"It would be best to ensure the 'Voracious Grasshopper' incident is thoroughly publicized to the relevant authorities," concluded Laojun, the magi-brain of Hourai Island.
Because the matter had been so urgent, Jin, Elsa, Saki, and Goose had settled the crisis themselves. And, as was typical, Jin had immediately pivoted back to pursuing his own personal hobbies once the danger passed.
"Still, these 'cameras' are quite effective."
Laojun decided to have several sets manufactured for his own documentation purposes, a request that Jin fulfilled immediately.
＊ ＊ ＊
Sometime later.
"S-So this is the damage caused by the 'Voracious Grasshoppers'..."
Laojun had prepared several sets of materials—specimens of the grasshoppers, iron bars covered in bite marks, and "photographs" documenting the devastation—and sent them to the leaders of the major nations under Jin's name.
"They even devour iron...?"
"They truly eat every last scrap, leaving not even a single blade of grass behind..."
The world's leaders trembled as they reviewed the evidence. Simultaneously, they breathed deep sighs of relief that Jin had managed to exterminate the swarm.
"This certainly makes the necessity of a 'World Security Guard' clear," the Empress of the Shouro Empire remarked, letting out a weary sigh as she read the report. Her nation felt a particularly keen sense of gratitude that the disaster had been averted.
"If Jin-kun's response had been even a few days later... no, the very fact that he noticed the threat at all is a miracle."
Jin had apparently traveled to northern Mitsuho on a coincidental errand. That errand, the report explained, was to develop the very recording method attached to the file: the "photograph."
"A 'photograph'... Truly, it captures the truth of the world. What a marvelous magic tool."
"Indeed, Your Majesty," the Chancellor agreed.
"Jin-kun says the technology is still in development, but once it is perfected, I would like our nation to purchase them."
"Quite right. There are countless applications. Though they are perhaps a bit small... to serve as a substitute for a formal portrait."
"I expect Jin-kun will find a way to handle that as well."
"Indeed, he likely will."
The Empress and her Chancellor placed their absolute trust in the extraordinary engineer, the Magi Craft Meister.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Hmm, 'Voracious Grasshoppers,' is it...?"
In the Celuroa Kingdom, King Cesar wore a grim expression as he studied the documents before him. At the edge of his desk, Rambeau, the Chief of the First Ministry of Internal Affairs, looked over the materials the King had passed him.
"I believe there are records of this from about one hundred and fifty years ago," the King noted.
"Yes, there should be."
Rambeau stood up and headed into the archive room adjacent to the King's office. A few minutes later, he returned with a single record book.
"Your Majesty, it is recorded here. In the year 3310, a quarter of our territory was devastated by a swarm of insects arriving from the north."
"Are they the same species?"
"Comparing the illustrations in the archives to these... photographs? They appear identical."
"I see. Regardless, these 'photographs' are magnificent."
"Truly. They will be of immense value for maintaining historical records."
"The 'Lord of Kunlun' mentioned he would supply them to us once they are finalized. I look forward to that day."
"As you wish, Sire."
"Now then, to return to the subject—the 'Voracious Grasshoppers' were wiped out by the 'Lord of Kunlun' this time, but in the future, I hope to see the 'World Security Guard' take on such responsibilities."
"To achieve that..."
＊ ＊ ＊
"Voracious Grasshoppers. What terrifying insects exist in this world."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
In the Klein Kingdom.
"Voracious Grasshoppers... I had only known of them through old texts, but they are real."
"Indeed. If these 'photographs' are an accurate reflection of reality, they are a grave threat."
"But since the 'Lord of Kunlun' has dealt with them, we can rest easy for the time being."
In the Kingdom of Egerea.
Furthermore, in the Kingdom of Franz and the Kingdom of Elias, the threat of the Voracious Grasshopper was accepted as a grim reality—as was the fact that Jin had exterminated them.
＊ ＊ ＊
"The Magi Craft Meister has saved us from the Voracious Grasshoppers!"
"Hooray!"
In Mitsuho, upon receiving the news that the Magi Craft Meister had eliminated the swarm, the people sang Jin's praises.
＊ ＊ ＊
『...Still, the sheer volume is incredible.』
Even Laojun was taken aback as he oversaw the recovery of the exterminated grasshoppers.
『My Lord estimated there were no less than ten thousand, but the actual number is ten thousand times that.』
One hundred million—a staggering population.
『Is this truly the result of free ether...?』
Grasshoppers that absorbed free ether matured and reproduced at an explosive rate. Furthermore, once they reached the second generation, they seemed capable of growing without consuming any organic matter at all, provided there was enough free ether available, much like other magical beasts.
『It is a truly preposterous ecology.』
"Yeah, I didn't think it would be this extreme either," Goose agreed.
Goose had been assisting with the ecological research into the Voracious Grasshoppers, and these were the final results.
"Ordinary grasshoppers mutate in areas with high concentrations of free ether. From the second generation onward, they multiply using only free ether and eventually begin migrating toward other regions."
『Indeed. However, the reason they choose to migrate as their numbers increase remains a mystery.』
This was a question even Laojun could not fully deduce.
"Actually, I've developed a hypothesis for that."
『Please, I would be honored to hear it.』
"Right. It's the free ether concentration per individual."
Laojun immediately grasped Goose's point.
『I see. As expected, Goose....In other words, once they multiply to the point that the amount of free ether available per grasshopper drops below a certain threshold, the swarm moves toward regions with higher concentrations.』
"Exactly. To add to that, they are still insects. They seem to be sensitive to the cold, so instead of heading north where the free ether is strongest, they head south. But since they are still seeking the ether to the north, they don't move due south; they move lingeringly toward the southeast."
『They dislike the cold and head south, but they crave ether and lean north. That provides a consistent explanation for their path.』
"Well, it's just my hypothesis."
『It is a compelling one.』
"Now if we could just pinpoint exactly where that high-concentration point was."
『It was likely a temporary phenomenon. If it were permanent, these swarms would occur periodically.』
"I suppose so. Which means searching for it now would be a waste of time."
Goose nodded toward Laozi, who was acting as both his bodyguard and driver in Laojun's stead.
『Shall we head back, then?』
"Yeah. I've had more than enough of the sky for one day."
『You still haven't grown accustomed to it, Goose?』
"This is one thing I suspect I'll never get used to."
Goose boarded the landed Pelican 4 and used its Warp Gate to return to Hourai Island.
In the now-deserted wilderness, only the breeze blew.