Around the time Elsa was demonstrating the 3D anatomical model, Jin had gone to check on the paperwork required to adopt the Magi Circle Reactor as a research topic.
"Yes, Kachea-san submitted the application yesterday."
With both Chief Administrator Tomax Bartman and Chief Administrator's Adjutant Illumina Ratkin away, the secretary automaton Manon was acting on their behalf.
"This is regarding the Three-Dimensional Magic Circle Research Society, correct? It is a very worthwhile study. It should certainly be pursued."
The paperwork had been processed without a hitch, but the final approval was still pending.
"I apologize, but we must hold off on finalizing this matter until Lord Tomax Bartman returns."
Jin replied to the apologetic Manon, "Ah, that's fine. He was scheduled to return sometime today, right?"
"Yes. He is expected back this evening."
"Then there's no problem."
With that settled, Jin headed straight for the Go-lab.
"Good morning."
"Ah, Jin-dono! Good morning!"
"Jin, morning!"
"Good morning!"
The entire Go-lab team was present that morning and welcomed Jin inside.
"Come in, come in! Please, make yourself at home."
"Thanks, pardon the intrusion."
Stepping inside the Go-lab, Jin noticed it seemed considerably tidier than usual. When he mentioned it, Laboratory Chief Rasnat Heilbronn smiled.
"It's all thanks to Calc cleaning up throughout the night."
"She's proving useful right away, isn't she?" Jin said with a wry chuckle.
"Now then, I had a look at the Magi Circle Reactor you made yesterday. My word, it is truly magnificent!" Rasnat Heilbronn praised Jin warmly.
He scratched his head, sheepishly admitting he had been so captivated by Calc the previous day that he hadn't even noticed the Magi Circle Reactor.
"Ah, about that—Kachea submitted the paperwork yesterday, and most of the procedures seem to be finished, but final approval can't be granted until Lord Tomax Bartman returns."
When Jin explained the situation, everyone present nodded in understanding.
"Still, he should be back this evening, so permission ought to be granted by tomorrow morning."
Even so, Jin had no desire to see Tomax Bartman overwork himself. If the approval took longer, he was perfectly willing to come back another time.
"Having each laboratory send a representative to participate is certainly an option as well," Rasnat Heilbronn remarked, noting that the other departments were likely just as eager about the Three-Dimensional Magic Circle Research Society.
"Wait, word has reached the other labs already?" Jin asked, surprised.
"Oh, absolutely. When it comes to new technology like this, word travels fast."
Jin was impressed; it was truly befitting a prestigious hall of learning.
At that moment, Jin decided to show off a little "trick" he had just come up with.
"I have a rather interesting experiment. Would you mind if I showed you?"
"If you find it interesting, Jin-dono, then we would love to see it by all means!"
With no one raising an objection, Jin stood up. "Well then..."
He borrowed an experiment room within the laboratory. Finding an available projection screen, he unfurled it.
Next, he made a request. "Could we make it a bit darker, please?"
Once the curtains were drawn and the lights switched off, the room plunged into near-total darkness.
"Here goes, then... Light Locus!"
Using a light-attribute spell, Jin drew a magic circle directly onto the screen.
"Ooh!"
Because he was drawing it manually, he kept it to a simple circle—the formula for Light.
"Ah...!"
Jin had inscribed the Light magic circle on the screen using the Light Locus spell. Even after he ceased channeling the magic, the circle continued to glow faintly for several seconds.
"That's a success." Jin breathed a quiet sigh of relief, as this had been an impromptu demonstration.
"Jin, wh-what is this...?!" Eira pressed, moving closer. "You didn't mention anything like this yesterday!"
"Well, of course not. I only thought of it today."
Hearing that, Eira seemed satisfied. "Well, fair enough, then....By the way, Jin, could you draw more complex magic circles with this?"
If so, one could trigger various magical effects from a distance.
"Yeah, I considered that. But with human reaction speed, what I just did is pretty much the limit."
Even for someone of Jin's caliber, drawing something as intricate as a three-dimensional magic circle using Light Locus was an impossible task.
In the first place, drawing glowing shapes in midair was not the simple Light spell, but a light-attribute mid-level magic known as Light Locus. The difference was that while the standard Light spell merely illuminated a targeted area, Light Locus—true to its name—left behind the illuminated path as a visible locus for several seconds.
It was a magi-craft spell developed by Jin, originally conceived to serve as assembly markers when constructing massive structures like spaceships. For instance, Jin standing on the floor of the Factory could draw an arrow in midair to give directions to the Smith golems working high above. Designed for that utility, it possessed the property of keeping illuminated lines glowing for a few seconds.
Naturally, a few seconds was only enough time for even Jin to sketch a rudimentary circle.
As an aside, Jin had already resolved such challenges through the Magi Trans Gun and Magi Trans Cannon, though the fundamental difference was that those devices utilized ether waves rather than light.
Setting that aside for now.
"Father, I can do it," Reiko offered, stepping forward.
"Yeah, you could probably pull it off, Reiko. Would you give it a try?...Let's see, try drawing the Healing magic circle."
"Yes."
The magic circle for Healing was roughly three times more complex than that of Light. However, Reiko's reaction speed was hundreds of times faster than any human's.
"Light Locus... How is this?"
In about 0.5 seconds, Reiko flawlessly inscribed the entire Healing magic circle using Light Locus.
"Ooh, splendid!"
"..."
"......"
At this point, most of the Go-lab members stood frozen, jaws agape in sheer astonishment.
The only ones managing to follow along were Laboratory Chief Rasnat Heilbronn, Eira, Kachea, and Groma—all people well acquainted with Jin's extraordinary nature.
"If this can be put to practical use, we could cast Healing on an injured person from a distance."
Because it relied on light, any physical obstacle would block it, but even so, the technique held immense potential.