The strict distinction between a village and a town lay in the existence of a government office managed by nobles. These offices handled tax collection, public works, and population management, among other duties. Indiscriminately accepting people would immediately lead to a deterioration of public order. Since a town was, by definition, a place where nobles resided, such a decline had to be prevented. Furthermore, excessive intake would lead to shortages of land and everything else. For these reasons, the government office managed the comings and goings of people, and the majority of a town’s residents were merchants and craftsmen. To live in a town, one had to pass a relatively strict screening by the government office, and it was common to enlist the help of merchant or artisan guilds to do so; such were the circumstances involved. It was typical for people from the countryside who wished to live in a town to become apprentices to craftsmen or merchants residing there.
Even for Crishet, who had become the adopted daughter of the Chrishtand family—a General of the Kingdom and a Margrave entrusted with the entire northern region, a great noble house—such paperwork procedures existed. Led by Berry and Selene, Crishet visited the government office to complete them. If it had been Bohgan, he could have simply dashed off a note and had someone suitable deliver it. However, since Crishet would be living in the town, it was more convenient in various ways if the people at the government office at least vaguely recognized her face. It was for such reasons that she ended up making an appearance there.
Crishet was still in the midst of learning her letters, but she knew how to sign her name. While Berry explained the documents, Crishet signed several of them. The procedures at the government office did not take very long.
Today’s main purpose lay elsewhere.
“Alright, next up. Shall we go to the blacksmith?”
“Hah… As I thought, perhaps a little later…”
“It’s not something that can be made quickly, so it would be a problem if she doesn’t have one when she needs it, wouldn’t it? You saw, didn’t you? This child’s swordsmanship is extraordinary. I want her to have a proper weapon, just in case.”
The paperwork and shopping for dinner.
The reason Selene had gone out of her way to take a day off and accompany them was to take Crishet to a blacksmith. It simply wouldn’t do for Crishet, whose skill with a blade was so remarkable, not to possess her own sword. The Chrishtands were a General’s family, and Crishet possessed skill so formidable that even Bohgan, whom she had defeated, would be forced to claim that her victory had merely been a stroke of luck. Naturally, Berry couldn’t strongly oppose Selene’s desire to give her a sword befitting that skill. This was especially true when considering that the busy Selene was making time like this, proactively trying to create moments to spend with Crishet. Wanting to give the overly serious Selene a chance to unwind had been Berry’s long-standing wish, and taking that into account, she felt she had no choice but to concede.
Starting with cooking, Crishet was, at least, a domestic girl who enjoyed housework. Although her swordsmanship was exceptional, the idea of her carrying a sword was still something Berry couldn’t readily agree to. However, Crishet herself seemed indifferent, not particularly averse to the idea.
As a result, Berry reluctantly acquiesced and decided to leave it to Selene’s wishes.
Selene, dressed in a red one-piece dress, led the way, while Crishet, wearing a white one-piece dress—a hand-me-down from Selene—was led by Berry’s hand.
After walking for some time and passing through several streets, they came into view of a district with many brick buildings: the blacksmiths’ quarter.
Not that it was an officially demarcated zone, but the noisy blacksmith shops naturally tended to cluster towards the outskirts of the town.
Even otherwise, craftsmen, who generally had strong professional networks, often lived near their fellows. This was because even to make a single sword, they practiced a division of labor according to specialty: those who forged the blade, those who made the scabbard, those who did fine inlay work, leatherworkers, and so on.
“We’re going in there. There’s a highly skilled craftsman who’s known Father for a long time. My sword was forged there too.”
What came into view was a two-story brick building.
The workshops of craftsmen who used fire, like blacksmiths, were often constructed from brick due to its excellent fire resistance. In many cases, the ground floor served as the shop and workshop, while the second floor housed the living quarters.
This building was likely no exception.
Opening the simple, outward-swinging door, they found countless swords placed haphazardly inside.
Some were hung, others slung over objects, some stuck into barrels; it was far too disorganized to be called a display.
Berry, who had a fondness for tidiness, seemed visibly bothered by the sight, a slight look of exasperation on her face.
A young man, who had been yawning at the counter, straightened up in a fluster upon seeing the three of them.
