The lunch menu consisted of white bread, fried whitefish, vegetable salad, and citran juice, with persica fruit for dessert.
"Um, this pure white bread... could it be...?"
"Yes, we peeled each grain by hand," one of the Golem Maids replied.
The bread was so white it startled even Reinhard. The Golem Maids had painstakingly peeled the husk from every single grain of wheat by hand to achieve this level of purity. It was a standard of quality possible only for them, as they could perform repetitive, simple tasks with far more patience than any human could ever muster.
"...It’s delicious."
Beena took a bite and was immediately moved by the flavor. "But Jin, you always ate the food at my house without saying a word. Are you really okay with that when you usually eat things this delicious?"
"Yeah. I’m not a picky eater. I was raised with the habit of being grateful for whatever food is put in front of me."
"That’s... well, it’s admirable, in a way," Beena said, looking impressed for an odd reason.
"This is good," Elsa added, having taken a clear liking to the fried fish.
Reinhard, meanwhile, found his curiosity piqued by the flavor of the dressing on the vegetable salad. "This taste... I feel like I've had something like it before..."
He sounded like a budding gourmet, so Jin spoke up. "It’s the fish sauce I bought in Port Rock."
"Oh! That’s it! That’s the flavor! I see—so you can use it like this by combining it with spices! How fascinating." Reinhard was once again impressed. For Jin, whipping up a Japanese-style dressing was second nature; he had made it countless times during his days at the orphanage.
"But Jin, you said you've been living here all this time, right?" Beena asked suddenly.
"Huh? Yeah."
"Are you growing wheat and things on this island? Or are you buying it? If you're buying it, wouldn't you have had to visit Blue Land starting quite a long time ago?"
"Ugh."
Jin stiffened as his food logistics were picked apart. It was Reiko who came to his rescue.
"Beena-san, the Warp Gate's calibration was difficult, which made using it dangerous. Because of that, I was primarily the one who went in secret to purchase wheat and other supplies. The first time Father was able to visit Blue Land safely after the adjustments were perfected was when he met you."
"Ah, I see... Wait, what happens if the calibration isn't right?"
"You could be sent to some unthinkable location."
"...I really shouldn't have asked." Beena looked as if she had suddenly developed a healthy fear of the Warp Gate.
＊ ＊ ＊
After lunch, they enjoyed tea at a leisurely pace before finally beginning the tour of Kunlun Island. Everyone mounted Golem horses for the excursion.
Since the three guests were not used to the mounts, they were each accompanied by the same Golems who had served them during tea: Amez 100 for Reinhard, Aqua 100 for Elsa, and Ruby 100 for Beena. The Golems took the lead.
As they couldn't see the entire island in one go, they headed for the mining site to the west. The area around the mine shafts featured a small hill that offered an excellent vantage point.
"Once you get used to it, this horse is fun," Elsa said, clearly enjoying the ride.
"The movement is incredible. It’s exactly like a real animal," Reinhard noted.
Unlike modern Earth, which had high-speed photography to analyze movement, analyzing a four-legged gait was nearly impossible in this world. Consequently, most animal-type golems moved with a certain clunkiness or looked unnatural. It was only natural for Reinhard to be in awe.
They spent about an hour taking in the scenery—though it was mostly grasslands, bamboo thickets, sparse woods, and wasteland—until the party finally arrived at the mining site.
There, Army golems 91 through 100 were hard at work. The sight was overwhelming. It was the first time the guests had seen male-model golems.
"This is truly impressive," Reinhard said.
They reached an area where excavated metal ores were sorted and piled. Magi-crystals were kept securely in a roofed warehouse, while magi-stones were stored together in their own designated area.
"Having your own private mine really is an incredible advantage."
"I just inherited it from my Master," Jin replied. This wasn't entirely true; while he had inherited Hourai Island, the development of Kunlun Island had only begun during his own time.
"Your Master... Adriana-dono, was it? They must have been a truly remarkable person." When Reinhard said that, Reiko’s expression softened with a brief flash of pride.
"The view is lovely if you climb that small hill," their guide, Soleil, informed them. They rode their horses to the top.
The climb took about five minutes. To the west lay the sea. Under the clear afternoon sky, the silhouettes of several islands dotted the distant horizon.
"Oh, the ocean is beautiful."
"It really is. Is it near Io Island?" Elsa asked. She and Reinhard were likely remembering the Golem Boat Race.
When Jin mentioned that Io Island couldn't be seen from here, both looked a little disappointed.
Beena, however, was seeing the ocean for the very first time. She simply stared, lost for words.
"It’s beautiful..." she whispered, her voice barely a breath.
They stayed there for a while, but eventually, they had to descend. Jin called out to Beena, and they made their way down.
"Jin, I’m glad I came. Thank you," Beena murmured softly from the back of the line.
＊ ＊ ＊
By the time they returned to the Mansion, the sun was hanging low. The sundial in the front courtyard showed it was nearly four o'clock.
"Well, Reinhard, it's about time to head back, isn't it? Or would you like to stay the night?"
Reinhard looked contemplative, weighing his options. However...
"I want to stay," Elsa said firmly.
With Elsa’s declaration, Beena chimed in to say she would stay as well, which meant Reinhard naturally had to follow suit.
"In that case, please, enjoy the hot springs," Jin offered.
"Yes! I've been waiting for that," Elsa said happily. She must have caught a glimpse of the baths from the changing room while putting on her new riding pants earlier.
Following the principle of "ladies first," the women were invited to bathe first. Soleil and Luna accompanied them to assist.
"Whoa..."
Before them sat a marble bathtub about four meters in diameter, brimming with hot water. It was designed so that the water welled up from the bottom and overflowed the rim, ensuring that the water stayed fresh and clean.
The spring here was a simple alkaline type. It was low-irritant, mellow, and very easy to soak in—a true "beauty spring." Soleil and Luna poured water over the two guests to rinse them before they entered the tub.
"Ah, this feels amazing." Beena, who rarely had the chance to bathe, was simply enjoying the luxury.
"This water... it makes my skin feel so smooth. Is this really what a hot spring is like?" Elsa noticed the difference from ordinary water immediately and questioned Luna.
"Yes. Father mentioned that it is mildly alkaline, which is very good for the skin."
"Mildly alkaline?" The term meant nothing to Elsa, but she understood the "good for the skin" part. She stretched out in the water, stroking her arms and legs.
Elsa glanced over at Beena, comparing the other girl to herself, and for some reason, a look of relief washed over her face.
"Beena, was it?"
"Y-Yes, Elsa-sama." Beena was startled to be addressed so directly.
"You don't need to be so formal. Here, we are both just Jin-kun's guests."
"Y-Yes, thank you..." Despite the invitation, Beena was a commoner and couldn't shed her reserve quite so easily.
"What is your relationship with Jin-kun?"
"Eh? With Jin?"
"Yes," Elsa nodded. She wanted to know more about the side of Jin she hadn't seen.
"Um, it was about a month and a half ago, I think. I was running a magic tool stall on the outskirts of Blue Land. And then..."
Beena began to recount her history with Jin: their first encounter, how he helped her pay her debts and care for her sick siblings, the development of the lighter and refrigerator, and the stories behind the popcorn and the water warmer.
Elsa listened intently. When Beena finished, Elsa smiled faintly. "Just as I thought. Jin-kun is Jin-kun. He doesn't change, no matter where he is."
Seeing that smile, Beena felt a murky sensation—a swirl of complex emotions—rise in her chest.