episode_0473

The newly built ship made from monster byproducts felt different the moment I boarded it.

Although the current wasn’t too strong yet, the ship showed no signs of faltering in even the most moderate currents.

It wasn’t just an empty promise that the employees made about its sturdiness.

I connected the ship and my body through mana, just as I had learned briefly.

Wooooo-

The entire ship trembled slightly, and soon mana began to flow out of my body little by little.

At the same time, the ship started moving forward.

By using the steering wheel to adjust the direction slightly, the ship smoothly changed its course.

It was far more satisfying than moving the ship with oars.

I could easily adapt to steering the ship soon enough.

Woooooo-!!

Navigating through the currents and moving at a rapid pace, the ship made the turmoil of the storm seem less daunting.

The stability provided by the ship’s sturdy construction was on a whole different level compared to other ships.

“I never knew I would receive such support. I’ve once again received a favor.”

Since the boss had mentioned something, it was clear that he willingly lent me the ship.

Would an employee unilaterally develop such a valuable ship and lend it out?

“He showed me how to save my father, and he has helped me a lot in gaining recognition.”

While talking about the boss in the past, Shine’s words suddenly came to mind.

The statement that even those who have never received a favor once will never receive it only once had made me feel absurd.

“I thought it was out of the blue when I heard that.”

Now that I was in the same position, I seemed to understand why Shine had said those words.

“How could I refuse help that appears out of the blue whenever it’s needed.”

The boss always helps at moments when refusal is impossible.

The sky was still filled with dark clouds, and the sound of rain approaching gave a sense of tension akin to entering a battlefield.

“It was certainly frustrating at first…”

Now, even looking at those dark clouds didn’t make me afraid.

As a human, would it be good to run back into the storm?

Just like how I prefer comfort.

But even if it’s something I dislike and don’t want to do, I know I have to do it eventually.

Especially now, facing the fierce whirlpool in front of me.

Somehow, rather than fear, a sense of courage surged within me.

It felt like I wasn’t alone.

Even though we weren’t together, my heart felt reassured as if I had comrades by my side.

“Is this why my heart wavered?”

Even if the boss bestows favors, he won’t be able to shake my resolve.

I’m not a fairytale princess who gets swayed by being saved.

It’s already complicated enough with us avoiding eye contact.

I didn’t want to get involved in a complicated relationship with a colleague who couldn’t express their feelings openly and had been suffering silently for a long time.

“Gratitude is repaid in different ways.”

I decided to put an end to my thoughts about the boss.

“Have we already come this far?”

I could see the whirlpool in front of me.

Judging by the continued momentum, I suspected that the cause was still inside the shelter.

“In the end, were the nobles not the cause? I thought they were the most likely reason…”

Since they could have been the masterminds behind the storm, I observed the nobles closely, but they didn’t make any move, making my suspicions fruitless.

It turned out it wasn’t them, so I had to return to the shelter and find the real cause.

I only hoped that there wouldn’t be any more outbreaks of wounds.

“Wait, did one of the whirlpools disappear?”

The other three whirlpools continued to viciously engulf everything in their path.

But so far, I had only seen the anomalies intensify, so seeing one diminish like this was a first.

If this is because the culprit of the abnormal phenomenon has escaped?

“Should we have investigated again?”

Although there was a belated regret, it was impossible to go back, so we had to move forward.

“Phew, let’s go.”

My body was in the best condition in recent times.

Due to the injury, there was a bit of heat in my body, but taking medicine made my mind clear.

How much trouble will it cause this time? My hands are already tingling.

“I can do it.”

Isn’t the boat prepared by the boss with me?

The whirlpool will have to clear the way for itself this time as well.

It was impossible not to conquer the creature that had already been defeated once.

※ ※ ※

Whoo-

“….”

“….”

Swoosh-!!!

“Is this really getting better?”

“Well… it’s somewhat reduced.”

Outside the window, it was still raining fiercely.

Where is all this rain coming from?

I wonder if there is a river in the distant sky, and the river water is falling.

“You said it’s raining less. Little by little.”

“What you call ‘little by little’ seems to be at a level where it’s not visible, how do you see that?”

