第８３９堀：合同作戦会議 (Part1)
### Chapter 839: Joint Strategy Meeting
**Side: Yuki**
"Now, to begin, I would like to reconfirm the information we have gathered thus far regarding the sea monsters."
As Chancellor Aquamarine spoke, an attendant stepped forward and began writing on a blackboard.
*They have blackboards here, too?*
Another thing that reeks of Japanese influence. Then again, blackboards have existed in various forms in many countries since ancient times. Perhaps it’s not so strange that they developed them independently here?
*No, focus.* Kirika is already handling the investigation into that sort of thing. Our priority is the joint operation with Sea-Cypho.
"…In short, the damage has occurred exclusively in the open sea, roughly four days' voyage from our shores."
The Chancellor marked the area within a four-day sailing radius on the blackboard.
Four days by sailing ship. Given their top speed is maybe 10 kilometers per hour, but considering they have sails and move constantly, we’re looking at a range of about 500 to 1,000 kilometers.
If they can travel that far, it implies the existence of compasses or similar tools to track their position. Perhaps they have already entered an Age of Discovery. I’ll need to ask about that later; they might know of continents I’ve never heard of.
While I was lost in thought, the meeting pressed on.
"That region is nothing but open ocean, with no islands in sight, so we cannot pinpoint the exact location. However, as you all know, vessels are being attacked there. Regarding the monsters themselves, General Lake has, with the assistance of Weed, obtained a... well, not a sample, but their cooperation. Please, come in."
As a result of General Lake’s negotiations, Sheela-chan had agreed to appear here. To think he’d been busy negotiating her arrival while I thought he was just chatting with her. He clearly views her as a vital asset. Naturally, I had given my approval.
Now, I needed to introduce her properly to the high-ranking officials of Sea-Cypho.
Just then, a massive fish-like silhouette appeared...
"Hey there, it’s Sheela-chan!"
Sheela-chan entered the conference room, walking on all fours.
*Rustle!!*
The room erupted in shock. Well, that was to be expected. A creature everyone assumed was a mindless sea monster had just walked onto land on four legs and started speaking. It was straight out of a horror movie.
"Yo, Boss. Princess Aslin, how’s it going? Do I smell?"
She spoke to us with a breezy, casual air. I was the one who told her to act that way. I had consulted with General Lake and Chancellor Aquamarine, deciding that if we demonstrated there was no danger, it would make future operations much smoother. Still, being addressed so casually in front of a crowd was a bit... well, I suppose a formal greeting would have been worse. I walked up to her as planned.
"You don't smell weird at all. No fishy odor, either."
"You smell like fresh lemons," Aslin added.
"I bet you’d be delicious if you were grilled," Milly chimed in.
"Indeed," Ria agreed.
"Hey, please don't eat me," Sheela-chan replied.
We kept the banter light. Though, choosing lemon to mask the scent of the sea—is that really the best choice? As Filia suggested, a combo of grated daikon radish and soy sauce might be more appetizing. Regardless, this level of small talk wasn't enough to thaw the tension in the room.
"Ahem. As you can see, Sheela-dono is not a creature that wishes to harm humanity. Furthermore, she is capable of speech, making her an indispensable asset for patrolling the seas."
*Asset? Or monster-asset?* Well, "person" is fine, since she can talk.
The important part wasn't the classification, but the fact that General Lake had provided that explanation. Chancellor Aquamarine stepped in to reinforce it.
"We have secured the cooperation of the giant ship you are all aware of, provided by Weed. Furthermore, we now have the ability to guard the waters beneath the surface. With these forces as our core, we will head to the points where the damage has occurred, identify the cause, eliminate it, and reclaim the seas—the lifeblood of Sea-Cypho’s industry. There are many details yet to be ironed out, but this is our general policy."
The Chancellor finished his statement. It was the only logical course of action. Since we don't know what kind of threat is lurking out there, we have to start by finding it.
Queen Emerald spoke next.
"Hmm. A clear explanation. Yuki-dono, do you have anything to add?"
"Yes. Simply put, we have established a counter-force and will now advance into enemy territory to investigate the cause."
"Precisely. Though, I doubt the cause will be found so easily. It may become a long-term investigation. Is Weed prepared for that?"
"That is not a problem. We have already established a Gate, so we can return to the Sea-Cypho capital every day if necessary."
Because the Gate was already operational, there was no need for us to remain at sea for extended periods. This allowed for constant information sharing and ensured a safe voyage where we could retreat immediately if trouble arose. If the adventurers of the past heard this, they’d probably be furious.
"How convenient. I heard you are also willing to handle the supply of provisions?"
"Yes. Long-term voyages are impossible without them."
We could easily supply the most vital resource: food. In fact, the crew of the carrier *Lilishe* was instructed to use the Gate to eat their lunch back in Weed. This kept the carrier's food stores at a minimum, keeping the ship light.
Of course, I had strictly ordered every member of the Weed Monster Army to keep at least a week’s worth of supplies in their own Item Boxes or bags as standard equipment.
One might think it’s a hassle to return for meals, but this is the best way to verify that the Gate remains operational. If it were to fail, we would know exactly when and where. It would be disastrous to find out it didn't work when we actually needed it.
"I am grateful. And you mentioned that the transport of personnel is also possible upon request?"
"Transporting the entire crew would be difficult, so I’d prefer to limit it to emergencies. However, having someone like General Lake move back and forth to report to Queen Emerald and Chancellor Aquamarine at any time would be beneficial."
"Indeed. That would be a great help."
By allowing not just Weed personnel but also Sea-Cypho officials to use the Gate, we were effectively buying their goodwill as well.