Chapter 66: Shadow of the True Dragon

“……?”

The dawn of the day after the sacrificial feast ended.

Yuna stared at the urgent letters sent from District Churches across the Thousand Rivers Territory, her pupils trembling violently.

Yesterday, in just a single daylight, the dams of all sixteen main streams collapsed, and the out-of-control floodwaters roared, sweeping across all surrounding lands, turning nearly half of the Thousand Rivers Territory into a wetland.

Her first reaction was “absurd.”

What kind of joke is this! It’s only been raining for a few days!

“This is impossible.”

Yuna’s cheeks paled slightly, instinctively questioning her subordinate.

Though the weather had indeed been abnormal lately, and a problem was bound to occur if it continued, it had only been a few days—how could such a massive disaster erupt all of a sudden?

“But, Saintess, it’s true.”

The priest who delivered the message looked bleak.

“Our District Church priests flew here on Gryphons to urgently inform you—a major incident has occurred! If the Empire investigates us for cutting corners…”

The Saintess raised her hand, signaling the priest to stop, because Princess Margaret was still sleeping soundly on the bed beside them, with large dried traces of tears staining her pillow.

“Calm down.”

Yuna said coldly.

“This is not normal. Bring me the rainfall statistics from all regions for the past half month.”

“Understood…”

The priest hurried off to compile the report.

When she received the data, Yuna was dumbfounded.

Except for Rossi City, the rainfall in the District Churches of the Thousand Rivers Territory over the past seven days was nearly three to five times that of Rossi City!

Even Rossi City had already experienced a once-in-a-century torrential downpour!

What about everywhere else? Did the Goddess of Rain pour water onto the ground herself?

Could it be…

Yuna suddenly had a guess that was extremely absurd, yet disturbingly logical.

—Some kind of extraordinary and terrifying force had brought about the near-calamitous weather of the Thousand Rivers Territory, and only in Rossi City was it being suppressed by the stationed Hero, holding back this ominous power.

To influence the climate of an entire territory with one’s own might—what kind of terrifying existence would that require? Even among the few Heroes in the Empire’s history who specialized in “Domination Sequence” Forbidden Spells, none could reach such a level!

As the harsh reality crashed down, Yuna had no choice but to face the rumor she had laughed off as ridiculous just the day before.

A True Dragon.

Was about to awaken.

“Could it… be true?”

Yuna was dazed at first, then shook her head fiercely in denial a few seconds later.

“No, no, impossible! Maybe it’s just Black Magicians stirring up trouble—the rumor is their method of inciting unrest.”

To the Empire, True Dragons were utterly unfamiliar beings.

To date, the only True Dragon whose existence was confirmed by the Empire was the wife of Great Hero Xinmeier—the Black Dragon that had established the royal family’s rule.

It had been over fourteen hundred years.

Never before had such an event occurred in the Empire.

It couldn’t possibly be her turn to be this unlucky, right?

But this…

Yuna’s slender hand gripped the report tightly, crumpling the expensive and sturdy parchment into a ball.

Her thoughts drifted with the shadow of the True Dragon.

“Saintess.”

The priest reported quietly.

“In addition, because of the heavy rain, this year’s autumn harvest has been ruined. Landless refugees have begun to flee everywhere these past few days, their numbers swelling. Should we distribute porridge to calm them…”

Yuna shook her head.

“No need. Once the main stream dams collapsed and the floods came, even those with property couldn’t escape and likely died even faster. Even survivors would soon join the ranks of refugees.”

She sighed.

“The entire Thousand Rivers Territory is destined to become a muddy swamp. With the meager savings of the District Churches, throwing them in wouldn’t even cause a splash. Worse, it might stir resentment through uneven aid.”

“Are we really not doing anything?”

The priest asked, troubled.

Yuna thought for a moment.

“…Notify all District Churches to abandon Village Chapels and recall all stationed priests, regrouping in Urban Centers to prepare for the impending disaster.”

After issuing the order, she offered reassurance.

“As for supplies, I will apply to the Cardinals for material allocations to help all District Churches in the Thousand Rivers Territory weather the crisis. Do not worry.”

“What about the refugees…”

“Trust the Empire.”

Yuna said softly.

“Our church’s capabilities are limited. We are powerless to help. The Empire must shoulder the main burden of this matter.”

“I understand.”

The priest bowed his head in silent mourning, praying for the unfortunate.

Yuna gazed out the window, her mind calculating another issue.

Now, all spoils of war had been packed and loaded, all troops had orderly withdrawn for their return, and thanks to Jon’s antics, she had used these excuses to delay the palace’s orders for several days.

If they did not begin Succession soon—His Majesty would truly grow displeased and suspicious.

Therefore, they must depart by tomorrow morning at the latest.

“This must never be told to Jon, otherwise…”

Yuna gave a bitter smile, warning herself never to let the Hero sense anything amiss.

The spread of refugees was rapid and would likely soon reach the vicinity of Rossi City, but that was no major issue.

The dam collapse was a Class Eight Hundred Emergency, delivered by Gryphon.

Now, with Rossi City’s lord dead, chaos reigned, and in the entire city, only she was aware of this firsthand information.

As long as she kept it from the Hero, she could surely fool him and keep his bleeding heart from getting involved in the Thousand Rivers mess, hastening his return to the Imperial Capital.

Yuna’s mental calculations ticked away.

Yet, even the wisest can overlook a single detail.

In the end, Yuna inadvertently missed a tiny variable.

That was… After completing their urgent task, the priests who had come to deliver the message, their nerves taut from crisis, suddenly loosened, and, oppressed by disaster, desperately needed to vent.

So, they went together to hire a succubus.

—Yuna could never have guessed, even if she scratched her head bloody, that in the two hours between adjournment and departure, they would hire a succubus!

And so.

That night, the news of the simultaneous collapse of the sixteen main stream dams in the Thousand Rivers Territory spread throughout Rossi City.

Yuna was soon greeted by a grim-faced Hero at her door.

“Jon, there’s something you don’t know. Actually, the priests discovered traces of Demon King Riya’s remnants active near the dams…”

She tried to use the old excuse.

But Jon was no longer the Jon of old.

After enduring the City Lord of Rossi’s wild tirade, he no longer believed Yuna’s repeated lies.

His expression darkened.

“When Demon King Riya was alive, you blamed everything on him. Now that he’s dead, you still blame him. Miss Yuna, do you really see me as such an easy fool?”

Seeing the old excuse fail, Yuna had no choice but to sit down and lay out the rainfall data from the past few days for each District Church, explaining earnestly to Jon.

“Jon, you must understand, every design has its threshold. The floods in each region had nothing to do with the dams—they fell straight from the sky. This weather is completely abnormal. Someone evil must be at work.”

“Whatever.”

Jon didn’t dwell on the issue further, because there was something more urgent.

“I came to ask you for something.”

He said seriously.

“Miss Yuna, I want to borrow the Holy Church Army for three days. This isn’t like last time—the flood is too widespread. I can’t handle it alone. I need people—trained people. I’ll pay them extra wages.”

“But…”

Yuna’s face showed hesitation.

“Miss Yuna!”

Jon stood, gripping the table, unable to suppress his anger.

“What are you hesitating for? If the Holy Church Army is unwilling, I’ll pay them to go. Is even that not enough?”

“Jon, it’s not about money. It’s that His Majesty is already growing impatient. We must return for Succession as soon as possible.”

Yuna stammered out the reason.

“Return for what?”

Jon thought he’d misheard.

He turned his head, tilting his ear toward Yuna.

“Succession.”

Yuna repeated.