第１３６３堀：女神と一緒 (Part2)
"For now, yes. If the enemy has the royal capital surrounded, I’ll need you to open a gate from the cores you ladies possess."
A question immediately surfaced.
"Wait. Does that mean Steve and the others aren't coming with us?"
Exactly. The way he put it, it sounded as if Steve and his group were being left behind. What could it mean to leave our greatest force behind in a situation like this?
"If we brought monsters along in this climate, it would just invite misunderstandings. We’re the reinforcements for when things go south. For now, we’ll be waiting in the rear."
"Oh, thank goodness. We aren't together, but you're still following us, right? Say you are."
"That’s right. Just as you said, Miss Mikos. If anything were to happen to you ladies, it would be a massive problem—even if you are doppelgangers."
I see. So they’ll be tailing us in secret. That’s a relief.
"And, Lilishe, are you acquainted with the King or the high-ranking officials of the Suurus Duchy?"
"A little, yes. Though, there’s no guarantee they still hold those positions after all this time. Still, I have this personal letter from Alstaire, so I can go in the capacity of an envoy. It’ll be fine."
Well, ten years is a long time; it’s entirely possible the guard has changed. I suppose having the status of an envoy is enough.
"The meeting itself is fine, but we should decide how to act if trouble arises. What do you think, Agil?"
"Deryu is right. If everything goes smoothly, there’s nothing to worry about, but we should have a contingency plan. We can just select one from our usual training patterns."
Agil said this as she placed cards marked A, B, and C onto the table.
"You don't need me to tell you, but these are just the practice patterns we’ve already established."
"Are we really going with just three patterns?"
"No, Jessica. Too many patterns lead to confusion. Besides, Menou and Show are with us this time; it’s better to keep things simple."
I agreed with Stasia. I understand the need for variety, but anything beyond A, B, or C gets complicated. This level of simplicity is best, especially since there are people outside our inner circle present.
"I agree. Simplicity is helpful."
"Indeed. For an operation to proceed smoothly, the easier it is to understand, the easier it is to execute."
Menou and Show nodded in agreement.
"Right then, let me explain the patterns again."
Agil began the briefing. The core scenario was how to respond if we found ourselves isolated in the heart of enemy territory. It’s a situation that shouldn't happen, but Yuki had warned us strictly that in negotiations, one must always be prepared for the worst.
The responses were as follows:
Pattern A: Use teleportation magic to escape in one go. Naturally, this includes a powerful spell capable of tearing through any interference.
Pattern B: If A is impossible, use magic or physical force to breach a wall and escape into the sky.
Pattern C: Secure the enemy leader and turn the tables to seize control. Note: This is a hassle, so we might just kidnap them and revert to A or B.
There were, of course, further sub-divisions—like building a pillbox and annihilating the surroundings—which fell under the B category.
"…And that’s that. The signals will just be 'A,' 'B,' or 'C,' so you’ll know what to do."
"Simple and clear. Though, I find it hard to believe the enemy wouldn't have countermeasures for something like this."
"Menou is right, but the foundation is different. The enemy will likely operate under the psychological assumption that we couldn't possibly escape once surrounded. Especially since we are all women."
"Ah, I see. So this lineup is also meant to invite complacency?"
"That is part of it, yes."
Yes. Show hit the nail on the head. We were chosen precisely because we are easy to underestimate. Of course, it also helps that having Steve’s group show up would be a disaster in its own right.
As we were discussing this:
"Yo. Preparations are complete. Everyone, please board the vehicles."
It seemed the time for our departure had arrived.
Alright, this is for Yuki. I’ll do my best today.
Everything is set, and we can rest easy now!
...Though, I wonder how many people here actually feel like they can rest easy?