第１３５３堀：ざわつき始める (Part2)
"Then why the Principality of Suurus? It’s true they aren't part of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, but they are a small nation under the umbrella of Litea. If anything, wouldn't they lean toward the Alliance?"
"No, every small nation on the Rogari continent falls under the protection of either Roschur, Gartz, Litea, or Rumel. Even the Anti-Weed Coalition is backed by these major powers, so it’s a stretch to say they lean toward the Alliance. That said, looking at it from that perspective, setting up a dungeon in the Principality of Suurus—a member of the Anti-Weed Coalition—to launch an attack makes absolutely no sense."
"They're essentially crushing their own allies. Hmm, we simply lack enough information at this stage."
"Indeed. That’s why the others seem so troubled."
Thanks to the Great Flood, detailed information regarding the Principality of Suurus has been difficult to come by. I can only hope for new intelligence to surface soon, but...
"Rurua is rushing to discuss this with Alstaire, isn't she?"
"Well, Rurua would naturally want to mitigate the damage before it spreads. After all, it is a nation that fervently practices the Litean faith..."
"And above all, as a healer, she would want to avoid any loss of life."
"She is a Saintess, after all. She even has the official blessing of Lilishe."
We exchanged a look, our eyes widening in unison.
"Lilishe."
It’s unclear how much she might know about the situation in the Principality of Suurus, but as the goddess leading the largest religion on the Rogari continent, she has a history of wandering from nation to nation, saving lives. I couldn't help but think she might hold some piece of the puzzle.
"I wonder where Lilishe is right now."
I immediately began searching for her location, while Eris looked on with a puzzled expression.
"Wait, are we really allowed to go looking for her on our own? We haven't told Yuki or the others anything yet."
"We aren't going to tell her anything ourselves. We’re just locating her and passing that information along to the others."
"Ah, I see. That shouldn't be a problem, then."
After confirming Lilishe's location, it appeared she was at the church, attending to her usual duties.
"But surely Yuki hasn't overlooked the possibility of consulting Lilishe?"
"Even he forgets things sometimes. And if he’s intentionally kept it from us, our suggestion will simply be turned down."
"That's true. Well, I’ll handle the communication. I’ll drop by the meeting while I’m at it. Ratz, could you look after the school?"
"You got it."
As I replied, Eris hurried out of the principal’s office. With matters of budget and supplies on the table, it was better for one of us to attend the meeting. That left me solely responsible for the school’s affairs, however...
"Hmm? Does this mean our defensive capabilities at the school are dropping?"
I muttered the thought, though our defense system was hardly so fragile that it would crumble just because Eris stepped away. Still, it was true that we were shifting our focus away from the front lines to deal with the Suurus crisis. If someone were planning to stir up trouble, this would be the perfect opportunity.
I instinctively checked the current status of the school, but found no issues.
"Am I overthinking this? ...No, it’s better to be cautious. I’ll ask Eris to keep an eye on this as well."
I decided to relay my concerns about the thinning of Weed’s internal personnel due to the Suurus response. Now, whether this turmoil is a mere coincidence or a calculated strike remains to be seen. I would prefer a peaceful outcome, but the world is rarely so accommodating.
The members finally received the briefing, and a restless murmur began to ripple through the room. Why the Principality of Suurus? And does Lilishe know something we don't?