May 20, 3900.
Despite the brief diversion to Blue Land in the Kingdom of Elias to assess the aptitudes of Marquis Kuzuma’s daughters—and strike up a friendship with them—Freddie Nido’s education had proceeded more or less on schedule.
Today was his graduation from beginner-level education.
Standing just behind and to the side of Jin were Rubina Garrett and Greena Kuzuma, who had studied alongside him, as well as Marikka of the All-Creation.
"You’ve studied hard," Jin said. "You should be able to handle Trans Info up to level 3 by now."
"Yes. Thank you for everything, Jin-sama."
"With that in mind, I want you to copy this magi-crystal using Trans Info, then try transferring the data to yourself. That will be your graduation exam."
"Yes, sir!"
Anyone can use Trans Info to read from or write to a magi-crystal that lacks a unique magic pattern. However, reading information directly into one's own mind is only possible if that information matches the individual's specific magic pattern.
While the exact reason for this has never been fully explained, it is generally understood as follows:
Transferring data from one magi-crystal to another is essentially just copying. One can write the data regardless of what it actually contains. It is much like how someone who doesn't know English can still transcribe an English sentence just by mimicking the shapes of the letters.
However, reading information into a human brain is different. There is no point to the process if the mind cannot comprehend the content.
To use a loose analogy, suppose a magic pattern is like handwriting. A person can read their own writing easily, no matter how eccentric or messy it might be. Conversely, trying to decipher a stranger’s idiosyncratic script is much more difficult. That is the essence of the problem.
Furthermore, the act of transferring data from one magi-crystal to another involves converting it from someone else's handwriting into one's own. The magic of Trans Info handles this conversion automatically during the copy process. Because the information is then recorded in one's own "handwriting," the brain can properly understand it.
As a side note, the exact process by which the Trans Info spell handles this remains a mystery. It is known to be a combination of Read and Write In, but the interface that connects those two spells is still an enigma. The reason why data can only be read into the mind if the magic patterns match likely lies within that interface.
But to return to the task at hand.
Using Trans Info, Freddie began by copying the information magi-crystal Jin had given him onto a blank crystal.
"Trans Info!"
Since Freddie was still a novice, he did not—and could not—specify a level for the spell. Nevertheless, the magic activated, and the copy was completed flawlessly.
"Good. That looks right."
Jin inspected the copied magi-crystal and confirmed that the data was accurate. Now came the final step: transferring the knowledge into Freddie himself.
Good luck...! Greena Kuzuma cheered silently in her heart.
"Trans Info!"
The magi-crystal gave off a faint glow.
"Trace System... yes, it was a success," Jin noted.
"He did it!" Rubina cried out.
Having shared the rigors of training in spells like Forming, Read, and Decompile, as well as their academic studies, a strong sense of camaraderie had clearly blossomed between them. Though, in Greena’s case, she might have been hoping for a relationship of a slightly different nature than simple camaraderie.
"...A-Ah... this knowledge..."
"That is the first stage of knowledge," Jin explained. "Now you must practice until you can use it instinctively. It's approximately elementary-level science and mid-level magi-craft."
Jin paused for emphasis. "I’ll say it once more because it’s vital: knowledge is useless if you merely possess it. You must be able to apply it."
"I... understand..."
Still slightly dazed by the shock of so much information being etched into his mind, Freddie managed to compose himself. He bowed deeply to Jin. "Thank you very much, Jin-sama."
"Well, that’s one weight off my shoulders."
"You worked hard, Father," Reiko said.
"Indeed, Jin-sama. Well done," Marikka added.
Jin was currently relaxing in the House on Hourai Island, with Reiko and Marikka keeping him company. Freddie, Greena, and Rubina seemed to be occupied with something back at the laboratory.
"Come to think of it, you visited Blue Land recently, didn't you?" Marikka asked over tea.
"Yeah. You remember what Shion told us about Marquis Kuzuma’s three daughters? I went to act as a short-term tutor—or more accurately, to assess their aptitudes."
"It is very important to provide an education tailored to a child's talents from a young age."
"I agree. In that sense, I'm glad we weren't too late for Freddie, either."
"Truly."
The conversation eventually shifted to the current state of the world.
"I visited the capital of the Kingdom of Elias recently," Jin said, "and I was shocked by how much the culture and civilization have regressed, especially in the field of magi-craft."
Jin noted that the area around Port Rock Town, which he had visited earlier, hadn't seemed to have fallen quite so far—perhaps due to the lingering influence of the Nostalgia group.
"Ah, that's likely due to the influence of House Firenziano, the lords of Zaus Province," Marikka explained.
"I see."
Jin recalled that Citranella de Zaus Firenziano, who bore that family name, had been the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magi Technology.
"I believe Citranella-san was the second daughter, and her older sister is the current lord," Marikka continued.
"Is that so?"
"It’s not strictly a matriarchal line," Marikka added, "but for some reason, the women of House Firenziano have served as the lords for generations."
Jin figured it was either a matter of family tradition or simply that the Kingdom of Elias didn't place much weight on gender in such matters.
"On another note," Marikka said, changing the subject, "I received a request from Avalon the other day."
"Oh?"
"They contacted me regarding the golem you donated to the Kingdom of Elias—the warrior golem model. They were wondering if you would be willing to give a lecture on its design."
Because of various complications, any official contact from Avalon was currently routed through either Shion or Marikka in the Nord Federation.
"A lecture on the magic-frame style, eh? That’s right up my alley."
"Then I shall send them a positive response immediately."
"Please do. And... yes, I think I'll take Freddie along with me."
"I think that's an excellent idea."
Freddie was a man who would have to make his way in the wider world. Jin felt that establishing a reputation in a place like Avalon would be far from a waste. Given his current knowledge, Freddie could likely hold his own even among the instructors there. At the very least, he was more than qualified to act as Jin’s assistant.
"Wait, I’m going to Avalon!?"
"That's right. I'm sure it will be a great learning experience for you," Jin replied.
"Jin-sama, what about us?" Rubina asked, her eyes practically pleading to join.
"Well, I suppose it would be fine if you came along as my disciples. Is that alright, Marikka?"
"Yes, of course. There should be no problem at all if they are traveling as your students."
"Yay! Hey, Greena, you're coming too, right?"
"E-Eh? Yes, I'd love to."
And so, it was decided that Jin and his party would make the journey to Avalon.