第１５０６堀：これからの行動について (Part2)
"Forget about me for now. You haven't told me about the intelligence gathered from the individuals we captured and replaced in Irinau, have you?"
"Ah, that. Unfortunately, we've come up empty. We’ve tried everything, including interrogation and torture, but they seem to be nothing more than scattered laborers and field staff. While they handle low-level exchanges, they don't seem to know the location of the base itself. Well, that’s to be expected, I suppose."
"True enough. Oh, and what about using the corpses to make them talk?"
In this world, methods for utilizing corpses, such as creating zombies, do exist. There is even magic that allows nations to preserve the bodies of great figures to serve as a trump card in times of crisis.
"Are you really suggesting that? Gathering intelligence through such means is essentially taboo, isn't it? Others wouldn't know how much of it to trust. We’d be suspected of simply feeding them the lines ourselves."
"So, keeping quiet about it is the only difficult part?"
"Generally speaking, using corpses is frowned upon everywhere. Even the Dark Guilds don't do it openly. Besides, the cost-to-benefit ratio is terrible. If we were to do it lightly, it wouldn't look good for Weed’s reputation."
"We are the pure and righteous Weed, after all."
It is true that while we are capable of such things, it is not something we can do casually. In fact, while the practice of turning great figures into guardians—as seen in various nations—sounds noble, it is, at its core, just the exploitation of the dead. Furthermore, utilizing the heroes who fought for their country is a tacit admission that the current administration is incompetent. It is said that if a government were to resort to such measures, it would be proof that they are no longer fit to rule.
Moreover, if you don't manage the remains properly, they end up as mindless skeletons or decaying zombies. The overhead is astronomical. Considering that, extracting information while the subjects are still alive is, in many ways, the path of least resistance. Besides, Weed is supposedly founded by the Saintess Elju; being associated with necromancy for intelligence gathering wouldn't exactly be good for our public image.
"I understand. So, to put it simply, we have no leads as of now?"
"None. That’s why we’ve started taking the initiative. And that country where the former princess, Canaria, was hiding—the more we look into it, the more suspicious it seems, don't you think?"
"Indeed. For the time being, the former Kingdom of Vinosia has been annexed by the Kingdom of Hinsua, but rumors suggest that their control over the territory is far from absolute."
"Can't we get any information from Lowell's side?"
"Unfortunately, that’s a small nation on the border between Rumel and Litea. We can't just go poking our noses in. Besides, wouldn't it be more appropriate to rely on Alstaire or Yuria?"
Indeed, the former Kingdom of Vinosia, where the Dark Guild’s base is allegedly hidden, sits in a geographically awkward spot between Rumel and Litea. That is precisely why it is difficult to infiltrate and why investigative efforts have struggled to reach it. It is the polar opposite of my position in Gartz, and even further from Weed in the former Roschur territory.
"We’ve questioned the former princess and made inquiries with Litea and Rumel, but neither side is willing to be particularly forthcoming."
"Well, that’s to be expected. Even a major power asking questions can be seen as an unwanted intrusion by those around them. Normally, unless it’s a dire situation, major powers don't interfere in the squabbles of small nations. If they did, they’d be forced to intervene in every single one. At most, they offer a retroactive endorsement once the war is over. Especially in this case—it wasn't a forced invasion, but an annexation of a nation drowning in debt. If we intervene clumsily..."
"We’d end up having to foot the bill, wouldn't we?"
"Exactly. Just offering words without backing them up would hurt our standing as a major power. Besides, at the time, both Rumel and Litea were dealing with their own massive internal issues."
The Demon Lord, and the exhaustion caused by internal strife. They wouldn't have had the luxury of meddling in other people's affairs.
"But that should change with this former princess. If we can prove it’s become a den for the Dark Guild, we’ll have a legitimate cause for intervention. Even the Kingdom of Hinsua, having annexed the land, wouldn't be able to admit that a Dark Guild is operating within their borders."
"So, it’s all about what comes next."
"Precisely. The target is the former Kingdom of Vinosia. We’ve already spread the poison. Now, we just need to observe their movements."
And so, we began our preparations for the next phase. Now then, next is the former Vinosia, where Canaria was. Even so, I can't just waltz in there. It’s a hassle, but it’s precisely because of these bureaucratic procedures that things are easier to manage.