第１７９６堀：手紙の意味 (Part2)
Weed’s intelligence division, led by Kirika, falls into that same category. In that sense, monsters that strictly adhere to orders are certainly convenient. That said, I sometimes find myself harboring the unreasonable desire for them to transcend those very constraints.
But, putting that aside, let’s return to the subject of the Adventurer’s Guild.
"Indeed. That is the situation in Arca. As for their prowess, they are roughly on par with the likes of Mauve and his party these days."
"On par with them... as they are now?"
I was taken aback by that statement. Mauve, Raiya, and Curse helped me with the founding of Weed; if anything, they’ve been with me even longer than Labyris and the others. Personally, I would have liked to bring them on as executives, but they preferred their status as adventurers, and I didn't want to force the issue.
Even so, I still rely on them for various tasks, and while I wouldn't say they’ve trained to the same extent as we have, they have certainly been significantly strengthened. To hear that they are now on that same level...
"Well, you did raise the baseline for the soldiers in Weed, didn't you? They simply took advantage of that opportunity."
"Ah, I see. The Grand Master participated as well, didn't you?"
"Oh? You noticed?"
"You were masking your presence, but I had the roster, and I was curious myself."
I wanted to know just how capable the head of the Adventurer’s Guild really was. Well, I had received information from the other side, but let’s just say the Grand Master is also one of those "broken" individuals. The type who smashes through everything using their own unique methods, completely ignoring things like levels.
Besides, this was also an experiment of ours to see how raising the soldiers' baseline—specifically through leveling in the dungeon—would affect them. We had the Adventurer’s Guild cooperate with us on that. If he’s willing to claim they are on par with Mauve and his group, they must have undergone quite a bit of training since then.
"Well, that being the case, they shouldn't be taken down so easily, but they don't have infinite stamina to keep fighting forever. Hence, this letter is a request for reinforcements."
"Reinforcements?"
"Indeed. When this kind of corruption occurs, we have protocols to make contact through various methods, including letters, but this doesn't match any of them. Well, that realization actually led me to something else."
"What do you mean by that?"
"It’s a method of communication used only in dire circumstances. Piercing the letter with needles."
" "Needles?" "
At a glance, no such holes existed.
"They aren't holes you’d notice at a glance. They’re the size of a needle used for sewing. Look here."
With that, the Grand Master held the letter up toward the ceiling. Under the light, I could see spots where the paper was thinner, glowing like tiny stars. I see—if the holes are this small, they would be impossible to detect. Come to think of it, there were stories like this back in Japan, too. I believe Date Masamune used to do various things, like using pinpricks in letters to distinguish the genuine from the forged. Whether that’s historical fact or not, I couldn't say.
"What does this signify?"
While I was lost in thought, Milly asked about the meaning of the holes. The number of holes... let’s see, three in the bottom right corner and one in the center. I can’t help but think they could have just used Morse code, but I suppose if they went that far, it would be discovered immediately.
"The single hole in the center refers to the author of the letter. And the holes in the bottom right signify a request for reinforcements. I don't know the specifics, but it implies they cannot handle the situation alone. That said, to go to such lengths to hide the message suggests there is a possibility that hostages have been taken."
"Hostages..."
Milly frowned, but she didn't raise her voice. She’s grown up in that regard... or perhaps I should lament that she’s become so accustomed to these kinds of situations.
"They are on par with Mauve’s group when acting alone. They could handle being surrounded or make an escape if they wanted to. The fact that they didn't do that and instead sent this troublesome letter..."
"It means they’re in a situation that is just that difficult."
...Wait. Could this be? Could it really be?
As the Grand Master and the others continued their discussion, I felt a growing sense of dread. Secret correspondence via letter is the same everywhere. To be honest, there are many instances where messages are conveyed through local anecdotes, idioms, or set phrases.
By the way, while I might speak of such things, I never write the contents down in this "Snowman" persona. After all, if I were to write it down poorly, I’d be forced to keep up the act indefinitely. With so many countries involved, how could I possibly manage such a setting!