Chapter 1

This is a new work. Please be kind to me.

I left home early in the morning, but the outside was already dominated by a stifling heat.

Even though I had only walked a short distance from home, sweat was already seeping from my forehead and back.

“Damn, it’s hot today too.”

I wanted to turn around and go back immediately, but my beloved crops were waiting in the fields and rice paddies.

It had been four years since I quit my job and started farming in this remote rural area, and my life had finally stabilized.

I couldn’t afford to slack off and ruin my important crops.

I steeled myself and checked my rice paddy.

Then, I saw something silver shining in my paddy.

“...What is that?”

It was normal to see green rice plants, water, small creatures like snails and insects, and birds like swallows and herons, but it was impossible for a silver object to be there.

If that was the case, the only possibility was that someone had illegally dumped something in my paddy.

“Damn it, who did this! Who threw garbage in my paddy!”

I was already hot and frustrated, and dealing with illegal dumping was the last thing I needed.

As I cursed and checked the object, I realized it wasn’t garbage but a person.

She had long golden hair and porcelain-white skin. She was wearing Western armor and had a sword-like object at her waist.

I think such a woman is called a female knight.

“Why is a female knight lying in my paddy!?”

When I looked closely, she had a beautifully refined face. Her hair color and features clearly indicated she wasn’t Japanese.

She must be a foreign cosplayer.

If she were at an otaku festival in the city, it wouldn’t be strange at all, but this was a remote rural area. It was a small town with a population of less than 30,000, with no notable tourist attractions. It was highly unlikely for a foreigner to come here, let alone a young woman who enjoys cosplaying.

The only other possibility was that it was an anime or manga holy site, but I had never heard of such a place.

If it were, the old men in the neighborhood association would have been eager to promote it.

Anyway, since someone was lying there, I had to wake her up.

If she stayed in the scorching heat for too long, she might suffer from heatstroke.

“Hey, wake up.”

“Mm, mm...”

I shook the female knight, who was drenched in water, and she seemed to regain consciousness.

Her closed eyes opened, revealing beautiful emerald-like eyes.

For a while, the female knight looked dazed, but when she saw me, she shouted.

“Who are you!”

“No, that’s my line. What are you doing in someone’s field?”

Even though she was the one lying in my paddy, why did she look at me like I was a suspicious person? I couldn’t understand it.

“Paddy?”

“Yeah, this is my paddy.”

When I stated the obvious fact, the female knight looked around in a panic.

Then, she had a bewildered expression.

Did she come here on her own will? She looked like she had been dropped into an unfamiliar land.

It was concerning, but getting involved would be troublesome.

“I don’t know why you came to this rural area, but don’t enter someone’s paddy without permission. If you want to play, do it somewhere else.”

“Wait!”

“Hey! Don’t grab my clothes with your muddy hands!”

“Where am I? If you know, please tell me.”

Despite my protests, the female knight ignored me and asked.

Ah, my work clothes were now soaked and muddy.

“Huh? Are you still half-asleep?”

“I’m sorry, but I need a serious answer.”

Although her question seemed ridiculous, her face was serious.

I gave in to her earnestness and answered, even though it seemed silly.

“Japan.”

“Japan? I’ve never heard of such a country.”

...If she came here as a tourist, why hasn’t she heard of it? That’s strange.

“What’s your name?”

“I am the eldest daughter of the knight family serving the Kingdom of Laphoria, Serafim Stadtfeld.”

A bunch of unfamiliar keywords came out all at once. It made me feel queasy.

“Kingdom of Laphoria? I’ve never heard of such a country.”

“No! That’s impossible! The Kingdom of Laphoria is a great nation! Any adult, even a peasant, should know it!”

No, I don’t know it...

“Ah, I get it. You’re just a cosplayer, right? Your armor and sword are well-made, and you seem to take your role seriously.”

“...Anime? I don’t understand, but I can tell it’s an insult. You dare to mock a knight, even though you are a peasant I am supposed to protect! I will not forgive—”

The female knight, who had drawn her hand to her sword, suddenly swayed and fell sideways.

The water in the paddy splashed.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I’m sorry. I haven’t slept in a while, and I’m at my limit—”

Serafim, who introduced herself, whispered weakly and lost consciousness.

