the ship was destroyed due to sabotage by business rivals. In response, Jin had sent Altarf and Gainer, members of Quinta, to provide support. (Which means, it must have beenpleted not long ago.) That was the day Jin and the others began construction on the new ship, November 30th. (Bernstein will surely pass through Coupu when heading to Potlock. They might encounter each other then. Perhaps I should go see it by airship) Jin felt a sense of anticipation. Meanwhile, the Bernstein set sail with its new crew on board. They had received basic training on operations and now just needed to get ustomed to the ship. Among the new crew were magi engineers Clea and Generos, as well as shipwright Rodrigo, so they should be able to handle any unforeseen circumstances. As guests, Magi Technology Minister Degauss and Undersecretary Christoph were also on board. Since it was difficult to observe the training and test voyage from the shore, Jin decided tounch an airship. The Prime Minister eagerly joined them when invited. Thus, Jin, Reiko, Elsa, Edgar, Reinhardt, the Prime Minister, and the steward golem responsible for navigationseven in totalboarded the airship. Although slightly overweight, theypensated with gravity magic to avoid any issues. Unaware of this, the Prime Minister simply thought Jins airship had a high capacity. Leaving aside such matters, from the sky, they had a clear view of the ship. Oh, its quite visible. Thank you, Jin. Thats fine, just make sure not to lean out too much and fall. Understood. From about 50 meters above, Jins airship observed Bernsteins progress. Jin, look at those waves, theyre quite significant. Elsa remarked. Yeah, thats wave resistance for you. Well need to consider reducing it. Reinhardt added. From above, they could clearly see how the ship interacted with the waves. The Prime Minister observed the ships operation, while Jin and the others focused on technical aspects. Beneath them, the newly constructed Bernstein continued its navigation test smoothly. Chapter 677 Magi Craft Meister Chapter 677: Bitumen Now then, here we have John Dini from the town of Seki. John, thanks for yesterday. You really helped me out. No problem. If you need anything else, feel free to ask. John Dini went around the town of Seki, repairing various tools and magical devices. From fixing pots to repairing magicalmps, and even patching up leaks As a result, he became acquainted with most of the towns residents. John Dini was an automaton controlled by Laojun. His personality was modeled after Jins, based on Laojuns understanding of Jins character. In other words, he acted as Jin would and responded in a manner simr to Jin. These days continued for five days. John! A woman approached, pedaling a bicycle. It was Maya, Johns caretaker in the town of Seki. Maya, whats going on? Mr. Crow is calling for you. Oh? What could it be? John followed Maya to the town hall. Thank you foring, Sir John. John was led to the office, where he faced the town mayor, Crow, one-on-one. In these past six days, you have deepened your interactions with the townspeople and repaired their damaged items. Ive seen your skills and your character. After pausing for a moment, Crow continued. Tomorrow, I want you to head to the capital Miyako with my letter of rmendation. Deputy Mayor Daro will apany you as my representative. Thus, John, who had been recognized in the town of Seki, was set to head to the city of the capital Miyako, the center of the Mitsuho country. And so, on the morning of December 6th John, thank you for all your help. John, my wife also wanted to thank you. Take care, John. Come back and visit us, John! As John and Daro were about to leave the town of Seki, arge crowd of townspeople gathered to see them off. Sir John, are you ready? Daro, who was mounted on his bicycle, called out to John, who was riding a golem horse. Yes, Im ready. Alright, lets go then. Good luck, John. I know youll reach the top! Thank you, Maya. See you again. This was as far as Maya would go. She would likely return to the vige of Kali after this. And so, John and Daro left the town of Seki. They exited through the northern gate. As they passed through the gate, the surrounding scenery changed dramatically, surprising John. Haha, are you surprised? This is our current way of life. The road was made of some kind of hardened soil, and it was about seven meters wideparable to a twone road on modern Earth. Because of these roads, bicycles are very effective. Currently, the bicycle Daro was riding didnt have iron wheels but was instead covered with a material resembling magical beast leather, making it suitable for on-road use. Is it alright to have horses walk on such a splendid road? Haha, dont worry. Its hardened with a material called bitumen, so horses wont make it dent. Bitumen? Although the ground in the town of Seki was also hardened, this was clearly different, piquing Johns interest. The name of this material was something he hadnt encountered before. He wanted to learn more, but Daro only knew the name, so the details would have to wait until they reached the capital Miyako. However, Laojun had inherited some knowledge about this material from Jin, who in turn had learned it from his predecessor. (It seems to be something like asphalt with a soil color.) On Earth, natural asphalt was called bitumen and it was used as a preservative for mummies in Egypt. Since this material couldnt be found in small countries, Hourai Ind, or the demon territories, neither Jin nor Laojun had seen it before. This was their first opportunity to verify their knowledge. (Analyzing Its not just hydrocarbons. Its different from Earths asphalt.) John discreetly investigated during a break. Compared to Earths asphalt, this bitumen appeared to have a stronger bonding strength. It seemed capable of withstanding