“W-Welcome! Lady Selene-ojousama, what can I do for you today?”
“Is the master in? I’d like to have a sword forged for this child.”
“For that young lady… you mean?”
The lean but muscular young man asked, his gaze seemingly captivated by Crishet standing beside Selene.
Rumors had circulated in town that the Chrishtand family had taken in an adopted daughter, and he had heard she was said to be just as exceedingly beautiful as Selene.
But her beautiful, long silver hair and her translucent white skin…
Though she wore a doll-like, expressionless face, her fairy-like beauty seemed to rob her of any sense of reality.
Seeing her, he couldn’t hide his internal surprise—she was even more than the rumors suggested. At the same time, a clear doubt surfaced on his face at the combination of the girl before him and the notion of a sword.
“Yes, her name is Crishet. I believe she’ll be a long-term customer as well.”
“Hah… Well, I’ll go call him.”
The young man opened a door at the back and exited.
Though they heard his voice call out, “Dad, it’s the young lady from the Chrishtand family!” the sound of metal being struck had been audible from the back room for some time.
It would probably take a while, Selene thought, glancing at Crishet.
The fact that he was striking steel meant he was in the middle of his work.
Since he was hammering steel heated by fire, it wasn’t something he could stop immediately.
Besides, just tidying up his appearance a little would also take some time.
“Crishet, while we wait, think a little about what kind of sword you’d like. You have preferences, don’t you?”
“Preferences?”
“The practice sword seemed rather difficult for you to wield, so you should order something easy to use and suited to your stature. I also had one made that’s a bit lighter and suitable for thrusting.”
As far as Crishet was concerned, if it served its purpose, she had no particular preferences.
Anything was fine as long as she could swing it and kill; any shape, as long as it was made of steel, was sufficient.
In that sense, she had no preferences for weapons. However, having recently seen the splendid set of cooking utensils in the mansion’s kitchen, her thinking had changed somewhat.
Most dishes could be made with a single kitchen knife and one pot.
However, it was a different story when considering the creation of advanced cuisine like Berry’s.
To make wonderful dishes, one needed cooking utensils suited to the cooking method; it was because of such tools that artistic cuisine could be created.
Crishet, who had been deeply impressed by actually witnessing Berry’s cooking, now showed understanding of Selene’s words.
If cooking was like that, then swords were the same.
To kill more effectively, one would surely need something better.
Easy to use, sturdy, and convenient.
Better sharpness was preferable, and something light that didn’t strain the body and caused less fatigue would be good.
She picked up a sword that had been placed haphazardly nearby.
It was a broad longsword. It looked sturdy but was heavy, and seemed more suited for hacking than for clean cuts.
It wouldn’t be bad if one wanted to hack through armor and all, but it was excessive.
Aim for a vital spot, inflict a light wound.
People could be easily killed even with just a knife, so this was far too much.
Recalling her past experiences and the way Grace had died, she put the sword down.
“There are many longswords, aren’t there?”
“Well, the ones sold in places like this are often for general use. The length of a weapon extends one’s reach and can cover for differences in skill. Mercenaries and the like often prefer longer weapons over short swords, I suppose. On the battlefield, conversely, short swords are often used.”
“…Short swords?”
“Because they’re convenient for fighting in tight formations when battle lines are drawn. Longswords are only truly effective when you can maintain distance. Soldiers who are forced to fight in conditions where that’s not possible are equipped with easy-to-handle short swords. Of course, their main weapon is the spear, though.”
The length of a weapon extended one’s reach.
However, the longer it became, the more inconvenient it was, and its portability also worsened.
She needed something easy to use that could be carried daily, and yet more convenient than a knife.
What came to mind was the curved sword used by the bandits who had been disguised as merchants.
Its swing had been light and it had felt comfortable in her hand; the blade was thick towards the tip, and thanks to the curve, its cutting edge had also been good.
She scanned her surroundings, searching for a curved sword, and what she found was a cavalry sword.
The curved sword, known as a cavalry sword, was likely designed with one-handed swings from horseback in mind.
Though curved and sharp, it was slender and long, and seemed to have issues with durability.
“Hmm…” she pondered, putting it down and moving on to the next.
