第１０４０堀：手に入れたものは最大限に利用する (Part1)
**Chapter 1040: Making the Most of What You Have**
**Side: Yuki**
"You’ve certainly made a bold decision again."
Seraria said this as she placed the document I had handed her onto the table. The title on the cover read: *[Large-Scale Defensive Line Construction]*.
That’s right. Instead of focusing on how to attack the Hein Empire, this strategy was dedicated entirely to Weed’s defense.
"Yeah. I’m leaving all the offensive maneuvers to the Zurable Great Empire. Kirika and the others have already suppressed the surrounding dungeons, so there’s nothing more we can do on that front. After all, we lack information on the enemy. When that’s the case, the best move—or rather, the only move—is to hunker down and solidify our defenses."
If you can’t gather the information necessary to formulate a strategy, you have no choice but to pour your resources into either offense or defense. Currently, there are only two things we need to do: prevent the collapse of the Zurable Great Empire and minimize the damage to the Second Army Corps attacking the Forma Kingdom.
In other words, it’s all about how to protect our assets. It’s a simple matter of reinforcing our defenses.
"I suppose so. As long as the enemy doesn't show their hand, we have to choose between defending or attacking. But considering the long-term consequences, we can't be seen attacking openly. So, defense it is. Still, this is quite daring. Connecting small-scale dungeons to build a defensive network... and with such a tight, bare-bones budget, too."
"Even if we’re focusing on defense, I want to make sure we crush the enemy if we’re going to do it. To that end, I’m building a defensive network that is designed to be expendable—it’s fine if parts of it are taken or breached. That said, I don’t intend to let them take it easily."
Until now, I had refrained from expanding because I feared the disadvantages and negative impacts of having our dungeons captured. But now, we have many of the enemy's dungeons in our possession. Even if they were to be taken back, it wouldn't be a painful loss. So, I figured I might as well put them to use.
I’m connecting the dungeons we’ve captured in a line using gates, and by setting up a General Headquarters in one of them to manage the whole system, I can monitor the activity of every dungeon from a single location. This allows me to concentrate the deployment of Steve and Kirika through the gates wherever they’re needed. It’s what you might call a mobile defense strategy.
...Well, it feels like it might fall apart, but I have no choice. Our means of transportation are different from theirs, so it should work.
Ignoring my internal anxiety, Seraria seemed convinced.
"So this allows us to respond immediately to the enemy's movements. But what about the northernmost point, which falls outside this system?"
"Eupia is moving their military there to prepare for any contingencies. As for us, we’ll just have to fly bird-type monsters or drones to keep an eye on things."
"As long as the Zurable Great Empire is properly deployed, the enemy won't be able to make a move that easily, then."
"Exactly. This war is, first and foremost, a conflict between the West, led by the Zurable Great Empire, and the East, centered on the Hein Empire. We can't afford to stick our necks out openly."
"But you did send a tank division, didn't you?"
"I can't afford to lose, even as a joke. Besides, if they don't start producing results soon, the very existence of the tanks is in jeopardy."
That’s right. Now that the gods of Weed who control our finances have seen the operation of aircraft carriers and the performance of fighter jets, there are serious doubts being raised about the necessity of tanks. Especially from Eris.
*“We can do anything from the sky, so we don’t really need tanks, do we?”* she says with a sweet smile.
"Ah. Well, that sounds like something Eris would say. The fuel costs alone are astronomical."
"No, that’s fine for now since we’re covering it with the supplies Luna provided, right?"
"But the tanks were originally bought with DP, so some of that returns to us, doesn't it? She’s probably eyeing that."
"...Probably. But tanks are necessary. They are the shield for the infantry. In land battles like this, they are absolutely essential. More than anything, they only show their true value when coordinating between air and land. Actually, we’re using them precisely because we can’t provide direct air support."
"True. If we provided air support openly, there would be people within the Zurable Great Empire who would start seeing us as enemies. Well, the same could be said for the tanks, I suppose."
"Tanks are still land-based, and I’m entrusting the command to Eupia, so it’s safe. From the perspective of the Zurable Great Empire, they have Wyverns capable of aerial combat, so they’ll think they can attack unilaterally."
I promised to help, but overly intense support would be counterproductive. That’s why I convinced Eris that tanks are necessary. Honestly, it’s tough being a husband whose wife holds the purse strings. Military operations are just so expensive.
For now, I have to make sure they don't think of the tanks as useless freeloaders just gathering dust. I need to show their worth in this battle. It is absolutely *not* because I don't want my tanks taken away.
"Well, putting your true feelings aside, it’s well within the budget, so I have no reason to object. It seems difficult to gather any more information anyway. There hasn't been any notable news from the Great Mountain Range since then, has it?"
"Yeah. After Aslin persuaded the Hydra at the crater, no further information has been found. I’d like to think that Gaeen at least reached the summit, though."
Information gathering in the Great Mountain Range hasn't progressed as well as I’d hoped. Well, logically speaking, it’s impossible to find traces of people from the distant past in less than a month. If I acted like it should be easy, the scholars would surely get angry at me. Steady, incremental work leads to results. Though, in the case of ruins, you usually find them by accident.
"You didn't expect to find anything so quickly anyway, did you? The main purpose was to get Aslin and the others away from the battlefield."
"I suppose so. The fact that Aslin and the others are getting along too well with Eupia is a concern, too. Well, things should settle down once intercontinental exchange begins."
"It can't be helped. Seeing the Emperor of Eupia dote so strangely on children who appeared out of nowhere, it’s only natural for people to be wary of them. The high-ranking officials who know their true identities are fine, but the people in the vassal states probably think they’re just currying favor."
"It’s hard to believe that people act out of pure goodwill in this world."
It’s a harsh reality. The reason I sent Aslin and the others to investigate the Great Mountain Range was, of course, due to Agil’s suggestion. The background to this was the recent problem of the Eupia Emperor getting a bit too friendly with us—or rather, with Aslin and the others.
When the highest authority in a nation becomes unusually close with people who appeared out of thin air, it creates anxiety among those around them.