Chapter 131 - Drinking Water

The morning sun rose with indifferent brightness.

Everyone who had participated in the meeting at Valdrova Castle moved according to the measures they had devised overnight.

Isabella rang the alarm bell in the middle of Hestia village and declared a wartime situation.

Yesterday, which they had enjoyed so happily, scattered like a midsummer night's dream, and the nightmare began.

Isabella did not simply plant fear in them without reason.

She only made them understand that the current situation was one they needed to be cautious about.

The cooperation of the adventurers staying in the village proceeded smoothly under Erica.

"The legendary adventurer Eri came here?"

"Of course we have to join in!!"

Ferda did not know it, but Erica, no, Eri, was a figure of legend even among adventurers.

To the world, she was known as Eri the Great Sage, or Goldie Hand Eri.

It was thanks to her reputation that even a Bronze-rank adventurer could rise to Gold-rank if they passed through her hands.

'She was one of the 12-member expedition that killed the Demon King, after all.'

In experience, wisdom, and the ability to improvise, she was certainly a proven adventurer.

For the adventurers who admired her, the fact that such a legendary figure had become the branch manager of the far eastern adventurer's guild was enough to send morale boiling over.

Then Ferda grew curious about one thing and asked Isabella.

"Did she quit her position as master of the Blue Eye Tower?"

"I doubt it. The situation has not stabilized, and she could not do something that irresponsible."

Then how did that work?

He was curious, but since she was a dragon spawn who had lived longer than he had, he decided not to worry needlessly.

While Erica was persuading the adventurers, Olivia gathered and persuaded the nobles in the castle.

There was no better hangover cure.

Even the young noble ladies and gentlemen who were still half-drunk sobered up at the words that they might soon die.

"S-Shouldn't we run away quickly?"

"I-I think I will take my leave now..."

There were those who fell into panic and thought first of escaping.

It took only an instant for the place to become chaos.

Handling them was Olivia's role.

"Everyone! Please calm down and listen to me!"

At that moment, Olivia's lovely voice rang through the banquet hall.

The charisma of an Imperial Princess captured them.

"The far east is currently isolated. If you fall into panic and flee from here, that will mean a loss of fighting strength! And not merely a loss of fighting strength. It means losing our hope of overcoming this crisis!"

They calmed down at the words that they would lose even more if they fell into confusion.

"Now is not the time to run away, but the time to become one. Why do you think wild wolves cannot easily bring down cattle? It is because cattle always stay together. Even if each of your individual strengths may seem insignificant, if you unite, you can become a light to guide us through this crisis, and a spear to pierce it! So..."

Tears fell drop by drop from Olivia's eyes.

"Please... help us... so this land, the Serdes Continent... will not be taken by the demonic...!"

The tears of a Princess.

That purity was enough to stir everyone's emotions.

"As fellow people of the Serdes Continent, we cannot stand by and watch!"

"As you said, we must unite if we are to survive!"

Agreement spread like fire over an autumn field.

"Thank you! Everyone!! Thank you so very much!!"

Overcome with emotion, Olivia barely managed to leave with support.

No sooner had she left the stage than she wiped her tears away with her thumb.

"Phew."

The dampness in her voice was as dry as a wasteland, and a smile of victory hung on her face.

With a face that seemed almost bewitching, she asked Ferda.

"How was my speech?"

"... It was excellent."

She had not simply asked for help from the Empire, but guided them to unite as people of the Serdes Continent.

Since the Empire's involvement had become not a relief force, but a natural duty as a member of the Serdes Continent, the amount of compensation it could demand later could be lowered.

She understood the current situation, understood the crowds, and at the same time understood herself as well.

'Why did a woman like this break her own scenario and do something like that?'

He considered questioning her, but kept his mouth shut.

What happened then had ultimately been good for Ferda, and this was not the time to start a pointless fight.

Right now, they had to ride the momentum.

"What will you do next?"

"I plan to hold a tactical competition to select the supreme commander and chief of staff. If someone becomes supreme commander, it will be a major stepping stone for their career."

"It seems we are not the only ones trying to turn a crisis into an opportunity."

"If we are going to die anyway, then either way, we have to try whatever we can, don't we?"

Erica and Olivia each did their part.

Ferda, too, had to do what he could.

That was why he went to find Burnel.

He was busily moving about with the researchers and laborers in the castle.

"We have raised the mana stone's efficiency to 25%. We have also improved the mana leakage, and in practical figures, it is at 20.32%, slightly above one-fifth."

Because what had happened in Halim had stimulated him, they had made remarkable progress.

