For lunch, they were served bread, soup, grilled fish, salad, and fruit, along with the miso soup.
"I’m afraid we don't live in much luxury," Eckart Techles remarked, eating the same meal as Jin and the others.
After finishing their lunch at a leisurely pace, they were served cold Te-e. As they sipped their drinks, the conversation resumed.
"Now then, I believe you all had a request for me?"
"Yes, that's right."
Having been swept along by Eckart's pace until now, Jin finally found the opening to bring up the topic.
"We were hoping to see your cats."
"Ho! So you are a lover of cats? That is wonderful to hear."
Eckart smiled and signaled to one of the maids with a glance. She hurried out of the room and returned moments later, cradling a white cat in her arms.
"This is one of my pets, Aqua."
The cat shared its name with the Golem Maid Jin had created on Hourai Island. The reason became clear as soon as he looked at her.
"She has beautiful eyes, wouldn't you say?"
The cat's eyes were a striking light blue.
"They look a lot like Elsa's," Reinhard noted.
Elsa leaned in to peer at the cat's face. "……They do."
As Elsa looked into her eyes, Aqua let out a soft meow.
"Would you like to hold her?" Eckart offered.
Following his lead, the maid held Aqua out toward Elsa. Elsa reached out tentatively and took the cat into her arms. She felt the distinct weight and warmth of a living creature.
"……So cute."
Aqua seemed to be a gentle creature; even being held by a stranger like Elsa, she showed no signs of distress. In fact, she took to Elsa so quickly that she began rubbing her cheek against her.
"Haha, she’s taken a liking to you. She is the gentlest and most affectionate cat in the house," Eckart said with a beaming smile, clearly pleased to see his pet appreciated.
"Please, let me hold her as well," Bell said, moving closer to Elsa.
"Okay."
Bell took Aqua into her arms and looked utterly delighted.
"Ufufu, she’s precious. I hope I can hold a baby of my own with Lord Reinhard soon," she murmured, only to turn bright red a second later.
"Let’s see... hmm."
Saki also tried holding the cat, albeit a bit nervously, her expression softening at the feel of the fur.
After Stearena and then Vivian took their turns, it was finally Jin’s.
He wasn't hissed at or scratched; Aqua allowed him to hold her without complaint. And then...
"『Trans Info』 level 3, Mild."
He chanted in a low voice, barely audible to Eckart, and transferred the cat’s movement patterns into the magi-crystal hidden in his pocket.
He had added the "Mild" modifier to ensure he didn't startle the cat into scratching him. While level 2 would have likely sufficed, he chose level 3 as a precaution; since he was transferring data from an animal rather than a human, he wanted to ensure the data wasn't too fragmented by providing a little extra margin.
The last to hold Aqua was Reinhard.
The cat didn't hiss or bristle; she remained calm in Reinhard's arms.
"Hmm, she’s warm."
When he scratched her under the chin, Aqua began to purr loudly.
It seemed that not a single member of the group had been rejected by Aqua.
Having achieved their primary goal and gained an unexpected culinary success besides, the group was satisfied. The time was 2:00 PM. The conversation had reached a natural lull, and just as they were about to take their leave, the atmosphere in the mansion shifted.
Suddenly, the house became frantic. The doors to the hall were thrown open with a heavy bang.
"Master! It’s a disaster!"
"Control yourself! We have guests!"
A man who looked like a craftsman rushed in, his face ghostly pale. Eckart tried to rebuke him for his outburst.
"M-my apologies! But, but, the ship!"
"……Has there been an accident?"
Seeing the craftsman so distraught he could barely speak, Eckart offered a guess half-jokingly. Unfortunately, his intuition was correct.
"Y-yes! Exactly that!"
"……What? Tell me everything!"
Eckart's complexion changed instantly. He grilled the craftsman, seemingly forgetting that Jin and the others were even in the room.
"The scaffolding collapsed! Ten men are pinned under the wreckage!"
"What!?"
Eckart stood up so abruptly he nearly knocked his chair over. He turned to Jin’s party.
"Please, forgive me for cutting our time short. It seems a grave situation has arisen. Thank you for a most meaningful day."
He gave a sharp bow and hurried toward the exit, but Jin called out to his retreating back.
"Wait! Is there anything we can do?"
A collapse with people pinned underneath—by any measure, it was a life-threatening emergency. Jin was not cold-hearted enough to turn a blind eye to such a thing, and his companions felt the same.
"……If there are injuries, I will heal them," Elsa said.
"That's right, we heard what happened. Please, let us help in any way we can," Saki added.
Reinhard and Bell nodded, as did Stearena and Vivian.
"If lives are at stake, we cannot simply stand by. You can complain about us later—for now, rescue is the priority!" Bell declared.
Faced with such resolve, Eckart made his decision.
"I understand. Everyone, please follow me with your attendants!"
And with that, he sprinted out of the room. Jin and the others followed close behind.
They ran through a long corridor toward the rear of the estate, crossed a walkway, and arrived at a massive dry dock. Shrieks and cries were already echoing from within.
As they crossed the yard and entered the dock, they were met with a scene of absolute pandemonium.
In the center of the dock sat a massive wooden ship under construction. The wooden scaffolding surrounding it had suffered a partial collapse, and the workers had been buried underneath.
Large sections of the ship's construction timber had also shifted and were hanging precariously; one wrong move could trigger a secondary collapse. Many of those who had avoided being trapped were still nursing minor injuries.
Several work golems had also been caught in the collapse and were currently malfunctioning.
"This is horrible……"
Jin grimaced at the carnage. Elsa and Saki gasped, while Bell bit her lip, gripping Reinhard's arm. Stearena and Vivian unconsciously held each other's hands.
"Those of you who can move, clear the scaffolding! Get the trapped men out!"
Eckart shouted the order and reached out to move a piece of the wreckage himself. At that exact moment, the remaining overhead scaffolding gave way and plummeted toward him.
"Look out!"
The Schwarzritter lunged forward. It braced its sturdy back, catching the falling timber before it could strike.
"A-ah……"
Eckart turned pale. If the Schwarzritter hadn't shielded him, the impact would have been fatal.
"Mr. Eckart, please have everyone evacuate. We'll take care of this," Jin said.
Eckart hesitated for a moment, but Jin followed up firmly.
"It will go much faster if the area is clear of people!"
Eckart nodded, realizing he should leave it to them.
"Everyone! Evacuate the dock immediately!"
At their employer's command, the laborers and engineers scrambled out—all except for Eckart himself.
"Mr. Eckart?" Jin asked, confused.
Though his face was still slightly pale, Eckart spoke with iron resolve.
"As their employer and the one responsible for this project, I will see this through to the end."
Jin gave a single, firm nod.
"Everyone! Let's get the injured out of there!"
His companions moved into action at his call.