Chapter 20
(Kyle Calendar
Year 502: Age 9)
Those Who
Remain
Translator : PolterGlast
"Now, we will
begin the first regular meeting."
Shortly after Father
and Brother went off to war, I, who remained behind, was not simply waiting for
news of the battle.
Before their
departure, I had consulted with both my parents, and based on my explanation
that:
『Old documents suggest the danger of heavy rains and
floods several years after a major drought.』
I had set up a meeting
to discuss countermeasures.
Raymond-san was the
moderator, and the designated participants of the meeting were Father, Mother,
Brother, and I. Sara, Mother's attendant who was also an earth mage (unique
skill), was an observer.
Sara was from a branch
family of the Cornell baronial family, Mother's maiden family, and was one of
the few mages in the Estol territory.
Baron Cornell,
considerate of Mother's success in her married life, had assigned this valuable
mage to her.
It was no exaggeration
to say that the irrigation project using waterwheels also progressed smoothly
thanks to Sara and the earth mages temporarily dispatched by the Cornell
baronial family.
Today, Father and
Brother were absent due to their military service, but the meeting was held
with the aim of proceeding with preparations that could be made in their
absence.
"Although there
is no mention in documents, we have confirmed with elders living in the
surrounding villages that there was a major flood near the town of Mars in the
past.
This was revealed as a
result of the interviews conducted at Takuhir-sama's request. We will continue
to investigate whether there is any information we are unaware of, as there has
been no significant damage from minor floods in recent years."
Raymond-san
immediately shared the information he had gathered as a result of his
investigation.
◯Common matters for the entire Estol territory
Very small-scale
floods occur somewhere every year, and the damage from these has been minor and
unconfirmed by the government. We will now pay attention to other towns and
villages and continue our investigation.
◯Regarding the situation in the town of Mars
The town of Mars
experiences floods every 10 to 20 years, but these have not occurred for the
past 20 years and are gradually being forgotten. Furthermore, it was discovered
for the first time that a major flood that breaches the levees occurs every 50
to 100 years.
・In such cases, the entire area is engulfed by muddy
torrents, causing enormous damage.
・There are no longer any elderly people who know this
information, only local legends remain.
・Tradition says to be wary of water disasters after a
major drought.
"Takuhir-sama,
you also felt that these legends could not be ignored, didn't you?"
"Yes, I
remembered reading such a description in something like an old history
book." ...That's half a lie.
"Securing earth
mages has already been tacitly approved by my younger brother. Once this war
ends, he will likely be able to dispatch earth mages to help with the
construction of the levees."
Mother (Chris) was
already taking action.
"The area around
the town of Mars is the most important granary for the Solis baronial family.
If this area is submerged, the damage will be incomparably greater than the
previous drought."
Everyone nodded
silently at Raymond-san's words.
Yes, I knew. The
devastating flood damage that occurs once every 50 to 100 years was coming next
year.
Next summer, the
levees of the Org River, swollen by prolonged and heavy rains, would collapse,
the town of Mars would be swallowed by muddy torrents, and the granary would be
washed away and submerged in mud.
Overnight, many lives
would be lost among the residents of the town of Mars and the scattered farming
villages, and the granary would suffer damage on a scale said to be
unrecoverable for several years to come.
If we didn't do
something about this, all the small flags (though now that I think about it,
they don't feel small at all...) that we had worked so hard to avoid would all
be in vain.
It was like the last
question of a quiz show having an incredibly high point value, instantly
reversing all the points we had painstakingly accumulated.
That's the sense of
crisis I felt.
The flooding Org River
flowed along the border, with the Gorman Viscountcy territory on the left bank
and the Estol territory on the right bank, until just before the town of Mars.
Beyond that, the flow
curved in a reverse L-shape, leaving the border with the Gorman territory, and
both banks became Estol territory.
The area that spread
out after the reverse L-shaped curve, the area along both banks of the Org
River, was the Solis Baron's granary.
And the town of Mars
was located beyond the point where the Org River made a large curve, near the
border with the Gorman Viscountcy territory.
In recent years, the
town of Mars had developed as a collection point for the granary spreading
around it, but it was not originally a town with a long history.
It was a town that had
rapidly developed as large-scale farmland development progressed after Father
and Mother came to the Estol territory.
The area around the
town was blessed with fertile soil, and its development as a granary progressed
rapidly.
Along with this, the
Estol territory also became prosperous, and the town of Mars also developed.
Because it was a
low-lying area, it was easy to draw water channels, and in the [previous
history], it suffered less drought damage. As a result, its dependence as
farmland within the Estol territory increased, which unfortunately amplified
the damage from the flood.
While much of the land
within the territory suffered damage from the major drought, the granary around
the town of Mars, which suffered almost no damage, attracted attention as
stable farmland, and reclamation progressed further.
