Chapter 41

It's the height of summer, and the sun is already shining brightly from morning. This is Herman. The season is summer, it's hot, right? Even hotter than the Viscount Celerolles' territory. Does that mean I live in the Northern Hemisphere? Well, it's not yet clear if this world is a sphere, and there could be a continent on the equator, so who knows. ...It's knowledge from my previous life. I don't know if it applies to this world. That's the domain of the gods. I think it's round because you can see the horizon and the waterline.

So, I'm on the south side of the plaza in front of the eastern gate of the capital, and the number of people is gradually increasing. During the winter, this was the outer perimeter, but now it's probably the center. The population has increased so much. It's too much. Can't something be done, like adding another well? Why do we have to be packed like sardines when there's so much space? You guys, that's a pathway, not a place to set up tents.

Well, there are too many people who think it's okay as long as they're fine. This is the same everywhere. Some people set up tents in any gaps they find. It's very troublesome. Just go around the outside. Can't you consider the trouble I have to go through, stepping on the edges of the tent fabric to get to the well? No, apologize to everyone else too. Use your heads a bit more. That's why things like what happened in the north happen.

"Fire!"

"Report it to the Mage Guild!"

"You go first, you bastard!"

"Fire extinguishing?! It's too late!"

"Damn! Who did this?!"

"Run, run!"

So, it's a fire in the capital. It's really spreading. What? Why am I so calm? I said I'm on the south side, didn't I? There's a pathway between the north and south sides. Of course, it's in front of the gate. But in situations like this, it's best to take down your tent. People who know what's going on start packing up. The ones who don't are still setting up their tents. Why? If you think about people's actions a little, you'll understand soon enough.

"Run, run!"

"Hey! Stop there! Come this way!"

"Don't run between the tents! It's dangerous!"

"Oh! He kicked me! That hurts!"

"Ah-ah!"

"It's burning here too!"

"Remember the one who ran this way!"

"Run to the outer perimeter!"

"Fire extinguishing?!"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Look, a panicked person rushed in from the south and kicked someone. See? The people taking down their tents are the normal ones. They pack up to the center stake and then run. It's burning, isn't it? This is the third time I've been this calm. The first time I was panicked, but now I'm used to it. I've seen it a lot in the Rail Forest, but when I came back, it was already burned. Was the last time I saw it burning in York's forest? No, I saw it once in the Rail Forest early on. When I was setting up a tent, I think. It's nostalgic. Anyway, something scarier than the fire is coming, so we need to get even further away. It's best to run into the forest. You'll understand why soon.

"Here it comes!"

"Hey, get away!"

"Mailstrom!"

The Mailstrom, which can blow away the center stakes of the tents. It's the mages from the Mage Guild who have come to deal with it. The fabric is flying like it's in a washing machine on both the north and south sides. And when it blows away the center stakes, the three corner stakes are also blown away. ...Why the forest? To use the trees as a shield. After it's over, we'll have to clean up the bodies, which is a hassle. I hope no one gets impaled by the center stakes. The mages say the stakes won't impale anyone; they're designed to fly away from the starting point. So the vortex is horizontal, and we only need to watch out for stakes falling from above. If you crouch behind a tree, you should be fine.

What if this happens during an alchemy class? It's summer now, and I think classes are in session. Yet there are a lot of fires. I wonder if anyone dies each year due to improper responses. The difference in numbers between new and graduating students is no joke. The Mailstrom extinguishes the fire in one hit. The ashes are blown away, so you can set up your tent again right away. After that, it's just a matter of cleaning up the bodies. Most people set up their tents first, though. The ones without tents carry the bodies to the church. The Eastern Church is quite far away, so the Adventurers' Guild lends out stretchers, which are basically cloths. They carry the bodies in groups of four. It's tough. I'm in the tent group, so I don't carry them.

People are desperately trying to get to the wells. It's fine, you don't have to be so anxious. I'm setting up a center stake in a place that will become the outer perimeter. Phew, what a morning. I'm used to it, but I don't like getting used to this.

Well, I've finished setting up my tent, so let's go gather. There are a lot of people who look like they're just mowing grass. It's really foolish. The grass is a different color, but it's not worth anything, just common material. If they do it their way, they'll probably be bought out for a couple of bronze coins a day. A magic stone is bought by the Alchemy Guild for a silver coin. The selling price is two silver coins. From the materials gathered by grass-cutting adventurers, about 30 magic stones are made in a day. But when you put a full load of materials into the alchemy array, you can only make 2 or 3, and they're the lowest quality. There's nothing you can do about it. By the way, the part-time job for alchemists pays one small silver coin per magic stone. It's cheap, but the Alchemy Academy buys them in bulk. The first magic stone in a new student's wand is the lowest quality, and they're told to change it in their third year.

Today's gathering is over. It's night now. ...Is there an event? Yes, there is. The adventurers on the north side and the adventurers on the south side start insulting each other. They only use words because soldiers will come to cut off their heads if they fight. I don't know what's fun about it, but they set up near the road and shout. ...It's futile. I'm not the type of person who can enjoy a meal while listening to such insults, so I want them to stop immediately. And I have a bad feeling. In situations like this, it's better to talk to the person next to you. People on the outer perimeter are often more sensible.

"Excuse me, I have a bad feeling. How about you?"

"Me? ...Actually, I feel the same. I think there's going to be another incident."

"What, what, you too? I have a bad feeling too."

"Should we run?"

"...Let's move after we eat. It's a good idea to follow your instincts in situations like this."

"I've already eaten, so I'll move. ...Don't be left behind."

"Yes."

"Alright."

While eating, I finish my barley porridge quickly because it might not be a good time to eat slowly. Then I pack up my tent and go to the center to wash the dishes. ...The insults are in full swing. They're endless. Well, the dishes are done, so let's run to the forest.

Soon, another fire breaks out. It's smaller than in the morning, but it's burning well. I wish these bad feelings wouldn't come true, but tonight we'll be sleeping in sleeping bags without tents. ...I hope the person in charge at the Mage Guild isn't irritated. If they are, there's a high chance of a secondary disaster. By the way, this fire is already a secondary disaster, ...or a tertiary disaster. If it's the morning staff, it might end peacefully. The second time was bad. It was a Mailstrom like a storm. I hope it's a kind and gentle guild member who can control the power.

After causing a tertiary disaster and many deaths, I'm going to sleep. We'll clean up tomorrow. It was a tragic incident.

Whether you found it interesting or not, I don't mind.

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If you could also give me some feedback, I think it would help me improve my writing.

...Probably.