The weather was cloudy.
A north wind blew, making the day a bit chilly....Even so, Kachea hailed from a village situated even further north, and Jin was wearing clothes made of GSS (ground spider silk), so neither was particularly bothered by heat or cold.
Leaving the hotel, Jin's group began walking through the streets where reconstruction was underway.
"As I thought, it's completely different."
It had originally been a newly emerging city, but now it was laid out in an even more orderly grid.
"You're right... I really can't guide you around here anymore, Jin-san."
The Mahalig streetscape from when Jin and Kachea were last here was nowhere to be found.
Having been a target of Markitus's attack, the Ducal Palace had been destroyed first, and the surrounding damage must have been immense, Jin thought.
"Honestly, back then, I truly felt like I wouldn't make it out alive."
As if reading Jin's thoughts, Kachea murmured softly.
"We fled into the underground storehouse, and when we tried to finish the incomplete golem to fight back, there were twenty enemy golems..."
She mentioned that even now, she would shiver just remembering it.
"..."
At times like this, Jin found himself falling silent, at a loss for words.
"Hehe, please don't worry about it. It hasn't left me traumatized."
Perhaps sensing Jin's concern in his silence, Kachea smiled.
"I've gotten a little stronger since back then, you know?"
"Yeah, looks like it."
Kachea, who had been so timid upon leaving her village, was now a respectable employee of Avalon and a research student at the academy.
"Hmm, this is quite well done."
As he walked along, taking in the townscape, Jin shared his impressions.
"The foundation work is solid, and the structure has no issues as far as I can tell."
"Is that so? That's good to hear."
At that moment, Reiko pointed off to the right.
"Father, look at that."
"Oh."
Standing there was a tower that looked easily fifty meters tall.
"That is most likely a 'control tower,'" Hope said.
"Yeah. Huh? Wait, wasn't the airfield in the opposite direction?"
To begin with, when the Hurricane landed, they hadn't seen such a tower.
"The airfields are likely located on both the east and west sides of Mahalig," Hope suggested.
"Domestic flights and international flights, maybe?" Jin guessed.
"Yes, that is a possibility. Though they probably haven't been separated like that just yet."
It seemed the place where Jin had landed would be designated as the domestic airfield in the future.
"So the seaside would be for international flights, and the mountain side for domestic?"
"That would seem most likely. The airfield where the Hurricane is parked was relatively small, so the chances of it being for domestic use are high."
Furthermore, constructing an international airfield on the seaside made practical sense, Hope added.
"Indeed, it's just as Hope-san says."
Kachea seemed to agree with that reasoning as well.
"That control tower must be for that purpose, too."
Engaged in such conversation, Jin and the others continued observing the progress of the reconstruction.
"With eighty to ninety percent of it rebuilt, there's quite a bit of vitality here."
"Yeah."
Jin and the others had now arrived at a shopping street.
With residents living here, commerce naturally emerged. Above all, food was essential.
"This area is quite lively."
"Yes, it really is."
"Let's grab lunch somewhere."
With lunchtime drawing near, Jin and the others looked around for a diner.
"Father, how about that place over there?"
With her sharp eyesight, Reiko pointed toward a diner situated on the opposite side of the wide street.
"It looks like they serve food from various countries."
Though it was over fifty meters away, Reiko could see clearly into the interior of the diner.
"The expressions of the people eating there look quite content," she explained.
They decided to have lunch there.
They crossed the street to the other side.
Since neither carriages nor automobiles were passing by yet, the area was peaceful and quiet.
"Looks like... there are open seats."
Since only about half the tables were occupied, Jin and the others comfortably stepped inside.
"Welcome!"
"Um, would it be all right if a golem and an automata join us?"
"Yes, that's completely fine."
It seemed to be an easygoing establishment, and since it wasn't crowded, the four of them took a table in the back.
The menu was on the table, so they looked it over right away.
"I think I'll go with this 'Shouro Empire-style Set Meal,'" Jin said.
Kachea chose:
"The Borderless Variety Set Meal."
"What's that?" Jin asked.
"They serve it at Avalon from time to time as well. In short, it's an assortment mixing dishes from various countries."
Hearing that, Jin understood the gist of it.
(A combination like bread with miso soup, or sweet-and-sour pork with gratin, I suppose.)
Like Jin, Kachea had no particular dislikes and would eat anything.
Jin figured she probably ate meals with these kinds of combinations at Avalon on a regular basis.
The set meals were decently flavorful and reasonably priced.
"The chef most likely trained at Avalon," Kachea remarked, suggesting the flavors were quite familiar to her.
After lunch, they decided to check out an area that was actively under reconstruction.
There were working golems there, briskly carrying out tasks under the direction of human site supervisors.
"Doesn't look like there's anything for us to nitpick in this town."
"Indeed. It's rare to see work conducted with this level of efficiency, I believe."
"I agree."
Jin, Reiko, and Hope all acknowledged the quality of the operations.
Only Kachea remained staring fixedly at a single spot.
"What's the matter, Kachea?" Jin asked.
"Well, I'm just curious about that over there..."
What Kachea was pointing at was a materials storage yard.