第１７９０堀：ダンジョン管理同士の雑談 (Part2)
"I see. In that case, if the goal is to investigate the monsters, wouldn't the plateau be the place? There's a chance we might discover things never seen before, right?"
When I posed this to Yuki again, his eyes widened in realization.
"You're right. We can't afford not to survey the plateau, and having a base there would certainly be more efficient. I suppose that slipped my mind."
"It’s because our primary objective is the defense of the southern town, isn't it? From a defensive standpoint, placing it on the flatlands is the better choice."
"True. The plateau is ideal for surveillance and fortifying a position, but it’s ill-suited for intercepting monsters."
"Exactly. Since it's a plateau, there’s no real reason for monsters advancing across the plains to climb up there, is there?"
Surprisingly, it seemed Yuki hadn't considered this until I pointed it out. Well, the reason for that oversight was likely because the defense of the southern town had been our sole focus.
"If that's the case, the plains have their own advantages. Should we just build both, then?"
"I think that would be for the best."
After all, we have to survey the plateau regardless, so having a base there would be nothing but a benefit. As for the budget...
"The one on the plateau doesn't need to be on such a grand scale, does it?"
"Agreed. We don't need to worry about defensive facilities or accommodating large numbers of soldiers there."
The purpose of accepting troops from the Intercontinental Alliance is to have them secure territory, which incidentally expands our defensive lines. We couldn't possibly hold back the monsters pushing north across this vast new continent with Weed alone. This means the armies of each nation need to deploy across the continent, and if the base were only on the plateau, the time lost climbing up and down would delay their deployment.
Of course, surveillance from the plateau remains vital, so the various nations will likely build their own observation posts there. But that is for them to decide. In short, there is no need for us to build a fortress on the plateau on the same scale as the one on the plains.
"You're right. Let's rethink the plan with that in mind."
"That sounds like a good idea. ...Still, this new continent is truly nothing but trouble."
"There isn't a place in this world without its share of problems."
"That may be true, but war is a problem of a different magnitude, isn't it? It’s strange how we always seem to get dragged into these things."
Indeed, I often wonder if there isn't a way to handle these matters more peacefully.
"That can't be helped. The fact that they were driven to use summoning rituals means they were already backed into a corner by some crisis. It’s only natural—or perhaps inevitable—that we’d be called upon for things like wars."
"Driven by necessity, huh? *Sigh*... At this rate, we’ll end up being summoned to every continent, won't we?"
"That’s entirely possible. Aside from the If continent, we’ve had summoning troubles in the Haiden region and now the new continent. The Zuraburu region doesn't count, as it's connected to Haiden."
"So, everything after the first one has been completely unexpected."
"Well, I suppose we did get actively involved in the new continent's affairs."
"We couldn't just ignore it, could we?"
The issue regarding the new continent's summoning rituals could have easily escalated into an intercontinental war if left unchecked; in the end, we had no choice but to intervene. If anything, we should be grateful it ended as cleanly as it did.
"True. Still, as Labyris said, this is the second time. They say bad things come in threes. Who knows, maybe next time it'll be another continent, or perhaps some island nation."
"An island nation... Come to think of it, Japan, where you came from, is an island nation, isn't it?"
"Ah, yeah, it is."
"I wonder if there’s a country in this world with a culture like Japan's?"
I was suddenly struck by curiosity. The world is vast. I’ve come to understand that well since being with Yuki. This world—or rather, the world where people live—seems surprisingly similar in many ways, so I don't think it's impossible for a country with a culture similar to Japan to exist.
"The possibility isn't zero. Though, whether we have the spare resources to look for it is another matter..."
"Well, that’s true. It is difficult."
Dedicating budget and manpower just to find a country with a preferred culture is something Weed can't afford right now.
"Still, there’s no harm in doing it eventually. It’s human nature to embark on adventures to learn about the unknown. I’m sure Taizo-san and Taiki would be more than happy to lend a hand."
"Oh, those two would definitely be on board. In that case, let's work hard so we can make that happen."
"Yeah, let's do it."
And so, we continued with our work. I hope that one day, we’ll be able to find it.