Chapter 159 - Negotiation (1)

On the evening of the seventeenth, every member of our newly formed team gathered together.

Our meeting place was a recently opened three-story tavern. I'd originally intended to meet at Mister Bear's place, but he had refused. Flat out.

["Hmm, our place isn't suitable for confidential conversations."]

["That's fine. We'll mainly be discussing shares this time, rather than expedition plans—"]

["Enough. I know a place. Let's go there."]

And here I'd been trying to drum up some business for him. Was recoiling at the very idea some sort of married-man instinct? This guy really was funny.

"Am I the last one here?"

Raven's arrival completed our gathering.

"No need to apologize. Have a seat."

"Why would I apologize? I'm right on time."

Well, that was true... Why was she so prickly today? Oh, was she trying to establish the upper hand? Since she was meeting strangers?

'She really doesn't miss a trick with this sort of thing.'

It occurred to me that she might have arrived exactly on time on purpose, but I didn't bother saying so. We hadn't signed anything yet, after all.

"Let's start with some brief introductions."

After ordering a few dishes and some drinks, we took some time to get acquainted. Aynar went first.

"I am Aynar, second daughter of Pheneline! Pleased to meet you!"

"Um, Aynar? Isn't that a little short, nyah...?"

"Sh-should I say more...? Sorry. I've never done this before..."

At the prompting of Misha, whom she'd grown much closer to over the last few days, Aynar scratched her head in embarrassment. Still, nobody called her out on it. She already knew everyone on the team, after all. She'd cleared the Blood-Tinted Castle with Raven, and met Mister Bear when we'd visited his place a few days ago.

"You really... haven't changed, Aynar."

"Thank you for the compliment. You haven't changed either, mage."

"..."

Anyway, I ended up introducing Aynar for her, explaining her explorer rank, what role she'd fill on the team, and so on.

"So we have two sword fighters?"

Mister Bear offered that brief observation when my briefing ended. Just as I was about to answer, Aynar cut in as though correcting a mistake.

"Eggfried, I am a warrior, not a sword fighter."

"My name is Urigfried... No, I told you before. Can't you please just call me Avman?"

"... I'll try. It's hard to pronounce."

"Hard to... pronounce?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

Mister Bear looked like he had a great deal to say, but ended the conversation with a deep sigh instead. Apparently, he was starting to learn how to talk to barbarians. The best approach was not to.

"You're the only one I haven't met. Bjorn has told me a lot about you. I'm Avman Urigfried."

"Allua Raven. I hear you're a Guide?"

"Oh, I'm Misha Karlstein, nyah."

The remaining three exchanged greetings on their own, discussing their respective roles like professionals. That meant half the first meeting was already out of the way.

Our food arrived just then, so we continued our conversation over dinner and drinks.

"This place is quite clean, and the food is good too."

"If only my wife could cook this well..."

"You're married, Mr. Urigfried?"

"Ah, I hadn't mentioned that. It's been three years now."

"Bjorn, they call this squid. Want to try some? The texture is really unusual, nyah."

On the whole, the conversation was warm and friendly. Until dinner drew to a close and the topic turned to the Labyrinth.

"Anyway, shouldn't we get down to business?"

"Yes, we should. Bjorn, how are we dividing the loot?"

Everyone's eyes sharpened as soon as money came up. Everyone except Aynar, to be precise.

"Can't we just take whatever Bjorn gives us?"

"Perhaps you can, Aynar. That's not how it works for us."

A mage who was quick with figures, and Mister Bear, who had a family to provide for. They were both good people in a social setting, but when the time came, they openly spoke up to defend their interests.

"Misha aside, I don't think it's right for Aynar to get the same share. She's the weakest of us, isn't she?"

"Eggfried...! I-is that how you saw me?! I-I trusted you!!! I thought you were a precious comrade—!!!"

"Quiet down, nyah. Bjorn will handle it. Okay? Be good."

"Mmmph...!"

Aynar trembled with betrayal, but fortunately, Misha was beside her and covered her mouth before things could get out of hand. Still, perhaps even Mister Bear found it harder to speak when she looked so devastated.

"Ahem..."

Mister Bear cleared his throat and averted his eyes. Raven smoothly picked up where he left off and began making her own case.

"I don't particularly mind what Aynar or Ms. Karlstein gets. But I am a mage, you know?"

"... Go on."

"With me around, we can bottle Essences in test tubes and sell them. I've also learned Greater Spellbend, so even if we're after monster materials, we'll be able to obtain them much more easily."

"You're asking for a larger share?"

