On April 10th, Jin and Elsa set out for Avalon.
They flew aboard the Hurricane, naturally. However, in addition to Eagle Unit 1, it was also carrying the Southern Cross.
With the Hurricane measuring 40 meters long and 10 meters wide, it was just barely able to accommodate the 9-meter-by-9-meter Southern Cross.
Even so, loading both craft took up almost all the cargo space, leaving barely enough room for Jin and Elsa's personal luggage plus a few extras.
Eventually, they would probably have to settle on carrying only one auxiliary craft at a time.
In Avalon, Chief Administrator Tomax Bertman, accompanied by his secretary automaton Manon, was eagerly awaiting Jin's arrival.
"I believe they will be arriving very shortly."
"Mm."
Since Manon had a built-in manacam, she could communicate with Laojun, Reiko, and Jin.
Through that manacam, Laojun had transmitted Jin's estimated arrival time to her.
However, because Avalon possessed no compatible manacam, Tomax Bertman was unaware of this capability.
He was out to welcome them based purely on the message Jin had sent two days prior.
Jin's announced arrival times were famously punctual, never deviating by more than ten minutes.
Then, three minutes before the scheduled time...
"I see it. It is Jin-sama's Hurricane."
"Oh... I cannot spot it yet."
A minute later, the silhouette of the Hurricane finally came into view for Tomax Bertman as well.
And just one minute after that, Jin's Hurricane touched down on Avalon's airfield. The time was 9:59 AM—an arrival precisely one minute ahead of schedule.
"Welcome, Jin-dono, Elsa-dono, Reiko-dono."
"It has been a while, Your Excellency."
Jin and Tomax exchanged handshakes. Elsa and Tomax followed.
And finally, Tomax greeted Reiko as well.
"So it's finally complete."
"Yes, just about a week ago."
A direct route from the airfield east of Avalon to the World Security Guard headquarters had been constructed on the first basement level as a dedicated passageway for Golem automobiles.
Because there were no pedestrians to worry about, emergency and high-priority transit was now significantly faster.
In about three minutes, Jin and his party reached the first basement level of the World Security Guard headquarters.
From there, they rode a golem-powered elevator up to the surface.
The third floor housed Tomax Bertman's office as well as the reception rooms.
Jin and the others were escorted into the small reception room adjacent to the office—a space reserved for visiting dignitaries.
Manon served tea to Jin, Elsa, and Tomax.
"Now then, let us hear what brings you here first."
After taking a sip of tea, Tomax opened the discussion.
"Right. There are a few things, but first, regarding the small aircraft development you have reportedly begun pursuing here, we were wondering if there was anything we could do to assist."
Ever since the 1st Marikka Cup held on October 10th of the previous year, the development of small aircraft had begun to take off across various nations, and Avalon was no exception.
Furthermore, Jin felt that rather than providing technical aid to specific countries, it would be better to offer it exclusively to Avalon and let them disseminate the technology globally.
"We would be delighted. Deus Ex Machina-dono has been lending assistance as well, but having Jin-dono teach us directly would be a tremendous help."
"And on another note..."
Jin turned the conversation over to Elsa.
"...A personal acquaintance of mine, Najas Kahn, is participating in the medical lectures, or so I believe. Partly because of that, I was hoping to contribute something to the current medical curriculum."
Elsa produced the reference materials she had prepared.
"These are materials on the structure of the human body."
Tomax Bertman accepted the documents and leafed through them, looking them over.
"Magnificent! With these materials, our level of knowledge will easily advance by a stage—no, two stages. Elsa-dono, would you be willing to conduct a special lecture using these?"
"That is my intention."
"Oh, that is wonderful news."
Tomax Bertman bowed respectfully to Elsa.
"The rest is personal business—we came to see some acquaintances, you see."
Jin spoke up again.
"I see, the folks at the Go-lab, yes?"
"That's right. Since that's personal, I was thinking of dropping by around seven this evening."
"I shall notify them in advance."
"Thank you, we'd appreciate that."
With their business concluded for the moment, they decided to have lunch together.
The venue was the main cafeteria located on the second floor of the World Conference building.
It operated cafeteria-style, allowing patrons to freely choose their rice, bread, and various side dishes.
Meals were free of charge. Having access to the second floor of the World Conference building was itself the only credential needed to dine there.
Here, the chief administrator and general staff members ate the exact same food.
Incidentally, there were three other dining facilities in the complex, two of which were high-end restaurants where dishes were prepared to order. Those, however, required payment.
"Dining is one of life's great pleasures, after all."
So remarked Tomax Bertman, whose tray held a spread of rice porridge, miso soup with tofu and shalot, a plain omelet, a cream croquette, vegetable salad, and barley tea. It was an easily digestible selection.
Jin had white rice, miso soup with aburaage and spinach, salted magika (salmon), a crab croquette, vegetable salad, and oshinko, accompanied by hojicha.
Elsa chose white rice, miso soup with aburaage and spinach, sweet tamagoyaki, a hamburger steak, vegetable salad, and a quarter of a citran, paired with barley tea.
"This is really good, isn't it?"
"Isn't it, though?"
The food was well seasoned, prompting Jin to get a second helping of rice. Elsa did the same.
Tomax also went for a second bowl of porridge, looking to be in fine digestive spirits.
After lunch...
"Now then, I have official duties to attend to, so I will assign Fione, an apprentice secretary, to accompany you. Please do not hesitate to call on me should any emergency arise, however."
Back in his third-floor office, Tomax Bertman introduced a young woman around twenty years old to Jin's party.
"My name is Fione Fias. It is an honor to assist you."
She was a quiet, composed woman with medium-length brown hair and brown eyes.
"The pleasure is ours."
"Nice to meet you."
Jin and Elsa returned her greeting.
"I have already been briefed on your schedule. Shall we head to the Go-lab first? Or would you prefer the Aviation Research Lab?"
Fione Fias promptly offered to guide them.
Deciding that personal matters should wait until later, Jin answered:
"The Aviation Research Lab is where they are researching small aircraft, correct? Let's go there first."
"Understood. Right this way, please."
Fione Fias took the lead and guided them out.