Long weapons like spears and glaives were also present, but they were out of the question due to portability.
Thrusting weapons, while fine for killing a single person, created an opening after the thrust.
That said, simple longswords still had drawbacks in terms of sharpness and weight.
Even when told to consider her preferences and thinking it over, she found that each weapon had its pros and cons.
She just couldn’t seem to come across one that made her think, “This is it.”
Selene showed her various swords, asking things like, “How about this one?”, but they were still a little different from Crishet’s preference.
Berry was looking with interest at the area where knives were displayed, probably searching for something usable for cooking.
Crishet’s interest also leaned that way; her true desire was to choose kitchen knives and other blades with Berry rather than swords.
However, she understood that Selene wanted to give her a sword, and if that was the case, she couldn’t just dismiss it.
As she was pondering this for a while, the youth from before and an old man emerged from the back of the shop.
“Hello, sorry for intruding,” Selene said.
“Ah… welcome. So, you’re the one who wants a sword forged…?”
“This is Crishet. I’d like you to forge a sword for her of the same quality you would for Father. She might not look it, but she has the skill to warrant it.”
“Hmm…”
The bald, unshaven old man scrutinized Crishet with sharp eyes.
He was muscular and large, with his right shoulder noticeably more developed.
There were countless burn scars on his cheeks and arms, and he dragged his left leg slightly.
He was injured—no, it was an aftereffect of some kind.
Crishet naturally observed this and thought that, judging from his stance, he could probably still fight reasonably well.
A soldier retired due to injury, or something along those lines, perhaps.
“She’s Gahlen-sama’s granddaughter… I wonder if you know Gahlen-sama, Coze-san?”
“Is that so! Of course, I do. I was greatly indebted to him.”
His gaze instantly warmed, and the old man offered a friendly smile.
“Is Captain Gahlen doing well?”
“Yes. He’s in the village now, though.”
“I see… If he happens to visit again, could you please tell him to stop by my place?”
“Understood.”
The old man—Coze—looked at Crishet thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded as if in understanding.
“Captain Gahlen often spoke of you. Indeed, you are a fine and beautiful young lady. So, what kind of sword are you looking for? Let’s hear your preferences first.”
“Mm… A small curved sword would be good. Um…”
She brought over the saber from before.
“Something like this, but made much shorter, with the blade angled forward, and the tip more curved and significantly thicker. I used one that some bandits had a little while ago, and it felt quite good.”
“Felt quite good…”
“Yes. With a light swing, its weight and curve cut very well. Even after cutting down ten people, its sharpness didn’t dull much… And even when Crishet-ga rather carelessly minced bone with it, it only chipped slightly and was very sturdy. So if I’m to use one, that’s what I’d like.”
The old man frowned and looked at Selene.
Berry looked at Crishet with a slightly sad expression.
“There are circumstances behind her coming to Chrishtand. Her skill is incomparable to any martial artist around here, but because of that, in the village, well…”
“…Is that so. It seems there are various circumstances.”
When Crishet tilted her head, the old man spoke again.
“…If it was used by bandits, it might be a type of barbarian sword. They’re not very popular, so I don’t usually display them in the shop… Keiz, bring it.”
“Ah, yes.”
The youth went to the back and quickly returned with a curved sword.
Crishet nodded at its shape and replied, “It’s similar to that.”
“It’s a sword originating from the mountain-dwelling barbarian tribes. It has weight towards the tip like a machete and is very sharp. I myself think it’s a good sword, but it’s not very well-liked.”
The curved sword handed to her by the youth fit well in her hand.
Overall, it was small in form.
Near the base, it was bent slightly forward in a distinct ‘ku’-character shape, and the curve intensified towards the tip, increasing its weight like an axe or a machete.
The hilt also had a slight forward curve, perhaps to prevent the hand from slipping, providing a good grip, and at its end was a ring.
It was probably used for threading a cord.
It might also have served to maintain the sword’s weight balance.
She drew it, twirled it lightly in her hand to test its feel.
The sound of it cutting the air echoed several times—and then Crishet smoothly and skillfully sheathed it.
“Ooh,” an admiring sound came from the youth, and the old man’s eyes widened.
