第１４４４堀：静かな夜 (Part2)
"Ah, so if they retreat, it's a net gain, is that it?"
"Precisely. If they realize the situation and pull back, we pursue. If they ignore that and attempt to lay a hand on the ladies, we secure them. It’s as simple as that."
I mused on that thought while watching the screen, observing the intelligence operatives as they departed the room. It seemed the investigation had concluded. Since half of them were moving in tandem with members of the dark guild, it was safe to assume they had made their captures without incident.
And, since I had noticed it, the next step was only natural...
"Investigation unit withdrawal confirmed. Remain vigilant for any trackers. ...It appears there are none. Steve, Surakichi-san, please maintain your watch for another hour. While there don't seem to be any tails, there is a possibility the enemy might realize what's happening and make a move."
"Understood."
"Hah, perhaps I might have rested sooner if there had been a bit more of a commotion."
"Unfortunately, the shift end time remains the same regardless. We never know when the situation might change. I leave the watch to you until dawn. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a group of captives to interrogate."
With that, the connection with Kirika cut off.
*Whoosh...*
In its place, the night wind blew, carrying the rustle of grass across the plains to my ears. It was an unnervingly quiet night.
"...Staying awake like this is tough, isn't it?"
"You brought caffeine and the like, didn't you? Don't you dare actually fall asleep."
Surakichi-san’s warning reached my ears, but with the tension of the mission fading, a heavy drowsiness began to pull at me. My body temperature was being kept perfectly regulated by magic, after all. The only real discomfort was the grass beneath me; otherwise, it was just a matter of whether I could stay awake or not...
"Hey, your consciousness level is dropping. If you do, I'm going to smear Comet’s 'alarm clock' wasabi in your eyes."
"That stuff is lethal, you know."
It wasn't the kind of thing you used for a joke. It was the kind of pain that felt like having a knife driven into your body. It made no sense for food to be that dangerous. I’d thought it was just a prank and tried it on my subordinates, and they had ended up rolling on the floor in agony.
"It's fine. We're working in a three-man cell, after all. If I drift off, the others will cover for me."
"No, stick to the scheduled rotation."
A sharp retort came my way, but I chose to pretend I hadn't heard it. This was what one might call an unforeseen circumstance. After all, they were making me do paperwork via the call screen even though I wasn't at a desk—they were absolute demons. I felt I deserved at least this much leeway.
Setting aside the risk of nodding off, we never performed surveillance alone; we always operated in teams. Otherwise, we’d never get a break. We weren't exactly solo mercenaries, after all.
"The scheduled rotation, huh..."
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's just... wild monsters don't really care about schedules, do they?"
"Well, they aren't exactly moving according to a pre-planned agenda."
"Some are sleeping peacefully under this night sky, while others are out on the prowl, aren't they?"
I looked up at the night sky, suddenly veiled by clouds. The moon was obscured, visible only as a hazy glow, and the visibility was far from ideal. Even on a night like this, monsters were living their lives, staking their existence on every moment.
"Well, I suppose monsters are a varied bunch."
"Don't you think we've lost our freedom?"
"You're reaping plenty of benefits in exchange, aren't you? What is this, a sudden desire to return to the wild?"
"No, that's not it. On my days off, I want to sleep in a real bed, eat good food, and chat with the shopkeepers in town."
"So, what's your point?"
"Well, in conclusion... it's just boring."
We spent the quiet night exchanging such trivialities.
"And besides, idle chatter is fine, but Captain, what flavor of ramen do you want for a midnight snack?"
"Oh, seafood for me."
"You say you're bored, but you're clearly enjoying yourself, aren't you? Oh, and by the way, I'll take curry."
It’s surreal, even now, to think of Surakichi-san eating cup ramen. Fierce battles were being waged elsewhere, yet here, all was quiet. That is simply how the world works. While we sleep, the world keeps turning.