Marquis Logres Win Kuzuma sat propped up in his bed.
The heavy discomfort had been purged from his body; now, he only needed to wait for his strength to return.
"I cannot thank Shin-dono, Lise-dono, and Sion-sama enough..."
He had met Sion of the All-Creation clan once before, decades ago. It had been on the occasion of his inheritance of the marquisate.
Sion, the wife of the clan chief of the All-Creation clan—a prominent family within the Nord Federation—had traveled across many nations as a diplomat for some three hundred and fifty years.
"I had only just turned thirty back then..." the Marquis reminisced fondly.
＊ ＊ ＊
"So, you are the new Marquis Kuzuma."
Her voice had carried the weight of a long life, yet it possessed a quality that put any listener at ease.
"Yes. My name is Logres Win Kuzuma."
"I am Sion of the All-Creation clan. Please, devote yourself to your duties."
The Marquis recalled his impression from that time: even then, he had sensed a level of wisdom and kindness from Sion-sama that seemed impossible for a person of such petite stature.
He had heard she visited Asunt, the capital of the Kingdom of Egerea, only recently. He assumed she must have learned of his illness during that visit.
"If I recall, Sion-sama also shared a personal friendship with Beena-sama."
He surmised that it was through that connection she had dispatched a healer. And not just any healer, but one bearing such precious medicine...
"I must thank my ancestor as well. Thanks to her, I’ve been saved. Now, there is only my daughter, Pamela."
It had been a shock to learn that Pamela, the youngest of his three daughters, suffered from the same Mana Overload Syndrome as he did.
However, the magi craftsman named Shin, who had accompanied the healer, had stated with absolute confidence that he could suppress the onset of the symptoms with a magi-device, even if it was only a temporary measure.
"I don't know how many days it will take to complete, but until then, we must provide their group with the most exquisite hospitality."
Just then, the steward Question came rushing into the room. He was the Marquis’s most trusted vassal, having served the family since Logres was a boy.
"What is it, Ques?"
"M-My Lord! The accessory for the Ojou-sama... it is finished!"
"What?"
The Marquis tilted his head in confusion. It was only natural; he had been told a magi-device would be made, but he hadn’t imagined it would take the form of jewelry.
Question carefully explained the situation to him step-by-step. As the Marquis listened, his face slowly filled with astonishment.
"What! You're telling me that Shin-dono crafted a magi-device to suppress Mana Overload Syndrome in a mere ten minutes? And it's an accessory... a pendant?"
"Yes, exactly so."
"Hmph... Truly incredible...!"
Had he heard it from anyone other than Question, a steward he trusted implicitly, the Marquis would have found it impossible to believe that a solution to Mana Overload Syndrome could be crafted in ten minutes.
"...But he is a technician trusted by Sion-sama. And Sion-sama was an acquaintance—no, a friend—of the legendary Magi Craft Meister. It stands to reason that the man she dispatched would possess extraordinary skill."
A network of connections that only the long-lived Northern People could cultivate. Marquis Kuzuma offered a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens for his past acquaintance with Sion.
＊ ＊ ＊
A luncheon was the first way House Kuzuma chose to express its gratitude to Jin and his companions.
The spread was magnificent, featuring delicacies from across the continent: dishes in the styles of the Kingdom of Egerea, the Empire, the Klein Kingdom, the Kingdom of Elias, the Kingdom of Franz, and the Celuroa Kingdom.
Madam Anna hosted the event. The Marquis himself had not yet recovered enough stamina to join them for the full meal. However, he did visit the grand dining hall in a wheelchair to address them.
"Shin-dono, Lise-jou, and Reko-jou... I cannot express enough gratitude to you, and to Sion-sama for sending you. Thank you, truly."
"It was our pleasure," Jin replied with a polite, standard response on behalf of the group. "I'm glad we could be of assistance."
Jin then produced the item he had prepared.
