第１０９０堀：約束を守る (Part1)
Chapter 1090: Keeping a Promise
Side: Ria
Spread before us was a map of the continent, showing the Great Empire of Zurabul and the Hyne Empire. Of course, the data also existed digitally, and we could check it on the call screen, but I could never quite get used to viewing things that way, so my gaze was fixed on the physical map on the table.
“So, Yuki. Is this the information we received from Senal?”
“Yes. It’s information on dungeons that Senal judged to be outside his control.”
At Yuki’s words, the eyes of all of us gathered here, the expectant mothers, sharpened. No, not just ours, but also the eyes of Kirue and Milly, who were accompanying us as guards today, grew sharp.
“Master. Why discuss such important matters here? I don’t believe it’s good news for the pregnant ladies…”
“That’s right, Yuki. Why gather Ria and the others specifically to talk about this? They’re pregnant, you know? What if worrying too much has a negative effect on their unborn children?”
Kirue and Milly, concerned for us, offered their gentle reproaches to Yuki. While their concern was certainly valid, we felt differently.
“...Hm, thank you. But you two needn’t worry. Our information sorting has settled down recently. Having new work like this is good for us.”
“Indeed. We weren’t able to be of much use during the Dafaiyo Kingdom incident. We asked Yuki ourselves, wishing to help with at least this much.”
“Yes. So both of you, it’s fine. We’re only investigating, after all. It’s not like we’re going to be conquering those dungeons with our big bellies.”
“But wouldn’t it be difficult to investigate while remaining here?”
“Right. How do you plan to investigate without going to the actual locations?”
The two tilted their heads in puzzlement, asking these questions. Well, it certainly seemed that way. Even we thought it would be quite difficult to investigate dungeons that were merely marked on a map while remaining here. After all, some of those dungeons didn’t even have names. Even those with names were outside the territories of the Great Empire of Zurabul and the Hyne Empire, making direct investigation impossible. But Yuki knew all of this perfectly well…
“Naturally, you’ll be commanding units.”
He announced his answer.
“Ah, I see.”
“...Huh? What do you mean?”
“You’re saying something difficult again, aren’t you?”
Thus, the three women’s reactions diverged. Jessica was completely convinced, Cleena was utterly bewildered, and Samantha frowned, indicating she understood the objective but found it challenging.
“Oh, Ria, you don’t seem surprised. Did you know beforehand?”
“No, not really. But if it’s work other than researching books or such, I figured it might be something like that. I have, after all, learned how to move units from Seraria and Quar.”
“I see, indeed. If we’re to help with something other than paperwork, it would involve managing subordinates, wouldn’t it?”
“...Ria, Jessica, Samantha, I still don’t quite understand. What exactly do we do when we ‘command units’?”
Cleena still didn’t seem to grasp what Yuki was asking of them. Well, Cleena was a magician who had studied at the academy, after all.
“It’s exactly as it sounds. You issue orders to subordinates to achieve an objective. It’s what Yuki and Seraria always do.”
“...But I don’t have any subordinates.”
“I’ll arrange for that, so you needn’t worry.”
“...Hm. In that case, it seems manageable. So, our job is to use those subordinates to confirm the unverified dungeons marked on the map, is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right. To reiterate the task I’m asking of you this time, Ria and the others, I want you to use my subordinates to investigate the dungeons that Senal hasn’t confirmed. There’s a possibility that Dungeon Masters still remain in these dungeons. Now that the war has finally settled down, I don’t want to stir up any trouble here.”
As Yuki spoke, he pointed to a red sticker placed on the map on the table.
“For example, if I asked you, Ria, to investigate this area, what would you do?”
“Um, first, I’d gather information on the local area. Then, if there are no problems, I’d use the subordinates Yuki lends us to investigate the dungeon. And then, confirm whether a Dungeon Master is present or not. Is that right?”
I’ve been studying hard recently, and I believe I’ve come to understand Yuki’s way of thinking to some extent, but I still get nervous when singled out like this.
“Yes, that’s generally correct. This will be an operational action, so first, you’ll need to submit an operational plan. If there are no issues, you can proceed with its execution.”
Phew. I’m glad I got it right. If I had messed up, Cleena would probably have given me a cold stare.
“In other words, what Yuki has been handling alone until now, we will now divide and undertake, is that correct?”
“That’s right. Until now, due to the circumstances, I placed myself at the top and relied on Kirika’s intelligence unit for investigation and suppression within the bare minimum necessary scope. But as you can see from the sheer number of them, that’s simply not enough manpower. Therefore…”
“We will take over unit command in Yuki’s stead and proceed with investigating the unconfirmed dungeons, is that it?”
“...But is just investigation enough? What about recovering the dungeon cores?”
“That depends on the situation. If it’s a dangerous dungeon, we should probably seize the core, but if it’s at a level where we can deal with it even after something happens, it’s important to leave it be and observe the opponent’s moves. More to the point, we’ll be dispersing the units we’ve used until now, so we can’t undertake any major actions. Seizing a dungeon core would be the extent of it.”
I see, since we’ll be dividing the units we’ve used until now among ourselves, it’s natural that the number of troops per person will decrease.
“Understood. We are to organize units, investigate dungeons, and report our findings, then?”
“That’s right. Until now, the four of you have served as my guards. Well, not just that, you’ve also worked hard on the diplomatic front, but it would be good to experience unit command like this at least once. Oh, Ria and Jessica have already experienced it, but consider it rehabilitation.”
“...Hmph. So, it’s Samantha and I who will struggle?”
“Probably. Well, if you ask if it will be difficult, yes, it will be quite challenging. Directing people is completely different from acting yourself. Oh, Samantha, are you accustomed to such things, being a lady?”
“Yes, to some extent, I am. However, I’ve never organized or operated units in a military capacity, so in that regard, I believe I’m no different from an amateur. In fact, Cleena, who has read many books, might fare better.”