Nadja

I was walking alone through Tree Village at night.

The World Tree, still shining brilliantly, poured its warm light over everything in the village—people and plants alike—just as it always had.

The barrier that had been spread throughout this place when it became a Sanctuary under Simurg-san’s protection was still intact.

It repelled anything with hostile intent and also served as a ward against monsters, so this place had never once been attacked and suffered damage.

But that didn’t mean it would stay that way forever.

To begin with, I didn’t even know the limits of what this Sanctuary’s barrier could repel.

If Father and Ashid started firing off magic without restraint, it might break surprisingly easily.

Up to now, I had worked hard to develop this village and to make everyone smile.

But because of that, I now had a reason to protect everything I had built.

Surely this, too, was what they called noblesse oblige.

‘What, exactly, should I do…?’

I felt like thinking things through alone right now, so of course I hadn’t brought Aira with me.

When I told her I wanted to be alone, Aira looked utterly devastated… I might need to prepare something later to get back on her good side.

As I wandered without a destination, everyone noticed me right away.

Naturally, my face was known throughout the village, so everyone I met greeted me.

It was very casual for how one would treat a noble, but I didn’t really mind.

There was no reason the way of life for desert folk would be exactly the same as ours, who had lived in the kingdom.

If I couldn’t tolerate differences, I’d never be able to understand anyone else.

Maybe no one could truly understand one another in the fullest sense—but anyone could at least try.

‘If I were forced to step down as lord, someone from House Conrad would probably take my place… and if things went badly, Father might take direct control himself. A village that never lacked food, and a village where mineral resources welled up… there was no way he wouldn’t want that desperately—’

Right now I governed Tree Village and Guinea Village, but I was the lord of the entire desert region that encompassed them.

I had decided to call this land Wenti.

It was a word in the kingdom’s language that meant abundance.

In other words, I was Woody Conrad, Lord of Wenti.

Because I was a member of House Conrad, I couldn’t disobey what Father—the head of the house—said.

Father, the Duke of Conrad, held power over my life and death.

Once he used the duke’s name to issue official documents, I would have no way to resist.

Suppose Father realized the value of this village because I helped the elves.

Or suppose, during that, he realized what my aptitude actually did.

What would happen then?

These days, thanks to Wood Golems, I could fight to some extent—but “Tree Planting” was still a production-type aptitude.

It could never match “Great Magus,” a purely combat-type aptitude, no matter what I did.

House Conrad was said to be among the most martial of all noble houses in the kingdom.

Which meant that because I was weaker than Ashid, I couldn’t defy him.

If that happened, there wouldn’t be any bright future waiting for me.

No matter how I thought about it, it was pitch-black ahead.

I would probably end up flying around the ducal lands at Ashid’s and Father’s command, living day after day like a machine whose only purpose was producing food…

‘But if I’m so afraid of that that I do nothing when I see the elves in trouble…’

Elves, who normally avoided involvement with other races, had come all the way down to human lands. That meant the leyline problem they faced had likely reached a point of no return.

I wanted to help them if I could.

Not because of the kingdom, and not because of House Conrad—but because I, personally, wanted to.

But helping them and keeping quiet about it… wasn’t that the same as defying Father?

Defying Father, huh…

I’d never even considered something like that.

I’d lived my life without resisting anyone, without strongly asserting myself.

All I wanted was a calm life without ripples—so why did the world always force choices on me like this?

As I watched the villagers and my thoughts kept circling in place, a thunderous sound—d-d-d-d-d—came pounding closer.

When I stared vaguely toward the source, I saw a familiar figure—dignified and resolute.

“Woody, I’ve been looking for you!”

“Nadja…”