第１５６０堀：慈善事業の裏 (Part2)
Indeed, there was no reason to waste time capturing such insignificant pawns one by one. They were decoys, plain as day, and I had no leisure to investigate each and every one of them. That was precisely what made them such a nuisance.
Which was why...
"Yes. I intend to gather people in conjunction with today’s soup kitchen."
"...That’s a sound plan. Make sure to explain the working conditions clearly. Once we know the headcount, I’ll prepare the housing and supplies accordingly. It will be officially recognized as direct employment under Hinsua."
"Ah, I see. So that’s why I was granted the authority to hire."
Before me, Sister Kunoshia nodded, seemingly convinced by Kaya’s explanation. To an outside observer, this was a noble act of charity—providing work to those in need and ensuring they could sustain their lives. But to the Dark Guild, this was a maneuver designed to neutralize their influence in the most effective way possible.
They had been instructed to send only information, but in reality, they were planting their own operatives within the ranks to act as pawns and sow chaos. Yet, I doubted that mere destitute souls would turn against an entity that provided food and support far more generously than the Dark Guild ever could.
Actually, most of them wouldn't even listen to such orders. Of course, one could argue that the Guild might leak information designed to deceive even the families of their own members—all to create confusion and hinder us—but if they did that, the operatives currently working for us would be even less likely to return to the Dark Guild. They would become the Guild's latent enemies.
To put it simply, this was only possible because it was Weed. By fully utilizing my Dungeon Master skills, I could identify enemies and track their movements throughout the Royal Capital. I had the absolute confidence that even if the enemy tried to sow discord among our own or attempted to sabotage us, I could respond accordingly.
It’s the same logic as the cause of any war, really. Both sides clash precisely because they are both convinced they can win.
While I was lost in these thoughts, Sister Kunoshia began issuing instructions to the other sisters, preparing to make the announcement in tandem with the church’s soup kitchen.
"And Kaya, you aren't planning on having them cultivate all the scheduled fields yourself, are you?"
"...Of course not. I intend to have Sister Kunoshia and the others learn that magic I mentioned earlier. They’ll be using the remaining fields as practice."
"Eh? I... is that... truly possible?"
Sister Kunoshia, catching my gaze, asked with a hint of trepidation. It was a fair question; whether one could simply learn that kind of magic just by being told to was, at best, dubious. However, the inhabitants of the Rogari Continent possessed a higher density of magical power than those of the If Continent. The potential was higher here, and since the sisters were already capable of using recovery magic, there was a genuine possibility they could replicate the feat, even if they couldn't match the scale of Lord Faide. Kaya wouldn't suggest it otherwise.
And Kaya’s response was...
"...It is possible. I would not ask you to do what cannot be done."
She was right. At the very least, we had been collaborating—Narjia, Zargis, myself, Comet, and Nilua—to create auxiliary items. These were based on the skill-granting magic tools Nilua had been researching. To be clear, they didn't contain the cultivation magic Lord Faide used; rather, they were designed to grant the necessary attributes. They didn't just boost specific spells or physical prowess; they granted the necessary skills and aptitudes. Within Weed, it had been proven that as long as one wasn't completely devoid of talent, one could learn these skills through repetitive practice.
Therefore, failure was virtually impossible. Besides, as long as they wore these skill-granting bracelets, they could use the magic without issue. The rest was simply a matter of how much effort the sisters were willing to put in.
"Well, well, it’s certainly a boon to be able to gather data from other nations like this."
I couldn't help but mutter that, my researcher’s side getting the better of me. Naturally, Light and Kagura, who had overheard me, narrowed their eyes and glared in my direction.
This was a bold strategy, made possible only because Weed had the luxury of resources. Yet, to the enemy, it was a stinging blow. Normally, one would have to be on guard against terrorists, but even that threat could be completely neutralized.
It was, in every sense, a "happy charity project."