The teleportation magic circle deposited them in another reasonably spacious room.
«Please wait here. I will send a guide.»
“A guide?”
Before Jin D could even finish his question, the magic circle glowed again. A single golem was sent from elsewhere to join them.
«This is your guide. Please direct any further inquiries to it.»
With that, the base administrator went silent.
“I am Golem No. 28, the guide. Please tell me your names.”
“I’m Jin, and this is Anne.”
“Jin-sama and Anne-sama, I see. Recorded.”
Whether Golem No. 28 realized Jin and Anne were human was unclear, but for the time being, the unit had been assigned as their attendant.
“Can you tell me about this facility?” Jin D asked.
“My authority only allows me to provide basic information. Is that acceptable?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Go ahead.”
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin, Elsa, and Laojun monitored the interactions between Jin D and Golem No. 28, processing it all as intelligence. Laojun, in particular, was already organizing, storing, and expanding upon the data.
According to the report:
※ The room with the teleportation magic circle and this residential sector are not physically connected; travel between them is only possible via teleportation. ※ One cannot roam the facility without a guide golem, unless certain conditions are met. ※ There were traces of magic equivalent to Sterilization having been used.
Beyond that, they couldn't pry any more information regarding the facility's deeper secrets.
Furthermore, it appeared that every path leading out of the first teleportation room—aside from the one they had taken—was rigged with traps. Unintentionally, Jin’s intuition had saved them.
Additionally, the use of magic equivalent to Sterilization was likely a security measure to ensure no foreign pathogens were brought into the habitat.
＊ ＊ ＊
It seemed newcomers were restricted to a very limited area. This included the living quarters, a dining hall, an infirmary, a lounge, a recreation room, and a library.
The dining hall’s equipment was still operational and appeared to undergo periodic maintenance. To Jin and Elsa’s eyes, however, the infirmary's equipment was meager.
“Just a few beds?” Jin D muttered.
Beyond that, the room seemed useless unless a practitioner of Healing magic was present. Since there were no other residents currently in this sector, the lounge and recreation room served no purpose either.
And then there was the library. Just as they hoped to find useful reference materials, they discovered only about twenty books that looked like cheap pulp novels.
“The treatment for newcomers isn't exactly high-class,” Jin D remarked.
Back on the ground, Elsa pointed something out. “Jin-nii, you were being more blunt than usual.”
Jin realized he must have been tense despite his best efforts. He reflected on the critique, deciding he should watch his tone more carefully the next day.
Eventually, Jin D and Anne prepared to rest in their assigned room. Normally, neither unit required rest, but Jin himself—who was operating the Doppel—needed sleep.
“It's already nine o'clock. I'll have a light meal, take a bath, and then head to bed,” Jin said to the others in the command room.
On the Moon, Jin D lay down on the bed. Since Anne did not need to sleep, she stood guard as a sentry. In the event of an emergency, Laojun would take over Jin D's controls. For now, the Doppel would merely be "pretending to sleep" while Jin himself ate and rested back on Hourai Island.
“Anne, I'm leaving the rest to you.”
“Yes, please leave it to me.”
Operating a Doppel was mentally taxing. Even Elsa, who hadn't been controlling a unit for the latter half of the day, looked a bit weary. Despite having spent most of their time lying in the control pods, they were both hungry.
“This is delicious.”
“...It really is.”
“I am honored, Father,” Luna said. She had properly prepared a warm dinner for their return.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Ah, that feels wonderful.”
Jin stretched his limbs as he soaked in the Hourai Island hot spring.
“Father, things are generally going well, aren't they?” Reiko asked as she washed his back.
“Yeah, you're right. The Shinobi Squad that teleported in with Jin D will be investigating throughout the night. We should know more tomorrow—like what happened to the people of the former Leonard Kingdom.”
“I see. That is what has been weighing on your mind the most, isn't it?”
“...Phew.”
Elsa was also relaxing in the hot spring. Her attendant today was not Edgar, but Soleil. Despite being an automata, Elsa had recently begun to feel self-conscious about bathing with a male-model golem, even one that looked like a young boy.
“Jin-nii...” she whispered.
Just saying his name made a soft warmth bloom in her chest.
“Am I... properly supporting him?”
“Yes. Father relies on you very much, Elsa-sama,” Soleil answered.
“I’m happy to hear that.”
Elsa closed her eyes in the tub and exhaled. It felt as though her fatigue was draining away into the water.
＊ ＊ ＊
“...Goodnight.”
“Yeah, goodnight.”
Jin and Elsa finished their baths and prepared to retire to their respective rooms.
“Ah, wait, Elsa.”
Jin called out to stop her before she could turn away. He reached his hand toward her face. His fingers brushed her cheek gently.
“Ji-Jin-nii?” she stammered, her heart racing.
“...There, got it. Look, you had a stray hair stuck to you.” Jin pinched a strand of hair off her cheek and showed it to her.
“...Thank you.”
Elsa gave her thanks, but she felt a wave of dissatisfaction. She was so incredibly conscious of him, yet Jin was... well, Jin.
Thinking about it made her feel a little piqued. On an impulse, she took a bold step forward. Moving quickly, she pressed her lips lightly against Jin’s cheek.
“E-Elsa?!”
Jin was completely blindsided, looking utterly flustered by the sudden move.
Seeing his shock, Elsa didn't feel triumphant for long; she turned bright red herself.
“G-Goodnight!” she blurted out as if throwing the words at him, then bolted down the hallway.
She spent the rest of the night writhing under her futon in the privacy of her room.