Maitrei Kouno is only 24 years old this year, but he has been fulfilling his role as one of the four high disciples of Tomoshide Yoda since the latter's departure from the Magi Seekers.

Today, he is on his way to the village of Quent to buy buckwheat flour.

The climate in this region is not so cold as to be cool, but the production of wheat and barley, the main grains, is low because of the thin soil.

For this reason, buckwheat, which can be harvested two to three times a year, is widely cultivated, and even <> have been using it as their staple food.

Of course, they have a concept of nutritional balance, so they pay attention to their diet so as not to lack carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

And today, May 15, I took MS-08-1, an automata (automata) 1, an automaton (automata) who was my escort and luggage bearer, came to the village of Quent in a <> to do some shopping.

We have prepared Thor currency and magic tools as payment.

The main magic tools are a magic stove and its magic cartridges.

Since it is difficult to secure a heat source in this region, the magic stove was much appreciated.

* * * *

"...... Mr. Mighty, please look over there."

What's going on?

A huge airship has landed.

...... can't you see it?

I'm sorry, sir. It's over two kilometers away. It's not visible to the naked eye.

That's right.

What do you want me to do, get closer?

"...... No, I don't think so."

The best thing to do is to stay out of trouble.

The car carrying one person and one body arrived at the village of Kuento at 9:00 a.m.

* * * * *

"......Oh, the atmosphere seems a little different..."

After getting out of the car, Maitei Kouno noticed that the village of Kuento looked different from usual.

He felt that the village seemed to be a little more upbeat.

Then he saw a familiar face and decided to ask him about it.

"Oh, the day before yesterday ......?　The day before yesterday?　...... Well, anyway, a group of scholars has been visiting us for a few days now."

"Scholars?"

"Scholars?" That's what he said. They checked out the stones and cliffs and asked around about the old stories of the village and made a magical tool to make the water taste better and, yes, even examined the whole village.

"Oh, ......?"

I'm going to the fields.

I'm going to the fields." "...... I'm sorry I stopped you."

After the villagers left, Mighty Kouno asked his companion, MS-081, an automaton, "What do you think?

"What do you think?"

"Yes, I have no doubt that this is what the did. And the < and his team are several people, I believe, specializing in different fields."

"Indeed."

What do you think?　Should we turn back today?

"Well, I don't know. ......"

After thinking about it, his interest in the "scholarly teacher" got the better of him.

Maitrei was a recluse, but he was curious about the <> race and wanted to talk to a fellow student of learning, albeit in a different field.

In short, Maitrei was a bit more diplomatic than most of the recluses (that's why he was in charge of the buying).

"Okay, let's keep going, shall we?"

"Yes."

The car started moving again and entered the village of Quent.

First, we went to the house of the village headman.

The first thing he did was to go to the chief's house.

"Father, is this okay?"

"Oh, it's good."

Jin and Reiko were working on an additional magical device to soften hard water at the village chief's house.

Goh is following Erza around the village. He had been cooped up yesterday, so today he was let out of the house.

"I can't make it because I don't have any more materials," he said.

"Well, that's no use."

He had brought some materials with him so that he could make something useful while he was out, but he ran out of them after making two sets of magic tools.

I could have asked the old man to send it to me, but since I was not in such a tight situation, I completed it only with what I had on hand.

"Please use this as a sample for your own work.

"Oh, Mr. Jin, thank you very much.

I thought it would be better to have a sample so that he could experience the effect of the magic tool to soften hard water.

"I'm sorry."

Then a voice called out to him.

"Oh, this voice is Mr. ...... Jin, it seems that the person you are looking for has arrived.

"What?"

"First of all, I'll take care of it."

Village headman Kyou called out to Jin and headed for the front door.

"Ah, Mr. Maitei, welcome.

"...... thank you again for your hospitality."

Buckwheat flour?

"...... yes, about 100 kilos."

Yes, about 100 kilos. -Okay, please wait.

Jin could hear them talking like this.

"Well, as you may know, we have a visitor who would like to meet you. Could you meet him while I prepare the buckwheat flour?"

"Yes,...... and ......, yes, of course."

I heard this exchange, and then a young man was brought to the village by the chief.

"Oh,...... nice to meet you,....... Kouno...... my name is Maitay Kouno."

"My name is Jin. Nice to meet you."

After saying his name, Jin thought, "Oh," but Maitay did not care.

Perhaps it was because the name "Jin" was not so rare in this day and age. Or perhaps it was because he thought that the current generation of <> would never come to a place like this, Jin did not know.

But it was good that they were not alarmed.

"I'm here with a group of students. The main purpose is to study the geology and resources, as well as the customs and ethnicity of the region. ...... my friends."

"Are you not a scholar, ...... Jin-san?"

"Yes. I am an engineer.

"......Are you a magecraftsman?"

"Yes. Are you?

"......Yes, yes, well, ......"

"I saw the filter in your well. You put it on because the groundwater here is very hard, isn't it?"

"......, uh, yes."

After exchanging a few words in this way, Hitoshi began to think that this man, Maitei Kouno, was quite shy.