TN: Please read my translations only on my website nyx-translation.com since I never give my permission to any site to host my translations. And if you like my translations, please support this site on Ko-fi, and join our Patreon to read up to 12 chapters ahead for this novel!
Enjoy~
TL: ALT
Chapter 202 – Day 33 of Management Life
When I woke up, it was raining. Raindrops splashed into the spring at the bottom of the slope, sending ripples across the water.
Since I had slept at the base of a large tree, the campfire was still burning.
I washed my face at the spring, filled my water container, and set off. As I headed south, the rain grew heavier.
For now, I must head for the capital. We had to avoid the northern part of the country, especially the “Great Hole,” or there would be trouble.
This was on my mind as I rode, but the traveling merchants and carriages on the road seemed to be hurrying toward the capital.
“What’s the rush? Is something wrong?”
I called out to the old coachman guiding his horses as I rode alongside him.
“Huh!? You’re running incredibly fast! On the night of the full moon, the monsters from the ‘Great Hole’ return. We’re evacuating to an area near the capital.”
Having lived in Cliff Garuda longer than we have, the coachman must be accustomed to this annual occurrence. Perhaps my concern was unwarranted.
“With the current magic stone shortage, airships are unusable. And there’s word that heavy rains caused landslides in the south. What about this year’s moon viewing? We’re caught between monsters from the north and storms from the south. There’s no time for moon-gazing!”
“Wait… Could that mean the monsters and the storms will collide at the Great Hole? No, first we’d have to deal with the southern evacuations.”
Depending on our next moves, the scale of the disaster might change.
“Makyo!”
Chel, who’d been listening, called out. She probably meant that we should head to the capital to check things out.
“Thanks, old man! We’re heading out.”
“Alright. Watch your step; it’s slippery in the rain!”
As we headed for the capital, the old coachman waved to see us off.
The carriage traffic was already backed up partway there. Tents were pitched outside the city as makeshift shelters. We made our way along the stone-paved road, slipping through the crowded gates and heading for a small trading shop near the airship landing field.
Kahiman and I had both trained to conceal our presence, but Chel kept bumping into townspeople and apologizing repeatedly.
Shueni, from the trading post, was serving tea to people sheltering under her eaves from the rain.
“Shueni!”
“Ah, Makyo-sama! You’ve come at just the right moment!”
She handed the teapot to her customer and invited us inside.
“Things are getting serious.”
“Tents have been set up outside of town. We just came to warn everyone that the ‘migrating’ monsters are returning to the ‘Great Hole,’ but a storm is coming from the south.”
“That’s right! We expected monsters from the north, but apparently, a massive storm is hitting the southern lowlands head-on. We can’t even send out airships. Who knows what’s happening? There’s a rumor that the army is gathering mages to fly out on carpets, but it’s just a rumor. Grandpa says the rain and wind will prevent the balloons from flying well, too…”
The old man who lives with Shueni has been summoned by the merchant guild and is rushing around procuring supplies for the refugees.
“It seems both southern and northern refugees are gathering in the capital…”
“Can you contact the Kingdom of Meiju and have them send necessary supplies?”
Chel listened intently.
“Sending a letter is fine, but while we specialize in goods from the demonic land, we’re just a single shop. It’s difficult.”
“Send it in the name of Master Michelle, the demonic land’s messenger. That should probably work. How long will it take to get the damage assessment?”
“I don’t know. But in just two days, the castle town will be overflowing with people.”
Indeed, the gatekeepers were barely functioning.
“I guess we have to check the site. Is there any place in the south where people could evacuate?”
“I don’t know. I’m not familiar with the area.”
“Maybe I should have brought Lipa.”
“I know the sorcerers’ hidden village.”
Kahiman, who had been silent, spoke up.
“I remember it from when we went there during Chel-san’s curse last time.”
“All right, let’s get the sorcerers to cooperate, too.”
“No, that’s—”
Shueni stopped us, her eyes wide.
“Is there something wrong with that?”
“The army and the sorcerers…well, they’re not exactly on good terms. Especially with the mages…”
“Is this the time for that? Fine, whatever. We’re inhabitants of the demonic land anyway, so it’s none of Cliff Garuda’s business. We’ll just get them to cooperate.”
We left the shop, climbed onto the roof, and began moving along the rooftops.
Pointed at by passersby, we crossed the gate and headed toward the Great Hole.
The sorcerer’s hidden village lay in a valley near the Great Hole, reminding me of the Sealing Clan’s ruined village.
The rain-drenched valley floor had become a small river, and voices chanting like spells came from somewhere.
As I calmly walked through the river, masked sorcerers peered down at me from above.
“Hello!”
When I raised my hand in greeting, members of the sorcerer family appeared one after another.
“Ah! The demonic land!”
A woman’s voice called out.
Apparently, she knew Kahiman.
“You know her?”
“Yeah, the blacksmith from the Sorcerer family.”
Together with Chel and Kahiman, I raced up the cliff.
