Magi Craft Meister

698

21-09 To Marcia’s Workshop

The next morning, Jin and his group reunited with the crew of the “Bernstein” in the grand dining hall of the guesthouse.

That said, the only ones they knew personally were Rodrigo, Cleia, and Generos.

“Lord Jin, it’s been a while! There were many things we noticed, but overall, the voyage was comfortable,” Rodrigo said as soon as he saw Jin and the others.

“Mr. Jin! There were no malfunctions with the propulsion device! Your skills are truly amazing!” Cleia exclaimed, gazing at Jin with sparkling eyes.

Seeing this, Elsa, who was beside Jin, unconsciously moved half a step closer to him, while Generos grimaced.

“That’s good to hear,” Jin replied at his own pace.

No, Rodrigo, with a somewhat distracted expression, added, “The captain—no, the commodore—seemed to have taken various notes. Please take a look if you have the opportunity. I’m sure they’ll be helpful.”

“Commodore?” Reinhardt noticed the correction.

“Ah, yes, commodore. The ‘Bernstein’ is provisionally the navy’s flagship, treated as a warship,” Rodrigo explained.

“Ah, I see,” Reinhardt nodded.

The boundary between a ship and a vessel can be somewhat ambiguous.

In the Shouro Empire, it seems that large military ships are called “vessels.”

But I digress.

“Mr. Rodrigo, have you met Marcia?” Jin asked, looking at him—the question he most wanted to ask.

“Well, uh… not yet,” Rodrigo replied, looking down slightly.

“It seems she didn’t come to see the ‘Bernstein’ when it arrived either.”

He seemed somewhat listless. Jin spoke to encourage him.

“I see… But maybe she’s just busy? I hear she opened a shop in the neighboring town and it’s thriving.”

“Yes, that much I also…” Rodrigo trailed off.

It seems he had at least heard that much by asking around.

“Oh, that’s right, why don’t we go together after this?” Jin suggested.

“Huh? Together… to Marcia’s workshop?” Rodrigo asked in surprise.

“Where else would we go? Besides, you know the location, don’t you, Mr. Rodrigo?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Since it was originally his own home and workshop, he couldn’t not know.

“Then that’s perfect. Let’s meet in the entrance lobby at nine o’clock.”

“Ah, yes.”

Thinking that in such cases it’s better to push forward somewhat forcibly, Jin left the grand dining hall before Rodrigo could start making excuses.

To tell the truth, Jin was in a position to know Marcia’s whereabouts in detail.

Jin himself had almost forgotten, but since the Unifier disturbance, he had assigned covert mobile units named “Cattleya” and “Lotus” to watch over Marcia.

If he asked Laozi, who managed them, he could easily find out about Marcia’s situation.

“Well, as long as she’s doing well.”

But Jin had decided to visit Marcia himself now that things had come to this. Therefore, he didn’t think it was right to cheat by asking about her situation in advance.

As long as he knew she hadn’t suffered a serious injury, illness, or been involved in an incident, he intended to find out the rest himself.

What he knew now was that Marcia was also devoted to developing a new type of ship and had made multiple one-night, two-day test voyages to Io Island, which was the turnaround point in the Golem Boat Competition.

(I wonder what kind of ship it is; I’m looking forward to that too.)

Jin preferred to save the enjoyment for later.

＊ ＊ ＊

“So, that’s why I’m going to visit Marcia’s shop after this,” Jin told Reinhardt and Elsa.

“Hmm, I’d like to go too, but I have ambassadorial duties after this,” Reinhardt said.

“Me too. That’s unfortunate,” Elsa added.

Jin smiled apologetically.

“Sorry about that. Today, Reiko and I will go with Mr. Rodrigo to meet her.”

“Yes. Please send my regards,” Elsa said.

“From me as well. Tell her I’d like to meet when I have time,” Reinhardt added.

Jin nodded. “Got it.”

