"That was delicious. So that soup features the flavor you recommended, Jin-kun?"
The Empress was in high spirits as she sipped her post-meal tea.
"Yes, it does. And on that note, Your Majesty, there is something I would like to report."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"...If possible, I would prefer to speak in private."
The Empress looked into Jin's eyes and signaled for her royal knight Flora, the Magic Technology Minister Degauss, and her secretary to step outside for a time.
"But, Your Majesty..."
Flora hesitated, mindful of her duty as a guard, but after the Empress reminded her that Jin was the Imperial Honorary Advisor, she reluctantly left the room.
This left only the Empress, Jin, Reiko, Elsa, Edgar, Reinhard, and Bella in the parlor.
"Now then, Jin-kun, please tell me."
"Yes."
Jin commanded Reiko to cast a 'Solid Barrier'. It was a powerful barrier that suppressed air vibrations, making it completely soundproof.
However, it also cut off the circulation of air, meaning there was a limit to how long it could remain active. Jin decided to keep his briefing brief.
"This is a report regarding the foreign tribes."
The Empress's expression stiffened.
"...Please, tell me everything."
"Yes. Based on my own independent investigation, the foreign tribes have no intention of invading."
Upon hearing those words, the Empress's visible tension dissipated.
"Is that true?"
"Yes. At least, that is what I have found so far. I will explain the details."
Jin then spoke about the town of Ismar.
He explained that several merchants were purchasing products from the foreign tribes, that the foreign tribes were wary of the Shouro Empire, and that they were in dire need of magi engineers.
Then, Jin took a gamble.
"I have had an automata infiltrate them."
"What!?"
Even the Empress was shocked by this revelation.
"Ji-Jin-kun!? To think you could... no, if it is you, Jin-kun, I suppose it is possible."
Looking at Reiko and the Fuhrer, she understood that Jin was capable of creating an automata indistinguishable from a human.
"According to information from that automata, the invasion attempt three hundred years ago was an act of desperation. The Ether Stampede had caused a drastic decrease in free ether, which rendered the few precious magic tools they possessed unusable."
Jin provided a general explanation. However, he refrained from mentioning that the Shouro Empire's agents were being neutralized via hypnosis magic tools.
"..."
"And because they cannot use magic, they have developed science instead. In that regard, as far as I know, they are more advanced than the Allied Kingdoms."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. However... I am still investigating where that knowledge originated."
Finally, Jin took the plunge and made his suggestion.
"Your Majesty, I urge you to establish official diplomatic relations with the 'Mitsuho Kingdom'—as they call themselves."
When Jin finished speaking, the Empress closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly, entering a state of deep contemplation.
About five minutes passed.
The Empress opened her eyes, lifted her gaze, and looked directly at Jin.
"Thank you, Jin-kun. I will give it serious thought."
"Please, I ask that you do. Oh, and the dashi for that soup... the secret to its seasoning lies in the 'katsuobushi' they produced."
"I see... So they truly do possess things that we lack."
Jin deactivated the Solid Barrier.
"To think you are capable of all this, Jin-kun. To be honest, I covet that power, but I will not force you. However... please, continue to assist me from now on."
With those words, the Empress actually bowed her head to Jin.
Jin was surprised, but he also felt that under this Empress, it might truly be possible to make the world a better, more peaceful place.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Jin, you really surprised me there."
"...Me too."
After the Empress had departed, Reinhard and Elsa turned to Jin, their voices a mix of admiration and exasperation.
"Yeah, it was a bit of a gamble. But as I said, the foreign tribes—the Mitsuho Kingdom—don't seem bellicose. Even if we only consider that bitumen, I think they're worth trading with."
"I agree with you on that."
"...But will it really go that smoothly?"
Currently, the plan to head to Port Rock on the newly built ship was being set in motion.
"Hmm. Our country is stable right now, and we have the economic leeway, so it shouldn't be impossible," Reinhard analyzed. "There are significant benefits to be expected. If diplomatic relations are established, we could reduce the troops stationed for western defense by half... no, by a quarter. And of course, there are the profits to be gained from trade."
Jin and Elsa nodded, agreeing with Reinhard's assessment.
"By the way, where was Her Majesty heading next?"
When Jin voiced his simple question, Reinhard answered.
"In the direction of the House Theoderic territory. Apparently, she plans to circle Lake Tosmo and return to Loizart."
"I see."
"It seems the Marquis's health has improved considerably. He mentioned he's grateful to Elsa."
"Mm. I received a letter from him."
It was likely thanks to Elsa's treatment and the devotion of the automata Lisa.
"The Marquis said he still wants to work for the sake of the country," Reinhard said with a look of deep emotion.
Just then, Bell, Saki, Toa, Stearena, Vivienne, and Mine arrived, and the Jin Family was once again assembled in full.
The conversation turned back to Jin's recent activities.
"Jin, you seem to be putting a lot of effort into this country lately. Is that alright with you?" Reinhard asked with a complicated expression. "As for me, I'm happy about it, though."
Jin had contributed a great deal to the Shouro Empire: the Fuhrer, the hot air balloons, the repair of the giant golem, the desiccant plant, and the new ship.
"Yeah, I suppose so. To be honest, this country is easy to work with."
"Easy to work with?"
"Yeah. Part of it is that it's not the Allied Kingdoms, but it's also a step removed from the messiness of those nations. If this were the Klein Kingdom or the Kingdom of Egerea, I'd have to worry about friction with neighboring countries."
"Hehe, that's true. You've been thinking about a lot of things, Jin," Saki teased.
"Of course I have. My wish is to spend my time making the things I like, and it's even better if I can make them useful to people."
"...And for that, we need peace?" Elsa said, grasping Jin's true intent.
"Exactly. The demon race problem is resolved, and the foreign tribes—the Mitsuho Kingdom—don't seem to be an issue either. If anything, the Celuroa Kingdom and the Kingdom of Franz are the ones smelling like trouble."
Everyone nodded at Jin's words.
"I was vaguely thinking that if the Shouro Empire takes the lead and sets a path toward peace..."
"I see, so that's why you're putting so much effort into our country, Jin-kun," Toa said warmly. "Certainly, even when I was wandering about in search of materials, I used to think it would be better if the borders were more peaceful."
"Kufu, so you were thinking about things like that too, Father?"
"Naturally. For a researcher, conflicts between nations are nothing but a nuisance."
Everyone agreed with Toa's statement.
"I also want to do something about the Former Leonard Kingdom," Jin spoke up again. The problems were piling up.
"...Regarding the Former Leonard Kingdom, I think it would be better to rebuild it—or rather, to establish it as a new nation entirely," Reinhard said thoughtfully.
"I agree. That area is rich in underground resources, and the climate is good, so I think they could harvest plenty of crops."
As someone who loved traveling, it seemed Toa was familiar with the Former Leonard Kingdom as well.
"Currently, people who fled their own countries have formed settlements there, making a living by mining ore."
As expected of someone who had devoted himself to searching for materials, everyone listened intently to Toa's account.
"All those gemstones and magi-crystals labeled as being from the Leonard Kingdom were mined by those people. Oh, and I think there were some people gathering honey, too."
"You're quite well-informed, Father."
"Well, I spent about a year wandering around there."
"Eh?"
"Ah, that was back when you were still at the Marquis's estate."
"Was it?"
"I haven't been away from home for a whole year since I started living with you, have I?"
"Well, I suppose not. Though I feel like there was a time when you were gone for six months."
Toa puffed out his chest proudly while Saki made a face. The rest of the group could only give wry smiles at the exchange between father and daughter.