Once the initial excitement of Jin’s return had subsided a little, Village Chief Giebeck stepped forward to speak for everyone.
"Welcome home, Jin. This village has been waiting for you."
"Chief..."
"Of course, it would be a great loss to the world if an excellent magi craftman like you were confined only to this village. But whenever you are tired, or sad, or just feel like coming back, this village will always welcome you."
As he spoke, he took Jin’s hand. Jin squeezed it back firmly.
"Thank you very much."
The Chief then turned to address the crowd.
"All right, everyone, that’s enough for now. I’m sure we’ll hear more from Jin later. For now, let’s let him rest."
With a wave of his hand, he signaled for them to disperse.
"Jin, see you later!"
"Jin, tell us your stories sometime!"
"Jin-niichan, let’s play again!"
The villagers called out their various goodbyes as they headed back to their homes or their fields.
Those who remained were Jin, Reiko, Hanna, Elsa, Barbara, Martha, and Giebeck. The Chief turned to Jin.
"Jin, you probably don't know this, but you aren't a wanted man. After you left, Lady Fahlheit visited and explained that Earl Walter had overstepped his bounds. If anything, it seems the King actually wanted to take you into his service."
Hearing that, Jin felt a wave of relief. At the very least, his presence here wouldn't bring trouble to the village.
Giebeck continued.
"Now then, Jin, you should head over to Martha’s place. Barbara, get inside."
Giebeck opened his door and retreated into his house.
"Yes, Uncle. Elsa-san, I'll see you later."
Barbara followed him inside.
"Come along now, let's head home," Martha said, taking Hanna by the hand. She started walking slowly, then stopped and looked back at Jin, who was still standing there. "Well, Jin? What are you waiting for? We're going home."
"Martha-san..."
"And you, little sister, and Reiko-chan, come along quickly. I said we’re going home, and I mean it."
Prompted by Martha, Jin started walking with Elsa and Reiko in tow.
A short walk brought them to Martha’s house.
"Go on, Jin. Why don't you show your little sister into your house?"
Told this, Jin looked back at Elsa, who was walking just behind him, and reached out his hand.
"Here."
Elsa gave a small nod and took his hand.
"I’ve kept your room exactly the way it was, Jin, so you could come back anytime," Martha added.
The room was pristine, without a single speck of dust to be found.
Looking at the room, tears welled up in Jin’s eyes.
"Welcome home, Jin."
When Martha said it to him once more, Jin finally let his tears fall.
Reiko quietly offered him a handkerchief.
Elsa watched Jin, silently and gently squeezing the hand that was still joined with hers.
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin sat drinking the tea Martha had brewed for him. Elsa and Hanna were also at the round table, while Reiko stood behind Jin.
"Ah... it’s been a long time since I’ve had this taste."
As expected, tea leaves from different regions produced different flavors. Since Jin had recently been drinking nothing but Te-e from the Kingdom of Egerea, the green-tea-like flavor of the Kaina Village tea felt nostalgic.
"Phew..."
Jin took a breath, looking at Martha and Hanna across from him.
"Um..."
Jin started to say something, but Martha spoke first, cutting him off.
"Jin, let me say this first. I have no intention of questioning you about anything. Everyone else in the village feels the same way. We all know you’re no ordinary man. We know you can do things that common folk can’t. So, if you don’t want to talk about how you got here or anything else, you don’t have to. Keep that in mind."
Jin was left speechless by her words.
He had been agonizing over how to explain everything to them.
"Thank you. If I revealed everything, it might end up causing trouble for the village, so hearing you say that sets my mind at ease."
The villagers were one thing, but officials from the Kingdom, including the lord, might visit eventually. He wanted to avoid any unnecessary trouble.
Just then, Hanna spoke up, unable to contain herself any longer.
"Hey, hey, Onii-chan! Let’s go pick herbs in the mountains!"
Hearing that, Jin remembered the time he had gone herb picking with Hanna last year.
"Hmm, let me see. Shall we go after I've seen Elsa back?"
Thinking that Mine would be worried, he offered that compromise, but an unexpected response came back.
"Ehh? Big Sister Elsa, let’s go together!"
