第１６９４堀： 一人でだめなら二人で行けばいいじゃない (Part2)
It is inherently absurd to think of a full-grown adult being smuggled as cargo, but conversely...
"Did you come up with something?"
"Ah, no. It’s impossible for an adult to blend in with cargo, but if they were the size of a child..."
I muttered the thought aloud, never stopping to consider what kind of impulsive action Lady Hairen might take.
"That’s it! We just need to have someone of a child's stature accompany them."
"Lady Hairen, wait!"
I called out to her, but...
"Right, then I have the perfect candidates in mind. I’ll be right back!"
With that, Lady Hairen bolted out of the room.
"Oh, no..."
I realized immediately that my previous remark had been incredibly careless. I scrambled to my feet to give chase, but she was already gone from the hallway, leaving only a bewildered sister standing there in her wake.
"Excuse me, did you happen to see Lady Hairen?"
"Ah, yes. Lady Enora. Lady Hairen did rush out looking quite flustered. Is there some sort of trouble?"
"Ah, no. It’s just... her usual way of acting on a whim, I suppose."
I couldn't exactly tell her that she might have gone off to kidnap a child, and I desperately wanted to believe she wouldn't actually do such a thing. Incidentally, this sister—and indeed, all the followers of the Hairen faith here in Weed—were well aware of Lady Hairen’s nature. If they weren't, they would simply view her as a noisy, troublesome girl.
"I see. She certainly is energetic, isn't she?"
The sister replied with a smile. Yes, there was no doubt about her energy. The problem was that she was like a runaway horse that never knew when to stop.
"In any case, I must go after her. I’ll leave the church in your hands."
"Yes, understood."
Having given instructions to my subordinate, I hurried out of the church to search for Lady Hairen, though I knew it was futile to try and catch up to someone who had already vanished from the corridors.
"...I need to contact Yuki."
If we needed someone with a child-like stature who could keep up with Holy’s operation, there was no one else but Yuki’s inner circle. Labyris, Aslin, Firia, Hiiro, or Vilia. Shera and Dressa had grown quite a bit recently, making them more like young maidens than children. While weighing these options, I reached out to Yuki.
"What’s wrong?"
Yuki answered immediately.
"Yuki, it seems you’ve been asking quite a lot of Holy lately."
"Yeah. Judging by that tone, I take it you heard from Hairen?"
"Yes. And I’m afraid I let something slip."
"Let something slip? About what?"
"Lady Hairen is against sending Holy off alone."
"Huh? As far as we know, the information regarding the kidnapping and summoning only involves one person, right?"
"Yes, I heard that too. That’s why I accidentally suggested that she might be able to blend in with the cargo."
"With the cargo? How on earth... ah."
Yuki’s voice rose as the realization hit him.
"Exactly. I thought if someone was child-sized, they might be summoned along with the cargo if they were inside a bag."
"It’s plausible. That way, there’s no worry about her being summoned alone. Still, one of Labyris and the others..."
"I know none of them are exactly free, but isn't that better than letting Holy go alone?"
"True. Since they’re Doppelgangers, I figured it would be fine, and I was considering pulling from the wives as a last resort. But if two people can go because of their size, then that’s all the better."
"If any of us go missing, everything will fall apart. Your judgment wasn't wrong, Yuki. It’s just that so much manpower is being funneled into the kidnapping and summoning incidents. If you’re the one involved, you have to be there every step of the way."
That was the reality. As Yuki said, we generally rely on Doppelgangers to ensure the safety of those who go outside. Even if they are kidnapped, we can manage, but if there’s a larger organization or nation behind it, the response will inevitably drain our resources. If the members responsible for our diplomacy or the core operations of Weed were to be caught up in this, it would be a catastrophe. Though, it could be argued that Labyris and the others, despite their small stature, are also indispensable.
"...I need to talk to them, at least. As for Hairen..."
"No, I’ll stop her. Could you talk to the candidates I mentioned?"
"Understood."
And so, I resumed my pursuit of Lady Hairen. I understand the logic behind her actions. But there is a vast gulf between understanding a possibility and actually acting upon it—most people would never move. But Hairen moves. For better or for worse.