Following his conversation with No. 700672, Jin set to work renovating the Disaster at a rapid pace.
Repairing the damaged armor was simple enough, but the interior posed a real challenge. Much of the equipment consisted of Magi Machines that were entirely out of place on the current Ars—the majority of which were Deformed Golems.
"This design really does look like something a child drew after all..." Jin mused as he supervised the Smiths.
In the end, he decided to gut most of the interior, replacing or rebuilding nearly everything. The new layout required residential quarters, conference rooms, an infirmary, and a cafeteria.
As the base lacked a dedicated command room, he established one from scratch, running cables to ensure every corner of the facility could be monitored. He also added a dock capable of receiving ships and a flight deck where hot air balloons could land. Finally, he designated spaces for a food storehouse, a materials storehouse, a hangar, and a Repository.
"Man, this is such a hassle," Jin grumbled. "It would have been way easier to just build a new one from the ground up."
Still, with Laojun's support, Jin’s actual workload was reduced by more than half. Despite his complaints, he continued to make steady progress.
＊ ＊ ＊
"All that's left now is for Deus Ex Machina to take the stage."
On the day the base's repairs were about ninety percent complete, Jin sat down to consult with Laojun.
"Yes, My Lord. As for the installation site, perhaps we should consider the sea to the west of the Kingdom of Elias?"
"I suppose... regardless of where we put it, some countries will be closer while others are further away. That’s just unavoidable."
"That is true."
They would be notifying the various nations about the base in the near future. As far as Jin was concerned, he planned to organize an expedition to Hale as soon as Ars reached a reasonable level of unity.
"What are your thoughts on the relay base?"
"Yes, My Lord. I am considering establishing a floating base at the midpoint of the orbit between Ars and Hale."
"I see. That’s a good idea."
Even with the Peeper, his Peeping Telescope, it was impossible to see what lay on the far side of a star. It seemed that even free ether waves could not penetrate the source itself. Furthermore, they had discovered that even when using a virtual repeater, the signal remained unstable due to the vast distances and the fact that the repeater's position was unfixed.
"In that regard, a physical relay base would be quite significant."
"Right."
If they could fix the coordinates in space, the virtual repeater should stabilize. Once it was completed, they might even be able to observe the conditions on Hale while remaining on Ars.
"I intend to finalize the preparations and send out Castor and Pollux."
"While we're at it, why don't we build a proper construction ship? A 10-meter class isn't going to be enough to haul the necessary materials."
"A construction ship?"
"Yeah. Let's make it about 100 meters in diameter."
"If I have your permission, I shall begin the preparations immediately. We have the materials secured from the fragments of Modenu the other day."
"Alright, get to work on it."
"Understood."
And so, the construction of a new spaceship began.
＊ ＊ ＊
"U-Um..."
"Marikka-sama, there is no doubt. You possess the exact same mana as the Masters."
As promised, Jin had brought Marikka to see No. 700672. And just as he had expected, No. 700672 recognized her as a successor to the Masters.
"I never imagined that after so many years, I would encounter another person I could serve."
"Y-Yes."
Marikka herself looked incredibly out of place and uncomfortable.
"Please, give me your orders."
Caught off guard by the sudden request, Marikka couldn't think of a single thing to say.
"Ah, I know!"
"Yes?"
"...May this world remain peaceful forever. And please, cooperate and get along with Jin-sama."
"I have received your command."
Having heard Marikka's wish, No. 700672 would surely continue to assist in maintaining the stability of the world.
＊ ＊ ＊
"...There's really nothing like being home, is there?"
"Yes, you're right."
Back in Blue Land, Count Kuzuma and Beena were relaxing in their living room.
"I can't believe Jin is doing such incredible things."
"Indeed..."
"It must be so hard for him."
"Truly. No one asked him to do it, yet he tries to protect this world simply because he is the only one who can. The mental burden must be immense."
"We have to make sure we're there to support him."
"We do."
＊ ＊ ＊
"Ah, the sea."
Marcia murmured pensively as she stared out at the water in front of her workshop.
"To think that all of that was happening out past the horizon..."
"It's hard to wrap one's head around," her father, Rodrigo, agreed in a weary voice.
"The world is full of wonders we never even knew existed, isn't it, Father?"
"It is. All the more reason for us to focus on doing what we can do right now."
"Yeah."
＊ ＊ ＊
"Jin-san was out there fighting an enemy like that, in a place no one knew about, without anyone to recognize his effort..."
Back in Toka Village, Lishia sat in her office, staring down a pile of documents while her mind replayed the events in space.
"Lady Lishia, here is the next set of paperwork."
Fred, the former apprentice knight who was now serving as her secretary, brought over a fresh stack of documents.
"Thank you. Just put them there. Once I've finished processing them, please file them away."
"Understood."
Lishia paused, her pen hovering over the page, and glanced out the window.
"I have to do my best, too."
She felt a fresh wave of motivation wash over her.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Happy birthday!"
December 5th was Rodrigo's birthday. Despite their busy schedules, the members of the Jin Family had gathered to celebrate.
"Goodness, I'm a bit embarrassed... to be celebrated like this at my age."
"I think I've heard this before, but birthdays aren't just about celebrating getting older; they're about celebrating the anniversary of the day you were born."
At Jin's words, Rodrigo gave a sheepish smile and bowed to everyone.
"...Thank you."
Incidentally, Jin had also presented Rodrigo with a pocket watch. He was nothing if not dutiful.
＊ ＊ ＊
Life in Kaina Village continued on as usual.
"Ah, there's nothing like having solid ground under your feet."
Ever since disembarking from the Adriana, Martha had been letting out that same sigh of relief at every opportunity.
"It'll be snowing in the village soon," Hanna noted, looking out at the distant, white-capped mountains.
"That it will. But thanks to Jin, winter is a lot easier to get through these days."
"Yeah! We have the hot springs, and we have the golem horses too!"
Though the wind was turning cold, Kaina Village was overflowing with warmth today.