"What, Jin-dono has a hot air balloon?"

In the afternoon of July 27th, the two countries of Klein and Egelea were informed of the gift from Jin named <>, which was sent from the Shoro Kingdom.

At the same time, the information about the demon tribe was also reported, and together with the letter from Machina that had reached the two countries, there was tension among the leaders of the two kingdoms.

However, the distance between the Kingdom of Klein and the Kingdom of Egelea from the territory of the demon tribe was very different, and naturally, the level of tension was different between the two kingdoms.

* * * * *

At 10:00 a.m. on July 29, Alban, the capital of the Kingdom of Klein.

"Oh, I see it!

"Wow, there really are djinns on board!"

It's been a long time.

It's amazing. ......

In the square in front of the castle, a large number of Kingsguard knights, Prime Minister Powell, Princess Rieschen, Prince Ernest of the Kingdom of Egeria, and Licia's father, Niklas Faarheit, were waiting for Jin's arrival.

Prince Ernest was visiting the Kingdom of Klein while sending Princess Rieschen.

Niklas is present because he was one of the people who saw the Unified Party's during the battle at Tetrada.

As they watched, the hot air balloon with Jin on board landed in the center of the plaza. Only Jin and Reiko landed this time. Because they had a lot of baggage.

Erza remained in Shoro to visit her parents.

Jin!"

Prince Ernest was the first to run out. Princess Rieschen followed.

The Kingsguard knights who did not know Jin directly scrunched up their faces, but those who knew him, such as Glen Davrode, the leader of the Kingsguard, and Heinz Rasch, a young knight, were calm and composed.

Jin bowed to them as they ran toward him,

"It has been a long time, Your Highness Prince Ernest and Princess Rieschen.

"Jin, it's been a long time. ...... I didn't know you talked like that."

Yes. Ernesto-sama's right, it's a little too formal for you, isn't it?

Thank you. Thank you. ......"

Jin clears his throat and says, "It's been a long time,

"It's been a long time, Your Highness.

He smiled and greeted them again.

"Jin-dono, or rather, Magecraft Meister, Sir Jin Nido, welcome.

Prime Minister Powell walked up to Jin and held out a silver plate.

"This is a certificate granting you permission to enter and leave my country. As in the Shoro Kingdom, you may bring up to ten people with you."

"Thank you very much."

Jin thanked him and accepted it.

"Now then, let me show you how to operate this hot air balloon.

Jin begins by explaining the structure of the balloon and then moves on to its operation.

By the way, this time the air sacs were not made of sandworms but of dragonfly eels.

I chose this one because it is a material for demons caught in the Kingdom of Klein.

After the explanation, the hot air balloon floated up into the sky with Prime Minister Powell and Niklas on board.

"This is very comfortable!

"Indeed, no wonder the Unifilers feel so superior.

"I don't care if it's for fighting against demons, but please don't use it for fighting among humans."

Jin repeatedly said that he did not want this to be used for the conflict between humans.

Of course, Jin knows this. Of course, Jin knew that most of the technology could be converted directly into military power.

"Yes, I know that. I still vividly remember what the deus ex machina meant and the mysterious power he wielded.

Having been on the front lines in Tetrada, the futility of war had sunk deep into his bones.

As Niklas, he could only trust in the reason and goodness of the people.

"......The honorary baron should have been appointed by the king, and I am sorry to have had to act as his deputy."

The Prime Minister bowed to Jin as he was ushered into the reception room.

The honorary knighthood announced by Princess Rieschen in the Shoro Kingdom was only a notification, so this was a formal appointment.

"The king is ill at the moment and is lying low.

"Father is not a strong man to begin with. As a concubine, I am concerned.

Princess Rieschen, who was also present at the meeting, looked unhappy.

"Master Ernest has greeted me, and I think I've been able to show a little filial piety."

The youngest daughter's betrothal must have been a great joy for her father.

Jin asked the king in a roundabout way if he could visit her, but he was told that only the royal family, his entourage, and the doctor at his side were allowed to do so.

(Well, it could not be helped, could it?)

(Well, what can one do?) Since Jin did not know the symptoms of the disease, there was no guarantee that he could cure it, and he did not have the right to force a visit to the hospital to see the patient.

Jin explained to the Prime Minister and Princess Rieschen everything he knew about the demon tribe.

"......Mm, I understand. Gloria Allstadt returned just now with nine soldiers and reported that they were attacked by a demon tribe as mentioned in the letter from Makina-sama. It seems that they were attacked by demons. And although they are not demons, the other day, Makina-sama killed a giant centipede and ......."

