The following day, Moritz handled the compensation for the fire-stricken village with meticulous care.
"As expected of Ani-sama," Elsa remarked.
"Yeah, your brother is certainly thorough," Jin agreed.
Watching him work gave Jin and Elsa the peace of mind they needed to head home. On the journey back, Jin spoke up. "You know, Elsa, we can't exactly appoint a bailiff for him, but what about a secretary golem?"
"Oh, that's a wonderful idea."
Since Moritz was far too serious for his own good, Jin and Elsa were in complete agreement: they would create and gift him a golem designed to oversee his schedule and health.
＊ ＊ ＊
Upon returning to Hourai Island, Jin immediately set to work.
"Father looks like he’s having fun," Yuu said.
"He does, doesn’t he?" Elsa replied.
"I want to try, too!" Mio chirped.
"Once you're a bit older, dear."
Elsa watched the process with Yuu and Mio in tow. Jin began shaping the golem with a gender-neutral build. Although it was a golem, he intended for it to wear clothes, so he ensured the silhouette remained human-like and smooth, without any unnecessary protrusions.
He designed it for precision work, with strength roughly three times that of a human. By using 64 light silver extensively, he kept the weight down; the estimated final weight was approximately 70 kilograms.
This time, Jin was building the golem specifically to show the process to Yuu and Mio. In about an hour, the construct was finished.
"Ohhh!"
"Father, you're amazing!"
Yuu and Mio clapped their tiny, dimpled hands in delight.
I wonder if these children will eventually follow in my footsteps, Jin mused in the back of his mind as he moved on to the final finish.
"...What color should I make it?"
Since the frame was made of 64 light silver—the Planet Ars equivalent of titanium—he could alter the color by adjusting the oxidation film.
"How about something close to a skin tone?" Elsa suggested.
"Good idea. That’ll look better once it’s dressed."
A golem with a blue or green face wearing clothes might look a bit eerie to those who weren't accustomed to them. Jin decided on a calm, light brown. In bright light, it looked quite close to a natural human complexion.
"This should work."
"Mhm."
"Wow!"
At Elsa's suggestion, they named the golem Cecil. Now, it was just a matter of finding the right time to deliver the gift.
＊ ＊ ＊
"By the way, it sounds like Marcia-san’s projects are mostly finished, too," Elsa noted.
"Oh, really?"
Marcia was currently building ships in Kaina Village. Jin was also curious about Tiberio, a member of the Divergence clan whom Sion of the All-Creation clan had entrusted to them.
He had been preoccupied with Yuu and Mio's measles, the establishment of the Avalon Charter, and the wedding of Fritz and Gloria, among other errands. He felt a bit guilty for leaving the boat project unattended for so long. Consequently, Jin decided to head to Kaina Village that evening.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Ah, Jin! Perfect timing!"
Jin had traveled via the Warp Gate at Jin Castle. When he peeked into the workshop, Marcia greeted him with a look of pleasant surprise.
"I just finished the final adjustments. If there are no problems with this, they're done!"
"Well, that certainly is good timing."
Owing to the time difference, evening had already fallen over Kaina Village. They would conduct the tests the following morning. Over dinner, Jin listened to Marcia recount the struggles she had faced during construction.
"Has Tiberio settled in yet?" Jin asked.
"Yes," Tiberio replied. "Every day is fascinating. I’m learning so much from the way Marcia-san works."
"He’s very dedicated," Marcia added. "He can even use a bit of magi-craft, so he’s been a real help."
"I see..."
Jin considered that if he gave Tiberio some formal instruction, the man might become a powerful new asset for the Marcia Workshop.
After dinner, Jin asked to see the completed vessels. Marcia and Tiberio led him to the workshop. Rodrigo had already retired to his room, feeling a bit exhausted.
"There are three boats in total," Marcia explained. "One was ordered by Barbara-san and her group, one is yours, and the third is an experimental model."
"Experimental?"
"Yeah. I built it purely out of my own curiosity. I wanted to create a standard model for rapid-river travel for future use. It’s not for sale, so Tiberio helped me out quite a bit with it."
"Interesting."
Of the three, this one piqued Jin's curiosity the most.
"Is it this one?"
He decided to inspect the experimental boat first. It wasn't a trimaran, but a monohull made of wood. It was long and slender, with floats projecting from either side. It reminded Jin of an outrigger canoe.
"This design offers great stability, but it can't carry much cargo," Marcia explained. "Also, it’s not particularly agile."
"I see, I see."
"However, it maintains decent speed even when rowed by hand, and it can be steered with a pole."
"I see."
Even in modern Japan, boatmen often used poles to navigate rapids. If a golem acted as the rower, its strength and reaction speed would be exceptional. Furthermore, golems never tired, which made the concept viable in its own right.
"It’s probably best suited for wider rivers, though," Marcia added.
"Yeah, I agree."
Jin concurred with her assessment. In the narrower sections of the Erme River, it might be difficult to handle.
"Still, this is impressive."
Jin remarked that even on the Erme River, it would be quite useful downstream of Lake Cedrolia. Since that area served as the border with the Celuroa Kingdom, they would need to be cautious about its operation. It might also prove useful in the upper and middle reaches of the Great Divide River in the Shouro Empire.
Marcia and Tiberio both nodded happily at his words.
"Is that so! It would be great if we could market them there, too."
For Marcia, the joy came not from the potential profit, but from the idea of her ships being put to good use.
Next, they inspected the boat requested by Barbara's group and the one Jin had commissioned. The former was a trimaran, similar to the prototype but a size larger. It appeared well-balanced, and Jin looked forward to the trial run the next day.
As for the boat Jin had ordered for the village girls, it resembled a rubber raft equipped with an outboard motor. However, the material wasn't rubber but Ground Spider resin (GSP). It would absorb the impact of any rocks it hit without tearing.
The Aqua Thruster-style outboard motor was constructed from 64 light silver. Jin judged that it was unlikely to break under normal circumstances.
"I see. So this is what you came up with."
"Now, I’m hoping you can create a golem or an automata to operate the motor, Jin. The girls could handle it themselves, but for safety’s sake, I’d like to make it a rule that they can only go out if a dedicated golem or automata is on board."
Marcia explained that she had been thrown from boats many times herself and knew all too well that the currents of the Erme River could be treacherous.
"Understood. Thank you," Jin replied, nodding with deep satisfaction.