Topaz, a Maid Golem of Hourai Island, was the head of land development.
Her peers, Amez and Ruby, were in charge of defense; Perido handled housework; and Aqua oversaw water management. Each led a team of subordinates numbered 1 through 100, and all worked diligently every day.
Land development was a quiet, unassuming job, yet it was vital. It was the foundation of the island's food supply, ensuring their master, Jin, never went hungry.
Topaz Leader, the head of the unit, had been granted the necessary knowledge for her duties by Jin and Laojun—though ultimately, all that knowledge originated from Jin himself. Whenever she encountered something she didn't understand, she could almost always resolve it by consulting Laojun. As a result, her daily routine rarely faced any significant disruptions.
"The orchards have finally settled down, and the fields are well-maintained," Topaz murmured to herself.
This was a habit she had inherited from Jin. Those who lived alone for a long time often found themselves talking to the air.
Before her eyes, fields and orchards stretched toward the horizon. The fields were filled with wheat and barley. Since the fruit trees on Hourai Island bloomed all year round, she had decided to see if the grain would follow suit. The crops were growing at a staggering rate and looked nearly ready for harvest.
As for the trees, she oversaw groves of Persica, Apulul, and Citran. There were also Maruon, Ornut, and a small patch of Ramon.
"The Persica seem to be the most useful of all."
These trees, which closely resembled the peaches of modern Earth, typically bloomed in the spring and bore fruit in the summer. On Hourai Island, however, they could be harvested almost year-round.
When she and Laojun investigated the cause, they discovered it was due to the island’s unique geology.
"It appears that ley lines of free ether pass directly through Hourai Island," Laojun had explained.
Since the investigation was still in progress, they hadn't reported this to Jin yet. Laozi—Laojun’s mobile terminal—was currently collaborating with Topaz 11 through 30 to map the lines. They expected to reach a final conclusion within a few days, after which they would present their findings to Jin.
The Predecessor Magi Craft Meister, Adriana Barbora Tsetse, had likely chosen this island as her base because of the rich mineral veins underground.
"The presence of such abundant mineral wealth suggests a high probability that Hourai Island acts as a natural conduit for free ether," Laojun had theorized.
The subsequent investigation proved his theory right. The growth rate of crops on the island was exceptionally fast, particularly for plants with high magical properties.
"And the Persica are the best example of that," Topaz noted.
The Persica, Apulul, and Citran trees—which had likely grown wild here since ancient times—were all four-season harvesters without exception.
"The other day, I compared an Apulul bought in Blue Land with one grown here on Hourai Island," Topaz recalled of a conversation she had with Laojun two days prior.
"And what were the results?" she had asked, though she already suspected the answer.
"The Hourai Island specimen contained significantly more free ether. Specifically, about ten times more," Laojun had replied.
According to Jin’s theories, free ether was smaller than subatomic particles, allowing it to pass through most matter unimpeded. The only way to truly anchor free ether was through the use of mana.
"Yet, the free ether stays trapped within the Persica fruit..."
Jin’s magical theory, which expanded upon the Predecessor’s foundation, stated: "Magi and wizards breathe in the free ether from the air and convert it into mana within their bodies. This internal mana is depleted when magic is cast, but it naturally replenishes over time as the body absorbs more free ether. Through the will and mental focus of the individual, this mana can be transformed into various forms of energy. This is what we call magic."
Humans who lacked mana couldn't "absorb" the ether to begin with, which was why they couldn't use magic.
"But if the free ether remains in the Persica fruit, that means the fruit itself possesses mana."
If the fruit had mana, then the trees did as well. In regions where the concentration of free ether was high, the potency of magic increased.
"This is why magic-sensitive plants grow so quickly on Hourai Island," they had concluded.
The final piece of the puzzle was finding the specific ether veins deep underground. This was already partially proven by the presence of Ground Spiders and Ground Caterpillars. These creatures fed on free ether and were currently thriving in the island's subterranean depths. They were simply waiting for the survey data to provide the final confirmation.
Furthermore, the discovery that Persica and other fruits held mana led to a revolutionary breakthrough in preservation.
"Persica, Apulul, and Citran placed inside the Ether Stocker show no signs of deterioration," Laojun had reported.
When the Ether Stocker was completed on April 11th, Laojun had experimentally stored various fruits inside. While fruit would slowly spoil in a standard refrigerator, it remained perfectly fresh indefinitely within the Ether Stocker. Since the device had no negative effects on non-magical items, every refrigerator and freezer in the laboratory had been upgraded to include an Ether Stocker.
"This way, we can prevent the fruit Master doesn't eat from going to waste."
Indeed, Topaz worked hard to stockpile fruit for Jin, but even in a refrigerator, it would rot after about a month. Previously, they had dried out the nearing-expiration fruit to use as feed for the fish in the Tatsumi Bay enclosures. Now, they could store everything without fear of decay.
They were even using a tiny fraction of this surplus to assist the Quinta units scattered across the world.
"Incredible! Persica in this season? I'll pay any price!"
Many nobles reacted this way. By offering these fruits as gifts, the Quinta established powerful connections and gathered invaluable intelligence.
"It's possible these fruits could even restore mana," Laojun speculated.
He had even used the Quinta to conduct discreet tests. These weren't dangerous experiments; they simply measured a person’s mana levels before and after eating a Persica. Using a device Jin had designed based on his experiences at the Kingdom of Egerea’s Guild—which utilized magic resonance to measure internal mana—they gathered data from various magic-using nobles.
The results confirmed their suspicions: Persica grown on Hourai Island had a potent mana-restoration effect.
"I have a feeling My Lord would surely call them 'Celestial Peaches,'" Laojun had remarked.
Celestial Peaches grown on Hourai Island—it was a concept straight out of a fairy tale.
Just then, Laojun contacted Topaz to share interesting news received from the Secret Mobile Unit accompanying Jin.
"It seems Persica was served at a meal in the Klein Kingdom."
Under normal circumstances, the blossoms should have only just fallen. The Klein Kingdom was much further north than Hourai Island; there was no way they should have ripe fruit.
"Where was that Persica harvested?" Topaz asked, puzzled.
"I have the Quinta investigating," Laojun replied immediately.
He added that Spica 7 and Regulus 2 were stationed near Alban, the capital of the Klein Kingdom, and that Regulus 2 was currently looking into the matter. The answer arrived the next day.
While the Klein Kingdom was behind in magical technology, its agricultural techniques were surprisingly advanced. They had developed greenhouses.
These consisted of orchards enclosed by stone walls on three sides, with the remaining side and the roof covered in massive plates of crystal. By using fire magi-stones to maintain the temperature during the night, they could force a spring harvest.
"They expose the trees to the cold until November, then begin warming them in December. The blossoms bloom in January, and the harvest begins in April," Regulus 2 reported.
"I assume the yield is quite small?" Laojun asked.
"Yes. At most, they produce about a hundred fruits, and the vast majority are delivered straight to the Royal Palace."
Topaz looked toward Laojun. "To be served something so precious... it means Master and his companions are being treated as very important guests."
"Indeed. We don't have a need for greenhouses on Hourai Island right now, but it might be worth preparing some just in case."
Thus, for the sake of improving Jin’s quality of life, Topaz and Laojun continued their diligent efforts day and night.
The existence of the free ether paths—the mana veins—would be fully confirmed two days later, just as Jin returned to the island.