第１３３０堀：祝いの席で (Part2)
"Indeed. Meeting with spirits is a profound honor. Though, I suspect that arriving in a large group might only serve to make them shy away..."
She had a point. It would be best to approach with the absolute minimum number of people. Securing permission first was the safest route. Yet, it wasn't as if Showu wouldn't have realized that on his own. Which meant...
"Is there a reason you’re in such a hurry to meet them?"
"It isn't necessarily a matter of extreme urgency, but the environment of the Zurable region is quite similar to Weed—or rather, the Rogali Continent. There are beastmen, elves, and monsters as well. I believe it stands to reason that spirits reside there, too."
"Ah, I see. You hope to gather information by making contact with the spirits there first, is that it?"
"Precisely. According to the documents, the power of these spirits is quite formidable. There is no guarantee that someone won't appear to exploit that power. I wish to identify and establish relations with any spirits possessing such abilities as soon as possible."
His reasoning was perfectly sound for someone tasked with running a nation. As for Queen Miyabi, upon hearing his explanation, she mused:
"Your logic is sound. Are there any tales of spirits in that region, then?"
"It is... dubious, perhaps, but I have heard rumors. However, given that a large-scale war was raging until recently, we haven't been able to gather much intelligence."
"Hmm. In that case, you would do well to first establish ties with the elves living in the Zurable region and hear what they have to say. Elves have a high affinity for spirits. Though, the fairy tribes are superior in that regard, they are notoriously fickle. I shall speak to the Water Spirit on your behalf, Showu. Assuming you can actually meet them, that is. Does that sit well with you, Yuki?"
"Yeah, that’s fine. Does that work for you, Showu?"
"Yes. Thank you for your consideration. Still, with post-war reconstruction and the census of the various races, there is so much to be done. I suppose I shall at least enjoy some of the fine food here while I can."
"Indeed. That is for the best."
As the two returned to their meal, the dragons chimed in with a question of their own.
"Come to think of it, are there dragons in the Zurable region?"
"Ah, I was curious about that as well."
"Hm? Yes, I have heard that they exist, but it remains limited to literature. No, we have a wyvern corps in our country, so I find it hard to believe they aren't there... but now that you mention it, I hadn't given it much thought. They are disaster-level entities, so why have we heard so little of them?"
Showu paused, his hand stopping mid-meal as he began to ponder the mystery. It was true; if the environment was similar to the Rogali Continent, it wouldn't be strange for dragons to inhabit the land. Above all, the presence of a Hydra had already been confirmed in the crater of the Great Mountain Range. That, too, was a fine species of dragon. Some might refuse to acknowledge it, but it was arguably even more troublesome than a standard dragon.
"The student exchange program has just begun. Perhaps we should prioritize investigating that area."
"I agree. I shall suggest as much to His Majesty."
And so, as I continued to converse with Queen Miyabi and the others, I found myself swept up in a flurry of discussions with the various kings and diplomats who had dropped by to visit Weed. For now, I decided to simply take joy in the fact that the student exchange program had finally been set in motion. I could afford to forget, just for today, that there was still a mountain of work waiting for me once this was all over.
The student exchange program was officially underway!
And with that, I set my sights on chipping away at the remaining minor tasks. Though, I must admit, I was hoping to take a breather here. A moment of respite, if you will.
Ah, and I don't mean a "snowman" break—I mean a real vacation for us, Yuki and the others. Not a pitfall trap.