Rescue Operations

As the violent shaking gradually subsided, what came next was large-scale panic.

People walking the streets ran about in confusion, frantic and directionless.

The sudden event had robbed them of rational judgment.

Simple makeshift stalls, the kind made by pitching tents by the roadside, had collapsed, and some people were trapped underneath.

I tasked Finn with assessing the situation and focused on rescue operations for now.

"Grab that side!"

They cleared away debris. Once a person was reachable, several people worked together to pull them out.

Multiple collapsed stalls had piled up, heavy and unstable.

I wedged a broken wooden beam into a gap and placed a large stone beneath it.

I had Alexia press down on her end of the beam, leveraging the rubble up.

Even with leverage, it took tremendous arm strength, but she could manage.

The moment it lifted, the smaller-framed Azu slipped inside and rescued the trapped person.

As soon as Azu got the victim out, the whole pile collapsed.

There were probably goods inside, but lives came first.

As a fellow merchant, I could only hope something would survive when they cleared it away later.

"Get away from the fire!"

Azu sprang into action when flames erupted from part of the rubble.

Though her magic power had grown, Azu had no talent for spellcasting. But she could generate water using the power of the Water Elemental.

She completely extinguished several small fires.

With so many injured around, unchecked flames could have engulfed bystanders. Preventing that was a huge relief.

"Injured people, gather over here!"

Elza shouted loudly.

Not just Elza, but adventurer priestesses and others had gathered, setting up a medical area using chairs and beds.

It was hardly a proper facility, but as long as the wounded could lie down, healing miracles would suffice for treatment.

"We'll treat the worst injuries first! Lives are at stake, so please cooperate!"

People who had fallen during the quake, or had their heads slammed against walls, were carried in.

Some had been trampled by the panicked crowd; serious injuries weren't few.

Such people needed treatment immediately, or it might be too late.

Orleans had learned about such things, so she had those who could walk wait while prioritizing those carried in.

"There are many priestesses here. They will heal you, so please wait just a little."

Some of those writhing in pain complained about this, but her calm explanation settled them down into nods.

By the time the rescue operation had progressed and the plaza began to regain its composure, soldiers arrived.

They brought medical supplies, so the lighter cases could be handed off to them.

Apparently, the areas with more buildings had tied up most of the manpower, delaying their arrival here.

Taking initiative on the rescue had paid off.

"Hey, you saved us."

A large merchant called out to me.

The man had rallied others to help immediately after the quake. Covered head-to-toe in sweat and grime, he'd probably saved more people than anyone else.

"No, I'm just glad it worked out."

They shook hands.

From what I could see, there were no fatalities. They'd done their best.

I looked just as disheveled, but neither of us cared.

No one had the luxury to worry about appearances right now, and it wasn't the time for it anyway.

"You girls, too. Thank you."

"You're our lifesavers. Thank you so much."

Many people expressed gratitude to Azu and the others as well.

The damage from the earthquake wasn't trivial, but a sense of relief began to settle over the area.

"Good work."

Alexia brought over a bucket of hot water.

Dipping towels in and wiping their faces and hands washed away the grime and sweat.

None of this would have been possible without everyone's cooperation.

No matter how capable any one person might be, the number they could save at once was limited.

Clearing and removing the collapsed stalls was deferred for later; they focused on helping with treatment.

Thanks to Alexia being able to produce hot water on the spot, treatment proceeded smoothly.

Meanwhile, Elza treated a man with a facial injury.

When he opened his eyes, his gaze wandered before fixing on something, and he stiffened.

"What is… that?"

I looked where the man was pointing.

In the distance, there was the faint outline of a mountain.

… No, wait.

There hadn't been a mountain in that direction before.

Something enormous was there.

Triggered by the man's voice, a murmur different from the earlier panic began to spread through the plaza.

"Quiet, quiet! Whatever that is will be investigated later. Those who can walk should go home. If your home has collapsed, come to the duke's residence."

A soldier called out loudly and clapped his hands several times; the crowd settled.

Perhaps the promise of an investigation offered reassurance.

With no aftershocks, those who were unharmed were dismissed.

"Phew. We did what we could."

"Thank you, priestess."

The medical area was handed over to the soldiers.

Elza looked quite exhausted, but most of the treatment was done.

She patted a thankful child on the head and saw them off.

Then she wobbled slightly, so I lent her my shoulder.

"Good work. Rest now."

"If you're offering, I'd rather be carried on your back or princess-style."

"Can't be helped."

She had genuinely worked hard, so I let her climb onto my back.

A soft warmth pressed against my back and hands.

Princess-style was asking too much.

Back at the inn, the quality establishment had taken precautions and was nearly untouched.

Checking on the mules, they were happily munching away.

Having belonged to bandits, they had nerves of steel.