Inside the carriage heading toward the Royal Palace...
"Come to think of it, I heard you met Viscount Sharned last year."
It had happened when Jin visited the Klein Kingdom together with Lordtoss.
"Yes. A gardener from Viscount Sharned's household... I believe?...was caught in an accident involving a carriage and a Golem automobile, and helping him back then was how we got acquainted."
Jin explained that little Paula had harbored doubts about whether there was any need to study science, so he had offered his own perspective on the matter.
"Oho, so that's what happened... Indeed, back around then, the Magic Federation was still throwing its weight around."
For Cowen Lacca Kido, the Magic Technology Minister who came from an engineering background, every day back then had been stifling and uncomfortable.
"That's right. And after that came the Great Invasion..."
Meanwhile, Sion D was conversing with Melikalans I, the King of Klein Kingdom.
"My, Lady Sion, you look as youthful as ever whenever I see you. I truly envy it."
"Oh dear, whatever are you saying to an old woman like me?"
"No, no, it is by no means mere flattery."
Deus Ex Machina remained silent, gazing out at the Royal Palace.
Before long, they arrived. Melikalans I strode leisurely between the rows of royal ritters lined up to his left and right, with Jin and the others following behind him.
At first, only Jin, Reiko, and Maquina were shown to a reception room, while Sion accompanied the king to his office.
"Jin, leave the contract regarding the bus lease to me, okay?"
She left them with those parting words.
In the reception room, tea was served to Jin and Maquina.
"Oh, it's Kaina tea."
A nostalgic flavor. It was a tea brewed using the leaves of the gutta-percha tree that grew in Kaina Village.
Gutta-percha was related to what Japan called Eucommia ulmoides; from its sap, a type of rubber known as gutta-percha could be harvested, while its young leaves made a healthy tea.
Jin was quite fond of its taste.
Whether serving this to the "current" him—the Third Generation Magi Craft Meister—was a coincidence or intentional, he could not tell.
"Please wait about an hour until dinner is prepared."
The lady's maid who served the tea spoke and then withdrew.
(An hour, huh...)
Once one grew accustomed to life in modern Japan, where everything was managed down to the second, such a leisurely pace felt frustrating, but in this world, it was entirely normal.
Jin felt the reality of that once again.
And then...
"Pardon our intrusion."
Taking the place of the lady's maid, two young women entered. Judging by their attire and demeanor, they seemed to be daughters of nobility.
"I am Norma Dope Harcourt."
"I am Catherine Pillar Grossin."
"I'm Jin Nidou."
"I am Deus Ex Machina."
Upon inquiring, it turned out that both were daughters of counts.
"We have only just begun studying magi-craft, so we would be deeply honored if you could instruct us."
Norma possessed a gentle demeanor. Her light chestnut hair was cut evenly at her shoulders in a style somewhere between a semi-long cut and a bob.
"We look forward to learning from you!"
Catherine appeared to be the energetic type. She had dark blonde hair and blue eyes, and her hair was tied into a ponytail extending down her back.
If they wished to hear about magi-craft, Jin had no reason to refuse. Maquina adopted the same welcoming attitude.
"Certainly. Well then, first off, I'd like to know where you two stand, so..."
Jin reached into his pocket to see if he had something suitable. However, all he found were two magi-crystals. These wouldn't serve for practicing Forming. Still...
"Could you tell me what you know about these magi-crystals?"
Jin placed one of them—a yellow magi-crystal—onto the table.
"Ah, that's an earth-attribute magi-crystal, isn't it!"
Catherine answered first.
"Then, how about this one?"
Jin took out a green magi-crystal.
"That is... a wind-attribute magi-crystal."
This time, the quiet Norma answered. When she looked at Catherine, the latter nodded slightly. It seemed Catherine had known the answer as well, but had let the gentler Norma take the spotlight, Jin realized.
After that, in a natural flow of conversation, Catherine paired up with Jin and Norma with Maquina, passing the time as conversational partners.
Once they began talking, it became clear that the two girls' enthusiasm for magi-craft was genuine, not merely a superficial pretense.
Even so, their level was that of pure beginners, akin to a university professor speaking with kindergarteners.
Yet both Jin and Maquina treated them with utmost courtesy.
"So, what kind of topic would you like to hear about?"
"Yes, about materials. In particular, the difference between ordinary materials and magi-type materials."
"Understood. Then let me ask first. Could you explain what you know about magi-type materials?"
"Yes. Um, they are materials that readily conduct mana and can be reinforced with mana."
Hearing this, Jin sighed internally. As expected, the current state of education had fallen behind.
"Mm, that's not wrong. But it's incomplete."
They most likely hadn't learned concepts like atoms or molecules. Jin figured that even if he explained the true nature of magi-type materials, they wouldn't be able to understand.
Therefore,
"What you just explained is part of the properties of magi-type materials. We need to think about why magi-type materials come to have such properties," he ventured.
"The reason... why?"
"Right. That is the starting point of science. The question of 'why?', which every human naturally possesses. The academic discipline that seeks to find the answer to that is what we call science."
"Science..."
"The Magic Federation was hostile toward that science. Because of that, education regarding science in this country likely fell behind."
Jin explained it to Catherine patiently, step by step.
"Now then, let's return to the topic of magi-type materials. Why do magi-type materials conduct mana so easily? Why is it easy to Reinforce them with mana?"
"Yes, please tell me!"
Without resorting to explanations of molecular structure, Jin went on to explain the principles...
Meanwhile, with Deus Ex Machina.
"I just can't seem to get Forming to work well..."
"First of all, that is due to a lack of mental imagery."
"Mental imagery?"
Maquina nodded.
"To begin with, as a fundamental exercise, it might be good to start by drawing perfect circles or squares as accurately as possible without using a ruler."
This also serves as training for manual dexterity, Maquina continued.
"Ah, there is a method like that? Whenever I practice Forming, my mana runs out before I can even do it twenty times..."
"Indeed. This is not limited to Forming, but in magi-craft in particular, mental imagery is crucial. It is called 'image training,' and it would be wise to practice this on a regular basis."
For simple things, it is good to close your eyes and practice picturing various shapes—three-dimensional ones if possible—in your mind, Maquina even advised.
"My, to think there was such a method... Thank you very much."
Reiko busied herself looking after the four of them, pouring refills of tea and attending to their needs. Of course, Maquina would never get thirsty, but that was just part of the act.
And so, their discussion continued until a lady's maid arrived to announce that dinner was served.