第１５６８堀：戦うモノと知識を持つモノの共通点 (Part1)
Chapter 1568: The Common Ground Between Warriors and the Knowledgeable
Side: Deryu
My gaze drifts toward Yuki, sleeping soundly, with Rushi curled up beside him. It’s peaceful, and seeing him sleep is fine, but...
"Same as always. It’s a good thing that he’s well-loved by us, but that in itself is a bit of a headache..."
Yuki’s attitude is endearing from a personal standpoint, but when viewed through the lens of a nation, it’s precarious. While Weed may not be a superpower on the surface, it is a small nation, and Yuki is the Prince Consort—the man at the top. Having a mistress or two is standard; in fact, it would be stranger if he didn't.
Well, Weed’s situation is unique, and he has many concubines—most of them princesses from major powers. In that sense, his political ties are strong. If anything, those who know the inner workings of our affairs would likely say he doesn't have enough.
Leaving the numbers aside, there’s simply no room for "play" in his life. I’m not a bride from a major power, so I don't influence state policy, but I hold a key position, I’m among the top tier of Weed’s combat strength, and I wield a fair amount of authority. I’m hardly a mere plaything.
The bottleneck is that Weed started as such a small nation. We’ve had to rely on family and close associates to fill every vital role. Since we don't possess much territory, we’re barely making do, but that also means we’re chronically understaffed, and it’s obvious we’ll need even more hands in the future.
We either have to swallow the risk of potential betrayal and bring in outsiders, or we have to increase the number of people like Rushi, Orelia, Hobis, Yayui, and Prof—those who support Yuki as his companions and partners.
If we had more breathing room in terms of personnel, neither Yuki nor the rest of us would need to be out here handling this current situation ourselves. Still, Yuki wouldn't want to use the women he’s taken as mere pawns. I need to have a proper discussion with Seraria and the others. We can no longer afford to ignore this labor shortage. Yuki’s sleep deprivation is proof enough of that.
A lack of "play" might be fine for now, but eventually, the suppressed pressure will explode. That’s just how people are. Yuki claims he vents by playing games or spending time with the children, but from our perspective, that’s not really cutting it. He hasn't even touched the candidates for playmates, like Orelia and the others.
For Weed, it would be a massive problem if he were to get involved with women planted by foreign nations. If he’s going to indulge, it should be with women we’ve vetted. Because other countries are constantly eyeing that opening, we need to show the world that we have our own women in those positions, too. Yuki isn't oblivious to this, but his Japanese sensibilities keep getting in the way.
"Well, we’re steadily solidifying the circle around him, so I suppose we can eventually corner him into it..."
Yes, I believe it’s only a matter of time before Orelia and the others are brought into the fold, so we’ll manage. But Orelia and the others have their own work to do. They’ve been splitting Yuki’s workload to lighten his burden, but whether that counts as "play" is debatable. Still, it’s better than nothing. Including Rushi, we have five people who can take turns clinging to Yuki. ...That is, provided his workload doesn't increase any further.
Well, I’ve told him countless times: to the outside world, he already has mistresses. Since he’s married to all of us, there are idiots out there who think, "If he has wives, he can take a mistress, too."
"There are even fools who try to push their women onto me or Seraria."
Yuki’s stance is essentially to remain inconspicuous, so ignorant nations think that if they just send a woman our way, they’ll secure a connection. What we need are talented individuals—people who, like the rest of Weed, would die for Yuki. Of course, they often send talented people, but that’s for the sake of their own nation’s interests. I don't say that’s inherently evil, but considering what we’re already holding, we can’t just accept them. Those types are nothing but a burden to Yuki.
"Regardless, that’s a problem for when we get back. For now, it’s the search for the hidden treasure."
I tell myself this and use my dungeon skills to re-examine the situation in the royal capital. Yuki mentioned earlier that this skill, along with Agil’s, was "subtly useless," but in reality, it’s as useful as it could possibly be. He’s just asking for too much. To say that a skill which allows you to grasp the movements of everyone in the capital and map the terrain without moving an inch is "useless"... well. Of course, it would be nice if it could be improved, that much is true.
Thinking about this, I check the information on the old Vinoshia Royal Castle as a preliminary step to finding the treasure.
"...Just as the initial reports suggested."
I look over the castle data again; "dilapidated" is the only word for it. It’s far too much of a hassle to try and make it suitable for lodging. It’s no wonder the functioning church is the preferred choice. It was likely the first place targeted during the civil war. Anything of value was looted, the interior was torn apart—likely in search of hidden goods—and many things were smashed to pieces. It’s a complete wreck. If we had the budget to restore or repair this place, it would certainly be better spent elsewhere.
They’ve managed to clear enough space for a garrison, a training ground, and the bare essentials for daily life, but that’s it. There’s no budget to redo the interior, so it remains as it is.
"And we have to go in there and investigate... Wait, is this some kind of punishment game?"
Even on paper, the level of filth is apparent. On top of that, there’s the trash, and since it’s been abandoned for years, the dust is unimaginable. If I suggest going in there, Lulua will probably get angry, claiming it’s a health hazard. Honestly, I’m not the type who enjoys getting dirty for the sake of it.
Just as I’m thinking this, there’s a knock at the door. I grant permission, and Agil enters.
"Yo. Deryu, how’s Yuki?"
"He’s sleeping over there. And what brings you here, Agil?"
"It’s about the castle. You’re looking at it too, right? What do you think?"
Agil seems relieved to see Yuki and Rushi sleeping, and gets straight to the point. If he hadn't been sleeping, Agil probably would have scolded him. But that’s beside the point; as Yuki’s guard, I need to have a serious talk.
"I’d really like to be excused from going there. Can’t we just pretend we went and pretend we investigated?"
I state my honest feelings. Between the Adventurer’s Guild yesterday and this, I have no desire to actively visit such filthy places. I’m worried it’ll only make Yuki’s condition worse.
"We can’t, unfortunately. Drawing people’s attention is the whole point. Besides, there’s a place that looks like a library, and we can’t avoid going there."
"I figured as much."