The Silent Giant

The newly available Loquat and Mango trees were a welcome addition to my fruit repertoire.

But… did you notice that last name beneath the House Tree and Elemental Trees?

Wood Golem. It was about time I found out what this thing really was.

I’d avoided trying it before, since I didn’t want to cause unnecessary panic by demonstrating strange powers in front of the former kingdom citizens who hadn’t gotten used to me yet.

Besides, I hadn’t stayed in Tree Village long enough to test it properly—and, honestly, a mix of laziness and mild fear had made me put it off.

And so, here I was at Simurg-san’s Element Fruit Orchard.

It leaned a bit toward wind-element fruits, but even so, there was enough to feed all the provisional soldiers of “Sandstorm (provisional name)” with plenty to spare.

“I’m delighted to see the Wind Muscats continue to flourish!”

Simurg-san said, his wings fluttering in satisfaction.

He’d come along this time just in case something went wrong during the test. With him around, I had nothing to worry about.

First, I activated Auto Harvest to collect the ripe fruits before they spoiled.

Alright—time to test it. I selected both the location and the type of tree.

Naturally, I chose Wood Golem.

When I chose Yes, a burst of light enveloped the area.

As it faded, a giant wooden figure about twice my height stood before me.

“So this is… the Wood Golem.”

Golems were a type of monster—specifically inorganic creatures known for their durability and regenerative capabilities.

They could keep functioning as long as the “core” inside their bodies remained intact, even regenerating lost parts by absorbing nearby materials.

Famous examples included the Sand Golem, made of sand; the Clay Golem, made of clay; and the Iron Golem, forged from solid metal.

“I’ve never heard of a golem made of wood before,” I said.

“Golems are highly dependent on their surroundings,” Simurg-san explained. “Wood Golems are rare, but I’ve heard tales of them. In the Water Capital, there are said to be Water Golems made entirely of liquid.”

Simurg-san seemed completely unshaken at the sight of the wooden giant.

As a Divine Beast who had lived for ages, I supposed very few things could surprise him anymore.

The strength of a golem depended heavily on its material and environment.

Among the examples mentioned earlier, the Iron Golem was the strongest.

For instance, those found in iron mines were considered formidable opponents—iron swords couldn’t even scratch them.

And even if adventurers managed to wound one, it could simply absorb nearby ore and regenerate instantly.

Fighting one was, in a word, hellish.

The rarer the material used to form its body, the stronger the golem became.

Mithril Golems and Orichalcum Golems—made of rare magical metals—were said to be unbelievably powerful, nearly impossible to defeat without exceptional combat aptitude.

Of course, Nadja could apparently defeat one easily… but she was an exception.

Anyway, I looked up at the wooden colossus before me.

Its smooth surface gleamed as though it had been sanded, its face blank and featureless—a little unsettling if you stared too long.

There was a hollow space around its waist—perhaps a compartment for weapons or materials?

Still…

“It’s not moving.”

“Indeed…”

We were ready for anything, but the Wood Golem showed no sign of activity.

I’d imagined golems would move automatically, but this one stood motionless. Why?

While I pondered that, Simurg-san suddenly flicked one of his wings.

With a sharp slice, the golem’s arm fell cleanly from the elbow down.

“Its defense is moderate,” Simurg-san remarked. “However, its failure to counterattack suggests it may be awaiting your command.”

“My command?”

“Indeed. Most active golems are relics of the Ancient Magical Civilization—once artificial constructs created by humans. They are, in truth, ancient magic tools, not true monsters.”

So golems were actually remnants of lost technology—forgotten magical weapons rather than natural creatures.

“This golem species is the foolish legacy left behind by a man obsessed with power…”

Simurg-san gazed distantly as he said that, then quickly shook off the mood and flapped his wings.

“Well, that’s ancient history. What matters now is that this Wood Golem likely obeys only your commands.”

“Alright then… raise your left hand.”

At my order, the Wood Golem smoothly lifted its left hand.

Its motion was so natural, almost human-like.

“Now lift your right leg… and jump!”

It obeyed perfectly, moving exactly as I commanded.

So it really did listen to me.

Though it had no face, I couldn’t help finding it somewhat endearing—almost like a pet.

Maybe that was Wheel-san’s big family’s influence rubbing off on me.

Still, seeing its right arm severed made me feel a pang of sympathy.

“Repair your right arm.”

The Wood Golem looked around, then placed its remaining hand against a nearby peach tree.

A rumbling sound echoed as half the tree vanished—and in its place, the golem’s arm was fully restored, smooth and unblemished.

“I see… it absorbs wood to heal itself.”

“My peach! My precious peach has vanished! This is a calamity!”

Simurg-san wailed.

“Alright, alright, I’ll fix it.”

I said, planting three new peach trees to cheer him up.

He was far too easy to please… but I let it slide.

What mattered was that he was smiling again.

A golem that could repair itself using nearby trees… I found myself growing fond of the blank-faced creature.

In truth, there had been one major problem troubling me regarding the new village—how to protect its people.

Like Simurg-san, Wheel-san also seemed bound by restrictions that limited how openly he could use his power.

That went for his wife and children too.

So I’d long thought we needed a reliable defense force to safeguard the settlers.

The “Sandstorm” group, led by Nadja, Dan, and Meg, handled things well, but I’d planned to split them into patrols.

Now, if these Wood Golems could grow strong enough, I might not need to divide our manpower at all.

With renewed enthusiasm, I threw myself into studying and modifying the Wood Golem’s capabilities.