“I have sensitive eyes and ears. I can tell.”

“…I doubt it. Maybe you just wanted to go out so badly that you imagined it.”

“In a few days, you will know what I saw, so just wait. Or do you want to make a bet?”

“What bet? There’s nothing to bet on because everything is gone due to the typhoon.”

That’s true.

“Ah, I was happy for no reason. I didn’t believe your words. You seem quite bored too.”

“It’s not because I’m bored that I’m saying this, you know?”

“Hehe! If you’re bored, go to sleep. Even the kids don’t play around these days.”

Everyone in the shelter is exhausted from the longer-than-expected shelter life.

When I see the kids whining about wanting to go home, I just sigh.

Even if the typhoon disappears, there is no relief for the people here.

On the contrary, when the typhoon disappears, they will have to work tirelessly to rebuild the destroyed city.

“Hey, even if you stay here, you could die.”

Even so, it was unreasonable to continue living in the shelter.

“I’m more scared to go out. I’m worried about how to survive.”

“You’ll figure something out.”

“What can I possibly eat to survive? Look outside. What will be left when the water recedes?”

“…Nothing.”

I had never thought that about myself.

Still, it was better to be alive than dead, and it was better for this tiresome typhoon to end, even if it meant suffering a bit.

“Even so, you can’t just live like this. What about the kids? Are you not going to leave anything for them?”

“The kids… sigh.”

It was a situation where only sighs came out.

Did I look out the window too often?

Depressing emotions rushed in, and tears threatened to fall.

“Huh?”

At that moment, a strange sound caught my ear.

It was a strange sound like whooshing.

Because of the tears blurring my vision, I couldn’t see outside clearly.

I wiped away the tears and looked outside carefully.

The sound was still continuing.

No, the sound that was getting closer and louder.

“What’s that?”

Thinking I was the only one hearing this sound, I asked my friend.

“Do you hear any strange sound?”

“What sound? Even if there’s a sound, can you hear it over the rain?”

“No, come on! Listen carefully. It’s a strange sound I’ve never heard before.”

“A strange sound you’ve never heard before?”

My friend hesitated and listened carefully.

“What kind of sound is that… huh?”

“Do you hear it? Can you hear it? Am I the only one hearing it?”

“Hmm? Hmm? What’s this strange sound?”

“Right?”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

In the distance, the waterway was splitting strangely.

And the being causing the waterway to behave strangely was approaching the shelter.

“They’re here! They’re here!!”

Although only commoners remained in the shelter, they couldn’t understand why nobles would come.

Everyone was puzzled as to why they had made a promise to come.

What’s the point of making a promise that won’t be kept?

“They really came. Unbelievable.”

“What on earth are you talking about? They came? What came?”

“You still don’t understand? They have returned!!”

Her appearance was a beacon of hope and a miracle to the dwindling commoners in the shelter.

※ ※ ※

“The one causing these anomalies is called an awakened being.”

“A conspiracy?”

“I thought so too and tried to ignore it, but the one who submitted the report is Soldier Gabriel.”

“So it’s not a conspiracy. Tell me more.”

Chechen begins his report.

“Soldier Gabriel resolved the anomalies and returned. According to her investigation, as the nobles disappeared from within the anomalies, the anomalies began to dissipate rapidly.”

“What does it mean for the nobles to disappear?”

“It seems that the nobles in the shelter couldn’t bear it anymore and wanted to escape.”

“Tsk! So in the end, they were allowed to escape.”

“Yes. However, that actually helped us find a clue. Since no one has been able to solve the anomalies so far, I plan to use this report as a basis for further experimentation.”

If there were other solutions, we would have tried them first, but we couldn’t ignore the report from the soldier who had successfully resolved the anomalies.

“It’s an absurd solution, but we have no choice but to try it.”

What if the nobles were the cause of the anomalies?

“If this is true, should we punish the nobles who caused it?”

“It’s a bit unclear.”

“Unclear?”

“Yes, it seems that they might not even realize they are the cause.”

“They’re not the cause?”

“I also had a lot of doubts after reading this report.”

Chechen rubbed his forehead, still feeling a headache.