Wondering if it would be just right to hang at her hip, Crishet looked at Selene.
“Selene, this one is good.”
“Um, that one?”
“Yes. It’s Crishet’s preference.”
Selene looked at the sword Crishet held with an exasperated expression.
Both the scabbard and hilt were old and considerably worn.
It was undoubtedly a used item. She took it from Crishet’s hand and gave it to the old man.
“Is this for sale?”
“No, it’s something I bought long ago for reference. It’s certainly a quality piece, but if you wish, I can forge a new one just like it. I believe I can deliver something even better than this.”
“Then, please do. I intend to pay generously… Berry.”
“Yes.”
Berry took out about three small gold coins from her leather pouch and handed them over.
The old man and the youth looked a little surprised and bowed their heads.
“Will this be enough?”
“Yes, it’s more than enough. We will be sure to deliver something that is not lacking in comparison. For the granddaughter of the esteemed Captain Gahlen, we cannot cut corners.”
“Hehe, I see. Then, I’ll leave it to you. Crishet, do you have any requests for how you want the sword, like the one you just saw?”
“Uh, um…”
Asked this, Crishet was frozen by the amount Berry had casually paid.
Even for Crishet, who grew up in the countryside, she could vaguely understand the value of gold coins to some extent.
One coin could buy several thousand pumpkins; no, with three, wouldn’t it easily exceed ten thousand?
Astonished by the price of the sword converted into pumpkins, she looked at Selene.
“Um, Selene? Crishet-wa doesn’t need something that—”
“I have a sword of the same price, so it’s unacceptable for you, who are more skilled, to have a cheap one. Just accept it. You are a daughter of Chrishtand… So, any requests?”
“…I’d prefer it if the curve was a bit stronger, and it had more weight at the tip.”
Crishet reluctantly nodded and replied so.
“…Ten thousand pumpkins for a single sword.”
Crishet, having left the shop, was still in shock.
For Crishet, who spent her days buying ingredients with pocket money equivalent to errand wages, this was nothing short of culture shock.
She had seen silver coins, but rarely gold coins, and when she did, it was at most when the village was purchasing stockpiled goods.
She knew the incredible purchasing power of a single gold coin—enough to buy vast quantities of food or materials—so for three of them to be handed over for a single sword was shocking.
“That’s about normal. You have to spend properly on necessary things. Besides, whether you’ve noticed or not, all those kitchen knives lying around in the kitchen, if you add up their cost, it’s a whole different order of magnitude. Berry pours most of her salary into cooking-related things, you know.”
“Is that so…?”
When Crishet looked at her with astonished eyes, Berry gave a wry smile and scratched her cheek.
“I’ve been collecting good quality items little by little over many years, so, well… it might indeed amount to that much. Perhaps enough to buy over a hundred thousand pumpkins.”
“That many…”
“Hehe, you might think it’s wasteful, but by circulating money like this, artisans gain some leeway, allowing them to experiment and create even better things. Money isn’t just a mere possession, you see.”
Berry said this while looking at the rows of shops.
“For example, delicious dishes made with various ingredients are also born from such leeway. When people are struggling, they’re preoccupied with just getting enough to fill their stomachs. …However, when we nobles provide them with that leeway, they gain the capacity to acquire better things within that leeway. And that, in turn, circulates back to us.”
“That’s how the economy works,” she said with a smile.
“Nobles acquire much so that they can distribute that much in such ways. Certainly, three small gold coins for a sword is a large sum. However, thanks to that, that craftsman can create better things and can focus his efforts on pursuing his craft. Of course, wasteful spending should be admonished, but as long as it’s used correctly, it’s fine.”
“…I see.”
“The delicious fruits and ingredients in this city are also the result of money circulating well, and everyone striving to make good things. And it’s the result of them having the leeway to experiment for that purpose. See, when you think of it this way, it doesn’t seem wasteful, does it?”
Berry patted her head, and Crishet, blushing slightly, nodded.
It was a much broader and deeper insight than Crishet’s own.
From individuals to the village, from the village to the town, from the town to society.
Things that seem wasteful might not be so when viewed from a long-term perspective.
It connected to her experiences teaching swordsmanship to children in the village, and Crishet was impressed with Berry.
