Chapter 310: The Need for a Dam (Part 2)
“Um, I was thinking of building a gravity dam downstream of the Prona River.”
“Huh?”
It was just before dinner.
As he was about to pick up his spoon, his son’s voice suddenly rang out, catching him off guard.
The sudden declaration was indeed unexpected.
Yet, the Count of Frontiera was not startled.
Instead of expressing doubt, he first offered his son a seat.
“It seems you have something to discuss, am I right?”
“Yes.”
“Then have a seat first.”
Judging by his son’s demeanor, it seemed he had come with a somewhat burdensome request.
Nevertheless, the count was not worried.
‘Because I trust him.’
After all, his son had shown nothing but sincerity all this time.
And he would undoubtedly continue to do so.
No, before that, he’s my child.
Whatever he asks, I’ll listen.
The count had already made up his mind.
“A dam downstream, you say? A gravity dam? That’s a new term to me.”
“Yes, I thought it might be.”
“And have you eaten dinner yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“Then shall we eat together? We can talk while we eat.”
“Thank you.”
Lloyd sat across from the count.
The maids brought in the dishes, and he stared at them intently.
He had been organizing his thoughts during the rush here.
And while picking up his fork, he spoke.
“Um, I think you might find it confusing for me to suddenly bring this up. It’s somewhat out of the blue, but I think I need to discuss something serious with you today.”
“I’m all ears, son. Go ahead.”
The count smiled warmly.
The countess also smiled kindly.
Their demeanor reassured Lloyd.
He was just about to explain the need for building the dam.
That would mean revealing the phenomenon of Fate’s Restoration.
It was a daunting task.
However, the couple’s reaction comforted him.
A sense of relief that they would entertain any request.
A warmth that seemed ready to extend a helping hand in any tough moment.
He felt secure and warmed by their presence.
Thanks to this, he felt more at ease to start his explanation.
“Well, to start with the reason, it appears that in about five years, none of us here will be of this world anymore.”
“…What?”
This time, even the count was so surprised that his eyes widened.
Lloyd continued.
“It’s true. A great misfortune is approaching, and it’s inevitable. It started about a year ago. I’ve been having the same nightmare every day. A dream where everyone dies. At first, I dismissed it as just a nightmare. But then, King Berchis of the Dragons, staying in our guest room, advised me. He said, it’s not just a nightmare. It’s a glimpse of a future that will truly happen.”
The spoiler to the ending he had seen and the phenomenon of Fate’s Restoration.
He couldn’t tell them everything as it was.
It was not possible.
So, he altered it slightly to a version where he had nightmares.
He did not give the count and his wife a chance to interject and continued speaking.
“Thanks to him, I could be sure it wasn’t just a dream. I owe it to King Berchis’s advice. So, I asked him. I asked how we could possibly avert this dreadful future. And he said…”
“What did he tell you?”
“He said the future I saw in my nightmare is a terrible misfortune that’s hard to change. For example, if an accident is supposed to happen, trying to predict and prevent it is futile. Even if we manage to stop it, the form and timing will change, and an accident will happen again. Ultimately, the misfortune will occur.”
“That’s terrible. So, what then?”
“I asked him again if the nightmare I had was truly an unstoppable misfortune. He then told me there was one way, one possibility.”
Lloyd paused and looked at both the count and his wife.
They were both gripping their forks and knives, not thinking about eating but listening intently to him.
Lloyd gained confidence.
‘Good. They believe me.’
Perhaps it was the sincere image he had built up over time.
Plus, the authority that King Berchis carried.
It seemed like they were fully trusting his words.
That was a relief.
Riding on the heightened attention of the count and his wife, Lloyd said.
“King Berchis told me to seek and build the Jewel of Truth.”
“The Jewel of… Truth?”
“Yes.”
Lloyd nodded.
When explaining the phenomenon of Fate’s Restoration?
He had had to add a bit of a lie.
But the Jewel of Truth he was about to mention?
He could tell them the truth as it was.
“King Berchis said the Jewel of Truth is one of the most powerful treasures of the Mythic Era. It’s a structure that, no matter the question, will offer the wisest solution. King Berchis was kind enough to tell us that if we find it and ask it how to avert the impending disaster, it will guide us. Who told us? King Berchis did.”
“That’s… very kind and wise of King Berchis.”
“Yes. Actually, that’s why I went to Kremoa.”
“To find the Jewel of Truth? Wait, don’t tell me the rocks that BonDragon brought were all…”
“Yes, that’s right. They are the essential materials needed to build the Jewel of Truth. I’ve found and brought them all back.”
“You’ve been through a lot then.”
“Haha, not really.”
“Not at all. How could it have been easy?”
The count and his wife looked at him with sympathetic eyes.
Thanks to this, Lloyd could only offer an embarrassed smile.
It seemed they were more concerned about the hardships he had endured than the great misfortune approaching.
‘Well… they really know how to make a sudden, touching entrance. There’s no time for sentimentality right now.’
With a calm mind, Lloyd needed to proceed with his work.
He explained the construction conditions for the Jewel of Truth and also disclosed an unexpected complication he had discovered.
“That’s why. The condition I mentioned, a construction site with a water depth of over 70 meters. And to prevent damage from the flood caused by the Jewel’s operation, it seemed best to build a dam.”
“So, if we can’t stop the flood, you’re suggesting we let it happen downstream?”
“Yes, exactly.”
That was the crux.
“Since there are no adjacent domains downstream of the Prona River, and no residential areas, it seems we can cause a flood without harming anyone due to the Jewel’s operation.”
“I see. So you rushed here after finally coming up with that solution.”
“Yes, well, that’s right.”
“Huh, Lloyd.”
“Yes?”
