Chapter 131: Drinking Water
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 131: Drinking Water
The morning sun rose with cold indifference.
Everyone who had participated in the council at Valdrova Castle moved according to the measures established the night before.
Isabella declared a state of war by ringing the warning bell in the center of Hestia Village. The joy of yesterday vanished like a midsummer night’s dream, and the nightmare began.
Isabella didn't simply instill blind terror in the people. She made sure they understood that the current situation required extreme caution and discipline.
Under Erica’s leadership, the cooperation of the adventurers staying in the village was secured with ease.
“The legendary adventurer Eri is here?”
“Of course I’m joining in!”
Ferda hadn't known, but Erica—or rather, Eri—was a legendary figure among adventurers. To the world, she was known as the Great Sage Eri or Goldy Hand Eri. Her reputation stemmed from the claim that even a Bronze-rank adventurer could rise to Gold-rank just by crossing paths with her.
She was one of the twelve members of the expeditionary force that killed the Demon King, after all.
She was an adventurer whose experience, wisdom, and resourcefulness were thoroughly proven. For the adventurers who idolized her, the news that such a legendary figure had become the branch manager of the Far East Adventurer Guild was enough to make their morale soar.
Watching this, Ferda grew curious and asked Isabella, “Has she stepped down from her position as the Tower Master of the Blue Eye?”
“Likely not. The situation hasn't stabilized yet, and she isn't the type to do something so irresponsible.”
Then how was she managing both? Ferda was curious, but since she was a Dragon Spawn who had lived far longer than him, he decided not to waste energy worrying about her.
While Erica persuaded the adventurers, Olivia gathered and convinced the nobles staying in the castle. It was the most effective hangover cure imaginable; even the young lords and ladies who were still half-drunk snapped to attention the moment they heard they might soon die.
“S-Shouldn’t we flee immediately?”
“I… I think I should be going now…”
Panic set in as they immediately looked for ways to escape. The room was on the verge of descending into chaos. Managing them was Olivia’s responsibility.
“Everyone! Please, calm down and listen to me!”
Olivia’s refined voice rang through the banquet hall. The charisma of an Imperial Princess captivated them.
“The Far East is currently isolated. If you panic and flee now, it will result in a loss of our collective strength! And it’s not just about strength. We will lose the hope required to overcome this ordeal!”
The realization that they had more to lose by falling into chaos calmed them down.
“Now is not the time to run, but to become one. Why do you think wild wolves cannot easily take down a bull? It is because cattle always stick together. Even if your individual strength is meager, if we unite, we can become the lantern and the spear that leads us through this crisis! So, please…”
Tears began to stream down Olivia’s face.
“Please… do not let this land, the Serdes Continent… fall to the demons! Lend us your strength…!”
The tears of a princess. That display of purity was enough to shake everyone’s hearts.
“As fellow inhabitants of the Serdes Continent, we cannot simply stand by!”
“She’s right! We must unite to survive!”
The sentiment spread like wildfire across an autumn field.
“Thank you! Everyone!! Thank you so much!!”
Overcome with emotion, Olivia was escorted out of the hall. The moment she was out of sight, she wiped her tears away with her thumb.
“Whew.”
The moisture in her voice had dried up like a wasteland, and a triumphant, sly smile played on her lips. She turned to Ferda with a look that was almost wicked.
“How was it? My speech?”
“…It was magnificent.”
She hadn't simply asked them to help the Empire; she had induced them to unite as people of the Serdes Continent. By framing it as a duty inherent to being a member of the continent rather than a call for reinforcements for the Empire, she could lower the amount of compensation they might demand later.
She understood the current situation, she understood the masses, and she understood herself.
Why did a woman like this break the scenario and do what she did?
Ferda considered pressing her for an answer but kept his mouth shut. What happened then had ultimately benefited him, and now was not the time for unnecessary conflict. They had to maintain their momentum.
“What is the next step?”
“I’m going to hold a tactical competition to select a supreme commander and a chief of staff. Becoming the supreme commander will be a massive stepping stone for anyone’s career.”
“We aren't the only ones trying to turn a crisis into an opportunity.”
“We’re all going to die anyway, so we might as well try everything, right?”
Erica and Olivia had fulfilled their roles. Ferda also had to do what he could. He went to find Burnell.
Burnell was moving busily alongside the castle’s researchers and workers.
