Chapter 11

The Kingdom of Freya was located in the center of the continent, a country with poor land and scarce water resources, lacking in almost everything.

But, the past king thought this way:

— If we don’t have it, we can just make it.

And so, the king himself began various research projects, not only in agriculture but also in science and astronomy. If it were that easy to create, the world’s problems would have been mostly solved, and the few servants who remained left. However, the king did not give up. There were also a few citizens who, like the king, refused to give up.

Six hundred years later—

"—The current Kingdom of Freya exists because of the third King Freya, known as the founder. As you all know, the Kingdom of Freya is the 'Land of Invention.' It developed through magic that anyone could use. Although we couldn’t change the barren land, we managed to import food from other countries by exporting technology and successfully gained independence—"

An elegantly dressed old gentleman spoke, and Nina’s eyes sparkled.

"Wow..."

She was standing in front of a large fountain in the capital of the Kingdom of Freya—though it might be more accurate to say that the Kingdom of Freya is a small country with only a capital that looks like a town. The fountain, which drew water from 200 meters underground, was a symbol of "abundance" in the midst of the desolate land surrounding the capital. The old gentleman was a tour guide for the Kingdom of Freya, and many tourists, including Nina, were listening to his story.

"Ah, Nina. I’m going to the Adventurer’s Guild to complete the procedures. I’ll also sell the herbs you collected, so please get them ready."

"Sure thing."

At Emiri’s request, Nina handed over her pouch. Inside were the herbs she and Emiri had collected at the Spring of Clay a few days ago. Since it didn’t seem like they could sell them at the Fullmoon Adventurer’s Guild, they decided to bring them to the Kingdom of Freya. The herbs had been dried to ensure they would last.

"Is it okay for Emiri to go? After all, we’re in the middle of this interesting story..."

"No, it’s fine. I’ll pass. Let’s meet back at the inn later."

Honestly, Emiri, who had been fighting off sleep, suggested this when she saw the sign for the Adventurer’s Guild. In this world, "tourism" mostly involves learning about history, which Emiri wasn’t particularly interested in.

"—And now, Miss Maid, the next part of the tour will be about the construction methods of the Kingdom of Freya’s proud city walls. Please don’t miss it."

"Ah, yes! See you later, Emiri."

"Sure thing."

Emiri waved goodbye to Nina. The old gentleman, with a gentle smile, explained to Nina, who listened with bright eyes, as if she were his grandchild. Since the Kingdom of Freya was safe, Emiri headed to the Adventurer’s Guild without much worry. The town was quite different from the Kingdom of Crescendo. The buildings, painted gray and square, were densely packed, as if trying to fit as many as possible into the small capital.

"Looks like tofu buildings."

Muttering something about Minecraft, Emiri arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild. The gray, functional buildings looked bleak, but inside, the Adventurer’s Guild had a familiar feel. The wooden floor creaked, and the request boards and counters were the same as in other cities. It was quiet, probably because there was no attached tavern, but the cleanliness was a pleasant surprise for Emiri.

"...What’s that? A pistol?"

The few adventurers present didn’t look like rough, sword-wielding warriors but rather well-dressed, business-like individuals. However, the scars on their cheeks and their alert demeanor suggested they were seasoned adventurers. They wore holsters on their hips, holding long metal cylinders that looked like guns to Emiri. Since magic existed, guns weren’t out of place. However, just because guns existed didn’t mean swords were unnecessary. Sword masters could cut through magic, and likely gun bullets as well.

"Sure, it’s the Land of Invention, I guess?"

Without much thought, Emiri headed to the counter.

Nina returned to the first fountain square in the evening after walking around the capital with the old gentleman all day.

"Thank you for listening to the entire story. It was very educational."

Nina bowed deeply, and the old gentleman, moved to tears, said, "Oh... This is the first time a maid has listened to the entire story..."

Usually, only those with strong legs and patience or a deep interest in history could listen to the entire tour.

"Thank you. I learned a lot."

The old gentleman, touched, said, "If you ever need anything, please let me know." "No, that’s too much. I’m the one who should be grateful. I’ll make a bento for you tomorrow if you’d like."

"That would be wonderful."

