第１４６６堀：会議その６ 知らない部署があったりする (Part1)
Chapter 1466: Meeting Part 6 – There Are Departments I Didn't Know Existed
Side: Comet
Well, well. We’re participating in this grand meeting because it includes status reports, but the opening segment sure is long.
That’s not a complaint, just a fact—and it’s not exactly boring, either.
It’s good for understanding the original objectives and the overall movements of Weed.
If anything, you can only plan your future actions if you know the current state of Weed.
Personally, I found the reports on military reinforcement quite interesting, as far as I’ve heard.
Since the Great Flood happened the way it did, a countermeasure unit is essential.
That said, it’s not something you can just expand overnight; it requires detailed discussion.
The number of personnel mobilized will change depending on the dungeon we’re facing, after all...
Yeah, even just thinking about it off the cuff, there are so many factors—weapons, supplies, training periods—that I’m sure Yuki, who manages it all, along with Seraria at the top and Steve, the head of the Monster Army, must be having a truly rough time.
And then there’s the navy led by Dressa, and the human units under the command of Quar.
Seeing all this makes me realize once again that I’m not cut out for organizational management.
And what I find even more daunting is...
“Understood. Then... the Accounting Department report.”
“Yes.”
Here we go.
The Accounting Department, the keepers of Weed’s purse strings.
The current department head is Tiffany, known as Teffa, but since this is a meeting of key figures, she isn’t present...
“Then, in Teffa’s stead, I, Eris, shall provide the report.”
Ah, the first-generation Accounting Department head, Eris.
When it comes to money, she’s even stricter than Teffa.
Well, Teffa is a key figure too, but since this is essentially an internal meeting, it’s not the kind of talk you’d want the Accounting Department to be privy to.
Hence, Eris is here instead.
“Regarding the report from the Accounting Department: since we did not implement any specific measures during the onset of the Great Flood, there have been no particular delays.”
Eris states this flatly.
And indeed, she’s right.
The Accounting Department’s job is to hold and distribute Weed’s total funds, calculate to ensure there are no discrepancies, have each department use those funds, collect expense reports, and verify that there is no fraud in those documents.
That is all they do.
Well, that “all” is incredibly difficult, though.
Money is absolutely essential for running a country or an organization.
It is someone’s salary, and it is the means to survive.
In Weed, in particular, the monetary system is the foundation; barter is almost non-existent.
You cannot live without money.
And the money used to run Weed is contributed by the citizens.
That’s what we call taxes.
So, it is precious money.
It cannot be wasted. The people working in accounting understand that.
Of course, there are always people who try to cook the books to get money, but that’s true everywhere.
Anyway, I’m digressing—the point is that their work is just that difficult.
Even if they aren’t doing anything else, it’s a department where just doing that job properly is vital.
Or so I thought, but...
“However, there were emergency expenditures due to this incident, so we will need to discuss how to compensate for those outlays at a later date.”
Ah, yes.
That’s exactly right.
The military and weapons mobilized for the Great Flood, the accompanying supplies, the relief goods, and the expenses incurred during negotiations—those are all emergency expenditures.
We’ve already built buildings for the International Exchange School, increased districts to accommodate the escorts of exchange students, and added more people, so this year’s budget must be astronomical.
It must have been incredibly taxing for the Accounting Department.
Adding this on top of that... it’s definitely a headache.
“I see. You’re right. The question is how to handle the expenses from the Great Flood...”
“For now, according to the initial plan, we’ll cover it from the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance’s investment funds, right? Or perhaps the sponsorship money they were so eager to provide?”
“If we discuss that here, we’ll never finish, so we’ll do it another day. In any case, since Weed is acting on behalf of the Alliance, if we don’t compensate for it, people will start suspecting all sorts of things. We need to discuss it thoroughly later.”
True enough.
Well, I know Weed’s financial situation.
The weapons and ammunition mobilized for this Great Flood were worn down, but we didn’t lose the soldiers or the weapons themselves.
We can replenish them easily.
We built forts, but considering the DP we gain from the scale of Weed, that’s trivial.
In other words, it’s not a financial blow at all.
If anything, the cost of the shells fired by the experimental weapons we introduced during the New Year’s Holly was higher.
Still, just because we can afford it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask for payment; otherwise, the Alliance loses its meaning, and we lose face.
It would look like Weed was the only one doing the saving.
Nobody wants that.
That’s why the fact that we used the investment funds serves as proof that the Alliance acted together.
Yeah, I get it, but I don’t really understand the optimal solution for the amounts.
I’ll leave it to them. Just give me the research budget, please.
“Understood. We’ll leave that for another day. Alright, next, the Resident Department and the Information Department, please.”
“Yes. I, Prol, shall provide the report.”
The little one sitting next to Yuki steps forward.
She’s so sharp and efficient when she’s working.
Well, it’s her private life, so it’s not my place to say anything.
Now, let’s see the reports from the Resident and Information Departments.
“First, regarding the Resident Department: with the start of the International Exchange School led by the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, applications for immigration and temporary residence have increased. There was a temporary delay in processing, but that has been resolved by increasing staff. Regarding the Information Department, it is also operating normally. We are gathering information from both inside and outside Weed, and there is no talk of anyone directly targeting Weed. Ah, if I had to mention a minor matter, we have caught another fool who was using Yuki-sama’s name to commit crimes. That is about it.”
Ah, I heard about that.
Some idiot was swindling money by pretending to be Yuki or from the Sword Country.
And I heard Yayui and her group took the lead in catching them.
I thought, “They’re working hard.”
But I was also impressed that such pathetic people appear everywhere.
And that there are people who actually get swindled, too.
Well, I suppose that’s just how the world works.
Anyway, that’s fine; the Resident and Information Departments have no particular issues.
“Thanks, Prol. Keep up the good work.”
“Yes.”
“Alright, as for the other departments...”
“The other departments in the General Government Building will be reported collectively by Narjia-san.”
“Oh? Narjia-san is summarizing them?”
“No, that’s not it. For the other departments, already-trained personnel like Prol are summarizing them. Narjia-san and Eris are just here to report on behalf of those departments today.”