第１６１０堀：現在の港町について (Part1)
Chapter 1610: Regarding the Current Port Town
Side: Samantha
What spreads out before me is... a sea turned gray by the overcast sky.
*Swoosh, swoosh...*
The sound of the waves reaches my ears incessantly.
Usually—though perhaps "usually" is the wrong word—when we visit the sea, it is for leisure, so our spirits are high. But since I am here on business, I feel no such excitement.
"What’s the matter, Samantha?"
Turning at the voice, I find Dressa standing there.
"Oh, nothing. I was just looking at the sea. I didn't realize the ocean took on such a face when it’s cloudy."
There is no need to hide it, so I voice my honest impression.
Dressa looks toward the sea as well, seemingly satisfied with my observation.
"It’s true. It doesn't look very beautiful, does it?"
"Indeed. I had only ever seen the sea when it was crystal clear, so this is a bit intimidating."
Yes, the gray sea stretching out before us.
The depths are hidden from view, and a sense of dread spreads, wondering what might be lurking beneath the surface.
"That’s a good instinct. Make sure you don't forget that fear. Those who underestimate the sea have no choice but to die."
"Is it really that severe?"
"Yes. Yuki and the others prioritize the monsters as the primary threat, but the sea itself is not an environment where humans are meant to live. Venturing out into it is like stepping into a desert or a snowy mountain range. Besides, the sea that exists in Weed is far too pristine."
"So, that environment is indeed a blessed one."
"Too blessed. Of course, we can create days where the sea is rough, but we do it at will; it’s far from natural. You’ve seen it in movies, haven't you?"
"Yes. Though, a movie is just a movie."
"Well, that’s true. It’s quite different from feeling it with your own eyes, skin, and ears. So, why did you come out here, Samantha?"
Ah, that’s right.
The reason I came today is...
"An inspection of the port town. Including the naval port."
"Hmm. Well, you wouldn't be here otherwise. So, is this inspection for pleasure? Or for work?"
"I wish I could say pleasure, but it is for work."
Even if I had come for pleasure, the area is still nothing but cleared land, and the government office and its surroundings are so incredibly busy that I hesitate to get too close.
"There isn't much else to look at, anyway. And as for the work, is it on behalf of Weed, or your home country?"
"Both."
Yes, I am here representing the interests of both.
"Of course, I wouldn't tell Roday anything that would put Weed at a disadvantage."
"I don't doubt that at this point. Still..."
Dressa cuts her sentence short, turns her gaze away from the sea, and looks behind us.
"Other than the naval port, it’s completely empty, isn't it?"
I turn around as well, but there is nothing there except the cleared land I saw earlier.
Deep inside, there stands only the government office, its facilities, and the dormitories.
"Well, even if we can build the shells quickly, the personnel to operate them can't keep up. But this is just regarding the progress. Actually, usually, just clearing land like this takes an enormous amount of time."
"Ah, that’s certainly true. Even for this naval port, if you consider the foundation work and the dredging of the seabed, it’s a year-long project."
"Dredging the sea?"
I ask, surprised by Dressa’s words.
"Oh? You didn't know? Ships generally have half their structure submerged in seawater."
"Half? That would be... nearly ten meters?"
"Exactly. It’s to gain buoyancy. Which means if the water isn't that deep, the hull—the bottom—will scrape against the floor. Do you know what happens then?"
"The ship would spring a leak, I suppose?"
"Precisely. That’s why large ships can't carelessly approach shallow waters. It’s called running aground. On days when the sea is dark like this, the possibility increases. Even if it looks like open water, there are places where the seabed is shallow."
"...I see. Navigation seems far more difficult than I imagined."
Invisible traps on the seabed, and then, the monsters.
If a ship stops moving, there is no choice but to die.
It is an environment of extreme hardship.
"Yuki said that back in the old Earth, setting sail was a matter of life and death."
"That... I can imagine."
It was an era before we had photographs from the sky like we do now.
They didn't know where the land was or if they could resupply.
In other words, the fear of when food and water would run out, or when they might run aground, was always present.
To a rational mind, it would be tantamount to suicide.
And yet...
"Why did they venture out into the sea?"
The question escaped my lips honestly.
Why go out into such a dangerous sea?
I could understand if it were like Dressa and the others, trying to earn their daily bread.
But the navigation Yuki-sama speaks of is a dance with death, heading toward lands unseen.
As I think this, Dressa answers easily, without much contemplation.
"Because they wanted to see things they hadn't seen before. Also, for treasure and honor. That’s how it actually was on Earth."
"...That is remarkably blunt."
"But it’s the truth, isn't it? If you find land that no one has set foot on, you can make it your own country's territory. Well, even if it belonged to someone else, it creates new connections. Since there’s an ocean in between, you don't have to worry about invasion. But if you can get your hands on rare goods..."
"That would certainly be an asset."
"It’s the same as adventurers exploring a dungeon. They are chasing a dream. Well, unlike Earth, there are monsters here, so few people on the Rogali continent live along the coast."
That is true.
Thinking about it, perhaps the people of the Rogali continent are living wisely.
However, I realize something then.
"...In the If continent, were there no people who went out to sea, Dressa-san? Not for daily bread, but in search of something?"
"Hmm, as far as I know, there weren't. It was a small country, and the common belief was that the edge of the sea led to the abyss. Besides, it’s not like there were zero monsters, so we knew the terror of the sea. But I did hear rumors a few times about some dreamers who set sail. I never heard of any of them returning, though. Actually, if it’s that kind of story, wouldn't you, Samantha, who was in a major power on the same If continent, have heard more?"
"No, I didn't have much interest in the sea myself. It wasn't until I came to Weed. After all, there were very few ways to transport seafood while keeping it fresh."
Yes, in the If continent, there were decent fishing ports since there were few monsters, and my home, Roday, also possessed a port, but whether that held much advantage was debatable.