Volume 5 - Chapter 10 – Escort

05-10　Escort

「I should secure the [control core]」

Jin opened the upper body of the defeated golem with engineering magic and confirmed that it had the same structure as the golem that became the prototype of Gon and Gen.

Elsa’s 3 servants and 2 coachmen were tying up the bandits who were unconscious. They were particularly attentive with the bandit chief who was a magic, making sure to gag him to seal any chance of incantation.

Nanny Mine was in the carriage. Her wound had been healed, but she needed to rest.

「……Jin.」

Jin took out the [control core] and returned to where Elsa was waiting.

「Thank you. Thanks to you, Mine, myself, and grandpa were saved.」

She said with a deep bow.

「It’s good that Elsa is safe too.」

Jin who was used to being more curt was a little embarrassed to talk like that. From the windows of the carriage, Mine was looking with a complicated expression.

「And that magic… what was it? Half of the golem disappeared and you appeared to shine.」

She asked about the magic, [laser].

「Oh…. that is…ummm.」

Jin was troubled about how to explain, and the conclusion of that was…

「I found it on an island in an artifact, so I don’t understand it well.」

He said while showing the bracelet.

「This doesn’t seem to work for anyone aside from who first puts magic in it, so no one other than me can use it.」

The word [artifact] is convenient, because most pursuits will stop when it’s brought up.

「Is that so? It cannot be helped….. Grandfather, what’s the matter?」

The later words were addressed towards the butler, Adberg.

「We have finished tying them up, but what shall we do? There are so many who fainted to bring along, and we can’t load them on the carriage either.」

Just going down the steep slope from the pass, and the long downhill slope they had a long road ahead.

「What should we do?」

Elsa looked in the direction of Jin when she heard this. It seems she already completely relied on Jin.

When she was young, she often had to rely on someone else, like her older brothers and cousins.

Well, it wouldn’t lower the evaluation of a noble lady, so she would rely on Jin more this time.

「Well, we should bring that magician and the golems to an appropriate place.」

He said while he was looking around. The forest where the bandits were hiding was a mix of 10 meter trees and 3 meter trees.

「Using the tat tree… in this way… good. Elsa, can I change the carriage a bit? Of course, I’ll restore it later.」

When Jin asked, Elsa immediately approved it. In fact, it feels like she’s interested in what will happen.

「Yoshi, well then Reiko, please lend me a hand.」

「Yes, Father.」

Then Jin commands Reiko to cut down some of the 10 meter and 3 meter trees.

Hellman who saw Reiko cutting down the 30cm diameter trees with one stroke was amazed.

「That young lady does in one what I cannot do in ten so easily. Will I be needed anymore?」

He muttered, but everyone ignored it. The others were carefully watching what Jin was about to do.

「Alright, remove the horses, [extend] hand over the logs, make it four legged, strengthen, connect….」(TLFalin: I still hate it when he mutters)

Jin connects two carriages with two logs and intended to put the robbers on the part he connected.

After moving the horses from the rear carriage to the front and connecting it to the front, he strengthens the axle and bearing.

What he was doing wasn’t within their realm of understanding, and his work speed was extraordinary.

Anyway, Reiko carries the 10 meter trees by herself and in collaboration with Jin they remove the branches in no time at all.

While working, Jin asked Reiko a question.

「Hey, Reiko, you know that two people attacked Elsa and Mine, but were you unable to sense it?」

It was a natural question.

「Yes, those two people, I couldn’t sense any signs of their existence. I’m sorry.」

「Well, since you couldn’t sense them, maybe they were wearing a secret magic tool. I’ll check a little.」

Leaving the work to Reiko, Jin goes to the place of the bandits who were tied up.

As a result, he recognized that they had an amulet with the [hide] effect on their body.

「Hmm, the form can be seen and the effect is cut once they speak… not very convenient… if it was me…」

He muttered and then realized he still had work and Jin went back to the carriage remodeling.

