“……I wonder, if I should go to Alban……”
Barbara muttered, thinking she hadn’t met her boyfriend (or so she thought to herself), Erik, for half a year.
However, reality is harsh. Kaina village’s income-a portion of it comes from the magi sand (named by Jin) and she has to harvest them and also weed the wheat field.
That fact doesn’t change even when you’re the village chief’s daughter. At Kaina village, everyone is doing whatever they can.
But even still, it is hard for a maiden in love to suppress her feelings and so on the following morning after the big banquet at Jin’s castle, she was trying to go through with her plan and cross the Helme river……
“……That’s Mr. Jin, Ms. Elsa and Hanna…… Even Ms. Lishia…… I guess I will postpone for today.”
And like that, as she had nearly encountered Jin and the others, she decided to quietly go back to her house.
“Like I thought, a proper plan is needed. I will also need money and since travelling alone is dangerous, I will probably need a weapon or something to protect myself.”
After failing once, Barbara was setting up her plan once again. This time, she was being more thorough.
“Hmm, no matter how fast I leave, if I stop at the rest house along the way, they will catch up to me and bring me back.”
Realizing that, Barbara thought of borrowing a golem horse. If she does that, she will probably be able to reach Toka village in a day.
“Yep, yep, if I do that……”
Barbara was muttering to herself while harvesting magi sand at the Helme river. Her friends watched from a distance.
“…Barbara seems a bit weird, huh……?”
“Has she finally gone mad for not being able to meet Erik…?”
But Barbara paid no heed to those voices and kept polishing her plan by herself.
And that plan was so intricate that one wouldn’t think a 17 year old came up with it.
However, there was one thing that went unnoticed.
That is, the Land squad guarding the Kaina village in stealth mode.
Although, since she doesn’t even know of their existence, it would be harsh to blame her for it.
“It seems like Ms. Barbara is planning to leave the village.”
[She is probably concerned about her boyfriend, Erik. But, there are very few young women in Kaina village, so this is a bit concerning.]
Land H, who overheard Barbara’s plan, was reporting back to Laojun. And there, a contact was made from the Quintas.
“[This is Spica 7. I have something to report. Is this a good time?]”
[It is. Go ahead.]
”[Yes…… It seems a very interesting plan is being put into motion at the Raglan firm.]”
[Oho?]
After listening to Spica 7’s report, Laojun made up a plan to deal with Barbara.
＊ ＊ ＊
At Kurain kingdom’s capital, Alban.
After travelling for 7 days, Barbara had finally reached.
“I’m finally here…… Erik, he’s here……”
Without a moment’s delay, she went into the city. The situation had calmed down by then and there was no need to display identification during the day anymore.
“Let’s see, Raglan firm is……”
It was her first time here and she didn’t know anything about Alban and so she was restlessly looking around. She looked like a bumpkin no matter how you looked at her.
And as she looked around, she noticed that most of the men and women were dressed up well. Seeing that, she felt that she looked very shabby.
For what it matters, she did set out with her best clothing but during this 7 day journey, it had gotten dirt all over it.
“Uuuu……… but Erik won’t mind stuff like that, right?”
Forcibly telling herself that, she advanced on down the center road. And when she couldn’t find the Raglan firm even after wandering for an hour, she tried asking the townspeople.
“U-umm……”
Even while feeling a bit timid, she tried asking one of the patrolling guards.
“Mm? What is it, young lady?”
“Umm, do you know of the Raglan firm?”
“Ahh, if you want to go there……”
Without being overbearing, the guard politely answered Barbara’s question.
“Thank you very much.”
Expressing her gratitude to the soldier, she headed on towards the given direction. And within 5 minutes, she was in front of a big shop. It had ‘Raglan firm’ written on a big board.
And even in a building diagonal to it, a board was up saying ‘Raglan firm shop #2’ which goes to show their prosperity.
She decided to peek into the main shop first.
“Welcome. Please, take your time and look around.”
As soon as she entered the shop, a clerk greeted her but didn’t intervene anymore and let her look around freely.
There were cooking stoves, rubber balls, even pens and pen nibs. A pump was also being displayed.
