Lishia Fahlheit was the eldest daughter of House Fahlheit. Her father, Niclas Fahlheit, had served the Klein Kingdom for many years as a captain of the guard. During a recent border dispute with the neighboring Celuroa Kingdom to the south, he had managed to resolve the conflict without a single casualty. In recognition of this achievement, he had been granted the rank of ritter.
In the Klein Kingdom, the ritter title was typically an honorary rank that lasted only for a single generation. However, because the kingdom faced a shortage of nobility, a special decree allowed the children of these new nobles to be granted the same rank if they also distinguished themselves through service.
"Sigh... Being a noble is quite a trial after all..."
A heavy sigh escaped Lishia's lips. Having only received a noble's education after the age of ten, her identity as a commoner was already firmly established.
Just then, the door opened and the Village Chief appeared.
"Well, well, you must be the new tax collector. I am Giebeck, the Village Chief. I look forward to working with you."
Lishia dismounted from her horse to return his greeting.
"I am Lishia Fahlheit. I have been assigned to the Kaina Village area starting this year. I look forward to working with you as well."
"Come now, please, make yourself at home first."
At the Village Chief’s urging, Lishia tied her horse in the stable and followed him inside.
Once she was seated at the table, his niece, Barbara, arrived with tea. Lishia was parched and drained the cup in one go. Barbara immediately poured a second, which Lishia drank more slowly.
As soon as she had a moment to catch her breath, she dove straight into her duties.
"W-Well then, Village Chief, how was this year’s harvest?"
The Village Chief noted how diligent she seemed as he answered.
"Let’s see... I would say it was about average for the year."
"In that case, you will be able to pay the taxes assessed last year, correct?"
"Yes, that shouldn't be a problem."
With the matter of this year's payment settled, Lishia moved to the next step.
"Very well. Now, I would like to see the state of the village and the fields."
"Eh? Right now?"
Lishia knit her brows at his hesitant response.
"I-Is there s-some sort of pwoblem?"
She was trying her best to appear dignified, but the moment she bit her tongue, the effect was ruined.
"No, I simply thought you might be exhausted, Lady Fahlheit. The collectors we’ve had in the past never did anything on the day they arrived; they always waited until the following morning to conduct their inspections."
"Is that so? Regardless, I am not them. Please, lead the way."
"Understood."
The Village Chief proceeded to show her the village and the surrounding land.
"These are the wheat fields. The winter wheat has already sprouted."
"It seems to be progressing well."
They moved on to the other crops.
"I see you are harvesting vegetables as well."
Finally, they reached the warehouse.
"Hmm, I see. With this much wheat in stock, the village should be able to survive the winter even after the taxes are paid."
"Yes, I believe we will be fine."
"That is a relief. Can we begin transport tomorrow?"
"T-Tomorrow? We can, but Lady Fahlheit, are you quite sure you aren't overtaxing yourself?"
The Village Chief could see the fatigue plain on Lishia’s face, but she insisted.
"I'm fine. This is my duty."
She forced a small smile. Just then, a ball came rolling to her feet.
"Oh? What is this?"
Lishia picked up the object.
"Ah—big sister, thank you! That's my ball!"
Kurt came running toward them.
"Here you go," Lishia said, handing the ball to him. Her eyes, however, remained fixed on the object rather than the boy.
"Lady Fahlheit?"
The Village Chief, finding her behavior strange, called out to her.
"...Village Chief, what was that round thing the boy was playing with?"
"Oh, the ball?"
"A ball?"
"Yes, it's a toy that Jin made for the children."
"Jin... You mean the man from earlier?"
"Indeed. The one who guided you to my house. He isn't originally from Kaina Village; he wandered in this past spring. Apparently, he's a magi craftman from a distant land, and he has done a great deal for the village."
"A magi craftman? Him?"
"Yes."
"I see..."
Lishia found herself becoming increasingly curious about Jin.
"I believe a merchant named Roland handles his creations."
"Roland? I think I've heard that name. I believe there was a merchant by that name in the Raglann Company, which has been growing rapidly of late."
"That is likely the man."
"Is that so? I shall have to look into it once I return to the royal capital."
The matter of the ball was settled for the moment, and the two left the fields to return to the village.
"Village Chief, that is a pump, isn't it?"
On the way back, Lishia stopped at the well.
"Yes, it is. Jin made that as well."
"!!"
Lishia was stunned yet again. Pumps were currently spreading through the royal capital and surrounding villages at an incredible speed. They were the primary force behind the Raglann Company's sudden rise—and to think they had originated here. Moreover, they were the work of a foreign magi craftman named Jin. Lishia’s interest in him only continued to grow.
"Well now, why don't you put your work aside for today and relax?"
With those words, the Village Chief led Lishia to the hot spring. Barbara was already there waiting for them.
"Village Chief, what is this place?"
"It’s a hot spring."
"A hot spring?"
"Just try getting in. Barbara, I’ll leave the rest to you."
"Yes, Uncle."
Leaving Lishia in Barbara's care, the Village Chief headed back to his house. Barbara led Lishia into the changing room and prompted her to undress.
"W-Why must I take off my clothes!?"
It was a natural reaction for Lishia, who had no idea what to expect. Barbara laughed.
"Forgive me, I should have explained. This is a hot spring; warm water wells up naturally from the ground. The villagers come here to soak and wash away their fatigue."
"Is it different from a bath?"
"Yes, the water here comes from deep underground. According to Jin-san, there is a mass of heat beneath Death Mountain, and the groundwater gets heated when it touches it. I don't really understand the details, to be honest."
"Was this also Jin-san's doing?"
"Yes. He is the benefactor of this village."
They continued their conversation while soaking in the water.
"Ah... This does feel wonderful."
The tension finally left Lishia’s body as she stretched out in the water alongside Barbara.
"Doesn't it?"
Since a tax collector was currently using the spring, the other villagers were barred from entry, making the atmosphere peaceful. The two girls lounged in the water, resting their heads on the rim of the tub in a somewhat unrefined fashion.
"..."
"Lady Fahlheit?"
Lishia had been staring enviously at Barbara's more developed figure, but she quickly pulled herself together. There were things she wanted to know.
"I wonder, where exactly did Jin-san come from?"
"Who knows? He said he was caught up in a runaway artifact and blown all the way here. His country was called Japan, I think. Have you heard of it?"
"Japan... No, I haven't. Though I’m not particularly well-versed in the geography of the continent."
Lishia shared with Barbara that she was part of the new nobility and that this was her first real assignment. Despite the one-year age gap between the sixteen-year-old Barbara and the fifteen-year-old Lishia, the two quickly became friends through the intimacy of the hot spring.