Marchioness Dominic de Firenziano was the noblewoman entrusted with governing the Zaus Province in the southern reaches of the Kingdom of Elias.
She was a woman of keen intellect, typically seen with her dark blonde hair swept up and her sharp, blue eyes narrowed slightly. Ever since Jin had taught her about the utility of "topopo"—potatoes—she had worked tirelessly to popularize them. From topopo chips and fried topopo to "German topopo" (a recipe learned directly from Jin) and Meat-Topopo, she had introduced a wide variety of dishes to the general public.
Because the topopo was an exceptional famine relief crop, it had played a vital role in improving the food situation across the Kingdom of Elias and its neighboring nations. Consequently, the people praised her with the title "Marchioness Topopo," or more simply, the "Potato Marchioness."
This very Marchioness Firenziano was currently hosting Jin at her manor.
"Lord Nido, I am deeply grateful that you accepted my invitation. I also wish to offer my thanks for your recent extermination of the Death Sea Serpents and the rescue of the shipwrecked sailors."
"It was nothing. I simply happened to be in the area," Jin replied modestly.
"Regardless, you have my thanks." The Marchioness lowered her head in a deep, respectful bow. "Now then, as for the reason I requested your presence today..."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she moved to the heart of the matter.
"I would like to request your assistance with the construction of a large-scale vessel."
"A large-scale vessel?"
"Yes. I am aware that you previously participated in the project to build the great ship Bernstein in the Shouro Empire."
"I did, yes."
"I won't ask you to commit yourself as fully as you did then. If you could provide your expertise during the planning and design stages, it would be enough. Would you consider it?"
Jin took a moment to deliberate before answering.
"If it's for a limited period, and provided I am allowed to step away if other matters require my attention..."
Marchioness Firenziano’s expression brightened instantly. "Yes, that would be perfectly acceptable. Thank you for agreeing to help."
The Large Ship Development Project in the Kingdom of Elias had, in fact, already begun. Once Jin gave his consent, he found himself heading back to Port Rock Town that very same day.
"This airship is truly magnificent...!"
Jin had invited the Marchioness to accompany him aboard Konron 3 as they traveled to the project site. Upon arrival, the Marchioness announced Jin’s involvement with a touch of playfulness.
"Everyone, I have excellent news. As of today, a powerful ally has joined our ranks, albeit in a consulting capacity."
"I am Jin Nidou," Jin said, offering a standard greeting. "I'll be assisting with the development project from here on, though I may be in and out at times. I look forward to working with all of you."
Though Jin kept his introduction professional, the reaction from the workers was anything but standard.
"Jin Nidou?! You mean Lord Jin, the Magi Craft Meister!?"
"Whoa! I can't believe it!"
"T-The honor is ours! We look forward to your guidance!!"
The room was filled with an atmosphere of pure excitement. Jin noted that the team was comprised mostly of young craftsmen; by his estimation, every one of them looked to be under thirty. He speculated that this was likely why Rodrigo—who had worked on the Shouro Empire's project—hadn't been summoned here, as he was busy with the high-speed vessels.
To Jin’s surprise, he spotted two familiar faces in the crowd: Baccus and Jamie. They were the two former employees of the Marcia Workshop. Marcia had mentioned they had "gone independent," and it turned out they had been recruited for this very project.
"Lord Jin, it has been a long time!"
"Having you here is so reassuring!"
The two men clearly remembered him, and they exchanged warm greetings of reunion.
"I'll leave things in your hands, then," Marchioness Firenziano said before departing. With her gone, the real work began.
"I am Sergio, the project leader. Allow me to give you a brief overview," the leader said. Once the excitement had died down, Sergio began explaining their current progress, both for Jin’s benefit and to re-establish their goals for the team.
"The target specifications are a length of fifty meters and a width of ten meters. We are aiming for a capacity of fifty people, a cargo weight of two hundred tons, and a maximum speed of thirty kilometers per hour."
Outside of Hourai Island, these specifications represented the absolute peak of technology for this era.
"How far along are you currently?" Jin asked.
"We’ve finalized the general hull shape. This is our model."
"I see."
They had produced a clay model, much like the one Jin had used during his demonstrations in the Shouro Empire. As far as Jin could see, the shape was sound. Given the round bottom and the presence of a keel, they were clearly planning for a wooden hull.
On Earth, the construction of massive ships had eventually led to the depletion of great forests, but in this world, magi-craft provided the "Joint" spell. As long as they managed their timber supply and reforestation properly, the risk of resource exhaustion was minimal.
"In my opinion, the design is solid," Jin stated.
His words elicited a collective gasp of relief from the room. The opinion of the Magi Craft Meister carried immense weight.
"The keel looks robust, so the strength of the hull should be well-secured."
Jin noted that the model didn't show the internal layout yet.
"That is the challenge we face next," Sergio admitted.
"With Lord Jin here, it’s like having the strength of a thousand men!" another craftsman added.
The meeting immediately transitioned into a brainstorming session for the internal structure.
"In the large ship I helped build previously, we used bulkheads to divide the interior into small compartments. This increases structural integrity and ensures that any flooding can be contained within a single section," Jin said, sharing a key piece of technical knowledge.
"I see. If we do that, we'll need to standardize our cargo sizes for a transport ship," Sergio noted.
"Exactly."
The discussion grew lively.
"If we don't anticipate oversized cargo, we can make the divisions quite small."
"Even so, if we establish standard sizes—like a container—it would make loading much more efficient."
"We have to consider the ease of moving the cargo in and out."
"Heavy loads will definitely need to be placed at the bottom of the ship."
"For long voyages, food and water storage are vital. We should prioritize space for that."
"Shouldn't we finalize the placement of the propulsion systems before laying out the rest of the interior?"
Opinions flew back and forth, and they began to organize them by priority. For this phase, the placement of the propulsion systems was deemed the most urgent task.
"We want two main units, positioned on the port and starboard sides near the bottom of the hull."
"Steering thrusters should go on the sides."
"What about reverse thrusters?"
The debate grew heated from the very first day. Jin loved this kind of productive atmosphere. As he offered his insights, he allowed himself to imagine a future era defined by these great ships.
However, a shadow crossed his mind.
(The fleet that surrounded Hourai Island was made up of fifty-meter class ships, too.)
If this technology became widespread, people like the Magic Federation would undoubtedly turn them into weapons of war rather than tools for peace. As he chewed on that thought, Jin felt a faint pang of melancholy.