Magicraft Meister Part 1

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

That's how Princess Rieschen came in. She had changed her clothes before I knew it.

"Wow, you look beautiful!

Hannah exclaimed, entranced.

She was wearing a loose-fitting dress instead of the going-out clothes she had been wearing a few minutes ago. The dress was peach-colored with white lace.

"As a concubine, I don't like this kind of dress.

The princess smiles and utters such lines. However, her gestures are sophisticated, and it is easy to see that she is not a novice.

"Dinner will be ready soon. Don't worry about your manners, I hope you enjoy yourself.

"Yes, thank you."

"Yes, thank you," was all he could say. Soon after, two maidens and two automata brought the dinner.

No, it was the automata that brought the dinner, and the two maidservants who put them on the table.

And an elderly man, who looked like a chief chamberlain, was supervising the whole process in the corner of the room.

(Ah, this automaton looks very tired. ......)

(Ah, this automaton is very tired...) Jin thought that when he saw the movement of the automaton. Jin could tell just by looking at it.

(I can't fix it without permission.)

He is curious about what he is curious about. It is the saga of a craftsman, you might say.

The dinner was reasonably sumptuous, and the menu gave the impression of not being extravagant.

A small pot of pot-au-feu-like stew with various vegetables is placed on the table.

A bite-sized steak is topped with red and yellow vegetables cut into cubes and covered with sauce.

A marinade made of fish with a color like salmon.

Rusk-like, but not rusk-like, bread cut into small pieces and baked with sugar.

Plain omelets.

And a salad with lots of fresh vegetables.

Persian juice was served as a drink.

"This is the kind of menu I usually eat. Well, you may be dissatisfied with it, but I want you to eat it.

"Yes!　Bon appétit!

Hannah was the first to start eating. Like Jin, Hannah is not picky about her food. Erza does not seem to like kokarisk meat, but she was not served it this time.

So all three are enjoying their meal as usual, when the princess looks at them curiously and asks, "What is it that you want to eat?

"Is that the Egelea Kingdom way of saying "Itadakimasu"?

Jin answered.

"No, it is not. It is a kind of greeting that has been handed down in my family before meals.

The princess looked interested when she heard this.

"Well, Jin seems to be from a very special family. I'd be happy to learn more about it if you don't mind.

She says something like that. He laughed, saying that he wanted to know about various customs and manners in different countries.

Jin did not touch on her birth or upbringing, but talked about something that might interest the princess.

It was, of course, the topic of automata.

"Your Highness seems to be using automata quite a lot, do you know the creator?

"No, I don't know. No, I don't know. I only know what my father gives me.

I see. From what I have seen, most of them are made in the Kingdom of Egelea, followed by the Kingdom of Selroa.

When Jin said this, the princess was impressed that he could tell just by looking at them. She then added,

"I have a feeling that everyone's movements are getting worse.

Hearing this, Jin felt that the princess knew what she was talking about. Then she said,

"You are right. It looks as if it is not well maintained.

He said honestly. I also advised her that we should call in the necessary materials and people who could do the maintenance. But that was a wild guess.

"Oh, really?　I'll have the materials ready tonight. Jin, take a good rest today. And tomorrow, you will help me get them all ready!"

Erza, who was listening to this, was a little taken aback. Earlier, she had given me the look that I had to stay here because I said unnecessary things, but now she was saying even more unnecessary things.

But Erza doesn't dislike Jin. She is just a little worried about him. After all, she knows that Jin's love for dolls and golems is extraordinary. .......

"You like that, Hannah? Here, eat some of mine."

"Wow, thank you, my dear!"

Hannah is pleased to share the Persica on her salad with the princess.

Jin, on the other hand, has a question in his mind that persica = peaches, so why is it there now?

The detailed investigation of Horai Island has yet to be done, but it seems that the free magical element (ether) in the ground is doing something, but here in the Kingdom of Klein, ......?

I have no answer to this question. Jin decides to have the fifth column (Quinta) check it out later.

Unaware of Jin's emotionless thoughts, Elsa has a warm feeling that the three people here are indeed her family, even though they are not related by blood.

"Here, Hannah, this is for you too.

"Wow, big sister, thank you!"

Elsa also shared her Persica with Riesch. Princess Rieschen looked a little envious seeing such a scene.

