第１４５０堀：改めて闇ギルドとの関わりについて (Part2)
"I understand the situation, but isn't it counterproductive to keep being stalled like this?"
Based on Stasia’s explanation, their goal—whether through causing harm or simple obstruction—was clearly to gather intelligence on us. That meant there was no need for us to be lounging around here, engaging in idle chatter.
"Indeed. However, simply repelling the Dark Guild’s attacks leaves us with no real intel. To uncover their true objectives, Yuki and Kirika have decided to intentionally allow themselves to be ambushed, so we can observe the enemy's reaction."
"Ah, I see. So that’s why you’re keeping the high-ranking members alive?"
"Exactly. We’ve already managed to infiltrate their bases and gather information with ease, so there’s no merit in killing or capturing them outright. It’s far more efficient to keep them alive and bleed them for every scrap of information they have."
"Once we neutralize them, the rest of the Dark Guild will inevitably grow wary. It’s standard practice for these types to vanish the moment a plan fails. Even if we captured the executives, they’d likely destroy all evidence the moment their scheduled check-ins were missed."
"And if that happens, we’d be back to square one, hunting for leads on the guild’s associates. I believe Ria understands better than anyone how Yuki and the others intend to proceed."
"Yeah. If it’s Yuki-san and the others, they’ll definitely catch the enemy by the tail here. I wonder... have they really caused us that much trouble?"
It occurred to me, albeit a bit late, to wonder just how deep our involvement with the Dark Guild actually went. My musing caused everyone else to fall into the same train of thought.
"True. Well, to say they’ve inconvenienced Weed directly is perhaps a stretch, but there is the matter of Lyushi, isn't there?"
Deryu said this with a thoughtful expression, and we all tapped our palms in realization.
"That’s right. The Lyushi incident was the start of our connection with the Dark Guild."
I felt satisfied with that answer, but for some reason, Agil and the others muttered about whether it really started there, even as they nodded...
"I see. So, they haven't actually laid a hand on Weed directly."
"No wonder the impression was so faint. I mean, even for Roschur and Gartz, who were the parties involved, it was just a territorial dispute, and more than that..."
"It was a matter of village interests, so we couldn't really intervene. Their stance was merely punishing those who opposed the village. Even so, the bandits were subjugated and the village chiefs who colluded with them were punished... that was the extent of it."
"Um?"
The reaction from everyone was much more muted than I had anticipated. As I wondered why, Deryu offered an explanation.
"Look, Ria, you asked if they had caused us trouble, right? That is the answer. Weed itself has suffered no harm. Regarding Lyushi, it was simply a favor for a merchant who had helped you, and while the Dark Guild was indeed involved in the border dispute between Roschur and Gartz, the scale was minor. To put it bluntly, while 'border dispute' sounds like a grand affair, it was merely about the jurisdiction of a village. To a nation, the tax revenue doesn't change much over one or two small villages. Of course, securing them is a result, but..."
"Right, unless it’s a major town, it’s not exactly a massive achievement. More importantly, if handled poorly, it could escalate into a full-blown conflict between nations, drawing in the royal families. Changing established borders just because of a village's preference requires a great deal of maneuvering behind the scenes."
"And no nation would desire such a thing. While it’s said the lords pulled some strings, no evidence has ever surfaced."
It was true; the nations currently allied with us had no desire to be hostile toward Weed. Nor did they have any reason to look at us with suspicion. Above all, Roschur and Gartz were among the first nations to have contact with Yuki-san; they should know him well enough by now.
"In other words, all we know is that people who look like Dark Guild members were likely working on the village and the bandits."
"I see. That’s why I was so confused."
Thanks to that, I finally understood why I had been tilting my head in doubt. As it stood, they hadn't actually picked a fight with us head-on.
"So, this time, we learned via Litea that the Dark Guild was moving with a specific purpose—business or otherwise—involving smaller nations. For Weed, it was about ensuring Lyushi’s safety, and we couldn't afford to have the foundations of our allies shaken. And since there’s a convenient source of information right in front of us, we’re letting them move. Which is why, soon..."
Just as Agil began to speak, a message arrived from Yuki-san. We exchanged glances.
"Indeed. It seems the higher-ups, Yuki and the others, have reached a decision."
And so, we prepared to hear the plans for the future. It was true, when I thought about it carefully, the Dark Guild hadn't exactly declared war on Weed. Perhaps, from their perspective, they had intended to move quietly, keeping their distance from us all along?
Well, perhaps we would find out once we started tracking them...