"Now then, moving on: the Minister of Finance, Lord Braorot."
An elderly man with thinning hair stepped forward and bowed.
"The golem, Zingel. Crafted by the magi craftman Yaruidare."
Emerging from beneath the cloth was a fairly unremarkable-looking golem. It was bronze in color, with the slender build of a girl in her mid-teens.
"It looks quite ordinary."
"Well, I suppose that is the standard."
The nobles whispered their lukewarm evaluations. However, surprise dawned on their faces the moment Zingel began her demonstration.
—Flowers bloom in the meadows, grass sways in the breeze
—Clouds shimmer white, the azure sky spans the world
—Birds lift their voices, trees whisper and rustle
—O gentle wind, O beautiful land
She sang the lyrics in a voice so clear it was almost transparent.
"Oh..."
"How marvelous..."
The golem performed three songs. While a singing golem lacked the sheer visual impact of the earlier Celes, she left a profound impression on the audience nonetheless.
Following her were the golems of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Minister of Defense. They were all competent, safe designs.
"The Minister of Magic, Lord Kelichdore."
A man who stood roughly as short as Jin stepped forward.
"The golem, Elios. His Excellency’s own work."
The golem that appeared from beneath the cloth was pure, brilliant white.
"Oh!"
"Look at that form!"
On the golem’s back were a pair of matching white wings. It reminded Jin of a golem he had seen in Port Rock, but this Elios was far more refined.
"An angel..." someone murmured.
Jin was incredibly curious about the term, but he had no one nearby to ask. Elios slowly beat its wings and, though it did not actually fly, it performed four bows to the surrounding crowd with exceptionally graceful movements.
"How beautiful."
That was likely the honest sentiment of everyone watching.
The introductions continued one after another. So far, the ratio of male-type to female-type golems remained roughly three to seven.
"The Lord of Blue Land, Duke Blue."
Finally, the Duke's name was called.
"The golem, Tauros. Magi craftman: Jade Nephroi."
Duke Blue’s golem was unmistakably a male-type, boasting a massive frame.
"Ooh!"
"What power!"
"How dependable it looks."
It had an exterior that resembled gleaming black armor and a giant physique standing over two meters tall. Today, instead of a sword, it carried a massive shield—a tower shield. Its sheer physical presence was enough to dominate the room without even needing a demonstration.
"Assistant to the Lord of Blue Land and Eastern District Governor of Blue Land, Count Kuzuma."
Count Kuzuma stepped forward and delivered a textbook-perfect bow.
"The golem, Lotte. Magi craftman: Jin."
No one was particularly surprised when Lotte was revealed. However...
"My name is Lotte. I humbly ask for your kind acquaintance."
When she spoke her greeting in a clear, melodic voice and performed a formal curtsy with fluid, seamless motions, several discerning experts in the crowd widened their eyes. Her movements weren't just fluid; they were indistinguishable from those of a human.
However, the majority of the attendees failed to notice the nuance.
"Hmph, looks typical enough."
"They've dressed her in a maid's outfit, but there’s nothing else of interest."
Most of the comments were similarly off the mark.
"...You said the name was Jin? Who is that fellow?"
"Yes, from what I’ve heard, he is the magi craftman from the team that recently won the Golem Boat Race in Port Rock, over in the Kingdom of Elias."
"Is he a freelancer?"
"No, unfortunately, it seems Lord Reinhard of the Shouro Empire has already secured him."
"...A pity."
Such conversations flickered among a portion of the nobility.
"Assistant to the Lord of Blue Land and Western District Governor of Blue Land, Count Guarana."
It was Count Guarana’s turn.
"The golem, Owl. Magi craftman: Bauthes."
A gaudy, gold-plated golem was presented.
"Hoh."
"Quite flashy."
"Exactly what you’d expect from a nouveau riche count."
The peer review was predictably harsh.
"From the territory of Strial, Viscount Grieri."
This was the noble who had hosted them just a few days prior.
"The golem, Anne. Magi craftman: Gladia Hampton."
This was the golem created by Beena’s mentor. It was a standard male-type golem, the very picture of a typical, middle-of-the-road creation.
As the unveiling continued, it was finally time for the invited guests.
"Diplomat of the Shouro Empire, Lord Reinhard."
Reinhard stepped forward.
"The golem, Schwarzritter. His own work."
The cloth was whisked away, and the Schwarzritter was revealed to the public.
"Oh, so that is the rumored Schwarzritter."
"I see... perfectly balanced proportions and natural movement."
"If one had a hundred of those golems, they would be invincible."
True to its nature as a combat golem, the Schwarzritter brandished a wooden practice sword and performed several martial forms. It used a wooden weapon out of respect for the presence of the royal family.
"Special Envoy of the Celuroa Kingdom, Lady Dominique."
A woman of mature beauty stepped forward. With her golden hair flowing down to her waist, she gave an elegant bow.
"The golems, Loiseau. Her own work."
She was a magi craftman as well. Her golems, the Loiseau, were bird-types—a set of three in red, blue, and yellow.
Predictably, they were too heavy to fly, but the sight of them flapping their wings and chirping was quite a spectacle. More than anything, the technical skill required to fit the mechanisms into a body no larger than a pigeon was worthy of high praise.
As the nobles from more distant regions had not brought golems, Dominique’s Loiseau were the final entry.
"You have all done magnificent work," the King’s voice boomed. "It is difficult to rank such excellence, but we shall declare the results later based on our own judgment. I trust no one will take it personally."
King Elias XII smiled.
"That said, we require time for deliberation. Therefore, we shall move to lunch. Though it is a buffet, consider this a casual affair. Everyone, please enjoy yourselves to the fullest."