On November 20th, Jin D, Zion D, and Reiko, carrying Jin's "doppelganger" Jin D, Zion's "doppelganger" Zion D, and Reiko, landed in Borgia, the capital of the Kingdom of Elias, under the pilotage of Hope. Reiko, and the <> was landing at Borgia, the capital of the Kingdom of Elias, with Hope at the helm.

The time was 9:00 a.m. The <> landed at the airfield in the royal castle.

"Mr. Zion, thank you for coming all the way here.

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

The person who greeted us was Fiorina de Dorante, Minister of Magical Technology.

After exchanging a brief greeting with Zion D., she then turns to Jin D.

"Third generation Magecraft Meister Jin, welcome!

We haven't seen each other since the ceremony.

The last time they had met was at the coronation of the current king, Adalbert Nimmo Elias I.

"Welcome, Miss Reiko!"

Reiko gave the curtsey silently.

After the greetings, Jin D. and the others were taken in a golem car to the .

At the workshop, Fiorina, the Minister of Magical Technology, who is the highest supervisor, introduces the members.

"Let me introduce you. Honorary head of the workshop, Citranella de Zaus Firenziano.

A woman who resembled the Marquis de Firenziano in Jin's memory bowed.

"My name is Lydes Wojek, head of the workshop."

A mature man in his 40s bowed.

"And he is ......."

"My name is Markkonen. It's an honor to meet you ......."

Dark brown hair, brown eyes, medium height. That was my first impression.

However, his eyes sometimes turned sharp when he looked at Jin D. and Reiko, and I could imagine that he had a lot of things on his mind.

On the other hand, he did not seem to have any feelings toward Zion D.

We all had a discussion in the common room of the workshop.

"I would like to introduce myself again. I am the assistant to Belialus, the clan leader of the Nordic Federation, and his wife, Sion.

"My name is Markonen. I am ...... a disciple of Master Markosias ...... No, I am his adopted son."

Jin, who was in sync with Jin D., was surprised, but Zion D. did not seem surprised.

"So you are, after all. ...... A man named San Marco Podium, who served in the Kingdom of Egelea, is probably your apprentice, isn't he?"

Did you know San Marco? ......Yes, he was one of my father-in-law's disciples."

I knew it.

I knew it," said Zion D. "Not many people give names like that these days, though.

"So, I'd like you to take me and Jin-dono to see Markosias, is that possible?"

"Yes, that's already done.

Markonen answered immediately. But he added a few words.

"But if ...... you can, would you be willing to let my < compete with ...... Miss Leco?"

An automata with crimson hair, Ruf. She looks like a 12 or 3 year old girl, about 145cm tall. She is a little bigger than Reiko.

"What is ...... competing with?"

Jin asked.

If they are not breaking each other, he thinks it would be a race, weightlifting, and so on.

"I'd like to ask you to do a mock battle with a shortsword. Of course, you can use a practice sword.

Reiko, what do you think?

"I don't mind..."

Reiko replied nonchalantly.

"...... then we'll borrow the training grounds of the Royal Castle.

Fiorina de Dorante, the Minister of Magical Arts and Technology, looked a little impatient and went back to the castle to ask for permission.

The rest of the group is escorted by Lydes Wojcik, the head of the workshop, to the training area.

There, about ten apprentice Kingsguard knights were training for a mock battle, when Fiorina, the Minister of Magic and Technology, returned and asked them to temporarily stop their training to make room for the others.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"I hear it's a mock battle between automata."

Those girls?

Reiko and Ruf faced each other with their mock swords as the Kingsguard knights who had turned out to watch the event were talking amongst themselves.

The judge was an instructor training apprentice knights of the Kingsguard.

The winner is the one who hits the opponent in the body with the sword. ......, begin!"

Before the voice could finish, the two disappeared, and then there was a high-pitched metallic sound.

It was the sound of swords clashing.

Instead of a head-on collision, the two men continued their sword fight, sometimes blocking, sometimes deflecting.

"Hey, you see that?

"Oh, yeah, barely. ......"

Reiko and Ruf were fighting with such speed that even the Kingsguard couldn't catch them, running around the training ground.

(Reiko now is about ......15 percent faster than Ruf. She's quite an automaton to be on an equal footing with Reiko.

Through the eyes of Jin D, Jin of Horai Island is observing the battle. He had already instructed Reiko not to overwhelm her opponent, but to win by slightly surpassing him.

Reiko then increased the output to 20 percent.

Immediately afterwards there was the sound of a sword shattering, and a moment later Reiko's sword was placed on Ruf's neck.

Ruf's sword was broken at the root.

"That's it!　Mistress Reiko wins!"

There was a murmur, not a cheer.

"Hey ......"

"Oh, ......."

"...... no matter how much you practice, you'll never reach that realm. ......"

The apprentice knight of the Kingsguard, who was watching the game, felt like his heart was about to break.

"I lost. That's the kind of automata my father-in-law is aiming for.

Marconen pats Ruf on the head, feeling sorry for him.

"I wonder if you are satisfied now."

Hitoshi D. also worked on Reiko.

"Yes, it's strong enough to convince me."

Marconen looks refreshed.

"I think I understand why my father-in-law (Chichi) is so obsessed with this. ......Perhaps he wasn't giving it his all?　......Ruf was going all out."

Jin silently smiled in place of an answer.

* * *

Marconen seemed to agree, so Jin D, Reiko, and Zion D, along with Marconen and the automata Ruf, decided to go see Markosias.

"Well, Your Excellency Fiorina, Minister of Magical Technology, I'm going to borrow Mister Markonen for a while.

Theon D. said and boarded the Hurricane.

"And we are off."

Hope piloted the Hurricane into the sky.

"The stability of a large aircraft is very different from that of a small one, isn't it?

That was Markkonen's first comment. And then,

"First, please continue northward.

He indicated the course to be taken.

The destination was the northern part of the Laurentian Continent, further north of the Krüger Mountains.