第１７１８堀：実働部隊との意見交換 (Part1)
"Are you for real...?"
"Dead serious."
"Completely."
I’d been summoned to the monitor room out of the blue, only to have a stack of documents shoved under my nose. I scanned the lines, my eyes widening as the words sank in.
*‘Structural organization of defensive units in anticipation of invasions from summoning abduction sites; deployment of covert local garrisons.’*
That’s what it said. In black and white.
"I mean, why is this such a hardcore combat-ready formation? This is supposed to be an investigation, right? I know the folks on the other side aren't exactly friendly, but this looks less like a scouting party and more like a suppression force. It literally says 'defense against invasion forces,' doesn't it?"
"It does."
"It certainly does," Seraria added.
Well, at least my brain hadn't melted. My eyes and my ability to read hadn't failed me yet.
"So... what exactly is going on here? I’m gonna need a proper explanation, Boss."
"I know, I know," Yuki said.
"Not that an explanation changes your job description much, Steve," Seraria teased.
"Maybe not, but if there’s a flaw in the plan you two cooked up, I need to know so I can fix it. I can't have the army taking hits because of some reckless invasion or defense order. Senseless casualties are nothing but a headache, in every sense of the word."
They weren't oblivious to my point. They knew the weight of what they were asking, and they proceeded to break down the reasoning behind this plan in exhaustive detail.
"Yikes..."
That was the only word that escaped my lips. Seeing my reaction, the two of them shared a weary, wry smile.
"Everyone has the exact same reaction," Yuki muttered.
"I wonder if living in Weed just does that to people," Seraria mused.
I could have found a hundred other ways to say it, but...
"Isn't that the most polite, harmless way to put it?" I countered. If I said anything more, it wouldn't be a critique—it would be a string of insults directed at the idiots responsible for this mess. Not at Yuki and Seraria, of course, but at the fools they were dealing with.
"Well, I get the feeling, at least," I said.
"The fact that it’s understandable is exactly why it’s such a pain," Yuki sighed.
"Tell me about it..."
The three of us let out a synchronized, heavy sigh.
The situation was a mess, yet the way the countries involved were reacting was... well, typical. It was depressing, really. Why on earth would they refuse to let an investigation team from the International Exchange Alliance in? Some countries might accept, but they’d either have to trust us implicitly or be utterly incompetent. Every nation has a scheme or two up its sleeve to bolster its own standing; that’s just how the world works.
As I followed that train of thought, a realization struck me.
"Hey, Boss."
"What is it? Something you don't get?"
"No, I understand the situation. But if they’re being this blatantly uncooperative, doesn't that usually mean they’re hiding something in that forest? Has anything been found yet?"
The fact that both countries were digging their heels in was practically a confession that there was something they didn't want us to see. It was strange that we hadn't turned up anything yet.
"We haven't sent the drones or scouts deep enough for a thorough sweep. We’ve been focusing on searching for the villagers, and Nina is the only one on the ground right now. We can't just expand the search area recklessly. That said, I did tell her to keep an eye out for monsters and poke around the woods a bit."
"I see. And from the air... nothing looks out of the ordinary, I take it?"
I glanced at the map data Yuki sent over. It was just a vast, unbroken expanse of green. With a forest that size, it wouldn't be surprising if some high-level monsters were lurking inside.
"I doubt they’re refusing entry just for the 'safety' of the investigation team," I said, debunking my own thought as soon as it left my mouth.
"If that were the case, Seraria or Charl would have heard something to that effect," Yuki noted.
"Exactly. I haven't heard a peep about that. Just a flat refusal. Regardless, even if there is a big threat in there, having another country come in and handle it is a political nightmare for them."
True enough. It would be seen as a failure to manage their own territory. Besides, if there really were a dangerous monster, they could have used that as a bargaining chip to refuse entry or demand concessions.
"What about a hidden base?"
"It’s a possibility, but we haven't spotted anything suspicious from the air."
"There aren't many places that worry about aerial surveillance when building a base," Seraria pointed out. "Weed is the exception, not the rule."
"True for buildings, but what about caves?" I asked.
I didn't expect the people of the Logari continent to be building with anti-air camouflage in mind, but they could easily be utilizing natural formations.
"It’s not impossible... but Nina and the merchant group can't handle that kind of search. They don't have the numbers."
"I know that. If what I’m suspecting is true, we’re talking about a mountain with state-level involvement. A bunch of traveling merchants can't handle that. But if the background is this shady, maybe we should reconsider the current approach."
"I see your point," Seraria said. "But we can't exactly stop searching for the missing people either."
"Why don't we use Nina as a decoy and slip my unit in to do the real searching? Vilia and her crew are supposed to be protecting the villagers and investigating the kidnappings, right? We should separate that from the search for a potential enemy base."
There was simply too much on the plate. Expecting Vilia, Kagura, and Enora to cover everything was asking too much.
"I understand the proposal," Yuki said, "but the problem is whether we have a unit available to pull it off."
"My Goblin unit would be the most natural fit, wouldn't it? The International Exchange Alliance is supposed to be the face of the dark guild investigation. We aren't the only ones, but we’re the main force using monster units for peacekeeping and farm defense in old Vinosia. I don't know what the Intelligence Department's schedule looks like, though."
The moment the words left my mouth, I felt a presence behind me.
"The Intelligence Department is currently facing a severe manpower shortage due to the recent expansion of our operational range," a voice said.
"Kirika’s team has their hands full," Seraria sighed. "Pulling them out now is out of the question."
"Right," Yuki agreed. "Even if Steve’s unit finds a hidden base, Kirika’s team would be the best choice to infiltrate and investigate it, but we just don't have the people."
That made sense. Kirika’s department wasn't just about killing the enemy and moving on. Their job was to stay on-site and keep the information flowing. It was a testament to how much Weed’s influence had grown, but still...
"It’s not just about whether we have the people or not, right? If the pros are busy, it’s not like my boys can't handle a bit of recon. What I’m saying is, we should be looking for that kind of stuff too."
"Yeah... the fact that we can't rule it out means we have to assume it’s there," Yuki said.
"Leaving a threat like that unchecked would be a massive blunder," Seraria added, her expression hardening.