第１３５１堀：穏やかな休みの終わり (Part1)
Chapter 1351: The End of a Peaceful Break
Side: Rurua
The holiday is over. I’m heading to work feeling refreshed, having finally had the chance to stretch my wings and relax. However, there is one thing I need to keep a close eye on.
"Lyushi, yesterday was fun, wasn't it?"
"It really was. There’s something strangely satisfying about firing a gun."
"Right? Getting a shot in on Yuki was a nice touch."
"Ahaha... was that really okay?"
"It’s fine. It was just a game, after all."
Hairen-san and Shou are surrounding Lyushi, offering their support. Lyushi is the woman we brought back from that village near the border. She had defied the village’s rigid doctrines and ended up in a horrific state; it was only thanks to my husband’s intervention that she clung to life. Her condition was so severe that, until very recently, her mind was essentially shattered.
I was worried about leaving her alone, so I brought her to our home—the inn—to spend time with us. Yesterday, our final day off, we held a shooting game. I had been anxious that the experience might be too much for her, but she seems to be enjoying herself now. I suppose the lack of actual bloodshed helped, didn't it?
Still, one must never let their guard down. As doctors, we must strive every day to understand what is necessary for mental stability and what is truly optimal for our patients—both for those who will follow and for Lyushi herself.
Lyushi seemed surprised to have been invited to the home of the nation’s ruler, but since she spent the morning playing with our children, including Sumire, she didn't seem to harbor much resistance. She treated the children with such kindness... I want to believe she is stabilizing.
Lost in these thoughts, I arrive at the hospital and greet the staff at the lobby. Suddenly, one of the employees approaches me.
"Director Rurua. We’ve received a message from Lady Alstaire."
"From Lady Alstaire?"
"Yes. She asked that you contact her as soon as you arrived."
"Understood. Thank you."
I thank the staff member and turn back to the three of them.
"That being the case, I’ll leave Lyushi’s guidance to you."
"Got it. Leave it to us."
"Understood. Please, take care."
"Yes. Lady Rurua, have a safe trip."
"I’m off."
I respond to Lyushi’s send-off and head toward the Director’s office with quick, purposeful strides. A direct message from Lady Alstaire must mean something of an emergency. No, if it were truly a dire situation, she would have contacted me yesterday. Perhaps it’s a personal consultation?
Thinking this over, I enter my office and immediately pull up the call screen to reach Lady Alstaire. She answers instantly.
"Good morning, Lady Rurua."
"Good morning, Lady Alstaire."
"I apologize for bothering you on the morning after your break."
"Not at all. It’s a situation that warrants it, I assume?"
"Yes. I believe so."
Lady Alstaire replies with a troubled expression. She can’t even state it definitively? I wonder what on earth this could be about as I listen to her continue.
"So, what exactly has happened?"
"It concerns the visit to the Principality of Suurus, which Yuki-sama had discussed with me previously regarding the rare races..."
"Suurus? Ah, you mean the Water Spirit said to reside in the Saint’s Spring."
"Yes."
That conversation did indeed take place. My husband has been pushing for verification and exchange to ensure that the rare races aren't inconvenienced by intercontinental relations. The spirits came up in those talks, but because their appearances lack the uniformity of a single race, we’ve been struggling to draft the specific details required for international treaties on rare species protection.
In other words, this means...
"Is there a problem in the Principality of Suurus? Was permission denied?"
If I recall correctly, the Principality of Suurus seems indifferent to the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance. Originally a state under the protection of the Holy Kingdom of Litea, they haven't seen a major war in a hundred years. While they have border disputes, their national survival has never been in jeopardy. Litea always intervenes before things escalate into a full-scale war. Many people attribute this to the grace of the spirits. Perhaps that’s why they felt a sense of resistance toward the visit.
But I don't think Lady Alstaire would go out of her way to contact me on the morning after a holiday just for that. My intuition seems to reach her as well.
"No, they were actually in favor of the visit. It would help prevent harm from coming to the spirits, and since the spirits haven't been seen much lately, their influence seems to be waning."
"I see. So, by having the now-famous Weed and the High Elf nation visit, they intend to advertise that the spirit legends are true?"
"That is likely the case. However, a problem has arisen: a Great Stampede of monsters has occurred."
"...Is that true?"
I keep my voice steady, prioritizing the verification of facts. A Great Stampede. It is a phenomenon where a massive swarm of monsters descends upon towns, villages, and nations like a tidal wave. Generally speaking, there are two types: natural occurrences and invasions originating from a dungeon. The scale varies, but if a top-tier Dungeon Master is behind it, it is said that even the full military might of a single nation would struggle to hold them back, requiring the combined efforts of multiple countries to contain.
In other words, a Great Stampede could lead to the collapse of multiple nations. That is why one cannot simply move on a whim in such situations. One must consider how the monsters are moving, where to concentrate troops, and how to manage supplies. A single misstep could lead to catastrophic damage.
Of course, if the report of a Stampede turns out to be false, a simple "my mistake" won't suffice. Mobilizing people means consuming resources, money, and time. It would be a massive loss. If a country reports a false alarm, they risk being shunned by all other nations. That is why we must verify. I don't believe Lady Alstaire would make such a rookie mistake, but I cannot afford not to confirm.
"We are still in the process of confirming the details here. Only one messenger from Suurus has fled to Litea."
"What about the Adventurers Guild?"
"I am in contact with the Guild, but it seems they have received no such report."
"Only the state... I see. But it is strange that the Adventurers Guild hasn't been notified yet."