The morning after their stay in the depopulated village dawned crystal clear.
"Ah, it’s been a while since I saw such a beautiful blue sky."
Jin stretched as he breathed in the refreshing morning air.
"Good morning," Reinhard said, emerging from his own rest. "With weather like this, there’s no doubt we’ll reach Delid Town today."
Breakfast consisted primarily of preserved rations. However, the villagers had provided a few fresh vegetables, which added a much-needed splash of color to the meal.
After finishing their simpler-than-usual breakfast, the group departed from the nameless village. Naturally, they left the Village Chief a generous reward before they went.
As foreigners, there was nothing more Jin and his companions could do for the village at the moment. It was a departure tinged with a sense of lingering regret.
Even so, the sky remained a brilliant blue and the sunlight was warm. It was the height of spring, and as they traveled, their spirits gradually began to brighten.
"The breeze feels wonderful."
The ceiling of Jin's carriage featured vents that made it easy to regulate the airflow. Reinhard, sharing the ride, looked perfectly at ease. Elsa was unusually drowsy, nodding off in her seat.
Jin spoke to Reinhard in a low voice to avoid waking her.
"Hey, Reinhard. Do you think the next town has a Mutual Aid Society?"
The Mutual Aid Society Jin referred to was, of course, the one for magi craftmen.
"Hmm? Probably not. You typically won't find them outside of the regional cities."
"I see."
It seemed the organization was still quite small in scope.
"Did you have business with them?" Reinhard asked.
"Yeah," Jin replied. "I was wondering if I could pitch the vacuum cleaner."
"I see."
Jin explained to Reinhard that the vacuum cleaner was a magic tool useful to everyone, regardless of whether they were commoners or nobles. He expressed his desire to see it popularized and made as affordable as possible.
"I feel a bit bad saying that to you, though, since you helped me develop it," Jin added.
Reinhard laughed as if it were of no consequence. "I think your way of thinking is sound, Jin. You have my support."
Jin bowed his head. "Thank you."
Reinhard looked at him thoughtfully. "In that case, Jin, do you intend to firmly align yourself with the commoner faction?"
"Commoner faction?"
It was an unfamiliar term. Jin could understand the literal meaning, but he wasn't familiar with its political weight here.
"Ah, there’s a distinction between the commoner faction and the elite faction. Naturally, the commoner faction consists of those who want to spread magic tools widely among the general public. As for the elite faction..."
"They want to monopolize technology for a chosen few, I take it?"
"Exactly."
"And which one are you, Reinhard?" Jin asked, waiting for a response. Depending on the answer, Jin’s future course of action might very well change.
"I, of course—"
"Rai-nii is part of the commoner faction," Elsa interrupted from the side. "He used to clash with his uncle over it all the time."
"Hey now, Elsa, don't steal my lines," Reinhard said with a laugh.
Elsa pouted slightly. "You two were doing nothing but talking to each other. It was boring."
"Well, you looked like you were sleeping so comfortably, Elsa," Jin teased.
Elsa became defensive immediately. "Liar. I wasn't sleeping."
"The weather is so pleasant today. Like the saying goes, 'Spring sleep knows no dawn,'" Jin remarked.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Elsa asked, looking puzzled. Reinhard also appeared curious.
"Uh, let's see... I think it means something like, 'Sleep feels so good in spring that you don't even realize morning has come.'"
That was the best Jin could do. In reality, the phrase came from a classical poem, but since his strengths never lay in literature or classics, he couldn't provide a deeper explanation.
"Hmph. 'Spring sleep knows no dawn,' huh? That sounds about right. It’s a perfect fit for a sleepyhead like Elsa," Reinhard teased.
Elsa’s face flushed red. "I'm not a sleepyhead right now! Rai-nii, you’re mean."
She puffed out her cheeks and turned away.
With the conversation having strayed, Jin brought it back to the point.
"A-Anyway, I was thinking about making the design and manufacturing process for the vacuum cleaner public. That way, anyone... well, any magi craftman, could make them, right?"
Reinhard’s expression turned serious. "Hmm, unfortunately, it’s not that simple. You would be handing that information over to a Mutual Aid Society, but how they handle that information varies greatly from one branch to another."
"What do you mean?" Jin asked.
"In short, some Mutual Aid Societies try to monopolize such technology for their own profit. The one in Blue Land we visited before isn't like that, but others are," Reinhard explained. Essentially, the treatment of information depended entirely on the specific society in question.
"I see. It’s more complicated than I thought," Jin said with a heavy sigh.
"......"
The meaning of his existence in this world—just as he was trying to find it, Jin had already stumbled.
Feeling a bit drained, he gazed out the window and began to whistle.
Come to think of it, this might be the first time I've whistled since coming here.
Whether he simply hadn't had the peace of mind or had just forgotten, Jin whistled for the first time in a long while.
The melody was a pop song from the late Showa era. It was a song the Orphanage Director had loved and played often. As he whistled, memories of those days came flooding back.
Jin had been a part-time high school student. Normally, a child would leave the orphanage upon reaching high school age, but the Orphanage Director seemingly wanted Jin to be his successor and allowed him to attend school while continuing to live there. Giving him the surname Nidou had been a clear sign of that intention.
Jin used to whistle frequently on his commute. The songs were always from the cassette tapes in the Director's collection.
Was I burning with hope back then? Or was I just eager to start earning a paycheck as soon as possible?
Either way, it was a world he could never return to, a life he could never lead again. The current Jin had no choice but to live in this world.
It’s presumptuous to think of making this entire world a better place. But if it’s within my reach... I have the power to do something.
Even back then, Jin had dreamed of making the orphanage grander or buying toys for the younger children.
The Predecessor researched ways to link magic and tools. It wasn't accepted in her time, but now it's accepted in the form of magi craftmen. I...
As his thoughts reached that point, the song ended, and his whistling stopped.
"Jin, what was that song just now?"
"I've never heard it before. It was a lovely melody."
Reinhard and Elsa both praised him.
Jin made a silent vow: one day, he would definitely reveal his true identity to these two without hiding anything. For now, however, he still lacked the courage.
Just as the Predecessor had been alienated by her fellow magi, Jin feared being treated as a heretic and rejected by his friends. The fact that Jin did not openly call himself a Magi Craft Meister was a lingering consequence of inheriting the Predecessor’s memories and her experiences of persecution.