第１４７０堀：色々気が付くことがある (Part2)
After all, the adversary is not merely the Dark Guild, but a Dungeon Master as well. The only correct path is to respond with our full strength.
To date, the only Dungeon Master my husband has truly clashed with is Deryu’s younger brother, Reye. Consequently, he finds himself in a position where he has no grasp on the standard theories of combat between Dungeon Masters. In fact, even gathering intelligence has proven to be a laborious task. That is precisely why he has called upon his allies to pool their wisdom and sharpen our strategy.
As for the others who heard this request...
"I understand. The Adventurer Guild is already conducting its own investigation, but I shall make inquiries on my end as well," Milly offered.
There is no denying that the Adventurer Guild holds the advantage when it comes to dungeon-related countermeasures. That said, I harbor doubts as to whether their expertise will truly suffice against an opponent of my husband's caliber. Still, it is better than remaining ignorant. We have no choice but to chip away at this, one small step at a time.
"Oh, that reminds me of the Adventurer Guild. Kate, who was sent from headquarters to investigate the Great Overflow in Suurus, is still here in Weed, hailing from the Dosou Kingdom."
"Well, it has only been a few days since she returned, and the Grand Master is still staying here, so isn't that to be expected?"
Now that he mentions it, I recall that being the case. The Adventurer Guild had sent someone who could at least be called a specialist—if only to save face. However, the Dosou Kingdom, much like our own Weed, utilizes monsters as military assets. I had been curious about them, but since we knew that if Weed were officially labeled as "dangerous," trouble would inevitably follow, the subject had rarely come up. Furthermore, the Dosou Kingdom prides itself on being the world’s foremost authority on monster taming; they, too, have kept contact to a minimum to avoid exposing their own military capabilities.
I decided to broach the subject with my husband.
"Tell me, dear, you are aware that the Dosou Kingdom is a rare nation that sustains itself through monster taming, aren't you?"
"I am. They’ve managed to train monsters that usually require constant care to the point where they can be used in warfare, and they even possess aerial units like wyverns and griffins, right?"
"Exactly. That is why, despite being a small nation, they carry a certain weight in international discourse and cannot be underestimated."
"I imagine so. Being attacked from directly overhead is a nuisance beyond measure."
"As for Kate herself, based on the reports from Wazu and Hivia, she seems to be nothing more than a researcher with a penchant for monsters. But if we were to go to her home country..."
I trailed off, casting a glance toward Milly.
"Yes. We might find information regarding the Great Overflow. They have a deeper accumulation of data on monster movements and ecology than Weed does. If we have her sit in on the report to the Grand Master, we might learn something relevant to our visit. The matter of the rare species seems to involve monsters as well, after all."
"Ah... you have a point there."
"Rare monsters, you say... I have heard of such things, indeed."
"You have?"
"Only rumors. Though, monsters of extreme ferocity were confirmed quite recently on the road to Liliana’s Last Kingdom—things like high-ranking Treants and Man-eaters."
"Ah, the kind of powerful monsters you find on the way to the Demon Lord’s castle."
"Precisely. To me, they are no longer a threat, but traversing that land with a small party and no military escort is truly a harrowing ordeal. It is a demon’s realm, in every sense. As for the rumored monsters I am aware of, there is the Golden Horned Rabbit, perhaps?"
"...Is that as literal as it sounds?"
"Yes. Milly, you have heard of it too, haven't you?"
"I have. It is said to be a variant of the Horned Rabbit, with horns made of solid gold. I have never seen one myself, though."
"If there are rumors, it would not be strange for the Dark Guild to know of them as well. Is it possible that the Dark Guild has a presence in the Dosou Kingdom—a place we in Weed have had little to do with until now...?"
My husband fell into deep thought, then lifted his head and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.
"The hour is late. For now, if anything else comes to mind, report it to me. Fiora and I are always ready to listen. That is enough of these stiff discussions for today. Shall we prepare dinner together?"
And with that, the long meeting came to an end. Pursuing the Dark Guild seems like a daunting task, but I was reminded once again that investigating them step by step is vital.
And so...
"What shall we have for dinner tonight?"
Should we make something simple, since everyone will be helping? Thinking of such things, I made my way home.
As is always the case, Yuki is not an omnipotent genius. He merely utilizes the knowledge he possesses, so oversights are inevitable. That is precisely why he prefers the "sieve" strategy—gathering opinions from everyone to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.