Friday, June 13, 2025

[WN] Jitsuwa 3-Domedatta : Chapter 29


Chapter 29

(Kyle Calendar Year 503: Age 10)

Change: The Water Dragon's Wrath


Translator : PolterGlast


History of the Solis Barony The Steps to Ruin

 

Kyle Calendar Year 503: Merciful rain sometimes rages and releases a water dragon.

The Olgu River, becoming a raging water dragon, pierces the earth.

The water dragon's fury shatters the earth's protection and attacks the people.

 

The town called Mars, along with its people, vanishes into the muddy torrent, never to return.

The bountiful harvest also becomes the water dragon's offering, disappearing into the mire.

 

The people greatly lament, starve, and the land of Estol is soaked with tears. The great disaster lures the protector of the people down the steps to ruin.

 

***

 

Summer of Kyle Calendar Year 503 arrived.

 

The great flood of the Olgu River, washing away the granary and submerging the town of Mars in a muddy torrent...

The [previous history] that we had desperately tried to avoid would all be in vain if we made a mistake in our response here.

 

"Chris, how is the construction situation?"

 

"There are no problems, my dear. The initial delays have been recovered thanks to the addition of Elan and Mary, the two earth mages."

 

"So, the construction will be completed soon?"

 

"Everything that was planned has been completed, but we are now implementing additional reinforcements."

 

"That's excellent. Then, what about the waterway and the floodgate, and the emergency response? Raymond."

 

"The repairs and reinforcements of the waterway and the floodgate have been completed. All emergency response arrangements have also been finalized."

 

And Raymond-san turned to face me.

 

"Takuhir-sama, what about the placements we discussed?"

 

"Mary, the earth mage, and Sasha, the water mage, will protect Mars. Mary will repair the levees as needed, while Sasha will divert the water flow to support Mary.

Elan will be in charge of the downstream area from the town of Est. Since the area is vast, it would be helpful if Sarah, who is attached to the headquarters, could be sent to assist depending on the situation."

 

"Takuhir-sama, thank you. Then we will proceed with their placements as such."

 

"Takuhir, I understand about Sarah. We will also keep that in mind here."

 

"Mother, thank you."

 

"By the way, Mary is vehemently saying that she will protect her town no matter what.

My brother and I will be in charge of the logistics unit during the disaster, directing the soup kitchens and shelters.

The personnel from the archery range, the reception center, and the regular tournament executive committee will be assigned to this."

 

"I would like to add to Takuhir-sama's explanation.

Under the guidance of the government office, we have also conducted disaster prevention drills and evacuation training for the residents in the river basin, and they are well informed."

 

For the past year, everyone had been preparing together.

Each person had worked desperately hard.

Everything that needed to be done had been addressed... or so it should have been, right? Probably.

 

The meeting ended, and a few days later, the weather suddenly changed, and rain began to fall unexpectedly.

Dark clouds covered the entire Estol territory, and the rain gradually intensified, showing no signs of stopping.

 

"This is... it's coming."

 

"It's coming, isn't it?"

 

Solis Baron and the steward Raymond stood together, looking up at the sky.

 

Three days had passed since then.

The heavy rain still showed no signs of stopping.

It was as if the bottom had fallen out of the sky, that's exactly how it felt.

 

"The water level of the Olgu River has entered the danger zone!"

 

Everyone stood up at the urgent report from the soldier.

 

"Everyone, get to your posts!

 

Raymond! Issue evacuation orders to all the villages and towns in the river basin, and have the disaster prevention units assemble and stand by at their posts!

Chris, stand by at the dangerous locations and respond as needed!

Darek and Takuhir, prepare the soup kitchens and refugee shelters!

 

Begin action immediately!"

 

Everyone moved out at once at Father's command.

 

In the pouring rain, the river had not yet overflowed, but the entire surrounding area was already flooded.

 

"This water drainage channel, proposed by Elan, looks like it will be useful even if there isn't a flood,"

 

Raymond muttered to himself as he led the disaster prevention unit to patrol and check the condition of the levees.

 

"I'll leave the rest to you,"

 

Mother said, leaving for the town of Mars protected by Mary and Sasha.

 

Solis Baron had set up the archery range on the outskirts of town as the disaster prevention headquarters and was stationed there.

 

"To think the archery range would be used like this,"

 

He muttered to himself.

 

Yes, it was an indoor facility with a roof and walls, and plenty of height.

It also had sufficient depth to accommodate a large number of personnel.

 

We, the logistics unit, were preparing the food to be distributed here. We, along with the reception staff of the archery range and the town, and the members of the executive committee, responded as the support unit.

 

Even as we did this, the muddy torrent was gaining even more momentum.

The day later known as the "Fury of the Water Dragon" had begun.

 

"Report! Report!"

 

A messenger on horseback arrived, bringing the first report of the Olgu River overflowing.

 

"Where is it?"

