February 13th.
This day became a landmark date for Hourai Island.
Six units of the surveillance satellite "Watcher," numbered 1 through 6, had been successfully launched and were now settled into their orbits.
Currently, Jin and his companions were in the command room, gazing at the images of the ground sent by Watcher 2 on the large magi-screen.
The reason they were viewing images from unit 2 was simple: at this exact moment, it happened to be passing almost directly over Hourai Island.
"Wow, Hourai Island is so clear."
"Hehe, so that's where the laboratory is located."
"The shape of Tatsumi Bay is perfectly visible."
"My Lord, I am zooming in."
As Laojun’s voice resonated through the room, the image enlarged.
"Oh, you can even see the fields."
"Wait, is that... could it be Aqua?"
"This is truly incredible..."
Jin was deeply satisfied with the resolution, which was sharp enough to identify the golems working in the fields and around Tatsumi Bay. Elsa and Saki, on the other hand, were simply stunned.
The Watchers maintained an orbital altitude of approximately 1,500 kilometers, traveling at a velocity of roughly 7 kilometers per second. At such a distance, it was inevitable that the measurement precision would have its limits.
The six units orbited above the equator, positioned as if they were at the vertices of a perfect hexagon. Each was a cylinder, one meter in diameter and fifty centimeters thick. Jin had opted against a spherical design to prioritize ease of manufacturing and the efficient layout of the internal magi-devices.
Since they were intended for the vacuum of space and deployed via transporter, a traditional launch had been unnecessary. Their primary function was ground observation, with each unit’s attitude controlled by individual force generators.
While Laojun oversaw the entire system, the minute adjustments to altitude and relative positioning were handled by a specialized sub-brain named Laojun Junior. In addition to monitoring the surface, the satellites also observed the surrounding space, transmitting a wealth of data back home. This was part of Jin's long-term plan to gather information for the day they might eventually journey into the stars.
"Jin, that took longer than I expected, didn't it?" Saki remarked.
She had watched Jin crafting the Watchers and knew his usual pace. Even though he had been interrupted by Marcia’s visit, Laojun’s side had continued the work. Saki had assumed the "usual" Jin would have finished much sooner.
"Yeah. There was a specific order to the process."
"An order?"
"Right. First, I had to use the transporter to send Watcher 1 into the sky. Getting it into a proper orbit was a struggle."
Even for Laojun and Laojun Junior, adjusting the velocity and trajectory to achieve a nearly circular orbit after a teleportation—rather than a traditional ascent—had taken two full days. That had all happened before Marcia and Rodrigo arrived.
"After the first one, it got easier. I just had to teleport the others into the same orbit, shifted sixty degrees apart, then adjust their paths and stabilize their positions. That leads us to where we are now."
Once the first was set, the remaining five were simply transferred to the same altitude and fine-tuned.
"I see. Regardless of the technicalities, I can tell it was a lot of hard work." Saki turned her attention back to the images of the world below.
"Jin-nii, did you equip them with weapons or defense systems?" Elsa asked.
Elsa hadn't been present for the entire construction process. She had recently been away visiting her mother, Mine, who had been feeling unwell with a cold.
"Just the essentials. They’re equipped with barrier projectors for defense and have laser cannons attached. Though, honestly, I doubt anyone could actually attack them from all the way up there."
"That's a fair point."
"Still, they have built-in transporters as a final safety measure. If they were ever in danger of being captured or if a failure meant they might crash and cause damage on the ground, I can just teleport them away."
The designated emergency destination was the open sea to the east of Hourai Island.
"What about the outer casing materials?"
"It’s a three-layer structure of magi-adamantite, light silver, and 18-12 stainless steel."
"...Well, I suppose it's necessary, so I won't complain."
Elsa made a bit of a face upon hearing that yet more precious resources had been consumed. However, it was mostly a pose. As her mother had advised her, she had no intention of truly stifling Jin’s creativity; she simply wanted him to maintain a modicum of awareness regarding their stockpiles. Whether Jin realized her true intent or not, he tended to listen to Elsa's suggestions more than most.
"Oh, can you move the image further west?...Yes, thank you."
The Elias Peninsula appeared on the screen.
"Ah, that area is Port Rock Town. And there’s Io Island."
Nostalgic names flowed from Elsa's lips. The image continued its westward sweep, crossing into the Kingdom of Egerea. Soon, Blue Land was visible.
"Ah, Blue Land. I wonder if Beena and Louis-sama are doing well."
It was a different sensation from seeing the world from an airplane. For a long while, Elsa seemed to truly enjoy her orbital tour of the world.