Ferda picked up one crystal.

Compared to the beginning, its shape was gradually taking form, and its inside had also begun to clear.

"How many shots can you fire with one mana stone?"

"If we adjust the output, it can be used for two shots."

"How many rifles and mana stones do we have?"

"We currently have 150 magical engineering rifles, and a total of 520 mana stones to use with them. Since we can adjust the output and fire two shots per stone, that means we have 1,040 rounds."

"So if every shot lands properly, we can kill 1,040 of them."

In other words, it was not hopeful.

"We do not have much time. Can you increase production a little more?"

"We can somehow make the rifles, but... the mana stones are the problem."

"How many more can you make?"

"Looking at our supplies, I think 300 is the limit."

Mana stones were things processed from demonic creatures.

They had been supplied through the Pascal trading company, but now that supply network had been cut off, so they could no longer make more.

'So 1,600 shots is the limit.'

Was there no good method?

Ferda looked down at the magical engineering rifle Burnel had made and asked.

"I am asking because I am curious..."

"Yes."

"Can I also replenish this magical engineering rifle with mana and fire it?"

Since it used mana all the same, he wondered if it might work.

Unlike what he had thought, Burnel's response was negative.

"That cannot be done. The mechanism only works with mana stones."

"I do not quite understand what you mean."

"A mana crystal can contain mana, and that mana can be taken out and used. But mana stones cannot do that, can they? It means they operate through a mana and principle that humans cannot substitute."

"So the mana we use and the mana used in mana stones are effectively separate things."

"That is correct."

Fair enough.

If their forms had been the same or similar, they would have been able to convert junk mana into a usable form.

Then suddenly, he thought of the distant future.

'How did the revival of magical engineering happen?'

Extracting mana stones was possible because demonic creatures existed.

It had not been an era overflowing with demonic creatures like now, and naturally, the resources that could be extracted were limited.

Ferda let his imagination run.

Had Burnel illegally mass-produced demonic creatures and slaughtered them?

'Was Burnel also scheming to overthrow this continent...?'

Ferda shook his head fiercely.

He erased such useless speculation from his mind.

It was rude to suspect someone with needless imagination about matters outside his field.

'I should have dug into it more deeply.'

Resenting the days he had blown away by focusing only on useless anger, he turned his eyes back to reality.

They had to prepare for the coming war.

"For now, process the mana stones first. We need to make something we can use immediately."

"Understood."

They had to operate magical engineering soldiers.

160 rifles.

In other words, that meant they could operate 160 magical engineering soldiers.

'No, not even 160.'

Looking at the operation of crossbowmen, a crossbowman always carried one extra crossbow as spare equipment.

Even if he forced the number up a little, he had to create 100 soldiers.

One hundred soldiers.

A total of 1,600 creatures, one per shot.

It would be nice if things went that smoothly, but he did not think optimistically.

Optimism had never once helped in his life.

"Lord Regent."

As if proving that point, Isabella came to him.

"We have finished distributing all war supplies and completed all tent support."

"Good work."

The Start of Spring Festival was a festival praying for the abundance of spring.

Spring was the beginning of life, but ironically, it was also the poorest season.

However, because they had prepared a vast amount of food due to regional traits and the supplies prepared for the Start of Spring Festival, they were able to respond to all the suddenly increased mouths to feed.

If another territory had been placed in this situation, it would truly have been difficult.

'By simple calculation, there is enough for a month.'

But it did not seem she had come merely to report those results.

The proof was that Isabella's hair was disheveled.

For someone normally so neat to be in disarray meant there was a troublesome problem she could not solve.

Isabella forced her sticky lips apart and spoke.

"However, one problem has arisen."

As expected.

"Drinking water is the problem."

"Did something happen to the waterway?"

"Yes."

Isabella spread out the map she had brought.

It was a chart she had made after becoming administrator, showing the flow of various resources.

"If you look here, our water source is the water flowing down from the north."

"Right."

"We have confirmed that demonic creatures are blocking that route, and are even contaminating the drinking water."

He understood why her hair was disheveled.

This was the worst-case scenario.

"So how was it handled?"

"It seems Blue Eye has already done so. To prevent the spread of contamination, they touched a river outside the territory and diverted it."

"That is a relief."

There was no secondary damage, but the fact remained that they were short on water.

"What about groundwater?"

"There is water left in the reservoir, so if we purify it properly, it can be consumed, but... a week is the limit at best."

"We will have to impose controls."

One week.

In war, it was common to surround a castle and besiege it.

