第４９５堀：押さえておくべき情報源 (Part1)
### Chapter 495: Sources of Information to Keep in Mind
**Side: Yuki**
Well, the majority of the discussions have been wrapped up over the past three days.
Baide will be entering under Weed’s umbrella, and as for the Imperial Army, communications have already been sent back to their home country to establish an alliance with Weed. The transport of necessary supplies is being strictly managed by the Imperial Army under Georgin’s command. Since the Imperial Army never intended to pillage Baide in the first place, no violent incidents have occurred, though the townspeople aren’t exactly giving them warm looks given that they were the ones attacking until recently. Catherine has informed the town that a peace treaty has been reached and that any unnecessary interference will be severely punished, so there haven’t been any troubles from the residents so far.
The Haire Church, which had been serving as a field hospital, has seen its patients recover thanks to the large-scale recovery magic performed yesterday, and they have returned to patrolling Baide.
...Wait, let’s see. Haiden, Baide, and the original Haire. The names are so similar I’m bound to mix them up. No, they’re all derived from the goddess Haire, so it’s only natural they’re similar, but I’m confident I won’t be able to remember if any more names like these pop up. Well, I suppose it’s not much different for Japanese people, either. It’s common to take a character from a parent’s name or name children after famous people. Many Sengoku warlords even changed their names by taking a character from their superiors.
Anyway, with Catherine taking the lead and Georgin providing the supplies, Baide is gradually settling down. Since our presence would only cause confusion, we aren’t interfering with these operations. We don’t know the local common sense or the basic lifestyle of this region yet, so if we were to open our mouths, it would only lead to friction. We’ll leave that for after we’ve learned the local culture and customs.
...Hm? Am I forgetting something? I feel like something is nagging at me. What could it be? Something significant, yet insignificant? ...I can’t recall.
"Big Brother, I'm ready."
"Today, we're taking over for Dressa and the others as your escorts, Firia and I."
"I’m just a liaison here anyway. Vilia and the others need this kind of practice, so I left it to them."
"Yes, and I’ve asked them to follow up with Milly-san and the others, so we’ll be fine."
Gathering in the living room are today’s pint-sized escorts. Though, Aslin is starting to look more like a young girl than a little girl; it’s already been a little over three years since we first met. I suppose this is what they call a growth spurt. The same goes for Shera and Vilia; they already have figures close to high schoolers. For some reason, Hiiro isn't growing. She claims she’s grown a few millimeters, but I think that’s within the margin of error. Is it that? Does she have the bloodline of a miniature-type beastman?
Since coming to the dungeon, their food situation and living environment have improved, and while it hasn't been all at once, they are growing day by day. That said, the doppelgangers of Aslin and Shera remain the same size they were when we protected them in the dungeon, and since the real Aslin and Shera rarely go out in their true forms, they are generally seen as little girls outside. I once asked them why they didn't create new doppelgangers to replace their current bodies.
*“Big Brother, that’s because I want to be with Firia-chan and Labyris-chan.”*
*“Yes. Even though we were born differently, we are sisters in all but name now. The original doppelganger from when we first met is a testament to the friendship of the four of us.”*
That seems to be the reason. By the way, the teenage Aslin talks quite properly, unlike her little-girl doppelganger. She says she’s perfectly capable of acting. ...Women are scary. That’s a lesson I learned.
For the record, the visual age order is Vilia ≧ Dressa > Shera > Aslin > Labyris ≧ Firia > Hiiro. In the case of the little-girl doppelgangers, it’s Vilia > Shera ≧ Aslin = Labyris = Firia > Hiiro. Dressa was already a teenager from the start, so she’s excluded. Man, when you think about it, they’ve really grown.
"Nn. Sorry to keep you all waiting."
"My apologies for being late. I couldn't get my hair to settle."
"Honestly, you should just stop with those drills."
"Cleena-san, you really should recognize the importance of a woman's hair more."
The last to arrive were the main escorts, Cleena and Samantha. Even if they are growing, they are still children in the sense that they are students. That’s why these two are absolutely essential. They are students, yes, but their physiques are already close to adults, and since their families are high-ranking, they aren't intimidated by anyone’s pressure. My only slight concern is that both of them are mage-types. The vanguard duo of the Hero and the Knight didn't come with us this time. Just when I thought the balance was getting better, this happens.
"I mean, Samantha, you managed to style that hair yourself?"
"Yes. It’s easy once you get used to it, Labyris-san. Seraria-sama does it too."
"Ah, come to think of it, Seraria has drills on one side, doesn't she?"
"She styles it every morning. You see, it goes straight after she gets out of the bath."
"Nn. That’s true. But is it really that easy to do?"
"It is. You make a mold, wrap your hair around it, and let it dry. I made the same set for Samantha-nee-sama and gave it to her."
"I’m grateful to Firia. Thanks to her, I can groom myself. Oh, since we’re at it, why don’t we all try rolls next time? I think it would suit you all."
Everyone in rolls instead of drills? That might be interesting.
"In my case, I’d do rolls with my twin tails. That could be fun."
"Labyris, that’s true. Since my hair is long, would it be like Samantha-san’s?"
"I wonder if I’d be like Seraria-onee-chan?"
"Should Firia do rolls with a ponytail?"
"...I can’t do it because mine is short. This is a form of bullying from Samantha. Tori and Riel have short hair like me and can’t do rolls."
"That’s not my intention at all. Why don’t you consider growing it out? Yuki-sama’s eyes might light up if he sees a different kind of charm, you know?"
"I see. I’m in favor of seducing Yuki with a different kind of sex appeal."
The conversation seems to have veered off track.
"Alright, that’s enough chatting. It’s time to get to work."
"Yes!"
And so, we head out into Baide for a specific purpose. ...Wait? I feel like I was thinking about something else earlier... Well, I can’t remember it, so it can’t be that important, right?
"Ugh. It stinks."
"It really does."
Firia and Aslin pinch their noses. The cause is the alleyway ahead, littered with excrement, trash, and even corpses.
"Now that we’re under Weed’s umbrella, we’ll have to improve places like this, too."
"Indeed. If we leave places like this to fester, it could lead to an epidemic."
Labyris and Shera, who hold important positions in Weed’s administration, say this.
"...There are ruffians and criminals in places like this, so don't let your guard down."
"Exactly. This is a prime hideout for those types, so please be careful."
Cleena and Samantha, acting as escorts, sharpen their gazes. We are currently in a corner on the outskirts of Baide. Commonly known as the "dumping ground." It’s a place rumored to be where outcasts, ruffians, and even criminals hide. Every town has a place like this, and Baide is no exception. It’s like the areas in Japan where shady businesses or yakuza congregate. Well, it’s not like there are corpses literally rolling around in the alleys like in medieval Europe, but still.
And in places like these, information gathers. Hot information, desperately collected by those who live in this city but receive no protection from it. In other words, the underworld—the information brokers.