The next World Conference was scheduled for June 1st.
Jin and Elsa decided to leave the remaining arrangements to the Empress Emerita, reasoning that the timing would allow them to attend Fritz and Gloria’s wedding afterward. Of course, Jin intended to make an appearance on the day of the conference himself, and if he couldn't make it, he could always send Deus Ex Machina in his stead.
"I suppose that covers the essentials for now," Jin remarked.
"Mm. I think so too."
The two of them were taking a breather on Hourai Island, watching Yuu and Mio from the lawn in front of the laboratory. The twins were playing with a rubber ball Jin had crafted, tossing it back and forth to one another.
"Hup!"
"Yah!"
Since they were standing about ten meters apart, the ball didn't reach them on the fly; instead, it was a rhythmic exchange involving one or two bounces. Jin and Elsa watched the scene with gentle smiles.
"Education, huh..."
Jin's mind drifted back to the request he had received from the New Emperor the other day.
"Early childhood education?" Elsa asked, as if sensing the direction of his thoughts.
"Yeah. In the world I came from, there was something called 'kindergarten.' Children around five or six years old would go there before starting elementary school to get used to living in a group."
While Elsa was familiar with the concept of an elementary school, "kindergarten" was a new term to her. Jin’s explanation piqued her interest.
"But do you think it would be difficult for commoners?" he wondered.
"No, it might actually be more viable for them. They likely struggle to look after small children who aren't old enough to join the workforce yet... What is it?"
Jin looked at her, impressed by her insight. "Nothing. I just thought you were amazing."
At that moment, a voice called out from behind them.
"Fell in love with her all over again, did you?"
"Whoa!" Jin yelped.
"!" Elsa jumped.
Startled by the sudden intrusion, both turned around in shock.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"...Sion."
Standing there was one of the members of the Jin Family, Sion of the All-Creation.
"Ah, it's Sion-onee-chan!" Yuu cried.
"Onee-shan!" Mio echoed.
The twins spotted her instantly, abandoned their ball game, and came running over.
"Yuu-chan, Mio-chan, hello," Sion greeted them.
"Hello!"
"Hello!"
Since she visited often, the twins were very attached to her. They pitter-pattered across the grass and leaped at her.
"Wow, you've both gotten so heavy," Sion said. "In another year, I won't be able to catch you both at once."
"Children grow up fast, after all," Jin agreed. He himself had reached the point where he couldn't hold both of them in his arms for very long.
"...So, what brings you here today?"
Since it was nearly time for lunch, the group headed inside the House. The time difference between the Nord Federation and Hourai Island was roughly two to three hours. Sion mentioned she wouldn't mind a light meal, so they decided to eat together.
Given the timing, the menu was Japanese-style soba. While Jin and Elsa generally preferred mori soba, they acceded to Sion's request and prepared oroshi soba.
The daikon in this world, which hadn't been selectively bred, were short and small, but they tasted remarkably like the "nezumi-daikon" of modern Japan. They were cultivated on Hourai Island as a welcome treat—delicious with a sharp spiciness followed by a refreshing daikon fragrance.
Lunch was served with a slightly smaller portion for Sion, and with only a small amount of grated daikon for Yuu and Mio.
"The soba at Jin’s place is always the best," Sion praised.
Because buckwheat is a hardy emergency crop, it was widely cultivated in the Nord Federation, making soba a common dish there. Despite that, Sion had never tasted any as delicious as what was served here.
"The Five-Colored Golem Maids are so impressive..."
Indeed, the meal was the fruit of the hard work of the Five-Colored Golem Maids Jin had created. To perfectly replicate the tastes of Jin and the others, they had meticulously processed constant feedback—noting whenever a dish was a bit too thin or slightly too salty—to reach this level of perfection.
Clearing her throat, Sion finally answered Jin’s earlier question.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot," she said, scratching her head. "You see, a new ruin was discovered in the Nord Federation. It was found three days ago."
"A ruin!"
In this world, nine times out of ten, a "ruin" meant something left behind by the Progenitors. The Nord Federation in particular was home to many early settlements from when the Progenitors first arrived, including the Heavenly Ship.
"I came to tell you because I figured you'd be interested, Jin."
"I see. That's great news."
"Well, to be honest, it's also because we want to borrow your help with the investigation," Sion admitted.
"Now that spring is here and the snow is melting, a crack appeared that wasn't there before," she explained. They had noticed it because the meltwater was flowing directly into the fissure.
"I see. It's likely the ice expanded a pre-existing crack," Jin mused. He imagined the bedrock had finally given way under the pressure, collapsing to reveal the ruin hidden within.
"...So, what's it like?"
"We've only confirmed the area around the entrance. They say there are styles of architecture we haven't seen before, so we're proceeding with caution."
"That's wise."
"Yeah..."
Jin noticed her hesitation. "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's not that anything happened. It's just..."
"Just what?"
"It's just a feeling, but I get the sense it's different from the ruins we've seen so far," Sion concluded, unable to put her finger on exactly why.
"Hmm. I suppose we'll just have to see it for ourselves."
Jin knew there were various factions among the Progenitors. He thought it was possible this was a site belonging to a faction that had remained unknown until now.
Jin reached out to the members of the Jin Family he could currently contact. Hanna, Saki, and Goose all replied that they could go immediately.
"Everyone certainly seems to love this sort of thing," Jin noted with a smile.
He decided to depart the following day. For this trip, Elsa would stay behind to look after the twins.
"It'll be me, Hanna, Saki, and Goose. I'll have Reiko accompany us as an escort."
"I don't expect there to be much danger, so that should be fine," Elsa said. "Oh, but it will be much colder there than it is here."
"Ah, that's true."
The Nord Federation was significantly further north than Hourai Island—even further north than Kaina Village. Even though it was now early May, many areas would still be covered in snow.
"Warm clothes are going to be a must," Jin muttered, beginning his preparations for the journey.