第１８４２堀：仕事が終わったら仕事が待っている (Part1)
### Chapter 1842: When One Job Ends, Another Awaits
**Side: Nina**
"Hah, that wasn't much of a challenge."
Kishua said this as she slid her sword back into its scabbard. Despite her petite frame, her swordsmanship surpassed my own, and she possessed a surprising amount of femininity—though it was a shame her choice of words was so masculine.
"Hey, you said that out loud, you know."
"Oops."
"Honestly, you aren't even trying to hide it. Tell me, with that level of 'femininity,' do you really think you can get close to Yuki?"
"My relationship with Yuki is good. That is certain."
"Yeah, yeah. From where I’m standing, that looks more like platonic affection, or perhaps the bond of a troublesome younger sister."
"Even so, we are man and woman. The destination is already set."
"…Usually, I’d nod along to that, but I feel like unless an extraordinary amount of luck falls into your lap, Nina, that’s just not happening."
"Don't worry. My chances are still higher than yours, Kishua."
"Hey! I’ve got more femininity than you, you know!"
"Oh really? Then remind me, have you ever had a boyfriend or a marriage history?"
"I haven't!"
As we were bickering, a silhouette appeared from the other side of the burning house…
"Um, you two seem quite relaxed."
"Honestly, you’re both still on the clock. Please, try to stay focused."
I could handle Wishy, but Sia was already launching into a lecture. Well, she was right; we were technically still working. As for the nature of that work:
"The ones who burned the village and tried to flee have been captured, the monsters have been properly incinerated, and those who tried to slip away have been dealt with."
"No survivors left behind. Perfect."
Yes, we had just finished raiding the village where the monsters were being kept. Or rather, we should say the job was done. We had confirmed a massive subterranean space beneath the village, and the residents were nothing more than handlers for the beasts, so we took them into custody. Keeping them alive was necessary for future testimony.
"Ahaha, you really shut them down beautifully, didn't you?"
"You know that’s not what I’m talking about, right? I’m telling you to maintain a professional attitude."
Wishy was easygoing, but the earnest Sia seemed beyond help. *Sigh.* I wish she’d let us get away with a little lighthearted banter.
"Well, well, the disposal is finished for now. All that’s left is to set up some scouts here to keep an eye on any further movements."
"Hah, if that is what you say, Wishy-san, I shall say no more. As for the subsequent surveillance…"
"Yes. The Adventurer’s Guild will take care of that. Though, we may have to ask for your help if something comes up."
"For that, please go through the proper channels. We are operating under orders as well."
Well, we couldn't interfere any further regarding the rescue requests from the Adventurer’s Guild in the town of Suana. If there were traces of the Dark Guild, we could do more, but the more we investigated, the more it looked like a standard territorial dispute. Interfering in that would only lead to a massive headache. It would have been better if the Dark Guild had been behind it, but they weren't. Weed had no reason to move further.
Oh, and there was one other thing…
"Come to mention it, what about the relocation of the residents from the 'Village at the Edge'?"
"Ah, that part is fine. We’ll just say they were attacked by monsters after the move was completed. Since you helped us out this much, we can at least do that for you."
"Ah, then I’ll leave it to you. The negotiations seem to be wrapping up soon, anyway."
Even the elderly who insisted on staying in the village seemed to have rediscovered the joy of living after visiting Weed, and were now leaning toward moving. Well, once you’ve experienced the wonders of Weed, that’s only natural.
"Still, Wishy is surprisingly capable. She’s great at paperwork and negotiating with other parties."
"True. I find that kind of negotiation a real pain."
"It’s not that I can’t do it, but I’m not as good as Wishy-san."
Both Kishua and Sia were genuinely praising Wishy for the way she had organized the raid and managed the situation. I felt the same. Wishy was, in a way, an all-rounder—much like Yuki. No, maybe that’s giving her too much credit. If we’re talking about other women, she was like Jessica, Stasia, or Fiora—someone who could command, handle paperwork, and negotiate. We weren't incapable of it, but we were still a step behind them.
"I’m happy to hear you all say that. Though, as you can probably tell, that just means I get treated like a convenient tool."
"Well, I suppose that’s what happens when you’re that capable."
"Yeah, we get used for all sorts of things too, actually."
"Indeed. Still, I don’t dislike it. Wouldn't you agree, Wishy-san?"
"Ahaha, I suppose so. I’m indebted to that Grand Master, and it makes me happy to be useful. If I hated it, I would have disappeared long ago."
Wishy smiled as she said this. She clearly trusted the Grand Master deeply.
"Well, if you get tired, you should come to Weed. I’ll treat you to the super public bath and a meal when you do."
"Oh, that sounds lovely."
"Yeah, I’ve taken a liking to you, Wishy. I’d love to talk more, so come by if you have the time."
"Yes. I would welcome that. We’d like to take a break too, and having an excuse to do so would be a blessing."
"Ahaha, that’s true. One always needs an excuse, doesn't one?"
And so, having successfully dealt with the village that had been gathering monsters, we prepared to return to Weed.
"With that, the disposal of the monsters is complete."
"Good work."
"Good work. Well, this was the most peaceful way to handle it. I’m still investigating, but I’ve confirmed that a significant amount of funding was flowing into this operation. They won't be able to return to the status quo so easily. It shouldn't be easy for them to make moves that involve the town again. Besides, the Adventurer’s Guild seems to be keeping watch, so we’ll know if anything happens."
"True. Now all that’s left is to relocate the villagers."
After reporting to Yuki and Seraria and receiving their thanks, we asked about the future of Suana in Usano. The answer was pretty much what we expected. The raid had been aimed at that outcome from the start, so everything was going according to plan.
"So, can we consider our job in Suana finished?"
"Yeah, good work, Kishua, Sia. Thanks for supporting Nina."
"It was nothing, though the scale was quite large. By the way, if I may ask—and this is a bit different from the cause of this—what is the situation on the New Continent?"
Ah, I’d forgotten. While we were working in Suana, Yuki and the others had been dealing with the New Continent. I had to ask about that.
"Hmm, well, there haven't been any major movements. Kagura and Mikos successfully wrapped up negotiations with the Jeyaes Kingdom, the neighbor of Ohe. They’ve managed to bring them into our camp, effectively."
"Oh, that’s a major step forward."
That was a significant achievement. This should alleviate the supply shortages in Ohe. Yet, for some reason, he didn't seem particularly happy.
"You don't seem very thrilled about it, though. Was there some unpleasant news mixed in?"
Kishua cut straight to the point.