On November 22, having completed the Shark, Jin returned from Hourai Island to his mansion in Loizart, the capital of the Shouro Empire.
Elsa was already back, and she greeted him in the underground Warp Gate room. Standing beside her was another familiar face.
"It’s been a while, Jin."
"Hey, Reinhard."
Reinhard had accompanied Elsa to Loizart.
"Welcome back, Jin-sama," Barrow and Belle said, bowing in greeting.
"Reinhard, you're here too?" Jin asked.
"Yeah, I received a summons from Her Majesty."
"I see. Well, let's head upstairs so we can talk properly."
The group moved to the living room and gathered around the round table. Reiko and Edgar took their places behind Jin and Elsa, respectively.
Belle immediately brewed tea and set a cup before everyone. Today, she served hojicha.
"Mm, this is delicious. You brewed it perfectly," Jin praised after taking a sip.
Standard practice for hojicha was to use boiling water, but Jin was sensitive to hot things. Consequently, his portion needed to be cooled slightly after being poured. While the golem maids on Hourai Island knew this well, it appeared Belle had learned the trick too; the tea was served at exactly the right temperature.
"I am honored," Belle replied with a short bow before stepping back. The refinement in her movements was a clear testament to her training at Reinhard’s estate.
"Now then. First off, Elsa—welcome back. I assume you've made your decision?"
"Yes..." Elsa replied, looking Jin straight in the eye. "I've decided to restore House Randol."
Jin gave her a gentle smile. "I see. I'm sure you thought it through carefully. You have my full support."
"Thank you, Jin-nii." Elsa bowed her head, her cheeks tinged with a slight blush.
"So, Reinhard, you said you were summoned by Her Majesty? Did something happen?"
"Nothing troublesome, as far as I know. It sounds like a technical consultation," Reinhard added, clarifying that he hadn't been given any specifics yet.
"I see. Well, I'll go with you today."
"Eh? You too, Jin-nii?"
"Yeah. Things will probably move faster if I'm there."
As an Imperial Honorary Advisor, Jin held the privilege of entering the palace without a prior appointment and could request an audience with the Empress directly.
"That would certainly be a help. Though... I suppose you're really going for Elsa's sake, aren't you?"
"Well, yeah," Jin answered matter-of-factly.
"..."
While Jin gave a serious reply to the teasing remark, Elsa looked down, her face turning bright red.
"Jin, I'm counting on you to look after her. She is my precious, cute little cousin, after all."
"...? Yeah, of course."
"...!"
It was a casual exchange, though the nuances between Jin and Reinhard didn't quite seem to align. Elsa, listening to them, looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
＊ ＊ ＊
At 10:00 AM, Jin, Elsa, Reinhard, Reiko, and Edgar headed for the Imperial Palace by airship. They didn't want to waste the day just chatting.
Traveling by airship was partly to save time and partly to announce Jin's arrival as quickly as possible. Just as Jin intended, the chancellor was already there to meet them when they landed.
"Well, well, Lord Jin Nidou, you are most welcome. Lady Reiko, welcome as well."
"I apologize for the sudden visit, but I've brought Elsa and Reinhard with me..."
"That is even more convenient. Her Majesty is waiting, so please, this way."
Without waiting for Jin to finish, the chancellor led them straight toward the office.
"Lord Jin Nidou, Lady Reiko, Lord Reinhard Randol, and Elsa—welcome."
They were shown into the Empress's personal office. Once everyone was seated and formal greetings were dispensed with, the Empress got straight to the point.
"Since this is an urgent matter, let's set aside formal etiquette. It's a help having you here too, Jin-kun. Now then, Elsa—have you reached a decision?"
"Yes. I wish to bear the name Elsa Randol."
The Empress gave a firm nod. "Is that your final choice? Very well. Chancellor, if you please."
"Of course. There is no issue. Therefore, as of today, November 22, 3457, I officially recognize the restoration of the House Randol Baronetcy."
"Thank you very much." Elsa stood and bowed deeply to the Empress and the chancellor. In that moment, Elsa Randol von Lazula, Female Baronet, was officially recognized.
"To be clear, there is no territory attached to the title," the chancellor added. "Instead, you will receive an annual stipend of one million Toll as a baronet. To whom should the payments be directed?"
In the Shouro Empire, while some nobles maintained their houses via tax revenue from land, those without territory were provided a state stipend. Additional payments were added if the noble held an official post, meaning Elsa’s current stipend was at the base level. Still, it provided a stable foundation for her parents, who had been slowly depleting their family assets. In exchange, she would be obligated to perform state duties for a set duration, even without a specific appointment.
"...To my mother, at the family home, please."
"Understood. Scribe, record it."
Seeing the tension in Elsa's face, the Empress spoke to her with a warm smile.
"There's no need to be so stiff, Elsa. Your primary duty will be serving as Lord Jin Nidou’s assistant. Is that clear? You are to help and support Jin-kun."
"...Yes!"
Elsa was stunned for a moment, her mind blank as she processed the words. Once the meaning sank in, her face lit up, and she responded with vigorous enthusiasm.
"That's a wonderful smile. That's how a girl should look. Lord Jin Nidou, please take good care of her."
"I will," Jin replied with a smile of his own.
"Now then, Lord Reinhard Randol, the reason I summoned you is for a new shipbuilding project."
"Shipbuilding?"
"Yes, shipbuilding. Having Jin-kun here as well is a stroke of luck. Will you hear us out?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." When the topic turned to craftsmanship, Jin had no intention of staying silent.
"Thank you. Chancellor, please explain."
The Empress looked to the chancellor, who took over.
"Indeed. Our nation currently utilizes vessels for water transport, but looking toward the future, we believe it is time to develop more advanced ships."
"The future?" Reinhard leaned forward, intrigued.
"Precisely. The southern part of our Empire borders the sea. However, the ocean remains largely unknown and unexploited. We cannot afford to let such potential go to waste."
"I completely agree," Jin added.
"To start, we intend to build ships capable of blue-water navigation—vessels that can withstand voyages of several days or even weeks. Their primary purpose will be the transport of resources."
"To promote the expansion of maritime trade, then," Elsa noted, recalling her recent technical discussion with Liones Ashford in the Klein Kingdom.
"Exactly. To achieve that, we wish to construct large-scale vessels. We would like you to participate in this project, Reinhard."
"Do you have a general outline for the ships yet?"
"No. We only know they will likely be between thirty and forty meters in length. We intend to leave the specifics to the experts."
"That... sounds very interesting."
Jin, who had been neck-deep in his own shipbuilding projects on Hourai Island until just recently, couldn't help but lean in as well.
The Celuroa Kingdom had forty-meter-class vessels used as ferries to carry carriages across the Azul River, but they were simple, slow craft. The Unifilar had also possessed large ships, but from Jin's perspective, those shallow-draft vessels were little more than glorified rafts, entirely unfit for the rigors of the open sea.
To his knowledge, the only ship in this world truly being built for ocean travel was the one currently under construction by Eckart Techles in the Celuroa Kingdom—and even that was still unfinished.
This project would mark the debut of a true, large-scale ocean vessel. It was only natural for Jin to be excited.