第１８９９堀：風にたなびくそのマフラーは (Part1)
Chapter 1899: That Scarf Fluttering in the Wind
That scarf fluttering in the wind.
Side: Firia
A glance at the clock reveals that the end of the workday is nearly upon us.
Firia and her companions operate under the principle of never working overtime.
While the site itself runs on a twenty-four-hour rotation, and the monitoring teams are similarly staggered, Firia and Aslin have been strictly instructed by everyone to ensure they get proper rest; staying up late is simply not an option.
"This, too, is the work of a person in charge," Brother had said.
If those at the top don't rest, no one else can, either.
"Aslin. How is your progress for today?"
Firia calls out to Aslin, who is busy clearing away various documents in the same room.
"Oh, Firia-chan? What is it?"
Aslin finally lifts her head, looking as though she hadn't quite grasped the current situation.
"Aslin. It is a good time to stop. Our work for today ends here."
As Firia points to the clock, Aslin finally seems to realize the time.
"Ah—wow, it’s that late already? I guess work is over, then."
"Indeed. If we do not keep to our schedule, the older sisters will be angry."
"They’re so overprotective, aren't they? Well, I’ve finished up to a good stopping point, so it’s fine."
Aslin says this while gathering the documents on her desk.
"Even so, to the older sisters, Firia and you are still children. Besides, it is understandable that they would worry when children of our age are doing this kind of work."
"I suppose that’s true."
Aslin, too, understands why the older sisters worry.
After all, children of their age are usually still attending school; they are rarely in positions that require them to act as commanders.
"But, setting that aside. Is there any trouble with the work?"
"Nope. Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow, and there hasn't been any unusual information lately anyway."
"Indeed. We did find a mineral vein, but it was merely iron."
Lately, the survey beneath the cliff hasn't seen much progress.
Well, thanks to that, we have been able to cover a fair amount of distance along the cliff base.
"Sigh, I wish we’d found something more interesting. At this rate, the adventure—no, the survey—under the cliff is going to end just like that."
"Come to think of it, have we already exceeded 1,000 kilometers?"
"Yeah. Today marks 1,030 kilometers."
"That is surprisingly fast, is it not? And we are conducting a survey while moving, correct?"
"That’s right. As I’m sure you know, Firia-chan, there isn't much change under the cliff, and we’ve barely confirmed any monster activity, so the decision was made to prioritize moving forward over detailed investigation."
That is true.
While a more thorough investigation might yield different results, such detail is not the primary objective this time.
Besides, we have recorded the points of interest, so we can always investigate them later.
The top priority is...
"Detecting the northward migration of monsters, or discovering the Demon Lord. We have been unable to detect either."
"The land is just so vast. Even if the monsters are migrating north, we have no idea where they’re coming from. But one thing is certain: they aren't under the cliff. If we consider that, it means we should start looking elsewhere."
"I see. That is certainly true. The cliff base was chosen primarily to ensure we could head south without wandering off course. In that sense, I suppose we have fulfilled our purpose."
"Yeah. The next question is where to land and start surveying east and west. Or perhaps somewhere at the southernmost tip connects to a wasteland, and the monsters are flowing in from there?"
"Hmm. That seems plausible. The monsters that migrated north were mostly from the forests—the Great Forest of Ohe—or from the north. There were few monsters unique to the wasteland."
Indeed, when summarizing the information on the monsters encountered so far, it is strange that the majority of those migrating north were not wasteland-specific monsters, but those that inhabit grasslands and forests.
There had been a theory from the start that they were coming not from the wasteland, but from the forests spreading across the southern tip.
"Not only under the cliff, but in our surveys of the wasteland thus far, we have barely confirmed the presence of monsters. Well, there were some, but they were strictly wasteland-specific."
"That’s why the theory that monsters are coming from the southern forest is gaining weight."
"Indeed. If that is the case, is there a Demon Lord, or some other cause for the monsters to be migrating north?"
"That’s highly likely, isn't it? But that doesn't mean we can just go and investigate it immediately. The southern tip is quite vast, after all."
As Aslin says, even if we call it the "southern forest," looking at the photos Sister Luna brought back, it is at least as large as the forest where the central kingdom of Ahe is located.
We have yet to finish surveying the Great Forest where the Kingdom of Ahe lies.
In other words, we have no idea how much time it would take to survey the southern forest.
"But if monsters are migrating north from there, there might be a much higher density of them."
"Yeah. Since that possibility is high, I’m hoping we’ll be able to move faster when it comes to identifying the cause."
Certainly, if they are migrating north from the southern tip, the traces should be more numerous than in the wasteland.
Just as we were discussing this, a call suddenly rings out.
Checking the device, I see it is from Brother.
"It is from Brother. Please wait a moment."
"From your brother? Sure, go ahead. Work is over, anyway."
This is rare.
No, perhaps he is calling to see if we want to head home together.
Well, given the nature of our workplace, I suspect it is about work, but...
"Yes, this is Firia. What is it, Brother?"
"Ah, Firia. Is work finished for the day?"
"Today's work is finished. We are just about to head home."
"I see. This is a bit of an extension of work, but I need you to facilitate the provision of some equipment."
"Equipment?"
This is unusual.
Brother primarily uses magic for combat; he rarely carries weapons, and he generally doesn't wear new armor.
He simply continues to improve the uniform he had made long ago.
Oh, of course, he changes the design and such, and its defensive capabilities are overwhelmingly superior to any ordinary armor.
Firia, as the creator, has properly accounted for such things.
But that is beside the point.
The question is why he needs equipment now.
"Ah, you know that Vilia and the others are in the Kingdom of Iana, a region in the northern part of the New Continent where there are many monsters, right?"
"Yes, I know. Well, there hasn't been much interesting information. It’s a safe journey, isn't it?"
"Yes, I believe that was the report that came in."
Around the Kingdom of Giadana on the New Continent, Archbishop Dodona conducted a great subjugation of monsters in his youth, and it is said that the surrounding area is stable.