"A report has come in from Deneb 21."
The next morning, the first results from the Quinta arrived via Laozi.
Deneb 21 had been dispatched to the shores of Azul Lake. It was a massive body of water located in the northern part of the Celuroa Kingdom, right on the border with the Kingdom of Franz. It was a vital hub for both tourism and fishery resources.
On the outskirts of Lurasus—a resort city situated directly north of the capital, Esaia—the unit had located ruins dating back to the Great Magic War.
"The interior is partially collapsed, and it seems no noteworthy records or magic tools remain," Laozi reported.
While the first finding was meager in substance, more followed.
"A report from Regulus 15 has arrived."
"A report from Capella 4 has arrived."
That day brought a total of three reports. The third one, discovered by Capella 4, was a sealing box containing a Gigas core. It had been found in the mountains in the northern reaches of the Kingdom of Egerea.
"So they really are out there, just as Anne predicted," Jin remarked.
One of the six remaining units had been located. That left five.
Retrieving the sealing box was a bit of a chore, but as a precaution, Jin had Capella 4 transport it back to Hourai Island using the Warp Gate in Blue Land.
"Hmm, the network is still insufficient. We lack forward bases and bridgeheads," Jin grumbled. However, only five days had passed since the completion of the Quinta. It was hardly surprising.
"Well then, as for me..."
Having finished his debriefing and issued new orders, Jin decided to create a Body Double. He was taking Reinhard’s advice from the previous day—to take better care of himself—to heart.
"The structure will be based on the Quinta models," he decided.
He crafted the golem to look exactly like a human. Its most crucial feature was an integrated mana-telecam, which would relay audio and visual data directly to Jin on Hourai Island. It was a semi-autonomous unit that would primarily move according to Jin's remote instructions.
He intended to make it a perfect replica of himself. However, crafting a doll in one's own image proved difficult, so he left the final Finish to Reiko.
When the Body Double was complete, Jin stared at it.
"...It’s creepy."
The sight of a doll that looked exactly like him elicited a natural sense of unease.
"Does it not please you?" Reiko asked, looking concerned.
"No, the craftsmanship is excellent. It’s the opposite—it’s so life-like that it’s a bit unnerving," Jin said, reassuring her.
"Let's try a test run."
They moved to a room in the Hourai Island laboratory to begin the trial. Five large monitor screens were set up; they displayed the feed from the Body Double's eyes. The center screen was adjusted to match a human's standard field of view, while the top, bottom, and side screens showed the peripheral surroundings.
The Body Double’s field of vision was significantly wider than a human's, though the center monitor would likely be enough for most tasks.
Jin began issuing simple commands. Since true remote control or brainwave-linked movement would take more time to develop, he chose this method as a stopgap. For most operations, Reiko or the Secret Mobile Unit would be on hand to provide support.
"Forward. Stand Still. Walk. Run."
The basic movements were functional, but more complex actions felt undeniably awkward. No matter how he looked at it, there was a stiffness that betrayed its non-human nature.
"Well, it's a decoy for dangerous locations, so I suppose this will suffice for now."
Though he had his complaints, Jin had too many other projects in the queue to obsess over it.
"Now then, Laozi, how is the construction of the aircraft carrier progressing?"
"Yes, material processing is currently fifty percent complete," a voice replied.
"Yes, material processing is currently fifty percent complete," a second voice echoed from another direction.
One response came from Laozi’s humanoid terminal, and the other came from the main management magi-brain itself.
"Ah—calling you both Laozi is going to get confusing," Jin said, falling into thought. He tried to recall something from a book he had read long ago.
"...Alright. From now on, the humanoid terminal will remain Laozi, but I will call the main brain 'Laojun.' Both names share the same origin, so that should work, right?"
"Yes, My Lord," the terminal replied.
"Understood. I shall be Laojun from now on," the brain acknowledged.
The name was a reference to Taishang Laojun, an alternate title for the philosopher Laozi in the celestial realm. With the naming sorted, Jin turned back to the report on the carrier.
"Hmm, it's still taking quite a bit of time."
"Yes. We had to begin by constructing the building docks on the coast," Laojun explained.
"Ah, that makes sense."
Jin was a Magi Craft Meister—the foremost authority on magi craft—but he wasn't naturally specialized in large-scale civil engineering.
"I suppose I should create some worker golems," he mused.
Anne immediately voiced her support. "I think that would be wise, Goshujin-shama. If you let golems handle the tasks that don't strictly require your expertise, it will reduce your burden and increase production efficiency."
"You're right."
With that, Jin set about mass-producing a workforce. For the material, he chose steel; there was no need to waste precious light silver or adamantite.
He used an alloy steel fortified with nickel and chromium to ensure it was rust-resistant—essentially 18-12 stainless steel. He chose an eighteen percent chromium and twelve percent nickel composition because the higher nickel content gave the metal a darker, more substantial appearance.
"They don't need overwhelming strength, but they need to be proficient in Craft Magic."
He utilized Trans Info to gift them a significant portion of his technical knowledge. The result was a golem capable of performing almost any task except for high-precision Write Ins. He made them roughly the same size as himself to ensure they could handle delicate work.
He decided on a force of five hundred.
First, he built five units. Once they were operational, he used them to assist in building fifty more. Then, he had those fifty assist in the creation of the remaining five hundred.
By noon, the entire workforce was complete.
"The efficiency really is on a different level."
"My Lord, they require a designation," Laozi and Laojun prompted.
Jin was still marveling at how much easier the labor had become. "Hmm. Let's call them Smith."
And so, the worker golems, Smith 1 through 500, were born.
As had become his habit, Jin went to Kunlun Island to have lunch with Elsa and the others.
"Welcome, Jin-nii."
"Thanks for having me."
The weather was warm and pleasant, so they decided to eat outside. Today’s menu featured meat sandwiches on toasted bread, vegetable salad, and citran juice.
Jin noticed the spread was a bit simpler than usual, but he said nothing and picked up a sandwich.
"..."
"?"
Elsa was staring at him intently. He found her behavior a bit peculiar, but he didn't stop eating.
"?"
A second question mark popped up in his mind. The flavor was slightly different. The meat was sliced a bit thicker, and the seasoning was milder. Jin wasn't particularly picky, but he wasn't flavor-blind either; since he did a bit of cooking himself, he considered his palate reasonably discerning. He simply didn't make a fuss about it.
"..."
When he reached for the salad, he felt Elsa’s gaze intensify. Finally, he arrived at a conclusion.
"Elsa, did you make today’s lunch?"
The moment he spoke, Elsa became visibly tense.
"...Was it not good?" she asked timidly.
"No, it's a bit different from Mine’s seasoning, but it’s delicious. I see—so you made this for me."
"Mm. If I can't do things like this, I'll be an embarrassment as Jin-nii’s younger sister."
As she spoke, Elsa’s cheeks took on a faint flush.
"Yeah, it makes me happy," Jin said. To prove it, he finished every bite of the bread and salad.
"That's wonderful, Elsa," Mine said with a smile.
After they all finished, Mine peeled some persica for dessert. It seemed that peeling fruit perfectly in front of Jin was still a bit beyond Elsa's current skills.
Jin watched them, remembering that Elsa’s aptitude for Trans Info was actually higher than Reinhard’s. He murmured to himself that when he had some free time, he might try teaching her the basics of Craft Magic.