And here’s what Reiko was up to on the other hand.
She had noticed that ever since the 18th when they left the capital strange people were following them.
On the night of the 19th. Clouds.
Behind the hotel in the town of Kaltor.
One person was rendered helpless.
(Because Father dislikes killing.)
It had been fortuious for the person who ended up as the target that they got away with just simple bone fractures on both legs.
On the night of the 20th. Rain.
In the dead of night, in the hallway of a lodging house for visitors of the provincial city Buzzard.
Two people were rendered helpless.
(I see that the hair color’s different than that of yesterday’s person. Could several groups be sending shadowers like this?)
After stunning the two she had stripped them naked and tossed them out on the main road.
On the night of the 21st. Light rain.
On the second floor of the inn in Fragrant town.
One person was rendered helpless.
(Every day, is it. I should arrange for additional means of protection for Father.)
This person had been tied up and hung from the watch tower near the town.
And then on the night of the 22nd. Rain.
In the lodging house for visitors of the provincial city Dogran.
(It looks like they aren’t coming tonight, but I cannot be careless.)
Reiko then activated [ManaCom].
“(Yes, Luna speaking.)”
Reiko’s little sister, support-duty golem Luna immediately responded.
“Luna, come over here using the Warp Gate.”
“(Yes, Elder Sister.)”
Luna soon arrived teleporting through the Warp Gate installed in Jin’s deluxe carriage.
“Elder sister, you called.”
“Thank you for coming. I’ll be going to the research laboratory now. I’ll be back by the morning, I’ll leave protecting Father in the meanwhile to you. You can do it, right?”
“Yes, Elder Sister.”
And like that, Reiko moved to Hourai Island.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Reiko-san, welcome home. How may I help you tonight?”
Hourai Island’s supervising magical intelligence ‘Laozi’ greeted her.
“Laozi, I have to consult you in regards to Father’s safety.”
“Ask ahead.”
Reiko and Laozi monitored each other to keep the other from behaving wildly, but it’s not like they had a bad relationship. Even less when talking about Jin.
Reiko explained everything in detail that had happened since the golem riot incident to Laozi. Laozi listened closely, and when Reiko’s talk was over,
“I understand. Elradrite, and [Subordination Rewriting Magic], was it, this does indeed sound like a nuisance. I’ll take deal with all of the golems here. Shielding and a Magi Recorder, right?”
“I’ll leave it to you.”
“And after that, about My Lord’s bodyguards.”
“That’s the number one problem, isn’t it.”
After that, for a while Reiko continued discussing the details.
“We’ll do that, and have you come to a decision about if it’s alright to install ManaComs to each of the golems?”
“Yes. Myself I’ll ask Father to install one for me, but please do it for everyone excepting me, Laozi.”
“Understood. There are many of them, so I’ll have them remodeled starting with with Soleil, Luna, Planetarium, and Satella, after whom I’ll do the numbered golems in ascending order.”
“That should be fine.”
Jin had already had internal ManaComs on his mind, and that being the case they took this chance to do the whole remodeling in one go.
“So, about building Father’s bodyguards, the Secret Police (SP), have you come to a decision?”
“Yes. Nonetheless, if we’re to build high-grade golems like that, we better get My Lord’s permission for it.”
“That’s exactly right. I’ll try consulting Father tomorrow.”
“Please do.”
Finally, they exchanged trivial news.
“Lately My Lord has not been in contact with me, so records have been piling up. Could I have them conveyed through you, Reiko-san?”
“That’s alright.”
He had Reiko report about the current completion of the map, about the repulsion of devil beasts that had approached and the materials gathered from them.
When the meeting was over it was already late at night. Reiko at once returned back to Jin.
Using the Warp Gate, without any time loss she returned to the provincial city of Dogran. It had stopped raining.
“Welcome back, Elder Sister. This person was seeking Father’s bedroom so I captured them.”
