It's Raining?
Plip. Plop. Raindrops began to fall through gaps in the dark clouds.
It's raining?
This was the first rain since I got here. Maybe that's why it felt kinda fresh and new.
"Kkwoong~"
"Kkwoong~"
The Totori seemed thrilled about the rain too. They danced their kkungshil-kkung dance, catching the droplets on their leaves with their little hands.
"Kie!"
"Kiiieeee!"
The goblins were pouring out into the cool downpour as well. Kan stood there with his arms crossed, a faint smile on his face as he let the rain soak him.
Well, yeah. Rain's gotta fall for the crops to grow right.
I was gazing at those falling drops when—
-We're back! We're here!
-We made it!
"Kiiieeee!"
The elite goblins and spirits who'd gone out on far patrol returned.
Good work. How'd it go?
The spirits giggled at my words.
-Yep yep!
-It was fun!
One of the spirits circling me brightly went "Ah!" and piped up.
-Humans came into the forest here!
-Yeah! We met humans!
Humans?
When I echoed in surprise, the spirit nodded.
-Yeah! Pretty humans! One had golden hair!
It sparkled like sunlight!
Blonde..? The mention of a pretty blonde immediately brought someone to mind.
By any chance... red eyes?
-Yep! That's right!
That clinched it. It had to be the villainess Ashelia Valseon.
What's she doing back here?
Last time, it seemed like she was searching for something. Still hasn't found it, huh.
As I was thinking that, another spirit chimed in.
-I like the pink-haired one better!
She looked just like a flower bud!
-Yeah! Like your new flower bud, friend!
...Huh? Pink hair?
No way.
I asked carefully.
What color eyes did that pink-haired human have?
Please don't say sky-blue. Because pink hair and sky-blue eyes pointed to one person.
The spirits chorused brightly in unison.
-Sky-blue!
...Ah. Yep, that's her.
-She wore white clothes!
-Eyes like the sky, hair like petals!
-So so pretty!
Now I knew for sure. She was Lillia, the original story's heroine, no doubt.
This confirmed it. The romance fantasy I'd transmigrated into was "A Kiss at the Saintess's Feet."
But.
There's a reason that romance fantasy ended in ruin...
What was it again? My memory was suddenly fuzzy...
As I tried to recall the plot—
Whoosh—!
Whoosh—!
The raindrops thickened. No more light plips; it started dumping like a monsoon.
This rain's heavier than I thought.
If it kept up, the kids might catch colds. I said urgently.
Everyone, get inside the houses now.
We needed to get out of the rain fast.
At my words, Kan and Rin herded the Totori and goblins indoors.
But the rain didn't stop there.
Shhhhoooo—!
Shhhhoooo—!
Now it was typhoon-level, pouring relentlessly.
I've seen this somewhere...
Right, that wilderness survival show—jungle episode during rainy season.
Problem was, that was a jungle.
This is a village!
Big trouble. Water pooled in muddy puddles everywhere. It leaked into goblin huts and Totori homes alike.
The startled Totori and goblins frantically bailed it out, but it was hopeless.
-Eeee!
-Uwaa!
The water spirits sucked it up, and Rin absorbed chunks too, but the rain only intensified.
This won't cut it.
Damage would pile up at this rate.
First, evacuate the Totori.
To the highest spot.
And the highest spot around here was...
Me.
I urgently called Rin and Kan.
Abandon the houses and evacuate now. Get the Totori up on my branches first.
Totori were way smaller than goblins—more likely to wash away.
Kan and Rin nodded.
"Understood!"
-Got it!
They quickly brought the Totori and perched them on my branches.
"Kkwoong..!"
"Kkung..!"
Totori dangled precariously from my limbs. The water pooling on the ground kept rising, soon flowing like a river.
Houses swept away one by one in the waterfall torrent.
Hold on tight, kids! Kan! Hurry and get the goblins up too!
Kan shouted back urgently.
"If we load up the goblins too, it might be too much for you, Master!"
It's fine! I can handle it!
Kan paused, then replied.
"Then we'll send up the goblin civilians, not the elites."
But...
"The elites must overcome even this!"
I couldn't help a wry chuckle at Kan's proud declaration. Overcome a natural disaster?
Okay. Just the civilians then. But if it gets dangerous, get the elites up immediately.
"Understood!"
Kan hurriedly loaded the goblin civilians onto the empty spots. Soon my branches were packed with Totori and goblins.
Heavy, but manageable.
Still, more rain could endanger me too. Right now Kan and the elites clung to my trunk, holding steady, but rising water would sweep them away.
Then let's deal with this water first.
Usable skill on hand...
Predation.
Maybe Predation could work. I lifted my roots slightly and activated it on the water.
Oh. It works!
Water sucked right in. But it was fleeting—the intensifying rain outpaced it.
Still, no time to slack. I sucked harder.
Sluuuurp.
Sluuuurp.
Nonstop. Relentlessly. My whole body felt bloated, waterlogged, but I didn't stop.
More.
More.
As I kept devouring, Tori on my branch let out a small sound.
"Kkwoong..."
Worried eyes. Rin beside her shouted.
-I'll help too!
She stretched out both hands, sucking up the pouring rain in massive globs.
-Us too! Us too!
The lower spirits jumped in. Water spirits clustered by Rin to assist, wind spirits conjured barriers over Kan and the elites, fire spirits warmed the shivering Totori and goblin civilians with their flames, and earth spirits cleared dangerous rolling stones from the current.
We were all in it together, battling the disaster as one.
I was proud of those spirits.
Thanks, everyone!
The spirits giggled at my words.
-With you, anything's fine!
-We got this!
-We'll do more!
Seeing them steel my resolve too.
Keep using Predation.
And I did, relentlessly.
Soon the rain began to weaken bit by bit.
Now's the time!
This was our chance. I could suck up all the nearby water like this.
Only problem: my gut felt off. Like I'd chugged water till my belly sloshed.
Just a bit more... almost there!
I ignored the churning and kept going.
That instant—
Predation has reached Level 5
Oh. Predation leveled up.
And then another window popped up.
Skill Infinite Growth has activated
...Huh?
Infinite Growth, suddenly? No time to panic before another window.
Storage has been unlocked
Storage? No clue what that did, but then the description appeared.
Allows stockpiling of absorbed energy internally.
Stockpiled energy can be released at any time as needed.
...Jackpot.
Store absorbed energy and release it later when I want? So I could stockpile this water now and use it later?
Then during floods like this, hoard it and deploy when needed?
Ah. Guess the well was kinda pointless...
No.
Who knows how often it'll rain. Anyway, let's test Storage.
I activated it right away.
Suddenly, my body felt taut, stretched tight. The bloated feeling eased as a heavy, accumulating weight settled somewhere deep inside.
This... is it stockpiling?
I ramped up Predation.
Sluuuurp.
Sluuuurp.
Sucked and stored, sucked and stored. The rain weakened further.
Soon...
Plip. Plop.
...The drops stopped.
It's over?
The Totori and goblin civilians cautiously climbed down from my branches. The elites and Kan released their grip on my trunk, stretching their backs.
Everyone okay?
Kan looked up at my words.
"All accounted for, safe and sound."
He paused, then added.
"And you, Master? Are you alright?"
Yeah, I'm good.
Heck, I even got an unexpected skill. Not a bad outcome.
Just...
Satisfaction: Poor
Cleanliness: Poor
Safety: Level 4
...the village being a total wreck was the issue.
I slowly released mana to survey the surroundings. Puddles everywhere, houses all swept away.
The houses are gone.
Kan scanned the devastated village quietly.
"...The damage is worse than expected."
Tori peeked out, staring at where her house had been, then hung her head.
"Kkwoong..."
It's okay, Tori.
I gently shook my branch, and she slowly lifted her head. Her wet eyes sparkled.
We can just build again.
Sturdier this time. Not the kind that wash away in one flood.
Gotta figure out how.