Konron 3 hovered over the Central Basin, allowing No. 700672, Rouge, and Neige to scout for their second home with ease.
"I wish to avoid the central region," No. 700672 stated.
"I thought you might say that."
"If I recall correctly, there were ruins of a dome on the eastern side of the continent?"
"Yes, in the highlands near the Equator."
Being near the Equator meant the area was tropical, with high temperatures year-round. However, the term "highlands" implied a high elevation. On Earth, for example, the temperature drops by approximately 0.6 degrees Celsius for every 100 meters of altitude. Combining these factors, a high-altitude location in a tropical zone stood a good chance of having a pleasant climate throughout the year.
"I wonder if the Masters found it to be a comfortable place to live."
No. 700672 seemed intent on settling near the remains of the dome. Jin imagined that even if it wasn't his place of origin, No. 700672 felt a certain attachment to the site where the Masters who created him had likely resided.
"Since it survived without weathering away, it was probably their final residence. That would suggest it was indeed a habitable environment, wouldn't it?"
Ruins in other regions had long since eroded, losing their original shapes. Of course, Jin had ordered those sites to be carefully preserved as historical landmarks and archaeological treasures.
"If I recall... Ah, right. There's a mountain range to the west of the dome plateau. How about there?"
"Hmm..."
"Reiko, take Konron 3 a bit further east."
"Yes, Father."
A relatively high mountain towered over the eastern side of the Central Basin, and beyond it stretched the plateau where the dome ruins lay. Traveling at supersonic speeds, Konron 3 reached the destination in mere minutes.
"Indeed... Somehow, this land feels right to me."
Whether it was a primal memory or simply because his creators had lived there, No. 700672 had clearly taken a liking to the area.
"Then let's try landing."
"Very well. Please do."
Jin gave the order to Reiko, and Konron 3 descended softly onto the plateau.
"Father, may we step outside?" Neige asked.
"Father, can we go out?" Rouge followed.
"Of course. I shall step out as well."
After securing Konron 3, Jin and Reiko joined them on the ground.
"Oh, the temperature is perfect."
It was just right for a single long-sleeved shirt.
"The temperature here is approximately 22 degrees Celsius," Reiko noted.
If it stayed like this all year, it would be a very comfortable place to live. Even the thinner air wasn't enough to be bothersome.
"The environment is excellent. Now, as for the specific spot..."
No. 700672 looked toward the distant wreckage of the dome. "A place where I can keep that dome in sight would be ideal... In other words, right about here."
He pointed to the ground beneath his feet.
"Yes, I'm happy with that!"
"I agree!"
With Rouge and Neige both in favor, they designated this as their primary candidate site. It was located at roughly 6 degrees north latitude. As for the longitude, Jin hadn't yet established a prime meridian for the planet.
Jin consulted No. 700672 on how to determine the planet's coordinate system.
"Since this will be the standard for generations to come, we should have a clear justification for it," No. 700672 agreed.
"You're right..."
On Ars, Jin had set the 0-degree meridian to pass through the laboratory on Hourai Island. While convenient for him, the general public would likely find such an arbitrary placement confusing. More importantly, it risked revealing the island's secret location. Consequently, on the world maps he released to the public, he had set the eastern edge of the continent—specifically the eastern edge of the former Leonard Kingdom—as 0 degrees and used west longitude for everything else.
Facing a similar dilemma here, Jin sought No. 700672's advice.
"It would be simplest if we could express everything using only east or west longitude," No. 700672 suggested.
"I agree."
Mixing east and west longitudes could get complicated. North and south latitude were a necessary evil, but longitude could be simplified.
"Then shall we set the eastern edge of the continent as 0 degrees and express coordinates in degrees west longitude?"
"That sounds wise. Consider what would make calculating time differences easiest," No. 700672 advised.
"The eastern edge would have the earliest time, and it would get progressively later as you move west, right?"
"Correct."
Moving west meant moving backward in time relative to the east. If it were midnight at the eastern edge, the Central Basin would be fourteen hours behind—10:00 AM the previous day.
"Having the date flip between today and yesterday within the continent would be a headache. To keep calculations simple and consistent, let's use the eastern edge."
Jin desperately wanted to avoid having an international date line cutting through the middle of the landmass.
"That seems perfectly fine."
Every reference point had its trade-offs. Jin decided to stick with the west longitude system he was used to on Ars and set the prime meridian at the continent's eastern edge. Specifically, he chose the point near 13 degrees north latitude, where the continent extended furthest to the east, as the 0-degree reference.
As a side note, Jin later embedded a marker made of adamantite at that exact spot and erected a monument detailing the history of its selection.
"The next candidate site is an island in the Inner Sea, within the massive bay to the north."
After reboarding Konron 3, the group headed toward the northern reaches of the continent.
"Hmm, this place... the temperature is a bit low. And perhaps because it's surrounded by water, the humidity is quite high."
No. 700672 dismissed the site almost immediately.
Finally, they visited the last candidate site Jin had selected: an island off the western coast in the Northern Hemisphere. Although it was on the western edge, a short trip further west across the ocean would bring one back to the eastern edge of the continent.
"It's not bad, but this region has four seasons, doesn't it?"
No. 700672 stated that he wasn't particularly interested in seasonal changes.
"In the end, I prefer the first spot near the Masters' dome."
"Understood."
Rouge and Neige had no objections to his decision.
"Then please start thinking about what kind of house you'd like to build."
"I shall."
There was no need to hide underground this time. No. 700672 intended to design a home centered around a peaceful, leisurely lifestyle in this favorable environment.
"...And what about you, Jin-dono? What do you plan to do?"
"Well, about that..."
Jin began to explain his own aspirations—not for the east coast, but the idea that had struck him recently.
"...Severing Hourai Island from Planet Ars? I see... You were contemplating such a feat?"
No. 700672 was genuinely surprised. Indeed, Jin was considering whether he could cut Hourai Island loose from deep underground and transport it to Hale.
"Rather than moving a satellite, the concept of severing an entire island is truly impressive. It is very much like you."
"...Thank you. I haven't made a final decision yet, though."
While he appreciated the praise, Jin knew the inspiration had come from stories he'd read in modern Japan.
"But it is well within your capabilities, Jin-dono. In fact, I find the idea quite fascinating."
Ultimately, he gave the plan his full support.