"Ho ho! So, you finally wish to establish friendship between us and the Lauren Continentals?"
"I am hoping to do so, if possible."
Jin moved on to discussing his second objective with Clan Chief Baldius.
Present at the meeting were Baldius’s son, Ladeous, and his wife, Rolona; Baldius’s granddaughter and the daughter of Ladeous and Rolona, Sion; and Marikka.
The fact that Marikka had become the new "Master" of Onogoro Island was known not only to the All-Creation Clan but to all the other clans as well. Furthermore, she had received their collective blessing in this role.
"I guarantee that the people of the Lauren Continent will not cause you any harm," Jin stated firmly.
"Umu. If Jin-sama guarantees it, then we can rest easy."
Baldius was clearly enthusiastic about the proposal.
"The issue is deciding who will serve as representatives," Jin added.
He thought briefly of Sion’s older sister, Istalis.
Istalis had once traveled to the Lauren Continent via a different route from her sister to secure food aid. While Sion had met Jin and secured a promise of cooperation, Istalis had been captured in the Kingdom of Franz and subjected to torture along with her servant, Netros.
Jin had rescued and treated them, but as far as the public record was concerned, the two of them were dead.
The King of the Kingdom of Franz at the time had been Lijoun de Berkeley. Since the current monarch was Rotaro, there likely wouldn’t be a political issue, but out of consideration for her past trauma, it seemed better to choose someone else.
"We shall go as the representatives from the All-Creation Clan," Ladeous and Rolona volunteered.
"Umu. I can certainly entrust this task to the two of you," Baldius agreed with a nod.
"Then it will likely be in about six months. I will contact you as soon as the schedule is finalized," Jin said.
"Jin-sama, we look forward to it."
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin departed from the All-Creation Clan territory shortly after noon the following day.
The first step had been a success.
"Next... we’ll head to the Gospel Clan territory first."
The Gospel Clan lived in the mountains to the north. The Vulcan set its course accordingly.
For the Vulcan, a blizzard would be no obstacle, but today was a rare day of perfectly clear weather. The ship landed beside the rocky mountain that served as the Gospel Clan’s home.
The snow accumulation in this vicinity was about fifty centimeters—deep enough to reach above a human's knees.
"The Golem horses should be fine here."
With their extraordinary power and resistance to the cold, they could likely manage in up to a meter of snow. Because all of Jin’s golems possessed "body temperature," there was no risk of their skin freezing to surfaces in the extreme cold. Additionally, they were equipped to use 'Heat' magic in emergencies, so they wouldn't end up trapped by ice or snowdrifts.
"O-Oh! If it isn't Jin-sama!"
Alectas emerged from the rock face that housed the Gospel settlement.
Thanks to a barrier, the temperature in the immediate area was about five degrees Celsius, and the ground was clear of snow.
"We received word from the All-Creation Clan, but this is quite a sight..."
He seemed overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the Vulcan towering behind Jin’s party—and by the Golem horses as well.
"These are magnificent. They will make traveling through the snow much easier."
"In this terrain, you should have them pull sleds," Jin suggested.
Even though the Golem horses could walk through a meter of snow without trouble, the riders would find the experience miserable. Hitching them to sleds was a far more practical solution.
"Oh, indeed. Well, we can’t very well talk standing out here in the cold. Please, come inside."
The settlement was built directly into the rock. The interior temperature was kept at about fifteen degrees Celsius—warm enough to live comfortably with slightly thick clothing.
"If we raised the room temperature any further, the shock of the temperature difference with the outside would be too great," Clan Chief Fabius explained.
Neither Jin nor Elsa were particularly sensitive to the cold, and since they were wearing sufficient winter gear, the temperature was perfectly fine. They decided to stay the night in the Gospel territory to discuss various matters.
"Hmm, a World Conference, you say?"
"That is correct. The All-Creation Clan has already agreed to participate."
"If Jin-sama is the one making the guarantee, then we have no reason to refuse."
The Gospel Clan also expressed no opposition to establishing friendly relations with the Lauren Continentals.
"However, I believe the number of representatives should be kept small," Fabius added. "If we sent two people from every single clan, the group would be quite large."
"That's a fair point."
"In this case, out of respect for them being the first to establish friendly relations with Jin-sama, I believe it would be best to have the All-Creation Clan go as the primary representatives."
"I see."
"Of course, we will need to hold a Clan Council to unify our stance across all the clans first."
Fabius concluded by offering the Gospel Clan’s services in organizing those internal negotiations.
"In any case, we are likely looking at sometime between spring and summer."
By June, the snow would be gone, making it much easier for the various clans to maintain contact.
"By the way, Jin-sama, what do you seek in exchange for these Golem horses you’ve brought us?"
Jin had presented five Golem horses to the Gospel Clan. Maquina and Rei were currently teaching the clan members how to handle them, with Anne and Edgar assisting.
"About that... I was interested in a certain magic tool I saw here before."
"Oh? Is there a magic tool that would interest a Magi Craft Meister such as yourself?"
"There is. And I have a specific reason for wanting it."
Jin began his explanation.
"To put it simply, I want to introduce it to the world as a form of technology provided by the demon race."
"I see."
"Specifically, I’m interested in your 'communication device.'"
"A 'communication device'?"
"Yes. The device you have here is similar to the manacam I created, yet distinct in its function. I believe it could be adapted for 'broadcasting.'"
"Broadcasting?"
"That’s right."
Jin gave a brief explanation of the concept. Receiving units would be installed at key points throughout a town, allowing announcements to be made to the public as necessary. They could even be used for daily time signals.
In modern Japan, rural areas often utilized such public address systems for disaster prevention and community news.
"I see, I see. But surely someone of your skill could create such a thing yourself, Jin-sama?"
"If you ask whether I can, the answer is yes. However, the fact that the technology is provided by the demon territory is what's truly important here."
"Ah, I understand now."
Fabius nodded, satisfied with the reasoning.
"If that is the case, then we would be more than happy to provide the technology."
"Thank you very much."
Jin felt a wave of relief as the negotiations concluded successfully. The efficient transmission of information was vital in any era, and this exchange would serve as a crucial bridge between two worlds.