第１４６９堀：大氾濫起こってからの全体の流れのまとめと調査結果 (Part2)
That said, installing someone else at the helm to launch a new department, coordinating with the relevant parties, and securing personnel would inevitably lead to significant delays. Furthermore, it’s doubtful whether such a new department would be provided with honest, unfiltered information.
Above all, this type of investigation requires a certain intuition—a "knack" for the work—and my wives and allies are already stretched to their limits. Dealing with the secrets of the Dark Guilds and Dungeon Masters is a task that can only be entrusted to those at the very core of our circle. Dark Guilds are one thing, but when it comes to Dungeon Masters, I am the only one truly suited for the job. While there are other Dungeon Masters like Comet, Reye, and Arwin, they lack the necessary connections and established trust with other nations.
Reflecting on it once more, it seems my "slacking off" is simply not an option.
"That concludes the summary of movements within Weed since the Great Stampede occurred."
Surprisingly, it was Yayui who delivered that line. It seems her stage fright is steadily being cured—a welcome development indeed.
"Thank you, Yayui. Next, please."
"Yes. Next, I will cover what Weed has investigated and uncovered during this Great Stampede."
This is where the real business begins. Everything up until now was merely the premise. I listened intently, ensuring I didn't miss a single detail. Even so, things might slip through the cracks, but it is far better to have this information refreshed now than to leave it unexamined.
* **Regarding the cause of the Great Stampede:** After investigating the point of origin, nothing was discovered. Litea and the Adventurer Guild have judged the cause to be unknown. However, based on my own perspective, the very fact that there was no evidence left behind *is* the evidence; I have proposed that a Dungeon Master must have been involved.
* **Regarding the Dark Guilds:** We have confirmed that Dark Guilds infiltrated both the Kinauf and Irinau nations, and it appears they were lending their strength to both countries in some capacity. As for the investigation, we are nearing a conclusion in Kinauf, while the situation in Irinau remains ongoing.
* **Details on the infiltrating Dark Guilds:** We identified one executive and fifteen guild members. The executive is a former adventurer turned merchant who holds a headquarters in a small nation under Litea’s umbrella. The remaining fifteen were found to have entered Irinau posing as adventurers. Eight of them were identified as having become adventurers only after the headquarters in Rumel was destroyed.
* **Current movements of the Dark Guilds:** We are keeping the executive under surveillance as they return to what we suspect is their base. The other members are also returning to various locations with the money and goods plundered from Irinau; we are tracking them as well.
* **The aftermath of the Irinau public unrest:** The rioting populace faced no particular punishment and dispersed after the Alliance envoys departed. There has been no notable movement regarding the disappearance of funds from the national treasury.
* **Regarding the Dark Guilds' funding sources:** This incident revealed they possess enough financial power to influence two nations to a certain degree, so we are currently probing their revenue streams. The primary suspect is the slave trade. Since the formation of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, the value of slaves has risen, and rare races in particular have seen their prices skyrocket, making this a highly suspicious area.
"That concludes what we have gathered and what we currently know. Also, regarding that final point about revenue sources, it was the military—Agil and her associates—who first took notice."
As Prol finished, all eyes turned toward Agil and the others.
"Well, our primary mission in the field is to execute orders. We don't engage in idle speculation. Besides, tracking the flow of funds? That’s not something we can do while we're on the front lines."
"Indeed. For a soldier, the most important thing is to fulfill the mission assigned to them. Of course, if our lord is in immediate danger, the priorities shift, but..."
As Agil and Stasia pointed out, it is true that:
"This matter was not of such high priority that we could abandon our duties. More importantly, the credibility of this slave trade theory only gained weight because of the information provided by Rower. What we had was merely a hunch..."
As Jessica noted, the information provided by Rower was instrumental in identifying the slave trade as a funding source.
"Um, I understand that Rower-sama’s information pointed to the slave trade, but what was this 'hunch' you mentioned?"
Shera asked, looking puzzled. She was right to ask. While it’s plausible that the slave trade is a source of funds, it isn't immediately clear how that connects to the Great Stampede.
"I'll leave that to you, Fiora."
"Yes. I shall explain. And since the purpose of this meeting is to reach a deeper understanding of these insights, I would like everyone to give it some thought."
Thus began the explanation of why we are focusing on the slave trade. This is what was unfolding amidst the chaos of the Great Stampede. Has everyone managed to grasp the situation?