With Hope's demonstration at an end, Jin, as his creator, stepped up to provide commentary.
"Yes, Hope here is built in the Adriana-style. Because he has undergone several upgrades up to this point and incorporates rare materials, his physical performance may not serve as the best reference."
However, when it came to the control core and control systems, there should certainly be aspects worth studying, Jin added.
"The Adriana-style is exceptionally effective when constructing high-performance or ultra-high-performance golems and automata. I would be very pleased if you would all take the time to learn about the Adriana-style at least once."
With that, Jin concluded by expressing his respect for his predecessor.
"Thank you very much, Jin-sensei....Due to time constraints, is there perhaps one final request from the floor?"
About three people raised their hands. The one who had raised his hand the fastest earned the right to speak.
"In that case, Mr. Mauve Sotarno from the Klein Kingdom, please go ahead."
"Thank you. Jin-sensei, you are always accompanied by a girl-type automata—how much performance does she possess?"
It was obvious he was referring to Reiko.
After pondering how best to answer for a moment, Jin mounted the podium once again. This time, he brought Reiko with him.
"This girl is named Reiko. She was originally created by my predecessor, and I have made modifications to her myself. Despite her appearance, she serves as my secretary, and I entrust her with a variety of duties, such as managing my schedule and overseeing workshop inventory."
Jin made sure to emphasize that she was not entirely of his own making.
While the "predecessor" Jin referred to was Adriana Barbora Tsetse, those in attendance undoubtedly interpreted it to mean the Second Generation, Jin Nidou.
"A collaborative creation, then. If you wouldn't mind, could you perform the same measurements on her for our reference?"
Why couldn't you have just asked all of this at once...? Jin thought. Wondering how to proceed, he glanced toward the Avalon staff standing nearby, only for them to give him a silent nod of encouragement.
"...Well, if you insist. Given how pressed for time we are, perhaps just one or two tests."
At that, a staff member whispered, "The 300-meter sprint and the weightlifting."
"Then we shall go with the 300-meter sprint and weightlifting..." Jin replied, and a round of applause broke out from the audience.
(Listen closely, Reiko. Go with ten percent... no, make it five percent.)
(Understood.)
Jin gave Reiko careful and explicit instructions.
"Now then, we will conduct the 300-meter sprint. On your mark... get set... Start!"
With a thunderous boom, a cloud of earth was kicked high into the air. This was ground that had been compacted and reinforced specifically to endure the force of golems.
"Goal!...Her time is a flat 1.0 second. That is 300 meters per second!"
Subsonic speed.
A mixture of gasps and sighs swept through the venue.
"Incredible..."
"Indeed, I had heard that the black-haired servant accompanying the Second Generation boasted monstrous performance..."
"You're saying that's the very same servant?"
"Who else could it be?"
Whispers rippled through the commotion.
(Ah, so Reiko really has become something of a legend too.)
Jin thought that was only natural, really. After all, countless people, starting with the royalty of the Kingdom of Egerea and the Empress of the Shouro Empire, had witnessed Reiko's true power with their own eyes.
"Next is the weightlifting trial."
Reiko stepped onto the magi-device, which had not yet been put away. Naturally, the height of the bar did not suit her petite frame, so an official adjusted it accordingly.
"Now, begin!"
Without the slightest sign of effort, Reiko lifted the bar.
"2,000 kilograms, plus alpha!"
Apparently, 2,000 kilograms was the maximum capacity the device could measure.
"W-With that small body, two tons...?"
"Is she a monster...?!"
"So this is the culmination of work done across two generations of Magi Craft Meisters..."
"No wonder it became a legend..."
The venue remained abuzz with murmurs for five solid minutes.
"...Thank you very much. With that, all scheduled events for today have concluded. Though it was a brief event lasting only a day and a half, we thank all our participants for their hard work!"
The venue was enveloped in thunderous applause.
"Somehow, it ended without a hitch..."
Having watched the proceedings with bated breath, Tomax Bartman, the Chief Administrator of Avalon, let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Jin-dono, Marikka-sama, and Jin-dono's disciples—their lectures were just as expected... No, they far exceeded expectations."
If this event could contribute to the future development of magi-craft across the world, nothing could make him happier, Tomax Bartman muttered to himself.
"Well now, what should we do?"
Having returned to their lodging under the protection of their guards, Jin and the others were contemplating their next move.
"Jin-sama, I believe it would be best if we did not step outside for a while," Marikka said. "I feel this commotion will not subside until the seven hundred visitors who came from outside have all departed."
"True enough. But does that mean we're trapped in here for another whole day? How exhausting."
Even so, stepping carelessly outside would likely result in being swarmed and overwhelmed by visitors.
The same went for Rubina, Greena, and Freddie.
"It helps that they're keeping everyone out," Freddie said, his voice a bit stiff. "...The two people who made requests to Jin-sama earlier—Depres from the Kingdom of Egerea and Mauve Sotarno from the Klein Kingdom—are guys I used to study with in the same classroom."
"Is that so."
"Ah, don't worry. I don't have the slightest desire to get back at them or show off anymore."
Freddie explained that he had come to realize just how petty such squabbles were.
"Once you've seen the true heights of magi-craft, it all just seems ridiculous."
"That's true... We're still nowhere near reaching Jin-sama's level," Rubina agreed.
"Hold on now, you're all certainly past reaching my feet. The three of you are already among the top tier on a global level."
However,
"Just being 'near the top' is nowhere near satisfying enough for us," Greena retorted. "Once we return to Hourai Island... I mean, Onogoro Island, we have to study even harder."
"Exactly!"
Greena and Rubina seemed thoroughly motivated.
"Hey, what about you, Freddie?"
"Huh?"
Indeed, Freddie was not a resident of Onogoro Island. He was the lord of Kaina Village and had a grandmother named Eris.
"Technically, I am an honorary citizen of the Klein Kingdom, after all."
"I see... Then Greena should just become his bride!"
"Wh-Wh-Wha-wha-wha..."
Greena panicked at Rubina's sudden remark.
"...I wouldn't mind if you did, though," Freddie said, sounding surprisingly composed.
"I see, that kind of issue exists too, doesn't it."
Jin fell into thought for a moment.
Once the finer details were sorted out, he wished to relocate to Planet Hehl without any lingering attachments, but reality was rarely so simple.
One such complication concerned his descendants.
"Jin-sama, it is also necessary to leave such matters to each of them to decide," Marikka advised Jin, unable to simply watch in silence.
"I know that, but still..."
Jin had a soft spot for his blood relatives.
"If you continue hovering over them like this forever, Jin-sama, how will any of them ever learn to stand on their own two feet?"
"Is that how it works?"
Jin replied that he would like to think about it a little more.