Jin’s work on the Magi Jet Engine continued.
"Wait... this model looks different from the ones I’m familiar with," Marikka remarked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
"Hmm? Oh, this is just a little idea I came up with recently."
It was a multi-stage Magi Jet Engine.
While propulsion relied heavily on the volume of water expelled, the top speed was equally dependent on the velocity of that expulsion. To capitalize on this, Jin had connected two Magi Jet Engines in series, aiming for a significant boost in speed.
At this point, Jin didn't possess a complete record of the technology from four hundred years ago. Specifically, he knew nothing about the magi-devices he had supposedly developed during his middle to later years. While he couldn't help it if he happened to learn about them, his personal goal was to surpass those past achievements through his own current ingenuity whenever possible.
"Goodness, I really don't think I'll ever be able to catch up to you, Jin-sama..." Marikka sighed.
"Jin-sama, who will be piloting this vessel?" Edith Kuzuma asked when Jin finally took a breather.
"Hmm, I haven't really given it much thought. I’m not actually entering the competition, after all," Jin replied casually.
"In that case, please let me pilot it!"
"Eh...?"
"I want to try it! Is that all right?"
"Well, it's not exactly forbidden... but I’ll have Reiko handle the initial testing, okay?"
"Yes, that works for me!"
Seeing her enthusiasm, Jin smiled to himself, noting that she was certainly lively—clearly a trait inherited from Beena’s bloodline.
"All right then. I’ll have you pilot it for the pre-competition demonstration."
"Wow, thank you so much!" Edith beamed.
Jin watched her with a faint smile before returning to his work.
"Father, aside from the propulsion system, there aren't any particularly revolutionary features on this boat, are there?" Reiko asked, seeking clarification.
"Yeah, that’s right. I just wanted to see how far I could go by optimizing every single element for maximum efficiency."
Up until now, many of his designs had relied on sheer, overwhelming power. This time, Jin wanted to create a configuration that trimmed away all the excess fat to see what a leaner machine could do.
Meanwhile, the other prospective participants were hard at work on their own vessels.
"Hmm... based on the records of the boats built in Port Rock Town in the past, catamarans offer great stability, but they seem to lack a bit in maneuverability."
This was Natalia.
Because Arrow, Alco, and Veil had worked at the Marcia Workshop for many years, they had accumulated a staggering amount of shipbuilding expertise. In terms of pure experience with nautical craft, they likely surpassed even the current Jin. Natalia was proceeding with a build that leveraged every bit of that knowledge.
"If the race stays in the Inner Sea, stability might be less of a priority... but since the course hasn't been announced yet, I can't afford to ignore it..."
In calm waters, a designer could prioritize speed over stability. However, because the course would only be revealed on the day of the race, Natalia felt she couldn't gamble on an unstable design.
Others took a completely different approach.
"If I leave the piloting to an automata or a golem, I can make the cockpit completely airtight and watertight. That means it won't matter if it gets submerged."
Rubina was the one designing for absolute speed, disregarding stability entirely. Whether it was her innate personality, her youth, or perhaps a sense of daring born from inexperience, she was pushing her craft to extreme specifications.
"I might even make half the hull consist of propulsion systems."
It remained to be seen what kind of boat would emerge from her workshop.
Then there were those who had yet to meet Jin personally.
"I'm going to build this boat and make Ancestor—Jin-sama acknowledge me!"
"The first Magi Craft King... I’m going to be the one!"
"I’ll just do my best and see how far my skills take me!"
Though their motivations differed, they were all united by the fire of hope and ambition.
Two days were spent on boat construction.
One or two more days followed for the crafting of the golem or automata pilots.
The remaining time was devoured by adjustments, inspections, and corrections. The seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
On December 10th, the First Onogoro Island High-speed Boat Race commenced.
Spectator stands had been erected at the largest harbor, drawing a massive crowd. A "television broadcast" was also being provided, utilizing magic eyes and magi-screens. Since the seating in the stands was free but distributed by lottery, those who weren't selected watched the event on the magi-screens in their own homes.
"Now then, ladies and gentlemen! The day you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived—the First Onogoro Island High-speed Boat Race!"
The master of ceremonies was Luckhart Randol, the eldest son of the steward, Trihart Randol. Apparently, he had grown up hearing stories of the Golem Boat Races held in Port Rock Town—events that had involved Jin, Reiko, Marcia, Elsa, and Reinhard—and had dreamed of such a festival ever since.
"The requirement for participation is that you must be able to build your own boat and its golem or automata pilot! Furthermore, this competition is the path to earning a title second only to our Ancestor, the Second Generation Magi Craft Meister, Jin Nidou-sama... the title of Magi Craft King or Craft Queen!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd.
"The individual who triumphs across several competitions, starting with this high-speed boat race, and earns the highest overall score shall be crowned the Magi Craft King or Craft Queen!"
The cheers intensified, shaking the harbor.
"Today marks the first hurdle! With the theme of 'ships,' the high-speed boat race begins!!"
"Luckhart is certainly having a blast," Jin murmured quietly from the special judges' seating at the very top of the stands.
"Yes. He looks composed on the outside, but he’s always been a festival-lover at heart," Trihart explained from Jin's right. Reiko sat to Jin's left.
Marikka was currently at the broadcasting booth with Luckhart to provide technical commentary.
"Marikka-sama, could you give us a brief explanation of the competition?"
"Certainly. This event is a pure contest of speed. The course itself is straightforward. Since Onogoro Island is surrounded by a coral reef—specifically a barrier reef—there is a calm Inner Sea around the island. This will be the stage where the participants compete for the best time."
A course had been laid out in the Inner Sea using floating buoys. It was a well-designed track, featuring long straights balanced with technical sections.
"I see, it’s simple and clear."
"By the way, because the course was kept a secret until today, we’re going to see some very different philosophies in the hull designs."
"What do you mean by that?" Luckhart asked, seemingly not quite following her point.
"Generally speaking, it is extremely difficult for a vessel to satisfy speed, stability, maneuverability, and safety all at once."
"I see, that makes sense."
"In other words, if one wishes to claim the title of a leader in magi-craft, they must prove they can balance those conflicting conditions at a high level."
"I understand perfectly now."
Jin listened to Marikka’s clear explanation, inwardly impressed by her insight. It was exactly what he expected from her.
At last, it was time to introduce the contestants.