Ten days after the incident with the Giant Peeders.
Stearleana had safely entered the Celuroa Kingdom. Needless to say, she would go back to Hourai Island almost every day during the day.
“I’ll do away with that mansion when I get back!”
She wouldn’t hesitate to make such declarations. She seemed to have become tremendously disgusted with the Celuroa Kingdom.
Reinhardt and Berthie spent most of their time in Kartze Village. He had just become a Lord, so it couldn’t be helped.
“I’ve been told that in that village next to Kaina, Toka, was it? There’s a new Lord living there. I’d like to discuss territorial management with him sometime.”
Those kinds of conversations were taking place.
Saki was finally freed from the formal aristocratic life and was free to study to her heart’s content. She also gnawed on several foodstuffs as she pleased.
“Uhuhu, I don’t need to worry about food, there’s a lot of good ingredients… This is the best!”
Her behavior made Ehr worry about her as well.
As for Mine, her everyday life consisted in trial and error, in an attempt to reproduce the “baker’s yeast” with Peridot, as suggested by Jin.
The fermentation of wine and beer was done with yeast cells. There are many types of yeast, but the one that is most suitable for making bread was called “baker’s yeast”.
Jin knew that much, but anything beyond that was completely out of his scope.
Yeast research would also lead to miso and soy sauce, so Peridot and the others worked hard because it was something that Jin wanted to put particular effort into.
Which is why they had chosen to recreate the “baker’s yeast” first.
“The bread that we make with that yeast is so spongy, and it tastes so well!”
It seemed that a new specialty was about to be created in Kaina Village.
And, of course, she hadn’t forgotten about her duties as a teacher. A study session was held at Nidou Castle three days a week.
The reason why they were no longer held at the village headman’s house was because Sally had opened a clinic there.
Although attending school there was a little farther away than before, no child would miss class because there were delicious meals served during “school lunch”.
＊ ＊ ＊
During that time, Elsa went back and forth between her parents’ house, Kaina Village, and Hourai Island.
He went to his parents’ house to see his bedridden father, Georg. Of course, that would be whenever she came from Reinhardt’s territory, Kartz Village.
Even with Elsa’s healing magic, his father Georg’s condition was almost unchanged. Elsa was starting to feel helpless about it.
One day, there was an unexpected reunion.
“…Welcome home, Elsa.”
“M… Mother?”
When Elsa went to her parents’ house, Elsa’s stepmother, Marlene Randall von Nefra, was returning from medical treatment and about to take care of her husband Georg.
“I heard some of what you’ve gone through. You’ve also had it quite rough yourself… I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you on those hard times.”
After she said that, Marlene gently hugged Elsa.
“M… Mother…”
A mother who Elsa had loved ever since she was little. Gentle arms, gentle voice. Surrounded by nostalgic warmth, Elsa cried.
“…I thought that man had to be insane, but I was too much of a coward to say anything. When they announced your betrothal to the Marquis, I was too dumbstruck to actually say anything against it…”
For the first time, Elsa learned that Georg had been violent against his wife, Marlene. She too had been a victim.
Half of the time she went for her medical treatment was actually an excuse in order for her to be able to keep her distance from Georg a little longer.
“Can you forgive me? I’ve done nothing but run away… I’m really sorry, I’ve been a bad mother…”
“Yes… It’s alright…”
Surrounded by the warmth of her mother Marlene, Elsa returned to her child-like state and kept crying for a little while.
After finally having calmed down, Elsa was talking with Marlene while still cuddled up to her. Elsa was doing most of the talking. It was mostly about everything that happened after going on a trip with Reinhardt. Marlene listened with a smile.
“…Looks like you’ve had some good experiences. I’m glad you sent it on a trip. And this… Jin, was it? I’d like to meet him sometime.”
“Knowing Brother Jin, he’ll surely come one of these days… Ah!”
Right after saying that, Elsa realized she had called Jin her brother, and blushed.
“Oh, so you can make that face too, Elsa? Hehe…”
Marlene poked at Elsa’s cheeks repeatedly.
“M-Mother…”
As the surprised Elsa backed away, Marlene stared at her and began to speak with a more serious tone.
“Elsa, now that he’s under my care, you don’t need to worry so much. Don’t you have something you’d like to do instead?”
“Thank you…”
Tears started to well up on Elsa’s eyes once again.
“Well, well, here I was thinking about how much you’ve grown up, but you’re still a crybaby.”
Marlene wiped Elsa’s face with a handkerchief, and at that time, Elsa caught a glimpse of blue bruises from under the cuff of her blouse.
