The following day was June 24th. After taking his leave of the Empress, Jin set out for Ekishi, the town where Elsa had been raised.
During their final meeting, the Empress had told him, "I want to change our arrangement slightly. I’m going to cancel the conferment of the title of Magi Engineer Maestro."
She did so because the title was redundant for Jin, who had already been named the Shouro Empire's Magi Craft Meister.
"Do keep the offer of entering my service in mind, won't you?"
She had pressed the point, though in Jin's heart, his answer was already more or less decided.
Jin departed Koju without voiced his final decision. He had evacuated the helium from the airship and left the vessel in the city's care.
The traveling party consisted of Jin, Elsa, Mine, Reinhard, and Berche. Accompanying them were Reiko, Edgar, Noir, and Neon.
Reinhard’s paddleboat, the Scarlet Trail, carried its maximum capacity as it cut across Lake Tosmo.
"I think we'll head directly to Ekishi this time instead of stopping in Banne," Reinhard said.
"Please do."
Jin had already explained his reasons for visiting Ekishi to his friend.
Saki was the only member of their "Family" not currently present, though Reinhard knew her whereabouts.
"Saki went back to her family home with the Marquis yesterday."
"I see. Well, that’s... a good thing, I suppose."
As they conversed, the boat trip lasted about an hour. Soon, the group approached the town of Ekishi on the opposite shore.
"Hmm, it's fairly lively here."
While not quite as busy as Reinhard’s home in Banne, it was a bustling town thanks to its location along the highway.
As they entered the harbor, a port official's boat intercepted them. It was a routine inspection for any vessel that wasn't a local boat or a scheduled ferry.
"Please dock at East Pier 3."
Following the official's directions, the Scarlet Trail pulled alongside the quay.
"Hmm. With a ship like this, the paddlewheels get in the way. It’s probably easier to board and disembark from the bow or the stern," Reinhard muttered as he helped his wife, Berche, onto the dock.
Even at a time like this, he was already thinking about engineering improvements. It was very like him.
"Master, I have been waiting for you."
It was the voice of Steward. Jin had sent the carriage ahead the previous day.
"Good work. Come, let’s go."
Excluding Steward the coachman, Jin’s carriage could seat eight people. They had one person too many, but that was easily solved; someone could simply ride the Golem horse.
After a brief discussion, they decided that Noir would ride the horse, as he was the only one who knew the way to the mansion.
The sight of Noir, the Schwarzritter, astride the Golem horse was a spectacle to behold.
"H-Hey, look at that..."
"Whoa, that’s incredible."
Passersby whispered to one another as the group moved through the streets.
The mansion of Viscount Georg Randol sat on the northern outskirts of Ekishi.
"It’s not in the center of town?" Jin asked.
"No, the town hall where the mayor stays is in the center," Reinhard explained.
Even though the Viscount was the lord of the land, he did not govern directly. As he was primarily a military man, he had appointed a mayor to act as his bailiff for civil administration.
The carriage arrived at the mansion about twenty minutes after leaving the harbor. Though it was roughly two sizes smaller than Reinhard’s family estate, the Mansion was built in a very similar architectural style. A spacious front garden greeted them, surrounded by a ring of trees.
"...How nostalgic."
Elsa stared at her childhood home for a long time, overcome with emotion. Mine remained silent.
Understanding their feelings, Jin and Reinhard let Elsa have her moment while they turned the carriage over to the household staff and had their arrival announced.
The man who came out to greet them was a slender youth. He had pale red hair and light blue eyes that bore a striking resemblance to Elsa’s.
"Reinhard, it’s been a long time. And you must be Lord Jin Nidou. I am Moritz Randol von Amber. A pleasure to meet you."
It was Moritz, Elsa's eldest brother.
"Brother Moritz..."
Jolted out of her reverie by her brother’s voice, Elsa moved to run toward him but stopped halfway, looking hesitant.
"Oh, Elsa! Welcome home! You look well!"
Moritz opened his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. Elsa hesitated for a moment longer, then took one step, then another.
