第１５４６堀：抜けているところはないか (Part2)
As for what to do next—I was just pondering that when Cleena unexpectedly spoke up.
"…I have a question of my own."
That was rare. Cleena almost never directed questions toward me. While she worked as a diplomat, her nose was usually buried in books on magic and theory. She was far more aligned with the researchers and engineers like Narjia, Zargis, Comet, and Agil. We chatted about delicious food or fashion often enough, but she rarely sought my input on professional matters.
"What is it?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Regarding unit deployment in the Zurabl region."
Shera, Rurua, and I tilted our heads in unison, but Samantha seemed to catch her drift. She offered a wry smile.
"Cleena, dear, you must be more specific or they won't understand. You’re referring to the dungeon suppression in Zurabl, aren't you? The task we were assigned as part of our commander training?"
"…Yes. We’ve hit something of a stalemate."
Ah, that. Still…
"Shera and I aren't exactly military commanders," I pointed out. "Wouldn't it be better to ask Jessica? She’s the expert on troop maneuvers."
If they wanted tactical advice, we had specialists for that. I didn't think we could offer much in the way of profound insight.
"…The opposite," Cleena replied. "I want the perspective of a Dungeon Master. To be honest, I’m looking for a viewpoint we haven't considered yet."
"I see. You want a raw opinion from someone outside the field," Rurua noted.
"I understand," I said. "So, how exactly are you stuck? I heard the conquest of the Zurabl dungeons was proceeding smoothly."
The operation in the Zurabl region was being led by Cleena, Samantha, and Ria under Yuki’s directives. As far as the reports went, there hadn't been any major issues.
"In terms of the dungeons we’ve located, we’ve cleared roughly eighty percent," Samantha explained.
"…With Senal’s cooperation, we’ve been able to focus almost entirely on previously unknown dungeons," Cleena added. "However, we haven't found all of them. That eighty percent only accounts for the 'undiscovered' dungeons we’ve managed to detect. …Hm, that sounds strange when I say it out loud."
It did sound a bit contradictory. But it wasn't incorrect. They were clearing dungeons that the Zurabl Empire hadn't known existed, but which Weed’s technology had flagged. Since the total number of dungeons—the denominator of the equation—remained unknown, there was no telling how much of the actual whole they had conquered.
But the real question was the timing. Given the current climate, the logical move would be to keep those units ready for redeployment elsewhere if something went wrong.
"Cleena, why bring this up now?"
Yuki’s doctrine for force management was generally built on the principle of concentrated power. While we were capable of simultaneous operations, Weed was a small nation; we had the quality, but we lacked the sheer numbers. Numerical superiority isn't something to be scoffed at, which is why we relied so heavily on advanced weaponry to bridge the gap. Cleena knew this better than anyone. There had to be another motive.
"…Because of the timing," Cleena said. "I’ve read Yuki’s reports. He believes he’s found the dungeon the enemy is using as bait. I want to examine our own flank—to see if there are any holes we’ve missed."
"I see. That makes sense."
"Lord Yuki always tells us: 'Never be complacent. Think like the enemy,'" Samantha added. "It’s not that we doubt him, but lately—at least regarding the Dark Guild’s movements—his predictions have been consistently off."
"That’s true," Rurua agreed. "They’ve been off in a way that resulted in fewer casualties, so we haven't let it worry us, but still…"
When she put it that way, she was right. Our war against the Dark Guild had started in Suurus, and we hadn't managed to seize the initiative once. We were still chasing their shadow. Even with Yuki constantly provoking them, the enemy refused to show their hand.
"You think we might be walking into a trap?" I asked, voicing the unease I felt.
Cleena gave a small nod. "The possibility isn't zero. That’s why I want your thoughts. I know the situation in Zurabl is different, but the exercise isn't a waste of time."
She was right. Even staying behind in Weed, there were things we could do. We might as well give it our all. We would leave Aslin and the others to focus on their social lives at school.
It’s easy to forget, but Ria, Samantha, and Cleena were currently handling the conquest of undiscovered dungeons in the Zurabl region as part of their tactical training. While that front was stable, the question remained: were there parallels to be drawn with the situation in Suurus?
That was the perspective they needed us to explore.