"My Lord, I have one piece of rather unwelcome news."
Laojun spoke up once the initial excitement over the Watchers' success had died down.
"What is it?"
"The Klein Kingdom has officially decided to gift Tia to the Celuroa Kingdom for their anniversary ceremony."
Jin was stunned. He knew exactly how much Princess Lieschen cherished her nurse automaton.
"What is that country thinking?" Anger flared in his chest.
"How shall we proceed?"
"Well..."
Suddenly, Elsa gripped Jin’s arm. Startled, Jin looked down at her face.
"Jin-nii... you had a terrifying expression just now."
Her words brought Jin back to his senses. He took a breath and decided to handle things "amicably"—at least for the time being.
"Alright. Let's head to the Klein Kingdom on the Konron 2."
He decided his next move would depend entirely on the attitude the Klein officials displayed once they were face-to-face.
"Master, this Tia... she is the same model of automaton as me, isn't she?" Anne asked.
"Yeah, she is. Have we talked about her before?"
"Yes, Laojun told me about her previously."
"I see. That makes her your sister, in a way."
"Yes. If possible, please find a way for her to continue serving her rightful master." Anne bowed her head deeply.
Jin nodded and gave his chest a confident tap. "Don't worry. Leave it to me."
And so, accompanied by Elsa and Reiko, Jin boarded the Konron 2. Since it was already afternoon, they used the transporter to jump instantly to the vicinity of the Royal Castle.
"Jin-nii, do you have a concrete plan?"
"I have a few ideas. But it depends on how the Klein Kingdom responds."
"Mm. Understood."
As they spoke, the Royal Castle came into view. Sentries in hot air balloons approached, but upon recognizing the Konron 2 as Jin’s vessel, they saluted and veered away.
Minutes later, Jin and his companions landed before the castle gates.
"Jin! It is good of thee to come!"
As always, the Third Princess, Lieschen, was there to welcome them. Her complexion was pale, and her eyes were red and puffy, likely from crying over the situation with Tia.
"Lies, it's been a while. You... look well."
In private settings, Jin and Elsa addressed her simply as Lies.
"U-Umu..." Lies hesitated at Jin's attempt at a pleasantry, but she quickly forced a bright smile. "Jin, there is a message addressed to the 'Lord of Kunlun' from the Celuroa Kingdom."
"I see."
Jin already knew the contents, but he couldn't reveal that, so he followed Lies’s lead to meet the king. Between Jin’s status as the Lord of Kunlun and Elsa’s standing as an Honorary Healer, they were granted an audience without any bureaucratic delay.
They were shown into the king’s private study. Curiously, there were no guards; only Lieschen was present alongside her father.
"Ah, Jin-dono, Elsa-dono, Reiko-dono. It has been some time. You all look well. Thanks to your help, I have fully regained my health. I must thank you again."
Finding themselves in a space without outsiders, Alois III spoke with a casual, friendly tone.
"To get straight to the point, a message has arrived from the Celuroa Kingdom for the Lord of Kunlun."
Alois III handed over a piece of parchment. Jin took it and read it over with Elsa.
"Let's see... 'On the upcoming 22nd of February, a Founding Anniversary Ceremony shall be held in the city of Dali. We request the presence of the Lord of Kunlun. Signed, the King of the Celuroa Kingdom.'"
"...The original draft was reportedly much more arrogant, but the scribes softened the language. Please, do not hold it against them."
Jin had no intention of blaming the scribes. "I understand. I'll make my way there on the Konron 2."
"I see. That is one burden off my mind."
Alois III paused, taking a long, deep breath. Then, he spoke again.
"...Now, I am well aware that this is incredibly presumptuous of me... but would you listen to a request?"
The king's expression turned pained and apologetic. Jin knit his brows. He decided he would at least hear the man out.
"...What is it? Please, tell me."
The king began to speak, his voice thick with hesitation.
"...This is not a request from a king, but from a father. Could you... could you craft something for me? Something impressive, something worthy of being a gift to the Celuroa Kingdom?"
"Father!" Lieschen gasped, staring at him in shock.
"...Shamefully, we cannot ignore an invitation from that country. And if we attend, we must bring a gift of significant value. However, our kingdom currently lacks the technical skill to produce anything suitable."
"..."
The king continued, his voice heavy. "...And as a father, I made a choice that I never should have made. But it isn't too late to fix it. Jin-dono, I beg of you. I will do anything in my power to repay you..."
Alois III bowed his head low.
The person standing before Jin now was not a monarch, but a father desperate for the sake of his daughter, Lieschen.