The Norwegian side of the plain slopes gently toward the east, so we could see where we were going.
"It really is an empty plain, isn't it?"
"It's really an empty plain," he said. "This area has a short history since the founding of the country.
The country was founded about 340 years ago and has been in existence until now.
The development of the Americas on Earth, for example, would have been much faster, Jin thought idly on his golem horse.
Maybe it was the population, or the tools.
"Probably the main reason is that the underground resources could not be extracted as much as expected.
Rhodes said.
In the case of the Americas, Jin recognized the Gold Rush, in which settlers moved into Native American lands because of the discovery of gold deposits.
"In reality, the resources in this area are buried so deep underground that they simply cannot be mined with half-baked technology."
Jin thought that this area was similar to the continent of Pandor.
While we were having this conversation, the golem horse was galloping along at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour.
Since the horse's center of gravity was lower than that of a real horse, both Jin and Rhodes felt less tired and were able to have a normal conversation.
We had lunch in the shade of a rock and continued eastward again.
As the sun began to set, a large lake came into view.
This is Lake Kotsi. It is a border, so if you go to the other side, you are completely outside the principality.
It seemed that we would be able to cross the border while there was still daylight.
I thought .......
"We have been expecting you, Lord Rhodes."
Twenty battle golems of the Duchy of Norway stood in our way.
"My name is Madaïm Ruha, Vice Commander of the 2nd Corps of the Duchy of Norway. Please come to our country."
"......I refuse. You don't say that while threatening me with a golem, do you?
"No matter what?"
No matter what.
Then I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to get him by force. Go to ......!
At the same time as Madaim's order, 20 battle golems attack.
The golems were not of the same type, but of different types.
Eighteen of them were unarmed, while the remaining two had sticks.
However, Hanako, who had released her <> and appeared behind the golems, aimed first at the two holding the sticks.
She suddenly kicked them from behind, and when they lost their balance, she took the sticks from them.
The two-meter-long stick was a little too long for Hanako, who was about 130 centimeters tall, but she used engineering magic to instantly transform it into a one-meter-long mace.
"Oh, that's brilliant!"
Jin can't help but be impressed.
Hope!
"Yes, Jin-sama."
In response to Jin's voice, Hope also snatched the stick from the remaining one.
Hope swung her stick at the same length as the other one.
"What ......?"
Hanako, Hope, the automata, and the golem ran wildly.
Hanako's mace breaks the golem's legs.
Hope's stick crushes the Golem's head.
Hanako runs like the wind, and two golems fall.
Hope easily picks up the golem and throws it down.
Hanako and Hope quickly neutralize 20 Golems.
"That's stupid. ......"
"Did you say madame Ruha? Look at the world with an open mind. Stop fighting and work for progress."
Rhodoth said in a quiet voice to the stunned Madaim Ruach.
What is the use of fighting for supremacy in a small world? Wake up!
But the Madaïm would not listen.
"Shut up! Don't think you can get away with this!
With these words, he mounted his golem horse and rode off at full gallop.
"Jin-sama, Rhodoth-sama, are you sure you can leave him alone?
Hope said.
"I wonder if it's ...... okay?"
Jin asked Rhodes to confirm.
"I wouldn't say it's harmless. The other side of Lake Kotsushi is not in any country, so to speak, so it is an extraterritoriality.
Jin thought that "extraterritoriality" did not mean that ......, but he somehow understood what he meant.
"In other words, they can do whatever they want?"
"That's what it means."
In any case, the first thing to do was to cross the border, so Jin and Rhodes decided to hurry the golem horses.
They had hoped to get some materials from the stuck golem, but gave up because of lack of time, and left the stick they had taken to Hanako and Hope.
The speed increased to about 30 kilometers per hour, and after crossing two roads, a lake opened up in front of us.
"On the right, in the distance, is a town called Adaiz, I think. Let's hurry, we don't want to be spotted.
It would soon be dark. Jin and Rhodes rounded the shore of the lake and passed through to the east.
"We have crossed the border. From here on, it's a stateless zone.
In the twilight, all that can be seen is a wilderness, and beyond that, a forested area. Beyond that, silhouetted mountains could be seen.
"Are we going to go over those mountains?"
Jin asked, seeing that there was still quite a distance to go.
"No, just up to the front. There is a magic machine hidden there.
"A magic machine?
Yes. We'll head further east with it.
Why did you hide it so far away? ...... Sorry. I'm sorry.
I asked the question, but it was easy to imagine that he had hidden it in a place where it would not be found and confiscated or tampered with without permission.
As the sun went down and it became dark, two people, two bodies, and two vehicles camped out in search of a suitable location.
"By the way, <>-san's ability is amazing."
Jin said as if impressed.
"No, I'd say that about <> sir. I have heard ...... that you were able to build it out of very scarce materials."
Rhodes also praised Jin's skill.
"......Let's leave it at that."
A slightly embarrassed Jin changed the subject somewhat forcefully.
"After all those battles, I think you should check it out.
If we don't do it when we can afford it, we can't count on it if it breaks down at the critical moment.
The same goes for the golem horses.
"Yes, that's right. Then, let's take turns.
Rhodes said that if we check both horses at the same time, we would not be able to handle any unexpected situations, and asked Jin to check first.
"...... hmmm ...... I still think the joints are a little worn."
The joints are not coated with adamantite, so they will inevitably be worn down during combat operations.
Of course, wear occurs even with adamantite coating. This is because they are rubbed against each other with the same hardness.
It is the same as using diamond powder to polish diamonds.
However, the load and time required to reduce the same amount of abrasion are different between adamantite, which has high original hardness and wear resistance, and alloy steel, which has been <><>.
Of course, adamantite is more resistant to abrasion.
Jin proceeded with the emergency repairs and maintenance quickly.