"We need to move forward on three fronts simultaneously: dealing with the radical faction, dealing with Nega-doll 001, and dealing with the moderate faction."
It was August 22nd. On Hourai Island, Laojun was explaining the strategy to Jin.
"I understand that. But first, I want to know more about their food situation."
Jin suspected that if he could improve the demon race's food security, about eighty percent of the current turmoil would be resolved.
"Very well. It would be wise to address that problem while your Double is staying with the All-Creation clan, My Lord."
After considering the proposal for a few seconds, Laojun agreed.
"Alright. I’ll focus on that for the next two or three days. Laojun, can you keep an eye on the other two points?"
"Yes. I shall do my best. However..." Laojun hesitated, pointing out a flaw in their resources. "We lack individuals suited to lead these operations."
"Hmm. So we’re short on manpower?"
"In terms of combat strength, we are more than sufficient. But when it comes to a leading presence..."
"Should we use Laozi, then?"
In his current state, however, Laozi was clearly underpowered. Jin wanted performance that exceeded a Land unit at the very least.
"Alright, it's decided. I'm going to power up Laozi."
"I would be most grateful, My Lord."
Due to security protocols, Laojun was unable to modify Laozi himself. The task fell to Jin.
And so, Jin set out to perform a thorough overhaul of Laojun’s mobile terminal, Laozi.
Since he was applying the same upgrades he had already developed for Reiko and his other golems, adding the new functions took less than an hour. He performed a total review of the skeleton and musculature and added tactile senses as a standard feature. He also integrated a Magi-Jammer, Gravity Magic, and both attack and defense magic.
He equipped the unit with a mana tank to ensure it had sufficient energy reserves. With the ability to use Craft Magic and healing magic as well, the result was a truly all-mighty automata.
While Reiko was also an all-mighty unit, her combat capabilities were exceptionally high. Laozi, by contrast, was tuned for balanced functionality across all areas.
As a unique feature, Jin built five ultra-miniature golems into Laozi’s body. He named them "Finger Golems." These were specially designed based on the Mini-Smiths, but at only five centimeters tall—half the size of their predecessors. They followed a new "half-mini" standard.
They would be invaluable for gathering intelligence. He named them Finger 1 through 5.
"Laojun, how does Laozi feel?"
"He is splendid, My Lord. The craftsmanship is beyond reproach. Thank you very much."
Laojun operated his mobile terminal to test the new systems and reported to Jin that the results were perfect.
"I intend to track Nega-doll 001 myself," Laojun stated.
"Understood. Just be careful."
"Yes. As for the radical faction, I will dispatch the Land squad for the time being to observe them in secret."
"Right, that makes sense. Once things have settled with the moderates, we’ll move on to the radicals."
"Understood. In the meantime, I will stay alert for any suspicious movements from their side."
"Got it. I’ll assign Falcon 8 through 10 to assist. Since there’s plenty of free ether in the area, they should have no trouble maintaining a high-altitude vigil."
Thus, the roles were set: Laojun would handle Nega-doll 001, the Land squad would monitor the radical faction, and Jin’s Double, Reiko, and Anne would deal with the moderate clans.
"Our agricultural situation, you say?"
Jin (via his Double) was in a meeting with Bardius, the Clan Chief of the All-Creation clan.
"Yes. Providing aid is all well and good, but the best way forward is for you to become self-sufficient."
"That is certainly true. In that case, I shall have Rolona guide you. She is our resident expert on such matters."
As it turned out, Rolona—the mother of All-Creation and Sion—would be Jin's guide. Reiko followed them in silence.
Meanwhile, Anne was being shown around the All-Creation settlement by All-Creation and Sion. Jin had tasked her with using her analytical judgment to identify areas that needed improvement.
Rolona possessed the same silver hair, light blue eyes, and fair skin as her daughters. Indeed, many members of the All-Creation clan shared those features. Jin wondered if there was a high degree of endogamy within the clan, but he quickly pushed the thought aside to focus on agriculture.
"The grain we cultivate is mostly barley."
