第１４５４堀：現場の意見をまとめるのも大事 (Part1)
Chapter 1454: Summarizing Field Opinions is Also Important
Side: Jessica
"Phew..."
I exhaled, rolling my shoulders to work out the tension.
A satisfying *crack* echoed through the room.
"Jessica, are you alright?"
"Did you break a bone?"
Stasia and Agil immediately voiced their concern.
"I'm fine. It seems my shoulders were just stiffer than I realized."
To prove I was okay, I circled my arms. The joints moved smoothly without any further popping, and seeing this, the two of them looked relieved.
"That’s a relief. I wouldn’t even know how to explain a shoulder injury sustained during administrative work."
"Indeed, I wouldn't know how to explain such a situation to the doctor, Rurua."
As they chatted, I quickly chimed in.
"Actually, while I wouldn't go so far as to call it a 'shoulder injury,' discomfort from desk work is surprisingly common."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Really?"
"Yes. You see, I am... rather well-endowed. For women like us, this kind of thing happens quite often during office work."
I puffed out my chest, which was pressed against the edge of the desk. As a result, my bust obstructed the desk, making it difficult to work.
"..."
"Ah, I see. That. Yes, I certainly have that issue as well."
Agil remained silent, but Stasia, who—while not quite as blessed as I am—still has a significant bust, seemed to relate.
"Rurua, in particular, has experienced these problems firsthand."
That’s right. Among us, she has the largest bust and has dealt with these issues the most. Therefore, explaining it to Rurua is never a problem; if I tell her my shoulders are aching from the weight, she understands immediately. Or rather...
"So, even if some abnormality were to occur in my shoulders, it wouldn't be a crisis. The important thing is the paperwork."
I turned my gaze to the laptop on the table.
"We’ve been writing reports ever since we got back. That’s why my shoulders are like this."
Yes, my stiff shoulders are undoubtedly the fault of this job. That said, these are documents detailing our actions as military personnel and envoys, so we have no choice but to push through.
"Well, that can't be helped. Our deployment was a response to a situation of that magnitude."
"Indeed. If things had gone poorly, Litea could have tilted toward collapse. Still, it’s tough to dive straight into this right after returning."
"This whole affair was truly shocking. Well, Yuki seemed to have anticipated it to some extent, but it was certainly blatant."
The reason we were buried in paperwork the moment we returned from our duties as alliance envoys was due to the series of incidents that began with the Great Outbreak. As Agil and Stasia noted, we had been deployed for the sake of another nation, and it was a situation that could have shaken the very foundations of our ally, Litea. If one of the major powers were to crumble, it could cause a rift in the alliance.
Furthermore, our assessment was that this was likely not just a natural Great Outbreak, but a planned one. In other words, it was a move that could be taken as a declaration of war against the alliance—or against Weed itself. And the fact that a Dungeon Master was involved with such a calculated enemy meant the threat level was the highest we’d ever faced. It was on par with, or perhaps even greater than, facing a god. That is precisely why we went in person and spared no effort in deploying our weaponry to bring the situation under control.
"But in the end, we’re left with almost no leads, aren't we?"
"We didn't get any solid leads, but we did succeed in defending Suls. We effectively forced Kinauf, who seemed to be colluding with the Dark Guild, to admit defeat, and we managed to restrict Ilinau’s actions. So, as a result, I think it was a success. The investigation is still ongoing, after all."
"True, as Stasia says, we didn't uncover the Dark Guild's ultimate goal, but we protected Suls and demonstrated the power of the alliance to the small regional states of Kinauf and Ilinau. That in itself is a good thing."
Calling it an "example" might sound harsh, but there is no doubt those small nations moved on their own because they thought the alliance couldn't act easily. Correcting that perception was a necessary step.
"Right. Our job in the military is annihilation of the enemy and defense. Professionally speaking, there’s no issue. Investigating the people moving in the shadows is the job of a different department. Though, if we happen to notice something while on duty, it’s our responsibility to report it."
"Indeed, I agree. Anyone who hears about the Dark Guild and the Dungeon Master’s involvement in this case would understand the gravity of it. In fact, the leaders of the alliance's major powers gathered to assess the situation at Yuki-sama’s call."
"Yes. And thanks to that, we’re now required to submit reports to the local nations as well..."
" " "Haa..." " "
The three of us sighed in unison.
In our case, we are required to provide dual reports: one for the military top brass and one for the representatives of each nation. On top of that, because of the connections to the Dungeon Master and the Dark Guild, we need reports for Weed’s internal records as well. It is, to put it mildly, an exhausting endeavor.
"We just have to do our best. It’s for our important Master."
At Agil’s words, Stasia and I nodded. There was no doubt about that. We act for Yuki. I wouldn't say that's the *only* reason, but we moved because Yuki said it had to be done. Originally, Stasia and I were Yuki’s personal guards. The idea of leaving his side is unthinkable... and that reminded me of something. Stasia seemed to have the same thought.
"Come to think of it, how are Orelia and the others doing? They were supposed to be helping with the Dark Guild investigation while we were away. Have you heard anything?"
"No, I haven't heard of any issues with the progress of the investigation or with Orelia and the others. Agil, have you heard anything?"
"Nothing on my end either. Well, if there were a problem, we’d be contacted, so I’m sure it’s fine. Besides, Yuki is quite skilled at raising people."
"Ah, that’s true."
"Indeed."
From Yuki’s perspective, he likely feels he has to teach all of us, and he doesn't believe there are any "incompetent" people. That is his stance. He often says that if you can't use someone well, it’s because you don't understand them. Speaking of which, Yayui’s aptitude for vehicles is extraordinary, and the fact that he discovered that is truly impressive. He doesn't view problems as mere problems, but as hints to find a person's strengths.
"Well, since we’ve started chatting while working out these shoulder knots, let’s go over the matters regarding the Dark Guild and the Dungeon Master once more."