Barbara, who has not seen her boyfriend (or so she thinks), Eric, for more than half a year now, utters such a line.
But the reality is harsh. She has to collect magi sand (named after Jin), which contributes to the income of Kaina village, and weed the wheat fields.
This is no different for the niece of the village head. In the village of Kaina, everyone does what they can to help each other.
Still, Barbara, a maiden in love, can't stop her feelings, and the morning after the big banquet at Jin's castle, she finally decides to put them into action by crossing the Erme River. ......
"...... that's Jin and Erza, and Hannah and ...... Licia, too,...... let's not do it today," she said.
I almost ran into Jin and the others, so I quietly returned home that day.
"We need a proper plan, don't we? I'll need money, and since traveling alone is dangerous, I'll need some kind of self-defense weapon.
After a failed attempt, Barbara rethinks her plan. This time it is more detailed.
"Hmmm, no matter how fast I leave, if I stay at the rest house, I wonder if they will catch up with me and bring me back.
Realizing this, Barbara thought of borrowing one of the golem horses. That way they could get to the village of Toka in one day.
"Yeah, yeah, that would be ......."
Barbara is mumbling to herself as she collects magi sand from the Herme River. Her fellow women were a bit taken aback and looked at her from a distance.
"...... something about Barbara creeps me out. ......"
"I guess she finally snapped when she couldn't see Eric. ......
But Barbara was oblivious to the voices of those around her and continued to work out her plan alone.
The plan was so complete that it was hard to believe that it had been made by a girl who would turn 17 this year.
However, there was one major oversight.
That is, there was a Lando unit in the village of Kaina, which was guarding the village by using stealth.
However, it is a terrible thing to point out since we don't know of their existence.
"It seems that Barbara is planning to leave the village."
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Rand H, who had overheard Barbara's plan, reported and discussed it with the old man. Then a call came in from the 5th column (Quinta).
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<>
After hearing the report from Spica 7, the old man made a plan for Barbara's treatment.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Alban, the capital of the Kingdom of Klein. After 7 days, Barbara finally arrives.
"I've finally arrived ...... and here's Eric ......."
Barbara quickly enters the city. The situation had calmed down by now, and we were not asked for ID during the daytime.
"Well, the Raglan Trading Company is ......."
Barbara is looking around with a wry smile, since this is her first time in Alban and she doesn't know what's right or left. She looks like a lady.
Looking around her, she sees that many of the men and women are well-dressed, and she begins to feel shabby in her own clothes.
I had put on my best clothes, but they were completely covered with dust from the seven-day trip.
"Ugh...... but Eric won't care about that, right?"
I forced myself to say so and proceeded down the central street. After wandering around for about an hour and not finding the location of the Raglan Trading Company, I decided to ask someone.
"Oh, um, ......."
Barbara, feeling a little nervous, called out to a soldier patrolling the area.
"Hmm? Yes, miss?"
"Well, have you ever heard of the Raglan Trading Company?"
"Yes, that's where you need to go: ......."
The soldier answered Barbara's questions politely and without arrogance.
"Thank you very much."
She thanked the soldier and walked in the direction he had given her. Less than five minutes later, I arrived at a large storefront with a large sign that read <>.
Across the street, there was another store called <>, indicating that the store was prosperous.
I decided to take a peek at what appeared to be the main store first.
"Welcome. Please take your time to look around.
The clerk greeted us as we stepped inside, and from then on we were free to look around the store without much interference.
There was a stove. There was a rubber ball. There were pens and nibs. A pump is also on display.
Then a figure came out from the back. Barbara looked over and saw it was Roland.
"Oh, Mr. Roland!"
Roland's face turned surprised when he saw Barbara at the sound of her voice.
"Ms. Barbara! Why are you here?"
The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
("...... I wanted to see Eric.")
I wanted to say that, but I swallowed the words that were about to come out of my throat,
I replied, "I'm here on a business trip. Roland looked flustered,
"Oh, I see. Um, how are the people in Kaina village? Oh, yes, aren't you tired? Come this way, let me make you some tea."
And with that, he invited Barbara to a corner of the store that was set up for business meetings. It was then.
"......Oh, my God, Eric!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you next time."
"Don't lie to me. I'll see you in my room tonight."
...... Eric and the young woman clinging to his arm jumped out at me.
The content of their conversation and the way they were behaving, there was no room for misunderstanding.
"Ah, ah, Barbara, this is ......."
Barbara ran out of the store, not even hearing Roland's voice.
* * * *
".................."
Barbara woke up in the darkness. She saw the familiar ceiling of her room.
"...... dream,or ......"
It is still early in the morning. It is still early in the morning, but Barbara, fully awake, rushes out of bed, gets dressed, washes her face, and goes outside.
A lukewarm early summer breeze caresses her cheeks. It seemed to be unusually cloudy today.
"Eric... ......"
Barbara muttered to herself, but the sky was also overcast.
Another day, just before dawn. A shadow approached the golem horse hangar.
The shadow was holding the key that the village chief had in his hand for some reason.
As the shadow was about to insert the key into the lock.
"You're early, Barbara, are you going for a walk?
Barbara literally jumped up in surprise.
Looking back, she saw Gon, the Guardian of the village of Kaina.
"Oh, Gon, Gon, good morning. Oh, yes. I just wanted to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain.
He said as if on the spur of the moment.
"I see. It's still dark and dangerous.
Barbara could no longer resist Gong's words, so she gave up leaving the village that morning and rode her golem horse up the mountain, where she usually went to gather medicinal herbs, to watch the sunrise together with Gong.
Barbara had tried several times to sneak out of the village, but every time she had tried to sneak out, she had been interrupted by some unforeseen event.
The old man is also playing a major role in the management of the village of Kaina.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
June is almost over.
Something started to be built in a vacant lot a little distance away from the house of the village headman, Giebeck. Since all the workers were golems, I knew that Jin had sent them.
Barbara was curious about what the building was, but she had to go to the Erme River to collect magi sand, so she thought she could ask him when she came back.
When he came back, he found that a two-story house had already been built.
I wondered who was going to live there.
Looking closer, I noticed that there was some kind of workshop behind the house, and the first floor looked like a small store.
"Well, the village has been changing a bit lately, maybe someone will open a store?
With this judgment, Barbara turned around and went back to her house as if she had lost interest.
Three days later.
Three carriages arrived at the village of Kaina. Barbara, who was collecting magisand from the Herme River, recognized him immediately.
"Eric!"
Eric was in the first carriage. Barbara leaves the magi sand collection behind and runs away from the river. The women who were collecting magi sand laughed when they saw this.
"Barbara!
Eric was surprised but happy to see Barbara running barefoot.
"Why ......?"
Barbara asks, to which Eric replies with a smile.
"Oh, you didn't hear? Didn't you hear? The Raglan Trading Company is going to open a branch office in the village of Kaina. I'm the new branch manager. We can send the items we make in the workshop to the main office.
"You didn't tell me!"
Barbara is confused by this sudden revelation. Should she be angry that she wasn't told about this before, or should she be happy about the news?
In the end, Barbara decided to do what she thought was the most appropriate thing to do.
In other words, she hugged Eric without saying a word.
* * * * * *
<
The old man muttered as he watched the images sent from the surveillance system.
Thus, on this day, the number of residents in Kaina Village increased by one.
Jin, who happened to (?) Jin, who had returned to the village, welcomed Eric, the manager of Raglan Trading Company, with open arms.