The fact that Marcosius truly repented for his past was conveyed to everyone on Hourai Island as well.
With that established,
"Elsa, Saki... What do you two think?"
In place of Jin, who was concentrating on piloting Jin D, Reinhard asked.
"...I... Well, my father is no longer with us, and our house has been restored. Even so, that doesn't mean I can immediately forgive what he did. But I think... I will accept his apology."
"I see... What about you, Saki?"
"Kufu, it's the same for me. The person who really deserves an apology isn't me, but my grandfather, after all."
"I suppose that's true."
Reinhard was by no means an uninvolved bystander in this matter either. Elsa's father was his uncle, Saki was his friend, and above all, he had been right there on the scene when Marcus, manipulated by Marcosius, caused the incident.
"Apologizing at this point is probably so Marcosius can find some salvation for himself, after all."
Without voicing that thought directly to the man, Reinhard gently patted the shoulders of Elsa and Saki, who had agreed to accept the apology.
Meanwhile, as for Marcosius himself:
"I traveled around various regions, and many thoughts came to mind. Among the things I realized was that the demon race and the human race are no different at all."
Now that long years had passed, the harsh prickliness he once possessed seemed to have vanished entirely.
"During my travels, I took in orphans I met along the way and made them my disciples... It brings me joy to have my craft passed down."
"..."
Jin D remained silent, while Sion D said with deep emotion,
"You really have changed, Marcosius."
"Changed... I suppose I have."
Closing his eyes, Marcosius nodded.
"...Do you not wish to return to your homeland?"
"My homeland, you say?...I have no relatives left there, after all."
Marcosius remarked that raising his adopted child and disciples in this land had been deeply fulfilling.
His tone toward Sion D had taken on a touch of respect. Sensing that, Jin D shifted to sit slightly further away.
Jin, who was piloting Jin D, also felt a degree of sympathy for Marcosius over how he had taken in and raised orphans.
Thus, he thought it best to let him speak freely for now.
"I built it up little by little, you see."
In the beginning, there were only two golems.
From there, he began mining underground resources, increasing the number of working golems, expanding the residential facility, planting fields to achieve self-sufficiency...
In his own way, Marcosius had made every effort to establish a peaceful sanctuary.
"Over the years, several individuals have left the nest from here as well."
However, through distant rumors—or more precisely, information gathered by his reconnaissance golems—he learned that at a certain point, a fanatical group known as the Magic Federation had risen to power and was rejecting technology.
For that reason, he had temporarily forbidden anyone from leaving this secluded village.
"Recently, though, it seemed that the Magic Federation was eradicated, so I sent out two of them into the world: Sanmarco Podium and Marukonen."
"Is that so?"
Sion D explained that upon hearing those names, she suspected they were connected to "Marco," which led her to believe they might be linked to Marcosius.
"Hearing that, you would realize it, of course."
"Though fewer people give such names these days."
"The demon race... no, nowadays they are called the Northern People, was it? Things must have changed."
Sion D nodded.
"Since then... with the assistance of the Second Generation Magi Craft Meister, we developed rapidly. A major factor behind that was the end of conflicts between the clans."
"I would imagine so. The Failure was inciting conflict, and the root of that was severed, after all."
"Yes....Though you ran away without ever seeing the development of our homeland."
"Haha, that stings to hear."
Since there was no lingering feud between Sion D and Marcosius, their conversation flowed naturally.
When Jin D casually glanced to the side, he noticed Loubel, the red-haired automata, staring intently at Reiko.
However, the emotion in her eyes was pure curiosity; there was no trace of hatred or malice.
"Is there something you need from me?" Reiko asked.
"No."
With that brief reply, Loubel looked away.
Just then, Marcosius, who had been conversing with Sion D, spoke to Reiko:
"...Lady Reiko, that child has listened to my idle venting for so long that she cannot help but be curious about you. If you wouldn't mind, could you keep her company and speak with her for a short while?"
"...If that is what you wish."
When Reiko answered with a slight hint of reluctance, Marcosius gave the instruction:
"There you have it. Loubel, go and speak with Lady Reiko for a bit."
"Yes, Father."
So this child also calls Marcosius 'Father,' just like Reiko, Jin D thought, when—
"U-Um, Reiko-san, my name is Loubel. I am told it means 'red.' Father gave it to me because of the color of my hair...!"
Loubel spoke to Reiko, looking quite pleased.
"Is that so? Good for you."
In contrast, Reiko's response was rather standoffish. Or rather, this was simply how Reiko treated anyone she had no particular interest in.
"The original me was born 345 years ago. But because my build was poor, I became the next me two years later. I spent 11 years like that, but Father did not seem pleased with it, so I became the third me."
"...I see."
What an extraordinary history, thought Jin, listening through Jin D's senses.
"The third me lasted 21 years, but Father still didn't seem satisfied, so I became the fourth me. However, there seemed to have been a slight mistake, so one week later I became the fifth me."
That's quite a record, Jin thought as he listened, but when he considered how he had constantly reinforced and improved Reiko, he reconsidered that it might not be entirely different...
"And the current me is the seventh. Father said that I am finally satisfactory."
"I see."
"Even so, I am no match for you at all, Reiko-san."
"...Can you tell?"
"Yes. My full power is perhaps around thirty percent of yours, Reiko-san."
"Well, who can say for sure?"
Reiko brushed it off lightly.
"I am glad to have met you like this."
"I see."
"...Um, for Father's sake as well, even just once, would you grant me a mock battle?"
"...Excuse me?"
I knew it would come to this, Jin thought, letting out an inward sigh as he listened through Jin D.
"I know I cannot match you, Reiko-san. Even so, I want to see how much I can hold my ground."
"..."
Looking slightly troubled, Reiko turned her gaze toward Jin D.
Jin himself was at a loss for how to respond.
"...Lord Magi Craft Meister, would you please grant that child's wish?"
Marcosius suddenly spoke up.
"Eh?"
"To that child, I... the past me spoke far too much about my desire to defeat Lady Reiko."
"I-I see..."
"Nowadays, I no longer harbor any ambition to overpower Lady Reiko. Even so, there is still a part of me that wishes to know how close I managed to get."
Therefore, he asked them to sever this lingering attachment—an obsession, truly—once and for all.
(...The karma of a craftsman truly runs deep...)
Reflecting upon himself, Jin on Hourai Island felt that truth resonate deep within his chest once again.