July 17th, the day after the discovery of the Predecessor’s hidden study.
Jin visited Tsetse Island, accompanied by Reiko.
"Welcome, Second Generation."
"Welcome, Reiko-chan."
Greeting Jin and Reiko as they stepped through the Warp Gate were the automata Nagi and Nami.
These were automata created by the Predecessor Magi Craft Meister, Adriana Barbora Tsetse. Jin, the Second Generation, had refurbished them personally and granted them further Reinforce upgrades.
"What brings you to us today?" Nami, the female-model unit, asked.
As Jin looked at her refined features, he couldn't help but wonder to himself.
(I wonder if Hanna will look like this when she grows up?)
He indulged in the brief flight of fancy. After all, Hanna was the spitting image of the Predecessor in her youth.
"I came here today to ask for your advice," Jin explained, keeping his face neutral and showing no hint of his wandering thoughts.
"This island is quite desolate, isn't it?"
"Yes. There is only moss, some grass, and a few small groves of trees."
Jin started by confirming the island's current vegetation.
"I thought as much. My idea is that I'd like to make flowers bloom on this island."
"Flowers... is it?"
"Yes, flowers. I want to make them an offering to the 'Magus,' Shuuki Tsetse—the Predecessor’s father."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea."
Jin then moved on to his next point.
"Here's the thing. I'm a bit reluctant to plant flowers that aren't native to this island, so I'd like to focus on increasing the varieties that are already here."
He wanted to avoid introducing invasive species. However, Nagi raised an objection.
"How would that work, I wonder?"
"What do you mean?"
"Yes, Second Generation... About a thousand years ago, when the Predecessor buried the Magus Shuuki, this island was little more than a lump of rock with neither grass nor trees. It was a place where barely any moss could grow."
"So it became like this over the course of a thousand years?"
"Precisely. Whether birds carried the seeds here or they flew in on the wind, we do not know."
"We were not 'awake' the entire time, after all," Nami added.
"I see..."
Jin knew that on islands formed by undersea volcanic eruptions, moss grew first to create a thin layer of soil, followed eventually by grass. Moss spores were carried by the wind, while grass seeds arrived via the wind or bird droppings.
"If that's the case, then what exactly defines 'native' vegetation here?"
"That is our concern as well," Nagi and Nami answered in unison.
Jin remained silent for a while, lost in thought. Eventually, he reached a conclusion and looked up.
"I understand. In that case, let's start by proceeding with soil improvement for the island."
Jin wasn't an expert on botany. The extent of his experience was planting tulip and daffodil bulbs in flowerbeds during his time at the orphanage.
However, he had enough general knowledge to know that soil needed to support the plants, supply moisture, nutrients, and air, and remain free of harmful substances.
Furthermore, the golem maids on Hourai Island, such as Topaz, had been conducting daily experiments, while the Quinta units dispatched abroad gathered agricultural knowledge from every region they visited. Laojun had selected and summarized all of this data, storing it as a library of technical know-how.
Jin would apply that knowledge now.
"The soil on this island is sandy and lacks organic matter, so I'll bring humus and compost from Hourai Island to mix in."
The humus and compost would also improve the soil's water retention.
"What is the rainfall like here?"
"Rain is scarce, but from evening until morning, fog often develops. It condenses into moisture, so the environment isn't as dry as it looks."
"That's good news."
Jin had been prepared to use magic tools to generate water if necessary, so he was pleased to hear there was no shortage.
"Then, let's begin."
＊ ＊ ＊
They spent the entire day transporting soil, tilling the land, dividing the island’s existing flowers to transplant them, and sowing seeds taken from local fruits.
In the center of the island, at Jin's specific request, they transplanted a sapling of a query tree from the mountains behind Kaina Village.
The query tree produced flowers that closely resembled cherry blossoms in the spring. Out of respect for Shuuki Tsetse, who had been a man from Japan, Jin was insistent on planting this specific tree.
"This tree is the only thing here not adapted to the island's environment, so please watch over it carefully. If you need anything, contact Laojun. He'll send help."
"Understood, Second Generation."
"We have received your instructions, Second Generation."
Since he had explained the significance of the query tree to Nagi and Nami, he trusted they would manage it diligently. At the same time, he decided to try sowing seeds from the tree as well. He reasoned that a tree grown from a seed on-site might better adapt to the island's conditions.
"This should do it. It would be good if we could set up a wind-blocking barrier for when the gusts are strong."
"Ah, we already have one."
"There is also a wave-blocking barrier."
It seemed the Predecessor had already installed equipment to protect the island from high winds and waves to ensure its preservation. Nagi and Nami were the ones maintaining those systems.
"I see. That's a relief. If you run low on maintenance materials, just get in touch with Laojun."
"Yes, thank you very much."
"Eventually, I want to implement measures so that no one can even approach this island."
Jin believed that would be possible if he applied the magi-formula found on the door of the Predecessor's study.
After returning to Hourai Island, Jin brought Elsa along and used the transporter to return to Magus Cape. Jin, Reiko, and Elsa offered flowers together and shared a moment of silent prayer.
"I hope the flowers increase here as well."
Because the wind was so strong, almost no plants grew on the cape, so it would be a difficult task.
"If we find flowers suited for such a place and plant them..." Elsa suggested.
"You're right. I'll give instructions to the Quinta."
This wish, too, would be granted a few months later.
＊ ＊ ＊
Years, decades, or perhaps centuries later.
A rumor began to circulate among the sailors navigating the waters off the coast of the Former Leonard Kingdom.
The story went that in a certain place, there was a small island where flowers bloomed in profusion throughout all four seasons.
However, no one had ever actually visited it, and the origin of the rumor remained a mystery that made everyone wonder.