September 16.
Jin had returned to Hourai Island for the time being. He was considering visiting the Mercana Principality next.
"The problem is how I’m supposed to explain myself..."
He wasn't sure they would believe him even if he did offer an explanation.
"And even if I did, what would be the point...?"
Still, he felt a lingering desire to say a final word of farewell before returning to his original era.
"What should I do..."
Laojun offered an opinion.
『My Lord, I believe it would be for the best to refrain from doing so.』
"I agree with Laojun," Reiko added, joining the effort to dissuade him.
"You think so too?"
『Yes. I have run several simulations, and the plan seems quite problematic.』
Laojun began to list the issues.
『First, how do you intend to meet them?』
"Ugh..." Jin was stumped from the very beginning.
『Using Invisible would allow you to travel, certainly. But what follows would be the issue. Given their limited freedom, a secret meeting would be exceedingly difficult.』
"Well, I suppose so..."
『Next, what do you intend to do once you meet them? There is very little you can actually reveal, is there not?』
"That’s true."
『Even from their perspective, I believe it would be troubling to be told that My Lord—whom they believed to be an ordinary person—is actually the Magi Craft Meister who came from four hundred years in the past.』
"..."
Each point was perfectly sound.
『I understand that My Lord wishes to say a word of farewell to those you have met in this era—especially those with whom you have shared hardships—but even so, I cannot recommend it.』
"Laojun..."
Jin felt a surge of gratitude for Laojun’s voice of reason.
『If you are concerned about those individuals, perhaps I could check on them with the Peeping Telescope?』
"I guess..."
Jin could have used the Peeper himself, but he hesitated; it felt too much like voyeurism.
＊ ＊ ＊
In the end, Jin followed Laojun’s advice and abandoned the idea of visiting the Mercana Principality. However, there was one thing he couldn't help but ask.
"Laojun, what do you think the future holds for the nations of Ars?"
『Ars belongs to Ars humanity. As long as they do not make any major mistakes, I believe we should simply watch over them.』
Laojun's response was slightly beside the point.
"I see. So that's how you feel."
『Yes. Marikka-san thinks the same way, which is why she has put Onogoro Island into dormancy.』
"Right, that was it."
Jin couldn't help but wonder if watching over them was truly all Hourai Island could do for this planet. Then, he asked about one more thing that had been on his mind.
"...Also, you still won't tell me how my descendants are doing, will you?"
『Correct. Since even you, My Lord—upon your return to the past—had no knowledge of them.』
"I see..."
『However, I can say this much: everyone is doing well.』
That was enough to bring a smile to Jin's face. "I see. I'm glad to hear that, at least."
『I am glad to be of service.』
"..."
Jin closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Returning to his original era four hundred years ago was his primary goal, and it was finally about to be fulfilled.
"Everyone..."
Jin's true place was not here, but four hundred years in the past. But now that the time to leave was near, he found himself worrying about Hourai Island's future.
I wonder what Laojun and Reiko will do once I'm gone, he mused.
In the past, Jin had thought his automata could simply live alongside his descendants. But for reasons unknown, his descendants lived away from Hourai Island.
As it stands, Hourai Island won't change its core directives—its very way of being—without my mana, voiceprint, and password.
In other words, once Jin returned to the past, Laojun and Reiko would likely have to act on their own initiative.
That might be problematic in its own way... Then an idea struck him.
What if a copy of me wakes up as soon as I vanish from this era?
Without telling Laojun or Reiko—perhaps only with Elsa's help—he could build an automaton, transfer his memories, knowledge, and personality into it, and hide it away somewhere. He could then set it to activate once he had returned to his original era.
It's a solid plan.
The drawback was that he couldn't consult Laojun or Reiko, but he could probably talk to other members of the Jin Family.
Wait, why not just make it now? He didn't necessarily have to wait until he returned.
"Hmm..."
He considered whether Laojun and Reiko would even welcome an automaton Jin. Putting that aside for a moment, he decided to broach a different concern with Laojun.
"...Hey, Laojun, is advanced technology... no, is alien knowledge and technology unnecessary for this planet?"
『My Lord, I do not believe so. I believe it is precisely because there is something to contrast with that one can move forward.』
"Civilization develops more when there are opposites... was that it?"
Earth humanity always seemed to be in opposition to someone or something, Jin thought. Was it the syllogism? No, wait... dialectics.
A Thesis (proposition) and an Antithesis (counter-proposition) meet, reconcile, and result in a third point: the Synthesis (composite proposition). This process—Aufheben—was the core of dialectics. The Synthesis would then become a new Thesis, spawning a new Antithesis, and the cycle of development would continue forever.
"For magic civilization, there is science civilization."
Jin's contemplation continued.
"What was born from those two was the Adriana-style magic system, starting with magi-craft."
Naturally, that gave birth to a new opposite—the Magic Federation. To put it another way, one could say the Magic Federation was the Antithesis to Avalon.
"Then what would be its Synthesis?"
Jin was neither a thinker nor a philosopher, so he couldn't come up with an immediate answer.
"Maybe that's something the people of this planet need to find for themselves, rather than me."
Reaching that conclusion made him feel much lighter.
"In that case, our role is over. From now on, we can live more freely."
The tension left his shoulders. Jin decided to confirm whether what he had been thinking about all this time was feasible.
"Laojun, would it be possible to relocate Hourai Island to the Hale?"