第１４２０堀：動かない事態 (Part2)
With the meal finished and everyone settling in for a moment of respite, Enola voiced the very question I had been harboring.
"So, Agil, how much longer are we staying in this town? We’ve pretty much finished the investigation, haven't we?"
The others turned their gazes toward Agil, clearly sharing her interest.
"Hmm? Ah, yes, I suppose so. We’ve managed to provide support for the refugees and those in need, and we’ve grasped the current state of the town. The rest is up to Suurus to handle. We can't afford to overstay our welcome, either."
"Judging by that tone, did the inspection team give you some grief?"
"Princess Hasnia herself hasn't said anything, but her subordinates aren't exactly wearing welcoming expressions. After all, even if it’s currently uninhabited, this western town is Suurus territory. Having us poke around as if we own the place probably doesn't sit well with them."
It was true. While our intentions were largely rooted in goodwill, we were also here to monitor the movements of the Dungeon Master and the Dark Guild. Though we could claim it was for the sake of the world, I understood that having outsiders do as they pleased in one's own backyard was never a pleasant experience.
"I see. I understand what General Agil is implying. Even if no formal complaints have been lodged, the situation is far from ideal. If we are to consider the sentiments of Suurus, it would be prudent to withdraw for now and prepare for the upcoming visit between the two nations. What are your thoughts, Menou?"
"Well, there’s hardly any reason for us to remain here, so I’m in favor of retreating to our base. But if we just declare our work done, they’re bound to look at us with suspicion."
"That’s the crux of it. The moment it turned into a dungeon, our objective was achieved. But we can't exactly say that out loud, and if we pull out too abruptly, they’ll wonder what the investigation was even for. Oh, speaking of which, what’s the situation on the adventurer side?"
Agil turned his gaze toward the adventurers.
"Honestly? We haven't found anything of note either. We heard a bit about the structure of the Great Flood from Koeu-san, but as for the town itself, Mauve-san and the others have already scouted it..."
"There are traces of monsters, sure, but no corpses. Since there’s no one living here, there’s no need for combat," Mauve added.
"Exactly. And once the adventurers who originally belonged to this town return, they should be able to manage. As for the dungeon from the Great Flood or any other suspicious areas... nothing."
Mauve and Ovik could only shake their heads. It seemed we had failed to gather any significant intelligence.
"And regarding the casualties among the townspeople, the numbers don't match the resident registry, so it’s going to take more time to determine the reality of the situation. It’s not like we can be the ones to investigate that, either. Yuki was laughing about how the documents were completely meaningless."
"He was laughing, was he? It’s rare to see him give such a hollow laugh."
"No, Deryu, the idea that official documents are meaningless is a terror beyond imagination," Ria remarked.
We all nodded in unison at her retort. It made one wonder what the documents were even for. Given that these people were avoiding taxes and bypassing security, the presence of those residing in the town illegally should have raised suspicions of criminal involvement.
"Then, why not go with the withdrawal plan as Show suggested? We can just say we didn't find as much information as Menou expected. If they press us for more, we can just tell them that digging any deeper would mean intruding on Suurus's internal affairs. If they ask us to investigate anyway, then that’s a win-win for us, isn't it?"
"Well, Kaya’s suggestion seems the most viable. I’ll get in touch with Yuki for now. Since I’m here in the capacity of an envoy, that might serve as a good enough excuse. I’ll announce our future course of action tomorrow, so please, get some rest today."
With that, Agil stepped away from the table. He had likely gone to contact Yuki-sama. All that remained was to tidy up and get some rest, but...
"I don't know if we'll ever reach a conclusion, but as of now, we haven't seen a single sign of the Dungeon Master or the Dark Guild."
"Mm. Whether that’s fortunate or a sign that they’ve slipped through our fingers, we shouldn't let our guard down."
Everyone nodded at those words. Our enemies were the Dungeon Master and the Dark Guild. If we let our guard down, we would be cornered in an instant. They were experts at leaving no evidence behind. But that very lack of evidence was, in itself, the most suspicious proof of all. A contradiction of "evidence of no evidence."