"Ohhh, the detail in this craftsmanship is incredible!"
Everyone who received a medal raised their voice in astonishment at the precision of the work.
The medals were about two centimeters in diameter—roughly the size of a one-yen coin. The front was engraved with 10th Technology Expo Commemoration, while the back bore the name Jin Nidou. The remaining space was filled with intricate patterns so fine they seemed beyond the reach of human hands.
Those who knew little of magi craft were simply impressed by the golem’s processing power.
Those with a passing knowledge of magi craft marveled at the skill required to construct a golem on such a minute scale.
And those well-versed in the field were wide-eyed at the sheer versatility of the application.
Once Reiko and the Mini-Smiths had returned, Jin made a further announcement.
"That concludes today's demonstration. Tomorrow, in the front plaza, I shall show you something that will overturn your common sense. Thank you for your time today."
Jin bowed and exited the stage. The attendees left with a flurry of impressions.
"Who on earth is that youth?"
"I don't know. But he was introduced as the Honorary Magi Craftman of the Kingdom of Egerea. Could he be the one who was so active during that Golem Party incident?"
"More importantly, did you see those tiny golems?! Being able to make those means he possesses some of the world's leading processing techniques!"
"Exactly. Look at the precision of this medal! If this were gold instead of brass, imagine what kind of value it would hold."
Those seeing him for the first time were in an uproar of surprise.
"Ufufu, as expected of Jin-kun. It was worth inviting him to our country. And it seems he still plans to do something tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it."
"Hmm, Her Majesty has been keeping an eye on him, so I was paying attention, but I never expected it to be this much!"
Even those who had heard rumors of Jin were struck with awe.
"As expected of Jin. To think he'd bring out mini-golems. It looks simple at a glance, but the depth is profound. Those who understand will see it."
"I wondered what Jin-kun would present, but he went completely beyond my expectations."
Even those who knew Jin well couldn't help but be surprised. Someone ran up to Jin as he stepped down from the stage.
"Jin!"
It was a boy with blond hair and blue eyes, slightly shorter than Jin. Behind him stood a bronze-colored golem and a girl in a maid's uniform. Beside them was another girl whose face he recognized.
"Your Highness! And..."
The boy was Prince Ernest, the Third Prince of the Kingdom of Egerea. Naturally, the golem was Lotte, and the maid was Lyla Soluce, formerly of the Royal Secret Maids and now a personal maid assigned to the prince.
"Jin, it has been a long time."
The girl was none other than Princess Lieschen of the Klein Kingdom.
"It has been a long time. Have you been well?"
Jin asked because the princess somehow seemed to lack her usual spirit.
"...I am fine. It is merely that a bit of fatigue has accumulated."
"Jin, it's because Lies had to make a forced march to get here to the Shouro Empire," Ernest explained.
Jin understood. Even from the Kingdom of Egerea it was far; coming from the even more distant Klein Kingdom must have been quite an ordeal. Likely for her attendants as well.
"Jin-dono, it's been a while..."
True to that expectation, the captain of the Female Ritter Order acting as her guard, Jessica Norton, also lacked her usual energy. Seeing this, Jin thought he might like to give them some kind of refreshment later, but he also realized it would be difficult to provide such things to dignitaries from another country.
"There was talk of a marriage interview with Lies, but I really wanted to see this Technology Expo. When I said that, Lies said she wanted to see it too, so we ended up coming together."
Between the Kingdom of Egerea and the Klein Kingdom lies the Celuroa Kingdom. It seemed the two had met in Telurus, a city just before the Celuroa capital of Esaia, and after hitting it off immediately, they had come to see the Technology Expo being held in the Shouro Empire. Since both of them had low positions in the line of succession and were relatively free, perhaps they were able to indulge in such selfishness.
"But you seem energetic, Your Highness?"
"Yeah, I had the carriage you made for me, Jin. It was quite easy."
"Ah..."
With a carriage equipped with golem suspension, the ride quality was on a completely different level. Especially during a forced march, the burden on the passengers would be worlds apart.
"I wanted to let her ride with me, but she's surprisingly stubborn."
"T-That is only natural! For a man and woman who have only just met to be in the same carriage together all day long...!" Princess Lieschen said with blushing cheeks.
