Meanwhile, Kokona was leading Lordtoss and the others through the house.
"Is this really Edgar? The automaton created by Elsa-sama, the wife of the Predecessor!?"
Upon being introduced to Edgar, Kokona’s eyes went wide with shock.
"Yes, Madam," Edgar replied. "I was indeed created by Elsa-sama."
"My goodness..."
Kokona stood frozen for a moment, lost in thought, before quickly regaining her composure.
"Oh, where are my manners? Please, let me show you to your rooms."
With that, she resumed guiding the three humans and four golems.
"You may use these quarters."
Kokona led them to the western side of the second floor, where three guest rooms were situated across a hallway. Two were on the south side of the hall, and one was on the north.
"I'll take the north side," Shu said.
"Then I'll take the one furthest to the west," Rubina added.
"Okay, I'll take the one next to that," Lordtoss said.
The room assignments were settled without any fuss.
"...This place hasn't changed at all," Edgar murmured as he surveyed the guest rooms.
"Yes, I have heard that the Nidou family has protected it faithfully for generations," Kokona answered.
"This is the room that Elsa-sama's mother, Mine-sama, used to stay in, isn't it?" Edgar asked, pointing to a door adjacent to the northern guest room.
"Oh, is that so?"
That appeared to be news to Kokona as well.
"It is currently vacant. That room is quite small, so we don't typically use it as a guest room."
Indeed, while it was a suite of two rooms, Mine had requested they remain modest because vast spaces made her feel restless. At approximately six tatami mats per room, they were only half the size of the twelve-tatami guest rooms. The family had judged them unsuitable for noble guests.
"I see."
"Would you like to see inside?"
"No... wait, yes. Please, if I may."
Edgar hesitated for a split second before earnestly requesting to see the room once used by his creator's mother.
"Certainly. Right this way."
Kokona smiled as she opened the door. Peering inside, Edgar bowed deeply to her.
"Ah, this is exactly as it was. Thank you for looking after it all these years."
"Wait, Edgar? This is the room used by the mother of Elsa-sama, Jin-sama's wife? It's remarkably... plain, isn't it?"
Shu, who had peeked in as well, asked with a curious expression. Edgar explained in a quiet, respectful voice.
"Yes, it may seem so. Mine-sama, Elsa-sama's mother, was originally a maidservant. She preferred to maintain a life of simplicity."
"Oh, really?"
Kokona also seemed surprised by Edgar's explanation.
"Hmm... My grandmother likes simple rooms too," Rubina noted, nodding to herself.
＊ ＊ ＊
After that brief interlude, the party settled into their respective rooms. The eventful day of December 16th was now drawing toward twilight.
"Man, it's been one long day," Jin said with a sigh of relief.
"A lot of things happened all at once, didn't they?" Lordtoss agreed.
"We're going back to the island tomorrow, right?" Rubina asked, wanting to confirm the schedule.
Jin nodded. "Yeah."
"I wanted to stay a bit longer... I'm actually going to miss this place," Shu admitted.
"It can't be helped this time. We'll come back for a proper visit later," Jin replied.
Jin felt their reactions were only natural. They had stepped out from the narrow world they had been confined in and seen the vast world outside; it was a lot to take in.
"The next leg of the competition is... right... oops."
Jin had almost accidentally blurted out the details of the upcoming event.
(Reglei seems to have come up with the competition himself, but I wonder when he intends to tell the participants...) Jin thought.
If the location and rules were only announced right before the start, Reglei would have a massive advantage as the organizer.
(Well, I'm sure he'll give the other participants enough time to prepare properly...)
"...Anyway, once we get back, we have to prepare for the next leg of the race. You'll have about a week. Do your best."
"Yeah, I'll work hard! And then you have to take me to the outside world again!" Rubina chirped.
"I'll do my absolute best!" Shu added.
The two of them answered with renewed energy.
After dinner, Jin took a bath in the mansion for the first time in centuries and retired to the study. The sofa in the study was a sofa bed, a piece of furniture he had designed specifically to double as a place to sleep.
"It's quite a thought—using this for the first time four hundred years after I made it."
He had built it so he could take naps in the study during particularly busy research periods.
"Preparation is the key to avoiding worry, isn't it, Father?"
Reiko offered a helpful, if slightly unusual, comment.
"I suppose. Anyway, I'm exhausted."
He had once again become an Imperial Honorary Advisor, strengthening his bond with the Shouro Empire. The current Emperor seemed to be a person of high character, which gave Jin peace of mind.
"Father, please rest well."
"Yeah, I think I will."
＊ ＊ ＊
The following morning.
Early in the day, Jin sent Hope and Edgar to retrieve Konron 3. They returned just as the party was finishing breakfast, bringing the airship to rest on the rooftop landing pad.
Konron 3 sat perched on the roof of the Loizart mansion for the first time in four centuries. Seeing the legendary craft, Daiki and Kokona looked visibly moved.
However, when Jin informed them that he was taking his leave, their expressions turned to disappointment.
"Jin-sama, are you leaving already?"
"We were hoping you would stay much longer..."
"No, I'll come back for a proper visit another time. This was always meant to be a short trip."
As the Jin party prepared to depart, Daiki and Kokona saw them off with looks of genuine regret.
"So, Jin-sama, are we heading straight home?"
"No, we'll take Konron 3 to the Royal Palace first."
"Why?" Rubina asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"I want to give Lotte—the golem Prince Ernest XVII had with him—an examination. Besides, Rubina, Lotte was modeled after the appearance of your ancestor, Beena, when she was young."
"What!? Really?"
It seemed Rubina had never been told that particular piece of family history.
"That's how it is. Now, let's go."
Konron 3 took flight, soaring through the morning air toward the Royal Palace.