The next morning.
After bidding farewell to the Gospel clan, Capricorn 1 departed to liberate the All-Creation clan.
The vehicle was starting to feel a bit cramped. In addition to the original members—Jin (via his Body Double), Reiko, Anne, Land 1, All-Creation, Sion, Netros, and Lucas—they were joined by Nurse 1 and Nurse 2, Alectas from the Gospel clan, and Belialus from the Puppet Clan.
Just like the journey there, it took an entire day to approach the All-Creation settlement.
There were stories along the way, such as Belialus being utterly astonished by Capricorn 1’s capabilities, but those shall be passed over for now.
That night, they made camp about two kilometers away from the settlement.
Then, day broke on the 21st.
“It appears the All-Creation clan has also been liberated in a similar fashion.”
This was the intelligence gathered by Land 81, 82, and 83—part of the Army units sent ahead via transporter.
The All-Creation settlement was peaceful, as no further instructions were arriving from the “Voice.” Without that external pressure, many residents were now openly voicing their true feelings.
Laojun had secretly relayed these findings to Reiko, Anne, and Jin.
Therefore, when Netros spoke up, Jin felt no apprehension.
“I will go first to scout the situation.”
“Is it safe?...Please be careful, Netros,” All-Creation said. Since she hadn't been informed of the scout’s findings, she looked terribly worried, and Jin felt a pang of sympathy for her.
Consequently, Netros’s scouting mission was a complete success, proceeding without incident.
He caught a lone individual walking on the outskirts of the settlement and interrogated them in the shadows. He confirmed the person had been controlled by an Agujha, but more importantly, he learned that the “Voice” had not been heard for about three days.
After repeating this process with two more individuals, Netros concluded with considerable certainty that the All-Creation clan had indeed been liberated.
“I see! Oh, thank goodness!”
Upon hearing Netros’s report after his safe return to Capricorn 1, All-Creation and Sion sighed in relief.
“Th-Then, maybe I should go as well...” Sion suggested, her movements still a bit hesitant.
Jin and the others simply nodded, knowing it was perfectly safe. All-Creation, however, still looked concerned.
“Be careful... Oh, maybe I should go with you?”
“No, you should stay here, Sister. If anything happens to me, you’re the only one left who can do anything for our clan.”
“Sion...”
It was likely meant to be a touching scene of sisterly devotion, but from the perspective of those who already knew the underlying circumstances, it felt a bit tedious to watch. Jin wanted to tell them they could all just go together, but he held his tongue.
“Hmph. It seems this is my cue to step up,” Alectas volunteered.
Indeed, since he was a fellow demon and a member of the Gospel clan, it was unlikely they would suddenly attack him.
“I shall go as well,” Belialus said, standing up.
Thus, for the second trip, Jin left it to the two of them.
Stepping off Capricorn 1, the pair walked slowly toward the All-Creation settlement. Thirty minutes later, Alectas came back at a light jog.
“Everything is fine! Once we told them about you, Bardius was moved to tears of joy.”
“R-Really?!”
“Grandfather...”
“Jin-sama, I have formally spoken of you as well. They are overjoyed—no, they said they would respectfully welcome you.”
In this way, All-Creation and Sion were finally able to return to their people.
“Nurse 1, Nurse 2. You’re coming with me.”
“Yes, understood.”
To emphasize his status as the Magi Craft Meister, Jin decided to bring Nurse 1 and Nurse 2 along in addition to Reiko and Anne. He left the security of Capricorn 1 to Land 1.
“Oh, All-Creation!”
“Sion!”
A middle-aged man and woman came forward to meet the sisters.
“Father!”
“Mother!”
From what Jin gathered, they were the sisters’ parents; the father was named Ladeous and the mother was Rolona.
“I’m so sorry. Even though it was to protect you, we were forced to act as if we were casting you out...”
“No, it’s okay. We understand.”
As the family shared their emotional reunion, Jin watched the scene with a hint of envy. Soon, someone called out to him as well.
“Are you the Magi Craft Meister, Jin-dono?”
A young demon had come to greet Jin alongside Belialus, who had gone ahead.
“I am Kleydos. I am the older brother of All-Creation and Sion.”
Jin and his companions were treated with great hospitality at the house of the All-Creation Clan Chief.
“Jin-dono, I cannot express the depth of my gratitude for saving my daughters,” Ladeous said, bowing deeply. His wife, Rolona, bowed alongside him.
“...Every member of our clan now recognizes that Jin-dono is an unparalleled Magi Craft Meister,” Bardius added as he entered the room.
Nurse 1 had just finished removing the Agujha from him. Given the number of people in the settlement, it would likely take more than half a day to treat everyone, but the faces of the clan members were bright now that they knew they would be liberated from the curse.
“I would like to discuss our plans for the future,” Jin said.
Bardius nodded in agreement.
“I do not represent humanity, but if the demon race is not unified, it will be impossible to provide any kind of lasting aid.”
“I believe that is most reasonable. At the very least, the All-Creation clan has no intention whatsoever of being hostile toward Jin-dono,” Bardius said, bowing his head again.
“What about the other clans that are considered part of the moderate faction? I believe we cannot move forward unless the moderate faction is unified, at least.”
“If they are no longer being controlled by the Agujha, I believe we can bring them together. Especially now that a Magi Craft Meister has come to us.”
The title of Magi Craft Meister seemed to hold immense weight among the demon race.
“First would be the Deep Abyss clan and the Eternity clan. And then the Twilight clan,” Bardius said, naming the three primary moderate clans. “If they are convinced, ninety percent of the moderate faction will follow Jin-dono.”
“Wait, I’m not really looking for that...”
Jin had no intention of ruling or governing them, nor did he intend to stay in this territory forever. His true desire was for Kaina Village to remain at peace while he spent his days leisurely crafting whatever he pleased on Hourai Island.
“Now, now, I am not asking you to become our leader in a political sense. Rather, if you could, well... serve as a ‘flagship’ for us...”
Even so, Jin showed reluctance. He did not like the idea of being hoisted up as a figurehead. Above all, he had no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of another race.
“Let us discuss that again later,” Jin eventually said, deciding to defer the matter. It wasn’t that he was running away, but rather that he wanted to think carefully about the right path forward.
“In any case, we must first determine if those three clans are being controlled by the Agujha. And if they are, we must find a way to liberate them. That is our first priority.”
According to Laojun’s plan, Jin’s Body Double would handle diplomacy with the moderate faction. Meanwhile, a separate unit was already preparing to launch operations against Nega-doll 001.