"Jin-dono, you previously dealt with the typhoon caused by Helente, did you not?"
"Ah, yes, I did."
Jin recalled the strenuous effort it had taken to handle that storm.
Back then, he had deployed the Mermaid unit to stir the seawater and lower the surface temperature, while simultaneously using Freeze from aircraft in the stratosphere to cool the clouds and force the moisture to precipitate early.
"Which means Onogoro Island possesses the means for weather control."
"Ah, that's true."
"In other words, by making a request through Marikka-sama, you should be able to increase the precipitation in that vicinity."
"Ah...!"
Jin gave a wry smile, wondering how he could have overlooked something so obvious.
"Perhaps Onogoro Island was originally the Ruins intended for maintaining and managing the land where the Four Principalities now reside?"
For whatever reason, its raison d'être seemed to have been forgotten over time, the Elder said.
"That certainly makes sense."
"Indeed....Most likely, the Masters who terraformed the land of the Four Principalities and the Masters who created Onogoro Island appeared to be cooperating, but in truth, they were not."
Jin knew all too well that the Origin Clan was thoroughly individualistic.
"Well, setting such circumstances aside, if you make a request to Onogoro Island through Marikka-sama, you should at least be able to control the precipitation in that region, shouldn't you?"
In fact, that ought to be Onogoro Island's very raison d'être, the Elder concluded.
"You are absolutely right. Thank you for bringing that to my attention."
Jin expressed his sincere gratitude.
"No, think nothing of it. I know that, as a Duplicate, you did not inherit all of Jin-dono's past memories, nor did you wish to do so."
"I am much obliged."
Thus, by visiting the Elder, Jin had managed to find a lead to resolving the precipitation issue.
Just as Jin was about to hurry back to Planet Ars...
"...Could it be that Marikka is on this planet as well?"
"Yes, she is....Or rather, she is playing with Rouge in the back."
"Ah, is that so?"
That works out nicely, Jin thought.
"Um, could you call her for me?" he asked the Elder.
"Neige, go and check on them, please."
"Yes."
Neige, who had been standing nearby, swiftly slipped inside the house and returned moments later.
Trailing behind her were Marikka and Rouge.
"Jin-sama, it has been a long time-sh!"
"Jin-san, hello—"
"Hello. Long time no see, Marikka. You look well."
"Y-Yes, thank-sh to you!"
"I have a favor to ask of you today, Marikka."
"W-What might it be?!"
"...Well, let's calm down and talk first."
"Y-Yes."
And so, they set out chairs and a table in front of the Elder's house, sitting down for tea under the pleasant, refreshing weather of the plateau.
"Here you go."
Neige served tea to Jin and Marikka. The Elder, along with Neige and Rouge, had Persica juice.
"Well, the truth is..."
While leisurely sipping his tea, Jin explained the situation in the Four Principalities.
"I see... So that is what has been happening."
Having listened to the whole story, Marikka let out a small sigh.
"Neither Testa nor Helente would tell me anything. They kept saying they couldn't trouble me with such things."
"...They're overprotective, to say the least."
"...They really are-sh... are."
"Well, I can understand how they feel."
Laojun and the others are pretty overprotective too, Jin mused.
"Aah!"
Rouge's sudden shout made Jin jump.
"W-What's the matter?"
"That thing on top of your head, Jin-san..."
"On my head?"
When Jin reached up to touch his head, his hand met Mini Reiko.
"...Since when?"
"Father's head is very soothing."
...she said.
"You weren't heavy, so I didn't even notice."
"Yes, because I made myself light with Gravity Magic," Mini Reiko answered matter-of-factly.
"Hello. I am called Mini Reiko."
So she includes 'Mini' in her name too, Jin thought, though he kept it to himself.
"Wah, so cute!"
"Hello, I'm Rouge!"
"I'm Neige."
"I am aware. Reiko is on the inside, after all."
"Whoa, really?"
Rouge, the sister figure, seemed to take an immediate liking to Mini Reiko.
"Hey, hey, can you ride on my head too?"
"...Very well."
Mini Reiko hopped lightly down from Jin's head, bounced once off the table, leaped onto Rouge's head, and lay down there.
"Whoa..."
The one who gasped was not Rouge, but Neige.
"So cute."
However, because Rouge herself couldn't see what was happening, her reaction was rather subdued.
"Hey, I can't see you from here. Could you ride on Neige's head instead?"
"...Very well."
Hopping in the exact same manner, Mini Reiko landed atop Neige's head.
"Ah, really, so cute!" Rouge cheered happily.
"Now, now, Rouge, Neige. Jin-dono still has places to be after this. That is quite enough."
"Okaay."
"Yes."
Mini Reiko settled onto Jin's shoulder, while Marikka gathered her things to leave.
"...Jin-dono, please forgive my daughters' forwardness. Marikka-sama, you are welcome to visit anytime."
The Elder bade farewell to Jin and Marikka.
"Not at all, it was very relaxing. I will come again soon."
"Yes, thank you for having us. I'll be back soon."
Exchanging their goodbyes, Jin and Marikka boarded the Sparrow.
"Until next time."
"Safe travels."
Piloted by Mini Reiko, the Sparrow lifted off gracefully into the air, charting a straight course eastward toward the Warp Gate.