Chapter 2
The Demon Zone
Originally, the word meant “land where demons live.”
But in the Wilkert Empire, it referred to lands overrun by monsters—dangerous areas where survival was slim.
The mountain behind Heidi’s territory, Aurum, was one such Demon Zone.
“I-it’s said no one who goes into Mount Aurum ever comes back alive. What if the monsters spill into Lium? I’m worried about you…” Elise’s voice trembled.
“Relax. It’s not like I’m going to Lium to tour monster stomachs,” Heidi replied confidently.
“R-really?”
“Yeah. Only low-level monsters ever wander down into Lium. The harmless kind—or at worst, the kind that can give you a scratch.”
“That’s… really true? Amazing.”
“Mm. I’m sure of it. Not that I’m some monster psychologist or anything.”
Her certainty came from Theo, her friend who had already lived in Lium for three years and had seen it with his own eyes.
After chatting a while longer, their night out began winding down.
“I’m sad to say goodbye like this. C-could I visit you in your territory someday?” Elise asked, gripping Heidi’s hand tightly.
It was clear Elise wanted to keep their bond alive—she had always followed Heidi like an older sister.
And truthfully, Heidi wanted to keep in touch with her adorable junior too.
“Well, there’s not much to see yet—it’s all wasteland. But when my farm starts to succeed, I’ll definitely invite you. For now, why don’t you give me your address? I’ll send letters.”
Lium itself had no infrastructure, but there was a small village nearby with a post office. That would work.
“Y-yes! Here!” Elise eagerly scribbled her address and handed it over.
Heidi glanced at it—and blinked.
Wow. She lives in the rich district? Guess she’s a bourgeois after all.
The address was in one of the most expensive neighborhoods of the capital, Rayben. No wonder Elise’s outfits always seemed a little too fancy for a low-ranked civil servant.
“Then… I’ll wait for your letters! I know you’ll succeed, so let’s meet again when you’re rich!”
“Thanks for the kind words. I had fun today. Take care, Elise!”
Leaving the tavern after their farewell, Heidi’s steps felt light. She was walking toward a brand-new life.
Two Years Later, Early Morning
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
Heidi rubbed her sleepy eyes at the piercing crow of her rooster.
Cochin, the rooster she’d bought at the village market two years ago, seemed to grow louder every morning.
“What do you eat to sound so strong every day? You could lead an army…” she muttered.
It was 6 a.m. Too early for her civil servant days—but just right for a farmer.
She quickly got dressed, today choosing a ribboned blouse and a light pink skirt. Her golden hair was brushed and tied neatly with a ribbon.
Heading downstairs, she heard hurried footsteps rushing toward her.
“Good morning, Heidi!”
The cheerful voice belonged to Theo.
Pointed black-furred ears, round yellow eyes, short stature barely reaching her knees, fluffy orange-red fur all over his body, and a plump, wagging tail—Theo was a fox monster, and her friend.
Five years earlier, by chance, Theo had come to live in her mansion and look after the place, even when Heidi was still in Rayben.
It was Theo who had told her that only weak monsters ever came down into Lium. Now that she’d returned, he even helped with her farming.
“Give me a hug!”
Unlike most monsters, Theo could talk—thanks to Heidi teaching him bits of speech and writing whenever she visited.
Of course, most monsters couldn’t learn like that. But Theo was… different.
Probably because he came from the Demon Zone, Heidi guessed, lifting him into her arms. There are so many unknown monsters there.
“You’re still the cutest. Nothing beats being cute…”
Theo looked like a living plush fox, making her smile involuntarily.
“Cheh, stop calling me cute! I’m already five!” he puffed his cheeks.
Ah—her mistake. Kids that age hate being treated like babies.
“Well then, you’re clever too. A monster who can talk—pretty impressive.”
“Mmhm! I’m a genius monster!” Theo grinned, easily distracted by praise.
Then he tilted his head. “But Heidi, why are you so dressed up today?”
Heidi usually wore plain dresses for farming, not something so nice.
“I’m heading to Rayben. Remember? To hire workers.”
“Oh yeah! Too many strawberries! Just you, me, and the striped squirrels—it’s too much. Need humans to help!”
Heidi’s chest swelled with pride. Already hiring workers—maybe she could finally call herself a true farmer.
The first year had been brutal. Clearing stones, tilling wasteland, endless exhaustion. But she’d endured—because Lium meant something.
It was the land awarded when her knightly parents were honored after death. Their grave now lay here, as tradition dictated.
She had always felt guilty leaving them in such a harsh place while she worked in the city. Farming the land was her way of honoring them.
So she studied farming books, asked locals for advice, and worked relentlessly.
And it paid off. The soil was rich, a river nearby made irrigation easy, and her efforts bore fruit—literally.
Now, in spring, strawberries grew in abundance—more than she and her helpers could handle.
She needed extra hands.
“Before you go, breakfast!”
Theo proudly carried in a tray with toast and coffee.
“Wow, you made all this?”
“Of course!”
“You’re amazing. Let’s see how it tastes…”
She sipped the coffee—
Ugh! It was so watered down it was like the beans had just dipped their toes.
But Theo’s expectant yellow eyes were shining.
“Mmm. Very… aromatic.”
“Right?!” He beamed.
How could she hurt him? For that smile, she’d drink any bitterness—or blandness.
“Try the toast too!”
She bit into it—
Sweet! It was like biting into pure sugar. She nearly spat it out.
“How is it?”
“…Soft, like pudding. Very sweet.”
“Yay!”
Theo’s cooking always looked good—but the seasoning was a disaster. Sadly, Heidi was no better; she burned almost everything she tried.
For now, Theo did most of the cooking. But at this rate, starvation wasn’t out of the question.
“Well, thank you. That was… filling.”
If only the new workers could cook, she thought with a tearless cry inside.
After breakfast, Heidi stepped outside with a basket.
Her farmland stretched before her, vibrant green. Fresh lettuce, climbing peas, and rows of strawberries.
She picked a few ripe berries, setting them in her basket—
When she heard it.
“Grooook…”
“Groooh…”
Three small figures staggered toward her from the strawberry field like zombies.
The Horam-squirrels.
They looked like oversized squirrels but with tiger-like stripes and orange-red fur.
Low-level monsters, gentle in nature, and strong enough to help with farm work. They could plow with a yoke or lift fertilizer sacks heavier than a man.
But… communication was difficult. And they solved every problem with brute strength.
“Oh, you guys…” Heidi sighed.
In their little hands, instead of neatly picked strawberries… were entire plants yanked up, roots and all.
“Grooooh!”
Yesterday she had told them, pick strawberries.
So they had. By uprooting the whole plants.
