Noria is slated to become a tea master like her father. In the far north of the Scandinavian Union, now located within the power state of New Qian, Noria knows this is a great responsibility because tea masters know the location of hidden water sources. When Noria's father dies, she is threatened and asked to give up her knowledge. Resistance means imprisonment and/or death and Noria is forced to make a choice between knowledge and freedom.