第１０９１堀：お次の仕事はどこですか？ (Part2)
"The If Continent? I know the mana depletion phenomenon there is severe, but did you actually find a place where it can be observed?"
"Not exactly. I’ve had my eye on a few spots for a while, but I just haven't had the time to dedicate to them. Besides, Popuri has been pestering me to come and take a look for ages now."
"When you say Popuri, you mean the Great Forest?"
"Exactly. I haven't been near there much since we secured Alfin and Grad."
"Ah, that’s true, isn't it?"
Indeed, my next destination is the Lancer Magic Academy, where Popuri serves as the principal. It’s a place fraught with danger; despite the If Continent's mana-starved state, powerful monsters still roam the land, and the threat of a Great Outbreak looms constantly.
That said, I’ve already established a direct gate to the Lancer Magic Academy and have measures in place to respond instantly to any crisis, so I’m not overly concerned. Still, for Popuri, who stands to suffer the consequences, she’s desperate for me to settle things as quickly as possible.
"Well, it’s not just for the investigation. I also need to bring Kagura and the others over to Lancer."
"Kagura and the others?"
"Yeah. They want to discuss the exchange student program. But before that, we need to verify if there are any issues with communication or differences in common sense. That’s the crux of it. For Popuri, this is a matter of life and death. After all, even though it’s called a magic academy, their level of sorcery is undeniably lower than what you’d find on the Rogari Continent or the New Continent."
"But didn't you say that the students who studied abroad in the Rogari Continent’s magic kingdoms were really honing their talents? I feel like I heard that from Nonoa."
"Yeah, that’s correct. The only reason they can't use magic on the If Continent is the chronic mana deficiency plaguing the entire land."
Exactly. The ambient mana in the air on the If Continent is so sparse that casting a spell there requires several times the mana it would take on the Rogari or New Continents. It’s a massive handicap. That’s why those who struggle on the If Continent suddenly find they can cast spells with ease once they reach a land rich in mana. It’s like taking off a set of heavy weights you’ve been wearing your whole life. Though, Popuri did mention that they struggled with control at first.
"So, you want Kagura and Mikos from the Haiden Magic Academy to come over, then?"
"That’s the idea. Even though Haiden has started full-scale intercontinental exchange, the focus is still primarily on the Rogari Continent. I want to use this as a springboard."
"I see. Honestly, that name 'New Continent' is getting to be a pain. It’s confusing since it’s no different from how we refer to the Zurable Continent."
"We’re setting up a meeting to discuss that, too. Once the exchange with us is fully underway, the Haiden Kingdom, the Findar Empire, and the Seasifo Kingdom are planning to lead a conference. Since the three great powers of the New Continent will be gathered, I’m sure they’ll reach a decision."
"Come to think of it, weren't there other great powers over there?"
"There are, but we’ve sent out invitations repeatedly. If they choose to ignore them, that’s on them. Besides, the Haire Church is backing the initiative."
Still, since the main players are Haiden and Findar—both of which were damaged by the internal machinations of the Haire Church—anyone with even a passing interest in gathering intelligence on other nations would already know that. Whether they’ll believe in the 'existence of Weed' based on that is a bit of a toss-up.
"…Won't pushing this too hard cause problems? It could be seen as a publicity stunt to restore their fallen national prestige. If they face backlash for that, it could lead to war. Anyone who knows the origin of the war—that it was caused by those Magic Gears—would see it as a blatant case of arson and firefighting."
"I know that. But it’s also a fact that intercontinental exchange has already begun. I imagine the Seasifo Kingdom will provide the necessary support. They had nothing to do with that war, and they’ve managed to resolve their maritime issues almost entirely through Weed’s efforts. We should be able to make it work from there."
"Weren't those maritime issues originally caused by the Magic Gears, too?"
"…We’ll just have to play it carefully. Besides, the whole point is to put Weed at the forefront, so it should be fine."
From Seasifo’s perspective, they don't need to think of it as helping Haiden, Findar, or the Haire Church; they only need to think of it as helping Weed. I’ll have to negotiate that through Menou with Queen Emerald.
"Regardless, I’m heading to the Lancer Magic Academy first."
"Understood. I’ll handle the aftermath of the small nations. As for Dafaio…"
"I’ll take care of that myself. It’ll be fine."
"I leave it to you."
Now then, time to get in touch with Popuri. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of work to be done. Why is that? In most light novels, solving the problem leads to a happy ending. Well, lately, stories have become more cynical, with one crisis following another, but perhaps nothing is as grounded in reality as the grind of victory.
This is a story about the diplomatic grind—devoid of dreams or hope.