"Sigh... I wonder what’s going to happen to us now."
Eira grumbled as she stared at the mountain of rubble before them.
"We should just be glad we’re still alive," Kachea replied.
"That’s the truth," Groma Tray chimed in from the side.
The group was currently busy clearing out the destroyed Research Dormitory. More accurately, they were salvaging whatever usable items or personal belongings they could unearth from beneath the wreckage.
The World Security Guard had already installed temporary housing, so they at least had a place to sleep for the time being. Food was provided as well. Since the bare minimum in the way of clothing had also been distributed, their basic necessities were—for the moment—accounted for.
However, they couldn't simply rely on charity forever. They were determined to reclaim and reuse anything functional, as the Mercana Principality was notoriously poor in resources.
"Still... I really do wonder what’s next for us..." Eira let out yet another complaint, her voice weary.
"Hey! A shipment from Avalon just arrived!"
At the sound of that shout, Kachea and the others looked up. Ten airships were descending, preparing to land nearby.
"Maybe things will get a little easier now," Eira muttered, her face showing the strain of the day.
"I certainly hope so," Kachea added, watching the vessels touch down.
"Master!"
Groma Tray called out as he spotted Lordtoss among the group of technicians arriving from Avalon.
"Ah, Groma. You look well." Lordtoss raised a hand in greeting and stepped away from the group to approach his former student. "Good work. Thanks to your help, I found the person I was looking for."
"Wait, so that Jin guy was actually...?"
"Yes. He was exactly the one I was searching for."
"Is that so...!"
Lordtoss smiled and gave Groma a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I have duties to attend to right now. Let’s talk properly tonight." With that, he turned and headed back toward the technical team.
"Hey, Groma, what was that all about?" Eira asked, walking up.
"Hm? Oh, Eira. That was my master."
"Your master? You mean the one from Avalon?"
"Yeah. Most people call him Professor Lordtoss."
"I see..." Eira mused, her eyes following the group of technicians as they moved off into the distance.
That evening, Lordtoss paid a visit to the cafeteria of the temporary housing where the former researchers were staying.
"Ah, Master."
"Groma, do you have a moment?"
Groma Tray drained his cup of tea before answering. "Yes, I’ve finished my meal, so I'm free."
Lordtoss nodded, then asked, "Are Eira and Kachea here as well?"
Kachea, who had been sitting back-to-back with Groma, jumped at the sound of her name. She sputtered, nearly choking on the tea she had been in the middle of drinking. Eira, sitting right beside her, remained perfectly composed by comparison.
"Cough! Hack!"
"Kachea, are you all right? Master, this is Kachea, and the one next to her is Eira."
"I see. My apologies for interrupting your dinner. I am Lordtoss. I serve as an adjunct lecturer and adjunct technical advisor at Avalon."
"A-Ah, u-um, I'm K-Kachea."
"Eira Shiata," Eira introduced herself with her usual bluntness.
"Do you two have a moment to spare?"
"Eh? Ah, yes."
Both women had already finished their meals and were simply relaxing over tea, so they followed him out.
"Follow me, then."
Lordtoss led Groma, Eira, and Kachea out of the temporary housing and under the starlit sky toward the area where the airships had landed.
"There used to be buildings standing all along here," Groma remarked as they walked. The destroyed area had been leveled flat to create a makeshift airfield; without it, the relief airships wouldn't have had anywhere to land.
"Please, step inside," Lordtoss said, gesturing toward a tent pitched beside one of the airships.
"Excuse us, then."
The tent was spacious, with a ceiling high enough that an adult could stand comfortably, and a floor area of about eight tatami mats. It was brightly lit by magi-lamps and furnished with a table and six chairs.
"Take a seat. Would you like something to drink?"
"We'll have some tea, please," Groma answered for the group.
"Understood. Hanako."
"Yes, Master."
An automata named Hanako prepared the tea and placed a cup before each of them.
"An automata...?! And such a sophisticated one...!" Eira and Kachea were wide-eyed with surprise. Groma, having met Hanako before, managed to keep his composure.
Lordtoss took a sip of his tea before getting down to business. "Now then, before we get to the main reason I called you here, let’s address the matter I suspect is weighing on your minds."
He paused, looking at each of them in turn.
"...It’s about Jin-san... er, Jin-dono."
"Jin-san?! Is he safe?!" Kachea was the first to react, leaning forward eagerly.
"Yes. I was the one who asked Groma Tray to keep an eye out for anyone named Jin and send him my way."
"So, what happened to him...?"
"Now, now, don't rush. I’ll explain everything in order. First of all, Jin-dono is a relative of a benefactor to whom I am deeply indebted."
"So that was it," Kachea whispered.
"He had been missing for some time, and I had been searching for him. He has already returned to his hometown now, so you have nothing to worry about."
"I see... oh, thank goodness..." Kachea let out a soft sigh of relief.
"In truth, it was Jin-dono who was worried about you."
"Wait, Jin-san was worried about us?"
"Indeed. Especially after this whole incident broke out."
"Um... if that's the case, is Jin-san in a position where he receives that kind of information immediately?" Kachea asked, her intuition proving rather sharp.
"Well... yes, you could say that. Now then, keeping that in mind, let’s move on to why I’ve actually summoned you here."
Lordtoss took another sip of tea to clear his throat before continuing the conversation.