"Yes. I'll need thirty percent."

Whew. Playing hardball right out of the gate. Dwalki had accepted equal shares with a cheerful laugh.

"... Thirty percent is too much."

"Too much? My seniors all say that's what they get."

Who did she take for a sucker? Sure, mages received preferential treatment in the Labyrinth. Assuming everyone was on the same level.

"Those seniors of yours must have joined teams below their own level."

"Hmm. Are you saying that doesn't apply to me?"

As a rank-six mage, Raven deserved to be treated as a rank-five explorer. With Misha and me at rank six and Aynar at rank seven, that clearly put her a rank above us. However...

"We'll find that out on an expedition."

I was confident. Whatever our ranks, we would never be dead weight that she had to carry.

"Isn't that what you thought too? Why else would you want to join this team?"

"Hmm, that's true."

Raven conceded the point surprisingly easily. But perhaps that was merely groundwork for her next move.

"Still, Ms. Karlstein and Aynar are less essential than the three of us, aren't they?"

"They'll be pulling their weight soon enough."

"Yes, I agree. In a year... No, perhaps in just a few months. But why should I take a loss until then?"

Raven proposed that we renegotiate the shares once those two could rightfully claim their full portions, and I met her partway.

"We'll keep the shares equal at twenty percent. But I'll give you forty percent of special loot obtained through magic."

"Agreed."

Equal shares, with a bonus percentage for loot acquired through magic. In the end, Raven secured the standard terms for a mage on a five-person team.

That took care of one person. Now only Mister Bear remained.

"I'll take five percent from Aynar's share and give it to you."

Really, considering he was a Guide, even an extra ten percent wouldn't be excessive, but...

"We haven't even been on our first expedition yet. I'll settle for that for now."

Mister Bear readily agreed. Well, he probably felt a little too embarrassed to press his case. Guide or not, his ability to find his way around was nonexistent.

"That settles that, then."

And so our final shares were decided.

Me: 20%.

Misha: 20%.

Aynar: 15%.

Raven: 20% (40% of special loot).

Mister Bear: 25%.

Oh, and this only applied to regular loot. We agreed to split anything acquired by defeating plunderers and the like equally.

'Ugh, what a waste.'

I was starting to understand why explorers were so desperate to rise through the ranks. I'd have to hurry up and reach rank five. If all three of us had been rank five, those two wouldn't even have brought up the shares.

'... Well, this is still within expectations.'

I washed away my regret with a swig of liquor. I'd privately considered the possibility that those two might demand much more, but they'd both kept things reasonable. On another team, without me as leader, they would have been much more blatant about securing their own interests.

'So we've cleared the biggest hurdle, at least.'

With the shares negotiated, the team's formation was as good as confirmed. Though there were still countless matters left to discuss.

"Oh, right. What about the team? When are we registering it?"

"Tomorrow."

"Then I won't be able to go. I thought that might happen, so I brought a letter of authorization. Please go ahead without me."

"... All right."

Starting with simple administrative work, we had to discuss all sorts of matters together.

"Will we collect money for a team fund? Or just collect whatever we need as expenses come up?"

"We'll each contribute a fixed sum every month."

"How much?"

How much should we contribute? How would we cover any shortfalls? Would the same shares apply inside ruptures, or if we found some mysterious treasure in the Labyrinth? Would we recognize things obtained through individual ability as personal gains? Would there be incentives? And on and on and on.

'We never went this far with the Outcast Team...'

Before I knew it, Raven and I were the only ones still engrossed in discussion.

SNOOOORE!!

Aynar had fallen asleep with her head tilted at an awkward angle. Mister Bear was drinking all by himself, as though savoring some long-overdue freedom, while Misha had opened a notebook and was scribbling away.

She wasn't taking notes or anything... It was just a hobby. She said her hands kept getting restless because she couldn't cook, or something like that. She'd started drawing a few days ago.

"... What did you draw?"

"N-nothing, nyah."

"An orc?"

"Pffft! Yes, an orc, nyah. An orc. Hehehe."

Something about her reaction rubbed me the wrong way, but before I could question her further, Raven called to me.

"Excuse me, Mr. Jandel. We're still talking..."

Oh, right. After several solid hours of mental exertion, my concentration was slipping. Important issues would have been one thing, but going over every last trivial detail made it even worse.

I checked the clock and spoke.

"Raven, let's leave it there for today."

"What? But we haven't finished everything I prepared."

"... Prepared?"

"The points we need to address before forming a team. I put together a list before coming here."