"...Brother. I’m home."
Standing before him, she finally voiced the words of her return. Moritz took her hands, his expression warm.
"It’s good to have you back. I hear you’ve been through quite a lot. Come, come inside. Reinhard, Berche, my belated congratulations on your marriage."
"Thank you very much. Um, how is the Viscount's condition?"
"Well, we shouldn't keep you standing out here. Please, come in. And Mine, welcome back to you as well."
"...Thank you, Lord Moritz."
The group was led into the mansion and shown to a large drawing room.
"...Where is Mother?" Elsa asked, looking around.
The "Mother" she referred to was not Mine, but the Viscountess, Marlene Randol von Nefra.
"Ah, Mother has gone to the villa on the shores of Lake Wasu to recuperate."
Marlene was physically frail; after Fritz was born, a healer had told her that she would not be able to bear any more children. It was for that reason that Viscount Georg Randol had taken Elsa—his daughter by Mine—into his home. He intended to use her as a political pawn through the arrangement of her marriage.
"...I see."
Elsa looked slightly disappointed. Even though they weren't related by blood, she had wanted to see the foster mother who had always been kind to her.
"I’m sure there is much you want to ask, and I imagine you have much to tell me, but it’s best if we settle the most pressing matter first, wouldn’t you agree?"
True to his reputation as a sharp-witted man, Moritz moved straight to the point.
"I’ve heard the reason for your visit from the messenger. You’ve come to see my father, Georg, to diagnose him, and to discuss this Marcus fellow. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Jin replied on behalf of the group.
"Well, a daughter needs no permission to see her father. Elsa, you’ll have to tell me all about your travels later, won't you?"
"Yes, Brother."
Moritz seemed to be suppressing a mountain of questions for his sister. Unlike his younger brother Fritz, he was clearly an intellectual. Perhaps his physical constitution was weaker as a result.
"The last time... when he collapsed two years ago, he woke up immediately. But this time, he hasn't regained consciousness at all."
Moritz’s face clouded with gloom as he led the group into the room where Georg lay.
"Father..."
"Master..."
Seeing Georg lying there in a vegetative state, Elsa and Mine were struck speechless.
"Elsa, go ahead and diagnose him."
If Jin hadn't spoken up to snap them out of it, they might have stood there in silence indefinitely.
"Right. I understand. Diagnose."
Moritz's eyes widened when he saw Elsa using advanced-level healing magic, but he remained quiet and watched.
"...Diagnose."
Elsa cast the spell several times, meticulously re-examining her father. Finally, she placed her palm against Georg’s forehead.
"Genesung."
She chanted the supreme-level healing magic. This time, Moritz couldn't help but speak up in surprise.
"E-Elsa! Since when could you do that?!"
Jin, however, was more concerned with Elsa’s expression. He wanted the results.
"So, what is it?"
"...There is a clot of blood here, in Father's head. It seems to be... pressing against his brain."
Elsa pointed to her own forehead to illustrate.
"Hmm, the frontal lobe... Uh, what was it again?"
Even Jin didn't know everything. He tried to recall the specific functions of the frontal lobe, but his memory was hazy.
"But regardless, it's definitely not a good state for the brain to be in."
"Yeah. I tried Genesung, but it didn't have much of an effect."
Hearing their exchange, Moritz spoke with a tone of dejection.
"I consider myself well-read, yet I find I can’t quite follow your conversation. But if even Genesung has no effect, then Father is..."
"No, that's not necessarily true," Jin interrupted. "Elsa, Genesung is an internal-medicine-type spell, right?"
"...Yeah, now that you mention it, that's right."
"What surgical-type healing magic can you use?"
"...Völlig Genesen. I don't know if I can do it, but... I'll try."
Völlig Genesen was the highest level of surgical healing magic.
"O power of healing, treat this man. Behandeln. Völlig Genesen!"
The magic activated instantly. But just as she had when she first mastered Genesung, Elsa exhausted her strength and collapsed as the spell took hold.