"A successor... is that it?"
The speaker was Reiko.
Having been created by the Predecessor Magi Craft Meister, Adriana Barbora Tsetse, and having spent nearly a millennium searching for a successor after her creator's passing, Reiko arguably understood the weight of those words more than anyone else present.
"That’s right. People eventually wither and fade, but their feelings, their teachings, and their will... those are the things that are carried on."
Milowina’s words seemed intended for Jin, yet they also sounded like a mantra she was repeating to herself.
"A successor..."
Jin stole a glance at Elsa's face.
"?"
Unable to grasp the meaning behind his look, Elsa simply tilted her head in confusion.
Just as Jin was about to say something further, a voice interrupted.
『My Lord, we have discovered ruins in the middle reaches of the Dars River.』
"Oh! You found them?"
『Yes. These appear to be in excellent condition, retaining their original form.』
"That’s great news."
An image of the ruins' exterior was immediately projected onto the screen.
"Oh, my... this is..."
"Do you recognize it, Milowina-san?"
"Yes. Though I’ve only ever seen sketches in the archives. It is traditional Leonard Kingdom architecture."
"So this is it..."
What appeared on the screen was a pagoda—or at least, a building that looked identical to one.
On Earth, a pagoda was a tower used to house the remains of the Buddha. Jin wondered if some important relic was enshrined within this one.
"An interesting style," Elsa noted.
"The exterior looks like metal," Jin observed. "That’s probably why it’s stayed so well-preserved."
He didn't know how many centuries it had stood there, but parts of the structure still gleamed with a dull, golden luster.
The surrounding area was a rocky grassland where animals resembling goats were grazing. They had long, trailing coats that looked incredibly soft and warm.
"Maybe the grassland stayed intact because those animals were here," Jin mused.
"Jin-nii, that fur looks so warm."
"If I remember correctly, those animals are called Kashimir," Milowina added.
"If we sheared them and spun the wool, we could probably make some very high-quality yarn."
Jin’s hunch was spot on. The Kashimir were remarkably similar to Earth’s cashmere goats, and their wool had once been a luxury staple of the Former Leonard Kingdom. However, because they were native only to that region and difficult to breed, the industry had never taken root in other nations.
"I’d like to try raising them somewhere eventually... though I suppose now isn't the time for that."
The camera panned across the surrounding area. Stone buildings were scattered throughout the landscape.
"Ah, so this was a stone city," Milowina murmured nostalgically. Even if she had only ever seen it in records, it clearly brought her joy to see a remnant of her ancestral home.
The city didn't appear to have any walls, making it difficult to distinguish where the urban area ended and the wild land began.
『My Lord, there appear to be no dangerous creatures in the vicinity. We have surveyed the underground down to two thousand meters, and no magical beasts were detected.』
The fact that the herbivores were grazing so peacefully suggested there was little threat from predators.
"I see. In that case, it looks like we can actually head down there."
Jin was clearly eager.
"Yes, I would love to go," Milowina agreed.
With her endorsement, the decision was made. Since the Land and Raptor squads were already on-site, Jin and the others made quick preparations and departed aboard Konron 3.
As they flew over the coastline and moved inland, Jin pointed toward the floor.
"I’m opening the shutters."
At his command, a section of the floor became transparent. Or rather, a protective cover slid back to reveal a window.
"I made a few quick improvements earlier."
"Oh, how wonderful!"
"Jin-nii, when did you have time for this?"
"Something like this is a piece of cake."
A portion of the floor in Konron 3’s cabin was now made of a transparent material.
"It should make it easier to see the ground, right?"
"Yes, very much so. Thank you, Jin-kun."
It was a floor window made of cubic zirconia, reinforced with Toughening magic. Milowina stared through it at the passing landscape, her eyes wide with wonder.
Konron 3 arrived at the Dars River Ruins at 4:00 PM local time. On a summer day, the sun was still high and bright. On the grassland below, the Land squad had formed a defensive circle to secure the landing zone.
"Commencing landing."
The pilot, Edgar, performed a flawless descent, touching Konron 3 down right in the center of the Land squad's formation.
Impatient for the door to open, Milowina was the first to step out.
"Please, be careful!" Jin called after her.
"Jin-kun, your subordinates already confirmed the area is safe, didn't they? Then it's fine! Kai is with me, and I have the bracelet too."
Milowina walked toward the pagoda that towered about a hundred meters away.
"It’s exactly like the drawings... but the real thing is so much more magnificent."
Jin understood that feeling well. Back on Earth, it was common to think you knew a famous landmark from postcards or photos, only to be completely overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the real thing.
Jin decided to let Milowina have her moment with the ruins. He asked Elsa to stay with her while he stepped a short distance away to receive a report from Land 61.
"Master, there is a massive cavity beneath the surface here. We detect no mana signatures from it, so it is unlikely to be a nest for magical beasts."
"Right. What else?"
"The outer skin of that large building is made of 22-karat gold that has been reinforced to its limit."
"What...?"
Jin knew the Former Leonard Kingdom had been rich in mineral resources, but he was half-impressed and half-appalled that they would use that much gold on a building.
"To clarify, it is strictly an outer layer. It isn't solid gold; rather, a layer about one millimeter thick has been clad in 22-karat gold."
It wasn't exactly plating, but rather gold-cladding or leafing. Even so, the sheer volume of gold was staggering.
"The material beneath the gold appears to be a copper alloy."
Likely bronze enhanced with reinforcement magic, Jin figured.
"I see."
"Furthermore, there is something inside the structure emitting mana."
The scout explained that they couldn't determine anything more from the exterior.
"Hmm. A magi-brain or some kind of recording device, perhaps?"
The fact that it was emitting mana meant some kind of Magi Machine was present and still functioning.
"We must be cautious, Father."
Standing beside him, Reiko gently tugged on Jin’s sleeve. At that moment, Milowina and Elsa returned to them.
"Jin-kun, did you find something?"
"Yes, actually..."
Jin explained the findings from the Land squad's scan.
"I see. So we have to be careful about what’s waiting inside."
"Exactly. There shouldn't be any major threats, but there might be minor security measures or malfunctions."
With an active Magi Machine inside, he had to assume the worst.
"So, Jin-nii, what’s the plan?"
"First, we'll use a Doppel."
"Jin-kun, by 'Doppel,' do you mean your body double?"
"Yes, that's the one....For now, let's head back to Hourai Island."
The last ruins of the Former Leonard Kingdom.
Wishing to proceed with absolute caution, Jin returned to Hourai Island with Milowina and Elsa via Konron 3's Warp Gate to prepare for the final investigation.