第１４９５堀：意外な組み合わせ (Part2)
"My Lord uses his dungeon for defense, of course, but he also employs it for offensive maneuvers. The enemy is capable of the same. If they were to trigger a Great Overflow like the one in Saurus, chaos would be inevitable."
"You’re right. Leaving dignitaries exposed to such risks would be a disgrace for our alliance."
"Precisely. I cannot say for certain how much value the enemy places on this auction, but it is well within their reach. They have done it once before. If their base is indeed a fallen nation, we must assume they possess a significant reserve of DP."
My initial prediction had been that their resources were exhausted by the Saurus incident, but considering the possibility that they are exploiting refugees within a fallen nation...
"Hmm. If they are indeed using refugees from a fallen nation as a front, they likely have a fair amount of DP. That said, I doubt they have the capacity for anything large-scale. Maintaining a dungeon is surprisingly difficult, after all."
"That is true. Maintaining an organization requires more effort than one might imagine, but we cannot afford to be optimistic, can we?"
"No, we cannot. I understand your concern, Stasia. Still, all we can do for now is relay the information and prepare."
"Yes. It is better than being kept in the dark. Though, knowing my Lord and General Steve, they may have already anticipated as much."
"That sounds like them. Even so, I couldn't very well keep quiet about it, and as the ranking Dungeon Master remaining in Weed, it falls to me. That is why you came to me, isn't it, Stasia?"
"I suppose... that is likely the reason."
Reflecting on everything, it was clear that my decision to seek out Comet was largely because she was the primary Dungeon Master left in Weed.
"Well, you could stand to show your face more often, you know."
"Indeed. Perhaps we should go out for a meal sometime soon?"
"That sounds lovely. Let's do it once this auction concludes."
We shared a smile. Under normal circumstances, the military and the technical divisions rarely have the opportunity to sit down and converse like this. While we exchange opinions regarding weaponry and armaments, our private lives seldom intersect. Or rather, in Comet’s case, she is involved in various matters related to my Lord—like his games—but personal interaction is a rarity. Most of my previous encounters with her had been while accompanying Hiiro. Perhaps I should make an effort to broaden my social circle.
"Come to think of it, I understand why we don't cross paths at work, but where do you usually spend your time? I mean, on your days off."
The primary reason Comet and I rarely see each other is that our workplaces are distinct. I am not idle enough to wander into other departments. Along with Agil and Jessica, I am entrusted with the military forces of Weed under the command of Quar. Training the troops, coordinating with the monster army, and drafting tactical plans is no simple task. In fact, since my Lord’s firearms were introduced, we are busier than ever. We do have time off, during which we socialize with everyone else, but I rarely see Comet. I only ever catch glimpses of her being dragged to the laboratory by Hiiro or playing games with my Lord.
"My days off, you ask..."
It was a perfectly ordinary question, yet for some reason, Comet tilted her head in confusion.
"Did I ask something strange?"
"Oh, no. It’s just... I don’t really have a concept of a 'day off.' If I’m interested in something, I’m either researching it or playing a game."
"Ah. You are just like Agil, then."
Agil is a general, but she also serves as a researcher, so she shares that tendency. She performs her military duties perfectly well, so there is no issue, but her position as a researcher means her time spent in active military duty is shorter than ours. However, her total workload is actually higher due to her research. She is always staring at a computer monitor, jotting down notes or typing away.
"I suppose, like Agil, I don't really have a concept of a holiday. When your work is your passion, you don't mind how much time you pour into it. Even when I’m gaming, considering my usual workload, Yuki and the others have never complained."
"I have never had cause to complain to Agil, either."
Agil plays games occasionally, but she ensures it never inconveniences anyone and completes her duties, so it is not a problem.
"So, in short, on your days off, you are either researching or pursuing hobbies at home?"
"That’s about the size of it. Well, if you’re in Weed, it’s obvious where I am, so feel free to drop by. I can show you my research, we can play a game together, or build plastic models—there’s plenty to do. But what about you, Stasia? What do you do on your days off?"
"Now that you mention it... I train with my sword, or spend time playing with Hiiro and the others..."
And so, we continued, easing our anxieties while forging a new bond. I had wanted to see these two, who rarely interact, have a conversation. Not that we were on bad terms, of course.