第１３０５堀：冒険者ギルドの見解 (Part2)
“I was thinking the Kingdom of Last’s situation resembles the Lancer Magic Academy’s. What do you think?”
“I wouldn’t say they are identical in every respect, but there are certainly similarities,” Liliana replied. “Based on our own environment, the fact that Comet and her group didn't encounter any monsters was likely just a matter of good positioning and high speed.”
She spoke with absolute certainty.
“And the reason for that?”
“This isn't an absolute rule, so please keep that in mind as you listen. First, there are specific places where monsters congregate. While monsters can technically survive on mana alone, they grow stronger by hunting and eating; therefore, they tend to gather in areas where prey is abundant.”
“So, mana pools or populated areas, right?”
“Yes. However, those strong urges are usually limited to weaker individuals—mere monsters. Truly powerful creatures generally spend their time sleeping deep within the heart of their territory. A form of hibernation, if you will. Therefore, if you move through the gaps in their range, you can reach the depths of the forest without ever having an encounter.”
“Yeah, I hear that a lot,” Fio added. “It’s one of the standard tactics taught at the Adventurers’ Guild.”
“True enough. If you waste energy fighting small fry head-on, you’ll be too exhausted to face the real target when the time comes.”
It made sense. If the job was to eliminate a specific monster, killing anything else was a waste of effort. While it might provide some extra income, it wasn't worth jeopardizing the primary mission.
“But wouldn't that risk having your rear—your retreat path—cut off?”
“It’s a possibility, but then it’s just a matter of breaking through. It depends entirely on the situation...”
“If you plow through them as you go, the noise and the scent of blood might just draw more enemies to you.”
“It’s six of one, half a dozen of the other. I guess that’s where an adventurer’s intuition comes in,” Fio concluded.
I found myself agreeing with her; listening to the arguments, it felt like there was no single 'correct' answer.
“Thanks. So, from the perspective of the Kingdom of Last, the current situation isn't a sign of an impending Great Stampede?”
“Correct,” Liliana said. “When a horde is forming, the forest actually becomes much quieter. The rowdy monsters begin to act with a single, unified purpose.”
“Ah, I’ve heard of that sign. The monsters leading the stampede prey on the surrounding animals and lesser monsters for food, making the forest go silent.”
“Mhm. And the survivors flee the area, which adds to the silence. Though, before that happens, monsters usually scatter, which increases encounter rates in the surrounding regions. But we aren't seeing any of those signs, are we?”
“None. In that case, it seems safe to assume it was just a coincidence.”
“I don't mean to harp on it, but this is strictly our opinion,” Liliana cautioned once more. “You must remain vigilant. This is no excuse to let your guard down.”
I took her warning to heart. This discussion was based on the conditions of the Rogali continent; the Great Forest, with its different mana distribution, could easily follow a different set of rules.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Setting the Great Forest aside, have the specific signs of a Great Stampede been communicated to the Zruble side?”
“Hmm? To the Zruble Empire? We’ve submitted documents regarding the Great Stampede. There weren't any direct inquiries, were there?”
“That’s right,” Oriel chimed in. “Lord Show came by and took the materials with him. Is there a problem?”
“No, it’s just that while we discussed the dangers and signs with Zruble, the topic hasn't come up at all lately.”
“That can't be helped, can it? They’re busy with other things. If you're worried, why not reach out to them yourself?”
“True. I’ll send word from our end. Thanks. Anyway, Agil, did you catch all that?”
『Yeah, I heard. For now, it doesn't seem like there's an issue based on the knowledge we have. Could you send over the maps and related documents?』
“Got it. Oriel, can you and the others handle that?”
“““Yes!”””
I felt a small sense of relief that we didn't just end up as passive listeners. We had to make ourselves useful.
The Rogari Adventurers’ Guild and the Demon Lord had both judged that there was no immediate cause for alarm. For now, I could breathe a sigh of relief. I would pass the information to Zruble to ensure everything remained stable.