Chapter 19

It was now the third month of fire, the last month of summer according to the calendar.

However, if you only looked at the temperature, it felt like the best time of the year, with the highest temperatures being recorded day after day.

I say "it feels like," but that's because there are no thermometers in this world.

There might be one somewhere in the world, but there isn't one in Rish Village, and Ninetyana has never heard of one.

Mika had been enthusiastically practicing magic outside every day, but recently the heat had become too much for her.

She had even tried cooling off by the river, but the direct sunlight was too intense.

Under the bridge, it was cool, but the village children gathered there.

While it was fine to play with them occasionally, Mika didn't have the energy to do so every day.

With no other choice, she decided to stay at home today.

"Phew~... It's so cool~..."

Mika directed her hands towards her face and neck, bathing in the wind created by "Gale."

Today was particularly hot, and there was almost no wind.

Previously, opening the windows had been enough to keep things cool, but without any wind, it was just trapping the heat inside.

Until now, Mika had been careful not to use "Gale" too much to cool off.

Amalia and Loreta were working in the textile factory every day in the scorching heat.

In this world without air conditioning, they were working in a hot factory every day.

Mika felt very guilty about being the only one staying cool at home.

(No, this is just impossible.)

However, everything has its limits.

She had been careful, but if Mika were to get heatstroke, it would only cause more trouble for Amalia.

So, she decided to cool off without hesitation, even if it meant swallowing her pride and shedding tears.

Currently, "Gale" is not manipulating thermal energy.

Of course, she had confirmed that it could produce cold air, but it consumed a lot of magic power.

While it was fine to produce a burst of cold air, it wouldn't be effective unless it was continuous.

It wasn't something that could be done for just five or ten minutes; if she kept it up, her magic power would be depleted.

So, she sprayed water on her face and neck like a mist and sent only the wind with "Gale."

She was taking advantage of the heat of vaporization to cool off.

"...Is it really going to be autumn next month? Is the calendar off?"

She asked Ninetyana about the calendar, but she didn't understand it well.

More than that, she didn't pay much attention to the calendar at all.

Perhaps because she had been an adventurer for a long time, she only thought about the calendar in a short-sighted way, like "a few days from now" or "next week."

She didn't even pay much attention to the flow of the year, only noticing when it got hot or cold.

From Mika's perspective, it seemed like it was fine, but it was a fact that it was enough to get by.

People like Horacio, the factory manager, or the village chief would be different, but for those who earned their daily bread, it might be enough to get by.

While Mika was slouching, she heard the sound of a bell.

It rang "Ding, ding, ding," and after a while, it rang "Ding, ding, ding" again.

(Three rings... Fire?)

She turned around and looked around.

There was no sign of anything unusual. The fire wasn't at Mika's house.

In the first place, Mika was forbidden by her family to use fire.

Mika didn't use fire except for practicing magic outside the village.

She hadn't even been practicing fire magic recently.

(Where is it?)

She went outside and looked around.

There were no nearby houses, so there was no commotion in the area.

Looking around the sky for smoke, she saw smoke rising from the north of the Noisheim family's house, far away.

Since there was no wind today, the smoke rose straight up without being carried away.

Since the Noisheim family lived at the southeastern end of Rish Village, the fire was in the northeastern part of the village.

(...The scene is quite far away.)

After thinking this, Mika started running towards the smoke with all her might.

(The northeastern part of the village! The textile factory!)

Amalia and Loreta were working at the textile factory as usual today.

Wishing that her family had evacuated safely, Mika ran towards the textile factory.

On the way, she began to see people heading towards the fire scene.

Almost all the workers in Rish Village worked at the textile factory or the cotton fields.

Even if her family worked in the cotton fields, many of their acquaintances worked at the textile factory.

When Mika arrived at the textile factory, more than 100 people were already outside the building.

They were the workers who had evacuated from the textile factory and the people who had gathered upon noticing the fire.

In the crowd, she spotted Rady.

He probably heard about the fire and rushed over to prepare for any injuries.

The fire was in the northeasternmost building among the four buildings of the textile factory, and many people were watching from a distance.

Mika was already drenched in sweat from running in the scorching heat.

Without even catching her breath, Mika desperately searched the crowd for the two of them.

"Mika!"

Roreta, who noticed Mika in the crowd, ran over.

"Sis! Haa... Haa... I'm glad you're safe. Haa... Where's Mom?"

"Mom is fine too. We evacuated together."

Roreta turned around, and Amalia, who had also noticed Mika, was running over.

"Mika, you're here."

"Yeah. Haa... Both of you, Haa... Haa... I'm glad you're safe."