When I asked how much was left, Raven replied that there were thirty-one items remaining.

'... We're not even halfway through?'

Just thinking about the remaining topics made me want to die of boredom already. Still, knowing her, getting them settled would probably prove useful in some small way.

"Even so, it's too late. Let's meet again to finish the rest."

"All right."

We arranged to meet in two days, then went our separate ways. Somehow, I was exhausted in both body and mind. I'd actually thought my personality was similar to a mage's.

'... Seeing the real thing makes it clear.'

Thank goodness I'd picked barbarian.

* * *

The morning after our first meeting, the four of us gathered and visited the Explorer Guild. We submitted the letter of authorization I'd received the night before and officially registered our team.

"The team's called Bjorn? Isn't that a little lazy?"

Aynar grumbled, but I'd simply followed convention. The Outcast Team's official name had just been "Murad," too. Most teams simply used their leader's first or last name.

"We can change it if we think of something suitable later. Don't be too disappointed."

"C-can I think of one too?"

"No reason you can't."

"Really?! I'll think hard about it!!"

For all that enthusiasm, she'd probably forget the entire conversation in a few hours... But it wouldn't matter if she didn't. The team's name wasn't important.

"Avman, what are you doing now?"

"I need to get back to the tavern. My wife's waiting."

"I see."

Mister Bear left as soon as we'd finished forming the team, and the rest of us grabbed a quick meal out before returning to our lodgings. All three of us lived there now, after all. I was in room 201, Aynar was in 202, and Misha was directly across the hall in 207.

"Oh, Bjorn. There's something in your mailbox, nyah."

"Mail?"

At Misha's words, I checked inside and found a letter. It bore the seal of the Followers of Leatlas.

'Have they arranged the meeting with the draconic humans?'

I hurried into my room to read it. But what was this supposed to mean?

[He will summon you.]

The letter contained only that single sentence. The sender's title, "Paul Crovits, Commander of the Second Paladin Order," was longer than the message itself.

'What?'

As I tilted my head, the letter burst into flames and turned to ash in an instant. I appreciated him taking security seriously as I'd asked, but... How was I supposed to understand this?

"..."

I sat down on the bed to gather my thoughts. I had a rough idea who Paul Crovits meant by "he." Presumably the leader of the draconic humans, the primordial dragon. But there was one thing I couldn't understand.

'He'll summon me?'

It would have been easier if he'd simply written down a time and place. I was the one who'd asked him to arrange the meeting as discreetly as possible, after all.

'How exactly is he going to summon me? Will he come by again to arrange a meeting?'

I was still mulling that over as I flopped onto the bed. That was when a blue magic circle appeared on the wooden floor.

"Huh?"

Before I could figure out what it was, the circle blazed with brilliant light. And when I came to my senses...

'What is this, a summoning to another world?'

I was somewhere unfamiliar. A structure supported by enormous pillars, reminiscent of a Greek temple.

'The Dragon Temple.'

I quickly took stock of the situation.

'Was that a teleportation-type Draconic Tongue ability? With the letter acting as a medium?'

I had a rough idea of what had happened. Not bad. This would make keeping things secret much easier.

"You aren't surprised."

I looked straight ahead. Scales growing from his skin, reptilian eyes. A man with every characteristic of a dragonkin sat on a throne, gazing steadily down at me. Mist shrouded the area behind the throne, and dozens of eyes gleamed within it.

Were they all dragonkin? Just how many had he gathered here?

'... Look at all those damn eyes.'

A pressure unlike Bloodlust washed over me. A natural predator. It felt like standing utterly defenseless before another species I could never defeat. This was Dragon Fear. A passive ability every dragonkin possessed.

'So they're using that on me...'

I smiled bitterly. I thought I understood what they were after.

"Did you know? You are not the first barbarian to visit this place. However..."

"..."

"If you return alive, you will be the first."

It was an attempt to establish dominance. Given their race's disposition, they wouldn't take the Dragonslayer Sword from their benefactor without fair compensation. Still, they must have decided they needed to cow me first. Who knew what unreasonable demands a barbarian like me might make?

"..."

The Dragon Fear intensified, drawing cold sweat from my skin. But so what? I hadn't had such a sheltered upbringing that a little sweat would make my mind go blank.

'... Why do people here love these power games so much?'

At least that made my next move clear. I'd never dreamed I'd be doing this before we even exchanged names... But letting them know right away would save time. Whether they tried intimidating me with Dragon Fear or anything else...

"VEHELLLAAAAAA!!"

It was all a waste of effort.