Jin and his team built a delta-winged <. The prototype was named <.

X means prototype.

Three similar prototypes were built. These were named <<<.

The reason why I named them <>, even though they are the same type, is that I assume that they will be modified and developed as <> in the future.

Incidentally, 1 is for Jin, 2 is for Rhodos, and 3 is for Rubina.

"Well, how about we each play around with these ...... and compare them in a week?"

"Oh, yes!

"Sounds interesting."

Rubina and Rhodes agree, so Jin will be on Horai Island and Rhodes will be in the . Rubina is to conduct her research here on .

* * * * *

When Jin returned to Horai Island, Reinhardt had also completed his own blow floater and was conducting a test flight.

"Hey, welcome back, Jin."

"Hey, Reinhard. ......, you've made a nice one."

Reinhardt's first prototype had a shape that made Jin want to call it a motor hang glider.

It had triangular wings like a kite extended sideways and a suspended pilot's seat.

<

"That's great."

I'm honored to hear you say so, Jin. ......Yes, we also make maricas."

"What?"

"It's not finished yet, so it should be in the large workshop behind the institute."

"I see. I'll go there.

<

"Here it is. ...... Marikka, come in!"

"What?

Marikka responded as Jin entered the large workshop.

"Jin, Jin-sama, why are you here?

"Because I just got back from ...... and Reinhardt told me that Marikka is also making a new blow floater."

"Yes, isn't that right,......?"

"Oh, so this is it. I see.

"Oh, um, Mr. Jin, please don't stare at me too long, I'm very shy.

But the blow floaters that Marikka is making are so good that even Jin is impressed.

"I see, so this is Marikka's idea."

If Reinhardt's <> was a , Marikka's was a .

The pilot's seat is suspended from the long wing. It differs from a paraglider in that all of its components are <.

In other words, paragliders can be folded into a smaller size, but this one cannot.

"You made it long from side to side in order to twist the wings and use them as auxiliary wings, didn't you?

"Yes, that's right."

Jin recalled a biography of the Wright Brothers that he had read long ago.

It was written that the early planes they built, <>, had twisted wings pulled by wires.

Later, as the wings became stiffer, <> appeared.

Since when, ...... does not know.

Marikka's aircraft was built in such a way.

"The propulsion system is about standard, but the <> is more than one ......?

"Ah, yes. I thought it would be safer to have more than one engine as a backup or something to prevent a crash. ......

"Yes, I agree. I agree with you.

I'm honored!

* * * *

Jin then returned to his house. Reiko, on her own initiative, stayed behind in the laboratory.

<

"Welcome home.

"I'm home. I'm sorry I was gone for so long.

"No, it's okay. <

The research that Erza is talking about is on the subject of why engineering magic doesn't work on living things.

These days, it's about <>.

A cut-off branch becomes effective immediately, but it does not die immediately after being cut off. For some trees, it is possible to take a <> from it, so that the roots grow and the tree begins to grow again.

Of course, there are cases where the cuttings are not successful, but so far, without exception, the branches that have been cut off have been able to work their engineering magic immediately, so it seems that this is not simply a case of living or non-living cells, which was the impetus for the research.

"So, did you figure it out?"

"......"

Elsa shook her head silently .

"I see. ......"

Jin joined her in worrying.

"......I read a manga or a novel a long time ago, and it said that living things have a material body and a spiritual body, and that the spiritual body has several layers."

Erza reacted to these words with a twitch.

"Tell me more about it."

"No, I don't remember if it was mysticism or spiritual science. ......"

I don't remember if it was mysticism or spiritual science, and moreover, it was fiction.

"Still, the human imagination is sometimes close to the truth.

Elsa says.

Yes, we cannot laugh at fantasies and delusions. They often contain fragments of truth.

"Well, the mental body is made up of several layers of something called the body, and the soul or mental power depends on it. ......, right?"

Jin didn't remember much more than that.

"...... interesting."

Still, it seemed to give Erza some clues,

"There are spirit life forms, and the existence of souls is undeniable."

She pondered.

"You've considered such a theory before, haven't you?"

"Hmmm... In the words of my brother ...... Jin, <>, there is something called soul, soul, spirit, and so on. That may be the key."

"I see."

"A homunculus is not just a matter of transcribing memories. The <> level <<10>> may be able to transcribe such <> as well ......."

"So that's what you mean ......."

Elsa further explains her theory.

"Knowledge and experience are afterthoughts. Personality is not yet the essence. The base of it, that may be the ......."

Jin imagined that the soul is like an operating system, on which applications are applied to form the personality .......

"It's a deep subject. That's why it's worthwhile."

Jin cheered for Erza, feeling that he could somehow get closer to the essence of life and living things.

"Yeah, go for it."

Jin was happy to see that Erza, who had regenerated as a homunculus, had also found her goal of "approaching the essence of life.