第１３６７堀：お金と物資の動きを (Part1)
Chapter 1367: Tracking the Flow of Money and Supplies
Side: Ratz
"Alright, let’s look at this from a different angle. Ratz, Eris, Milly, Tori—do you have any reports from your respective departments?"
With that, he turned his gaze toward us.
Well, I suppose there wouldn't be much point in us being present if he didn't.
Still...
"Hmm, well, there aren't any direct dealings with the Suurus Principality, as you know."
"Exactly. Since everything essentially goes through Litea, there’s not much we can report from our end."
"The Adventurer Guild hasn't heard anything either. There were no signs of a precursor to a Great Stampede in Suurus beforehand."
"And the police haven't seen any mention of Suurus in our reports, either."
I figured as much.
We are, after all, only responsible for the internal affairs of Weed. If we were capable of sniffing out that kind of information, Yuki-oniisan and the others would have already caught wind of it themselves.
I thought that was the end of it, but Oniisan kept his eyes fixed on us...
"I figured as much. But try shifting your perspective. Have there been any reports of massive stockpiling of supplies or requests for aid from countries surrounding Suurus? Have you heard any rumors through the Adventurer Guild or the police?"
"Eh? What do you mean by that?" I asked, failing to grasp his intent.
"I’m asking if any countries were preparing their military as if they had anticipated this Great Stampede in the Suurus Principality."
"Wait a minute. The enemy is a Dungeon Master, right?"
Eris was right. A Great Stampede is a disaster caused by a Dungeon Master. Why would other countries be involved in that? As I wondered this...
『I see. If the anti-Weed faction is involved, such movements would make perfect sense.』
『Indeed. While we can't rule out the possibility of a lone actor, this would be a way to confirm it.』
Ah, I see. Aetheri and Jessica’s words cleared it up for me. It hasn't been confirmed that the enemy is a Dungeon Master, after all. Checking the flow of supplies in other countries is a way to verify that.
『Yes. Considering Lilishe-sama’s words earlier, attacking Suurus is essentially picking a fight with Litea. It wouldn't be strange to assume the opponent is of considerable scale. Whether the Dungeon Master is a pawn or the mastermind, it wouldn't be surprising if other countries were watching this situation, waiting for an opening to move.』
Stasia is right. Attacking Suurus is effectively making an enemy of Litea. If that’s the case, while it’s hard to say for sure, a force of only about 10,000 would struggle to stand against Litea. If things go poorly, it wouldn't be strange for other major powers to intervene. To avoid making more enemies in this situation, the best outcome would be for the Suurus Principality to distance itself from Litea and show submission.
Well, there would surely be some backlash, but if the King of Suurus declared that the battle was over and a reconciliation had been reached, it would become difficult for Litea—or any other country—to intervene.
Still, wouldn't that leave other countries without a window to intervene?
"That’s exactly the point. If another country intervenes before Litea does, they can claim they provided aid more swiftly than Litea ever could."
Ah, I see now. If they take that stance, they become the nation that "protected" Suurus from the Great Stampede. That’s why he wants us to track the flow of supplies.
『But then the Great Stampede from the dungeon would just be a sacrificial pawn, wouldn't it?』
"In that case, as Menou says, it would be a pawn. But it would allow them to pull Suurus into their sphere of influence, and they could blame the whole thing on a Dungeon Master, couldn't they?"
『Ah, so it’s a convenient way to tarnish Weed’s reputation as well.』
『That sounds plausible—or rather, it’s a common tactic. Discredit your opponent and pull the neutrals into your own camp.』
Yes, I understand what Menou and Show are saying.
Weed was originally built inside a dungeon, so in the early days, we were viewed with a lot of skepticism. After all, most of the residents of Weed were slaves—people who had been brought here against their will. Once you’ve experienced life here, it’s not an issue, but the general perception is that dungeons are the source of disasters, so people naturally put their guard up.
Though, thanks to Oniisan negotiating with the upper echelons of various nations and exporting our goods, we haven't struggled too much in that regard.
But I’m getting off track. What we need to do is...
"I understand. You want us to use our connections to see if any countries are preparing for war. I’ll look into the flow of money."
"And I’ll track the flow of supplies. It’s not cost-effective to buy things without going through Weed, and since there’s so much merchant traffic, even if there isn't a direct purchase, there’s bound to be information."
Exactly. We can uncover the enemy’s movements through the sectors we manage. Oniisan had realized this all along. He just avoided stating it outright because it wasn't a certainty.
"The Adventurer Guild will also have the adventurers keep an ear out for any signs of war."
"The police will exchange information with the security forces of other nations regarding the maintenance of public order."
Milly and Tori seemed to understand their roles as well, responding with crisp, clear determination.
Yuki-san, having confirmed this, turned back to Lilishe on the monitor.
"That’s the plan. There are things we can investigate from this end, so don't push yourself too hard."
『Understood~. I hadn't thought it was that complicated, but now that you mention it, it’s certainly possible.』
"If things go poorly, there’s a possibility they’re doing this just to draw you out."
『Draw me out~?』
"You said it yourself, didn't you? That they stepped into your territory. It’s possible that’s exactly what they’re aiming for."
Oniisan is right. It wouldn't be strange at all if the attack on the Suurus Principality was just a lure to draw Lilishe-sama out.
『But~, wouldn't it be more certain to attack Litea or Weed directly if that were the goal?』
"No, both have high defensive capabilities. It’s easier to ambush someone once they’ve stepped outside than to storm an enemy stronghold."
The security in the Suurus Principality is inevitably thinner, making it a prime target.
"Well, that’s just one possibility. For now, we’ll start gathering information, so just wait for our report. I should be able to provide the first update by tomorrow. What’s the estimated arrival time for Steve?"