On September 8, the AGS establishment conference at Avalon came to a close, and on the morning of the 9th, most of the participants departed for their respective home countries.
However, several individuals obtained permission from their governments to remain behind, taking the opportunity to engage in technical exchanges with Avalon's engineers and hone their craft.
Among them was Viscount Debaile Noras Sharned, head of the Ministry of Magic's 2nd Technology Department in the Klein Kingdom.
His acquaintance with Jin had formed previously when Jin and Lordtoss visited the Klein Kingdom's royal capital of Alban and assisted in handling the aftermath of a collision between a carriage and an automobile.
"I see, so that's how it's done... This is remarkably informative."
Debaile had also studied at Avalon for a year in the past and had several old acquaintances there. One of them was Rasnat Heilbronn, the laboratory chief of the Go-lab.
Rasnat Heilbronn was a former student of Marikka and hailed from the Kingdom of Egerea. While he was notoriously lacking when it came to financial sense, he was undeniably a highly skilled engineer.
"Still, quite a few talented researchers have joined in the time since I was last here," Viscount Debaile Noras Sharned remarked with a hint of envy.
His gaze drifted over to Eira Shiata and Kachea.
"Hahaha, I'm especially indebted to Kachea. Particularly when it comes to managing the budget," Laboratory Chief Rasnat Heilbronn said bashfully. Viscount Debaile Noras Sharned chimed in with a chuckle.
"You've never had any head for money, even back in the old days."
"...I can't deny it, frustrating as it is. But Kachea is exceptionally capable. Our lab had been running a deficit and taking out loans for three consecutive years, yet this year, we actually managed to pay them all off!"
"...That's only because everyone else lets money slip right through their fingers like water," Kachea muttered under her breath, though no one was listening.
"Even so, the 'Adriana-style'... One word: brilliant," Viscount Sharned said.
"If only you could have stayed enrolled a little longer," Laboratory Chief Rasnat Heilbronn remarked.
"Well, given my duties as a viscount, that would have been difficult."
"Indeed, I suppose so."
Viscount Sharned nodded with a slight touch of regret.
"Still, to think you had already met Jin-dono so long ago."
In their casual conversation, he had learned that Jin and Lordtoss of the Nord Federation had visited House Sharned back in October of the previous year.
"An accident happened nearby, and he happened to be on the scene. That led to an invitation for a light meal to express our gratitude, and my daughter asked him all sorts of questions, which he kindly took the time to answer."
"Your daughter... ah, Paula?"
"Indeed....Back then, the influence of the Magic Federation was still lingering heavily. She asked whether studying 'science' was truly beneficial, and he used real-world examples to demonstrate that it was indeed 'useful.'"
"How enviable. To have spoken directly with Jin-dono."
"Back then, he had not yet begun referring to himself as the Third Generation. He had likely only just built up enough confidence to stand on his own two feet around that time."
"I see."
The conversation between Viscount Debaile Noras Sharned and Laboratory Chief Rasnat Heilbronn dragged on well past noon, prompting researchers like Eira and Kachea to look on with exasperation before quietly returning to their own research and tasks.
"Hey, Kachea. That Berlich Becker who was here until recently—wasn't he talking about making some kind of new Black Knight?"
Eira called out to Kachea, who was nearby.
"Why ask me? Wouldn't Groma-san know more about it?"
"Well, ever since Groma became acting laboratory chief, he's been swamped. Right now, he's stuck drafting documents for the budget application meeting."
"Ah, Groma-san is handling the paperwork? What a relief....Just between you and me, if the laboratory chief wrote them, it'd actually be faster to scrap the whole thing and rewrite it from scratch."
Kachea casually let slip a rather scandalous truth.
"Ain't that the truth....Anyway, what about that Black Knight thing?"
"I wouldn't know!"
"Really? You two were getting along pretty well, so I figured you might've heard something~"
Eira pried with an inquisitive look, but Kachea brushed it off with practiced ease.
"That has nothing to do with this."
"Oho? And what would 'that' be, exactly?"
Today, however, Eira refused to let it drop.
"...Whatever is between Berlich-san and me, and the Black Knight!"
Blushing faintly, Kachea snapped back. She was well aware that the people around them had noticed their closeness.
"I can handle materials management and bookkeeping, but when it comes to golem crafting, I'm completely useless."
"Well, that's just a matter of the right person for the right job."
Satisfied that Kachea genuinely knew nothing, Eira finally relented.
"Was there really a rumor like that, though?"
This time, it was Kachea who asked.
"Hm? Oh, yeah. Berlich's family is descended from Reinhard Randol, who was a close friend of the Second Generation Magi Craft Meister Jin Nidou."
"Ah, I've heard of that. The golem that Reinhard person built was called the 'Schwarzritter,' right?"
"That's the one. But because the Magic Federation targeted anyone associated with the Second Generation Magi Craft Meister Jin Nidou, the direct line went into hiding."
"And the Schwarzritter went missing right alongside them, didn't it?"
This particular piece of history was covered in the "History of Magi-craft Technology" lecture series.
"So from the perspective of House Randol as it exists in the Shouro Empire today, Berlich's family is a branch of a branch house. Even so, he must still hold deep respect for his ancestor."
"I wouldn't really know much about that sort of sentiment."
Eira nodded in agreement with Kachea's words.
"Same here. Pedigree might as well not exist for people like us anyway."
"I agree."
Both Kachea and Eira hailed from the Mercana Principality. Kachea did not even have a family name, and Eira only possessed a surname because she was a magi.
That being said, Eira claimed to have been "invited" and was not natively born in the Mercana Principality. As for where she actually came from, she always remained evasive, leaving it an absolute mystery to everyone.
Furthermore, neither of them harbored particularly fond memories of nobles or the ruling class.
In that regard, Avalon treated everyone equitably by default, despite whatever hierarchy existed from titles and administrative positions.
Meanwhile, Berlich Becker had returned to the Berlich Workshop in the Shouro Empire.
"...And that covers the general overview of the 'Adriana-style' we learned over the course of the two lectures."
There would be further lectures later on, but because they were meant for those who had missed the initial sessions, they would merely repeat the contents of the first and second lectures. Consequently, Berlich Becker explained, the "third" new lecture would not take place until two months later.
"However, they mentioned that the fundamentals wrap up with these two sessions. In other words, we have now learned the bare minimum required to construct a golem."
Pausing to catch his breath, Berlich Becker began to speak with fiery passion.
"The 'Schwarzritter' that our ancestor crafted and commanded... My dream of building something that won't lose to it begins right now!"
Every bit of these developments was duly reported back to Hourai Island.
"I see... To think my descendant admires the Schwarzritter so much that he wants to build something that surpasses it..."
Hearing the report, Reinhard looked genuinely delighted.
"Though it's undeniable he's still lacking the skill for it."
"Even so, wanting to test his own limits is proof of his drive, isn't it?"
In response to Jin's words, Reinhard replied,
"Well, I suppose you could say that," a slightly bashful look spreading across his face.
"Someday, I'd love to arrange a meeting between the Schwarzritter on Onogoro Island and the New Black Knight you built here, Reinhard."
At Jin's suggestion, Reinhard's eyes lit up.
"In that case, let's include the Black Knight our descendants made, as well as the Black Knight Berlich Becker will make in the future!"
Reinhard chuckled at the thought of how entertaining it would be if all the "Black Knights" crafted by the lineage of House Randol gathered together under one roof.
"Yeah, that really would be something."
Jin wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment.