Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
50. Things that wriggle
There are several old waterways running through the royal city. They take water from a branch of the Uleri River, which flows to the northeast, passing through the capital before flowing back into the Ureri River.
Many of these canals were used to dispose of the waste and garbage of the people living in the royal capital. Therefore, the smell was very bad, and the areas surrounding the canals were home to poor people.
Recently, an eerie rumor has been spreading in this slum.
“Did you hear about some kind of mud crawling out of the canal?”
“Yeah, I heard about it. The old lady next door who saw it took to bed because she was so scared.”
”It was probably just bugs collecting in the garbage or a swarm of rats, right?”
Being poor and uneducated, they had no idea what it was, and because they live in a slum, they were unable to petition the knights or the vigilantes of the royal capital. In the dark and dank air typical of the rainy season, the disturbing stories slowly accumulate.
“The smell is particularly bad this year. It happens every year though.”
An old cleaning lady holds her nose as she pours the filth she has collected into the canal . The wealthy hire cleaning ladies, who dump their garbage and waste into the canal. It is a common sight in the royal capital, and for them, the unpleasant rumors and the foul smell from the canal, which becomes especially strong just after the rainy season, are nothing, just an extension of their daily routine.
The waterway goes underground before passing through the center of the royal city. This was done to accommodate the wealthy residents, who do not like the stench. None of the residents of the royal city know what the underground waterways look like.
Still, for commoners, rumors were one of the few sources of entertainment. And the rumors that started to spread were filled with a sinister shadow.
“…… But more importantly, haven’t there been an awful lot of stories about undead beasts near the royal capital lately?”
“I heard that as long as there’s a river, there’s no way around it. …… but it wasn’t like this before. ……”
“It’ll be fine! We have the Knights here in the Royal Capital, and the Holy Knight and Saint are here too!”
“But nowadays, even if there are undead beasts, I hear you won’t see much of them. ……?”
Little by little, the colors of anxiety spread and influence each other, becoming darker.
◆◆◆
Elliot was with Lloyd at the Knights’ barracks.
“A showcase subjugation?”
“Yes, that’s right. It was His Majesty request, you see. As expected, His Majesty seems dissatisfied that he couldn’t see the Holy Knights in action.”
Count Agreas said this in an exasperated voice, and spread out a leather map of the area around the capital on the table. He then pointed to a spot on the Uleri River slightly north of the capital, which flows through the northeastern part of the capital.
“There is a weir upstream of the Uleri River. It is used to regulate the water level and also to protect the royal capital from landslides. After investigating, we found that there were about a dozen undead beasts have washed up at this weir.“
“…?! That much…?”
As Elliot and Lloyd turned pale, Count Agreas carried on in a soothing tone.
“The weir has long been a place where magical beasts would drift down the river and end up. A barrier is in place to protect against larger beasts, so there is no immediate danger. There is plenty of time to prepare.”
”…… In other words, we will make preparations and release the undead magical beasts from that dam all at once, defeat them, and show it to His Majesty, is that what you are saying?”
Lloyd asked, and Count Agreas returned a smile.
“It may seem silly, but the idea of preparing thoroughly in advance and then carrying out a simultaneous extermination is not bad in itself. If we can take advantage of the situation, we can make things go in our favor. Besides, the recent series of defeats of small undead beasts in the vicinity of King’s Landing has caused a sense of uneasiness among the people of the royal capital. This is to also dispel that anxiety, you see.”
Elliot looked down and tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
“I understand your nervous. Let’s devise a plan to avoid being exposed and exercise the utmost caution. On top of that, if we can prove that you are all good and well before the big moment for the Holy Knight and Saintess, we can fool them again for the time being, don’t you think?”*
Count Agreas plasters on a smile devoid of any emotion.
Tl note:
A weir is a small barrier built across a stream or river to control and raise the water level slightly on the upstream side, essentially a small-scale dam. What is the difference between a weir and a dam? A weir generally allows the water to flow over the crest (which is the top) or sometimes underneath some sections.