Greena let out a loud shout just as the meal was being served.
"Thank you for your patience."
"..."
Her momentum broken, Greena sat back down, her cheeks still slightly puffed out in frustration.
The menu consisted of white rice, miso soup with tofu and wakame, salted grilled river fish, nikujaga, blanched wild greens, and oshinko. The tea provided was hojicha.
"Let’s eat for now. Shall we, Freddie?"
"...Yes."
Eris smiled softly and picked up her chopsticks. They were beautiful, lacquered personal chopsticks she had brought with her.
"Do you carry your own chopsticks?" Jin asked instinctively.
"Yes, I do. It is a teaching passed down from our ancestor."
Jin reflected on his own personality, realizing that it certainly sounded like something he would have said.
The rest of the group picked up the dedicated chopsticks provided by the castle.
"Oh, and those?"
"Yes, we have our own personal chopsticks kept here on deposit."
These, too, were finished in black urushi.
"My, what a lovely idea," Eris said, looking impressed. Just then, a Golem Maid spoke up.
"Please enjoy your meal before it gets cold."
Prompted by the golem, Jin and the others began their meal.
Eris handled her chopsticks with a refined grace that spoke of generations of proper upbringing. While Jin was admiring her poise, he found himself on the receiving end of a compliment.
"You have a very beautiful way of holding your chopsticks, Jin-san."
Jin could only manage a wry smile internally.
On the other hand, it should be noted that the grandson, Freddie, handled his with a technique that was best described as "passable"—neither particularly good nor bad.
The salted river fish had been meticulously cleaned of its innards, making it very easy to eat. Everyone finished their portions completely.
Jin watched with renewed admiration as Eris skillfully used her chopsticks to navigate around the small bones.
While sipping their post-meal hojicha, the group resumed their conversation.
"A short while ago, you arrived here via a Blow Floater, didn't you, Jin-san?"
"Ah, the Seagull 1. That’s part of the equipment here at Jin Castle."
"Though the design belongs to Father," Reiko added without a moment's hesitation.
"My, my, as expected of a Magi Craft Meister! Isn't that right, Freddie?"
"...Yes."
Before the meal, Freddie had looked at Jin with a belittling gaze, but after seeing Reiko standing by and hearing that Jin had designed the Blow Floater, he had become entirely subdued.
He likely realized Jin’s true ability—or at least understood that his skills were far from ordinary.
Since Freddie had quieted down, Greena didn't bring up his earlier attitude and instead chatted amiably with Rubina.
Then, Eris turned to Marikka.
"Jin-san learned magi-craft from you, didn't he, Marikka-sama?"
Given the group, it was the most logical assumption. However, Marikka answered honestly.
"Oh, no, it's quite the opposite. I'm the one who has been learning from him."
"Eh?"
"...Ah..."
The truth had slipped out before Marikka could stop herself.
"W-What exactly do you mean by that?"
Even the usually composed Eris was visibly confused.
"E-Er, you see... This Jin-sama here is the original Jin Nidou who was the Magi Craft Meister about four hundred years ago."
Deciding there was no point in hiding it anymore, Marikka finally revealed the truth.
"W-W-What in the world!?"
Seeing Eris's panic, Jin decided to give up on the deception.
(Ah... well, they do say the best lie is the truth...)
"Actually..."
"...And so, I am indeed Jin Nidou himself."
Jin spent about thirty minutes explaining his origins to Eris and Freddie.
By the time he finished, the tea had grown cold, and a Golem Maid arrived to replace their cups.
"To think such a thing..."
"Actually happened..."
Both Eris and Freddie looked like they couldn't believe what they had just heard. And for good reason.
"Is everything possible for a Magi Craft Meister...?"
"Well, it's not the kind of story a normal person would just believe," Jin said with a wry smile.
"It is the truth. This person is undoubtedly Jin-sama, the one who created us," Butler B declared.
"Yes, I can guarantee it as well," Butler C added.
"We also guarantee it," the Five-Colored Golem Maids chimed in.
"Yes... I believe you," Eris said with a firm, clear voice.
"I... I believe you, too," Freddie added, looking Jin straight in the eye. Jin felt a wave of relief.
"Furthermore, Jin-san... oh, should I call you Jin-sama instead?"
When Eris started worrying about how to address him, Jin laughed.
"As you were is fine," he stated firmly.
"Then, Jin-san... You all used a Warp Gate to get here, didn't you?"
"That’s right."
"...That is the proof. Magi-devices of that 'artifact' class should only be usable by the creator—the Magi Craft Meister—and those associated with him."
Eris noted that, in fact, neither she nor Freddie could use them.
"Since you can use it, you are undoubtedly the real thing. Oh, it is an honor to meet you, Ancestor!"
"Calling me 'Ancestor' is a bit much..."
As Jin scratched his head in embarrassment, Eris continued.
"Yes, based on what you told us, you never saw your child's face directly, so it must not feel very real to you."
"Well, that's about right."
Jin was relieved that she understood.
At the same time, he felt certain that this woman wouldn't go around blabbing his secret to everyone.
Then again, he figured most people would find such a story too difficult to believe anyway.
As a side note, had Eris and Freddie turned out to be the type of people who would act against Jin's interests, Laojun had been standing by, ready to use the forbidden spell Amnesia even if it meant being scolded by Jin later.