第１６１２堀：闇ギルドはどうするつもりだったのか (Part2)
After reviewing the records to the very end and re-examining the Dark Guild’s original intentions, nothing seemed particularly mysterious.
The Dark Guild—feared as Irinau and Kinauf—dreaded the major power of Litea, along with the other great nations. By positioning monsters in a way that would sever the path for reinforcements, they could delay the rescue of Suurus, thereby buying themselves enough time to effectively occupy the territory.
The crucial point here is that they had no intention of annihilating Suurus.
If Suurus were to be completely destroyed, Litea and the rest of the alliance would undoubtedly mobilize. In that scenario, the former Suurus territory would inevitably fall under Litea’s administration. It is hard to imagine that the two nations arriving for rescue would simply accept that arrangement without protest; friction over the division of territory would be a foregone conclusion.
Under normal circumstances, even if a nation falls, it is unlikely that every single member of the royal bloodline would perish. Since this was not a war between humans, the monsters of the Great Stampede made no distinction between royalty and commoners. In other words, if they simply fled, their survival was not in question.
"So, the enemy—the Dark Guild—could not afford to slaughter the populace in the western town, nor could they drag them into the dungeon to be killed, could they?"
As evidence of this, intelligence reports indicate that they did not attack the people fleeing toward the royal capital in the center or the towns to the north. In other words...
"They planned to capture the residents in the northern town, drag them into the dungeon to convert them into DP, and simultaneously block the reinforcements from Litea?"
That is my hypothesis. Ultimately, the fact remains that they did not acquire the DP they sought. Conversely, this means they still possessed the leeway to construct a dungeon.
Well, as for the remaining balance, it has been divided among those who fled. The details of that balance are precise. After all, we managed to capture a member of the Dark Guild who had become a Dungeon Master. The DP held by the fugitives amounts to 15,000. Here in Rogari, a dungeon core can be generated for 5,000. However, merely generating a core does not create a functional dungeon. There is little room for error when it comes to seizing land, renovating the space, and producing monsters.
"Well, I shall have my subordinates confirm whether this hypothesis holds water. For now, the question is what actions the fleeing enemy will take..."
I have been scouring the damage reports in hopes of finding some clue as to the whereabouts of the escaped Dark Guild members. However, my investigation has yielded nothing definitive. As you suggested, Master, their flight toward the coast—where people are less likely to gather—seems a logical move. Yet, since they have no people to convert into DP, I find myself wondering what they intend to do. Of course, they could use monsters instead, but...
"Do they intend to deploy a dungeon in the sea and accumulate DP by hunting monsters? That would be a rather painstaking process. And even if they were to raid nearby villages, the DP yield would be negligible."
At first, I considered the possibility that they might build dungeons along their path as they fled toward the sea, raiding villages as they went, but the DP return on such an investment would not be profitable. Considering that, perhaps they intend to enter a period of dormancy and quietly regain their strength?
This brings us back to the conclusion you initially proposed, Master...
"Kirika-sama. The pursuit team has picked up the trail of the Dark Guild."
"Understood. I will listen to the report with Master. Please have the information summarized by then."
It seems the pursuit team has managed to catch their tail before I could finish my deductions. Nevertheless, there is value in presenting this analysis to you, Master. It is entirely possible that you might see something from a different perspective.
With that, I began to contact you, Master, while simultaneously compiling my thoughts into a report. The question of why the enemy allowed the populace to escape remains, and my conclusion, Kirika’s conclusion, is that they needed a reason to keep moving in order to stall Litea. If they truly had no intention of destroying Suurus, they may have intended to force a collision between the Great Stampede and the forces of Litea and the alliance, solely to exacerbate the devastation.