◇Baron Castle - The Baron's Private Room◇
"Baron-sama, sir Zotor, and Hauto-dono have come."
"Okay, let them in."
"Excuse me."
The two people who have been invited into the baron room are bewildered. That's because, even though he's a sociable master, he seems to have no interest in military, and gives directives to them via consul Nina.
In addition to that, there are two swords on the work desk of the Baron. Zotor can feel unknown power from those swords that are covered in simple sheaths.
"Sir Zotor, will you pull that sword."
"Yes."
Zotor replies with short acceptance word, and pulls the sword. Hauto that's been summoned together with him waits behind him without saying a word. Even though the baron is the father of his lover, their public standings are like heaven and earth, so it's an extremely natural thing to do. Nevertheless, he can't hide the gleaming interest on his eyes.
"T, this is, is this a magic sword?"
Zotor commented like so on the sword he held on his hand. That is because it feels similar to the magic sword that his acquaintance's noble superior flaunts once. That superior's sword was made of mithril. Just like with this sword, they're not made of iron alloy.
He erases his hesitation, and seeps his magic power into it. It's something that's meaningless with the iron sword he normally uses, but it's an essential act with the old sword made from monster's parts that he once had.
"Amazing...."
From his standpoint, the magic power is flowing unbelievably smooth in the magic sword.
While it's like that, he does practice swings several time with the sword, and then puts it back on the desk. He pulls the second sword the same way. They seem to be the same model as they're made uniformly. This is also something that's impossible for his common sense. Normal magic swords are something that have loose performances among each of them.
"They're wonderful swords. This is probably worth more than 100 gold coins--are you going to sell them to the official merchant?"
He asks while feeling a bit reluctant. With the current economic condition of the baron territory, these kind of swords cannot be given to his forces. Zotor is thinking that the baron probably has summoned him to inquire the price of these swords.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes, the opportunity to wield swords as good as these are very rare, whence, I am extremely grateful for being given the chance."
"Is that so. It's splendid if you like it. Accept them, those swords are yours."
That unexpected words causes bewilderment to surface rather than delight. However, just when the baron stops speaking, that bewilderment is eliminated, and delight resurfaces.
"D, don't tell me, such excellent swords are going to be lent to us?"
"No."
He's headed back to discouragement with the quick reply of the baron.
"Those swords are given to you. Divert your gratitudes to chevalier Pendragon. He's asked us to give these swords to you two."
Chevalier Pendragon--he's one of the only three nobles in this baron territory. There is no shortage of anecdote surrounding him. If the baron says that they're gifts from him, then it's probably really true. Zotor receives the sword with both his hand. He dedicates his gratitude to the baron, and his retainer.
◇Baron Castle - Courtyard◇
"Beautiful..."
"Hohou, is newbie-chan going for Hauto-san?"
"Kya, Erina-san! Since when have you arrived."
"Just a little while a~go. And, are you aiming for Hauto-san? Doing some social upheaval?"
There are the figures of the captain and the vice-captain of the territory army swinging the magic swords they've just received ahead of the girls. There is no light on the magic sword that the vice-captain is swinging, unlike with the captain's. There's the baron daughter, Soruna with her maid attendants on the shade of a tree further ahead.
"What I'm looking is the sword that Zotor-sama is swinging. I've never seen such beautiful sword before."
Erina's eyes keeps pushing on like she's saying that she's only having an excuse.
"Like I said, it's not like that. It's impossible to have an illicit relationship with someone who's being looked with such loving gaze like that. Moreover, I have someone else I love."
"Ah~, come to think of it, you've said it before. Was it the young merchant who generously gave you an expensive magic potion when you were dying from running into a carriage?"
"Ehehe~, I don't know his name, nor his face though."
The face of someone whom Erina knows well floats in her mind, but the girl prudently keeps that to herself since she doesn't want to add anymore rival than now.
◇The Pioneer Village◇
"Eh? Apprentice is it?"
"Yes, won't you become an apprentice maid at the baron castle?"
There are two maids, and a girl in a room of one of the only two house that the Pendragon village has.
This is a pioneer village that doesn't even have monster-warding barrier pillars. It'll be no wonder if someday monsters attack, erasing this village from the map. The people that reside here are elderly that have been abandoned by their hometown, and ran-away children who are formerly serfs.
Just how does this much reclaimed field exist inside the forest, no one, including the people that live here, knows. It seems the village name is taken from the person who has helped them.
"But, I've never done anything beside farmworks."
"You don't have to worry 'bout that y'know? It's something that even me who's a former soldier can do."
"Meda, you stop talking."
Meda draws her head back from Pina's roar. Pina puts some power on her voice since she can't let her first job as the team leader ruined by her subordinate's foolish words.
"If Totona-ane doesn't want to, then I will do it! I want to be useful to Satou-sama and Arisa-chan!"
"Wait Rorona, where did that come from."
"Satou-sama gave us warm meals. He also left food so we didn't starve. Even the fields here must be something that Satou-sama had prepared."
The little girl emphasizes it with all the might on her small body. She's clearly too young to become a maid. However, Pina seems to have judged that there's no problem with it.
"Fine then. Let's heed your spirit. Rorona, we will employ you as an apprentice maid. Totona, what are you going to do?"
"Uu, please take care of me."
Totona who can't let her little sister go alone to an unfamiliar place reports that she's agreed to become an apprentice maid.