Chapter 2

“Ahh… What a lovely day.”

Well, around here, there’s hardly any weather besides clear skies or fierce blizzards. After all, I’ve been stuck with this backwater land as some sort of punishment.

It’s been five years since I was accidentally killed by the god of another world, or so the old man claiming to be said god says. Finally granted permission to wander on my own, I suppress the desire to relax at home and head to the plot of land in the backyard where I’ve made a small garden.

“Hmm, they seem to be growing nicely.”

What I’ve planted are sugar beets, obtained through a merchant I’ve been dealing with since before I was born. Normally, cultivation would be impossible in such barren land with little rainfall, but in this world where magic, an inexplicable supernatural phenomenon, can be wielded, I’ve managed to construct a greenhouse from glass pulled up from deep underground using earth magic, adjusting the temperature and humidity with fire and water magic respectively.

“Now then…”

Using magic to interact with the soil, I infuse it with nitrogen and phosphorus, among other chemical substances, to compensate for its lack of nutrients. It takes quite a bit of magic power, but for someone like me who’s been training to increase my magic power since birth, it’s not much. I don’t even know how much magic power I have, to be honest. I’m confident it’s considerable for a five-year-old, but I’ve never compared it to someone who’s been a mage for decades. After all, the only visitors I get are the aforementioned merchant and his escorts, and my current father, Wolf, only says, “It’s probably a lot for your age.”

“Alright, that should do it.”

It’s just an experimental cultivation, so it’s not much, but if it succeeds, I’ll finally have sugar, something I’ve longed for.

In this world, salt makes up the majority of seasonings, and sugar and pepper are precious commodities. Vinegar and herbs are scarcely available. Miso and soy sauce are unheard of, so they probably don’t exist.

But since there are soybeans, if I give them nutrients and water in the field I’ve cultivated for miso and soy sauce, my morning work will be done. Despite being lazy, I’ve worked hard. I’m sure the rice will taste delicious.

Now, as I head back to the mansion, thinking it’s time for breakfast, I hear the sound of sword practice. I peek in, thinking it’s nice to be energetic in the morning, and there I see Wolf Carlton, my current father, and one of my eldest sisters, Aria Carlton, engaged in sword training.

As always, Aria seems completely absorbed in swordsmanship.

Despite being born of Elena, my mother, who’s quite the beauty herself, Aria pays no mind to the scars covering her body from the rigorous training, making her resemble a member of the Self-Defense Forces more than anything. Yet, Wolf, who allows it, is no less remarkable himself.

“Finally awake, Rick. Want to join us for some exercise?”

“I’m good. I’m not cut out for physical labor.”

While I do some minimal exercise, I’m only five years old. I can’t keep up with the extreme training in our house, nor do I have any intention to. Wolf just smiles wryly, as usual, but with a sister who doesn’t approve of such behavior…

“That’s why you’ll never grow out of being a shrimp. Instead of relying on magic all the time, you should participate and train your body.”

“But Aria, I’ll do it when you’re not around.”

“This is why you’re always stuck at the same level. Stop depending so much on magic and start training your body.”

“I said no. Besides, most things can be solved with magic, so why bother?”

I can use all types of magic thanks to the old man claiming to be a god, so if I use teleportation magic, I can travel any distance in an instant, whether it’s 100 meters or 100 kilometers. Of course, I keep this a secret because it would be troublesome if anyone found out. My family thinks I can only use the four major attributes: fire, water, earth, and wind.

Well, I use a simple chant when someone else is around, but when I’m alone, I don’t even need that.

“What’s that supposed to mean? It’s like you’re saying I’m a bother.”

“Not just ‘like,’ I am.”

With that, Aria raises her fist. Normally, I’d be hit and feel the pain, but now, with a reliable ally by my side, I desperately evade her blow and hide behind Wolf.

“Hey, Aria. Don’t force Rick too much.”

“But, Father, if Rick doesn’t exercise, he’ll get sick.”

“He’ll be fine. Rick’s getting the appropriate amount of exercise for his age.”

“Yeah, yeah. Since Rick and I have different physical abilities.”

With Aria, who can run 100 meters in about 8 seconds, and me, with average specs, taking about 25 seconds, you can understand the difference in performance. For reference, Wolf does it in 3 seconds.

Although I understand that moderate exercise is good for health, there are individual differences, and while some level can be reached, there’s a limit.

Aria is 12 years old. She aims to become an adventurer in the future, fighting monsters and exploring dungeons to find treasure, the typical profession in otherworldly stories. For that reason, she’s constantly in motion. To put it plainly, she moves beyond what’s humanly possible.

To train with someone with such physical abilities? If she accommodates me to some extent, there might be hope, but if Aria were such a gentle character, I wouldn’t refuse so vehemently. In other words, that