Magi Craft Meister
Chapter 677: Bitumen
Now then, here we have John Dini from the town of Seki.
“John, thanks for yesterday. You really helped me out.”
“No problem. If you need anything else, feel free to ask.”
John Dini went around the town of Seki, repairing various tools and magical devices.
From fixing pots to repairing magical lamps, and even patching up leaks…
As a result, he became acquainted with most of the town’s residents.
John Dini was an automaton controlled by Laojun. His personality was modeled after Jin’s, based on Laojun’s understanding of Jin’s character.
In other words, he acted as Jin would and responded in a manner similar to Jin.
These days continued for five days.
“John!”
A woman approached, pedaling a bicycle. It was Maya, John’s caretaker in the town of Seki.
“Maya, what’s going on?”
“Mr. Crow is calling for you.”
“Oh? What could it be?”
John followed Maya to the town hall.
“Thank you for coming, Sir John.”
John was led to the office, where he faced the town mayor, Crow, one-on-one.
“In these past six days, you have deepened your interactions with the townspeople and repaired their damaged items. I’ve seen your skills and your character.”
After pausing for a moment, Crow continued.
“Tomorrow, I want you to head to the capital Miyako with my letter of recommendation. Deputy Mayor Daro will accompany you as my representative.”
Thus, John, who had been recognized in the town of Seki, was set to head to the city of the capital Miyako, the center of the Mitsuho country.
And so, on the morning of December 6th…
“John, thank you for all your help.”
“John, my wife also wanted to thank you.”
“Take care, John.”
“Come back and visit us, John!”
As John and Daro were about to leave the town of Seki, a large crowd of townspeople gathered to see them off.
“Sir John, are you ready?”
Daro, who was mounted on his bicycle, called out to John, who was riding a golem horse.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
“Alright, let’s go then.”
“Good luck, John. I know you’ll reach the top!”
“Thank you, Maya. See you again.”
This was as far as Maya would go. She would likely return to the village of Kali after this.
And so, John and Daro left the town of Seki.
They exited through the northern gate.
As they pa.s.sed through the gate, the surrounding scenery changed dramatically, surprising John.
“Haha, are you surprised? This is our current way of life.”
The road was made of some kind of hardened soil, and it was about seven meters wide—comparable to a two-lane road on modern Earth.
“Because of these roads, bicycles are very effective.”
Currently, the bicycle Daro was riding didn’t have iron wheels but was instead covered with a material resembling magical beast leather, making it suitable for on-road use.
“Is it alright to have horses walk on such a splendid road?”
“Haha, don’t worry. It’s hardened with a material called bitumen, so horses won’t make it dent.”
“Bitumen…?”
Although the ground in the town of Seki was also hardened, this was clearly different, piquing John’s interest.
The name of this material was something he hadn’t encountered before. He wanted to learn more, but Daro only knew the name, so the details would have to wait until they reached the capital Miyako.
However, Laojun had inherited some knowledge about this material from Jin, who in turn had learned it from his predecessor.
(It seems to be something like asphalt with a soil color.)
On Earth, natural asphalt was called bitumen and it was used as a preservative for mummies in Egypt.
Since this material couldn’t be found in small countries, Hourai Island, or the demon territories, neither Jin nor Laojun had seen it before. This was their first opportunity to verify their knowledge.
(a.n.a.lyzing… It’s not just hydrocarbons. It’s different from Earth’s asphalt.)
John discreetly investigated during a break.
Compared to Earth’s asphalt, this bitumen appeared to have a stronger bonding strength. It seemed capable of withstanding the full gallop of a golem horse without denting.
Still, the exact details wouldn’t be clear until they reached the capital Miyako.
This paving made bicycle travel much easier.
After leaving the town of Seki, they encountered a gentle uphill slope for a while, but afterward, the road remained mostly flat.
Daro’s bicycle maintained an average speed of about 25 kilometers per hour, pa.s.sing through the village of Ehimu and reaching the town of Temae before noon. They had lunch there before setting off again.
Pa.s.sing through the villages of Nardo and Yashima, they arrived in the capital Miyako by evening.
“The paved roads are wonderful.”
John (as Laojun) praised the roads sincerely. Covering a distance of 100 kilometers in a single day using only human power was a feat rarely achievable in the smaller countries.
“Haha, indeed. That’s why I can travel back and forth between Seki and the capital Miyako so easily with just light gear.”
Daro replied.
The town of the capital Miyako was a city surrounded by moats. Like the capital Miyako city Esaia of the Kingdom of Celuroa, the moat was crossed by bridges.
Naturally, these bridges were guarded and could be burned or destroyed in emergencies to prevent enemy intrusion.
This time, since Daro was with him and they had a letter of introduction from Crow, the mayor of Seki, pa.s.sing through was simple.
“So, you brought a Magismith. Good work. …Welcome, Sir Magismith. We are pleased to have you here.”
The gate guard seemed familiar with Daro and quickly granted them pa.s.sage upon seeing the letter. He also greeted John warmly.
In this country, magical technicians were referred to as “Magismiths” rather than “Magi Engineer”.
“The clothing here is a bit different.”
That was John’s first impression upon entering the city of the capital Miyako.
Most of the clothes here were front-fastened, resembling traditional j.a.panese clothing in Jin’s knowledge. Although it was only “j.a.panese-style” clothing.
The closest comparison would be a j.a.paense jinbei. The sleeves were tubular, and the collars were kimono-like. The bottoms were more akin to j.a.panese karusan or hakama than pants.
“Can you tell? This attire is characteristic of Mitsuho. It’s easy to layer and allows for easy movement. However, it’s mostly used in humid areas like the capital Miyako.”
Apparently, there was a lake called Sayama Lake behind the capital Miyako, and the water for the moat was drawn from there.
Another intriguing place name caught John (Laojun)’s attention.
“What is the material…?”
“Ah, you noticed the difference right away. It’s ‘wood cotton’.”
“Wood cotton?”
John asked again, unsure if it was the same cotton he was familiar with.
“Yes, cotton. It’s the fiber obtained from the plant called ‘wata’. Why it’s called ‘wood cotton’… I don’t know.”
“I see.”
From a distance, it appeared to be the same cotton that Jin knew. Cotton-producing plants thrive in warm, moist climates, making the area from Seki to the capital Miyako ideal for cultivation.
(Another valuable material has been found.)
Laojun grew increasingly interested in the exchange with the different culture of Mitsuho.
“Look, there’s the guesthouse.”
“Oh…”
John saw the building Daro pointed to, which had a tiled roof resembling traditional j.a.panese architecture.
“It’s already late today, so please stay there for the night. Tomorrow morning, I will introduce you to the chief. Please take your time to rest today.”
“Understood.”
Rushing would gain nothing. John nodded obediently and decided to rest at the guesthouse.
The gatekeeper at the guesthouse quickly granted them entry, thanks to Daro’s familiarity and Crow’s letter of introduction.
“Oh…”
Inside the walled compound, a landscape resembling a j.a.panese garden spread out before them.
(It’s impossible for there to be so many coincidences. Could it be… the ancestors of the Mitsuho people…)
Laojun concluded that it was highly likely they came from a world similar to, or very close to, Jin’s.
(Tomorrow, meeting with the chief should reveal even more.)
John (Laojun) eagerly awaited the following day.