Mika exhaled deeply and gradually calmed her breath.

Amalia wiped Mika's sweat with a handkerchief.

As Mika caught her breath, more and more people gathered.

It seemed like the entire village was gathering.

Actually, it would probably end up that way.

In this village, everyone was like family and friends.

It was only natural that they would gather.

After confirming that her family was safe and had a moment to relax, Mika noticed something strange.

No one was organizing any action; everyone was just watching from a distance.

There were no fire trucks or ambulances.

There was no fire brigade or organized firefighting efforts.

(Huh? Don't they have at least a fire truck? Or a bucket brigade?)

The self-defense group had shown such unity against the monsters.

Wouldn't they at least organize a firefighting effort?

(Where is Horacio? As the factory manager, he should confirm that everyone has evacuated.)

Mika remembered the evacuation drills from her previous world.

Each person in charge confirmed the evacuation and reported to the higher-ups.

They checked who had evacuated and who hadn't.

Male employees were assigned to the bucket brigade, and female employees were trained to use water extinguishers.

At the time, she thought, "This is so troublesome," but when she encountered an actual fire scene, she realized the importance of the drills.

(Why isn't anyone doing anything?)

Mika quickly realized the answer.

(...There's no point in firefighting.)

The village was so spread out, and each house was far apart, so fires rarely spread.

There were probably no concepts like fire hydrants, and no water tanks in the village.

Mika had walked around the village and seen it with her own eyes.

There were wells for drinking and daily use, but no other water tanks.

She hadn't thought about it until an actual fire broke out.

(I've really become complacent. I didn't even think about it until a fire actually happened.)

However, the textile factory was a series of four buildings.

If nothing was done, the village's only economic base, the textile factory, would be destroyed.

Although the river was a bit far, a bucket brigade might be possible with the entire village's effort.

If it weren't for the suddenness of the situation, there might have been a way, but explaining it to the villagers now would be unrealistic.

(In the Edo period, they would demolish the tenements in advance to stop the fire from spreading...)

In Edo, tenements were densely packed.

If a fire broke out, it would spread to the entire town if nothing was done.

To stop the fire from spreading, they would demolish the tenements in advance.

(They had organized firefighting efforts and the concept of fire hydrants, albeit rudimentary. ...Damn, this world is even worse than the Edo period!)

While thinking about what could be done, Mika spotted Diego in the crowd.

As Mika ran towards Diego, Roreta panicked.

"Hey, Mika!"

"I'm just going to Diego!"

Mika pushed through the crowd to reach Diego, who was watching the fire with a bitter expression.

"Diego!"

"Hey, kid. You're here too? Is your family okay?"

"Yeah, both of them are fine. But, Diego, isn't the self-defense group doing something?"

"What do you mean?"

"If we do nothing, the fire will spread to the next building. Shouldn't you do something, like demolish it in advance?"

"Demolish it!? That thing?"

Diego looked at the next building.

"...Don't be ridiculous. You're saying some crazy things, kid."

Diego muttered, looking exasperated.

It was true that demolishing the textile factory like a tenement would be difficult.

Tenements were designed to be easily demolished in case of a fire.

It would be impossible to do the same suddenly.

"Then, shouldn't you confirm that everyone has evacuated from the factory? It's important to check if everyone is safe."

"...Yeah, you're right. We should check. Hey!"

As Diego was about to call out to someone in the crowd, the crowd started to stir.

"Hey, over there!"

"Look! Someone's coming out!"

Voices came from somewhere.

Looking around, everyone was pointing at the entrance of the burning building and shouting.

Smoke was billowing out of the entrance, and a man was staggering out of the smoke.

Several men rushed out of the crowd, and Diego followed.

They supported the man who had come out of the building and carried him away.

"Hold on, Nanzaro!"

"You're safe now!"

The young man called Nanzaro was coughing badly and desperately pointing at the building.

His hands were badly burned, and his arms were covered in burns.

Rady ran over and immediately cast "Healing" on Nanzaro.

Mika watched from a distance.

"Cough... Cough... There are still... Cough... people inside!"

Nanzaro, tears streaming down his face, pleaded desperately.

"Are there still people inside!?"

Someone shouted, confirming, and Nanzaro nodded repeatedly.

"Such!?"

"What a disaster..."

Rady was speechless and made a praying gesture towards the building.

Diego gritted his teeth and glared at the building.

"Cough... My wife! Cough... Cough... My wife, Mehiterte, is still inside!"

"What!?"

Nanzaro's anguished cry left everyone speechless.

"Please! Someone, cough... Someone, help my wife! Please! Someone!"

Nanzaro clung to the men beside him, pleading.

