Chapter 448: Enemies 2
「Eh? But our neighboring countries are the Kingdom of Brandel in the west, the Empire of Albarn in the southwest, the Kingdom of Marein in the east, and the sea in the north and southeast, right?」(Mile)
「We have been in contact with the Kingdom of Obram for a while in the northeast!
The kingdom of Obram is a country that stretches from East to West along the sea on the north side, and its south side has a wide range of borders with the kingdoms of Marein and Tristo, and also with the eastern country. It’s a very long country.
Besides, the other side is the sea,
If they are invaded by another country, the depth is shallow and there is no escape behind, the royal capital may be besieged in an instant.
Therefore, they strive to maintain good relations with neighboring countries, and in the unlikely event that one country is attacking them, other neighboring countries will attack that country from the side and help. Anyway, it’s a country that is focusing on diplomacy.
They provide assistance in the event of famine and disasters in neighboring countries, and the impression from other people isn’t bad at all.
It’s very unlikely that such a country would plot something strange.
However......」(Guild Master)
「We don’t think of it, but weird rumors still come up.
What’s more, it’s just a “rumor”, so we can’t make any strange confirmations or inquiries from our side.
We can’t risk ruining our relationship ...」(Mile)
「That’s how it is.
You really saved me for understanding the story easily」(Guild Master)
Guild Master said it as if Red Oath has already decided to accept this request,
Of course, that was also a deliberate statement as a strategy.
However, Red Oath wasn’t that naive to fall for such a trick.
「So what exactly do you want to ask of us?」(Rena)
「We won’t do any illegal activities or things that can trigger wars,
And until the day I die, I won’t take a job that I can’t explain in front of the goddess.」(Maevis)
Rena and Maevis stabbed a nail in the first strike for the time being.
Well, they don’t think that will be the case from the last request, it’s just an appeal just in case and the initiative will be on their side.
The Guild Master has also foreseen such a rudimentary bargaining technique of these little girls to some extent,
It’s the adult’s leeway to deal with such problems properly.
「I know.
Even if it’s a request from the country, the work mediated by the guild will not contain anything illegal or shameful.
Everything must be only regular requests in accordance with the Guild Charter.
I can’t make the guild as a whole do anything with immediate interests.
If I do that, I will be beheaded at best and hanged at worst, rather than just being banished from the guild.」(Guild Master)
「Haha...
I feel like neither is much different...」(Meavis)
Hearing the words of the Guild Master, which no-one knows whether it’s serious, Maevis is full of dry laughter.
Anyway, mutual restraint and “greetings” are over. The rest is...
「Then, I wonder if you can give me a detailed explanation.」()
Yes, it was the main subject.
＊ ＊ ＊
According to the Guild Master, there seems to be something wrong with the neighboring kingdom of Obram.
There was no rebellion, bandit raid or something happened openly,
But a small village suddenly disappears, the damage caused by monsters suddenly increases, and the number of caravans annihilated increases.
No, each of them isn’t so strange.
The number of monsters increases and one village disappears,
It’s common for Monster Stampedes to cause multiple villages and towns to disappear in an instant, or a large number bandits to work and dramatically increase the damage to caravans.
But why are “strange rumors” flowing?
If something really goes wrong, a formal alert will be sent to neighboring countries or a request for assistance will be issued.
Not doing it might mean that they aren’t in trouble, or that they aren’t in trouble enough to inform other countries, or that they don’t want to inform?
Certainly, if they ask for help from another country, they will have to make a big debt and they will face ashamed as a country.
It’s not unreasonable to think of it as a last resort.
So others can’t force them to make inquiries from here.
However.......
「If they are in trouble to some extent, the spies usually get the information.
Besides, if it’s a country far away, we don’t know when it will affect this country...」(Mile)
Yes, just as Mile says.
Although rumors are flowing, the top brass doesn’t officially move, and spies from other countries can’t easily grasp the situation.
And they are too worried to leave it alone.
... Then, they have no choice but to carefully collect information among the common people from where rumors are flowing.
It’s also informally and secretly so that the kingdom of Obram doesn’t notice it ...
「Ah, who are the “grass” people?」(Mile)
No matter how friendly the country is, we should prepare a kind of spy.
We won’t know when a political change will occur and a hostile government will be born...
In addition, a new government’s legitimacy is uncertain due to rebellion and usurper.
By creating enemies abroad, they will distract the dissatisfaction of the people and unite the country.
During that time they are going to crush their political opponents in a hurry.
It’s a common practice that when they gain power, they will immediately start a war with another country.
「You can start by listening to stories about where the villages disappeared and where the caravans disappeared.
