Chapter 399 (1/2)

June 18, two days before the Technology Expo.

Confirming the date, Jin decided it was best to leave for Reinhardt’s place in Vanne before noon. Elsa and Mine planned to meet up with Jin later.

Just before he left, Laojun spoke with Jin and handed over a magi crystal. “I’ve finally managed a little analysis of gravity magic. The details are recorded in this magi crystal.”

Taking the crystal from Laojun, Jin’s face shone. “Thanks for the great work, Laojun. Please keep at it… I’d better be on my way then…”

“Yes, my Lord. Have a safe trip.”

Jin passed through the warp gate.

“Hey Jin, it’s been three days?” Saki greeted him from the front of her house.

Jin had seen her three days ago on Hourai Island. “Ah, that’s right. Have you finished your paper?”

“Yeah, it’s perfect. The golem copies are done too.”

Golem copies, as the name implied, referred to copies of a piece of writing made through golem technology. Since there was no printing technology here, things needed to be copied out by hand. Golems were used because it was difficult for humans to do it themselves. Golems could write faster than humans and they made no mistakes. Since they didn’t need to take breaks, it was said that they were 3 times faster at copying than humans while also being more accurate.

In truth, Hourai Island’s golem handwritings were even faster than this, but Jin wasn’t stupid enough to draw unwanted attention to the island by spreading this information about.

After being guided by Saki, Jin entered the house. It had been cleaned and repaired to the point that Jin could barely recognize it. Jin said so honestly, and Saki shyly smiled.

“Kufu, it’s all thanks to Aal. The walls, floor, and ceiling are all beautiful now. He replaced and repainted the damaged areas.”

Her face became serious again. “I didn’t really understand things back then. I learnt from observing my Father. I wanted to become a fully fledged alchemist as fast as possible and I rushed things. I was indifferent to what I wore or ate. My life was honestly a mess. When I think back on it, I feel like a fool.” Saki breathed out. Just then, Aal came in with tea.

Taking a sip of it, Saki continued, “Seeing Elsa, I finally woke up. That girl. She can cook! And she even teaches children to study. Yet, she’s a magi engineer … a magi craftsman who has grown so, so much. I’m really no match for her.”

Saki had wanted to be seen for her own worth, rather than just her father’s, and that caused her to push herself to the point of neglecting the rest of her life.

The conversation drifted to other matters then.

“Where’s your luggage? Actually, where’s your stuff for the Expo?”

Jin laughed before answering Saki’s natural question, “It’s all onboard Reinhardt’s boat, moored at Lake Tosmo.”

“Well, that is a surprise. You’ll tell me how he made that vessel someday, right?”

“Of course.”

Their interaction came to an end and Jin made his way to Saki’s Barn. He was going to retrieve the carriage he’d left there for the journey. He planned to transport the warp gate to the Expo in Koju using it.

Originally, the barn door was not large enough for the carriage to fit in and out, so Jin had destroyed part of it and then remodeled it. Because of this, the carriage could be pulled out easily by sliding a modified wall above the entrance.

“Hey! Since when could my barn door do that?”

Jin bowed and apologized to Saki, who smiled mischievously.

“I’m really sorry! I remodeled it without asking. Sorry… If you want me to fix it, I’ll put it back to how it was right away. “

Saki smiled at his words and shook her head, “Haha, that’s okay. I don’t really use this barn anyways, and we’re ‘family’ right?”

Hearing her say this, Jin grinned. “Thank you. ”

In the afternoon, Jin and Saki, followed by Reiko and Aal, made their way to Reinhardt’s house.

“Hey Jin. Hi Saki. It’s finally time for the Expo, huh?” Reinhardt greeted them with a smile.

They all moved to a private room in Reinhardt’s home. Reinhardt’s father, Wolfgang, had already left for Koju.

“Welcome to our home Lord Jin, Ms. Saki.”

Berthie brewed fragrant tea.

“The paddle wheeler is floating on Lake Tosmo.”

“Yeah, I heard from Laojun. Thanks. ”

Reinhard always kept one of Jin’s mana comms to stay in contact.

Speaking of things belonging to Jin, he just remembered leaving some of his treatment magic, healing and remedy drugs, and golem horses with Lycia and Pasco.

Well, it’s Lycia so she wouldn’t abuse or misuse my stuff, but I need to go pick it up soon, Jin thought.

That night, they rested at Reinhardt’s house before heading to Koju the next morning.

“I heard Prince Ernest of the Kingdom of Egelia will be there, and there’ll be magi craftsman coming from the Kingdom of Celuroa too.” Reinhardt added that the Royals of Celuroa weren’t coming because the country was going through some internal unrest.

“I’m excited for it.”

“Yeah, absolutely. I wonder how many people will be named Magi Engineer Maestro this year? Well, without a doubt, Jin will be. But I hope I’ll have a chance too.”

Magi Engineer Maestro was the title given to leading magi craftsman. It wasn’t limited to one person, so anyone deemed excellent could receive the title. It was rarely ever given out to begin with though.

Father is far better than any of them though…Beside them, Reiko refrained from voicing this comment, but she was thinking it in her heart.

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The following day, the group departed from Reinhardt’s estate at 8:00 in the morning. They took the exact opposite route they had taken the last time they crossed the lake from Koju.