No one could bear to watch Nanzaro, who was desperately seeking help.

Nanzaro must have tried to save his wife until the last moment.

But realizing he couldn't save her alone, he left the building with a heavy heart to seek help.

"...Did you see anyone else left behind?"

Diego asked Nanzaro.

"...The factory manager and a few others were there. My wife was among them..."

Nanzaro hung his head, exhausted.

"...I tried to save them until the end, but the factory manager told me to go... I tried, but the fire spread..."

Nanzaro broke down in tears.

Mika felt a sense of helplessness as intense as Nanzaro's.

(...Horacio.)

She hadn't seen him in the crowd, but she hadn't expected him to be left behind.

Horacio, short but sturdy, seemed capable of escaping from anywhere.

(...Is he unable to move for some reason?)

Perhaps Horacio or one of the others was injured.

Perhaps there was a reason they couldn't move.

Mika clenched her hands tightly.

(Horacio is a savior. That's true, but...)

Mika looked at the building, where smoke was billowing.

The fire had probably spread throughout the building.

The ceiling might collapse at any moment.

Mika looked at Nanzaro.

He had left his wife behind to seek help, though he must have known it was impossible.

The despair he carried was immense.

Nanzaro would probably regret this day for the rest of his life.

(Damn... Don't think about stupid things.)

Rushing into the building would be suicide.

Even with some magic, there were things she couldn't do.

She knew that without being told.

(I know. I know!)

Mika looked at the building again, where smoke was billowing.

She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes tightly.

(What can I do? What can I do alone?)

If the textile factory burned down, Rish Village would be finished.

Everyone in the village would be left homeless.

(Damn it!!)

She opened her eyes and, contrary to her thoughts, ran towards the entrance where smoke was billowing.

"Hey! Stop!"

"Idiot! Come back!"

The adults who noticed Mika running tried to stop her, but they were too late.

"Limit Release! Water Ball!!"

Mika created a "Water Ball" in front of her while running.

She jumped into the ball, which was about one meter in diameter, and burst through the other side.

The adults who noticed Mika's reckless action tried to stop her, but they were stunned by the sudden appearance of the water and were too slow to react.

Mika took advantage of the moment and rushed into the entrance.

"Look! Someone!"

"Ah! A child!"

"Mika!"

"Mika!"

Several cries of alarm and calls to stop Mika came from the crowd behind her.

Mika, hearing their voices from inside the building, mentally apologized to Amalia and Roreta.

(...I'm sorry. I always worry you, I'm really sorry. But...)

She didn't want to abandon Horacio, her savior.

She wanted to do something for Nanzaro's anguished cries.

If she had the "power" to face it, if there was even the slightest possibility...

(...I'll do something!)

Mika covered her mouth and nose with her right hand and used "Gale" to secure her breathing.

She continued to use "Water Spray" with her left hand, spraying it on the flames in her path and around her.

The factory was a wooden building, and its durability had decreased due to the fire.

If the water pressure was too strong, it might cause the building to collapse.

Mika carefully extinguished the fire as she moved through the building.

(Even if I can secure my breathing, my eyes...)

The building was filled with smoke, and even though she could secure her breathing, her eyes were painful.

The "Gale" was pushing back the smoke around her face, but the heat and some smoke were unavoidable.

The smoke severely limited her vision.

Moreover, Mika had never been inside a burning building, so she didn't know the internal structure.

"Horacio! Where are you!?"

She called out loudly, but there was no response.

All she could hear was the sound of air rushing and the sound of wood exploding from the fire.

Mika called out loudly as she moved cautiously.

(Using multiple spells at once is new, but it works.)

"Water Spray" and "Gale."

She had practiced them enough to cast them without worry, but using them simultaneously was new.

Mika often splashed water on herself to endure the heat inside the building.

(I should practice this from now on. ...If there is a "from now on." )

Considering the distance she had walked, she was probably halfway through the building when she realized a problem.

(If I keep this up... my magic power won't last.)

Mika stopped in her tracks.

She had used "Gale" at home before the fire, and now she was using "Water Spray" and "Gale" simultaneously.

The consumption of magic power was more than she expected.

Especially "Water Spray" consumed a lot of magic power.

She could feel her magic power dwindling.

(What should I do? What can I do...?)

If her magic power ran out, it would be the end.

Mika herself would be unable to move.

If she turned back now, she might just make it.

(...Can I do that? ...!)

She gritted her teeth.

But if she continued and found the people left behind, she wouldn't be able to turn back safely.

(Think, think, think... There must be a way. ...There has to be!)

Staring at the approaching flames, Mika desperately tried to