By the time Jin and his companions reached the banks of the Torres River, dawn had finally begun to break.
"Man, I’m beat," Jin muttered, weary from the night’s events. He sat down on a large rock atop the embankment, and Elsa followed suit, lowering herself beside him.
"You must be exhausted, right?"
When Jin spoke, Elsa gave a small, slow nod. "Yes. A little."
In the dim morning light, her expression seemed to hold more than just fatigue; there was a flicker of something deeper and more complex in her eyes.
"Is something on your mind?" Jin asked.
Elsa looked down, her voice barely a whisper. "I wish Mine were here..."
Jin looked at her. "Are you still worried about her? Even though she encouraged you to run away and put you in such danger?"
"Running away was my own choice. And the danger... I think I’m to blame for that, too. But more than that, Mine protected me. She might have... she might have died."
Elsa’s head drooped further, tears pooling in her eyes. Seeing her distress, Jin spoke gently to reassure her.
"Mine is safe, Elsa."
"Eh?"
"I found her after she was swept away by the river, and that’s what started my search for you. She was severely injured, but she’s out of danger now. I’ve left her at a reliable clinic. Once she’s recovered a bit more, I’ll take you to see her."
As Jin gave a brief summary of the situation, the tears finally overflowed, but this time they were born of relief.
"Mine... she’s alive..."
Seeing Elsa murmur happily to herself, Jin felt a surge of satisfaction. He was truly glad he had been able to save them.
After a short rest, the two stood up and continued their walk. The world was growing brighter now, though a heavy river mist still clung to the ground. After walking for a while, they came upon a wide, flat clearing. It was about six meters across—spacious enough for two carriages to pass side-by-side.
"I wonder if we can land here," Jin mused.
Reiko, having overheard him, looked up at the sky. "It will be no problem."
"Alright," Jin said.
Reiko immediately issued instructions through her manacam. "Pelican 1, come."
"Wait, you called Pelican as well as Raptor?" Jin asked, surprised.
"Yes," Reiko replied. "Laozi suggested it might be necessary, just in case."
Jin nodded in approval. "I see. He’s as thorough as ever. Alright, Elsa, step to the side for a second. That’s it."
"?"
Confused but compliant, Elsa moved toward the edge of the embankment as Jin directed. Suddenly, a massive black shadow descended from the sky.
"!"
Elsa tensed, her body dropping into a defensive stance, but Jin quickly reassured her. "It’s okay. That’s an airplane I made."
Elsa stared at him, bewildered. "An... airplane?"
Before Jin could explain further, Pelican 1 sliced through the mist and touched down, its landing gear coming to a stop just inches from the edge of the embankment.
"This is... an airplane?"
"Yeah. The transport plane Pelican 1. Come on, let’s get on board."
Jin climbed the ramp first, then turned back to offer Elsa his hand. Faced with a vehicle unlike anything she had ever seen, Elsa climbed the ramp with hesitant, cautious steps.
"Oh..."
To Elsa’s relief, the interior wasn't much different from Jin’s carriage. That small bit of familiarity seemed to put her at ease.
"Here, sit by the window and put this on." Jin guided her to a seat and began helping her with the seatbelt.
"What is this?"
"It’s a safety belt. It keeps you from being thrown out of your seat if the craft hits any turbulence."
Jin took the seat in front of her and buckled himself in as well. Reiko, who had followed them in, remained standing.
"We’re ready. Take us out."
"Understood."
At the controls was Sky 1, the leader of the Air Force golems. With a high-pitched whine as the engines sucked in air, Pelican 1 began to move.
"Ah... ah!"
The sudden motion and the G-force of the acceleration startled Elsa.
"It’s alright," Jin said, looking back over his shoulder. His calm voice helped her settle down enough to look out the window.
"W-wow..."
After a brief roll, Pelican 1 lifted gracefully into the air. Elsa felt a momentary sensation of weightlessness as the nose tilted upward and the craft began to climb. It tore through the river mist and suddenly broke out into the clear, open sky.
"I’m... I’m flying..."
Elsa’s body began to tremble. It was her first time in the sky, riding in a craft she hadn't even known was possible.
"I told you, don’t worry. I’ve got you."
Jin loosened his belt and reached back to pat her head. Elsa looked slightly ticklish, but the trembling stopped.
Pelican 1 climbed to an altitude of about 3,000 meters and banked toward the east. Below them lay a sea of white clouds, through which glimpses of tiny mountains, rivers, forests, lakes, and villages could be seen. Once she grew accustomed to the sensation, Elsa became absolutely captivated by the view.
"It’s incredible. The world looks so different from up here."
She pressed her forehead against the glass, staring at the land below. Traveling at over 300 kilometers per hour, Pelican 1 reached the coastline in about two hours.
"A-ah! Is that the Elias Peninsula? And is that Io Island?"
Seeing Elsa get so excited warmed Jin’s heart. He hoped that, even for a moment, the joy of the journey would help her forget the trauma of her kidnapping. Eventually, they saw a large island rising out of the vast blue sea ahead.
"That’s Hourai Island," Jin explained. "That’s where my real home is. It’s my base."
"Hourai Island... Jin-kun’s home..." Elsa stared at the approaching land with intense curiosity.
Pelican 1 began its gradual descent.
"Elsa, sit back and hold on. It might shake a little during the landing."
"Okay." Elsa obeyed Jin’s instructions without hesitation.
Moments later, Pelican 1 touched down smoothly on the runway in front of the laboratory.
"Welcome to Hourai Island," Jin said, stepping off the craft and offering a hand to Elsa as she came down the ramp.
"Thank you... for having me." Elsa replied, her cheeks tinged with a slight flush.
"Welcome home, My Lord. And welcome, Lady Elsa."
Laozi’s terminal was there to greet them, looking every bit the professional butler.
"Who is that?" Elsa asked.
Before Jin could respond, Laozi introduced himself with a deep, elegant bow. "My apologies for the late introduction. I am Laozi, the one entrusted with the management of Hourai Island. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
His form was even more refined than Jin’s, whose memories had served as the basis for the behavior.
"You must be exhausted. May I suggest a bath, followed by a meal?"
They followed Laozi’s suggestion and headed for the baths. Anticipating Elsa’s arrival, Laozi had already prepared separate facilities for men and women. Truly, he was a master of his craft. Reiko accompanied Jin, while Soleil and Luna attended to Elsa.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Phew..."
Jin, who had been on the move without sleep since the night before, let out a long sigh of relief as he stretched his limbs in the warm water of the hot spring.
"Good work, Reiko." He offered a word of thanks to his daughter, who was soaking in the bath with him.
"Not at all. I did very little this time."
"That's not true. You were the one who coordinated everything, and you're always there to support me. Without you, this would have been much harder."
"I see... Thank you very much."
"Elsa went through a lot of hardship," Jin added. "Please be kind to her."
"...Yes. I will do my best."
＊ ＊ ＊
"..."
"Lady Elsa, is the water temperature to your liking?"
"Ah... yes. It’s just right."
"Lady Elsa, please allow us to wash your back."
"Mhm. Thank you."
Soleil and Luna were busy attending to their guest.
The sky over Hourai Island remained blue and clear, a world away from the dark ambitions of Unifilar or the petty greed of the nobility.