Chapter 7. Favor and Calculation (7)
Chapter 7. Favor and Calculation (7)
Purifying a lake that looked, even at a glance, like it would be extremely dangerous if left alone came with several difficulties.
For one, the nearby sand was contaminated with Mana. Sand carried on the wind was obviously bound to have a considerable effect on the human body.
With the sun hanging overhead as if it meant to burn away everything beneath it, wearing a mask to cover one's mouth was no simple matter.
And in those conditions, we had to set up camp on the sand dunes and stay there.
The distance from the Gnome residential zone to here was rather long. Working only a few hours a day before heading back and returning again was nowhere near enough to purify the entire lake.
Back then, the Mana Orb had risen above the ground, but now there was no sign of it at all. Whether it was inside the lake or whether that Mana Orb had not yet formed, I couldn't say, but for now, calming the situation left no option except to brute-force slam Holy Power into it.
At least we did have a way to protect the place where we were staying. I placed the Sacred Objects I had worked hard to make, each about the size of a pebble, in the center, and stuck the Knight Order's swords into the perimeter at intervals. That way, at least within the space where we lived, only "ordinary sand" remained.
The Purification method I chose, for now, was to bestow blessings upon the surrounding sand.
If Mana seeped through the water into the ground, then on our side, we would bless the sand that would mix into the water.
And that was effective to some extent. At the lake's edge, in the area I had purified, clear water returned, if only very slightly. It vanished quickly, as if dissolving into black dye, but around the sand, tiny ripples rose steadily as the water was purified.
"You okay?"
The problem was that after doing that kind of work, my strength drained away.
Ria grabbed my arm to support me. No, it wasn't just grabbing my arm—she had me lean against her body entirely.
Well, she had even princess-carried me before, so it might not be a big deal, but still, the feeling of touching bodies with someone you know nothing about versus someone you're close to is a little different.
Just like there's a big difference between a hairdresser touching my hair to style it and someone touching my hair just to stroke it.
But even so, I couldn't lean on someone else's body, which made it all the more awkward.
"At this rate, purifying the whole lake is going to be tough."
"Still, we can purify the area around the shore. We can slow the contamination, at least."
"......."
Hearing my words, Ria furrowed her brow.
An expression that seemed to say: I understand the sentiment, but is there really a reason to go this far?
......If we didn't stop it, it would definitely become a major problem someday.
In the novel, it had been bad enough to create Gnome refugees. Setting aside the social chaos, thinking about the people who would die, I couldn't just let it go.
Above all, it was also an incident that would ultimately bring great harm to Earth.
"If only we could get out onto the lake, we could manage something by dumping sand into it."
"......Any electronic devices or Mana-powered equipment would break down, so we'd have to row out on a wooden boat."
"I know......."
But just in case, I was steadily purifying the sand itself. Even if we didn't dump it into the lake, having it ready would be useful.
"Hah."
Ria let out a deep sigh, deliberately making a show of it.
"At this rate, you're just going to keel over the moment we're in a real fight."
"I'm counting on you."
When I answered like that, Ria stared at me. I stuck my tongue out slightly.
For some reason, Ria turned her head away, her face flushing.
Hm. So this face still has its uses, apparently.
I thought it had become completely useless when we danced.
*
Ria said it was too dangerous, but my idea got through anyway.
"If that's the case, this girl can solve it, you know?"
Glaria said with a smile.
"It's simple. We just make thick ice on top of the lake, right? No need to freeze the whole thing, and no need to maintain it permanently. It just has to be enough to throw sandbags onto, right?"
"That much would be enough, but...... are you sure? Electronic devices and Mana-powered equipment all just break down in front of powerful Mana."
"Heh."
But at my words, Glaria raised her chin and answered.
"It doesn't matter. The most effective means of opposing Mana is a 'living thing,' after all. If I can't endure that much, how could I call myself the kingdom's greatest Wizard?"
The kingdom's greatest Wizard had been helpless against poison, though.
Well, which was exactly why they had tried to poison her first to eliminate her.
And then, hearing Glaria's words, a snort sounded from beside us.
"Think one person's enough?"
The person who said that while raising her chin with an expression oddly similar to Glaria's was none other than Han Yu-ri.
As if determined not to lose to Glaria alone, Han Yu-ri conveyed her willingness to gladly join the plan. In fact, she had already followed Glaria before Glaria even proposed the plan.
Was she trying to look impressive in front of Lee Si-yoon?
Unfortunately, Lee Si-yoon himself couldn't come inside this place.
