第１６３９堀：面倒だけど大事な書類仕事 (Part1)
Chapter 1639: Tedious but Essential Paperwork
Side: Orelia
A resort town by the sea.
I have accompanied Yuki-sama here for the first time, and to be honest, it is breathtaking.
While it is true that Weed has beaches where one can enjoy the ocean, there were never rows of such magnificent hotels and buildings.
In Weed, the facilities are merely supplementary—a few casual eateries and perhaps some modest inns, if I may be so bold. There is nothing that reaches thirty stories high.
"Wow, this is amazing! Look, Yayui, over there!"
"Hmm? Oh, is that a fish?"
As I followed Hovis’s gaze, I saw something small leaping from the sea, its body catching the light.
"It seems to be a fish similar to a flying fish. Seeing phenomena like this is one of the unique charms of nature."
Yuki-sama, having overheard Hovis, turned his eyes toward the ocean and replied.
I see. So, there are fish that leap through the air.
Just as I was thinking that...
*Splash!!*
A deafening sound erupted from where the fish had been, and an enormous creature emerged before sinking back into the depths.
"…It appears it was being chased by that monster."
"Seems so. Still, to have something of that caliber within sight... Even if we’ve restricted access to the recreational beach, it’s quite frightening."
Indeed.
It feels as though such a massive sea monster could easily breach the perimeter if it chose to leap.
But then, even more...
*Splash!!*
Another thunderous sound echoed.
"Seriously! Don't come running over here!"
As they shouted, Sheila and her group emerged from the surface.
They are the underwater operations unit that Aslin-sama is currently tending to. They are fish-men—or perhaps monsters that look like fish with limbs and fins.
They can speak and are quite polite, so communication is never an issue, but...
"Ahahaha! What is that!"
I am not sure if Lyushi is unfamiliar with Sheila and the others, or if she simply finds the sight of them chasing each other while arguing amusing, but she is laughing quite heartily.
Well, I suppose from a certain perspective, it could look like a comedy.
"Ah, well, it’s not entirely unlike a farce. Though I imagine they are taking it quite seriously on their end."
Yuki-sama, watching Lyushi laugh, gave a wry smile as he assessed Sheila and her team, who were frantically dealing with the monster.
"Well, we’re in the middle of work. We can hear the details about that later; for now, we’re heading to see Sisua and Sona."
"Yes!"
With that, we resumed our walk.
Incidentally, we parted ways with Canaria-sama and Ria-sama in front of a bento shop nearby.
While there, we took the opportunity to inform Kirue-sama of Ratz-sama’s request for an instructor to teach the nobility how to conduct themselves at the resort hotel.
Upon entering the government office, the atmosphere felt much more settled than before.
The cardboard boxes filled with supplies that had been scattered about were gone, and the office appeared to be fully operational.
As I scanned the first floor, a person at the reception counter approached us.
"Oh, Yuki-sama. Is something the matter?"
"Ah, I was just thinking how much calmer things look."
"Yes. Thanks to that, we’ve finished unpacking, and the office is officially up and running. It’s quiet now, but we expect the number of migrants to increase soon."
"Migrants? I didn't think the applications had opened yet?"
"No, this isn't for the general public. It’s for the relocation of families, including our own. We are using this as a form of practical training."
"I see. Come to think of it, housing for those families has been prepared, but have there been any issues?"
"No, none so far. However, there is the matter of what to do with the homes we currently have in Weed. Since they are essentially rentals, the financial burden is becoming significant."
"I see. You have your homes in Weed, and you can't exactly just let them go easily, can you?"
"Yes. A home in Weed is something everyone covets now. Most of the people coming here are long-time residents, and their homes are in what we now call prime locations. In other words, once you give them up, you can't easily return."
"Ah..."
We all nodded in understanding.
It is true that while no one in Weed is without a place to live, one often hears that people cannot live in the places they desire, or that they struggled to secure a property.
That is what constitutes a "prime location."
Proximity to Super Ratz or the gates—such convenience, of course, translates to safety, making those areas highly sought after.
"It’s not as if you’re planning to be buried here, either."
"Exactly. That is why we are currently consulting with the acting lord."
"Understood. I’ll look into it as well and see if I can come up with a good solution."
"We would appreciate that. Oh, right—you are here to see the acting lord, aren't you? I will notify them."
The receptionist finally realized why Yuki-sama had come and immediately contacted Sisua-sama and Sona-sama.
Yuki-sama does, after all, chat quite casually with ordinary people, so it is often difficult to tell who he is actually there to see.
As I was thinking this, the receptionist returned from the intercom.
"Sisua-sama and Sona-sama say it is fine. I will guide you to the office."
Following those words, we were led to the office on the top floor.
The interior was beautifully organized, a far cry from the inorganic, empty space it had been initially.
"Welcome, Yuki-sama, and everyone."
"Did you come to help us~?"
Sisua-sama greeted us politely, while Sona-sama looked at us with expectant eyes.
Indeed, there were mountains of documents piled up on both of their desks.
"I’m afraid I can’t meet your expectations, Sona. Unfortunately, we’re here to listen to some matters ourselves."
"I see. You are here for the inspection of the port town today, aren't you?"
"That’s right."
"Ehh..."
Sona-sama let out a disappointed sigh, but since we cannot process documents we are not involved in, I suppose she will have to give up on that.
"You seem quite distressed, Sona. Is the work really that tedious?"
It is true that Sona-sama has handled paperwork before, and it is rare to see her in such a state.
Just what kind of work could be causing this?
"Tedious is one word for it, but it is not something we can have others do for us."
"Ugh... Do we really have to be the ones to handle all the residency and stay documents for the residents~?"
"I see. So that’s what it is."