At 6:00 AM, the world outside grew bright.
Jin and Elsa finished their breakfast at House Randol and returned to the Konron 3.
"Well then, we’re off."
"Yeah, take care out there."
"I’d love to join you, but I suppose I can’t leave my post here."
"Be careful, Elsa. Jin-sama, please look after her."
"I’m sorry our long-awaited visit home had to end on such a hectic note," Jin said.
"Don’t be silly. Having the help of the 'Lord of Kunlun' has been a lifesaver for us."
"I’m glad to hear you say that, Brother-in-law."
With the members of House Randol seeing them off, Jin and Elsa set a course for the northeast.
"Oh, we truly are flying. This speed is quite impressive."
Lance didn't seem particularly shocked by the concept of flight itself, but he appeared deeply moved by the ship's velocity.
"It is fast. But Teleportation would be faster still."
"!?"
"...Just as I suspected."
"Father?"
"Jin-nii!?"
Elsa was visibly startled to hear the word "Teleportation" come from Lance, but Jin merely nodded as if he had already reached that conclusion. His lack of surprise caught both Elsa and Reiko off guard.
"Well, I mean, that technology was used quite normally around the time of the Great Magic War, wasn't it? The only reason Elena didn't know about it was likely because her creator chose not to teach her..."
Elsa nodded, finding Jin's explanation reasonable.
"Now that you mention it, that’s true."
She recalled the massive Warp Gate they had discovered at the Keuwan Ruins during a previous journey.
"Hmm. So Jin-dono also possesses a means of Teleportation?"
When Jin nodded, Lance looked genuinely impressed this time.
"I see. The technological disparity in the outside world is quite extreme. That is good to know."
"Did you not venture outside very often?" Reiko asked.
"No. This is my first time."
As had become the norm, Lance answered Reiko’s questions without the slightest hesitation.
"I have only been functional for ten years since my creation, after all."
"Is that so?"
"However, I have inherited knowledge. A vast amount of it, spanning a great deal of time."
"I thought as much."
Data regarding golems and automata could be replicated through Trans Info. If passed down through successive generations, that knowledge base would become gargantuan.
However, such a system was prone to accumulating useless or redundant information. If one simply added data without organizing it, the memory capacity would eventually be exhausted without any real increase in efficiency. It was a process much like performing a cleanup on a computer's hard drive.
"We are approaching the target area."
The voice of their pilot, Edgar, came over the communication line. Looking down through the floor window, they saw a high mountain peak capped with snow.
"The creator called it 'Mount Suhront'."
"Mount Suhront, I see. Where should we land?"
"There is a small plateau on the southwest side. That should serve."
Edgar adjusted the Konron 3's course and brought the ship down for a smooth, unerring landing on the designated spot.
"The altitude looks high. We’d better wear our coats."
Jin pulled his and Elsa’s heavy coats out of the ship's locker. He kept various types of clothing on board specifically for situations like this.
"It's all snow and ice out there. It’ll be dangerous if we don't wear mountain gear."
"Mm."
Jin had prepared special boots designed to maintain traction even on ice. These were specifically made for magi; they functioned as standard rubber-soled boots on dirt or rock, but a set of spikes would extend from the soles when the wearer encountered snow or ice. They were considered "for magi" because the mechanism utilized an application of Forming. Naturally, they were also cold-resistant and waterproof.
"...It really is freezing."
Elsa was generally more resistant to the cold than Jin, but at this time of year, the temperature on a high-altitude mountain would barely reach zero degrees Celsius even at midday. Their breath came out in thick white clouds, and the surrounding rocks were heavily coated in rime ice.
Leaving Edgar behind to guard the ship, the group stepped out. Lance carried the two non-functional golems on his back, packed compactly for transport.
"Where should we head from here?"
"This way."
Without showing any strain from the heavy load, Lance took the lead. Jin, Elsa, and Reiko followed in single file. Though the path wasn't visible from a distance, a well-maintained trail wound its way up the slope, making the trek surprisingly easy for a mountain pass.
After about ten minutes of walking around a bend, they arrived at a small terrace roughly the size of two tatami mats.
"Is this the entrance?" Reiko asked.
Lance nodded simply. "It is. Wait here; I will open it."
He placed his hand against the rock face and manipulated something hidden from view. A small circular hole, just large enough for a palm, appeared. Lance thrust his hand inside and performed another sequence of actions. Suddenly, a doorway large enough for a person to pass through comfortably opened in the rock wall beside him.
"I apologize, but I must go ahead and report to the Son of the Creator. If permission is granted, I will return to escort you. Will you wait here?"
Lance spoke while looking directly at Reiko.
"Understood. Please be as quick as possible."
"Of course."
Nodding to Reiko, Lance stepped inside with the broken golems still on his back. The door slid shut immediately, making the entrance vanish once more.
"I wonder if this is an illusion-type barrier," Jin mused, already shifting into analysis mode. "Hmm, it’s simpler than the illusion barriers used in the Former Leonard Kingdom. There's no tactile element to it. It merely disguises the visual appearance."
"Does that mean it can be dispelled with a Magic Canceller?" Reiko asked.
Jin nodded. "That's exactly what it means. But don't go doing that, all right?"
"I won't."
"Jin-nii, how do you think the opening and locking mechanisms work?" Elsa asked.
"It's hard to say for sure without a closer look, but it's likely a double or triple-redundant system. A hidden primary key grants access to the main lock, which then likely requires individual authentication and a mechanical release."
"Ah, that makes sense. A combination like that would provide very high security."
While they were discussing the mechanics, the door opened again, and Lance reappeared.
"The Son of the Creator has granted his permission. I trust you will not betray that confidence."
"There's no need to worry. Father and Elsa-sama are not aggressive people. By the same token, please ensure that you aren't leading us into a trap."
When Reiko spoke, Lance gave a solemn nod.
"I shall trust the word of Reiko-jou. For our part, we will never do anything to betray Reiko-jou's trust. This way, please."
Jin and the others followed as Lance turned back inside. Beyond the door was a space that functioned much like an airlock. Once the outer door sealed behind them, a light sensation of weightlessness took hold.
"An elevator. We’re going underground, aren't we?"
"Exactly. Our living quarters are deep below the surface."
They seemed to be descending to a considerable depth. The elevator continued its downward journey for about a minute before finally coming to a gentle halt.
"Now, if you would."
Lance stepped out first and beckoned for Jin and the others to follow him into the facility.