“Ah, it’s kinda tingly.”
Reinhardt let out such a remark when submerging into the hot spring in the mansion.
Even though it was still bright outside, the group decided to enter the hot spring after returning from the sea as their bodies felt sticky from the salty sea breeze.
It was an extended open air hot spring, gender-segregated.
It was a hot spring made of granite produced on Hourai island.
It was a simple thermal hot spring with sodium carbonate and so was gentle to the skin.
The temperature was cooled down a bit so that one could comfortably enter after being suntanned during the day.
If the tan is bad, they could heal it with a ‘restorative medicine’ but it wasn’t that bad this time around.
However, if the girls were to ask for it, Jin was prepared to make it.
“This feels really nice.”
“It really does. Hot springs sure are nice. I wonder if we can get one in Banne as well.”
“I heard it’s more or less possible in most places if you dig deep enough.”
Elsa said, following Berthie and Saki. They were enjoying their time together in the women’s open air bath.
Berthie was hesitating a bit at first since it’s an open air bath but once she entered, the sense of liberation was just too pleasant that she was able to completely relax.
“Even still, no matter how many times I see it, that breast of yours, Miss Berthie, ah, I mean Mrs Reinhardt, is clearly breaking the rules. Exactly what is in there?”
“Umm, it’s fatty tissues and mammary gland, if I recall correctly.”
To Elsa’s honest answer, Saki replied with another question.
“‘Fatty tissues’? ‘Mammary gland’? What are those?”
“Fatty tissues are basically fat. Mammary glands are secretory glands which produce milk.”
“‘Secretory glands’?”
Saki couldn’t help but be puzzled hearing the technical terms Elsa spoke of.
“Miss Elsa, that’s amazing! You have studied, haven’t you?!”
Berthie was just honestly amazed.
“Jin teaches you about all that as well…? Exactly who is this guy?”
“Brother Jin is brother Jin. I can’t really say much so please ask him yourself.”
On the other hand, at the men’s bath. As the two baths were not adjoined to each other, they couldn’t hear the conversation nor peek inadvertently.
“About when it would be best for Elsa to return to her country, I think during the ‘Engineering Expo’ would be best.”
“‘Engineering Expo’?”
Jin urged for further explanation regarding the term Reinhardt had used.
“The Engineering Expo is a stage made for the engineers in the Shouro empire or in the countries interacting with the empire to gather and announce their accomplishments.”
It seems this engineer is not just limited to magi engineers. Even alchemists, shipwrights and architects take part in this expo.
Of course, normal craftsmen as well.
“That sounds interesting. Well, when will it be held?”
“The dates for the exhibition are 3 days from the summer solstice. Here, the ‘Magi Engineer Maestros’ are recognized as well.”
“I see… the time period is a bit short.”
Seeing Jin go into thinking, Reinhardt added his advice on top.
“However — I think you’ll need to justify why you have kept the fact that you were protecting Elsa and Mine a secret.”
“Ah, I see…”
At the very least, it would be weird to not explain that in the capital of the Shouro empire, Roizato.
“There’s a possibility that they will think that you kidnapped the two for some reason. By they, I mean mainly the old nobles.”
“I see……”
“Glad I discussed this with Reinhardt” — Jin thought to himself. He was grateful to have a friend who could grasp these political situations.
“I guess I will discuss it with Laojun as well…”
It was quite a difficult problem but Jin was determined to do something about it.
Rice was also served for dinner and it was liked by all.
“Hmm, nogi-I mean, rice tastes so good when cooked properly, huh?”
It seems the Shouro empire’s taste buds were similar to the Japanese. Jin found that very likeable.
That night, they engaged in lively conversations and the night wore on peacefully.
After having breakfast, they had a simple tour of the research lab.
Apart from Berthie, Reinhardt and Saki looked into it with blazing eyes.
And, the one thing Berthie showed interest on —
“Master Jin, about the futon you gifted us, what material is it made from? I would like to know.”
