"Brother Jin, I heard you have something to tell me."

Erza appeared in the command center of Horai Island.

"Ah, I'm sorry to call you all the way here. But it's important. Well, please have a seat.

"Nmm..."

Erza sits down beside Jin. It is no wonder, since the window in front of Jin is a magic screen controlled by the old man.

Jin waited for the right moment when Erza sat down and spoke at once.

"What I want to talk about is the wedding.

What?

Erza was probably surprised and froze with her mouth open without speaking.

Jin did not care and continued to talk as if he was going to rush into the conversation.

"In my opinion, we should invite the here in Horai Island and have a wedding ceremony, and after that, we should go around the countries as a kind of a reception."

"......"

Erza's mouth closed, but this time she turned bright red and looked down.

"...... Elsa?"

"Uh-huh."

"Are you sure you don't like it?"

Erza shook her head.

I don't hate it. I'm just a little surprised."

"I see. I'm glad to hear that.

Jin also started to get a little embarrassed after he had spoken up all at once.

"...... so, what do you think?"

"......, I think it's a good idea."

"The rest is just a matter of dates, but I've already asked Reinhardt about it."

Rai?

Yes, I've asked Reinhard. After we set the date, he told me to notify each country at least a month in advance.

Reinhardt had said that it would be enough to allow at least half a year's leeway, Jin said with a wry smile.

"That is, yes. That's how aristocrats are."

Erza agreed.

As for Reinhardt's wedding, she also said that the wedding ceremony, regardless of the date, should have been decided before he left for his trip as a diplomat.

"It may seem sudden, but I think that Rai's fathers have been notified everywhere."

"I see. Well, I understand."

Even in modern Japan, wedding invitations are sent out several months to six months in advance.

"I'm sure you'll think it's understandable, since Jin is so unconventional, but..."

"...... I see."

Jin was a little disappointed.

"But the engagement announcement itself was made six months ago, so I think it's at least presentable ......."

It really is the bare minimum.

"......"

But Erza has been leaning on Jin.

"But I'm ...... glad."

* * *

"This is the cabin where my friend lives."

Vivienne and Lecole walk up the gentle slope as they talk. The two helpers have been sent elsewhere, so it's just the two of them.

"We've been friends for 30 years, but I don't like people. They live in the countryside all the time."

Fifteen minutes' walk from the town of Nikalai toward the mountains, there is an open flat area where he has built a hut to conduct his research.

"What does he say?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you. Zidane Casey. That's my friend's name.

And what does he study?

Golems and automata.

Lukor studied archaeology and Zidane studied magical engineering.

"At that time, there was a school in the capital of the Kingdom of Celuloa. I don't know if it still exists.　Anyway, among the 20 or so classmates who studied there, Zidane Casey was the one I got along with the best.

"Ah, but that's nice, isn't it?"

Vivienne also has a childhood friend, Stearina. Somehow, I thought I understood how Lukor felt.

"Look, there she is."

I looked in the direction he pointed and saw a hut at the top of the hill. No, it was a little too grand to be a hut. It was more like an ordinary house.

Three minutes after the hut came into view, the two men stood at the door.

They rang the knocker, and after a minute or so, an automaton appeared.

He had a neutral face. He has a slim figure.

Who are you?

My name is Lukor. ......

Please wait a moment.

As soon as Lecorre said his name, the automaton pulled back.

The automaton must have been made by Zidane.

While waiting, Lecore muttered to Vivienne.

"It looks pretty good. ......

"Yes."

Having seen Jinsei's automata and golems, the workmanship could still be described as poor, but by the standards of the public, it was at a high enough level to be ranked in the upper echelon.

"The automata he was aiming for shouldn't be like that,...... but like Elena,......."

"Elena?"

"Oh, ...... no, Elena, that's the automaton I saw a long time ago. It was a really wonderful automaton that looked just like a human being."

Vivian herself had not seen ...... the former , but she had heard stories about her from Jin and others.

She was an automaton created shortly before the Magic War, and she had continued to destroy Adriana's automata, inheriting the will of her creator, who was against Adriana Barbora Zetsi.

In recent years, they have organized the Unifiler Party and have been trying to control the world.

For a time, Lukor was brainwashed by Elena or her subordinates to become a pawn of the Unified Party (Unifiler).

The master is coming to see you. Please come in. You too.

The automaton from earlier returned and invited them in.

The room was not very large, but it was divided into several rooms, and the two were led to the room at the far end.

"Come in."

They entered a room with a bed and an elderly man lying on the bed.

"Lukor. It's been a long time.

Zidane, what the hell is going on?

Zidane was lying in bed, apparently injured in both legs.

"...... is a long story. First you should sit down. ...... Is that lady your wife?"

"Yes."

"Oh, no, no, no. She's just my business partner."

"...... I see. You're still the same, aren't you?

"Of course. Just like the water in the ocean doesn't get any sweeter.

No difference."

Vivienne, who was out of the mosquito net, saw the two of them laughing and thought that they really got along well with each other.

"What do you really want with ......?"

They were talking nonsense for a while, but they had another purpose.

Zidane asked him and that's when Lecorre turned serious.

We are looking for something.

"Looking for something?"

"Yes. The records from before the war. We're looking for a source that can help us find them.

So why are you here?

At this question, Lukor glanced at Vivian's face.

Vivienne sensed that she was being asked to speak first, and opened her mouth.

I am Vivian. I am a storyteller.

Realizing that she had not introduced herself, she first says hello.

Then she explains.

"There is a passage in the lore of the Shoro Kingdom that says 'the land to the south, surrounded by mountains, with a large town to the east'. I thought this might be the place to find the corresponding topography.

He also described what he had done so far and what he had guessed.

"Hmmm... ......."

Zidane thinks for a moment and then opens his mouth.

The two could not hide their surprise at what he said.

"It is true that there was a past research facility in this upper mountain."