Magicraft Meister Part 1

"Father, your meal is ready."

Reiko's voice came from behind us, as we were relaxing and staring at the sea.

It was a little before one o'clock in the afternoon. This time takes into account the time difference between Kaina Village and Horai Island.

On the beach, there were sheets to sit on and baskets were placed on the sand.

What a surprise, a tarp, not a beach parasol, was also put up.

A tarp is a piece of cloth used as a sunshade. It is usually supported by simple poles and rope tension.

It is already June, and the sun is shining almost directly overhead on Horai Island, which is located near the Tropic of Cancer.

"Oh, this is comfortable.

It is cool under the tarp, which has a high shading rate. Shade is precious because of the high humidity at the seaside.

"Please, everyone, take whatever you like from the variety of food we have on offer.

Reiko opened the lid of the basket.

"Oh ......"

One basket had sandwiches, one had smoked meat. One with smoked meat, another with boiled eggs. In another, Persica, Citran, and other fruits.

And in the last one...

"Rice balls?"

It was a rice ball seasoned with salt and wrapped in seaweed.

"Jin, what is this?"

Reinhardt looked at the black mass with a curious expression on his face.

"Oh, it's called 'onigiri', made of cooked rice and wrapped in seaweed called 'nori'.

Jin was the first to bite into an onigiri. Reiko, seeing this, poured tea from a thermos and offered it to him.

He took a sip. The rice ball flavored with salt from Horai Island tasted good enough by itself.

"Yes, it's delicious!"

Saki reaches for the rice ball first, looking at Jin who is really happy with his rice ball. Then she took a bite.

"Oh, this is really delicious. It is simple but has a deep taste.

Erza, Reinhard, and Bertsche, who had heard this, tried the onigiri in turn.

The outside of the rice ball is black because it is wrapped with dried laver, but the inside is white rice.

"Brother Jin, this is delicious. It has a nice aroma.

"Oh, it's really good!　Is this ...... ho ...... or is it <>!"

"Jin-sama, it's not what it looks like, but the texture and taste are quite good.

It seems that all three of them are not saying this in a flattering way. Jin was happy to hear that they could taste the seaweed.

"Thank you. It tastes like it's from my hometown. ...... Reiko, you set this up, didn't you?"

Jin says with a grin. The old man's surprise makes him happy, and frustrated that he fell for it.

"Yes, father.

"Yes, I knew it. But it's delicious.

Jin gobbled up the four rice balls in a blink of an eye.

"These sandwiches are delicious, too.

Bertsche eats a sandwich and tastes it.

"It's just boiled eggs with salt, but it's delicious. The salt makes all the difference."

Reinhardt takes a bite of the boiled egg and is amazed at the taste.

"Which one is it?　...... hmmm, Jin, this is not just salt, is it?"

The last line is by Saki. She is quite perceptive.

"Oh. It's called algae salt, and we actually get it here.

Jin pointed to Tatsumi Bay.

"We collect the seaweed here, burn it, dissolve the ashes in water, and then dry the clear water to make it.

"Hmmm, so there's something in the seaweed?"

"That's right. That's right. The salt is mixed with the so-called "umami" (flavor) contained in seaweed.

Algal salt seems to go well with boiled eggs, although it can muddy the taste if used incorrectly.

"By the way, the salt I used for smoking is also from the sea here," he said.

"It's a beautiful sea!"

Saki looked at the sea, and Aqua suddenly appeared. The number is 33.

"Wow!"

Saki is startled and flips over on her seat. The others were also surprised, but not as much as Saki.

"That's Aqua, the golem maid. She is in charge of ocean development. She's just now picking seaweed.

Everyone looked at Aqua 33's hand, as he had just picked up the foodstuff they had been eating.

There was a large amount of seaweed, which looked like asaxa nori.

"Is that seaweed?"

"Is that really seaweed?

"How do you process it to make it edible?"

It was Saki who asked about the process. Jin answered her question.

"We wash them in clean seawater and dry them, and when they are dry, we chop them up and put them back in water, and strain them through wooden frames and bamboo screens to dry them."

Although this was a rather abbreviated explanation, Saki seemed to have understood it to a certain extent.

"I see, so the point is that once it is chopped into small pieces, it is rolled out flat and dried?　That's interesting."

At this moment, Jin thought that he would discuss with Saki later on the paper-making project he had been thinking about since the other day.

While Jin was eating his after-dinner fruit, Hydro 2 and 3 came back from outside.

Reinhard had ridden with the Unifiler before, but this was the first time for Saki and Bertsche.

"Jin-sama, that boat!　It's moving without oars or paddles!"

Berthe, who knows a lot about boats, was surprised by the hydro propulsion system.

"It's called the Magi Water Jet, a magical water propulsion system that shoots out seawater to propel us forward.

Again, I explained it simply, but Bertsche did not seem to understand.

"Marine 2, 3, are you done with your patrols today?"

Jin asks, to which the two respond in the affirmative.

"Yes, master."

The truth is that the old man has been sending the marines without informing them, and has arranged the schedule so that the marines are not aware of it.

It is strange that they come back here to the sandy beach when there is a pier a little further away.

As I expected, Jin noticed it, but he did not say so.

"Then, can you take us for a short ride?"

"Yes, whenever the master asks."

The hydro carries four people. Hydro 2 is manned by Jin, Erza, Saki, and Reiko (Reiko is small enough to ride on the boat). Hydro 3 will be a combination of Reinhardt, Bertsche, and Neon.

Unfortunately, Aal, Edgar, and Noir will be absent this time.

Okay, go.

"Yes, I'm going."

And Hydro 2 and 3 come running out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!"

Saki is amazed at the acceleration.

"My God!　What the hell!　This is so fast!"

Bertsche is also amazed.

"Hmmm, this is amazing!"

Reinhardt, who has already ridden in one, cannot hide his amazement.

"I'd like to build one myself, but first I'd like to build an ocean-going boat. ......"

Reinhardt was aware of his own abilities in his own way.

The Hydro 2 and Hydro 3 with their passengers left Tatsumi Bay at a speed of over 50 km/h. "Brother Jin," said Reinhard, "I'd like to build one myself.

"Brother Jin, you are fast. Amazing."

Erza's eyes narrowed as she enjoyed the sea breeze.

The difference in the ebb and flow of the oceans in this world is small due to the small moon. Also, there are few typhoons, so the sea is relatively calm most of the days.

Today, there was only a gentle swell on the surface of the sea, and the two trimaran hydros were sailing at a steady pace.

"Jin, it feels so good!　This boat is amazing!　That's all I can say!"

Saki, who was very excited, half shouted. The Hydro 2 and Hydro 3 speed through the unobstructed blue ocean, leaving a white wake behind.

After an hour or so of sailing through the open sea, the two vessels return to Tatsumi Bay.

"Welcome home!

Edgar, who was guarding the luggage, greets them at the water's edge. Aaru is making algae salt with Aqua 33. And Noir remains steadfast as if protecting his luggage.

Jin finds it interesting to see the personalities in their roles.

The chilled Persian juice from their luggage moistened their thirsty throats and seemed to cool their sunburned bodies.

After eating the rest of the fruit, the group got back into the car and headed back to Jin's laboratory.