第１７５２堀：研究者から見た新大陸について (Part2)
"Being in a position of authority, you’d have a clearer view of the situation, so you realized things were getting pretty dire, didn't you?"
"Indeed. I expected more pushback, but they’ve been surprisingly docile."
"Come to think of it, I asked Queen Miyabi to handle the guiding duties in Weed. How is that going?"
Ah, right. Queen Miyabi was acting as a consultant—or perhaps a handler—for the Ohe royals who had come to Weed. Being fellow elves, it made sense. I was curious, too. How would the elves from that forest capital react to life in Weed?
"At first, they were naturally bewildered, but since they can manage so much with the touch of a button, and the food is exquisite, they seem to have no complaints. Princess Suena and Queen Dana were so moved by their visit to Alfin’s bakery that they were practically in tears."
"Hey, hey—you didn't let them eat so much cake that it became a health risk for the pregnant Queen, did you?"
It sounded like a joke coming from Yuki, but it wasn't. People tasting such confections for the first time generally have no tolerance for high-quality sweets. Royals and nobles might have access to sugar, but the refined, balanced sweetness of Weed’s cakes is a rarity. Usually, their sweets are either cloyingly, syrupy-thick or barely sweet at all. Sugar is so expensive that it’s either used sparingly or dumped in by the bucketload to flaunt wealth and power, with flavor being a distant second priority.
But Weed—or rather, the Japanese-influenced style of Earth—has that delicate, perfect balance. It’s a revelation. From daily meals to the final dessert, they’re encountering true culinary art. And for those experiencing it for the first time, they don’t stop until they’re stuffed. No, they *can’t* stop. I’ve been there myself.
So, setting aside Princess Suena, I was genuinely worried about Queen Dana. We’d earned Rurua’s trust to bring them here; if they collapsed from gluttony, it would be a diplomatic disaster. Not to mention the life of her unborn child.
"Chinau, the personal physician, and I had to step in. It seems Rurua had already given strict instructions, so they stopped, albeit reluctantly."
"Reluctantly, huh?"
"What of it? Did Agil stop immediately?"
"No, that would be impossible."
Once someone discovers what truly delicious food is, there’s no stopping them. It’s the moment they realize that eating is about more than just mere survival.
"Princess Suena kept eating right beside her, and Queen Dana was glaring daggers at her."
"Well, naturally."
Watching someone else gorge themselves while you’re forced to abstain is a special kind of torture.
"Anyway, that aside, what brings Queen Miyabi here? Was it business with you, Yuki?"
It had occurred to me a bit late, but I was curious why the Queen had come to this room. As we’d just discussed, her job was supposed to be entertaining Princess Suena, Queen Dana, and the King of Ohe.
"To continue our previous topic—the King of Ohe, Princess Suena, and even Martin and his guards are all currently resting because they ate themselves into a stupor."
"Ah." "I see."
Understood. Perfectly understood. They’d eaten until they collapsed. It’s becoming a Weed specialty.
"They’re currently lying down in the rooms we prepared. There are maids on standby, so if anything happens, we’ll be notified immediately. The elders are keeping watch as well. As for why I’m here, I wanted to see for myself if there were any new developments regarding Ohe. Seeing and hearing things in person is quite different from watching them through a screen."
"I can understand that."
"Same here."
Both Yuki and I agreed with Queen Miyabi’s sentiment. There are things you can only grasp from data and footage, but there are also truths that only reveal themselves on the ground. And in a place like this New Continent Strategy Room, where a vast ocean of information converges, the bigger picture starts to come into focus.
"So, Queen Miyabi, does anything stand out to you?"
"Nothing definitive yet, but the situation in the south is far too opaque for my liking. Have you sent any units from your side, Yuki?"
"I’ve sent some, but only after things settled down in the north. I’ve had drones and familiars scouting ahead, but..."
"Ah, I have that footage right here. Switching it over now."
I shifted the display to show the southern town. The conclusion remained the same: "We still don't know anything." But based on everything we’d learned so far, the probability was high that "something" existed in the south—something powerful enough to drive monsters to flee in terror.