Chapter 39
“To the Village Suffering from Water Shortage”
[ Kai and Rutia’s Summer Vacation Arc – Part 8 ]
The news of how Kai had saved the farmlands in the Duke’s territory spread like wildfire throughout the region.
“Lady Rutia’s husband from the Cross family revived the fields!”
“The harvests are increasing!”
The rumors passed from person to person, growing grander with each retelling — until they sounded like tales of a hero.
But — amid that joy — an urgent report arrived.
“Lady Rutia! The neighboring village has run out of water! Their crops are on the verge of dying!”
The servant’s words darkened everyone’s expressions.
Rutia turned to Kai.
“Kai… no, my husband. Let’s go.”
“Why’d you have to correct yourself!? I ain’t your husband—but fine, let’s go. Can’t just ignore it.”
The carriage sped across the plains until they arrived at a small village nestled among gentle hills.
In the center stood a dried-up well — only mud remained at the bottom of its bucket.
The crops in the fields were withered, and the villagers who greeted them looked utterly exhausted.
“Lady Rutia… and Sir Cross!”
“Thank you for coming… The water’s gone. The river’s dried up, and there’s been no rain at all…”
A mother holding her child pleaded, tears in her eyes.
“At this rate, we won’t survive the winter…”
All eyes turned toward Kai.
“Why’s everyone lookin’ at me? I’m a math teacher, not a water mage,”
he grumbled, crouching to examine the ground and the surrounding terrain.
“Still… if I use math to figure out the river’s flow, maybe we can pull something off.”
Wilhelm frowned.
“The river’s far from here. It would take major construction.”
Julius added quietly,
“The villagers might not last that long.”
Rutia lifted her chin proudly and declared,
“It will be fine! My husband can solve anything!”
“Stop makin’ promises for me—!”
Kai scratched his head, pulled out a wooden board, and began scribbling equations.
Water Channel = Shortest Distance × Gradient ÷ Resistance
“If we can find the shortest route from the river to the village and calculate the slope, we can build a working channel. Next, I’ll factor in the soil type and flow rate.”
The farmers gaped.
“T-Teacher… you can move rivers with numbers?”
“Sure can. Math’s universal. Don’t need magic to move a bit of water.”
Rutia clasped her hands dreamily.
“As expected of my husband—he can even save an entire territory!”
“Don’t go full ‘wifey mode’ on me now!”
Her brother Wilhelm nodded seriously.
“Sir Cross. If you can really bring water here, it won’t just save this village—it’ll benefit the entire duchy.”
Julius added,
“We’ll help too. Not just for our sister’s sake, but for our people.”
Kai took a deep breath and turned to the villagers.
“Alright, everyone—ready to get your hands dirty? I can’t do this alone. We’ll build the waterway together.”
Faces that had been downcast began to lift, faint light returning to their eyes.
“We’ll do it! If it’s with you, Teacher!”
“Let’s bring the water back!”
That evening, as the sun sank behind the hills, Kai stood atop a rise, sketching the landscape while his mind raced through calculations:
the shortest line connecting river and village,
the required slope,
the manpower needed.
“…It’ll work. All that’s left is to do it.”
Rutia smiled beside him.
“My dear husband, you really are dependable.”
“Dependable’s fine—just stop callin’ me that!”
And so began the grand “Mathematical Waterway Project” to save the village.
