第１４７９堀：物は有限である (Part2)
"Oh, how sharp. Though, I think we can both guess why they wouldn't do that..."
"Indeed. In all likelihood, the person in question doesn't know the details themselves."
"““Huh?””"
Once again, Orelia and the others gasped, their mouths agape at Lady Lowell’s observation. While they were still reeling, Yuki continued his explanation.
"Most stories about this kind of treasure are fabrications. If they aren't, it’s because the loot has already been spirited away. Considering that only the former princess is being sold off this time, one has to wonder what became of the rest of her cohorts."
"Now that you mention it, we haven't heard... does that mean...?"
"Exactly. I suspect Fiora is right. They haven't been caught yet. They squandered the national budget on their own hedonistic whims and then fled. Do you really think people like that would leave any treasure behind? And would they even bother sharing such information with a princess who got herself captured?"
"““……””"
They wanted to deny such a cruel hypothesis, but they couldn't.
"Well, nine times out of ten, it’s misinformation meant to throw debt collectors off the scent. It draws attention to the princess and might squeeze a bit of coin out of the situation. That said, when you consider the labor, time, and money required to hunt down that phantom treasure, the slave traders likely figured it was more profitable to just sell her off as a 'beautiful girl who knows the location of a fortune.' But, to return to the main point: the country hosting this auction isn't the one that collapsed. It’s being held in a different nation entirely. While the state isn't the primary organizer... well, with this much publicity, the government is undoubtedly involved. More than anything, slave trading implies a drain on human resources for the surrounding nations. If they’re turning a blind eye to it, it means they anticipate a profit that outweighs the loss."
"Ah, I see. If the country is profiting from the slave trade, it means they aren't the ones being harvested."
"Likely. They know their own citizens aren't the ones being sold, so they’re probably just collecting venue fees and taxes."
"I understand. They provide the marketplace and reap the rewards. It’s a cynical business model, but given that they have the attention of all the great powers, I suppose it’s effective."
It came with a built-in advertising campaign, after all. And, if one were to add to that...
"It’s also convenient that they can trade slaves without adhering to the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance treaty. Since they’re a non-member nation, you and your people can’t intervene—and even if you did, there’s little you could actually accomplish. Besides, this country is relatively cooperative with the Alliance in other matters."
"That’s the crux of the problem. Or rather, you could say they’re deliberately maintaining that position. They want to be known as the country with a market for illicit transactions. If we were to force an intervention, it might invite complaints from other nations."
"The world has a need for such gray areas, it seems. Now, that covers the preliminary explanation."
Lady Lowell cut the discussion short there.
"I intend to show my face at this slave auction. I’m planning to bring this up with the higher-ups. What do you think?"
"Personally, I don't think it should be just you. I think the entire Alliance should descend upon them. It would be a way of acknowledging the country—not that we’re legitimizing their illegal dealings, but we’d be going there under the banner of slave rescue."
"If we go as a single nation or as individuals, it might look like the Alliance itself is peddling slaves. If we all go together and make our stance clear, it should minimize criticism from both the surrounding nations and those outside the Alliance..."
"Exactly. It serves as proof that we have no quarrel with those outside the Alliance, provided they don't cross certain lines. It also demonstrates that the incidents in Suls, Kinauf, and Irinau were truly irregularities."
I see. It’s a strategy to lower the guard of non-Alliance nations regarding our intervention in the troubles at Suls. Furthermore, it provides us with the righteous justification of legally rescuing those sold through illegal means.
My only concern is that the money spent at this auction will flow to non-Alliance territories and, eventually, into the coffers of the dark guilds. But money is a fluid thing; preventing it from reaching the shadows is impossible.
And the most troubling point of all...
"I agree with taking this to the higher-ups, but will we make it in time for the opening? It’s less than a month away, isn't it? And it would be a nightmare if the other side started preparing a formal reception."
Indeed. As Yuki-sama says, the heads of state or their representatives showing up at a slave auction—the mere thought of it is rife with problems.
The reception, the logistics, the security—the host country and the organizers would be under an immense burden.
"We’ll just have to provide some support and tell them not to worry about the formalities."
"Well, we’ll have to move under the guise of secrecy. For now, let’s go speak with Father and the others."
And so, the wheels were set in motion regarding the slaves. While they held their meetings, we began our own preparations, gathering intelligence on the nation where the auction was to be held.
Money disappears when it is spent. That is a simple truth. And a nation, too, can only exist because there are people to sustain it.