The time had finally come for Jin and his companions to set out for Koihel Village.
"I must say, you truly are a 'Magi Craft Meister'!"
"A flying vehicle! It's just as the 'Magus' told us!"
A massive crowd had gathered to see the Konron 3 off—so many people that it felt as if the entire town had turned out.
In the middle of the bustle, Jin offered his final greetings to Bailiff Fadun.
"Thank you for everything. We'll see you again."
"You are welcome here anytime, Nidou-sama," Fadun replied warmly.
While the townspeople were clearly excited, they maintained a respectful distance, seeing the group off with polite restraint. Perhaps this was simply the local temperament.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Look, there's Koihel Village."
The flight took only a few minutes.
To avoid causing an uproar, they decided to land a safe distance away where they couldn't be seen from the village. Fortunately, they found a spot behind some small hills that offered perfect cover for their descent.
"Think anyone spotted us?" Jin asked.
"It should be fine. I kept the 'Invisible' spell active during the approach," Edgar explained.
Everyone nodded, satisfied with his reassurance.
"Alright, let's go."
Leaving Edgar behind to watch the ship once more, the rest of the group disembarked from the Konron 3. They carried various supplies intended for trade—Goose had advised that bartering goods would be more effective than offering money in a place like this.
As they walked toward the village, a man working in the fields called out to them.
"Travelers, are you?"
"Aye, that we are," Goose replied, taking the lead as they had planned. "...Say, would you happen to know where Anette-san's place is?"
"Anette? Ah, the Elder's granddaughter. She should be home today."
"And where might that house be?"
"On the edge of the village... well, actually, it's just outside the village, right next to the woods. Follow this path straight, turn left at that big tree over there, and you'll see it."
"Thank you."
Jin had assumed she lived within the village proper, but it seemed she resided on the outskirts, living a life of seclusion.
Following the man's directions, they soon came upon a medium-sized house standing beside the forest.
"The architecture is a bit different from the other houses," Jin noted. It bore a striking resemblance to a traditional house from Japan.
As they drew closer, a middle-aged man tilling a small vegetable patch in front of the house looked up.
"Oh, guests? That's a rare sight," he said, speaking without a trace of a local accent.
"Yes. Hello. We're looking for Anette-san. We have a letter of introduction from Fadun-san in Nade," Goose explained.
"Oh, Fadun? How is he? Is he doing well?"
"He is. He gave us a very warm welcome."
"Is that so? That's good to hear. I'm Anette's husband, Gawel."
"I'm Goose. This is my friend Saki. And this is Jin and his wife, Elsa."
"Nice to meet you."
"Ah, welcome. Please, come inside."
"We're sorry to interrupt your work."
"Don't give it a thought. I was just turning the soil for winter. Come on in."
Gawel opened the door and ushered the group inside. Like the other houses they had visited, this one required them to remove their shoes at the entrance. It was almost certainly the lingering influence of the Magus.
"Oh, Gawel? Do we have guests?"
"Yes, Grandfather. They're acquaintances of Fadun-san. They have a letter for Anette."
"Eh? For me?"
An elderly man with a shock of white hair and a matching beard emerged from the back of the house. Behind him, a petite, middle-aged woman peeked out. This was presumably Anette.
"Anette-san, it's been a long time."
"Let's see... Oh, right! It's Goose. I remember seeing you a few times back in Nade."
"Now, Anette, don't just stand there in the hallway. Show them to a room," the old man prompted.
"Oh, of course. Everyone, this way."
She led them into a room that served as a formal reception parlor. The floor was made of polished wood, furnished with a low table and matching sofas.
Elsa, Jin, Goose, and Saki took their seats in order. Reiko took up a position directly behind Jin.
Anette, who was preparing to host them, noticed the girl.
"You should sit down too, little one."
Unaware that Reiko was an automata, Anette spoke kindly to her, but Reiko remained still.
"No, I am..."
She was likely about to say 'merely a servant,' but Jin intervened to prevent any unnecessary questions.
"Reiko, come here."
"Yes, Father."
Reiko obeyed Jin instantly.
"Sit here," Jin said, gesturing to his lap.
"Eh? But..."
"It's fine."
"...Yes."
Once Reiko was settled, Goose pulled out the letter of introduction and handed it to Anette.
"This is definitely Fadun-san's handwriting... Hmm. I see. You're looking for 'Rayochiworm' dye powder?"
"Yes, that's right."
"That means you can use magic, then? That powder won't change color unless you infuse it with mana."
"Precisely. Jin and Elsa-san are magi and 'magi smiths'," Goose explained, using the term common in Fusou and Mitsuho.
"As payment for the dye, we've brought a few things we thought might be useful."
Jin began pulling items out of their baggage.
"This is a 'lighter'. Pressing this button produces a flame."
Unlike the magi-stone versions he had crafted with Beena, this one was powered by a magi-crystal. Used only for starting fires, it would last for at least ten years.
"And this is a 'water purification stone'. If you place it in murky water, it will be perfectly clean within seconds."
This was a magic tool he had developed with public health in mind, enchanted with 'Cleanup' and 'Sterilization'. It was originally intended for use in wells, stagnant pools, or even latrines.
"Also—"
"Wait, wait! Stop right there," Anette interrupted. "We don't have enough Rayochiworm dye in stock to match all of this."
"Pardon?"
It seemed Jin's magic tools were far more valuable than he had anticipated.
"In that case," Jin suggested, "would an exchange of five hundred grams of the dye powder for just the lighter and the purification stone be acceptable?"
"Yes, that is more than enough! We would be very grateful."
For someone living a secluded life, a reliable fire-starter and a way to ensure clean water were invaluable boons.
"Even so," Jin said, stating the obvious, "I'm surprised you believed the stone would work so easily, even before seeing it in action."
Anette gave him a knowing smile.
"Fadun-san's letter said you were the reincarnation of the Magus himself."
It seemed the bailiff had been quite thorough in his written recommendation.
"If it's not too much trouble, I'd love to hear more about the 'Magus'," Anette added.
"Yes, I'd be happy to," Jin replied.
Knowing how deeply the Magus was loved in these lands, and having secured the materials he needed, Jin was more than willing to share some stories as a token of his gratitude.