The district in Loizart, the capital of the Shouro Empire, where Jin had been granted a mansion was a neighborhood dominated by the estates of mid-ranking nobles.
The area had been developed according to a strict urban plan, resulting in uniform lot sizes of approximately 1,650 square meters. The square properties measured just over forty meters on each side.
To the right of Jin’s residence stood the home of Count Woodruff Abelain von Elm, while to the left lived the family of Viscount Volker Goldmann von Orc. Directly across the street was the estate of Viscount Jorgens Hekerath von Paddock. All of them belonged to families holding significant positions within the various government ministries.
"...A 'Magi Craft Meister'?"
"Yes, that is what I have been told."
Viscount Hekerath, Jin’s neighbor across the street, nodded firmly.
"I see. Based on the sheer efficiency of those renovations, I suspected the man was no ordinary individual."
Jorgens Hekerath von Paddock served as the Undersecretary of the Shouro Empire's Ministry of Industry.
"I can never forget the airship of his that I saw at the Technology Expo," he muttered, shaking his head in wonder.
Meanwhile, the neighbors on either side worked for the Ministry of Magi Technology, and they were also quite familiar with Jin’s name and accomplishments.
"I suppose I should go pay my respects once things settle down," both families had thought. However, they were soon left utterly dumbfounded when they witnessed a sudden visit from Her Majesty the Empress herself.
"...To think Her Majesty would acknowledge him to such a degree. He truly is a figure of immense importance."
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Inside Jin’s mansion, the newly assigned Five-Colored Golem Maids were hard at work attending to the finer details of the interior. Simultaneously, Laojun was busy devising various schemes to further bolster the estate's security.
"Ah, kitty!"
Hanna had gone exploring the mansion immediately after waking up and washing her face. She had quickly discovered a cat. It was, of course, a golem, placed there for security and to keep the mansion free of mice and other vermin.
There were two of them: a calico named Mike and a brown tabby named Tora.
Mike gave a soft meow and rubbed her face against Hanna before walking off down the corridor at her own pace. Tora, however, stayed perfectly still, allowing Hanna to scoop him up and cradle him.
"Ehehe."
Looking quite pleased, Hanna walked down the hallway with Tora in her arms. When she reached the end of the corridor, she stood before the staircase, debating whether to go up or down. A voice called out from behind her.
"Good morning, Hanna-chan."
It was Elsa. She had slept for a short while in her room after the discussion on Hourai Island had concluded. Perhaps because of that, she still appeared a bit drowsy.
"Big Sister Elsa, good morning!" Hanna chirped, giving a cheerful greeting.
"Morning, Hanna."
Jin stepped out as well, looking just as sleepy as Elsa.
"Ah, Onii-chan, good morning!"
Thanks to Martha’s strict upbringing, Hanna now used the polite form of "good morning" even when speaking to Jin.
"Ah, Jin-sama, Elsa-sama, Hanna-sama. Breakfast is ready."
Belle appeared at that moment. Upon finding the three of them, she informed them that the meal was served.
"Okay!"
Hanna set Tora down on the floor and gave an energetic reply. Jin and Elsa followed suit with nods of their own.
"Whoa, this is delicious!"
The morning menu consisted of white rice, miso soup with fried bean curd and tofu, pickled greens (a vegetable very similar to hakusai), dried fish (likely a species resembling horse mackerel), and umeboshi.
Thanks to her time in Kaina Village, Hanna had become quite proficient with both chopsticks and forks. Furthermore, she had developed a palate that could enjoy the sourness of umeboshi—a fact that brought Jin a great deal of quiet satisfaction.
Elsa felt the same. Barrow and Belle had also adapted quickly to Japanese-style cuisine and possessed no allergies to things like buckwheat, allowing Jin to request specific menus without hesitation.
Because Perido 102 was managing the general housework, the procurement of ingredients was handled perfectly. They primarily sourced what they could locally and ordered any missing staples from Hourai Island.
"...Seconds, please."
