第１３７８堀：依頼の方針 (Part2)
"That’s surprisingly high, isn't it? What’s the reason for that?"
"You’ve likely experienced this yourselves, but when you're on the job and a miscommunication leaves you with different information than your counterpart on the ground, what’s the first thing you do?"
"What do we do? Well, we verify the information first, obviously."
"Exactly. You act only after confirmation. If you don't, you’re effectively ignoring the higher-ups and picking a fight with the Intercontinental Alliance. Do you really think a general-level commander on the ground would have the authority to make that kind of call?"
"I-impossible!"
Yayui answered immediately, shaking her head violently from side to side.
"Right. That’s why, unless they’re absolute fools, the chance of this escalating into a war or a skirmish is low. As for the return of the town, if we tell them that we were the ones who suppressed the Great Flood, they’ll lose their justification for staying and will likely withdraw. The grand pretext of 'protecting' the area will vanish along with their reason for being there."
"True. Well, the important thing is to save face for the other party, isn't it? Don't you agree, Quar?"
"Indeed. The commander on the ground was likely ordered to go there for the sake of protection. If we simply tell them they’re unnecessary or accuse them of territorial infringement, they’ll only grow indignant. If they were the type of general capable of such nuanced judgment, they wouldn't have marched into the eastern town and caused a scene in the first place. Therefore, Lilishe, it would be best to flatter them and thank them for their hard work. Perhaps tell them that the Intercontinental Alliance has stepped in and resolved the situation."
*Ehh~? We’re just going to let them go home that easily?*
Lilishe’s voice crackled through, dripping with dissatisfaction. To her, this was tantamount to being picked a fight with. Still, there was no point in striking at the pawns.
"We can launch a formal protest—or rather, a fact-finding mission—to both nations at a later date. I suspect the idiots pulling the strings will reveal themselves then. Making a scene now would only mean dealing with the 'super-idiots' who were manipulated by the first set of fools."
*Mmm, I suppose you’re right about that.*
"Even so, the most important thing is Suurus’s intentions. Lilishe, you already mentioned them earlier: withdrawal and a demand for reparations. I just hope Suurus sends someone capable of carrying that out properly..."
"The crucial part is whether they are someone capable of actual negotiation. If they’re hot-headed, there’s a risk of it turning into a battle..."
"But Lady Quar, would they really send such a short-tempered individual?"
As Prol suggested, I wanted to believe they wouldn't be foolish enough to send such an incompetent negotiator.
*It’ll be fine~. If we think there’s a problem, we can just ask for a replacement~. We can also warn them beforehand. After all, as representatives of the Alliance, we have the power to stop wars between members~.*
Lilishe was right; if a useless negotiator showed up, we would simply demand a change. They might complain, but we could always shut them down by asking what they intended to do if they were provoked into starting a war. More importantly, we could act under the treaties of the Intercontinental Alliance.
For now, we were giving Suurus the benefit of the doubt, so the first move would be for their envoy to step forward. Even though we were allies, if the Alliance stepped in to handle every single negotiation between neighboring countries, it would look as if those nations had no sovereignty at all. We couldn't afford to make it look like joining the Alliance was synonymous with becoming slaves.
Just as I was thinking this:
"Yuki-sama, I have confirmed a group approaching Lilishe-sama’s quarters. It is likely the envoy accompanying them."
At Quar’s words, we cut our conversation short.
*Understood~. Keep listening in on the conversation, okay?*
"Yeah. I just hope they’re reasonable."
Now then, let’s see who shows up. A king, a queen, and a princess—a luxurious lineup, though considering their status, it was only natural. The envoy might be overshadowed, but there’s nothing to be done about that.
For now, the plan is to demand a withdrawal and compensation for the damages. Whether they’ll nod in agreement, however, is another matter entirely. Even in the real world, there are plenty of fools like that, after all.