Chapter 417. An Easy Task (2)

Translator: Aura / Editor: HB168

‘How can a dam be built in a short time…?’

The next day, after eating breakfast, I left the bedroom before Heinley and headed to my office.

I intended to ask my aides to gather information about the dams, but none had yet arrived. Rather than idly wait for them to arrive, I went to the library to check the records related to this topic.

‘Short time… Short time… Short time…’

However, I did not find a way to build a dam in a short time.

By the time most of the officials had arrived at the Imperial Palace to perform their duties, I left the library and called a master builder to hear his opinion. His answer was not satisfactory either.

“Your Majesty, it’s not about how fast it can be built. It’s about how sturdy the dam is.”

“I know. But in this case it needs to be built in a short time.”

“Building a dam in less than a year is already a feat in itself.”

I consulted other builders and received similar answers.

In the end, after I ordered my aides to research ‘how to build a dam in a short time’, I locked myself back in the library.

***

“I shouldn’t have agreed to her request…”

As Heinley muttered helplessly, McKenna reproached him sharply.

“You should have told the Empress that she needed to rest more. The Empress is always ready to step up when it’s necessary, so why did you encourage her yourself?”

“I didn’t think she’d take the work to this extreme!”

Heinley replied regretfully.

“She promised she wouldn’t work too hard!”

It had been three days since the meeting in which the flood, the dam, and the water dragon were discussed.

Navier was constantly busy these days, whether locked in the library or in conversation with her aides. Aside from the hours when she ate and slept, Navier didn’t take a break. She didn’t even want to take a short walk, so Heinley and McKenna couldn’t help but worry.

McKenna sighed deeply and shook his head.

“I can’t believe that my work hasn’t slowed down at all even though Her Majesty works so hard. Why would that be?”

“McKenna, it seems you are primarily worried about your own workload rather than My Queen overworking herself.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty. I am definitely worried about Her Majesty. It’s all Lord Yorne’s fault.”

“Really?”

“Also the Chancellor’s, Your Majesty.”

Lord Yorne truly cared about his people, but McKenna needed to blame someone.

The palace doctor, who was responsible for Navier’s health, also felt regret.

‘I shouldn’t have told her that she could handle light work. I should have told her to eat, rest, and have fun like it was her job.’

On the fourth day, Heinley finally couldn’t take it anymore and went to see Navier, who was locked in the library.

If she continued working at this pace, she could collapse from overwork since she recently survived the attack that almost killed her. He had to find a way to persuade her to take a break.

‘I’ve been restlessly worrying for three days. It’s time to act.’

***

Whenever a dam needed to be built in the Eastern Empire with urgency, a large number of mages with earth-related abilities were quickly mobilized. It was easy.

However, the situation was different in the Western Empire.

I searched all the records in the library, but there was no answer on how to build a dam in a short time. There were only anecdotes of dams that were built quickly but collapsed soon after, highlighting the risks of poor construction.

When Heinley came to see me in the library and asked me to stop working, I decided to change direction.

“What do you mean by a change in direction?”

Heinley seemed puzzled by my words after I agreed to his pleas and happily left the library by his side.

“I think it would be better to solve the cause first.”

“The cause?”

“Even if we solve the current problem, if we don’t prevent the dragon from destroying the dam, we’ll continue to face this situation. I plan to solve the cause. That way, even if we don’t solve the problem of the flood this year, we will give the people the peace of mind that it won’t happen again.”

This situation occurs every few years, so they are prepared to evacuate…

Heinley nodded.

“Yes, it would be better to solve the cause. But, My Queen, how can we stop the water dragon from breaking the dam whenever it feels like it?”

“It’s easy.”

“What?”

“It’s an easy task.”

“What?”

***

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Empire, Sovieshu was being treated with Evely’s healing magic.

Initially, Evely was expected a few days earlier, but she was delayed by heavy rain which fell on the way from the Western Empire.

“… How is he?”

As soon as Evely breathed out and lowered her hands as she finished using her healing magic, Marquis Karl, who had nervously watched the whole scene, asked.

“Do you think His Majesty will recover?”

“I don’t know. I have never studied medicine, Marquis Karl. All I did was to pour my mana over his body. His shoulders, arms and legs are definitely healed.”

Marquis Karl personally pulled up a chair for Evely.

Sovieshu, who now had reverted to his time as Crown Prince, was seated on the bed with his eyes closed.

“Your Majesty…?”

Marquis Karl carefully called out to Sovieshu.

The palace doctor had said that Sovieshu’s split personality might be due to a mental problem, rather than a physical injury. Upon examination, it was determined that Sovieshu had not suffered any serious blows to the head, so Marquis Karl agreed with the palace doctor. Even so, he still had a little hope that Evely’s magic would work.

Eventually, Sovieshu opened his eyes. Evely, who was fanning herself with her hand, looked at him with curiosity.

“It’s useless.”

But the words that came out of Sovieshu’s mouth were categorical.

Marquis Karl’s shoulders, raised in anticipation, slumped again.

Sovieshu shrugged and calmly took a sip of the coffee on his bedside table.

“It’s a mental problem.”

Sovieshu, who admitted without hesitation that he had gone crazy, spoke to the palace doctor.

“Doctor, I believe my metal state will only improve once I see Navier. It’s most likely, isn’t it?”

As Marquis Karl and Evely stared at Sovieshu, the palace doctor shook his head, uncomfortably.

“I never said it was the most likely…”

“Doctor?”

“… But to solve Your Majesty’s problem, it would be helpful to meet the people who caused you the most shock.”

Marquis Karl took a deep breath and thought gloomily that those two people were Glorym and Navier.

There was no way to find Glorym. So… there was no choice but to ask Empress Navier for help despite how shameful it would be