第１３２８堀：魔族としての立場 (Part2)
"That’s good to hear. But with the roads being improved lately and the utility of the demon race becoming widely recognized, you never know when some group might try to enslave them. Please, stay vigilant."
"Understood. We are being careful. If they were to be enslaved and used to attack other nations, it could easily be blamed on the demon race as a whole."
"I’ve already coordinated that with the Four Great Powers. It’s not as if incidents like that have been zero until now."
"Oh? Has something like that already happened?"
This was the first I’d heard of it. The idea that demons had actually been captured—was that for real?
"It was at the attempted stage. There hasn't been any enslavement of warriors, but recently, a parent and child who went to Rumel for sightseeing were deceived, enslaved, and were about to be put up for sale. It seems Kishua, the Chief Tax Officer, discovered them during an inspection."
"Kishua? You don't mean the Magic Sword User, do you?"
"Hm? Ah, now that you mention it, they do share the name. Their personalities are completely different, though. The Kishua in Rumel is dead serious. The Magic Sword User Kishua is more masculine, isn't she? Come to think of it, their appearances are quite similar, too."
"That is strange, now that you mention it."
"Yeah, I guess it’s that old saying: there are three people in the world who look just like you."
Should I mention this to Kishua next time I see her? As I pondered this, my eyes drifted to the clock, and I realized how much time had passed.
"I’ve kept you too long. Anyway, that’s the situation; an international investigative organization is going to be formed. It would be convenient if the Kingdom of Last also selected someone to contribute."
"Understood. Assuming we receive an invitation, why hasn't there been any contact with the Kingdom of Last so far?"
"Because just being a demon makes you stand out too much. That’s the part we’re struggling with."
That was the reason the Kingdom of Last hadn't been summoned for this international investigation team. Demons are distinct, and the race itself is rare, existing only on the Logari continent. In terms of investigative work, they don't exactly blend in.
Well, there is magic to change one's appearance, but then the question arises: should we really be allocating budget for that? Of course, some argue that since it's an investigation, having such things on hand is a given, but it ultimately comes down to how to distribute a finite budget.
"Ah. I see."
"They aren't exactly suited for undercover work, are they? In that case, how about a suppression unit?"
Both of them seemed to understand what I was getting at and nodded in agreement, but failing to contact them was definitely a mistake on our part. To the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, it looks like we’re being excluded, and if the Kingdom of Last were to protest, I’d have no choice but to admit we were in the wrong.
Well, I’ll take that as a lesson learned...
"That’s something we’ll have to discuss. It becomes a question of whether it’s permissible to have a suppression force for purposes other than military or public order. Especially if they are to operate internationally..."
"It’s not that simple, is it? For now, I will reach out and suggest we handle the paperwork or something similar."
"Yeah, that would be for the best. They can be useful for logistical support, too."
Investigation isn't the only job. A lot of procedures need to be handled behind the scenes. Since there are unsung heroes doing that kind of work, it wouldn't hurt to have such personnel.
...Though, looking at it from another angle, there are those who would feel uneasy having the "backline" controlled by demons. Balancing those perspectives is truly difficult.
I stood up from my seat, lost in thought.
"Right, I’ll be heading back now."
"Yes. Thank you for the information."
"Fiora, Orelia, Hovis, and... was it Yayui? You should come visit sometime. Or perhaps come to the Weed ranch?"
"???"
As we parted ways, Fiora and the others tilted their heads at Leia’s invitation. Ah, right—they didn't know about that side of things either.
"When Leia was captured by Weed, she ran the ranch for a while. She still comes by often as an owner."
"The milk from the cows Leia raises is delicious."
"Hm. But my chest didn't get any bigger."
"Ahaha... That is a shame."
"No, Cleena, there’s no such thing as milk that makes your chest grow."
"Hm. I understand that. But Leia’s are large. There must be a secret."
In the end, it was clear that Cleena was still worried about her own chest. Incidentally, Yayui was also holding her hand over her own chest; I wonder what the correct way for an employer to handle that is...
The demons seem to have their hands full with various things as well. Well, they are the quintessential rare race, after all.
For now, I’m just glad that both Liliana and Leia seem to be doing well. It appears Elju wasn't around due to other business.