Elsa held out her bowl for another helping of rice. Incidentally, the rice bowls were made of alumina, while the soup bowls were crafted from wood and finished with the urushi that Saki had acquired. This particular corner of the mansion had taken on a distinctly Japanese flavor.
"Now all we need is soy sauce and... katsuobushi."
The soy sauce was currently being brewed, so its arrival was only a matter of time. However, katsuobushi—dried bonito—had yet to be found, nor had they succeeded in producing it on Hourai Island. Consequently, the dashi for the miso soup was currently made from niboshi.
"Is this called tofu? It's so soft and yummy."
They had managed to produce tofu using nigari made from seawater and a legume that resembled the soybean. Fried bean curd was made through a similar process. Now that the rice harvest was complete and they had straw available, the team on Hourai Island was even attempting to make natto.
"Jin-nii, this dried fish is great."
Elsa had taken a particular liking to the dried fish. She was now quite adept at using her chopsticks to navigate around the bones and pick out the meat. Barrow and Belle, on the other hand, were still very much beginners when it came to using chopsticks.
"What's the plan for today?" Jin asked Butler D while sipping green tea after the meal.
"Yes. Since the mansion has mostly stabilized, Elsa-sama is scheduled to make neighborly greetings."
"Jin-nii, leave that to me."
Accompanied by Edgar, Elsa intended to visit the "three houses across and one on each side." Her gifts were assortments of persica and citran—fruits that were quite rare in the Shouro Empire.
"Yeah, I’m counting on you."
"As for My Lord, we would appreciate it if you could prepare the tatami mats you promised Her Majesty the other day."
"Ah... I did say that, didn't I?"
When the Empress had visited to see how they were settling in, she had taken an immediate liking to the Japanese-style room. Jin had offered to present her with a set of tatami mats.
"In that case, I should probably prepare some straw mats as well..."
They were cultivating rush in the wetlands of Hourai Island and turning it into various products. Jin contemplated presenting her with woven straw mats alongside the tatami.
"Hanna, what are you going to do?"
"Hmm, I want to go look around the city."
"Will you be all right?"
"Jin-sama, I will accompany her," Belle volunteered.
"Onii-chan, I’ll be fine! I won't get lost or anything!"
Jin reminded himself that Hanna's personal SP units, Iris and Azalea, would be watching over her in secret. While he was worried, he knew he couldn't be overprotective. Still, no matter how reliable she was, she was only nine years old. Jin's mind was a whirlwind of conflicting paternal instincts.
(I never feel this way when we're back in Kaina Village...)
It was simply a testament to how peaceful life in the village truly was. Ultimately, while Jin continued to agonize over the decision, Hanna went on her way. With her departure, Jin finally managed to clear his head.
"...Both Elsa and Hanna are becoming so dependable. I suppose I'm the only one who hasn't changed..."
As Jin grumbled to himself while heading toward the Warp Gate, Reiko offered her consolation.
"It is only because you care for Hanna-chan so much, Father."
(I suppose so... If the day ever comes when she gets married... I think I'll finally understand why fathers in those TV dramas cry at their daughters' weddings...)
While lost in such idle thoughts, Jin and Reiko arrived at Hourai Island. The laboratory was quiet, showing no signs of the intense discussion that had lasted until dawn.
Jin quickly set to work and produced ten tatami mats.
"Come to think of it, we measure the area they cover in 'jo,' but when counting the mats themselves, is the counter 'mai' or 'men'..."
Pondering such trivialities, he used the transporter to send the ten mats to the mansion in Loizart.
"Now then, since I’ve come all the way to Hourai Island, I feel like there was something else I needed to do..."
Because he had been debating recoil cancellation magic from the middle of the night until daybreak, Jin was feeling quite drowsy. His mind wasn't functioning at its usual speed.
"Father, perhaps you should rest for a while?" Reiko suggested with concern.
"Yeah... I think I'll take a nap at the house..."
Just as he spoke, Laojun chimed in.
"My Lord, katsuobushi has been found."