第１８３７堀：行方不明事件の解決先 (Part2)
"That seems highly likely. And since the people from the Village of the End are hoping to relocate following this recent chaos, the question is whether we should accept them. It’s unclear if everyone will come, but it’s rather presumptuous of us to tell them to abandon their land."
"As I said before, I don't mind taking them in. Though, we would need them to keep their origins from the Village of the End a secret."
That goes without saying.
Well, even if it did slip out, it would likely be dismissed as mere gossip, but there’s no point in inviting unnecessary trouble.
"I am not concerned about that either. Weed is perpetually short on manpower, after all. Even with the increase in tourists and immigrants, we are still lacking."
"There are just so many things I want to get done."
"I’ve thought this many times over, but building a town—or rather, a nation—really does require a staggering number of people."
"Indeed. You can build the shell, but it won't function without the people inside."
I possess the convenient power to create containers whenever I wish, but the contents are a different story.
No, I suppose I could create monsters to fill the void, but that would defeat the purpose of being an international city.
……Hm? A town populated solely by monsters?
"What is it, dear? You seem to be deep in thought."
"It's nothing, just a thought about monsters that I hadn't really considered until now."
"Monsters? Wild ones? Are you referring to the situation on the New Continent?"
"No, no. I mean our subordinates—the monsters of Weed."
"Oh? Are you suggesting an expansion of the military? Aren't General Steve and his forces already handling that?"
"It’s not that, either. You see, among the humanoids and demi-humans, there are those who are—and I don't mean to be rude—somewhat monster-like, aren't there? We have dog-faced demi-humans like the Kobolds, for instance."
"We do. What about them?"
"Those people live among humans quite normally, don't they?"
"They do. Is there a problem with that?"
"That’s not the issue. It leads to the subject of monsters. Goblins and Orcs build their own societies and settlements even in the wild, don't they? Which means, if they are willing to listen, it is entirely possible to have settlements that don't attack humans. In fact, in the Haiden region of Kagura, goblin villages exist quite naturally."
"……Are you suggesting we build a village for monsters?"
Seraria asks, having grasped my intent.
"That is exactly what I’m mulling over. It’s a fact that we can never have enough people. If that’s the case, perhaps monsters could fill the gap. I’ve known that from the start."
"Ah, I see. They are certainly excellent as soldiers, and there is no issue with counting monsters as a labor force. However, I suspect there would be backlash if it were monsters alone."
As Quar points out, that is the crux of the problem.
On the Rogali continent, monsters have always been a force that threatens humanity.
Weed has the monster army led by Steve and his kin, but their numbers are limited, and they have only gained acceptance because they walk among us and engage in communication to foster mutual understanding.
If I were to isolate them, it wouldn't be surprising if people began to find fault with it.
"I understand why you were troubled now. It is indeed a delicate matter here in Rogali. That said, monsters who work exactly as directed are an attractive prospect. We could entrust them with production tasks that we currently can't keep up with."
"However, would that not deprive humans of their livelihoods? We have avoided using monsters as a labor force precisely to guard against that, have we not?"
"I suppose so. Originally, I could cover food production with DP, and monsters don't need to eat as long as they are in the dungeon. Well, Steve and his men eat for pleasure and buy things they want, of course."
It’s part of our economic activity.
So, while it’s true that they might displace human jobs, the fact remains……
"But, Quar. We are currently short on people, aren't we? What if we used them as a reserve force, having them cultivate crops to improve productivity and prepare areas for future immigrants?"
"Hmm. That is a possibility. However, as we can see from General Steve and his men, monsters created in the dungeon possess consciousness. Would they be happy to have the land they cultivated taken away from them?"
"I say 'village,' but it would be more like dispatching them to prepare the land. Whether inside the dungeon or out, they can use magic to build structures and fields. I don't think it would be a problem as long as they aren't living on the land for a long time…… If they want to stay, I don't mind if they remain as overseers."
That’s ultimately up to the monsters' own will.
"Well, there will be many opinions on this. Let’s discuss it at the general meeting."
And so, we shelved the topic for the time being to revisit it later.
Now then, what’s the next task? Orelia, let’s see… the report from the south?
Ah, right.
It’s always one thing after another.
Yuki remains as busy as ever.
Still, the idea of using monsters as residents is something I’d never considered before.
I look forward to seeing how it turns out.