第１９２８堀：新大陸の最新情報まとめ (Part2)
Under normal circumstances, they would have been restrained on the spot, but...
"That’s the thing. They started demanding that I contact Petra."
"Petra? You mean the Bishop of the Clearstream Church, I presume..."
"Correct. The Bishop, the top of the Clearstream Church. One of Archbishop Dodona’s disciples. That’s why I held my tongue. I asked them if Petra had actually authorized such a thing, and told them to get in touch with her."
"And that silenced them?"
"Well, they said to wait while they contacted her, but that’s essentially proof that they hadn't received any authorization at all."
What a sloppy, reckless power play. They couldn't possibly be ignorant of Archbishop Dodona’s standing.
"Is it even possible for them to act without securing Archbishop Dodona’s approval?"
"I would like to think not, but..."
"Yet, it is happening nonetheless."
Faced with the facts, we could only offer bitter smiles. It was even more senseless and thoughtless than I had imagined.
"...Sigh. Let’s try looking at this from a different angle. This could imply that the central Clearstream Church believes they can act without regard for Bishop Petra. In other words, they’ve cut off the North. They’re saying it’s none of their concern."
"Ah, you could interpret it that way, couldn't you?"
"Indeed. Though, if they are truly independent, there is no reason for them to be intimidated by Archbishop Dodona’s words... Well, if I had to force a reason, perhaps they are in the middle of severing ties with the North entirely?"
I see. It’s a bit of a stretch, but that possibility cannot be ruled out. In fact, it is likely the truth. If we assume the Clearstream Church is currently experiencing some internal conflict or disagreement between the North and the Center, and is acting unilaterally, then... well, it’s not entirely incomprehensible. Though, the fact that their method of concealment is so blatant remains baffling.
"Well, leave the investigation of that to you. For now, let me provide my report."
As we all sat in the silence of our own thoughts, Nina spoke up. She was right; this was a briefing, after all.
"Yes, please. I’m eager to hear the situation in the North."
"Understood. Though, aside from the monster attack in the town of Uesa the other day, there hasn't been anything particularly noteworthy. Since entering the northern territories, there hasn't been any major upheaval. I’ve been gathering intelligence in the towns I’ve passed through, and while it’s hardly a picture of fiscal health, it feels like they’re managing monster countermeasures while teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Did you see the documents?"
"I did. We analyzed them here as well, and they are allocating an absurd amount to military expenditures and guild commissions. It’s a ratio that would be unthinkable under normal circumstances. What was King Giadana’s assessment?"
"We share the same opinion. The way they are managing their budget is so tight it wouldn't be strange if they were in the midst of a war. It’s a miracle the towns are holding together at all."
"Indeed. Still, they must be managing somehow thanks to the support funds arriving from the heart of the country. But that begs the question of how the center is managing to scrape together that money. As we discussed before, one can imagine that the Northern Central Kingdom of Fiana is handling various trades."
That must be it. At this rate, no single nation could sustain such a state of affairs. We can assume they are only holding on because they can trade smoothly with other nations. In other words, the Northern Central Kingdom of Fiana is the heart of the North, but...
"But if that’s the case, the Northern Central Kingdom of Fiana should be suffering from nothing but expenditures, and debt should be piling up somewhere. It wouldn't be surprising if the frontline nation collapsed, yet we haven't heard any such reports. It’s a mystery, and I think we need to investigate how that system works."
"True. They are only consuming resources. They need to procure funds and resources from somewhere to keep the cycle going... but the front lines are essentially just points of consumption. They say they are covering it with monster materials, but..."
"That’s the strange part. No matter how much they can offset, there’s a limit. And unlike Uesa, there are places that aren't currently battlegrounds. Well, materials do flow in, like in this recent case, but the frequency is still low."
"Well, perhaps they are engaged in some form of production... We have no choice but to investigate that as well."
"So, the conclusion for now is that the North is holding back the monsters by fighting alongside the demi-humans, and they don't seem to have the luxury of picking a fight with the nations of the Center."
There are still too many unknowns. I hope that by unraveling these mysteries, we can understand what is happening on the New Continent... We’ve recovered from the state of total confusion we were in at the start, but because the stage is so vast, everything feels like it’s moving at a glacial pace.
That said, the nations of the South, including Ohe, seem to have settled down. If we can gather information on the Center and the North, perhaps the true objective of the Clearstream Church will finally come into view.