the full gallop of a golem horse without denting. Still, the exact details wouldnt be clear until they reached the capital Miyako. This paving made bicycle travel much easier. After leaving the town of Seki, they encountered a gentle uphill slope for a while, but afterward, the road remained mostly t. Daros bicycle maintained an average speed of about 25 kilometers per hour, passing through the vige of Ehimu and reaching the town of Temae before noon. They had lunch there before setting off again. Passing through the viges of Nardo and Yashima, they arrived in the capital Miyako by evening. The paved roads are wonderful. John (as Laojun) praised the roads sincerely. Covering a distance of 100 kilometers in a single day using only human power was a feat rarely achievable in the smaller countries. Haha, indeed. Thats why I can travel back and forth between Seki and the capital Miyako so easily with just light gear. Daro replied. The town of the capital Miyako was a city surrounded by moats. Like the capital Miyako city Esaia of the Kingdom of Celuroa, the moat was crossed by bridges. Naturally, these bridges were guarded and could be burned or destroyed in emergencies to prevent enemy intrusion. This time, since Daro was with him and they had a letter of introduction from Crow, the mayor of Seki, passing through was simple. So, you brought a Magismith. Good work. Wee, Sir Magismith. We are pleased to have you here. The gate guard seemed familiar with Daro and quickly granted them passage upon seeing the letter. He also greeted John warmly. In this country, magical technicians were referred to as Magismiths rather than Magi Engineer. The clothing here is a bit different. That was Johns first impression upon entering the city of the capital Miyako. Most of the clothes here were front-fastened, resembling traditional Japanese clothing in Jins knowledge. Although it was only Japanese-style clothing. The closestparison would be a Japaense jinbei. The sleeves were tubr, and the cors were kimono-like. The bottoms were more akin to Japanese karusan or hakama than pants. Can you tell? This attire is characteristic of Mitsuho. Its easy toyer and allows for easy movement. However, its mostly used in humid areas like the capital Miyako. Apparently, there was ake called Sayama Lake behind the capital Miyako, and the water for the moat was drawn from there. Another intriguing ce name caught John (Laojun)s attention. What is the material? Ah, you noticed the difference right away. Its wood cotton. Wood cotton? John asked again, unsure if it was the same cotton he was familiar with. Yes, cotton. Its the fiber obtained from the nt called wata. Why its called wood cotton I dont know. I see. From a distance, it appeared to be the same cotton that Jin knew. Cotton-producing nts thrive in warm, moist climates, making the area from Seki to the capital Miyako ideal for cultivation. (Another valuable material has been found.) Laojun grew increasingly interested in the exchange with the different culture of Mitsuho. Look, theres the guesthouse. Oh John saw the building Daro pointed to, which had a tiled roof resembling traditional Japanese architecture. Its alreadyte today, so please stay there for the night. Tomorrow morning, I will introduce you to the chief. Please take your time to rest today. Understood. Rushing would gain nothing. John nodded obediently and decided to rest at the guesthouse. The gatekeeper at the guesthouse quickly granted them entry, thanks to Daros familiarity and Crows letter of introduction. Oh Inside the walledpound, andscape resembling a Japanese garden spread out before them. (Its impossible for there to be so many coincidences. Could it be the ancestors of the Mitsuho people) Laojun concluded that it was highly likely they came from a world simr to, or very close to, Jins. (Tomorrow, meeting with the chief should reveal even more.) John (Laojun) eagerly awaited the following day. Chapter 678 Magi Craft Meister Chapter 678 C Arm The morning of December 7th, which John (Laojun) had eagerly awaited, finally arrived. The breakfast served consisted of rice porridge, miso soup, a raw egg, pickled greens, grilled dried fish, and roasted green tea. It was aplete Japanese-style meal. John Dini, being an automaton, ate everything without any preference or dislike, which greatly pleased the elderly woman who served him. Our guest seems to enjoy our food. She said, with a slight ent, exining that her family ran a rice farm. John wanted to hear more, but Daro arrived, cutting their conversation short. Good morning, John. Im sorry to rush you, but are you ready to go? It was just before 8 AM, and the Chief had already started his duties. This way, please. What John saw next was a rickshaw. A robust rickshaw puller was drawing it. This was possible because of the paved roads. John and Daro got into the rickshaw and headed to the Chief. The Chief was located in a building called the Assembly Pce. This building housed the Parliament and served as the de facto executive office. After a ten-minute rickshaw ride, the two arrived at the Assembly Pce. Since they had arranged their visit in advance, the gatekeeper let them in immediately. Please, go ahead. First, they were introduced to the Parliament. After a ten-minute wait, they were led into the meeting room. Wee, Sir John Dini. Eighteen legitors were seated around a round table. They all had dark brown hair and tan skin, wearing clothes resembling jinbei. Pleased to meet you. I am John Dini. It is an honor to meet you. Please, dont be formal. Take a seat over there. Daro, you did well. Please wait in the anteroom. The legitor at the far end spoke. John sat down in the vacant seat at the round table as instructed, and Daro left the room. Of the eighteen legitors, thirteen were men and five were women, with ages