"Oh? Ohhh!"
Inside the warehouse, where twelve golems lay dormant and three stood perfectly still at attention, Paerova raised his voice in a mix of admiration and shock.
"Since I don't have the proper materials for repairs, these are strictly emergency fixes, but..."
Jin’s explanation didn't seem to reach the man's ears.
"This is amazing!...Jin-dono, the golems here are said to have once boasted performance among the finest in our country."
Jin could sense a clear difference between these units and the one Lorenz kept with him. Every golem here possessed proportions remarkably close to those of a human. Furthermore, their internal structure—which he couldn't help but understand the moment he began the work—was clearly derived from the design lineage of Adriana Barbora Tsetse.
"To think I would see these golems move again with my own eyes...! Jin-dono, you have my gratitude!"
However, Jin added that he was still unsatisfied with the results.
"Emergency repairs are possible for three more, but the remaining nine cannot be fixed due to a lack of supplies. If it's possible, could you procure the necessary materials for me?"
"O-Oh, of course! Yes, I shall arrange for whatever can be obtained immediately."
"In that case, please take this."
Jin handed Paerova the list of materials he had compiled during the morning. He had intentionally waited until after the man had seen the repaired golems to hand it over, figuring it would be more effective that way. It was a rare bit of tactical maneuvering on Jin's part.
- Magi-crystals (High quality): 8
- Mithril: 500 grams
- Adamantite: 10 grams
- Iron (Steel): 3 kilograms
- Bronze: 10 kilograms
- Nickel: 200 grams
- Chromium: 100 grams
Paerova scanned the list and let out a low groan.
"Hmm, there are some things here that cannot be gathered immediately. Adamantite and magi-crystals will take time. Especially high-quality magi-crystals; since the royal capital manages the entire supply, I'm not certain if I can secure them."
"That is fine. I will simply wait until they are available."
"Then there is the mithril....Hmm, I might be able to manage about 100 grams somehow."
"Then just the amount you can obtain is fine. I will carry out the repairs accordingly."
Hearing Jin's explanation, Paerova nodded.
"Understood. I shall make the arrangements at once....Also, what are these things called nickel and chromium?"
Paerova did not seem to recognize the names.
"They are types of metal. When mixed with iron, they create an alloy that is resistant to rust."
Jin intended to use this opportunity to upgrade the golem skeletons to stainless steel.
"I see, is that so?...In any case, I will arrange for them immediately."
"I leave it to you."
Paerova hurried back to his office. Shortly after he left, Kachea arrived to take his place.
"Jin-san, are you repairing golems this time?"
"Hey....Is it okay for you to be in a place like this?"
Kachea nodded.
"Yes. Lectures are only in the morning... and in the afternoon, I'm... allowed to do as I please."
"In that case, all the more reason you shouldn't feel obligated to come here."
But Kachea shook her head.
"No... I-I'm still not good at walking around alone, after all... Not until I've gotten used to the estate a bit more..."
"I see."
For now, Jin was her only familiar acquaintance. Kachea felt more at ease spending her free time here than exploring the mansion on her own.
"Well, that's fine. I don't think it's very interesting to watch, though."
"N-No, that's... not true."
"If you say so. If you're okay with it, Kachea."
"Yes. I'll watch quietly over here... so please don't mind me."
"Understood."
Jin returned to his work. He moved on to the fourth unit.
"This one is a bit of a pain."
When he removed the outer casing, he found that the part corresponding to the human lumbar vertebrae was snapped.
"It looks like it was too thin to begin with."
Even though these golems followed Adriana's designs, they appeared to be mass-produced models. Perhaps due to a manufacturing error, there had been a shortage of material in the waist, or a defect had occurred during the molding process. In any case, the flaw had been overlooked.
"For now, I'll just connect it... 'Fusion,' 'Forming'... and I'll reinforce it while I'm at it. 'Toughening.' There."
Jin proceeded with the repairs with practiced efficiency.
" 'Start.'...That makes four."
On to the fifth unit.
"This one is easy."
By Jin's assessment, a magi-nerve line was severed and a portion of the magical muscle was torn.
" 'Fusion'... 'Forming,' 'Toughening'... That's the nerve fixed. Next, the muscle..."
"...Incredible."
Kachea knew nothing about magi-craft, but she could clearly see that Jin was performing highly advanced work that was far beyond the reach of an ordinary person.
He wielded magic as naturally as breathing, repairing golems one after another without a hint of hesitation. To Kachea, there was no word for Jin other than "incredible."
"Now, for the sixth one....Ah, I see..."
The sixth unit’s failure was localized to the link board inside the chest armor. It had cracked, causing the mounted magi-crystals to fall out of alignment.
"The armor is dented, too... It must have taken a powerful blow to the chest."
Looking at the deep indentation in the bronze armor, Jin could imagine the impact.
"This is what happens when you don't include any cushioning."
Forgetting Kachea was watching, Jin continued to mutter to himself as he worked.
" 'Bonding.'...This magi-crystal is... the ether converter. That goes here. This one is the mana driver, so it goes there....Alright, 'Fusion.' "
After repairing the link board, Jin reconnected the severed magi-nerve lines and applied "Toughening." He then adjusted the rattling joints and smoothed out the dent in the exterior with "Forming."
"That's that.... 'Start.' "
"...Wow."
Six golems, each standing two meters tall like knights in full suits of armor, were now lined up in a row. It was a spectacular sight. Kachea spoke up in spite of herself.
"That's all for today."
The remaining nine units suffered from malfunctions that couldn't be addressed without the missing materials. Jin clapped his hands together to clear the dust and turned toward Kachea.
"Kachea, I'm putting your advice to good use."
"My advice?"
"Yeah. I handled these golem repairs incredibly slowly."
"Eh..."
Kachea was struck speechless. To her amateur eyes, he had been working at an unbelievable speed—yet Jin claimed he was holding back. For a moment, he seemed like an inhabitant of a completely different world.