Meanwhile, back in Seki Town, John Dini was keeping busy.
"John, thanks for yesterday. You were a huge help."
"Think nothing of it. If anything else comes up, please let me know."
John Dini spent his time traveling around Seki Town, repairing various tools and magi-tools. From mending pots to fixing magi-lamps, and even patching up roof leaks... as a result, he had become a familiar face to most of the town's residents.
John Dini was an automata, piloted by Laojun. His personality was modeled after Jin's, at least as far as Laojun understood it. He did what he believed Jin would do and responded to people exactly as Jin would.
Five days passed in this manner.
"Jo—hn!"
A woman approached, pedaling a bicycle. It was Maya, the woman assigned to look after John in Seki Town.
"Maya? What’s the matter?"
"Crow-san is callin' for ya."
"Oh? I wonder what he wants."
John followed Maya toward the town hall.
"Thank you for coming, John-dono."
Shown into the office, John faced Mayor Crow alone.
"For these past six days, you have integrated yourself with the people of this town and repaired many of their damaged belongings. I have seen both your skill and your character for myself."
Crow paused for a beat before continuing.
"Tomorrow, I want you to head for Miyako with a letter of recommendation from me. Vice Mayor Daro will accompany you as my representative."
And so, having earned recognition in Seki Town, John was to head for Miyako, the heart of the Mitsuho Kingdom.
The morning of December 6th arrived.
"John-san, thanks for everything."
"John, the wife says thanks as well."
"John, stay healthy out there!"
"John, come back and visit sometime!"
John and Daro were preparing to depart. A large crowd of townspeople had gathered to see John off.
"John-dono, are you ready?"
Daro, straddling a bicycle, called out to John, who was mounted on a Golem horse.
"Yes, I am ready."
"Good. Let’s head out, then."
"Good luck, John! I know someone like you can make it all the way to the top!"
"Thank you, Maya. Until we meet again."
This was as far as Maya would go. She would likely return to the Kari settlement after this.
John and Daro left Seki Town behind, exiting through the north gate. Once they passed through the gates, the surrounding landscape changed so abruptly that it caught John by surprise.
"Haha, surprised? This is how we live now."
The road had been hardened by some process and stretched about seven meters wide—comparable to a two-lane road on modern Earth.
"It is because of roads like this that bicycles are so effective."
The bicycle Daro was currently riding didn't have iron wheels; they were covered in a material similar to magical beast leather, giving them an "on-road" specification.
"Is it all right for a horse to walk on such a fine road?"
"Haha, no need to worry. It’s been hardened with a substance called 'bitumen.' A horse won’t leave so much as a dent in it."
"Bitumen, you say..."
The ground in Seki Town had been hardened as well, but this was clearly something different. John was intrigued.
He didn't recognize the name of the material. He tried to ask for more details, but Daro only seemed to know the name, so further information would have to wait until they reached Miyako.
However, Laojun had inherited a small amount of knowledge regarding this material from Jin, who had in turn learned of it from his Predecessor.
In theory, this should be something like earth-colored asphalt, Laojun mused.
On Earth, naturally occurring asphalt was called bitumen, and it had apparently been used in ancient Egypt as a preservative for mummies. Since it couldn't be harvested in the Allied Kingdoms, Hourai Island, or the demon territory, Jin had never seen the real thing. Consequently, Laojun didn't know it either. This was his first opportunity to verify that knowledge.
Analyze... It seems it’s not just hydrocarbons. It differs from Earth’s asphalt.
During a brief rest, John secretly investigated the road surface.
Compared to the asphalt of Earth, this bitumen seemed to have a much stronger binding force. He suspected it wouldn't even dent if a Golem horse were to break into a full gallop. It seemed the true details would remain a mystery until they arrived at the capital.
The paving made riding a bicycle remarkably easy. For a while after leaving Seki Town, they navigated a gentle uphill slope, but after that, the road remained almost perfectly flat.
Daro maintained an average speed of about twenty-five kilometers per hour. They passed the village of Ehmu and arrived at the town of Temae before noon. They ate lunch there before setting off once more.
Passing through the villages of Narudo and Yashima, they finally reached Miyako by evening.
"The paving truly is wonderful," John—or rather, Laojun—observed, offering sincere praise. Covering a distance of a hundred kilometers in a single day using only human power was not something easily achieved in the Allied Kingdoms.
"Haha, isn't it? That’s why I can travel between Seki and Miyako in such light clothes."
Miyako was a city surrounded by moats. Much like Esaia, the capital of the Celuroa Kingdom, the moats were crossed via bridges. These bridges were heavily guarded and designed to be burned or destroyed in emergencies to prevent an enemy invasion.
Because he was accompanied by Daro and carried Mayor Crow's personal letter, their entry was swift.
"So you’ve brought a magi smith with you. Good work....Welcome, Magi Smith-dono. You are most welcome here."
The gatekeeper seemed to be an acquaintance of Daro's and granted entry as soon as he saw the letter. He addressed John with a friendly greeting. In this country, it seemed they used the term "magi smith" instead of magi craftman or magi engineer.
"The clothing is a bit different," was John's first impression upon entering the city.
There were many front-closing garments here. Furthermore, according to Jin’s knowledge, they were Japanese-style... or "style," at any rate.
If he had to find a comparison, they looked most like a "Jinbei." They had tube-shaped sleeves and kimono-like collars. The bottoms were less like trousers and more like karsan, which resembled hakama.
"Can you tell? This attire is characteristic of Mitsuho. It’s easy to layer and easy to move in. Though, it’s mostly limited to humid regions like Miyako."
Daro mentioned that a body of water called Lake Sayama lay behind Miyako and that the water for the moats was drawn from there.
Another interesting place name, Laojun thought.
"The fabric... what is it made of?"
"Aha, as expected, you noticed the difference. It’s 'cotton.'"
"Cotton?" John repeated. He wasn't sure if it was the same as the cotton he knew.
"Yes, cotton. It’s a fiber harvested from a plant called wata. As for why it’s called 'momen'... that I don't know."
"I see."
From what he could see at a distance, it appeared identical to the cotton Jin knew. Cotton plants were cultivated in warm regions with the right amount of humidity. The area from Seki Town to Miyako was likely an ideal environment for it.
I’ve found another material I want, Laojun thought. His interest in interacting with the people of Mitsuho continued to grow.
"There. That is the Guest House."
"Oh..."
In the direction Daro pointed, John saw a building roofed with what looked like tiles.
"It’s already late, so I’ll have you stay there tonight. I will introduce you to the Chief tomorrow morning. Please, rest well today."
"Understood."
There was nothing to be gained by rushing. John nodded and prepared to rest at the Guest House. Daro’s presence and Crow’s letter smoothed their way past the guards at the gate.
"Oh..."
Once inside the walls, a landscape resembling a Japanese garden spread out before him.
It is impossible for so many coincidences to align. These people... no, the ancestors of the Mitsuho people, could they be...
Laojun judged that there was a very high probability that they had originated from the same world as Jin, or one very similar to it.
I should learn more tomorrow once I meet the Chief.
Laojun, as John, looked forward to the coming day.