第１０３５堀：森の夜 (Part2)
The body I’m touching feels incredibly warm and cozy.
"Do you share that opinion, Agil? So, are you heading to bed now?"
"Yeah. I’ve finished my shower without any issues, so I’m going to get some rest. Milly is on watch for the first half of the night, after all. Even if we don't need security as tight as we would with a tent, we should still stick to a rotation. That holds true even if this container is safe."
"That’s fair. So, that means you’re on watch for the second half, Agil?"
"Exactly. And, getting back to the point... we intentionally cleared a path through the forest today to show Show-dono our capabilities, but from here on out, we should just fly over it as Milly suggested. As you and Yuki discussed, we can't afford to threaten the rear of the Zurable Empire, and we don't have the luxury of time to move at a leisurely pace. Even if there were a road, there's no reason to waste time hacking through pathless wilderness."
Agil is right.
Our primary objective for this mission is to investigate the whereabouts of Gaeen, who vanished in the Great Mountain Range, and to survey the monsters there. But that is ultimately to support the Zurable Empire in reaching a peaceful resolution with the Haine Empire.
If a decisive battle breaks out while we’re dawdling with our investigation, it would defeat the entire purpose.
Confirming whether a Dungeon Master named Gaeen was ever here, and where he went, is our top priority.
Investigating dangerous monsters is just something we’ll do along the way.
"It’s tough not having enough time."
"It’s rare to have time to spare, anyway. On the bright side, we can scout the route from the sky in one go, which might give us a better idea of the monster distribution. We don't have to worry about agitating the locals like we did at Dragon Mountain, so we can be thankful for that. By the way, you’ve already thought about how to handle it if monsters get agitated and head toward the towns, right?"
"Of course. I’ve already dispatched the Goblin Army as a contingency intercept force upon hearing the reports, so even if something happens, they can easily handle a hundred wyverns."
I see. If those preparations are in place, we don't need to worry about that kind of risk.
If that actually happened, Eris and Ratz would probably collapse from the sheer cost of the supplies consumed.
Well, since Yuki-san is the one preparing it, the budget must have been approved, so maybe they’ll just have to settle for twitching faces...
"Then there’s nothing to worry about. The biggest concern would be getting overwhelmed by sheer numbers, but even if they come from the sky, the Army will just take to the air and turn them into a beehive with aerial gunfire. Land-based monsters can literally be mowed down from above. No need to worry about our defenses."
"Magic really is convenient, isn't it? Even infantry can conduct aerial operations."
"I could say the same to you. Thanks to science, even small goblins can use weapons with super-firepower and long range. No matter how well you can fly with magic, it’s meaningless if you can't defeat the enemy. The science of Earth that created this technology of firepower is incredibly convenient, too."
Indeed. I never imagined the combination of magic and scientific technology would be this useful.
At first, it was all about the technology Yuki-san brought over, but Narjia-san, Comet, and the others who figured out how to combine them are truly amazing.
Still, we won't get anywhere if we just keep praising each other.
"Yes, yes, both of you. To me, both are convenient and indispensable. So, is there any problem with the plan to bypass the area via the sky tomorrow?"
"Yeah, let’s go with that. If we have Aslin’s Igu-chan and Fe-chan go ahead to clear the path, we won't have to worry about ambushes from the forest."
"Igu-chan and the others would be the ones getting attacked first, though."
"True. It’s still strange, though—we haven't even seen a single bird flying. Well, it’s possible we just haven't happened to see any, but I wonder if there are monsters specialized in anti-air?"
"That’s a possibility. Stay alert. Anyway, it’s getting late. Milly, Agil, I know I’ve said it a lot, but don't push yourselves. Goodnight."
" "Goodnight." "
With that, I cut the communication with Yuki-san.
"Yuki really is a worrier."
"That’s one of his good points, though."
"Yeah, I suppose so. Anyway, Milly. The shower is free now, what do you want to do?"
"Hmm. I’ll pass for now. I get sleepy after a shower, so I’ll go when it’s time for the shift change."
"I see. Then I’ll go ahead and get some rest. Goodnight."
"Yeah, goodnight."
I watched Agil head to the bedroom next door and turned back to the monitor.
"...This job is surprisingly tough, you know. Well, there’s an alarm system, so I’ll just read a book and do my best."
Night shifts are always tough, one way or another.
Still, it’s far better than standing guard outside a tent.
A comfortable life in the forest at night.
Even so, we plan to take a shortcut through the sky.
I just hope nothing gets in our way.
And will Milly and the others be able to gather the information within the time limit?