"Jin-nii, I heard you wanted to talk to me about something?"
Elsa appeared in the command room of Hourai Island.
"Yeah. Sorry for calling you out here, but it's important. Why don't you have a seat?"
"Mhm."
Elsa sat down beside Jin. Since the area directly in front of him was dominated by the magi-screen controlled by Laojun, she naturally took the spot next to him.
Once Elsa was settled, Jin got straight to the point.
"It's about the wedding ceremony."
"!?"
Startled, Elsa froze, her mouth hanging open in silent shock.
Jin didn't slow down, pressing on with his plan.
"My thinking was that we could hold the ceremony here on Hourai Island with the 'Jin Family,' and then go on an international tour for the receptions."
"..."
Elsa finally closed her mouth, but she turned bright red and looked down.
"...Elsa?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Do you... dislike the idea?"
Elsa shook her head vigorously.
"I don't... dislike it. I was just... a little... surprised."
"I-I see. That's a relief."
The shyness was starting to catch up with Jin as well now that he’d finished his rapid-fire explanation.
"...So, w-what do you think?"
"...Mhm. I think... it sounds good."
"As for the timing, I asked Reinhard for his opinion."
"Rai-nii?"
"Yeah. He said once we settle on a schedule, we should notify every country at least a month in advance."
Jin gave a wry smile as he added that Reinhard had mentioned a half-year lead time would be more appropriate for an event of this scale.
"That's... true. That's how it is for nobles."
Elsa agreed. Even for Reinhard’s own wedding, the fact that he was getting married had been decided and announced long before he left on his diplomatic mission, regardless of the specific date.
"Even if the schedule seemed sudden, I'm sure Rai-nii's father had already sent word to various places."
"I see. That makes sense."
Even in modern Japan, wedding invitations were typically sent out several months to half a year beforehand.
"Jin-nii, people know you're unconventional, so they'll probably just accept it as being your way, but..."
"...Right."
Jin felt a little dejected at the "unconventional" label.
"But the engagement announcement was six months ago, so I think... the minimum requirements for etiquette have been met."
Barely, perhaps.
"..."
Elsa leaned closer to him.
"But... I'm happy."
＊ ＊ ＊
"This is the hut where my friend lives."
Vivienne and Lucol were walking up a gentle slope together. They had sent their two assistants elsewhere, leaving just the two of them.
"We've been friends for thirty years, but he’s a recluse. He’s always lived out in the middle of nowhere."
About fifteen minutes' walk from the town of Nikarai toward the mountains, there was a stretch of flat land where Lucol's friend had built a home and lab.
"And what is this person’s name?"
"Ah, did I not say? Jidan Casey. That’s his name."
"And what is his field of research?"
"Golems and automata."
Lucol had studied archaeology, while Jidan had focused on magi-craft.
"Back then, the royal capital of the Celuroa Kingdom had a school. Perhaps it’s still there? Anyway, of the twenty-odd classmates in my year, Jidan Casey was the one I hit it off with best."
"I see. That’s wonderful. A friendship like that."
Vivienne thought of her childhood friend, Stearena. She felt she could relate to Lucol's sentiment.
"Look, there it is."
She followed his finger and saw a building atop the slope. It was a bit too sturdy to be called a "hut"—more like a small, modest house.
Three minutes later, they were standing before the door.
When Lucol used the knocker, an automata appeared after a minute. It had neutral features and a delicate build.
"Who might you be?"
"My name is Lucol..."
"Please wait a moment."
The automata withdrew back inside as soon as he gave his name.
"That automata must be Jidan’s work," Lucol murmured to Vivienne as they waited. "The quality seems decent enough..."
"It does."
Having seen the automata and golems crafted by Jin, Vivienne found it somewhat crude by comparison, but by the world's standard, it was clearly a high-level creation.
"Though the automata he was aiming for shouldn't have been anything like that... It should have been more like... Elena..."
"Elena?"
"Ah... no, Elena was an automata I saw a long time ago. She was magnificent, a human-like masterpiece."
Vivienne herself had never seen "Elena"—the former "Golden Destruction Princess"—but she had heard the name from Jin.
She was an automata built just before the Great Magic War. Carrying the obsession of her creator to surpass Adriana Barbora Tsetse, she had spent centuries destroying Adriana-type units.
In recent years, she was the one who had organized the "Unifilar" in an attempt to dominate the world.
Lucol had, for a time, been brainwashed by Elena or her subordinates and used as a tool for their organization.
"Master says he will see you. Please, come in. The lady as well."
The automata returned and invited them inside.
The interior wasn't particularly large, but it was divided into several rooms. They were led to the one at the very back.
"In here."
They entered the room to find an elderly man lying in bed.
"Lucol. It's been a long time."
"Jidan! What on earth happened to you? Why are you in this state?"
Jidan’s legs appeared to be injured; he was completely bedridden.
"...It’s a long story. Why don't you have a seat first?...Is this young lady your wife?"
"Eh?"
"No, no. She's just my partner for work."
"...I see. You haven't changed a bit."
"Of course not. Just as the sea won't turn sweet, neither will I."
"No doubt about that."
Watching them laugh, Vivienne felt excluded from their rapport, but she could tell how deep their friendship went.
"...So, what brings you here, really?"
They had enjoyed their bout of banter, but they were here for a reason. Lucol's expression grew serious.
"We're looking for something."
"Looking for something?"
"Yes. Records from before the Great Magic War. We're searching for any information that might lead us to them."
"Hmm. And why come to me?"
Lucol glanced at Vivienne. Realizing he wanted her to explain, she spoke up.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Vivienne. I am a storyteller."
Realizing she hadn't introduced herself, she offered a polite greeting before continuing.
"There's a legend in the Shouro Empire that says: 'A land to the south, it is surrounded by mountains, with a large town to the east.' We looked for terrain that matched that description and thought this area might be it."
She went on to explain their journey and their deductions thus far.
"I see..."
Jidan thought for a moment before speaking. His response took them both by surprise.
"It’s true. There used to be a research facility up in those mountains."