The Jin Family meeting continued the following day, on the 30th.
The topic on the agenda was the Nido Medical Welfare Organization.
Several members had mentioned having ideas they wanted to bring to the table.
"Well then, allow me to start," said Lishia, who had taken on the role of advisor. "I have a proposal regarding the medical vehicle."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Well, you see, I'd like to increase the number of examination tables."
Lishia explained that while patients would likely be seen one by one, having a designated place for others who felt unwell to lie down in the meantime would offer peace of mind.
"That makes sense. Situations like that seem bound to happen."
When it came to sickness, multiple people could easily fall ill at the same time, and injuries often occurred in groups as well.
"...Hmm. In that case, it would be good to have folding beds, a pavilion, and a sterilization-type barrier."
"Mm, I think a sterilization-type barrier in particular is a great idea."
Elsa agreed with Jin's suggestion.
Indeed, a sterilization-type barrier would be invaluable during medical procedures.
"Ah, please be careful, though. Constant sterilization would also wipe out the beneficial microorganisms inside a patient's body."
"Ah, good point."
Eradicating all the intestinal bacteria would only create a whole new set of problems.
On the other hand, eliminating harmful bacteria like Helicobacter pylori was definitely desirable.
"It would be nice if we could sterilize oral bacteria as well."
Although tooth decay was virtually nonexistent in this world, the number wasn't absolute zero.
Jin wanted to spread that kind of fundamental knowledge alongside their medical aid.
"In that case, teaching basics like washing hands, gargling, bathing, and being careful with raw foods might be best," Anne noted. "Overloading people with too much information all at once can backfire."
It was an insight true to her background as a storyteller.
"To put it metaphorically, it's like pouring so much water into a vessel that you end up knocking the whole bowl over, wouldn't you say?"
It was an intuitive analogy, illustrating how, rather than simply overflowing, everything ended up lost.
"And imparting knowledge to stubborn people is just as tricky. Much like how water won't easily soak into hard-packed, trampled earth."
True to form, she framed the issue with another vivid metaphor, and Jin offered his thanks.
"Understood. We'll take things slow and steady without rushing."
"That's the wisest approach. Once you earn their genuine trust, everything that follows should become much easier."
"Thank you for the advice."
"There's one more thing, Jin," Louis spoke up this time. "Regarding the medical vehicle, we can't rule out the possibility of bandits attacking if word gets out that precious medicines are on board."
"Ah, right..."
With only female-type automata and petite assistant automata in sight, the vehicle would lack an obvious deterrent.
Even if they possessed the strength to easily overpower ordinary combat golems, it counted for nothing if onlookers couldn't recognize that danger beforehand.
"I see your point..."
Jin was reminded once again of just how valuable it was to gather diverse perspectives.
"All right. Taking all of that into account, let's revise our plans."
"My Lord, everyone."
At that moment, a transmission arrived from Laojun.
"The investigation team dispatched from Avalon has concluded their talks with two of the nations."
Laojun referred to the three envoys, led by Gajue Tsuga, simply as the "investigation team" for convenience.
"Oh? Those countries, was it?" Louis chimed in.
Even though he spent much of his time on Planet Hehl, he still seemed invested in the political climate of his home world, Planet Ars.
"All right, Laojun. Let's hear the report," Jin urged.
"Yes, My Lord....To begin, on May 28th at 9:00 a.m. local time, they departed for Quonale, the royal capital of the Mimaka Principality. Incidentally, it is roughly a one-hour flight by airship from their garrison."
"I see. Starting with a friendly nation first."
"Correct....The Mimaka Principality proved quite amicable, allowing our envoys to gather intelligence regarding the other three principalities. That being said, our data on the Jagus Principality and the Norha Principality remains sparse."
Laojun continued.
"They attempted to deduce the true state of the Revolutionary Party from the Chancellor's remarks, but our information is still insufficient."
After detailing other aspects of the situation in Mimaka, Laojun moved on to the Darato Principality.
"The Darato Principality was not particularly hostile either. Thanks to the magi-stones offered as gifts, and because Chancellor Gix Yabo Miyata's ancestry traces back to Mitsuho, the dialogue with Gajue Tsuga grew quite lively, yielding several new revelations."
"Oh? Such as?"
"Yes. It appears the inland regions across all Four Principalities suffer from severe water shortages. Consequently, land development extends only about thirty kilometers from the coastline."
This came as a surprise, even to Jin and the others.
"Wait, didn't they call it a granary or something?"
"Indeed. The soil is rich, allowing crops to thrive. That alone produces a bountiful harvest. However, that applies strictly to the coastal belt; the interior is an arid wilderness."
"Come to think of it, that's true..."
Jin recalled the landscape from when he and Lordtoss had fled the Jagus Principality.
"They really should have chosen an area with better conditions to settle."
"No kidding," Louis and Reinhard agreed, nodding alongside Jin.
"Indeed. Since all of you were in seclusion when the colonization of those lands first began, it is only natural that you would be unaware."
Pardon my presumption, Laojun noted politely before offering a brief overview of the history.
"First, allow me to explain why they chose such remote territory rather than settling land adjacent to Mitsuho or Fusou Island."
"Yeah, please do."
Jin had to admit he was curious about that very point.
"Yes, My Lord....To start, the land situated between Mitsuho, Fusou Island, and the Four Principalities is fundamentally inhospitable."
"That's reason enough. But what makes it so bad?"
"To the north, the terrain is dominated by steep, impassable mountain ranges."
Laojun brought up a world map on the magi-monitor to illustrate.
Sure enough, west of Fusou Island stood three massive mountain ranges, making it abundantly clear that the terrain was entirely unfit for agriculture.
"Further south, the central territory forms the vast Sahara, which is likewise unsuitable for settlement."
It was a sprawling continental desert.
While wetlands lay between the desert and the mountains, their treacherous terrain made establishing east-west roads nearly impossible.
The eastern side of those wetlands was essentially Fusou Island territory, and that sector was similarly ill-suited for colonization.
"Then there is the southern region, positioned directly along the Equator. The lands east of the great river flowing from the massive lake were already earmarked for future development by Mitsuho."
"Well, looking at the map, that layout makes sense."
"A vast stretch of land also lies to the west of that river, which would have been well-suited for colonization; however, it was abandoned due to an entirely different factor."
"Which was?"
"None other than the Pioneer Revolutionary Corps....Fiercely independent by nature, they sought complete autonomy from the Conference Countries."
Laojun explained that they appeared to have deliberately chosen a remote land to avoid future political entanglement.
"So they saddled themselves with all that hardship just for the sake of isolation...?"
Jin felt a wave of exasperation. Louis and Reinhard appeared to share the sentiment—in fact, every member of the Jin Family felt the exact same way.
"Well, as far as the coastline was concerned, water was reasonably sufficient and the soil proved exceptionally fertile. Initially, the conditions were not unfavorable at all."
Their critical miscalculation was that the arid interior offered no water, completely halting any further pioneer expansion inland, Laojun concluded.
"I see... So those are the kinds of challenges the Four Principalities are up against."
Every member of the Jin Family recognized that untangling this situation would be no simple task.