第１８６９堀：危険物の退避先として (Part1)
Chapter 1869: A Safe Haven for Dangerous Goods
Side: Labyris
"So, you’re consulting me about this..."
"Yeah. Do you have any good ideas?"
When Yuki suddenly reached out and said he wanted to consult me, I wondered what it could be about, but I immediately realized he wanted me to read his thoughts.
I wondered why he’d bother with that now, but some things are too sensitive to voice aloud. Once I read them, I realized the content was something that could be dismissed as trivial, or could just as easily spiral into a massive problem.
"Regarding that child, if she gets even a hint of information, she’ll undoubtedly bolt. It’s too dangerous to speak of it openly, so this approach is indeed optimal."
"Right? Even if she’s one of our own, she’s far too much of a walking bomb. But we can’t just leave her be, either."
"Well, she is the goddess worshipped by the Haiden region, after all. Even if it’s Weed, we can’t just let it be known that she went missing, no matter how much she ran off on her own accord."
"Exactly. Plus, if we don't handle this, we’ll end up destroying the stomachs of Kagura, Mikos, and Enora."
"They’d definitely be coughing up blood."
Having a truly troublesome superior—no, a troublesome god—is a headache.
If the organization weren't involved, she’d be a pleasant person to be around, but...
Come to think of it, even back when she was in a party with Souta and Enora, they said she caused them no end of trouble.
"So, as for countermeasures, I think the best thing is to keep her away from the scene..."
"True. If she stays in the New Continent, she’ll just rush off. But if she’s on a different continent, she can’t exactly swim across, can she?"
"Right? In fact, it seems she never managed to jump out of the Haiden region before."
Though, with Hairen’s actual ability, it sounds more like she’d run out of steam before she could even leave, but there’s no doubt the locals were busy enough just trying to keep up with her.
"So, are you planning to send her back to the Haiden region? Aren't there still things like the Aqua-Enoki there?"
But even if we sent her back, I’d be worried. That Haiden region is hardly what you’d call stable yet. Especially returning someone like Hairen, who is essentially a bomb...
"No, I can't send her back to the Haiden region. There are too many people who would try to exploit Hairen. It’s not like every country recognizes Weed, after all."
As Yuki says, unfortunately, Weed’s influence in the Haiden region is still lacking.
We’ve made our name and proven our worth in the three major powers—Haiden, Findal, and Sea-Cypho—but we don’t have much interaction with the other major powers. Detailed information about Hairen likely hasn't circulated there. And besides, she is a *real* goddess. Who would believe that information?
Well, and if they did believe it, that would be a whole other problem...
"People would probably use having a goddess on their side as a grand justification, wouldn't they?"
"Idiots would definitely do that. Not just the major powers, but small countries and organizations, too. Actually, for a small organization, it would be the ultimate trump card."
For those looking to achieve something, a goddess is a convenient puppet to put on a pedestal.
Well, Hairen isn't *that* stupid, but there’s no doubt it would cause a huge commotion.
"If the Haiden region is out, what will you do?"
"Well, that would be Weed."
"Weed? It’s not like Rogari is exactly stable, either."
"Even so, when it comes to public safety, Weed is better, isn't it?"
"That... I suppose that’s true."
There’s no doubt that Weed is the pinnacle of safety. Thanks to the dungeon system, we can easily track and monitor things, which keeps the crime rate significantly low.
"Lilishe has been out and about lately, so the Lithea Church in Weed is being run by the sisters. Don't you think if we told her the children were lonely, she’d come back?"
"Ah, that would certainly work. So, the real intention is to have Weed take custody of Hairen and have us keep her under surveillance?"
"That’s the idea. I’ll tell Seraria, of course..."
"Well, Seraria is busy as the Queen, after all."
I’m busy too, but Seraria is swamped with diplomacy and paperwork, carrying the Weed banner. Even with us helping, she’s still buried in it.
"Alright, I understand the situation. How will you explain it to the Lithea Church?"
"I’ll just say that since Lilishe and Hairen have been away for a long time, we’re bringing them back. They’re popular with the children, so that should hold for a while."
"True. But when do you plan to strike at that scandal? I’m worried about it taking too long. Hairen has a sharp intuition for that sort of thing."
"I’ll have to time it right."
"That’s true, but this feels more like a decision than a consultation, doesn't it?"
Everything Yuki said felt like a done deal. I wondered if there was even a point in consulting me.
"Of course there is. A situation might have arisen where Labyris would have to object. Or perhaps the environment might be one where Labyris couldn't handle it. I can't just do things on my own."
"That’s true."
I do have times when I’m busy, and in those moments, it would have been tricky.
"So, how is your workload as a Dungeon Master of Weed?"
"Well, like I said, I have enough leeway to keep an eye on Hairen. I’m not exactly free, though."
Every day is a constant cycle of discussing dungeon points, DP budgets, and distributing supplies. If I neglect that, the foundation of life in Weed could collapse.
Considering that, I agree with Yuki that it’s necessary to establish a production system that doesn't rely on this ability. We’ve been working hard on that lately, and we’re now able to cover about 30% of the supplies Weed handles.
Still, that’s only one-third. It’s still hard to replicate Earth’s technology.
So, if Yuki or I were unable to move due to some problem, Weed would likely face economic collapse.
That said, we’ve been stocking up on supplies with that in mind.
Anyway, setting that aside, I’m always working.
"I see, so you have some leeway. You aren't pushing yourself too hard, are you?"
"Well, I’m definitely not as busy as you or Seraria."
That much is certain.
Even so, since it’s been publicly announced through Seraria that I am a Dungeon Master, I’m seen as an important figure in Weed, which means there are a lot of meetings to attend.