第１８１４堀：裏方も大事な仕事 (Part1)
### Chapter 1814: The Importance of Behind-the-Scenes Work
**Side: Milly**
"I’m honestly stunned. The Grand Master just suddenly appeared at the bar and started drinking."
I said this while sitting in the Weed-exclusive suite at the hotel, prompting a wry smile from Ratz, who was seated nearby.
"Well, isn't that just to catch the others off guard? The Usano and Aae Kingdoms we’re targeting haven't arrived yet, but plenty of other major and minor nations are gathering one after another," she explained.
It was a calculated move—a way for the Grand Master, and by extension the Adventurer Guild, to signal that they hadn't yet made any moves regarding the remote village in the Usano Kingdom or the town of Suana. By acting this way, he was lulling the opposition into a false sense of security, making them believe he was just there to party while the real negotiations were scheduled for later.
"I know that. Still, drinking and making a scene is just..."
"The Grand Master drinking his way through a party is nothing new, is it? Besides, I doubt that man even gets drunk in the first place."
"I suppose you're right."
Eris’s point was spot on. I wouldn't go so far as to say he couldn't get drunk, but his mind never clouded. Still, even so...
"I just don't think he needed to drag Yuki-san into it. His tolerance for alcohol isn't exactly high."
Indeed, he had pulled Yuki-san into the fray, and they had started drinking quite heavily. Even though I had been sitting right there, I hadn't been able to show off our intimacy.
"It makes Yuki-san look like some fool who only cares about chasing after his subordinates. I was supposed to be showing off how happily married we are."
"Haha, I understand the sentiment, but you’ve already made it clear how much he cherishes his wife. Besides, don't you have to coordinate with the Suana Adventurer Guild soon, Milly?"
"That’s true. I doubt Yuki-san is actually a womanizer, but if those rumors start spreading, it’s exactly what we anticipated. As long as we’re affectionate later, it’ll be fine. The real issue is how we handle the cover-up while Yuki-san and the Grand Master are away. How are we planning to manage that?"
As they pointed out, I—or rather, all of us here—needed to ensure that their absence didn't raise any questions or suspicions.
Though, to be honest...
"There’s no need to worry that much. My husband will be moving about as a Doppelganger, and the same goes for Orelia and the others in his retinue. The Grand Master refused a Doppelganger, but he’s always wandering off anyway, so we can just have our subordinates claim they saw him around town."
As Seraria, who had just entered the room, pointed out, we could easily arrange for body doubles, so the eyewitness reports would be covered. The real task was something else.
"The challenge is keeping their attention away from the actual objective. We have to make sure they don't suspect we’re concerned about Usano and Aae."
"Indeed. If they think we’re prioritizing those nations, they’ll try to gouge us, but we can't exactly ignore them either."
"The main event is tomorrow. Until then, we have to make them believe we aren't targeting that area."
"Exactly. We have to make it look like things only started moving once the party was underway. Otherwise, there’s no telling what might happen to the town of Suana."
We were moving with such extreme caution because we didn't know the true state of Suana. The reports from our internal investigator, Arka, were vague, and without clarity, we couldn't formulate a proper countermeasure.
That was why we couldn't let them realize we were onto the town's situation. If we played our cards wrong, the town itself could suffer. The situation was delicate enough that even an internal investigator like Arka couldn't communicate openly.
"Well, for today, the sun is setting, and there’s nothing left to do but sleep. Given that the Grand Master is drinking and we have tomorrow to consider, he’ll likely turn in early. We don't need to worry too much for now."
"True. As Seraria says, that’s a relief. It won't take much effort today. My apologies to Eris and Ratz, though."
The reason Seraria and I could take it easy was that, given our positions, we weren't as directly involved in the logistics. Ratz and Eris were busy managing the hotel and the commercial facilities, especially with so many nobles visiting. It wasn't that we wouldn't help, but...
"It’s fine, really. It’s the usual routine."
"Yes, and Narjia-san handles most of the management for the commercial facilities anyway. Ratz and I have already stepped down from our representative roles, so we’re basically just handling the hotel. Seraria and Milly, we’ll leave the Grand Master and the Adventurer Guild’s headaches to you."
"Leave it to us."
"Yes. We can't just ignore the situation with Usano and Aae."
Seraria and I left the room, leaving the rest to Ratz and Eris. While we could check the situation from the hotel, a proper command center would give us a much clearer picture. As we moved, we reviewed the situation once more.
"Seraria, have you received any information from the Usano and Aae sides, where you’ve been pulling strings?"
"Nothing from Kirika’s intelligence division. It’s certain that the forest existed as a true monster-infested woodland from the start."
"I see."
Just as I felt a pang of disappointment, Seraria continued.
"However, as we gathered more information, something strange came to light."
"Strange?"
"I’m sure you know this, but that monster forest serves as the border between Usano in Roschur and Aae in Gartz."
"Yes, I’m aware."
"Which means it’s inevitably a disputed territory. You understand that, right?"
"Of course. Border lands are always the root of conflict."
Every nation naturally craves more territory. If that land borders a neighbor, securing it becomes an eternal, existential question for the state. It’s nothing but a nuisance for those caught in the middle, though.
"I’ll say it again: the monster forest is the border between Usano and Aae."
"And that... how does that..."
I started to say, but then it clicked in my mind.
"This wasn't a conspiracy between the two nations, but..."
"Exactly. I realized that possibility just a moment ago. For both of them, it *has* to be a monster forest. If it weren't, they would have to go to war, because they could actually secure the land. Or perhaps, the truth is that they both want the other side to be at a disadvantage?"
"So, they’re both potentially instigating it."
"Yes. I thought the secret lay within the monster forest itself—and that’s not entirely wrong—but the essence is..."
"A struggle for territory. The reason they placed people who lost power struggles in that remote Usano village is..."
"To stake a claim to the land when the time comes, I imagine. To say, 'We’ve lived here from the start.' And not just commoners, but those of noble blood."
My perspective on that place shifted entirely.