Jin remembered riding in the same carriage as her before and wondered if that was fine, but he kept his mouth shut. The princess likely had her own way of thinking. Or perhaps she was simply being shy.
"In any case, it's been a while! Your skills are as good as ever. But why are you calling yourself our Honorary Magi Craftman when you were supposed to have taken service with the Shouro Empire?"
"Ugh..."
Jin was at a loss for words. The truth was, he was still unattached. Previously, the Kingdom of Egerea had assumed Jin was going to enter the service of the Shouro Empire and thus had not pressed him with invitations. If they found out he hadn't actually taken service yet...
"Your Highness, Jin is still being treated as our guest. We plan to have him take a good look at our country, and if he likes it, he will join our service."
Reinhard stepped in from the side to offer a helping hand.
"Reinhard. I see, is that how it is?"
"Ernest-sama, who is this?" Princess Lieschen plucked at Prince Ernest's sleeve and asked in a low voice.
"Ah, sorry. This is Reinhard. He's a magi craftman of the Shouro Empire."
"My name is Reinhard Randol, Your Highness." Reinhard gave a graceful bow.
"I see. I am Lieschen Physis Klein, the Third Princess of the Klein Kingdom. I look forward to our future acquaintance."
As they could not stay in one place for long due to their status, Prince Ernest and Princess Lieschen moved on to look at other exhibits.
"If possible, I'd like one of those mini-golems..." Ernest said as they departed.
Jin returned to his booth and watched the stage from there, with Reinhard at his side.
"I didn't know you were making such tiny golems, Jin."
"Haha, I'll teach you how to make them next time, Reinhard."
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it!"
While they were talking, a group arrived at Jin's booth. It was Empress Gerhardt Hilde von Rubis Shouro, flanked on either side by Degauss Fruit von Manischras, the Magic Technology Minister, and Gebalt Ackermann, the premier magi engineer of the Shouro Empire—the Magi Engineer Maestro.
"Jin-dono, that was wonderful. And you say you'll surprise us with something tomorrow as well? I have high expectations."
Being at an event venue, the Empress used a level of speech somewhere between formal and informal. She was quite nuanced.
"Thank you very much. Please look forward to tomorrow."
"Fufu, I truly am looking forward to it. Is there anything else here? By the way, what is that you are wearing on your face?"
Jin was currently wearing protective glasses made of muscovite. Reinhard, standing beside him, was wearing the same.
"Yes, these are called 'protective glasses.' They are for protecting the eyes during work, to keep dust out and prevent injuries."
Jin lined up three samples. The Empress picked one up.
"It's light. So you wear it like this... Yes, it doesn't seem to obstruct the vision at all. Gebalt, what is your opinion?"
The Magi Engineer Maestro, Gebalt Ackermann, put on the protective glasses in the same way and gave his impression.
"I see, the usability is good. While they might not be strictly necessary when crafting with magic, they seem like they would be very useful for ordinary handiwork."
"No, no, they could also be used outdoors to keep dust from getting in the eyes," the Magic Technology Minister, Degauss, added his opinion while wearing a pair himself.
"I see. There might be a way to have soldiers use them as well. Jin-dono, could we have permission to use these 'protective glasses'?"
It was an unexpected application, but Jin had no reason to refuse.
"Yes, of course. If the purpose is to protect the eyes, they will likely be useful in various situations."
"I thank you for granting permission so readily....And that one over there?" Degauss spoke the thanks on behalf of the three. It seemed his gaze had stopped on Edgar, who was standing nearby.
"Yes, he is an automata made by my... disciple, and his name is Edgar."
"My name is Edgar." Edgar gave a graceful bow. In doing so, he mixed in a bit of the Shouro Empire style, causing the Empress and the others to widen their eyes.
"Oh? That movement... Is your disciple from this country?"
"...Yes."
"Your Majesty, since your time is limited, please take a look at the works first." Jin guided their attention toward the exhibits, feeling it was too early to have them prying into Elsa's details.
"Quite right. What is this?" The Empress showed interest in three small boxes. They were silver, with fine craftsmanship on the surface, looking like jewelry boxes at a glance.
"Please, feel free to pick them up and look."
