"What about this barrier?" Jin asked, pressing for more information.
"When the free ether concentration plummeted about three hundred years ago, many Magi Machines became sluggish," Palma explained. "The barrier covering the town was affected as well, but they compensated by bringing in additional generators from the surrounding settlements."
"I see."
It was straightforward logic: if efficiency dropped to a third, you simply tripled the number of machines.
"That consolidation happened about a hundred and fifty years ago. As the residents of the other towns dwindled, they moved here as well, increasing the local population. As a result, it seems that Naminte alone was able to persist as it always had."
"Wait. 'It seems'?" Jin questioned the ambiguous phrasing regarding a town right next to them.
"Yes. Nine barrier generators were brought here, representing the nine towns that migrated in. Upon arrival, the people shut themselves away and severed all communication with the outside world."
Since the barrier had been reinforced threefold by simple arithmetic, even Palma didn't know much about what happened inside.
"In all likelihood, they feared diseases being brought in from the outside."
"..."
Jin recalled reading stories where travelers from the outside world inadvertently introduced viruses to isolated societies, leading to their total destruction.
"I see... They chose this path for themselves. It’s not for us to meddle."
"Yeah, you're right, Jin," Saki agreed.
"Mm," Elsa added with a small nod.
"Human societies take all sorts of forms, after all," Goose remarked.
Hanna remained silent. As expected, she didn't quite have an opinion of her own on the matter yet.
As for Jin, interfering in the way people chose to live felt like more than he should handle. He preferred to avoid overstepping. Furthermore, if an uninvited visit resulted in the spread of pathogens fatal to the townspeople, he would never be able to forgive himself.
Jin and his companions decided to leave the town of Naminte as it was.
"Well then, we've achieved our goal. Let’s head back."
"Sounds like a plan. That was the schedule, anyway."
Jin decided to leave Palma here to manage the facility for now. Naturally, he had installed a Teleportation marker.
"I'll come back for you soon, so keep an eye on things a while longer."
"I have received your command, My Lord."
With Goose present, this was as much as Jin could say.
They stayed at the laboratory that night. Since Baseth IX—now Palma—had been maintaining the place meticulously, all the facilities were fully operational. There were five other maintenance golems as well, ensuring that the entire site, not just Palma’s immediate area, was kept in top shape.
Because of this, the group was able to use the baths, allowing everyone to relax in comfort.
"I wonder if this is the same bath Shuuki used," Jin mused.
Just imagining it brought a deep sense of history to the moment. Though they had to rely on their own brought-in food, the bedding was well-provided, and everyone was able to sleep with their limbs stretched out for the first time in ages.
The following morning, Jin and the others passed through a temporarily deactivated section of the barrier and began their journey home.
"That was a fairly meaningful trip," Jin muttered with a satisfied look as they drove.
"Yeah, it was fun!" Hanna chirped in agreement. In truth, Hanna might have been the one who gained the most from this journey.
"Now then, let's talk about our route," Jin said, looking over a simple map with the group. "If we round Mount Funisis just right, we should be able to enter the Shouro Empire by skimming the northern edge of the Harihari Desert."
In reality, Jin had access to much more detailed maps provided by the Air Force golems and confirmed by the Watcher satellite, but for this discussion, he used a map showing the general terrain.
"Looking at it this way, I think this is better than doubling back to Fusou and then heading to Mitsuho from there."
If they rounded the western side of Mount Zoikata, they would reach a village called Kehee. From there, a highway led straight toward the territory of Reinhard's father, Count Wolfgang Randol von Morgan. It was also quite close to the territory of Saki's grandfather, Marquis Gehren Teoderic von Eisen.
"I think that way is fine," Saki said, being the first to agree. "I think there's real value in scouting out new routes like this. Besides, that route should be close to the one Goose's father might have followed, right?"
"You've got sharp intuition, Saki. Exactly. Though, obviously, we won't be driving straight through the Harihari Desert."
Jin was implying that the automobile wouldn't be able to handle the deep dunes.
"Jin, I appreciate it. I know it’s bold of me to ask when you're the one providing the ride, but I’d really like to see the path my father might have taken," Goose said. He wasn't demanding it, but the desire was clear in his voice.
"Alright, it's settled. We'll head back that way."
That evening, they decided to camp in Naigo, a town just before Battalf. They wanted to avoid the potential complications of entering Battalf itself. Having stopped here on the way out, they knew the town was uninhabited and safe, so they drove the automobile right into the center of the settlement.
"Reiko, do you sense any living things?" Jin asked, wondering if any wild beasts had moved in.
"No, Father. Likely due to the lack of food, there doesn't seem to be a trace of any such creatures."
There was no grass, which meant no small animals or insects. Consequently, there were no predators to hunt them.
"I see."
Even so, Jin made sure to have a barrier deployed just in case.
After dinner, Jin looked up at the sky where a faint twilight still lingered. He checked the tent that Edgar and Aaru had pitched for them. He noticed a single figure standing outside.
"Elsa, what's wrong? You seem a bit down."
Jin had noticed that Elsa had been even quieter than usual ever since they left Naminte.
"...It's nothing."
"It's not nothing. Are you running a fever?"
As he spoke, Jin reached out and placed his hand on Elsa's forehead.
"Ah..."
"Hmm, you don't seem to have a temperature."
Elsa gave him a faint, self-deprecating smile. "Jin-nii... even if I felt unwell, I could... Behandeln myself."
"Well, that might be true, but if you're too sick, you might not even be able to activate Healing magic."
Elsa giggled softly. "Thank you for worrying about me. It's... not that." She lowered her voice as she began to explain. "I realized again today that Jin-nii has no family in this world, and I felt so sorry..."
It seemed she had been dwelling on what Palma had said earlier that day. It was very typical of her, but Jin couldn't help but give a wry smile.
"Don't be silly. Ever since you became my sister figure, you've been my family, Elsa. Or was I the only one who thought so?"
Elsa's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, and then her cheeks flushed a deep red.
"...Mm. I am already... Jin-nii's family."
Looking truly happy, she rested her head against Jin's shoulder.
Despite that brief moment of melancholy, the journey back proceeded smoothly.
On the 27th, they camped again near Adriana's laboratory. On the 28th, they bypassed Mount Funisis and reached the northern edge of the Harihari Desert.
"We should be able to cross the border tomorrow," Jin declared with a sense of accomplishment.
While there were no clear markers in this wilderness, he judged the border to be the line connecting the ridge of Mount Funisis to the northern tip of the desert.
On the 29th, they crossed over and officially entered the Shouro Empire. Their next landmark was Mount Zoikata. It was roughly the same height as Mount Funisis, but its peak was more rounded and substantial.
By following the contour lines of the terrain, they avoided any extreme inclines and made steady progress. By the time they stopped to camp, they had reached a point roughly 100 kilometers northwest of Kehee village.
"We'll reach Kehee tomorrow."
"Hehe, I've finally started to miss civilization," Saki said, voicing a sentiment they all shared.