第１８４１堀：避けられないことへの対応として (Part2)
"Come to think of it, it’s not as if we’re strictly limited to solitary operations, is it? We could have our intelligence agents secure a foothold, then send in whoever happens to be available from our side. We could even rotate members based on the situation. There’s no need to keep the same person stationed there for the long term—that’s exactly what the intelligence agents are for."
Yuki’s words hit home, and the room fell into a thoughtful silence.
He was right. There was no reason to pin this on a single individual.
"…I suppose you have a point. We would still need a permanent presence there, but we could handle that through a rotation. Assuming, of course, the Gate remains functional."
"If we can manage that, it would be ideal. Without the Gate, our response time drops significantly. I think it’s vital that we keep our fingers on the pulse of the North."
"Rotating personnel to the North, then… but if we’re constantly swapping people out, won't it be difficult to gather consistent intelligence? What do you think about that?" Labyris interjected with a sharp observation.
She was right. Focusing on one person allows for deeper investigation and more consistent negotiations. If we rotate people every time, our perspectives will shift, and the workload could become fragmented.
"That’s true, but as it stands, we haven't gathered any real information anyway. As I said before, the primary legwork—the movement on the ground—is the intelligence agents' domain. How about we have them scout out the areas we find suspicious and pave the way, and then we simply step in when it’s time to negotiate?"
"Hmm..."
The consensus was hesitant. Yuki’s logic was sound: the agents gather the intel, and we step in to negotiate with those who seem suspicious or potentially allied. Still, it was hard to visualize how that would play out in practice.
Yuki seemed to sense our doubt and offered an analogy.
"For instance, to infiltrate the Clearstream Church, you’d likely be welcomed if you possessed martial prowess, could provide supplies, or were skilled in restorative magic."
"Ah, that makes sense. …I see. From there, it would be easy to probe the state of the monsters and, naturally, the true intentions of the Church."
"But wouldn't they run background checks? They wouldn't just let anyone suspicious walk through the door, would they?"
"They would. That’s why the idea of sending in a Hero was scrapped. A Hero would be scrutinized far too heavily to slip through the cracks."
"True. If a massive strategic asset like a Hero suddenly appeared out of thin air, anyone would be suspicious."
I pondered this myself. A Hero appearing out of nowhere is, by definition, suspicious. And that leads us back to the same problem regarding anyone with significant power.
"Tell me, then. If someone suddenly appeared with immense martial strength, vast wealth, or masterful magic, wouldn't they be just as suspicious?"
"Dressa is right. How do you plan to handle that?"
"That’s exactly where we’d coordinate with Baron Siana and the others to act as our backers. A Hero is one thing, but a mere 'strong individual'? That might just pass muster."
"I see, so we use them as a front. It’s not impossible, I suppose."
"The Clearstream Church has been rumored to be scouting talented adventurers. With war looming, I’d like to think their standards have loosened. Though, that still brings us back to the need for someone to be stationed there full-time."
It was a difficult dilemma. We all agreed on the necessity of preventing the escalation of war. The thought of innocent people being dragged into the Church’s incomprehensible schemes was nauseating, and there was always the risk that those same innocents could be turned into soldiers against us. We had already been forced to hurt decent nobles like Baron Siana, along with their soldiers and subjects.
Considering all that, sending someone wasn't just a matter of Weed’s diplomatic strategy—it was necessary for our own peace of mind.
"Well, let’s discuss this with the others. We’re all busy, but there’s merit in going, in more ways than one."
With Yuki’s closing remark, the meeting adjourned.
Yet, war felt all but inevitable. Even if we mobilized the fleet, we could only manage missile strikes on the interior, and the shipping lanes to the New Continent weren't even finalized.
…How far had the drone reconnaissance progressed? I should check on that.
The event at the Giadana Kingdom in the Northern Alliance was fast approaching. Would we hear about it indirectly, or would someone actually step onto the field?
Either way, the selection of who to send… that was going to be a difficult one.