第８６３堀：海の技術者と面会 (Part1)
Chapter 863: Meeting with the Sea Engineer
Side: Kaguya
We had returned to Weed and were in the process of compiling a series of reports regarding Sea Siphon…
"…In the end, what was the point of us teaching magic to the soldiers of Sea Siphon?"
I muttered, burying my face in my desk. My body was at its limit, and I was feeling a sense of mental futility.
"Don't say that, Kaguya. It's not like anyone expected all the monsters to be wiped out by that single attack."
"But it's good that it ended like that. After all, no one died."
Well, Solo was right. Investigating a sea area where unidentified monsters appeared would normally result in heavy casualties. Instead, there were no deaths, and we even managed to gain the allegiance of a formidable monster that seemed to be the ruler of the surrounding waters. This was something to be celebrated.
However, it was disheartening to think that all the training and instruction we had provided for monster subjugation, while not entirely meaningless, had ended without being put to use.
"Think of it as us owing a great debt to Sea Siphon. It's not like your magic instruction wasn't appreciated, right?"
"That's true. Through this instruction, we were able to reaffirm Sea Siphon's recognition of Haiden's high level of magic technology, and we also showcased the abilities of Kaguya and the others. The fact that the incident was resolved without requiring significant effort is beneficial for our homeland as well."
Enola and Princess Stasia offered words of comfort. They were also compiling reports on the recent events, but their workload was visibly less than ours. It wasn't that they were slacking off; it was just that we, from Haiden, also had reports on the magic instruction provided to Sea Siphon. Furthermore, this wasn't a one-time thing. It would continue until Sea Siphon decided they no longer needed our magic instruction.
Still, this was simply a difference in national policies or work assignments, so there was no point in complaining.
"...Well, you're right. It's something to be happy about since it benefited our country."
Ultimately, work wouldn't get done by staying face down on the desk, so I lifted my head and resumed my task…
"Hey, Kaguya. The magic instruction reports are one thing, but how should we summarize the involvement of Magic Gear in this incident? We don't understand the background at all, do we?"
"For now, let's say that Magic Gear is the most likely cause of this commotion. We can explain the details directly to the princesses when we meet them, especially concerning Sea-chan."
As Mikos said, this incident wasn't completely resolved, and the uncertainty about how to compile the report was one of the reasons the work felt so tedious. Moreover, since Magic Gear was involved, we would inevitably be questioned about the details. It would be better to write a brief summary and explain the rest verbally rather than trying to put too much detail into the report. That Aquenoqui fellow was really causing us trouble even after disappearing.
"Ah, senpai. Speaking of which, how are you planning to summarize Sea-chan's situation?"
"To summarize, we'll just explain that she originally lived in the area where Magic Gear fell. Explaining that she's cooperating with Weed should be sufficient. Oh, and make sure to include the details about the combat training."
"Eh? You're going to write about that?"
"Of course. It's important to document how to deal with large underwater creatures or monsters for future reference. …Although, it would be best if there were no such large monster battles."
Everyone nodded as I said that. Following Yuki's suggestion, we had conducted a mock battle after Asurin and the others fought. I honestly thought I was going to die. Our victory was thanks to Asurin and the others fighting first, and Yuki telling us to finish it. It gave us the resolve to act, and Sea-chan, who was on guard to avoid the same fate as Asurin, charged at us. Fighting on our field was a key factor in our victory. If we had fought in the sea, we wouldn't have been able to do what Asurin and the others did, and we probably would have drowned.
And so, as we members of the embassy diligently worked through our unusually large workload, Yuki summoned us. We decided to put aside our report writing and head over to him.
"Sorry to call you when you're busy."
"It's fine. So, what is it?"
Besides, if the King Consort of Weed summoned me, I would have to drop whatever I was doing and prioritize going to him. And if Yuki called for me, I would fly anywhere for him. Moreover, the "Sea Romance" ended up being a fishy affair, and my long-awaited beach trip with Sea-chan had no romantic moments due to the battle. I had to find a way to create an opportunity and show him my best side, even if just a little.
As I renewed my resolve, Yuki began to explain.
"I called you here today because of the meeting with the developer of the gun-like weapon."
Ah, right. I had forgotten about that due to going to the sea and all. As a reward for resolving the Sea Siphon issue, we were supposed to meet someone who was developing powerful weapons in Sea Siphon. And that developer had a high probability of having a connection to Earth. If things went wrong, it could even lead to war, so Yuki and the others were more wary of this person than of entire nations.
With that in mind, I couldn't afford to be happy about accompanying Yuki. I straightened my expression…
"Has the meeting date been decided?"
"Ah, well, Sea Siphon contacted us suddenly and requested a meeting today."
"Huh? Today? Why such a sudden request? Isn't that strange?"
Normally, meetings between important individuals require considerable preparation and arrangements. Ignoring that and suddenly requesting a meeting is generally considered rude.
"Who knows? Well, he should be within the dungeon's surveillance range soon, so we'll know the details."
"What? You say we'll know the details, but he hasn't even arrived yet?"
"That's right. It must be that something happened that made him rush. Besides, if he's someone connected to Earth, it's only natural that he'd rush over once he heard our story."
"Well, I suppose that's true."
"And, I'd like you to come with me. After all, we belong to a small country whose name isn't even known."
"..."
The moment Yuki said that, we all fell silent. I've thought this many times before, but lately, I've started to wonder what "small country" really means.