"Jin-nii, I want to go too."
Jin gave a wry smile and nodded.
"All right, let's go together....But we aren't walking, are we?"
Hanna gave a firm nod.
"Nope! I’m going to ride Mint!"
Jin considered this.
"Hmm, are any of the other Golem horses free?"
It was currently the start of the busy farming season. The Golem horses should have been in high demand for clearing land, tilling, and transporting materials.
"Ah, that's right. The horses are probably all out on loan right now," Martha guessed, considering the situation.
"Ehh? Then we can’t go?"
Seeing the disappointed look on Hanna’s face, Jin stood up.
He stepped out of the room, pulled his manacam from his pocket, and contacted Hourai Island. After a brief exchange, he returned to the room and addressed Hanna.
"It’s okay, Hanna. More importantly, we need to get some lunches ready."
Hanna was overjoyed.
"Really? We can go? Yay! Grandma, I’ll help, so make us some lunch!"
"Yes, yes, just wait a moment."
Martha stood up with a laugh and headed to the kitchen with Hanna.
"Jin-nii?"
Seeing Elsa’s puzzled look, Jin explained what he had done.
"I gave instructions to have some Golem horses sent here from Hourai Island."
After making another call, he handed the manacam to Elsa.
"Mine is worried. Make sure you apologize properly."
Elsa took the device.
"Um... Mother?...Yes, I’m sorry. Um, I’m with Jin-nii right now. And, I want to see a bit more of things here before I go back....Yes, I understand. Thank you."
She finished her conversation and handed the manacam back to Jin.
"Jin-nii, thank you. Mother said that if I was with you, she had no choice but to forgive me."
"I see. That's good."
Jin then turned to Reiko.
"Reiko, give that to Elsa."
"Yes, Father."
Reiko took a bracelet from her pocket. It was the bracelet to prevent Mana Overload Syndrome.
Strictly speaking, the whole reason for this current situation was that he had recalled Reiko to give Elsa this very item.
One could say it was a blessing in disguise, as it was thanks to that chain of events that Jin had been able to return to Kaina Village.
"This is a bracelet to prevent your Mana Overload Syndrome, Elsa. It also stores excess mana. When you use magic, if you channel your mana through the bracelet, it will prioritize using the mana stored within it first."
"Really?"
Elsa stared intently at the bracelet. She hadn't known such a magic tool existed. No, she instinctively felt that it was something only Jin could have made.
"Yeah. As long as you’re wearing this, you won’t have to worry about Mana Overload Syndrome anymore."
"Thank... you..."
The condition she had viewed as her own personal defect could be suppressed by this bracelet. She would no longer have to worry about the illness that had weighed so heavily on her mind. It felt like a dream, Elsa thought.
At that moment, Reiko looked outside as if she had noticed something.
"Father, it seems the horses have arrived."
"I see. That was fast."
Jin stood up and went outside. Elsa wiped her eyes and followed him.
When Jin, Hanna, Elsa, and Reiko stepped outside, they found Jin's favorite Golem horse, Koma, alongside the Golem horses he had made when he previously invited Elsa and Reinhard to Kunlun Island.
Presumably, someone from the SP had brought them, but that person was already nowhere to be seen.
"Ah! It’s Onii-chan’s horsey!"
Hanna clearly remembered Koma.
Elsa also recognized the Golem horse she had ridden before and promptly climbed onto its back... despite her skirt.
Well, she wasn't wearing a dress this time, and as long as she held the front down, she seemed confident she could manage.
"The lunches are ready. Oh my, isn't that Koma? And what about those? Did you call them, Jin? You’re as amazing as ever."
Martha came out of the house carrying a basket of food. The fact that she summarized it with "you’re as amazing as ever" suggested she was quite used to Jin's ways by now.
"Thank you. Well then, shall we head out?"
Reiko took the basket and the water flask.
The three Golem horses and one Automata headed toward the mountains.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Ah, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen this view."
"It’s a beautiful sight."
Jin savored the panoramic view of Kaina Village for the first time in a long while, while Elsa enjoyed her very first look at the scenery.
Afterward, the three people and one machine enjoyed a picnic that was herb picking in name only.