Kehee Village, along with Tehadaki Village on the opposite side of Mount Zoikata, sat at the northernmost edge of the Shouro Empire.
While its latitude was similar to that of Kaina Village, being further inland made the climate significantly drier.
"The wheat is starting to ripen."
With April coming to a close, the season was on the cusp of early summer. Lush green heads of wheat stretched toward the sky, as if trying to pierce the heavens.
"Ah, spring is already making its exit, isn't it?"
Sentiments uncharacteristic of him slipped from Jin’s mouth. Perhaps nearly a month of traveling had left him feeling a bit sentimental.
They decided to stay the night in Kehee Village. Since the settlement lacked a proper inn, they consulted with the Village Chief and arranged to stay at his home.
Jin was the Lord of Kunlun, and Elsa was a former baronet, but they chose not to use their titles. They simply told the chief they were returning from a research expedition.
"My, my, it’s a rare thing for guests to visit such a remote village as this."
"What kind of people usually pass through here?" Jin asked, his interest piqued by the chief's words.
"Occasionally, we get those who call themselves alchemists."
"...My father might have come here as well, then," Saki murmured.
"Oh? Young lady, what might your father’s name be?"
When the Village Chief overheard her and asked, Saki replied, "His name is Toa."
"Master Toa? Yes, I remember him well. It was about a year ago, if I recall. He mentioned he was heading out to investigate the Kruger Mountains."
It seemed Saki’s father, Toa Eschenbach, had indeed visited this place.
"My father... I see. Did he happen to say anything else?"
The Village Chief thought for a moment at her question.
"Let me see... I believe I heard him mention he was searching for a missing friend."
As far as Saki knew, the only missing friend of her father's was Goose’s father, Mark. Saki considered her father’s heart, realizing that Mark must have been an irreplaceable friend to him.
Goose remained silent, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.
Since the Village Chief knew nothing more on the subject, they shifted the conversation.
"Do alchemists visit this village often?"
"No, even at our busiest, it's only one or two people a year."
Most visitors apparently used the village as a base for expeditions into the Kruger Mountains or the Harihari Desert.
"I see."
"I’ve heard the Kruger Mountains are rich in metallic resources," Saki added, her knowledge coming from her father.
"And they say rare minerals can occasionally be found in the Harihari Desert as well."
"You are very well-informed. Yes, indeed, I have a few such minerals in my home. I received them from an alchemist who stayed here previously. Would you like to see them?"
Saki jumped at the offer. "Yes, please!"
The Village Chief stepped into a back room for a moment and returned shortly, carrying a medium-sized box.
"Here they are."
"Oh!"
"Th-This is...!"
"My father received these about forty years ago from an alchemist who was visiting at the time," the chief explained.
Inside were stones that resembled roses made of sand.
"Desert roses..."
"The man who gave them to us apparently called them 'Sand Roses.'"
"...What a mysterious stone."
"To think such a shape could form naturally..."
"Did a rose turn into stone?"
"Wow, what an interesting stone!"
While everyone else was in awe, Jin recognized them from his high school science lab.
Commonly known as "desert roses," they were actually crystals of calcium sulfate—gypsum. (While some are barite, most are gypsum; barite is a sulfate mineral primarily composed of barium).
On Earth, the Sahara Desert was a famous source for them. Because Jin had seen them before, he wasn't quite as moved as the others, but the impact of seeing them for the first time was a nostalgic memory he looked back on fondly.
The next morning, Jin gave a gratuity to the Village Chief and departed Kehee Village in the automobile.
"Ah, today is the first of May."
The seasons had shifted while he wasn't looking; it was now May, and the early summer breeze was blowing. Since they were traveling south, the temperature felt even warmer.
"I’d like to reach Count Randol's territory today, even if we have to push ourselves a bit."
Compared to the trackless wastes they had been crossing, the roads were now better maintained, so Jin judged they could increase their speed.
Banne was about 250 kilometers away by road. Traveling at twenty-five kilometers per hour for ten hours, they might just make it.
"Father, why don't you call for Konron 2 already?"
"Ah, right..."
They were already within the Shouro Empire; there was no issue with Jin, the Lord of Kunlun, riding in Konron 2. The only concern was how to explain it to Goose.
The ship was currently moored on the roof of the mansion in Loizart, so it wouldn't take even two hours to reach them.
(How about we simply say you contacted them by some means along the way to have them meet us?)
Reiko suggested that adding one more secret to the pile wouldn't change much at this point. To put it bluntly, she was suggesting they just stop hiding it.
"I suppose that's fine....Alright, Reiko, let's do that."
"Yes!"
Reiko first contacted Laojun via her internal manacam and left the detailed arrangements to him. As for Goose, they would decide whether or not to bring him into the Jin Family later after careful consideration.
With the plan decided, Jin had the automobile slow down. Since their location was likely being tracked by the Watcher and magi-radars anyway, there was no need to stay perfectly still, though he didn't go as far as stopping entirely.
"Father, it's here."
About two hours later, Reiko announced the approach of Konron 2.
"Alright, let's stop the car."
They were in an empty plain between villages, which was perfect for their needs.
"Jin, what's this 'Konron 2' you've been talking about?" Goose asked, looking perplexed.
"Seeing is believing. Look, over there."
Jin pointed to the sky as Konron 2 began its descent.
"W-Whoa! What is that?!"
Whether his shout was one of surprise or terror remained to be seen.
Leaving the frantic Goose to his own devices, Konron 2 touched down.
"Good work, Lily, Rose."
The doors opened, and Lily and Rose of the SP unit appeared. Steward followed them out.
"Come on, Goose, let's go."
Saki urged the shell-shocked Goose forward.
Jin and the others, including Edgar and Aaru, boarded Konron 2. Steward took charge of the automobile in their stead. They planned to travel directly to the mansion in Loizart, though they might stop by Hourai Island on the way.
Once all the luggage was transferred, Konron 2 took off.
"W-Whoa! We're—we're flying!"
"Heh, of course we are. It was built to fly, after all."
Saki spent the entire time soothing the utterly bewildered Goose.