“I’ve pushed the efficiency of the Magic Stones up to 25%. I’ve also improved the mana leakage; the actual figure is 20.32%, which is a bit higher than one-fifth.”
Stimulated by the events in Halim, he had made remarkable progress. Ferda picked up one of the crystals. Compared to the beginning, its shape was becoming more defined, and its interior was starting to clear.
“How many shots can one Magic Stone fire?”
“By adjusting the output, we can get two shots out of one.”
“And the number of rifles and Magic Stones?”
“We currently have 150 Magitech Rifles and a total of 520 Magic Stones. Since we can fire two shots per stone by adjusting the output, that means we have 1,040 rounds.”
“So, if every shot hits, we can kill 1,040 monsters.”
It wasn't a hopeful figure.
“We don't have much time. Can you increase production?”
“I can manage to produce the rifles somehow… but the Magic Stones are the problem.”
“How many more can you make?”
“Based on our current materials, 300 seems to be the limit.”
Magic Stones were processed from monsters. They were being supplied through the Pascal Trading Company, but since that supply chain was cut, they couldn't produce any more.
So, 1,600 rounds is the limit.
Was there a better way? Ferda looked down at the Magitech Rifle Burnell had made and asked, “I’m curious…”
“Yes?”
“Can I fire this Magitech Rifle by supplying it with my own mana?”
Since it used mana regardless, he wondered if it was possible. Contrary to his expectations, Burnell’s reaction was negative.
“You can’t do that. The mechanism only works with Magic Stones.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
“Mana crystals can store and release mana. But Magic Stones don't work like that, do they? It means they operate on a type of mana and principle that humans cannot replicate.”
“So the mana we use and the mana used in Magic Stones are essentially different.”
“Exactly.”
It made sense. If they were the same or similar, they would have been able to convert junk mana into a usable form long ago. Then, a thought about the distant future occurred to him.
How did the Magitech revolution happen in the future?
Extracting Magic Stones was only possible because of monsters. It wasn't always a time when monsters were overflowing like now, so resources would have been limited. Ferda let his imagination run wild.
Did Burnell illegally mass-produce and slaughter monsters? Was Burnell also plotting to overthrow the continent…
Ferda shook his head vigorously, clearing those unhelpful suspicions from his mind. It was rude to doubt someone based on wild imagination in a field he knew nothing about.
I should have looked into it more deeply.
Regretting the past days he had spent focused only on his useless rage, he turned his eyes back to reality. He had to prepare for the coming war.
“Focus on processing the Magic Stones first. We need to create a force we can use immediately.”
“Understood.”
He had to deploy Magitech Infantry. 160 rifles meant he could deploy 160 Magitech soldiers.
No, not even 160.
Looking at how crossbowmen were managed, they always carried one extra crossbow as a spare. Even if he pushed it, he could only form a unit of 100 soldiers.
One hundred soldiers. A total of 1,600 monsters, assuming one kill per shot. It would be great if things went that smoothly, but he didn't think optimistically. Optimism had never helped him in his life.
“Regent.”
As if to prove his point, Isabella arrived.
“I’ve finished distributing all the war supplies and completed the support for the barracks.”
“Good work.”
The Start of Spring Festival was a festival to pray for the abundance of spring. Spring was the beginning of life, but ironically, it was also the time of greatest poverty. However, due to the regional characteristics and the vast amount of food prepared for the festival, they were able to accommodate the sudden increase in mouths to feed. If any other territory had been in this situation, it would have been disastrous.
Based on simple calculations, we have enough for a month.
But it didn't seem like she had come just to give a status report. Isabella’s hair was disheveled—a sign that the usually composed woman was facing an unsolvable headache.
Isabella forced her dry lips open and spoke. “However, a problem has arisen.”
Of course.
“It’s the drinking water.”
“Is there a problem with the aqueduct?”
“Yes.”
Isabella spread out a map. It was a diagram she had created since becoming an administrator to track the flow of various resources.
“If you look here, our water source is the water flowing down from the North.”
“Right.”
“We’ve confirmed that monsters are blocking that path and contaminating the water.”
Now he understood why her hair was a mess. This was the worst-case scenario.
“How did you handle it?”
“It seems the Blue Eye has already taken action. To prevent the contamination from spreading, they diverted the river outside our territory.”
“That’s a relief.”
There was no secondary damage, but the fact remained that they were short on water.
“What about groundwater?”
