After landing the Aristotle in a vacant clearing in the northern part of Taji Village, Deus Ex Machina appeared before Jin, accompanied by Squire Rei.
"Long time no see, Jin."
"Good to see you're doing well, Maquina."
They exchanged greetings that would have sounded utterly hollow to anyone who knew the real situation.
"So, what happened?" Maquina asked, glancing at the man still bound to the tree trunk.
"Right. The truth is..."
"I see, so that's how it is. 'Hypno'... How troublesome."
"For now, I buried magi-devices around the village perimeter to detect intruders, though."
"Yeah, as expected of you."
Maquina nodded with apparent admiration. In a sense, it was completely staged.
"It would be best if we could round up all the bandits in one fell swoop."
There had to be a hideout somewhere, and they needed to locate it.
"There are ways to handle it, but..."
The issue was finding a method that wasn't overly dramatic, yet remained highly effective.
Taking things to the extreme, if Laojun mobilized the Peepers, transporters, and the full military might of Hourai Island, they could wrap this up in the blink of an eye.
However, doing so wouldn't serve as a clear warning to other bandits or those on the verge of turning to crime, which meant it lacked deterrent value.
On the other hand, taking too gentle an approach and allowing casualties to occur would defeat the entire purpose.
Hence, Jin and Maquina were left agonizing over their options.
Just then, the man who had regained his senses from the brainwashing spoke up timidly.
"Um... I know the location of one of the hideouts."
"Really?!"
That was welcome news.
"Yes. Uh, in the forest to the west of this village, where I came from... Deep inside it, the twenty people who raided Fan Village... Ah, nineteen since I'm here, but anyway, there's a hideout there."
"I see. Is the food stolen from Fan Village kept there as well?"
"Yes, probably."
According to the man, someone from headquarters was supposedly coming to collect it tomorrow or the day after.
"Then we need to settle this before the day is out."
Maquina pondered for a moment. "...Are there any golems?" he asked the man.
"There are. Three of them, though I don't know how they got hold of them."
"I see."
Three golems were a force to be reckoned with... Normally, that is.
"If it's just three, it's nothing to worry about," Maquina muttered, casting a sidelong glance at the squire beside him. It meant Rei alone could dispatch them without trouble.
"I'd like you to stay and defend this village, Jin."
"Understood." Jin nodded.
Maquina suggesting this meant it was the consensus reached between Laojun, the supervisory magi-brain of Hourai Island, and Mentor, the magi-brain piloting Maquina.
In other words, it was the direction that crafted the most convenient public narrative under the circumstances.
Having Jin and Reiko personally set out to capture the bandits felt somewhat unfitting. Heavy-handed work was the domain of Deus Ex Machina.
Jin and his party were strictly the defense force.
"With that settled, leave the rest to me, Jin."
"...All right, Maquina."
With that, Maquina turned to Village Chief Sergei.
"I will put an end to this tonight. With that in mind, could you please gather all the villagers in one place for tonight only?"
He explained that it was a precaution in case any fleeing bandits attempted to raid the settlement.
"If that happens, Jin and the others will protect you."
With Reiko, Hope, and Enju 2 on guard, there was practically nothing to worry about, Maquina assured him.
Even so, if the villagers were scattered across the area, protecting everyone might prove difficult, which was why he wanted them consolidated in one spot.
"Understood."
Village Chief Sergei grasped the reasoning immediately, thumped his chest, and told them to leave it in his hands.
Deus Ex Machina temporarily left Taji Village and returned to the Aristotle.
"I have confirmed it through the Peepers as well. There is a hideout roughly two kilometers into the western forest, housing eighteen people and three golems," Squire Rei reported. Naturally, these were the findings relayed from Laojun's reconnaissance.
While it might seem simpler to notify Mentor, who was piloting Maquina, directly, adhering to these formal procedures outside of emergencies was Jin's preference. It also served as a safeguard in case someone witnessed them or they were forced to explain the sequence of events later.
"Eighteen people? Seems one is unaccounted for."
"That person appears to have stepped out as well."
"What? Does that mean our capture of the man earlier has been compromised?"
"No, that should not be the case. The intruder detection barrier deployed by Jin-sama has not triggered."
"I see."
"It is likely that they are acting as a messenger to headquarters or something of the sort."
"Understood."
They would adapt flexibly to whatever arose, Maquina—or rather, Mentor—decided.
Meanwhile, back in Taji Village.
Following the chief's instructions, all the villagers had assembled at the village head's residence and its immediate perimeter.
As expected, the chief's house alone could not accommodate everyone, so neighboring dwellings were utilized as well.
"...And so, Deus Ex Machina-dono, an affiliate of Avalon, has promised to settle the matter tonight. Please bear with the inconvenience for just this one night."
Kachea added to the chief's words.
"Um, Deus Ex Machina is an honorary advisor to Avalon and possesses tremendous combat capabilities. Apparently, he was also the one who brought an end to the decisive battle against that Markitus."
"Maquina is a senior disciple of mine, and I can personally vouch for his abilities as well."
Jin added a few brief words praising Maquina's prowess, putting the anxious villagers at ease.
Fortunately, it was not a cold season, but Jin still erected a barrier so that those unable to fit inside the homes could huddle together in relative comfort.
Within the barrier, human body heat alone was sufficient to maintain a moderate temperature.
Blankets were spread across the ground, giving the area the look of an evacuation shelter.
As for the captured man, his bonds were loosened, and he was placed under Hope's watchful eye.
If Maquina's surprise raid proved successful, the provided intelligence would serve as grounds for a reduced sentence.
"As for the rest... Right, Sky 900!"
"Yes, Master."
Jin instructed Sky 900 to hover the Hurricane ten meters directly above the village chief's house.
Since the interior of the ship's cabin was comfortable, the elderly and children were sheltered there first.
Thanks to these arrangements, all the villagers were able to spend the night in peace and safety.