Just as Crown Prince Cesar had predicted, they passed through the checkpoints between the city walls with little more than a nod from the guards.
"This is about the only thing my authority is good for," Cesar said with a laugh, though his voice held a somber undertone.
"But Your Highness, is it really safe for you to be out at night with only two guards?" Fritz asked. He couldn't help but feel it was a bit reckless for the crown prince of a nation to be so exposed.
"Haha, as for being the crown prince, it simply means I happened to be born first. I have two younger brothers, after all. My father wouldn't be in a bind if I were gone."
This time, his words were tinged with self-mockery.
After walking for about twenty minutes, they reached the banks of the Torres River. Since it was pitch black, Fritz cast Light Ball. A sphere of magical energy illuminated the area with a pale glow, but from what they could see, the Golias units were nowhere to be found.
"They might be a bit further downstream," Fritz suggested.
They searched for about five minutes without success, so they continued downstream for another five minutes.
"Oh? What is that?" Cesar spotted something bobbing in the water, caught in the glow of the Light Ball. It was the head of a Golias.
"Ah, there they are. Golias! Come!"
At Fritz’s command, the massive forms emerged from the water. Five Golias units lined up before the astonished Crown Prince Cesar, who craned his neck to look up at them.
"Hoh, I had heard the stories, but this is a magnificent sight. I understand you had them walk all this way, but were you not stopped or questioned during the journey?"
Fritz answered while inspecting the condition of the golems. "Well, we passed through here on our way to the Klein Kingdom, so people had already seen us once. Because of that, no one found our presence particularly suspicious."
"Haha, I suppose that’s true."
"I also carry a formal letter from the Empress, so as long as I explain the situation, no one ever gives us any trouble."
"I see. That makes sense. You have my thanks, Fritz-dono. You've shown me something truly remarkable."
It was at that exact moment that a flash of flame erupted from the darkness.
"Your Highness!"
Reacting instantly, Fritz shoved Cesar aside.
"Whoa!?"
By a hair's breadth, a Fire Bullet hissed past Cesar's face.
"Who goes there!"
By the time Fritz regained his footing and looked back, the culprit who had fired the spell had already been cut down by the crown prince's guards.
(They're fast...)
The reactions of the two guards were indeed impressive. One had moved to shield the prince, while the other had already neutralized the threat.
Under the glow of the Light Ball, they looked down at the man. It was the advanced-level soldier who had caused the trouble at the river earlier that day. He had been struck in a vital spot and was already dead, so they couldn't interrogate him for a motive. It seemed likely, however, that it was a desperate, reckless act driven by the fear that his misdeeds would reach the ears of Marquis Urau.
"Your Highness, things like this happen. Please, stay on your guard," Fritz warned.
Crown Prince Cesar gave a weary, wry smile. "...I understand. I've ended up owing you a great debt, Fritz-dono. Kirk, Skeve, we're heading back. As for the soldier's body, we'll send men to collect it as soon as we return to the residence."
Around the same time, on Hourai Island.
Saki, who was still in the laboratory, noticed that the lights were still burning in Jin's house. It was past 11:00 PM, nearly midnight.
"It's rare for him to be up later than even a night owl like me," she mused. "Is he caught up in making something again?"
Jin was generally an early riser, unless he was completely absorbed in a project. Since she wasn't feeling sleepy yet, Saki found herself walking toward his house.
(Heh, what if I'm interrupting Jin and Elsa doing... that?)
Perhaps due to the lingering effects of sleep deprivation, she was in a strangely playful mood. As she approached quietly, she saw a single shadow sitting on the south-facing veranda.
"...Jin?" she called out softly.
"Saki? What are you doing up so late?"
"I could ask you the same thing. You're usually asleep by now. What's on your mind tonight?"
Jin let out a faint, pained chuckle. "...Just a few things. I've been doing a lot of thinking."
"...Where's Reiko-chan?"
"She's somewhere nearby, I'm sure. But I wanted to think things through on my own tonight."
"I see. It seems I've intruded, then. I saw your light was still on and got a bit curious. Goodnight, Jin."
As Saki turned to head back to the laboratory, Jin called out to her.
"Saki."
"Hmm?" She stopped and looked back.
"...Actually, would you mind listening for a bit? This is good timing."
"I don't mind, but I thought you wanted to be alone. And is it alright to leave Elsa out of this?"
"Yeah. I hit a dead end thinking by myself. And there are some things that are a bit... difficult to ask Elsa."
"Fair enough. I'm all ears." Saki walked back and sat down on the veranda beside him.
"I’ve been thinking that things can't stay the way they are," Jin began slowly. He spoke calmly, as if laying out his thoughts one by one. "I used to think that as long as I could live here on Hourai Island and do whatever I wanted, that would be enough. But my knowledge and technology deviate too much from the standards of this world. It's unnatural."
"..."
"If I were to rewrite this world according to my whims... that would be a 'cultural invasion.'" He spoke half to himself, half to Saki. "I didn't come up with that term myself. Apparently, it was a phrase left behind by the magus of Mitsuho."
"Jin... do you want me to just listen?" Saki asked, finding it hard to remain silent.
"Yeah. But feel free to jump in if anything bothers you."
Jin continued. "So I thought about it. My role as the Magi Craft Meister shouldn't be to lead a cultural invasion, but a fusion."
"Fusion, huh?" Saki repeated, nodding slowly. "I think you're right. But what's bothering you about that?"
As far as she had heard, she couldn't see why he was so troubled.
"That's the problem. How do I achieve a fusion?" Jin stopped there, looking at Saki as if asking for her perspective.
"Let's see... It shouldn't be forced. It shouldn't be sudden. And... it shouldn't cause friction, I suppose?"
Jin smiled and nodded. "Exactly. And if I were to add to that: it should make people happy, and it should be in a direction that is good for this world."
"Heh, that's very like you, Jin."
"...Thanks. So, how should I handle myself?"
Hearing that, Saki finally understood. Jin had lost sight of his own position. She asked herself what she could say to him.
"Hehe, Jin, you really do get strangely depressed sometimes. But I suppose that's just part of being human." She paused, then looked at him firmly. "Jin, don't try to shoulder everything by yourself. Talk to Elsa, talk to me, talk to Reinhard... talk to the Family. That's what friends are for. It feels like you're trying to carry the whole world, but there’s no need for that."
"...Is that so?"
Saki nodded with a warm smile. "It is. Whether you're the Magi Craft Meister or the Lord of Kunlun, the person inside is still just Jin."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're overthinking it. You've got it all wrong, Jin."
"I do?"
"Yes. Your knowledge, your technology, and your power—they aren't things you actively sought out, are they? Perhaps that's why you feel so overwhelmed by them. In that regard, I'm similar to you, so I can say this: Jin, don't let the things you've gained push you around."
"Push me around... huh."
"That's right. People in power will always want your strength. They'll try to use you. But that doesn't matter." Saki stopped, took Jin's hand in hers, and looked him straight in the eyes. "Jin, just do what you think is right. I—no, we will always be on your side. And if you're ever about to make a mistake, we'll be there to stop you."