Chapter 2

My father told me to leave the Conrad territory.

Two days later, when I was about to leave home in a carriage after finishing my preparations, no one came to see me off.

I was no longer Woody Conrad, just Woody, and apparently, I was of no value.

It felt as if I was being told that, and I felt a little sad.

But now, I have managed to come all the way to the desert.

I didn't despair and run away because of two girls.

One was my fiancée, Najja, who encouraged me.

And the other was the girl who stayed by my side even after I was kicked out of the house—.

"Wow... there's really nothing here..."

Seeing the girl squint her eyes, I tried to cheer myself up.

The girl with beautiful silver hair hidden under a hood is named Ira.

She is a maid three years older than me.

Just before we left, she proudly said, "I slapped my resignation letter on the face of that lousy boss!" and for some reason, she is still my maid.

She has a bit of a sharp tongue but is very capable and has a much more powerful and useful talent than I do.

Even though I can't pay her a proper salary, she said it doesn't matter.

I don't know why she follows me, but I don't want her to be uncomfortable.

"This desert is as barren as Woody's hair will be in ten years."

"---I won't be bald in ten years, I won't!"

Indeed, I was told by the hairdresser that my hair is thin and I might go bald in the future, but at twenty-five, it shouldn't be a problem... I hope.

My father's hair is a bit thin too, but it should be fine.

...Is it really fine?

I'm starting to feel a bit anxious... No, that's not it.

"Can we really live here?"

Before us stretches a desert with withered trees and layers of sand.

The Conrad duchy is located in the northern Battan wilderness.

Beyond that lies an unnamed desert, which is not yet anyone's territory, a truly untouched land.

Since I have been ordered to leave the duchy, I cannot stay in the wilderness, which is part of the duchy.

If I don't live in the desert outside the duchy, I might be punished for disobeying the lord's order.

Or maybe... they are aiming for that.

If that's the case, I won't go along with their plan.

"Anyway, let's try to move forward."

"...Right. We should try to secure food in the desert while our rations last."

We decided to take a step outside the territory.

We proceed through the desert.

Since we have returned the carriage, of course, we are walking.

No matter how far we go, the scenery remains the same.

The lack of change is starting to wear on us mentally.

The temperature is quite high, and we need to replenish our water frequently or we'll dry up in no time.

I can understand why previous lords gave up on this place, as it gets so cold at night that the water freezes.

There are said to be local residents, but I wonder what kind of people they are.

"Mr. Woody"

"Is something wrong?"

"There is no water source or oasis nearby. So let's find a place to hide and sleep for the night."

"Okay, got it."

Following Ira, who has some survival experience, we started searching for a place to sleep.

Fortunately, we found a large rock not too far away that could protect us from the sand.

After checking to make sure it wouldn't collapse, I nodded.

Okay, let's sleep in its shadow tonight.

I took off my backpack and took a break.

Looking at my coat, I saw that the sweat had completely dried, leaving white salt lines.

We haven't walked for two hours, but I'm already exhausted from the travel fatigue.

I'll rest here for a while.

---By the way, thanks to the money I saved before being exiled, I have a variety of necessities like rations, drinking water, and a coat.

If nothing unexpected happens, I have enough supplies to last about a month.

"I would be scared if I didn't have a 'Storage Bag.'"

"I can provide water, so feel free to use it. You can even take a bath if you want."

The backpack I was carrying is called a 'Storage Bag,' a fine magic item that looks shabby but is quite impressive.

In simple terms, it's a bag that can hold a lot of things.

It uses spatial magic to create a subspace inside the backpack, but I don't understand the details.

It's a priceless item made with ancient technology that no longer exists.

When I was exiled, my room became Acid's, and most of my personal belongings were not returned.

The only things I managed to bring were a few magic items.

This 'Storage Bag' is one of the few survivors.

In the unpredictable desert journey, it's a truly valuable item.

"...Ira's magic power isn't infinite, so I'll save water."

"Come on, there's no need to worry. ---Why don't I take a bath? It might excite you, a young man, to see my nice body."

"No, why would it come to that!?"

"I'm just joking, joking."

Ira is mysterious and unpredictable.

She always teases me like this.

She's incredibly capable, but that makes her a bit eccentric.

My fiancée is also eccentric, so maybe capable people are a bit odd.

"Fortunately, the wind isn't strong, so the tent won't be blown away."

Ira quickly set up the tent.

Before I knew it, a folding table was out, and today's dinner was on it.

Warm dried meat, baked bread, and soup.

The teapot contained herbs.

"Let's make it a bit warm today."

Ira pointed at the pot, and water started to come out.

---Yes, she is a water mage.

Her talent is 'Water Mage.'

This is a very powerful talent among water-related talents.

Powerful talents like my father's and Acid's include the word 'mage.'

Ira has the same level of talent in water magic as my father and Acid.

She has the power to become a court mage or a top-tier adventurer.

...I really wonder why she follows me.

"...It's delicious."

"Today, I added Ordana leaves. They have a calming effect, so you should be able to sleep well."

"Ira, thank you for everything. Really, thank you."

As I drank the herbal tea and smiled, Ira's face turned red like a boiled shrimp.

"(That smile is cheating! It's unfair!)"

She mumbled something, but I couldn't hear it.

When I asked what she said, she deftly changed the subject.

"Mr. Woody, may I ask you a question? It might upset you, but—"

"Sure, go ahead."

Ira fidgeted and looked uneasy, then looked at me with a worried expression.

"What exactly is Mr. Woody's 'Tree Planting' talent?"

"...Oh, right. I haven't shown it to Ira yet."

I understood why Ira was hesitant.

It's hard to ask about the 'Tree Planting' talent, which is the reason I was exiled.

My official reason for coming here is to turn this desert into a lush, green place.

If I can plant trees, it would be better to do so.

Since this land belongs to no one, I won't be criticized for planting trees.

When I activate 'Tree Planting,' a light panel appears at the edge of my vision.

It reads:

[Do you want to plant a tree? Yes / No]

If I choose Yes, I am then asked to specify the location.

Let's set it near the tent for now.

[Do you want to plant a tree here? Yes / No]

I choose Yes again.

Then, a strong light envelops the area.

"Br, bright—"

"Yeah, it's pretty bright, isn't it?"

Ira and I shield our eyes with our hands and wait for the light to fade.

At the spot I designated, a tree about knee-high has grown.

"I've only used it once, but it seems to have worked."

"This is... a tree..."

Ira fell silent.

Yeah, because it's just a tree.

...I'm sorry for having a talent that's hard to react to.

'Tree planting has reached a certain amount. Level up! Tree planting status has been unlocked!'

---What's this? I don't understand!