Jin was led straight to the basement of the Ducal Palace.
Waiting for him in one of the rooms was Pegin Vorontov of the Council of Ten.
"So, you've arrived. Jin, was it? You are to head to the Jagus Principality via the Warp Gate immediately. The official on the other side will explain the details."
"I understand."
"...Hmph. You seem composed, though it may just be a front. Rest assured, this Warp Gate is stable. It has never caused an accident."
His words likely stemmed from the information that Jin had allegedly arrived on this continent due to a teleportation accident.
Jin offered no reply.
"As a precaution, I'll have your luggage searched."
the soldier standing beside Pegin Vorontov snatched Jin's belongings and dumped the contents onto a table.
Inside were a change of shirt and underwear. There were also three pebbles.
When Jin stated that the stones were souvenirs from Taji Village, Pegin gave a disinterested nod.
"It's rare to see someone with so little to their name," Pegin muttered, sounding somewhat exasperated.
A physical search followed.
They checked the contents of his wallet, but the gold coins were returned to him.
The Protect Ring on his finger was also left untouched.
"All right, go."
Pegin pointed toward the adjacent room.
As Jin and Hope headed inside, they found two soldiers armed with spears standing like sentries on either side of the Warp Gate.
(It’s a standard model.)
It appeared less efficient than the types Jin used on Hourai Island. He saw no signs of progress despite four centuries having passed.
Still, he could tell it was functioning correctly. Seeing no signs of instability, Jin felt at ease.
"Well then, I'm off."
As if he were simply stepping into the next room, Jin casually walked into the Warp Gate. Hope followed close behind.
The two of them vanished in an instant.
"...Hmph, he’s gone. Still, that fellow... he didn't show the slightest reaction upon seeing the Warp Gate. It was as if it weren't rare at all."
＊ ＊ ＊
On the other side of the Warp Gate stood about ten soldiers and a single man who had the sharp, cold eyes of a bureaucrat.
"Welcome to the Jagus Principality....Follow me."
The man said nothing more before turning on his heel.
Jin left the Warp Gate room accompanied by two soldiers, with Hope in tow.
They climbed a set of stairs and were led into a room that resembled a modest reception parlor.
"Have a seat."
The man sat down first and gestured for Jin to sit opposite him.
"Now then, welcome once again, Jin-kun....I must say, bearing the same name as the ancient 'Lord of Kunlun' is quite a feat....But I hear your skills are impressive. I have high expectations for you."
"Right. Thank you."
"I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Rokou B. Sihalo. I am one of the technical administrators, and I will be in charge of you."
"...I look forward to working with you."
When Jin bowed his head, Rokou gave a magnanimous nod.
"Now, first, let me explain the current situation."
Rokou began his briefing.
"To the east of our Jagus Principality lies the Norha Principality, and to the south is the Darato Principality. There is also a country called the Mimaka Principality to the southeast, but for now, you only need to concern yourself with Norha and Darato."
"..."
Since Jin remained silent, Rokou continued.
"In terms of national power, our Jagus Principality is the strongest. However, because we are sandwiched between the Norha and Darato Principalities, our strength is not yet sufficient. If those two countries were to attack simultaneously, we would be unable to defend ourselves. Therefore, bolstering our national power is a matter of urgency....Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Very well. Our country requires superior golems. I have heard that yours is high-performance despite being constructed with meager materials. I am expecting great things."
"I understand."
At this point, Jin decided to ask something that had been on his mind.
"Um, I have a question as well."
"What is it?"
"Regarding means of transportation... what exactly exists here in the Jagus Principality?"
"Automobiles, hot air balloons, airships, and magi-ships."
There was one term Jin wasn't familiar with.
"What are magi-ships?"
"That is the general term for ships that sail using engines powered by magic. Did you not know that?"
"No, I hadn't heard them called that before."
"I see. Anything else?"
"Ah, come to think of it, do you know someone named 'Lordtoss'?"
Hearing that name, Rokou showed a hint of surprise.
"Yes, I know him. He is a guest in our country who provides instruction on general magi-craft. Are you an acquaintance?"
"No, I had heard he was the master of someone I know."
"I see. If you stick with this work, you'll likely meet him soon enough."
Afterward, Rokou gave him a tour of the research wing.
The basement and the first floor were dedicated to laboratories, while the second and third floors served as residential facilities.
The room Jin was assigned was fully equipped with a bedroom, living room, toilet, bathroom, washroom, and kitchen. It was essentially a studio apartment, and it was reasonably comfortable.
He found no eavesdropping magi-devices.
"It's a bit better than the Mercana Principality."
For meals, there was a cafeteria in a separate building.
It operated on a cafeteria-style system, and payments were primarily made using provided tickets.
If one ran out of tickets, they had to purchase more out of their own pocket. Jin received 5,000 Toll (approximately 50,000 yen) worth of tickets for the current month.
"Prices outside are high, so most of the staff eat here."
Rokou, who had been showing Jin around, joined him for lunch.
"Break time is from 12:00 to 13:30. After that, I'll take you to the workplace."
"Yes, sir."
The working hours were from 8:30 in the morning until 12:00 noon. The lunch break lasted from 12:00 to 13:30, followed by afternoon shifts from 13:30 to 17:00. After that, there was an evening break from 17:00 to 19:00, and a final shift from 19:00 to 21:00.
The actual labor amounted to nine hours a day.
Incidentally, it seemed this country used a 24-hour clock rather than referring to morning and afternoon.
Jin thought the working hours were standard, but the total time he was tied down seemed rather long.
That said, since there was no commute, it was far easier than the companies he had worked for in the past.
However, it appeared there was only one day off per week.
(Well, considering I once worked for three months straight without a break, this is a breeze.)
Jin, who was naturally something of a workaholic, had a few minor reservations about the environment but accepted it without much fuss.
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin told Rokou that he wanted to relax alone in his room during the lunch break, so he lay down on his bed until 13:30. Hope stood guard at the door.
(I've finally made it to this continent. It's been a long road... Next is Lordtoss, I guess.)
As he turned these thoughts over in his mind, he drifted off to sleep.
"Jin-sama, it is almost 13:30."
Jin was woken by Hope's voice.
"Ah... I fell asleep for a bit, didn't I?"
Jin rubbed his eyes as he sat up and went to the washroom to splash water on his face.
"Jin-kun, shall we go?"
Rokou arrived precisely on time.
"Please bring the golem along as well."
"Yes, understood."
And so, Jin and Hope were led by Rokou toward the laboratory on the first floor.