第１８６４堀：停滞から動くために (Part2)
Nairua, having also noticed the footsteps, looked up in surprise as the two entered. She had clearly been expecting Hivia and Chaea.
"I’ve come to discuss something. Oh? Where is Hivia?"
"She’s out on business right now."
"Is that so? Will she be back soon?"
"Probably. She’s just being called over by a call, I imagine."
Just as I was thinking that she wouldn't be gone long unless she had to go in person, Hivia returned.
"Chaea said she’d come over... wait? Aslin? Firia? What are you two doing here?"
"Oh, good. We have something we need to discuss."
"Discuss?"
"Indeed. It’s regarding the survey of the New Continent."
"That’s actually what we were just talking about."
"Though we’re still at the stage before drafting the proposal."
I probably shouldn't have said that. That’s exactly why we were calling for Chaea.
"A proposal? We’ve already written ours."
"We had Sister Eris look it over beforehand to help us iron out the issues."
"““Eh?””"
We were all stunned by their words.
"Y-you already made a proposal?"
"We did. We’ve watched you all writing them often enough."
"Firia and I are not children anymore. We are leaders in command of our own units."
"““Ugh.””"
No, wait. These girls actually hold higher positions than we do. It only stands to reason that they’d be capable of this. Though, that doesn't exactly make us feel any better about our own lack of progress.
"U-um, so, what was it you wanted to discuss with us?"
Well said, Nairua. Brushing past our own incompetence, she steered the conversation to the main point.
"Right. That part is actually the most important."
"Yes. First, please take a look at this proposal while you listen."
She placed the document onto the desk with a soft thud. I looked down at the plan Aslin and the others had put together. The title read: "Survey Expansion Plan."
"Wait, this is exactly what we’ve been thinking about. Is the lack of progress in the survey a problem for you guys, too?"
"Yes. There’s just too little information. By the way, have you found any Demon Lords or monsters capable of leading a Great Outbreak in Hivia’s sector?"
"No, nothing at all."
If we had found anything like that, every department would have been notified, and it would be a massive crisis by now.
"In my sector, even though I want to investigate the mineral deposits in detail, my movements are restricted due to the relationship between the survey range and the defense lines."
"Well, Firia, you’re investigating monster materials too, so it’s not like you can just focus on minerals."
Firia is a blacksmith. Naturally, she’ll use whatever materials she can get her hands on. Since the current directive is to utilize materials from the southern part of the New Continent, she can’t exactly push to expand the survey range on her own.
"So, the plan is to keep the defense lines as they are, but deploy a dedicated survey unit just to conduct the research. We’ve limited the scope, so it should only require four platoons."
I flipped through the pages of the proposal, nodding in agreement.
"I see. Four platoons is reasonable. You can rotate shifts, and they can handle both surveillance and drone operations. It’s the minimum required for effective deployment."
"Yes. It’s logical. And the area to be surveyed is below the cliffs. Specifying the range of the fissures first makes the objective clear. It’s much better than just wandering around aimlessly."
The content was impeccable—sharp and well-defined. They had minimized the number of personnel mobilized, which in turn reduced the necessary supplies and budget. Yet, it still allowed for a thorough investigation of the new environment. As far as I could see, there was no reason to reject it.
"The problem, as Sister Eris pointed out, is where to pull the personnel from."
"Ah, I see. With such a small, elite team, the people following you need to have the appropriate knowledge."
"Which is why we thought of you."
"Indeed. You all seem to be as free as Firia and me. Wouldn't you be able to cooperate?"
I was about to agree, as I had no reason to refuse, but then—
"Director Hivia, sorry to keep you waiting. Is there some trouble with the paperwork?"
Chaea walked in as she spoke. Ah, right, we had called for her. Well, this wasn't a bad thing. I decided to explain the situation, show her the proposal, and ask for her advice.
Since Aslin, Firia, and Hivia’s teams had all been stalled in their investigations of monsters and materials, we decided to pool our efforts. Plans and proposals are truly complex things. They consume vast amounts of resources and budget, so half-baked ideas won't fly, and if there isn't a clear return on investment, you’ll never get the authorization.
Society is a demanding place, after all.