第１４７４堀：有名な場所に人がいるとは限らない (Part1)
Chapter 1474: A Famous Spot Doesn't Guarantee a Crowd
Side: Taiki
"I came here expecting a barbecue, so why on earth am I standing in a pitch-black meadow...?"
I, Taiki, muttered this to myself while gazing up at a night sky where the breeze felt surprisingly pleasant.
Today, I had planned to just finish my work and relax, but then Yuki-san asked if I wanted to grab some barbecue. I ended up in Weed, and before I knew it, I was dragged into this.
"Well, we've already received our compensation. We have no choice but to see it through."
Taizo-san said this as he placed a hand on my shoulder. He happened to be present when I received the summons and ended up joining the barbecue, which naturally led to him accompanying me on this infiltration mission.
Still...
"It’s something I was interested in anyway. It’s not like I’m being forced, so don't you worry about it."
Since he’s here of his own volition, there’s no problem at all.
"Spirits, huh... Do you think we’ll actually meet one just by showing up?"
"Who knows. But following precedent isn't a bad idea. In terms of setting the conditions, it’s no different from scientific verification."
"Ah, when you put it that way, I suppose you're right."
My current visit to the Saintess’s Spring in Suurus is for the express purpose of meeting the Water Spirit. I should have made this visit long ago, but between the Great Flood, the invasion by two nations, and various other complications, it kept getting pushed back.
"But this visit is unofficial, right? I mean, 'unofficial' is putting it lightly—this is basically illegal entry, isn't it?"
The problem is that we haven't notified the Suurus side at all about this midnight excursion. Even for an unofficial visit, one would usually send word through back channels, but we haven't even done that.
"It can't be helped. There’s a possibility that the Dark Guild might catch wind of our intent to meet the spirit. They might have even been the ones who came to interfere with it in the first place."
"Haa... I suppose so."
I heard it while we were eating: there was speculation that the Dark Guild was behind the Great Flood because the laws regarding slavery enacted by the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance were cutting into their profits.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. Since the founding of Weed, the slave market has undergone a complete transformation. For a Dark Guild that had been profiting from the shadows, that would have been a massive blow.
If the trade of rare races were halted, it would be an even greater disaster for them. It’s entirely plausible that they incited the Great Flood to have Suurus conquered by two nations with ties to the Dark Guild, either to make it easier to traffic rare races or to acquire slaves from the resulting war.
Considering the speed of the original military march, Suurus would have likely fallen, so it’s not an impossible theory—which is what makes it so unsettling.
That’s exactly why we had to act so quickly, but...
"Is it possible they’ve already been taken away?"
"It’s not out of the question. Well, if that’s the case, that’s useful information in itself. It would mean we’ve identified the Dark Guild’s objective."
"You’re very optimistic. Even though it feels like we’re playing catch-up. By the way, what’s the status on tracking the executives?"
"They’re still being tracked. More importantly, they haven't returned to their base yet. They don't have a Gate."
"Ah... I suppose that’s true. Wait, wouldn't they normally use a Gate in a situation like this?"
Even for the Dark Guild, not using such a convenient mode of transportation seems irrational. I thought they were a massive organization precisely because they had that kind of flexibility...
"Unfortunately, there’s a possibility that the enemy has a Dungeon Master. If they use a Gate, they’d be captured immediately. They’re very thorough about that. But, strangely enough, we’ve never caught them doing that even once."
"Eh? This is the first I’m hearing of—well, not the first. But the surveillance on the Gates is strict. Does that mean the Dark Guild is avoiding them because they’re wary of us?"
"Likely. It’s almost too suspicious that they haven't been caught even once. Still, they can always gather information through merchants or other foreign spies, so it’s not like they’re completely cut off. In fact, those types have likely already infiltrated."
"I see. That makes sense for gathering information. But is it really okay for the Dark Guild’s own movements to be so sluggish?"
"Who knows. I’m not the head of the Dark Guild. But they were crushed once, and all their related organizations were wiped out right along with them. It wouldn't be strange for them to be this cautious."
It’s true; ever since their headquarters in Rumel was destroyed, every related entity has been systematically hunted down. That would certainly make them cautious about building a new one.
Hm? Something feels off...
"Uh, wait a second. That means they haven't used a Gate even once since the network was opened, right?"
"Yeah."
"Doesn't that imply there was a Dungeon Master on their side from the very beginning? They would have had to know the dangers of using the Gates."
That’s right. If they weren't wary, they might have come. The Dark Guild exists everywhere on the Rogari Continent. Especially in the slums, it wouldn't be strange for them to be there.
"Probably. They didn't get caught moving from the slums of Litea, either."
"So they’ve been working together since back then?"
"That’s a difficult judgment to make. Nowadays, there’s a general understanding that dungeons are safe, but until recently, they were just dangerous caves where only adventurers could make a living. And since it was an immigration of sorts, it’s hard to imagine the Dark Guild guys going out of their way to live as refugees..."
"Ah, so it comes down to whether they’d go out of their way to abandon their base in Litea, right?"
"Exactly. And besides, while it was around the time the Rumel headquarters was destroyed, it was almost simultaneous. Just because the headquarters was destroyed doesn't mean the word would get out and they’d be wiped out immediately. Communication is still done by horse, like with the executives now."
"So communication was poor, and there wasn't much coordination with other countries."
"Exactly. Plus, it was a time of trouble involving the Demon King and the Saintess. Ah, come to think of it, the Dark Guild was likely involved in those troubles too. Litea was on the verge of internal collapse. In that situation, immigrating to a dungeon..."
"They wouldn't go. It was a time to make money, and even if they were fleeing, a dungeon wouldn't be the place. Plus, with other countries involved, it would be like walking straight into an enemy trap."
It would be the worst possible place to hide. Actually, as was the case in Rumel, the Dark Guild thrives when there’s political strife. They’re a huge nuisance, though.
As we were discussing this...
"Boss, Taiki-san, Taizo-san. We’ve received word from the drones and the scout team. There’s no sign of anyone in the area. Not a single trace."
"Nothing? This is the water source that caused such an uproar, right? They don't have any soldiers stationed here?"
Yuki-san peered into the monitor, his voice filled with surprise.