The residence for No. 700672—or the Elder, as he was now called—was largely completed within the day.
All that remained was the interior work. This was scheduled to proceed under No. 700672's direction, with ten Smiths providing the necessary labor.
"Well then, tomorrow I'll select the site for my own house..."
Jin had already settled on the general concept for his residence.
He envisioned a single-story wooden building—though he wouldn't mind a partial second floor—made of wood or a suitable imitation. He also wanted a spacious garden.
The workshop, storehouse, hangar, Warp Gate, and other essential facilities would all be subterranean. Consequently, he needed to excavate a massive space beneath the surface.
That was the extent of his requirements.
However, since he intended to secure a considerably large area underground, solid bedrock was a non-negotiable necessity. A layer of soil on top would be perfectly acceptable, provided the foundation was firm.
"I wonder if we can find a place like that?"
"Let me see..."
Reiko paused to consider the request. She cross-referenced the geographical and geological data they had collected during their survey of Hale, filtering for points that matched his criteria.
"I have identified five potential locations."
"Oh? Excellent. Let's go take a look right away."
Just as Jin spoke, he realized a logistical hurdle.
"Ah... I don't have an aircraft for atmospheric travel."
The Adriana was a bit excessive for a scouting mission and couldn't land just anywhere. Meanwhile, Konron 3 had been lent to No. 700672 and his daughters as temporary housing until "the House" was finished.
"It would be convenient to have a Pegasus-class craft," Reiko suggested.
"You're right. For now, let's have Pegasus 2 sent over."
Equipped with a built-in force generator and VTOL capabilities, Pegasus 2 was the ideal choice for the task. By utilizing the Bridge of Warp Gates, it could be transported from Ars to Hale in a matter of minutes.
Reiko relayed the request to Laojun. Five minutes later, Pegasus 2 emerged from a large Warp Gate, with Hope at the controls.
"This is perfect."
Jin and Reiko boarded the craft immediately.
"Hope, are you familiar with the geography of Hale?" Jin asked.
Hope gave an affirmative nod. "Yes, Jin-sama. I have just received all the necessary data from Laojun via Trans Info."
"Good. First, take us to the Central Basin."
"Understood."
Pegasus 2 lifted off with a gentle hum, accelerating to Mach 3 as it soared toward the destination. In roughly thirty minutes, they were hovering over the target area.
"The center of this basin is riddled with old mine shafts, so it is unsuitable," Reiko explained. "However, there is a tall peak at the southernmost point of the surrounding mountain range that stands as our first candidate."
Hope steered Pegasus 2 toward the mountain Reiko indicated.
"Ah, that mountain... Hmm."
A massive peak with an altitude exceeding 5,000 meters loomed before Jin.
"This particular mountain remains in its original form because it yielded almost no metallic resources during the era of the progenitors," Reiko added.
"I see."
While that was a point in its favor, the altitude was simply too high for comfort.
"The latitude is a bit high as well."
The mountain was located in the Southern Hemisphere. Although it was currently March—effectively the beginning of autumn there—the combination of the high altitude and the latitude of 40 degrees south meant the temperature remained well below freezing.
"Let us move on to the next site. Hope, please fly east while maintaining this latitude."
"Understood."
Hope banked Pegasus 2 to the east. In less than thirty minutes, they reached the next objective.
"It is that island."
"An island, huh..."
The landmass below was notably flat.
"This island is also entirely devoid of metallic resources. In contrast, the surface was once rich in rock crystal and quartz; it is speculated that it was shaved down into this flat shape during the harvesting process."
"I see. They didn't bother mining underground?"
"Correct. Quartz and rock crystal are relatively common minerals, so there was likely no need to excavate deeper."
"I follow. So, that means the subterranean part of that island is still packed with quartz and rock crystal?"
"Yes, that is the case."
If that were true, hollowing out the underground wouldn't be a problem, Jin thought. It was a strong candidate.
"Alright, let's keep this island on the list. Where to next?"
Following Reiko's instructions, Hope turned the craft to the northeast.
Another thirty-minute flight brought them over the third site: an island off the western coast of the continent in the Northern Hemisphere.
"Here, then... The latitude is about the same as the previous island, just in the Northern Hemisphere."
Being nearly 30 degrees north of the Tropic of Cancer, the area would likely experience distinct seasons.
"It's also relatively close to the site where we installed the large Warp Gate."
Though "close" was a relative term, as they were still separated by about 90 degrees of longitude.
"Let's look at the remaining two."
Jin set this island aside for the moment.
Of the two remaining spots, one was the island in the Northern Inner Sea that he had previously recommended to No. 700672.
"Hmm, it'll probably be too cold here."
Jin generally preferred heat over cold, though it was ultimately a matter of degree.
"The final candidate is the location where the large Warp Gate was originally installed," Reiko said.
"Ah, of course."
That was the site Jin was currently using as his temporary base. Selecting it would mean turning his current foothold into a permanent one.
"It's a tough choice."
Jin personally favored land that was somewhat isolated from its surroundings. From that perspective, an island was ideal, as the ocean provided a natural, tangible boundary.
"The only other option would be an artificial island."
Jin thought back to Avalon.
"Though I'd prefer something that doesn't look quite so man-made."
Jin sat in deep thought as Pegasus 2 made the return trip. By the time they arrived back at the temporary base around 4:00 PM local time, the Adriana was waiting for them, resting regally on the surface.
"I think I'll stick with this area after all."
After scouting various locations, he had arrived at the classic conclusion: his first choice had been the best one.
"Let's pick a spot around here with the most solid foundation."
"Understood."
The bedrock in the vicinity was largely basaltic—dense and remarkably firm. If he applied Toughening to it, the structural integrity would be more than sufficient.
"This should work."
The geological makeup of the entire region was fairly uniform. All that remained was to select the exact spot. Jin looked for a location that was slightly elevated compared to its surroundings.
"Hmm... maybe here, or there... or even over that way."
He eventually narrowed it down to three specific spots, all of them within a 100-kilometer radius of the temporary base.
"I should investigate each of these in a bit more detail..."
Deciding to conduct a ground survey, Jin disembarked from Pegasus 2 and headed toward the nearest candidate site with Reiko at his side.