After hearing the situation with the Marquis, Jin was shown around Reinhart’s workshop.
As expected, there are no rare materials like in Hourai Island, but he is well supplied on materials such as aluminum, mithril, adamantite, and so on.
“Ok, first of all, how about we discuss the basic plans for the Automata?”
At Jin’s suggestion, the two of them returned to the table.
“Let’s decide its appearance. Whether it will be a male or female model, its apparent age, and size.”
Because it’s intended to be Saki’s own automata, it was essential to make it so that it looked like something Saki would like. That’s what Reinhart is counting on.
“Hmm, what Saki would like… I’m not that sure, really. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that girl speak about such things…“
Then, he added something he had just remembered.
“She’s really fond of Elsa.”
“…Huh?”
“…”
Reluctant to make comments like ‘Oh? She has that kind of preference?’ and so on, a sore silence came between the two.
“Oh, I knew it! You two were here! Well, dinner preparations are almost over!”
Belche had come looking for the two of them.
Seemingly saved by that cheerful voice, the two left their seats.
＊ ＊ ＊
“…”
“……”
“… Saki?”
As they arrived at the dining room, they found Saki standing there. But she looked different.
The charcoal-colored hair, once unkempt and ruffled, is now lustrous and tidily combed. Her once messy hair ends are now cleanly cut. And the beauty of her purple-gray eyes, which used to be partially covered by her bangs, could now be seen clearly. Her round glasses look charming, too.
Her cheeks are now slightly covered with rouge, and her once unhealthy complexion is now bright and cheerful.
And instead of her usual dirty clothes, she was wearing a white dress.
“… Huh?”
That was Jin’s reaction.
“It really suits you, Saki.”
And that was Reinhart.
“… She wouldn’t let me go unless I put on this costume and makeup.”
Having muttered that, Saki hurriedly looked away in embarrassment, and her cheeks turned red.
Jin, Reinhart, Belche, and Saki sat at the round table where dinner was served.
At Reinhart’s request, it was all arranged so that Jin didn’t have to worry about being poor at formalities.
Saki knew her table manners properly and had her meal in a more polite fashion than Jin.
During the meal, Saki was somewhat tense. After the meal, and some harmless conversation over a cup of tea, she was able to relax and return to her usual mood.
“Ohoho! How long has it been since I last looked like this? This style really doesn’t suit me at all!”
“No, Saki-san, it really suits you very well. Doesn’t she, Reinhart-sama?”
“Yes. It’s not just compliment, you do look good on it.”
“… Do you think? If you say so, Reinhart… is this appearance a bit more pleasant to see?”
“Not just a bit. You’re beautiful enough.”
“Ohoho! Should I be happy or sad about that? What a delicate situation! Appearance is not important at all for studying, though.”
Saki was feigning indifference with such comments, though.
“Besides, those on your face, those ‘eyeglasses’, were they? They’re very charming!”
“Thank you. Jin made them for me. They have changed the way I see the world.”
“That’s right! Could you lend me the eyeglasses for a moment, Saki?”
Jin said that as if it just had struck his mind, and Saki handed him the eyeglasses.
“Thank you. ‘Hardening’. ‘Toughen’.”
Jin used Hardening on the frame, and then used Toughen on the crystal lenses.
“This should do it. The lenses are rather fragile, so I used Engineering Magic on them in order to make them harder.”
“Haha, that’s good. Saki can be quite careless sometimes.”
Saki put her eyeglasses back on without even answering Reinhart’s remark, though she did give him a sulky look. She then suddenly changed the topic.
“Speaking of which… what is your cousin up to? Normally, it wouldn’t be weird to find her sitting here with us.”
The cousin that Saki was referring to was Elsa.
The fact that Elsa had disappeared, was saved by Jin, and was now staying in Kaina Village in the Klein Kingdom, was a secret that only Jin and Reinhart knew.
“Uh, that, um…“
Reinhart was too hesitant to say.
“Huh? What’s wrong, Reinhart? What’s with that face? Did something happen to your cousin?”
“… Let me explain. … Elsa-san was unhappy with her engagement, and ran away.”
They hadn’t told Belche anything about it either, so this is as much as she knew.
“Ran away? Elsa? … Engagement, you say? Could it be… the engagement to that marquis?”
Saki seems to be hating her own family, calling her own grandfather “that marquis” with such a tone.
