“That thing is seriously huge, huh.”

“It really is.”

Even after coming down to town for shopping, that giant tree tower—Tenchi Jizai—was still visible beyond the sky.

It wasn’t just about piercing the heavens. It was so massive it looked like it was holding up the sky. Even the vast, imposing sea of trees in the background, which had such overwhelming presence, faded in comparison to its grandeur. You could see it from anywhere in town. Since it was to the south, it overlapped with the sun. Yet, perhaps due to some ancient architectural magic, it didn’t cast even a single shadow, making it feel like a grand illusion seen by you alone.

But it wasn’t. That was clear because everyone walking through the street was looking up at it.

“Hey, aren’t there more people around lately?”

“I heard the other day that the number of tourists is increasing. Also, it seems more adventurer parties have started exploring the sea of trees now that there's a huge landmark to guide them.”

“Ah, makes sense. I guess if it’s that huge, it’d help you find your way even if you got lost in the forest.”

Klaha, walking beside Ney, who murmured in admiration, was on the main street of the southern town.

It was much smaller than the port town she first visited with Ziel. The transportation wasn’t particularly convenient either. But now, the influx of people was clearly increasing. There were even posters up saying, “Welcome to the town closest to the sky”—even though the town’s elevation wasn’t particularly high.

Clutching their groceries to their chests, their necks burning under the scorching sun, the two of them hurried to the final shop—the butcher. Everyone they passed kept looking up at the sky. Occasionally, they bumped into one another and exchanged apologies like “Sorry about that.”

“Times really do change, huh? I’ve been coming here for quite a while, but I’ve never seen it this lively.”

“Are you going to join the analysis of Tenchi Jizai, Ney-san?”

“Hmm, hard to say. Depends on Sensei, I guess.”

“Watch out,” Ney said to a middle-aged man standing in the middle of the road.

“Oh, sorry,” the man said, stepping aside and lowering his gaze from Tenchi Jizai. Their eyes met. “Oh, from the lab, right? How’s it going? That medicine from the other day worked wonders, by the way.”

“Glad to hear it~” Ney replied with a friendly smile and, once they passed each other, returned to her usual tone.

“To be honest, I’m not really interested in that tree or ancient civilizations. I don’t have any skills related to that stuff either.”

“Oh, really? Well, I guess that makes sense. Suddenly being told to explore ruins would be overwhelming. It’s not like you were doing that kind of work before, anyway.”

“Exactly. And actually, I’m not interested in Sensei’s pharmacology work either.”

“Eh?” Klaha couldn’t help but look at Ney’s face in surprise.

She didn’t seem to be joking.

“I'm just working as an assistant because I didn’t want to be unemployed at my age, and a relative introduced me to the job. Depending on what Sensei decides, I’m thinking this might be a good chance to go back home for a bit.”

“Oh… Is your family home nearby?”

“Nah, it's way up north. Super far. You’re from the west, right, Klaha-san?”

“Well, yeah,” Klaha added, thinking maybe she shouldn't have asked about her family. She realized she’d steered the conversation toward a topic Ney might not want to discuss.

But they soon arrived at the final store, so the topic didn’t last long. The butcher shop. They were already well acquainted with the shopkeeper, who greeted them not with “Welcome,” but with, “Hey there, it’s hot out today, huh?”

“Yeah,” Klaha nodded.

“But it’s not as bad as before.”

“Summer’s ending. Shopkeeper, you should start getting ready for winter now so you don’t throw your back out again this year~”

“Starting already, huh?” the shopkeeper laughed.

“Yup, now’s the time,” Ney laughed back. “And also, your kid’s asthma might be better, but you should still be careful. Maybe get some more medicine from Sensei before winter hits.”

“It’s a research lab, not a clinic,” Ney replied flatly. But the atmosphere remained warm, and the rest of their shopping ended without incident.

After exchanging quick farewells, they left the shop. Carrying slightly heavier shopping bags, they headed for the carriage station.

Klaha spoke her thoughts aloud.

“But somehow… it feels a bit wasteful.”

“Hm?”

“You seem like you’re having fun being here, Ney-san.”