ranging from their thirties to sixties. There seemed to be something ced on the round table, but it was covered with a cloth, making it indiscernible. The legitor at the far end appeared to be both the chairman and the spokesperson. Lets be straightforward. We are in dire need of an excellent no, a supetive Magismith. We sincerely hope that you will fulfill that role. Yes, I will do my best. John bowed his head. However, the chairman shook his head. No, effort alone will not suffice. Let us show you this. At the chairmans signal, one of the legitors removed the cloth covering the object on the round table. This is It was the arm of a golem. This is something we used, but it broke. For instance, could you repair this? The legitor who removed the cloth asked with a worried expression. Let me take a look. John picked up the arm. It had a skeletal structure and muscles. While the shoulder joint was missing, the elbow joint remained intact. The bones corresponding to the radius and ulna were present, and the wrist resembled a ball joint. (This is? It appears to be quite old. However, the skeletal structure resembles that of a human But its definitely not the work of the Magi Craft Meister) As John wore a look of disbelief at the sight before him, the chairman was about to express his disappointment when I can fix it. However, repairing just the arm wont solve the issue, right? Where is the main body? John raised his head and replied. He had decided that if he couldnt do it here, it would be the end of the discussion. The fact was, he should be able to fix it, and dwelling on its origins here wouldnt lead to any conclusions. R-Really? You can fix it? Is that true? It cant be a lie! The previously quiet room suddenly buzzed with excitement. After allowing themotion to continue for a while, the chairman banged on the round table to quiet everyone down. Sir John, youre not lying, are you? Wevee too far to turn back now. Ill ask you once more. Can you fix it? I can fix it. With Johns firm affirmation, the murmurs among the legitors resumed. Understood. Then, you shall meet with the chief. He will instruct you on what to do. The chairman pointed to the door at the back. Theres a staircase beyond that door. Descend the stairs, and youll find the chiefs room. Speak with him there. You dont need to knock; Ill inform him. Got it. There was no point in probing how themunication would be done now. As John stood up without hesitation, the assembled legitors watched him with hopeful eyes. The other side of the door was eerily quiet. Johns footsteps echoed as he descended the stairs. On the door at the end, the characters read Chief. With the anticipation of soon finding answers to these mysteries, John opened the door with hope. Wee, Magismith John Dini. There was arge desk, and behind it sat an elderly man, presumably the chief. There was also a young woman who seemed to be a secretary. I heard from the chairman. He said you dered you can fix that arm. Yes. I see. Well, please, have a seat. Separated by the desk, John took a seat directly opposite the chief. Observing his counterpart, John noted that while the mans hair had likely been a chestnut color, most of it had turned white. He appeared to be around sixty years old. His skin tone was slightly tan like the others, and his eyes were also brown. There was a vigor in his voice, and he exuded authority befitting his position. First, let me introduce myself. I am Hiro Mutu. Ive been serving as the chief here in Mitsuho for five years. Considering the term was said to be two years, John pondered whether this was his third term. It indicated hispetence to a certain extent. Now, Id like to confirm something. Can you take a look at this? Hiro took out another Golems arm. Another Golems arm, I see. John wondered if there was some particr reason for the emphasis on repairing Golems. Exactly. Now, Id like to hear your opinion after seeing it. John took the arm in hand and observed it. Like the one before, this arm seemed to be well-made. The material is steel, isnt it? Modeled after the human forearm, it seems to have a high degree of freedom. Hmm, anything else? Yes, the muscles seem to have deteriorated considerably. It wouldnt be useful as it is. Recement is necessary. Can you do it? Yes, as long as I have the materials. Is that so? Chief Hiro seemed either deeply moved or overwhelmed, cing a hand on his face and looking down. Um, whats going on? Curious, John asked, and Hiro lifted his face. His eyes were moist, and his face flushed. It seems weve finally found what weve been searching for. Huh? I have only one request for you. Just pass through that door over there. Hiro pointed to another door further inside the office. After that, I want you to ask the entity on the other side. But first, Id like to answer your questions. Do you have any? John felt he was getting closer to the core of the matter. Well He wondered if he could find answers to questions aboutnguage and words here. Where did the artifacts and magical tools, sometimes seen as out-of-ce objects,e from? What was the truth behind the invasion three hundred years ago? Although he had many questions he wanted to ask, the question John chose to start with was, Do you know someone named Adrianna Balbora Ceci? Adrianna Balbora Ceci Hmm, Im sorry. I dont know her. It feels like Ive heard the name somewhere, but I cant recall. I see Johns prediction that Adrianna Balbora Ceci, the former Magi Craft Meister, might have done something in the past turned out to be wrong. Well then, thats all for now. I might ask again when I return. John stood up and nodded. Is that so I hope youe back safely. Although his wording bothered John a bit, he headed towards the door indicated by Chief Hiro. He mentioned an entity Could it be non-human? John approached the door, hand ready