"I see, the 'Progressers,' is it...?"
<Yes. Apparently, they are a group possessing considerable technical skill.>
The fake Elena, "Spica 9 = Lila," was exchanging information with the Shinobi Squad in her room.
<Though there are only five of them at present, so calling them a "group" might be an overstatement.>
"Just what kind of group are they?"
<Well, it seems they are distant blood relatives of Master and his line.>
"Of Chief's?...That means outside of Onogoro Island, right?"
<Yes.>
It was hardly unprecedented, given that others like Berlich Becker operated a workshop in the Shouro Empire.
At this point, Laojun chimed into the conversation as well.
"Just how capable are they?"
<Without a doubt, their abilities far exceed the standard in this country at the very least.>
"I see....In that case, they have not been brainwashed, correct?"
<Yes. It appears they are serving of their own free will.>
<What is more, it seems they have been doing so since before the nation became the Principality.>
"What led to that?"
<As far as we can gather, they migrated to the frontier when life grew difficult following the rise of the Magic Federation. However, they fell on hard times due to a lack of materials, which was when the ancestors of the current ducal family stepped in to support them.>
"So they feel indebted to them, is that it?"
<I believe that would be accurate to say.>
"Is that all?"
Laojun raised a doubt.
<What do you mean?>
"I find it hard to believe that engineers would gladly pursue development that runs counter to their own desires. I suspect they may have some other objective behind creating such combat golems."
"I see, that makes sense."
Laojun continued.
"In short, I would like you to look into them a bit further."
<Understood.>
On the same day, Jin and Reinhard visited Lindau, a town in the eastern part of the Shouro Empire, aboard Eagle 1.
They had decided that transporting several thousand takemodoki pipes with Hurricane would simply be reckless.
Lindau was where the main highway connecting the Celuroa Kingdom and the Shouro Empire intersected with the eastern north-south route commonly known as the Trockenbahn.
However...
"Ah, it really has changed a lot."
Looking down from the sky, Jin murmured with deep emotion.
"Hasn't it?"
As the name Trockenbahn—the parched highway—implied, the region had once suffered from severe water shortages, but conditions had vastly improved.
Greenery had spread across much of the landscape.
On top of that, water-filled reservoirs were dotted throughout the area.
"They built irrigation ponds, huh."
Even in this arid region, rain still fell.
The average annual precipitation hovered around 500 millimeters—not quite enough to cause desertification, yet hardly ideal for agriculture.
Groundwater drawn from deep wells was strictly reserved for drinking, while all other domestic needs relied on the reservoirs as much as possible.
"Yeah. For one thing, the soil here had very poor water retention, so efforts were made to fix that," Reinhard explained.
Back on Earth, plans had similarly been devised to combat desertification using the water-absorbing polymers found in disposable diapers.
That same principle had been adapted and put to use here.
"The Jin of that era proposed the idea, and Avalon spearheaded the project."
According to Reinhard, the land reclamation efforts had spanned ten years.
"Thanks to that, drought-resistant crops could be cultivated, allowing the region to thrive."
"I see."
Jin then recalled Magiroots, a village situated in the northern stretch of the Trockenbahn.
That village had been the home of Barrow and Belle, the butler and lady's maid he had rescued and taken into his service.
Furthermore, a native copper deposit had been discovered beneath the ground near Magiroots, allowing it to prosper as a copper-mining settlement.
"...And since our goal for this trip is to purchase takemodoki, we came to Lindau, where it all gets gathered and distributed."
By the later years of Jin and Reinhard's lives, the town of Lindau was said to have grown into something akin to a regional hub.
That growth had continued straight through to the present day.
Laojun had dug up this background, and Reinhard, finding the prospect nostalgic, had offered to come along.
"What else is takemodoki used for?" Jin asked.
Reinhard answered with a grin, "As far as I recall, you had people making insect cages and round fans out of it... Jin."
"Ah... Yeah, that definitely sounds like something I'd make."
"It should also be used as material for chopsticks and rain gutters."
Takemodoki had no segments, which made it far easier to work with than actual bamboo in that regard.
"Well, not that I'm familiar with how things stand today," Reinhard chuckled. "Why don't we see for ourselves?"
Eagle 1, carrying Jin and Reinhard, touched down at an airfield on the outskirts of Lindau.
Jin's Eagle 1 was still virtually unknown in these parts, so, naturally, its landing drew wide-eyed stares from a great many onlookers.
Accompanied by Hope and Reiko, they made their way into town.
This time, piloting duties for Eagle 1 had been left to Sky 3, who stayed behind to watch over the craft.
Hope, meanwhile, was acting primarily as Reinhard's bodyguard.
"First, we need to find a guide. Let's see..."
The Quinta assigned to this area was Deneb 10 = Anemone.
"Jin-san, Reinhard-san, Reiko-san, Hope-san, I have been expecting you."
She met Jin's party at the town entrance. With so many onlookers around, she refrained from calling him "Chief."
"You are here to purchase takemodoki, correct?"
"Yeah, that's right. Do you know a reputable shop?"
"Yes, leave it to me."
Deneb 10 = Anemone took the lead, guiding Jin and the others through the streets.
Heading west along Central Thoroughfare and turning right at the intersection, they immediately arrived at their destination.
"This is the Aida Company. They are the largest merchant house dealing in takemodoki."
"Got it. Thanks."
Without hesitation, Jin pushed open the company's door and stepped inside.
"Oh, nice."
Potted miniature takemodoki sat on display alongside an array of product samples, giving the interior a polished ambiance perfectly suited to a merchant specializing in takemodoki.
"Welcome."
A receptionist greeted Jin and his companions, asking how she could assist them.
"Well, you see..."
At last, the business negotiations were underway.