On the evening of the 29th, Jin took Daiki and Kokona to Onogoro Island.
Since it was nighttime on Hourai Island, the other guests were already heading to bed, which made the timing ideal. Thanks to the twelve-hour time difference, it was still broad daylight on Onogoro Island.
Jin had sent word ahead, so Trihart and his wife were waiting to receive them.
"Welcome, Jin-sama. And these two are...?"
"The descendants of the House of Nidou."
"I am Daiki Nidou," the man introduced himself.
"And I am his wife, Kokona."
The two gave brief, polite introductions.
"I am the steward, Trihart Randol. This is my wife, Susanne."
Being roughly the same age, the two couples hit it off immediately.
"Now, please, this way."
Trihart led the group out of the Warp Gate room and toward the exterior. Waiting there for them were Shu and Eida Nidou.
"Allow me to introduce them. This is Shu Nidou, and this is Eida Nidou."
"A direct descendant of the House of Nidou!" Daiki exclaimed, his voice thick with emotion.
"Shu, Eida, this is Lord Daiki Nidou and his wife, Madam Kokona. He currently holds the rank of count in the Shouro Empire," Trihart explained.
Shu, however, had already met them with Jin a few days prior. "I'm Shu Nidou. Thank you for your hospitality the other day!"
"O-Oh! It’s you! I see... so you, too, carry the blood of the House of Nidou..."
During their previous encounter, Shu hadn't used his surname. Now that he had introduced himself proudly as a Nidou, the weight of the connection was far more profound.
"I am Eida Nidou. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"The honor is entirely mine," Kokona replied.
The four of them shared a firm handshake. Two branches of the same bloodline, separated by centuries and distance, had finally reunited.
"I carry the Nidou name, and yet I can hardly use any magi-craft at all," Daiki confessed. "Even so, I have done everything I could until now just to ensure the House of Nidou in the Shouro Empire would not vanish..."
His voice broke, trailing off into a sob.
"I am... so glad to meet you. I am so grateful that the House of Nidou—and all of you—have survived and thrived here."
"Daiki-san..."
Shu and Eida gently grasped Daiki’s hands.
"The gratitude is ours as well. Thank you for protecting the Nidou name all this time."
"You must have faced such incredible hardships. I truly admire your strength," Susanne added.
The people on Onogoro Island had their families, their comrades, and protectors to rely on. In contrast, those left behind in the outside world had been isolated and helpless. The sheer effort it must have taken to survive was not lost on anyone present.
Jin watched the scene with a sense of pride, relieved that Daiki and Kokona were being welcomed so warmly.
Everyone... our descendants have all grown up to be wonderful people.
Jin’s thoughts drifted back to his "family" from the past. It felt a bit odd to think of descendants who looked older than him as "good kids," but it was his honest sentiment.
"Well, I’m going to head back to Hourai Island for the time being."
"Understood, Jin-sama. Thank you for everything."
The group was scheduled to return to the Shouro Empire on January 4th. Until then, Jin would spend his time on Hourai Island with Kachea, Sion, and the others, while Daiki and Kokona stayed here on Onogoro Island.
"Then, Jin-sama, please have a Happy New Year."
"Yeah, a Happy New Year to all of you, too."
After exchanging year-end greetings, Jin returned to Hourai Island. It was already late at night. After confirming with Laojun that everything was in order, Jin fell into a peaceful sleep.
The next morning was December 30th—New Year's Eve on the local calendar.
After breakfast, Jin used the Warp Gate to bring Lordtoss’s younger sister, Vita of the All-Creation Clan, and Lordtoss’s fiancée, Mira of the Puppet Clan, over from the Nord Federation.
"Brother!"
"Lordtoss-sama."
"Ryu! Vita!"
"How nice for you, Ro," Sion teased, laughing at the sight of Lordtoss being fawned over by two beautiful girls.
Jin then introduced the newcomers to Eira and the others.
"I am honored to make the acquaintance of those from the Nord Federation," Groma said, maintaining his stiff, formal tone.
"Man, life with you is never boring, Jin!" Eira remarked with her usual boisterous energy.
"P-Pleased to meet you," Kachea added with a modest bow.
The atmosphere was festive, and Jin looked forward to a lively holiday.
"Well then, how about we head to the sea today?"
"The sea? Sounds great! Actually, it’s surprisingly warm on this island. It’s just as comfortable as Avalon," Eira noted.
Jin nodded. "That’s right. Avalon is near the Equator, so it’s naturally hot. This island isn't that far south, but there's a warm current flowing nearby that keeps it mild even in winter."
"I see, that makes sense."
While they talked, a pair of Golem automobiles were readied for the trip to the coast.
"Wow, how cool!" Vita squealed, her excitement showing no signs of fading. Since arriving on Hourai Island, her energy had been so high that even Lordtoss seemed a bit overwhelmed.
The group set off for the coast in two six-passenger vehicles. In the lead car were Jin, Reiko, Eira, Kachea, and Groma, with Laozi acting as the driver. The second car carried Sion, Marikka, Lordtoss, Vita, and Mira, with Hope at the wheel. Laozi was currently dressed in his butler attire.
In about an hour, they reached Tatsumi Bay.
"Wow, the water is so clear!" Vita cheered, her spirit still as high as ever.
"Yeah, the ocean really is something else," Eira agreed.
"It’s beautiful," Kachea added. Both girls had seen the sea before, but the view here was special.
"Isn't it?" Jin smiled, then pointed toward the pier.
"Wait..."
"What... what is that?"
Floating in the harbor was a hundred-meter-long, all-metal vessel—the cruiser Yodo.
"It’s the cruiser that protects this island. Want to take a look inside?"
"Absolutely!"
With no one objecting, Jin led the group aboard.
"Whoa, this is incredible!"
"Jin-sama, it’s magnificent!"
"Wow..."
Both Eira's group and Vita's group were speechless with admiration.
"Alright, full steam ahead!"
At Jin’s command, the cruiser Yodo slowly pulled away from the dock, heading out into the open waters of Tatsumi Bay.