“Mother, what happened to your arm?”
Marlene quickly pulled her arm back.
“You’ve seen it, huh? It’s much better now. It was completely blue a month ago.”
“I’m sure you’ve got a damaged main blood vessel.”
“Huh? A main blood vessel?”
“Yeah. Leave it to me.”
Elsa stood up next to Marlene, and rolled up her sleeve.
“Elsa?”
“Völlig Genesung.”
The healing magic wrapped around Marlene’s right arm and healed it before their eyes. The part that had changed to blue quickly returned to its regular skin color.
“E-Elsa? You can use not only Engineering magic, but Healing magic as well…”
“Yeah, I haven’t told you before, but I’ve learned how to use it thanks to Brother Jin.”
Rubbing her cured arm, Marlene smiled as she spoke with Elsa.
“Elsa, you have to go and follow your own path. The path of Magi Craft and Healing magic. You have to make the best use of that talent of yours. I’ll always be here, praying for your happiness…”
“Mother…”
Elsa had shedded tears many times that day.
＊ ＊ ＊
Jin had been visited by Lithia.
The road was quite rough, and even though traveling by carriage was impossible, thanks to the hard work of the soldiers stationed in Toka Village, it was very possible to travel by horse.
Especially with a golem horse. In a single day, one could go from Toka Village to Kaina Village, and with plenty of time to spare.
After leaving Toka Village at 6 AM, she arrived at Kaina Village at 2 PM. This time, after being persuaded by Lithia, Gloria accompanied her on a golem horse borrowed by Pasco. She was surprised at the quality of the ride.
“Jin… I, Lithia Farheight, have become a baronet and have taken the village of Toka as a territory.”
“Lord Jin, I, Gloria Ohlstat, have joined Baronet Farheight as her guard.”
“Welcome. It’s been a while, Lithia. You too, Gloria.”
Jin met them at his office in Nidou Castle.
“Let’s do away with the formalities and speak with each other as we always have.”
After Jin said that, Lithia and Gloria looked at each other and nodded.
“Ah, I’m glad you suggested that, Jin.”
Lithia relaxed her shoulders and offered a wrapped scroll to Jin.
“Jin, this is an official letter from King Klein. It’s your certificate as Magi Craft Meister.”
“Thanks.”
After opening the scroll, Jin found that the Klein Kingdom had issued a certificate officially recognizing him as the Magi Craft Meister, in return for him having assisted Lithia and Pasco during their magical fever by providing them with recovery medicine.
There was also a letter and contract stating that the Inado Mine would belong to Kaina Village as of August 1st.
Finally, there was an apology for Viscount Bayer’s unfair mining of resources, and a statement that said that all resources mined during that time would be handed over to Jin.
“Ah…”
Jin frowned, as he wasn’t expecting any sort of reward for his efforts during the magical fever incident.
The Inado Mine had completely collapsed due to the previous incident with the Giant Peeders, so Jin hadn’t thought about hearing about its production.
Jin had to endure the urge to say “It’s too much of a hassle, I don’t want it” but then he remembered the story he heard from Land units who had dived into the mine. They had said that they found some unfamiliar magic tool inside.
Jin recalled that it might be a good idea to make a dedicated golem to investigate underground, and decided to accept the Inado Mine.
After Jin seemed to be done reading, Lithia bowed her head, and Gloria soon followed suit.
“I don’t feel entirely at ease to apologize, but let me do so either way, first of all!”
“Lord Jin, please accept our sincerest apologies. Even though he was ordered to, our father was still concerned with that plan. We are truly sorry for that.”
Jin wasn’t planning to complain or anything, but if he were to be too soft in dealing with it, he could end up being perceived as treating them with contempt, so he figured he might as well say something.
“I don’t really care about the resources of this country. What really bothers me is when someone stabs me on the back.”
“Y-Yeah, we’re honestly sorry about that!”
Lithia was surprised to see Jin so unusually displeased. And she was without a doubt going to talk about it with the Prime Minister.
“…Well, it really means nothing to be here complaining to you two about it, so let’s leave it at that. Still, please make sure to pass this on, okay?”
“Y-Yes, of course!”
Lithia breathed out a sigh of relief after realizing that though Jin was angry, his anger wasn’t directed at her. Then, she came up with a question just to change the mood.
“By the way, Jin, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Thank you. Umm… You’ve been certified as the Magi Craft Meister in the Shouro Empire the other day. When and how did you come back here?”