The Sea, Fishermen, and Sailors (1)

"The seaaaaaa!"

For the first time since I was born into this world, I felt wind heavy with sea spray wash over my entire body, and I couldn't help shouting.

But I didn't shout because it was unpleasant; it simply burst out because I couldn't contain my rising excitement.

The Virestrica Republic, a country facing the sea to the south, lay even farther south, beyond Paulogia, the Kingdom of Rudria's southern neighbor.

As its name suggested, the Virestrica Republic was a republic with no monarch; instead, it was ruled by a council of distinguished families and a head of state chosen by that council.

It was by no means a large country, but it earned enormous profits through maritime trade and used that wealth to maintain a powerful military force.

Paulogia, which wanted to move south and secure a port, frequently skirmished with it along the border, leaving relations tense. The Kingdom of Rudria, which supported Paulogia by exporting food, also had poor relations with the Virestrica Republic.

So the journey from the Kingdom of Rudria, through Paulogia, and onward to the Virestrica Republic was anything but peaceful. Even so, I had only one reason for coming here—or rather, about three.

Yes. Though I'd been born into this world a long time ago, I'd never once tasted seafood.

It wasn't as though not knowing about seafood was a problem, but I knew its taste from memories of my previous life...