"You two really get along well. I envy you a little.

Hearing this murmur, Hannah turns to the princess and asks, "How do you get along with each other so well?

"Ojisan-sama, is there someone you have a bad relationship with?"

It was Hannah's privilege to be allowed to ask such a question. For better or worse, her life in the village had been a very open and honest one.

The princess is not offended by the question and answers with a slightly sad smile.

"Well, it's not that we don't get along with each other. It's just that I don't have a close family.

Similar but different expressions. Elsa had an idea. Princess Rieschen is a floating member of the royal family.

Jin understood it from a different angle. The opposite of like is not dislike but indifference. It is not whether you are liked or disliked, but being ignored is something that is very hard to bear.

An automaton never betrays its master. But can we say that this is the will of automata?　Is it not because it was made to be so?

When I think of such a thing, I feel empty. Being at ease with an automaton is no different from being shut up in your own shell, in your own world.

"His Highness' brother is ......."

As Jin is about to say this, the princess, perhaps sensing something, answers preemptively: "The older brother is Edmund.

The older brother is Edmond, who will be 28. The younger one is Arthur.26. The older sister is 30 and married to a duke. The younger sister is 22 and has just married into another duke's family.

"...... Her Highness' siblings are all very old, aren't they?"

Elsa was also older than her brothers and sisters, so she could understand them somewhat. It is often the case in the world that people do not get along with each other in a real sense when they are far apart in age.

"Mother," he said.

"Mother...... died soon after giving birth to my concubine. That must be one of the reasons why you and your sisters are so cold to my concubine.

Jin understood a little. The current royal family of the Kingdom of Klein has no queen. The queen is the youngest of five princes and princesses, starting with a 30-year-old eldest daughter and ending with a 12-year-old third daughter. Princess Rieschen passed away after giving birth, which may be the reason why the princess is not esteemed by her brothers and sisters.

"Father is the only one who is kind to me, but he is always busy. ......

But Jin can do nothing. All he can do is hope that this bright and energetic princess will grow straight into adulthood.

No, at least I can make her feel at ease when she is here in the palace, Jin thought back. Even if it is through an automaton.

With a wry smile at the contradiction with what he had just thought, Jin seriously decided to repair the automaton owned by the princess.

So Jin borrowed a pen, wrote down the list of materials he would need, and asked them to prepare it for him.

"Yes, all right!　This is all you need. I will have them ready by tomorrow morning!

The princess handed it to the maid of honor and gave her instructions.

"I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

After the meal, she avoided heavy topics and told him a few stories about the kingdom of Egelea.

Jin had traveled by carriage along the main road of the Kingdom of Egelea, which passed from the Kingdom of Elias to the Kingdom of Cerroa.

"Well, I've heard rumors, but was the golem fiasco really that bad?"

The princess was most interested in the story of the commotion at the Golem garden party. Jin and Erza told her the story of what had happened, cleverly hiding the fact that they had been involved in it.

Seeing that Hannah was starting to feel faint, the princess thanked her for sharing her interesting story and left the room.

In her place, one of the maids of honor led the guests to the bedroom.

This time, the maid of honor was not a talkative lady but a quiet elderly woman.

She was not a talkative lady, but a quiet elderly woman. I have not seen such a happy face of the princess in a long time.

With that, she left the room.

All three of us were in the same room, which was a large room (about 20 tatami mats) with curtains on each bed to ensure a private space.

After putting Hannah on one of the beds, Jin told Elsa and Reiko.

"The princess is better than I thought she would be. Tomorrow I'm going to fix up the automata here and go home.

"Hmm. I knew Brother Jin would say so.

"As your father wishes."

Neither Erza nor Reiko objected. So Jin tells Reiko.

Reiko, please contact the old man and have him send us some materials for repair.

She counted up the materials that might be needed. They would be received by one of the SPs who were attached to Jin in the shadows.

He would not need a large amount of materials, but he also instructed them to pack them discreetly so that they would look like baggage.

"Okay, everything will be ready tomorrow.

Jin said and threw himself onto the bed.

"I thought we were going to see the city, but it turned out to be something like this," he said.

"No, this was fun."

Erza sat down on her own bed and answered.

"I know that my brother Jin is kind not only to humans but also to automata and golems.

Hearing this line, Reiko smiles softly, just a little.