第１５０２堀：穏やかな夜の中で (Part2)
"Well, I suppose you can't really go toe-to-toe with a nation unless you've got that kind of firepower. But didn't you say the whole thing was an unexpected development to begin with? The Suurus incident was officially blamed on the Great Flood and the occupation by two nations, right? The Dark Guild’s combat strength was barely involved. All we really used was the DP required to trigger the Great Flood."
"I am aware of that, but it remains a mere prediction. More importantly, while we do not expect to succeed here, to do nothing would be—well, it is strange to speak of 'honor' regarding the Dark Guild, but it would certainly affect our standing."
Indeed. If they were to sit idly by and let this pass, the Dark Guild would lose its credibility in the truest sense.
To put it bluntly, they would be branded as an organization that simply cannot compete with a nation.
That would relegate them to the status of mere petty thugs for the foreseeable future.
"I get what you're saying, but if we make a clumsy move, our intel will get leaked, and let's be real—it's peaceful as can be right now, isn't it?"
"That is true; it is peaceful at the moment. Then, let me pose a question to you, Steve. In this situation, how would one go about successfully launching an attack to undermine both this auction and the reputation of the Alliance?"
"Uh, geez? The bosses have already warned every nation about the Dark Guild, and there's no way to break into this stronghold. The Alliance nations are all heading home through the gates, so that leaves..."
Steve thought for a moment, then looked up and muttered.
"I guess we'd have to target the non-Alliance nations on their way back. Maybe some of the smaller Alliance countries, too."
"I agree. It is difficult to strike here. Therefore, we must strike where the opportunity is greatest. If we leave things as they are, the non-Alliance nations will all flock to the Alliance. That is something the Dark Guild must prevent."
It is a simple matter.
They don't attack here; they launch an ambush in a place devoid of guards.
Considering the current state of the Dark Guild, this is their only viable path.
"I mean, I get the logic, but wouldn't doing something like that just make them join the Alliance even faster?"
"That is a possibility, but there is also the cold, hard fact that they failed to protect them. If a non-Alliance nation were to cry out for help, how quickly do you think the Alliance could actually respond?"
"Ah... when you put it that way, you've got a point. Still, in the grand scheme of things, isn't it just a drop in the bucket? We don't have the strength to break through their defenses anyway."
"That is only if you look at the 'grand scheme.' To the nation being targeted, it is not a mere drop in the bucket. That is everything."
"So, it’s about using it as a threat, then?"
"If they do not act now, they will only be driven further into a corner."
If they choose not to act, so be it.
In matters like these, it is always too late once the curtain has fallen.
"I hear you, but it still comes down to how we're supposed to stop it, right? All we can do is issue a warning."
"That is sufficient. Ultimately, it is vital to convey in advance that this is the work of the Dark Guild, not a failure of the Alliance. It would be troublesome if people started claiming the Alliance was behind it."
"So, it's about dragging the bosses' feet a little, huh? Honestly, to me, it feels like six of one, half a dozen of the other."
"As long as we sow distrust among the non-Alliance nations—and the Alliance itself—we win. Who is more trustworthy: the one who issued a warning, or the one who did not?"
"Sorry to nitpick, but wouldn't issuing a warning just make you look suspicious?"
"I understand what you are implying. Well, ultimately, this is a matter to be left to the Master. I am heading to report this. What will you do, Steve?"
"I'm gonna think on it a bit more. If our defenses get breached, it's gonna be a disaster."
With that, I left Steve behind and headed toward the Master.
What judgment will the Master make upon hearing this report?
Regardless of the decision, it changes nothing; we will simply continue to support them.
It is a strange feeling—being told you have no value in the true sense, yet knowing that this peace is, in its own way, a reflection of that very existence.
The comings and goings of people in depopulated areas are surprisingly easy to track.
And there lies the disconnect between the police and the public: to the individual, their own life is everything, but to those tasked with protection and maintaining order, it is merely a single case file.
We are, after all, perpetually short on manpower.