Jin and his party passed through the checkpoint on the Klein Kingdom side and entered the one on the Kingdom of Franz side. There were no particular issues there either, and they were allowed through simply by signing their names.
This time, neither Jin nor Elsa used aliases. They simply omitted their family names, writing down only "Jin" and "Elsa."
Jin seemed to be a fairly common name, as did Elsa, so they figured there would be no problem as long as they avoided drawing attention to themselves going forward.
"I wonder if they don't check our belongings?"
When Jin muttered this almost to himself, Reiko offered an explanation.
"Father, according to Laojun, travel between the Klein Kingdom and the Kingdom of Franz is frequent. Since no major incidents have occurred, this is how it normally is."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. This checkpoint is the northernmost and quietest, but hundreds of people use the other two crossings every day."
Because of that, the guards did not bother inspecting everyone's personal belongings or baggage one by one.
"It's really that peaceful, then."
"Mm, I think so."
Beyond the checkpoint lay the town of Coco, but it was still only ten-thirty in the morning.
"Master, what would you like to do?"
"Let's see... It's still early, so let's head for the next town—Lunark, wasn't it? Since I'd like to get a look at the place, let's drive right through Coco."
"Understood."
With that, Hope drove the golem automobile onward toward the town of Coco.
About fifteen minutes from the checkpoint brought them to their destination.
The town had no distinct boundary; as they drove along the highway cutting through the wheat fields, buildings gradually multiplied until they realized they were already in the heart of town.
"Oh, there's a mana stand....Yeah, looks like it's working properly."
The highway merged into the Central Thoroughfare running through the middle of town, where a mana stand had been set up along the roadside.
From what Jin could see, it appeared to be equipped with one of the early mana servers he had crafted himself.
"It's been running properly for four hundred years, huh..."
Struck by a quiet wave of sentimentality, Jin had the vehicle pull over and walked up to the mana stand.
In size, it resembled a self-service kerosene pump, operating on a mechanism that dispensed mana through the tip of a supply cable once money was inserted.
While the outer housing seemed to have been replaced several times, the core mana server component was unmistakably one of the units Jin had crafted and supplied to various nations centuries ago.
(You've done well keeping at it all this time.)
Jin silently praised the machine. If possible, he would have loved to perform routine maintenance on it, but he gave up on the idea since dismantling the casing in full view of the public was out of the question.
There were more tourists around than expected, making the town surprisingly lively.
"Let's keep going slowly down the Central Thoroughfare."
Jin gave instructions to Hope, who was at the wheel.
"Yes, Master."
Jin spotted a couple of other golem automobiles along the way, giving him the impression that the Kingdom of Franz—or at least the town of Coco—had not fallen into decline nearly as much as he had feared.
Keeping a close eye on their surroundings as they drove, he noticed two more mana stands, though those did not appear to have been made by his own hands.
"Even so, the fact that the mana stands are still running means the town's infrastructure is pretty solid."
"Yes, Father. While there are no Quinta permanently stationed here, Laojun reports that the surrounding towns have remained largely unchanged for four hundred years."
"I see..."
Under normal circumstances, remaining unchanged carried a negative connotation.
After all, failing to change while the world around you progressed meant being left behind, lagging behind the times.
In this era, however, the Magic Federation had caused most of civilization and culture to regress slightly. As a result, one could argue that this region was relatively advanced by comparison.
"...I've changed my mind. Hope, let's stay in this town for the night."
"Understood."
Once they passed the central part of town, Hope brought the golem automobile to a temporary halt.
He sat in silence for about two seconds.
"...I have received information from Laojun. If we proceed thirty-two meters forward and turn left for about seven meters, we will find a quiet inn."
"Got it. Take us there."
It was still only eleven-thirty in the morning, but for tourists, checking in at this hour was hardly unusual.
The inn Laojun recommended was called Chidoritei. Learning that it was an established business with over four hundred years of history, Jin took an immediate liking to it.
It was a sturdy, three-story stone building with a separate bathhouse annex.
The facilities were top-notch, complete with a dedicated parking area for golem automobiles. Alongside Jin's vehicle, another car was already parked there.
"Welcome."
The person at the front desk was a stout, well-built woman in her late thirties, who appeared to be the proprietress.
When Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Hope—two people and two automata—signed the guest register, her eyes widened.
"Is that young lady an automata? How remarkable. And so adorable, too."
She could not hide her surprise and admiration.
"Are you here for sightseeing?"
"Yes, more or less."
They engaged in a bit of small talk as she led them up to their room.
"This inn has been around for a very long time, hasn't it?"
Jin struck up the conversation by asking something he already knew.
"That's right. It's been about four hundred and fifty years now. I've heard it was built with the help of a top-tier magi craftsman back in the day, which is why there's hardly any deterioration."
"That's incredible....Actually, I'm quite interested in historic buildings and facilities like this, so we've been traveling around to see them."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Because of that, I've been looking for people who know about the old days."
"In that case, my father-in-law might be the best person to talk to."
"Your father-in-law?"
"Yes, my husband's father."
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you introduce us once we've unpacked?"
"Of course, I'd be happy to."
Chatting as they walked, they soon arrived at their room.
It was a corner room on the third floor, boasting plenty of sunlight and a pleasant view.
Surprisingly, the rooms on the second floor appeared to be entirely booked.
After setting down the luggage Hope had been carrying—most of which was just for show—Jin turned back to the proprietress.
"If it's convenient, would you mind letting us speak with your father-in-law now?"
"Welcome. I am the proprietor of Chidoritei, Gregoras Pecker."
Gregoras Pecker was a bald old man with a stout, solidly built frame.
He seemed to have trouble with his legs, welcoming Jin and the others from an easy chair.
"My name is Jin."
"I am his wife, Elsa."
After introducing themselves, they presented Reiko and Hope. Gregoras offered an apologetic nod.
"Pardon me for not standing. My legs aren't what they used to be..."
Jin waved a hand, telling him not to worry about it.
"I hear you have an interest in historic architecture."
"Yes. We were told this inn has been standing for roughly four hundred and fifty years."
"Haha, that's right."
With a warm chuckle, Gregoras began to share everything he knew.