It was right around lunchtime when they returned to Kaina Village.
"Welcome back, Jin-sama. Welcome back, Elsa."
Mine came out to meet them. The aroma drifting through the air suggested she had been baking bread.
"I have some freshly baked bread ready."
The timing was perfect. Jin headed over to Martha’s house with Reiko.
"My, Jin, what’s that Reiko-chan is carrying?"
Martha asked, spotting the pot in Reiko’s hands.
"It’s chunky bean paste. You eat it by spreading it on bread. Preferences may vary, but this is how we eat it in my hometown."
"Ah, Honi-hyan, wecome back!"
Hanna, who had just finished washing her hands, smiled happily when she spotted Jin in the dining room.
"I'm home, Hanna....Here, please try some."
Jin took the lead, scooping some bean paste with a spoon and spreading it onto a piece of bread.
The others followed his example, topping their bread with the paste.
One bite was all it took for them to be startled by its sweetness.
"It’s so sweet!"
Hanna exclaimed with a beaming face. This was the sight Jin had wanted to see most.
He had been worried about returning without any souvenirs for her.
"Jin-nii, this is delicious."
"It’s quite sweet. A little spread is more than enough."
"Jin-sama, is this called chunky bean paste? It doesn't look very appetizing, but it’s quite delicious."
They sipped their savory soup and ate the sweet bread. Jin felt relieved that everyone seemed to enjoy the taste.
(But growing sugarcane in Kaina Village would probably be impossible... In that case, I’d like to find some sugar beets.)
Since sugar was a luxury, they wouldn't be able to eat it often unless they could achieve self-sufficiency.
(Then again, for the sake of preventing cavities, maybe 'once in a while' is for the best.)
Jin thought this as he looked at Hanna’s face with her missing front teeth.
Once they finished their meal, Jin returned to Hourai Island with Elsa.
(Tomorrow, I’ll spend the whole day with Hanna...)
He promised himself as they traveled.
"Now then, Elsa."
Facing Elsa across a workbench in the laboratory, Jin presented her with a new challenge.
"Try making an Automata."
"...Eh?"
Elsa doubted her own ears. She wondered if she could really make one when she had only just started practicing magi craft.
"You already have enough skill, Elsa. All you lack is experience. I'll be watching, so give it a try."
"............"
Since Jin went that far, Elsa couldn't refuse.
"Okay, I'll try."
She nodded and began to plan out the procedure.
"...Skeleton, magi-device, muscles, head, skin, control core..."
"Yes, yes, that’s about right. Let’s not start with anything too big. How about starting with something about Reiko’s size?"
Jin patted the shoulder of Reiko, who was standing nearby.
"...Understood."
Though still looking a bit unsure of herself, Elsa began selecting materials.
"At first, it’s best to use the light silver you’re used to."
Jin offered his advice. Since she worked with light silver on a daily basis, Elsa was familiar with it.
However, neither Jin nor Elsa realized that light silver was not a material typically handled by beginners.
The reason Jin recommended it to Elsa was simple: using a familiar material meant minimizing mana loss during the processing.
While it was no issue for Jin, even with Elsa’s Mana Overload Syndrome, exhausting her mana would lead to physical illness.
That was exactly what had happened the other day when she learned Genesung.
Taking Jin's advice to heart, Elsa decided to use light silver. Since it was a material Jin used frequently, there was always a massive supply ready.
"Forming."
Elsa immediately began the process. It seemed her design had solidified.
Jin watched her in silence, though inwardly he was reminiscing about the time he first rebuilt Reiko—before he had even given her a name.
After over a dozen processing steps, the skeleton of an Automata stood before Elsa. Her experience making the mascot doll seemed to have served her well.
"...How is it, Jin-nii?"
Elsa timidly looked up at Jin. He smiled broadly and nodded.
"You pass. You've improved, Elsa."
Hearing those words, Elsa smiled brightly as well.
"Now then, here’s a little trick. To prevent the joints from wearing down..."
Jin produced a small amount of adamantite.
"Plating."
Jin demonstrated by applying a layer of plating to the surface.
"By doing this, you reduce friction and increase durability. Give it a try."
Jin had Elsa handle all the other joints herself. Responding to his expectations, Elsa quickly became proficient in the technique.
Under Jin's watchful eye, she continued her work for four hours.
"...It's finished."
Elsa had finally completed her first Automata. Jin checked every detail and gave it his seal of approval, declaring there were absolutely no problems.
It was a boy-type in appearance with the same platinum blonde hair as Elsa. His eyes were closed for now, but they were a matching light blue.
"...Jin-nii, how long does it take you to make one?"
Elsa asked, letting out a sigh of relief now that the work was done.
"Hmm, about an hour, I suppose?"
That was a modest figure. If he were to truly exert himself, his production speed would be more than double that; it would certainly take less than thirty minutes.
Of course, lately Laojun and the Smiths handled the preliminary preparations, so Jin rarely manufactured anything from scratch anymore.
"...I'll work harder."
Jin gently patted Elsa's shoulder.
"Now, for the final task. Wake it up."
He encouraged her.
"Yes....Wake up."
In response to the keyword, the Automata slowly sat up.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Creator."
"Elsa, give him a name."
"Right....Your name is Edgar."
"Yes, my name is Edgar."
Thus, Edgar was born as Elsa's first Automata.
Reiko watched the scene with a faint smile. She might have been remembering the moment of her own creation.
Although Elsa was unaware, Edgar's control system was the same as that of Reiko's subordinates, Soleil and Luna.
Thanks to the Trans Info she had received as Jin's official disciple, she was now able to use an Adriana-type control system.
Elsa did not know the weight of what this signified.
Similarly, Jin did not know either. This was exactly why Reinhard had told him he needed to learn the world's standards.
The two had truly become a master and disciple who resembled each other.
To change the subject.
"Well then, all that’s left are the clothes."
Edgar was still naked.
"Well, Elsa probably isn't very familiar with men's underwear, and we don't have much time, so I'll make them. Consider it a celebration for your first Automata, Elsa."
Jin took a cloth woven from Ground Spider silk from the shelf and quickly crafted a pair of trunks. He made a T-shirt from a jersey-knit fabric, even taking the care to add elastic to the trunks.
The entire process took about five minutes.
Watching from the side, Elsa felt the slight confidence she had gained crumble away. However, she recovered immediately.
"...Someday, I will too."
This resilience might have been Elsa's greatest strength.
The jacket was dyed black and tailored in the style of a blazer. Jin even added a bow tie, making him look like a young master.
"There, all done."
"...He's handsome."
There stood Edgar, Elsa’s first Automata, dressed like a young master from the Showa era.
He wore a black blazer and black trousers, a white dress shirt with a black bow tie, white socks, and black leather shoes.
"Thank you very much, Jin-sama."
Edgar said, bowing politely. His movements were perfectly composed.