第１０１５堀：さてどこから手を付けよう (Part1)
### Chapter 1015: Now, Where Should We Start?
**Side: Yuki**
"...Why haven't they deployed the monsters they should be able to summon as a fighting force until now?"
For the time being, that was the question I posed. After all, this situation is genuinely baffling. Sending Kirika, Steve, and the others on a dungeon attack is a last resort. First, I need to exhaust every possible prediction. If I were to sneak into enemy territory without doing that, I’d likely be met with a painful counterattack.
As for my question, the Dungeon Masters responded...
"Um, Brother-in-law. As a premise for our thinking, haven't you received any information from Lady Luna?"
"Yeah, that’s right. If it’s Lady Luna, she should have information on the surviving Dungeon Masters, right? What about that?"
Oh, that’s unexpected—or perhaps, only natural. It’s foolish to force a conclusion when there’s so little information. Seeking whatever scraps of data we can gather is the logical move. Reye and Sacri have their heads on straight; they’ve been Dungeon Masters long enough to know that much.
"Unfortunately, she says she can't get in touch with any of them. Well, I did get a list of names, at least. But it’s literally just names. No birthplaces, no affiliations, nothing. It’s hardly what you’d call 'information'."
Moreover, even if we were talking about the present, this is all ancient history. Trying to investigate people from the past based on nothing but names is a monumental task. We don't even know if their names are recorded in history books.
"...That’s a tough one."
"It really is. Searching based on that info is next to impossible. But I assume you’re still going to look into the people on that list, right?"
"Well, yeah. It’s worth investigating, even if the probability is near zero. Though, I’ll only be sparing a minimal number of people for that."
Arwin and Comet both wore expressions as if they’d bitten into a bitter bug upon hearing the information I’d brought. We don't have infinite personnel, time, or funds. Consequently, there are always areas we simply can't reach.
"That’s only natural. You can’t assign people to areas of low importance. However, Yuki, this case lacks far too much information. It’s true that the Highn Empire has been losing until now, but that doesn't mean they will continue to lose forever. Furthermore, we’re stepping into a sector where dungeons are deployed. If we play this wrong, the damage won't just be 'significant'."
Arwin is right. We are about to invade a country where dungeons are positioned. If I were the Dungeon Master, I would devour them in one go.
"However, looking at this data, for some reason, the Highn Empire side hasn't deployed large-scale monsters. At most, it’s just 'disposable' goblins like those used by common mercenary groups."
"...I don't understand it at all. Considering the situation so far, this would mean the Dungeon Master has been a mere bystander until half their territory was seized."
As Sacri and Reye pointed out, if they possessed the military strength to crush the Zuraburu Great Empire, this situation shouldn't have happened in the first place.
"Right. We’re stuck on that point, too. That’s exactly why I called everyone here. Looking at this situation, can you imagine what’s going on with the Dungeon Master in Highn?"
I gathered this group because I wanted to hear from other Dungeon Masters: if you were to build a dungeon on the Highn Empire side, how could a situation like this possibly come to pass?
"...Hmm. If they aren't moving even in this situation, perhaps the Dungeon Master isn't involved in this war at all? In other words, I believe there is no connection between the Highn Empire and the Dungeon Master."
Reye was the first to answer my question. He has a point. They’ve been far too inactive for someone supposedly involved.
"I understand Reye’s opinion as one possibility, but there was the issue of DP on the Western side, and that was only recently lifted. In other words, there’s a possibility that the opponent considered activity on the Western side disadvantageous and refrained from moving to avoid depleting their DP."
Sacri suggested that due to the special circumstances on the Western side, they might be waiting for us to step into their sphere of influence. We had considered this in our own meetings as well.
"Both are convincing reasons. But neither is definitive. They are merely our speculations. Yuki, rather than narrowing down which one is correct, I believe we should take action to investigate what the Dungeon Master of that land is actually aiming for."
"I’m with Arwin on that. No matter how much we argue here, we don't have the decisive information to reach a conclusion. Everything comes down to the field. So... ah, I see. Yuki wanted to make this decision together with us."
Arwin reached the same conclusion we had, and Comet realized the true intent behind why I had called everyone here.
"Yeah, that’s right. Well, I’ll have my wives examine it too, but... Dungeon Masters, if it were you, where would you start investigating?"
"I see. You mean, based on everything we’ve discussed, which of these scattered dungeons should we investigate first."
"Is that what it is? Hmm, certainly, while the opinions of those around you are important, Yuki, our input is definitely needed as well."
"...I doubt we have the luxury of time to investigate all of them leisurely."
"Well, obviously. Only a fool would act under the assumption that the opponent has prepared nothing."
As Comet said that, everyone participating in the meeting, including my wives, nodded in agreement.
"As Arwin and Comet said, we don't have the time to investigate all these scattered dungeons, and there’s a high possibility the opponent will detect our movements. Above all, there’s a chance the Zuraburu Great Empire will advance soon. Considering all that, we’re looking at one or two, or at most five locations."
I added conditions to the numbers. We have confirmed about 60 dungeons, both large and small. That means there are likely even more that we haven't identified yet.
"...This is truly troublesome. We have to guess which ones are the 'hits' out of these 60-plus and gather information."
Seraria looked as if she’d bitten into a bitter bug at the sheer difficulty of the task. It shows her judgment has improved, but it also highlights that she knows her own limits. There’s a certain frustration in knowing what you can’t do. As I was reflecting on Seraria’s growth, Taizo-san spoke up.
"In that case, I propose we start with one dungeon within the Highn Empire. Second, a dungeon on the route the Zuraburu Great Empire will advance through. And for the rest, we either take a wild guess or intentionally investigate a distant dungeon to compare it with our prime suspects."
I see. As expected of Taizo-san. I believe I understand his intent, but just in case there’s any misunderstanding, I’ll ask for the details.