Chapter 137: The City Where Black Rain Falls Part 2

"Actually, compared to other places, the situation here is quite good."

Compared to other places?

Hearing the concern in his voice, I looked at the couple with a serious expression on my face. There was a hint of fear on their faces.

"What do you mean?"

"Just as I said. Have you ever been to 'Dihid'?"

Dihid was a city across the river. It was a fairly large city that managed the bridge connecting Lysette and the Barak Empire.

"Yes, we were on our way to Dihid."

"…I thought so, but I didn't want to believe it."

The owner furrowed one eye and let out a deep sigh.

"You shouldn't go there."

"What is happening for you to say that?"

"As a simple country man, I can't say for sure. I can only describe it as 'divine punishment'."

Divine punishment?

"I go to Dihid once a month to sell crops and buy necessities with the money. I was there just a week ago to sell some beans."

The owner slowly stroked his beard as if he was recalling his memories. I waited nervously for the words to come out of his mouth.

"Like I said earlier, it's been raining here for fifteen days. I thought it was strange. But compared to what's happening in Dihid, this isn't even considered strange."

"Is the city on fire? Or has a war broken out?"

"That might actually be better… When I crossed the bridge and entered Dihid, the rain started pouring harder. That wasn't so unusual. The truly strange thing was that the torrential rain was as black as sewage. And the sky was so dark, it felt like midnight."

Black rain falling in Dihid?

It was something I couldn't even imagine. Black rain?

I could imagine monsoons, typhoons, and floods. But black rain was something that was hard to comprehend even in this fantasy world.

"I asked the owner of a shop I frequent, and he said that the rain had been falling for over a week. Black rain, for heaven's sake. Now, I don't even know if it's still "rain". Seeing that the rain hasn't stopped here either, Dihid must be the same. It's likely that the black rain is still falling there."

"...."

"I'm worried that one day black rain might fall here too. Even though it's not black rain yet, the rain doesn't stop and the fog doesn't clear… If this weather continues, how will we survive?"

"...If that's the case, I think I can help."

"You can?"

The owner asked me with a surprised look. Well, he didn't know I was a druid yet, so it was only natural.

"Farming isn't done by farmers. It's done by the sky and the earth. As long as we can't control the weather...."

"Haha. Let's give it a try, even if it's just for the sake of trying."

By planting purification plants around the field to help with drainage and planting plants in the center to block the rain for the time being, and then using the [Fertile Land] skill within a certain range, the crops should survive. Of course, if there's an uncontrollable downpour or that suspicious "black rain", things would be different. But at least it would be a temporary measure.

Even if I can somehow help this kind couple with their small farm, what about Dihid? Black rain, what on earth is happening there?

I asked the owner various questions, but he shook his head, saying he knew nothing more as he had hurriedly escaped from Dihid when he saw the "black rain". To find out about the "black rain", 'I'd have to visit the place myself. Leaving my regrets behind, we returned to our room to rest.

"What do you think, Lloyd?"

"...?"

"With this mysterious 'black rain' falling, is it really the right choice to go to Dihid?"

Just as Lloyd was about to lie down on the bed, he sat up straight and answered my question with a serious expression on his face.

"Simply put, it's a foolish act."

"What if we think about it in a more complex way?"

"I think there might be 'something' you're looking for there."

It was a valid point.

Manipulating the weather was a type of magic that even most wizards wouldn't attempt. The range was excessively wide, and there were too many variables to control. One of the reasons dragons were considered "great" was because they could control the weather at will. Weather-related magic was that powerful and difficult.

If this "black rain" was artificially created…

It was clear that Dihid was now under a tremendous spell or curse. It could be the work of several wizards, shamans, or both, or a high-level monster skilled in magic, or in the worst case, a "demon"…

According to the kind couple, the "black rain" had been falling in Dihid for fifteen days. Maintaining such illogical magic or a curse for over a fortnight meant that the caster was powerful enough to defy natural laws.

It could also be related to the crows or a fragment of Earte.