I shook her body, but she didn’t wake up.

“...Damn, what a hassle.”

Although she was a suspicious foreigner, I couldn’t leave her lying in the scorching heat.

I reluctantly lifted the unconscious Serafim from the paddy.

“Ugh, she’s heavy!”

I had heard that people become heavier when they lose consciousness, and it was true.

In addition, her armor and water-soaked clothes made her even heavier.

If I hadn’t been a former salaryman who had been working on a farm, it might have been difficult to lift her.

I started walking, carrying the female knight on my back.

And that’s how I found a female knight in my paddy.

●

“Mm? Where am I?”

When I reached home, the female knight, who had been carried on my back, woke up.

“It’s my house. I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t want you to collapse again. Take a rest.”

“Thank you.”

I felt uncomfortable bringing a young woman into my house, but I couldn’t leave someone who was feeling unwell.

Serafim seemed to understand the situation, as she didn’t complain.

“You have a very impressive house. Are you really a peasant?”

When we entered the house, Serafim seemed quite surprised.

Was this her first time entering a Japanese house?

“It’s a bit big for a single person, but in the countryside, there’s plenty of land and houses. Most houses are like this.”

“Is that so...?”

“Sorry to ask when you’re tired, but if you feel well enough, can you walk on your own?”

“Oh, yeah. I can manage that much.”

It was difficult to do anything with Serafim on my back.

Since she seemed to have regained consciousness, I decided to let her get off my back.

However, she stepped into the house with her muddy shoes.

“Hey, no shoes inside. Take off your dirty armor and socks.”

“I understand.”

When I pointed it out, Serafim took off her shoes and socks and removed her armor.

Under the armor, she was wearing a rather simple outfit.

It was a type of clothing I had never seen before, probably from her homeland.

“I’d like to give you a light meal and let you rest, but I can’t let you into the room like this.”

Serafim had fallen in the paddy twice, and her body was covered in mud. If she walked around, the whole house would be dirty.

“Take a bath first.”

“Bath!? Does this house have a bath!?”

“Yes.”

I led the surprised Serafim to the changing room and then to the bath.

Some people might think of a traditional Japanese bath when they hear about a rural bath, but such baths are rare nowadays.

It was a very ordinary bath. However, since it was in the countryside, the bath was unusually large.

The only unique feature was that the interior had been renovated to look more natural.

“...A peasant’s house has a bath.”

Serafim stared at the bathtub in bewilderment.

Well, I am a peasant, but I’m not that poor. I’m curious about what Serafim thinks of peasants.

“Let me fill the tub.”

I operated the water heater to fill the bathtub with hot water.

“No! Hot water just appeared! Could that be a water magic device attached to the wall!? It’s impossible for a peasant to have such a thing!”

“It’s just a water heater.”

Serafim was surprised again at the hot water.

“What’s that?”

“Ah, idiot!”

It was too late to stop her. When Serafim pulled the shower lever, water poured down on both of us.

“Ahh, it’s hot! Water!”

“Of course, water comes out when you pull the shower lever!”

I scolded her and returned the lever to its original position.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what these things are.”

When I scolded her, Serafim looked apologetic and bowed her head.

It seemed she had no ill intentions.

“...Don’t touch things you don’t understand. Ask before you touch.”

“Yes, I will.”

Even though she was a foreigner, I thought she would know about baths, water heaters, and showers. Her reaction was as if she had never seen a bath or a water heater before. I wondered how she had lived until now.

“...Do you know how to use a bath?”

“I’m sorry, but I would appreciate it if you could show me.”

I had asked just to be safe, but I didn’t expect her to ask for help.

I explained how to use the bath, shower, shampoo, and body soap in my house.

By the time I finished, the water heater had finished filling the tub.

Serafim shuddered.

“It seems the bath is ready. Serafim, do you have a change of clothes?”

“Call me Sera. And I don’t have a change of clothes. If possible, I would appreciate it if you could lend me some.”

“Alright. I’ll prepare some clothes and a towel for you. Go ahead and take a bath.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I pretended not to notice Sera’s gaze as she peeked out from the changing room and went to find some clothes.