第１８１３堀：パーティーの裏で (Part2)
"Yuki-sama, that is not the room reserved for the dignitaries, is it?"
"Ah, well, the Grand Master’s presence—or rather, his mana—is leaking quite blatantly from this direction."
Indeed, just as my master noted, he is letting his mana spill out into the open. I wonder why he would go to such lengths, but I suppose he wishes to speak with my master in a private room rather than the quarters designated for dignitaries.
When we arrive before a certain private room, the door swings open before we even have a chance to knock.
"Glad you could make it. Come in."
"Pardon the intrusion."
We step inside, but as the room is designed for a maximum of two people, it feels cramped with six of us squeezed in.
"Well, I won't be staying long, so bear with the tight quarters."
"Not at all. Now, regarding the matter at hand: Nina and the others have arrived safely in the town of Suana in the Usano Kingdom, and they have confirmed the presence of Arca-dono."
"I see. Have they made contact yet?"
"No, it is still daytime, so she is currently on duty at the Adventurer’s Guild. We are scheduled to speak in detail after she finishes work this evening. We have already informed her that we are envoys from the Grand Master. She seemed surprised, but she did not appear to be in a panic."
"I see, I see. Thank you for handling this amidst such a busy schedule."
"It was us who tracked them down while pursuing the Dark Guild, so please, think nothing of it. We simply cannot abide by such strange machinations taking place right under our feet."
"Naturally."
"So, Grand Master, how shall we proceed? The party hasn't officially begun, but we have already set up a gate nearby and have my subordinates standing by, so travel will not take much time."
My master informs him that he can speak with Arca-dono at a moment's notice.
"I see. Since the letter was addressed to me, Arca will likely feel more at ease if I am the one to appear. That said, what is the schedule for today?"
"As Weed, we must attend to the dignitaries from various nations arriving today, but I am not particularly privy to the Adventurer’s Guild’s internal schedule. How does it look on your end?"
"Hmm. As for me personally, I have already finished greeting those I intended to see. There is no one requesting an urgent meeting at the moment. The main event is tomorrow, after all."
"In that case, how would you like to proceed?"
Indeed, the alibi-building using the Grand Master is meant to hit its stride once the party for the completion of Glass Port Town begins tomorrow. Given the scale of the operation, it seems unlikely we can resolve the task of monitoring the entire town of Suana within the duration of the party, but doing something is better than nothing. Besides, I doubt our enemies expect their large-scale schemes to be dismantled so easily.
"Let’s head over. Though, should we go right this instant?"
"It is currently midday. I believe it would be more effective for you to remain visible, perhaps enjoying some light refreshments in the hotel lounge, to establish your presence."
"True enough. It is before a big job, and I imagine the bar is open, isn't it?"
"It is, though I wouldn't recommend overindulging."
As my master says, the hotel bar is open. Dignitaries from various nations often use such settings to communicate over drinks, and providing a place to enjoy a wide variety of spirits reflects well on our nation. Moreover, in a bar of this caliber—unlike a common tavern—getting drunk to the point of losing one's composure is considered a disgrace. A tavern is a place for townspeople and adventurers to vent their daily frustrations, so the intended use is quite different.
"Right then, I’ll be off for a bit. You take it easy too, Yuki-dono."
"Yes, I am well aware."
"Hahaha."
With that, the Grand Master leaves us behind and exits the room. Usually, one would expect the host to be the one to leave, but I suppose it is safe to assume the Grand Master has returned to his usual self.
"Alright, let's head to the bar with the Grand Master. It’ll serve to keep the guests happy and bolster our alibi. Plus, we might as well enjoy ourselves. Maybe even indulge in a bit of harassment—my apologies to you, Prof and the others."
"Not at all, Yuki-sama. You are welcome to do as you please."
"I believe such things are important."
"That’s right~! If you only focus on work, the wives will get angry at you~."
"Precisely. It is also the perfect way to feed the opposition false information."
"I really feel like someone should be scolding him for that..."
My master offers a wry smile at our words. Both Yuki and the Grand Master are moving forward while carefully constructing their alibis. At the same time, they are reinforcing the rumors of Yuki’s loose behavior with women. Though, in truth, the man himself is quite uncomfortable with such things.
Now then, it seems the situation in Usano is finally beginning to stir.