The place Jin and his companions stepped into was a Japanese-style cafe.
Customers could choose between tatami seating and regular tables. Jin and the others opted for the tatami area.
During this season, the tatami room featured a sunken kotatsu. It was nice because it was easy on the legs.
"Let's go with brown rice tea. And soy sauce rice crackers."
"I'll have that as well."
Jin and Elsa ordered the brown rice tea and crackers.
Their order was brought out right away, and they started by taking a bite of a cracker.
It was a crisp, hard-baked rice cracker. Liberally coated in soy sauce, it had a rich, savory flavor that paired wonderfully with the brown rice tea.
"Mm, delicious."
"Very tasty."
They munched away on the crunchy crackers and sipped their tea.
After finishing their tea, feeling fortunate to have stumbled upon such a great shop, they paused.
"Wait, what did we come here for again?"
"Um..."
"Father, you intended to ask for directions to a clinic."
Reiko had to step in and point it out.
"Oh, right, right! That was it."
And so, when paying the bill, Jin gave it a shot.
"Is there a clinic anywhere nearby?"
"A clinic? Well, if you go straight west down the street out front and turn left at the second intersection, there's one right there."
"Ah, thank you very much."
Having managed to remember, they had successfully gotten directions to their destination, so all was well that ended well.
After walking for a good distance, Jin suddenly spoke up.
"Ah, I forgot to check the name of that shop."
Since the tea and crackers were so good, he wanted to drop by again if he ever had the chance.
"Father, it was 'Kikyouya.'"
"Oh, thanks, Reiko."
It seemed Reiko had remembered it for him.
Exchanging such chatter, they passed the first intersection and turned left at the second.
"Ah, over there."
In the direction Elsa was pointing, a sign reading "Iris Clinic" was hung outside.
"Iris... was that a flower similar to an iris?"
Reiko answered his question.
"I believe so, Father."
It was indeed a clinic named after a flower.
It looked as though they had just opened up for the day.
"Good morning," Jin called out.
"Good morning....Are you here for treatment?" came the reply. "Though you don't appear to be unwell anywhere," she added, which gave Jin the impression that she was quite skilled.
"No, we haven't come seeking treatment. We were hoping to speak with you for a moment....My name is Jin Nidou, the Third Generation Magi Craft Meister. This is my wife, Elsa. We have taken the same names as the Second Generation couple."
"My goodness! You've inherited the names of the Magi Craft Meister and the Honorary Healer, then!"
"Huh? 'Honorary Healer'? Not the other title?"
"Honorary Healer" was the title granted in the Klein Kingdom, but this particular phrasing was new to Jin's ears.
Seeing Jin looking bewildered by the unfamiliar term, Elsa informed him in a whisper:
(That's the title I received about 360 years ago.)
She added:
(It's embarrassing, so I don't really like being called that.)
"...Is something the matter?"
"Ah, no, just something between us....Anyway, would you mind speaking with us for a little while?"
"Certainly. We don't have any patients just yet, so please, come in."
"Thank you kindly."
With that, Jin and the others were invited inside the Iris Clinic.
The Iris Clinic was a lovely building that still looked brand new.
The reception room in the back was equally neat, decorated with a painting of an iris flower.
"It isn't much, but please enjoy," said the nursing golem that served them tea. It appeared to be a descendant of the mass-produced nursing golem line, the "Nurse" model.
"Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Serin Wanabe, the director of this clinic."
The woman who introduced herself as Serin Wanabe appeared to be in her early twenties. She was somewhat petite, with dark brown hair and brown eyes, and possessed a slender figure.
"So, what was it you wished to discuss?"
After taking a sip of tea, Serin brought up the subject.
"Well, first, there's something I'd like to confirm," Jin began. "Serin-san, have you ever met Akitsu?"
These words seemed to come as quite a shock to Serin.
"Um, please refrain from addressing Akitsu-sama without an honorific."
"Ah, my apologies."
Jin apologized frankly. At the same time, he took the arm of Reiko beside him, conveying his intent for her to stay still.
If he hadn't, Reiko looked ready to react in some way.
"...I'm sorry. People from other countries may not understand, but to us, the people of Mitsuho, Akitsu-sama is the mother of our nation."
"..."
Understanding her sentiment, Jin responded with a silent nod.
Then, he reset the conversation.
"Well, you see, something that has come to light in recent years is that patients with pneumoconiosis have been increasing in the Shouro Empire and the Allied Kingdoms. We were wondering if the mines around here were doing alright."
"Pneumoconiosis, is it? I am aware of the symptoms. I know the cause as well. However, I don't believe there are any such patients in this area."
"I see. That's a relief to hear."
Jin recalled his visit from four hundred years ago.
Manufactured goods in Mitsuho were produced in places like the Factory north of the royal capital, Miyako, and the raw materials were mined by golems.
(If humans aren't directly doing the mining, then naturally there wouldn't be any patients, huh...)
Since this was a stable system in its own right, Jin decided that it wasn't something he needed to interfere with or lecture about.
"There's one more thing. This is actually our main reason for coming," Jin prefaced, before passing the conversation to Elsa.
"Um, especially during the winter, aren't there many people who suffer from sore throats?"
"Throats... Yes, those cases do increase. The air becomes quite dry, after all."
Serin Wanabe answered that respiratory ailments increased during the winter season due to the dry air.
"Do you not recommend wearing masks?"
"We do recommend it, but people generally don't care for them."
"I figured as much."
Listening alongside them, an idea struck Jin. He decided to propose it right away.
"I actually have an idea..."