第１６２４堀：各教会の意図と彼女の心配 (Part1)
Chapter 1624: The Intentions of the Churches and Her Worries
Side: Enora
"Pardon? The Haire Church’s expansion into the port town of Weed?"
"Exactly. Micos-chan only realized it after Yuki-sensei mentioned it, but what are you going to do? Hasn't Kagura said anything to you?"
I was relaxing at home when Micos, looking utterly exhausted, suddenly threw that question at me.
"There’s nothing for Kagura to say. The upper echelons of the Haire Church have no intention of making a move on this matter."
"Is that so?"
"It is. It’s not as if it’s a land teeming with believers, and we have no desire to force our way in and create friction. I assume the Enaria Church, the Hifie Holy Religion, and the Seraphina Church aren't making any moves either, right?"
"Now that you mention it, I haven't heard a peep from them, either."
"Naturally. The source of this current commotion occurred in Litea, didn't it? Right at the feet of the Litea Church’s headquarters. If you were to go around saying you want to be the first to build a church in the port town created to handle that very crisis—before the Litea Church itself has even acted—what would that be? It would be tantamount to picking a fight with the Litea Church."
"Oh, is that how it works?"
"It is. Lilishe-sama might not see it that way, but the others wouldn't take kindly to it. We, for one, would like to avoid unnecessary trouble. There’s no way we’d move recklessly. Though, I don't think Yuki is unaware of that."
"Isn't it more that the lack of any discussion at all is what’s unsettling?"
Indeed. If even Micos hasn't heard a word, it’s no wonder Yuki is concerned.
"I see. It would certainly be better to make our intentions clear. It’s only natural for Yuki to be cautious; he can't just make decisions on his own."
"For Yuki-sensei, he needs proof that he’s consulted with us. Politics is such a pain."
"From my perspective, the top of a publishing house that doubles as an intelligence agency and the editor-in-chief of a magazine are far more baffling. And speaking of which, you said you spoke with Yuki—why again? He wouldn't call you in just to ask about me, would he? If he wanted to know, he’d just ask me directly."
Oho, she’s sharp as ever when it comes to things like that. Not that I intended to hide it.
"Yeah. Yuki-sensei called me in, and..."
So, when I pressed her for the reason she was summoned, she explained that Hairen-sama had come to discuss church matters, and she had heard about the movements of Ria and Canaria.
I rubbed the bridge of my nose...
"No, Hairen-sama is currently training under Lilishe-sama, so it is only natural that she would be involved in such things..."
I muttered that to steady my nerves. I reminded myself that the Haire Church has not become a subsidiary of the Litea Church. That woman isn't the type to care about affiliations, anyway. She simply acted on a request from another sect because she was asked. That is all.
"Um, Enora? Are you okay?"
"...Yes. I’m fine."
Realizing I must have been making a strange face, I shook off the concern from Micos and shifted my focus.
"So, Ria and Canaria are handling the bento project."
"Right. Micos-chan thinks it’s a brilliant idea. It’ll become a specialty that helps promote the booklets and magazines, too."
It’s true; right now, the port town is merely functioning as an administrative hub, and it’s unclear what exactly we should be promoting. The sea is infested with monsters—well, we could ensure safety, but if tourists come, that’s all there is to see. While I agree that establishing a model for the first step is the best way to solidify the surrounding area, but...
"It doesn't necessarily have to be Ria and Canaria, does it? I would think it better to rely on people like Ratz to bring in influential merchants and develop shops."
"I’m sure they’ll be moving on that front too, but those are people who already hold power. This is about creating opportunities where there otherwise wouldn't be any for new entries."
"Ah, I see."
It’s true that merchants via Ratz have not only the capital but the backing to ensure they rarely fail, but there aren't that many who can do that. It’s obvious that new merchants would be crushed if they had to compete with such giants. So, that’s why they chose Ria and Canaria for the first attempt.
"To attract new merchants, then."
"Exactly."
As Micos nodded, I decided to press her on another point.
"And is this also about dispelling the rumors surrounding Canaria?"
"Oh, you caught that?"
Micos didn't try to hide it; she answered my observation honestly.
"Canaria was raised literally like a princess, so that’s the only area where she’s useful for now. Well, that’s why I’ve made Ria her exclusive handler to help her navigate things."
"I know that. But Dressa is in the same situation, isn't she? And yet she’s in the military."
"It’s not that she can't move, but she doesn't have the knowledge of the sea that Dressa does. Besides, Canaria attracted even more attention when she was bought."
That’s right. Canaria was purchased at a significant price by Weed—or rather, the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance—to flush out the dark guilds. Even if it was for the sake of our operation, there is no denying that money—no, the blood-tax money of the people—was used. Furthermore, her reputation in the Rogali Continent is abysmal, thanks to what Vinoshia did.
Because of that, even though Weed spent a fortune to buy her, we haven't been able to entrust her with major tasks, like the diplomacy or paperwork a princess would typically handle. Well, I suppose it would be the same on my end. The reason is that the public, once they found out, would undoubtedly voice their dissatisfaction. No matter how diligently she works, a single minor mistake could cause that discontent to explode. And that would lead to a loss of trust in Weed, and by extension, the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance.
That is something we must avoid at all costs.
However, the public is also dissatisfied with her living a life of leisure, like a freeloader. We are anxious about putting her to work, but we lack the trust to actually do so. It’s a classic "what are we supposed to do?" situation.
That is likely why Yuki thought that, at the very least, finding something that suits her would help maintain her motivation. Honestly, I thought that since she can fight reasonably well, we should have just tossed her into the military. In Weed’s military, she wouldn't be treated softly, and she would be under our watchful eye.
Still, I understand Yuki’s point that without motivation or the will to do it, she won't last. But forcing her into a position where she might die in battle would also be a problem. That is likely why he reached this decision.
Even so...
"Those are Ria and Micos's opinions, aren't they? What about Yuki? And what about Canaria herself?"