第９１８堀：海の向こうへ (Part1)
**Chapter 918: Beyond the Sea**
**Beyond the Sea**
**Side: Yuki**
"Phew, it’s finally over."
I muttered that to myself as I sank into my chair.
Yes, it was finally over.
The intercontinental exchange conference and the wedding ceremony, which we had spent such a long time preparing for, had concluded safely.
"Indeed. I’m glad it was such a great success."
Seraria said as she took her seat.
As she noted, the reputation of this conference was excellent. It was worth the effort of putting on such a grand event.
"Considering the operating costs, though, we’re currently in the red."
"Let’s just believe that the returns will come in time."
The ones delivering that assessment were Eris and Ratz, who held the purse strings and managed the supplies for Weed.
As they pointed out, the costs for the conference and the wedding had been purely an outflow of capital. We wouldn't see a return on that investment until the shopping mall was fully stocked with shops.
Well, even in its current state, general customers were visiting and generating some sales, but when you factored in the preparation costs, it was a massive deficit. After all, the sheer volume of supplies used for the mall, the conference, and the wedding was astronomical. A significant portion of the shortfall had been covered by the Dungeon Point (DP) treasury.
Still, this was a long-term investment. I’d like to believe that this conference would serve as a catalyst for more countries to engage in trade.
"Whew, we had quite a few issues and areas for improvement on our end."
"I never expected it to be so overflowing with people."
"…Not enough manpower."
"We really need to establish strict penalties for those with poor manners."
These comments came from the police team—Tori, Riel, and Kaya—who had been in charge of maintaining order during the conference, and Milly from the Adventurer’s Guild, who had assisted them temporarily.
Since people from all over were gathering, there were countless troubles, both large and small, every single day, and they simply didn't have enough hands to handle it all. We had gathered a decent number of personnel, but the turnout had far exceeded our predictions. It was unlikely we’d see such chaos again, but it wouldn't hurt to plan for improvements.
"We did reach an agreement on a positive direction for the conference, though. I’m truly glad for that."
"Yes. Though, to be fair, the content of the conference had already been decided beforehand."
As Rurua said, the second intercontinental exchange conference itself had ended without any particular trouble. And as Shera pointed out, it was just a matter of discussing what had already been agreed upon.
"The main agenda for the second conference was regarding future trade, after all. I’m sure they’re glaring at each other behind the scenes right now. Though, I doubt they’ll be able to pull anything too underhanded."
As Deryu said, the second conference was about establishing rules for future trade. In other words, full-scale global trade was about to begin.
While the first conference had initiated trade between the major powers, this time, we established rules for smaller nations to enter the market. Now, as long as they followed the proper procedures, small nations could declare their intent to join this intercontinental trade and be granted the right to buy and sell in the market.
The market would continue to expand rapidly from here on out.
Since the movement of capital through trade would increase, the key to enriching a nation would be how cheaply one could procure goods and how dearly one could sell them. The negotiations would surely spark fierce competition.
If left alone, some nations might be forced into unfavorable deals due to the power balance, but it was the role of the major powers to adjust and manage that.
"As for the rest, the major powers will handle the management. We just provide the market."
Yes, Weed’s role in international exchange was limited to providing the marketplace. That was it.
If Weed, a mere small nation, started acting big and interfering in trade, we would only invite unnecessary jealousy from other small nations. By letting the major powers handle that, Weed could maintain a moderate position.
Well, just being the country that possessed gate technology gave us a very high standing, but since we left the decisions on gate installation to the major powers, if anyone had complaints, they could take it up with them.
On the surface, Weed couldn't even install gates without the permission of the major powers. That was how it was set up.
Of course, I was still free to install gates for my own work.
"So, we didn't gather just to talk about things that are already over, did we?"
Seraria said, implicitly pinning me down. She had the look of someone telling me to get on with it.
"I know. This is the main topic. The reason I gathered everyone is…"
As I said that, I turned on the monitor, which displayed the aircraft carrier *Liriche*.
"As I’m sure you all know, we’ve lost contact with the Sisyphe Kingdom’s envoy fleet that was heading to the Gusdo Kingdom. It might just be a delay in communication, but assuming the worst-case scenario, the aircraft carrier *Liriche* has left the Blue Hole and is currently heading toward the Gusdo Kingdom. I apologize for giving you work right after your weddings."
Yes, it was a search and rescue mission for the missing Sisyphe envoy fleet.
"I’d heard rumors, but it’s hard to settle down right after getting married, isn't it? Don't you agree, Jessica?"
Agil, who had just held her wedding, spoke with a weary expression.
It was understandable. The wedding had just finished; it was only natural for people to want to relax.
As for Jessica, who had been addressed…
"Well, I understand how Agil feels, but for me, this is actually fortunate. Dealing with the people from Zilba is becoming quite a chore."
"…Mm. I agree. It’s too noisy around me."
"Indeed. Though, the loudest one is His Majesty. Honestly, putting other matters aside to prioritize inviting ramen chefs…"
It seemed the wives from the If Continent diplomatic team—Jessica, Cleena, and Samantha—were busy with negotiation matters. Perhaps escaping those mundane tasks was a good thing in a way.
…Well, the ramen chef invitation from that old man Blade was already a done deal, so it couldn't be helped, Samantha.
"Ah, thinking about it that way, maybe you're right. In Enaria, the nobles are noisy about one thing or another, too. Well, in my case, my field is research and development, so they weren't that persistent."
Agil was a Magic Sword general in her home country, but she was also a developer of magic sword technology. If she said the wrong thing, it would have been a problem given her position.
Anyway, I needed to bring the conversation back on track.
"Well, I don't know if the work will be any easier, but according to General Lake, who is aboard the *Liriche*, we are scheduled to arrive at the port of the Gusdo Kingdom’s capital in five days. I will now explain our response for when we arrive."
"When you say 'response,' don't you just mean contacting the envoy ships in the Gusdo Kingdom?"
"That’s assuming we can find the envoy ships easily, Ria. There is a possibility that they have been seized."
Yes, if it were just a communication delay, it wouldn't be much of a problem.
What we needed to consider here was what to do if something had happened. Hence, the possibility of them being seized.
"Seized, huh? If it were a private merchant ship, that’s one thing, but seizing a ship carrying an envoy fleet from another country is a pretty serious act. What do you think, Kagura? Is that a common occurrence?"