第２６７堀：託すのは絶望でなく希望 (Part1)
**Chapter 267: Entrusting Hope, Not Despair**
I’m late!
In more ways than one.
Today is the release of MGSV: TPP.
And here, the secret story between Kaya and Yuki.
Well then, please enjoy.
***
**Entrusting Hope, Not Despair**
**Side: Kaya**
"Come to your senses!! There is no reason for you to be lending a hand to people like this!!"
Ugh, so noisy.
Yesterday, I had a blast playing in the ocean, drinking, and eating to my heart's content, but once a day passes, it’s back to the daily grind.
Well, if it were a normal job, I wouldn't mind.
But this time, the direction is a little different from what I’m used to, so it’s incredibly annoying.
"Are you listening!! Take me to my companions at once!!"
I flattened my fox ears against my head and covered my human ears with both hands.
Why did things end up like this?
If I recall, the "idiot" Holy Sword users who were lying in wait for Yuki and the others were wiped out and captured in one fell swoop by the ten demon beasts led by Ta-chan and Aslin, right?
Then, there was the talk about receiving Samantha in Loday, which led to us securing a base there, and finally, we brought the baggage back to Weed.
Kaya, Tori, Riel, and I were on standby at the academy with Taiki and the others, so since we weren't directly involved, I don't know the specifics of what happened on the ground.
"Where was that report again?"
"Who do you think I am!! If you are of the same Fox Beastman race, you should show me some respect!!"
"I know, I know. You’re just a deluded, idiot female fox who thinks she’s a big shot swinging around a toy stick, right?"
"Wh-!?"
While giving a dismissive retort to the yapping Holy Sword user, I searched for the report from when this idiot female fox was captured.
Let’s see... it’s not on the desk, so maybe it’s in a drawer or the cupboard?
There’s no way the report isn't in this room.
After all, this place is a prison specifically designed to isolate Holy Sword users.
There were five idiots in total who tried to ambush Yuki and his group.
In terms of combat power, even with five of them, they couldn't leave a single scratch on any one of us.
But we never know what hidden trump cards they might have, and they get all puffed up thinking they have allies, so we’re keeping them under separate surveillance.
When it came to Sia and Kishua, we had them dancing around in the buff and paired them with Peace, so those two have calmed down and are currently having "Imperial Education?" or whatever it’s called drilled into them by Seraria, Rurua, Shera, and Deryu.
According to Yuki, the root of their mistakes is their ignorance.
The "absolute truths" they speak of don't exist in this world.
Even I, who lived in a small world like a village, knew that.
The village guard had limited numbers, and we often had to make choices about who to save.
For example, if a traveler rushed into the village saying their companions were being attacked by a horde of Orcs, we wouldn't just go to help.
Protecting the village was the priority. At most, we would send a small reconnaissance team under the guise of helping the traveler's companions.
Well, it was usually too late by then—the men were eaten, and the women were violated until they died before they could even conceive.
Given the scale, we Fox Beastmen, who specialize in combat, could have repelled them.
But that would have come with casualties.
If we were going to do it, a village with established defensive positions was the best place.
We couldn't choose to throw away lives in a futile revenge battle for travelers on the spot.
Like that, the "correct" choice changes depending on your position.
They truly believe that what they advocate is absolute truth, and they never doubted that everyone would agree with them. When they were betrayed, they launched a plan to exterminate the people of the New Continent.
I mean, they betrayed their own master, the Dungeon Master, and cut him down, so I don't think they have any room to talk about "right" or "wrong."
Yes, it’s all very disjointed. Like I said before, they are children given toys.
They’re just like the village children who get their first wooden swords.
But those village children learn the reality of things quickly after getting beaten to a pulp during training with the adults.
They learn that they lack so much—not just physical strength, but magic, knowledge to protect the village and their companions, and everything else.
But these girls probably never had an adult to teach them that.
Well, the weapons they were given—Holy Swords—are toys compared to what Narjia-san makes, but they are still tools that can instantly make someone a powerhouse in that New Continent.