“There’s water left in the reservoirs, so it’s drinkable if we purify it properly… but it will only last a week at most.”
“We’ll have to ration it.”
A week. War usually involved besieging a castle. It was a battle of who would tire out and raise the white flag first. That was the most effective method with the least amount of damage. Being surrounded by monsters was even more effective than a human siege. And they had cut off the most vital resource: water.
And all the supplies we distributed were dried rations…
Since those were made by removing as much moisture as possible, they would need more water than usual. They needed a solution.
“What if we use water magic to fill the reservoirs?”
“Even if we gathered all the mages to use water creation magic, it would barely be enough for the nobles in the castle. In this situation, raincloud magic would be helpful, but unless we’re in the Southern Desert, it would drain the territory’s lifespan. We need to be careful.”
“Because it manipulates the climate…”
Water creation magic was insufficient. The problem with climate magic was that the aftermath was too severe. It had the drawback of potentially causing a severe drought in the summer when water was truly needed. The South, with its extreme weather of either torrential rain or drought, was free from such concerns. Skipping a few meals wasn't a huge problem, but water was a different story.
Ferda’s choice had become incredibly important. If he created rainclouds, he would be sacrificing the territory’s future. If he tried to end the war quickly, they weren't prepared. The only one who could help in this situation was Iorga, but if she intervened, their autonomy would diminish.
Do we have to overcome this in a week, not even a month…
It was harsh. He truly wondered if this was something that could be resolved by human hands. After agonizing for a long time, he opened his eyes.
We have to find water.
Whether it was muddy water or sewage, it could be drunk if purified. Ferda scanned the map Isabella had spread out. The original aqueduct was marked with a blue line. Another blue line caught his eye.
“There’s an aqueduct here.”
“There is, but…”
Her reaction was hesitant. Ferda had pointed to it reflexively and only realized the problem a moment later. The source was deep within the Land of Demons. In other words, it was contaminated water full of impurities like junk mana. Even Ferda, who was willing to look for mere muddy water, found it hard to say, “Isn’t it still a water source?”
What would happen if they drank this water? The junk mana would twist the molecules in their bodies. They would lose their humanity and be turned into something close to the Melted. It wasn't just a matter of getting sick; it was lethal water that caused mutations. That was why the Blue Eye had diverted the river’s flow without even being asked.
“Regent.”
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Isabella spoke cautiously. “It seems we cannot resolve this on our own. It’s not too late; why don't you formally request aid from Iorga?”
“…”
Ferda felt himself leaning toward that option. If he had some brilliant ability to overcome this situation, it would be different, but he was just a mere human.
If only water could suddenly spring from the ground…
But things were never that easy. He needed a way.
“Um, Regent…”
Amidst his deliberation, Burnell chimed in.
“What is it?”
“You’re saying we need drinking water, right? And that we’re in a situation where we’d even take water from the Land of Demons if necessary.”
“That’s correct.”
Hearing that, Burnell fell into deep thought. With a face that looked like he had found a clue, he looked up and held up three fingers.
“Three days.”
“?”
“Just give me three days. I will definitely find a solution!”
Isabella glared at Burnell with eyes full of irritation. “Are you saying you can solve this problem?”
“I-I can’t guarantee it, of course. But we only have a week, and if it’s a time for taking risks, I ask that you give me just a little time!”
Seeing that even a spawn of Iorga, the Aspect of Water, looked so skeptical, Ferda wondered if it was right to leave it to Burnell. Pushing back his anxiety, he thought more carefully.
Come to think of it…
Ferda had momentarily forgotten who Burnell was. He wasn't a man who wanted to make weapons; he was a man who wanted to give commoners a better life.
“I’ll leave it to you.”
They had already staked the future of the territory; there was no turning back. Ferda decided to trust the people he had chosen to recruit. Burnell rushed off as if every second counted.
Isabella watched his retreating back and asked Ferda, “Do you think that Magitech researcher can solve this?”
“I’m not certain either.”
However, Ferda knew roughly what kind of person the Burnell of the distant future was. He was a pioneer of Magitech and the man who sparked a technological revolution. The reason he created Magic Stones was for the advancement of the people’s livelihoods. Instead of rifles, he made farm tools and machinery to do the work that was too hard for humans and too trivial for mages.
Could that advancement of livelihoods be related to contaminated water? He had always been strong in a crisis. Ferda had no choice but to trust Burnell’s intuition.