The next day dawned bright and clear—the day of the Golem Boat Race preliminaries.
The harbor had been buzzing with activity since early morning. The participants were a medley of emotions.
"Ah, I’m starting to get nervous."
"I didn't sleep a wink last night."
"Heh, just watch me today!"
"Everyone looks so talented. I kind of want to withdraw..."
Some were anxious, some were fired up, and others were riddled with doubt. Amidst the sea of varied expressions, Jin and his group remained perfectly composed.
"Wow, there are so many different kinds of boats. The golems are diverse, too. But most of them seem focused entirely on raw power. It’s a bit uninspired, don't you think?"
"I believe comparing them to Father is simply unfair," Reiko replied.
Listening to the exchange between the two helped Marcia shake off her own tension.
"Hey, Jin!"
"Oh, Reinhard."
Reinhard came running toward them, followed by a girl in a yellow one-piece swimsuit.
"This is the first time you’ve met her, isn't it? This is my cousin and pilot, Elsa."
"Elsa Randol. Pleased to meet you."
She was a beautiful girl with water-blue eyes and a semi-short cut of platinum-blonde hair that was even more lustrous than Reinhard’s. Her skin was fair and untouched by the sun.
"I’m Jin. This is my teammate and pilot, Marcia. And this is Reiko."
"I’m Marcia."
"Nice to meet you."
The two pilots shook hands. Reinhard couldn't resist chiming in with a tease.
"Hahaha! Elsa, you’ve already lost in the chest department....Oof!"
For his crude remark, Reinhard was sent flying into the sea by a silent, swift kick from Elsa.
"Honestly. Brother Rai really needs to learn a thing or two about delicacy."
As Reinhard climbed back out of the water, another figure approached them.
"Well now, Lord Reinhard, Lady Elsa. And there we have Marcia and... whoever this is."
It was the arrogant man, Valentino.
"Ah, Lord Valentino. This is Jin," Reinhard said, calling out Jin's name while dripping wet.
"Ah, so that was his name. My apologies. Now then, Lady Elsa, and Marcia—how are you feeling today?"
Valentino kept his eyes fixed on the girls, acting as if the men didn't exist. Reiko seemed too young to even register on his radar.
Marcia looked visibly annoyed by his gaze. "I’m in top form. I’m just looking forward to the start of the preliminaries."
Elsa, acting as if she didn't even feel his stare, replied, "The finish is acceptable....And what of you, Lord Valentino?"
Valentino puffed out his thin, frail chest. "Perfect! I’ll be claiming first place in the preliminaries."
As he boasted, someone appeared from behind him.
"Lord Valentino, the preliminaries are about to begin."
It was a petite, glamorous beauty wearing a red one-piece swimsuit.
"Oh, Liche. Right, I’m coming."
He gave a theatrical bow. "Well then, everyone, I wish you luck."
With that, he sauntered off.
"Lord Valentino is as tiresome as always," Elsa said, sounding half-exasperated.
"Yeah. But that confidence isn't entirely without merit," Reinhard added, his tone unusually serious.
Just then, a voice rang out across the harbor from a magic tool loudspeaker.
"The 10th Golem Boat Race preliminaries will now begin. Participants, please board your vessels and prepare immediately."
"Alright, I’m off," Marcia said to Jin.
"Let’s both do our best," Reinhard added as he walked away with Elsa.
After seeing the three of them off, Jin remarked, "Once the race starts, there’s nothing more I can do. I just have to believe in Marcia and Arrow and watch."
"Yes. And believe in Father’s craftsmanship."
Jin and Reiko then headed toward the staff-only seating area.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Now then, for the landmark 10th Golem Boat Race! We have the largest number of participants in history, including entrants from abroad. The excitement is unprecedented!"
Since the announcer was using a loudspeaker, his voice echoed into every corner of the harbor.
"Our commentator today is the young magi craftman our country is so proud of, Mr. Bernardo."
"I’m Bernardo. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the variety of golem boats on display today."
"Now, Mr. Bernardo, since we have many guests who have come from abroad for sightseeing, could you give us a brief explanation of the competition?"
The paid spectator stands were filled with a mix of about half tourists and half locals.
