On December 1, on Hourai Island, Jin was having a discussion with the Jin Family.
"I just can't shake the feeling that this world has ended up distorted after all."
"Mm, I know what you mean."
Elsa nodded in agreement.
"...When I had Laojun look into it, he told me that the clinics, which were so numerous around three hundred years ago, have dwindled to less than a tenth of what they were. It was quite a shock."
"That's understandable."
Because of that decline, the injured and sick were unable to receive adequate medical care—something Elsa, as a healer, found unbearable.
"It seems almost all of the mana stands have been demolished or dismantled as well," Reinhard added.
"Yeah, apparently so. Good grief... Building them was hard enough, yet tearing them down takes no effort at all..."
Jin nodded, looking thoroughly disheartened.
"I paid a secret visit to Port Rock Town, and it felt like their shipbuilding has somehow regressed as well. It's truly a shame," Marcia said forlornly.
"Ah, I know just what you mean. Magi-devices haven't made the slightest progress... No, it feels like they've actually gone backward."
"Indeed. The two of us secretly visited Blue Land the other day. Compared to the golden age I remember, it seemed to have lost all its vitality."
Beena and Louis also voiced their disappointment.
"The Shouro Empire was relatively better off, though."
Having visited recently alongside Reinhard and the others, Jin had some idea of the situation.
"Even so, everything related to golems seemed to be in decline."
"Yeah."
Jin and Reinhard nodded to each other.
"So, here's the thing."
Jin addressed the entire group gathered before him.
"Setting aside whether we eventually migrate to Planet Hehl and retire from Planet Ars... the current state of affairs is both pathetic and regrettable."
"Y-Yeah."
Everyone was momentarily startled to hear the word "retire" cross Jin's lips, but, grasping his underlying intent, their expressions quickly grew serious.
"I'd like to start with the Shouro Empire and restore things to the level they were at least four hundred... no, three hundred and fifty years ago."
By three hundred and fifty years ago, he meant around the time he had reached mature adulthood through his later years.
"I see. Back then... yes, things were certainly far better developed than they are now."
"Right? My plan is to aim for that standard and offer various forms of assistance."
"You don't mean... free of charge, do you?"
Hearing Jin's words, Reinhard asked to make sure.
"Of course not. And for that matter, we won't be helping with absolutely everything, nor will we just wrap things up abruptly and leave."
Jin explained that it would do no good if everything simply reverted back after they walked away.
"Hmm, that sounds reasonable enough, but... it's going to take time."
"Well, time is the one thing we have plenty of... or at least, we should."
Jin replied with a slightly self-deprecating smile.
"Then how we secure resources and a budget will be crucial," Elsa pointed out.
"Hmm. As for money, I'd like to release what we have stockpiled on Hourai Island."
Plainly speaking, Jin's personal fortune rivaled—or rather, exceeded by several times over—the national budget of an average kingdom.
The fact that it had done nothing but accumulate with no outlet to spend it was the primary cause.
"Most of it is in crystal coins, right?" Jin checked with Laojun.
"Yes, My Lord. There is a decent amount of gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins—roughly double the national budget of an average nation—but the remainder is stored in crystal coins."
These "crystal coins" were a currency designed for savings. If gold and silver coins were hoarded in massive quantities, it would lead to a currency shortage and trigger numerous economic problems; crystal coins had been established as a special currency to prevent such issues.
Crafted from the highest-quality all-attribute magi-crystals, they shared the exact same size and shape as gold coins, but were worth a thousand times more. In other words, a single coin was worth ten million Toll—roughly one hundred million Japanese yen.
Since the highest-grade all-attribute magi-crystal cost one million Toll per korot (a unit of measurement for magi-crystals, roughly one gram), a coin weighed ten grams.
Jin possessed not just tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands of these crystal coins.
They were the accumulated proceeds from the Quinta units scattered across various regions, earnings from selling assorted magi-devices and magi-machines, profits from supplying rare materials, and monetary gifts received from delivering lectures and providing aid over the course of nearly four hundred years.
"I wonder if we can take this opportunity to use them somehow to stimulate the economy."
"Hmm, if you dump them all at once, I think it will only cause widespread chaos."
Reinhard made sure to warn Jin to spend them with care.
"Which brings me to what I want to discuss....What should we spend it on?"
Everyone was momentarily dumbfounded, though they quickly realized it was only natural.
After all, no easy ideas came to mind.
In the first place, Hourai Island was entirely self-sufficient. Even extremely rare materials could be gathered with their own hands rather than purchased—such as the molted husks of Ancient Dragons.
In short, there was simply no need for ordinary shopping.
"Forgive me if this is a bit abstract, but leasing land or hiring people is about all I can think of off the top of my head."
Reinhard, who had prior experience as a lord, was the first to offer advice.
"I see. For instance, if we lease land to carry out a project, we pay lease fees, and if we hire people to run it, we pay their wages, right?"
Jin caught on to what he meant.
"Precisely. However, if you use it for commercial purposes, it will generate a profit and end up increasing your funds instead."
"Ah, that would defeat the whole purpose."
"How about managing orphanages, operating educational institutions, or perhaps establishing new clinics?" Count Louis Waltz Kuzuma suggested, drawing on his own experience as a lord.
"Orphanages, huh..."
Jin was reminded of the facility where he had grown up.
"That might actually be a great idea....Marcosius used to gather orphans and educate them, too," Jin recalled with a hint of nostalgia.
Saki agreed as well.
"Kufu, I'd wager the number of orphans has gone up, likely because the Magic Federation stirred up so much trouble."
"That's true."
"Furthermore, wouldn't it be nice to build monuments, memorial parks, or commemorative facilities to honor the great figures of the past?" Rodrigo offered as a suggestion.
"Ah, that sounds lovely. Just like how the airfield in Toka Village became the Marikka Memorial Airfield."
Jin thought he heard a faint squeak of embarrassment, but he paid it no mind and pressed further with another question.
"Are there any... great figures like that around?"
Vivienne was the quickest to answer.
"Fufu, well, there happens to be one right next to us."
"Eh? Who?"
Instead of answering in words, Vivienne pointed her finger straight at Jin.
"Pardon?"
Seeing Jin entirely out of the loop, Reinhard explained with a smile.
"The Second Generation Magi Craft Meister... meaning you, Jin."