It was a fight over which side would tire first and raise the white flag.

That was because it caused little damage and was the most effective.

Being surrounded by demonic creatures showed an effect greater than the siege formations humans commonly used.

And it was water, the most important thing of all.

To contaminate the water humans needed and cut their lifeline.

'On top of that, everything we distributed must be stockpiled dried rations...'

Because they were made by removing as much moisture as possible, they required more water than usual.

They needed a countermeasure.

"What about filling the supply with water magic?"

"Even if we gather all the mages and use water-generation magic, it would barely be enough for the nobles inside the castle to drink. What helps in this kind of situation is raincloud magic, but unless it is the extreme south, we must be cautious because it shortens the territory's lifespan."

"Because it pulls the climate forward..."

It was difficult to supplement it with water-generation magic.

The problem with climate magic was that its aftermath was too great.

It had the drawback of potentially causing severe drought in the summer, when water was truly needed.

The south, with its extreme weather of either downpours or droughts, was free in that respect.

Skipping a few meals was not a major problem, but water was a different matter.

Ferda's choice had become extremely important.

If he created rainclouds, he had to shorten the territory's lifespan.

But if he tried for a swift decisive battle, they were not prepared.

And the one who could help in this situation was Iorga, but if she intervened, their ability to exercise autonomy would decrease.

'Not a month, but we have to break through this in just a week...?'

It was harsh.

He wondered whether this matter could truly be resolved within the bounds of human ability.

After pondering for a long while, he opened his eyes.

'We have to find water.'

Whether it was filthy water or shit water, if they purified it, they could drink it.

Ferda examined the map Isabella had spread out.

The place where the original waterway had been was marked with a blue line.

A similar line of blue marker caught his eye.

"There is another waterway here."

"There is, but..."

Her reaction was reluctant.

Ferda had pointed to it reflexively, and only belatedly realized.

The water source was deep within the Land of Demons.

In other words, it was contaminated water full of impurities like junk mana.

Even for Ferda, who was searching for filthy water, it was difficult to say, "Isn't it still a water source?"

What would happen if they drank this water?

The junk mana would twist the molecules inside their bodies.

Then they would lose their humanity and be made into something close to the Melted.

It was not merely water that caused illness, but fatal water that caused mutation.

That was why Blue Eye had changed the river's flow even without any particular request.

"Lord Regent."

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Isabella spoke cautiously.

"It seems this is not something we can solve on our own. It is not too late even now, so how about formally requesting aid from Iorga?"

"..."

Ferda felt his heart leaning that way as well.

If he possessed some capable ability to break through this situation, it might have been different, but he was nothing more than a mere human.

'If only water could suddenly gush up from the ground...'

There was no way things would be so convenient.

They needed a method.

"Um, Lord Regent..."

Amid his thoughts, Burnel cut in.

"What is it?"

"You are saying we need water to drink, correct? And that right now, we are in a situation where we need it even if it is water coming from the Land of Demons."

"That is what it comes to."

Hearing those words, Burnel thought deeply about something.

Then, with a face as though he had caught some clue, he raised his head and held up three fingers.

"Three days."

"?"

"Please give me exactly three days. I will make sure to find a solution!"

Isabella glared at Burnel with irritation in her eyes.

"Are you saying you can solve this problem?"

"O-Of course, I cannot guarantee it. But we only have a week, and if this is a time when we must take a gamble, then I would like you to give me just a little time!"

Seeing a spawn of Iorga, the Aspect of Water, look at him with such distrust, Ferda wondered if it was right to entrust this to Burnel.

Setting aside his impatience, he thought more carefully.

'Come to think of it...'

Ferda had suddenly forgotten who Burnel was.

He was not a man who made weapons, but a man who had wanted to give common people a better life.

"Let us leave it to him."

Since they were already gambling the future of this territory, there was no turning back.

Ferda decided to trust the people he had believed in and recruited.

As if every second was precious, Burnel ran off in a fluster.

Looking at his retreating back, Isabella asked Ferda.

"Do you think that magical engineer can solve it?"

"I am not certain either."

But Ferda roughly knew what sort of person Burnel would become in the distant future.

He was the pioneer of magical engineering, and the man who brought about a revolution in technology.

The reason he made mana stones was for the advancement of people's livelihoods.

Instead of rifles, he made farming tools, machines, and the like that would take over work difficult for humans or too trivial for mages.

Could that advancement of people's livelihoods also be related to contaminated water?

He had always been strong in a crisis.

Ferda had no choice but to trust Burnel's instincts.