I’m a Rookie, but I’m an Experienced Professional - Chapter 41

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 41

After spending a night in the village, we climbed the mountain as soon as dawn broke.

We could ride horses up to the middle of the mountain, but after that, we had to walk up on our own two feet.

The path was rough and steep, making it difficult, but it was much better than riding a horse with Callix Crowbell.

“This is the upstream point of the Raed River.”

By the time we reached our destination, the sun was already setting.

‘It’s cold.’

Nuviar had been warm, but perhaps because this was a mountain, it was a bit chilly.

When I rubbed my arms, Noah Roheim took off his outer coat and draped it over my shoulders.

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“You shouldn’t catch a cold, so keep it on.”

It didn’t seem right to keep refusing his kindness, so I quietly kept it on.

“It took longer than expected.”

The manager who checked his pocket watch frowned.

“We need to go down before it gets dark, so we’ll probably only have an hour or two… Will that be okay?”

“Let me investigate first and then I’ll let you know.”

Since there wasn’t much time, I walked around the area checking various things.

But Callix Crowbell kept following behind me.

“Why do you keep following me?”

“I’m curious about what you’re doing.”

“What do you mean what am I doing? I’m investigating.”

“That’s what I mean.”

Callix Crowbell clasped his hands behind his back and calmly added.

“I’m curious about what you’re investigating.”

…I should just stop talking.

I gave up trying to shake him off and focused on my investigation again.

Water level marks were faintly carved on rocks and tree trunks.

Not just one, but lines of different heights overlapped as if layers of time had been stacked up.

The strange thing was that these water level marks remained on land where river water no longer flowed.

‘It seems the river water once overflowed up to here.’

But unlike Nuviar, there were no traces of broken or fallen trees here at all.

Only traces remained of water rising and then quietly receding.

“Is it still the Eastern Region beyond that ridge?”

I pointed toward where the river water flowed down and asked the guide.

“No. Beyond that ridge is the Northern Territory.”

That meant this river water came from the Northern Territory.

‘Come to think of it, the Raed River floods from late summer to early autumn.’

Wondering if my memory might be wrong, I checked the memo I had written in my notebook and also asked the manager who came with us.

“That’s correct. The Raed River generally floods around that time.”

The manager added with a sighing voice.

“That’s why all the crops we’ve grown for a year become unusable.”

I knew it.

The scattered puzzle pieces began fitting together one by one.

“It seems you’ve found the cause.”

Callix Crowbell, who had been following behind, muttered as if talking to himself while looking around.

“I don’t see anything strange.”

Of course he wouldn’t.

This wasn’t a problem caused by something being ‘strange,’ but by something being ‘different.’

“I think we can go down now.”

I smiled broadly while looking at the puzzled Nuviar manager.

“Because I’ve figured out the cause of the Raed River flooding.”

* * *

“I heard the news. You found the cause of the Raed River flooding?”

Smith Viscount, who came out personally to greet us at the castle entrance, asked with an expectant voice.

“Yes. I found it.”

“Oh, what is it? No wait, this isn’t something to discuss standing here. Let’s go inside and talk about it slowly.”

When Smith Viscount tried to grab my arm, Callix Crowbell snatched his hand away.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t touch her carelessly.”

“What?”

Smith Viscount looked back and forth between me and Callix Crowbell with somewhat bewildered eyes.

‘Don’t look at me like that.’

I don’t know why this man is acting like this either.

I had thought it was strange when he suddenly insisted on joining the expedition.

But his behavior became even stranger after we came down from the mountain.

Whenever the Nuviar managers or knights tried to talk to me, he would block them or listen to the conversation beside me.

When he wasn’t there, he had Noah Roheim stay by my side.

“We’re going to that meeting room, right?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right, but…”

“Then let’s go.”

Callix Crowbell grabbed my arm and strode forward.

As I followed him in bewilderment, I glanced back. Smith Viscount and the managers, as well as Noah Roheim, were all looking this way as if dumbfounded.

“Could you please let go of my hand?”

I tried asking subtly, but he didn’t even pretend to listen.

‘Why is he really acting like this?’

Anyone who didn’t know better would think he was acting this way because he liked me.

Of course, that possibility was zero.

What crazy person would mercilessly drag around the arm of a woman he liked?

Callix Crowbell only let go of my arm after we arrived at the meeting room.

He had gripped it so tightly that the area he had held was throbbing.

The managers I had seen before were already gathered in the meeting room.

Everyone must have heard the news, as their eyes looking at me were sparkling enough to be burdensome.

Shortly after, when Smith Viscount and the others arrived, the meeting began.

“The reason the Raed River floods once every two years is because of heavy rain.”

“What do you mean? The Eastern Region doesn’t get enough rain to be called heavy rain.”

Smith Viscount tilted his head and asked.

“That’s right. The east hardly gets any rain.”

I drew the Undra Mountains that divide the north and east on the blackboard.

“But the Northern Territory is different. During the rainy season, it rains enough that they have to prepare for floods. That rainwater flows down along the Undra Mountains all the way to the Eastern Region.”

I made the several lines I had drawn converge into one.

“When all this collected water rushes in at once, the Raed River floods.”

“Oh my, so that’s how it happened. I never thought of that.”

“Right. Then if we block all of that, the river won’t overflow?”

Tsk, I knew that question would come up.

“It might be possible once or twice, but not continuously. Eventually the river water will overflow, and when that happens, a much greater disaster than now will occur.”

“But it rains in the north every year, so why does the Raed River only overflow once every two years?”

I knew this question would come up too.

“That’s because not enough rainwater flows into the Eastern Region every year to make the river overflow.”

I drew a wide circle at the point where the thin streams of water converged into one.

“The water flowing from the Northern Territory usually gathers here and gradually flows into Nuviar.”

This was the upstream area of the Raed River where we had gone exploring.

“But the moment it exceeds the manageable limit, all that water rushes into Nuviar’s Raed River at once.”

“That’s when the river floods.”

Smith Viscount nodded as if he finally understood.

The other managers couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement, saying they had no idea this was the reason.

“Come to think of it, not long after heavy rains in the north, the Raed River would overflow.”

“So the Northern Territory was the cause after all.”

At someone’s muttered words, everyone’s gaze turned to Callix Crowbell in unison.

“….”

His expression, which had been unpleasant since entering the meeting room, hardened even more.

His gaze toward me also became much sharper.

If looks could kill, I would have been stabbed several times over.

‘This is bad.’

If this continues, my life might really be in danger.

[Main Quest Complete!]

[You will receive 30,000 points as a reward!]

In the midst of all this, an oblivious system window flickered before my eyes.

‘Get out of the way!’

I quickly closed the system window and clapped my hands to draw everyone’s attention to me.

“Since the rain isn’t the north’s fault, the Northern Territory isn’t the cause. Rather, it would be more accurate to see them as fellow victims. The Northern Territory also suffers great damage from torrential rains every year.”

“Ahem. That’s true.”

“Wasn’t it because you said something unnecessary?”

“I just said it was a possibility….”

The atmosphere quickly cleared, but Callix Crowbell still looked displeased.

‘I don’t know either.’

Let me just do what I need to do for now.

“There’s only one way to solve this problem.”

I deliberately avoided his piercing gaze and drew a diagram on the blackboard.

“First, we create a space to hold the water that flows in here, and install a device to control it so it doesn’t all drain out at once.”

These were precisely a ‘retention basin’ and ‘floodgates’.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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