"Hmm..." Milowina murmured. "So the ruins were really this small."
Jin felt he understood her sentiment. The gate, which resembled a torii, wasn't even two meters tall, and the hokora itself was only about the same height as Reiko—roughly 130 centimeters. The stone statues resembling komainu were barely a meter high. As far as one's mental image of "ancient ruins" went, these were certainly diminutive.
Regardless of their size, a decision had to be made. "...What should we do with this place?"
Now that Jin had retrieved the magi-crystal stored inside, the site had served its primary purpose. If left as it was, it would eventually rot, weather away, or be vandalized. In any case, it would not remain intact for long.
"Alright, let's relocate it," Jin decided.
"...Eh?"
"We'll restore it and enshrine it in a corner of the garden back on Hourai Island."
『My Lord, I have received your instructions. I shall dispatch the Sappers immediately.』
Laojun, who had been monitoring the situation, responded instantly. By Sappers, he meant a Smith squad.
"Understood. I'll leave that to you."
Jin felt it would be a terrible waste to let these ruins, which reminded him so much of Japan and had survived for over a thousand years, simply crumble into nothingness.
＊ ＊ ＊
Since there was nothing else of note at the site, the group decided to return to Hourai Island. If they ever wished to return, they could do so in an instant using the transporter, so there was no reason to linger.
"...I'm sorry," Milowina said.
"For what?" Jin asked, a note of confusion in his voice.
"After making such a big deal about thousand-year-old ruins, they turned out to be quite underwhelming..."
"No, this is incredibly precious. It is, after all, a record left behind by the Magus."
"The 'Magus'... I see. Was he truly such an incredible person?"
"Ah, I suppose I should start from the beginning."
It seemed Milowina didn't know much about the historical figure. Aboard the Konron 3 during the flight back to Hourai Island, Jin decided to explain his own origins and what they had discovered about Shuuki Tsetse so far.
"...I see. So you came here from another world, Jin-kun..."
Milowina didn't seem particularly surprised. When Jin pointed this out, she offered a gentle smile.
"Hehe, reality often produces events far more outrageous than any story, you know. Besides, stories are frequently based on things that actually happened."
Having lived in a closed world for so long, it seemed Milowina had spent much of her time reading such tales.
"To me, the entire world of Ars was like something out of a storybook."
"I suppose that's one way to look at it..."
Just then, Elsa arrived with snacks and drinks. "It's a little past three. Please, have some."
"Oh, thanks."
"My, how lovely."
Having grown thirsty, the timing was perfect for the group. Jin was served a lightly carbonated citran juice, while Milowina received persica juice. The snacks consisted of topopo chips and senbei. Jin had been craving something slightly salty, so it hit the spot.
"Don't eat too much," Elsa warned him. It would be dinner time by the time they reached Hourai Island.
＊ ＊ ＊
They arrived back at Hourai Island at 7:00 PM, Hourai Island Time.
『Welcome back, My Lord, Elsa-sama, Milowina-sama.』
Laojun greeted them upon their return. As Elsa had anticipated, dinner was already waiting.
『The menu is daikon porridge.』
It was a selection chosen specifically with Milowina in mind, as she was likely exhausted from the day's travels. The vibrant green of the daikon leaves was a testament to the care Perido had put into the cooking.
"Oh, this is delicious."
"...Mm, it is."
"Tastes great."
Since the daikon was completely pesticide-free, even the colorful leaves were a delight. While it was delicious with just a sprinkle of salt, one could vary the flavor with umeboshi, niboshi, or tsukudani according to their preference.
"That was a wonderful meal," Milowina said, looking quite satisfied.
『My Lord, may I provide a report?』 Laojun spoke up while they were finishing their post-meal hojicha.
"Yeah, go ahead. It's about that fox statue, right?"
『Yes. It was indeed a magi-crystal containing stored information—a record left by the Magus, Shuuki Tsetse.』
"Just as I thought. And?"
『Interestingly, the first half consists of very brief, businesslike entries. However, the latter half is written in great detail, much like his previous diary.』
Hearing that, Jin wondered what had transpired in Shuuki Tsetse's life.
『Intriguingly, these records were made by Shuuki Tsetse himself.』
"Eh? Wasn't he unable to use magic?"
『Correct. Therefore, it appears he created a magic tool specifically for the Write In process.』
"That's a clever idea..."
Regardless, that wasn't the most important part.
『Shall I deliver the full report here?』
Jin held up a hand. "Wait. Since we're all here, let's call the other Jin Family members first."
『Understood. I shall make the arrangements.』
When the rest of the family was informed that a new record from the Magus had been found, Reinhard, Toa, Stearena, Saki, and Vivienne all expressed their desire to hear it. Marcia and her father were tied up with an urgent request, while Beena and Earl Kuzuma had to pass as the Earl had been summoned to the capital, Asunt. Jin planned to share the details with the absentees in writing later.
＊ ＊ ＊
Due to the five-hour and twenty-minute time difference with the Shouro Empire, the guests all arrived later that same evening. It was 9:00 PM, Hourai Island Time.
After Jin introduced Milowina to the group, he signaled Laojun to begin.
『Then I shall start. As I mentioned, the initial portion was extremely concise.』
Everyone recalled how Shuuki Tsetse's diary after losing his beloved Adriana had become painfully administrative, containing only the barest facts.
『On December 3, 2339, Shuuki Tsetse entered the territory of the current Shouro Empire.』
At the time, the Empire had not yet been founded; there were only scattered, independent settlements.
『On February 5, 2340, Shuuki Tsetse entered the land believed to be the Ancient Dinar Kingdom along with five disciples. This corresponds to the territory of the current Celuroa Kingdom. There was no record of what it was called at that specific time.』
It seemed the Magus's ideology was difficult for the local residents to accept, and Shuuki Tsetse crossed through the Dinar Kingdom in haste. This explained why he remained largely unknown within the Allied Kingdoms.
From there, the group headed toward the Leonard Kingdom. It was there that he was destined to have his second "fate-changing encounter."