Winner: Bib #11, Jin.
2nd Place: Bib #12, Lordtoss.
3rd Place: Bib #10, Rubina Garrett. (1st)
4th Place: Bib #9, Elvis Alcott. (2nd)
5th Place: Bib #3, Eugene Foul. (3rd)
6th Place: Bib #2, Shu Nidou. (4th)
7th Place: Bib #6, Sidney Marek. (5th)
8th Place: Bib #8, Florence Fahlheit. (6th)
9th Place: Bib #5, Sireen Eschenbach. (7th)
10th Place: Bib #13, Marikka.
11th Place: Bib #4, Greena Kuzuma. (8th)
12th Place: Bib #7, Werner. (9th)
13th Place: Bib #1, Natalia. (10th)
Since Bibs 11, 12, and 13 were guest participants, Rubina was the official winner of the race.
Natalia, who had won the boat race, finished in tenth place for the automobiles. This was likely not due to the change in discipline, but rather the requirement to steer the vehicle personally.
In that sense, the reason why female engineers like Florence, Sireen, and Greena ended up in the lower ranks was likely also due to difficulties with their manual handling.
＊ ＊ ＊
"That was a fun time. I hope everyone becomes accustomed to not just making things, but using them as well."
A celebration party was held after the award ceremony. During the festivities, Jin addressed the participants cheerfully.
"Regarding the next competition, I think we should hold it after the turn of the year, sometime in January or later."
No one raised any objections to this proposal.
"As for the next event, how would you all feel about a competition with model airplanes?"
The primary reason for choosing models was that there would be no risk of human injury if they crashed.
"That sounds amazing! I'm in!"
Rubina was the first to voice her enthusiastic approval. Her sentiment was shared by everyone; not a single person opposed the idea.
"Then let me explain my current plan. If any of you notice anything, feel free to speak up."
Jin began to outline his vision for the Model Airplane Race.
"I'm still deciding whether to go with propellers or jet propulsion. I’ll be preparing the golem-type auxiliary devices to assist with the controls myself, and I’ll have everyone use the same model."
His reasoning was that if the delicate stabilization required for three-dimensional flight was handled by an auxiliary system, even beginners would be able to fly successfully.
Even with the radio-controlled model airplanes in modern Japan, it was difficult for a novice to fly right away. Jin recalled that it was standard practice to train on a PC simulator or use easy-to-fly beginner planes known as "trainers."
"We'll set aside a long practice period and aim to hold the event around the beginning of February next year."
Again, there were no objections.
"As for the size, let's keep the length, wingspan, and height all within one meter."
Jin added a note that while the height probably wouldn't need to be a full meter, using uniform dimensions made the rule easier to remember.
"Gravity Magic and other auxiliary flight means are strictly forbidden. The same goes for balloon-style systems."
Jin emphasized that he wanted them to compete with aircraft that stayed aloft through aerodynamics alone.
"As for the categories, I’m thinking of having a race for speed and another for slowness."
"Huh?"
"Jin-sama, what do you mean by that?"
This was the first time someone questioned the plan.
"Well, 'speed' is self-explanatory, right? As for 'slowness,' an airplane that flies using aerodynamics will eventually fall if its speed drops too low. Unlike automobiles or ships, there is real technical merit in seeing how slowly you can keep a plane in the air."
"Ah, that's true!"
"I see, so that's the reason!"
Everyone seemed to grasp the concept. Speed and slowness—it was difficult to reconcile such opposing requirements, but that was exactly why it worked as a competitive event.
"After that, perhaps aerobatics. Though scoring that might be difficult."
Jin personally preferred to avoid events that were hard to quantify with numbers.
"Instead of set maneuvers, we'll have everyone fly freely and let the entire audience vote on the performances."
Jin suggested that these scores could serve as a bonus. He added that while they shouldn't carry enough weight to cause a total upset from the bottom of the rankings, they could have enough impact for a second-place contestant to overtake the leader.
"And finally... points for design, I suppose."
Jin figured the entire audience could score that as well.
"Hey, Jin-sama! Are you going to enter this race too?" Rubina asked.
The way the others looked at him told Jin that they were all curious about the same thing.
"I think so. This automobile race was quite fun, after all. I’d love to participate."
"Yay!"
It seemed they truly enjoyed the chance to compete with the Magi Craft Meister himself. Every face in the room lit up with joy.
"I would like to try my hand at it as well," Lordtoss added, further increasing the excitement.
"I-I'm not very confident... but it sounds like so much fun. I'd like to participate too," Marikka said hesitantly, prompting everyone to clap in delight.
"We’ll have plenty of practice time, and since I’m providing the golem-type auxiliary devices to everyone, I’m sure you’ll be fine."
Jin was even considering allowing a one-time Teleportation spell to trigger if a plane was about to crash and be destroyed. Of course, triggering it would result in immediate disqualification.
"And also... let's see... I’d like to know what kind of image you all have when you hear the word 'airplane'?"
Since the designs for the model cars had felt rather antiquated to Jin, he decided to check their preconceptions about aircraft now.
"Let's see... A fuselage with a main wing and a tail... consisting of horizontal and vertical stabilizers?"
Shu Nidou was the first to answer. Everyone else seemed to agree, as no one offered any additional details.
"And what about attitude control?"
"Climbing and descending are handled by the engine and the elevator. Turning left and right is... the ailerons and the rudder, I suppose?"
"Right. And then sideslipping is managed by the dihedral angle and the rudder, I guess."
Jin was the source of their foundational scientific knowledge, and even he didn't possess perfect expertise. In fact, the aircraft Jin had built relied to some extent on the brute force of systems like force generators.
Since this was a competition for model airplanes, Jin wanted to return to the basics as much as possible and help everyone accumulate technical know-how.
"I know you can do it. I hope you'll all work hard for the sake of tomorrow's technical development."
Jin concluded with words of encouragement.
＊ ＊ ＊
After the celebration, Jin was relaxing at his laboratory on Onogoro Island.
"Father, you look like you're having a wonderful time."
Seeing Jin in such high spirits made Reiko look happy as well.
"I suppose I am. It really was fun, truly."
Jin admitted that he had never imagined a day would come when he could compete with such lighthearted feelings.
"To steer the machine myself, and to craft something as a 'hobby' in the truest sense of the word..."
Jin recalled how his heart had pounded while watching broadcasts of radio-controlled car races on TV back at the orphanage.
"I understand. Though I am a little disappointed myself," Reiko said.
As his assistant, she had wanted to be of more help to him.
"I do feel bad about that. But, well..."
"No, it is fine. Your enjoyment, Father, is my highest priority."
"Thank you, Reiko."
While consulting with Laojun, Jin began to finalize the regulations for the Model Airplane Race. He would likely be able to hand them out to the participants tomorrow.
Watching Jin work with such enthusiasm, Reiko smiled with deep satisfaction.