The next day, Jin was jolted awake by a commotion in the hallway.
He hurriedly dressed and stepped out to investigate. Several men in military uniforms were pacing back and forth along the corridor. One of them spotted Jin and marched over.
"Excuse me. I need to see inside your room."
"Huh?"
Jin was taken aback by the abrupt demand. Before he could process it, the man spoke again.
"Is that clear? If you have no objections, I’m going in."
Without waiting for an answer, the soldier pushed past Jin and entered the room.
"What the hell is his problem?" Jin muttered.
He had absolutely nothing to hide, but the soldier's abrasive attitude grated on him. The man emerged a few moments later.
"Hmph. Nothing unusual here. Sorry for the intrusion."
With that brief dismissal, he walked away down the hall.
"Seriously, what was that about?"
Jin retreated back into his room. Anne immediately spoke up.
"Ma-sh-ter, it appear-sh they are looking for sh-omeone."
Jin found himself briefly distracted by Anne’s report, wondering if her creator had given her that lisping way of saying "Master" out of some personal quirk. He shook the thought away and focused on what she was saying.
"They didn't pay any attention to the desk drawers. Instead, they were searching under the bed and inside the wardrobe. They are looking for something large—most likely a person."
Anne’s insight was sharp.
"Searching for someone? Who?"
"I'm afraid I don't know that much yet."
Just then, a knock came at the door. When Jin called for them to enter, Reinhard walked in.
"Good morning, Jin."
"Morning."
Jin watched as Reinhard scanned the room. "What’s going on, Reinhard? You’re acting strange, too."
Reinhard’s expression darkened. "Elsa is... gone."
"What?"
Jin’s eyes widened. That explained the soldiers; they must have been Fritz’s subordinates searching for her.
"Morning came, but Elsa didn't wake up. Mine, who is usually up by now, is nowhere to be found either. When I checked their room, it looked like they had both vanished."
"So that’s why Fritz has his men out in force."
"Exactly. Did they come to your room as well?"
"Yeah."
Jin looked out the window. Soldiers—clearly Fritz's men—were fanning out across the area. Given that they were visible even in the city streets, the search was likely city-wide.
"They're certainly putting in the effort," Jin muttered. He felt he had a vague understanding of why Elsa had fled.
"If she’s with Mine, they probably won't find them," Reinhard said quietly. "Mine is from the town next to Ikasanat. She knows the area, and she likely has acquaintances here. If Mine is serious about helping Elsa escape, it'll take more than a few soldiers to track them down."
There was a hint in his voice that suggested he hoped they wouldn't be found.
"What do you think about all this, Reinhard?" Jin asked.
"About what? Elsa’s marriage? Or the fact that she ran away?"
"Both."
Reinhard lowered his voice. "I don’t think marriage is inherently bad. For a noble, a steward or butler handles the domain; she could learn her duties after the wedding. There are maids for the housework. Frankly, a noble’s wife can just be a decorative doll if she chooses. That's the life of a high-born lady. You even hire a wet nurse for the children."
He gave a cynical, wry smile.
"At least, that’s how it works for the old-fashioned nobility," he continued. "But I want Elsa to have something warmer—a real home. Ideally, she’d marry someone she actually loves. I suppose love can grow after marriage, but..."
For a split second, Reinhard looked lonely. He quickly masked it and returned to his usual demeanor.
"Anyway, I can't blame her for running. Jin, did you notice the truth about Mine and Elsa?"
"Yeah, I had a hunch. I take it you knew too? I guess that’s obvious."
"Yeah. In all likelihood, Mine is Elsa’s biological mother. I say 'likelihood' because it’s the sort of secret you can’t exactly ask about."
Jin nodded. You certainly couldn't ask Elsa's father, and you definitely couldn't ask Elsa herself.
"The way she speaks, her attitude toward Elsa, the timing of when she became the wet nurse... putting it all together, it’s the only thing that makes sense," Jin said. Then he added, "Though I still can't stand the way she raised her."
Having looked after many children himself, Jin felt that Mine’s overprotective, restrictive upbringing was the reason Elsa struggled to be independent.
"But what do they plan to do now?" Jin asked. That was his main concern. Even if Mine had family nearby, going there would lead to immediate discovery. They couldn't stay on the run forever.
"Mine is... broken, in a way," Reinhard said.
In this world, the term "broken" referred to someone suffering from trauma, mental instability, or a deep-seated personality disorder. Jin agreed with the assessment; he had often felt an air of abnormality in Mine’s behavior toward Elsa.
"Why would Elsa's father even make Mine her wet nurse then?" Jin asked, voicing a sudden doubt.
Reinhard answered solemnly, "Because Elsa’s body won't hold up without Mine."
"What?"
Jin was struck speechless.
"Well, to be precise, it doesn't have to be Mine specifically. But finding someone else who fits the criteria would be nearly impossible."
"Wait, wait a minute, Reinhard," Jin interrupted, sensing the gravity of the topic. "This is news to me. What happens to Elsa if Mine isn't around?"
Reinhard tilted his head, looking surprised. "Ah, I haven't told you yet, Jin? I could have sworn I mentioned it. My apologies."
He took a breath and began to explain.
"I told you Elsa used to be a tomboy, right? Part of the reason for that was to vent 'it.' Elsa has a certain... defect. It’s not exactly a disease, but it’s known as Mana Overload Syndrome."
"Mana Overload Syndrome?" It was a term Jin had never heard.
"Yes. A magi’s mana capacity varies by person, but everyone has a fixed upper limit. Elsa’s capacity actually isn't that large—it's only slightly higher than an average magi."
"Then why is that a problem?"
"Hold on, the explanation is just getting to the point," Reinhard said, calming Jin's impatience. "Mana is consumed when you use magic, right?"
"Right."
"And when you rest, that depleted mana naturally recovers."
"Yeah."
"In Elsa’s case, it recovers too much. The excess mana begins to erode her body."
Jin began to piece it together. If an organism had too many nutrients, it led to obesity or diabetes. In the case of mana, an excess caused the body to break down.
He visualized it in terms of his own craft. Suppose a golem’s ether converter went into overdrive, producing massive amounts of mana that the mana driver couldn't process. That excess mana would be destabilized by even the slightest external magical stimulus, damaging the body containing it.
If that happened inside a human... Jin finally understood Elsa’s plight. He also understood why Mine was kept around despite her behavior.
"By having someone nearby who acts as a safety valve, the symptoms are suppressed."
Jin understood the mechanics now. By staying near someone with a similar magical wavelength—common among blood relatives—the excess mana could find a path to dissipate, preventing the syndrome from manifesting.
"Is there no other treatment? What happens to Elsa if Mine stays away?"
"She’ll be fine for a week or ten days. As long as she uses magic to consume her mana during that time, it shouldn't be an issue. When she was a child it was harder to manage, but the Elsa of today understands her own condition."
Reinhard’s words eased some of Jin's worry, but a new question replaced it.
"Reinhard, couldn't she just carry a magic tool that discharges her mana?"
Reinhard gave a sad, weary smile. "Theoretically, yes, that would solve everything. But there’s one major problem."
"What is it?"
"While we can discharge mana through the act of casting a spell, there has never been a magi capable of creating a magic tool that can discharge raw mana before it is processed into magic."
"What?" Jin asked, frowning in confusion.
"What?" Reinhard echoed, staring at Jin with a look of disbelief.
Their gazes locked.
"You're saying... no one can make one?" Jin asked.
"I can't imagine it's possible, but Jin... are you saying you can?" Reinhard asked tentatively.
Jin gave a firm, confident nod.
"I’m pretty sure I can."