With the mysteries of the moon, Uni, finally unraveled and a moment of peace at hand, Jin found himself overcome by a restless desire to visit the facility in person.
"What do you think, Laojun?" he asked, seeking the advisor's opinion.
"I believe it would be acceptable," Laojun replied. "Safety has been verified over the last several days, and I see no issue so long as Reiko accompanies you."
"Oh!"
"However," Laojun added, "only on the condition that you first travel to the central bridge of the Adriana via a Warp Gate, and then proceed into Uni's interior using a transporter."
"...Well, I suppose that will have to do."
It wasn't exactly a thrilling way to travel, but since both Laojun and Reiko were immovable on this point, Jin had no choice but to concede.
"...In that case, I'm coming too," Elsa spoke up.
"Elsa?"
"Indeed," Laojun chimed in. "With Elsa-san present, I trust My Lord will refrain from anything even remotely reckless."
"...You really don't trust me, do you?"
"No, Father," Reiko said gently. "Laojun is only concerned for your well-being. He wants to ensure nothing happens to you, and I feel exactly the same way."
"...I understand. I'll do it your way."
And so, it was settled. Jin would visit the moon—Uni—accompanied by Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar.
"My Lord, please be discerning with your equipment," Laojun advised.
At the very least, a spacesuit capable of withstanding a vacuum was mandatory. Jin decided to wear the lightweight suit made of Ground Spider resin (GSP) that had been undergoing tests recently.
When Laojun warned him that the suit would hinder his movement if it bloated due to the pressure difference—adding that this was still preferable to suffocating—Jin silently vowed to engineer a much higher-performance spacesuit in the future.
As a temporary safeguard, the suit was equipped with a barrier to prevent air leakage. If the ambient pressure dropped suddenly, the barrier would activate first, preventing immediate exposure to the vacuum. This was intended to buy enough time for the wearer to don a helmet equipped with an internal air supply.
"Just how likely is it that such a disaster would occur...?" Jin muttered.
"Even if the likelihood is effectively zero, it is not absolute zero," Laojun stated flatly. Jin had no comeback for that.
He also packed some Persica juice and fresh Persica fruit. Unlike No. 700672, he suspected Milowina would genuinely appreciate the gift. Throughout the preparations, they took extreme care to ensure no surface pathogens would be brought into the lunar environment.
"I'll be with you, so it will be fine," Elsa reassured him. Her expertise in medical matters made Jin feel much more at ease regarding such risks.
"I think that's everything..."
"My Lord, please take a marker with you," Laojun reminded him. "If you find yourself lacking anything, we can send it to you immediately."
With their preparations complete, Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar set off.
Their first stop was the central bridge of the Adriana. Since the air and gravity were kept at the same levels as the surface of Ars, the transition felt entirely seamless. There were no windows, so without the monitors—the magi-screens—displaying the void of space and the surface of Uni, one wouldn't even know they had left the atmosphere.
"...Are we really in space?" Elsa asked, her skepticism understandable.
"Welcome, My Lord, Elsa-sama, Lady Reiko, and Master Edgar."
The Control Brain governing the Adriana, Taisei, greeted the group.
"Taisei, what's the status?"
"Everything is in order, My Lord. The Adriana is performing excellently, and the construction of the space base is progressing on schedule."
"Master, welcome to space."
Anne arrived a moment later.
"Please forgive my late arrival to greet you. I was in the middle of inspecting the base under construction."
"Don't worry about it, Anne. I know you've been working hard."
"Thank you, Master."
"We're heading to Uni now," Jin said. "Lead the way."
"Understood. I assume you have the transporter for the return trip?" Having been briefed by Laojun, Anne performed a final check. Once satisfied, Taisei engaged the transporter and sent the group into the interior of Uni.
"This is the inside of Uni," Anne explained.
Jin and the others looked around. Even though he had seen it through the eyes of his Doppel, Jin D, seeing it with his own eyes stirred a profound sense of awe.
"Is this still part of the isolation facility?" Elsa asked, verifying what she had seen previously on the magi-screens.
"Yes, Elsa-sama."
[Welcome, Jin-sama and guests.]
The facility's Control Brain, Jack, addressed them.
"So you're Jack. This is the first time we've spoken directly. I'm Jin. Once the safety protocols are finished, we intend to see Milowina-san."
[Understood. I shall perform Sterilization and Cleanup.]
Once Jack had completed the procedures, Elsa performed her own assessment.
"Diagnose... I judge that we are safe."