Thanks to the Holy Swords, they were able to force their opinions through easily.
And in the end, they were discarded, just as they had discarded their predecessor.
And now they’ve given up on the world.
Self-inflicted.
That’s what I thought after hearing the story from Sia and Kishua.
Thinking about that, I ignored the yapping idiot of my own race and kept looking for the report.
"Let’s see, have I checked this drawer yet?"
That’s the last of the desk drawers. If it’s not here, it must be in the file in the cupboard...
There’s so much stuff. If I don't find it here, I’m putting on my headphones and going to sleep.
"Ah, found it."
In that drawer sat a single file labeled "Report on the Capture of Holy Sword Users on the Road to Loday" and "Holy Sword User Personnel Profiles."
Let’s see, it was created by Eris.
As always, she’s so thorough.
Actually, I wonder when she even made these documents.
I mean, we can carry laptops in our Item Boxes, but I’m not that diligent with work; I usually just print out a template and fill it in by hand.
Looking at this, it seems she brought a laptop and processed everything digitally.
I’m still not great at typing. I use it for music and videos, but that’s about it.
Thinking about that, I put the file on the desk and looked over the "Capture Report."
It’s mostly what I heard.
Before they could make a move, they were hit by a preemptive strike from Kuro-chan and the others, wiped out, and captured.
Then they were dragged to Loday by Kuro-chan’s group.
After that, they spent about two days sleeping in the courtyard stable under the surveillance of Eris, Deryu, and Rurua.
Yuki talked to Samantha’s parents about the marriage and handled the internal maneuvering in Loday, securing a base there.
After that, they were moved to the more heavily guarded Weed.
However, perhaps realizing they weren't going to be killed, they started acting up.
Judging that letting them meet Sia and Kishua in this state would only lead to trouble, we decided to keep the five of them in separate locations and monitor them to let them cool their heads again... I guess.
"...Wait? Why did I want to see the report again?"
I remembered I wanted to see it because I didn't know the circumstances, so that part is fine.
But I was looking for the report for another reason.
Let’s see, let’s see...
"...Are you listening!! Can you hear me!! Enough is enough!!"
"Ah, I remembered. It’s about you."
"Y-you remembered? You forgot about me!?"
No, strictly speaking, I was looking up why I was assigned to monitor this idiot female fox.
Because she’s so noisy. This idiot female fox.
I can’t even take a nap in peace.
Let’s see, what does it say? "The surveillance of the individually imprisoned Holy Sword users will be carried out by us wives and the monsters."
"Who is assigned to whom is summarized in the personnel profiles, so use that as a reference to choose."
I felt a strange sense of unease at the last sentence.
"...Holy Sword user information, huh. ...There’s no way the reason for picking me is just because we’re both Fox Beastmen, right?"
I opened the personnel profiles with trepidation.
And then, I found the entry for the yapping idiot female fox.
Her name is Kaya Regment.
...Doesn't that name overlap with mine?
Her race is, as I can see, Fox Beastman.
Honestly, it’s embarrassing as a fellow Fox Beastman.
Her head is completely empty.
Her appearance is better than mine. She has a good figure and a well-proportioned face.
Her hair, ears, and tail are white, unlike my yellow ones.
And, let’s see, the selection criteria...
"The same applies to the other four, but since they are currently in an excited state, we believe it is optimal to have wives of the same race monitor them and wait for them to calm down."
"If you feel it is impossible, please report it, and we will consider changing the personnel assignments."
"However, under no circumstances should you ever, ever let Yuki-san meet them personally."
"They have a criminal record of cutting down their predecessor."
"Therefore, no matter what Yuki-san says, do not let him meet them individually."
"We have given strict orders to Ria, Jessica, Cleena, and Samantha, but each monitor should also exercise the utmost caution."
I see.
In that case, I suppose I am the most suitable.
The idiot female fox seems excited, so I’ll just ignore her for the time being.