第１９１７堀：現場での出来立てほやほやがあるんです (Part1)
**Chapter 1917: Freshly Made on the Spot**
Side: Yuki
"…A lot has happened, but let’s get back to the New Continent," I said, refocusing the conversation.
Orelia and the others nodded in agreement.
"Yes. We have established the military port and completed our preparations for the locust plague based on Lady Kaya’s warnings. For now, our immediate tasks are finished."
"All that’s left is to wait for the results."
"We’ve prepared thoroughly~, so it’ll be just fine~."
"Indeed. We should focus our attention on the New Continent now."
To be honest, I suspected Orelia and her team—who had been assigned the bulk of the work—were the busiest of all, yet I saw no trace of exhaustion on their faces. It seemed they were managing their roles and workloads effectively.
"Yuki-san," Lina interjected. "Focusing on the New Continent is all well and good, but is there actually anything we can do right now? In the north, Vilia and her group are still en route to the Kingdom of Ioa. In the center, we’re waiting on the Kingdom of Giadana’s report. The Clearstream Church members heading toward Oue are definitely in the latter half of their journey, but their arrival is still a ways off… Has there been any progress in the southern investigation?"
I gave Lina a straight answer.
"No. The southern team is about to reach the forested green belt at the southern tip, but I haven't heard of any major discoveries. I was hoping for at least some information on monster sightings, but there’s been nothing."
It was truly a shame. It seemed that route was simply a dud. There were no traces of monsters passing through at all; they must have moved north via a different path.
Still, the fact that the canyon and the cliffside route might lead to the southern tip was a useful discovery. We needed to confirm if that was true, as the southern greenery represented a new frontier for us to develop. Much like the plateau, there was a possibility of a vast, unseen wilderness waiting there.
Rurua, Enora, and even Agil were pinning their hopes on this. They believed we might find unknown medicinal herbs capable of curing previously untreatable diseases.
But as for what we should do next…
"In other words, there haven't been any notable results anywhere yet, right?" Ria asked. "Where do we even start? Or rather, are we even in a position to intervene?"
"You’ve been studying hard, Ria. I agree—stepping in haphazardly now would only cause confusion on the ground."
"Right?"
Ria had been hitting the books lately, and it showed in her ability to make points like that. It was the result of steady effort. She had grown so much since her days as a village girl who didn't know left from right. Or perhaps I should say she had been refined by the city.
Keeping those thoughts to myself, I continued.
"Then let’s look for what we *can* do in this situation. Oh, but before that, we have to handle our regular duties. Is there any urgent paperwork?"
The New Continent was important, but I couldn't neglect the daily grind. Though, when it came to urgent matters…
"No. I have reviewed today’s tasks, and aside from the documents regarding the locust countermeasures from Lady Kaya, we have handled everything ourselves. We even finished the minor meetings this morning."
"I figured those kinds of meetings were piling up."
I am the Prince Consort, after all. People tend to drop by casually. I mean, I do market myself as being accessible, but it’s a bit much when things are this busy.
"If the requests for meetings get to be too much, you’re free to turn them down citing a busy schedule, you know?"
I felt a bit bad for the people seeking an audience, but there was such a thing as a priority list. There was no need to accommodate them if it meant overtaxing Orelia and her team.
"Thank you. We know our limits. Besides, lately, it seems more people are coming to see us than you, Lord Yuki."
"Hm? To see you?"
"What do you mean?" Ria asked, looking just as puzzled as I was. "Did you guys do something?"
"No, it’s not that. Since we act as intermediaries, people feel that even if they can't meet Lord Yuki directly, it’s beneficial to establish a connection with us."
"Ah, I see. You three work closely with Eris and Ratz, so the merchants are targeting you as a way in."
"That makes sense," I added. "Though I assume you rarely pass those proposals straight to the top?"
Bringing every random pitch to Ratz or Eris would just be a nuisance for them.
"Correct. It is rare, but Lady Eris or Lady Ratz will occasionally ask us if we’ve heard of any promising new merchants, and we might introduce them then."
I see. Ratz and Eris had their own connections, of course, but when it came to newcomers, they were always hungry for information. The merchants flocking to Orelia and the others were essentially being vetted. The fact that they were trying to reach me through proper channels was a point in their favor.
"For me~," Hobis added, "unlike Orelia~, I mostly get visits from people looking for work~~."
"Wait, you’re handling those? Usually, people seeking employment would go to the vocational training center or the Adventurers Guild."
"That’s true~. But these are more like individual sales pitches~."
"Ah, so they’re trying to get hired as my direct subordinates or find a spot in a related department?"
"Exactly~. Outside of Weed, connections are everything~."
"I get those too," Yayui said. "Perhaps they find me easier to talk to than Orelia."
"Me too," Ria chimed in. "Even when I’m working with Cannaria or just out on my days off, people sometimes approach me with things like that."
"It happens to me as well," another added. "There will always be a certain number of people trying to sell themselves."
It seemed these pitches weren't limited to just Hobis. Well, it was an important part of growth. Such talent could be hit or miss, but some of them possessed genuine skill. Until now, Weed had mostly focused on taking in and training refugees or those drifting in search of work. The fact that established professionals were now seeking us out meant they saw a future here.
"Well~, we make sure those people go through proper interviews~ so they can be placed where they fit best~."
"Good. And what about you, Yayui? Are there any applicants specifically seeking you out?"
"There are."
"Really?" I was surprised.
"Before, it was mostly job recommendations like Hobis mentioned, but since Glass Port Town was completed, I’ve been getting requests for port-related work and networking."
"Ah, that makes sense."
In Glass Port Town, Yayui’s name was as well-known as the lords, Sisuya and Sona. She was essentially the top authority of the fishing port. While there was an official administrative officer managing the port, Yayui was the one teaching ship handling, fishing techniques, and establishing the port rules. Her reputation was significant. Plus, she had been front and center at the completion party, explaining the ships and the local catch. She had certainly made a favorable impression on the dignitaries. It was only natural that people would want a connection with her.
"I see. It’s good to see you’re all growing in your roles. Just be careful not to let the workload overwhelm you."
As I said this, the three of them nodded. They surely felt the weight of their busy schedules, but as their superior, it was something I had to remind them of.