第１５２９堀：大陸における確認と動きについて (Part1)
Dungeon 1529: Confirmations and Movements on the Continent
Side: Yuki
I decided to show Bamai the map, both to confirm the information he provided and as a gesture of gratitude. In this world, detailed maps are matters of national defense, typically never revealed to merchants. However, I chose to display it to Bamai as a testament to the trust I placed in him. This decision was also the culmination of my investigations, our conversations, and my belief in Lilishe's words.
With the map now unfurled before us, I began.
"First, let us confirm our locations. This is a complete map of the Rogali Continent."
I deliberately started with the full Rogali Continent map, rather than one solely depicting the former Vinosia territory, or Hinsua. The Dark Guild's covert operations in non-allied nations necessitated gathering intelligence beyond Hinsua. Furthermore, I wished to observe Bamai's reaction to this comprehensive map. And what was that reaction?
"Can you identify which country is which, Bamai?"
The map I presented was based on photographic data. Major powers were marked with castles, while smaller nations were represented by modest fortresses. National borders were also delineated, as establishing them would have been exceedingly difficult otherwise. In that sense, the kings of the great nations certainly possessed such maps. Detailed regional maps were also distributed, from which the extent of their subordinate territories was determined. But setting that aside, Bamai's response was...
"Ah, yes. I believe this is Roschur, and flanking it are Gartz and Litea. Finally, diagonally opposite Roschur, that would be Rumel, correct?"
"Yes, precisely."
"And the designation in the center is the Last Kingdom, the former Demon Lord's nation?"
"Indeed, that is correct. Impressive, as expected of a merchant. To grasp the geographical relationships so swiftly upon seeing this map."
As a merchant, he clearly possessed a firm understanding of the major powers' locations. For a merchant, especially one from the Danaddemi Merchant Company, it would be natural to be well-versed in the political climate of each nation. Failure to do so would inevitably lead to entanglement in disputes and significant losses.
"No, it is merely what is expected of a merchant, but I have never seen a map of such exquisite detail."
"I am glad to hear you say so. We will be using this map as our primary reference for discussions, so might I ask you to examine it further? Any inaccuracies could hinder our ability to pinpoint enemy strongholds."
My intention in showing him the map was precisely to ascertain if there were any discrepancies with Bamai's own knowledge. Of course, as a human, he might occasionally harbor misunderstandings or misremember details, but outright denial of obvious differences should be rare. If such a situation arose, it might necessitate an investigation into the cause, as someone could be intentionally concealing something. This was especially pertinent given that Bamai had not been involved with Weed until now. Whether he grasped my underlying intention, or if he simply believed that identifying any differences from his own mental map would prove beneficial, he began to scrutinize the map with intense focus.
"The relative positions of the major powers, the locations of the smaller nations, and the general placement of mountains, rivers, and lakes all appear consistent with my memory. However, the outer regions—that is, while the continental interior seems thoroughly detailed, the periphery appears less so. For instance, here. Although these are non-allied nations, there should be some of considerable scale, not quite major powers but certainly not minor, yet they are not indicated."
Hmm, so he would point out something I had intentionally omitted. However, that particular area was a gray zone for us at Weed as well. Still, there was no reason to conceal it, so I decided to be forthright.
"We are indeed aware of those nations, and as you say, they are non-allied and possess considerable strength. If it were discovered that we had arbitrarily included them, it could be construed as espionage. We wish to avoid any discord."
"Ah, I see. Indeed, the roads are visible enough to suggest their presence, so it was a deliberate omission. It is true that non-allied nations are sparsely detailed."
"Yes, the major powers understand the utility of this map, and we have requested their cooperation, if only for territorial confirmation, but..."
"Well, it is a matter for those on the defensive, I suppose. My apologies for the oversight. So, areas without explicit permission are not included. In that case, to the best of my knowledge, there are no issues with the information that is present."
Bamai, satisfied, quickly scanned the map and offered his confirmation.
"Then, I would like to move on to the Hinsua region, but do you have any areas you find suspicious, Bamai? We can investigate them to some extent."
"Hmm... I appreciate you saying so, but do you truly believe my information to be accurate?"
"If you were attempting to deceive us after all this discussion, you would be a formidable opponent indeed. We would simply have to overcome you. As for our intention, if we pursue the Dark Guild hiding in former Vinosia and they manage to escape, it would be a considerable nuisance. We wish to know beforehand if this is their main base, or if there are other potential strongholds."
Yes, my reason for presenting the full Rogali Continent map was to ascertain where the Dark Guild, currently concealed within the former Vinosia territory, might flee if their current base were destroyed, or which other factions might become active in their stead. We were also tracking various individuals, but most of them were scattered. This suggested numerous potential hideouts across the continent.
"I understand. Indeed, the unusual accumulation of supplies is not limited to former Vinosia. I should provide you with that information as well."
"Yes. And in turn, we will detail the movements of those we have intentionally allowed to escape."
I knew I needed to offer information in return to earn his trust. So far, I had only been receiving intelligence from Bamai. While I had provided the map, it was something that could be independently verified, unlike potential Dark Guild strongholds. Though, its value to the non-allied nations of the Rogali Continent would likely be immeasurable. With these thoughts, I presented the documents pertaining to the fleeing individuals, along with their subsequent tracks.
"This is..."
His gaze immediately fixed on the file of one particular individual.
"That is the man believed to be a Dark Guild executive who entered the royal capital during negotiations with Irinau. Do you know him?"