Next, Jin led them on a tour of the Mansion's second floor.
Ascending from the entrance hall, they emerged onto the second-floor landing. To the east lay Jin’s private quarters and a room designated for the Master—though it was merely a dummy—as well as a study and a storage room.
To the west were the guest rooms, a toilet, and a waiting room for the Maid Golems.
"Is this your room, Jin-kun?"
The space was approximately eight tatami mats in size, a traditional Japanese-style room floored with mats.
"Ah, take your shoes off, please," Jin cautioned. He demonstrated by removing his own shoes first and lying down right on the tatami.
"Heh, so this is the kind of floor you can do that on. Can I try, too?" Since she was already wearing her new pants, Beena slipped off her shoes and sprawled out on the mats. "Oh, it smells wonderful."
The tatami facing, woven from a rush-like plant, gave off a fragrance very much like igusa.
"Really?" Elsa followed suit, removing her shoes and lying down beside Jin, opposite Beena. "It feels cool and pleasant. But not cold."
"Hmm, being able to take one's shoes off is quite a nice thing!" Reinhard went even further, removing his socks to enjoy the texture of the tatami with his bare feet.
"But how do you sleep? No matter how you look at it, it must get cold at night like this," Beena asked, voicing a natural concern.
Jin stood up and slid open the doors of the closet. "I spread this futon out when it’s time to sleep."
Beena stood up to get a closer look, asking Jin for permission before tentatively touching the bedding. "Wait, what is this? It’s so incredibly fluffy! This isn't down, is it?"
"Let me see." Reinhard gave the futon a squeeze. "Hmm, I wonder. It feels like fine threads intertwined. It’s somewhat similar to felt, but the softness and elasticity are on a completely different level."
Finally, Elsa touched the bedding. "Fluffy. I want to try sleeping in it."
At her request, Jin pulled out a mattress and spread it on the floor. "Go ahead."
Elsa was the first to dive onto it. "Amazing. This feels even better than down. Down duvets let your body sink in too much, but this is different."
"Ah, me too!" Not to be outdone, Beena lay down as well. "Oh, wow, it really is amazing! This is incomparable to a straw mattress!" No sooner had she said it than she realized the disparity between her own circumstances and Elsa's, and she fell silent.
"Hrm, I wonder what the material is? And the fabric of this futon... It isn't linen, and it isn't wool. It feels even better against the skin than silk." Reinhard tilted his head, observing the texture and luster of the futon cover.
"It’s thread spun by Ground Caterpillars," Jin revealed. He figured Reinhard would fret over the mystery forever if left to his own devices.
"What?! Ground Caterpillars?!" Reinhard exclaimed. "Aren't those magical beasts said to be extinct!?"
Much like Ground Spiders, these creatures fed on mana and were not carnivorous. Unless provoked, they would never attack humans. However, due to their unsettling appearance, they had been targeted for extermination. Now, they only survived in small numbers in remote underground regions.
On the other hand, several still lived in the underground caves of Hourai Island. Jin’s predecessor, knowing how useful their silk was, had protected them. Jin had inherited that population and was currently looking into large-scale cultivation. An experiment was underway, led by Topaz, to see if they could be sustained with mana using ether converters within the tunnels of depleted mines.
"Ugh, so it’s monster thread..." Beena sat up, looking slightly repulsed. Elsa, however, seemed entirely unbothered and continued rolling around.
"The pants Jin-kun gave us are also made from magical beast leather," Elsa pointed out. "Even ordinary silk is thread produced by bugs. It’s strange to be disgusted by magical beast thread now."
"Y-You’re right! It has such a wonderful texture, after all!" Reassured by Elsa’s logic, Beena lay back down.
"In that case, is the filling of the futon the same?" Reinhard had correctly surmised that the cover and the batting were made of the same material.
"Yeah. It’s magic silk floss." It was batting made from the silk of the Ground Caterpillar. Since it was floss made from a magical beast, Jin called it magic silk floss.
"I see, magic silk floss, eh?" Reinhard’s expression suddenly turned grave. "Jin, I’m going to give you some advice as a friend. You should probably avoid letting your technology and the materials from this 'Konron Island' out into the world too much."
Reinhard spoke now with the weight of a diplomat.
"Rai-nii, what do you mean by that?" Concerned by his tone, Elsa stopped her rolling and sat up by Jin’s side to listen.
Reinhard chose his words carefully, ensuring Elsa could follow his reasoning. "Jin’s technology is anomalous. It’s far beyond the norm. Furthermore, the materials he possesses are all of extremely high scarcity. If they were introduced to the general market, there’s a real danger that international trade would fall into chaos."
He paused, glancing at Elsa. Once she nodded, he continued. "Every nation would scramble to claim Jin for themselves. And then they would try to seize the resources of this place by force."
"That’s horrible," Elsa whispered, her voice tight with indignation.
Reinhard nodded. "Yes, it is. That’s why, Jin, you need to learn what the world standard is."
"I suppose you're right," Jin agreed.
He was well aware that his sensibilities were skewed. He knew his technical skills were exceptionally high, and he had suspected that the resources stored on Hourai Island could threaten the global economy. Even so, he was grateful for Reinhard’s blunt, unvarnished honesty.
"Thank you, Reinhard. I’ll be careful with the materials. As for the standards, I’d like you to teach me everything you can."
When Jin said that, Reinhard laughed, his usual friendly demeanor returning. "But of course! And for my part, I expect you to teach me a thing or two about your engineering!"
His face turned serious one last time. "Truthfully, as a diplomat, my duty should be to insist that you pledge your allegiance to my country." He laughed again. "But I want to remain your friend, Jin. So, I will say this instead: please come and visit the Shouro Empire."
"I thought I’d already agreed to that," Jin replied.
"I suppose you did. That’s a relief. Honestly, I was worried that once you settled into this house, you might decide you didn't want to travel anymore."
Jin assured him that wouldn't happen, adding that he had no intention of breaking a promise. Hearing that, both Reinhard and Elsa looked visibly relieved.
"It is almost noon. Everyone, the meal is prepared, so please follow me," Perido announced.
The group headed down to the first-floor dining room, though Beena seemed to have some lingering attachment to the futon, looking back over her shoulder several times as they left.