Chapter 3: Roots of a New Beginning

Novice Caretaker?  

Is there a ranking system for caretakers too?  

It seems the higher the caretaker rank, the more privileges you get.  

“So, what exactly does a caretaker do?”  

“The island itself will tell you.”  

“Tell me?”  

“Yes. If you fulfill what the floating island desires, it will regain its former glory.”  

As I tilted my head at her cryptic words—  

Ding.  

[First Mission for ‘Novice Caretaker’!]  

[Clear the thorny vines: 0/100]  

Oh, so this is how the notification window works.  

“Thorny vines? You mean those tough weeds?”  

“Exactly. They’ve taken root in this fertile land.”  

I glanced around. Even just what I could see amounted to quite a lot.  

To farm, clearing weeds is the top priority. In fertile soil like this, weeds spread quickly.  

“I’ll need to buy some farming tools first. Dorori, let’s go!”  

“Chirp!”  

I rode on Dorori’s back to a nearby village.  

A little while later—  

Scrape, scrape.  

I started pulling out weeds with a hoe.  

“Ugh, why are these so hard to pull?”  

“Scrape harder.”  

“Don’t just stand there watching—help me out!”  

“How could a tiny body like mine wield a human’s tool? I’ll cheer you on from the side.”  

“Then at least gather the weeds I pull into one pile.”  

“I am the guardian of this island!”  

“If you’re the guardian, why did you let the island get like this? This is your punishment.”  

“Ahem.”  

The guardian’s cheeks puffed up, but she flew off without another word.  

Guess she knows I’m not wrong.  

Scrape, scrape.  

I kept digging at the soil.  

The plain was made of smooth, rock-free dirt.  

From a distance, it looked like a rocky island, but there must be a solid rock layer deeper down.  

Three hours later—  

“I think I’ve cleared all the visible ones.”  

[Clear the thorny vines: 20/100]  

It’ll probably take a few more days to clear the entire island. For now, I’ll wrap up here.  

Time to make a field.  

On the cleared, leveled ground, I used the hoe to create a square plot about ten paces by ten, then planted halved seed potatoes, covering them carefully with soil.  

Potatoes, along with wheat, are a staple for common folk.  

According to the guardian, crops here grow well regardless of season or conditions, so I don’t need to worry about that.  

My farming knowledge is limited to what I picked up working on farms, so it’s a bit rough, but I have this golden land mixed with dragon dung, don’t I?  

The sun was already tilting toward the west.  

I took out a piece of bread I’d bought at the market earlier. 

The crust was already hard.  

Normally, you’d soften it in soup, but I don’t have that luxury now.  

I tore off a piece of the tough bread and chewed it slowly.  

“Ugh, my body aches.”  

The guardian, who seemed to have finished clearing her share of thorny vines, flew over wearily.  

“What are you doing?”  

“What does it look like? Eating bread.”  

“That’s not what I mean! Why are you eating alone?”  

“You want some? Don’t fairies eat morning dew or something?”  

“Can you live on water alone?”  

I’d heard fairies live off dew, but apparently not.  

I tore off a piece of bread and handed it to her.  

“Here, take it.”  

Clutching a piece bigger than her face with both hands, she smiled brightly, as if she hadn’t just been complaining.  

“It’s been a while since I’ve had human food.”  

She took a big bite and chewed eagerly.  

“It’s a bit dry, but not bad for bread.”  

I thought she’d be picky, but she ate it happily.  

Food always tastes amazing after hard work.  

“Chirp!”  

“You want some too? I can’t give you much.”  

I tore off a piece and tossed it to Dorori, who swiftly caught it with his beak.  

“When I harvest crops and make money, I’ll buy you lots.”  

“Chirp!”  

Gulp, gulp.  

“Oh no, I’m out of water already.”  

The water in my canteen was gone. 

I’d been drinking it while working. 

Now that I think about it, watering the crops is another concern. 

There’s probably no standing water on a floating island.  

As I stared at the empty canteen, the guardian pointed in a direction.  

“There’s water over there.”  

“Dew on leaves won’t do. I need at least a well.”  

“Didn’t I just say? There’s a well over there.”  

“What?”  

I closely examined the spot she indicated.  

I thought it was just a big rock, but upon closer inspection, water was trickling out from a crevice.  

“How is water flowing here? Is there groundwater on a floating island?”  

“The floating island is a culmination of ancient technology. You wouldn’t understand even if I explained, so just accept it.”  

I nodded, filled my canteen, and brought it to my lips.  

Gulp.  

“So refreshing!”  

It was the clearest water I’d ever tasted, with no hint of fishiness.  

In small towns, wells often reeked from sewage seeping into the groundwater.  

There were water vendors selling clean water, but as an orphan, I could never afford it.  

I used to fill my canteen with clean water from a nearby forest each morning, and if I was lucky, I’d fill my hungry stomach with wild berries.  

“It’s already this late? I should start a fire before it gets dark.”  

It’s early June, but it’s still chilly to sleep outside. 

Especially up here in the sky, the nights must be colder.  

I gathered some cotton-like material to use as tinder and lit a pile of firewood.  

As the sun set in the west, night fell.  

I sat in front of the crackling fire, staring at it blankly.  

Crackle, crackle.  

