After finishing breakfast, Jin informed Hanna and the others that he was setting off once more.
The group gathered at the shelter to see him off as he prepared for the next leg of his journey.
"Take care, Onii-chan. You too, Reiko-oneechan."
Now that she understood he could return frequently, Hanna saw Jin and Reiko off with a cheerful smile this time.
"Jin-nii, you’re finally heading to the Shouro Empire, aren't you?"
Elsa looked just a little bit envious.
"Yeah. I hope you'll be able to go back there yourself someday, Elsa."
Jin spoke with consideration, knowing she must eventually want to see her homeland again.
"Mm. But I like it here. Besides, Mother is with me."
"Yes, Jin-sama, please don't worry about us. More importantly, it would please us most if you simply enjoyed your travels," Mine added, as both she and Elsa showed their concern for him in return.
"Thank you. Well then, I’m counting on you to look after Barrow and Belle."
"Yes, leave it to us."
Barrow and Belle were not present. It would be complicated if they realized Jin was heading to the Shouro Empire directly from the village, so he had them remain at his house. Even if he were to tell them eventually, it was still far too early.
"Oh, right. I’m planning to build a lord's residence—an official Mansion, of sorts—around here."
Jin briefly explained his thoughts from the day before, keeping it concise since time was short. Essentially, it would be problematic if Jin's living quarters appeared shabby should messengers from the Klein Kingdom arrive, so he intended to construct something more grand. Elsa and Mine, at the very least, seemed to grasp the political necessity of the project.
"Well then, I'm off."
"Have a safe trip!"
And so, Jin set out once again.
"...And that's the plan."
Jin delivered the same explanation to Laojun upon arriving at Hourai Island, which he was using as a transit point.
"I see. A lord's Mansion. What did you have in mind for the exterior?"
When asked, Jin realized he hadn't given it much thought, and since he was pressed for time, he simply said, "I'll leave it to you, Laojun," before adding one more instruction.
"I suspect Belle's symptoms were just from exhaustion, but to be safe, please distribute that Persica juice to everyone in Kaina Village."
He wanted no part of a pandemic.
"Understood. I shall have Butler A handle it."
Relieved by that, Jin passed through the Warp Gate.
"A Mansion for My Lord... It will require an appearance befitting his status. In that case..."
As the concept solidified in his mind, Laojun summoned twenty Smiths.
"Progress would be swiftest if we use Daidaras for the initial phase. If so, it would be best to break ground tonight."
Laojun began preparations to have the materials ready by then. His first step was to contact and brief Butler A, Jin’s deputy in Kaina Village.
The time difference between Kaina Village and Toscosia was approximately two hours. Jin, who had departed Kaina Village around 9:00 AM, arrived in Toscosia at roughly 7:00 AM local time.
The party was scheduled to leave at 8:00 AM, but since he hadn't had the chance to see Toscosia the day before, he wanted to sightsee, even if only for a short while.
"Those city walls carved directly from the rock really are a masterpiece."
The fact that it had apparently been done entirely by hand without the use of magic sparked his imagination.
"I wonder how many people it took to build this," he murmured.
"The golems of Hourai Island would not require even three days. I could do it in about a day myself," Reiko said beside him, but that wasn't quite what he meant.
The Great Wall of China or the Pyramids—though he had never seen the originals—gave him a sense of human wisdom and potential when he considered how such massive structures were built with nothing but human power. When Jin explained this to Reiko, she seemed to understand his point, at least to a degree.
"...You mean to say you are impressed by the ingenuity required to achieve great works with limited means?"
"Hmm, well, that's a good enough way to put it."
Jin was satisfied with her answer, knowing that Reiko’s sensibilities differed slightly from a human’s. For now, he focused on the sights. The sandstone walls had been hollowed out to create stairs, rooms, and even windows. The technique used to carve perfectly vertical walls ten meters high was a sight to behold. Seeing the results of such a massive undertaking that did not rely on magic was a fresh experience for Jin.
As he was looking around, Reiko gave a gentle tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Reinhard approaching.
"Jin!"
Claude followed close behind him, carrying their luggage.
"Hey, morning."
"Good morning. Out for a walk?"
"Yeah. I still had some time before we left."
When Jin replied, Reinhard instructed Claude to take the luggage to the carriage and wait there. Once Claude had left and there were no other associates nearby, he leaned in.
"How are those two?"
"They're doing well. They've recovered after some medicine, food, and a soak in the hot spring," Jin replied.
To an outsider, this exchange would have been completely incomprehensible.
"That's good to hear. I knew leaving them to you was the right choice, Jin."
"Yeah. If they want to, I can bring them back here later. For now, I want to let them relax."
Reinhard nodded. "Yeah, I agree. Regardless, today is the day we cross the border."
As he spoke, he began walking toward the carriage parking area.
"Ah, Reinhard."
At the carriages, Mattheus was already prepared and waiting.
"You were with Jin-dono, I see. If you're ready, let's depart."
"Understood."
Since they were crossing the border, Reinhard boarded his own carriage. They entered through the city's main gate and headed straight down the Central Thoroughfare. Jin realized that the checkpoint must be located within the city itself.
Just as he expected, an imposing building appeared ahead. It was surrounded by a high wall and secured with a heavy gate. The carriages pulled inside, and the sturdy doors were shut behind them.
"Jin-dono, please step down from the carriage," Mattheus called out.
Jin stepped down as requested, with Reiko following him.
"Now, the officials of the Celuroa Kingdom will verify our documents against the registry," Reinhard explained.
"Jin-dono, your identity is guaranteed by Reinhard, a diplomat of the Shouro Empire, and myself, Captain Mattheus of the Imperial Guards' 3rd Company," Mattheus added.
True to their words, the screening was finished in minutes. Jin was a bit surprised that their belongings weren't even inspected, but he later learned that a few "gratuities" had helped smooth the process.
"I’m sorry you had to spend so much on my account," Jin said after they had passed the checkpoint and he learned the truth.
Reinhard laughed it off. "Think nothing of it. It's all within the budget."
The party boarded the carriages again and drove around to the back of the building. There was another gate identical to the one they had entered through, which opened as they approached.
"Look! Ahead lies my homeland!"
Reinhard’s voice, brimming with joy, carried from the other carriage.
The group passed through the gate. While high stone walls continued to flank them, the stone paving beneath the wheels clearly changed in color. As they moved forward, they encountered one final gate guarded by four men.
Reinhard stopped his carriage and presented a certificate. Upon seeing it, the guards smiled warmly and offered a crisp salute.
"Welcome home, sir!"