"Hmm, the demon race..."
Once Jin had finished explaining everything they currently knew about the demons, Reinhard wore a troubled expression.
"I used to think you were being excessive when I saw you making all those weapons and armor, Jin, but I suppose I can't say that anymore..."
"Right. There is simply too much we don't know about their abilities and true strength," Elsa added, agreeing with Reinhard.
"Anyway, regarding the Gravity Magic..." Jin began his explanation again.
From what they understood so far, Gravity Magic seemed to act upon space itself. The reasoning behind this was that it didn't simply make things heavier or lighter; it also altered inertia.
"Well, since we have things like Warp Gates and summoning magic from other worlds, it's not exactly strange for magic that affects space to exist," Jin concluded after his summary.
"And how far has the analysis progressed?" Saki asked.
"For now, we've only managed to replicate Air Leichtern."
Jin showed them the magic tool he had used to cancel out the Gravity Magic of Androgias, the demon they had encountered in the Celuroa Kingdom.
"The magi-sequence for its activation contains too many flows of magic control that differ from humanity's, so we can't use it as a spell yet."
"I see... That's a bit disappointing, but it can't be helped."
"Demonic magic is terrifying, so for now, the best thing is to avoid getting involved if we encounter them."
Jin emphasized that the Gravity Magic Raldus used had reached thousands of Gs through the use of Elradrite.
"Th-Thousands of Gs...?"
Under that much gravity, a human would be more than just minced meat—they would be crushed thinner than a sheet of paper.
"No one but Reiko-chan could have endured that..."
"Which is why analyzing Gravity Magic is our top priority. And if someone like Raldus uses Elradrite, we won't be able to counter it without consuming a massive amount of mana ourselves. Ordinary magi-crystals might not be enough. However, using ethenol might solve that problem."
"Expectations are high, then."
"We'll leave that to Laojun. As for this Arshel character, she seemed to treat magical beasts as pets."
"Is that also a special ability of the demon race?"
Jin nodded, saying it was possible. He considered it a significant threat if they were capable of controlling creatures like the Gigant Peeder from the other day.
"The biggest issue is the demon race's true intentions."
"True. Are they planning to start a war, or are they just meddling for their own amusement?"
"Ugh, I hate this! Why can't we just live in peace?" Saki's shout gave voice to everyone's feelings.
"...At least it's peaceful here," Elsa murmured with a deep sense of appreciation.
"Yes, you're right. This place truly is a paradise on earth..."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"In that case, this is something that should be reported to the nations," Reinhard said. Since a prince and princess in the line of succession had witnessed it in the Celuroa Kingdom, it could no longer be kept secret. It seemed the time to make it public was approaching.
"I'll contact the Empress under the name Maquina. I'll ask her to notify the other countries as well."
"Hmm, that's probably for the best right now."
After a consultation, Jin and Reinhard ultimately decided to contact the Empress through Maquina.
"By the way, Jin, did you ever finish that 'animal-type golem' Hanna-chan mentioned when we went to the Leonard Kingdom?"
Once the discussion about the demon race had settled, Saki threw out that question.
"Eh? Ah, right. I tried making one, but..."
Unusually for him, Jin spoke evasively.
"...It didn't turn out very well."
"Hmm? That's rare for you, Jin."
"Don't overestimate me....Well, fine, I'll let you take a look. Shall we go to the workshop?"
With that, everyone moved from the command room on the first basement level to the workshop on the ground floor.
"This is it."
Jin placed a prototype golem modeled after a cat on the table. Its body length was about thirty centimeters, excluding the tail. Since it was a prototype, it had no fur; it was a cat made of bronze.
"Hmm, the shape isn't bad."
"Really, Jin-kun, from the look of it, it's definitely a cat!"
Saki and Stearena praised it, but Jin himself wore a sour expression.
"...But look at this. Wake up."
Jin demonstrated the cat-type golem's movement.
"I don't like the way it moves."
Indeed, the way it moved its four legs to walk wasn't very cat-like. Its movements were, so to speak, stiff.
"It's fine for a Golem horse, but this was my first time doing a small animal."
Jin explained that if he could copy a cat's gestures, it would look much more natural.