Everything was completed in about 30 minutes.

「Because I did some extra stuff, it became a bit slower. Please, try it Elsa.」

Everyone was amazed at Jin inwardly. Even Mine was at a loss for words.

After that, everything advanced smoothly.

They took a break and had lunch at Rinato town, one of the several towns along the way.

The town guards who saw something strange being drawn by 4 horses went to call their boss. Elsa explained to the soldier who came out, although a little messily, and asked if they were able to hand over all of the bandits to the soldier in Rinato town.

Elsa then sent a messenger on a fast horse to the capital city of Borgia with a message for Reinhardt. The kingdom soldiers also sent a message with a report at the same time.

In less than an hour, both of them arrived in the capital of Borgia and delivered their respective messages.

＊　　　＊　　

「What? Elsa was attacked by some bandits? So? What’s the damage?」

Reinhardt rose and faced the messenger.

「Oh, yes, no one’s hurt, everyone is safe. On the contrary, all of the bandits have been captured and escorted to Rinato town.」

「I-I see….」

Next, Reinhardt asked if the information has been delivered to the leaders of the Elias Kingdom.

In response, the messenger replied that another person is going to the royal palace.

「I see…… thanks for your hard work. Withdraw and take a break.」

Reinhardt is currently troubled in a residence of Marquis Dominique de Firentsiano, but hurried to the lords room.

「Marquis, I have sudden news.」

「What happened.」

「Yes.」

And Reinhardt recited the content of what the messenger conveyed a moment ago. The Marquis who was surprised decides to quickly welcome Elsa.

She gave the necessary instructions and faced Reinhardt once more.

「I’m sorry. That such a bandit made an infestation in the Nord province is my fault.」

「According to the messenger, he said that the bandits had some golems.」

「Golems, huh. It couldn’t be, a test?」

「Yes, it seems that in recent years these things have appeared in subgroup countries. They said that Jin secured the [control core], so we will know when we check it.」

When Reinhardt said so,

「Jin? Not Miss Randall?」

Marquis Firentsiano’s doubt was natural and Reinhardt laughed.

「Actually, he’s my friend that Elsa picked up. Did you know? Jin is the magic craftsman of the team who won the boat race.」

「Yes, I thought it was a familiar name. I see, so he’s been taken by the Shioro empire.」

Sorry to say so, she misunderstood that she missed an excellent Magic Craftsman before her very eyes.

「At the very least, while he’s in our country we will welcome him.」

＊　　　＊　　

Elsa’s party left Rinato town in the afternoon after the bandits were delivered and the carriage was restored.

From the town mayor to the officers and soldiers of Rinato town, everyone seems to have been speechless at how quickly they got their work done and left.

After all, the work of Jin was finished in no time, while a normal Magic Craftsman’s processes of transformation can be followed with the eyes.

The condition of the target changed the moment Jin sang the aria which was also short. It was no wonder that they were amazed by this.

「Soon, we’ll be in the capital, Borgia.」

Elsa told him so.

The scenery from the carriage was dotted with houses, unlike the forest and grassy plains, or a town or a village, it appeared to turn into a rural district as the population density increased.

「Do you know what the population is?」

When Jin asks Elsa, she said apologetically…

「I’m sorry, I don’t know.」

After she said that, Jin rushed to say

「No, if anything, I should apologize.」

He responded to Elsa, and

「How is Reinhardt doing?」

「Rai-nii should be at a villa of Marquis de Firentsiano right now, which is where we’re heading.」

While they were talking, the carriage stopped.

「What’s wrong?」

When Elsa asks the coachman,

「Milady, it appears we are being received.」

When Elsa looked through the front window, 20 soldiers and 2 carriages were stopped there and a man who appeared to be a steward was giving directions.

After the man got off his horse, he came over to the carriage and bowed at his waist making a right angle.

「Welcome, to the capital of Borgia.」

He said.