Following Edgar's suggestion, Magic Technology Minister Degauss picked up a small box first and opened the lid.
"...What is the name of the flower that blooms in spring? No one tells me, but I love the wild flowers that bloom so gently..."
A thin singing voice echoed out. It was the song Reiko had once sung, but the voice belonged to Elsa. When the lid was closed, the singing stopped.
"...This is?" Degauss asked Edgar with an intrigued expression.
"Yes, it is called a 'Music Box.' It is a mechanism that plays a pre-recorded sound when the lid is opened."
"I see. Having a song start when the lid is opened could also act as a theft deterrent in a sense." The Empress seemed to understand the intent behind the creation.
"Yes, that is correct. It is not only for the purpose of listening to the song, but also for security."
"One can change the song themselves, I presume?" This was Gebalt, the Magi Engineer Maestro. He seemed interested in the structure.
"Yes, it is called 'Recording.' To record, you do this..."
Edgar explained how to use it. The Empress and Magic Technology Minister Degauss were inwardly surprised by his natural movements. Magi Engineer Maestro Gebalt also listened to Edgar's explanation with a sincere attitude. He showed no signs of mocking or looking down on him just because he was an automata.
"...With that, the recording is finished, and from the next time the lid is opened, one can hear the recorded song or sound."
"Interesting! The concept is one thing, but you said 'Recording.' It records sound. This has many applications."
After listening, Gebalt turned back to the Empress and explained its utility.
"Your Majesty, if one were to record everything said in a meeting, for example, there would be no more disputes later over who said what. I also believe there are cases where it would be more useful than sending a letter." Gebalt explained that even if the recipient could not read, being able to give instructions by voice would be better than a letter.
"I see. Jin-kun's disciple is quite excellent, aren't they?"
"Thank you very much." To Jin, who had bowed, the Empress began to speak in a tone as if making small talk.
"Oh, that's right. This morning, we received a gift of a magic tool from an organization called 'Nostalgia' to celebrate the opening of the Technology Expo. It's called a 'Manaphone,' and it allows communication with other countries."
"Heh... Is that so. That is incredible."
This was one of Jin's plans. He had sent the same Manaphones he gave to the Allied Kingdoms to the Shouro Empire as well.
"And there was a letter with it. It said they had been protecting two people from the Shouro Empire who were caught up in a conflict with Unifilar, and they would be sending them back on this occasion."
"Y-Yes."
Finally, they were at the heart of the plan. Realizing it was disrespectful to keep the Empress standing while they spoke, Jin provided a chair.
"Thank you....So, Jin-kun, it seems you are an acquaintance of a person named 'Deus Ex Machina'?"
"Yes, truly just an acquaintance, nothing more."
The Empress gave a single nod and got to the point.
"From Nostalgia to Deus Ex Machina. And from Deus Ex Machina to Jin-kun—that was the flow through which those two were delivered... So far, so good?"
"Yes."
"Those two were named Elsa Randol and Mine, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Where are they?"
"In my room at the hotel."
"Reinhard, would you go and bring them here?"
"By your command."
Reinhard hurried out of the hall. Remaining were Jin and the Empress's party.
"...According to the letter, the maid named Mine is apparently Elsa Randol's biological mother. It was written that Unifilar kidnapped the two of them in... Ikasanat, was it? In order to draw Reinhard in. And Nostalgia took them into their protection."
"Yes, that is what I heard."
The Empress looked at Jin with an amused expression as he answered the questions.
"And it said that since Elsa showed an interest in magi-engineering, Deus Ex Machina provided her with some educational guidance. So that's why she has achieved this level of skill." The Empress said this while gazing at Edgar and the Music Box.
"And so, you brought her here to Koju today under the guise of being your disciple?"
"Yes, that is correct."
The Empress was grasping the situation exactly as Jin and Laojun had anticipated.
"It was also written that Elsa Randol was being forced into an unwanted marriage proposal by her father, Georg Randol. Is that so?"
"Y-Yes, that is what I have been told."
Jin answered several other questions. Up to this point, it was almost exactly as he had simulated with Laojun. In the meantime, Reinhard returned, accompanied by Elsa and Mine.
"Your Majesty, I have brought them."