After traveling for about a kilometer, they activated the force generator.
Cruising at a speed of one hundred kilometers per hour, they reached the All-Creation clan territory before the morning was even through.
"...Jin’s technical expertise is just absurd," Sion muttered, her voice a mix of exasperation and awe.
As they traveled this far south, the proximity to the coast meant the snowfall was gentler and the accumulation on the ground was sparse.
"Ah, we’re finally back."
It was now February 4th. They had departed on the last day of January, meaning they had been away for four days.
"Somehow, it feels like we’ve been gone for a very long time..." Sion added. It had been a short trip, but a dense one, packed with enough events to fill a month.
"Welcome back, Sion. And Jin-sama, I am overjoyed to see you have returned safely," said Sion’s older sister, Istalis, as she came out to greet them.
"Jin-sama, I rejoice at your safe return," Ladeous, Sion’s father, added as he joined the welcome party.
＊ ＊ ＊
The next day, February 5th, arrived—the day Jin and his companions were to return to Hourai Island.
"Jin, you have to come visit again..."
"Yeah, once spring rolls around."
"Jin-shama, please be sure to come back!"
Sion and Marikka were clearly reluctant to see him go.
"Jin-dono, Elsa-dono, Saki-dono, may you remain in good health," Baldius and Ladeous said, seeing them off with well-wishes.
"Thank you for everything."
The Capricorn 1 began to move, leaving the All-Creation clan behind. The fluttering snow soon began to obscure their view of the settlement.
"Man, a lot really did happen."
"Heh, it was a blast. I learned a lot, too. Thanks, Jin." Saki leaned back into her seat with a satisfied grin.
"...I honestly thought Jin-nii intended to bring Sion-san along with us," Elsa remarked, voicing her lingering doubt.
Jin gave her a straightforward answer.
"Yeah, I thought about it. But you see, regardless of how it is underground, the concentration of ether on the surface of Hourai Island isn't actually that high."
"Eh? Is that true?"
"Yeah. So, as they are now, Sion and her people would probably find it a bit uncomfortable."
"...I see."
Even though Hourai Island was a singularity for ether, the concentration on the surface was not much different from the Klein Kingdom or the Kingdom of Egerea. On average, it was less than half of what was found in demon territory. For Sion and her kin, living there would be comparable to a normal human trying to live on the summit of Mount Fuji.
While the issue was ether rather than oxygen, the feeling of "thinness" would likely make them feel unwell. Unlike when Sion’s group had visited before—traveling south slowly to acclimate their bodies—Jin was hesitant to whisk them away via transporter to a land with such low ether concentrations in an instant.
"Well, this should be far enough."
Once they had put sufficient distance between themselves and the All-Creation clan territory, to the point where they were likely no longer visible, Jin prepared to use the transporter.
"Land 1, let's head home."
"Roger!"
The transporter activated. The view outside shifted in the blink of an eye. In a flash, the Capricorn 1 was parked in the square in front of the laboratory on Hourai Island. The vehicle was stark white with frost, which immediately began to melt into dripping water droplets in the warmer air.
"Whoa... I’d heard the stories, but this transporter really is something else. One second it’s a winter wasteland, the next it’s spring." Saki’s voice was full of genuine admiration.
"Alright, let's get off and take it easy."
"...Even though you’ll probably want to start researching the materials the second we step inside," Elsa noted quietly.
"Ahahaha! Elsa really has his number. As expected of the wife."
"I-I’m not his wife... yet!" Elsa snapped back with a deadpan expression even as her face turned beet-red. She was so flustered she nearly missed her footing on the gangway.
"Whoops, steady there."
"Ah..."
She almost took a tumble, but Jin caught her by the waist, steadying her before anything happened. It was only a fifty-centimeter drop, but Saki couldn't resist the opening.
"Not bad, Jin. Such a dependable husband."
"...Saki." Jin glared at her, his own face flushing.
"Ahahaha! Just consider it a single woman's jealousy. Now then, time to study those new materials!" Remaining entirely cheerful, Saki disappeared into the laboratory.
"..."
"...I wonder if Saki-nee is a little lonely," Elsa whispered.
"Reinhard is devoted to Bell, after all," Jin noted.
"And on top of that, she was forced to watch how close you and Elsa-san are, Father," Reiko added, her bluntness cutting through the air.
『Welcome back, My Lord. I am overjoyed by your safe return.』
Laojun’s voice came through the comms, allowing the embarrassed Jin to reset his mood.
First, they would start by tanning the shed skin of the Ancient Dragon they had acquired. Since the procedure for this material differed from standard leather, Jin decided to explain the process to Elsa as he worked. Saki remained as a dedicated observer.
"First is the cleaning. Well, this is standard for most hides."
"Mm."
Using Cleanup, Decomposition, and Sterilization, he stripped away the grime. He performed the sterilization and disinfection simultaneously to ensure the material was pristine.
"And then, we use Softening to smooth out the creases."
At this point, the hide was too large to fit in the workshop, so they moved the operation to the roof of the laboratory.
"Now for the most critical part. To use it as a crafting material, we have to identify the high-quality sections and separate them from the rest."
Since it was a natural material, it was non-uniform, featuring scratches and varying thicknesses. He had to trim it carefully to ensure the resulting pieces were as consistent as possible.
"The back section is the hardest, while the belly is the softest. The leg segments are thick, and the tail is quite bumpy."
Jin assessed the overall characteristics of the massive hide, deciding exactly where to make his cuts. This stage required a master's eye.
"Mm, it looks difficult. The head part is very hard and thick. It seems hard to work with." Elsa offered her own observations as she watched.
"Yeah, you're right. In that case, let’s separate it around here. Reiko, hold this down for me."
"Yes, Father."
Reiko was still undergoing emergency repairs, but she was more than capable of providing support for this kind of work.
"...Actually, I’d like the other side held down too. Call the Smiths over."
"Mm, understood."
With the combined efforts of Jin, Reiko, Elsa, and the Smiths, the initial processing was finished in about an hour.
"Heh, looks like there are some scraps after all."
Since they were trying to cut a three-dimensional shed skin into flat sheets, it was unavoidable that oddly shaped remnants would be produced. However, those scraps could be used for crafting smaller accessories or for Saki’s research, so nothing would go to waste.
"Jin, can I really have these scraps for myself?"
"Yeah, go ahead. Use them however you like."
Since the Ancient Dragon had been over forty meters long, they had a massive surplus of material.
"Sweet! I can't wait!" Clutching her armful of scraps, Saki bolted toward her research room.
Jin assumed she would dive straight into research with Laojun’s advice, but she reappeared almost immediately after dropping them off. It seemed she was too curious about what Jin intended to do next.
Jin led the way to the workshop, followed by Reiko, who was carrying a large load of the prepared skin. Elsa and Saki trailed behind them, while three Smiths hauled the remaining portions that were too heavy to carry.
"Alright, let's do this!"
Jin was brimming with motivation. Saki and Elsa watched him with bated breath. Reiko’s total surface area was a little over one square meter, while the Ancient Dragon's hide covered roughly a thousand times that area.
"I think I can make a lot more than just skin for Reiko out of this."
Jin felt the material would be perfect for reinforced armor. His mind was already racing with possibilities—the typical sign of a crafting fanatic.
"But first, Reiko comes first."
Jin selected the absolute best section of the hide to use for Reiko’s magical skin. The time had finally come for the Magi Craft Meister to show his true worth.
He would first verify the properties of the dragon leather before applying the new techniques to Reiko. With a look of pure joy, Jin set to work.