She led him to a field cleared on a hill overlooking the sea. Although the stalks were well-developed, the yield appeared poor compared to what Jin had seen in Kaina Village.
Incidentally, barley was more resistant to salt damage than wheat, making it a logical choice for fields near the coast.
"I see. Tell me, do you have any countermeasures against successive cropping obstacles?"
"Yes. We try to work leaf mold into the soil whenever the land is fallow."
Successive cropping obstacles occurred when growing the same crop repeatedly led to the buildup of specific pests and diseases or the depletion of soil minerals, resulting in poor growth and reduced yields.
"Hmm. I wonder if that's not enough, or if it's an issue with the variety itself."
Since they weren't practicing double-cropping or two-crop farming, the land rested for over half a year, and they were using organic fertilizers. Based on his knowledge, Jin couldn't immediately identify any other cause.
"What about your other crops?"
He decided to continue the tour.
"This way, please. Here, we grow a bean called natsumame."
To Jin’s eyes, they looked very similar to peas. They were certainly a cold-resistant variety. However, their growth also seemed lackluster.
"We get our sweetness from this. It is called bietra."
No matter how Jin looked at it, it was a sugar beet.
"We grate them, squeeze the juice, and boil it down to produce sugar. The pulp is used as feed for our livestock."
Apparently, it fed their small herd of capri—animals that looked like a cross between a cow and a sheep. That much aligned with Jin’s knowledge of sugar production.
"And finally, we have this."
"Eh?"
They reached a field covered in white flowers. Jin recognized them instantly.
"...Buckwheat?"
As he stepped closer, he noticed the base of the stems was red. It was undoubtedly buckwheat. While not all buckwheat has red stems, Jin’s memories of the plant always included that distinct trait.
"We call it kuromugi. We sow the seeds in May when the snow melts and harvest in September."
Buckwheat seeds were indeed dark brown, though it was a completely different species from wheat or barley. But that wasn't the problem on Jin's mind.
"How do you prepare this... kuromugi?"
"We grind the whole seed into flour, mix it with hot water, and knead it into a paste to eat."
In other words, sobagaki, Jin thought.
In the case of buckwheat, unlike wheat, flour ground with the hulls—often called "whole-ground"—was prized for its superior aroma. That part was fine.
"...But even if I make noodles, I don't have the broth..."
Without soy sauce, the culinary options were limited.
"Buckwheat cookies or steamed bread, maybe..."
During his years at the orphanage, he had made New Year's soba several times, so while he wasn't a professional, Jin knew how to work the dough. However, since he couldn't make proper dipping sauce in the demon territory, he abandoned that idea for now.
Even without baking powder, he had baking soda, so steamed bread was a viable option.
After inspecting the various fields and crops, Jin returned to the settlement.
Sitting in a chair in the reception room, Jin sank into thought—or rather, Jin and Laojun back on Hourai Island deliberated together. Finally, he voiced his conclusion.
"...First, we need to secure more labor. Then, we need to overhaul the crops and agricultural methods."
"Jin-dono? What do you mean by that?"
Rolona and her husband, Ladeous, both looked confused. Bardius looked even more baffled.
"We’ll build agricultural golems. Then, we’ll start cultivating Topopo—potatoes. And finally, we’ll make use of greenhouses."
Jin laid out his proposal.
"I understand the golems. But what are these potatoes? And what is a greenhouse?"
Jin offered a brief explanation.
"Potatoes, also known as Topopo or Devil's Potatoes, are tubers that thrive even in cold regions. They’re quite delicious if prepared correctly. As for greenhouses, we’ll enclose the crops with transparent panels. It keeps the temperature inside much warmer than the air outside."
"That sounds wonderful!"
As an expert in farming, Rolona grasped the potential immediately.
"I’ll need you to provide the materials, including those for the golems."
"Of course! We shall begin preparations at once."
Ladeous volunteered to handle the logistics and hurried out of the room.
"Now then, regarding your compensation, Jin-dono... How might we repay you?" the Clan Chief, Bardius, asked tentatively.
Jin’s answer was simple.
"First, I’ll take a few kuromugi seeds and some bietra seeds."