第１８８６堀：位置と数値が指し示すもの (Part1)
Chapter 1886: What Position and Numerical Values Indicate
Side: Comet
"……Hmm."
Recently, with the discovery of new environments like the New Continent, I’ve been buried in data analysis. You could say that thanks to this, my trips to the field have plummeted, leaving me stuck in the lab, processing the data brought back by others.
"How’s it looking?"
Yuki asks from beside me as I stare at the data. That said, I’m not some omniscient genius.
"Don't ask me 'how it’s looking.' My only impression is, 'Wow, there’s a lot of data.' I mean, I only learned about the New Continent, the northern regions, the central Great Forest where the Ohe Kingdom lies, and the southern wilderness about two months ago. It would be arrogant to claim I know everything based on that."
"Fair point."
Yuki doesn't seem to expect any earth-shattering revelations, so he replies immediately.
"Still, it makes me realize how vast the world really is. I was surprised by the environmental disparity between the plateaus and the land beneath the cliffs, and the ancient underground rivers and reservoirs you told me about, Yuki—that was a shock."
Yes, that’s my honest impression. The world is truly vast—not just horizontally, but vertically as well. It’s not just about the oceans; there are massive mysteries beneath the surface, beyond just the dungeons.
"Agreed. The world is vast—up, down, and across. From the nano-scale to light-years."
"And there are other worlds, too. Thanks to that, I won't be bored, but I have to solve these problems first."
"True. Sorry to burden you, Comet, but between monitoring the Lancer Magic Academy’s Great Forest, the massive mountain range separating the Haiden and Zuraburu regions, the blue holes along the sea routes, and everything else, you’ve got your hands full."
"Yeah. Hearing the list of major locations again, I realize I’ve been entrusted with an absurd amount of work. Actually, why am I managing to keep up? Oh, right—because there’s no movement."
I’m talking to myself and convincing myself at the same time. It’s a strange habit, but it feels oddly right. I think I’ve found a way to stabilize my mental state. Regardless, as for the monitoring sites I mentioned, there hasn't been any blatant activity. They are places people generally don't approach, and unless we take action, nothing is going to happen. So, while it’s weird to call it "free time," I’m managing on my own.
"That’s how it is. If there’s movement, we’ll divert people, but for now, the New Continent is the priority."
"Naturally. That’s the most precarious place right now, and the most interesting. The wilderness, the land beneath the cliffs, the plateaus, and so on."
"Have you never seen that kind of environment, Comet?"
"Nope. For better or worse, the If Continent where I was born and raised is based on plains and mountains. As for land beneath cliffs... I’m sure I could find some if I looked, but I never felt the urge."
Still, I doubt it has the intense environmental shifts found in the New Continent.
"Well, that’s how it goes. You don't take an interest in things until they catch your eye."
"True. When you say it, I really feel it’s the truth."
"Nah, researchers usually have that perspective more than I do."
"Maybe. But watching you, Yuki, makes me realize there’s potential in everything. Even in plastic models and games."
"I’m glad you like them."
"Yeah, so, about bringing back more plastic models..."
"I can’t increase the quota."
Tch, no go, huh? Yuki and the others have a strict limit on the number of Gunpla, so we can’t own multiples. Well, specifically, it’s limited to three boxes of the same unit per person. If not, they say we’d snatch them all up in an instant. I can’t exactly deny that.
"Sigh, I get the feeling. But you used to get yelled at by Hifi for filling your room with plastic models, didn't you?"
"……That happened, didn't it?"
My room isn't exactly large, so one room turned into a plastic model room—or rather, a storage space—and I got scolded.
"You could at least store them inside your Item Box."
"Don't be ridiculous. Isn't it better to look at that mountain of plastic models? The liquor tastes better when I drink it while looking at them."
I don't usually drink that much, but the alcohol I drink while gazing at that mountain of treasure is truly delicious. Drinking while looking at the models I’ve built is just as good. It’s different from when I’m researching; I suppose that’s what it means to appreciate art.
"So you’ve come to understand that, have you?"
"Well, yeah. Anyway, let’s end the hobby talk."
"Right. So, continuing the discussion, as someone who has been looking at the whole picture, has anything caught your eye?"
"The whole picture, huh... I have some thoughts, but I don't have any proof or anything to back them up."
No evidence. The correct conclusion is that there’s too little information to say anything definitive. But...
"You’re concerned about something, aren't you?"
"Maybe."
As I say that, I project a world map onto the lab’s large monitor. It’s a satellite photo provided by Luna. Man, it used to be "Luna-san," but now I just call her Luna. She doesn't seem to mind, so it’s fine. Anyway, I press a button, and dots appear on the world map, displaying numerical values.
"You’ve seen these numbers before, right? The locations are places we’ve visited. What were they again?"
"Well, people don't think these numbers have much meaning, so it’s no wonder you don't remember."
I pause for a breath and open my mouth.
"These are the magic power density figures for each continent."
Yes, these numbers represent the concentration of magic power in the air of each continent. However, the values don't fluctuate wildly. The difference in magic density between continents is less than a decimal point. It’s the difference of less than a single drop of water in a full glass. That’s all. But the man who knows that single drop of difference better than anyone—the man who could be said to have bestowed this knowledge upon us—is Yuki. He should understand the meaning of those words better than anyone. And the meaning of this map, too.
"……The magic density drops as you head south."
"Exactly. But the strange thing is the discrepancy between the Rogari Continent and the If Continent, despite them being at roughly the same latitude. Well, you could argue it’s just an error or environmental factors."
"True. But it’s enough to catch my eye. And what about the southern part of the New Continent?"
"That’s still a work in progress, but there is a difference compared to the Southern Fortress or the Ohe Kingdom."
I press the button again, switching to an enlarged image of the New Continent’s central to southern regions, and the numbers appear.
"……There is a difference. It’s about the same as the others, but considering the distance, it’s a significant gap."
"That’s what I mean. It’s surprising when you consider the distance. It’s certainly far, but not as far as the other continents. We’re talking about a few hundred kilometers by land, whereas the gaps between continents separated by the sea are thousands of kilometers."
"Strange... or am I being an idiot for thinking so?"