A shape drifted outside the window. It was a hot air balloon manufactured in the Celuroa Kingdom. No, it was a "Thermal Flight Sphere."
It was a spitting image of the ones once used by the Unifilar.
By the time Jin and the others reached the balcony, it had only ascended about ten meters. Since it lacked a Wind Thruster, its speed was sluggish.
"Venturing outside was your final mistake. Elsa, tell Edgar to use his knives..."
"Mh. Edgar, aim for that balloon."
"Understood."
Before Jin could even finish his sentence, Elsa had already issued the command.
Edgar unleashed one of his remaining knives. It flew with unerring precision, slicing through the gas bag. The gondola immediately plummeted.
"Mh!?"
However, when the shattered gondola struck the courtyard, it was empty. No one was inside.
"Damn it! A decoy!"
It seemed this general-purpose golem was quite resourceful.
"It is possible the creature was investigating our national secrets. Hmm, where could it be hiding..."
"In any case, it clearly intends to escape. It seems Delight has been abandoned."
Jin glanced down at the floor.
Delight remained where he fell, unconscious and ignored. It appeared the general-purpose golem, Leker, didn't merely follow Delight’s orders; it served as an investigator, gathering information on the Klein Kingdom to report back to a master.
Leker might have been the true mastermind. If that were the case, the more time that passed, the harder he would be to capture.
"Reiko, can you track him?"
Reiko was equipped with a magi-detector. While it didn't possess the pinpoint accuracy of a full-scale magi-radar due to its compact size, it was highly practical.
"This is the control core I extracted from that large golem earlier. If they share a creator, this magic pattern should serve as a reference."
"I understand. I shall try," Reiko said. Taking the control core from Jin, she analyzed the magic pattern and activated her magi-detector to scan for a similar signature.
"...I have found him," Reiko said in a quiet voice. "...Right there!"
She pointed toward a corner of the balcony, behind a stack of wooden crates.
"Edgar!"
"Yes!"
A knife flashed from Edgar’s hand.
With a sharp metallic clink, the thrown knife was swatted aside. Simultaneously, the Hide magic dissolved.
The spell known as Hide erased one's presence, but its effects were neutralized if the user made a sound or sustained an attack.
"What? In such a place!" Princess Lieschen cried out in surprise.
Realizing escape was no longer an option, Leker lunged toward the target that looked the most vulnerable.
He aimed for the person with the smallest frame—Reiko.
Leker had not witnessed Reiko defeating the heavy-duty golem in the corridor, nor had he seen her neutralize the three combat golems.
Consequently, he likely believed he could strike the petite girl and perhaps take her hostage to secure his exit.
"How foolish."
Reiko prepared to intercept Leker, calculating the impact angle.
Stepping forward, she ducked under Leker’s reaching arm and slipped into his guard. Then, she delivered a single strike with her small fist.
With a heavy, dull impact, Leker was sent flying.
"Ah."
Just before Reiko's fist connected, Leker had tried to twist his body in a final act of desperation. As a result, his trajectory—which should have sent him sailing over the balcony railing and into the courtyard—shifted slightly.
The result was catastrophic.
"Wha—!?"
It was unclear who let out the cry.
The wall of the Royal Castle—the very wall of Delight’s office—shattered and blew outward along with Leker.
"The outer walls are seventy centimeters thick, mind you..." Princess Lieschen’s voice echoed, thick with exasperation.
That evening, Jin and Elsa were in the chancellor's office.
"...There is so much to discuss that I hardly know where to begin. But first, allow me to express my gratitude."
The chancellor bowed deeply, first to Elsa and then to Jin.
"His Majesty's condition has improved significantly. My heartfelt thanks go to Miss Elsa, Jin-dono, and the Shouro Empire for dispatching you both."
"No, the fact that we identified the cause was more than half luck. We never would have known if we hadn't heard the background from Princess Lieschen."