“Next time you have such concerns, share them with your father and me. You always ponder alone, wrestle with problems alone… How tough it must have been for you.”
“Um, well, that’s…”
“I know you must have had reasons not to tell us. That’s why you’ve been grappling with it alone and didn’t even show how hard it was. But from now on, give us a chance too. A chance to share the difficulties with your son.”
“Um, yes, I will. So, about building the dam…”
“Of course we should. You’ve thought so hard and come to that conclusion; how could I possibly object?”
“…Thank you!”
He had done it.
He had naturally explained the phenomenon of Fate’s Restoration and successfully appealed for the necessity of building the Jewel of Truth.
Thus, he easily gained the approval of the count, the lord and decision-maker, to construct the dam.
Lloyd clenched his fist in triumph internally.
‘Phew. That’s one big hurdle crossed.’
Getting permission for dam construction wasn’t expected to be difficult.
The challenge had been how to explain the phenomenon of Fate’s Restoration and the Jewel of Truth.
It felt like he had overcome a tough challenge.
From the next day, Lloyd embarked on a full-scale dam construction project for the building of the Jewel of Truth.
‘This is indeed the perfect place to build a dam.’
He surveyed the northern boundary of the Frontiera domain, downstream of the Prona River.
A suitable location for the dam was evident.
‘The limestone layers surrounding both sides of the river narrow significantly here. The syncline layer’s slope is also appropriately steep, a bit further downstream. Right there, that peak. That peak is bearing the geological pressure of the region’s strata, like training wheels on a child’s bicycle.’
The more he observed, the more ideal the terrain appeared.
Thanks to that, it was a place of top-tier geological stability.
‘There’s a dam built in a similar location on Earth, in the Alicante region of southeastern Spain, the Tibi Dam.’
He had researched it during his university club activities.
He remembered the details he had compiled at the time.
‘It wasn’t built with modern construction technology. It started in 1579 and took 15 years to complete, finishing in 1594.’
Of course, by modern standards, it wasn’t a large dam.
The dam’s height was only 43 meters.
The radius of the dam’s arch was just 107 meters.
‘But that’s exactly why it’s a good reference. The current situation makes it impossible to implement modern construction methods exactly.’
As always.
Javier and the mythical species, the engineering corps, and the skeleton crew would have to work tirelessly.
They would have to mimic modern construction methods through various tricks.
In this case, medieval technology provided a more convenient reference.
This time was no exception.
‘The terrain is similar. So, a gravity arch-type dam like the Tibi Dam would be appropriate.’
A dam that, like a game’s tank character, resists the water pressure with its own weight, enhanced by the arch’s structural stability.
Combining these would create a sufficiently safe and robust dam here.
‘And there’s plenty of limestone to use as material for the dam.’
The environment was perfect for proceeding with the construction.
Confident, Lloyd diligently surveyed the terrain.
The site where the gravity arch dam would be built.
The scale of the water the dam would contain.
The geographical range that would be submerged by the water.
And the location where the Jewel of Truth would be constructed.
The size and power of the waves generated when the Jewel operated.
The impact on the dam when it faced these waves head-on.
And the ingenious mechanisms to minimize this impact.
He considered all foreseeable information.
Every possible scenario.
And all other variables.
He utilized the design skill’s simulation option.
He experimented.
Measured.
Pondered.
Modified.
Designed.
He reviewed and revised.
Sometimes furiously scratching his head.
Then rubbing his tired eyes.
One night, after putting Javier to bed.
And he himself staying up all night until he bled from his nose.
In the morning, caught by the maid Emily with blood on his shirt.
Emily hurried to tell the count and his wife.
The countess filled her worry gauge to the brim.
Prepared numerous nourishing dishes said to be good for health.
After eating them, his cheeks became plump.
Feeling grateful, he gained more strength.
Reviewed again.
Revised again.
Finally found the answer.
Fervently devoted himself to the design.
Busy and intense days, filled with satisfaction and bustle.
Thus, ten days, a fortnight, a month passed.
And finally.
Lloyd was able to complete the comprehensive design, including the dam’s location and the construction site for the Jewel of Truth within it.
‘Phew. It’s been a long and hard journey. This time was really tough.’
Lloyd exhaled as if he was going to vomit.
Although he had surveying and design skills.
And simulation options.
Still, this design was particularly challenging.
Because it involved an unprecedented number of factors to consider.
‘But then again, when has it ever been easy?’
Lloyd suddenly chuckled to himself.
That was true.
Design work was never easy.
All the structures he had built so far had been challenging.
‘So, I should work hard this time too. The design is complete, and the construction schedule and logistics plan for materials and manpower are all included… Hmm, construction could start in about a fortnight.’
Lloyd involuntarily scrunched up his nose.
Thanks to being immersed in the design for a month.
He was almost ready to start construction.
But just one thing.
The most important preparation was still pending.
‘Time freezing. I have to use it again this time.’
The dam construction would take a tremendous amount of time.
Although it wouldn’t take as long as the 15 years for Spain’s Tibi Dam.
Even using mythical species and dragons, it would still be a lengthy process.
‘So, time freezing is absolutely essential for such construction. We have to save time wherever possible. But to use time freezing… Hmm, I guess I have to tell everyone eventually.’
To the count and his wife.
To the domain’s residents.
That this side would stop time for the rest of the world.
So they shouldn’t be alarmed or disturbed.
It wasn’t some evil magic.
He felt it was necessary to inform them beforehand.
And so, he did not hesitate.
‘What’s there to lose in life?’
On the evening of the day he completed the design.
As usual, during dinner with the count and his wife.
He made an unabashed bombshell announcement.
“Actually, I can stop time!”
Thanks to that, the count and his wife filled their worry gauges, thinking.
Ah, our child has been suffering a lot lately.