"Woooah! This place is incredible!"
The day after Stearena’s birthday party—August 3rd.
Jin had brought Goose to Hourai Island.
"Goose, try to contain yourself a little."
Saki was with them as well.
During the grace period they had spent observing him, they had judged Goose’s character and decided to officially welcome him into the Jin Family.
Along with the invitation, Jin handed him a Fellowship Bracelet. Its color was a deep maroon.
As Jin explained how it worked, Goose’s eyes went wide with wonder.
"Is the work of a Magi Craft Meister truly this incredible? I am honored to be counted as even the humblest member of your kin!"
"Haha, I’m just glad you’re happy. I should apologize for taking so long to tell you."
"Think nothing of it! Now that you’ve confided in me, I, Goose, will spare no effort in my cooperation. I promise that this secret will never leave my lips."
"Yeah, I’m counting on you."
And so, Goose officially became a member of the Jin Family.
"Goose, I look forward to working with you from now on."
"Ah, Saki, thank you. I look forward to it as well."
Jin then gave him a brief rundown of what they had discovered regarding the civilization of five centuries ago.
"Hmm... Five hundred years ago... The church... I see..."
After listening to the explanation, Goose spent a solid ten minutes lost in thought. Finally, he looked up and began to speak.
"...I’ve tried synthesizing the various fragments of information I gathered while traveling through different lands..."
Goose began to recount his deductions.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Approximately six hundred to seven hundred years ago, a certain religion rose to power."
The name of that religion had been lost to time.
"One of its core doctrines was the 'Return to Nature.' The sentiment seemed to be that everything should be done 'by oneself.'"
Because of this, things like golems, automata, and magic tools were rejected. The magi craftsmen and alchemists who created them were persecuted as a result.
"However, 'magic' was considered to fall within the scope of what one did 'by oneself,' so it wasn't banned. In fact, it was actually encouraged."
There was apparently a period when institutions like magic schools sprouted up everywhere like mushrooms after a spring rain.
"But, as is often the case with religions, it was impossible for everyone to convert, and there were many who resisted."
Those people left the urban centers to live in seclusion in the countryside, quietly maintaining their own way of life.
"The general standard of living dropped, and the disparity between people grew extreme—specifically, the gap between those who could use magic and those who couldn't. The church gained immense power, and influential figures known as clergymen were born."
Their influence seemingly even surpassed that of kings.
"It appears that around four hundred years ago, that prejudice eased considerably."
The only known reason for this was a conflict with a different religion.
However, thanks to that shift, magi-craft and alchemy were able to make a comeback.
"But in the end, it seems the church maintained its grip on power right up until the Great Magic War."
＊ ＊ ＊
"...The above is a synthesis of the facts I researched, supplemented by my own deductions."
"..."
"That’s impressive, Goose."
Saki was the first to offer her praise.
"Yeah, absolutely. It was concise, but I feel like I finally understand the flow of history."
Jin was also quite impressed by Goose's insight.
"Truly! You’re much better at researching than I am! I’m almost jealous."
Vivienne praised him wholeheartedly as well.
"No, I’m embarrassed. My approach is fundamentally different from yours as a storyteller, Vivienne-san."
If anything, Goose focused on historical synthesis, while Vivienne focused on narrative expression.
"But this might have solved part of the mystery," Jin said happily.
"If we want to find technology from five hundred years ago, we have to look in the rural areas!" Stearena added, her voice filled with excitement.
"However, it was because of that background that magi-engineering declined in the first place."
That was Reinhard’s observation. Jin agreed with him.
"Most likely. If you can't refine technology together and your facilities remain inadequate for several generations, it's bound to decay."
"It makes me want to find the origin of that religion..."
Perhaps that would be Vivienne's next goal.
Regardless, with Goose joining the family, Jin and the others had taken another significant step forward.
＊ ＊ ＊
That same evening.
"Jin-nii, may I speak with you?"
Elsa approached Jin while he was enjoying the evening air in the laboratory's front garden.
"Sure, what is it?"
"..."
Elsa seemed a bit hesitant, fidgeting slightly before she finally spoke up timidly.
"...About the members of the family."
"Yeah, what about them?"
"Um, from the Shouro Empire, there’s me, Rai-nii, Berche-san, Saki-nee, Toa-san, and Mother."
"Yeah."
"From the Kingdom of Egerea, there are Beena and Louis-sama."
"Right."
"From the Kingdom of Elias, there are Marcia-san and Rodrigo-san."
"That's true."
Jin was starting to guess where Elsa was going with this, but he continued to nod along for the moment.
"From the Celuroa Kingdom, there are Stearena-san and Vivienne-san."
"They're technically defectors, but yeah, that's how it is."
"And now, Goose-san from Fusou."
"Right."
"...There is no one from the Klein Kingdom. Hanna-chan is... a bit different. She’s in a class of her own."
"That’s true."
Hanna was more a part of Kaina Village than a representative of the Klein Kingdom as a whole.
"...And then, there’s Lishia-san."
"...Ah."
"She’s already involved in so many of our affairs, and I don’t think she’s the type of person to leak secrets."
"I suppose that's true."
Jin himself had been helped by Lishia many times in the past, and the idea of her joining the family had crossed his mind.
"...Lishia-san is an independent person, so I understand why you might hesitate, Jin-nii."
Elsa paused there for a moment.
"However, that person... about you, Jin-nii..."
"Eh?"
"...It’s nothing."
Elsa suddenly remembered Reinhard and Saki.
She recalled how Reinhard had been such a dense man that he hadn't noticed Saki's feelings for years.
Jin was much the same.
And she felt it wasn't quite right for her to be the one to point that out to him. So, she left it at this:
"...The rest is for you to decide, Jin-nii."