Reinhardt's brothers returned to their posts and workplaces.
Jin did not dare to ask who was doing what. But Jin was more concerned about something else.
That was, of course, to meet <> Thor Eschenbach.
After breakfast, I mentioned this to Reinhardt, and he nodded his head as if he knew what I was talking about.
The Eschenbachs are in the neighborhood, don't worry."
With that Reinhardt went to get a carriage,
"I think I'll take Jin's carriage.
He then thought better of it.
The steward drives the carriage according to Reinhardt's instructions. Jin said apologetically to Reinhardt.
"......Reinhard, since you're back at your parents' house, it would be nice if you could keep me company, but you know, Bertsche-san, your mother, etc......."
I'm glad you're taking care of me. ...... to tell you the truth, I care about you too, but entertaining the Djinn is a task that was given to me by His Majesty himself."
I'm sorry.
As we were talking, we were already at the Eschenbach house. It took about five minutes by carriage. Ten minutes on foot. They are literally next door neighbors.
The Eschenbach house is a small pavilion on a large site. The garden was planted with a wide variety of trees and grasses.
"We talked a little in the carriage, but he's an eccentric."
Jin walked to the entrance of the house excitedly, wondering what kind of person Tohr Eschenbach was that made Reinhardt say that.
"I hope he's there.
With such a murmur, Reinhardt rang the knocker attached to the front door.
"............"
He waited two minutes, but there was no answer, so he tried again. And again.
Finally, the door was opened a third time.
"...... Shut the f*ck up. I'm busy right now. ...... Well, look who it is, Reinhardt. You're a different story."
With a blunt tone of voice, he came out of the door. ......It was probably a woman.
I say "probably" because she was wearing a shirt and pants and a ratty overalls-like apron, so I could not make out her body shape.
In addition, she wore no makeup and her hair was completely unkempt.
Her dark brown hair was cut just past her shoulders, but it was so unkempt that it did not look as if it had been trimmed, and it looked as if it had never been combed or brushed, and it was wavy and bouncy here and there.
Her eyes were a beautiful purple-gray, but her eyesight seemed to be weak and she frowned easily, giving a dour impression. Her voice, however, was that of a woman.
She was about the same height as Jin or slightly shorter. She was thin and had a breast size that Reinhardt would not look at.
She appeared to be about ...... the same age as Jin.
But to his surprise, the right half of his face was red and swollen, and his visible right arm was red as well.
"Saki! Your face! Your hand! What's going on!"
Reinhardt panicked. Jin thought it would be better to cure him for now, so he pushed Reinhardt away and cast a spell on him.
"<>"
However, the redness has not completely healed. The healing magic was not appropriate. So Jin looked at Reiko.
"Reiko, please..."
"Yes, Father. ......<>"
It's an advanced healing spell. With this, the red, swollen skin returned to its normal color and the sore area was cleaned up.
"...... I'm surprised. That was advanced healing magic, wasn't it? And it's our national chanting! When did you learn it, Reiko?
It's the same magic Erza used during the magical exhaustion fever scare. Reiko had also acquired it. She is now able to use the highest level of healing magic, <>.
Before Jin could respond, the woman in front of him, ...... whom I heard was called Saki, thanked him.
I'm very grateful to you for fixing me up so nicely, my friend. ...... Reinhard, won't you introduce me?"
Reinhardt seemed to have changed his mind. We're going to start over.
"Oh, this is Jin. He is a friend of mine, an honorary magecraftsman of the Kingdom of Egelea, and recently became an honorary member of the Mutual Aid Guild of Magical Engineers. He's even better than I am."
"Oh, yes! That's great! Nice to meet you, Jin! I'm Saki. Saki Eschenbach. I'm Reinhardt's childhood friend. You can call me Saki."
Jin reiterates his name with the impression that "Bokko girls actually exist.
"My name is Jin Nido. Please give me a warm welcome.
"You're so formal! Please speak in a more informal way. I don't like formalities.
I don't like to be formal. Saki, I'm looking forward to working with you.
Saki nodded happily as Jin reiterated his request.
"Yeah, yeah, that's fine. "So, Reinhard, did you want to see my father today?"
"My father is still the same, he took off the day before yesterday. He's probably in the Hariri Desert or the Kruger Mountains by now. ......"
"Same old Saki, same old ......."
Reinhardt heard Saki's reply, and looked at her with dismay.
"So, what did you want to see my father about?"
Saki asked, looking alternately at Jin and Reinhardt.
Reinhardt answered her question.
"No, Jin is interested in alchemy, so I came to introduce him.
Saki bit at his answer.
"I see! Jin is interested in alchemy too? That's perfect! Come inside, both of you.
Saki said this and without hearing their replies, she went back inside the house. Jin and Reinhardt followed her with a wry smile.
"By the way, Reinhard, I'm glad you're back safe and sound.
Saki said as she remembered while walking down the hallway.
"As usual, Saki. You'll have no one left to marry you."
Reinhardt replies with a wry smile. Saki laughed off the comment, which would be called s*xual harassment in today's world.
"Don't worry about that. I have no intention of marrying you at all.
Saki suddenly turned around,
"Oh, by the way, I heard that you and Miss Bertsche got engaged.
I would like to congratulate you.
"Ha, thank you, Saki."
Reinhardt answered with a smile, but Jin felt that the smile on Saki's face looked a little sad when she looked back at him. But Saki immediately turned to face forward, so Jin thought it was just his imagination and did not say anything.
Saki opened the door at the end of the hallway,
"Well, here we are. This is my laboratory.
She said to Jin. Reinhardt had been here many times,
"It's been a long time since I've been here," he muttered.
Reinhardt had been here many times.
When he opened the door and entered the room, a strange smell hit his nose.
Several containers the size of a handbasket were lined up on the work table, with some kind of liquid inside. The smell seemed to be wafting from these vats.
The smell of the various liquids mixed together to create a sort of distinctive, sultry odor.
"............"
Jin smelled a familiar odor among them and approached the table with the vats.
"Oh, Jin, be careful. The reason I got into this mess is because I touched the sap on the far left.
"What?"
Jin looked into the tub. There was a pool of black liquid. Gently shaking the vat, he found that it was quite viscous.
"Hmmm... ......"
He had an idea, but it was not the tub that Hitoshi, or rather his nose, smelled. It was the next two tubs.
There was a liquid with a slight candy color. Jin took another whiff of the liquid.
"......Yes, definitely. No need to analyze, it is maple syrup!
Saki heard this and came up to Jin and grabbed him by both shoulders.
"Jin, you know what this is!
"Oh, yeah. Where I come from, it's called maple syrup, a sweetener made by boiling down the sap of the sugar maple tree. ......"
Jin said, and Saki released her grip on Jin's shoulder,
"Reinhard! You heard him! This can replace or equal sugar as a sweetener!"
he shouted at Reinhardt.
Reinhardt was used to this,
"Yes, all right. You want me to finance the mass production, don't you?
He answered with a wry smile. Saki seemed satisfied with his answer.
"You know what I mean. You're my childhood friend. You see, these sugar maple trees grow in abundance along the shores of Lake Tosmo. All you have to do is boil the sap from them!
Saki said happily, but Jin couldn't help but say a few words.
"Oh, if you want to use it as a sweetener, I think you need to boil it more."