The following day, this time for sure, Jin decided to leave Kurain kingdom’s capital, Alban.
He had been away from the Kaina village for quite a while too. Hanna was probably starting to feel homesick as well.
It was unfortunate how they couldn’t drop by Raglan firm where the peddler Roland was. It will have to be during the next trip.
After breakfast, the princess once again saw them off till the main gate with her carriage.
The Imperial Guards were guarding all four sides of the carriage.
For further protection, Gloria was also riding with them but due to the fact that they would be saying farewell momentarily, no dialogues were exchanged inside the carriage.
Just the princess’ few words,
“You know it’s completely fine for you to stay…”
Going past the gate, the carriage stopped. The knights who were guarding were considerate enough to give them some space.
Inversely, the SP for Jin, Hanna and Elsa were guarding every nook and cranny of the carriages surrounding. Although they couldn’t be seen.
Jin and the others descended from the carriage slowly like they were feeling sorrow for parting.
By the way, Hanna was wearing her own clothes this time. However, as one would expect, surely nothing worth worrying about would happen today.
The princess and Gloria were facing opposite the town wall and Jin, Elsa and Hanna were facing towards it.
No one said anything. They all had various things to say but when the moment arrives, it becomes quite hard to say it.
Among them, Gloria was the first one to get the ball rolling.
“Jin-dono, I hope to meet you again someday.”
Following her, princess Lieschen said,
“Jin, what will you do from now on?”
The usual energetic princess had a sad expression.
“Yes, I will go Kaina village once.”
Jin answered. Jin was also feeling a bit sad.
“Ah, yes, you did mention you had a carriage ready.”
“Yes.”
After nodding, Jin whistled. Following the whistle, a carriage came on from the road which lead to the forest.
“Oh, oh? Wh-what is that carriage?!”
Seeing the golem carriage for the first time, the princess was surprised. Gloria also had an identical reaction.
“It’s my carriage. It’s a carriage golem horses pull.”
The carriage came and stopped exactly beside Jin’s side. With one look, Jin understood that it was the same one he had built at the Egelia kingdom. Seems like Laojun did his work properly.
“Prince Earnest of Egelia kingdom also has one of these.”,he said. Because, if he lets her know that, her interest towards Egelia kingdom would increase. And just as he had thought, the princess replied,
“Ohh, I see! That makes me look forward to meeting Earnest-sama!”
And then,
“You know, actually, a device called the mana phone was delivered yesterday. And thanks to that, it seems like we can talk to Egelia kingdom, Serroa kingdom and Francis kingdom. Ah, also Elias kingdom.”
He heard of it last night while talking to Laojun. Thinking that they would probably be able to use it properly, he chuckled a little.
“And thanks to that, Father has also talked about various things, it seems. And according to that, next month, or rather it’s May tomorrow so, well, but it seems that, Earnest-sama and my m-marriage meeting will be held or something.”
As always, the princess just ended up blurting out some of the country’s important information without hesitation. Although she was a bit embarrassed, that little bit of carelessness doesn’t change.
“O-oh, congratulations.”
Jin couldn’t help but say that.
“Hmm, it isn’t decided yet or anything, though.”
The princess said blushing. Seeing which Jin thought Earnest and her might just be well-matched.
“Well then, we shall depart.”
“Thank you for having us.”
“Princess! Thank you very much!”
“Hmm, be well. Let’s meet again.”
“Jin-dono, let’s meet again someday.”
Although short, they said their farewells from heart and Jin and the others got on the carriage.
And then the carriage door closed and it started moving slowly.
“Take care!”
Even though she is the princess, princess Lieschen bid them farewell with a loud voice.
Jin thought, that even though a lot happened, he met some pretty good people, and sank down on his seat.
＊ ＊ ＊
“There they go.”
Said the princess.
Seeing Gloria walking back, she told Gloria to ride in her carriage.
“You can protect me while in the carriage like when we came, can’t you?”
Gloria was feeling obliged but at the end, lost to the pushy princess, decided to ride back together.
As the carriage started moving, the 4 guards naturally came closer. They were to guard till the royal palace.
“He was a mysterious guy, huh?”
Inside the carriage, the princess and Gloria were talking about Jin and the others.
“Yes, he is the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom but had a many riddles to him, didn’t he?”
“Hmm. But, I felt that he was not a man who would bring harm to our country.”
“I feel the same as well.”
The carriage went on the stone paving. Looking outside the carriage, the princess was recalling the golem incident the other day.
It was because the builds and the road before her was being repaired.
The hole which Jin created to drop the golems and the wall which cracked from Jessica’s ‘flame lance’.
“We did compensate them but didn’t yet decide on Jessica’s punishment, huh…? I guess she’ll have to go without 3 months worth of salary.”
In this case, it was a custom that the salary cut would be reduced to half. Gloria could almost imagine Jessica’s face on the verge of tears.
“She would be perfect if not for that.”
“Hmm. She has great leadership, judgement and sword skill. On top of that, she is also popular. If only she could control her magic.”
Because of the fact that it won’t be much of a problem in the battlefield, she is still the captain.
“Talented people are important, after all.”
The princess muttered earnestly.
＊ ＊ ＊
The carriage with Jin and the others on rode fast through the highway.
“Ah, yes, Jin-nii’s carriage is really different.”
Elsa said with a satisfied face.
“It feels really nice to ride.”
Hanna expressed how the quality of the ride was so good on Jin’s golem carriage.
After riding for quite a while, Jin contacted Laojun through Reiko.
“Father, Condor 3 who developed stealth is on standby in the sky.”
“Hm… Wait, 3?”
Condor was only supposed to be upto 2. When did it increase to 3?
“It seems like there is a large scale warp gate in Condor 3. If we use that, we can return to Kunlun mountains with the whole carriage.”
They didn’t connect directly to Hourai island in case of the worst-case scenario.
“I see. As expected of Laojun, he is fast with the preparations.”
Jin was content with his subordinate’s work.
He thought of blindfolding Hanna but then decided to stop.
He wanted to bring Hanna like this here from now on as well and he also wanted her to know his true identity.
“Hanna, we will be going to the Kunlun island with the whole carriage now, alright?”
“Eh? O-okay.”
She was confused for a moment there but soon nodded. The things Jin says he can do, he really does do, after all.
The carriage steered off the highway and went on down a somewhat bad road. However, due to the active suspension from the golem’s arm, they felt next to no vibration.
After going through that road for about 10 minutes, they got out onto a gaping wide grassland.
“That is Condor 3.”
As Reiko said that, Condor 3 appeared, deactivating its stealth.
“Waah! So big! What, is that?”
“…Did you, make this too, Jin-nii?”
Hanna was honestly astonished and Elsa immediately thought of the Pelican 1 she rode before but after looking properly, she saw it almost looked completely different.
But even then, the aura coming from its body or maybe the state of magic tools inside it made Elsa feel that it fell into the same category as Pelican 1.
That also showed how much Elsa grew as a magi craftsman.
The carriage slowly went into the large warp gate Condor 3 created.
The ones riding the carriage felt complete darkness only for a moment. The carriage had teleported through a few hundred kilometers and arrived at the Kunlun island.