The next province over regularly invades the frontier (where Haruka et all ended up at) and raids them for stuff they recover from the forest / dungeons, keeping them perpetually poor and making sure MeriMeri's father (the lord of the town/frontier province) doesn't gain any political power. I don't remember what the spy girl was doing here, she was either investigating Haruka because the next province over had heard about him, or preparing to assassinate him.