The sorcerers looked startled, most of them frozen in shock. Perched atop the cliff was a splendid house with a thatched roof, its color muted. It seemed the masked folk lived quietly there.
“This is Makyo-san, the lord of the demonic land, and Chel-san, who was afflicted by the devil’s curse.”
Kahiman’s introduction was brief.
“Haa…! I’m Rag from the Sorcery Family!”
“Such creatures exist!?”
An old man wearing a mask with large painted eyes shouted. People covered in talismans rushed out of the house as well. The audible spells faded, and the black-coated sorcerer rolled onto the path.
“Well, we still haven’t found the earth’s veins, and we can’t return the measuring device.”
Rag apologized.
“No, that’s fine. More importantly, I heard a huge storm is approaching from the south. Could it clash with the ‘migrating’ monsters coming from the demonic land and the ‘Great Hole’?”
“We are researching the ‘Great Hole,’ but we don’t know what’s happening inside it.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Would a clash be dangerous?”
“Yes, it would be dangerous. When the power of a natural disaster interferes with the magic of the ‘Great Hole,’ something significant happens. The monsters returning from the ‘migration’ might be wiped out. If that happens, it could also affect parts of the demonic land. But before that, why don’t we go help the people trapped in the lowlands who can’t evacuate?”
“Help them!?”
Rag pressed his hand to his chest, bewildered.
“We can’t move that quickly. We were using cursed arts to summon the great storm, hoping to weaken its power!”
The old man, who had been frozen in shock, suddenly began speaking. Trying to weaken a disaster’s power by naming it sounds like something a clan that wields curses would do.”
“We are the Cursed Speech Clan. Unlike the nobles, we do not discriminate against those from the south by calling them ‘lowland peasants,’ nor do we look down on the power of life. If we can go, we’ll leave immediately!”
“We, the Cursed Body Clan, feel the same!”
“And, of course, the Manipulated Curses Clan of the Hidden Hundred Families, too!”
“This is the unanimous decision of the Cursed Clans of the Hundred Families!”
Seeing them wear masks in such a hidden village, I assumed they avoided human contact. Surprisingly, though, they seem to have a spirit of mutual aid.
“Then could you bring the harpies who understand speech to the south? It would take too long for the magicians to transport them on flying carpets.”
“Huh!? You mean the monsters cursed with beastification?”
As the sorcerer said, it seems the harpies who wear clothes are discriminated against.
“They live normally in the demonic land as patients with Beast Demon Disease. Their power could help those affected by the great storm, so I’d appreciate your cooperation.”
The sorcerers huddled together, their masks shifting in confusion.
“If Cliff Garuda won’t accept them…”
Just as I was about to persuade them, I saw the group of sorcerers descending into the valley, measuring devices in hand.
“What is it, huh!? The demonic land’s lord? I thought it was because the measuring device went off the charts!”
Harpies flew behind the sorcerers. They seemed to work alongside the sorcerers. Had they witnessed the moment when the sorcerers’ mindset changed?
“What’s going on? Did everyone just fall on their butts and get scared stiff when they saw the demonic land’s lord?”
The genius sorcerer looked around and asked the others. But no one answered.
“Can someone explain the situation?”
We came to warn you about the ‘migrating’ monsters coming from the demonic land, but we heard about the damage caused by the heavy rain in the south. We’re worried that a clash at the ‘Great Hole’ could wipe out the migrating monsters. I need to know the scale of the storm, and since we’re heading to aid the victims, I came to ask the sorcerers for help.”
“Ah, well then, why not send those who aren’t busy to help? The army isn’t stopping you, right?”
The sorcerer still didn’t seem to grasp what was wrong.
“But he said he’s also asking the Beast-Tainted Children for help…”
“Ah! I see! Lord of the demonic land, it seems time truly moves faster there. Over here, most people still think of harpies as cursed monsters. Changing the common folk’s perception isn’t something you can easily do.”
“So their awareness is still shifting?”
“Exactly!”
“But that means we won’t save lives that could have been saved. Time is precious, so we’re moving on.”
There was no time for pointless delays.
The sorcerer stopped us as we were about to dash off.
“I understand! For now, forget about the army, the mages, and any future negotiations. But you know what they say—you can’t make a horse run without dangling a carrot. To persuade the Cursed Children—no, the harpies—can we mention the name of the demonic land?”
“It’s fine. Even if Cliff Garuda won’t accept them, the demonic land will welcome harpies who wear clothes.”
“Got it!”
“All right then.”
The three of us left the sorcerer’s village and headed south.
The rain was heavy, but the wind wasn’t too bad, thanks to the trees.
We leapt up into the treetops, searching for a gap in the canopy. There should be a river leading down to the lowlands.
We headed for the gap in the trees, but instead of hearing the sound of water, we heard human voices.
“You okay?”
I asked, trying to keep my voice light and avoid any harshness. Anyone would be wary if three suspicious figures emerged from the forest. Since we were dressed like refugees, though, they didn’t seem too alarmed.
