"Happy Birthday!"

On the night of August 2nd, the Jin family gathered at Horai Island to celebrate Stearina's birthday.

"Thank you, everyone.

Almost all the members are celebrating.

"I'm not so happy at the age of ......33."

Then Bertsche said.

"I know it's a bit of a month, but a <> is to celebrate the anniversary of your birth, not the fact that you're old.

"Yes. I think so too.

Jin agrees.

"I think so too, Leena."

Toa, her husband, patted her on the shoulder.

"Yeah, right. Thank you again, everyone.

From then on, the party was a harmonious one.

Sushi made with rice, pancakes with maple syrup.

Passa bread with dried grapes, sandwiches with various ingredients.

Persica, citran, aprl. Flape, lambel and blueberry juice.

The restaurant was a large one on the island of Horai with a variety of foodstuffs such as flape, lamber, and blueberry juice.

"Bertje, are you still okay?

Toa asked Bertsche. He is a father of a child, so he must be concerned about it.

Yes, I'm still fine. I can't travel, but if you come here, it won't be a burden.

"That's fine, but don't let your stomach get cold or overwork yourself.

Yes, thank you.

"Congratulations on your victory, Marcia!"

Elsa congratulated Marcia.

"Oh, thank you."

"You won the <> two years in a row. Congratulations."

"Thank you. It's thanks to Jin. I left because Reece was sick and I hadn't practiced much. If it wasn't for Arrow, we wouldn't have won."

"No, no, I'm sure Rodrigo did a great job on the boat design."

"Is that so?　I'm a little embarrassed to hear you say that, Mr. Jin.

"No, no, that trimaran is a marvel."

No, no, no, no, this is a different world!

"...... gin is a mouthful!"

Bina and Luis, or Count and Countess Kuzma, were left overwhelmed.

"......Fuun,<>. ......"

"Ah. It seems to be an extension of the <> that Stearena uses for and the like."

"I'm a little curious."

"I'm a bit interested, but I wouldn't recommend it at this point, since it's mercury-based and highly toxic."

Jin is talking to Stearena about the Fluidform Drive. Saki joins in.

"Kuhu, it uses mercury. I'm curious. But it's toxic. ......"

Saki had heard about the precautions when she was given a sample of mercury at Mitsuho in the past. Her interest was piqued again.

"Is it OK if I wear rubber gloves?"

The sample at that time was kept in Horai Island, and Saki's interest had shifted to other places, so she did not use it.

"Saki, mercury evaporates into mercury vapor. Inhaling it is dangerous. Even I might not be able to cure acute poisoning.

Erza nudged her from the side.

"Oh, really?　That's a little too scary. ......"

For a curious researcher like Saki, it is better to scare her a little.

"Also, I'm curious about that kite airship."

Reinhardt bites my hand.

"Well, you know. It's an interesting idea.

It's certainly interesting to see a structure that is one step closer to a motorized hang glider.

It was probably quite common 500 years ago.

"But hey, religion or ......."

Reinhard sighed.

"Nowadays, religion and churches are just tourist attractions.

The authority of religion has fallen to the ground since the magic wars 300 years ago.

But religion can cause a lot of trouble.

Jin recalls what happened in his homeland, the modern Earth.

Religious wars.

That's the word that comes to mind first.

The God we believe in, the God who is supposed to protect the people, forces not only the pagans but also the believers to die.

How unreasonable, Jin thought.

"I'd like to know this too, if you know it. ......"

Vivian answered his soliloquy.

"Really. From what I've heard, the magecraftsmen moved to the countryside because engineering magic was not valued in those days.

"There was a time when that was the case. ......"

< is still behind a veil of mystery.

"The other thing I'm most curious about is where the < came from."

I think you said it was on a southern island.

Yes, that's right.

There are so many southern islands that I have no idea which one it is.

"But there aren't that many candidates, are there?"

"What?"

Rodrigo questioned Jin's comment.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it depends on the level of magical technology 500 years ago, but even if it was a little more advanced than today, I'm not sure we could have gone very far."

"I see. ......"

Looking at the world map, there are a number of archipelagos scattered from the southern tip of the Kingdom of Elias, on the southern sea of Potrock to the southwest.

"I'm wondering if it might be one of them."

There is no proof.

"In the first place, the further south you go, the less you have, right?　So I don't think it can be that far south.

Vivian joined the conversation.

"I don't know about that. <

Reinhardt also looked interested. Jin agreed with this opinion.

"I think that's possible. But if the level of technology at that time was the fluid-form drive and kite airships, they couldn't have gone very far, could they?　There didn't seem to be any large ships either."

"I understand your point, Jin. But we don't have much free magical element (ether) now, do we?　I don't think we can just go there for a while, can we?

Stearina hits the nail on the head. Without free ether, magic tools and machines can't work.

"Indeed. But why are there so few free magical elements (ether) in the south?

Saki tilted her head.

"That is indeed a mystery. For example, space is full of free magical elements (ether), and a spaceship can travel to the southern hemisphere of Ars.

However, he adds the caveat that only if the altitude is higher than the stratosphere.

"I'd like to check that out as well. ......"

Jin, what do you have in mind?

"Yes. For example, what if we had a vehicle that could run for a year without refueling?"

"...... It depends on the speed of the vehicle, but if it were a ship and could go about 20 kilometers per hour, that would be enough to get us to the South Pole and back."

Saki's calculations are correct. The size of the Arus (......) is about 7500 kilometers in circumference. If you keep running at 20 km/h for 24 hours, you can complete the circumference in less than 16 days.

Even if you were to drive only half a day, you could complete the circumference in about a month.

This would be enough even if you consider doing various investigations at each destination.

"...... But Jin, you're not seriously going, are you?"

Saki says with a wry smile, to which Jin replies with a laugh.

"No, I'm just thinking I'd like to go.

An unknown island that has only been scouted from a high altitude.

Jin is intrigued.