257 – Escape (1)
The water people unfolded a map of the Tongdan continent.
Water It was a unique map with only the rivers drawn in detail, like a map of people.
Other people only see a river, but water people can see this and find out where the shelter is, where the collaborators live, and where the water people who are active outside live.
It is possible to learn how to read and read the map of the river, which is unique to water people, from an early age.
Now is the time to move quickly. The people of the water spread out the map and favored who would go where to collect the money, collect supplies, and catch the boat.
In addition, if you catch a boat, you have to think about what to do to make the boat start quickly.
Water People learn how to drive a boat all their lives from birth, but the boat they drive is a boat that uses a special power source called ‘crocodile’.
Of course, in case you can’t use a crocodile, you learn and learn a rowing boat with normal wind, but it’s only a ferry boat.
A proper sailboat that can sail the sea. I don’t know how to steer a huge sailboat that requires dozens of people to operate.
I wanted to steal a boat when I arrived at the port and drive it to another country, but I couldn’t.
“Wouldn’t it be faster if I gave you more money?”
“How much money have you saved outside of this continent? Would that amount be enough to move the ship?”
A boat is life itself to people on the water, but it was also a huge lump of gold to people outside.
Many people donate money as sponsors for sailboats, which are expensive just to own, including not only production but also maintenance costs.
Money to be given to sponsors out of the profits obtained after completing one voyage. Money you should have. Money good sailors should have. Money that ordinary sailors who do manual labor should have.
There is no such thing as a sailboat because the enormous profits beyond imagination that can be obtained in one voyage are guaranteed.
In other words, even if that one voyage fails, there is a risk of ruin as a sailor.
“Even if you give me extra money, I won’t move. Rather, they pretend to sail for money and then try to enslave us in the middle of the sea.”
When the old water person who studied outside for the moment to escape from the continent of Tongdan someday said, the other water people’s expressions turned bad.
Since the movement was not prepared thoroughly and stably, but had to be moved in a hurry as if being driven out, there were many difficulties in carrying out the plan even though it was a plan prepared for a long time by the entire water people.
“… ….”
Monia, who was listening to the meeting of the water people, pulled Chester’s hem beside her and she said cautiously to him.
“Hey, Chester.”
“Why?”
“How are we going to move?”
To Monia’s question, Chester said while watching the water people having a meeting.
“For now, we should aim to break up with water people without being noticed by others. However, it won’t be safe. Do you remember the mercenary who attacked the water people last time?”
“Yes.”
Monia was an unforgettable memory. She is, so she immediately nodded her head, and she added these words.
“Unlike Chester, I remember people’s faces and names well.”
“…… Oh, why would you say that?”
“hehehehe.”
“Anyway, if those mercenaries told us our impressions, it’s clear that they’ll contact us whether they’re trying to kill or occupy the water people. I don’t know whether to hold out the blade or the palm.”
Monia said with a smile that it was a very obvious fact.
“I’ll hold out the blade!”
“… ….”
“People who live in a world where violence is close to you, when you have a relationship with another person, put out a knife first? Even Chester throws his fist out easily when he gets into a fight at a bar!”
“Well, if the other person doesn’t fight, I won’t even throw out my fist, right?”
“Huh-huh, didn’t you hate it when other guys were flirting with me like that? Did you?”
Monia whispered, clinging to Chester and stroking her hair as if in praise of her little child.
“Which one do you think is safer, mixing with the water or going away? From what I’ve heard…….”
When Monia conveyed how the water people would move, Chester said that both of the things Monia said had one word.
“If you go with the water people, you’ll have a lot of power, so you’ll be a little safer when fighting. Instead, it’s easy to get caught. If we go by ourselves, it will be dangerous if we go into battle, but instead we can move quietly without being noticed.”
Monia imagined for a moment that she was moving with the water people.
“Hmm. That sounds like a hassle.”
In the past, even when going out for a drink, dozens of attendants would ride Monia’s wagon while solving all sorts of miscellaneous tasks, but now, thinking about dozens of people moving around would make Monia feel frustrated.
“The food will be consumed that much, and the steps will be slow… Wouldn’t it be better if we just lighten up and move among ourselves?”
Chester laughed at Monia’s words.
“I feel more comfortable with that too.”
“Right? Then I’ll think of a route different from where water people go.”
“Do you have a map?”
“I stole that a while ago. You can copy In addition, the route to this hideout has been recorded in advance.”
Monia showed her notebook. A really simple map was drawn in the notebook.
“…… Sorry, I don’t recognize you.”
“This is a river, this is a forest, this is a striking natural object, this is a striking artifact… ….”
Monia explains by pointing out. Chester didn’t quite understand, but he nodded her head in agreement.
“Okay. Create a map and explain the water people’s migration routes. Let’s look at that and decide our route.”
“Okay!”
* * *
After a while, Monia made a map and showed it to Chester, Rex and Senna.
“I’ll tell you how the water people will move from now on.”
As long as the enemy controlled the river and their numbers were called up, moving by using the river was an act that required a lot of determination and risk, even for water people.
Therefore, water people’s basic movement route is overland. It was also intended to move along the most difficult terrain in the jungle, where people outside did not dare to move.
“Their strategy is to use the rough terrain to deceive the trail and at the same time move quickly using the flat terrain.”
“Senna, do you know the terrain around here?”
Senna looked at the map Monia drew in response to Chester’s question.
“Yes. Looking at the shape of the river, I think I can understand it.”
“Really?”
“Why, originally, the reason we used water people was to move to my village, right? Of course, since we moved near our village, there are terrains that are familiar to me.”
Sena explained the terrain around her according to what she knew, and Monia, who heard it, transferred it to the map.
I’ve only listened to Senna’s explanation and translated it into a rough drawing, but it’s still better than nothing.
“And the location of the hiding place and the money is here, here, here, and here, here, and here… ….”
“Well, looking at it this way, I think at least two teams will know how to move.”
After asking Monia’s pardon, Chester drew two lines on her map.
“These two are the most efficient movement routes in places where the terrain is revealed. Senna, is there a port near your village?”
“Huh? Yes. There will be.”
“Where is the location?”
“Ummm….”
Senna pointed to the location of the port, and Chester drew a star there.
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“They will probably aim for the nearest port. If so, wouldn’t other people act roughly like this?”
Water I don’t know how many teams the people will be divided into, but if we knew the purpose, we could catch the strands to some extent.
“We can go in the opposite direction, or we can move, hiding our tracks in their tracks, and fall somewhere else.”
Chester said, pointing to the river.
“Fortunately, the current of this river flows back to where we were originally. If we make a suitable raft and board it, we may be able to ride the current of the river to the port from which we originally came.”
“Are you going back to the port you came from?”
“Yes. I guess that’s the best Going in the direction of Senna’s village will be fine because Senna knows the way, but it’s probably dangerous because there’s a big conflict between the water people and the pursuers. So go back What do you think?”
Chester looked at Senna. Doesn’t she have to go back to town. It was a look that asked such a question.
“…… I’m fine.”
Senna nodded her head, and Chester nodded in return.
“Okay, then let’s move like this.”