第１７９８堀：ウィードの忙しさについて (Part2)
"That, in itself, is a good thing, as it confirms they aren't involved. It gives us a reason to push for an investigation."
Indeed, either way, it wouldn't be a disadvantage for us.
"The question remains, however, how much we can minimize the damage to the Adventurer Guild."
"True. The moment we start evacuating the guild personnel, the opposition will catch on."
"Even so, I doubt they can resort to extreme measures, can they? Given that we received a letter from an employee named Alca, it doesn't seem like they’re acting openly against the guild. And Nina and the others said the town looked perfectly normal, didn't they?"
"Yeah, from an outsider's perspective, the town seems fine. Which means the trouble is internal. That makes pushing for an evacuation all the more difficult."
"...I see."
Seraria said this with a look of dissatisfaction, and I understood what Yuki meant.
The fact that the town is peaceful means that even if we grasp the enemy's movements, it’s hard to convince people to evacuate. If a group of outsiders suddenly arrived and claimed there was danger, how many people would actually believe them? That is likely why Alca, the employee, couldn't find a way to escape.
"Sigh, well, we'll know more once we gather some intelligence. That said, we're planning to join the party, but it's already ten days away. Are you sure about that?"
"Indeed, I don't believe we have much time to spare, do we?"
I don't think we can finish investigating the town in a mere ten days...
"We aren't planning to finish everything this time. It’s just the best way to grasp the situation."
"Ah, I see. Even if we do something reckless, the Grand Master and the others will be at the party, so it will be treated as a matter involving a different faction."
"Exactly. Of course, if we can wipe out the trouble while we're at it, that's fine too. Well, if the Grand Master is worried, we'll handle it accordingly."
"Then, I should have the company prepared."
"Yeah, keep them on standby for immediate response. As for equipment, we'll go with Urban Combat Type 1, and adjust based on the intel."
"Understood."
He is assuming we will be fighting in the town. Well, the worst-case scenario right now is indeed combat within the city limits. Preparing for that is only natural. The only drawback is the lack of firepower, but since we carry all necessary equipment in our Item Boxes, we can swap gear instantly, so that shouldn't be an issue.
"That covers our side, but what about the New Continent? You've been spending all your time in Weed lately, haven't you?"
"Indeed, is the situation in the New Continent acceptable?"
That is correct. It might sound strange to call it Yuki's "original" work, but with the discovery of the New Continent, he is in charge of the overall command, not to mention the negotiations there. After all, he is the proxy for the Queen of Weed—their representative.
"The southern fortress is operational and has started gathering intel. Tori and Fiora are alternating as commanders, and Laye is filling in while I'm away, so that shouldn't be a problem. The issue is the north. Baroness Siana is currently in the middle of winning over those who surrendered. We can't move until that’s settled to some extent. Besides, they were in a state of severe famine."
"Come to think of it, that was the case."
"It is truly remarkable that they could be so stubborn while starving."
"That just goes to show how strong the influence of the Church and Clearstream is. Also, since the immediate enemy is gone, the envoys who finished their reorganization are scheduled to contact the southern nations soon."
"So it comes down to how the southern nations are faring. Will you be accompanying them?"
"Just the troops. Kagura is handling the negotiations, but she has asked if she could be present at the meetings with the influential southern powers."
"We do want information from other countries as well, after all."
Well, I doubt Ohe would let go of Weed, which is their lifeline right now, so he probably wouldn't want them going anywhere too dangerous.
"Stasia is handling the defense and support of the northern towns, so that shouldn't be a problem. She's teamed up with Kagura and Enola, and if necessary, Eris and Ratz can step in."
"That area is stable, then. What about the International Exchange School?"
"They're currently wrapping things up now that the exam period is over. I imagine it will come up during the party."
"I heard a suggestion that the current members should act as seniors?"
And so, we continued to discuss the affairs of Weed.
As it stands, Weed’s forces are more spread out than I had anticipated. With a shortage of commander-class personnel, we really want to avoid any further expansion of the front lines. As for the soldiers, I can supplement them to some extent with my skills as a Dungeon Master, but their coordination and tactical ingenuity leave something to be desired.