"Then you should just go copy one," Stearena said nonchalantly. "As I said before, many nobles in the Celuroa Kingdom keep cats. Especially in the south, in the warmer regions."
"I see..."
"I'll guide you this time. I have an acquaintance in Koup."
Koup was a town at the southern tip of the Celuroa Kingdom. Like Port Rock in the Kingdom of Elias, it was a town of many ships, fishing, and tourism.
"My Lord, in that case, the tenth Warp Gate installed by Reiko is located at the eastern foot of Mount Lawei. From there, it is approximately one hundred kilometers to Koup."
This was one of the places where Reiko had randomly warped while searching for Jin after he went missing due to the Warp Gate malfunction.
"We can't use the camping car."
"It's along the highway. It would stand out too much."
"Then we should go by Golem carriage and stay at an inn."
Stearena said they could reach it by the third day if they went through Igo and Shiumi before arriving in Koup.
"Or, the aircraft carrier Hotaka, which has finished its refitting, is in the nearby sea. Would you like to use it?"
When it was first completed, the aircraft carrier was not equipped with live ammunition. However, following the recent incidents, it had been outfitted with twenty magi-cannons and loaded with mana bombs.
"Hmm..."
Jin felt that bringing a twenty-thousand-ton aircraft carrier into a world where a ship for thirty people was the limit would likely cause an uproar.
"Is there a place near Koup where the Falcon can land?"
"There is. The coast to the west of Koup is a sandy beach, and it's deserted at night."
"Then let's use that."
Jin had already had quite enough of troubles along the way. Saki and Elsa seemed to feel the same and said nothing. Stearena could only give a wry smile.
"I don't think word about me could have spread in such a short time anyway. Besides, the south... the Corin region has a different atmosphere."
The Corin region had originally been one of the small nations known as the Corin Kingdom about two hundred years ago. The Celuroa Kingdom had attacked and annexed it, turning it into the current Corin region.
"There aren't many scars left from the Great Magic War, so I think you'll find it interesting."
Like the Kingdom of Elias, this region at the southern tip of the continent had not been exposed to the fires of war during the Great Magic War, so many old relics remained.
"Though it's no different from anywhere else in that the population decreased due to conscription and the Ether Stampede."
The Ether Stampede. It was a last resort taken by the human side to counter the demon race during the Great Magic War three hundred years ago. It caused the free ether in the atmosphere to run wild, destroying anyone with high mana, whether they were human or demon. The actual details of it remained shrouded in mystery.
Jin's own mana was exceptionally high. If an Ether Stampede or similar magic were used, it would be fatal. Even more than Jin himself, Reiko, Laojun, and the Quinta units were constantly seeking detailed information on the Ether Stampede to develop countermeasures.
"Capella 9 is in the nearby town of Aus. Shall I have him act as a guide?"
Jin shook his head at Laojun's question.
"No, there's no need to push him. Stearena said she'll guide us."
"Understood. Even so, I will have him on standby in the vicinity. I will also dispatch the Air Force to patrol the skies."
This was a measure taken following the warning from Anne the other day.
"Alright. I'll leave that to you."
And so, taking precautions this time, they decided not to invite Hanna. Instead, six people—Jin, Elsa, Saki, Stearena, Reinhard, and Berche—would head for Koup.
"I hope it'll be a cheerful trip this time."
"Kufu, I certainly hope so."
Accompanying Jin and the others as attendants were Reiko, Edgar, Ar, Noir, and Neon.
"I wonder if Selene is a bit too flashy..."
Seeing Stearena looking disappointed, Jin made a suggestion.
"What if we apply magical skin to the surface to make her look like an automata?"
"That's a great idea!"
Stearena adopted the plan immediately. At the same time, they decided to reinforce Neon slightly. Considering the threat of the demon race, she was a bit too unreliable for protecting Berche.
With Jin, Elsa, Reinhard, and Stearena working together, plus the smith golems, their efficiency was more than just doubled.
Planning to arrive on the coast of Koup at three in the morning and accounting for the time difference, they would depart Hourai Island at around seven-twenty in the morning. In other words, leaving on the morning of July 25th would be fine. They had more than enough time.
Incidentally, Saki was dragged off by Berche to help prepare dinner.