"Certainly. To put it simply, it is a competition for boat speed. However, what makes it unique is that the boats are propelled by golems and piloted by human women."
"In that case, the performance of the golem is the deciding factor, isn't it?"
"Yes. That is true, of course, but the piloting cannot be ignored. Today’s preliminaries are a simple test of speed, but tomorrow’s main race involves passing through several checkpoints, so ship-handling skills will be vital."
"I see. So it’s about the coordination between the pilot and the golem?"
"Exactly. Much like a driver and a horse working as one to move a carriage, how the pilot controls the golem is a crucial point."
"Thank you. Now, it looks like the parade of participants and their boats has begun at the harbor."
True to those words, the boats were lined up in the order of registration, slowly touring the inner harbor behind a lead vessel.
A large magic screen was set up in front of the main host's desk, making the action clearly visible even from the back of the stands.
"This year, thanks to the specially tailored swimsuits, the pilots are showing off their physiques to the audience without reservation."
"The swimsuit designs are quite innovative, aren't they?"
Jin probably never imagined that the figures he had made on a whim during registration would prove so influential.
"Mr. Bernardo, could you highlight any teams that particularly stand out?"
"Let’s see. First, there’s Team 1, 'Glory of Elias.' This is the team of Lord Valentino, the third son of Marquis Hudson and assistant to the lord. They have Liche, the runner-up from the previous race, as their pilot, and their golem was crafted by the renowned Sir Valerio. They are certainly a top contender for the championship."
"I agree. That golem with the massive upper body... you can sense its power just by looking at it. If it swings those oars with those arms, it’ll likely reach incredible speeds."
The image displayed on the magic screen changed.
"We also can't overlook Team 3, the 'Blue Marine' team, an invited entry. This is the team of Lord Reinhard, the fourth son of the Randol family and an excellent magi craftman."
The ship was shown in a large close-up on the screen.
"The shallow-bottomed hull is being propelled by the mermaid-type golem, Lorelei."
The announcer explained while looking at the materials in his hand.
"The pilot is Lord Reinhard's cousin and a viscount's daughter, Lady Elsa. Lady Elsa is a magic user herself."
That announcement was met with a particularly loud cheer from the crowd.
"Huh, so Reinhard was from a count's family."
"We seem to have quite the connection with the rank of count," Reiko noted.
The introductions continued, but there was nothing particularly new to Jin until entry number 27 appeared. It actually had massive wings growing from the golem's back.
"Mr. Bernardo, that’s an interesting golem."
"It is. Perhaps they based it on how a waterfowl glides across the water’s surface when taking flight?"
"True, the boat's width is regulated to be under four meters, but there were no such restrictions on the golems themselves."
"Yes, but with wings that large, the weight must be considerable."
Looking at the boat of that all-metal golem, Jin could see it was sitting quite low in the water; its weight was immense.
"Hmm? That one is..."
Jin’s interest was piqued by entry number 28, Team 'Sea Bird.' The hull was a slender canoe type, but it had auxiliary hulls called outriggers attached to both sides.
"That’s an interesting shape," Reiko said.
"Well, it’s fine if the waves are calm," Jin explained. "But when the sea is rough, if the floats on both sides get lifted by waves, the weight of the central hull could put too much stress on the crossbeams and snap them."
"I see. Our catamaran doesn't have that concern," Reiko said, nodding.
"Yeah. But it should be effective in these calm waters. Also, look at that golem."
What caught Jin's attention was a four-armed golem. Naturally, it held four oars. Looking at the short oar handles, he noted, "With those outriggers, it probably can't use long oars, so that’s a clever workaround. It’s not bad at all."
"And finally, we have what you might call a dark horse—a truly unique entry. Number 35, Team 'MJR'!"
Jin’s team was introduced last.
"The hull shape is completely different."
"Indeed. It’s two slender boats joined together—a design that prioritizes stability. But the most striking thing is the propulsion method."
"What is that? It looks like a waterwheel."
The Cygnus was shown in a large close-up. The crowd buzzed at its eccentric shape.
"A waterwheel is usually turned by the flow of water, but this is the opposite. It’s turning the wheel to push against the water. This looks fascinating!"
With the 35th boat, the Cygnus, the introductions concluded. The preliminaries were finally about to begin.