Upon returning to Hourai Island, Jin posed a question to Laojun.
"Laojun, did you know about that place?"
『Yes, My Lord. I have a fair grasp of the research facility in question.』
"Good. Tell me what you know."
『Understood.』
According to Laojun, while the research facility had been open to the public, its location was so remote that it rarely saw any visitors.
『However, that appears to have made it ideal for those who wished to immerse themselves in their research in peace. Some fifty years of tranquility passed there.』
Laojun explained that the primary focus of the work there seemed to have been golem research.
『In terms of performance, they fell far short of the units you create, My Lord, but by the standards of that era, they were exceptionally advanced.』
That was the extent of Laojun's knowledge.
Even for Laojun, it was impossible to track every minor event in the world in real-time, so this lack of detail was unavoidable.
"Futorks, huh... All right, let's go take a look, Reiko."
"Yes, Father."
Thus, Jin took Reiko and headed for the Fort Phutokes Ruins.
They utilized Pegasus 2 for transport, with Hope serving as the pilot.
They traveled via the transporter, Pegasus 2 and all.
In zero seconds flat, they moved from Hourai Island to a point 200 meters above the Fort Phutokes Ruins.
The landscape they looked down upon was blanketed in the vibrant green of spring.
Trees standing over ten meters tall, meadows of pale green, and scattered rocks overgrown with shrubs filled the view.
Dominating the site was a stone fort—or rather, a research facility built into the remains of one—with thick vines winding around its walls.
The structure was built from gray stone. The lack of any visible weathering suggested that some form of magical treatment had been applied to the masonry.
Pegasus 2 descended slowly in a circular path. Jin observed the terrain below with a keen eye.
"Landing now, Master Jin."
Pegasus 2 touched down on the flat ground in front of the research facility.
"Alright, Hope, I'll leave you to keep watch. Reiko, let's go."
"Yes, Father."
"Safe travels, Master Jin."
Jin and Reiko stepped out of Pegasus 2 and onto the ground.
The fragrance of young grass was sweet in the air, accompanied by the distant chirping of birds.
"It's so peaceful..."
The soil beneath his feet was soft and springy, suggesting that very few people walked this path.
"This way, Father."
Reiko’s voice pulled Jin back from his thoughts as he stood savoring the spring atmosphere.
Remembering his purpose for coming here, Jin followed after her.
Inside the research facility, corridors had been constructed by following the original layout of the fort.
Wide hallways stretched ahead, with magi-devices for illumination installed in various alcoves. Even now, they emitted a faint, dim glow.
"They aren't as bright as an Ether Light (AL), but they certainly last a long time."
Impressed, Jin continued to follow Reiko as she led the way.
"The structure is properly reinforced, and there's active ventilation too."
Dust-repelling barriers had been erected throughout the facility, leaving the interior surprisingly clean.
Though their various functions had degraded significantly, they were still operational.
The person who maintained this place must have done a very thorough job, Jin thought as he walked.
"Father, there is a crack here," Reiko said, her voice echoing slightly.
Looking where she pointed, he saw a large fissure running through the corridor, leading directly outside.
"It appears a large animal has been entering through here."
Indeed, muddy tracks were visible, dotting the floor.
"These are... likely from a Saber Boar."
The Saber Boar was essentially a giant boar—a quite dangerous wild beast.
"It is not here at the moment, so we are safe," Reiko declared firmly after sensing for any presence.
"I see..."
Jin and Reiko continued further into the depths of the facility.
"Father, it is here."
"Oh."
After following the winding corridor for some time, they reached a moderately sized open space.
The original lighting was insufficient for a thorough search, so Jin created a ball of Light and sent it drifting upward, illuminating every corner of the room.
This area also benefited from a dust-repelling barrier, and almost no dust had accumulated inside.
"Hmm. It feels a bit like my own workshop."
The layout was such that Jin could almost believe a friend of his had set it up.
However, after many different people had added their own modifications over the years, almost no trace of Jin's personal style remained.
"But this is quite practical in its own right."
Seeing a workshop design different from his own seemed to give Jin a few new ideas.
"...Right, I have things to look for."
Jin scanned the room once more.
"If I were storing prototypes, they'd be... here."
Jin walked toward a spot where he personally would have located storage. His intuition proved correct.
"Ah, here we go."
There was a door to the right of the material shelves. It led to a storehouse.
Jin opened the door and frowned at the sight within.
"—Father?"
Reiko peered in over his shoulder.
The interior was in a state of total disarray.
Broken golem arms and legs were scattered haphazardly, and mangled heads were unceremoniously heaped in a corner.
Depending on one's perspective, it was a grotesque sight.
"They certainly went through a lot of trial and error."
Seeing the scene, Jin voiced his immediate impression.
He got the sense that the researcher had simply tried every idea that came to mind, one after another, without much concern for the aftermath.
"...I wonder if they ever reached the goal they were aiming for."
Jin felt that after such relentless experimentation, they must have grasped some kind of truth.
"Maybe those golems were the result of all this."
Jin pictured the two golems the bandits had been using.
"This was all from before the Magic Federation rose to power, then..."
Jin let his thoughts wander back to the era when this facility would have been at its most active, before refocusing on the purpose of his visit.
He had come to examine the roots of the bandits' golems.
While taking care to leave everything exactly as he found it, Jin began to research and analyze the scattered parts and materials.
As a result, he became certain that the magic-frame style golems had indeed originated here.
Several skeletons that appeared to be prototypes were lying among the wreckage.
After about two hours had passed, Jin spoke to Reiko with an air of satisfaction.
"...That should do it for the inspection here. Let's head back to Hourai Island."
"Yes, Father."
"I wonder what the creator would think if they knew the golems they built with such passion were being used for criminal acts..." Jin muttered as they headed back toward the exit.
"If it were me, I’d feel nothing but regret."
Golems with higher performance than the ball-joint style, yet capable of being produced at a lower cost.
Whether the researcher had been thwarted by the Magic Federation just as they reached the verge of practical application, or if they had to step away due to failing health, or for some other reason entirely—Jin couldn't say.
However, as a fellow engineer, he felt a desire to somehow alleviate a bit of the lingering regret left behind by that person he had never met.