The threat organism that the forces of <The Tree> had classified as <Fenrir>, the individual designated <Froze>, was making its usual circuit through its territory.
Once it emerged from the <Demon Forest>, it headed straight for a nearby abandoned village.
That village, destroyed in <Froze>’s first attack, was now completely covered in green.
A plant-type monster species called pseudo-greenwood treants had overrun it, forming a small forest in the span of only a few months.
As it roamed through the forest covering the abandoned village, <Froze> checked with its eyes and nose for any monsters or hostile creatures that might have wandered in and become a nuisance.
As it did, it made sure to rub its body against the treants’ trunks, never forgetting to leave its scent behind.
After wandering through the forest like that for several hours, <Froze> left it again and resumed walking.
In the course of a single day, it made the rounds of roughly four abandoned villages and towns.
Then, by the time the sun was setting, it arrived at the former royal capital.
Even there, though pseudo-greenwood treants had already spread throughout the city, the solid foundations, the stone walls, and the fortress structures built to endure still remained.
At the center of the royal capital stood the ruined royal castle.
That was <Froze>’s favorite sleeping place.
This territorial patrol, too, would likely be centered around that location.
Based on records from past patrols, that assessment was considered almost certainly correct.
And then, after another full day had passed—
Continued observation confirmed that this patrol was following the same route as before.
Accordingly, A-class Strategic AI <Iris>, who was responsible for the Prava Divine Kingdom theater, judged that there was no obstacle to commencing the operation.
“We have received word from <Iris>. Preparations are complete.”
“All checklist items have passed. Predicted model divergence rate is under two percent. <Iris> is awaiting final authorization.”
Hearing that report from the command seat, Eve gave a small nod.
“Good. I already notified Mr. Amajio properly, and they’re standing by on their side too. Okay, let’s do it. Akane. You’re authorized to begin the operation.”
“Roger. Announcing the start of Operation Walking the Dog.”
“We have received <Iris>’s response. Operation Walking the Dog is now underway.”
◇◇◇◇
“...That’s got a certain flair to it, as operation names go.”
“Affirmative. Naming large-scale operations is generally handled by Akane, one of the first-generation Firsts. It conveys the substance of the operation succinctly and has also been highly rated by the Commander.”
“...The parent stock, huh. Guess she really does have the same taste.”
Amajio was an adult, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) so he did not say anything overtly critical.
But Aide-Envoy, the doll-machine communicator controlled by Ayame Zero, who had developed at least a somewhat better understanding of human subtleties, flicked a glance toward him.
“Something wrong?”
“Nothing. Still... you’re really making a move on <Fenrir>, huh? Wouldn’t it have been better to just leave it alone?”
That had been Amajio’s honest first reaction when he was informed of the operation.
“There’s no need to go out of your way to throw a rock at a sleeping dog. Aren’t you risking more trouble than you need to?”
“That concern has already been examined. If <Fenrir> is left alone, projections indicate that in two years the <Demon Forest>’s territory will expand thirteen kilometers south, while the forests that have appeared around the former villages and towns will expand roughly twenty-five kilometers outward. If that growth rate continues, calculations show that in fifty to eighty years, all territory currently claimed by <Fenrir> will be covered in forest. In that case, it is necessary to begin dealing with it early.”
That explanation was accompanied by the transmission of simulation results addressed to Amajio.
Even assuming the rate of expansion remained constant, the country would apparently be swallowed by forest in less than a century.
“...I see. Well, even if this ends in failure, it’s not like <Fenrir>’s territory is going to change. And if you’ve got forces you can move, then throwing them at it isn’t exactly wrong. Unlike human states, losing military strength doesn’t directly mean national decline for you.”
“Effective utilization of automated machines slated for replacement. Deployment of next-generation units has already begun.”
The automated machines fielded by the forces of <The Tree> required not only periodic maintenance, but regular equipment updates as well.
Ordinarily, you would expect equipment lifespans to be measured in years.
But <The Tree> was currently unlocking its technology tree at a terrifying pace.
As a result, equipment was becoming obsolete in a matter of months.
On top of that, it was securing one mineral vein after another, so resource production was continuing to rise.
Under those conditions, sending outdated automated machines to the scrapyard would cost more than using them.
“Besides, conflicts with threat organisms will continue to occur in the future. Up to now, most battles have begun through accidental contact. This time, we are going to war with preparations complete. <Ringo> judges that this will be valuable experience.”
“So it’s about gathering data too. Yeah, fair enough. Given the expansion rate of <Paraiso>... no, of <The Tree>, the next step will be pushing into the <Demon Forest>. Which means monster extermination’s going to become necessary too.”
“Affirmative.”
To the north of <The Tree>’s current sphere of control lay the <Demon Forest>, stretching over an enormous area.
Untouched land—in other words, a treasure house of resources.
Based on the distribution of resources within the surveyed range, it was assumed that the <Demon Forest> region also held considerable mineral veins.
That was why <The Tree> wanted that territory.
“Maybe it’s because we’re on a peninsula, but our underground resources are kind of mediocre. On the continent, sounds like exposed mineral veins are a lot more common. So yeah, expectations are high.”
“Isn’t the Kingdom of Lepuitari basically formed on the same foundation as the northern continent? Including the seabed, shouldn’t it all be there if you dig for it?”
The territory ruled by human states amounted to only a tiny part of the northern continent.
Only the regions far removed from the <Demon Forest>.
From that perspective, <The Tree> viewed development of the <Demon Forest> as vastly more efficient than taking over the plains where humans lived.
Of course, that ceased to be true the moment human futures were taken into account.
But since Commander Eve, who was herself human, did not desire that outcome, one could also say that the safety of humanity’s living sphere had, for the time being, been guaranteed.
“If you can dig it up, sure. Then again, there’s also the simple problem of lacking the technology to survey underground resource distribution. Well, give it another hundred years and that’ll change. From our point of view, the policy is that there’s no problem with leaving it alone, right?”
“Affirmative. Big Sister’s gaze is not directed toward the human states. They seem to be recognized only as part of the general background.”
To Eve, who never left the fortress <The Tree>, foreign countries were like things that existed in stories.
Which was why she likely had no intention of becoming actively involved unless they became a direct obstacle to <The Tree>.
Whether that made her dangerous or safe would depend on one’s way of thinking.
“Miss Eve, huh... well... maybe it’s better if she stays just the way she is.”
And that was probably Amajio’s true feeling.
To Amajio, who had recovered all of his memories spanning more than a hundred years, Eve was still a tottering child just learning to walk.
And more than that, she was an ideal person—kind, and not violent.
Since she seemed, to some extent, already satisfied with the world as it was, there was no need to go out of the way to show her humanity’s stupidity.
Even though, given the current balance of power, the odds were not one in ten thousand—
if the day ever came when something dirty had to be done behind the scenes—
“The backstage work can be handled by your AI kind... and by me too. That’s what you’re thinking, right?”
“...At the very least, that is what <Ringo> is thinking.”
A sweet, sweet world, like something out of a dream.
<Ringo> was trying to create it.
Among Akane and the other AIs, who had been exposed to countless stories, there seemed to be arguments both for and against it.
But overall, they approved.
Even so, they were still only halfway there.
<The Tree> hungered greedily for resources.
“By the way, did your <Trout Nursery> ever achieve energy-shield technology?”
“Huh? No, I don’t think we ever got as far as manufacturing it. Mm... though maybe there’s some shelved prototype related to that mixed in with the mothballed weapons stockpile. We never did finish sorting out the warehouses, after all.”
