“Everything is proceeding as planned.”
“Indeed. I hear some interesting individuals are participating this time?”
“Yes. I have been informed that the ‘Schwarzritter,’ ‘Tauros,’ and ‘Celes’ will be attending.”
“Hmph. Stearena and her golem, who refused to cooperate with us. That will be amusing in its own way.”
“If this operation succeeds, we can bolster our forces significantly.”
“Not if. We will make it happen.”
“Understood!”
Duke Blue, along with Earl Kuzuma, Earl Guarana, and Reinhard’s party, departed from Blue Land as scheduled.
On the first day, they stayed in the town of Verbena. Having departed after noon, they only covered about twenty kilometers. Earl Guarana caused no trouble, so it was a peaceful night.
The next day brought rain.
They were bound for the regional city of Strial. In this region, the highway turned to dirt; the road was pitted in places and turned to slush in the rain, slowing their progress to a crawl.
“Dammit, can’t this thing go any faster?!”
Earl Guarana’s carriage led the procession that day, and he could be heard grumbling to himself about the sluggish pace.
“There's really no need to rush; we'll arrive well before sunset regardless,” Reinhard lived with a wry smile.
Jin and Reiko were sharing a carriage with Reinhard. Meanwhile, Beena rode in Elsa's carriage. The two women had hit it off over their shared loathing of Earl Guarana. Not only Reinhard but also Earl Kuzuma went out of their way to ensure the two remained hidden from the earl's sight.
In the afternoon, the rain cleared up. Just as Reinhard had predicted, they arrived in Strial while the sun was still high. Though not as large as Blue Land, it was a bustling city.
Among the party, Duke Blue stayed at the lord’s mansion, which served as a guest house. Earl Kuzuma and Reinhard’s party were hosted at the home of a local Strial noble, while Earl Guarana stayed at the city’s finest inn.
“Welcome, Earl Kuzuma, Lord Reinhard. And Lady Elsa, you are most welcome as well.”
Viscount Grieri, a noble residing in Strial, came out to greet them. He looked to be a fine young man with light brown hair. He had a sturdy build, and standing next to the slender Reinhard, he looked remarkably dependable.
“Are you the magi craftman, Jin? And who might this be?”
The viscount directed his final question toward Beena. She answered in a flustered rush.
“A-Ah, I-I’m Beena, a magi craftman currently under the care of Earl Kuzuma.”
“Ho, ho. You are a magi craftman as well? How wonderful. Well, let us not dawdle outside. Please, come in.”
The viscount left a butler to show Jin and Beena to their quarters while he personally escorted Earl Kuzuma and Reinhard.
“Please, come this way and make yourselves comfortable.”
“Well, he seems like a normal enough noble,” Jin remarked.
“I don't really know what 'normal' is for a noble,” Beena replied.
The two were led to a single large room.
“Wait, are we both supposed to use this room?” Beena asked.
Scanning the room, it was about ten tatami mats in size, but it only contained one large bed.
“Looks like it. I guess this is how they treat magi craftmen who aren't famous.”
As he spoke, Jin called out to the automata he had created.
“Reiko.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Eek!”
Beena jumped in surprise as Reiko appeared right next to Jin as if from nowhere.
“Ah, sorry, did she startle you? My mistake. I didn't want any extra trouble, so I had Reiko activate her Stealth.”
‘Stealth.’ It was a high-level magical function Jin had developed after analyzing the amulet used by the thieves they had encountered recently. It concealed not only one’s presence but their physical form as well. The principle utilized an application of light magic to refract and bend light around the body, revealing whatever was behind the user.
Naturally, this would normally mean no light reached the eyes of the person inside, plunging them into darkness. However, Jin accounted for this with his knowledge—he designed the field so that wavelengths outside the visible spectrum would not be refracted. This allowed Reiko to see using the infrared spectrum.
“...I wouldn't even know she was there until I felt a blade in my back,” Beena muttered grimly.
It was certainly an ideal ability for covert operations. Maybe I should form a Hourai Island Secret Mobile Unit when I have some free time, Jin mused.
“Don’t peek!”
After dinner, Jin stood outside the room while Beena changed into her nightwear. Jin and Beena had been served a simple meal in a separate room earlier. They were both about to change and turn in for the night.
Just then, Elsa happened to pass by—or rather, she had likely come to check on them.
“Jin-kun, what are you doing?” she asked.
“Oh, Beena's just changing.”
When he answered, her voice sounded slightly panicked.
“Wait... are you two in the same room?”
“Jin, it's okay now— Oh, Elsa?”
The door opened and Beena poked her head out, looking surprised to see the girl there.
“Beena, come with me.”
“Eh? Um, wait a second.”
With a slightly cross expression, Elsa grabbed Beena and practically dragged her toward her own quarters.
“My lady, are you saying you intend to let her share your bed?” Mine, the wet nurse, asked.
“Yes. My bed is large.”
Elsa’s bed was a king-sized bed. Three people as small as Elsa could have slept there comfortably.
Mine wore a sour expression. Regardless of their gender, she seemed to have reservations about a commoner sleeping in the same bed as her ward. Seeing that look, Elsa offered a compromise.
“...Fine. Mine, you sleep with me. Beena can sleep in Mine’s bed.”
“M-My lady?! I can sleep in the same bed as you?”
At those words, Mine’s sour face instantly vanished, replaced by a radiant glow of joy.
“Mm.”
“I understand. Beena-san, was it? Please, take the bed over there.”
“Y-Yes, ma'am.”
Unable to keep up with Elsa and Mine’s energy, Beena was simply swept along by the current.
Meanwhile, Jin was still in his room.
“Beena's taking a long time.”
“Father, I shall wake you if Beena-san returns. Please, get some rest.”
“Hmm, I think I’ll do that. I am pretty sleepy.”
Jin lay down on one side of the bed. Reiko stood quietly at the foot of the bed, searching the area for any hostile presence as she stood guard over him.
However, Beena did not return, and no one else approached the room. And so, the night passed.
Despite those minor flurries of activity, the party—now joined by Marchioness Brown, the Lord of Strial—passed through the town of Lurus and arrived in the capital, Asunt. They pulled in as scheduled on the morning two days before the Golem Party.