But it seems that it’s not connected」(Guild Master?)
「Ah ...
But where is the “strange rumor” in the first place?
The fact that the village has disappeared and the caravan has been wiped out is just “damage reporting”, it isn’t strange, right?」(Mile)
「It’s the content of the request to confirm that」(Guild Master)
「「「「What’s with that...?!」」」」(Red Oath)
Well, even if they (the spies?) want to know about it, they can’t gather information about something that people in question (citizen?) don’t know
And with a small number of people, they can’t grasp the kingdom of Obram’s secret information.
It would be unreasonable to let the spy investigate while they can only work secretly.
「Hmm ...
It’s very different from the previous request ...」(Rena)
「I’m glad.
If it’s the same development, people will complain a lot about it.」(Mile)
「What will people complain about?!」(Maevis)
Mavis tsukkomi to Mile’s mysterious remark, but Mile ignored.
In fact, Mile was thinking of writing a series of hunters based on their activities when her novel was out of material in the future. She has been writing a diary in preparation for it.
And she thought it would be a shame that the story of the same development would continue. But then she was relieved because the content seems to change even if the introduction part is similar to the previous empire edition.
(...But, some readers will complain right away just by reading the first part, so I should be careful.
I should make that the recovery and explanation of hints, the elucidation of the mystery, etc. rewritten in the next volume. But it would be a problem if they ask me what that is and what the future is going to be!
What are you doing, letting the author spoiler herself? Please be patient and wait for a while! ) (Mile)
(T.N: FUNA sensei is talking to us)
「Mile, what’s wrong? Somehow you suddenly look scary ...」(Rena)
「It’s nothing!」(Mile)
「「「「............」」」」(Rena’s Trio + GM)
「Anyway, we would travel to the Kingdom of Obram,
Should I properly report what I noticed right away?」(Rena)
Rena realizes that she shouldn’t touch the current Mile.
She talked to the guild master as if nothing had happened.
「Ah, ah, yes just like that.
Of course, the regular spies...
I don’t think there will be anything from those people...
And since the Royal Palace’s breathtaking merchants, grass, diplomats, and more are all working normally, it doesn’t matter if you don’t get any results...
To the end, you guys are like, “Hopefully you can achieve some unexpected results.”
What should I say, uhm...
Not particularly expected,
No, not so... sacrifice pawns?
Ah no no, Nothing right now!
Ah, uu...」(Guild Master)
Somehow, the guild master seems to be impatient, as if he was stuck in a pot.
「Somehow, we knew what you wanted to say, so I don’t have to overdo it ...」(Maevis)
「I, i see!」(Guild Master)
The guild master was relieved receiving the rescue boat from Maevis.
Rena’s group seems to have grasped the general nuances.
Well, that’s probably the case ...
「Actually, it seems that there were some people who strongly recommended you for this request...」(Guild Master)
「「「「We knew it......」」」」(Red Oath)
From the content of the previous report, it seems that the Guild Master also knew who recommended Red Oath.
He was just dry-laughing at Red Oath’s mutter.
＊ ＊ ＊
「... So, we ended up accepting it ...
On the condition that the achievement points are increased by 50%」(Rena?)
「Well, it can’t be helped.
We can’t ask to increase the request fee or shortening our Obligation duty period
Because the source of the request and money isn’t from the Hunter Guild, the guild master can’t do anything about it.
Besides, there was no interesting request here...」(Mile?)
「Earnings that can be doubled, Achievement points
The favor for the guild and the top brass of the country is also delicious ...」(Pauline)
「It seems that our Obligation duty period’s “counter” for the tuition fee and dormitory fee will still reduce during this time...」(Maevis)
「「「「So the problem is just...」」」」(Red Oath)
＊ ＊
「Why do you go on your second training trip so quickly?
You’ve just returned from your first trip, haven’t you?
Moreover, immediately after that, you went to the empire with a long-term escort request, and after that, you often went out with a request for several days, went to the elf village, and so on.
It would be a problem if you don’t have a little more awareness as the inn guests and think seriously about hot water supply in the bath and attracting customers!」(Reni-chan)
「Uhm, I don’t understand what Reni-chan is saying ...」(Mile)
「Rest assured.
I can’t understand it at all!」(Rena)
「Me too...」(Pauline)
「Ahaha...」(Maevis)
Following Mile, Rena and Pauline were full of puzzled words, and Maevis dry-laughed...
「Well, I thought it would be like this」(Mile)
「Like what Mile-chan said, it’s “within the expectation range”.」(Rena)
「How much service is required of the inn guests from the inn?」(Pauline)
「Ahaha...」(Maevis)