Jin had been concerned about the golem Viscount Guarana was rumored to have brought with him. However, those worries proved to be unfounded; the day passed without a single incident.
The next day, the 21st, dawned.
By 9:00 AM, Jin had finished his breakfast and was beginning to contemplate taking his leave.
"Shin-sama, could you spare us a moment?"
A voice called out to him.
Having no reason to refuse, Jin, Reko, and Lise followed the servant who had come to fetch them.
He had expected to be led somewhere inside the Mansion, but they were guided to the courtyard instead. The weather was clear and the air was pleasant, so it seemed they were holding a casual outdoor tea party or informal gathering.
Several small tables had been arranged in the garden. Marquis Kuzuma was there in his wheelchair alongside the Marquis's Wife, accompanied by four other nobles and their personal servants.
"Ah, Shin-dono....Everyone, these are my benefactors....Shin-dono, I spoke of you to these gentlemen, and they were quite insistent on meeting you."
"I am the magi craftsman Shin. This girl is Reko, and this is Lise, the arzt."
"I am Count Setena," one of the men introduced himself. "Thank you for curing Logres. You have my gratitude as well."
Logres was Marquis Kuzuma's given name.
"I am Viscount Rasahn. And this is my son, Vernon."
"I am Viscount Guarana."
After the introductions were exchanged, Jin and his companions were invited to take their seats.
Tea was served. After taking a sip, Marquis Kuzuma addressed them.
"Shin-dono, I cannot thank you enough. Allow me to express my gratitude once more."
"No, you're quite welcome."
Count Setena was the next to speak to Jin.
"Hmm. Shin-dono, do you belong to the Nord Federation?"
"I wouldn't say I 'belong' to it, exactly, but Sion and I are old acquaintances."
"Ho. To think you speak of her so casually without an honorific, when we address her as Sion-'sama'... You must hold a position of some significance yourself."
"Well, something like that."
"I suppose the Nord Federation doesn't use a peerage system," Viscount Rasahn remarked, as if recalling a fact.
Indeed, since they had originally been organized by clans, the Nord Federation recognized roles like family head or Clan Chief, but there were no other specific social ranks. While age commanded some respect, even that could be overlooked depending on an individual's abilities. In essence, it was an extension of a patriarchal system; it wasn't quite democracy, but as a minority group, the system kept them well-integrated.
"Is Mitsuho also a 'democracy'? They don't have a nobility, do they?" Vernon, Viscount Rasahn's son, asked the group.
"That is correct. It is a system I find a bit difficult to grasp, personally," his father replied.
"Every social structure has its own merits and demerits....Shin-dono, what are your thoughts on democracy?"
Viscount Rasahn directed the question to Jin with a searching gaze.
"...Well, in my personal opinion, the strengths of democracy are the lack of status-based discrimination and the fact that the citizens' opinions are reflected in the government. The weaknesses are that important decisions take a long time to make, and when change stagnates, the people tend to lose interest in politics."
"...Ho. Shin-dono, you are quite well-versed in political science as well."
Marquis Kuzuma listened to Jin’s explanation with visible admiration. For Jin, he was merely reciting general common sense from modern Japan, but in a noble society, the average commoner typically had no interest in politics. Even if a commoner possessed the knowledge, they had no platform to apply it.
However, there was one person present who had no patience for such high-minded discussions—or at least, discussions at this level.
Viscount Guarana.
"...By the way, Shin-dono, as you are a magi craftsman, I assume you are knowledgeable about golems?"
"Eh? Oh, yes. I believe I know a fair amount."
"Hmph. Good....Marquis, the truth is, I have recently acquired a truly magnificent golem. I brought it here today with the intention of presenting it to your lordship."
"Oh?"
It appeared this was the golem Reko had detected earlier with her Peeping Telescope.
"I would very much like to show it to you... if you are willing?"
"Hmm..." Marquis Kuzuma thought for a moment. "Very well, let us see it here."
"Oh, marvelous. Right away, then."
Viscount Guarana whispered instructions to one of his servants, who hurried off toward the edge of the garden.
"The creator is a magi craftsman who has been rapidly improving his skills of late. I was the one who discovered him and have been acting as his patron."
The Viscount spoke with a boastful air.
"And what is the name of this magi craftsman?"
"He is called Zieg Begin."
"A name I'm not familiar with," the Marquis said, tilting his head.
"That is only natural. He is a mere twenty-two years of age and not yet known to the wider world."
Even so, the Viscount claimed the young man's talent was beyond reproach.
Before long, the servant returned, wheeling a golem in on a handcart.
"Ah, here it is....Look! This is Zieg’s latest masterpiece."
"Ho..."
Viscount Rasahn let out a sound of admiration. His son, Vernon, also seemed captivated by the machine. In contrast, Count Setena appeared entirely uninterested. As for the Marquis, he seemed reasonably intrigued and waited for Viscount Guarana to continue his explanation.
(Hmm...)
Jin, for his part, was slightly impressed.
"Look at this! This exquisite body line! It is practically indistinguishable from a human!"
It was indeed quite well-crafted. It was a female-type golem standing just under 160 centimeters tall.
"I would be honored if you would accept this to serve as a nursing golem or a maid golem. 'Wake up'."
Whether it was the Viscount's personal taste or the creator's preference, he used an old-fashioned keyword to activate the unit.
"Oh..."
"Did you call for me, Master?"
The golem looked at Viscount Guarana and bowed. Even to Jin's eyes, its movements were fairly smooth.
(It’s not Adriana-style. It’s that other model that’s been becoming the mainstream lately.)
Just by observing its initial motions, Jin was able to identify the design's lineage.
"Umu. This is Marquis Kuzuma. Greet him."
"Yes....I am pleased to meet you, Marquis. I am called Dona. I look forward to your acquaintance."
"...Ho."
The golem named Dona performed a graceful and proper greeting.
Viscount Guarana then turned his attention back to Jin.
"And what is your expert opinion on its construction?"
Being suddenly asked for his thoughts, Jin inadvertently spoke his honest assessment.
"Er, well... let's see. I think it’s fairly well-made."
"F-Fairly well-made... you say?"
Viscount Guarana looked deeply offended by the evaluation.
"Ah, no, I mean it's a magnificent piece of work," Jin added, trying to correct himself, but the damage was already done.
"I should very much like to hear which specific points led you to such a lukewarm conclusion," the Viscount pressed, closing in on Jin.