第１４２８堀：訪問決定 (Part1)
Chapter 1428: The Visit Confirmed
Side: Yuki
While I was busy coordinating the preparations to bolster the investigation of the two nations, word finally arrived from Alstaire that the dates had been set.
"Regarding the investigation of the two nations, it has been scheduled for one week from now. The focus will be on our Holy Nation of Lithea and the Kingdom of Suurus. Naturally, the envoys from the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance are welcome to accompany us."
Alstaire still seemed incensed that Lithea—and by extension, Lilishe—had been slighted, her expression remaining sharp and unyielding. Seeing this, Rurua offered a wry smile.
"Lady Alstaire, while your anger is entirely justified, you must remain calm. You must not let others see such raw emotion; you will only be manipulated if you do."
She offered this gentle rebuke. As Rurua suggested, it is rarely a virtue for a monarch or head of state to wear their heart on their sleeve. There are always those waiting to exploit such vulnerability, feigning empathy just to reap the rewards for themselves.
That said, it isn't as if one must be a stone statue. If one is too impartial and detached, they risk being seen as inhuman, which invites resentment. It’s a troublesome world we live in.
Still, I had to agree that Alstaire had been flying off the handle a bit too much lately. She quickly composed herself, her face returning to a neutral mask.
"Thank you for your counsel, Lady Rurua. I am still immature, and I understand that. However, the consensus within Lithea is that if I do not show anger here, the nation’s honor will be trampled."
"Ah, so Lithea is taking this matter quite seriously, then?"
It was true that the two nations in question were under Lithea’s umbrella. If they had merely caused a minor stir, it would be one thing, but if the dark guilds and hostile Dungeon Masters we’ve been tracking through the International Exchange School were involved, the situation changed entirely. There was a non-zero chance that people would start whispering that Lithea was pulling the strings from the shadows. Even if Alstaire herself wasn't involved, one couldn't rule out the possibility that someone among her subordinates was connected.
That said, Lithea was currently known for producing excellent healers and, more importantly, served as the headquarters for the Lithea Church, the largest denomination on the Rogali continent. There had been a political upheaval a while back, leading to Rurua’s exile and various other complications, but they had since reconciled and corrected their governance. Because of that, the other great powers weren't viewing them as a major threat. The prevailing opinion was that these small nations had acted independently in their dealings with the dark guild.
While no one was considering sanctions against Lithea, it was a case of not being able to rest on their laurels. I understood that sentiment well, so...
"I understand your circumstances, but the kings of the other nations are being put off by your intensity, Alstaire. You should seek their understanding later. If you’re branded as a 'short-tempered Saintess,' it will reflect poorly on Lithea’s future."
Seraria offered this advice with a sigh. Realizing she might have gone too far, Alstaire looked concerned.
"...Was my performance too much?"
"It didn't look like a performance. I think everyone understood you were concerned for your nation’s dignity, but you need to explain that yourself."
"Understood. I will request time at the next meeting."
"Yes, do that."
If Seraria was saying it was that bad, it must have been quite the scene. I suppose I should subtly smooth things over with the other nations as well. With that in mind, I steered the conversation forward.
"Setting aside Lithea’s reputation and the fact that you’ve successfully forced the investigation, how are you planning to handle the logistics and the target locations? Do you have any leads, or are you just going to let them guide you around?"
Exactly. Getting them to accept the investigation was one thing, but if we just let them lead us by the nose, we’d get nowhere. They would inevitably show us only what was convenient for them. Well, that would technically count as "accepting the investigation," but...
"That would be meaningless. We will conduct our own independent investigation."
"But you can't move effectively without knowing where to look beforehand, right?"
"Indeed. We will identify the suspicious areas before we arrive."
"And where did you get those leads?"
"Well, there are ways."
Alstaire dodged the question. Ah, I see. She intends to manufacture them. In investigations like this, you just need to find a plausible excuse to conduct a forced search. In a nation governed by law, you’d need proper procedures, but in this world, brute force often carries the day. Just claim it’s suspicious and search. Of course, the backlash would be significant.
Seraria seemed to grasp the situation as well.
"The backlash will be severe, you know?"
"It will be fine. We will provide support, and the tips are coming from our own allies."
"So you’re utilizing them, too."
I see. The initial goal was to win over the nobles and commoners who were tired of having dark guilds in their midst. She’s planning to leverage that.
"It would be rude to ignore information provided in good faith."
"...It’s a matter of poor internal control, then."
"Precisely. And as I’ve said from the start, this is also about Lithea’s face. They’ve done as they pleased, so we cannot show mercy. I have already ordered the Lithea Churches within those two nations to conduct their own investigations. If there are dark guilds present, the Church will have no hesitation in acting. And if, by some chance, the local Lithea Churches are complicit, then that is exactly what we need to uncover."
I see. They’ve managed to conduct internal investigations more easily than we could. Since the Church already has deep roots there, they might actually be better at this kind of intelligence gathering than we are—transmission speed aside.
"So, are you only heading there as Lithea?"
"Certainly not. They refused us while the Alliance envoys were present. I will have the Alliance envoys accompany us as well. If we were to exclude them, people would say Lithea is in league with them."
"True. I’m glad you’re keeping a cool head about that."
If she had said they were going alone, I would have stopped her, but it seems Alstaire is managing to keep her cool even while angry.
"Do you think there’s a possibility of being attacked?"
"We are sending the Lithea Holy Knight Order, and while there will be pressure... we cannot rule out the possibility of them staging an 'accident' along the way. A direct attack once we’ve entered the royal capital or the towns would be too blatant, even for them."
"I suppose. Still, you can’t rule out an attack within the city, either. If this goes wrong, it could lead to war. No matter how much they pretend to be open to dialogue, they are in a disadvantageous position—both as a nation and as a dark guild. You can’t rule out the possibility of them attacking regardless of the consequences."
"I am aware. That is why we have the Alliance envoys. With all due respect to you, Yuki-dono and Seraria-sama, they are the only ones whose combat prowess we can truly rely on."
I understand what she’s saying. For those two nations, this is the moment of truth. Whether they choose to cooperate or eliminate us will change their future forever. I wish they hadn't started this in the first place, but what’s done is done.