第１７９３堀：砦は整いつつある (Part2)
Various keywords have surfaced, but how they all intertwine remains a matter of pure speculation. We are working to gather intelligence on that front, collaborating with the captured Baron Siana, but…
"The Church, the Demon Lord, the conflict between humans and demi-humans, the Great Migration of monsters, the activation of monsters in the North. Yeah, it’s all just a jumbled mess."
"It really is incomprehensible, isn't it?"
"Hearing it laid out like this, it’s truly nonsensical. Especially for those like Oue who are caught in the middle of it. No wonder they’re desperate."
Yeah, I understand where Holly is coming from. To be suddenly attacked by people claiming to be the Demon Lord’s collaborators, to have your fields burned, imports halted, and your very survival pushed to the brink—it’s absolute chaos.
Regardless, our course of action is clear.
"For now, while we leave the northern intelligence to Yuki and the others, we’ll focus on the South—investigating the monster movements and the rumors of the Demon Lord. Plus, we have to manage the environment. The Intercontinental Exchange Alliance is scheduled to arrive soon, after all."
That reminds me of something.
"By the way, Taiki, what did you think of this land when you arrived?"
"What do you mean by 'what did I think'?"
"I was wondering if the nations of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance would be eager to secure territory here."
"Ah, I see what you’re getting at."
That had been weighing on my mind. As far as the eye can see, it’s nothing but wasteland. The only resources in sight are rock and soil. There’s no water source, and my first thought—and that of the survey team members who came to this southern land—was that it would be a grueling place to live. They say people from Oue had expanded into these southern lands, but… the environment is so harsh that "desperate" feels like an understatement.
"To be honest, as it stands, I don't see much merit in this wasteland unless it has the backing of Weed."
"Exactly."
"Well, if you consider that we need to establish an environment for excavating, gathering, and cultivating raw materials for the automobile and pharmaceutical factories that Weed is currently spearheading, then having new land is certainly a blessing. Domestic land is essentially already granted to the lords—the nobility."
"I see. So, in terms of balancing power, you’re saying it’s preferable to develop on new land?"
"You hit the nail on the head, Viria. The construction of the factories was a measure to support the dark guilds in Suurus, and I’m sure the locations for some are already set. Still, having new land where you can tap into mineral resources and other potential is a welcome prospect."
Hmm, I see. It’s understandable that if the environment can be made habitable, the benefits of new land are significant. That was, after all, part of why Yuki wanted to bring the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance to the southern lands in the first place. Though, the biggest reason was to keep the militant factions within the Alliance in check and to build a southern defensive line.
"Understood. That’s very helpful. The lack of water is a fatal flaw, but fortunately, we have the prototypes from the Dafaio Kingdom, so I think we can manage."
"Ah, Fiora’s country, right? Was water shortage a problem there?"
"Yes. Well, the dragon that was the root cause is now working for Alfin in Weed."
"You mean Coral-san. Thanks to her, I’ve been able to look at sugar lately without feeling sick."
"Indeed."
Truly. Alfin has a talent for making sweets, but she would make them and present them to us without any restraint. I’ve learned that there is a limit to what a person can take. It seems Coral, being a dragon, also reached her limit, and she’s subtly put a stop to it, so the damage is… probably decreasing. Since Taiki doesn't see her as often, I’m sure his exposure has dropped significantly. But we see her all the time, and they’re delivered to the inn regularly… so it never really goes away. I thought it might decrease since Orelia and the others—Yuki’s aides—joined us, but then the number of children increased due to the celebrations. It was a nightmare trying to stop them from eating nothing but sweets.
"..."
"Err, why the silence?"
It seems everyone except Holly knows about Alfin’s sweets, and they all froze at the mention of them.
"Anyway, I’ll borrow a unit and start drafting the plans."
"Yes. Please make sure to file the proper paperwork when you head out for reconnaissance."
With that, I shifted the conversation and returned to my work. Out in the southern lands of the New Continent, neither the Hero nor the Demon Lord could feel a trace of anything. Not that we had any radar for that sort of thing to begin with.
I just hope we find something.
Also, in a sense, Alfin is the final boss of Weed.