With that, Jack guided the group to a teleportation magic circle and transferred them to the deepest sector of Uni. Anne took the lead, guiding them through the pristine white facility.
"This is Milowina-san's room."
[Welcome. Milowina-sama has been expecting you.]
Having been alerted by Jack, a nursing golem appeared and welcomed the group inside. Within the room, Milowina was sitting partially upright in her bed to receive them.
"Welcome, Jin-san."
"This is the first time meeting you in the flesh. I am Jin Nidou. This is Elsa, my fiancée."
"My, what a lovely young woman. It is a pleasure to meet you, Elsa-san."
"The pleasure is mine," Elsa replied politely.
"This is Reiko, and that is Edgar. You already know Anne. They are all automata."
"Oh, what charming children."
After the introductions, they got down to business. Their primary concern was Milowina's health.
"Elsa is a highly skilled healer," Jin explained. "Would you permit her to examine you?"
"My, I think I shall."
Milowina lay back as Elsa approached her bedside.
"Diagnose. Diagnose. Diagnose..."
Elsa performed the examination in stages, checking the head, chest, and abdomen with meticulous detail.
"...I understand. You are generally healthy, though your kidneys and spleen are slightly weakened. Heilverfahren."
Elsa performed the advanced internal treatment, and a soft, pale light enveloped Milowina.
"Additionally, your bone density has decreased. It is important that you maintain a balanced intake of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus."
"Oh, is that so?"
Milowina seemed to follow Elsa's explanation perfectly—an impressive feat.
"I also recommend starting some light exercise in this low gravity," Elsa continued. "If you remain stationary, your bones and muscles will only grow weaker."
"That makes sense. Thank you for the advice."
Jin then produced the Persica and Persica juice he had brought.
"These are nutrient-rich fruits and juice. Please, have some."
The sweet, fresh aroma of Persica filled the room.
"Ah, what a lovely scent. We have a farm here on Uni, but we didn't have... Persica?"
So there really is a farm, Jin thought. He learned later that the facilities on Uni had been designed to support 1,000 people initially, and subsequent expansions had increased that capacity to 5,000.
The crops included wheat, barley, round beans, red-eyed peas, black-eyed peas, leafy greens, and root vegetables. For animal protein, they farmed trout and raised kokarisk. Since Milowina was now the sole inhabitant, seeds and animal embryos were kept in cryogenic storage. Jin was deeply impressed by the Progenitors' mastery of biotechnology.
"Oh, this is delicious."
Reiko quickly peeled a Persica and offered it to Milowina, who finished it with gusto.
"My appetite seems to have returned. I wonder if I have Elsa-san to thank for that."
The healing magic had evidently improved the function of her digestive system.
"I'm very glad to hear that," Jin said, pleased that his gift was well-received.
They spent about an hour conversing with the rejuvenated Milowina before taking their leave for the day.
"Thank you, Jack."
[Not at all. You are welcome to visit at any time.]
"By the way," Jin added, "do you have any information regarding deep-space navigation?" Since Jack was the former Control Brain of a Heavenly Ship, Jin had held out some hope.
[No. While I am a 'Control Brain,' my primary function was life management. I do not possess detailed navigation data.]
"Is that right?"
[Yes. Furthermore, the navigation-specialized brain was transplanted into a small Heavenly Ship and departed for space roughly 1,400 years ago. It has not returned since.]
"I see..." It was a bit of a letdown, but Jin figured he would just have to figure that part out himself, one step at a time. "One more thing... the people who passed away over the years. Were they buried?"
It was a delicate question, but Jin felt he had to ask.
[Yes. The remains of the people of the Leonard Kingdom and those who arrived on the Heavenly Ship all rest beneath the surface of Uni.]
"I understand..."
The Progenitors who had settled here had slowly dwindled until they were gone. And now, the line of the Former Leonard Kingdom was down to Milowina, the final survivor. The thought filled Jin with a sense of the world's transience. Even so, he felt a small measure of relief knowing their remains hadn't simply been reduced to their component atoms.
With those final thoughts, the group returned to the Adriana via the transporter.
"Phew. I'm surprisingly exhausted."
"...Me too," Elsa agreed. They shared a tired but meaningful smile.
"Anne, I'm sorry to ask this of you, but please stay here a while longer to supervise the base construction."
"Of course, Master. I will give it my all."
While Jin's curiosity about the cosmos was endless, he knew the importance of securing his foundations. Vowing to move forward with steady, certain steps, Jin returned to Hourai Island with Elsa.