 

"The bridge on the road leading to the town of Fran, further up from here."

 

It was an unexpected location for both Father and me. It was within our assumptions, but we hadn't expected it to overflow here first.

 

This road was the most important route leading south, extending to the town of Fran, a relay point for the mines.

A sturdy bridge had been built over the Olgu River to transport large amounts of ore and iron.

 

"Explain the situation!"

 

"The bridge itself has been sturdily renovated and is intact.

However, driftwood and other debris that flowed downriver got caught on the bridge, damming up the water. As a result, the river has overflowed in the surrounding area, and we are currently containing the flood with the newly built levees."

 

Hearing the soldier's report, Father made a decision.

 

"Raymond, lead a unit downstream from the bridge! If the bridge reaches its limit, it will come downstream all at once! Don't misjudge the countermeasures and the timing of withdrawal!"

 

"Yes, sir! Understood. I'll go at once!"

 

"Elan, you and Sarah come with me! Hurry, we need a way for the water to escape!"

 

They hastily set out.

 

 

Simultaneous time: Near the town of Mars

 

Amidst the fiercely falling rain, on the embankment beside the roaring muddy torrent, women were desperately working.

 

"Sasha, hold back this muddy torrent just a little longer!"

 

"Y-yes... M-madam... I-I'm al-alright..."

 

Chris could tell.

Sasha was pushing herself to the limit, somehow diverting the water flow in another direction.

 

"Mary, now that Sasha is holding it back!"

 

"Yes, Madam. I will protect it no matter what!"

 

Chris's earth magic allowed her to assess the land. Using it, she pointed out places that were about to collapse and places weakened by the muddy torrent, one after another, and Mary reinforced them.

 

Soaked to the bone, enduring the wind and rain that threatened to blow them away, Chris, Mary, Sasha, and the disaster prevention unit carrying sandbags fought tirelessly.

 

"Protect the town of Mars!"

 

This single thought supported them.

 

 

Some time later: Outskirts of the town of Est

 

Before the raging fury of nature, there were men regretting their own powerlessness.

 

"Raymond-sama, the bridge has reached its limit. We must evacuate."

 

"Everyone, evacuate to a safe zone! Elan, Sarah, release the floodgates! Don't forget the warning to the downstream areas!"

 

A while later, the bridge finally exceeded its limit and collapsed. The water of the river, no longer supported, became a flash flood and suddenly attacked downstream.

 

The levees that had somehow managed to withstand the muddy torrent until now also exceeded their limits all at once and collapsed one after another, causing flooding in various places.

 

"Damn it! The force of the water is too strong... this won't hold!"

 

"We're abandoning this area! We're moving to the downstream areas!"

 

The steward gave new instructions to Elan, who looked frustrated and tried to stay.

 

The area near where the bridge had been was already filled with the overflowing muddy torrent, and the outer levees were barely holding on, but the muddy torrent, which had become a flash flood and raged wildly, relentlessly eroded the downstream levees.

 

With a roar, the levees collapsed, swallowing a new area in the mire.

 

Damage spread one after another to the downstream areas.

The flash flood, containing driftwood and earth, rushed through the river basin with tremendous force, carving away the land.

 

 

The Solis baronial family, the steward, the earth mages, and the disaster prevention unit flew around various locations throughout the night, rushing to respond.

The battle with the water dragon, the end of which was unknown.

 

It seemed as if it would last forever, and everyone had reached the limits of their exhaustion.

And as the night of nightmares began to break, the river flow finally weakened a little.

 

"Just a little more!"

 

Just as words of hope began to emerge from everyone, the "Fury of the Water Dragon" began to show its end.

Having submerged much of the land in mire...

 

After dawn, the rain also subsided to a drizzle, the clouds became somewhat thinner, and the bright sky began to appear and disappear.

The force of the water gradually weakened, and visibility improved.

Even so, we were running around with the busyness of a battlefield.

 

Reports of the situation continued to pour into Father at the headquarters, and the overall picture of the damage was beginning to become clear.

The flood damage this time, limited to the Estol territory, was not enormous, but considerable damage had occurred.

Evacuation orders had been thoroughly implemented, so there were no casualties, but some rural villages seemed to have suffered significant damage.

 

The cause was the final flash flood.

 

As a result, an area further downstream than the town of Mars and the granary, closer to the Viscount Hiyorimi's territory, was submerged in mire.

The shelters and soup kitchens set up in the town of Est were overflowing with hundreds of evacuees, and my brother and I were busier than ever, as if the real work had just begun.

 

Even so, he flood damage this time could be said to be unbelievably minor compared to the [previous history].

 

What was different from the previous time:

 

Sufficient prior preparation and countermeasures

Increase in the number of earth mages and their ability to respond

Swift response at the site

 

These factors must have been helpful.

 

"Phew... somehow... we managed?"

 

I sighed in relief, satisfied with the result.

 

Until I learned the true dire news later...

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