Mud-covered bird-people formed a line along the road before us. They stayed away from the center, probably to let the carts pass. Those with broken legs moved forward, leaning on the shoulders of those around them.
The royal capital was already overflowing with people, and it would only become more crowded now.
“Chel!”
“I know!”
She stepped forward, grabbed the leg of someone with a broken bone, reset it, and cast a healing spell.
“Gyaa! …Huh?”
Chel took a deep breath.
“I’m a healer from the demon race! Those of you with injuries too severe to walk, line up! Those who can’t make it this far should move aside and sit on the roadside!”
Immediately, the injured lined up before Chel.
The relentless rain was robbing the refugees of their body heat.
A broken wagon bed lay by the roadside. They stuck it vertically into the ground as a windbreak and used the torn canvas as a roof. They patched holes in the canvas with branches and leaves gathered from the forest.
Kahiman helped gather wet deadwood. We split the wood, lit fires inside, and burned it. The smoke was awful, but thankfully, it drifted toward the forest and not the road.
“This is a rest stop. Your body temperature is dropping, so be careful! You could die from hypothermia!”
When I shouted this to the refugees on the road, half-naked men shivering violently gathered around.
“Do you know where the worst damage is?”
I asked a man whose lips were turning blue.
“No idea. I lived in the lowlands, but the houses along the river got washed away.”
“Some guy said an entire village vanished.”
The southern port town is probably devastated.
This storm seems massive.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,”
A gaunt old man said.
“Are there no shelters?”
“Some are using abandoned noble houses, but they’ll run out of food soon and start fighting.”
Once the army’s flying carpet units start moving, food should be manageable.
Chel, who had finished treating the injured, caught up. The line of refugees had already broken off.
“The storm seems to have veered east. Should we chase it?”
“No, saving lives comes first.”
“The ‘migrating’ monsters are coming.”
Even if they fly from the ruins of Midgard tonight, it’ll take them a full day to reach us. Besides, the ‘migrating’ monsters are familiar with the giant magical beasts of the demonic land.”
“What? They won’t be wiped out, will they?”
Chel slumped her shoulders, deflated.
“That’s not it. We’ve only entered the ‘Great Hole’ once, so all we know is that it’s full of magic. If a huge storm hits with massive hail, the ground will shatter. What if the environment in the ‘Great Hole’ becomes something even the parent monsters haven’t experienced?”
“You won’t know until you try!”
“Instead of chasing something unknown, let’s stop the damage from happening now.”
“Right.”
Leaving the rest stop to the old folks, we started running along the highway.
The bridge halfway along the highway had been partially washed away. I had the refugees made a simple repair with fallen trees to create a makeshift bridge. I cut the trees from the forest with my fingers and tied them together with vines to make the bridge sturdy. However, it was still impassable for carriages.
As we crossed the bridge, we looked downstream and saw that the river had spread out widely. Collapsed houses were visible on the banks. A vanished village?
As we followed the winding road, the cobblestones disappeared and were replaced by mud. At the end of a small side road that had recently been formed off the highway, we found people who had evacuated there. The slight hill offered a view stretching far into the distance.
Standing where the stunned people were standing, looking south, we saw a flooded port town. Furniture floated, colliding with buildings. Houses were tilted; it was a wonder any remained standing.
Shivering in the rain, we cut down trees, erected posts, and bound branches and leaves together to make a roof. We lit another smoky bonfire.
“There’s little we can do.
“We have to do what we can.”
“Yeah.”
We entered the flooded town, searching for those who hadn’t escaped in time.
“Hey! Is anyone still alive?!”
I infused my ears with magic, which allowed me to pick up faint voices even through the heavy rain.
Using magic to enhance my vision allowed me to spot people emitting even the slightest magic.
Still, I couldn’t save those trapped under fallen pillars. I was speechless when I saw the child whose tears had dried up.
After delivering the child to higher ground, we followed the coastline and saw more towns in the same condition.
What I could do remained unchanged.
I built a makeshift shelter on high ground and carried those left behind. If they were injured, I could heal them with recovery magic. However, I couldn’t bring the dead back to life.
Although I wasn’t related to the deceased, I couldn’t cry, yet I acutely felt my own powerlessness.
I heard that the refugees from the southwest weren’t fleeing to the royal capital, but rather heading west.
After seeing off those leaving the shelter, just as I was about to head to the next town, harpies whipped up by the wind flew in.
“Please! Help us.”
“Saving a town that rejected us feels wrong, but I heard the demonic land will accept us.”
“It’s a harsh place, but not uninhabitable. You can eat your fill, and there are many companions. The demonic land doesn’t reject you just because you look different. People live there, even if it means facing death.”
The wounded harpy, wearing a breastplate and covered in scars, trembled as she lifted her cheek and smiled.
“Please, save the living.”
“Understood.”
The flock of harpies took flight all at once.
Unnoticed, the setting sun shone through a gap in the clouds.
If you like my translations, please support me on Ko-Fi and subscribe my Patreon to read up to 12 chapters ahead for this novel!