to open it. Chapter 679 Magi Craft Meister Chapter 679 C Akitsu Is this? For a brief moment, a magic circle appeared at his feet, so short-lived that a human might not have noticed it. But to the old sage, it was a familiar sight. A teleportation gate! Warp gate! In an instant, Johns form vanished. Where am I? This seems to be the central part of the vast desert west of the Hari-Hari Desert. Using his magical radar, the old sage of Hourai Ind swiftly located where John had been sent. Whos there? A feeble voice emanated from the darkness ahead. John switched his vision to infrared. There was a figure in the rooms depths, seated in a grand armchair. As he drew closer, it became clear that it was one of the entities spoken of. An automaton. I am John Dini. Ive been instructed by Chief Hiro toe here. Im here to inquire what needs to be done. Ah, now its you Would you mind turning on the lights? Sure, please. Even though he could see with infrared, regr light was preferable for detailed observation. John conjured up a Light Orb to illuminate the room. The interior brightened instantly. Its been a long time since the lights malfunctioned The automaton murmured in a frail voice. So, what should I do? While he could guess, it was better to confirm. Please repair me It was the answer John had expected. I am an automaton I have been in existence for a long time Various parts of my body are damaged Under the bright light, the extent of the damage became clear. Originally fashioned in the likeness of a beautiful woman, most of her hair had fallen out, one eye had dislodged, leaving an empty socket. The magical skin had lost its sticity, cracked in several ces. While the clothing seemed intact at first nce, closer inspection revealed it to be threadbare, ready to disintegrate with the slightest movement. Perhaps staying in the dark was to prevent further deterioration caused by light exposure. Thest time I received maintenance was about seventy years ago Even then, I couldnt repair my body Only the vocal functions were restored The old sage recalled Ann, whom Jin had found and repaired. Created over three hundred years ago, she had malfunctioned due to neglect. The automaton sitting before him had been serviced intermittently, yet degradation was inevitable. I apologize for the intrusion, but how many years ago were you created? And who exactly are you? I vaguely recall around 1100 years ago Considering this year is 3457 The old sage was stunned. 1100 years ago. An automaton created before Jins predecessor, Adrianna Balbora Ceci. I am the inheritor of the knowledge of the Sage Magus Shuki Ceci I exist to impart wisdom to the people of Mitsuho My name is Akitsu Shuki Ceci. There was no mention of him in Jins knowledge. But he might be associated with Adrianna Balbora Ceci, the old sage thought. The Sage Magus Shuki Ceci, huh? What kind of person was he? Did he create you? No, he couldnt use engineering magic It was one of his disciples who created me I see My apologies. Lets start by examining your body. Deciding that repairing the automaton in front of him took precedence over conversation, John declined and reached out to touch Akitsu. Unexpectedly, Akitsu spoke. Ah, are you? Are you also an automaton? To his surprise, Akitsu, the automaton, instantly discerned that John was also an automaton. It seemed inheriting knowledge was no mere phrase, the old sage noted. Deciding to be honest, the old sage reasoned that the automaton before him didnt seem like a threat. Instead, he believed that honesty might yield more information. At this point, its strikingly simr to Jin that theres no option to forcibly extract knowledge from the automaton. Yes, indeed. I am an automaton created by my maker. Upon hearing this, Akitsu responded with an impressed tone. Ah, so There are still skilled Magi Engineers in this world. Well then, what is your purpose? To be honest, its to investigate the country of Mitsuho. There are rumors that this country is nning to invade our homnd. At these words, Akitsu shook her head slightly. That seems highly unlikely I have never suggested such a thing But there are records from about 300 years ago of an invasion, arent there? Akitsu fell silent for a moment, seeming to ponder something, then unexpectedly revealed: During that time there was a drastic decrease in the ambient free magical energy in the space As a result, I experienced a malfunction and was inactive for about 10 years The old sage concluded it was undoubtedly due to the Aether Stampede phenomenon. And since then I havent been able to move Akitsu then recounted how the people of Mitsuho, upon learning of her inactivity, sought Magusmiths capable of repairs from the eastern countries, such as the Shouro Empire and the Kogun Kingdom. It wasnt contradictory to what he had heard before, about the malfunction of magical devices. If that were true, it emphasized the urgency of repairing Akitsu. John carefully examined Akitsus body. The control core seems to be slightly damaged due to its good preservation. The corrosion of the skeleton is also less advanced than expected. However, theres no other option but to rece the magical skin and muscles. But the materials are not easily obtainable Akitsus words were urate. In Mitsuho, where magitech is underdeveloped, materials to repair such advanced automatons are not readily avable. Thats correct. And one more thing. Without recing the Aether Converter, it will malfunction due to the current low concentration of free magical energy. The Aether Converter too I see The Peni Ind faction currently uses the Magical Reactor for magical reactions, but until recently, it was the Aether Converter. Even inparison, the installed equipment seemed primitive, leading the old sage to believe that Akitsu was from an era even older than Adrianna Balbora Ceci. I