第１８５６堀：教官は一旦お休み中 (Part2)
"There he is. He was boasting about wanting to take down as many enemies as possible, which is why I told him to get out there immediately."
It’s a common tale among fresh recruits. They think they can fell enemy soldiers without even the most basic training. That’s why I take such fools under my wing and teach them the reality of their own recklessness. It’s not just about them; when you move as part of an army, you put your comrades in danger, too.
"Since they've gone through training, they should instinctively know that they can't handle it alone, though."
"Well, that’s just the result of having their kin harmed or simply being young. But setting us aside, what brings you and the others to Glass Port Town? Is this an inspection?"
Given their standing, it’s rare for Yuki and his group to visit Glass Port Town. They wouldn’t be walking the streets like this unless it were an official inspection. If they needed to speak with Sisua or Sona, they would have gone straight to the town hall.
"An inspection isn't wrong, I suppose. See that empty storefront over there?"
He pointed to the only lonely, shuttered spot on the main street.
"That place has been empty for a while now, hasn't it? Wait, wasn't that supposed to be secured by Ratz for you and the others to open a shop?"
"Hm? That’s news to me. Is this separate from the bento shop and the flowers?"
"Yeah, the bento and flowers are Canary’s business. We wanted a shop under our own management, separate from that. For the sake of gathering information."
"Ah, I see."
Information tends to be biased if you don't gather it from multiple angles. The bento shop was originally meant to serve as a way to monitor and guard Canary, as well as keep an eye on Glass Port Town itself. I don't think Sisua or Sona would act out of line, but the possibility of their subordinates going rogue is never zero. Even in Weed, there are occasionally idiots who misunderstand their status and act tyrannically toward the residents.
"But the shop isn't open yet, is it?"
"True. I suppose we didn't make it in time for the Glass Port Town completion party."
"Exactly. Or rather, there was so much going on that it kept getting pushed to the back burner."
"“Ah.”"
That makes sense. Ever since the New Continent was discovered, Yuki’s workload—or rather, the workload for all of us—has skyrocketed. Since we’ve started operating on the new continent, more than half of our combat strength is tied up over there. Adding a new shop opening to the mix? It’s no wonder it was forgotten. It’s the kind of thing that requires diverting more personnel, so even I would have put it off.
"So, today we finally came to look at the surrounding shops to decide on the interior design. We can’t exactly have an interior that doesn't read the room, right?"
"Doesn't read the room? Yuki, what kind of interior were you thinking of?"
"No, I wasn't thinking of anything outlandish, but I wanted to see if the main street followed some kind of unified theme."
"Hmm. I’d never thought about it, but do such things exist?"
"It’s what you call the town’s character. The ones I know are things like towns based on white, or towns with blue roofs, that sort of thing."
"I see, I see. That sounds quite visually appealing, but have you seen anything like that here?"
"Nope. The interiors are all pretty standard, too."
"It seems so. So, the next step is to talk to an interior decorator. Though, the only decorators I know are the craftsmen from Weed."
"Wait, those are the ones under the patronage of the Weed Royal Family, aren't they?"
"The Royal Family... well, I suppose so."
Yuki has very little awareness that he is part of the Royal Family. That’s because Seraria serves as the Queen. Furthermore, Yuki rarely uses his own name or Seraria’s to get things done. He can usually handle anything within Weed through his own connections. However, those "connections" of his are literally the skilled artisans under the Royal Family’s patronage.
"Then find someone else. If the artisans under the Weed Royal Family start moving, the true identity of the shop will be exposed."
"Ah, right. That was the drawback. Even those guys have learned modern construction methods, too."
Yuki and his group often interact with the people working on the front lines. No, I do it too—not just with the soldiers, but during patrols like today, I often chat with the townspeople. Yuki just has a stronger tendency toward it. After all, he wants to pass on knowledge from Earth and help them turn it into strength. But that is exactly why they end up becoming his personal retainers. Their technical skill is just that outstanding.
"Then why not consult with Sisua and Sona? There are people in Glass Port Town who work in construction, too."
"That’s true. They might know more about the design of Glass Port Town as well."
And so, we headed toward the town hall to hear the latest news from Sisua and Sona.
Deryu’s instruction is that of a drill sergeant. Well, she tells them to run until they drop, and if they’re cocky, she gives them practical, hands-on "instruction." She breaks them down, body and soul, until their will to resist is crushed. As a drill instructor, she is exceptionally skilled. That said, once they reach a level where they realize the sheer gap in power, they tend to start avoiding her.