A research laboratory had once existed here.
That was precisely what Vivienne and Lucol were seeking.
"...And?"
Lucol prompted Jidan, who had trailed off mid-sentence.
"By the time we saw it, most of the contents had already been scattered and lost..."
"What? Is that so..."
Lucol’s shoulders slumped.
On second thought, it was only natural. Since the site was in a place accessible to people, it would have been more surprising if everything had remained preserved.
"B-But is there absolutely nothing left?" Vivienne pressed.
Jidan closed his eyes, appearing lost in thought as he searched his memory. Eventually, he spoke.
"There is... in a manner of speaking."
"I want to see it with my own eyes. Where exactly is it?"
That was the most important question.
"It’s halfway up this mountain. You'll find it easily enough; there’s a trail of footprints leading right to it."
"Thank you very much!"
Vivienne felt her heart lift. After a long search, she had finally secured a concrete lead.
"By the way, Jidan, how did you come by those injuries?" Lucol asked, his voice filled with the concern of an old friend.
"..."
Jidan hesitated, but after Lucol pressed him several more times, he finally spoke with a heavy heart.
"...To my shame, I was betrayed by my assistant."
"What?"
"A young man named Gunno Asher, whom I hired two years ago. He stole the results of my research."
Once the dam broke, the words poured out of him.
"He was quite capable. He was well-versed in alchemy and magi-craft and was a great help to me. But then he made off with an unfinished golem."
"Hmm. What kind of golem was it, exactly?"
"I pride myself on it being a model unlike any other. It has a unique structure. As for the details... I would rather not discuss them."
No matter how close they were, it seemed Jidan had no intention of disclosing the technical innovations that were his lifeblood as a magi craftsman.
"I understand. Forgive me for prying."
At that moment, Vivienne remembered the emergency recovery medicine she had received from Jin.
This particular batch had its potency slightly reduced so it could be used in public without drawing undue suspicion. If a stronger medicine was required, she was meant to use her Fellowship Bracelet to call for support.
"As a token of my thanks, I have some medicine. Please, give it a try."
Vivienne offered him one of the three bottles she carried.
"Ah, you have my thanks."
Jidan accepted the bottle and drank it immediately. Vivienne couldn't help but wonder if he was perhaps a bit too trusting, but as the one who had given it to him, she kept the thought to herself.
"Oh?"
The effects were instantaneous.
Even with its potency reduced, it was still a mid-level Heilung—essentially a diluted version of an advanced-level Völlig Genesen. And Heilung was highly effective for treating injuries like bone fractures.
While it didn't have the immediate, miraculous speed of a healing spell cast directly on the wound, it was more than enough for Jidan's current state.
"...I feel much better already."
The dull, persistent ache characteristic of a fracture had vanished. His leg muscles had weakened from disuse, so he wouldn't be walking normally just yet, but he had recovered enough to at least get out of bed. Since he had a caretaking automaton to assist him, he was no longer in any immediate danger.
"Young lady—Vivienne, was it? You have my deepest gratitude! There are no decent healers in these parts, which has been quite a problem. I called one once, but the man took a massive fee and couldn't even achieve a proper Genesung."
"I'm just glad it helped."
"Surely that was an expensive medicine? If so, I would be happy to reimburse you."
Jidan’s gratitude was immense; the effect had clearly been dramatic for him.
"A friend gave it to me before I left on this trip, so I'm not entirely sure of its value," Vivienne said, choosing a polite way to decline. Jidan accepted the answer.
"I see. That is a pity. I was hoping to learn where I might procure more."
Living in such a remote area, it was only natural to want to keep such medicine on hand. However, Vivienne was well aware that this was not the kind of thing one could distribute freely.
"I'm sorry."
"No, there is no need to apologize." Jidan waved his hand to show he wasn't bothered.
"Well then, shall we head up to those ruins?" Lucol suggested.
"Yes, let's."
With their primary goal in mind, Lucol and Vivienne prepared to leave Jidan’s cabin.
"Be careful, you two. And if you can, please stop by on your way back."
"We will," Lucol promised. Vivienne nodded in agreement.
It was reassuring to know that if they didn't return, someone would realize something had gone wrong.
The two began their ascent up the mountain path. A faint trail of footprints—likely left by Jidan or his assistant—meant they were in no danger of getting lost. Ropes had been strung along the steeper sections and rocky outcrops, providing steady handholds for the climb.
Two hours later, they stood before a crumbling ruin.
"So this is the research laboratory."
"It looks like it."
Part of the facility had been hollowed out from the rock face, while the rest was built from stone blocks. The stone portion was leaning dangerously, but it had been reinforced with simple log supports, likely the work of Jidan and his team.
"It looks safe enough to enter."
They immediately began their investigation. As Jidan had warned, almost nothing remained inside. However, since neither Vivienne nor Lucol were engineers, they looked at the space through a different lens. Even the marks left behind by missing equipment allowed them to form theories.
"Hmm. Judging by what's left, I’d say this facility dates back roughly five hundred years," Lucol noted, estimating the era from a few scraps of documentation.
"Five hundred years ago! So it really is from that 'blank period' in history."
"Indeed. This was well worth the trip."
The two continued their search.
"...Do you have any idea what they were researching here?" Vivienne asked.
"Well, it was certainly a laboratory."
"I agree. I also suspect it was privately owned."
"Oh? What makes you say that?"
"Well, look at this. And this. And the layout over there..."
Bit by bit, they gathered fragmented clues and began to piece them together like a puzzle.
The town of Jidazo sat in the southern reaches of the Kingdom of Egerea.
Nestled at the southern foot of Mount Galat near the mines, it was a reasonably bustling place. However, that prosperity brought a rough crowd, and the town was known for its poor public order.
Two shadows slipped into Jidazo.
"Well, this town should serve our purposes well enough."
One of the figures muttered the remark before heading toward a particularly disreputable district.