第１８１５堀：証拠がほぼない難しいこと (Part1)
Chapter 1815: The Difficulty of Proving the Unprovable
Side: Tori
"Ah, the Grand Master has arrived."
Nina’s voice drifted through the monitor. I had returned to Weed, to Yuki-san’s place, to coordinate the defense of the New Continent’s southern fortress and to prepare for the upcoming party.
"Excuse me, did you just say...?"
It was a woman’s voice I didn’t recognize. It must have been Arka-san, the internal investigator dispatched to the adventurer guild branch in the town of Suana, just as I’d been told.
It’s true that the Grand Master is currently using transformation magic, so he just looks like an ordinary elderly man. Well, to be fair, he’s an old man even without the magic.
"Ho, ho, ho. Young Nina. Just call me Old Man Grado here."
"Eh?"
"..."
Arka-san was stunned by the name, while the rest of us just felt the usual weariness that comes with the Grand Master’s penchant for these little games.
"Did that break the ice?"
"Ah, I see. You’re trying to ease the tension."
I’d been caught off guard by the Grand Master’s usual antics, but considering Arka-san’s situation, it was no wonder she was feeling the pressure.
"Anyway, Arka, good work. Here."
"Ah, truly..."
The Grand Master must have dropped his transformation magic, as I could hear the surprise and relief in Arka-san’s voice.
"Indeed. The letter arrived. The Weed branch was in quite an uproar."
"My deepest apologies. But it seemed they were using that place as a base of operations."
"That wasn’t a mistake, so don’t worry. The letter reached headquarters as well."
Oh, so the letter had reached headquarters too. Well, since the one sent to Weed triggered an immediate response, it wasn’t technically wrong. Milly, Rock-san, and Kina had certainly seemed panicked, though.
"Now then—oh, miss. One ale, and some grilled bird meat."
"Coming right up!"
"Grand Master..."
Yeah, he’s always like that. I mean, it’s a bit of a nuisance to go to a tavern and not order anything, but still.
"Now, since you sent such a letter, what happened? I assume there’s no surveillance here?"
The Grand Master’s ability to sense presence is reliable, but we’ve been taking extra precautions on our end, too...
"How is it? Are there any enemies nearby?"
"There is no one watching Nina-sama and the others. There shouldn't be any issues."
The report came in from the intelligence agents we’d stationed nearby. It’s true that gathering in a private room might draw unwanted attention, so this was safer.
"Yes. I don’t believe there are any eyes here."
Arka-san seems to think this tavern is safe, too. I wonder, does that mean the entire town isn't compromised?
"So, can you tell us what happened?"
"Yes. The situation is so opaque that I had no choice but to ask for guidance."
"Does it have a connection to that village?"
Exactly. We have no idea what Arka-san’s situation is tied to. The kidnapping incidents were linked to the Oue Kingdom, but we haven't yet determined if the events in the town of Suana are related.
"When you say 'village,' do you mean the one where the missing persons were appearing?"
"Indeed. Various nations were calling on Usano and Ae to cooperate regarding the Dark Guild, but they were adamant in their refusal."
"...I see. No, that is only natural. That monster forest holds a specific position—or rather, how should I put it? It carries a certain significance as a territory."
"What do you mean by that?"
Nina asked, seeking an answer. We were all waiting for it, too.
"...It serves as a natural barrier between Usano and Ae, but it is also a contested territory. And, it is a means of attack."
"...Hmm. I understand the first two. The natural barrier refers to the monsters and the forest. The contested territory makes sense, too; border disputes over adjacent land are common. But, a 'means of attack'?"
Yeah, I understood that much. But the "means of attack" part completely eluded me.
"To explain that, I must provide some context. Everyone, have you noticed that the town is bustling with activity?"
"Yeah, though I have no idea why so many people are gathering there."
"Do you know the reason for that?"
"Yes. The lord is gathering people. He claims he’s building a new village."
"A new village?"
Building a village is one thing. But how does that translate into a means of attack? Just as I was thinking that...
"I see. So that’s how it is."
"Another troublesome scheme."
The Grand Master and Yuki-san spoke at the same time. I still didn't understand what they had figured out.
"Forgive me. I didn't catch that. Could you explain in detail?"
"I didn't understand either."
"Same here."
Kishua and the others seemed just as lost, which made me feel a bit better.
"Yes, of course. The overview isn't actually that difficult. For the lords whose lands border the monster forest of Usano and Ae, the area is effectively an 'inviolable zone'—they’ve given up on development because of the monsters. And with the declaration of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, the borders have been largely finalized. As for the remaining achievements to be made..."
"Ah, once you put it that way, I understand. It’s about reclaiming the monster forest."
"Exactly. But it’s not simple. Even if the Alliance declared it an inviolable zone, if one could successfully conquer the forest, it would undoubtedly be a massive achievement. Regardless of the nation’s official policy."
Hm? If the country says development is forbidden, can't they just stop it? Yuki-san seemed to sense my confusion and offered an explanation.
"They can't do it, so they leave it alone. The country would love to do something about it, but if they gathered soldiers to reclaim the monster forest, wouldn't it look like an army threatening the border to outsiders? Do you think the opposing country would believe them if they claimed they were just 'developing the forest'?"
"Ah, that’s impossible. So that’s why they’re gathering commoners?"
"That’s it. They’re using civilians to reclaim the forest while..."
Arka-san opened her mouth at the perfect moment, as if to complete Yuki-san’s explanation.