There was no reply.

Klaha thought maybe she’d spoken out of turn. She herself would probably be at a loss for words if someone said something similar to her. She glanced sideways.

“—Well, that’s just how things go, I guess.”

A strand of Ney’s hair fluttered in the summer breeze.

“Y’know, the moment something passes—it’s over in an instant.”

“I’m sticking with the analysis team, of course. You better look forward to a major discovery by the great engineer Dewey!”

“I see… Um, you’ve got soot on your face.”

“Huh, seriously? Where?”

“Right here,” Klaha said, taking the towel hanging around Dewey’s neck and wiping the dirt from his cheek.

“Thanks,” Dewey said with a grin. In the lab room, which had now become a full-blown workshop, he leaned against the windowsill and said,

“I mean, after seeing something like that, no engineer could just sit still.”

He looked up at the sky and the single giant tower that seemed to split it in half.

“I’m already super hyped for when the research team gets here. Isn’t this the biggest ancient civilization ruin ever found? And the ‘cognitive inhibition’ magic that lasted thousands of years—that alone is crazy enough, but that’s just a bonus, right? If the main attraction turns out to be an energy facility, then bam! We’re talking full-on tech revolution…”

Then,

Dewey looked back at her.

“What’s up? You look like you’re still undecided.”

He was always sharp like that, so Klaha could answer casually.

“Yeah, I’m still discussing with Ziel where we’ll go next.”

“Man, that's deep. When he left my place, I asked, ‘Where to next?’ and he just said, ‘Ask the wind.’”

That’s actually kind of cool, Klaha thought.

“It’s kind of cool, in its own way,” Dewey echoed.

As I was about to leave, saying, “Sorry for interrupting while you were working,” Dewey said, “Nah, I was just about to take a break,” so I decided to stay just a little longer. Dewey took off his gloves. Klaha poured water into a glass from the cold pitcher she had brought from the cafeteria and downed three cups in one go. While she was drinking the fourth, she casually told him what had happened so far.

“I see. Assigned to the Saintess at Church Headquarters, or to the Archmage at the Grand Library… Or staying here for ruins exploration isn’t off the table either. What a luxury—having so many options.”

“Exactly. It’s made it harder to choose. So I’ve been wondering what everyone else is planning to do.”

“So you’re conducting interviews, huh.”

He asked if it was helpful.

I answered honestly: not really. He laughed and said, “Well, yeah, figures.”

“How many people have you asked so far?”

“You’re the second.”

“Roylen?”

“No. During yesterday’s shopping trip, I asked Ney.”

“And she said?”

“It depends on Roylen.”

“Hmm,” Dewey nodded.

“Yeah, makes sense.”

“I wonder what Roylen’s gonna do. Doesn’t seem like he’s too into energy systems… You heading over to ask him now?”

“Yes.”

“Then I think I’ll tag along too. I’ve been meaning to think about my own plans anyway.”

“While I’m at it,” Dewey pushed himself off the wall with his palm and stood up. I asked if it was okay, since he was in the middle of work. He replied, “Well, I’ve basically finished the essentials,” and added:

“The rest I’ll take care of slowly. By the way, have you seen Roylen anywhere today?”

“No, just saw him briefly at breakfast.”

“Then maybe he’s in his room.”

“Maybe.”

We exchanged light conversation, but didn’t forget to lock the door. A heavy iron door labeled “Laboratory 2 - Danger!!” was securely locked. After all, we handled multiple items brought back from the ruins. It would be heartbreaking if something were stolen or lost, especially if someone got wrongly accused because of it.

Clunk—the heavy sound of the lock. Push. Pull. After confirming it wouldn’t open, the two of us turned around.

Aquariums. Potted plants. White curtains. The windows were shut, and there was no wind, but still, the light sparkled faintly, fluttering as if flowing through time.

It was here that I had first met him, when I arrived at this place.

That memory nudged me to take a step further.

“Dewey, why did you decide to become an engineer?”

“Family thing.”

We walked out of the room, and his answer came easily.