The old gentleman waved goodbye to Nina. In fact, the tour didn’t include lunch. While Nina, a trained maid, was fine, the old gentleman should have eaten, and the tour participants often dropped out due to hunger. Nina thought lunch should be included. At the Markwood Manor, where she used to work, guests who were irritable would calm down after having tea and snacks. Or, when she and Roy served a meal, they would smile.

"Delicious food is justice, right!"

So, Nina ran to the evening market to buy seasonings, vegetables, and meat, then returned to the inn.

"...I had a terrible time..."

Exhausted, Emiri returned to the inn long after sunset. The small inn was run by a warm couple and their children. From the dining room with only four tables, the inn’s son called out, "Welcome back!"

"I’m late, but my partner is—"

Emiri stopped when she saw the inn’s family eating at the dining table.

"Welcome back, Emiri."

And Nina, serving the food.

"Why are you working!?"

Despite being exhausted, Emiri’s reaction was sharp.

"Oh, I’m sorry... Actually..."

The innkeeper explained that Nina had asked to use the kitchen. Since Nina and Emiri were the only guests, the inn’s meal was small, and the innkeeper’s wife had offered, "If you can make something delicious, go ahead. We can use what we prepared for breakfast tomorrow."

Nina had quickly started preparing the meal.

"It’s so delicious, your stay is free for tonight!"

The innkeeper’s wife said happily.

"Really... What are you doing?"

Emiri, who had been exhausted, couldn’t be upset when Nina smiled and offered her a cup of tea.

"Phew~! It’s not hot, but the aroma is strong."

"Hehe, I’m glad you like it."

Nina bowed slightly and brought the food. The pork’s feet, cooked until tender, had a soft skin. They crumbled easily with a fork and melted in the mouth.

"Delicious...!"

The herbs were excellent, and the wild boar’s gamey smell was gone. The orange soup, filled with vegetables and spices, was appetizing. Dipping the bread in the soup was a perfect match.

"Nina, this is amazing!"

"Thank you. The Kingdom of Freya truly is the Land of Invention. I used a pressure cooker for the first time and was surprised at how quickly the food was ready."

Emiri, sipping the water in a metal cup, realized its purpose. The water, which was cold, refreshed the palate after the rich flavors.

"Perfect...! Sparkling water might be even better."

Nina, intrigued, asked, "Sparkling water? What’s that?"

Emiri, twisting her neck, tried to explain sparkling water.

Back in their room, Emiri dove into bed.

"Very satisfied. Thank you for the meal!"

"Hehe, I’m glad you enjoyed it."

Nina felt a warm glow inside. Learning about sparkling water, a fizzy water like ale, was a valuable addition to her maid skills. She was glad she had embarked on this journey.

"By the way, Emiri, you were late today?"

"—Right, right! I forgot about that!"

Emiri sat up.

"Those herbs you collected! What are they!?"

"Evening primrose buds, longevity vine berries, and thousand-year mugwort flowers... I heard they were rare, but did they not sell for much?"

"Not only rare, but they caused a commotion!"

The Guild Master appeared and wanted to verify if they were genuine, so a pharmacist from the Herbalist Guild was called. When confirmed as genuine, they wanted to check if they were stolen, so they took Emiri to the capital’s guard station to verify if any theft reports had been filed. They didn’t even let her have lunch, and the guards questioned her repeatedly, likely to check if she was lying.

"I felt like a criminal from the start!"

"But why... They are rare, but not that rare, right?"

"It seems they got a message from Fullmoon."

"Ah..."

"It was a mistake to say we were leaving the country! But I didn’t expect them to complain even after we crossed the border!"

"I’m sorry, Emiri. It’s my fault for giving you the herbs..."

"No, no, why should you apologize? The fault lies with the Fullmoon Adventurer’s Guild and this one for believing them. Anyway—here."

Emiri handed Nina her pouch. Inside were the herbs.

"Did they not sell?"

"We didn’t sell them. They tried to lowball me, offering 10,000 gold for everything. I knew it wasn’t worth that little, so I refused. I wasted the whole day."

"Probably, but I think they’re worth at least 100,000 gold."

"Right? I’m so angry... I won’t sell them to those people."

Exhausted, Emiri fell asleep.

"Even with the bounty from defeating the Feral Garuda, it’s better to earn money when we can. But... with this, we can’t take quests from the Adventurer’s Guild."

Nina, looking at the pouch, made a decision.

"Alright, I’ll earn money tomorrow!"