第６８０堀：R魔剣の行方といたね (Part1)
**Chapter 680: The Whereabouts of the R-Magic Swords and a Suggestion**
**Side: Yuki**
"The investigation has confirmed that approximately 300 units are missing."
"Oof..."
I couldn't help but let out a strange sound. I mean, can you blame me? The investigation conducted by Princess Inis and her team revealed that about 300 of our mass-produced magic swords had vanished.
If it were just one or two, it might be a counting error or someone pocketing a souvenir—not that it would be acceptable, but it wouldn't be a major issue. However, once the number exceeds 100, it means over a hundred people are now armed with magic swords, even if they are just mass-produced models.
If those swords were scattered among a hundred individual commoners, word would have spread instantly, leaving a trail. The fact that there’s no such chatter suggests the buyers are few in number. And if the buyers are few, they must be entities with the financial power, collateral, or credit to purchase such a large quantity at once. In other words, we’re talking about major merchant guilds, nobles, or entire nations.
Well, it’s possible they haven't been shipped out yet and are still sitting in someone’s pocket, but even then, storing 300 rare magic swords requires a significant amount of space. That, again, limits the suspects to those with large estates or warehouses.
In short, this is going to be a massive headache.
"So, when did they go missing?"
"When was it?"
"We have a strong suspicion it was around the time of the last If Continent Conference. There are reports that the Duke ordered the warehouses opened while the King and I were away. No paperwork remains, of course."
"Wait, wait. The If Continent Conference? That was when we were over at the New Continent, right?"
"Yes. That would be about four or five months ago."
"That’s a long time ago. Is tracking even possible?"
Half a year—on Earth, you could circle the globe dozens of times in that span. That’s far too much time for a cold trail.
"We are currently interrogating the Duke’s faction to pry the truth out of them."
"...I highly doubt that idiot Duke knows anything."
"Don't say that. But we have no choice but to try."
"True enough."
Whether that moron of a Duke knows anything or not, we have to interrogate him. He’s the one responsible for the enemy side. Besides, contrary to our expectations, he might actually know something, so skipping the interrogation isn't an option. If he knows nothing, it’ll just be a waste of the interrogators' time, but that’s a risk we have to take.
"Any documents found at the Duke’s estate?"
"That is also under investigation. We only just apprehended the Duke’s faction, so we haven't gotten to the fine details yet."
Fair point. It’s only been six days since we put an end to the tyranny of those perverts. Expecting them to have combed through everything by now would be cruel. Not only is the Duke himself a handful, but his assets, lands, and interests are likely vast. Getting every member of his faction to spill their guts will be a grueling task.
"So, it looks like we’re in for a long investigation."
"That seems to be the case. What will you do, Yuki-sama?"
"Honestly, I’d like to say we’ll help track down the missing swords, but we can’t. We have our own matters to attend to. Besides, the leak of these swords is your side’s responsibility; it’s not something we should be carelessly meddling in, right?"
"Indeed. If Weed were to help any further, the remnants of the Duke’s faction would just start complaining again."
*See?* They’d probably claim that everything they did was justified, just so they could avoid punishment.
"In that case, we in Weed will head out to inform the other nations of the negotiation results with August. We’ll include the matter of the leaked magic swords as well. That’s fine, right?"
"Yes. There’s no point in hiding it any longer. It would only be piling shame upon shame and destroying our credibility. Please tell them the truth, and convey our deepest gratitude for their support of our Royal Family. Tell them this debt will be repaid."
"Understood."
With that, our meeting with Princess Inis concluded. We didn't even speak to the King of August; we departed the country and returned to Weed that same day.
"Welcome back, dear."
"Big Brother, it sounds like you had a rough time."
"This has turned into quite a troublesome affair, hasn't it?"
Seraria, Ratz, and Eris—the members who stayed behind in Weed—greeted us. Since they had already received the progress reports, they were aware of the magic sword leak in August.
"To think so many of those crummy magic swords went missing..."
"Now, now, Riel. They might not be a threat to us, but they are a threat to the people of the If Continent, so they aren't 'crummy'."
"...Yuki, do you think this is connected to the skirmishes in Zilba?"
I agree with Riel’s assessment that they’re "crummy" compared to our gear, but as Tori said, they are a genuine threat to the people of the If Continent. To use an Earth historical analogy, it’s like the introduction of matchlock guns to Japan. The nation that secures the technology surges ahead, while the others are left behind and perish. That’s the kind of situation we’re dealing with.
However, this isn't Japan during the Sengoku period. They’re just buying and using out-of-place artifacts. While they are a threat, as Tori noted, they aren't something that can be easily mass-produced locally. It won't be a total catastrophe, but the damage will be contained to certain areas.
As Kaya suggested, the current situation is limited to skirmishes between Zilba and the coalition of small nations. If the Six Great Powers were to start a massive war using these swords, Weed would intervene and suppress them without question. Well, before it gets to that point, we’ll likely be dragged into it just like we were this time.
Setting that aside, I need to answer Kaya’s question.
"I don't think we can rule out a connection. We’re waiting for more info. What do you think, Kaya, based on what you’ve heard?"
"...No matter how you look at it, I think the Duke’s faction took them. In fact, I’m certain the Duke was secretly connected to those idiot demi-humans who attacked the village during the last If Continent Conference."
Ah, I remember that. It was right after Tori, Riel, and Kaya had given birth and returned to duty, so it left a strong impression on them.
"Speaking of which, what happened with that situation? You tracked those people down, didn't you?"
"Yeah. The ones who attacked the village were meeting with nobles from a country neighboring Zilba. Thinking back, that might have been the spark for the war with the small nations."
I relayed the story exactly as King Zilba had told me. King Zilba had swiftly judged and punished them, which likely drew a lot of resentment and criticism. And that led to this...
"You can't exactly call for a peaceful resolution there. King Zilba is the type to rule through sheer, overwhelming charisma."
"Have you ever met him face-to-face?"
"No, but I’ve seen so much footage of him. I can't be 100% sure, but he definitely seems like that type."
"I see. That assessment isn't wrong."
He is a man overflowing with confidence and dignity, after all.
"Well, the evaluation of King Zilba is fine. The problem is the details on the nobles who used the demi-humans. If we investigate that, won't it reveal if it’s linked to these mass-produced magic swords?"
"That’s the best lead we have."
"Right. And about the 'mass-produced magic swords' for the Six Great Powers... that name is way too long. Can't we come up with something better?"
"A name? You mean for the mass-produced magic swords?"
"Exactly. 'Mass-produced' is a mouthful. Don't you have a better name?"