Hanna had accompanied them on the journey from Mitsuho to Fusou Island, so she was already familiar with the Magus. However, she hadn't been present when the others investigated the second set of ruins with Milowina. Jin took a moment to explain what she’d missed.
"The Magus crossed the Allied Kingdoms and headed into the Former Leonard Kingdom. While he was there, he adopted a girl—the only survivor of a village wiped out by an epidemic. He taught her Craft Magic, too. The ruins we found in the Former Leonard Kingdom contained his records up to that point."
"I see. So this time, we're going to find out what happened after that?" Hanna asked.
"Exactly."
"That sounds like fun!" Hanna was clearly eager.
Jin, Elsa, Hanna, and Reiko made their way to Jin Castle.
"Hey, Jin."
"Morning, Saki."
Saki was already waiting for them. Having been contacted in advance, she had arrived via Warp Gate.
"Ah, it's Big Sister Saki!"
"It's been a while, Hanna-chan."
Reinhard hadn't been able to come this time due to his official duties, though he had asked to be informed of whatever they found. Stearena and Toa were both busy preparing for their own trip to Mitsuho; as formal diplomatic relations were soon to be established, the Chancellor was planning a visit, and the two had been chosen as official attendants. Vivienne was currently occupied traveling the Shouro Empire to collect folklore, and Milowina was taking it easy back on Uni.
As a result, the group for this expedition consisted of Jin, Elsa, Hanna, Saki, Reiko, Edgar, and Aaru. They boarded the Konron 3, with Edgar serving as the pilot and Pothos and Heath acting as his assistants.
"Wow, you can see everything below us!" Hanna cried.
"Oh? You modified the floor, Jin?" Saki looked impressed. "This is great. It’s a much better view than looking out the side windows."
"Well, the windows are still better for seeing things in the distance," Jin noted.
"It depends on what you're looking for, then."
As they chatted, the Konron 3 crossed the border into the Former Leonard Kingdom. Since it bordered Kaina Village, the flight was a short one. They maintained an altitude of roughly thirty meters to ensure the illusion barrier covering the kingdom wouldn't interfere with their vision.
"So, where exactly are we headed?" Saki asked.
"I was told it's along the coast."
The Sky squad, rather than the Land squad, had been conducting the initial survey, as the latter had been occupied with the World Conference.
"It’s a stretch of coast further north than the Dars River," Jin explained.
Saki nodded with interest and peered intently through the floor window at the terrain below.
"Father, we are nearly there," Reiko announced.
It seemed the Sky squad was already on-site. While not as powerful as the Land squad, they were still five times stronger than a typical combat golem. Combined with the aerial support of the Raptor and Falcon units, any local threats were negligible.
Five minutes later, the Konron 3 touched down on a cape facing the sea. Though the seaward side was a sheer cliff, the landward side offered a flat area roughly the size of a baseball field, making for an easy landing. Raptor 3 and Falcon 5 were already parked nearby; they deactivated their Invisible status as the group arrived.
"We have been waiting for you, Master," greeted Sky 30 and Sky 31.
"Good work. Now, where is this lead on the Magus?"
"Right this way."
Sky 30 led them toward the very edge of the cape. Reiko walked close behind Jin, ready to activate her force generator at a moment’s notice.
"It is here."
Sky 30 pointed to a natural stone standing atop the cape, overlooking the water.
"...'Final resting place of Shuuki Tsei. Recorded by daughter A*ana... June 29, 258'..."
Though some of the characters were weathered and illegible, the stone itself remained remarkably intact after a millennium, likely thanks to the Toughening magic applied to it.
"The date is likely June 29, 2358," Jin murmured, resting a hand gently on the monument. "Shuuki... I wonder what he thought while looking out at this sea."
He let his mind drift to the distant past. Was the man remembering the shores of his home in Tosa, or was he longing for Japan, his true home lost across time and space?
"But this is a memorial, not a grave," Elsa whispered.
"True. If there are any records of him left behind, they should be nearby." Jin surveyed the area around the monument, but nothing stood out. "If there’s anything to find, it’s probably underground. There aren't any buildings left standing around here."
"In that case, let us begin a search," Reiko suggested.
"Understood," Sky 30 said, moving to comply.
"Father, now that the World Conference is over, perhaps we should have Laojun dispatch the Land squad to assist?"
"Good idea. Reiko, please coordinate with Laojun."
"Certainly."
Three minutes later, fifty units from the Land squad were teleported to the site.
"Alright, you all know the objective?" Jin asked.
"Yes, Master," replied Land 51, the squad leader, with a salute before the units fanned out.
Meanwhile, Hanna gazed out at the ocean from the cliff’s edge, with Sky 31 standing by her side as a safeguard. Saki stood with her, attended by Aaru.
"Big Sister Saki, the sea is so pretty!"
"It really is, Hanna-chan."
The waters around Hourai Island and Kunlun Island were relatively calm, but the waves here were wild and crashing. The sight was novel enough that the two could watch it for hours without getting bored.
"Grand Search."
The Land squad began their systematic probe of the earth. With Jin and Reiko joining in, it was a fifty-two-person operation. The Grand Search spell was cast over and over, but even after two hours of scouring the area, they failed to locate any hollow spaces that might hold the Magus's secrets.