Upon hearing that Jin was going to speak of the Magus, Anette gathered her entire family.
The group consisted of the Elder, Hazavans; his granddaughter, Anette; and her husband, Gawel. Gawel was a son-in-law who had married into the household. Hazavans’s late wife had already passed away, and his children lived elsewhere in Koihel Village with Anette and Gawel’s offspring.
"Um, allow me to introduce myself once more," Jin began. "My name is Jin Nidou. I am a Magi Craft Meister."
"A 'Magi Craft Meister'?" Hazavans asked, sounding puzzled. "Not a 'Magus'?"
"Yes. I’ll explain everything, including that title."
Jin caught Goose’s eye, and Goose nodded. "In that case, let me tell the story."
As expected, Goose was much more accustomed to this kind of narration. He began his explanation, following the same narrative he had used at the home of Bailiff Fadun in Nade.
"I see..." "Indeed." "To think such things occurred..."
Goose’s story proceeded smoothly, punctuated by the family’s murmurs of understanding. After answering a few follow-up questions, the tale of the Magus came to a close.
"I see... so the Magus had such a history." "That was very educational!" "So the Magi Craft Meister is the Magus’s disciple!"
The three listeners each seemed to have processed the information in their own way.
"And you are the successor of that title several generations later, Jin-dono. I understand perfectly now," Hazavans said, nodding repeatedly.
By the time the conversation settled, it was already midday.
"Our household keeps lunch quite simple. Would that be acceptable to you?"
"Yes, of course. That’s perfectly fine," Jin replied.
When one is busy working during the day, there is rarely time for a leisurely lunch. Back when Jin worked for a black company in modern Japan, he had lived on bread or standing-room-only soba—anything that didn't take time to consume.
"Here, please enjoy."
What was served looked almost exactly like somen or hiyamugi noodles. However, the dipping sauce was not the traditional soy sauce-based variety; it was a salt and meat-based broth, perhaps similar to a tonkotsu salt flavor.
"Yeah, this works."
Jin had eaten tonkotsu ramen before, but this was his first experience with cold noodles served this way. It was surprisingly good.
"Oh, this is delicious." "Mmm, quite tasty." "This is a first for me, but it's wonderful."
Elsa, Saki, and Goose all seemed to enjoy the flavor. While sharing the meal, Reiko analyzed the broth and relayed the data back to Laojun.
"Thank you for the meal." "It was very good."
Satisfied, Jin and the others set down their chopsticks.
"Now, please take a moment to confirm the effects of the water purification stone."
"You are a very honest man," Hazavans noted.
Jin wanted to ensure they were completely satisfied before the trade was finalized.
"Very well, let's test it with the water in this bucket."
Hazavans brought a bucket from the front of the house and placed it before Jin. It appeared to be used for collecting rainwater; the water inside was stagnant and had taken on a murky green tint.
"Understood."
Jin pulled out a water purification stone roughly the size of his thumb tip and gently dropped it into the bucket.
"O-Oh?"
Hazavans and Anette watched with wide eyes as the green water cleared before them. In less than ten seconds, it was pristine. Even the moss clinging to the sides of the bucket had been decomposed and swept away.
"Marvelous!" Hazavans exclaimed, clapping his hands in delight.
"One stone can be used about twenty times. Once the water stops clearing, please switch to a new one."
Jin handed over ten of the stones.
"Trading five hundred grams of Rayochiworm dye powder for this is a bargain!" Hazavans said, looking slightly apologetic as he fully grasped the value of the items. "You’ve also given us that magic tool called a 'lighter,' haven't you? This deal is far too much in our favor. I wish there were something more I could do for you."
"In that case..." Jin paused. "If you have any Rayochiworm pupae, I’d like to have a few of them."
"Hoho, I see. The Launc are quite beautiful, after all. Very well, I shall send someone to the forest to gather some immediately."
Hazavans called for Gawel and gave him the instructions.
"Understood. I'll be back shortly."
"In the meantime, let me give you the five hundred grams of Rayochiworm dye powder."
While Gawel was out searching for pupae, the Elder produced their existing stock.
"This is it."
A small jar was placed before them.
"Please, feel free to test it."
Jin took a tiny amount—barely a spoonful—onto a dish and dissolved it with a few drops of water.
"The color will change if you apply magic power to it."
"Understood."
Jin held his hand over the dish. He applied raw magic power rather than casting a spell. This was actually quite difficult for most, but Jin was well-practiced.
"..." "Oh?"
The transparent water shifted from a pale red to yellow, then to blue, with the colors growing more vibrant and saturated.
"I see. The intensity of the power dictates the color," Jin remarked, pulling his hand away.
"Most impressive," Hazavans said, giving an appreciative nod. "As expected of a Magi Craft Meister..."
Having confirmed both the magic tools and Jin’s own skill, the Elder was thoroughly impressed.
"If you soak cloth in that dye and let it dry, the color will set permanently. It won't fade, and it won't change even if magic power is applied later," Hazavans explained. "However, please be careful when handling it. For magi especially, it will stain the skin quite stubbornly."
"Understood." Jin made a mental note to use rubber gloves whenever he worked with it.
"If accidentally swallowed, it will cause diarrhea and vomiting, so watch out for that. On the flip side, cloth dyed with this has excellent insect-repellent and anti-corrosive properties."
Saki looked immensely satisfied to hear those additional benefits.
Before long, Gawel returned.
"I'm back. I found more than I expected. I also brought some branches from the trees they feed on."
"Wait...?"
As Gawel held out the branches, Jin caught a familiar scent.
"What is this smell? I know I’ve encountered this before..."
The branches had small, paired leaves—pinnately compound leaves.
"A relative of citran... citrus... Rutaceae... wait, is this Japanese pepper?"
He picked a leaf and rubbed it between his fingers. A sharp, pleasant fragrance wafted up.
"No mistake. This is Japanese pepper—Sansho. There must be berries somewhere, too."
Jin felt a surge of joy at having discovered yet another spice.