第１５４４堀：訪問一日目の報告を (Part2)
"That’s the gist of it. We know we have the strength to handle ourselves, but from their perspective, our presence can only lead to disaster. It’s a natural reaction."
"I understand that, but whether they actually try to get in our way is another matter, isn't it? Will they be keeping us under surveillance?"
"They will. Ostensibly as our 'escorts,' they're sending a full company. About two hundred men."
"That’s way too many!" we all cried out in unison.
"Well, they did listen to my concerns, so only one platoon of about fifty men will be directly attached to us as guards."
"Even fifty is a lot," I muttered. Having fifty soldiers surrounding us at all times would make it impossible to move freely.
"...From Hinsua’s perspective, a large number of VIPs from major powers have arrived simultaneously. They can't exactly just leave us to our own devices," Rurua said, her face souring as if she’d just swallowed a bitter bug.
I suppose Litia had made a formal request for our safety. Whether that request was meant to be taken at face value was a different story. Given our apparent military strength, the host nation likely felt that if they didn't provide an escort, they’d be held liable for any trouble that occurred.
"According to Kirika’s reports, there are rumors that this is a ploy by Litia and others to dismantle Hinsua entirely."
"Um, Master Yuki? What exactly does that mean?" Lyushi tilted her head, clearly confused by his words.
If you looked at things through a lens of common sense—or rather, a peaceful mindset—it was hard to see how protecting us would lead to a country’s downfall.
"It’s simple. If any of us are killed or injured, they’ll claim it’s Hinsua’s responsibility and demand the resignation of the current royal family and top officials. Then, the people who step in to fill that power vacuum will be Hinsua nobles sent by Litia, or at least those with strong ties to them. The current Hinsua government would effectively collapse, wouldn't it?"
"Oh, I see. But... why would anyone go to such tedious lengths? They’d probably die from the sheer workload of managing it all."
We all nodded in agreement with Lyushi’s assessment. Weed didn't have the spare talent or manpower to support any more nations, let alone more territory. If we were forced to do it, we’d have no choice but to comply, but that felt like a strategy specifically designed to exhaust Weed’s resources.
"Exactly. It’s the same for the other major powers. Whenever new land opens up, a massive debate starts over who gets to rule it, and then there’s the budget to consider. In the old days of warring states, it might have been fine, but nowadays, developing and nurturing your own land is the best way to increase your wealth and status. I suppose developing gifted land is the same in theory, but being told to start from scratch feels like a total punishment game. Especially when you have to deal with the resentment of the people you took it from. It’s a massive headache."
I nodded along. I knew all too well how grueling it was. In the past, I would have been overjoyed to receive more territory, but now it just felt like an unwanted burden. We’d have to foot the bill for the budget ourselves, too. We might get some subsidies, but that would only invite more scrutiny and pressure from those around us.
Of course, that was just our perspective as members of the Alliance.
"However, that’s how we see things within the Alliance. There are still non-member nations that hunger for territory, and their understanding of the situation hasn't caught up yet. Which means that theory about Litia’s plot isn't necessarily wrong. It’s useless trying to tell suspicious people that everything is fine."
"I understand the situation, but what do you think is the actual probability of them interfering with us?" Light asked, cutting to the heart of the matter.
"Honestly, I don't know. There’s a chance they could be linked to—or even instigated by—the dark guilds. My sources say it’s better to leave them be so we can gather information, but it does come with risks."
"True. In this kind of assassination plot, it's essential to bring those close to the target over to your side," Light noted.
"To begin with, these people believe that if we’re harmed, Hinsua’s standing will plummet. They won't necessarily resort to crude assassination. It’s more likely they’ll try to restrict our movements under the guise of 'goodwill'—giving us gifts or 'hospitality' that keeps us from acting."
"And then it turns out the 'hospitality' was actually poison?" Senal added a grim postscript to the thought. It was a classic trope, after all.
The question was how we would respond. On the surface, everything was peaceful. But since we had come to another country to hunt for treasure, it was only natural that some people would view us with hostility, even if they weren't outright enemies.