Reisalin "Ryza" Stout is a young girl living in the village of Rasenboden on the island of Kurken, along with her friends, the scholar Tao and swordsman Lent. However, despite her parents being farmers, Ryza herself shows no interest in farming. Not content with living the rest of her life on Kurken, Ryza proposes to Tao and Lent that they leave the island on an adventure, despite a tradition forbidding Kurken's residents from leaving the island. The trio take a rowboat to the mainland and explore a nearby forest, where they rescue young archer Klaudia Valentz from a pair of monsters. However, the four get lost in the forest and are attacked by Pixies. They are saved by the intervention of alchemist Empel and his bodyguard Lila, who were hired by Klaudia's father to rescue her. Ryza becomes fascinated with alchemy after witnessing Empel's feats. Klaudia and her father set up a trading post on Kurken while Empel and Lila stay on the island to explore its ruins. The next day, Empel agrees to teach Tao how to read and Lila agrees to train Lent in combat techniques in return for acting as guides. Empel then tests Ryza on her alchemy skill and realizes she has a natural aptitude for it, so he decides to take her on as his apprentice.