"Boo."
"Wau—"
"Look, isn't that a wonderful view?"
On May 26, Jin was soaring through the sky in his family aircraft, Taube 1. Edgar was at the controls, with Reiko and Anne accompanying the family.
The vessel prioritized stability over speed, equipped with four Magi Jet Engines for lift and another four for propulsion. To ensure the world below was clearly visible, both the front of the cabin and a portion of the floor were constructed from transparent materials.
Yuu and Mio were sprawled out on those clear panels, peering down at the ground below. They were cruising at an altitude of about fifty meters, allowing them a clear view of the landscape.
They were flying over the Nord Federation. In this region, there were no political or social complications regarding the flight of an aircraft crafted by Jin.
"This is... very nice," Elsa remarked softly.
"Isn't it?"
"...Mm. It was worth you getting so absorbed in crafting that you forgot your promise."
"Please, don't remind me of that..." Jin groaned.
Elsa was teasing him about the time he built Pegasus 2. He had told everyone it would be finished that day and they would all go for a sightseeing flight, only to immediately entrust the ship to No. 700672. While Jin hadn't meant any harm, he felt a lingering guilt over the broken promise and had spent quite some time frantically trying to get back into Elsa's good graces.
"...I'm joking. That's just part of who you are, Dear."
"Er, well..."
Jin couldn't quite tell if she meant that as a compliment or a critique, so he decided to stop thinking about it before he opened a can of worms.
After enjoying their flight for a while, the family returned to Hourai Island.
"Shall we take a boat out next?"
"Mm."
Jin wondered who they took after, but Yuu and Mio seemed to absolutely love vehicles.
He brought out a six-wheeled golem automobile and set off toward Tatsumi Bay. Edgar acted as the driver, while Reiko and Anne held the two infants in their laps, serving as living child seats.
"Oh—"
"Oo—"
The twins babbled excitedly at the passing scenery.
"Hey, don't you think it’s about time they started speaking?" Jin asked Elsa.
To be precise, their "auu" sounds were already a form of babbling, but Jin was referring to meaningful words. Specifically, he was hoping for something like "Father" or "Mother"—though he expected it would start as "Dada" or "Mama" first. For the record, Jin was firmly in the camp that wanted to be called "Father" rather than "Papa."
"Mm. I've heard that early bloomers start speaking at around eight months," Elsa replied.
Since this was her first time raising children, she wasn't an expert; her knowledge came from her stepmother Marlene and Sally Mileshann, the physician in Kaina Village.
"I can't wait. I wonder what their first words will be."
Jin was clearly a doting father.
By the time they arrived at Tatsumi Bay, the twins had fallen fast asleep, likely lulled by the gentle vibration of the automobile.
"Oh, they're out cold."
"Hehe. They look so peaceful."
They spread a sheet on the beach and set up a tarp to create a shaded resting area. The twins slept soundly in the pleasant sea breeze. When Jin gently poked their cheeks, he found them softer than freshly pounded mochi and more elastic than marshmallows.
"They're so warm."
"Dear, you'll wake them up," Elsa cautioned.
"Ah, right. Sorry."
Jin turned away from the twins and looked at Elsa. "They really are precious, aren't they?"
"Mm."
A brief silence fell between them.
"You know, Elsa..."
"Yes?"
"I... I feel like I've received so much from you and these children."
"..."
"It feels like I'm always the one receiving."
"That's not true."
"I don't mean material things," Jin said, his voice unusually somber. "I wonder... am I giving anything back? Am I providing the same for you?"
"Providing what?"
"Well... warmth, or peace of mind... that sort of thing."
Elsa gave a soft, melodic giggle.
"Were you actually worried about that? Being a coward in strange ways is just like you, though."
She leaned in and gave Jin a light kiss on the cheek.
"...It's okay. Being by your side is very warm."
Just then, the twins stirred.
"Oto... cha."
"Kaa... sha."
"!!?"
"!??"
Startled, Jin and Elsa looked down at Yuu and Mio.
"Dah—"
"Auuu."
"T-They just talked, didn't they?"
"Y-Yes."
Jin scooped up Yuu, and Elsa lifted Mio into her arms.
"Oto... cha!"
"Kaa... shan!"
"He spoke! Yuu spoke!!"
"Mio spoke too!"
The two parents were nearly jumping for joy.
"Father, congratulations," Reiko said.
"Master, congratulations," Anne added.
"Jin-sama, Elsa-sama, my congratulations to you both," Edgar joined in.
"Thank you, everyone!"
Once the twins were fully awake, fed their baby food, and given some water, it was finally time to head out onto the water.
Marine 1 took the controls of Hydro 1. Jin and Elsa boarded the vessel, each holding one of the twins, while Reiko joined them just in case of an emergency. Since the boat had a capacity of four passengers plus the pilot, Edgar and Anne stayed behind to watch over the camp on the beach.
"Alright, take us out."
"Certainly, Master."
Marine 1 slowly steered Hydro 1 away from the shore.
"Oh—"
"Oo—"
Yuu and Mio looked absolutely delighted.
"You can pick up the speed now."
"Understood."
As Hydro 1 cleared the mouth of Tatsumi Bay, it surged forward, reaching its top speed of seventy kilometers per hour.
"The boat really does feel wonderful," Elsa said, her hair whipping in the wind.
"It does."
The sky had its own charm, as did the land, but the sea had a unique joy all its own. Jin and his family spent the rest of the day enjoying their boat ride to their heart's content.