Sap is a mysterious substance that is not contained in the tree but is secreted only when the tree is damaged.

In an experiment with lacquer trees, they cut down the trees and used a press to squeeze out the water and sap, but the amount of sap was nowhere near the amount of lacquer sap that could be collected in the usual way.

In other words, the most efficient way to collect sap is to cut the bark and collect the sap that seeps out of it.

"......This one tree will take too much time, let's see if we can find more."

"Yes."

Jin and the others scratched the tree they had found, tied a sap receiver to it, and then looked around for more trees.

As a result, we found 4 trees around the meadow and set the sap receptors on them.

Jin checked other places to see if there were any more, and found that they were scattered around the island, so he decided to call > from Horai Island and have him collect them.

Jin and the others take back only what they have collected this time as a sample. They obtained about a cupful of raw material of .

"With this much, we should be able to conduct at least a verification experiment.

It was 3:00 in the afternoon. If they returned to Nido Castle, the current lord, Eris, would have arrived by now.

"Let's go home."

Yes.

Thus, with some success, Jin and the others returned to Nido Castle.

* * * * *

When Jin and his party landed in front of Nido Castle in , the current lord Ellis and his party had just arrived there.

The village chief, Geisak, is also there and welcomes them.

"...... You're the new <?　Nice to meet you, my name is Ellis Nido.

Elise was an elderly woman with light blonde hair that had a hint of white in it.

"Oh, I'm Jin Nido. Pleased to meet you."

I am Marikka from Shinra.

My name is Greenina Kuzma.

Rubina Garrett.

Rubina Garrett. - Hello, hello, hello, hello. Jin Nido, you go by that name. And you're from the Shinra clan?　It's an honor to meet you.

Ellis had the air of Martha with a hint of Elsa and Hannah.

"And you are Kuzma, you say? Count ...... no, are you a relative of the Marquis?"

Ellis seems to know a lot about the former Jin family.

Then comes Reiko, who has put <> in the hangar.

"This is Reiko. She is an automata.

My name is Reiko.

Oh, my, you are a lovely young lady. Reiko, ...... you have the same name as your predecessor's daughter Reiko, don't you?

Uh... ......

Jin wondered how to explain, but before he could give an answer,

"Grandmother, I've put the car away."

A young man came to him, saying, "Thank you for your help.

"Thank you for your help. Freddy, this is Mr. Jin, the third generation Magecraft Meister, and his friends.

"...... I see. I am ...... Freddy Nido."

Freddy is a young man of about 20 years old with blond hair and blue eyes like Elise.

When Maricka and the others had finished saying their names, Butlers B and C, who were in charge of Nido Castle, arrived.

"Welcome, Mr. Ellis!

"Come this way, Mr. Jin."

Ellis and his friends were escorted into the castle by Butler B and Jin and his friends by Butler C.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jin and the others were talking in their guest room.

"...... Is that the current lord?"

"He looks somewhat like Erza-san, doesn't he?"

"......Yes."

Jin nodded at Marikka's words.

"But that grandson Freddy seemed to be staring at you.

Reiko nodded at Marikka's words.

"Yes, he was definitely staring at his father.

"I don't ...... know anything about that.

We've never met before," Jin said.

"Well, that's all right. It's just this one time, right?"

Rubina said, taking it easy.

"I don't think that's going to happen."

Jin explains to Rubina.

"How do you explain the fact that we can freely use the facilities of Nido Castle and even the warp gate?"

"Oh, I see."

"Well, I guess we can declare that even the third generation can use such facilities.

"What's wrong with that?"

Rubina has more ideas for making things than anyone else, but she is still a child and has yet to learn how to play the game in human society. Jin, too, is not at a level that he can boast about to others.

"I'm sure you'll be asked a lot of questions about my background and past," he said.

For Ellis, these are people who may share a distant ancestry ....... Even Greena has a family name of <<>.

It's funny not to notice.

"If I knew their personalities, I could deal with them a little better.

As we were talking about this, there was a knock at the door.

"Excuse me, sir."

When I opened the door, I saw that it was Butler C. He said, "Dinner will be ready soon.

Dinner will be ready soon. So, Mr. Ellis would like to have dinner with us, if you don't mind.

Jin thought for a moment, and then replied, "Then, I would like to join you.

I'm sorry for asking you out.

I'm sorry I forced you to come with me.

When he met Jin and the others in the cafeteria, Ellis said as soon as he opened his mouth.

"No, please don't worry about it."

Marikka, not Jin, replied. By appearances alone, the two look to be about the same age.

On the other hand, her grandson Freddy said

"...... why the hell are you the third generation?

He glared at Jin.

（Oh, I see.)

Jin could understand the feeling, but in reality, he is not the third generation, but the second generation himself, so he is at a loss as to why.

"...... d*mn it ...... why don't I have any talent for magical engineering ......"

Freddy looks frustrated.

(I see, you are also frustrated because you can't become a Magecraft Meister.)

Jin feels a little sympathy for Freddy.

(In that case, should he tell them that he is the second generation of the Nido family, not the third?)

) Then he also thought that as long as Jin is around, no one can become a , so he should not have to feel regret ......, but he wondered if that would help those who are already feeling regretful.　(?

(......?　But Freddy is ......)

Jin noticed something and looked up to confirm it,

"Enough!

He heard an exasperated voice of Grina saying, "That's enough!