Having taken his leave of No. 700672, Jin turned his attention to the aftermath of the recent incident.
"My Lord, Taihaku and I have re-evaluated the matter of the giant Elradrite and the eight soldiers from the Celuroa Kingdom," Laojun reported.
Taihaku was the magi-brain Jin had acquired during the recent magifortress incident. A military-grade processor built during the Great Magic War, it currently oversaw Kunlun Island. Given its original purpose, it was highly proficient at strategic planning.
"You suggested telling them that Maquina found the soldiers, but we believe it would be wiser to reconsider. We have prepared an alternative proposal."
"Alright, let's hear it."
"Understood. First, just to confirm: the primary goal is to prevent the public disclosure of the Origin, the servants, and the demon race. Is that correct?"
"Yeah, that’s right."
Jin’s intent was to wait until the World Conference to reveal such world-altering information to all nations simultaneously. Until then, he preferred to keep it under wraps.
"Very well. With that in mind, how does this suggestion sound?" Laojun began. "First, we say that while you were in the Celuroa Kingdom, you saw footage sent by a specialized golem and surmised that there was an underground facility somewhere in the region."
"Mm-hmm."
That wasn't entirely a lie, though Jin had discovered the exact location almost immediately afterward.
"Next, since magical beasts were previously found underground in the Former Leonard Kingdom, you conducted an independent investigation centered on that area."
"Right, right."
There was nothing unnatural about that claim; his actual actions could easily be framed in that light.
"And then, beneath the Elrad Mine, you finally discovered the site."
"Well, I suppose that’s one way to put it."
"During your search, you found a massive piece of Elradrite. However, instead of returning to the surface immediately, you continued your investigation further underground."
Jin nodded. That would serve as a valid reason for the delay in reporting the find.
"Furthermore, you discovered mysterious ruins deep below, where you found the eight missing soldiers."
"I see."
Jin agreed that the story progressed logically. The real question was the conclusion.
"When you attempted to investigate the ruins, some kind of security system was triggered... depending on the situation, we may not even need to mention this part... but the facility collapsed."
Since the facility actually had been destroyed, this was a safe claim to make.
"As for who rescued the soldiers, we believe it is best to state that it is unknown. After all, the ruins no longer exist."
Laojun emphasized that the crucial points were the survival of the eight men and the recovery of the giant Elradrite.
"You think so? I'm worried someone will eventually try to investigate those underground ruins."
"On that point, My Lord, if anyone else possesses the technology to reach such depths, trying to hide the truth would be futile anyway."
Jin considered this. With the current technological level of the world, he doubted anyone unaffiliated with Hourai Island could reach 3,000 meters underground to survey a collapsed facility. Conversely, if a nation reached the point where they could do so, concealment would be impossible regardless.
"Yeah, you're probably right."
Finally, Jin gave instructions to analyze the data from the magi-crystal within the Jin Double's magi-recorder—the device that should have captured the information sent via Send Info from the two No. 600012 units.
On March 22, Konron 2 was en route to the Celuroa Kingdom.
Aboard the vessel were Jin, Reiko, Elsa, and Edgar. Steward served as the pilot, assisted by the new girl-type SP golems, Lily and Rose. The passengers were the eight soldiers of the Celuroa Kingdom.
Elsa had spent the entirety of the twenty-first treating the eight men at Nidou. Nidou was chosen because its proximity to the Former Leonard Kingdom made it a location that could be disclosed to the soldiers without issue.
The eight soldiers had been kept in a magically induced sleep until they were ready for transport.
"Incredible! Is this really what the world looks like from the sky?"
"I heard this thing is even faster than our kingdom's airships."
"I can't tell if we're lucky to be riding this or unlucky to have gone through all that hell."
"Just be glad we're going home in one piece. That's luck enough for me."
"True. And we got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the clouds from above."
"That healing magic was something else, though."
"Yeah. Was that Elsa-sama, the Lord of Kunlun's fiancée?"
"She was gorgeous... more like a beautiful young girl, really."
Some talked excitedly about their first flight, while others praised Elsa for mending their broken bodies.
"Still, when we were surrounded by those monsters, I really thought it was over."
"Yeah. Just before I blacked out, I thought I saw a little girl."
"Don't be stupid, that was just a hallucination."
"I guess so. There's no way a kid would be out there..."
"Actually, I think I saw her, too."
"You must have misidentified something. There’s no reason for a girl to be in a place like that."
"I know, but still..."
"You were probably just losing your mind from the terror."
They spoke freely about the harrowing experiences etched into their memories. While the girl they remembered was undoubtedly Arshel, Jin and his companions remained silent, letting the men speculate as they wished.
Roughly three hours after departing Kaina Village, the Celuroa capital of Esaia came into view. Jin slowed Konron 2 and gradually lowered their altitude. By now, they would be visible from the Royal Palace.
Sure enough, two hot air balloons rose to intercept them. It appeared the kingdom had independently developed a propulsion system by mimicking what they had seen before. Their ingenuity was commendable.
"This is the Lord of Kunlun, Jin Nidou. I have returned eight of your kingdom's soldiers."
Jin used the wind-attribute magic Aco-tube to broadcast his voice to the balloon crews. One of the balloons immediately began its descent, likely to relay the message to the palace. Jin brought Konron 2 to a Stand Still at a safe altitude until he received a response from below. The other balloon remained hovering nearby to escort them.
Thirty minutes later, the royal guard could be seen forming ranks in the palace square. A large flag was waved, bearing the word "Welcome" in bold letters.
"I see, so they’ve developed a way to signal the sky."
Jin was impressed, though he made a mental note that a standardized international system for flag signals should be established soon.
As they touched down, King Cesar Valois de Celuroa himself came out to meet them. Jin stepped off the craft accompanied by Reiko, while Elsa followed with Edgar.
"Welcome, Jin-dono. And you as well, Lady Elsa."
"I trust Your Majesty is in good spirits."
After exchanging brief formal greetings, the King turned to the business at hand.
"Jin-dono, what is this about eight of our soldiers?"
"Your Majesty, I have brought good news."
"Good news?"
"Yes... Lily."
Lily, who had remained aboard Konron 2, opened the rear hatch.
"Oh...! You men!!"
The eight soldiers scrambled down and snapped into formation. King Cesar immediately recognized them as the men who had vanished during the teleportation incident at the Dali underground facility.
"I see, you are safe. This is good news indeed. Truly wonderful."
The eight soldiers were promptly handed over to the custody of Lagede, the First Military Minister.
"And I have one more thing to present... Rose."
"Yes."
A collective gasp went up from the gathered crowd. Rose emerged from Konron 2, effortlessly cradling the massive Elradrite.
"W-What is this?"
"An Elradrite I discovered within the Elrad Ruins."
"Incredible... I have never seen a specimen of this magnitude!" Rambeau, the Chief of the First Ministry of Internal Affairs, groaned in amazement.
Realizing it was inappropriate to continue such a significant discussion in the open, the King invited Jin and his companions inside the Royal Palace.