Jin gazed at the large Magi Puppet that Rubina and the others had modified.
"You did a good job, Rubina."
"Ehehe, the trick is knowing how to use Gravity Magic effectively."
"Ah, you're right."
Rubina mentioned that she had used the same technique when creating giant golems on Onogoro Island.
"We didn't have assistant automata like you do at your place, Jin-sama."
Even so, Rubina had managed to build something of that caliber. Jin was impressed, realizing that her high level of skill was born from such ingenuity.
For a while, Jin watched them work. However, seeing how practiced they were and how Neige and Rouge were already assisting her in perfect synchronization, he decided they would be fine and returned to his own tasks.
Elder No. 700672 also watched with narrowed, satisfied eyes as Rouge and Neige moved about with such vitality.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Elder, do you have a moment?"
"Mm."
Jin called Elder No. 700672 and Marikka into the living room of the House.
"I'd like to decide on the future residential districts as a tentative discussion."
"Yes, of course," Marikka nodded.
Whether it was immigration from Onogoro Island or from the Nord Federation, they couldn't just settle anywhere. Houses couldn't be built without first establishing infrastructure.
"It would be best if the climate were pleasant," Marikka suggested.
"I suppose so. Should it be near the sea, then?"
"Most likely."
Since the continent on Ars was smaller compared to Hale, even the inland areas were only about 200 kilometers from the sea. The place where Jin and the others were currently located was about 450 kilometers inland. Even so, from the perspective of the entire continent, it was still a region relatively close to the coast.
Jin spread a map of Hale over the table.
"As for me, I'm thinking this area might be good."
Jin pointed to a spot in the Southern Hemisphere, near the Tropic of Capricorn. It was roughly 80°W, 16.5°S. The coastline was carved into a sharp, acute angle—a spot so deep he hesitated to even call it a bay. A river flowed nearby, and it was close to the Elder's home. That said, "close" still meant a distance of nearly 300 kilometers.
"Mm, that doesn't look bad."
"You're right. The site conditions are excellent. But..." Marikka paused, looking up at him. "Why didn't you build your own House there, Jin-sama?"
"That's because I could tell at a glance that this land was suited for a city."
Though it wasn't apparent on the map, this entire area had relatively high rainfall and rich vegetation.
"The wind from the sea likely blows along this V-shaped cleft in the terrain and forms clouds. Plus, you could harvest plenty of seafood within this bay."
They could build a port too, Jin added.
"So that was your reasoning..." Marikka murmured, sounding impressed.
"Well, to be honest, the main reason was that I wanted to avoid a place that seemed like it would become busy in the future," Jin admitted, scratching his head.
"You never change, Jin-sama."
Marikka said this with narrowed eyes.
(It is certainly his true feelings... He's the type of person who would change the entire world just so he can live in peace.)
"In that case, development would likely expand into the plains stretching to the south..." Elder No. 700672 spoke while pointing at the map.
"Yes. There is a large lake near the Central Basin, and the latitude puts it in the middle-latitude region, so the climate shouldn't be bad."
"I see."
The continent of Hale was shifted slightly toward the Northern Hemisphere. While the northern tip of the continent exceeded 80°N, the southern tip was around 75°S. Furthermore, there was no landmass at either the North Pole or the South Pole.
Additionally, because a large inner bay stretched across the area near 60°N, the Northern Hemisphere was surprisingly difficult to settle. If the population increased, they might eventually have no choice, but for the current earliest stage of redevelopment, Jin believed they should prioritize ease of living.
"It's not just water and sewage; there's road maintenance, the installation of Warp Gates, and many other things to consider."
"I believe it would be best to proceed with patience rather than haste," the Elder said.
"You're right... Since you can do anything, Jin-sama, you have a tendency to overextend yourself..."
Marikka was slightly worried about Jin, knowing he would run ahead and start doing all sorts of things if left to his own devices.
"Yeah, I definitely have that trait," Jin admitted with a sheepish grin.
"I have heard that the Masters handled energy supply, water, and sewage almost entirely on an individual level."
Elder No. 700672 began to explain the former state of Hale.
"These details were recorded on the Crystal Disks from the other day. Those were not technical records, but journals of those aspects of daily life."
"Is that so?"
Jin was a little disappointed, but a part of him also felt it was for the best. He wanted to know, but if he knew too much, it would inevitably influence his future plans.
(Hale should probably forge its own new history...)
That was what Jin thought.
＊ ＊ ＊
Meanwhile, Rubina's group was making steady progress.
"It's okay to attach this here, right?"
"Yeah, please."
"Is this okay for this part?"
"Yep, looks great!"
The exterior plating was mostly finished, and all that remained was checking each section. Amanda was not well-versed in magi-craft, but she could clearly see that her granddaughter was having a wonderful time.
"That child has really grown. It seems she's made some good friends too."
"Amanda-sama, would you like a refill of tea?"
"Oh, thank you. I'll have a little more."
"Yes, certainly."
The two of them were relaxing while drinking the tea Tsukino had brewed.
"Finished!"
Finally, as dusk approached, the work was complete. Rubina let out a cheer.
"We did it, Rubi-chan."
"Thank you, Ne-chan, Ru-chan."
Before their eyes lay a fifteen-meter giant golem. Yes, the large Magi Puppet had been reborn as a giant golem.
"Now that the checks are done, let's try moving it," Rouge said to Rubina.
"Yeah, I want to see it moving," Neige agreed.
Rubina was just as eager to see the results of their labor.
"Okay, let's try it then... Wake up!"
Rubina intentionally used the archaic form of the keyword. Following those words, the golem awakened.
"It moved, it moved!"
"...Amazing."
"It's a success! Golem, try walking slowly."
The moment Rubina gave that command, the giant golem, which had only just awakened, suddenly raised its fist.