May 12th.
This was during the time when salt was still being hoarded in various places across the land.
Lishia Fahlheit and Pascoe Rush had arrived in the Town of Rakham.
Since no strict deadline had been set for their mission, they were traveling at a somewhat leisurely pace. With good horses, one could have made it from Presos to the Town of Charles in the time they had taken.
"Lishia-san, shall we stay the night here?" Pascoe Rush asked.
The twenty-year-old was the third son of House Rush. He was of average build, and with his blond hair and blue eyes, he could have been quite handsome, if not for the way the outer corners of his eyes turned downward, ruining the effect. Conversely, that very feature made his face seem approachable, and he was surprisingly popular among female ritters, soldiers, and maids.
However, there was only one woman he truly wished to be close to: the one standing right in front of him, Lishia Fahlheit.
"Yes. I’ve heard that Earl Walter is currently staying here. We should pay him our respects."
"Wait..."
Before they had set out, Pascoe had heard that Earl Walter had done something problematic, resulting in a portion of his land being designated as a leased territory. He was worried about what kind of reception Lishia—who was heading to that very territory as an ambassador—would receive from the Earl.
Even if Pascoe wanted to protect her, he was merely the third son of a baron's house. He didn't have the standing to oppose a count.
"I, for one, wouldn't recommend it," he said.
Though Pascoe was older, Lishia held the higher position for this mission. Furthermore, because he harbored feelings for her, Pascoe remained extremely humble in his conduct.
Lishia, however, didn't seem concerned. She turned her horse toward the Earl's villa in Rakham. "It will be fine. We are both nobles serving the Klein Kingdom, after all."
Pascoe remained silent, unable to share her optimism.
"Welcome, Fahlheit-dono, Rush-dono."
Contrary to Pascoe's fears, Earl Walter welcomed them in high spirits—at least on the surface.
"It has been a long time, Earl. I have been appointed as the Ambassador of the Klein Kingdom to Jin-dono's leased territory in Kaina Village, and I am currently en route there."
When Kaina Village was mentioned, the corner of the Earl's mouth twitched ever so slightly, but neither Lishia nor Pascoe noticed.
"You have been entrusted with quite the responsibility. As this is but a villa, I cannot offer much in the way of grand hospitality, but please, stay the night."
Earl Walter spoke with a smile, and Lishia graciously accepted his offer.
"Leave your horses in the stable and your luggage with the butler."
Aside from their personal effects, they handed over all their official baggage. Since the official documents were sealed, they would know immediately if anyone tampered with them, and Lishia couldn't imagine the Earl would stoop to such a thing anyway.
They had three horses: two for Lishia and Pascoe, and one for carrying supplies. These were led to the stable to be provided with ample fodder and water.
"Oh, and please give this food and water to these little ones."
Finally, she handed over two messenger pigeons used for communication. One was meant to report the results of her investigation into whether Kaina Village was peaceful upon her arrival, and the other was for emergency contact. The fact that she had been entrusted with two military-grade messenger pigeons underscored the importance of her mission.
"Of course, leave it to me," the butler said, claiming he had experience with pigeons as he took them. Lishia felt at ease.
Lishia and Pascoe were shown to separate private rooms. Once inside, Lishia reflected on her duty once more.
The Klein Kingdom wants to secure Jin—who isn't just talented, but a truly exceptional magi craftman.
And they want him to provide tools and magic tools that benefit the country, even if only occasionally.
To do that, we must ensure he stays in a good mood.
Therefore, my role as ambassador in Kaina Village is to keep Jin pleased. That is the beginning and end of it.
This was what the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs had painstakingly impressed upon her. He hadn't explicitly said, "Use your body to keep him if necessary," but he had certainly hinted at it.
"Jin-san..."
From what she knew of the man, she suspected he would hate that kind of thing. In fact, she believed he would detest any sort of underhanded manipulation. Her conversations with her former instructor, Gloria Allstatt, had only deepened that conviction.
To build a relationship with him, a genuine friendship would be the strongest bond.
However, that was only her intuition, not a certainty. Lishia remained torn between her instincts and the instructions from her superiors, unsure which would truly serve the Klein Kingdom's best interests.
"The Fahlheit girl is an ambassador, it seems."
"Ho, is that so?"
"It's irritating, but I can't interfere for that reason alone."
"Quite. By the way, I hear she brought two pigeons with her."
"Hmm? You're well-informed. Yes, she did."
"...I have an interesting experiment in mind. May I proceed?"
"What kind of experiment?"
"...I cannot say. But if it goes well, I believe it will give you some small measure of satisfaction."
"Hmph. Fine. I won't stop you from doing as you please."
"Haha, a wise decision."
Deneb 29 of the Quinta overheard the exchange, but she couldn't determine what the mysterious man intended to do. She relayed the conversation exactly as it happened to Laojun.
『Indeed, it is impossible to guess his intent from that conversation alone, other than it involving the pigeons.』
"Yes."
『Take care to ensure the pigeons she is carrying are not swapped or harmed.』
"Understood."
『And who is this mysterious man?』
"I cannot say for certain. He wears a hooded robe that hides his face. Based on his voice and build, I can only tell that he is a middle-aged man."
『Continue your efforts to identify him.』
"Understood."
『If you are short-handed, I will send another Quinta unit.』
"Yes, that would be very helpful."
『Very well... Deneb 30 is available. I shall send her to assist you.』
The next morning, Lishia and Pascoe enjoyed a luxurious breakfast before departing Rakham at a leisurely pace. The Earl came out to see them off, maintaining his pleasant facade until the very end.
Lishia glanced at the messenger pigeon cage attached to the back of her saddle. The two birds were resting quietly inside, showing no signs of distress. Her luggage was also intact, with no evidence that the seals had been disturbed.
"I suppose it isn't good to be so suspicious of people," she murmured.
"Perhaps..."
"The Earl said yesterday that he regrets having suspected Jin-san and driving him out of the kingdom."
"The Earl said that?"
Pascoe couldn't bring himself to believe it. Having been raised as a noble, he understood the inherent darkness of his social class, for better or worse. And soon, his concerns would be proven right in an unexpected way.
"Salt is being hoarded?"
In the Town of Charles, they learned that mysterious men were buying up all the salt, causing prices to skyrocket. Since salt was an essential ingredient in almost every dish, many eateries were being forced to raise their prices.
"Is the Earl doing nothing?" Lishia asked.
This region was under Earl Walter’s jurisdiction. If the people were suffering, it was the lord’s duty to intervene—especially since he was currently staying in neighboring Rakham. It never occurred to Lishia, nor to Pascoe, that the Earl himself might be the one behind the hoarding.
"No, nothing at all."
"...That's terrible. I wish I could do something for them."
"Lishia-san, we have our own mission to attend to. We mustn't confuse our priorities," Pascoe cautioned her. From a noble’s standpoint, his logic was sound.
"I suppose... you're right..." Lishia sighed, frustrated by her own helplessness. "At a time like this, if Jin-san were here..."
Without any real evidence to back it up, she found herself thinking that Jin would surely find a way to help. She secretly resolved to ask him for advice once she reached Kaina Village.