第１４５９堀：分けて考えよう (Part2)
"I understand what Eris is saying, but that assumes conventional methods, doesn't it? The enemy can construct dungeons. If they leverage that, wouldn't seizing territory or triggering a Great Stampede be relatively low-cost?"
"Stasia is right; once a dungeon is constructed and its operations are on track, that is indeed the case. However, the dangers of dungeons have already been broadcast by Weed, and the Adventurer Guild understands them well."
"Ah."
Stasia seemed to realize it with those words.
"So that’s how it is. It means that if a dungeon appears or is conquered without Weed’s involvement, there’s no telling what might happen, right?"
"Exactly. Well, if it’s a dungeon that has existed for a long time, it might be slightly better. But above all, the majority of dungeons on the Rogari Continent are those under Yuki’s jurisdiction."
That’s right. The safety of the dungeons on the Rogari Continent was verified urgently once Yuki, a Dungeon Master, appeared on the scene. Or rather, we seized control of them ourselves. If we hadn't, it would mean having dungeons within our borders that could erupt at any moment. For those tasked with protecting the nation, that is nothing but a nuisance.
Currently, the Dungeon Masters cooperating with us are Reye, Deryu’s younger brother, and Irwin, who had ties to the Kingdom of Swords. Along with Yuki, who acts as the coordinator, these three manage the vast majority of the dungeons on the Rogari Continent.
That said, they aren't recklessly interfering with anything. Dungeons are places where resources well up and serve as financial sources. Therefore, we simply verify their safety and leave them as they are. And so...
"Even if they possess a dungeon whose safety hasn't been verified, they can't turn it into a source of funding."
The response shifted from me to Milly. When it comes to the detailed situation surrounding dungeons, the Adventurer Guild knows best.
"It’s just that it’s difficult to work with. There are still dungeons that haven't finished safety verification, and those are said to have the value of a 'get-rich-quick' scheme. That said, the danger level of a newly discovered dungeon is unknown, and since there aren't many adventurers willing to tackle them lightly, even if one exists, the probability of it becoming a graveyard is high."
"So it’s a question of whether the risk is worth it? But if they are operating a dungeon, couldn't they produce items freely?"
"They certainly can, but the DP that serves as the foundation requires people coming and going. If it isn't known to a certain extent, there’s no income, and it dries up."
As Milly says, even if one thinks to earn money from an anonymous dungeon, there is no initial capital, so there is nothing to be done. Even this Weed was scraping by at first... it only gained some breathing room after we started working with the soldiers of Roschur.
"Well, that’s why using a dungeon for fundraising isn't very realistic. It would be a different story if the Dark Guild or a Dungeon Master had been active before I arrived, but there aren't any towns built around large-scale dungeons, are there?"
"I haven't heard of anything like that."
"Which means this: the enemy released their accumulated DP, funds, and supplies to trigger a Great Stampede for the sake of money. If the operation had actually succeeded, they might have balanced the books, but it failed. Whether it succeeds or fails, considering the current scale of the Dark Guild, it’s difficult. We can infer that they didn't trigger the Great Stampede solely for the sake of money."
Everyone nodded at Yuki’s words. Indeed, given the current state of the Dark Guild, there doesn't seem to be much reason to go to such lengths to secure funds, especially when it risks their own necks. It would still be better to simply carry out illegal transactions or requests.
"So, I will bring this up in the progress report on the Dark Guild after the break, but I’m going to treat the motive for the Great Stampede and the financial scheme as separate matters for now, so keep that in mind. Also, if you notice anything else, come talk to me like Agil and the others did. Ah, I’ll be holding the Dark Guild progress report a day after the break ends, so if you think of anything, bring it up then."
Yuki added at the end that we don't need to work during our time off. Yes, that’s important. It was fine because it was a summons from Yuki and the others, but if it had been a summons from another department, I would have been furious.
It seems best to consider the Great Stampede and the financial scheme as separate issues. It seems unreasonable to think they did it just to earn money. After all, you need money to fight, too.