第１６１４堀：敵がコアを使ってダンジョンを作れるという意味 (Part1)
Chapter 1614: The Implications of Enemies Using Cores to Create Dungeons
Side: Seraria
"I suppose it’s a good thing we managed to catch it in time, but..."
As I said this, Lowell, sitting beside me, crunched on a rice cracker.
"...*munch*. This is quite the troublesome development. I understand what you’re saying, but you could have just disposed of it quietly."
She stared at her husband with half-lidded eyes as she spoke.
She was absolutely right.
If he hadn't reported it and simply crushed it, it might have ended there, but instead, he had brought another headache upon us.
Well...
"If that were enough, I would have disposed of it. However, it’s also a fact that we’ve seized an opportunity. If the situation were beyond our control, we’d act, but the current state of affairs is a rare chance. They don’t think we’re tracking them. Or rather, while they might consider the possibility of being pursued, they certainly don’t believe they’ve been found."
"Well, that’s true enough. There’s a limit to how much information you can extract, after all. They’d never imagine we have a method that pulls memories out directly."
"It’s practically cheating, isn't it? If word of this got out, many nations would likely put collars on people and keep them under surveillance. After all, everyone everywhere is being plagued by the Dark Guild. We investigate and crush what we can, but there are always limits. Just as I experienced."
Lowell reached for another rice cracker as she said this.
Her expression was as sour as if she’d bitten into a bitter bug.
Well, in truth, Lowell had been chasing the Dark Guild for a long time.
It wasn't that she had failed, but no matter how many you chased or crushed, they just kept springing up.
If we could obtain information from the source, it was only natural to judge that we could prevent major damage.
"Lowell is right, but that doesn't mean we can gather every single detail. The slave trading of villagers via bandits that Lowell was investigating wasn't something the Dark Guild was spearheading from the start, either."
"...Ah, that was the result of colluding with nobles and village leaders who shared mutual interests."
"That’s right. The Rushi incident was the beginning, but it was just one of many, wasn't it? But we can prevent the major incidents, right?"
"I can't even guarantee that. This only covers the movements of the Dark Guild and their associates who possess the dungeon cores we are tracking. It wouldn't be strange if other groups had obtained cores elsewhere and were doing all sorts of things. Because of this current situation, there are even people—whether they’re thrill-seekers or just have unknown motives—who are leaving cores in treasure chests with instructions on how to use them."
"I see, so that’s why leaving them alone is the better option."
"That makes sense."
Once that was pointed out, I no longer felt like opposing him.
In fact, I was in full agreement.
"If they advertise that they have a core and have a dungeon under their control, people will gather whether they like it or not."
"True. And in the worst-case scenario, as my husband said, it’s possible that other groups who have acquired cores will gather there as well."
"I hope that isn't the case, but now that one has been found, we can't say for certain that the number elsewhere is zero."
This was why my husband said he would let them swim.
Even from my perspective, I doubted his sanity when I heard the report.
To think he would act as if he were randomly selecting a Dungeon Master from those who had obtained a core...
...No, Luna was pretty much appointing Dungeon Masters at random, too.
Regardless, I understood my husband’s reasoning for wanting to cast a wide net, as I didn't think this would be the last time something like this happened.
"Well, now that you’re convinced, I’ll need your help with the groundwork."
"Haa, that is certainly necessary."
"If we just blurt it out, it will inevitably invite backlash."
Lowell and I accepted my husband’s request.
After all, this was a matter directly linked to the future security of the Logari Continent.
I thought that was the end of the conversation, but...
"Also, and this goes without saying, the fact that there are people who can now use cores means the same can be said for all the cores we’ve encountered until now."
"..."
My blood ran cold at his observation.
He was absolutely right.
I wondered how we hadn't realized that until now.
Understanding our feelings, my husband continued.
"Well, it’s not exactly an emergency. After all, this kind of thing hasn't happened until now. Basically, when a dungeon was conquered and a core was obtained, there were likely no issues. However, that doesn't apply to every single one. Since we’ve made this report, some nations might be investigating on their own, but please reach out to them just in case."
"Right. You did say that they had become capable of using the cores."
"Hmm. It’s a bit late for that, isn't it? My father and brother aren't so dull as to miss this, but I can't very well not mention it. However, will the nations that have become able to use cores report it honestly?"
"...Honestly, it’s delicate. If a nation possesses a core capable of deploying a dungeon, it has a very high potential to become a national asset. They might try to use that to gain an advantage within the alliance..."
As I began to speak, my husband brushed it off with his next words.
"That’s fine, isn't it? I’ll acknowledge their ownership. They can do as they please. But we will declare that we are the ones to teach them the proper rules and methods of operation."
"Huh?"
We were stunned by his statement, but he continued without a care.
"Look, while it’s true that being able to create dungeons freely is a huge profit, that only works if there’s an opposing party. A single nation will hit a wall eventually. If they’re using a dungeon to develop and don't report it, it looks suspicious, and they’ll be seen as having ulterior ambitions. Is that really advantageous for a nation?"
"That depends on the judgment of the King, or the upper echelons who decide how to move the country..."
"Looking at recent trends, especially with the Suurus incident, it wouldn't be good for their standing in the alliance if they were caught hiding things. They’d be met with suspicion. That’s not a good position to be in. But wouldn't that shake the position of Weed, which currently monopolizes dungeon management via cores? To put it bluntly, the great powers, including Gartz, are greedy for power, aren't they?"
As my husband said, the current environment makes it impossible for a single nation to stand alone, but Lowell’s prediction was also correct.
If a single nation can own a core and deploy a dungeon, one could say their position is the same as Weed’s.
The great powers trust Weed, and they trust my husband and us, but that trust is not absolute.