The next day, Jin’s first stop was the Kingdom of Elias.
It had been some time since he’d last seen Marcia and Rodrigo, and he hoped to get their professional input on the spaceship’s construction.
"It has been a while since we were last here," Elsa noted. She was accompanying him as usual.
As they emerged from the sea cave where the Warp Gate was located, the familiar hue of the ocean stretched out before them.
"It feels a bit different from Hourai Island," Jin mused.
Hourai Island sat in the middle of a vast ocean, whereas Port Rock Town was situated at the southern tip of a peninsula. Perhaps the differing geographical conditions played a role, he thought.
"The smell of the tide is different, too." Elsa’s nose twitched. It was likely the scent of the bustle of everyday life that defined Port Rock Town.
Glancing at the Sea Roar Pavilion as they passed, they made their way through the streets toward Marcia’s workshop. He had already confirmed that she was back today.
"Hello there."
"Ah, Jin-san, Elsa-san!"
Jeremy, who was minding the shop, noticed the two of them and stood up in a hurry—only to trip over a chair and tumble to the floor.
"Ouch..."
Elsa rushed over to the teary-eyed Jeremy.
"Heal <Verheilen>."
She cast her Healing magic, and the pain vanished instantly. Jeremy was overcome with gratitude.
"Th-thank you so much!"
Her intensity was so great she looked as if she were about to start worshipping her, causing Elsa to pull back slightly.
"Y-you’re very welcome," Elsa managed to reply.
"Hey, Jin, Elsa. Long time no see."
Hearing the commotion, Marcia emerged from the back of the workshop.
"I heard it was Reinhard’s birthday the other day. I’m sorry I couldn't make it," Marcia said with an apologetic look.
Jin reassured her. "Don't worry, Reinhard isn't the type to be bothered by that."
"I hope so... So, what brings you here today?"
"Well, I was hoping to get your opinion on something, Marcia."
Marcia’s face lit up at Jin’s words. "Is that so? As it happens, Jin, I had something I wanted to talk to you about as well!"
They moved into the workshop area to hold their discussion.
"Oh, Jin-dono, Elsa-dono."
Marcia’s father, Rodrigo, was there, busy working on a ship design.
"Father, perfect timing. Let’s ask him about that matter we were discussing."
"Ah, yes, let’s do that."
A booth for design and evaluation had been set up in the back of the workshop. The four of them—Jin, Elsa, Marcia, and Rodrigo—took their seats around a table. Reiko stood faithfully by Jin’s side.
"Please, have some Kuhe."
The golem, Arrow, brought over the drinks.
"Thank you. How have you been, Arrow?"
"I am doing well, thank you. There have been no malfunctions at all."
After Marcia had been shipwrecked, Arrow had overexerted herself during the rescue operation. Jin had later upgraded her to Hourai Island standards, so it was no surprise she was performing flawlessly under normal conditions.
"Now then, let's hear Jin's story first," Marcia said.
"Right. How should I put this..."
Since he couldn't use Trans Info on Marcia and Rodrigo, he had given them technical books edited by Laojun to read instead. Recalling that the concept of a spaceship should have been mentioned in those texts, Jin began his explanation.
"I’m currently developing a spaceship capable of reaching the Moon. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for features or functions that would be good to have."
The room went silent. Marcia and Rodrigo were left utterly speechless.
"...The... the Moon..." Marcia eventually managed to stammer.
Jin and Elsa waited patiently, allowing them time to process the shock. By the time they had finished their second cups of Kuhe, the two finally seemed to "reboot."
"...Phew. I thought I’d realized by now that Jin was beyond all common sense, but I never imagined you were actually going to the Moon."
"Even when I heard you’d launched something called a Watcher, I could hardly believe my ears," Rodrigo added.
"That is Father for you," Reiko chimed in with perfect timing.
"Anyway, you wanted our opinions, right?" Marcia said, pulling herself together.
"I suppose we can compare it to a ship heading out into the open sea for a long duration," Rodrigo suggested. To Jin, his perspective was quite refreshing. "If it were me, I’d start missing Marcia’s face."
"F-Father!"
However, Jin took the suggestion seriously, viewing it as a need for a communication system.
(I see. A communication device to keep in constant contact with the surface... or rather, Hourai Island. If I'm doing that, it should handle video as well as voice—a manacam. I might even need relay stations...)
Drawing on his knowledge of modern Japan, Jin began distilling the idea into something feasible.
"Also, even if it's only occasionally, I’d want to eat a truly delicious meal."
"Ah, that’s a good point."
A diet prioritized solely for nutritional balance would eventually become tiresome. Although he hadn't decided exactly how long the space voyage would last, Jin thought it would be a good idea to have a special menu at least once a day.
"For me, if I were out at sea, I’d want to see a beautiful sunset or sunrise," Marcia said.
From her comment, Jin decided to incorporate a viewing room where passengers could look out at space with their own eyes.
"And... you get bored when the weather is bad..."
That remark made Jin realize the necessity of an entertainment room.
While Laojun would likely track all these requirements through Reiko, Jin made his own notes, incorporating his personal thoughts.
With his questions answered, it was finally time to address Marcia’s concerns.
"Thank you. That was very helpful. Now, what was it you wanted to consult me about?"
"Right, let’s get straight to it..."
Marcia gave a quick instruction to Arrow. The golem left the booth and returned a moment later carrying an object, which she placed on the table.
"I want you to take a look at this."
"What is it?"
Before Jin was a cylindrical device with a single shaft extending from its center.
"We were calling it a magi rotation device."
"A magi rotation device?" Jin repeated, though his eyes were already glued to it.
(A motor...!)
"A certain magi craftsman came up with the idea," Marcia explained. "A golem drive unit doesn't quite provide enough RPM to drive a screw effectively." It seemed the craftsman’s name had already been forgotten.
"Hmm..."
Jin examined the device’s function without dismantling it.
"I see, I see. There's a rotating shaft inside, and it uses wind magic to spin it."
In principle, it was similar to the magi turbine Jin had developed previously.
"But surely this lacks torque, doesn't it?"
When Jin pointed out the flaw, Marcia and Rodrigo nodded in unison.
"Exactly. If the screw is even a little too large, it won't turn at all."
"A golem drive unit lacks RPM, but this lacks power. It’s a real dilemma."
"I see..."
Jin had already mastered the Jet Thruster. In his own development, he had leaped straight from paddleboats to water jet propulsion, leaving this particular middle ground as a technological blank spot.
"I can't let this stand," Jin thought, beginning to tackle the problem in earnest.