"Even so, you found the cause and provided a Cure when any number of our own healers failed. It is only right that we thank you."
"...If it is 'only right,' then it was simply my duty as a healer to treat the patient," Elsa replied.
"No, no, that 'duty' is exactly what is so difficult to fulfill..."
The exchange of gratitude and humility continued for some time before the conversation finally settled.
"...We must move on to the next matter. Regarding the former Minister of Industry, Delight."
"Yes."
Jin and Elsa straightened their posture to listen.
"As a result of the interrogation, we have been unable to prove a formal connection between Delight and the Celuroa Kingdom."
"Why is that?" Jin asked. Delight had explicitly mentioned the Celuroa Kingdom to Elsa.
"To be precise, we cannot prove a link to the Celuroa Kingdom's royal family or its government."
"..."
"It is certain he had ties with individuals from that kingdom. However, it does not exceed the scope of private dealings. There is no physical evidence proving that the Celuroa Kingdom, as a state, was involved with Delight."
"That's absurd! What about the three hundred tons of wheat he embezzled, or the golems he received in exchange? Surely that counts for something!" Jin pressed the chancellor, his tone rising with indignation.
The chancellor wore a look of profound regret.
"...Regarding that, we examined the control core Jin-dono provided as evidence. No matter how thoroughly we analyzed it, we found no mention of the Celuroa Kingdom, nor even the name of the creator."
The chancellor concluded by noting that the scheme had been meticulously prepared.
"But we have not given up. This incident has made it clear that that country is sending agents to destabilize us from within. Now that we know their methods, we can take countermeasures."
The chancellor did not elaborate on what those measures might be.
"Now, regarding your reward."
The chancellor’s expression turned apologetic as he continued.
"To be perfectly honest, our national treasury is under severe strain. It is on the verge of bankruptcy. Therefore, a monetary reward is impossible....I am truly sorry!"
The chancellor stood up and bowed deeply to Jin and Elsa once more.
Faced with such sincerity, neither Jin nor Elsa could remain silent.
"...I came to treat His Majesty under the orders of the Empress. It was official business. Therefore, no reward is necessary," Elsa declared firmly. Jin looked at her with a gentle, supportive gaze.
"However, Jin-dono is a Magi Craft Meister recognized by our nation and an honorary baronet. We cannot leave you uncompensated."
The chancellor picked up a set of documents from his desk.
"I wish to grant Miss Elsa the title of Honorary Healer within the Klein Kingdom. As for Jin-dono, I wish to reward you by designating Kaina Village as an independent territory."
"An independent territory?"
It was a term Jin had never heard.
"It is understandable that you are unfamiliar with it; we created the system specifically for this occasion. An independent territory remains part of the Klein Kingdom for international purposes, but in practice, it is Jin-dono’s sovereign land."
The Klein Kingdom would exercise no interference whatsoever. Effectively, it would be Jin's own country. However, the chancellor requested that it remain officially part of the Klein Kingdom on paper.
"It might be more accurate to call it a territory than a mere plot of land. As for the scope, the Klein Kingdom will relinquish all claims and involvement in the lands north of Kaina Village."
"I understand. I accept."
"Oh, you have my thanks."
The chancellor likely believed this was a hollow reward with no practical benefit for Jin, but the reality was quite the opposite.
The vast area stretching from the north of Kaina Village to the Pazdext Great Isthmus was essentially a blank map. By accepting this, Jin was effectively gaining sovereignty over that entire region.
In practice, Jin had just acquired territory that accounted for more than a third of the Klein Kingdom's total landmass. For a man with Jin’s skills, such an expanse could be put to incredible use.
"Now then, finally, I would like to discuss the desiccant."
The chancellor shifted gears.
"Please tell me more about the desiccant you mentioned to Delight."
Since a successor for the Minister of Industry had not yet been appointed, the chancellor was handling the matter himself.
Seeing the chancellor’s face, which seemed to have grown even more gaunt, Jin began to worry for the man's health.