“From my perspective, I think she should spend it on more varied things,” Selene commented. “It’s such a waste when she’s so beautiful. Always wearing an apron dress.”
“Hehe, I quite like this, you see,” Berry replied.
Saying that, Berry took Crishet’s hand and headed towards a shop.
“Now, let’s go buy ingredients for dinner. Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“Um… Crishet-wa, the gratin we ate the other day, how to make it…”
Crishet said, looking a little embarrassed.
More than wanting to know how to make it, her desire to eat it again was stronger.
“Yes,” Berry nodded happily.
“Fufu, it seems you enjoyed it. Last time it was something simple, so how about we try something with a bit of chicken this time? What about you, Ojou-sama?”
“…Hmm. I’d like to eat meat pie.”
“The oven will be quite busy, then. So, for the rest, perhaps some soup…”
“Ah, then Crishet will make pumpkin soup!”
“You’ve got a craving for pumpkin now, haven’t you?” Berry said with a wry smile, then poked her head into one of the shops.
“Argan-sama, Argan-sama,” wherever she went, Berry was greeted with smiles, and the ingredients offered to her were always of high quality.
Berry was quite the popular figure in town.
“Argan-sama, how about this? It’s a fine, plump bird. I thought you might come today, so I set it aside for you…”
“Oh my, if my favorite shopkeeper says so, I can’t refuse. I was just thinking of using chicken today… I’ll take it.”
When Berry handed over the money, the shopkeeper looked extremely pleased.
Crishet vaguely thought that while Berry’s good looks might be part of it, it wasn’t just that; her overall aura must be what made her so well-liked.
She was somewhat similar to Grace, always smiling and gentle in her demeanor.
After passing the butcher shop and approaching a fruit and vegetable stall, the man greeted them lightly, then went to the back, wielded a knife, and offered them a plate.
“Crishet-ojousama, please. You seemed to like it last time, so I picked out some good ones for you.”
“Um… yes.”
On the offered plate were small, cut pieces of rakura.
This red fruit called rakura had little acidity and was very sweet.
It had a delicious, crisp texture like an apple, but its drawback was that the outside was quite juicy and tended to drip a lot.
She had heard you could eat it with the skin on, so last time she had bitten right into it, lightly staining her dress, and the man had apologized profusely.
That was probably why he had cut it up for her today.
When she put a piece in her mouth, the sweetness spread, and the corners of her lips softened.
“…It’s very delicious.”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that. I felt quite bad for not warning you last time.”
“No… Crishet was just being clumsy.”
When Crishet blushed as if embarrassed, the man laughed cheerfully.
“How about it, Argan-sama? As an apology, I can give you a bit of a discount…”
“Trying to win Crishet-sama over with food… honestly. Could you wrap some up for us?”
“Haha, thank you very much. And while you’re at it, I have some other good things here—”
When she went shopping with Berry like this, the gazes directed at Crishet also softened.
She didn’t have many memories of getting along well in the village, and it felt strange that Crishet, who had only recently arrived and hadn’t been here long, was being accepted like this.
Just like with Gahlen earlier, the trust people had in Berry probably extended to Crishet.
Being viewed favorably by others was a good thing, and considering Berry’s presence brought that about, her respect for Berry indeed deepened.
“Ah, Crishet will carry it.”
Crishet took the wrapped fruit into her basket and linked her other arm with Berry’s.
Berry smiled happily and said, “Thank you very much.”
Selene stared intently at Crishet, her brow furrowing.
Crishet tilted her head, then quickly nodded, let go of Berry’s arm, and took Selene’s.
“Wh-what are you doing…?”
“I thought Selene wanted to link arms too. Crishet and Berry are both carrying baskets, so Selene can be in the middle.”
“D-don’t say such childish things…!”
“Oh my, that’s an excellent idea. Come now, Ojou-sama.”
Berry grabbed Selene’s other arm without giving her a chance to refuse. Selene, her face bright red, glared but said nothing, merely pouting.
Berry gave Selene a wry smile and then turned her gentle gaze to Crishet.
Crishet, not quite understanding, tilted her head.
The sun began to set, and night was drawing near.
Beneath the madder red sky, the three of them walked on.