“What do you think, Hanna?”
“Hmm, that’s a tough one.”
In Jin Castle, located in Kaina Village, Hanna was pondering a problem alongside Jin.
The theme was the ‘time paradox.’
Having experienced the world four hundred years in the future, Jin was engaged in a process of trial and error, trying to use that experience as a basis to unravel the mysteries of time, even just a little.
“It’s dangerous to assume that even if I do nothing now, Laojun will eventually develop a way to travel back in time,” Jin remarked.
“Yeah, I understand that.”
Hanna possessed a flexible imagination, one that Jin felt was far beyond his own.
“According to one theory, the future branches out into infinite possibilities.”
“Hmm, but we can’t verify that unless we can travel back and forth between those branching futures, right?”
“Exactly.”
Jin worried that his current actions might significantly impact the world four centuries later. However, as far as he could tell, it seemed impossible for him to change anything he had specifically seen, heard, or experienced in that future.
On the other hand, the large ships that would eventually form the fleet besieging Hourai Island were currently being built in the Kingdom of Elias. There was no doubt about it, as Jin himself was participating in that very project. Though, even Jin hadn't realized the connection until the ships were nearing completion.
(I suppose this is a path that cannot be avoided...)
Jin let out a heavy sigh in his heart. Hanna caught the look on his face.
“Onii-chan, is something on your mind?”
“Eh? What makes you think that?”
“Because you just had a look on your face like you were about to sigh.”
Jin was amazed by her perception. “Well, actually...”
Since it wasn't something he needed to hide—and they were already in a discussion about time paradoxes—Jin explained his thoughts.
“Doesn't that mean, conversely, that the current you can do something for the future you?”
“Wait, wait. What do you mean by that?”
“Well, I was thinking that you should be free to do anything as long as the ‘current’ you doesn't know about it yet, right?”
“Huh?”
Unable to fully grasp what Hanna was getting at, Jin could only look at her with a puzzled expression.
“I mean...” Hanna explained that if it was something the ‘current’ Jin had not experienced during his time in the future, then performing those actions in the present shouldn't cause a contradiction.
“In that case, it wouldn't have any impact on the version of me that went to the future!”
“Exactly, that!”
Finally, Hanna’s point began to click for Jin.
“Rather than doing it for the you who went to the future, I think there are plenty of things you could do for your descendants, for example.”
“I see...!”
Jin finally understood what Hanna was getting at.
“You’re right. I don’t need to be so conscious of what I can do for the future.”
He realized that by catching a glimpse of the world four hundred years ahead, his mind had become bound by that knowledge.
(Perhaps Sion and the others knew this, and that’s why they deliberately didn't tell me anything detailed about my descendants.)
They continued to exchange opinions after that, but a conclusion wasn't something that could be reached in a single morning. Jin and Hanna wrapped up their discussion for the time being.
While eating zaru soba for lunch in the dining hall of Jin Castle, Jin listened to Hanna speak.
“...And so, I started doing various things to try and cultivate the jinenjo we found on the mountain behind the village!”
“That’s a good idea.”
Jin felt that while cultivating wild yams seemed quite difficult, if it was Hanna in Kaina Village, she would somehow make it happen.
“Also, I think it was three days ago? Saki was collecting Aisugo berries. I think she’s going to make dye with them.”
“Aisugo?”
“Yeah. They’re berries that are too bitter to eat, but if you crush them, a blue-purple juice comes out.”
“I see. That sounds like it would make a good dye.”
“I think those trees are more common around Toka Village than they are here, though.”
Hearing this, Jin thought that if those Aisugo berries could indeed be used as dye, it might be a good idea to establish Toka Village as a production center for them.
“Also, the wasabi fields have expanded quite a bit.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Saki had found the wasabi in the mountains in the northern part of the Shouro Empire. Since it preferred cold watersides, they had begun cultivating it in Kaina Village. For now, it was only being distributed within the Klein Kingdom, but since sales seemed to be going well, Jin thought it might be fine to increase the planting area.
“And... oh, that’s right, Kana had her baby.”
“Oh, really? That's great.”
Kana was an orphan originally from Lario Village in the Liebus Region of the Celuroa Kingdom. She had been cared for in Kaina Village and eventually became Rick’s wife; the two of them were now in charge of the ranch. Kaina Village saw new babies being born every year, and the area was becoming lively with the voices of children.
“Everyone is doing a great job.”
Sema, who was also an orphan from Lario Village, had become Jeff’s wife. Berta had become Sley’s wife, and other new couples were forming as well. It seemed that Rita, Sonia, Kune, and Luluna were also getting along well with the local young men.
“I’m sure there will be more new couples this year!” Hanna laughed happily.
“By the way, how is Martha doing?”
Hanna’s grandmother was sixty-one this year. She was still high-spirited and as vigorous as ever.
“Grandmother is teaching all sorts of handiwork to the people who came from Lario Village.”
“I see.”
Martha was very caring. This role of guiding the newcomers likely suited her temperament perfectly.
“How are things going with the school?”
While Laojun and Koushin also tracked this information and reported it to him, Jin felt that opinions from the villagers' perspective were invaluable. He believed that in any era, it was dangerous to blindly accept information that only flowed in one direction.
“It’s going well. Kurt and Jessie, who graduated, are helping out as well.”
“I see, that’s good to hear.”
“Ah, and it looks like Erik’s shop is doing well, too. He’s shipping crops and products from Kaina Village to the royal capital and bringing back all sorts of goods in exchange.”
“Clothing items like clothes and shoes, and books as well, right?”
“Yeah, exactly.”
Jin felt it was better for the village to procure daily necessities and books related to design from sources other than himself, so he wanted Erik to keep stocking more of them.
“Also, Luu-chan has turned fourteen and is helping Sally-sensei. She’s an apprentice healer now.”
“Ah, that’s wonderful. I’m glad the Village Chief and Sally-sensei are doing well, too.”
“They really are,” Hanna agreed with a bright smile.
“In that case, Kaina Village is doing wonderfully overall.”
“Yeah. Ever since you came here, Onii-chan, the village has become more and more comfortable to live in.”
“I’m happy to hear you say that. I was saved by Kaina Village, after all.”
Under the clear blue sky, Jin narrowed his eyes, certain that Kaina Village would only continue to prosper.