第１４２７堀：小さいところから準備をしていく (Part2)
"I see, so that’s the narrative being spread. In that case, they’ll face criticism even from their own citizens once word gets out. They’re already facing backlash from their own subjects for refusing aid; if they play this wrong, it could easily spiral into civil war."
"Exactly. Well, it’s not just the schools—the various guilds will naturally be disseminating the information as well. But once the children who came here for their studies know the truth, there’s really no way to cover it up anymore."
"So, the goal is to shape international perception by painting any nation that refuses an investigation as a villain. But won't that invite backlash if it’s done too blatantly? It’s not as if dark guilds are the only ones with secrets to keep."
Vilia’s point was well-taken.
It was true that refusing a mandatory investigation would result in being branded with a dishonorable label by the international community.
Every nation has countless secrets—be it clandestine research or future plans—that have nothing to do with dark guilds. It was only natural that some countries would be loath to have those exposed.
"You’re right. Nations have plenty of secrets, and it’s only natural they’d refuse to let anyone pry into them. If handled poorly, this alliance could be used as a tool for major powers to arbitrarily label any country they dislike as an enemy."
"Exactly. How are you planning to handle that side of things?"
"Naturally, excessive investigation is strictly forbidden, but that’s nothing new. It’s standard practice for major powers to keep smaller nations in check if they start acting suspiciously. More importantly, this situation offers benefits to those smaller nations that are receiving additional aid. Above all, it means we’ve successfully caught those two countries red-handed, with dark guilds running rampant within their borders."
"Ah, I see. The problem is that those smaller nations failed to conceal their information. They left themselves open to being picked on, and that’s what made them vulnerable."
"That’s the gist of it. There’s a legitimate justification for this, and it’s certainly better than the usual heavy-handed intervention by a major power."
She was right.
This was different from the typical nation-versus-nation conflicts of the past; this was an investigation backed by the oversight of multiple nations within the international community.
"Above all, we’ve been laying the groundwork. They’re likely already preparing to hide everything except for the dark guilds and the anti-Weed factions."
"Mhm. Just as Yuki-oni says. The rumors will spread to those two countries as well, so they’ll hide what they need to hide and let the dark guilds take the fall."
Hiiro agreed with a nod.
Well, since they’ve made a public declaration, they’ll surely be eager to provide information to save face.
"There’s no point in worrying about these things. We just have to go through with it."
"Indeed. We must take action, identify the problems, and resolve them one by one."
"That’s right. Nothing is perfect from the start. You have to try. That said, we do need to be mindful of the backlash from other nations that Labyris and Vilia mentioned. But setting that aside, can I ask you all to relay this information to the students?"
With that, Yuki handed over a stack of printed documents.
The contents detailed the investigation and cooperative support aimed at purging the dark guilds.
It was meant to convey the message: *We aren't doing anything malicious.*
"Won't the school teachers be doing that as well?"
"Of course. But on top of that, the students hearing it directly from me adds a layer of credibility."
He was being thorough, as always.
"I’d like you all to observe how the students react to this. They’re much more likely to put on a front in front of their teachers, after all."
"That’s true. People tend to act tough when they’re worried about something."
As Dressa said, that was human nature.
"I understand. Leave the students to us."
Vilia replied, and then—
"Oh, it seems our discussion has concluded. Is there anything left for us to talk about?"
"Hmm, Yuki-san has pretty much covered it all. Oh, right. There’s a possibility that dark guild elements might try to infiltrate Weed, so I’ll mention in the assembly that we’re stepping up security. Could you tell them to avoid any suspicious areas?"
"Ah, yes. Though, if anything, they’ll probably all flock to those places out of curiosity. Still, I’d appreciate it if you could pass along any information about such spots."
"Yeah, got it."
"Having mischievous kids around is always a handful, isn't it?"
And so, even while staying in Weed, we continued to advance our countermeasures against the dark guilds.
The fact that the students were already talking about it meant there was no doubt about the situation.
Now, now... I wonder what the various nations, and even those outside the alliance, will think of all this.
The dark guilds were being backed into a corner.