"...Ahem."
At Saki’s pointedly artificial throat-clearing, Jin and Elsa disentangled their arms and stepped apart.
"Well, it's nice that you two are so close and all," Saki began.
"But I’d prefer it if you did that when you were alone together," Goose added.
Saki and Goose both directed lukewarm, teasing gazes at the pair.
"Er, well, the thing is..."
"I don't know what 'the thing' is, but I can certainly tell you're trying to dodge the subject."
"Hey now."
Jin tried to protest, but Goose simply kept a grin on his face. Seeing that expression, Jin realized that Goose was only teasing him.
"Listen, Jin."
Goose then turned toward Jin with a serious expression.
"You don't need to shoulder everything yourself. I might have joined the 'Family' later than the others, but isn't a 'family' supposed to help and support one another?"
"Goose..."
Saki also smiled as she spoke to Jin.
"That's right, Jin. You've got us. We might be a bit of a motley family, but we're here."
"Saki..."
Then Elsa spoke.
"Jin-nii, you take on too much. I want you to... rely on us more."
Finally, Reiko added her voice.
"Father, you do get depressed like this periodically. But you have me, Laojun, and everyone on Hourai Island. Everyone is your child, Father. We will all help you."
Hearing everyone's words, Jin kept his head bowed in silence for a long moment.
"...Thank you."
Eventually, he looked up and voiced his gratitude.
"Goose, Saki, Elsa, Reiko."
His expression was now bright and clear.
"I can't quite shake the feeling that I'm an Etranger... no, a foreign element in this world."
"Jin-nii, that's—"
Jin cut Elsa off before she could continue.
"But I feel like I've finally started to fit in lately. I think it's thanks to all of you. Allow me to say it once more: thank you."
Jin then stood up and made a declaration.
"Right! Let's get back to it and go find the Rayochiworm!"
"Well, technically it's the dye from the Rayochiworm," Goose corrected him. "Since it's this season, the Rayochiworms have probably already turned into pupae to overwinter."
"I see... Wait. If that's the case, could we cultivate them on Hourai Island if we collect the pupae?"
"Er... I suppose you probably could. For food, they'll eat almost any plant in the citran family."
"I see."
In that case, Jin thought, cultivation should be easy since there were plenty of citran trees on Hourai Island.
Just then, Edgar’s voice rang out.
"We are above the town of Nade."
"Right, let's land on the outskirts."
At that moment...
"Waaaaaaagh!"
Goose let out a sudden scream.
"Wh-What's wrong!?"
"I didn't realize it until now, but we were flying through the sky...!"
"Oh, for heaven's sake."
It seemed that because it had been pitch black and he had been tense from exterminating the Voracious Grasshoppers, he had been fine until then. But as soon as he relaxed and happened to look outside, he remembered they were high in the air.
"Good grief. We're about to land, so just stay calm."
The Konron 3 landed on a flat stretch of land about one kilometer away from the town of Nade.
"Oh! If it isn't Goose!"
"You're looking well!...Though you look a bit pale?"
"I-It's been a while..."
Because the Konron 3 was such a rare sight, many residents had gathered to watch from a distance. Among them was Fadun, the Bailiff of Nade.
"Oh, Goose! And Master Nidou. Did you build this as well?"
"Yes. It's been a long time, Bailiff."
"For now, why don't you come to my home?"
"Thank you."
Jin and the others, who were about to be surrounded by curious residents, decided to head to the Bailiff's house.
"Still, a 'flying vehicle' after the 'horseless carriage.' Truly, you are a Magi Craft Meister."
Fadun was constantly expressing his admiration as they walked. The residents followed Jin's group, trailing them from about five meters away. Many of them seemed to recognize the group from when they had visited previously in the horseless carriage, but they refrained from calling out to them, which was a relief.
Jin thought that the temperament of the people in Fusou might be different from those in other countries in that regard.
＊ ＊ ＊
"I see, so you've come looking for the Rayochiworm."
"Yes. To be precise, we're looking for the dye made from them."
Jin and his party were being welcomed at Bailiff Fadun's residence.
"Hmm... If I recall correctly, I believe it is a specialty of Koihel Village."
Koihel Village was apparently a village further north of Nade, located to the southwest of the Oguni Wetlands.
"I have an acquaintance there, so I shall write a letter of introduction for you."
"Thank you very much."
Just as Jin thought they were getting closer to their goal, he heard the pitter-patter of footsteps. Suddenly, a small shadow lunged forward and hugged Goose.
"Ah, Nary."
It was Fadun's daughter, Nareef. She was very attached to Goose.
"Now, now, Nary. We're talking about important things right now, so go play over there."
Her father, Fadun, scolded her gently, but Nary shook her head in refusal.
"Haha. Well, do you want to sit here then?"
Goose sat Nary down between his knees.
"Are you sure about that, Goose?"
"It's not like we're talking about anything that would be a problem for her to hear. Right, Jin?"
"That's true. Nary hasn't seen Goose in a long time, after all."
Nary nodded vigorously at Jin's words. She seemed as quiet as ever.
"Er, what were we talking about again?"
Despite starting over, Goose had strangely lost the thread of the conversation due to the sudden interruption.
"About you writing a letter of introduction to an acquaintance in Koihel Village."
"Ah, that's right."
Nary looked up at Goose, who was scratching his head, with a beaming smile. Watching the two of them, Saki felt somewhat restless for some reason.
"The acquaintance in Koihel Village is my wife's cousin."
"Ah, I've heard of her. Anette, was it?"
It seemed Goose had heard of her as well.
"That's right. She's the granddaughter of the elder of Koihel Village."
"I think that was it."
"Well then, I'll get to writing it right away."
Just as Fadun stood up to head to his study, his wife, Frede, appeared.
"I'm home... Oh, if it isn't Goose. It's been a while, hasn't it? And welcome, Master Nidou."
"It's been a long time. I'm glad to see you're doing well. Ah, that reminds me."
Jin had completely forgotten that he had brought gifts. He took them out of the luggage Reiko had been carrying.
"It's soap again, but..."
Since they had been so happy when he gave them soap last time, he had brought soap again. This time, however, it was made on Hourai Island.
"Oh, this is wonderful!"
"I'm so happy! Thank you, Master Nidou."
Jin felt relieved to see that they were pleased.