第５４６堀：案内と仕事と無茶振り (Part2)
"Yes. Ever since Yuki-sama was kidnapped and became preoccupied with the New Continent, our workload here in Weed has only increased in his absence. And yet, Her Majesty continues to wander about on these whims of hers..."
*Oh, did I just step on a landmine?*
"She is no different from the unrestrained King of Roschur, whom she calls a 'damn old man.' No, actually, the King of Roschur was better at putting aside his personal feelings to work... It’s as if the bloodline has grown more concentrated... or perhaps she has simply become more selfish..."
*Is this turning into a grudge?*
If I stay here any longer, I have a feeling I’m going to be cursed to death. Yes, I should leave. Immediately.
Fortunately, I already know where Seraria is, so there’s no reason to linger. I exchange a glance with Vilia and Dressa, and we start to back away, ever so slowly...
But Quar, naturally, doesn't let it slide.
"Yuki-sama. I would like you to give Her Majesty Seraria a stern warning."
"Yes!! Of course I will!!"
"Yuki-sama, you tend to be too lenient with those close to you, and Her Majesty Seraria takes advantage of that—for better or worse. But there are limits. If she continues to abandon her administrative duties to wander off like this, the country cannot function. There is a limit to what I can handle on my own. I truly am counting on you."
"...Understood. For now, take a break. It’s almost noon, isn't it? I will make sure Seraria returns here, so why don't you go eat some conveyor-belt sushi with this?"
I can't handle any more lecturing, so I try to distract her with her favorite food.
"...I feel like I'm being lured by cheap bait, but it would be rude to refuse your kindness. Then, I will gratefully take a break. I apologize for being persistent, but please, I am counting on you regarding Her Majesty."
"Yeah."
"Then, I will be off to lunch."
With that, Quar briskly exits the office.
Left behind are the mountain of documents and us.
"...Um, should we be the ones to clear up these documents?"
"Vilia. There is no way we should be doing that. These are matters that only those in key positions, like Seraria or Yuki, can decide."
"But, Quar-san is..."
"If you want to help Quar, you need to study politics and management and gain more experience. If we meddle without knowing what we're doing, we'll only add to the workload. Right, Yuki?"
"Pretty much. I appreciate the sentiment, Vilia, but this is Seraria's workplace as Queen, so I can't interfere lightly either. If you want to help Quar, the first step is to get Seraria back to work. So, I’m off to secure Seraria."
I promised Quar, so I have to follow through.
Still, Weed is suffering from a general shortage of personnel.
Or rather, the problem is that there are too few trustworthy people to whom I can entrust important matters.
*Sigh.* That’s a challenge for the future.
Thinking about this, I contact Zargis, confirm Seraria’s location, and head to the Magic Research Laboratory, but...
"Ah, Yuki-kun. You’ve come at a good time. Help me out here."
"Yes?"
For some reason, Comet runs up to me with a troubled expression.
*Huh? She looks like a frail, beautiful girl. Is this some new kind of scam?*
"That’s quite the greeting. As you can see, I am a frail, beautiful girl."
"Ah, Yuki, you try persuading them too."
Seraria approaches from further inside, followed by Zargis, who wears the same troubled expression as Comet.
"Persuade them? What happened? And Seraria, Quar is going to curse you to death soon. Go do your work."
"Oh? I didn't think I’d been gone that long, but quite a bit of time has passed, hasn't it? Well, I’ll do my work properly later. What’s needed right now is to persuade these two, and that’s what took so much time."
"So, what is it you’re trying to persuade them of?"
When I say that and look at Comet and Zargis, they open their mouths slowly, looking genuinely distressed.
"Well, it’s Seraria. She says she wants to build a military airport in Weed for operating Earth-style fighter jets, and a space development base to launch satellites for surveillance and communication from orbit, and she wants us to cooperate."
"We keep telling her it’s impossible. But Her Majesty the Queen insists it’s essential to ensure the safety of you and the others after that last incident..."
*Ah, I see.*
So, after the kidnapping, Seraria and the others independently came up with these safety measures.
"It’s not impossible, is it? We can just order the equipment and necessary supplies with DP, and you two are the best people to manage it and provide the necessary knowledge," Seraria says nonchalantly, but that’s just not true.
I give a short reply to Seraria’s unreasonable demand.
"It’s impossible."
There is no way just two people can handle orbital calculations, space observation, debris tracking, and all the other multifaceted tasks involved.
A military airport is one thing, but space development, covering up failures, and risk management? That is way beyond the scope of what two people can do.
Space development is a national project. It’s not something a small group can manage just by cramming in knowledge about space.
Seraria’s request is completely absurd.
Space development is about so much more than just launching a ship.
Next time, a little bit of detailed explanation.