The Kingdom of Rodan, the land of snow and ice.
Its royal capital felt entirely different from the Kingdom of Krentz.
「It’s really cold when you’re out here again.」
「And it’s still snowing…」
「Yes, it’s freezing…」
Kiara, Charlotte, and Simone are shivering from the cold.
While those three were struggling with the cold, the other four members of our group seemed energized. Perhaps they had never been to such an extreme environment before, and the novelty of it all had their spirits high.
「Maybe the three of you should head back to the inn for now. I’ll come get you when it’s time for dinner.」
「Yes… I think we’ll do that.」
Charlotte agreed, with Kiara and Simone quickly following suit.
After seeing them off, I continued exploring the capital with Martina, Hanon, and Ailia.
But we weren’t just sightseeing; this trip had a purpose.
I needed to see if Princess Sarina’s request—to start farming in this snowy land—was even remotely possible.
To be honest, just looking at the snow falling all around us made things clear.
It’s impossible.
At least, that’s what any ordinary person would think.
There was snow piled so deep in some places that our feet sank into it with each step. Trying to farm in these conditions would be a fool’s errand.
But I had the Dragon Tree Sword.
With its power, I was certain we could make farming work here, at least initially.
Yet, a critical question gnawed at me.
「The real issue is… can they sustain farming without me?」
That’s the problem.
Sure, I could use the Dragon Tree Sword to make farming viable here for a short while, but for it to continue long-term, the sword’s power would always be needed. Which meant I’d have to stay here permanently.
And that… was impossible. Giving up the underground lake and the treehouse we had in the dungeon would be like losing a part of my soul.
「Hmm…」
I needed a solution.
Using the Dragon Tree Sword as a starting point wasn’t the issue. The challenge was finding a way to sustain farming without relying on me being here all the time.
The snow was the biggest obstacle.
Even if we managed to cultivate fertile soil, it would all be ruined by this unrelenting snow. And as powerful as the Dragon Tree Sword was, it couldn’t control the weather.
As I was pondering this, Martina’s voice pulled me back to reality.
「B-Bale-dono!? There’s snow piling up on your shoulders!」
「Huh? Oh!?」
Without realizing it, more snow had fallen, and it was already starting to pile up on me. If this kept up, by morning the snow would be even deeper.
「We can’t stay outside like this.」
「We’ll catch a cold at this rate.」
「Let’s head back to the inn. It’s warm and sheltered there, so we won’t get sick.」
「A warm, sheltered place…?」
Martina’s casual remark sparked a brilliant idea in my mind.
Of course.
If we can’t avoid the snow, we just need to protect ourselves from it.
It wouldn’t be possible today, but by tomorrow, I’d have a much clearer plan for how to proceed.
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