Drip, drip, raindrops still hit the window and made small noises. What should I do? While I was lost in thought, I watched the raindrops trickle down.

"…It will be dangerous, right?"

Lloyd chuckled as if asking why I was stating the obvious.

"But I have a feeling that if we ignore this, we'll regret it greatly."

Lloyd who had been listening quietly slowly nodded his head.

"Of course, we should thoroughly prepare for the 'black rain' before entering. Maybe Sir Khalid will give us something 'good'."

"If we're lucky."

"As you know, luck always follows me."

It wasn't a joke. I really had the [Lucky] trait. However, Lloyd who didn't know this smiled exactly like before and lay down on the bed. I also blew out the candle beside my head and got under the covers. Soon, I felt Legion who had been exploring the room climb onto my stomach before he started purring and kneading.

It was a strangely peaceful night.

The next morning, we had a light breakfast with the couple and went out to the field. As he said, the field was already a mess from the prolonged rain. Calling it a field was a stretch. It was a mud pit. A mud pit.

I started planting Silver Cyperus around the area that I assumed to be the field. The roots of Silver Cyperus had a strong ability to absorb water, so they would help drain some of the water that had accumulated in the field.

I planted four umbrella trees in the center of the field. With their smooth and large leaves that seemed coated, the umbrella trees would protect the crops from the rain for a while. Since it was only drizzling and not a downpour, they would be sufficient.

Just in case, I grew all the plants as purification plants. Although the rain here wasn't yet "black rain", having purification capabilities would be beneficial if the situation got worse.

We also dug ditches around the field to ensure that all the water would flow out. This task was quickly completed as the couple, Lloyd, El, and Ayla all worked together. Although everyone ended up covered in mud.

Lastly, when I used [Ferile Land] …

"Wow, the field is really…"

The owner wiped his sweat and smiled brightly. He seemed pleased to see the field restored to its former state. I handed him a seed pouch containing only the sturdiest seeds and said,

"It should be fine for about two months. Keep an eye on the weather and make sure the ditches don't get blocked."

"I don't know how to thank you…"

"A delicious meal will be enough."

"To meet a benefactor like you at a time like this, it seems the Twelve Gods are helping me."

"Haha, you flatter me."

"Please rest here as much as you want."

"We'd like to, but we really need to go to Dihid."

When he heard this, the man's expression darkened.

"Didn't I tell you yesterday? Passing through Dihid now is foolish. Go back to Solen and then head to the Barak Empire."

"Thank you for your concern, but we'll be fine. We want to see what's happening in Dihid for ourselves."

"Haah… well then, if anything happens, you can come back here anytime."

"You're very kind; thank you."

"What you've done for us is far more than this. I thought I was done for with the field in such a state…"

The man grabbed my hand with his wrinkled one. Though it was worn from farming, his hand was warm.

"I have one favor to ask."

"What is it? Please tell me."

"You said you often go to Dihid, right? Could you introduce us to a trustworthy acquaintance who can help us stay safe there?"

"Of course. Of course."

The occurrence of "black rain" had continued for a long time, so Dihid was likely in a state of unrest. In such a situation, the locals would naturally become hostile towards outsiders. If the situation was severe, we might not even be able to find lodging.

Therefore, it was better to rely on the connections of the couple who already had contacts in Dihid. Fortunately, the couple readily agreed to write us a letter. They told us to visit their long-time friend "Paul" of the marketplace with whom they had always traded.

After exchanging warm farewells and wishing each other luck, we left the small farmhouse. Even then, the rain did not stop and continued to drizzle. The road became increasingly muddy, so I had to ride Storm and scatter seeds to pave the way, just as I had done when we arrived at the farm.

If we don't rest and keep running, we can reach it within a day, so we need to hurry.

Fortunately, Storm did not tire. It ran vigorously over the muddy ground. Just like its namesake, it was a storm. The carriage also traveled steadily over the solid grass path without shaking. Occasionally, sounds that were hard to distinguish as either the wind or wails added to the eerie atmosphere…

But compared to what we would encounter in Dihid, such things were nothing.