“It’s not like there was pressure to inherit the job or anything. But kids tend to imitate what their parents do, right? And when the environment’s in place and your personality is kinda similar, everything just goes click click click and voilà—there you have it.”

He chuckled and said, “And now I’m like this.”

“What about you, Klaha? Why’d you want to become an adventurer or whatever?”

“…Hmm…”

“Ooh, sounds like there’s a story there.”

“Let’s hear all the juicy details,” Dewey joked.

I wasn’t particularly eager to share, but I had started asking questions myself. I figured today was just one of those days where I’d ask things I normally wouldn’t—and that’s when it happened.

“Oh,” “Ah,”

“Well now.”

He was right there, as we passed by.

The research facility had two staircases. One was way in the back, so Klaha hardly ever used it—but today, coming from the lab and heading to the second floor, it was clearly the closer option.

Just ahead of those stairs.

Roylen was standing in the bright summer light streaming in through the open door.

“Got a moment?”

“Yes. Not an unusual combination, I see. Something up?”

It looked like a room that doubled as a storage area.

Empty plant pots and aquariums, large wooden frames whose original purpose was unclear. A case filled with flasks, now covered in dust. The scent of old wood. Wide open windows. Summer breeze.

Still, there was enough space at the center of the room for someone to relax.

Roylen was holding a brush and palette, seated on a crude wooden chair.

“We’re doing a bit of future-planning.”

“Future… Ah, you mean what comes next.”

Just from Dewey’s single line, he seemed to get it. “I see,” Roylen said. His gaze shifted around the storage room. He seemed to be looking for a chair—but not finding one, he stood up. “Want to sit?” he asked, glancing our way. I declined with a small shake of the head, and he sat back down with a “Well then, excuse me,” and:

“For now, we’re waiting for the Magic Federation to arrive, but I suppose we’re talking about what comes after. Sorry if I’m making it hard for you and the others to make plans.”

“No, not really. I was just curious what everyone was thinking of doing.”

“I see,” Roylen said, glancing off as if to organize his thoughts.

“The Magic Federation is expected to arrive in about ten days. We’ll start by guiding them around, so…”

“Then we should accompany them at least that far.”

With that, Klaha quickly began calculations in her head.

The number of people likely to come from the Federation. How well they’d adapt to the environment. The time needed for the round trip. The effort involved in helping them set up a basic base.

If they didn’t leave until autumn, that actually gave some breathing room—but…

“Actually, about that guiding—we’d like to handle some things in advance to make the process easier.”

With that, Roylen started talking about what lay ahead.

“You mean making maps?”

“Close, but no. There’s something I think should theoretically be possible. Right now, I’m having Professor Wilae check if there are any issues with my calculations and planning.”

“When will you know?”

Dewey asked, and Roylen looked around. “Um, what day is it today again?” Klaha answered. He nodded with an “Ah,” then said:

“I think I’ll know by tonight. After that, we can talk a bit more about the future—how about that?”

“At dinner?”

“At dinner.”

“Understood,” Klaha nodded. It didn’t seem important enough to take notes on, so she decided to just store it in her head for now.

“Um, by the way,”

Continuing the thread,

“Will you, Roylen, continue your investigation here even after the Magic Federation arrives?”

“Are you asking if I’ll join the investigation team?”

“Well, that too, but I meant something broader. If you’re going to leave the research lab, I might have to think about setting up a different base too.”

“Ah,” Roylen nodded, seemingly understanding.

“I see... Yes, in that sense, I suppose I am still unsure about my path forward. There will definitely be an increase in adventurers and magicians visiting the forest, but I don’t know to what extent that will contribute to my research.”

“So, you're still undecided about joining the investigation team?”

“Yes, well...”

“Klaha, here. A chair.”

Turning around, she saw Dewey dragging two chairs over from the side, probably anticipating that the conversation would take some time. Klaha thanked him and accepted one. I should’ve been more thoughtful, she said. “Don’t worry about it,” Dewey replied with a smile. “Being considerate feels better for the one doing it than the one receiving it.”

Sitting beside her, he said,

“So, not interested after all?”

