"Yeah, I’m going!"
Naturally, Hanna didn't have the slightest objection. While it meant she would miss her regular study sessions, Jin and Elsa planned to make up for it by tutoring her themselves during the journey.
She quickly packed her things and headed to Hourai Island with Jin.
"Hello, Hanna-chan."
"Hello!"
"Ah, Big Sister Elsa, Big Sister Saki!...And Big Sister Lina!"
"Big Sister Lina" was the nickname she had given Stearena.
"Ufufu, you really are adorable, Hanna-chan."
Stearena seemed exceptionally pleased to be called "Big Sister."
＊ ＊ ＊
The following morning, it was finally time for their departure.
The group consisted of Jin, Hanna, Elsa, Saki, and Stearena. Reiko and Steward also accompanied them, with the latter serving as their driver. Ar and Edgar remained behind this time to watch over the island.
"Master, we wish you a safe journey."
Looking a bit dejected, Ar and Edgar saw their respective masters off.
"Alright, shall we head out?"
They planned to use the transporter to cover the distance in an instant. It was currently just after 8:00 AM on Hourai Island, and their destination was the vicinity of the former capital, Diaa.
Regulus 45 of the Quinta served as their landmark. The transfer was near-perfect, materializing them a mere centimeter above the ground. Their precision improved with every use.
"I have been awaiting your arrival."
The Regulus series units were modeled after adult males. One of them, Regulus 45, was there to meet the group. Since Jin had explained the situation beforehand, no one questioned the golem's presence.
"Good work. But what's with that look?"
After thanking Regulus 45 for his efforts, Jin voiced his curiosity. The golem’s frame looked somewhat thinner than usual, and he appeared dusty and haggard.
"Yes. I have adjusted my appearance to blend in with the few remaining residents."
According to Regulus 45's report, there were roughly fifty people still living in the vicinity of the old capital.
"We will rarely encounter them. Their dwellings are located some distance away from Diaa."
"I see. In that case, let’s head for Diaa."
"I shall guide you."
Regulus 45 took the passenger seat and began providing directions to the driver, Steward.
Jin and the others went up to the second floor of the vehicle, opening the roof to take in the surrounding view.
"Wow, what a cool view!"
Hanna frolicked about, excited by the unfamiliar landscape. Jin, Elsa, Saki, and Stearena were equally wide-eyed.
Overgrown grass choked the road, and buildings strangled by thick vines lined the path on both sides.
The novelty was captivating at first, but just as the group was beginning to tire of the repetitive, ruined scenery, a river came into view.
"That is the Sopy River. It is easier to drive along the bank," Regulus 45 called out loudly so the passengers on the second floor could hear his explanation.
It was around 8:00 AM, and the river breeze felt refreshing.
The river was quite large, spanning roughly a hundred meters in width at that point, with a broad, stony bank.
Despite the large stones littering the ground, the Tortoise’s ride remained smooth. Its active golem suspension ensured that the passengers felt almost no vibration.
Trees resembling willows grew sparsely along the way, but they weren't dense enough to hinder their progress. The Tortoise continued forward at a steady pace of about forty kilometers per hour.
After about thirty minutes of driving, something unusual appeared ahead.
"Onii-chan, what's that?"
It was only natural for Hanna to ask.
A cluster of half-collapsed buildings, completely engulfed in vines, loomed before them.
"It makes Reinhard's Rankenhaus look positively cute by comparison..." Saki remarked, her voice full of wonder.
"For vines to spread so much that they’re actually pulling the buildings down... just how many years has it been?"
"...The people are truly gone. But why?"
Jin and Elsa both pondered the mystery aloud. Jin, knowing that the laboratory on Hourai Island remained intact even after a thousand years, found the sheer level of decay here difficult to believe.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at Diaa, the capital of the former Leonard Kingdom.
The city had once been enclosed by walls roughly seven meters high, but more than half had crumbled away, leaving plenty of openings to enter through.
"There are essentially no permanent residents. Occasionally, scavengers come by looking for anything of value, but that is all."
"Have you finished your investigation of this area?" Jin asked.
"Yes," Regulus 45 replied. "However, people have been coming and going for decades, so anything of obvious worth was taken long ago."
"I suppose that's to be expected."
Even if there had been treasures or valuables, they were likely long gone. Only things deemed worthless or items that were impossible to move would remain.
"Still, I'd like to take a look around."
"In that case, please follow me."
Regulus 45 led them to a sturdy two-story building. Like everything else, it was draped in vines.
"I believe this was a museum or a records office. Most of the documents have been removed, however..."
At the mention of a "museum," Saki’s interest flared.
"Jin, hurry! Let's go! There might be some rare books left behind!"
She took the lead, marching inside.
The vines around the entrance had been cleared, suggesting that people still frequented the building.
"...Oh...!"
They stepped through the narrow entrance. The interior was dim, lacking any light source and with windows blocked by thick vegetation, but as their eyes adjusted, the sight proved spectacular.
Murals covered every inch of the walls. Apparently, no one had been able or willing to strip these away and steal them.
"This is incredible!...Let's see. 'A light appeared in the East, and it was named???'... There are parts I can't quite make out."
It was a pity that some sections were unreadable due to damage. However, Laojun had already recorded and analyzed these murals, so there was very little in the way of new or useful information.
Except for one thing.
"Chief, please look at this."
Following Regulus 45's voice, Jin walked over to a corner of the wall.
"...'Doriana'... 'Tsetse'... 'West'... Could this have been about Adriana Barbora Tsetse?"
"Yes. That is highly probable, but the damage is severe, making a full decipherment impossible."
That specific section was in terrible condition, with large portions of the wall peeling or crumbling away.
"Hmm. Maybe the Predecessor spent some time in the Leonard Kingdom..."
While Jin had inherited the Predecessor's knowledge, he didn't possess every single one of her memories. He knew nothing of her childhood or who had taught her magi craft. Reiko was in the dark as well.
"Onii-chan, what's this?"
Hanna, whose literacy had improved significantly thanks to her study sessions, called out to Jin. When he went to her, she was pointing at a hole in the wall.
"?"
Where the wall had crumbled, a square indentation was visible, and inside was a stone that looked like a magi-stone.
Since it was only about fifty centimeters off the floor, it had been right at Hanna's eye level.
Regulus 45 shook his head, indicating he hadn't known about it, so it likely had been revealed by a very recent collapse. Jin called the rest of the group over.
"Jin-kun, what is it?"
"Jin, did you find something?"
"Jin-nii, what?"
He showed the magi-stone to Elsa, Saki, and Stearena.
"...Is it a key to activate something?"
When Jin voiced his theory, the other three nodded in agreement.
"We don't know what might happen if we use it, so..."
"Chief, I will test it."
Regulus 45 volunteered. Since the golem would have ended up testing it anyway once Jin was gone, Jin decided to let him handle it.
"Alright. Let's step outside for a moment."
To be safe, everyone except Regulus 45 headed back out. The sunlight was blinding after the gloom of the museum.
"Okay, go ahead!" Jin called out from the entrance.
Regulus 45 followed his standard investigation protocol, checking the magical pathways to ensure there was no risk of a mana runaway. Once satisfied, he channeled mana into the magi-stone.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a few seconds later, the ground began to vibrate—a tremor strong enough to be felt even by those outside.
"Chief, the floor has opened. I’ve found a staircase," Regulus 45 reported.