“Eh……”
Jin hesitated. ‘Is it okay to tell her that it’s made from the strings of a ‘grand caterpillar?’.
And so, he decided to answer with a question instead.
“Berthie, I think most of the clothes you guys wear are made of silk. Would you happen to know how this silk is made?”
His style of asking ended up being a bit weird as he panicked but Berthie replied without commenting on it.
“Yes, isn’t it made from the string produced by the ‘string bug’?”
“Are you not bothered by strings made by bugs?”
“No, not really? There are clothes and bags made from magical beasts as well and I don’t really hate bugs either. Pretty bugs like butterflies, that is.”
Jin was relieved to hear that and decided to answer her first question.
“That’s a relief. That futon is made with the strings produced by a grand caterpillar.”
“Grand caterpillar?”
Berthie asked another question.
“Jin, you know about grand caterpillars… no, do they actually exist here on this island? But it’s a magical beast that’s said to be extinct.”
“Yeah, I do know about them. In fact, there’s a ton of them on this island.”
“Ohh! That’s amazing! Please take me there! I wanna see them with my own eyes!”
Saki excitedly asked. However, since the giant caterpillar leaned over Jin the last time he went there, Jin was a bit uncomfortable going there again.
“Hmm, sooner or later… That’s because giant caterpillars are not good with light. They run away when it’s bright.”
He decided to explain it like so for now.
“Golems can move even in the dark, though.”
“I… see. It’s unfortunate but I guess it will have to wait. Can’t really do anything if I can’t actually see it.”
Saki sighed, looking dejected. She pulled herself back together immediately after.
“Well then, let’s look around other places.”
The workshop, laboratory, reference room and the storehouse. Even the refrigerated room and freezer.
“Hmm, seeing these again, I can’t say anything other than that it’s amazing…”
Reinhardt was at a loss for words. As for Saki,
“Jin, I want to live here……”
“I don’t mind.”
“Eh?”
Originally, Jin’s predecessor, Adrianna Balbora Ceci, had built this place up as a holy ground for magi craft.
Although he would reject people brimming with ambition or personal greed, there’s no reason for him to deny like-minded people here.
Saki was taken aback by how easily he agreed.
“It comes with a condition, though — keep this place a secret from the general public.”
“A-ahh, yes, of course, I promise! Jin, thank you!”
On this day, the resident count of Hourai island increased by 1.
“Brother Jin, what about me?”
Elsa, who couldn’t stay silent any longer, asked Jin after pulling on his sleeves.
“Mm? You have been a resident for quite a while now. You’re my protegee and disciple, after all.”
Hearing that, Elsa’s cheeks turned slightly red.
“Oh my, isn’t that wonderful, Miss Elsa?”
“……Yeah.”
Hearing Berthie say that, Elsa’s cheeks became redder.
“Ugghh, I want to live here too!”
“Dar-ling?”
Reinhardt shouted out but soon became silent realizing that Berthie was glaring at him.
“Haha, you can come here anytime you like, Reinhardt.”
As Jin consoled him like that, Reinhardt became jolly again in a jiffy.
“O-oh, is that so?! I am glad to have a friend like you!”
As such, the group gathered in the dining on the first floor and discussed the future along with Laojun.
[We could adjust the warp gates such that it allows passage when it detects a magic tool, which can act like a permit.]
Laojun expresses his suggestion regarding the security.
[We will do another checking in the relay base Shinkai. If it’s anyone other than Master Saki, Master Reinhardt or Master Berthie, we could destroy the warp gate there.]
“T-that sounds scary.”
Reinhardt tried imagining such an outcome. He didn’t quite understand what ‘Shinkai’ was but the thought of being stranded at the relay base was terrifying.
“It’s alright if I come as well?”
“Of course, you’re Reinhardt’s wife, after all. I want you to support your husband as much as you can as well.”
“Master Jin, thank you very much.”
After exchanging the promise of not exposing Hourai island to anyone else, something like a Hourai island family was born here.