第２７３堀：厄介な事には隠し札 (Part2)
"No, back then we weren't used to dealing with Doppelgangers, were we?"
"Ah, well, that couldn't be helped, but it happened other times too. Like when he went out of his way to take those girls—who are classified as demi-humans—to the Zilba royal capital and the town of Betan. I understand his reasoning, but if we had been there, wouldn't it have been safer, and wouldn't people have been less likely to look down on them? Did you hear? Steve said he had to stay in a stable."
Indeed, Yuki had chosen us for the New Continent survey team, yet he hadn't moved us from the demi-human village we had helped at the very beginning. Even though we were supposed to be the most mobile members of the survey team.
"……He must have some kind of plan. Someone like Yuki wouldn't just leave us here, especially when we’re as useful as you say."
"……You're right. I wonder what's actually here."
"Hmm. Well, I'm sure he'd tell us if we just asked."
"That’d be boring. Why don't we make some guesses and place a bet?"
"What are we betting?"
"How about groceries again? I’m not tired of cards or rock-paper-scissors, but I want something fresh for a change."
"That's reasonable. So, Curse, are you in?"
When Raiya and I turned our eyes toward Curse, who had remained silent for some reason, he seemed to be deep in thought.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, no. After what Mauve-san said, I was thinking about everything that's happened so far."
"Everything?"
"Yes. Everything. From the moment we arrived on this New Continent until today."
Curse said this, cleared away his finished bento, and sat back deeply in his chair.
"Just as Mauve-san pointed out, the reason he won't move us is because he can't afford to have us move from this place."
"From here?"
"Yes. There are other reasons, too. The fact that we are completely unknown to the foreign nations on this New Continent."
"Unknown, huh? I see. Yuki and his people are appearing in public now. If they move, the surrounding nations will know immediately."
"Exactly. That can be an advantage, but it's a disadvantage when you want to operate covertly. There is the undercover unit led by Kirika, but they are strictly there to support Yuki from the shadows. We, however, can move without being on anyone's radar. Since people don't think we have any connection to Yuki, we can move freely when the time comes."
"When the time comes?"
"I don't know what that might be, but it’s a blessing that we aren't bound by the status of a nation or being famous individuals. We are likely Yuki's trump card. Kirika and her team could probably do a lot if they pushed themselves, but unfortunately, they are classified as monsters. And their ability to interact with humans is lower than ours."
"That’s true, I suppose."
"So, when they become unable to move, we will be the ones to step in."
"I see. But if a situation like that arises..."
"Yes. A situation where Yuki is unable to move or can't respond in time... I don't want to think about it, but it would likely be a very dire state of affairs."
Wait, a situation where Yuki can't move or can't handle it? Wouldn't it be pointless for us to move in that case? Yuki is the strongest card in Weed.
"Well, there's also the possibility that he'd be unable to move due to political reasons."
"Ah, you mean that. I was imagining monsters that even Yuki couldn't handle."
"If it were that, Yuki would just give the order to retreat. He’s the type who doesn't fight battles he can't win."
"True. Come to think of it, you said he couldn't afford to move us from here, but that didn't seem to have anything to do with us being unknown, did it?"
Certainly, if the goal was to keep us unknown, he could have just pulled us back to Weed.