第１９１８堀：敵の本部はどこ？ (Part1)
**Chapter 1918: Where is the Enemy Headquarters?**
**Side: Ria**
On the map Ena had prepared, the name "Giadana" was scrawled in large, bold letters right in the center.
Surrounding it were the smaller nations that had become our allies, such as Baron Siana’s territory. One by one, other countries—likely those they had managed to investigate—began to flicker into view, but...
"It’s a bit hard to read, isn't it?"
『My deepest apologies. I have not yet had the time to properly organize the data.』
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I was blaming you."
『I understand. However, please make do with this for the time being.』
"Yeah, it’s fine. But there’s something that’s been bothering me."
『May I ask what it is?』
It wasn't something I needed to keep secret, so I spoke plainly while looking at the map.
"I can see why the western side looks suspicious given the current situation, but what about the countries to the east, across the forest? There doesn't seem to be much information on them."
Indeed, while the west looked dubious, the area to the east of the massive forest was sparse—only a few names of what were likely major powers were marked, leaving the rest of the space hauntingly empty.
『Unfortunately, our reach has not yet extended that far. We are gathering information from merchants traveling in and out of the Giadana Kingdom, and we have received reports from the King of Giadana and his Prime Minister, but there seems to be very little interaction with the lands beyond the forest.』
"Hmm. Is the forest the problem, then?"
『Yes. While it is true that Archbishop Dodona eliminated the powerful monsters that once lurked there, they have not been completely eradicated. More importantly, the western side is accessible, but the state of the eastern side remains largely unknown. Though we call it a 'forest,' its scale exceeds even the Great Forest of the Lancer Magic Academy.』
Well, in that case, a total subjugation would be impossible.
"Then it’s a miracle they managed to secure any safety in the forest at all. Usually, when you clear an area, new monsters just migrate from deeper in and cause more chaos."
『Indeed. One would expect new territories to be established, but there has been no sign of that. Since Archbishop Dodona defeated the previous threats, the area has remained quiet. In fact, the most one encounters are Goblins or Orcs, which is why Giadana is known as an excellent place for novice adventurers to start their careers.』
"That’s right. Lady Vilia and the others mentioned that about Giadana—that it was hard to earn much of a reputation there because the monsters were too weak."
"I remember that," Yuki added.
Yes, I remember too. That’s exactly why the conversation had turned toward heading north to the Kingdom of Ioa.
"It almost feels like Archbishop Dodona usurped the monsters' territory," I mused.
"True. That’s one way to look at it," Yuki said. "Or rather, I’ve heard stories where defeating the 'boss' of an area causes the other monsters to vanish or at least thin out significantly."
"Yes. I’ve heard similar things from Milly," I replied. "The scale was much smaller than this forest Giadana holds, of course, but she said that once the local boss is slain, the rest of the region tends to settle down."
Yuki and Prof both nodded at my words, their own experiences suggesting I wasn't far off the mark.
Monsters, by nature, have their own territories and often form packs. It’s only natural for them to avoid an opponent stronger than themselves. After all, their lives are on the line.
Humans do the same—clearing out monsters to expand their living space, securing safety by defeating the strongest creatures or the regional boss. Though, usually, that only happens after a mountain of casualties and damage has already been dealt.
『I see. It is possible they are simply terrified of Archbishop Dodona. If that is the case, would his departure be considered a problem?』
"Monsters seem to have a sense for a 'boss's' presence," Yuki remarked. "It’s a possibility, at the very least."
"True... we should probably get more details from Milly later."
"Agreed. The Adventurer’s Guild would know more about those kinds of patterns. Also, the fact that the situation east of the forest is so opaque is concerning."
『Understood. I shall continue the investigation. Additionally, we have information from King Giadana and Prime Minister Daeda. Would you like to hear it?』
"Please."
Right, information doesn't just come from merchants; it comes from the state as well.
『The Giadana Kingdom’s perspective follows the philosophy of 'befriending the distant and attacking the near.' The forest serves as a natural fortress; it seems they have judged it more prudent to expand eastward rather than attempting to bypass the forest to attack Giadana.』
"Ah, so it’s a case of being close in distance but far in practice."
『Precisely. Furthermore, bypassing the forest would require traveling an immense distance and crossing through several other nations, making it an impractical endeavor.』
Ah, that makes sense. Looking at the map, it seems like you could just hop over the forest, but in reality, it’s crawling with monsters and lacks any roads. To go around it would take an enormous amount of time and consume a staggering amount of supplies.
Plus, any country that wanted to stop that expansion would surely interfere. The longer the expedition's route, the higher the chance of being sabotaged. It’s only natural to target easier prey.
"Makes sense," Yuki said. "Could you explain the rest of the countries—the general geography?"
『Certainly. Now that we have covered the area east of the forest from the Giadana Kingdom, the remaining explanation concerns the nations to the west.』
As Ena spoke, a multitude of roughly handwritten names appeared on the western side of the map. There were so many I couldn't count them at a glance.
"That’s a lot. Are these only the major powers?"
『The definition of a 'major power' is ambiguous, so I have listed every nation we have heard of. However, due to political maneuvering and rumors, we cannot be certain of the exact details. We have heard reports of ongoing conflicts among the smaller nations outside of Giadana’s sphere of influence.』
"So the power balance could be shifting even as we speak?"
『Yes. Given the circumstances, I will need more time to gather accurate information.』
"That’s only to be expected, so don't worry about it. Still, this continent really is massive."
I agreed with Yuki. How long would it take to investigate such a vast land in its entirety? I could only imagine the hardships Ena and the intelligence department, led by Kirika, were going through.
In terms of width alone, this place looked more than twice the size of the Rogari or If continents where we lived. In terms of length, it might be ten times as long. The central region alone was perhaps three times the size, and the north... maybe four times that? Even by a conservative estimate, the scale was staggering.
『Now, for the detailed explanation. First, look here.』
Ena highlighted one specific country on the map, its name glowing in a sharp red.
『This is the Kingdom of Daio, home to the largest branch of the Clearstream Church in the central region.』
At those words, the eyes of Yuki and myself—as well as Prof and Orelia—sharpened instantly.
"Tell us everything you know."