"This is the magi-device I made to suppress Mana Overload Syndrome. It’s a pendant; if the Ojou-sama wears it around her neck, it will manage her symptoms. Regarding the mechanism, it monitors the flow of mana within the body and, only when it’s about to overflow, it returns the mana to free ether via deoxidization."
When Jin had made a device for Elsa in the past, he had used a type that stored surplus mana in a bracelet. This time, however, he chose the method of returning it to free ether.
Unlike Elsa, who could manage her own magi-devices, the young Pamela would likely have her parents, sisters, and lady's maids touching the pendant frequently. If it were an absorption-type device, it might accidentally drain the mana of anyone who touched it, causing them to feel unwell.
By returning it to free ether, the discharge would be at a level where any healthy person could simply re-absorb and convert it back into mana naturally.
"I see... The technicalities are beyond me, but it’s clear that Shin-dono is a magi craftsman of no ordinary skill."
Jin handed the pendant to the Madam, who then passed it to the Marquis.
"Oho... it’s beautiful. Shin-dono, I may present this to my daughter myself, correct?"
"Yes, please. Also, while these are not magi-devices, please give these to the older Ojou-samas."
Jin handed over two more jewelry boxes containing similar necklaces. This was based on advice from Laojun: if only one of three sisters received a gift, the other two would inevitably feel left out. The designs were identical, but the stones were different. Irene’s featured a red stone, while Mavis’s had a green one.
"Your thoughtfulness is appreciated."
With a small bow, the Marquis withdrew from the dining hall.
"Now then, Shin-sama, Lise-sama, Reko-sama, please—it’s a modest spread, but please eat as much as you like."
With the Madam's greeting, the luncheon officially began. In truth, Jin was the only one eating, though Reiko and Lise were capable of going through the motions of a meal.
"Yeah, this is good."
As Jin enjoyed the flavors of various nations, Reiko was busy analyzing the dishes he liked and sending the recipe data to Laojun.
"Shin-sama, please, do continue eating," Madam Anna said, speaking to Jin. "This evening, the House of Viscount Guarana, the House of Viscount Rasahn, and the House of Count Setena will be visiting to pay their respects. My apologies, but I will have to leave the care of your group to Merine, our Chief Golem Maid. I hope you understand."
A gala was scheduled for that evening. Since it was an affair for titled nobility, Jin and his group would not be attending.
"Of course, that’s perfectly fine. Actually, perhaps we should take our leave today?"
The Madam shook her head firmly. "No, we haven't provided you with nearly enough hospitality yet. If I let you leave now, my husband would surely have my head."
Faced with such an earnest request, Jin couldn't very well force the issue.
"I understand. We'll be in your care a little longer then."
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin and the others returned to their room, accompanied by Merine.
Finding himself with some downtime, Jin struck up a conversation with the golem.
"Merine, right? How are you holding up physically?"
"Yes, Shin-sama. My last maintenance was eighty-seven years ago, so my performance has begun to degrade slightly," Merine replied honestly.
"I see... Do you not have a maintenance golem?"
"No. We had one until eighty-six years ago, but it was destroyed in an accident."
"Right. Well then, let me take a look at you. Ah, I should probably get permission from the Marquis or the Madam first."
"Yes. I shall inform them."
Merine stepped out of the room and returned five minutes later with a man in tow.
"I am Justa, the First Technical Officer of this house. I've been asked to observe while Shin-sama performs maintenance on Merine."
Justa was a serious-looking man in his thirties.
"Nice to meet you."
Since nearly every other servant, including Question, was preoccupied with the party preparations, a technical officer who had nothing to do with domestic chores had been sent. Of course, since they would be using the workshop, it was only appropriate for him to be there.
Lise remained in the room, while Jin, Reiko, Merine, and Justa moved to the estate’s workshop.
"Alright, let's get to it."
Jin laid Merine on the workbench and set to work. He began by temporarily stopping her ether converter and removing her exterior plates.
"Incredible..."
Justa watched, mesmerized by the sheer fluidity and skill of Jin’s movements.