After spending the entire morning on an underwater excursion aboard the Shachi, Jin and his guests returned to Tatsumi Bay just before noon.
"Ah, that was such a wonderful experience!"
"There were so many beautiful fish!"
"The ocean floor is so mystical, isn't it?"
Everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves, much to Jin's satisfaction.
"Well, if we head back by automobile, it’ll be past noon by the time we arrive..."
Deciding against the drive, they made the return trip via Warp Gate instead. Once back at the laboratory, they sat down to the lunch that had been prepared for them.
"I had so much fun, Jin-sama!" Rubina exclaimed, expressing her gratitude with straightforward enthusiasm.
"It was very stimulating. I think I’ll try to build a submersible of my own once I return," Natalia added, her eyes burning with a newfound passion for crafting.
Then Shu spoke up. "Jin-sama, thank you very much for providing me with such a valuable learning opportunity today." He offered his sincere gratitude with a polite bow.
"My Lord, I have a report."
Laojun spoke up, having waited for the group to finish their meal.
"What is it, Laojun?"
Jin listened intently, sensing that Laojun had a reason for interrupting while he was busy playing host to his descendants.
"I have some interesting news. The day after tomorrow, a Gonpetition will be held in Loizart, the capital of the Shouro Empire."
"A Gonpetition... You mean the golem competition like the one held in the Celuroa Kingdom?"
"Yes. In this era, they are held across many different countries."
"Yes, yes, yes! Jin-sama, I want to go!" Rubina interjected before Jin could even respond.
"Does anyone else want to go?" Jin asked just in case.
"Um, I would like to go as well," Shu said, raising his hand.
"What about you, Natalia?"
"To be honest, I am interested, but right now I’m more focused on trying to build a submersible." Natalia seemed to have developed a preference for ships over golems.
"Jin-sama, do you intend to go?" Trihart asked.
"I think so. I’m certainly interested. More than that, I want to see what the current Shouro Empire is like."
Though they were in the middle of touring Onogoro Island, Jin was genuinely curious, as Gonpetitions were rare enough to be worth the detour.
"I see... Well, we’ve decided to hold an automobile or Golem horse race as the next event, and it will take about three days to prepare the track. Why don't you go during that interval?" Trihart suggested after a moment's thought.
"That would be a huge help. In that case..."
It was settled: Jin, Rubina, and Shu would attend. Natalia would return to Onogoro Island with Trihart and Susanne.
"But Jin-sama, aren't you unfamiliar with the Shouro Empire as it is today?" Susanne asked, looking a little concerned.
"Ah, that’s true..."
"In that case, allow me to guide you."
Jin turned around at the sound of the voice.
"Lordtoss?"
Lordtoss of the Puppet Clan was standing there.
"Oh, Lordtoss-sama," Trihart said, greeting him as an acquaintance. "He has visited Onogoro Island several times with Marikka-sama."
"I see."
"Rubina and Shu have met him before as well, right?"
"Ah, yes."
"We have..."
"The Magic Technology Minister of the Shouro Empire, Reglei Gibbs von Besuvius, is a friend of mine," Lordtoss explained.
"Oh, that would be perfect."
And so, it was quickly decided that Lordtoss would act as their guide.
In the afternoon, with Natalia’s interests in mind, Jin decided to take everyone aboard the battleship Hotaka. It was a massive vessel, 250 meters long with a displacement of 30,000 tons.
"Wh-what in the world is this...?"
Natalia was speechless when she first saw it, but as she stepped on board and explored the interior, her eyes began to sparkle with increasing intensity.
"I might never catch up, no matter how hard I try. But Jin-sama, you are my distant goal!" Natalia declared.
"You're right. I’ll do my best with Jin-sama as my target as well!" Shu declared, mirroring her sentiment.
Rubina, however, had a different perspective.
"If I only aim for Jin-sama, I’ll never be able to surpass him. My goal is to surpass Jin-sama!!"
Jin narrowed his eyes with a smile and patted Rubina on the head.
"Haha, that’s the spirit. Do your best."
"Yes!" Rubina replied energetically.
Trihart and the others watched her with warm, fond expressions.
After dinner, around 6:30 PM.
"So, everyone except Rubina and Shu will be returning to Onogoro Island now, correct?" Jin asked, confirming the plan.
"Yes. I’ll make sure the race track is ready. Is an oval course acceptable?"
"Yeah, that should be fine for a start."
Since athletics tracks were oval, it was the logical choice. Whether for Golem horse racing or automobile racing, it was the fundamental layout. Its simplicity meant the true test would be in the details and the skill of the participants.
"The Gonpetition is the day after tomorrow, so I’ll bring the two of them back to Onogoro Island the day after that."
"Understood. Lordtoss-sama, please look after them."
Lordtoss gave a firm nod. "Understood. Leave it to me."
At 7:00 PM, Trihart and Susanne departed for Onogoro Island, accompanied by Natalia and her golems—Arrow, Alco, and Veil.
After seeing them off, Jin turned to the remaining guests. "Well then, shall we soak in the hot spring before bed? It’s been a long day."
Following his suggestion, they all went to soothe their fatigue in the hot spring. However, they didn't go to sleep immediately.
"Jin-sama, Lordtoss-sama. What kind of country is the Shouro Empire?"
Jin and Lordtoss sat down to answer the question, discussing the empire’s past and present. The conversation was just as helpful for Jin as it was for the children.
"The current emperor is Ernst Lupus von Licht Shouro. He is known as Ernst II."
Hearing the name Ernst, the first person who came to Jin’s mind was the Empress’s nephew. It seemed he had been named after his wise ancestor.
"It feels as though the Shouro Empire is still developing its own unique culture," Lordtoss noted.
"Oh?"
Jin reminisced fondly, recalling that even four hundred years ago, the nation had felt as though it was nurturing a culture distinct from the other Eastern Countries.