Luna said and pointed at a man bound by rope. His face was swollen and he was unconscious. Reiko gave him a glance and then lost interest,
“Good work, Luna. I’ll handle the rest. You go back. Although it’s unfortunate you don’t get to talk with Father.”
“Yes, Elder Sister. Give Father my regards.”
And so Luna went back to Hourai Island. The caught man was left tied as is behind the lodging house.
＊ ＊ ＊
The next day, Reiko tried talking to Jin about the SP. Then,
“Haha, I wanted to make something like that too. I suppose it’s pitiful to have you by yourself as my bodyguard at night, Reiko…”
No not at all, Reiko said, but Jin seemed to already have thought of an idea,
“Alright, tonight let’s quickly go back to the research laboratory to build them. …Ahh, I don’t have anyone to use as a reference for covert conduct, do I?”
Jin said and looked troubled so Reiko said,
“Oh, Father, if that’s the problem then I know just the right talent for it.”
“Eh?”
Reiko then told him about the man tied up and left behind the lodging house.
“Hmm, people like him came as I thought, huh. The SP looks to be necessary after all. I got it. I’ll have his behavioral patterns and such.”
He secretly went around to the back of the building where the man was still unconscious. That was convenient, so Jin used [Transfer Info] while the man was like that.
“[Transfer Info] Level 4.”
All at once he transcribed the knowledge of espionage activities, behavior, movements, and even organizational information to a Magi Crystal he held.
After analyzing it later, maybe he’d even get to know whence the man was dispatched from.
Furthermore it was coincidental, completely by chance, but in any case after yesterday’s pursuer’s failure their organization had dispatched their top-class man. Even though she was easily caught by Luna.
However, thanks to that Jin got rather, or should I say befittingly high-grade data on espionage to use in golems.
Night of the 23rd, rain.
In the lodging house for visitors of the provincial city Desir where the group was staying overnight.
In the middle of the night, just when the rain let up, Jin secretly snuck out of his room and headed towards the storehouse for carriages. Maybe because the organization was being vigilant after having their top-class agent beaten it looked like there were no suspicious people tonight.
Using the Warp Gate hidden inside the carriage Jin and Reiko teleported to Hourai island in an instant.
The time difference between Hourai Island and provincial city Desir appeared to be around three and a half hours. And that’s why over here it was also nighttime, but for golems there is no night or day.
“Welcome home, Father, Elder sister.”
Reiko’s assistant golems, Soleil and Luna greeted them.
“Ah, I’m home. I may be hasty, but are the preparations complete?”
The one who answered that was Laozi.
“My Lord, welcome home. Yes, the preparation of all kinds of materials is complete.”
“I see, thanks for your trouble.”
Jin said and moved to the research laboratory.
First he’d add a ManaCom function to Reiko. As the basic equipment was already finished, this was finished quickly.
The real performance was the SP.
On top of their features, as being as light as possible was good he made their skeletons out of hollowed Light Silver, and their exterior out of Light Silver too.
Now, what do about the appearance. I’ll have the surface colored black. That should do, Jin answered his own question in his head and nodded.
Male-type, or female-type. Adult or child.
Soon the answer came to him.
To have them be able to deal in any kind of setting, making all of them would be good.
It took that night and the next one for Jin’s personal ‘Hourai Island Security Police’, alias ‘Ninja Unit’ to be born.
There were ten members. Five varieties, two of each.
Two little girl-type golems same as Reiko. ‘Pensee’ and ‘Viola’.
‘Dahlia’ and ‘Kanna’ who had approximately the same figure as Elsa (however, their bosoms were a bit larger).
Adult female-types ‘Lily’ and ‘Rose’.
Standard adult male-types ‘Elm’ and ‘Ash’.
And finally the young boy-types ‘Pothos’ and ‘Heath’.
“Alright then, please take care of me.”
Jin faced the ‘Hourai Island SP’ he created and said.
“Yes, Father.”
They greeted him all at once.