And she also seems to know about the devious preferences of his grandfather, Marquis Gehlen Theoderic Von Aizen.
“…”
Reinhart’s silence only made Saki more irritated, as she now knew that her guess was correct.
“… That damned marquis and his perverted taste for young girls! Elsa is old enough to be his granddaughter! Good grief, just how selfish can he be?”
Then she stared at Reinhart.
“Hey, Reinhart, knowing you, you’re probably hiding Elsa and not telling anyone about it. But that doesn’t mean you don’t know where she is or how she is doing, right?”
After hearing that, Jin, who had been silently listening to that exchange, was impressed by Saki’s intuition.
Breaking the silence, Saki stopped acting tough and smiled at Reinhart.
“… I’m sorry, Reinhart. If that’s the case, there’s no reason for me to say such things. My bad. … That cousin of yours seems to be somewhat interested in alchemy, so when she returns we can arrange for me to teach her a lot of things, okay?”
Saki’s had a lonely looking face as she said that. Reinhart did not want to talk about the truth of the situation, and unintentionally kept his poker face due to the skills he had fostered as a diplomat.
“Oh, that’s right, Jin-sama, and also Reiko-chan, would you like to sing a song?”
Belche had proposed such a thing in order to change such a heavy atmosphere. Jin understood that intention as well, and gave his orders.
“Reiko, sing something.”
“Yes, Father.”
Reiko began to sing.
In fact, since a few days ago, whenever he had free time, Jin has been teaching Reiko some songs in an attempt to give her some talents that any regular girl would normally have.
“What is the name of the flower that blooms in the spring? Though nobody tells me I like those flowers of the field that bloom gently…“
Belche, Sakim and Reinhart all were charmed by Reiko’s singing voice.
“If you pick up a handful of them Give them to your beloved boyfriend If your boyfriend doesn’t come Let them wash away by the river…“
The director used to use many popular Showa-Era-like songs instead of background music so much, that Jin remembers it quite well. Among those songs, Jin taught Reiko the ones that the idols used to sing.
“Autumn leaves fall to my shoulders Softly they fall on the ground I wonder what is he up to Is he thinking about me?…”
After finishing her song, Reiko bowed with a curtsy.
The one to begin the round of applause was Reinhart. He was soon followed by Belche, and then Saki came to her senses and applauded as well.
The maids Beth and Dolly, who were there serving as waitresses, also gave Reiko a heartfelt round of applause.
“Reiko-san, how lovely! I’m fascinated!”
Neon spared no praises as well.
“…Thank you, Neon-san.”
Reiko thanked Neon with a seemingly happy but troubled face.
“Well! Jin, Reiko is absolutely wonderful! The word ‘perfect’ suits her completely!”
Reinhart also gave his compliments without reserve.
Once the atmosphere had completely calmed down, Jin asked Reinhart something he had been concerned about.
“Reinhart, Belche-san. When do you plan to have your wedding ceremony?”
Hearing that, Belche, who was sitting next to Reinhart, felt her face go completely red. Reinhart’s face seemed troubled.
“Hmm, that’s a difficult question. It’s scheduled for early June, but at any rate I’m at your service now, so…”
“Are you worried about that? I’ll have you known that I’ll be fine if you leave me alone for a few days.”
Of course, when that happens, it’s just a matter of returning to either Kaina Village or Hourai Island.
To know that made Reinhart’s face look even more troubled. However, he soon put a smile on his face and answered.
“Thank you, Jin. I will keep that in mind.”
After that, Reinhart’s focus shifted to tales about their journey, and about the old days.
When talking about the kidnapping by the Unifiler, Berce covered her face, though she could be heard to be crying.
We dramatized the story about the rescue and attributed said rescue to Deus Ex Machina.
Saki was lost in trance as she listened.
However, what Saki was most interested in was the story of the battle between the Gigas and Reiko.
“Hmm, so Reiko-chan is that strong, huh? That’s really amazing. I know that Reinhart is the best in the world, though.”
“That’s right. … But Reinhart-sama, don’t do to many dangerous things, okay? If something were to happen to you, I would not be able to live anymore.”
Belche was clinging to Reinhart’s arm as she said that.
“Ohoho! Belche and Reinhart are as close as usual! You seem to have a great relationship, you two.”
For a moment, on Saki’s face, there was that same lonely looking smile that Jin had been worrying about.