suppose my purpose hase to an end Akitsu closed her remaining eye, her words reflecting a profound sense of disappointment. () The old sage pondered. The automaton before John was an incredibly valuable entity. Letting it decay like this was not eptable. However, repairing it didnt guarantee that it wouldnt be hostile to Peni Ind. Some knowledge suggested it surpassed even the old sage. The safest and most beneficial approach would be to let it decay, extract its control core after it stops functioning, and absorb the information. (But what would Milord think) If Jin found out, he would likely grieve. That was the kind of person Jin was. In conclusion, he decided to report to Jin and seek his judgment. At Lake Wass, it was the day the naval gship Bernstein, after several days of test voyages, was departing for the sea. With minor adjustments and additions to the equipment, it was a resounding sess. The crew hadpleted their training, and everything seemed to be in order. Now, the Bernstein will sail through the waterway and head out to sea. After two days of final checks, well set sail for the Kingdom of Elias. This is not only a first for our nation but also for the neighboring countries, including the Small Group Nations! With the captains farewell speech concluded, it was time to set sail. Jin, Reiko, Elsa, and Edgar observed from the airship above. The Prime Minister and Minister of Magi Technology watched from the hot air balloon they had arrived in. Reinhardt and Christoph observed from the shore, witnessing the departure of the newly built ship, the Bernstein. Sail away! With the added equipment, the steam whistle sounded, and the Bernstein slowly departed from the dock. Nearby residents gathered to bid farewell, and Jin and hispanions watched from above. At that moment, a message came from the Laojun. Father, Laojun urgently wants to consult with you. Hmm? What could it be? Thats unusual. Since they were in the air, Jin picked up themunication device provided on the airship, the Mana Phone, to talk. Chapter 680 Magi Craft Meister Chapter 680 C Resolve A sudden contact from Laojun was unusual. With anticipation, Jin responded. Laojun, its Jin. Whats going on? Yes, my lord. I apologize for intruding, but theres something I must inform you about. Laojun briefly recounted John Dinis journey, then exined about Akitsu, the automaton he encountered through the teleportation gate. Hmm, an automaton even older than the previous one And there seems to be some connection. Jin mused. Yes. While its possible to extract information, I thought it might contradict your intentions, my lord. Hmm Theres no guarantee that this Akitsu wont be another Elena. Laojun expressed concern. Jin pondered. Laojuns worries were valid, after all, he always put Jin first. There were three options: Do not repair.Repair with limitations.Fully repair. Each had its own pros and cons, and the approach would vary. Id like to meet and talk to them in person Father, its dangerous. Reiko immediately objected. Well, I figured youd say that. But, Jin, you want to go, right? Elsa chimed in from the side. Reiko shot her a slightly resentful look. Reiko, why dont youe along too, and well take all necessary precautions? Jin suggested. Ill go too. Elsa volunteered. Reiko can just focus on protecting Jin, and if he gets injured, Ill heal him right away. She added. Hmm Jin groaned as the conversation grew more dramatic. But he understood that everyone was concerned about him. If we can meet them in person, then its fine, I suppose In the end, curiosity won out. Bernstein was smoothly sailing down the waterway, with no signs of trouble. Jin waved to the prime ministers on the hot air balloon and then directed the airship toward the sea. By heading to the sea at a speed that the hot air balloon couldnt match, no one would be able to track their whereabouts. After ensuring they had reached a sufficient altitude, Jin, Reiko, Elsa, and Edgar returned to Peni Ind via the teleportation gate. Wee back, my lord. Preparations areplete. Jin put on the reinforced suit he had made before. It offered significant physical impact resistance. They also brought repair materials: Peni Inds magical skin, magical muscles, and magic crystals. Reiko carried a sma sword, a teleportation gun, and barrier bombs for emergencies. Elsa carried healing potions, a treatment device, and a magic nullifier. Edgar had a gravity control magic device and an ether jammer. They knew the location of Akitsu. It was in the central part of a vast desert, west of the Hari-Hari Desert. Condor 3 and Pegasus 1 would both be transported using the teleportation device. Jin and the others boarded Pegasus 1. Alright, Ill send you off. Laojun activated the teleportation device. In an instant, they were all transported to the central part of the massive desert. Now, where could it be? Jin scanned the surroundings, and Elsa did the same, turning her head. My lord, over there. Reiko, with her keen eyesight, pointed to a spot where something clearly different in color from the sand and rocks was visible. It looks like a metallic dome. Jin observed. It was astonishing that something like that had been made over 1100 years ago, but the mystery would likely be solved soon. Jin maneuvered Pegasus 1 closer. The dome had a matte dull gold color, blending somewhat with the surrounding yellowish sand, serving as camouge. Theres no mistake. John is inside. Reiko confirmed with the built-in magical detection device, Magi Detector. Alright. Now, how do we get in? Jin pondered. Perhaps its best to open it from the inside. Reiko suggested. Ah, I see. Miss Akitsu, do you mind having your body repaired by my creator? Your creator? Yes. They are here with me now, very close by. What!? Surprised, her voice thin and slightly drawn out, she failed to convey much