“Not really. It’s not directly related to my area of expertise. I do plan to provide basic data on the forest to support the investigation team, though.”

“So for you, Roylen, it’s more about how the forest environment might change from the investigation than Tenchi Jizai itself?”

“Yes, that’s probably my main concern,” Roylen replied, folding his arms and tilting his head in thought.

“If the southern forest were to be rapidly developed, that would secure a supply route for research materials. Then I wouldn’t need to spend time continuing as a forest specialist myself.”

“Would it really go that smoothly? Sure, this summer we had it easy thanks to bringing in guys like Ziel, but that was only possible because that team is freakishly competent. Normally, things don’t go that well. Otherwise, the place wouldn’t have been untouched for so long, right?”

That reminded Klaha of something.

“Once Tenchi Jizai was identified as an energy facility, that changed the discussion completely.”

“Yes. How useful that relic is will determine everything. Whether it’s placed under the southern nation’s jurisdiction, or the church temporarily takes control and establishes it as an internationally co-managed area like a labyrinth—depending on that, the whole situation changes.”

“What do you mean?”

Dewey asked, so Klaha gave a simple explanation.

Increased production capacity for energy brings direct, tangible benefits. If Tenchi Jizai is still a usable energy facility, it could yield far greater profits than anything currently in existence—

“Depending on the guaranteed return, there’s a chance they’ll throw in an insane amount of resources and push development forward in one big sweep,” Dewey said.

“Makes sense,” he added, scratching his sun-bleached blond hair.

“Well, I’ll leave the complicated stuff to the big shots,” he added half-jokingly. Then,

“By the way, Roylen,” he grinned,

“Klaha’s apparently trying to decide whether to follow Lililia and train as a Saintess at church headquarters or follow Eunice and walk the path to Archmagehood.”

“Oh... Shall we offer prayers now while we still can?”

Klaha thought, lately... lately, it feels like she’s gradually slipping into that kind of position.

She cleared her throat. “She’s angry,” Dewey laughed. “Oops, my bad,” Roylen chuckled. They probably get along well, Klaha figured, but that’s why she decided to reassert her stance.

“I’m not going to train as a Saintess or pursue the path to becoming an Archmage. It’s just that both Lililia and Eunice have been willing to teach me things... Well, I say ‘just,’ but it’s not really that simple.”

“Either way, it’s a huge opportunity. Though I do have some doubts about whether Eunice is actually good at teaching people.”

“Really?”

“Someone with that much brilliance—there’s no guarantee even other Archmages can relate to his thought process. In that sense, it was significant that someone like Wilae became his teacher—for the future of magic development—”

“—Oops. Bad timing, huh?”

The sound of a finger tapping a column came a beat after the voice.

The three of them turned around. Though they’d already recognized the voice, they looked anyway.

Indigo hair. Wilae.

She stood leaning against the open entrance to the room.

“If you were saying something you couldn’t say in front of me, I can come back later.”

“No, quite the opposite. We were talking in the hope you’d overhear by accident. So you’d think, ‘Ah, this guy praises me even when I’m not around.’”

“Oh? So you’ve even developed that kind of social finesse. Impressive, impressive.”

“Please, give me a break,” Roylen smiled wryly.

“Indeed,” Wilae chuckled as well. “Let’s leave it at that,” she said,

“Sorry to interrupt your chat, but I wanted to get my part done.”

She handed over several documents she was holding in her arms to Roylen.

“Oh... It’s done already?”

“Yes. It finished ahead of schedule, but I assume that’s not a problem.”

“Not at all. That actually helps. So, how is it?”

“It shouldn’t be an issue. At least for the magic part, either Eunice or I should suffice—though if it’s just me, I won’t have enough mana, so I’d need Lililia to accompany me—that’s the assumption. It’s an excellent plan.”

“I see,” Roylen nodded in satisfaction. “What’s that?” Dewey leaned over to peek at the document in Roylen’s hands. Klaha joined him from the opposite side.

“Let’s decide the rest after consulting with Ziel and the others again.”

‘Regarding Direct Gate Activation for Tenchi Jizai'

—That’s what was written on the document.