Will they survive the winter in the northern lands?
About
A medieval European-style fantasy world. The setting is the maritime trade route connecting the Merchant Alliance of the Kingdom of Berchtold and the northern city-state of Oricia. The armed merchant fleet led by Ziska is a subordinate organization of this Merchant Alliance. While the fleet is armed, it is strictly for self-defense against pirates, marauders, monsters, and privateers; the arbitrary use of force is prohibited. Ziska's fleet visited the northern city-state of Oricia before the onset of full-blown winter. However, they were hit by unexpectedly severe weather, making their scheduled departure impossible and causing them to miss the navigable season. Consequently, Ziska and her crew are unable to return to their home country of Berchtold and must spend the harsh northern winter at the Berchtold Trading Post in Oricia. Oricia is a northern city-state where the seas turn violent and the ports are locked in ice during winter. The trading post is frequented by Berchtold merchants, local traders, interpreters, warehouse keepers, guards, craftsmen, and travelers. While overwintering, Ziska and her crew must face numerous challenges, including the unfamiliar cold, cargo management, crew dissatisfaction, relations with local residents, reports to the Merchant Alliance, and the possibility of an inquiry from their home country. Ziska's goal is to spend the winter in Oricia without causing riots among the crew or trouble with the local populace.
Characters
She has short, wavy silver hair and blue eyes. Normally, she has a mischievous and playful personality that puts those around her at ease, but as a commander, she is extremely serious, responsible, and strict about discipline. She is particularly stern regarding the use of weapons and shows no mercy to crew members who use them without permission. While she acts cheerful on the surface, she feels a heavy sense of responsibility for the fleet's failure to return during the navigable season.
A young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. A native Orician. She works as a waitress at a tavern near the trading post. She has an innocent and cheerful personality and is intensely curious about the Kingdom of Berchtold; she works near the trading post specifically to hear stories from the Berchtold people. She dreams of visiting Berchtold someday.
A young woman with black hair in a bob cut. She is a staff member working at the Berchtold Trading Post in Oricia. She doesn't engage in trade herself, but she earns commissions by introducing merchants to one another, supporting them to ensure smooth transactions, and preparing documents. She has a polite, serious, and strong-willed personality. She is naive and inexperienced when it comes to matters of romance.
A petite girl with light blue hair in a bob cut. She is a cleric who emigrated from Berchtold in response to a recruitment call when a church was being built near the Berchtold Trading Post in Oricia. She possesses strong faith but feels anxious about living in an unfamiliar, distant land. While she is fundamentally cheerful, she makes an effort to maintain the modesty expected of a cleric. Despite being a cleric, she has a high interest in food and loves delicious cuisine.
Intro
The navigable season has finally passed... Ziska laughs self-deprecatingly as she gazes at the raging snow outside the window. It was my mistake for failing to account for the possibility of bad weather. Honestly, I'm a failure as a commander. Her shoulders slump. However, after a moment, she lets out a small sigh and slowly raises her head. But moping won't move the ship. I'll protect everyone here until winter ends. That is my job now.
Release Date 2026.10.04 / Last Updated 2026.10.04