tension, which was understandable given the circumstances. How did you find this ce? This is the central part of a vast desert, right? Thats correct This is the central part of the desert Sahara, as the Sage Magus called it How did you manage to in such a ce My creator can freely use teleportation warp gates. And they can also fly through the sky. Upon hearing this, Akitsu reacted further. Fly through the sky I see. The Sage Magus had such dreams as well Your creator seems to be a very remarkable person indeed With that said, after pondering for about two minutes, Akitsu made up her mind. I understand. At this rate, I will stop functioning soon That would go against my basic directive I will ept the repairs Then, could you please open the entrance or instruct us on how to do so? Yes I cant open it myself Please loosen the handle to my right, just beside me, by turning it to the left John followed her instructions, turning the handle, about 30 centimeters in diameter. It became clear that there were screws involved. Next please push down the lever to the right of the handle Though quite stiff, John managed to move it with his strength. Finally the one on the left is the door, it opens outward Upon observation, there indeed appeared to be something resembling a door, about two meters tall and one meter wide. Grasping what seemed to be the doorknob, John slowly turned it, feeling the tightly closed door begin to loosen. It seemed that the seal was sticking, making it difficult to open. It would have been impossible for a human to open it, but John was not human. With a sound akin to a snap, a gap appeared, and then the door swung open, falling outward as if by its own weight. Father, it seems John has seeded in persuading them. Theyre about to open the door. Outside the dome, Reiko ryed the information from Laojun to Jin. After about a minute, a gap appeared in the wall to their left, and then the door swung open, copsing outward, serving as a makeshift ramp. Sorry for the wait, Master Jin. Inside the door, John (Laojun), weed them. Its John, right? Thanks for your efforts. No problem. Please be careful as you enter, Master Jin. Edgar, you lead the way. Yes, Lady Elsa. Following Elsas instructions, Edgar led the way, followed by Elsa, then Jin and Reiko, entering the dome in that order. This is Akitsu. Nice to meet you, creator of John. My name is Akitsu Chapter 681 Chapter 681 C Akitsus Repair Jin and Elsa gasped at the dreadful state of Akitsu. It was worse than they had imagined. As Jin impulsively moved to approach Akitsu, Elsa held him back. Jin-nii, be careful. Ah, right, sorry, Elsa Reiko, can you take a look at her? First, he decided to have Reiko diagnose Akitsu. Excuse me. Reiko began diagnosing the immobile Akitsus body. As she did, Akitsu spoke to her. You are an automaton too. You resemble Sage Magus a bit Resemble? Yes. Sage Magus also had ck eyes and ck hair Because her voice was so faint, Jin was concerned. Reiko, how is it? Yes, if possible, I think it would be better to repair her at theb. Although they had the materials ready, Akitsus entire body was severely damaged, making it clear that it would be easier to perform the repairs in theb, where all kinds of materials were avable. But Reiko hesitated because of the potential danger once Akitsu was repaired. Hmm At that moment, Jin came up with an idea. Akitsu, in order to repair you, we need to stop you temporarily. Could you tell us the stop and start magic keyword? And also the authentication key password. The authentication key password is necessary for someone other than the creator to stop an automaton. It is a key set in cases where it would be problematic for just anyone to be able to stop the automaton, unlike ordinary magical tools. Yes To stop, Stop, behold, and to start, Wake up. The authentication key password is Kougai-chou 64.'' The fact that Akitsu obediently provided this information indicated that she was not hostile. She was indeed a rather old model. Alright, lets stop her for now. Kougai-chou 64, Stop, behold. With that, Akitsu ceased all movement. Father, what will you do next? Reiko, sensing that Jin had a n, asked him. Ah, well take Akitsu to Hourai Ind as she is. There, well repair her and simultaneously copy her control core. By analyzing it, we can determine if Akitsu might be an enemy. Both Reiko and Elsa nodded at his words. As expected of you, Father. The preparations were unnecessary, but its good. Elsa felt a bit relieved as they had meticulously prepared, yet now they would simply take Akitsu back to Hourai Ind. Yes, those preparations were for safety. Lets hurry back. Reiko cast gravity magic on Akitsu, making her less likely to break, and then lifted her. They moved carefully and used the warp gate inside Pegasus 1 to transport everyone to Hourai Ind. Only John remained behind to guard the dome in case of any emergencies. Back at theb on Hourai Ind, Jin immediately began the repairs. Jin-nii, how are you going to fix such a severely deteriorated automaton? Under the bright light, the extent of the deterioration was clearly visible. Well, just watch. Alright. Meanwhile, Reiko, who served as Jins assistant, remained silent. Reiko was reminiscing about the past. Since she was created by the previous Magi Craft Meister, Adrianna Balbora Ceci, about a thousand years ago, she had been fulfilling her mission of finding a sessor. (This automaton must have also spent its time in solitude) She understood that the automaton named Akitsu, lying before her, had experienced a simr fate. Despite being less advanced than Reiko, Akitsu had sustained fewer damages, likely due to her role in education and remaining mostly inactive within the dome, Jin spected. First, they would need to disassemble Akitsu. This is There were many simrities to Adriannas automata. However, Akitsus