And at that moment, a shadow came in from the back. When Barbara looked that way, she saw it was Roland.
“Ah, Mr. Roland!”
Roland was surprised seeing her.
“M-Ms. Barbara?! What brings you here?”
And somehow, the atmosphere there become awkward.
(I wanted to meet Erik……)
She wanted to say that but instead swallowed it and said,
“I just had something to do here so……”
Hearing that, Roland seemed a bit flustered.
“I-I see. Umm, is everyone at Kaina village doing okay? Ah, right, you must be tired, right? Please, come this way, I will make tea.”
Saying that, he invited Barbara to a corner of the shop as if he was trying to drive her away from something.
“…Silly Erik.”
“Haha, sorry, sorry. I will make it up to you.”
“No lying, okay? Then, I will be waiting in the room tonight.”
………It was Erik and a young girl, clinging to his arms.
The contents of their conversation and their position, there was no room for misunderstandings.
“Ah, ahh, Ms. Barbara, th-this is……”
Barbara rushed out of the shop, without listening to Roland.
＊ ＊ ＊
“…………”
She woke up in the darkness. She could see a familiar ceiling above her.
“……A dream, eh……”
It was only still slightly bright outside. It was still very early in the morning but as she had completely awakened, Barbara got up, changed, washed her face and went outside.
Early summer’s warm wind brushed gently by her cheeks. Seems like today is unusually cloudy.
“Erik……”
Barbara’s heart was also cloudy.
On another day, before daybreak, a silhouette neared the golem horse stable.
And for some reason, that figure held the village chief’s key.
And just before it tried to unlock the lock with the key.
“Ms. Barbara, you are early. Are you on a walk?”
Barbara was startled and literally jumped up.
When she turned around, she found Kaina village’s guardian, Gon.
“Ah, G-Gon, good morning. T-that’s right. I just felt like watching the sunrise from the mountain top, you see.”
She randomly gave an excuse.
“Is that so? It is still quite dark and risky outside so I shall accompany you.”
As Gon said that, Barbara gave up on leaving the village for the day and went up the usual mountain on the golem horse and watched the sunrise with Gon.
Even after that, Barbara tried to secretly leave the village but was hindered by some completely different incidents.
Laojun was properly doing his important task as the Kaina village’s manager.
＊ ＊ ＊
And by the time June was almost over, something was being built a few blocks away from the village’s chief, Gibbeck’s house. The only ones working were golems so the villagers could tell it was Jin’s work.
And although Barbara was quite curious about what the building is, she had her job of harvesting magi sand from Helme river and so she thought she could just ask after coming back and left.
And by the time she came back, a two-storied building was already done.
“I wonder who’s going to live here?”
When she looked closer, she found that there was a workshop-like place at the back of the house and something similar to a shop on the ground floor.
“I see, the village has also started to change recently, so I guess someone is going to put up a store.”
When she thought that, she lost interest and turned around to return.
After 3 days.
3 carriages arrived in Kaina village. Barbara, who was harvesting magi sand at the Helme river immediately noticed.
“Erik!”
Erik was riding on the first carriage. Completely abandoning her work, Barbara ran to the carriage. The other girls harvesting the magi sand were laughing seeing that.
“Barbara!”
Seeing Barbara come running to greet him bare feet, Erik was surprised and happy.
“W-why……?”
“Hmm? Did you not hear? We have decided to put up a branch of Raglan firm in Kaina village. And I will be the branch manager. I will be sending the stuff I make at the workshop to the main branch too.”
“I didn’t hear any of this!”
Barbara was confused with all of this happening so suddenly. She didn’t know if she should be angry because no one told her happy because of it.
At the end, Barbara decided to do what was the most befitting action in that situation.
In other words, hugging Erik without saying anything more.
＊ ＊ ＊
[It seems like things went smoothly for Ms. Barbara.]
Laojun muttered, watching the footage sent by Koushin.
[The plan to incite the CEO to make a branch in the village is a huge success.]
And like this, on this day, Kaina village’s residents increased by 1.
Jin, who had incidentally (?) just returned, gladly welcomed the Raglan branch manager.
The real summer starts from now.