As a result, this area
accounted for approximately one-third of the barony's total harvest at that
time.
In the [current
world], drought damage in other areas was also less due to the utilization of
waterwheels and the improvement of irrigation canals.
Reclamation also
progressed in relatively safe land and areas without water channels, which had
less risk of flood damage compared to low-lying areas.
As a result, compared
to the [previous history], the new reclamation in the area around the town of
Mars had not progressed as much as before.
In terms of the proportion
of the total harvest of the Solis barony, it probably accounted for about
one-fifth.
However, it was still
the largest and most important granary in the Estol territory.
Now, it was a
collection point for grains and a base for flour mills utilizing power
waterwheels installed in the waterways.
That point was a new
source of trouble that did not exist in the previous history.
"Raymond, what's
the current status of the countermeasures you're working on?"
Raymond-san reported
in response to Mother's question.
"The recent minor
floods have all originated from the waterways connected to the Org River. We
are currently working on flood control measures for the waterways and
strengthening the floodgates connecting to the Org River."
In addition to this,
his planned countermeasures were numerous.
・Relocation of the flour mill is impossible, but the
collection point will be moved to higher ground.
・Review of floodgates and waterways associated with
waterwheels in all areas.
・Preparation and accumulation of levees and sandbags as
flood countermeasures.
"We plan to
proceed with large-scale construction and reinforcement of the levees with
Chris-sama's help as soon as the army returns, but we are still groping in the
dark regarding how much will be effective, the budget and scale, and the
guarantee of safety."
"Raymond-san, if
a flood were to occur, what impact would it have on the neighboring Gorman
Viscountcy territory?"
I checked on the
situation of our always concerning neighbors.
"The Gorman
Viscountcy territory upstream from the town of Mars extends along the hills on
the border. Therefore, there is a natural levee, so it is unlikely that water
will overflow to their side under normal circumstances."
"So, we won't be
accused of flooding their side because of our levees, right?"
"Exactly as you
say."
Raymond-san continued
with a wry smile at my question.
"However, in the
area upstream from the town of Mars, where the Org River forms the border... it
seems that Viscount Gorman has newly drawn waterways and installed waterwheels
in several locations."
"What?!"
Despite complaining so
much, they're copying us without permission!
I should ask for
royalties!
I couldn't help but
raise my voice at Raymond-san's unexpected statement.
"It seems that
after the major drought three years ago, they independently created pumping
waterwheels and power waterwheels, and constructed and installed waterways...
well, it seems they have many breakdowns, so the operating rate is likely
low."
That figures. Even if
they made it by just imitating without knowing the basics of gears, it wouldn't
work out so well.
I'm not an expert
either, but it's a crystallization of technology created through repeated trial
and error and by borrowing the wisdom of professionals, Master Geld and
Karl-san.
"Which means, a
flood could also occur in the Gorman Viscountcy territory upstream..."
"Yes, it
could."
Raymond-san gave a wry
smile.
"There are even
points where they deliberately cut the levees to draw water channels for the
waterwheels..."
Well, even if
something happens on their side, it's their own fault, right?
I was starting to
think that way.
"Hey, hey, if
water doesn't overflow on either side... where does that water go?"
My younger sister
Chrisia, who had been playing nearby, interrupted the conversation.
She had happened to
come with Mother and was playing quietly on the condition that she would behave
during the meeting...
I was stunned by her
point.
After passing the town
of Mars, the Org River flows through the Estol territory, passing by the rural
villages, including the town of Est, and then flows into the Hiyorimi
Viscountcy territory.
"..."
Knowing the actual
location of the flood, I had completely forgotten about how it would affect
other areas if it didn't overflow.
It's not that I hadn't
considered various scenarios, but perhaps somewhere in my mind, I didn't want
to be aware of it.
The number of places
to reinforce the levees will increase drastically...
An unpleasant sweat
ran down my back.
"We are also
progressing with the investigation of other river basins, and we have already
compiled a list of places where levees need to be reinforced and waterways and
floodgates need to be reviewed."
As expected of
Raymond-san, he was diligently supporting the failing student from behind the
scenes once again.
"We need to
increase the number of earth mages to be dispatched..."
Mother let out a big
sigh and leaned back as she said this.
For the time being, in
this meeting:
・Notify the Gorman and Hiyorimi Viscounts of the risk
of flooding.
・Include the disclaimer that the source of information
is old documents, so reliability is unknown.
・The Solis baronial family will express its intention
to reinforce levees and waterways as a precaution.
・Mother will ask the Cornell baronial family to
increase the number of dispatched personnel.
The above was added as
new agenda items, and the meeting concluded.
Even after Father and
Brother returned, this regular meeting would be held, and countermeasures would
be advanced towards the following summer.
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