第３８２堀：続・困難な任務だったぜ（棒読み） (Part1)
### Chapter 382: Continued: A "Difficult" Mission (Deadpan)
**Side: Steve**
What a hassle.
We have the parts for the magic sword in our hands.
I wouldn't go so far as to say "who would've thought," but I honestly didn't expect to get them this easily.
(What should we do?)
(Call the team operating separately back to the rendezvous point and have them take these back.)
When it comes to information of this caliber, delivering the physical item is crucial. We need to regroup, confirm the situation, and secure personnel for the delivery.
(We’re leaving this area for now, too.)
(Understood.)
There are likely more parts in the remaining buildings, but I can't afford to be greedy. It’s safer to send the information we’ve gathered and then conduct further investigations later.
Let’s go home. If we go home, we can always come back. Yes!!
Wait? That might be a slightly different context, but the meaning is probably the same, so it’s fine.
Honestly, it’s surprising how easily we linked up, considering they haven't even realized we’ve infiltrated the place yet.
Ah, come to think of it, I once heard that criminals get caught because it eventually comes to light that they committed a crime, accident, or incident. That makes sense, in a way.
If they don't even know something happened, there’s no way for them to counter it.
Wait? That also feels a bit off. Was that the way to commit a "perfect crime"?
Well, whatever.
The fact remains that I’m incredibly busy.
(So, there were no facilities in the residential district that required a deep investigation?)
(That’s correct. Um, what do you call them? Ah, there were rows of tenement-like houses. We went inside a few to check, but it really just felt like a residential area.)
(…Seems that way.)
The team that scouted the area presumed to be the residential district regrouped, and as the report stated, there was nothing particularly new there. Looking at the photos they handed over, it really does just look like a residential area.
What I’m grateful for is the civilization level of this continent.
It’s not that only a handful of people can read and write, but it’s not exactly common, and tools for writing aren't easily accessible.
Therefore, if we search a room and find no documents, we can conclude there’s no need for further investigation unless the target is someone truly exceptional.
If this were Weed, where education is widespread, we’d have to search every single house thoroughly—that would be hell.
Tch, that guy named Noble... he really slacked off on this part.
I thought the residential district would be the tough part... tch, and now I’m the one stuck with the short straw.
(Is there a problem?)
(No. Based on the reports and information, it’s not worth it to search the residential district any further. Therefore, the residential district unit will withdraw with the parts we’ve secured. After delivering them to the Boss and the others, join up with the unit watching the entrance and prepare to provide cover for our withdrawal.)
(Understood.)
(How are the diversionary devices coming along?)
(They are set up according to the original plan. They can be triggered at any time.)
(Good. Hand that authority over to me. You guys start the withdrawal, and don't forget to check if there’s any movement at the gates or entrances. If you see anything, report it immediately. We’re going to investigate the suspicious factory in more detail.)
(Understood. Please take care.)
With that, I watched one unit withdraw and rolled my shoulders.
(Are you stiff?)
(Of course I am. You got stuck with the annoying part, too.)
(Well, I’m used to overtime.)
(…That’s a problem in itself, though.)
A fine corporate slave, right here.
…He seems happy as a subordinate, but as a superior, I don't know what I should say to that.
(What about the infiltration route?)
(Let’s see…)
For now, let’s put that aside.
Thinking about it here won't improve our working conditions. I think it’d be best to just create a Monster Labor Union and dump these issues on them.
If I had to deal with that on top of my current workload, I’d surely die of overwork.
Right now, I need to focus on the job.
I want to avoid being discovered because I was distracted by these thoughts and accidentally let out an "!" or something.
I really don't want to hear "Steve!! STEEEEVE!!" over the radio.
(For now, we’ll deliberately follow the same route as before. It’s to check if the enemy has noticed us. Depending on the situation, we’ll change our route and strategy.)
(Understood.)
They hadn't noticed us when we swiped the parts, but if they realize it later and the factory’s activity changes, it means they’ve caught on to our infiltration, even if they don't know who we are. It’s not a bad idea to gauge those changes.
If we’re lucky, we might even be able to track down whoever is managing the factory.
(No movement in front of the factory yet.)
(I see. Well, it’s about 2:00 AM. Still working hours, I suppose.)
(We don't really have "9 to 5" hours, though.)
(Don't say that. You’re making me want to cry.)
Places where you can finish work from 9 to 5 are a fantasy in Japan; "white companies" don't really exist.
If that’s the case in Japan, there’s no way the monster soldiers—who are essentially national civil servants—could get off at such an hour in Weed.
Unlike Japan, there aren't countless restrictions on the use of force, there are many quasi-hostile nations, plenty of wild monsters, and the public safety isn't exactly great.
Truly, there’s no time to rest.
Well, even in that situation, there are proper breaks, so the Boss must be somewhat considerate.
Or rather, are you trying to get me to complain to the Boss on your behalf? You?
(I had a date today, you know.)
(Alright, deactivate your optical camouflage and go be a decoy while shouting, "I’m sorry for being a normie!")
(I’m joking.)
(That’s the truth, right? You aren't thinking about being happy all by yourself, are you?)
(…It’s the truth.)
Huh?
He just looked away, didn't he?
(You’re the one living with Alfin-san, aren't you?)
(…The world is a complicated place.)
The world really is complicated. Even if you talk about women, the ones that end up near me...
I haven't fallen so low that I’d lay a hand on *that*.
Actually, the moment I did, I’d surely die.
Mainly at the hands of the older sisters.
(Sigh, the world is tough.)
(Yeah, living is tough.)
(But, hand signs are surprisingly good for talking, aren't they?)
(Well, it’s just sending words by imbuing the hand signs with magic power. This prevents interception of radios and magic-related signals. Radio waves are broadcast randomly to the surroundings, and wide-area magic communication risks being intercepted by those with high magic perception. But with these hand signs…)
By using minimal output and imbuing only the words with magic, I can send them to someone nearby.
It’s specialized entirely for short-range use, so there’s no fear of interception.
The Boss, Zargis, and Narjia-san tried various ways to intercept it, but it’s apparently quite difficult because the signal gets blocked by the natural "noise" of ambient magic power before they can even read the content of the hand signs.
The empirical tests were finally finished recently, and it’s been put into field use.
Until now, calls and radios were the mainstream, so we had to be careful about who was around even when talking.
(When you think about it, the Boss really does think about us in various ways.)
(Well, I suppose so.)
…The Boss’s true motive is probably just "how can I make things easier for myself," but it’s better not to say that to the subordinates.