“I’m home.”
“Welcome back.”
Why do nobles always have such exhausting conversations? They don’t nitpick, but their desire to improve their country as much as possible makes them constantly watch for openings to extract statements from me.
That’s why I can’t afford to make any slip-ups, and I come back here mentally drained.
As I loosened my collar and entered the room, Suella greeted me, using magic to move documents and process work.
“Where is the instructor?”
“He’s gone to confirm the borderlines. I heard he’ll be back around noon tomorrow.”
I had assumed that if the instructor returned at this hour, he would be starting a drinking party, and I would get dragged into it, but only Suella was there to greet me.
No, I don’t have any negative feelings about that.
Instead, having a wife who greets me with a smile is quite heartwarming.
“The instructor himself went out… is something happening?”
The problem is the fact that the instructor himself went out of his way. When he’s involved, he achieves results without any basis.
My tired mind instantly awakened and started working.
Crossing my arms, it’s practically a professional hazard to imagine what might be happening.
“There have been no reports of suspicious movements, but when he moves, it’s no joke. He’s probably planning to ask us for rear support and then do as he pleases.”
“That sounds perfectly plausible. He seemed to like the strategy I devised, so he might have gone to help the refugees.”
“That would be a conspicuous action and could be problematic for our plans.”
“I can’t imagine the instructor doing anything that would put us at a disadvantage. Perhaps he’s crossed the border and appeared in an unexpected location, devising a strategy to distract us by feigning an escape?”
However, trying to predict that instructor within the bounds of imagination is nearly impossible. I wouldn’t call him eccentric, but he routinely exceeds expectations in a surprisingly unconventional way.
“That is… a possibility.”
I voiced my prediction, half-jokingly, or rather, about forty percent joking and sixty percent serious, and Suella, with a brief moment of seriousness, realized it wasn’t an impossible scenario.
“Indeed, it’s dangerous, but if he does that, it can conceal our troop’s location. At this timing, launching a guerrilla attack is the tactic most likely to displease the enemy. If they’re depleting their forces, hindering their recovery would be extremely bothersome.”
“That’s right. The biggest weakness of the allied nations, which have formed an alliance across borders, is their slowness due to their interconnectedness. Once they start moving, their momentum is incredible, but conversely, small incidents like these can easily slow them down. While the enemy has superior numbers, with the Oni King, a swift central breakthrough with a small elite force is possible.”
“Normally, this would be considered an abnormal strategy, but I still feel like it’s not enough.”
“I feel the same. With him, I have a feeling there might be something I’m overlooking in my prediction.”
Both Suella and I have been through experiences dictated by the instructor.
That’s why we can easily imagine that his actions will stir up a storm.
“Well, there’s no point in thinking too much about it. We’ll have to respond flexibly. Here’s the report from today’s meeting that I made in the carriage. Can you put it aside since the instructor isn’t here?”
“Understood.”
However, there’s almost nothing we can do. At best, we can complete the construction of this base and win over more surrounding countries.
Suella immediately began to read the report summarizing my negotiation results, one of the achievements.
“Are they observing?”
Her overall assessment was that there had been no progress.
“It feels like reality got in the way. It’s difficult to judge who has the momentum right now. Isal’s main army is intact, and the Hero is unharmed. There’s no reason for us humans to be prepared to fight each other at this point.”
“I don’t think we’re in a position to play coy either.”
“But it’s not time to blindly follow, either. They, like our nobles, are trying to extract as many conditions as possible. Well, it’s slightly better because they didn’t offer as many sarcastic remarks.”
This time, we met face-to-face and simply listened to each other’s arguments. They probably want time to discuss.
So, I stayed for about three days, and after discussing, I returned. The response was framed as waiting for their reply, but I didn’t feel like they had been given any time.
“Is there a possibility of contacting external parties?”
“I can’t say for sure, but it’s unlikely. They don’t have the guts or the intelligence to do something that would incur the instructor’s wrath after witnessing his abilities. They are the cautious type. If the situation changes, they will normally become allies, but if it doesn’t, they observe. It’s the most difficult personality to manipulate.”
Even as we speak, we are preparing for war, and from their perspective, if they want to establish a cooperative relationship, they need to give an answer soon. Time is our enemy. A united front has not yet been formed. Therefore, there is no need to synchronize our paces. They are well aware that we are making our own moves to prevent them from acting rashly.
“They seem aware that they’re running out of time.”
“They are not optimistic, but rather the stubborn type. They want to do this, but won’t allow that, narrowing their path. In a good way, they are diligent; in a bad way, they are obstinate.”
After finishing the report, Suella approached a shelf to store it. I, meanwhile, walked to the area in the room where tea could be prepared and brewed tea for both of us.
“What are your intentions?”
“We have no choice but to make them agree next time. If we don’t form a united front here, we won’t make the schedule in time, and if demons and humans don’t cooperate, this war cannot end.”
