On the same day that Jin and his companions departed Tatsumi Bay aboard the cruiser Yodo, the scene shifted back to Avalon.
Deus Ex Machina III and Elena’s party were still in residence.
"……Is that the truth?"
Tomax Bartman, Avalon's Chief Administrator, questioned Elena while clutching his aching stomach.
"Yes, unfortunately," Elena replied.
"……I see……"
The news Elena had delivered was the staggering fact that the former Chief Administrator, Graham Derby, had been a member of the Magic Federation.
"This was brought to light through documents we secured when we reclaimed their headquarters from the Magic Federation."
Similar reports were being delivered to the heads of various nations; as a result, the Magic Federation’s influence was steadily being purged from governments across the land.
"We are only just now informing you because all of this information was heavily encrypted," Elena explained.
She added that the decryption process had been a long and arduous one.
"……Please understand that I waited until Marikka-san and the others had departed before telling you out of consideration for their feelings."
Elena bowed her head slightly. Tomax stopped her with a raised hand.
"There is no need for an apology.……I would have done the same in your position."
Graham Derby had also been one of Marikka’s students. Tomax Bartman recalled the old days; Graham had been a handful—disobedient, dogmatic, and incredibly difficult to teach.
Even so, Marikka had instructed him with the utmost care…… or perhaps it was precisely because of his difficult nature that she had been so diligent and looked out for him.
"If Sensei were to learn that he was actually a spy for the enemy, she would be heartbroken."
Graham and Tomax had been in the same graduating year.
"It certainly explains a great many things if he truly was a mole for the Magic Federation."
Even so, accepting that a classmate he had studied alongside was a spy for a hostile organization was a struggle—one that felt quite personal.
However, Tomax Bartman was the Chief Administrator now. He was capable of setting aside personal sentiment to think logically.
"Then, does his influence still linger here in Avalon?"
Elena nodded.
"It does. That is the primary subject for today, and the reason I requested the presence of Maquina-sama."
"I see. To put it somewhat grandly, it seems the very survival of Avalon is at stake," Maquina said with an exaggerated nod.
The Mentor, who was currently piloting Maquina III, had apparently decided to imbue the persona with a somewhat arrogant disposition for this official visit.
"……In that case, it seems we must cast a suspicious eye on many of our members, starting with those who were positioned close to this Graham Derby," Maquina continued.
"Precisely. However, we cannot simply interrogate every single person. It would take too much time and effort, and more importantly, it would cause the institution's unity to crumble."
"I understand that all too well."
Tomax Bartman was implicitly asking if there was a more efficient solution.
Sensing his intent, Elena spoke up.
"I believe it would be difficult to flush them all out at once. Since that would likely cause significant friction, it wouldn't be a wise tactical move."
"Ugh……"
It seemed Tomax’s stomach would not be finding relief from its burdens anytime soon.
＊ ＊ ＊
Meanwhile, Jin and the others were fully enjoying the ocean aboard the cruiser Yodo.
"Whoa…… The horizon really is curved, isn't it!"
"This sea breeze feels amazing!"
Kachea and Eira were gazing out at the sea from the observation deck next to the bridge.
"The view from this height is truly exceptional," Sion remarked.
"It's nothing like being on a small boat," Marikka added, both clearly enjoying themselves.
"Lordtoss-sama, it’s a magnificent view, isn't it?"
Ludmila stood by the ship's railing with Lordtoss, looking out over the water.
"I'm so happy I get to be here with Great-grandmother!"
Vita was having the time of her life, sandwiched between Sion and Marikka as they sailed.
"……A hundred-meter long, all-metal ship…… Just building a dock capable of constructing something like this must be an incredible feat……"
As for Groma, he was lost in his own technical observations and reflections.
Once everyone had their fill of the scenery, tables were arranged on the deck for tea time.
When sencha and yokan were served, the reactions were immediate.
"What is this?! It's so sweet! And so good!"
Eira seemed to have taken an instant, profound liking to the yokan.
"It's sweet…… it's delicious……" Kachea murmured in agreement.
And Groma was equally impressed. "The yokan is great, but this tea is excellent too……"
The sencha and yokan were a massive hit with the trio.
"If you eat too much, you won't have any room for lunch," Jin warned, but Eira’s hands showed no sign of stopping. Kachea looked like she wanted more as well, but she managed to restrain herself.
On the other hand, Sion, Marikka, and Lordtoss had eaten these treats before, so they didn't have such an exaggerated reaction, though the contentment on their faces was plain to see.
"Delish!"
"It’s wonderful……!"
Vita and Ludmila were trying it for the first time, and their faces lit up with pure joy.
"Ah, but Jin, you inherited this ship from your predecessor, didn't you?"
"Well, yes," Jin replied.
Since it was the Jin of four hundred years ago who had built the cruiser Yodo, calling him the "predecessor" was close enough to the truth.
"Originally, it all began when the First Generation Magi Craft Meister, Adriana Barbora Tsetse, discovered and developed Hourai Island fourteen hundred years ago."
"Adriana Barbora Tsetse, huh…… That's so long ago I can't quite wrap my head around it."
Eira said this with a smile as she finished her remaining sencha.
"Still, it's only thanks to that long accumulation of knowledge that a ship like this can exist today," Groma murmured, his voice thick with admiration.
"Groma, you were originally from Fusou Island, weren't you?" Lordtoss asked, striking up a conversation.
"Yes, Master. But I haven't been back in over twenty years."
"Wait, really?" Eira asked, looking surprised. It seemed this was the first time this topic had come up.
"Yeah. I was orphaned when I was small, so I begged a passing merchant to take me to Mitsuho. From there, I asked another merchant to take me to the Shouro Empire, and after a lot of ups and downs, I was eventually able to study under Master."
"……You've really been through a lot, Groma." Eira looked at him with newfound respect. "I don't have any living relatives either, so I get it."
Just as the conversation threatened to turn somber, the captain—the Navy Golem Marine 31—stepped forward to deliver a report.
"Bowall spotted ahead to starboard. I have judged that it is not at a distance that poses a threat."
At those words, the entire group gathered at the starboard railing to scan the sea.
Sure enough, a small black dot was visible just before the horizon.
"Is that a Bowall? I can't really tell from here," Groma said.
"Please, use these," the crew members, the Marines, said as they distributed binoculars to everyone.
"What are these?"
"You use them like this."
Jin demonstrated the proper way to hold them for Eira and the others.
"You adjust the focus—the clarity of the image—right here."
"Let's see…… Oh, wow, I can see it clearly now! So that’s a Bowall!"
The binoculars were 7x magnification, perfect for handheld use. Any higher, and the image would become too shaky to see without a mount.
Incidentally, Jin had also developed a golem-style telescope that included an image stabilization feature.
"Heh, so that’s a Bowall."
The group spent a pleasant while enjoying a bit of unexpected "Bowall watching" as they sailed on.