Meanwhile, around the same time on July 11th, Deus Ex Machina was in action.
He was currently in the Mimaka Principality.
As a first step in offering aid, they intended to construct a highway connecting the Mimaka Principality and the Darato Principality.
The highway running along the southern coast came to an abrupt halt between the towns of Darihida in the Mimaka Principality and Somioshi in the Darato Principality, leaving an uninhabited gap of roughly 140 kilometers between them.
"Is there any particular reason for this gap?" Maquina asked Ryuji F Katsuki, the Minister of General Affairs of the Mimaka Principality.
"No, nothing comes to mind."
The Minister of General Affairs added that there were no historical records of any conflicts with the Darato Principality either.
I suppose I'll ask around once we reach the Darato Principality as well...
Setting the underlying cause aside for the moment, Maquina decided to fly at a low altitude aboard the Aristotle to chart a viable route for the highway.
Riding alongside him was Minister of General Affairs Ryuji F Katsuki.
"T-To gaze down at the land from such a height..."
On their previous trip, he had looked down from far higher in the sky, but cruising at an altitude of just twenty meters made the ground terrain remarkably clear.
Since no tall trees grew along the coastline, there was no danger of snagging on anything.
The Aristotle drifted forward at a leisurely pace of about fifteen kilometers per hour.
It was not Maquina who inspected the terrain and mapped the route, but rather the crew golem Space 11.
The Space squad comprised Units 1 through 20—all general-purpose golems capable of handling virtually any duty, including piloting, combat, rescue, administration, and repairs.
In terms of power, they were ranked above Smith and below Land.
Because Deus Ex Machina was being operated remotely by Mentor, he never grew weary or bored like a human would, but with Minister of General Affairs Ryuji F Katsuki aboard, he made a conscious effort to behave naturally.
"Ryuji-dono, shall we break for lunch?"
"Oh, thank you kindly."
Though Ryuji F Katsuki had initially been captivated by the view below, after three straight hours he had predictably grown tired of it and begun staring off into the distant horizon. Maquina had simply read the room.
By the ship's clock, it was around 11:30 AM—an entirely reasonable hour.
"Oh, my. This is quite an unusual dish."
What was served this time was tendon.
The large shrimp tempura had just been fried and laid across a bed of piping-hot, freshly cooked rice.
While not completely drenched, a generous ladle of savory sauce had been drizzled over the top.
"Mmm, delicious!"
Knowing from the previous conference that the people of the Principality had virtually no dietary aversions, Maquina had selected this dish deliberately.
He knew that the lack of agricultural water meant they grew no paddy rice, so serving white rice like this was something of an experiment.
If they developed a taste for it, Maquina reasoned, the Principality's future diet would become substantially richer.
"This 'rice' has such a rich, subtle flavor. It's an entirely different kind of delicious from barley."
"I am pleased it suits your palate. After all, rice is the cornerstone of Japanese food."
"Fascinating... I would certainly welcome the chance to learn the techniques of rice cultivation someday."
"Of course. Though paddy rice is essential for that. Jin will surely find a way to make it work."
After a journey of roughly nine and a half hours, the Aristotle arrived at the town of Somioshi in the Darato Principality.
With their surveying complete, they accelerated toward the royal capital of Radatora.
The remaining distance was about 280 kilometers, and with no further reason to hold back their speed, the Aristotle crossed the expanse in under an hour.
"Welcome, Deus Ex Machina-dono, and Ryuji F Katsuki-dono."
By local time, it was 7:00 PM, and a faint twilight still painted the evening sky.
Stepping forward to greet them as the Aristotle touched down at the suburban airfield was the Chancellor of the Darato Principality, Gix Yabo Miyata.
"Please, set work aside for this evening. Enjoy a warm meal and rest comfortably."
With that, he escorted Maquina and Ryuji F Katsuki to the Guest House in a golem carriage.
Incidentally, Squire Rei remained behind to watch over the Aristotle.
After refreshing themselves with a bath, they sat down for a slightly late dinner.
The Chancellor joined them at the table.
"Thank you very much for keeping us company despite the late hour," Ryuji F Katsuki offered politely before the meal.
"Think nothing of it. It is the least I can do to express our gratitude to Maquina-dono for offering to build a highway between our lands... modest though this gesture may be."
As Chancellor Gix Yabo Miyata spoke, Maquina gently raised a hand. "Not at all. Your hospitality speaks for itself, Chancellor-dono."
He took a sip or two from his wine glass. "It has just the right sweetness for an aperitif," he added, never forgetting to offer a compliment.
In truth, wine production in the Darato Principality was exceedingly scarce, reserved only for honored guests and formal celebrations.
Naturally, given the local climate, plenty of bitis (grapes) were cultivated, but the vast majority were dried and stored as emergency rations.
"It seems to be a variety with a very high sugar content. If you ramped up production, I suspect it could become a valuable export."
"Oh? That is wonderful advice."
Bitis with high sugar content were ideally suited for winemaking.
After all, the alcohol in wine is produced directly from the natural sugars found in the fruit.
Because yeast breaks down and ferments those sugars into ethanol, a higher initial sugar content yields a stronger wine.
Of course, a higher alcohol content did not necessarily guarantee a fine wine.
Grapes meant for quality winemaking also required a healthy balance of acidity.
"I see... Our climate is remarkably well-suited for growing bitis, so expanding our vineyards might indeed be worthwhile."
Even in the middle of light dinner conversation, actionable ideas for the country's prosperity began to take root.
Belatedly, Chancellor Gix Yabo Miyata was reminded of the heavy cost of maintaining a closed, isolated society.
Taking the opportunity, Minister of General Affairs Ryuji F Katsuki spoke up as well. "Our country does not produce many bitis, but we do cultivate a modest amount of a succulent called 'rokai.'"
"Rokai?"
As Maquina repeated the name, Mentor, who was controlling his body, sent a query directly to Laojun.
Rokai was an alternate name for aloe, a type of succulent. One of its varieties, Aloe arborescens, was commonly nicknamed 'no need for a doctor.'
The name 'rokai' was simply the Japanese reading of its Chinese characters.
It was likely discovered and named by Magus Shuuki, Laojun reported. A small amount is also grown in southern Mitsuho. According to their records, it is effective topically for burns, cuts, and insect bites. Ingesting it is also believed to relieve stomach aches, constipation, and similar ailments. However, we cannot guarantee it is entirely identical to the plant found in Magus Shuuki's or My Lord's world.
Understood. Setting internal use aside for now, it may well prove useful as a topical remedy.
Mentor and Laojun finished the entire exchange in a mere half-second.
Operating Maquina seamlessly, Mentor immediately turned that fresh knowledge into a practical suggestion.
"That 'rokai' plant appears to have notable medicinal properties. If you wouldn't mind sharing a sample later, I would be happy to analyze it on my end."
"Oh! Maquina-dono, by all means, we would be deeply grateful!"
Minister of General Affairs Ryuji bowed his head with profound respect.
The remainder of the evening passed in pleasant conversation, leaving the detailed planning of the highway route for the morning to come.