From that point on, Adriana’s progress was relentless.
In less than a year, she produced four more golems of the same model as M-005.
She developed a magi-lamp that could shine indefinitely without requiring a manual supply of mana.
She crafted the earliest prototype of the loudspeaker.
She successfully brought magi-resin into practical use.
Through these announcements and more, she firmly established her status as a magi craftsman within the Garandia Kingdom.
＊ ＊ ＊
"The Predecessor truly was remarkable, wasn't she?"
Sion spoke to Jin, who was currently taking a breather and wetting his throat with a cup of tea.
"S-She’s incredible! Adriana-sama is so wonderful!" Marikka added, her cheeks flushed with admiration.
"After that, the Predecessor opened a school for magi-craft in the Garandia Kingdom. Initially, it seems some were hesitant, refusing to be taught by someone so young—let alone a woman."
"I don't quite understand that sentiment," Sion remarked. "Our people tend to be strictly meritocratic."
"That may be so. But humans—especially the nobility—tend to fixate on such trivialities."
Jin agreed with Sion, having felt the sting of such prejudices many times himself.
"And then four years passed. The records from that period only cover the barest essentials. Whether that’s because she was too busy or for some other reason, I can't say."
During those four years, Adriana Barbora Tsetse built an unshakable reputation as an educator within the Garandia Kingdom.
＊ ＊ ＊
On April 8, 2368, Adriana Barbora Tsetse turned twenty-eight.
She was now officially recognized as a Magi Craft Meister, and the number of her disciples had grown to over fifty.
She received numerous marriage proposals from nobles serving in the Royal Palace and from wealthy merchants, but she turned them all down without exception.
She simply could not forget Shuuki Tsetse—her foster father and the only man she had ever loved.
Furthermore, she was pouring all her passion into the education of her disciples.
"Teacher, I don't quite understand what’s wrong with this golem..."
"Ah, look, it’s not symmetrical. Try reflecting it in a mirror when you're stuck; the distortions will become immediately obvious."
"Oh, you're right! Thank you, Teacher!"
"Hehe, keep working hard."
"Teacher, regarding this magi-sequence for the control flow—wouldn't it be more efficient to omit this section and do it like this?"
"Let’s see... That would work fine as long as everything is operating normally. But what would happen if some external factor caused it to malfunction?"
"Um... ah! The movements would just keep magnifying without limit!"
"Exactly. We call that kind of control 'feedback.' Do you see why it’s necessary now?"
"I do! Thank you very much!"
Adriana was kind and thorough in her instruction, and as a result, her disciples improved at a staggering pace. On the other hand, she found herself with very little time to devote to her own personal research.
Then, one day, a diplomatic delegation arrived from the neighboring Garandora Kingdom.
The Garandora Kingdom was situated roughly where the Celuroa Kingdom stands today, and it could be considered the precursor to the Dinar Kingdom. At the time, it was said to possess the most advanced culture of all the nations. It was also a country the Magus, Shuuki Tsetse, had visited during the early days of his wanderings.
"Adriana-dono, would you be willing to attend the meeting as well?"
The Crown Prince himself came to her with the request.
"Me? What would my role be?"
"The envoys from the other side seem to be a bit full of themselves, coming from such a major power. I was hoping you might use your knowledge to knock them down a peg or two."
"Well... I can't promise I’ll succeed, you know? There are still plenty of things I don't know myself."
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of reprimanding you if things didn't go perfectly," the Crown Prince said with a laugh.
Dressed in formal attire, Adriana took a seat at the far end of the bilateral summit.
(...How boring...)
From the opening greetings to the exchange of news regarding their respective lands, the proceedings were an exercise in utter tedium for Adriana.
As she listened half-heartedly, she gathered that the Garandia Kingdom had originally been founded after splitting off from the Garandora Kingdom. No wonder the names are so similar, she mused to herself.
The dry conversation dragged on, but eventually, the topic shifted to something that piqued her interest.
"...As for resource development..."
"...Smelting... requires a vast amount of firewood..."
"...But to clear forests for that purpose would be..."
"...No, if we were to practice reforestation..."
Reforestation. That was one of the core teachings Shuuki Tsetse had traveled the world to spread.
If you cut down a tree, plant a sapling in its place. By doing so, the forest would return to its original state in a few decades, providing a sustainable source of timber. But that wasn't the only benefit. Deforested land—bald mountains—lost its capacity to retain water. On a continent with low rainfall, this was a critical issue.
"Water management... I suppose."
Someone overheard her quiet murmur. It was Mario de Fores, one of the envoys from the Garandora Kingdom.
"Oh? It seems there are intellectuals even in the Garandia Kingdom. Remind me, what was your name?"
"Eh? Ah, I am Adriana Barbora Tsetse."
"Hmm, a name with an eastern ring to it. Now then, you just muttered something about 'water management.' I should like to hear your perspective on the matter."
"Well..."
The group had been discussing the fact that expanding farmland would require more water than they currently had, and they were debating how to secure it. Recalling the lessons she had learned from her father, Shuuki, Adriana answered.
"To start with... digging reservoirs. Then, for regions near rivers, constructing irrigation canals. And finally, digging wells, I should think."
Hearing this, Mario de Fores smirked.
"In any case, such projects require massive amounts of manual labor. If we mobilize the populace for such construction, our production will plummet for a significant period. How do you propose we address that?"
"...I believe that is exactly when golems should be utilized."
At the mention of golems, Mario’s expression twitched slightly.
"Ho ho, golems. I will concede that they would save on human labor. However, have you ever actually considered the cost of a single golem?"
Generally speaking, golems were prohibitively expensive. In terms of value, they were perhaps comparable to a jet fighter on modern Earth.
However...
"It’s not necessarily as expensive as you think. Golems possess untapped potential. If they are operated effectively, there are many highly efficient methods available."
This was one of the themes Adriana had been researching for years.
"And what might those methods be?"
Before she could answer, the Crown Prince stepped in.
"Our country does not have the luxury of sharing such vital technical details in a setting like this," he said, giving Adriana a meaningful look. Interpreting this as a signal to stop talking, Adriana fell silent.
"Hmph, I suppose that is fair. Then, for the next item: what policies do you believe are best for increasing national strength?"
Mario looked at Adriana, the corner of his mouth curling into a condescending smile.
Irritated by his expression, Adriana once again shared the wisdom she had gained from Shuuki.
"Agriculture. By increasing production, a nation gains the leeway to grow. As the saying goes, 'When the people have enough to eat and wear, they will understand propriety.'"
"What did you say?"
After a brief scowl of confusion, Mario’s face suddenly lit up with intrigue.