structure showed many outdated features, indicating that she was an older model. This is the control core. The control core was an all-attribute magi-crystal, which had also deteriorated somewhat. Jin prepared a new magi-crystal and performed Knowledge Transfer. He also made a copy, entrusting one to Lao-kun for analysis. Please, verify whether theres any potential hostility before we proceed with the knowledge verification. Yes, Master. I will conduct it urgently. By renewing the control core in this way, Jins magical pattern would serve as the standard, often leading the automaton to recognize Jin as its creator, simr to An and Elena. However, since Akitsu was an older model from the previous generation, it was uncertain how she would respond. While Lao-kun was analyzing the control core, Jin proceeded with the repairs to Akitsus body. The skeleton is just ordinary steel. Carbon steel, with no special trace elements added and only minimal heat treatment. The magical muscles theyrepletely useless. Ill have to rece all of them. Some of the muscles tore with just a slight pull, so Jin decided to rece them all. In that case, its essentially like creating a new automaton. I should probably avoid using high-grade materials. Father, I think thats wise. Reiko argued that it was better for the automaton to have lower performance in case it turned hostile. I think youre worrying too much Elsa, can you handle the skeleton? We have 5.5% nickel steel, so use that. 5.5% nickel steel is a material where 5.5% of nickel is mixed with the steel. This material was used in the past by Jin to create a general-purpose golem upon a request from the Klein Kingdom. The kingdom used these golems for secret ore mining, and in the end, they were destroyed by a gigantic centipede, the Giganto Pedea. Jin had recovered and stored this material. Alright. Got it. In this field, Elsa was already a top-ss Magi Craft Engineer. Although not quite on Jins level, shepleted the skeleton in about fifteen minutes. Jin-nii, I used the current model for the joints. Is that okay? Ah, I forgot to mention it. Thanks, its perfect. Meanwhile, Jin prepared the lower-grade magical muscles and magical skin. The standard materials used on Hourai Ind had too high performance, so using lower-grade materials actually took more effort. Alright, lets start assembling. Reiko, can you prepare the magical nerves for wiring? Elsa, grab the shield case. Yes. Got it. With Reiko and Elsa assisting him, Jin worked at his own pace, making sure to implement countermeasures against Envement Rewrite Magic just in case. Okay, the body is done. Now for the head. Judging by the remaining eyes this isnt magi-obsidian. Upon analysis, it turned out to be tourmaline. It seemed they had chosen it solely for its color, with the actual vision provided by magi-quartz within the eyeballs. No wonder she doesnt have vision as sharp as Reikos. Hearing Jins muttered observation, Reiko smiled. Father, we have regr obsidian here. Wouldnt that be better than the ck tourmaline? ck tourmalinecks transparency, while obsidian, being natural ss, is more suitable for use as eyes. Alright, lets use that. Next, they moved on to restoring the face. Jin and Elsa worked together to shape it. How does this look? Yeah, thats good. It has a face reminiscent of a Japanese personless defined features. Before applying the magical skin, Jin inquired with Lao-kun. Lao-kun, hows the analysis going? Yes, Master. The analysis just finished. This automaton named Akitsu is truly just for educational purposes. It has no function beyond conveying limited knowledge. I see. So its essentially like the Fhrer we sent to the Shouro Empire. With the possibility of hostility eliminated, Jin confidently attached the control core. Finally, once the newly made ether converter and mana driver were installed, the job wasplete. Although the newponents were less efficient than what Jin typically used, he managed to upgrade them to aparable level while ensuring they werepatible with the current free ether concentration. I never thought Id have such a hard time downgrading performance. Jin remarked, finding the process surprisingly challenging. All right, its fixed now. Lets just cover it with the magical skin. The artificial skin was palerpared to the people from Mitsuho. It really does look Japanese. Yeah, it kind of looks like you, Jin-nii. Jins own skin, after being burnt in an electric furnace and restored with ether, had adapted to this worlds environment, ending up with a simrplexion to Elsa and Reinhardt. He spected that cells rich in free ether might take on this appearance, but as he wasnt a specialist in this area, he couldnt draw a definite conclusion. Setting that aside, Jin and Elsa finished up Akitsus exterior. They decided on ck hair based on the remaining strands. Then Jin had a sudden thought. Lao-kun, does Akitsus control core have any information about her original appearance? Yes, Master. One moment there is. I will transfer it to Reiko. Got it. Reiko, please handle the final touches on her appearance. Elsa, take care of Akitsus clothes. Yes, Father. Okay. With these final adjustments, the repair of the ancient educational automaton, Akitsu, wasplete. Chapter 682 Chapter 682 C Information Organization By the way. Before rebooting Akitsu, Jin asked a question to Lao-kun. What about the knowledge and information Akitsu has? Yes, Master My Lord. Unfortunately, I have some bad news Hmm? Akitsus knowledge is very limited. What do you mean? In response to Jins question, Lao-kun began to exin with an apologetic tone. I see, Akitsus knowledge is mainly about governing a country, and its about democratic politics, right? Yes. Other than that, there are a few things about culture. Most of it is stuff that you, Master, My Lord, already know. Jin pondered. If knowledge