Magi Craft Meister

“Oh, this is comfortable.”

“Mm, amazing. It’s fast and it doesn’t sway.”

After several test flights and fine-tuning, Jin, Elsa, and Reiko boarded *Kunlun 2* to enjoy a leisurely aerial stroll.

“…With this kind of performance, I’m convinced. But I wish you’d told me first,” Elsa said, sounding only slightly resentful. As the person responsible for inventory management, she likely found the situation complicated.

“Sorry. I just really wanted to get it built.”

“Honestly… Jin-niisan is just that kind of person, so I suppose it can’t be helped.”

When Jin apologized, Elsa smiled and forgave him.

“Father, shall we try for maximum speed?” Reiko, at the controls, asked once she judged they had reached a sufficient altitude.

“Alright, do it.”

Jin and Elsa deployed their defensive barriers and sat near the Warp Gate used for emergency evacuations.

“Undergoing acceleration.”

Reiko deployed the wind-shielding barrier and pushed the Jet Thrusters to maximum output. There was a sharp sense of acceleration. Looking out the window, shredded clouds streamed rapidly behind them.

*Current speed is approximately 140 kilometers per hour,* Lao-jun reported. This was ground speed, calculated based on Hourai Island.

“I suppose this is the limit for the Jet Thrusters. Reiko, switch to the Force Generators.”

“Acknowledged.”

This time, the sensation of acceleration vanished. The force was being applied uniformly to every molecule of the airship and its passengers.

*Current speed is approximately 220 kilometers per hour.*

“Oh, we did it!”

The result exceeded their projected speed by about 10 percent, and Jin smiled happily.

“Jin-niisan, that’s amazing.”

“Father, you did it.”

Elsa and Reiko celebrated with him.

Afterward, they flew around leisurely, heading west. The silhouette of Kunlun Island began to appear beneath them.

“Alright, time to land.”

“Understood.”

Reiko used the Force Generators to descend slowly, and *Kunlun 2* touched down in the plaza in front of the “Mansion.”

“It feels like it’s been a while,” Elsa said, stepping off the airship and looking at the Mansion with a touch of nostalgia. “The first time I came here, I traveled from Blue Land. Ray-niisan and Vina were with me then, too.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Jin remembered that it had been March 1st of the previous year. Now it was January 23rd; nearly a year had already passed.

“It feels like it’s been a long time, yet looking back, it feels like it flew by in an instant.”

Elsa heard his murmur. “Mm. Truly. I met Jin-niisan on February 9th. It’s almost been a year.”

“Ah, was it?”

“Mm. There was the Golem boat race in Port Rock…”

“Oh, right. That feels like ages ago.”

“I feel the same.”

The two of them, who had spent their days in such an intensely concentrated manner that it could be called abnormal, lost themselves in their own thoughts for a while.

“By the way, what about Edgar?” Jin asked, noticing the absence of Elsa’s Automaton.

“Mm… Mother hasn’t been feeling very well, so I left him behind to take care of her.”

“I see. You should go visit her often when you have the time.”

“Mm, thank you.”

*Master, may I have your attention?* Lao-jun interrupted, puzzled by the fact that Jin and Elsa had been silent for so long.

“Ah, right. Sorry. Go ahead. Did something happen?”

*Yes. I just received a report that the first goodwill advance party from the Shouro Empire to the Mitsuho Kingdom is proceeding smoothly.*

“Oh, is that so?”

According to the report, the party left Roizart on January 12th, arrived at the town of Ismar on the 16th, reached the Kari settlement on the 17th, and arrived at the town of Seki on the 18th. Negotiations had reportedly begun at Seki. After three days of talks, the advance party was granted permission to pass through Seki.

*They arrived in Miyako today, January 23rd.*

“That is good news.”

Although the “John Dini” operated by Lao-jun had already confirmed that the people of the Mitsuho Kingdom were not belligerent, it was still heartening to hear that the attempt to open diplomatic relations was progressing smoothly.

*Yes. Also, the Klein Kingdom’s survey team has arrived in Asunt, the capital of the Egelea Kingdom.*

“That’s also right on schedule.”

*Yes, with the exception of the incident with Gloria-san.*

“Ah, that’s right.”

She had been burned from her face to her right arm by a corrosive liquid similar to sulfuric acid and had been transported to a healing center via hot air balloon.

*They say her life is not in danger, but…*

“That is the only saving grace…”

It seemed the prognosis for her skin after being bathed in the corrosive liquid was not good.

“For a woman, having her face burned is painful,” Elsa murmured, looking worried.

“Yeah. If there’s an opportunity, Elsa, please take a look at her.”

“Mm, of course.”

Even though she was more of an acquaintance than a close friend to Elsa, she still cared about Gloria.

*Master, and finally, I have good news.*

“Oh? What is it?”

For Lao-jun to go out of his way to call it “good news,” Jin and Elsa listened with high expectations.

*Paper and glutinous rice have been found.*

“What was that!”

Two seemingly unrelated items had been discovered almost simultaneously.

*John Dini was traveling south along the highway toward the coastal town of ‘Tosa.’ It was during that process that he found them.*

Jin urged him to explain the details.

*The paper is not Western paper. It is closer to Washi (Japanese paper). They boil tree bark in lye to loosen the fibers, then strain it mixed with juices extracted from grasses.*

It was a rough explanation, but it was exactly the method for making Washi.

*This also appears to be a manufacturing method passed down by the ‘Sage Magus.’ We also obtained information about the grass used to extract the juice, and we are currently investigating it.*

“Hmm…”

Jin was deeply curious about who this Sage Magus was and what kind of knowledge they possessed. However, that would have to wait. He couldn’t learn everything just by being impatient; he needed to gather information slowly and carefully.

*Regarding the glutinous rice, we obtained seed rice—though it’s barely a handful. We should be able to harvest enough to eat within a year.*

On Hourai Island, double or triple cropping was possible. If they used the entire first harvest as seed rice, they would get a small amount by the second harvest and a large amount by the third.

*There is a place making Miso, Soy Sauce, and Sake; I was able to observe them. Since I have learned the procedures, we should be able to make them on Hourai Island as well.*

Lao-jun told Jin to look forward to it, as he had also managed to obtain a small amount of yeast at the same time.

“Hmm, it’s becoming even harder to grasp the true character of Sage Magus.”

*Yes. Well-versed in papermaking and brewing, plus Katsuobushi (dried bonito)…*

“Is he… someone from Tosa?” Jin wondered, suddenly recalling something he had read in a manga. “Tosa Washi and Katsuobushi… If one has a little knowledge of chemistry, brewing is possible…”

Even so, no clear image of the person emerged.

“Can’t be helped.”

Setting that aside for now, Jin began thinking about bringing new industries to Hourai Island.

“For the paper, we can just spread it to the small kingdoms via the Shouro Empire through trade, so self-sufficiency is fine for Hourai Island. The same goes for the other products.”

*Understood.*

Lao-jun intended to follow Jin’s instructions, but… it was a well-known fact that the “self-sufficiency level” of Hourai Island was on a completely different scale.

“Well then, first let’s visit each country to showcase this new airship.”

In short, he wanted to make the rounds to inform them that his personal vessel had changed, just in case he were ever viewed with suspicion.

“Let’s start with Kaina Village, then the Klein Kingdom, the Egelea Kingdom, the Elias Kingdom, and the Shouro Empire… in that order. And of course, Elsa, you’re coming with me.”

“Mm, I’ll accompany you.”

And thus began the exhibition tour of the new airship, *Kunlun 2*.