Chapter 3

The Horam-squirrels were low-level monsters with just enough intelligence to barely understand human speech.

“Well done.”

Since they meant no harm, Heidi couldn’t bring herself to scold them. Instead, she reached out and patted each one on their round little heads. Their soft fur under her hand filled her with a strange satisfaction, enough to make her forget about the ruined strawberry plants.

She glanced at her pocket watch.

Seven already? Time flies.

The carriage she had reserved yesterday would be arriving soon.

“Alright, that’s enough strawberries for now. You worked hard. Go rest inside, and later this afternoon, could you water the lettuce patch?”

The Horam-squirrels squeaked in reply.

“Kkruuk!”

At their leader’s signal, the trio lined up and scurried obediently toward the mansion. Just as they disappeared inside, Heidi noticed a rising dust cloud along the mountain path.

“…Always making such a noisy entrance.”

She pressed her fingers to her temple as a large golden carriage emerged from the haze, speeding straight toward her vegetable garden.

Guuuuhhh!

At the front, a massive red ostrich puffed up its long neck and glared at her. Its strangely expressive face gave off the same exhausted look she used to wear as a low-level civil servant.

Yes—it wasn’t pulled by horses. It was an ostrich-drawn carriage.

If you could even call it a carriage.

Still, since the driver insisted on calling it that, Heidi humored him and used the term too.

The ostrich carriage skidded to a halt before her, raising another puff of dust.

Screeech—!

From the overly decorated driver’s seat, complete with frilly ornaments, a tall man climbed down.

“Hellooo there~! Thank you for using the ostrich carriage, your fastest and friendliest ride to anywhere you need~!”

The driver’s cheerful voice rang out. The straw hat pulled down over his nose looked oddly familiar.

They say fate brings people together in strange ways.

This man—this overly friendly coachman—was none other than her old problem customer from two years ago.

“Why won’t you register my ostrich carriage? You’re discriminating against ostriches!”

Of course, Heidi didn’t exactly want to ride a carriage driven by a former nuisance. But his was the only service willing to come all the way to Lium.

Most avoided the area, too close to the Demon Zone. And even if they tried, normal wagons would fall apart on the rough mountain roads. Somehow, this ostrich carriage handled it perfectly.

“Uhehehehe!”

The coachman’s bizarre laugh snapped her back to reality. Her palms grew sweaty with dread.

That laugh… it was always the prelude to hell.

“Then let’s gooo~!”

The moment she closed the door, the carriage jolted violently. The ostrich bolted forward at terrifying speed.

“Ahhh, not again!”

The ride shook so hard that vibrations rattled her spine and pounded into her skull.

“Damn it! Keep this up and I’ll crawl back to my old job just to cancel your registration! What kind of lunatic official ever approved this?!”

“Lunatic? That’s harsh! You’re my savior, remember? Besides, I promised to get you there safely—I never said anything about comfortably~!”

Oh yes, that infuriating habit of ending every sentence with a singsong -yong was still there, too.

“Safe, sure! No one would dare get close to this death trap! Even an old orc would run away in terror!”

“Haha! Thank you for your trust in our safe service~!”

“That wasn’t a compliment! At this rate, I’ll end up with hemorrhoids! At least put in some cushions!”

“Oooh~! Excellent suggestion. We’ll add it to our customer feedback!”

Maybe he was a good driver in his own way. The problem was that his idea of good service meant sacrificing all comfort in favor of speed and enthusiasm.

No wonder she was the only one who ever booked this thing. In the past two years, she had never once failed to reserve a seat.

Still, between their constant bickering and his chaotic driving, the five-hour trip to Rayben passed quickly—though “chaotically” was the more accurate word.

The Capital, Rayben

Rayben’s central district, packed with shops, the city hall, and all the major facilities, was the empire’s beating heart.

Ugh… after five hours in that carriage, the world won’t stop spinning.

Weaving through the crowded streets, Heidi finally arrived in front of Henry’s Produce Shop.

“Oh, our little baroness is here!”

A stout, balding man waved from a stool inside the shop.

“Hello, Mr. Henry!”

This was Henry, the owner of the largest produce store in the capital, and a long-time acquaintance. Back when Heidi was still a civil servant, she had been one of his regular customers, and over time they’d grown close enough to drop formalities.

Later, when she took up farming, Henry had shared his expertise on fruits and vegetables, helping her get started.

“What’s with your voice? You sound like you swallowed a goat.”

“I… took the ostrich carriage.”

Seeing her pale, exhausted face, Henry nodded knowingly.

“Ah, that thing. I’ve seen it in town. Looks horrifying every time. I didn’t even know ostriches could grow to three meters until then.”

If even Henry thought it was terrifying, then it wasn’t just her imagination.

“So, how are you these days? You look brighter than before. Farming must be going well.”

“It is! Really well! Look, here’s proof!”

She pulled out the basket she had carried all the way from Lium and handed it to him. Inside, neatly wrapped in cloth, were fresh, red strawberries.

“Strawberries?”

“Yes. First harvest. I wanted you to have some as a gift.”

“Confident, aren’t you? You know I’m picky.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. Henry had a reputation for rejecting any fruit that wasn’t top quality. Customers trusted his shop precisely because of that.

“That’s why I brought them. If they pass your standards, I’ll know I can sell them with confidence.”

“Fair enough. I’ll try them—and be brutally honest.”

Henry washed a few strawberries in the back and returned. Heidi watched nervously as he bit into one.

“…What is this?”

“W-what’s wrong?”

Her heart sank at his flat question.

Then Henry spoke again, his face unreadable.

“I thought you’d sprinkled sugar on them. How can strawberries be this sweet? And the fragrance—this is on par with the best fruit I sell.”

It was high praise.

“Ha ha!” Heidi finally burst into a relieved grin.

“You’ve worked hard, haven’t you? Looks like you’ve really succeeded. Don’t you dare forget me when you’re rich.”

“Of course not! You gave me the best advice when I started. I’ll even sell to you at a discount.”

“That’s the Rayben spirit!”

They laughed together until Henry suddenly snapped his fingers.

“Oh right, you were looking for workers. It’s almost strawberry harvest season, isn’t it?”

“Yes!”

This was why she had traveled all the way here. Yesterday, she had sent Henry a message asking if he could find laborers for her. With his wide connections, she was hopeful.

“Honestly, getting ordinary workers might be tough. Your territory may be safe, but it’s still right next to the Demon Zone. Most people won’t go near it.”

“Ugh… is there really no way?”

“Instead of workers, you might need mercenaries.”

Her eyes widened. Then she nodded.

“Oh! That makes sense. Some mercenaries specialize in monster subjugation—they might be willing to work in Lium.”

“Exactly. In fact, I know a good one. But…”

“What? Too expensive?”

Her funds were thin—most of her inheritance and severance had already gone into starting the farm.

“No, not that. He doesn’t work for money.”

“Then that’s perfect!”

Henry shook his head. “Not quite. He only takes jobs that interest him. If he’s not in the mood, he won’t even listen.”

Now Heidi understood his hesitation. This mercenary sounded like a free spirit—unreliable, maybe.

But she couldn’t go home empty-handed. Without extra hands, her strawberries would rot before they could be harvested.

“Then at least tell me where to find him. I’ll try talking to him myself.”

Henry hesitated, then sighed.

“The problem is, he only shows up when he feels like it. Hard to track down…”

Then Henry’s eyes suddenly widened.

“Huh?”

“What is it?” Heidi asked, puzzled.

She turned to follow his gaze—

And saw a stranger standing right behind her.