Then he headed to the entrance hall.

In the entrance hall, Rodrigo was waiting nervously. Looking at the sundial, there were still about fifteen minutes until the appointed time.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Mr. Rodrigo, you’re early,” Jin said.

“Oh, no, I… I couldn’t settle down, so I came here right after that…”

Sensing his feelings, Jin smiled inwardly.

“Well then, shall we go?”

The two left the guesthouse. Jin wore the robe of an “Honorary Imperial Advisor” with his family crest given by the Shouro Empire, dressed in a way that made it clear at a glance that he was a guest from the Shouro Empire.

As for Reiko, she was almost accepted on sight. After all, there was no other girl in maid attire staying at the guesthouse besides Reiko, the “Honorary Squire.”

Reiko was also wearing a black cloak with Jin’s family crest.

Rodrigo showed something like a permit to the gate guard.

“This place hasn’t changed…” Rodrigo said nostalgically as he walked along Potlock Street.

This street is the main thoroughfare that runs horizontally through Potlock City.

They passed through blocks lined with high-end shops, turned right at the intersection with North Avenue, and if they went straight from there, they would see the sea.

They reached the street along the coast, and turning left, they saw the rental dock that Jin and the others had used during the Golem Boat Competition.

“Ah, this brings back memories,” Jin murmured.

“Oh, Lord Jin, you know this area?” Rodrigo asked.

“Yes, you see, the dock we borrowed during the Golem Boat Competition I mentioned before was over there,” Jin pointed.

Though a completely different ship was now moored there.

“Is that so… I would have liked to see it too,” Rodrigo said.

In the harbor, several catamarans were floating. As small vessels, this stable type was probably easy to use.

They also saw several paddlewheel-driven ships similar to their ship, the “Cygnus.”

“Marcia, you really worked hard,” Jin said.

Of course, they were far from what Jin had made, but he could see that they had made some practical modifications.

Reducing the diameter of the paddlewheel was probably to address the lack of power of the golem, and having two belts on each side was likely to increase durability.

And Rodrigo, seeing many ships of the same type as the catamaran he had created on a whim floating there, had tears in his eyes.

Silently walking along the coastal street, Jin, Reiko, and Rodrigo found themselves moving from Potlock Town into Portua Town.

And then.

“This is my… no, my ‘former’ workshop… Oh!”

There stood a catamaran propped up as a sign. Needless to say, it was boat number 35, the “Cygnus.”

The “Surface Treatment—Sef Treatment” that Jin had applied was still effective, and its whiteness had not faded even under strong ultraviolet rays.

“Ah, how nostalgic,” Jin said.

“It’s the ship you worked on, Father,” Reiko added.

Jin and Reiko gazed at the “Cygnus” for a while, gently stroking it, lost in emotion.

Even to Jin’s eyes, he could see that it was not damaged at all. It seemed it could run with the same performance as back then.

As for Rodrigo, though one might have thought he would rush to see Marcia, he was pacing back and forth in front of the workshop. It seemed he couldn’t make up his mind.

Jin couldn’t help but think, He’s old enough for this, but considering that relationships between fathers and daughters can be complicated, he decided to give Rodrigo a push.

That is, he himself stepped into the workshop first.

“Welcome,” a young man, seemingly an employee, greeted him.

“Um, I’d like to see Marcia,” Jin said.

The young man replied apologetically, “I’m sorry, but the manager is currently out… She should be back shortly according to the schedule.”

Hearing that, Jin was a little disappointed. According to the information he had from Laozi, even on the one-night, two-day test voyages, she was back by 8 a.m. And it was now 10 a.m.

“Then, may I wait here? …Hey, Mr. Rodrigo?” Jin called out to Rodrigo, who was peering inside from outside the shop. Rodrigo straightened up as if startled.

“Y-Yes, that’s right!”

And so, Jin, Rodrigo, and Reiko were allowed to wait in the reception area inside the workshop.