第７４４堀：何が狙いか？ (Part1)
**Chapter 744: What is the Objective?**
**Side: Enola**
We had finished our negotiations with the envoy and returned to the conference room where Yuki-dono was waiting.
*Hm? Returned?* I thought to myself. *Wait, didn't we just arrive?*
As I felt a strange sense of dissonance regarding my own perception of time, Yuki-dono noticed my return, stood up from his seat, and walked toward me.
"Princess Carrie, thank you for your hard work."
"Not at all. That envoy was quite straightforward, which was a relief. My own stubborn kin are far more troublesome."
...It seems I had been acting rather high-handedly toward the envoy from the Sea-Cypho Kingdom. It must be a real headache for her.
"Kagura, Mikos, Solo—all three of you, good work. You handled that well."
"Meh, that much was easy."
"Indeed! You can leave it to Mikos-chan."
"Ahaha, though it was a bit awkward being a commoner, I suppose."
Setting Solo aside, the two of you were basically silent the whole time. What’s with the "we worked so hard" attitude?
Just as I was thinking that, Yuki-dono turned toward me...
"Acting Bishop Enola. Thank you for your assistance as a witness to this contract."
For some reason, he thanked me with formal, polite language.
"There's no need for that. And really, why the change in tone? Just call me Enola, like always."
"Well, on this continent, Enola is a Priestess of the Spirits. If I speak to you normally, it might invite resentment from those around us. Look, we have Haiden soldiers present, after all."
He pointed toward the soldiers guarding the conference room door. It was true; if Yuki-dono used his usual casual tone, it might not just be a matter of people scowling—it could lead to unnecessary trouble.
"I’ll use this tone as a formality once you’ve given the go-ahead. Even then, I don't get the best looks. I noticed it during the meeting with the King of Haiden earlier. When we came here before, they seemed preoccupied with the Takram situation, but now that they have some breathing room, I can see the frustration in the soldiers' expressions regarding my behavior. I don't intend to provoke them, though."
"Phew, if that’s the case, I suppose it can't be helped. So, you were peeking in on the audience and the negotiations, right? What did you think?"
"What did I think, you ask? Well, to put it simply: they know absolutely nothing about us. Including the existence of Magic Gear."
As Yuki-dono said this, everyone nodded. Between the audience and the recent negotiations, it was clear they had zero interest in the series of incidents that had occurred over the past six months. Well, they were interested enough to try and use the war between Haiden and Findall for product promotion, but that was about it.
"However, the fact that they have no interest also means they haven't suffered any damage from Magic Gear or the 'Akue-noki' (Evil Tree), which is a relief for us."
"That’s true. In that sense, as Princess Carrie said, it’s a relief. But we can't be optimistic, as there is still the matter of the next envoy. Depending on who comes next, these friendly talks could be overturned in an instant."
She was right. The current envoy seemed to have heard about the Akue-noki only while on the road to Haiden, and he appeared half-skeptical about the whole thing. The key will be how the next envoy addresses this issue.
"Well, fortunately, there is the matter of the supply provision they proposed, so it won't be a situation where dialogue is impossible. Even if they renege on the deal, that gives us a reason to head to the Sea-Cypho Kingdom."
"But Yuki-san, if they break their promise, wouldn't it be dangerous for us to head to the Sea-Cypho Kingdom alone?"
"Ria, in that case, it would mean picking a fight with both Haiden and Findall. We would be going with an army, so while it would be dangerous, the main camp shouldn't be in immediate peril. Especially not us."
"That’s true. In that scenario, we would likely be providing rear support."
"It would certainly cause problems for future intercontinental relations if we were to overstep our bounds, wouldn't it?"
"Will Kagura-onee and the others do their best then?"
I felt a chill run down my spine at Hiiro’s words as she tilted her head and looked at me. Does this mean if war breaks out with the Sea-Cypho Kingdom, we might be thrown onto the front lines?
That’s ridiculous. The Haire Church has finally settled down, and now they want more war? And besides, Kagura and the others might be fine, but as the Priestess of the Spirits for the Haire Church, I would be expected to act as a mediator and bridge between nations alongside my mother. If things go poorly, I’ll end up captured and tortured like last time. Given the Akue-noki incident that originated from within the Haire Church, it’s unlikely they would take me seriously.
"So, what do you think of the King of Haiden? What was your impression after talking to the envoy?"
"He was a standard envoy. He was literally just faithfully carrying out the work assigned to him by the Sea-Cypho Kingdom. When I asked about personal matters, he insisted they were just his own opinions. He’s a good subordinate. And judging by that conversation, it seems the issues regarding Magic Gear and the runaway Haire Church are indeed matters exclusive to this side."
"Yeah. I was worried they might use that as a pretext to complain or claim they had succeeded in developing their own Magic Gear."
Yuki-dono let out a sigh of relief. It would have been unbearable if a declaration of war had been made right there.
"Well, we didn't detect any Magic Gear on their belongings, so there was no cause for concern."
"True. More than that, what’s unexpected is the shovel they provided this time."
Yuki-dono looked toward the shovel Solo was holding.
"Yuki-dono, are you concerned about a tool for digging holes?"
"I am. Or rather, right now, that shovel is more concerning to me than the Magic Gear."
For some reason, Yuki-dono seemed fixated on the shovel the envoy had brought.
"But, isn't this something we have in Weed, too?"
"Yeah. It’s a necessity on the battlefield. They understood that."
"A necessity? I mean, it’s convenient for digging holes, but is it really a 'necessity'?"
Kagura tilted her head, staring at the shovel. As Kagura said, I didn't think it was a necessity either. It was small and easy to carry, but was it a weapon if combat broke out? Everyone seemed to share this doubt, and sensing it, Yuki-dono began to explain.
"I see, so none of you understand the significance of this shovel. Well, let’s see..."
He took the shovel into his hands.
"It’s made of iron, as expected."
"That much is impressive, Princess Carrie. The technology to process iron into such a curved shape is remarkable."
"As Princess Carrie says, the technique is impressive. But what this tells us is that the opponent possesses firearms, or at least the concept of them."
"Fire... arms? You mean guns!?"
Everyone was shocked by Yuki-dono’s words, and rightfully so. Guns were weapons that shouldn't have been developed on this continent. Sota-sama had once said that using magic was more efficient.
"But I don't think you can do anything about gunfire with a shovel like this?"
As Kagura said, I didn't think one could stand head-on against gunfire with a mere digging tool.
"Of course, it’s difficult to fight against guns without using guns yourself. That goes without saying. However, on a battlefield where those guns are used, there is something called a 'trench'."
"A trench?"
"You understand that if you make an earthen wall thick enough, gunfire won't pass through it, right?"
"Eh? Ah, yes, but Yuki-sensei... surely, trying to pile up an earthen wall to block gunfire on a battlefield using this shovel... I think that’s a bit much, Mikos-chan."
Everyone nodded in agreement. It was too unrealistic. Even if you could just pile it up, it wouldn't serve as a defensive wall unless it was packed down firmly.
"Well, an earthen wall might be difficult, but actually, it’s the opposite."
"The opposite?"
Not understanding what he meant, everyone tilted their heads again.
"You don't hide behind a piled-up earthen wall. You hide in the hole you dug. The ground is already firmly packed, so it’s perfect for hiding. You dig them in a network—not necessarily a grid, but over a wide area—and engage in an exchange of gunfire and artillery. And what you need for that is..."
*A shovel,* I realized.
I see. If that’s the kind of battlefield it is, then there truly is no better tool than this.