The Prime Minister, having said all that, hurriedly bowed to Jin and apologized.

"Jin-dono!　I am very sorry!"

Of course, there was the matter of the Inado Mine. Although Jin had heard about it from Licia, the Prime Minister explained and apologized again.

"It is not right that such an abandoned mine should be donated to the government. Therefore, I would like to confer on you, Sir Jin Nido, the Order of the First Class, in addition to the honorary knighthood. Will you accept it?"

"Yes, thank you."

Jin thought about it for a while and decided to accept the award, since it would make an angle to say that he would not accept the award here what he had received in the Shoro Kingdom.

Being a nobleman is often convenient in this world. I have been feeling this especially recently. However, Jin thinks that he should only flaunt his status as a knight when necessary.

"So, Jin-dono, regarding the matter of taking Prince Ernest to the Kingdom of Egelea in Sir Ernest's , I have just received your reply and you have agreed to it.

"I see."

Jin was going to take this opportunity to visit the Kingdom of Egelea, and he thought it would be a good demonstration if he took Prince Ernesto along with him.

Since the Shoro Kingdom had a track record of transporting the Queen and other leaders, and the Klein Kingdom had a track record of transporting the Prime Minister, he asked them to contact him through regular communication using the manaphone.

As a result, the royal family of the Kingdom of Egelea allowed Prince Ernest to be carried by Jin's hot-air balloon to the capital city of Asunto.

Needless to say, this was done at the request of Prince Ernest himself.

* * * * * * * * *

At 7:00 a.m. on the morning of August 1, the next day.

After assembling the other two hot-air balloons that had been brought to Klein Kingdom, Jin and Reiko got into their respective gondolas.

Reiko looked worried, but Jin patted her head and told her not to worry.

Naturally, they had the Magi Crystals inscribed with lightening magic, and Falcon and the others were guarding them in the sky above.

Jin, I'd like to talk to you again. ......Mr. Ernest, I guess this is goodbye for now."

Princess Rieschen is sad to see him off.

"Princess Rieschen, we will meet again soon."

"...... Ries, the next time I see you will be when I come to get you!"

"Ah, Ernesto-sama ......."

Princess Rieschen turned red at Prince Ernest's matter-of-fact tone.

"Well then, Sir Jin Nido, please take good care of his highness."

With these final words from Prime Minister Powell, Jin Nido boarded the gondola.

"Yes, we are leaving now."

Jin and Reiko each operate a hot air balloon.

Princess Rieschen waved her hands in a thousand different directions as she watched the two hot air balloons slowly ascend.

In Jin's gondola is Prince Ernest and his golem, Lotte, and in Reiko's gondola is her maid, Laila.

"Ah, the sky is so nice!　I'm going to ask my father to make me a special hot ...... balloon.

Prince Ernest is in a good mood as he looks up at the clear sky and down at the wide expanse of land.

"Jin is really great, isn't he? I hope we can be friends forever.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Yes, your highness. I'm sure you'll remain our friend as long as we don't betray you, right?　Then I will continue to be the one who can live up to your trust.

Was it his royal instincts or Prince Ernest's talent? It was as if he could see through Jin's true intentions.

Jin himself places great importance on <>. It is Jin's creed to meet expectations and to never betray trust. As long as he is faithful, Jin will respond to it.

"Your Highness, I see that you and Princess Rieschen are getting along very well.

"Yes, I was wondering what she was like, but she's a good girl."

As royalty, Ernesto has no hope for a free love life. But this match seems to have pleased him.

As a friend of Princess Rieschen, Jin wishes them all the best for the future.

The road ahead was clear and cloudless.

"Your Highness, let me show you a trick.

A trick?

Yes. Yes. I have a trick to make this hot air balloon fly faster.

Jin grinned and deployed a certain magic.

"<>"

<

But what is the effect?

"Whoa, whoa!"

The hot air balloon accelerated. Reiko sees this and uses in the same way, and comes after it.

Wind is the flow of air. This magic has the side effect of reducing air resistance.

In no time at all, the speed more than doubled. Roughly 60 kilometers per hour.

From Alban, the capital of the Kingdom of Klein, to Asunto, the capital of the Kingdom of Egeria, is roughly 260 kilometers, a speed that would take less than four and a half hours to reach.

"Wow, that's about the same speed as the last airship!

Prince Ernest was innocently excited in the sky.