They were invited to stay at the home of Bailiff Fadun that night.
During dinner:
"Ah, fortunately, there was no damage from the Voracious Grasshoppers....Is that so?...Nidou-sama was the one who exterminated them?"
After hearing the explanation from Goose, Bailiff Fadun bowed deeply to Jin.
"Please, don't do that. I only did what I could."
"No, it was something only a Magi Craft Meister like Nidou-sama could have done. I was worried, you see. A chill ran down my spine when I saw them flying past, just barely skimming the fields where the harvest had already been completed."
In this area, since the swarm had luckily appeared after the harvest, there was virtually no actual damage. It was also fortunate that the path of the Voracious Grasshoppers had slightly missed the primary cultivated land.
Not only in Nade, but also in the towns and villages of Tauro, Romune, Kaido, and Urun, the damage seemed to be negligible. Goose, who was born and raised on Fusou Island, breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief.
Fusou Island, located north of the Lauren Continent, has a climate that is more cold than cool, so most crops are harvested by early September. Because of this, the Voracious Grasshoppers had merely passed through fields where the harvest was already finished, devouring only leftover land rice, barley, and potato vines.
"It’s a bit of a problem that the straw is gone, but we can get more from other villages for next to nothing," Fadun said, his face flushed red from the alcohol.
"Were you able to secure enough for the natto?"
"Yeah, I made sure of that right as we harvested."
For them, the primary use of rice straw was making natto. The spores of the natto bacteria are naturally attached to the rice straw, and they are activated when the straw is passed through hot water. At the same time, this process sterilizes other bacteria, leaving only the natto bacteria behind.
By using that straw to wrap steamed or boiled round beans and keeping them at a constant temperature, fermentation takes place, producing natto. They still made their natto using this traditional method. Because of this, it was customary to set aside rice straw with minimal insect damage or bruising for the process, so there were no issues with this year's production.
"That's good to hear."
Goose was a lover of natto.
Jin liked it too, but since Elsa disliked it, the dish rarely appeared on their dinner table at home. To be honest, he was secretly looking forward to eating it here.
"..."
Elsa watched Jin from the corner of her eye as he ate the natto with gusto. Saki didn't seem to share Elsa's aversion and ate it normally.
"You didn't bring Hanna-chan along this time?"
"No, it was a short trip, so she stayed behind."
It seemed Frede remembered Hanna as well.
With such conversation, the dinner party proceeded in a peaceful atmosphere. As usual, Nary remained silent, sticking close to Goose. Saki watched the scene with a complicated expression.
"Saki-nee really does feel that way about Goose-san, doesn't she..." Elsa whispered softly into Jin’s ear.
"It seems that way. And I don't think Goose is entirely indifferent... though he’s a total blockhead."
"I think Goose-san is the last person who would want to hear that from you, Jin-nii."
"Why's that?"
"...Exactly for that reason."
Just as Jin was about to ask for clarification, Fadun spoke to him.
"Still, a vehicle that flies through the sky is truly incredible. As expected of Nidou-sama."
"Ah, well..."
"I remember a family legend stating that my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather... I forget how many generations back... mentioned that the Magus once spoke of vehicles that fly in the sky."
"What? The Magus said that?"
Since airplanes already existed in Shuuki’s time, it wasn't surprising.
"Speaking of which, did you find any clues about the Magus?"
It was here that they had previously learned about Mount Funisis, which had led them to discover Adriana Tierra and Shuuki Tsetse.
"Yes, we found some."
"Oh! Please, tell us!"
Jin was wondering how to explain it while hiding the fact that the Magus was a traveler from another world, when Goose spoke up.
"In that case, leave it to me. Jin, you can just correct me if I get anything wrong in my explanation."
"Got it. I'll leave it to you."
Goose was much better suited for storytelling than Jin. This was especially true since he had worked with Vivienne to compile the histories of the Magus and the Predecessor Magi Craft Meister.
"First, at the foot of Mount Funisis, the Magus met the woman who would become his lifelong partner, Adriana Tierra..."
From there, Goose continued with a narrative that remained vague where it needed to be. Nary seemed to find it fascinating as well, listening intently with shining eyes.
"...And so, the Magus set out on a journey to spread knowledge throughout this world. That's about all we learned from the ruins at the foot of Mount Funisis. Jin, do you have anything to add?"
"No, I think that covers it. That’s how it was, Fadun-san."
"I see, so the Magus had such a past... Thank you, Goose. Thank you very much, Nidou-sama. A long-standing question has finally been put to rest."
Fadun took Jin and Goose's hands with excitement and bowed his head. Nary and Frede also seemed deeply moved, their eyes slightly moist. Jin was surprised that even the young Nary was so touched by the history of the Magus.
"All of us residents of Fusou live our lives with daily gratitude toward the Magus," Fadun added.
Indeed, since the Magus was a semi-deified figure here, Jin understood that such a reaction was only natural.
They talked quite late into the night, and it was past eleven o'clock by the time they went to bed.
"Goodnight, Elsa."
"Goodnight."
Of course, Jin and Elsa shared a room.
"I think I'll head back to my house for the first time in a while. Not that there's anything left there," Goose said, heading off toward his former residence.
As for Saki:
"Um, well, Goose... I'd like to see the house where you used to live too, if that's okay."
She followed after him. Goose only replied:
"You're a curious one. There's nothing interesting there, you know?"
But in the darkness of the night, no one could see that his face had turned slightly red.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Well, here it is."
It was a modest two-story wooden house standing on the outskirts of town. This was Goose's childhood home.
"There's nothing here worth stealing, though."
Saying that, Goose unlocked the front door.
"...Heh, so that's the kind of lock it is."
The lock was an interlocking wooden puzzle that required sliding parts in a specific sequence to open. After a complex series of more than twenty steps, the front door finally clicked open.
"Well then, Saki, please come in."
"...Excuse me."
The two of them stepped inside the house.