第１４５９堀：分けて考えよう (Part1)
Chapter 1459: Let’s Consider Them Separately
Side: Eris
After sending Ratz off and returning to the school to continue my work, I found myself summoned back with surprising ease.
As I listened to Ratz recount the information she had gathered from Lowell, I caught sight of Orelia and the others preparing tea and snacks. It struck me once again just how elevated my position had become, and as I pondered this...
"Eris, is something the matter? Is there an issue with Orelia and the others?"
Perhaps noticing my gaze, Ratz posed the question.
"It’s not that there’s a problem. It’s just..."
"Just?"
"I was thinking that, until not too long ago, we were the ones in that position."
"Ah."
Having grasped the meaning behind my words, Ratz looked over at Orelia and the others with a similar expression.
"Helping out by Yuki-san’s side. Thinking back on it now, we were stretched thin back then too, but even that feels like it was easier than this, doesn't it?"
"That’s true. Well, at this point, being an attendant to Yuki-san is, in a sense, a reward in itself."
"Mhm, mhm."
As we were chatting like that, Agil, who was standing nearby, chimed in.
"Now, now, what are you two talking about? I understand the envy, but we’re here for a serious discussion."
"Oh, come on. The talk hasn't even started yet, so what’s the harm? Besides, Agil, you enjoy that sort of thing too, don't you?"
"Well, sure. But I wouldn't be so blatant about it. Anyway, I’m going to force a change of subject: hearing what Lowell had to say, does anything come to mind?"
It was a truly forceful change of topic, but since there was no point in dragging out the previous conversation, I decided to go along with it.
"Let’s see... It is true that the fluctuations in the slave trade had caught my eye. However, I had assumed those were simply the results of the current situation. As for the alarming reports of robberies and murders, I honestly haven't heard anything. If it were that kind of matter, the ones directly involved in the buying and selling of goods..."
I shifted my gaze toward Ratz.
The most I can do is track the flow of funds; as for the slave trade, robberies, or murders, I honestly don't have much of a connection to those.
"Hmm. To be honest, I’m in the same boat. The reason is simple. While I do have a hand in the slave trade, I deal with reputable parties—As-san and his associates, for instance—and they don't buy from people who try to force exorbitant prices on them. As for the robberies and murders, those aren't happening in our own country, either. If something like that were to happen in Weed, we’d know immediately, but according to Lowell, these incidents occurred in the towns of small nations and their surrounding areas. That kind of information doesn't reach me."
"When you put it that way, I suppose that’s true. In that case, we need to find someone who would know about those kinds of incidents..."
Just as Agil was saying that, Yuki-san returned to the conference room, accompanied by Milly.
"When it comes to incidents in towns of other countries, inquiring through official government channels is a one-way ticket to a headache. That’s where the Adventurer Guild comes in."
"I see," we all said in unison.
"Um, what’s the situation? I heard from Yuki-san that there was something you wanted to ask regarding the adventurers, but looking at the members—Seraria, Eris, Ratz, Agil, Jessica, and Stasia—this is quite the gathering of Weed’s heavy hitters."
"I’ll explain that now."
Prompted by Seraria, Milly sat down quietly. Hovis immediately brought out tea.
"Thank you. So? What happened?"
"It started when Agil and the others came to talk to my husband..."
And so, I explained the circumstances leading up to this point to Milly.
"I see. We certainly did overlook something. For even Yuki-san not to notice, it must be quite something."
"Indeed. Well, I don't know for certain if that’s truly the case, but I hadn't considered the possibility that the Great Flood and the invasions of other countries were being used as a smokescreen."
Yuki-san was right; as a smokescreen, the scale of their actions was far too massive.
It wasn't just us; even the allied nations had been watching the situation closely. That is how much caution is exercised regarding the appearance of a dungeon and the subsequent Great Flood. Furthermore, there had been movements to seize countries by taking advantage of that chaos, so it wouldn't be strange to think that the Dark Guild and the Dungeon Masters had been acting against Weed and the alliance all along.
But with Agil’s realization and Lowell’s testimony...
"So they did all this just to fund the Dark Guild..."
The possibility had indeed surfaced.
"To verify this, could we gather information through the Adventurer Guild to see if there are any reports like the ones Lowell mentioned? If we were to ask around through Weed or the major powers, the lords of those towns and villages might resort to a cover-up, and even if we investigated..."
"Indeed, if we moved so blatantly, the Dark Guild would surely notice. In that case, it would be better to move as part of the information gathering the Adventurer Guild already conducts; that way, we won't raise any alarms. I’ll make sure to instruct them to look into illegal slave traders, or those whose sales figures are suspiciously high."
"I’m counting on you. That said, it’s hard to believe that the Dark Guild and the Dungeon Masters moved solely for financial gain. They must have had the intention of taking down Suurus if the opportunity arose."
Everyone nodded at Yuki-san’s words.
It was clear from their actions that they were moving to secure funds, but it was obvious that without Weed and the alliance, Suurus would have been devastated by the Great Flood and annexed by Kinauf and Irinau.
"For now, we should consider the Dark Guild’s funding sources and the occurrence of the Great Flood as separate issues. They are connected behind the scenes, but there shouldn't be a direct link."
"May I ask for the basis of that conclusion?" Stasia asked.
The possibility that they caused the Great Flood for money shouldn't be zero. It was a point of concern why he felt the connection was so thin.
"Let’s see. First, let me ask you, Eris: would you start a war or a Great Flood just to earn money? Even with the abilities of a Dungeon Master?"
I was caught off guard by the sudden question, but I could answer Yuki-san’s inquiry immediately.
"That is impossible. The money gained from starting a war or a Great Flood is trivial. Even if you prepare, actually set things in motion, and manage to increase your territory, the costs of maintaining it will drain your funds. Therefore, trying to acquire territory for the sake of financial gain requires a timeframe of years or decades. It has been about five years since the headquarters of the Dark Guild was destroyed, and even now, they have no country to serve as a foundation for earnings, nor do they have the organizational strength. Trying to conquer other countries under such conditions is far too unreasonable."
That’s right. The idea that they caused a Great Flood and assisted in the violation of a neighboring country’s territory just for money was simply too far-fetched.