Even though Han Yu-ri's Hunter Grade was somewhat low, she was already a fairly well-known genius. In the first place, Hunter Grades had time restrictions on advancing, so starting at Grade 6 at all was impressive in itself.
"I'll help too. If it's freezing something, I'm confident too."
Unfortunately, creating something like an air conditioner with Magic was an excessive waste of Mana, but I did trust her skill itself.
On top of that, several High-Rank Hunters to escort us and several members of the Knight Order were added, increasing the number of people who could reinforce Glaria's and Han Yu-ri's Magic.
At a glance, it seemed plausible. We just had to build a large bridge of ice over the lake, carry sandbags up, and throw them in.
But for some reason, I had a feeling it wouldn't go that smoothly.
"......There are Magical Creatures born from Mana, too."
I said.
"Right now, we're only purifying the outskirts little by little, so there might not be much reaction, but if we go to the center of the lake, who knows what will happen."
The Mana Orb had looked like a huge beast's eyeball. Given that it had attacked the moment it spotted Ria and me, it seemed to possess some degree of intelligence.
What exactly that Mana Orb was, I couldn't know either.
"It could be dangerous. Are you really okay with this?"
"You're the one who seems to think it's fine."
Ria spoke with an expression as if she had caught me off guard.
"Do you really think it's fine for you to go all the way to the middle of that lake? You'd be in just as much danger."
Since it was the middle of that "lake," having me—who received the favor of the Being Above—go along in case of emergency was a rational and reasonable choice.
But separate from that, human emotions couldn't fully accept that fact.
To Ria, the existence called a friend was precious. Even the other heroines who grumbled at first eventually became people Ria had to protect.
The Saintess was especially like that. They fought the most fiercely, but Ria would lose her reason whenever the Saintess's safety was threatened.
......The Saintess was the same.
Well, it was a web novel, so maybe the ending had been a harem ending. All the heroines reconciling and marrying Lee Si-yoon—
.......
Hm.
I would be left out of that picture, but for some reason, thinking of Ria being mixed up in it made me feel bad, so I stopped that thought.
R-right?
As expected, the heroine is the childhood friend. No need for other heroines.
"Anna."
When I didn't answer at all, Ria called my name as if urging me.
"......I'm not okay with it, honestly. Emotionally speaking, I don't really want to do it."
"But?"
"But it's also something only I can do. And it might definitely become a major problem later."
The problem was that it wasn't "might become" a major problem—it "would."
Ria looked at me quietly for a moment, then let out a small breath and nodded.
And so, our operation became a "go."
*
"I have something I want to ask."
As the short meeting ended and everyone was leaving the tent, Glaria turned toward me and asked.
"Last time, you saved the Gub...... no, the Goblins."
Hm.
That brings up a memory I'd rather not recall.
Am I still treated like a Goddess there? Hm, let's just not ask. Ignorance is bliss, I think.
"This time, you're trying to save the Gnomes. And they didn't even show you any great plea for help—they're beings who refused, saying that bringing the Sacred Objects you mentioned and throwing them in was too difficult. So why are you trying to save them?"
Trying to save them, she says.
Well. I didn't think of it that way. If I had to put it precisely, it was closer to quickly dealing with a cause that would create major problems if postponed.
You could say that, as a result, it might save many people's lives—but well, since I couldn't know how events would unfold in this world, I couldn't be certain.
Maybe even without me stepping forward, Lee Si-yoon might suddenly awaken and wipe them all out. The Being Above might find someone more suitable than me and create a better Saintess to save the world.
But all of that was a story not yet decided.
Just because no one has tripped over a stone yet doesn't mean you can look at a stone in the road and leave it there.
I saw it, so I'll just clear it away.
I waved my hand to shoo away that being that kept shining light in my face for no reason, then looked back at Glaria.
"Glaria, it's the same reason I helped you."
I answered like that.
"People in danger that couldn't be resolved without my help asked me for help, so I'm just helping."
"......."
At my answer, Glaria sank into thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Is that so."
"That's how it is."
If I had no power, I probably couldn't even have thought of saving them. If someone were pinned under a bus, or barely hanging from a cliff below, I wouldn't have been able to save them.
But if I can help without expending great effort, I want to help.
If that help can save the world, even better.
I glanced back at Ria. Wondering why I was suddenly looking at her, Ria blinked.
......At first, I had only thought about quitting everything and living comfortably, but now I had a goal.
You can't live your life taking only what you want, can you?