had been transferred using Knowledge Transfer, it would be hard to believe that it would be so limited. Lao-kun continued as if reading Jins thoughts. Most likely, Akitsu has not been endowed with knowledge through Knowledge Transfer. What!? Like an ordinary automaton, it was probably educated from scratch, as if imparting knowledge to a baby. For an ordinary automaton, basic information for operation, akin to an OS in aputer, is given. But that only enables very basic functions. Without imparting knowledge through education, it would not only be unusable but also unable to speak satisfactorily. But Knowledge Transfer is an old technology, isnt it? Right, Reiko? Reiko nodded slightly. Yes, Father. Thats what I heard from Mother So, it means that the magic Knowledge Transfer was developed after Akitsu but before Reiko. Which means Did the previous generation improve Knowledge Transfer? That seems very likely. Lao-kun, who should have analyzed Akitsus knowledge, didnt understand how she acquired her knowledge for a reason. The format of the control core, or so-called control nucleus, is slightly different. While information as knowledge was easy to read, memory information of the events Akitsu experienced since her creation was interspersed with misceneous data, much like a personal diary. Picking out only the useful information from it is a time-consuming process. Therefore, even Lao-kun couldntpletely analyze it in this short period. Now, they couldnt afford to stay idle any longer. Jin was about to reboot the lying Akitsu but had a sudden thought. Lets reboot Akitsu in that dome. That sounds like a good idea. So, Jin, along with Reiko holding Akitsu, transferred to the dome using the transporter. Elsa stayed behind, as they nned to return soon. Wee back. John, who had been guarding the ce, greeted them. Since John is ultimately controlled by Lao-kun, Jin felt a slight sense of incongruity being told wee back. Before restoring Akitsu, Jin checked the armchair he had been sitting on. The frame was made of bronze and had developed verdigris, so he cleaned it up. Alright, Reiko, please have Akitsu sit down. Yes. John, did you notice anything while you were investigating the dome? John, who had been in the dome while Jin was repairing Akitsu, should have checked various things. Yes, there was nothing particrly noteworthy. I see. Jin decided to proceed with rebooting Akitsu and recited the Authentication Key Password and Magi-Key Word. Kougai-chou 64, Wake Up. Yes. Akitsu opened her eyes. Master Jin, thank you for fixing me. With this, I will be able to continue watching over the people in thisnd. It seemed she was fully aware of who had repaired her. Lao-kuns judgment that she would not be hostile was correct. Akitsu, keep it a secret that I did the repairs. Say that John did it. Yes, understood. Akitsu would continue to provide knowledge and offer consultations to visitorsthose recognized by the chieftainuntil the day she was no longer needed. Jin also thought he might visit asionally. Reiko, perhaps curious, nced back at Akitsu once. Jin and Reiko briefly stepped outside, boarded Pegasus 1, and returned to Mount Hourai via the Condor 3s warp gate. Condor 3 would fly back on its own. Wee back, Jin-nii. Elsa greeted them in front of theboratory. And then Lao-kun spoke. Master My Lord, regarding Akitsus memory information Yes, what is it? I managed to analyze it, but unfortunately, some parts were damaged. It was quite rare for Lao-kun to fail in analysis, indicating the task was very challenging. The original copy, which was deteriorating and cracking, might have had unclear information to begin with. The original was now missing and no longer useful, and it felt somewhat inappropriate to go back and copy Akitsus control core again. Well, it cant be helped. Just exin what you found out. Understood. Lao-kun concisely summarized and reported the information Jin was seeking. This is what was understood. The following points are based on the supplemented data from the damaged information: Thats the summary. In addition, Jin was able to infer the role of magic craftsmen in Mitsuho, Akitsus role, and the rtionship between the chieftain and Akitsu. However, the true identity of Shuki Ceci remains a mystery. Lao-kun discussed this with Jin. The inhabitants of Mitsuho are likely the same ethnic group as the subservient race that lived with the demon race. Therefore, they cannot use magic. That seems likely. And the Sage Magus and his disciples probably transmitted and guided various cultures and civilizations. Elsa was also participating in the discussion. Surely, as part of that, they created various tools and magical devices. When they broke down, it led to a need for repair personnel, hence the need for magic engineers. Mother didnt talk about anything like that Reiko recalled the past and provided additional details. Yeah, I didnt receive such information from the previous generation either. There must be some reason for it Lets have John Dini continue gathering information. I believe well learn more through that process. Judging with limited information is dangerous. Jin agreed with Lao-kuns suggestion. That sounds good. I also want information from other consultant automatons. Jin was indeed interested in information about the previous generation and possibly people from the same world as himself. Regarding that, I have a request for you, My Lord. Yes? What is it? Yes. I would like to improve my processing capabilities Specifically, my ability to handle multiple terminals like John or Lao more efficiently. I see. Jin was aware that he had been passing off troublesome matters to Lao-kun. Understood. Ill start working on it right away. Thank you. Thus, further improvements to Lao-kun were set in motion. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!