Magic is truly convenient. It boils water instantly, allowing us to drink freshly brewed tea like this.
“Here, let’s have a break.”
“Thank you.”
Taking one of the mugs, I handed it to Suella and, leaning against the table, albeit a bit ungracefully, I said, “During this discussion, I presented the merits and demerits. In our next talk, we will bring up the illicit activities of Tris, or rather, the gods. Originally, the Sun God had no compassion for people. We will use evidence based on historical facts to instill in them the disadvantages of siding with them.”
“Do you think you can do it?”
“We have no choice but to try. I’m not very good at smooth-talking, but I can’t avoid it just because I’m not good at it.”
There’s always a mountain of things to do, but this time, it’s so far outside my usual scope that I find myself sighing frequently. As the saying goes, nothing gets done if you don’t do it.
Looking at the high mountain before me, people naturally think, “I don’t want to climb it because it’s tiring.” Similarly, with this work, it’s obvious that I will struggle once I start. The days will be much more bitter than the slightly bitter coffee I just had.
“Being able to face your responsibilities squarely like that is one of Jiro-san’s strengths.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes, so let’s finish this work right away. The sooner we finish, the lighter our next task will be.”
“Understood.”
Honestly, I find paperwork less stressful than negotiations.
“I miss the days when I was swinging the Ore Tree around in the dungeon.”
“Yes, compared to those times, there’s more paperwork now.”
Even more so, I feel that the days of swinging the Ore Tree and cutting down monsters were easier. Being evaluated for defeating enemies was a truly simple and straightforward logic. The higher the status one attains, the more the evaluation criteria change and become increasingly complex. It’s no longer a position where one can simply end things by fighting. Fortunately, having been a corporate slave originally, I didn’t have a strong aversion to paperwork.
“Have arrangements for material supply been made?”
“Yes, thanks to you, Jiro-san, maintaining ties with the Japanese Government, procuring food-related items has become easier. And thanks to the experimental herb garden we created within the dungeon, obtaining potions is also easier. The problem is construction materials. Due to repeated attacks from Isal, construction materials are becoming scarce on the continent, and their prices are soaring. Memoria is securing them at the Toris Trading Company, but it’s still leading to higher expenses than planned.”
“Is it about breaking even in terms of expenses?”
“There’s a slight surplus, but it’s only enough to tip into the negative if construction materials prices climb any higher.”
“Do you think magical construction can save us some costs?”
“Users of Earth magic who are skilled in construction are in high demand everywhere. Securing someone here would require a considerable amount of time.”
“I’ll have to negotiate with the Giant King. It would be great if I could borrow the Royal Guard again.”
“That would be ideal. With the Giant King’s Royal Guard, we could easily build one or two forts.”
Lately, I’ve only been negotiating with nobles and doing paperwork. I find myself longing for the days when I was just rampaging in the dungeon. It’s not so much a hunger for battle as a desire to move my body. My hands don’t stop even as we talk. My hands, which have been writing continuous text as if they were a high-speed printer, appear to be multiple, leaving afterimages.
“The problem is that the Giant King is also busy. Frankly, he probably doesn’t have the leeway to send us reinforcements, and there are plenty of other places that need construction. We have relatively more leeway, so our priority will be lower.”
“That’s right. The Ogre Tribe also possesses sufficient construction technology. Furthermore, they can speed up work efficiency through sheer manpower. Therefore, there’s no reason to call upon the Giant race here.”
I put aside documents that require the instructor’s seal and efficiently process only those that we can handle at our discretion.
“Also, I need a unit more suited for counter-espionage. I want eyes watching not only external threats but also internal ones.”
“Trust is built little by little, but can’t you be trusted?”
“The higher-ups are still fine. From what I’ve heard, they operate on logic, not emotion. I won’t say they suppress their dislike, but they don’t let it lead to profit or loss. The ones to watch are below them. There will definitely be those who resent obeying demons and will act out. We need lookouts for them.”
As I process these, I read the information from the documents. As I input this information, what’s missing naturally comes to mind. Even with the frank assessments from today’s negotiations, problems will undoubtedly arise. I know from experience that it’s impossible to do things perfectly. In fact, I trust people who claim perfection the least.
“You can’t see everything, can you?”
“I know that, but it’s always better to broaden our ears and eyes. Honestly, the rogue actions of those below are more frightening than those above. The higher-ups know when to stop, but the ones below don’t, and they charge headlong into their ideals. I don’t want to create any unnecessary trouble here. I wonder if there aren’t any good people available.”
With that in mind, I want to set up some insurance. Is there anyone who could serve as such insurance…
“Ah.”
There is.
Today’s Words:
Swift resolution, that’s the key to making recovery easier.
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I am currently serializing another work: Pandora Pandemic Panic. The Pandora’s Box has been opened again, but we are fighting back in various ways from secret bases and the like!! Please check that out as well!!