In the silent sky, the only sound was the fire burning.  

Somehow, it felt strangely peaceful.  

“It’s been a while since a fire was lit on this floating island. It’s warm.”  

The guardian, perched on my shoulder, seemed to enjoy the fire’s warmth too.  

“It really is warm.”  

I’ve been struggling to survive since I was born, always fighting to stay alive.  

The anxiety of being thrown out into the world as an adult at 18, and the dread of camping outside this morning, fearing wild wolves might attack, had overwhelmed me.  

But here, I have no such worries.  

It’s safe.  

That alone was comforting.  

I don’t even have a makeshift shack to call home, but this place feels more like home than anywhere I’ve ever been.  

“Yawn.”  

The guardian let out a huge yawn.  

Dorori settled by the fire, tucking his beak into his wings, looking ready to doze off.  

“Thanks for helping today. You must be tired, so shall we sleep?”  

“Let’s do that. My eyes keep closing.”  

The guardian fluttered onto Dorori’s back and nestled into his feathers, looking content as she drifted off.  

Her actions, despite her words, were those of an innocent child, and I couldn’t help but smile.  

I lay down on the ground.  

Countless stars twinkled in the vast sky.  

Was the sky always this beautiful?  

Looking back, I’d never had the leisure to gaze at the night sky.  

I’ve missed so much in life.  

There’s so much beauty around me.  

A wave of pleasant exhaustion washed over me.  

Tonight, I felt I could sleep peacefully without any worries.  

***

“How long are you going to sleep?”  

Opening my eyes, I saw the fairy circling above me.  

“Look, the sun’s already high.”  

“High? It’s barely risen in the east.”  

I’d fallen asleep as soon as the sun set yesterday, so waking early was natural.  

Having slept soundly without worries for the first time in ages, my body felt light.  

Time to work hard again today.  

I brushed myself off and stood up, but then—  

“…What’s that?”  

I froze at the sight before me.  

“What do you mean? It’s the potato field you planted.”  

“That’s the potato field I planted yesterday?”  

Not only had sprouts emerged, but the leaves were already flourishing impressively.  

Even with dragon fertilizer, isn’t this growth too fast? 

How much dung did they leave here?  

“There’s no time to dawdle! While you’re slacking, the thorny vines are growing too.”  

“You’re right.”  

I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed the hoe.  

“Can’t let the weeds steal all the good nutrients.”  

“Chirp!”  

Dorori cheered me on enthusiastically.  

Today, I planned to clear all the thorny vines in the eastern area and got to work.  

But during the task, I noticed something odd.  

“That’s strange.”  

I tilted my head.  

Is it because I’m getting the hang of it?  

The weeds seemed easier to pull than yesterday.  

The soil gave way with less effort too. Is this patch softer?  

Or maybe I’ve gotten stronger?  

No way, it’s probably just my imagination.  

Two hours later—  

[Clear the thorny vines: 40/100]  

I still had plenty of energy.  

Should I clear the rest of the area before lunch?  

I immediately started tackling the northern section.  

As I pulled the thorny vines, Dorori and the guardian worked together to pile them in the center.  

Once dried and chopped, they’d make great firewood.  

Rip, rip.  

The vines came out easily, roots and all.  

As the work went smoothly, I started to enjoy it.  

Back on the farm, I wasn’t interested in farming.  

It was just a job, and earning money was the goal.  

But this is my land.  

Tilling and tending my own land was surprisingly fun.  

Everything I do here is my achievement, my reward.  

[Clear the thorny vines: 60/100]  

I finished the northern section in just an hour.  

At this rate, I might finish the job today.  

In another hour and a half, I cleared both the western and eastern areas.  

[Clear the thorny vines: 99/100]  

“Dorori, fly around the island and check for any remaining vines.”  

“Chirp!”  

Dorori took off into the sky with his special mission.  

Meanwhile, I sat on the ground, gulping water from my canteen.  

“Ahh, refreshing.”  

I might have overdone it in my excitement, but though my body was tired, my mind felt invigorated.  

“Chirp!”  

Just then, Dorori called from above. It seemed I’d missed one last thorny vine.  

“This is the last one, right?”  

I yanked the vine with all my strength.  

Swoosh.  

It came out, roots and all.  

Ding.  

[Thorny vine removal completed: 100/100]  

[The floating island’s rapid soil depletion has returned to normal.]  

[The floating island’s affinity has increased by 10.]  

[You have earned 1 Growth Point.]  

As expected, the thorny vines were draining the island’s fertility. 

Clearing them today, even if it was exhausting, was the right choice.  

“What’s a Growth Point?”  

“Just collect them for now. They’ll come in handy later.”  

Not thinking much of it, I walked back to the center.  

“…Is that really the same potato field?”  

The green leaves had grown even lusher.  

“Didn’t I tell you? This floating island is extraordinary.”  

The guardian puffed up proudly.  

“But the thorny vines didn’t grow this fast.”  

“That’s because of the island’s suppression function.”  

“The island has a function like that?”  

“There are even greater functions, but after being neglected for so long, many have weakened.”  

I gazed at the thriving potatoes.  

“They look ready to harvest. Should we roast some for lunch?”  

“Absolutely, I’m in!”  

“Chirp!”  

It was time to harvest my first potatoes.