The following day, Jin proceeded with his plan to take Reinhard, Berche, and Saki to Hourai Island. Elsa and Edgar came along, of course, as did Ar, Noir, and Neon.
As a side note, Hanna stayed behind in Kaina Village, having politely declined the invitation because Jin had guests to attend to.
The reason Jin bypassed Kunlun Island and brought them straight to Hourai Island was simple: he trusted Berche and Saki implicitly. Of course, he also possessed the confidence that Hourai Island remained impregnable, no matter what might happen.
"This is Hourai Island, the place I inherited from my master," Jin announced the moment they teleported into the hall lined with Warp Gates.
『Welcome back, My Lord. And to our guests, welcome to Hourai Island.』
Laojun’s voice resonated to meet them.
"Jin, whose voice was that?" Saki asked, looking puzzled. Berche was similarly peering around, trying to locate the source of the sound.
"That is Laojun, the magi-brain that oversees all of Hourai Island. In simple terms, it's an extremely high-performance version of an autonomous type golem's brain."
While Saki seemed to grasp the concept after that explanation, Berche remained baffled. Seeing her struggle, Reinhard leaned in to explain in a low voice. Since they couldn't linger in the Warp Gate room forever, Jin called out to the group and led them outside.
"Welcome."
Just beyond the Warp Gate room lay the entrance hall.
There, the group was met by a formal reception: Laozi (Laojun's mobile terminal), Soleil and Luna, the five leaders of the Five-Colored Golem Maids, the leaders of the Land, Sea, and Air Forces, Smith 1, and Butler 1.
"Wow..."
Saki and Berche were left speechless. Although Reinhard had visited Hourai Island once before, even he was seeing such a comprehensive lineup of golems for the first time.
"You're incredible, Jin... You've moved far beyond being a match for a single nation."
Reinhard sensed that the latent power Jin possessed easily surpassed the might of a country.
"I am truly glad that you are my friend."
After that brief exchange, they passed through the entrance hall and out into the front yard.
"Wow, it's so open! So this is Jin's laboratory... I'm green with envy, I really am," Saki said, scanning the horizon as she stepped outside.
"Jin-sama, what is that building?"
Berche pointed toward Jin's residence. It was a single-story Japanese-style house.
"Oh, that's my home. I live there when I'm on Hourai Island. It's built in the style of Japan."
"How unique."
"I'm planning for you to stay there tonight, so I'll give you a tour later."
When Jin said this, Berche requested that he drop the awkward formal speech and speak to her as informally as he did with Reinhard. Jin looked at Reinhard, who simply laughed and gave a supportive nod.
"I understand, Berche....Is this better?"
"Yes, please. I would feel lonely if I were the only one being treated like a stranger."
Jin responded with a warm smile.
"Now then, shall we get this sightseeing tour underway?"
Jin asked Reiko to bring an automobile out from the garage. It was the vehicle powered by a four-cylinder Golem Engine that he had developed just before his journey with Elsa and Reinhard.
"O-Oh! Jin, what in the world is this!?"
It was a six-seater with a light silver body and rubber tires. Jin had refined it since its initial construction; the suspension now utilized Golem arms, and it featured an internal control core that allowed for automatic steering.
"I call it an automobile."
Jin had considered using an airplane, but for once, he showed restraint, feeling that such a machine might be too much of a leap in technology. Besides, traveling by land was far better for a leisurely tour of the island.
"Come on, everyone, hop in."
Since it was a six-seater, Ar, Edgar, Neon, and Noir followed in a second car. Jin had built three identical models for transportation across the island.
Jin left the driving of the second car to Reiko. Neon appeared particularly pleased by the arrangement.
"Father, here are the lunches."
Soleil and Luna loaded several large baskets into the vehicles. Everyone looked forward to the midday meal.
They had departed Kaina Village at eight in the morning; with a time difference of roughly two hours, it was now about ten-thirty. It was a twenty-five-kilometer drive from the laboratory to their destination, Tatsumi Bay—a perfect distance for a slow cruise at about thirty kilometers per hour.
"All right, let's head out."
The road, leveled and hardened by magic, made for a smooth ride. The path followed a river, gently curving as it wound toward the coast. The river was roughly twenty to thirty meters wide, making the opposite bank clearly visible.
"Oh, look at the wheat fields."
"And over there—is that an orchard? Look at all those Persica fruits!"
It was a pleasant, pastoral landscape, perfect for a drive. They could see several maid golems scattered about, tending to the fields and weeding.
"Hm? Is this a wetland?" Saki asked as the road approached a marshy area.
There, they saw rows of freshly planted seedlings—nogi.
"I don't recognize those plants... Wait, could it be?"
Reinhard was the first to realize what the crop was.
"Jin, is this nogi!?"
"Correct. It's rice—or rather, nogi."
"When did you find the time...? No, it's Jin. I should have known better than to ask."
Reinhard nodded to himself, satisfied with his own conclusion.
The road descended gradually, and in just under an hour, the sea finally came into view. Saki was the most boisterous of them all upon seeing it.
"O-Oh! Jin, that's the sea, isn't it?! It's so huge! And so blue!"
She leaned out of the car, straining to see.
"It's dangerous, Saki. Sit back down; we're almost there."
At Jin's warning, Saki sat back with an embarrassed grin.
"Kufu, how shameful of me. I've never actually been out of my own country, you see. We have a coastline back home, of course, but I never had the chance to travel that far. I only really know the area around Lake Tosmo."
Saki then glanced back at Elsa.
"Elsa, you mentioned competing in a Golem Boat Race in Port Rock, right?"
"Yes. That was a wonderful time. I steered Rai-nii's boat, the Lorelei... although we lost to Jin-nii's team."
Elsa spoke with a nostalgic smile. Jin found himself remembering Port Rock as well. Reinhard seemed to be sharing the sentiment.
"Ah, those were the days. Come to think of it, if it weren't for that race, I might never have met Jin," he said, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
The automobile soon arrived at the seaside. The second car, with Reiko and the others, pulled up immediately after.
"Ah, there's a distinct scent in the air. Is this what the ocean smells like?"
Saki jogged toward the beach, with Ar following close behind. Jin and the others followed at a more measured pace.
"Reiko, thank you for the driving."
As they walked, Jin patted Reiko’s head in appreciation. Reiko looked exceptionally happy. With her newly added tactile sensors, a simple touch from Jin made her feel closer to him than ever before.
"I was very happy to have Reiko-san as our driver," Neon told Berche. Nearby, Edgar and Elsa were also engaged in conversation. Noir, the Black Knight, walked silently at Reinhard's side.
Saki, having reached the beach first, stepped onto the sand and promptly tumbled. It seemed her feet had been snared by the soft dunes.
"Saki-sama!"
Ar caught Saki just inches before her face hit the sand.
"Ar, thank you. Kufu, I suppose I got a little too carried away."
"Hey, Saki, are you all right?" Reinhard called out. Saki waved back energetically.
"I'm fine! Ar saved me!"
Saki stood and stared out at the ocean, a look of profound satisfaction on her face.
"Wow... Just like they say, the horizon is curved. This world really is round after all..."
Jin, Reinhard, Saki, Berche, and Elsa all knew the world was round as a matter of fact. However, knowing a truth and seeing the evidence with one's own eyes were two very different things.
"It truly is curved..." Berche murmured, seeing the sea for the first time in her life.
"Man, now I really want to build a paddleboat."
True to his reputation as a crafting nut, that was the first thought that escaped Reinhard's lips.